Publications by authors named "Inah Park"

Article Synopsis
  • Vancomycin exposure is linked to an increased risk of colonization by vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), particularly through oral administration, which was examined in this retrospective study.
  • The study analyzed data from a large hospital in South Korea over a ten-year period and found a significant correlation between oral vancomycin use and the incidence of hospital-acquired VRE.
  • The findings underscore the importance of implementing antibiotic stewardship strategies to manage oral vancomycin use and prevent the spread of VRE in healthcare settings.
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The orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) plays a crucial role in mood disorders; however, its specific role in the emotional behaviors of mice remains unclear. This study investigates the bidirectional control of emotional behaviors using population calcium dynamics and optogenetic manipulation of OFC neurons. Fiber photometry of OFC neurons revealed that OFC excitatory neurons consistently responded to the onset and offset of aversive conditions, showing decreased activation in response to anxiogenic and stressful stimuli, including tail suspension, restraint stress, and exposure to the center of the open field.

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Article Synopsis
  • Affective disorders are linked to changes in circadian rhythms, particularly in the secretion patterns of serotonin (5-HT), which plays a crucial role in mood regulation.
  • This study investigates how the circadian nuclear receptor REV-ERBα influences the production of serotonin by regulating the enzyme tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (Tph2) in specific brain neurons.
  • The results show that manipulating REV-ERBα activity affects serotonin levels and associated mood behaviors in mice, highlighting a connection between circadian rhythms and mood regulation mechanisms in the brain.
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This study explored how the core problems (e.g., parenting, economy, and education level) of single-parent women affect their mental health.

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Ureteric encrustation and lithiasis after renal transplantation are rare but not without risk of obstruction and graft loss. Patients are usually asymptomatic, and a majority present with graft dysfunction with imaging demonstrating hydronephrosis and rarely with acute graft pyelonephritis. We compare a case of transplant lithiasis with encrusted pyelitis and highlight key differences in their presentation and workup.

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Article Synopsis
  • Parkinson's disease leads to a loss of dopamine-producing neurons, causing both motor and non-motor symptoms, including mood disorders influenced by circadian rhythms, with "sundowning syndrome" being a notable issue.
  • The study used a mouse model of Parkinson's to investigate how behavioral issues related to mood increase during dawn, paralleling the human experience of dusk.
  • Treatment with the REV-ERBα antagonist, SR8278, showed promise in reducing depression and anxiety symptoms while correcting circadian mood disruptions, suggesting a potential therapeutic avenue for sundowning syndrome in Parkinson’s disease.
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The mammalian molecular clock is based on a transcription-translation feedback loop (TTFL) comprising the Period1, 2 (Per1, 2), Cryptochrome1, 2 (Cry1, 2), and Brain and Muscle ARNT-Like 1 (Bmal1) genes. The robustness of the TTFL is attributed to genetic redundancy among some essential clock genes, deterring genetic studies on molecular clocks using genome editing targeting single genes. To manipulate multiple clock genes in a streamlined and efficient manner, we developed a CRISPR-Cas9-based single adeno-associated viral (AAV) system targeting the circadian clock (CSAC) for essential clock genes including Pers, Crys, or Bmal1.

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Circadian clock controls an organism's biological rhythm and regulates its physiological processes in response to external time cues. Most living organisms have their own time-keeping mechanism that is maintained by transcriptional-translational autoregulatory feedback loops involving several core clock genes, such as Period. Recent studies have found the relevance between the modulation of circadian oscillation and posttranscriptional modifications by microRNAs (miRNAs).

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Circadian rhythm is an endogenous oscillation of about 24-h period in many physiological processes and behaviors. This daily oscillation is maintained by the molecular clock machinery with transcriptional-translational feedback loops mediated by clock genes including () and . Recently, it was revealed that gut microbiome exerts a significant impact on the circadian physiology and behavior of its host; however, the mechanism through which it regulates the molecular clock has remained elusive.

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Introduction: Synchronous and pulsatile neural activation of kisspeptin neurons in the arcuate nucleus (ARN) are important components of the gonadotropin-releasing hormone pulse generator, the final common pathway for central regulation of mammalian reproduction. However, whether ARN kisspeptin neurons can intrinsically generate self-sustained synchronous oscillations from the early neonatal period and how they are regulated remain unclear.

Objective: This study aimed to examine the endogenous rhythmicity of ARN kisspeptin neurons and its neural regulation using a neonatal organotypic slice culture model.

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Background: We performed a randomized trial of isoniazid treatment based on interferon-γ-releasing assay (IGRA) in kidney transplant (KT) recipients in an intermediate-TB-burden country.

Methods: All adult patients admitted to a KT institute between June 2010 and May 2013 were enrolled. The IGRA (T-SPOT.

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There are few data on donor screening for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) using the tuberculin skin test (TST) and interferon-gamma releasing assay (IGRA). In South Korea, most renal allografts involve living donors (average, 80%). Hence, we have an opportunity to evaluate donor and recipient screening for LTBI by TST and IGRA.

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