Publications by authors named "Han Seung"

Probiotics are known to have favorable effects on human health. Nevertheless, probiotics are not always beneficial and can cause unintended adverse effects such as bacteremia and/or inflammation in immunocompromised patients. In the present study, we investigated the effects of probiotics on the regulation of bone metabolism under different health conditions and delivery routes.

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Lipoteichoic acid (LTA) and peptidoglycan (PGN) are considered as key virulence factors of , which is a representative sepsis-causing Gram-positive pathogen. However, cooperative effect of LTA and PGN on nitric oxide (NO) production is still unclear despite the pivotal roles of NO in initiation and progression of sepsis. We here evaluated the cooperative effects of LTA (SaLTA) and muramyl dipeptide (MDP), the minimal structure of PGN, on NO production in both a mouse macrophage-like cell line, RAW 264.

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Electrolyte additive engineering enables the creation of long-lasting interfacial layers that protect electrodes, thus extending the lifetime of high-energy lithium-ion batteries employing Ni-rich Li[NiCoMn]O (NCM) cathodes. However, batteries face various limitations if existing additives are employed alone without an appropriate combination. Herein, the study reports the development of a molecular-engineered salt-type multifunctional additive, lithium bis(phosphorodifluoridate) triethylammonium ethenesulfonate (LiPENS), that leverages the different functionalities of phosphorous, nitrogen, and sulfur-embedded motifs, as well as the classical additive vinylene carbonate (VC), to construct protective interfacial layers.

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Lung tissue-resident memory T (T) cells induced by influenza vaccination are crucial for heterosubtypic immunity upon re-exposure to the influenza virus, enabling rapid and robust responses upon reactivation. To enhance the efficacy of influenza vaccines, we induce the generation of lung T cells following intranasal vaccination with a commercial influenza vaccine adjuvanted with NexaVant (NVT), a TLR3 agonist-based adjuvant. We demonstrate that intranasal immunization with the NVT-adjuvanted vaccine provides improved protection against influenza virus infections by inducing the generation of CD4 T cells in the lungs in a type I interferon-dependent manner.

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Background And Objectives: The risk profiles, procedural characteristics, and clinical outcomes for women undergoing bifurcation percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are not well defined compared to those in men.

Methods: COronary BIfurcation Stenting III (COBIS III) is a multicenter, real-world registry of 2,648 patients with bifurcation lesions treated with second-generation drug-eluting stents. We compared the angiographic and procedural characteristics and clinical outcomes based on sex.

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Background: Bifurcation lesions are associated with higher rates of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE).

Aim: To investigate the impact of imaging-guided PCI in a real-world population with coronary bifurcation lesions.

Methods: From the ULTRA-BIFURCAT registry, we compared IVUS vs.

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  • Smoking cessation is crucial for reducing cardiovascular disease and mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), but most guidelines are based on general population studies, not specifically CKD patients.
  • An analysis of over 66,000 CKD participants found that both former and current smokers had significantly higher risks of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and mortality, with risk increasing based on smoking history and decreasing with longer cessation periods.
  • Former smokers with CKD need longer cessation periods (at least 20 years) to diminish risks to levels comparable to never smokers, highlighting the necessity for targeted smoking cessation strategies in this population.
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  • The study examines the progression of acute kidney injury (AKI) to acute kidney disease (AKD) or chronic kidney disease (CKD) and aims to identify biomarkers and personalized treatments.
  • It involves a collaboration among eight Korean hospitals, where they gathered data from around 1,500 patients undergoing continuous kidney replacement therapy, using a combination of historical and ongoing patient information.
  • The research intends to develop an AI model to predict patient outcomes and guide tailored treatment plans, ultimately providing insights for better management and prevention of kidney-related diseases.
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Improper storage times and temperatures negatively impact the quality of biospecimens with oral microbiomes. This study aimed to determine the optimal storage time and temperature for maintaining the integrity of human dental plaque and saliva samples' microbial profiles. A comprehensive search yielded 5433 studies, with 12 meeting inclusion criteria.

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  • A study investigated the changing patterns of paranasal sinus fungus balls, which are increasingly common in rhinosinusitis cases.
  • Researchers analyzed data from 35 of 41,497 patients who had brain MRIs, grading the severity of the fungus balls and examining how their progression was affected by various factors.
  • Results indicated that fungus balls showed significant changes over time, with a marked difference in the interval between initial and final MRI scans, while other factors like age and dental history showed no significant impact on progression.
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  • The study investigates the relationship between white matter hyperintensities (WMH) on brain MRIs and cognitive decline, focusing on how these factors may differ between sexes.
  • Researchers analyzed 713 participants aged 49-89, assessing the effects of modifiable risk factors for WMH and examining their impact on long-term dementia outcomes.
  • Findings suggest that age and type 2 diabetes significantly influence WMH volume, with stronger correlations identified in females, and that WMH burden is linked to worse dementia outcomes over time specifically in females.
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Background: Decreased lean body mass or muscle mass is associated with decreased bone mineral density in individuals with preserved renal function. However, the association between muscle mass and bone mineral density in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients is not well known. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between muscle mass estimated from urine creatinine (UCr) and bone mineral density in Korean CKD patients.

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: Brain imaging studies in pediatric patients with headaches often reveal inflammation of the sphenoid sinus. When we encounter patients presenting with headaches without respiratory symptoms, determining the causal relationship between isolated sphenoid sinusitis observed in brain imaging studies and headache is challenging. This study aims to evaluate the clinical characteristics of pediatric patients with headaches and isolated sphenoid sinusitis identified by brain imaging studies and to determine the effects of antibiotics on headache relief.

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Background: Headache is a common complaint during childhood and adolescence. It is important to be aware of the characteristics of pediatric headaches in order to make a precise and timely diagnosis. This study investigated the clinical characteristics of pediatric headaches according to the underlying etiology and age group.

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Dermal papilla cells (DPCs) are located at the bottom of the hair follicle and play a critical role in hair growth, shape, and cycle. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways are essential in promoting keratinocyte activation as well as hair follicle formation in DPCs. Piperonylic acid is a small molecule that induces EGFR activation in keratinocytes.

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  • The study aimed to investigate the relationship between colchicine use and the risk of developing atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and related mortality in patients recently diagnosed with gout.
  • Using a nationwide claims database, researchers compared patients with ASCVD events or mortality to a control group matched by age, sex, and other factors, focusing on the dosage and duration of colchicine use.
  • Results indicated that higher cumulative doses of colchicine were linked to an increased risk of ASCVD events and mortality, suggesting a need for caution in colchicine prescribing for patients with gout.
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  • Immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) is a significant cause of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), and while the International IgA Nephropathy Prediction Tool (IIgAN-PT) exists for prognosis, there's a need to enhance prediction accuracy using machine learning (ML).
  • A study involving 4,425 IgAN patients analyzed various ML models, including different versions of the CatBoost model, to predict ESKD and renal function using clinical and pathological data; these were compared to the performance of the IIgAN-PT.
  • Results showed that while ML models performed well in predicting kidney outcomes, they did not surpass the IIgAN-PT's performance, indicating that current ML methods
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  • Tolvaptan, a medication approved in Korea for treating autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), was evaluated in a phase 4 clinical trial involving 117 patients with chronic kidney disease stages 1 to 3 over 24 months.* -
  • The study recorded a high rate of treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs), with 90.6% of patients experiencing them, including 14.5% reporting hepatic adverse events, which improved after stopping the medication.* -
  • Despite a higher incidence of liver-related issues compared to previous studies, the results suggest that tolvaptan can be used safely and effectively with careful dosage adjustments and regular monitoring.*
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  • Intravascular administration of iodinated contrast media can lead to acute kidney injury, particularly in patients with low eGFR (<30 mL/min/1.73 m²).
  • A study involving 2,560 adult outpatients evaluated the effectiveness of renal function screening guidelines by ACR and ESUR before contrast-enhanced CT scans.
  • The findings showed that both guidelines effectively identified patients at risk for renal insufficiency, supporting the need for selective renal function screening prior to such examinations.
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Introduction: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has emerged as a potential indicator for cardio-metabolic risk. However, clinical implications of NAFLD in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are still elusive. We investigated to explore the association between NAFLD and adverse clinical outcomes among patients with CKD.

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  • Syndesmotic impingement syndrome is linked to ongoing lateral or anterolateral ankle pain, commonly occurring after a rotational injury.
  • A study analyzed 107 ankles of patients who underwent surgery for this syndrome, assessing the types of tissue involved and their relationship with cartilage damage.
  • The findings revealed that fibrotic tissue was the most common type of impingement and was significantly associated with cartilage lesions in the lateral talar dome, indicating the need for careful evaluation in patients with prolonged ankle pain.
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