Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to M R Belsheim.
We investigated the recovery of L-forms through micropore filtration. The findings indicate that L-form recovery and viability are a function of filter size and preparation technique. Current methods in use for L-form isolation appear to give erroneously low results, underestimating the potential role of L-forms in human disease.
This study was designed to investigate a possible relationship between bacterial L forms and inflammatory bowel disease. Homogenates of intestinal mucosal biopsies from Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, and control patients underwent bacterial culture on hypertonic media designed for the recovery of L-form bacteria and parental organisms. L forms were recovered from 24 of 71 Crohn's disease, 51 of 121 ulcerative colitis, and 2 of 140 control biopsy specimens. These isolation rates are significantly different when Crohn's disease biopsy specimens (p less than 0.001) and ulcerative colitis biopsy specimens (p less than 0.001) are compared with controls. Six different L-form types were recovered, of which the most common were Escherichia coli and Streptococcus fecalis. No marked differences were observed in L-form recovery rates or L-form types recovered between Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis patients. Drug treatment of inflammatory bowel disease patients did not affect L-form recovery rates or the type of L forms recovered. The results suggest either that L forms are involved in the causation of inflammatory bowel disease or that their presence in mucosal biopsy tissues is a result of the disease process.
Five healthy volunteers were studied for the effect on oesophageal motility of a single subcutaneous injection of a synthetic analogue of enkephalin as compared with an injection of an equivalent volume (0.5 ml) of saline. The injections were given at random on separate days, and each was followed after 40 minutes by 2 mg naloxone given intravenously. Pressures were measured by manometry after dry and wet (5 ml) swallows at one-minute intervals, and traces were coded and analysed "blind". Twenty-five minutes after the injection of enkephalin the percentage relaxation of the lower oesophageal sphincter pressure was significantly less (p less than 0.005) than at the same time after saline. Within two minutes after intravenous naloxone this effect had disappeared completely. Enkephalin had no noticeable effect on pressure of the sphincter or on amplitude and duration of oesophageal peristalsis. The mechanism of action of enkephalin in selectively inhibiting relaxation of the lower oesophageal sphincter remains to be determined. That naloxone rapidly reversed the inhibition may be relevant in achalasia and warrants further study.
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A 26-year-old man presented with chronic iron deficiency anemia. The presence of cutaneous lesions typical of the blue rubber bleb nevus syndrome led to the radiologic and endoscopic documentation of gastrointestinal hemangiomas. This is the first Canadian case report of this rare syndrome. A review of the 26 cases reported to date illustrates the difficulties involved in management. For the present, conservative treatment is recommended.