by Kazuyuki Suzuki  , Akinobu Kato  and Yasuhiro Takikawa

Received: 04 February 2019;  Published: 16 July 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.hg.1903027

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a neuropsychiatric syndrome showing a wide spectrum and one of the serious complications seen in patients with acute and chronic liver disease or spontaneous portal-systemic shunting. Recently, HE has been classified into two categories: covert HE, which involves minimal HE and is identified solely through psychometric or neurological tests, and overt HE (coma grade II-IV). Although recent therapies based on evidence-based results have improved the therapeutic outcomes of HE patients, [...]

by Samantha Varley  , Kirsten Rossi  , Meghan Murray  and Alissa Nichole

Received: 17 May 2019;  Published: 12 July 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.hg.1903026

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is an inflammatory condition of the pancreas and is one of the most common ailments of the gastrointestinal system that results in significant morbidity and mortality. The main etiologic causes of AP are alcohol consumption, gallstones, hypertriglyceridemia, and biliary stones. The clinical signs and symptoms, and diagnostic criteria of AP are well established in the literature and multiple studies. Multiple scoring systems have been used to predict the severity, prognosis, and mortality a [...]

by Kevin Bobeck  , Sarah Ordway  , Brett Sadowski  , Adam Tritsch  and Manish Singla

Received: 31 January 2019;  Published: 28 June 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.hg.1902025

Diseases of the liver are commonly encountered in patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). While the differential for IBD patients with elevated liver associated enzymes is broad, it is similar to that of the general population. This differential includes including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the most common liver disease in North America. When initial work-up for elevated liver associated enzymes is negative and patients have steatosis on ultrasound, we counsel IBD patients aggressively about [...]

by Richell Booijink  and Ruchi Bansal

Received: 27 March 2019;  Published: 21 June 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.hg.1902024

Chronic liver diseases affects millions of people worldwide each year. Upon chronic liver injury, a wound healing process ensues, leading to the accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins. If the injury persists, this leads to liver fibrosis with excessive scarring of the liver and loss of liver function. Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), a signaling molecule has shown to be involved in various biological processes, including wound healing process. Elevated plasma levels of LPA and its catalyst autotaxin (ATX), [...]

by Kurt Grüngreiff  , Thomas Gottstein  and Dirk Reinhold

Received: 15 March 2019;  Published: 13 June 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.hg.1902023

Acute and in particular chronic liver disease of viral, alcoholic and non-alcoholic genesis is a large, often unnoticed health hazard around the world. It can lead to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the course of decades. Liver fibrosis, conversion of functional parenchyma to connective tissue (scar tissue) as a consequence of chronic liver damage, is a connecting pathogenic process in all chronic liver diseases. Zinc is an essential micronutrient in human health, playing a fundamental role in cellu [...]

by Michal Kawka  , Tamara MH Gall  and Long R Jiao

Received: 25 February 2019;  Published: 05 June 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.hg.1902022

Background: Severe necrotising pancreatitis (SNP) is characterised by high mortality, severe complications and bad prognosis despite progress in understanding of aetiology and progression of the disease. Traditionally, necrotic changes were removed by open necrosectomy but the paradigm has shifted towards more conservative management and minimally-invasive surgical procedures. However, there is still no consensus on the best management pathway. Minimally-invasive procedures percutaneous drainage, endoscopic transl [...]

by Gilles R. G. Monif

Received: 06 January 2019;  Published: 04 June 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.hg.1902021

Using the therapeutic intervention points identified by the Hruska Postulate, the probability of curing Crohn’s disease through destroying the anti-MAP template is discussed.

by Athina Chasapi  , Konstantinos Balampanis  , Anna Tanoglidi  , Eleni Kourea  , George I. Lambrou  , Vaia Lambadiari  , Fotios Kalfarentzos  , Erifili Hatziagelaki  , Maria Melachrinou  and Georgia Sotiropoulou-Bonikou

Received: 28 January 2019;  Published: 22 May 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.hg.1902020

(1) Background: A great number of inflammatory mediators and metabolic biomarkers have been shown to contribute to the development and progression of obesity-induced pathologies, including insulin resistance and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Many of those mediators are either targets or activators of nuclear factor-κappa B (NF-κB), which is a key transcription factor and plays a pivotal role in the homeostasis and the regulation of inflammatory signaling pathways in the liver. (2) Methods: Our study po [...]

by Charles E. Carraher  , Michael R. Roner  , Jessica Frank  , Paul Slawek  , Francesca Mosca  , Kimberly Shahi  , Alisa Moric-Johnson  and Lindsey Miller

Received: 31 January 2019;  Published: 14 May 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.hg.1902019

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of death in the USA. Treatment is seldom successful. A wide variety of organotin polymers exhibit good inhibition of human pancreatic cancer cell lines AsPC-1 and PANC-1. The AsPC-1 is an adenocarcinoma pancreatic cell line and PANC-1 which is an epithelioid carcinoma pancreatic cell line. Synthesis is rapid employing commercially available reactants and the interfacial polymerization that is employed in the commercial synthesis of aramids and polycarbonates.

by Masaaki Takamura  and Shuji Terai

Received: 04 February 2019;  Published: 25 April 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.hg.1902018

In cirrhosis, portal hypertension and hypoalbuminemia due to decreased albumin synthetic capacity and hormonal imbalance due to increased renin-angiotensin-aldosterone and vasopressin systems cause fluid retention and electrolyte abnormalities. Diuretics are indispensable for the control of body fluid volume in liver cirrhosis, and aldosterone antagonists and loop diuretics have been widely used until now. In Japan, tolvaptan, a vasopressin V2 receptor antagonists, became available in September 2013, expanding trea [...]