Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is the infusion of liquid filtrate feces from a healthy donor into the gut of a recipient to cure a specific disease. A fecal suspension can be administered by nasogastric or nasoduodenal tube, colonoscope, enema, or capsule. The high success rate and safety in the short term reported for recurrent Clostridium difficile infection has elevated FMT as an emerging treatment for a wide range of disorders, including Parkinson’s disease, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, myoclonus dystopia, multiple sclerosis, obesity, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and autism. There are many unanswered questions regarding FMT, including donor selection and screening, standardized protocols, long-term safety, and regulatory issues. This article reviews the efficacy and safety of FMT used in treating a variety of diseases, methodology, criteria for donor selection and screening, and various concerns regarding FMT.

MTV, a volumetric parameter of (18)F-FDG PET, is an important independent prognostic factor for survival and a better predictor of survival than SUVmax for the primary tumor in patients with esophageal carcinoma.

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Background-We sought to investigate the mechanism of geometric changes after main branch (MB) stent implantation and to identify the predictors of functionally significant "jailed" side branch (SB) lesions. Methods and Results-Seventy-seven patients with bifurcation lesions were prospectively enrolled from 8 centers. MB intravascular ultrasound was performed before and after MB stent implantation, and fractional flow reserve was measured in the jailed SB. The vessel volume index of both the proximal and distal MB was increased after stent implantation. The plaque volume index decreased in the proximal MB (9.1Ϯ3.0 to 8.4Ϯ2.4 mm

RNA interference (RNAi) is a gene regulation mechanism initiated by RNA molecules that enables sequence-specific gene silencing by promoting degradation of specific mRNAs. Molecular therapy using small interfering RNA (siRNA) has shown great therapeutic potential for diseases caused by abnormal gene overexpression or mutation. The major challenges to application of siRNA therapeutics include the stability and effective delivery of siRNA in vivo. Important progress in nanotechnology has led to the development of efficient siRNA delivery systems. In this review, the authors discuss recent advances in nanoparticle-mediated siRNA delivery and the application of siRNA in clinical trials for cancer therapy. This review will also offer perspectives on future applications of siRNA therapeutics.

Objectives The aim of this study was to determine whether iron oxide particles targeted to oxidation-specific epitopes image atherosclerotic lesions. Background Oxidized low-density lipoprotein plays a major role in atherosclerotic plaque progression and destabilization. Prior studies indicate that gadolinium micelles labeled with oxidation-specific antibodies allow for in vivo detection of vulnerable plaques with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). However, issues related to biotransformation/retention of gadolinium might limit clinical translation. Iron oxides are recognized as safe and effective contrast agents for MRI. Because the efficacy of passively targeted iron particles remains variable, it was hypothesized that iron particles targeted to oxidation-specific epitopes might increase the utility of this platform. Methods Lipid-coated ultra-small superparamagnetic iron particles (LUSPIOs) (<20 nm) and superparamagnetic iron particles (<40 nm) were conjugated with antibodies targeted to either malondialdehyde-lysine or oxidized phospholipid epitopes. All formulations were characterized, and their in vivo efficacy evaluated in apolipoprotein E deficient mice 24 h after bolus administration of a 3.9-mg Fe/kg dose with MRI. In vivo imaging data were correlated with the presence of oxidation-specific epitopes with immunohistochemistry. Results MRI of atherosclerotic lesions, as manifested by signal loss, was observed after administration of targeted LUSPIOs. Immunohistochemistry confirmed the presence of malondialdehyde-epitopes and iron particles. Limited signal attenuation was observed for untargeted LUSPIOs. Additionally, no significant arterial wall uptake was observed for targeted or untargeted lipid-coated superparamagnetic iron oxide particles, due to their limited ability to penetrate the vessel wall. Conclusions This study demonstrates that LUSPIOs targeted to oxidation-specific epitopes image atherosclerotic lesions and suggests a clinically translatable platform for the detection of atherosclerotic plaque.

Noninvasive hemodynamic assessment enhanced the identification of high-risk plaques that subsequently caused ACS. The integration of noninvasive hemodynamic assessments may improve the identification of culprit lesions for future ACS. (Exploring the Mechanism of Plaque Rupture in Acute Coronary Syndrome Using Coronary CT Angiography and Computational Fluid Dynamic [EMERALD]; NCT02374775).

The prevalence of GERD, uninvestigated dyspepsia and IBS were 3.5%, 11.7% and 2.2% respectively, in the Korean population. The health-related quality of life was significantly impaired in subjects with GERD, uninvestigated dyspepsia and IBS in this community.