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.

Specific locations of linear furrows in patients with esophageal eosinophilia.

Background And Aim: Linear furrows are the most frequently found endoscopic abnormality in patients with esophageal eosinophilia (EE); however, the precise endoscopic features remain to be fully elucidated. Here, we aimed to clarify the endoscopic features of EE, essential for the diagnosis of eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), by focusing on the specific locations of linear furrows in a Japanese population.

Methods: We enrolled 70 cases with EE (≥15 eosinophils/high-power field) who were diagnosed at our hospital and related facilities.

A report of three cases of exophytic gastrointestinal stromal tumor detected by transabdominal ultrasound.

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most common submucosal tumors of the stomach. GISTs are often detected by esophagogastroduodenal endoscopy (EGD). However, the exophytic GIST type is relatively rare and difficult to detect by EGD.

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.

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.

Effects of Rikkunshito (TJ-43) on Esophageal Motor Function and Gastroesophageal Reflux.

Background/aims: Rikkunshito (TJ-43), an herbal medicine, has been demonstrated to relieve gastroesophageal reflux symptoms. However, the effects of TJ-43 on esophageal motor functions have not been fully determined. This double-blind crossover study was performed to investigate the effects of TJ-43 on esophageal motor functions and gastroesophageal reflux.

[A case of hepatic angiosarcoma detected as a small lesion].

A 72-year-old man visited for imaging examination of alcoholic cirrhosis in April 2007. Enhanced CT images were revealed a 7 mm early enhanced lesion in segment 6 of the liver. The lesion was increased gradually to 40 mm on MRI images 21 months later.

Usefulness of catheterless radiotelemetry pH monitoring system to examine the relationship between duodenal acidity and upper gastrointestinal symptoms.

Background And Aim: To clarify the usefulness of a newly designed method for measuring intraduodenal pH to examine the relationship between duodenal acidity and upper gastrointestinal symptoms during intragastric acid infusion.

Methods: The study subjects were six healthy volunteers. A Bravo pH capsule with thread fixed to the gastric wall was endoscopically introduced into the second portion of the duodenum, and intraduodenal acidity was measured during intragastric infusion of 300 mL of 0.

Effects of mosapride on esophageal functions and gastroesophageal reflux.

Background And Aim: A substantial number of patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease show symptomatic resistance to high-dose proton pump inhibitors. In those cases, prokinetics are possible candidates for treatment. The aim of the present study was to determine whether mosapride, a prokinetic agent, stimulates esophageal functions, and prevents acidic and non-acidic gastroesophageal reflux.

Effects of anti-hypertensive drugs on esophageal body contraction.

Aim: To clarify the effects of anti-hypertensive drugs on esophageal contraction and determine their possible relationship with gastro-esophageal reflux disease.

Methods: Thirteen healthy male volunteers were enrolled. Esophageal body peristaltic contractions and lower esophageal sphincter (LES) pressure were measured using high resolution manometry.

Half-solidification of nutrient does not decrease gastro-esophageal reflux events in patients fed via percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy.

Background & Aims: Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube feeding is widely used for patients with swallowing dysfunction, and aspiration pneumonitis induced by reflux of gastric contents is one of the most frequent and life-threatening events in such patients. We performed this study to clarify the effect of half-solidification of nutrient on gastro-esophageal reflux (GER) of acidic and non-acidic gastric contents in patients with PEG.

Methods: The subjects were 14 elderly patients undergoing PEG feeding (female: 11, mean age 83.

Esophageal epithelial surface in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease: an electron microscopic study.

Aim: To investigate the intercellular spaces between the most superficially located esophageal epithelial cells in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

Methods: Eighteen patients with erosive esophagitis, 10 patients with non-erosive reflux disease (NERD), and 18 normal asymptomatic volunteers were enrolled. Biopsy specimens were obtained from the lower esophageal mucosa without ulcer or erosion.

Helicobacter pylori infection does not accelerate the age-related progression of arteriosclerosis: a 4-year follow-up study.

Background And Aim: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection has been reported to correlate with the onset of cardiovascular diseases. However, the relationship between H.

[Prevalence of gastro-esophageal reflux disease in patients who attended the emergency room].

Background And Aims: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a well-known important cause of non-cardiac chest pain (NCCP). It has been shown that in western countries this condition can be in 22-66% of the cases. However, this situation is unclear in Japanese hospitals.

[QOL of Japanese patients with GERD].

Gastroesophageal reflux disease(GERD) has been reported to be a pathological condition that decreases quality of life(QOL) of patients because of the various troublesome symptoms. To measure QOL, generic and disease specific instruments have been used in western countries. In Japan, some of these instruments are translated into the Japanese and are used for the measurement of QOL of various diseases.

Comments from the Developmental Neurotoxicology Committee of the Japanese Teratology Society on the OECD Guideline for the Testing of Chemicals, Proposal for a New Guideline 426, Developmental Neurotoxicity Study, Draft Document (October 2006 version), and on the Draft Document of the Retrospective Performance Assessment of the Draft Test Guideline 426 on Developmental Neurotoxicity.

In October 2006, a new revision of the draft guideline (OECD Guideline for the Testing of Chemicals, Proposal for a New Guideline 426. Developmental Neurotoxicity Study) and Draft Document of the Retrospective Performance Assessment (RPA) of the Draft Test Guideline 426 on Developmental Neurotoxicity were distributed following incorporation of the results of the Expert Consultation Meeting in Tokyo on May 24-26, 2005. The draft guideline consists of 50 paragraphs and an appendix with 102 references; and the draft RPA consists of 37 paragraphs with 109 references.

Comments from the Behavioral Teratology Committee of the Japanese Teratology Society on OECD guideline for the testing of chemicals, proposal for a new guideline 426, developmental neurotoxicity study, draft document (September 2003).

In September 2003, a new revision of the draft guideline (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development [OECD] Guideline for the Testing of Chemicals, Proposal for a New Guideline 426, Developmental Neurotoxicity Study) was distributed. The draft guideline consists of 51 paragraphs and an appendix. The National Coordinators were requested to arrange national expert reviews of the guideline proposal in their member countries.

Sequential morphological changes of erythrocyte apoptosis in Xenopus larvae exposed to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD).

We previously demonstrated that 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin treatment of Xenopus laevis during the early stages of life induces apoptosis in larval erythrocytes (Sakamoto et al., 1997). In the present study, an examination of these cells at the ultrastructural level was undertaken to elucidate the sequential morphological changes that occur during apoptosis.

Localization of Erythropoietin and Erythropoietin-Receptor in Postimplantation Mouse Embryos: (erythropoietin/erythropoietin receptor/universal morphogen/neurogenesis/mouse embryo).

We used RT-PCR (reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction) and immunocytochemical methods to demonstrate the presence of erythropoietin (Ep) and its receptor (EpR) in postimplantation mouse embryos from the egg-cylinder to the unturned stage. Expression of mRNA for EpR was detected in total RNA from embryos and decidua in all these stages, but Ep mRNA was confined to embryos in the primitive streak stage and beyond and was not detected in the decidua. Staining of Ep and EpR was seen in all tissues, embryo proper and extra-embryonic.