Publications by authors named "Kyoungtae Kim"

Oblique lumbar interbody fusion (OLIF) is a minimally invasive lateral lumbar fusion technique and patients are discharged 1-2 days after surgery. Because OLIF utilizes a retroperitoneal approach close to the superior hypogastric plexus, postoperative urinary retention (POUR) may not be an uncommon problem. The purpose of this study was to present the incidence and outcomes of POUR with a systematic care protocol.

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  • Quantum dots (QDs), particularly CdSe/ZnS, have useful fluorescence properties but also show toxicity, prompting the search for safer alternatives like InP/ZnS, CuInS/ZnS, and nitrogen-doped carbon dots (NCDs).
  • The study used viability assays, ROS imaging, and apoptosis analysis on human liver cell lines (HepG2 and THLE-2) to evaluate the effects of these QDs, finding that CdSe/ZnS and CuInS/ZnS reduced cell viability and increased ROS production and apoptosis in THLE-2 cells.
  • Ultimately, NCDs were identified as the least toxic option, while the other metallic QDs still raised concerns about their potential
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Background And Objectives: In cases where dumbbell-shaped cervical schwannoma encases the vertebral artery (VA), there is a risk of VA injury during surgery. The objective of this study is to propose a strategy for preserving the VA during the surgical excision of tumors adjacent to the VA through the utilization of anatomic layers.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 37 patients who underwent surgery for dumbbell-shaped cervical schwannoma with contacting VA from January 2004 to July 2023.

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  • The study examined trends in degenerative lumbar spinal surgeries in South Korea during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on three epidemic waves in 2020.
  • Surgeries decreased after the first two waves, but patient numbers rebounded in later months, with the third wave not impacting surgical volumes.
  • Despite a reduction in average length of hospital stay and a rise in costs, the study found decreased transfer and readmission rates, suggesting that surgical care adapted well during the pandemic.
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Tissue biopsy for early diagnosis and monitoring comes with several challenges, such as its invasiveness, and issues related to tissue heterogeneity in sampling. To address these issues, researchers have proposed a noninvasive approach called liquid biopsy, which uses blood samples to detect specific noncoding RNA (microRNA, miRNA). However, the current process of isolating and amplifying miRNA can be time-consuming and yield nonspecific results.

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Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT), particularly in its complex form with poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS), stands out as a prominent example of an organic conductor. Renowned for its exceptional conductivity, substantial light transmissibility, water processability, and remarkable flexibility, PEDOT:PSS has earned its reputation as a leading conductive polymer. This study explores the unique effects of two additives, Bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (DGEBA) and Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), on the PSS component of PEDOT:PSS films are shown.

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  • A study evaluated an automatic landmark detection model using 1017 lateral whole-spine radiographs collected between January 2020 and December 2021, splitting the data into training (819 images) and testing (198 images) sets, with additional external validation using 690 images from other institutions.
  • The model showed the best accuracy in detecting cervical landmarks (error of 1.5-2.4 mm), followed by lumbosacral landmarks (error of 2.1-3.0 mm), while thoracic landmarks had larger errors (2.4-4.3 mm).
  • The model's performance was highly reliable, with excellent agreement between the AI and expert measurements, evidenced by an intraclass correlation coefficient above
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Despite the promising applications of the use of quantum dots (QDs) in the biomedical field, the long-lasting effects of QDs on the cell remain poorly understood. To comprehend the mechanisms underlying the toxic effects of QDs in yeast, we characterized defects associated with receptor-mediated endocytosis (RME) as well as pinocytosis using as a model in the presence of cadmium selenide/zinc sulfide (CdSe/ZnS) QDs. Our findings revealed that QDs led to an inefficient RME at the early, intermediate, and late stages of endocytic patch maturation at the endocytic site, with the prolonged lifespan of GFP fused yeast fimbrin (Sac6-GFP), a late marker of endocytosis.

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Quantum dots (QDs) are a novel type of nanomaterial that has unique optical and physical characteristics. As such, QDs are highly desired because of their potential to be used in both biomedical and industrial applications. However, the mass adoption of QDs usage has raised concerns among the scientific community regarding QDs' toxicity.

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Traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) has significant physical, psychological, and socioeconomic impacts. However, the epidemiological characteristics and treatment patterns of TSCI in South Korea remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate TSCI incidence and treatment behaviors in South Korea from 2008 to 2020.

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The development of minimally invasive spinal surgery utilizing navigation and robotics has significantly improved the feasibility, accuracy, and efficiency of this surgery. In particular, these methods provide improved accuracy of pedicle screw placement, reduced radiation exposure, and shortened learning curves for surgeons. However, research on the clinical outcomes and cost-effectiveness of navigation and robot-assisted spinal surgery is still in its infancy.

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Liver cancer annually accounts for over 800,000 cases and 700,000 deaths worldwide. Hepatocellular carcinoma is responsible for over 80% of liver cancer cases. Due to ineffective treatment options and limited surgical interventions, hepatocellular carcinoma is notoriously difficult to treat.

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Superabsorbent polymer (SAP) granules, typically used in personal care devices such as diapers, incontinence devices, hygiene pads, and wound dressings, and granular particles of zeolite and bentonite were each subjected to modification by exposure to solutions of 1-chloro-2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-4-imidazolidinone (MC) in ethanol at room temperature. The air-dried granules showed newly acquired properties attributable to the presence of active chlorine (Cl). The treated particles effectively oxidized the malodorant 3-mercapto-3-methylbutanol (3M3MB).

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Article Synopsis
  • * Using data from the National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort in South Korea, 3,881 patients who underwent surgery for various lumbar spine conditions were analyzed.
  • * Results showed that patients who had secondary surgery incurred higher costs, both for surgery ($1,829.59 vs. $1,618.40) and interim expenses, indicating that tracking these costs can help identify patients who may need further procedures.
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Objective: Although several studies have reported successful fusion rates after oblique lumbar interbody fusion (OLIF) using allografts or dimerized bone matrix (DBM) instead of autografts, whether OLIF can achieve satisfactory solid fusion without the use of autografts remains unclear. This study investigated the real fusion rates after OLIF using allografts and DBM, which were evaluated using both dynamic radiographs and computed tomography scans.

Methods: We enrolled 79 consecutive patients who underwent minimally invasive OLIF followed by percutaneous pedicle screw fixation.

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Quantum dots (QDs) have been highly sought after in the past few decades for their potential to be used in many biomedical applications. However, QDs' cytotoxicity is still a major concern that limits the incorporation of QDs into cutting-edge technologies. Thus, it is important to study and understand the mechanism by which QDs exert their toxicity.

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Background Context: Electrical stimulation is a noninvasive treatment method that has gained popularity in the treatment of spinal cord injury (SCI). Activation of spinal cord-derived neural stem/progenitor cell (SC-NSPC) proliferation and differentiation in the injured spinal cord may elicit considerable neural regenerative effects.

Purpose: This study aimed to explore the effect of electrical stimulation on the neurogenesis of SC-NSPCs.

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Quantum dots (QDs) are a type of nanoparticle with excellent optical properties, suitable for many optical-based biomedical applications. However, the potential of quantum dots to be used in clinical settings is limited by their toxicity. As such, much effort has been invested to examine the mechanism of QDs' toxicity.

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This study used the finite element method(FEM) to investigate how pressure on the lumbar spine changes during dynamic movements in different postures: standing, erect sitting on a chair, slumped sitting on a chair, and sitting on the floor. Three load modes (flexion, lateral bending, and axial rotation) were applied to the FEM, simulating movements of the lumbar spine. Results showed no significant difference in pressure distribution on the annulus fiber and nucleus pulposus, representing intradiscal pressure, as well as on the cortical bone during movements between standing and erect sitting postures.

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Conventional cage and plate (CCP) implants usually used in ACDF surgery, do have limitations such as the development of postoperative dysphagia, adjacent segment degeneration, and soft tissue injury. To reduce the risk of these complications, zero-profile stand-alone cage were developed. We used finite-element modeling to compare the total von Mises stress applied to the bone, disc, endplate, cage and screw when using CCP and ZPSC implants.

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Article Synopsis
  • * There are ongoing efforts to improve the safety and biocompatibility of QDs, addressing concerns related to their use.
  • * The review highlights recent progress in QD applications, discusses existing challenges, and suggests future research directions.
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Using the HeLa cell line as a cancerous model, apoptotic protein expression was assessed upon various nanoparticle treatments. Utilizing a known chemotherapeutic agent, cisplatin, as a positive control for induction of apoptosis, several metal oxides (ZnO and CuO) and quantum dots (CdSe/ZnS and InP/ZnS) were investigated for their ability to express apoptotic markers. ZnO, CuO, green CdSe/ZnS, and green InP/ZnS were treated for 24 hours at their IC50 value.

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  • Osteoporosis increases the risk of fractures, leading to serious health issues and decreased quality of life, making it crucial to prevent further fractures, particularly the secondary osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs).
  • The study analyzed 178 patients who experienced their first OVCF, focusing on demographics, bone mineral density, and pelvic parameters to identify risk factors for a second OVCF.
  • Results showed that 38.2% of patients experienced a second OVCF, with lower bone mineral density and a less favorable muscle-to-fat ratio increasing the likelihood, while injection medications were more effective in reducing risk compared to oral medications.
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Surgical outcomes of degenerative cervical spinal disease are dependent on the selection of surgical techniques. Although a standardized decision cannot be made in an actual clinical setting, continued education is provided to standardize the medical practice among surgeons. Therefore, it is necessary to supervise and regularly update overall surgical outcomes.

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Background: Although the biomechanical features of the golf swing are extremely determined, multiple joint movements with limited pelvic and thoracic rotation movement can cause injury to the golfer and are linked with low back pain (LBP). We have developed the Pulley Master machine (PM), which is designed to offer active movement evaluation and monitoring as well as repetitive and task-specific training.

Objective: The primary goal of the present research was to analyze the effects of PM and Transfer of Electricity-Capacitive and Resistive (TECAR) therapy on the lumbar pain scale and thoracic and pelvic mobility in amateur golfers with LBP.

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