Incidence Trends in Upper Gastrointestinal Cancer in Young Adults: A Nationwide Time-Trend Analysis Using 2001-2019 US Cancer Statistics Databases.

Introduction: Upper gastrointestinal (UGI) cancers, comprising malignancies of the esophagus, stomach, duodenum, pancreas, liver, biliary tract, and gallbladder, are the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality in the United States and are associated with significant comorbidities. Recent studies show a disproportionate rise in pancreatic and stomach cancer among young adults. This study aims to use a nationwide, population-based cohort to (i) evaluate the trend of all UGI cancer as an aggregate and (ii) examine the role of demographics, histology, and tumor stage in UGI cancer incidence among young adults.

Esophageal Self-Expandable Metal Stents Can Fracture in the Distal Third When Used for Post-Bariatric Surgery Complications: A Single Center Experience and Review of the Literature with Video.

Esophageal self-expandable metal stents (SEMS) are an important endoscopic tool. These stents have now been adapted successfully to manage post-bariatric surgery complications such as anastomotic leaks and strictures. In centers of expertise, this has become the primary standard-of-care treatment given its minimally invasive nature, and that it results in early oral feeding, decreased hospitalization, and overall favorable outcomes.

Endoscopic Ultrasound Guided Shear Wave Elastography Is Safe With High Feasibility and Reproducibility When Used in the Pancreas: Findings From a Prospective Cohort.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the safety, feasibility, and reproducibility of endoscopic ultrasound shear wave elastography (EUS-SWE) in the pancreas.

Methods: This is a prospective registry of consecutive patients undergoing clinically indicated EUS. Ten readings of SWE velocities (Vs [distance/time, m/s]) were obtained in the head (HOP), body, and tail of pancreas to quantify tissue stiffness.

University students' experience of the Beirut port explosion: associations with subjective well-being and subjective symptoms of mental strain.

Background: On 4 August 2020, an explosion shook Beirut, killing more than 200 people and leaving thousands injured or homeless.

Aims: This study examined mental health of university students through a cross-sectional online survey between December 2020 and January 2021.

Methods: The questionnaire consisted of the WHO-5, sense of coherence (SoC), future anxiety, self-developed subjective symptoms of mental strain (SSMS), and items assessing proximity to explosion, extent of injury and house damage.

The effect of the BNT162b2 vaccine on antinuclear antibody and antiphospholipid antibody levels.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech) in December 2020. New adverse events have emerged since these vaccines have reached market. Although no clear association between messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) vaccines and autoimmunity has emerged, the significance of such an association warrants further exploration.

The Beirut Port Explosion Injuries and Lessons Learned: Results of the Beirut Blast Assessment for Surgical Services (BASS) Multicenter Study.

Objective: This multicenter study aims to describe the injury patterns, emergency management and outcomes of the blast victims, recognize the gaps in hospital disaster preparedness, and identify lessons to be learned.

Summary Background Data: On August 4th, 2020, the city of Beirut, Lebanon suffered the largest urban explosion since Hiroshima and Nagasaki, resulting in hundreds of deaths and thousands of injuries.

Methods: All injured patients admitted to four of the largest Beirut hospitals within 72 hours of the blast, including those who died on arrival or in the emergency department (ED), were included.