Clinical Significance of Fecal Lactoferrin and Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction in Patients with Acute Diarrhea.

Background/aims: The diagnostic yield of fecal leukocyte and stool cultures is unsatisfactory in patients with acute diarrhea. This study was performed to evaluate the clinical significance of the fecal lactoferrin test and fecal multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in patients with acute diarrhea.

Methods: Clinical parameters and laboratory findings, including fecal leukocytes, fecal lactoferrin, stool cultures and stool multiplex PCR for bacteria and viruses, were evaluated prospectively for patients who were hospitalized due to acute diarrhea.

Effects of the ABCG2 and ABCB1 drug transporter polymorphisms on the pharmacokinetics of bicalutamide in humans.

Backgrounds: Bicalutamide is an oral non-steroidal anti-androgen used in the treatment of prostate cancer. Drug transporters P-glycoprotein encoded by ABCB1 and breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP) encoded by ABCG2 are involved in the transportation of bicalutamide and its treatment failure. We evaluated the roles of ABCB1 and ABCG2 genetic polymorphisms in the pharmacokinetics of bicalutamide in humans.

Multiplex pyrosequencing method to determine CYP2C9*3, VKORC1*2, and CYP4F2*3 polymorphisms simultaneously: its application to a Korean population and comparisons with other ethnic groups.

Warfarin is an anticoagulant that is difficult to administer because of the wide variation in dose requirements to achieve a therapeutic effect. CYP2C9, VKROC1, and CYP4F2 play important roles in warfarin metabolism, and their genetic polymorphisms are related to the variability in dose determination. In this study we describe a new multiplex pyrosequencing method to identify CYP2C9*3 (rs1057910), VKORC1*2 (rs9923231), and CYP4F2*3 (rs2108661) simultaneously.

Brief education on microvasculature and pit pattern for trainees significantly improves estimation of the invasion depth of colorectal tumors.

Objectives. This study was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of education for trainees on the gross findings identified by conventional white-light endoscopy (CWE), the microvascular patterns identified by magnifying narrow-band imaging endoscopy (MNE), and the pit patterns identified by magnifying chromoendoscopy (MCE) in estimation of the invasion depth of colorectal tumors. Methods.

A comparative study of the effects of inhibitory cytokines on human natural killer cells and the mechanistic features of transforming growth factor-beta.

The major factors and mechanisms by which natural killer (NK) cells are inhibited in cancer patients have not yet been well defined. In this study, we conducted a comparative analysis of the effects of TGF-β, IL-10, and IL-4 on primary NK cells, and it was demonstrated that (1) TGF-β most potently inhibited the overall function of NK cells. (2) It appears that TGF-β reduced the tyrosine phosphorylation of Syk and the expression of c-myc.

Fluid balance in late preterm infants with prenatal gastrointestinal pathology -a report of two cases-.

Intestinal obstruction was diagnosed in two fetuses at maternal antenatal care. Both received emergency surgery on the day of their birth, at about 35 weeks gestational age. The disease progressed for a long time in both cases because prompt diagnosis and surgery are difficult to perform in utero.

Influence of ABCB1 and CYP3A5 genetic polymorphisms on the pharmacokinetics of quetiapine in healthy volunteers.

Background And Objectives: Quetiapine is an atypical antipsychotic drug used to treat schizophrenia and acute episodes of mania. Quetiapine is metabolized by CYP3A enzymes including CYP3A5 and is a substrate of P-glycoprotein, an efflux drug transporter encoded by the ABCB1 gene. We assessed the effects of ABCB1 [c.

The comparison of feasibility and safety on fiberoptic guided intubation under conscious sedation with remifentanil and propofol.

Background: Oropharyngeal manipulation is problematic when patients have a gag reflex. Sedation can suppress gag reflex, but can cause serious airway problems. We compared remifentanil (Group R) and propofol (Group P) in terms of cooperation and loss of gag reflex, while drugs were administered incrementally using target controlled infusion (TCI).

SLCO2B1 genetic polymorphisms in a Korean population: pyrosequencing analyses and comprehensive comparison with other populations.

SLCO2B1, also known as OATP2B1 (Organic Anion Transporter) or OATP-B or SLC21A9, is an organic anion uptake transporter that is encoded by the SLCO2B1 gene. In this study we assessed the frequencies of SLCO2B1 polymorphisms in a Korean population using newly developed pyrosequencing methods and compared their frequencies with those in other ethnic groups. We developed pyrosequencing methods to identify the following six SLCO2B1 non-synonymous polymorphisms: c.

Crohn's Disease Initially Accompanied by Deep Vein Thrombosis and Ulnar Neuropathy without Metronidazole Exposure.

Extraintestinal manifestations are not uncommon in Crohn's disease, and a thromboembolic event is a disastrous potential complication. Deep vein thrombosis is the most common manifestation of a thromboembolic event and typically occurs in association with active inflammatory disease. Peripheral neuropathy in Crohn's disease has rarely been reported and is considered an adverse effect of metronidazole therapy.

Single-molecule surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy: a perspective on the current status.

This perspective presents an overview of single-molecule surface-enhanced Raman scattering (sm-SERS). Our overview is organized as a brief theoretical background, discussion of the factors that enhance SERS, various experimental preparations for inserting a single molecule in a hot spot, recent sm-SERS experiments, and a perspective. Although, there have been numerous review papers on sm-SERS, we mainly concentrated on the logical development of sm-SERS on the basis of the fundamental concepts and their physical significance, so that readers outside this field can understand the motivation and the underlying physics when describing current sm-SERS measurements.

High-precision measurement-based correlation studies among atomic force microscopy, Rayleigh scattering, and surface-enhanced Raman scattering at the single-molecule level.

We investigated the correlations among the structure, Rayleigh scattering, and single-molecule surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) of DNA-tethered Au-Ag core-shell nanoparticles, especially in dimer and trimer forms. For the optimal correlation measurements, accurate information on the position of the nanoparticle is crucial for locating the nanoparticle at the center of the excitation source for the optical measurements. To achieve this, we developed a multistep correlation strategy that enables us to unambiguously correlate the AFM images with optical images within a few nanometers.

An acute postoperative intractable hyperventilation after an endoscopic third ventriculostomy.

This report describes a rare case of postoperative hyperventilation attack after an endoscopic third ventriculostomy in a 46-year-old woman. About 60 min after the termination of the operation, an intractable hyperventilation started with respiratory rate of 65 breaths/min and EtCO(2), 16.3 mm Hg.

Anesthetic management of non-cardiac surgery with adult onset type of cor triatriatum sinister -A case report-.

A 45-year-old woman with cor triatriatum sinister was admitted for laparoscopic resection of an ovarian tumor. Her medical history was benign with the exception of a single episode of syncope one year ago. A 1.

Functional MRI findings showing cortical reorganization in a patient with type 2 complex regional pain syndrome: A case report.

The patients suffering with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) reveal sensory, motor and autonomic abnormalities. The pathogenesis of CRPS is poorly understood. Some recent studies have reported that the functional magnetic resonance image (fMRI) findings support that cortical reorganization occurred in the patients with CRPS.