Kazuhiro Taki

Lysozyme activity of cystic mucosal and submucosal glands in the stomal area of the gastric remnant.

In order to study the lysozyme activity in the cystic mucosal and sub‐ucosal glands in the stomal area of the gastric remnant, which is one of the components of gastritis cystica polyposa, we carried out a pathological and immunohistochemical examination of 55 patients with gastric remnants, including 19 with stomal carcinoma, after partial gastrectomy for benign gastro‐duodenal diseases. These stomach specimens were examined im‐munohistochemically for lysozyme. The cytoplasm of some epithelial cells of cystic mucosal and submucosal glands, which showed characteristic changes in the gastro‐intestinal stoma as well as background changes in the stomal carcinoma, showed a strongly positive reaction for lysozyme. These strongly lysozyme‐positive cells in the cystic mucosal glands appeared more frequently in the cases of stomal carcinoma than in the non‐cancerous controls.

Focal hepatocellular necrosis and portal lymphocytic infiltration of the liver in chronic alcoholics: Histopathological study of 40 liver biopsies

Forty liver biopsies of hepatitis B surface antigen negative chronic alcoholics were histologically studied to assess the influence of hepatitis C virus (HCV)‐infection. A moderate degree of focal hepatocellular necrosis and/or portal lymphocytic infiltration (FHN‐PLI) was observed in 28% of the specimens, being especially prevalent in advanced cases of fibrosis and cirrhosis, and significantly correlated with HCV‐infection. Eleven of these cases were examined in detail: HCV‐infection was detected in eight and lymphocytic infiltration was apparent in the portal area, accompanied by formation of lymph follicles. The FHN‐PLI was ascribed to alcoholic hepatitis in two HCV‐negative cases and was concluded to be of unknown etiology In the remaining one HCV‐negative case. This study thus indicated that over two‐thirds of cases of chronic hepatitis in alcoholics can be attributed to HCV‐infection, with the remainder being at least partly related to alcoholic hepatitis. The prevalence of alcohol‐induced chronic hepatitis based on immunopathological findings was unclear, but was probably less frequent than previously reported.