Evaluation of the microbial contamination of fresh produces and their cultivation environments from farms in Korea.

In this study, a total of 195 samples including fresh produce and farming environments was used to perform the microbial risk assessment. Levels of total aerobic bacteria ranged from 2.77 to 5.

[Nodular Gastritis as a Precursor Lesion of Atrophic and Metaplastic Gastritis].

Background/aims: Chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) and metaplastic gastritis (MG) are precancerous conditions of ()-related gastric cancer. This study aimed to identify the characteristics of nodular gastritis (NG) showing CAG or MG after nodule regression.

Methods: -infected patients with NG were included after upper gastrointestinal endoscopy.

TEMPO oxidized nano-cellulose containing thermo-responsive injectable hydrogel for post-surgical peritoneal tissue adhesion prevention.

The objective of this study was to present an effective injectable adhesion barrier comprised of TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofiber (TOCN), methyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, and polyethylene glycol. Hydrogels with different concentrations (0.2, 0.

Adalimumab improves cognitive impairment, exerts neuroprotective effects and attenuates neuroinflammation in an Aβ-injected mouse model of Alzheimer's disease.

The pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is associated with an increased inflammatory response via activated microglia and astrocytes. In the present study, we investigated whether treatment with the anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) monoclonal antibody adalimumab can improve cognitive function and reduce AD pathology in Aβ-injected animal models of AD, as well as the mechanisms underlying the effects of treatment. Aβ-injected mice treated with adalimumab exhibited significant improvements in memory relative to mice injected with Aβ alone, as well as decreases in beta secretase-1 (BACE1) protein expression and Aβ plaques.

Effect of Microvascular Invasion Risk on Early Recurrence of Hepatocellular Carcinoma After Surgery and Radiofrequency Ablation.

Objective: We compared surgical resection (SR) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) as first-line treatment in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) based on the risk of microvascular invasion (MVI).

Background: The best curative treatment modality between SR and RFA in patients with HCC with MVI remains unclear.

Methods: Data from 2 academic cancer center-based cohorts of patients with a single, small (≤3 cm) HCC who underwent SR were used to derive (n = 276) and validate (n = 101) prediction models for MVI using clinical and imaging variables.

Effect of Preceding Biopsy on the Results of Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection for Colorectal Laterally Spreading Tumor.

Background: Forceps biopsies are usually performed before endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for colonic laterally spreading tumors (LSTs). However, preceding biopsy is commonly believed to possibly inhibit complete tumor resection by causing blurring of tumor borders and tissue fibrosis.

Aims: The aims were to investigate whether the preceding biopsy of colorectal LST affects the complete endoscopic tumor resection and increases the risk of complications.

ABC Classification Is Less Useful for Older Koreans Born before 1960.

Background/aims: In the ABC classification system, group A consists of seronegative subjects without gastric corpus atrophy. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and characteristics of pseudo group A subjects.

Methods: Group A subjects were identified among consecutive Korean adults who underwent a serum anti- immunoglobulin G (IgG) test and pepsinogen (PG) assay on the day of endoscopy.

Usefulness of Carbohydrate Antigen 19-9 Test in Healthy People and Necessity of Medical Follow-up in Individuals with Elevated Carbohydrate Antigen 19-9 Level.

Background: Carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) is a tumor marker whose level is elevated in many types of cancers and other benign conditions. CA 19-9 levels are frequently found to be elevated in individuals during general health examinations. This study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics of such individuals and to determine the need for medical follow-up.

Portal Vein Flow by Doppler Ultrasonography and Liver Volume by Computed Tomography in Living Donor Candidates: Correlation with Indocyanine Green Test.

Objectives: Our goal was to investigate the correlation between indocyanine green test results and imaging parameters in living liver donor candidates.

Materials And Methods: Our study included 219 healthy donor candidates who were evaluated with Doppler ultrasonography (portal vein time average flow), computed tomography (liver volume), liver biopsy (fat fraction), and indocyanine green retention rate at 15 minutes.

Results: Portal vein time average flow (r= -0.

Correlations of the Gastric and Duodenal Microbiota with Histological, Endoscopic, and Symptomatic Gastritis.

Mucosal inflammation is characterized by neutrophil and mononuclear cell infiltration. This study aimed to determine the gastric and duodenal microbiota associated with histological, endoscopic, and symptomatic gastritis. Dyspeptic adults who presented for evaluation were included.

Cellulose nanocrystal driven microphase separated nanocomposites: Enhanced mechanical performance and nanostructured morphology.

The interest in the modification of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) lies in the potential to homogenously disperse CNCs in hydrophobic polymer matrices and to promote interfacial adhesion. In this work, poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and poly(butyl acrylate) (PBA) were grafted onto CNCs, thereby imparting their hydrophobic traits. The successful grafting modification led to the increased thermal stability of modified CNCs (MCNCs), and the hydrophobic surface modification was integrated with crystalline structure and morphology of CNCs.

Problematic lesions in cirrhotic liver mimicking hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a unique malignancy that can be diagnosed and treated based on non-invasive imaging criteria without histological confirmation in cirrhotic patients, which opens the possibility, although rare, of false-positive diagnosis of the tumor. This brief review illustrates benign and non-HCC malignant lesions arising in cirrhotic liver that could have been erroneously diagnosed as HCC based on imaging criteria: focal nodular hyperplasia-like nodules, serum amyloid A-positive nodules, dysplastic nodules, spontaneously regressing lesions, combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma, cholangiocarcinoma, sarcomatoid carcinoma, lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma, hepatoblastoma, and metastatic adenocarcinoma. To determine the potential differences in clinical courses and post-treatment outcome of HCC diagnosed by imaging alone and those histologically, we suggest the terms HCCi and HCCp to distinguish between lesions that are diagnosed as HCC based on imaging alone from those diagnosed based on pathological examination, respectively.

High circulating follistatin-like protein 1 as a biomarker of a metabolically unhealthy state.

The inflammatory biomarkers that fully characterize the metabolically unhealthy (MU) state-which is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD)-remain unclear. Recent studies suggest follistatin-like protein 1 (FSTL1) could be used as a biomarker for inflammation and CVD, however there is little information on FSTL1 levels in the MU state. We aimed to evaluate the associations between FSTL1, the presence of MU state and subclinical coronary atherosclerosis.

Compressed Sensing and Parallel Imaging for Double Hepatic Arterial Phase Acquisition in Gadoxetate-Enhanced Dynamic Liver Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the utility of a combined compressed sensing and parallel imaging (C-SENSE) technique for single breath-hold, double arterial phase (AP) examinations in gadoxetate-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the liver.

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively reviewed single breath-hold, double AP images obtained by using a C-SENSE technique for gadoxetate-enhanced dynamic liver MRI in a total of 127 patients (89 men and 38 women; mean age, 62.6 ± 7.

Characteristics of viable-but-nonculturable induced by nutrient-deficiency at cold temperature.

has been consistently found to be involved in the food-borne disease outbreaks every year. Particularly, can be induced into a viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state under cold-starvation conditions. In this physiological state, losses its colony-forming ability and shows reduced metabolic activities.

A comprehensive analysis of chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes)-specific LINE-1 retrotransposons.

Long interspersed element-1 (LINE-1 or L1) is one of the most abundant retrotransposons in the primate genomes and has contributed to their genome diversity and variations during the primate evolution. Among primate L1 subfamilies, L1Pt subfamilies include Pan troglodytes-specific L1s. L1Pt elements have been successfully expanded in the chimpanzee genome since the divergence of human and chimpanzee lineages.

A Functionally Robust Phenotypic Screen that Identifies Drug Resistance-associated Genes Using 3D Cell Culture.

Drug resistance is a major obstacle in cancer treatment: A case in point is the failure of cancer patients to respond to tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) of EGFR, a receptor that is highly expressed in many cancers. Identification of the targets and delineation of mechanisms of drug resistance remain major challenges. Traditional pharmacological assays of drug resistance measure the response of tumor cells using cell proliferation or cell death as readouts.

FDG PET/CT to predict the curability of endoscopic resection for early gastric cancer.

Purpose: We evaluated the value of fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG PET/CT) as a complementary imaging modality to endoscopy to predict the curability of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for early gastric cancer (EGC).

Methods: The institutional review board approved this retrospective study with a waiver of informed consent. The records of patients who underwent FDG PET/CT for initial routine staging of gastric cancer from January 2012 to October 2017 were reviewed retrospectively.

Intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct: Assessment of invasive carcinoma and long-term outcomes using MRI.

Background & Aims: Imaging characteristics for discriminating the malignant potential of intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct (IPNB) still remain unclear. This study aimed to define the magnetic resonance (MR) imaging findings that help to differentiate IPNB with an associated invasive carcinoma from IPNB with intraepithelial neoplasia and to investigate their significance with respect to long-term outcomes in patients with surgically resected IPNB.

Methods: This retrospective study included 120 patients with surgically resected IPNB who underwent preoperative MR imaging with MR cholangiography before surgery from January 2008 and December 2017 in two tertiary referral centers.

Clinical characterization of colitis arising from anti-PD-1 based therapy.

Colitis is a frequent, clinically-significant immune-related adverse event caused by anti-programmed death-1 (PD-1). The clinical features, timing, and management of colitis with anti-PD-1-based regimens are not well-characterized. Patients with advanced melanoma that received either anti-PD-1 monotherapy ("monotherapy") or combined with ipilimumab ("combination therapy") were screened from 8 academic medical centers, to identify those with clinically-relevant colitis (colitis requiring systemic steroids).

Overexpression of the DEAD-Box RNA Helicase Gene Confers Tolerance to Salt Stress in .

Plants adapt to abiotic stresses by complex mechanisms involving various stress-responsive genes. Here, we identified a DEAD-box RNA helicase (RH) gene, , in , involved in salt-stress responses using activation tagging, a useful technique for isolating novel stress-responsive genes. AT895, an activation tagging line, was more tolerant than wild type (WT) under NaCl treatment during germination and seedling development, and was activated in AT895.

Oncological hyperthermia: The correct dosing in clinical applications.

The problem with the application of conventional hyperthermia in oncology is firmly connected to the dose definition, which conventionally uses the concept of the homogeneous (isothermal) temperature of the target. Its imprecise control and complex evaluation is the primary barrier to the extensive clinical applications. The aim of this study was to show the basis of the problems of the misleading dose concept.

Diagnostic Value of Computed Tomography in Crohn's Disease Patients Presenting with Acute Severe Lower Gastrointestinal Bleeding.

Objective: To investigate the diagnostic yield of contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) in Crohn's disease (CD) patients presenting with acute severe lower gastrointestinal bleeding (LGIB), and the role of CT in predicting the risk of rebleeding.

Materials And Methods: A consecutive series of 110 CD patients presenting with acute severe LGIB between 2005 and 2016 were analyzed. Among them, 86 patients who had undergone contrast-enhanced CT constituted the study cohort.

Chd2 Is Necessary for Neural Circuit Development and Long-Term Memory.

Considerable evidence suggests loss-of-function mutations in the chromatin remodeler CHD2 contribute to a broad spectrum of human neurodevelopmental disorders. However, it is unknown how CHD2 mutations lead to impaired brain function. Here we report mice with heterozygous mutations in Chd2 exhibit deficits in neuron proliferation and a shift in neuronal excitability that included divergent changes in excitatory and inhibitory synaptic function.