Prevalence of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy on an electrocardiogram-based pre-participation screening programme in a young male South-East Asian population: results from the Singapore Armed Forces Electrocardiogram and Echocardiogram screening protocol.

Aims: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a leading cause of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in young people in the USA. Pre-participation screening for athletes might reduce the incidence of SCD. In Singapore, military service is compulsory for all young able-bodied male citizens.

The Cleveland Clinic experience with adult hypospadias patients undergoing repair: their presentation and a new classification system.

Objective: • To characterize and categorize adults with hypospadias who presented to our clinic with urethral stricture and fistula to better clarify the presentation, history and intraoperative findings in this heterogeneous group and to better describe the natural history of this anomaly in adulthood.

Patient And Methods: • A retrospective chart review was performed on adults with hypospadias who underwent urethroplasty for urethral stricture, urethrocutaneous fistula, and/or hypospadias repair at Cleveland Clinic between 1993 and 2009. All procedures were performed by a single staff surgeon (K.

[Is body mass index a prognostic factor of survival in colonic cancer? A multivariate analysis].

Introduction: The long-term survival of patients operated on for colonic cancer depends on many factors. Obesity decreases the life expectancy of the general population who suffer from it, but it is not clear whether obesity, measured by the Body Mass Index (BMI), is a prognostic factor of survival for patients operated on for colonic cancer.

Material And Methods: The patients included in this study had TNM stage I, II y III, and were subjected to elective surgery for cancer of the colon in the Girona University Hospital between 1990 and 2001.

Proteome profiling of Epstein-Barr virus infected nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell line: identification of potential biomarkers by comparative iTRAQ-coupled 2D LC/MS-MS analysis.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has been implicated in the development of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), a squamous cell carcinoma with high-occurrence in Southeast Asia and southern China. However, the underlying relationship of EBV and NPC squamous cell remains obscure. In this study, we employ a comparative iTRAQ-coupled 2D LC-MS/MS system to analyze the protein profile of NPC cell line upon EBV infection.

Convalescent plasma treatment reduced mortality in patients with severe pandemic influenza A (H1N1) 2009 virus infection.

Background: Experience from treating patients with Spanish influenza and influenza A(H5N1) suggested that convalescent plasma therapy might be beneficial. However, its efficacy in patients with severe pandemic influenza A(H1N1) 2009 virus (H1N1 2009) infection remained unknown.

Methods: During the period from 1 September 2009 through 30 June 2010, we conducted a prospective cohort study by recruiting patients aged ≥ 18 years with severe H1N1 2009 infection requiring intensive care.

Non-invasive and transdermal measurement of blood uric acid level in human by electroporation and reverse iontophoresis.

The aim of this study was to find out the optimum combination of electroporation (EP) and reverse iontophoresis (RI) on noninvasive and transdermal determination of blood uric acid level in humans. EP is the use of high-voltage electric pulse to create nano-channels on the stratum corneum, temporarily and reversibly. RI is the use of small current to facilitate both charged and uncharged molecule transportation across the skin.

VKORC1 pharmacogenetics and pharmacoproteomics in patients on warfarin anticoagulant therapy: transthyretin precursor as a potential biomarker.

Background: Recognizing specific protein changes in response to drug administration in humans has the potential for the development of personalized medicine. Such changes can be identified by pharmacoproteomics approach based on proteomic technologies. It can also be helpful in matching a particular target-based therapy to a particular marker in a subgroup of patients, in addition to the profile of genetic polymorphism.

Secreted protein profile from HepG2 cells incubated by S(-) and R(+) enantiomers of chiral drug warfarin - An analysis in cell-based system and clinical samples.

Purpose: warfarin is a commonly prescribed oral anticoagulant with narrow therapeutic index. It interferes with the vitamin K cycle to achieve anti-coagulating effects. Warfarin has two enantiomers, S(-) and R(+) and undergoes stereoselective metabolism, with the S(-) enantiomer being more effective.

Metabolomic profiling of cellular responses to carvedilol enantiomers in vascular smooth muscle cells.

Carvedilol is a non-selective β-blocker indicated in the treatment of hypertension and heart failure. Although the differential pharmacological effects of individual Carvedilol enantiomer is supported by preceding studies, the cellular response to each enantiomer is not well understood. Here we report the use of GC-MS metabolomic profiling to study the effects of Carvedilol enantiomers on vascular smooth muscle cells (A7r5) and to shed new light on molecular events underlying Carvedilol treatment.

Surgically corrected urethral diverticula: long-term voiding dysfunction and reoperation rates.

Objectives: To present the largest reported cohort of women with urethral diverticula and to evaluate the surgical outcomes and long-term voiding symptoms after urethral diverticulectomy. Studies evaluating the outcomes after urethral diverticulectomy have been limited by small patient numbers and short-term follow-up.

Methods: Women who had undergone diverticulectomy at our institution from 1996 to 2008 were mailed surveys.

Novel electrogram device with web-based service centre for ambulatory ECG monitoring.

Introduction: Arrhythmias are often intermittent, and a normal electrocardiogram (ECG) may not be diagnostic. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of HeartWave500 (HW), a novel web-based ambulatory ECG monitoring device.

Methods: A total of 120 patients from the National Heart Centre, Singapore were prospectively randomised in a three to one ratio to either HW or a standard transtelephonic (TT) event recorder.

Expanding therapeutic targets in bladder cancer: the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway.

A complex equilibrium of biological signals exists within the human body to regulate normal cellular function and growth. Unfortunately, there are various ways in which disruption of these signaling pathways can result in uncontrollable cell growth--an important element in oncogenesis. In particular, the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway appears to play a central role in the development of multiple cancers, including urothelial cell carcinoma (UCC).

Engineering of glycerol dehydrogenase for improved activity towards 1, 3-butanediol.

The objective of this study was to use protein engineering techniques to enhance the catalytic activity of glycerol dehydrogenase (GlyDH) on racemic 1, 3-butanediol (1, 3-BDO) for the bioproduction of the important pharmaceutical intermediate 4-hydroxy-2-butanone. Three GlyDH genes (gldA) from Escherichia coli K-12, Salmonella enterica, and Klebsiella pneumoniae MGH78578 were shuffled to generate a random mutagenesis library. The nitroblue tetrazolium/phenazine methosulfate high throughput screening protocol was used to select four chimeric enzymes with up to a 2.

Histologic changes associated with false-negative sentinel lymph nodes after preoperative chemotherapy in patients with confirmed lymph node-positive breast cancer before treatment.

Background: A wide range of false-negative rates has been reported for sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy after preoperative chemotherapy. The purpose of this study was to determine whether histologic findings in negative SLNs after preoperative chemotherapy are helpful in assessing the accuracy of SLN biopsy in patients with confirmed lymph node-positive disease before treatment.

Methods: Eighty-six patients with confirmed lymph node-positive disease at presentation underwent successful SLN biopsy and axillary dissection after preoperative chemotherapy at a single institution between 1994 and 2007.

Carbon nanotube composites for glucose biosensor incorporated with reverse iontophoresis function for noninvasive glucose monitoring.

This study aims to develop an amperometric glucose biosensor, based on carbon nanotubes material for reverse iontophoresis, fabricated by immobilizing a mixture of glucose oxidase (GOD) and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) epoxy-composite, on a planar screen-printed carbon electrode. MWCNT was employed to ensure proper incorporation into the epoxy mixture and faster electron transfer between the GOD and the transducer. Results showed this biosensor possesses a low detection potential (+500 mV), good sensitivity (4 microA/mM) and an excellent linear response range (r(2) = 0.

Patterns of altered cortical perfusion and diminished subcortical integrity in posttraumatic stress disorder: an MRI study.

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) accounts for a substantial proportion of casualties among surviving soldiers of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Currently, the assessment of PTSD is based exclusively on symptoms, making it difficult to obtain an accurate diagnosis. This study aimed to find potential imaging markers for PTSD using structural, perfusion, and diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) together.

A preliminary study of the use of bioimpedance in the screening of squamous tongue cancer.

Oral cancers are the 11th most common malignancy reported worldwide, accounting for 3% of all newly diagnosed cancer cases, and one with high mortality ratios among all malignancies. The objective of this study was to study the electrical properties of cancerous tongue tissue (CTT) and normal tongue tissue (NTT). Five tongue cancer patients participated in this study.

Proteomic profiling of cellular responses to Carvedilol enantiomers in vascular smooth muscle cells by iTRAQ-coupled 2-D LC-MS/MS.

Carvedilol is a third-generation beta-blocker, with the S-enantiomer being more active than the R-enantiomer. Clinically, it has been used in the treatment of hypertension, congestive heart failure and angina pectoris. Each enantiomer of Carvedilol exhibits differential pharmacological effects.

Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) regulates cellular proliferation and tumor growth in urothelial carcinoma.

Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling has been associated with aggressive tumor growth in many cancer models, although its role in urothelial carcinoma (UCC) has not been extensively explored. Expression of phosphorylated mTOR (P-mTOR) and a downstream target, ribosomal S6 protein (P-S6), was identified in 74% (90/121) and 55% (66/121) of muscle-invasive UCCs, respectively. P-mTOR intensity and %positive cells were associated with reduced disease-specific survival (P = 0.

Risk of infection after midurethral synthetic sling surgery: are postoperative antibiotics necessary?

Objectives: To review our postoperative infections using single-dose preoperative antibiotics. Midurethral synthetic sling surgery is commonly performed. Postoperative antibiotics are often prescribed and may have some risk of adverse events (AEs).

Kidney tumor location measurement using the C index method.

Purpose: Tumor location assessment is essential to plan nephron sparing kidney surgery. We describe a method to quantify the proximity of kidney tumors to the renal central sinus for reporting and surgical management.

Materials And Methods: Centrality index scoring was done using standard 2-dimensional cross-sectional computerized tomography images in 133 consecutive patients undergoing transperitoneal laparoscopic partial nephrectomy between September 2003 and November 2005.

Increasing Asian American women's research participation: the Asian grocery store-based cancer education program.

Background: Research study participants with diverse characteristics produce the most generalizable outcomes, but recruiting heterogeneous samples is difficult.

Methods: This pilot study tests whether Asian women (N=1079) with diverse language proficiencies, who were personally recruited to one study by a linguistically and culturally aligned recruiter, would enroll in another study with a single mailed invitation in English.

Results: The 134 participants in the second study represented 17.