Assembly of bacteriophage into functional materials.

For the last decade, the fabrication of ordered structures of phage has been of great interest as a means of utilizing the outstanding biochemical properties of phage in developing useful materials. Combined with other organic/inorganic substances, it has been demonstrated that phage is a superior building block for fabricating various functional devices, such as the electrode in lithium-ion batteries, photovoltaic cells, sensors, and cell-culture supports. Although previous research has expanded the utility of phage when combined with genetic engineering, most improvements in device functionality have relied upon increases in efficiency owing to the compact, more densely packable unit size of phage rather than on the unique properties of the ordered nanostructures themselves.

High-density immobilization of antibodies onto nanobead-coated cyclic olefin copolymer plastic surfaces for application as a sensitive immunoassay chip.

Our research efforts have been devoted to development of nanobead multilayer-based sensitive immunoassays on cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) plastic surfaces. To facilitate nanobead attachment and impart antibiofouling properties to a COC substrate, we used an amphiphilic copolymer comprising benzyl, polyethylene glycol, and reactive ester moieties to coat the hydrophobic COC surface in an aqueous environment. Subsequently, NH2-modified polystyrene nanobeads were reacted with the polymer-coated COC surface and further assembled into multilayers that increased the overall surface area available for attaching capture antibodies.

Wide propagation of graded signals in nonspiking neurons.

Signal processing in neuritic trees is ruled by the concerted action of passive and active membrane properties that, together, determine the degree of electrical compartmentalization of these trees. We analyzed how active properties modulate spatial propagation of graded signals in a pair of nonspiking (NS) neurons of the leech. NS neurons present a very extensive neuritic tree that mediates the interaction with all the excitatory motoneurons in leech ganglia.

Midfacial degloving approach for resectioning and reconstruction of extensive maxillary fibrous dysplasia.

Objective: The traditional unilateral or bilateral buccogingival or bicoronal approach often seems to impose limitations on achieving complete resection and reconstruction of the extensive midfacial fibrous dysplasia. Therefore, we hypothesized that the midfacial degloving approach could be used for the correction of maxillary fibrous dysplasia, which has been primarily used for paranasal sinus lesions or nasopharyngeal tumor.

Methods: The study involved 5 maxillofacial fibrous dysplasia patients who underwent a midfacial degloving surgical procedure.

Clinical characteristics and outcomes of primary bone lymphoma in Korea.

Background: This study evaluates the effectiveness of immunochemotherapy and radiation therapy in the treatment of patients with primary bone lymphoma (PBL).

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 33 patients with PBL who were treated at 6 medical centers in Korea from 1992 to 2010. Clinicopathological features and treatment outcomes were analyzed.

Secular trends in prevalence of alcohol use disorder and its correlates in Korean adults: results from Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005 and 2009.

The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) has been found to provide an accurate measure for risk of hazardous and harmful alcohol use, as well as possible dependence. Data from 2 representative samples of 7693 adults in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 2005 and 6276 participants in 2009 were analyzed. The overall age-adjusted prevalence of alcohol use disorder (AUD) in 2009 (38.

A phase II study of docetaxel and oxaliplatin combination in recurrent gastric cancer patients after fluoropyrimidine and/or cisplatin adjuvant treatment: a Korean Cancer Study Group Protocol ST06-02.

Background: Surgery alone is no longer an adequate standard of care for patients with resectable gastric cancer. Thus, research efforts should focus on which regimens are the most effective for patients with recurrent gastric cancer after combined treatment with surgery and perioperative or adjuvant chemotherapy.

Methods: Patients with histologically confirmed and measurable advanced gastric cancer who showed a relapse even after fluoropyrimidine and/or cisplatin-based adjuvant chemotherapy received docetaxel (35 mg/m(2)) intravenously on day 1 and 8 plus oxaliplatin (100 mg/m(2)) intravenously on day 1 every 3 weeks until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

Open versus robot-assisted sphincter-saving operations in rectal cancer patients: techniques and comparison of outcomes between groups of 100 matched patients.

Background: Although open resection using a sphincter-saving operation (SSO) remains the standard of care for rectal cancer, few studies have compared open and robot-assisted (RA) SSOs. This study aimed to compare the operative features, functional outcomes, and oncological validity of open and RA SSO for rectal cancer.

Methods: A total of 200 rectal cancer patients undergoing curative SSO were enrolled prospectively.

Recipient vessel selection in immediate breast reconstruction with free abdominal tissue transfer after nipple-sparing mastectomy.

Background: Nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM) is gaining popularity due to its superior aesthetic results. When reconstructing the breast with free abdominal tissue transfer, we must readdress the recipient vessel, because NSM can cause difficulty in access to the chest vessel.

Methods: Between June 2006 and March 2011, a total of 92 women underwent NSM with free abdominal tissue transfer.

Hepatocellular carcinoma screening in a hepatitis B virus-infected Korean population.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) screening has been recommended for hepatitis B virus (HBV)-infected individuals in an effort to detect HCC at a sufficiently early stage to provide potentially curative treatments. The study reported here is the first to address the rate of HCC screening use in an HBV endemic area.

Methods: Data were collected from 11,147 adults aged ≥40 years who participated in the 2007-2009 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and had a valid HBV surface antigen test.

A highly conserved tryptophan in the N-terminal variable domain regulates disulfide bond formation and oligomeric assembly of adiponectin.

Adiponectin is a collagenous adipokine with direct anti-diabetic and anti-atherogenic properties. It can assume an ensemble of oligomeric states, e.g.

Discovery of a novel orally active PDE-4 inhibitor effective in an ovalbumin-induced asthma murine model.

Phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE-4) is responsible for metabolizing adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate that reduces the activation of a wide range of inflammatory cells including eosinophils. PDE-4 inhibitors are under development for the treatment of respiratory diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Herein, we report a novel PDE-4 inhibitor, PDE-423 (3-[1-(3-cyclopropylmethoxy-4-difluoromethoxybenzyl)-1H-pyrazol-3-yl]-benzoic acid), which shows good in vitro and in vivo oral activities.

Fluidic low pass filter for hydrodynamic flow stabilization in microfluidic environments.

Fluctuations in flow rate invariably occur in microfluidic devices. This fluidic instability results in a deteriorating performance and the suspension of their unique functions occasionally. In this study, a fluidic-LPF (low pass filter), which is composed of an ACU (air compliance unit) and a FCSP (fluidic channel with high fluidic resistance for sufficient preload), has been proposed for providing the stabilization of hydrodynamic flow in microfluidic devices.

Improvement of electrical blood hematocrit measurements under various plasma conditions using a novel hematocrit estimation parameter.

This paper presents an electrical method for measurement of Hematocrit (HCT) using a novel HCT estimation parameter. Particularly in the case of electrical HCT measurements, the measurement error generally increases with changes in the electrical conditions of the plasma such as conductivity and osmolality. This is because the electrical properties of blood are a function not only of HCT, but also of the electrical conditions in the plasma.

In vitro effect of clinical propofol concentrations on red blood cell aggregation and deformability.

This in vitro study investigated time-related effects of propofol at the plasma concentrations required for sedation and general anaesthesia, on RBC aggregation, deformability, and morphology. Blood containing propofol at plasma concentrations of 0, 2 and 4 μg ml-1 was incubated in a water bath at 37°C for 1, 2, or 4 hours. RBC elongation indices (EIs) and aggregation indices (AIs), which represent RBC deformability and aggregation, respectively, were measured.

Controlled release of bupivacaine HCl through microchannels of biodegradable drug delivery device.

Local and prolonged delivery of local analgesics is much desired for post-operative pain management. For delivery of local analgesics at a constant rate over couple of days, a microfluidic device comprised of a drug reservoir and microchannels for drug release was developed using a biodegradable polymer, 85/15 poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid). Unlike conventional methods relying on material property, this device enables convenient modulation of the release speed of drugs by a simple change of the channel geometry such as the length and cross-sectional area.

Recurrent submacular hemorrhage in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

Purpose: To describe the incidence, risk factors for, and long-term visual outcomes of recurrent submacular hemorrhage in the context of age-related macular degeneration.

Methods: Medical records of patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration with or without polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy showing submacular hemorrhage at their first visit to our institution were reviewed. The required minimum follow-up period was 24 months, and any newly developed submacular hemorrhage larger than 1 disk area after near-complete resolution of initial hemorrhage was defined as recurrence.

Quality of life in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer given maintenance treatment with pemetrexed versus placebo (H3E-MC-JMEN): results from a randomised, double-blind, phase 3 study.

Background: Pemetrexed maintenance therapy significantly improved overall survival and progression-free survival compared with placebo, and had a good safety profile in a phase 3 placebo-controlled study in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Results for quality of life, symptom palliation, and tolerability are presented here.

Methods: After four cycles of platinum-based induction therapy, 663 patients with stage IIIB or stage IV NSCLC and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 or 1 were randomly assigned (in a 2:1 ratio) from March 15, 2005, to July 20, 2007, using the Pocock and Simon minimisation method to receive pemetrexed (500 mg/m(2) every 21 days; n=441) or placebo (n=222) plus best supportive care until disease progression.

A phase II trial of 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin and mitomycin C in patients with advanced gastric cancer.

Aims And Background: Low-dose leucovorin is a well known potentiator of 5-fluorouracil activity in colorectal cancer but not in gastric cancer. To assess their efficacy on response rate and survival, 5-fluorouracil and low-dose leucovorin were combined with mitomycin C.

Methods: Fifty patients with gastric cancer and metastatic disease, unresectable or relapsed disease were treated with the following regimen every 28 days: mitomycin C, 7 mg/m2 IV bolus on day 1, and leucovorin, 20 mg/m2 IV, followed immediately by 5-fluorouracil, 375 mg/m2 on days 1-5.

Optimal preparation-to-colonoscopy interval in split-dose PEG bowel preparation determines satisfactory bowel preparation quality: an observational prospective study.

Background: Several factors influence bowel preparation quality. Recent studies have indicated that the time interval between bowel preparation and the start of colonoscopy is also important in determining bowel preparation quality.

Objective: To evaluate the influence of the preparation-to-colonoscopy (PC) interval (the interval of time between the last polyethylene glycol dose ingestion and the start of the colonoscopy) on bowel preparation quality in the split-dose method for colonoscopy.

Cytocompatible encapsulation of individual Chlorella cells within titanium dioxide shells by a designed catalytic peptide.

The individual encapsulation of living cells has a great impact on the areas of single cell-based sensors and devices as well as fundamental studies in single cell-based biology. In this work, living Chlorella cells were encapsulated individually with abiological, functionalizable TiO(2), by a designed catalytic peptide that was inspired by biosilicification of diatoms in nature. The bioinspired cytocompatible reaction conditions allowed the encapsulated Chlorella cells to maintain their viability and original shapes.

Universal curves for the van der Waals interaction between single-walled carbon nanotubes.

We report very simple and accurate algebraic expressions for the van der Waals (VDW) potentials and the forces between two parallel and crossed carbon nanotubes. The Lennard-Jones potential for two carbon atoms and the method of the smeared-out approximation suggested by Girifalco were used. It is found that the interaction between parallel and crossed tubes is described by two universal curves for parallel and crossed configurations that do not depend on the van der Waals constants, the angle between tubes, and the surface density of atoms and their nature but only on the dimensionless distance.