Lower Atrial Fibrillation Risk With Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibitors Than With Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 Inhibitors in Individuals With Type 2 Diabetes: A Nationwide Cohort Study.

Background And Objectives: Accumulating evidence shows that sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) reduce adverse cardiovascular outcomes. However, whether SGLT2i, compared with other antidiabetic drugs, reduce the new development of atrial fibrillation (AF) is unclear. In this study, we compared SGLT2i with dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP-4is) in terms of reduction in the risk of AF in individuals with type 2 diabetes.

Changes in alcohol consumption habits and risk of atrial fibrillation: a nationwide population-based study.

Aims: Heavy alcohol consumption is an established risk factor for atrial fibrillation (AF). However, the association between habitual changes in heavy habitual drinkers and incident AF remains unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether absolute abstinence or reduced drinking decreases incident AF in heavy habitual drinkers.

Predictive Power of the Albumin-Bilirubin Score for Hepatotoxicity in Stereotactic Ablative Radiation Therapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Assessment of liver function is crucial in predicting treatment outcomes for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic performance of the albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) score for predicting hepatotoxicity following stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) in HCC patients. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 123 HCC cases treated between 2018 and 2020.

Cardiac osteosarcoma: a case report and literature review.

Background: Primary cardiac tumors are rare, and malignant primary cardiac tumors are even rarer. Cardiac osteosarcoma is a very rare type of malignant primary cardiac tumor with limited reported cases. We present a case report of cardiac osteosarcoma and review its characteristics and the related literature.

Secular trends and determinants of influenza vaccination uptake among patients with cardiovascular disease in Korea: Analysis using a nationwide database.

Background: Influenza vaccination reduces cardiovascular events in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Identifying the factors that affect influenza vaccination uptake can help improve the prognosis in patients with CVD. This study aimed to evaluate the secular trends of influenza vaccination uptake and factors associated with lack of vaccination in individuals with CVD.

Central hemodynamics and the discrepancy between central blood pressure and brachial blood pressure.

Despite similar brachial blood pressure, central hemodynamics could be different. The objective of the present study was to investigate the factors, which could influence the discrepancy between central BP (cBP) and brachial blood pressure. Six hundred forty-seven patients (364 males, 48 ± 12 years old) were enrolled.

Impact of multivessel versus single-vessel disease on the association between low diastolic blood pressure and mortality after acute myocardial infarction with revascularization.

Background: Previous studies demonstrated a J-shaped relationship between low diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and adverse clinical outcomes in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) that was sensitive to revascularization. Hypothesized herein, was that this relationship differs between patients with multivessel disease (MVD) and those with single-vessel disease due to differing degrees of myocardial ischemic burden.

Methods: Among 9,983 AMI patients from the Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry database who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention and were followed up for a median duration of 3.

Simultaneous Occurrence of Immune-Mediated Thrombocytopenia and Myocarditis After mRNA-1273 COVID-19 Vaccination: A Case Report.

With the global spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, several vaccines were developed; messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines have recently been widely used worldwide. However, the incidence of myocarditis following mRNA vaccination is increasing; although the cause of myocarditis has not yet been clearly identified, it is presumed to be caused by a problem in the innate immune system. Immune-mediated thrombocytopenia (ITP) after vaccination is rare but has been reported and is also assumed to occur by the same mechanism.

Successful extracorporeal membrane oxygenation treatment of catecholamine-induced cardiomyopathy-associated pheochromocytoma: a case report.

The main mechanism of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM) is catecholamine-induced acute myocardial stunning. Pheochromocytoma, a catecholamine-secreting tumor, can cause several cardiovascular complications, including hypertensive crisis, myocardial infarction, toxic myocarditis, and TCM. A 29-year-old woman presented to our hospital with general weakness, vomiting, dyspnea, and chest pain.

Social isolation-related depression accelerates ethanol intake via microglia-derived neuroinflammation.

Social isolation is common in modern society and is a contributor to depressive disorders. People with depression are highly vulnerable to alcohol use, and abusive alcohol consumption is a well-known obstacle to treating depressive disorders. Using a mouse model involving isolation stress (IS) and/or ethanol intake, we investigated the mutual influence between IS-derived depressive and ethanol-seeking behaviors along with the underlying mechanisms.

siRNA-Encapsulated Poly (Lactic--Glycolic Acid) Nanoparticles Diminish Neuropathic Pain by Inhibiting Microglial Activation.

Activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) in microglia plays a decisive role in the progress of neuropathic pain, and the inhibitor of kappa B (IκB) is a protein that blocks the activation of NF-κB and is degraded by the inhibitor of NF-κB kinase subunit beta (IKBKB). The role of is to break down IκB, which blocks the activity of NF-kB. Therefore, it prevents the activity of NK-kB.

Relationship between arterial stiffness and variability of home blood pressure monitoring.

Variability of blood pressure (BP) is known as a prognostic value for the subsequent target organ damage in hypertensive patients. Arterial stiffness is a risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The relationship between the arterial stiffness and the BP variability has been controversial.

Assessment of the conventional radial artery with optical coherent tomography after the snuffbox approach.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate acute injuries of the radial artery (RA) using optical coherence tomography (OCT) in patients who underwent coronary intervention via the snuffbox approach.

Methods: Forty-six patients, who underwent coronary intervention and assessment of the conventional RA using OCT via the snuffbox approach, were enrolled from two university hospitals between August 2018 and August 2019.

Results: The mean age of the patients was 65.

Traditional Korean herbal formulae, Yuk-Mi-Ji-Hwang-Tang, ameliorates impairment of hippocampal memory ability by chronic restraint stress of mouse model.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Yuk-Mi-Jihwang-Tang (YJT) has been popularly prescribed to treat aging related disorders over than hundreds of years in East Asia countries.

Aim Of The Study: To investigate possible modulatory actions of YJT on chronic restraint stress (CRS)-induced neurodegeneration on hippocampus neuronal injuries.

Materials And Methods: Mice were orally administered with YJT (100, 200, or 400 mg/kg) or ascorbic acid (100 mg/kg) before 4 h of stress for 28 days.

Lack of prognostic significance for major adverse cardiac events of soluble suppression of tumorigenicity 2 levels in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

Background: Elevation of soluble suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (sST2) is associated with cardiac fibrosis and hypertrophy. Under investigation herein, was whether sST2 level is associated with major adverse cardiac events (MACE) and left ventricular (LV) remodeling after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Methods: In total, this study included 184 patients who underwent successful primary PCI.

Arginase 2 Deficiency Promotes Neuroinflammation and Pain Behaviors Following Nerve Injury in Mice.

Microglia, the resident macrophages, act as the first and main form of active immune defense in the central nervous system. Arginase 2 (Arg2) is an enzyme involved in L-arginine metabolism and is expressed in macrophages and nervous tissue. In this study, we determined whether the absence of Arg2 plays a beneficial or detrimental role in the neuroinflammatory process.

Relationship between arterial stiffness and circadian pattern of blood pressure.

Arterial stiffness is a risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The relationship between the arterial stiffness and the circadian pattern of blood pressure (BP) has been controversial. The objective of the present study was to investigate the relationship between arterial stiffness by pulse wave analysis (PWA) and variables of 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM) in patients with high normal BP or hypertension (HTN).

Bone regeneration with umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cells in femoral defects of ovariectomized rats.

Objectives: Current treatments for osteoporosis were prevention of progression, yet it has been questionable in the stimulation of bone growth. The mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) treatment for osteoporosis aims to induce differentiation of bone progenitor cells into bone-forming osteoblasts. We investigate whether human umbilical cord blood (hUCB)-MSCs transplantation may induce bone regeneration for osteoporotic rat model induced by ovariectomy.

Ottowia konkukae sp. nov., isolated from rotten biji (tofu residue).

A Gram-negative, aerobic, non-motile, non-spore-forming and rod-shaped bacterial strain, designated SK3863, was isolated from rotten biji (residue remaining after making tofu). This bacterium was characterized in order to determine its taxonomic position by using the polyphasic approach. Strain SK3863 grew well at 25-37 °C on Reasoner's 2A agar plates.

Bursting Fracture of Balloon-Expandable Stent and Pseudoaneurysm Formation in the Left Common Iliac Artery and Endovascular Treatment With Graft Stent.

Purpose: To report successful endovascular treatment of a previously implanted balloon-expandable stent bursting fracture with concomitant large pseudoaneurysm formation in the left common iliac artery (LCIA).

Case Report: A 72-year-old man had been previously treated with balloon-expandable stents for severe stenotic lesion in the LCIA and left external iliac artery. Seven years later, the patient complained pain in both lower legs and back.

Effects of High Levels of Deoxynivalenol and Zearalenone on Growth Performance, and Hematological and Immunological Parameters in Pigs.

: Deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZEN) are common food contaminants produced by sp. Mycotoxins are a potential health hazard because of their toxicological effects on both humans and farmed animals. We analyzed three groups of pigs: a control group (fed a standard diet), and the DON and ZEN groups, fed a diet containing 8 mg/kg DON and 0.

Effects of deoxynivalenol- and zearalenone-contaminated feed on the gene expression profiles in the kidneys of piglets.

Objective: mycotoxins deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZEN), common contaminants in the feed of farm animals, cause immune function impairment and organ inflammation. Consequently, the main objective of this study was to elucidate DON and ZEN effects on the mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and other immune related genes in the kidneys of piglets.

Methods: Fifteen 6-week-old piglets were randomly assigned to three dietary treatments for 4 weeks: control diet, and diets contaminated with either 8 mg DON/kg feed or 0.

Marinicauda algicola sp. nov., isolated from a marine red alga Rhodosorus marinus.

An aerobic Gram-stain-negative prosthecate bacterium, designated RMAR8-3T, was isolated from a marine red alga Rhodosorus marinus in the Republic of Korea. Cells were dimorphic rods with a single polar prostheca (non-motile) or flagellum (motile) showing catalase- and oxidase-positive reactions. Growth of strain RMAR8-3T was observed at 15-45 °C (optimum, 40 °C), at pH 6.

Complete genome sequence of DSM 20241 provides insights into its functional and metabolic features.

The genome of DSM 20241 (=ATCC 9135 = LMG 8159 = NCIMB 6992) was completely sequenced and its fermentative metabolic pathways were reconstructed to investigate the fermentative properties and metabolites of strain DSM 20241 during fermentation. The genome of DSM 20241 consists of a circular chromosome (2026.8 Kb) and a circular plasmid (21.