[A case of hypervascular hyperplastic nodules mimicking hepatocellular carcinoma in alcoholic liver cirrhosis].

Benign hypervascular hyperplastic nodules (HHN) in liver cirrhosis are very rare. It is important to distinguish between regenerative nodules (hyperplastic nodules) and tumorous nodules (dysplastic or neoplastic nodules) in hepatocellular nodular lesions. The differential diagnosis between HHN and hepatocellular carcinoma on the basis of radiologic imaging is often difficult, and is clinically important when determining the therapeutic plan.

Effect of biliary stenting combined with ursodeoxycholic acid and terpene treatment on retained common bile duct stones in elderly patients: a multicenter study.

Objectives: For frail, elderly patients with large impacted common bile duct (CBD) stones, long-term treatment with biliary stenting provides palliation. Biliary stenting with choleretic agents such as ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) and terpene preparations may promote CBD stone size reduction. We studied the effectiveness of biliary stenting combined with UDCA and a terpene preparation as a medical treatment for difficult-to-remove CBD stones in patients older than 65 years in this multicenter, prospective study.

Serum enzyme half life can be a useful factor for follow-up management of biliary pancreatitis.

Background And Objective: The purpose of this study was to show that the half lives of serum amylase and lipase activities could be useful factors for follow-up management of biliary pancreatitis.

Methods: Ten patients with initial biliary pancreatitis (IBP) and six with post-endoscopic pancreatitis (PEP) were selected from those who had undergone endoscopic surgery. Serum amylase and lipase activities were examined and the relaxation patterns were investigated continuously after the endoscopic removal of the pancreatico-biliary obstruction causing this disease.

[Hepatocellular carcinoma with lymphoid stroma: report of two cases].

We report two cases of hepatocellular carcinoma with prominent lymphocytic infiltration, which has been described as a subtype of hepatocellular carcinoma with good prognosis. One case showed lymphoid follicles and dense lymphocytic infiltrates within the tumor and its periphery, and the other case showed marked lymphocytic infiltration in the cancerous tissue. Piecemeal necrosis of cancer cells and atypical reactive changes were evident.

[Change of HBV DNA level as a predictor of HBeAg loss after lamivudine treatment].

Background And Aims: Lamivudine is an effective, safe therapeutic agent for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B. The aim of this study was to investigate whether early suppression of the viral load predicts HBeAg loss within 1 year during lamivudine therapy.

Methods: This prospective study encompassed 74 patients (mean age: 37.

Molecular and biochemical characterization of hemoglobinase, a cysteine proteinase, in Paragonimus westermani.

The mammalian trematode Paragonimus westermani is a typical digenetic parasite, which can cause paragonimiasis in humans. Host tissues and blood cells are important sources of nutrients for development, growth and reproduction of P. westermani.

Amelioration of pancreatic fibrosis in mice with defective TGF-beta signaling.

Objectives: Pancreatic fibrosis is a characteristic feature of chronic pancreatic injury, which is a result of the imbalance between synthesis and degradation of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins. Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) plays a central role in biosynthesis and turnover of the ECM. In this study, we evaluated the role of TGF-beta signaling in pancreatic fibrosis induced by repetitive acute pancreatic injuries with mice of dominant-negative mutant of TGF-beta receptor II selectively in pancreas.