Comparison of Accuracy of Six Modern Intraocular Lens Power Calculation Formulas.

Purpose: To compare the accuracy of modern intraocular lens (IOL) power calculation formulas in predicting refractive outcomes after standard cataract surgery.

Methods: The medical records of 203 eyes from 203 patients that received phacoemulsification and IOL implantation were retrospectively reviewed. Partial coherence interferometry was used to obtain the biometric values.

Incidence of early complications requiring treatment plan changes after vitreoretinal surgery: a single-center study in South Korea.

Background: Information regarding incidence of treatment plan changes may be useful when discussing postoperative treatment plans for patients. Moreover, it may help establish a standardized postoperative treatment plan. This study aimed to evaluate the incidence of early complications requiring treatment plan changes in patients following vitreoretinal surgery and investigate its risk factors.

Association of duration of undernutrition with occurrence of tuberculosis.

Undernutrition is a risk factor of tuberculosis (TB), but the association between duration of undernutrition and occurrence of TB is inconclusive. The objective of this study was to determine whether there is a difference in occurrence of TB according to the duration of undernutrition expressed as accumulated number of underweight in Republic of Korea, an intermediate TB burden country. The National Health Insurance database was used.

Periodontitis is associated with the development of fungal sinusitis: A nationwide 12-year follow-up study.

Aim: The incidence of fungal sinusitis is increasing; however, its pathophysiology has not been investigated previously. We investigate the effect of periodontitis on the incidence of fungal sinusitis over a 12-year follow-up period using nationwide population-based data.

Materials And Methods: The periodontitis group was randomly selected from the National Health Insurance Service database.

Lifestyle changes and risk of tuberculosis in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A nationwide cohort study.

We investigated the impacts of lifestyle changes, namely, smoking, alcohol intake, and exercise, on the development of tuberculosis (TB) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). A retrospective population-based cohort study used data from the Korean National Health Insurance system database. We examined subjects diagnosed with T2DM and without previous history of TB between 2009 and 2012 who underwent two serial health examinations.

Performance of presepsin and procalcitonin predicting culture-proven bacterial infection and 28-day mortality: A cross sectional study.

Presepsin is a highly specific biomarker for diagnosing bacterial infections, but its clinical usefulness is not well validated. A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted. Among the patients suspected bacterial infection or fulfilled the criteria of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and patients who underwent blood culture, presepsin, procalcitonin (PCT), and C-reactive protein (CRP) at the same time were included.

Predicting persistent central serous chorioretinopathy using multiple optical coherence tomographic images by deep learning.

We sought to predict whether central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) will persist after 6 months using multiple optical coherence tomography (OCT) images by deep convolutional neural network (CNN). This was a multicenter, retrospective, cohort study. Multiple OCT images, including B-scan and en face images of retinal thickness (RT), mid-retina, ellipsoid zone (EZ) layer, and choroidal layer, were collected from 832 eyes of 832 CSC patients (593 self-resolving and 239 persistent).

Improving the catalytic performance of xylanase from Bacillus circulans through structure-based rational design.

Endo-1,4-β-xylanase is one of the most important enzymes employed in biorefineries for obtaining fermentable sugars from hemicellulosic components. Herein, we aimed to improve the catalytic performance of Bacillus circulans xylanase (Bcx) using a structure-guided rational design. A systematic analysis of flexible motions revealed that the R49 component of Bcx (i) constrains the global conformational changes essential for substrate binding and (ii) is involved in modulating flexible motion.

A COVID-19 Exposure at a Dental Clinic Where Healthcare Workers Routinely Use Particulate Filtering Respirators.

Asymptomatic/mildly symptomatic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients produce a considerable amount of virus and transmit severe acute respiratory syndrome virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) through close contact. Preventing in-hospital transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is challenging, since symptom-based screening protocols may miss asymptomatic/mildly symptomatic patients. In particular, dental healthcare workers (HCWs) are at high risk of exposure, as face-to-face contact and exposure to oral secretions is unavoidable.

What Affects Postoperative Sinusitis and Implant Failure after Dental Implant: A Meta-analysis.

Objective: The dental implant is an innovative instrument that enables the edentulous patient to chew. Many factors have a bearing on the success of dental implantation. There are also many complications after dental implantation.

Increased expression of the Cbl family of E3 ubiquitin ligases decreases Interleukin-2 production in a rat model of peripheral neuropathy.

Background: Interleukin 2 (IL-2) influences the development and severity of pain due to its antinociceptive and immunomodulatory effects. Its production is influenced by the increased expression of c-Cbl (Casitas B-lineage lymphoma proto-oncogene) and Cbl-b E3 ubiquitin ligases. We evaluated the effects on IL-2-mediated changes in c-Cbl and Cbl-b expression in a rat model of chronic neuropathic pain.

Assessment of multidirectional movements of the common carotid artery in atherothrombotic stroke using dimensional speckle tracking carotid ultrasonography: A prospective, controlled cohort study.

Aim: We aimed to explore the relevance of multidirectional movements of the common carotid artery in atherothrombotic stroke.

Methods And Results: We prospectively enrolled 69 patients with atherothrombotic stroke (stroke group) and 69 age-matched and sex-matched controls (control group) who underwent carotid ultrasonography. Based on the speckle tracking technique, circumferential and radial movements of the common carotid artery were analyzed from transverse and longitudinal B-mode images of the common carotid artery.

The Value of Elastic Modulus Index as a Novel Surrogate Marker for Cardiovascular Risk Stratification by Dimensional Speckle-Tracking Carotid Ultrasonography.

Background: Carotid intima media thickness (CIMT) and the presence of carotid plaque have been used for risk stratification of cardiovascular disease (CVD). To date, however, the association between multi-directional functional properties of carotid artery and CVD has not been fully elucidated. We sought to explore the multi-directional mechanics of the carotid artery in relation to cardiovascular risk.

Clinical Presentation and Outcomes of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome in the Republic of Korea.

Background: From May to July 2015, the Republic of Korea experienced the largest outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) outside the Arabian Peninsula. A total of 186 patients, including 36 deaths, had been diagnosed with MERS-coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection as of September 30th, 2015.

Materials And Methods: We obtained information of patients who were confirmed to have MERS-CoV infection.

Outbreaks of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome in Two Hospitals Initiated by a Single Patient in Daejeon, South Korea.

Background: A Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) outbreak in South Korea in 2015 started by a single imported case and was amplified by intra- and inter-hospital transmission. We describe two hospital outbreaks of MERS-CoV infection in Daejeon caused by a single patient who was infected by the first Korean case of MERS.

Materials And Methods: Demographic and clinical information involving MERS cases in the Daejeon cluster were retrospectively collected and potential contacts and exposures were assessed.

Echo-Doppler-derived indexes of ventricular stiffness and ventriculo-arterial interaction as predictors of new-onset atrial fibrillation in patients with heart failure.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is common in patients with heart failure (HF) and worsens their prognosis. Vulnerability to changes in loading is an important factor in the development of AF and is strongly influenced by ventricular stiffness and ventriculo-arterial interaction. The aim of this study was to investigate predictors of AF development in patients with HF.

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Infection Control and Prevention Guideline for Healthcare Facilities.

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) is an acute viral respiratory illness with high mortality caused by a new strain of betacoronavirus (MERS-CoV). Since the report of the first patient in Saudi Arabia in 2012, large-scale outbreaks through hospital-acquired infection and inter-hospital transmission have been reported. Most of the patients reported in South Korea were also infected in hospital settings.

Erratum: Relationship between Myocardial Extracellular Space Expansion Estimated with Post-Contrast T1 Mapping MRI and Left Ventricular Remodeling and Neurohormonal Activation in Patients with Dilated Cardiomyopathy.

[This corrects the article on p. 1153 in vol. 16, PMID: 26355278.

Incremental benefit of coronary artery calcium score above traditional risk factors for all-cause mortality in asymptomatic Korean adults.

Background: Coronary artery calcium score (CACS) is a well-recognized marker for subclinical coronary atherosclerosis, particularly in asymptomatic populations. To date, however, the added prognostic benefit of CACS compared with traditional risk factors in an Asian population remains unknown. This study therefore investigated the benefit of CACS over traditional risk factors for all-cause mortality in a large multicenter registry of asymptomatic Korean adults.

Relationship between Myocardial Extracellular Space Expansion Estimated with Post-Contrast T1 Mapping MRI and Left Ventricular Remodeling and Neurohormonal Activation in Patients with Dilated Cardiomyopathy.

Objective: Post-contrast T1 values are closely related to the degree of myocardial extracellular space expansion. We determined the relationship between post-contrast T1 values and left ventricular (LV) diastolic function, LV remodeling, and neurohormonal activation in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).

Materials And Methods: Fifty-nine patients with DCM (mean age, 55 ± 15 years; 41 males and 18 females) who underwent both 1.

Correction of malposition of central venous catheter with 9-Fr introducer sheath assisted by mobile type diagnostic X-ray apparatus: a case report.

Central venous catheters provide long-term available vascular access. They are useful for central venous pressure monitoring, rapid fluid management, massive transfusion and direct cardiovascular medication, especially in operation. Central venous catheterization is usually performed by the landmark bedside technique without imaging guidance.

Three-Dimensional Echocardiographic Evaluation of Mitral Apparatus during Preload Manipulation in Patients with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

Background: The three-dimensional (3D) dynamic change of mitral geometry during preload manipulation has not been fully investigated. We investigated how preload manipulation affected the mitral apparatus geometry in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients using 3D echocardiography.

Methods And Results: Twenty five HCM patients, thirteen with obstructive HCM (HOCM) and twelve with nonobstructive HCM (HNCM), and six healthy controls were studied.

Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A₂ is related to plaque stability and is a potential biomarker for acute coronary syndrome.

Purpose: Plasma lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A₂ (Lp-PLA₂) binds to low-density lipoprotein. The levels of Lp-PLA₂ reflect the plaque burden, and are upregulated in acute coronary syndrome (ACS). We investigated the diagnostic value of Lp-PLA2 levels and found that it might be a potential biomarker for ACS.