Intravascular brachytherapy for the management of drug-eluting in-stent restenosis.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the utilization and clinical outcomes of coronary intravascular brachytherapy (IVBT) as a treatment modality for multilayer in-stent restenosis (ISR).

Methods: This multicenter study retrospectively analyzed 101 patients who presented for percutaneous intervention of recurrent drug-eluting stent ISR using IVBT from 2019 to 2023. The primary outcome assessed was target lesion revascularization (TLR) at 1 year.

Postoperative outcomes in normotensive and hypertensive pheochromocytomas: an international study.

Introduction: Postoperative outcomes of patients with normotensive pheochromocytomas are poorly documented. We aimed to evaluate the impact of preoperative hypertension on post-operative outcomes following adrenalectomy for pheochromocytoma.

Methods: An international retrospective study of patients undergoing adrenalectomy for pheochromocytoma in 46 centers between 2012-2022 was performed.

Deintensification of radiation dose to 20 Gy for conjunctival mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma.

This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of 20.0 Gy versus 30.6 Gy radiotherapy for conjunctival MALT lymphoma in 76 lesions treated between 2010 and 2022.

sp. nov., isolated from a marine invertebrate and () .

Gram-stain-negative, strictly aerobic bacterium, designated strain 2208YS6-2-32, was isolated from a marine invertebrate, () collected by trawl in the south coastal sea of the Republic of Korea. The cells were motile, short-rod, non-spore-forming and contained carotenoid pigments. Catalase and oxidase activities were positive.

Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Peripheral 5HT Antagonists for Liver Fibrosis.

Liver fibrosis is characterized by an excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix components, leading to the distortion of liver architecture and function. Recent studies have shown that antagonizing 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor 2B (5HT) stimulates the apoptosis of activated hepatic stellate cells and inhibits their proliferation while concurrently regressing hepatocyte proliferation. In this study, we present compound , which demonstrates promising efficacy both and .

Ultrafast on-demand exciton formation in a single-molecule junction by tailored terahertz pulses.

The ultrafast manipulation of molecular states by charge transfer is essential for characterizing and controlling molecular dynamics. In this study, we demonstrated exciton formation in a single molecule through ultrafast electron tunneling processes between a molecule and a metal tip of a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) using a phase-controlled terahertz (THz) pulse. The pronounced luminescence of the well-defined molecular system under the distinct carrier-envelope phase of the THz pulse revealed that sequential state-selective electron-tunneling processes to the frontier molecular orbitals promoted ultrafast exciton formation in the molecule at the STM junction.

Predictors of clozapine concentration and psychiatric symptoms in patients with schizophrenia.

Clozapine has superior efficacy to other antipsychotics, especially in patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia. However, its pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics vary largely among patients. We aimed to evaluate the clinical and genetic factors associated with the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of clozapine in patients with schizophrenia.

Protocol to purify and culture human pancreatic cancer cells from patient-derived xenografts.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) exhibits extensive inter- and intratumoral heterogeneity, along with a significant stromal component. This protocol outlines steps to generate patient-derived xenografts (PDXs), isolate and enrich human PDAC epithelial cells, and verify their identity using droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) and human-specific markers. It provides a robust approach for culturing cancer epithelial cells to develop a human PDAC model system.

Optimizing Large Language Models in Radiology and Mitigating Pitfalls: Prompt Engineering and Fine-tuning.

Large language models (LLMs) such as generative pretrained transformers (GPTs) have had a major impact on society, and there is increasing interest in using these models for applications in medicine and radiology. This article presents techniques to optimize these models and describes their known challenges and limitations. Specifically, the authors explore how to best craft natural language prompts, a process known as prompt engineering, for these models to elicit more accurate and desirable responses.

MAIR++: Improving Multi-view Attention Inverse Rendering with Implicit Lighting Representation.

In this paper, we propose a scene-level inverse rendering framework that uses multi-view images to decompose the scene into geometry, SVBRDF, and 3D spatially-varying lighting. While multi-view images have been widely used for object-level inverse rendering, scene-level inverse rendering has primarily been studied using single-view images due to the lack of a dataset containing high dynamic range multi-view images with ground-truth geometry, material, and spatially-varying lighting. To improve the quality of scene-level inverse rendering, a novel framework called Multi-view Attention Inverse Rendering (MAIR) was recently introduced.

Improving Acceptance to Sensory Substitution: A study on the V2A-SS Learning Model based on Information Processing Learning Theory.

The visual sensory organ (VSO) serves as the primary channel for transmitting external information to the brain; therefore, damage to the VSO can severely limit daily activities. Visual-to-Auditory Sensory Substitution (V2A-SS), an innovative approach to restoring vision, offers a promising solution by leveraging neuroplasticity to convey visual information via auditory channels. Advances in information technology and artificial intelligence mitigate technical challenges such as low resolution and limited bandwidth, thereby enabling broader applicability of V2A-SS.

Biocompatible Neuromorphic Device Array Based on Naturally Sourced Mucin for Implantable Bioelectronics.

Although the demand for intelligent implantable bioelectronics is steadily increasing, their progress is hindered by the limited availability of materials with sufficient biocompatibility for implantation. Herein, we propose a neuromorphic device with human brain-inspired biomimetic functionality utilizing naturally sourced mucin as the active layer material. The mucin-based neuromorphic memristor (MNM) array successfully mimics key synaptic behaviors uniformly, including a paired-pulse facilitation index of 122.

State-dependent motion of a genetically encoded fluorescent biosensor.

Genetically encoded biosensors can measure biochemical properties such as small-molecule concentrations with single-cell resolution, even in vivo. Despite their utility, these sensors are "black boxes": Very little is known about the structures of their low- and high-fluorescence states or what features are required to transition between them. We used LiLac, a lactate biosensor with a quantitative fluorescence-lifetime readout, as a model system to address these questions.

Low-Dose Valacyclovir for Postherpetic Neuralgia in the Zoster Eye Disease Study: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Evidence regarding suppressive valacyclovir treatment on postherpetic neuralgia is necessary to guide care.

Objective: To test the hypothesis that suppressive treatment with 1000 mg/d of oral valacyclovir for 12 months reduces the prevalence, severity, and duration of postherpetic neuralgia compared with placebo at 12 and 18 months in participants with herpes zoster ophthalmicus (HZO).

Design, Setting, And Participants: Multicenter, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial including 527 immunocompetent, nonpregnant adults with history of HZO rash, documented keratitis, or iritis within 1 year and an estimated glomerular filtration rate of 45 mL/min/1.

Low-Dose Valacyclovir in Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus: The Zoster Eye Disease Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: High-quality evidence regarding suppressive valacyclovir treatment in herpes zoster ophthalmicus (HZO) is necessary to guide care.

Objective: To determine whether suppressive valacyclovir compared with placebo delays the occurrence of new or worsening stromal keratitis (SK), endothelial keratitis (EK), iritis, or dendriform epithelial keratitis (DEK) during 12 months of treatment and if treatment benefit persisted at 18 months (secondary end point).

Design, Setting, And Participants: The Zoster Eye Disease Study (ZEDS) was a randomized clinical trial conducted in 95 sites from November 2017 to June 2024.

Process optimisation for improved chitinase production from marine isolate Bacillus haynesii and bioethanol production with Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

In the quest for sustainable fuel sources, chitin-based biorefineries are gaining recognition as chitin is the second most abundant bioresource after cellulose. This approach not only provides an effective method for converting shell waste from seafood processing into valuable bioethanol but also helps in waste management. In this study, Bacillus haynesii, a marine isolate, was investigated and this is the first report on optimisation of process parameters for chitinase production from Bacillus haynesii.

The impact of the social determinants of health on adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: a systematic review.

Purpose: Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) has been associated with significant physical and psychosocial burdens. Social determinants of health play a well-documented role in treatment and outcomes of various conditions, including AIS. As such, it is crucial to understand the multifaceted socioeconomic factors that may affect its prevalence and severity.

Increased risk of ischemic stroke in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a nationwide cohort study in South Korea.

Background: We investigated the risk of ischemic stroke in ALS and analyzed the effect of ALS-related physical disability using the Korean National Health Insurance Service database.

Methods: A total of 2,251 ALS patients diagnosed between January 1, 2012, and December 31, 2015, and 1:10 age- and sex-matched control populations were included. Cases that participated in the national health check-up programs were selected.

Beta-lactam combination treatment overcomes rifampicin resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

The significant global impact of tuberculosis (TB) on human health is exacerbated by the increasing prevalence of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and the challenges of novel drug discovery for the treatment of drug-susceptible and drug-resistant strains of M. tuberculosis. Rifampicin is a key first-line TB drug and rifampicin resistance is a major obstacle to treating MDR-TB.

Effect of La and Si additives in Zr-doped HfO capacitors for pseudo-linear high-κ dielectric applications.

This study investigates the impact of dopants on HfZrO-based capacitors for high-performance, hysteresis-free dielectric applications. Control of the crystalline structure of HfZrO films is crucial for achieving superior dielectric properties. The tetragonal (t) phase of HfZrO exhibits anti-ferroelectric (AFE) characteristics and shows promise due to its high dielectric constant (κ).

Epidemiology of osteoporotic ankle fractures in South Korea: a nationwide retrospective cohort study (2006-2022).

Purpose: Ankle fractures, ranking as one of the very common osteoporotic fractures, pose a substantial socioeconomic burden. We aimed to investigate the incidence of elderly ankle fractures, refracture risks, and mortality rates in South Korea.

Methods: Utilizing the Korean National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) registry from January 2006 to December 2022, individuals over 50 years with ankle fractures were identified.

Area Deprivation Index and Melanoma Thickness in Veterans.

Importance: The US Veterans Health Administration (VHA) provides comprehensive medical care for enrolled veterans. Differences in melanoma diagnosis, associated with individual-level factors, have been previously published. The area deprivation index (ADI) ranks a neighborhood's level of deprivation and can inform whether the characteristics of a patient's area of residence can contribute to delayed diagnosis, measured by melanoma thickness.