BACKGROUND TFF2, a member of the trefoil factor family of proteins, is a glycosylated protein of 106 amino acids. It is secreted by gastric antral and pyloric glands and by Brunner's glands of the duodenum. TFF2 is found in high concentrations around sites of ulceration. It stimulates cell motility and is probably the principal cytoprotective trefoil peptide in the stomach. AIMS To determine ...

The gastric aspartic proteinases (pepsin A, pepsin B, gastricsin and chymosin) are synthesized in the gastric mucosa as inactive precursors, known as zymogens. The gastric zymogens each contain a prosegment (i.e. additional residues at the N-terminus of the active enzyme) that serves to stabilize the inactive form and prevent entry of the substrate to the active site. Upon ingestion of food, ea...

Pepsinogen A (PGA) isozymogen patterns in urine and gastric mucosa can be visualised in non-denatured polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis by showing proteolytic activity after the conversion of pepsinogen into pepsin by acid. This method is not suitable for visualising PGA patterns in serum due to low PGA concentrations. To obtain a more sensitive visualisation method an immunoblotting technique...

BACKGROUND Guidelines recommending head of bed (HOB) elevation greater than 30º to prevent ventilator-associated pneumonia conflict with guidelines to prevent pressure ulcers, which recommend HOB elevation less than 30º. OBJECTIVES To examine the feasibility of 45º HOB elevation and describe and compare the occurrence of reflux, aspiration, and pressure ulcer development at 30º and 45º HOB el...

A method of preparation and a preliminary chemical investigation of the substance present in commercial (pig) pepsin which reacts with human A antiserum are presented. The material offers especial advantage in securing in quantity a serologically highly active preparation suitable for further studies. Active preparations were isolated moreover from commercial (pig) gastric mucin. Some other mat...

The gastric emptying of two radiolabelled pancake meals of identical composition, but different consistency, was compared with the rates at which they could be broken down in vitro by mechanical agitation in a solution of either acid-pepsin or saline. Neither of the pancake meals were broken up within 150 minutes by mechanical agitation in a normal saline medium, but both were disrupted in the ...

The effects of fundic vagotomy on acid and pepsin secretion in 12 patients (10 males, two females; nine duodenal ulcer, three gastric ulcer) were studied using a pentagastrin dose response before and after Vagotomy. In the intact stage H, Cl, and pepsin output all had the same ED50, 120-127 pmol/kg/h. Vagotomy reduced basal output of acid by 78%, Cl- by 50%, and pepsin by 62%. Postvagotomy basa...

OBJECTIVE/HYPOTHESIS Pepsin lateral flow device (LFD) is a rapid noninvasive test to detect salivary pepsin as a surrogate marker for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). We aimed to establish the test sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values (PPV, NPV) in patients with symptomatic and objective evidence of GERD compared to healthy controls. STUDY DESIGN Prospectiv...

Two different modes for regulation of stomach acid secretion have been described in vertebrates. Some species exhibit a continuous acid secretion maintaining a low gastric pH during fasting. Others, as some teleosts, maintain a neutral gastric pH during fasting while the hydrochloric acid is released only after the ingestion of a meal. Those different patterns seem to be closely related to spec...

BACKGROUND Cricoid pressure is considered to be the gold standard means of preventing aspiration of gastric content during Rapid Sequence Intubation (RSI). Its effectiveness has only been demonstrated in cadaveric studies and case reports. No randomised controlled trials comparing the incidence of gastric aspiration following emergent RSI, with or without cricoid pressure, have been performed. ...