Tuberculous pleural effusion-induced Arg-1 macrophage polarization contributes to lung cancer progression via autophagy signaling.

Background: The association between tuberculous fibrosis and lung cancer development has been reported by some epidemiological and experimental studies; however, its underlying mechanisms remain unclear, and the role of macrophage (MФ) polarization in cancer progression is unknown. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of M2 Arg-1 MФ in tuberculous pleurisy-assisted tumorigenicity in vitro and in vivo.

Methods: The interactions between tuberculous pleural effusion (TPE)-induced M2 Arg-1 MФ and A549 lung cancer cells were evaluated.

Gender Differences in Antitussive Prescriptions for Chronic Cough in Korea.

: We investigated the differences in the characteristics and prognoses between the sexes of patients with chronic cough who were prescribed antitussive agents, using a Korean population-based database. Claims data from South Korea's Health Insurance Review and Assessment (HIRA) service were analyzed. This retrospective observational cohort study considered chronic cough patients aged 18 years and older who were consistently prescribed antitussive agents for more than 2 months between 1 January 2017 and 30 June 2019.

Association between the Respiratory Microbiome and Plasma Microbial Extracellular Vesicles in Intubated Patients.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) regulate various cellular and immunological functions in human diseases. There is growing interest in the clinical role of microbial EVs in pneumonia. However, there is a lack of research on the correlation between lung microbiome with microbial EVs and the microbiome of other body sites in pneumonia.

The Impact of Inhaled Corticosteroids on the Prognosis of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Background: A comprehensive analysis of the effects of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) on COPD in a real-world setting is required due to safety concerns regarding ICS in COPD. This study aimed to explore the impact of ICS on the prognosis of Asian COPD patients in the real-life world.

Methods: We examined 978 COPD patients registered in the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) database and with their data linked to Health Insurance and Review Assessment (HIRA) data.

Risk for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in patients treated with anti-tumor necrosis factor agents.

Background: There are few studies on medical conditions associated with the development of drug-resistant TB.

Objective: We investigated the risk factors for the occurrence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) tuberculosis (TB) in patients with pulmonary TB.

Materials And Methods: Based on claims data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment service in South Korea, we retrospectively investigated patients aged 18 years or older with active pulmonary TB who were treated with anti-TB therapy between January 1, 2008, and February 28, 2021.

Experience and perspectives of end-of-life care discussion and physician orders for life-sustaining treatment of Korea (POLST-K): a cross-sectional study.

Background: This study aimed to identify the healthcare providers' experience and perspectives toward end-of-life care decisions focusing on end-of-life discussion and physician's order of life-sustaining treatment documentation in Korea which are major parts of the Life-Sustaining Treatment Act.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a questionnaire developed by the authors. A total of 474 subjects-94 attending physicians, 87 resident physicians, and 293 nurses-participated in the survey, and the data analysis was performed in terms of frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation using the SPSS 24.

The prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer patients according to endobronchial metastatic lesion.

To evaluate the prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients according to endobronchial metastatic lesion (EML), especially those not identified on positron emission tomography or computed tomography. We evaluated progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) according to the presence of EML in patients with NSCLC who were diagnosed at a tertiary hospital between January 2010 and December 2019. A total of 364 patients were enrolled in this study.

Metagenomic Analysis of Plasma Microbial Extracellular Vesicles in Patients Receiving Mechanical Ventilation: A Pilot Study.

Background: Previous studies reported a significant association between pneumonia outcome and the respiratory microbiome. There is increasing interest in the roles of bacterial extracellular vesicles (EVs) in various diseases. We studied the composition and function of microbiota-derived EVs in the plasma of patients receiving mechanical ventilation to evaluate whether they can be used as a diagnostic marker and to predict clinical outcomes.

Analysis of treatment pattern of anti-dementia medications in newly diagnosed Alzheimer's dementia using OMOP CDM.

Anti-dementia medications are widely prescribed to patients with Alzheimer's dementia (AD) in South Korea. This study investigated the pattern of medical management in newly diagnosed patients with AD using a standardized data format-the Observational Medical Outcome Partnership Common Data Model from five hospitals. We examined the anti-dementia treatment patterns from datasets that comprise > 5 million patients during 2009-2019.

Differences in ICU Outcomes According to the Type of Anticancer Drug in Lung Cancer Patients.

Purpose: We investigated the intensive care unit (ICU) outcomes of patients who used targeted therapy compared to those who received cytotoxic chemotherapy.

Materials And Methods: This study was based on Korean administrative health insurance claims from 2015 to 2019. We extracted data on lung cancer patients (>18 years old) who were admitted to the ICU after receiving chemotherapy.

A Comprehensive Analysis of 5-Year Outcomes in Patients with Cancer Admitted to Intensive Care Units.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term (5-year) clinical outcomes of patients who received intensive care unit (ICU) treatment using Korean nationwide data.

Methods: All patients aged -gt;18 years with ICU admission according to Korean claims data from January 2008 to December 2010 were enrolled. These enrolled patients were followed up until December 2015.

Word Embedding Reveals Cyfra 21-1 as a Biomarker for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Background: Although patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) experience high morbidity and mortality worldwide, few biomarkers are available for COPD. Here, we analyzed potential biomarkers for the diagnosis of COPD by using word embedding.

Methods: To determine which biomarkers are likely to be associated with COPD, we selected respiratory disease-related biomarkers.

DNA Methylation Markers in Lung Cancer.

Lung cancer is the most common cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related morbidity and mortality worldwide. As early symptoms of lung cancer are minimal and non-specific, many patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage. Despite a concerted effort to diagnose lung cancer early, no biomarkers that can be used for lung cancer screening and prognosis prediction have been established so far.

Clinical outcomes in patients with lung cancer admitted to intensive care units.

Background: Recent advances in critical care and infection control have led to improved intensive care unit (ICU) survival rates. However, controversy exists regarding the benefits of ICU treatment for patients with lung cancer. In this study, we evaluated the clinical outcomes of patients from the Korean national database, who had been diagnosed with lung cancer and had received ICU treatment.

Effect of Electric Field Distribution on the Heating Uniformity of a Model Ready-to-Eat Meal in Microwave-Assisted Thermal Sterilization Using the FDTD Method.

Microwave assisted thermal sterilization (MATS) is a novel microwave technology currently used in the commercial production of ready-to-eat meals. It combines surface heating of high-temperature circulation water with internal microwave heating in cavities. The heating pattern inside the food packages in a MATS process depends heavily on the electric field distribution formed by microwaves from the top and bottom windows of the microwave heating cavities.

Plasma concentrations of NOX4 are predictive of successful liberation from mechanical ventilation and 28-day mortality in intubated patients.

Background: Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase (NOX) enzymes play important roles in generating reactive oxygen species (ROS); in particular, NOX4 plays a distinct role in regulating lung inflammation and apoptosis.

Methods: We determined whether plasma NOX4 level can be used as a prognostic biomarker to guide weaning from mechanical ventilation and to predict mortality in intubated patients. Plasma levels of NOX4 were measured at days 1 (NOX4 D1) and 7 (NOX4 D7) after initiation of mechanical ventilation in 184 patients.

Difference of copy number variation in blood of patients with lung cancer.

Background: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Copy number variation (CNV) in several genetic regions correlate with cancer susceptibility. Hence, this study evaluated the association between CNV and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in the peripheral blood.

Tuberculosis-Infected Giant Bulla Treated by Percutaneous Drainage Followed by Obliteration of the Pulmonary Cavity Using Talc: Case Report.

Tuberculosis (TB)-infected giant bullae are rare. A 55-year-old man was referred when an infected bulla did not respond to empirical treatment. Computed tomography showed a giant bulla in the right upper lobe with an air-fluid level and surrounding infiltrate.

Active Treatment Improves Overall Survival in Extremely Older Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients: A Multicenter Retrospective Cohort Study.

Purpose: As the aging of society progresses, the proportion of extremely older lung cancer patients has also increased; However, studies of these patients with non-small cell lung cancer are limited. Therefore, we investigated the initial treatment modalities and survival outcomes for patients aged 80 years or over.

Materials And Methods: We included a multicenter retrospective cohort from the Korean Association for Lung Cancer Registry, which surveys 10% of the newly diagnosed lung cancer patients across 52 hospitals in Korea.

Epigenome-Wide Association Analysis of Differentially Methylated Signals in Blood Samples of Patients with Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer.

Lung cancer is a common form of cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Early diagnosis using noninvasive biomarkers may play an important role in increasing the survival rate of patients with lung cancer. Biomarkers of DNA methylation in blood samples may improve the early diagnosis of lung cancer.

Correlation between Physical Activity and Lung Function in Dusty Areas: Results from the Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in Dusty Areas (CODA) Cohort.

Background: Although physical activity is known to be beneficial to lung function, few studies have been conducted to investigate the correlation between physical activity and lung function in dusty areas. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the correlation between physical activity and lung function in a Korean cohort including normal and COPD-diagnosed participants.

Methods: Data obtained from the COPD in dusty areas (CODA) cohort was analyzed for the following factors: lung function, symptoms, and information about physical activity.

Humidity-Sensitive Field Effect Transistor with In₂O₃ Nanoparticles as a Sensing Layer.

In this work, we investigate the humidity-sensing performance on a humidity-sensitive p-channel field effect transistor (FET) having a floating-gate (FG) and a control-gate (CG) placing horizontally each other. A sensing layer is formed onto a part of the CG and the O/N/O stack over the FG by inkjet-printing process. The printed ink is composed of indium oxide (In₂O₃.

Effect of changes in salt content and food thickness on electromagnetic heating of rice, mashed potatoes and peas in 915 MHz single mode microwave cavity.

A mathematical model for predicting electromagnetic power dissipation within a rectangular dielectric slab heated by equal intensity 915 MHz plane waves from top and bottom was developed. A dimensionless parameter (J-T number) which is a combination of the loss factor (ε), dielectric constant (ε) and food thickness (L) was proposed. This unique number provided direct insight into the relationship between food dielectric properties, thickness, product temperature, and thermal lethality.

Levels of vitamin D-associated cytokines distinguish between active and latent tuberculosis following a tuberculosis outbreak.

Background: Vitamin D levels are associated with the extent of mycobactericidal activity. Interleukin (IL)-15 and IL-32 play roles in the vitamin D-mediated tuberculosis (TB) defense mechanism. Vitamin D induces IL-1β, which plays an important role in terms of resistance to TB.