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Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2010; 32: 908–915 Background Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) using short needle knives is safe and effective, but bleeding is a problem due to low haemostatic capability. Aim To assess the performance of a novel ball-tipped needle knife (Flush knife-BT) for ESD with particular emphasis on haemostasis. Methods A case–control study to compare the performance for ESD of 30 pairs of consecutive early gastrointestinal lesions (oesophagus: 12, stomach: 32, colorectum: 16) with standard Flush knife (F) vs. Flush knife-BT (BT). Primary outcome was efficacy of intraprocedure haemostasis. Secondary outcomes included procedure time, procedure speed (dividing procedure time into the area of resected specimen), en bloc resection rate and recurrence rate. Results Median intraoperative bleeding points and bleeding points requiring haemostatic forceps were smaller in the BT group than in the F group (4 vs. 8, P < 0.0001, 0 vs. 3, P < 0.0001). There was no difference between groups for procedure time; however, procedure speed was shorter in the BT group ( P = 0.0078). En bloc and en bloc R0 resection rates were 100%, with no perforation or post-operative bleeding. No recurrence was observed in either group at follow-up 1 year postprocedure. Conclusions Ball-tipped Flush knife (Flush knife-BT) appears to improve haemostatic efficacy and dissection speed compared with standard Flush knife. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Aim : To investigate the effect of different proton pump inhibitors, S-mephenytoin 4′-hydroxylase (CYP2C19) genotype and antibiotic susceptibility on the eradication rate of Helicobacter pylori . Methods : One hundred and eighty-seven H. pylori- infected peptic ulcer patients were randomly treated with either rabeprazole (10 mg b.d.) or lansoprazole (30 mg b.d.) plus amoxicillin (750 mg b.d.) and clarithromycin (400 mg b.d.) for 1 week. The antibiotic susceptibility and CYP2C19 genotype (extensive or poor metabolizer) were investigated. Results : The eradication rates in the rabeprazole–amoxicillin–clarithromycin (RAC) and lansoprazole–amoxicillin–clarithromycin (LAC) groups were 75% and 69%, respectively, on an intention-to-treat basis, and 80% and 75%, respectively, on a per protocol basis. The eradication rate for clarithromycin-resistant strains was significantly lower than that for clarithromycin-sensitive strains (24% vs. 86%, P < 0.05). For clarithromycin-sensitive strains in the LAC group, there was a tendency for a lower eradication rate in extensive than poor metabolizers. The eradication rate in extensive metabolizers in the RAC group tended to be higher than that in extensive metabolizers in the LAC group (89% vs. 78%, P = 0.079726). Conclusions : The success of the 1-week proton pump inhibitor–amoxicillin–clarithromycin regimen depends on the susceptibility of H. pylori to clarithromycin. Moreover, differences in CYP2C19 genotype influence the eradication rates of lansoprazole-based therapy, and the rabeprazole-based regimen has an advantage especially in extensive metabolizers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porphyromonas gingivalis , a bacterium implicated in periodontal pathogenesis, has a growth requirement for iron protoporphyrin IX. By complementation with a P. gingivalis 381 chromosomal DNA library, we were able to isolate a clone that enhanced the poor growth of a hemG mutant of Escherichia coli . The DNA sequence analysis of this clone revealed three open reading frames (ORFs). ORF3 encoded a protein of 466 amino acids with a calculated molecular weight of 51 695 Da. The deduced amino acid sequence of the ORF3 gene had significant similarity to sequences of protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PPO) from Myxococcus xanthus (30% identical residues). When the ORF3 gene was overexpressed in E. coli , the extract had much higher PPO activity than a control extract, and this activity was inhibited by acifluorfen, a specific inhibitor of PPO. Thus, ORF3 was named PgHemG. Furthermore, several porphyrin-related genes, including hemD , hemN and hemH , were identified in the data bases on the websites available on-line. We postulated that a porphyrin biosynthetic pathway to heme from preuroporphyrin may be conserved in P. gingivalis . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a letter to the editor about the management of acute gastric variceal bleeding published in the December 2003 issue of the journal "Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics."