Long-Term Outcomes and Sequelae Analysis of Intracranial Germinoma: Need to Reduce the Extended-Field Radiotherapy Volume and Dose to Minimize Late Sequelae.

Purpose: We aimed to refine the radiotherapy (RT) volume and dose for intracranial germinoma considering recurrences and long-term toxicities.

Materials And Methods: Total 189 patients with intracranial germinoma were treated with RT alone (n=50) and RT with upfront chemotherapy (CRT) (n=139). All cases were confirmed histologically.

Femoral neck shaft angle in relation to the location of femoral stress fracture in young military recruits: femoral head versus femoral neck stress fracture.

Objective: To evaluate the influences of the femoral neck shaft angle (FNSA) on the location of the femoral stress fracture and to assess the potential differences in FNSA between fractured and normal femurs.

Materials And Methods: Thirty-seven patients with femoral stress fractures who underwent both plain hip radiographs and MRI, from January 2016 to September 2019, were retrospectively included. Patients were classified as having either femoral head stress fracture (group A, n = 26) or femoral neck stress fracture (group B, n = 11).

Comparison of clinical characteristics and inflammatory cytokines between hypoxemic and non-hypoxemic human adenovirus 55 pneumonia.

Background: Human adenovirus (HAdV) can cause severe community-acquired pneumonia, but there are few studies on the associated cytokine patterns. The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between inflammatory cytokine and severity of adenovirus pneumonia.

Methods: This was a prospective observational study.

Echocardiographic index E/e' in association with cerebral white matter hyperintensity progression.

Cerebral white-matter hyperintensities (WMHs) on MRI is associated with reduced compliance of the cerebral arterioles. We hypothesized that an echocardiography index for left ventricular (LV) diastolic function, E/e', might reflect the cerebral arteriolar compliance and evaluated the association between E/e' and long-term progression rate of the cerebral WMH volume. This retrospective study included individuals who were ≥ 50 years of age, with a preserved LV ejection fraction (≥ 50%) and neurological function status (modified Rankin scale score ≤1), and underwent initial and follow-up MRI evaluations within intervals of 34-45 months.

Psychosocial Support during the COVID-19 Outbreak in Korea: Activities of Multidisciplinary Mental Health Professionals.

As of April 18, 2020, there have been a total of 10,653 confirmed cases and 232 deaths due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Korea. The pathogen spread quickly, and the outbreak caused nationwide anxiety and shock. This study presented the anecdotal records that provided a detailed process of the multidisciplinary teamwork in mental health during the COVID-19 outbreak in the country.

Study Protocol for a Prospective Longitudinal Cohort Study to Identify Proteomic Predictors of Pluripotent Risk for Mental Illness: The Seoul Pluripotent Risk for Mental Illness Study.

Background: The Seoul Pluripotent Risk for Mental Illness (SPRIM) study was designed to identify predictors leading to mental illness in help-seeking individuals by securing sufficient statistical power through transdiagnostic approaches. The SPRIM study aims to examine the clinical characteristics of high-risk individuals for mental illness and to identify proteomic biomarkers that can predict the onset of mental illness.

Methods: This paper describes the study protocol of the SPRIM study.

Association between peripheral blood/bronchoalveolar lavage eosinophilia and significant oxygen requirements in patients with acute eosinophilic pneumonia.

Background: We investigated the association between a combination of two markers, peripheral (PEC) and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) eosinophil percentage (BEP), and oxygen requirements in patients with acute eosinophilic pneumonia (AEP).

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients with AEP treated at the Armed Forces Capital Hospital between May 2012 and May 2017. We used correlation analyses to assess the association between PEC/BEP and clinical outcomes in AEP patients.

Hepatocyte Growth Factor in Blood and Gastric Cancer Risk: A Nested Case-Control Study.

Background: Potential of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)-stimulating signaling pathways related to cytotoxin-associated gene A (CagA) to predict gastric cancer development has not been fully investigated.

Methods: We conducted a nested case-control study consisting of 238 gastric cancer cases and 238 matched controls within the Korean Multicenter Cancer Cohort. Plasma HGF concentrations were measured with a human HGF ELISA.

Progression of Ossification of the Posterior Longitudinal Ligament after Cervical Total Disc Replacement.

Objective: Total disc replacement (TDR) is frequently performed anterior approaching method for the patients diagnosed with cervical disc herniation. This study aimed to assess the degree of ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) progression after cervical TDR.

Methods: Twenty-two male soldiers who underwent cervical TDR surgery from 2009 to 2016 and were followed-up for more than 12 months were enrolled.

Periodicity of cerebral flow velocity during sleep and its association with white-matter hyperintensity volume.

Impaired sleep-related activation of the cerebral waste-clearance system might be related with the brain aging process. We hypothesized that cerebral blood-flow pattern changes during sleep might reflect the activation of the cerebral waste-clearance system and investigated its association with the cerebral white-matter hyperintensity (WMH) volume. Fifty healthy volunteers were prospectively recruited.

Relationship between the time required for transfer and outcomes in patients with appendicitis: Experience at a tertiary military hospital in South Korea.

A few studies have compared patients who were directly admitted with patients who were transferred to a tertiary facility for an appendectomy. However, there have been no reports of an association between the time to transfer and outcome in patients who underwent an appendectomy. As the only tertiary military hospital in South Korea, we occasionally encountered patients who were delayed for transfer due to the military environment.

Risk Factors for Symptomatic Contralateral Foraminal Stenosis After Unilateral Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion.

Objective: The most common cause of contralateral symptoms after unilateral transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) is contralateral foraminal stenosis (FS). This retrospective cohort study aimed to investigate the cause of and risk factors for contralateral FS after unilateral TLIF with a single cage.

Methods: Patients with degenerative lumbar spinal disorders who underwent unilateral TLIF at L4-5 were divided into 2 groups: those without contralateral radicular symptoms after surgery (group A; n = 340) and those with contralateral radicular symptoms after surgery (group B; n = 16).

Association of the HPA axis response to upcoming competition and shooting outcomes in elite junior shooting players.

Successful shooting performance in competition is reliant on several factors such as shooting techniques and competition-associated psychological stresses. This study examined the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis response to upcoming competition and its association with shooting outcomes in elite junior shooting players. The cortisol awakening response (CAR) and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) secretion after awakening were measured for two consecutive days (the day before and on the day of competition for the selection of national shooting team members) in 19 junior men and 21 junior women players, and the shooting scores of the individual players were obtained.

Interstitial pneumonia with autoimmune features show better survival and less exacerbations compared to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Background: Patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) who show features related to autoimmunity without meeting criteria for a defined connective tissue disease are categorized as interstitial pneumonia with autoimmune features (IPAF). The present study compared clinical characteristics and clinical outcomes of patients with IPAF to patients with connective tissue disease related-interstitial lung disease (CTD-ILD) and patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).

Methods: ILD patients who were consecutively enrolled in a single institution ILD cohort between 2008 and 2015 were evaluated for the study.

Preservation of the Arachnoid Membrane During Encephaloduroarteriosynangiosis Reduces Postoperative Complications without Undermining the Surgical Outcome in Pediatric Moyamoya Disease.

Background: Encephaloduroarteriosynangiosis (EDAS) is a commonly used indirect revascularization operation method to treat pediatric patients with Moyamoya disease (MMD). Arachnoid dissection frequently has been performed during the EDAS operation to promote better revascularization. However, no studies have yet proven its surgical benefits.

Pilot study: asymptomatic hyperuricemia patients with obesity and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease have increased risk of double contour sign.

Background/aims: Double contour sign (DCS) is a representative ultrasonographic finding in gout. DCS is evidence of monosodium urate deposit in gouty arthritis and has been identified in some patients with asymptomatic hyperuricemia. However, the specific characteristics of asymptomatic hyperuricemia in patients with DCS have not yet been revealed.

The impact of low forced vital capacity on behavior restrictions in a population with airflow obstruction.

Background: Recent studies have suggested that low forced vital capacity (FVC) is related to respiratory symptoms with various comorbid conditions that eventually lead to physical inactivity and may be applied to subjects with airflow obstruction (AO). Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the association between low FVC and behavior restrictions in subjects with AO.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed using data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Survey conducted between 2007 and 2015.

Analysis of Mechanical Loading after Anatomic Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Using Combined Single-Photon Emission Computerized Tomography and Conventional Computerized Tomography.

Purpose: This study was to evaluate changes of the mechanical loading pattern after anatomic anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction by analyzing uptake patterns using combined single-photon emission computerized tomography and conventional computerized tomography (SPECT/CT).

Materials And Methods: On SPECT/CT, high signal intensity of the articular surface which shows biological activity and mean increase of mechanical loading was compared with that of the tibiofemoral shaft as a comparative signal. The proportion of positive signals was evaluated in all compartments of the operated knee.

Neurocognitive profile in children with arachnoid cysts before and after surgical intervention.

Objectives: Treatment indications for arachnoid cysts are not clear. Some surgeons take improvement in neurocognitive function into account as a surgical indication for arachnoid cysts. However, only a few studies have evaluated the relationship between arachnoid cysts and neurocognitive function.

Aborted sudden cardiac death in a young soldier with concomitant hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome.

We present a young soldier presenting with aborted sudden cardiac death, who was found to have concomitant hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. Along with pathological haemodynamic features of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, an easily-inducible re-entrant tachycardia was clearly documented in our patient. Given the fatal potential of supraventricular tachycardia in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, we postulated that his tachyarrhythmia could potentially trigger the event.

Association between Body Mass Index and Gastric Cancer Risk According to Effect Modification by Helicobacter pylori Infection.

Purpose: Few studies investigated roles of body mass index (BMI) on gastric cancer (GC) risk according to Helicobacter pylori infection status. This study was conducted to evaluate associations between BMI and GC risk with consideration of H. pylori infection information.

Surgical Outcomes of Thalamic Tumors in Children: The Importance of Diffusion Tensor Imaging, Neuro-Navigation and Intraoperative Neurophysiological Monitoring.

Background: Recently, modern technology such as diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), neuro-navigation and intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (IOM) have been actively adopted for the treatment of thalamic tumors. We evaluated surgical outcomes and efficacy of the aforementioned technologies for the treatment of pediatric thalamic tumors.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed clinical data from 37 children with thalamic tumors between 2004 and 2017.

Altered Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis Function: A Potential Underlying Biological Pathway for Multiple Concurrent Symptoms in Patients With Advanced Lung Cancer.

Objective: Patients with advanced cancer commonly experience multiple symptoms that present as groups or clusters. The present study aimed to examine whether hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysfunction underlies the concurrent multiple symptoms in patients with advanced cancer.

Methods: Patients' cortisol levels were determined in saliva samples collected after awakening (0, 30, and 60 minutes after awakening) and at nighttime (21:00-22:00 PM) from 46 patients with lung cancer (15.