This is a narrative review of various treatment modalities for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), with a focus on recent updates in radiological treatments, as well as novel treatment concepts related to immune checkpoint inhibitors and combination therapies with locoregional treatments. Interventional radiologists have made efforts toward developing alternative and/or combination treatments for first-line systemic treatment of patients with advanced HCC. Locoregional treatments with or without systemic therapy may be considered in the selected patients. Various treatment modalities for advanced HCC are emerging, and several randomized controlled trials, including those of combination treatments with immunotherapy, are ongoing.

Augmented reality is popular in various fields, and the importance of this technology has been increasing. Its medical application has also been widely studied. Particularly, augmented reality can be a more promising technique of a surgery which requires great precision. This paper introduces an overview of augmented reality and reviews the recent applications in medicine. After describing the basic concepts, brief characteristics of the three components that comprise augmented reality are provided. Various applications implemented in the authors' laboratory are reviewed.

Augmented reality is popular in various fields, and the importance of this technology has been increasing. Its medical application has also been widely studied. Particularly, augmented reality can be a more promising technique of a surgery which requires great precision. This paper introduces an overview of augmented reality and reviews the recent applications in medicine. After describing the basic concepts, brief characteristics of the three components that comprise augmented reality are provided. Various applications implemented in the authors' laboratory are reviewed.

Occupational lung diseases are caused by several toxic substances including heavy metals; however, the exact pathologic mechanisms remain unknown. In the workplace, dental technicians are often exposed to heavy metals such as cobalt, nickel, or beryllium and occasionally develop occupational lung diseases. We described a case of occupational lung disease in a patient who was employed as a dental technician for over a decade. A 31-year-old, non-smoking woman presented with productive cough and shortness of breath of several weeks duration. Chest computed tomography revealed a large number of scattered, bilateral small pulmonary nodules throughout the lung field, and multiple mediastinal lymph nodes enlargement. Percutaneous needle biopsy showed multifocal small granulomas with foreign body type giant cells suggestive of heavy metals inhalation. The patient's condition improved on simple avoidance strategy for several months. This case highlighted the importance of proper workplace safety.
Adult ; Beryllium ; Biopsy, Needle ; Cobalt ; Cough ; Dental Technicians* ; Dyspnea ; Female ; Foreign Bodies* ; Giant Cells, Foreign-Body ; Granuloma ; Humans ; Inhalation ; Lung ; Lung Diseases ; Lymph Nodes ; Metals, Heavy ; Nickel ; Thorax

Gastric mucosal damage by iron pills is often reported. However, iron pill aspiration is uncommon. Oxidation of the impacted iron pill causes bronchial mucosal damage that progresses to chronic bronchial inflammation, necrosis, endobronchial stenosis and rarely, perforation. We reported a case of a 92-year-old woman with chronic productive cough and significant left-sided atelectasis. Bronchoscopy revealed substantial luminal narrowing with exudative inflammation of the left main bronchus. Bronchial washing cytology showed necroinflammatory exudate and a small amount of brown material. Mucosal biopsy showed diffuse brown pigments indicative of ferrous pigments, crystal deposition, and marked tissue degeneration. After vigorous coughing, she expectorated dark sediments and her symptoms and radiological abnormalities improved. There are a few such reports worldwide; however, this was the first case reported in Korea. Careful observation of aspiration-prone patients and early detection of iron pill aspiration may prevent iron pill-induced bronchial injury.
Biopsy ; Bronchi ; Bronchoscopy ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Cough ; Exudates and Transudates ; Female ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Iron* ; Korea ; Necrosis ; Phenobarbital ; Pulmonary Atelectasis

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of fermented soybean (FS) extract on adipocyte differentiation and fat accumulation using cultured 3T3-L1 adipocytes. MATERIALS/METHODS: 3T3-L1 adipocytes were treated with FS and nonfermented soybean (NFS) extract during differentiation for 10 days in vitro. Oil red O staining was performed and glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH) activity was measured for analysis of fat accumulation. Expressions of adipogenic genes were measured. RESULTS: Soluble extract of soybean fermented with Aspergillus oryzae GB107 contained higher levels of low-molecular-weight protein than conventional soybean protein did. FS extract (50 microg/ml) inhibited adipocyte differentiation and fat accumulation during differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes for 10 days in vitro. Significantly lower GPDH activity was observed in differentiated adipocytes treated with the FS extract than those treated with NFS extract. Treatment with FS extract resulted in decreased expression levels of leptin, adiponectin, and adipogenin genes, which are associated with adipogenesis. CONCLUSIONS: This report is the first to demonstrate that the water-soluble extract from FS inhibits fat accumulation and lipid storage in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Thus, the soybean extract fermented with A. oryzae GB107 could be used to control lipid accumulation in adipocytes.
Adipocytes* ; Adipogenesis ; Adiponectin ; Aspergillus oryzae* ; Glycerolphosphate Dehydrogenase ; Leptin ; Oryza ; Soybeans*

Desmoid tumors are rare soft tissue tumors considered to have locally infiltrative features without distant metastasis until now. Although they are most commonly intraabdominal, very few cases have extra-abdominal locations. The origin of intrathoracic desmoid tumors is predominantly the chest wall with occasional involvement of pleura. True intrathoracic primary desmoid tumors with no involvement of the chest wall or pleura are extremely rare. We recently experienced a case of true intrathoracic desmoid tumor presenting as multiple lung nodules at 13 years after resection of a previous intraabdominal desmoid tumor.
Abdominal Wall* ; Fibromatosis, Aggressive* ; Lung* ; Multiple Pulmonary Nodules ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Pleura ; Thoracic Wall ; Thorax

PURPOSE: This study was to evaluate the relationship of 25(OH)D3 levels with anticonvulsant use and other possible factors in epileptic children and adolescents. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied 143 patients with epilepsy (90 boys, 53 girls; 11.21+/-4.49 years), who had been treated with anticonvulsants for more than 1 year. Patients who had taken multiple vitamins before the blood test and those who have the limitation of physical activity (wheelchair-bound) were excluded from the study. We evaluated the difference in vitamin D status according to the type and number of anticonvulsants taken and other factors such as gender, age, intelligence and seizure variables. RESULTS: For patients with mental retardation or developmental delay, 25(OH)D3 levels were lower than the levels in patients with normal intelligence quotient levels (p=0.03). 25(OH)D3 levels were lower in patients who had taken anticonvulsants for more than 2 years as compared to those who had taken them for less than 2 years (p=0.03). Those taking oxcarbazepine had significantly lower vitamin D levels than patients taking valproic acid (p=0.01). However, no effects of number of anticonvulsants taken were detectable. More than two-thirds of the patients were diagnosed with osteopenia or osteoporosis in patients showing either vitamin D insufficiency or deficiency. CONCLUSION: The possibility of vitamin D deficiency can be considered in pediatric patients taking anticonvulsants if they have mental retardation or developmental delay or if they have been taking anticonvulsants for more than 2 years or taking hepatic enzyme inducing drugs.
Adolescent* ; Anticonvulsants ; Bone Diseases, Metabolic ; Child* ; Developmental Disabilities ; Epilepsy ; Female ; Hematologic Tests ; Humans ; Intellectual Disability ; Intelligence ; Methods ; Motor Activity ; Osteoporosis ; Seizures ; Valproic Acid ; Vitamin D Deficiency ; Vitamin D* ; Vitamins*