Publications by authors named "Kwak D"

(Cb), the causative agent of Q fever, replicates within host macrophages by modulating immune responses through poorly understood mechanisms. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are emerging as critical regulators of inflammation, yet their role in Cb pathogenesis remains largely unexplored. Here, we employed a global transcriptomic approach to identify lncRNAs specific to Cb infection in THP-1 derived macrophages, compared to 15 other microbial infections.

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As the importance of hygiene and safety management in food manufacturing has been increasingly emphasized, research on non-destructive and non-contact inspection technologies has become more active. This study proposes a real-time and non-destructive food inspection system with sub-terahertz waves which penetrates non-conducting materials by using a frequency of 0.1 THz.

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Acute Interstitial Pneumonia (AIP) represents a severe form of diffuse lung injury within the idiopathic interstitial pneumonia spectrum. Given the limited understanding of its molecular basis, this study aims to elucidate AIP's genomic and transcriptomic profiles to uncover its pathophysiological underpinnings and identify potential therapeutic targets. We conducted a comprehensive analysis of genomic and transcriptomic data from lung tissues of 15 AIP patients.

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Trauma during pregnancy poses a potentially tragic risk to both the fetus and mother, making its management particularly challenging. Here, we present the case of a 35-year-old woman at 34 weeks and 2 days gestation who was in a motor vehicle accident and subsequently suffered placental abruption and underwent an emergency cesarean section. We also present a review of traumatic placental abruption and its epidemiology.

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Enterocytozoon bieneusi is an important microsporidian protozoa that causes intestinal disorders in humans. We collected 191 fecal samples from roadkill deer carcasses, among which 13 (6.8%) showed positive reaction for E.

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  • A study surveyed 367 dog fecal samples from various regions in Korea to assess the prevalence of intestinal parasites using flotation techniques and genetic analysis.
  • Six parasite species were identified, with higher infection rates observed in shelter dogs compared to pet dogs; these included Toxocara canis and Trichuris vulpis among others.
  • Notably, it detected Giardia duodenalis genes in 4.9% and reported the presence of Cryptosporidium canis genes in 1.9% for the first time in Korea, highlighting the zoonotic health implications.
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  • Increasing use of cementless total knee arthroplasty (TKA) highlights the need for reliable assessment of bone quality, but the effectiveness of central bone mineral density (BMD) in predicting knee strength is questionable.
  • A study involving 191 knees showed a weak correlation between central BMD and actual bone strength at the knee, particularly poor in patients with osteoporosis.
  • Findings suggest central BMD measurements are not effective for assessing knee bone strength for cementless TKA, indicating a need for better methods to evaluate bone quality.
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The objective of this study was to evaluate the diversity and prevalence of tick-borne protists in the Republic of Korea via DNA barcoding using 18S rRNA gene fragments and PCR. Between 2021 and 2022, questing ticks were collected using the flagging method, with a total of 13,375 ticks collected and pooled into 1003 samples. Of these, 50 tick pools were selected for DNA barcoding targeting the V4 and V9 regions of 18S rRNA using the MiSeq platform.

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  • The study investigates the gut microbiome of captive Siberian tigers, focusing on how their diet and health affect microbial diversity, addressing a gap in existing research.
  • Using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, researchers found significant variations in microbial richness among the tigers, with some being healthier and more diverse than others, potentially due to diet and surgical history.
  • The results indicate that diet and health status heavily influence the gut microbiome, emphasizing the importance of tailored health management for captive tigers to ensure their well-being.
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Under persistent hypoxic conditions in the bottom layer of a lake, phosphorus (P) can be released from benthic sediments, significantly impacting the lake ecosystem. Hypoxia reduces iron ions, leading to P release through biogeochemical reactions associated with organic matter degradation, which in turn depletes dissolved oxygen (DO) in the sediment. The application of bubble technology is beneficial, as microbubbles (MBs) effectively remove P and enhance DO levels in both the overlying water and sediment surface.

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Purpose: To determine effectiveness of radiofrequency ablation for treatment of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) using a population-based database.

Materials And Methods: Data was extracted from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database from 2000 to 2020 to include 194 patients who underwent ablation for iCCA. Patient demographics, overall survival (OS), and cancer-specific survival (CSS) were retrieved.

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This study presents a novel approach to enhancing the timing performance of dual-ended positron emission tomography (PET) detectors for brain imaging by employing a dual-finishing crystal method. The proposed method integrates both polished and unpolished surfaces within the scintillation crystal block to optimize time-of-flight (TOF) and depth-of-interaction (DOI) resolutions. A dual-finishing detector was constructed using an 8 × 8 LGSO array with a 2 mm pitch, and its performance was compared against fully polished and unpolished crystal blocks.

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Owing to the growing resistance of methicillin-resistant (MRSA) to conventional antibiotics, the development of innovative therapeutic strategies for the treatment of MRSA-infected cutaneous wounds poses a significant challenge. Here, by using polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), emerging biodegradable and biocompatible polymers naturally produced by various microorganisms, we developed clindamycin-loaded PHA nanoparticles (Cly-PHA NPs) as a novel approach for the treatment of MRSA-infected cutaneous wounds. Cly-PHA NPs were characterized in terms of mean particle size (216.

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Rodents are reservoirs for zoonotic pathogens, making it essential to study both rodents and their ectoparasites. In 2022 and 2023, we investigated the spatial distribution of rodents and their mites across Korea, focusing on three vector-borne diseases (VBDs): , , and . A total of 835 wild rodents were collected from 16 locations, each consisting of five distinct environmental settings (mountains, waterways, reservoirs, fields, and paddy fields), with 20 traps per setting, totaling 100 Sherman live folding traps per site.

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  • Acute portomesenteric venous thrombosis (PVT) is a serious condition that can occur in individuals without liver cirrhosis, requiring careful management.
  • Initial treatment often involves anticoagulation therapy, but researchers are still investigating the best interventional techniques available.
  • The article also examines the relevance of acute PVT in today's health issues, including its connections to COVID-19, vaccine-related blood clots, and liver transplantation.
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Purpose: Observational research provides valuable insights into treatments used in patient populations in real-world settings. However, confounding is likely to occur if there are differences in patient characteristics associated with both the exposure and outcome between the groups being evaluated. One approach to reduce confounding and facilitate unbiased comparisons is inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) using propensity scores.

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Purpose: This study investigated whether age affects clinical outcomes and cartilage repair quality in patients who underwent collagen-augmented chondrogenesis.

Methods: The study included patients who underwent either the collagen-augmented chondrogenesis technique or microfracture for cartilage defects of the knee joint of International Cartilage Repair Society grade 3 or 4. Patients were categorised according to an age threshold of 50 years and the treatment method, whether collagen-augmented chondrogenesis technique or microfracture.

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  • * Out of 1142 ticks analyzed, 89.1% tested positive for Rickettsia, specifically Rickettsia raoultii, indicating a significant presence of this pathogen in the area.
  • * Findings stress the need for increased public awareness and preventive measures against tick-borne diseases, as well as the importance of studying cross-border pathogen transmission in neighboring countries.
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Many patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) have symptoms that are refractory to traditional nonsurgical treatments, such as intraarticular corticosteroid (CS) injection, but are not yet eligible are not yet eligible for or decline surgery. Genicular artery embolization (GAE) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) are emerging adjunctive or alternative minimally invasive treatments. The purpose of this study was to perform a cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) comparing CS therapy, GAE, and RFA for the treatment of symptomatic KOA using a Markov model based on a de novo network meta-analysis (NMA) of randomized control trials.

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Toxoplasma gondii, a common protozoan parasite, poses significant public health risks due to its potential to cause toxoplasmosis in humans and can be contracted from pigs, which are considered its critical intermediate host. The aim of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of T. gondii in slaughtered pigs for human consumption, emphasizing the zoonotic implications and the need for improved biosecurity and monitoring practices in pig farming.

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Background: Catheter-related bladder discomfort (CRBD) has been found in many patients with urologic surgery. The authors investigated the effect of analgesic-eluting urethral catheters on postoperative CRBD.

Methods: 60 subjects scheduled for urologic surgery requiring urethral catheterization were randomized prospectively to one of three groups (control arm, 0.

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Nitric oxide (NO) is a gaseous molecule intricately implicated in oncologic processes, encompassing the modulation of angiogenesis and instigating apoptosis. Investigation of the antitumor effects of NO is currently underway, necessitating a detailed understanding of its cellular-level reactions. Regulating the behavior of radical NO species has been a significant challenge, primarily due to its instability in aqueous environments by rapid O-induced degradation.

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Ticks are blood-sucking ectoparasites that act as vectors for transmission of various pathogens. The purpose of this study was to assess tick-borne bacteria, whether pathogenic or not, in ticks distributed in Korea using 16S rRNA metabarcoding and to confirm the results by PCR. Questing ticks were collected from four provinces in Korea in 2021 using the flagging method.

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