Longer Observation Time Increases Proportion of Neoplasms Detected by Esophagogastroduodenoscopy

Park, J.M.,Huo, S.M.,Lee, H.H.,Lee, B.I.,Song, H.J.,Choi, M.G. W.B. Saunders Co. 2017 Gastroenterology Vol.153 No.2

<P>BACKGROUND & AIMS: Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) is commonly used to detect upper gastrointestinal (GI) neoplasms. However, there is little evidence that longer examination time increases rate of detection of upper GI neoplasia. We investigated the association between length of time spent performing a normal screening EGD and rate of neoplasm detection. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of data from 111,962 subjects who underwent EGD as part of a comprehensive health-screening program from January 2009 to December 2015 in Korea. Endoscopy findings were extracted from reports prepared by 14 board-certified endoscopists. Endoscopists were classified as fast or slow based on their mean examination time for a normal EGD without biopsy during their first year of the study. All endoscopists used the same endoscopy unit. We obtained findings from histologic analyses of GI biopsies from patient records; positive findings were defined as the detection of neoplasms (esophageal, gastric, or duodenal lesions). We examined the association between examination time and proportions of neoplasms detected. The primary outcome measure was the rate of neoplasm detection for each endoscopist (total number of neoplastic lesions detected divided by the number of subjects screened) and as the proportion of subjects with at least 1 neoplastic lesion. RESULTS: The mean examination time was 2 minutes 53 seconds. Using 3 minutes as a cutoff, we classified 8 endoscopists as fast (mean duration, 2: 38 +/- 0: 21 minutes) and 6 endoscopists as slow (mean duration, 3: 25 +/- 0: 19 minutes). Each endoscopist's mean examination time correlated with their rate of neoplasm detection (R-2 = 0.54; P=.046). Fast endoscopists identified neoplasms in the upper GI tract in 0.20% of patients, whereas slow endoscopists identified these in 0.28% of patients (P=.0054). The frequency of endoscopic biopsy varied among endoscopists (range, 6.9%-27.8%) and correlated with rate of neoplasm detection (R-2 = 0.76; P=.0015). On multivariable analysis, slow endoscopists were more likely to detect gastric adenomas or carcinomas than fast endoscopists (odds ratio, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.17-1.97). CONCLUSIONS: In a retrospective analysis of data from more than 100,000 subjects who underwent EGD in a screening program, we found slow endoscopists detected a higher proportion of neoplasms than fast endoscopists. Examination time is therefore a useful indicator of quality for EGD.</P>

Asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation coupled with multiple detections: A complementary approach in the characterization of egg yolk plasma

Dou, H.,Li, Y.,Choi, J.,Huo, S.,Ding, L.,Shen, S.,Lee, S. Elsevier 2016 Journal of Chromatography A Vol.1465 No.-

<P>The capability of asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation (AF4) coupled with UV/VIS, multiangle light scattering (MALS) and quasi-elastic light scattering (QELS) (AF4-UV-MALS-QELS) for separation and characterization of egg yolk plasma was evaluated. The accuracy of hydrodynamic radius (Rh) obtained from QELS and AF4 theory (using both simplified and full expression of AF4 retention equations) was discussed. The conformation of low density lipoprotein (LDL) and its aggregates in egg yolk plasma was discussed based on the ratio of radius of gyration (R-g) to R-h together with the results from bio-transmission electron microscopy (Bio-TEM). The results indicate that the full retention equation is more relevant than simplified version for the Rh determination at high cross flow rate. The Rh from online QELS is reliable only at a specific range of sample concentration. The effect of programmed cross flow rate (linear and exponential decay) on the analysis of egg yolk plasma was also investigated. It was found that the use of an exponentially decaying cross flow rate not only reduces the AF4 analysis time of the egg yolk plasma, but also provides better resolution than the use of either a constant or linearly decaying cross flow rate. A combination of an exponentially decaying cross flow AF4-UV-MALS-QELS and the utilization of full retention equation was proved to be a useful method for the separation and characterization of egg yolk plasma. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.</P>

Effects of trans-Resveratrol from Polygonum cuspidatum on Bone Loss Using the Ovariectomized Rat Model

Z.P. Liu,W.X. Li,B. Yu,J. Huang,J. Sun,J.S. Huo,C.X. Liu 한국식품영양과학회 2005 Journal of medicinal food Vol.8 No.1

trans-Resveratrol (resveratrol) has been shown in several studies to significantly modulate biomarkers of bone metabolism. But, there is no direct evidence supporting its inhibitory effect towards bone loss. In the present study, effects of resveratrol on bone mineral density (BMD) and bone calcium content (BCC) were examined in the ovariectomized (OVX) rat model. Female Wistar rats were divided into four groups: SHAM group (sham-operated), OVX group (OVX control), OVX ALD group (OVX and treated with 1.0 mg/kg of body weight of alendronate sodium), and OVX RES group (OVX and treated with 0.7 mg/kg of body weight of resveratrol). Tested materials were given by gavage for 12 weeks after ovariectomy. Results showed that rats in the OVX, OVX ALD, and OVX RES groups had significantly higher body weights and feed efficiency than those in the SHAM group (P .01). The OVX group had significantly lower femoral epiphysis BMD than the SHAM group, and epiphysis BMD in the OVX ALD and OVX RES groups was significantly greater than that in the OVX group (P .05). However, the femoral midpoint BMD was not significantly different among the four groups. Additionally, animals in the OVX group had significantly lower BCC compared with the SHAM group, while the BCC of the OVX ALD and OVX RES groups was significantly higher than that of the OVX group (P .05). These results indicated that resveratrol could increase epiphysis BMD and inhibit the decrease of femur BCC in OVX rats, suggesting that it could play a role in protecting against bone loss induced by estrogen deficiency.

Influence of aromatic heterocycle of conjugated side chains on photovoltaic performance of benzodithiophene-based wide-bandgap polymers

Xue, X.,Fan, B.,Liu, T.,Sun, X.,Huo, L.,Ha, S.,Choi, H.,Kim, T.,Kim, J.,Wei, D. Royal Society of Chemistry 2016 Polymer chemistry Vol.7 No.24

<P>Extensive efforts have been focused on the study of wide-band gap (WBG) polymers due to their important applications in multiple junction and ternary blend organic solar cells. Herein, three WBG copolymers named PBDT(X)-T1 (X = O, S, Se) were synthesized based on the benzodithiophene (BDT) donor unit and 1,3-bis(5-bromothiophen-2-yl)-5,7-bis(2-ethylhexyl)-4H, 8H-benzo[1,2-c: 4,5-c']dithiophene-4,8-dione (T1) acceptor unit. Different aromatic heterocycle groups (furan, thiophene and selenophene) were introduced to modify the BDT unit to investigate the influence of conjugated side chains on the photovoltaic properties of conjugated polymers. Photophysical properties, electrochemistry, charge transport and crystalline properties of the polymers were studied to discuss the role of chalcogen atoms on the performance of conjugated polymers. Solar cells based on these three WBG copolymers were fabricated. Among them, the PBDT(Se)-T1-based solar cell shows the best photovoltaic performance with the highest power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 8.52%, an open-circuit voltage (V-oc) of 0.91 V, and a high fill factor (FF) of 72%. The high crystallinity and preferential face-on orientation in the blend film partially explain the superior photovoltaic performance achieved in PBDT(Se)-T1-based solar cells. The results indicate the important role of chalcogen atoms in conjugated side chains and that high photovoltaic performance can be realized through side chain engineering of BDT-based WBG conjugated polymers.</P>