Publications by authors named "NamJun Cho"

Kidney fibrosis causes irreversible structural damage in chronic kidney disease and is characterized by aberrant extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation. Although glutamyl-prolyl-tRNA synthetase 1 (EPRS1) is a crucial enzyme involved in proline-rich protein synthesis, its role in kidney fibrosis remains unclear. The present study revealed that EPRS1 expression levels were increased in the fibrotic kidneys of patients and mice, especially in fibroblasts and proximal tubular epithelial cells, on the basis of single-cell analysis and immunostaining of fibrotic kidneys.

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Rationale: Peritonitis caused by Pantoea agglomerans is a rare occurrence in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis. Cases potentially linked to pet dogs are even rarer, and there is limited literature available.

Patient Concerns: A patient undergoing peritoneal dialysis presented with symptoms of peritonitis, including abdominal pain and cloudy dialysis fluid.

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Article Synopsis
  • Acute kidney injury (AKI) poses serious health risks and financial burdens, prompting efforts to prevent and predict it using artificial intelligence (AI).
  • Recent advancements in AI show potential for early detection of AKI and prognosis prediction, but integrating these systems into everyday clinical practice remains difficult due to data challenges and model limitations.
  • To enhance the effectiveness of AI in predicting AKI, it's important to establish standardized criteria, encourage international collaboration for better data collection, and improve the reliability of AI outputs in real-world healthcare settings.
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It has been reported that a scenario-based cognitive behavioral therapy mobile app including Todac Todac was effective in improving depression in the general public. However, no study has been conducted on whether Todac Todac is effective in dialysis patients. Therefore, this study was intended to determine whether the use of this app was effective in improving depression in dialysis patients.

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Background: Receptor-interacting protein kinase (RIPK)3 is an essential molecule for necroptosis and its role in kidney fibrosis has been investigated using various kidney injury models. However, the relevance and the underlying mechanisms of RIPK3 to podocyte injury in albuminuric diabetic kidney disease (DKD) remain unclear. Here, we investigated the role of RIPK3 in glomerular injury of DKD.

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Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a significant challenge in healthcare. While there are considerable researches dedicated to AKI patients, a crucial factor in their renal function recovery, is often overlooked. Thus, our study aims to address this issue through the development of a machine learning model to predict restoration of kidney function in patients with AKI.

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  • The study analyzed kidney biopsy results from 237 patients with Type 2 diabetes to reassess the role of biopsies in predicting renal outcomes related to diabetic kidney disease (DKD).
  • Results showed that a significant percentage of diabetic patients had varying forms of kidney disease, with DKD alone having the highest progression rate to end-stage kidney disease (ESKD).
  • The findings suggest that kidney biopsies provide valuable insights for identifying patients with non-DKD and help predict worsening kidney conditions, guiding more effective treatment approaches.
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We investigated the differences in quantity and quality of skeletal muscle between metabolically healthy obese (MHO) and metabolically unhealthy obese (MUO) individuals using abdominal CT. One hundred and seventy-two people with morbid obesity who underwent bariatric surgery and 64 healthy control individuals participated in this retrospective study. We divided the people with morbid obesity into an MHO and MUO group.

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Background: Neurologic complications, such as cognitive and emotional dysfunction, have frequently been observed in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. Previous research shows that uremic toxins play a role in the pathogenesis of CKD-associated cognitive impairment. Since astrocytes contribute to the protection and survival of neurons, astrocyte function and brain metabolism may contribute to the pathogenesis of neurodegeneration.

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  • Chronic kidney disease is a growing health issue globally, and past research on its genetic factors has mostly centered around individuals of European ancestry.
  • This study analyzed genetic data from over 58,000 Korean participants, identifying 1,360 significant loci linked to renal function measurements like estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR).
  • The research highlighted 18 specific SNPs related to kidney traits, discovering both known and novel variants, and found these genes to be primarily active in kidney and liver pathways.
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Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD)-associated pruritus is a severe distressing condition that frequently occurs in patients undergoing dialysis. In this study, the profile of the skin microbiome was analyzed to understand the underlying etiology and potential treatments.

Methods: Seventy-six end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) patients (hemodialysis, 40; peritoneal dialysis, 36) and 15 healthy controls were enrolled and swabbed at three sites: back, antecubital fossa, and shin.

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Article Synopsis
  • * Researchers monitored 55 hemodialysis patients using a patch ECG device for 72 hours to track heart rhythm and variability during these long breaks from treatment.
  • * Results showed that while significant arrhythmia rates remained stable, indicators of heart health (like RMSSD and HF) improved over time, with worse outcomes linked to reduced autonomic response during dialysis breaks.
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  • * Research using rats with CKD demonstrated deficits in learning, memory, and spatial awareness, alongside changes in hippocampus structure and function, highlighting a connection to cognitive decline.
  • * In end-stage renal disease patients, a significant reduction in hippocampus volume was observed, suggesting that declining kidney function might damage the blood-brain barrier and contribute to cognitive impairments.
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Mucociliary clearance (MCC) allows ventilation of graft particles that are displaced through a perforated Schneiderian membrane during maxillary sinus augmentation (MSA). However, it is very rarely confirmed by cone-beam computed tomographic (CBCT) images. It is not yet known how long the dislodged bone graft particles remain in the maxillary sinus or how quickly they are ventilated after MSA.

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Introduction: Albuminuria is a well-known risk factor for end-stage kidney disease, all-cause mortality, and cardiovascular mortality, even when the albumin-to-creatinine ratio is <30 mg/g. However, the association between transiently observed trace albuminuria and these major adverse outcomes has not yet been reported. This study aimed to examine the effect of transient albuminuria on these major adverse outcomes using the National Health Insurance Service data in Korea.

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  • Expanded hemodialysis (HD) using medium cut-off (MCO) membranes is believed to better remove larger middle molecules, but its long-term benefits are not well-documented.
  • A three-year observational study assessed the efficacy and safety of expanded HD by comparing inflammatory cytokine levels and clinical outcomes between patients using MCO and high-flux (HF) dialyzers.
  • Results showed no significant differences in inflammatory cytokines, mortality, cardiovascular events, infections, or hospitalizations between the two groups, indicating similar clinical outcomes for both types of dialysis.
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  • * It analyzed data from 679 patients, splitting them into training (509) and testing (170) groups to develop and validate the scoring model using factors like age, pesticide type, ingestion amount, Glasgow Coma Scale, and arterial pH.
  • * The PREP scoring system showed strong predictive accuracy for respiratory failure, with four risk categories defined to determine the need for mechanical ventilation, but further studies are needed for validation.
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To take swift action towards tackling the global pollution crisis of discarded lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) while reinforcing road structures, this investigation was undertaken. The influence of various proportions of spent graphite (e.g.

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Introduction: Previous studies have revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic can cause psychological distress such as depression and anxiety. Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) might be more vulnerable to psychological distress due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Its impact could be different according to dialysis modality.

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The radiodensity and volume of epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) on computed tomography angiography (CTA) may provide information regarding cardiovascular risk and long-term outcomes. EAT volume is associated with mortality in patients undergoing incident hemodialysis. However, the relationship between EAT radiodensity/volume and all-cause mortality in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) undergoing maintenance hemodialysis remains elusive.

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  • A study investigated the relationship between pericoronary fat attenuation index (FAI) on CT angiography and long-term mortality in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients, especially those with end-stage renal disease (ESRD).
  • The research included 268 CKD patients, focusing on the left anterior descending artery (LAD) FAI measurements, and found that elevated FAI values in ESRD patients significantly increased their risk of all-cause mortality.
  • The findings suggest that monitoring pericoronary FAI could help identify ESRD patients at higher risk, allowing for potential early interventions.
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Sudden cardiac arrest can leave serious brain damage or lead to death, so it is very important to predict before a cardiac arrest occurs. However, early warning score systems including the National Early Warning Score, are associated with low sensitivity and false positives. We applied shallow and deep learning to predict cardiac arrest to overcome these limitations.

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Background: Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor has been reported to have kidney-protective benefits. To elucidate how antidiabetic agents prevent diabetic kidney disease progression, it is important to investigate their effect on the kidney environment in type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) patients. Herein, we investigated the expression pattern of urinary exosome-derived microRNA (miRNA) in patients taking a combination of DPP-4 inhibitor and metformin (DPP-4 inhibitor group) and compared them with patients taking a combination of sulfonylurea and metformin (sulfonylurea group).

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To uncover the potential benefits of discarded chewing gum (DCG) as a performance-enhancing modifier for road pavement applications, its influence on the asphalt binder's attributes was profoundly examined. The base AP-5 asphalt along with its specimens dosed with various fractions of DCG (e.g.

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Objectives: To investigate the association between abdominal periaortic (APA) and renal sinus (RS) fat attenuation index (FAI) measured on MDCT and metabolic syndrome in non-obese and obese individuals.

Methods: Visceral, subcutaneous, RS, and APA adipose tissue were measured in preoperative abdominal CT scans of individuals who underwent donor nephrectomy (n = 84) or bariatric surgery (n = 155). FAI was defined as the mean attenuation of measured fat volume.

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