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This article discusses a study that aimed to determine the overall survival, safety, and technical success of elderly patients (aged 80 years and above) with early gastric cancer (EGC) who underwent endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). The study compared this group with a previous cohort of patients aged 70-79 years. The results showed that there were no significant differences in technical success rates between the two groups, but the elderly group had a higher rate of delayed bleeding. The 3-year and 5-year survival rates were lower in the elderly group, and age≥80 years and higher ASA PS classification were identified as independent risk factors for lower overall survival. The study concludes that ESD is a safe and feasible procedure for elderly patients with EGC in a Western context, and the decision to perform ESD should consider the presence and severity of comorbidities. [Extracted from the article]

This article, published in the journal Endoscopy, discusses the poor agreement between biopsy specimens obtained during diagnostic upper endoscopy and the specimens obtained through Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection (ESD) for epithelial upper gastrointestinal (GI) lesions in a Western country. The study, conducted in Spain, involved 411 upper GI ESD procedures, with 46% of cases showing a disagreement between the biopsy and ESD specimens. The biopsy specimens often underestimated the final histology, particularly in cases where ESD was not curative and surgery was required. The authors conclude that ESD should be considered the diagnostic method for accurate diagnosis and to guide treatment decisions. [Extracted from the article]

In this work, we present the dielectric behavior of water with a novel flexible model, FAB/ ϵ , that improved three-site water models. Different concentrations of the ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium [bmim] and bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide [ Tf 2 N] with water have been investigated. The study was performed by molecular dynamics simulations using three water models, being two non-polarizable 3-site SPC/E and SPC/e and a flexible 3-site FAB/ ϵ model. Systematic thermodynamics and dynamical and dielectric properties were investigated, such as density, self-diffusion coefficient, heat of vaporization Δ H vap , and surface tension at 300 K and 1 bar. Extrapolating the experimental molar fraction of the mixtures, a pattern change for all properties was observed, evidencing the phase separation previously reported by experimental data. The results also show the dielectric effect in the system, which is important in ionic systems and fundamental for understanding why this ionic liquid behaves hydrophobic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article, published in the journal Endoscopy, compares the diagnostic accuracy of white light imaging (WLI) versus invasive pattern assessment based on chromoendoscopy for predicting deep submucosal invasion in colorectal polyps. The study included 465 lesions and found that the use of invasive pattern assessment did not significantly improve sensitivity for predicting deep submucosal invasion compared to WLI. The authors conclude that the results do not support the superiority of invasive pattern assessment in this context. [Extracted from the article]

The handling and manipulation of carbon nanotubes continues to be a challenge to those interested in the application potential of these promising materials. To this end, we have developed a method to deposit pure nonoriented nanotube films over large flat areas on substrates of arbitrary composition. The method bears some resemblance to the Langmuir–Blodgett deposition method used to lay down thin organic layers. We show that this redeposition technique causes no major changes in the films’ microstructure and that they retain the electronic properties of as-deposited films laid down on an alumina membrane. © 2004 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A modification in the conventional arc-discharge method for synthesis of nanotubes is presented. By injecting pure nitrogen gas directly into the plasma we have greatly increased the amount of boron nitride nanotubes produced. Isolated nanotubes and bundles were characterized by TEM. The vast majority of the nanotubes were double-walled with outer diameter around 3 nm. The predominance of double-walled BN nanotubes is seen as a direct result of the distribution of the number of graphitic BN layers for the nanococoons, second major product of the synthesis. Detailed HRTEM examination of the ends of BN nanotubes indicates continuity between the graphitic BN layers that coat boron nanoparticles, that is nanococoon, and the nanotube. At the other end of the nanotubes a flat angular cap was observed. HRTEM images of nanotube ends give support to a root-based growth mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author discusses decision making experiments related human choices in neuroscience.

The author discusses aspects of decision-making based on the social pressure of human behavior. He cites the use of Bayesian decision model for the reliability of the sensory information of human choice that shows a stronger impact on the decision. The author examines the fact that human subjects are less trained than animals in the sensory reliability.