Background: /Aim: Gadolinium-ethoxybenzyl-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (EOBMRI) further enhances the identification of additional hepatic nodules compared with computed tomography (CT) alone; however, the optimal treatment for such additional nodules remains unclear. We investigated the long-term oncological effect of aggressive treatment strategies for additional lesions identified using EOB-MRI in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: Data from 522 patients diagnosed with solitary HCC using CT between January 2008 and December 2012 were retrospectively reviewed. Propensity score-matched (PSM) analysis was used to compare the oncologic outcomes between patients with solitary HCC and those with additional nodules on EOB-MRI after aggressive treatment (resection or radiofrequency ablation [RFA]). Results: Among the 383 patients included, 59 had additional nodules identified using EOB-MRI. Compared with patients with solitary HCC, those with additional nodules on EOB-MRI had elevated total bilirubin, aspartate transaminase, and alanine transaminase; had a lower platelet count, higher MELD score, and highly associated with liver cirrhosis (P<0.05). Regarding long-term outcomes, 59 patients with solitary HCC and those with additional nodules after PSM were compared. Disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were comparable between the two groups (DFS, 60.4 vs. 44.3 months, P=0.071; OS, 82.8 vs. 84.8 months, P=0.986). Conclusion The aggressive treatment approach, either resection or RFA, for patients with additional nodules identified on EOBMRI was associated with long-term survival comparable with that for solitary HCC. However, further studies are required to confirm these findings.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the surgical outcome of split-thickness skin graft (STSG) for chronic diabetic wounds of the foot and ankle. Materials and Methods: The medical records of 20 patients who underwent surgery for chronic diabetic wounds of the foot and ankle between October 2013 and May 2018 were reviewed. Surgical management consisted of consecutive debridement, followed by negativepressure wound therapy and STSG. We used an acellular dermal matrix between the wound and the overlying STSG in some patients with wide or uneven wounds. Patient satisfaction, comorbidities, wound size and location, length of hospital stay, wound healing time, and complications were investigated. Results: Of 20 patients, 17 (85.0%) were satisfied with the surgical outcome. Eight patients had diabetic wounds associated with peripheral vascular disease (PVD), 7 patients had diabetic wounds without PVD, and 5 patients had acute infection superimposed with necrotizing abscesses. The mean size of the wound was 49.6 cm 2 . The mean length of hospital stay was 33.3 days. The mean time to wound healing was 7.9 weeks. The mean follow-up period was 25.9 months. Complications included delayed wound healing (4 cases) and recurrence of the diabetic wounds (2 cases), which were resolved by meticulous wound dressing. Conclusion STSG remains a good treatment strategy for chronic diabetic wounds of the foot and ankle.

Background: Pokemon is an oncogenic transcription regulator that plays a critical role in cellular differentiation. Although it has been found to be overexpressed in several types of cancer involving different organs, its role in thyroid gland has yet to be reported. The objective of this study was to evaluate the expression of Pokemon in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) based on clinicopathological parameters. Methods: Tissue microarray samples derived from patients with PTC or benign thyroid disease were used to evaluate Pokemon expression based on immunohistochemical analysis. Correlations of its expression with various clinicopathological parameters were then analyzed. Results: Pokemon expression was observed in 22.0% of thyroid follicular cells from the normal group, 44.0% from the group with benign thyroid diseases, and 92.1% from the group with PTC (p < .001). The intensity of Pokemon expression was markedly higher in the PTC group. Pokemon expression level and PTC tumor size showed an inverse correlation. T1a tumors showed strong expression levels of Pokemon. However, larger tumors showed weak expression (p = .006). Conclusions Pokemon expression is associated with tumorigenesis of PTC, with expression showing an inverse correlation with PTC tumor size. This might be related to the negative regulation of aerobic glycolysis by Pokemon.

Fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma (FLHCC) is a rare liver cancer affecting adolescents and young adults without any pre existing liver disease. Hyperammonemic encephalopathy (HAE) is a serious paraneoplastic syndrome, and several cases of HAE have been reported in patients with FLHCC. This condition is rare; hence, there are currently no management guidelines for cancer-related HAE. Herein, we report a case of an 18-year-old man with advanced FLHCC who developed HAE during the first course of chemotherapy consisting of cisplatin, doxorubicin, 5-fluorouracil, and interferon-α. He was successfully treated with continuous venovenous hemofiltration, sodium benzoate, sodium phenylbutyrate, and amino acid supplementation for HAE. After the second course of chemotherapy, he underwent surgery, and thereafter, his ammonia levels were normal without any ammonia scavenger therapy. Treatments for HAE described here will be helpful for this rare, but serious metabolic complication of FLHCC and could partially applied to HAE related to any malignancies.

Purpose: InnoSEAL Plus is an adhesive, coagulant-free hemostatic material that mimics the adhesion mechanism of marine mussels. This study reports on the safety and efficacy of InnoSEAL Plus for patients with hemorrhage after hepatectomy despite first-line hemostasis treatments. Methods: This is a multicenter, prospective, single-blinded, randomized clinical trial involving 96 hepatectomy patients. TachoSil was used as a comparator group. Three-minute and 10-minute hemostatic success rates were monitored. Rebleeding rates were also observed. Safety was assessed by recording all novel undesirable symptoms. Results: InnoSEAL Plus showed a 3-minute hemostasis rate of 100%, while TachoSil had a rate of 98.0% (48 of 49 patients), demonstrating that the 2 had similar hemostatic efficacies. The difference in efficacy between the test and comparator group was 2.04%, and the lower limit of the one-sided 97.5% confidence interval was –1.92%; as this is greater than the noninferiority limit of –23.9%, the 2 treatments were equivalent. Meanwhile, the 10-minute hemostatic success rate was the same in both groups (100%). No rebleeding occurred in either group. In the safety evaluation, 89 patients experienced adverse events (45 in the test group and 44 in the comparator group). The difference between the 2 groups was not significant. No death occurred after application of the test or comparator group product. Conclusion Given that InnoSEAL Plus is a coagulation factor-free product, the hemostasis results are encouraging, especially considering that TachoSil contains a coagulation factor. InnoSEAL Plus was found to be a safe and effective hemostatic material for control of bleeding in hepatectomy patients.

Background: Pokemon is an oncogenic transcription regulator that plays a critical role in cellular differentiation. Although it has been found to be overexpressed in several types of cancer involving different organs, its role in thyroid gland has yet to be reported. The objective of this study was to evaluate the expression of Pokemon in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) based on clinicopathological parameters. Methods: Tissue microarray samples derived from patients with PTC or benign thyroid disease were used to evaluate Pokemon expression based on immunohistochemical analysis. Correlations of its expression with various clinicopathological parameters were then analyzed. Results: Pokemon expression was observed in 22.0% of thyroid follicular cells from the normal group, 44.0% from the group with benign thyroid diseases, and 92.1% from the group with PTC (p < .001). The intensity of Pokemon expression was markedly higher in the PTC group. Pokemon expression level and PTC tumor size showed an inverse correlation. T1a tumors showed strong expression levels of Pokemon. However, larger tumors showed weak expression (p = .006). Conclusions Pokemon expression is associated with tumorigenesis of PTC, with expression showing an inverse correlation with PTC tumor size. This might be related to the negative regulation of aerobic glycolysis by Pokemon.

Artifacts ; Blood Buffy Coat ; Gene Frequency ; Hematologic Tests ; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Tissue Preservation

PURPOSE: The stress distribution and microgap formation on an implant abutment structure was evaluated to determine the relationship between the direction of the load and the stress value. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two types of three-dimensional models for the mandibular first molar were designed: bone-level implant and tissue-level implant. Each group consisted of an implant, surrounding bone, abutment, screw, and crown. Static finite element analysis was simulated through 200 N of occlusal load and preload at five different load directions: 0, 15, 30, 45, and 60°. The von Mises stress of the abutment and implant was evaluated. Microgap formation on the implant-abutment interface was also analyzed. RESULTS: The stress values in the implant were as follows: 525, 322, 561, 778, and 1150 MPa in a bone level implant, and 254, 182, 259, 364, and 436 MPa in a tissue level implant at a load direction of 0, 15, 30, 45, and 60°, respectively. For microgap formation between the implant and abutment interface, three to seven-micron gaps were observed in the bone level implant under a load at 45 and 60°. In contrast, a three-micron gap was observed in the tissue level implant under a load at only 60°. CONCLUSION The mean stress of bone-level implant showed 2.2 times higher than that of tissue-level implant. When considering the loading point of occlusal surface and the direction of load, higher stress was noted when the vector was from the center of rotation in the implant prostheses.

Excessive intake of sodium caused by high salt diet promotes the expression of inflammatory cytokines and differentiation of helper T cells resulting in inflammatory responses. High-glucose diet also contributes to the pathogenesis of periodontitis by inducing changes in the oral microbiome and reducing salivation. However, the effect of a high-salt and glucose diet (HSGD) on the prognosis of periodontitis remains unclear. In this study, a rat modelof experimental periodontitis was established by periodic insertion of absorbable sutures containing Porphyromonas gingivalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum strains into the right gingival sulcus to analyze the effect of HSGD on the incidence and progression of periodontitis. The alveolar bone heights (ABH) was measured with microcomputed tomography imaging of the HSGD- and general diet (GD)-treated groups. The right ABH was significantly decreased compared to the left in both groups at 4 weeks after induction of inflammation; however, no significant difference was noted between the groups. Notably, the ABH in the HSGD-treated group was significantly decreased at 8 weeks after induction of inflammation, whereas in the GD-treated group, an increase in the ABH was observed; a significant difference of the ABH was noted between the two groups (p < 0.05). At 12 weeks, recovery of the alveolar bone was observed in both groups, with no significant differences in ABH between the two groups. These findings indicate that the intake of excessive sodium attenuates the recovery rate of the alveolar bone even after the local infectant isremoved. In addition, this study demonstrates the use of HSGD in establishing a new animal model of periodontitis.

Spontaneous tumor rupture is a serious but rare complication of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and has a low survival rate. Here, we report a case of massive HCC that ruptured and was treated successfully with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE). A 55-year-old man with abdominal pain was diagnosed with a 12-cm-wide ruptured HCC at segment 8. The overall liver function was scored as Child–Pugh A, but the single nodule tumor had ruptured; therefore, TACE treatment was initiated. After the first TACE treatment, residual tumors were found; thus, secondary TACE was performed 5 months later. No new lesions or extrahepatic metastases were found 16 months after the first TACE treatment, so hepatic resection was performed for curative treatment. The postoperative pathology results did not reveal any cancer cells; hence, TACE alone resulted in a cure. We report this case because the cure has been maintained for more than 3 years after resection.