Effects of Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 on the Maintenance of Cell Viability and Osteogenic Differentiation of Gingiva-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cell Spheroids.

Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) plays a vital role in various cellular processes, including those involving stem cells. This study evaluated the effects of IGF-1 on cell survival, osteogenic differentiation, and mRNA expression in gingiva-derived mesenchymal stem cell spheroids. Using concave microwells, spheroids were generated in the presence of IGF-1 at concentrations of 0, 10, and 100 ng/mL.

The Impact of Health Literacy on Consumer Knowledge of Mask and Hand Sanitizer Use in Post-Pandemic Korea.

Background/objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic increased people's reliance on masks and hand sanitizers, highlighting the critical role of health literacy (HL) in effectively using these preventive measures. This study aimed to assess how HL influences consumers' comprehension of product labels for masks and hand sanitizers in post-pandemic Korea.

Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted in September 2023 among 500 Korean adults aged 20-69.

Mathematical and statistical approaches in epidemiological investigation of hospital infection: A case study of the 2015 Middle East Respiratory Syndrome outbreak in Korea.

Mathematical and statistical methods are invaluable in epidemiological investigations, enhancing our understanding of disease transmission dynamics and informing effective control measures. In this study, we presented a method to estimate transmissibility using patient-level data, with application to the 2015 MERS outbreak at Pyeongtaek St. Mary's Hospital, the Republic of Korea.

Intravascular Ultrasound-Guided vs Angiography-Guided Drug-Coated Balloon Angioplasty in Patients With Complex Femoropopliteal Artery Disease.

Background: Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) guidance has been shown to yield favorable outcomes for endovascular treatment of femoropopliteal artery (FPA) disease with drug-coated balloon (DCB) angioplasty. However, the specific benefits of IVUS for treatment of complex FPA lesions remain uncertain.

Objectives: In this study, the authors compared the clinical impact of IVUS-guided vs angiography-guided DCB angioplasty in patients with complex or noncomplex FPA lesions.

Cardiovascular Reactivity to Mental Stress and Adverse Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease.

Background: Acute psychological stress may induce physiological changes predisposing individuals to adverse health outcomes through hemodynamic and vascular effects. We studied the association between the aggregated stress-induced changes in hemodynamic and vascular function tests with adverse cardiovascular outcomes in patients with coronary artery disease, after adjusting for sociodemographic and clinical factors.

Methods And Results: Individuals with stable coronary artery disease from 2 prospective cohort studies were studied.