Minimum number of readings necessary for determining long-term visit-to-visit blood pressure variability to predict cardiovascular outcomes in people with diabetes.

Background: People with diabetes often have increased blood pressure (BP) variability because of autonomic dysfunction and arterial stiffness, making it a critical factor in predicting clinical outcomes. We investigated the reproducibility of long-term visit-to-visit BP variability (VVV) and the minimum number of BP readings to reliably determine VVV in people with diabetes.

Methods: This multicenter retrospective study used data from electronic health records of the Korea University Medical Center database.

Deep learning model for identifying acute heart failure patients using electrocardiography in the emergency room.

Background: Acute heart failure (AHF) poses significant diagnostic challenges in the emergency room (ER) because of its varied clinical presentation and limitations of traditional diagnostic methods. This study aimed to develop and evaluate a deep-learning model using electrocardiogram (ECG) data to enhance AHF identification in the ER.

Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, we analyzed the ECG data of 19,285 patients who visited ERs of three hospitals between 2016 and 2020; 9,119 with available left ventricular ejection fraction and N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide level data and who were diagnosed with AHF were included in the study.

A Novel Technique With Buttress Plating for Comminuted Base Fractures of the Proximal Phalanx.

Background: Extra-articular but severely comminuted distal basal fractures of the proximal phalanx (PP) are rarely reported. Therefore, the aim of this study was to achieve proper union and desirable outcomes using low-profile locking plates/screws. We introduced our own surgical approach and reported the clinical/radiographic outcomes via retrospective case series.

Modulation of Pain Sensitivity by Ascl1- and Lhx6-Dependent GABAergic Neuronal Function in Streptozotocin-Diabetic Mice.

Painful diabetic neuropathy commonly affects the peripheral nervous system in individuals with diabetes. However, the pathological processes and mechanisms underlying diabetic neuropathic pain remain unclear. We aimed to identify the overall profiles and screen for genes potentially involved in pain mechanisms using transcriptome analysis of the dorsal root ganglion of diabetic mice treated with streptozotocin (STZ).

Human Monocyte-Derived Macrophages Demonstrate Distinct Responses to Ambient Particulate Matter in a Polarization State- and Particle Seasonality-Specific Manner.

Macrophages are professional phagocytic immune cells that, following activation, polarize on a spectrum between the proinflammatory M1 and the proresolution M2 states. Macrophages have further been demonstrated to retain plasticity, allowing for the reprogramming of their polarization states following exposure to new stimuli. Particulate matter (PM) has been repeatedly shown to modify macrophage function and polarization while also inducing worsening respiratory infection morbidity and mortality.

The influence between plaque rupture and non-plaque rupture on clinical outcomes in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction after primary percutaneous coronary intervention: a prospective cohort study.

Background: Coronary atherosclerosis can lead to acute clinical events upon atherosclerotic plaque rupture (PR) or erosion and arterial thrombus formation. Identifying the effect of distinct plaque characteristics on clinical outcomes in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is critical for clinical therapy. Our goal was to ascertain the correlation between clinical outcome, long-term prognosis, and morphological plaque characteristics in STEMI.

Simulated burn pit smoke condensates cause sustained impact on human airway epithelial cells.

Inhalation of smoke from burn pits during military deployment is associated with several adverse pulmonary outcomes. We exposed human airway epithelial cells to smoke condensates from burn pit waste materials. Single and repeated exposure of condensates triggered unique and common responses in terms of gene expression, that sustained through the recovery phase.

A Case Series of Distal Radius and Ulna Nonunion Treated with Minimal Surgical Intervention.

 We hypothesized a treatment guideline for ulna/radius nonunion after failed surgical treatment and propose to verify it in a prospective study. Herein, we report our preliminary findings and review the current trend.  Six patients who met the criteria were retrospectively investigated, and we further categorized "nonunion of both the radius/ulna" into four subcategories.

Enhancing Aerosol Mitigation in Medical Procedures: A CFD-Informed Respiratory Barrier Enclosure.

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the significant infection risks posed by aerosol-generating procedures (AGPs), such as intubation and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Despite existing protective measures, high-risk environments like these require more effective safety solutions. In response, our research team has focused on developing a novel respiratory barrier enclosure designed to enhance the safety of healthcare workers and patients during AGPs.

Normative Parameters of Olfactory Bulbs Based on Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Olfactory Function.

Background: Olfactory dysfunction is a frequently encountered sensory disorder that increases with aging, assessed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); however, reference quantitative values for associated anatomical structures have rarely been suggested. The aim of this study was to assess the parameters of the olfactory bulbs (OBs) and olfactory sulcus (OS) in Korean adults according to age, along with their olfactory function.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 217 consecutive patients (104 men, 113 women; mean age, 52.

Comparative Effectiveness of Lercanidipine and Amlodipine on Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events in Hypertensive Patients.

Background: Lercanidipine, a newer-generation calcium channel blocker, is recognized for its effective antihypertensive properties and reduced side effects. This study aims to compare the effectiveness of lercanidipine and amlodipine in preventing major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in hypertensive patients.

Methods: A multicenter, retrospective observational study was conducted using the electronic medical records database from three tertiary hospitals in South Korea between 2017 and 2021.

Wildfire-relevant woodsmoke and extracellular vesicles (EVs): Alterations in EV proteomic signatures involved in extracellular matrix degradation and tissue injury in airway organotypic models.

Wildfires adversely impact air quality and public health worldwide. Exposures to wildfire smoke are linked to adverse health outcomes, including cardiopulmonary diseases. Critical research gaps remain surrounding the underlying biological pathways leading to wildfire-induced health effects.

Precision Cut Lung Slices: Emerging Tools for Preclinical and Translational Lung Research. An Official American Thoracic Society Workshop Report.

The urgent need for effective treatments for acute and chronic lung diseases underscores the significance of developing innovative preclinical human research tools. The 2023 ATS Workshop on Precision Cut Lung Slices (PCLS) brought together 35 experts to discuss and address the role of human tissue-derived PCLS as a unique tool for target and drug discovery and validation in pulmonary medicine. With increasing interest and usage, along with advancements in methods and technology, there is a growing need for consensus on PCLS methodology and readouts.

The Parkinson's disease DJ-1/PARK7 gene controls peripheral neuronal excitability and painful neuropathy.

Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disease with well-documented motor symptoms as well as less recognised, but significant, non-motor symptoms. These non-motor symptoms include prodromal pain and peripheral neuropathy, the causes of which are unknown. We investigated the role of DJ-1/PARK7, a Parkinson's disease-associated gene, in prodromal pain and peripheral neuropathy.

GLP-1 and its derived peptides mediate pain relief through direct TRPV1 inhibition without affecting thermoregulation.

Hormonal regulation during food ingestion and its association with pain prompted the investigation of the impact of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) on transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1). Both endogenous and synthetic GLP-1, as well as a GLP-1R antagonist, exendin 9-39, reduced heat sensitivity in naïve mice. GLP-1-derived peptides (liraglutide, exendin-4, and exendin 9-39) effectively inhibited capsaicin (CAP)-induced currents and calcium responses in cultured sensory neurons and TRPV1-expressing cell lines.

Deciphering melanophagy: role of the PTK2-ITCH-MLANA-OPTN cascade on melanophagy in melanocytes.

Melanosomes play a pivotal role in skin color and photoprotection. In contrast to the well-elucidated pathway of melanosome biogenesis, the process of melanosome degradation, referred to as melanophagy, is largely unexplored. Previously, we discovered that 3,4,5-trimethoxycinnamate thymol ester (TCTE) effectively inhibits skin pigmentation by activating melanophagy.

Long-term outcome of interstitial lung disease in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome: a retrospective observational study.

Background/aims: Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a potentially serious but underdiagnosed manifestation of primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS). This observational study investigated the prevalence and clinical course of ILD in pSS, together with prognostic factors.

Methods: A multicenter, retrospective longitudinal study was performed using findings from baseline and follow-up pulmonary function tests and chest computed tomography.

Impact of symptom-to-balloon time in patients with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction and complex lesions.

Aims: Considering the limited data regarding clinical outcomes of patients with non-ST-segment on the ECG elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), this study compared the outcomes of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention with newer-generation drug-eluting stents stratified by the presence/absence of complex lesions and symptom-to-balloon time (SBT; <48 h or ≥48 h).

Methods: We enrolled 4373 patients with NSTEMI from the Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry-National Institute of Health dataset and stratified them into the complex group (2106 patients; SBT < 48 h, n  = 1365; SBT ≥48 h, n  = 741) and the noncomplex group (2267 patients; SBT < 48 h, n  = 1573; SBT ≥48 h, n  = 694). The primary outcome was the 3-year all-cause mortality rate.

Stepwise emergence of CO gas sensing response and selectivity on SnO using C supports and PtO decoration.

Room temperature gas sensing is crucial for practical devices used in indoor environments. Among various materials, metal oxides are commonly used for gas sensing, but their strong insulating properties limit their effectiveness at room temperature. To address this issue, many studies have explored diverse methods such as nanoparticle decoration or conductive support, etc.