Optimal Number of Lymph Nodes Retrieved to Lower the Risk of False N0 for Patients with Pancreatic Cancer Undergoing Curative Surgery.

Background: Accurate LN examination is critical for staging and prognosis in pancreatic cancer. However, the ideal number of LNs required for precise staging and improved survival remains unclear. This study aimed to determine the optimal number of lymph nodes (LNs) to retrieve during pancreatectomy for pancreatic cancer to minimize false node-negative (false N0) rates and assess its impact on survival outcomes.

Structure-based standardization of prebiotic soluble dietary fibers based on monosaccharide composition, degree of polymerization, and linkage composition.

Dietary fibers are diverse indigestible polysaccharides that can be categorized according to their physicochemical properties, including molecular size, monosaccharide composition, and glycosidic bond profile. Fiber promotes health by maintaining intestinal homeostasis. Prebiotic dietary fibers are utilized by microbes in the lower gastrointestinal tract under anaerobic conditions, producing essential metabolites, such as short-chain fatty acids.

Proportion of histologic component predicts lymph node metastasis risk in undifferentiated-type mucosal and submucosal gastric cancers.

Undifferentiated-type (UD-type) gastric cancer is associated with a high frequency of lymph node metastasis (LNM); however, recent reports indicate that LNM frequency varies according to specific histologic components. We conducted a multicenter study to define criteria for distinguishing low- and high-risk histology groups for LNM in UD-type gastric cancers. Histologic components were classified into four types: poorly cohesive signet ring cells (SRC), poorly cohesive non-signet ring cells (non-SRCs), poorly differentiated tubular (PD), and differentiated-type (D-type).

Deep-Learning Model for Real-Time Prediction of Recurrence in Early-Stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Multimodal Approach (RADAR CARE Study).

Purpose: The surveillance protocol for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is not contingent upon individualized risk factors for recurrence. This study aimed to use comprehensive data from clinical practice to develop a deep-learning model for practical longitudinal monitoring.

Methods: A multimodal deep-learning model with transformers was developed for real-time recurrence prediction using baseline clinical, pathological, and molecular data with longitudinal laboratory and radiologic data collected during surveillance.

Characteristics and Treatment Patterns of Patients with Haemophilia B Receiving Recombinant Coagulation Factor IX.

In Haemophilia B, guideline-level factor IX (FIX) prophylaxis is recommended, but real-world dosing and adherence vary. To assess treatment patterns, adherence, FIX dosing, and their associations with bleeding events in Korean patients. We conducted a retrospective chart review and one-time survey of 130 Korean patients with haemophilia B treated with FIX for ≥12 months at 12 centers (June 2022-May 2023).

Neural stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles alleviate inflammatory responses in a mouse model of atopic dermatitis.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder characterized by disrupted epidermal barrier function and excessive immune activation. Conventional treatments using corticosteroids and immunosuppressants provide only temporary relief and often induce adverse side effects, highlighting the need for novel, effective therapy. In this study, we investigated the therapeutic potential of neural stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles (NSC-EVs) derived from NSC-derived conditioned medium (NSC-CM) in modulating inflammatory responses in AD.

Development and External Validation of a Nomogram Predicting Early Recurrence of Gallbladder Cancer Using Preoperatively Available Prognosticators: A Korean Multicenter Retrospective Study.

Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is a rare and aggressive malignancy with poor prognosis and high recurrence rates, even after curative surgical resection. Early recurrence, defined as recurrence within one year after surgery, remains a major clinical concern. This study aimed to identify preoperative prognostic factors and develop a predictive model for early recurrence and overall survival in resected GBC patients.

Annual Therapeutic Drug Monitoring in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease During Infliximab Maintenance Therapy: Balancing Efficacy with Risk of Pharmacokinetic Failure.

Background And Aims: Recent studies indicate that proactive therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) can improve clinical outcomes in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) treated with infliximab. Repetitive infliximab trough level (IFX TL) measurements for proactive TDM may increase patient inconvenience and medical costs. Therefore, we aimed to determine the optimal interval for TDM during infliximab maintenance therapy in patients with IBD.

Postprandial glycemic attenuation of size-dependent α-glucan fractions via Gluconobacter oxydans biosynthesis.

Slowly digestible carbohydrates have gained significant attention as functional ingredients for regulating blood glucose homeostasis, modulating appetite, and reducing the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes. In this study, we explored a bioconversion strategy using Gluconobacter oxydans ATCC 11894 to synthesize polysaccharides with a high proportion of α-1,6 glycosidic linkages from maltodextrins. The bioconversion process effectively generates distinct polysaccharide fractions, including high-molecular-weight dextran, isomaltomegalosaccharides (IMSs), and low-molecular-weight byproducts, each with unique structural properties.

Therapeutic Effect of Lymph Node Dissection After Neoadjuvant Chemoradiation Therapy Followed by Esophagectomy on Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Using the Efficacy Index.

Background: The effect of lymph node (LN) dissection on the overall survival of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) treated by neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy (nCRT) followed by esophagectomy has been controversial. This study investigated the patterns of metastatic LNs after nCRT and the benefits of LN dissection using the efficacy index (EI).

Methods: The EI was calculated by multiplying the frequency (%) of metastases to a zone and the 5-year overall survival rate (%) of patients with metastases to that zone and then dividing by 100.

Genome wide interaction study of genetic variants associated with lung function decline.

Some genetic variants are associated with lung function decline and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but functional studies are necessary to confirm causality. We investigated the genetic susceptibility-associated lung function decline with or without COPD, using data from a community-based cohort (N = 8554). A genome-wide interaction study was conducted to identify the association between genetic variants and pulmonary function, and the way variants relate to lung impairment in accordance with smoking status and amount was examined.

Differences in extraction methods influence the physicochemical properties, antiradical, and anti-inflammatory effects of porphyran from Pyropia dentata.

The anti-inflammatory and anti-radical activities of Pyropia dentata porphyran (PDP) prepared by different extraction techniques were investigated. Water shaking extraction (WE), ultrasound extraction (UE), acid extraction (Aci.E), and alkaline extraction (Alk.

Comparison and validation of the Japanese classification 12th edition and American joint committee on cancer 8th edition on intrathoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: The American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) 8th edition and Japanese classification 12th edition can be applied for esophageal cancer staging. This retrospective study aimed to compare these two staging systems in patients with surgically treated esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 2,853 patients who underwent esophagectomy and lymphadenectomy from 1994 to 2020.

Synthesis and Physico-Chemical Analysis of Dextran from Maltodextrin via pH Controlled Fermentation by .

Dextran is an exopolysaccharide (EPS) with multifunctional applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries, primarily synthesized from . Dextran can be produced from dextrin through fermentation, utilizing its dextran dextrinase activity. This study examined how jar fermentor conditions impact the growth and enzyme activity of , with a focus on the effects of pH on dextran synthesis via bioconversion (without pH control, pH 4.

Effect of total intravenous anesthesia versus sevoflurane anesthesia on intraoperative facial nerve monitoring: a randomized controlled trial.

Purpose: Intraoperative facial nerve monitoring (IFNM) facilitates effective nerve preservation during ear and head and neck surgeries. Quantitative differences in the timely feasibility of IFNM during total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) vs sevoflurane anesthesia have not been investigated.

Methods: We conducted a randomized controlled trial in which 98 patients undergoing ear surgery were allocated to either the TIVA or sevoflurane group.

Effect of pretreatment and peracetic acid pulping on cellulosic materials converted from spent coffee grounds.

Spent coffee grounds (SCG) are the waste byproducts of coffee brewing. While SCG can be valorized to produce functional biopolymers due to their valuable structural components, the lignocellulosic structure of SCG is resistant to degradation because of the tightly bound lignin. Therefore, a pretreatment step is required before pulping with peracetic acid (PAA), an eco-friendlier alternative to traditional pulping methods, to facilitate the extraction of these desired cellulosic materials.

Physicochemical and rheological properties of ultrasonic-assisted pregelatinized rice flour.

This study evaluated the physical and rheological properties of whole rice flour treated for different sonication times (0-15 min). Ultrasonication reduces the particle size of rice flour and improves its solubility. Viscosity tests using RVA and steady shear showed a notable decrease in the viscosity of the rehydrated pregelatinized rice flour.

Effect of remimazolam versus propofol anesthesia on postoperative delirium in neurovascular surgery: study protocol for a randomized controlled, non-inferiority trial.

Background: Remimazolam is a short-acting benzodiazepine newly approved for the induction and maintenance of general anesthesia. Remimazolam emerges as an ideal drug for the neurosurgical population due to its rapid emergence, enabling early neurological assessment, and its ability to maintain perfusion pressure, which is crucial for preventing cerebral ischemia. However, the use of benzodiazepine has been associated with an increased risk of postoperative delirium (POD).

A Comparative Study of Composition and Soluble Polysaccharide Content between Brewer's Spent Yeast and Cultured Yeast Cells.

Yeast, crucial in beer production, holds great potential owing to its ability to transform into a valuable by-product resource, known as brewer's spent yeast (BSY), with potentially beneficial physiological effects. This study aimed to compare the composition and soluble polysaccharide content of Brewer's spent yeast with those of cultured yeast strains, namely (SC) and . (SB), to facilitate the utilization of BSY as an alternative source of functional polysaccharides.

Advanced fructo-oligosaccharides improve itching and aberrant epidermal lipid composition in children with atopic dermatitis.

Introduction: The effects of fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) on atopic dermatitis (AD) have not been determined.

Methods: In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, children with AD aged 24 months to 17 years received either advanced FOS containing 4.25 g of 1-kestose or a placebo (maltose) for 12 weeks.

The association of withholding or continuing angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin 2 receptor blockers on acute kidney injury after non-cardiac surgery.

Background: Withholding or continuing angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin 2 receptor blockers peri-operatively in non-cardiac surgery remains controversial as they may result in intra-operative hypotension and postoperative organ damage.

Methods: We included patients prescribed angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin 2 receptor blockers who underwent surgical procedures > 1 h duration under general or spinal anaesthesia from January 2012 to June 2022 in a single centre. We categorised patients by whether these drugs were withheld for 24 h before surgery.

Proton Beam Radiotherapy as a Curative Alternative to Radiofrequency Ablation for Newly Diagnosed Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Background/aim: This study aimed to compare the oncological outcomes of proton beam radiotherapy (PBT) with those of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for newly diagnosed hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Patients And Methods: This study included 323 patients who underwent PBT (n=40) or RFA (n=283) as a curative treatment for previously untreated HCC between October 2016 and June 2021. The primary endpoints were local progression and toxicity.

Validity and Reliability of the Korean Versions of the Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire-Child Form and Teenager Form.

We aimed to assess the validity and reliability of the Korean versions of the Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire-Child Form (K-FAQLQ-CF) and the Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire-Teenager Form (K-FAQLQ-TF). Patients aged 8-17 years with food allergy (FA) were enrolled and completed the Korean versions of the questionnaires, including the K-FAQLQ-CF, the Food Allergy Independent Measure-Child Form (K-FAIM-CF), and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ (K-PedsQL™ 4.0) for children and the K-FAQLQ-TF, the Food Allergy Independent Measure-Teenager Form (K-FAIM-TF), and the K-PedsQL™ 4.