Early experience of laparoscopic resection and comparison with open surgery for gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumor: a multicenter retrospective study.

The advantages of laparoscopic resection over open surgery in the treatment of gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) are not conclusive. This study aimed to evaluate the postoperative and oncologic outcome of laparoscopic resection for gastric GIST, compared to open surgery. We retrospectively reviewed the prospectively collected database of 1019 patients with gastric GIST after surgical resection at 13 Korean and 2 Japanese institutions.

A simple segmentation and quantification method for numerical quantitative analysis of cells and tissues.

Background: Microscopic image analysis based on image processing is required for quantitative evaluation of decellularization. Existing methods are not widely used because of expensive commercial software, and machine learning-based techniques lack generality for decellularization because many high-resolution image data has to be processed.

Objective: In this study, we developed an image processing algorithm for quantitative analysis of tissues and cells in a general microscopic image.

A simple method for removing initial irregularity of an electrocardiogram during a transient state of a power supply in a defibrillator.

Background: The defibrillator is a device that instantaneously discharges the high energy stored in the capacitor to the human body to help revitalize the heart. The circuit for charging the capacitor uses the same power source as the biosignal measurement unit. Therefore, variation in main power supply voltage, ground noise, and electromagnetic interference from the charging circuit can induce distortion into the biosignal at the initial stage of charging.

Long-Term Surgical Outcome of 1057 Gastric GISTs According to 7th UICC/AJCC TNM System: Multicenter Observational Study From Korea and Japan.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the treatment and prognosis of gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) according to the 7th UICC/AJCC tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) system and the modified National Institutes of Health (NIH) risk classification. The study cohort consisted of 1057 patients with gastric GIST who underwent surgery between January 2000 and December 2007 from 13 institutions in Korea and 2 in Japan. Clinicopathologic characteristics, surgical outcomes, recurrence, and 5-year recurrence-free survival were evaluated.

Effect of visceral fat area on outcomes of laparoscopyassisted distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer: subgroup analysis by gender and parameters of obesity.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of the visceral fat area (VFA) of patients with gastric cancer undergoing laparoscopic surgery on operative outcomes such as number of retrieved lymph nodes (LNs) and operative time.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records and the CT scans of 597 patients with gastric cancer who underwent laparoscopy assisted distal gastrectomy (LADG) with partial omentectomy and LN dissection (>D1 plus beta). Patients were stratified by gender, VFA, and body mass index (BMI), and the clinicopathologic characteristics and operative outcomes were evaluated.

The differences in clinicopathological features and prognosis among the subtypes of signet ring cell, mucinous, papillary, and lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma in advanced gastric cancer.

Background/aims: There are differing histologic subtypes of gastric cancer. We investigated the clinicopathological features and prognosis of: signet ring cell (SRC), mucinous (MGC), papillary (PGC), and lymphoepithelioma-like (LELC) carcinoma in advanced gastric cancer.

Methodology: One hundred thirty six advanced gastric cancer patients, including 62 SRCs, 43 MGCs, 9 PGCs, and 22 LELCs, who underwent R0 gastrectomy between 2002 and 2013, were retrospectively evaluated.

How much progress has been made in minimally invasive surgery for gastric cancer in Korea?: a viewpoint from Korean prospective clinical trials.

Gastric cancer is the most common cancer in Korea. Because the incidence of gastric cancer is still high even with early detection and because of developments in surgical instruments and technological advances, minimally invasive surgery has rapidly become an accepted treatment for gastric cancer in Korea. Many Korean gastric surgeons have contributed to the rapid adaptation of minimally invasive surgery for gastric cancer: not only the Korean Laparoscopic Gastrointestinal Surgery Study (KLASS) group, but also other expert surgeons after the 2000s.

Risk factors for duodenal stump leakage after gastrectomy for gastric cancer and management technique of stump leakage.

Background/aims: The goal of this study was to elucidate the risk factors for duodenal stump leakage after gastrectomy for gastric cancer. In addition, the management of duodenal stump leakage is reviewed.

Methodology: From January 2002 through December 2012, 1,195 patients with gastric cancer who underwent gastric R0 resection were enrolled in this study.

Comprehension of readmission after laparoscopy assisted distal gastrectomy: what are the causes?

Purpose: The aim of this study is to evaluate long-term outcomes regarding readmission for laparoscopy-assisted distal subtotal gastrectomy (LADG) compared to conventional open distal subtotal gastrectomy (CODG) for early gastric cancer (EGC).

Methods: Between January 2003 and December 2006, 223 and 106 patients underwent LADG and CODG, respectively, for EGC by one surgeon. The clinicopathologic characteristics, postoperative outcomes, postoperative complications, overall 5-year survival, recurrence, and readmission were retrospectively compared between the two groups.

Is the rate of postoperative complications following laparoscopy-assisted gastrectomy higher in elderly patients than in younger patients?

Background: With an increase in life expectancy, very elderly patients are presenting with gastric cancer more commonly than ever. The present study retrospectively analyzed the surgical outcomes of laparoscopy-assisted gastrectomy for gastric cancer in the young, elderly, and very elderly age groups.

Methods: The study group consisted of 1,055 patients who underwent laparoscopy-assisted gastrectomy between February 2002 and December 2012.

Analysis of prognostic factors and outcomes of gastric cancer in younger patients: a case control study using propensity score methods.

Aim: To understand the clinicopathological and prognostic features of gastric cancer in younger and older patients.

Methods: Between January 2002 and December 2008, 1667 patients underwent curative gastric surgery. For comparative purposes, the patients were divided into two groups: younger patients who were less than 40 years old (112 patients), and older patients who were 40 years old and older (1555 patients).

Light shutter using dichroic-dye-doped long-pitch cholesteric liquid crystals.

We propose a light shutter device using dichroic-dye-doped liquid crystals (LCs) whose Bragg reflection wavelength is set to be infrared by controlling the pitch of cholesteric liquid crystals (ChLCs). A dye-doped long-pitch ChLC cell is switchable between the dark planar state and the transparent homeotropic state. It has the advantages of high transmittance, low operation voltage, and an easy fabrication process relative to previous LC light shutter devices.

Readmissions following elective radical total gastrectomy for early gastric cancer: a case-controlled study.

Background: Readmission after gastrectomy is one of the factors that reflect quality of life. Therefore, we analyzed the several factors related to readmissions after total gastrectomy for early gastric cancer.

Methods: From January 2002 through December 2009, 102 consecutive patients who underwent radical total gastrectomy for early gastric cancer were enrolled in this study.

In-plane switching of vertically aligned negative liquid crystals for high transmittance and wide viewing angle.

We propose a method for in-plane switching of vertically aligned negative liquid crystals (LCs) for high transmittance and wide viewing angle. By applying an in-plane electric field using a double-layered electrode structure, LC molecules can be rotated by the vertical as well as the in-plane components of the applied field over the entire region so that high transmittance can be achieved. The threshold voltage difference can be obtained simply by varying the electrode structure, which can reduce the off-axis gamma shift in a multidomain vertical alignment LC cell.

Dual mode switching of cholesteric liquid crystal device with three-terminal electrode structure.

We propose a cholesteric liquid crystal device with a three-terminal electrode structure that can be operated in both the dynamic and the bistable modes. Fast switching (less than 5 ms) between the planar and the in-plane-field-induced states can be realized by applying an in-plane electric field, and conventional bistable switching between the planar and focal conic states can be realized by applying a vertical electric field.

Long term survival results for gastric GIST: is laparoscopic surgery for large gastric GIST feasible?

Background: Recently, laparoscopic resection for relatively small sized gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) has been widely accepted as minimally invasive surgery. However, no report on the long-term safety and efficacy of this surgery for large sized gastric GISTs has been published to date.

Methods: Between July 1998 and January 2011, 104 consecutive patients who underwent resection for gastric GISTs were enrolled in this retrospective study.

Endoscopic treatment and risk factors of postoperative anastomotic bleeding after gastrectomy for gastric cancer.

Background: Anastomotic leakage, bleeding, and stricture are major complications after gastrectomy. Of these complications, postoperative anastomotic bleeding is relatively rare, but lethal if not treated immediately.

Methods: Of 2031 patients with gastric cancer who underwent radical gastrectomy (R0 resection) between January 2002 and December 2010, postoperative anastomotic bleeding was observed in 7 patients.

Patient perception of natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery in an endoscopy screening program in Korea.

Purpose: Natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) is a new method of accessing intracavitary organs in order to minimize pain by avoiding incisions in the body wall. The aim of this study is to determine patients' acceptance of NOTES in Korea and to compare their views about laparoscopic surgery and NOTES for benign and malignant diseases.

Materials And Methods: The target number of total subjects was calculated to be 540.

Comparative study of laparoscopy-assisted versus open subtotal gastrectomy for pT2 gastric cancer.

Purpose: Laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy (LADG) is a widely accepted surgery for early gastric cancer. However, its use in advanced gastric cancer has rarely been studied. The aim of this study is to investigate the feasibility and survival outcomes of LADG for pT2 gastric cancer.

Ultrafast switching of randomly-aligned nematic liquid crystals.

We propose an ultrafast nematic liquid crystal (LC) device without alignment layers, where both the dark and bright states can be realized by applying an electric field. A vertical electric field is applied to vertically align the LCs for the dark state, whereas an in-plane electric field is applied to homogeneously align the LCs for the bright state. We achieved a total response time of less than 3 ms in the proposed device.

Comparative analysis of five-year survival results of laparoscopy-assisted gastrectomy versus open gastrectomy for advanced gastric cancer: a case-control study using a propensity score method.

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the surgical and oncologic outcomes of laparoscopy-assisted gastrectomy (LAG) and open gastrectomy (OG) for advanced gastric cancer (AGC) using the case-control method with a sufficient follow-up period.

Patients And Methods: The authors retrospectively analyzed 89 patients who underwent LAG and 345 patients who underwent OG for AGC between August 1999 and June 2007. A total of 176 matched cases were included in the final analysis.

Long memory retention time and high contrast ratio in a tristate liquid crystal display device.

We propose a method to obtain long memory retention time and high contrast ratio in a tristate liquid crystal display device. The proposed device has three unique liquid crystal (LC) states that are known as splay, π twist, and bend, with different operating schemes for the two modes of operation, which are the memory (M) mode or dynamic (D) mode. A form of selective vertical or horizontal switching changes the optically compensated π twist LC as a common black state in both the M and D modes into a bend LC state for the D mode or into the splay LC state for the M mode, respectively.

A 5 year analysis of readmissions after radical subtotal gastrectomy for early gastric cancer.

Background: Many patients and surgeons have become interested in the quality of life after surgery for early gastric cancer. However, no reports on readmission rates for gastrectomy patients have been published, even if readmission greatly affects the patient's quality of life.

Methods: In 530 consecutive early gastric cancer patients who underwent radical subtotal gastrectomy, we determined the incidence, cause, timing, type of treatment, and risk factors for readmission after discharge, and compared the readmission and nonreadmission groups with respect to clinicopathologic features and postoperative outcomes.

Single cell-gap transflective liquid crystal device created by controlling the pretilt angle using a liquid crystalline reactive monomer.

We present a single cell-gap transflective liquid crystal (LC) device using a homogeneous alignment polyimide (H-PI) mixed with a liquid crystalline reactive monomer that is able to vertically align the LC. We obtain two different pretilt angles in each pixel through the region by region control of the UV exposure time. The smaller pretilt angle is used to obtain a half-wave phase retardation for the transmissive part, whereas the larger pretilt angle is used to obtain a quarter-wave phase retardation for the reflective part.

Early experience of the compression anastomosis ring (CAR™ 27) in left-sided colon resection.

Aim: To evaluate clinical validity of the compression anastomosis ring (CAR™ 27) anastomosis in left-sided colonic resection.

Methods: A non-randomized prospective data collection was performed for patients undergoing an elective left-sided colon resection, followed by an anastomosis using the CAR™ 27 between November 2009 and January 2011. Eligibility criteria of the use of the CAR™ 27 were anastomoses between the colon and at or above the intraperitoneal rectum.