Publications by authors named "Sowon Park"

Introduction: Pediatric Crohn's disease (CD) easily progresses to an active disease compared with adult CD, making it important to predict and minimize CD relapses. However, prediction of relapse at various time points (TPs) during pediatric CD remains understudied. We aimed to develop a real-time aggregated model to predict pediatric CD relapse in different TPs and time windows (TWs).

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  • - The Crohn's Disease Exclusion Diet (CDED) effectively induces remission in mild-to-moderate Crohn's disease patients and has gained recognition in recent ESPEN guidelines, although it faces cultural implementation challenges.
  • - This case-based study compiles experiences from healthcare providers across six countries to address these challenges and find solutions, particularly focusing on how dietitians can adapt the CDED to different cultural contexts.
  • - The study emphasizes the importance of customizing dietary plans and providing personalized counseling to ensure effective CDED implementation, contributing to the overall understanding and practical application of the diet in various cultures.
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The growing interest in healthy diets has driven the demand for food ingredients with enhanced health benefits. In this study, we aimed to explore a method to enhance the bioactivity of kale using a home vertical farming appliance. Specifically, we investigated the effects of treating kale with a green tea water extract (GTE; 0.

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Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic inflammatory disease caused by autoantibodies. Serum samples from patients with SLE ( = 10) were compared with those from normal controls (NCs, = 5) using 21K protein chip analysis to identify a biomarker for SLE, revealing 63 SLE-specific autoantibodies. The anti-chaperonin-containing t-complex polypeptide-1 (TCP1) antibody exhibited higher expression in patients with SLE than in NCs.

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  • Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) is a severe epilepsy that begins in childhood, often leading to challenges with eating due to complications like swallowing difficulties and risk of aspiration, which may necessitate nutrition through a gastrostomy tube.
  • A study of 67 LGS patients who had gastrostomy tubes placed revealed significant improvements in their nutritional status and reduced hospitalizations after the procedure.
  • Despite some complications (74.6% reported), the overall safety of the procedure was high, with few serious complications and no fatalities observed.
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  • - The study aimed to compare the effectiveness of CT-P13, a biosimilar to the original infliximab (IFX), on endoscopic healing (EH) and drug retention in children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
  • - Researchers analyzed data from 416 pediatric IBD patients, finding no significant differences in clinical outcomes or adverse effects between those receiving the IFX originator and CT-P13 at one-year follow-up.
  • - Both treatments showed similar drug retention rates, with CT-P13 slightly outperforming the IFX originator in both Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis cases, indicating comparable therapeutic responses.
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  • * This study focused on chitin hydrolysis using lysozymes to enhance the quality of bread made with defatted mealworm powder, showing that hydrolysis improved water- and oil-binding capacities, as well as overall bread texture.
  • * Results indicated that bread with hydrolyzed mealworm powder exhibited increased moisture content and better sensory acceptability, suggesting that enzymatic hydrolysis can enhance the functional qualities of bakery products made from edible insects.
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  • The gut mycobiome is important for human gut health, but research on its functions is not as extensive as for gut bacteria.
  • This study compares different DNA extraction methods for analyzing the mycobiome, using two commercial kits and a manual method, as well as different bead-beating machines.
  • Results indicate that the DNeasy PowerSoil Pro Kit combined with the Mini-Beadbeater-16 is the most effective method for extracting DNA from human fecal samples, leading to a proposed standard operating procedure for future studies.
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The terrestrial ecosystem in East Asia mainly consists of semi-arid regions that are sensitive to climate change. Therefore, gross primary productivity (GPP) in East Asia could be highly variable and vulnerable to climate change, which can significantly affect the local carbon budget. Here, we examine the spatial and temporal characteristics of GPP variability in East Asia and its relationship with climate factors over the last three decades.

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Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is a rare, non-infectious, neutrophilic dermatosis characterized by painful ulcers with indistinct borders and peripheral erythema. The diagnosis of PG requires the exclusion of other causes of similar appearing skin manifestations, including vasculitis and infections. The pathogenesis of PG is not clear; however, dysregulation of the immune system has been suggested in previous studies.

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Background: Several cases of pediatric acute hepatitis of unknown etiology related to adenoviral infections have been reported in Europe since January 2022. The aim of this study was to compare the incidence, severity, possible etiology, and prognosis of the disease with those in the past in Korea.

Methods: The surveillance group collected data between May and November 2022 using a surveillance system.

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  • - This study explored how periodontitis, caused by the bacterial pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis (PG), affects gut bacteria and contributes to atherosclerosis in mice, particularly focusing on the impact of oral PG infection.
  • - Mice were fed different diets and received oral PG to analyze changes in atherosclerotic lesions, blood lipid levels, and liver metabolism, with results indicating increased atherosclerosis and altered gut microbiota due to PG infection.
  • - Key findings showed a 1.7-fold rise in atherosclerotic lesions in PG-infected mice, reduced HDL levels, and significant shifts in gut microbiome diversity, highlighting the interconnectedness of oral infections and cardiovascular health.
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Background: Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) of the bowel wall has been suggested as an alternative imaging modality for the follow-up of children with Crohn's disease. To demonstrate the feasibility and clinical usefulness of CEUS in the estimation of Crohn's disease activity in children with endoscopy as the reference standard.

Method: In this prospective study, 30 pediatric patients with Crohn's disease (24 males and 6 females; median age 14 years) underwent CEUS from December 2020 to August 2021.

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  • - The study investigates mucin-degrading (MD) bacteria and their connections to human health, revealing 54 and 296 specific genes linked to mucin catabolism through bioinformatics techniques.
  • - Researchers analyzed metabolic pathways in MD bacteria and found that their unique metabolic features impact host immune cell signals and nutrient-dependent fermentation profiles.
  • - The research suggests that dietary differences affect the abundance and function of MD bacteria, influencing gut health and immune responses in the host.
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Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of ultrasound shear wave elastography (SWE) for predicting hepatic fibrosis and native liver outcomes in patients with biliary atresia.

Materials And Methods: This prospective study included 33 consecutive patients with biliary atresia (median age, 8 weeks [interquartile range, 6-10 weeks]; male:female ratio, 15:18) from Severance Children's Hospital between May 2019 and February 2022. Preoperative (within 1 week from surgery) and immediate postoperative (on postoperative days [PODs] 3, 5, and 7) ultrasonographic findings were obtained and analyzed, including the SWE of the liver and spleen.

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Vegetation and atmosphere processes are coupled through a myriad of interactions linking plant transpiration, carbon dioxide assimilation, turbulent transport of moisture, heat and atmospheric constituents, aerosol formation, moist convection, and precipitation. Advances in our understanding are hampered by discipline barriers and challenges in understanding the role of small spatiotemporal scales. In this perspective, we propose to study the atmosphere-ecosystem interaction as a continuum by integrating leaf to regional scales (multiscale) and integrating biochemical and physical processes (multiprocesses).

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High metabolic activity is a hallmark of cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the molecular features of HCC with high metabolic activity contributing to clinical outcomes and the therapeutic implications of these characteristics are poorly understood. We aimed to define the features of HCC with high metabolic activity and uncover its association with response to current therapies.

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Purpose: Liver transplantation (LT) is the only curative treatment for acute liver failure (ALF) and acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF). In high-volume therapeutic plasma exchange (HV-TPE), extracorporeal liver support filters accumulate toxins and improve the coagulation factor by replacing them. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of HV-TPE in pediatric patients with ALF and ACLF.

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Franch. & Sav. found in China, Japan, and Korea is traditionally used for managing arthritis and respiratory diseases.

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Background/aims: We aimed to compare the differences in pediatric Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) at diagnosis in Korea.

Methods: This was a multicenter, registry-based, inception cohort study conducted at five centers in Korea between 2013 and 2017. Baseline demographics, clinical characteristics, and results from laboratory, endoscopic, radiologic examinations were compared between pediatric CD and UC patients who were <19 years old at diagnosis.

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Background/aims: Although fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has been proven as one of the promising treatments for patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), potential prognostic markers regarding the clinical outcomes of FMT remain elusive.

Methods: We collected fecal samples of 10 participants undergoing FMT to treat UC and those from the corresponding donors. We categorized them into two groups: responders and nonresponders.

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Purpose: To identify initial abdominal computed tomography (CT) and laboratory findings prior to a diagnosis of Crohn's disease (CD) in children.

Materials And Methods: In this retrospective study, patients (≤18 year-old) who were diagnosed with CD from 2004 to 2019 and had abdominal CT just prior to being diagnosed with CD were included in the CD group. Patients (≤18 years old) who were diagnosed with infectious enterocolitis from 2018 to 2019 and had undergone CT prior to being diagnosed with enterocolitis were included as a control group.

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Background And Aim: Discordant reports of the signature gut microbes involved in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) have hampered understanding of the pathogenesis of the disease, and thus its diagnosis. Thus, we investigated diagnostic factors and the potential mechanisms for heterogenous NAFLD based on the gut environment, including microbes and functional pathways.

Methods: Stools from 16 biopsy-proven NAFLD patients were analyzed for bacterial taxonomy and functional pathways based on 16s rRNA gene sequencing.

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Purpose: The objective of this study was to identify the significance of 24-hour post-reduction ultrasonography (US) in pediatric patients with intussusception.

Methods: A total of 229 patients with intussusception who were treated with saline reduction at Severance Children's Hospital between January 2014 and September 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. The 229 patients with successful saline reduction were divided into two groups: a recurrence at 24 hours group (R, n=41) and a non-recurrence group (NR, n=188).

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Background: Exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN) induces remission in pediatric Crohn's disease (CD). The exact mechanism of EEN therapy in CD is unknown, but alteration of the intestinal microflora after EEN is thought to affect mucosal healing. To determine the link between EEN therapy and therapeutic efficacy in CD, we established a murine model of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis and applied EEN therapy.

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Synopsis of recent research by authors named "Sowon Park"

  • - Sowon Park's research encompasses diverse medical and dietary topics, focusing primarily on the efficacy of new dietary treatments for Crohn's disease, as well as the potential of biomarkers in systemic lupus erythematosus and nutrition outcomes in pediatric patients with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.
  • - Recent studies highlight cultural adaptations required for the implementation of the Crohn's Disease Exclusion Diet across various ethnicities, alongside explorations of innovative agricultural techniques to enhance the nutritional profile of foods like kale using green tea extracts.
  • - Additional investigations include the comparison of biosimilar therapies for inflammatory bowel disease in pediatric patients, the impact of novel ingredients such as mealworm powder in food products, and assessments of DNA extraction methods for studying the gut mycobiome, showcasing a multifaceted approach to health and diet.