Gastric Flat Elevated Undifferentiated Signet-ring Cell Mucosal Cancer Lesion Detected in a Case without Helicobacter pylori Infection.

Protruded signet-ring cell carcinoma (SRCC) is extremely rare. We herein report a rare case of flat elevated gastric SRCC in a patient without Helicobacter pylori infection. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy of a woman in her 50s revealed a flat, whitish lesion in the gastric body with elevation.

A multicenter prospective study of the treatment and outcome of patients with gastroduodenal peptic ulcer bleeding in Japan.

Gastroduodenal peptic ulcers are the main cause of nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB). We believe that recent advances in endoscopic techniques and devices for diagnosing upper gastrointestinal tract tumors have advanced hemostasis for UGIB. However, few prospective multicenter studies have examined how these changes affect the prognosis.

Usefulness of Practitioner-Led Pancreatic Cancer Screening.

The 5-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer has improved (10%) but remains worse than that for other cancers. Early pancreatic cancer diagnosis is challenging, and delayed diagnosis can delay treatment, which impairs survival. Practitioners do not promptly refer cases to a general hospital, causing delayed discovery.

Endoscopic placement of covered versus uncovered self-expandable metal stents for palliation of malignant gastric outlet obstruction.

Objective: Stenting is an established endoscopic therapy for malignant gastric outlet obstruction (mGOO). The choice of stent (covered vs uncovered) has been examined in prior randomised studies without clear results.

Design: In a multicentre randomised prospective study, we compared covered (CSEMS) with uncovered self-expandable metal stents (UCSEMS) in patients with mGOO; main outcomes were stent dysfunction and patient survival, with subgroup analyses of patients with extrinsic and intrinsic tumours.

Postpolypectomy bleeding of colorectal polyps in patients with continuous warfarin and short-term interruption of direct oral anticoagulants.

Background And Aims: Postpolypectomy bleeding (PPB) is the most common adverse event after colorectal polypectomy. Use of anticoagulants is an important risk factor for PPB. This study aimed to evaluate PPB in patients receiving treatment with warfarin and direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs).

Relationship between colonic diverticulosis and colon neoplasms in Japanese patients.

Background And Aim: Colonic diverticulosis (CD) has been reported to be associated with presence of colon neoplasms (CNs) in Western patients, since most of the associated risk factors are common between them. However, such correlation has not been fully investigated in Asian patients. In this study, the association of CNs with CD was evaluated in a multicenter investigation.

Prevalence of functional dyspepsia-like symptoms in ulcerative colitis patients in clinical remission and overlap with irritable bowel syndrome-like symptoms.

Quiescent ulcerative colitis (UC) patients often have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)-like symptoms and we recently showed that the prevalence of IBS-like symptoms in UC patients in clinical remission was significantly higher as compared to healthy control subjects. However, the prevalence of functional dyspepsia (FD)-like symptoms in quiescent UC patients remains unknown. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of FD-like symptoms and the overlap with IBS-like symptoms in such patients.

Inter-institutional variations regarding Barrett's esophagus diagnosis.

Background: Barrett's esophagus (BE) is a known precursor for development of esophageal adenocarcinoma and surveillance of affected patients is necessary when cancer progression risk is considered to be high. However, the accuracy of BE diagnosis may not be homogenous among institutions with endoscopy units. We investigated inter-institutional variability by examining the accuracy of endoscopic diagnosis of BE at 4 different hospitals.

Bleeding Risk Related to Upper Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Biopsy in Patients Receiving Antithrombotic Therapy: A Multicenter Prospective Observational Study.

Background: Although antithrombotic agents are widely used for cardiac and cerebrovascular disease prevention, they increase the risk of gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding.

Objective: To examine GI bleeding risk in association with an esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) biopsy performed in patients without cessation of antithrombotic therapy.

Methods: This study was prospectively conducted at 14 centers.

Ranolazine Facilitates Termination of Ventricular Tachyarrhythmia Associated With Acute Myocardial Ischemia Through Suppression of Late I-Mediated Focal Activity.

Background: Ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation (VT/VF) associated with acute myocardial ischemia is the most common cause of sudden cardiac death, but its underlying mechanisms are incompletely understood. It is hypothesized that late Nacurrent (I) contributes to arrhythmogenic activity in ischemic myocardium.

Methods and results: Langendorff-perfused rabbit hearts with regional ischemia in ventricles were optically mapped.

Partial IK1 blockade destabilizes spiral wave rotation center without inducing wave breakup and facilitates termination of reentrant arrhythmias in ventricles.

It has been reported that blockade of the inward rectifier K(+) current (IK1) facilitates termination of ventricular fibrillation. We hypothesized that partial IK1 blockade destabilizes spiral wave (SW) re-entry, leading to its termination. Optical action potential (AP) signals were recorded from left ventricles of Langendorff-perfused rabbit hearts with endocardial cryoablation.

Randomized study of lafutidine vs lansoprazole in patients with mild gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Aim: To compare the clinical efficacy of the second-generation H2RA lafutidine with that of lansoprazole in Japanese patients with mild gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

Methods: Patients with symptoms of GERD and a diagnosis of grade A reflux esophagitis (according to the Los Angeles classification) were randomized to receive lafutidine (10 mg, twice daily) or lansoprazole (30 mg, once daily) for an initial 8 wk, followed by maintenance treatment comprising half-doses of the assigned drug for 24 wk. The primary endpoint was the frequency and severity of heartburn during initial and maintenance treatment.

Therapeutic efficacy of pH-dependent release formulation of mesalazine on active ulcerative colitis resistant to time-dependent release formulation: analysis of fecal calprotectin concentration.

Purpose: Few reports have compared the clinical efficacy of a pH-dependent release formulation of mesalazine (pH-5-ASA) with a time-dependent release formulation (time-5-ASA). We examined whether pH-5-ASA is effective for active ulcerative colitis (UC) in patients resistant to time-5-ASA.

Methods: We retrospectively and prospectively analyzed the efficacy of pH-5-ASA in mildly to moderately active UC patients in whom time-5-ASA did not successfully induce or maintain remission.

Association between sleep disturbances and abdominal symptoms.

Objective: Although gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is known to cause sleep disturbances, the relationships between other abdominal symptoms and sleep disorders have not been clarified. In the present study, we examined the relationships between daytime sleepiness and various abdominal symptoms in a non-clinical population.

Methods: We enrolled 2,936 subjects who visited Matsue Red Cross Hospital for an annual health check examination during a 10-month consecutive period after excluding those with organic gastrointestinal diseases.

Reliability of symptoms and endoscopic findings for diagnosis of esophageal eosinophilia in a Japanese population.

Background/aims: The clinical characteristics of esophageal eosinophilia (EE), which is essential for diagnosis of eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), have not been fully clarified in a Japanese population. The aim of this study was to analyze the reliability of symptoms and endoscopic findings for diagnosing EE in Japanese individuals.

Methods: We prospectively enrolled subjects who complained of esophageal symptoms suggesting EoE and/or those with endoscopic findings of suspected EoE at the outpatient clinics of 12 hospitals.

Prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome-like symptoms in ulcerative colitis patients with clinical and endoscopic evidence of remission: prospective multicenter study.

Objective: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)-like symptoms are often found in ulcerative colitis (UC) patients in remission. However, the prevalence of those symptoms in UC patients with endoscopic evidence of remission shown by mucosal healing remains unknown.

Material And Methods: IBS diagnosis was evaluated by questionnaire results according to the Rome III criteria.

Experimental verification of spoof surface plasmons in wire metamaterials.

In this paper, we experimentally demonstrate the excitation of spoof surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) on a wire-medium metamaterial slab in the microwave region. The spoof SPPs are excited on the opposite side of the slab from the source, which is desirable for applications such as sensing devices. Using the prism coupling method, we verify the excitation of spoof SPPs by measuring the reflection spectrum and near-field enhancement.

Diarrhea caused by proton pump inhibitor administration: comparisons among lansoprazole, rabeprazole, and omeprazole.

Background: The number of patients who require treatment with proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) is increasing in Japan. One of their adverse effects is diarrhea.

Objectives: We investigated the incidence of diarrhea caused by 3 different PPIs: lansoprazole, rabeprazole, and omeprazole.

Comparisons of symptoms reported by elderly and non-elderly patients with GERD.

Background: The characteristics of symptoms reported by elderly patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) have not been fully investigated. We performed this study to clarify these characteristics in elderly patients with GERD.

Methods: The study subjects were 340 Japanese patients with symptoms of heartburn and/or acid regurgitation.

Abdominal symptom-related QOL in individuals visiting an outpatient clinic and those attending an annual health check.

Objective: Quality of life (QOL) impairment of patients who visit an outpatient clinic for abdominal symptoms has not been clarified. We investigated symptom-related QOL impairment that led patients to seek medical care.

Patients And Methods: Abdominal symptom-related QOL was determined using the Izumo scale instrument in 172 patients who visited a clinic for their abdominal symptoms and in 961 healthy subjects who attended an annual health check.

Eosinophilic esophagitis investigated by upper gastrointestinal endoscopy in Japanese patients.

Background: The prevalence of eosinophilic esophagitis (EE) is increasing rapidly in Western countries. Several case series of EE have also been reported in Japan. However, the prevalence of EE in Japanese patients as investigated by upper gastrointestinal endoscopy is unknown.

Verapamil eliminates the hierarchical nature of activation frequencies from the pulmonary veins to the atria during paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.

Background: There is evidence that verapamil promotes the persistence of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF). Little is known about the underlying mechanisms.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of verapamil on dominant frequencies (DFs) in the pulmonary veins (PVs) and atria during paroxysmal AF with reference to its potential arrhythmogenicity.