Multicenter prospective study to validate a new transient elastography device for staging liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B.

Objectives: To validate the operational and diagnostic performances of a new device for transient elastography (TE), FibroTouch, for liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB).

Methods: In this prospective multicenter study, adult patients with CHB and valid liver pathological results were recruited to validate the operational and diagnostic performance of a TE device by FibroTouch for staging liver fibrosis.

Results: In total, 517 patients with histologically proven CHB were enrolled.

Rho/ROCK signal cascade mediates asymmetric dimethylarginine-induced vascular smooth muscle cells migration and phenotype change.

Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) induces vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) migration. VSMC phenotype change is a prerequisite of migration. RhoA and Rho-kinase (ROCK) mediate migration of VSMCs.

Association of MDR1 gene polymorphisms with susceptibility to hepatocellular carcinoma in the Chinese population.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the association of MDR1 gene polymorphisms with susceptibility to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: A total of 689 HCC patients and 680 cancer-free subjects were enrolled. Human MDR1 gene polymorphisms were investigated by created restriction site- polymerase chain reaction (CRS-PCR) and DNA sequencing methods.