Assessment of metabolomic variations among individuals returning to plain areas after exposure to high altitudes: a metabolomic analysis of human plasma samples with high-altitude de-acclimatization syndrome.

Background: High altitude de-acclimatization (HADA) is gradually becoming a public health concern as millions of individuals of different occupations migrate to high-altitude areas for work due to economic growth in plateau areas. HADA affects people who return to lower elevations after exposure to high altitudes. It causes significant physiological and functional changes that can negatively impact health and even endanger life.

Abdominal paracentesis drainage improves outcome of acute pancreatitis complicated with intra-abdominal hypertension in early phase.

Background: Intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH) is an important risk factor for organ dysfunction, and it occurs in the early phase of severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). We have reported a novel step-up approach and shown the benefit of performing abdominal paracentesis drainage (APD) ahead of percutaneous catheter drainage (PCD) when treating Patients with SAP with fluid collections. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of APD in Patients with SAP complicated with IAH in the early phase.

Posthepatectomy jaundice induced by paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria: A case report.

Background: Jaundice is a major manifestation of posthepatectomy liver failure, a feared complication after hepatic resection. Herein, we report a case of posthepatectomy jaundice that was not caused by liver failure but by paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH)-induced hemolysis.

Case Summary: A 56-year-old woman underwent right hepatectomy and biliary tract exploration surgery due to hepatic duct stones.

Differentiation-inducing therapeutic effect of Notch inhibition in reversing malignant transformation of liver normal stem cells via MET.

Background: Liver cancer stem cells (LCSCs) are the key factors for cancer metastasis, recurrent, and drug resistance. LCSCs are originated from either hepatocytes dedifferentiation or differentiation arresting of liver normal stem cells (LNSCs). Differentiation-inducing therapy is a novel strategy in solid tumors.

Outcome benefit of abdominal paracentesis drainage for severe acute pancreatitis patients with serum triglyceride elevation by decreasing serum lipid metabolites.

Background: Our previous reports demonstrated that abdominal paracentesis drainage (APD) exerts a beneficial effect on severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) patients. However, the underlying mechanisms for this effectiveness are not well understood.

Methods: A retrospective cohort of 132 consecutive non-hypertriglyceridemia (HTG)-induced SAP patients with triglyceride (TG) elevation and pancreatitis-associated ascitic fluid (PAAF) was recruited from May 2010 to May 2015 and included in this study.

Intra-Abdominal Pressure Reduction After Percutaneous Catheter Drainage Is a Protective Factor for Severe Pancreatitis Patients With Sterile Fluid Collections.

Objectives: Severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) is a fatal disease with natural course of early SAP (ESAP) and late SAP (LSAP) phases. Peripancreatic percutaneous catheter drainage (PCD) is effective in management of LSAP. Although our previous study indicates that intra-abdominal PCD ahead of peripancreatic PCD benefits ESAP patients with sterile fluid collections, the mechanism is still uncovered.

Notch inhibition promotes fetal liver stem/progenitor cells differentiation into hepatocytes via the inhibition of HNF-1β.

In a previous study, the Notch pathway inhibited with N-[N-(3,5-difluorophenacetyl)-L-alanyl]-S-phenylglycine t-butyl ester (also called DAPT) was shown to promote the differentiation of fetal liver stem/progenitor cells (FLSPCs) into hepatocytes and to impair cholangiocyte differentiation. The precise mechanism for this, however, was not elucidated. Two mechanisms are possible: Notch inhibition might directly up-regulate hepatocyte differentiation via HGF (hepatocyte growth factor) and HNF (hepatocyte nuclear factor)-4α or might impair cholangiocyte differentiation thereby indirectly rendering hepatocyte differentiation as the dominant state.

Berberine ameliorates severe acute pancreatitis‑induced intestinal barrier dysfunction via a myosin light chain phosphorylation‑dependent pathway.

Berberine is a traditional drug used to treat gastrointestinal disorders in China and has been demonstrated to attenuate intestinal barrier dysfunction in certain animal models. However, the effects of berberine on pancreatitis-induced intestinal barrier dysfunction are yet to be fully elucidated. This study aimed to investigate the effect of berberine pretreatment on the attenuation of intestinal barrier dysfunction induced by severe acute pancreatitis (SAP).

Ultrasound-guided double-tract percutaneous cholecystostomy combined with a choledochoscope for performing cholecystolithotomies in high-risk surgical patients.

Background: Cholecystolithiasis is the most common disease treated by general surgery, with an incidence of about 0.15-0.22%.

Cell cycle characteristics of the pancreas in an animal model of isolated pancreatic trauma.

Background: In our previous study, we established a small animal model that mimicked the pathophysiology of isolated pancreatic trauma. To gain further insights into the relationships between tissue damage and the ability of the pancreatic cells to regenerate, we induced pancreatic trauma in rats maintained over 7 days and analyzed both the alteration of the cell death and the cell cycle distribution of the pancreatic cells in this study.

Methods: The rats were divided into two groups as follows: impact and control.

DMOG ameliorates IFN-γ-induced intestinal barrier dysfunction by suppressing PHD2-dependent HIF-1α degradation.

Hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) has been well established as a protective factor for intestinal barrier function in intestinal epithelial cells. Recently, a study found that increased HIF-1α-induced intestinal barrier dysfunction. We proposed that lymphocyte-derived interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) might be responsible for the intestinal barrier dysfunction caused by increased HIF-1α.