Cannabidiol mediates epidermal terminal differentiation and redox homeostasis through aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR)-dependent signaling.

Background: Cannabidiol, a non-psychoactive phytocannabinoid, has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity in keratinocytes. However, the signaling pathway through which cannabidiol exerts its effect on keratinocytes or whether it can modulate keratinocyte differentiation has not been fully elucidated yet.

Objective: We investigated whether cannabidiol modulates epidermal differentiation and scavenges reactive oxygen species through the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) in keratinocytes and epidermal equivalents.

CD34 cells identified as pluripotent stem cell-derived definitive hemogenic endothelium purified using bone morphogenetic protein 4.

Hemogenic endothelium (HE) plays a pivotal and inevitable role in haematopoiesis and can generate all blood and endothelial lineage cells in the aorta-gonad-mesonephros of mouse embryos. Whether definitive HE can prospectively isolate pure HE from human pluripotent stem cells that can spontaneously differentiate into heterogeneous cells remains unknown. Here, we identified and validated a CD34 subpopulation with hemogenic potential.

Thyroid Cancer and Psoriasis: A Nested Case-Control Study.

Previous researchers have suggested an elevated risk of thyroid cancer (TC) in patients with psoriasis with mixed results. The current study evaluated the relationship of psoriasis with the risk of TC in an adult population. The data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service—Health Screening Cohort ≥ 40 years old were analyzed.

Randomized, Multicenter, Phase 3 Study of Accelerated Fraction Radiation Therapy With Concomitant Boost to the Gross Tumor Volume Compared With Conventional Fractionation in Concurrent Chemoradiation in Patients With Unresectable Stage III Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: The Korean Radiation Oncology Group 09-03 Trial.

Purpose: We designed the Korean Radiation Oncology Group 09-03 phase III clinical trial to compare accelerated hypofractionated radiation therapy (RT) using a concomitant boost to the gross tumor volume (GTV) with conventionally fractionated 60-Gy RT in patients with stage III unresectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods And Materials: A conventionally fractionated RT group (arm 1; 124 patients) received a 2-Gy daily dose to a total cumulative dose of 44 Gy to the planning target volume (PTV) in 22 fractions and 60 Gy to the GTV in 30 fractions over 6 weeks. A hypofractionated RT group (arm 2; 142 patients) received a 1.

Endoscopic transorbital extradural anterior clinoidectomy: A stepwise surgical technique and case series study [SevEN-013].

Background: Anterior clinoidectomy is an important procedure for approaching the central skull base lesions. However, anterior clinoidectomy through the endoscopic transorbital approach (ETOA) still has limitations due to technical difficulties and the structural complexity of the anterior clinoid process (ACP). Therefore, the authors designed a stepwise surgical technique of extradural anterior clinoidectomy through the ETOA.

Efficacy and safety of low-dose antihypertensive combination of amlodipine, telmisartan, and chlorthalidone: A randomized, double-blind, parallel, phase II trial.

The aim of this clinical trial was to assess the efficacy and safety of low-dose triple combinations of amlodipine, telmisartan, and chlorthalidone in patients with essential hypertension. After a 2-week placebo run-in period, 176 patients were randomized to seven treatment groups (placebo, quarter-dose combination, third-dose combination, half-dose combination, amlodipine 5 mg, amlodipine 10 mg, and telmisartan 80 mg) and administered the assigned study drug orally for 8 weeks. The primary efficacy endpoint was the change in the mean sitting systolic blood pressure (BP) (MSSBP) at Week 8.

Differences in Nutritional Intake, Total Body Fat, and BMI Score between Twins.

The present study aimed to investigate the coincidence of obesity and nutritional intake in monozygotic twins compared to dizygotic twins. The data from the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study (KoGES) from 2005 through 2014 were analyzed. Participants ≥ 20 years old were enrolled.

Smoking Is Positively Related and Alcohol Consumption Is Negatively Related to an Increased Risk of Meniere's Disease.

A few prior researchers presumed the impacts of smoking and alcohol on the risk of Meniere’s disease (MD). This study investigated the relationship between smoking, alcohol consumption, and obesity with Meniere’s disease in an adult population. The ≥40-year-old population in the Korean National Health Insurance Service-Health Screening Cohort 2002−2019 was analyzed.

Risk of Diabetes Mellitus after Radiotherapy for Gastric Mucosa-Associated Lymphoid Tissue Lymphoma.

The long-term effect of radiation on the pancreas in pediatric patients has been studied without individual radiation dosimetric data. This study investigated the effect of radiotherapy on the risk of developing diabetes mellitus (DM) in patients with gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma (GML), using individual radiation dosimetric analysis. Retrospective analysis reviewed the data of 225 patients without a history of DM receiving curative treatment for stage IE GML.

Growth pattern during early infancy, body mass index during childhood and childhood asthma.

Background: There is a lack of longitudinal studies of associations between growth from infancy to childhood and asthma development.

Objective: The objective of the study was to investigate the effects of weight change during infancy, body mass index (BMI) and the interaction of these factors on the risk of childhood asthma.

Methods: We enrolled children born in 2008 and 2009 at full-term and with normal birth weight.

Chemical priming of natural killer cells with branched polyethylenimine for cancer immunotherapy.

Background: Due to their powerful immune surveillance activity and ability to kill and clear cancer cells, natural killer (NK) cells are an emerging anticancer immunotherapeutic agent. Therefore, there is much interest in developing efficient technologies that further enhance the therapeutic antitumor efficacy of NK cells.

Methods: To produce chemically primed NK cells, we screened polymers with various electric charges and examined their ability to enhance the cytotoxicity of NK cells.

Association between Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo and Previous Proton Pump Inhibitor Use: A Nested Case-Control Study Using a National Health Screening Cohort.

The present nested case−control study evaluated the impact of previous proton pump inhibitor (PPI) prescription on the risk of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). A ≥40-year-old Korean population was included. A total of 34,441 patients with BPPV was matched with 137,764 comparison participants for demographic and socioeconomic factors.

Molecular characteristics of incidental lower-grade glioma for treatment decision-making.

Objective: Several limitations are associated with the early diagnosis and treatment of incidental lower-grade glioma (iLGG), and due to its unknown molecular features, its management is categorized as either the "wait-and-see" strategy or immediate treatment. Therefore, in this study the authors explored iLGG's clinical and molecular landscape to improve its management.

Methods: The authors retrospectively assessed the differences between the molecular and clinical characteristics of iLGG and symptomatic lower-grade glioma (sLGG) samples filtered based on symptom data corresponding to The Cancer Genome Atlas cohort with mutations.

Differences in intrinsic functional networks in patients with essential tremor who had good and poor long-term responses after thalamotomy performed using MR-guided ultrasound.

Objective: Thalamotomy at the nucleus ventralis intermedius using MR-guided focused ultrasound has been an effective treatment method for essential tremor (ET). However, this is not true for all cases, even for successful ablation. How the brain differs in patients with ET between those with long-term good and poor outcomes is not clear.

Physical Activity and Sedentary Time in Korean Adults before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic Using Data from the Korea National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey.

Several recent studies suggested reduced physical activity (PA) related to the COVID-19 pandemic without consensus. This study investigated the changes in PA and sedentary time during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to before the COVID-19 era. The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2019 and 2020 were used.

Comparison of the Differences in State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Scores and Insomnia Histories between Monozygotic and Dizygotic Twins: A Cross-Sectional Study Using KoGES HTS Data.

The heritability of anxiety and its association with insomnia have been suggested. This study investigated the coincidence of anxiety and insomnia in monozygotic twins compared to dizygotic twins. The Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study 2005-2014 was used.

Use of lysates from pooled human mononuclear cells to activate CD3 T cells in humanized mice with low human cell engraftment efficiency.

In regenerative medicine, humanized mice (hu-mice) are extremely valuable for verifying the cross talk between immune cells and therapeutic cells. Given the highly dynamic nature of the activities of immune cells, the in vitro platform does not allow for screening of their exact interactions with different therapeutic cells. By contrast, hu-mice have been widely applied for in vivo studies, especially those on immune rejection.

Adjuvant Radiotherapy Versus Surveillance for Grade 2 Intracranial Meningiomas: A Multi-Institutional Propensity Score-Matched Study.

Purpose: We aimed to compare the outcomes of adjuvant radiotherapy (ART) and surveillance in patients with grade 2 meningiomas (MNG2) who underwent surgical resection.

Materials And Methods: Data from four hospitals, in which patients aged ≥18 years underwent Simpson grade 1-4 surgical resection for newly diagnosed MNG2 between 1998 and 2018, were examined in this multicenter retrospective cohort study. Patients receiving ART with conventional fractionation were compared with those undergoing surveillance.

The Effect of Gout on Thyroid Cancer Incidence: A Nested Case-Control Study Using a National Health Screening Cohort.

In this study, we investigated the risk of thyroid cancer in patients with gout. Participants ≥40 years old in the Korean National Health Insurance Service−Health Screening Cohort were investigated. A total of 5844 patients with thyroid cancer were paired with 23,376 comparison participants (no history of thyroid cancer) to build the nested case−control study.

Alternative splicing variant of NRP/B promotes tumorigenesis of gastric cancer.

Gastrointestinal cancer is associated with a high mortality rate. Here, we report that the splice variant of NRP/B contributes to tumorigenic activity in highly malignant gastric cancer through dissociation from the tumor repressor, HDAC5. NRP/B mRNA expression is significantly higher in the human gastric cancer tissues than in the normal tissues.

Potential of Hematologic Parameters in Predicting Mortality of Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs frequently, and acute TBI requiring surgical treatment is closely related to patient survival. Models for predicting the prognosis of patients with TBI do not consider various factors of patient status; therefore, it is difficult to predict the prognosis more accurately. In this study, we created a model that can predict the survival of patients with TBI by adding hematologic parameters along with existing non-hematologic parameters.

Association of Body Mass Index with Hearing Loss in Korean Adult Population.

This study aimed to explore the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and hearing loss. We analyzed data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service Health Screening Cohort 2009−2019 (291,471 patients with hearing loss and 6,088,979 control participants). Both patient groups were subsequently divided into four groups according to BMI: <18.