Fabrication and optical properties of conjugated polymer composited multi-arrays of TiO2 nanowires via sequential electrospinning.

We report here a simple method of fabricating multi-layered architectures of cross-aligned inorganic nanowires via sequential electrospinning method equipped with a newly devised collector that is able to prepare aligned inorganic nanowires. The multi-layers of aligned TiO2 nanowires can be deposited in a proportional increment of weight with collecting time and reveal a large reduction of electrical resistance by at least 30% compared to a randomly collected TiO2 nanowire structure. The solar cell performance of the cross-aligned TiO2 nanowire layers composited with a conjugated polymer of poly[2-methoxy, 5-(2'-ethyl-hexyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene] (MEH-PPV) is significantly enhanced by 70% or greater in the organic-inorganic hybrid photovoltaic devices than that fabricated with the randomly-collected TiO2 nanowire photoanode.

Qualitative and quantitative determination of the caffeoylquinic acids on the Korean mountainous vegetables used for chwinamul and their peroxynitrite-scavenging effect.

Mountainous vegetables called chwinamul are used in Korea to promote health. Chwinamul was obtained from several plants belonging to the Compositae - e.g.

Carbon nanosyringe array as a platform for intracellular delivery.

We report a novel platform for intracellular delivery of genetic material and nanoparticles, based on vertically aligned carbon nanosyringe arrays (CNSAs) of controllable height. Using this technology, we have shown that plasmid and quantum dots can be efficiently delivered to the cytoplasm of cancer cells and human mesenchymal stem cells. The CNSA platform holds great promise for a myriad of applications including cell-based therapy, imaging, and tracking in vivo, and in biological studies aimed at understanding cellular function.

Clinical characteristics of primary thyroid lymphoma in Koreans.

Primary thyroid lymphoma is a very rare tumor and its prevalence is approximately 0.1% of all thyroid cancers in Korea. Its clinical experience is limited and not familiar to physicians.

Coexistence of chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis is associated with lower recurrence rates in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma.

Objective: The effect of coexistent chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis (CLT) on prognosis in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) patients remains controversial. We evaluated the influence of coexistent CLT on prognostic outcome and the association of coexistent CLT with clinicopathological parameters.

Design: A retrospective study with a median follow-up of 70 months.

Size controlled nickel oxide nanoparticles on carbon nanotubes for supercapacitor electrode.

We have synthesized supercapacitor electrodes fashioned of NiO(x)/multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs), in which the controlled NiO(x) nanoparticles were prepared via a simple colloidal method and supported on the MWNTs. The sizes of the NiO(x) nanoparticles on MWNTs were systematically varied from 4 to 14 nm at a fixed metal loading of 20 wt% by changing sintering temperature in a controlled manner. The maximum specific capacitance of the NiO(x)/MWNTs was measured to be ca.

Patterned array of nanoparticles on substrates via contact printing method with CNTs/AAO stamp.

Patterned arrays of Fe oxide nanoparticles were transferred via contact printing method on a substrate surface using carbon nanotubes embedded in anodic aluminum oxide (CNTs/AAO) as a stamp, in which vertically aligned CNTs in hexagonally patterned array was first fabricated by chemical vapor deposition into the AAO, followed by a partial chemical etching to expose the CNTs from the AAO. Fe precursor inked CNTs stamp was contact-printed on a Pt-coated Si substrate, and after heat treatment at 200 degrees C, patterned array of Fe oxide nanoparticles with ca. 80 nm of diameter and ca.

Redifferentiation therapy with 13-cis retinoic acids in radioiodine-resistant thyroid cancer.

Radioiodine (I-131) therapy is of proven efficacy for treatment of differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC). However, loss of differentiation in recurrent or metastatic DTC which decrease I-131 uptake may decrease the efficacy of I-131 therapy. Therefore, strategies to improve I-131 uptake are mandatory.

Prognostic parameters for recurrence of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma.

Background: Papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) is defined as a papillary thyroid carcinoma less than or equal to 1.0 cm in size. Independent prognostic factors for clinical recurrence of PTMC have not been clearly delineated.

Change of serum antithyroglobulin antibody levels is useful for prediction of clinical recurrence in thyroglobulin-negative patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to evaluate the usefulness of the antithyroglobulin autoantibody (TgAb) value at 6-12 months after remnant ablation in predicting recurrence in differentiated thyroid carcinoma patients who had undetectable thyroglobulin (Tg) values. The change in TgAb concentration measured between the time of remnant ablation (TgAb1) and 6-12 months thereafter (TgAb2) was also evaluated as a possible prognostic indicator.

Patients And Methods: Patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma who underwent total thyroidectomy followed by (131)I remnant ablation between 1995 and 2003 at the Asan Medical Center (Seoul, Korea) were enrolled.

Nanoimprint lithography patterns with a vertically aligned nanoscale tubular carbon structure.

A nanoscale tubular carbon structure array was demonstrated as a mold for nanoimprint lithography (NIL), in which a vertically formed and hexagonally aligned nanoscale tubular carbon array was fabricated through carbon growth inside an anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) nanotemplate, followed by controlled chemical etching of the AAO layer. High density (over 10(10) cm(-2)) of the nanoscale carbon pillars with their controlled diameters and protruded lengths was inversely replicated onto a UV-curable resist for the first time using the imprinting lithography technique.

Relationship between serum free T4 (FT4) levels and metabolic syndrome (MS) and its components in healthy euthyroid subjects.

Background: The metabolic syndrome (MS) is associated with increased life-time risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. While some reports suggest that MS and/or insulin resistance is associated with low serum free T4 (FT4) level in euthyroid subjects, this remains a controversial issue.

Objective: To clarify the association of serum FT4 level with presence of MS and its components in healthy euthyroid subjects.

High basal levels of functional toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) and noncanonical Wnt5a are expressed in papillary thyroid cancer and are coordinately decreased by phenylmethimazole together with cell proliferation and migration.

High basal levels of TLR3 and Wnt5a RNA are present in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) cell lines consistent with their overexpression and colocalization in PTC cells in vivo. This is not the case in thyrocytes from normal tissue and in follicular carcinoma (FC) or anaplastic carcinoma (AC) cells or tissues. The basally expressed TLR3 are functional in PTC cells as evidenced by the ability of double-strand RNA (polyinosine-polycytidylic acid) to significantly increase the activity of transfected NF-kappaB and IFN-beta luciferase reporter genes and the levels of two end products of TLR3 signaling, IFN-beta and CXCL10.

The MeOH extract of Pleurospermum kamtschaticum and its active component buddlejasaponin (IV) inhibits intrinsic and extrinsic hyperlipidemia and hypercholesterolemia in the rat.

The inhibitory effect of the MeOH extract of Pleurospermum kamtschaticum (Umbelliferase) and its fractions were tested in hyperlipidemic and hypercholesterolemic rats using four animal models induced using poloxamer-407 or using Triton WR-1339 as intrinsic inducers and by 30% corn oil or high cholesterol diet as extrinsic inducers. We measured serum triglyceride, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol levels as measures of its hypocholesterolemic or hypolipidemic effects. Since the MeOH extract and the BuOH fraction of Pleurospermum kamtschaticum were found to be active using these four hypolipidemic assays, its major saponin buddlejasaponin IV {BS(IV)} isolated from the BuOH fraction were also tested to demonstrate the active components.

Overexpression of Wnt-1 in thyrocytes enhances cellular growth but suppresses transcription of the thyroperoxidase gene via different signaling mechanisms.

Wnt binding to cell surface receptors can activate a 'canonical' pathway that increases cellular beta-catenin or a 'noncanonical' Ca(++) pathway which can increase protein kinase C (PKC) activity. Although components of both Wnt/beta-catenin-signaling pathways exist in thyrocytes, their biological role is largely unknown. In evaluating the biological role of Wnt signaling in differentiated FRTL-5 thyroid cells, we showed that TSH increased canonical Wnt-1 but, surprisingly, decreased the active form of beta-catenin.

Clinical features and prognostic factors for survival in patients with poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma and comparison to the patients with the aggressive variants of papillary thyroid carcinoma.

We performed this study to compare the clinicopathologic features and outcomes between the patients with poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma (PDTC) and the patients with the aggressive variants of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). To evaluate the prognostic factors for survival of the patients with PDTC, we selected 49 patients with PDTC and 23 patients with the aggressive variants of PTC from three hospitals during the recent 15 years. The five-year survival rate and clinicopathologic features of the patients with PDTC were not different from those of the patients with the aggressive variants of PTC.

18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography does not predict malignancy in thyroid nodules cytologically diagnosed as follicular neoplasm.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) in predicting malignancy in thyroid nodules cytologically diagnosed as follicular neoplasm.

Patients And Methods: A total of 46 patients with thyroid nodules larger than 1 cm in diameter cytologically diagnosed as follicular neoplasm at Asan Medical Center (Seoul, Korea) were included. FDG-PET images were taken in all patients before surgical resection, and the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) of each nodule was measured.

Prognostic factors for Korean patients with anaplastic thyroid carcinoma.

Background: Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC), although rare, is one of the most aggressive human cancers, and patients with ATC have extremely poor prognoses despite various therapeutic measures. We wished to determine the prognostic factors of survival and effect of treatment on survival rate in patients with ATC.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of the 121 patients (41 men and 80 women) diagnosed with ATC from January 1995 to June 2004 at 5 major referral centers in Korea.

Ta2O5-Incorporated WO3 nanocomposite film for improved electrochromic performance in an acidic condition.

We report electrochromic and electrochemical properties of a WO3-Ta2O5 nanocomposite electrode that was fabricated from co-sputtering. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images of the WO3-Ta20 nanocomposite electrode revealed that morphology of the WO3 film was changed by incorporation of Ta2O5 nanoparticles, and their chemical states were confirmed to be W6+ and Ta5+ oxides from X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The introduction of Ta2O5 to the WO3 film played a role in alleviating surface roughness increase during continuous potential cycling; whereas the surface roughness of the WO3 film was increased from ca.

Lymphovascular invasion is associated with lateral cervical lymph node metastasis in papillary thyroid carcinoma.

Objectives: The objective of this retrospective study to evaluate whether lymphovascular invasion (LVI) is associated with lateral cervical lymph node metastasis and tumor recurrence in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC).

Methods: We evaluated the medical records of patients with PTC who had undergone total thyroidectomy and subsequent I remnant ablation at Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea, from January 1997 thorough December 2000.

Results: A total of 662 patients (585 women and 77 men; mean age, 44.

The BRAF mutation is useful for prediction of clinical recurrence in low-risk patients with conventional papillary thyroid carcinoma.

Background: The activating BRAF(V600E) mutation is the most common genetic alteration reported in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). While some reports suggest the BRAF(V600E) mutation is associated with factors predicting a poor prognosis and recurrence, this remains a controversial issue.

Aim: To determine whether the presence of the BRAF(V600E) mutation is a prognostic indicator for clinical recurrence in low-risk patients with conventional PTC.

Well-differentiated epithelial thyroid cancer management in the Asia Pacific region: a report and clinical practice guideline.

Context: Thyroid cancer is among the 10 most common malignancies in populations in the Asia Pacific region, where access to various relevant health care resources varies widely.

Objective: An expert consensus conference was held to define regional patterns of practice and guidelines for optimal management of well-differentiated epithelial thyroid carcinomas.

Results: Practice patterns vary from country to country, as would be anticipated form their variety of ethnic and racial populations, health care systems, economies, and cultures.

Increased susceptibility of ethanol-treated gastric mucosa to naproxen and its inhibition by DA-9601, an Artemisia asiatica extract.

Aim: To examine the effect of DA-9601, a new gastroprotective agent, on the vulnerability of ethanol-treated rat's stomach to naproxen (NAP).

Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were pretreated with 1 mL of 50% ethanol twice a day for 5 d and then NAP (50 mg/kg) was administered. DA-9601 was administered 1 h before NAP.

Eupatilin blocks mediator release via tyrosine kinase inhibition in activated guinea pig lung mast cells.

Eupatilin, an extract from Artemisia asiatica Nakai, is known to exert anti-gastric ulcer, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory effects. The aim of this study was to elucidate whether eupatilin has antiallergic reactions in activated guinea pig lung mast cells compared to apigenin and genistein. Mast cells were purified from guinea pig lung tissues by using enzyme digestion and rough and discontinuous density Percoll gradient.