• BMB Reports
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• v.54 no.10
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• pp.497-504
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• 2021

EGR1 (early growth response 1) is dysregulated in many cancers and exhibits both tumor suppressor and promoter activities, making it an appealing target for cancer therapy. Here, we used a systematic multi-omics analysis to review the expression of EGR1 and its role in regulating clinical outcomes in breast cancer (BC). EGR1 expression, its promoter methylation, and protein expression pattern were assessed using various publicly available tools. COSMIC-based somatic mutations and cBioPortal-based copy number alterations were analyzed, and the prognostic roles of EGR1 in BC were determined using Prognoscan and Kaplan-Meier Plotter. We also used bc-GenEx-Miner to investigate the EGR1 co-expression profile. EGR1 was more often downregulated in BC tissues than in normal breast tissue, and its knockdown was positively correlated with poor survival. Low EGR1 expression levels were also associated with increased risk of ER+, PR+, and HER2- BCs. High positive correlations were observed among EGR1, DUSP1, FOS, FOSB, CYR61, and JUN mRNA expression in BC tissue. This systematic review suggested that EGR1 expression may serve as a prognostic marker for BC patients and that clinicopathological parameters influence its prognostic utility. In addition to EGR1, DUSP1, FOS, FOSB, CYR61, and JUN can jointly be considered prognostic indicators for BC.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.246-253
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• 2021

In order to provide a physiological solution for patients with breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL), the surgeon must understand where and how the pathology of lymphedema occurred. Based on each patient's pathology, the treatment plan should be carefully decided and individualized. At the authors' institution, the treatment plan is made individually based on each patient's symptoms and relative factors. Most early-stage patients first undergo decongestive therapy and then, depending on the efficacy of the treatment, a surgical approach is suggested. If the patient is indicated for surgery, all the points of lymphatic flow obstruction are carefully examined. Thus a BCRL patient can be considered for lymphaticovenous anastomosis (LVA), a lymph node flap, scar resection, or a combination thereof. LVA targets ectatic superficial collecting lymphatics, which are located within the deep fat layer, and preoperative mapping using ultrasonography is critical. If there is contracture on the axilla, axillary scar removal is indicated to relieve the vein pressure and allow better drainage. Furthermore, removing the scars and reconstructing the fat layer will allow a better chance for the lymphatics to regenerate. After complete removal of scar tissue, a regional fat flap or a superficial circumflex iliac artery perforator flap with lymph node transfer is performed. By deciding the surgical planning for BCRL based on each patient's pathophysiology, optimal outcomes can be achieved. Depending on each patient's pathophysiology, LVA, scar removal, vascularized lymph node transfer with a sufficient adipocutaneous flap, and simultaneous breast reconstruction should be planned.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.210-215
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• 2019

Background: This study was undertaken to evaluate early clinical outcomes of ultrasound-guided suprascapular nerve block (SSNB) using a proximal approach, as compared with subacromial steroid injection (SA). Methods: This retrospective study included a consecutive series of 40 patients of SSNB and 20 patients receiving SA, from August 2017 to August 2018. The visual analogue scale (VAS), American Shoulder Elbow Surgeon's score (ASES), University of California, Los Angeles score (UCLA), the 36 health survey questionnaire mental component summary (SF36-MCS), physical component summary (PCS), and range of motion (forward elevation, external rotation, and internal rotation) were assessed for clinical evaluations. Results: Compared with the baseline, VAS, and ranges of motion in the SSNB group significantly improved at the 4-week follow-up (VAS scores improved from $6.7{\pm}1.6$ to $4.3{\pm}2.4$, p<0.001; all ranges of motion p<0.05), while other variables showed no statistically significant differences. All clinical variables were significantly improved in the SA group (p<0.05). However, all clinical scores at the 4-week follow-up showed no significant difference between groups. Conclusions: Ultrasound-guided SSNB using proximal approach provides significant pain relief at 4-weeks after treatment, with statistically significant difference when compared with SA, suggesting that SSNB using proximal approach is a potentially useful option in managing shoulder pain. However, in the current study, it was less effective in improving shoulder function and health-related quality of life, compared with SA.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.45-52
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• 2021

Background: Atrial septal defect (ASD) is the most common congenital heart disease. However, the details of cardiac chamber remodeling after surgery are not well known, although this is an important issue that should be analyzed to understand long-term outcomes. Methods: Between November 2017 and January 2019, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging was performed preoperatively, at a 1-month postoperative follow-up, and at a 1-year postoperative follow-up. Cardiac chamber volume, valve regurgitation volume, and ejection fraction were measured as functions of time. Results: Thirteen patients (10 men and 3 women) were included. The median age at surgery was 51.4 years. The preoperative median ratio of flow in the pulmonary and systemic circulation was 2.3. The preoperative mean right ventricular (RV) end-diastolic volume index (EDVi) and RV end-systolic volume index (ESVi) had significantly decreased at the 1-month postoperative follow-up (p<0.001, p=0.001, respectively). The decrease in the RVEDVi (p=0.085) and RVESVi (p=0.023) continued until the postoperative 1-year follow-up, although the rate of decrease was slower. Tricuspid valve regurgitation had also decreased at the 1-month postoperative follow-up (p=0.022), and continued to decrease at a reduced rate (p=0.129). Although the RVEDVi and RVESVi improved after ASD closure, the RV volume parameters were still larger than the left ventricular (LV) volume parameters at the 1-year follow-up (RVEDVi vs. LVEDVi: p=0.016; RVESVi vs. LVESVi: p=0.001). Conclusion: Cardiac remodeling after ASD closure is common and mainly occurs in the early postoperative period. However, complete normalization does not occur.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.8-16
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• 2021

This article aims to introduce the inception and operation of the COVID-19 International Collaborative Research Project, the world's first coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) open data project for research, along with its dataset and research method, and to discuss relevant considerations for collaborative research using nationwide real-world data (RWD). COVID-19 has spread across the world since early 2020, becoming a serious global health threat to life, safety, and social and economic activities. However, insufficient RWD from patients was available to help clinicians efficiently diagnose and treat patients with COVID-19, or to provide necessary information to the government for policy-making. Countries that saw a rapid surge of infections had to focus on leveraging medical professionals to treat patients, and the circumstances made it even more difficult to promptly use COVID-19 RWD. Against this backdrop, the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) of Korea decided to open its COVID-19 RWD collected through Korea's universal health insurance program, under the title of the COVID-19 International Collaborative Research Project. The dataset, consisting of 476 508 claim statements from 234 427 patients (7590 confirmed cases) and 18 691 318 claim statements of the same patients for the previous 3 years, was established and hosted on HIRA's in-house server. Researchers who applied to participate in the project uploaded analysis code on the platform prepared by HIRA, and HIRA conducted the analysis and provided outcome values. As of November 2020, analyses have been completed for 129 research projects, which have been published or are in the process of being published in prestigious journals.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.38-48
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• 2021

Purpose: As the number of gastric cancer survivors is increasing and their quality of life after surgery is being emphasized, single-port surgery is emerging as an alternative to conventional gastrectomy. A novel multi-degree-of-freedom (DOF) articulating device, the ArtiSential® device (LivsMed, Seongnam, Korea), was designed to allow more intuitive and meticulous control for surgeons facing ergonomic difficulties with conventional tools. In this study, we evaluated the feasibility of this new device during single-port laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (SP-LDG) for early gastric cancer (EGC) patients. Materials and Methods: Consecutive patients diagnosed with EGC who underwent SP-LDG with ArtiSential® (LivsMed) graspers between April 2018 and August 2020 were enrolled in the study. The clinical outcomes were compared with those of a control group, in which prebent graspers (Olympus Medical Systems Corp) were used for the same procedures. Results: Seventeen patients were enrolled in the ArtiSential® group. There was no significant difference in operative time (205.4±6.0 vs. 218.1±9.9 minutes, P= 0.270) or the quality of surgery, in terms of the number of retrieved lymph nodes (49.5±3.5 vs. 45.9±4.0, P=0.473), length of hospital stay (15.4±2.0 vs. 12.4±1.3 days, P=0.588), and postoperative complications (40.0% vs. 41.2%, P=0.595), between the ArtiSential® group and the control group. Conclusions: The new multi-DOF articulating grasper is feasible and can be used as an alternative for prebent graspers during SP-LDG.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.16-29
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• 2021

Purpose: Incidence, risk factors, and clinical consequences of pancreatic fistula (POPF) after D1+/D2 radical gastrectomy have not been well investigated in Western patients, particularly those from Eastern Europe. Materials and Methods: A total of 358 D1+/D2 radical gastrectomies were performed by surgeons with high caseloads in a single surgical center from 2002 to 2017. A retrospective analysis of data that were prospectively gathered in an electronic database was performed. POPF was defined and graded according to the International Study Group for Pancreatic Surgery (ISGPS) criteria. Uni- and multivariate analyses were performed to identify potential predictors of POPF. Additionally, the impact of POPF on early complications and long-term outcomes were investigated. Results: POPF was observed in 20 patients (5.6%), according to the updated ISGPS grading system. Cardiovascular comorbidities emerged as the single independent predictor of POPF formation (risk ratio, 3.051; 95% confidence interval, 1.161-8.019; P=0.024). POPF occurrence was associated with statistically significant increased rates of postoperative hemorrhage requiring re-laparotomy (P=0.029), anastomotic leak (P=0.002), 90-day mortality (P=0.036), and prolonged hospital stay (P<0.001). The long-term survival of patients with gastric adenocarcinoma was not affected by POPF (P=0.661). Conclusions: In this large series of Eastern European patients, the clinically relevant rate of POPF after D1+/D2 radical gastrectomy was low. The presence of co-existing cardiovascular disease favored the occurrence of POPF and was associated with an increased risk of postoperative bleeding, anastomotic leak, 90-day mortality, and prolonged hospital stay. POPF was not found to affect the long-term survival of patients with gastric adenocarcinoma.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.299-304
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• 2021

Atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) is a rare, progressive, life-threatening condition of thrombotic microangiopathy characterized by thrombocytopenia, microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, and renal impairment. The mechanisms underlying aHUS remain unclear. Herein, we present the first case in the literature of aHUS after a traumatic injury. A 55-year-old male visited the emergency department after a traumatic injury caused by a tree limb. Abdominal computed tomography revealed a rectal wall defect with significant air density in the perirectal space and preperitoneum, implying rectal perforation. Due to the absence of intraperitoneal intestinal perforation, we performed diverting sigmoid loop colostomy. An additional intermittent simple repair was performed due to perianal and anal injuries. One day postoperatively, his urine output abruptly decreased and serum creatinine level increased. His platelet level decreased, and a spiking fever occurred after 2 days. The patient was diagnosed with acute renal failure secondary to aHUS and was treated with fresh frozen plasma replacement. Continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) was also started for oliguria and uremic symptoms. The patient received CRRT for 3 days and intermittent hemodialysis thereafter. After hemodialysis and subsequent supportive treatment, his urine output and renal function improved. The hemolytic anemia and thrombocytopenia also gradually improved. Dialysis was terminated on day 22 of admission and the patient was discharged after recovery. This case suggests that that a traumatic event can trigger aHUS, which should be considered in patients who have thrombocytopenia and acute renal failure with microangiopathic hemolytic anemia. Early diagnosis and appropriate management are critical for favorable outcomes.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.103-110
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• 2022

Background: The primary objectives of mandibular surgery are to achieve optimal occlusion, low sensory disturbance, and adequate fixation with early movement. In-depth knowledge of the mandibular structure is required to achieve these goals. This study used computed tomography (CT) to evaluate the mandibular cortical thickness and cancellous space according to age and sex. Methods: We enrolled 230 consecutive patients, aged 20 to 50 years, who underwent CT scanning. The cortex and cancellous space centered around the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) canal were measured at two specific locations: the lingula and second molar region. Statistical analysis of differences according to increasing age and sex was performed. Results: The t-test revealed that the cancellous space and cortical thickness differed significantly with respect to the threshold of 35 years of age. Both cortical thickness and cancellous space in the molar region were negatively correlated with age. Meanwhile, both cortical thickness and cancellous space in the lingula region showed a positive correlation with age. With respect to sex, significant differences in the cancellous space at the molar region and the cortical thickness at the lingula were observed. However, no further statistically significant differences were observed in other variables with respect to sex. The sum of each measurement on the mandibular body reflected the safe distance from the surface of the outer cortex to the IAN canal. The safe distances also showed statistically significant differences between those above and below 35 years of age. Conclusion: Knowledge of the anatomical structure of the mandible and of changes in bone structure is crucial to ensure optimal surgical outcomes and avoid damage to the IAN. CT examination is useful to identify changes in the bone structure, and these should be taken into account in the planning of surgery for older patients.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.209-214
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• 2022

We describe a case of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOt) as an adjunct to treatment of a crush injury to the hand. A 34-year-old male paramedic was involved in a motor vehicle accident and admitted for diagnosis and surgical treatment. He sustained a crush injury to his right hand and presented with significant muscle damage, including multiple fractures and dislocations, an avulsion injury of the flexor tendons, and amputation of the distal phalanx of the little finger. He underwent reconstructive surgery and received HBOt over the following days. In the following 2 months, he lost the distal and middle phalanges of the little finger and recovered hand function. Posttraumatic compartment syndrome responds well to HBOt, which reduces edema and contributes to angiogenesis, as well as promoting the cascade of healing events. High-energy trauma causes massive cell destruction, and the blood supply is usually not sufficient to meet the oxygen demands of viable tissues. Hyperbaric oxygenation by diffusion through interstitial and cellular fluids increases tissue oxygenation to levels sufficient for the host's responses to injury to work and helps control the delayed inflammatory reaction. HBOt used as an adjunct to surgical treatment resulted in early healing and rehabilitation, accelerating functional recovery. The results suggest that adjunctive HBOt can be beneficial for the treatment of crush injuries of the hand, resulting in better functional outcomes and helping to avoid unnecessary amputations.