The long-term influence of lesion set in the surgical ablation of atrial fibrillation during mitral valve surgery: Multicenter propensity-score weighted study.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the effect of the lesion sets for surgical ablation of atrial fibrillation on long-term outcomes and identify the optimal lesion set.

Methods: Between 2005 and 2017, 1825 patients underwent surgical ablation concomitant to mitral valve surgery in the participating institutions. Of these, 529 underwent left atrial ablation, whereas the remainder had biatrial ablation.

Pharmacological therapies for male infertility.

Male factor infertility is a multifaceted problem that affects approximately 50% of couples suffering from infertility. Causes of male infertility include endocrine disturbances, gonadotoxins, genetic abnormalities, varicocele, malignancies, infections, congenital or acquired urogenital abnormalities, iatrogenic factors, immunological factors, and idiopathic reasons. There are a variety of treatment options for male infertility, depending on the underlying cause(s).

Effects of Var. Acuta in Busulfan-Induced Spermatogenesis Dysfunction Mouse Model.

Purpose: The leaves of var. acuta (PFA) are generally reported to have antioxidant, anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory, and antitumor effects and commonly used as a traditional medicine in East Asia. This study aimed to investigate the protective effect and antioxidant activity of PFA on busulfan-induced testicular dysfunction, histological damage, oxidative stress (OS), sperm quality, and hormone levels using a mouse model.

The clinical efficacy of preoperative flash visual evoked potential (VEP) for mature cataracts without a response to pattern VEP.

Background: This study aims to assess the effectiveness of the preoperative flash visual evoked potential (VEP) test in predicting postoperative visual acuity for monocular mature cataract cases when compared to the contralateral normal eye.

Methods: The study included 60 patients, each with a monocular mature cataract diagnosis, who underwent preoperative flash VEP testing showing no pattern VEP response. Subsequently, phacoemulsification was performed.

Comparative outcomes of the pathogen in cultured Jones tubes used in lacrimal bypass surgery according to follow up periods.

Aim: To evaluate the pathogens in cultured Jones tubes used in lacrimal bypass surgery according to the postoperative periods and to obtain data for the prevention of infection of functional lacrimal stent invention.

Methods: Totally 71 patients (81 eyes) who underwent the removal of Jones tubes were enrolled in study. All the removed Jones tubes were cultured for bacterial and fungal identification and tested for bacterial antibiotic sensitivity.

Effect of N-acetyl-L-cysteine on Testicular Tissue in Busulfan-Induced Dysfunction in the Male Reproductive System.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the protective effect of N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) as an antioxidant on busulfan-induced testicular dysfunction in mice and elucidate its possible mechanism of action.

Materials And Methods: Thirty-two C57BL/6 male mice were randomly divided into four groups (n=8/group) as follows: (1) control group (oral administration of saline [0.1 mL daily] for 35 days); (2) NAC group (oral administration of NAC [10 mg/kg daily] for 35 days); (3) busulfan group (double intraperitoneal injections of 20 mg/kg; total dose of 40 mg/kg); and (4) busulfan+NAC group (after double intraperitoneal injections of 20 mg/kg; total dose of 40 mg/kg, NAC administration [10 mg/kg daily] for 35 days).

Alterations of Epidermal Lipid Profiles and Skin Microbiome in Children With Atopic Dermatitis.

Purpose: We aimed to investigate epidermal lipid profiles and their association with skin microbiome compositions in children with atopic dermatitis (AD).

Methods: Specimens were obtained by skin tape stripping from 27 children with AD and 18 healthy subjects matched for age and sex. Proteins and lipids of stratum corneum samples from nonlesional and lesional skin of AD patients and normal subjects were quantified by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry.

Staphylococcus aureus causes aberrant epidermal lipid composition and skin barrier dysfunction.

Background: Staphylococcus (S) aureus colonization is known to cause skin barrier disruption in atopic dermatitis (AD) patients. However, it has not been studied how S. aureus induces aberrant epidermal lipid composition and skin barrier dysfunction.

Impact of Varicocele Repair on Semen Parameters in Infertile Men: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Purpose: Despite the significant role of varicocele in the pathogenesis of male infertility, the impact of varicocele repair (VR) on conventional semen parameters remains controversial. Only a few systematic reviews and meta-analyses (SRMAs) have evaluated the impact of VR on sperm concentration, total motility, and progressive motility, mostly using a before-after analytic approach. No SRMA to date has evaluated the change in conventional semen parameters after VR compared to untreated controls.

New Atrial Anastomosis Technique for an Inadequate Left Atrial Cuff in Lung Transplantation.

In lung transplantation surgery, the pulmonary veins are anastomosed by connecting each atrium of the donor and recipient. However, occasionally the recipient's left atrium is not suitable for anastomosis for various reasons. In these cases, several techniques for atrial anastomosis have been introduced, but these are somewhat complicated for an inexperienced surgeon.

User-demand fast-curable ocular glues enforced by multilength tunable networks.

Achieving fast and secure wound closure without ocular foreign body sensation is highly desired in ophthalmologic surgery. Sutureless approaches using tissue adhesives are gaining popularity, but their practical use is limited by the difficulty in controlling adhesion time and satisfying safety standards without compromising adhesive performance. Herein, we report user-demand hydrogel-forming ocular glues based on multilength photo-crosslinkable hyaluronic acid (HA), achieving firm tissue adhesion under wet and dynamic conditions and possessing cornea-like optical transparency.