Surgical impact on serum anti-Müllerian hormone in women with benign ovarian cyst: A prospective study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the surgical impact of benign ovarian mass on ovarian reserve as measured by serum follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol (E2) and anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels, antral follicle count (AFC) and ovarian volumes. In addition, the differences in ovarian reserve impairment between endometrioma cystectomy and non-endometrioma cystectomy were investigated.

Methods: In this prospective study, 22 patients of reproductive age (range, 18.

Experimental evidence of tunable space-charge-layer-induced electrical properties of nanocrystalline ceria thin films.

Fully dense nanocrystalline ceria films were successfully deposited on a MgO single crystal by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). The electrical conductivity of the nanocrystalline thin film was 20 times higher than that of the bulk sample. The activation energy of bulk ceria was 2.

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.

'Illusional' nano-size effect due to artifacts of in-plane conductivity measurements of ultra-thin films.

The nano-size effect, which indicates a drastic increase in conductivity in solid electrolyte materials of nano-scale microstructures, has drawn substantial attention in various research fields including in the field of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). However, especially in the cases of the conductivity of ultra-thin films measured in an in-plane configuration, it is highly possible that the 'apparent' conductivity increase originates from electrical current flowing through other conduction paths than the thin film. As a systematic study to interrogate those measurement artifacts, we report various sources of electrical current leaks regarding in-plane conductivity measurements, specifically insulators in the measurement set-up.

Expression of functional pentameric heat-labile enterotoxin B subunit of Escherichia coli in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Although the Escherichia coli heat-labile enterotoxin B subunit (LTB) has already been expressed in several different systems, including prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms, studies regarding the synthesis of LTB into oligomeric structures of pentameric size in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae have been limited. Therefore, this study used a functional signal peptide of the amylase 1A protein from rice to direct the yeast-expressed LTB towards the endoplasmic reticulum to oligomerize with the expected pentameric size. The expression and assembly of the recombinant LTB were confirmed in both the cell-free extract and culture media of the recombinant strain using a Western blot analysis.

Five-year report of national surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from non-tertiary care hospitals in Korea (2002-2006).

A nationwide surveillance of the antimicrobial resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates from non-tertiary care hospitals was conducted in Korea from 2002 to 2006. Resistance to almost all antimicrobial agents decreased significantly from 2003 (P < 0.01).

Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic characteristics of a new S-amlodipine formulation in healthy Korean male subjects: a randomized, open-label, two-period, comparative, crossover study.

Background: Amlodipine, a dihydropyridine calcium channel antagonist, is prescribed for the management of angina and hypertension. It is used therapeutically as a racemic mixture, composed of S- and R-enantiomers, but its calcium channel-blocking effect is confined to S-amlodipine; R-amlodipine has 1000-fold less activity than its S-enantiomer.

Objective: The objective of this study was to compare the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties and safety profiles of a newly developed amlodipine formulation, composed wholly of S-amlodipine, with those of the conventionally prescribed racemic formulation.

HPV integration begins in the tonsillar crypt and leads to the alteration of p16, EGFR and c-myc during tumor formation.

The prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is high in the oropharyngeal mucosal regions, of which the tonsil is the most commonly affected. There may be a link between HPV and the pathogenesis of tonsillar cancer (TC), because of common anatomical characteristics between cervical and tonsillar cancer. We aimed to clarify whether HPV directly affects the oncogenesis and biologic behavior of TC by making a comparison between infection prevalence, physical status and viral loading numbers, and clinicopathologic prognostic factors.

Tandem mass spectrometric analysis for disorders in amino, organic and fatty acid metabolism: two year experience in South Korea.

Seoul Clinical Laboratories began screening newborns and high risk group blood spots with tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) in April 2001. The goal was to determine approximate prevalence of metabolic disorders and optimization of decision criteria for estimation of preventive effect with early diagnosis. Approximately 44,300 neonates and children were screened and the estimated prevalence (newborn/high risk group), sensitivity, specificity and recall rate amounted to 1:2000 / 1:1250, 94.

Screening of newborns and high-risk group of children for inborn metabolic disorders using tandem mass spectrometry in South Korea: a three-year report.

Background: Mass screening using tandem mass spectrometry(MS/MS) was initiated to determine if the incidence of metabolic disorder is sufficiently high to meet the criteria for newborn screening, and whether or not early medical intervention might be beneficial to the patients.

Methods: Newborns and children in a high-risk group were screened using MS/MS from April 2001 to March 2004. Blood spots of newborns were collected between 48 and 72 h after birth.

Sensitive determination of erdosteine in human plasma by use of automated 96-well solid-phase extraction and LC-MS/MS.

A sensitive and selective method for quantitation of erdosteine in human plasma was established by use of 96-well solid-phase extraction (SPE) and liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI/MS/MS). Plasma samples were transferred into 96-well OASIS HLB extraction plate using an automated sample handling system and the drugs were eluted with methanol. The eluents were then evaporated and reconstituted with mobile phase.

Determination of phloroglucinol in human plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

A sensitive and selective liquid chromatographic method coupled with mass spectrometry (LC-MS) was developed for the quantification of phloroglucinol in human plasma. Resorcinol was used as internal standard, with plasma samples extracted using ethyl acetate. A centrifuged upper layer was then evaporated and reconstituted with mobile phase.

Determination of ambroxol in human plasma using LC-MS/MS.

A sensitive and selective liquid chromatographic method coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was developed for the quantification of ambroxol in human plasma. Domperidone was used as internal standard, with plasma samples extracted using diethyl ether under basic condition. A centrifuged upper layer was then evaporated and reconstituted with 200 microl methanol.

Evaluation of Denka-Seiken turbidimetric high-sensitivity C-reactive protein assay.

C-reactive protein measured with a high sensitivity method (hsCRP) is an important prognostic indicator in patients with an acute coronary syndrome. We evaluated hsCRP measurement with regard to its precision, functional sensitivity, linearity, and interferences using Denka-Seiken CRP II Latex X2 turbidimetric method on two chemistry autoanalyzers: Olympus AU 640 and Hitachi 747. The coefficients of variation (CV) for within-run and between-run precision of hsCRP were satisfactory on both autoanalyzers.