Tight monitoring with colonoscopy and magnetic resonance enterography improves outcomes in patients with Crohn's disease.

Background And Aims: This study evaluated the impact of monitoring with colonoscopy and magnetic resonance enterography on clinical decision-making and long-term outcomes in advanced therapy-naïve Crohn's disease patients with moderate-to-severe disease.

Methods: A retrospective review was conducted on 157 biologic-naïve Crohn's disease patients with moderate-to-severe disease at the initiation of advanced therapy between 2006 and 2023. Participants were categorized into three groups according to monitoring method within two years post-treatment: (1) tight monitoring (colonoscopy and magnetic resonance enterography), (2) semi-tight monitoring (either colonoscopy or magnetic resonance enterography), and (3) conventional monitoring (clinical outcomes including laboratory tests only).

The index endoscopic characteristics associated with gastric neoplasms in serial screening of upper gastrointestinal endoscopy.

Background: Although biennial upper gastrointestinal endoscopy is recommended for gastric cancer screening in Korea, data regarding the endoscopic characteristics associated with the diagnosis of gastric neoplasms in serial endoscopic screening are limited. We aimed to evaluate the index endoscopic characteristics associated with the diagnosis of gastric neoplasms and adequate gastric cancer screening interval.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed cases of the patients diagnosed with gastric neoplasms, who showed no evidence of gastric neoplasms on index endoscopy between October 2005 and December 2022.

A real-world comparison of subcutaneous to intravenous administration of infliximab in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Background/aims: We compared intravenous and subcutaneous infliximab (IFX) as treatment for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Methods: This retrospective, multicenter, observational study enrolled patients treated with either intravenous or subcutaneous IFX. Sequential parameters were compared at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months following the initiation of treatment with either type of IFX.

Successful Endoscopic Vacuum-Assisted Closure Therapy for Esophageal Perforation: A Case Report.

Esophageal perforation can lead to serious complications, and rapid diagnosis and treatment significantly affect the prognosis. Endoscopic vacuum-assisted closure (EndoVAC) therapy is widely accepted as a safe, well-tolerated, effective, versatile and practical procedure for the management of esophageal perforation in selected patients. We report the successful use of EndoVAC therapy for management of an esophageal perforation secondary to foreign body removal.

Early-Stage Femoral Head Hypoperfusion Correlates with Femoral Head Deformity at Intermediate Follow-up in Legg-Calvé-Perthes Disease.

Background: Perfusion MRI (pMRI) can quantify femoral head hypoperfusion in early-stage Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease. We investigated whether the severity of hypoperfusion measured at the early stage correlates with femoral head deformity at intermediate-term follow-up.

Methods: Sixty-three patients who were 5 to 11 years of age at the diagnosis of Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease and who had pMRI performed at an early stage (Waldenström Stage 1 to 2a) were retrospectively reviewed.

Predictors of histologic remission in patients with biologic-naïve, moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis treated with first-line biologic agents and small-molecule drugs: a single-center, retrospective cohort study.

Background/aims: The prevalence and incidence of ulcerative colitis (UC) in Korea is increasing. Each patient has a different disease course and treatment response. Recently, with the development of biologic agents, histological remission has become a treatment goal.

Atopic dermatitis is associated with the clinical course of inflammatory bowel disease.

Objectives: There are a few studies about the relationship between inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and atopic dermatitis (AD). It is implied that both diseases have common pathophysiologic mechanisms and can affect each other. However, little information is available on the effect of AD on the clinical course of patients with IBD.

Positive Results from the Fecal Immunochemical Test Can Be Related to Dementia: A Nationwide Population-Based Study in South Korea.

Background: The fecal immunochemical test (FIT) is widely used in screening for colorectal cancer (CRC), but FIT results can be positive for diseases other than CRC.

Objective: We investigated the association between positive results of FIT and the incidence of dementia using a nationwide database.

Methods: FIT-positive participants were collected from a database provided by the Korean National Health Insurance Service.

Association between severe hepatic steatosis examined by Fibroscan and the risk of high-risk colorectal neoplasia.

The prevalence of colorectal neoplasm in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease has increased twice as high as that in the general population. FibroScan is a new modality for evaluating hepatic steatosis. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the risk of high-risk colorectal neoplasia and hepatic steatosis examined using FibroScan.

Concomitant ankylosing spondylitis can increase the risk of biologics or small molecule therapies to control inflammatory bowel disease.

Background/aims: Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) often. However, the disease course of patients with both IBD and AS is not well understood. This study aims to evaluate the effect of concomitant AS on IBD outcomes.

Clinical Course of COVID-19 in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Korea: a KASID Multicenter Study.

In 2020, the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) began to spread worldwide and remains an ongoing medical challenge. This case series reports on the clinical features and characteristics of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and confirmed COVID-19 infection. From February 2020 to March 2021, nine patients with IBD had confirmed COVID-19 across four hospitals in Korea.

Risk of Diabetes in Subjects with Positive Fecal Immunochemical Test: A Nationwide Population-Based Study.

Background: Positive fecal immunochemical test (FIT) results have been recently suggested as a risk factor for systemic inflammation. Diabetes induces inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract via several ways. We investigated the association between FIT results and the incidence of diabetes.

Vasorelaxant effects of 50 commonly used traditional herbal prescriptions on isolated rat aortic rings.

Objective: To investigate the vasorelaxant activities of 50 common traditional herbal prescriptions (THPs) on isolated rat aortic rings.

Methods: An electric extractor was used to extract THPs. Rat aortic rings were precontracted using phenylephrine in organ chambers containing Krebs-Henseleit solution.

Endothelium-Dependent Vasorelaxant Effect of Branch on Isolated Rat Thoracic Aorta.

Peach ( (L.) Batsch) is a popular fruit consumed by people worldwide, owing to its pleasant flavor and high mineral nutrient content. A few plants from the genus , such as , , and have shown vasorelaxant and vasodilatory effects, to date, no study has investigated the vasorelaxation effects of the branch extract (PPE).

In-Use Stability of the Rituximab Biosimilar CT-P10 (Truxima) Following Preparation for Intravenous Infusion and Storage.

Background: CT-P10 is the first biosimilar of the anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, rituximab. CT-P10 is currently available in over 51 countries worldwide, where it is approved in the same indications as its reference product rituximab. In-use stability studies are conducted for biologics to determine how conditions (e.

In-Use Physicochemical and Biological Stability of the Trastuzumab Biosimilar CT-P6 Upon Preparation for Intravenous Infusion.

Background: CT-P6 is a biosimilar of trastuzumab, a monoclonal antibody targeting human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2), that is used in the treatment of breast and gastric cancers.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the in-use physicochemical and biological stability of CT-P6 following preparation for intravenous (IV) infusion.

Methods: One batch of CT-P6 within the final month of its 48-month shelf life was used to simulate sub-optimal administration conditions.

Multi-zone simulation of outdoor particle penetration and transport in a multi-story building.

In areas with poor ambient air quality, indoor particle concentrations can be significantly affected by particulate matter originating outdoors. The indoor environments of multi-zone and multi-story buildings are affected differently by outdoor particles compared with single-family houses, because of the buildings' more complicated airflow characteristics. The objective of this study is to analyze outdoor particle penetration and transport, and their impact on indoor air, in a multi-zone and multi-story building using a CONTAMW simulation.

Synchrotron Small-Angle X-ray Scattering Study of Cross-Linked Polymeric Micelles.

Polymeric micelles of methoxypoly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(lactide) containing lysine units (mPEG-PLA-Lys4) were cross-linked by reacting of lysine moieties with a bifunctional bis(N-hydroxy-succinimide ester). The micelles were characterized in aqueous solution using dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy, and synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering. The mPEG-PLA-Lys4 was synthesized through the ring-opening polymerization of N6-carbobenzyloxy-L-lysine N-carboxyanhydride with amine-terminated mPEG-PLA and subsequent deprotection.

Iterative reconstruction of dual-source coronary CT angiography: assessment of image quality and radiation dose.

To assess the image quality and radiation dose of low-dose dual-source CT (DSCT) coronary angiography reconstructed using iterative reconstruction in image space (IRIS), in comparison with routine-dose CT using filtered back projection (FBP). Eighty-one patients underwent low-dose coronary DSCT using IRIS with two protocols: (a)100 kVp and 200 mAs per rotation for body mass index (BMI) < 25 (group I), (b)100 kVp and 320 mAs for BMI ≥ 25 (II). For comparison, two sex-and BMI-matched groups using standard protocols with FBP were selected: (a)100 kVp and 320 mAs for BMI < 25 (III), (b)120 kVp and 320 mAs for BMI ≥ 25 (IV).

Synchrotron grazing incidence X-ray scattering study of the morphological structures in thin films of a polymethacrylate diblock copolymer bearing POSS moieties.

The morphological structures in thin films of a diblock copolymer of methyl methacrylate and polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) functionalized methacrylate (PMMA-b-PMAPOSS) with a volume ratio of 13/87 were investigated in detail by using synchrotron grazing incidence small and wide-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS and GIWAXS). In addition, its thermal properties were studied. Thin films of this diblock copolymer were found to undergo phase-separation during solvent-annealing with carbon disulfide and post thermal annealing.

Reactive oxygen species and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor-mediated central sensitization in hindlimb ischemia/reperfusion injury-induced neuropathic pain rats.

Background: Reactive oxygen species (ROS) contribute to development of neuropathic pain. A neuropathic pain syndrome was produced in rats following prolonged hindpaw ischemia/reperfusion injury, creating an animal model of complex regional pain syndrome-Type I (CRPS-I). This study was designed to evaluate the validity of this model for ROS and pain research.