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The electrical and electrochemical characteristic of pyrolized fly ash, which has a porous structure, is investigated for use as an electrode active material in rechargeable batteries. The investigation shows that electrodes of pyrolized fly ash show good stability and high Coulombic efficiency in charge-discharge cycles of LiClO4/PC.

The optical reflection, electrical conductivity, and magnetoconductance of porous opal carbon replicas, which have a periodic nanoscale structure, are studied. The results of the study indicate that the electrical and optical properties can be controlled by pyrolysis technique and porous graphite can be obtained.

Background: The purpose of this study is to assess the usefulness of continuous bowel decompression using an indwelling transanal tube (ITT) for preoperative management in infants with long-segment (L)- or total (T)-type Hirschsprung's disease (HD)., Case Presentation: Between 2012 and 2015, seven patients with L- or T-type HD underwent preoperative bowel management by continuous bowel decompression using an ITT during waiting period for curative surgery. Continuous bowel decompression was done using an ITT, a 10-12F flexible dual lumen tube placed through the rectum up to the dilated colon under fluoroscopic guidance and secured to the bilateral buttocks. The ITT tips were located at least in a dilated colon or the cecum if there was no radiographic transitional zone. The ITT was left open for continuous drainage, and its patency was checked by regular suction until the curative operation. The patient status and complications of this preoperative management were reviewed retrospectively., Results: The median duration of decompression management was 65 (17-137) days. During decompression period, neither abdominal distention, enterocolitis, nor other complications occurred and six patients could stay at home until the curative operation. The weight-for-age Z-score at curative surgery was the same as or higher than that at birth in five patients. ITT replacement was needed three times per patient on an average for accidental ITT removal, ITT stenosis, or ITT hardening., Conclusions: Bowel management by continuous bowel decompression using an ITT is easy, safe, and effective for preoperative management in patients with L- or T-type HD and may permit single-stage surgery rendering colostomy or enterostomy unnecessary.

Roasted stem tea has a characteristic flavour, which is obtained by roasting tea stems, by-product of green tea production. This research aims to understand the characteristic odorants in roasted stem tea by comparing it to roasted leaf tea. We revealed potent odorants in commercial roasted stem tea using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and gas chromatography-olfactometry with aroma extract dilution analysis (AEDA). The difference between roasted stem and leaf tea derived from the same tea plants were investigated using GC-MS. Pyrazine compounds exhibited a roasted odour and high flavour dilution (FD) factors, as determined via AEDA. Roasted stem tea was richer in these pyrazines than roasted leaf tea. Geraniol and linalool exhibited high FD factors and a floral odour, and roasted stem tea was richer in these compounds than roasted leaf tea. These results may have a positive impact on the development of tea products., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Pediatric surgeons currently engage in various abdominal vascular surgeries, which sometimes require vascular conduits or grafts. Herein, we report our experience with patients undergoing vascular reconstruction using a recanalized umbilical vein (rUV) and their long-term outcome., Method: Five patients with extrahepatic portal vein obstruction (EHPVO) underwent mesenterico-/porto-left portal vein (PV) bypass surgery using a short rUV conduit with an interposition vein graft. A sixth neonate with a huge hepatic tumor underwent PV reconstruction with anastomosis of rUV to the proximal PV stump following right hepatectomy with partial PV resection. A seventh patient underwent living donor liver transplantation for recurrent hepatoblastoma. The hepatic inferior vena cava (IVC) was resected because of tumor involvement and reconstructed by transposition of the infrahepatic IVC and interposition of rUV obtained from the donor liver graft., Results: Sufficient flow through rUV was achieved and maintained in all patients without any complications during follow-up (0.7-6.9 years). Esophageal varices, splenomegaly, and other laboratory test abnormalities because of portal hypertension disappeared after surgery in patients with EHPVO., Conclusion: Our experience confirmed the usefulness and long-term patency of rUV as an entry to the intrahepatic PV and as a free vascular graft to reconstruct PV or IVC.

Sake is made from steamed rice, malted rice, and water. Sake production begins with the preparation of a small-scale starter (moto); the quality of moto significantly influences the flavor and richness of sake. In the traditional starter, yamahai-moto, the growth of naturally occurring lactic acid bacteria represses the putrefactive micro-organisms, whereas in the modern starter, sokujo-moto, this is achieved by adding lactic acid. In this study, the successive change in bacterial flora of yamahai-moto was analyzed by pyrosequencing 16S ribosomal RNA genes. Lactobacillus was dominant throughout the process (93-98%). Nitrate-reducing bacteria that have been generally assumed to be the first colonizers of yamahai-moto were scarcely found in the early stage, but Lactobacillus acidipiscis dominated. Lactobacillus sakei drastically increased in the middle stage. This is the first report, though one case study, to show how the early stage microbiota in Japanese yamahai-moto is varyingly controlled without nitrate-reducing bacteria using next-generation sequencing.

Background: Very low-birthweight (VLBW) infants (VLBWI) are at increased risk for surgical intestinal disorders including necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), focal intestinal perforation (FIP) and meconium-related ileus (MRI). The aim of this study was to identify disease-specific risk factors for surgical intestinal disorders in VLBWI., Methods: A retrospective multicenter case-control study was conducted at 11 institutes. We reviewed VLBWI who underwent laparotomy for intestinal disorders including perforation and intractable bowel obstruction. The surgical disorders were classified into four categories (NEC, FIP, MRI, others) based on the macroscopic findings at operation. In order to identify risk factors, two matched controls for each subject were chosen based on gestational age and birthweight. OR and 95%CI were calculated using a conditional logistic regression model and a multivariate model., Results: A total of 150 cases (NEC, n = 44; FIP, n = 47; MRI, n = 42; others, n = 17) and 293 controls were identified. The cases and controls were similar in terms of gestational age and birthweight (cases/controls, 26.7 ± 2.5/26.5 ± 2.6 weeks; 790 ± 256/795 ± 257 g). On multivariate modeling, disease-specific risk factors were as follows: female (OR, 0.23; 95%CI: 0.06-0.89), respiratory distress syndrome (OR, 35.7; 95%CI: 2.48-514) and patent ductus arteriosus (OR, 10.9; 95%CI: 1.51-79.3) for NEC; outborn delivery (OR, 5.47; 95%CI: 1.48-20.2) for FIP; and twin pregnancy (OR, 4.25; 95%CI: 1.06-17.1), PROM (OR, 6.85; 95%CI: 1.33-35.4) and maternal steroid (OR, 0.23; 95%CI: 0.07-0.79) for MRI., Conclusions: Different risk factors were identified for NEC, FIP and MRI, suggesting that each disease has a different etiology, and that different strategies are required to prevent these diseases., (© 2015 Japan Pediatric Society.)

Purpose: To demonstrate the outcome of external lengthening for long-gap esophageal atresia (LGEA) at our hospitals., Methods: Five patients with LGEA underwent external lengthening between 2010 and 2014 (group A), and 11 patients with LGEA underwent other lengthening techniques between 1990 and 2011 (group B). We compared the procedure and outcome between these two groups., Results: The mean birth weight was 2001 g in group A and 2485 g in group B (p = 0.06). The mean age at esophageal reconstruction was 28 days in group A and 227 days in group B (p = 0.03). Although primary esophageal anastomosis without myotomy was feasible in all patients in group A, a myotomy was needed for primary esophageal anastomosis in half of the patients in group B. Anastomotic leakage occurred in none in group A and in six patients in group B (p = 0.03). The mean age at the establishment of full oral feeding was 76 days in group A and 686 days in group B (p = 0.009)., Conclusion: External traction for LGEA can effectively lengthen the esophagus to enable primary anastomosis at an earlier age. This may facilitate oral intake.

Background: Surgical intestinal disorders, such as necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), focal intestinal perforation (FIP), and meconium-related ileus (MRI), are serious morbidities in very low-birthweight infants (VLBWI). The aim of this study was to compare the composite outcomes of death or neurodevelopmental impairment (NDI) in VLBWI with surgical intestinal disorders and assess independent risk factors for death and NDI at 18 months of corrected age., Methods: A retrospective matched-cohort study was conducted at 11 institutes. We included VLBWI who had undergone laparotomy for NEC, FIP, and MRI. Two control subjects were chosen for every surgical patient and matched for gestational age and birthweight to form the comparison group. Death and neurodevelopmental outcome at 18 months of corrected age were evaluated., Results: The number of infants in the NEC, FIP, MRI, and control groups was 44, 47, 42, and 261, respectively. In-hospital mortality was higher in infants with NEC and MRI relative to those in the control group (P < 0.001). The incidence rate for NDI at 18 months of corrected age was higher in infants with MRI relative to those in the control group (P = 0.021). On logistic regression analysis, low gestational age, male sex, small for gestational age, intraventricular hemorrhage, and MRI were associated with increased risk of death or NDI at 18 months of corrected age., Conclusions: NEC and MRI were associated with in-hospital mortality, and MRI was associated with NDI or death at 18 months of corrected age., (© 2015 Japan Pediatric Society.)

Type IV laryngotracheoesophageal cleft (LTEC) is a rare congenital anomaly that is associated with high morbidity and mortality despite various forms of surgical repair. This article presents our strategy for surgical management of type IV LTECs using a combination of lateral thoraco-cervical and laryngoscopic approaches.

A 48-year-old woman was hospitalized because of severe thrombocytopenia, leg edema, and fever. Intravenous immunoglobulin therapy was administered, but no efficacy was obtained. Her bone marrow was dry-tap, and fibrosis was found in the biopsy specimens. A positron emission tomographic study showed FDG-avid lymphadenopathy and hepatomegaly. Biopsy specimens of axillary lymph nodes showed Castleman's disease-like findings. Since she then developed severe proteinuria and massive pleural effusion, steroid therapy was started, providing temporary relief of symptoms other than the thrombocytopenia. However, rapid worsening of her general condition prompted us to attempt rituximab as salvage therapy. The pleural effusion, edema, and proteinuria disappeared soon after starting rituximab administration. Platelet counts also normalized and fibrosis of the bone marrow showed amelioration. Recently, a variant of multicentric Castleman's disease, termed the TAFRO syndrome, has been proposed, and our patient's features fit the diagnosis of this syndrome. Rituximab might be considered as a therapeutic option in such cases.