Search

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided gastroenterostomy (EUS-GE) has recently been employed as a novel treatment for gastric outlet obstruction (GOO). The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of EUS-GE for GOO at different sites.Consecutive hospitalized patients who underwent EUS-GE for GOO at the Department of Gastroenterology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital from March 2017 to April 2020 were recruited in this retrospective study. Patients were divided into three groups depending on the obstruction site. The primary outcomes included technical success and clinical success. The secondary outcomes were operation time, post-procedure length of stay (LOS), hospitalization cost, and complications such as peritonitis, bleeding, pneumoperitoneum, abdominal pain, and infection.A total of 51 patients were included. Technical success achieved in 100% patients with proximal GOO and in 88.9% with distal GOO (P = 0.176). Clinical success declined from the oral side to the anal side (P = 0.510). Operation time, hospitalization costs, and post-procedural LOS were similar among groups (P = 0.532, 0.520, and 0.144, respectively). Complications were observed in 28 (54.9%) patients. In approaching the mature phase of the endosopist, clinical success improved, while the secondary outcomes showed no statistically significant difference compared with the initial phase.EUS-GE may be challenging for distal GOO; however, it is safe and effective when carried out by experienced endoscopists. A complete preoperative evaluation to assess the difficulty of the procedure is necessary. Prospective studies with large sample size are needed to further validate our findings.

Abdominal pain is often observed after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). Few studies have focused on the risk factors of post-ERCP abdominal pain without post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP). This study aimed to identify risk factors of post-ERCP abdominal pain without PEP and investigate characteristics of the abdominal pain in non-PEP patients.Data from patients who underwent ERCP from August 2019 to January 2020 were retrospectively collected. Characteristics of the abdominal pain after ERCP were recorded and compared between PEP and non-PEP patients. Multivariate analysis was conducted to identify risk factors of non-PEP abdominal pain.A total of 1295 ERCP procedures were investigated in this study, among which 100 (7.72%) patients presented post-ERCP abdominal pain without PEP and 63 (4.86%) patients with PEP. Multivariate analysis found 9 risk factors of non-PEP abdominal pain: age ≤ 65 years [odds ratio (OR): 1.971], primary ERCP (OR: 2.442), dilated extrahepatic bile duct (OR: 1.803), no papilla opening (OR: 2.095), pancreatic guidewire passages (OR: 2.258), white blood cells (WBC) ≤ 6.0 × 10This study indicated that age ≤ 65 years, primary ERCP, dilated extrahepatic bile duct, no papilla opening, pancreatic guidewire passages, lower WBC, lower PLT, normal γ - GT and elevated albumin were independent risk factors for post-ERCP abdominal pain without PEP. The pain occurred earlier in non-PEP patients than in PEP patients.

Figure S1. (A) Representative IHC images of negative control and normal liver tissues from 10 patients with hepatic hemangioma (100X, 200X). (B) Western blot assay of R-spondin1, R-spondin3 and β-actin in PLC/PRF/5, Hep-3B, Hep-C2, Huh-7, MHCC-97L and HCCL-M3 cells. (C) Western blot assay of R-spondin2 in Huh-7 and HCCL-M3 treated with an brefeldin A (0, 10, 50, 100 ng/ml). (D) Coomassie Blue Staining assay of total protein and western blot assay of R-spondin1, R-spondin2, R-spondin3 in cell culture supernatant of these six HCC cell lines. (C) R-spondin2 protein expression levels were not significantly down-regulated in Hep-3B and PLC/PRF/5 cells by sh2 according to western blot assay. (D) Western blot assay of R-spondin1, R-spondin2, R-spondin3 and β-actin in PLC/PRF/5-NC, PLC/PRF/5-sh1, Hep-3B-NC and Hep-3B-sh1.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS High prevalence of minimal change lesion (MCL) in nonerosive reflux esophagitis (NERD) patients is commonly recognized by many endoscopists. However, it is difficult to detect MCL with conventional white-light imaging (WLI) endoscopy. Linked color imaging (LCI), a novel image-enhanced endoscopy technology with strong, unique color enhancement, is used for easy recognition of early gastric cancer and detection of Helicobacter pylori infection. The aim of the study was to compare the efficacy of LCI and WLI endoscopy in evaluating MCL in patients with NER. MATERIALS AND METHODS Forty-one patients with NERD and 38 subjects with nongastroesophageal reflux disease (non-GERD) were recruited in this study between August 2017 and July 2018. During upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, the distal 5 cm of the esophageal mucosal morphology at the squamocolumnar junction was visualized using WLI followed by LCI. MCL was defined as areas of erythema, blurring of the Z-line, friability, decreased vascularity, white turbid discoloration, and edema or accentuation of the mucosal folds. Three experienced endoscopists evaluated the color patterns for MCL on WLI images and on WLI combined with LCI images in both groups. A biopsy was taken 2 cm above the esophagogastric junction. Histologic slides were scored by a pathologist in a blinded manner. RESULTS The proportion of MCL was higher in the patients with NERD (70.7%, 29/41) than in patients with non-GERD (39.5%, 15/38) using WLI combined with LCI. In 12 patients with NERD, both WLI and LCI showed normal mucosa. The MCL detection rate was significantly higher when using WLI combined with LCI than when using WLI (70.7% vs. 51.2%, P=0.039) in patients with NERD. The histopathologic score of MCL (+) was significantly higher than that of MCL (-) patients in both the NERD group (4.59±0.32 vs. 2.36±0.34, P

The R-spondin family plays important roles in embryonic development, including in humans. However, information on the relationship between R-spondin2 and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is lacking. This study aimed was to explore the mechanisms of R-spondin2 action in the progression of HCC. By analyzing R-spondin2 expression levels in HCC tissues by IHC and database, we identified that HCC tissues had lower expression levels of R-spondin2, correlated with a poor prognosis. We also established R-spondin2–overexpressing and knockdown cell lines and measured their viabilities and invasion abilities in vitro and their oncogenic capacity in vivo. Human mRNA microarray analysis was performed to screen for mRNAs that were differentially expressed between R-spondin2–overexpressing and control HCC cells. Microarray and Western blot analyses showed significant changes in the MAPK signaling pathway after transfection. Furthermore, in vivo experiments indicated that R-spondin2 knockdown increased the tumorigenicity of HCC cells after subcutaneous implantation in mice. Altogether, our results indicate that the R-spondin2, which might be a novel tumor suppressor gene, were responsible for inhibiting the proliferation and invasion of HCC via the MAPK signaling pathway. Implications: R-spondin2 gene might be a novel tumor suppressor gene providing new clues to clarify the biological behavior of HCC and thus reduce patient mortality and prolong survival.

To explore the diagnostic value of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) for small, solid or semi-solid pancreatic lesions (≤20 mm) and the factors affecting its accuracy. Methods Altogether 92 patients with small, solid or semi-solid pancreatic lesions who underwent EUS-FNA at the Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital from November 2009 to January 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to determine the factors affecting the accuracy of EUS-FNA for detecting these lesions. Results Among the 92 cases, 56 (60.9%) were diagnosed as having malignant lesions and 36 (39.1%) as benign lesions, respectively. The overall sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of EUS-FNA for the diagnosis of small, solid or semi-solid pancreatic lesions were 71.4%, 100% and 82.6%, respectively. When considering the impact of the presence of a tissue core on the diagnosis, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of EUS-FNA with tissue core compared with those based on cytology alone were 77.3% vs 50.0%; 100% vs 100%; and 86.8% vs 62.5%, respectively. The multivariate analysis showed that larger tumor size (>15-20 mm) (odds ratio [OR] 4.200, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.21-14.53, P = 0.023) and histologic diagnosis based on tissue core (OR 4.593, 95% CI 1.03-20.47, P = 0.046) were related to a higher accuracy of EUS-FNA. Adverse events were observed in three patients, all were treated conservatively and recovered within 3 days. Conclusions EUS-FNA is effective and safe for diagnosing small pancreatic lesions. Tumor size and presence of tissue core are related to higher accuracy of the EUS-FNA.

Most patients with gastric cancer (GCa) are diagnosed at an advanced stage. We aimed to investigate novel fecal signatures for clinical application in early diagnosis of GCa.This was an observational study that included 1043 patients from 10 hospitals in China. In the discovery cohort, 16S ribosomal RNA gene analysis was performed in paired samples (tissues and feces) from patients with GCa and chronic gastritis (ChG) to determine differential abundant microbes. Their relative abundances were detected using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction to test them as bacterial candidates in the training cohort. Their diagnostic efficacy was validated in the validation cohort.Significant enrichments of Streptococcus anginosus (Sa) and Streptococcus constellatus (Sc) in GCa tumor tissues (P.05) and feces (P.0001) were observed in patients with intraepithelial neoplasia, early and advanced GCa. Either the signature parallel test Sa∪Sc or single signature Sa/Sc demonstrated superior sensitivity (Sa: 75.6% vs 72.1%, P.05; Sc: 84.4% vs 64.0%, P.001; and Sa∪Sc: 91.1% vs 81.4%, P.01) in detecting early GCa compared with advanced GCa (specificity: Sa: 84.0% vs 83.9%, Sc: 70.4% vs 82.3%, and Sa∪Sc: 64.0% vs 73.4%). Fecal signature Sa∪Sc outperformed Sa∪CEA/Sc∪CEA in the discrimination of advanced GCa (sensitivity: 81.4% vs 74.2% and 81.4% vs 72.3%, P.01; specificity: 73.4% vs 81.0 % and 73.4% vs 81.0%). The performance of Sa∪Sc in the diagnosis of both early and advanced GCa was verified in the validation cohort.Fecal Sa and Sc are noninvasive, accurate, and sensitive signatures for early warning in GCa. (ClinicalTrials.gov, Number: NCT04638959).

Background: Most gastric cancer (GC) patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage, which indicates their poor prognosis. We aimed to investigate novel fecal microbial markers for clinical application in the screening and early diagnosis of gastric cancer (GC). Methods: This is an observational study from three cohorts. In discovery cohort, 16S rRNA gene analysis was performed in paired samples (gastric tissues, feces) from GC and CG patients to determine differential microbes. The relative abundances of the differential microbes were detected using qPCR in training cohort. The diagnostic efficacy of fecal marker Sa/Sc was validated in validation cohort. Findings: 575 gastric cancer (GC) patients, 468 chronic gastritis (CG) patients were enrolled from ten hospitals in China. Significant enrichments of Streptococcus anginosus (Sa) and Streptococcus constellatus (Sc) in both cancerous tissues (P < 0·05) and feces ( P < 0·0001) were observed in patients with intraepithelial neoplasia, early and advanced GC. Either the marker parallel test Sa ∪ Sc or single marker Sa/Sc demonstrated superior sensitivity (Sa: 75·6% vs. 72·1%, P

Aim Gastric cardiac carcinoma (GCC) is controversial and currently grouped with esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) as adenocarcinoma of the gastroesophageal junction (GEJ). Recently, diagnostic criteria of the GEJ were established and GCC can be separated from EAC. We aimed to view published evidence to clarify the GCC entity for better patient management. Methods We searched key relevant words in Pubmed and Google Scholar over past decades, evaluated crucial findings from high-quality papers, and compared the key evidence between GCC and EAC. Results GCC arises in cardiac mucosa located between 3 cm below and 2 cm above the GEJ line. Compared to EAC, GCC is more like gastric cancer with a higher proportion of female patients, younger age, lower propensity for reflux disease, wider histopathologic spectrum, and more complex genomic profiles. Although GCC pathogenesis mechanisms remain unknown, the two-etiology proposal is appealing: in high-risk regions, the Correa pathway with Helicobacter pylori infection, low acid, and intestinal metaplasia-dysplasia-carcinoma may apply, while in low-risk regions, the sequential event from reflux toxin-induced mucosal injury, high acid, to intestinal metaplasia-dysplasia-carcinoma may occur. In early GCC, a minimal risk of nodal metastasis argues for a role of endoscopic therapy, whereas in advanced GCC, gastric cancer staging rules and treatment strategy appear to be more appropriate than the esophageal cancer staging scheme and therapy for better prognosis stratification and treatment. Conclusions GCC demonstrates clinicopathologic and genomic features more like gastric cancer than EAC. GCC patients should be managed in a multidisciplinary approach.

OBJECTIVE Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for laterally spreading tumors (LST) involving the dentate line (LST-DL) is challenging because of the specific anatomical features of the anorectum. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ESD for LST-DL. METHODS Consecutive patients with LST-DL who had undergone ESD at our hospital between January 2010 and December 2015 were retrospectively enrolled in this study. Rates of en bloc resection, R0 resection, and complications, pathological characteristics, and tumor recurrence were analyzed and compared with those of LST in the rectum not involving the dentate line (LST-NDL). RESULTS Altogether 49 patients with LST-DL (median age 63 years; 39 women; median lesion size 57 mm; median follow-up period of 24 months) and 96 patients with LST-NDL (median age 67 years; 31 women; median lesion size 47 mm; median follow-up period of 31 months) were enrolled. En bloc resection (93.9% [46/49] vs 94.8% [91/96]) and en bloc R0 resection rates (83.7% [41/49] vs 88.5% [85/96]), respectively, for LST-DL and LST-NDL, with no significant differences. However, ESD for LST-DL had a longer procedure time (77 min vs 54 min, P = 0.02), a greater postprocedural perianal pain rate (28.6% vs 0%, P

A combination of a Wilms' tumor (WT) and renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is an extremely rare pediatric renal neoplasm. Its prognosis and clinicopathological features remain unclarified. Herein, we describe a case of the coexistence of a WT and an RCC in a male child aged 5 years and 10 months. The child had symptoms of hematuria for more than 1 month. Although his irises were clear, medical imaging revealed a potential malignant tumor in the left kidney. The patient underwent resection of the left kidney. The pathological diagnosis was the coexistence of a WT and papillary RCC. Negative surgical margins were examined. One month following the resection, chemotherapy with vincristine plus dactinomycin (EE-4A regimen) was commenced. At the 69-month follow-up, there was no recurrence or metastasis. The coexistence of a WT and an RCC in the pediatric population is considered a rare pathological event. At present, there is no standard treatment for these renal neoplasms. In this study, the RCC treatment, which was the same as that applied in cases of WTs, was reasonable.

Gastric cancer is common in China. At present, early detection with prompt resection of early gastric carcinoma (EGC) is crucial for improving patient's survival. Because of high heterogeneity of EGC in Chinese patients we reviewed recent clinicopathological and molecular evidence and proposed a grouping EGC in three subgroups according to their location for appropriate management. In group 1 (cardia), most patients with EGC in this small location were elderly men. The tumors originated in the cardiac mucosa with a high proportion of cases with slightly elevated gross patterns and intestinal adenocarcinoma histology with moderate to well differentiation. Poorly cohesive carcinoma was infrequent. As the risk for lymph node metastasis in this kind of tumor was significantly lower than that in the distal stomach, endoscopic therapy is preferred. Group 2 (fundus-corpus), many patients with EGC in this large location were young women. The EGCs originated in the oxyntic mucosa with pure and mixed poorly cohesive carcinomas that are more commonly present in this area than in any other. Most tumors were poorly differentiated with a high risk for lymph node metastasis. Thus, endoscopic therapy may be appropriate for intramucosal, but not for submucosal, carcinoma. Group 3 (antrum-pylorus). EGC tumors arose from the antral mucosa, primarily because of Helicobacter pylori infection, following the Correa gastric cancer tumorigenetic pathway. Erosive and ulcerated gross patterns were most frequently observed. While most EGCs in this location were mainly intestinal adenocarcinomas, poorly differentiated EGCs were substantial in number. Because the risk of lymph node metastasis remains to be illustrated, clinical management requires an individualized approach. This preliminary observation requires verification in large nationwide multicenter studies.

OBJECTIVE To investigate risk factors (RF) of lymph node metastasis (LNM) in early gastric carcinoma (EGC) in 4 tertiary medical centers in Jiangsu Province. METHODS Among 10097 consecutive combined gastric cancer radical resections, 1903 EGCs were identified and reviewed, 283 excluded, and 1620 included for the study. All pathologic and some endoscopic reports were studied for demographic, tumor location, gross feature, the number of lymph nodes retrieved and involved. Two pathologists independently investigated pathologic features of tumor type, differentiation, invasion depth, lymphovascular invasion (LVI), and perineural invasion. The data were statistically analyzed to determine RF of LNM. RESULTS The average number of lymph nodes retrieved was 17.5 per case. LNM was diagnosed in 15.5%. By univariate analysis, significant RFs for LNM included age > 41 years, female gender, flat and depressed patterns, size over 1 cm, submucosal invasion, poor differentiation, poorly cohesive carcinoma, micropapillary adenocarcinoma, adenocarcinoma mixed with signet-ring cell carcinoma, LVI, perineural invasion, and distal gastric location. By multivariate analysis, independent RFs for LNM were size > 3 cm (OR: 1.9), poor differentiation (OR: 2.5), adenocarcinoma mixed with signet-ring cell carcinoma (OR: 1.7), LVI (OR: 5.8), and submucosal invasion (OR: 2.9). In contrast, size < 3 cm and ulcer were not significant RFs. Early cardiac carcinoma (OR: 0.4) had significantly lower risk. CONCLUSION Independent RFs for LNM in EGC in Chinese patients included tumor size > 3 cm, poor differentiation, submucosal invasion, adenocarcinoma mixed with signet-ring cell carcinoma, and LVI. Early cardiac carcinoma had significantly lower risk for LNM.

Objective To investigate histopathologic changes of muscularis mucosae (MM) and submucosa in the gastric cardia. Methods We performed a histopathology study of 50 distal esophagectomies with proximal gastrectomies for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma as the study (non-cancerous cardiac) group and 60 gastrectomies for early gastric cardiac carcinoma as the cancer group. The gastroesophageal junction was defined as the distal end of squamous epithelium, multilayered epithelium, or deep esophageal glands or ducts. Gastric cardia (n = 110) was defined as the presence of cardiac and cardio-oxyntic mucosae distal to the gastroesophageal junction. Results The average thickness of MM and submucosa in the cardia was 1.04 and 1.41 mm, respectively, which was significantly thicker than that in distal stomach (n = 34) (0.22 and 0.99 mm) or distal esophagus (n = 92) (0.60 and 1.15 mm). In the cardia, thickened MM displayed frayed muscle fibers (93.3%) with a significantly higher prevalence of entrapped glands, cysts, and lymphoid follicles than in the distal stomach or distal esophagus. In the submucosa fatty changes, cysts, and abnormal arteries were significantly more common in the cardia than in the distal stomach or distal esophagus. Compared with the study group, the cardia in the cancer group showed significantly thicker MM (average 1.31 vs 0.72 mm) and submucosa (average 1.61 vs 1.16 mm), more frequent frayed MM (93.3% vs 60.0%), prolapse-like changes (50.0% vs 2.0%), and cysts (26.7% vs 4.0%). Conclusion MM and submucosa of the cardia were significantly thickened, especially in early gastric cardiac carcinomas.

Artesunate (ART) is a semi-synthetic derivative of artemisinin used in the treatment of patients with malaria, which has also been reported to have immunoregulatory, anticancer and anti-inflammatory properties. The aim of the present study was to investigate the possible beneficial effects of ART on ulcerative colitis (UC) rats and to detect the possible mechanisms underlying these effects. A UC rat model was established using dextran sulfate sodium (DSS). Rats were randomly divided into the following groups: Normal control, UC model group, UC rats treated with a low, medium or high dose of ART (10, 30 and 50 mg/kg/day, respectively), and the positive control group (50 mg/kg/day 5-aminosalicylic acid). The damage status of colonic mucosal epithelial tissue was investigated by hematoxylin and eosin staining, and then the weight, colon length and disease activity index (DAI) were measured. Western blotting and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis were used to detect the levels of cytokines associated with UC and proteins associated with Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)-nuclear factor (NF)-κB pathway. ELISA was also performed to measure the levels of inflammatory cytokines. In addition, the viability and infiltration of RAW264.7 cells were examined using Cell Counting Kit-8 and Transwell assays. The results demonstrated that treatment with ART significantly alleviated the UC symptoms induced by DSS in the rat model, lowered the DAI, ameliorated pathological changes, attenuated colon shortening, inhibited the levels of pro-inflammatory mediators and myeloperoxidase activity, and increased hemoglobin expression. Additionally, inflammatory and apoptotic markers were found to be significantly downregulated following treatment with ART in UC rats and RAW264.7 cells. To the best of our knowledge, the present study is the first to demonstrate that ART exerts anti-inflammatory effects via regulating the TLR4-NF-κB signaling pathway in UC.

To evaluate current diagnosis and treatment of patients with nocturnal gastroesophageal reflux (nGER). METHODS This multicenter observational study was conducted in 44 hospitals in China from May 2017 to February 2018. Outpatients with nGER were recruited and their relevant data were collected using a questionnaire, including age, gender, body mass index, history of smoking and alcohol consumption, comorbid diseases, lifestyle, self-reported health status, medical history, nGER symptoms and severity, Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, diagnosis and treatment choices. The study was registered on the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (no. ChiCTR1800017525). RESULTS The study included 4978 individuals, with valid questionnaires collected from 4448 patients (89.4%). The symptoms of heartburn and regurgitation were more severe at night than during the day (P

OBJECTIVE To investigate risk factors of lymph node metastasis (LNM) in Chinese early gastric carcinoma (EGC) patients diagnosed using the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria and compare the differences in those factors between proximal (PGC) and distal gastric carcinoma (DGC). METHODS Among 3 176 gastric cancer resections we identified 379 (11.9%) consecutive EGC (104 PGC and 275 DGC) with lymphadenectomy performed at the Affiliated Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University (Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China) between January 2005 and December 2012. Endoscopic and clinicopathological features related to LNM were analyzed. RESULTS LNM occurred in 49 (12.9%) EGC, including three PGC and 46 DGC. In early DGC, middle age (41-60 years), tumor size ≥3.1 cm, submucosal invasion, poorly cohesive carcinoma, micropapillary adenocarcinoma and lymphovascular invasion were risk factors by univariate analysis. In contrast, no risk factors of LNM were identified in early PGC. By multivariate analysis, female sex (odds ratio [OR] 2.4), DGC (OR 8.1), poorly cohesive carcinoma (OR 8.8) and lymphovascular invasion (OR 38.8) were found to be significant independent risk factors for LNM. The risk of LNM was effectively stratified using a scoring model of mild (score ≤3.5), moderate (score 4.0-8.5) and high (score ≥16) risk groups. CONCLUSIONS LNM occurred in 12.9% of EGC diagnosed with the WHO criteria in Chinese patients. Independent risk factors of LNM were identified in early DGC only and included female sex, DGC, poorly cohesive carcinoma and lymphovascular invasion. Early PGC has a much lower risk for LNM than early DGC.

The American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging scheme requires staging proximal gastric carcinoma (PGC) as esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC), which has been shown to be controversial by recent research results. To update the current research findings on PGC, we systematically reviewed and analyzed the scientific evidence on key arguments related to PGC. The data of high-quality research articles showed that PGC arised in the cardiac mucosa in the proximal stomach within 3 cm below the gastroesophageal junction. Its incidence is rising in East Asian countries, but decreasing in the West, and plateaued at a low level in the United States. PGC is a slowly progressive cancer with unknown independent risk factors and the mechanisms of pathogenesis. This carcinoma exhibits a wide histopathological spectrum and heterogeneous post-resection patient survival characteristics, and cannot be adequately staged for prognotic stratification by the current AJCC staging classification. The results on PGC genomics reveal unique genetic profiles, especially in East Asian populations. In conclusion, mounting evidence defies a simple placement of PGC in a single category of EAC for disease classification; further investigations on the mechanisms of PGC pathogenesis are urgently needed.

Background: Chemoprevention of colorectal adenoma and cancer remains its importance in public health. The rate of adenoma recurrence in the first year after polypectomy is very high in East Asian populations. We aimed to investigate the clinical potential and safety of Berberine hydrochloride for colorectal adenoma recurrence. Methods: This double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trial was done in seven hospital centers across six provinces in China. Patients with recently diagnosed adenomas and after complete polypectomy were recruited and randomized into a BBR group (Berberine hydrochloride 0.3g, twice daily) or a placebo group. They were anticipated for at least one follow-up colonoscopy until a diagnosis of CRA/CRC or the last enrolled patient reached the 2-year follow-up. The primary efficacy endpoint was the recurrence of adenomas at any follow-up colonoscopy. The secondary outcomes were the recurrences of polypoid lesions as well as advanced adenomas or CRC. Findings: Between Nov 14, 2014 and Dec 29, 2018, 1136 patients were screened for eligibility, and 1108 underwent randomization. 553 patients were assigned to receive Berberine hydrochloride and 555 to placebo. An unadjusted RR for recurrent adenomas and all polypoid lesions were 0.77 (95% CI, 0.66 to 0.91) and 0.77 (95% CI, 0.67 to 0.89), representing a decrease of 22.72% and 22.70%, respectively. No CRC occurred during the whole trial. Interaction test showed taking BBR was effective in female with unadjusted RR for recurrent adenomas of 0.58 (95% CI, 0.41 to 0.81); P=0.07 (Alpha = 0.10). No serious adverse events were reported. Interpretation: Although the mechanism has not been fully elucidated yet, Berberine hydrochloride was effective to reduce colorectal adenoma recurrence after polypectomy. Trial Registration: This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT02226185. Funding Statement: This project was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81421001, 81530072, 81830081 and 8177100232), the funds from Shanghai Shenkang Center (SHDC12018121), from Shanghai Municipal Key Clinical Specialty, and from Innovative research team of high-level local universities in Shanghai. The project was also partially supported by Top-Notch project of China and Shanghai Municipal Education Commission-Gaofeng Clinical Medicine Grant (20152514). Declaration of Interests: The authors declare no competing interests. Ethics Approval Statement: Approval for this study was obtained from the Ethics Committee of Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao-Tong University School of Medicine on 13th August 2014. The protocol and informed consent forms were also approved by the institutional ethics committees at each of the participating clinical centers.

Objective We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) in assessing locoregionally and determining therapeutic options for ampullary adenomas and the related factors. Methods Patients undergoing EUS and surgical or endoscopic resection for biopsy-proven ampullary adenomas between 2009 and 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. The depth of tumor invasion, intraductal extension, and regional lymph node staging evaluated by EUS were compared with post-treatment pathological findings. Results Altogether 120 patients were enrolled in this study. The overall accuracy for EUS in T staging was 81.7%. The sensitivity and specificity of EUS for T staging were 93.9%, 45.5% for adenoma and T1, 50.0% and 96.5% for T2, 66.7% and 97.4% for T3, 50.0% and 97.5% for T4 lesions, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of EUS for the diagnosis of any intraductal extension were 89.5%, 86.1%, and 86.7%, respectively. The overall accuracy of EUS for regional lymph node staging was 75.0%. The sensitivity and specificity of EUS for diagnosing N1 were 62.5% and 87.5%. By multivariate analysis no factors were found to be independently associated with EUS accuracy for tumor invasive depth. However, small lesion size (≤15 mm) and dilated duct were associated with an overestimation in intraductal extension. Conclusion EUS may be a useful diagnostic tool for selecting endoscopic or surgical treatment for ampullary adenomas.

Gastric adenocarcinoma (GAC) is a challenging disease with dim prognosis even after surgery; hence, novel treatments for GAC are in urgent need. The aim of the present study was to explore new potential compounds interfering with the key pathways related to GAC progression. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between GAC and adjacent tissues were identified from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Genotype‑Tissue Expression (GTEx) database. Connectivity Map (CMap) was performed to screen candidate compounds for treating GAC. Subsequently, pathways affected by compounds were overlapped with those enriched by the DEGs to further identify compounds which had anti‑GAC potential. A total of 843 DEGs of GAC were identified. Via Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis, 13 pathways were significantly enriched. Moreover, 78 compounds with markedly negative correlations with DEGs were revealed in CMap database (P

The ingestion of foreign bodies is a common emergency in clinical practice, representing about 4% of all emergency endoscopies. If not treated promptly, ingested foreign bodies may cause serious complications, even result in death. Currently, the international guidelines and consensuses on the management of foreign bodies in the upper gastrointestinal tract mainly include Management of ingested foreign bodies and food impactions by the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE), Management of ingested foreign bodies in children: a clinical report of the NASPGHAN Endoscopy Committee by the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (NASPGHAN), Pediatric button battery injuries: 2013 task force update by the American Broncho-Esophagological Association (ABEA); Management of ingested magnets in children by the European Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN) and NASPGHAN; and Clinical guidelines for imaging and reporting ingested foreign bodies by the American Roentgen Ray Society (ARRS). But no guideline or consensus on the endoscopic management of foreign bodies in the upper gastrointestinal tract is available in China. Thus, the Chinese Society of Digestive Endoscopy has led and organized experts from various disciplines, including gastroenterology, digestive endoscopy, thoracic surgery, gastrointestinal surgery, otorhinolaryngology, emergency medicine, pediatrics, and radiology, to co-develop this consensus based on the current status of management for upper gastrointestinal foreign bodies in China, with reference to the latest international guidelines and consensuses. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Objectives The aim of this meta-analysis was to investigate whether an association existed between green tea consumption and the risk for liver cancer in prospective cohort studies in Asian populations. Methods Relevant studies were identified by searching PubMed, EMBASE, ISI Web of Science, and the Chinese Bio-medicine Database published before April 2015. Study-specific risk estimates for the highest versus non- or lowest and increment of daily cup of green tea consumption levels were combined based on fixed- or random-effects models. STATA 11.0 (Stata Corporation, College Station, TX, USA) software was used for statistical analysis. Results Nine prospective cohort articles involving 465,274 participants and 3694 cases of liver cancer from China, Japan, and Singapore were included. The summary relative risk (RR) indicated a significant association between the highest green tea consumption and reduced risk for liver cancer (summary RR, 0.88; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.81-0.97). However, no statistically significant association was observed when analyzing daily consumption of one cup (summary RR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.95-1.00). When stratified by sex, the protective effect of green tea consumption on risk for liver cancer was observed only in the group of women (summary RR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.64-0.96), but not in men (summary RR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.79-1.00). Conclusions The present analysis indicated the preventive effects of green tea intake on the risk for liver cancer in female Asian populations. However, additional studies are needed to make a convincing case for this association.

Objective Pancreatic duct guidewire placement (PDGP) includes double guidewire technique (DGT) and transpancreatic sphincterotomy (TPS). DGT can be switched to TPS with ease due to the existing guidewire in the pancreatic duct. In this study, we aimed to combine DGT and TPS as a single technique, named sequential PDGP, and to compare its performance with needle knife precut sphincterotomy (NKPS) in treating difficult biliary cannulation (BC). Methods A total of 83 patients with difficult BC were enrolled in this study. Of these, 63 underwent sequential PDGP and 20 underwent NKPS. Cannulation success rate, cannulation time and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)-related complications were prospectively recorded and compared between the two groups. Results Successful BC was achieved in 88.9% (56/63) of the patients in the sequential PDGP group compared with 70.0% (14/20) in the NKPS group (P = 0.095). Cannulation time was 7.49 ± 5.03 min in the sequential PDGP group and 10.60 ± 7.24 min in the NKPS group (P = 0.086). Post-ERCP pancreatitis occurred in 12.7% of patients in the sequential PDGP group and 10.0% in the NKPS group (P = 1.000). There was no significant difference in the rates of other complications (bleeding, perforation and cholangitis) between the two groups. Conclusions Sequential PDGP is a safe and effective alternative method to NKPS in cases of difficult BC. In those with failed standard cannulation, sequential PDGP can be considered when the guidewire is inadvertently inserted into the pancreatic duct or can be placed in the pancreatic duct without difficulty.

Objective With an increased use of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), post-ERCP complications have attracted much attention. We aimed to identify independent risk factors of post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP) and hyperamylasemia, and to develop a simple scoring system of the factors contributing to the clinical prevention against PEP. Methods A retrospective single-center analysis was performed in 4234 ERCP procedures between September 2007 and December 2012. Patient-related and procedure-related risk factors for PEP and post-ERCP hyperamylasemia were identified by univariate and multivariate regression analyses. A scoring system was developed based on the independent risk factors. Results PEP occurred in 226 (5.3%) ERCP procedures and hyperamylasemia in 774 (18.3%) procedures. Female gender (odds ratio [OR] 1.449), first-time ERCP (OR 1.745), latent jaundice (OR 1.917), difficult cannulation (OR 3.317) and pancreatography (OR 1.823) were all proven to be significant risk factors for predicting PEP. In addition, difficult cannulation (OR 1.990) and pancreatography (OR 2.009), age

Objective The incidence of proximal gastric carcinoma (PGC) is rising worldwide for unknown reasons. Herein we compare the risk factors of early PGC with distal gastric carcinoma (DGC) in patients treated at a single tertiary hospital in China. Methods Risk factors of 379 consecutive surgically resected early gastric carcinoma (EGC) diagnosed according to the 2010 World Health Organization criteria were studied by reviewing their medical records and esophagogastroduodenoscopy/biopsy findings and interviewing patients and family members for the patients' history of environmental toxin exposure (ETE), dietary habits, family (FCH) and personal cancer history (PCH) and survival. Differences between PGC (n = 115), DGC (n = 264) and age-matched and gender-matched controls (n = 225) were compared. Results Proportion of early PGC in all EGC patients was increased significantly (P 24 kg/m2) (OR 2.79, P

MicroRNA (miR)-338-5p has been studied in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); however, the diagnostic value and molecular mechanism underlying its actions remains to be elucidated. The present study aimed to validate the diagnostic ability of miR-338-5p and further explore the underlying molecular mechanism. Data from eligible studies, Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) chips and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) datasets were gathered in the data mining and the integrated meta-analysis, to evaluate the significance of miR-338-5p in diagnosing HCC comprehensively. The potential target genes of miR-338-5p were achieved from the intersection of the deregulated targets of miR-338-5p from GEO and TCGA in addition to the predicted target genes from 12 online software. A protein-protein-interaction (PPI) network was drawn to illustrate the interaction between target genes and to define the hub genes. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were performed to investigate the function of the target genes. From the results, miR-338-5p exhibited favorable value in diagnosing HCC. Types of sample and experiment were defined as the possible sources of heterogeneity in meta-analysis. A total of 423 genes were selected as the potential target genes of miR-338-5p, and five genes were defined as the hub genes from the PPI network. The GO and KEGG analyses indicated that the target genes were significantly assembled in the pathways of metabolic process and cell cycle. miR-338-5p may function as a novel diagnostic target for HCC through regulating certain target genes and signaling pathways.

Mesoporous ZnO thin film is an important part of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) due to it determines the amount of adsorbed dyes. However, small specific surface area of ZnO thin film prepared by ordinary methods restricts the increase of conversion efficiency of DSSCs. In this work we adopted two-step electrodeposition method to fabricate ZnO thin film, which increase the roughness and dyes adsorption. ZnO nanosheets with many adsorbing nanoparticles were observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM). It is noteworthy that DSSC based on two-step electrodeposition method exhibit more outstanding photoelectric performance than those based on one-step electrodeposition method, which demonstrates that two-step electrodeposition method is in favor of increasing specific surface area and adding dyes adsorption, which eventually contributes to improvement the conversion efficiency of DSSCs.

In this letter, Lawson cypress leaf-like ZnO hierarchical nanostructures with new and interesting morphology were synthesized by electrodeposition in aqueous solution of Zn (NO3)2followed by annealing process, this structure was the first time appearing in ZnO nanostructure. The obtained Lawson cypress leaf-like ZnO hierarchical nanostructures were composed of ZnO nanoparticles with the grain size about 100~200 nm, were observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM), ZnO was detected by X-ray diffraction (XRD), and the highly crystalline structure was demonstrated by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Lawson cypress leaf-like ZnO hierarchical nanostructures, which are well-controlled in diameter, space and thickness, have potential applications in photoelectronic devices, sensors, solar cells and nanometer devices.

Objective To investigate the outcomes of Chinese Han patients who underwent peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) for achalasia. Methods Patients undergoing POEM for achalasia at the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School were prospectively enrolled in this study, with a follow-up duration of at least one year. Their outcomes were evaluated by analyzing esophageal manometry, timed barium esophagogram and 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), which were performed before surgery, 5 days after surgery and at the last follow-up. Patients' symptom relief was considered the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes included lower esophageal sphincter (LES) pressure, esophageal emptying, patients' quality of life (QoL) and procedure-related complications. Results Eighty-seven patients were included in the study. Eckardt score after POEM was remarkably lower than the preoperative score (0.4 ± 0.7 vs 7.1 ± 2.1, P = 0.001). The preoperative LES pressure was 32.4 ± 15.3 mmHg, which was decreased to 3.8 ± 3.9 mmHg immediately after surgery. The height of the barium column at 1 min after barium swallow was significantly reduced after treatment (11.7 ± 1.2 cm vs 3.2 ± 1.6 cm, P

Objective Guided by the recently established histological criteria of the gastroesophageal junction (GEJ), we aimed to investigate and compare trends in the proportions of small (≤2 cm) proximal gastric carcinoma (PGC) vs non-PGC (NPGC) in Chinese patients over an 8-year period. Methods The study was conducted with consecutive surgical resected specimens of small PGC that was located within 3 cm below the GEJ and NPGC (located at all other gastric regions) treated at a single medical center in China. Differences in proportions between the two groups were compared. Results Among all 313 cases, 111 (35.5%) were classified as PGC and the remaining 202 (64.5%) as NPGC. Patients with PGC were significantly elder than those with NPGC, and none aged younger than 40 years. The proportions of PGC significantly and progressively increased from 16% in 2004 to 45% in 2011, in contrast to a steady decreasing trend for NPGC from 84% to 55% over the same period. The difference in trends between the two groups approached, but was not at a statistically significant level (P = 0.08). Proportions of small cancers in the gastric corpus and in female patients remained low and stable, in contrast to a significantly higher proportion in male patients (P

In this paper, we mainly talk about two kinds of ZnO nanostructure materials which are rod and flower structure by hydrothermal growth as photoanode of quantum dot sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs). Using chemical bath deposition to assemble CdS quantum dots onto ZnO nanostructure materials, and after different CBD cycles we could get the cell parameters of different CBD cycles respectively in their I-V curves, from which we could see it is the flower structure that has the highest efficiency which is 0.346% after 9 CBD cycles and the short-circuit current is 2.88 mA/cm2. Therefore, we could see that ZnO flower structure has a potential application in solar cell devices as the photoelectrode to gain higher photoelectric conversion efficiency (PCE).

A nitrogen-doped titania nanoparticle film on an ITO substrate was successfully obtained by gas phase method. Such a nitrogen-doped titania nanoparticle film on an ITO substrate shows efficient at the responsivity under the visible light exposure. TiO2 photo-anode with N-doped was fabricated using nanocrystalline pastes and their N719-sensitization led to a short-circuit photocurrent density of 3.95 mA/cm2 and a solar energy conversion efficiency of 1.72% under air-mass 1.5 global and illumination with the intensity of 100 mW/cm2 (AM 1.5G, 100 mW/cm2).

In this paper we use electrochemical deposition to grow a layer of gray compact film on the steel, characterized the product by X-ray diffraction (XRD) we find the ZnO cone-like rods and hierarchical rod-like nanostructure are all preferentially growing along the C-axis, which is confirmed by the direction of crystal growth in the transmission electron microscope (TEM) image. In the TEM image we find the hierarchical ZnO nanorods have an in situ growth in the high-energy electron beam irradiation, which makes the specific surface area increase and to some extent enhance the absorption of light energy.

In this paper, various ZnO nanostructures, such as rods, flowers were grown on indium-tin-oxide (ITO) substrates by hydrothermal growth at low temperature, using the different concentrations of equimolar (1:1) zinc nitrate (Zn (NO3)26H2O) and methenamine (C6H12N4) mixed as precursors solution, and adding ammonia solution to control the pH levels. SEM, XRD were utilized to characterize morphologies and crystal structures of ZnO. It was indicated that the concentration of precursor solution leads to the significantly changes in the nanostructured ZnO. The possible growth mechanism is discussed in this work.

In previous work, ZnO nanorods and nanoflowers were synthesized on indium-tin-oxide (ITO) substrates by hydrothermal growth at low temperature ,using the different concentrations of equimolar (1:1) zinc nitrate Zn (NO3)26H2O and methenamine (C6H12N4) mixed as precursors solution, and adding ammonia solution to control the pH levels. In this paper, for comparison, the same experiment without ammonia solution was also discussed. SEM, XRD were utilized to characterize morphologies and crystal structures of ZnO. It was indicated that the pH of precursor solution leads to the significantly changes in the nanostructured ZnO. Besides, a hierarchical structure of some of the micro/nanotubes was obtained .The possible growth mechanism is discussed in this work.

ZnO was a promising n-type conductive semiconductor material for dye-sensitized solar cells. Stable and efficient preparation of high quality p-type ZnO films became the main difficulty in current research. In this paper, a nitrogen-doped ZnO columnar film on an indium tin oxide (ITO) substrate was successfully obtained by gas phase method. The absorption of visible light was improved by nitrogen-doped ZnO columnar films. This experiment provided a good strategy for the full utilization of solar energy.

In order to extract characteristic values of graphene, a method based on a series of digital image processing algorithms was proposed in this paper. Using the method, we can automatically analyze topology structure and calculate amount of carbon atoms, and even calculate chiral vector indices (n, m) during in-situ TEM scanning of graphene. At last, we also write the correlative software with c++, which applying the digital image processing algorithms, and give out the processing result of several classic TEM image of graphene.

Large-scale vapor–solid synthesis of ultralong silicon nitride (Si3N4) nanowires was achieved by using simple thermal evaporation of mixture powders of active carbon and monoxide silicon. The products were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The results suggest that the silicon nitride nanowires have a smooth surface, with lengths of up to several hundreds of microns and diameters of 100–300 nm. A detailed study of both the chemical and structural composition was performed. Such ultralong silicon nitride nanowires demonstrate potential applications as materials for constructing nanoscale devices and as reinforcement in advanced composites.

To investigate risk factors of lymph node metastasis (LNM) in Chinese early gastric carcinoma (EGC) patients diagnosed using the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria and compare the differences in those factors between proximal (PGC) and distal gastric carcinoma (DGC).Among 3 176 gastric cancer resections we identified 379 (11.9%) consecutive EGC (104 PGC and 275 DGC) with lymphadenectomy performed at the Affiliated Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University (Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China) between January 2005 and December 2012. Endoscopic and clinicopathological features related to LNM were analyzed.LNM occurred in 49 (12.9%) EGC, including three PGC and 46 DGC. In early DGC, middle age (41-60 years), tumor size ≥3.1 cm, submucosal invasion, poorly cohesive carcinoma, micropapillary adenocarcinoma and lymphovascular invasion were risk factors by univariate analysis. In contrast, no risk factors of LNM were identified in early PGC. By multivariate analysis, female sex (odds ratio [OR] 2.4), DGC (OR 8.1), poorly cohesive carcinoma (OR 8.8) and lymphovascular invasion (OR 38.8) were found to be significant independent risk factors for LNM. The risk of LNM was effectively stratified using a scoring model of mild (score ≤3.5), moderate (score 4.0-8.5) and high (score ≥16) risk groups.LNM occurred in 12.9% of EGC diagnosed with the WHO criteria in Chinese patients. Independent risk factors of LNM were identified in early DGC only and included female sex, DGC, poorly cohesive carcinoma and lymphovascular invasion. Early PGC has a much lower risk for LNM than early DGC.

In this paper, the effects of position of substrates in flames, preparation time and stability of flames on carbon nanofibers are investigated in ethanol catalytic combustion. For the position of substrates, our results indicate that the temperature at the lower height (h2.5cm) is suitable for the growth of carbon nanofibers, but the carbon source is insufficient because of sufficient combustion of ethanol; the optimal position of substrates in flames is more than 1cm and less than 2.5cm for massive yield because the temperature of flames is suitable for the growth of carbon nanofibers and the carbon source is also sufficient. For the preparation time, our results indicate that the optimal preparation time is more than 5min and less than 30min for massive yield. If the preparation time is excessive long (more that 30min), the deposits partly become burning in flames due to excessive products on substrates. The stability of flames has effects on the morphology and graphitization of products. Our experimental results indicate that stable flames prefer to produce noncoiled carbon nanofibers with relatively good uniformity and higher graphitization because the relatively stable flames could provide a relative stable synthesis environment.

In this study, we report the synthesis of carbon nanotubes by floating catalytic chemical vapor deposition, which employs ferrocene as the catalyst precursors and ethanol as carbon source. We obtained massive deposits. The deposits were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and visual laser Raman spectroscopy. We discussed the effects of synthesis temperature on the synthesis of carbon nanotubes by floating catalytic chemical vapor deposition. Our results indicated that the synthesis temperature could affect not only on the graphitization degree, but also on the aligned growth of carbon nanotubes and the diameter of carbon nanotubes.