Impact of hemodialysis center accreditation on patient mortality: Korean nationwide cohort study.

Background: Since hemodialysis (HD) patients are prone to various complications and high mortality, they need to be treated in HD units with professional personnel, proper equipment, and facilities. The Korean Society of Nephrology has been conducting an HD unit accreditation program since 2016. This study was performed to evaluate whether a qualified dialysis center (QDC) reduced the mortality of HD patients.

Spon1+ inflammatory monocytes promote collagen remodeling and lung cancer metastasis through lipoprotein receptor 8 signaling.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the world, and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common subset. We previously found that infiltration of tumor inflammatory monocytes (TIMs) into lung squamous carcinoma (LUSC) tumors is associated with increased metastases and poor survival. To further understand how TIMs promote metastases, we compared RNA-Seq profiles of TIMs from several LUSC metastatic models with inflammatory monocytes (IMs) of non-tumor-bearing controls.

Ultrashort echo time pulse sequences for visualization of deep peripheral fasciae and epimysium in porcine models with histologic correlations.

Background: The deep peripheral fascia and epimysium are vital for muscle and tendon support, but their tight proton composition results in hypointense signals in conventional spin echo sequences. Ultrashort echo time (UTE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), using microsecond TE values, may visualize these structures. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether UTE pulse sequence with a three-dimensional cone trajectory (3D UTE), with or without fat suppression (FS), can be used to visualize the fascia and epimysium using porcine lower legs as an example.

Mountain-cultivated ginseng protects against cognitive impairments in aged GPx-1 knockout mice via activation of Nrf2/ChAT/ERK signaling pathway.

Background: Escalating evidence shows that ginseng possesses an antiaging potential with cognitive enhancing activity. As mountain cultivated ginseng (MCG) is cultivated without agricultural chemicals, MCG has emerged as a popular herb medicine. However, little is known about the MCG-mediated pharmacological mechanism on brain aging.

Priming a vascular-selective cytokine response permits CD8 T-cell entry into tumors.

Targeting DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) has immunomodulatory and anti-neoplastic activity, especially when paired with cancer immunotherapies. Here we explore the immunoregulatory functions of DNMT1 in the tumor vasculature of female mice. Dnmt1 deletion in endothelial cells (ECs) impairs tumor growth while priming expression of cytokine-driven cell adhesion molecules and chemokines important for CD8 T-cell trafficking across the vasculature; consequently, the efficacy of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) is enhanced.

Ginsenoside Re mitigates memory impairments in aged GPx-1 KO mice by inhibiting the interplay between PAFR, NFκB, and microgliosis in the hippocampus.

Ginsenoside Re (GRe) upregulates anti-aging klotho by mainly upregulating glutathione peroxidase-1 (GPx-1). However, the anti-aging mechanism of GPx-1 remains elusive. Here we investigated whether the GRe-mediated upregulation of GPx-1 modulates oxidative and proinflammatory insults.

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate suppresses hemin-aggravated colon carcinogenesis through Nrf2-inhibited mitochondrial reactive oxygen species accumulation.

Background: Previous studies have presented evidence to support the significant association between red meat intake and colon cancer, suggesting that heme iron plays a key role in colon carcinogenesis. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the major constituent of green tea, exhibits anti-oxidative and anti-cancer effects. However, the effect of EGCG on red meat-associated colon carcinogenesis is not well understood.

Impact of protocolized fluid management on electrolyte stability in patients undergoing continuous renal replacement therapy.

Objective: Continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) is the standard treatment for critically ill patients with acute kidney injury (AKI). Electrolyte disturbance such as hypokalemia or hypophosphatemia occurs paradoxically in patients undergoing CRRT due to high clearance. We developed a fluid management protocol for dialysate and replacement fluid that depends on serum electrolytes and focuses on potassium and phosphate levels to prevent electrolyte disturbance during CRRT.

Clinical relevance of postoperative proteinuria for prediction of early renal outcomes after kidney transplantation.

Background: Proteinuria is associated with poor allograft and patient survival in kidney transplant recipients. However, the clinical relevance of spot urine protein-to-creatinine ratio (PCR) or albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR) as predictors of renal outcomes during the early postoperative period following kidney transplantation (KT) has not been determined.

Methods: This single-center retrospective cohort study included 353 kidney transplant recipients who underwent KT between 2014 and 2017 and were followed up for more than 3 years.

Depression is a main determinant of health-related quality of life in patients with diabetic kidney disease.

Low health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is associated with adverse outcomes in diabetic kidney disease (DKD) patients. We examined the modifiable factors associated with low HRQOL in these patients. We enrolled 141 DKD patients.

Clinical value of urinary cytokines/chemokines as prognostic markers in patients with crescentic glomerulonephritis.

Crescentic glomerulonephritis (CrGN) usually requires urgent immunosuppressive treatment. However, aggressive immunosuppressive treatment is often difficult because of the patients' medical conditions or comorbidities. Prognostic markers including urinary cytokines/chemokines as noninvasive biomarkers were explored in CrGN patients.

Repair phase modeling of ischemic acute kidney injury: recovery vs. transition to chronic kidney disease.

The repair mechanism after ischemic acute kidney injury (AKI) involves complex immunologic processes, which determine long-term renal outcomes. Through investigating two murine ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) models: bilateral IRI (BIRI) and unilateral IRI (UIRI), we aimed to determine an appropriate murine model that could simulate the recovery phase of ischemic AKI. Changes in renal function, phenotypes of kidney mononuclear cells, renal fibrosis, and intrarenal cytokine/chemokine expression were serially analyzed up to 12 weeks after IRI.

Korean Society of Nephrology hemodialysis unit accreditation report (2016-2020) and future directions.

Background: Patients receiving hemodialysis have various complications with a high mortality rate and require specialized treatment at an institution equipped with an appropriate workforce, equipment, and facilities. The Korean Society of Nephrology (KSN) is conducting hemodialysis unit accreditation to manage the quality of hemodialysis institutions, present standard treatment guidelines, and establish a network between regional medical institutions for the safe treatment of hemodialysis patients. This study aimed to summarize the previous accreditation results and discuss future directions.

The presence of simple renal cysts is associated with an increased risk of albuminuria in young adults.

Background/aims: The prevalence of simple renal cysts increases with age; however, they are occasionally found in adults aged < 40 years. This cross-sectional study evaluated the clinical significance of simple cysts in young adults, focusing on their associations with hematuria and albuminuria.

Methods: Adults aged < 40 years who underwent comprehensive medical examination between January 2005 and December 2013 were included.

Ouabain inhibitor rostafuroxin attenuates dextromethorphan-induced manic potential.

Dextromethorphan (DM) abuse produces mania-like symptoms in humans. ERK/Akt signaling activation involved in manic potential can be attenuated by the inhibition of ouabain-like cardiac steroids. In this study, increased phosphorylations of ERK/Akt and hyperlocomotion induced by DM (30 mg/kg, i.

Early postoperative urinary MCP-1 as a potential biomarker predicting acute rejection in living donor kidney transplantation: a prospective cohort study.

We investigated the clinical relevance of urinary cytokines/chemokines reflecting intrarenal immunologic micromilieu as prognostic markers and the optimal measurement timing after living donor kidney transplantation (LDKT). This prospective cohort study included 77 LDKT patients who were followed for ≥ 5 years. Patients were divided into control (n = 42) or acute rejection (AR, n = 35) group.

Predialysis predictors for identifying patients requiring dialysis at a higher glomerular filtration rate.

Background: Current evidence suggests that the initiation of maintenance hemodialysis should not be based on a specific glomerular filtration rate (GFR) but on symptoms or signs attributable to kidney disease. However, it is difficult to predict the time point at which overt uremic syndrome develops in individuals. The estimated GFR is poorly correlated with occurrence of uremic symptoms, and some patients require dialysis at a higher eGFR than others.

Is the New Interferon-Gamma Releasing Assay Beneficial for the Diagnosis of Latent and Active Infections in Tertiary Care Setting?

Interferon-Gamma Release Assays (IGRAs) are widely used in the laboratory diagnosis of (MTB) infections, particularly in the latent form. We compared the performance of a newly developed IGRA, the Standard E TB-Feron ELISA (TBF) with the currently used QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus assay (QFT-Plus) for the detection of latent tuberculosis infections (LTBIs) in tertiary care settings. We also investigated interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) released by T cell subsets via intracellular cytokine staining (ICS) and flow cytometry.

Dietary Modification Alters the Intrarenal Immunologic Micromilieu and Susceptibility to Ischemic Acute Kidney Injury.

The versatility of the intrarenal immunologic micromilieu through dietary modification and the subsequent effects on susceptibility to ischemic acute kidney injury (AKI) are unclear. We investigated the effects of high-salt (HS) or high-fat (HF) diet on intrarenal immunologic micromilieu and development of ischemic AKI using murine ischemic AKI and human kidney-2 (HK-2) cell hypoxia models. Four different diet regimens [control, HF, HS, and high-fat diet with high-salt (HF+HS)] were provided individually to groups of 9-week-old male C57BL/6 mice for 1 or 6 weeks.

A Scoring Model with Simple Clinical Parameters to Predict Successful Discontinuation of Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy.

Background: Continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) is the standard treatment for severe acute kidney injury in critically ill patients. However, a practical consensus for discontinuing CRRT is lacking. We aimed to develop a prediction model with simple clinical parameters for successful discontinuation of CRRT.

Depiction of the Periosteum Using Ultrashort Echo Time Pulse Sequence with Three-Dimensional Cone Trajectory and Histologic Correlation in a Porcine Model.

Objective: To evaluate the signal intensity of the periosteum using ultrashort echo time pulse sequence with three-dimensional cone trajectory (3D UTE) with or without fat suppression (FS) to distinguish from artifacts in porcine tibias.

Materials And Methods: The periosteum and overlying soft tissue of three porcine lower legs were partially peeled away from the tibial cortex. Another porcine tibia was prepared as three segments: with an intact periosteum outer and inner layer, with an intact periosteum inner layer, and without periosteum.

Poly (ADP-Ribose) Polymerase Inhibitor Treatment as a Novel Therapy Attenuating Renal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury.

Intrarenal robust inflammatory response following ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is a major factor in the pathogenesis of renal injury in ischemic acute kidney injury (AKI). Although numerous studies have investigated various agents of immune modulation or suppression for ischemic AKI, few showed reproducible effects. We hypothesized that poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor may favorably change post-ischemic intrarenal immunologic micromilieu by reducing damage-associated molecular pattern (DAMP) signals and improve renal outcome in ischemic AKI.