High-dose bisacodyl plus water lavage compared with oral sodium phosphate as bowel preparation for outpatient colonoscopy.

Background: The aim of this prospective study was to compare the efficacy and patient compliance of an oral high dose of bisacodyl plus water lavage and oral sodium phosphate in adults undergoing elective colonoscopy.

Methods: A total of 276 patients were randomized to receive an oral high-dose bisacodyl preparation (6 tablets of 5mg bisacodyl) plus water lavage (2 L of water) or an oral sodium phosphate (NaP) preparation (90 mL in divided doses). All endoscopic procedures were conducted in the afternoon.

A randomized, controlled trial of banding ligation plus drug therapy versus drug therapy alone in the prevention of esophageal variceal rebleeding.

Background & Aims: Both medications with beta-blockers and isosorbide-5-mononitrate and endoscopic variceal ligation have been proven plausible in the prevention of variceal rebleeding. However, the relative efficacy and safety of the combined treatment for preventing rebleeding remains unresolved.

Methods: Patients with history of esophageal variceal bleeding were enrolled.

Bone marrow lesions and joint effusion are strongly and independently associated with weight-bearing pain in knee osteoarthritis: data from the osteoarthritis initiative.

Objective: It is widely believed that there are multiple sources of pain at a tissue level in osteoarthritis (OA). Magnetic Resonance Images (MRIs) provide a wealth of anatomic information and may allow identification of specific features associated with pain. We hypothesized that in knees with OA, bone marrow lesions (BMLs), synovitis, and effusion would be associated with weight-bearing and (less so with) non-weight-bearing pain independently.

Comparison of hemostatic efficacy for argon plasma coagulation and distilled water injection in treating high-risk bleeding ulcers.

Goals And Background: Endoscopic treatment is recommended for initial hemostasis in nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Many endoscopic devices have been demonstrated to be effective in the hemostasis of bleeding ulcers. However, the hemostatic efficacy of argon plasma coagulation (APC) has not been widely investigated.

Low-dose terlipressin plus banding ligation versus low-dose terlipressin alone in the prevention of very early rebleeding of oesophageal varices.

Background: Very early rebleeding is frequently encountered in patients with acute oesophageal variceal bleeding. A trial was designed to assess the efficacy and safety in patients with no active bleeding at endoscopy, receiving banding ligation association with terlipressin to prevent very early rebleeding.

Methods: Patients with no active variceal bleeding at endoscopy were evaluated.

"Excessive thinking" as explanatory model for schizophrenia: impacts on stigma and "moral" status in Mainland China.

Although psychiatric stigma in China is particularly pervasive and damaging, rates of high expressed emotion ("EE" or family members' emotional attitudes that predict relapse) are generally lower than rates found in Western countries. In light of this seemingly incongruous juxtaposition and because Chinese comprise approximately one-fifth of the world's mentally ill, we examine how one of the most widely held causal beliefs of schizophrenia--excessive thinking (xiang tai duo)--may powerfully shape how those exhibiting psychotic symptoms pass from "normal" status to stigmatized "other." Using a framework by which stigma threatens an actor's capacity to participate in core everyday engagements, we examine how expressions of excessive thinking intersect with psychotic symptoms and how this idiom reduces stigma by preserving essential moral standing.

Effect of intravenous albumin on endotoxin removal, cytokines, and nitric oxide production in patients with cirrhosis and spontaneous bacterial peritonitis.

Objective: In patients with cirrhosis and spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP), the use of intravenous albumin has been shown to prevent deterioration of renal function and to decrease the mortality rate, but the mechanisms remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to characterize the mechanisms of action of albumin with the focus on endotoxin and cytokines.

Material And Methods: Thirty patients with SBP were divided into two groups.

Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging of breast lesions: first experiences at 3 T.

Purpose: Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been established as a valuable tool for the detection of breast cancer. There is evidence suggesting that diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) may be useful to distinguish between malignant and benign breast lesions. We seek to evaluate the ability of DWI to differentiate between malignant and benign breast lesions at 3 T.

Impact of food on hepatic clearance of patients after endoscopic sphincterotomy.

Background: The recurrence rate of common bile duct stones (CBDS) is around 3-21% after treatment by endoscopic sphincterotomy (ES). Fatty meal has been shown to improve hepatic clearance in both patients with intact gallbladder and post-cholecystectomy after ES. This study tested the effects of different kinds of food on hepatic clearance by using quantitative cholescintigraphy (QC) in patients after ES.

Effect of somatostatin in the prevention of pancreatic complications after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography.

Background: The unique clinical role of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in diagnosing and treating biliary tree diseases cannot be completely replaced by other modern imaging modalities such as magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography. However, post-ERCP pancreatitis is one of the most common and life-threatening complications. Prophylactic medication in the prevention of pancreatitis during ERCP is still controversial.

Effective thermo-optical enhanced cross-ring resonator MZI interleavers on SOI.

A cross-ring (CR-) Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) interleaver structure has been proposed and fabricated. It uses an '8' shaped cross-ring resonator to replace the conventional circular ring resonator. Thus, the new structure can have the function of add-signal.

Cascade wide-angle Y-junction 1 x 16 optical power splitter based on silicon wire waveguides on silicon-on-insulator.

A 1 x 16 optical power splitter with wide splitting angle, uniform outputs, and low excess loss is demonstrated. The 1 x 16 splitter comprising cascaded 1 x 2 splitters with arc-shaped branching waveguides is fabricated on the silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate. The gap between the branching waveguides is widened in a short propagation length such that influences of etch residues and air voids in the gap on the optical power uniformity are reduced significantly.

Strong association of MRI meniscal derangement and bone marrow lesions in knee osteoarthritis: data from the osteoarthritis initiative.

Introduction: Meniscal damage is common in knee Osteoarthritis (OA) and predictive of structural progression, suggesting that their disruption plays a role in the development of OA. The bone marrow lesion (BML) is associated with pain and is a strong risk factor for structural progression. These lesions are associated with abnormal loading in a knee joint.

Clinical trial: percutaneous acetic acid injection vs. percutaneous ethanol injection for small hepatocellular carcinoma--a long-term follow-up study.

Background: The long-term outcome of percutaneous acetic acid injection (PAI) and percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI) for treating small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unclear.

Aim: To compare the long-term outcome of PAI vs. PEI for treating small HCC.

Low propagation loss SiN optical waveguide prepared by optimal low-hydrogen module.

We investigated low-hydrogen SiN films prepared by a low temperature (350 degrees C) PECVD method. The impact of SiH(4)/N(2) flow ratio and radio frequency power on the hydrogen content in the SiN films was studied. In this work, we demonstrated a low-loss sub-micron SiN waveguide by using the corresponding optimal SiN films.

Improving coupling efficiency of fiber-waveguide coupling with a double-tip coupler.

A double-tip coupler that comprises two inversely and laterally tapered waveguides is experimentally demonstrated for efficient light coupling between a fiber and a sub-micron silicon nitride waveguide. The coupling efficiency of the fabricated double-tip coupler can be improved by as much as over 2 dB per coupling facet, compared with that of a single-tip one with the same tip width of 180 nm. The effect of the gap width of the double tips on the coupling efficiency is studied both in experiment and simulation.

[Intestinal carcinoid tumours: personal experience and a review of the literature].

The observation of a number of cases of intestinal carcinoid tumours prompted the authors to review the literature in order to define the principal biological and anatomopathological aspects and the current therapeutic choices. The diagnosis is often obtained on the basis of anatomopathological examination. The kind of surgical treatment is still a matter of controversy: minimal or extended resection? A number of criteria may orient the surgeon towards major surgery, such as tumour size, node involvement, infiltration of the serous membrane, and liver metastases.

Comparison of noninvasive diagnostic tests for Helicobacter pylori infection.

Objectives: Since the (13)C-urea breath test (UBT) has become a highly reliable method for the noninvasive diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection, this study was performed in order to compare the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy among noninvasive tests including capsule UBT, conventional UBT and serology in the diagnosis of H. pylori infection.

Patients And Methods: One hundred patients received capsule UBT, conventional UBT and gave blood samples for the diagnosis of H.

The management of osteoarthritis: an overview and call to appropriate conservative treatment.

This article presents a general outline for the management of the patient with osteoarthritis in the form of a narrative review considering diagnosis, investigation, and treatment. It is not a comprehensive discussion (subsequent articles on imaging, weight management, exercise, braces and orthotics, pharmacologic intervention, and surgery provide more detail); rather, it provides the clinician with an overview of what is available. Inevitably, there is much the interested clinician can do rather than practice nihilistic waiting.

Nodular regenerative hyperplasia of the liver.

Nodular regenerative hyperplasia (NRH), characterized by diffuse hepatic micronodular transformation in groups without fibrous septa between the nodules, is a rare benign liver lesion that has many synonyms in previous literature. Pathologic evaluation is the mainstay of accurate diagnosis. Treatment is focused on its underlying conditions and complications of portal hypertension.

Fast and low power Michelson interferometer thermo-optical switch on SOI.

We designed and fabricated silicon-on-insulator based Michelson interferometer (MI) thermo-optical switches with deep etched trenches for heat-isolation. Switch power was reduced approximately 20% for the switch with deep etched trenches, and the MI saved approximately 50% power than that of the Mach-Zehnder interferometer. 10.