Endoscopy

Fabrication of human oral mucosal epithelial cell sheets for treatment of esophageal ulceration by endoscopic submucosal dissection Takagi, R. et al. Gastrointest. Endosc. doi:10.1016/j.gie.2010.08.007

Human oral mucosal epithelial cell sheets can be successfully cultured in the absence of animal-derived materials (such as a 3T3 feeder layer and fetal bovine serum). In dogs, the cell sheets grafted onto and promoted re-epithelialization of esophageal ulcers induced by endoscopic submucosal dissection.

Endoscopy

Intentional swallowing of foreign bodies is a recurrent and costly problem that rarely causes endoscopy complications Huang, B. L. et al. Clin. Gastroenterol. Hepatol. 8, 941–946 (2010)

Researchers who analyzed 8 years of US endoscopy data identified 305 cases of intentional swallowing of foreign bodies—including pens, batteries and razor blades—by 33 patients, 26 of whom were diagnosed with a psychiatric condition. Removal of the foreign bodies by endoscopy was usually successful and safe; however, general anesthesia was typically required. Although these incidents were confined to a small number of patients, the total cost incurred was estimated at a staggering $2,018,073.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Genome-wide association study identifies variants associated with histologic features of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease Chalasani, N. et al. Gastroenterology 139, 1567–1576 (2010)

A pilot genome-wide association study analyzed 324,623 autosomal single nucleotide polymorphisms in 236 non-Hispanic white women with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. The investigators identified variants associated with the degree of fibrosis, lobular inflammation and serum levels of alanine aminotransferase. No correlations, however, were noted between genotypes and other features of the disease, including steatosis and portal inflammation.

Colorectal cancer

Meta-analysis of three genome-wide association studies identifies susceptibility loci for colorectal cancer at 1q41, 3q26.2, 12q13.13 and 20q13.33 Houlston, R. S. et al. Nat. Genet. 42, 973–977 (2010)

This UK-based study (which included a total of 3,334 patients and 4,628 controls) found four new loci that contribute to the risk of colorectal cancer. The results also suggest that other variants with a similar magnitude of effect on the risk of colorectal cancer remain to be discovered, according to the researchers.