Publications by authors named "Eun-Ji Kim"

Importance: Social determinants of health (SDOH) are associated with health outcomes. Thus, providing referrals for unmet social needs within clinical settings may improve the health of children.

Objective: To examine the prevalence and demographic characteristics of pediatric families with unmet social needs and their association with families accepting help from a pediatric clinical practice.

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Background: Usability testing is valuable for assessing a new tool or system's usefulness and ease-of-use. Several established methods of usability testing exist, including think-aloud testing. Although usability testing has been shown to be crucial for successful clinical decision support (CDS) tool development, it is often difficult to conduct across multisite development projects due to its time- and labor-intensiveness, cost, and the skills required to conduct the testing.

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Long-term consumption of erythritol, a widely used sugar substitute, has been associated with increased risks of thrombosis and cardiometabolic diseases. In this study, we investigated the effects and mechanisms of allulose in mitigating these risks compared to erythritol using the clusterProfiler tool in R (version 4.12.

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Sarcopenia is characterized by the loss of muscle mass and function, increases in mortality rate, and risk of comorbidities in the elderly. This study evaluated the effects of hot water extract (AJHW) and its active compound, oregonin, on muscle atrophy and apoptosis in vitro. AJHW underwent phytochemical analysis.

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Transitional care management (TCM) visits have been shown to reduce 30-day readmissions, but it is unclear whether the decrease arises from the TCM visit itself or from clinic-level changes to meet the requirements of the TCM visits. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis using data from Northwell Health to examine the association between the type of post-discharge follow-up visits (TCM visits versus non-TCM visits based on billing) and 30-day readmission. Furthermore, we assessed whether being seen by a provider who frequently utilizes TCM visits or the TCM visit itself was associated with 30-day readmission.

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Crystal-violet staining, microscopy with image analysis, and quantitative PCR (qPCR) were compared to examine biofilm dynamics. Biofilms of 30 polycultures comprising 15 bacterial species were monitored for 14 days. Collectively, qPCR (representing population) revealed a different growth pattern compared to staining (biomass) and microscopy (colonization): biomass and colonization gradually increased over time, whereas population increased rapidly for the first seven days and leveled off.

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Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) comprises the majority of primary liver cancers and possesses a low 5-year survival rate when in the advanced stages. Anillin (ANLN), a key player in cell growth and cytokinesis, is implicated in HCC development. Currently, no treatment agents are known to suppress ANLN.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates how certain psychological factors influence posttraumatic growth (PTG) in students who survived the Sewol ferry disaster, indicating that adversity can sometimes lead to positive outcomes in mental health.
  • Data were collected longitudinally from 48 adolescents over six years, assessing various measures such as rumination, meaning in life, and coping strategies.
  • Results showed that both types of rumination, a sense of meaning in life, and adaptive coping methods were all strongly linked to increases in PTG, suggesting these factors can help mitigate negative mental health impacts.
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Generative artificial intelligence (generative AI) is a new technology with potentially broad applications across important domains of healthcare, but serious questions remain about how to balance the promise of generative AI against unintended consequences from adoption of these tools. In this position statement, we provide recommendations on behalf of the Society of General Internal Medicine on how clinicians, technologists, and healthcare organizations can approach the use of these tools. We focus on three major domains of medical practice where clinicians and technology experts believe generative AI will have substantial immediate and long-term impacts: clinical decision-making, health systems optimization, and the patient-physician relationship.

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Growing evidence suggests that cholecystectomy is associated with adverse health outcomes, including the development of metabolic diseases. However, data on the association between cholecystectomy and kidney disease are limited. The present study aimed to investigate the association between cholecystectomy and chronic kidney disease (CKD) using a nationwide longitudinal cohort.

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Resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) is common, even in tumors with T-cell infiltration. We thus investigated consequences of ICI-induced T-cell infiltration in the microenvironment of resistant tumors. T cells and neutrophil numbers increased in ICI-resistant tumors following treatment, in contrast to ICI-responsive tumors.

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  • - The study investigates the disparities in statin therapy for preventing atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and explores how structural racism may contribute to these differences in treatment among various racial and ethnic groups.
  • - Data analysis from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (2014-2017) revealed that non-Hispanic Whites had the highest statin usage (58.5%), while usage was notably lower among Hispanics (45%) and Blacks (48.6%).
  • - The findings indicate that while direct racial differences in statin usage are not significant when financial and care access factors are equalized, racial minorities still experience lower treatment levels compared to Whites, highlighting the role of inequitable resource distribution and structural racism in these disparities
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Among the most frequent causes of respiratory infections in humans are influenza A virus H1N1 (H1N1), influenza B virus (IVB), and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Echinacea is a perennial wildflower belonging to the family. (L.

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  • FGF receptors play a key role in bone development and metabolism, with FGF19 and FGF21 subfamily members impacting bone strength and mineral density, but their specific effects are still unclear.
  • A study of 374 post-menopausal women showed no significant links between serum levels of FGF19 and 21 with bone mineral density (BMD) or fracture prevalence after considering factors like age and BMI.
  • However, higher levels of FGF21 were associated with negative impacts on hip geometry and strength measurements, suggesting it could be harmful to bone health, warranting further research, especially as FGF21 may be explored for obesity treatments.
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Although curcumin has been well known as a phytochemical drug that inhibits tumor promotion by modulating multiple molecular targets, its potential was not reported as a targeting ligand in the field of drug delivery system. Here, we aimed to assess the tumor-targeting efficiency of curcumin and its derivatives such as phenylalanine, cinnamic acid, coumaric acid, and ferulic acid. Curcumin exhibited a high affinity for estrogen receptors through a pull-down assay using the membrane proteins of MCF-7, a breast cancer cell line, followed by designation of a polymer-based gene therapy system.

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Background: Increased mitochondrial Ca uptake has been implicated in the QT prolongation and lethal arrhythmias associated with nonischemic cardiomyopathy. We attempted to define the role of mitochondria in ischemic arrhythmic risk and to identify upstream regulators.

Methods: Myocardial infarction (MI) was induced in wild-type FVB/NJ mice by ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery.

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  • * This study investigates the effects of catechin 7-O--D-apiofuranoside on muscle cell apoptosis and protein/gene expression in a model of muscle atrophy, using techniques like Western blotting and RT-PCR.
  • * Results show that catechin extract reduces muscle-degradation proteins (Atrogin-1, MuRF1) while boosting muscle-synthesis proteins (MyoD, Myogenin), hinting at its potential for preventing muscle loss and promoting health through functional foods and medicines.
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  • - Colistin is a last-resort antibiotic for multidrug-resistant bacteria, but the mcr-1 gene, which causes colistin resistance, is spreading and poses a public health risk.
  • - Researchers found a strain of Leclercia adecarboxylata carrying the mcr-1 gene in Seoul's wastewater, showing resistance to colistin and multiple other antibiotics.
  • - The study highlights the importance of monitoring antimicrobial resistance in wastewater, as they discovered a plasmid (pCOL134-1) that aids in the gene's transfer between bacteria.
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  • The study focuses on the benefits of barley husk, specifically its water-soluble xylan (BH-WSX), highlighting its high dietary fiber and prebiotic content that support gut health.
  • Researchers extracted BH-WSX and found it to have a significant yield, specific molecular characteristics, and antioxidant properties, suggesting it could be useful for food applications.
  • Advanced analyses, including spectroscopy and thermal testing, confirmed the chemical composition and structure of BH-WSX, making it a promising candidate for enhancing gut microbiota and potentially preventing adhesion of harmful bacteria.
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Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, acute respiratory infection (ARI) antibiotic prescribing in ambulatory care markedly decreased. It is unclear if antibiotic prescription rates will remain lowered.

Methods: We used trend analyses of antibiotics prescribed during and after the first wave of COVID-19 to determine whether ARI antibiotic prescribing rates in ambulatory care have remained suppressed compared to pre-COVID-19 levels.

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  • Aging causes tissue and cellular changes, mainly due to oxidative stress and inflammation, which lead to diseases related to aging.
  • The study investigates the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of Korean Hance, a traditional herb, to combat muscle loss and atrophy through various tests and analyses.
  • Results show that the extract supports muscle gene expression, reduces inflammation, and enhances antioxidant levels, suggesting its potential for developing new treatments for muscle atrophy.
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Self-assembly of nanoparticles (NPs) in drying emulsion droplets paves the way for intricate three-dimensional (3D) superstructures, given the myriad of control parameters for fine-tuning assembly conditions. With their substantial energetic dynamics that are acutely responsive to emulsion confinements, polymeric ligands incorporated into a system can enrich its structural diversity. Here, we demonstrate the assembly of soft polymer-grafted NPs into Mackay icosahedrons beyond spherical body-centered cubic (BCC) packing structures commonly observed for these soft spheres.

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Background/objectives: This study evaluated the beneficial effects of an ethanol extract of gum resin (FJH-UBS) in osteoporosis.

Materials/methods: MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic cells and RAW 264.7 osteoclastic cells were treated with FJH-UBS.

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Background: Dizziness and vertigo rank among the top 10 reasons for emergency and clinical referrals to neurologists. Chronic dizziness and imbalance not only reduce quality of life, but also increase mortality. While the Mediterranean diet has long been considered beneficial for human and planetary health, its effects on chronic dizziness or imbalance are understudied.

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Neuron damage by microglia, which act as macrophage cells in the brain, can result in various brain diseases. However, the function of pro-inflammatory or anti-inflammatory microglia in the neurons remains controversial. Guanylate-binding protein-2 (GBP2) is expressed and activated in the microglia in the early phase of the inflammatory response and plays an important role in controlling immune responses.

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