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Background: Recently, the use of common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) has increased in biomedical research as an animal model. This study aimed to test fecal samples to monitor bacterial and parasite infections in common marmoset at the Laboratory Animal Center of Osong Medical Innovation Foundation in Korea. Methods: To monitor bacteria and parasites in common marmoset, we tested 43 fecal samples of 43 common marmosets by culture and parasitological test in 2014. Infection by Chilomastix mesnili was determined by PCR method. Results: We identified nonpathogenic bacteria such as Proteus mirabilis and Escherichia coli in feces of normal common marmosets. Interestingly, C. mesnili was isolated from a healthy common marmoset by fecal centrifugation concentration and PCR. The monkey infected with C. mesnili was treated with metronidazole. After the treatment, C. mesnili were not found in feces using fecal centrifugation concentration and PCR. Conclusion: This is the first case report of C. mesnili infection in common marmoset. Treatment with metronidazole is found to be highly effective in eradicating C. mesnili infection in common marmoset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims The relationship between patient survival and biopsy-proven acute rejection (BPAR) in liver transplant recipients with hepatitis C remains unclear. The aims of this study were to compare the characteristics of patients with and without BPAR and to identify risk factors for BPAR. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the records of 169 HCV-RNA-positive patients who underwent LT at three centers. Results BPAR occurred in 39 (23.1%) of the HCV-RNA-positive recipients after LT. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates were 92.1%, 90.3%, and 88.5%, respectively, in patients without BPAR, and 75.7%, 63.4%, and 58.9% in patients with BPAR (P

Purpose: The prognosis of patients with liver metastasis from gastric cancer is poor and the optimal treatment remains undetermined. This study identified prognostic factors for survival of patients with metachronous liver metastasis with no other metastatic site after gastrectomy for primary gastric cancer. We also evaluated the clinical impact of hepatic resection. Methods: Between 1997 and 2013, 19,588 curative gastrectomies for gastric adenocarcinoma were performed and 52 patients were diagnosed with metastasis to only the liver. We retrospectively analyzed the clinicopathologic factors of these patients. Results: The median time from gastrectomy to diagnosis of liver metastasis was 16 months (range, 1–65 months). Median survival time after the diagnosis of liver metastasis was 13 months (range, 3–64 months). The 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year patient survival rates after diagnosis of liver metastasis were 53.8%, 26.6%, and 19.9%, respectively. Twelve patients (23%) underwent liver resection for liver metastasis. The 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year overall survival rates were 92%, 42%, and 42% in the hepatic resection group and 43%, 13%, and 7% in the non-hepatic resection group (P=0.002). Multivariate analysis showed that hepatic resection, pathologic stage Ⅰ and Ⅱ of the primary tumor, and intestinal type in Lauren classification were predisposing factors for patient survival. Conclusion: Liver resection for resectable metachronous liver metastasis diagnosed after curative gastrectomy increases survival in patients with pathologic stage Ⅰ or Ⅱ and intestinal type in Lauren classification for the primary tumor.

Tubular materials formed by self-assembly of small organic molecules find great utility in chemical and material science. Conventional tubular structures often lack stability because noncovalent molecular interactions are responsible for their conformational integrities. Herein we report the development of covalently linked chromogenic organic nanotubes which are prepared by using topochemical polymerization of self-assembled macrocyclic diacetylenes (MCDAs). Crystal structures of five MCDAs having different diameters were elucidated, and four of these substances were transformed to tubular polydiacetylenes (PDA) by UV-induced polymerization. Surprisingly, MCDA-1 was found to self-assemble in stacks with a tilt angle of 62.1°, which significantly deviates from the optimal value for polymerization of 45°. This observation suggests that geometric parameters derived using linear diacetylene (DA) models might not be strictly applicable to polymerization of MCDA systems. Blue-phase PDAs obtained by polymerization of MCDA-1 and MCDA-3 have different thermochromic and solvatochromic properties, which enable them to be utilized for colorimetric differentiation of aromatic solvents including isomeric xylenes. The observations made and information obtained in this study should enhance the understanding and design of stimulus-responsive rigid organic nanotubes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections in liver transplant recipients are common and result in significant morbidity and mortality. Intravenous ganciclovir or oral valganciclovir are the standard treatment for CMV infection. The present study investigates the efficacy of oral valganciclovir in CMV infection as a preemptive treatment after liver transplantation.Between 2012 and 2013, 161 patients underwent liver transplantation at Samsung Medical Center. All patients received tacrolimus, steroids, and mycophenolate mofetil. Patients with CMV infection were administered oral valganciclovir (VGCV) 900mg/day daily or intravenous ganciclovir (GCV) 5mg/kg twice daily as preemptive treatment. Stable liver transplant recipients received VGCV.Eighty-three patients (51.6%) received antiviral therapy as a preemptive treatment because of CMV infection. The model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score and the proportions of Child-Pugh class C, hepatorenal syndrome, and deceased donor liver transplantation in the CMV infection group were higher than in the no CMV infection group. Sixty-one patients received GCV and 22 patients received VGCV. The MELD scores in the GCV group were higher than in the VGCV group, but there were no statistical differences in the pretransplant variables between the two groups. AST, ALT, and total bilirubin levels in the GCV group were higher than in the VGCV group when CMV infection occurred. The incidences of recurrent CMV infection in the GCV and VGCV groups were 14.8% and 4.5%, respectively (P=0.277).Oral valganciclovir is feasible as a preemptive treatment for CMV infection in liver transplant recipients with stable graft function.

The article reports on the study on the use of colometric sensors for the detection of volatile organic compounds based on conjugated polymer-embedded electrospun fibers. The blue-colored polydiacetylene-embedded fiber mat was dissolved in chloroform to investigate the effects of tetraethyl diacetylene on the stability. The study resulted to the development of a novel colorimetric sensor system based on silica-enforced electrospun microfibers embedded with conjugated polymers.

Owing to their stimulus responsive color changing properties, polydiacetylenes (PDAs) have been extensively investigated as colorimetric sensors. Thermochromic properties of PDAs have been the central focus of a number of investigations that were aimed not only at gaining a fundamental understanding of the physical basis of the color change but also at developing practical applications as temperature sensors. The thermochromic transition temperature of a PDA polymer is closely related to the melting point of the corresponding diacetylene (DA) monomer. In addition, the majority of PDAs described to date undergo a blue-to-red color change above room temperature because PDAs are generally derived from DA monomers that have melting points above room temperature. In the current study, we developed a series of low temperature colorimetric PDAs that were designed based on the reasoning that removal of the sources for strong headgroup interactions would lower the melting points of the corresponding DA monomers. This strategy was used to design and fabrication of PDA sensors that display color transitions in the range of 5-30 °C. Moreover, the thermochromic transition temperatures of the PDAs were found to decrease by ca. 10 °C when the alkyl chain length in the DA monomer is truncated by two methylene units. The results of FTIR and Raman spectroscopic analyses suggest that the PDA alkyl chain adopts an all-trans conformation in the blue-phase and some gauche forms exist in the alkyl chain in the red-phase PDA. Finally, the new PDAs are stable up to 300 °C, and their processable nature enables them to be fabricated in nanofiber forms by employing an anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) membrane as a template. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Patients undergoing liver resection are at risk for intraoperative hyperglycemia and acute hyperglycemia is known to induce hepatocytes injury. Thus, we aimed to evaluate whether intraoperative hyperglycemia during liver resection is associated with the extent of hepatic injury. METHODS: This 1 year retrospective observation consecutively enrolled 85 patients undergoing liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma. Blood glucose concentrations were measured at predetermined time points including every start/end of intermittent hepatic inflow occlusion (IHIO) via arterial blood analysis. Postoperative transaminase concentrations were used as surrogate parameters indicating the extent of surgery-related acute hepatocytes injury. RESULTS: Thirty (35.5%) patients developed hyperglycemia (blood glucose > 180 mg/dl) during surgery. Prolonged (≥ 3 rounds) IHIO (odds ratio [OR] 7.34, P = 0.004) was determined as a risk factors for hyperglycemia as well as cirrhosis (OR 4.07, P = 0.022), lower prothrombin time (OR 0.01, P = 0.025), and greater total cholesterol level (OR 1.04, P = 0.003). Hyperglycemia was independently associated with perioperative increase in transaminase concentrations (aspartate transaminase, β 105.1, standard error 41.7, P = 0.014; alanine transaminase, β 81.6, standard error 38.1, P = 0.035). Of note, blood glucose > 160 or 140 mg/dl was not associated with postoperative transaminase concentrations. CONCLUSIONS: Hyperglycemia during liver resection might be associated with the extent of hepatocytes injury. It would be rational to maintain blood glucose concentration < 180 mg/dl throughout the surgery in consideration of parenchymal disease, coagulation status, lipid profile, and the cumulative hepatic ischemia in patients undergoing liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma.

The micropatterning of conductive composites is of great importance for the integration of elastic conductors with functional micro-geometries in a stretchable platform. We present a simple and rapid micropatterning method for conductive composites that relies on single-step contact transfer printing (sCTP). A conductive polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) composite is readily synthesized by dispersing conductive carbon black nanoparticles into a PDMS matrix and is easily patterned on insulative PDMS substrates with negligible dimensional errors by the proposed method. In addition to simplicity and accuracy in fabrication, superior process scalability is revealed through investigation of both multiple-stack and large-area patterning approaches. We also demonstrate an all-elastomeric-platformed piezoresistive strain sensor capable of measuring higher tensile strains compared to conventional metal foil gauges, with highly linear, good cyclic electrical performance, and mechanical robustness. As a potential application, we integrate the strain sensors onto a glove to measure the motions of human fingers in real time. We further demonstrate a rosette-type gauge that can detect both the magnitude and direction of the principal strains with patterning accuracy and uniformity facilitated by the proposed sCTP technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bovine tuberculin purified protein derivative (bPPD) is used as an intradermal test (IT) reagent to detect bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in most countries. Identification of bPPD proteins is critical to understanding the immunological reaction of IT at the molecular level. While bPPD from the United Kingdom (UK) and Brazil (BR) have been recently defined at the proteomic level, bPPD from the Republic of Korea (KR) has not yet been analyzed. Here, bPPD KR proteome was examined for the first time. In total, 271 proteins were identified, including Mycobacterium bovis-specific proteins Mb0854c and Mb2898, and 42 known T cell antigens. On comparing with proteomes of bPPD UK and BR, 33 proteins were found to be common among all three bPPDs, of which 15 proteins were T cell antigens. M. bovis-specific antigens with T cell activity in bPPD may be novel candidates for use as alternatives to currently available bPPD in diagnostics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reports on the functionality and applicability of self-assembled polydiacetylene supramolecules to colorimetric detection systems. Monitor of ligand-receptor binding events by modified polydiacetylene supramolecules; Function of polydiacwtylene-based chemosensors via irreversible fashion; Example of reverse chromism of the polydiacetylene liposomes.

The complete genome sequence of porcine enterovirus B (PEV-B) from a Korean isolate was analyzed. The genome size was 7,393 bp. Previously, full genome sequences of PEV-B had been reported from the United Kingdom, Hungary, and China. The Korean PEV-B isolate presented polyprotein gene nucleotide sequence similarities of 77.9, 73.7, 78.9, and 80.3%, respectively, to PEV-B UKG/410/73, LP54, PEV15, and Chinese strains (Ch-ah-f1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To evaluate the long-term results of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) compared to left lateral sectionectomy (LLS) in patients with Child-Pugh class A disease for the treatment of single and small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the left lateral segments., Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the data of 133 patients with single HCC (≤ 3 cm) in their left lateral segments who underwent curative LLS (n = 66) or RFA (n = 67) between 2006 and 2010., Results: The median follow-up period was 33.5 mo in the LLS group and 29 mo in the RFA group (P = 0.060). Most patients had hepatitis B virus-related HCC. The hospital stay was longer in the LLS group than in the RFA group (8 d vs 2 d, P < 0.001). The 1-, 2-, and 3-year disease-free survival and overall survival rates were 80.0%, 68.2%, and 60.0%, and 95.4%, 92.3%, and 92.3%, respectively, for the LLS group; and 80.8%, 59.9%, and 39.6%, and 98.2%, 92.0%, and 74.4%, respectively, for the RFA group. The disease-free survival curve and overall survival curve were higher in the LLS group than in the RFA group (P = 0.012 and P = 0.013, respectively). Increased PIVKA-II levels and small tumor size were associated with HCC recurrence in multivariate analysis., Conclusion: Liver resection is suitable for single HCC ≤ 3 cm in the left lateral segments.