Gastroenterology
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Chromoscopy-guided endomicroscopy increases the diagnostic yield of intraepithelial neoplasia in ulcerative colitis.
Because of the large number of biopsy specimens, surveillance colonoscopy in ulcerative colitis (UC) is currently time consuming and significant flat lesions still may be missed. In this study we assessed the value of combined chromoscopy and endomicroscopy for the diagnosis of intraepithelial neoplasias in a randomized controlled trial. ⋯ Endomicroscopy based on in vivo histology can determine if UC lesions identified by chromoscopy should undergo biopsy examination, thereby increasing the diagnostic yield and reducing the need for biopsy examinations. Thus, chromoscopy-guided endomicroscopy may lead to significant improvements in the clinical management of UC.
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Multicenter Study
Lamivudine plus low-dose hepatitis B immunoglobulin to prevent recurrent hepatitis B following liver transplantation.
High-dose intravenous hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) may prevent recurrent hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, but the cost has limited its widespread use in countries with endemic HBV infection. We report on long-term safety and efficacy of an alternative strategy of very low doses (400-800 IU/month) of intramuscular (IM) HBIG plus lamivudine. ⋯ Low-dose IM HBIG plus lamivudine provides safe and effective long-term prophylaxis against recurrent HBV at <10% the cost of the high-dose regimen.
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Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression is regulated at the levels of messenger RNA (mRNA) stability and translation by AU-rich elements (ARE) located in its 3' untranslated region (3'UTR). Although structurally homologous RNA binding proteins HuR and CUGBP2 stabilize COX-2 mRNA, HuR induces whereas CUGBP2 inhibits COX-2 mRNA translation. This study aimed to determine the antagonism between these proteins on COX-2 expression. ⋯ CUGBP2 overrides HuR and suppresses COX-2 mRNA translation.