Hippocampal and entorhinal structures in subjective memory impairment: a combined MRI volumetric and DTI study.

Background: Subjective memory impairment (SMI) is common among older adults. Increasing evidence suggests that SMI is a risk factor for future cognitive decline, as well as for mild cognitive impairment and dementia. Medial temporal lobe structures, including the hippocampus and entorhinal cortex, are affected in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease.

Effect of low-level laser therapy on bisphosphonate-treated osteoblasts.

Background: This study investigates the effect of alendronate-treated osteoblasts, as well as the effect of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on the alendronate-treated osteoblasts. Bisphosphonate decreases the osteoblastic activity. Various treatment modalities are used to enhance the bisphosphonate-treated osteoblasts; however, there were no cell culture studies conducted using a low-level laser.

Effect of galantamine on attention in patients with Alzheimer's disease combined with cerebrovascular disease.

Aim: Patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and cerebrovascular disease (CVD) show greater attentional deficits compared with AD patients without CVD. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of galantamine on attention in AD patients with CVD.

Methods: In this open trial, 1512 patients with AD and CVD were recruited from 71 nationwide hospitals.

Efficacy and toxicity of the combination chemotherapy of thalidomide, alkylating agent, and steroid for relapsed/refractory myeloma patients: a report from the Korean Multiple Myeloma Working Party (KMMWP) retrospective study.

We analyzed the treatment responses, toxicities, and survival outcomes of patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who received daily thalidomide, cyclophosphamide, and dexamethasone (CTD) or daily thalidomide, melphalan, and prednisolone (MTP) at 17 medical centers in Korea. Three-hundred and seventy-six patients were enrolled. The combined chemotherapy of thalidomide, corticosteroid, and an alkylating agent (TAS) was second-line chemotherapy in 142 (37.

Effects on agitation with rivastigmine patch monotherapy and combination therapy with memantine in mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease: a multicenter 24-week prospective randomized open-label study (the Korean EXelon Patch and combination with mEmantine Comparative Trial study).

Aim: Memantine is known to be effective in the treatment of the behavioral symptoms of dementia, especially agitation in moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, memantine and rivastigmine patch combination therapy has not been well studied in determining treatment effectiveness with mild to moderate AD patients.

Methods: This was a multicenter, 24-week, prospective, randomized, open-label study design.

Comparison of Vildagliptin and Pioglitazone in Korean Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Inadequately Controlled with Metformin.

Background: We compared the efficacies of vildagliptin (50 mg twice daily) relative to pioglitazone (15 mg once daily) as an add-on treatment to metformin for reducing glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels in Korean patients with type 2 diabetes.

Methods: The present study was a multicenter, randomized, active-controlled investigation comparing the effects of vildagliptin and pioglitazone in Korean patients receiving a stable dose of metformin but exhibiting inadequate glycemic control. Each patient underwent a 16-week treatment period with either vildagliptin or pioglitazone as an add-on treatment to metformin.

Glucose-Dependent Insulinotropic Peptide Level Is Associated with the Development of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Background: Incretin hormone levels as a predictor of type 2 diabetes mellitus have not been fully investigated. Therefore, we measured incretin hormone levels to examine the relationship between circulating incretin hormones, diabetes, and future diabetes development in this study.

Methods: A nested case-control study was conducted in a Korean cohort.

Physiological and clinical relevance of anomalous right coronary artery originating from left sinus of Valsalva in adults.

Objective: To examine physiological and clinical relevance of an anomalous right coronary artery originating from left sinus of Valsalva (right ACAOS) with interarterial course in adults.

Methods And Results: For physiological assessment, fractional flow reserve (FFR) during dobutamine challenge was measured in 37 consecutive adult patients with lone right ACAOS with interarterial course. At baseline, mean FFR was 0.

Glycemic Variability: How Do We Measure It and Why Is It Important?

Chronic hyperglycemia is the primary risk factor for the development of complications in diabetes mellitus (DM); however, it is believed that frequent or large glucose fluctuations may independently contribute to diabetes-related complications. Postprandial spikes in blood glucose, as well as hypoglycemic events, are blamed for increased cardiovascular events in DM. Glycemic variability (GV) includes both of these events; hence, minimizing GV can prevent future cardiovascular events.

Subclinical Hypothyroidism and Cardiovascular Disease.

Subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) is a common disorder that is characterized by elevated thyroid-stimulating hormone levels in conjunction with free thyroxine concentrations within the normal reference range. Thyroid hormones are known to affect the heart and vasculature and, as a result, the impact of SCH on the cardiovascular (CV) system has recently become an important topic of research. Strong evidence points to a link between SCH and CV risk factors such as alterations in blood pressure, lipid levels, and atherosclerosis.

Increased Risk of Hospitalization for Heart Failure with Newly Prescribed Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 Inhibitors and Pioglitazone Using the Korean Health Insurance Claims Database.

Background: We assessed the association of dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors (DPP4i) with hospitalization for heart failure (HF) using the Korean Health Insurance claims database.

Methods: We collected data on newly prescribed sitagliptin, vildagliptin, and pioglitazone between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2012 (mean follow-up of 336.8 days) to 935,519 patients with diabetes (518,614 males and 416,905 females) aged 40 to 79 years (mean age of 59.

Stoichiometric expression of mtHsp40 and mtHsp70 modulates mitochondrial morphology and cristae structure via Opa1L cleavage.

Deregulation of mitochondrial heat-shock protein 40 (mtHsp40) and dysfunction of mtHsp70 are associated with mitochondrial fragmentation, suggesting that mtHsp40 and mtHsp70 may play roles in modulating mitochondrial morphology. However, the mechanism of mitochondrial fragmentation induced by mtHsp40 deregulation and mtHsp70 dysfunction remains unclear. In addition, the functional link between mitochondrial morphology change upon deregulated mtHsp40/mtHsp70 and mitochondrial function has been unexplored.

Sex factors in the metabolic syndrome as a predictor of cardiovascular disease.

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a condition characterized by a cluster of metabolic disorders and is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). This study analyzed data from the Korean Health and Genome Study to examine the impact of MetS on CVD.

Methods: A total of 8,898 subjects (4,241 males and 4,657 females), 40 to 69 years of age, were enrolled and evaluated for the development of new onset CVD from 2001 to 2012 (median 8.

Clinical characteristics, management, and outcome of 22 cases of primary hypophysitis.

Background: Primary hypophysitis causes varying degrees of endocrine dysfunction and mass effect. The natural course and best treatment have not been well established.

Methods: Medical records of 22 patients who had been diagnosed with primary hypophysitis between January 2001 and March 2013 were retrospectively reviewed.

Colonic stent-related complications and their management.

Since its introduction in the early 1990s, the self-expandable metal stent (SEMS) has been increasingly used for the management of malignant colorectal obstruction, not only as a palliative method but also as a preoperative treatment in surgical candidates. However, more recently, concerns have been raised over stent complication rates. Early complications include pain, perforation, and rectal bleeding, and late complications include stent migration and stent obstruction.

Weekly rituximab consolidation following four cycles of R-CHOP induction chemotherapy in very elderly patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: Consortium for improving survival of lymphoma study (CISL).

This study aimed to determine the objective response, toxicity, and clinical outcome of weekly rituximab consolidation after four cycles of R-CHOP21 in very elderly patients with DLBCL. A prospective, multi-institutional phase II trial was conducted on patients with previously untreated CD20(+) DLBCL who were older than 70 yr. Patients were treated with four cycles of R-CHOP21 followed by weekly consolidation with rituximab (375 mg/m(2) , four times infusion) (NCT01181999).

Short-Term Results of Total Knee Arthroplasty with Anterior-Posterior Glide LCS Mobile-Bearing System.

Purpose: To evaluate the clinical and radiological results of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) using the anterior-posterior glide (APG) low contact stress (LCS) mobile-bearing system.

Materials And Methods: We evaluated 130 knees in 117 patients who had undergone TKA with APG LCS mobile-bearing system between September 2005 and July 2007 and could be followed over 5 years. The mean follow-up period was 68 months.

Clinical and Neuropsychological Characteristics of a Nationwide Hospital-Based Registry of Frontotemporal Dementia Patients in Korea: A CREDOS-FTD Study.

Background: We investigated the demographic, clinical, and neuropsychological characteristics of frontotemporal dementia (FTD) from the Clinical Research Center for Dementia of South Korea (CREDOS)-FTD registry.

Methods: A total of 200 consecutive patients with FTD recruited from 16 neurological clinics in Korea were evaluated by cognitive and functional assessments, a screening test for aphasia, behavioral questionnaires, motor assessments, and brain MRI or PET.

Results: In our registry, 78 patients were classified as having been diagnosed with behavioral-variant FTD (bvFTD), 70 with semantic dementia (SD), 33 with progressive nonfluent aphasia (PNFA), and 8 with motor neuron disease plus syndrome (MND-plus).

A randomized comparison of platinum chromium-based everolimus-eluting stents versus cobalt chromium-based Zotarolimus-Eluting stents in all-comers receiving percutaneous coronary intervention: HOST-ASSURE (harmonizing optimal strategy for treatment of coronary artery stenosis-safety & effectiveness of drug-eluting stents & anti-platelet regimen), a randomized, controlled, noninferiority trial.

Objectives: This study sought to test whether the newly developed platinum chromium (PtCr)-based everolimus-eluting stent (EES) is noninferior to the cobalt chromium (CoCr)-based zotarolimus-eluting stent (ZES) in all-comers receiving percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Background: PtCr provides improved radial strength, conformability, and visibility compared with the CoCr alloy, but PtCr-based stents have not been tested in a wide range of patients receiving PCI. Also, recent case series have raised the issue of longitudinal stent deformation (LSD) with newer drug-eluting stents.

Comparison of pyogenic spondylitis and tuberculous spondylitis.

Pyogenic spondylitis and tuberculous spondylitis are common causes of spinal infection. It is difficult to differentiate tuberculous spondylitis and pyogenic spondylitis clinically and radiologically. Recently magnetic resonance imaging has been reported to be beneficial for early diagnosis and differential diagnosis of the spondylitis, and is being used extensively for diagnosis.

Clinical and genetic analysis of MAPT, GRN, and C9orf72 genes in Korean patients with frontotemporal dementia.

The hexanucleotide repeat expansion (GGGGCC) in chromosome 9 open-reading frame 72 (C9orf72) and mutations in the microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT) and progranulin (GRN) genes are known to be associated with the main causes of familial or sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) in Western populations. These genetic abnormalities have rarely been studied in Asian FTD populations. We investigated the frequencies of mutations in MAPT and GRN and the C9orf72 abnormal expansion in 75 Korean FTD patients.

Laparoendoscopic single-site surgery with the second-generation single port instrument delivery extended reach surgical system in a porcine model.

Purpose: To describe our initial experience with the second-generation Single Port Instrument Delivery Extended Reach (SPIDER) laparoendoscopic single-site surgical system in a porcine model.

Materials And Methods: In four swine weighing approximately 32 to 35 kg, five nephrectomies, four adrenalectomies, three pyeloplasties, and three partial cystectomies and closures were performed by a single surgeon. The swine were placed in the lateral flank position under general anesthesia.

Comparative study of shear wave velocities using acoustic radiation force impulse technology in hepatocellular carcinoma: the extent of radiofrequency ablation.

Background/aims: The purpose of this study was to assess the value of acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) for predicting the extent of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by correlating the elasticity of HCC and peritumoral parenchyma (as measured by ARFI) with the extent of ablation determined by computed tomography (CT).

Methods: From September 2009 to June 2011, 158 patients underwent RFA ablation for HCC (single, ≤3 cm). We evaluated the data of a total of 38 prospectively enrolled patients who underwent both ARFI imaging and contrast-enhanced CT after one session of 12 minutes of RFA without a change in needle position.