• The Korean journal of internal medicine
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.146-155
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• 2019

Background/Aims: Indoxyl sulfate (IS) is a uremic toxin and an important causative factor in the progression of chronic kidney disease. Recently, paricalcitol (19-nor-1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D2) was shown to exhibit protective effects in kidney injury. Here, we investigated the effects of paricalcitol treatment on IS-induced renal tubular injury. Methods: The fluorescent dye 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate was used to measure intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) following IS administration in human renal proximal tubular epithelial (HK-2) cells. The effects of IS on cell viability were determined using MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assays and levels of apoptosis-related proteins (Bcl-2-associated protein X [Bax] and B-cell lymphoma 2 [Bcl-2]), nuclear $factor-{\kappa}B$ ($NF-{\kappa}B$) p65, and phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and protein kinase B (Akt) were determined by semiquantitative immunoblotting. The promoter activity of $NF-{\kappa}B$ was measured by luciferase assays and apoptosis was determined by f low cytometry of cells stained with f luorescein isothiocyanate-conjugated Annexin V protein. Results: IS treatment increased ROS production, decreased cell viability and induced apoptosis in HK-2 cells. IS treatment increased the expression of apoptosis-related protein Bax, decreased Bcl-2 expression, and activated phosphorylation of MAPK, $NF-{\kappa}B$ p65, and Akt. In contrast, paricalcitol treatment decreased Bax expression, increased Bcl-2 expression, and inhibited phosphorylation of MAPK, $NF-{\kappa}B$ p65, and Akt in HK-2 cells. $NF-{\kappa}B$ promoter activity was increased following IS, administration and was counteracted by pretreatment with paricalcitol. Additionally, flow cytometry analysis revealed that IS-induced apoptosis was attenuated by paricalcitol treatment, which resulted in decreased numbers of fluorescein isothiocyanate-conjugated Annexin V positive cells. Conclusions: Treatment with paricalcitol inhibited IS-induced apoptosis by regulating MAPK, $NF-{\kappa}B$, and Akt signaling pathway in HK-2 cells.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.223-230
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• 2005

Objective: This study was performed to evaluate the accuracy of hysterosalpingography (HSG) for evaluating female infertility patients by comparison with hysteroscopic and laparoscopic examination. Methods and Material: Total 219 infertile patients were retrospectively analyzed between January 1, 2002 and December 31, 2003. Ninety seven patients (44.3%) were primary infertility, 122 patients (55.7%) were secondary infertility. We performed hysteroscopic and laparoscopic examination on next cycle when HSG revealed any abnormal finding, and 3~6 cycles later if HSG was normal. Results: The accuracy of HSG was 65.2% compared with hysteroscopic examination (sensitivity 88.4%, specificity 46.4%, false positive rate 53.6%, false negative rate 11.6%). The most common abnormal finding of hysteroscopy was uterine synechia (67.4%) followed by endometrial polyp, uterine anomaly (e.g. uterine septum), endometrial hyperplasia. Compared with laparoscopic examination, the accuracy of HSG was 76.9% (sensitivity 98.9%, specificity 70.6%, +LR 3.36, -LR 0.02). The positive predictive value of normal patent tube was excellent (99.6%) but that of proximal tubal blockage was only 46.7%. The unilateral tubal obstruction of HSG was poor accuracy (+LR 3.85 -LR 0.68) and 70% of those was patent by laparoscopic examination. Laparoscopic examination also revealed that 53% of patients had peritubal adhesion and 37% of patients has additional pelvic findings, especially endometriosis. Among the patients had normal HSG, 53.5% patients with normal ultrasonography was diagnosed endometriosis (25.6% of them had endometriosis stage I-II). Conclusion: Normal HSG shows a high negative predictive value. Nevertheless, the incidence of associated pelvic disease in the normal HSG group is high enough to warrant diagnostic laparoscopy if nonsurgical treatment is unsuccessful. Because HSG has poor accuracy in predicting distal tubal blockage and peritubal adhesion, and poor positive predictive value of proximal tubal blockage, laparoscopic examination could be considered in abnormal HSG group.

• The Journal of Advanced Prosthodontics
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.88-94
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• 2019

PURPOSE. This study was conducted to investigate patterns of adjacent tooth displacement in the posterior implant with interproximal contact loss (ICL) by 3-D digital superimposition method. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Posterior partially edentulous patients, restored with implant fixed partial prostheses before 2011 and suffered from food impaction of ICL between 2009 and 2011, were included. Two dental casts, at the time of delivery and at the time of food impaction in a same patient, was converted into 3-D digital models through scanning and superimposition was performed to assess chronologic changes of the dentition. Directions of tooth displacement were evaluated and the amount of ICL was calculated. Correlations between the amount of ICL and elapsed time, or between the amount of ICL and age after function, were assessed at a significance level of P<.05. RESULTS. A total number of 13 patients (8 males, 5 females) with a mean age of $65.76{\pm}9.94years$ and 17 areas (4 maxillae, 13 mandibles) were included in this retrospective study. Teeth adjacent to the implant restoration showed complex displacements but characteristic tendency according to the location of the arch. The mean amount of ICL was $0.33{\pm}0.14mm$. Elapsed time from function to ICL was $61.47{\pm}31.27months$. There were no significant differences between the amount of ICL and elapsed time, or age (P>.05). CONCLUSION. Natural teeth showed various directional movements to result in occlusal change in the arch. The 3-D superimposition of chronologic digital models was a helpful method to analyze the changes of dentition and individual tooth displacement adjacent to implant restoration.

• KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Systems (TIIS)
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• v.14 no.11
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• pp.4268-4289
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• 2020

Advanced traffic signal timing method plays very important role in reducing road congestion and air pollution. Reinforcement learning is considered as superior approach to build traffic light timing scheme by many recent studies. It fulfills real adaptive control by the means of taking real-time traffic information as state, and adjusting traffic light scheme as action. However, existing works behave inefficient in complex intersections and they are lack of feasibility because most of them adopt traffic light scheme whose phase sequence is flexible. To address these issues, a novel adaptive traffic signal timing scheme is proposed. It's based on actor-critic reinforcement learning algorithm, and advanced techniques proximal policy optimization and generalized advantage estimation are integrated. In particular, a new kind of reward function and a simplified form of state representation are carefully defined, and they facilitate to improve the learning efficiency and reduce the computational complexity, respectively. Meanwhile, a fixed phase sequence signal scheme is derived, and constraint on the variations of successive phase durations is introduced, which enhances its feasibility and robustness in field applications. The proposed scheme is verified through field-data-based experiments in both medium and high traffic density scenarios. Simulation results exhibit remarkable improvement in traffic performance as well as the learning efficiency comparing with the existing reinforcement learning-based methods such as 3DQN and DDQN.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.235-247
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• 2022

Purpose: Most studies have investigated the differences in postgastrectomy quality of life (QOL) based on the surgical procedure or reconstruction method adopted; only a few studies have compared QOL based on tumor location. This large-scale study aims to investigate the differences in QOL between patients with esophagogastric junction cancer (EGJC) and those with upper third gastric cancer (UGC) undergoing the same gastrectomy procedure to evaluate the impact of tumor location on postoperative QOL. Methods: The Postgastrectomy Syndrome Assessment Scale-45 (PGSAS-45) questionnaire was distributed in 70 institutions to 2,364 patients who underwent gastrectomy for EGJC or UGC. A total of 1,909 patients were eligible for the study, and 1,744 patients who underwent total gastrectomy (TG) or proximal gastrectomy (PG) were selected for the final analysis. These patients were divided into EGJC and UGC groups; thereafter, the PGSAS-45 main outcome measures (MOMs) were compared between the two groups for each type of gastrectomy. Results: Among the post-TG patients, only one MOM was significantly better in the UGC group than in the EGJC group. Conversely, among the post-PG patients, postoperative QOL was significantly better in 6 out of 19 MOMs in the UGC group than in the EGJC group. Conclusions: Tumor location had a minimal effect on the postoperative QOL of post-TG patients, whereas among post-PG patients, there were definite differences in postoperative QOL between the two groups. It seems reasonable to conservatively estimate the benefits of PG in patients with EGJC compared to those in patients with UGC.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.220-234
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• 2022

Purpose: The incidence of adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction (AEG) has increased in recent years, and the optimal surgical strategy for AEG remains highly controversial. We aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of proximal gastrectomy with double-tract reconstruction (PG-DT) for the treatment of patients with AEG. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed patients with Siewert type II/III AEG between January 2013 and July 2018. Clinicopathological characteristics, survival, surgical outcomes, quality of life (QOL), and nutritional status were compared between the PG-DT and total gastrectomy with Roux-en-Y anastomosis (TG-RY) groups. Results: After propensity score matching, 33 patients in each group were analyzed. There were no statistical differences between the 2 groups in terms of disease-free survival and overall survival. The surgical option was not an independent prognostic factor based on the multivariate analysis. In addition, no differences were found in terms of surgical complications. There were no significant differences in QOL assessed by the Visick grade, Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale, or endoscopic findings. Furthermore, the long-term nutritional advantage of the PG-DT group was significantly greater than that of the TG-RY group. Conclusions: PG-DT is a safe and effective procedure for patients with local Siewert type II/III AEG, regardless of the TNM stage.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.101-105
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• 2022

Background: Rotator cuff tears cause pathologies of the long head of the biceps tendon (LHBT). One of the surgical treatments for such a tear is LHBT tenodesis to the humerus. This study aims to compare simultaneous rotator cuff repair and LHBT tenodesis with or without detachment of the proximal end of the LHBT (PELHBT) from its site of adhesion to the glenoid. Methods: This retrospective study involved patients affected by LHBT pathology with rotator cuff tear. The patients were divided into two groups, with or without PELHBT detachment from the glenoid. Therapeutic outcomes were investigated by evaluation of patient satisfaction, pain based on visual analog scale, shoulder function based on Constant score and simple shoulder test, and biceps muscle strength based on the manual muscle testing grading system before surgery, at 6 months, and at the final visit after surgery. Results: Groups 1 and 2 comprised 23 and 26 patients, respectively, who showed no significant differences in demographic characteristics (p>0.05). Shoulder function, biceps muscle strength, pain, and satisfaction rate improved over time (p<0.05) but were not significantly different between the two groups (p>0.05). No post-surgical complication was found in either group. Conclusions: There was no difference in final outcomes of tenodesis with or without detachment of the PELHBT from the supraglenoid tubercle. Such tendon detachment is not necessary.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.39.1-39.12
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• 2022

Objectives: This study investigated the prevalence and characteristics of external cervical resorption (ECR) regarding sex, age, tooth, stages of progression, and portal of entry, using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans. Materials and Methods: CBCT scans of 1,313 patients from a Brazilian subpopulation comprising 883 female and 430 male patients (mean age, 55.2 years), acquired using a PreXion 3D CBCT unit, were evaluated. All permanent teeth included in the scans were evaluated for the presence of ECR according to the 3-dimensional classification and the portal of entry. The association between the presence of ECR and the factors studied was assessed using the χ² test. Intra-observer agreement was analyzed with the kappa test (α = 0.05). Results: In total, 6,240 teeth were analyzed, of which 84 (1.35%) were affected by ECR. A significant association was found between the presence of ECR and sex, with a higher prevalence in male patients (p = 0.002). The most frequently affected teeth were the mandibular and maxillary central incisors. The most common height was the mid-third of the root. For the portal of entry, 44% of cases were on the proximal surfaces, 40.5% on the lingual/palatal surface and 15.5% on the buccal surface. Intra-observer agreement was excellent. Conclusions: The prevalence of ECR was 1.35%, with a higher prevalence in male patients and a wide age distribution. The mandibular and maxillary central incisors were the most commonly affected teeth, and cases of ECR most frequently showed a height into the mid-third of the root and proximal entry.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.890-900
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• 2021

Objective: To identify the association between morphological and functional characteristics of the bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) and bicuspid aortopathy and to identify the determinants of aortic dilatation using transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and cardiac computed tomography (CCT). Materials and Methods: This study included 312 subjects (mean [SD] age, 52.7 [14.3] years; 227 males [72.8%]) who underwent TTE and CCT. The BAVs were classified by anterior-posterior (BAV-AP) or right-left (BAV-RL) orientation of the cusps and divided according to the presence (raphe+) or absence of a raphe (raphe-) based on the CCT and intraoperative findings. The dimensions of the sinus of Valsalva and the proximal ascending aorta were measured by CCT. We assessed the determinants of aortic root and proximal ascending aortic dilatation (size index > 2.1 cm/m²) by Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses. Results: Of the 312 patients, BAV-AP was present in 188 patients (60.3%), and 185 patients (59.3%) were raphe+. Moderate-to-severe aortic stenosis (AS) was the most common hemodynamic abnormality (54.8%). The most common type of aortopathy was the combined dilated root and mid-ascending aortic phenotype (62.5%). On multivariable analysis, age and AS severity were significantly associated with aortic root dilatation (p < 0.05), and age, sex, and AS severity were significantly associated with ascending aortic dilatation (p < 0.05). However, the orientation of the cusps, presence of a raphe, and severity of aortic regurgitation were not associated with aortic root and ascending aortic dilatation. Conclusion: BAV morphological characteristics were not determinants of aortic dilatation. Age, sex, and AS severity were predictors of bicuspid aortopathy. Therefore, age, sex, and AS severity, rather than valve morphology, need to be considered when planning treatment for BAV patients.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.3-10
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• 2024

Background: Gunshot-related fractures near the elbow are challenging, and available data to guide the practitioner are lacking. This report analyzes injury patterns and treatment strategies in a case series from a high-volume urban trauma center. Methods: All periarticular gunshot fractures near the elbow treated at a level 1 trauma center from 2014 to 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. Fracture location, patient demographics, concomitant injuries, treatment modalities, and complications were analyzed. Results: Twenty-four patients were identified. All patients received prophylactic antibiotics upon admission and underwent urgent surgical debridement. Open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) was performed with initial debridement in 22 of 24 patients. Seven patients sustained distal humerus fractures, 10 patients sustained isolated proximal ulna or proximal radius fractures, and seven had combined fracture patterns. Eleven patients presented with nerve palsy, and two had transected nerves. Two patients had vascular injury requiring repair. One patient required a temporary elbow-spanning external fixator and underwent staged debridement followed by ORIF. One patient with a grade IIIC fracture developed a deep infection that precluded ORIF. One patient required revision ORIF due to fracture displacement. Conclusions: This investigation reports on management of ballistic fractures near the elbow at a busy urban level I trauma center. Our management centered on rapid debridement, early definitive fixation, and intravenous antibiotic administration. We report on associated neurovascular injury, bone loss, and other challenges in this patient population. Level of evidence: IV.