Single-cell analysis of human PBMCs in healthy and type 2 diabetes populations: dysregulated immune networks in type 2 diabetes unveiled through single-cell profiling.

Abnormalities in glucose metabolism that precede the onset of type 2 diabetes (T2D) activate immune cells, leading to elevated inflammatory factors and chronic inflammation. However, no single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) studies have characterized the properties and networks of individual immune cells in T2D. Here, we analyzed peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from non-diabetes and T2D patients by scRNA-seq.

The Human Genetic Differences in the Outcomes of mRNA Vaccination against COVID-19: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Background: This study aimed to explore how genetic variations in individuals impact neutralization activity post-mRNA vaccination, recognizing the critical role vaccination plays in curbing COVID-19 spread and the necessity of ensuring vaccine efficacy amidst genetic diversity.

Methods: In a 4-week clinical pilot study, 534 healthy subjects received their first COVID vaccine dose, followed by the second dose. Antibody levels were evaluated thrice.

Metabolic Obesity Phenotypes and Incident Cardiovascular Outcomes in Middle-Aged and Older Korean Adults: A Longitudinal 10-Year Analysis of the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study.

This study investigated the association of four metabolic obesity phenotypes with incident coronary artery disease and stroke in a large-scale, community population-based, prospective Korean cohort observed for over 10 years. The study participants included 7374 adults aged 40-69 years, drawn from the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study. Participants with different metabolic obesity phenotypes were categorized according to body weight and metabolic health status into four groups: metabolically healthy nonobese (MHNO), metabolically healthy obese (MHO), metabolically unhealthy nonobese (MUHNO), and metabolically unhealthy obese (MUHO).

The Combination of Uric Acid and Hemoglobin Levels Predicts the Incident Risk of Ischemic Heart Disease More Than Uric Acid Alone in Non-Diabetic Koreans: A Longitudinal Study Using National Health Insurance Data.

Uric acid has been related to cardiovascular disease (CVD). Recently, slightly elevated hemoglobin (Hb) was also shown to be associated with CVD. We retrospectively investigated the joint effect of uric acid and elevated Hb by comparing normal-range uric acid alone on incident ischemic heart disease (IHD) risk in a large cohort of non-diabetic Korean adults using National Health Insurance data.

The effects of Korean Red Ginseng on stress-related neurotransmitters and gene expression: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Background: Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) is an effective anti-stress treatment. In this study, we investigated the therapeutic potential effects of KRG on relieving stress in a general population using transcriptome analysis.

Methods: We conducted an 8-week clinical pilot study on 90 healthy men who reported stress.

Elevated Uric Acid Levels with Early Chronic Kidney Disease as an Indicator of New-Onset Ischemic Heart Disease: A Cohort of Koreans without Diabetes.

Several studies have showed that hyperuricemia is related to the development of ischemic heart disease (IHD). There is also growing evidence indicating that hyperuricemia may contribute to the progression of IHD as a pathogenic factor. Ironically, uric acid can be an antioxidant agent, as shown in experimental studies.

Korean Red Ginseng Potentially Improves Maintaining Antibodies after COVID-19 Vaccination: A 24-Week Longitudinal Study.

Despite the effectiveness and safety of COVID-19 vaccines, vaccine-induced responses decline over time; thus, booster vaccines have been approved globally. In addition, interest in natural compounds capable of improving host immunity has increased. This study aimed to examine the effect of Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) on virus-specific antibodies after COVID-19 vaccination.

Potential Association of Isolated γ-Glutamyltransferase Elevation with Incident Ischemic Heart Disease in Lean Koreans.

Isolated elevation of γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT), a microsomal membrane-bound protein, is commonly observed in non-obese Koreans without diabetes, and its clinical implications are not well-known. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the longitudinal effect of isolated GGT on the incidence of ischemic heart disease (IHD) risk in a large cohort of lean non-diabetic Koreans. Data were obtained from the Health Risk Assessment Study (HERAS) and Korea Health Insurance Review and Assessment (HIRA) datasets.

Lipid Accumulation Product Index Predicts New-Onset Type 2 Diabetes Among Non-Obese Koreans: A 12-Year Longitudinal Study.

Purpose: The lipid accumulation product (LAP) has been a potential indicator of central lipid accumulation status. This study aimed to assess the longitudinal association between LAP index and incident type 2 diabetes among non-obese Korean adults using a large, community-based Korean cohort observed over 12 years.

Patients And Methods: This study included 4281 non-diabetic adults without generalized obesity and abdominal obesity and aged 40-69 years from the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study.

Numerical Modeling of Chloride Transport in Concrete under Cyclic Exposure to Chloride.

Concrete structures under cyclic exposure to chlorides entail a higher risk of embedded steel corrosion along with accelerated ionic ingress from the environment. This study proposes a coupled transport model considering moisture and chloride distribution in concrete to investigate the influence of a cyclic exposure condition on chloride penetration. In this model, pore size distribution to quantify the effective pore space for moisture and chloride mobilizations was determined to establish the governing equation for chloride transport through non-saturated concrete.

Dyslipidaemia-Genotype Interactions with Nutrient Intake and Cerebro-Cardiovascular Disease.

A comprehensive understanding of gene-diet interactions is necessary to establish proper dietary guidelines to prevent and manage cardio-cerebrovascular disease (CCD). We investigated the role of genetic variants associated with dyslipidaemia (DL) and their interactions with macro-nutrients for cardiovascular disease using a large-scale genome-wide association study of Korean adults. A total of 58,701 participants from a Korean genome and epidemiology study were included.

Predictive Value of Serum Uric Acid to HDL Cholesterol Ratio for Incident Ischemic Heart Disease in Non-Diabetic Koreans.

HDL cholesterol, besides its function in lipid metabolism, plays a role in suppressing blood oxidation reactions and protecting vascular endothelial cells. The uric acid/HDL cholesterol ratio (UHR) has recently attracted attention as a new biomarker for evaluating interactions between inflammatory and anti-inflammatory substances in the blood. This study aimed to investigate the longitudinal association between UHR and incident ischemic heart disease (IHD).

Association of Muscle Strength with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Korean Adults.

Sarcopenia is known to be associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, few studies have revealed the association between muscle strength and prevalence of NAFLD. We investigated the association by using relative handgrip strength in a nationwide cross-sectional survey.

Relationship of the Triglyceride-Glucose Index with Subclinical White Matter Hypersensitivities of Presumed Vascular Origin Among Community-Dwelling Koreans.

Purpose: The triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index, a widely accessible measure, has been a surrogate indicator of peripheral insulin resistance, and its clinical importance continues to grow in East Asia. We hypothesized that the TyG index is relevant to subclinical white matter hypersensitivities (WMHs) of presumed vascular origin among community-dwelling Koreans.

Methods: We investigated the relationship between the TyG index and WMHs on brain magnetic resonance imaging scans in 2417 Koreans over 45 years of age without a history of cancer, stroke, or ischemic heart disease.

Comparison of bacterial community profiles from large intestine specimens, rectal swabs, and stool samples.

The human gastrointestinal tract contains a complex and dynamic population of microorganisms, known as the gut microbiota. Although interest in the role of the gut microbiota in human health has increased in recent years, there remains no standard sampling protocol for analyzing these organisms. Here, we aimed to characterize the microbial composition of distinct segments of the large intestine and to determine whether rectal swabs are suitable for identifying colon microbiota.

Early Chronic Kidney Disease (G1-G3a) in Combination with Steatosis as a Predictor of Incident Ischemic Heart Disease: A Longitudinal Study in Non-Diabetic Koreans.

Hepatic steatosis and chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the advanced stages are closely related to cardiovascular diseases. Despite the potential connection between early CKD (G1-G3a) and hepatic steatosis on cardiometabolic risks, few studies have revealed their causal link to ischemic heart disease (IHD). We prospectively investigated the combined effect of CKD in earlier stages and hepatic steatosis on incident IHD risk in large-scale, non-diabetic Koreans.

Predictive Value of the Atherogenic Index of Plasma (AIP) for the Risk of Incident Ischemic Heart Disease among Non-Diabetic Koreans.

The atherogenic index of plasma (AIP), composed of triglycerides and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, is a novel critical marker for assessing the risk of atherogenicity and cardiometabolic health. We aimed to prospectively study the association between AIP and incident ischemic heart disease (IHD) risk in a large cohort of non-diabetic Korean adults. Data were assessed from 17,944 participants without diabetes from the Health Risk Assessment Study (HERAS) and Korea Health Insurance Review and Assessment (HIRA) data.

Gallbladder Polyps Increase the Risk of Ischaemic Heart Disease Among Korean Adults.

Gallbladder (GB) polyps and ischaemic heart disease (IHD) share some common risk factors. We investigated the longitudinal effects of gallbladder (GB) polyps, as a surrogate metabolic indicator, on IHD. We enrolled 19,612 participants from the health risk assessment study (HERAS) and Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) database.

The Metabolic Score for Insulin Resistance (METS-IR) as a Predictor of Incident Ischemic Heart Disease: A Longitudinal Study among Korean without Diabetes.

The metabolic score for insulin resistance (METS-IR) is a novel noninsulin-based marker for assessing the risk of insulin resistance and cardiometabolic risk. However, whether METS-IR is associated with incident ischemic heart disease (IHD) risk is not well known. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the longitudinal effect of METS-IR on incident IHD risk in a large cohort of Korean adults without diabetes.

Effect of Korean Red Ginseng on Plasma Ceramide Levels in Postmenopausal Women with Hypercholesterolemia: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a crucial cause of death in postmenopausal women. Plasma ceramide concentrations are correlated with the development of atherosclerosis and are significant predictors of CVD. Here, we conducted a 4-week, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical pilot study to investigate the effect of Korean red ginseng (KRG) on serum ceramide concentrations in 68 postmenopausal women with hypercholesterolemia.

C-reactive protein-to-albumin ratio and 8-year incidence of type 2 diabetes: the Korean genome and epidemiology study.

Aims: The C-reactive protein-to-albumin ratio (CAR) has been reported as a novel prognostic marker in serious illness and various inflammatory diseases. The aim of this study is to investigate the association of CAR with incidence risk of type 2 diabetes in adults without chronic disease.

Methods: A total of 5904 participants aged 40 to 69 years were selected from the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study who were observed over 12 years.

Dietary iron to total energy intake ratio and type 2 diabetes incidence in a longitudinal 12-year analysis of the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Cohort Study.

Purpose: Recent study found iron consumption has been associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Even though, high iron intake is correlated with total caloric intake, most studies have evaluated the individual effect of iron and total caloric intake. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of iron intake, in conjunction with total energy intake, on developing T2DM.

White Blood Cell Count as a Predictor of Incident Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Among Non-Obese Adults: A Longitudinal 10-Year Analysis of the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study.

Purpose: Limited evidence is available on whether the white blood cell (WBC) count is a predictor of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in non-obese individuals. This study aimed to determine whether WBC count could be used as an indicator for the prediction of incident T2DM among non-obese individuals using a large, community-based Korean cohort that was observed over 10 years.

Patients And Methods: A total of 4211 non-obese adults without diabetes aged 40-69 years were selected from the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study.