Analytical performance evaluation of the scanning capillary tube viscometer for measurement of whole blood viscosity.

Background: Whole blood viscosity (WBV) is the resistance of blood flow in blood vessels. Increased WBV may be a cardiovascular risk factor. The proper screening of WBV can help the early detection of cardiovascular disease.

Performances of four fourth-generation human immunodeficiency virus-1 screening assays.

Fourth-generation human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) screening assays have improved sensitivity, but vary in performance characteristics. The purpose of this study was to evaluate four different fourth-generation HIV-1 assays. These assays included the AxSYM HIV Ag/Ab Combo (Abbott diagnostics, Delkenheim, Germany), ARCHITECT HIV Ag/Ab Combo (Abbott), Elecsys 2010 HIV Combi (Roche Diagnostics GmbH, Mannheim, Germany), and Elecsys HIV Combi PT (Roche).

The role of failure modes and effects analysis in showing the benefits of automation in the blood bank.

Background: Failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA) is a risk management tool used by the manufacturing industry but now being applied in laboratories.

Study Design And Methods: Teams from six South Korean blood banks used this tool to map their manual and automated blood grouping processes and determine the risk priority numbers (RPNs) as a total measure of error risk.

Results: The RPNs determined by each of the teams consistently showed that the use of automation dramatically reduced the RPN compared to manual processes.

Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria with deletion of chromosome 13q (q12q14): a case report and review of the literature.

A normal karyotype is usually present in cases of classic paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), whereas chromosomal abnormalities involving chromosome bands 13q12 to 13q14 (13q12q14) are frequently found in various hematologic malignancies, including chronic lymphoblastic leukemia (CLL) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Here, we present a case of a 55-year-old male patient with PNH who had a deletion of chromosome 13q [del(13q)]. He presented with cough, fever, and pancytopenia.

[Effects of A-solution on halitosis and oral status in preoperative NPO patients].

Purpose: The aim of this study was to explore the effects of A-solution on halitosis and oral status in preoperative NPO patients.

Methods: A nonequivalent control group, non-synchronized pretest-posttest design was used in this study. The participants in this study were 66 patients who were admitted for gynecologic surgery.

Synthesis and characterization of a (68)Ga-labeled N-(2-diethylaminoethyl)benzamide derivative as potential PET probe for malignant melanoma.

Radiolabeled benzamides have been reported to be attractive agents for targeting malignant melanoma as they bind melanin and display high accumulation in melanoma cells. Herein, we report the synthesis and bioevaluation of a novel (68)Ga-labeled benzamide as a potential PET agent for malignant melanoma. The novel radiotracer was synthesized in good radiochemical yields (80% decay corrected yield) and high specific radioactivity (10 GBq/μmol).

Synthesis and evaluation of a novel 68Ga-labeled DOTA-benzamide derivative for malignant melanoma imaging.

Malignant melanoma displays a highly aggressive metastasis. Thus, early diagnosis of malignant melanoma is important for patient survival. We designed and synthesized a novel (68)Ga-labeled benzamide derivative that specifically binds to melanoma as demonstrated by its ability to bind to melanin.

Prevalence and management of pain by different age groups of Korean cancer patients.

The aims of this study were to evaluate the differences in cancer prevalence and pain management between young and elderly patients. The patients were grouped into 3 groups. The prevalence of cancer pain was 50.

Fecal carriage of extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae in Korean community and hospital settings.

Purpose: The assessment and early recognition of risk factors for infections due to extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-E) are important for infection control and proper treatment. The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of fecal carriage of ESBL-E in healthy individuals and hospitalized high-risk patients in Korea and to compare the characteristics of ESBL-E in these two groups.

Methods: A total of 384 samples from 290 healthy individuals and 94 high-risk patients were collected.

Risk factors of cesarean delivery at prenatal care, admission and during labor in low-risk pregnancy: multivariate logistic regression analysis.

Aim: Risk assessment for cesarean delivery is not a one-time assessment, but rather a procedure that continues throughout pregnancy and labor. The objective of this study was to develop models to determine risk factors of cesarean delivery in three stages in low-risk pregnancy.

Material And Methods: The period from pregnancy to childbirth was divided into three stages, including prenatal care, admission and labor.

Effects of Oketani Breast Massage on Breast Pain, the Breast Milk pH of Mothers, and the Sucking Speed of Neonates.

Purpose: This study was done to test the effects of Oketani breast massage on breast pain and breast milk pH of mothers, and sucking speed of neonates.

Methods: A nonequivalent control group and a pretest-posttest design was used. Postpartum mothers complaining of breast pain were recruited at a postpartum care center.

A novel sLRP6E1E2 inhibits canonical Wnt signaling, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, and induces mitochondria-dependent apoptosis in lung cancer.

Aberrant activation of the Wnt pathway contributes to human cancer progression. Antagonists that interfere with Wnt ligand/receptor interactions can be useful in cancer treatments. In this study, we evaluated the therapeutic potential of a soluble Wnt receptor decoy in cancer gene therapy.

Fluorescent 2-styrylpyridazin-3(2H)-one derivatives as probes targeting amyloid-beta plaques in Alzheimer's disease.

Amyloid plaques, which are primarily composed of aggregated amyloid-beta (Aβ) peptide, are the neuropathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Fluorescent markers containing 2-styrylpyridazin-3(2H)-ones were developed to detect intracellular aggregated Aβ peptides. Nine compounds exhibited a greater than 10-fold increase of in emission spectra before and after mixing with Aβ aggregates compared with before mixing.

Design, synthesis, and anti-influenza viral activities of 1,3-diarylprop-2-en-1-ones: a novel class of neuraminidase inhibitors.

A series of 1,3-diarylprop-2-en-1-one derivatives 3a-v have been synthesized and evaluated for their ability to inhibit neuraminidase (NA). Among the prepared compounds, the less lipophilic derivative 3k showed the most potent in vitro inhibitory activity against NA with an IC(50) value of 1.5 μM.

A unique histone deacetylase inhibitor alters microRNA expression and signal transduction in chemoresistant ovarian cancer cells.

Previously, we demonstrated potent antineoplastic activity of a distinctive histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACI), AR42, against chemoresistant CP70 ovarian cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Here, in follow-up to that work, we explored AR42 global mechanisms-of-action by examining drug-associated, genome-wide microRNA and mRNA expression profiles, which differed from those of the well-studied HDACI vorinostat. Expression of microRNA genes in negative correlation with their "target" coding gene (mRNA) transcripts, and transcription factor genes with expression positively correlated with coding genes having their cognate binding sites, were identified and subjected to gene ontology analyses.

Comparison of two leukocyte reduction filters for whole blood derived platelets.

Background: Leukocyte reduction filters are widely used for platelet transfusion therapy, and effective leukocyte removal is mandatory for transfusion safety. We evaluated both the performance of leukocyte reduction filters for platelets and the effect of filtration on platelet function.

Methods: A total of 100 pooled products (eight platelet concentrates were randomly pooled for each product) were used in this study: 50 were filtered by BioP-plus (Fresenius Kabi AG, Homburg, Germany) and 50 by PXL-8 (Pall Corporation, East Hills, NY, USA).

Genetic modification of human adipose-derived stem cells for promoting wound healing.

Background: Diverse growth factors secreted from human adipocyte-derived stem cells (hASCs) that support or manage adjacent cells have been studied for therapeutic potentials to a variety of pathological models. However, senescent growth arrest in hASCs during in vitro culture and subsequent defective differentiation potential, have been technical barriers to further genetic modification of hASCs for functional improvement.

Objective: We investigated the feasibility of long-term hASC culture to enhance their therapeutic use.

Generating nearly single-cycle pulses with increased intensity and strongly asymmetric pulses of petawatt level.

Generation of petawatt-class pulses with a nearly single-cycle duration or with a strongly asymmetric longitudinal profile using a thin plasma layer are investigated via particle-in-cell simulations and the analytical flying mirror model. It is shown that the transmitted pulses having a duration as short as about 4 fs (1.2 laser cycles) or one-cycle front (tail) asymmetric pulses with peak intensity of about 10^{21}W/cm^{2} can be produced by optimizing system parameters.

Thyroid transcription factor 1, a homeodomain containing transcription factor, contributes to regulating periodic oscillations in GnRH gene expression.

Thyroid transcription factor 1 (TTF1), a member of the Nkx family of transcription factors required for basal forebrain morphogenesis, functions in the postnatal hypothalamus as a transcriptional regulator of genes encoding neuromodulators and hypophysiotrophic peptides. One of these peptides is gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH). In the present study, we show that Ttf1 mRNA abundance varies in a diurnal and melatonin-dependent fashion in the preoptic area of the rat, with maximal Ttf1 expression attained during the dark phase of the light/dark cycle, preceding the nocturnal peak in GnRH mRNA content.

Distribution of CD4+ CD25 high FoxP3+ regulatory T-cells in umbilical cord blood.

Objective: This study aimed to establish reference intervals for lymphocyte subsets including CD4(+)CD25(high)FoxP3(+) regulatory T-cells (Tregs) in umbilical cord blood.

Methods: Umbilical cord blood was obtained after birth from 120 healthy full-term neonates, who were born between November 2010 and November 2011. Lymphocyte subsets including Tregs were analysed using flow cytometer (Beckman Coulter, Fullerton, CA, USA), and the reference intervals were defined using non-parametrical percentile methods according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standard Institute guideline (C28-A3).

Kr-pok increases FASN expression by modulating the DNA binding of SREBP-1c and Sp1 at the proximal promoter.

Kr-pok (kidney cancer-related POZ domain and Krüppel-like protein) is a new proto-oncogenic POZ-domain transcription factor. Fatty acid synthase gene (FASN) encodes one of the key enzymes in fatty acids synthesis and is the only enzyme that synthesizes fatty acids in cancer cells. Sp1 and SREBP-1c are the two major transcription activators of FASN.

Isothermal target and probe amplification for Mycobacterium tuberculosis identification from broth cultures.

Setting: Various methods are used to identify Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC) from broth cultures. The isothermal target and probe amplification (iTPA) method has recently been introduced as a simple and cost-effective molecular assay.

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of the iTPA method.

Pre- and post-transfusion testing for hepatitis B virus surface antigen and antibody in blood recipients: a single-institution experience in an area of high endemicity.

Background: Hepatitis B remains the most common transfusion-transmitted viral infection. We explored the current status of pre-transfusion screening and post-transfusion follow-up testing for hepatitis B virus (HBV) surface antigen (HBsAg) and antibodies (anti-HBs) in blood recipients from an area of high HBV endemicity.

Methods: A total of 7,780 blood recipients were transfused with at least 1 unit of blood component at a single university hospital in Korea between January 2006 and December 2009.

KR-POK interacts with p53 and represses its ability to activate transcription of p21WAF1/CDKN1A.

Transcriptional regulation by p53 is thought to play a role in its ability to suppress tumorigenesis. However, there remain gaps in understanding about how p53 regulates transcription and how disrupting this function may promote cancer. Here we report a role in these processes for the kidney cancer-related gene KR-POK (ZBTB7C), a POZ domain and Krüppel-like zinc finger transcription factor that we found to physically interact with p53.