Effects of L-norgestrel on the endothelium-dependent relaxation response of rabbit clitoral cavernous smooth muscles.

Objective: To determine the effect of a popular oral contraceptive, L-norgestrel (a synthetic progestogen), on relaxing response of clitoral cavernous smooth muscles.

Design: Prospective, randomized study.

Setting: Academic facility.

Chirally directed formation of nanometer-scale proline clusters.

Ion mobility measurements, combined with molecular mechanics simulations, are used to study enantiopure and racemic proline clusters formed by electrospray ionization. Broad distributions of cluster sizes and charge states are observed, ranging from clusters containing only a few proline units to clusters that contain more than 100 proline units (i.e.

15-Hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase is an in vivo suppressor of colon tumorigenesis.

15-Hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (15-PGDH) is a prostaglandin-degrading enzyme that is highly expressed in normal colon mucosa but is ubiquitously lost in human colon cancers. Herein, we demonstrate that 15-PGDH is active in vivo as a highly potent suppressor of colon neoplasia development and acts in the colon as a required physiologic antagonist of the prostaglandin-synthesizing activity of the cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) oncogene. We first show that 15-PGDH gene knockout induces a marked 7.

Directed-assembly of single-walled carbon nanotubes using self-assembled monolayer patterns comprising conjugated molecular wires.

Self-assembled monolayer (SAM) patterns on electrodes are often utilized to guide the assembly of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) onto the electrodes to form desired device structures. In this case, the SWCNTs are in contact with the electrodes through the SAM which comprises molecular wires. Presumably, it is desirable to use conjugated molecular wires for a low contact resistance because they have been reported as a better electric conductor than non-conjugated ones.

[Comparison of double balloon enteroscopy and small bowel series for the evaluation of small bowel lesions].

Background/aims: The role of double balloon enteroscopy (DBE) is still evolving. The aim of this study was to compare the diagnostic yield of DBE with that of small bowel series (SBS).

Methods: We enrolled patients with suspected small bowel disease consecutively, and performed both DBE and SBS in all patients.

Do homochiral aggregates have an entropic advantage?

The present work seeks to illuminate the underlying principles which control the aggregation of chiral building blocks into larger aggregates by examining the role that entropy plays in this process. Entropic effects are first examined within the confines of a simple model system, and the results are then compared to experimental data on clusters of amino acids. The model system predicts that the formation of a specific structure is more likely to occur from an enantiopure solution because forming a particular structure from a racemic solution is hindered by significant entropic barriers.

Risk factors for immediate postpolypectomy bleeding of the colon: a multicenter study.

Objectives: The aims of this prospective study were to document the incidence of colon immediate postpolypectomy bleeding (IPPB) according to grade, and to identify potential risk factors of IPPB in patients who have received complete colonoscopy and polypectomy because of a colorectal polyp.

Methods: This was a prospective, cross-sectional study of 5,152 patients treated at 11 tertiary medical centers between July 2003 and July 2004. Patient-related, polyp-related, and procedure-related variables were evaluated as potential risk factors for IPPB.

"Lens" effect in directed assembly of nanowires on gradient molecular patterns.

We report a new phenomenon, named here as the "lens" effect, in the directed-assembly process of nanowires (NWs) on self-assembled monolayer (SAM) patterns. In this process, the adsorption of NWs is focused in the nanoscale regions at the center of microscale SAM patterns with gradient surface molecular density just like an optical lens focuses light. As a proof of concepts, we successfully demonstrated the massive assembly of V2O5 NWs and single-walled carbon nanotubes (swCNTs) with a nanoscale resolution using only microscale molecular patterning methods.

Analysis of colonoscopic findings in the differential diagnosis between intestinal tuberculosis and Crohn's disease.

Background And Study Aims: Intestinal tuberculosis and Crohn's disease are chronic inflammatory bowel disorders that are difficult to differentiate from one another. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic value of various colonoscopic findings in the differential diagnosis between intestinal tuberculosis and Crohn's disease.

Patients And Methods: Colonoscopic findings on initial work-up were prospectively recorded in patients with an initial diagnosis of either intestinal tuberculosis or Crohn's disease.

Diffuse infiltrative hepatocellular carcinomas in a hepatitis B-endemic area: diagnostic and therapeutic impediments.

Background/aims: Clinical features of diffuse infiltrative hepatocellular carcinoma (D-HCC) are distinct from those of mass-forming HCCs, and also dependent on etiologic viruses. Moreover, despite a regular HCC-surveillance in those with chronic liver diseases, patients sometimes present with advanced D-HCCs. Thus, in the present study, we were to assess the risk factors, mode of diagnosis and prognosis of D-HCCs in a hepatitis B virus-endemic area.

Vasomotor action of insulin on the rabbit normal cavernous smooth muscle.

Investigations on the effects of insulin on the normal vasculature have produced conflicting results. This study was aimed at establishing the vasomotor actions of insulin on normal cavernous smooth muscle. Insulin produced dose-dependent (10(-10)-10(-5) M) relaxation of the norepinephrine-precontracted strips of cavernosum, and of Bay K8644 [methyl-1,4-dihydro-2,6-dimethyl-3-nitro-4-2(trifluoromethylphenyl)pyridine-5-carboxylate]-precontracted strips.

Novel core-shell-structured Li[(Ni0.8Co0.2)0.8(Ni0.5Mn0.5)0.2]O2 via coprecipitation as positive electrode material for lithium secondary batteries.

We have successfully synthesized a spherical core-shell structure based on Li[(Ni0.8Co0.2)0.

[A case of infiltrative hepatocellular carcinoma with main portal vein tumor thrombosis successfully treated by transarterial chemoembolization].

A 63-year-old HBsAg-positive male patient was admitted for the evaluation of a liver mass that was detected on ultrasonography. Spiral computed tomography (CT) revealed infiltrative hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the right hepatic lobe with main portal vein tumor thrombosis. His liver function was Child-Pugh class A and the serum alpha fetoprotein level was 7,400 ng/mL.

[A case of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm of the pancreas arising from pancreas divisum without ventral pancreatic duct of Wirsung].

Most reported cases of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs) originate from Wirsung's duct or their branches. IPMNs arising from Santorini's duct and its branches have rarely been reported. Eight cases of IPMN arising from Santorini's duct have been published worldwide.

Primary colon lymphoma in Korea: a KASID (Korean Association for the Study of Intestinal Diseases) Study.

Although almost all primary colorectal lymphomas are of B-cell lineage in Western countries, primary colorectal T-cell lymphomas are not uncommon in the East. The aim of this study was to review the clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes of primary colorectal lymphomas, with special emphasis on the differences between T-cell and B-cell lymphomas. Ninety-five cases of primary colorectal lymphomas that satisfied Dawson's criteria were identified from the clinical databases of 13 university hospitals in Korea.

Comparison of the surface characteristics of polypropylene films treated by Ar and mixed gas (Ar/O2) atmospheric pressure plasma.

In an attempt to modify the hydrophobic surface properties of polypropylene (PP) films, this study examined the optimum process parameters of atmospheric pressure plasma (APP) using Ar gas. Under optimized conditions, the effects of a mixed gas (Ar/O2) plasma treatment on the surface-free energy of a PP film were investigated as a function of the O2 content. The polar contribution of the surface-free energy of the PP film increased with increasing O2 content in the gas mixture.

[Colonoscopic surveillance after curative resection for colorectal cancer with synchronous adenoma].

Background/aims: Guidelines for current postoperative colonoscopic surveillance are not specified in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients with synchronous adenoma (SA). We performed this retrospective study to determine the postoperative colonoscopic surveillance interval for the CRC patients with SA.

Methods: One hundred and twenty-four CRC patients with SA (SA-group) and the same number of patients without SA (NSA-group) were selected from our database.

[Transient intestinal obstruction due to stool impaction in the elderly].

Background/aims: Acute intestinal obstruction is an urgent disease to be diagnosed and treated promptly. In elderly, fecal impaction may be an important and preventable cause of colonic obstruction. We investigated the clinical features of patients presenting with identical features of intestinal obstruction transiently due to fecal impaction.

Clinical usefulness of telomerase for the detection of colon cancer in ulcerative colitis patients.

Background And Aim: Colorectal carcinoma (CRC) is a complication of ulcerative colitis (UC). Although stool occult blood and colonoscopy are used to detect CRC in UC, these methods have drawbacks, in that bleeding is associated with UC and the underlying mucosa is irregular, making it difficult to detect dysplasia. Telomerase and its catalytic subunit, telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT), are specifically expressed in cancers, making them candidate markers for the early detection of cancer.

Synthesis and characterization of Li[(Ni0.8Co0.1Mn0.1)0.8(Ni0.5Mn0.5)0.2]O2 with the microscale core-shell structure as the positive electrode material for lithium batteries.

The high capacity of Ni-rich Li[Ni(1-x)M(x)]O(2) (M = Co, Mn) is very attractive, if the structural instability and thermal properties are improved. Li[Ni(0.5)Mn(0.

DL-Proline.

In the structure of DL-proline, C5H9NO2, the molecules are connected via classical intermolecular N-H...

Evidence for unfolding and refolding of gas-phase cytochrome C ions in a Paul trap.

The folding pathways of gas-phase cytochrome c ions produced by electrospray ionization have been studied by an ion trapping/ion mobility technique that allows conformations to be examined over extended timescales (10 ms to 10 s). The results show that the +9 charge state emerges from solution as a compact structure and then rapidly unfolds into several substantially more open structures, a transition that requires 30-60 ms; over substantially longer timescales (250 ms to 10 s) elongated states appear to refold into an array of folded structures. The new folded states are less compact than those that are apparent during the initial unfolding.

Analysis of PTEN gene mutations in Korean patients with Cowden syndrome and polyposis syndrome.

Purpose: PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted in chromosome 10) is a candidate tumor suppressor gene. Mutations of this gene are responsible for PTEN hamartoma tumor syndromes, including Cowden syndrome, Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba syndrome, Proteus syndrome, and Proteus -like syndromes. Recently, PTEN mutations were identified in several human neoplasms.