Hhx Xia

Prevalence, clinical spectrum and health care utilization of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease in a Chinese population: a population-based study

Background : Population‐based data on gastro‐oesophageal reflux disease in Chinese are lacking. The prevalence, clinical spectrum and health care‐seeking behaviour of subjects with gastro‐oesophageal reflux disease were studied.

Randomized controlled study of rabeprazole, levofloxacin and rifabutin triple therapy vs. quadruple therapy as second‐line treatment for Helicobacter pylori infection

Aim : To test the efficacy of rabeprazole, levofloxacin and rifabutin triple therapy vs. quadruple therapy for the second‐line treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection.

Long-term prospective follow-up of endoscopic oesophagitis in southern Chinese - prevalence and spectrum of the disease

Aims : To study the prevalence, clinical characteristics and long‐term outcome of oesophagitis in Chinese patients.

Symptomatic response to lansoprazole predicts abnormal acid reflux in endoscopy-negative patients with non-cardiac chest pain.

Aim : To determine whether symptomatic response to lansoprazole predicts abnormal acid reflux in endoscopy‐negative patients with non‐cardiac chest pain.

A validated symptoms questionnaire (Chinese GERDQ) for the diagnosis of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease in the Chinese population

Background and aims: To develop a validated gastro‐oesophageal disease (GERD) symptom questionnaire for the Chinese population.

Upper gastrointestinal evaluation of Chinese patients with non-cardiac chest pain

To test the usefulness of upper gastrointestinal investigations and quality of life assessment in Chinese patients with non‐cardiac chest pain.

Trends in the prevalence of peptic ulcer disease and Helicobacter pylori infection in family physician‐referred uninvestigated dyspeptic patients in Hong Kong

Background:  Peptic ulcer disease is mainly caused by Helicobacter pylori infection and the use of non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs.

Clinical and endoscopic characteristics of non-Helicobacter pylori, non-NSAID duodenal ulcers: A long-term prospective study

The proportion of duodenal ulcers not associated with Helicobacter pylori infection or the use of non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is increasing.

One‐week omeprazole, furazolidone and amoxicillin rescue therapy after failure of Helicobacter pylori eradication with standard triple therapies

To test the efficacy of omeprazole, furazolidone and amoxicillin triple therapy for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection after failure of standard first‐line therapy recommended by the Asia‐Pacific Consensus on the management of H. pylori infection.

Antisense targeting protein kinase Cα and β1 inhibits gastric carcinogenesis

Protein kinase C (PKC) family, which functions through serine/threonine kinase activity, is involved in signal transduction pathways necessary for cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. Its critical role in neoplastic transformation and tumor invasion renders PKC a potential target for anticancer therapy. In this study, we investigated the effect of targeting individual PKCs on gastric carcinogenesis. We established gastric cancer cell lines stably expressing antisense PKCα, PKCβ1, and PKCβ2 cDNA. These stable transfectants were characterized by cell morphology, cell growth, apoptosis, and tumorigenicity in vitro and in vivo. PKCα-AS and PKCβ1-AS transfectants showed a different morphology with flattened, long processes and decreased nuclear:cytoplasmic ratio compared with the control cells. Cell growth was markedly inhibited in PKCα-AS and PKCβ1-AS transfectants. PKCα-AS and PKCβ1-AS cells were more responsive to mitomycin C- or 5-fluorouracil-induced apoptosis. However, antisense targeting of PKCβ2 did not have any significant effect on cell morphology, cell growth, or apoptosis. Furthermore, antisense inhibition of PKCα and PKCβ1 markedly suppressed colony-forming efficiency in soft agar and in nude mice xenografts. Inhibition of PKCα or PKCβ1 significantly suppressed transcriptional and DNA binding activity of activator protein in gastric cancer cells, suggesting that PKCα or PKCβ1 exerts their effects on cell growth through regulation of activator protein activity. These data provide evidence that targeting PKCα and PKCβ1 by antisense method is a promising therapy for gastric cancer.