Intestinal Microbiota and Gene Expression Reveal Similarity and Dissimilarity Between Immune-Mediated Colitis and Ulcerative Colitis.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have become the standard of care for several cancers. However, ICI therapy has also been associated with various immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Clinical manifestations of immune-related colitis resemble those of inflammatory bowel diseases such as ulcerative colitis (UC).

Takayasu's Arteritis Diagnosed in an Adolescent Patient with Crohn's Disease: Management of Biologicals.

We report a 14-year-old man with Crohn's disease (CD) who developed right upper arm pain while being treated with the anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha monoclonal antibody, infliximab. There were no symptoms suggestive of active CD, but the inflammatory response was high, and a contrast-enhanced CT showed the occlusion of the right brachial artery. We diagnosed the patient as having Takayasu's arteritis (TA) and started treatment with corticosteroids, then tapered off the steroids as the symptoms of TA resolved.

Castor oil as booster for colon capsule endoscopy preparation reduction: A prospective pilot study and patient questionnaire.

Background: Preparation for colon capsule endoscopy (CCE) requires a large liquid laxative volume for capsule excretion, which compromises the procedure's tolerability.

Aim: To assess the safety and utility of castor oil-boosted bowel preparation.

Methods: This prospective cohort study including 20 patients (age range, 16-80 years; six men and 14 women) suspected of having colorectal disease was conducted at Kindai University Hospital from September 2017 to August 2019.

Integrative analysis of gut microbiome and host transcriptomes reveals associations between treatment outcomes and immunotherapy-induced colitis.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are widely used to treat various malignancies. Although the gut microbiome is known to influence the efficacy of ICIs on epithelial tumors, the functional interactions between gut taxa and colonic mucosa remain poorly understood. Here we performed transcriptomic profiling and 16S rRNA sequencing to investigate the relationships between mucosal gene expression and microbial composition with ICI responses and gastrointestinal immune-related adverse events (GI irAEs).

Artificial intelligence-based endoscopic diagnosis of colorectal polyps using residual networks.

Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) are widely used for artificial intelligence (AI)-based image classification. Residual network (ResNet) is a new technology that facilitates the accuracy of image classification by CNN-based AI. In this study, we developed a novel AI model combined with ResNet to diagnose colorectal polyps.

Refractory case of ulcerative colitis with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura successfully treated by Janus kinase inhibitor tofacitinib: A case report.

Background: Concomitant ulcerative colitis (UC) and idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is a rare phenomenon. The management of UC with ITP can be challenging, since a decreased platelet count augments UC.

Case Summary: A 24-year-old man with UC and steroid-resistant ITP experienced UC flare.

Mucosal microbiota and gene expression are associated with long-term remission after discontinuation of adalimumab in ulcerative colitis.

Given that sustained remission is the ultimate treatment goal in the management of patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), the decision to stop anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) treatment in UC patients is difficult. The aim of this study was to evaluate mucosal microbiota and gene expression profiles associated with long-term remission after discontinuation of anti-TNF therapy. In nine UC patients who received anti-TNF therapy for 6 months, microbiota isolated from uninflamed mucosae and gene expression in inflamed and uninflamed mucosae were investigated at week 0 and at week 24.

The Efficacy of Sonazoid-enhanced Ultrasonography in Decision-making for Liver Abscess Treatment.

Objective The usefulness of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) for making decisions in the treatment of liver abscess is unknown. Methods We evaluated the internal blood flow in the arterial-predominant phase by CEUS using Sonazoid in 21 patients. The stain area rate was evaluated in maximum parting plane of abscess in CEUS.

Intratumoral injection of hemagglutinating virus of Japan-envelope vector yielded an antitumor effect for advanced melanoma: a phase I/IIa clinical study.

Hemagglutinating virus of Japan (HVJ; Sendai virus) is an RNA virus that has cell fusion activity. HVJ-envelope (HVJ-E) is a UV-irradiated HVJ particle that loses viral replication and protein synthesis activity but retains cell fusion activity. We recently reported that HVJ-E has antitumor effects on several types of tumors.

Deficiency of Gankyrin in the small intestine is associated with augmented colitis accompanied by altered bacterial composition of intestinal microbiota.

Background: Gankyrin (GK) is an oncoprotein which regulates inflammatory responses and its inhibition is considered as a possible anti-inflammatory therapy for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Methods: In this study, we investigated the role of GK in epithelial cells using mice with intestinal epithelial cell-specific GK deletion in (i) the entire small intestine and colon (Villin-Cre;Gankyrin) and (ii) the distal intestine and colon (Cdx2-Cre;Gankyrin).

Result: Unexpectedly, GK-deficiency in the upper small bowel augmented inflammatory activity compared with control mice when colitis was induced with dextran sodium sulfate.

Efficacy of a modified double-guidewire technique using an uneven double lumen cannula (uneven method) in patients with surgically altered gastrointestinal anatomy (with video).

Background: Balloon enteroscopy-assisted endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (BE-ERCP) has been reported to be effective for patients with surgically altered gastrointestinal anatomy. However, selective biliary cannulation remains difficult in BE-ERCP. We examined the usefulness of a modified double-guidewire technique using an uneven double lumen cannula (the uneven method) for BE-ERCP in patients with surgically altered gastrointestinal anatomy.

The Oncoprotein Gankyrin/PSMD10 as a Target of Cancer Therapy.

Gankyrin (also called PSMD10, p28, or p28) is a crucial oncoprotein that is upregulated in various cancers and assumed to play pivotal roles in the initiation and progression of tumors. Although the in vitro function of gankyrin is relatively well characterized, its role in vivo remains to be elucidated. We have investigated the function of gankyrin in vivo by producing mice with liver parenchymal cell-specific gankyrin ablation (Alb-Cre;gankyrin) and gankyrin deletion both in liver parenchymal and in non-parenchymal cells (Mx1-Cre;gankyrin).

Lenvatinib as an Initial Treatment in Patients with Intermediate-Stage Hepatocellular Carcinoma Beyond Up-To-Seven Criteria and Child-Pugh A Liver Function: A Proof-Of-Concept Study.

Although transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) is the standard of care for intermediate-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), this is a largely heterogeneous disease that includes a subgroup of patients who do not benefit from TACE. The treatment strategy for this subgroup of patients currently remains an unmet need in clinical practice. Here, we performed a proof-of-concept study that lenvatinib may be a more favorable treatment option over TACE as an initial treatment in intermediate-stage HCC patients with large or multinodular tumours exceeding the up-to-seven criteria.

RICK/RIP2 is a NOD2-independent nodal point of gut inflammation.

Previous studies have shown that inhibition of receptor-interacting serine/threonine kinase (RICK) (also known as RIP2) results in amelioration of experimental colitis. This role has largely been attributed to nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain 2 (NOD2) signaling since the latter is considered a major inducer of RICK activation. In this study, we explored the molecular mechanisms accounting for RICK-mediated inhibition of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Contrast-enhanced harmonic endoscopic ultrasonography for evaluating the response to chemotherapy in pancreatic cancer.

Background And Aims: Contrast-enhanced harmonic endoscopic ultrasonography (CH-EUS) is used for the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer (PC). Here, we examined the usefulness of CH-EUS for evaluating therapeutic responses in PC.

Methods: The study included 23 patients with PC who received chemotherapy.

Usefulness of Ustekinumab for Treating a Case of Myelodysplastic Syndrome-associated Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Autoimmune diseases including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) occur in association with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). MDS-associated IBD frequently demonstrates a complicated course. We herein report the first case with MDS-associated IBD that was successfully treated with ustekinumab (UST), an anti-interleukin (IL) 12/23p40 monoclonal antibody.

Clinical Safety and Efficacy of Secondary Prophylactic Pegylated G-CSF in Advanced Pancreatic Cancer Patients Treated with mFOLFIRINOX: A Single-center Retrospective Study.

Objective Although modified FOLFIRINOX (mFOLFIRINOX, mFFX) is widely used for patients with advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), maintenance of the standard dose intensity is often difficult due to the high incidence of neutropenic events. Pegylated granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) (Peg G) is a long-lasting G-CSF agent that is applicable for prophylaxis against neutropenic complications. The aim of this study was to assess the clinical safety and efficacy of mFFX combined with secondary prophylaxis using Peg G in advanced PDAC patients.

Risk factors for local recurrence and appropriate surveillance interval after endoscopic resection.

Background: Risk factors for local recurrence after polypectomy, endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR), and endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) have not been identified. Additionally, the appropriate interval for endoscopic surveillance of colorectal tumors at high-risk of local recurrence has not been established.

Aim: To clarify the clinicopathological characteristics of recurrent lesions after endoscopic colorectal tumor resection and determine the appropriate interval.

Efficacy and Safety of Chemotherapy Following Anti-PD-1 Antibody Therapy for Gastric Cancer: A Case of Sclerosing Cholangitis.

Immunotherapy targeting programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) signaling is becoming the standard of care for advanced gastric cancer. We herein report a patient with gastric adenocarcinoma with peritoneal dissemination who was treated with nab-paclitaxel and ramucirumab following nivolumab and developed sclerosing cholangitis. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiography showed irregular narrowing and widening of the entire intrahepatic biliary system.

Gankyrin Contributes to Tumorigenesis and Chemoresistance in Sporadic Colorectal Cancer.

Background: Although Gankyrin is overexpressed in many malignancies, the role of Gankyrin for tumorigenesis and chemoresistance remains to be elucidated in sporadic colorectal cancer (CRC).

Aims: We investigate whether Gankyrin affects Adenomatous polyposis coli (Apc) inactivation-induced tumorigenesis and therapeutic response to anti-angiogenic agents.

Methods: Epithelial cell-specific APC and/or Gankyrin-deficient mice were used.

A case of small invasive gastric cancer arising from negative gastric mucosa: Fundic gland-type adenocarcinoma.

This study showed that we need to bear in mind the possibility of gastric adenocarcinoma of the fundic gland type upon encounter with such elevated lesions originating from ()-negative gastric mucosa. We believe that our study makes a significant contribution to the literature because small invasive gastric adenocarcinoma of the fundic gland type is a rare disease entity, which exhibits a submucosal tumor-like or superficial flat-type elevated lesion on -negative gastric mucosa in the endoscopic examinations.