Nonadditivity in interactions between three membrane-wrapped colloidal spheres.

Many cell functions require a concerted effort from multiple membrane proteins, for example, for signaling, cell division, and endocytosis. One contribution to their successful self-organization stems from the membrane deformations that these proteins induce. While the pairwise interaction potential of two membrane-deforming spheres has recently been measured, membrane-deformation-induced interactions have been predicted to be nonadditive, and hence their collective behavior cannot be deduced from this measurement.

The study of bacteria in biopsies from Slovak colorectal adenoma and carcinoma patients.

The development of colorectal cancer is affected by many factors, especially the intestinal microbiota. However, precise knowledge of bacterial communities associated with the mucosa in various parts of the colon is limited. Herein, we applied the gentamicin protection assay and detected the presence of intracellular bacteria in colorectal biopsies from Slovak patients with colorectal adenoma and carcinoma, and we compared this with healthy controls.

RMS roughness-independent tuning of surface wettability by tailoring silver nanoparticles with a fluorocarbon plasma polymer.

A layer of 14 nm-sized Ag nanoparticles undergoes complex transformation when overcoated by thin films of a fluorocarbon plasma polymer. Two regimes of surface evolution are identified, both with invariable RMS roughness. In the early regime, the plasma polymer penetrates between and beneath the nanoparticles, raising them above the substrate and maintaining the multivalued character of the surface roughness.

Internalization property of intestinal bacteria in colon cancer and HIV/AIDS patients.

Objectives: Bacteria from the intestinal tract of Slovak and American HIV/AIDS patients and Slovak colon cancer patients were tested for the capacity to be internalized by cells of the HL-60 cell line as well as by normal human lymphocytes. They were anticipated to possess a specific characteristic, i.e.

Endoscopic treatment of praecancerous colorectal lesions and early colorectal cancer.

Endoscopic mucosal resection or piece meal polypectomy are the methods of choice for the treatment of unifocal visualized lesion. Thermal ablative techniques are indicated for flat adenomas as a adjunct therapy after an imcomplete EMR or piece meal polypectomy. Photodynamic therapy using ALA photosensitisation is effective in the treatment of multifocal lesions and also in combination with EMR or thermal ablative techniques.

Intramucosal bacteria in colon cancer and their elimination by probiotic strain Enterococcus faecium M-74 with organic selenium.

Intraepithelial bacteria were isolated by the gentamicin protection assay (GPA) from biopsy samples obtained at colonoscopy (colon cancer, n = 10 patients; colonic adenoma, n = 20; control group, n = 20; cancer patients without gastrointestinal tract GIT malignancy, n = 10). After a three-month administration of E. faecium M-74 to patients with positive GPA biopsies, 172 biopsy specimens from 60 patients were examined with the GPA.

Palliative endoscopic therapy of esophageal cancer: self-expanding stents.

Esophageal cancer is the tenth most common malignancy. Recently, there has been an increase in the incidence of carcinoma of distal esophagus. Unfortunately, early esophageal cancer is commonly asymptomatic and inaccessible to examinstion during regular physical examination.

Endoscopic ultrasound in esophageal cancer.

The first prototype of an endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) was constructed in Japan in 1980. The evolution continued quickly and within the past ten years this method became available in routine practice. One of the most significant indications of EUS in esophagus are locoregional staging and posttherapeutic monitoring of the esophageal cancer.

Laser and photodynamic therapy for esophageal cancer.

Esophageal cancer has a poor prognosis. The diagnosis in clinical practise is often made in advanced stages when curative treatment is impossible. Overall five year survival is reached only in 10% of patients and a palliative treatment is indicated in 60% of patients.

Etiology, epidemiology and diagnosis of esophageal cancer.

The data from the National Cancer Registry in Slovakia showed 306 esophageal cancers in 1999 (288 men and 18 women). There has been a 5-fold increase in the incidence of esophageal cancer among men in the past 30 years as compared to women in whom no significant chance occurred. The reported 1999 raw incidence of esophageal cancer (per 100000) was 11.

Barrett's esophagus.

Patients with Barrett's esophagus have 30-40 times higher risk of developing adenocarcinoma of distal esophagus. Treatment of Barrett's esophagus without dysplasia is identical with treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease. (Tab.