Preventive effects of ulinastatin on post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography pancreatitis in high-risk patients: a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled trial.

Objectives: Previous studies have shown that ulinastatin may be effective at preventing pancreatitis after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). However, routine administration of ulinastatin is unlikely to be cost-effective. So the aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the effectiveness of low-dose ulinastatin at preventing pancreatitis in patients at high risk of post-ERCP pancreatitis.

Cystic neoplasms of the exocrine pancreas: an update of a nationwide survey in Korea.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to update a previous study of cystic neoplasms of the pancreas (PCNs) conducted in Korea by the authors.

Methods: Clinicopathologic data and factors associated with malignancy were evaluated from PCNs originating from the exocrine pancreas diagnosed between January 1993 and June 2005 in 30 university hospitals throughout Korea.

Results: A total of 1064 pathologically confirmed PCNs, which consisted of the following diagnoses, were collected: intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN), 436; mucinous cystic neoplasm (MCN), 268; solid pseudopapillary neoplasm (SPN), 195; serous cystic neoplasm (SCN), 162; acinar cell cystic neoplasm 2; and mature teratoma, 1.

Corticotropin-releasing factor decreases IL-18 in the monocyte-derived dendritic cell.

Recent evidence suggests that crosstalk between mast cells, nerves and keratinocytes might be involved in the exacerbation of inflammatory conditions by stress, but the mechanism by which this occurs remains unclear. Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), which activates the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis under stress, also has pro-inflammatory peripheral effects. However, there have been no reports about CRF receptor expression and the functional role of CRF in the dendritic cell (DC), which is considered to be the link between allergen uptake and the clinical manifestations of allergic diseases, such as atopic dermatitis.

The usefulness of percutaneous transhepatic cholangioscopy for identifying malignancies in distal common [corrected] bile duct strictures.

The diagnostic accuracy of percutaneous transhepatic cholangioscopy (PTCS) was compared to that of three radiologic modalities in distal common bile duct (CBD) strictures for the evaluation of clinical application. Ninety-five patients who underwent PTCS for the evaluation of distal CBD strictures (35 malignant and 60 benign) whose masses were not obvious from radiologic imagings were included. Confirmative diagnosis could not be reached by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) or radiologic findings in all cases.

Hydrophilic electrospun polyurethane nanofiber matrices for hMSC culture in a microfluidic cell chip.

Mimicking cellular microenvironments by MEMS technology is one of the emerging research areas. Integrated biomimetic systems with nanofiber polymer networks and microfluidic chips were fabricated and cellular behaviors were observed by changing surface characteristics of nanofibers and flow rates of microchannels. Modification of polyurethane nanofiber surfaces were achieved by grafting acrylic acid with plasma treatment and these nanofiber matrices were employed in a poly(dimethylsiloxane) based microfluidic chip.

"Dual-scopic" intraoperative radiofrequency ablation for the treatment of a hepatic metastatic tumor located beneath the diaphragm.

Surgical resection leaving negative margins provides the only chance for a cure in hepatic metastasis of colorectal cancer. Tumor ablation techniques are known for their reliability and effectiveness in the treatment of primary and metastatic hepatic tumors. Among these treatment modalities, radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is commonly used for local control of primary and metastatic hepatic tumors with acceptable complication rates.

Anti-tumor immunostimulatory effect of heat-killed tumor cells.

As a part of our ongoing search for a safe and efficient anti-tumor vaccine, we attempted to determine whether the molecular nature of certain tumor antigens would influence immune responses against tumor cells. As compared with freeze-thawed or formaldehyde-fixed tumor antigens, heat-denatured tumor antigens elicited profound anti-tumor immune responses and greatly inhibited the growth of live tumor cells. The heat-denatured tumor antigens induced a substantial increase in the anti-tumor CTL response in the absence of any adjuvant material.

Prediction of progressive motor deficits in patients with deep subcortical infarction.

Background And Purpose: Early motor deterioration (EMD) in deep subcortical infarction is usually associated with long-term functional disability. In this study, we investigated the clinical characteristics, biochemical markers and MRI variables in patients with deep subcortical infarction to identify the predictors of progressive motor deficits.

Methods: A total of 167 consecutive patients with deep subcortical infarction in the anterior circulation were included.

Physicochemical characteristics of pH-sensitive poly(L-histidine)-b-poly(ethylene glycol)/poly(L-lactide)-b-poly(ethylene glycol) mixed micelles.

A novel pH-sensitive polymeric micellar system composed of poly(L-histidine)-b-poly(ethylene glycol) and poly(L-lactide)-b-poly(ethylene glycol) block copolymers was studied by dynamic/static light scattering, spectrofluorimetry and differential scanning calorimetry. The mixed micelles displayed ultra Ph Sensitivity Which Could Be Tuned By Varying The Mixing Ratio Of The Two Polymers. In Particular, Mixed Micelles Composed Of 25 Wt.

Effects of swimming exercise and soybean supplementation on the immune functions of rats fed a high-fat diet.

1. In the present study, the effects of swimming exercise and soybean supplementation on the immune functions of rats fed a high-fat diet were examined. 2.

Predictive factors for interferon and ribavirin combination therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Aim: To confirm the predictive factors for interferon (IFN)-alpha and ribavirin combination therapy for chronic hepatitis patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1b.

Methods: HCV RNA from 50 patients infected with HCV genotype 1b was studied by cloning and sequencing of interferon sensitivity determining region (ISDR), PKR-eIF2alpha phosphorylation homology domain (PePHD). Patients were treated with IFN-alpha and ribavirin for 6 mo and grouped by effectiveness of the therapy.

Anti-tumor metastatic activity of beta-glucan purified from mutated Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The beta-glucans isolated from Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae) enhance the innate immune system, but there is little evidence for its antitumor activity. To examine the antitumor and immunostimulating activities of beta-glucan (IS-2) purified from mutated S.

Systems metabolic engineering of Escherichia coli for L-threonine production.

Amino-acid producers have traditionally been developed by repeated random mutagenesis owing to the difficulty in rationally engineering the complex and highly regulated metabolic network. Here, we report the development of the genetically defined L-threonine overproducing Escherichia coli strain by systems metabolic engineering. Feedback inhibitions of aspartokinase I and III (encoded by thrA and lysC, respectively) and transcriptional attenuation regulations (located in thrL) were removed.

Large-artery stenosis predicts subsequent vascular events in patients with transient ischemic attack.

Background And Purpose: We investigated subsequent vascular events in patients with transient ischemic attack (TIA) and determined the predictors of such events among vascular risk factors including large-artery disease, TIA-symptom duration, and acute ischemic lesions on diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI).

Methods: We identified 98 consecutive patients with TIA who visited a tertiary university hospital and underwent DWI and brain magnetic resonance angiography within 48 hours of symptom onset. We reviewed the medical records to assess the clinical characteristics of TIA, demographics, and the subsequent vascular events including acute ischemic stroke, TIA, and myocardial infarction.

Rapid vapor-phase fabrication of organic-inorganic hybrid superlattices with monolayer precision.

We report a new layer-by-layer growth method of self-assembled organic multilayer thin films based on gas-phase reactions. In the present molecular layer deposition (MLD) process, alkylsiloxane self-assembled multilayers (SAMs) were grown under vacuum by repeated sequential adsorptions of C=C-terminated alkylsilane and titanium hydroxide. The MLD method is a self- limiting layer-by-layer growth process, and is perfectly compatible with the atomic layer deposition (ALD) method.

Immune responses of mice to influenza subunit vaccine in combination with CIA07 as an adjuvant.

CIA07 is an immunostimulatory agent composed of E. coli DNA fragments and modified LPS lacking the lipid A moiety. In this study, we investigated whether CIA07 promotes immune responses as an adjuvant to the influenza subunit vaccine.

Development of a markerless gene knock-out system for Mannheimia succiniciproducens using a temperature-sensitive plasmid.

A temperature-sensitive derivative of the Mannheimia varigena plasmid pMVSCS1 was constructed by hydroxylamine treatment for use in the development of a markerless gene knock-out system for Mannheimia succiniciproducens. The temperature-sensitive plasmid pMVSCS1-ts was stably maintained at 30 degrees C, but failed to replicate at 42 degrees C. DNA sequencing of the replication origin revealed a single base substitution as being responsible for its temperature sensitivity.

Speed estimation from a tri-axial accelerometer using neural networks.

We propose a speed estimation method with human body accelerations measured on the chest by a tri-axial accelerometer. To estimate the speed we segmented the acceleration signal into strides measuring stride time, and applied two neural networks into the patterns parameterized from each stride calculating stride length. The first neural network determines whether the subject walks or runs, and the second neural network with different node interactions according to the subject's status estimates stride length.

Does endoscopic sphincterotomy reduce the recurrence rate of cholangitis in patients with cholangitis and suspected of a common bile duct stone not detected by ERCP?

Background: It has not been established whether endoscopic sphincterotomy (ES) prevents subsequent cholangitis in patients with cholangitis and with a common bile duct (CBD) stone not documented by ERCP.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the role of ES on the recurrence of cholangitis in patients with a high probability of having a CBD stone, not demonstrated by ERCP.

Design And Patients: A total of 117 patients who were diagnosed as having cholangitis and a high probability of a CBD stone, not detected by ERCP, were retrospectively reviewed.

Increased expression of CC chemokine ligand 18 in extrinsic atopic dermatitis patients.

Background: Although most patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) show high total and allergen-specific serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels, a small subgroup of AD patients have normal total IgE levels and negative serum allergen-specific IgE. This subgroup has been termed 'intrinsic' AD (IAD) as a counterpart to 'extrinsic' AD (EAD). However, the difference of chemokines between IAD and EAD has not yet been evaluated.

Using proteomics to identify targets of antiendothelial cell antibodies.

Antiendothelial cell antibodies represent a heterogeneous group of antibodies directed against a variety of antigen determinants of endothelial cells. Antibodies reacting with endothelial structures have been detected in sera from patients with autoimmune vasculitis, both primary and secondary to systemic connective tissue diseases. It may interfere with several functions and, therefore, may be a pathophysiological relevance.

Clinical MRI cutoff points for predicting lacunar stroke may not exist: need for a grading rather than a dichotomizing system.

Background: Lacunar stroke has been defined as an infarct <15 mm in diameter in the presence of symptoms of lacunar syndromes. We investigated a new approach in predicting whether a deep infarct is caused by small arterial occlusion.

Methods: A total of 319 consecutive patients with acute symptomatic infarcts within the striatocapsular territory underwent diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and diagnostic workups, including vascular and cardiological studies.

Quantitative analysis of NPTX2 hypermethylation is a promising molecular diagnostic marker for pancreatic cancer.

Objectives: Percutaneous fine-needle aspiration cytology or biopsy has been used for pathological confirmation in pancreatic cancer. Sometimes, it is difficult to approach the mass because of surrounding major vessels, and there is a risk of seeding. Although endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)-guided pancreatic duct brush cytology is less invasive, its reliability is very low.