Favorable Prognostic Factors for Survival Outcomes of Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Portal Vein Tumor Thrombosis After Hepatectomy.

Background: This study aimed to investigate prognostic factors of recurrence and survival associated with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT).

Patients And Methods: This retrospective study included 161 patients with HCC with PVTT who underwent hepatectomy between January 2003 and January 2014 at the Asan Medical Center. Regression analyses were conducted to identify favorable predictive factors for overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS).

Neuroendocrine Tumor with Metachronous Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor in a Patient: A Case Report.

Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) that arise from neuroendocrine cells can develop in most organs; however, it is rarely found in the duodenal papilla. Conversely, gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs), which are mostly asymptomatic and detected incidentally, are usually found in the stomach and very rarely occur metachronously with NETs. A 42-year-old female with no specific underlying disease underwent gastroscopy due to epigastric pain.

Machine learning-based survival rate prediction of Korean hepatocellular carcinoma patients using multi-center data.

Aim: To predict survival time of Korean hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients using multi-center data as a foundation for the development of a predictive artificial intelligence model according to treatment methods based on machine learning.

Methods: Data of patients who underwent treatment for HCC from 2008 to 2015 was provided by Korean Liver Cancer Study Group and Korea Central Cancer Registry. A total of 10,742 patients with HCC were divided into two groups, with Group I (2920 patients) confirmed on biopsy and Group II (5562 patients) diagnosed as HCC according to HCC diagnostic criteria as outlined in Korean Liver Cancer Association guidelines.

Provably Secure Three-Factor-Based Mutual Authentication Scheme with PUF for Wireless Medical Sensor Networks.

Wireless medical sensor networks (WMSNs) are used in remote medical service environments to provide patients with convenient healthcare services. In a WMSN environment, patients wear a device that collects their health information and transmits the information via a gateway. Then, doctors make a diagnosis regarding the patient, utilizing the health information.

Pancreatic Acinar Cell Cystadenoma Mimicking Pancreatic Serous Cystadenoma.

Acinar cell cystadenoma, also known as an acinar cystic transformation of the pancreas, is an exceedingly rare but benign pancreatic lesion. A 51-year-old woman was transferred to Inje University Busan Paik Hospital because of an 8 cm-sized calcified, multiseptated, and multilocular cystic mass in the pancreatic tail observed during abdominal CT performed at another hospital. The patient did not complain of abdominal pain or other symptoms, and her laboratory findings were normal.

Absence of association between pretransplant serum soluble programmed death protein-1 level and prognosis following living donor liver transplantation in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Programmed death protein 1 (PD-1) pathway is one of the most critical mechanisms in tumor biology of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The study aimed to assess the prognostic influence of pretransplant serum soluble PD-1 (sPD-1) in patients undergoing liver transplantation for treatment of HCC.Data from 229 patients with HCC who underwent living donor liver transplantation between January 2010 and December 2015 were retrospectively evaluated.

Functional interpretation of ATAD3A variants in neuro-mitochondrial phenotypes.

Background: ATPase family AAA-domain containing protein 3A (ATAD3A) is a nuclear-encoded mitochondrial membrane-anchored protein involved in diverse processes including mitochondrial dynamics, mitochondrial DNA organization, and cholesterol metabolism. Biallelic deletions (null), recessive missense variants (hypomorph), and heterozygous missense variants or duplications (antimorph) in ATAD3A lead to neurological syndromes in humans.

Methods: To expand the mutational spectrum of ATAD3A variants and to provide functional interpretation of missense alleles in trans to deletion alleles, we performed exome sequencing for identification of single nucleotide variants (SNVs) and copy number variants (CNVs) in ATAD3A in individuals with neurological and mitochondrial phenotypes.

Prognostic Impact of Resection Margin Length in Patients Undergoing Resection for Mid-Common Bile Duct Cancer: A Single-Center Experience.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to analyze survival outcomes after segmental bile duct resection (BDR) for mid-common bile duct cancer according to the length of the tumor-free BDR margins.

Method: A total of 133 consecutive patients underwent BDR for mid-bile duct cancers between December 2007 and June 2017. The Cox proportional hazard model was used to verify the cutoff value of the R0 resection margin.

Comparing short-term outcomes after totally laparoscopic distal gastrectomy and laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy with Billroth I anastomosis: early experience of a single institution.

Purpose: To determine the safety and feasibility of totally laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (TLDG) with modified delta-shaped anastomosis, we compared the short-term outcomes of TLDG to those of laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy (LADG) with Billroth I anastomosis.

Methods: We analyzed the characteristics of 85 patients with gastric cancer who underwent laparoscopic distal gastrectomy with Billroth I anastomosis between January 2013 and December 2018. After propensity score matching, each group had 35 patients.

Design of Secure Protocol for Cloud-Assisted Electronic Health Record System Using Blockchain.

In the traditional electronic health record (EHR) management system, each medical service center manages their own health records, respectively, which are difficult to share on the different medical platforms. Recently, blockchain technology is one of the popular alternatives to enable medical service centers based on different platforms to share EHRs. However, it is hard to store whole EHR data in blockchain because of the size and the price of blockchain.

Validation of prognostic impact of ADV score for resection of hepatocellular carcinoma: analysis using Korea Liver Cancer Registry Database.

Purpose: We aimed to validate the prognostic predictive power of ADV score (α-FP-des-γ-carboxyprothrombin [DCP]-tumor volume [TV] score, calculated as α-FP [ng/mL] × DCP [mAU/mL] × TV [mL] and expressed in log) for predicting patient survival after resection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: This study included 1,390 patients with HCC registered in the Korea Liver Cancer Registry. Patients underwent hepatic resection between 2008 and 2012 and were followed up until December 2016.

Long-term patency and complications of ringed polytetrafluoroethylene grafts used for middle hepatic vein reconstruction in living-donor liver transplantation.

Background: Homologous vein allografts are adequate for reconstruction of the middle hepatic vein (MHV) in living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT). However, supply is a matter of concern. To replace homologous vein allografts, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) grafts were used.

Hepatitis B Prophylaxis after Liver Transplantation in Korea: Analysis of the KOTRY Database.

Background: Prophylaxis for hepatitis B virus (HBV) recurrence is essential after liver transplantation (LT) in HBV-associated recipients. We conducted real-world analysis of HBV prophylaxis after LT in the Korean population.

Methods: Korean Organ Transplantation Registry (KOTRY) database and additionally collected data (n = 326) were analyzed with special reference to types of HBV prophylaxis.

Cross-sectional analysis of immunosuppressive regimens focused on everolimus after liver transplantation in a Korean high-volume transplantation center.

Background: The mammalian target of the rapamycin inhibitor has dual inhibitory effects on cell growth and angiogenesis. This study aimed to analyze the usage of everolimus on actual immunosuppression (IS) regimens through a cross-sectional study in a high-volume liver transplantation (LT) center.

Methods: Our institutional LT database was searched for adult patients who underwent primary LT surgery between January 2010 and December 2016.

Long-term results of conjoined unification venoplasty for multiple portal vein branches of the right liver graft in living donor liver transplantations.

Background: Autologous portal vein Y-graft (PYG) interposition has been the standard procedure for reconstruction of double portal vein (PV) orifices of right liver grafts during living donor liver transplantations. However, it has the disadvantage of being vulnerable to anastomotic stenosis. A refined technique of conjoined unification venoplasty (CUV) was developed to secure PV reconstruction.

Clinical implication of tumor site in terms of node metastasis for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

Background: The clinical implication of lymph node (LN) dissection of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICCA) is still controversial, and LN metastasis (LNM) based on tumor site has not been confirmed yet.

Methods: Patients who underwent curative-intent surgery at 10 tertiary referral centers were identified and divided into peripheral (PP) and near second confluence level tumor (NC) groups on the basis of the distance from the second confluence and oncological outcomes were compared.

Results: Of 179 patients, 121 patients with LND were divided into the NC (n = 89) and PP groups (n = 32) on the basis of 4.

Long-term postresection prognosis of primary neuroendocrine tumors of the liver.

Purpose: Primary hepatic neuroendocrine tumor (PHNET) is a very rare neoplasm, requiring strict exclusion of metastasis from possible extrahepatic primary sites for its diagnosis.

Methods: We reviewed our clinical experience of 13 patients with primary hepatic NET who underwent liver resection from January 1997 to December 2015.

Results: The mean age of the 13 patients (8 males and 5 females) was 51.

Validation of the prognostic performance in various nodal staging systems for gallbladder cancer: results of a multicenter study.

Background: Although the current nodal staging system for gallbladder cancer (GBC) was changed based on the number of positive lymph nodes (PLN), it needs to be evaluated in various situations.

Methods: We reviewed the clinical data for 398 patients with resected GBC and compared nodal staging systems based on the number of PLNs, the positive/retrieved LN ratio (LNR), and the log odds of positive LN (LODDS). Prognostic performance was evaluated using the C-index.

Secure Three-Factor Authentication Protocol for Multi-Gateway IoT Environments.

Internet of Things (IoT) environments such as smart homes, smart factories, and smart buildings have become a part of our lives. The services of IoT environments are provided through wireless networks to legal users. However, the wireless network is an open channel, which is insecure to attacks from adversaries such as replay attacks, impersonation attacks, and invasions of privacy.

Evaluation of Modified Sequential Multiplex PCR for Streptococcus pneumoniae Serotyping.

The aims of this study were to develop modified sequential multiplex PCR (SM-PCR) primer sets and to evaluate their ability and efficiency for serotype determination. We selected target serotypes for SM-PCR testing according to serotype prevalence as reported in Asian publications. The modified SM-PCR consisted of 6 groups of PCR reactions, and each reaction was performed using 5 primer pairs.

A cross-sectional survey of clinical factors that influence the use of traditional Korean medicine among children with cerebral palsy.

Background: Traditional Korean medicine (TKM) is widely used to treat children with cerebral palsy (CP) in Korea; however, studies investigating factors that influence the use of TKM are scarce. Thus, we investigated the clinical factors that might influence the use of TKM.

Methods: A population-based, cross-sectional, multicenter survey was performed from August 2014 to May 2016.

Validation of the OncoHepa test, a multigene expression profile test, and the tumor marker-volume score to predict postresection outcome in small solitary hepatocellular carcinomas.

Purpose: OncoHepa test is a multigene expression profile test developed for assessment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) prognosis. Multiplication of α-FP, des-γ-carboxy prothrombin (DCP) and tumor volume (TV) gives the α-FP-DCP-volume (ADV) score, which is also developed for assessment of HCC prognosis.

Methods: The predictive powers of OncoHepa test and ADV score were validated in 35 patients who underwent curative hepatic resection for naïve solitary HCCs ≤5 cm.

Absence of a Seasonal Variation of Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome in Yeoncheon Compared to Nationwide Korea.

Background: Yeoncheon is an endemic region for hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and has been reporting HFRS cases intermittently in other seasons, including autumn. This study was conducted to determine whether a seasonal variation pattern of HFRS exists in Yeoncheon.

Materials And Methods: From 2002 to 2016, raw data of the number of patients with HFRS in Yeoncheon and nationwide was collected from the Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention.