Clinical evaluation of noninvasive prenatal testing for sex chromosome aneuploidies in 9,176 Korean pregnant women: a single-center retrospective study.

Background: To evaluate the clinical significance of noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT) for detecting fetal sex chromosome aneuploidies (SCAs) in Korean pregnant women.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed NIPT data from 9,176 women with singleton pregnancies referred to the CHA Biotech genome diagnostics center. Cell-free fetal DNA (cffDNA) was extracted from maternal peripheral blood, and high-throughput massively parallel sequencing was conducted.

Cell-Free Fetal DNA Screening Analysis in Korean Pregnant Women: Six Years of Experience and a Retrospective Study of 9327 Patients Analyzed from 2017 to 2022.

Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) screening for normal fetal aneuploidy has been widely adopted worldwide due to its convenience, non-invasiveness, and high positive predictive rate. We retrospectively evaluated 9327 Korean women with single pregnancies who underwent a non-invasive prenatal test (NIPT) to investigate how various factors such as maternal weight, age, and the method of conception affect the fetal fraction (FF). The average FF was 9.

Susceptibility of Drug Resistant Hepatitis B Virus Mutants to Besifovir.

Currently, interferon alpha and nucleos(t)ide analogues (NAs) are clinically available to treat hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Several NAs, including lamivudine (LMV), adefovir (ADV), entecavir (ETV) and tenofovir (TDF or TAF) have been approved and administered to chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients. NAs inhibit HBV DNA synthesis by targeting the reverse transcriptase (RT) domain of HBV polymerase.

The effect of the surface coating of human adipose-derived stem cells by various GAGs on the biodistribution of them upon intravenous administration.

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are essential for cell-cell and cell-ECM interactions. Unique structures of GAGs provide high affinities to specific cell receptors. Especially, hyaluronic acid (HA), chondroitin sulfate (CS), and heparin are known to have affinities to the liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs), so they have been utilized as a ligand for liver targeting nanoparticle systems.

Identification and Characterization of Besifovir-Resistant Hepatitis B Virus Isolated from a Chronic Hepatitis B Patient.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is known to cause severe liver diseases such as acute or chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection is a major health problem with nearly 300 million individuals infected worldwide. Currently, nucleos(t)ide analogs (NAs) and interferon alpha are clinically approved treatments for HBV infection.

3D-printed gelatin methacrylate (GelMA)/silanated silica scaffold assisted by two-stage cooling system for hard tissue regeneration.

Among many biomaterials, gelatin methacrylate (GelMA), a photocurable protein, has been widely used in 3D bioprinting process owing to its excellent cellular responses, biocompatibility and biodegradability. However, GelMA still shows a low processability due to the severe temperature dependence of viscosity. To overcome this obstacle, we propose a two-stage temperature control system to effectively control the viscosity of GelMA.

Distinctive HBV Replication Capacity and Susceptibility to Tenofovir Induced by a Polymerase Point Mutation in Hepatoma Cell Lines and Primary Human Hepatocytes.

Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) has been regarded as the most potent drug for treating patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). However recently, viral mutations associated with tenofovir have been reported. Here, we found a CHB patient with suboptimal response after more than 4 years of TDF treatment.

Intramolecular distance in the conjugate of urate oxidase and fatty acid governs FcRn binding and serum half-life in vivo.

Therapeutic proteins are indispensable for treatment of various human diseases. However, intrinsic short serum half-lives of proteins are still big hurdles for developing new therapeutic proteins or expanding applications of existing ones. Urate oxidase (Uox) is a therapeutic protein clinically used for treatment of hyperuricemia.

Significantly enhanced recovery of acute liver failure by liver targeted delivery of stem cells via heparin functionalization.

Acute liver failure (ALF) occurs by insufficient detoxification of toxic materials in the liver, generating excess reactive oxygen species (ROS). Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy can be a promising approach for the treatment of liver diseases including ALF by anti-inflammatory activity and secretion of cytokines associated with tissue regeneration. However, the efficacy of MSC therapy is generally poor, mainly due to a low survival and engraftment of administered cells.

Rapid and Versatile Cell Aggregate Formation Using Lipid-Conjugated Heparin.

Cell aggregates hold significant therapeutic promise for in vitro cell analysis, ex vivo tissue models, and in vivo cell therapy and tissue engineering. Traditional methods of making cell aggregates require long incubation times and can only produce three-dimensional-spheroid-shaped aggregates. We propose a novel method of making cell aggregates of diverse sizes and shapes using lipid-conjugated heparin.

Comparative studies of the serum half-life extension of a protein via site-specific conjugation to a species-matched or -mismatched albumin.

Human serum albumin (HSA) has been investigated as a serum half-life extender of therapeutic proteins thanks to its unusually long serum half-life. However, in mice, the serum half-life of a HSA-conjugated protein was much shorter than that of HSA in humans, likely due to the species-dependent nature of albumin-FcRn interactions. Herein, we investigated species-dependent albumin-FcRn interactions using species-matched albumin (mouse serum albumin) and species-mismatched albumin (HSA) in non-transgenic mice.

Human exposure to HBCD and TBBPA via indoor dust in Korea: Estimation of external exposure and body burden.

Human exposure to brominated flame retardants (BFRs) such as hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) and tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) mainly occurs through diet and dust ingestion. In this study, the BFR concentrations in 124 vacuum dust samples of six categories of indoor environments (homes, offices, kindergartens, cars, schools, and public indoor environments) and 32 surface dust samples were investigated. The median ΣHBCD concentrations ranged from 106.

Expansion of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli by Use of Bovine Antibiotic Growth Promoters.

Antibiotics are routinely used in food-producing animals to promote growth and prevent infectious diseases. We investigated the effects of bovine antibiotic growth promoters (bAGPs) on the propagation and spread of Shiga toxin (Stx)-encoding phages in Escherichia coli. Co-culture of E.

Site-Specific Albumination as an Alternative to PEGylation for the Enhanced Serum Half-Life in Vivo.

Polyethylene glycol (PEG) has been widely used as a serum half-life extender of therapeutic proteins. However, due to immune responses and low degradability of PEG, developing serum half-life extender alternatives to PEG is required. Human serum albumin (HSA) has several beneficial features as a serum half-life extender, including a very long serum half-life, good degradability, and low immune responses.

Novel adjuvant strategy to potentiate bacitracin against MDR MRSA.

Objectives: Bacitracin is an antimicrobial peptide that is frequently used as an active ingredient in antimicrobial ointments. However, bacitracin resistance is highly prevalent in community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA) strains and significantly compromises the effectiveness of existing antimicrobial ointments. In this study, we aimed to develop novel adjuvants to enhance the antimicrobial activity of bacitracin by using alkyl gallates.

The modulation of biodistribution of stem cells by anchoring lipid-conjugated heparin on the cell surface.

Heparin is a bioactive glycosaminoglycan that can interact with various extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins and growth factors. Lipid-conjugated heparin was synthesized, and was used to coat adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) by physical insertion on the cell membrane. Coating of lipid-conjugated heparin with two lipid moieties on ADSCs was stable for 24h in vitro.

Regulation of oxidative stress resistance in Campylobacter jejuni, a microaerophilic foodborne pathogen.

Campylobacter jejuni is one of the leading bacterial causes of human gastroenteritis. Due to the increasing rates of human campylobacteriosis, C. jejuni is considered as a serious public health concern worldwide.

Non-selective regulation of peroxide and superoxide resistance genes by PerR in Campylobacter jejuni.

Campylobacter jejuni is an important foodborne pathogen. The molecular mechanisms for the regulation of oxidative stress resistance have not yet been understood fully in this bacterium. In this study, we investigated how PerR (peroxide stress regulator) modulates the transcriptional regulation of both peroxide and superoxide resistance genes in C.

Contrast-induced nephropathy in patients undergoing intravenous contrast-enhanced computed tomography in Korea: a multi-institutional study in 101487 patients.

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of known risk factors for contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) and their association with the actual occurrence of CIN in patients undergoing intravenous contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) in Korea.

Materials And Methods: Patients who underwent CECT in 2008 were identified in the electronic medical records of 16 tertiary hospitals of Korea. Data on demographics, comorbidities, prescriptions and laboratory test results of patients were collected following a standard data extraction protocol.

The modulation of the permeability and the cellular uptake of liposome by stable anchoring of lipid-conjugated pluronic on liposome.

Controlling the permeability of liposome is important to modulate the release behavior of drug from the liposome. Pluronic F127 (PF127) is a biocompatible tri-block copolymer, which can interact with lipid bilayer of liposomes and make leakages that allow the release of hydrophilic substance from liposome interior. However, the interaction between unmodified PF127 and lipid bilayer is not very strong and the incorporated PF127 is easily desorbed from the liposomes in an infinite reservoir condition.

Investigating Dechlorane Plus (DP) distribution and isomer specific adsorption behavior in size fractionated marine sediments.

In this study, Dechlorane Plus (DP) concentrations were analyzed in marine sediments (depth: ~10 cm) from two Korean industrial bays. Two sediments were fractionated into 5 sizes by using gravitational split-flow thin fractionation technique and DP distribution was investigated in different particle size fractions. Elevated DP levels in surface sediments were observed at the site closest to land and industrial area.

Rapid diagnosis of liver fibrosis using multimodal multiphoton nonlinear optical microspectroscopy imaging.

A multimodal multiphoton nonlinear optical (NLO) microspectroscopy imaging system was developed using a femtosecond laser and a photonic crystal fiber. Coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) microspectroscopy was combined with two-photon excitation fluorescence and second-harmonic generation microscopy in one platform and the system was applied to diagnose liver fibrosis. Normal and liver fibrosis tissues were clearly distinguished with the great difference from CARS spectra as well as multimodal multiphoton NLO images.

Brain inositol is a novel stimulator for promoting Cryptococcus penetration of the blood-brain barrier.

Cryptococcus neoformans is the most common cause of fungal meningitis, with high mortality and morbidity. The reason for the frequent occurrence of Cryptococcus infection in the central nervous system (CNS) is poorly understood. The facts that human and animal brains contain abundant inositol and that Cryptococcus has a sophisticated system for the acquisition of inositol from the environment suggests that host inositol utilization may contribute to the development of cryptococcal meningitis.

Cryptococcus neoformans activates RhoGTPase proteins followed by protein kinase C, focal adhesion kinase, and ezrin to promote traversal across the blood-brain barrier.

Cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen that causes meningoencephalitis. Previous studies have demonstrated that Cryptococcus binding and invasion of human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMEC) is a prerequisite for transmigration across the blood-brain barrier. However, the molecular mechanism involved in the cryptococcal blood-brain barrier traversal is poorly understood.