Endoscopic biliary treatment of unresectable cholangiocarcinoma: A meta-analysis of survival outcomes and systematic review.

Background: Endoscopic radiofrequency ablation (ERFA), percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (PRFA), and photodynamic therapy (PDT), when used in conjunction with conventional biliary stenting, have demonstrated a survival benefit in patients with unresectable cholangiocarcinoma.

Aim: To compare pooled survival outcomes, adverse event rates, and mean stent patency for those undergoing these procedures.

Methods: A comprehensive literature review of published studies and abstracts from January 2011 to December 2020 was performed comparing survival outcomes in patients undergoing ERFA with stenting, biliary stenting alone, PRFA with stenting, and PDT with stenting for unresectable cholangiocarcinoma (CCA).

The efficiency of contrast-enhanced endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) combined with EUS elastography for pancreatic cancer diagnosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the performance characteristics of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) elastography combined with contrast-enhanced EUS (CE-EUS) for the diagnosis of pancreatic malignancy among solid pancreatic lesions (SPLs).

Methods: A comprehensive literature search using MEDLINE, Embase, and the Cochrane Library was performed from January 1991 through December 2020. The pooled performance characteristics, including sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (LR+), negative likelihood ratio (LR-), and diagnostic odds ratio (OR), were calculated using Meta-DiSc 1.

Epidemiology of irritable bowel syndrome in hospitalized patients with inflammatory bowel disease: Nationwide Inpatient Sample analysis from 2007-2016.

Background: Despite effective treatments for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), patients in remission may still suffer from gastrointestinal symptoms attributable to overlying irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). In this population-based cohort study, we investigated the epidemiology of IBS in hospitalized IBD patients and explored the differences between hospitalized IBD-IBS vs. IBD patients to distinguish this patient population.

Endoscopic part-task training box scores correlate with endoscopic outcomes.

Background: Competency in endoscopy has traditionally been based on number of procedures performed. With movement towards milestone-based accreditation, new standards of establishing competency are required. The Thompson Endoscopic Skills Trainer (TEST) is a training device previously shown to differentiate between novice and expert endoscopists.

Pneumatic dilation improves esophageal emptying and symptoms in patients with idiopathic esophago-gastric junction outflow obstruction.

Background And Aims: Idiopathic Esophago-gastric outflow obstruction (EGJOO) is a new clinical entity resulting in delayed esophageal emptying secondary to a poorly relaxing lower esophageal sphincter. Little is known about treatment outcomes of idiopathic EGJOO patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical response of pneumatic dilation (PD) in idiopathic EGJOO patients with a standing barium column and/or with pill arrest on timed barium esophagram (TBE) before and after undergoing PD.

Direct Reprogramming of Human Dermal Fibroblasts Into Endothelial Cells Using ER71/ETV2.

Rationale: Direct conversion or reprogramming of human postnatal cells into endothelial cells (ECs), bypassing stem or progenitor cell status, is crucial for regenerative medicine, cell therapy, and pathophysiological investigation but has remained largely unexplored.

Objective: We sought to directly reprogram human postnatal dermal fibroblasts to ECs with vasculogenic and endothelial transcription factors and determine their vascularizing and therapeutic potential.

Methods And Results: We utilized various combinations of 7 EC transcription factors to transduce human postnatal dermal fibroblasts and found that ER71/ETV2 (ETS variant 2) alone best induced endothelial features.