Temporal optimization of meiotic arrest for enhancing oocyte maturity during in vitro maturation of porcine median antral follicles.

During in vitro maturation (IVM), median antral follicles (MAFs) were mechanically aspirated from the porcine ovarian cortex, and this process causes an early disconnection of follicular somatic cells from oocytes within antral follicles before the formation of graafian follicles. Thus, nuclear maturation is accelerated ahead of the completion of cytoplasmic maturation. Dibutyryl-cAMP (dbcAMP), a well-known cAMP modulator, is used to inhibit the resumption of meiosis in immature oocytes.

Non-episodic angioedema with eosinophilia as a differential diagnosis of eosinophilia in young females.

Background: Episodic angioedema with eosinophilia, also known as Gleich's syndrome, is a differential diagnosis in patients with recurrent angioedema with higher blood eosinophils. Meanwhile, less has been elucidated regarding non-episodic angioedema with eosinophilia (NEAE). This study aimed to examine the prevalence, clinical characteristics, and disease course of NEAE.

Clinical use of whole exome sequencing in children with developmental delay/intellectual disability.

Background: Identifying the underlying etiology of developmental delay/intellectual disability (DD/ID) is challenging but important. The genetic diagnosis of unexplained DD/ID helps in the treatment and prognosis of the disability in patients. In this study, we reported our experience of using whole exome sequencing (WES) of children with unexplained DD/ID.

Coffin-Siris Syndrome: Case Series of Three Patients and a Novel ARID2 Variant.

Coffin-Siris syndrome (CSS) is a rare congenital disorder characterized by coarse facial features, intellectual disability or developmental delay, and aplasia or hypoplasia of the tips of the fifth finger and/or toes. Mutations in genes affecting the switch/sucrose non-fermenting ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling complex are reported to cause CSS. Here, we describe three CSS patients.

Clinical features of systemic lupus erythematosus patients with splenomegaly: focussed on the cytopenias.

This study aimed to investigate the clinical features of splenomegaly, mainly focussing on cytopenia, in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Cytopenia was commonly observed in 111 SLE patients with splenomegaly (n = 79, 71.2%).

Zwitterionic polymer on silicone implants inhibits the bacteria-driven pathogenic mechanism and progress of breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma.

Breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) occurs in the capsule surrounding breast implants. Malignant transformation of T cells by bacteria-driven chronic inflammation may be underlying BIA-ALCL mechanism. Here, we covalently grafted 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC)-based polymers on a silicone surface and examined its effects against BIA-ALCL pathogenesis.

Safety and Tolerability of Weekly Genexol-PM, a Cremophor-Free Polymeric Micelle Formulation of Paclitaxel, with Carboplatin in Gynecologic Cancer: A Phase I Study.

Purpose: This phase I study was conducted to determine the maximum tolerated dose and the recommended phase II dose of weekly administered Genexol-PM combined with carboplatin in patients with gynecologic cancer.

Materials And Methods: This open-label, phase I, dose-escalation study of weekly Genexol-PM included 18 patients with gynecologic cancer, who were equally divided into three cohorts of dose levels. Cohort 1 received 100 mg/m2 Genexol-PM and 5 area under the curve (AUC) carboplatin, cohort 2 received 120 mg/m2 Genexol-PM and 5 AUC carboplatin, and cohort 3 received 120 mg/m2 Genexol-PM and 6 AUC carboplatin.

Optimal timing for inguinal hernia repair in premature infants: surgical issues for inguinal hernia in premature infants.

Purpose: We analyzed the timing of inguinal hernia repair in premature infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) considering recurrence, incarceration, and other complications.

Methods: In this multicenter retrospective review, premature infants (<37 weeks) in the NICU diagnosed with inguinal hernia between 2017 and 2021 were segregated into 2 groups based on the timing of inguinal hernia repair.

Results: Of 149 patients, 109 (73.

Conization before radical hysterectomy in patients with early-stage cervical cancer: A Korean multicenter study (COBRA-R).

Objective: To investigate the impact of conization on survival outcomes and to identify a specific population that might benefit from conization before radical hysterectomy (RH) in patients with early-stage cervical cancer.

Methods: From six institutions in Korea, we identified node-negative, margin-negative, parametria-negative, 2009 FIGO stage IB1 cervical cancer patients who underwent primary type C RH between 2006 and 2021. The patients were divided into multiple groups based on tumor size, surgical approach, and histology.

Deep Vein Thrombosis after COVID-19 mRNA Vaccination in a Young Man with Inferior Vena Cava Anomaly Leading to Recurrent Deep Vein Thrombosis.

Severe side effects of adenoviral-vectored-DNA COVID-19 vaccines such as thrombosis have been reported. Herein, we report a case of sudden massive deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in a young man with inferior vena cava anomaly 20 hours after the second dose of the mRNA vaccine for COVID-19. There was recurrence of iliofemoral DVT after one year, despite complete resolution and administration of prophylactic anticoagulants.

Recent advances in selective and targeted drug/gene delivery systems using cell-penetrating peptides.

Biological cell membranes are a natural barrier for living cells. In the last few decades, the cell membrane has been the main hurdle in the efficient delivery of bioactive and therapeutic agents. To increase the drug efficacy of these agents, additional mediators have been considered.

The complex of miRNA2861 and cell-penetrating, dimeric α-helical peptide accelerates the osteogenesis of mesenchymal stem cells.

Background: The restoration of the functional ability of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) using epigenetic modification is very promising for patients with weak osteogenesis ability. This study focused on the acceleration of osteogenesis from MSCs using microRNA (miRNA)2861 and a cell-penetrating peptide (CPP), LK.

Methods: We performed MSCs penetration test of complex between the LK peptides and miRNA 2861.

Long-term outcomes and prognostic factors after aortic valve surgery in patients with Takayasu arteritis.

Background: Aortic regurgitation (AR) is a common cardiovascular complication in patients with Takayasu arteritis (TAK), and complication after aortic valve surgery (AVS) is not rare. This study aimed to identify the long-term postoperative outcomes for significant AR in patients with TAK compared with those in patients without TAK.

Methods: We included 35 patients with TAK with moderate-to-severe AR who underwent AVS and compared their postoperative outcomes with those of 105 age- and operation period-matched patients with severe AR but without TAK.

Engineering Approaches for the Development of Antimicrobial Peptide-Based Antibiotics.

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have received increasing attention as potential alternatives for future antibiotics because of the rise of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria. AMPs are small cationic peptides with broad-spectrum antibiotic activities and different action mechanisms to those of traditional antibiotics. Despite the desirable advantages of developing peptide-based antimicrobial agents, the clinical applications of AMPs are still limited because of their enzymatic degradation, toxicity, and selectivity.

Macrophage activation syndrome in rheumatic disease: Clinical characteristics and prognosis of 20 adult patients.

Objectives: Macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) is a hyperinflammatory condition that is known to be secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) in patients with rheumatic disease. The aim of study was to evaluate the clinical manifestations and outcomes in patients with MAS with rheumatic disease.

Materials And Methods: We performed a retrospective study of 20 adult patients who were diagnosed with MAS from 2012 to 2020.

Risk of New-Onset Diabetes Mellitus Associated with Antirheumatic Drugs in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Nationwide Population Study.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the effect of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) on diabetes mellitus (DM) development in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods: This nested case−control study with a cohort of 69,779 DM-naïve adult patients with RA was conducted from 2011 to 2019 in South Korea. Cases with incident DM were identified and individually matched to randomly selected controls (1:4).

Idiopathic Inflammatory Arthritis in the Auditory Canal in a Patient With Hearing Impairment: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Inflammatory arthritis can affect the auditory system during the disease course. Although most cases show asymptomatic hearing impairment, it can result in hearing loss. Here we describe the case of a 70-year-old female with hearing impairment associated with idiopathic inflammatory arthritis in her auditory system.

Effects of medium chain triglycerides with organic acids on growth performance, fecal score, blood profiles, intestinal morphology, and nutrient digestibility in weaning pigs.

Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of medium chain triglycerides (MCT) with organic acids (OA) on growth performance, fecal score, blood profiles, intestinal morphology, and nutrient digestibility in weaning pigs.

Methods: A total of 120 weaning pigs ([Yorkshire×Landrace]×Duroc) with an average body weight (BW) of 8.00±0.

A dimeric α-helical cell penetrating peptide mounted with an HER2-selective affibody.

We have developed a cell penetrating peptide (CPP) system with high selectivity and penetrability at nanomolar concentrations with a combination of an HER2-selective affibody, Z (Z), and a dimeric α-helical leucine- and lysine-rich peptide, LK-2. Z and LK-2 are linearly fused together and expressed in a prokaryotic system to create the LK-2-Z protein, which can successfully distinguish and penetrate HER2-overexpressing cancer cells at nanomolar concentrations. LK-2-Z has the ability to intracellularly deliver doxorubicin as a conjugate form to enhance its anti-cancer effect on HER2-overexpressing breast cancer cells with a great selectivity.

Anaphylaxis to tocilizumab in patients with rheumatic disease.

Anaphylaxis to tocilizumab has been reported anecdotally. Therefore, we evaluated the incidence of anaphylaxis in patients starting tocilizumab. This retrospective study included patients with rheumatic disease who were administered tocilizumab from 2013 to 2020.

Chromosomal Microarray in Children With Developmental Delay: The Experience of a Tertiary Center in Korea.

Chromosomal microarray (CMA) is a first-tier genetic test for children with developmental delay (DD), intellectual disability (ID), autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), and multiple congenital anomalies (MCA). In this study, we report our experiences with the use of CMA in Korean children with unexplained DD/ID. We performed CMA in a cohort of 308 children with DD/ID between January 2010 and September 2020.