Altered diversity and composition of gut microbiota in Korean children with food allergy.

Background: This study aimed to comprehensively characterize the gut microbiome and identify individual and grouped gut microbes associated with food allergy (FA) using 16S rRNA gene sequencing.

Methods: Fecal samples were collected from children with IgE-mediated FA and from sex- and age-matched controls. The V3-V4 variable regions of the 16S rRNA gene of the gut microbiome were profiled using next-generation sequencing (Illumina, USA).

Addressing inequities in cryptorchidism care: The impact of social determinants on timely & true undescended testis referrals - A six-year study from a high-volume referral center.

Introduction: The American Urological Association (AUA) recommends urology referral and surgery for undescended testicle (UDT) before 18 months of age, but it has been shown that many referrals occur later, influenced by social factors.

Objective: This study aims to identify key social factors that impact UDT referral timing and appropriateness.

Study Design: Pediatric patients referred to our institution for UDT management from 2018 to 2023 were analyzed.

Understanding Electron Beam-Induced Chemical Polymerization Processes of Small Organic Molecules Using Operando Liquid-Phase Transmission Electron Microscopy.

Electron beams evolved as important tools for modern technologies that construct and analyze nanoscale architectures. While electron-matter interactions at atomic and macro scales are well-studied, a knowledge gap persists at the molecular to nano level─the scale most relevant to the latest technologies. Here, we employ liquid-phase transmission electron microscopy supported by density functional theory calculations and a mathematical random search algorithm to rationalize and quantify electron beam-induced processes at the molecular level.

Acute severe hepatitis in children following extrahepatic infection in South Korea: etiology, clinical course, and outcomes.

Background: Acute hepatitis can occur in association with systemic diseases outside the liver. Acute severe hepatitis with markedly elevated transaminase levels following extrahepatic infection has been reported in children. However, research on this condition remains limited.

Interfacial electromigration for accelerated reactions.

Background: Microdroplets have emerged as effective confined-volume reactors due to their remarkable ability to accelerate chemical reactions compared to bulk systems. Recent research highlights the crucial role of air-liquid interfaces in this acceleration. A microdroplet can be viewed as having two kinetically distinct regions: the interface and the interior.

Engram and behavior: How memory is stored in the brain.

During the processing of information in humans, activated neurons behave in a specific way. The activity of these neurons leaves traces on the neurons, such as changes in synaptic or intrinsic properties. Formation of the memory traces is associated with molecular changes in the neurons.

Effects of Pancreatitis and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus on the Development of Pancreatic Cancer: A Nationwide Nested Case-Control Study.

Backgruound: Despite diabetes mellitus (DM) and pancreatitis being known risk factors for pancreatic cancer, patients with these conditions are not included in pancreatic cancer screening due to the low incidence of pancreatic cancer in these populations. This study aimed to determine the high-risk subgroup of patients with diabetes and pancreatitis that would benefit from pancreatic cancer screening.

Methods: A nested case-control study was conducted using data from the National Health Information Database of the Korean National Health Insurance Service.

Older Adults with Diabetes in Korea: Latest Clinical and Epidemiologic Trends.

Backgruound: Diabetes in older adults is becoming a significant public burden to South Korea. However, a comprehensive understanding of epidemiologic trends and the detailed clinical characteristics of older adults with diabetes is lacking. Therefore, we evaluated epidemiologic trends and the metabolic and lifestyle characteristics of diabetes in Korean older adults.

Prevalence, Incidence, and Metabolic Characteristics of Young Adults with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in South Korea (2010-2020).

Backgruound: This study aimed to examine trends in the prevalence, incidence, metabolic characteristics, and management of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) among young adults in South Korea.

Methods: Young adults with T2DM were defined as individuals aged 19 to 39 years who met the diagnostic criteria for T2DM. Data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service-Customized Database (2010-2020, n=225,497-372,726) were analyzed to evaluate trends in T2DM prevalence, incidence, metabolic profiles, comorbidities, and antidiabetic drug prescription.

[A Case of Bullous Pemphigoid after Combined Chemotherapy of Durvalumab, Gemcitabine and Cisplatin for Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma].

The patient is a 66-year-old man. He underwent a total of 9 courses of GCD therapy(gemcitabine+cisplatin+durvalumab)for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma with direct invasion of the greater omentum and abdominal wall and surrounding peritoneal dissemination. The tumor had shrunk and was judged to be curative, and laparoscopic hepatic S4a/S5 subsegmentectomy and S6 partial hepatectomy were performed at 8 months after the initial diagnosis.

[Pathological Complete Response after Combined Chemotherapy of Durvalumab, Gemcitabine and Cisplatin for Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma-A Case Report].

The patient was a 66-year-old man. He came to our hospital because of abdominal discomfort. A CT scan revealed hypovascular tumors of about 70 mm in the S4/5 and 16 mm in the S6 of the liver.

Psychological resilience to trauma and longitudinal sleep outcomes among current and former nurses.

Objective: A life-disrupting stressor (e.g. pandemic) may cause or exacerbate poor sleep health; resilience may offset impacts.

Differences in functional recovery after unilateral versus bilateral total knee arthroplasty.

Background: Understanding functional changes between unilateral and simultaneous bilateral total knee arthroplasty (TKA) patients remains limited. The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences in recovery times between unilateral and bilateral TKA.

Methods: We retrospectively recruited patients who met the eligibility criteria.

Effects of dietary supplementation with a polyherbal based product on sporozoites viability and on growth performance, lesion score, gut permeability, oocyst shedding count, tight junction, pro-inflammatory cytokine, and antioxidant enzyme in broiler chickens challenged with Eimeria spp.

Two in vivo and in vitro studies were conducted to investigate the effects of supplementation of a natural polyherbal mixture (PHM) manufactured from selected herbs in broiler chickens challenged with coccidiosis. For the in vitro trial, E. tenella and E.

Estimation of optimal culture conditions for Gedaniella panicellus GPYS21 (Fragilariaceae) as a high-yield bioresource for palmitoleic acid and fucoxanthin production.

Gedaniella panicellus, a marine diatom belonging to the family Fragilariaceae, has not yet been explored for its biotechnological potential. This study aimed to optimize the growth of G. panicellus using response surface methodology and assess its cellular biochemical composition to verify the production of value-added compounds.

Spatiotemporal variations, source apportionment, and cross-regional impacts of microplastics in surface seawater of Chinese Marginal Seas.

Microplastics (MPs) are widely distributed as a global pollutant, with dynamic patterns driven by horizontal diffusion and vertical mixing in marine ecosystems across different hydrological seasons and regions. This study employed MATLAB for image processing and interactive operations to extract data from existing studies on the Chinese Marginal Seas conducted from 2016 to 2022, focusing on the distribution, sources, and transport processes of MPs. The results revealed that the Bohai Sea exhibited the highest pollution levels during both the rainy (9328.

Effect of SMS Ward Round Notifications on Inpatient Experience in Acute Medical Settings: Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: Ward rounds are an essential component of inpatient care. Patient participation in rounds is increasingly encouraged, despite the occasional complicated circumstances, especially in acute care settings.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of real-time ward round notifications using SMS text messaging on the satisfaction of inpatients in an acute medical ward.

Efficacy of Combined CD38 and PD1 Inhibition with Isatuximab and Cemiplimab for Relapsed/Refractory NK/T-Cell Lymphoma.

This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of combining cemiplimab, an anti-PD1 antibody, with isatuximab, an anti-CD38 antibody, in relapsed or refractory extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma (R/R ENKTL). The hypothesis was that CD38 blockade could enhance the antitumor activity of PD1 inhibitors. Eligible patients received cemiplimab (250 mg on days 1 and 15) and isatuximab (10 mg/kg on days 2 and 16) intravenously every four weeks for six cycles.

Influenza 5xM2e mRNA lipid nanoparticle vaccine confers broad immunity and significantly enhances the efficacy of inactivated split vaccination when coadministered.

Current influenza vaccines are not effective in conferring protection against antigenic variants and pandemics. To improve cross-protection of influenza vaccination, we developed a 5xM2e messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine encoding the tandem repeat conserved ectodomain (M2e) of ion channel protein M2 derived from human, swine, and avian influenza A viruses. The lipid nanoparticle (LNP)-encapsulated 5xM2e mRNA vaccine was immunogenic, eliciting high levels of M2e-specific IgG antibodies, IFN-γ+ T cells, T follicular helper cells, germinal center phenotypic B cells, and plasma cells.

Postoperative adhesions are abrogated by a sustained-release anti-JUN therapeutic in preclinical models.

Postoperative abdominal adhesions are the leading cause of bowel obstruction and a cause of chronic pain and infertility. Adhesion formation occurs after 50 to 90% of abdominal operations and has no proven preventative or treatment strategy. Abdominal adhesions derive primarily from the visceral peritoneum and are composed of polyclonally proliferating tissue-resident fibroblasts.

Oxygen-excluded nanoimaging of polymer blend films.

Polymer blend films exhibit unique properties and have applications in various fields. However, understanding their nanoscale structures and polymer component distributions remains a challenge. To address this limitation, we have developed a super-resolution fluorescence microscopy-based technique called oxygen-excluded nanoimaging.

Intermediate-Term Oncologic Outcomes of Partial Nephrectomy Versus Cryoablation in Renal Tumors >3 cm: A Propensity Score Matched Analysis.

Purpose: Cryoablation (CA) and partial nephrectomy (PN) are effective nephron-sparing treatments for small renal masses. While guidelines list thermal ablation as an option for tumors <3 cm, limited data compare PN and CA in larger tumors. We compared intermediate-term oncologic outcomes between PN and CA in renal masses >3 cm.

Social robots as conversational catalysts: Enhancing long-term human-human interaction at home.

The integration of social robots into family environments raises critical questions about their long-term influence on family interactions. This study explores the potential of social robots as conversational catalysts in human-human dyadic interaction, focusing on enhancing high-quality, reciprocal conversations between parents and children during dialogic coreading activities. With the increasing prevalence of social robots in homes and the recognized importance of parent-child exchanges for children's developmental milestones, this work presents a comprehensive empirical investigation involving more than 70 parent-child dyads over a period of 1 to 2 months.

Ocular motor cranial neuropathy and risk of thyroid cancer: A Korean population-based study.

This study investigates whether ocular motor cranial neuropathy (OMCN) can predict the onset of thyroid cancer given its association with common cardiovascular risk factors including obesity, diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension, and dyslipidemia. We conducted a retrospective, nationwide, population-based cohort study utilizing data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service. Individuals comprised those aged ≥ 20 years diagnosed with OMCN between 2010 and 2017.