Objective: Cardiac arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CA/R) lead to whole-body ischemia and reperfusion (IR) injury, causing multiple organ dysfunction, including ischemic spinal cord injury. The thoracic spinal cord levels are crucial for maintaining the sympathetic functions vital for life. This study examined blood-spinal cord barrier (BSCB) leakage and astrocyte endfeet (AEF) disruption and their effects on survival, physiological variables, and neuronal damage/death in the intermediate zone (IMZ) at the seventh thoracic spinal cord level after asphyxial CA/R in rats. Methods: The rats underwent whole-body IR injury by asphyxial CA/R. Kaplan-Meier analysis was conducted to assess the cumulative survival post-CA/R. The histological changes post-CA/R were evaluated using immunohistochemistry, histofluorescence, and double histofluorescence. Results: No significant differences in body weight, mean arterial pressure, and heart rate were found between the sham and CA/R groups post-CA/R. The survival rates in the CA/R group at 12, 24, and 48 hours were 62.58%, 36.37%, and 7.8%, respectively. Neuronal loss and BSCB leakage began 12 hours post-CA/R, increasing with time. Reactive astrogliosis appeared at 12 hours and increased, while AEF disruption around blood vessels was evident at 48 hours. Conclusion The survival rate declined significantly by 48 hours post-CA/R. Neuronal loss and BSCB leakage in the thoracic spinal cord IMZ was evident at 12 hours and significant by 48 hours, aligning with AEF disruption. Neuronal loss in the thoracic spinal cord IMZ post-CA/R may be related to BSCB leakage and AEF disruption.

Purpose: Since 1995, the Korean Gastric Cancer Association (KGCA) has been periodically conducting nationwide surveys on patients with surgically treated gastric cancer. This study details the results of the survey conducted in 2023. Materials and Methods: The survey was conducted from March to December 2024 using a standardized case report form. Data were collected on 86 items, including patient demographics, tumor characteristics, surgical procedures, and surgical outcomes. The results of the 2023 survey were compared with those of previous surveys. Results: Data from 12,751 cases were collected from 66 institutions. The mean patient age was 64.6 years, and the proportion of patients aged ≥71 years increased from 9.1% in 1995 to 31.7% in 2023. The proportion of upper-third tumors slightly decreased to 16.8% compared to 20.9% in 2019. Early gastric cancer accounted for 63.1% of cases in 2023.Regarding operative procedures, a totally laparoscopic approach was most frequently applied (63.2%) in 2023, while robotic gastrectomy steadily increased to 9.5% from 2.1% in 2014.The most common anastomotic method was the Billroth II procedure (48.8%) after distal gastrectomy and double-tract reconstruction (51.9%) after proximal gastrectomy in 2023.However, the proportion of esophago-gastrostomy with anti-reflux procedures increased to 30.9%. The rates of post-operative mortality and overall complications were 1.0% and 15.3%, respectively. Conclusions The results of the 2023 nationwide survey demonstrate the current status of gastric cancer treatment in Korea. This information will provide a basis for future gastric cancer research.

Purpose: Since 1995, the Korean Gastric Cancer Association (KGCA) has been periodically conducting nationwide surveys on patients with surgically treated gastric cancer. This study details the results of the survey conducted in 2023. Materials and Methods: The survey was conducted from March to December 2024 using a standardized case report form. Data were collected on 86 items, including patient demographics, tumor characteristics, surgical procedures, and surgical outcomes. The results of the 2023 survey were compared with those of previous surveys. Results: Data from 12,751 cases were collected from 66 institutions. The mean patient age was 64.6 years, and the proportion of patients aged ≥71 years increased from 9.1% in 1995 to 31.7% in 2023. The proportion of upper-third tumors slightly decreased to 16.8% compared to 20.9% in 2019. Early gastric cancer accounted for 63.1% of cases in 2023.Regarding operative procedures, a totally laparoscopic approach was most frequently applied (63.2%) in 2023, while robotic gastrectomy steadily increased to 9.5% from 2.1% in 2014.The most common anastomotic method was the Billroth II procedure (48.8%) after distal gastrectomy and double-tract reconstruction (51.9%) after proximal gastrectomy in 2023.However, the proportion of esophago-gastrostomy with anti-reflux procedures increased to 30.9%. The rates of post-operative mortality and overall complications were 1.0% and 15.3%, respectively. Conclusions The results of the 2023 nationwide survey demonstrate the current status of gastric cancer treatment in Korea. This information will provide a basis for future gastric cancer research.

Objective: Cardiac arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CA/R) lead to whole-body ischemia and reperfusion (IR) injury, causing multiple organ dysfunction, including ischemic spinal cord injury. The thoracic spinal cord levels are crucial for maintaining the sympathetic functions vital for life. This study examined blood-spinal cord barrier (BSCB) leakage and astrocyte endfeet (AEF) disruption and their effects on survival, physiological variables, and neuronal damage/death in the intermediate zone (IMZ) at the seventh thoracic spinal cord level after asphyxial CA/R in rats. Methods: The rats underwent whole-body IR injury by asphyxial CA/R. Kaplan-Meier analysis was conducted to assess the cumulative survival post-CA/R. The histological changes post-CA/R were evaluated using immunohistochemistry, histofluorescence, and double histofluorescence. Results: No significant differences in body weight, mean arterial pressure, and heart rate were found between the sham and CA/R groups post-CA/R. The survival rates in the CA/R group at 12, 24, and 48 hours were 62.58%, 36.37%, and 7.8%, respectively. Neuronal loss and BSCB leakage began 12 hours post-CA/R, increasing with time. Reactive astrogliosis appeared at 12 hours and increased, while AEF disruption around blood vessels was evident at 48 hours. Conclusion The survival rate declined significantly by 48 hours post-CA/R. Neuronal loss and BSCB leakage in the thoracic spinal cord IMZ was evident at 12 hours and significant by 48 hours, aligning with AEF disruption. Neuronal loss in the thoracic spinal cord IMZ post-CA/R may be related to BSCB leakage and AEF disruption.

Purpose: Since 1995, the Korean Gastric Cancer Association (KGCA) has been periodically conducting nationwide surveys on patients with surgically treated gastric cancer. This study details the results of the survey conducted in 2023. Materials and Methods: The survey was conducted from March to December 2024 using a standardized case report form. Data were collected on 86 items, including patient demographics, tumor characteristics, surgical procedures, and surgical outcomes. The results of the 2023 survey were compared with those of previous surveys. Results: Data from 12,751 cases were collected from 66 institutions. The mean patient age was 64.6 years, and the proportion of patients aged ≥71 years increased from 9.1% in 1995 to 31.7% in 2023. The proportion of upper-third tumors slightly decreased to 16.8% compared to 20.9% in 2019. Early gastric cancer accounted for 63.1% of cases in 2023.Regarding operative procedures, a totally laparoscopic approach was most frequently applied (63.2%) in 2023, while robotic gastrectomy steadily increased to 9.5% from 2.1% in 2014.The most common anastomotic method was the Billroth II procedure (48.8%) after distal gastrectomy and double-tract reconstruction (51.9%) after proximal gastrectomy in 2023.However, the proportion of esophago-gastrostomy with anti-reflux procedures increased to 30.9%. The rates of post-operative mortality and overall complications were 1.0% and 15.3%, respectively. Conclusions The results of the 2023 nationwide survey demonstrate the current status of gastric cancer treatment in Korea. This information will provide a basis for future gastric cancer research.

Objective: Cardiac arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CA/R) lead to whole-body ischemia and reperfusion (IR) injury, causing multiple organ dysfunction, including ischemic spinal cord injury. The thoracic spinal cord levels are crucial for maintaining the sympathetic functions vital for life. This study examined blood-spinal cord barrier (BSCB) leakage and astrocyte endfeet (AEF) disruption and their effects on survival, physiological variables, and neuronal damage/death in the intermediate zone (IMZ) at the seventh thoracic spinal cord level after asphyxial CA/R in rats. Methods: The rats underwent whole-body IR injury by asphyxial CA/R. Kaplan-Meier analysis was conducted to assess the cumulative survival post-CA/R. The histological changes post-CA/R were evaluated using immunohistochemistry, histofluorescence, and double histofluorescence. Results: No significant differences in body weight, mean arterial pressure, and heart rate were found between the sham and CA/R groups post-CA/R. The survival rates in the CA/R group at 12, 24, and 48 hours were 62.58%, 36.37%, and 7.8%, respectively. Neuronal loss and BSCB leakage began 12 hours post-CA/R, increasing with time. Reactive astrogliosis appeared at 12 hours and increased, while AEF disruption around blood vessels was evident at 48 hours. Conclusion The survival rate declined significantly by 48 hours post-CA/R. Neuronal loss and BSCB leakage in the thoracic spinal cord IMZ was evident at 12 hours and significant by 48 hours, aligning with AEF disruption. Neuronal loss in the thoracic spinal cord IMZ post-CA/R may be related to BSCB leakage and AEF disruption.

OBJECTIVES: This study compared the current smoking prevalence among adults with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection to that of the general Korean population and analyzed changes in smoking prevalence and cessation rates from 2009 to 2020. METHODS: The study included a total of 10,980 adults with HIV infection who underwent a health screening examination (National Health Insurance Service-National Health Information Database; NHIS-NHID), 1,230 individuals with HIV infection who participated in the Korea HIV/AIDS Cohort (KoCosHIV), and 76,783 participants from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). We estimated the current smoking prevalence and the quit ratio, defined as the ratio of former smokers to ever-smokers. RESULTS: In the NHIS-NHID and KoCosHIV studies, the prevalence of current and former smoking among adults with HIV was 44.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 43.2 to 45.1) and 15.6% (95% CI, 14.9 to 16.3), and 47.7% (95% CI, 43.7 to 51.8) and 16.9% (95% CI, 11.8 to 22.0), respectively. In the KNHANES, these rates were 22.5% and 18.1%, respectively. The standardized prevalence ratio of current smoking among adults with HIV was 1.76 in the NHIS-NHID and 1.97 in the KoCosHIV. Furthermore, the likelihood of quitting smoking was lower among adults with HIV than in the general population (NHIS-NHID: 26.1%; 95% CI, 25.0 to 27.1; KoCosHIV: 26.2%; 95% CI, 20.2 to 32.1; KNHANES: 44.6%; 95% CI, 44.5 to 44.6). Among HIV-positive adults, there was a 1.53% decline in the current smoking rate and a 2.86% increase in the quit ratio. CONCLUSIONS Adults with HIV were more likely to smoke and less likely to quit smoking than the general adult population. Tobacco screening and cessation strategies should specifically target this population.