Treatment Results of Small Intestinal Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors Less than 10 cm in Diameter: A Comparison between Laparoscopy and Open Surgery.

Purpose: To evaluate the technical feasibility and oncologic safety, we assessed the short-term and long-term outcomes of laparoscopic resection of the small bowel gastrointestinal stromal tumors smaller than 5 cm by comparing those of open surgery by subgroup analysis based on tumor size.

Materials And Methods: From November 1993 to January 2011, 41 laparoscopic resections were performed among the 95 patients who underwent resection of small intestine ≤10 cm in diameter. The clinicopathologic features, perioperative outcomes, recurrences and survival of these patients were reviewed.

Alteration of bile acid metabolism in pseudo germ-free rats [corrected].

To characterize the impact of gut microbiota on host bile acid metabolism, we investigated the metabolic profiles of oxysterols and bile acids (BAs) in a conventional rat model (SD) (n=5) and its pseudo germ-free (GF) equivalent (n=5). GF rats were developed by the oral administration of bacitracin, neomycin and streptomycin (200 mg/kg, each) twice a day for 6 days. Urinary levels of oxysterols and bile acid metabolites were quantified using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).

Patterns of regional recurrence after curative D2 resection for stage III (N3) gastric cancer: implications for postoperative radiotherapy.

Background And Purpose: To analyze patterns of regional recurrence after curative gastrectomy and D2 lymph node dissection in patients with stage III (N3) gastric cancer.

Materials And Methods: Between 2004 and 2008, 2918 patients with primary gastric cancer underwent D2 resection at a single institution. A retrospective review was performed on 382 patients in stage III with N3 disease.

Evaluation of pharmacokinetic differences of acetaminophen in pseudo germ-free rats.

To evaluate the metabolic interaction between host and gut microflora on drug metabolism, pseudo germ-free rats were prepared with an antibiotics cocktail to change their gut conditions. The usefulness of the pseudo germ-free model was evaluated for observing the DMPK of acetaminophen (APAP). Pseudo germ-free rats were prepared by orally administering antibiotic cocktails consisting of bacitracin, streptomycin and neomycin, and then APAP was orally administered to control and pseudo germ-free rats.

Quantitative analysis of acetaminophen and its six metabolites in rat plasma using liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry.

Acetaminophen (APAP) is a widely used analgesic and antipyretic drug. It is mainly metabolized by phase 1 and 2 reactions in the liver, and thus it could be involved in many drug-drug interactions. Therefore, the study of APAP metabolism is important in toxicological and pharmacokinetic studies.

Influence of the light trapping induced by surface plasmons and antireflection film in crystalline silicon solar cells.

In this paper, silicon solar cells with Ag nanoparticles deposited on a SiO2 spacer were studied concentrating on the influence of the surface plasmon and the antireflection film. We experimentally found that the photocurrent conversion efficiency of the solar cell decorated by random arrays of self-assembled Ag nanoparticles increases firstly and decreases afterwards with increasing spacer thickness. Further investigations on the external quantum efficiency (EQE) illustrated this trend more clearly.

Clinical implication of an insufficient number of examined lymph nodes after curative resection for gastric cancer.

Background: The seventh edition of the tumor, lymph node (LN), metastasis (TNM) staging system increased the required number of examined LNs in gastric cancer from 15 to 16. However, the same staging system defines lymph node-negative gastric cancer regardless of the number of examined LNs. In this study, the authors evaluated whether gastric cancer can be staged properly with fewer than 15 examined LNs.

Can serum interleukin-2 receptor alpha predict lymph node metastasis in early gastric cancer?

Purpose: Although local resection like endoscopic mucosal resection for early gastric cancer is accepted as a treatment option, one of the most important drawbacks of such an approach is the inability to predictlymph node metastasis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the serum soluble receptor alpha for interleukin-2 (IL-2Rα) level as a predictor of lymph node metastasis in the patients with early gastric cancer.

Methods: Assessment of pre-operative serum IL-2Rα levels was performed on 86 patients with early gastric cancer treated by gastrectomies combined with D2 lymph node resections and 20 healthy controls at Samsung Medical Center.

Surgical complications in gastric cancer patients preoperatively treated with chemotherapy: their risk factors and clinical relevance.

Background: This study was designed to identify risk factors and oncological value for the development of postoperative complications after gastrectomy in gastric cancer patients with preoperative chemotherapy.

Methods: A total of 123 gastric cancer patients who underwent gastrectomy after chemotherapy were enrolled in this study. The incidence, type, risk factors, and prognostic value of surgical complications were evaluated.

Scope of stereoselective Mn-mediated radical addition to chiral hydrazones and application in a formal synthesis of quinine.

Stereocontrolled Mn-mediated addition of alkyl iodides to chiral N-acylhydrazones enables strategic C-C bond constructions at the stereogenic centers of chiral amines. Applying this strategy to quinine suggested complementary synthetic approaches to construct C-C bonds attached at the nitrogen-bearing stereogenic center using multifunctional alkyl iodides 6a-d as radical precursors, or using multifunctional chiral N-acylhydrazones 26a-d as radical acceptors. These were included among Mn-mediated radical additions of various alkyl iodides to a range of chiral N-acylhydrazone radical acceptors, leading to the discovery that pyridine and alkene functionalities are incompatible.

Intracorporeal Anastomosis Using Linear Stapler in Laparoscopic Distal Gastrectomy: Comparison between Gastroduodenostomy and Gastrojejunostomy.

Purpose: Intracorporeal anastomosis during laparoscopic gastrectomy is becoming increasingly prevalent. However, selection of the anastomosis method after laparoscopic distal gastrectomy is equivocal because of a lack of technical feasibility and safety. We compared intracorporeal gastroduodenostomy with gastrojejunostomy using linear staplers to evaluate the technical feasibility and safety of intracorporeal anastomoses as well as its' minimally invasiveness.

Investigation of endogenous metabolic changes in the urine of pseudo germ-free rats using a metabolomic approach.

Gut microflora are recognized as an active metabolic compartment in whole body systems. Understanding their impact on host physiology is an ongoing process, although many studies demonstrate that they play significant roles in host life. To assess the impact of gut microflora on host physiology in normal or close to normal conditions of the intestine, we prepared pseudo germ-free rats by antibiotic treatment, and we investigated urinary metabolite profiles of pseudo germ-free rats using UPLC-QTOF-MS based on metabolomics.

Recent evolution of surgical treatment for gastric cancer in Korea.

Gastric cancer is the most common malignancy and the incidence is steadily increasing in Korea. The principal treatment modality for gastric cancer is surgical extirpation of tumor along with draining lymph nodes. Gastrectomy with D2 lymph node dissection has been well established as a standard of surgery and improved the survival of gastric cancer patients.

Microsatellite instability in sporadic gastric cancer: its prognostic role and guidance for 5-FU based chemotherapy after R0 resection.

This study investigated whether MSI status can be used as a prognostic biomarker and whether it is helpful for predicting which patients will benefit from 5-FU based adjuvant chemotherapy. Between 2005 and 2008, an MSI status examination was performed in 1,990 gastric cancer patients who had undergone curative gastrectomy for gastric adenocarcinoma. MSI was analyzed by PCR amplification with fluorescent dye-labeled primers of mononucleotide markers (BAT25 and BAT26) and dinucleotide markers (D5S346, D2S123 and D17S250) specific to the microsatellite loci.

Long-term oncologic outcomes of 714 consecutive laparoscopic gastrectomies for gastric cancer: results from the 7-year experience of a single institute.

Background: Although many reports have indicated the feasibility of laparoscopic gastrectomy (LG) regarding short-term surgical outcomes, the role of LG remains controversial because studies of long-term outcomes of LG are insufficient. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term oncologic outcomes of patients who have undergone LG.

Methods: Between May 2003 and December 2009, 714 consecutive patients underwent LG for gastric cancer.

Zinc-triggered induction of tissue plasminogen activator by brain-derived neurotrophic factor and metalloproteinases.

Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is necessary for hippocampal long-term potentiation. Synaptically released zinc also contributes to long-term potentiation, especially in the hippocampal CA3 region. Using cortical cultures, we examined whether zinc increased the concentration and/or activity of tPA.

Emitting far-field multicolor patterns and characters through plastic diffractive micro-optics elements illuminated by common Gaussian lasers in the visible range.

Far-field multicolor patterns and characters are emitted effectively in a relatively wide and deep spatial region by plastic diffractive micro-optics elements (DMOEs), which are illuminated directly by common Gaussian lasers in the visible range. Phase-only DMOEs are composed of a large number of fine step-shaped phase microstructures distributed sequentially over the plastic wafer selected. The initial DMOEs in silicon wafer are fabricated by an innovative technique with a combination of a single-mask ultraviolet photolithography and low-cost and rapid wet KOH etching.

High microsatellite instability predicts good prognosis in intestinal-type gastric cancers.

Background And Aim: A subset of gastric cancers showed high microsatellite instability (MSI-H). The reported clinicopathological features of MSI-H gastric cancers are heterogeneous, and specific factors associated with prognosis have not been identified.

Methods: We analyzed the clinicopathological characteristics and prognostic factors in a large series (161 cases) of MSI-H gastric cancers, and compared the results to 315 cases of microsatellite-stable or low microsatellite-instable gastric cancers.

Switching frequency response characteristics of a low cost wireless power driving and controlling system for electrically tunable liquid crystal microlenses.

The essential switching frequency response characteristics of a low cost wireless power driving and controlling system for electrically tunable liquid crystal microlenses (ETLCMs) are obtained. The wireless power system is mainly composed of two coils with different radius and winding as well as a power metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistor switch. The voltage response in the small coil, which is connected directly with ETLCMs, is measured and analyzed under the condition of changing some key parameters of the coil system, such as the width of switching frequency region and the duty-cycle of the switching signal ranging from 20% to 80% in intervals of 20%.

Intraoperative portable abdominal radiograph for tumor localization: a simple and accurate method for laparoscopic gastrectomy.

Background: During laparoscopic gastrectomy, it is impossible to identify early gastric cancer (EGC) lesions; therefore, a precise localization technique is required. In this study, we evaluated a novel method of intraoperative portable abdominal radiograph for localization of EGC lesions after preoperative endoscopic clipping.

Methods: A retrospective study of 80 patients who had undergone laparoscopic gastrectomies with our intraoperative abdominal radiographic method of tumor localization was performed.

Assessment of open versus laparoscopy-assisted gastrectomy in lymph node-positive early gastric cancer: a retrospective cohort analysis.

Background: Laparoscopy-assisted gastrectomy (LAG) is still limited for early gastric cancer (EGC) with low possibility of lymph node (LN) metastasis, due to the concern for incomplete LN dissection and controversial long-term outcomes. We assessed oncological outcomes of laparoscopy-assisted versus open gastrectomy (OG) for patients with LN positive EGC.

Methods: Between 2003 and 2007, 204 patients underwent surgery for LN positive EGC.

Missed lesions in synchronous multiple gastric cancer.

Background: The aims of this study were to define differences between synchronous multiple gastric cancer (MGC) and solitary gastric cancer (SGC) and to evaluate the characteristics of missed lesions in MGC so as to improve the detection rate of missed lesions during perioperative procedure.

Methods: The authors retrospectively analysed data on 9157 gastric cancer patients who underwent gastrectomy for gastric cancer in a single hospital. The characteristics of 8893 SGC and 264 MGC patients were evaluated.

Metastatic lymph node in gastric cancer; is it a real distant metastasis?

Background: Currently, the TNM staging system is a widely accepted method for assessing the prognosis of the disease and planning therapeutic strategies for cancer. Of the TNM system, the extent of lymph node involvement is the most important independent prognostic factor for gastric cancer. The aim of our study is to evaluate the survival and prognosis of gastric cancer patients with LN#12 or #13 involvement only and to assess the impact of anatomic regions of primary gastric tumor on survival in this particular subset of patients.