Evaluating the impact of modeling choices on the performance of integrated genetic and clinical models.

Purpose: The value of genetic information for improving the performance of clinical risk prediction models has yielded variable conclusions. Many methodological decisions have the potential to contribute to differential results. We performed multiple modeling experiments integrating clinical and demographic data from electronic health records (EHR) with genetic data to understand which decisions may affect performance.

Prognostic value of pseudotime from texture parameters of FDG PET/CT in locally advanced rectal cancer with neoadjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy.

Texture analysis generates image parameters from F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG PET/CT). Although some parameters correlate with tumor biology and clinical attributes, their types and implications can be complex. To overcome this limitation, pseudotime analysis was applied to texture parameters to estimate changes in individual sample characteristics, and the prognostic significance of the estimated pseudotime of primary tumors was evaluated.

Exploring potential multiple molecular biomarkers that predict treatment response in patients with lupus nephritis.

Limited knowledge exists regarding biomarkers that predict treatment response in Lupus nephritis (LN). We aimed to identify potential molecular biomarkers to predict treatment response in patients with LN. We enrolled 66 patients with active LN who underwent renal biopsy upon enrollment.

Phase 1 study of AYP-101 (soybean phosphatidylcholine): safety, pharmacokinetics, and lipid profile effects for reducing submental fat.

Background: Excessive submental fat under the chin is a known aesthetic concern because of its negative impact on facial appearance and psychological well-being. AYP-101 is a newly developed injectable agent containing 93% soybean phosphatidylcholine (SPC) designed to reduce submental fat. We conducted a phase 1 study to evaluate the safety, pharmacokinetic (PK), and lipid profile effects of AYP-101.

Metformin inhibits muscle atrophy through the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway in a rat model of acute rotator cuff tears.

Background: Muscle atrophy after the rupture of a rotator cuff (RC) tendon is a major factor that increases the risk of secondary complications and re-rupture. Metformin, a type 2 diabetes treatment, can be used to modulate intracellular signaling pathways that promote muscle growth. This study aimed to verify whether systemic metformin administration could prevent supraspinatus (SS) atrophy after RC rupture in a rat model.

Differential Efficacy of Advanced Therapies in Inducing Remission in Ulcerative Colitis Based on Prior Exposure to TNF Antagonists.

Background And Aims: We sought to ascertain how prior exposure to TNF antagonists impacts treatment response with various classes of advanced therapies in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), through a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Methods: Through a systematic review of multiple databases through June 30, 2024, we identified 17 RCTs in 8871 adults with moderate-severe UC who were treated with different advanced therapies vs. placebo, and reported efficacy in induction of clinical remission, stratified by prior exposure to TNF antagonists.

Systematic literature review of cost-effectiveness analyses of adult 15- and 20-valent pneumococcal vaccines.

Background: The economic and public health benefits of adult pneumococcal vaccines vary across countries due to different epidemiology and costs. We systematically reviewed and summarized findings and assumptions of cost-effectiveness analyses (CEA) of the recently introduced 15- and 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV15 and PCV20) in adults.

Methods: We performed a systematic search for CEA studies of PCV15 and/or PCV20 versus existing strategies via PubMed, EMBASE, CEA Registry, EconLit, HTA Database, and NITAG resource center through April 23, 2024.

Sex-specific astrocyte regulation of spinal motor circuits by Nkx6.1.

Astrocytes exhibit diverse cellular and molecular properties across the central nervous system (CNS). Recent studies identified region-specific transcription factors (TF) that oversee these diverse properties; how sex differences intersect with region-specific transcriptional programs to regulate astrocyte function is unknown. Here, we show that the TF Nkx6.

Arvimicrobium flavum gen. nov., sp. nov., A Novel Genus in the Family Phyllobacteriaceae Isolated From Forest Soil.

During the study of microbial diversity of forest soil in the Republic of Korea, a yellow pigment-producing, Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped, motile bacterium was isolated and designated as strain 1W2. This strain grew at temperature of 10-37 °C, at pH of 5.0-9.

Metabolic Engineering of Corynebacterium glutamicum for High-Level Production of 1,5-Pentanediol, a C5 Diol Platform Chemical.

The biobased production of chemicals is essential for advancing a sustainable chemical industry. 1,5-Pentanediol (1,5-PDO), a five-carbon diol with considerable industrial relevance, has shown limited microbial production efficiency until now. This study presents the development and optimization of a microbial system to produce 1,5-PDO from glucose in Corynebacterium glutamicum via the l-lysine-derived pathway.

Perioperative risk factors for osteoporosis after radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer.

Background: Osteoporosis, a frequent complication of gastrectomy, increases with age, and the average age of gastric cancer patients continues to rise. This study aims to analyze perioperative factors of osteoporosis after radical gastrectomy.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective cohort study included patients who underwent dual-energy-X-ray absorptiometry after gastrectomy due to gastric cancer between 2016 and 2019 at Seoul Boramae Medical Center.

Therapeutic role of aripiprazole in cartilage defects explored through a drug repurposing approach.

Articular cartilage has a limited regenerative capacity, resulting in poor spontaneous healing of damaged tissue. Despite various scientific efforts to enhance cartilage repair, no single method has yielded satisfactory results. With rising drug development costs, drug repositioning has emerged as a viable alternative.

Role of moral disengagement and media literacy in the relationships between risky online content exposure and cyberaggression among Korean adolescents.

This study investigated the relationships among exposure to risky online content, moral disengagement, media literacy, and cyberaggression in adolescents (aged 13-15 years). Data were obtained from the 2021 Cyber Violence Survey (N = 3,002) conducted by a national agency in the Republic of Korea using systematic stratified sampling. The survey assessed eight aggressive online behaviors as indicators of cyberaggression: verbal violence, defamation, stalking, sending provocative content, personal information leakage, bullying, extortion, and coercion.

Cation composition ratio and channel length effects on bias stress instability in amorphous InGaZnO back-end-of-line field-effect transistors.

This study optimizes V and ΔV in amorphous indium-gallium-zinc-oxide (a-IGZO) field-effect transistors (FETs) by examining the influence of both channel length (L) and Ga composition. It was observed that as the ratio of In: Ga: Zn changed from 1:1:1 to 0.307:0.

Nuclear respiratory factor-1 (NRF1) induction drives mitochondrial biogenesis and attenuates amyloid beta-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and neurotoxicity.

Mitochondrial dysfunction is an important driver of neurodegeneration and synaptic abnormalities in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Amyloid beta (Aβ) in mitochondria leads to increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, resulting in a vicious cycle of oxidative stress in coordination with a defective electron transport chain (ETC), decreasing ATP production. AD neurons exhibit impaired mitochondrial dynamics, evidenced by fusion and fission imbalances, increased fragmentation, and deficient mitochondrial biogenesis, contributing to fewer mitochondria in brains of AD patients.

Compartmentalizing Donor-Acceptor Stenhouse Adducts for Structure-Property Relationship Analysis.

The development of photoswitches that absorb low energy light is of notable interest due to the growing demand for smart materials and therapeutics necessitating benign stimuli. Donor-acceptor Stenhouse adducts (DASAs) are molecular photoswitches that respond to light in the visible to near-infrared spectrum. As a result of their modular assembly, DASAs can be modified at the donor, acceptor, triene, and backbone heteroatom molecular compartments for the tuning of optical and photoswitching properties.

Correction: Authentication of Allium ulleungense, A. microdictyon and A. ochotense based on super-barcoding of plastid genome and 45S nrDNA.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

Effects of Perch on Productivity, Welfare, and Physiological Indicators of Broiler Chickens Reared in Animal Welfare-Certificated Farms.

This study explored the impact of perches on the productivity and welfare of broilers raised on two animal welfare-certified farms (designated as Farm A and B) in South Korea. Broiler houses in each farm were provided with or without wooden square-shaped perches (2 × 2 cm) at a rate of 2 m per 1000 birds. The study aimed to assess whether perches could influence productivity measures, such as weight and uniformity, and animal welfare indicators, including corticosterone levels and physical health markers.

Detecting Tumor-Associated Intracranial Hemorrhage Using Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy.

Intracranial hemorrhage associated with primary or metastatic brain tumors is a critical condition that requires urgent intervention, often through open surgery. Nevertheless, surgical interventions may not always be feasible due to two main reasons: (1) extensive hemorrhage can obscure the underlying tumor mass, limiting radiological assessment; and (2) intracranial hemorrhage may occasionally present as the first symptom of a brain tumor without prior knowledge of its existence. The current review of case studies suggests that advanced radiological imaging techniques can improve diagnostic power for tumoral hemorrhage.

Detection of miR-133a-5p Using a Molecular Beacon Probe for Investigating Postmortem Intervals.

When a body is discovered at a crime or murder scene, it is crucial to examine the body and estimate its postmortem interval (PMI). Accurate estimation of PMI is vital for identifying suspects and providing clues to resolve the case. MicroRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) are small non-coding RNAs that remain relatively stable in the cell nucleus even after death-related changes occur.

Valence State and Catalytic Activity of Ni-Fe Oxide Embedded in Carbon Nanotube Catalysts.

The catalytic activity of Ni-Fe oxide embedded in CNTs was investigated in terms of valence states and active oxygen species. Ni-Fe oxides were prepared by the sol-gel combustion process, and Ni-Fe oxides embedded in CNT catalysts were synthesized by the catalytic chemical vapor deposition (CCVD) method. The lattice structure of the Ni-Fe oxide catalysts was analyzed, and the lattice distortion was increased with the addition of Fe.

Enhancement of Chondrogenic Differentiation in Bone Marrow-Derived Stem Cell Spheroids by Methanolic Extract: Insights into Concentration-Dependent mRNA Expression and Gene Clustering Analysis.

: L. has been utilized as a medicinal plant for centuries. This research sought to examine the effects of cumin methanolic extract (CMT) on the chondrogenic differentiation of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells.

Exploring Biomarkers for Excess Extracellular Fluid in the Context of Physical Function in Chronic Kidney Disease Patients.

: Fluid overload is an important risk factor for protein-energy wasting, which could lead to poor outcomes, such as higher morbidity and mortality, in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). This study aimed to validate the possible myokine as a biomarker of volume status in patients with non-dialysis CKD. : In total, 151 patients with CKD were enrolled from a single medical center.

Nucleic Acid Lateral Flow Assay Implemented with Isothermal Gene Amplification of SARS-CoV-2 RNA.

We developed a rapid and sensitive diagnostic platform that integrates isothermal viral gene amplification with a nucleic acid lateral flow assay (NALFA) to detect SARS-CoV-2 RNA. Isothermal gene amplification was performed by combining reverse transcription of viral RNA with recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA). In our diagnostic platform, DNA primers for the RPA reaction were modified by appending DNA tails, enabling the synthesis of tailed amplicon DNAs.

ARS: AI-Driven Recovery Controller for Quadruped Robot Using Single-Network Model.

Legged robots, especially quadruped robots, are widely used in various environments due to their advantage in overcoming rough terrains. However, falling is inevitable. Therefore, the ability to overcome a falling state is an essential ability for legged robots.