Influence of age on gender-related differences in acute kidney injury after minimally invasive radical or partial nephrectomy.

Background: Female gender is known to be protective against acute kidney injury (AKI) after radical or partial nephrectomy and estrogen is considered a protective factor. If estrogen is a major contributor to the protective effects of female gender against renal injury, these protective effects may be diminished in postmenopausal women. Therefore, this retrospective study investigated the influence of female age on gender-related differences in AKI after minimally invasive radical or partial nephrectomy.

Clinical Performance of the Standard Q COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test and Simulation of its Real-World Application in Korea.

The rapid antigen test (RAT) for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) represents a potent diagnostic method in situations of limited molecular testing resources. However, considerable performance variance has been reported with the RAT. We evaluated the clinical performance of Standard Q COVID-19 RAT (SQ-RAT; SD Biosensor, Suwon, Korea), the first RAT approved by the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.

The role of cardiac CT throughout the full cardiac cycle in diagnosing patent foramen ovale in patients with acute stroke.

Objectives: We explored the hypothesis that the diagnostic performance of cardiac computed tomography (CT) throughout the full cardiac cycle would be superior to single-phase CT and comparable to transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) in diagnosing patent foramen ovale (PFO).

Methods And Results: From May 2011 to April 2015, 978 patients with stroke were diagnosed with PFO by TEE. In patients with stroke, cardiac CT was performed if the patients had more than two cardiovascular risk factors.

Evaluation of Serum Neurofilament Light Chain and Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein as Screening and Monitoring Biomarkers for Brain Metastases.

We evaluated the potential serum neurofilament light chain (sNfL) and serum glial fibrillary acidic protein (sGFAP) roles in diagnosing and monitoring brain metastases (BMs). We included 70 patients with newly diagnosed BMs, 71 age- and cancer type-matched patients without BMs, and 67 healthy controls (HCs). We compared sNfL and sGFAP levels among the groups using a single-molecule array immunoassay.

MRI Features for Predicting Microvascular Invasion of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Purpose: Microvascular invasion (MVI) is an important prognostic factor in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the reported results of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features for predicting MVI of HCC are variable and conflicting. Therefore, this meta-analysis aimed to identify the significant MRI features for MVI of HCC and to determine their diagnostic value.

Age estimation based on 3D post-mortem computed tomography images of mandible and femur using convolutional neural networks.

Age assessment has attracted increasing attention in the field of forensics. However, most existing works are laborious and requires domain-specific knowledge. Modern computing power makes it is possible to leverage massive amounts of data to produce more reliable results.

Combined computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging improves diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma ≤ 3.0 cm.

Background/purpose: Imaging diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is important, but the diagnostic performance of combined computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using the Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) v2018 is not fully understood. We evaluated the clinical usefulness of combined CT and MRI for diagnosing HCC ≤ 3.0 cm using LI-RADS.

Longitudinal proteomic profiling provides insights into host response and proteome dynamics in COVID-19 progression.

In managing patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), early identification of those at high risk and real-time monitoring of disease progression to severe COVID-19 is a major challenge. We aimed to identify potential early prognostic protein markers and to expand understanding of proteome dynamics during clinical progression of the disease. We performed in-depth proteome profiling on 137 sera, longitudinally collected from 25 patients with COVID-19 (non-severe patients, n = 13; patients who progressed to severe COVID-19, n = 12).

Value of discrepancy of the central scar-like structure between dynamic CT and gadoxetate disodium-enhanced MRI in differentiation of focal nodular hyperplasia and hepatocellular adenoma.

Purpose: To identify the value of discrepancies in the central scar (CS)-like structure between dynamic CT and gadoxetate disodium-enhanced MRI for differentiating FNH from HCA.

Methods: This retrospective study included 113 patients with pathologically-diagnosed FNH (n = 80) or HCA (n = 37). CS-like structures were evaluated on arterial phase (AP) CT and hepatobiliary phase (HBP) MRI.

The Effect of Tranexamic Acid Administration on Early Endothelial Damage Following Posterior Lumbar Fusion Surgery.

Tranexamic acid (TXA) protects against endothelial glycocalyx injury in vitro. We aimed to evaluate whether TXA could protect against endothelial glycocalyx degradation in patients undergoing posterior lumbar fusion surgery. Patients aged 30-80 years were enrolled.

Scopolamine promotes neuroinflammation and delirium-like neuropsychiatric disorder in mice.

Postoperative delirium is a common neuropsychiatric syndrome resulting a high postsurgical mortality rate and decline in postdischarge function. Extensive research has been performed on both human and animal delirium-like models due to their clinical significance, focusing on systematic inflammation and consequent neuroinflammation playing a key role in the pathogenesis of postoperative cognitive dysfunctions. Since animal models are widely utilized for pathophysiological study of neuropsychiatric disorders, this study aimed at examining the validity of the scopolamine-induced delirium-like mice model with respect to the neuroinflammatory hypothesis of delirium.

Orthopedic surgery-induced cognitive dysfunction is mediated by CX3CL1/R1 signaling.

Background: Postoperative pain is a common phenomenon after surgery and is closely associated with the development of postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD). Persistent pain and systemic inflammation caused by surgery have been suggested as key factors for the development of POCD. Fractalkine (CX3CL1) and its receptor, the CX3C chemokine receptor 1 (CX3CR1), are known to play a key role in pain and inflammation signaling pathways.

Investigating the Presence of Interattack Astrocyte Damage in Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder: Longitudinal Analysis of Serum Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein.

Objectives: Information on subclinical astrocyte damage can provide further insight into neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) pathophysiology and disease-monitoring strategies. To investigate whether astrocyte and neuroaxonal damage occurs during interattack periods in individuals with NMOSD through longitudinal measurement of serum glial fibrillary acidic protein (sGFAP) and neurofilament light chain (sNfL) at multiple time points.

Methods: sGFAP and sNfL levels were measured in 187 serum samples from 20 participants with NMOSD treated with rituximab (median follow-up: 24 months) and 19 age-/sex-matched healthy controls using a highly sensitive single-molecule array assay.

Ceramide Synthase 2 Null Mice Are Protected from Ovalbumin-Induced Asthma with Higher T Cell Receptor Signal Strength in CD4+ T Cells.

(1) Background: six mammalian ceramide synthases (CerS1-6) determine the acyl chain length of sphingolipids (SLs). Although ceramide levels are increased in murine allergic asthma models and in asthmatic patients, the precise role of SLs with specific chain lengths is still unclear. The role of CerS2, which mainly synthesizes C22-C24 ceramides, was investigated in immune responses elicited by airway inflammation using CerS2 null mice.

Design of an Electro-Stimulated Hydrogel Actuator System with Fast Flexible Folding Deformation under a Low Electric Field.

Soft actuators have recently been widely studied due to their significant advantages including light weight, continuous deformability, high environment adaptability, and safe human-robot interactions. In this study, we designed electrically responsive poly(sodium 4-vinylbenzenesulfonate/2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate/acrylamide) (P(VBS/HEMA/AAm)) and poly(sodium 4-vinylbenzenesulfonate/2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate/acrylic acid) (P(VBS/HEMA/AAc)) hydrogels. A series of P(VBS/HEMA/AAm) and P(VBS/HEMA/AAc) hydrogels were prepared by adjusting the monomer composition and cross-linking density to systemically analyze various factors affecting the actuation of hydrogels under an electric field.

Deep learning-based algorithm to detect primary hepatic malignancy in multiphase CT of patients at high risk for HCC.

Objectives: To develop and evaluate a deep learning-based model capable of detecting primary hepatic malignancies in multiphase CT images of patients at high risk for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: A total of 1350 multiphase CT scans of 1280 hepatic malignancies (1202 HCCs and 78 non-HCCs) in 1320 patients at high risk for HCC were retrospectively analyzed. Following the delineation of the focal hepatic lesions according to reference standards, the CT scans were categorized randomly into the training (568 scans), tuning (193 scans), and test (589 scans) sets.

Inter-reader reliability of CT Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System according to imaging analysis methodology: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: To establish inter-reader reliability of CT Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) and explore factors that affect it.

Methods: MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were searched from January 2014 to March 2020 to identify original articles reporting the inter-reader reliability of CT LI-RADS. The imaging analysis methodology of each study was identified, and pooled intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) or kappa values (κ) were calculated for lesion size, major features (arterial-phase hyperenhancement [APHE], nonperipheral washout [WO], and enhancing capsule [EC]), and LI-RADS categorization (LR) using random-effects models.

Prognostic Effect of Inflammatory Genes on Stage I-III Colorectal Cancer-Integrative Analysis of TCGA Data.

Unlabelled: Background inflammatory status indicators have been reported as prognostic biomarkers of colorectal cancer (CRC). However, since inflammatory interactions with the colon involve various modes of action, the biological mechanism linking inflammation and CRC prognosis has not been fully elucidated. We comprehensively evaluated the predictive roles of the expression and methylation levels of inflammation-related genes for CRC prognosis and their pathophysiological associations.

Discontinuation of Immunosuppressive Therapy in Patients With Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder With Aquaporin-4 Antibodies.

Objective: To evaluate the outcomes of immunosuppressive therapy (IST) discontinuation in patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) after a sustained remission period.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 17 patients with antiaquaporin-4 antibody-positive NMOSD who discontinued IST after a relapse-free period of ≥3 years.

Results: IST was discontinued at a median age of 40 years (interquartile range [IQR], 32-51) after a median relapse-free period of 62 months (IQR, 52-73).

Radiofrequency ablation versus stereotactic body radiation therapy for small (≤ 3 cm) hepatocellular carcinoma: A retrospective comparison analysis.

Background And Aim: We compared the clinical outcomes of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) in small (≤ 3 cm) hepatocellular carcinoma.

Methods: A total of 266 patients treated with RFA (n = 179) or SBRT (n = 87) were reviewed. Local control rates (LCRs), intrahepatic recurrence-free survival (IHRFS) rates, and overall survival (OS) rates were compared.

HDAC6-selective inhibitors enhance anticancer effects of paclitaxel in ovarian cancer cells.

Histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6)-selective inhibitors are potent anticancer agents that are gaining increasing attention and undergoing various developments. These have been approved or are under clinical trials for use with other anticancer agents, such as pomalidomide, anti-programmed death-ligand 1 antibody and paclitaxel, for various types of cancer, including solid tumors. In the present study, a second generation HDAC6-selective inhibitor, ACY-241 (citarinostat), and a novel inhibitor, A452, exhibited synergistic anticancer effects with paclitaxel in AT-rich interaction domain 1A-mutated ovarian cancer .

HDAC6-Selective Inhibitor Overcomes Bortezomib Resistance in Multiple Myeloma.

Although multiple myeloma (MM) patients benefit from standard bortezomib (BTZ) chemotherapy, they develop drug resistance, resulting in relapse. We investigated whether histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) inhibitor A452 overcomes bortezomib resistance in MM. We show that HDAC6-selective inhibitor A452 significantly decreases the activation of BTZ-resistant markers, such as extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), in acquired BTZ-resistant MM cells.