Proton Pump Inhibitor Use and Its Association with Lung Cancer Likelihood and Mortality: A Nationwide Nested Case-Control Study in Korea.

Background/objectives: Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are widely used for acid-related gastrointestinal disorders, but their potential association with lung cancer risk and mortality remains underexplored and debated. This study sought to investigate the association between PPI use and lung cancer likelihood and mortality, focusing on the impact of PPI exposure history and duration.

Methods: This study utilized data from 6795 lung cancer patients, 27,180 matched controls, and 4257 deceased and 2538 surviving lung cancer patients from the Korean National Health Insurance Service's Health Screening Cohort (2002-2019).

Upregulation of interferon-γ response genes in monocytes and T cells identified by single-cell transcriptomics in patients with anti-citrullinated peptide antibody-positive early rheumatoid arthritis.

Introduction: Our aim was to investigate the insufficiently understood differences in the immune system between anti-citrullinated peptide antibody (ACPA)-positive (ACPA) and ACPA-negative (ACPA) early rheumatoid arthritis (eRA) patients.

Methods: We performed multiple cytokine assays using sera from drug-naïve ACPA and ACPA eRA patients. Additionally, we conducted single-cell RNA sequencing of CD45 cells from peripheral blood samples to analyze and compare the distribution and functional characteristics of the cell subsets based on the ACPA status.

Association Between Statin Use and Psoriasis in Patients with Dyslipidemia: A Korean National Health Screening Cohort Study.

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease that significantly impacts physical and emotional health. Statins, primarily used as lipid-lowering drugs, have also demonstrated anti-inflammatory effects. While some studies suggest that statins may improve psoriasis symptoms, the findings have been inconsistent.

Chronic Kidney Disease and Infection Risk: A Lower Incidence of Peritonsillar Abscesses in Specific CKD Subgroups in a 16-Year Korean Nationwide Cohort Study.

Peritonsillar abscesses and deep neck infection are potentially serious infections among patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), posing risks for severe complications and drawing significant public health concern. This nationwide, population-based longitudinal study (2002-2019) assessed the extended relationship between chronic kidney disease (CKD) and the likelihood of peritonsillar abscess and deep neck infection in a Korean cohort. Using a 1:4 propensity score overlap-weighted matching, we included 16,879 individuals with CKD and 67,516 comparable controls, accounting for demographic variables and comorbidities to ensure balanced group comparisons.

Circulatory age-associated B cells: Their distinct transcriptomic characteristics and clinical significance in drug-naïve patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Age-associated B cells (ABCs) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. However, the global gene expression and clinical significance of circulatory ABCs in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) remain poorly understood. Here, single-cell RNA sequencing identified nine B cell subsets in peripheral blood of RA patients, including ABCs.

Association Between Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease and Periodontitis: A Longitudinal Follow-Up Study from the Korean National Health Screening Cohort.

Background: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and periodontitis are common conditions in older adults that can lead to serious complications, gaining public health attention. Although GERD and periodontitis share common risk factors, such as age, lifestyle habits, and socioeconomic status, large-scale studies examining their specific relationship are limited.

Methods: This study aimed to assess the association between GERD and the likelihood of developing periodontitis using a national validated cohort data from Korea.

Expression of IL-7RαCX3CR1 CD8 T Cells and α4β7 Integrin Tagged T Cells Related to Mucosal Immunity in Children with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Purpose: The study aimed to investigate the recruiting of T lymphocytes including IL-7Rα CX3CR1 effector memory (EM) CD8 T cells and α4β7 integrin tagged T cells to inflamed intestinal mucosa.

Methods: Whole blood and mucosal tissues of intestine were collected from 40 children with or without inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). T cell surface staining and immunohistochemistry were done with several antibodies in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and intestinal mucosa, respectively.

Association between Gastric Cancer and Osteoporosis: A Longitudinal Follow-Up Study Using a National Health Sample Cohort.

Gastric cancer (GC) survivors may be more likely to develop osteoporosis. However, few studies on the relationship between GC and osteoporosis have been conducted on large patient populations. We aimed to determine the incidence of osteoporosis and identify related factors by comparing patients with GC and matched controls using the Korean National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort (KNHIS-NSC).

The Association of Chronic Periodontitis as a Potential Risk Factor with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Nested Case-Control Study Using a Korean National Health Screening Cohort.

Growing research has proposed that rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and chronic periodontitis (CP) share similar pathophysiological mechanisms involving inflammation and tissue destruction. However, the potential correlation of CP as a contributing factor for the occurrence of RA warrants validation in the Korean population, where both diseases are prevalent, especially considering the increasingly aging demographic in Korea. This study examined 5139 RA cases and 509,727 matched controls from a Korean national cohort dataset (2002-2019) by carefully employing propensity score matching to ensure comparability between groups.

Associations between Chronic Kidney Disease and Migraine Incidence: Findings from a Korean Longitudinal Big Data Study.

While headaches frequently occur in individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD), there are few statistical evaluations of their connection to migraines in population-based studies. In this nationwide longitudinal follow-up study of Korean health examination data (2002-2019), a total of 15,443 participants with CKD and 61,772 matched controls were enrolled. We applied overlap-weighted Cox proportional hazard regression models to assess hazard ratios, examining the correlation between CKD and the development of migraines.

Investigating the Connection between Chronic Periodontitis and Parkinson's Disease: Findings from a Korean National Cohort Study.

Recent research suggests a potential relevance between chronic periodontitis (CP) and Parkinson's disease (PD), raising concerns about comorbid PD among elderly CP patients. However, the epidemiologic basis for this association remains unclear. Employing a nested case-control design, this study explored the association between CP and subsequent PD occurrences in Korean adults, leveraging a validated national population-based dataset covering the period from 2002 to 2019.

ACY-241, a histone deacetylase 6 inhibitor, suppresses the epithelial-mesenchymal transition in lung cancer cells by downregulating hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha.

Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α) is a transcription factor activated under hypoxic conditions, and it plays a crucial role in cellular stress regulation. While HIF-1α activity is essential in normal tissues, its presence in the tumor microenvironment represents a significant risk factor as it can induce angiogenesis and confer resistance to anti-cancer drugs, thereby contributing to poor prognoses. Typically, HIF-1α undergoes rapid degradation in normoxic conditions oxygen-dependent degradation mechanisms.

An elevated likelihood of stroke, ischemic heart disease, or heart failure in individuals with gout: a longitudinal follow-up study utilizing the National Health Information database in Korea.

Objective: Accumulating evidence from other countries indicates potential associations between gout and cardiovascular diseases; however, the associations of gout with cardiovascular diseases, particularly stroke, ischemic heart disease, and heart failure, remain ambiguous in the Korean population. We hypothesized that individuals with gout are at a higher likelihood of stroke, ischemic heart disease, or heart failure. This study expands upon previous research by ensuring a comparable baseline between patient and control groups and analyzing 16 years of data derived from an extensive healthcare database.

Intracellular Adhesion Molecule-1 Improves Responsiveness to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor by Activating CD8 T Cells.

Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) clinically benefits cancer treatment. However, the ICI responses are only achieved in a subset of patients, and the underlying mechanisms of the limited response remain unclear. 160 patients with non-small cell lung cancer treated with anti-programmed cell death protein-1 (anti-PD-1) or anti-programmed death ligand-1 (anti-PD-L1) are analyzed to understand the early determinants of response to ICI.

Programmed Death-Ligand 1 Copy Number Alteration as an Adjunct Biomarker of Response to Immunotherapy in Advanced NSCLC.

Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate the value of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) copy number (CN) alteration as an additional biomarker to standard immunohistochemistry (IHC) in predicting response to immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy in advanced NSCLC.

Methods: Before ICI monotherapy, tumor PD-L1 CN alteration (gain, neutral, or loss) was called using whole-exome sequencing data and compared with IHC results (tumor proportion score ≥50, 1-49, or 0). Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival were correlated with both biomarkers.

Clonal expansion of resident memory T cells in peripheral blood of patients with non-small cell lung cancer during immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment.

Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are an essential treatment for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Currently, the tumor-related intrinsic factors in response to ICIs have mostly been elucidated in tissue samples. However, tissue immune status and changes in the immune microenvironment can also be reflected and monitored through peripheral blood.

Cellular plasticity and immune microenvironment of malignant pleural effusion are associated with EGFR-TKI resistance in non-small-cell lung carcinoma.

Malignant pleural effusion (MPE) is a complication of lung cancer that can be used as an alternative method for tissue sampling because it is generally simple and minimally invasive. Our study evaluated the diagnostic potential of non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC)-associated MPE in terms of understanding tumor heterogeneity and identifying response factors for EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy. We performed a single-cell RNA sequencing analysis of 31,743 cells isolated from the MPEs of 9 patients with NSCLC (5 resistant and 4 sensitive to EGFR TKI) with EGFR mutations.

Human Palatine Tonsils Are Linked to Alzheimer's Disease through Function of Reservoir of Amyloid Beta Protein Associated with Bacterial Infection.

Amyloid-β (Aβ)-peptide production or deposition in the neuropathology of Alzheimer's disease (AD) was shown to be caused by chronic inflammation that may be induced by infection, but the role of pathogenic-bacteria-related AD-associated Aβ is not yet clearly understood. In this study, we validated the hypothesis that there is a correlation between the Aβ-protein load and bacterial infection and that there are effects of bacteria, (), on the Aβ load in the inflammatory environment of human tonsils. Here, we detected Aβ-peptide deposits in human tonsil tissue as well as tissue similar to tonsilloliths found in the olfactory cleft.

Evaluation of cold atmospheric microwave plasma on skin physiological parameters and tolerability in dogs.

Background: Cold atmospheric microwave plasma (CAMP) is a promising therapeutic option for treating skin infections and wounds. Changes in biophysical skin parameters and the tolerability in dogs after applying CAMP is unknown.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the in vivo effects of CAMP on skin biophysical parameters [hydration, transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and surface temperature] and tolerability in dogs.

Changes in the Mean of Medical Visits Due to Psychiatric Disease in Korean Children and Adolescents before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been suggested to have adverse impacts on psychiatric disorders. This study aimed to investigate the changes in medical visits due to a wide range of psychiatric disorders in children during the COVID-19 pandemic. The medical visits of all Korean children and adolescents (0−19 years old) due to the 12 following psychiatric disorders were investigated: autism; attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); depressive disorder; bipolar disorder; primary insomnia; schizophrenia; panic disorder; hypochondriasis; posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD); anxiety disorder; anorexia nervosa; and adephagia.

Pitavastatin Induces Cancer Cell Apoptosis by Blocking Autophagy Flux.

Statins, a class of lipid-lowering drugs, are used in drug repositioning for treatment of human cancer. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying statin-induced cancer cell death and autophagy are not clearly defined. In the present study, we showed that pitavastatin could increase apoptosis in a FOXO3a-dependent manner in the oral cancer cell line, SCC15, and the colon cancer cell line, SW480, along with the blockade of autophagy flux.