Association between metabolic syndrome and prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease in a health screening facility in Japan.

Background: Abdominal fat accumulation, which induces high intra-abdominal pressure that causes increase in the gastroesophageal pressure gradient and hiatal hernia, as well as obesity, has been shown to increase the prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). This study was performed to clarify the association between metabolic syndrome and the prevalence of GERD.

Methods: The study subjects were an adult population who visited a medical center for annual medical check-ups from April 2010 to March 2011.

Efficacy of half-solid nutrient for the elderly patients with percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy.

Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube feeding is widely used for patients with swallowing dysfunction and a history of repeated aspiration pneumonitis. However, liquid nutrient feeding via percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy is not effective enough to prevent aspiration pneumonitis and related inflammatory responses. We performed this prospective multi-centre study to clarify the efficacy of half-solidification of nutrients to prevent fever possibly caused by aspiration pneumonitis in elderly patients with percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy.

A study of arteriosclerosis in healthy subjects with HBV and HCV infection.

Background: It is unclear whether infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) affects arteriosclerosis. We performed a cross-sectional study to clarify the effect of HBV and HCV infection on arteriosclerosis.

Methods: The study subjects were 1806 healthy individuals who visited Shimane Environment and Health Public Corporation for routine medical check-ups.

Comparative study of nizatidine and famotidine for maintenance therapy of erosive esophagitis.

Background: The therapeutic effect of combined administration of prokinetics and histamine H2 receptor antagonists (H2RA) in gastroesophageal reflux disease is reported to be superior to that of monotherapy with H2RA alone. In addition to its acid-suppressing effect, the H2RA nizatidine also has a prokinetic action by suppressing acetylcholine esterase. The present multicenter, randomized controlled study was performed to investigate whether nizatidine is superior to famotidine, which does not suppress acetylcholine esterase activity, in maintenance therapy for erosive esophagitis.

New scheme for positron accumulation in ultrahigh vacuum.

A new positron accumulation scheme compatible with ultrahigh vacuum conditions has been developed, which is realized by preparing a high density electron plasma as high as approximately 10(11) cm(-3) and an ion cloud as energy absorbers. The present accumulation rate normalized by the intensity of 22Na positron source is (3.6+/-0.

Symptom relief in patients with reflux esophagitis: comparative study of omeprazole, lansoprazole, and rabeprazole.

Background And Aim: Rabeprazole has a faster onset of antisecretory activity than omeprazole and lansoprazole. The aim of the present study was to clarify whether there is any difference in the speed of symptom relief in patients with reflux esophagitis following the administration of these three proton pump inhibitors (PPI).

Methods: Eighty-five patients with erosive reflux esophagitis were randomized to receive 8 weeks of 20 mg of omeprazole (n = 30), 30 mg of lansoprazole (n = 25), or 20 mg of rabeprazole (n = 30) once a morning.

Morphological changes in the rat exocrine pancreas after pancreatic duct ligation.

In the present study, morphological changes of the exocrine pancreas in rats after pancreatic duct ligation were examined with light microscopy (hematoxylin-eosin, TUNEL, and PCNA staining) and scanning electron microscopy in order to elucidate the effects of increased pancreatic duct pressure. On the fifth day after pancreatic duct ligation, ductular proliferation, periductal fibrosis, and disappearance of acini were observed. TUNEL and PCNA staining demonstrated many apoptotic acinar cells and proliferating ductal cells immediately after ligation, which reached a maximal number on the 2nd or 3rd day.

Fine reconstruction of the pancreatic ductular system at the onset of pancreatitis.

The three-dimensional structure of the pancreatic ductular system (from the intercalated duct to the intercellular secretory canaliculus) is controversial and unclear. The aim of this study is to reveal the three-dimensional structure of the pancreatic ductular sysytem at the onset of pancreatitis. One day following rat pancreatic duct ligation, dilated lumina from the pancreatic ductular system were reconstructed by light microscopic and scanning electron microscopic examination of pancreatic tissue serial sections.

Efficacy of ecabet sodium for Helicobacter pylori eradication triple therapy in comparison with a lansoprazole-based regimen.

Background: The cytoprotective agent, ecabet sodium, inhibits urease activity and growth of Helicobacter pylori.

Aim: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of ecabet sodium-based eradication of H. pylori infection, compared with a lansoprazole-based regimen, in a randomized multicentre study.

Activity-dependent neural tissue oxidation emits intrinsic ultraweak photons.

Living organisms have been known to spontaneously emit ultraweak photons in vivo and in vitro. Origin of the photon emission remains unclear, especially in the nervous system. The spontaneous ultraweak photon emission was detected here from cultured rat cerebellar granule neurons using a photomultiplier tube which was highly sensitive to visible light.

Efficacy of sucralfate for Helicobacter pylori eradication triple therapy in comparison with a lansoprazole-based regimen.

Background: Sucralfate has an inhibitory action against Helicobacter pylori and enhances the anti-H. pylori activity of antimicrobials.

Aim: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of sucralfate-based eradication therapy for H.

Role of hepatitis B virus in non-B, non-C chronic liver disease: in vitro proliferation and interferon-gamma production of peripheral blood mononuclear cells in response to hepatitis B core antigen and its relation to hepatitis activity.

Objective: Although hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA has been detected in the sera of patients with chronic liver disease with neither hepatitis B surface antigen nor antihepatitis C virus antibody (non-B, non-C [NBNC] CLD), whether HBV has some pathogenic role in NBNC CLD has not been made clear.

Methods: To investigate the significance of HBV DNA in NBNC CLD, we performed in vitro stimulation assays of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in response to hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg) in 17 NBNC CLD patients.

Results: HBV DNA with an 8-nucleotide deletion in the core promoter region was detected in 13 (76%) of the 17 patients by nested polymerase chain reaction.

Laparoscopic observations of hepatic capsular abnormalities: non-postoperative adhesions and hepatic capsular thickening.

Background: Hepatic capsular abnormalities (adhesions or thickening) are often striking at laparoscopy. However, their diagnosis is difficult because capsular abnormalities can also be caused by several pathologic conditions. The aim of this study was to systematically investigate the associated factors and prevalence of laparoscopically observed non-postoperative adhesions and hepatic capsular thickening.

Serologically silent hepatitis B virus coinfection in patients with hepatitis C virus-associated chronic liver disease: clinical and virological significance.

Frequent coinfection of surface antigen-negative hepatitis B virus (silent HBV) in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-associated chronic liver disease (CLD) has been reported. The clinical and virological significance of silent HBV infection was investigated in 65 patients with HCV-associated CLD who subsequently received interferon (IFN) therapy. HBV DNA was detected in 34 (52.

The morphological changes of exocrine pancreas in chronic pancreatitis.

The following changes were found by either light or electron microscopic observation of the pancreas in spontaneously developed chronic pancreatitis models (WBN/Kob rats, spontaneously hypertensive rats, and rats with common bile-pancreatic duct stones) and in experimental models of chronic pancreatitis (alcoholic pancreatitis, ischemic pancreatitis, and obstructive pancreatitis): 1) the units of lobules, which were constituted by acinar cell deletion, ductular proliferation, and fibrosis; and 2) tortuous or helical ductal channels of pancreatic ducts with periductal fibrosis, which had many crater-like depressions and very long cilia in their inner surface. These are considered to be the results of obstructive pancreatitis, which are caused by the reactions of defensive factors against the increase of pancreatic duct pressure, including the apoptosis of acinar cells, the hyperplasia and hypertrophy of duct cells, a tighter junctional complex of duct cells, and periductal fibrosis.

Laparoscopic fenestration in combination with ethanol sclerotherapy prevents a recurrence of symptomatic giant liver cyst.

Laparoscopic fenestration in combination with ethanol sclerotherapy of the cyst wall was performed in four patients with symptomatic giant solitary liver cyst. Two of these patients had recurrent liver cysts, which were resistant to simple laparoscopic fenestration. After the combination therapy, none of the cysts recurred during follow-up periods ranging from 11 to 33 months.

Laparoscopic observations of congenital anomalies of the liver.

Background: A good knowledge of acquired morphologic changes and congenital anomalies requires precise understanding of pathologic conditions of the visceral organs. The aim of the present study was to systematically investigate the types and frequencies of laparoscopically observed congenital anomalies of the liver.

Methods: We studied congenital anomalies observed laparoscopically in 1802 consecutive patients who underwent laparoscopy from 1981 to 1994.

Effectiveness of interferon-alpha therapy in chronic hepatitis C is associated with the amount of interferon-alpha receptor mRNA in the liver.

Background/aims: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between interferon-alpha receptor mRNA in the liver and the response to interferon therapy in chronic hepatitis C.

Methods: Interferon-alpha receptor mRNA was quantified by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction using liver biopsies from 40 patients, comprising 20 responders and 20 non-responders to subsequent interferon therapy.

Results: The amount of interferon-alpha receptor mRNA was significantly larger in interferon-responders (0.

Intrahepatic expression of pro-inflammatory cytokine mRNAs and interferon efficacy in chronic hepatitis C.

To investigate the relationship between intrahepatic cytokine expression and interferon (IFN) response in chronic hepatitis C [CH(C)], interleukin (IL)-1 beta, -2, -4, -6, -8, interferon (IFN)-gamma, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and TNF-beta mRNAs were investigated semiquantitatively by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction using serial liver biopsies taken before and after IFN-alpha treatment from 24 patients with CH(C), including 12 responders and 12 non-responders. Before IFN treatment, IL-2, TNF-beta, IFN-gamma and IL-8 mRNA were associated with severe hepatitis activity whereas IL-4 mRNA was associated with weak hepatitis activity, regardless of IFN response. IL-2, TNF-beta and IFN-gamma mRNAs were significantly greater in IFN non-responders.