Accuracy of artificial intelligence-assisted growth prediction in skeletal Class I preadolescent patients using serial lateral cephalograms for a 2-year growth interval.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the accuracy of artificial intelligence-assisted growth prediction using a convolutional neural network (CNN) algorithm and longitudinal lateral cephalograms (Lat-cephs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 198 Japanese preadolescent children, who had skeletal Class I malocclusion and whose Lat-cephs were available at age 8 years (T0) and 10 years (T1), were allocated into the training, validation, and test phases (n = 161, n = 17, n = 20). Orthodontists and the CNN model identified 28 hard-tissue landmarks (HTL) and 19 soft-tissue landmarks (STL). The mean prediction error values were defined as 'excellent,' 'very good,' 'good,' 'acceptable,' and 'unsatisfactory' (criteria: 0.5 mm, 1.0 mm, 1.5 mm, and 2.0 mm, respectively). The degree of accurate prediction percentage (APP) was defined as 'very high,' 'high,' 'medium,' and 'low' (criteria: 90%, 70%, and 50%, respectively) according to the percentage of subjects that showed the error range within 1.5 mm. RESULTS: All HTLs showed acceptable-to-excellent mean PE values, while the STLs Pog', Gn', and Me' showed unsatisfactory values, and the rest showed good-to-acceptable values. Regarding the degree of APP, HTLs Ba, ramus posterior, Pm, Pog, B-point, Me, and mandibular first molar root apex exhibited low APPs. The STLs labrale superius, lower embrasure, lower lip, point of lower profile, B', Pog,' Gn' and Me' also exhibited low APPs. The remainder of HTLs and STLs showed medium-to-very high APPs. CONCLUSION: Despite the possibility of using the CNN model to predict growth, further studies are needed to improve the prediction accuracy in HTLs and STLs of the chin area.

Clinical characteristics and management of orbital apex syndrome: a 10-year multicentre experience.

BACKGROUND: Orbital apex syndrome (OAS) is a condition characterised by lesions within the orbital apex, leading to various ophthalmologic symptoms. This study aimed to analyse the clinical characteristics and treatment strategies of OAS with respect to aetiology. METHODS: This retrospective analysis utilised data from 5 medical institutions between 2013 and 2022. Patients who were diagnosed with OAS were initially enrolled, but patients who failed to follow up at least 1 month were excluded. The prevalence of initial ophthalmologic symptoms and visual improvement after treatment was compared according to aetiology. Factors related to visual improvement were analysed. RESULTS: Among 73 enrolled patients, the leading aetiology was tumours, followed by fungal infections and inflammation. Visual impairment and proptosis were prevalent in tumour-related OAS cases. Inflammation-related OAS exhibited a higher likelihood of painful eye movements and ophthalmoplegia. Ptosis was most frequently observed in fungal infection-related OAS. Notably, fungal infections emerged as the sole significant factor negatively impacting vision progression. In inflammation-related OAS, the time interval between symptom onset and the administration of steroids was longer in patients without visual improvement, even though there was no statistically significant difference. CONCLUSIONS: Tumours were the predominant cause of OAS. Visual impairment was a common manifestation in tumour-related OAS, while fungal infections were strongly associated with a poor visual prognosis. The timely administration of steroids might be helpful for improving vision in patients with inflammation-related OAS. However, further studies are needed to enhance understanding and management of OAS.

50 GHz Four-Port Coupling-Reduced Probe Card Utilizing Pogo Pins Housed in Custom Metallic Socket.

A design for a pogo-pin probe card featuring a metallic socket is proposed to eliminate signal leakage and coupling loss in a multi-port environment. The proposed metallic pogo-pin socket includes a metal wall structure between adjacent pogo pins, ensuring complete isolation. This metal wall offers an advantage in removing coupling issues between pogo pins that can occur with typical dielectric pogo-pin sockets. The designed probe card is fabricated as a prototype and verified for its performance. Measurement results using a test through line show that coupled power is minimized, providing a low-loss transmission performance of -2.14 dB to an RF chip at 50 GHz, all within a compact size. Although the dielectric spacer used to secure the pogo pins allows for some leakage, it can maintain a low coupling performance of under -15 dB in the millimeter-wave band. The prototype probe card can deliver an RF signal to a 5G circuit with a low loss of -0.7 dB at 28 GHz and -1.9 dB at 39 GHz frequency. The designed probe card is capable of transmitting multiple RF signals to the RF system without signal distortion in a multi-port environment.

Source localization based on steered frequency-wavenumber analysis for sparse array.

When using a sparse array, locating the target signal of a high-frequency component is difficult. Although forecasting the direction in a sparse situation is challenging, the frequency-wavenumber (f-k) spectrum can simultaneously determine the direction and frequency of the analyzed signal. The striation of the f-k spectrum shifts along the wavenumber axis in a sparse situation, which reduces the spatial resolution required to determine the target's direction using the f-k spectrum. In this study, f-k spectra of a high-frequency signal were used for near-field source localization. Snapping shrimp sounds (5-24 kHz) from SAVEX15 (a shallow-water acoustic variability experiment conducted in May 2015) were used as the data source, and a simulation was used to evaluate the proposed method. Beam steering was performed before creating the f-k spectrum to improve spatial resolution. We found that the spatial resolution was improved, and the location of the sound source could be determined when a signal with beam steering was utilized. The shrimp sound from SAVEX15, a near-field broadband signal, was used to determine the shrimp's location (range, 38 m; depth, 100 m) and the tilt of the vertical line array. These results suggest that the proposed analysis helps to accurately estimate the location of sound source.

CineCT platform for in vivo and ex vivo measurement of 3D high resolution Lagrangian strains in the left ventricle following myocardial infarction and intramyocardial delivery of theranostic hydrogel.

Myocardial infarction (MI) produces acute changes in strain and stiffness within the infarct that can affect remote areas of the left ventricle (LV) and drive pathological remodeling. We hypothesized that intramyocardial delivery of a hydrogel within the MI region would lower wall stress and reduce adverse remodeling in Yorkshire pigs (n = 5). 99mTc-Tetrofosmin SPECT imaging defined the location and geometry of induced MI and border regions in pigs, and in vivo and ex vivo contrast cine computed tomography (cineCT) quantified deformations of the LV myocardium. Serial in vivo cineCT imaging provided data in hearts from control pigs (n = 3) and data from pigs (n = 5) under baseline conditions before MI induction, post-MI day 3, post-MI day 7, and one hour after intramyocardial delivery of a hyaluronic acid (HA)-based hydrogel with shear-thinning and self-healing properties to the central infarct area. Isolated, excised hearts underwent similar cineCT imaging using an ex vivo perfused heart preparation with cyclic LV pressurization. Deformations were evaluated using nonlinear image registration of cineCT volumes between end-diastole (ED) and end-systole (ES), and 3D Lagrangian strains were calculated from the displacement gradients. Post-MI day 3, radial, circumferential, maximum principal, and shear strains were reduced within the MI region (p < 0.04) but were unchanged in normal regions (p > 0.6), and LV end diastolic volume (LV EDV) increased (p = 0.004), while ejection fraction (EF) and stroke volume (SV) decreased (p < 0.02). Post-MI day 7, radial strains in MI border zones increased (p = 0.04) and dilation of LV EDV continued (p = 0.052). There was a significant negative linear correlation between regional radial and maximum principal/shear strains and percent infarcted tissue in all hearts (R2 > 0.47, p < 0.004), indicating that cineCT strain measures could predict MI location and degree of injury. Post-hydrogel day 7 post-MI, LV EDV was significantly reduced (p = 0.009), EF increased (p = 0.048), and radial (p = 0.021), maximum principal (p = 0.051), and shear strain (p = 0.047) increased within regions bordering the infarct. A smaller strain improvement within the infarct and normal regions was also noted on average along with an improvement in SV in 4 out of 5 hearts. CineCT provides a reliable method to assess regional changes in strains post-MI and the therapeutic effects of intramyocardial hydrogel delivery.

The efficiency of potential food waste-degrading bacteria under harsh conditions.

AIMS: Investigate the impact of highly adapted bacterial strains and their ability in waste degradation under a wide range of temperatures. METHODS AND RESULTS: Bacteria isolated from soil and food waste were grown in various media under fluctuated temperatures. After screening for organic compound degradation, the seven strongest bacterial strains have been selected for further experiments. Their enzyme activities were expressed in terms of the size of the hydrolysis zone in a wide temperature range of 2·5-70°C. The enzyme production assay was carried out for each protease, cellulase and amylase. The waste degradation was determined with a maximum 80% decrease in the volume of food waste in 21 days compared to the control in lab scale with enriched bacterial cultures and soil bacteria as additives at room temperature around 18-20°C. CONCLUSION: These seven bacteria are promising candidates for food waste biodegradation in composting especially in the winter without heating expense for maintaining ambient temperature. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: It is necessary to coax the uncultured bacteria from the various environments into the laboratory for investigating their valuable functions. Herein, using enrichment culture of consortium and additive of soil has illustrated the significant mean in food waste degradation.

The acute, systemic effects of aerobic exercise in recently concussed adolescent student-athletes: preliminary findings.

OBJECTIVES: Examine the acute effects (pre-, during, post-intervention) of two different intensities of aerobic exercise or rest on autonomic, oculomotor, and vestibular function and symptom burden in patients with a recent sport-related concussion (SRC) and compare their responses to sex-matched, age-stratified, non-concussed (HEALTHY) student-athletes. METHODS: Student-athletes between the ages of 13 and 18 that presented to the sports medicine clinic within Day 3-7 post-SRC and from local schools were recruited for a randomized controlled trial (RCT). The participants were administered the Vestibular/Ocular Motor Screening (VOMS), King-Devick (K-D), and Post-Concussion Symptom Scale (PCSS) before and after the intervention. Heart rate variability (HRV) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) were collected before, during, and after the intervention. The intervention was either a single, 20-min session of treadmill walking at 40% (40HR) or 60% of age-predicted max heart rate (60HR), or seated, rest (NOEX). RESULTS: 30 participants completed the intervention with the SRC group treated 4.5 ± 1.3 days post-injury. Pre-exercise HRV and MAP were significantly different (p's < 0.001) during treatment but returned to pre-exercise values within 5 min of recovery in both the SRC and HEALTHY groups. Both the SRC and HEALTHY groups exhibited similar reductions pre- to post-intervention for symptom severity and count (p's < 0.05), three VOMS items (p's < 0.05) but not K-D time. CONCLUSIONS: To date, this is the first adolescent RCT to report the acute, systemic effects of aerobic exercise on recently concussed adolescent athletes. The interventions appeared safe in SRC participants, were well-tolerated, and provided brief therapeutic benefit. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier NCT03575455.

Superconductivity in a unique type of copper oxide.

The mechanism of superconductivity in cuprates remains one of the big challenges of condensed matter physics. High-T c cuprates crystallize into a layered perovskite structure featuring copper oxygen octahedral coordination. Due to the Jahn Teller effect in combination with the strong static Coulomb interaction, the octahedra in high-T c cuprates are elongated along the c axis, leading to a 3dx 2-y 2 orbital at the top of the band structure wherein the doped holes reside. This scenario gives rise to 2D characteristics in high-T c cuprates that favor d-wave pairing symmetry. Here, we report superconductivity in a cuprate Ba2CuO4-y , wherein the local octahedron is in a very exceptional compressed version. The Ba2CuO4-y compound was synthesized at high pressure at high temperatures and shows bulk superconductivity with critical temperature (T c ) above 70 K at ambient conditions. This superconducting transition temperature is more than 30 K higher than the T c for the isostructural counterparts based on classical La2CuO4 X-ray absorption measurements indicate the heavily doped nature of the Ba2CuO4-y superconductor. In compressed octahedron, the 3d3z 2-r 2 orbital will be lifted above the 3dx 2-y 2 orbital, leading to significant 3D nature in addition to the conventional 3dx 2-y 2 orbital. This work sheds important light on advancing our comprehensive understanding of the superconducting mechanism of high T c in cuprate materials.

Da Vinci SP robotic approach to colorectal surgery: two specific indications and short-term results.

BACKGROUND: Da Vinci® Single Port (dvSP) was recently developed. Its application in colorectal surgery is under investigation. The aim of this study was to explore the safety and feasibility of dvSP for intersphincteric (dvSP-ISR), right colectomy (dvSP-RC), and transverse colectomy (dvSP-TC). Surgical indication and short-term results were analyzed. METHODS: All consecutive patients from a prospective database of patients who underwent dvSP-ISR, dvSP-RC, and dvSP-TC at Korea University Anam Hospital from November 2020 to December 2021, were analyzed. Perioperative, pathological, and oncological short-term outcomes were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 7 dvSP-ISR, 5 dvSP-RC, and 1 dvSP-TC were performed. Median age was 56.0 (55.0-61.0) years for the dvSP-ISR and 54.0 (44.7-63.5) years for the dvSP-RC/TC. Median body mass index was 22.8 (17.1-24.8) kg/m2 for the dvSP-ISR and 23.6 (20.8-26.9) kg/m2 for the dvSP-RC/TC. All dvSP-ISR patients received neoadjuvant long-course chemoradiotherapy, including one patient with squamocellular carcinoma who was treated with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)/mitomycin. All other patients, excluding one dvSP-RC patient with Crohn's disease, had an adenocarcinoma. Median operation time was 280 (240-370) minutes for the dvSP-ISR and 220 (201-270) minutes for the dvSP-RC/TC. Estimated blood loss was insignificant. No intraoperative complications or conversions to multiport/open surgery was reported. Median post-operative stay was 7.0 (6.0-10.0) days for the dvSP-ISR and 5.0 (4.0-6.7) days for the dvSP-RC/TC. Quality of mesorectum was complete for six patients, and nearly complete for one. Median number of retrieved lymph nodes were 21 (17-25) for the dvSP-ISR and 28 (24-49) for the dvSP-RC/TC. Proximal and distal resection margins were tumor free. Four patients experienced post-operative complications not related to the platform which were: ileus, voiding dysfunction, infected pelvic hematoma, and wound infection. Median follow-up was 9 (6-11) months and 11 (7-17) months for the dvSP-ISR and dvSP-RC/TC, respectively. Two patients had systemic recurrence; all others were tumor free. CONCLUSIONS: The dvSP platform is safe and feasible for intersphincteric resection with right lower quadrant access, and right/transverse colectomy with suprapubic access. Further studies are needed to evaluate benefit differences compared to multiport robotic platform.

Combination treatment of copanlisib and gemcitabine in relapsed/refractory PTCL (COSMOS): an open-label phase I/II trial.

BACKGROUND: Current treatment options for peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCLs) in the relapsed/refractory setting are limited and demonstrate modest response rates with rare achievement of complete response (CR). PATIENTS AND METHODS: This phase I/II study (NCT03052933) investigated the safety and efficacy of copanlisib, a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-α/-δ inhibitor, in combination with gemcitabine in 28 patients with relapsed/refractory PTCL. Patients received escalating doses of intravenous copanlisib on days 1, 8, and 15, administered concomitantly with fixed-dose gemcitabine (1000 mg/m2 on days 1 and 8) in 28-day cycles. RESULTS: Dose-limiting toxicity was not observed in the dose-escalation phase and 60 mg copanlisib was selected for phase II evaluation. Twenty-five patients were enrolled in phase II of the study. Frequent grade ≥3 adverse events (AEs) included transient hyperglycemia (57%), neutropenia (45%), thrombocytopenia, (37%), and transient hypertension (19%). However, AEs were manageable, and none were fatal. The overall response rate was 72% with a CR rate of 32%. Median duration of response was 8.2 months, progression-free survival was 6.9 months, and median overall survival was not reached. Combination treatment produced a greater CR rate in patients with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma than those with PTCL-not otherwise specified (55.6% versus 15.4%, respectively, P = 0.074) and progression-free survival was significantly longer (13.0 versus 5.1 months, respectively, P = 0.024). In an exploratory gene mutation analysis of 24 tumor samples, TSC2 mutation was present in 25% of patients and occurred exclusively in responders. CONCLUSION: The combination of copanlisib and gemcitabine is a safe and effective treatment option in relapsed/refractory PTCLs and represents an important new option for therapy in this rare group of patients.

Investigation of the optimal medium and application strategy for foot-and-mouth disease vaccine antigen production.

AIMS: For the effective production of 146S particles, which determines foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccine efficacy, we aimed to identify the optimal medium that is easy-to-use, productive and economically affordable for the large-scale production of FMD vaccine. METHODS AND RESULTS: Nine combinations of cell growth media and replacement media were tested for virus propagation. Apart from the replacement strategy, we tested a simple addition strategy involving the addition of 30% v/v of fresh medium to the total spent medium using the Cellvento BHK-200 (Vento). Unlike other tested media that produced poor yields of 146S particles when the spent media were not eliminated, Vento exhibited high productivity with the 30% addition strategy. CONCLUSIONS: Considering its lower price and media consumption compared to those of other media that require media replacement, the 30% addition strategy of Vento is highly effective. Furthermore, owing to its simple application strategy, it makes the scale-up process easy and helps in saving the time and labour involved in spent media removal. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Through the first comparative assessment of commercial media for the 146S particle recovery, this study suggests the best practical medium for the industrial-scale production of FMD vaccines.

Electronic cigarette use and suicidal behaviors among adolescents.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the association of the use of e-cigarettes, which are regarded as alternatives to traditional cigarettes and are easy to purchase, with suicidal behaviors in adolescents. METHODS: Data for 5405 middle and high school students aged 13-18 years who had used e-cigarettes were extracted from the 2016 Korean Youth Risk Behavior Web-Based Survey and analyzed using multiple logistic regression. RESULTS: Among those who used e-cigarettes for 1-30 days in the past 30 days, suicidal ideation (odds ratio [OR] = 1.58, 95% CI, 1.31-1.89), suicidal plans (OR = 2.44, 95% CI, 1.94-3.08), suicidal attempts (OR = 2.44, 95% CI, 1.85-3.22) and serious attempts (OR = 3.09, 95% CI, 1.51-6.32) were higher compared to those who did not use an e-cigarette in the past 30 days. CONCLUSIONS: Suicidal behaviors are significantly higher among current adolescent e-cigarette smokers than adolescents who have not used an e-cigarette in the past 30 days. Therefore, comprehensive intervention is needed to protect adolescents' mental health.

Experimental evaluation of pseudo-sound in a parametric array.

Parametric arrays have been widely investigated due to their high directivity in the low-frequency region when measuring the acoustic characteristics of materials, such as sound transmission and reflection properties, in the limited space of acoustic water tanks. Because a parametric array utilizes nonlinear interaction across the frequency components, nonlinear phenomena arise in both the acoustic medium and the hydrophone system. The unwanted nonlinear sound generated in the hydrophone and instrumentation is termed pseudo-sound. This study devised an experiment to measure the pseudo-sound without a truncator to assess the effect of the pseudo-sound in the near field. In order to separately measure the pseudo-sound, the hydrophone was placed close to the projector so that the pseudo-sound was dominantly generated. The method is based on the fact that, if we can suppress a parametric signal by minimizing the propagation path length in the medium, the resulting measured signal can be attributed to the pseudo-sound. The resultant signal levels were matched to the levels at corresponding distances based on the primary levels of a (separately conducted) distance-varying experiment. Finally, the suitability of the proposed technique was evaluated by comparing its results with the pseudo-sound levels measured using a truncator.

Risk factors for postoperative CSF leakage after endonasal endoscopic skull base surgery: a meta-analysis and systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage is a complication that any surgeon working in the field of skull base surgery does not wish to encounter. The surgical approach to the skull base often varies, and the various sizes and locations of skull base lesions make it difficult to determine the cause of CSF leakage. However, it is useful to investigate which factors contribute to postopera- tive CSF leakage. METHODS: Related studies were identified by searching the following databases: PubMed/Medline, Embase, and Web of Sciences through December 2019. Random-effects models were used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The Newcastle-Ottawa scale was used to evaluate the quality of observational studies. RESULTS: Our search yielded 56 retrospective cohort studies involving a total of 11,826 skull base surgical procedures. The overall rate of postoperative CSF leakage was 7.2%. The effect of obesity on postoperative CSF leakage had an OR of 1.88, and the effect of perioperative radiotherapy on postoperative CSF leakage yielded an OR of 1.87. High intraoperative CSF flow rate also had a significant OR of 2.98. On the other hand, a pedicled vascularized flap efficiently reduced the risk of postoperative CSF leakage. Defect size and the presence or absence of a lumbar drain had no effect on postoperative CSF leakage. CONCLUSIONS: This comprehensive quantitative assessment of postoperative CSF leakage showed that obesity, perioperative radiotherapy, and high intraoperative CSF flow rate raised the risk of CSF leakage; however, a pedicled vascularized flap can ef- fectively reduce the risk of postoperative CSF leakage.

Baseline-Free Structural Damage Identification for Beam-Like Structures Using Curvature Waveforms of Propagating Flexural Waves.

Curvatures in mode shapes and operating deflection shapes have been extensively studied for vibration-based structural damage identification in recent decades. Curvatures of mode shapes and operating deflection shapes have proved capable of localizing and manifesting local effects of damage on mode shapes and operating deflection shapes in forms of local anomalies. The damage can be inversely identified in the neighborhoods of the anomalies that exist in the curvatures. Meanwhile, propagating flexural waves have also been extensively studied for structural damage identification and proved to be effective, thanks to their high damage-sensitivity and long range of propagation. In this work, a baseline-free structural damage identification method is developed for beam-like structures using curvature waveforms of propagating flexural waves. A multi-resolution local-regression temporal-spatial curvature damage index (TSCDI) is defined in a pointwise manner. A two-dimensional auxiliary TSCDI and a one-dimensional auxiliary damage index are developed to further assist the identification. Two major advantages of the proposed method are: (1) curvature waveforms of propagating flexural waves have relatively high signal-to-noise ratios due to the use of a multi-resolution central finite difference scheme, so that the local effects of the damage can be manifested, and (2) the proposed method does not require quantitative knowledge of a pristine structure associated with a structure to be examined, such as its material properties, waveforms of propagating flexural waves and boundary conditions. Numerical and experimental investigations of the proposed method are conducted on damaged beam-like structures, and the effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by the results of the investigations.

Clinical implications of head-shaking nystagmus in central and peripheral vestibular disorders: is perverted head-shaking nystagmus specific for central vestibular pathology?

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The patterns of head-shaking nystagmus (HSN) aid in differentiation between central and peripheral vestibular disorders, and perverted HSN (pHSN) has been considered a central sign. The aim was to determine the characteristics of HSN in a large number of patients with either peripheral or central vestibular disorders in a dizziness clinic of a university hospital. METHODS: The medical records of 7544 dizzy patients were reviewed during a year and 822 patients with a clinical diagnosis of vestibular disorders were recruited. The findings of spontaneous nystagmus (SN) and HSN in these patients were compared with those of healthy controls (n = 48). RESULTS: A total of 217 of the 822 patients (26.4%) were classified as having a central vestibular disorder, whilst 397 (48.3%) had a peripheral vestibular disorder. In the peripheral vestibular disorder group, SN was observed in 14.1% and HSN in 40.8%, amongst whom 24.1% were the pHSN form. In the central group, SN was observed in 17.5% and HSN in 24.0% of whom 57.7% was pHSN. HSN was more frequently observed in the peripheral vestibular disorder group than in the central group (40.8% vs. 24.0%, P < 0.01). However, the proportion of pHSN was significantly increased in the central group compared to the peripheral vestibular patient group (57.7% vs. 24.1%, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Since pHSN is not specific for central vestibular disorders, other clinical features should be considered in pursuing a central lesion in patients with pHSN.

Gender difference in the effect of uric acid on striatal dopamine in early Parkinson's disease.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: High uric acid (UA) levels have been shown to exert a neuroprotective effect in Parkinson's disease (PD) by inhibiting oxidative stress in the nigrostriatal pathway. However, the association between striatal dopamine activity and UA level has not been clarified. METHODS: A total of 213 patients with early PD were enrolled. All patients underwent positron emission tomography using 18 F-N-(3-fluoropropyl)-2beta-carbon ethoxy-3beta-(4-iodophenyl) nortropane and a venous blood test for quantification of serum UA. All patients were stratified into either the lower UA group or the higher UA group using the median UA level. After normalizing the positron emission tomography images, differences in the regional standardized uptake value ratios (SUVRs) were analyzed with a volume-of-interest template. All tested SUVRs were also compared after categorizing patients by gender. RESULTS: The UA affected dopamine transporter SUVRs in different ways by gender. In female patients, the higher UA level group showed a smaller reduction in dopamine transporter uptake in the posterior putamen, whereas there was no such association observed in male patients. CONCLUSIONS: Higher UA levels were correlated with higher dopamine transporter uptake in the putamen in female patients with early PD. This finding suggests that UA has a neuroprotective effect, as demonstrated by the relatively preserved striatal dopamine activity in women.

A multicentre comparative study between laparoscopic and open surgery for intussusception in adults.

AIM: Intussusception in adults is rare and requires surgery in most cases. While abdominal laparoscopic surgery (LS) is becoming more popular, there are few reports on the outcomes of adult intussusception treated with LS. This study compared the feasibility of LS vs open surgery (OS) for adult intussusception. METHOD: We reviewed retrospectively the medical records of adult patients with intussusception from three tertiary hospitals between 2000 and 2016. The patients were divided into LS and OS groups, and their surgical outcomes were compared. RESULTS: Surgery was indicated in 71 patients with intussusception (41 LS and 30 OS). The median age of the patients was 49.0 and 51.5 years in the LS and OS groups, respectively (P = 0.930). Overall, nine (12.7%) patients had a negative laparotomy or laparoscopy with spontaneous reduction of the intussusception. Conversion to OS from LS was necessary in one patient (2.4%). The operative time and intra-operative and postoperative complication rates were not significantly different. However, there were more serious complications such as bowel perforation and major vessel injury in the LS group. The patients in the LS group had a shorter time to first food intake and hospital stay vs patients in the OS group (4.0 vs 6.0 days, P < 0.001, and 7.0 vs 10.5 days, P < 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSION: LS may be feasible for adult intussusception; there may be more severe intra-operative complications than in OS.

Non-melanoma skin cancer as a clinical marker for internal malignancies: a nationwide population-based cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: Non-melanoma skin cancers (NMSCs) are the most common cancers in the world, but the risk of internal malignancy in patients with NMSC has not been well investigated. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to assess the risk of internal malignancy in patients with NMSC compared with controls without NMSC in Korean population. METHODS: This nationwide cohort study, compared 27 259 NMSC patients with 54 518 matched controls without NMSC, 40 years or older using the data from Korea Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service from 2007 to 2016. The first 2 years were washout period, and we followed the patients for 8 years to observe the development of any internal malignancies after a diagnosis of NMSC. The Cox proportional hazard model was used to determine the hazard ratios (HRs) for developing internal malignancies. RESULTS: The overall risk of internal malignancies at all sites was 2727.7 and 1392.4 per 100 000 person-years for the patients with NMSC and controls, respectively. The risk was significantly higher in the patients with NMSC (HR 1.866, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.768-1.970). Bone cancer showed the highest risk (HR 12.745, 95% CI 6.288-25.834), followed by nasal cavity and larynx (HR 10.279, 95% CI 6.178-7.103), oral cavity and pharynx (HR 10.211, 95% CI 7.375-14.137), anus and anal canal (HR 8.147, 95% CI 3.893-17.051) and cervical (HR 5.900, 95% CI 3.694-9.423) cancers with risks greater than fivefold higher in NMSC patients compared with the controls. The risks of cancers of the thorax, oesophagus, breast, lung, stomach, thyroid gland and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma were also statistically higher in the patients with NMSC. In contrast, the risks of cancers of the colon and rectum were found to be significantly decreased in the patients with NMSC (HR 0.765, 95% CI 0.657-0.890). CONCLUSION: Patients with NMSC require careful screening and follow-up for internal malignancy.

Thermostable xylanase derived from Trichoderma citrinoviride increases growth performance and non-starch polysaccharide degradation in broiler chickens.

1. The aim of this trial was to determine the optimal supplementation level of a xylanase enzyme from Trichoderma citrinoviride on growth performance, apparent ileal and total tract nutrient retention, intestinal morphology, and intestinal concentration of volatile fatty acids in broiler chickens.2. A total of 600 broiler chickens (Ross 308) of mixed sex were randomly allotted to four treatments, on the basis of similar body weight. The dietary treatments were made from a corn-wheat-soy based diet supplemented with either 0, 3750, 7500, or 11 250 XU/kg xylanase and were fed to 32 d of age.3. A linear response to increasing dietary xylanase was demonstrated for overall weight gain (P < 0.05) and feed conversion ratio (P < 0.05). The apparent total tract digestibility of dry matter and gross energy, and the coefficient of apparent ileal digestibility (CIAD) of N and soluble non-starch polysaccharides were linearly improved when xylanase was added to the diet (P < 0.05). Moreover, a linear increase (P < 0.05) was observed in the CIAD of Arg, Lys, and Try with increasing dietary levels of xylanase.4. The viscosity of digesta in ileum was linearly decreased when dietary xylanase level increased (P < 0.05).5. An increase in villus height of the duodenum and jejunum were observed with increasing dietary levels of xylanase (linear, P < 0.05).6. Overall, the results showed that the effects of dietary xylanase supplementation on broiler performance was determined through effects on nutrient availability and intestinal morphology.