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The effects of ultrasonic wave irradiation on cell growth and the formation of ethanol and other volatile components in the fermentation process were investigated. The fermentation periods were reduced to 50–64% in wine, beer, and sake made from saccharified rice solution when weak ultrasonic waves were irradiated at 30 mW/cm2; the total intensity was 590 mW. YEPD medium fermented by a combination of optimal thermal trajectory control and continuous ultrasonic irradiation yielded a concentration of isoamylacetate about 2.5 times greater than the maximum concentration under isothermal conditions (20°C). Irradiation had virtually no effect when the dissolved carbon dioxide concentration (DCO2) was maintained at a level lower than the experimental value of Bunsen's CO2 absorption coefficient. Therefore, it is suggested that irradiation accelerates the formation of ethanol and other components mainly by decreasing DCO2.

Addition of 1,3,5-triethynylbenzene or 1,2,4,5-tetraethynylbenzene to a reaction system containing π-conjugated oligomeric poly(arylene ethynylene) gives polymers with very high molecular weights, which are considered to have star-type structures. The polymers exhibit a photoluminescence peak at 457 ± 2 nm with a quantum yield of 35 ± 4%.

thickness, presence of inflammatory fat and lymph nodes, in addition to peak contrast enhancement (PE), measured on a logarithmic scale. Endoscopy was scored using validated simple endoscopic score (SES) and/or Rutgeert's score (Ri) in post-operative patients. Responders were identified as those with global improvement on sonography, while nonresponders failed to improve. Median peak enhancement was calculated and compared at time 0 and 6 months using a Wilcoxon signed-rank test, and each measure was compared to gold standard endoscopy. Results: 50 patients have been recruited to date with n=36 included in this analysis (n=14 excluded given drop out, missing data or in progress). Based on sonographic assessment, there were n=20 (56%) ADA responders and n=14 (39%) nonresponders. Median CEUS PE showed a significant decline from time point zero to 6 mo (p=

Background: Eradication therapy for Helicobacter pylori-related chronic gastritis was approved for coverage by the Japanese national insurance in February 2013. Therefore, the use of eradication therapy has rapidly increased in Japan. The primary eradication rate of H. pylori using the 7-day triple therapy has gradually decreased in recent years. Drug resistance to clarithromycin (CAM), poor treatment compliance, and smoking are factors associated with eradication failure. A recent study showed that combination of eradication agents is useful for increasing eradication success, because combination treatments are prepared using daily dosages on one sheet. In our study, we prospectively compared the eradication rate in patients receiving conventional therapy with three drugs to that in patients receiving combination therapy. Patients and methods: Between July 2012 and September 2013, we included 276 patients (147 men and 129 women; mean age, 62.2 years) with H. pylori-positive peptic ulcers and gastritis. Combination therapy (Lansap®; lansoprazole 30 mg plus amoxicillin 750 mg plus CAM 200 mg) was administered to 54 patients twice a day for 7 days, and conventional therapy (omeprazole 20 mg or esomeprazole 20 mg or rabeprazole 20 mg plus amoxicillin 750 mg plus CAM 200 mg) was administered to 221 patients as individual drugs twice a day for 7 days. The 13C-urea breath test was used to confirm the eradication of H. pylori at least 6 weeks after the completion of eradication therapy. Patients who had undergone H. pylori eradication therapy in the past and patients who used proton pump inhibitors and antibiotics within 4 weeks were excluded. Results: No significant difference was observed in the background criteria of patients between the combination group and conventional group. The eradication rate (per protocol analysis) in the combination group was 90.3% (47/52), which was significantly different from that in the conventional group (74.9%; 161/215; p< 0.01). In addition, the eradication rate in intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis was significantly higher in the combination group (85.4%, 47/55) than in the conventional group (72.8%, 161/221; p< 0.01). No significant difference was observed in the incidence of adverse drug reactions (such as diarrhea, dysgeusia, and eruption) between the two groups (combination group 4.1%; conventional group 4.7%). Conclusions: Our study suggested that combination therapy with eradication agents is more useful for successful eradication of H. pylori than conventional therapy, although the primary eradication rate has decreased in Japan in the recent years. The underlying reason for the decrease in the primary eradication rate might be greater compliance to combination therapy.

Background: Eradication therapy for Helicobacter pylori-related chronic gastritis was approved for coverage by the Japanese national insurance in February 2013. Therefore, the use of eradication therapy has rapidly increased in Japan. The primary eradication rate of H. pylori using the 7-day triple therapy has gradually decreased in recent years. Drug resistance to clarithromycin (CAM), poor treatment compliance, and smoking are factors associated with eradication failure. A recent study showed that combination of eradication agents is useful for increasing eradication success, because combination treatments are prepared using daily dosages on one sheet. In our study, we prospectively compared the eradication rate in patients receiving conventional therapy with three drugs to that in patients receiving combination therapy. Patients and methods: Between July 2012 and September 2013, we included 276 patients (147 men and 129 women; mean age, 62.2 years) with H. pylori-positive peptic ulcers and gastritis. Combination therapy (Lansap®; lansoprazole 30 mg plus amoxicillin 750 mg plus CAM 200 mg) was administered to 54 patients twice a day for 7 days, and conventional therapy (omeprazole 20 mg or esomeprazole 20 mg or rabeprazole 20 mg plus amoxicillin 750 mg plus CAM 200 mg) was administered to 221 patients as individual drugs twice a day for 7 days. The 13C-urea breath test was used to confirm the eradication of H. pylori at least 6 weeks after the completion of eradication therapy. Patients who had undergone H. pylori eradication therapy in the past and patients who used proton pump inhibitors and antibiotics within 4 weeks were excluded. Results: No significant difference was observed in the background criteria of patients between the combination group and conventional group. The eradication rate (per protocol analysis) in the combination group was 90.3% (47/52), which was significantly different from that in the conventional group (74.9%; 161/215; p< 0.01). In addition, the eradication rate in intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis was significantly higher in the combination group (85.4%, 47/55) than in the conventional group (72.8%, 161/221; p< 0.01). No significant difference was observed in the incidence of adverse drug reactions (such as diarrhea, dysgeusia, and eruption) between the two groups (combination group 4.1%; conventional group 4.7%). Conclusions: Our study suggested that combination therapy with eradication agents is more useful for successful eradication of H. pylori than conventional therapy, although the primary eradication rate has decreased in Japan in the recent years. The underlying reason for the decrease in the primary eradication rate might be greater compliance to combination therapy.

Aim: To determine the prevalence of colorectal adenoma in asymptomatic Hong Kong Chinese 40 to 49 years with and without a first-degree relative with colorectal cancer. Methods: We performed colonoscopy in consecutive asymptomatic subjects 40 to 49 years of age who voluntarily participated in this screening program. Lesions seen during colonoscopy examination were removed. An advanced neoplasm was defined as an adenoma at least 10mm in diameter, with villous histologic features, severe dysplasia, or a cancer. The junction between splenic flexure and descending colon defined proximal and distal location. Results: One thousand and five subjects underwent screening colonoscopy over a twenty eight month period. Of them 1001 (Men 377, Mean age [SD] 44.9 [2.8]) had a complete examination; 690 (68.9%) subjects had no detectable lesions, 177 (17.7%) had tubular adenomas, 109 (10.9%) had hyperplastic polyps and 25 (2.5%) (95 percent confidence interval 1.5% to 3.5%) had advanced neoplasm including 3 invasive cancers. Eighteen of 25 (72%) advanced neoplasms were located in the distal colon. A family history (one first degree relative with colorectal cancer diagnosed below 60 years of age) was present in 216 subjects. The number needed to treat to detect an advanced neoplasm was 40 (95 percent confidence interval 29 to 67). Factors predictive of the presence of any adenoma were male sex (OR 1.47, 95% confidence interval 1.06 to 2.05, p=0.0231) and age (OR 1.08, 95% confidence interval 1.01 to 1.14, p=0.019). Having a first-degree relative with colorectal cancer was not predictive of an advanced neoplasm (OR 1.7, 95% confidence interval 0.7-4.1, p=0.205) Conclusions : In asymptomatic Hong Kong Chinese between 40 to 49 years of age, the incidence of advanced neoplasm was low. The findings of invasive cancers however raise concern over the current screening recommendation.

(AIM) The aim of this studywas to establish a method for evaluating duodenal hypersensitivity conveniently and non-invasively in clinical practice for the pathogenesis of functional dyspepsia (FD). (MATERIALS AND METHODS) The ethics committee of our hospital approved this study, and informed consent was obtained from all patients with FD and healthy volunteers. Fourty-two patients with FD (sixteen men, mean age 50.7 years old) and nine healthy volunteers (three men, mean age 32.2 years old) were enrolled, and underwent transnasal endoscopy in the morning after overnight fasting. After ordinary transnasal endoscopy, an infusion tube was positioned in the duodenal bulb by transnasal endoscopy and acid (36.5°C, 0.1N HCl, 20ml, 20ml/minute) was injected via the infusion tube. The severity of twelve symptoms was assessed by each subject using a 10 cm visual analogue scale (VAS) from the start of infusion of acid till thirty minutes later. The maximum severity scale was defined as the maximum score of the symptom severity scale. The VAS was set at 0 mm before the duodenal infusion of acid. The total score was defined as the aggregate score of the maximum severity scale of the twelve symptoms. The differences in the rate of incidence of dyspeptic symptoms, the maximum severity scales and the total scores between patients with FD and healthy volunteers were evaluated. (RESULTS) The rate of incidence of dyspeptic symptoms of patients with FD and healthy volunteers after acid infusion were 85.7% and 66.7% respectively. The maximum severity scales of a heavy feeling in the stomach, nausea or feeling sick, bloating, belching, cramping pain in the stomach, dull pain in the stomach, prickling pain in the stomach, tickling or tingling in the throat, feeling that something is stuck in the throat, sour or bitter taste and early satiety significantly increased after acid infusion of patients with FD than after that of healthy volunteers (P