Regulatory dynamics of Nanog in chondrocyte dedifferentiation: role of KLF4/p53 and p38/AKT signaling.

Homeobox protein Nanog, a member of the transcription factor family, plays a crucial role in maintaining the pluripotency and self-renewal of embryonic stem cells. Due to its diverse activities, Nanog has been identified in multiple cell types, including embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and cancer stem cells (CSCs). However, its molecular mechanism in chondrocytes remains unclear.

Mixed methods evaluation of a digital resource to build students' skills in ASsessing cardiovascular risk, MOtivating change, and SUStaining a healthier lifestyle in themselves and others- ASMOSUS: a study protocol.

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a prevalent cause of morbidity and mortality globally. Nurses and nursing students are in an optimum role to assess, manage and promote lifestyle changes associated with CVD risk. Patients and service users are more likely to adopt these changes if the person delivering the information embodies this lifestyle themselves.

Potent anti-biofilm properties of plumbagin against fluconazole-resistant .

Background And Aim: The escalation of fungal infections is driving an increase in disease and mortality rates. In particular, the emergence of (), which shows powerful resistance to the antifungal drug fluconazole, is becoming a global concern. Furthermore, several biological hurdles need to be overcome by candidate therapeutics because has the ability to form biofilm.

Ultra tough and high resilience mechanochromic fibres for real world stress detection.

Cholesteric liquid crystal elastomer fibres gain considerable attention as promising candidates for mechanochromic smart textiles across various domains, ranging from fashion to healthcare. However, intrinsically high hysteresis of cholesteric liquid crystal elastomer during stress relaxation necessitates a time-lag between successive stimulus detections, thereby constraining the practical use in real-world systems. Here, we develop high-tough and low-hysteresis mechanochromic fibres capable of effectively detecting ultra-fast deformations at practical levels.

Three-point flanged optic piercing intrascleral fixation of multifocal intraocular lenses.

Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility of a three-point flanged optic piercing intrascleral fixation technique for replacing a dislocated multifocal intraocular lens (IOL).

Design: Retrospective cross-sectional study.

Methods: In total, 13 eyes from 13 patients with a dislocated single-piece C-loop or double C-loop diffractive multifocal IOL were enrolled to undergo dislocated multifocal IOL replacement through three-point flanged optic piercing 120 degrees apart intrascleral fixation using 7-0 polypropylene sutures at 2.

Individual- and community-level women's empowerment and complete use of maternal healthcare services: A multilevel analysis of 34 sub-Saharan African countries.

Background: Current literature on women's empowerment (WE) and maternal healthcare use is limited to individual-level analysis, with a focus on single components of maternal healthcare services. As gender-related community contexts may importantly shape women's ability to seek healthcare services, we examined how both individual- and community-level WE are associated with complete use of maternal healthcare services in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

Methods: We analyzed Demographic and Health Surveys conducted between 2011 and 2022 across 34 SSA countries (N = 194,740 women aged 15-49 years old).

Rapid Fabrication of Tendon-inspired Ultrastrong, Water-rich Hydrogel Fibers: Synergistic Engineering of Cyano--aramid Nanofibers and Poly(vinyl alcohol).

Load-bearing fibrous tissues, like tendons, have remarkable strength with high water content (∼60%) due to the anisotropic network of collagen fibers. However, the scalability of biomimetic anisotropic hydrogels is limited by time-intensive fabrication processes involving cross-linking and stretching, often spanning several hours to days. Here, we present a rapid, scalable approach for fabricating tendon-mimetic hydrogel fibers within 1 min using the synergistic engineering of cyano--aramid nanofibers (CY-ANFs) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA).

Percolation analysis of spatiotemporal distribution of population in Seoul and Helsinki.

Spatiotemporal distribution of urban population is crucial to understand the structure and dynamics of cities. Most studies, however, have focused on the microscopic structure of cities such as their few most crowded areas. In this work, we investigate the macroscopic structure of cities such as their clusters of highly populated areas.

Supercritical Fluid-Dried Copolymerized Aramid Nanofiber Sheets with Exceptional Thermal and Dimensional Stability.

Aramid fibers exhibit outstanding properties such as heat resistance, chemical resistance, dimensional stability, durability and elongation. However, their poor dispersibility poses a significant challenge when preparing composites. Consequently, converting aramid fibers into nanofibers is crucial to enhance their dispersibility.

Spatially controlled multicellular differentiation of stem cells using triple factor-releasing metal-organic framework-coated nanoline arrays.

Improved in vitro models are needed for regenerative therapy and drug screening. Here, we report on functionally aligned nanoparticle-trapped nanopattern arrays for spatially controlled, precise mesenchymal stem cell differentiation on a single substrate. The arrays comprise nanohole and nanoline arrays fabricated through interference lithography and selectively capture of UiO-67 metal-organic frameworks on nanoline arrays with a 99.

A Multicenter, Randomized, Clinical Trial Assessing the Effect of rTG-Omega 3 Supplementation on Meibomian Gland Dysfunction Patients after Cataract Surgery rTG-Omega 3 for Meibomian Gland Dysfunction.

To investigate the effectiveness of re-esterified triglyceride form of omega 3 (rTG-omega 3) on patients with meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) after cataract surgery. This multicenter, randomized, investigator-blinded, clinical study was conducted between June 2021 and March 2023 and enrolled 107 patients with MGD who had undergone cataract surgery within 3 months at seven sites across South Korea. Patients were randomly assigned to rTG-omega 3 group or a control group.

Analysis of anxiety and pain in patients undergoing immediate sequential bilateral cataract surgery or unilateral cataract surgery.

The purpose of this study was to compare preoperative anxiety and intraoperative pain between the first and second cataract surgeries in patients who underwent immediate sequential bilateral cataract surgery (ISBCS). This retrospective study was conducted between June 20, 2023, and September 20, 2023, at Korea University Guro Hospital. A total of 170 cataract surgeries was included, and 130 eyes underwent ISBCS.

Accuracy of Intraocular Lens Power Calculation Based on Distance from Haptic to Principal Object Plane.

Purpose: To investigate the impact of the distance from the most-anterior surface of the optic to the principal object plane (POP) and from the foremost haptic to the principal object plane (H-POP) on the intraocular lens (IOL) power calculation.

Setting: A tertiary hospital.

Design: Optical simulation and retrospective cross-sectional study.

Recent trends and outcomes in immediate and delayed sequential bilateral cataract surgeries: a nationwide cohort study in South Korea.

Purpose: To analyze the latest annual trends in immediate sequential bilateral cataract surgery (ISBCS) and delayed sequential bilateral cataract surgery (DSBCS) among patients with bilateral cataracts in Korea, and to identify the factors influencing the choice of surgery and the outcomes associated with ISBCS and DSBCS.

Methods: This retrospective, nationwide cohort study included all patients aged 65 and older who were covered by the Korean National Health Insurance and underwent ISBCS or DSBCS from 2016 to 2021. The study recorded yearly numbers of ISBCS and DSBCS procedures, the interval between surgeries in DSBCS cases, patient demographics, types of implanted intraocular lenses (IOLs), and the incidence of cystoid macular edema and endophthalmitis following ISBCS or DSBCS.

Interconnectedness of borderline personality pathology and affective temperaments in patients with mood disorders: a network analysis.

Purpose: Mood disorders frequently coexist with borderline personality pathology (BPP), presenting considerable clinical challenges. Affective temperaments (AT) play a role in modulating mood disorders and influence the manifestation of illness. BPP and AT share common characteristics, such as emotional instability, impulsivity, and difficulties in interpersonal relationships.

Hidden route of protein damage through oxygen-confined photooxidation.

Oxidative modifications can disrupt protein folds and functions, and are strongly associated with human aging and diseases. Conventional oxidation pathways typically involve the free diffusion of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which primarily attack the protein surface. Yet, it remains unclear whether and how internal protein folds capable of trapping oxygen (O) contribute to oxidative damage.

Automated Measurement of Effective Radiation Dose by F-Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography.

Background/objectives: Calculating the radiation dose from CT in F-PET/CT examinations poses a significant challenge. The objective of this study is to develop a deep learning-based automated program that standardizes the measurement of radiation doses.

Methods: The torso CT was segmented into six distinct regions using TotalSegmentator.

Willingness to pay to reduce mortality risks from particulate matter and value of statistical life: Evidence from stated air purifier rental choices in South Korea.

This paper investigates individuals' averting behavior that utilizes a durable good, high-functioning air purifiers, to reduce risk from exposure to coarse (PM) and fine (PM) particulate matter, to estimate a value of statistical life (VSL) for use in benefit-cost analysis in South Korea. We present an interactive risk ladder, developed specifically for this study, to 1218 respondents in a national web-based contingent valuation survey to elicit their perceived risks from the exposure to PM and PM with and without the use of high-functioning air purifiers (i.e.

Antibacterial and Anti-biofilm Effects of Thymoquinone Against Carbapenem-Resistant Uropathogenic .

Carbapenem antibiotics are widely used for their broad antibacterial effects, but the emergence of carbapenem-resistant has recently become a global problem. To solve this problem, research is needed to find compounds that increase antibiotic activity. Therefore, this study aimed to validate the antibacterial and anti-biofilm effects, as well as the inhibition of gene expression of thymoquinone, an extract of commonly used as a spice in many dishes.

Gremlin-2 is a novel tumor suppressor that negatively regulates ID1 in breast cancer.

Background: Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in women and is closely associated with obesity. Gremlin-2 (GREM2), an antagonist for bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), has been considered an inhibitor of adipogenic differentiation in adipose-derived stromal/stem cells. However, the role of GREM2 in breast cancer cells remains largely unknown, and its signaling mechanism has yet to be clarified.

Relationship between HECTD4 gene variants, obesity, and coffee consumption.

Background: In genome-wide association studies, the HECT domain E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase 4 (HECTD4) gene was suggested to be associated with obesity-related traits and coffee consumption. However, the association of genetic variants between coffee consumption and obesity has not been tested in Koreans. Therefore, we investigated whether HECTD4 gene variants act as effect modifiers on the relationship between obesity and coffee.

Effect of carbon black and silicon dioxide nanoparticle exposure on corona receptor ACE2 and TMPRSS2 expression in the ocular surface.

The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to a global health crisis, including ocular symptoms, primarily targeting the Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor. PM2.5 air pollution may increase infection risk by altering ACE2 expression.

Short-term variability in ocular biometry and the impact of preoperative dry eye.

This study aimed to investigate the short-term variability of ocular biometric measurements and to analyze the factors associated with high variability of biometric values in patients with cataract. This retrospective study included 60 eyes of 60 patients who underwent ocular biometry twice with the IOLMaster 700 (March to November 2023). Ocular surface parameters included tear film break-up time (TBUT), corneal and conjunctival staining scores (CSS/ConSS).

Creating ultra-strong and recyclable green plastics from marine-sourced alginate-chitosan nanowhisker nanocomposites for controlled release urea fertilizer.

In response to the pressing environmental challenge posed by petroleum-derived plastics, the development of green plastics derived from all-biomass nanocomposites offers promising solutions. However, conventional nanocomposites often prioritize enhanced stiffness at the expense of flexibility. We introduce sodium alginate (SA)/chitosan nanowhisker (CSW) nanocomposites, derived entirely from marine-sourced all-biomass, to create ultra-strong and flexible green plastics.

MiR-140-3p Improves Sensitivity to Docetaxel by Suppressing PD-L1/ABCG2/MVP Expression in Lung Adenocarcinoma.

Background/aim: Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) or lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) accounts for the majority of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and overexpression of programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) in these cells is known to induce tumor immune evasion or drug resistance. However, detailed studies are needed to determine whether microRNAs (miRNAs) that reduce PD-L1 expression can suppress drug resistance in NSCLC.

Materials And Methods: Kaplan Meier plotter and Receiver Operating Characteristic plotter were used to determine the effect of specific miRNAs on survival and chemotherapy response in NSCLC patients.