Detection of Copy Number Variations in Woori-Heukdon Populations with the Illumina PorcineSNP60 Bead-Chip Array.

This study investigated copy number variations (CNVs) in 2112 pigs from five populations: Korean Duroc (DUC), Korean Native Pig (KNP), and their crossbred offspring (F, F, and WRH). CNVs were detected using PennCNV and QuantiSNP, with CNVRuler identifying 698 CNV regions (CNVRs), covering 109 Mb (4.83%) of the porcine genome.

Selection signature analysis using whole genome resequencing data reveals candidate genes for white plumage color in Korean native ducks.

Objective: Domestication alters the phenotypes of wild animals to meet human demands and leaves characteristic patterns in their genomes. Various selection signature analysis methods have been developed to identify these characteristic patterns left in the genome. The Korean native duck (KND) is one of the domesticated species in Korea.

Preclinical testing of a new radiofrequency ablation device in a porcine perianal fistula model.

Purpose: Anorectal fistulas present a treatment challenge, with conventional surgical methods potentially resulting in complications such as fecal incontinence. To improve patient outcomes, more effective and minimally invasive therapies are critically needed. In this study, an optimal porcine model for the creation of anorectal fistulas was developed and used to evaluate the efficacy of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) therapy.

Optimizing injection accuracy for Baxter's nerve entrapment: an ultrasonography-guided approach based on anatomical surface landmarks.

Introduction: The clinical feasibility and applicability of surface landmarks for Baxter nerve entrapment to proximal and distal sites is unclear. This study provides anatomical guidelines for optimal transducer placement using two specific landmarks, the most inferior tip of the medial malleolus (A) and the most protruding posterior tip of the calcaneus (B), to enhance the diagnostic and therapeutic injection efficacy for proximal and distal entrapment sites.

Materials And Methods: Eighty-six feet from 45 fresh cadavers (25 male and 20 female) were dissected to determine Baxter's nerve (BN) localization.

Experience of Metronidazole Triple Therapy After Clarithromycin Triple Therapy Failure for Eradication in Korea.

Bismuth quadruple therapy (BQT) is recommended as the best second-line regimen after failure of first-line clarithromycin triple therapy (CTT) for eradication. However, there are some limitations to this approach, including the lack of an appropriate sequel regimen after failure of BQT and complicated administration. Metronidazole triple therapy (MTT) is simple to administer, but it is not widely recommended.

Microfluidic-Generated Injectable Bulking Agents with Biocompatible Surfaces and Their Mid-term Outcomes in a Rat Model with Anal Sphincter Injury.

Bulking agents have gained attention as new, minimally invasive treatments for fecal incontinence. Various materials and surface treatment techniques have been extensively studied to ensure good biocompatibility and long-term stability. Despite significant improvements in biocompatibility, the nonuniform particle size of existing materials has led to other challenges, such as the induction of phagocytosis or reduction of injectability during in vivo tests.

Echo-aware room impulse response generation.

In real-time applications, like interactive virtual reality environments, there is a significant need for low-complexity simulation of room impulse responses in highly complex virtual scenes, but this remains a challenging issue. In particular, simulating late reverberation using physically based acoustic modeling requires much computational effort, contrary to the early reflections that can be modeled by simpler techniques, e.g.

Efficacy of transdermal buprenorphine patch for managing withdrawal symptoms in patients with cancer physically dependent on prescription opioids.

Background: The physical dependence on prescription opioids among cancer survivors remains an under-investigated area, with a scarcity of well-designed prospective studies.

Methods: This single-arm, phase-2 clinical trial in Korea assessed the efficacy and safety of a transdermal buprenorphine patch (TBP) in managing physical dependence on prescription opioids in cancer survivors, as confirmed through the DSM-5 criteria or psychiatric consultation for opioid withdrawal. This study involved a 4-phase treatment protocol of screening, induction/stabilization, discontinuation, and monitoring.

Surface anatomy and levator scapulae muscle injection: A cadaveric investigation.

Accurate detection of the levator scapulae muscle is critical for effective diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. The commonly used surface anatomy approach has not been validated and is less accurate than ultrasound-guided techniques. Therefore, we determined the needle insertion point for the levator scapulae using a new technique based on the anatomy of the scapula.

Deep learning image reconstruction of diffusion-weighted imaging in evaluation of prostate cancer focusing on its clinical implications.

Background: Image-based assessment of prostate cancer (PCa) is increasingly emphasized in the diagnostic workflow for selecting biopsy targets and possibly predicting clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa). Assessment is based on Prostate Imaging-Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) which is largely dependent on T2-weighted image (T2WI) and diffusion weighted image (DWI). This study aims to determine whether deep learning reconstruction (DLR) can improve the image quality of DWI and affect the assessment of PI-RADS ≥4 in patients with PCa.

Reliability of Ultrasound Measurement of Plantar Fascia Thickness: A Systematic Review.

Background: Because ultrasound measurement of plantar fascia thickness is widely used in the diagnosis and evaluation of plantar fasciitis, it is important to understand and minimize the errors that occur with this measurement. The aim of this systematic review was to identify and synthesize studies reporting on intrarater and interrater reliability of ultrasound measurement of plantar fascia thickness.

Methods: After comprehensive searches in the MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases, 11 studies involving 238 healthy participants and 68 patients with pathologic foot disorders were included.

Optimal needle electromyography approach to the serratus anterior muscle.

Introduction/aims: There are two conventional needle electromyography (EMG) approaches to the serratus anterior (SA), both of which can result in erroneous insertion into adjacent structures such as the latissimus dorsi (LD), teres major, or external oblique abdominis muscles and pose a risk of long thoracic nerve (LTN) injury. Therefore, we identified a novel needle insertion point for the SA in cadavers that avoids other muscles and LTN injury.

Methods: This study included 17 cadavers: 12 to devise the new method and 5 to verify its accuracy.

Profiling of differentially expressed proteins between fresh and frozen-thawed Duroc boar semen using ProteinChip CM10.

Many studies have been conducted to improve technology for semen cryopreservation in pigs. However, computer-assisted analysis of sperm motility and morphology is insufficient to predict the molecular function of frozen-thawed semen. More accurate expression patterns of boar sperm proteins may be derived using the isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) technique.

Multifocal skull-compensated transcranial focused ultrasound system for neuromodulation applications based on acoustic holography.

Transcranial focused ultrasound stimulation is a promising therapeutic modality for human brain disorders because of its noninvasiveness, long penetration depth, and versatile spatial control capability through beamforming and beam steering. However, the skull presents a major hurdle for successful applications of ultrasound stimulation. Specifically, skull-induced focal aberration limits the capability for accurate and versatile targeting of brain subregions.

Clinical Features of Hepatitis C Virus-related Acute-on-chronic Liver Failure in a Korean Population.

Background/aims: Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a widely recognized concept in which acute decompensation (AD) in patients with cirrhosis results in organ failure and high short-term mortality. On the other hand, few studies reflecting the various etiologies of cirrhosis are available. This study examined the clinical features of patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related ACLF.

Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis with the Synchronous Invasion of Stomach and Colon in an Adult Patient: A Case Report.

Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is reported less frequently in adults than in children. The most common site of involvement in adults is the bone, accounting for 30-50% of cases. The gastrointestinal tract is very rare, accounting for approximately 2%.

Successful treatment through staged laparoscopic transgastric endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography for postoperative bile leakage: A case report.

Introduction: Therapeutic laparoscopic-assisted transgastric endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (LA-ERCP) is a safe and effective technique for patient who are unable to receive endoscopic or percutaneous transhepatic treatment. This procedure shows a high overall success rate in managing pancreaticobiliary complications, comparable to that of ERCP.

Patient Concerns: A 51-year-old man had abdominal pain for 2 days.

Comparison of eradication rates of moxifloxacin-rifabutin triple therapy and bismuth quadruple therapy as second-line regimens in patients with peptic ulcers.

Background: Bismuth quadruple (BQ) therapy is known to have poor patient compliance and a complex dosing method, and no appropriate third-line regimen exists if second-line BQ therapy fails. In Korea, some alternative regimens have shown unsatisfactory eradication rates. Therefore, we investigated the success rates of the second-line moxifloxacin-rifabutin triple (MRT) regimen and compared it with BQ regimen in subgroup analysis of peptic ulcer patients.

Ectopic peritoneal paragonimiasis mimicking tuberculous peritonitis: A care report.

Background: The most common site of paragonimiasis is in the lungs. The migratory route passes through the duodenal wall, peritoneum, and diaphragm to the lungs; thus, the thoracic cavity and central nervous system, as well as the liver, intestine, and abdominal cavity may be involved. Here, we present a case of intraperitoneal paragonimiasis without other organ involvement, mimicking tuberculous peritonitis.

Use of Host Feeding Behavior and Gut Microbiome Data in Estimating Variance Components and Predicting Growth and Body Composition Traits in Swine.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of feeding behavior in conjunction with gut microbiome sampled at two growth stages in predicting growth and body composition traits of finishing pigs. Six hundred and fifty-one purebred boars of three breeds: Duroc (DR), Landrace (LR), and Large White (LW), were studied. Feeding activities were recorded individually from 99 to 163 days of age.

Functional Characterization of Endothelial Cells Differentiated from Porcine Epiblast Stem Cells.

Endothelial cells (ECs), lining blood vessels' lumen, play an essential role in regulating vascular functions. As multifunctional components of vascular structures, pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) are the promising source for potential therapeutic applications in various vascular diseases. Our laboratory has previously established an approach for differentiating porcine epiblast stem cells (pEpiSCs) into ECs, representing an alternative and potentially superior cell source.

Significance of Altered Fatty Acid Transporter Expressions in Uterine Cervical Cancer and Its Precursor Lesions.

Background: High-risk human papilloma virus (HR HPV) infection is a major factor leading to the development of uterine cervical cancer. Data suggest that alterations in lipid metabolism are related to the pathogenesis of cervical cancer. Specifically, the uptake of exogenous fatty acids and their intracellular storage in lipid droplets enables cancer cells to survive and adapt to the changing tumor environment.