Multidrug-Resistant and Carbapenemase Gene-Carrying Isolated from Bloodstream Infection.

In this study, we investigated the antimicrobial susceptibility and molecular characteristics of antimicrobial resistance of strains isolated from the bloodstream using whole-genome sequencing. Clinical isolates identified as and showing colistin resistance at the time of detection were collected. Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined using the VITEK2 system (bioMérieux) and Sensititre system (Thermo Fisher Scientific).

A Model of Unified Perception and Cognition.

This article discusses an approach to add perception functionality to a general-purpose intelligent system, NARS. Differently from other AI approaches toward perception, our design is based on the following major opinions: (1) Perception primarily depends on the perceiver, and subjective experience is only partially and gradually transformed into objective (intersubjective) descriptions of the environment; (2) Perception is basically a process initiated by the perceiver itself to achieve its goals, and passive receiving of signals only plays a supplementary role; (3) Perception is fundamentally unified with cognition, and the difference between them is mostly quantitative, not qualitative. The directly relevant aspects of NARS are described to show the implications of these opinions in system design, and they are compared with the other approaches.

Whole-genome sequencing for the characterization of resistance mechanisms and epidemiology of colistin-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii.

Background: Multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii is an important causal pathogen of healthcare-associated infections, and colistin-resistant strains have recently emerged owing to the increased use of colistin. Using next-generation sequencing (NGS), a single whole-genome sequencing (WGS) protocol can identify and type pathogens, analyze genetic relationships among different pathogens, predict pathogenic transmissions, and detect antibiotic resistance genes. However, only a few studies have applied NGS in studying the resistance mechanism and epidemiology of colistin-resistant A.

Pneumonia-targeted lopinavir/ritonavir-based treatment for patients with COVID-19: an early-period retrospective single center observational study.

Background: Robust evidenced treatment strategy for Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has not been established yet. Early, targeted, comprehensive management approach can be essential.

Methods: A lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r)-based antiviral treatment was administered to the patients with computed tomography (CT)-documented pneumonia.

Factors Associated with Worsening Oxygenation in Patients with Non-severe COVID-19 Pneumonia.

Background: This study aimed to determine the parameters for worsening oxygenation in non-severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included cases of confirmed COVID-19 pneumonia in a public hospital in South Korea. The worsening oxygenation group was defined as that with SpO2 ≤94% or received oxygen or mechanical ventilation (MV) throughout the clinical course versus the non-worsening oxygenation group that did not experience any respiratory event.

Chest CT Findings of COVID-19 Patients with Mild Clinical Symptoms at a Single Hospital in Korea.

Purpose: To retrospectively evaluate the chest computed tomography (CT) findings of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in patients with mild clinical symptoms at a single hospital in South Korea.

Materials And Methods: CT scans of 87 COVID-19 patients [43 men and 44 women; median age: 41 years (interquartile range: 26.1-51.

Clinical Experience with Use of Remdesivir in the Treatment of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2: a Case Series.

Background: A novel antiviral agent, remdesivir (RDV), is a promising candidate treatment for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the absence of any proven therapy.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective case series included 10 patients with a clinically and laboratory confirmed diagnosis of severe COVID-19 pneumonia who had received RDV for 5 days (n = 5) or 10 days (n = 5) in the Phase III clinical trial of RDV (GS-US-540-5773) conducted by Gilead Sciences. The clinical and laboratory data for these patients were extracted.

Direct and Indirect Costs of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in Korea.

Background: Understanding the burden of disease is important to establish cost-effective treatment strategies and to allocate healthcare resources appropriately. However, little reliable information is available regarding the overall economic burden imposed by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in Korea.

Methods: This study is a multicenter observational research on the COPD burden in Korea.

Implications of the pulmonary artery to ascending aortic ratio in patients with relatively mild chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Background: Identifying markers for predicting the course and outcome of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remains important. The relative pulmonary artery enlargement to aorta ratio (PA-A ratio), which is measured using computed tomography (CT), is a reported predictor for COPD exacerbation and mortality. However, little is known about the implications of the PA-A ratio in patients with mild COPD.

Genomic aberrations of myeloproliferative and myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative neoplasms in chronic phase and during disease progression.

Introduction: Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) and myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative neoplasms (MDS/MPN) may transform into secondary myelofibrosis (MF) or evolve into acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The genetic mechanisms underlying disease progression in MPN and MDS/MPN patients remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate sequential genomic aberrations identified by single nucleotide polymorphism array (SNP-A)-based karyotyping that can detect cryptic aberrations or copy neutral loss of heterozygosity (CN-LOH) in the chronic phase and during disease progression of MPN and MDS/MPN patients.

Comparison of the clinical performances of the AdvanSure HPV Screening Real-Time PCR, the Abbott Real-Time High-Risk HPV Test, and the Hybrid Capture High-Risk HPV DNA Test for Cervical Cancer Screening.

The clinical performance of three human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA commercial assays for cervical cancer screening was evaluated; the AdvanSure HPV Screening Real-Time PCR (AdvanSure PCR; LG Life Sciences) that was developed recently for the detection of both high-risk and low-risk genotypes, the Abbott RealTime High-Risk HPV Test (Abbott PCR; Abbott Molecular) and the Hybrid Capture High-Risk HPV DNA test (HC2; Qiagen). The three different HPV DNA tests were compared using cytology samples obtained from 619 women who underwent routine cervical cancer screening. The gold-standard assay was histopathological confirmation of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia of grade 2 or worse.

Duplicate publication rate decline in Korean medical journals.

The purpose of this study was to examine trends in duplicate publication in Korean medical articles indexed in the KoreaMed database from 2004 to 2009, before and after a campaign against scientific misconduct launched by the Korean Association of Medical Journal Editors in 2006. The study covered period from 2007 to 2012; and 5% of the articles indexed in KoreaMed were retrieved by random sampling. Three authors reviewed full texts of the retrieved articles.

Additional genomic aberrations identified by single nucleotide polymorphism array-based karyotyping in an acute myeloid leukemia case with isolated del(20q) abnormality.

Prognosis is known to be better in cases with isolated chromosomal abnormalities than in those with complex karyotypes. Accordingly, del(20q) as an isolated abnormality must be distinguished from cases in which it is associated with other chromosomal rearrangements for a better stratification of prognosis. We report a case of an isolated del(20q) abnormality with additional genomic aberrations identified using whole-genome single nucleotide polymorphism array (SNP-A)-based karyotyping.

Serum vascular endothelial growth factor and angiopoietin-2 are associated with the severity of systemic inflammation rather than the presence of hemoptysis in patients with inflammatory lung disease.

Purpose: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) are major mediators of angiogenesis and are induced by tissue inflammation and hypoxia. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether serum VEGF and Ang-2 are associated with the presence of hemoptysis and the extent of systemic inflammation in patients with inflammatory lung diseases.

Materials And Methods: We prospectively enrolled 52 patients with inflammatory lung disease between June 2008 and October 2009.

Solitary pulmonary nodules caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium avium complex.

Few studies have compared the clinical and radiographic findings of tuberculomas to those of solitary pulmonary nodules (SPNs) caused by Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC). We retrospectively analyzed clinical and radiographic findings from 26 patients with tuberculomas and 15 patients with SPNs caused by MAC. Median SPN size was 22 mm.

Expression of ADAM33 is a novel regulatory mechanism in IL-18-secreted process in gastric cancer.

IL-18 has recently been reported to play a critical role in tumor migration, invasion, and metastasis. Because IL-18 has various biological activities after its secretion as an 18 kDa mature form, the regulation of the IL-18 secretion process is an important step in tumor progression. This study investigated the implication of IL-18 in vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-D-regulated migration, along with the role of the IL-18 secretion process.

Duplicate Publications in Korean medical journals indexed in KoreaMed.

Duplicate publication is considered unethical. It has several negative impacts. To estimate the frequency and characteristics of duplicate publications in Korean medical journals, we reviewed some portion of Korean journal articles.

Automated classification of atherosclerotic plaque from magnetic resonance images using predictive models.

The information contained within multicontrast magnetic resonance images (MRI) promises to improve tissue classification accuracy, once appropriately analyzed. Predictive models capture relationships empirically, from known outcomes thereby combining pattern classification with experience. In this study, we examine the applicability of predictive modeling for atherosclerotic plaque component classification of multicontrast ex vivo MR images using stained, histopathological sections as ground truth.

Basal cell adenoma in the parotid gland: CT and MR findings.

Basal cell adenoma is a rare benign salivary gland epithelial tumor, usually involving the parotid gland. We report CT and MR findings of three cases with basal cell adenoma occurring in the parotid gland. The three cases presented here demonstrate a well-circumscribed tumor, which showed a cystic and solid, or the pure solid mass.

Tuberculous pleural effusion: new pulmonary lesions during treatment.

Purpose: To evaluate patients who have a paradoxical response (development of new opacities) to treatment for tuberculous pleural effusion not related to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

Materials And Methods: In 16 patients, follow-up chest radiographs (n = 16) and initial (n = 2) and follow-up (n = 9) computed tomographic (CT) scans of the chest were retrospectively reviewed by two radiologists. Patient records (n = 16) and results of percutaneous needle aspiration and/or biopsy (n = 6) were reviewed by one radiologist.

Low-dose spiral CT: application to surface-rendered three-dimensional imaging of central airways.

Purpose: The purpose of this work was to assess the utility of low-dose spiral CT for three-dimensional imaging of the central airways.

Method: Spiral CT was performed in 15 patients using two tube currents (50 and 240 mA), producing 30 CT data sets. Surface-rendered virtual bronchoscopy (VB) and shaded surface display (SSD) images were assessed by three radiologists for image quality.