Reappraising the clinical usability of consolidation-to-tumor ratio on CT in clinical stage IA lung cancer.

Objectives: Ground-glass opacity (GGO) on computed tomography is associated with prognosis in early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. However, the stratification of the prognostic value of GGO is controversial. We aimed to evaluate clinicopathologic characteristics of early-stage NSCLC based on the consolidation-to-tumor ratio (CTR), conduct multi-pronged analysis, and stratify prognosis accordingly.

Non-Gaussian multivariate statistical monitoring of spatio-temporal wind speed frequencies to improve wind power quality in South Korea.

The spatial and temporal variability of renewable energy resources, particularly wind energy, should be statistically evaluated to achieve sustainable economic development to mitigate climate change. In this study, a non-Gaussian multivariate statistical monitoring approach is proposed to investigate the wind speed frequencies across different regions of South Korea. Anemometer data were first collected in 11 different provinces of South Korea with hourly resolution for one year.

Metabolic risk assessment in children and adolescents using the tri-ponderal mass index.

We assessed the risk of metabolic syndrome in children and adolescents who were classified using the tri-ponderal mass index (TMI) with data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Data from 10 to 18-year-old subjects that were overweight or obese (n = 1362) were extracted from the KNHANES 2007-2018. Weight classifications were determined by TMI and included overweight and Class I, Class II, and Class III obesity.

Automated brain volumetric program measuring regional brain atrophy in diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease dementia.

A quantitative analysis of brain volume can assist in the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) which is ususally accompanied by brain atrophy. With an automated analysis program Quick Brain Volumetry (QBraVo) developed for volumetric measurements, we measured regional volumes and ratios to evaluate their performance in discriminating AD dementia (ADD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients from normal controls (NC). Validation of QBraVo was based on intra-rater and inter-rater reliability with a manual measurement.

The Role of Adjuvant Therapy Following Surgical Resection of Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Multi-Center Study.

Purpose: This multi-center, retrospective study was conducted to evaluate the long-term survival in patients who underwent surgical resection for small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and to identify the benefit of adjuvant therapy following surgery.

Materials And Methods: The data of 213 patients who underwent surgical resection for SCLC at four institutions were retrospectively reviewed. Patients who received neoadjuvant therapy or an incomplete resection were excluded.

Substrate-dependent modulation of the leukotriene A hydrolase aminopeptidase activity and effect in a murine model of acute lung inflammation.

The aminopeptidase activity (AP) of the leukotriene A hydrolase (LTAH) enzyme has emerged as a therapeutic target to modulate host immunity. Initial reports focused on the benefits of augmenting the LTAH AP activity and clearing its putative pro-inflammatory substrate Pro-Gly-Pro (PGP). However, recent reports have introduced substantial complexity disconnecting the LTAH modulator 4-methoxydiphenylmethane (4MDM) from PGP as follows: (1) 4MDM inhibits PGP hydrolysis and subsequently inhibition of LTAH AP activity, and (2) 4MDM activates the same enzyme target in the presence of alternative substrates.

Healthcare resource utilization and medical costs in patients with terminal cancer during best supportive care.

Patients with terminal cancer have different physical symptoms, prognoses, emotional distress, and end-of-life care plans from those receiving aggressive chemotherapy; few studies have assessed healthcare resource use in these patients. Therefore, this study aimed to assess healthcare resource utilization and medical costs incurred during best supportive care after the last anticancer drug treatment in patients with terminal cancer. This retrospective observational study was conducted using national sample cohort data from the National Health Insurance Service in South Korea.

A Computer Simulation Study of Thermal and Mechanical Properties of Poly(Ionic Liquid)s.

Thermal and mechanical properties of poly(ionic liquid)s (PILs), an epoxidized ionic liquid-amine network, are studied via molecular dynamics simulations. The poly(ionic liquid)s are designed with two different ionic liquid monomers, 3-[2-(Oxiran-2-yl)ethyl]-1-{4-[(2-oxiran-2-yl)ethoxy]phenyl}imidazolium (EIM2) and 1-{4-[2-(Oxiran-2-yl)ethyl]phenyl}-3-{4-[2-(oxiran-2-yl)ethoxy]benzyl}imidazolium (EIM1), each of which is networked with tris(2-aminoethyl)amine, paired with different anions, bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (TFSI) and chloride (Cl). We investigate how ionic liquid monomers with high ionic strength affect structures of the cross-linked polymer networks and their thermomechanical properties such as glass transition temperature (T) and elastic moduli, varying the degree of cross-linking.

Astragalin and Isoquercitrin Isolated from Suppress LPS-Induced Neuroinflammatory Responses in Microglia and Mice.

The current study investigated the anti-neuroinflammatory effects and mechanisms of astragalin (Ast) and isoquercitrin (Que) isolated from chamchwi ( Thunb.) in the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated microglia and hippocampus of LPS induced mice. LPS induced increased cytotoxicity, nitric oxide (NO) production, antioxidant activity, reactive oxygen species (ROS), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression, the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, protein kinase B phosphorylation, and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) phosphorylation in LPS-treated microglial cells.

Risk Factors for the Development of Nontuberculous Mycobacteria Pulmonary Disease during Long-Term Follow-Up after Lung Cancer Surgery.

The aim of this study is to determine the cumulative incidence of, and the risk factors for, the development of nontuberculous mycobacteria pulmonary disease (NTM-PD) following lung cancer surgery. We retrospectively analyzed patients with non-small cell lung cancer who underwent surgical resection between 2010 and 2016. Patients who met all the diagnostic criteria in the NTM guidelines were defined as having NTM-PD.

3,3'-Diindolylmethane Supplementation Maintains Oocyte Quality by Reducing Oxidative Stress and CEP-1/p53-Mediated Regulation of Germ Cells in a Reproductively Aged Model.

In recent decades, maternal age at first birth has increased, as has the risk of infertility due to rapidly declining oocyte quality with age. Therefore, an understanding of female reproductive aging and the development of potential modulators to control oocyte quality are required. In this study, we investigated the effects of 3,3'-diindolylmethane (DIM), a natural metabolite of indole-3-cabinol found in cruciferous vegetables, on fertility in a model.

The AP2/ERF transcription factor LATE FLOWERING SEMI-DWARF suppresses long-day-dependent repression of flowering.

The vegetative-to-reproductive transition requires the complex, coordinated activities of many transcriptional regulators. Rice (Oryza sativa), a facultative short-day (SD) plant, flowers early under SD (≤10 h light/day) and late under long-day (LD; ≥14 h light/day) conditions. Here, we demonstrate that rice LATE FLOWERING SEMI-DWARF (LFS) encodes an APETALA2/ETHYLENE RESPONSIVE FACTOR (AP2/ERF) transcription factor that promotes flowering under non-inductive LD conditions.

Korean clinical practice guidelines for the diagnosis of hereditary hemolytic anemia.

Although the prevalence of hereditary hemolytic anemia (HHA) is relatively low in Korea, it has been gradually increasing in recent decades due to increment in the proportions of hemoglobinopathies from immigrants of South East Asia, raising awareness of the disease among clinicians, and advances in diagnostic technology. As such, the red blood cell (RBC) Disorder Working Party (WP), previously called HHA WP, of the Korean Society of Hematology (KSH) developed the Korean Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the diagnosis of HHA in 2007. These SOPs have been continuously revised and updated following advances in diagnostic technology [e.

Clinical Application of Plasma Neurofilament Light Chain in a Memory Clinic: A Pilot Study.

Background And Purpose: Neurofilament light chain (NfL) has been considered as a biomarker for neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease (AD). We measured plasma NfL levels in older adults with cognitive complaints and evaluated their clinical usefulness in AD.

Methods: Plasma levels of NfL, measured by using the single molecule array method, were acquired in a total of 113 subjects consisting of subjective cognitive decline (SCD; n=14), mild cognitive impairment (MCI; n=37), or dementia of Alzheimer type (DAT; n=62).

Incidentally Detected Intracranial Sewing Needle in an Adult: Case Report.

The author presents a 48-year-old man who showed an intracranial sewing needle incidentally detected on a skull radiograph. He had no history of cranial surgery or a penetrating head injury. On radiography, the sewing needle was found to be located close to the frontal bone in the midline, with a trajectory to the right anterior skull base.

Delayed Multiple Intracerebral Hemorrhage After Burr Hole Drainage of Chronic Subdural Hematoma During Failure of Warfarin Resumption in Atrial Fibrillation.

Many elderly people take warfarin due to underlying disease. Warfarin is a risk factor for developing chronic subdural hematomas and other intracranial hematomas. Our patient was on chronic warfarin treatment for longstanding atrial fibrillation and underwent burr hole trephination due to chronic subdural hematoma.

Coil Embolization of Traumatic Ophthalmic Artery Aneurysm: Case Report.

We describe the case of a 57-year-old man who had traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) with a delayed growth of an ophthalmic artery aneurysm. Initially, computed tomography angiography did not show any evidence of aneurysmal dilatation, but digital subtraction angiography (DSA) after 3 days showed small aneurysmal dilatation or dissection of a presumed lesion. Early intervention or surgery was difficult because of the patient's unstable condition.

Rapid-Growing Intracranial Immature Teratoma Presenting Obstructive Hydrocephalus and Abducens Nerve Palsy: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Intracranial immature teratoma is an extremely rare disease with poor prognosis and requires complicated treatment. Owing to the deep midline location of the tumor, total surgical resection of the tumor is challenging. We present our experience with a fast-growing pineal gland immature teratoma in a 4-year-old boy, who presented with obstructive hydrocephalus and abducens nerve palsy, which was treated with total surgical resection of the tumor.

Availability of bioactive flax lignan from foods and supplements.

Hyperlipidemia, high levels of blood lipids including cholesterol and triglycerides, is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Traditional treatments of hyperlipidemia often include lifestyle changes and pharmacotherapy. Recently, flaxseed has been approved as a nutrient that lowers blood lipids.

A novel approach to predicting the synergy of anti-cancer drug combinations using document-based feature extraction.

Background: To reduce drug side effects and enhance their therapeutic effect compared with single drugs, drug combination research, combining two or more drugs, is highly important. Conducting in-vivo and in-vitro experiments on a vast number of drug combinations incurs astronomical time and cost. To reduce the number of combinations, researchers classify whether drug combinations are synergistic through in-silico methods.

Korean Adolescent Patient with Manifestations of Lymphocyte Variant Hypereosinophilic Syndrome and Episodic Angioedema with Eosinophilia, Treated with Reslizumab.

A four-year-old female patient visited the pediatric hematologic clinic due to periodic generalized edema and eosinophilia. Laboratory assessment showed an eosinophil count of 40.02×109/L (73.

Strain-durable dark current in near-infrared organic photodetectors for skin-conformal photoplethysmographic sensors.

Sensitive detection of near-infrared (NIR) light is applicable to variety of optical, chemical, and biomedical sensors. Of these diverse applications, NIR photodetectors have been used as a key component for photoplethysmography (PPG) sensors. In particular, because NIR organic photodetectors (OPDs) enable fabrication of stretchable and skin-conformal PPG sensors, they are attaining tremendously increasing interest in both academia and industry.