Background and Objectives: The risk profiles, procedural characteristics, and clinical outcomes for women undergoing bifurcation percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are not well defined compared to those in men. Methods: COronary BIfurcation Stenting III (COBIS III) is a multicenter, real-world registry of 2,648 patients with bifurcation lesions treated with second-generation drug-eluting stents.We compared the angiographic and procedural characteristics and clinical outcomes based on sex. The primary outcome was 5-year target lesion failure (TLF), a composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, and target lesion revascularization. Results: Women (n=635, 24%) were older, had hypertension and diabetes more often, and had smaller main vessel and side branch reference diameters than men. The pre- and post-PCI angiographic percentage diameter stenoses of the main vessel and side branch were comparable between women and men. There were no differences in procedural characteristics between the sexes. Women and men had a similar risk of TLF (6.3% vs. 7.1%, p=0.63) as well as its individual components and sex was not an independent predictor of TLF. This finding was consistent in the left main and 2 stenting subgroups. Conclusions In patients undergoing bifurcation PCI, sex was not an independent predictor of adverse outcome.

Background and Objectives: The risk profiles, procedural characteristics, and clinical outcomes for women undergoing bifurcation percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are not well defined compared to those in men. Methods: COronary BIfurcation Stenting III (COBIS III) is a multicenter, real-world registry of 2,648 patients with bifurcation lesions treated with second-generation drug-eluting stents.We compared the angiographic and procedural characteristics and clinical outcomes based on sex. The primary outcome was 5-year target lesion failure (TLF), a composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, and target lesion revascularization. Results: Women (n=635, 24%) were older, had hypertension and diabetes more often, and had smaller main vessel and side branch reference diameters than men. The pre- and post-PCI angiographic percentage diameter stenoses of the main vessel and side branch were comparable between women and men. There were no differences in procedural characteristics between the sexes. Women and men had a similar risk of TLF (6.3% vs. 7.1%, p=0.63) as well as its individual components and sex was not an independent predictor of TLF. This finding was consistent in the left main and 2 stenting subgroups. Conclusions In patients undergoing bifurcation PCI, sex was not an independent predictor of adverse outcome.

In this paper, we systematically review the literature on papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) metastasis to the mandible. This is a rare oc-currence, especially in young, asymptomatic patients. We propose appropriate surgical and adjuvant therapy guidelines based on our findings. A systematic PubMed search (up to July 2023) identified 10 eligible cases of papillary or follicular thyroid carcinoma with metastasis to the mandible. Studies of patients with different histologic types or without confirmed distant metastasis were excluded. A rare case of PTC metastasizing to the mandible in a young male highlights an unusual presentation. Surgical treatment of both primary and metastatic sites, along with aggressive adjuvant therapy after surgery, had a positive impact on survival.

Placental Hofbauer cells (HBCs) are specialized macrophages present in the human placenta that play a crucial role in maintaining a healthy pregnancy. These cells are derived from the fetal mesoderm and are responsible for various functions, including immune regulation, angiogenesis, and nutrient transport. In normal pregnancies, HBCs primarily exhibit an M2 or immunomodulatory phenotype, which helps maintain a tolerant and antiinflammatory environment at the maternal-fetal interface. However, in pregnancies complicated by conditions such as immunological disorders, inflammation, or infection, the phenotype and function of HBCs may be altered. Although emerging evidence has highlighted the vital role of HBCs in both normal pregnancies and those with complications, such as chorioamnionitis, gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and viral infections, their role remains unclear. Recent research also suggests a relationship between HBCs and the development of diseases in offspring. Understanding the role of HBCs in pregnancy could provide insights into the pathophysiology of various pregnancy-related disorders and offer potential therapeutic targets for improving maternal and fetal outcomes. This review explores the functions of HBCs in normal pregnancy and their involvement in complications, emphasizing their potential as biomarkers or targets for interventions aimed at reducing the incidence of adverse pregnancy outcomes. Additionally, we reviewed their potential for perinatal research in recent studies.

Alzheimer disease (AD) diagnosis is confirmed using a medley of modalities, such as the detection of amyloid-β (Aβ) neuritic plaques and neurofibrillary tangles with positron electron tomography (PET) or the appraisal of irregularities in cognitive function with examinations. Although these methods have been efficient in confirming AD pathology, the rising demand for earlier intervention during pathogenesis has led researchers to explore the diagnostic potential of fluid biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma. Since CSF sample collection is invasive and limited in quantity, biomarker detection in plasma has become more attractive and modern advancements in technology has permitted more efficient and accurate analysis of plasma biomolecules. In this study, we found that a composite of standard factors, Aβ40 and total tau levels in plasma, divided by the variation factor, plasma Aβ42 level, provide better correlation with amyloid neuroimaging and neuropsychological test results than a level comparison between total tau and Aβ42 in plasma. We collected EDTA-treated blood plasma samples of 53 subjects, of randomly selected 27 AD patients and 26 normal cognition (NC) individuals, who received amyloid-PET scans for plaque quantification, and measured plasma levels of Aβ40, Aβ42, and total tau with digital enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in a blinded manner. There was difficulty distinguishing AD patients from controls when analyzing biomarkers independently. However, significant differentiation was observed between the two groups when comparing individual ratios of total-tau×Aβ40/Aβ42. Our results indicate that collectively comparing fluctuations of these fluid biomarkers could aid in monitoring AD pathogenesis.

Background/Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the performance of the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) 3.0 for predicting mortality and liver-related complications compared with the Child-Pugh classification, albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) grade, the MELD, and the MELD sodium (MELDNa) score. Methods: We evaluated a multicenter retrospective cohort of incorporated patients with cirrhosis between 2013 and 2019. We conducted comparisons of the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of the MELD3.0 and other models for predicting 3-month mortality. Additionally, we assessed the risk of cirrhosis-related complications according to the MELD3.0 score. Results: A total of 3,314 patients were included. The mean age was 55.9±11.3 years, and 70.2% of the patients were male. Within the initial 3 months, 220 patients (6.6%) died, and the MELD3.0had the best predictive performance among the tested models, with an AUROC of 0.851, outperforming the Child-Pugh classification, ALBI grade, MELD, and MELDNa. A high MELD3.0score was associated with an increased risk of mortality. Compared with that of the group with a MELD3.0 score <10 points, the adjusted hazard ratio of the group with a score of 10–20 pointswas 2.176, and that for the group with a score of ≥20 points was 4.892. Each 1-point increase inthe MELD3.0 score increased the risk of cirrhosis-related complications by 1.033-fold. The risk of hepatorenal syndrome showed the highest increase, with an adjusted hazard ratio of 1.149, followed by hepatic encephalopathy and ascites. Conclusions The MELD3.0 demonstrated robust prognostic performance in predicting mortality in patients with cirrhosis. Moreover, the MELD3.0 score was linked to cirrhosis-related complications, particularly those involving kidney function, such as hepatorenal syndrome and ascites.

The Korean Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) Committee within the Korean Society of Surgical Metabolism and Nutrition was established to develop ERAS guidelines tailored to the Korean context. This guideline focuses on creating the most current evidence-based practice guidelines for ERAS purposes, based on systematic reviews. All key questions targeted randomized controlled trials exclusively, and if fewer than 2 were available, studies employing propensity score matching were also included. Recommendations for each key question were marked with strength of recommendation and level of evidence following internal and external review processes by the committee.

This study aimed to investigate changes in candidemia incidence, species distribution, antifungal susceptibility, initial antifungal use, and mortality trends in Korea before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. A retrospective analysis was conducted on candidemia cases from two tertiary care hospitals in Korea between 2017 and 2022. Data were compared between the pre-pandemic (2017-2019) and pandemic (2020-2022) periods. Statistical methods included incidence rate ratios (IRRs) and multivariate Cox regression to assess 30-day mortality risk factors. A total of 470 candidemia cases were identified, with 48.7% occurring pre-pandemic and 51.3% during the pandemic. While the overall incidence of candidemia remained similar across the two periods (IRR 1.15;p=0.13), the incidence in intensive care units (ICUs) significantly increased during the pandemic (IRR 1.50; p<0.01). The distribution of Candida species did not differ significantly between the two periods. Fluconazole non-susceptibility in C. albicans markedly decreased (10.0% vs. 0.9%, p<0.01), whereas C. glabrata exhibited a significant rise in caspofungin non-susceptibility during the pandemic (0% vs. 22.4%, p<0.01).Echinocandin use increased (21.8% vs. 34.4%; p<0.01), while fluconazole use declined (48.0% vs. 32.8%; p<0.01). Although the 30-day mortality rate was higher during the pandemic (60.2% vs. 57.2%), the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.57).The findings highlight the need for region-specific surveillance and tailored management strategies to improve candidemia outcomes, especially during healthcare disruptions like the COVID-19 pandemic.

Placental Hofbauer cells (HBCs) are specialized macrophages present in the human placenta that play a crucial role in maintaining a healthy pregnancy. These cells are derived from the fetal mesoderm and are responsible for various functions, including immune regulation, angiogenesis, and nutrient transport. In normal pregnancies, HBCs primarily exhibit an M2 or immunomodulatory phenotype, which helps maintain a tolerant and antiinflammatory environment at the maternal-fetal interface. However, in pregnancies complicated by conditions such as immunological disorders, inflammation, or infection, the phenotype and function of HBCs may be altered. Although emerging evidence has highlighted the vital role of HBCs in both normal pregnancies and those with complications, such as chorioamnionitis, gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and viral infections, their role remains unclear. Recent research also suggests a relationship between HBCs and the development of diseases in offspring. Understanding the role of HBCs in pregnancy could provide insights into the pathophysiology of various pregnancy-related disorders and offer potential therapeutic targets for improving maternal and fetal outcomes. This review explores the functions of HBCs in normal pregnancy and their involvement in complications, emphasizing their potential as biomarkers or targets for interventions aimed at reducing the incidence of adverse pregnancy outcomes. Additionally, we reviewed their potential for perinatal research in recent studies.

Placental Hofbauer cells (HBCs) are specialized macrophages present in the human placenta that play a crucial role in maintaining a healthy pregnancy. These cells are derived from the fetal mesoderm and are responsible for various functions, including immune regulation, angiogenesis, and nutrient transport. In normal pregnancies, HBCs primarily exhibit an M2 or immunomodulatory phenotype, which helps maintain a tolerant and antiinflammatory environment at the maternal-fetal interface. However, in pregnancies complicated by conditions such as immunological disorders, inflammation, or infection, the phenotype and function of HBCs may be altered. Although emerging evidence has highlighted the vital role of HBCs in both normal pregnancies and those with complications, such as chorioamnionitis, gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and viral infections, their role remains unclear. Recent research also suggests a relationship between HBCs and the development of diseases in offspring. Understanding the role of HBCs in pregnancy could provide insights into the pathophysiology of various pregnancy-related disorders and offer potential therapeutic targets for improving maternal and fetal outcomes. This review explores the functions of HBCs in normal pregnancy and their involvement in complications, emphasizing their potential as biomarkers or targets for interventions aimed at reducing the incidence of adverse pregnancy outcomes. Additionally, we reviewed their potential for perinatal research in recent studies.