Clinical manifestation, lifestyle, and treatment patterns of chronic erosive gastritis: A multicenter real-world study in China.

BACKGROUND: Although chronic erosive gastritis (CEG) is common, its clinical characteristics have not been fully elucidated. The lack of consensus regarding its treatment has resulted in varied treatment regimens. AIM: To explore the clinical characteristics, treatment patterns, and short-term outcomes in CEG patients in China. METHODS: We recruited patients with chronic non-atrophic or mild-to-moderate atrophic gastritis with erosion based on endoscopy and pathology. Patients and treating physicians completed a questionnaire regarding history, endoscopic findings, and treatment plans as well as a follow-up questionnaire to investigate changes in symptoms after 4 wk of treatment. RESULTS: Three thousand five hundred sixty-three patients from 42 centers across 24 cities in China were included. Epigastric pain (68.0%), abdominal distension (62.6%), and postprandial fullness (47.5%) were the most common presenting symptoms. Gastritis was classified as chronic non-atrophic in 69.9% of patients. Among those with erosive lesions, 72.1% of patients had lesions in the antrum, 51.0% had multiple lesions, and 67.3% had superficial flat lesions. In patients with epigastric pain, the combination of a mucosal protective agent (MPA) and proton pump inhibitor was more effective. For those with postprandial fullness, acid regurgitation, early satiety, or nausea, a MPA appeared more promising. CONCLUSION: CEG is a multifactorial disease which is common in Asian patients and has non-specific symptoms. Gastroscopy may play a major role in its detection and diagnosis. Treatment should be individualized based on symptom profile.

Crohn's disease as the intestinal manifestation of pan-lymphatic dysfunction: An exploratory proposal based on basic and clinical data.

Crohn's disease (CD) is caused by immune, environmental, and genetic factors. It can involve the entire gastrointestinal tract, and although its prevalence is rapidly increasing its etiology remains unclear. Emerging biological and small-molecule drugs have advanced the treatment of CD; however, a considerable proportion of patients are non-responsive to all known drugs. To achieve a breakthrough in this field, innovations that could guide the further development of effective therapies are of utmost urgency. In this review, we first propose the innovative concept of pan-lymphatic dysfunction for the general distribution of lymphatic dysfunction in various diseases, and suggest that CD is the intestinal manifestation of pan-lymphatic dysfunction based on basic and clinical preliminary data. The supporting evidence is fully summarized, including the existence of lymphatic system dysfunction, recognition of the inside-out model, disorders of immune cells, changes in cell plasticity, partial overlap of the underlying mechanisms, and common gut-derived fatty and bile acid metabolism. Another benefit of this novel concept is that it proposes adopting the zebrafish model for studying intestinal diseases, especially CD, as this model is good at presenting and mimicking lymphatic dysfunction. More importantly, the ensuing focus on improving lymphatic function may lead to novel and promising therapeutic strategies for CD.

Neptunomonas qingdaonensis sp. nov., isolated from intertidal sand.

A Gram-negative, motile, aerobic, oxidase- and catalase-positive rod, designated P10-2-4(T), was isolated from an intertidal sand sample collected from a coastal area of Qingdao (Yellow Sea), China. The isolate reduced nitrate to nitrite and grew at 4-33 °C and with 0.5-12 % (w/v) NaCl. The predominant cellular fatty acids were summed feature 3 (C16 : 1ω7c and/or iso-C15 : 0 2-OH), C18 : 1ω7c and C16 : 0. The major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylglycerol. The major respiratory quinone was Q-8. The genomic DNA G+C content was 45.1 %. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain P10-2-4(T) belonged to the genus Neptunomonas. The isolate shared the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity (98.1 %) with Neptunomonas japonica JAMM 0745(T) and 96.9, 96.5 and 95.9 % sequence similarities with N. antarctica S3-22(T), N. concharum LHW37(T) and N. naphthovorans NAG-2N-126(T), respectively, strains of the other three recognized species in the genus. DNA-DNA relatedness between strain P10-2-4(T) and N. japonica JCM 14595(T) was 35.6 %. Furthermore, strain P10-2-4(T) could be distinguished from the representatives of the genus Neptunomonas by a combination of phenotypic characteristics, such as temperature and NaCl concentration for growth, nitrate reduction, DNase activity and assimilation of substrates. The data from this study suggests that strain P10-2-4(T) represents a novel species in the genus Neptunomonas, for which the name Neptunomonas qingdaonensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is P10-2-4(T) ( = CGMCC 1.10971(T)  = KCTC 23686(T)).

Pseudorhodobacter antarcticus sp. nov., isolated from Antarctic intertidal sandy sediment, and emended description of the genus Pseudorhodobacter Uchino et al. 2002 emend. Jung et al. 2012.

A Gram-negative, aerobic, non-motile, pink-pigmented and rod-shaped strain, designated ZS3-33(T), was isolated from Antarctic intertidal sandy sediment. The strain grew optimally at 15 °C and with 1.0 % (w/v) NaCl. It reduced nitrate to nitrite and hydrolysed Tween 20. It could not produce bacteriochlorophyll a. The predominant cellular fatty acid was C18 : 1ω7c and the predominant respiratory quinone was Q-10. The major polar lipids were phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, two unidentified aminophospholipids and an unidentified aminolipid. Analyses of 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain ZS3-33(T) belonged to the genus Pseudorhodobacter, showing 97.4 % similarity to the type strain of Pseudorhodobacter ferrugineus and 95.3 % similarity to the type strain of Pseudorhodobacter aquimaris. Levels of gyrB gene sequence similarity between strain ZS3-33(T) and the type strains of P. ferrugineus and P. aquimaris were 87.6 and 81.7 %, respectively. DNA-DNA relatedness between strain ZS3-33(T) and P. ferrugineus DSM 5888(T) was 56.6 %. The genomic DNA G+C content of strain ZS3-33(T) was 57.1 mol%. Based on data from this polyphasic study, strain ZS3-33(T) represents a novel species of the genus Pseudorhodobacter, for which the name Pseudorhodobacter antarcticus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is ZS3-33(T) ( = CGMCC 1.10836(T) = KCTC 23700(T)). An emended description of the genus Pseudorhodobacter Uchino et al. 2002 emend. Jung et al. 2012 is also proposed.

Marinobacter antarcticus sp. nov., a halotolerant bacterium isolated from Antarctic intertidal sandy sediment.

A Gram-staining-negative, aerobic, motile, oxidase- and catalase-positive, rod-shaped strain, designated ZS2-30(T), was isolated from Antarctic intertidal sandy sediment. The strain grew at 4-35 °C (optimum, 25 °C) and in 0-25% (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 3.0-4.0%). It could reduce nitrate to nitrite and hydrolyse Tween 80. The predominant cellular fatty acids of strain ZS2-30(T) were summed feature 3 (C(16:1)ω7c and/or C(16:1)ω6c), C(16:0), C(18:1)ω9c, C(16:1)ω9c, C(12:0) 3-OH and C(12:0). The major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol and an unidentified aminophospholipid. The genomic DNA G+C content of strain ZS2-30(T) was 55.8 mol%. Analyses of 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain ZS2-30(T) was affiliated with the genus Marinobacter. It showed highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities to the type strains of three species of the genus Marinobacter, namely Marinobacter maritimus (98.3%), Marinobacter psychrophilus (98.1%) and Marinobacter goseongensis (97.1%), but the DNA-DNA relatedness values between strain ZS2-30(T) and the above three species were all lower than 45%. Moreover, strain ZS2-30(T) could be distinguished from closely related species of the genus Marinobacter by various phenotypic properties. Based on this taxonomic study using a polyphasic approach, strain ZS2-30(T) is considered to represent a novel species in the genus Marinobacter, for which the name Marinobacter antarcticus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Marinobacter antarcticus is ZS2-30(T) ( = CGMCC 1.10835(T) = KCTC 23684(T)).

Differentiation of Isolated Small Bowel Crohn's Disease from Other Small Bowel Ulcerative Diseases: Clinical Features and Double-Balloon Enteroscopy Characteristics.

Background: The diagnosis of isolated small bowel Crohn's disease (ISBCD) has always been challenging. Aims: This study is aimed at comparing the clinical features and double-balloon enteroscopy (DBE) characteristics of ISBCD with those of other small bowel ulcerative diseases (OSBUD). Methods: Patients with coexisting colonic and/or ileal valve lesions (n = 45) or whose final diagnosis was not determined (n = 29) were excluded. One hundred thirty-nine patients with ISBCD and 62 patients with OSBUD found by DBE were retrospectively analyzed. Results: The age of ISBCD onset was lower than that of OSBUD (OR 0.957, 95% CI 0.938-0.977, p < 0.001). Abdominal pain was more common in ISBCD (OR 4.986, 95% CI 2.539-9.792, p < 0.001). Elevated fibrinogen levels (OR 1.431, 95% CI 1.022-2.003, p = 0.037) and lower levels of D-dimer (OR 0.999, 95% CI 0.999-1.000, p = 0.017) were also more supportive of the diagnosis of ISBCD. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) used for more than two weeks decreased the probability of a diagnosis of ISBCD (OR 0.173, 95% CI 0.043-0.695, p = 0.013). Abdominal computed tomography revealed a higher proportion of skip lesions in ISBCD than in OSBUD (OR 9.728, 95% CI 3.676-25.742, p < 0.001). The ulcers of ISBCD were more distributed in the ileum (111 (79.9%) vs. 29 (46.8%), p < 0.001), and their main morphology differed in different intestinal segments. Longitudinal ulcers (OR 14.293, 95% CI 4.920-41.518, p < 0.001) and large ulcer (OR 0.128, 95% CI 0.044-0.374, p < 0.001) contributed to the differentiation of ISBCD from OSBUD. We constructed a diagnostic model, ISBCD index (AUROC = 0.877, 95% CI: 0.830-0.925), using multifactorial binary logistic regression to help distinguish between these two groups of diseases. Conclusion: Clinical features, laboratory tests, abdominal computed tomography, DBE characteristics, and pathology help to distinguish ISBCD from OSBUD.

Fuel source shift or cost reduction: Context-dependent adaptation strategies in closely related Neodon fuscus and Lasiopodomys brandtii against hypoxia.

Oxygen is essential for most life forms. Insufficient oxygen supply can disrupt homeostasis and compromise survival, and hypoxia-induced cardiovascular failure is fatal in many animals, including humans. However, certain species have adapted and evolved to cope with hypoxic environments and are therefore good models for studying the regulatory mechanisms underlying responses to hypoxia. Here, we explored the physiological and molecular responses of the cardiovascular system in two closely related hypoxia-adapted species with different life histories, namely, Qinghai voles ( Neodon fuscus) and Brandt's voles ( Lasiopodomys brandtii), under hypoxic (10% O 2 for 48 h) and normoxic (20.9% O 2 for 48 h) exposure. Kunming mice ( Mus musculus) were used for comparison. Qinghai voles live in plateau areas under hypoxic conditions, whereas Brandt's voles only experience periodic hypoxia. Histological and hematological analyses indicated a strong tolerance to hypoxia in both species, but significant cardiac tissue damage and increased blood circulation resistance in mice exposed to hypoxia. Comparative transcriptome analysis revealed enhanced oxygen transport efficiency as a coping mechanism against hypoxia in both N. fuscus and L. brandtii, but with some differences. Specifically, N. fuscus showed up-regulated expression of genes related to accelerated cardiac contraction and angiogenesis, whereas L. brandtii showed significant up-regulation of erythropoiesis-related genes. Synchronized up-regulation of hemoglobin synthesis-related genes was observed in both species. In addition, differences in cardiometabolic strategies against hypoxia were observed in the rodents. Notably, M. musculus relied on adenosine triphosphate (ATP) generation via fatty acid oxidation, whereas N. fuscus shifted energy production to glucose oxidation under hypoxic conditions and L. brandtii employed a conservative strategy involving down-regulation of fatty acid and glucose oxidation and a bradycardia phenotype. In conclusion, the cardiovascular systems of N. fuscus and L. brandtii have evolved different adaptation strategies to enhance oxygen transport capacity and conserve energy under hypoxia. Our findings suggest that the coping mechanisms underlying hypoxia tolerance in these closely related species are context dependent.

[Main hypotheses on mechanisms underlying plant invasion: A review.] / æ¤ç‰©å ¥ä¾µæœºåˆ¶çš„ä¸»è¦å‡è¯´.

Plant invasion is one of the most serious global problems, destroying ecosystem structure and function. With the severity of plant invasion, it is particularly important to understand the mechanisms of plant invasion in order to control and solve the problem. We summarized different mechanisms of plant invasion and the synergy among them, expounded the allelopathy, the plant-soil feedbacks, the reciprocal symbiosis, the effects of plant functional traits and phenotype plasticity in the process of plant invasion, and comprehensively analyzed the synergy of multiple mechanisms on plant invasion trajectory. According to the results, the invasion trajectory of alien plants in the invasive site was divided into four stages: introduction, colonization, establishment, and invasion. Integrating all kinds of obstacles and promoting factors encountered into it and putting forward the invasion curve of plants would contribute to the future research and management of invasive plants. We further highlighted the current research deficiencies and future research directions and objectives based on analyzing current research methods of plant invasion.

Zhongshania antarctica gen. nov., sp. nov. and Zhongshania guokunii sp. nov., gammaproteobacteria respectively isolated from coastal attached (fast) ice and surface seawater of the Antarctic.

Two Gram-negative, motile, aerobic, catalase- and oxidase-positive, rod-shaped strains, designated ZS5-23(T) and ZS6-22(T), were respectively isolated from Antarctic coastal attached (fast) ice and surface seawater samples. Both strains could grow at 4-35 °C (optimum 30 °C) and in the absence of NaCl. Analyses of 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strains ZS5-23(T) and ZS6-22(T) were closely related to each other (99.0 % sequence similarity) and belonged to the class Gammaproteobacteria, with their closest relatives being Spongiibacter and Melitea species (93.1-94.3 % sequence similarity). The predominant cellular fatty acids in both strains were C17:1ω8c, C17:0 and summed feature 3 (C16:1ω7c and/or iso-C15:0 2-OH). Genomic DNA G+C contents of strains ZS5-23(T) and ZS6-22(T) were 51.5 and 51.8 mol%, respectively. The DNA-DNA relatedness between strains ZS5-23(T) and ZS6-22(T) was 50.9 %. Strains ZS5-23(T) and ZS6-22(T) could be differentiated from each other and from Spongiibacter and Melitea species by differences in a number of phenotypic properties. Based on the data presented, strains ZS5-23(T) and ZS6-22(T) represent two novel species in a new genus in the class Gammaproteobacteria, for which the names Zhongshania antarctica gen. nov., sp. nov. (the type species) and Zhongshania guokunii sp. nov. are proposed. The type strain of Zhongshania antarctica is ZS5-23(T) ( = KACC 14066(T)  = CCTCC AB 209246(T)) and that of Zhongshania guokunii is ZS6-22(T) ( = KACC 14532(T)  = CCTCC AB 209247(T)).

Glaciecola arctica sp. nov., isolated from Arctic marine sediment.

A Gram-negative, motile, psychrotolerant, oxidase- and catalase-positive bacterium, designated BSs20135(T), was isolated from Arctic marine sediment. Cells were straight or slightly curved rods and formed circular, convex and yellowish-brown colonies. Buds and prosthecae could be produced. The strain grew at 4-28 °C (optimum 25 °C) and with 1-5 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum 2 %) and hydrolysed aesculin and DNA, but did not reduce nitrate to nitrite. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain BSs20135(T) belonged to the genus Glaciecola and shared 93.6-97.7 % sequence similarity with the type strains of known species of the genus Glaciecola. The major cellular fatty acids of strain BSs20135(T) were summed feature 3 (comprising C(16 : 1)ω7c and/or iso-C(15 : 0) 2-OH), C(16 : 0), C(17 : 1)ω8c and C(18 : 1)ω7c. The genomic DNA G+C content was 40.3 mol%. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, DNA-DNA hybridization data and phenotypic and chemotaxonomic characterization, strain BSs20135(T) represents a novel species, for which the name Glaciecola arctica sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is BSs20135(T) ( = CCTCC AB 209161(T)  = KACC 14537(T)).

Palmitoylation in Crohn's disease: Current status and future directions.

S-palmitoylation is one of the most common post-translational modifications in nature; however, its importance has been overlooked for decades. Crohn's disease (CD), a subtype of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), is an autoimmune disease characterized by chronic inflammation involving the entire gastrointestinal tract. Bowel damage and subsequent disabilities caused by CD are a growing global health issue. Well-acknowledged risk factors for CD include genetic susceptibility, environmental factors, such as a westernized lifestyle, and altered gut microbiota. However, the pathophysiological mechanisms of this disorder are not yet comprehensively understood. With the rapidly increasing global prevalence of CD and the evident role of S-palmitoylation in CD, as recently reported, there is a need to investigate the relationship between CD and S-palmitoylation. In this review, we summarize the concept, detection, and function of S-palmitoylation as well as its potential effects on CD, and provide novel insights into the pathogenesis and treatment of CD.

Diagnosis of obscure gastrointestinal hemorrhage with capsule endoscopy in combination with multiple-detector computed tomography.

AIM: To demonstrate the clinical efficacy of combination capsule endoscopy (CE) and multiple-detector computed tomography (MDCT) diagnostic imaging in the identification of gastrointestinal hemorrhages. METHODS: In the present study, 123 patients with gastrointestinal hemorrhages of obscure origin (GHOO) were examined with CE in combination with MDCT. The results were compared with findings of surgical pathology. RESULTS: Of the 123 patients, 57.72% (71/123) of the patients exhibited positive CE findings compared with 30.08% (37/123) on MDCT alone (P < 0.01). When used in combination, 65.85% (81/123) of patients scored positively. The detection rate due to the combination of diagnostic imaging was significantly higher than that of MDCT alone (P < 0.01), but was not significantly higher than that of CE alone (P > 0.05). Integrating the two diagnostic platforms improved the diagnosis of stromal tumors, hemangioma, Crohn's disease, vascular anomaly, Meckel's diverticulum, and ancylostomiasis. There was no significant difference in the positive detection rate between CE and MDCT when confirmed by surgical pathology. CONCLUSION: The contribution of CE is critical in the diagnosis of GHOO, given the fact that there is a significant difference in the detection rate between CE and MDCT, but there is no significant difference in the rate between CE plus MDCT and CE alone.

Bis[dieth-yl(hy-droxy)ammonium] benzene-1,4-dicarboxyl-ate.

In the centrosymmetric title compound, 2C(4)H(12)NO(+)·C(8)H(4)O(4) (2-), two N,N-dieth-yl(hy-droxy)ammonium cations are linked to a benzene-1,4-dicarboxyl-ate dianion by a combination of O-H⋯O and N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds, which can be described in graph-set terminology as R(2) (2)(7). The crystal structure is further stabilized by C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds, leading to the fomation of a ribbon-like network.

Effect of small bowel preparation with simethicone on capsule endoscopy.

BACKGROUND: Capsule endoscopy is a novel non-invasive method for visualization of the entire small bowel. The diagnostic yield of capsule endoscopy depends on the quality of visualization of the small bowel mucosa and its complete passage through the small bowel. To date, there is no standardized protocol for bowel preparation before capsule endoscopy. The addition of simethicone in the bowel preparation for the purpose of reducing air bubbles in the intestinal lumen had only been studied by a few investigators. METHODS: Sixty-four participants were randomly divided into two groups to receive a bowel preparation of polyethylene glycol (PEG) solution (Group 1) and both PEG solution and simethicone (Group 2). The PEG solution and simethicone were taken the night before and 20 min prior to capsule endoscopy, respectively. Frames taken in the small intestine were examined and scored for luminal bubbles by two professional capsule endoscopists. Gastric emptying time and small bowel transit time were also recorded. RESULTS: Simethicone significantly reduced luminal bubbles both in the proximal and distal small intestines. The mean time proportions with slight bubbles in the proximal and distal intestines in Group 2 were 97.1% and 99.0%, respectively, compared with 67.2% (P<0.001) and 68.8% (P<0.001) in Group 1. Simethicone had no effect on mean gastric emptying time, 32.08 min in Group 2 compared with 30.88 min in Group 1 (P=0.868), but it did increase mean small intestinal transit time from 227.28 to 281.84 min (P=0.003). CONCLUSION: Bowel preparation with both PEG and simethicone significantly reduced bubbles in the intestinal lumen and improved the visualization of the small bowel by capsule endoscopy without any side effects observed.

[Design of a volume-rendering toolkit using GPU-based ray-casting].

This paper presents an approach to GPU-based ray-casting of a shader model 3.0 compatible graphics card. In addition, a software toolkit is designed using the proposed algorithm to make the full benefit of GPU by extending VTK. Experimental results suggest that remarkable speedups are observed using GPU-based algorithm, and high-quality renderings can be achieved at interactive framerates above 60 fps. The toolkit designed provides a high level of usability and extendibility.

Composition of motivation profiles at work using latent analysis: theory and evidence.

PURPOSE: Drawing from self-determination theory, the present study aims to identify the structures and functions of work motivation profiles by using a person-centered approach and to explore the relationships between work motivations and different work performances in the workplace. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The participants in this research are from different provinces in China, such as Beijing, Tianjin, Shandong, and Hebei. The participants work in state-owned enterprises, private enterprises, foreign-funded enterprises, and public institutions. We contacted the head of the human resources department of the company where the employee was located, and then the human resources supervisor sent the questionnaire to the relevant employees for data collection. In Study 1, we obtained a total of 842 valid questionnaires. In Study 2, employee work performance was assessed by immediate supervisors, and we obtained a total of 630 valid matched data. This study identified the structure and function of work motivation profiles using a person-centered approach, ie, latent profile analysis. The analysis of variance approach was used to explore the relationship between work motivations and different work performances in the workplace. RESULTS: Using latent profile analysis, we found 5 work motivation profiles: dominant, high-midrange, low-midrange, intrinsic motivation-minor and intrinsic motivation-dominant. The five different profiles varied in the level (quantitative differences: dominant, high-midrange, and low-midrange) and shape (qualitative differences: intrinsic motivation-minor and intrinsic motivation-dominant) of the profile indicators. We found that these profiles differentially predicted employee performance. Our results reveal new insights into work motivations and how different work motivation profiles affect work performance. CONCLUSION: We employed a new perspective to better understand the relations between motivations and work performance under the framework of self-determination theory. We were able to demonstrate that (1) different motivation strategies at work do consistently exist and (2) latent profile membership differentiates employee work performance. Our results show that high performance can be exhibited when an employee's motivation is the dominant type. High-dominant employees with high intrinsic motivation and low extrinsic motivation exhibit worse task performance. The results of this research show that a person-centered approach can better clarify the complexity of the process regarding how work motivations interact within an employee. The major theoretical contribution of this research is the use of latent profile analysis (LPA) to demonstrate five different subpopulations that can exhibit different combinations of work motivations in the emerging market of China. Second, our results show that identified regulation is important in predicting work performance. Third, we advanced the self-determination theory (SDT) research by exploring the relations between different motivation profiles and work performance.

Missense mutation in PRKCQ is associated with Crohn's disease.

OBJECTIVE: Recent genome-wide association studies have demonstrated that rs2236379 in PRKCQ is a novel significant locus for Crohn's disease (CD). However, the association has not been replicated in any populations. We therefore aimed to investigate the prevalence of the PRKCQ rs2236379 variant in the Chinese Han population and evaluate whether the genetic variant of PRKCQ confers susceptibility to CD and is associated with its clinical characteristics. METHODS: A total of 283 patients with CD and 381 healthy controls were enrolled. Genomic DNA was extracted from their whole blood samples and polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism was used for genotyping. The association between PRKCQ polymorphisms and susceptibility to CD, and between genotypes and clinical phenotypes was analyzed. RESULTS: A higher frequency of the T allele was discovered in CD patients than in healthy controls (P = 0.027). A significant difference in the distribution of the TT and CT/CC genotypes was observed between CD patients and controls (P = 0.024). The TT genotype showed a significant association with susceptibility to CD (odds ratio 1.647, 95% confidence interval: 1.088-2.574, P = 0.019). Patients with CD with the rs2236379 TT mutant risk genotype were most likely to exhibit perianal disease (P = 0.044). CONCLUSIONS: Our research revealed an association between the PRKCQ rs2236379 (C>T) and CD. The TT homozygous mutation increased the risk of developing CD and may contribute to perianal disease.

Survey of nocturnal reflux in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease in China.

To evaluate current diagnosis and treatment of patients with nocturnal gastroesophageal reflux (nGER). METHODS: This multicenter observational study was conducted in 44 hospitals in China from May 2017 to February 2018. Outpatients with nGER were recruited and their relevant data were collected using a questionnaire, including age, gender, body mass index, history of smoking and alcohol consumption, comorbid diseases, lifestyle, self-reported health status, medical history, nGER symptoms and severity, Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, diagnosis and treatment choices. The study was registered on the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (no. ChiCTR1800017525). RESULTS: The study included 4978 individuals, with valid questionnaires collected from 4448 patients (89.4%). The symptoms of heartburn and regurgitation were more severe at night than during the day (P < 0.05). Age and body mass index were positively correlated with reflux severity at night and during the day (P < 0.05). The severity of nGER was positively associated with lifestyle factors such as smoking, a high-fat diet, carbonated beverage consumption, late supper (later than 9 pm), and snoring (all P < 0.05). Night-time heartburn and regurgitation were related with sleep disorder. CONCLUSIONS: Lifestyle factors are associated with nGER severity, and nGER affects sleep quality. It will be beneficial to popularize and strengthen the diagnosis and treatment of nGER.

OMOM capsule endoscopy in diagnosis of small bowel disease.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the diagnostic efficiency of OMOM capsule endoscopy (CE) in a group of patients with different indications. METHODS: Data from 89 consecutive patients (49 males, 40 females) with suspected small bowel disease who underwent OMOM CE (Jinshan Science and Technology Company, Chongqing, China) examination were obtained by retrospective review. The patients' indications of the disease consisted of the following: obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OGIB), abdominal pain or diarrhea, partial intestinal obstruction, suspected inflammatory bowel disease, tumor of unknown origin, hypoproteinemia, constipation, weight loss, and elevated tumor markers. RESULTS: CE failed in one patient. Visualization of the entire small bowel was achieved in 75.0%. Capsules were naturally excreted by all patients. The detection rate of abnormalities was 70.5% for patients with suspected small bowel disease, and the diagnostic yield for patients with OGIB was higher than that for patients with abdominal pain or diarrhea (85.7% vs 53.3%, P<0.005). Angiodysplasia was the most common small bowel finding. Active bleeding sites were noted in the small intestine in 11 cases. CONCLUSION: OMOM CE is a useful diagnostic tool for the diagnosis of variably suspected small bowel disease, whose diagnostic efficiency is similar to that of the Pillcam SB (small bowel) CE (Given Imaging, Yoqneam, Israel).

A primary intestinal lymphangiectasia patient diagnosed by capsule endoscopy and confirmed at surgery: a case report.

Intestinal lymphangiectasia (IL) is a rare disease characterized by dilated lymphatic vessles in the intestinal wall and small bowel mesentery which induce loss of protein and lymphocytes into bowel lumen. Because it most often occurs in the intestine and cannot be detected by upper gastroendoscopy or colonoscopy, and the value of common image examinations such as X-ray and computerized tomography (CT) are limited, the diagnosis of IL is difficult, usually needing the help of surgery. Capsule endoscopy is useful in diagnosing intestinal diseases, such as IL. We here report a case of IL in a female patient who was admitted for the complaint of recurrent edema accompanied with diarrhea and abdominal pain over the last twenty years, and aggravated ten days ago. She was diagnosed by M2A capsule endoscopy as a primary IL and confirmed by surgical and pathological examination.