Effects of genetic mutations on left ventricular myocardial mechanics and fibrosis patterns in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Myocyte disarray and fibrosis are underlying pathologies of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) caused by genetic mutations. However, the extent of their contributions has not been extensively evaluated. In this study, we investigated the effects of genetic mutations on myofiber function and fibrosis patterns in HCM.

Association Between Calcium Channel Blocker Use and the Risk of Interstitial Lung Disease and Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: A Longitudinal Cohort Study.

Introduction: Ca2+ signaling in fibroblasts would be one of the important mediators of lung fibrosis. This study investigated the relationship between calcium channel blocker usage and the risk of developing interstitial lung disease and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Material And Methods: This cohort study used data from the Korean National Health Screening Cohort spanned from January 1, 2004, to December 31, 2015.

Blood-based diagnosis of pediatric tuberculosis: a prospective cohort study in South Africa and Dominican Republic.

Objectives: Pediatric tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis is complicated by challenges in obtaining invasive respiratory specimens that frequently contain few Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) bacilli. We report the diagnostic performance of an Mtb antigen-derived peptide (MAP-TB) assay and its ability to monitor TB treatment response.

Methods: Study cohorts enrolled children who presented with presumptive TB at two hospitals in South Africa from 2012 to 2017 (157 children aged <13 years) and at community-based clinics in the Dominican Republic from 2019 to 2023 (101 children aged <18 years).

Predicting the likelihood of readmission in patients with ischemic stroke: An explainable machine learning approach using common data model data.

Background: Ischemic stroke affects 15 million people worldwide, causing five million deaths annually. Despite declining mortality rates, stroke incidence and readmission risks remain high, highlighting the need for preventing readmission to improve the quality of life of survivors. This study developed a machine-learning model to predict 90-day stroke readmission using electronic medical records converted to the common data model (CDM) from the Regional Accountable Care Hospital in Gangwon state in South Korea.

Transduction enhancing EF-C peptide nanofibrils are endocytosed by macropinocytosis and subsequently degraded.

Retroviral gene transfer is the preferred method for stable, long-term integration of genetic material into cellular genomes, commonly used to generate chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells designed to target tumor antigens. However, the efficiency of retroviral gene transfer is often limited by low transduction rates due to low vector titers and electrostatic repulsion between viral particles and cellular membranes. To overcome these limitations, peptide nanofibrils (PNFs) can be applied as transduction enhancers.

Quinoline: A Novel Solution for Next-Generation Pesticides, Herbicides, and Fertilizers.

Quinoline is a nitrogen-containing heterocycle compound widely used in the medical industry for its pharmacological properties, such as its antimalarial, antimicrobial, antiparasitic, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer activities. Beyond its medical significance, quinoline shows promising applications in agriculture as a safe and effective pesticide, herbicide, and fertilizer. This review explores the evolution of quinoline research, beginning with its history and synthesis and transitioning to its biological activities and their relevance in agriculture.

Causal associations between circulating protein ratios and drug resistance in papillary thyroid cancer: a Mendelian randomization study.

Objective: Circulating protein level ratios (CPLRs) may play a crucial role in tumor progression and drug resistance by mediating interactions within the tumor microenvironment. This study aims to investigate the causal associations between CPLRs and papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), focusing on their potential implications in drug resistance mechanisms.

Methods: Genetic data for 2821 CPLRs were obtained from the GWAS and FinnGen databases.

Land Use Change Consistently Reduces α- But Not β- and γ-Diversity of Bees.

Land use change threatens global biodiversity and compromises ecosystem functions, including pollination and food production. Reduced taxonomic α-diversity is often reported under land use change, yet the impacts could be different at larger spatial scales (i.e.

Effect of magnetized water on the fundamental grouting properties of cement grout under varying magnetization conditions.

The development and modification of grouting materials constitute crucial factors influencing the effectiveness of grouting. Given the pivotal role of water in the hydration of cement-based composite materials and construction processes, this study proposes an exploratory approach using green, economical magnetized water technology to enhance the performance of cement grouts. The research systematically investigates the effects of magnetized water on the fundamental grouting properties (stability, rheological behavior, and stone body strength) of cement grouts, prepared under varying magnetization conditions (including magnetic intensity, water flow speed, and cycle times).

Outcomes of Bariatric Surgery Following Insurance Coverage Adoption: A Nationwide Cohort Study.

Background: Although bariatric surgery is the most effective obesity treatment, few nationwide cohort studies have evaluated its safety. This study aimed to evaluate surgical trends after insurance coverage implementation and analyze the surgical outcomes of bariatric surgery.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of bariatric surgery in patients with obesity was conducted using data from Korean National Health Insurance System (NHIS) claims.

Long-term clinical outcome of a weekly 2-chlorodeoxyadenosine regimen in treatment-naïve patients with hairy cell leukemia.

Hairy cell leukemia (HCL) has a favorable clinical outcome with appropriate treatment; however, further research is needed on managing patients with relapsed or refractory disease and the risk of infection during prolonged periods. This study examined the long-term effects of 2-chlorodeoxyadenosine (2-CdA), particularly using a weekly infusion protocol, in treatment-naïve patients with HCL. This retrospective study evaluated the long-term follow-up data from 21 South Korean patients diagnosed with HCL.

Thermal sensitivity and niche plasticity of generalist and specialist leaf-endophytic bacteria in Mangrove Kandelia obovata.

Leaf endospheres harbor diverse bacterial communities, comprising generalists and specialists, that profoundly affect ecosystem functions. However, the ecological dynamics of generalist and specialist leaf-endophytic bacteria and their responses to climate change remain poorly understood. We investigated the diversity and environmental responses of generalist and specialist bacteria within the leaf endosphere of mangroves across China.

Unconventional hexagonal open Prussian blue analog structures.

Prussian blue analogs (PBAs), as a classical kind of microporous materials, have attracted substantial interests considering their well-defined framework structures, unique physicochemical properties and low cost. However, PBAs typically adopt cubic structure that features small pore size and low specific surface area, which greatly limits their practical applications in various fields ranging from gas adsorption/separation to energy conversion/storage and biomedical treatments. Here we report the facile and general synthesis of unconventional hexagonal open PBA structures.

An updated review about the possibility of surveillance strategy in non-resected mucinous cystic neoplasms.

After the World Health Organization established a precise definition of mucinous cystic neoplasm (MCN) in 2000, based on the presence of ovarian-type stroma, its clinical features became more apparent. Surgery for MCN, which primarily affects middle-aged women with long life expectancies, is likely to negatively impact the patient's quality of life. Although recent studies have reported a low proportion of advanced neoplasia among resected MCN (≤15%), many clinicians still recommend surgery for patients with presumed MCN without considering risk stratification for advanced neoplasia.

Construction of exosome non-coding RNA feature for non-invasive, early detection of gastric cancer patients by machine learning: a multi-cohort study.

Background And Objective: Gastric cancer (GC) remains a prevalent and preventable disease, yet accurate early diagnostic methods are lacking. Exosome non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), a type of liquid biopsy, have emerged as promising diagnostic biomarkers for various tumours. This study aimed to identify a serum exosome ncRNA feature for enhancing GC diagnosis.

Disentangling Sources of Momentum Fluctuations in Xe+Xe and Pb+Pb Collisions with the ATLAS Detector.

High-energy nuclear collisions create a quark-gluon plasma, whose initial condition and subsequent expansion vary from event to event, impacting the distribution of the eventwise average transverse momentum [P([p_{T}])]. Disentangling the contributions from fluctuations in the nuclear overlap size (geometrical component) and other sources at a fixed size (intrinsic component) remains a challenge. This problem is addressed by measuring the mean, variance, and skewness of P([p_{T}]) in ^{208}Pb+^{208}Pb and ^{129}Xe+^{129}Xe collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.

Polygyny and intimate partner violence among married women: Sub-national estimates from a cross-sectional study in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a global issue with several social and health consequences. Global estimates indicate that one-third of women have experienced lifetime IPV. In 2013, sub-Saharan Africa recorded the highest rates of IPV.

Regulatory Roles of SWI/SNF Chromatin Remodeling Complexes in Immune Response and Inflammatory Diseases.

The switch/sucrose non-fermentable (SWI/SNF) chromatin remodeling complexes (also referred to as BAF complexes) are composed of multiple subunits, which regulate the nucleosome translocation and chromatin accessibility. In recent years, significant advancements have been made in understanding mutated genes encoding subunits of the SWI/SNF complexes in cancer biology. Nevertheless, the role of SWI/SNF complexes in immune response and inflammatory diseases continues to attract significant attention.

Basic Science and Pathogenesis.

Background: Amyloid-β accumulation is a pivotal factor in Alzheimer's disease (AD) progression. As treatment for AD has not been successful yet, the most effective approach lies in early diagnosis and the subsequent delay of disease progression. Hence, this study introduces a deep learning model to predict amyloid-β accumulation in the brain.

Basic Science and Pathogenesis.

Background: With a rapidly aging population, South Korea anticipates a surge in Alzheimer disease (AD). However, the genetic basis of AD in Koreans is not well understood.

Method: We sequenced the genomes of 3,540 Koreans (1,583 AD cases and 1,957 controls) older than age 60 and performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of AD using logistic regression models that included covariates for age, sex, five ancestry principal components, and an empirical genetic relationship matrix.

Basic Science and Pathogenesis.

Background: Women's elevated risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD) compared to men remains unclear, with gonadal hormones proposed as potential contributors. This study aimed to explore the association between follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol (E2), neuropsychological AD stages, and cerebral Aβ deposition.

Methods: A total of 679 subjects were included in the study (N = 198 for cognitively normal (CN), N = 373 for mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and N = 108 for AD dementia groups).

Basic Science and Pathogenesis.

Background: Preclinical animal models are essential for the development of effective treatments. For instance, the 5xFAD mouse model successfully represents the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Expression of humanized APP (K670N/M671L - Swedish, I716V - Florida, V717I - London) and PSEN1 (M146L and L286V), found in early onset AD patients, induces the production of amyloid-β 42 (Aβ42) and amyloid deposition, gliosis, and progressive neuronal loss.

Basic Science and Pathogenesis.

Background: Obesity is caused by the buildup of excess body fat, which upsets homeostasis. Genetic, epigenetic, and behavioural variables all have a role in the pathophysiology of obesity. In turn, obesity throws off the sleep cycle, leading to sleep problems.