Performance of new race-free eGFR equations for predicting complications in chronic kidney disease: From the KNOW-CKD study.

Background The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) and the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) developed new race-free eGFR equations and recommended using these new equations in 2021. However, clinical implication of these new equations is not determined in Korean adults. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate performances of these new race-free eGFR equations in predicting complications in Korean chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients.

A low pathogenic avian influenza A/Mallard/South Korea/KNU2019-34/2019 (H1N1) virus has the potential to increase the mammalian pathogenicity.

Influenza, a highly contagious respiratory infectious disease caused by an influenza virus, is a threat to public health worldwide. Avian influenza viruses (AIVs) have the potential to cause the next pandemic by crossing the species barrier through mutation of viral genome. Here, we investigated the pathogenicity of AIVs obtained from South Korea and Mongolia during 2018-2019 by measuring viral titers in the lungs and extrapulmonary organs of mouse models.

Patient-reported mental health problems and clinical outcomes in adults with non-dialysis chronic kidney disease.

Background: Mental health affects well-being and physical health. Among adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD), mental health (MH) problems are common and can induce adverse clinical outcomes. We examined the association between patient-reported MH problems and clinical outcomes in adults with non-dialysis CKD.

Association between urine creatinine excretion and bone mineral density in chronic kidney disease: Results from the KNOW-CKD study.

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.

Statin Use and the Progression of Coronary Artery Calcification in CKD: Findings From the KNOW-CKD Study.

Introduction: Statin treatment can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Paradoxically, previous studies have shown that the use of statin is associated with the progression coronary artery calcification (CAC), a well-known predictor of CVD, in individuals with preserved renal function or in patients on dialysis. However, little is known about the association in patients with predialysis chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Multi-source wavefield reconstruction of distributed acoustic sensing data using compressive sensing and seismic interferometry.

Seismic data recorded by distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) interrogator units on deployed optical fiber are being used for a variety of subsurface imaging and monitoring investigations. To reduce the costs of active-source DAS surveying applications, seismic interferometry can be applied to estimate inter-sensor wavefields from DAS records. However, recording long-term records for ambient interferometry requires considerable data storage and sections of DAS optical fibers may be unusable because of broadside sensitivity considerations from the DAS fiber orientation and due to localized coherent energy sources with amplitudes significantly larger than the ambient signal of interest.

Profiling people with Parkinson's disease at risk of cognitive decline: Insights from PPMI and ICICLE-PD data.

Introduction: A subset of people with Parkinson's disease (PD) develop dementia faster than others. We aimed to profile PD cognitive subtypes at risk of dementia based on their rate of cognitive decline.

Method: Latent class mixed models stratified subtypes in Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI) (= 770) and ICICLE-PD (= 212) datasets based on their decline in the Montreal Cognitive Assessment over at least 4 years.

Thermal characteristics of fire extinguishing agents in compartment fire suppression.

Water and foam have different fire-extinguishing mechanisms. Traditional foam and compressed air foam (CAF) have different bubble structures. These differences result in different thermal characteristics, which affect the extinguishing abilities during a fire.

S2 Peptide-Conjugated SARS-CoV-2 Virus-like Particles Provide Broad Protection against SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern.

Approved COVID-19 vaccines primarily induce neutralizing antibodies targeting the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein. However, the emergence of variants of concern with RBD mutations poses challenges to vaccine efficacy. This study aimed to design a next-generation vaccine that provides broader protection against diverse coronaviruses, focusing on glycan-free S2 peptides as vaccine candidates to overcome the low immunogenicity of the S2 domain due to the N-linked glycans on the S antigen stalk, which can mask S2 antibody responses.

Impact of obesity on renal function in elderly Korean adults: a national population-based cohort study.

Background: Obesity is a well-known risk factor for chronic kidney disease and its progression. However, the impact of obesity on the renal function of the elderly population is uncertain. We investigated the association between obesity and renal outcomes in the elderly.

Telehealth Cognitive Behavior Therapy to Reduce Anxiety in People Living with Cognitive Impairment: A Randomized Feasibility Pilot Study.

Objectives: To evaluate the feasibility of telehealth-based cognitive behavior therapy for people living with cognitive impairment experiencing anxiety (Tele-CBT), and to assess whether this leads to improvements in anxiety, depression, and quality of life post-intervention.

Methods: This was a single-blind randomized feasibility pilot trial of the Tele-CBT versus usual care. People living with mild cognitive impairment or dementia experiencing anxiety were recruited and randomized to receive Tele-CBT ( = 5) or continue usual care ( = 5).

Hippocampal resting-state connectivity is associated with posterior-cortical cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease.

Aim: Frontal and posterior-cortical cognitive subtypes in Parkinson's disease (PD) present with executive/attention and memory/visuospatial deficits, respectively. As the posterior-cortical subtype is predicted to progress rapidly toward dementia, the present study aimed to explore biological markers of this group using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI).

Methods: K-means cluster analysis delineated subtypes (cognitively intact, frontal, posterior-cortical, and globally impaired) among 85 people with PD.

Modulating Lipid Nanoparticles with Histidinamide-Conjugated Cholesterol for Improved Intracellular Delivery of mRNA.

Recently, mRNA-based therapeutics, including vaccines, have gained significant attention in the field of gene therapy for treating various diseases. Among the various mRNA delivery vehicles, lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) have emerged as promising vehicles for packaging and delivering mRNA with low immunogenicity. However, while mRNA delivery has several advantages, the delivery efficiency and stability of LNPs remain challenging for mRNA therapy.

Higher sclerostin is associated with pulmonary hypertension in pre-dialysis end-stage kidney disease patients: a cross-sectional prospective observational cohort study.

Background: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a complication of chronic kidney disease (CKD) that contributes to mortality. Sclerostin, a SOST gene product that reduces osteoblastic bone formation by inhibiting Wnt/β-catenin signaling, is involved in arterial stiffness and CKD-bone mineral disease, but scanty evidence to PH. This study explored the relationship between sclerostin and PH in CKD 5, pre-dialysis end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) patients.

Identification of acute myocardial infarction and stroke events using the National Health Insurance Service database in Korea.

Objectives: The escalating burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a critical public health issue worldwide. CVD, especially acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and stroke, is the leading contributor to morbidity and mortality in Korea. We aimed to develop algorithms for identifying AMI and stroke events from the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) database and validate these algorithms through medical record review.

Novel S2 subunit-specific antibody with broad neutralizing activity against SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern.

Introduction: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), had a major impact on both the global health and economy. Numerous virus-neutralizing antibodies were developed against the S1 subunit of SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein to block viral binding to host cells and were authorized for control of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, frequent mutations in the S1 subunit of SARS-CoV-2 enabled the emergence of immune evasive variants.

Altered gut microbiome plays an important role in AKI to CKD transition in aged mice.

Introduction: This study investigated the role of renal-intestinal crosstalk in the transition from acute kidney injury (AKI) to chronic kidney disease (CKD) in elderly individuals.

Methods: Using young and aged mice, we induced bilateral ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) and compared intestinal and kidney inflammation over 28 days. To determine the role of the microbiome in gut-kidney crosstalk, we analyzed the microbiome of fecal samples of the young vs.

Smoking amplifies the risk of albuminuria in individuals with high sodium intake: the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 2008-2011 and 2014-2018.

Background: Smoking and sodium intake (SI) have been evaluated as risk factors for kidney disease; however, the data are inconsistent. We assessed the association between SI and cotinine-verified smoking status and the risk of albuminuria.

Methods: An observational study using the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2008-2011 and 2014-2018) was performed.

Optimising verbal fluency analysis in neurological patients with dysarthria: examples from Parkinson's disease and hereditary ataxia.

Background: Verbal fluency tests (VFTs) are widely used to assess cognitive-linguistic performance in neurological diseases. However, the influence of dysarthria on performance in tests requiring oral responses is unclear in ataxia and Parkinson's disease.

Objectives: To determine the impact of dysarthria on VFT performance and evaluate the validity and reliability of alternative methods for analyzing VFT data.

Lipoteichoic acid inhibits osteoclast differentiation and bone resorption via interruption of gelsolin-actin dissociation.

Bone resorption can be caused by excessive differentiation and/or activation of bone-resorbing osteoclasts. While microbe-associated molecular patterns can influence the differentiation and activation of bone cells, little is known about the role of lipoteichoic acid (LTA), a major cell wall component of Gram-positive bacteria, in the regulation of bone metabolism. In this study, we investigated the effect of LTA on bone metabolism using wild-type Staphylococcus aureus and the LTA-deficient mutant strain.

Longitudinal follow up of data-driven cognitive subtypes in Parkinson's disease.

Aim: The dual syndrome hypothesis proposes that there are two cognitive subtypes in Parkinson's disease (PD): a frontal subtype with executive/attention impairment and gradual cognitive decline, and a posterior-cortical subtype with memory/visuospatial deficits and rapid cognitive decline. We aimed to compare the rate of global cognitive decline between subtypes derived using data-driven methods and explore their longitudinal performance within specific cognitive domains to better understand the prognosis of each subtype.

Method: Frontal, posterior-cortical, globally impaired, and cognitively intact PD subtypes were identified at baseline using k-means clustering (N = 85), and 29 participants (34%) returned for follow-up assessments on average 4.

Mechanisms of Piperacillin/Tazobactam Nephrotoxicity: Piperacillin/Tazobactam-Induced Direct Tubular Damage in Mice.

Piperacillin/tazobactam (PT) is one of the most commonly prescribed antibiotics for critically ill patients in intensive care. PT has been reported to cause direct nephrotoxicity; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. We investigated the mechanisms underlying PT nephrotoxicity using a mouse model.

Global assessment, cognitive profile, and characteristics of mild cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease.

Background: Cognitive deficits are evident throughout the course of Parkinson's disease (PD), with 24% of patients experiencing subtle cognitive disturbances at the time of diagnosis, and with up to 80% of patients developing PD dementia (PDD) at advanced stages of the disease PD patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), an at-risk phenotype of PDD, present with heterogeneous clinical characteristics that complicate the management of PD.

Objectives: This study aims to examine the characteristics of PD-MCI by using the Movement Disorder Society (MDS) diagnostic criteria and evaluate the validity of global cognitive scales in identifying PD-MCI.

Methods: Seventy-nine (79) PD patients completed neuropsychological assessments and a comprehensive cognitive battery.

Cook with Different Pots, but Similar Taste? Comparison of Phase Angle Using Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis According to Device Type and Examination Posture.

Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) is gaining popularity as a tool for body composition assessment. Although BIA has been studied and validated in different populations, age groups, and clinical settings, including critically ill patients, there are concerns about BIA reproducibility and reliability for different device types and postures. This study aimed to evaluate the reliability of BIA using different devices, postures, and lead types.