Despite of the widespread use of hydrogen and methane breath test, the variability in testing protocols, gas measurement techniques, and interpretation criteria continues to challenge the reproducibility and comparability across centers, especially in the Asia-Pacific region. The Asian Neurogastroenterology and Motility Association hence presents the first Asian monograph guiding application and interpretation of breath test. The monograph was formulated according to the framework of indications, preparatory process, performance, and interpretation of results, as well as future direction for research.

Otitis media is an infection of the middle ear mainly caused by bacteria, and current treatments rely heavily on antibiotics. However, the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains seriously affects their efficacy. In our study, we found that extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from human natural killer cells (NKs) inhibit the proliferation of both standard and levofloxacin (LVX)-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, compared to LVX, EVs were more effective at reducing effusion and rescuing hearing thresholds in animal models. For LVX-sensitive strains, EVs were significantly more effective in terms of curative time but not curative rate. For LVX-resistant strains, EVs were significantly more effective in terms of both curative rate and curative time when applied alone or applied jointly with LVX. In summary, we found that NK EVs are highly effective in treating otitis media, providing an alternative approach for treating this common disease.
Killer Cells, Natural/metabolism* ; Exosomes/metabolism* ; Animals ; Humans ; Otitis Media/therapy* ; Staphylococcus aureus/drug effects* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology* ; Levofloxacin/pharmacology*

The lungs are the most common sites of metastases from non-pulmonarymalignancies. Endobronchial metastases are rare and have no specificity in clinical manifestations,thus being prone to misdiagnosis and delayed treatment.The common tumors associated with endobronchial metastasis are renal,breast,and colorectal cancers.This article reported one case of postoperative rectal cancer with endobronchial and lung metastases,which was relieved by high-frequency electrocautery ablation via bronchoscope,chemotherapy,and targeted drugs,aiming to provide a reference for clinical diagnosis and treatment.
Humans ; Rectal Neoplasms/pathology* ; Electrocoagulation/methods* ; Bronchial Neoplasms/drug therapy* ; Bronchoscopy ; Lung Neoplasms/secondary* ; Bronchoscopes

Background: Global longitudinal strain (GLS) is a useful marker for the echocardiographic evaluation of left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction. Presently GLS is derived from speckle tracking of LV images, but speckle tracking software is not always available. We seek to determine if manually measured GLS (MM-GLS) by assessing mid-myocardial lengths can be a reliable alternative to speckle tracking GLS (ST-GLS). Methods: Transthoracic echocardiogram images of a tertiary hospital in Australia were retrospectively analyzed to study the relationships between ST-GLS, MM-GLS, and LV ejection fraction (LVEF). We further evaluated the impact of image quality and regional wall motion abnormalities on those relationships. Results: Echocardiography studies from 154 patients were included (female sex, 36%; mean age, 61.7 ± 14.8 years).The average LVEF was 51.3% ± 11.3% and the average ST-GLS was 16.7 ± 3.8. MM-GLS strongly correlated with ST-GLS (intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.986; P < 0.001) and with LVEF regardless of the presence of regional wall motion abnormalities. If using GLS cutoff of more than 18% as normal, 97.5% of studies with normal ST-GLS had normal MM-GLS. If using GLS cutoff as less than 16% as abnormal, 95.5% of studies with abnormal ST-GLS had abnormal MM-GLS. There was no case with ST-GLS > 18% and MM-GLS < 16%, nor were there any case in with ST-GLS < 16% and  MM-GLS > 18%. Conclusions MM-GLS correlates strongly with ST-GLS. If ST-GLS cannot be accurately assessed, MM-GLS may be a useful alternative to provide GLS values in both clinical and research studies.

BACKGROUND: Current replacement procedures for stenosis or occluded arteries using prosthetic grafts have serious limitations in clinical applications, particularly, endothelialization of the luminal surface is a long-standing unresolved problem.METHOD: We produced a cell-based hybrid vascular graft using a bioink engulfing adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (ADSCs) and a 3D bioprinting process lining the ADSCs on the luminal surface of GORE-Tex grafts. The hybrid graft was implanted as an interposition conduit to replace a 3-cm-long segment of the infrarenal abdominal aorta in Rhesus monkeys. RESULTS: Complete endothelium layer and smooth muscle layer were fully developed within 21 days post-implantation, along with normalized collagen deposition and crosslinking in the regenerated vasculature in all monkeys. The regenerated blood vessels showed normal functionality for the longest observation of more than 1650 days. The same procedure was also conducted in miniature pigs for the interposition replacement of a 10-cm-long right iliac artery and showed the same long-term effective and safe outcome. CONCLUSION This cell-based vascular graft is ready to undergo clinical trials for human patients.

Background: s/Aims: The guidelines regarding the management of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs) all have slightly different surgical indications for high-risk lesions. We aim to retrospectively compare the accuracy of four guidelines in recommending surgery for high-risk IPMNs, and assess the accuracy of elevated CA-19-9 levels and imaging characteristics of IPMNs considered high-risk in predicting malignancy or high-grade dysplasia (HGD). Methods: The final histopathological diagnosis of surgically resected high-risk IPMNs during 2013−2020 were compared to preoperative surgical indications, as enumerated in four guidelines: the 2015 American Gastroenterological Association (AGA), 2017 International Consensus, 2018 European Study Group, and 2018 American College of Gastroenterology (ACG). Surgery was considered “justified” if histopathology of the surgical specimen showed HGD/malignancy, or there was postoperative symptomatic improvement. Results: Surgery was postoperatively justified in 26/65 (40.0%) cases. All IPMNs with HGD/malignancy were detected by the 2018 ACG and the combined (absolute and relative criteria) 2018 European guidelines. The combined (“high-risk stigmata” and “worrisome features”) 2017 International guideline missed 1/19 (5.3%) IPMNs with HGD/malignancy. The 2015 AGA guideline missed the most cases (11/19, 57.9%) of IPMNs with HGD/malignancy. We found the features most-associated with HGD/malignancy were pancreatic ductal dilation, and elevated CA-19-9 levels. Conclusions Following the 2015 AGA guideline results in the highest rate of missed HGD/malignancy, but the lowest rate of operating on IPMNs without these features; meanwhile, the 2018 ACG and the combined (absolute and relative criteria) 2018 European guidelines result in more operations for IPMNs without HGD/malignancy, but the lowest rates of missed HGD/malignancy in IPMNs.

Background: s/Aims: The guidelines regarding the management of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs) all have slightly different surgical indications for high-risk lesions. We aim to retrospectively compare the accuracy of four guidelines in recommending surgery for high-risk IPMNs, and assess the accuracy of elevated CA-19-9 levels and imaging characteristics of IPMNs considered high-risk in predicting malignancy or high-grade dysplasia (HGD). Methods: The final histopathological diagnosis of surgically resected high-risk IPMNs during 2013−2020 were compared to preoperative surgical indications, as enumerated in four guidelines: the 2015 American Gastroenterological Association (AGA), 2017 International Consensus, 2018 European Study Group, and 2018 American College of Gastroenterology (ACG). Surgery was considered “justified” if histopathology of the surgical specimen showed HGD/malignancy, or there was postoperative symptomatic improvement. Results: Surgery was postoperatively justified in 26/65 (40.0%) cases. All IPMNs with HGD/malignancy were detected by the 2018 ACG and the combined (absolute and relative criteria) 2018 European guidelines. The combined (“high-risk stigmata” and “worrisome features”) 2017 International guideline missed 1/19 (5.3%) IPMNs with HGD/malignancy. The 2015 AGA guideline missed the most cases (11/19, 57.9%) of IPMNs with HGD/malignancy. We found the features most-associated with HGD/malignancy were pancreatic ductal dilation, and elevated CA-19-9 levels. Conclusions Following the 2015 AGA guideline results in the highest rate of missed HGD/malignancy, but the lowest rate of operating on IPMNs without these features; meanwhile, the 2018 ACG and the combined (absolute and relative criteria) 2018 European guidelines result in more operations for IPMNs without HGD/malignancy, but the lowest rates of missed HGD/malignancy in IPMNs.

Background: Global longitudinal strain (GLS) is a useful marker for the echocardiographic evaluation of left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction. Presently GLS is derived from speckle tracking of LV images, but speckle tracking software is not always available. We seek to determine if manually measured GLS (MM-GLS) by assessing mid-myocardial lengths can be a reliable alternative to speckle tracking GLS (ST-GLS). Methods: Transthoracic echocardiogram images of a tertiary hospital in Australia were retrospectively analyzed to study the relationships between ST-GLS, MM-GLS, and LV ejection fraction (LVEF). We further evaluated the impact of image quality and regional wall motion abnormalities on those relationships. Results: Echocardiography studies from 154 patients were included (female sex, 36%; mean age, 61.7 ± 14.8 years).The average LVEF was 51.3% ± 11.3% and the average ST-GLS was 16.7 ± 3.8. MM-GLS strongly correlated with ST-GLS (intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.986; P < 0.001) and with LVEF regardless of the presence of regional wall motion abnormalities. If using GLS cutoff of more than 18% as normal, 97.5% of studies with normal ST-GLS had normal MM-GLS. If using GLS cutoff as less than 16% as abnormal, 95.5% of studies with abnormal ST-GLS had abnormal MM-GLS. There was no case with ST-GLS > 18% and MM-GLS < 16%, nor were there any case in with ST-GLS < 16% and  MM-GLS > 18%. Conclusions MM-GLS correlates strongly with ST-GLS. If ST-GLS cannot be accurately assessed, MM-GLS may be a useful alternative to provide GLS values in both clinical and research studies.

Background: s/Aims: Socioeconomic determinants of health are incompletely characterized in cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). We assessed how socioeconomic status influences initial treatment decisions and survival outcomes in patients with CCA, additionally performing multiple sub-analyses based on anatomic location of the primary tumor. Methods: Observational study using the 2018 submission of the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-18 Database. In total, 5,476 patients from 2004−2015 with a CCA were separated based on median household income (MHI) into low income (< 25th percentile of MHI) and high income (> 25th percentile of MHI) groups. Seventy-three percent of patients had complete follow up data, and were included in survival analyses. Survival and treatment outcomes were calculated using R-studio. Results: When all cases of CCA were included, the high-income group was more likely than the low-income to receive surgery, chemotherapy, and local tumor destruction modalities. Initial treatment modality based on income differed significantly between tumor locations. Patients of lower income had higher overall and cancer-specific mortality at 2 and 5 years. Non-cancer mortality was similar between the groups. Survival differences identified in the overall cohort were maintained in the intrahepatic CCA subgroup. No differences between income groups were noted in cancer-specific or overall mortality for perihilar tumors, with variable differences in the distal cohort. Conclusions Lower income was associated with higher rates of cancer-specific mortality and lower rates of surgical resection in CCA. There were significant differences in treatment selection and outcomes between intrahepatic, perihilar, and distal tumors. Population-based strategies aimed at identifying possible etiologies for these disparities are paramount to improving patient outcomes.