Search Results (23)

Background and Objectives: Serotonin modulates platelet aggregation and secretion, but its role in hemostasis remains controversial. This study hypothesized that the 5-HT₃ receptor antagonist palonosetron may inhibit platelet function and aimed to evaluate its effects on blood coagulation using thromboelastography (TEG). Materials and Methods: Blood samples from 11 healthy volunteers were treated with palonosetron at concentrations of 25, 250, and 2500 ng/mL. Untreated samples served as controls. Coagulation parameters were assessed using global hemostasis (citrated kaolin, citrated rapid TEG, citrated kaolin with heparinase, and citrated functional fibrinogen) and PlateletMapping (adenosine diphosphate [ADP], arachidonic acid, and others) assays. Results: In the global hemostasis assay, maximum amplitude values, reflecting clot strength, decreased with increasing palonosetron concentrations in all tests, including citrated kaolin (p = 0.031), citrated rapid TEG (p = 0.001), citrated kaolin with heparinase (p = 0.033), and citrated functional fibrinogen (p = 0.011). The PlateletMapping assay showed significant reductions in ADP-induced platelet aggregation (p = 0.001), with the largest inhibition observed at 2500 ng/mL (p = 0.007). Despite these changes, all values remained within normal reference ranges. Conclusions: Palonosetron induces hypocoagulable trends in vitro by inhibiting platelet function and fibrinogen-mediated clot strength. However, these changes are unlikely to result in clinically significant hemostatic impairment when used within therapeutic doses. Further research is warranted to confirm these findings and explore their clinical relevance. Full article

Background and objectives: The development of a five-in-one vaccine microneedle patch (five-in-one MN patch) aims to address challenges in administering vaccines against Diphtheria (DT), Tetanus (TT), Pertussis (wP), Hepatitis B (HBsAg), and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib). Combining multiple vaccines into a single patch offers a novel solution to improve vaccine accessibility, stability, and delivery efficiency, particularly in resource-limited settings. Methods: The five-in-one MN patch consists of four distinct microneedle arrays: DT and TT vaccines are coated together on one array, while wP, HepB, and Hib vaccines are coated separately on individual arrays. The patch was tested for long-term stability (12 months at 25 °C) and evaluated for immunogenicity in mice and minipigs. Antibody titers were measured using ELISA to compare immune responses between microneedle-based delivery and traditional intramuscular (IM) injection. Results: The five-in-one MN patch demonstrated stable antigenicity for up to 12 months at room temperature. In animal studies, the patch induced antibody titers comparable to traditional IM injections for all vaccines. Notably, immunogenic responses to Pertussis and Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccines via microneedles were reported for the first time. The patch facilitated the simultaneous yet independent delivery of vaccines, preserving their immunogenicity without interference. Conclusions: The five-in-one MN patch represents a significant advancement in vaccine delivery by enabling stable, minimally invasive, and efficient immunization. Its innovative design addresses the critical limitations of combination vaccines and has the potential to enhance vaccine accessibility in low- and middle-income countries. Future studies will focus on optimizing patch application techniques and evaluating broader clinical applicability. Full article

The current study aimed to investigate the physicochemical properties of the natural eggshell membrane (NEM) and its protective effects against H₂O₂-induced oxidative stress in human chondrocytes (SW-1353). Bioactive components from NEM related to cartilage were profiled, consisting of 1.1 ± 0.07% hyaluronic acid, 1.2 ± 0.25% total sulfated glycosaminoglycans as chondroitin sulfate, 3.1 ± 0.33% collagen, and 54.4 ± 2.40% total protein. Protein was hydrolyzed up to 43.72 ± 0.76% using in vitro gastro–intestinal digestive enzymes. Peptides eluted at 9.58, 12.46, and 14.58 min using nano-LC-ESI-MS were identified as TEW, SWVE, and VYL peptides with an M/Z value of 435.1874, 520.2402, and 394.2336, respectively. Radical scavenging activity of NEM at 10 mg/mL using the ABTS assay was revealed to be 2.1 times higher than that of the positive control. NEM treatment significantly enhanced cellular SOD expression (p < 0.05). Pre-treatment with NEM (0.1, 1, and 10 mg/mL) dose-dependently reduced H₂O₂-induced ROS levels in SW-1353. Cell live imaging confirmed that NEM pre-treatment led to a significant reduction in apoptosis expression compared to control. Results from the present study suggest that NEM rich in cartilage protective components including hyaluronic acid, collagen, and chondroitin antioxidative peptides could be a potential therapeutic agent for osteoarthritis (OA) by scavenging oxidative stress. Full article

Background: This study investigated the effectiveness and safety of pharmacopuncture for pain relief and functional improvement in patients with traffic accident (TA)-induced acute tension headaches. Methods: The study employed a parallel, single-centered, pragmatic, randomized controlled trial design. Eighty patients complaining of acute tension headaches were randomized into the integrative Korean medicine treatment (IKM treatment) group and the pharmacopuncture group on suboccipital muscles (suboccipital muscles pharmacopuncture + IKM treatment), with 40 participants assigned to each group. The patients in the pharmacopuncture group underwent pharmacopuncture as an add-on therapy, consisting of three sessions. Both groups were reassessed 2 months post-intervention. To assess the outcomes, the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) for Headache, NRS for Neck Pain, Headache Disability Index, Headache Impact Test-6, EuroQol 5-Dimension, and Patient Global Impression of Change were used. Results: The improvement in the outcomes of the pharmacopuncture group was significantly greater than that of the comparison group on day 4 of hospitalization in terms of pain (difference in NRS of headache −2.59, 95% CI −3.06 to −2.12; NRS of Neck pain −1.05, 95% CI −1.50 to −0.59) and function (difference in HDI −24.78, 95% CI, −31.79 to −17.76; HIT-6 −6.13, 95% CI, −9.47 to −2.78). Additionally, in 2 months of follow-up, the recovery rate of headache was significantly higher in the pharmacopuncture group than in the comparison group. Conclusions: The pharmacopuncture group demonstrated superior outcomes in symptom improvement than the comparison group did, providing insights into novel and useful applications of pharmacopuncture in the clinical practice of Korean medicine. Full article

Background and Objectives: Spinal anesthesia is widely used in various types of surgery. However, several complications can occur afterward. This study aimed to identify differences in the incidence of anesthesia-related complications according to the approach methods (midline versus paramedian) for landmark-based spinal anesthesia. Materials and Methods: We searched electronic databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, CENTRAL, Scopus, and Web of Science, for eligible randomized controlled trials. The primary outcome was post-dural puncture headache (PDPH) incidence, and secondary outcomes were low back pain (LBP) incidence and success rate in the first trial of spinal anesthesia. We estimated the odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) using a random-effects model. Results: In total, 2280 patients from 13 randomized controlled trials were included in the final analysis. The incidence rates of PDPH were 5.9% and 10.4% in the paramedian and midline approach groups, respectively. The pooled effect size revealed that the incidence of PDPH (OR: 0.43, 95% CI [0.22–0.83]; p = 0.01; I² = 53%) and LBP (OR: 0.27, 95% CI [0.16–0.44]; p < 0.001; I² = 16%) decreased, and the success rate in the first attempt was higher (OR: 2.30, 95% CI [1.36–3.87]; p = 0.002; I² = 35%) with the paramedian than with the midline approach. Conclusions: Paramedian spinal anesthesia reduced PDPH and LBP and increased the success rate of the first attempt. Full article

A definitive surgical resection is the preferred treatment for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Research on genetic alterations, including epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations, in early-stage NSCLC remains insufficient. We investigated the prevalence of genetic alterations in early-stage NSCLC and the association between EGFR mutations and recurrence after a complete resection. Between January 2019 and December 2021, 659 patients with NSCLC who underwent curative surgical resections at a single regional cancer center in Korea were recruited. We retrospectively compared the clinical and pathological data between the recurrence and non-recurrence groups. Among the 659 enrolled cases, the median age was 65.86 years old and the most common histology was adenocarcinoma (74.5%), followed by squamous cell carcinoma (21.7%). The prevalence of EGFR mutations was 43% (194/451). Among them, L858R point mutations and exon 19 deletions were 52.3% and 42%, respectively. Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangement was found in 5.7% of patients (26/453) and ROS proto-oncogene 1 (ROS1) fusion was found in 1.6% (7/441). The recurrence rate for the entire population was 19.7%. In the multivariate analysis, the presence of EGFR mutations (hazard ratio (HR): 2.698; 95% CI: 1.458–4.993; p = 0.002), stage II (HR: 2.614; 95% CI: 1.29–5.295; p = 0.008) or III disease (HR: 9.537; 95% CI: 4.825–18.852; p < 0.001) (vs. stage I disease), and the presence of a pathologic solid type (HR: 2.598; 95% CI: 1.405–4.803; p = 0.002) were associated with recurrence. Among the recurrence group, 86.5% of the patients with EGFR mutations experienced distant metastases compared with only 66.7% of the wild type (p = 0.016), with no significant difference in median disease-free survival (52.21 months vs. not reached; p = 0.983). In conclusion, adjuvant or neoadjuvant targeted therapy could be considered more actively because EGFR mutations were identified as an independent risk factor for recurrence and were associated with systemic recurrence. Further studies on perioperative therapy for other genetic alterations are necessary. Full article

Interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy (IF/TA) after kidney transplantation causes a chronic deterioration of graft function. IF/TA can be diagnosed by means of a graft biopsy, which is a necessity as non-invasive diagnostic methods are unavailable. In this study, we identified IF/TA-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs) through next-generation sequencing using peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Blood samples from kidney transplant recipients undergoing standard immunosuppressive therapy (tacrolimus/mycophenolate mofetil or mycophenolate sodium/steroid) and diagnosed as IF/TA (n = 41) or normal (controls; n = 41) at their one-year protocol biopsy were recruited between January of 2020 and August of 2020. DEGs were derived through mRNA sequencing and validated by means of a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. We identified 34 DEGs related to IF/TA. ADAMTS2, PLIN5, CLDN9, and KCNJ15 demonstrated a log₂(fold change) of >1.5 and an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) value of >0.6, with ADAMTS2 showing the largest AUC value and expression levels, which were 3.5-fold higher in the IF/TA group relative to that observed in the control group. We identified and validated DEGs related to IF/TA progression at one-year post-transplantation. Specifically, we identified ADAMTS2 as a potential IF/TA biomarker. Full article

Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) is reportedly superior or at least comparable to entecavir (ETV) in preventing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) among chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients; however, it remains controversial. This study aimed to conduct comprehensive comparisons between the two antivirals. CHB patients initially treated with ETV or TDF between 2012 and 2015 at 20 referral centers in Korea were included. The primary outcome was the cumulative incidence of HCC. The secondary outcomes included death or liver transplantation, liver-related outcome, extrahepatic malignancy, development of cirrhosis, decompensation events, complete virologic response (CVR), seroconversion rate, and safety. Baseline characteristics were balanced using the inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW). Overall, 4210 patients were enrolled: 1019 received ETV and 3191 received TDF. During the median follow-ups of 5.6 and 5.5 years, 86 and 232 cases of HCC were confirmed in the ETV and TDF groups, respectively. There was no difference in HCC incidence between the groups both before (p = 0.36) and after IPTW was applied (p = 0.81). Although the incidence of extrahepatic malignancy was significantly higher in the ETV group than in the TDF group before weighting (p = 0.02), no difference was confirmed after IPTW (p = 0.29). The cumulative incidence rates of death or liver transplantation, liver-related outcome, new cirrhosis development, and decompensation events were also comparable in the crude population (p = 0.24–0.91) and in the IPTW-adjusted population (p = 0.39–0.80). Both groups exhibited similar rates of CVR (ETV vs. TDF: 95.1% vs. 95.8%, p = 0.38), and negative conversion of hepatitis B e antigen (41.6% vs. 37.2%, p = 0.09) or surface antigen (2.8% vs. 1.9%, p = 0.10). Compared to the ETV group, more patients in the TDF group changed initial antivirals due to side effects, including decreased kidney function (n = 17), hypophosphatemia (n = 20), and osteoporosis (n = 18). In this large-scale multicenter study, ETV and TDF demonstrated comparable effectiveness across a broad range of outcomes in patients with treatment-naïve CHB during similar follow-up periods. Full article

A control group is defined as a group of people used for comparison. Depending on the type of study, it can be a group of healthy people or a group not exposed to risk factors. It is important to allow researchers to select the appropriate control participants. The Korea Biobank Project-sponsored biobanks are affiliated with the Korea Biobank Network (KBN), for which the National Biobank of Korea plays a central coordinating role among KBN biobanks. KBN organized several working groups to address new challenges and needs in biobanking. The “Normal Healthy Control Working Group” developed standardized criteria for three defined control groups, namely, normal, normal-plus, and disease-specific controls. Based on the consensus on the definition of a normal control, we applied the criteria for normal control participants to retrospective data. The main reason for exclusion from the “Normal-plus” group was blood test results beyond 5% of the reference range, including hypercholesterolemia. Subclassification of samples of normal controls by detailed criteria will help researchers select optimal normal controls for their studies. Full article

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are advancing rapidly and have reached a performance comparable to that of silicon solar cells. Recently, they have been expanding into a variety of applications based on the excellent photoelectric properties of perovskite. Semi-transparent PSCs (ST-PSCs) are one promising application that utilizes the tunable transmittance of perovskite photoactive layers, which can be used in tandem solar cells (TSC) and building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV). However, the inverse relationship between light transmittance and efficiency is a challenge in the development of ST-PSCs. To overcome these challenges, numerous studies are underway, including those on band-gap tuning, high-performance charge transport layers and electrodes, and creating island-shaped microstructures. This review provides a general and concise summary of the innovative approaches in ST-PSCs, including advances in the perovskite photoactive layer, transparent electrodes, device structures and their applications in TSC and BIPV. Furthermore, the essential requirements and challenges to be addressed to realize ST-PSCs are discussed, and the prospects of ST-PSCs are presented. Full article

The orphan nuclear receptor, estrogen-related receptor γ (ERRγ) is a constitutively active transcription factor involved in mitochondrial metabolism and energy homeostasis. GSK5182, a specific inverse agonist of ERRγ that inhibits transcriptional activity, induces a conformational change in ERRγ, resulting in a loss of coactivator binding. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the stabilization of the ERRγ protein by its inverse agonist remains largely unknown. In this study, we found that GSK5182 inhibited ubiquitination of ERRγ, thereby stabilizing the ERRγ protein, using cell-based assays and confocal image analysis. Y326 of ERRγ was essential for stabilization by GSK5182, as ligand-induced stabilization of ERRγ was not observed with the ERRγ-Y326A mutant. GSK5182 suppressed ubiquitination of ERRγ by the E3 ligase Parkin and subsequent degradation. The inhibitory activity of GSK5182 was strong even when the ERRγ protein level was elevated, as ERRγ bound to GSK5182 recruited a corepressor, small heterodimer partner-interacting leucine zipper (SMILE), through the activation function 2 (AF-2) domain, without alteration of the nuclear localization or DNA-binding ability of ERRγ. In addition, the AF-2 domain of ERRγ was critical for the regulation of protein stability. Mutants in the AF-2 domain were present at higher levels than the wild type in the absence of GSK5182. Furthermore, the ERRγ-L449A/L451A mutant was no longer susceptible to GSK5182. Thus, the AF-2 domain of ERRγ is responsible for the regulation of transcriptional activity and protein stability by GSK5182. These findings suggest that GSK5182 regulates ERRγ by a unique molecular mechanism, increasing the inactive form of ERRγ via inhibition of ubiquitination. Full article

Organic/inorganic halide perovskite materials have attracted substantial attention in solar cells, and they have achieved significant improvements in recent years. In perovskite solar cells (PSCs), the engineering of interfacial properties between multilayers is an important determinant of performance and stability. Here, we designed a bilayer structure of hole transporting layer by inserting poly[bis(4-phenyl)(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)amine] (PTAA), which can improve the interfacial properties between the perovskite and the nickel oxide (NiO) hole transport layer in p-i-n planar PSCs. We observed that the hole transporting PTAA/NiO bilayer leads to higher performance by optimizing the energy level and accelerating the extraction of charges from the interface. The power conversion efficiency of the PSC was improved from 17.29% to 19.05% when the PTAA/NiO bilayer was introduced instead of the NiO monolayer. Ultimately, we confirmed that this interface engineering provides thermal and air stability of PSCs. Full article

Bacterial infections (BIs) need to be differentiated from non-BIs (NBIs) to enable prompt administration of antibiotics. Therefore, inflammatory biomarkers are needed as they can accurately identify BIs. This study evaluated the usefulness of procalcitonin (PCT) in the diagnosis of BI in immunocompetent children. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients <18 years who underwent PCT measurements between July 2012 and June 2019. In total, 474 patients were enrolled and divided into the BI (n = 205) and NBI groups (n = 269). The BI group was subcategorized into the invasive BI (IBI; n = 94), mucosal BI (MBI; n = 31), toxigenic BI (TBI; n = 23), and localized BI (LBI; n = 57) subgroups. The NBI group was further subcategorized into the viral infection (VI; n = 118) and inflammatory disease groups (ID; n = 151). PCT was compared with the levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), white blood cell (WBC), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). Between the BI and NBI groups, PCT (4.2 ± 16.9 vs. 1.1 ± 2.5 ng/mL; p = 0.008) and ESR (39.1 ± 32.4 vs. 54.8 ± 28.2 mm/h; p < 0.001) were significantly different. Between the IBI and other groups, WBC (14,797 ± 7148 vs. 12,622 ± 5770 × 10⁶/L; p = 0.007), ESR (35.3 ± 30.3 vs. 51.5 ± 30.3 mm/h; p < 0.001), and PCT (8.1 ± 23.8 vs. 1.0 ± 3.4 ng/mL; p = 0.005) were significantly different. However, none of the biomarkers were useful in differentiating BI from NBI. While WBC (area under curve (AUC) = 0.615, p = 0.003) and PCT (AUC = 0.640, p < 0.001) were useful, they fared poorly in differentiating IBI from other groups. Thus, additional studies are needed to identify more accurate biomarkers capable of differentiating BIs, especially IBIs. Full article

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a medical condition characterized by abdominal obesity, insulin resistance, high blood pressure, and hyperlipidemia. An increase in the incidence of MetS provokes an escalation in health care costs and a downturn in quality of life. However, there is currently no cure for MetS, and the absence of immediate treatment for MetS has prompted the development of novel therapies. In accordance with recent studies, the brown seaweed Laminaria japonica (LJP) has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, and so forth. LJP contains bioactive compounds used as food globally, and it has been used as a medicine in East Asian countries. We conducted a systematic review to examine whether LJP could potentially be a useful therapeutic drug for MetS. The following databases were searched from initiation to September 2021: PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials Library. Clinical trials and in vivo studies evaluating the effects of LJP on MetS were included. LJP reduces the oxidative stress-related lipid mechanisms, inflammatory cytokines and macrophage-related chemokines, muscle cell proliferation, and migration. Bioactive-glucosidase inhibitors reduce diabetic complications, a therapeutic target in obesity and type 2 diabetes. In obesity, LJP increases AMP-activated protein kinase and decreases acetyl-CoA carboxylase. Based on our findings, we suggest that LJP could treat MetS, as it has pharmacological effects on MetS. Full article

This study aimed to report the surgical outcomes of laparoscopic glue hernioplasty (LGH) compared with conventional laparoscopic suture hernioplasty (LSH) in pediatric female inguinal hernia repair. We retrospectively analyzed 465 female pediatric patients who underwent laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair between January 2013 and December 2020. LGH and LSH were performed in 95 and 370 cases, respectively. Surgical outcomes (length of hospital stay, operative time, complications, and recurrences) were compared between the LGH and LSH groups. We found that the operation times for bilateral hernia repair were shorter in the LGH group (LGH: 35.5 ± 8.2 min, LSH: 45.2 ± 11.6 min; p < 0.001). No significant differences in complications or recurrences were observed between the two groups during the follow-up period. Our findings suggest that LGH is a feasible and easily applied surgical technique for the treatment of pediatric female inguinal hernia. Full article