In 2019, the World Journal of Gastroenterology (WJG) has published the 1^st issue which containing 9 articles including 4 reviews, and 5 original articles, contributed by scientists worldwide. Among these comprehensive articles are (1) “Endoscopic foregut surgery and interventions: The future is now. The state-of-the-art and my personal journey”, a frontier by Kenneth J Chang, MD, FACG, FASGE, Professor, from Gastroenterology and Hepatology Division, H.H. Chao Comprehensive Digestive Disease Center, University of California, Irvine Medical Center, United States; (2) “Endoscopic trans-esophageal submucosal tunneling surgery: A new therapeutic approach for diseases located around the aorta ventralis”, a Basic Study by En-Qiang Ling Hu, MD, PhD, Chief Doctor, Professor, et al from Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, China; and (3) “Usefulness of urinary trypsinogen-2 and trypsinogen activation peptide in acute pancreatitis: A multicenter study in Japan”, a Retrospective Study by Hiroaki Yasuda, MD, PhD, Doctor, Senior Lecturer, et al from Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Japan, etc. We invite you to peruse all 9 articles in this issue, as they present the latest research progress/findings and provide insightful comments in gastroenterology and hepatology that will guide basic research and clinical practice in these fields.

This journal is an open-access journal which allows free immediate access to all full-text articles. For details, please visit: Volume 25, Issue 1, January 7, 2019.

Figure 1 The cover of the issue. Kenneth J Chang, FACG, FASGE, MD, Professor, Gastroenterology and Hepatology Division, H.H. Chao Comprehensive Digestive Disease Center, University of California, Irvine Medical Center, Orange, CA 92868, United States.

We encourage gastroenterologists and hepatologists worldwide to submit manuscripts to the WJG describing their original basic or clinical research findings that are of high academic value and which report new diagnostic techniques or summarize their treatment experiences.

We invited the readers to download and read the E-Journal of this issue.