Photonic Topological Spin Pump in Synthetic Frequency Dimensions.

Reducing geometrical complexity while preserving desired wave properties is critical for proof-of-concept studies in wave physics, as evidenced by recent efforts to realize photonic synthetic dimensions, isospectrality, and hyperbolic lattices. Laughlin's topological pump, which elucidates quantum Hall states in cylindrical geometry with a radial magnetic field and a time-varying axial magnetic flux, is a prime example of these efforts. Here we propose a two-dimensional dynamical photonic system for the topological pumping of pseudospin modes by exploiting synthetic frequency dimensions.

Incidence, Morbidity, and Mortality of Achalasia: A Nationwide, Population-Based Cohort Study in South Korea.

Background/aims: Although an association between achalasia and esophageal cancer has been reported, whether achalasia confers a substantial increase in mortality is unknown. Moreover, the causes of death related to achalasia have not been investigated. We performed this nationwide, population-based cohort study on achalasia because no such study has been performed since the introduction of high-resolution manometry in 2008.

Engineering isospectrality in multidimensional photonic systems: Multidimensional quasi-isospectrality in photonics.

Selective manipulation of energy levels plays an essential role in realizing multichannel wave devices. One of the representative examples is to utilize the concept of quasi-isospectrality: a family of wave systems with an almost identical spectrum except for a part of energy levels. Most approaches toward quasi-isospectrality have employed analytical methods based on symmetry or tridiagonalization, such as supersymmetry, Householder, or Lanczos transformations.

Reliability of endoscopic ultrasonography and endoscopy in measurement of gastric subepithelial tumor size.

Background: Subepithelial tumor (SET) size is important in determining the treatment plan; however, size estimation for gastric SETs has not been well investigated. We aimed to investigate which method predicts SET size most accurately by retrospectively analyzing surgically removed SETs.

Methods: From January 2015 through June 2020, patients who underwent surgical gastric SET removal at Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea, were enrolled.

Status of Constipation and Its Association with Sarcopenia in Older Adults: A Population-Based Cohort Study.

(1) Background: As the clinical relevance of constipation and sarcopenia is not well studied, we aimed to investigate the association between them in older adults. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 1278 community-dwelling older adults in South Korea. The Rome IV criteria were used to identify patients with clinically defined constipation, while sarcopenia was defined by the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia consensus.

The Aging Study of Pyeongchang Rural Area (ASPRA): Findings and Perspectives for Human Aging, Frailty, and Disability.

The Aging Study of Pyeongchang Rural Area (ASPRA) is a population-based, prospective cohort study of older adults in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Since the initial enrollment of 382 participants, the ASPRA has been maintained and has conducted comprehensive geriatric assessments annually, gradually expanding its population and coverage area. As a cohort study of aging-related conditions and their functional consequences, the ASPRA leveraged Pyeongchang's relatively low annual population movement rate and its healthcare delivery system, which was largely maintained by community health posts.

Longitudinal impact of oral health on geriatric syndromes and clinical outcomes in community-dwelling older adults.

Background: Oral health is essential for daily living and plays a pivotal role in overall health conditions and well-being. This study evaluated the impact of self-reported oral health on geriatric conditions, institutionalization, and mortality.

Methods: This study analyzed the population of the Aging Study of Pyeongchang Rural Area that had undergone geriatric assessments between 2016 and 2017.

Higher frailty burden in older adults with chronic constipation.

Background: Despite constipation being a common clinical condition in older adults, the clinical relevance of constipation related to frailty is less studied. Hence, we aimed to investigate the association between chronic constipation (CC) and frailty in older adults.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional analysis of a population-based, prospective cohort study of 1278 community-dwelling older adults in South Korea.

Sarcopenia is associated with severe erectile dysfunction in older adults: a population-based cohort study.

Background/aims: Sarcopenia and erectile dysfunction (ED) are associated with poor health and quality of life in older men. We investigate the association between sarcopenia and severe ED in community-dwelling older men.

Methods: We prospectively assessed sarcopenia and ED in 519, community-dwelling, older men (mean age, 74.

Relationship between iliac screw loosening and proximal junctional kyphosis after long thoracolumbar instrumented fusion for adult spinal deformity.

Purpose: Authors assumed that the stability of iliac screw (IS) fixation could affect the development of proximal junctional kyphosis (PJK). The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between IS loosening and PJK after long fusion surgery for adult spinal deformity (ASD).

Methods: Sixty-eight ASD patients (6 males, 62 females; mean age, 68.

Evaluation of Clinically Meaningful Changes in Measures of Frailty.

Background: To determine the clinically meaningful changes and responsiveness of widely used frailty measures.

Methods: We analyzed data from a prospective cohort study of 1,135 community-dwelling older adults who underwent assessments of frailty and health-related quality of life using the EuroQol-5D at baseline and 1 year later. Frailty measures included deficit-accumulation frailty index (FI); frailty phenotype; Fatigue, Resistance, Ambulation, Illness, and Loss of Weight scale; and the Study of Osteoporotic Fracture (SOF) index.

Characteristics of sarcopenia by European consensuses and a phenotype score.

Background: We aimed to assess the clinical characteristics of sarcopenia by the original and revised European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP 1 and 2), and to propose a new sarcopenia phenotype score (SPS) to improve relevance of clinical outcomes.

Methods: Analyses were performed in 1408 older adults of the Aging Study of PyeongChang Rural Area, a community-based cohort in Korea. For sarcopenia definitions, we used EWGSOP 1, EWGSOP 2, and SPS, a new index counting number of abnormal domains among components of grip strength, gait speed, or muscle mass.

Screening Value of Social Frailty and Its Association with Physical Frailty and Disability in Community-Dwelling Older Koreans: Aging Study of PyeongChang Rural Area.

Population aging is a challenge, therefore efficient frailty screening has been increasingly emphasized for mass older populations. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of social frailty and its association with physical frailty, geriatric syndromes and activity of daily living (ADL) disability in community-dwelling older adults. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 408 older adults (mean age, 75 years; 58% female) in the Aging Study of PyeongChang Rural Area.

Validation of a novel endoscopic program for measuring the size of gastrointestinal lesions.

Background: Valid and reliable methods for measurement of lesion sizes during endoscopy have not been established.

Methods: We developed a novel software program (ENDOVER; Poinbionics, Seoul, Republic of Korea) to measure lesions sizes and assessed its validity and reliability. To validate the program, we measured standard coin sizes and estimated measurement errors.

Can Endoscopic Bleeding Control Improve the Prognosis of Advanced Gastric Cancer Patients?: A Retrospective Case-Control Study.

Background: Gastric bleeding is not rare and difficult to treat in gastric cancer patients. We investigated whether this affects survival and if successful bleeding control improves the prognosis.

Patients/material And Methods: We retrospectively reviewed medical records for 64 subjects who underwent endoscopic therapy for gastric cancer bleeding at Asan Medical Center from January 2012 to December 2014 (bleeding group).

Helicobacter pylori Eradication Therapy Is Effective as the Initial Treatment for Patients with H. pylori-Negative and Disseminated Gastric Mucosa-Associated Lymphoid Tissue Lymphoma.

Background/aims: We investigated the effectiveness of Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy for gastric mucosaassociated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma regardless of the H. pylori infection status or disease stage.

Methods: From November 1995 to September 2014, 345 subjects who were diagnosed with gastric MALT lymphoma and had received eradication therapy as their first-line treatment were eligible for inclusion in this study.

Association between interleukin-18 gene polymorphism and Helicobacter pylori infection in the Korean population.

Interleukin-18 (IL-18) is a pleiotropic, pro-inflammatory cytokine that is capable of promoting the Th1 response. A predominant Th1 response induces chronic and persistent inflammatory changes in the gastric mucosa in response to Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection.

Myeloid cell leukemia-1 promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition of human gastric cancer cells.

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a critical process that occurs during cancer progression, and cancer stem cells have been shown to acquire the EMT phenotype. Myeloid cell leukemia-1 (Mcl-1) has been implicated in cancer progression and is overexpressed in a variety of human cancers. However, the interaction between Mcl-1 and EMT in human gastric cancer (GC) is unclear.

Clinical impact of prophylactic antibiotic treatment for self-expandable metallic stent insertion in patients with malignant colorectal obstruction.

Purpose. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of prophylactic antibiotics (PA) for reducing the infectious complications and the potential risk factors responsible for the infectious complications after stent insertion for malignant colorectal obstruction. Methods.

Bronchiolitis obliterans associated with Stevens-Johnson syndrome: a case report.

We report a case of bronchiolitis obliterans associated with Stevens-Johnson syndrome. A 59-year-old man presented with respiratory distress that gradually worsened over 3 months. He had been diagnosed with Stevens-Johnson syndrome 3 months before admission.

Myeloid cell leukemia-1 regulates the cell growth and predicts prognosis in gastric cancer.

The expression of myeloid cell leukemia-1 (Mcl‑1), a member of the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein family, has been associated with tumor progression and adverse patient outcome. The aims of current study were to evaluate whether Mcl-1 affects the survival or death of gastric cancer cells, and to investigate the prognostic value of its expression in gastric cancer. PcDNA3.

Myeloid cell leukemia-1 is associated with tumor progression by inhibiting apoptosis and enhancing angiogenesis in colorectal cancer.

Myeloid cell leukemia-1 (Mcl-1) is a highly expressed anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein in cancer. Therefore, inhibition of its expression induces apoptosis in cancer cells and enhances sensitivity to cancer treatment. The aims of this study were to evaluate whether Mcl-1 affects the oncogenic behaviors of colorectal cancer cells, and to document the relationship of its expression with various clinicopathological parameters in colorectal cancer.

Endoscopic ultrasonographic characteristics of gastric schwannoma distinguished from gastrointestinal stromal tumor.

Background/aims: Gastric schwannoma (GS), a rare neurogenic mesenchymal tumor, is usually benign, slow-growing, and asymptomatic. However, GS is often misdiagnosed as gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) on endoscopic and radiological examinations. The purpose of this study was to evaluate EUS characteristics of GS distinguished from GIST.

Livin is associated with the invasive and oncogenic phenotypes of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

Aim: Livin, a member of the inhibitors of apoptosis proteins, is expressed in variable cancers, and its expression is considered a poor prognostic marker. The aims of this study were to observe the effect of Livin on the behaviors of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells and to evaluate its expression in HCC tissues and its relation to prognosis.

Methods: The biological effects of Livin on tumor cell behavior were investigated using siRNA in HepG2 and Chang cells.

Expression of early growth response-1 in colorectal cancer and its relation to tumor cell proliferation and apoptosis.

Early growth response-1 (Egr-1) is implicated in the regulation of cell growth, proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. Egr-1 is considered tobe either a tumor-suppressor or tumor-promoter, depending on the cell type and environment. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the expression of Egr-1 in colorectal cancer and its correlation with tumor cell proliferation, apoptosis and clinicopathological features.