SGK3 overexpression correlates with a poor prognosis in endoscopically resected superficial esophageal squamous cell neoplasia: A long-term study.

BACKGROUND: The expression status of serum and glucocorticoid-induced protein kinase 3 (SGK3) in superficial esophageal squamous cell neoplasia (ESCN) remains unknown. AIM: To evaluate the SGK3 overexpression rate in ESCN and its influence on the prognosis and outcomes of patients with endoscopic resection. METHODS: A total of 92 patients who had undergone endoscopic resection for ESCN with more than 8 years of follow-up were enrolled. Immunohistochemistry was used to evaluate SGK3 expression. RESULTS: SGK3 was overexpressed in 55 (59.8%) patients with ESCN. SGK3 overexpression showed a significant correlation with death (P = 0.031). Overall survival and disease-free survival rates were higher in the normal SGK3 expression group than in the SGK3 overexpression group (P = 0.013 and P = 0.004, respectively). Cox regression analysis models demonstrated that SGK3 overexpression was an independent predictor of poor prognosis in ESCN patients (hazard ratio 4.729; 95% confidence interval: 1.042-21.458). CONCLUSION: SGK3 overexpression was detected in the majority of patients with endoscopically resected ESCN and was significantly associated with shortened survival. Thus, it might be a new prognostic factor for ESCN.

Interventional radiology followed by endoscopic drainage for pancreatic fluid collections associated with high bleeding risk: Two case reports.

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided transluminal drainage is an advanced technique used to treat pancreatic fluid collections (PFCs). However, gastric varices and intervening vessels may be associated with a high risk of bleeding and are, therefore, listed as relative contraindications. Herein, we report two patients who underwent interventional embolization before EUS-guided drainage. CASE SUMMARY: Two 32-year-old males developed symptomatic PFCs after acute pancreatitis and came to our hospital for further treatment. One patient suffered from intermittent abdominal pain and vomiting, and computed tomography (CT) imaging showed an encapsulated cyst 7.93 cm × 6.13 cm in size. The other patient complained of a mass inside the abdomen, which gradually became enlarged. Gastric varices around the ideal puncture site were detected by EUS when we evaluated the possibility of endoscopic drainage in both patients. Interventional embolization was recommended as the first procedure to decrease the risk of bleeding. After that, EUS-guided transluminal drainage was successfully conducted, without vascular rupture. No postoperative complications occurred during hospitalization, and no recurrence was detected at the last follow-up CT scan performed at 1 mo. CONCLUSION: Interventional embolization is a safe, preoperative procedure that is performed before EUS-guided drainage in PFC patients with gastric varices or at high risk of bleeding.

CLiAl2E and CLi2AlE (E = P, As, Sb, Bi): Planar Tetracoordinate Carbon Clusters with 16 and 14 Valence Electrons.

The strategy to remove the lone pairs of ligands combined with the bonding similarity between Li and Al have been utilized to design new planar tetracoordinate carbon (ptC) species C 2v CLiAl2E and CLi2AlE based on ptC global minima CAl3E (E = P, As, Sb, Bi) clusters. The explorations of potential energy surfaces and high-level CCSD(T) calculations indicate that these planar tetracoordinate carbon (ptC) species with 16 and 14 valence electrons (ve) are the global minima except for CLiAl2P. Bonding analyses reveal that there is one π and three σ bonds between C and ligands, one delocalized σ bond between the peripheral ligands, and three/two lone pairs for CLiAl2E and CLi2AlE (E = P, As, Sb, Bi). Especially, the C=E double bonds are crucial for the stabilities of these ptC clusters. The ptC core is governed by 2π + 6σ bonding, which conforms to the 8-electron counting. Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics (BOMD) simulations reveal that CLiAl2E and CLi2AlE (E = P, As, Sb, Bi) clusters are robust against isomerization and decomposition. The results obtained in this work complete the series of ptC CLi n Al3-n E (E = P, As, Sb, Bi; n = 0-3) systems and 18ve, 16ve, 14ve, and 12ve counting.