Oleanolic acid inhibits aldo-keto reductase family 1 member B10-induced cancer stemness and avoids cisplatin-based chemotherapy resistance via the Snail signaling pathway in oral squamous cell carcinoma cell lines.

Background/purpose: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a common malignancy often associated with poor prognosis due to chemoresistance. In this study, we investigated whether arecoline, a major alkaloid in betel nuts, can stimulate aldo-keto reductase family 1 member B10 (AKR1B10) levels in OSCC, promoting cancer stemness and leading to resistance to cisplatin (CDDP)-based chemotherapy.

Materials And Methods: Gain- and Loss- of AKR1B10 functions were analyzed using WB and q-PCR of OSCC cells.

Hypofractionated image-guided radiotherapy with 70 Gy in 28 fractions for prostate cancer confined to the pelvis: a single institute experience in Taiwan.

Background: The incidence of prostate cancer is increasing in Asian countries. Although moderately hypofractionated radiotherapy is not inferior to conventional fractionated radiation according to the updated guidelines, data regarding its efficacy and safety in Taiwan are currently lacking. The aim of this study was to investigate the outcomes of prostate cancer patients treated with hypofractionated image-guided radiotherapy at a single institution in Taiwan.

Giant adrenal schwannoma - A case report and literature review.

We introduce a 39-year-old man with an exceedingly large adrenal schwannoma who visited our outpatient department with epigastric pain and a palpable mass in the left upper abdomen. Abdominal computed tomography revealed a giant cystic lesion measuring >25 cm. Laparotomy was performed for tumor excision and partial nephrectomy.

Production and application of Paenibacillus polymyxa levan as an antiviral priming agent against cucumber mosaic virus infection in tobacco plants.

This study investigates the application of levan- produced from Paenibacillus polymyxa SG09-12 as an antiviral agent against cucumber mosaic virus (CMV). A high-purity microbial levan was produced and purified using diafiltration. The chemical composition, structure, and functional groups of the levan were characterised using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).

Clinical utility of routine postoperative labs in emergency general surgery patients.

Background: Morning postoperative labs are often obtained for emergency general surgery (EGS) patients. Studies in other surgical fields indicate that routine postoperative day 1 (POD1) labs are sometimes being performed excessively and do not require intervention. The purpose of this study is to identify predictors indicating the need for POD1 labs in EGS patients based on likelihood of intervention.

Risk of Kawasaki Disease/Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome Following COVID-19 Vaccination in Korean Children: A Self-Controlled Case Series Study.

Background: Rare cases of Kawasaki disease (KD) and multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) have been reported following the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination; however, the association between COVID-19 vaccination and the risk of developing KD/MIS-C has not yet been established.

Methods: We conducted a self-controlled case series analysis using a large-linked database that connects the COVID-19 immunization registry with nationwide claims data. We identified individuals aged < 18 years who received their initial COVID-19 vaccination and had a KD/MIS-C diagnosis with a prescription for intravenous immunoglobulin or corticosteroids between October 18, 2021, and April 15, 2023.

Feasibility of Pure Laparoscopic Donor Right Hepatectomy Compared to Open Donor Right Hepatectomy: A Large Single-Center Cohort Study.

Objective: This study aimed to compare morbidity of living donors and recipients after pure laparoscopic donor right hepatectomy (PLDRH) and open donor right hepatectomy (ODRH).

Background: Donor and recipient morbidity have not been sufficiently reported in large-scale comparisons of PLDRH and ODRH.

Methods: This retrospective study reviewed 3348 donors who underwent PLDRH (n=329) and ODRH (n=3019) and their corresponding recipients (n=3348) between January 2014 and August 2023.

3D active-matrix multimodal sensor arrays for independent detection of pressure and temperature.

Pressure and temperature sensing simultaneously and independently is crucial for creating electronic skin that replicates complex sensory functions of human skin. Thin-film transistor (TFT) arrays with sensors have enabled cross-talk-free spatial sensing. However, the thermal dependence of charge transport in semiconductors has resulted in interference between thermal and pressure stimuli.

Engineering Multiplexed Synthetic Breath Biomarkers as Diagnostic Probes.

Breath biopsy is emerging as a rapid and non-invasive diagnostic tool that links exhaled chemical signatures with specific medical conditions. Despite its potential, clinical translation remains limited by the challenge of reliably detecting endogenous, disease-specific biomarkers in breath. Synthetic biomarkers represent an emerging paradigm for precision diagnostics such that they amplify activity-based biochemical signals associated with disease fingerprints.

EBP1 potentiates amyloid β pathology by regulating γ-secretase.

The abnormal deposition of amyloid β (Aβ), produced by proteolytic cleavage events of amyloid precursor protein involving the protease γ-secretase and subsequent polymerization into amyloid plaques, plays a key role in the neuropathology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Here we show that ErbB3 binding protein 1 (EBP1)/proliferation-associated 2G4 (PA2G4) interacts with presenilin, a catalytic subunit of γ-secretase, inhibiting Aβ production. Mice lacking forebrain Ebp1/Pa2g4 recapitulate the representative phenotypes of late-onset sporadic AD, displaying an age-dependent increase in Aβ deposition, amyloid plaques and cognitive dysfunction.

Clinical predictors and noninvasive imaging in Fontan-associated liver disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Despite the development of several imaging modalities for diagnosing Fontan-associated liver disease (FALD), there is no optimal protocol for the follow-up of FALD. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify factors related to liver fibrosis using biopsy reports and to identify alternative noninvasive modalities that could better reflect liver histological changes in FALD.

Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted following the PRISMA guidelines Table S2.

Time-Series Representation Feature Refinement with a Learnable Masking Augmentation Framework in Contrastive Learning.

In this study, we propose a novel framework for time-series representation learning that integrates a learnable masking-augmentation strategy into a contrastive learning framework. Time-series data pose challenges due to their temporal dependencies and feature-extraction complexities. To address these challenges, we introduce a masking-based reconstruction approach within a contrastive learning context, aiming to enhance the model's ability to learn discriminative temporal features.

Genetic Diversity and Evaluation of Agro-Morphological Traits in Lettuce Core Collection.

Lettuce () is a globally significant leafy vegetable, valued for both its economic and nutritional contributions. The efficient conservation and use of the lettuce germplasm are crucial for breeding and genetic improvement. This study examined the genetic diversity and population structure of a core collection of the lettuce germplasm using genotyping by sequencing (GBS).

Microbothriid (Monogenean) Infection and Treatment in Captive Blacktip Reef Shark ().

Unlike other microbothriid monogenean infections in elasmobranchs, limited information is available on the biology and treatment of . As parasitic infection with was found in 21 juvenile blacktip reef sharks () at the Lotteworld aquarium in Seoul, South Korea, we aimed to investigate the anatomical features and treatment protocols for in this study. The parasites were sampled and fixed in 10% neutral-buffered formalin, and examined using light and scanning electron microscopy.

Jeju Citrus () Leaf Extract and Hesperidin Inhibit Small Intestinal α-Glucosidase Activities and Postprandial Hyperglycemia in Animal Model.

Citrus fruits are widely distributed in East Asia, and tea made from citrus peels has demonstrated health benefits, such as a reduction in fever, inflammation, and high blood pressure. However, citrus leaves have not been evaluated extensively for their possible health benefits. In this study, the α-glucosidase-inhibitory activity of Jeju citrus hot-water (CW) and ethyl alcohol (CE) extracts, along with hesperidin (HP) (a bioactive compound in citrus leaf extracts), was investigated, and furthermore, their effect on postprandial blood glucose reduction in an animal model was determined.

Maternal and Neonatal Outcomes Based on Changes in Glycosylated Hemoglobin Levels During First and Second Trimesters of Pregnancy in Women with Pregestational Diabetes: Multicenter, Retrospective Cohort Study in South Korea.

This study compared glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels in the first and second trimesters of pregnancy and assessed maternal and neonatal outcomes according to HbA1c variations among women with pregestational diabetes. This retrospective, multicenter Korean study involved mothers with diabetes who had given birth in 17 hospitals. A total of 292 women were divided into three groups based on HbA1c levels during the first and second trimesters: women with HbA1c levels maintained at <6.

Var. and Extract Mixture Protects Against Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Pulmonary Inflammation and Cyclophosphamide-Induced Immune Deficiency: Evidence.

Respiratory tract diseases (RTDs) cause airflow limitations and impaired respiratory function, primarily due to pulmonary inflammation and immune dysfunction. var. Kitamur and (CP) are traditional herbs known for their anti-inflammatory and immune-enhancing properties.

Downregulation of PAX1 in OSCC Enhances Stemness and Immunosuppression via IFIT1 and PD-L1 Pathways.

Objective: Our study investigated how arecoline-induced extracellular vesicle (EV) secretion suppresses PAX1 protein production through DNA hypermethylation and examined whether PAX1 downregulation enhances cancer stemness and immunosuppression in the tumor microenvironment.

Materials And Methods: EVs were isolated from SAS/TW2.6 cancer cell lines using ultracentrifugation and identified using transmission electron microscopy.

Association between genetically predicted leisure and social activities and cardiovascular disease and other health outcomes.

Participation in leisure and social activities (LSA) is associated with better health outcomes and lower mortality. Previous observational studies demonstrated a relationship between engagement in LSA and both mental and physical health. Although several studies examined the association between LSA and health outcomes, including cardiovascular disease, their possible causal relationship has not been studied.

A Nationwide Population-based Study for Audio-vestibular Disorders Following COVID-19 Infection.

Introduction: To date, no study has reported the various otologic conditions associated with COVID-19 using population-based design. The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence and risk of audio-vestibular disorders (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, sudden sensorineural hearing loss, Meniere's disease, vestibular neuritis, and tinnitus) increase after COVID-19 infection.

Methods: This retrospective population-based study was conducted using National Health Insurance Service (NHIS)-COVID-19 cohort database of South Korea.

Structural Elucidation and Antiviral Properties of Pannosides from the Halophyte L.

Four previously undescribed pentacyclic triterpenoid saponins, pannosides F-I (-), were isolated from the halophyte L. (), and their chemical structures were elucidated using 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Comprehensive structural analysis revealed the presence of distinct aglycone and glycosidic moieties, along with complex acylation patterns.

Comparison between virtual reality and traditional lecture methods in educating respiratory therapy students on pediatric difficult airway diseases.

Background: Pediatric airway diseases are associated with complex challenges because of smaller and more dynamic airway structures in children. These conditions, along with specialized management by medical care staff, should be immediately and precisely recognized to prevent life-threatening obstructions and long-term respiratory complications. Recently, virtual reality (VR) has emerged as an innovative approach to clinical medical education.

Emerging and Promising Keywords in Biomolecules and Therapeutics for 21st Century Diseases.

Recent technological advancements and environmental changes are leading to an increase in various diseases such as obesity, fibrosis, metabolic disorders, and degenerative diseases associated with aging. Additionally, micro- and nanoplastics are emerging as as potential contributors to many of these conditions, posing a serious threat to human health. This special issue aims to explore new directions and opportunities for future drug development through recent review articles published in the issue, focusing on these key medical topics.