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Introduction: Acronyms, the short form of a word or phrase, are commonly used in medical research to identify studies. However, their usage and quality assessment in surgical journals are unclear. This study aimed to determine the impact of identifying acronyms for clinical studies on the number of citations by comparing studies published in surgical and medical journals., Methods: Articles were screened from five highly cited journals (Annals of Surgery, British Journal of Surgery, JAMA Surgery, Journal of the American College of Surgeons, and New England Journal of Medicine, alphabetically). The correlation between acronym use and number of citations was analyzed. In addition, the characteristics and quality of acronyms, in terms of lettering and wording scores, used to identify studies were evaluated for acronymous trials using a developed and self-validated scoring tool., Results: Of 291 eligible articles, 167 (57.4%) were acronymous studies. Although 70.5% (122/173) of articles in general medical journals used identifying acronyms, only 38.1% (45/118) used them in surgical journals (P < 0.001). The median number of citations was higher for acronymous studies (212 versus 53; P < 0.001). Multivariable analysis revealed that acronymous studies had a 2.5-fold higher possibility of being a highly cited (odds ratio 2.514, P = 0.004). The average quality scores of the acronyms were similar for surgical and general medical journals (5.1 ± 1.7 versus 5.1 ± 1.6, P = 0.949). Surgical journals had lower lettering (2.20 ± 1.14 versus 3.02 ± 1.04, P < 0.001) but higher wording scores (2.89 ± 1.01 versus 2.09 ± 1.14, P < 0.001) than general medical journals., Conclusions: Given the publicity effect of acronyms, a memorable acronym devised using the first or continuous letters for surgical studies may help recognize their clinical impact., (Copyright © 2025 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Dysbiosis in the bile microbiota of cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) patients suggests a potential role for microbial alterations in the pathogenesis of CCA. This study aimed to investigate bile microbial communities in patients with CCA and compare them to those in individuals with benign biliary diseases as a control (CTR) group. Microbial profiling was conducted using next-generation sequencing (NGS), targeting the V3-V4 regions of the 16S rRNA gene, followed by bioinformatics analysis using the VSEARCH and EzBioCloud platforms. Alpha and beta diversity analyses were performed to assess microbial richness and structural differences. The linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) was utilized to identify potential microbial biomarkers. Results: This study identified distinct microbial profiles in the two groups at both the phylum and genus levels. In the CTR group, Pseudomonadota (65%) was the dominant phyla, while Bacillota (49%) was more abundant in the CCA group. At the genus level, Escherichia (29%), Enterobacteriaceae (12%), Enterococcus (8%), Ralstonia (8%), and Clostridium (5%) were more prevalent in the CTR group, whereas Streptococcus (34%), Ralstonia (8%), and Veillonella (5%) were dominant in the CCA group. Although an alpha diversity analysis showed no statistically significant differences in species richness or diversity between groups, a beta diversity analysis revealed significant structural differences associated with disease severity. Our comparative microbiome study using LEfSe analysis suggested a statistically significant inhibition of normal intestinal bacterial flora in patients with CCA who had not received any treatment. These findings suggest that microbial dysbiosis may play a role in the pathogenesis of CCA. Specific microbial taxa were identified as potential biomarkers for distinguishing benign from malignant diseases. These results underscore the potential role of microbial dysbiosis in CCA pathogenesis and highlight the bile microbiota's utility as a diagnostic marker for biliary diseases.

Background/Objectives: Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is an important nosocomial diarrheal disease. The benefits of the probiotic Bacillus licheniformis ( B. licheniformis ) in the preservation of intestinal microbiota have not been studied in patients with CDI to date. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the efficacy of B. licheniformis in preserving the intestinal microbiota in patients with CDI. Methods: A multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled trial was carried out at six academic centers in Korea. Individuals diagnosed with mild to moderate CDI were included in this trial. CDI was treated with vancomycin 125 mg four times daily for two weeks. Along with vancomycin, B. licheniformis was administered for five days in this study, while a placebo was given to the placebo group. Microbiome analysis was performed before and five days after administering vancomycin and B. licheniformis or placebo, using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. Alpha and beta diversity was compared between the two groups. Results: A total of 35 participants were finally included in this study, with 16 in the study group and 19 in the placebo group. The alpha diversity was similar in both groups before CDI treatment. After five days of the administration of vancomycin and B. licheniformis or placebo, alpha diversity did not decrease in the study group (Chao1 index, p = 0.665; observed features, p = 0.692). In contrast, alpha diversity decreased in the placebo group (Chao1 index, p = 0.011; observed features, p = 0.011). Beta diversity did not differ between the two groups. Conclusions: The addition of B. licheniformis to vancomycin was effective in preserving gut microbiota in patients with CDI.

UDP-GlcNAc serves as a building block for glycosaminoglycan (GAG) chains in cartilage proteoglycans and simultaneously acts as a substrate for O-GlcNAcylation. Here, we show that transporters for UDP-GlcNAc to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and Golgi are significantly downregulated in osteoarthritic cartilage, leading to increased cytosolic UDP-GlcNAc and O-GlcNAcylation in chondrocytes. Mechanistically, upregulated O-GlcNAcylation governs the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) by stabilizing GATA4 via O-GlcNAcylation at S406, which compromises its degradation by p62-mediated selective autophagy. Elevated O-GlcNAcylation in the superficial layer of osteoarthritic cartilage coincides with increased GATA4 levels. The topical deletion of Gata4 in this cartilage layer ameliorates post-traumatic osteoarthritis (OA) in mice while inhibiting O-GlcNAc transferase mitigates OA by decreasing GATA4 levels. Excessive glucosamine-induced O-GlcNAcylation stabilizes GATA4 in chondrocytes and exacerbates post-traumatic OA in mice. Our findings elucidate the role of UDP-GlcNAc compartmentalization in regulating secretory pathways associated with chronic joint inflammation, providing a senostatic strategy for the treatment of OA., Competing Interests: Competing interests: The authors declare the following competing interests: Y.-J.K. and J.-H.K. are co-founders of Liflex Science. D.K., J.L., C.K., and J.-H.K. are the inventors of a patent application based on this study (South Korea patent pending, No. 10-2024-0155038). The other authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Drug delivery systems hold promise for delivering cytotoxic drugs by controlling the timing and location of the drug release. However, conventional delivery mechanisms often fall short of achieving spatiotemporally controlled yet sustained release, which is crucial for ensuring drug efficacy and minimizing impact on surrounding tissues. Here, an ionic diode-based drug delivery system is reported that is controlled by an electric potential and capable of releasing drugs at scales ranging from nanogram to microgram. The migrated drug is slowly but continuously diffused to the lesion through the hydrogel at the desired rate. The ionic diode provides flow-free drug delivery while minimizing unintended drug leakage over prolonged periods. Implanted in a freely moving tumor-bearing mouse model, the system filled with doxorubicin demonstrated superior anti-tumor efficacy and minimal off-target immune toxicity compared to the intratumoral injection of free doxorubicin. With its mechanically compliant and biocompatible components, the system offers a safe and readily translatable approach to patients with surgically unresectable tumors., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most prevalent type of arthritis worldwide and a leading cause of years lost to pain and disability. Among the current pharmacological treatments for OA, symptomatic slow-acting drugs for OA (SYSADOA) induce pain relief and aim to improve joint function by relieving inflammation while causing fewer gastrointestinal and cardiovascular adverse events than non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). SKCPT is a herbal SYSADOA formulated from Clematis mandshurica, Trichosanthes kirilowii, and Prunella vulgaris powdered extracts. This preparation has been shown to induce cartilage protection and anti-inflammatory effects in preclinical studies and inhibit glycosaminoglycan degradation and catabolic gene expression in human OA chondrocytes and cartilage., Aim of the Study: We aimed to evaluate the non-inferiority of SKCPT to celecoxib and safety for treating knee OA., Materials and Methods: This multicenter, randomized, double-blind, phase III clinical trial enrolled adults with primary knee OA who were randomized (1:1) to SKCPT 300 mg twice daily or celecoxib 200 mg once daily for 12 weeks., Results: In total, 278 patients were assigned to treatment (SKCPT, 136; celecoxib, 142) for approximately 12 weeks. The primary endpoint was the mean change of Korean Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (K-WOMAC) pain subscale scores from baseline to Day 84. The mean change (least squares [LS] mean ± standard error) from baseline to Day 84 was -23.74 ± 1.48 for SKCPT and -25.88 ± 1.44 for celecoxib. The two-sided 95% confidence interval of the difference (LS mean) between groups was [-1.94, 6.20], confirming that the upper limit was less than the non-inferiority margin of 10. Additionally, there were no significant differences in the secondary endpoints (mean changes of K-WOMAC pain, physical, stiffness subscale, and total score, and the frequency and number of doses of rescue medications) between groups at all time points. Differences between groups in adverse events and adverse drug reactions were not significant, and no serious adverse events occurred., Conclusions: SKCPT efficacy was non-inferior, and its safety profile was similar, to celecoxib. Building on previous results showing that SYSADOA reduce NSAID intake, the present results suggest that the SYSADOA SKCPT could effectively replace NSAIDs in knee OA treatment while avoiding long-term side effects., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Young Mo Kim received honoraria from SK Chemicals Co. Ltd. The remaining authors have no competing interests to declare., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Purpose The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether IV dexamethasone, within the current multimodal pain management protocol, (1) could maintain postoperative pain at a comparable level without IV PCA, (2) could reduce opioids-related side effects, and (3) whether an additional dose of dexamethasone on POD 2 would offer further pain-relieving effect without increasing the risk of complications. Methods A total of 178 patients (182 knees) who underwent total knee arthroplasty (TKA) for osteoarthritis were included in the study. The patients were divided into Dexa 2 & PCA and Dexa 3 & NoPCA group. From operative day to POD 5, pain visual analogue score (VAS), rescue opioids consumption, episodes of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), antiemetics usage, and side effects of opioids such as postoperative urinary retention (POUR) and constipation were checked. For safety, wound complication and infection were checked. Results There was no difference in pain VAS between the two groups during all six perioperative days. Rescue opioids consumption was lower in Dexa 2 & PCA group. Total dosage of used opioids for six perioperative days was lower in Dexa 3 & NoPCA group. Dexa 3 & No PCA group had less PONV and POUR. There was a marked increase in pain VAS and the use of rescue opioids from POD 1 to POD 2 in the Dexa 2 & PCA. There were no wound problems or infections in either group. Conclusion Under the current multimodal pain management protocol, comparable level of postoperative pain could be achieved by dexamethasone without the need of IV PCA. By not using IV PCA, overall opioid usage was reduced, which could lead to a lower frequency of PONV and POUR. While there is still room for further research on the duration and frequency of administering dexamethasone, additional administration on POD 2 is believed to provide additional pain management benefits compared to administering only until POD 1., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)

This work presents a room-temperature (RT) NO 2 gas sensor based on cotton-modified LaFeO 3 (CLFO) combined with MXene. LaFeO 3 (LFO), CLFO, and CLFO/MXene composites were synthesized via a hydrothermal method. The fabricated sensor, utilizing MXene/CLFO, exhibits a p-type behavior and fully recoverable sensing capabilities for low concentrations of NO 2 , achieving a higher response of 14.2 times at 5 ppm. The sensor demonstrates excellent performance with a response time of 2.7 s and a recovery time of 6.2 s, along with notable stability. The sensor's sensitivity is attributed to gas interactions on the material's surface, adsorption energy, and charge-transfer mechanisms. Techniques such as in situ FTIR (Fourier transform infrared) spectroscopy, GC-MS (gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy), and near-ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were employed to verify gas interactions and their byproducts. Additionally, finite-difference time-domain simulations were used to model the electromagnetic field distribution and provide insight into the interaction between NO 2 molecules and the sensor surface at the nanoscale. A prototype wireless IoT (Internet of Things)-based NO 2 gas leakage detection system was also developed, showcasing the sensor's practical application. This study offers valuable insight into the development of room-temperature NO 2 sensors with a low detection limit.

Background: Non-radical management is an option for good responders to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in mid-to-low rectal cancer. This study aimed to analyze risk factors for lymph node metastasis in patients with ypT2 rectal cancer, exploring the possibility of non-radical management., Methods: We included patients with ypT2 rectal cancer who received neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by total mesorectal excision between January 2004 and December 2022. Clinicopathological parameters were evaluated to identify risk factors for lymph node metastasis., Results: Among the 198 patients, 158 (79.8%) had ypT2N0 and 40 (20.2%) had ypT2N+. In univariable analyses, the risk factors of lymph node metastasis were perineural invasion (48.0% vs. 16.3% without perineural invasion, P < 0.001), female sex (30.0% vs. 14.8% with male sex, P = 0.011), and clinically positive nodes after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (32.6% vs. 16.4% with negative nodes, P = 0.017). These factors were confirmed as independent risk factors in multivariable analyses: perineural invasion (odds ratio [OR]: 4.50; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.79-11.29; P < 0.001), female sex (OR: 2.62; 95% CI: 1.24-5.52; P = 0.012) and clinical node involvement after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (OR: 2.28; 95% CI: 1.03-5.05; P = 0.012). The rate of lymph node metastasis in patients with ypT2 rectal cancer without any of these three risk factors was 12.5%., Conclusions: This study revealed a high probability of lymph node metastasis in patients with ypT2 rectal cancer, even in the absence of identifiable risk factors. We confirm that lymph node metastasis should be considered in ypT2 rectal cancer., Competing Interests: Declarations. Conflict of interest: The authors declare no competing interests. Ethical approval: This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Seoul National University Bundang Hospital (IRB No. B-2311-865-101). Consent to publish: This study was a retrospective analysis of patient data, and therefore, informed consent from the patients was not required., (© 2024. Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Aim: Rigid surgical instruments limit movement whereas articulated instruments offer better control in small spaces and allow for intuitive and ergonomic movements. However, the effectiveness of the use of articulated instruments in improving colorectal laparoscopic outcomes remains unclear. The aim of this work was to determine whether colorectal laparoscopic surgical proficiency improved when multijoint instruments were used instead of conventional ones., Method: We enrolled 70 consecutive patients (n = 20 for conventional instruments) aged 19-80 years who underwent elective laparoscopic surgery for colorectal diseases. Unedited surgery videos were validated using the modified Global Operative Assessment of Laparoscopic Skills (mGOALS) scale. Learning curves were analysed using a cumulative sum control chart for mGOALS grades., Results: The surgery type, length of hospital stay and 30-day postoperative complication rates were comparable between the groups, and the surgeon's mGOALS grades were similar (p = 0.190). However, in the articulated group, the scores were significantly higher for depth perception (p = 0.012) and tissue-handling domains (p = 0.046), while surgical duration was significantly shorter and intraoperative blood loss was significantly lower (p = 0.022), compared with those in the conventional (p = 0.002) group. Learning curve findings indicated that the first 10 and subsequent 40 surgeries in the articulated group were within the inexperienced and experienced phases, respectively. The mGOALS score in the experienced phase improved in the articulated group compared with that in the conventional group (p = 0.036)., Conclusions: The use of articulated instruments in laparoscopic colorectal surgery showed potential benefits. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings., (© 2024 Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland.)

Objective: This study aimed to assess the recurrence risk factors in patients with early-stage endometrioid endometrial cancer (EC) who achieved a complete response (CR) through fertility-sparing hormonal treatment (FST)., Methods: We retrospectively analyzed patients who received FST for presumed stage IA and grade 1 endometrioid EC at two institutions. Medroxyprogesterone (MPA)- and levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine devices (LNG-IUD) were used concurrently. Maintenance therapy involved maintaining the LNG-IUDs in situ for those who did not attempt to conceive immediately after achieving CR. Cox regression analysis was used to identify clinicopathological variables for recurrence-free survival (RFS) following CR., Results: Among 178 patients with endometrioid EC who received FST, 142 (79.8 %) achieved CR. The median time to achieve CR and the median FST duration were 10 months (range 1-34) and 14 months (range 3-49), respectively. During the median follow-up period of 44 months (range 6-143), 59.9 % (85/142) of patients had recurrence, with a median RFS of 14 months (range 1-123) after CR. In multivariable analysis, age > 35-years (hazard ratio (HR) 1.892, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.224-2.923; P < 0.05) and pregnancy after the first CR (HR 0.203, 95 % CI 0.093-0.444; P < 0.05) were significantly associated with RFS., Conclusions: Older age and non-pregnancy status may be risk factors for recurrence after CR. Therefore, patients with these conditions should undergo stringent follow-up, including imaging and histological examinations, to detect recurrence after CR., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Primary tumor resection and metastasectomy are curative for metastatic colorectal cancer. However, there is still a paucity of data regarding the clinical outcomes and risk factors after disease recurrence and second metastasectomy., Materials and Methods: We retrospectively evaluated the clinical outcomes of patients who underwent the second metastasectomy. In addition, risk factors for the outcomes were analyzed., Results: A total of 94 patients (39 females and 55 males) received a second metastasectomy after the recurrence. Recurrent sites included the lung (47 patients), liver (36 patients), both lung and liver (four patients), and non-lung/non-liver (seven patients). Among them, 89 (94.7 %) patients achieved R0 resection, while three (3.2 %) and two (2.1 %) patients achieved R1 and R2 resections, respectively. The 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were 42.8±5.3 % and 67.2±4.9 %, respectively. Multivariable analysis for DFS identified that primary rectal cancer (hazard ratio [HR] 0.45, P=0.033) and disease-free interval after the first metastasectomy of ≥12 months (HR 0.39, P=0.002) were good predictive factors; in contrast, non-lung/non-liver metastasis (HR 3.32, P=0.020) was a poor predictive factor. Multivariable analysis for OS showed that age ≥70 years (HR 3.27, P=0.011), non-lung/non-liver metastasis (HR 4.04, P=0.024), and lesion number ≥2 (HR 2.25, P=0.023) were poor prognostic factors., Conclusion: Patients who underwent a second metastasectomy had a long-term disease-free state and good OS. Our data suggest that a second metastasectomy should be considered if a patient has a limited number of metastases confined to the liver and/or lung and long DFS after the first metastasectomy., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

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., Methods: The study cohort comprised 36 patients with medial femoral condyle cartilage defects who were followed up for 6 years with clinical and magnetic resonance imaging data (n = 14 treated with MFx alone, n = 22 treated with C-ACT). Clinical outcomes were assessed preoperatively and at 1, 2, and 6 years postoperatively using a visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), and the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) subjective score. Magnetic resonance imaging scans were performed preoperatively and at 1 and 6 years postoperatively, and the repaired cartilage tissue was evaluated using the magnetic resonance observation of cartilage repair tissue (MOCART) score. The repaired tissue/reference cartilage ratio was quantified using T2 mapping. Adverse events during follow-up were also evaluated., Results: In both groups, the VAS pain score improved and was maintained for 1, 2, and 6 years postoperatively compared with preoperatively ( P < .05 for all). Although there were no significant differences between groups in the VAS pain, KOOS, or IKDC scores at any time point, the change in the IKDC-Activities of Daily Living subscore from preoperatively to 6 years postoperatively was better in the C-ACT group than the MFx group ( P = .0423). At 6 years postoperatively, the MOCART assessment showed superior results regarding the surface of the repair tissue in the C-ACT group compared with the MFx group ( P = .0288). There were no differences between the groups in the total MOCART score or other subscores., Conclusion: The study results suggest that C-ACT has similar effects to MFx in improving pain, joint function, and imaging findings and may be superior to MFx in improving daily life function and improving the quality of the surface of the cartilage tissue., Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02539030., Competing Interests: One or more of the authors has declared the following potential conflict of interest or source of funding: research support and materials for this study were received from Sewon Cellontech. AOSSM checks author disclosures against the Open Payments Database (OPD). AOSSM has not conducted an independent investigation on the OPD and disclaims any liability or responsibility relating thereto., (© The Author(s) 2024.)

Aluminium foam sandwich panels (AFSPs) have a high impact resistance and are suitable for a wide range of engineering applications. To improve corrosion resistance, this paper proposes an anti-corrosion sandwich panel with stainless steel as the upper sheet. Drop hammer impact tests were performed on a total of ten AFSPs to investigate their dynamic response and failure patterns. To assess the deformation performance of AFSPs, a laser displacement meter was used to obtain the bottom centre displacement. The effects of the impact energy and the thickness of each component of AFSPs on the peak impact force and deformation performance were studied. Test results showed that the thickness of each component had notable effects on the impactor and bottom displacements. In addition, the effect of the unit mass of the components in AFSPs on decreasing the bottom displacement was discussed. Compared to increasing the aluminium foam and lower sheet thicknesses, increasing the upper sheet thickness was more effective in decreasing the bottom displacement. A finite element model of AFSPs was developed to conduct parameter analysis, indicating that impactors with larger diameters resulted in higher peak forces and reduced deformation of AFSPs., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: The efficacy of cell implantation via 3D-spheroids to treat basal tone in fecal incontinence remains unclear. To address this, in this study, we aimed to identify cell differentiation and assess the development of a contractile phenotype corresponding to smooth muscle cells (SMCs) following implantation of 3D-spheroid and 2D-cultured human adipose stem cells (hASCs) in an in vivo internal anal sphincter (IAS)-targeted mouse model., Methods: We developed an IAS-targeted in vivo model via rapid freezing (at - 196 °C) of the dorsal layers of the region of interest (ROI) of the IAS ring posterior quarter, between the submucosal and muscular layers, following submucosal dissection (n = 60 rats). After implantation of tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate (Dil)-stained 3D and 2D-cells into randomly allocated cryoinjured rats, the entire sphincter ring or only the cryoinjured ROI was harvested. Expression of SMC markers, RhoA/ROCKII and its downstream molecules, and fibrosis markers was analyzed. Dil, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), and RhoA signals were used for cell tracking., Results: In vitro, 3D-spheroids exhibited higher levels of SMC markers and RhoA/ROCKII-downstream molecules than 2D-hASCs. The IAS-targeted cryoinjured model exhibited substantial loss of SMC layers of the squamous epithelium lining of the anal canal, as well as reduced expression of SMC markers and RhoA-related downstream molecules. In vivo, 3D-spheroid implantation induced SMC markers and contractile molecules weakly at 1 week. At 2 weeks, the mRNA expression of aSma, Sm22a, Smoothelin, RhoA, Mypt1, Mlc 20 , Cpi17, and Pp1cd increased, whereas that of fibrosis markers reduced significantly in the 3D-spheroid implanted group compared to those in the sham, non-implanted, and 2D-hASC implanted groups. Protein levels of RhoA, p-MYPT1, and p-MLC 20 were higher in the 3D-spheroid-implanted group than in the other groups. At 2 weeks, in the implanted groups, the cryoinjured tissues (which exhibited Dil, α-SMA, and RhoA signals) were restored, while they remained defective in the sham and non-implanted groups., Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that, compared to 2D-cultured hASCs, 3D-spheroids more effectively induce a contractile phenotype that is initially weak but subsequently improves, inducing expression of RhoA/ROCKII-downstream molecules and SMC differentiation associated with IAS basal tone., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The Korean Gynecologic Oncology Group (KGOG) was established in 2002 and is the only organization in Korea conducting multi-center clinical trials for gynecologic cancers. Since its re-establishment as a non-profit organization in 2021, KGOG has grown significantly, now including 207 gynecologic oncology specialists from 76 hospitals. This growth is a testament to the dedication and hard work of all those involved in the organization. KGOG is committed to maximizing the activation of multi-center clinical research through policies that support patients with rare diseases and gynecologic cancer research, focusing on strengthening institutional capacity, equalizing participation opportunities, and enhancing information sharing. A significant milestone for KGOG was becoming a member of the US Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG) in 2005, allowing participation in GOG clinical trials. KGOG later joined the Gynecologic Cancer InterGroup (GCIG) and strengthened its capabilities by hosting the first Endometrial Cancer Consensus Conference-Clinical Research (ECCC-CR) in 2023. KGOG holds biannual meetings and symposia, as well as 224 operating committee meetings annually to review the discussions of the Tumor Site Committee. KGOG has conducted 156 investigator-initiated trial (IIT) or sponsor-initiated trial (SIT) studies as KGOG-led or participated in research. Currently, 18 studies are registered, and 10 are in preparation. To date, 68 papers have been published. KGOG conducts six national projects and collaborates with external organizations such as the NRG Oncology Foundation, Gynecologic Oncology Group Partners (GOG-P), GCIG, East Asian Gynecologic Oncology Trial group (EAGOT), and the Japanese Gynecologic Oncology Group (JGOG). Through collaboration with renowned international research institutions, KGOG has significantly expanded the scope of its research, achieving noteworthy clinical outcomes. This report not only introduces the history and recent status of KGOG but also presents the exciting future direction of the organization, filled with potential breakthroughs and advancements in gynecologic oncology research.

Background: Although organs are preserved and quality of life is improved, insufficient evidence is available for the oncologic safety of partial cystectomy in patients with colorectal cancer with suspected bladder invasion. Therefore, we aimed to compare partial and total cystectomy outcomes in patients with pathologically confirmed or clinically suspected bladder invasion., Methods: Patients with colorectal cancer with suspected bladder invasion who underwent R0 resection from 2000 to 2020 were evaluated. Long-term outcomes were determined in patients with histologically confirmed bladder invasion., Results: Of the 151 consecutive patients, 96 (64.6%) had histologically confirmed bladder involvement, and 105 (69.5%) underwent partial cystectomy. Operative time, estimated blood loss, and reoperation rate in ≤30 days were significantly worse in the total cystectomy group than in the partial cystectomy group. The overall recurrence rate was significantly higher in the total cystectomy group than in the partial cystectomy group (39.1% vs 21.9%; P = .046). Five-year overall survival (75.8% vs 53.2%; P = .006) rates were higher in the partial cystectomy group than in the total cystectomy group; however, disease-free survival (60.8% vs 41.6%; P = .088) rates were similar in patients with suspected bladder invasion. In patients with histologically confirmed bladder invasion, 5-year overall survival rates (78.1% vs 52.1%; P = .017) were higher in the partial cystectomy group than in the total cystectomy group; however, disease-free survival rates (53.4% vs 41.2%; P = .220) did not differ significantly., Conclusion: R0 resection is associated with favorable long-term outcomes in patients with locally advanced colorectal cancer. If R0 resection is possible, partial cystectomy is considered safe., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Tofacitinib is an oral Janus kinase inhibitor for the treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC). We aimed to identify the safety and effectiveness of tofacitinib in patients with UC in routine clinical settings in Korea., Methods: This open-label, observational, prospective, post-marketing surveillance study was conducted at 22 hospitals in the Republic of Korea. Patients with moderate to severe active UC who received tofacitinib were included and followed up for up to 52 weeks. Tofacitinib was administered at a dosage of 10 mg twice daily for at least 8 weeks, followed by 5 or 10 mg twice daily at the investigator's discretion based on clinical evaluation according to the approved Korean label. Safety including adverse events (AEs) and effectiveness including clinical remission, clinical response, and endoscopic mucosal healing were evaluated. Safety analysis set was defined as all patients registered for this study who received at least one dose of tofacitinib according to the approved Korean label and followed up for safety data. Effectiveness analysis set included patients in the safety analysis set who were evaluated for overall effectiveness assessment and excluded patients who had received tofacitinib less than 8 weeks., Results: A total of 110 patients were enrolled, of whom 106 patients were included in the safety population. The median duration of treatment was 370 days and the treatment duration ranged from 16 to 684 days for the safety population. AEs occurred in 42 patients (39.6%). Serious AEs (SAEs) occurred in 7 patients (6.6%) and of them, there were 2 cases of serious infections. These serious infections were reported as Adverse Event of Special Interest (AESI) in this study and no other AESI were reported. There were no cases of death during the study period. Clinical remission rates were 40.0%, 46.7%, 57.6%, and 55.1% at 8, 16, 24, and 52 weeks, and clinical response rates were 77.8%, 87.9%, 56.6%, and 81.4% at each visit, respectively. Endoscopic mucosal healing rates were 58.7% at 16 weeks and 46.2% at 52 weeks., Conclusion: Tofacitinib was effective in Korean patients with moderate to severe active UC and the safety findings were consistent with the known safety profile of tofacitinib. This study confirmed the safety and effectiveness of tofacitinib in Korean patients with moderate to severe active UC in routine clinical settings., Trial Registration: This study is registered in the ClinicalTrials.gov under the identifier NCT04071405, registered on 28 August 2019., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Purpose: Presoaking the graft with vancomycin before implantation has been shown to reduce the risk of postoperative infection after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). However, the effects of presoaking on the graft biomechanical properties remain unclear. This study aimed to determine whether presoaking the graft with vancomycin affects the graft biomechanical properties and length after cyclic loading., Methods: Ten paired (20 specimens) gracilis and semitendinous tendons were harvested from fresh-frozen human cadaveric specimens. Two tendons were folded in half to make four strands, and the grafts were randomized into the vancomycin and control groups. The graft was exposed to the antibiotic solution for 15 min (5 mg/mL) and prepared by mixing 1 g of vancomycin with 200 mL of normal saline (NaCl 0.9%). The control group was soaked in normal saline for 15 min. The prepared grafts were attached to the actuator of a dynamic tensile-testing machine. All grafts were tested with 3000 cycles of cyclic loading followed by a pull-to-failure. The cyclic loading protocol consisted of position and load control blocks to simulate the graft in vivo in the postoperative phase after ACLR., Results: Presoaking in vancomycin did not jeopardize the biomechanical properties of the graft. In addition, presoaking with vancomycin did not elongate the grafts. No significant differences were found in the mean Young's modulus and the mean total elongation of the graft of the specimen between the vancomycin group and the control group., Conclusion: Presoaking the graft with vancomycin jeopardized neither its biomechanical properties nor elongation even after cyclic loading in this in vitro study. It is suggested that vancomycin presoaking could be considered a safe and effective preventive measure for postoperative infections after ACLR., Level of Evidence: Not applicable., (© 2024 European Society of Sports Traumatology, Knee Surgery and Arthroscopy.)

Aim: The aim of this study was to compare the clinicopathological and oncological characteristics of sporadic colorectal cancer (CRC) between young and elderly patients without any genetic mutations that cause hereditary CRC., Method: In this cross-sectional, retrospective study conducted at three tertiary referral hospitals, we enrolled 1599 patients with CRC who underwent surgery between January 2010 and December 2017, including 157 young patients (age ≤ 40 years; yCRC) and 1442 elderly patients (age ≥ 70 years; eCRC). The clinicopathological and oncological outcomes were compared between the two groups., Results: The median age at diagnosis was 37 years in the yCRC group (range 33.0-39.2 years) and 76 years in the eCRC group (range 72.0-79.0 years). The yCRC group did not present with advanced stages at diagnosis compared with the eCRC group, and the distribution of tumour stages was similar between the two groups. Microsatellite instability (MSI) testing revealed no difference in the frequency of tumours with high MSI (7.8% in yCRC, 5.8% in eCRC), and the frequency of mutations in the KRAS, NRAS and BRAF genes was also similar. The 3-year overall survival was better in the yCRC group than in the eCRC group (97.4% vs. 83.5%, p < 0.001); however, no such difference was observed in cancer-specific survival., Conclusion: Genetically proven sporadic CRCs did not differ significantly between young and elderly patients in terms of tumour stage, tumour location and various molecular features., Clinical Trial Registration Number: The study was retrospectively registered with Clinical Trials.gov (no. NCT05601609)., (© 2024 The Author(s). Colorectal Disease published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland.)

Background/aims: The impact of vaccination on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients is still unknown, and no studies have assessed the changes in patient-reported outcomes (PROs) after vaccination in patients with IBD. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the impact of vaccines on the PROs of patients with IBD., Methods: We conducted a questionnaire survey of patients with IBD who visited outpatient clinics at 4 specialized IBD clinics of referral university hospitals from April 2022 to June 2022. A total of 309 IBD patients were included in the study. Patient information was collected from a questionnaire and their medical records, including laboratory findings, were reviewed retrospectively. Risk factors associated with an increase in PROs after COVID-19 vaccination were analyzed using logistic regression analyses. In addition, we assessed whether there were differences in variables by vaccine order using the linear mixed model., Results: In multivariate analysis, young age ( < 40 years) and ulcerative colitis (UC) were found to be independent risk factors for aggravation of PROs in patients with IBD. In all patients, platelet count significantly increased with continued vaccination in multiple pairwise comparisons. In UC patients, PROs such as the short health scale, UC-abdominal signs and symptoms, and UC-bowel signs and symptoms were aggravated significantly with continued vaccination. There was no significant increase in the variables of patients with Crohn's disease., Conclusions: Therefore, there may be a need to counsel patients with IBD younger than 40 years of age, and patients with UC before they receive COVID-19 vaccinations.

Helmholtz stereopsis (HS) exploits the reciprocity principle of light propagation (i.e., the Helmholtz reciprocity) for 3D reconstruction of surfaces with arbitrary reflectance. In this paper, we present the polarimetric Helmholtz stereopsis (polar-HS), which extends the classical HS by considering the polarization state of light in the reciprocal paths. With the additional phase information from polarization, polar-HS requires only one reciprocal image pair. We derive the reciprocity relationship of Mueller matrix and formulate new reciprocity constraint that takes polarization state into account. We also utilize polarimetric constraints and extend them to the case of perspective projection. For the recovery of surface depths and normals, we incorporate reciprocity constraint with diffuse/specular polarimetric constraints in a unified optimization framework. For depth estimation, we further propose to utilize the consistency of diffuse angle of polarization. For normal estimation, we develop a normal refinement strategy based on degree of linear polarization. Using a hardware prototype, we show that our approach produces high-quality 3D reconstruction for different types of surfaces, ranging from diffuse to highly specular.

Objective: We explored the oncological impact of tumor deposits (TDs) on colon cancer and proposed optimal modifications to the current staging system., Background: In the existing American Joint Committee on Cancer colon cancer staging system, TDs are incorporated into the N category as N1c. When lymph node metastases (LNMs) are present, their number is considered to determine nodal stages, such as N1a/b or N2a/b, regardless of TDs., Methods: 4212 patients with primary colon cancer who underwent surgical resection in the Seoul Colorectal Group (2010-2020) and 93,057 patients from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results*Stat database (2000-2017) were included in this study. Patients were classified according to the number of metastatic lymph nodes (LNs) (0/1-3/≥4) and the presence of TDs., Results: TDs were significantly associated with left colon cancer, a higher T category, and vascular/perineural invasion. Patients with TDs had higher recurrence rates (23.1 vs 7.5%, P < 0.001). The TD-positive patients had notably worse overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival rates. The survival outcomes of TD-positive patients without LNM were inferior to those of TD-negative patients with LN1-3 (5-year OS: 78.9 vs 87.8%, P = 0.04). The survival outcomes of TD-positive patients with LN1-3 were similar to those of TD-negative patients with LN ≥4 (5-year OS: 87.0 vs 77.1%, P = 0.11). Survival outcomes obtained using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results *Stat database yielded consistent results., Conclusions: TDs were associated with poor prognostic factors and had a significant impact on survival outcomes. The incorporation of tumor deposits into nodal classifications beyond the current N1c criteria may improve the staging system and more accurately reflect the recurrence and survival rates among patients with colon cancer. TD-positive in N1a or N1b could be categorized as N2., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Purpose: To examine the ability of generative artificial intelligence (GAI) to answer patients' questions regarding colorectal cancer (CRC)., Methods: Ten clinically relevant questions about CRC were selected from top-rated hospitals' websites and patient surveys and presented to three GAI tools (Chatbot Generative Pre-Trained Transformer [GPT-4], Google Bard, and CLOVA X). Their responses were compared with answers from the CRC information book. Response evaluation was performed by two groups, each consisting of five healthcare professionals (HCP) and patients. Each question was scored on a 1-5 Likert scale based on four evaluation criteria (maximum score, 20 points/question)., Results: In an analysis including only HCPs, the information book scored 11.8 ± 1.2, GPT-4 scored 13.5 ± 1.1, Google Bard scored 11.5 ± 0.7, and CLOVA X scored 12.2 ± 1.4 (P = 0.001). The score of GPT-4 was significantly higher than those of the information book (P = 0.020) and Google Bard (P = 0.001). In an analysis including only patients, the information book scored 14.1 ± 1.4, GPT-4 scored 15.2 ± 1.8, Google Bard scored 15.5 ± 1.8, and CLOVA X scored 14.4 ± 1.8, without significant differences (P = 0.234). When both groups of evaluators were included, the information book scored 13.0 ± 0.9, GPT-4 scored 14.4 ± 1.2, Google Bard scored 13.5 ± 1.0, and CLOVA X scored 13.3 ± 1.5 (P = 0.070)., Conclusion: The three GAIs demonstrated similar or better communicative competence than the information book regarding questions related to CRC surgery in Korean. If high-quality medical information provided by GAI is supervised properly by HCPs and published as an information book, it could be helpful for patients to obtain accurate information and make informed decisions., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of prophylactic abdominal drainage (AD) in laparoscopic hemicolectomy, focusing on assessing postoperative pain outcomes., Methods: Patients were categorized into two groups: those with and without AD (AD group vs. no-AD group). A numerical rating scale (NRS) was used to assess postoperative pain on each postoperative day (POD). Further, the inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) method was used to reduce intergroup bias., Results: In total, 204 patients who underwent laparoscopic hemicolectomies by a single surgeon between June 2013 and September 2022 at a single institution were retrospectively reviewed. After adjusting for IPTW, NRS scores on POD 2 were significantly lower in the no-AD group (3.2 ± 0.8 vs. 3.4 ± 0.8, p = 0.043). Further examination of postoperative outcomes showed no statistically significant differences in complications between the AD (17.3%) and no-AD (12.4%) groups ( p = 0.170). The postoperative length of hospital stay was 7.3 ± 2.8 days in the AD group and 6.9 ± 3.0 days in the no-AD group, with no significant difference ( p = 0.298). Time to first flatus was 3.0 ± 0.9 days in the AD group and 2.7 ± 0.9 days in the no-AD group, with no significant difference ( p = 0.078). Regarding readmission within 1 month, there were four cases each in the AD (2.3%) and no-AD (1.7%) groups, with no significant difference ( p = 0.733)., Conclusion: Laparoscopic hemicolectomy without AD resulted in no significant differences in postoperative clinical outcomes, except for postoperative pain. This finding suggests that prophylactic AD may exacerbate postoperative pain.

Objective: Interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF1) is a transcriptional regulator conventionally associated with immunomodulation. Recent molecular analyses mapping DNA binding sites of IRF1 have suggested its potential function in DNA repair. However, the physiologic significance of this noncanonical function remains unexplored. Here, we investigated the role of IRF1 in osteoarthritis (OA), a condition marked by senescence and chronic joint inflammation., Methods: OA progression was examined in wild-type and Irf1 -/- mice using histologic assessments and microcomputed tomography analysis of whole-joint OA manifestations and behavioral assessments of joint pain. An integrated analysis of assay for transposase-accessible chromatin with sequencing and whole transcriptome data was conducted for the functional assessment of IRF1 in chondrocytes. The role of IRF1 in DNA repair and senescence was investigated by assaying γ-H2AX foci and senescence-associated beta-galactosidase activity., Results: Our genome-wide investigation of IRF1 footprinting in chondrocytes revealed its primary occupancies in the promoters of DNA repair genes without noticeable footprint patterns in those of interferon-responsive genes. Chondrocytes lacking IRF1 accumulated irreversible DNA damage under oxidative stress, facilitating their entry into cellular senescence. IRF1 was down-regulated in the cartilage of human and mouse OA. Although IRF1 overexpression did not elicit an inflammatory response in joints or affect OA development, genetic deletion of Irf1 caused enhanced chondrocyte senescence and exacerbated post-traumatic OA in mice., Conclusion: IRF1 offers DNA damage surveillance in chondrocytes, protecting them from oxidative stress associated with OA risk factors. Our study provides a crucial and cautionary perspective that compromising IRF1 activity renders chondrocytes vulnerable to cellular senescence and promotes OA development., (© 2024 The Authors. Arthritis & Rheumatology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American College of Rheumatology.)

Complete mesocolic excision and central vascular ligation with D3 lymphadenectomy are important surgical principles for improving oncological outcomes in colon cancer. The cranial-first approach is a colonic mobilization-first approach to radical right hemicolectomy, which has several advantages, including early feasibility assessment, safe dissection from surrounding organs, preestablished inferior margin of lymph node dissection, and revelation of the tangible anatomy of the tributaries of the gastrocolic trunk. This video demonstrates the cranial-first approach to radical right hemicolectomy in a 66-year-old man with locally advanced cecal cancer.

Purpose: Managing recurrent inguinal hernias is complex, and choosing the right surgical approach (laparoscopic vs. open) is vital for patient outcomes. This study compared the outcomes of using the same vs. different surgical approaches for initial and subsequent hernia repairs., Methods: We retrospectively analyzed patients who underwent recurrent inguinal hernia repair at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital between January 2014 and May 2023. Patients were divided into the "concordant" and "discordant" groups, comprising patients who underwent same and different approaches in both surgeries, respectively. Preoperative baseline characteristics, index surgery data, postoperative outcomes, and recurrence rates were analyzed and compared., Results: In total, 131 patients were enrolled; the concordant and discordant groups comprised 31 (open, n = 19; laparoscopic, n = 12) and 100 patients (open to laparoscopic, n = 68; laparoscopic to open, n = 32), respectively. No significant differences were observed in the mean operation time (50.5 ± 21.7 minutes vs. 50.2 ± 20.0 minutes, P = 0.979), complication rates (6.5% vs. 14.0%, P = 0.356), or 36-month cumulative recurrence rates (9.8% vs. 9.8%; P = 0.865). The mean postoperative hospital stay was significantly shorter in the discordant than in the concordant group (1.8 ± 0.7 vs. 1.4 ± 0.6, P = 0.003)., Conclusion: Most recurrent inguinal hernia repairs were performed using the discordant surgical approach. Overall, concordance in the surgical approach did not significantly affect postoperative outcomes. Therefore, the selection of the surgical approach based on the patient's condition and surgeon's preference may be advisable., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: Duck-Woo Kim, serving as the Editor-in-Chief of Annals of Surgical Treatment and Research, did not participate in the review process of this article. No other potential conflicts of interest pertinent to this article were reported., (Copyright © 2024, the Korean Surgical Society.)

Lateral flow assays have been widely used for detecting coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). A lateral flow assay consists of a Nitrocellulose (NC) membrane, which must have a specific lateral flow rate for the proteins to react. The wicking rate is conventionally used as a method to assess the lateral flow in membranes. We used multiple regression and artificial neural networks (ANN) to predict the wicking rate of NC membranes based on membrane recipe data. The developed ANN predicted the wicking rate with a mean square error of 0.059, whereas the multiple regression had a square error of 0.503. This research also highlighted the significant impact of the water content on the wicking rate through images obtained from scanning electron microscopy. The findings of this research can cut down the research and development costs of novel NC membranes with a specific wicking rate significantly, as the algorithm can predict the wicking rate based on the membrane recipe., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Template-directed self-assembly of solidifying eutectics results in emergence of unique microstructures due to diffusion constraints and thermal gradients imposed by the template. Here, the importance of selecting the template material based on its conductivity to control heat transfer between the template and the solidifying eutectic, and thus the thermal gradients near the solidification front, is demonstrated. Simulations elucidate the relationship between the thermal properties of the eutectic and template and the resultant microstructure. The overarching finding is that templates with low thermal conductivities are generally advantageous for forming highly organized microstructures. When electrochemically porosified silicon pillars (thermal conductivity < 0.3 Wm -1 K -1 ) are used as the template into which an AgCl-KCl eutectic is solidified, 99% of the unit cells in the solidified structure exhibit the same pattern. In contrast, when higher thermal conductivity crystalline silicon pillars (≈100 Wm -1 K -1 ) are utilized, the expected pattern is only present in 50% of the unit cells. The thermally engineered template results in mesostructures with tunable optical properties and reflectances nearly identical to the simulated reflectances of perfect structures, indicating highly ordered patterns are formed over large areas. This work highlights the importance of controlling heat flows in template-directed self-assembly of eutectics., (© 2024 The Authors. Advanced Materials published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

This study aimed to determine whether there was a relationship between preoperative patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and satisfaction after total knee arthroplasty (TKA), and whether there was a relationship between the amount of improvement in PROM or final PROM and satisfaction and whether that relationship differed 1 and 2 years after TKA. The Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) and satisfaction of 267 limbs who underwent TKA were analyzed. Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine whether there was a relationship between preoperative WOMAC or improvement in WOMAC or final WOMAC and satisfaction at 1 and 2 years after TKA. Pearson and Filon's z test was performed to determine whether there was a difference in evaluating satisfaction between the amount of improvement in WOMAC and final WOMAC. There was no significant relationship between preoperative WOMAC and satisfaction. A higher improvement in WOMAC total score and better final WOMAC total scores at 1 and 2 years after TKA were related to greater satisfaction. At 1 year after TKA, there was no significant difference in evaluating satisfaction between the amount of improvement in WOMAC and final WOMAC. However, 2 years after TKA, the final WOMAC function and total score were more related to satisfaction than the amount of improvement in WOMAC function and total score. In the early postoperative period, there was no difference in evaluating satisfaction between the amount of improvement in WOMAC and final WOMAC, whereas over time, the final WOMAC was more related to satisfaction., Competing Interests: None declared., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)

This study aimed to implement a deep learning-based super-resolution (SR) technique that can assist in the diagnosis and surgery of trigeminal neuralgia (TN) using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Experimental methods applied SR to MRI data examined using five techniques, including T2-weighted imaging (T2WI), T1-weighted imaging (T1WI), contrast-enhancement T1WI (CE-T1WI), T2WI turbo spin-echo series volume isotropic turbo spin-echo acquisition (VISTA), and proton density (PD), in patients diagnosed with TN. The image quality was evaluated using the peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) and structural similarity index (SSIM). High-quality reconstructed MRI images were assessed using the Leksell coordinate system in gamma knife radiosurgery (GKRS). The results showed that the PSNR and SSIM values achieved by SR were higher than those obtained by image postprocessing techniques, and the coordinates of the images reconstructed in the gamma plan showed no differences from those of the original images. Consequently, SR demonstrated remarkable effects in improving the image quality without discrepancies in the coordinate system, confirming its potential as a useful tool for the diagnosis and surgery of TN.

Considering the recent increase in the number of colorectal cancer (CRC) cases in South Korea, we aimed to clarify the molecular characteristics of CRC unique to the Korean population. To gain insights into the complexities of CRC and promote the exchange of critical data, RNA-sequencing analysis was performed to reveal the molecular mechanisms that drive the development and progression of CRC; this analysis is critical for developing effective treatment strategies. We performed RNA-sequencing analysis of CRC and adjacent normal tissue samples from 214 Korean participants (comprising a total of 381 including 169 normal and 212 tumor samples) to investigate differential gene expression between the groups. We identified 19,575 genes expressed in CRC and normal tissues, with 3,830 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the groups. Functional annotation analysis revealed that the upregulated DEGs were significantly enriched in pathways related to the cell cycle, DNA replication, and IL-17, whereas the downregulated DEGs were enriched in metabolic pathways. We also analyzed the relationship between clinical information and subtypes using the Consensus Molecular Subtype (CMS) classification. Furthermore, we compared groups clustered within our dataset to CMS groups and performed additional analysis of the methylation data between DEGs and CMS groups to provide comprehensive biological insights from various perspectives. Our study provides valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying CRC in Korean patients and serves as a platform for identifying potential target genes for this disease. The raw data and processed results have been deposited in a public repository for further analysis and exploration., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interests The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To compare surgical outcomes in patients with benign diseases who underwent laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy (LAVH) to determine the association between surgical outcomes and resident participation in the gynecologic field., Methods: A single-center retrospective study was conducted of patients diagnosed with benign gynecologic diseases who underwent LAVH between January 2010 and December 2015. Clinicopathologic characteristics and surgical outcomes were compared between the resident involvement and non-involvement groups. The primary endpoint was the 30-day postoperative morbidity. Observers were propensity matched for 17 covariates for resident involvement or non-involvement., Results: Of the 683 patients involved in the study, 165 underwent LAVH with resident involvement and 518 underwent surgery without resident involvement. After propensity score matching (157 observations), 30-day postoperative morbidity occurred in 6 (3.8%) and 4 (2.5%) patients in the resident involvement and non-involvement groups, respectively (P = 0.501). The length of hospital stay differed significantly between the two groups: 5 days in the resident involvement group and 4 days in the non-involvement group (P < 0.001). On multivariate analysis, Charlson Comorbidity Index >2 (odds ratio [OR] 8.01, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.68-23.96; P < 0.001), operative time (OR 1.02, 95% CI 1.01-1.03; P < 0.001), and estimated blood loss (OR 1.00, 95% CI 1.00-1.00; P < 0.001) were significantly associated with 30-day morbidity, but resident involvement was not statistically significant., Conclusion: There was no significant difference in the 30-day morbidity rate when residents participated in LAVH. These findings suggest that resident participation in LAVH may be a viable approach to ensure both residency education and patient safety., (© 2023 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics.)