Does hemorrhoidal artery embolization really benefit patients with hemorrhoids?

This letter offers commentary on an article published in a recent issue of the . Hemorrhoidal artery embolization is a promising approach to severe hemorrhoidal bleeding treatment, but inappropriate patient selection and the use of different embolization procedures may affect the clinical efficacy and cause serious complications. In this article, the most appropriate candidate patients, embolization materials, embolization methods, and clinical evaluation methods are discussed to improve the safety and effectiveness of the procedure.

Intestinal flora and inflammatory bowel disease: Causal relationships and predictive models.

Background: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, is significantly influenced by intestinal flora. Understanding the genetic and microbiotic interplay is crucial for IBD prediction and treatment.

Methods: We used Mendelian randomization (MR), transcriptomic analysis, and machine learning techniques, integrating data from the MiBioGen Consortium and various GWAS datasets.

Improving management in gastroesophageal reflux disease through leveraging WeChat platform for mobile health care: A randomized control trial.

Background: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) refers to a clinical condition characterized by gastric content reflux into the esophagus, causing symptoms like acid regurgitation and heartburn. While patient education is essential for GERD treatment, traditional educational models often struggle to effectively improve treatment outcomes.

Methods: Between January 2021 and April 2022, we enrolled 257 patients and assessed their GERD knowledge.

Apolipoprotein A-I: Potential Protection Against Intestinal Injury Induced by Dietary Lipid.

The intestinal barrier system protects the human body from harmful factors, by continuously renewing the intestinal epithelium, tight junctions and enteric microbes. However, dietary fat can harm the intestinal epithelial barrier enhancing gut permeability. In recent years, Apolipoprotein A-I has attracted much attention because of its anti-inflammatory properties.

Single-operator single-balloon enteroscopy is safe and effective: A 6-year retrospective study.

Objectives: Single-balloon enteroscopy (SBE) is an effective tool for the detection of small intestine lesions. Because it is conventionally performed by two operators, the efficacy of single-operator SBE method has not yet been elucidated. We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic yield, total enteroscopy rate, procedure time, and complications of single-operator SBE for small intestinal disease.

Risk factors for lymph node metastasis in superficial esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

In this editorial, we comment on the article by Wang published in the recent issue of the in 2023. We focused on identifying risk factors for lymph node metastasis (LNM) in superficial esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SESCC) patients and how to construct a simple and reliable clinical prediction model to assess the risk of LNM in SESCC patients, thereby helping to guide the selection of an appropriate treatment plan. The current standard treatment for SESCC is radical esophagectomy with lymph node dissection.

Effects of using primary percutaneous coronary interventions on the incidence of new-onset atrial fibrillation following an acute myocardial infarction.

Background: Acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF) are associated with increased risk of mortality.

Hypothesis: This study aimed to determine the proportion of patients who go on to develop new-onset a AF after undergoing a primary or delayed percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for an acute STEMI and to explore possible risk factors.

Methods: One hundred and fifty-four patients who underwent PCI after STEMI were included in the study.

[Retracted] Role of microRNA‑210 in human intervertebral disc degeneration.

[This retracts the article DOI: 10.3892/etm.2016.

Clinical and endoscopic features of primary small bowel lymphoma: a single-center experience from mainland China.

Objective: The worldwide incidence of primary small intestinal lymphoma (PSIL) is increasing. However, little is known about the clinical and endoscopic characteristics of this disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical and endoscopic data of patients with PSIL, with the goal of enhancing our understanding of the disease, improving diagnostic accuracy, and facilitating more accurate prognosis estimation.

Altered Gut Microbiota in Patients With Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome.

Background: Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (PJS) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by the development of pigmented spots and gastrointestinal polyps and increased susceptibility to cancers. It remains unknown whether gut microbiota dysbiosis is linked to PJS.

Aim: This study aimed to assess the structure and composition of the gut microbiota, including both bacteria and fungi, in patients with PJS and investigate the relationship between gut microbiota dysbiosis and PJS pathogenesis.

Effects of antithrombotic therapy on bleeding after endoscopic sphincterotomy: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Bleeding is a common complication of following endoscopy sphincterotomy (EST), and antithrombotic therapy use during the procedure often increases risk of it. Although several guidelines have been released regarding the use of antithrombotic agents during EST, many issues about it remain controversial. We carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the effect of antithrombotic medication on the risk of EST bleeding.

Effective Antiviral Activity of the Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Sunitinib Malate against Zika Virus.

Introduction: Zika virus (ZIKV), a mosquito-borne flavivirus, causes the outbreaks of Latin America in 2015 - 2016, with the incidence of neurological complications. Sunitinib malate, an orally bioavailable malate salt of the tyrosine kinase inhibitor, is suggested as a broad-spectrum antiviral agent against emerging viruses like severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and SARS-CoV-2.

Materials And Methods: This study investigated the antiviral efficacy and antiviral mechanisms of sunitinib malate against ZIKV infection using cytopathic effect reduction, virus yield, and time-of-addition assays.

The important role of fungi in inflammatory bowel diseases.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a life-threatening and chronic inflammatory disease of gastrointestinal tissue, with complex pathogenesis. Current research on IBD has mainly focused on bacteria; however, the role of fungi in IBD is largely unknown due to the incomplete annotation of fungi in current genomic databases. With the development of molecular techniques, the gut mycobiome has been found to have great diversity.

Simulated manned Mars exploration: effects of dietary and diurnal cycle variations on the gut microbiome of crew members in a controlled ecological life support system.

Background: Changes in gut microbiome are closely related to dietary and environment variations, and diurnal circle interventions impact on human metabolism and the microbiome. Changes in human gut microbiome and serum biochemical parameters during long-term isolation in a controlled ecological life support system (CELSS) are of great significance for maintaining the health of crewmembers. The Green Star 180 project performed an integrated study involving a four-person, 180-day duration assessment in a CELSS, during which variations in gut microbiome and the concentration of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D, α-tocopherol, retinol and folic acid from the crewmembers were determined.

In vivo real-time diagnosis of endoscopic ultrasound-guided needle-based confocal laser endomicroscopy in gastric subepithelial lesions.

Background And Aim: The effect of real-time analysis of needle-based confocal laser endomicroscopy (nCLE) for gastric subepithelial lesions (SELs) on the diagnostic value is unclear. The study aimed to investigate the diagnostic efficacy of real-time nCLE for gastric SELs and to assess the technical aspects and safety of real-time nCLE.

Methods: Consecutive patients with gastric SELs ≥ 1 cm were prospectively investigated by endoscopic ultrasound (EUS), followed by nCLE.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided needle-based confocal laser endomicroscopy for diagnosis of gastric subepithelial tumors: a pilot study.

Background: The diagnostic yield of current techniques for gastric subepithelial tumors (SETs) is suboptimal. This prospective study aimed to develop diagnostic criteria for needle-based confocal laser endomicroscopy (nCLE) of gastric SETs, and to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy, feasibility, and safety of endoscopic ultrasound-guided nCLE (EUS-nCLE).

Methods: Eligible patients were prospectively recruited to undergo EUS-nCLE.

Intestinal microbiota and chronic constipation.

Chronic constipation is a prevalent, burdensome gastrointestinal disorder whose aetiology and pathophysiology remains poorly understood and is most likely multifactorial. Differences in the composition of the intestinal microbiota have been demonstrated when constipated patients and healthy controls have been compared. Growing evidence indicates that alterations of intestinal microbiota may contribute to constipation and constipation-related symptoms.

Copper-Catalyzed Direct Propargylation of Polyfluoroarenes with Secondary Propargyl Phosphates.

A copper-catalyzed direct propargylation of polyfluoroarenes with secondary propargyl phosphates has been developed. The reaction proceeds under mild reaction conditions with high efficiency and regioselectivity and provides a concise and straightforward method for the synthesis of polyfluoroarylated derivatives of interest in both life and materials science.

Role of microRNA-210 in human intervertebral disc degeneration.

The present study aimed to investigate the role of microRNA (miR)-210 in the development of intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD). Human nucleus pulposus (NP) samples were collected from patients with scoliosis and IDD (n=12 each) as the scoliosis control and IDD groups, respectively. The expression levels of miR-210 were detected using reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction.

Enantioselective iridium-catalyzed hydrogenation of β,β-disubstituted nitroalkenes.

An iridium complex with a newly prepared chiral spiro amino-phosphine ligand efficiently catalyzed the hydrogenation of both β-aryl-β-methyl-nitroalkenes and β-alkyl-β-methyl-nitroalkenes to the corresponding saturated nitroalkanes, which represents the first report of a chiral catalyst that exhibits high enantioselectivity for the challenging hydrogenation of β,β-dialkyl-nitroalkenes.

BDNF contributes to IBS-like colonic hypersensitivity via activating the enteroglia-nerve unit.

The over-expressed colonic brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been reported to be associated with abdominal pain in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). However, the neuropathological mechanism is unclear. We here investigated the involvement of enteroglial cells (EGCs) and enteric nerves in IBS-like visceral hypersensitivity.