Amphiphilic Polyaspartamide Derivatives with Cholesterol Introduction Enhanced Ex Vivo mRNA Transfection Efficiency to Natural Killer Cells.

Engineered natural killer (NK) cells eliminate cancer cells by overexpressing a chimeric antigen receptor, producing highly efficient and safe NK cell therapies. This study investigated the polyplex formulation for the fusion protein GreenLantern-natural killer group 2D (NKG2D) mRNA to evaluate its delivery efficacy into NK cells, wherein NKG2D on the surface of NK cells recognized its counterpart NKG2D ligands on cancer cells. Amphiphilic polyaspartamide derivatives Chol-PAsp(DET/CHE) were prepared by adding cyclohexylethylamine (CHE) and diethylenetriamine (DET) in the side chains and cholesterol (Chol) at the α-terminus to enhance endosomal escapability and optimize hydrophobicity.

Significance and Related Factors of Infection in Children with Dyspepsia.

Purpose: is a Gram-negative bacterium that is associated with peptic ulcer disease (PUD) and gastric cancer. However, studies on the endoscopic finding and factors related to infection in children are lacking. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and factors associated with infection in children with dyspepsia.

Association of long-term exposure to ambient air pollution with osteoporosis among cancer survivors: Results from the Korea National Health and nutrition examination survey.

Introduction: Recent studies suggest that ambient air pollution may contribute to osteoporosis; however, research focusing on populations with greater susceptibility is lacking. This study seeks to explore the association between air pollution and osteoporosis focusing on cancer survivors.

Materials And Methods: We analyzed data from 8977 individuals (2245 cancer survivors, 6732 cancer-free population) obtained from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) during 2007-2009 and 2015-2021.

HDAC4/5 Inhibitor, LMK-235 Improves Animal Voluntary Movement in MPTP-Induced Parkinson's Disease Model.

Oxidation of dopamine can cause various side effects, which ultimately leads to cell death and contributes to Parkinson's disease (PD). To counteract dopamine oxidation, newly synthesized dopamine is quickly transported into vesicles via vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) for storage. VMAT2 expression is reduced in patients with PD, and studies have shown increased accumulation of dopamine oxidation byproducts and α-synuclein in animals with low VMAT2 expression.

Tetragonia tetragonioides extract prevented high-fat diet-induced obesity and changed hepatic and adipose transcriptomic signatures in C57BL/6J male mice.

Obesity, often driven by high-fat diets (HFD), is a major global health issue, necessitating effective preventive measures. Tetragonia tetragonoides, a plant with known medicinal properties, has not been extensively studied for its effects on HFD-induced obesity and related genetic changes in mice. This study explores the impact of Tetragonia tetragonoides extract (TTE; 300 mg/kg) on obesity-related traits in C57BL/6J male mice, with a focus on transcriptomic changes in the liver and white adipose tissue (WAT).

Radiofrequency Ablation for Recurrent Thyroid Cancers: 2025 Korean Society of Thyroid Radiology Guideline.

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a minimally invasive treatment modality used as an alternative to surgery in patients with benign thyroid nodules, recurrent thyroid cancers (RTCs), and primary thyroid microcarcinomas. The Korean Society of Thyroid Radiology (KSThR) initially developed recommendations for the optimal use of RFA for thyroid tumors in 2009 and revised them in 2012 and 2017. As new meaningful evidence has accumulated since 2017 and in response to a growing global interest in the use of RFA for treating malignant thyroid lesions, the task force committee members of the KSThR decided to update the guidelines on the use of RFA for the management of RTCs based on a comprehensive analysis of current literature and expert consensus.

Inhibitory effects of Colocasia antiquorum var. esculenta varnish on inflammation and alveolar bone loss in a rat ligature-induced periodontitis model.

We aimed to evaluate whether Colocasia antiquorum var. esculenta (CA) mixed with experimental varnish inhibits inflammation and alveolar bone loss in a rat ligature-induced periodontitis model. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were tested and cell viability of CA were also evaluated.

Synergistic two-step inhibition approach using a combination of trametinib and onvansertib in KRAS and TP53-mutated colorectal adenocarcinoma.

Colorectal malignancies associated with KRAS and TP53 mutations led us to investigate the effects of combination therapy targeting KRAS, MEK1, or PLK1 in colorectal cancer. MEK1 is downstream of RAS in the MAPK pathway, whereas PLK1 is a mitotic kinase of the cell cycle activated by MAPK and regulated by p53. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that patients with colorectal cancer had a high expression of MAP2K1 and PLK1.

Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Extract in -Stimulated RAW 264.7 Cells.

has been used both as a food and in traditional medicine. However, its anti-inflammatory effects in periodontal diseases have not been studied. We examined the anti-inflammatory properties of extract in RAW 264.

Association between chronic ambient heavy metal exposure and mental health in Korean adult patients with asthma and the general population.

Background: Insufficient evidence is available to confirm the effect of exposure to airborne metals on mental disorders, particularly among asthmatics. We aimed to investigate the effect of airborne metal exposure on mental health responses in asthmatics and the general population.

Methods: Using nationally representative cross-sectional data, a total of 47,796 adults were analyzed.

Lean diabetes: 20-year trends in its prevalence and clinical features among Korean adults.

Background: We investigated the prevalence and clinical characteristics of type 2 diabetes mellitus in lean Korean adults.

Methods: We analyzed data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2001-2021 among adults aged ≥ 19 years. Trend analyses between 2001 and 2019-2021 (n = 89,720) and comparative analyses of multiple clinical characteristics between patients with type 2 diabetes with and without overweight/obesity were conducted (n = 2,284).

Effects of lidocaine-plus-meloxicam treatment on behavioral and physiological changes, and leukocyte heat shock protein 90 gene expression after surgical castration in Hanwoo bulls.

This study examined the effects of surgical castration and lidocaine-plus-meloxicam treatment on growth, physiology, behaviors, and leukocyte heat shock protein 90 (HSP 90) gene expression in Hanwoo (Korean cattle) bulls. Twenty Hanwoo bulls (body weight 248.8 ± 28.

Artificial Intelligence in Diagnostics: Enhancing Urine Test Accuracy Using a Mobile Phone-Based Reading System.

Background: Urinalysis, an essential diagnostic tool, faces challenges in terms of standardization and accuracy. The use of artificial intelligence (AI) with mobile technology can potentially solve these challenges. Therefore, we investigated the effectiveness and accuracy of an AI-based program in automatically interpreting urine test strips using mobile phone cameras, an approach that may revolutionize point-of-care testing.

Dual Porphyrin-Loaded Scintillating Nanoparticles Enhanced Photodynamic Therapy in Hypoxic Cancer Cells under X-ray Irradiation.

Tumor hypoxia represents a major challenge to achieving successful therapy outcomes with photodynamic therapy (PDT). We hypothesized that systemic loading of dual porphyrins, protoporphyrin IX (PPIX) as a photosensitizer (PS) and hemin (Fe-PPIX) as an oxygen generator, onto Eu-doped NaYF scintillator (Sc), collectively terms as Eu-PPIX@Hemin, could enhance the activity of X-ray mediated PDT. Catalase-like property of hemin in the presence of HO facilitated the production of oxygen molecules (O) in hypoxic cancer cells.

Synthesis of Amphiphilic Cationic Poly(β-amino acid) Derivatives and Their PEG Length Optimization for mRNA Transfection.

We synthesized a series of amphiphilic cationic poly(ethylene glycol)--poly(β-amino acid) derivatives with various lengths of PEG to investigate the effects of PEG lengths on mRNA transfection. The surface charges of the polyplexes with a DP ≥ 4 gradually decreased as DP increased. This indicated that hydrophilic PEG with a DP ≥ 4 was exposed on the surface of the polyplexes, which was further confirmed using H NMR.

Mortality Prediction Modeling for Patients with Breast Cancer Based on Explainable Machine Learning.

: Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide, requiring strategic efforts to reduce its mortality. This study aimed to develop a predictive classification model for breast cancer mortality using real-world data, including various clinical features. : A total of 11,286 patients with breast cancer from the National Cancer Center were included in this study.

UG0712, A Ginsenoside Complex, Improved Endurance Performance and Changed Hepatic and Muscular Transcriptomic Signatures in C57BL/6N Male Mice.

Ginsenosides, active compounds derived from Panax ginseng, exhibit promising potential in enhancing physical performance. This study investigates the impact of UG0712 (UG), a novel ginsenoside compound, on endurance capacity, body weight, organ weights, blood parameters, and specific transcriptomic changes in liver and muscle tissues using a C57BL/6N mouse model. The mice received UGs orally at three doses: UG50 (50 mg/kg), UG100 (100 mg/kg), and UG200 (200 mg/kg) for a specified duration.

Integrated responses of the SIP syncytium generate a major motility pattern in the colon.

The peristaltic reflex has been a central concept in gastrointestinal motility; however, evidence was published recently suggesting that post-stimulus responses that follow inhibitory neural responses provide the main propulsive force in colonic motility. This new concept was based on experiments on proximal colon where enteric inhibitory neural inputs are mainly nitrergic. However, the nature of inhibitory neural inputs changes from proximal to distal colon where purinergic inhibitory regulation dominates.

Green Tea Attenuates the Particulate Matter (PM)-Exposed Gut-Brain Axis Dysfunction through Regulation of Intestinal Microenvironment and Hormonal Changes.

Chronic exposure to particulate matter (PM) causes brain damage through intestinal imbalance. This study was estimated to confirm the regulatory activity of green tea against chronic PM exposure-induced abnormal gut-brain axis (GBA) in BALB/c mice. The green tea, as an aqueous extract of matcha (EM), ameliorated the colon length, short chain fatty acid contents, antioxidant biomarkers, myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, and serum inflammatory cytokines.

Functional expression of recombinant insulins in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Background: Since 1982, recombinant insulin has been used as a substitute for pancreatic insulin from animals. However, increasing demand in medical and food industries warrants the development of more efficient production methods. In this study, we aimed to develop a novel and efficient method for insulin production using a yeast secretion system.

Production of bio-indigo from engineered Pseudomonas putida KT2440 harboring tryptophanase and flavin-containing monooxygenase.

Indigo is a unique blue dye that has been used in the textile industry for centuries and is currently mass-produced commercially through chemical synthesis. However, the use of toxic substrates and reducing agents for chemical synthesis is associated with environmental concerns, necessitating the development of eco-friendly alternatives based on microbial production. In this study, a robust industrial strategy for indigo production was developed using Pseudomonas putida KT2440 as the host strain, which is characterized by its excellent ability to degrade aromatic compounds and high resistance to environmental stress.