Publications by authors named "Mi Ra Kim"

Thyroid carcinoma, presenting as a lateral neck mass without an identifiable primary tumor within the thyroid, poses a diagnostic challenge. This comparative analysis aimed to explore the differences between metastatic thyroid carcinoma and ectopic thyroid carcinoma, as both present with a lateral neck mass without evidence of primary thyroid carcinoma. Searches were conducted for studies on thyroid carcinoma in the lateral neck without evidence of primary thyroid carcinoma.

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(MF) is a medicinal herb widely employed in traditional medicine for relieving sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, headaches, and toothaches. Here, we investigated the potential preventive effects of MF extract (MFE) against 4-vinylcyclohexene diepoxide (VCD)-induced ovotoxicity in ovarian cells and a mouse model of premature ovarian insufficiency (POI). The cytoprotective effects of MFE were assessed using CHO-K1 or COV434 cells.

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  • The study investigated how exposure to high molecular weight phthalates (HMWP) and low molecular weight phthalates (LMWP) impacts pubertal development in Korean boys and girls aged 10 to 12 years.
  • Results showed that higher exposure to HMWP and LMWP was linked to delayed pubertal stages in boys but advanced stages in girls, with boys showing significantly lower testosterone levels at higher HMWP exposure.
  • The findings suggest a complex relationship between phthalate exposure and pubertal development, indicating more research is needed to understand its effects, especially in girls.
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  • Sirtuin 3 (SIRT3) is important for mitochondrial function under oxidative stress, but its role in radioresistant cancer cells, particularly in relation to glucose deprivation, is not well understood.
  • This study investigates SIRT3's impact on cell proliferation and death in two radioresistant head and neck cancer cell lines with different p53 statuses, revealing that SIRT3 levels are linked to cell sensitivity to glucose deficiency.
  • Findings show that the EZH2 protein represses SIRT3 expression in p53-deficient cells, and that regulating SIRT3 through EZH2 could serve as a potential biomarker for personalized treatment options in radiation-resistant cancer patients.
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Magnesium oxide (MgO) nanoparticles are commonly used to enhance the reactivity and performance of devices and systems in various applications, primarily due to the heat-resistance, binding, and alkaline properties of MgO. However, most of the methods used to synthesize MgO nanoparticles suffer from nonuniform particle size distributions that make it difficult to manufacture stable particles. In this study, uniform magnesium oxide (MgO) nanoparticles were developed for TiO photoelectrodes of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) to enhance their interfacial resistances.

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Trust is an essential component of qualified nursing care and correlated with mothers' satisfaction during child's hospitalization. This exploratory qualitative study was conducted to gain a better understanding of trust from mothers of hospitalized children toward pediatric nurses. Data were collected using semi-structured, in-depth interviews with eight mothers with recently hospitalized children.

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Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is frequently accompanied by dysgeusia and xerostomia. Clonazepam has been widely prescribed and is effective, but it is unclear whether clonazepam also affects the symptoms that accompany BMS, or whether such symptoms affect treatment outcomes. Here, we investigated the therapeutic outcomes in BMS patients with various symptoms or comorbidities.

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In this study, to obtain high performances of the dye-sensitized solar cells using the optimal TiO photoelectrode for the synthesized pyrazine-based organic photosensitizers, three types of TiO photoelectrodes were fabricated and evaluated for comparison. The double-layered nanoporous TiO photoelectrode (SPD type) consisted of a dispersed TiO layer and a transparent TiO layer. The single-layered nanoporous TiO photoelectrodes (D type and SP type) consisted of a dispersed TiO layer and a transparent TiO layer, respectively.

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Objective: Sialocele that develops after parotid surgery often prolongs the treatment period and stresses both the surgeon and patient. The extent of surgery and tumor size are known to be associated with sialocele occurrence. We investigated the incidence of post-parotidectomy sialocele and the associated risk factors, with a focus on tumor size.

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Atherosclerosis, the leading cause of death, is a vascular disease of chronic inflammation. We recently showed that angiopoietin-like 4 (ANGPTL4) promotes cardiac repair by suppressing pathological inflammation. Given the fundamental contribution of inflammation to atherosclerosis, we assessed the role of ANGPTL4 in the development of atherosclerosis and determined whether ANGPTL4 regulates atherosclerotic plaque stability.

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A prodrug is bioreversible medication that is specifically converted to the active drugs by enzymes overexpressed in the tumor microenvironment, which can considerably reduce the chemotherapy-induced side effects. However, prodrug strategies usually have low antitumor efficacy compared to free drugs by delayed drug release. This is because they need time to be activated by enzymatic cleavage and they also cannot be fully recovered to the active drugs.

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Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) with various sizes and morphologies have been extensively investigated for effective photothermal therapy (PTT) against multiple cancer types. However, a highly dynamic and complex tumor microenvironment (TME) considerably reduces the efficacy of PTT by limiting deep tumor penetration of AuNPs. Herein, we propose a mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-mediated deep tumor delivery of gold nanorod (AuNR) for a potent PTT.

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Intensive research has focused on minimizing the infarct area and stimulating endogenous regeneration after myocardial infarction. Our group previously elucidated that apicidin, a histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor, robustly accelerates the cardiac commitment of naïve mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) through acute loss of YAP1. Here, we propose the novel regulation of YAP1 in MSCs.

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Purpose: Overweight (OW)/obese girls tend to have an earlier pubertal onset than girls with normal weight. However, only a few studies have reported the progression of puberty in these girls. This study aimed to identify risk factors for rapid pubertal progression in OW/obese girls presenting with precocious breast development.

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A new type of polymer matrix electrolyte based on modified polybutadiene (modified PB) was developed for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) to improve their stability. The modified PB was fabricated by cross-linking the reaction of polybutadiene with siloxane groups as a substitute sol-gel process. A DSSC device using the modified PB matrix electrolyte showed an open-circuit voltage of 0.

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BACKGROUND Immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) includes several immune-mediated fibro-inflammatory conditions affecting multiple organs. Increased IgG4 serum levels support the diagnosis of IgG4-RD and characteristic histopathology of fibrous infiltrates or masses containing IgG4-positive plasma cells. We present the case of a 61-year-old woman with low back pain who was diagnosed with IgG4-RD involving the thoracoabdominal aorta and retroperitoneum.

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Although transoral endoscopic thyroid surgery affords several advantages, the use of carbon dioxide (CO2) gas to create and maintain the working space may cause complications such as subcutaneous emphysema and a CO2 embolism. We have used a self-retaining retractor as an alternative to CO2 gas insufflation for some time; we here report its feasibility and safety. We reviewed the medical records of 131 patients who underwent transoral endoscopic thyroid lobectomy; we compared the "CO2 group" and the "retractor" group.

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: Bromelain is a mixture of protease obtained from pineapple fruits or stems. Even though the biological mechanism of action of bromelain has not been completely understood, it is well known that bromelain possesses anticancer, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects. This study investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of bromelain on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced human dental pulp cells (hDPCs).

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Resistin-like alpha (Retnla) is a member of the resistin family and known to modulate fibrosis and inflammation. Here, we investigated the role of Retnla in the cardiac injury model. Myocardial infarction (MI) was induced in wild type (WT), Retnla knockout (KO), and Retnla transgenic (TG) mice.

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BACKGROUND Hemangiomas are relatively rare, slow-growing, benign neoplasms that can cause necrosis, ulceration, and infection leading to airway obstruction or intractable hemorrhage. Controversy persists regarding the treatment options for these tumors, which include active observation, corticosteroids, sclerotherapy, laser treatment, and surgical resection. CASE REPORT A 61-year-old man presented with a 6-month history of persistent throat clearing and foreign body sensation in the throat.

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Article Synopsis
  • p53 plays a crucial role in maintaining redox homeostasis by regulating glucose and glutamine metabolism, but the specifics of this mechanism remain unclear.
  • Two cancer subclones with different p53 mutations were studied under glucose-deprived and reactive oxygen species (ROS)-prone conditions to understand p53's influence on metabolism and cellular defense.
  • The subclone with functional p53 utilized glutamine more effectively to sustain energy and redox balance, while the p53-deficient subclone struggled with metabolic stress, suggesting p53 status could guide cancer treatment strategies involving metabolic drugs and ROS therapies.
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An analytical method was developed for the quantification of spinosad (sum of spinosyns A and D) in five animal-derived products (chicken breast, pork, beef, egg, and milk) using LC-MS/MS. The sample was extracted using acetonitrile/1% acetic acid and a combination of magnesium sulfate and sodium acetate salts. The sample was purified using multiwalled carbon nanotubes as sorbent via a dispersive-solid-phase extraction procedure.

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Introduction: Transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach (TOETVA) has become increasingly popular. Several reports have emphasized the safety and efficacy of this new approach. However, there is no report on functional voice outcomes, including voice pitch change after TOETVA.

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