Synergistic Effect of Dual-Focus Soft Contact Lenses and 0.05% Atropine on Myopia Control in Children With Rapidly Progressing Myopia.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the combined effect of dual-focus soft contact lenses (CLs) and 0.05% atropine in the control of myopia.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on 142 myopic children aged 7 to 13 years.

A universal immunohistochemistry analyzer for generalizing AI-driven assessment of immunohistochemistry across immunostains and cancer types.

Immunohistochemistry (IHC) is the common companion diagnostics in targeted therapies. However, quantifying protein expressions in IHC images present a significant challenge, due to variability in manual scoring and inherent subjective interpretation. Deep learning (DL) offers a promising approach to address these issues, though current models require extensive training for each cancer and IHC type, limiting the practical application.

Dual inhibition of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase interacting multifunctional protein-2 and α-synuclein by steroid derivative is neuroprotective in Parkinson's model.

Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase interacting multifunctional protein-2 (AIMP2), a parkin substrate, possesses self-aggregating properties, potentiating α-synuclein aggregation and neurotoxicity in PD. Thus, targeting both α-synuclein and AIMP2 would present an effective treatment for PD pathologies. Herein, we developed small compounds with dual inhibitory activity against AIMP2 and α-synuclein.

Antibiotic Treatment for 7 versus 14 Days in Patients with Bloodstream Infections.

Background: Bloodstream infections are associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. Early, appropriate antibiotic therapy is important, but the duration of treatment is uncertain.

Methods: In a multicenter, noninferiority trial, we randomly assigned hospitalized patients (including patients in the intensive care unit [ICU]) who had bloodstream infection to receive antibiotic treatment for 7 days or 14 days.

Effect of Biological Therapy for Psoriasis on the Development of Psoriatic Arthritis: A Population-Based Cohort Study.

Background: Evidence comparing the impact of various biologics for psoriasis on the progression to psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is limited. We therefore assessed the risk of PsA associated with interleukin (IL)-23 inhibitor, IL-17 inhibitor, or IL-12/23 inhibitor use compared with tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitor use among patients with psoriasis.

Methods: This population-based cohort study used the nationwide claims database from South Korea (2007-2023).

Fecal Microbiome Composition Correlates with Pathologic Complete Response in Patients with Operable Esophageal Cancer Treated with Combined Chemoradiotherapy and Immunotherapy.

: Preclinical and clinical data indicate that chemoradiotherapy (CRT) in combination with checkpoint inhibitors may prime an anti-tumor immunological response in esophageal cancer. However, responses to neoadjuvant therapy can vary widely and the key biomarkers to determine response remain poorly understood. The fecal microbiome is a novel and potentially modifiable biomarker of immunotherapy response, and both fecal and tumor microbes have been found to associate with outcomes in esophageal cancer.

Production of α-Glycerylphosphorylcholine in Fermented Roots, Tubers, and Fruits.

Vegetables and fruits, high in starch and sugars, are promising substrates for bioethanol production, but can also yield valuable nootropic compounds, such as α-glycerylphosphorylcholine (α-GPC). This compound is a known cognitive enhancer that works by increasing the release of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter essential for learning and memory. In this study, select root and tuber crops, as well as fruits, were subjected to fermentation to observe the co-production of ethanol and α-GPC.

Dihydroavenanthramide D Enhances Skin Barrier Function through Upregulation of Epidermal Tight Junction Expression.

Skin barrier dysfunction and thin epidermis are hallmarks of sensitive skin and contribute to premature aging. Avenanthramides are the primary bioactive components of colloidal oatmeal, a commonly used treatment to enhance skin barrier function. This study investigated the relationship between skin barrier function and epidermal characteristics and explored the potential of dihydroavenanthramide D (dhAvD), a synthetic avenanthramide, to improve the skin barrier.

The roles and mechanisms of coding and noncoding RNA variations in cancer.

Functional variations in coding and noncoding RNAs are crucial in tumorigenesis, with cancer-specific alterations often resulting from chemical modifications and posttranscriptional processes mediated by enzymes. These RNA variations have been linked to tumor cell proliferation, growth, metastasis, and drug resistance and are valuable for identifying diagnostic or prognostic cancer biomarkers. The diversity of posttranscriptional RNA modifications, such as splicing, polyadenylation, methylation, and editing, is particularly significant due to their prevalence and impact on cancer progression.

Fucoxanthin Suppresses NF-κB, JNK, and p38-Associated MMP Expression in Arthritis Pathogenesis via Antioxidant Activity.

is a highly nutritious marine microalga that has various applications in aquaculture and biotechnology. However, the effects of extract (TLE) on osteoarthritis (OA) pathogenesis remain unexplored. In this study, we aimed to determine the effects of TLE on OA development.

Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter-2 Inhibitors, Dulaglutide, and Risk for Dementia : A Population-Based Cohort Study.

Background: Both sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) may have neuroprotective effects in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, their comparative effectiveness in preventing dementia remains uncertain.

Objective: To compare the risk for dementia between SGLT2 inhibitors and dulaglutide (a GLP-1 RA).

COVID-19 Vaccination and Ocular Adverse Events: A Self-Controlled Case Series Study From the Entire South Korean Population.

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the risk of ocular adverse events, including retinal artery occlusion (RAO), retinal vein occlusion (RVO), noninfectious uveitis (NIU), noninfectious scleritis (NIS), optic neuritis (ON), ischemic optic neuropathy (ION), and ocular motor cranial nerve palsy (OMCNP), following Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination.

Design: Population-based self-controlled case series METHODS: This study utilized nationwide claims and vaccination data provided by the Korea National Health Insurance Service and Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. From the entire South Korean population of 52 million individuals, patients with incident RAO, RVO, anterior NIU, nonanterior NIU, NIS, ON, ION, or OMCNP between January 2021 and March 2022 were included.

Removal of circulating mitochondrial N-formyl peptides via immobilized antibody therapy restores sepsis-induced neutrophil dysfunction.

During recovery from septic shock, circulating mitochondrial N-formyl peptides predispose to secondary infection by occupying formyl peptide receptor 1 on the neutrophil (polymorphonuclear leukocyte) membrane, suppressing cytosolic calcium ([Ca2+]i)-dependent responses to secondarily encountered bacteria. However, no study has yet investigated therapeutic clearance of circulating mitochondrial N-formyl peptides in clinical settings. Thus, we studied how to remove mitochondrial N-formyl peptides from septic-shock plasma and whether such removal could preserve cell-surface formyl peptide receptor 1 and restore sepsis-induced polymorphonuclear leukocyte dysfunction by normalizing [Ca2+]i flux.

Heterogeneity of claudin 18.2 expression in metastatic gastric cancer.

Claudin 18.2 has emerged as a viable therapeutic target in gastric cancer (GC), but little is known about the heterogeneity of its expression in GC. This study investigated the heterogeneity of claudin 18.

Mitochondrial DNA mosaicism in normal human somatic cells.

Somatic cells accumulate genomic alterations with age; however, our understanding of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mosaicism remains limited. Here we investigated the genomes of 2,096 clones derived from three cell types across 31 donors, identifying 6,451 mtDNA variants with heteroplasmy levels of ≳0.3%.

Antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects of BenTooth: A natural product blend of burdock root, persimmon leaf extracts, and quercetin on periodontal disease.

Periodontal disease represents a condition that exhibits substantial global morbidity, and is characterized by the infection and inflammation of the periodontal tissue effectuated by bacterial pathogens. The present study aimed at evaluating the therapeutic efficacy of BenTooth, an edible natural product mixture comprising burdock root extract, persimmon leaf extract and quercetin, against periodontitis both and . BenTooth was examined for antimicrobial properties and its impact on cellular responses related to inflammation and bone resorption.

EarlyTect BCD, a Streamlined PENK Methylation Test in Urine DNA, Effectively Detects Bladder Cancer in Patients with Hematuria.

The current noninvasive diagnostic approaches for detecting bladder cancer (BC) often exhibit limited clinical performance, especially for the initial diagnosis. This study aims to evaluate the validity of a streamlined urine-based PENK methylation test called EarlyTect BCD in detecting BC in patients with hematuria scheduled for cystoscopy in Korean and American populations. The test seamlessly integrates two steps, linear target enrichment and quantitative methylation-specific PCR within a single closed tube.

The association of blood eosinophil counts and FEV decline: a cohort study.

Background: Accelerated lung function decline is characteristic of COPD. However, the association between blood eosinophil counts and lung function decline, accounting for current smoking status, in young individuals without prevalent lung disease is not fully understood.

Methods: This is a cohort study of 629 784 Korean adults without COPD or a history of asthma at baseline who participated in health screening examinations including spirometry and differential white blood cell counts.

mTOR Inhibition Prolongs Survival and Has Beneficial Effects on Heart Function After Onset of Lamin A/C Gene Mutation Cardiomyopathy in Mice.

Background: Mutations in encoding nuclear envelope proteins lamin A/C cause dilated cardiomyopathy. Activation of the AKT/mTOR (RAC-α serine/threonine-protein kinase/mammalian target of rapamycin) pathway is implicated as a potential pathophysiologic mechanism. The aim of this study was to assess whether pharmacological inhibition of mTOR signaling has beneficial effects on heart function and prolongs survival in a mouse model of the disease, after onset of heart failure.

Lowering Barriers to Health Risk Assessments in Promoting Personalized Health Management.

This study investigates the feasibility of accurately predicting adverse health events without relying on costly data acquisition methods, such as laboratory tests, in the era of shifting healthcare paradigms towards community-based health promotion and personalized preventive healthcare through individual health risk assessments (HRAs). We assessed the incremental predictive value of four categories of predictor variables-demographic, lifestyle and family history, personal health device, and laboratory data-organized by data acquisition costs in the prediction of the risks of mortality and five chronic diseases. Machine learning methodologies were employed to develop risk prediction models, assess their predictive performance, and determine feature importance.

Long-Term Autoimmune Inflammatory Rheumatic Outcomes of COVID-19 : A Binational Cohort Study.

Background: Some data suggest a higher incidence of diagnosis of autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases (AIRDs) among patients with a history of COVID-19 compared with uninfected patients. However, these studies had methodological shortcomings.

Objective: To investigate the effect of COVID-19 on long-term risk for incident AIRD over various follow-up periods.