Evaluation of the formation of a junctional DNA nanostructure through annealing curve analysis.

During the self-assembly of different numbers of oligonucleotides comprising junctional DNA nanostructures, a change in environmental variables (e.g., temperature or salt concentration) has a substantial influence on the final products.

X-DNA origami-networked core-supported lipid stratum.

DNA hydrogels are promising materials for various fields of research, such as in vitro protein production, drug carrier systems, and cell transplantation. For effective application and further utilization of DNA hydrogels, highly effective methods of nano- and microscale DNA hydrogel fabrication are needed. In this respect, the fundamental advantages of a core-shell structure can provide a simple remedy.

Self-illuminative cascade-reaction-driven anticancer therapeutic cassettes made of cooperatively interactive nanocomplexes.

Therapeutic options based on near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths have attracted attention owing to in vivo lowest-background interventions and the development of several nano-architectures with localized surface plasmon resonance. Because of their limited tissue penetration, the clinical use of NIR light-driven treatments is not widespread; this technology is inapplicable to infection sites in the deeper areas of internal tissues. In this study, we demonstrate a self-illuminative therapeutic cassette able to exert anticancer effects via a series of enzymatic, chemical, and optical cooperative cascade reactions.

Change of Fecal Flora and Effectiveness of the Short-term VSL#3 Probiotic Treatment in Patients With Functional Constipation.

Background/aims: We investigated gut flora characteristics in patients with functional constipation (FC) and influences of short-term treatment with VSL#3 probiotic on flora and symptom improvement.

Methods: Thirty patients fulfilling Rome III criteria for FC and 30 controls were enrolled. Fecal samples were obtained before and after VSL#3 intake (one sachet twice daily for 2 weeks) and flora were examined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR).

Alterations of colonic contractility in an interleukin-10 knockout mouse model of inflammatory bowel disease.

Background/aims: Inflammatory bowel disease is commonly accompanied by colonic dysmotility and causes changes in intestinal smooth muscle contractility. In this study, colonic smooth muscle contractility in a chronic inflammatory condition was investigated using smooth muscle tissues prepared from interleukin-10 knockout (IL-10(-/-)) mice.

Methods: Prepared smooth muscle sections were placed in an organ bath system.

Differences in the adverse effects of azathioprine between inflammatory bowel disease and autoimmune hepatitis in Korean patients.

Background/aims: Azathioprine (AZA) has been widely used in the therapy of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). However, studies evaluating the adverse effects of AZA in these two diseases are lacking. The aim of this study was to compare the adverse effects of AZA in Korean IBD and AIH patients.

Cross-stacked single-crystal organic nanowire p-n nanojunction arrays by nanotransfer printing.

We fabricated cross-stacked organic p-n nanojunction arrays made of single-crystal 6,13-bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl) pentacene (TIPS-PEN) and fullerene (C60) nanowires as p-type and n-type semiconductors, respectively, by using a nanotransfer printing technique. Single-crystal C60 nanowires were synthesized inside nanoscale channels of a mold and directly transferred onto a desired position of a flexible substrate by a lubricant liquid layer. In the consecutive printing process, single-crystal TIPS-PEN nanowires were grown in the same way and then perpendicularly aligned and placed onto the C60 nanowire arrays, resulting in a cross-stacked single-crystal organic p-n nanojunction array.

Elevated plasma pentraxin 3 and its association with retinal vein occlusion.

Purpose: To evaluate plasma pentraxin 3 (PTX3) in patients with retinal vein occlusion (RVO), and investigate the possibility of its role as a predictive biomarker.

Methods: Nested case-control study. The study included 57 patients with RVO and 45 age- and gender-matched subjects without RVO as controls.

[Trends in nursing research in Korea: research trends for studies published from the inaugural issue to 2010 in the Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing and the journals published by member societies under Korean Academy of Nursing Science].

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify trends for studies published in the Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing and journals published by member societies from inaugural issues to 2010.

Methods: A total of 6890 studies were analyzed using descriptive statistics.

Results: Quantitative studies accounted for 83.

Apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 on aging-associated deteriorations in rat kidneys.

We have reported a possible involvement of apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 (APE1), one of the DNA repair pathways, in various nephropathy models and found that there is a close connection between APE1 and p53-dependent apoptosis. Therefore, we investigated the changes of APE in aging rat kidney since aging is the consequence of increased susceptibility to apoptosis and impaired repair. Characteristics of chronological aging were compared among 6-, 24- and 28-month-old male Sprague-Dawley rats.

A Double-Blind, Randomized, Active Drug Comparative, Parallel-Group, Multi-Center Clinical Study to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of Probiotics (Bacillus licheniformis, Zhengchangsheng® capsule) in Patients with Diarrhea.

Background/aims: Bacillus Licheniformis, a probiotic used in the treatment of diarrhea, has been shown to suppress the growth of pathologic bacteria. This study was performed to assess the therapeutic efficacy and safety of Zhengchangsheng® (Bacillus Licheniformis) in comparison with another probiotic, Bioflor® (Saccharomyces Boulardii) for the treatment of diarrhea.

Methods: Patients with diarrhea (n=158) were randomized to receive Zhengchangsheng® or Bioflor® for 5 days.

Association between serum irisin levels and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in health screen examinees.

Irisin is a recently found myokine that aids obesity control and improves glucose homeostasis by acting on white adipose tissue cells and increases total energy consumption. The aim of this study was to evaluate serum irisin levels in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and to compare these levels with those of normal controls. Among 595 health screen examinees who had visited our institute between January 2013 to March 2013, 355 patients (84 NAFLD patients and 271 normal controls) were enrolled depending on whether they gave written informed consents and their history of alcohol intake, blood tests, and abdominal ultrasonographic findings.

Non-curative endoscopic resection does not always lead to grave outcomes in submucosal invasive early gastric cancer.

Background: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) has been widely performed for the treatment of early gastric cancer (EGC). The aim of this study is to examine the effectiveness of ESD in submucosal invasive gastric cancers (SM-GC), with a special focus on patients who underwent non-curative resection.

Methods: Data for 1,246 patients who underwent ESD for treatment of EGC at six medical centers in Daegu-Gyeongbuk, Korea, between February 2003 and May 2010 were collected.

[Current issues on the treatment of chronic constipation].

Chronic constipation is a very common clinical problem with its prevalence of up to 14% in the general population. It is not a life-threatening disease, but since patient's satisfaction to the treatment is known to be as low as 50%, chronic constipation still remains a clinically challenging problem. Fortunately, many new treatments have been introduced or are to be introduced in the near future.

Shifting prevalence of gallbladder polyps in Korea.

Only a few studies have evaluated the population-adjusted prevalence of gallbladder polyps (GBP). This study aimed to evaluate the changes in GBP prevalence and risk factors at a single health screening center in Korea from 2002 to 2012. Of 48,591 adults who underwent health screening between 2002 and 2012, 14,250 age- and gender-matched subjects were randomly selected to evaluate prevalence.

Development of a Web-based, self-reporting symptom diary for Crohn's Disease, and its correlation with the Crohn's Disease Activity Index.

Background And Aims: Crohn's Disease Activity Index (CDAI) is complex, time-consuming, and impractical. The aim of this study was to investigate whether a newly developed, simple, web-based self-reporting Crohn's Disease symptom diary (CDSD) was as effective as CDAI in assessing disease severity.

Methods: CDSD consisted of 5 clinical parameters based on the Harvey-Bradshaw Index (HBI), which could easily be recorded online, by using CDSD website (www.

Evaluation of the illumigene C. difficile assay for toxigenic Clostridium difficile detection: a prospective study of 302 consecutive clinical fecal samples.

Toxigenic Clostridium difficile is a major pathogen causing nosocomial diarrhea. Consequently, rapid detection of toxigenic C. difficile is very important in clinical laboratories.

Transcription elongation factor ELL2 drives Ig secretory-specific mRNA production and the unfolded protein response.

Differentiation of B cells into Ab-secreting cells induces changes in gene transcription, IgH RNA processing, the unfolded protein response (UPR), and cell architecture. The transcription elongation factor eleven nineteen lysine-rich leukemia gene (ELL2) stimulates the processing of the secreted form of the IgH mRNA from the H chain gene. Mice (mus musculus) with the ELL2 gene floxed in either exon 1 or exon 3 were constructed and crossed to CD19-driven cre/CD19(+).

Determination of toxic heavy metals and speciation of arsenic in seaweeds from South Korea.

This study aimed at determining the levels of toxic heavy metals including As, Pb, Cd, Al, Hg and As species, such as, As-III, As-V, MMA, DMA, AsB, and AsC in various edible species of seaweeds from South Korea. ICP-MS was used for determination of As, Pb and Cd, ICP-OES was used for Al, DMA was used for Hg, and LC-ICP-MS was used for As speciation. The analytical methods were validated by linearity, detection limits, precision, accuracy and recovery experiments, obtaining satisfactory results in all cases.

Effects of streptozotocin and unilateral nephrectomy on L-type Ca²⁺ channels and membrane capacitance in arteriolar smooth muscle cells.

Diabetes mellitus and hypertension are common diseases frequently coexisting. Although augmentation of L-type Ca(2+) channel (ICaL) activity has been reported in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) of a spontaneously hypertensive rat model, no study on ICaL has been conducted for coexisting hypertension and diabetes. Sprague Dawley rats were assigned to four groups: a sham-operated control group (CG), a unilateral nephrectomy group (UNG), a streptozotocin (STZ)-induced type 1 diabetic group (SDG) and a coexisting hypertension and diabetes group (DHG), which underwent nephrectomy and received STZ injection.

Clinical outcomes of the endoscopic submucosal dissection of early gastric cancer are comparable between absolute and new expanded criteria.

Background/aims: Advances in endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) techniques have led to the development of expanded criteria for endoscopic resection of early gas-tric cancer (EGC). The aim of this study was to evaluate the short- and long-term outcomes for ESD using indication cri-teria.

Methods: A total of 1,105 patients underwent ESD for EGC at six medical centers.

Evaluation of performance of the Real-Q NTM-ID kit for rapid identification of eight nontuberculous mycobacterial species.

We evaluated a multiplex real-time PCR and melting curve analysis assay (Real-Q NTM-ID kit; Biosewoom, Seoul, South Korea) for the identification of eight common nontuberculous mycobacterial species, using 30 type strains and 230 consecutive clinical isolates. The concordance rate of this assay with multigene sequence-based typing was 97.0% (223/230 isolates).

Evaluation and management of caustic injuries from ingestion of Acid or alkaline substances.

Although the numbers have decreased compared with in the past, cases of patients who ingest caustic substances and visit the emergency room are not rare. However, well-summarized data about caustic injuries are insufficient. Therefore, in this article, I will discuss the etiologic causative agents, injury mechanism, and clinical characteristics, as well as the endoscopic evaluation of the degree of injury and proper management of the patient, in gastrointestinal caustic injury.