Clinicopathologial features of gastric hepatoid adenocarcinoma.

Background: Gastric hepatoid adenocarcinoma (GHA), a rare type of primary gastric cancer, is characterized by hepatocellular carcinoma-like histology. As details of this disease remain unknown, the aim of this study was to evaluate the clinicopathological features of GHA.

Methods: From January 2001 to December 2010, 4563 patients were diagnosed with primary gastric cancer at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou Medical Center.

Role of Akt/HO-1 pathway in estrogen-mediated attenuation of trauma-hemorrhage-induced lung injury.

Background: Despite advances in intensive care medicines, hemorrhagic shock leading to multiple organ failure remains the major causes of death in the injured host. Although studies have shown that 17β-estradiol (E2) prevents trauma-hemorrhage-induced lung damage, it remains unknown whether protein kinase B (Akt)/heme oxygenase (HO)-1 plays any role in E2-mediated lung protection after trauma-hemorrhage.

Materials And Methods: After a 5-cm midline laparotomy, male rats underwent hemorrhagic shock (mean blood pressure ∼40 mm Hg for 90 min) followed by fluid resuscitation.

HCV core-induced nonobese hepatic steatosis is associated with hypoadiponectinemia and is ameliorated by adiponectin administration.

Obesity-related hepatic steatosis is commonly associated with central fat accumulation and alterations in adipocytokine secretion; however, the connection between nonobese hepatic steatosis and adipocytokines remains unclear. We aim to investigate this connection using an animal model of conditional hepatitis C virus (HCV) core-transgenic mice. Double transgenic mice (DTM) with doxycycline (dox)-regulated hepatic overexpression of the HCV core protein were fed standard rodent chow ad libitum following 1 month of a dox-rich diet.

Evaluation of serum matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 to MMP-2 ratio as a biomarker in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background/aims: Serum matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9/ MMP-2 ratios are highly associated with alpha-fetoprotein levels in patients with chronic hepatitis B. In this study, we evaluate the clinical usefulness of this ratio as a biomarker in hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methodology: Serum samples from 181 chronic hepatitis B patients (52 healthy carriers, 47 chronic hepatitis patients, 50 cirrhosis patients, and 32 HCC patients) were collected.

Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma receiving chemotherapy containing rituximab.

Rituximab enhances treatment efficacy of B-lineage lymphoma by targeting CD20+ B-cells. Such target therapies may compromise the immune system and render patients susceptible to opportunistic infections. We report 2 cases of lymphoma complicated with Pneumocystis jiroveci (previously known as P.