Ocular Injuries in Patients with Old Blow-out Fractures Following Blunt Trauma.

Purpose: To analyze the frequency, and clinical characteristics of ocular injuries in patients with prior blow-out fractures who experience new blunt trauma, and to assess whether old orbital fractures provide a protective effect against subsequent ocular trauma.

Methods: The medical records of 1,315 ocular trauma patients were reviewed. A total of 927 patients who had orbital or facial CT scans and ophthalmologist evaluations were considered.

Does the outcome of acupuncture differ according to the location of sham needling points in acupuncture trials for migraine? A systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Various acupuncture clinical trials have been conducted on migraine; however, the conclusions remain controversial especially when acupuncture was compared with sham acupuncture. Sham acupuncture is sometimes performed at the same acupuncture points used for verum acupuncture despite the evidence on acupuncture point specificity. Four databases were searched for sham acupuncture or waiting list-controlled acupuncture trials for migraine on December 25, 2023.

Exosomal miR-6126 as a novel therapeutic target for overcoming resistance of anti-cancer effect in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) stands as the sixth most prevalent cancer globally, presenting a substantial health challenge, particularly due to late-stage diagnoses that limit treatment effectiveness. Sorafenib, a multi-kinase inhibitor, is the primary chemotherapeutic agent for advanced HCC, but it only extends survival by 2-3 months. However, drug resistance remains a major clinical challenge, necessitating the exploration of new molecular mechanisms, including the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in sorafenib resistance.

SARS-CoV-2 vaccine based on ferritin complexes with screened immunogenic sequences from the Fv-antibody library.

In this study, the vaccine against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was developed using ferritin complexes with the immunogenic sequences screened against the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (SP) from the Fv-antibody library. The Fv-antibody library was prepared on the outer membrane of by the expression of the V region of immunoglobulin G (IgG) with a randomized complementarity-determining region 3 (CDR3). Four Fv-antibodies to the receptor-binding domain (RBD) were screened from the Fv-antibody library, which had a comparable binding constant () between SARS-CoV-2 SP and the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor.

Differential Impact of Spike Protein Mutations on SARS-CoV-2 Infectivity and Immune Evasion: Insights from Delta and Kappa Variants.

SARS-CoV-2 continues to pose a global health challenge due to its high transmissibility and mutability, with new variants emerging that potentially undermine vaccination and therapeutic efforts. Mutations in the spike protein, particularly in the receptor-binding domain (RBD), significantly influence viral transmissibility and immune escape. However, the complex interplay of these mutations and their combined effects on viral fitness remain to be analyzed.

[Non-Invasive Test for Assessment of Liver Fibrosis in Chronic Hepatitis B].

Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is a high-risk condition that requires continuous monitoring and appropriate management during the natural course of the disease. In particular, the assessment of liver fibrosis is crucial for determining the optimal timing of antiviral therapy, evaluating the treatment response, and predicting the occurrence and prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the management of CHB. Although a liver biopsy is the gold standard for diagnosing liver inflammation, steatosis, and fibrosis, there has been a growing trend in the use of non-invasive tests, such as serum biomarkers, transient elastography, and shear wave elastography in CHB patients.

Association between long COVID and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug use by patients with acute-phase COVID-19: A nationwide Korea National Health Insurance Service cohort study.

Introduction: Long coronavirus disease (COVID) poses a significant burden following the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Debate persists regarding the impact of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) administration during acute-phase COVID-19 on the development of long COVID. Hence, this study aimed to assess the potential association between NSAID use and long COVID using data from patients with COVID-19 in Korea's National Health Insurance Service.

The efficacy of exosomes from human chemically derived hepatic progenitors in liver damage alleviation: a preclinical experimental study.

Purpose: Over the past decade, interest in exosomes as therapeutics has surged. In particular, stem-cell-derived exosomes may be more effective as a treatment for liver disease than the stem cells themselves. We have previously developed human chemically derived hepatic progenitors (hCdHs) from human hepatocytes.

Plasma Deposition of Parylene-like Films with Chemical Functional Groups for Immunoassays.

Parylene-like films obtained via the plasma decomposition of parylene precursors with functional groups (amino and formyl) are proposed as an alternative to those obtained via the thermal method. To analyze the chemical functional groups after plasma deposition, a surface analysis of the parylene films using the two different deposition methods was performed via Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The FT-IR analysis revealed that the featured peaks of the chemical functional groups were maintained in the parylene-like films obtained via the plasma deposition method.

Herbal medicines for long COVID: A phase 2 pilot clinical study.

Background: Infections of Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) can cause long-term effects known as long COVID. This pilot study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of a clinical study as well as the efficacy and safety of traditional East Asian herbal medicines in alleviating fatigue and cognitive dysfunction in patients with long COVID.

Methods: This prospective pilot study investigated the use of three types of herbal medicines, Bojungikgi-tang (BIT), Kyungok-go (KOG), and Cheonwangbosim-dan (CBD), for a 12-week period as potential treatments for fatigue and cognitive dysfunction in patients with long COVID.

Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) Inhibitors Screened from Autodisplayed Fv-Antibody Library.

Inhibitors of the epithermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) were screened from an autodisplayed Fv-antibody library using an anti-EGF antibody. The Fv-antibody library was expressed on the outer membrane of , which corresponds to the heavy chain V region of immunoglobulin G. The library was constructed by randomizing the CDR3 region of expressed V regions (11 amino acid residues) by site-directed mutagenesis.

Acupuncture for fatigue in breast cancer survivors: a study protocol for a pragmatic, mixed method, randomised controlled trial.

Introduction: Fatigue is a common symptom observed in post-cancer treatment, yet its underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Acupuncture has been employed to alleviate cancer-related fatigue (CRF); however, its effectiveness in addressing associated comorbidities that may influence fatigue is also poorly understood. This study represents the first investigation to use acupuncture as an intervention for fatigue in breast cancer survivors within a Norwegian cohort.

Comment on Takakura et al. Acupuncture for Japanese Katakori (Chronic Neck Pain): A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Double-Blind Study. 2023, , 2141.

We are writing because we have a number of concerns about the Takakura et al. [..

G Protein-Coupled Estrogen Receptor-Mediated Anti-Inflammatory and Mucosal Healing Activity of a Trimethylpyridinol Analogue in Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is characterized by abnormal immune responses, including elevated proinflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. This study presents the synthesis and anti-inflammatory evaluation of 2,4,5-trimethylpyridin-3-ol analogues, which exhibit dual inhibition of TNFα- and IL-6-induced inflammation. Analysis using methods, including 3D shape-based target identification, modeling, and docking, identified G protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1 (GPER) as the molecular target for the most effective analogue, -, which exhibits remarkable efficacy in ameliorating inflammation and restoring colonic mucosal integrity.

Clinical Efficacy and Safety of an Automatic Closed-Suction System in Mechanically Ventilated Patients with Pneumonia: A Multicenter, Prospective, Randomized, Non-Inferiority, Investigator-Initiated Trial.

Endotracheal suctioning is an essential but labor-intensive procedure, with the risk of serious complications. A brand new automatic closed-suction device was developed to alleviate the workload of healthcare providers and minimize those complications. We evaluated the clinical efficacy and safety of the automatic suction system in mechanically ventilated patients with pneumonia.

Transcriptome profiles of organ tissues from pigs experimentally infected with African swine fever virus in early phase of infection.

African swine fever, caused by African swine fever virus (ASFV), is a highly contagious and fatal disease that poses a significant threat to the global pig industry. The limited information on ASFV pathogenesis and ASFV-host interactions has recently prompted numerous transcriptomic studies. However, most of these studies have focused on elucidating the transcriptome profiles of ASFV-infected porcine alveolar macrophages .

Closed reduction and internal fixation for tillaux fractures, based on pre-operative three-dimensional computed tomography.

Objective: This study aimed to propose treatment protocol and identify patterns of tillaux fractures using three-dimensional (3D) computed tomography (CT) analysis and to describe an effective reduction technique.

Methods: Forty-two juvenile patients with tillaux fractures were evaluated with 3D-CT scan for fracture displacement pattern and received surgical treatment. Tillaux fragment was reduced by pushing the superomedial quadrant part of the fragment slightly downward towards the ankle joint from anterolateral to posteromedial through 5-mm skin incisions with mosquito forceps.

A one-step immunoassay based on switching peptides for diagnosis of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) using screened Fv-antibodies.

In this study, a one-step immunoassay for porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) based on Fv-antibodies and switching peptides was developed, and the assay results of PEDV were obtained by just mixing samples without any further reaction or washing steps. The Fv-antibodies with binding affinity to the spike protein of PEDV were screened from the Fv-antibody library using the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein as a screening probe. Screened Fv-antibodies with binding affinities to the RBD antigen were expressed, and the binding constants () were calculated to be 83-142 nM.

Adsorption effects of electron scavengers and inorganic ions on catalysts for catalytic oxidation of sulfamethoxazole in radiation treatment.

This study aimed to investigate adsorption effects of electron scavengers (HO and SO) on oxidation performance for mineralization of sulfamethoxazole (SMX) in radiation treatment using catalysts (AlO, TiO). Hydrogen peroxide (HO, 1 mM) as an electron scavenger showed weak adsorption onto catalysts (0.012 mmol g-AlO and 0.

Monocarboxylate transporter-1 (MCT-1) inhibitors screened from autodisplayed F-antibody library.

Monocarboxylate transporter-1 (MCT-1) inhibitors were screened from the Fv-antibody library, which contained complementary determining region 3 with randomized amino acid sequences (11 residues) through site-directed mutagenesis. Fv-antibodies against MCT-1 were screened from the autodisplayed Fv-antibody library. Two clones were screened, and the binding affinity (K) against MCT-1 was estimated using flow cytometry.