Intra-articular injection of stigmasterol-loaded nanoparticles reduce pain and inhibit the inflammation and joint destruction in osteoarthritis rat model: A pilot study.

Stigmasterol, a plant-derived sterol, sharing structural similarity with cholesterol, has demonstrated anti-osteoarthritis (OA) properties, attributed to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capabilities. Given that OA often arises in weight bearing or overused joints, prolonged localized treatment effectively targets inflammatory aspects of the disease. This research explored the impact of stigmasterol-loaded nanoparticles delivered via intra-articular injections in an OA rat model.

Species Profiles and Antimicrobial Resistance of Non- Staphylococci Isolated from Healthy Broilers, Farm Environments, and Farm Workers.

Non- staphylococci (NAS), particularly antimicrobial-resistant NAS, have a substantial impact on human and animal health. In the current study, we investigated (1) the species profiles of NAS isolates collected from healthy broilers, farm environments, and farm workers in Korea, (2) the occurrence of antimicrobial-resistant NAS isolates, especially methicillin resistance, and (3) the genetic factors involved in the methicillin and fluoroquinolone resistance. In total, 216 NAS isolates of 16 different species were collected from healthy broilers (n=178), broiler farm environments (n=18), and farm workers (n=20) of 20 different broiler farms.

CCIDB: a manually curated cell-cell interaction database with cell context information.

Cell-cell interaction (CCI) is a crucial event in the development and function of multicellular organisms. The development of CCI databases is beneficial for researchers who want to analyze single-cell sequencing data or study CCI through molecular experiments. CCIs are known to act differently according to cellular and biological contexts such as cell types, gene mutations or disease status; however, previous CCI databases do not completely provide this contextual information pertaining to CCIs.

Association between interleukin 12B and interleukin 23R gene polymorphisms and systemic lupus erythematosus: a meta-analysis.

Objective: To determine whether polymorphisms of interleukin 12B () and IL23 receptor genes () confer susceptibility to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods: A meta-analysis was conducted to analyze the associations between SLE and rs3212227 and rs17860508 and rs7517847, rs10489629, rs10889677, rs1004819, rs11209026, rs11209032, rs1343151, and rs1884444 polymorphisms using allele contrast, dominant, recessive, heterozygote, and homozygote models. Ten studies involving 1989 patients with SLE and 2394 controls were considered for the meta-analysis.

Prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: A cross-sectional study.

Objective: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are both chronic inflammatory diseases; the prevalence of COPD in RA patients is known to be high. However, the prevalence of both RA and COPD differs according to sex; the relationship between RA and COPD may also vary according to sex. Therefore, we investigated the prevalence of COPD and its association in patients with RA in Korea by sex.

Management of facial nerve schwannoma: when is the timing for surgery.

Purpose: Although the estimated prevalence is extremely low, facial nerve schwannoma (FNS) is the most common primary tumor of the facial nerve (FN). In the present study, the outcome of surgical management in 18 patients with FNS was analyzed and an appropriate time for surgery was proposed.

Materials And Methods: A total of 18 patients with FNS who underwent surgical management by a single surgeon from 1999 to 2018 were retrospectively analyzed.

Clinical Performance Evaluation of a Personal Sound Amplification Product vs a Basic Hearing Aid and a Premium Hearing Aid.

Importance: Hearing loss is a highly prevalent condition with multiple negative associated outcomes, yet few persons with hearing loss have hearing aids (HAs). Personal sound amplification products (PSAPs) could be an alternative low-cost solution to HAs, but data are lacking on the performance of PSAPs.

Objective: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of a PSAP by comparing its performance with that of a basic HA and a premium HA in participants with mild, moderate, and moderately severe hearing impairment.

Quantification of Thiopurine Nucleotides in Erythrocytes and Clinical Application to Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

Background: Concentrations of 6-thioguanine (6TG) nucleotides and 6-methylmercaptopurine (6MMP) nucleotides in RBCs were measured using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). This assay was validated for clinical use and was applied to blood samples from patients taking mercaptopurine (6MP).

Methods: RBCs were hemolyzed and deproteinized using perchloric acid, followed by heating for the hydrolysis of nucleotides, and the resultant base was measured using LC-MS/MS.

Efficient Parameter Estimation Enables the Prediction of Drug Response Using a Mechanistic Pan-Cancer Pathway Model.

Mechanistic models are essential to deepen the understanding of complex diseases at the molecular level. Nowadays, high-throughput molecular and phenotypic characterizations are possible, but the integration of such data with prior knowledge on signaling pathways is limited by the availability of scalable computational methods. Here, we present a computational framework for the parameterization of large-scale mechanistic models and its application to the prediction of drug response of cancer cell lines from exome and transcriptome sequencing data.

Effect of Cytochalasin B Treatment on the Improvement of Survival Rate in Vitrified Pig Oocyte.

To improve survival rates of vitrified pig oocytes, the treatment of cytoskeletal stabilizer on an appropriate time is one of the possible approaches. However, the exact treatment timing and effect of cytoskeletal stabilizer such as cytochalasin B (CB) is not well known during oocyte vitrification procedures. Thus, the present study was conducted to determine optimal treatment timing of CB during vitrification and warming procedures.

Clinical Outcomes of Standard Triple Therapy Plus Probiotics or Concomitant Therapy for Infection.

Background/aims: The efficacy of standard triple therapy (STT) in treating infection has decreased. Many investigators have attempted to increase the eradication rate. We investigated the outcomes of concomitant therapy (CT) and STT combined with probiotics (STP) as a first-line treatment for infection.

Cluster Analysis of p53 Binding Site Sequences Reveals Subsets with Different Functions.

p53 is an important regulator of cell cycle arrest, senescence, apoptosis and metabolism, and is frequently mutated in tumors. It functions as a tetramer, where each component dimer binds to a decameric DNA region known as a response element. We identify p53 binding site subtypes and examine the functional and evolutionary properties of these subtypes.

NDRG2 Expression Decreases Tumor-Induced Osteoclast Differentiation by Down-regulating ICAM1 in Breast Cancer Cells.

Bone matrix is properly maintained by osteoclasts and osteoblasts. In the tumor microenvironment, osteoclasts are increasingly differentiated by the various ligands and cytokines secreted from the metastasized cancer cells at the bone metastasis niche. The activated osteoclasts generate osteolytic lesions.

Moxifloxacin-containing triple therapy after non-bismuth quadruple therapy failure for Helicobacter pylori infection.

Aim: To assess the efficacy of moxifloxacin-containing triple therapy after non-bismuth quadruple therapy failure for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication.

Methods: Between January 2010 and December 2012, we screened individuals who were prescribed non-bismuth quadruple therapy for H.

Inhibition of osteoclast differentiation by overexpression of NDRG2 in monocytes.

N-Myc downstream-regulated gene 2 (NDRG2), a member of the NDRG family of differentiation-related genes, has been characterized as a regulator of dendritic cell differentiation from monocytes, CD34(+) progenitor cells, and myelomonocytic leukemic cells. In this study, we show that NDRG2 overexpression inhibits the differentiation of U937 cells into osteoclasts in response to stimulation with a combination of macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) and soluble receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL). U937 cells stably expressing NDRG2 are unable to differentiate into multinucleated osteoclast-like cells and display reduced tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) activity and resorption pit formation.

Efficacy of 7-Day and 14-Day Bismuth-Containing Quadruple Therapy and 7-Day and 14-Day Moxifloxacin-Based Triple Therapy as Second-Line Eradication for Helicobacter pylori Infection.

Background/aims: Bismuth-containing quadruple and moxifloxacin-based triple regimens are recommended as second-line therapy for Helicobacter pylori infection. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of each regimen.

Methods: From August 2004 to October 2012, a total of 949 patients (mean age, 54.

Body mass index as a predictor of advanced colorectal neoplasia.

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third frequent cancer in Korea. There are several risk factors including male sex, older age, smoking and family history of colon cancer. Recently, obesity is thought to be a risk factor for CRC and advanced colon polyps.

Models incorporating chromatin modification data identify functionally important p53 binding sites.

Genome-wide prediction of transcription factor binding sites is notoriously difficult. We have developed and applied a logistic regression approach for prediction of binding sites for the p53 transcription factor that incorporates sequence information and chromatin modification data. We tested this by comparison of predicted sites with known binding sites defined by chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), by the location of predictions relative to genes, by the function of nearby genes and by analysis of gene expression data after p53 activation.

A case of cryptogenic stroke associated with patent foramen ovale coexisting with pulmonary embolisms, deep vein thromboses, and renal artery infarctions.

A paradoxical embolism is defined as a systemic arterial embolism requiring the passage of a venous thrombus into the arterial circulatory system through a right-to-left shunt, and is commonly related to patent foramen ovale (PFO). However, coexisting pulmonary embolisms, deep vein thromboses (DVT), and multipe systemic arterial embolisms, associated with PFO, are rare. Here, we report a patient who had a cryptogenic ischemic stroke, associated with PFO, which is complicated with a massive pulmonary thromboembolism, DVT, and renal infarctions, and subsequently, the patient was treated using a thrombolytic therapy.

Clinical outcomes of two-week sequential and concomitant therapies for Helicobacter pylori eradication: a randomized pilot study.

Background: The eradication rate with PPI-based standard triple therapy for Helicobacter pylori infection has fallen considerably. One recent innovation is sequential therapy with PPI and three antibiotics, but the complexity of this regimen may reduce its usability. Concomitant administration of nonbismuth quadruple drugs (concomitant therapy) is also an effective treatment strategy.

Recurrent very late stent thrombosis in a systemic lupus erythematous patient.

Coronary artery disease is the most important cause of mortality in patients with systemic lupus erythematous (SLE). After stenting for coronary artery disease in SLE patients similar to non-SLE patients, the risk of stent thrombosis is always present. Although there are reports of stent thrombosis in SLE patients, very late recurrent stent thrombosis is rare.