Clinical predictors and noninvasive imaging in Fontan-associated liver disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Despite the development of several imaging modalities for diagnosing Fontan-associated liver disease (FALD), there is no optimal protocol for the follow-up of FALD. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify factors related to liver fibrosis using biopsy reports and to identify alternative noninvasive modalities that could better reflect liver histological changes in FALD.

Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted following the PRISMA guidelines Table S2.

Change in pericardial fat volume in postmenopausal women with papillary thyroid cancer undergoing thyrotropin suppressive therapy.

Background: Despite TSH suppressive therapy improve the prognosis for the patient with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC), there is an increasing concern regarding the potentially harmful effects of lifelong TSH suppression. Therefore, we aimed to examine the changes in body composition under TSH suppression in postmenopausal women with DTC.

Methods: The body composition was assessed by the volumes as following; fat tissues of the epicardium and abdominal visceral and subcutaneous areas; bilateral psoas muscle or thigh muscle.

Optimal Indocyanine Green Dosage for Repetitive Angiography for Laparoscopic Colorectal Surgery.

: This study aimed to determine the minimal effective dose of indocyanine green (ICG) required for accurately assessing colonic perfusion during laparoscopic colorectal surgery using a laser-assisted laparoscopic near-infrared (NIR) camera system. : In 15 patients with colorectal cancer undergoing right hemicolectomy, the left branch of the middle colic artery was preserved, and ICG angiography was performed in the transverse colon. To determine the optimal ICG dose, experimental doses of 0.

Age- and Gender-Related Femoral Bowing Analysis in the Korean Population and Features for Clinical Applications.

: The anterolateral bowing of the femur shows differences between races and has recently caused many clinical problems. Asians tend to have increased femoral bowing, but there is a lack of large-scale studies. We aim to identify the patterns of femoral bowing in the Korean population through comprehensive analysis and address its clinical implications.

The Classification of Metastatic Spine Cancer and Spinal Compression Fractures by Using CNN and SVM Techniques.

Metastatic spine cancer can cause pain and neurological issues, making it challenging to distinguish from spinal compression fractures using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). To improve diagnostic accuracy, this study developed artificial intelligence (AI) models to differentiate between metastatic spine cancer and spinal compression fractures in MRI images. MRI data from Gyeongsang National University Hospital, collected from January 2019 to April 2022, were processed using Otsu's binarization and Canny edge detection algorithms.

Trans-Coronary Sinus Intra-Septal Radiofrequency Ablation (TIRA) for Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy: First-in-Human Results.

Background: Current treatments for hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM), including medication, surgery, and alcohol septal ablation (ASA), have limitations in terms of efficacy and safety. To address these challenges, we developed the trans-coronary intra-septal radiofrequency ablation (TIRA) device.

Methods: This first-in-human trial was conducted to assess the efficacy and safety of the TIRA device.

Metabolic Syndrome, Kidney-Related Adiposity, and Kidney Microcirculation: Unraveling the Damage.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of interrelated risk factors, including insulin resistance, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and visceral adiposity, all of which contribute to kidney microvascular injury and the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, the specific impact of each component of MetS on kidney microcirculation remains unclear. Given the increasing prevalence of obesity, understanding how visceral fat-particularly fat surrounding the kidneys-affects kidney microcirculation is critical.

A Comprehensive Health Screening Program Reveals the Prevalence of and Risk Factors for Age-Related Macular Degeneration: A Cross-Sectional Analysis.

: We investigated the prevalence of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and associated risk factors in Korean subjects who underwent comprehensive health screening examinations. : This single health screening center-based cross-sectional study included a total of 73,574 consecutive participants older than 30 years who underwent a health screening examination, including fundus photography, between October 2003 and December 2010. Weighted prevalence and risk factors for AMD were evaluated.

Transcriptomic Changes in Human Tonsil-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Across Culture Passages.

Background/objectives: Tonsil-derived mesenchymal stem cells (TMSCs) are in the limelight in regenerative medicine due to their high proliferation and differentiation potential. It is important to conduct studies to determine the optimal conditions for achieving the maximum yield while maintaining the optimal differentiation capacity of TMSCs.

Methods: This study explores the impact of serial subculture on TMSCs by analyzing gene expression at passages 2, 4, 6, and 8.

Identification of Marine Compounds Inhibiting NF-κBInducing Kinase Through Molecular Docking and Molecular Dynamics Simulations.

NF-κB-inducing kinase (NIK) plays a pivotal role in regulating both the canonical and non-canonical NF-κB signaling pathways, driving the expression of proteins involved in inflammation, immune responses, and cell survival. Overactivation of NIK is linked to various pathological conditions, including chronic inflammation, autoimmune diseases, metabolic disorders, and cancer progression. As such, NIK represents a compelling target for therapeutic intervention in these diseases.

Uncovering potential causal genes for undiagnosed congenital anomalies using an in-house pipeline for trio-based whole-genome sequencing.

Background: Congenital anomalies (CAs) encompass a wide spectrum of structural and functional abnormalities during fetal development, commonly presenting at birth. Identifying the cause of CA is essential for accurate diagnosis and treatment. Using a target-gene approach, genetic variants could be found in certain CA patients.

Relationship between the Geriatric Nutrition Risk Index and the prognosis of severe coronavirus disease 2019 in Korea.

Background: Malnutrition exacerbates the prognosis of various diseases; however, its specific impact on severe coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outcomes remains underexplored.

Methods: This multicenter study in Korea assessed the nutritional status of 1,088 adults with severe COVID-19 using the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) based on serum albumin levels and body weight. The patients were divided into the GNRI>98 (no-risk) and GNRI≤98 (risk) groups.

Status of and needs related to community-based practice in public healthcare institutions among Korean medical schools: a cross-sectional study.

Background: This study analyzed the status of community-based practice in public healthcare institutions in Korean medical schools and identified related needs.

Methods: We conducted an online cross-sectional survey in which 32 of 40 medical schools (80.0%) participated between March and April 2023.

Study Protocol of the Korean EGFR Registry: A Multicenter Prospective and Retrospective Cohort Study in Nonsmall Cell Lung Cancer Patients With EGFR Mutation.

Introduction: The provision of treatment for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutated nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients has increased in Korea. However, multicenter studies on the clinicopathologic dataset and treatment outcomes, using a large-scale dataset, have not been conducted. The current study is a prospective and retrospective multicenter observational cohort study that registers all stages of EGFR-mutated NSCLC patients.

Predicting the likelihood of readmission in patients with ischemic stroke: An explainable machine learning approach using common data model data.

Background: Ischemic stroke affects 15 million people worldwide, causing five million deaths annually. Despite declining mortality rates, stroke incidence and readmission risks remain high, highlighting the need for preventing readmission to improve the quality of life of survivors. This study developed a machine-learning model to predict 90-day stroke readmission using electronic medical records converted to the common data model (CDM) from the Regional Accountable Care Hospital in Gangwon state in South Korea.

Impact of Multidrug-Resistant Bacterial Colonization on Clinical Characteristics, Antibiotic Treatment, and Clinical Outcomes of Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia.

Purpose: To determine effects of colonization with multidrug-resistant bacteria (MDRB) in general wards on characteristics, treatment, and prognosis of hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP).

Methods: This was a multicenter retrospective cohort study of patients with HAP admitted to 16 tertiary or university hospitals in Korea from July 2019 to December 2019. From the entire cohort, patients who developed pneumonia in general wards with known colonization status before the onset of pneumonia were included in this study.

Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Levels and Survival Outcomes in Advanced Biliary Tract Cancer: Results From the NIFTY Trial.

Background: Numerous studies have explored the role of vitamin D in various cancers; however, its impact on advanced biliary tract cancers (BTC) within a prospective cohort remains to be investigated. This preplanned subgroup analysis of the NIFTY trial evaluated the prognostic implications of serum vitamin D levels in patients with advanced BTC undergoing second-line chemotherapy.

Methods: From the 174 patients in the NIFTY trial, a total of 173 patients (99.

Survey of the Actual Practices Used for Endoscopic Removal of Colon Polyps in Korea: A Comparison with the Current Guidelines.

Background/aims: We investigated the clinical practice patterns of Korean endoscopists for the endoscopic resection of colorectal polyps.

Methods: From September to November 2021, an online survey was conducted regarding the preferred resection methods for colorectal polyps, and responses were compared with the international guidelines.

Results: Among 246 respondents, those with <4 years, 4-9 years, and ≥10 years of experience in colonoscopy practices accounted for 25.

Longitudinal Trajectory of Dopamine and Serotonin Transporters in Parkinson Disease.

Parkinson disease (PD) is a multisystem disorder marked by progressive dopaminergic neuronal degeneration in the substantia nigra, as well as nondopaminergic systems. Our aim was to investigate longitudinal changes in -(3-[F]fluoropropyl-2β-carbomethoxy-3β-(4-iodophenyl)nortropane (F-FP-CIT) binding at the putamen, substantia nigra, and raphe nuclei in PD. This retrospective cohort study enrolled 127 patients with PD, who underwent F-FP-CIT PET scans twice or more, and 71 age- and sex-matched healthy controls.

Circulatory age-associated B cells: Their distinct transcriptomic characteristics and clinical significance in drug-naïve patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Age-associated B cells (ABCs) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. However, the global gene expression and clinical significance of circulatory ABCs in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) remain poorly understood. Here, single-cell RNA sequencing identified nine B cell subsets in peripheral blood of RA patients, including ABCs.

A Novel Technique With Buttress Plating for Comminuted Base Fractures of the Proximal Phalanx.

Background: Extra-articular but severely comminuted distal basal fractures of the proximal phalanx (PP) are rarely reported. Therefore, the aim of this study was to achieve proper union and desirable outcomes using low-profile locking plates/screws. We introduced our own surgical approach and reported the clinical/radiographic outcomes via retrospective case series.

Multiple Allergen Simultaneous Test for Food Allergens Cannot Screen Wheat-Dependent, Exercise-Induced Anaphylaxis and α-Gal Syndrome.

Screening tests for specific immunoglobulin E (sIgE) to food allergens, such as the multiple allergen simultaneous test (MAST), are widely used in patients with suspected food allergies in South Korea. We evaluated whether MAST could effectively screen wheat-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis (WDEIA) and α-gal syndrome (AGS). We retrospectively reviewed patients with WDEIA and AGS diagnosed with unequivocal history and positive sIgE results for omega-5 gliadin and α-gal using ImmunoCAP, respectively.

Comparison of Patients Who Were Not Evaluated and Lost to Follow-Up with Multidrug/Rifampin-Resistant Tuberculosis in South Korea.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the prognosis of the not evaluated (NE) group by comparing it with the lost to follow-up (LTFU) group among patients with multidrug/rifampin-resistant tuberculosis (MDR/RR-TB).

Materials And Methods: This was a retrospective longitudinal follow-up study using an integrated database constructed by data linkage of the three national databases. This database included 7226 cases of MDR/RR-TB notified between 2011 and 2017 in South Korea.