Prevalence and characteristics of Palestine refugee mothers at risk of postpartum depression in Amman, Jordan: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Postpartum depression (PPD) is a major public health concern because it adversely affects maternal health and children's physical and mental development. The prevalence of PPD in Arab countries is higher than the worldwide prevalence. Additionally, refugee women are more likely to develop PPD than women in the general population, but little research of refugee women in Arab countries is available.

Leptin receptor is involved in STAT3 activation in human colorectal adenoma.

The possible role of leptin in colorectal tumors has been investigated in previous studies; however, to date, the conclusions remain under debate. Therefore, we investigated the serum leptin levels in colorectal adenoma patients. In addition, expression of the leptin receptor, and the leptin receptor-mediated signaling pathways were investigated in biopsy specimens collected from human patients with colorectal adenoma.

Metformin suppresses colorectal aberrant crypt foci in a short-term clinical trial.

The biguanide metformin is widely used for treating diabetes mellitus. We previously showed the chemopreventive effect of metformin in two rodent models of colorectal carcinogenesis. However, besides epidemiologic studies, little is known about the effects of metformin on human colorectal carcinogenesis.

Metformin suppresses azoxymethane-induced colorectal aberrant crypt foci by activating AMP-activated protein kinase.

Metformin is widely used for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. Adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is known to be activated by metformin and to inhibit the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway. The mTOR pathway plays an important role in the protein translational machinery and cell proliferation.

Endoscopic therapy using an endoscopic variceal ligation for minute cancer of the esophagogastric junction complicated with esophageal varices: a case report.

Introduction: Standard endoscopic mucosal resection or endoscopic submucosal dissection is a procedure for patients with minute cancers, complicated with esophageal varices that puts them at high risk of bleeding.

Case Presentation: We present the case of a 77-year-old Japanese man with alcoholic cirrhosis who underwent a routine endoscopy examination as a screening procedure for esophageal varices and was incidentally diagnosed as having minute cancer of the esophagogastric junction with esophageal varices. Endoscopic ultrasonography findings suggested that the minute cancer was a non-invasive carcinoma (carcinoma in situ) and a 2 mm in diameter blood vessel, feeding the esophageal varices, pierced the lesion.

The continuous real-time 13C-octanoate breath test for patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis using the BreathID system.

Background/aims: Hepatic mitochondrial beta-oxidation is considered to play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The aim of this study was to determine whether there were differences between patients with NASH and healthy controls in a breath test with 13C-octanoate, a medium-chain fatty acid.

Methodology: The subjects were 8 patients (5 men, 3 women, median age 46.

Visceral obesity and the risk of Barrett's esophagus in Japanese patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Background: The association between obesity and the risk of Barrett's esophagus (BE) is unclear. Furthermore, the association between visceral obesity and the risk of BE is entirely unknown.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study in 163 patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) who underwent both endoscopy and abdominal CT at an interval of less than a year at our institution.

Clinical characteristics of patients with gastric perforation following endoscopic submucosal resection for gastric cancer.

Background/aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk factors of perforation during endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD).

Methodology: ESD was performed using a Flex knife in 64 patients with a total of 67 gastric tumors. Perforation occurred at the sites of a total of 4 lesions (5.

Early effects of intravenous administrations of lansoprazole and famotidine on intragastric pH.

Background/aims: The ideal medication for treatment of acid related diseases should have a rapid onset of action to promote hemostasis. The aim of our study was to investigate the inhibitory effects on gastric acid secretion after single intravenous administrations of lansoprazole 30 mg and famotidine 20 mg.

Methodology: Twelve Helicobacter pylori-negative male subjects participated in this randomized, two-way crossover study.

Identification of Cystatin SN as a novel tumor marker for colorectal cancer.

The goal of this study was to investigate Cystatin SN, a cysteine protease inhibitor, as a novel tumor marker for colorectal cancer (CRC). Gene expression profiles of mRNA from normal tissues and cancer cell lines were performed. Twenty-eight monoclonal antibodies for Cystatin SN were generated and serum Cystatin SN was quantified using ELISA in sera from 159 patients with CRC and 40 healthy controls.

Gender differences in the age-stratified prevalence of erosive esophagitis and Barrett's epithelium in Japan.

Background/aims: In contrast to Western countries where erosive esophagitis (EE) is more prevalent in males, there is a high incidence of EE in elderly females in Japan. We aimed to examine the gender differences in the age-stratified prevalence of EE and Barrett's epithelium.

Methodology: The study population comprised 869 cases (463 men and 406 women) who had undergone an upper endoscopy at the Gastroenterology Division of Yokohama City University Hospital between August 2005 and July 2006.

Macroscopic extent of gastric mucosal atrophy: increased risk factor for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in Japan.

Background: We aimed to estimate whether the macroscopic extent of gastric mucosal atrophy is associated with a risk for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma using a case-control study in Japanese subjects, a population known to have a high prevalence of CagA-positive H. pylori infection.

Methods: Two hundred and fifty-three patients who were diagnosed as having esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, and 253 sex- and age-matched controls were enrolled in the present study.

Correlation of the plasma level of insulin-like growth factor-1 with the number of aberrant crypt foci in male individuals.

In human subjects, aberrant crypt foci (ACF) can be classified as dysplastic or non-dysplastic using magnifying colonoscopy. Dysplastic ACF are thought to be a biomarker for the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). Hyperinsulinemia and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) have also been reported to be associated with an increased risk of CRC.

Characteristics of small bowel injury in symptomatic chronic low-dose aspirin users: the experience of two medical centers in capsule endoscopy.

Background: The antithrombotic effects of low-dose aspirin (LDA) are well established, and it is used for primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular events. However, the small intestinal toxicity of LDA remains unclear. The aim of this study was to review the characteristics of small bowel injury in long-term LDA users with capsule endoscopy (CE).

Serum ferritin is a clinical biomarker in Japanese patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) independent of HFE gene mutation.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common cause of chronic liver injury. The spectrum of NAFLD is broad, extending from simple steatosis through nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Iron is regarded as a putative element that interacts with oxygen radicals, and high rates of hyperferritinemia and increased hepatic iron stores have been demonstrated in NASH.

Incidence of small bowel injury induced by low-dose aspirin: a crossover study using capsule endoscopy in healthy volunteers.

Background And Aims: Small intestinal toxicity of low-dose aspirin remains unclear. The purpose of this capsule endoscopy study was to assess the incidence of small bowel injury in healthy volunteers treated with short-term low-dose aspirin.

Methods: Healthy subjects were randomly assigned to receive low-dose aspirin for 14 days (Aspirin group) or no drugs for 14 days (Control group).

Adiponectin inhibits colorectal cancer cell growth through the AMPK/mTOR pathway.

Adiponectin is a peptide hormone secreted by adipose tissue. It is a key hormone responsible for insulin sensitization, and its circulating level is inversely associated with abdominal obesity. Recent studies have shown that a reduced plasma adiponectin level is significantly correlated with the risk of various cancers.

Effects of body positions on gastric emptying with enteral nutrition: a crossover study using a continuous real time 13C breath test (BreathID system).

Background/aims: The aim of this study was to determine whether there was a correlation between body positions and gastric emptying, using a novel non-invasive technique for measuring gastric emptying with a continuous real time 13C breath test (BreathID system).

Methodology: Ten healthy male volunteers participated in this randomized, two-way crossover study. On both occasions, the 13C breath test was performed for 4 hours using the BreathID system with a liquid meal (200 kcal per 200 mL) containing 100 mg 13C-acetic acid.

Gastric surgery is not a risk factor for the development or progression of Barrett's epithelium.

Background/aims: Barrett's epithelium is currently believed to be related to acid gastroesophageal reflux. The aim was to determine the role of pancreatic-biliary reflux in the genesis of Barrett's epithelium.

Methodology: The study population comprised 1055 cases (606 men and 449 women; median age, 67 years) who had undergone an upper endoscopy at the Gastroenterology Division of Yokohama City University Hospital between August 2005 and July 2006.

Alcohol consumption is associated with an increased risk of erosive esophagitis and Barrett's epithelium in Japanese men.

Background: Evidence regarding the association between alcohol consumption and the gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) spectrum has been conflicting. We examined the association between alcohol consumption and erosive esophagitis and Barrett's epithelium in Japanese men.

Methods: The study population comprised 463 men subjects who had undergone an upper endoscopy at the Gastroenterology Division of Yokohama City University Hospital between August 2005 and July 2006.

Inhibition of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma promotes tumorigenesis through activation of the beta-catenin / T cell factor (TCF) pathway in the mouse intestine.

Although peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) is strongly expressed in the intestinal epithelium, the role of PPARgamma in intestinal tumorigenesis has not yet been elucidated. To address this issue, we investigated the effect of PPARgamma inhibition and its mechanism on intestinal tumorigenesis using a selective antagonist, T0070907. We treated Apc(Min/+) mice and carcinogen-induced colon cancer model C57BL/6 mice with T0070907 and counted the number of spontaneous polyps and aberrant crypt foci and observed cell proliferation and beta-catenin protein in the colon epithelium.

Association of visceral fat accumulation and plasma adiponectin with rectal dysplastic aberrant crypt foci in a clinical population.

The association between obesity and the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) cannot be easily evaluated because CRC itself is associated with a gradual loss of bodyweight. Aberrant crypt foci (ACF) can be classified as dysplastic ACF or non-dysplastic ACF by magnifying colonoscopy, and dysplastic ACF are thought to be a biomarker of CRC. Ninety-four participants who underwent colonoscopy at Yokohama City University Hospital, Japan, were enrolled in the current study.