miR-541 is associated with the prognosis of liver cirrhosis and directly targets JAG2 to inhibit the activation of hepatic stellate cells.

Background: The activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) has been emphasized as a leading event of the pathogenesis of liver cirrhosis, while the exact mechanism of its activation is largely unknown. Furthermore, the novel non-invasive predictors of prognosis in cirrhotic patients warrant more exploration. miR-541 has been identified as a tumor suppressor in hepatocellular carcinoma and a regulator of fibrotic disease, such as lung fibrosis and renal fibrosis.

Incidence and risk factors for post-ERCP pancreatitis in pancreas divisum patients without chronic pancreatitis.

The studies on post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) pancreatitis (PEP) in pancreas divisum (PD) patients without chronic pancreatitis (CP) are rare. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the incidence of PEP in PD patients without CP and the risk and protective factors for PEP. Consecutive patients with symptomatic PD that underwent ERCP from January 2005 to December 2017 were retrospectively analyzed.

Extracellular Vesicles with Possible Roles in Gut Intestinal Tract Homeostasis and IBD.

The intestinal tract consists of various types of cells, such as epithelial cells, Paneth cells, macrophages, and lymphocytes, which constitute the intestinal immune system and play a significant role in maintaining intestinal homeostasis by producing antimicrobial materials and controlling the host-commensal balance. Various studies have found that the dysfunction of intestinal homeostasis contributes to the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). As a novel mediator, extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been recognized as effective communicators, not only between cells but also between cells and the organism.

Obesity and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease associated with adenocarcinoma in patients with lung cancer.

Lung cancer has become the leading cause of cancer-related deaths around the world. In addition to genetic risk factors and smoking, the metabolic risk factors remain to be elusive.To evaluate the associations between obesity, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and pulmonary adenocarcinoma in patients with lung cancer.

Calcifying fibrous tumor of stomach: A case report.

Rationale: Calcifying fibrous tumor (CFT) is a rare benign soft tissue mesenchymal neoplasm. Although the gastrointestinal (GI) tract is the most common predilection site of CFT, the clinicians, even including pathologist, generally consider it as GI stromal tumor (GIST) or other submucosal tumors such as schwannoma and leiomyoma.

Patient Concerns: A 55-year-old man presented with complaints of epigastric discomfort and abdominal distention for more than 1 year.

Risk factors of acute pancreatitis in the elderly Chinese population: a population-based cross-sectional study.

Objective: Lifestyle changes have led to an increasing incidence of acute pancreatitis (AP) in China. The aims of this study were to evaluate the association between lifestyle as well as medical history and AP in the elderly population and to provide evidence towards the prevention against AP.

Methods: A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Daqing, Heilongjiang Province, China.