Helicobacter pylori infection as an independent prognostic factor for locally advanced gastric cancer patients treated with adjuvant chemotherapy after curative resection.

A few studies reported the association between negative Helicobacter pylori infection and poor clinical outcome in resected gastric cancer patients. We investigated the H. pylori infection status and its association with the clinical outcome in 274 locally advanced gastric cancer patients (American Joint Committee on Cancer stage IB: 25, II: 82, IIIA: 80, IIIB: 39 and IV: 48) who underwent adjuvant chemotherapy after curative resection (≥ D2 dissection).

Dobutamine stress echocardiography for evaluating cirrhotic cardiomyopathy in liver cirrhosis.

Background/aims: The blunted ventricular systolic and diastolic contractile responses to physical and pharmacological stress in cirrhosis are termed cirrhotic cardiomyopathy (CCM). CCM has been known to involve multiple defects in the β-adrenergic signaling pathway. The aim of this study was to determine whether cirrhotic patients have blunted cardiac responses to catecholamine stimulation through dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE).

Macitentan (ACT-064992), a tissue-targeting endothelin receptor antagonist, enhances therapeutic efficacy of paclitaxel by modulating survival pathways in orthotopic models of metastatic human ovarian cancer.

Potential treatments for ovarian cancers that have become resistant to standard chemotherapies include modulators of tumor cell survival, such as endothelin receptor (ETR) antagonist. We investigated the therapeutic efficacy of the dual ETR antagonist, macitentan, on human ovarian cancer cells, SKOV3ip1 and IGROV1, growing orthotopically in nude mice. Mice with established disease were treated with vehicle (control), paclitaxel (weekly, intraperitoneal injections), macitentan (daily oral administrations), or a combination of paclitaxel and macitentan.

The clinical outcome of elderly patients with acute pancreatitis is not different in spite of the different etiologies and severity.

The aim of this study was to investigate the overall clinical characteristics of elderly patients with acute pancreatitis. We retrospectively evaluated 227 consecutively enrolled patients who were admitted with acute pancreatitis. The clinical features, the radiological and laboratory data and the clinical outcome were analyzed according to the age groups (≥ 65 years vs.

Single-surgeon experience with transvesicoscopic ureteral reimplantation in children with vesicoureteral reflux.

Objectives: To review our initial experience with transvesicoscopic ureteral reimplantation (TVUR) in children with vesicoureteral reflux and to evaluate the learning curve for the feasibility and reproducibility of TVUR.

Methods: TVUR was performed in 28 consecutive patients with a mean age of 6.0 years.

Role of corticotrophin-releasing factor in the stress-induced dilation of esophageal intercellular spaces.

Corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) plays a major role in coordinating stress responses. We aimed to test whether blocking endogenous CRF activity can prevent the stress-induced dilation of intercellular spaces in esophageal mucosa. Eighteen adult male rats were divided into 3 groups: 1) a non-stressed group (the non-stressed group), 2) a saline-pretreated stressed group (the stressed group), 3) and an astressin-pretreated stressed group (the astressin group).

Consistent interactions between tumor cell IL-6 and macrophage TNF-α enhance the growth of human prostate cancer cells in the bone of nude mouse.

To test the hypothesis that tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) enhance the growth and metastasis of human prostate cancer in the bone, we evaluated the effects of decreasing interleukin-6 (IL-6) production by tumor cells and TAMs in a mouse model of bone metastasis. Human PC-3MM2 cells that produce IL-6 were transfected with lentivirus containing IL-6 small hairpin RNA (shRNA) or nonspecific RNA and injected into the tibias of nude mice treated intraperitoneally every 5days for 5weeks with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), liposomes containing PBS, or liposomes containing clodronate (to decrease the number of macrophages). Transfection of PC-3MM2 cells with IL-6 shRNA significantly decreased cellular expression of IL-6 and the number of TAMs and osteoclasts in bone tumors, which correlated with significant decreases in tumor size, bone lysis, and incidence of lymph node metastasis.

Growth Inhibition and Apoptosis with H31 Metabolites from Marine Bacillus SW31 in Head and Neck Cancer Cells.

Objectives: To determine whether a novel marine micro-organism with anticancer properties, H31, the metabolic product of Bacillus SW31, has anti-tumor effects on head and neck cancer, and potential for apoptotic-enhancing anti-cancer treatment of affected patients.

Methods: The cell viability and apoptosis assays were performed. Changes in the signal pathway related to apoptosis were investigated.

[Evaluation of various formulae for glomerular filtration rate estimation and proposal of new formulae for the Korean population].

Background: Some researchers have questioned the necessity of adjusting glomerular filtration rate (GFR) by body surface area (BSA). We compared the relationship between estimated GFR (eGFR) and radionuclide GFR (rGFR) with or without BSA adjustment by comparing the results obtained using various formulae with those obtained using 2 new proposed formulae.

Methods: A retrospective study was performed using 204 Korean individuals whose GFR had been estimated by the (99m)Tc-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid method between March 2004 and July 2008.

[Comparison between conventional 4 L polyethylene glycol and combination of 2 L polyethylene glycol and sodium phosphate solution as colonoscopy preparation].

Background/aims: Effective bowel preparation is essential for accurate diagnosis of colon disease. We investigated efficacy and safety of 2 L polyethylene glycol (PEG) solution with 90 mL sodium phosphate (NaP) solution compared with 4 L PEG method.

Methods: Between August 2009 and April 2010, 526 patients were enrolled who visited Seoul National University Bundang Hospital for colonoscopy.

Genetic variability in Plasmodium vivax aldolase gene in Korean isolates and the sensitivity of the Binax Now malaria test.

Introduction of rapid malaria diagnostic tests (RDT) initiated numerous field evaluations in various epidemiologic settings. But the efficiency of some RTD kits based on aldolase raised reservations for direct implementation of RDT into clinical settings. We performed Binax Now malaria test in 84 Korean Plasmodium vivax isolates and compared it with the traditional Giemsa stain microscopy test as the reference standard.

Evaluation of Plasmodium vivax ELISA for the blood screen.

Plasmodium vivax malaria is the indigenous strain in the Republic of Korea (ROK). Plasmodium vivax can be transmitted through the transfusions of various blood components, which became a severe problem with the safety of blood transfusions and blood-related products in ROK. We evaluated a P.

Biflavonoids from Torreya nucifera displaying SARS-CoV 3CL(pro) inhibition.

As part of our search for botanical sources of SARS-CoV 3CL(pro) inhibitors, we selected Torreya nucifera, which is traditionally used as a medicinal plant in Asia. The ethanol extract of T. nucifera leaves exhibited good SARS-CoV 3CL(pro) inhibitory activity (62% at 100μg/mL).

Discrepancies in perception of urinary incontinence between patient and physician after robotic radical prostatectomy.

Purpose: Reported incidence of urinary incontinence after a radical prostatectomy (RP) varies between studies. This may be due not only to the definition of incontinence applied, but also how the information is acquired. We investigated the differences in perception of post robot-assisted laparoscopic RP (RALP) urinary incontinence acquired through doctor interviews and patient-reported questionnaires.

In vitro anti-rotavirus activity of polyphenol compounds isolated from the roots of Glycyrrhiza uralensis.

We evaluated the ability of six polyphenols isolated from the roots of Glycyrrhiza uralensis to inactivate rotaviruses, specially G5P[7] and G8P[7]. Upon finding that all polyphenols possessed anti-rotavirus activity, we evaluated whether these properties were attributable to direct inhibition of the binding of rotavirus to cells and/or to inhibition of viral replication. Using the virucidal assay, we found that all six compounds directly inhibited rotavirus binding, with activity being dependent on the type of virus.

Stress-induced alterations in mast cell numbers and proteinase-activated receptor-2 expression of the colon: role of corticotrophin-releasing factor.

This study was performed in order to assess whether acute stress can increase mast cell and enterochromaffin (EC) cell numbers, and proteinase-activated receptor-2 (PAR2) expression in the rat colon. In addition, we aimed to investigate the involvement of corticotrophin-releasing factor in these stress-related alterations. Eighteen adult rats were divided into 3 experimental groups: 1) a saline-pretreated non-stressed group, 2) a saline-pretreated stressed group, and 3) an astressin-pretreated stressed group.

Clinical/pathological analysis of gallbladder adenomyomatosis; type and pathogenesis.

Background/aims: The aim of this study was to analyze the clinical/pathological outcomes of patients that underwent surgery for gallbladder adenomyomatosis, to clarify the characteristics of the type and pathogenesis of adenomyomatosis.

Methodology: From May 1997 to March 2008, 4704 consecutive patients underwent cholecystectomy at Ajou University Medical Center. Among them, 113 (2.

Prior endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair provides no survival benefits when the aneurysm ruptures.

Objective: It has been proposed that prior endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair (EVAR) confers protective effects in the setting of ruptured AAA (rAAA). This study was conducted to compare outcomes of rAAA repairs in patients with and without prior EVAR.

Methods: A retrospective review identified 18 patients with (group 1) and 233 patients without (group 2) antecedent EVAR who presented with rAAA from January 2001 to December 2008.

Optoelectronic oscillator stabilized to an intra-loop Fabry-Perot cavity by a dual servo system.

We report construction and characterization of an optoelectronic oscillator (OEO), which is stabilized to an intra-loop Fabry-Perot cavity by a dual servo system. In addition to providing strong mode selection and increasing the Q factor by adding significant loop length, the cavity serves as a stable frequency reference. In order to fully exploit the stability we employ a dual servo system.

Effects of sphingolipid synthesis inhibition on cholesterol gallstone formation in C57BL/6J mice.

Background: Sphingolipids play a very important role in cell membrane formation, signal transduction and plasma lipoprotein metabolism. The first rate-limiting step in the sphingolipid biosynthetic pathway is catalyzed by serine palmitoyltransferase (SPT), and myriocin is a potent and specific inhibitor of SPT. We investigated the impact of SPT inhibition on cholesterol gallstone formation in C57BL/6J mice.

Bax predicts outcome in gastric cancer patients treated with 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin palliative chemotherapy.

Background: Platinum and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-based regimens have been used the most frequently in palliative chemotherapy for gastric cancer. The present study evaluated the prognostic significance of Bax, excision repair cross-complementation group 1 (ERCC1), and thymidylate synthase (TS) in advanced gastric cancer patients treated with 5-FU, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin (FOLFOX) palliative chemotherapy.

Methods: Seventy-two patients with metastatic or recurrent gastric cancer were treated with FOLFOX regimen.

The changes of heart rate variability after unilateral stellate ganglion block.

Background: The effect of the unilateral stellate ganglion block (SGB) on cardiovascular regulation remains controversial. We wished to evaluate the changes in heart rate variability (HRV) after a unilateral stellate ganglion block in patients with head and neck pain in the present study.

Methods: Patients with head and neck pain (n = 89) were studied.

Stress-induced cardiomyopathy after general anesthesia for total gastrectomy -A case report-.

Stress-induced cardiomyopathy, which is also known as takotsubo cardiomyopathy, is a cardiac syndrome of a transient, reversible left ventricular dysfunction that is caused by emotional and/or physical stress and surgery. Its clinical manifestations are similar to those of myocardial ischemia without a coronary artery lesion. Stress-induced cardiomyopathy is more common in middle-aged women, and the prognosis is favorable.

The cutaneous lesions of Kikuchi's disease: a comprehensive analysis of 16 cases based on the clinicopathologic, immunohistochemical, and immunofluorescence studies with an emphasis on the differential diagnosis.

Kikuchi's disease is a self-limited necrotizing lymphadenitis that is characterized by cervical lymphadenopathy and fever. Although it has been reported that some patients with Kikuchi's disease have cutaneous manifestations, the specific skin changes of patients with Kikuchi's disease have not been fully described. We report here on 16 patients of Kikuchi's disease with cutaneous manifestations.