Association between changes in genital immune markers and vaginal microbiome transitions in bacterial vaginosis.

Bacterial vaginosis (BV), characterized by an imbalance in the vaginal microbiota, is a prevalent condition among women of reproductive age and a risk factor for human immunodeficiency virus, sexually transmitted infections, and preterm birth. BV is generally considered to induce mucosal inflammation, but the specific pathways and cell types involved are not well characterized. This prospective study aimed to assess associations between microbial changes and mucosal immune responses in BV patients.

Multi-modal learning-based algae phyla identification using image and particle modalities.

Algal blooms in freshwater, which are exacerbated by urbanization and climate change, pose significant challenges in the water treatment process. These blooms affect water quality and treatment efficiency. Effective identification of algal proliferation based on the dominant species is important to ensure safe drinking water and a clean water supply.

Prevalence of Reasons for Tooth Extraction in Small- and Medium-Breed Dogs.

As the life span of companion animals increases and their owners' concern for their quality of life increases, interest in dental diseases has also gained attention. While many studies have explored oral diseases in general, research on small-breed dogs remains limited. Therefore, in this study, we analyzed various diseases that led to tooth extraction in small- and medium-breed dogs.

PET-Assessed Metabolic Tumor Volume Across the Spectrum of Solid-Organ Malignancies: A Review of the Literature.

Solid-organ malignancies represent a significant disease burden and remain one of the leading causes of death globally. In the past few decades, the rapid evolution of imaging modalities has shifted the paradigm towards image-based precision medicine, especially in the care of patients with solid-organ malignancies. Metabolic tumor volume (MTV) is one such semi-quantitative parameter obtained from positron emission tomography (PET) imaging with F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) that has been shown to have significant implications in the clinical oncology setting.

Regulatory B-Cells Are Associated Negatively With Regulatory T-Cells and Positively With Cytokines in Peripheral Blood of Pregnant Women.

Problem: Regulatory B-cells (Bregs, CD19CD24CD38) are a specialized B-cell subset that suppresses immune responses and potentially contribute to the maintenance of an immune-privileged environment for fetal development during pregnancy. However, little is known about the surrounding immunological environment of Bregs in gestational physiology. The relationship of regulatory T-cells (Tregs, CD4CD25CD127FoxP3) to Bregs in coordinating immunoregulation during pregnancy is unknown.

Noncanonical role of Golgi-associated macrophage TAZ in chronic inflammation and tumorigenesis.

Until now, Hippo pathway-mediated nucleocytoplasmic translocation has been considered the primary mechanism by which yes-associated protein (YAP) and transcriptional co-activator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ) transcriptional coactivators regulate cell proliferation and differentiation via transcriptional enhanced associate domain (TEAD)-mediated target gene expression. In this study, however, we found that TAZ, but not YAP, is associated with the Golgi apparatus in macrophages activated via Toll-like receptor ligands during the resolution phase of inflammation. Golgi-associated TAZ enhanced vesicle trafficking and secretion of proinflammatory cytokines in M1 macrophage independent of the Hippo pathway.

Assessing the Association Between Gadolinium-Based Contrast Agents and Parkinson Disease: Insights From the Korean National Health Insurance Service Database.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the association between the use of linear and macrocyclic gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) and the subsequent development of Parkinson disease (PD).

Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, data were extracted from the Korean National Health Insurance Service database, comprising 1,038,439 individuals. From this population, 175,125 adults aged 40 to 60 years with no history of brain disease were identified.

Pulse Irrigation Reduces Rate of Postoperative Hematoma Following Breast Reduction.

Purpose: Breast reduction (BR) involves a large surface area of manipulated tissue, increasing the risk of postoperative hematoma. Pulse irrigation (PI) uses a device to deliver intermittent pressurized irrigant intraoperatively. This study aims to evaluate whether the use of PI is associated with reduced incidence of postoperative hematoma after BR.

Complications After Transoral Surgery for Oropharyngeal Cancer: An ACS-NSQIP Database Study.

Objective: Prior studies have highlighted the risk of perioperative mortality due to catastrophic bleeding in patients receiving transoral surgery (TOS) for oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC). Although the 30-day mortality and morbidity remain low, understanding the risk factors associated with complications is still required. The goal of this study is to identify risk factors associated with complications after TOS for OPSCC using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) database.

and are robust biomarkers for gingivitis and periodontitis in small dogs.

Introduction: Periodontal disease is one of the most common oral diseases in dogs and humans. It starts with gingivitis, a reversible condition, and progresses to an irreversible condition, periodontitis. Unlike humans, the etiology of periodontal disease in dogs has not been widely studied.

Coordinated representations for naturalistic memory encoding and retrieval in hippocampal neural subspaces.

Our naturalistic experiences are organized into memories through multiple processes, including novelty encoding, memory formation, and retrieval. However, the neural mechanisms coordinating these processes remain elusive. Using fMRI data acquired during movie viewing and subsequent narrative recall, we examine hippocampal neural subspaces associated with distinct memory processes and characterized their relationships.

Evaluation of acute, repeated dose 28-day and 13-week oral toxicity and genotoxicity of a standardized fraction (HemoHIM) from .

HemoHIM is a functional food ingredient comprising a triple herbal combination of extracts from Nakai, Makino, and Pallas. It was developed to aid the recovery of impaired immune function. Although it is widely used to treat various immune disorders in Korea, its potential toxicity has not been extensively investigated.

Late-gadolinium enhancement predicts appropriate device therapies in non-ischemic recipients of primary prevention implantable cardioverter-defibrillators.

Background: Better risk stratification is needed to evaluate patients with non-ischemic cardiomyopathy (NICM) for prophylactic implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICD). Growing evidence suggests cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) may be useful in this regard.

Objective: We aimed to determine if late-gadolinium enhancement (LGE) seen on CMR (dichotomized as none/minimal <2% vs significant ≥2%) predicts appropriate ICD therapies (primary endpoint) and/or all-cause mortality/transplant/left-ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation (secondary endpoint) in NICM patients.

Ultrasensitive detection of intact SARS-CoV-2 particles in complex biofluids using microfluidic affinity capture.

Measuring virus in biofluids is complicated by confounding biomolecules coisolated with viral nucleic acids. To address this, we developed an affinity-based microfluidic device for specific capture of intact severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Our approach used an engineered angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 to capture intact virus from plasma and other complex biofluids.

Taming the Flow with Hyperbranched Polyamides as Melt Modifiers in Polyamide Composites.

Transport equipment manufacturers in the automotive and aerospace industries are focused on developing materials that enhance fuel efficiency and reduce carbon dioxide emissions. A significant approach is employing lightweight materials like aluminum, magnesium, and polymer-based composites. Polyamide-based composites, particularly nylon 66, as viable alternatives due to their excellent rigidity, chemical resistance, and thermal stability are investigated to address the limitations of traditional thermosetting resins, which are difficult to recycle and have lengthy molding processes that hinder mass production.

Development and Evaluation of Five-in-One Vaccine Microneedle Array Patch for Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis, Hepatitis B, and Type b: Immunological Efficacy and Long-Term Stability.

: The development of a five-in-one vaccine microneedle patch (five-in-one MN patch) aims to address challenges in administering vaccines against Diphtheria (DT), Tetanus (TT), Pertussis (wP), Hepatitis B (HBsAg), and type b (Hib). Combining multiple vaccines into a single patch offers a novel solution to improve vaccine accessibility, stability, and delivery efficiency, particularly in resource-limited settings. : The five-in-one MN patch consists of four distinct microneedle arrays: DT and TT vaccines are coated together on one array, while wP, HepB, and Hib vaccines are coated separately on individual arrays.

CCAAT/Enhancer-Binding Protein β (C/EBPβ) Regulates Calcium Deposition in Smooth Muscle Cells.

Calcium deposition in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), a form of ectopic ossification in blood vessels, can result in rigidity of the vasculature and an increase in cardiac events. Here, we report that CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein beta (C/EBPβ) potentiates calcium deposition in VSMCs and mouse aorta induced by inorganic phosphate (Pi) or vitamin D. Based on cDNA microarray and RNA sequencing data of Pi-treated rat VSMCs, C/EBPβ was found to be upregulated and thus selected for further evaluation.

Upregulation of the gluconeogenesis pathway was observed by KDH1, mitigating glucose catabolite repression.

Unlabelled: was engineered to mitigate carbon catabolite repression to efficient co-fermenting mixed sugars, which are primary components of cellulosic biomass. KDH1 produced ethanol with 0.42 ± 0.

PM and hospitalizations through the emergency department in people with disabilities: a nationwide case-crossover study in South Korea.

Background: Little is known about the impact of PM on people with disabilities. We aimed to explore the association between PM and hospitalization via the emergency department (ED admission) among people with disabilities, together with the attributable ED admission cases and costs.

Methods: We applied a time-stratified case-crossover design adjusting ozone, holiday, and temperature using seven years (2015-2021) of claim-based data on ED admissions from the Korean National Health Insurance Database.

Low-cost high performance piezoelectric fabrics based on Nylon-6 nanofibers.

To fully harness the potential of smart textiles, it is cruical to develop energy harvesters which can function both as fabric and energy generator. In this work, we present a high performance low-cost piezoelectric nano-fabric using even-number Nylon ( Nylon-6). Nylon-6 was chosen for optimal mechanical properties such as mechanical strength and stiffness.

Three-dimensional digital anatomical measurements of pterygoid plates and posterior maxillary region.

Background: The posterior maxilla and skull base is a region with a complex anatomy. Accurate resection of the pterygoid plate is critical during a maxillectomy procedure. However, there is a paucity of functional and anatomical studies on the pterygoid plate and skull base.

Short-term exposure to outdoor nitrogen dioxide and respiratory mortality, with high-risk populations: a nationwide time-stratified case-crossover study.

Numerous existing studies reported the negative impacts of outdoor nitrogen dioxide (NO) on respiratory mortality. However, the evidence of related high-risk populations was considerably limited, especially associated with ages, causes of death, and district-level characteristics. In addition, most earlier studies were based on monitored areas, thus previous risk estimates of NO could be biased to provide nationwide risk estimates and high-risk populations.