Assessment of Esophageal High-Resolution Impedance Manometry in Patients with Nonobstructive Dysphagia.

Background: High-resolution impedance manometry (HRIM) can calculate the bolus motion parameters and the ratio of complete esophageal transit besides the conventional esophageal dynamic parameters; therefore, we could better manage the patients with nonobstructive dysphagia (NOD) clinically.

Aim: To analyze the HRIM parameter results of NOD patients and evaluate the characteristics of their esophageal motility and transit function.

Methods: In total, 58 NOD patients were assessed and the clinical diagnoses were determined.

Bioinformatics analysis identifies miR-221 as a core regulator in hepatocellular carcinoma and its silencing suppresses tumor properties.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a worldwide malignancy; however, there is a lack of effective targeted therapies. We and others have found that miR-221 is one of the most consistently overexpressed miRNAs in liver cancer. However, the roles of miR-221 in hepatocellular carcinogenesis are still not fully elucidated.

MicroRNA-143 suppresses gastric cancer cell growth and induces apoptosis by targeting COX-2.

Aim: To investigate the function of microRNA-143 (miR-143) in gastric cancer and explore the target genes of miR-143.

Methods: A quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis was performed to evaluate miR-143 expression in gastric cancer cell lines. After transfecting gastric cancer cells with miR-143-5p and miR-143-3p precursors, Alamar blue and apoptosis assays were used to measure the respective proliferation and apoptosis rates.

First prospective, population-based inflammatory bowel disease incidence study in mainland of China: the emergence of "western" disease.

Background: Previously a disease of the West and rarely seen in China, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is now increasing in incidence in China. However, its true incidence is unknown. The incidence of IBD in Wuhan, a major city in central China, was investigated using population-based methods.

All-trans retinoic acid diminishes collagen production in a hepatic stellate cell line via suppression of active protein-1 and c-Jun N-terminal kinase signal.

Following acute and chronic liver injury, hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) become activated to undergo a phenotypic transformation into myofibroblast-like cells and lose their retinol content, but the mechanisms of retinoid loss and its potential roles in HSCs activation and liver fibrosis are not understood. The influence of retinoids on HSCs and hepatic fibrosis remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of all-trans retinoid acid (ATRA) on cell proliferation, mRNA expression of collagen genes [procollagen α1 (I), procollagen α1 (III)], profibrogenic genes (TGF-β(1), CTGF, MMP-2, TIMP-1, TIMP-2, PAI-1), fibrolytic genes (MMP-3, MMP-13) and the upstream element (JNK and AP-1) in the rat hepatic stellate cell line (CFSC-2G).

Effect of all-trans retinoic acid on liver fibrosis induced by common bile duct ligation in rats.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect and possible mechanism of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) on liver fibrosis induced by common bile duct ligation (CBDL) in rats. Fifty-three female Wistar rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: sham operation group (group J, 5 animals) and groups A, B, C and D (12 animals in each group). The rats in groups A, B, C and D were subjected to CBDL to induce liver fibrosis, while those in group J to sham operation.

Effect of ATRA on contents of liver retinoids, oxidative stress and hepatic injury in rat model of extrahepatic cholestasis.

The effects of all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) administration on the concentration of retinoids (RA and vitamin A) in liver, oxidative stress and the hepatic injury in a rat model of common bile duct ligation (CBDL)-induced liver injury were investigated. Female rats were subjected to a sham (n=5) or CBDL (n=48). Two weeks after operation, rats undergoing CBDL were randomized to receive treatment with either ATRA at three different doses (0.

Low-dose ATRA supplementation abolishes PRM formation in rat liver and ameliorates ethanol-induced liver injury.

The effects of all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) in low doses supplementation on concentrations of polar retinoid metabolites (PRM) and retinoids in the ethanol-fed rat liver, and on hepatocyte injury were investigated. The rat model of alcoholic liver disease (ALD) was induced by intragastric infusion of ethanol, and then the rats were administrated with ATRA in two different doses (150 microg/kg body weight and 1.5 mg/kg body weight) for 4 weeks.

Hepatotoxicity of alcohol-induced polar retinol metabolites involves apoptosis via loss of mitochondrial membrane potential.

Chronic alcohol consumption depletes hepatic vitamin A stores. However, vitamin A supplementation is hepatotoxic, which is further potentiated by concomitant alcohol consumption. It was suggested that polar retinol metabolites generated by alcohol-inducible cytochrome P4502E1 aggravate liver damage.

Experimental study of effect of Ganyanping on fibrosis in rat livers.

Aim: To observe the effects of Ganyanping on CCl(4)-induced hepatic fibrosis in rats.

Methods: The rats were separated randomly into five groups. Groups A to group D, each consisting of 15 rats, were for different tests, while 8 rats were used as normal controls (N).