The adaptability of the Pulsta valve to the diverse main pulmonary artery shape of native right ventricular outflow tract disease.

Background: Pulsta valve is increasingly used for percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation (PPVI) in patients with a large native right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT). This study aims to elucidate the outcomes of Pulsta valve implantation within the native RVOT and assess its adaptability to various native main pulmonary artery (PA) anatomies.

Methods: A multicenter retrospective study included 182 patients with moderate to severe pulmonary regurgitation in the native RVOT who underwent PPVI with Pulsta valves® between February 2016 and August 2023 at five Korean and Taiwanese tertiary referral centers.

Clinical aspects for differential diagnosis of Kawasaki disease shock syndrome: a case control study.

Background: Because of the absence of a specific diagnostic test and pathognomonic clinical features, physicians must rely on the presence of specific clinical criteria and laboratory data that support the diagnosis of KD. To help clinicians distinguish KD, KDSS, septic shock, and TSS earlier, we suggest differential diagnosis and treatment guideline.

Methods: Medical records of immunocompetent patients who were admitted to the pediatric department with a diagnosis of KDSS, septic shock or TSS (SS group) were retrospectively reviewed.

Late Recurrence of Wilms Tumor After 17 Years: A Case Report.

Wilms tumor is the most common renal malignancy in children. Most of Wilms tumor recurrences occur within 2 years of the first diagnosis. Relapse after 5 years after the first diagnosis is called "late recurrence" and is rare in Wilms tumor.

Physical Health Literacy and Health-related Behaviors in Patients with Psychosis.

Objective: : This study compared the levels of knowledge of physical illnesses and patterns of health behaviors between patients with psychosis and the general population.

Methods: : A total of 712 participants were included in the study; 292 patients with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder and 420 healthy controls matched for age and gender. Questionnaires were administered to study participants to determine the level of knowledge of chronic physical illnesses such as cancer, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus and health-related behavior.

Latent Iron Deficiency as a Marker of Negative Symptoms in Patients with First-Episode Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorder.

Iron deficiency may alter dopaminergic transmission in the brain. This study investigated whether iron metabolism is associated with negative symptoms in patients with first-episode psychosis. The study enrolled 121 patients with first-episode schizophrenia spectrum disorder, whose duration of treatment was 2 months or less.

Neuroprotective effect of Capsicum annuum var. abbreviatum against hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative stress in HT22 hippocampus cells.

Phenolic compounds isolated from pepper (Capsicum annum) have been demonstrated to have neuroprotective effects, whereas the physiological properties of Capsicum annuum var. abbreviatum (CAA) have not been studied. Thus, we investigate the chemical composition and neuroprotective activity of CAA extract (CAAE) in HT22 hippocampus cells against HO-induced neurotoxicity.

Optimal dose of combined rocuronium and cisatracurium during minor surgery: A randomized trial.

Background: Combined rocuronium and cisatracurium have synergistic effects. We investigated whether reduced doses are effective during coadministration, by monitoring neuromuscular relaxation during surgery.

Methods: This randomized, controlled clinical trial was registered at http://clinicaltrials.

Diagnostic Accuracy of the Neck Tornado Test as a New Screening Test in Cervical Radiculopathy.

Background: The Spurling test, although a highly specific provocative test of the cervical spine in cervical radiculopathy (CR), has low to moderate sensitivity. Thus, we introduced the neck tornado test (NTT) to examine the neck and the cervical spine in CR.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to introduce a new provocative test, the NTT, and compare the diagnostic accuracy with a widely accepted provocative test, the Spurling test.

Roles of conducting filament and non-filament regions in the TaO and HfO resistive switching memory for switching reliability.

The endurance of switching cycles, which is a critical measure of device reliability, in an ultra-thin (1.5 nm) TaO and HfO resistive random access (ReRAM) memory cell with a 28 nm lateral dimension was studied using current-voltage (I-V) sweep and closed-loop pulse switching (CLPS) tests. The two devices showed the typical oxygen-deficient conducting-filament (CF)-mediated bipolar resistance switching behaviour, which was induced by the asymmetric electrode configuration: Ta as the oxygen vacancy (V) source/reservoir and TiN as the inert electrode.

Suxamethonium induces a prompt increase in the bispectral index.

Upon inducting general anesthesia in the operating room, we have observed a prompt increase in the bispectral index (BIS) after the intravenous injection of suxamethonium. We hypothesized that the cause of this BIS increase is muscle hyperactivity owing to fasciculation. However, no reports have been published regarding this abrupt increase in the BIS upon the induction of general anesthesia by suxamethonium.

Effects of Combined Rocuronium and Cisatracurium in Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy.

Background: Laparoscopic upper abdominal surgery can cause spontaneous respiration due to diaphragmatic stimulation and intra-abdominal CO inflation. Therefore, sufficient muscle relaxation is necessary for a safe surgical environment.

Methods: We investigated if the combination of rocuronium and cisatracurium can counteract the delayed onset of cisatracurium's action and delayed recovery of muscle relaxation and whether the dosage of rocuronium, which is metabolized hepatically, can be reduced.

Design of highly efficient RGB top-emitting organic light-emitting diodes using finite element method simulations.

In this paper, we present finite element method simulations of top-emitting organic light-emitting diodes for designing optimized red, green, and blue full-color device structures. The OLED structures in the simulation are used to evaluate the device parameters, such as the outcoupling efficiency, electroluminescence spectra, and angular emission characteristics on organic layers with varying thickness and different cathodes. The numerical study also extracts these parameters for nano-structured devices.

Variations in the distance between the cricoid cartilage and targets of stellate ganglion block in neutral and extended supine positions: an ultrasonographic evaluation.

Purpose: Anatomic variations complicate surface landmark-guided needle placement, thereby increasing nerve blockade failure rate. However, little is understood about how anatomic distances change under different clinical conditions. As the cricoid cartilage is an easy and accurate landmark, we investigated changes in distance between the sixth or seventh cervical transverse processes (C6TP or C7TP) and the cricoid cartilage in neutral and extended supine positions.

[Factors Influencing Quality of Life of Alcoholics Anonymous Members in Korea].

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine quality of life (QOL) related factors in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) members based on PRECEDE Model.

Methods: A cross sectional survey was conducted with participants (N =203) from AA meeting in 11 alcohol counsel centers all over South Korea. Data were collected using a specially designed questionnaire based on the PRECEDE model and including QOL, epidemiological factors (including depression and perceived health status), behavioral factors (continuous abstinence and physical health status and practice), predisposing factors (abstinence self-efficacy and self-esteem), reinforcing factors (social capital and family functioning), and enabling factors.

Atlantoaxial Chordoma in Two Patients with Occipital Neuralgia and Cervicalgia.

Chordoma arises from cellular remnants of the notochord. It is the most common primary malignancy of the spine in adults. Approximately 50% of chordomas arise from the sacrococcygeal area with other areas of the spine giving rise to another 15% of chordomas.

Light outcoupling enhancement from top-emitting organic light-emitting diodes made on a nano-sized stochastic texture surface.

An effective method for enhancing the light outcoupling efficiency from top-emitting organic light-emitting diodes (TEOLEDs) with a nano-sized stochastic texture surface (NSTS) is suggested. The broadly distributed pitch and the randomly sized of islands in the NSTS enable the photons that are otherwise trapped to be emitted over the broad emission wavelength range. The NSTS-embedded TEOLEDs have wide angular-dependent emission characteristics and an enhanced external quantum efficiency (EQE).

Bispectral index monitoring during anesthesiologist-directed propofol and remifentanil sedation for endoscopic submucosal dissection: a prospective randomized controlled trial.

Purpose: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is a technically difficult and lengthy procedure requiring optimal depth of sedation. The bispectral index (BIS) monitor is a non-invasive tool that objectively evaluates the depth of sedation. The purpose of this prospective randomized controlled trial was to evaluate whether BIS guided sedation with propofol and remifentanil could reduce the number of patients requiring rescue propofol, and thus reduce the incidence of sedation- and/or procedure-related complications.

Strain evolution of each type of grains in poly-crystalline (Ba,Sr)TiO(3) thin films grown by sputtering.

The strain states of [111]-, [110]-, and [002]-oriented grains in poly-crystalline sputtered (Ba,Sr)TiO(3) thin films on highly [111]-oriented Pt electrode/Si substrates were carefully examined by X-ray diffraction techniques. Remarkably, [002]-oriented grains respond more while [110]- and [111]-oriented grains do less than the theoretically estimated responses, which is understandable from the arrangement of the TiO(6) octahedra with respect to the stress direction. Furthermore, such mechanical responses are completely independent of the degree of crystallization and film thickness.

A case of ampullary perforation treated with a temporally covered metal stent.

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)-related perforation is classified into three or four types based on anatomical location and the mechanism of injury. Although ampullary injury, among them, may be managed nonsurgically, surgical management is required in cases of perforation with retroperitoneal fluid collection and severe condition. Here, a patient with ERCP-related severe ampullary perforation with retroperitoneal fluid collection that was treated nonsurgically with a covered stent is presented.

Incidence of propofol injection pain and effect of lidocaine pretreatment during upper gastrointestinal endoscopy.

Background/aims: Propofol has been used in the past for sedation in upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopic procedures. This study aimed to measure the incidence of propofol injection pain and evaluate the effect of lidocaine on pain caused during sedative upper GI endoscopic examinations.

Methods: Subjects scheduled to undergo sedative diagnostic upper GI endoscopy were randomly assigned to lidocaine and placebo groups.

Is cervical cancer a risk factor for colorectal neoplasia? Prevalence of colorectal adenoma in Korean patients with cervical cancer.

Background/aims: The relationship between colorectal neoplasia and cervical cancer has not been evaluated. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of colorectal adenoma in patients with cervical cancer and compare it with that of control subjects.

Methodology: Between January 2005 and December 2009, the medical records of patients diagnosed with cervical cancer were retrospectively reviewed.