Publications by authors named "MinJeong Kim"

Over 30 million prescriptions of NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) are issued every year. Considering that these drugs are available without a prescription as over the counter (OTC) drugs, their use will be astronomical. With the increasing use of NSAIDs, their adverse effects are drawing attention.

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Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease caused by various periodontal pathogens. Weissella cibaria CMU (oraCMU) is a probiotic that promotes oral health. However, its anti‑inflammatory effects against periodontal pathogens have not yet been investigated.

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  • The study focuses on how functional connectivity (FC) of the brain influences cognition and behavior, highlighting the need to investigate temporal changes in FC for deeper insights into brain networks.
  • A new spatio-temporal hub identification method is proposed to analyze hub nodes in functional brain networks, allowing for the exploration of changes over time within these networks.
  • The method was tested on fMRI data from an OCD study, showing improved accuracy and consistency compared to existing methods that do not incorporate functional dynamics.
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Objectives: The aim of effective data quality control and management is to minimize the impact of errors on study results by identifying and correcting them. This study presents the results of a data quality control system for the Korea HIV/AIDS Cohort Study that took into account the characteristics of the data.

Methods: The HIV/AIDS Cohort Study in Korea conducts repeated measurements every 6 months using an electronic survey administered to voluntarily consenting participants and collects data from 21 hospitals.

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  • Vascular calcification increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, especially linked to metabolic disorders like diabetes and fatty liver disease.
  • Researchers studied the effects of AMPK activators—metformin, resveratrol, and exendin-4—on reducing calcium buildup in rat vascular smooth muscle cells caused by inorganic phosphate (Pi).
  • These compounds were effective in decreasing calcium deposition, promoting the expression of specific muscle cell markers, and inhibiting factors that lead to bone formation in these cells, with their effects being closely tied to the activity of AMPK.
  • Inhibition of AMPK weakened the protective effects of these treatments, indicating that AMPK plays a crucial role in preventing vascular calcification.
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We investigated the occurrence and distribution of antibiotic-resistance genes (ARGs) and the composition of a bacterial community under conditions of rainfall on a recreational beach in Korea. Seawater samples, collected every 1‒5 hours in June 2018 and May 2019, were analyzed using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and next-generation sequencing. We found a substantial influence of rainfall and tidal levels on the relative abundance of total ARGs and bacterial operational taxonomic units (OTUs), which showed 1.

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The recent development of neuroimaging technology and network theory allows us to visualize and characterize the whole-brain functional connectivity in vivo. The importance of conventional structural image atlas widely used in population-based neuroimaging studies has been well verified. Similarly, a "common" brain connectivity map (also called connectome atlas) across individuals can open a new pathway to interpreting disorder-related brain cognition and behaviors.

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Titanium dioxide (TiO₂) is a semiconductor photocatalyst widely applied in numerous fields due to possessing prominent photocatalytic properties. However, its practical applications in the form of nanoparticles or powders still have remained several limitations. Recently, novel photocatalytic porous composites have been discovered to be potential alternative approaches.

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  • The use of diesel locomotives is declining due to the rise of electrification and high-speed electric rail, but around 30% of transport in Korea still relies on diesel.
  • This study analyzed harmful emissions from diesel locomotives, including particulate matter (PM), nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), and hydrocarbons, finding that emissions increased with engine output and were often above established U.S. and Korean standards.
  • A portable emission measurement system (PEMS) was successfully used for the first time to measure these emissions in diesel locomotives, suggesting the need for ongoing monitoring and future research on driving patterns and emissions.
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The purpose of this paper is to serve as a template for greater understanding for the practicing radiologist about key steps to perform multimodality computer analysis of MRI images, specifically in multiple sclerosis patients. With this understanding, radiologists will be better equipped about how best to process and analyze MRI imaging data and obtain accurate quantitative information for MS patient evaluation. A secondary intent of this article is to improve radiologist understanding of how artificial intelligence will be employed in the future for better patient stratification, and for evaluation of response to therapy in both clinical care and drug trials.

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  • The study assessed how respiratory motion affects liver stiffness measurements using different shear wave elastography (SWE) techniques and region of interest (ROI) methods.
  • It involved three operators testing four liver fibrosis phantoms while measuring stiffness under various motion settings and using two SWE techniques: point-SWE (pSWE) and 2D-SWE.
  • Results showed that while technical failures and unreliable measurements occurred mainly in moving modes, 2D-SWE was more consistent and efficient, suggesting it is better for patients who struggle with breath-holding during the procedure.
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Purpose: This study assessed whether the newly developed PET radioligand [C]PS13, which has shown excellent in vivo selectivity in previous animal studies, could be used to quantify constitutive levels of cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) in healthy human brain.

Methods: Brain test-retest scans with concurrent arterial blood samples were obtained in 10 healthy individuals. The one- and unconstrained two-tissue compartment models, as well as the Logan graphical analysis were compared, and test-retest reliability and time-stability of total distribution volume (V) were assessed.

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Background: Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), which is rapidly upregulated by inflammation, is a key enzyme catalyzing the rate-limiting step in the synthesis of several inflammatory prostanoids. Successful positron emission tomography (PET) radioligand imaging of COX-2 in vivo could be a potentially powerful tool for assessing inflammatory response in the brain and periphery. To date, however, the development of PET radioligands for COX-2 has had limited success.

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Korean red pine ( Sieb. et Zucc.) bark is a by-product of the wood industry and contains a high level of antioxidative phenolics including flavonoids, which have a variety of beneficial health effects.

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Purpose: This study aimed to assess the technical performance of ElastQ Imaging compared with ElastPQ and to investigate the correlation between liver stiffness (LS) values obtained using these two techniques.

Methods: This retrospective study included 249 patients who underwent LS measurements using both ElastPQ and ElastQ Imaging equipped on the same machine. The applicability, repeatability (coefficient of variation [CV]), acquisition time, and LS values were compared using the chi-square or Wilcoxon signed-rank tests.

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As agonists of TLR7/8, single-stranded RNAs (ssRNAs) are safe and promising adjuvants that do not cause off-target effects or innate immune overactivation. However, low stability prevents them from mounting sufficient immune responses. This study evaluates the adjuvant effects of ssRNA derived from the cricket paralysis virus intergenic region internal ribosome entry site, formulated as nanoparticles with a coordinative amphiphile, containing a zinc/dipicolylamine complex moiety as a coordinative phosphate binder, as a stabilizer for RNA-based adjuvants.

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Objective: To investigate if size measurements of liver observations is more variable in the arterial phase as suggested by LI-RADS and assess potential higher instability in categorization in this particular phase. Secondarily, to assess inter- and intra-reader agreement for size across phases.

Materials And Methods: Patients with liver cirrhosis who underwent multi-arterial phase MRI between 2017 and 2018 were retrospectively selected.

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The experiments reported in this research paper aimed to determine the effect of supplementing different forms of L-methionine (L-Met) and acetate on protein synthesis in immortalized bovine mammary epithelial cell line (MAC-T cells). Treatments were Control, L-Met, conjugated L-Met and acetate (CMA), and non-conjugated L-Met and Acetate (NMA). Protein synthesis mechanism was determined by omics method.

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Pulmonary mucormycosis is a relatively rare but often fatal opportunistic fungal infection that occurs mostly in immunocompromised patients. Endobronchial mucormycosis, a distinct clinical form of pulmonary mucormycosis, is very rare, and only a few cases have been reported. The most common bronchoscopic findings in patients with endobronchial mucormycosis are stenosis, erythematous mucosa and airway obstruction.

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Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia is one of the most serious bacterial infections and may lead to worse clinical outcomes in patients with prolonged severe neutropenia. However, clinical data on S. aureus bacteremia in neutropenic patients with hematologic malignancies are limited.

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Objective: This study was conducted to examine the effects of a mixture of pinecone oil, garlic, and brown seaweed extracts (PGBE) on milk production traits as well as physiological and ethological parameters in Holstein cows during the summer season (24 May to 03 July 2015, Korea).

Methods: Among the extract combinations tested, we found that the level of 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylberzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) cation radical scavenging activity of the 0.16% PBGE complex at ratio of 1:1:1 (vol/vol) was comparable to that of the control (ascorbic acid; 1 mg/mL).

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Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates how the maternal immune system in pigs tolerates the genetically distinct placental tissues during pregnancy, focusing on the proteins FASLG and TNFSF10.
  • It found that these proteins, along with their receptors, are expressed in specific tissues at different stages of pregnancy, particularly localizing to endometrial epithelial cells and influencing immune cell behavior.
  • The findings suggest that FASLG and TNFSF10 play a crucial role in creating an immune-privileged environment, which is essential for the successful establishment and maintenance of pregnancy in pigs.
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Background: We aimed to evaluate the influence of cold airflow from the air conditioner on skin barrier function and filaggrin degradation products (FDPs) in children with atopic deramtitis (AD).

Methods: In a case-control study, 28 children with AD and 12 normal children without AD were exposed to one of two air conditioner modes (conventional or wind-free) for 2 h. Skin temperature, transepidermal water loss (TEWL), and skin pH were measured on right cheek and forearm at pre- and post-exposure time points.

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The clinical significance of long-term methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteremia remains unclear. We evaluated the clinical, microbiological characteristics, and clinical outcomes of long-term MRSA bacteremia. A nested case-control study was conducted in a prospective cohort of adult patients with MRSA bacteremia at a tertiary hospital between August 2008 and December 2017.

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