Association between Infection and Nasal Polyps: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: () has definite or possible associations with multiple local and distant manifestations. has been isolated from multiple sites throughout the body, including the nose. Clinical non-randomized studies with report discrepant data regarding the association between infection and nasal polyps.

Perianastomotic Irrigation With Passive Drainage Dramatically Decreases POPF Rate After High-risk Pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Objective: To assess whether prophylactic irrigation and passive drainage of pancreatico-jejunal anastomosis could reduce leak and mortality rates after high-risk pancreaticoduodenectomies.

Background: Postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) is a life-threatening complication following pancreaticoduodenectomy. Several risk factors have been proposed likewise potential mitigation strategies.

Comparison of three prognostic models for predicting cancer-specific survival among patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumors.

Aim: To evaluate the predictive value for cancer-specific survival of the models of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage, NIH and Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP) among patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs).

Methods: Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database (2010-2014) was accessed. Overall survival analysis and adjusted cancer-specific Cox regression hazard was calculated.

Validation of the eighth clinical American Joint Committee on Cancer stage grouping for esophageal cancer.

Aim: To validate the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) clinical staging system for esophageal cancer using Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database.

Methods: Cancer-specific survival analyses for clinically-staged patients with esophageal cancer according to both seventh and eighth editions were conducted through Kaplan-Meier analysis.

Results: For cancer-specific survival according to both seventh and eighth clinical systems, p-values for pairwise comparisons were nonsignificant in many comparisons.

CHOP-mediated hepcidin suppression modulates hepatic iron load.

The liver is the central regulator of iron metabolism and accordingly, chronic liver diseases often lead to systemic iron overload due to diminished expression of the iron-regulatory hormone hepcidin. To study the largely unknown regulation of iron metabolism in the context of hepatic disease, we used two established models of chronic liver injury, ie repeated carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)) or thioacetamide (TAA) injections. To determine the impact of CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP)-homologous protein (CHOP) on hepcidin production, the effect of a single TAA injection was determined in wild-type and CHOP knockout mice.

Oblique bile duct predisposes to the recurrence of bile duct stones.

Background And Study Aims: Bile stones represent a highly prevalent condition and abnormalities of the biliary tree predispose to stone recurrence due to development of biliary stasis. In our study, we assessed the importance of an altered bile duct course for stone formation.

Patients And Methods: 1,307 patients with choledocholithiasis in the absence of any associated hepatobiliary disease who underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) between 2002 and 2009 were analysed.

Differential sialylation of serpin A1 in the early diagnosis of Parkinson's disease dementia.

The prevalence of Parkinson's disease (PD) increases with age. Up to 50% of PD show cognitive decline in terms of a mild cognitive impairment already in early stages that predict the development of dementia, which can occur in up to 80% of PD patients over the long term, called Parkinson's disease dementia (PDD). So far, diagnosis of PD/PDD is made according to clinical and neuropsychological examinations while laboratory data is only used for exclusion of other diseases.

Diagnosis of hereditary hemochromatosis in the era of genetic testing.

Background: Homozygous C282Y mutation in HFE gene is responsible for the majority of hereditary hemochromatosis cases. Since 1996 this mutation can be identified by a simple genetic test.

Aims: To determine the clinical presentations in patients with homozygous HFE C282Y mutation and the impact of genetic testing on the time needed for diagnosis.

Pathways for the regulation of hepcidin expression in anemia of chronic disease and iron deficiency anemia in vivo.

Background: Increased levels of hepcidin, the master regulator of iron homeostasis, contribute to the diversion of iron underlying the anemia of chronic disease. Yet hepcidin levels are low in anemia of chronic disease with concomitant true iron deficiency. Here we clarify the different underlying pathways regulating hepcidin expression under these conditions in vivo.

Hepcidin is localised in gastric parietal cells, regulates acid secretion and is induced by Helicobacter pylori infection.

Backgrounds And Aims: Hepcidin is an antimicrobial peptide and the central regulator of iron metabolism. Given that hepcidin was shown to be expressed in a variety of extrahepatic tissues and that stomach plays a role in iron absorption and in defence against infections, this study analysed the importance of hepcidin in the stomach.

Methods: Expression and localisation of gastric hepcidin was studied by quantitative RT-PCR, western blot, immunofluorescence and in situ hybridisation.

Hepcidin is an antibacterial, stress-inducible peptide of the biliary system.

Background/aims: Hepcidin (gene name HAMP), an IL-6-inducible acute phase peptide with antimicrobial properties, is the key negative regulator of iron metabolism. Liver is the primary source of HAMP synthesis, but it is also produced by other tissues such as kidney or heart and is found in body fluids such as urine or cerebrospinal fluid. While the role of hepcidin in biliary system is unknown, a recent study demonstrated that conditional gp130-knockout mice display diminished hepcidin levels and increased rate of biliary infections.

A novel method of forceps biopsy improves the diagnosis of proximal biliary malignancies.

Background And Aims: Tissue specimen collection represents a cornerstone in diagnosis of proximal biliary tract malignancies offering great specificity, but only limited sensitivity. To improve the tumor detection rate, we developed a new method of forceps biopsy and compared it prospectively with endoscopic transpapillary brush cytology.

Patients And Methods: 43 patients with proximal biliary stenoses, which were suspect for malignancy, undergoing endoscopic retrograde cholangiography were prospectively recruited and subjected to both biopsy [using a double-balloon enteroscopy (DBE) forceps under a guidance of a pusher and guiding catheter with guidewire] and transpapillary brush cytology.

A novel monoclonal antibody immunoassay for the detection of human serum hepcidin.

Background: Hepcidin is a liver-derived peptide hormone regulating iron metabolism. Changes in the expression of hepcidin are known to be the key pathogenic factors in hereditary hemochromatosis and are associated with infection and inflammation. To better understand the hormone's function in human disease, we aimed to establish an immunoassay to determine hepcidin concentrations in serum.

The iron-regulatory peptide hepcidin is upregulated in the ischemic and in the remote myocardium after myocardial infarction.

Recent evidence suggests that iron metabolism contributes to the ischemic damage after myocardial infarction. Hepcidin, a recently discovered peptide hormone, regulates iron uptake and metabolism, protecting the body from iron overload. In this study we analyzed the regulation of hepcidin in the heart and blood of rats after myocardial infarction.

In PSC with dominant bile duct stenosis, IBD is associated with an increase of carcinomas and reduced survival.

Background & Aims: In patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) treated with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), dominant stenoses are associated with reduced survival free of liver transplantation and the role of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in such patients is unclear. In the present study the influence of IBD on the outcome in patients with and without dominant stenosis has been evaluated.

Methods: In a prospective study, 171 patients were followed for up to 20 years.

Endoscopic dilation of dominant stenoses in primary sclerosing cholangitis: outcome after long-term treatment.

Background: Primary sclerosing cholangitis is characterized by progressive fibrotic inflammation and obliteration of intra- and/or extrahepatic bile ducts. Total or subtotal stenoses of major bile ducts are associated with reduced survival.

Objective: To evaluate the outcome after long-term endoscopic treatment.

Identification, sequencing, and cellular localization of hepcidin in guinea pig (Cavia porcellus).

Hepcidin, a cysteine-rich peptide hormone with antimicrobial and iron-regulatory activity, plays a central role in regulating iron metabolism during inflammation, hypoxia, iron deficiency, and iron overload. The aim of this study was to isolate and sequence the guinea pig hepcidin gene and show peptide's tissue distribution to identify the guinea pig as good animal model to study the regulation and function of hepcidin. The guinea pig hepcidin cDNA contains a 252 bp open reading frame encoding for an 83 amino acid protein with eight highly conserved cysteine residues.

Influence of dominant bile duct stenoses and biliary infections on outcome in primary sclerosing cholangitis.

Background/aims: In primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) dominant stenoses are frequently associated with bacterial, and in part, also fungal infections of the bile ducts. In the present study, the influence of dominant stenoses and of biliary infections on the long-term outcome was studied.

Methods: In a prospective study, 171 patients were followed up for 20 years.

Heart and iron deficiency anaemia in rats with renal insufficiency: the role of hepcidin.

Aim: Anaemia is prevalent in chronic kidney disease (CKD) and induces significant changes in heart and kidney. In this study, we evaluated the relationship between iron metabolism, hepcidin and inflammation focusing on left ventricular (LV) function, in a remnant kidney rat model.

Methods: Rats with 5/6 subtotal nephrectomy (STNx) and sham operation.

Secondary sclerosing cholangitis after intensive care unit treatment: clues to the histopathological differential diagnosis.

Secondary sclerosing cholangitis (SSC) is a chronic cholestatic disorder caused by mechanical, infectious, toxic, or ischemic factors. A new variant of SSC occurring after long-term treatment in intensive care units (ICU) has been recently described and characterized from the clinical point of view. The aim of this study was the histomorphological characterization of ICU-treatment-related SSC (ICU-SSC) and the definition of histological changes occurring over time based on the morphological findings.

Uptake of long chain fatty acids is regulated by dynamic interaction of FAT/CD36 with cholesterol/sphingolipid enriched microdomains (lipid rafts).

Background: Mechanisms of long chain fatty acid uptake across the plasma membrane are important targets in treatment of many human diseases like obesity or hepatic steatosis. Long chain fatty acid translocation is achieved by a concert of co-existing mechanisms. These lipids can passively diffuse, but certain membrane proteins can also accelerate the transport.

Pancreatic beta-cells express hepcidin, an iron-uptake regulatory peptide.

Body iron is involved in various vital functions. Its uptake in the intestine is regulated by hepcidin, a bioactive peptide originally identified in plasma and urine and subsequently in the liver. In the present study, we provide evidence at the transcriptional and translational levels that hepcidin is also expressed in the pancreas of rat and man.

Uroguanylin inhibits proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells.

Objective: The peptide hormones guanylin and uroguanylin and their receptor, guanylate cyclase C (GC-C), are expressed in pancreatic duct cells. In colon cancer, guanylin peptides are shown to exert strong anti-tumor activity through the GC-C pathway. The objective of this study was to analyze the role of guanylin and uroguanylin in human pancreatic cancer.