PIBF1 expression and survival outcome in TNBC and Non-TNBC breast cancer patients with lymph node metastasis who undertaken chemotherapy.

Progesterone-induced blocking factor 1 (PIBF1) is linked to pregnancy-induced immunity and tumor evasion of maternal immunity. PIBF1 is overexpressed in several cancers, including breast, cervical, and lymphoma. However, limited research is available on the role of PIBF1 in breast cancer and its clinical outcomes.

Diagnostic Performance of F-Fluoroestradiol PET/CT for Axillary Lymph Node Metastasis in Invasive Lobular Carcinoma: A Prospective Feasibility Study.

Invasive lobular breast cancer (ILC) presents diagnostic challenges with conventional imaging modalities. We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of F-fluoroestradiol (F-FES) PET/CT for axillary lymph node (ALN) metastasis in ILC. This prospective feasibility study was conducted between August 2023 and August 2024.

Elevated extracellular water to total body water ratio and low phase angle in relation to muscle function in middle-aged and older adults.

Background: Decline in muscle function is a major health concern in aging populations, increasing the risk for disability and frailty. Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) offers a practical method to assess physiological status in community settings. BIA-derived parameters include the phase angle (PhA), an indicator of cellular health and integrity, and the extracellular water to total body water (ECW/TBW) ratio, which reflects fluid balance and systemic inflammation.

Recent Achievements of Epicardial Patch Electronics Using Adhesive and Conductive Hydrogels.

Implantable cardiac devices are critical in improving patients' quality of life through precise and continuous interaction between the device and pathological cardiac tissue. Due to the inherently rigid nature of conventional devices, several complications arise when interacting with soft cardiac tissue, caused by a mechanical mismatch between the device and myocardium. This leads to the excessive formation of fibrous tissue around the implanted device, ultimately compromising both device functionality and tissue health.

Superior Storage and Controlled Release of Oxygen by Solid Clathrates under Ambient Conditions.

A concentrated O supply is essential in medical systems, submarines, aircraft, and in space technology. However, it remains challenging to discover solid materials for O storage, particularly those that offer structural stability and O-capturing characteristics under ambient conditions. Here, we report solid hydroquinone clathrate crystals encapsulating O molecules, potentially allowing long-term storage and recycling at room temperature and ambient pressure.

Evaluating the survival outcomes in clinical node stage 2 and 3 breast cancer patients with negative sentinel lymph node biopsy after neoadjuvant chemotherapy: sentinel lymph node biopsy alone vs. axillary lymph node dissection.

Purpose: With the advancement of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC), the reliance on surgical removal of axillary for high-risk breast cancer is diminishing. However, there is a lack of data on the oncologic safety of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SNB) alone in patients with clinical node stages 2 and 3 who show a favorable response to NAC. This study aims to compare the oncologic outcomes of SNB alone versus SNB combined with axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) in this patient cohort.

Impact of tumor-to-nipple distance on outcomes in robotic nipple-sparing mastectomy and reconstruction.

Background: Nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM) has become a preferred surgical option for breast cancer patients due to its oncologic safety and aesthetic benefits. Robotic NSM (RNSM) offers enhanced precision and minimally invasive access, yet its feasibility in cases with a tumor-to-nipple distance (TND) ≤ 1 cm remains unclear. This study evaluates the oncologic safety and surgical outcomes of RNSM in patients with TND ≤ 1 cm by comparing it with both RNSM in patients with TND > 1 cm and conventional NSM (CNSM) in patients with TND ≤ 1 cm.

Nonmass lesions on preoperative MRI in breast cancer patients: clinical implications and prognostic significance.

This study aimed to investigate the clinical importance and prognostic value of nonmass lesions (NMLs) identified via preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with breast cancer, with an emphasis on understanding how these lesions affect treatment decisions and survival outcomes. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 6971 patients diagnosed with breast cancer who underwent surgery at Asan Medical Center, Seoul, between January 2000 and December 2021. Patients were categorized based on the presence or absence of NMLs on preoperative MRI.

A randomized controlled trial of a digital lifestyle intervention involving postoperative patients with colorectal cancer.

Few studies have investigated quality of life (QoL) improvements in patients with colorectal cancer or the benefits of digital healthcare interventions. This randomized controlled trial assessed the impact of mobile applications on postoperative QoL in patients scheduled for curative surgery for colorectal cancer. Patients were randomized into three intervention groups (each using a different mobile application for postoperative lifestyle management) and a control group.

Exploring the efficacy of extended endocrine therapy in pure mucinous breast carcinoma.

Background: This study aims to compare the efficacy of 5- versus 10-year endocrine therapy in pure mucinous breast carcinoma (PMBC), focusing on late recurrence and related factors for personalized treatment.

Methods: Patients with PMBC who underwent surgery from 1996 to 2014 at Asan Medical Center were included. Recurrence was categorized as early (<5 years) or late (≥5 years).

Prognostic value of residual cancer burden after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer: a comprehensive subtype-specific analysis.

This study evaluated the prognostic impact of residual cancer burden (RCB) on breast cancer subtypes following neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). We retrospectively examined 2,416 breast cancer patients treated with NAC and surgery at Asan Medical Center (2015-2020). Baseline characteristics, clinicopathological parameters, recurrence, and survival outcomes were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression methods to assess RCB's prognostic significance across subtypes.

Stability of a ZEISS LISA tri 839MP multifocal IOL with a missing haptic segment in a high myopic patient: A 3-year follow-up case report.

Rationale: The purpose of this study was to present the long-term outcomes of a monobloc multifocal intraocular lens (IOL) (ZEISS LISA tri 839MP) with a missing haptic segment in a patient with high myopia.

Patient Concerns: A 51-year-old female with high myopia presented for cataract surgery.

Diagnoses: The patient was diagnosed with cataracts in both eyes, with high myopia as a pre-existing condition.

Feasibility of de-escalating axillary surgery in patients with clinical N2-3, pathological N0 breast cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) omission improves quality of life but is only considered under certain conditions. We investigated expanding these conditions in patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) for clinical N2-3, pathological N0 breast cancer. We retrospectively reviewed data of 1346 patients with clinical N2-3, M0, who underwent surgical resection (sentinel lymph node biopsy [SLNB] only, or level I-II ALND with/without SLNB) following NAC from January 2008 to December 2021.

Analysis of Metabolic and Quality-of-Life Factors in Patients With Cancer for a New Approach to Classifying Walking Habits: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: As the number of people diagnosed with cancer continues to increase, self-management has become crucial for patients recovering from cancer surgery or undergoing chemotherapy. Technology has emerged as a key tool in supporting self-management, particularly through interventions that promote physical activity, which is important for improving health outcomes and quality of life for patients with cancer. Despite the growing availability of digital tools that facilitate physical activity tracking, high-level evidence of their long-term effectiveness remains limited.

Levelized Electrode Utilization of Silicon-Enriched Pouch-Type Lithium-Ion Batteries from External Stress-Induced Overpotential Modulation.

The sectional utilization of the Si negative electrode resulted from the appropriate physical treatment of the pouch cell based on the distribution of electrical resistance. Active materials loaded near the tab have low electrical resistance, leading to a higher degree of lithiation in the Si near the tab. This localized utilization in large pouch cells causes significant polarization growth of the electrode due to mechanical and interphasial degradation.

Conversion of rice husks into antioxidative and prebiotic biomaterials using subcritical water pretreatment and cellulase incubation under high-pressure.

This study investigated the combined effects of subcritical water (SW, 170 °C) pretreatment and cellulase incubation under high-pressure (HP, 200 MPa) on the hydrolysis efficiency of rice husks (RH) and explored the antioxidative and prebiotic activities of the RH hydrolysates. The SW pretreatment disintegrated the cell wall of RH, increasing the brix and reducing sugar content. RH hydrolyzed by cellulase exhibited greater antioxidative activity than that before enzymatic treatment.

Geometric Design of Interface Structures and Electrolyte Solvation Chemistry for Fast Charging Lithium-Ion Batteries.

The grain sizes of solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) and solvation structure of electrolytes can affect Li ion transport across SEI and control the desolvation kinetics of solvated Li ions during fast-charging of Li-ion batteries (LIBs). However, the impact of the geometric structure of SEI grains on the fast charging capability of LIBs is rarely examined. Here, the correlation between the SEI grain size and fast charging characteristics of cells is explored, and the desolvation kinetics is controlled by replacing the strongly binding ethylene carbonate (EC) solvent with a weakly binding nitrile-based solvent under fast charging conditions.

Impact of HER2-Low Status on Pathologic Complete Response and Survival Outcome Among Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy.

Purpose: This study analyzed the pathological complete response (pCR) rates, long-term outcomes, and biological features of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-zero, HER2-low, and HER2-positive breast cancer patients undergoing neoadjuvant treatment.

Methods: This single-center study included 1,667 patients who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy from 2008 to 2014. Patients were categorized by HER2 status, and their clinicopathological characteristics, chemotherapy responses, and recurrence-free survival (RFS) rates were analyzed.

Ten-Year Follow-Up Clinical Outcomes and the Role of Adjuvant Chemotherapy in HER2-Positive Patients with Microinvasive Breast Cancer.

Purpose: Although HER2 positivity is prevalent in microinvasive breast cancer (MIBC), data focused on HER2-positive MIBC are limited. We investigated the clinical course and long-term outcomes of HER2-positive MIBC and evaluated the role of adjuvant chemotherapy.

Materials And Methods: The study included patients with curatively resected pT1mi pN0 HER2-positive breast cancer between January 2000 and January 2020.

Compositional changes and physiological activities of fresh ginseng extracts prepared at various temperatures in subcritical water.

Background: Subcritical water (SW) is regarded as an effective conversion technology for lignocellulosic biomass. The effect of SW on ginseng are limited to evaluate the ginsenoside composition of red ginseng, and there is little information on the effects of SW on fresh ginseng.

Methods: The general characteristics of ginseng extracts (GE) prepared with SW were evaluated in terms of brix, reducing sugar and residual solid content, and compositions of GE was estimated using chromatography.

The Potential of Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Exosomes to Treat Diabetes Mellitus.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a fatal metabolic disease characterized by persistent hyperglycemia. In recent studies, mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-derived exosomes, which are being investigated clinically as a cell-free therapy for various diseases, have gained attention due to their biomimetic properties that closely resemble natural cellular communication systems. These MSC-derived exosomes inherit the regenerative and protective effects from MSCs, inducing pancreatic β-cell proliferation and inhibiting apoptosis, as well as ameliorating insulin resistance by suppressing the release of various inflammatory cytokines.

Memory consolidation from a reinforcement learning perspective.

Memory consolidation refers to the process of converting temporary memories into long-lasting ones. It is widely accepted that new experiences are initially stored in the hippocampus as rapid associative memories, which then undergo a consolidation process to establish more permanent traces in other regions of the brain. Over the past two decades, studies in humans and animals have demonstrated that the hippocampus is crucial not only for memory but also for imagination and future planning, with the CA3 region playing a pivotal role in generating novel activity patterns.