Publications by authors named "Lim I"

Long-segment Hirschsprung disease (HSCR) presents significant challenges in surgical management, often requiring extensive bowel mobilization and creative techniques to achieve tension-free anastomosis. Colonic derotation offers a viable solution for preserving bowel length and maintaining the ileocecal valve, which is crucial for postoperative bowel function. The procedure involves extensive colonic mobilization and strategic vascular divisions of the right and middle colic vessels while preserving the ileocolic and marginal arteries, followed by a 180° counterclockwise rotation of the colon around the ileocolic vascular axis.

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Accumulation of misfolded proteins challenges cellular proteostasis and is implicated in aging and chronic disorders. Cancer cells, moreover, face an elevated level of basal proteotoxic stress; hence, exacerbating endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress has been shown to induce programmed cell death while enhancing anticancer immunogenicity. We hypothesize that hydrophobic abiotic macromolecules can trigger a similar stress response.

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Escape rooms have emerged as a dynamic educational tool in medical education, offering immersive experiences that foster critical thinking, teamwork and practical skills. Despite their potential, the implementation of escape rooms faces significant challenges, including resource limitations, curricular integration and ensuring educational effectiveness. This paper presents practical tips to address these challenges, covering aspects such as securing resources, designing scalable and inclusive activities, leveraging technology and evaluating educational outcomes.

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Background: Malone antegrade continence enemas (MACE) are increasingly being used to manage severe constipation and fecal incontinence in children. Despite advances in minimally invasive pediatric colorectal surgery, single-incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS) for MACE creation remains relatively unexplored. This study, featuring the largest cohort to date, evaluates the feasibility, safety, and clinical outcomes of SILS MACE creation in children.

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This study investigates the historical changes in resource development of offshore and coastal fisheries around Taiwan from 1970 to 2021 using the mean trophic level (MTL) and Fishing-in-Balance (FiB) indices. Utilizing data from the Fisheries Statistical Yearbook, three scenarios were employed to assess the effects of highly migratory, oceanic migratory, and seasonal migratory fish species on the MTL and FiB indices. The analysis revealed a continuous increase in MTL for offshore and coastal fisheries, suggesting shifts in the trophic structure and potential over-exploitation of higher trophic level species.

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Background: Intensive blood pressure (BP) management within 24 h after successful reperfusion following endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) is associated with worse functional outcomes than conventional BP management in Asian randomized controlled trials. Given the high prevalence of intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis (ICAS) in Asia, ICAS may influence these outcomes.

Aims: We aimed to assess whether ICAS affects the outcomes of intensive BP management after successful EVT.

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Background And Purpose: Rescue stent (RS) is an accepted rescue option after failed mechanical thrombectomy (MT) for acute ischemic stroke due to intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis (ICAS)-related large vessel occlusion (LVO). However, the long-term outcomes (≥ 12 months) of RS have not yet been elucidated.

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the data of 154 patients with RS for ICAS-related LVO, which were identified from prospectively maintained multicenter database of RS after MT failure, to assess good outcome (mRS 0-2), mortality, stroke recurrence, symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (SICH) and stent patency.

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Background And Aim: The healing of diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) can be hindered by the susceptibility of the surrounding intact skin to pro-inflammatory proteases. A conditioned media, known as PTT-6, derived from mesenchymal stem cells found in the lining of red deer umbilical cords, has been formulated to protect the intact peri-wound skin of DFUs. The aim is to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of PTT-6 in managing peri-wound intact skin in hard-to-heal DFUs.

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Article Synopsis
  • Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic, incurable autoimmune disease, prompting the need for effective treatments, such as using extracellular vesicles (EV) from mesenchymal stem cells (iMSCs) primed with immune cell media.
  • In the study, female NZB/W F1 mice were divided into three groups to assess the effects of CM-EV and ASC-EV treatments compared to a control group, with assessment done over 36 weeks.
  • Results showed that CM-EV treatment enhanced survival rates, reduced harmful antibodies, and improved kidney health, while both EV types decreased pro-inflammatory macrophages, indicating their potential in modulating SLE’s immune response.
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This study examined the paths through which the news frames of particulate matter (PM) influence support for governmental policies aiming to address PM. It also explored the mediating effects of anxiety and risk perception in the relationship between news frames and policy support, as well as the moderating effects of media exposure and psychological distance on the PM news framing effect. Based on an experimental design (N = 676), two groups of news frames were prepared for comparison: a narrative frame group and a numerical frame group.

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Dyadic interventions targeting maternal mental health and the mother-infant relationship in the perinatal period are critical due to the potential consequences of perinatal mental illness and relational disturbance for the mother, the infant, and their family. This paper describes the Pregnancy to Parenthood (P2P) model of care, a dyadic mother-infant community-based program designed to support vulnerable families in Western Australia in the context of an identified need to build workforce capacity. A pragmatic service evaluation study was conducted by analyzing routine clinical data collected from 105 dyads who completed pre- and post-intervention measures, including the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), Perinatal Anxiety Screening Scale (PASS), and the Mother Object Relations Scale-Short Form (MORS-SF).

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Purpose: Anorectal malformations (ARMs) are rare congenital anomalies causing altered anatomy and frequent hospitalizations. Parental awareness and clear communication are crucial in family-centered care. This study assesses the impact of patient-held ARM Medical Alert Cards on healthcare providers and caregivers.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study investigated whether atopic dermatitis (AD) affects not just the skin but also other organs, suggesting that inflammation from skin conditions could harm distant body tissues.
  • Researchers found that genes related to inflammation and muscle development were disrupted in AD and noted that hydrocortisone treatment could reverse some of these changes.
  • The results indicated that AD-like symptoms in mice have systemic effects, impacting skeletal muscle as well, which could offer important insights for understanding and treating AD in the context of precision medicine.
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Maternal infections during pregnancy can increase the risk to offspring of developing a neurodevelopmental disorder. Given the global prevalence and severity of infection with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome related Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the objective of this study was to determine if in utero exposure to severe maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection alters infant neurodevelopmental outcomes at 12 months and to identify potential biological markers of adverse infant outcomes. Mother-infant dyads exposed to severe SARS-CoV-2 infection (requiring hospitalization) during pregnancy and age and sociodemographic matched control dyads were recruited from Monash Medical Centre, Australia in 2021/22 and prospectively assessed over 12 months.

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Introduction: The antegrade continence enema (ACE) is a surgical technique that establishes a route for colonic irrigation, necessitating a detailed comprehension of the procedural methodology, including the conduit construction, the catheters selection, and the administration of irrigation solutions. It is critical to disseminate comprehensive information regarding ACE procedures to health-care professionals and caregivers to enhance their understanding and support management of patients undergoing this intervention. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of a novel educational tool designed to augment the knowledge base of physicians and caregivers regarding ACE procedures.

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Industrial implementation of highly thermally conductive polymeric composites has been hindered by several hurdles, such as the low intrinsic thermal conductivity (TC) of polymers, the use of expensive thermally conductive fillers, and difficulty in processing composites with high filler loading. In this study, we introduce a straightforward fabrication method for a high TC polymeric composite with a programmed internal structure of a highly interconnected thermal conduction highway (HITCH) by the simple addition of partially cured resin fragments into the conventional filler/resin combination. Critical variables, such as the concentration of the added resin fragments and the local concentration of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) in the HITCH, as well as the packing density of the fragments, were systematically tuned to maximize the TC with the use of the least amount of the filler.

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Background: Anorectal malformations (ARMs) commonly result in constipation and fecal incontinence following primary surgical reconstruction. This study investigates global variations in postoperative care and resources.

Methods: A survey was distributed via the International Pediatric Endosurgery Group (IPEG) and snowball sampling.

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Fluorofluorophores are a unique class of fluorophores that can be solubilized in perfluorocarbons (PFCs) and used to study biological systems. However, because of the low dielectric constant and high oxygen solubility in the fluorous phase, the brightness and photostability of the fluorofluorophores are significantly diminished. Here, we leveraged the tight ion pairing in the fluorous phase to improve the photophysical properties of a fluorous soluble pentamethine dye (FCy5) via counterion exchange.

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Article Synopsis
  • Total colonic Hirschsprung disease (TCHD) presents unique challenges for managing children both before and after surgery, necessitating a tailored approach.* -
  • The guidelines for TCHD were created by experts through discussions and literature reviews, covering diagnosis, surgery, and management strategies.* -
  • This review fills a gap in the literature by standardizing recommendations for TCHD, including aspects like diet, bowel management, and post-surgical care.*
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Background: This study aimed to evaluate the biodistribution of 64Cu-DOTA-rituximab and its diagnostic feasibility for lymphoma using CD20-targeted 64Cu-DOTA-rituximab PET/computed tomography (PET/CT).

Methods: A prospective study involving six patients diagnosed with lymphoma was conducted between January 2022 and January 2023. These patients underwent 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) and 64Cu-DOTA-rituximab PET/CT scans.

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Metal oxide films are essential in most electronic devices, yet they are typically deposited at elevated temperatures by using slow, vacuum-based processes. We printed native oxide films over large areas at ambient conditions by moving a molten metal meniscus across a target substrate. The oxide gently separates from the metal through fluid instabilities that occur in the meniscus, leading to uniform films free of liquid residue.

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Lymph node status is a key prognostic factor in penile cancer. The European Association of Urology (EAU) recommends intermediate-risk (pT1a, Grade 2) or high-risk (pT1b or greater) penile cancer patients with clinically non-palpable inguinal lymph node (cN0) to undergo either an invasive bilateral modified inguinal lymph node dissection (ILND) or dynamic sentinel node biopsy (DSNB). DSNB has been reported to have acceptable false negative rates, and lower rates of long-term morbidity compared to ILND.

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Background: This commentary discusses the social impact of bowel management programs (BMPs) on children with colorectal diseases, including anorectal malformations (ARM), Hirschsprung disease (HD), functional constipation (FC), and spina bifida. Previous studies focused on functional outcomes, but this study bridges the gap to daily life experiences.

Methods: The study examined children's experiences in BMPs, focusing on school participation, vacation ability, and overall patient experience.

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