Behavioral and cardiac responses to a model startle test to assess retired Thoroughbred racehorses for equestrians.

Importance: Equine behavioral traits are important criteria to assess the suitability of retired Thoroughbred racehorses for equestrian sports.

Objective: This study aims to develop a practical procedure to assess retired Thoroughbreds for their suitability for equestrian sports or leisure purposes and to assess if horses identified as having reactive temperaments in response to a standardized startle test, will have improved test results following a period of transition training.

Methods: Behavioral reactivity data and cardiac autonomic responses to a startle test (comprising of a plastic bag applied to the neck area) were collected from twelve retired Thoroughbred racehorses (6 males and 6 females; average age: 4.

Diagnostic performance of procalcitonin for bacterial infection in severe alcoholic hepatitis compared with C-reactive protein.

Background: Severe alcoholic hepatitis is a catastrophic disease with a mortality rate of up to 35-50% at 30 days. Bacterial infection is an important prognostic factor in patients with severe alcoholic hepatitis, but it is difficult to detect the presence of infection immediately. Procalcitonin (PCT) is a well-known inflammatory marker that can detect bacterial infections in various diseases early.

Busulfan and cyclophosphamide for autologous stem cell transplantation in patients with multiple myeloma after proteasome inhibitor and/or immunomodulatory drug treatment.

High-dose melphalan at 200 mg/m (MEL-200) is the standard conditioning regimen before autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) in patients with multiple myeloma (MM). Busulfan (BU) and cyclophosphamide (CY) can be used as alternatives when MEL is unavailable. However, most studies on BU/CY conditioning regimens were conducted before proteasome inhibitors (PIs) and immunomodulatory drugs (IMIDs) were available.

Treatment of Kienböck's Disease Using Fourth and Fifth Extensor Compartmental Artery Vascularized Bone Grafts.

Background: This study evaluated the radiological and clinical outcomes of bone grafts using fourth and fifth extensor compartmental arteries (4+5 ECAs) for the treatment of Kienböck's disease.

Materials And Methods: In total, 21 patients (12 men and 9 women; mean age, 41 years; range, 19-59 years) were followed for a mean of 33 months. Radiological images were analyzed for the Lichtman stage, carpal height ratio, radioscaphoid angle, and Stahl's index.

The expression of PD-L1 on tumor-derived exosomes enhances infiltration and anti-tumor activity of αCD3 × αPD-L1 bispecific antibody-armed T cells.

Anti-cluster of differentiation (CD) 3 × α programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) bispecific T-cell engager (BsTE)-bound T-cells (BsTE:T) are a promising new cancer treatment agent. However, the mechanisms of action of bispecific antibody-armed activated T-cells are poorly understood. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the anti-tumor mechanism and efficacy of BsTE:T.

Comparing blood pressure measurements between sitting in chairs and sitting on the floor.

Background: The current standard approach to measuring home blood pressure (BP) involves taking measurements while sitting in a chair. In cultures where floor sitting is common, including Korea, assessing BP while sitting on the floor would be more feasible. However, there is still a lack of research investigating whether BP measurements obtained while seated in a chair and while sitting on the floor can be regarded as interchangeable.

Long-term prognostic implications of brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.

Objective: The long-term clinical effect of arterial stiffness in high-risk disease entities remains unclear. The prognostic implications of brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) were assessed using a real-world registry that included patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods: Arterial stiffness was measured using baPWV before discharge.

Estimated pulse wave velocity as a forefront indicator of developing metabolic syndrome in Korean adults.

Background/aims: The predictive value of the estimated pulse wave velocity (ePWV) for the development of metabolic syndrome has not yet been extensively explored. This study aimed to fill this gap by evaluating ePWV as a potential predictor of metabolic syndrome development in middle-aged Korean adults.

Methods: Using prospective data obtained from the Ansan-Ansung cohort database, participants without metabolic syndrome at baseline were studied.

Use of a platform with lens-free shadow imaging technology to monitor natural killer cell activity.

Natural killer (NK) cells are a crucial component of the innate immune system. This study introduces Cellytics NK, a novel platform for rapid and precise measurement of NK cell activity. This platform combines an NK-specific activation stimulator cocktail (ASC) and lens-free shadow imaging technology (LSIT), using optoelectronic components.

Associated Factor and Long-Term Clinical Outcomes for Patients with Postoperative Rotational Malreduction in Pediatric Supracondylar Humeral Fractures.

: Long-term outcomes of immediately postoperative rotational malreduction in the axial plane after operative treatment of supracondylar humeral fractures (SCHF) are unknown. This study aimed to investigate the long-term clinical outcomes and associated factors for immediately postoperative rotational malreduction of SCHF. : In this retrospective case-control study, 88 patients who underwent surgery for Gratland type III SCHF were enrolled between January 2012 and January 2020.

Efficacy and safety of netupitant/palonosetron in preventing nausea and vomiting in diffuse large B cell lymphoma patients undergoing R-CHOP chemotherapy.

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, for which cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone with rituximab(R-CHOP) is one of the standard regimens. Given that R-CHOP is highly emetogenic, chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) prevention is clinically important. However, there is a paucity of studies focusing on these patients.

Assessment of the Quality of Sinus Elevation with Lateral Window Approach Procedure Videos on YouTube: A Content-quality Analysis.

Although the lateral window approach allows for greater graft material delivery and bone formation, it is more challenging and invasive, prompting keen interest among dentists to master this method. YouTube is increasingly used for medical training; however, concerns regarding the quality of instructional videos exist. This study proposes new criteria for evaluating YouTube videos on maxillary sinus elevation with the aim of establishing standards for assessing instructional content in the field.

Real-world safety and effectiveness of secukinumab in adult patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis: results from postmarketing surveillance in Korea.

Background: Secukinumab, a fully human monoclonal antibody, was approved in Korea for the treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis in September 2015.

Objectives: To assess the safety and effectiveness of secukinumab in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis in Korea.

Design: Multicenter, real-world, noninterventional study conducted over 6 years.

STAT3 Decoy Oligodeoxynucleotides Suppress Liver Inflammation and Fibrosis in Liver Cancer Cells and a DDC-Induced Liver Injury Mouse Model.

Liver damage caused by various factors results in fibrosis and inflammation, leading to cirrhosis and cancer. Fibrosis results in the accumulation of extracellular matrix components. The role of STAT proteins in mediating liver inflammation and fibrosis has been well documented; however, approved therapies targeting STAT3 inhibition against liver disease are lacking.

Harnessing Metabolic Indices as a Predictive Tool for Cardiovascular Disease in a Korean Population without Known Major Cardiovascular Event.

Backgruound: This study evaluated the usefulness of indices for metabolic syndrome, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and insulin resistance (IR), as predictive tools for cardiovascular disease in middle-aged Korean adults.

Methods: The prospective data obtained from the Ansan-Ansung cohort database, excluding patients with major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE). The primary outcome was the incidence of MACCE during the follow-up period.

The Clinical Significance of Myosteatosis in Survival Outcomes in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treated with Sorafenib.

The role of body composition parameters in sorafenib-treated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients is still not fully elucidated. Here, we aimed to evaluate the impact of computed tomography (CT)-based body composition parameters on the survival of such patients. In this multicenter study, we analyzed the data of 245 sorafenib-treated HCC patients from January 2008 to December 2019.

Blood pressure and variability responses to the down-titration of antihypertensive drugs.

Objectives: Several recent guidelines have proposed the gradual reduction of antihypertensive drugs for patients with well controlled blood pressure (BP). However, no studies have examined alterations in BP variability (BPV) during the down-titration of antihypertensives. This study aims to investigate changes in home BPV during the down-titration of antihypertensives.

The efficacy of newly proposed gastric open peroral endoscopic myotomy (GO-POEM) in preventing post-endoscopic submucosal dissection stenosis: A comparison with non-GO-POEM group.

Extensive endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for gastric adenoma or early cancer can lead to post-ESD stenosis. This may cause a decrease in quality of life and an increase in medical issues. Therefore, this study examined the safety and effectiveness of gastric open peroral endoscopic myotomy (GO-POEM) in preventing stenosis following ESD.

Sequence-Type Classification of Brain MRI for Acute Stroke Using a Self-Supervised Machine Learning Algorithm.

We propose a self-supervised machine learning (ML) algorithm for sequence-type classification of brain MRI using a supervisory signal from DICOM metadata (i.e., a rule-based virtual label).

Association between Estimated Pulse Wave Velocity and Incident Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Korean Adults.

Introduction: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with vascular dysfunction, one of the signs of which is arterial stiffness. Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV), which is considered the gold standard measure of arterial stiffness, can be estimated using two commonly assessed clinical variables: age and blood pressure. This study aimed to evaluate the association between estimated PWV (ePWV) and the prevalence and incidence of NAFLD among Korean adults.