Review for 10.1186/s12876-016-0540-2 (2016)

Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: The dual role of Escherichia coli in t he course of ulcerat ive colitis  
 
Version: 0 Date: 16 Nov 2015  
 
Reviewer: Yue Li  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
This is a translational study to investigate the protective role of E. coli in the course of ulcerative 
colitis and its un derlying mechanism. This study is well organized, but some details of Methods 
need to be further described, the length of this article would be better if shortened, as well as the 
written English is not suitable for publish.  
 
 
 
- Revisions  
 
 
Page 4, backgr ound, Line 51  
 
"Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic non -specific inflammation of the colon, occurring most 
 commonly in the rectum, which can be spread in a continuous manner, for the further segments. 
 "   
Please reword this sentence.  
 
 
Page 4, backgroun d, Line 52  
 
"Bloody diarrhea" and "rectal bleeding" is referring the same symptom.  
 
 
Page 6, Materials and methods, Line 100  
 
To describe the severity by Mayo score, not " high degrees", consider use " severe" instead of 
"high".  
 
 
Page 6, Materials and methods, Line 102  
 
Please specify if any specific method was used to avoid contamination during biopsy of the 
colon tissue.  
 
 
 
Page 6, Materials and methods, Line 105 -106 
 
This sentence needs to be reworded.  
 
 
 
Results:  
 
Do the authors th ink the strains typing of E.coli will add more significance to this study? There is 
no related data in this study, please address this.  
 
 
Discussion:  
 
Need to address the limitations of this study.  
 
 
 
 
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
No 
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Unable to assess  
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the d ata shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
No 
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manuscript or would you recommend an  
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please specify what aspects require further  
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
 
Not relevant to this manuscript  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Not suitable for publication unless extensively edited  
 
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering  the following questions:  
 
1. Have you in the past five years received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an  
organisation that may in any way gain or lose financially from the publication of this  
manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation that may in any way gain or lose  
financially from the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
3. Do you hold or are you currently applying for any patents relating to the content o f the  
manuscript?  
 
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an organization that 
holds  or has applied for patents relating to the content of the manuscript?  
 
5. Do you have any other financial competing interests?  
 
6. Do you have any  non-financial competing interests in relation to this paper?  
 
If you can answer no to all of the above, write 'I declare that I have no competing interests' 
below.  If your reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
I declare that I have no competing interests  
 
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on my report to the authors and, if the manuscript is accepted for publication, my named report  
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