Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Tech Coloproctol 2019 Apr 23. Epub 2019 Apr 23.

Department of Gastroenterology, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel.

Background: Fecal incontinence (FI) and chronic constipation (CC) are disabling symptoms that cause a significant public health problem. The pathophysiology of combined constipation and FI is not fully understood. Our aim was to delineate the clinical, physiological and anatomical factors that may contribute to the association of FI and CC. Read More

J Pediatr Urol 2019 Mar 15. Epub 2019 Mar 15.

Children's National Health System, 111 Michigan Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20010, USA. Electronic address:

Bowel and bladder dysfunction (BBD) refers to a heterogeneous group of voiding disorders, accounting for an estimated 40% of pediatric urology visits. Symptoms of BBD include enuresis, urgency, and urinary retention, often accompanied by constipation. The aim of this pilot study was to explore whether a pupillary response can be characterized for BBD, by examining the pupillary light reflex (PLR) before and after voiding among patients with BBD. Read More

J Ethnopharmacol 2019 Apr 20:111876. Epub 2019 Apr 20.

Centre for Drug Research, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Minden, Penang, Malaysia.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Mitragyna speciosa (Korth.) is a traditional medicinal plant widely used in Southeast Asia for its opioid-like effects. Although kratom produces analgesia through binding of mitragynine and other alkaloids at the mu-opioid receptor (MOR), the association of long-term kratom use with adverse opioid-like effects remains unknown. Read More

Integr Cancer Ther 2019 Jan-Dec;18:1534735419845141

3 Hospital Universitario de Burgos, Burgos, Spain.

Cancer 2019 Apr 23. Epub 2019 Apr 23.

Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.

Background: Epigenetic abnormalities are manifold in all solid tumors and include changes in chromatin configuration and DNA methylation. The authors designed a phase 1 study to evaluate the oral DNA methyltransferase inhibitor CC-486 combined with the histone deacetylase inhibitor romidepsin in advanced solid tumors with dose expansion to further evaluate pharmacodynamics and possible clinical benefit of the recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D).

Methods: This was a phase 1 study with a 3 + 3 dose-escalation design and an expansion phase for patients with virally mediated cancers. Read More

J Gastroenterol 2019 Apr 22. Epub 2019 Apr 22.

Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Shimane University School of Medicine, Izumo City, Shimane, Japan.

Background: Although polyethylene glycol 3350 plus electrolytes (PEG3350 + E) is the most widely used osmotic laxative in Europe, prospective data on its long-term (over 6 months) safety and efficacy are not available to date.

Methods: Japanese patients with chronic constipation were randomized to receive PEG3350 + E or placebo for 2 weeks orally. Following this, the patients received PEG3350 + E in the 52-week extension study. Read More

World J Gastroenterol 2019 Apr;25(14):1729-1740

Department of Gastroenterology and Digestive Endoscopy, Scientific Institute for Digestive Disease "Saverio de Bellis" Hospital, Castellana Grotte (Bari) 70013, Italy.

Background: Few studies have examined intestinal motility disorders, which are disabling conditions associated with chronic functional constipation, whose pathogenesis is actually not well-defined.

Aim: To investigate the relationship between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and functional chronic constipation associated to intestinal motility disorders.

Methods: We performed a prospective case-control study, from May-June to November 2017. Read More

Nutrients 2019 Apr 19;11(4). Epub 2019 Apr 19.

Department of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences, University of Bari Aldo Moro, via Amendola 165/a, 70126 Bari, Italy.

Functional gastrointestinal symptoms are frequent, and may be driven by several pathogenic mechanisms. Symptoms may persist in lactose intolerant (LI) patients (i.e. Read More

J Pediatr (Rio J) 2019 Apr 19. Epub 2019 Apr 19.

Universidade de Brasília (UnB), Departamento de Enfermagem, Brasília, DF, Brazil; Society for Pediatric Urology (SPU), United States; McGill University, Ingram School of Nursing, Quebec, Canada; Shriners Hospital for Children, Quebec, Canada.

Objective: To identify and describe the protocols and clinical outcomes of urotherapy interventions in children and adolescents with bladder bowel dysfunction.

Method: Systematic review carried out in June 2018 on MEDLINE/PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, SciELO, Cochrane, and PsycInfo databases. Clinical trials and quasi-experimental studies carried out in the last ten years in children and/or adolescents with bladder and bowel symptoms and application of at least one component of urotherapy were included. Read More

Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2019 Jun;31(6):653-660

Department of Health Economics, Warwick Medical School, Warwick University, Warwick, UK.

Objectives: Sacral nerve stimulation (SNS) may provide long-term symptom relief to patients suffering from chronic constipation. Patients are currently selected for SNS using a 2-week peripheral nerve evaluation (PNE) comprising stimulation by temporary leads. However, only 40% of test responders receive long-term benefit from treatment meaning that healthcare costs per successfully treated patient are too high. Read More

Pain 2019 May;160 Suppl 1:S17-S22

Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University Medical School Saint Louis, Saint Louis, MO, United States.

Peripheral neuropathy is the most common neurodegenerative disease affecting hundreds of millions of patients worldwide and is an important cause of chronic pain. Typical peripheral neuropathies are characterized by dysesthesias including numbness, crawling skin, a sensation of "pins and needles," and burning and stabbing pain. In addition, peripheral neuropathy can affect the motor and autonomic systems leading to symptoms such as weakness, constipation, and dysregulation of blood pressure. Read More

Saudi J Anaesth 2019 Apr-Jun;13(2):126-130

Department of Anaesthesiology, PGIMS, Rohtak, Haryana, India.

Background: The blockade of the ganglion impar has been described to relieve the intractable perineal pain of sympathetic origin in patients with coccydynia. Chronic perineal pain (CPP) has been effectively managed by ganglion impar block. The feasibility, safety, and efficacy of ultrasound (US)-guided ganglion impar block by transsacrococcygeal approach was analyzed in the present study. Read More

J Pediatr 2019 Apr 12. Epub 2019 Apr 12.

Department of Pediatrics, Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University, Chicago, IL; Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Electronic address:

Objective: To assess differences in sensory processing patterns between children with chronic constipation compared with a matched normative sample as well as to examine the extent to which specific sensory processing patterns and modality scores predicted atypical toileting behaviors.

Study Design: We used a cross-sectional comparative design to evaluate differences between children age 3 and 5 years old with constipation (n = 66) and those in a matched control sample (n = 66). We also examined the contribution of sensory processing patterns to atypical toileting behavior in the clinical sample. Read More

Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2019 Apr 17. Epub 2019 Apr 17.

Lipid Peroxidation Unit, Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, MD, USA; Intramural Program of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, USA. Electronic address:

Chronic pain is highly prevalent among older adults where it is associated with significant suffering, disability, social isolation, and greater costs and burden to health care systems. Pharmaceutical treatment of chronic pain in older adults is usually only partially effective and is often limited by side effects including urinary retention, constipation, sedation, cognitive impairment, and increased risk of falls. Since older adults are underrepresented in clinical trials testing treatments for chronic pain, the potential impacts of polypharmacy and frailty on reported outcomes and side effect profiles are largely unknown. Read More

Complement Ther Clin Pract 2019 May 13;35:368-373. Epub 2019 Mar 13.

HIV/STI Surveillance Research Center, and WHO Collaborating Center for HIV Surveillance, Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.

Background: and Purpose: Using of herbal medicines is common for cancer treatment. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence, reasons, and predicting factors for the use of herbal medicines by Iranian cancer patients.

Materials And Methods: We conducted this cross-sectional study on 315 cancer patients through face-to-face interview in Kerman, Southeast of Iran, 2017. Read More

Am J Manag Care 2019 Mar;25(4 Suppl):S63-S69

Director of Pharmacy, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, Richardson, TX. Email:

For decades, chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC) has been one of the most common chronic functional gastrointestinal disorders encountered by clinicians. Common comorbidities include depression, diabetes, functional dyspepsia, hypothyroidism, overweight, obesity, and neurological disorders. CIC imposes a large economic burden on the American healthcare system with estimated costs of $1912 to $7522 in 2007 US dollars per patient per year. Read More

Am J Manag Care 2019 Mar;25(4 Suppl):S55-S62

Senior Associate Consultant, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL. Email:

Chronic idiopathic constipation is a functional bowel disorder characterized by difficult, infrequent, and/or incomplete defecation, affecting 35 million adult Americans, resulting in more than millions of physician visits annually. Symptoms of constipation vary from patient to patient and impact all age groups and patient populations in the United States. The definition of constipation was previously not well specified, beyond stool frequency, and has been revised to incorporate the patient perspective and experience in addition to specific criteria created by the Rome Foundation. Read More

BMC Pediatr 2019 Apr 18;19(1):115. Epub 2019 Apr 18.

College of Pharmacy and Division of Life and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ewha Womans University, 52 Ewhayeodae-gil, Seodaemun-Gu, Seoul, 03760, South Korea.

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between anxiety proneness and aggressive behavior in adolescents.

Methods: A quantitative, large scale cross-sectional study was conducted in Korea. The survey questionnaire included general health behavior and scales for assessing anxiety (Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale; RCMAS) and aggressive behavior (The Aggression Questionnaire; AQ) in adolescents. Read More

Neurodegener Dis Manag 2019 Apr 18. Epub 2019 Apr 18.

Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, UK.

Functional constipation is common in multiple sclerosis (MS) and first line treatments are frequently ineffective. The current study explored the use of abdominal functional electrical stimulation (ABFES) for treating constipation in MS. Twenty people with MS and constipation (ROME IV criteria). Read More

J Vet Med Sci 2019 Apr 17. Epub 2019 Apr 17.

College of Veterinary Medicine and BK 21 Plus Project Team, Chonnam National University.

In an 8-year-old Labrador Retriever with progressive anorexia, constipation, and depression, CT revealed intussusception of the cecum into the ascending colon and a small cecal mass showing strong enhancement on arterial phase. The ileocecocolic junction was surgically resected and histologically diagnosed as cecocolic intussusception with carcinoid tumor. The carcinoid tumor worked as a lead point of intussusception in this case. Read More

Gut 2019 Apr 17. Epub 2019 Apr 17.

Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St. James's, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.

Objective: Over half of patients with IBS have either diarrhoea (IBS-D) or a mixed stool pattern (IBS-M). The relative efficacy of licenced pharmacological therapies is unclear in the absence of head-to-head trials. We conducted a network meta-analysis to resolve this uncertainty. Read More

Rev Assoc Med Bras (1992) 2019 Mar 11;65(3):333-335. Epub 2019 Apr 11.

Internal Medicine Service, Hospital de Braga, Braga, Portugal.

Chronic constipation is a common diagnosis with a high prevalence in the elderly. Constipation affects the quality of life of sick individuals, bringing several clinical complications. Read More

Adv Biomed Res 2019 27;8:17. Epub 2019 Feb 27.

Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care, Anesthesiology and Critical Care Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.

Background: Constipation is an intestinal syndrome that can be created alone or in the context of another disease in patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs). Given the role of sennosides in increasing the transfer rate of materials from the large intestine, we aimed to compare the effect of senalin with bisacodyl on the treatment of constipation in patients admitted to ICUs.

Materials And Methods: In this randomized, double-blind study, 70 patients admitted to the ICU were divided into two groups. Read More

Rev Bras Ginecol Obstet 2019 Mar 16;41(3):170-175. Epub 2019 Apr 16.

University of Siena, Siena, Italy.

Objective:  Endometriosis is a complex disease, and pain is an important component of the syndrome. One of the most used methods to assess pain is the visual analogue scale (VAS). The aim of the present research was to study the pain experienced by patients who referred to our unit for endometriosis, using the VAS to understand the variables that could influence it. Read More

Endocrinol Diabetes Metab Case Rep 2019 Apr 16;2019. Epub 2019 Apr 16.

Endocrinology and Diabetes Department, Garcia de Orta Hospital, Almada, Portugal.

Pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma (PPGL) are neuroendocrine tumors that can secrete catecholamines. The authors describe a challenging case who presented as stress cardiomyopathy and myocardial infarction (MI). A 76-year-old man, with a medical history of Parkinson's disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidaemia and a previous inferior MI in 2001, presented to the emergency department due to chest pain, headaches and vomiting. Read More

Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi 2019 Jan;44(2):388-400

Guang'anmen Hospital,China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences Beijing 100053,China.

Mufangji Decoction is a famous herbal formula from Synopsis of Golden Chamber. However,it is easy to be misunderstood due to so its unique compatability. The syndromes treated by Mufangji Decoction included the following aspects:(1) in terms of modern medicine,it could be used to treat acute and chronic heart failure,heart failure aggravated by lung infection,chronic obstructive pulmonary disease acute episode,pulmonary heart disease,bilateral pleural effusion,acute attack of gout,rheumatic fever,rheumatoid arthritis,and rheumatoid arthritis;(2) in terms of symptoms,it could be used to treat asthma,chest tightness,wheeze impacting prostration and dyspnea impacting sitting posture; gastric distention; dark face,cyanotic,and mitral valvular face; edema of head and extremities; dry mouth,thirsty,unwilling to wear thick clothes,intolerance of heat,and irritable; fatigue,shortness of breath,poor appetite,constipation,less urine,yellow color,poor response to diuretics,and diuretic resistance; fast heart rate,which is hard to be controlled by Western medicine and has no response to Zhenwu Decoction; dark red tongue,dry tongue with yellow fur,rapid pulse,or deep tight pulse. Read More

Sultan Qaboos Univ Med J 2018 Nov 28;18(4):e557-e559. Epub 2019 Mar 28.

Oman Medical College, Sohar, Oman.

Matrix stones are a rare form of urinary with a low mineral content. We report a 63-year-old female patient who presented to the Sohar Hospital, Sohar, Oman, in 2018 with unexplained left flank pain and constipation. She had a history of chronic renal failure (CRF) and had previously undergone haemodialysis (HD). Read More

Sultan Qaboos Univ Med J 2018 Nov 28;18(4):e529-e532. Epub 2019 Mar 28.

Department of Clinical Toxicology, Loghman Hakim Hospital, Tehran, Iran.

Opium users may present with central or peripheral nervous system-related symptoms, gastrointestinal complications and anaemia; in such cases, lead poisoning should be suspected and chelation therapy initiated as soon as possible. We report a 64-year-old male patient with a 20-year history of opium addiction who was referred to the Imam Reza Hospital, Birjand, Iran, in 2017 with severe motor neuropathy and in both upper limbs. His primary symptoms were generalised weakness, abdominal and bone pain, constipation and lower limb paraesthesia that had started several months prior. Read More

Mol Genet Metab 2019 Mar 6. Epub 2019 Mar 6.

Section on Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine/NC Baptist Hospital, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, United States of America.

The acute hepatic porphyrias include four disorders: acute intermittent porphyria [AIP], hereditary coproporphyria [HCP], variegate porphyria [VP], and the rare porphyria due to severe deficiency of ALA dehydratase [ADP]. In the USA, AIP is the most severe and most often symptomatic. AIP, HCP, and VP are due to autosomal dominant genetic abnormalities, in which missense, nonsense, or other mutations of genes of normal hepatic heme biosynthesis, in concert with other environmental, nutritional, hormonal and genetic factors, may lead to a critical deficiency of heme, the end-product of the pathway, in a small but critical 'regulatory pool' within hepatocytes. Read More

J Pediatr Surg 2019 Mar 18. Epub 2019 Mar 18.

University of California at Davis Medical Center, Shriners Hospitals for Children, Northern California, 2425 Stockton Blvd., Sacramento, CA 25817.

Introduction: Many management options exist for the treatment of refractory rectal prolapse (RP) in children. Our goal was to characterize current practice patterns among active members of APSA.

Methods: A 23-item questionnaire assessed the management of full-thickness RP for healthy children who have failed medical management. Read More

Trials 2019 Apr 15;20(1):220. Epub 2019 Apr 15.

Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Croix-Rousse Hospital, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France.

Background: Pain after major head and neck cancer surgery is underestimated and has both nociceptive and neuropathic characteristics. Extended resection, flap coverage, nerve lesions, inflammation, and high-dose opioid administration can also lead to hyperalgesia and chronic postoperative pain. Opioids are frequently associated with adverse events such as dizziness, drowsiness, nausea and vomiting, or constipation disturbing postoperative recovery and extending the length of hospital stay. Read More

J Crit Care 2019 Apr 8;52:86-91. Epub 2019 Apr 8.

The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Medical School, Department of Medicine and Radiology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, VIC 3050, Australia; Intensive Care Unit, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Research Centre, Monash University School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Melbourne, Australia; Intensive Care Unit, The Austin Hospital, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia.

Purpose: Prophylactic laxative regimens may prevent constipation but may increase diarrhea and subsequent rectal tube insertion. Our aim was to compare three prophylactic laxative regimens on the rate of rectal tube insertion (primary outcome) and major constipation- or diarrhea-associated complications.

Material And Methods: We conducted a cluster-crossover trial. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2019 Apr;98(15):e15180

Geriatrics and Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.

Background: Due to decreasing eradication rate and increasing side effects, probiotics have gradually become an important supplement to standard eradication regimens for Helicobacter pylori.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of probiotics in facilitating the eradication of H pylori and to explore the best timing and duration of probiotic supplementation, use of eradication regimens, strains, locations, and common side effects.

Methods: Eligible studies were retrieved from the PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and CNKI databases, and we applied the Stata 12. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2019 Apr;98(15):e15145

Department of Internal Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital, Cheonan, Korea.

Rationale: Patients with Down syndrome (DS) have a higher incidence of nonneurogenic neurogenic bladder (NNB) than do normal subjects. Renal failure may occur frequently in NNB patients. Although most of the cases of NNB patients with DS reported to date have been acute renal injuries, we report a patient with DS who was diagnosed late with urinary tract obstruction due to NNB that finally proceeded to end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Read More

Pediatr Infect Dis J 2019 Apr 10. Epub 2019 Apr 10.

From the Department of Pediatrics B, Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, Petach Tikva.

Background: Pediatric sacroiliitis (SI) is an uncommon entity of infectious or inflammatory etiology. Recent data regarding pediatric SI are scarce. The study objective was to describe and compare the clinical features of pediatric infectious and noninfectious SI. Read More

Pharmacotherapy 2019 Apr 15. Epub 2019 Apr 15.

Department of Hematology, First People's Hospital of Changde City, Changde, Hunan, PR China.

Study Objective: To compare the efficacy and safety of once-weekly and twice-weekly bortezomib therapy in patients with hematologic malignancies.

Design: Meta-analysis of 13 clinical or randomized controlled trials, with trial sequential analysis (TSA).

Patients: A total of 1567 patients with hematologic malignancies who received either once-weekly or twice-weekly bortezomib therapy. Read More

J Family Med Prim Care 2019 Feb;8(2):673-676

Medical College, Majmaah University, Al Majmaah, Saudi Arabia.

Background: Due to the lack of data and studies concerning the prevalence of constipation in Saudi Arabia, this study aimed at determining the level of prevalence among central region population in Saudi Arabia, specifically in Riyadh and Qassim provinces.

Aims: To determine the prevalence of constipation, to estimate the overall prevalence of constipation among the society, and to identify risk factors of constipation.

Materials And Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 543 individuals were covered, both males and females in the targeted areas. Read More

Global Spine J 2019 Apr 31;9(2):133-137. Epub 2018 Jul 31.

University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.

Study Design: Single-blinded prospective randomized control trial.

Objectives: To compare the incidence of adverse events (AEs) and hospital length of stay between patients who received liposomal bupivacaine (LB) versus a single saline injection, following posterior lumbar decompression and fusion surgery for degenerative spondylosis.

Methods: From 2015 to 2016, 59 patients undergoing posterior lumbar decompression and fusion surgery were prospectively enrolled and randomized to receive either 60 mL injection of 266 mg LB or 60 mL of 0. Read More

Physiother Theory Pract 2019 Apr 15:1-10. Epub 2019 Apr 15.

b PhyWorld Physiotherapy Clinic, Arjun Marg , Defence Colony , New Delhi , India.

Background And Purpose: The purpose of this case report is to describe the benefits of manual therapy techniques, including mobilization and stretching, in the management of a patient with chronic constipation.

Case Description: A 17-year-old male with an 8-month history of constipation and complaint of incomplete evacuation after defecation was referred for therapy. The patient was diagnosed with a spastic perineal syndrome. Read More

J Neurogastroenterol Motil 2019 Apr;25(2):332-333

Department of Internal Medicine, Kawasaki Medical School, Kurashiki, Japan.

J Neurogastroenterol Motil 2019 Apr;25(2):258-266

Service de'gastroentérologie, Hôpital Avicenne, Bobigny, France.

Background/aims: Discordant data are found in the literature for the relationships between total and segmental colonic transit time (CTT) and demographic parameters. The aim of this study is to examine the influence of age, and body mass index (BMI) on total and segmental CTT in constipated subjects.

Methods: We included 354 constipated patients on this cross-sectional study. Read More

J Neurogastroenterol Motil 2019 Apr;25(2):250-257

Department of Gastroenterology, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Shaanxi, China.

Background/aims: High-resolution anorectal manometry (HRAM) has been considered a first-line diagnostic tool for functional defecation disorder. However, clinical studies on HRAM used in constipation patients are very limited and few studies have reported the characteristics of anorectal pressure in Chinese patients. The aim of this study is to investigate the characteristics of motility data in a cohort of Chinese patients with functional constipation. Read More

J Ethnopharmacol 2019 Apr 11;238:111868. Epub 2019 Apr 11.

Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, National and Local Collaborative Engineering Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization and Formulae Innovative Medicine, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for High Technology Research of TCM Formulae, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu Province, China. Electronic address:

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Rhei Radix et Rhizoma (rhubarb), as the preferred representative of cathartic drugs of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), has a long history of medicinal use and multifarious functions that produce a wide range of dosage. In modern times, rhubarb and its prescriptions are not only used to treat common clinical diseases, but also achieve good results in the treatment of acute, dangerous, severe and difficult diseases. However, rhubarb also has an alias called "General", which means that its efficacy is relatively rapid. Read More

Carbohydr Polym 2019 Jul 20;215:119-129. Epub 2019 Mar 20.

Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Druggability of Biopharmaceuticals, State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, PR China. Electronic address:

A new pectin (ALP-2) was extracted from the roots of Arctium lappa L. with the molecular weight of 1.84 × 10 Da. Read More

World J Surg 2019 Apr 12. Epub 2019 Apr 12.

Unité de Chirurgie Viscérale et Digestive, Hôpital Privé d'Antony, Antony, France.

Background: Incarceration of primary and incisional hernias often results in emergency surgery. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relation of defect size and location with incarceration. Secondary objectives comprised identification of additional patient factors associated with an incarcerated hernia. Read More

Sci Rep 2019 Apr 12;9(1):5987. Epub 2019 Apr 12.

Pediatric Gastroenterology Resources of New York and Texas, Austin, Texas, USA.

In children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who present to the gastroenterologist with chronic constipation on a background of colonic inflammation, we have identified two distinct clinical subtypes: (1) patients who experience a sustained state of GI symptomatic remission while on maintenance anti-inflammatory therapy (fast responders) and, (2) those with recurrent right-sided fecal loading requiring regular colon cleanouts during treatment for enterocolitis (slow responders). We hypothesized that a detailed molecular analysis of tissue from the affected region of the colon would provide mechanistic insights regarding the fast versus slow response to anti-inflammatory therapy. To test this, ascending colon biopsy tissues from 35 children with ASD (20 slow responders and 15 fast responders) were analyzed by RNAseq. Read More

Am J Surg 2019 Apr 1. Epub 2019 Apr 1.

Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA. Electronic address:

Background: IRE is a non-thermal ablative modality that has been shown to be safe and efficacious in LAPC and liver tumors, but few studies have shown its effects on patients' (QOL). The goal of this study is to evaluate quality-of-life (QOL) before and after irreversible electroporation (IRE) therapy for treatment of locally advanced pancreatic carcinoma (LAPC).

Methods: Between 11/2014 and 12/2016, patients scheduled for IRE therapy for LAPC were offered QOL questionnaires (EORTC QLQ-C30 V2. Read More

Zentralbl Chir 2019 Apr 12;144(2):179-189. Epub 2019 Apr 12.

Chirurgie, Bethesda KH Bergedorf, Hamburg, Deutschland.

Slow transit constipation is a rare condition that is almost exclusively encountered in middle-aged women. The pathophysiology and aetiology are poorly understood, but a multi-factorial pathogenesis seems likely. In the course of the differential diagnosis, mechanical, drug-induced, degenerative, metabolic, endocrinological, neurological and psychiatric causes of constipation must be excluded by an interdisciplinary approach. Read More

PLoS One 2019 12;14(4):e0215205. Epub 2019 Apr 12.

Department of Biomaterials Science, College of Natural Resources & Life Science/Life and Industry Convergence Research Institute, Pusan National University, Miryang, Korea.

Background: Although constipation has been researched in various neurological disorders, including Parkinson's disease (PD) and spinal cord injury (SCI), the pathological mechanism of this symptom has not been investigated in Alzheimer's disease (AD) associated with loss of nerve cells in the brain. This study was undertaken to gain scientific evidences for a molecular correlation between constipation and AD.

Methods: To understand the etiology, we measured alterations in various constipation parameters, muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response, in 11-month-old Tg2576 transgenic (Tg) mice showing AD-like phenotypes. Read More

Clin Pharmacol Drug Dev 2019 Apr 12. Epub 2019 Apr 12.

Shionogi & Co, Ltd, Osaka, Japan.

Naldemedine is a peripherally acting μ-opioid-receptor antagonist for the treatment of opioid-induced constipation. Two phase 1 single-dose studies investigated the pharmacokinetics and safety of a 0.2-mg oral dose of naldemedine in subjects with renal impairment (mild, n = 9; moderate, n = 9; severe, n = 6; and end-stage renal disease, n = 8) or hepatic impairment (mild or moderate, n = 8 each) and demographically matched healthy subjects with normal renal and hepatic function (n = 8, both studies). Read More