Risk factors of refractory post-endoscopic submucosal dissection esophageal strictures.

Introduction: our aim was to comparatively assess the treatment outcomes of endoscopic dilatation in Barrett's neoplasia and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) post-endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) strictures, and to determine the risk or factors associated to refractory strictures.

Methods: an observational study. All consecutive patients presenting with a post-ESD stricture in 2007-2016 who underwent dilation therapy were included.

Is Lugol necessary for endoscopic resection of esophageal squamous cell neoplasia?

Recent evidence suggests that lugol chromoendoscopy (LCE) and narrow-band imaging (NBI) have comparable sensitivity for detection of superficial esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). However, LCE is time-consuming and associated with side effects. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of NBI and LCE in defining resection margins of esophageal SCC.

Combined excision and ablation of ampullary tumors with biliary or pancreatic intraductal extension is effective even in malignant neoplasms.

Background: The feasibility and outcome of endoscopic resection in ampullary tumors with intraductal growth remains unclear.

Objective: To assess the safety, feasibility and outcomes of these patients treated by thermal ablation.

Methods: Retrospective observational study.

Comparative analysis of ESD versus EMR in a large European series of non-ampullary superficial duodenal tumors.

Background And Study Aims: The choice of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) or endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) in non-ampullary superficial duodenal tumors (NASDTs) is challenging and the benefits of ESD remain unclear. The aim was to comparatively analyze the feasibility, outcomes and safety of these techniques in these lesions.

Patients And Methods:  This is an observational and retrospective study.

ESD versus EMR in non-ampullary superficial duodenal tumors: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background And Study Aims:  Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) has been developed as an option for treatment of esophageal, gastric and colorectal lesions. However, there is no consensus on the role of ESD in duodenal tumors.

Methods:  This systematic review and meta-analysis compared ESD and endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) in sporadic non-ampullary superficial duodenal tumors (NASDTs), including local experience.

Clinical outcome in patients treated with endoscopic submucosal dissection for superficial Barrett's neoplasia.

Background And Study Aims: The role of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) in Barrett's neoplasia is ill-defined, although it might provide a higher curative resection rate and better histologic assessment than endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR). We aimed to assess efficacy, safety, and long-term results of ESD.

Patients And Methods: A retrospective analysis was done of 75 consecutive patients with Barrett's esophagus who underwent ESD between January 2007 and February 2014.

Phenotypic analysis of a family of transcriptional regulators, the zinc cluster proteins, in the human fungal pathogen Candida glabrata.

Candida glabrata is the second most important human fungal pathogen. Despite its formal name, C. glabrata is in fact more closely related to the nonpathogenic budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Reflections as near-peer facilitators of an inquiry project for undergraduate anatomy: Successes and challenges from a term of trial-and-error.

Near-peer facilitators (senior students serving as facilitators to their more junior peers) bring a unique student-based perspective to teaching. With fewer years of teaching experience however, students who become involved in a facilitator role typically develop related skills quickly through a process of trial-and-error within the classroom. The aim of this paper is to report on the authors' own experiences and reflections as student near-peer facilitators for an inquiry-based project in an undergraduate anatomy course.

Acute-phase response in pigs undergoing laparoscopic, transgastric or transcolonic notes peritoneoscopy with us or eus exploration.

Background: Laparoscopic surgery is associated with reduced surgical trauma, therefore with acute-phase response of lower magnitude as compared with open surgery. We hypothesized that NOTES might induce reduced immune response as compared with laparoscopy.

Objective: To compare acute-phase reactants in a controlled trial of laparoscopic peritoneoscopy and ultrasonography versus transgastric or transcolonic NOTES peritoneoscopy and intraperitoneal endoscopic US.

Acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding in cirrhosis: changes and advances over the past two decades.

Background And Aims: Few studies have compared two or more cohorts of cirrhotic patients admitted for upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) several decades apart. Our aim was to compare epidemiological, clinical, therapeutic and prognostic characteristics of UGIB (whatever the source) in two cohorts of cirrhotic patients admitted to the emergency room of the same general hospital 2 decades apart.

Methods: One-hundred cases of UGIB in cirrhotic patients consecutively admitted between 1984 and 1990 (cohort A) were compared with 100 similar cases admitted between 2004 and 2009 (cohort B).

Excited-state structural dynamics of 5-fluorouracil.

5-Fluorouracil is an analogue of thymine and uracil, nucleobases found in DNA and RNA, respectively. The photochemistry of thymine is significant; UV-induced photoproducts of thymine in DNA lead to skin cancer and other diseases. In previous work, we have suggested that the differences in the excited-state structural dynamics of thymine and uracil arise from the methyl group in thymine acting as a mass barrier, localizing the vibrations at the photochemical active site.