Oligohydramnios affects pulmonary functional/structural abnormalities in school-aged children with bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Background: The relationship between early life factors and childhood pulmonary function and structure in preterm infants remains unclear.

Purpose: This study investigated the impact of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and perinatal factors on childhood pulmonary function and structure.

Methods: This longitudinal cohort study included preterm participants aged ≥5 years born between 2005 and 2015.

Association between bronchopulmonary dysplasia and early respiratory morbidity in children with respiratory distress syndrome: a case-control study using nationwide data.

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) can cause respiratory morbidity beyond the neonatal period. We aimed to analyze the association of BPD on childhood lower respiratory illness (LRI) and asthma among patients diagnosed with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). This case-control study analyzed data between 2002 and 2015 from a nationwide database.

Metabolomic profiling revealed altered lipid metabolite levels in childhood food allergy.

Background: The pathophysiology of childhood food allergy (FA) and its natural history are poorly understood. Clarification of the underlying mechanism may help identify novel biomarkers and strategies for clinical intervention in children with FA.

Objective: This study aimed to identify metabolites associated with the development and resolution of FA.

Gram-negative microbiota is related to acute exacerbation in children with asthma.

Background: The upper-airway microbiota may be associated with the pathogenesis of asthma and useful for predicting acute exacerbation. However, the relationship between the lower-airway microbiota and acute exacerbation in children with asthma is not well understood. We evaluated the characteristics of the airway microbiome using induced sputum from children with asthma exacerbation and compared the microbiota-related differences of inflammatory cytokines with those in children with asthma.

Predicting allergic diseases in children using genome-wide association study (GWAS) data and family history.

The recent rise in the prevalence of chronic allergic diseases among children has increased disease burden and reduced quality of life, especially for children with comorbid allergic diseases. Predicting the occurrence of allergic diseases can help prevent its onset for those in high risk groups. Herein, we aimed to construct prediction models for asthma, atopic dermatitis (AD), and asthma-AD comorbidity (also known as atopic march) using a genome-wide association study (GWAS) and family history data from patients of Korean heritage.

Genome-wide association study identifies TNFSF15 associated with childhood asthma.

Background: Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) of asthma have identified several risk alleles and loci, but most have been conducted in individuals with European-ancestry. Studies in Asians, especially children, are still lacking. We aimed to identify susceptibility loci by performing the first GWAS of asthma in Korean children with persistent asthma.

Mortality and morbidity in children with asthma: A nationwide study in Korea.

Objective: Childhood mortality due to asthma remains problematic; however, asthma-related mortality in Korean children has not been previously described. This study aimed to estimate asthma mortality and morbidity and determine to what extent asthma contributes to childhood mortality in Korea.

Methods: Data from 9 to 12 million children (aged < 18 years) per year recorded for each year between 2002 and 2015 were retrieved from the Korea National Health Insurance claims database.

Prediction of postinfectious bronchiolitis obliterans prognosis in children.

Introduction: The prognosis of postinfectious bronchiolitis obliterans (PIBO) has many implications, ranging between reduced quality of life and life-threatening complications. We evaluated the prognostic factors for PIBO using the baseline clinical characteristics of patients and built a prediction model for determining the prognoses of PIBO patients using the identified parameters.

Methods: We included 47 PIBO patients who underwent spirometry and impulse oscillometry and followed them up for at least 1 year.

Integrated genetic and epigenetic analyses uncover MSI2 association with allergic inflammation.

Background: The relationship between allergic and eosinophilic inflammation, either systemic or local, in allergic diseases remains unclear.

Objective: We performed combined genome-wide association study (GWAS) and epigenome-wide (EWAS) for atopy and tissue eosinophilia to identify both genetic and epigenetic signatures between systemic and local allergic inflammation, and to capture global patterns of gene regulation.

Methods: We included 126 subjects for atopy analysis and 147 for tissue eosinophilia analysis, as well as 18 normal nasal tissue samples.

Mitochondrial and Nuclear Mitochondrial Variants in Allergic Diseases.

The mitochondrial genome encodes core catalytic peptides that affect major metabolic processes within a cell. Here, we investigated the association between mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variants and allergic diseases, including atopic dermatitis (AD) and asthma, alongside heteroplasmy within the mtDNA in subjects with allergic sensitization. We collected genotype data from 973 subjects with allergic sensitization, consisting of 632 children with AD, 498 children with asthma, and 481 healthy controls by extracting DNA from their blood samples.

Pediatric Home Mechanical Ventilation in Korea: the Present Situation and Future Strategy.

Background: The number of children using home mechanical ventilation (HMV) has increased markedly in Europe and North America, but little is known about the situation in Korea. We described the clinical characteristics of children using HMV and investigated the current situation of HMV utilization in children.

Methods: Data on HMV prescriptions in year 2016 for children under the age of 19 was retrieved from the National Health Insurance Service for nationwide information.

A deep learning model for real-time mortality prediction in critically ill children.

Background: The rapid development in big data analytics and the data-rich environment of intensive care units together provide unprecedented opportunities for medical breakthroughs in the field of critical care. We developed and validated a machine learning-based model, the Pediatric Risk of Mortality Prediction Tool (PROMPT), for real-time prediction of all-cause mortality in pediatric intensive care units.

Methods: Utilizing two separate retrospective observational cohorts, we conducted model development and validation using a machine learning algorithm with a convolutional neural network.

Expression of glutamine metabolism-related proteins in Hürthle cell neoplasm of thyroid: Comparison with follicular neoplasm.

Purpose: We evaluated the expression of glutaminolysis-related proteins in Hurthle cell neoplasms (HCN) and follicular neoplasms (FN) of the thyroid, and investigated its clinical implication.

Methods: Tissue microarrays were constructed from 264 FNs (112 follicular carcinomas [FCs] and 152 follicular adenomas [FAs]) and 108 HCNs (27 Hurthle cell carcinomas [HCCs] and 81 Hurthle cell adenomas [HCAs]. The immunohistochemical staining result of 3 glutaminolysis-related proteins (Glutaminase 1 [GLS1], glutaminate dehydrogenase [GDH] and alanine- serine, cysteine-preferring transporter 2 [ASCT2]) was analyzed.

EMHP: an accurate automated hole masking algorithm for single-particle cryo-EM image processing.

Summary: The Electron Microscopy Hole Punch (EMHP) is a streamlined suite of tools for quick assessment, sorting and hole masking of electron micrographs. With recent advances in single-particle electron cryo-microscopy (cryo-EM) data processing allowing for the rapid determination of protein structures using a smaller computational footprint, we saw the need for a fast and simple tool for data pre-processing that could run independent of existing high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructures. EMHP provides a data preprocessing platform in a small package that requires minimal python dependencies to function.

The role of tumor-associated macrophage in breast cancer biology.

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed malignant tumor in women worldwide and contributes significantly as the primary cause of female cancer related mortality. Hence, research is focused on discovering new and effective treatment targets. The breast tumor microenvironment (TME) comprising of recruited host stromal cells and tumor cells, has recently emerged as an important player in tumor progression, with the potential for future treatment.