Predictors of Atrial Fibrillation After Thoracic Radiotherapy.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) has been associated with thoracic radiotherapy, but the specific risk with irradiating different cardiac substructures remains unknown.

Objectives: This study sought to examine the relationship between irradiation of cardiac substructures and the risk of clinically significant (grade ≥3) AF.

Methods: We analyzed data from patients who underwent definitive radiotherapy for localized cancers (non-small cell lung, breast, Hodgkin lymphoma, or esophageal) at our institution between 2004 and 2022.

A Comparative Study of Intense Pulsed Light with Two Different Filters in Meibomian Gland Dysfunction: A Prospective Randomized Study.

To compare the long-term efficacy and safety of intense pulsed light (IPL) treatments using a 590-nm and an acne filter. In this prospective, randomized, paired-eye trial study, 30 patients with moderate and severe meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) were followed up for at least one month after their last treatment. Group A received IPL treatment with an acne filter, a type of notch filter that blocks wavelengths between 600 and 800 nm, allowing IPL to emit wavelengths between 400-600 nm and 800-1200 nm.

Adoptive Transfer of CX3CR1-Transduced Tregs Homing to the Forebrain in Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Neuroinflammation and 3xTg Alzheimer's Disease Models.

CX3CR1-transduced regulatory T cells (Tregs) have shown potential in reducing neuroinflammation by targeting microglial activation. Reactive microglia are implicated in neurological disorders, and CX3CR1-CX3CL1 signaling modulates microglial activity. The ability of CX3CR1-transduced Tregs to inhibit LPS-induced neuroinflammation was assessed in animal models.

Automated Screening of Precancerous Cervical Cells Through Contrastive Self-Supervised Learning.

Cervical cancer is a significant health challenge, yet it can be effectively prevented through early detection. Cytology-based screening is critical for identifying cancerous and precancerous lesions; however, the process is labor-intensive and reliant on trained experts to scan through hundreds of thousands of mostly normal cells. To address these challenges, we propose a novel distribution-augmented approach using contrastive self-supervised learning for detecting abnormal squamous cervical cells from cytological images.

Comparison of Short-Term Clinical Outcomes After Implantation of Two Monofocal, Aspheric Intraocular Lenses.

Objectives: This study compared the visual outcomes and optical quality of two monofocal, aspheric intraocular lenses (IOLs; CT LUCIA 621P, Carl Zeiss Meditec; Eyhance ICB00, Johnson & Johnson Vision) by evaluating visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, and higher-order aberrations 1 month post-cataract surgery.

Methods: In this retrospective, comparative study, 120 eyes (72 patients) that underwent cataract surgery with either CT LUCIA 621P (Lucia group) or Eyhance ICB00 (Eyhance group) implantation (60 eyes/group) were retrospectively investigated. Visual acuity at various distances and defocus curves were measured 1 month postoperatively.

Detection of microplastics in pterygium tissue: Implications for environmental hazards.

Purpose: This study aimed to report a case of microplastics (MPs) detection in a pterygium patient's tissue.

Case Report: A pterygium specimen was obtained from the right eye of a 43-year-old woman by surgical removal of a recurred pterygium. The number, morphology, and material type of the MPs in pterygium were identified using Raman microscopy and scanning electron microscopy.

Crystallization control of Cu(I)-halide thermal evaporation for improving resistive switching memory performance.

CsCuI is considered a promising material for lead-free resistive switching (RS) memory devices due to its low operating voltage, high on/off ratio, and excellent thermal and environmental stability. However, conventional lead-free halide-based RS memory devices typically require solvent-based thin-film formation processes that involve toxic organic and acidic solvents, and the effects of process conditions on device performance are often not fully understood. This study investigates the effect of crystallinity on CsCuI-based RS memory devices fabricated thermal evaporation.

Feasibility of an indocyanine green-hyaluronic acid mixture (LuminoMark™) for targeting suspicious axillary lymph nodes in patients with breast cancer.

Purpose: During breast cancer surgery, the use of dyes such as indigo carmine, methylene blue, or indocyanine green (ICG) for targeting axillary lymph nodes (ALNs) under ultrasound guidance can result in rapid diffusion, complicated tissue differentiation, and disruption of staining. LuminoMark™, a novel ICG-hyaluronic acid mixture, can provide real-time visualization and minimize dye spread, thereby ensuring a clear surgical field. The aim of our study was to evaluate the efficacy of LuminoMark™ for targeting ALNs in patients with breast cancer.

Anti-miR21-conjugated DNA nanohydrogel for enhanced cancer therapy.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are non-coding, endogenous small single-stranded RNA molecules involved in post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. It has been demonstrated that dysregulation of miRNA plays a major role in tumor formation, proliferation, and metastasis. Therefore, the delivery of anti-miRNA oligonucleotides to block the activity of these oncogenic miRNAs is a high-potential anti-cancer therapy approach.

Development of high-performance inducible and secretory expression vector and host system for enhanced recombinant protein production.

The production of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-free recombinant proteins from culture supernatants is of great interest to biomedical research and industry. Due to the LPS-free cell wall structure and the well-defined secretion factor B (SecB)-dependent secretion pathway, Gram-positive bacteria are a superior alternative to Escherichia coli expression systems. However, the lack of inducible expression systems for high yields has been a bottleneck.

Repair of Acute Grade-3 Combined Posterolateral Corner Avulsion Injuries Using a Transosseous Krackow Suture Pull-Through Technique.

Background: For complete disruption of the posterolateral corner (PLC) structures, operative treatment is most commonly advocated, as nonoperative treatment has higher rates of persistent lateral laxity and posttraumatic arthritis. Some studies have shown that acute direct repair results in revision rates upwards of 37% to 40% compared with 6% to 9% for initial reconstruction. In a recent study assessing the outcomes of acute repair of PLC avulsion injuries with 2 to 7 years of follow-up, patients with adequate tissue were shown to have a much lower failure rate than previously documented.

A novel approach for unveiling co-occurrence patterns of UV filter mixtures in sunscreens: Prioritization for hazard and risk assessment.

In recent years, concerns regarding the toxicity of organic UV filters in sunscreen products have increased. While sunscreen products contain multiple UV filters in combination, current understanding on their co-occurrence patterns and mixture toxicities is still limited. This study utilized a public database, "Hwahae", and analyzed 2183 sunscreen products marketed in South Korea as of 2019, using an association rule mining (ARM) to elucidate their co-occurrence patterns.

Case Report: Early-onset or recalcitrant cytopenias as presenting manifestations of activated PI3Kδ syndrome.

Background: Patients with recurrent, chronic, or refractory cytopenias represent a challenging subgroup that may harbor an underlying diagnosis, such as an inborn error of immunity (IEI). Patients with IEIs such as activated phosphoinositide 3-kinase delta syndrome (APDS), frequently have hematologic manifestations, but these are not often reported as presenting symptoms. As a result, IEIs may be overlooked in patients presenting with early and/or recalcitrant cytopenias.

The pathoanatomy of medial ligamentous disruption in the dislocated and multiple ligament injured knee.

Purpose: To describe the medial-sided pathoanatomy and ligament injuries in acute MLKIs with medial-sided involvement andlook forassociated injury patterns based upon location of ligamentous injury.

Methods: Patients who underwent treatment for MLKI at two level-1 trauma centers were identified between January 2001 and May 2023. Only cases involvingcomplete disruption of the superficial medial collateral ligament (sMCL) were included.

Changes in the flavor formation and sensory attributes of Maillard reaction products by different oxidation degrees of beef tallow via cold plasma.

It remains unclear how the oxidation degree of animal fat affects the flavor formation and sensory attributes of Maillard reaction products (MRPs). To oxidize beef tallow differentially under mild conditions, an atmospheric pressure cold plasma (APCP) was applied due to its easy, economical, and controllable manipulation and effectiveness. As the duration of APCP increased after 10 min, the oxidation degree of beef tallow increased significantly (p < 0.

Comparative Effectiveness of a 30-minute Online Lecture on Abdominal Ultrasonography in the Post-COVID-19 era: A Multi-center Study.

Background/aims: Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) accelerated the importance of online learning in the field of medical education. This study compared the impact of online lectures on abdominal ultrasonography (USG) with that of offline lectures and assessed the efficacy of abdominal USG lectures for internal medicine (IM) residents and gastroenterology (GI) fellows.

Methods: A 30-minute lecture on upper abdominal USG was delivered online or offline, and a test with 39 short-answer questions was conducted before and after the lecture.

Robust Anticorrosive Polymer Thin Film for Reliable Protection of Ingestible Devices.

Ingestible devices (ID) provide a safe and noninvasive method for monitoring, diagnosing, and delivering drugs to specific sites in the human body, particularly within the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. However, the GI environment is highly acidic and humid, which can cause IDs to fail, and their corrosion in the acidic environment can cause leaching of toxic metal ions, thereby substantially limiting their long-term use. Thus, an efficient method is required to protect IDs, especially in the chemically and mechanically harsh GI environment.

Analysis of intraocular lens tilt and decentration after cataract surgery in eyes with high myopia using the anterior segment optical coherence tomography.

This retrospective study investigated the degree of intraocular lens (IOL) tilt and decentration after cataract surgery in eyes with varying degrees of myopia using the anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT). Eyes of 76 patients were analyzed and divided into three groups: mild myopia (emmetropia to - 1.5 diopter [D], Group 1), moderate myopia (- 1.