Publications by authors named "Sung E Choi"

Background: Phospholipase C gamma 1 (PLCγ1) is an important mediator of the T cell receptor (TCR) and growth factor signaling. PLCγ1 is activated by Src family kinases (SFKs) and produces inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate (InsP) from phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP). Inositol polyphosphate multikinase (IPMK) is a pleiotropic enzyme with broad substrate specificity and non-catalytic activities that mediate various functional protein-protein interactions.

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Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is strongly associated with insulin resistance development. Hepatic lipid accumulation and inflammation are considered the main drivers of hepatic insulin resistance in MASLD. Cysteine-rich 61 (Cyr61 also called CCN1), a novel secretory matricellular protein, is implicated in liver inflammation, and its role in MASLD is not clearly understood.

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Background And Aims: HSCs contribute to HCC progression by regulating multiple factors. However, the entire immunoregulatory functions of HSCs are still obscure. Here, we aim to investigate whether HSCs impose CX 3 CR1 + macrophages to protumorigenic properties in the peritumoral area.

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Article Synopsis
  • Nurses caring for patients at the end of life often face moral distress due to ethically challenging situations, yet previous studies have not adequately focused on these specific circumstances.
  • This research aimed to examine the experiences of nurses related to moral distress, using a qualitative approach and focusing on two theoretical models: the model of moral distress and the ecological model.
  • Findings revealed 15 categories and 30 subcategories of distress factors, categorized into intrapersonal, interpersonal, organizational, and structural domains, highlighting both negative and potential positive impacts on nurses.
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Histone deacetylase 11 (HDAC11) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of metabolic diseases characterized by chronic low-grade inflammation, such as obesity. However, the influence of HDAC11 on inflammation and the specific effect of HDAC11 on the palmitic acid (PA)-induced NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation are poorly understood. The effect of PA treatment on HDAC11 activity and the NLRP3 inflammasome was investigated in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells and THP-1 cells.

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Importance: Process-based quality measures are generally intended to promote evidence-based practices that have been proven to improve outcomes. However, due to lack of standardized implementation of diagnostic codes in dentistry, assessing the association between process and oral health outcomes has been challenging.

Objective: To estimate the association of adhering to dental quality measures with patient oral health outcomes.

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Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors have recently emerged as novel cardioprotective agents. However, their direct impact on cardiomyocyte injury is yet to be studied. In this work, we investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms of empagliflozin (EMPA), an SGLT2 inhibitor, in mitigating palmitate (PA)-induced cardiomyocyte injury in H9c2 cells.

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Background: Inflammation is a major cause of hepatic tissue damage and accelerates the progression of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Amphiregulin (AREG), an epidermal growth factor receptor ligand, is associated with human liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. We aimed to investigate the effects of AREG on hepatic inflammation during NAFLD progression, and .

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A fructose-enriched diet is thought to contribute to hepatic injury in developing non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). However, the cellular mechanism of fructose-induced hepatic damage remains poorly understood. This study aimed to determine whether fructose induces cell death in primary hepatocytes, and if so, to establish the underlying cellular mechanisms.

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Importance: While large oral health disparities remain by race and ethnicity among children, the associations of race, ethnicity, and mediating factors with oral health outcomes are poorly characterized. Identifying the pathways that explain these disparities would be critical to inform policies to effectively reduce them.

Objective: To measure racial and ethnic disparities in the risk of developing tooth decay and quantify relative contributions of factors mediating the observed disparities among US children.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study investigates how obesity causes hypoxic stress that leads to inflammation and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) production by natural killer (NK) cells in fat tissue, which is not well understood.
  • - Researchers found that low oxygen levels in fatty tissues trigger the release of glutamate and the expression of CXCL12, attracting NK cells and promoting their IFN-γ production through specific receptors.
  • - Blocking certain pathways related to glutamate and IFN-γ in fat cells and NK cells improved obesity-related metabolic issues in mice, suggesting these pathways could be potential targets for obesity treatments in people.
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Importance: Despite considerable efforts to improve oral health for all, large disparities remain among US children. A dental professional shortage is thought to be among the determinants associated with oral health disparities, particularly for those residing in underserved communities.

Objective: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of expanding the dental workforce through the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) and associations with oral health outcomes among US children.

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Activation of Kupffer cells (KCs) by gut-derived lipopolysaccharide (LPS) instigates nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB)-mediated inflammatory responses in alcohol-associated liver diseases (ALD). Here, we utilized a novel optogenetically engineered exosome technology called 'exosomes for protein loading via optically reversible protein-protein interactions (EXPLOR)' to efficiently deliver the super-repressor IκB-loaded exosomes (Exo-srIκB) to the liver and examined its therapeutic potential in acute-on-chronic alcohol-associated liver injury. We detected enhanced uptake of DiI-labeled Exo-srIκB by LPS-treated inflammatory KCs, which suppressed LPS-induced inflammatory gene expression levels.

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Background/objectives: Meat eaters face conflicts over meat consumption due to recent increasing demands for reduced-meat diets to promote human and environmental health. Attitudes toward consuming meat have been shown to be culture-specific. Thus, this study was performed to examine cultural differences in attitudes, beliefs, and patterns of meat consumption among meat eaters in a group homogeneous in terms of age and sex but with diverse ethnicities.

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Chronic alcohol consumption often induces hepatic steatosis but rarely causes severe inflammation in Kupffer cells (KCs) despite the increased hepatic influx of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), suggesting the presence of a veiled tolerance mechanism. In addition to LPS, the liver is affected by several gut-derived neurotransmitters through the portal blood, but the effects of catecholamines on KCs have not been clearly explored in alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD). Hence, we investigated the regulatory roles of catecholamine on inflammatory KCs under chronic alcohol exposure.

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Importance: Although many academic institutions have implemented infection control and prevention protocols, including regular asymptomatic self-testing, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the outcomes of mandatory surveillance testing programs at academic dental institutions that offer direct patient-facing clinical care has not yet been reported.

Objective: To report the findings of a comprehensive surveillance COVID-19 testing program at an academic dental institution by assessing SARS-CoV-2 positivity rates and the potential association of test positivity with individual-level characteristics such as age, sex, and role.

Design, Setting, And Participants: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using SARS-CoV-2 self-testing data from a mandatory surveillance program at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine.

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The accumulation of hepatic lipid droplets (LDs) is a hallmark of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Appropriate degradation of hepatic LDs and oxidation of complete free fatty acids (FFAs) are important for preventing the development of NAFLD. Histone deacetylase (HDAC) is involved in the impaired lipid metabolism seen in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice.

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Nanoparticles have garnered significant interest in neurological research in recent years owing to their efficient penetration of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). However, significant concerns are associated with their harmful effects, including those related to the immune response mediated by microglia, the resident immune cells in the brain, which are exposed to nanoparticles. We analysed the cytotoxic effects of silica-coated magnetic nanoparticles containing rhodamine B isothiocyanate dye [MNPs@SiO(RITC)] in a BV2 microglial cell line using systems toxicological analysis.

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Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer in Korean American (KA) women. In view of its high prevalence in these women, their low screening rates, and the cultural influence of BC risk factors in their lifestyles, we developed a community-based culturally tailored BC prevention program, the Korean Breast Cancer Risk Reduction Program (KBCRRP). Guided by the PRECEDE-PROCEDE and health belief models, the KBCRRP was developed to achieve four goals: (1) healthy weight, (2) physically active lifestyle, (3) healthy diet, and (4) BC screening and adherence.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study explored the link between spiritual well-being (SWB) and survival time in hospitalized cancer patients across Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, focusing on psychosocial factors influencing patient outcomes.
  • - It included data from 2,638 patients in palliative care units, finding median survival times of 18.0 days in Japan, 23.0 days in Korea, and 15.0 days in Taiwan, with significant results for SWB only in Taiwan.
  • - The findings highlight that SWB at admission could positively impact survival for advanced cancer patients in Taiwan, suggesting the potential benefits of incorporating spiritual care in treatment plans.
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Purpose: This study aimed to describe nurses' perceived needs and barriers to pediatric palliative care (PPC).

Methods: Mixed methods with an embedded design were applied. An online survey was conducted for nurses who participated in the End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium- Pediatric Palliative Care (ELNEC-PPC) train-the-trainer program, of whom 63 responded.

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Hepatic fibrosis is the excessive production and deposition of the extracellular matrix, resulting in the activation of the fibrogenic phenotype of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). The Hippo/Yes-associated protein (YAP) signalling pathway is a highly conserved kinase cascade that is critical in regulating cell proliferation, differentiation, and survival, and controls stellate cell activation. Empagliflozin, a sodium-glucose cotransporter type-2 inhibitor, is an antidiabetic drug that may prevent fibrotic progression by reducing hepatic steatosis and inflammation.

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Background: Several prognostic tools have been developed to aid clinicians in survival prediction. However, changes in symptoms are rarely included in established prognostic systems. We aimed to investigate the influence of changes in symptoms and quality of life (QOL) on survival time in outpatients with advanced cancer.

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Article Synopsis
  • Mitochondrial dysfunction is linked to the development of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and insufficient levels of the mitochondrial protein ClpP may contribute to this issue.
  • In a study using a high-fat/high-fructose diet in mice, researchers found that lower ClpP levels were associated with increased NASH characteristics, while boosting ClpP levels through various methods counteracted these effects.
  • The findings suggest that increasing ClpP expression could be a promising approach to preventing or treating diet-induced NASH.
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