HierSpeech++: Bridging the Gap Between Semantic and Acoustic Representation of Speech by Hierarchical Variational Inference for Zero-Shot Speech Synthesis.

Large language model (LLM)-based speech synthesis has been widely adopted in zero-shot speech synthesis. However, they require a large-scale data and possess the same limitations as previous autoregressive speech models, including slow inference speed and lack of robustness. This article proposes HierSpeech++, a fast and strong zero-shot speech synthesizer for text-to-speech (TTS) and voice conversion (VC).

Modified apical dissection during robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RALP) has improved patient recovery, but achieving optimal functional outcomes remains a challenge, especially early urinary continence. The Modified Apical Dissection (MAD) technique has been suggested to improve early continence compared to conventional RALP. A comprehensive search of PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central databases was conducted to identify studies on MAD from inception to March 2024.

The association between the severity of erectile dysfunction and left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in patients with and without cardiovascular disease.

Purpose: Erectile dysfunction (ED) is considered a microvascular disorder and serves as an indicator for the potential development of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Although left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) reflects early myocardial damage caused by microvascular disorders, the association between ED and LVDD remains poorly elucidated.

Materials And Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 123 patients with ED.

Flow arrest during carotid artery stenting with a distal embolic protection device: A single-center experience and clinical implications.

Objective: We aimed to investigate the incidence of flow arrest during carotid artery stenting (CAS) with filter-type embolic protection device (EPD), identify any predisposing factors for those situations, and contemplate intraprocedural precautionary steps.

Methods: CAS was performed in 128 patients with 132 arteries using filter-type EPD. The characteristics of treated patients and arteries were compared between groups with and without flow arrest.

The Unique Relationship between Neuro-Critical Care and Critical Illness-Related Corticosteroid Insufficiency : Implications for Neurosurgeons in Neuro-Critical Care.

The brain houses vital hormonal regulatory structures such as the hypothalamus and pituitary gland, which may confer unique susceptibilities to critical illness-related corticosteroid insufficiency (CIRCI) in patients with neurological disorders. In addition, the frequent use of steroids for therapeutic purposes in various neurological conditions may lead to the development of steroid insufficiency. This abstract aims to highlight the significance of understanding these relationships in the context of patient care and management for physicians.

Optimizing Mannitol Use in Managing Increased Intracranial Pressure: A Comprehensive Review of Recent Research and Clinical Experiences.

Mannitol, derived from mannose sugar, is crucial in treating patients with elevated intracranial pressure (ICP). Its dehydrating properties at the cellular and tissue levels increase plasma osmotic pressure, which is studied for its potential to reduce ICP through osmotic diuresis. While clinical guidelines support mannitol use in these cases, the best approach for its application continues to be debated.

Variability of response on prophylactic prasugrel for endovascular treatment of intracranial aneurysms: Clinical implications.

Background And Purpose: Prophylactic prasugrel for endovascular treatment of intracranial aneurysms has been introduced and increased, but HTPR (high on-treatment platelet reactivity) or LTPR (low on-treatment platelet reactivity) of prasugrel is not uncommon in clinical circumstances. To investigate the predisposing factors of HTPR and LTPR on prasugrel premedication in the neurointerventional field and to determine its clinical implications.

Materials And Methods: Between February 2016 and December 2020, 191 patients treated with coil embolization using prophylactic prasugrel in 234 intracranial aneurysms were the final candidates for this study.

Weekend effect on 30-day mortality for ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke analyzed using severity index and staffing level.

Background And Purpose: Previous studies on the weekend effect-a phenomenon where stroke outcomes differ depending on whether the stroke occurred on a weekend-mostly targeted ischemic stroke and showed inconsistent results. Thus, we investigated the weekend effect on 30-day mortality in patients with ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke considering the confounding effect of stroke severity and staffing level.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data of patients hospitalized for ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2018, which were extracted from the claims database of the National Health Insurance System and the Medical Resource Report by the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service.

The Unique Relationship between Neuro-Critical Care and Critical Illness-Related Corticosteroid Insufficiency : Implications for Neurosurgeons in Neuro-Critical Care.

The brain houses vital hormonal regulatory structures such as the hypothalamus and pituitary gland, which may confer unique susceptibilities to critical illness-related corticosteroid insufficiency (CIRCI) in patients with neurological disorders. In addition, the frequent use of steroids for therapeutic purposes in various neurological conditions may lead to the development of steroid insufficiency. This abstract aims to highlight the significance of understanding these relationships in the context of patient care and management for physicians.

The Incidence of Brain-Dead Donors Based on Screening and Management Led by Intensivists.

BACKGROUND This study aimed to compare the incidence of brain-dead (BD) donors and potential brain-dead (PBD) donors before vs after the introduction of intensivists. MATERIAL AND METHODS This longitudinal retrospective study was performed between January 2012 and December 2020 at Seoul Metropolitan Government-Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center. Four dedicated intensivists were introduced in January 2016.

Modified apical dissection improves early continence in robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy: Comparative study between modified apical dissection and anterior suspension stitch.

Purpose: Recently, the modified apical dissection (MAD) technique in robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RARP) has shown excellent functional outcomes but has never been rigorously validated at various institutions. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of MAD on early continence and potency compared with the anterior suspension stitch (SS) technique.

Materials And Methods: A total of 100 patients who underwent RARP with SS and 100 who underwent RARP with MAD by a single surgeon were propensity score matched and retrospectively compared for continence and potency recovery at 1 week and 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months.

Preparation of copper-loaded porous carbons through hydrothermal carbonization and ZnCl activation and their application to selective CO adsorption: Experimental and DFT calculation studies.

CO is used as a raw material to produce valuable chemicals. Adsorption using solid materials can be employed to separate and recover CO from gas mixtures. In this study, cellulose-based, porous carbons were prepared via hydrothermal carbonization and ZnCl activation.

Long-term outcomes of treatment for unruptured intracranial aneurysms in South Korea: clipping versus coiling.

Background: The long-term outcomes of endovascular coiling and surgical clipping for the treatment of unruptured intracranial aneurysms are unclear.

Methods: We performed a nationwide retrospective cohort study using claims data from the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service on patients undergoing surgical clipping or endovascular coiling from 2008 to 2014. Inverse probability treatment weighting for average treatment effect on the treated and the multiple imputation method were used to balance covariates and handle missing values.

Detection and recurrence rate of transurethral resection of bladder tumors by narrow-band imaging: Prospective, randomized comparison with white light cystoscopy.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of narrow-band imaging (NBI) as a diagnostic tool for detecting bladder tumors during cystoscopy compared with white light cystoscopy (WLC).

Materials And Methods: From December 2013 to June 2017, a randomized prospective study was conducted on 198 patients underwent transurethral resection of bladder tumor by a single surgeon. The patients were divided into two groups according to diagnostic method.

Outcomes in 20 Gynecologic Cancer Patient with Brain Metastasis: A Single Institution Retrospective Study.

Background: The incidence of brain metastasis (BM) in gynecologic cancers has risen recently, due to prolonged survival times and an early diagnosis. We analyzed treatment outcomes of patients with BM from gynecologic cancers.

Methods: Among 951 patients with BM who were treated in neurosurgical department from July 2003 to February 2016, a total of 20 (2%) patients were from gynecologic cancers.

Surgical Removal of a Ruptured Radiculomedullary Artery Aneurysm: A Case Report.

Subarachnoid hemorrhage due to a solitary spinal aneurysm is extremely rare, and diagnosis and treatment are challenging. We report a rare case of a ruptured radiculomedullary artery aneurysm in a patient with Behçet disease. A 49-year-old man presented with severe lower abdominal and leg pain.

Concurrent and predictive validation of robotic simulator Tube 3 module.

Purpose: We previously described a new procedure specific module (Tube 3) to allow the practice of vesicourethral anastomosis after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy. Herein, we report a predetermined proficiency level of Tube 3 and preliminary validation to explore whether this new module can lead to performance improvement in the da Vinci system.

Materials And Methods: Eight urology residents and three urology fellows performed the Tube 3 module 1 hour daily for 7 days.

Renal cryoablation of small renal masses: a Korea University experience.

Purpose: To evaluate the perioperative, functional, and oncological outcomes of renal cryoablation (RC) of small renal masses (SRMs) performed in Korea University Hospital.

Materials And Methods: We reviewed an Institutional Review Board-approved database of 70 patients who underwent RC and were followed up for a minimum of 3 months by a single surgeon in Korea University Hospital from August 2007 to May 2014. Among these patients, 68 patients (79 renal masses) were enrolled in our research.

Standardized analysis of complications after robot-assisted radical cystectomy: Korea University Hospital experience.

Purpose: To analyze the complications after robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) by use of a standardized reporting methodology by a single surgeon.

Materials And Methods: We prospectively reviewed a maintained institutional database of 52 patients who underwent RARC to manage bladder cancer and were followed up in 3 months by a single surgeon at Korea University Medical Center from 2007 through 2014. All complications within 90 days of surgery were defined and categorized into 5 grades according to the Clavien-Dindo classification.

Host-guest chemistry in the gas phase: selected fragmentations of CB[6]-peptide complexes at lysine residues and its utility to probe the structures of small proteins.

The gas phase host-guest chemistry between cucurbit[6]uril (CB[6]) and peptide is investigated using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). CB[6] exhibits a high preference to interacting with a Lys residue in a peptide forming a CB[6]-peptide complex. Collisionally activated CB[6] complexes of peptides yield a common highly selective fragment product at m/z 549.

Enhanced Cr(vi) removal using iron nanoparticle decorated graphene.

Nanoscale iron particles decorated graphene sheets synthesized via sodium borohydride reduction of graphene oxide, showed enhanced magnetic property, surface area and Cr(vi) adsorption capacity compared to bare iron nanoparticles.

Thermally stable intermolecular proton bonds in polyaromatic aldehyde crystals.

We have synthesized self-assembled red-colored proton complexes of the aldehyde derivatives of polyaromatic hydrocarbon with strong intermolecular hydrogen bonding. These intermolecularly proton-bonded polyaromatic aldehydes formed as 1-pyrenecarbaldehyde (Py-CHO) reacted with HAuCl(4) to produce [(Py-CHO)(2)H][AuCl(4)] under dry conditions. The formation of [(Py-CHO)(2)H][AuCl(4)] was confirmed by single-crystal structure determination and IR spectral analysis at various temperatures.

Work-Function Engineering of Graphene Electrodes by Self-Assembled Monolayers for High-Performance Organic Field-Effect Transistors.

We have devised a method to optimize the performance of organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) by controlling the work functions of graphene electrodes by functionalizing the surface of SiO2 substrates with self-assembled monolayers (SAMs). The electron-donating NH2-terminated SAMs induce strong n-doping in graphene, whereas the CH3-terminated SAMs neutralize the p-doping induced by SiO2 substrates, resulting in considerable changes in the work functions of graphene electrodes. This approach was successfully utilized to optimize electrical properties of graphene field-effect transistors and organic electronic devices using graphene electrodes.