The prevalence and prevention strategies of pediatric obesity: a narrative review.

Pediatric obesity has rapidly increased globally over the past few decades, including in Korea. We aimed to discuss trends in the prevalence of pediatric obesity and effective prevention strategies. Its prevalence has markedly increased in most high-income nations.

A Korean male with Kleefstra syndrome presented with micropenis.

Kleefstra syndrome is caused by chromosome 9q34.3 deletion or heterozygous mutations in the euchromatin histone methyl transferase 1 (EHMT1) gene. It can be accompanied by intellectual disability, distinctive facial features, microcephaly, psychiatric disorders, hypotonia in childhood, hearing loss, heart defects, renal defects, epilepsy, speech anomalies, and obesity.

Associations Between Phthalate, Eosinophil, and Aeroallergen Sensitization in Schoolchildren.

Background: Phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA) are endocrine-disrupting chemicals and may cause immunological disorders in children. Therefore, according to the region, we investigated urinary phthalates and BPA levels and the relationship between urinary phthalate, aeroallergen sensitization, and eosinophil count during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

Methods: In total, 203 schoolchildren (134 residential and 69 industrial) aged 7-10 years were enrolled between July 2021 and July 2022.

SARS-CoV-2 spike trimer vaccine expressed in Nicotiana benthamiana adjuvanted with Alum elicits protective immune responses in mice.

The ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has spurred rapid development of vaccines as part of the public health response. However, the general strategy used to construct recombinant trimeric severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike (S) proteins in mammalian cells is not completely adaptive to molecular farming. Therefore, we generated several constructs of recombinant S proteins for high expression in Nicotiana benthamiana.

Metanephrine negative pheochromocytoma: a rare case report of dopamine-secreting tumor in an adolescent neurofibromatosis type 1 patient.

Pheochromocytoma (PCC) occurs in 4% of pediatric neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) patients and is characterized by epinephrine and norepinephrine secretion. Herein, we report the first case of dopamine-secreting PCC in a 13-year-old patient with NF1. A left adrenal mass was incidentally found on abdominal computed tomography (CT ) during hypertension workup.

Precocious puberty in Korean girls with and without exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals in toy slime: a comparative analysis.

Background: Toy slime is popular in Korea, and in parallel, pre-pubertal girls visit hospitals for early pubertal signs. Thus far, numerous studies have investigated the association of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) with precocious puberty (PP). However, there is a lack of studies on the clinical manifestations and sex hormones.

Increase in blood glucose level and incidence of diabetic ketoacidosis in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus in the Daegu-Gyeongbuk area during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic: a retrospective cross-sectional study.

Backgruound: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in the Daegu-Gyeongbuk area in 2020 has caused difficulties in the daily life and hospital care of children with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). We detected an increase in blood sugar levels in these children and the number of patients hospitalized with more severe diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) compared to those before COVID-19.

Methods: This single-center study was conducted at Kyungpook National University Children's Hospital.

Central nervous system vasculitis from Epstein-Barr virus-associated T/natural killer-cell lymphoproliferative disorder in children: A case report.

Background: Epstein-Barr virus-associated T/natural killer-cell lymphoproliferative disorders (EBV-T/NK-LPD) is a group of rare disorders resulting from EBV-infected T/NK-cells. It manifests as a broad spectrum of clinical symptoms according to immunologic status and viral load of an infected patient. Here, we report a boy who developed central nervous system (CNS) vasculitis and myelopathy as possible neurologic manifestations of EBV-T/NK-LPD.

Development and comparison of two H5N8 influenza A vaccine candidate strains.

Avian influenza viruses circulating in birds have caused outbreaks of infection in poultry and humans, thereby threatening public health. Recently, a highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus (H5N8) of clade 2.3.

Mycophenolic mofetil, an alternative antiviral and immunomodulator for the highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 virus infection.

Infection with the highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 virus results in a high incidence of mortality in humans. Severe complications from infection are often associated with hypercytokinemia. However, current neuraminidase inhibitors (NAIs) have several limitations including the appearance of oseltamivir-resistant H5N1 virus and the inability to completely ameliorate hyper-immune responses.

Immunological characterization of monoclonal antibodies used in rapid influenza diagnostic test for detection of the 2009 pandemic influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 infection.

Since the 2009 pandemic, monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) for rapid influenza diagnostic tests (RIDT) have been developed for specific diagnostics of pandemic viral infection. Most of the mAbs were poorly characterized because of urgency during the pandemic. Further characterization of the mAbs for RIDTs would be beneficial for understanding the immunological properties of the pandemic virus and utilizing the mAbs for other research purposes.

A library of TAL effector nucleases spanning the human genome.

Transcription activator-like (TAL) effector nucleases (TALENs) can be readily engineered to bind specific genomic loci, enabling the introduction of precise genetic modifications such as gene knockouts and additions. Here we present a genome-scale collection of TALENs for efficient and scalable gene targeting in human cells. We chose target sites that did not have highly similar sequences elsewhere in the genome to avoid off-target mutations and assembled TALEN plasmids for 18,740 protein-coding genes using a high-throughput Golden-Gate cloning system.

Evaluation of non-point source pollution reduction by applying best management practices using a SWAT model and QuickBird high resolution satellite imagery.

This study evaluated the reduction effect of non-point source pollution by applying best management practices (BMPs) to a 1.21 km2 small agricultural watershed using a SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool) model. Two meter QuickBird land use data were prepared for the watershed.

A case of intravenous immunoglobulin-resistant Kawasaki disease treated with methotrexate.

Kawasaki disease, an acute febrile vasculitis of unknown etiology, is usually treated with high doses of immunoglobulin (IVIG) and aspirin. However, 20% of children show persistent or recurrent fever despite IVIG, and coronary artery aneurysm progression. In such cases of resistance to IVIG treatment, repeated IVIG administration or the initiation of steroid therapy, and the use of cyclophosphamide have been reported.