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RyungA Kang,1,* Seungwon Lee,1,* Gaab Soo Kim,1 Ji Seon Jeong,1 Mi Sook Gwak,1 Jong Man Kim,2 Gyu-Seong Choi,2 Yoon Jee Cho,1 Justin Sangwook Ko1 1Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea; 2Department of Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Justin Sangwook KoDepartment of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 81 Irwon ro, Gangnam gu, Seoul, 06351, KoreaTel +82-2-3410-2454Fax +82-2-3410-0361Email jsko@skku.eduPurpose: Ultrasound-guided fascial plane blocks, including the erector spinae plane (ESP) and quadratus lumborum (QL) blocks, provide effective postoperative abdominal analgesia. However, there is limited evidence on the analgesic efficacy of ESP and QL blocks after liver surgery. Therefore, we aimed to compare the cumulative opioid consumption between the ESP and QL blocks in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma undergoing laparoscopic liver resection.Patients and Methods: Eighty-eight patients scheduled to undergo laparoscopic liver resection were randomized to receive bilateral single injection of ESP block at T8 (ESP group) or bilateral single injection of posterior QL block (QL group; 20 mL of 0.375% ropivacaine for each side, ie, total 150 mg of ropivacaine), in addition to intravenous (IV) fentanyl patient-controlled analgesia and multimodal analgesia. The primary outcome was cumulative opioid consumption over the first 24 h, expressed as IV morphine equivalents. Secondary outcomes included serial plasma ropivacaine concentrations, pain scores, time to first flatus, and Quality of Recovery-15 scores.Results: Eighty-five patients were analyzed (ESP group, n = 42; QL group, n = 43). Cumulative 24-h opioid consumption was similar between the ESP and QL groups (41.4 ± 22.6 mg vs 44.2 ± 20.0 mg, mean difference (QL-ESP), 2.8 mg, 95% confidence interval, − 6.4 to 12 mg, p > 0.99). There were no significant differences in resting pain scores at 24, 48 and 72 h postoperatively or recovery outcomes. The peak plasma ropivacaine concentration 30 min after injection was significantly higher in the ESP group (1.5 ± 0.3 μg/mL) than in the QL group (1.3 ± 0.5 μg/mL, p = 0.035); however, both were lower than the arterial threshold value of systemic toxicity (4.3 μg/mL).Conclusion: ESP and QL blocks provided similar postoperative analgesia in patients undergoing laparoscopic liver resection.Keywords: regional anesthesia, erector spinae plane block, laparoscopic liver resection, quadratus lumborum block, ropivacaine

Yoon Hee Lee,1– 3 Gun Oh Chong,1– 3 Su Jeong Kim,1,2 Ja Hyun Hwang,1,2 Jong Mi Kim,1,2 Nora Jee-Young Park,3,4 Dae Gy Hong1,2 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea; 2Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kyungpook National University Chilgok Hospital, Daegu, Republic of Korea; 3Clinical Omics Research Center, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea; 4Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of KoreaCorrespondence: Gun Oh ChongKyungpook National University Chilgok Hospital, 807 Hogukno, Buk-Gu, Daegu, 700-720, Republic of KoreaTel +82-53-200-2684Fax +82-53-200-2028Email gochong@knu.ac.krObjective: This study evaluated the prognostic value of various lymph node (LN) characteristics, including the lymph node ratio (LNR), in patients with cervical cancer treated with radical hysterectomy.Methods: In this retrospective study, 260 patients with cervical cancer who had undergone radical hysterectomy with pelvic or paraaortic lymphadenectomies were included. LN characteristics related to several LN statuses included total LN counts, LN metastasis, total positive LN counts, LNR, and levels of lymphadenectomy. LNR was defined as the number of metastatic LNs divided by the total number of LNs harvested. Univariate and multivariate analyses for disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were performed using the clinicopathological and LN characteristics.Results: Based on receiver-operating characteristics curve analysis, the cut-off value of LNR was 0.0625. Multivariate analysis revealed that high LNR was significantly related to tumor recurrence (hazard ratio [HR], 5.182; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.424– 11.075; p < 0.0001). After adjusting for clinicopathological factors, LNR was also independent prognostic factor for predicting tumor recurrence (HR, 5.930; 95% CI, 2.114– 16.634; p = 0.0007). However, total retrieved LN counts and level of lymphadenectomy were not associated with survival outcomes.Conclusion: LNR may be a prognostic biomarker for predicting disease recurrence in cervical cancer treated with radical hysterectomy.Keywords: cervical cancer, lymph node ratio, radical hysterectomy, prognosis

Chandraketu Singh,1 Mustafa Kamal,2 Garib Nath Singh,1 Jong-Min Kim3 1Department of Mathematics & Computing, Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines), Dhanbad, 826004, India; 2Department of Basic Sciences, College of Science and Theoretical Studies, Saudi Electronic University, Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; 3Statistics Discipline, Division of Sciences and Mathematics, University of Minnesota-Morris, Morris, MN, 56267-2134, USACorrespondence: Chandraketu SinghDepartment of Mathematics & Computing, Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines), Dhanbad, 826004, IndiaEmail Chandraketu.lko@gmail.comIntroduction: In biometric sample surveys, our objective is to get ready-made information for future planning and policy implementations related to the subject matters of highly sensitive issues. In such situations, we apply randomized response/scrambled response techniques. There are many highly sensitive issues which need to be examined over time as they may have a tendency to change. To get rid of these types of practical cases we need a scrambled response technique on successive occasions.Methods: Using an additive and multiplicative technique, we proposed new effective scrambled response models to estimate the population mean of quantitative sensitive characteristics. Degree of privacy protection and unified measure approaches are used to examine the efficacy of the proposed models. Efficiency of the proposed models has been checked using MATLAB software. The utility of the proposed models under two occasions of successive sampling has been also explored using exponential-type estimators. Empirical and simulation studies are carried out to justify the proposition of the proposed estimators using MATLAB software.Results: The percent relative efficiencies of the proposed models are always greater than 100 with respect to the well-known Bar-Lev et al model. In terms of degree of privacy protection, most of the values are greater than 0.5 and closer to 1. Similarly, the values of the proposed models are smaller with respect to the Bar-Lev et al model in terms of a unified measure approach. When the proposed scrambled response models are used on successive occasions, the percent relative efficiency is always found greater than 100 for all cases over its competitors.Discussion: In this study, after deeply examining the properties of the proposed models, we found that the proposed models performed better over the well-known existing model. The proposed models may be used in human survey when we deal with highly sensitive issues. The proposed models also performed better when we utilized them in successive sampling. Hence, if sensitive characteristics change with time, the proposed estimators may be the best alternative to deal with these types of situations.Mathematics Subject Classification: 62D05.Keywords: scrambled response model, privacy protection, successive sampling, mean square error, Monte Carlo simulation

Jong Man Kim, Jae-Won Joh, Gyu-Seong Choi, Suk-Koo Lee Department of Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of KoreaCorrespondence: Jae-Won JohDepartment of Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Irwon-Ro 81, Gangnam-Gu, Seoul 06351, Republic of KoreaTel +82-2-3410-3466Fax +82-2-3410-0040Email jw.joh@samsung.comBackground: Generic tacrolimus (Tacrobell®) is commonly used in liver transplant patients in Korea. No previous studies have assessed the long-term efficacy and safety of generic tacrolimus for adult deceased donor liver transplantation (DDLT) patients. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the long-term efficacy and safety of generic tacrolimus compared to brand-name tacrolimus (Prograf®) in adult DDLT recipients.Methods: Two hundred sixty-five adult DDLTs were performed in our center between 2003 and 2017. To determine the efficacy and safety of generic tacrolimus, renal function (estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] and creatinine), infectious complications, rejection-free survival rates, and patient survival rates were investigated.Results: Of 265 patients, 193 were selected and divided into a generic tacrolimus group (n=147) and a brand-name group (n=46). Mean follow-up duration was 63.2 ± 44.3 months. The 1-year, 3-year, 5-year, and 10-year patient survival rates were 89.1%, 86.9%, 84.5%, and 75.2%, respectively, in the generic tacrolimus group and 95.7%, 88.9%, 86.3%, and 83.7% in the brand-name tacrolimus group. There were no statistically significant differences in the infectious complications, new-onset diabetes, and renal dysfunction included mean serum creatinine level or eGFR after DDLT between the two groups. Increased recipient age, continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) in the pre-transplant phase, and acute rejection were predisposing factors for patient death.Conclusion: The present study shows that generic tacrolimus is an alternative comparable to brand-name tacrolimus in adult DDLT patients.Keywords: liver transplantation, immunosuppression, safety, efficacy

Hakyoung Kim,1,* Hongseok Yoo,2,* Hongryull Pyo,3 Yong Chan Ahn,3 Jae Myoung Noh,3 Sang Gyu Ju,4 Woojin Lee,4 Byoungsuk Park,4 Jin Man Kim,4 Noeul Kang,2 Sun Hye Shin,2 Man Pyo Chung,2 Sumin Shin,5 Hye Seung Kim,6 Minsu Park,6 Hye Yun Park2 1Department of Radiation Oncology, Korea University Guro Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea; 2Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea; 3Department of Radiation Oncology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea; 4Department of Radiation Oncology, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea; 5Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea; 6Statistics and Data Center, Samsung Biomedical Research Institute, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Hye Yun ParkDivision of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 81 Irwon-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul 06351, Republic of KoreaTel +82-2-3410-3429Fax +82-2-3410-3849Email hyeyunpark@skku.eduHongryull PyoDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 81 Irwon-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul 06351, Republic of KoreaTel +82-2-3410-2438Fax +82-2-3410-2619Email hr.pyo@samsung.comPurpose: Current guidelines recommend definitive radiotherapy for patients with medically inoperable early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the impact of underlying pulmonary diseases on survival in those patients remains unclear.Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 234 patients with stage I-II NSCLC treated with definitive radiotherapy alone at Samsung Medical Center between January 2010 and October 2017. We compared survival outcomes according to the presence of underlying pulmonary diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema (CPFE), and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). The control group in this study was stage I-II NSCLC patients who were non-COPD, non-CPFE, and non-IPF.Results: The median follow-up duration was 17 (range, 1–92) months. The median survival times of the control, COPD, CPFE, and IPF groups were 32, 49, 17, and 12 months, respectively (P

Jong Man Kim,* Jong Wook Oh,* Sangjin Kim, Jinsoo Rhu, Ji Soo Lee, Kyeong Sik Kim, Gyu-Seong Choi, Jae-Won JohDepartment of Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea*These authors contributed equally to this workBackground: Tablet and capsule forms have advantages and disadvantages in the market. Generally, the tablet form (500 mg) of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) is more convenient for drug ingestion and more cost-effective than the capsule form (250 mg). We examined the efficacy and safety of MMF in its different forms combined with tacrolimus in liver transplant recipients.Methods: A randomized controlled trial was performed to compare the efficacy and safety between the tablet form of MMF (tablet group) and the capsule form of MMF (capsule group) in liver transplant patients. One hundred sixteen patients were enrolled in the present study from 2014 to 2017. Fifty-six patients in the full-analysis set (FAS) population were in the capsule group and 60 were in the tablet group. The primary endpoint was incidence of biopsy-proven acute rejection (BPAR) by 24 weeks after liver transplantation (LT). Secondary endpoints were patient survival, serum creatinine level, and adverse events (AEs).Results: In the per-protocol population, 45 patients were in the tablet group and 49 were in the capsule group. There were no statistically significant differences in MMF dose, mycophenolic acid trough level, and tacrolimus trough level between the two groups. The incidence of BPAR at 24 weeks after randomization was 6.7% in the tablet group and 6.1% in the capsule group (P=0.627). All patients with BPAR responded well to steroid pulse therapy and increased tacrolimus. Serum creatine level and eGFR were not different between the two groups. The incidence of serious AEs was 7.2% in the tablet group and 7.6% in the capsule group, and none were related to formulation. There was no significant difference in incidence of discontinuations or serious AEs between the two groups.Conclusion: The present study suggests that the new tablet formulation can be a useful treatment option to maintain a consistent systemic exposure level of MMF, which may help reduce graft failure in liver transplant patients.Keywords: tacrolimus, liver transplantation, efficacy, immunosuppression

Yeo Jin Kim,1,2 Md Mujibur Rahman,1 Sang Min Lee,2 Jung Min Kim,3 Kwangsik Park,4 Joo-Hyon Kang,5 Young Rok Seo1,2 1Institute of Environmental Medicine for Green Chemistry, Dongguk University Biomedi Campus, Ilsandong-gu, Goyang-si, Republic of Korea; 2Department of Life Science, Dongguk University Biomedi Campus, Ilsandong-gu, Goyang-si, Republic of Korea; 3Genoplan Korea, Inc., Seocho-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea; 4College of Pharmacy, Dongduk Women’s University, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea; 5Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Dongguk University, Jung-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea Background: Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are widely used in industrial and household applications, arousing concern regarding their safety in humans. The risks posed by stabilizer-coated AgNPs continue to be unclear, and assessing their toxicity is for an understanding of the safety issues involved in their use in various applications. Purpose: We aimed to investigated the long-term toxicity of citrate-coated silver nanoparticles (cAgNPs) in liver tissue using several toxicity tests and transcriptomic analysis at 7 and 28 days after a single intravenous injection into rabbit ear veins (n=4). Materials and methods: The cAgNPs used in this study were in the form of a 20% (w/v) aqueous solution, and their size was 7.9±0.95 nm, measured using transmission electron microscopy. The animal experiments were performed based on the principles of good laboratory practice. Results: Our results showed that the structure and function of liver tissue were disrupted due to a single exposure to cAgNPs. In addition, in vivo comet assay showed unrepaired genotoxicity in liver tissue until 4 weeks after a single injection, suggesting a potential carcinogenic effect of cAgNPs. In our transcriptomic analysis, a total of 244 genes were found to have differential expression at 28 days after a single cAgNP injection. Carefully curated pathway analysis of these genes using Pathway Studio and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis tools revealed major molecular networks responding to cAgNP exposure and indicated a high correlation of the genes with inflammation, hepatotoxicity, and cancer. Molecular validation suggested potential biomarkers for assessing the toxicity of accumulated cAgNPs. Conclusion: Our investigation highlights the risk associated with a single cAgNP exposure with unrepaired damage persisting for at least a month. Keywords: nanotoxicity, liver toxicity, prolonged tissue damage, differentially expressed genes, molecular pathway analysis

Ji Min Kim,1 Jung Eun Choo,1 Ki Nam Kim,1 Yang Seok Kim2 1Life Science Research Institute, Daewoong Pharmaceutical Co.,Ltd., Yongin, Korea; 2Department of Science in Korean Medicine, Kyng Hee University, Seoul, Korea Background: Ultraviolet A (UVA) rays reach the dermal skin layer and generate oxidative stress, DNA damage, and cell inflammation, which in turn lead to photo-aging and photo-carcinogenesis. While there have been many studies about the beneficial effects of topical epidermal growth factor (EGF) treatment in the healing of wounds, the effect of EGF on UVA-induced skin irritation remains unknown. To clarify the effects of EGF on UVA-induced skin damage, it was investigated whether EGF signaling can affect intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and DNA damages in UVA-irradiated human dermal fibroblasts. Materials and methods: Fibroblasts cultured with or without rhEGF were UVA-irradiated at 40 mJ/cm2 twice per day for 5 days. After the irradiation, the intracellular ROS levels and expression of catalase and superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD-1) in the fibroblasts were ascertained. Further investigation to determine the effects of EGF on UVA-induced DNA damage, including a single cell gel electrophoresis assay and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), was carried out. Moreover, the NF-κB activity was ascertained in order to investigate the effects of EGF on UVA-irradiated fibroblasts. Results: As a result, it was revealed that recombinant human EGF (rhEGF) inhibited UVA-increased intracellular ROS in the fibroblasts and increased the expression of catalase and SOD-1. Moreover, in UVA-irradiated fibroblasts, the longest DNA-damaged tails were observed, but this phenomenon was not detected in cells cotreated with both UVA and rhEGF. Also, it was observed that DNA damage induction, including that of cyclobutene pyrimidine dimers, pyrimidine (6-4) pyrimidone photoproducts, and 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine, was caused by UVA irradiation. Similar to previous results, it was downregulated by rhEGF. Furthermore, rhEGF also inhibited NF-κB gene expression and the NF-κB p65 protein level in the nucleus induced by UVA irradiation. Conclusion: These results suggest that EGF might be a useful material for preventing or improving photo-aging. Keywords: epidermal growth factor, UVA, catalase, superoxide dismutase-1, cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers, pyrimidine (6-4) pyrimidone photoproducts, 8-hydroxy-2 -deoxyguanosine

Eunjoo Kim,1 Joon Mee Kim,2 Lucia Kim,2 Suk Jin Choi,2 In Suh Park,2 Jee Young Han,2 Young Chae Chu,2 Eun Sook Choi,1 Kun Na,3 Soon-Sun Hong4 1Division of Nano and Energy Convergence Research, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), Daegu, 2Department of Pathology, Inha University College of Medicine, Incheon, 3Department of Biotechnology, Catholic University of Korea, Bucheon, 4Department of Biomedical Sciences, Inha University College of Medicine, Incheon, South Korea Abstract: In recent years, iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) have been applied widely to biomedical fields. However, the relationship between the physicochemical properties of IONPs and their biological behavior is not fully understood yet. We prepared 3-methacryloxypropyl­trimethoxysilane (MPS)-coated IONPs, which have a neutral hydrophobic surface, and compared their biological behavior to that of Resovist (ferucarbotran), a commercialized IONP formulation modified with carboxymethyl dextran. The rate of MPS-IONP uptake by human aortic endothelial cells (HAoECs) was higher than ferucarbotran uptake, indicating that the neutral hydrophobic nature of MPS-IONPs allowed them to be absorbed more readily through the plasma membrane. However, the signaling pathways activated by MPS-IONPs and ferucarbotran were comparable, suggesting that surface charge is not a key factor for inducing changes in HAoECs. In vivo fate analysis showed that MPS-IONPs accumulated for longer periods in tissues than hydrophilic ferucarbotran. These findings could enlarge our understanding of NP behavior for advanced applications in the biomedical field. Keywords: iron oxide nanoparticles, neutral hydrophobic surface, signaling pathway, uptake, accumulation, reactive oxygen species (ROS)

Jue Yeon Lee,1,* Jin Sook Suh,2,* Jung Min Kim,1 Jeong Hwa Kim,1 Hyun Jung Park,1 Yoon Jeong Park,1,2 Chong Pyoung Chung1 1Central Research Institute, Nano Intelligent Biomedical Engineering Corporation (NIBEC), Chungcheongbuk-do, Republic of Korea; 2Dental Regenerative Biotechnology, Dental Research Institute, School of Dentistry, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea *These authors contributed equally to this work Abstract: Human beta-defensins (hBDs) are crucial factors of intrinsic immunity that function in the immunologic response to a variety of invading enveloped viruses, bacteria, and fungi. hBDs can cause membrane depolarization and cell lysis due to their highly cationic nature. These molecules participate in antimicrobial defenses and the control of adaptive and innate immunity in every mammalian species and are produced by various cell types. The C-terminal 15-mer peptide within hBD3, designated as hBD3-3, was selected for study due to its cell- and skin-penetrating activity, which can induce anti-inflammatory activity in lipopolysaccharide-treated RAW 264.7 macrophages. hBD3-3 penetrated both the outer membrane of the cells and mouse skin within a short treatment period. Two other peptide fragments showed poorer penetration activity compared to hBD3-3. hBD3-3 inhibited the lipopolysaccharide-induced production of inducible nitric oxide synthase, nitric oxide, and secretory cytokines, such as interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor in a concentration-dependent manner. Moreover, hBD3-3 reduced the interstitial infiltration of polymorphonuclear leukocytes in a lung inflammation model. Further investigation also revealed that hBD3-3 downregulated nuclear factor kappa B-dependent inflammation by directly suppressing the degradation of phosphorylated-IκBα and by downregulating active nuclear factor kappa B p65. Our findings indicate that hBD3-3 may be conjugated with drugs of interest to ensure their proper translocation to sites, such as the cytoplasm or nucleus, as hBD3-3 has the ability to be used as a carrier, and suggest a potential approach to effectively treat inflammatory diseases. Keywords: human beta-defensin 3, cell-penetrating peptide, anti-inflammatory activity, lipopolysaccharide, NF-κB canonical pathway

Yeon Jean Cho1*, Mi-La Kim2*, Soo Yoon Lee1, Hee Suk Lee1, Joo Myoung Kim1, Kwan Young Joo11Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cheil General Hospital and Women’s Healthcare Center, Kwandong University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; 2Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, CHA Gangnam Medical Center, CHA University, Seoul, Republic of Korea*These authors contributed equally to the paperObjective: To compare the operative outcomes, postoperative pain, and subsequent convalescence after laparoendoscopic single-site surgery (LESS) or conventional laparoscopic surgery for adnexal preservation.Study design: From December 2009 to September 2010, 63 patients underwent LESS (n = 33) or a conventional laparoscopic surgery (n = 30) for cyst enucleation. The overall operative outcomes including postoperative pain measurement using the visual analog scale (VAS) were evaluated (time points 6, 24, and 24 hours). The convalescence data included data obtained from questionnaires on the need for analgesics and on patient-reported time to recovery end points.Results: The preoperative characteristics did not significantly differ between the two groups. The postoperative hemoglobin drop was higher in the LESS group than in the conventional laparoscopic surgery group (P = 0.048). Postoperative pain at each VAS time point, oral analgesic requirement, intramuscular analgesic requirement, and the number of days until return to work were similar in both groups.Conclusion: In adnexa-preserving surgery performed in reproductive-age women, the operative outcomes, including satisfaction of the patients and convalescence after surgery, are comparable for LESS and conventional laparoscopy. LESS may be a feasible and a promising alternative method for scarless abdominal surgery in the treatment of young women with adnexal cystsKeywords: laparoendoscopic single-site surgery, laparoscopic surgery, adnexal preservation, cyst, scar

Bioelectrochemical CO2-reducing rate at high potential was limited by poor bacteria-nanowire interface resulting from an inhospitable alkaline local environment. Tuning the bulk electrolyte pH and increasing its buffering capacity mitigated this issue and supported the formation of a close-packed nanowire-bacteria cathode. The resulting close-packed biohybrid operated with a CO2-reducing current density of 0.65 ± 0.11 mA cm−2 at ∼−1.2 V versus standard hydrogen electrode and enabled solar-powered CO2 fixation with solar-to-acetate efficiency of ∼3.6% over 1 week.

Photosynthetic semiconductor biohybrids integrate the best attributes of biological whole-cell catalysts and semiconducting nanomaterials. Enzymatic machinery enveloped in its native cellular environment offers exquisite product selectivity and low substrate activation barriers while semiconducting nanomaterials harvest light energy stably and efficiently. In this Review Article, we illustrate the evolution and advances of photosynthetic semiconductor biohybrids focusing on the conversion of CO2 to value-added chemicals. We begin by considering the potential of this nascent field to meet global energy challenges while comparing it to alternate approaches. This is followed by a discussion of the advantageous coupling of electrotrophic organisms with light-active electrodes for solar-to-chemical conversion. We detail the dynamic investigation of photosensitized microorganisms creating direct light harvesting within unicellular organisms while describing complementary developments in the understanding of charge transfer mechanisms and cytoprotection. Lastly, we focus on trends and improvements needed in photosynthetic semiconductor biohybrids in order to address future challenges and enhance their widespread adoption for the production of solar chemicals.

We report ultrafast optical measurements of the Dirac line-node semimetal ZrSiS and the Weyl semimetal NbAs, using mid-infrared pump photons from 86 meV to 500 meV to directly excite Dirac and Weyl fermions within the linearly dispersing bands. In NbAs, the photoexcited Weyl fermions initially form a non-thermal distribution, signified by a brief spike in the differential reflectivity whose sign is controlled by the relative energy of the pump and probe photons. In ZrSiS, electron-electron scattering rapidly thermalizes the electrons, and the spike is not observed. Subsequently, hot carriers in both materials cool within a few picoseconds. This cooling, as seen in the two materials' differential reflectivity, differs in sign, shape, and timescale. Nonetheless, we find that it may be described in a simple model of thermal electrons, without free parameters. The electronic cooling in ZrSiS is particularly fast, which may make the material useful for optoelectronic applications.

ObjectivesHIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND) is an independent predictor of early mortality and is associated with many difficulties in activities of daily living. We sought to determine the prevalence of and risk factors for HAND in HIV-infected Koreans. In addition, we investigated the performance of screening tools and components of neuropsychological (NP) tests for diagnosing HAND.MethodsHIV-infected patients were enrolled consecutively from two different urban teaching hospitals in Seoul, South Korea between March 2012 and September 2012. Participants completed a detailed NP assessment of six cognitive domains commonly affected by HIV. The Frascati criteria were used for diagnosing HAND. Four key questions, the International HIV Dementia Scale (IHDS) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)-K were also assessed as potential tools for screening for HAND.ResultsAmong the 194 participants, the prevalence of HAND was 26.3%. Asymptomatic neurocognitive impairment and minor neurocognitive disorder accounted for 52.9 and 47.1% of the patients with HAND, respectively. In multivariate analysis, haemoglobin (Hb) level ≤ 13 g/dL (P = 0.046) and current use of a protease inhibitor-based regimen (P = 0.031) were independent risk factors for HAND. The sensitivity and specificity of the IHDS were 72.6 and 60.8%, and those of MoCA-K were 52.9 and 73.4%, respectively. The IHDS (P

Mechanisms of invasion in glioblastoma (GBM) relate to differential expression of proteins conferring increased motility and penetration of the extracellular matrix. CD97 is a member of the epidermal growth factor seven-span transmembrane family of adhesio

Glioblastoma multiforme is the most malignant type of primary brain tumor with a poor prognosis. These tumors consist of a heterogeneous population of malignant cells, including well-differentiated tumor cells and less differentiated cells with stem cell p

: INTRODUCTION: Data on HIV treatment outcomes in people who inject drugs (PWID) in the Asia‐Pacific are sparse despite the high burden of drug use. We assessed immunological and virological responses, AIDS‐defining events and mortality among PWID receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART). METHODS: We investigated HIV treatment outcomes among people who acquired HIV via injecting drug use in the TREAT Asia HIV Observational Database (TAHOD) between January 2003 and March 2019. Trends in CD4 count and viral suppression (VS, HIV viral load RESULTS: Of 622 PWID from 12 countries in the Asia‐Pacific, 93% were male and the median age at ART initiation was 31 years (IQR, 28 to 34). The median pre‐ART CD4 count was 71 cells/µL. CD4 counts increased over time, with a mean difference of 401 (95% CI, 372 to 457) cells/µL at year‐10 (n = 78). Higher follow‐up HIV viral load and pre‐ART CD4 counts were associated with smaller increases in CD4 counts. Among 361 PWID with ≥1 viral load after six months on ART, proportions with VS were 82%, 88% and 93% at 2‐, 5‐ and 10‐years following ART initiation. There were 52 new AIDS‐defining events and 50 deaths during 3347 person‐years of follow‐up (PYS) (incidence 3.05/100 PYS, 95% CI, 2.51 to 3.70). Previous AIDS or TB diagnosis, lower current CD4 count and adherence CONCLUSIONS: Despite improved outcomes over time, our findings highlight the need for rapid ART initiation and adherence support among PWID within Asian settings., INTRODUCTION Globally, injecting drug use is a major public health concern leading to substantial health burden and transmission risk of blood‐borne infections from injecting equipment sharing behaviours. In a multi‐stage [...]

: Introduction: Cotrimoxazole (CTX) is recommended as prophylaxis against Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia, malaria and other serious bacterial infections in HIV‐infected patients. Despite its in vitro activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the effects of CTX preventive therapy on tuberculosis (TB) remain unclear. Methods: Adults living with HIV enrolled in a regional observational cohort in Asia who had initiated combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) were included in the analysis. Factors associated with new TB diagnoses after cohort entry and survival after cART initiation were analysed using Cox regression, stratified by site. Results: A total of 7355 patients from 12 countries enrolled into the cohort between 2003 and 2016 were included in the study. There were 368 reported cases of TB after cohort entry with an incidence rate of 0.99 per 100 person‐years (/100 pys). Multivariate analyses adjusted for viral load (VL), CD4 count, body mass index (BMI) and cART duration showed that CTX reduced the hazard for new TB infection by 28% (HR 0.72, 95% CI l 0.56, 0.93). Mortality after cART initiation was 0.85/100 pys, with a median follow‐up time of 4.63 years. Predictors of survival included age, female sex, hepatitis C co‐infection, TB diagnosis, HIV VL, CD4 count and BMI. Conclusions: CTX was associated with a reduction in the hazard for new TB infection but did not impact survival in our Asian cohort. The potential preventive effect of CTX against TB during periods of severe immunosuppression should be further explored., Introduction Cotrimoxazole (CTX) has been recommended as prophylaxis against Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia (PJP), toxoplasmosis, malaria and other serious bacterial infections in adults with severe or advanced HIV clinical disease, with [...]