Konyang University
  • Daejeon, South Korea
Recent publications
Integrin and focal adhesion can regulate cytoskeleton distribution to govern actin‐related force remodeling and play an important role in nuclear configuration and force‐sensing mechanotransduction of stem cells. However, further exploration of the interaction between actinin complex and myosin, kinetics, and molecular mechanism of cytoskeleton structures to nucleate within the engineered stem cells is vague. An extensive comprehension of cell morphogenesis, force remodeling, and nuclear force‐sensing mechanotransduction is essential to reveal the basic physical principles of cytoskeleton polymerization and force‐related signaling delivery. Advanced microarrays are designed to determine heterogeneous cell morphology and cell adhesion behaviors in stem cells. The heterogeneity from the engineered microarrays is transferred into nuclei to regulate nuclear configuration and force‐sensing mechanotransduction by the evaluation of Lamins, YAP, and BrdU expression. Tuning the activation of adhesion proteins and cytoskeleton nucleators to adjust heterogeneous cell mechanics may be the underlying mechanism to change nuclear force‐sensing configuration in response to its physiological mechanotransduction in microarrayed stem cells.
Importance Endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) is a minimally invasive surgical method that is widely used in the treatment of various sinonasal conditions, including chronic sinusitis, nasal polyps, and fungal sinusitis. However, intraoperative bleeding remains a significant challenge. Objective To evaluate the effects of pterygopalatal injections with lidocaine and adrenaline during sinus surgery. Data Sources PubMed/MEDLINE, the Cochrane Library, and EMBASE were systematically searched from database inception through July 31, 2024. Two authors also manually and independently searched all relevant studies. Study Selection Randomized clinical trials with (1) patients diagnosed with sinusitis; (2) interventions that included pterygopalatal injections with lidocaine and adrenaline; (3) comparisons that were specified as normal saline or no injection; and (4) outcomes that used subjective scores (Boezaart surgical field grading [BSFG]) and objective markers (amount of bleeding, duration of surgery, and mean arterial pressure [MAP]). Data Extraction and Synthesis Data extraction was completed independently by 2 extractors and cross-checked for research integrity. The pairwise meta-analysis was performed to compare the treatment group with control used in ESS. Hedges g standardized mean differences (SMDs) and mean differences (MDs) were used for improvement in all outcomes. Main Outcomes and Measures Efficacy outcomes included subjective scores, such as BSFG, as well as objective markers measuring amount of bleeding, duration of surgery, and MAP. Results A comprehensive literature search identified 322 patients from 7 studies. The studies were conducted in Australia, Canada, Egypt, India, and Iran. The mean age range was 30 to 48.8 years, and 36.7% to 66.7% of the study populations were male. In most studies, the observation time of BSFG was measured at 15-minute intervals and measured from a minimum of 15 minutes to a maximum of 150 minutes. The pooled SMD for BSFG between treatments vs the control group was −1.01 (95% CI, −1.72 to −0.30), indicating that pterygopalatal injection with lidocaine and adrenaline was associated with improvement in the surgical field condition. The pooled MD for MAP between treatments vs the control group was −0.49 mm Hg (95% CI, −0.91 to −0.07), indicating that pterygopalatal injection was associated with significantly reduced MAP. The pooled MD for amount of bleeding between treatments vs the control group was −9.47 mL (95% CI, −29.05 to 10.11), and the pooled MD for duration of surgery between treatments vs the control group was −4.28 minutes (95% CI, −12.85 to 4.29), indicating that that this technique was not significantly associated with amount of bleeding or duration of surgery. Conclusions and Relevance The findings of this systematic review and meta-analysis indicate that pterygopalatal injection can be an effective method for reducing BSFG during ESS to improve the surgical field. This can be achieved by significantly improving the surgical field of view and lowering MAP.
This study aimed to achieve two primary objectives: (1) to evaluate microbial contamination in 580 dried fish fillets for the presence of key foodborne pathogens, including S. aureus, Salmonella spp., L. monocytogenes, C. perfringens, and Vibrio spp.; and (2) to develop predictive survival models for S. aureus in dried squid, Hwangtae-chae (dried pollack) and seasoned dried filefish. Microbial surveillance detected no, Salmonella spp., L. monocytogenes, or Vibrio spp.; however, S. aureus and C. perfringens was identified in one and four samples, respectively. Predictive modeling involved inoculating dried squid, Hwangtae-chae and seasoned dried filefish with S. aureus and storing them at 4 °C, 10 °C, 20 °C and 37 °C. The survival rates, analyzed using the Weibull distribution, exhibited clear temperature-dependent behavior. Secondary models, validated with Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) values of 0.39, 0.36 and 0.35 demonstrate their utility as effective tools for microbial risk assessment and enhancing food safety management practices.
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia. Monoclonal antibodies (MABs) serve as a promising therapeutic approach for AD by selectively targeting key pathogenic factors, such as amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide, tau protein, and neuroinflammation. Specifically, based on their efficacy in removing Aβ plaques from the brains of patients with AD, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved three anti-amyloid MABs, aducanumab (Aduhelm®), lecanemab (Leqembi®), and donanemab (Kisunla™). Notably, lecanemab received traditional approval after demonstrating clinical benefit, supporting the Aβ cascade hypothesis. These MABs targeting Aβ are categorized based on their affinity to diverse conformational features of Aβ, including monomer, fibril, protofibril, and plaque forms of Aβ as well as pyroglutamate Aβ. First-generation MABs targeting the non-toxic monomeric Aβ, such as solanezumab, bapineuzumab, and crenezumab, failed to demonstrate clinical benefit for AD in clinical trials. In contrast, second-generation MABs, including aducanumab, lecanemab, donanemab, and gantenerumab directed against pathogenic Aβ species and aggregates have shown that reducing Aβ deposition can be an effective strategy to slow cognitive impairment in AD. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the current status, mechanisms, outcomes, and limitations of second-generation MABs for the clinical treatment of AD. Moreover, we discuss the perspectives and future directions of anti-amyloid MABs in the treatment of AD.
Background/Aims Although incidence and prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have been gradually increasing throughout Asia, incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in Asia is relatively lower than that in Western and is not well known. This study aimed to evaluate incidence of VTE in Asian IBD patients using a systematic review and meta‐analysis. Methods Studies were identified through literature search of the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases (from inception inclusive April 2024) for English studies. The criteria for selecting participants were as follows: (1) studies including patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis in the Asian population; (2) comparisons were specified as with control group of non‐IBD patients for comparative incidence; and (3) outcomes were measured by relative risks (RRs) and hazard risk for VTE incidence in nationwide cohort studies. Three independent reviewers extracted published data using standardized procedure in accordance with the reporting guidelines. A fixed‐effects model was used to estimate pooled effect sizes. Meta‐regression analyses were conducted to identify the potential moderating effects of VTE risk in IBD patients. Results Five studies met the inclusion criteria. The pooled RR for overall VTE incidence in Asian IBD patients compared with that in non‐IBD patients was 2.065 (95% CI: 1.905–2.238). There was no statistical moderating effect of the variables (mean age, female rate, CD proportion, and country) on the outcomes. Conclusions In our study, VTE incidence in Asian IBD patients was higher than that in non‐IBD patients. It seemed reasonable to consider prophylaxis for VTE in hospitalized IBD patients.
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), characterized as a chronic disease with unregulated enlargement of prostatic gland, is commonly observed in elderly men leading to lower urinary tract dysfunction. Sestrin2 plays a role in the maintenance of cellular homeostasis and protects organisms from various stimuli. The exact role of Sestrin2 in the etiology of BPH, a common age-related disease, remains unknown. Here, we explored the regulatory function of Sestrin2 in modulating autophagy and its therapeutic role in spontaneous BPH. In vivo study, the 3-month-old (3 M) and 24-month-old (24 M) mice were used, and the 24 M mice were additionally administered recombinant Sestrin2 protein (rp-Sestrin2) for consecutive 14 days. In vitro, BPH-1 cells were transfected with an empty or Sestrin2 overexpression vector. Sestrin2 expression in mice prostate was gradually declined with age. Administration of rp-Sestrin2 to these mice suppressed prostatic hyperplasia, restored the balance between proliferation and apoptosis, and reduced prostatic fibrosis. Moreover, rp-Sestrin2 treatment enhanced autophagy by activating AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/ mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway, as evidenced by increased autophagosome and autolysosome formation, along with a decrease in degradation marker such as p62. Our findings were further supported by in vitro studies, where Sestrin2 overexpression induced autophagy via AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway. These results suggest that Sestrin2 plays a critical role in attenuating spontaneous BPH by regulating autophagy through AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway. This study provides novel insights into the therapeutic potential of Sestrin2 in age-related spontaneous BPH. Graphical abstract
Introduction The inadequate efficacy of the Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) vaccine against adult pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) necessitates the development of new and effective vaccines. Human adenovirus serotype 5 (Ad5), which induces T-cell response, is a widely used viral vector. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a multi-antigenic recombinant Ad5 vectored vaccine and determine the optimal immunization route for enhanced immune response against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Methods We constructed a multi-antigenic recombinant Ad5 vectored vaccine expressing four antigens (Ag85B-ESAT6-MPT64-Rv2660c) of M. tuberculosis (rAd-TB4), immunized with rAd-TB4 (5 × 10⁷ infectious virus units/mouse) twice at an interval of 4 weeks starting at 10 weeks after BCG priming, and evaluated its boosting efficacy in a BCG-primed mouse model, and determined the optimal immunization route. Results Compared with the BCG-only (2 × 10⁵ colony forming units/mouse), subcutaneous injection of rAd-TB4 (1 × 10⁷ infectious virus units/mL; two doses) elicited a T-cell response and cytokine production in lung lymphocytes and splenocytes. rAd-TB4 immunization significantly reduced bacterial loads and inflamed lung areas compared to BCG immunization (p < 0.01) and protected against the H37Rv challenge performed at 17 weeks of BCG priming. RNA sequencing of the whole blood of rAd-TB4-vaccinated mice collected pre- and, 1 and 4 weeks post-infection, identified differentially expressed genes associated with immune and inflammatory responses, especially those in the Wnt signaling pathway. Conclusion Our results indicate that rAd-TB4 immunization enhances the immune response to the vaccine boosting antigens in BCG-primed mice, making it a potential adult pulmonary TB vaccine candidate.
Background This network meta‐analysis (NMA) aims to provide evidence‐based guidance for selecting the second‐line chemotherapy for biliary tract cancer (BTC). Methods A comprehensive literature search was conducted on PubMed, Cochrane, and EMBASE through July 2024. Inclusion criteria involved: (1) patients underwent second‐line chemotherapy following platinum‐based first‐line therapy, (2) intervention/comparator groups consisted of various chemotherapeutic agents, and (3) outcomes measured as hazard ratio (HR) of overall survival (OS) and progression‐free survival (PFS) in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and cohort studies. Results Outcomes were measured as HR of OS and PFS in RCTs and cohort studies. The eight studies consisting of 1621 patients were selected. In the NMA for OS, 5FU_plus_Plat (fluorouracil plus oxaliplatin or cisplatin; HR 0.52, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.30–0.91), nal‐IRI_5FU_LV (nano‐liposomal irinotecan plus fluorouracil and LV; HR 0.54 [95% CI: 0.32–0.92]), and FOLFOX (fluorouracil plus oxaliplatin; HR 0.69 [95% CI: 0.50–0.96]) demonstrated significant benefits in OS when compared to control. For PFS, nal‐IRI_5FU_LV (HR 0.61 [95% CI: 0.44–0.85]) provided a significant advantage over 5FU. Conclusions Second‐line chemotherapy for BTC after the failure of gemcitabine plus platinum as first‐line therapy, nal‐IRI_5FU_LV appears to be the most promising second‐line therapy in terms of both OS and PFS.
Aims/Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of intraocular pressure lowering and clinical outcome in patients with open‐angle glaucoma who underwent combined I Stent inject® and cataract surgery. Methods: From August 2022 to August 2023, patients with open‐angle glaucoma were divided into 30 eyes in the group (Group 1) that underwent only cataract surgery and 30 eyes in the group (Group 2) that underwent combined i stent injection and cataract surgery. We analyzed the preoperative clinical features between the two groups, the intraocular pressure lowering effect, the number of intraocular pressure lowering eye drops, and the course of complications up to 6 months after surgery. Results: In the group that underwent combined i stent injection and cataract surgery and the group that performed only cataract surgery, preoperative intraocular pressure was 15.96±3.47 mmHg in group 1 and 22.00±7.97 mmHg in group 2 ( p = 0.001), which was significantly higher in group 2. The number of intraocular pressure lowering drugs in use was 1.54±0.99 in group 1 and 3.39±1.10 in group 2 ( p < 0.05), with group 2 using more eye drops. In group 1, the intraocular pressure of 15.12±1.69mmHg at 6 months after surgery was significantly lower than 16.82±2.58mmHg before surgery. ( p = 0.025) In addition, in group 2, the intraocular pressure of 15.71±2.58mmHg at 6 months after surgery was significantly lower than 22.00±6.46mmHg before surgery. ( p = 0.007). There is no significant difference in the number of intraocular pressure lowering medications in group 1 compared to before surgery. ( p = 0.579), In group 2, the number was significantly smaller at 2.43±0.76 at 6 months after surgery than 3.21±1.05 before surgery ( p < 0.005). Complications included hyphema in group 1 and short‐term increase in intraocular pressure in group 2 occurred, and low intraocular pressure or central macular edema did not occur in both groups. Conclusions: In the group that underwent combined i stent injection and cataract surgery for open‐angle glaucoma, there was an effect of lowering intraocular pressure before and after surgery. Even compared to the group that underwent cataract surgery alone, there was a significant intraocular pressure lowering effect. There was no significant difference in complications between the two groups.
Mycobacterium abscessus (Mab), a nontuberculous mycobacterium, is increasing in prevalence worldwide and causes treatment-refractory pulmonary diseases. However, how Mab rewires macrophage energy metabolism to facilitate its survival is poorly understood. We compared the metabolic profiles of murine bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) infected with smooth (S)- and rough (R)-type Mab using extracellular flux technology. Mab infection shifted BMDMs towards a more energetic phenotype, marked by increased oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and glycolysis, with a significantly greater enhancement in OXPHOS. This metabolic adaptation was characterized by enhanced ATP production rates, particularly in cells infected with S-type Mab, highlighting OXPHOS as a key energy source. Notably, Mab infection also modulated mitochondrial substrate preferences, increasing fatty acid oxidation capabilities while revealing significant changes in glutamine dependency and flexibility. R-type Mab infections exhibited a marked decrease in glutamine reliance but enhanced metabolic flexibility and capacity. Furthermore, targeting metabolic pathways related to glutamine and fatty acid oxidation exacerbated Mab growth within macrophages, suggesting these pathways play a protective role against infection. These insights advance our understanding of Mab’s impact on host cell metabolism and propose a novel avenue for therapeutic intervention. By manipulating host mitochondrial metabolism, we identify a potential host-directed therapeutic strategy against Mab, offering a promising alternative to conventional treatments beleaguered by drug resistance. This study underscores the importance of exploring metabolic interventions to combat Mab infection, paving the way for innovative approaches in the fight against this formidable pathogen.
In this study, the anti-inflammatory effect of the hot water extract of Endarachne binghamiae (EB-WE), a type of marine brown algae, was investigated in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells and an acute lung injury (ALI) mouse model induced by intranasal LPS administration. Treatment with EB-WE significantly inhibited NO and pro-inflammatory cytokine (TNF-a and IL-6) production in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. In mRNA analysis, the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, COX-2, and iNOS mRNAs, was down-regulated by EB-WE treatment. The phosphorylation of MAPK, IkB, and PI3K/AKT molecules responsible for signal pathways during inflammation in LPS-stimulated macrophages was also significantly inhibited by EB-WE. In an in vivo model for ALI, oral administration of EB-WE significantly reduced the level of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-a, IL-1b, and IL-6) and chemokines (MCP-1, CXC-16, CXCL1, and TARC) in serum or bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of mice. Similarly to the results in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells, treatment with EB-WE significantly inhibited intracellular signal pathways mediated by MAPK, IkB, and PI3K/AKT in lung tissues of mice with ALI, and also decreased the expression of mRNAs of inflammatory mediators such as TNF-a, IL-6, iNOS, and COX-2. Furthermore, the inhibitory effect of EB-WE on ALI was apparently confirmed in histological examination through lung tissue staining. Taken together, it is clear that EB-WE has potential activity to effectively ameliorate the inflammatory responses in macrophages through down-regulation of MAPK, NF-kB, and PI3K/AKT activation, and suppress acute lung injury induced by LPS. These findings strongly suggest that EB-WE is a promising natural product beneficial for developing preventive treatments and cures of inflammation-related diseases.
Purpose: Suicide is a substantial public health concern, and there are a variety of contributing factors. Prostate cancer is known to be a disease at high risk of suicide regardless of country and age. Nonetheless, comprehensive information about associated risk levels and underlying determinants remains limited. To systematically evaluate the suicide risk in prostate cancer patients compared to control by systematic review and meta-analysis. Materials and methods: PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were searched from the earliest available indexing date through May 2024. The criteria for selecting the subjects were as follows: (1) studies including patients who had prostate cancer, (2) intervention was not specified, (3) comparison was made with people without prostate cancer selected as the control group, and (4) outcomes were measured as standardized mortality ratio (SMR) or relative risk (RR), or hazard ratio (HR) of suicide in prostate cancer. Random-effects model were used to estimate pooled effect sizes. Meta-regression analyses were conducted to identify the potential moderator effects between prostate cancer and the risk of suicide. Results: A systematic review and meta-analysis of these 25 studies that included a total of 4,987,941 participants were performed. The pooled SMR for overall suicide risk in prostate cancer compared with control groups was 1.251 (95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 1.120-1.383). The pooled RR or HR was 1.712 (95% CI: 1.306-2.243). The suicide risk of prostate cancer patients showed statistically significant in all cases of SMR and RR or HR. The suicide risk was also significantly higher in most subgroup analyses according to age and research follow-up period. Conclusions: The findings of this systematic review and meta-analysis support the association between prostate cancer and increased risk of suicidal tendencies. Follow-up for prostate cancer patients should be highly integrated with psychiatric and psychological care to improve the psychosocial function of patients.
Introduction The sales patterns of original drugs after patent expiration in Korea show a relatively high market share and continuous sales growth differently from those in the U.S. and European countries. This study aims to investigates a five-year sales pattern of original drugs after patent expiration in Korea using empirical data. Methods Using data from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, original drugs whose patents expired in 2012–2018 were extracted. And we used IQVIA data to determine the market share and sales growth rate of 48 original drugs, whose generic drug launched for the first time in the same molecule market, and whose sales data over five years after first generic entry were available. We analyzed the differences by the attribute of variables. Results The sales volume of original drugs in the fifth year (Q 20) had an average growth rate of 150.6% compared with that before the first generic drug launched, indicating a continuous growth. The average market share of original drugs in the fifth year (Q 20) decreased to 70.6%, but it was higher than previously reported research results in Korea and other countries. Differences were observed across the category of attribute. Conclusion This study demonstrated that while market share of original drugs is decreasing, the sales volume increased continuously until the fifth year, differently from those of other countries. Variations in sales patterns by attributes reflect unique dynamics in Korea.
Background Spectrum Domain‐Optical Coherence Tomography (SD‐OCT) is a non‐invasive technology that acquires cross‐sectional images of retinal structures allowing neural fundus integrity assessment. Macular thickness and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness measured by an SD‐OCT have been used as a indicator of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). However which portion of retinal RNFL is the most sensitive area among normal control, aMCI and AD is not clear yet. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate that RNFL thickness is a useful indicator and which portion of reninal RNFL is the most sensitive area among normal control. Method In a cross‐sectional study we consecutively recruited 53 patients with AD, 58 with aMCI, and 54 normal controls. AD‐OCT was performed in all of them to measure circumpapillary macular thickness in the 9 sectors (fovea, temporal outer superior outer, nasal outer, inferior outer, temporal inner, superior inner, nasal inner, inferior inner). We made 4 RNFL quadrant area as following: superior (superior outer+superior inner), inferior (inferior outer+ inferior inner), nasal (nasal outer + nasal inner), temporal (temporal outer + temporal inner). We also evaluated the correlation of the RNFL thickness and MMSE score and disease duration of the patients Result Average macular thickness and 9 sectors of RFNL thickness were not significant among the group in our patients. In quadrant analysis, however superior quadrant RNFL thickness showed significant differences among groups (109.98±12.01 um, 106.83±10.05 um 101.25±11.90 um in normal control, aMCI and AD respectively, p<0.01). The RNFL thinning of the superior quadrant showed a significant correlation with MMSE score (r=0.555, p<0.01) and AD duration (r=‐0.528, p<0.01). Conclusion The superior quadrant RNFL thickness is the most sensitive among the group and as well as we know this is not reported before. This finding could suggest superior quadrant retinal RNFL by SD‐OCT could be a useful marker of AD and a MCI for early detection and monitoring of disease progression. Also distinct correlation of RNFL thinning in superior quadrant and MMSE score and disease duration can imply that the severity of dementia can be inferred from RNFL thickness in superior quadrant.
To determine longitudinal changes in the peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) thickness in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients with hypertension (HTN). Participants were divided into three groups: normal controls (Group 1), patients with T2DM (Group 2), and patients with both T2DM and HTN (Group 3). Following the initial examination, patients underwent three additional examinations at 1-year intervals. Linear mixed models were used to identify significant changes in pRNFL thickness over time. The baseline mean pRNFL thickness was 95.4 ± 7.9, 93.6 ± 7.8, and 90.7 ± 10.1 μm in Group 1, Group 2, and Group 3, respectively, (P = 0.046). The reduction rate for mean pRNFL thickness was − 0.15 μm/y in Group 1, – 0.54 μm/y in Group 2, and − 1.06 μm/y in Group 3, respectively (P = 0.026). In Group 2, T2DM duration (estimate = − 0.63, P = 0.002) was a significant factor associated with changes in pRNFL thickness in multivariate analysis. In Group 3, HTN duration (estimate = − 0.59, P = 0.036) and HbA1c levels (estimate = − 4.44, P = 0.019) were significantly associated with pRNFL changes. Under ischemic conditions caused by HTN, pRNFL damage due to diabetic retinal neurodegeneration is considered to be more severe. In such patients, the duration of ischemic damage caused by HTN appears to have a significant impact on pRNFL damage, and stricter blood glucose level control could help reduce pRNFL damage. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1038/s41598-025-85295-6.
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363 members
Kyu Chan Huh
  • Gastroenterology
Jai Young Lee
  • Department of Chemistry and Nano-biochemistry
Jaeku Kang
  • College of Medicine
Gwang Hee Heo
  • Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
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Daejeon, South Korea