Production of microalgae with high lipid content and their potential as sources of nutraceuticals.

In the current global scenario, the world is under a serious dilemma due to the increasing human population, industrialization, and urbanization. The ever-increasing need for fuels and increasing nutritional problems have made a serious concern on the demand for nutrients and renewable and eco-friendly fuel sources. Currently, the use of fossil fuels is creating ecological and economic problems.

[Effect of low dose 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin intra-arterial infusion chemotherapy in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma with decompensated cirrhosis].

Background/aims: Advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with portal vein thrombosis (PVT) has a poor prognosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of repeated arterial infusions of low dose cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil (FU) in patients with advanced HCC with decompensated cirrhosis.

Methods: Between January 1995 and December 2003, a total of 79 decompensated cirrhotic patients having HCC and PVT were enrolled and divided into 2 groups.

[Efficacy of AST to platelet ratio index in predicting severe hepatic fibrosis and cirrhosis in chronic hepatitis B virus infection].

Background/aims: An ideal noninvasive diagnostic test for hepatic fibrosis should be simple, inexpensive, and accurate. We aimed to find the simple marker for predicting hepatic fibrosis and to compare the accuracy of AST, platelet, AST/ALT ratio and AST to platelet ratio index (APRI) in chronic hepatitis B patients without clinical evidence of cirrhosis.

Methods: A total of one hundred and twenty-six chronic hepatitis B patients who underwent liver biopsy at the Ajou University Hospital from August 1998 to December 2003 were enrolled.