Mitochondrial Calcium Waves by Electrical Stimulation in Cultured Hippocampal Neurons.

Mitochondria are critical to cellular Ca homeostasis via the sequestering of cytosolic Ca in the mitochondrial matrix. Mitochondrial Ca buffering regulates neuronal activity and neuronal death by shaping cytosolic and presynaptic Ca or controlling energy metabolism. Dysfunction in mitochondrial Ca buffering has been implicated in psychological and neurological disorders.

Comprehensive analysis of sex differences in the function and ultrastructure of hippocampal presynaptic terminals.

Sex differences in the brain, encompassing variations in specific brain structures, size, cognitive function, and synaptic connections, have been identified across numerous species. While previous research has explored sex differences in postsynaptic structures, synaptic plasticity, and hippocampus-dependent functions, the hippocampal presynaptic terminals remain largely uninvestigated. The hippocampus is a critical structure responsible for multiple brain functions.

Alcohol-induced increase in BMP levels promotes fatty liver disease in male prediabetic stage Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty rats.

Alcohol consumption exacerbates liver abnormalities in animal models, but whether it increases the severity of liver disease in early diabetic or prediabetic rats is unclear. To investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying alcohol-induced liver steatosis or hepatitis, we used a prediabetic animal model. Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) and Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (LETO) rats were pair-fed with an ethanol-containing liquid diet for 6 weeks.

Anti-inflammatory effect of Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle leaves in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated astrocytes.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Activated astrocytes are involved in the progression of neurodegenerative diseases. Traditionally, Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle, widely distributed in East Asia, has been used as a medicine for the treatment of fever, gastric diseases, and inflammation.

Neuronal Autophagy: Characteristic Features and Roles in Neuronal Pathophysiology.

Autophagy is an important degradative pathway that eliminates misfolded proteins and damaged organelles from cells. Autophagy is crucial for neuronal homeostasis and function. A lack of or deficiency in autophagy leads to the accumulation of protein aggregates, which are associated with several neurodegenerative diseases.

Methods of measuring presynaptic function with fluorescence probes.

Synaptic vesicles, which are endogenous to neurotransmitters, are involved in exocytosis by active potentials and release neurotransmitters. Synaptic vesicles used in neurotransmitter release are reused via endocytosis to maintain a pool of synaptic vesicles. Synaptic vesicles show different types of exo- and endocytosis depending on animal species, type of nerve cell, and electrical activity.

Efficacy and Safety of Pitavastatin in a Real-World Setting: Observational Study Evaluating SaFety in Patient Treated with Pitavastatin in Korea (PROOF Study).

Background: While randomized controlled trials provide useful information about drug safety and efficacy, they do not always reflect the observed results in the real world. The prospective, observational, non-comparative trial in South Korea was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of pitavastatin in clinical practice in 28,343 patients.

Methods: This study was conducted in 893 facilities in Korea from April 2, 2012 to April 1, 2017.

Independent Impact of Diabetes on the Severity of Coronavirus Disease 2019 in 5,307 Patients in South Korea: A Nationwide Cohort Study.

Background: Inconsistent results have been observed regarding the independent effect of diabetes on the severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We conducted a nationwide population-based cohort study to evaluate the relationship between diabetes and COVID-19 severity in South Korea.

Methods: Patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 aged ≥30 years were enrolled and medical claims data were obtained from the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service.

Epigenetically Upregulated T-Type Calcium Channels Contribute to Abnormal Proliferation of Embryonic Neural Progenitor Cells Exposed to Valproic Acid.

Valproic acid is a clinically used mood stabilizer and antiepileptic drug. Valproic acid has been suggested as a teratogen associated with the manifestation of neurodevelopmental disorders, such as fetal valproate syndrome and autism spectrum disorders, when taken during specific time window of pregnancy. Previous studies proposed that prenatal exposure to valproic acid induces abnormal proliferation and differentiation of neural progenitor cells, presumably by inhibiting histone deacetylase and releasing the condensed chromatin structure.

Obesity-related hypertension: Findings from The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2008-2010.

We aimed to investigate the association of various obesity parameters and phenotypes with hypertension in nationally representative Korean adults. Among adults aged 19 years and older who participated in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2008-2010, a total of 16,363 subjects (8,184 men and 8,179 women) were analyzed. Hypertension was defined as blood pressure of 140/90 mm Hg or higher or taking antihypertensive medication.

Efficacy and Safety of Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Patients Treated with Statins for Residual Hypertriglyceridemia: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial.

Background: Cardiovascular risk remains increased despite optimal low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level induced by intensive statin therapy. Therefore, recent guidelines recommend non-high density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) as a secondary target for preventing cardiovascular events. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and tolerability of omega-3 fatty acids (OM3-FAs) in combination with atorvastatin compared to atorvastatin alone in patients with mixed dyslipidemia.

Efficacy and Safety of Voglibose Plus Metformin in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Combination of metformin to reduce the fasting plasma glucose level and an α-glucosidase inhibitor to decrease the postprandial glucose level is expected to generate a complementary effect. We compared the efficacy and safety of a fixed-dose combination of voglibose plus metformin (vogmet) with metformin monotherapy in drug-naïve newly-diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Methods: A total of 187 eligible patients aged 20 to 70 years, with a glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level of 7.

Teneligliptin versus sitagliptin in Korean patients with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled with metformin and glimepiride: A randomized, double-blind, non-inferiority trial.

Aim: To assess the efficacy and safety of add-on therapy with the dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor teneligliptin compared with sitagliptin in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) inadequately controlled with metformin and glimepiride.

Materials And Methods: This was a phase 3, randomized, double-blind, non-inferiority study of adult Korean subjects with T2DM (n = 201), with HbA1c ranging from 7.0% to 11.

Alpha-lipoic acid preserves skeletal muscle mass in type 2 diabetic OLETF rats.

Background: Increased oxidative stress and impaired antioxidant defense are important mechanisms in the pathogenesis of diabetic myopathy. Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) has been indicated as a weight-loss treatment in rodents and humans, but studies are limited. In the present study, we aimed to determine the influence of ALA, a potent biological antioxidant, on metabolic and growth processes in diabetic rat skeletal muscle.

Long-term insulin treatment leads to a change in myosin heavy chain fiber distribution in OLETF rat skeletal muscle.

The objective of this study was to investigate molecular and physiological changes in response to long-term insulin glargine treatment in the skeletal muscle of OLETF rats. Male Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) and Long-Evans Tokushima Otsuka (LETO) rats aged 24 weeks were randomly allocated to either treatment with insulin for 24 weeks or no treatment, resulting in three groups. Insulin glargine treatment in OLETF rats (OLETF-G) for 24 weeks resulted in changes in blood glucose levels in intraperitoneal glucose tolerance tests compared with age-matched, untreated OLETF rats (OLETF-C), and the area under the curve was significantly decreased for OLETF-G rats compared with OLETF-C rats (P < 0.

Effect of Poly(Lactide-Co-Glycolide) Nanoparticles on Local Retention of Fluorescent Material: An Experimental Study in Mice.

Objective: Poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) nanoparticles are promising materials for the development of new drug-releasing systems. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the retention time of materials loaded in nanoparticles as compared with that of the material alone by imaging in nude mice.

Materials And Methods: Mice (n = 20) were injected with 0.

Time- and frequency-domain measures of heart rate variability predict cardiovascular outcome in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Aims: To evaluate the association between impaired heart rate variability (HRV) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM).

Methods: A total of 655 patients with T2DM who underwent cardiovascular autonomic function testing were consecutively recruited and followed up prospectively. Time- and frequency-domain HRV were assessed for 5 min by beat-to-beat heart rate recording.

Formulation and in vivo pharmacokinetic evaluation of ethyl cellulose-coated sustained release multiple-unit system of tacrolimus.

A novel once-a-day sustained-release (SR) system of tacrolimus (FK506), a poorly water-soluble immunosuppressive agent, was designed employing ethyl cellulose (EC) polymer as release retardant. Drug (5 mg) was layered onto sugar spheres (518.3 mg) with hypromellose (5 mg), to transform the drug from a crystalline to an amorphous form.

Combined Poly(Lactide-Co-Glycolide) Microspheres Containing Diphtheria Toxoid for a Single-shot Immunization.

To develop a single-shot vaccine containing diphtheria toxoid (DT) with a sufficient immune response, poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) microspheres were prepared by water-in-oil-in-water double emulsification and solvent extraction techniques using low or high-molecular-weight PLGA (LMW-MS or HMW-MS). Stearic acid (SA) was introduced to HMW-MS (HMW/SA-MS) as a release modulator. Mean particle sizes (dvs, μm) varied between the prepared microspheres, with LMW-MS, HMW-MS, and HMW/SA-MS having the sizes of 29.

Solid formulation of a supersaturable self-microemulsifying drug delivery system for valsartan with improved dissolution and bioavailability.

In order to improve the dissolution and oral bioavailability of valsartan (VST), and reduce the required volume for treatment, we previously formulated a supersaturable self-microemulsifying drug delivery system (SuSMEDDS) composed of VST (80 mg), Capmul MCM (13.2 mg), Tween 80 (59.2 mg), Transcutol P (59.

Sex-specific association between asthma and hypertension in nationally representative young Korean adults.

It has been reported that people with asthma have an increased risk of hypertension. However, little is known about the specific relationship between asthma and hypertension in young adults. Among subjects who participated in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted in 2008-2013, a total of 10,138 young adults (4,226 men and 5,912 women) aged 19-39 years were analyzed.

Association Between Coffee Consumption and Circulating Levels of Adiponectin and Leptin.

Coffee has been proposed to have benefits for chronic diseases; however, the relevant mechanism remains to be elucidated. We conducted a cross-sectional study and evaluated the levels of adiponectin and leptin in relation to coffee consumption. We included a total of 4406 individuals (men = 2587 and women = 1819) for adiponectin analysis and 2922 individuals (men = 1731 and women = 1191) for leptin analysis.