A randomized controlled trial of thymosin-alpha1 versus interferon alfa treatment in patients with hepatitis B e antigen antibody--and hepatitis B virus DNA--positive chronic hepatitis B.

It has recently been shown that thymosin-alpha1(T-alpha1), a synthetic polypeptide of thymic origin, is able to promote disease remission and inhibition of hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication in patients affected by hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive chronic active hepatitis. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of T-alpha1 treatment in patients with hepatitis B e antibody (anti-HBe) and HBV-DNA-positive chronic hepatitis. Thirty-three patients were randomly assigned to receive either T-alpha1 900 microg/m2 body surface area twice weekly (17 patients) or 5 MU of interferon alfa (IFN-alpha) three times weekly (16 patients) for 6 months.

Shark fin enriched diet prevents mucosal lipid abnormalities in experimental acute colitis.

Marine lipids contain eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) which has anti-inflammatory effects. The aim of this research was to study, using the dextran sulfate induced acute colitis (AC) model, the effect of an EPA-rich shark fin supplemented diet on the mucosal lipid composition. The histology score increased in AC (p < 0.

Nafamostat mesilate on the course of acute pancreatitis. Protective effect on peritoneal permeability and relation with supervening pulmonary distress.

Three hundred sixty Sprague-Dawley rats were allocated into four groups, according to different content of a 24-h i.v. infusion performed 1 h after intrabiliary injection of enterokinase/sodium taurocholate to induce acute pancreatitis (AP): (1) Saline; (2) 5 micrograms/kg/h nafamostat mesilate (FUT-175); (3) 10 micrograms/kg/h FUT-175; and (4) 25 micrograms/kg/h FUT-175.

Transarterial oily chemoembolization for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma: a multivariate analysis of prognostic factors.

A total of 84 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and cirrhosis were analyzed retrospectively to investigate prognostic factors. All patients received transarterial oily chemoembolization as the only anticancer therapy. The follow-up range was 1 to 39 mo (median, 9.

Duodenal bicarbonate secretion induced by human epidermal growth factor in rats is partially mediated by prostaglandins.

In the present study, the effect of graded intravenous infusions of human epidermal growth factor (hEGF) 0.005, 0.05 and 0.