Number of Stent Retriever Passes Associated With Futile Recanalization in Acute Stroke.

Background and Purpose- Stent retriever (SR) thrombectomy has become the mainstay of treatment of acute intracranial large artery occlusion. However, it is still not much known about the optimal limit of SR attempts for favorable outcome. We evaluated whether a specific number of SR passes for futile recanalization can be determined.

Thrombus Volume as a Predictor of Nonrecanalization After Intravenous Thrombolysis in Acute Stroke.

Background and Purpose- We investigated whether measuring the volume and density of a thrombus could predict nonrecanalization after intravenous thrombolysis. Methods- This study included a retrospective cohort to develop a computed tomography marker of thrombus for predicting nonrecanalization after intravenous thrombolysis and a prospective multicenter cohort for validation of this marker. The volume and density of thrombus were measured semiautomatically using 3-dimensional software on a baseline thin-section noncontrast computed tomography (1 or 1.

Favorable neurological outcome after ischemic cerebrovascular events in patients treated with percutaneous left atrial appendage occlusion compared with warfarin.

Objectives: This study sought to investigate neurological disability after ischemic cerebrovascular events in patients treated with left atrial appendage (LAA) occlusion compared with those on warfarin.

Background: Prior studies demonstrated that cerebrovascular events after LAA occlusion in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) is largely nondisabling.

Methods: From the 1,189 patients in the Korean LAA Occlusion and European Amplatzer Cardiac Plug Multi-Center Registry, 24 patients who experienced ischemic cerebrovascular events after LAA occlusion were enrolled.

Usefulness of the procalcitonin test in young febrile infants between 1 and 3 months of age.

Purpose: To study the usefulness of the procalcitonin (PCT) test in young febrile infants between 1 and 3 months of age.

Methods: We evaluated the medical records of 336 febrile infants between 1 and 3 months of age who visited the Emergency Department or outpatient department of Samsung Changwon Hospital from May 2015 to February 2017, and analyzed the clinical characteristics between infants in the serious bacterial infection (SBI) group and non-SBI group.

Results: Among the 336 infants, 38 (11.

Pathogenesis of dorsal internal carotid artery wall aneurysms based on histopathologic examination and microscopic configuration.

Blood blister-like aneurysms (BBAs) are an important cause of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), but proper treatment is uncertain due to the poor prognosis of these aneurysms. The pathogenesis of BBAs remains unclear and few studies have reported on histological examinations of BBAs because it is difficult to obtain a specimen due to a high risk of intraoperative bleeding. In this report, BBAs were histopathologically examined in two patients who presented with SAH due to rupture of a BBA that was treated with surgical trapping and bypass surgery.

Prediction of hemorrhagic transformation in patients with mild atrial fibrillation-associated stroke treated with early anticoagulation: post hoc analysis of the Triple AXEL Trial.

Objectives: To investigate the predictors of hemorrhagic transformation (HT) in patients with mild atrial fibrillation-related stroke who were treated with early anticoagulation. We conducted a post-hoc subgroup analysis from Acute Cerebral Infarction Patients with Non-valvular Atrial Fibrillation (Triple AXEL) study.

Patients And Methods: The Triple AXEL study was a randomized, multicenter, open-label, blinded end-point evaluation, comparative phase 2 trial.

Impact ionization by hot carriers in a black phosphorus field effect transistor.

The strong Coulombic interactions in miniaturized structures can lead to efficient carrier multiplication, which is essential for many-body physics and design of efficient photonic devices beyond thermodynamic conversion limits. However, carrier multiplication has rarely been realized in layered semiconducting materials despite strong electronic interactions. Here, we report the experimental observation of unusual carrier multiplication in a multilayer black phosphorus device.

Impact of CYP2C19 Polymorphism on Antiplatelet Potency of Prasugrel 5 and 10 mg Daily Maintenance.

Background: Whether genetic polymorphisms (GP) impact residual platelet aggregation (RPA) following prasugrel is unclear, especially during maintenance phase. We assessed the influence of CYP2C19 GP carriers on RPA in the prospective observational cohort study.

Methods And Results: All post-stent patients (n = 206) received prasugrel 60 mg loading and either 5 or 10 mg daily maintenance with aspirin100 mg.

Delayed Intravenous Thrombolysis in Patients with Minor Stroke.

Background: The actions and responses of the hospital personnel during acute stroke care in the emergency department (ED) may differ according to the severity of a patient's stroke symptoms. We investigated whether the time from arrival at ED to various care steps differed between patients with minor and non-minor stroke who were treated with intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IV tPA).

Methods: We included consecutive patients who received IV tPA during a 1.

Modified PAGE-B score predicts the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in Asians with chronic hepatitis B on antiviral therapy.

Background & Aims: Recently, the PAGE-B score and Toronto HCC risk index (THRI) have been developed to predict the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Caucasian patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). We aimed to validate PAGE-B scores and THRI in Asian patients with CHB and suggested modified PAGE-B scores to improve the predictive performance.

Methods: From 2007 to 2017, we examined 3,001 Asian patients with CHB receiving entecavir/tenofovir therapy.

Hepatitis B virus reactivation after radiotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma and efficacy of antiviral treatment: A multicenter study.

Convincing data that support routine use of preventive therapy against hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation in radiotherapy (RT) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are lacking. The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence, clinical significance, and risk factors of HBV reactivation after RT. Medical records of 133 HBsAg (+) HCC patients who received radiotherapy from March 2009 to February 2016 were reviewed.

Non-cardioembolic risk factors in atrial fibrillation-associated ischemic stroke.

Introduction: Cardioembolic (CE) risks is usually considered as the main mechanism of ischemic stroke in non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) patients. However, a substantial number of ischemic strokes in NVAF patients are related to non-CE mechanisms. The aim of this study was to investigate the non-CE risk factors in ischemic stroke patients had NVAF.

Anti-cancer activity of Angelica gigas by increasing immune response and stimulating natural killer and natural killer T cells.

Background: The polysaccharide component of Angelica gigas induces immuno-stimulatory effects on innate immune cells. However, it is unclear whether A. gigas' adjuvant activity on the immune system can elicit anti-cancer responses.

Optimizing Outcome Prediction Scores in Patients Undergoing Endovascular Thrombectomy for Large Vessel Occlusions Using Collateral Grade on Computed Tomography Angiography.

Background: Although several outcome prediction scores incorporated with pretreatment variables have been developed for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients, there is not currently a prediction score that includes pretreatment imaging that can show salvageable brain tissue.

Objective: To evaluate whether addition of the collateral grade on computed tomography angiography to previously published prediction scores could increase accuracy of clinical outcome prediction in endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) for AIS.

Methods: This study used a retrospective multicenter registry for patients undergoing EVT for anterior circulation large vessel occlusion.

Long-term outcomes of treatment for unruptured intracranial aneurysms in South Korea: clipping versus coiling.

Background: The long-term outcomes of endovascular coiling and surgical clipping for the treatment of unruptured intracranial aneurysms are unclear.

Methods: We performed a nationwide retrospective cohort study using claims data from the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service on patients undergoing surgical clipping or endovascular coiling from 2008 to 2014. Inverse probability treatment weighting for average treatment effect on the treated and the multiple imputation method were used to balance covariates and handle missing values.

Peptide-Programmable Nanoparticle Superstructures with Tailored Electrocatalytic Activity.

Biomaterials derived via programmable supramolecular protein assembly provide a viable means of constructing precisely defined structures. Here, we present programmed superstructures of AuPt nanoparticles (NPs) on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) that exhibit distinct electrocatalytic activities with respect to the nanoparticle positions via rationally modulated peptide-mediated assembly. De novo designed peptides assemble into six-helix bundles along the CNT axis to form a suprahelical structure.

Dabigatran reduces endothelial permeability through inhibition of thrombin-induced cytoskeleton reorganization.

Dabigatran etexilate (DE), a new oral anti-coagulant, is a direct thrombin inhibitor. Clinical trials showed the favorable benefit-to-risk profile of DE compared to warfarin for the prevention of ischemic stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation. Remarkably, patients treated with dabigatran showed reduced rates of intracerebral hemorrhage compared to warfarin.

Impact of white matter hyperintensities on the prognosis of cryptogenic stroke patients.

Background: To our knowledge, little is known regarding whether white matter hyperintensities (WMH) affect the prognosis of cryptogenic stroke (CS) patients. Understanding this association may be helpful with expecting the prognosis of CS patients.

Methods: This retrospective observational study enrolled consecutive CS patients who underwent brain MRI and comprehensive cardiac evaluation.

Temperature Dependence of the Dielectric Response and Critical Point Energies of Bi1.85Gd0.15Te3.

The complex dielectric function and band-edge critical point structures of Bi1.85Gd0.15Te3 are reported for temperatures from 28 to 300 K and energies from 0.

Multifunctional Bilayer Template for Near-Infrared-Sensitive Organic Solar Cells.

For organic solar cells (OSCs) based on nonplanar phthalocyanines, it has previously been reported that a thin film composed of triclinic crystals with face-on (or flat-lying)-oriented molecules, typically obtained with a CuI template layer, is desired for optical absorption in the near-infrared (NIR) spectral region. However, this work demonstrates that for a PbPc-C donor-acceptor pair, less face-on orientation with a broader orientation distribution obtained with a new template layer consisting of a ZnPc/CuI bilayer is more desirable in terms of solar cell efficiency than the face-on orientation. A NIR-sensitive PbPc-C OSC employing this bilayer-templated PbPc film is found to increase the internal quantum efficiency (IQE) by 36% on average in the NIR spectral region compared to a device using a CuI-templated PbPc film.

Comparison of efficacy and safety between endoscopic submucosal dissection and transanal endoscopic microsurgery for the treatment of rectal tumor.

Background/aim: To compare the treatment efficacy and safety between endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) and transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM) for the treatment of rectal epithelial tumors, including large adenoma, cancer, and subepithelial tumors (SET).

Patients And Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of the medical records of 71 patients with rectal tumors who were treated with ESD (48 patients) or TEM (23 patients) from January 2013 to December 2015. The patient group comprised 56 patients with epithelial tumors and 15 patients with SET.

Rescue Stenting for Failed Mechanical Thrombectomy in Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Multicenter Experience.

Background And Purpose: Effective rescue treatment has not yet been suggested in patients with mechanical thrombectomy (MT) failure. This study aimed to test whether rescue stenting (RS) improved clinical outcomes in MT-failed patients.

Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of the cohorts of the 16 comprehensive stroke centers between September 2010 and December 2015.

Follow-up Creatinine Level Is an Important Predictive Factor of In-hospital Mortality in Cirrhotic Patients with Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis.

Background: Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is one of the severe complications of liver cirrhosis. Early detection of high-risk patients is essential for prognostic improvement. The aim of this study is to investigate the predictive factors related to in-hospital mortality in patients with SBP.

Platelet count is associated with sustained virological response rates in treatments for chronic hepatitis C.

Background/aims: This study was conducted to clarify the sustained virological response (SVR) prediction ability of baseline and treatment-related factors in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.

Methods: This retrospective study collected data at four tertiary referral hospitals between June 2004 and July 2012. Out of 476 patients, 330 treatment-naïve patients with chronic HCV infection were recruited.

Collateral status affects the onset-to-reperfusion time window for good outcome.

Objective: To characterise the time window in which endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) is associated with good outcome, and to test the differential relationship between functional outcome and onset-to-reperfusion time (ORT), depending on collateral status.

Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of clinical and imaging data of 554 consecutive patients, who had recanalisation success by EVT for anterior circulation large artery occlusion, from the prospectively maintained registries of 16 comprehensive stroke centres between September 2010 and December 2015. The patients were dichotomised into good and poor collateral groups, based on CT angiography.