Understanding Standard Procedure in Auditory Brainstem Response: Importance of Normative Data.

The auditory brainstem response (ABR) is a noninvasive test that measures neural activity in response to auditory stimuli. Racial differences in head shape have provided strong evidence for specific normative data and accurate device calibration. International standards emphasize the need for standardized procedures and references.

miR-409-3p Regulates IFNG and p16 Signaling in the Human Blood of Aging-Related Hearing Loss.

Presbycusis, also referred to as age-related hearing loss (ARHL), is a multifaceted condition caused by the natural aging process affecting the auditory system. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in human populations can identify potential genes linked to ARHL. Despite this, our knowledge of the biochemical and molecular mechanisms behind the condition remains incomplete.

Gastric Cancer and Intestinal Metaplasia: Differential Metabolic Landscapes and New Pathways to Diagnosis.

Gastric cancer (GC) is the fifth most common cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Early detection is crucial for improving survival rates and treatment outcomes. However, accurate GC-specific biomarkers remain unknown.

Development of injectable colloidal solution forming an hydrogel for tumor ablation.

Ablation cancer therapy using percutaneous intra-tumoral injection of ethanol is a promising method for targeted and effective locoregional cancer therapy. Magnetic gelatin microsphere (MGM) colloidal ethanol solution is developed as a potential injectable tumor ablation agent. The MGM was fabricated by electrostatic interactions among gelatin, acrylic acid, and acrylic acid-coated iron oxide nanoparticles.

Improving Accuracy and Reliability of Hearing Tests: Measurement Standards for Audiometric Devices.

Pure-tone audiometry, using an audiometer, is the fundamental hearing test for diagnosing hearing loss. The requirements of the devices and the detailed process for calibrating the related equipment are described in international standards. However, traceable calibration and uncertainty evaluation processes are not widely accepted or applied to the qualification and maintenance of audiometric equipment.

The Microbiological Characteristics of Associated With Early Mortality in Patients With Bloodstream Infection.

Background: Despite rapid deaths resulting from bacteremia, the clinical impact of the microbiological characteristics of strains on early mortality (EM) is unclear. We aimed to identify the microbiological characteristics of strains associated with EM.

Methods: Clinical information and isolates from patients with bacteremia from January 2015 to December 2021 were collected.

Optimizing Treatment for Carbapenem-Resistant Complex Infections: A Review of Current Evidence.

Carbapenem-resistant complex (CRAB) poses a significant global health challenge owing to its resistance to multiple antibiotics and limited treatment options. Polymyxin-based therapies have been widely used to treat CRAB infections; however, they are associated with high mortality rates and common adverse events such as nephrotoxicity. Recent developments include numerous observational studies and randomized clinical trials investigating antibiotic combinations, repurposing existing antibiotics, and the development of novel agents.

Performance Comparison of Convolutional Neural Network-Based Hearing Loss Classification Model Using Auditory Brainstem Response Data.

This study evaluates the efficacy of several Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) models for the classification of hearing loss in patients using preprocessed auditory brainstem response (ABR) image data. Specifically, we employed six CNN architectures-VGG16, VGG19, DenseNet121, DenseNet-201, AlexNet, and InceptionV3-to differentiate between patients with hearing loss and those with normal hearing. A dataset comprising 7990 preprocessed ABR images was utilized to assess the performance and accuracy of these models.

Epigenetic scars in regulatory T cells are retained after successful treatment of chronic hepatitis C with direct-acting antivirals.

Background & Aims: Chronic HCV infection results in abnormal immunological alterations, which are not fully normalized after viral elimination by direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment. Herein, we longitudinally examined phenotypic, transcriptomic, and epigenetic alterations in peripheral blood regulatory T (Treg) cells from patients with chronic HCV infection before, during, and after DAA treatment.

Methods: Patients with chronic genotype 1b HCV infection who achieved sustained virologic response by DAA treatment and age-matched healthy donors were recruited.

Trends of antibiotic use at the end-of-life of cancer and non-cancer decedents: a nationwide population-based longitudinal study (2006-2018).

Objective: This study aimed to assess the actual burden of antibiotic use among end-of-life (EOL) patients in South Korea and to compare trends between cancer and non-cancer decedents.

Design: Population-based mortality follow-back study.

Setting: Data from the Korean National Health Insurance Database, covering the period from January1, 2006, to December 31, 2018, provided for research by the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS), were used.

Development of a formula for estimated glomerular filtration rate in pregnant women from physiological hyperfiltration of serum creatinine.

Increased body fluids during pregnancy complicates the application of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) formulas that are based on body surface area. Furthermore, gestational renal dysfunction cannot be identified if the serum creatinine (SCr) concentration is within the non-pregnant reference interval (RI) despite inadequate pregnancy-related renal hyperfiltration. 1484 SCr measurements from 957 healthy pregnant women were collected.

Impact of the suprapapillary method on patency in distal malignant biliary obstruction: a multicenter randomized controlled trial.

Background And Aims: Placement of a self-expandable metal stent (SEMS) across the duodenal major papilla carries a risk of duodenobiliary reflux (DBR). The suprapapillary method of stent placement may reduce DBR and improve stent patency compared with the transpapillary method. This study compared the clinical outcomes between the suprapapillary and transpapillary methods for distal malignant biliary obstruction (DMBO).

False-positive results of galactomannan assays in patients administered glucose-containing solutions.

Galactomannan (GM) is a polysaccharide cell wall component released by Aspergillus spp., and an immunoenzymatic GM assay is used for the diagnosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. We evaluated the cause of strong positivity for GM in patients with no typical signs of aspergillosis.

bacteremia in the Republic of Korea.

In 2015, and were proposed as new species, distinct from and collectively referred to as the complex. However, no clinical reports of these new species exist in Korea. Upon the application of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) for all bloodstream isolates since September 2022, was identified in one patient.

Program evaluation of postgraduate obstetrics and gynecology training in Lao people's democratic republic - using the CIPP model.

Background: The obstetrics and gynaecology (OB-GYN) residency training program in Lao People's Democratic Republic (PDR) began in 2003 based on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and 'Reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health interventions (RMNCH) strategies and action plan'. However, the training program had not been properly evaluated previously. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the current postgraduate OB-GYN residency training program in Lao PDR by using CIPP model to identify the current problems (the strengths and weaknesses) and suggest a future plan to promote continuous improvement.

Auditory Brainstem Response Data Preprocessing Method for the Automatic Classification of Hearing Loss Patients.

Auditory brainstem response (ABR) is the response of the brain stem through the auditory nerve. The ABR test is a method of testing for loss of hearing through electrical signals. Basically, the test is conducted on patients such as the elderly, the disabled, and infants who have difficulty in communication.

Possibility of Decreasing Incidence of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection in Korea.

Background: The number of newly diagnosed cases of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in Korea, which had increased until 2019, has markedly decreased since the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic started. This study evaluated whether the decrease is due to a reduction in the incidence of HIV infection and/or delayed diagnosis during the pandemic.

Materials And Methods: We reviewed the medical records of 587 newly diagnosed patients with HIV infection between February 2018 and January 2022 from four general hospitals, and their characteristics were compared between the pre-pandemic and pandemic periods.

Prediction Model for Pre-Eclampsia Using Gestational-Age-Specific Serum Creatinine Distribution.

Pre-eclampsia (PE) is a pregnancy-related disease, causing significant threats to both mothers and babies. Numerous studies have identified the association between PE and renal dysfunction. However, in clinical practice, kidney problems in pregnant women are often overlooked due to physiologic adaptations during pregnancy, including renal hyperfiltration.

Antibiotic Prescription in Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019: Analysis of National Health Insurance System Data in the Republic of Korea.

Background: Although coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a viral infection, antibiotics are often prescribed due to concerns about accompanying bacterial infection. Therefore, we aimed to analyze the number of patients with COVID-19 who received antibiotic prescriptions, as well as factors that influenced antibiotics prescription, using the National Health Insurance System database.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed claims data for adults aged ≥ 19 years hospitalized for COVID-19 from December 1, 2019 to December 31, 2020.

[A Systematic Approach to Patients with Elevated Levels of Serum Amylase or Lipase].

Serum amylase and lipase tests are routinely performed in patients presenting with abdominal pain or even during regular health screening. Elevated serum levels of these two enzymes are often encountered in clinical practice. The differential diagnosis is broad and includes acute pancreatitis, chronic pancreatitis, gastrointestinal tract obstruction, malignancies, and other disease conditions.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Perihilar Cholangiocarcinoma: A National Survey from the Korean Pancreatobiliary Association.

Background/aims: Based on their anatomy, cholangiocarcinomas (CCAs) are classified into intrahepatic, hilar, and distal CCAs. Although the diagnosis and treatment of each type of CCA are thought to be different, real-world data studies on the current practice are limited. Therefore, this study was designed to capture the current practice of diagnosing and treating perihilar CCA in Korea.