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Background: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have reported that water exchange (WE) produced the highest adenoma detection rate (ADR) but did not evaluate right colon adenoma detection rate (rADR) as a primary outcome and only one of the trials employed blinded colonoscopists. The aim of our study was to determine whether, compared with air insufflation, WE significantly increases rADR and right colon serrated lesion detection rate (rSLDR) and decreases adenoma miss rate (rAMR). Methods: This prospective, double-blind RCT was conducted at a regional hospital in Taiwan between December 2015 and February 2020. Standard WE and air insufflation were performed. After cecal intubation, the second blinded endoscopist examined the right colon and obtained rADR (primary outcome) and rSLDR. Then, the primary colonoscopist reinserted the scope to the cecum with WE in both groups and performed a tandem examination of the right colon to obtain rAMR. Results: There were 284 patients (50.9% male, mean age 58.9 ± 9.4 years) who were randomized to WE (n = 144) or air insufflation (n = 140). The baseline characteristics were similar. The rADR (34.7% vs. 22.3%, p = 0.025), Boston Bowel Preparation Scale scores (mean, 2.6 ± 0.6vs. 2.2 ± 0.6, p < 0.001), rSLDR (18.1% vs. 7.1%, p = 0.007), and rAMR (31.5% vs. 45.2%, p = 0.038) were significantly different between WE and air insufflation. Conclusions: The current study demonstrated a significantly higher rADR and rSLDR with the WE method performed by blinded colonoscopists. The impact of the significant findings in this report on the occurrence of interval cancers deserves to be studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Formaldehyde is one of the hazardous indoor air pollutants which have harmful effects on humans, domestic animals, and environmental health. The goal of this study was to synthesize a Pt/Al2O3 coated on granular activated carbon (GAC), which is easily recoverable and can be used as an absorbent for formaldehyde removal from polluted indoor air. Moreover, the Pt/Al2O3 catalyst could achieve complete and stable HCHO oxidation at ambient temperature. The characteristic properties of the Pt/Al2O3/GAC sample were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectrometer, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller techniques. The Pt/Al2O3/GAC catalyst was investigated to determine the catalytic performance with regard to formaldehyde (HCHO) oxidation under different face velocity and initial formaldehyde concentration applicable to a building environment. It was revealed that the removal capacity of Pt/Al2O3 catalyst reached a maximum of 2.23 mg g−1 during 0.1 m s−1 face velocity and 0.75 ppm HCHO inlet concentration. Among zero-, first- and second-order reaction kinetic model, the correlation coefficient of the first-order reaction kinetic model (0.7948 < R2 < 0.9249) and second-order reaction kinetic model (0.6056 < R2 < 0.8146) is lower than zero-order reaction kinetic model (0.9352 < R2 < 0.9921) of Pt/Al2O3 catalyst. The oxidation kinetic of HCHO was well fitted with the zero-order reaction for Pt/Al2O3 catalyst. This study provides some instructions for the design and manufacture of environmentally harmless and cost-effective catalysts with excellent catalytic oxidation properties to remove HCHO at room temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Byline: D. Tsao, Y. Shiau, C. Tseng, H. Chang Purpose: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common malignant liver tumor. To reduce the mortality and improve the effectiveness of therapy, [...]