Microfracture Versus a Porcine-Derived Collagen-Augmented Chondrogenesis Technique for Treating Knee Cartilage Defects: Results at Midterm Follow-up.

Background: Damaged cartilage can be treated using the creation of microfractures (MFxs) or the porcine-derived collagen-augmented chondrogenesis technique (C-ACT).

Purpose: To provide the midterm results of a multicenter randomized controlled trial comparing MFx and C-ACT for knee cartilage defects.

Study Design: Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 1.

Clinical Application of the Association between Genetic Alteration and Intraoperative Fluorescence Activity of 5-Aminolevulinic Acid during the Resection of Brain Metastasis of Lung Adenocarcinoma.

The primary objective of this study was to investigate the association of certain genetic alterations and intraoperative fluorescent activity of 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) in brain metastasis (BM) of lung adenocarcinoma. A retrospective cohort study was conducted among 72 patients who underwent surgical resection of BM of lung adenocarcinoma at our institute for five years. Cancer cell infiltration was estimated by the intraoperative fluorescent activity of 5-ALA, and genetic alterations were analyzed by next-generation sequencing (NGS).

Long-term outcomes of intraoperatively-placed applicator brachytherapy for rapid completion of breast conserving treatment: An analysis of a prospective registry data.

Background And Purpose: To evaluate the long-term outcome of accelerated partial breast irradiation utilizing intraoperatively placed applicator-based brachytherapy (ABB) in early-stage breast cancer.

Materials And Methods: From our prospective registry, 223 patients with pTis-T2, pN0/pN1mic breast cancer were treated with ABB. The median treatment duration including surgery and ABB was 7 days.

Prediction of amyloid β PET positivity using machine learning in patients with suspected cerebral amyloid angiopathy markers.

Amyloid-β(Aβ) PET positivity in patients with suspected cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) MRI markers is predictive of a worse cognitive trajectory, and it provides insights into the underlying vascular pathology (CAA vs. hypertensive angiopathy) to facilitate prognostic prediction and appropriate treatment decisions. In this study, we applied two interpretable machine learning algorithms, gradient boosting machine (GBM) and random forest (RF), to predict Aβ PET positivity in patients with CAA MRI markers.

Multiple Opportunistic Infections Related to Hypercortisolemia due to Adrenocortical Carcinoma: A Case Report.

Cushing's syndrome is characterized by excessive cortisol and immuno-suppression. We experienced a case of Cushing's syndrome caused by adrenocortical carcinoma that was complicated by multiple opportunistic infections. A 37-year-old woman with adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) presented with decreased mental ability and high fever one week after undergoing chemotherapy.

Efficacy of intravenous iron treatment for chemotherapy-induced anemia: A prospective Phase II pilot clinical trial in South Korea.

Background: Anemia is the most common and serious cancer-related complication. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of administration of ferric carboxymaltose without erythropoiesis-stimulating agents for treating anemia in cancer patients. Moreover, we identified the biomarkers of hemoglobin response to predict the need for iron therapy.

Microfractures Versus a Porcine-Derived Collagen-Augmented Chondrogenesis Technique for Treating Knee Cartilage Defects: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of treating patients with a cartilage defect of the knee with microfractures and porcine-derived collagen-augmented chondrogenesis technique (C-ACT).

Methods: One hundred participants were randomly assigned to the control group (n = 48, microfracture) or the investigational group (n = 52, C-ACT). Clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) outcomes were assessed 12 and 24 months postoperatively for efficacy and adverse events.

Anti-leukemic effects of simvastatin on NRAS mutant acute myeloid leukemia cells.

The statins are a group of therapeutic drugs widely used for lowering plasma cholesterol level, while it has also been reported to induce cell death in human acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells. To determine antitumor activity triggered by simvastatin, four AML cell lines-U937, KG1, THP1 (NRAS mutant) and HL60 (NRAS mutant)-were cultured with simvastatin and cell viability was assessed using the CellTiter-Glo reagent. For understanding mechanism of antitumor activity, immunoblot analysis for pAkt (Ser473), Akt, pMEK, MEK, pERK (Thr202/Tyr204) and ERK (Thr202/Tyr204) was performed.

The Role of Hand-Assisted Laparoscopic Technique in the Age of Single-Incision Laparoscopy: An Effective Alternative to Avoid Open Conversion in Colorectal Surgery.

Background: Continuous efforts to reduce the numbers and size of incisions led to the emergence of a new technique, single-incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS). It has been rapidly accepted as the preferred surgical approach in the colorectal area. In the age of SILS, what is the role of hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery (HALS)? We introduce the way to take advantage of it, as an effective alternative to avoid open conversion.

Blood concentration of cyclosporine during early post-transplant period may have influence on the occurrence of chronic graft versus host disease in patients who received allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Introduction: It has rarely been studied that how the blood level of CsA affect the incidence of chronic GVHD after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT).

Methods: A total of 183 patients who underwent allo-HSCT from an HLA-matched or haplo matched family donors between 2006 and 2014 were reviewed.

Results: The average monthly CsA blood concentration (CsAavr ,ng/ml) was calculated in each patient: 0-1, 1-2, and 2-3 months after allo-HSCT.

Randomized trial of micafungin versus fluconazole as prophylaxis against invasive fungal infections in hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients.

Objectives: Invasive fungal infections (IFIs) cause significant morbidity and mortality among recipients of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Although fluconazole is used widely as an antifungal prophylactic agent in these patients, it is not reliably effective against mold infection including invasive aspergillosis. Micafungin provides antifungal activity against Candida and Aspergillus species, and previous studies have demonstrated its efficacy when used as a prophylactic agent for fungal infection in neutropenic patients.

Age Over 80 is a Possible Risk Factor for Postoperative Morbidity After a Laparoscopic Resection of Colorectal Cancer.

Purpose: With extended life expectancy, the mean age of patients at the time of diagnosis of colorectal cancer and its treatment, including radical resection, is increasing gradually. We aimed to evaluate the impact of age on postoperative clinical outcomes after a laparoscopic resection of colorectal cancers.

Methods: This is a retrospective review of prospectively collected data.

KIR alloreactivity based on the receptor-ligand model is associated with improved clinical outcomes of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: Result of single center prospective study.

Receptors on natural killer (NK) cells, named killer immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs), recognize HLA class I alleles. Patients (n=59) who received allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) from either a related (n=17) or unrelated donor (n=42) in Samsung Medical Center (Seoul, South Korea) were included. KIR mismatch was defined as incompatibility between the donor KIR and recipient KIR ligand (receptor-ligand model), and all cases were classified into the two broad haplotypes of KIR A and B.

CpG island hypermethylation as a biomarker for the early detection of lung cancer.

Lung cancer is the most frequent cause of cancer-related deaths and causes over one million deaths worldwide each year. Despite significant strides in the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer, the prognosis is extremely poor, with the overall 5-year survival rates still remaining around 15 %. This is largely due to occult metastatic dissemination, which appears in approximately two-thirds of patients at the time of detection.

Risk factors for progression to invasive carcinoma in patients with borderline ovarian tumors.

Objective: The aim of this study was to identify risk factors for progression to invasive carcinoma in patients with borderline ovarian tumors (BOTs).

Methods: We performed a retrospective review of all patients treated and followed for BOTs between 1996 and 2011. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards model analysis was performed to identify independent risk factors for progression to invasive carcinoma.

Additive effect between IL-13 polymorphism and cesarean section delivery/prenatal antibiotics use on atopic dermatitis: a birth cohort study (COCOA).

Background: Although cesarean delivery and prenatal exposure to antibiotics are likely to affect the gut microbiome in infancy, their effect on the development of atopic dermatitis (AD) in infancy is unclear. The influence of individual genotypes on these relationships is also unclear. To evaluate with a prospective birth cohort study whether cesarean section, prenatal exposure to antibiotics, and susceptible genotypes act additively to promote the development of AD in infancy.