The intestinal microflora is not only involved in the digestion of nutrients, but also in local immunity, forming a barrier against pathogenic microorganisms. The derangement of the gut microflora may lead to microbial translocation, defined as the passage of viable microorganisms or bacterial products (i.e., LPS, lipopeptides) from the intestinal lumen to the mesenteric lymph nodes and other e...

It is widely known that morphological changes of the liver and the spleen occur during the clinical course of chronic liver diseases. In this paper, we proposed a morphological analysis method based on statistical shape models (SSMs) of the liver and spleen for computer-aided diagnosis and quantification of the chronic liver. We constructed not only the liver SSM but also the spleen SSM and a j...

Chronic liver diseases are frequent and potentially life threatening for humans. The underlying etiologies are diverse, ranging from viral infections, autoimmune disorders, and intoxications (including alcohol abuse) to imbalanced diets. Although at early stages of disease the liver regenerates in the absence of the insult, advanced stages cannot be healed and may require organ transplantation....

With prevalence of 10-20% in adults in developed countries, gallstone disease (GSD) is one of the most prevalent and costly gastrointestinal tract disorders in the world. In addition to gallstone disease, chronic liver disease (CLD) is also an important global public health problem. The reported frequency of gallstone in chronic liver disease tends to be higher. The prevalence of gallstone dise...

Background/Aims Growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15) belongs to the transforming growth factor-β superfamily. GDF-15 is emerging as a biomarker for several diseases. The aim of this study was to determine the clinical performances of GDF-15 for the prediction of liver fibrosis and severity in chronic liver disease. Methods The serum GDF-15 levels were examined via enzyme immunoassay in 1...

OBJECTIVE Transient elastography (FibroScan) is a novel, noninvasive, rapid bedside method to assess liver fibrosis by measuring liver stiffness in adult patients. The usefulness of FibroScan in children with chronic liver diseases is unknown. The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the feasibility of liver stiffness measurement and to compare FibroScan, Fibrotest, and aspartate trans...

Liver transplantation is a life saving procedure for patients with a variety of irreversible acute and chronic liver diseases for which no other therapy is available. To date, success of transplantation has been significantly improved with 1-year graft and patient survival rates of approximately 90%. As new information becomes available the indications for individual diseases have been changed ...

Chronic liver disease is initially occult, has multiple aetiologies, involves complex diagnostic questions, and requires follow-up because progression is likely. Blood tests and biopsies are generally used, but have disadvantages. We have developed a new test for liver disease based on abnormal concentrations of metabolic products detected in exhaled breath. This test can be used, in conjunctio...

The study was aimed to evaluate the diffuse liver diseases by using 2D-conventional ultrasound. A prospective, analytic, and descriptive study of abdominal ultrasound images of 100 subjects with diffuse liver diseases; fatty infiltration, acute hepatitis, chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis. An ultrasound assesses characteristics of the liver including (size, echogenicty, outline and intra hepatic ...