Publications by authors named "B-L Park"

Background/aims: The incidence of steatotic liver disease (SLD) is increasing across all age groups as the incidence of obesity increases worldwide. The existing noninvasive prediction models for SLD require laboratory tests or imaging and perform poorly in the early diagnosis of infrequently screened populations such as young adults and individuals with healthcare disparities. We developed a machine learning-based point-of-care prediction model for SLD that is readily available to the broader population with the aim of facilitating early detection and timely intervention and ultimately reducing the burden of SLD.

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The integrity of the blood-retina barrier (BRB) is crucial for phototransduction and vision, by tightly restricting transport of molecules between the blood and surrounding neuronal cells. Breakdown of the BRB leads to the development of retinal diseases. Here, we show that Netrin-1/Unc5b and Norrin/Lrp5 signaling establish a zonated endothelial cell gene expression program that controls BRB integrity.

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Objectives: Concern about contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) may delay the timely administration of contrast media for computed tomography (CT). The precise causative effect of iodinated contrast media on CI-AKI and its relevant risk factors remains an area of ongoing investigation. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the risk of CI-AKI following contrast-enhanced CT and its predisposing risk factors.

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It would be clinically valuable if the efficacy of antiarrhythmic drugs could be simulated in advance. We developed a digital twin to predict amiodarone efficacy in high-risk atrial fibrillation (AF) patients post-ablation. Virtual left atrium models were created from computed tomography and electroanatomical maps to simulate AF and evaluate its response to varying amiodarone concentrations.

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  • - The study aimed to assess how well the updated 2023 guidelines from the International Association of Pancreatology (IAP) predict the need for surgery in patients with branch duct IPMN compared to the older IAP 2017 and European 2018 guidelines.
  • - Out of 663 patients reviewed, those who met the surgical criteria were significantly more accurately identified as having malignant IPMN under the new IAP 2023 guidelines, showing improvements in specificity, positive predictive value, and overall accuracy.
  • - The findings suggest that the updated 2023 guidelines can better predict malignancy risks, which may help lower the number of unnecessary surgical procedures for patients.
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  • Genomic alterations in tumors significantly influence cancer progression and treatment response, with whole-genome sequencing (WGS) emerging as a viable alternative to traditional targeted panel sequencing (TPS) due to advancements in cost and technology.
  • A study involving 120 cancer patients evaluated the clinical utility of WGS and found that 79% received genomic reports quickly, with 72% of these reports offering clinically relevant information.
  • The insights gained from WGS helped in selecting tailored treatments and clinical trials based on identifying specific mutations, potentially enhancing precision oncology and suggesting routine integration of WGS in cancer management.
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Molecular glues are proximity-inducing small molecules that have emerged as an attractive therapeutic approach. However, developing molecular glues remains challenging, requiring innovative mechanistic strategies to stabilize neoprotein interfaces and expedite discovery. Here we unveil a trans-labeling covalent molecular glue mechanism, termed 'template-assisted covalent modification'.

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  • A study was conducted to develop deep learning algorithms for the automatic segmentation of white matter hyperintensity (WMH) lesions in patients with cerebral infarction, involving a large dataset of 8,421 patients from multiple hospitals in Korea.
  • Two models, 2D UNet and SE-Unet, were trained and validated using FLAIR MRI images, with performance measured against a human-segmented gold standard using various statistical metrics.
  • Results showed that while both models had good performance, the SE-Unet outperformed the UNet with higher average Dice Similarity Coefficients (DSCs) in both internal and external validations, indicating it was more reliable for WMH segmentation.
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BCL6, an oncogenic transcription factor (TF), forms polymers in the presence of a small-molecule molecular glue that stabilizes a complementary interface between homodimers of BCL6's broad-complex, tramtrack, and bric-à-brac (BTB) domain. The BTB domains of other proteins, including a large class of TFs, have similar architectures and symmetries, raising the possibility that additional BTB proteins self-assemble into higher-order structures. Here, we surveyed 189 human BTB proteins with a cellular fluorescent reporter assay and identified 18 ZBTB TFs that show evidence of polymerization.

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  • Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have potential in medical therapies due to their ability to modulate immune responses, and this study focused on their use in treating atopic dermatitis (AD).
  • A phase 1 trial confirmed the safety of allogenic human bone marrow-derived clonal MSCs (hcMSCs) in patients, leading to a phase 2 trial that showed hcMSC treatment resulted in improved eczema severity after 12 weeks compared to a placebo.
  • Despite some mild adverse effects, hcMSC therapy had an acceptable safety profile, suggesting it could be effective, though further extensive research is needed to validate these initial findings.
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A universal nomenclature of the anatomic extent of lung cancer has been critical for individual patient care as well as research advances. As progress occurs, new details emerge that need to be included in a refined system that aligns with contemporary clinical management issues. The ninth edition TNM classification of lung cancer, which is scheduled to take effect in January 2025, addresses this need.

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Spaceflight induces molecular, cellular and physiological shifts in astronauts and poses myriad biomedical challenges to the human body, which are becoming increasingly relevant as more humans venture into space. Yet current frameworks for aerospace medicine are nascent and lag far behind advancements in precision medicine on Earth, underscoring the need for rapid development of space medicine databases, tools and protocols. Here we present the Space Omics and Medical Atlas (SOMA), an integrated data and sample repository for clinical, cellular and multi-omic research profiles from a diverse range of missions, including the NASA Twins Study, JAXA CFE study, SpaceX Inspiration4 crew, Axiom and Polaris.

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Interleukin-6 (IL-6) has been long considered a key player in cancer cachexia. It is believed that sustained elevation of IL-6 production during cancer progression causes brain dysfunctions, which ultimately result in cachexia. However, how peripheral IL-6 influences the brain remains poorly understood.

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  • Akkermansia muciniphila is important for gut health as it aids in gut immunity, intestinal development, and barrier integrity.
  • The study focuses on a newly discovered protein, Amuc_1409, secreted by A. muciniphila, which enhances intestinal stem cell (ISC) growth and recovery in both lab models and aging male mice.
  • Amuc_1409 works by interacting with E-cadherin, activating Wnt/β-catenin signaling, and is suggested as a potential biological agent for promoting gut health.
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Background: Heart failure is heterogeneous syndrome with persistently high mortality. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy enables high-throughput metabolomics, suitable for precision phenotyping. We aimed to use targeted metabolomics to derive a metabolic risk score (MRS) that improved mortality risk stratification in heart failure.

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  • Novel oral anticoagulants (NOACs) are recommended for stroke prevention in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and atrial fibrillation (AF), but their real-world effectiveness is unclear.
  • This study analyzed data from nearly 13,000 patients over eight years to examine trends in clinical outcomes related to AIS and AF, particularly looking at how NOAC prescriptions influenced these trends.
  • Results showed that NOAC prescriptions rose significantly from 0% to 75.6%, correlating with a decrease in 1-year incidences of major adverse outcomes from 28.3% to 21.7%, suggesting NOACs may play a key role in improving patient outcomes.
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Background: Heart failure (HF) is a complex clinical syndrome with high mortality. Current risk stratification approaches lack precision. High-throughput proteomics could improve risk prediction.

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Background: Amivantamab has been approved for the treatment of patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with epidermal growth factor receptor () exon 20 insertions who have had disease progression during or after platinum-based chemotherapy. Phase 1 data showed the safety and antitumor activity of amivantamab plus carboplatin-pemetrexed (chemotherapy). Additional data on this combination therapy are needed.

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  • Selpercatinib, a selective RET inhibitor, showed promise for patients with advanced fusion-positive NSCLC, leading to a phase 3 trial comparing it to standard platinum-based chemotherapy.
  • This trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of selpercatinib, focusing on progression-free survival among patients, with crossover options for those experiencing disease progression on the control treatment.
  • Results indicated that selpercatinib significantly improved median progression-free survival (24.8 months) and objective response rates (84%) compared to control treatment (11.2 months and 65%, respectively), while adverse events were consistent across both groups.
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Background: Nursing home residents are at high risk for infection, hospitalization, and colonization with multidrug-resistant organisms.

Methods: We performed a cluster-randomized trial of universal decolonization as compared with routine-care bathing in nursing homes. The trial included an 18-month baseline period and an 18-month intervention period.

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Background: Antipsychotics are commonly used to manage postoperative delirium. Recent studies reported that haloperidol use has declined, and atypical antipsychotic use has increased over time.

Objective: To compare the risk for in-hospital adverse events associated with oral haloperidol, olanzapine, quetiapine, and risperidone in older patients after major surgery.

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Background: Normative changes in right ventricular (RV) structure and function have not been characterized in the context of treatment-associated functional recovery (RV functional recovery [RVFnRec]). The aim of this study is to assess the clinical relevance of a proposed RVFnRec definition.

Methods: We evaluated 63 incident patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension by right heart catheterization and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging at diagnosis and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and invasive cardiopulmonary exercise testing following treatment (≈11 months).

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  • Nuclear hormone receptors (NRs) are important transcription factors that can be targeted for therapy, and their degradation is crucial for treating cancers linked to retinoic acid and estrogen receptors.
  • The study identifies UBR5 as a ubiquitin ligase responsible for degrading various agonist-bound NRs, including RARA and RXRA, and reveals structural insights into UBR5's interaction with these receptors.
  • The research shows that different ligands can affect the recruitment of coactivators and UBR5 to chromatin, thereby influencing the transcriptional regulation of NRs.
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  • Recent research indicates a lack of interchangeability between modified Rankin Scale measures of functional outcomes and mortality measures in assessing hospital performance for acute ischemic stroke patients.
  • The study evaluated 8292 hospitalized stroke patients and used various metrics like 1-month and 1-year mortality to assess hospital outcomes.
  • Findings revealed no significant correlation between hospitals’ rankings based on functional outcomes and those based on mortality rates, suggesting that these measures evaluate different aspects of hospital performance.
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Background US is a standard surveillance tool of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but its effectiveness varies depending on the degree of fibrosis or steatosis and the etiologies of liver disease. Purpose To evaluate the detection power of US and the occurrence of HCC according to the US Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) visualization score in chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Materials and Methods Consecutive patients with CHB undergoing regular US surveillance of HCC at a tertiary referral hospital were retrospectively included in this study.

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