The Use of Acellular Dermal Matrix May Not Increase 30-Day Complications in Direct-to-Implant Breast Reconstruction: A Multi-institutional Analysis of 10,177 Cases.

Background: Direct-to-implant (DTI) breast reconstruction offers immediate aesthetic and psychological benefits, but the role of acellular dermal matrix (ADM) remains debated. Using a multi-institutional database, this study evaluates and compares outcomes between ADM-assisted and non-ADM DTI procedures.

Methods: The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database from 2008 to 2022 was queried to identify female patients who underwent DTI breast reconstruction for oncological purposes.

Evaluation of the Role of PnuC Gene in Enhancing Nicotinamide Mononucleotide Synthesis.

The PnuC gene plays a crucial role in the complex processes related to the absorption and synthesis of the nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) precursor. NMN, a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) precursor, is important for cellular energy metabolism, DNA repair, and antiaging. This study focuses on elucidating the precursor absorption mechanism and the specific function of the PnuC gene in encoding membrane transport proteins, as well as its impact on the regulation and dynamics of NMN within the cell.

A Multi-Center, Prospective, Observational Study to Evaluate the Therapeutic Effectiveness and Safety of an Olmesartan/Amlodipine Plus Rosuvastatin Combination Treatment in Patients with Concomitant Hypertension and Dyslipidemia.

This study assessed the therapeutic effectiveness of a single-pill combination (SPC) of olmesartan/amlodipine plus rosuvastatin for blood pressure (BP) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in patients with hypertension and dyslipidemia. Adult patients with hypertension and dyslipidemia who were decided to be treated with the study drug were eligible. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients who achieved BP, LDL-C and both BP and LDL-C treatment goals at weeks 24-48.

Proteinuria and the risk of Incident atrial fibrillation according to glycemic stages: a nationwide population-based cohort study.

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) and proteinuria each independently raise the risk of atrial fibrillation (AF). We aimed to investigate the relationship between proteinuria and the risk of incident AF across glycemic stages.

Methods: A cohort of 4,044,524 individuals without prior AF and type 1 DM was selected from the 2009 Korean National Health Insurance Service health checkup data.

Aetiology of chronic liver disease is a valuable factor for stratifying adverse outcomes of acute decompensation: prospective observational study.

Background/aims: Acute decompensation (AD) is defined as the development of complications related to portal hypertension and liver dysfunction that affect the progression of chronic liver disease (CLD) or liver cirrhosis (LC). Variations exist in patient demographics and prognostic outcomes of AD based on the aetiology of CLD, encompassing LC. However, limited research has been conducted to analyse these discrepancies across aetiologies.

Production and application of Paenibacillus polymyxa levan as an antiviral priming agent against cucumber mosaic virus infection in tobacco plants.

This study investigates the application of levan- produced from Paenibacillus polymyxa SG09-12 as an antiviral agent against cucumber mosaic virus (CMV). A high-purity microbial levan was produced and purified using diafiltration. The chemical composition, structure, and functional groups of the levan were characterised using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).

Switching to Besifovir in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B Receiving Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate: A Randomized Trial.

Background/aims: Besifovir (BSV) showed comparable antiviral activity superior safety profiles to tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) in treatment-naïve chronic hepatitis B (CHB). However, no data are available regarding the antiviral efficacy and safety of BSV in patients with CHB who switched from long-term TDF to BSV. This study aimed to evaluate the outcome of a 48-week BSV therapy in patients with CHB who switched from long-term TDF treatment.

∆-Tetrahydrocannabinol Increases Growth Factor Release by Cultured Adipose Stem Cells and Adipose Tissue in vivo.

Background: Because of its biocompatibility and its soft and dynamic nature, the grafting of adipose tissue is regarded an ideal technique for soft-tissue repair. The adipose stem cells (ASCs) contribute significantly to the regenerative potential of adipose tissue, because they can differentiate into adipocytes and release growth factors for tissue repair and neovascularization to facilitate tissue survival. The present study tested the effect of administering a chronic low dose of ∆-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on these regenerative properties, in vitro and in vivo.

Cell-free biocatalysis for co-production of nicotinamide mononucleotide and ethanol from Saccharomyces cerevisiae and recombinant Escherichia coli.

Cell-free enzyme systems have emerged as a promising approach for producing various biometabolites, offering several advantages over traditional whole-cell systems. This study presents an approach to producing nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) by combining a Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell-free enzyme with a recombinant Escherichia coli cell-free enzyme. The system leverages the ATP generated by yeast during ethanol fermentation to produce NMN in the presence of nicotinamide (NAM) as a substrate.

Clinical and Radiologic Outcomes of Augmented Partial Repair with Acellular Dermal Allograft and Superior Capsular Reconstruction in Massive Rotator Cuff Tears: 2-Year Follow-Up.

To evaluate the clinical and radiologic outcomes of arthroscopic augmented partial repair (APR) with acellular dermal matrix versus arthroscopic superior capsular reconstruction (SCR) in massive rotator cuff tears. The study included a total of 49 patients with massive rotator cuff tears who underwent arthroscopic APR (26 patients) and SCR (23 patients) between March 2018 and June 2021. Clinical scores, visual analog scores, and range of motion were collected preoperatively and postoperatively until the last follow-up.

Silencing of Epidermal Growth Factor-like Domain 8 Promotes Proliferation and Cancer Aggressiveness in Human Ovarian Cancer Cells by Activating ERK/MAPK Signaling Cascades.

Ovarian cancer (OC) is the second most common female reproductive cancer and the most lethal gynecological malignancy worldwide. Most human OCs are characterized by high rates of drug resistance and metastasis, leading to poor prognosis. Improving the outcomes of patients with relapsed and treatment-resistant OC remains a challenge.

Self-Assembly of Amorphous 2D Polymer Nanodiscs with Tuneable Size, pH-Responsive Degradation and Controlled Drug Release.

Amphiphilic bottlebrush block copolymers (BBCs) with tadpole-like, coil-rod architecture can be used to self-assemble into functional polymer nanodiscs directly in water. The hydrophobic segments of the BBC were tuned via the ratio of ethoxy-ethyl glycidyl ether (EE) to tetrahydropyranyl glycidyl ether (TP) within the grafted polymer sidechains. In turn, this variation controlled the sizes, pH-responsiveness, and drug loading capacity of the self-assembled nanodiscs.

Resolution of hypertension after kidney transplantation is associated with improved kidney transplant outcomes: a nationwide cohort study.

Objectives: Patients with advanced chronic kidney disease suffer from hypertension, and kidney transplantation (KT) has potential to induce hypertension resolution. We hypothesized that hypertension resolution after KT is associated with better KT outcomes.

Methods: We identified KT recipients (2006-2015) who had pretransplant hypertension.

Speech-mediated manipulation of da Vinci surgical system for continuous surgical flow.

Unlabelled: With the advent of robot-assisted surgery, user-friendly technologies have been applied to the da Vinci surgical system (dVSS), and their efficacy has been validated in worldwide surgical fields. However, further improvements are required to the traditional manipulation methods, which cannot control an endoscope and surgical instruments simultaneously. This study proposes a speech recognition control interface (SRCI) for controlling the endoscope via speech commands while manipulating surgical instruments to replace the traditional method.

EBP1 potentiates amyloid β pathology by regulating γ-secretase.

The abnormal deposition of amyloid β (Aβ), produced by proteolytic cleavage events of amyloid precursor protein involving the protease γ-secretase and subsequent polymerization into amyloid plaques, plays a key role in the neuropathology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Here we show that ErbB3 binding protein 1 (EBP1)/proliferation-associated 2G4 (PA2G4) interacts with presenilin, a catalytic subunit of γ-secretase, inhibiting Aβ production. Mice lacking forebrain Ebp1/Pa2g4 recapitulate the representative phenotypes of late-onset sporadic AD, displaying an age-dependent increase in Aβ deposition, amyloid plaques and cognitive dysfunction.

Dry Etching Characteristics of InGaZnO Thin Films Under Inductively Coupled Plasma-Reactive-Ion Etching with Hydrochloride and Argon Gas Mixture.

Inductively coupled plasma-reactive etching (ICP-RIE) of InGaZnO (IGZO) thin films was studied with variations in gas mixtures of hydrochloride (HCl) and argon (Ar). The dry etching characteristics of the IGZO films were investigated according to radiofrequency bias power, gas mixing ratio, and chamber pressure. The IGZO film showed an excellent etch rate of 83.

Weight change and cardiovascular disease incidence in breast cancer survivors: a nationwide cohort study.

Background: Breast cancer survivors (BCS) face a higher risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) due to treatment-related cardiotoxicity and pre-existing conditions. We investigated how post-diagnosis weight changes and obesity impact CVD risk in this population.

Method: Using the Korean National Health Insurance Service database (2010-2019), BCS without previous history of CVD were enrolled.

Long-term clinical outcome of a weekly 2-chlorodeoxyadenosine regimen in treatment-naïve patients with hairy cell leukemia.

Hairy cell leukemia (HCL) has a favorable clinical outcome with appropriate treatment; however, further research is needed on managing patients with relapsed or refractory disease and the risk of infection during prolonged periods. This study examined the long-term effects of 2-chlorodeoxyadenosine (2-CdA), particularly using a weekly infusion protocol, in treatment-naïve patients with HCL. This retrospective study evaluated the long-term follow-up data from 21 South Korean patients diagnosed with HCL.

Multifunctional DNA-Metal Nanohybrids Derived From DNA-MgPPi Microhybrids by Rolling Circle Amplification.

Rolling circle amplification (RCA)-derived ultra-long DNA is highly attractive and versatile because of its diverse functionalities conferred by repeated DNA nanostructures. However, magnesium pyrophosphate (MgPPi) crystals, as byproducts of RCA, electrostatically interact with the DNA to form DNA microhybrids and hamper its broad bioapplications, as its large size is unfavorable for cellular uptake and decreases the density of functional DNA nanostructures. In this study, finely tuned synthesis strategies are developed to condense the microhybrids and replace non-functional MgPPi crystals with various functional metal nanostructures by reducing metal ions.

Unveiling Inequities: Racial Disparities in Risk-Reducing Mastectomy for Breast Cancer Prevention.

Background: Risk-reducing mastectomy (RRM) significantly lowers breast cancer risk as a preventive surgery. While racial disparities in breast cancer treatment are well-documented, research on racial differences in the utilization and outcomes of RRM is limited.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (2008-2022) to identify women who underwent RRM.

Impact of Routine Follow-Ups After Curative Gastrectomy in Elderly Patients with Early Gastric Cancer.

Introduction: Elderly patients with early gastric cancer exhibit a relatively shorter life expectancy and lower recurrence risk, prompting consideration of whether the regular follow-up strategy should apply to this demographic. This study was designed to determine the effect of routine postoperative follow-up on the elderly patients, specifically those pathologically diagnosed with stage I gastric cancer.

Methods And Materials: This retrospective analysis was conducted at a single tertiary center and enrolled patients aged ≥ 75 years who underwent curative gastrectomy for stage I gastric cancer between January of 2007 and December of 2016.

Na-Complexed Dendritic Polyglycerols for Recovery of Frozen Cells and Their Network in Media.

In this study, a novel phenomenon is identified where precise control of topology and generation of polyglycerol induce the retention of Na ions in biological buffer systems, effectively inhibiting ice crystal growth during cryopreservation. Unlike linear and hyperbranched counterparts, densely-packed hydroxyl and ether groups in 4th-generation dendritic polyglycerol interact with the ions, activating the formation of hydrogen bonding at the ice interface. By inhibiting both intra- and extracellular ice growth and recrystallization, this biocompatible dendritic polyglycerol proves highly effective as a cryoprotectant; hence, achieving the cell recovery rates of ≈134-147%, relative to those of 10% dimethyl sulfoxide, which is a conventional cryoprotectant for human tongue squamous carcinoma (HSC-3) cell line and human umbilical vein endothelial (HUVEC) cells.

P-Type Vertical FETs Realized by Using Fermi-Level Pinning-Free 2D Metallic Electrodes.

In two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterial electronics, vertical field-effect transistors (VFETs), where charges flow perpendicular to the channel materials, hold promise due to the ease of forming ultrashort channel lengths by utilizing the thinness of 2D materials. However, the poor performance of p-type VFET arises from the lack of a gate-field-penetrating electrode with suitable work functions, which is essential for VFET operation. This motivated us to replace graphene (work function of ∼4.