Background: This study aimed to comprehensively characterize the gut microbiome and identify individual and grouped gut microbes associated with food allergy (FA) using 16S rRNA gene sequencing.
Methods: Fecal samples were collected from children with IgE-mediated FA and from sex- and age-matched controls. The V3-V4 variable regions of the 16S rRNA gene of the gut microbiome were profiled using next-generation sequencing (Illumina, USA).
Background: Premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) are generally benign in healthy children, but in some cases, a persistent high PVC burden may be observed, potentially related to ventricular tachycardia or left ventricular dysfunction. This study explores the natural history of PVCs in children with structurally normal hearts and identifies factors associated with unresolved PVCs.
Methods: We retrospectively analyzed demographic and clinical data from children < 18 years of age with confirmed PVCs, including 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) and 24-h Holter monitoring data.
J Microbiol Biotechnol
February 2025
Levan is a fructose polymer with unique physicochemical properties and physiological activities, making it useful in various industries. It is biologically synthesized from sucrose by the enzyme levansucrase, which does not require metal ions for its fructosylation activity. However, during the molecular characterization of a levansucrase (PcLscA), it was observed that several divalent metal ions stimulate fructosylation activity by over 2.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: Mesalazine and thiopurines are important therapeutic agents for pediatric patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). Mesalazine, which may be administered in different forms depending on delivery mechanisms, can affect thiopurine metabolism, leading to increased 6-thioguanine nucleotides (6-TGN) levels. Therefore, when using these two drugs simultaneously, their interactions must be considered.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMicrob Cell Fact
November 2024
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.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: Biologics are important therapeutic agents for pediatric Crohn's disease. Discontinuation of biologics is known to increase the relapse rate up to 71.4% in these patients; however, their long-term use increases the risk of opportunistic infections and causes economic burden and psychological fatigue.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAlthough paediatric patients with gastrointestinal (GI) foreign bodies require multiple resources, they often present with few or no discernible symptoms and are typically assigned a low acuity level during triage. We compared the predictive accuracy of the revised Korean Triage and Acuity Scale (rKTAS), which elevates acuity by one step in relation to anticipated resource utilization, with that of the conventional KTAS for clinical outcomes. This was a retrospective study of National Emergency Department Information System data.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHistone H3K9 methylated heterochromatin silences repetitive non-coding sequences and lineage-specific genes during development, but how tissue-specific genes escape from heterochromatin in differentiated cells is unclear. Here, we examine age-dependent transcriptomic profiling of terminally differentiated mouse retina to identify epigenetic regulators involved in heterochromatin reorganization. The single-cell RNA sequencing analysis reveals a gradual downregulation of in cone photoreceptors during aging.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNissle 1917 (EcN) is one of the most widely used probiotics to treat gastrointestinal diseases. Recently, many studies have engineered EcN to release therapeutic proteins to treat specific diseases. However, because EcN exhibits intestinal metabolic activities, it is difficult to predict outcomes after administration.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFContext.—: Therapeutic drug monitoring is recommended to optimize infliximab use and improve outcome in chronic inflammatory disorders.
Objective.
Background: Venoactive drugs (VADs) based on Vitis vinifera extract are widely used in Korea. However, studies on the clinical effects and head-to-head comparisons with other groups of VADs are limited. This trial aimed to evaluate whether Vitis vinifera seed extract was noninferior to the micronized purified flavonoid fraction (MPFF) in relieving venous symptoms and improving quality of life in patients with chronic venous disease.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRecently, the demand for respiratory disease-related products has surged due to the influence of coronavirus disease 2019, prompting warnings about illegal dietary supplements containing unauthorized substances. Additionally, adulterated dietary supplements are continuously detected in open markets, posing significant public health safety problem. In this study, we developed and validated an analytical method for 11 respiratory drug substances using liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS) and proposed optimal conditions for LC-quadrupole time-of-flight MS (LC-QTOF-MS) to determine the fragmentation patterns of each substance.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAxon guidance molecules are critical for neuronal pathfinding because they regulate directionality and growth pace during nervous system development. However, the molecular mechanisms coordinating proper axonal extension and turning are poorly understood. Here, metastasis suppressor 1 (Mtss1), a membrane protrusion protein, ensured axonal extension while sensitizing axons to the Semaphorin 3E (Sema3E)-Plexin-D1 repulsive cue.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: Biliary atresia (BA) patients develop chronic liver disease after the Kasai operation and are eventually indicated for liver transplantation (LT). The purposes of this study were to analyze long-term outcomes after LT and risk factors that affect complications to reduce graft failure.
Study Design: Overall, 145 pediatric patients who underwent LT between June 1996 and June 2020 after a diagnosis of BA were included.
Background: Therapeutic drug monitoring of infliximab (IFX) can improve treatment outcomes; however, the temporal gap between drug concentration monitoring and subsequent availability restricts its practical application. To address this issue, an automated monitoring method, AFIAS IFX, was developed to rapidly and accurately analyze IFX concentration in blood. The analytical and clinical performances of this method were assessed to establish its clinical utility.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Permanent pacemaker (PPM) implantation has been identified as a risk factor for morbidity and mortality after Fontan operation. This study investigated the factors associated with outcomes in patients with Fontan physiology who underwent PPM implantation.
Methods and results: We retrospectively reviewed 508 patients who underwent Fontan surgery at Asan Medical Center between September 1992 and August 2022.
Background: Several cases of pediatric acute hepatitis of unknown etiology related to adenoviral infections have been reported in Europe since January 2022. The aim of this study was to compare the incidence, severity, possible etiology, and prognosis of the disease with those in the past in Korea.
Methods: The surveillance group collected data between May and November 2022 using a surveillance system.
BMC Med Genomics
October 2023
Pyoderma gangrenosum is one of the dermatological extra-intestinal manifestations of ulcerative colitis (UC). We report a case of a 26-year-old male patient suffering from relapsed UC with a newly developed pyoderma gangrenosum. His skin and intestinal symptoms were intractable to treatment with steroids, immunosuppressants, or a single biological agent such as infliximab, golimumab, or vedolizumab.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: To predict whether the left pulmonary artery (LPA) to the main pulmonary artery (MPA) ratio measured by echocardiography in left congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) was related to death or need for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO).
Methods: This retrospective study analyzed neonates with left CDH born between 2018 and 2022 in a single tertiary medical institution. Echocardiography was performed immediately after birth.