Continuous synthesis of artificial speech sounds from human cortical surface recordings during silent speech production.

. Brain-computer interfaces can restore various forms of communication in paralyzed patients who have lost their ability to articulate intelligible speech. This study aimed to demonstrate the feasibility of closed-loop synthesis of artificial speech sounds from human cortical surface recordings during silent speech production.

Inflammatory biomarkers predict outcomes of patients with radioactive iodine refractory thyroid cancer treated with sorafenib.

Background: The objective of this multicenter, retrospective cohort study was to evaluate the ability of inflammatory biomarkers representing the host immune system to predict outcomes in 70 patients with progressive radioactive iodine (RAI)-refractory thyroid cancer who were treated with sorafenib.

Method: Patients were divided into low and high inflammatory biomarker groups based on median values. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were assessed based on the lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR).

Lenvatinib Compared with Sorafenib as a First-Line Treatment for Radioactive Iodine-Refractory, Progressive, Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma: Real-World Outcomes in a Multicenter Retrospective Cohort Study.

Sorafenib and lenvatinib have been widely adopted to treat radioactive iodine (RAI)-refractory differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC). However, limited data exist regarding a direct comparison of these tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). We aimed to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of two TKIs as first-line therapy in patients with distant metastatic or locally advanced, progressive, RAI-refractory DTC in real-world practice.

Purification and characterization of a novel acid-tolerant and heterodimeric β-glucosidase from pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata) seed.

A novel β-glucosidase was purified from pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata) seed by anion exchange chromatography and gel permeation chromatography, and its molecular mass was determined to be 42.8 kDa by gel permeation chromatography. The heterodimeric structure consisting of two subunits, free from disulfide bonds, was determined by native-PAGE analysis followed by zymography.

Lenvatinib for Radioactive Iodine-Refractory Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma and Candidate Biomarkers Associated with Survival: A Multicenter Study in Korea.

Lenvatinib, an oral multikinase inhibitor, is the latest addition to the treatment options for radioactive iodine (RAI)-refractory progressive differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC). This study investigated the efficacy of lenvatinib in real-world practice and prognostic biomarkers of survival. This multicenter study included 43 patients receiving lenvatinib as first-line or second-line treatment after sorafenib for RAI-refractory DTC.

Extended Real-World Observation of Patients Treated with Sorafenib for Radioactive Iodine-Refractory Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma and Impact of Lenvatinib Salvage Treatment: A Korean Multicenter Study.

Treatment for patients with radioactive iodine (RAI)-refractory differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) is challenging. Recently, two tyrosine kinase inhibitors (sorafenib and lenvatinib) have been approved and showed benefits for progression-free survival with tolerable adverse events. This is an extension study of a previous multicenter, retrospective cohort study of real-world experience in treating 98 patients with progressive RAI-refractory DTC with sorafenib.

Tertiary Care Experience of Sorafenib in the Treatment of Progressive Radioiodine-Refractory Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma: A Korean Multicenter Study.

Background: Sorafenib, a multi-kinase inhibitor, is approved for the treatment of patients with radioactive iodine (RAI)-refractory differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of sorafenib in real-world clinical practice and compared the results to those of the DECISION trial. The clinical features associated with better clinical outcomes after sorafenib treatment were also evaluated.

Association between thyroid autoimmunity and infection.

Background/aims: There have been controversial reports linking infection to autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD). However, data regarding the relationship are limited for Asian populations, which have an extremely high prevalence of infection. We performed this study to investigate the association between infection and AITD in Koreans.

Metformin Is Associated with a Favorable Outcome in Diabetic Patients with Cervical Lymph Node Metastasis of Differentiated Thyroid Cancer.

Background And Objective: Type 2 diabetes is known to increase the risk and progression of certain types of cancer. Metformin treatment of diabetic patients is reported to have beneficial effects on some cancers. We evaluated the clinical outcome of diabetic patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) according to metformin treatment.

Usefulness of NRAS codon 61 mutation analysis and core needle biopsy for the diagnosis of thyroid nodules previously diagnosed as atypia of undetermined significance.

A repeat fine needle aspiration (FNA) is recommended for thyroid nodules diagnosed as atypia of undetermined significance (AUS) in a previous cytology. We evaluated the utility of NRAS codon 61 (NRAS61) mutation analysis and core needle biopsy (CNB) for the diagnosis of thyroid nodules previously diagnosed as AUS. This study enrolled 236 patients who underwent both NRAS61 mutation analysis and CNB of thyroid nodules previously diagnosed as AUS at cytology.

Selective embolization for hypervascular metastasis from differentiated thyroid cancer: a case series.

Introduction: The technique of selective embolization has been applied for years in the treatment of vascular anomalies, severe hemorrhage, and for benign and malignant tumors. Some hypervascular skeletal metastases are prone to massive hemorrhage.

Case Presentation: We describe the cases of two patients with thyroid carcinoma presenting with neuromuscular symptoms due to large skeletal metastases in the shoulder and sternum respectively.

Long-term consequence of elevated thyroglobulin in differentiated thyroid cancer.

Background: Serum thyroglobulin (Tg) is the most sensitive biomarker for recurrence of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). We have assessed the changing pattern of stimulated Tg (sTg) and the clinical course of patients with no structural evidence of disease (NSED), based on imaging studies such as neck ultrasonography (US), fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography, and/or chest computed tomogram (CT). We sought to determine if, in patients with DTC who had been treated with bilateral thyroidectomy and remnant ablation with radioactive iodine, sTg 1 year (sTg1) after initial treatment and repeated sTg measurements, 1-2 years after sTg1, helped predict the long-term outcome with respect to structural recurrence and biochemical remission (BR), which is defined as sTg <1 ng/mL.

Long-term clinical outcome of differentiated thyroid cancer patients with undetectable stimulated thyroglobulin level one year after initial treatment.

Background: Measurement of the serum thyroglobulin (Tg) level with TSH stimulation (sTg) is the cornerstone of monitoring for the recurrence or persistence of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) in patients who have undergone surgery and remnant ablation. However, there have been several reports that an undetectable sTg could not predict the absence of future recurrence. The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term outcome of DTC patients who achieved biochemical remission (BR, defined as sTg<1 ng/mL) after initial treatment, and to determine the role of repeated sTg measurement in detecting a clinical recurrence.

Adjuvant radioactive therapy after reoperation for locoregionally recurrent papillary thyroid cancer in patients who initially underwent total thyroidectomy and high-dose remnant ablation.

Context: Some patients have elevated stimulated thyroglobulin (sTg) concentrations after reoperation for locoregionally recurrent/persistent papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). Little is known, however, about the efficacy of adjuvant radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy in these patients.

Objective: The objective of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of adjuvant RAI therapy in patients with elevated sTg after reoperation for locally recurrent/persistent PTC.

Effects of different doses of radioactive iodine for remnant ablation on successful ablation and on long-term recurrences in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare ablation success and disease-free survival (DFS) on the basis of different ablation doses.

Methods: This retrospective study enrolled differentiated thyroid carcinoma patients who underwent total thyroidectomy and radioactive remnant ablation at the Asan Medical Center between January 2000 and December 2004. Radioactive iodine doses of 30 mCi (group A), 80 mCi (group B), and 150 mCi (group C) were administered according to the patients' risk of recurrences based on the clinicopathologic parameters at the time of surgery.

The outcomes of first reoperation for locoregionally recurrent/persistent papillary thyroid carcinoma in patients who initially underwent total thyroidectomy and remnant ablation.

Context: The primary treatment of locoregionally recurrent/persistent papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is surgical removal by reoperation. However, there had been only limited number of reports on the outcome of reoperation.

Objective: This study was to evaluate the efficacy of the first reoperation for locoregionally recurrent/persistent papillary thyroid carcinoma and the usefulness of stimulated thyroglobulin for evaluating efficacy of reoperation.

Lack of Association between Serum Cystatin C Levels and Coronary Artery Disease in Diabetic Patients.

Background: Serum cystatin C level is a more sensitive marker of renal dysfunction than serum creatinine level. Serum cystatin C level was recently reported to predict the development of cardiovascular disease. This study was performed to evaluate whether the cystatin C level is associated with coronary artery disease (CAD), independent of diabetic nephropathy.

Concurrent occurrence of medullary thyroid carcinoma and papillary thyroid carcinoma in the same thyroid should be considered as coincidental.

Objectives: The simultaneous occurrence of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) and papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) in the same thyroid gland is documented. In this study, we evaluated the prevalence and characteristics of patients with concurrent MTC and PTC. Design Retrospective analysis of patients with MTC in a single centre and review of the literature.

Clinical outcomes of persistent radioiodine uptake in the neck shown by diagnostic whole body scan in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma after initial surgery and remnant ablation.

Objectives: To evaluate the clinical outcomes of persistent radioiodine uptake (RAIU) in the neck by diagnostic whole body scan (DxWBS) after initial therapy and the efficacy of the second ablation in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC).

Design: Patients with DTC who underwent bilateral surgery and high-dose remnant ablation between 2000 and 2004 were included. Patients with elevated serum stimulated thyroglobulin (sTg) or extensive lateral neck lymph node involvement at initial surgery underwent a second ablation, and patients with undetectable sTg or in very low-risk groups were observed.

Empiric high-dose 131-iodine therapy lacks efficacy for treated papillary thyroid cancer patients with detectable serum thyroglobulin, but negative cervical sonography and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography scan.

Context: Some patients with elevated serum thyroglobulin (Tg) but a negative diagnostic whole body scan (WBS) after initial therapy for differentiated thyroid carcinoma may benefit from empirical radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy. However, previous studies enrolled patients with negative diagnostic WBS, regardless of neck ultrasonography (USG) and/or (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET), which have become the preferred diagnostic procedures in such patients.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of empirical RAI therapy in patients with elevated stimulated Tg level and negative USG/FDG-PET findings after initial therapy for papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC).

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.

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.

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.

[Thirteen cases of intrahepatic biliary cystadenoma and cystadenocarcinoma: a single center experience].

Background/aims: Biliary cystadenoma (BCA) and biliary cystadenocarcinoma (BCACa) are rare cystic neoplasms that usually arise from the liver. We reviewed the clinicopathologic and radiologic findings of 13 cases of intrahepatic biliary cystic neoplasms.

Methods: Seven patients with BCA and 6 patients with BCACa which were pathologically proven within past 10 years were included in this retrospective study.