Initial Use Experience of Durvalumab Plus Gemcitabine and Cisplatin for Advanced Biliary Tract Cancer in a Japanese Territory Center.

Biliary tract cancers (BTCs), including gallbladder and bile duct cancers, have a poor prognosis. Recent advances in chemotherapy, such as using targeted drugs for specific gene mutations, have improved outcomes. Gemcitabine plus cisplatin chemotherapy has been the standard of care for the primary treatment of BTCs, but secondary treatment had not been established until recently.

Relationship Between Adenoma Detection Rate and Respective Withdrawal Time in Different Colon Segments: A Retrospective, Single-Center Study.

Background And Aims: The 6-min withdrawal time for colonoscopy is widely considered the standard of care. However, there may not be appropriate if the 6-min is equally divided into various colon segments. Since the adenoma detection in each colon segment is not the same, there may be differences with the withdrawal time in different colon segments.

Altered 3D genome reorganization mediates precocious myeloid differentiation of aged hematopoietic stem cells in inflammation.

Inflammation is a driving force of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) aging, causing irreversible exhaustion of functional HSCs. However, the underlying mechanism of HSCs erosion by inflammatory insult remains poorly understood. Here, we find that transient LPS exposure primes aged HSCs to undergo accelerated differentiation at the expense of self-renewal, leading to depletion of HSCs.

Plasma Metabolomic Signatures of H. pylori Infection, Alcohol Drinking, Smoking, and Risk of Gastric Cancer.

Circulating metabolic profiles have shown promising potential in identifying high-risk populations for various diseases, while metabolic perturbation plays an important role in gastric cancer. In this study, we conducted a cross-sectional study with 1800 participants to identify plasma metabolite signatures associated with environmental risk factors of gastric cancer. Subsequently, we evaluated the association between these signatures and gastric cancer risk in a nested case-control study involving 326 gastric cancer cases and 326 matched cancer-free controls.

Efficacy and safety of tegoprazan (LXI-15028) vs. esomeprazole in patients with erosive esophagitis: A multicenter, randomized, double-blind, non-inferiority phase Ⅲ trial.

Background: An evidence gap still exists regarding the efficacy and safety of tegoprazan in Chinese patients with erosive esophagitis (EE) in China. This study aimed to verify the efficacy and safety of tegoprazan vs. esomeprazole in patients with EE in China.

The diagnostic value of serum trefoil factor 3 and pepsinogen combination in chronic atrophic gastritis: a retrospective study based on a gastric cancer screening cohort in the community population.

Background: Chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) is an important precursor of gastric cancer(GC), and there is currently a lack of reliable non-invasive diagnostic markers. This study aims to find a biomarker for non-invasive screening of CAG in the community.

Methods: A total of 540 individuals were enrolled (test set = 385, validation set = 155).

Characteristic abnormal expression of galectin-3 in serrated colon lesions and its pathological significance.

Serrated lesions are precursors of some colon cancers. The expression of galectin-3 has been reported to be involved in and mutations (the key pathogenic drivers of serrated lesions). This study aimed to investigate the expression intensity and subcellular localization of galectin-3 in serrated colon lesions by immunohistochemistry.

Rapid Endoscopic Diagnosis of Benign Ulcerative Colorectal Diseases With an Artificial Intelligence Contextual Framework.

Background & Aims: Benign ulcerative colorectal diseases (UCDs) such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, ischemic colitis, and intestinal tuberculosis share similar phenotypes with different etiologies and treatment strategies. To accurately diagnose closely related diseases like UCDs, we hypothesize that contextual learning is critical in enhancing the ability of the artificial intelligence models to differentiate the subtle differences in lesions amidst the vastly divergent spatial contexts.

Methods: White-light colonoscopy datasets of patients with confirmed UCDs and healthy controls were retrospectively collected.

Ferritin-mediated mitochondrial iron homeostasis is essential for the survival of hematopoietic stem cells and leukemic stem cells.

Iron metabolism plays a crucial role in cell viability, but its relationship with adult stem cells and cancer stem cells is not fully understood. The ferritin complex, responsible for intracellular iron storage, is important in this process. We report that conditional deletion of ferritin heavy chain 1 (Fth1) in the hematopoietic system reduced the number and repopulation capacity of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs).

Dominance of plasma-induced modulation in terahertz generation from gas filament.

In this paper, we revisit the fundamental mechanism responsible for terahertz generation from laser-induced plasma filament based on the photocurrent model by employing a blend of analytical calculation and numerical simulation. By using the frequency-decomposed finite-difference time-domain (FD-FDTD) method, the role of two-color field and photocurrent radiation in terahertz generation from plasma filament is visually separated, and the driving effect of photocurrent radiation is confirmed pretty significant within the process. Then, a pair of numerical experiments are taken to further analyze the driving effect of photocurrent radiation, and it is revealed that plasma-induced modulation to photocurrent radiation is actually the underlying physical mechanism of terahertz generation from plasma filament.

Comparison of the characteristics of the CF-H290I and PCF-Q260JI colonoscopes in non-sedated patients with a history of abdominal or pelvic surgery: a randomized controlled study.

Background And Aim: The purpose of this randomized controlled study was to compare the characteristics of the CF-H290I (high-definition) colonoscope with those of the PCF-Q260JI (high-resolution) colonoscope in non-sedated patients with a history of abdominal or pelvic surgery in an effort to help endoscopists to select more effectively and objectively between the various colonoscopes.

Methods: A total of 397 patients who underwent colonoscopy at the Affiliated Wuxi People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, between August 2022 and October 2022 were randomized to a CF-H290I group (n = 198) or a PCF-Q260JI group (n = 199) using a computer-generated allocation method. We compared the adenoma detection rate (ADR), patient satisfaction with the examination, discomfort associated with colonoscopy including abdominal distension and pain, cecal intubation time, and patient willingness to undergo colonoscopy in the future between the CF-H290I and PCF-Q260JI groups.

Formin protein FMNL1 is a biomarker for tumor-infiltrating immune cells and associated with well immunotherapeutic response.

Increased studies on the basis of bulk RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) data of cancer identify numbers of immune-related genes which may play potential regulatory roles in the tumor microenvironment (TME) without in-depth validation. In the current study, the immunological correlation and cell subpopulation expression pattern of FMNL1 were analyzed using public data. In addition, the cell subpopulation expression pattern of FMNL1 was also deeply validated using single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) and multiplexed quantitative immunofluorescence (mQIF).

GBP2 is a prognostic biomarker and associated with immunotherapeutic responses in gastric cancer.

Background: The interferon-induced protein known as guanylate-binding protein 2 (GBP2) has been linked to multiple different cancer types as an oncogenic gene. Although the role of GBP2 in cancer has been preliminarily explored, it is unclear how this protein interacts with tumor immunity in gastric cancer.

Methods: The expression, prognostic value, immune-correlations of GBP2 in gastric cancer was explored in multiple public and in-house cohorts.

miR-146a aggravates cognitive impairment and Alzheimer disease-like pathology by triggering oxidative stress through MAPK signaling.

Introduction: Mir-146a-5p has been widely recognized as a critical regulatory element in the immune response. However, recent studies have shown that miR-146a-5p may also be involved in the development of Alzheimer disease (AD). Regrettably, the related mechanisms are poorly understood.

A superficial esophageal cancer with a diverticulum cured by endoscopic submucosal dissection.

Esophageal diverticulum are rare. However, Esophageal cancer that involves diverticula is relatively rare. Here we reported a rare case of a superficial esophageal cancer with an esophageal diverticulum, which was invisible before the endoscopic submucosal dissection.

Protein tyrosine phosphatase nonreceptor type 2 exerts antimetastatic functions in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly invasive tumor with a dismal prognosis. Recent studies have demonstrated PTPN2 (protein tyrosine phosphatase nonreceptor type 2) as a potential target for cancer therapy. However, the functions of PTPN2 in PDAC progression remain poorly understood.

A real-time interpretable artificial intelligence model for the cholangioscopic diagnosis of malignant biliary stricture (with videos).

Background And Aims: It is crucial to accurately determine malignant biliary strictures (MBSs) for early curative treatment. This study aimed to develop a real-time interpretable artificial intelligence (AI) system to predict MBSs under digital single-operator cholangioscopy (DSOC).

Methods: A novel interpretable AI system called MBSDeiT was developed consisting of 2 models to identify qualified images and then predict MBSs in real time.

Silicon-mediated alleviation of cadmium toxicity in soil-plant system: historical review.

The contamination of crops by Cd is a worldwide problem that needs to be addressed for minimizing risk for human health. Today, numerous investigations have demonstrated that Si plays a role in reducing Cd toxicity and accumulation in cultivated plants. The evolution of scientific understanding - the Cd behavior in soil and in plant is discussed for the first time.

FMNL3 is Overexpressed in Tumor Tissues and Predicts an Immuno-Hot Phenotype in Pancreatic Cancer.

Background: FMNL3 (Formin-like protein 3) is involved in the tumorigenesis of multiple cancers. The critical role of FMNL3 in malignancies has been preliminarily explored, but its immunological correlation is not clear.

Methods: A pan-cancer analysis was performed to investigate the expressions, prognostic values, and immunological roles of FMNL3 across cancer types in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database.

Efficacy of keverprazan for duodenal ulcer: A phase II randomized, double-blind, parallel-controlled trial.

Background And Aim: Considering the limitation of varying acid suppression of proton pump inhibitors, this study was aimed to assess the efficacy, safety, and dose-effect relationship of keverprazan, a novel potassium-competitive acid blocker, in the treatment of duodenal ulcer (DU) compared with lansoprazole.

Methods: A randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, multicenter, low-dose, high-dose, and positive-drug parallel-controlled study was conducted to verify the non-inferiority of keverprazan (20 or 30 mg) to lansoprazole of 30 mg once daily for 4 to 6 weeks and dose-effect relationship of keverprazan in the treatment of patients with active DU confirmed by endoscopy.

Results: Of the 180 subjects randomized, including 55 cases in the keverprazan_20 mg group, 61 cases in the keverprazan_30 mg group, and 64 cases in the lansoprazole_30 mg group, 168 subjects (93.