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Topic Review
Acacia Catechu Willd. for CRC
The research for innovative treatments against colon adenocarcinomas is still a great challenge. Acacia catechu Willd. heartwood extract (AC) has health-promoting qualities, especially at gastrointestinal level. This study characterized AC for its catechins content and investigates the apoptotic-enhancing effect in human colorectal adenocarcinoma HT-29 cells, along with its ability to spare healthy tissue. Results showed that AC  induced an increase in apoptotic cells and ROS formation, reduction in mitochondria membrane potential as well as increase in caspase-9 and -3 activity. AC did not affect rat ileum and colon rings viability and functionality, suggesting its safe profile toward healthy tissue. The present findings outline the potential of AC for colon cancer treatment.
  • 1.4K
  • 14 Apr 2021
Topic Review
Microbial Metabolites in Colorectal Cancer
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the leading cancers that cause cancer-related deaths worldwide. The gut microbiota has been proved to show relevance with colorectal tumorigenesis through microbial metabolites. By decomposing various dietary residues in the intestinal tract, gut microbiota harvest energy and produce a variety of metabolites to affect the host physiology. However, some of these metabolites are oncogenic factors for CRC.
  • 1.4K
  • 27 Apr 2021
Topic Review
NAFLD
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common cause of chronic liver disease and may progress to cirrhosis or even hepatocellular carcinoma. A number of steroid hormones are important regulators of lipid homeostasis through fine tuning the expression of genes related to lipid synthesis, export, and metabolism. Dysregulation of such pathways has been implicated in the pathogenesis of NAFLD. 
  • 1.4K
  • 12 Oct 2021
Topic Review
BCAAs Metabolism during Chronic Liver Disease in Humans
Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), indispensable for protein synthesis and metabolic pathways, undergo unique tissue-specific processing in skeletal muscle and liver. The liver, responsible for amino acid metabolism, plays a distinctive role in sensing BCAAs catabolism, influencing glucose regulation and contributing to the systemic metabolism of BCAAs.
  • 1.4K
  • 18 Mar 2024
Topic Review
Placenta Extract on Liver
The placenta contains multiple biologically active substances, which exert antioxidation, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and delayed aging effects. Its extract can improve hepatic morphology and function: on the one hand, it can reduce liver interstitial collagen deposition, lipogenesis, and inflammatory cell infiltration and improve fibrosis; on the other hand, it can prevent hepatocellular degeneration by scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inhibiting inflammatory cytokine production, further improve hepatocyte apoptosis and necrosis, and promote hepatocyte regeneration, making it a promising liver-protective agent.
  • 1.4K
  • 15 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Gut-Microbiota-Derived Metabolites and Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), comprising Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), is characterized as a chronic and recurrent inflammatory disease whose pathogenesis is still elusive. The gut microbiota exerts important and diverse effects on host physiology through maintaining immune balance and generating health-benefiting metabolites. Many studies have demonstrated that IBD is associated with disturbances in the composition and function of the gut microbiota. Both the abundance and diversity of gut microbiota are dramatically decreased in IBD patients. Furthermore, some particular classes of microbiota-derived metabolites, principally short-chain fatty acids, tryptophan, and its metabolites, and bile acids have also been implicated in the pathogenesis of IBD.
  • 1.4K
  • 15 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Pain Management for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases
Up to 60% of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients experience abdominal pain in their lifetime regardless of disease activity. Pain negatively affects different areas of daily life and particularly impacts the quality of life of IBD patients. Despite the optimal management of intestinal inflammation, chronic abdominal pain can persist, and pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches are necessary. Integrating psychological support in care models in IBD could decrease disease burden and health care costs. Consequently, a multidisciplinary approach similar to that used for other chronic pain conditions should be recommended. 
  • 1.4K
  • 05 Aug 2022
Topic Review
Achalasia
Achalasia is an esophageal motor disease characterized by the lack of relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) and aperistalsis. The first time this condition was described was in 1672 by Sir Thomas Willis, but the "achalasia" term was only created in 1929 by Hurst and Rake, meaning "no relaxation".
  • 1.4K
  • 31 May 2021
Topic Review
Robotics in Gastrointestinal Endoscopy
Recent advances in endoscopic technology allow clinicians to not only detect digestive diseases early, but also provide appropriate treatment. The development of various therapeutic endoscopic technologies has changed the paradigm in the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases, contributing greatly to improving the quality of life of patients. The application of robotics for gastrointestinal endoscopy improves the maneuverability and therapeutic ability of gastrointestinal endoscopists, but there are still technical limitations. With the development of minimally invasive endoscopic treatment, clinicians need more sophisticated and precise endoscopic instruments. Novel robotic systems are being developed for application in various clinical fields, to ultimately develop into minimally invasive robotic surgery to lower the risk to patients. Robots for endoscopic submucosal dissection, autonomous locomotive robotic colonoscopes, and robotic capsule endoscopes are currently being developed.
  • 1.4K
  • 13 Dec 2021
Topic Review
Oxidative Stress-Induced Senescence during Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is characterized by disturbed lipid metabolism and increased oxidative stress. These conditions lead to the activation of different cellular response mechanisms, including senescence. Cellular senescence constitutes an important response to injury in the liver. Researches show that chronic oxidative stress can induce senescence, and this might be a driving mechanism for NAFLD progression, aggravating the disturbance of lipid metabolism, organelle dysfunction, pro-inflammatory response and hepatocellular damage. In this context, the modulation of cellular senescence can be beneficial to ameliorate oxidative stress-related damage during NAFLD progression.
  • 1.4K
  • 06 Jun 2022
Topic Review
Gastrointestinal and Liver Complications in Diabetes Mellitus
The number of diabetes mellitus patients has increased in developing countries, along with obesity and sedentary lifestyle. Besides macroangiopathy and microangiopathy, damage to the nerve fibers of the peripheral nervous system is the most common chronic complication of diabetes. Digestive complications in diabetic patients represent a consequence of diabetic autonomic neuropathy involving the gastrointestinal tract, but unfortunately not always evaluated by diabetologists. Aside from the complications encountered in the digestive tract, patients with diabetes mellitus are prone to developing liver diseases.
  • 1.4K
  • 24 Oct 2022
Topic Review Video
Tissue Engineering in Liver Regenerative Medicine
Organ and tissue shortage are known as a crucially important public health problem as unfortunately a small percentage of patients receive transplants. Liver tissue engineering (TE) enables us to reproduce and restore liver functions, fully or partially, which could be used in the treatment of acute or chronic liver disorders and/or generate an appropriate functional organ which can be transplanted or employed as an extracorporeal device.
  • 1.4K
  • 30 May 2022
Topic Review
Drug-Induced Acute Pancreatitis in Adults
Acute pancreatitis (AP) is an acute inflammation of the pancreas caused by the activation of digestive enzymes in the pancreatic tissue. The main causes of AP are cholelithiasis and alcohol abuse; less commonly, it can be caused by drugs, with a prevalence of up to 5%. Causal associations between drugs and pancreatitis are largely based on case reports or case series with limited evidence.
  • 1.4K
  • 09 Jan 2024
Topic Review
Diagnosis of Serous Cystadenoma
Incidental pancreatic cysts are highly prevalent, with management dependent on the risk of malignant progression. Serous cystadenomas (SCAs) are the most common benign pancreatic cysts seen on imaging. They have typical morphological patterns but may also show atypical features that mimic precancerous and cancerous cysts.
  • 1.4K
  • 07 Dec 2023
Topic Review
Esophageal Vagal afferent C-fibers' Functions
Heartburn and non-cardiac chest pain are the predominant symptoms in many esophageal disorders, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), non-erosive reflux disease (NERD), functional heartburn and chest pain, and eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). At present, neuronal mechanisms underlying the process of interoceptive signals in the esophagus are still less clear. Noxious stimuli can activate a subpopulation of primary afferent neurons at their nerve terminals in the esophagus. The evoked action potentials are transmitted through both the spinal and vagal pathways to their central terminals, which synapse with the neurons in the central nervous system to induce esophageal nociception. Over the last few decades, progress has been made in our understanding on the peripheral and central neuronal mechanisms of esophageal nociception. In this review, we focus on the roles of capsaicin-sensitive vagal primary afferent nodose and jugular C-fiber neurons in processing nociceptive signals in the esophagus. We briefly compare their distinctive phenotypic features and functional responses to mechanical and chemical stimulations in the esophagus. Then, we summarize activation and/or sensitization effects of acid, inflammatory cells (eosinophils and mast cells), and mediators (ATP, 5-HT, bradykinin, adenosine, S1P) on these two nociceptive C-fiber subtypes. Lastly, we discuss the potential roles of capsaicin-sensitive esophageal afferent nerves in processing esophageal sensation and nociception. A better knowledge of the mechanism of nociceptive signal processes in primary afferent nerves in the esophagus will help to develop novel treatment approaches to relieve esophageal nociceptive symptoms, especially those that are refractory to proton pump inhibitors.
  • 1.4K
  • 16 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor-Related Pancreatitis
The indications for immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have expanded to include carcinomas of various organs. ICIs include drugs that target programmed cell death-1 (PD-1), programmed cell death ligand 1 (PDL-1), and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4). The indications for these drugs have been expanded to include many types of cancer, as efficacies have been reported for malignant melanoma and lung, kidney, head and neck, stomach, liver, ovarian, and pancreatic cancers .
  • 1.4K
  • 05 May 2022
Topic Review
PD-L1
The gastrointestinal (GI) mucosa is among the most complex systems in the body. It has a diverse commensal microbiome challenged continuously by food and microbial components while delivering essential nutrients and defending against pathogens. For these reasons, regulatory cells and receptors are likely to play a central role in maintaining the gut mucosal homeostasis. Recent lessons from cancer immunotherapy point out the critical role of the B7 negative co-stimulator PD-L1 in mucosal homeostasis. In this entry, we summarize the current knowledge supporting the critical role of PD-L1 in gastrointestinal mucosal tolerance and how abnormalities in its expression and signaling contribute to gut inflammation and cancers. Abnormal expression of PD-L1 and/or the PD-1/PD-L1 signaling pathways have been observed in the pathology of the GI tract. We also discuss the current gap in our knowledge with regards to PD-L1 signaling in the GI tract under homeostasis and pathology. Finally, we summarize the current understanding of how this pathway is currently targeted to develop novel therapeutic approaches.
  • 1.4K
  • 22 Dec 2020
Topic Review
Endoscopic Transpapillary
Endoscopic transpapillary defined as all types of advanced endoscopic interventions on pancreatic or billiary ducts through the major duodenal papilla. These interventions are mainly performed during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). Access to duodenal papilla is achieved endoscopically. After reaching the duodenal papilla in descending part of duodenum, endoscopic interventions on pancreatic or billiary ducts through duodenal papilla are being performed under fluoroscopic control.
  • 1.4K
  • 08 Mar 2021
Topic Review
Chemotherapy-Induced Gastrointestinal Mucositis and Anti-Infective Drugs
Gastrointestinal mucositis (GI-M) is a frequently observed side effect of chemotherapy in patients with cancer that affects the gastrointestinal microenvironment and potentially drug absorption. 
  • 1.4K
  • 15 Oct 2021
Topic Review
Helicobacter pylori in Gastric Cancer
The H. pyloriinfection generates an inflammatory reaction in the stomach, resulting in the loss of parietal cells and an elevation in gastric pH. H. pylorimay contribute to microbial dysbiosis, and effective eradication can restore the gut microbiota to a state comparable to that of uninfected people.
  • 1.4K
  • 02 Sep 2021
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