Oxidative Stress-induced Telomere Length Shortening of Circulating Leukocyte in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

The main mechanism of pathogenesis which causes systemic complications in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients is believed to be intermittent hypoxia-induced intermediary effect and it depends on the burden of oxidative stress during sleep. We aimed to search the predictive markers which reflect the burden of systemic oxidative stress in patients with OSA and whether excessive telomere length shortening is a characteristic feature that can assess oxidative stress levels. We used quantitative PCR to measure telomere length using peripheral blood genomic DNA.

Organizing Hematoma of the Maxillary Sinus Mimicking Malignancy Diagnosed by Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron-Emission Tomography (FDG PET/CT): A Case Report.

Organizing hematoma of the paranasal sinuses is a diagnostic dilemma clinically and radiographically, mimicking benign or malignant neoplastic processes. Although the diagnostic rate of this disease has increased as characteristic imaging findings are somewhat elucidated, endoscopic examination, preoperative biopsy, and computed tomography (CT) imaging do not give helpful information in differentiating these lesions from malignant neoplastic processes. A 55-year-old man presented with a 4-month history of recurrent nasal bleeding.

Comparison of cytokine expression in mesenchymal stem cells from human placenta, cord blood, and bone marrow.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are capable of self-renewal and differentiation into lineages of mesenchymal tissues that are currently under investigation for a variety of therapeutic applications. The purpose of this study was to compare cytokine gene expression in MSCs from human placenta, cord blood (CB) and bone marrow (BM). The cytokine expression profiles of MSCs from BM, CB and placenta (amnion, decidua) were compared by proteome profiler array analysis.

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone modulates immune system function via the nuclear factor-kappaB pathway in murine Raw264.7 macrophages.

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), which was originally found to be involved in the reproductive process, has also been implicated in the modulation of immune system function. However, the underlying mechanisms of this involvement remain largely unclear. In this study, we found that GnRH increased the intracellular calcium levels in murine Raw264.

Postmenopausal status according to years since menopause as an independent risk factor for the metabolic syndrome.

Objective: Features of the metabolic syndrome such as abdominal adiposity, insulin resistance, and dyslipidemia develop with the transition from pre- to postmenopausal status in women. We investigated the effects of postmenopausal status on the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome according to years since menopause.

Design: We studied 1,002 women, 618 premenopausal and 384 postmenopausal, who participated in annual health examinations at Anam Hospital in Seoul, Korea.

Three-dimensional Pt-coated Au nanoparticle arrays: applications for electrocatalysis and surface-enhanced Raman scattering.

This study demonstrates a novel approach to synthesis methods for core-shell nanoparticle assembly using nanoparticle trapping at an interface and subsequent transfer onto a substrate for electrochemical ultrathin layer coating. The transferred nanoparticle array can have a tunable surface area depending on the number of transferred layers. Subsequently coating the surface with Pt-group metals that behave as an ultrathin film provides electrocatalytic activities with respect to a variety of chemical reactions, depending on the properties of the selected coating materials.

Linker-molecule-free gold nanorod layer-by-layer films for surface-enhanced Raman scattering.

This paper reports a methodology for synthesizing and ordering gold nanorods into two-dimensional arrays at a water/hexane interface. This preparation method allows the systematic control of the nanoparticle film thickness. An investigation into the thickness-dependent surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) of the adsorbed molecules revealed the nanorod (NR) films to have 1 order of magnitude stronger SERS enhancement than the nanosphere (NS) under similar experimental conditions.

Surface enhanced Raman scattering from layered assemblies of close-packed gold nanoparticles.

A synthetic method of ordering hydrophilic gold nanoparticles into a close-packed two-dimensional array at a hexane-water interface and subsequent transferring of such structure onto a solid substrate is described. By repeating the transfer process, multilayered gold nanoparticle films are formed without need of linker molecules. Their surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) efficiencies are compared as a function of the number of layers.

Assembly of highly ordered nanoparticle monolayers at a water/hexane interface.

This paper reports a methodology for preparing ordering hydrophilic metal nanoparticles into close-packed 2-dimensional arrays at a hexane-water interface with alkanethiol in the hexane layer. The destabilization of metal nanoparticles by the addition of alcohol caused the nanoparticles to adsorb to an interface where the surface of entrapped Au nanoparticle was in situ coated with the long-chain alkanethiols present in a hexane layer. The adsorption of alkanethiol to the nanoparticle surface caused the conversion of the electrostatic repulsive force to a van der Waals interaction, which is a key feature in forming highly ordered close-packed nanoparticle arrays.

Correlation between estrogens and serum adipocytokines in premenopausal and postmenopausal women.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between serum adipocytokines (adiponectin, resistin, leptin, and tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNF-alpha]) and endogenous estrogen (estrone and estradiol) levels in healthy premenopausal and postmenopausal women.

Design: This study included 53 healthy premenopausal women, 45 healthy postmenopausal women, and 10 postmenopausal women with the metabolic syndrome who were participating in general health examinations. A secondary analysis was performed on levels of adiponectin, resistin, leptin, TNF-alpha, estrone (E1), and estradiol (E2).

Septate uterus with double cervices, unilaterally obstructed vaginal septum, and ipsilateral renal agenesis: a rare combination of müllerian and wolffian anomalies complicated by severe endometriosis in an adolescent.

We present a previously unreported combination of müllerian and wolffian anomalies of a septate uterus with double cervices, unilaterally obstructed vaginal septum, and ipsilateral renal agenesis; this constellation of findings may offer clues that could modify classic embryologic explanations. In spite of the young age of our patient (15-years old), a chief complaint of malodorous vaginal discharge, and absence of dysmenorrhea or any other symptoms of endometriosis, laparoscopic examination revealed severe endometriosis with dense adhesions, probably as a result of abundant menstrual regurgitation. Laparoscopic resection of endometriotic lesions, adhesiolysis, and vaginoscopic septotomy were successfully performed while preserving hymenal integrity.

Persistent HPV infection after conization in patients with negative margins.

Objectives: To investigate the rate of clearance of high-risk HPV after conization with negative margins and to identify the factors that may predict high-risk HPV clearance/persistence after conization with negative margins.

Methods: We performed a retrospective review of 69 patients (mean age 39.5 years, range 25-60 years) with histologically verified CIN 2 or CIN 3 who underwent electroknife conization with negative margins between March 2002 and December 2003.

Mutant p53 protein in the serum of patients with cervical carcinoma: correlation with the level of serum epidermal growth factor receptor and prognostic significance.

We have previously reported that the serum level of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) was significantly elevated in 38 cervical carcinoma patients. The levels of mutant p53 protein were determined in the serum of the same cohort (invasive or recurrent carcinoma: 26, carcinoma in situ (CIS): 12) and 18 controls using ELISA. The median serum level for mutant p53 in cervical carcinoma patients (0.

2,5-Pyridinedicarboxylic acid derivatives as non-nucleosidic reverse transcriptase inhibitors of hepatitis B virus.

2,5-Pyridinedicarboxylic acid derivatives were found to be the potent non-nucleoside inhibitors of hepatitis B virus (HBV) with IC(50) View Article and Find Full Text PDF