Outcomes of Arterial Switch Operation With Aortic Arch Reconstruction.

Background: This study investigated the outcomes and factors associated with reintervention or development of significant pulmonary stenosis (PS) after repair of transposition of the great arteries (TGA) or Taussig-Bing anomaly (TBA) with aortic arch obstruction.

Methods: A total of 51 patients with TGA or TBA who underwent an arterial switch operation and aortic arch reconstruction between 2004 and 2020 were included. The outcomes of interest were all-cause death, including heart transplantation, all-cause reintervention, right-sided reintervention, and development of significant PS.

Clinical and Virological Characteristics of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) B.1.617.2 (Delta) Variant: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Background: Data on the clinical and virological characteristics of the Delta variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are limited. This prospective cohort study compared the characteristics of the Delta variant to other variants.

Methods: Adult patients with mild coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) who agreed to daily saliva sampling at a community isolation facility in South Korea between July and August 2021 were enrolled.

Midterm results of arch augmentation with autologous vascular patch in interrupted aortic arch.

Objectives: Aortic arch reconstruction of interrupted aortic arch remains challenging, and subsequent problems, including arch and airway stenosis, may occur. Thus, we investigated midterm results of an augmentation technique using autologous vascular patch.

Methods: This retrospective study included 24 patients who underwent arch reconstruction with an autologous vascular patch for interrupted aortic arch with biventricular physiology from 2006 to 2018.

The First Case of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Adult after COVID-19 in Korea.

Multisystem inflammatory disease in children is a Kawasaki disease like illness occurring after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection in children. As the pandemic progresses, similar syndromes were also reported in adult with a decreased incidence. Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in adults (MIS-A) can be characterized with shock, heart failure, and gastrointestinal symptoms with elevated inflammatory markers after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection.

A Longitudinal Study of Adult Patients with Bacteremia over 11 Years in Korea.

Background: The temporal changes in the genotypes causing bacteremia (SAB) and the corresponding clinical changes over the last decade in South Korea are rarely investigated.

Methods: A longitudinal study of adult SAB patients was conducted in a large referral hospital in Seoul, South Korea. Adult monomicrobial SAB patients were enrolled between August 2008 and December 2018.

Infections in Lung Transplant Recipients during and after Prophylaxis.

Background: The timeline of infections after lung transplantation has been changed with the introduction of new immunosuppressants and prophylaxis strategies. The study aimed to investigate the epidemiological characteristics of infectious diseases after lung transplantation in the current era.

Materials And Methods: All patients who underwent lung or heart-lung transplantation at our institution between October 29, 2008 and April 3, 2019 were enrolled.

Association Between β-Blockers and Outcome of Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting: Before and After 1 Year.

Background: We evaluated the long-term outcomes of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) according to β-blocker therapy using landmark analysis. Although β-blockers have been shown to improve outcomes for ischemic heart disease, the long-term effects and optimal treatment duration of use after CABG remain unknown.

Methods: From January 2001 to December 2014, 5382 CABG patients were stratified into 2 groups according to β-blocker therapy at discharge (β-blocker group: 3677 [68.

The RING domain of mitochondrial E3 ubiquitin ligase 1 and its complex with Ube2D2: crystallization and X-ray diffraction.

Mitochondrial E3 ubiquitin ligase 1 (MUL1) is located in the mitochondrial outer membrane and regulates various biological processes, including apoptosis, cell growth, mitophagy and mitochondrial dynamics. The C-terminal region of MUL1 faces the cytoplasm and contains the RING domain (MUL1-RING) where the Ub~E2 thioester binds. Unlike most RING-type E3 enzymes, MUL1-RING alone does not have an additional region that recruits a substrate protein, yet is still able to ubiquitylate the substrate, the p53 protein.

Long-Term Outcomes of Adult Lung Transplantation Recipients: A Single-Center Experience in South Korea.

Background: Recently, the number of lung transplants in South Korea has increased. However, the long-term outcome data is limited. In this study, we aimed to investigate the long-term outcomes of adult lung transplantation recipients.

Electron Beam Irradiation Isolates Cellulose Nanofiber from Korea "Tall Goldenrod" Invasive Alien Plant Pulp.

This work investigates the possibility of isolating cellulose nanofibers from pulps of tall goldenrod plant, which are invasive plants in Korea, by a convenient method, without strong acids or high-pressure homogenization, using electron beam irradiation (EBI). The obtained cellulose nanofibers were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and in terms of their mechanical properties. SEM showed that the initially isolated 10-μm-diameter cellulose fibers became more finely separated with increasing EBI dose, and that cellulose fibers treated with 300 kGy of EBI were separated into long cellulose nanofibers of around 160 nm in diameter.

Comparison of Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass between Octogenarians and Septuagenarians: A Propensity Score Analysis.

Background: Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is being offered increasingly frequently to octogenarians. However, old age is known to be an independent risk factor in CABG. The aim of this study was to compare the outcomes of off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) between octogenarians and septuagenarians.

Late Reoperation Following Ligation of the Left Main Coronary Artery in a Patient with Infective Endocarditis.

We report the case of a female patient who underwent late reoperation following endocarditis surgery. The patient first underwent surgery at 22 years of age for endocarditis with aortic and tricuspid insufficiency. She underwent aortic root replacement with a homograft and tricuspid valve replacement with a tissue valve.

Epidemiologic Trends and Clinical Features of Pneumocystis jirovecii Pneumonia in Non-HIV Patients in a Tertiary-Care Hospital in Korea over a 15-Year-Period.

Subsequent to the increasing use of immunosuppressant therapy, Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PcP) has emerged as a life-threatening condition in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-negative patients. We investigated changes in epidemiological and clinical characteristics among PcP cases with and without HIV infections. Data of 424 patients diagnosed with PcP in a 2,700-bed Korean tertiary care hospital between February 2003 and April 2017 were retrospectively analyzed.

Association of Chest CT-Based Quantitative Measures of Muscle and Fat with Post-Lung Transplant Survival and Morbidity: A Single Institutional Retrospective Cohort Study in Korean Population.

Objective: Abnormal body composition is an important modifiable risk factor in lung transplantation. Therefore, precise quantification of different body components, including muscle and fat, may play an important role in optimizing outcomes in lung transplant patients. The purpose of the study was to investigate the prognostic significance of muscle and subcutaneous fat mass measured on chest CT with regard to lung transplantation survival and other post-transplant outcomes.

Latent Heat Storage and Thermal Efficacy of Carboxymethyl Cellulose Carbon Foams Containing Ag, Al, Carbon Nanotubes, and Graphene in a Phase Change Material.

Carbon foam was prepared from carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and Ag, Al and carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and graphene was added to the foam individually, to investigate the enhancement effects on the thermal conductivity. In addition, we used the vacuum method to impregnate erythritol of the phase change material (PCM) into the carbon foam samples to maximize the latent heat and minimize the latent heat loss during thermal cycling. Carbon foams containing Ag (CF-Ag), Al (CF-Al), CNT (CF-CNT) and graphene (CF-G) showed higher thermal conductivity than the carbon foam without any nano thermal conducting materials (CF).

Low Lymphocyte Proportion in Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid as a Risk Factor Associated with the Change from Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole used as First-Line Treatment for Pneumocystis jirovecii Pneumonia.

Background: Trimethoprim/sufamethoxazole (TMP/SMX) is the recommended treatment for Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP). However, the efficacy and the safety of alternative salvage treatments are less guarauteed especially when patient experiences treatment failure and/or an adverse drug reactions (ADR). The purpose of this study is to recognize potential risk factors imitating successful treatment with TMP/SMX among PCP patients.

Lung Transplantation as a Therapeutic Option in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.

Background: Lung transplantation (LTPL) is considered as a salvage therapeutic option in patients with end-stage lung disease. However, there is a lack of sufficient data on the use of LTPL in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Although there are few case reports on lung transplant for ARDS, no case series exists up to date.

Tuberculous Meningitis-Mimicking Varicella-Zoster Meningitis.

Background: Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is one of the most common etiologies of aseptic meningitis. The severest manifestation of VZV meningitis is occasionally confused with tuberculous meningitis (TBM). Thus, we investigated the clinical manifestations of VZV meningitis as compared with those of TBM.

Impact of Revised Broad-Spectrum Cephalosporin Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute Breakpoints on Susceptibility in Enterobacteriaceae Producing AmpC β-Lactamase.

We evaluated the impact of revised Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) breakpoints for broad-spectrum cephalosporins (BSCs) on the susceptibilities of 1,742 isolates of Enterobacter species, Serratia marcescens, Citrobacter freundii, and Morganella morganii. The 2011 CLSI criteria for cefotaxime and ceftazidime reduced the rates of susceptibility by 2.9% and 5.

Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Presenting with Rhabdomyolysis.

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging febrile illness. While many kinds of severe complications including acute renal failure have been reported, rhabdomyolysis is rarely reported in association with SFTS. A 54-year-old female farmer was admitted with fever and diffuse myalgia.

Sensitivity of the Cytomegalovirus Antigenemia Assay to Diagnose Cytomegalovirus Retinitis.

Background: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis is one of the most important tissue-invasive CMV diseases in immunocompromised patients. Since 1980, non-invasive diagnostic methods, notably the CMV antigenemia assay, have been widely used as adjunct tests to diagnose tissue-invasive CMV diseases. However, there are limited data on the diagnostic value of the CMV antigenemia assay for diagnosing CMV retinitis.

Subclinical miliary Mycobacterium bovis following BCG immunotherapy for transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder.

The authors present an unusual case of a 51-year-old man who developed relatively mild non-specific symptoms following intravesical BCG instillation for superficial transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder, with radiological investigations demonstrating typical features of miliary tuberculosis (TB). Transbronchial biopsy showed small foci of poorly formed granuloma suggestive of Mycobacterium infection. The patient's respiratory symptoms only became apparent 7 days after discharge having had 4 weeks of unremarkable inpatient stay where he remained clinically well.

Colonoscopy-induced ischemic colitis in patients without risk factors.

Ischemic colitis is the most common form of intestinal ischemia. It is a condition that is commonly seen in the elderly and among individuals with risk factors for ischemia. Common predisposing conditions for ischemic colitis are major vascular occlusion, small vessel disorder, shock, some medications, colonic obstructions and hematologic disorders.