Establishment of a homozygous LMNA knock-out human induced pluripotent stem cell line using CRISPR/Cas9 system.

The LMNA gene encodes lamin A/C, essential components of the nuclear envelope that play crucial roles in maintaining nuclear architecture, mechanotransduction, and gene regulation. LMNA mutations are linked to laminopathies, affecting multiple organ systems, including muscle, adipose tissue, and the cardiovascular system. To investigate LMNA-related disorders, we generated a human-induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) line with a homozygous LMNA frameshift mutation (c.

Willingness to pay for in vitro fertilization: results from a national sample of reproductive-aged adults in the US.

Purpose: To assess United States (US) reproductive-aged adults' willingness to pay for in vitro fertilization (IVF) and determine socio-demographic factors associated with their willingness to pay.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of reproductive-aged adults (18-50 years old) to ask respondents demographic and reproductive health questions, including the US dollar amount they would be willing to pay out-of-pocket for IVF over a 12-month period. We used linear regression models to determine associations between socio-demographic factors and respondents' willingness to pay for IVF.

The Impact of Obesity on Readmission and Healthcare Costs in Patients with Skin and Subcutaneous Tissue Infections.

Purpose: Obesity is a global public health issue linked to worsened skin and subcutaneous tissue infections (SSTIs), complicating clinical management and increasing healthcare costs. This study aimed to evaluate obesity's influence on hospitalization duration, readmission rates, and healthcare costs among patients with SSTIs, with an emphasis on sex-specific patterns.

Patients And Methods: This retrospective cohort study analyzed data from South Korea's national healthcare database.

CAR T cells based on fully human T cell receptor-mimetic antibodies exhibit potent antitumor activity in vivo.

Monoclonal antibody therapies have transformed the lives of patients across a diverse range of diseases. However, antibodies can usually only access extracellular proteins, including the extracellular portions of membrane proteins that are expressed on the cell surface. In contrast, T cell receptors (TCRs) survey the entire cellular proteome when processed and presented as peptides in association with human leukocyte antigen (pHLA complexes).

Using national in vitro fertilization registries to validate clinical outcomes after in vitro fertilization covered by health insurance.

Objective: To evaluate in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles covered by health insurance using a national commercial claims database and validate key clinical events against national IVF registries.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Subjects: US women aged 20-44 years who underwent IVF from 2005-2020 in Optum's deidentified Clinformatics Data Mart Database (CDM).

Cost-effectiveness of prophylactic ramosetron in the prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting.

Objectives: This study was conducted to assess the cost-effectiveness of prophylactic use of ramosetron compared to no antiemetic medications for the prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) from the healthcare payer and societal perspectives in South Korea.

Method: A decision analytic model was constructed to assess the cost-effectiveness of prophylactic ramosetron use versus no antiemetic therapy at 24-hour and 48-hour periods post-surgery over a 5-day duration. The model was populated using costs and utility parameters from published studies as well as from surveys of an expert panel of physicians using structured questionnaires.

Factors Associated with Treatment Satisfaction in Korean Patients with Psoriasis.

Purpose: Treatment satisfaction among patients with psoriasis can vary significantly based on available treatment options and individual patient characteristics.

Patients And Methods: This cross-sectional study utilized psoriasis-specific questionnaires to assess treatment satisfaction and identify the factors associated with treatment satisfaction in Korean patients. The study included 350 eligible patients aged 19 or older from a nationwide psoriasis group.

Generation of an induced pluripotent stem cell line from a patient with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy harboring a TMEM43 splice-site variant.

Arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM) is a cardiomyopathy that is predominantly inherited and characterized by cardiac arrhythmias and structural abnormalities. TMEM43 (transmembrane protein 43) is one of the well-known genetic culprits behind ACM. In this study, we successfully generated an induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) line, YCMi010-A, derived from a male patient diagnosed with ACM.

Clinical Validation of a Machine-Learned, Point-of-Care System to IDENTIFY Functionally Significant Coronary Artery Disease.

Many clinical studies have shown wide performance variation in tests to identify coronary artery disease (CAD). Coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) has been identified as an effective rule-out test but is not widely available in the USA, particularly so in rural areas. Patients in rural areas are underserved in the healthcare system as compared to urban areas, rendering it a priority population to target with highly accessible diagnostics.

Inhibition of TBL1 cleavage alleviates doxorubicin-induced cardiomyocytes death by regulating the Wnt/β-catenin signal pathway.

Aims: Doxorubicin (DOX) is a widely used anthracycline anticancer agent; however, its irreversible effects on the heart can result in DOX-induced cardiotoxicity (DICT) after cancer treatment. Unfortunately, the pathophysiology of DICT has not yet been fully elucidated, and there are no effective strategies for its prevention or treatment. In this investigation, the novel role of transducin beta-like protein 1 (TBL1) in developing and regulating DICT was explored.

Accurate Determination of the Average Rate Constant of Pyrene Excimer Formation for Pyrene-Labeled Macromolecules from the Analysis of Individual Fluorescence Decays with Sums of Exponentials.

The average rate constant (⟨⟩) for pyrene excimer formation (PEF) between an excited and a ground-state pyrenyl label covalently attached to a pyrene-labeled macromolecule (PyLM) has been found to be an ideal parameter to probe macromolecular conformations due to its proportionality to the local concentration ([]) of pyrenyl labels in PyLM. To date, ⟨⟩ has only been determined with the model-free analysis (MFA) involving the global analysis of the pyrene monomer and excimer fluorescence decays of PyLM. Unfortunately, the MFA is computationally demanding which prevents its widespread use.

Medications influencing the risk of fall-related injuries in older adults: case-control and case-crossover design studies.

Background: Medications influencing the risk of fall-related injuries (FRIs) in older adults have been inconsistent in previous guidelines. This study employed case-control design to assess the association between FRIs and medications, and an additional case-crossover design was conducted to examine the consistency of the associations and the transient effects of the medications on FRIs.

Methods: This study was conducted using a national claims database (2002-2015) in Korea.

Cardiac progenitors instruct second heart field fate through Wnts.

The heart develops in a synchronized sequence of proliferation and differentiation of cardiac progenitor cells (CPCs) from two anatomically distinct pools of cells, the first heart field (FHF) and second heart field (SHF). Congenital heart defects arise upon dysregulation of these processes, many of which are restricted to derivatives of the FHF or SHF. Of the conserved set of signaling pathways that regulate development, the Wnt signaling pathway has long been known for its importance in SHF development.

Site-directed mutagenesis of HLA molecules reveals the functional epitope of a human HLA-A1/A36-specific monoclonal antibody.

Eplet 44KM is currently listed in the HLA Epitope Registry but does not adhere to the eplet definition of an amino acid configuration within a 3.5 Å radius. Eplet 44KM has been previously redefined to the antibody-verified reactivity pattern 44K/150V/158V, based on reactivity analysis of monoclonal antibody VDK1D12.

Multicenter validation of a machine learning phase space electro-mechanical pulse wave analysis to predict elevated left ventricular end diastolic pressure at the point-of-care.

Background: Phase space is a mechanical systems approach and large-scale data representation of an object in 3-dimensional space. Whether such techniques can be applied to predict left ventricular pressures non-invasively and at the point-of-care is unknown.

Objective: This study prospectively validated a phase space machine-learned approach based on a novel electro-mechanical pulse wave method of data collection through orthogonal voltage gradient (OVG) and photoplethysmography (PPG) for the prediction of elevated left ventricular end diastolic pressure (LVEDP).

Health Literacy Level and Comprehension of Prescription and Nonprescription Drug Information.

The aim of this study was to investigate the level of misunderstanding of medication information in Korean adults after stratifying by level of health literacy and to identify the factors influencing the misunderstanding of medication information and reading amounts of information on OTC drug labels. A cross-sectional survey was performed with 375 adult participants using the survey instrument. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed to identify factors which influence misunderstanding of medication information.

Risk of Fall-Related Injuries Associated with Antidepressant Use in Elderly Patients: A Nationwide Matched Cohort Study.

Previous studies have reported a higher risk of falls among tricyclic antidepressant (TCA) users compared to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) users, yet SSRIs are known as a safer antidepressant class for use in older adults. This study examined the effects of antidepressant use on the risk of fall-related injuries after classifying antidepressant drugs, polypharmacy, and central nervous system (CNS) drugs by therapeutic classes and identifying factors influencing risk of fall-related injuries. A retrospective matched cohort study based on propensity scores was conducted among older adults, aged 70-89 years, who initiated antidepressant use between 1 January 2012 and 31 December 2014 using the national health insurance system senior cohort in Korea.

Humanization of T cell-mediated immunity in mice.

Despite the enormous promise of T cell therapies, the isolation and study of human T cell receptors (TCRs) of dedicated specificity remains a major challenge. To overcome this limitation, we generated mice with a genetically humanized system of T cell immunity. We used VelociGene technology to replace the murine TCRαβ variable regions, along with regions encoding the extracellular domains of co-receptors CD4 and CD8, and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I and II, with corresponding human sequences.

Development of an In Vitro Blink Model for Ophthalmic Drug Delivery.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop an advanced in vitro blink model that can be used to examine the release of a wide variety of components (for example, topical ophthalmic drugs, comfort-inducing agents) from soft contact lenses.

Methods: The model was designed using computer-aided design software and printed using a stereolithography 3D printer. The eyelid and eyeball were synthesized from polyvinyl alcohol and silicone material, respectively.

Use of budget savings from patent expiration of cancer drugs to improve affordability and accessibility.

Background: The introduction of generics after the loss of patent exclusivity plays a major role in budget savings by significantly decreasing drug prices. The aims of this study were to estimate the budget savings from off-patent cancer drugs in 2020-2024 and to inform decision makers on how these savings could be used to improve the affordability of innovative cancer treatments in South Korea.

Methods: A model was developed to calculate budget savings from off-patent cancer drug use in Korea over 5 years (2020-2024).

Evaluation of seafood traceability system in Korea: demand-oriented analysis.

The Korean government tried to secure food safety by revitalization of seafood traceability system since there has been growing dissatisfaction toward of food system related to seafood in Korea. This study examines the consumers' perspective on seafood traceability system and the value of seafood traceability in Korea using contingent valuation method. The model includes preference and recognition of respondents for the seafood traceability system, and socio-demographic characteristics.

The risk of vancomycin toxicity in patients with liver impairment.

Background: The influence of liver disease on the pharmacokinetic profile, the risk of acute kidney injury, and excessive drug exposure in patients treated with vancomycin was examined.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed with patients discharged from a medical center between January 2011 and June 2018 who received vancomycin therapy. Patients were stratified according to liver dysfunction (no to mild liver dysfunction (NMLD) and moderate to severe liver dysfunction (MSLD) based on the Child-Pugh score.

Visual exploration differences during relational memory encoding in early psychosis.

Relational memory, or the ability to form contextual associations among items encountered closely in time, is impaired in schizophrenia. The ability to bind items into a relational memory is dependent on the hippocampus, a region that is abnormal in schizophrenia. However, the hippocampus is also involved in exploratory behavior, leaving open the question whether relational memory deficits in schizophrenia are due to failure of relational binding or diminished visual exploration of individual items during encoding.