Effects of combined immunosuppressant and hepatitis B virus antiviral use on COVID-19 vaccination in recipients of living donor liver transplantation.

Background & Aims: The global pandemic caused by the highly contagious SARS-CoV-2 virus led to the emergency approval of COVID-19 vaccines to reduce rising morbidity and mortality. However, limited research exists on evaluating the impact of these vaccines on immunocompromised individuals, such as recipients of living donor liver transplantation, highlighting the need for further studies to better understand their effectiveness in this specific population.

Methods: From June 2021, we followed up on the effectiveness of the vaccine for patients taking immunosuppressive drugs after living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT).

HIF-2α-dependent induction of miR-29a restrains T1 activity during T cell dependent colitis.

Metabolic imbalance leading to inflammatory hypoxia and stabilization of hypoxia-inducible transcription factors (HIFs) is a hallmark of inflammatory bowel diseases. We hypothesize that HIF could be stabilized in CD4 T cells during intestinal inflammation and alter the functional responses of T cells via regulation of microRNAs. Our assays reveal markedly increased T cell-intrinsic hypoxia and stabilization of HIF protein during experimental colitis.

SOD1 inhibition enhances sorafenib efficacy in HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma by modulating PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway and ROS-mediated cell death.

Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) infection significantly elevates the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), with the HBV X protein (HBx) playing a crucial role in cancer progression. Sorafenib, the primary therapy for advanced HCC, shows limited effectiveness in HBV-infected patients due to HBx-related resistance. Numerous studies have explored combination therapies to overcome this resistance.

A single-center prospective study regarding time to return to activities of daily living after craniotomy for brain tumors.

Background: There are few studies on the time to return to activities of daily living (ADL) after craniotomy in patients with brain tumors. This study aimed to investigate the duration before returning to ADLs after craniotomy for brain tumors and present data that can provide information and guidelines on the appropriate time needed.

Methods: Patients (n = 183 of 234) who underwent craniotomy for brain tumors between April 2021 and July 2021 capable of self-care upon discharge were enrolled, and data of 158 were collected.

Time taken to resume activities of daily living after transsphenoidal surgery for pituitary tumors.

Postoperative management after transsphenoidal surgery (TSS) is important; however, the guidelines for resuming daily activities after TSS are insufficient. This study aimed to examine the time to return to activities of daily living (ADL) after TSS for pituitary tumors. A 4-month prospective data collection was completed for 114 of 117 patients who underwent TSS for pituitary tumors from April to July 2021.

Cytotoxicity of Human Hepatic Intrasinusoidal Gamma/Delta T Cells Depends on Phospho-antigen and NK Receptor Signaling.

Background/aim: We previously showed that human hepatic intrasinusoidal (HI) natural killer (NK) T cells selectively eliminate hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines. In this study, we investigated the underlying mechanisms on how HI γδ T cells, expanded with zoledronate, exhibit a superior cytotoxic effect on HI NK-resistant Huh7 HCC cells.

Materials And Methods: γδ T cells were obtained from living liver transplant donors or from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of healthy volunteers and were expanded in the presence of IL-2, IL-15, and zoledronate for 2 weeks.

Incidence of superficial left hepatic vein and its usability for graft hepatic vein venoplasty in pediatric liver transplantation.

Backgrounds: The anatomy of the left hepatic vein (LHV) is variable; thus, it should be considered for graft hepatic vein (GHV) venoplasty for left lateral section (LLS) and left liver grafts. This study assessed the incidence of superficial LHV (sLHV) branches according to LHV anatomy and its usability for GHV venoplasty in pediatric liver transplantation (LT).

Methods: This study consisted of three parts: (1) anatomical classification of LHV variations and the incidence of sLHV branches; (2) morphometric simulative analysis of GHV reconstruction and (3) clinical application based on LHV anatomy.

Therapeutic strategies for liver diseases based on redox control systems.

In the liver, reactive oxygen species (ROS) are constantly released during cellular metabolic processes, and excess ROS production can cause redox stress. The redox stress is both beneficial for and harmful to the survival of cells since it modulates the cellular redox control system. The redox control system is a series of cellular responses that are responsible for maintaining a balanced oxidation-reduction status.

. nov., isolated from the gut of a Korean limpet, .

A novel bacterium, designated strain JHSY0214, was isolated from the gut of a Korean limpet, . Cells of strain JHSY0214 were Gram-stain-negative, strictly aerobic, yellow-pigmented, non-spore-forming, non-motile and showed a rod-coccus growth cycle. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that the strain belonged to the genus , and was most closely related to KCTC 12764 (98.

Clusterin Binding Modulates the Aggregation and Neurotoxicity of Amyloid-β(1-42).

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) aggregates in the brain. Clusterin (CLU), also known as apolipoprotein J, is a potent risk factor associated with AD pathogenesis, in which Aβ aggregation is essentially involved. We observed close colocalization of CLU and Aβ(1-42) (Aβ42) in parenchymal amyloid plaques or vascular amyloid deposits in the brains of human amyloid precursor protein (hAPP)-transgenic Tg2576 mice.

Antibody Response Induced by Two Doses of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19, mRNA-1273, or BNT162b2 in Liver Transplant Recipients.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination in immunocompromised, especially transplant recipients, may induce a weaker immune response. But there are limited data on the immune response after COVID-19 vaccination in liver transplant (LT) recipients, especially on the comparison of Ab responses after different vaccine platforms between mRNA and adenoviral vector vaccines. Thus, we conducted a prospective study on LT recipients who received two doses of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (ChAdOx1), mRNA-1273, or BNT162b2 vaccines compared with healthy healthcare workers (HCWs).

Enhanced Tumoricidal Immune Responses by Transarterial Chemotherapy Using Novel Nanocomplexes in a Rat Liver Cancer Model.

Background/aim: Locoregional treatments for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) induce immunogenic cell death and a tumor-specific immune response, but infiltration and activation of immune cells in the liver have not been clearly described. Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) or transarterial chemotherapy (TAC) without embolization have been used to treat intermediate or advanced stage HCC patients. The identification of intrahepatic immune cell changes after locoregional therapy provides a theoretical basis for the combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in HCC.

Arginine-mediated gut microbiome remodeling promotes host pulmonary immune defense against nontuberculous mycobacterial infection.

Nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary diseases (NTM-PDs) are emerging as global health threats with issues of antibiotic resistance. Accumulating evidence suggests that the gut-lung axis may provide novel candidates for host-directed therapeutics against various infectious diseases. However, little is known about the gut-lung axis in the context of host protective immunity to identify new therapeutics for NTM-PDs.

Host phylogeny, habitat, and diet are main drivers of the cephalopod and mollusk gut microbiome.

Background: Invertebrates are a very attractive subject for studying host-microbe interactions because of their simple gut microbial community and host diversity. Studying the composition of invertebrate gut microbiota and the determining factors is essential for understanding their symbiotic mechanism. Cephalopods are invertebrates that have similar biological properties to vertebrates such as closed circulation system, an advanced nervous system, and a well-differentiated digestive system.

Description of Polaribacter batillariae sp. nov., Polaribacter cellanae sp. nov., and Polaribacter pectinis sp. nov., novel bacteria isolated from the gut of three types of South Korean shellfish.

Three aerobic, Gram-negative, and rod-shaped bacterial strains, designated strains G4M1, SM13, and L12M9, were isolated from the gut of Batillaria multiformis, Cellana toreuma, and Patinopecten yessoensis collected from the Yellow Sea in South Korea. All the strains grew optimally at 25°C, in the presence of 2% (w/v) NaCl, and at pH 7. These three strains, which belonged to the genus Polaribacter in the family Flavobacteriaceae, shared < 98.

What Are the Predictors of Self-Reported Change in Physical Activity in Older Adults with Knee or Hip Osteoarthritis?

Background: Although physical activity (PA) has been shown to be beneficial in older adults with osteoarthritis (OA), most show low levels of PA. This study evaluated if self-efficacy, attitude, social norm, and coping styles predicted change in PA in older adults with OA in the knee and/or hip.

Methods: Prospective study following 105 participants in a self-management intervention with baseline, post-test (6 weeks), and follow-up (6 months).

Dynamic increase of M2 macrophages is associated with disease progression of colorectal cancers following cetuximab-based treatment.

We aimed to investigate the dynamic changes of gene expression profiles and immune microenvironment linked to resistance to cetuximab-based treatments in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). A total of 106 patients with RAS-wild type mCRC who were treated with cetuximab-based treatments were included as the study population. RNA-sequencing and multiplexed immunohistochemistry were performed using paired or unpaired pre-treatment and post-treatment tumor tissues.

sp. nov., a novel butyrate-producing bacteria isolated from faeces of a patient with Crohn's disease.

Cultivation and isolation of gut bacteria are necessary for understanding their role in the intestinal ecosystem. We isolated a novel bacterium, designated strain BG01, from the faeces of a patient with Crohn's disease. Strain BG01 was a strictly anaerobic, rod-shaped, Gram-variable and endospore-forming bacterium.

Characterizing Organelles in Live Stem Cells Using Label-Free Optical Diffraction Tomography.

Label-free optical diffraction tomography (ODT), an imaging technology that does not require fluorescent labeling or other pre-processing, can overcome the limitations of conventional cell imaging technologies, such as fluorescence and electron microscopy. In this study, we used ODT to characterize the cellular organelles of three different stem cells-namely, human liver derived stem cell, human umbilical cord matrix derived mesenchymal stem cell, and human induced pluripotent stem cell-based on their refractive index and volume of organelles. The physical property of each stem cell was compared with that of fibroblast.

Expression of neurofibromin 1 in colorectal cancer and cetuximab resistance.

Neurofibromin 1 (NF1) is a tumor suppressor that has been previously reported to regulate RAS‑MAPK signaling. The present study investigated the possible relationship between NF1 expression and anti‑EGFR antibody (cetuximab) sensitivity in colorectal cancer cell lines. In addition, primary or metastatic colorectal cancer samples from patients treated with cetuximab were assessed for the association of cetuximab sensitivity.

Description of Ornithinimicrobium ciconiae sp. nov., and Ornithinimicrobium avium sp. nov., isolated from the faeces of the endangered and near-threatened birds.

Phenotypic and genomic analyses were performed to characterize two novel species, H23M54 and AMA3305, isolated from the faeces of the Oriental stork (Ciconia boyciana) and the cinereous vulture (Aegypius monachus), respectively. Strains H23M54 and AMA3305 showed the highest similarities of 16S rRNA gene sequences and complete genome sequences with Ornithinimicrobium cavernae CFH 30183 (98.5% of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity and 82.