Efficacy evaluation of pepsin in laparoscopic antireflux surgery for gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Background: The false positive rate of the PPI test for the diagnosis of typical symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is extremely high.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the effect of the pepsin test on GERD and laparoscopy-assisted anti-reflux surgery for GERD.

Methods: A total of 30 GERD patients were enrolled into this study, and the pre-diagnosis of GERD was determined by symptom evaluation, impedance-pH examination, gastroscopy and pepsin test.

Predictive factors of pancreatic necrosectomy following percutaneous catheter drainage as a primary treatment of patients with infected necrotizing pancreatitis.

Pancreatic necrosectomy (PN) following percutaneous catheter drainage (PCD) is an effective method of treating patients with necrotizing pancreatitis, however, the predictive factors for PN after PCD have not yet been identified. A total of 74 patients with suspected infected necrotizing pancreatitis (INP) and peripancreatic fluid collection were enrolled in the current study between October 2010 and October 2015. These patients received ultrasound or computer topography guided PCD followed by PN.

Nissen fundoplication proton pump inhibitors for laryngopharyngeal reflux based on pH-monitoring and symptom-scale.

Aim: To compare the outcomes between laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication (LNF) and proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) therapy in patients with laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) and type I hiatal hernia diagnosed by oropharyngeal pH-monitoring and symptom-scale assessment.

Methods: From February 2014 to January 2015, 70 patients who were diagnosed with LPR and type I hiatal hernia and referred for symptomatic assessment, oropharyngeal pH-monitoring, manometry, and gastrointestinal endoscopy were enrolled in this study. All of the patients met the inclusion criteria.

Increased expression of urotensin II is associated with poor prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Urotensin II (UII) and the urotensin II receptor (UT) exhibit mitogenic effects on tumor growth. Our previous study demonstrated that the UII/UT system is upregulated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and may enhance the proliferation of human hepatoma cells. However, the clinical significance of UII/UT expression in HCC remains unclear.

Post-translational modifications of α-synuclein contribute to neurodegeneration in the colon of elderly individuals.

Synucleinopathies and abnormalities in the nerves of the enteric nervous system are hypothesized to be involved in age-associated motility disorders. The aim of the present study was to investigate the expression of various antigens, including α‑synuclein (Syn) and its post‑translational modified forms, in the human colon at various ages. In addition, the study aimed to correlate the expression of Syn with neurodegeneration.

Step-up mini-invasive surgery for infected pancreatic necrosis: Results from prospective cohort study.

Objectives: To investigate the clinical efficacy and success predictors of mini-invasive techniques in the treatment of infected pancreatic necrosis (IPN).

Methods: IPN patients admitted to our clinic for treatment by mini-invasive techniques were included in this study prospectively. Treatment was divided into four sequential phases: percutaneous catheter drainage (PCD), mini-incision drainage (MID), video assisted debridement (VAD) and open surgery.

NIM811 downregulates transforming growth factor‑β signal transduction in vivo and in vitro.

Liver fibrosis is the common histological feature of a number of chronic liver diseases, and leads to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). It has been demonstrated that N‑methyl‑4‑isoleucine cyclosporine (NIM811) attenuates CCl4‑induced liver fibrosis and inflammation in rats. The present study investigated whether NIM811 downregulated transforming growth factor (TGF)‑β signaling in rats with CCl4‑induced liver fibrosis and in HSC‑T6 cells.

Human recombinant endostatin Endostar attenuates hepatic sinusoidal endothelial cell capillarization in CCl4‑induced fibrosis in mice.

The aim of the present study was to detect the effect of the recombinant human endostatin Endostar on hepatic sinusoidal capillarization in CCl4‑induced murine models of liver fibrosis. The liver fibrosis model was induced in BALB/c mice using intraperitoneal injection of CCl4 for 6 weeks. Animals were divided into the following six treatment groups: Group 1, normal animals; group 2, CCl4‑induced liver fibrosis; group 3, CCl4+Endostar 20 mg/kg/day for 6 weeks; group 4, CCl4+Endostar 10 mg/kg/day for 6 weeks; group 5, CCl4+Endostar 20 mg/kg/day for 4 weeks; and group 6, CCl4+Endostar 10 mg/kg/day for 4 weeks.

Endostar, a novel human recombinant endostatin, attenuates liver fibrosis in CCl4-induced mice.

Decreasing hepatic fibrosis remains one of the major therapeutic challenges in hepatology. The present study aims to evaluate the effect of Endostar on both CCl-induced liver fibrosis in mice and a hepatic stellate cell (HSC) line. Two main models were studied: (i) a liver fibrosis model was induced in BALB/c mice using CCl by intraperitoneal injection for six weeks.

Multisystem Langerhans cell histiocytosis with liver dysfunction as the first presentation: A case report.

Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a rare disease of unknown etiology characterized by oligoclonal proliferation of Langerhans cells. The diagnosis of LCH is complicated by the fact that it may involve multiple organ systems and its clinical presentation and course varies, ranging from an isolated to a multisystem disease. We report a 35-year-old male with LCH involving multiple systems, including the bones, lungs, spleen, liver and bile ducts, whose first clinical presentation was liver dysfunction.

Antiviral therapy for hepatitis B in special populations.

There has been much progress in antiviral therapy for chronic hepatitis B; however, antiviral therapy for hepatitis B in special populations is still very challenging. Here, we review antiviral therapy for hepatitis B in special populations, including children and pregnant patients, patients with hepatitis-B-related cirrhosis, patients with acute hepatitis B and chronic hepatitis B surface antigen carriers who receive immunosuppressive or cytotoxic therapy. Major advances have been made in antiviral therapy for hepatitis B in these special populations because of recent increasing availability of oral nucleoside/nucleotide analogues that are well-tolerated and highly effective; however, the findings are mostly based on small uncontrolled short-term studies.

The urotension II antagonist SB-710411 arrests fibrosis in CCL4 cirrhotic rats.

Urotensin II (UII) is a relatively novel peptide that functions as a potent vasoactive mediator throughout the human body, and also possesses mitogenic and fibrogenic potential. Recent reports showed increased plasma levels of UII in human cirrhotic populations; these levels were correlated with the severity of the disease. We therefore hypothesized that the blockade of UII signaling would arrest the progression of hepatic fibrosis in a rat model of cirrhosis.

Radiofrequency ablation combined with transarterial chemoembolization for unresectable primary liver cancer.

Background: Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) followed by transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) for unresectable primary liver cancer (PLC) has not been widely discussed. In this study, the outcome of the combination of RFA with TACE was retrospectively evaluated.

Methods: From May 2003 to March 2008, 127 consecutive PLC patients with a median age of 56.