The role of Doppler ultrasonography in the detection and management of nutcracker syndrome.

Nutcracker syndrome is caused by the compression of the left renal vein between the abdominal aorta and the superior mesenteric artery. The use of Doppler ultrasonography to diagnose this condition is challenging due to the dynamic nature of the nutcracker phenomenon and the variability of its symptoms, which can fluctuate with changes in patient posture and respiration. This review emphasizes the critical role of Doppler ultrasonography in identifying and managing nutcracker syndrome.

Changes in Gene Expression Related to Atopic Dermatitis in Mothers and Infants Following VOC Exposure.

Environmental pollutants, particularly volatile organic compounds (VOCs), are associated with various diseases, including atopic dermatitis (AD). However, despite numerous studies on AD, there is a lack of research on the impact of various environmental exposures on mothers and infants. This study, therefore, investigated the effects of maternal exposure to specific VOCs (toluene, xylene, and benzene) on the expression of AD-related genes in mothers and their infants.

Impact of the mental health law revision restricting hospitalization on healthcare utilization in South Korea using interrupted time series analysis.

To reduce long hospitalization durations and the high rate of compulsory psychiatric hospitalization in Korea, a revision of the Mental Health Welfare law was passed and implemented in 2017. This study quantitatively analyzed changes in hospitalization use behavior of patients with psychotic and mood disorders after revision of the Mental Health Welfare law in South Korea. The intervention time was June 2017.

TGF-β superfamily-induced transcriptional activation pathways establish the RAD52-dependent ALT machinery during malignant transformation of MPNSTs.

To study telomere maintenance mechanism (TMM) activation during malignant transformation, we compared neurofibroma (NF) and malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) in the same patient with type-1 neurofibromatosis (NF1), a total of 20 NF-MPNST pairs in 20 NF1 patients. These comparisons minimized genetic bias and contrasted only changes associated with malignant transformation, while subtracting changes that developed upon the transformation of normal cells to the benign tumor. TGF-β superfamily genes were found to activate the PAX and SOX transcription factors, leading to TMM activation.

Magnetic Resonance Elastography for the Detection and Classification of Prostate Cancer.

We investigated the feasibility of magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) using a pelvic acoustic driver for the detection and classification of prostate cancer (PCa). A total of 75 consecutive patients (mean age, 70; range, 56-86) suspected of having PCa and who underwent multi-parametric MRI including MRE and subsequent surgical resection were included. The analyzed regions consisted of cancer (n = 69), benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) (n = 70), and normal parenchyma (n = 70).

[A New Paradigm in Diagnosing Functional Gastroduodenal Disorders: High-Resolution Electrogastrography].

High-resolution electrogastrography (HR-EGG) presents a new paradigm in diagnosing and treating functional gastroduodenal disorders. Unlike traditional electrogastrography, HR-EGG allows for a more precise analysis of the gastric electrical activity, offering improved diagnostic accuracy. Recent studies have revealed the clinical potential of HR-EGG, particularly in detecting abnormal electrical patterns in patients with functional dyspepsia and gastroparesis, supporting the development of novel therapeutic strategies.

Characteristics of methicillin-resistant isolates from bovine mastitis milk in South Korea: molecular characteristics, biofilm, virulence, and antimicrobial resistance.

Unlabelled: Methicillin-resistant (MRSA) is a drug-resistant pathogen causing subclinical and clinical bovine mastitis. This study examined the molecular properties, biofilm formation, virulence genes, and antimicrobial susceptibility of MRSA isolates from mastitis-infected dairy cow milk in South Korea. Whole-genome sequencing of an ST22-SCC IV MRSA strain positive for Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) and toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1) was also performed.

Predicting membrane fouling in membrane bioreactor systems using viscosity: Impacts of environmental conditions and antifouling agents.

This study attempted to establish a viscosity-based prediction of membrane fouling. Various factors, including pH, temperature, MLSS concentration, and the addition of NaOCl and citric acid were identified, and their effect on sludge properties such as EPS concentration and wastewater viscosity were estimated. There was a very good correlation between these parameters with EPS concentration and viscosity.

Comparison of remimazolam and midazolam for preventing intraoperative nausea and vomiting during cesarean section under spinal anesthesia: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Preventing intraoperative nausea and vomiting (IONV) is crucial for maternal safety during cesarean section under spinal anesthesia. While midazolam is known to prevent IONV, we hypothesized that remimazolam would be superior due to its minimal hemodynamic effects. We compared the effects of the two drugs on IONV.

Significantly improving zero-shot X-ray pathology classification via fine-tuning pre-trained image-text encoders.

Deep neural networks are increasingly used in medical imaging for tasks such as pathological classification, but they face challenges due to the scarcity of high-quality, expert-labeled training data. Recent efforts have utilized pre-trained contrastive image-text models like CLIP, adapting them for medical use by fine-tuning the model with chest X-ray images and corresponding reports for zero-shot pathology classification, thus eliminating the need for pathology-specific annotations. However, most studies continue to use the same contrastive learning objectives as in the general domain, overlooking the multi-labeled nature of medical image-report pairs.

Dorsal Scapholunate Ligament Complex Reconstruction Using Suture Tape-Augmented Autologous Free Tendon Graft for Chronic Scapholunate Dissociation.

Background: The treatment of chronic scapholunate dissociation (SLD) can be challenging due to several factors such as poor quality of ligament, malalignment of the carpus, limited surgical options, and risk of recurrent instability. Various surgical techniques have been developed, but there is ongoing debate regarding the optimal surgical technique. This study aimed to report the clinical and radiological outcomes after dorsal scapholunate (SL) ligament complex reconstruction using suture tape-augmented autologous tendon graft.

Regional disparities in the risk of secondary fractures in patients with hip fractures.

Purpose: We aimed to examine the regional disparities in secondary fracture incidence among patients with hip fractures in South Korea.

Methods: This observational, retrospective, cohort study was conducted using data of 6,213 South Korean nationals from the National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort (2004-2019). Secondary fractures included hip, wrist, humerus, spine, ankle, and pelvis fractures that occurred 6 months after hip fracture.

Three-dimensional computed tomography evaluation of the ulnocarpal joint under stress loading.

IV.

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.

Orally Deliverable Iron-Ceria Nanotablets for Treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Ceria-based nanoparticles are versatile in treating various inflammatory diseases, but their feasibility in clinical translation is undermined by safety concerns and a limited delivery system. Meanwhile, the idiopathic nature of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) calls for a wider variety of therapeutics via moderation of the intestinal immune system. In this regard, the synthesis and oral formulation of iron-ceria nanoparticles (CF NPs) with enhanced nanozymic activity and lower toxicity risk than conventional ceria-based nanoparticles are reported.

Effects of Personality Traits on the Severity of Chronic Subjective Tinnitus: A Cross-Sectional Analysis.

: We hypothesized that an individual's personality traits would have an impact on the distress of subjective tinnitus. To investigate this, 32 participants were recruited; we followed up with this cohort. This study is a cross-sectional analysis of a part of this cohort, identifying how their personality traits make a difference in the severity of tinnitus distress.

Comparative analysis of reverse-transcription-polymerase chain reaction for Aichivirus detection.

(AiV-A), a member of the genus of the family Picornaviridae, was first reported in stool samples of patients with non-bacterial gastroenteritis in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, in 1989. AiV has been reported from in various aquatic environments, such as surface water and sewage, can be transmitted via the fecal-oral route through contaminated water. As AiV is known to acute gastroenteritis worldwide, developing methods for AiV detection from contaminated environments and food is required.

Crosslinking-induced anion transport control for enhancing linearity in organic synaptic devices.

Numerous studies on neuromorphic computing systems and their associated synaptic devices have been reported for the efficient processing of complex data. Among them, organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) have attracted considerable attention owing to their advantages such as low cost, high scalability, and facile electrical modulation. However, the requirement of supplementary processing for ionic transport control to actualize or enhance synaptic attributes necessitates a compromise between their inherent benefits.

The Accessibility and Effect of Cardiac Rehabilitation in COVID-19 Pandemic Era.

Objective: To prospectively compare the efficacy of conventional center-based cardiac rehabilitation (CBCR) and home-based cardiac rehabilitation (HBCR) during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Methods: Ninety Patients were divided into HBCR and CBCR groups based on cardiovascular risk stratification and individual preference. The CBCR group performed supervised in-hospital exercise training 2-3 times/week and subsequent self-exercise at home.

Predictive factors for perinatal bacterial transmission from colonized mothers to delivered very-low-birth-weight infants: a retrospective cohort study.

This study investigated the predictive factors for perinatal bacterial transmission in very-low-birth-weight infants (VLBWIs) born to mothers with a history of intrapartum colonization. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 173 VLBWIs, wherein pathogens were confirmed in maternal cultures obtained from the blood, urine, and vagina during the intrapartum period from 2013 to 2020. Newborns were categorized based on microbiological tests, including gastric aspirates, endotracheal aspirates, blood, and skin/nasal swab cultures collected immediately after birth.