Purpose: This study evaluated the postoperative quality of life (QoL) after various types of gastrectomy for gastric cancer. Materials and Methods: A multicenter prospective observational study was conducted in Korea using the Korean Quality of Life in Stomach Cancer Patients Study (KOQUSS)-40, a new QoL assessment tool focusing on postgastrectomy syndrome. Overall, 496 patients with gastric cancer were enrolled, and QoL was assessed at 5 time points: preoperatively and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery. Results: Distal gastrectomy (DG) and pylorus-preserving gastrectomy (PPG) showed significantly better outcomes than total gastrectomy (TG) and proximal gastrectomy (PG) with regard to total score, indigestion, and dysphagia. DG, PPG, and TG also showed significantly better outcomes than PG in terms of dumping syndrome and worry about cancer. Postoperative QoL did not differ significantly according to anastomosis type in DG, except for Billroth I anastomosis, which achieved better bowel habit change scores than the others. No domains differed significantly when comparing double tract reconstruction and esophagogastrostomy after PG. The total QoL score correlated significantly with postoperative body weight loss (more than 10%) and extent of resection (P<0.05 for both).Reflux as assessed by KOQUSS-40 did not correlate significantly with reflux observed on gastroscopy 1 year postoperatively (P=0.064). Conclusions Our prospective observation using KOQUSS-40 revealed that DG and PPG lead to better QoL than TG and PG. Further study is needed to compare postoperative QoL according to anastomosis type in DG and PG.

Purpose: This study evaluated the postoperative quality of life (QoL) after various types of gastrectomy for gastric cancer. Materials and Methods: A multicenter prospective observational study was conducted in Korea using the Korean Quality of Life in Stomach Cancer Patients Study (KOQUSS)-40, a new QoL assessment tool focusing on postgastrectomy syndrome. Overall, 496 patients with gastric cancer were enrolled, and QoL was assessed at 5 time points: preoperatively and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery. Results: Distal gastrectomy (DG) and pylorus-preserving gastrectomy (PPG) showed significantly better outcomes than total gastrectomy (TG) and proximal gastrectomy (PG) with regard to total score, indigestion, and dysphagia. DG, PPG, and TG also showed significantly better outcomes than PG in terms of dumping syndrome and worry about cancer. Postoperative QoL did not differ significantly according to anastomosis type in DG, except for Billroth I anastomosis, which achieved better bowel habit change scores than the others. No domains differed significantly when comparing double tract reconstruction and esophagogastrostomy after PG. The total QoL score correlated significantly with postoperative body weight loss (more than 10%) and extent of resection (P<0.05 for both).Reflux as assessed by KOQUSS-40 did not correlate significantly with reflux observed on gastroscopy 1 year postoperatively (P=0.064). Conclusions Our prospective observation using KOQUSS-40 revealed that DG and PPG lead to better QoL than TG and PG. Further study is needed to compare postoperative QoL according to anastomosis type in DG and PG.

Purpose: This study evaluated the postoperative quality of life (QoL) after various types of gastrectomy for gastric cancer. Materials and Methods: A multicenter prospective observational study was conducted in Korea using the Korean Quality of Life in Stomach Cancer Patients Study (KOQUSS)-40, a new QoL assessment tool focusing on postgastrectomy syndrome. Overall, 496 patients with gastric cancer were enrolled, and QoL was assessed at 5 time points: preoperatively and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery. Results: Distal gastrectomy (DG) and pylorus-preserving gastrectomy (PPG) showed significantly better outcomes than total gastrectomy (TG) and proximal gastrectomy (PG) with regard to total score, indigestion, and dysphagia. DG, PPG, and TG also showed significantly better outcomes than PG in terms of dumping syndrome and worry about cancer. Postoperative QoL did not differ significantly according to anastomosis type in DG, except for Billroth I anastomosis, which achieved better bowel habit change scores than the others. No domains differed significantly when comparing double tract reconstruction and esophagogastrostomy after PG. The total QoL score correlated significantly with postoperative body weight loss (more than 10%) and extent of resection (P<0.05 for both).Reflux as assessed by KOQUSS-40 did not correlate significantly with reflux observed on gastroscopy 1 year postoperatively (P=0.064). Conclusions Our prospective observation using KOQUSS-40 revealed that DG and PPG lead to better QoL than TG and PG. Further study is needed to compare postoperative QoL according to anastomosis type in DG and PG.

Breast density is an independent risk factor for breast cancer, although variability exists in measurements. This study sought to evaluate the agreement between radiologists and automated breast density assessment software and assess the impact of breast density measures on breast cancer risk estimates using the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium (BCSC) model (v.2). A retrospective database search identified women who had undergone mammography between December 2021 and June 2022. The Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) breast composition index assigned by a radiologist (R) was recorded and analyzed using three commercially available software programs (S1, S2, and S3). The agreement rate and Cohen’s kappa (κ) were used to evaluate inter-rater agreements concerning breast density measures. The 5-year risk of invasive breast cancer in women was calculated using the BCSC model (v.2) with breast density inputs from various density estimation methods. Absolute differences in risk between various density measurements were evaluated. Overall, 1,949 women (mean age, 53.2 years) were included. The inter-rater agreement between R, S1, and S2 was 75.0–75.6%, while that between S3 and the others was 60.2%–63.3%. Kappa was substantial between R, S1, and S2 (0.66–0.68), and moderate (0.49–0.50) between S3 and the others. S3 placed fewer women in mammographic density d (14.9%) than R, S1, and S2 (40.5%–44.0%). In BCSC risk assessment (v.2), S3 assessed fewer women with a high 5-year risk of invasive breast cancer than the other methods, resulting in an absolute difference of 0% between R, S1, and S2 in 75.0%–75.6% of cases, whereas the difference between S3 and the other methods occurs in 60.2%–63.3% of cases. Breast density assessment using various methods showed moderate-to-substantial agreement, potentially affecting risk assessments. Precise and consistent breast density measurements may lead to personalized and effective strategies for breast cancer prevention.

Breast density is an independent risk factor for breast cancer, although variability exists in measurements. This study sought to evaluate the agreement between radiologists and automated breast density assessment software and assess the impact of breast density measures on breast cancer risk estimates using the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium (BCSC) model (v.2). A retrospective database search identified women who had undergone mammography between December 2021 and June 2022. The Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) breast composition index assigned by a radiologist (R) was recorded and analyzed using three commercially available software programs (S1, S2, and S3). The agreement rate and Cohen’s kappa (κ) were used to evaluate inter-rater agreements concerning breast density measures. The 5-year risk of invasive breast cancer in women was calculated using the BCSC model (v.2) with breast density inputs from various density estimation methods. Absolute differences in risk between various density measurements were evaluated. Overall, 1,949 women (mean age, 53.2 years) were included. The inter-rater agreement between R, S1, and S2 was 75.0–75.6%, while that between S3 and the others was 60.2%–63.3%. Kappa was substantial between R, S1, and S2 (0.66–0.68), and moderate (0.49–0.50) between S3 and the others. S3 placed fewer women in mammographic density d (14.9%) than R, S1, and S2 (40.5%–44.0%). In BCSC risk assessment (v.2), S3 assessed fewer women with a high 5-year risk of invasive breast cancer than the other methods, resulting in an absolute difference of 0% between R, S1, and S2 in 75.0%–75.6% of cases, whereas the difference between S3 and the other methods occurs in 60.2%–63.3% of cases. Breast density assessment using various methods showed moderate-to-substantial agreement, potentially affecting risk assessments. Precise and consistent breast density measurements may lead to personalized and effective strategies for breast cancer prevention.

Breast density is an independent risk factor for breast cancer, although variability exists in measurements. This study sought to evaluate the agreement between radiologists and automated breast density assessment software and assess the impact of breast density measures on breast cancer risk estimates using the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium (BCSC) model (v.2). A retrospective database search identified women who had undergone mammography between December 2021 and June 2022. The Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) breast composition index assigned by a radiologist (R) was recorded and analyzed using three commercially available software programs (S1, S2, and S3). The agreement rate and Cohen’s kappa (κ) were used to evaluate inter-rater agreements concerning breast density measures. The 5-year risk of invasive breast cancer in women was calculated using the BCSC model (v.2) with breast density inputs from various density estimation methods. Absolute differences in risk between various density measurements were evaluated. Overall, 1,949 women (mean age, 53.2 years) were included. The inter-rater agreement between R, S1, and S2 was 75.0–75.6%, while that between S3 and the others was 60.2%–63.3%. Kappa was substantial between R, S1, and S2 (0.66–0.68), and moderate (0.49–0.50) between S3 and the others. S3 placed fewer women in mammographic density d (14.9%) than R, S1, and S2 (40.5%–44.0%). In BCSC risk assessment (v.2), S3 assessed fewer women with a high 5-year risk of invasive breast cancer than the other methods, resulting in an absolute difference of 0% between R, S1, and S2 in 75.0%–75.6% of cases, whereas the difference between S3 and the other methods occurs in 60.2%–63.3% of cases. Breast density assessment using various methods showed moderate-to-substantial agreement, potentially affecting risk assessments. Precise and consistent breast density measurements may lead to personalized and effective strategies for breast cancer prevention.

The slow and regular pacemaking activity of midbrain dopamine (DA) neurons requires proper spatial organization of the excitable elements between the soma and dendritic compartments, but the somatodendritic organization is not clear. Here, we show that the dynamic interaction between the soma and multiple proximal dendritic compartments (PDCs) generates the slow pacemaking activity in DA neurons. In multipolar DA neurons, spontaneous action potentials (sAPs) consistently originate from the axon-bearing dendrite. However, when the axon initial segment was disabled, sAPs emerge randomly from various primary PDCs, indicating that multiple PDCs drive pacemaking. Ca2+ measurements and local stimulation/perturbation experiments suggest that the soma serves as a stably-oscillating inertial compartment, while multiple PDCs exhibit stochastic fluctuations and high excitability. Despite the stochastic and excitable nature of PDCs, their activities are balanced by the large centrally-connected inertial soma, resulting in the slow synchronized pacemaking rhythm. Furthermore, our electrophysiological experiments indicate that the soma and PDCs, with distinct characteristics, play different roles in glutamate-induced burst-pause firing patterns. Excitable PDCs mediate excitatory burst responses to glutamate, while the large inertial soma determines inhibitory pause responses to glutamate. Therefore, we could conclude that this somatodendritic organization serves as a common foundation for both pacemaker activity and evoked firing patterns in midbrain DA neurons.

Background and Objectives: We evaluated the effect of adipose-derived stem cell-derived conditioned medium (ADSC-CM) on the renal function of rats with renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI)-induced acute kidney injury. Methods: and Results: Forty male Sprague‐Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups: sham, nephrectomy control, IRI control, ADSC-CM. The ADSC-CM was prepared using the three-dimensional spheroid culture system and injected into renal parenchyme. The renal function of the rats was evaluated 28 days before and 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, and 14 days after surgical procedures. The rats were sacrificed 14 days after surgical procedures, and kidney tissues were collected for histological examination. The renal parenchymal injection of ADSC-CM significantly reduced the serum blood urea nitrogen and creatinine levels compared with the IRI control group on days 1, 2, 3, and 4 after IRI. The renal parenchymal injection of ADSC-CM significantly increased the level of creatinine clearance compared with the IRI control group 1 day after IRI. Collagen content was significantly lower in the ADSC-CM group than in the IRI control group in the cortex and medulla. Apoptosis was significantly decreased, and proliferation was significantly increased in the ADSC-CM group compared to the IRI control group in the cortex and medulla. The expressions of anti-oxidative makers were higher in the ADSC-CM group than in the IRI control group in the cortex and medulla. Conclusions The renal function was effectively rescued through the renal parenchymal injection of ADSC-CM prepared using a three-dimensional spheroid culture system.

Background/Aims: Although anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) assay is widely used to screen for HCV infection, it has a high false-positive (FP) rate in low-risk populations. We investigated the accuracy of anti-HCV signal-to-cutoff (S/CO) ratio to distinguish true-positive (TP) from FP HCV infection. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 77,571 patients with anti-HCV results. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of anti-HCV S/CO ratio in anti-HCV positive patients. Results: Overall, 1,126 patients tested anti-HCV positive; 34.7% of patients were FP based on HCV RNA and/or recombinant immunoblot assay (RIBA) results. The age and sex-adjusted anti-HCV prevalence was 1.22%. We identified significant differences in serum aspartate transaminase and alanine transaminase levels, anti-HCV S/CO ratio, and RIBA results between groups (viremia vs. non-viremia, TP vs. FP). Using ROC curves, the optimal cutoff values of anti-HCV S/CO ratio for HCV viremia and TP were 8 and 5, respectively. The area under the ROC curve, sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were 0.970 (95% CI, 0.959–0.982, p < 0.001), 99.7%, 87.5%, 87.4%, and 99.7%, respectively, for predicting HCV viremia at an anti-HCV S/CO ratio of 8 and 0.987 (95% CI, 0.980–0.994, p < 0.001), 95.3%, 94.7%, 97.1%, and 91.4%, respectively, for TP HCV infection at an anti-HCV S/CO ratio of 5. No patients with HCV viremia had an anti-HCV S/CO ratio below 5. Conclusions The anti-HCV S/CO ratio is highly accurate for discriminating TP from FP HCV infection and should be considered when diagnosing HCV infections.

Objective: To compare the outcomes of digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) screening combined with ultrasound (US) with those of digital mammography (DM) combined with US in women with dense breasts. Materials and Methods: A retrospective database search identified consecutive asymptomatic women with dense breasts who underwent breast cancer screening with DBT or DM and whole-breast US simultaneously between June 2016 and July 2019. Women who underwent DBT + US (DBT cohort) and DM + US (DM cohort) were matched using 1:2 ratio according to mammographic density, age, menopausal status, hormone replacement therapy, and a family history of breast cancer. The cancer detection rate (CDR) per 1000 screening examinations, abnormal interpretation rate (AIR), sensitivity, and specificity were compared. Results: A total of 863 women in the DBT cohort were matched with 1726 women in the DM cohort (median age, 53 years; interquartile range, 40–78 years) and 26 breast cancers (9 in the DBT cohort and 17 in the DM cohort) were identified. The DBT and DM cohorts showed comparable CDR (10.4 [9 of 863; 95% confidence interval {CI}: 4.8–19.7] vs. 9.8 [17 of 1726;95% CI: 5.7–15.7] per 1000 examinations, respectively; P = 0.889). DBT cohort showed a higher AIR than the DM cohort (31.6% [273 of 863; 95% CI: 28.5%–34.9%] vs. 22.4% [387 of 1726; 95% CI: 20.5%–24.5%]; P < 0.001). The sensitivity for both cohorts was 100%. In women with negative findings on DBT or DM, supplemental US yielded similar CDRs in both DBT and DM cohorts (4.0 vs. 3.3 per 1000 examinations, respectively; P = 0.803) and higher AIR in the DBT cohort (24.8% [188 of 758; 95% CI: 21.8%–28.0%] vs. 16.9% [257 of 1516; 95% CI: 15.1%–18.9%; P < 0.001). Conclusion DBT screening combined with US showed comparable CDR but lower specificity than DM screening combined with US in women with dense breasts.