Improved detectability of small-bowel lesions via capsule endoscopy with computed virtual chromoendoscopy: A pilot study

Objective. Real-time video capsule endoscopy (CE) with flexible spectral imaging color enhancement (FICE) improves visibility of small-bowel lesions. This article aims to clarify whether CE-FICE also improves detectability of small-bowel lesions. Patients and methods. A total of 55 patients who underwent CE at Hiroshima University Hospital during the period November 2009 through March 2010 were enrolled in the study. Five patients were excluded from the study because residues and transit delays prevented sufficient evaluation. Thus, 50 patients participated. Two experienced endoscopists (each having interpreted more than 50 capsule videos) analyzed the images. One interpreted conventional capsule videos; the other, blinded to interpretation of the conventional images, interpreted CE-FICE images obtained at settings 1-3 (setting 1: red 595 nm, green 540 nm, blue 535 nm; setting 2: red 420 nm, green 520 nm, blue 530 nm; setting 3: red 595 nm, green 570 nm, blue 415 nm). Lesions were classified as angioectasia, erosion, ulceration, or tumor. Detectability was compared between the two modalities. Time taken to interpret the capsule videos was also determined. Results. Seventeen angioectasias were identified by conventional CE; 48 were detected by CE-FICE at setting 1, 45 at setting 2, and 24 at setting 3, with significant differences at settings 1 and 2 (p = 0.0003, p < 0.0001, respectively). Detection of erosion, ulceration, and tumor did not differ statistically between conventional CE and CE-FICE, nor did interpretation time (conventional CE 36 ± 6.9 min; CE-FICE setting 1, 36 ± 6.4 min; setting 2, 38 ± 5.8 min; setting 3, 35 ± 6.7 min). Conclusions. CE-FICE is superior in the lesion detection in comparison with conventional CE and improves detection of angioectasia

Outcome of patients who have undergone total enteroscopy for obscure gastrointestinal bleeding

AIM: To assess the diagnostic success and outcome among patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding who underwent total enteroscopy with double-balloon endoscopy

Broad Detection of Diverse H5 and H7 Hemagglutinin Genes of Avian Influenza Viruses by Real-Time Reverse Transcription-PCR Using Primer and Probe Sets Containing Mixed Bases▿ †

Real-time reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) was developed for broad detection of diverse H5 and H7 genes in Eurasian and American lineages of avian influenza viruses by using primer and probe sets containing mixed bases. Optimal use of the mixed bases enabled us to minimize sequence mismatches and to broaden the gene detection spectrum without decreasing sensitivity

Use of Reverse Transcriptase PCR To Subtype N1 to N9 Neuraminidase Genes of Avian Influenza Viruses▿

Reverse transcriptase PCR designed to amplify the N1 to N9 neuraminidase (NA) genes of avian influenza viruses detected 118 of the 119 NA genes tested (99.2%) in a subtype-specific manner. This technique successfully subtyped all 167 recent avian influenza viruses isolated from birds. Subtype specificity was confirmed by sequence analyses of all 285 PCR products

Molecular Assembly and Ferroelectric Response of Benzenecarboxamides Bearing Multiple −CONHC₁₄H₂₉ Chains

Five simple benzenecarboxamide (<b>BC</b>) derivatives bearing multiple −CONHC₁₄H₂₉ chains<i>N</i>,<i>N</i>′-bis­(tetradecyl)-1,4-benzenedicarboxamide (<b>2BC</b>), <i>N</i>,<i>N</i>′,<i>N</i>″-tri­(tetradecyl)-1,3,5-benzenetricarboxamide (<b>3BC</b>), <i>N</i>,<i>N</i>′,<i>N</i>″,<i>N</i>″-tetra­(tetradecyl)-1,2,4,5-benzenetetracarboxamide (<b>4BC</b>), <i>N</i>,<i>N</i>′,<i>N</i>″,<i>N</i>‴,<i>N</i>⁗-penta­(tetradecyl)­benzene­pentacarboxamide (<b>5BC</b>), and <i>N</i>,<i>N</i>′,<i>N</i>″,<i>N</i>‴,<i>N</i>⁗,<i>N</i>⁗′-hexa­(tetradecyl)­benzenehexacarboxamide (<b>6BC</b>)were examined in terms of their molecular assemblies in solution, organogels, liquid crystals, and solids as well as their phase transition behavior and dielectric responses. The molecular assemblies of compounds <b>3BC</b>–<b>6BC</b> were dominated by the intermolecular N–H∼O= hydrogen-bonding interactions along the π-stacking directions and formed one-dimensional π-stacking nanofibers. The excellent organogelation characteristics of compound <b>3BC</b> were observed in common organic solvents such as ethanol, acetonitrile, acetone, and <i>N</i>,<i>N</i>-dimethylformamide, whereas compounds <b>4BC</b> and <b>6BC</b> formed organogels in hexane and/or toluene. Mechanical fraying of the three-dimensional entangled nanofibers in the organogel state resulted in a two-dimensional cobweb-like nanofiber network, where the typical height and width of each nanofiber on the substrate surface were ca. 3.5 and 200 nm, respectively. A single nanofiber was constructed by a π-stacking column through intermolecular N–H∼O= hydrogen-bonding interactions, of which the hexagonal arrangement resulted in ordered hexagonal columnar (Col_ho) discotic liquid crystalline phases for compounds <b>3BC</b>–<b>6BC</b>. Both of the intercolumnar and intracolumnar distances in the Col_ho phase were linearly increased according to the number of −CONHC₁₄H₂₉ chains. The temperature- and frequency-dependent dielectric constants of compounds <b>2BC</b>–<b>6BC</b> in cast-films revealed dielectric anomalies around the solid to Col_ho phase transition temperatures due to thermally activated molecular motion. Polarization–electric field (<i>P</i>–<i>E</i>) curves of compounds <b>2BC</b>, <b>3BC</b>, and <b>5BC</b> in the mesophases showed hysteretic behavior with ferroelectric ground states, whereas paraelectric behavior with linear <i>P</i>–<i>E</i> dependence was observed for compounds <b>4BC</b> and <b>6BC</b>