Associations between genetic polymorphisms of membrane transporter genes and prognosis after chemotherapy: meta-analysis and finding from Seoul Breast Cancer Study (SEBCS).

Membrane transporters can be major determinants of the pharmacokinetic profiles of anticancer drugs. The associations between genetic variations of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) and solute carrier (SLC) genes and cancer survival were investigated through a meta-analysis and an association study in the Seoul Breast Cancer Study (SEBCS). Including the SEBCS, the meta-analysis was conducted among 38 studies of genetic variations of transporters on various cancer survivors.

Congenital Dermal Sinus and Limited Dorsal Myeloschisis: "Spectrum Disorders" of Incomplete Dysjuction Between Cutaneous and Neural Ectoderms.

Background: The existence of tethering tracts in spinal dysraphism, other than congenital dermal sinus (CDS), has been recognized and has been summated into an integrated concept of limited dorsal myeloschisis (LDM).

Objective: To elucidate the underlying embryology of LDM in relation to CDS by focusing on the pathological features of special cases of tethering tracts.

Methods: Out of 389 spinal dysraphism patients who were operated on from 2010 to 2016, 5 patients who had tethering tracts composed of both CDS and LDM (or "probable LDM" if only fibrous tissue was found) were identified.

Congenital Dermal Sinus and Limited Dorsal Myeloschisis: "Spectrum Disorders" of Incomplete Dysjuction Between Cutaneous and Neural Ectoderms.

Background: The existence of tethering tracts in spinal dysraphism, other than congenital dermal sinus (CDS), has been recognized and has been summated into an integrated concept of limited dorsal myeloschisis (LDM).

Objective: To elucidate the underlying embryology of LDM in relation to CDS by focusing on the pathological features of special cases of tethering tracts.

Methods: Out of 389 spinal dysraphism patients who were operated on from 2010 to 2016, 5 patients who had tethering tracts composed of both CDS and LDM (or "probable LDM" if only fibrous tissue was found) were identified.

Detection of atrial fibrillation during pulpal blood flow assessment using Doppler ultrasound: a case report.

This report describes the case of a 52-year-old male patient who exhibited suspicious pulsation patterns during pulpal blood flow assessment using Doppler ultrasound. Initially, he was not aware of his cardiovascular problem; however, after referral to a medical clinic, he was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation. The patient was injured in a motor vehicle accident and referred to our clinic for management of multiple traumatized teeth.

Determinants of Functional Outcomes Using Clinical Pathways for Rehabilitation After Hip Fracture Surgery.

Background: This study evaluated functional outcomes using newly established clinical pathways after hip fracture surgery in older adults and analyzed the major determinants of successful functional outcomes in rehabilitation programs using standardized clinical pathways.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study performed in a tertiary rehabilitation facility. A total of 220 patients who had received unilateral hip fracture surgery were followed up from immediately after surgery to 6 months postoperatively.

Changes in basophil activation during immunotherapy with house dust mite and mugwort in patients with allergic rhinitis.

Background: The basophil activation test (BAT) is a promising tool for monitoring allergen-specific immunotherapy responses.

Objective: We aimed to investigate the changes in basophil activation in response to the inhalant allergens of house dust mite (HDM) and mugwort pollen during immunotherapy in patients with allergic rhinitis.

Methods: We enrolled patients with allergic rhinitis who were to receive subcutaneous immunotherapy for the inhalant allergens HDM or mugwort.

Lateral Lumbar Interbody Fusion and Screw Fixation for Rostral Adjacent Segment Stenosis of the Lumbar Spine.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to describe the detailed surgical technique and short-term clinical and radiological outcomes of lateral lumbar interbody fusion (LLIF) and lateral screw fixation using a conventional minimally invasive screw fixation system (MISF) for revision surgery to treat rostral lumbar adjacent segment disease.

Methods: The medical and radiological records were retrospectively reviewed. The surgery was indicated in 10 consecutive patients with rostral adjacent segment stenosis and instability.

Association of Cardiac Hemodynamic Factors With Severity of White Matter Hyperintensities in Chronic Valvular Heart Disease.

Importance: The cerebral white matter hyperintensity (WMH) is frequently noted in patients with chronic heart disease. Long-term alteration of cardiac hemodynamics might have an influence on the mechanism of cerebral WMH.

Objective: To investigate the association between chronically altered cardiac hemodynamics and severity of cerebral WMH in patients with chronic valvular heart disease.

Association of Bone Mineral Density With the Risk of Intracranial Aneurysm.

Importance: Disruption of extracellular matrix integrity is critically involved in both intracranial aneurysm and bone fragility. Furthermore, both intracranial aneurysm and osteoporosis have a female predominance, and sex hormones are considered to affect this discrepancy.

Objective: To evaluate the association between bone mineral density and intracranial aneurysm.

More Resilience in Males with Probable Bipolar Depression than Probable Unipolar Depression among Korean Conscripts.

Objective: This study investigated whether the resilience of males with probable bipolar depression (PBD) can be strengthened and compared it to that of males with probable unipolar depression (PUD).

Methods: Prospective data for 198 participants (PBD: 66, PUD: 66, normal control: 66) were analyzed. The participants' resilience, bipolarity and severity of depressive symptoms were evaluated at baseline and after 5 weeks.

Cystatin C, a potential marker for cerebral microvascular compliance, is associated with white-matter hyperintensities progression.

Cerebral white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) are central MRI markers of the brain aging process, but the mechanisms for its progression remain unclear. In this study, we aimed to determine whether the baseline serum cystatin C level represented one mechanism underlying WMH progression, and whether it was associated with the long-term progression of cerebral WMH volume in MRI. 166 consecutive individuals who were ≥50 years of age and who underwent initial/follow-up MRI evaluations within an interval of 34-45 months were included.

Neurovascular Cell Sheet Transplantation in a Canine Model of Intracranial Hemorrhage.

Cell-based therapy for intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) has a great therapeutic potential. However, methods to effectively induce direct regeneration of the damaged neural tissue after cell transplantation have not been established, which, if done, would improve the efficacy of cell-based therapy. In this study, we aimed to develop a cell sheet with neurovasculogenic potential and evaluate its usefulness in a canine ICH model.

Utility of digital subtraction angiography-based collateral evaluation in medically treated acute symptomatic basilar artery stenosis.

Background And Purpose: Although a stroke from atherosclerosis in the basilar artery (BA) often presents with mild initial stroke severity, it has heterogeneous clinical courses. We investigated the efficacy of digital subtraction angiography (DSA)-based collateral perfusion evaluation in association with long-term outcomes of medically treated symptomatic basilar artery stenosis.

Methods: From a registry database of all consecutive patients with stroke, we included 98 medically treated patients (due to mild initial stroke severity) [National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores ≤ 4; symptomatic basilar artery stenosis, 70-99%] with available initial diagnostic DSA.

Amide proton transfer imaging for differentiation of benign and atypical meningiomas.

Purpose: To investigate the difference in amide proton transfer (APT)-weighted signals between benign and atypical meningiomas and determine the value of APT imaging for differentiating the two.

Methods: Fifty-seven patients with pathologically diagnosed meningiomas (benign, 44; atypical, 13), who underwent preoperative MRI with APT imaging between December 2014 and August 2016 were included. We compared normalised magnetisation transfer ratio asymmetry (nMTR ) values between benign and atypical meningiomas on APT-weighted images.

Effectiveness of Gastric Cancer Screening on Gastric Cancer Incidence and Mortality in a Community-Based Prospective Cohort.

Purpose: This study was performed to investigate the effectiveness of gastric cancer (GC) screening methods in a community-based prospective cohort of the Korean Multi-center Cancer Cohort (KMCC) with over a 10-year follow-up.

Materials And Methods: A total 10,909 and 4,773 subjects from the KMCC with information on gastroendoscopy (GE) and upper gastrointestinal series (UGIS) were included in this study. Cox proportional hazard model adjusted for age, sex, infection, cigarette smoking, and alcohol drinking was used to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence interval (CI).

Progression of Cerebral White Matter Hyperintensities and the Associated Sonographic Index.

Purpose To evaluate the relationship between penetrating arterial pulsation and the progression of white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) by using the sonographic resistance index (RI) along the M1 segment of the middle cerebral artery (MCA). Materials and Methods The study design was approved by the institutional review board of Seoul National University Hospital. The study included 450 individuals who had undergone initial transcranial Doppler (TCD) sonography and magnetic resonance imaging, with follow-up imaging performed within 34-45 months, and who had no stenosis of 30% or more in the internal carotid artery or MCA or a history of stroke other than an old lacunar infarction.

Korean version of the Cough Symptom Score: clinical utility and validity for chronic cough.

Background/aims: The Cough Symptom Score (CSS) is a simple, useful tool for measuring cough severity. However, there is no standard Korean version of the CSS. We developed a Korean version of the CSS and evaluated its clinical utility and validity for assessing chronic cough severity.

Characteristics of Adenovirus Pneumonia in Korean Military Personnel, 2012-2016.

Adenovirus (AdV) can cause severe pneumonia in non-immunocompromised host, but limited data exist on the distinctive characteristics of AdV pneumonia in non-immunocompromised patients. We evaluated distinctive clinico-laboratory and radiological characteristics and outcomes of AdV pneumonia (n = 179), compared with non-AdV pneumonia (n = 188) in Korean military personnel between 2012 and 2016. AdV pneumonia patients had a higher rate of consolidation with ground-glass opacity (101/152) in lobar distribution (89/152) on computed tomography (CT) (P < 0.

The SPECT/CT Evaluation of Compartmental Changes after Open Wedge High Tibial Osteotomy.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate compartmental changes using combined single-photon emission computerized tomography and conventional computerized tomography (SPECT/CT) after open wedge high tibial osteotomy (OWHTO) for providing clinical guidance for proper correction.

Materials And Methods: Analysis was performed using SPECT/CT from around 1 year after surgery on 22 patients who underwent OWHTO. Postoperative mechanical axis was measured and classified into 3 groups: group I (varus), group II (0°-3° valgus), and group III (>3° valgus).

Diagnostic Evaluation as a Biomarker in Patients with ADPKD.

Recently, newer treatments have been introduced for autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) patients. Since cysts grow and renal function declines over a long period of time, the evaluation of treatment effects in ADPKD has been very difficult. Therefore, there has been a great interest to find out the "better" surrogate marker or biomarker which reflects disease progression.

Comparable Efficacy of a 1-L PEG and Ascorbic Acid Solution Administered with Bisacodyl versus a 2-L PEG and Ascorbic Acid Solution for Colonoscopy Preparation: A Prospective, Randomized and Investigator-Blinded Trial.

Background: Two liters of polyethylene glycol (PEG) solution administered with ascorbic acid (Asc) can provide efficacy similar to that of a 4-L PEG solution for colonoscopy preparation. In addition, oral bisacodyl (Bis) has been shown to reduce the volume of PEG needed for a bowel preparation with comparable efficacy. This study aimed to compare the efficacy, tolerability and safety of a 2-L PEG solution mixed with Asc versus the combination of Bis, Asc and a 1-L PEG solution.

Surgical techniques and radiological findings of meniscus allograft transplantation.

Meniscus allograft transplantation has been performed over the past 25 years to relieve knee pain and improve knee function in patients with an irreparable meniscus injury. The efficacy and safety of meniscus allograft transplantation have been established in numerous experimental and clinical researches. However, there is a lack of reviews to aid radiologists who are routinely interpreting images and evaluating the outcome of the procedures, and also meniscus allograft transplantation is not widely performed in most hospitals.

Korean Version of the painDETECT Questionnaire: A Study for Cultural Adaptation and Validation.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to adapt the painDETECT Questionnaire (PD-Q) into a Korean version (KPD-Q) and validate it.

Methods: A single-center prospective observational study was performed. During the first phase of the study, linguistic adaptation was carried out to develop the KPD-Q.