Hepato-gastroenterology 

About: Hepato-gastroenterology is an academic journal. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Cancer & Hepatectomy. It has an ISSN identifier of 0172-6390. Over the lifetime, 9430 publications have been published receiving 135853 citations.

Combined gene expression analysis of whole-tissue and microdissected pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma identifies genes specifically overexpressed in tumor epithelia.

Abstract: Background/aims The precise details of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) pathogenesis are still insufficiently known, requiring the use of high-throughput methods However, PDAC is especially difficult to study using microarrays due to its strong desmoplastic reaction, which involves a hyperproliferating stroma that effectively "masks" the contribution of the minoritary neoplastic epithelial cells Thus it is not clear which of the genes that have been found differentially expressed between normal and whole tumor tissues are due to the tumor epithelia and which simply reflect the differences in cellular composition To address this problem, laser microdissection studies have been performed, but these have to deal with much smaller tissue sample quantities and therefore have significantly higher experimental noise Methodology In this paper we combine our own large sample whole-tissue study with a previously published smaller sample microdissection study by Grutzmann et al to identify the genes that are specifically overexpressed in PDAC tumor epithelia Results The overlap of this list of genes with other microarray studies of pancreatic cancer as well as with the published literature is impressive Moreover, we find a number of genes whose over-expression appears to be inversely correlated with patient survival: keratin 7, laminin gamma 2, stratifin, platelet phosphofructokinase, annexin A2, MAP4K4 and OACT2 (MBOAT2), which are all specifically upregulated in the neoplastic epithelia, rather than the tumor stroma Conclusions We improve on other microarray studies of PDAC by putting together the higher statistical power due to a larger number of samples with information about cell-type specific expression and patient survival

A prospective study of combined therapy in esophageal cancer.

Abstract: Between January 1986 and December 1992, sixty-nine patients with squamous esophageal cancer were randomized to one or the other of two treatment groups. Group 1 (35 patients) were scheduled to receive chemotherapy (cisplatinum and 5-fluorouracil) and radiation, followed by resection, while group 2 (34 patients) received resection alone. Of the 35 patients entering combined treatment, 26 completed the protocol and 9 received only chemoradiation. A complete response to preoperative therapy was shown by 7 patients, and a partial response by the other 7 patients. Survival rates at one year and five years were slightly better among patients receiving combined treatment than among those undergoing surgery alone, but overall survival did not differ statistically between the two groups. Nor were operative mortality and complications statistical different between the two groups.

Environmental risk factors in inflammatory bowel disease

Abstract: Besides a genetic predisposition, a causal role of various environmental factors have been taken into consideration in the etiology of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The most consistent association of environmental factors so far identified is the association between non smoking and ulcerative colitis (UC) as well as between smoking and Crohn's disease (CD). Other factors such as oral contraceptives, refined sugar, perinatal events, childhood infections, microbial agents, and domestic hygiene have been found to be associated with ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease but further evaluation is required to confirm the consistency and to define the strength of the association. Recent data also suggest that measles virus may persist in intestinal tissue and early exposure to the virus may be a risk factor for development of CD. The further investigation of environmental factors on IBD and the explanation of their role is expected to open new avenues for basic scientific research and may lead to the development of a more rational approach to the prevention and treatment of IBD. The available data suggest that UC and CD are heterogeneous disorders of multifactorial etiology in which hereditary and environmental factors interact to produce the disease.

Jejunal microflora in patients with chronic alcohol abuse.

Abstract: The types and numbers of bacteria were examined in aspirates from the jejunums of 27 chronic alcoholics and 13 hospitalized control patients of comparable age distribution without alcohol abuse or diseases of the liver. Samples of jejunal juice were aspirated in the fasting state. The mean number of microorganisms obtained during anaerobic incubation was distinctly higher in the alcoholics (log10, mean +/- SD: alcoholics 4.9 +/- 2.2, controls 3.2 +/- 1.5, p less than 0.025). A similar difference was found for the number of aerobic bacteria (alcoholics 4.7 +/- 1.9, controls 3.3 +/- 2.1, p less than 0.05). Significant counts (greater than 10(5)/ml) of bacteria obtained during anaerobic incubation were more frequent in the alcoholics (48.1%) than in the controls (7.6%, p less than 0.001). Coliform microorganisms were cultured much more frequently from the jejunal fluid of the alcoholics (alcoholics 55.6%, controls 15.4%, p less than 0.025). In addition the incidence of Gram-negative anaerobic bacteria and endospore-forming rods was higher in the aspirates from alcoholics (p less than 0.05). In both groups the number of microorganisms in jejunal fluid correlated closely with the pH found in the gastric juice. No correlation was found between the numbers or types of microorganisms in the jejunum and the type or degree of liver disease in the alcoholics. It is concluded that bacterial overgrowth might contribute to functional and/or morphological abnormalities of the small intestine commonly found in patients with chronic alcohol abuse.

Inflammatory mediators and cytokines--new aspects of the pathophysiology and assessment of severity of acute pancreatitis?

Abstract: Most attacks of acute pancreatitis are mild and self-limiting. In 10-20% of the cases, however, severe disease with multiple systemic complications develops. During the last few years it has been recognized that activated leukocytes have an important role in the multisystem involvement during acute pancreatitis. Activated leukocytes are thus a pathogenetic factor in the severity of the disease. Activation of polymorphonuclear granulocytes (PMNs) and of monocytes/macrophages is an early event during severe acute pancreatitis. Factors released by activated leukocytes therefore reflect the severity of the disease. Three independent studies have shown that released PMN-elastase is a reliable early prognostic marker that permits correct classification of 80-95% of the patients within the first 24-48 hours. Interleukin-6 (IL-6), mainly secreted by activated monocytes/macrophages, is also an early prognostic parameter (shown in one study), but is not superior to PMN-elastase. Leukocyte activation markers are more reliable than multiple scoring systems in the assessment of the severity of acute pancreatitis. Compared with PMN-elastase or IL-6, increased plasma concentrations of such acute-phase proteins as alpha-1-antitrypsin or CRP, and consumption of the protease inhibitor alpha-2-macroglobulin, are later events that can be detected only 1 to 4 days later. Comparison of the various inflammatory parameters suggests that PMN-elastase is the best early and reliable prognostic marker in acute pancreatitis. The reviewed data underscore the role of activated leukocytes in the pathogenesis of complicated acute pancreatitis.