Single cell analysis of Crohn's disease patient-derived small intestinal organoids reveals disease activity-dependent modification of stem cell properties.

Background: Intestinal stem cells (ISCs) play indispensable roles in the maintenance of homeostasis, and also in the regeneration of the damaged intestinal epithelia. However, whether the inflammatory environment of Crohn's disease (CD) affects properties of resident small intestinal stem cells remain uncertain.

Methods: CD patient-derived small intestinal organoids were established from enteroscopic biopsy specimens taken from active lesions (aCD-SIO), or from mucosa under remission (rCD-SIO).

Novel Pretreatment Scoring Incorporating C-reactive Protein to Predict Overall Survival in Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Sorafenib Treatment.

Objectives: This study aimed to build a prediction score of prognosis for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after sorafenib treatment.

Methods: A total of 165 patients with advanced HCC who were treated with sorafenib were analyzed. Readily available baseline factors were used to establish a scoring system for the prediction of survival.

Correction: Elastin Fiber Accumulation in Liver Correlates with the Development of Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

Elastin Fiber Accumulation in Liver Correlates with the Development of Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Background & Aims: The fibrosis stage, which is evaluated by the distribution pattern of collagen fibers, is a major predictor for the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) for patients with hepatitis C. Meanwhile, the role of elastin fibers has not yet been elucidated. The present study was conducted to determine the significance of quantifying both collagen and elastin fibers.

Pretreatment Gastric Lavage Reduces Postoperative Bleeding after Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection for Gastric Neoplasms.

Aim: For patients receiving endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), there is urgent need pertaining to the prevention of postoperative bleeding. We conducted a retrospective propensity score-matched study that evaluated whether pre-ESD gastric lavage prevents postoperative bleeding after ESD for gastric neoplasms.

Methods: From September 2002 to October 2015, the 760 consecutive patients receiving ESD for gastric neoplasm were enrolled and data regarding them were retrospectively analyzed.

Urinary excretion of the water channel aquaporin 2 correlated with the pharmacological effect of tolvaptan in cirrhotic patients with ascites.

Background: The water channel aquaporin 2 (AQP2) at the apical membrane of renal collecting duct cells mediates water reabsorption. The expression of AQP2 at the apical membrane is tightly regulated by vasopressin and was quantitated by measurement of the urinary form by a recently developed ELISA. Tolvaptan, an antagonist of vasopressin type 2 receptor, inhibits water reabsorption in cirrhosis.