The splanchnic and systemic hemodynamics of 14 patients with refractory ascites were studied and were compared to those of 15 patients with ascites responding to medical treatment. Among the 14 patients, 10 were grade B and 4 C, according to the Pugh classification. Of the 15 patients, 5 were Pugh B and 10 C. In patients with refractory ascites, free hepatic venous pressure was significantly hi...

Some systemic rheumatic diseases and disorders, especially fibrotic and vascular disorders, are often refractory to corticosteroid therapy. Recently, ever accumulating evidence suggests that platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) is involved in those refractory diseases. Imatinib mesylate inhibits the activation of PDGF receptor as well as c-Abl, Bcr-Abl and c-Kit tyrosine kinases. It has theref...

The prevalence of recurrent or refractory Clostridium difficile infection has been steadily increasing since 2000. Consequently, alternative treatments to the standard antibiotic therapies are now being considered. One alternative treatment is fecal microbiota transplant. Although fecal microbiota transplant is relatively new--and not appealing to most people--it has been around for many years ...

Background. S-1 plus cisplatin has been established to be standard first-line chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer in Japan. The optimal second-line treatment refractory to S-1 plus cisplatin remains unclear. Methods. We retrospectively studied the efficacy, toxicity, and survival of irinotecan plus mitomycin C in patients with advanced gastric cancer refractory to a fluoropyrimidine plus c...

Caustic esophageal strictures still represent a challenge to endoscopist. Standard treatment is regular esophageal dilatation until the resolution of dysphagia. Caustic strictures require dilations more frequently for a positive clinical response [1]. Increasingly frequent dilation may become a selfdefeating cycle in refractory stricture as recurrent trauma to the mucosa, enhance scar formation...

OBJECTIVE To study the role of hepatitis B virus with A1762T/G1764A double mutation in liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, and create a sensitive, fast, accurate assay for detection of A1762T/G1764A double mutation. METHODS We developed an accurate and fast real-time amplification refractory mutation system to detect A1762T/G1764A double mutation. Cloned hepatitis B virus genome was...

  Three different materials (aluminum, ferro -silicon and silicon) were used as antioxidants in order to prevent the decarburization process and to keep and/or increase the final properties in MgO-C refractories. Their effects were compared by measuring the physical and mechanical properties as well as oxidation and the resultant phases and microstructures, in the temperature range of 200-1600 ...

Steroid-refractory graft-versus-host disease is a life-threatening complication after allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Evidence is accumulating that steroid-refractory graft-versus-host disease is associated with endothelial distress. Endothelial cell homeostasis is regulated by nitric oxide, and serum nitrates are derived from nitric oxide synthase activity or dietary sources. In this ret...

Abstract Refractory high/medium entropy nitrides (HENs/MENs) exhibit comprehensive application prospects as protective films on mechanical parts, particularly those subjected to sliding contacts at elevated temperatures. In this study, a new MEN system TiNbWN, forming single fcc solution, is designed and its wear performance temperatures ranging from 25 750 °C explored. The mechanisms can be ra...