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Liver is an important organ with major role in carbohydrates, proteins and lipids metabolism. In addition, secretion and excretion of toxic materials occur in this organ. Exposure to a variety of infectious agents such as parasitic, viral, bacterial or toxic materials may lead to liver damage. Today, one of the best way for investigation and diagnosis of liver damage is measurement of some liver enzyme such as Alanine Aminotransferase (GPT or ALT), Aspartate Aminotransferase (GOT or AST). Since, these enzymes exist in other tissues, measurement of other specific enzyme is required. In this study activity of Ornithine Carbamyltransferase (OCT), the second enzyme in urea cycle, in 56 patients with liver problem (Cirrhosis and viral hepatitis) was determined. SGPT, SGOT, Alb, Bil, ?GT and ALP tests were performed. To assess the health and unhealthy liver in both control and sample groups. Our data shows a correlation between activity of OCT with SGOT (R=0.782, P<0.001) and with SGPT (R=0.857, P<0.001). Since OCT enzyme is specific for liver, further investigation of activity of this enzyme in assessment of other liver problems is required.

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Background & Objective: Gastric cancer is the 2nd cause of cancer mortality after lung cancer. Approximately 12% of all cancer death are due to gastric cancer. Tumorgenesis is thought to be a multistep process involving a series of genetic changes in oncogenes and suppressor genes. The most common cancer-related genetic change known in human tumors is P53 mutation, particularly in gastric cancer. This study was done to determine P53 gene mutations in gastric cancer. Materials & Methods: This study was performed on 44 biopsy from patients with gastric cancer during 2002 in 3 hospitals in Tehran. For determination of P53 gene mutations was performed PCR-SSCP methods. Results: The patients group comprised 31 males and 13 females (Average age, 60.8 years Ranging from 34 to 84 years). 36 cases (81.8%) intestinal type, 5 cases (11.4%) were diffuse type and 3 cases no defined. 44 gastric cancers of gastric tissues were screened for the mutations of P53 gene mutations in exons 5-8 using the PCR-SSCP analysis. After polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, 9 patients (20.5%) showed an apparent electrophoretic mobility shift between the cancer and other normal samples. One mutation in exon 5 (11.1%), 2 were detected in exon 6 (22.2%), 3 were found in exon 7 (33.3%) and 3 were detected in exon 8 (33.3%). The mutation rate was 7 of 36 (21.2%) in intestinal type and 2 of (40%) in diffuse type. No significant correlation between P53 gene mutations and age and genus was found. Conclusion: This investigation showed the rate P53 gene mutation (20.5%) in gastric cancer in our society.