Just a gut feeling: Faecal microbiota transplant for treatment of depression - A mini-review.

Background: The microbiota-gut-brain axis (MGBA) allows bidirectional crosstalk between the brain and gut microbiota (GM) and is believed to contribute to regulating mood/cognition/behaviour/metabolism/health and homeostasis. Manipulation of GM through faecal microbiota transplant (FMT) is a new, exciting and promising treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD).

Aims: This mini-review examines current research into GM and FMT as a therapy for depression.

Microsatellite Instability: A Predictive Biomarker for Cancer Immunotherapy.

Immunotherapy has shown promising results in various types of cancers. Checkpoint inhibitor drugs developed for cancer immunotherapy have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for patients with advanced melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer, renal cell carcinoma, bladder cancers, and refractory Hodgkin lymphoma. In the latest announcement, the FDA has granted accelerated approval to pembrolizumab for pediatric and adult patients with microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) or mismatch repair-deficient solid tumors.

Intestinal and Extraintestinal Cancers Associated With Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) with its 2 most common entities, ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, causes an increased risk of developing intestinal cancers. In fact, malignancies are the second most common cause of death after cardiovascular diseases in both sexes of patients with IBD. Risk factors for colorectal cancer in IBD correlate with the duration of the disease, extent of disease, the association with primary sclerosing cholangitis, family history, and early age at onset.

Expending Role of Microsatellite Instability in Diagnosis and Treatment of Colorectal Cancers.

Background: Colorectal carcinomas with high-frequency microsatellite instability (MSI-H) account for 15% of all colorectal cancers, including 12% of sporadic cases and 3% of cancers associated with Lynch syndrome (also known as hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer syndrome, HNPCC). Lynch syndrome is an autosomal dominant hereditary cancer syndrome, caused by germline mutations in mismatch repair genes, including MLH1, MSH2, MSH6 and PMS2.

Methods: Published articles from peer-reviewed journals were obtained from PubMed, Google Scholar and Clinicaltrials.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of Intratumoral Voxel Heterogeneity as a Potential Response Biomarker: Assessment in a HER2+ Esophageal Adenocarcinoma Xenograft Following Trastuzumab and/or Cisplatin Therapy.

We evaluated magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) voxel heterogeneity following trastuzumab and/or cisplatin in a HER2+ esophageal xenograft (OE19) as a potential response biomarker. OE19 xenografts treated with saline (controls), monotherapy, or combined cisplatin and trastuzumab underwent 9.4-T MRI.

Dedicated Barrett's surveillance sessions managed by trained endoscopists improve dysplasia detection rate.

 Barrett's esophagus (BE)-associated dysplasia is an important marker for risk of progression to esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) and an indication for endoscopic therapy. However, BE surveillance technique is variable. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of dedicated BE surveillance lists on dysplasia detection rate (DDR).

Extent of Lymphadenectomy and Prognosis After Esophageal Cancer Surgery.

Importance: The prognostic role of the extent of lymphadenectomy during surgery for esophageal cancer is uncertain and requires clarification.

Objective: To clarify whether the number of removed lymph nodes influences mortality following surgery for esophageal cancer.

Design, Setting, And Participants: Conducted from January 1, 2000, to January 31, 2014, this was a cohort study of patients who underwent esophagectomy for cancer in 2000-2012 at a high-volume hospital for esophageal cancer surgery, with follow-up until 2014.

Rare case of severe cholangiopathy following critical illness.

Secondary sclerosing cholangitis is a rare condition caused by disorders directly damaging the biliary tree. We present a case of a 34-year-old man with no pre-existing hepatobiliary disease who developed significant cholestasis and subsequent cholangitis while in the intensive care unit for multiorgan failure secondary to H1N1 influenza A (swine flu). After discharge from the intensive care unit, jaundice, fevers, abdominal pain, pruritus and ongoing cholestasis persisted, consistent with recurrent cholangitis.

Gastrointestinal effects of eating quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) in celiac patients.

Objectives: Celiac disease is an enteropathy triggered by dietary gluten found in wheat, rye, and barley. Treatment involves a strict gluten-free diet (GFD). Quinoa is a highly nutritive plant from the Andes that has been recommended as part of a GFD.

A role for gut-associated lymphoid tissue in shaping the human B cell repertoire.

We have tracked the fate of immature human B cells at a critical stage in their development when the mature B cell repertoire is shaped. We show that a major subset of bone marrow emigrant immature human B cells, the transitional 2 (T2) B cells, homes to gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) and that most T2 B cells isolated from human GALT are activated. Activation in GALT is a previously unknown potential fate for immature human B cells.

Histopathologic examination and reporting of esophageal carcinomas following preoperative neoadjuvant therapy: practical guidelines and current issues.

Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy is being increasingly offered to patients with invasive esophageal carcinoma in an effort to downstage the tumor and consequently increase the rate of curative resection. A substantial amount of data has suggested that pathologic tumor regression following neoadjuvant therapy is an important predictor of local recurrence and long-term survival in esophageal cancer. Therefore, it is important that these posttreatment resection specimens are handled in a standardized manner and a reproducible method of tumor regression grading is used.

Gastrointestinal malignancies in HIV-infected or immunosuppressed patients: pathologic features and review of the literature.

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is a common internal organ to be involved by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related malignancies. It is the second most common site for Kaposi sarcoma after skin, and the commonest visceral site, for Kaposi sarcoma in AIDS patients. GI lymphomas have been documented in approximately 25% of AIDS patients with systemic lymphomas.

Clinical and pathological features of eosinophilic oesophagitis: a review.

Eosinophilic oesophagitis (EOE) is a newly described clinicopathological entity that is being diagnosed with increasing frequency both in children and in adults. It is presumed to be an atopic disease involving both immediate and delayed-type hypersensitivity to inhaled and ingested allergens. Because of the reflux-type symptomatology, it is commonly misdiagnosed and treated as severe gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) before an appropriate diagnosis is made.

Enterocolic lymphocytic phlebitis: clinicopathologic features and review of the literature.

Enterocolic lymphocytic phlebitis (ELP) is a recently described entity and is of unknown etiology and pathogenesis. It is characterized by phlebitis of the bowel wall and mesentery, without arterial involvement or evidence of systemic vasculitis. The clinical presentation of ELP is varied, but it most commonly manifests with signs of an acute abdomen.

Cytologic diagnosis of pancreatic endocrine tumors by endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration: a review.

Precise localization and diagnosis of pancreatic endocrine tumors (PETs) is important, because pancreatic PETs have different clinical and biological behavior and treatment modalities than do exocrine pancreatic tumors. In contrast to the much more common exocrine adenocarcinomas, cytologic studies of PET are relatively rare and many cytopathologists lack experience with the cytomorphologic features of these tumors.During the last 10 yr, endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided fine-needle aspiration (FNA) has matured into an accurate, highly sensitive, and cost-effective modality for the preoperative localization of pancreatic PETs.

Desmoplastic small round cell tumors: cytologic, histologic, and immunohistochemical features.

Desmoplastic small round cell tumor (DSRCT) is a recently recognized clinicopathologic entity that has a predilection for adolescent males and usually affects the abdominal cavity. Due to its uncommon nature, many pathologists lack experience with this tumor. The literature regarding DSRCT is reviewed with special attention to its histologic and cytologic diagnosis.

A prospective control study of the safety and cellular yield of EUS-guided FNA or Trucut biopsy in patients taking aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or prophylactic low molecular weight heparin.

Background: Although the ASGE recommends that high-risk endoscopic procedures can safely be performed on patients taking aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in standard doses, there is a paucity of data on EUS-FNA per se in this setting.

Objective: We studied the safety and cellular yield of EUS-FNA and/or Trucut biopsy (TCB) in patients taking aspirin, NSAIDS, or prophylactic low molecular weight heparins (LMWH).

Design: Prospective control study.

Esophageal melanocytosis morphologic features and review of the literature.

Endoscopic or macroscopic esophageal melanocytosis is a benign clinicopathologic entity characterized by melanocytic proliferation in esophageal squamous epithelium and melanin deposition in the mucosa. Little is known about the etiology and natural course of this condition, although it has been suggested to be a precursor of primary esophageal melanoma by some authors. Following a search of the bibliographic databases (PubMed and Medline) regarding esophageal melanocytosis and melanosis, thirty-four cases of isolated esophageal melanocytosis (including one unpublished case from us) were found.