Deep learning-based iodine contrast-augmenting algorithm for low-contrast-dose liver CT to assess hypovascular hepatic metastasis.

Purpose: To investigate the image quality and diagnostic performance of low-contrast-dose liver CT using a deep learning-based iodine contrast-augmenting algorithm (DLICA) for hypovascular hepatic metastases.

Methods: This retrospective study included 128 patients who underwent contrast-enhanced dual-energy CT for hepatic metastasis surveillance between July 2019 and June 2022 using a 30% reduced iodine contrast dose in the portal phase. Three image types were reconstructed: 50-keV virtual monoenergetic images (50-keV VMI); linearly blended images simulating 120-kVp images (120-kVp); and post-processed 120-kVp images using DLICA (DLICA 120-kVp).

Early Postoperative Fever and Atelectasis in Patients Undergoing Upper Abdominal Surgery.

Background: Atelectasis is a common complication after upper abdominal surgery and considered as a cause of early postoperative fever (EPF) within 48 hours after surgery. However, the pathophysiologic mechanism of how atelectasis causes fever remains unclear.

Study Design: Data for adult patients who underwent elective major upper abdominal surgery under general anesthesia at Seoul National University Hospital between January and December of 2021 were retrospectively analyzed.

Development of a Universal Cloning System for Reverse Genetics of Human Enteroviruses.

Enteroviruses (EVs) have been associated with several human diseases. Due to their continuous emergence and divergence, EV species have generated more than 100 types and recombinant strains, increasing the public health threat caused by them. Hence, an efficient and universal cloning system for reverse genetics (RG) of highly divergent viruses is needed to understand the molecular mechanisms of viral pathology and evolution.

Volumetric CT Texture Analysis of Intrahepatic Mass-Forming Cholangiocarcinoma for the Prediction of Postoperative Outcomes: Fully Automatic Tumor Segmentation Versus Semi-Automatic Segmentation.

Objective: To determine whether volumetric CT texture analysis (CTTA) using fully automatic tumor segmentation can help predict recurrence-free survival (RFS) in patients with intrahepatic mass-forming cholangiocarcinomas (IMCCs) after surgical resection.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective study analyzed the preoperative CT scans of 89 patients with IMCCs (64 male; 25 female; mean age, 62.1 years; range, 38-78 years) who underwent surgical resection between January 2005 and December 2016.

Case report of juvenile polyposis/hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia syndrome: first report in Korea with a novel mutation in the gene.

Juvenile polyposis/hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (JPS/HHT) syndrome is a rare, autosomal dominant disorder caused by mutations in the gene, presenting with features of both juvenile polyposis syndrome (JPS) and HHT. Reports and studies of JPS/HHT syndrome are mostly from Western countries, while there are scarce reports from East Asian countries. We report a case of a Korean boy who had been previously diagnosed with JPS at 7 years and had first visited to our center at 15 years of age.

Clinical outcomes of patients with a high alpha-fetoprotein level but without evident recurrence on CT or MRI in surveillance after curative-intent treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Purpose: Multiphasic CT or MRI and serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) are widely used for posttreatment surveillance of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study aimed to investigate the clinical outcomes of patients with high posttreatment AFP but without evident recurrence on CT or MRI after curative-intent treatment of HCC.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 121 patients presenting with high posttreatment AFP (> 20 ng/mL) without evident recurrence on multiphasic CT or MRI during surveillance after curative-intent surgical resection or radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for HCC.

Ultrasound-guided transient elastography and two-dimensional shear wave elastography for assessment of liver fibrosis: emphasis on technical success and reliable measurements.

Purpose: This study investigated whether the use of ultrasound (US) guidance in transient elastography (TE) improved the technical success and reliability of liver stiffness (LS) measurements and whether 2-dimensional (2D) shear wave elastography (SWE) provided reliable LS measurements if TE measurements failed.

Methods: In this prospective study, 292 participants (male:female, 189:103; median age, 60 years) with chronic liver disease (CLD) were enrolled. LS was measured via the consecutive use of conventional TE, 2D-SWE, and US-guided TE.

Korean Children and Adolescents with Crohn's Disease Are More Likely to Present with Perianal Fistulizing Disease at Diagnosis Compared to Their European Counterparts.

Purpose: We aimed to investigate the disease phenotype of Korean pediatric Crohn's disease (CD) patients at diagnosis according to the Paris classification by comparison with patients from the European multicenter 5-years recruitment of children with newly developed IBD (EUROKIDS registry).

Methods: Korean children and adolescents who had been newly diagnosed with CD at the age of <18 years during 2013-2016 were included in this multicenter retrospective study. Disease phenotype at diagnosis was classified according to the Paris classification, and compared with the published data from the EUROKIDS study.

Using a Dual-Input Convolutional Neural Network for Automated Detection of Pediatric Supracondylar Fracture on Conventional Radiography.

Objectives: This study aimed to develop a dual-input convolutional neural network (CNN)-based deep-learning algorithm that utilizes both anteroposterior (AP) and lateral elbow radiographs for the automated detection of pediatric supracondylar fracture in conventional radiography, and assess its feasibility and diagnostic performance.

Materials And Methods: To develop the deep-learning model, 1266 pairs of AP and lateral elbow radiographs examined between January 2013 and December 2017 at a single institution were split into a training set (1012 pairs, 79.9%) and a validation set (254 pairs, 20.

Subtherapeutic Infliximab Trough Levels and Complete Mucosal Healing Are Associated With Sustained Clinical Remission After Infliximab Cessation in Paediatric-onset Crohn's Disease Patients Treated With Combined Immunosuppressive Therapy.

Background And Aims: We aimed to investigate the outcome in paediatric-onset Crohn's disease patients who had discontinued infliximab after maintaining clinical remission with combined immunosuppression, and to determine factors associated with clinical relapse.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study of 63 paediatric-onset Crohn's disease patients who had stopped scheduled infliximab during sustained corticosteroid-free clinical remission for at least 1 year with infliximab and azathioprine, and were followed up for at least 1 year thereafter. Cumulative relapse rates and the median time to relapse were estimated statistically.

Characteristics of Upper Gastrointestinal Tract Involvement in Korean Pediatric Crohn's Disease: A Multicenter Study.

Purpose: Crohn's disease (CD) can involve any site of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). However, the characteristics of upper GIT involvement in CD are unclear, especially in the Eastern pediatric population. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of upper GIT involvement and identify the clinical features of Korean children with CD.

Ascorbic acid insufficiency induces the severe defect on bone formation via the down-regulation of osteocalcin production.

The L-gulono-γ-lactone oxidase gene (Gulo) encodes an essential enzyme in the synthesis of ascorbic acid from glucose. On the basis of previous findings of bone abnormalities in Gulo (-/-) mice under conditions of ascorbic acid insufficiency, we investigated the effect of ascorbic acid insufficiency on factors related to bone metabolism in Gulo (-/-) mice. Four groups of mice were raised for 4 weeks under differing conditions of ascorbic acid insufficiency, namely, wild type; ascorbic acid-sufficient Gulo (-/-) mice, 3-week ascorbic acid-insufficient Gulo (-/-) mice, and 4-week ascorbic acid-insufficient Gulo (-/-) mice.

Increased cow's milk protein-specific IgG4 levels after oral desensitization in 7- to 12-month-old infants.

Background: Cow's milk protein (CMP)-specific IgG4 responses and the efficacy of oral desensitization in infants with cow's milk allergy (CMA) warrant more clarification.

Objective: To explore whether CMP-specific IgG4 responses develop during infancy and whether regular CM exposure is efficacious for inducing a CMP-specific IgG4 response accompanying CM desensitization in 7- to 12-month-old infants.

Methods: CM-specific IgE and CMP (α-lactalbumin, β-lactoglobulin, and casein)-specific IgG4 levels were measured in 262 CM-sensitized children.

Polyunsaturated Fatty acids in children.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are the major components of brain and retina, and are the essential fatty acids with important physiologically active functions. Thus, PUFAs should be provided to children, and are very important in the brain growth and development for fetuses, newborn infants, and children. Omega-3 fatty acids decrease coronary artery disease and improve blood flow.

Utility of fractional exhaled nitric oxide (F(E)NO) measurements in diagnosing asthma.

Background: To facilitate the use of fractional exhaled nitric oxide (F(E)NO) as a clinical test, F(E)NO measurements need more clarification.

Aim: We sought to evaluate the yield of F(E)NO measurement for the diagnosis of asthma and identify the determinants of F(E)NO in children.

Methods: Two hundred forty five consecutive steroid-naïve patients aged 8-16 years with symptoms suggestive of asthma were included.

Extracellular heat shock protein 90 induces interleukin-8 in vascular smooth muscle cells.

Oxidative stress results in sustained release of heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) from vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). The aim of this article is to investigate whether extracellular HSP90 predisposes VSMCs to pro-inflammatory phenotype. Exposure of aortic smooth muscle cells to HSP90 elevated IL-8 release and IL-8 transcript via promoter activation.

Roles of ERK and NF-kappaB in Interleukin-8 Expression in Response to Heat Shock Protein 22 in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells.

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) serve as molecular chaperones and play a role in cell protection from damage in response to stress stimuli. The aim of this article is to investigate whether HSP22 affects IL-8 expression in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), and which cellular factors are involved in the HSP-mediated IL-8 induction in that cell type in terms of mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) and transcription element. Exposure of aortic smooth muscle cells (AoSMCs) to HSP22 not only enhanced IL-8 release but also induced IL-8 transcript via promoter activation.