Comparison of Clinical Characteristics in Older-Onset and Common-Age-of-Onset Gout: A Prospective Gout Cohort Study.

Objectives: Gout is an inflammatory arthritis caused by monosodium urate crystal deposition in the joints. Its clinical presentation varies by age of onset. This study compared the clinical features and treatment patterns of older-onset gout and common-age-of-onset gout.

Efficacy and safety of epaminurad, a potent hURAT1 inhibitor, in patients with gout: a randomized, placebo-controlled, dose-finding study.

Background: Gout is the most common inflammatory arthritis. Current urate-lowering therapies have limitations, such as adverse drug reactions or limited efficacy. Epaminurad is a novel selective human urate transporter 1 (hURAT1) inhibitor that has been shown to reduce serum urate (sUA) levels in healthy volunteers and patients with gout.

Aducanumab delivery via focused ultrasound-induced transient blood-brain barrier opening in vivo.

Focused ultrasound (FUS) with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) guidance (MRgFUS) has emerged as a promising technique for enhancing drug delivery to the brain. Through the controlled oscillation of gas-encased microbubbles, FUS temporarily modulates the integrity of tight junctions, inducing localized blood-brain barrier disruption (BBBD) and allowing targeted drug passage. Aducanumab (ADU) has demonstrated efficacy in reducing amyloid pathology, yet its clinical application remains limited by the restrictive nature of the blood-brain barrier (BBB).

Evaluation of blood-tumor barrier permeability and doxorubicin delivery in rat brain tumor models using additional focused ultrasound stimulation.

Focused ultrasound (FUS) has emerged as a promising technique for temporarily disrupting the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and blood-tumor barrier (BTB) to enhance the delivery of therapeutic agents. Despite its potential, optimizing FUS to maximize drug delivery while minimizing adverse effects remains a significant challenge. In this study, we evaluated a novel FUS protocol that incorporates additional FUS stimulation without microbubbles (MBs) ("FUS protocol") prior to conventional BBB disruption with MBs ("BBBD protocol") in a rat brain tumor model (n = 35).

Risk factors for loss to follow-up in patients with gout: A Korean prospective cohort study.

Objectives: Gout, a common form of inflammatory arthritis, is often managed with urate-lowering therapy, but many patients only adhere to treatment during gout attacks, resulting in poor follow-up and suboptimal management. This study aimed to identify characteristics associated with loss to follow-up (LTFU) and develop strategies for better patient management.

Methods: Data were analyzed from the Urate Lowering TheRApy in gout (ULTRA) registry, a prospective cohort of Korean gout patients recruited since September 2021.

Ionizing radiation‑induced modification of nialamide as an anti‑inflammatory agent against lipopolysaccharide‑induced RAW 264.7 and DH82 cells.

Nialamide is a non-selective monoamine oxidase inhibitor that was widely used as an antidepressant. However, it has been prohibited for decades in the depressive medicine market due to the adverse hepatotoxic side effects. The re-use of drugs that have been withdrawn from the market represents a promising approach for the development of novel incrementally modified drugs and, in this context, ionizing radiation can serve as a powerful tool for producing new drug candidates.

Immunoglobulin G4-related hypertrophic pachymeningitis with an isolated scalp mass mimicking a brain tumor: a case report and literature review.

Immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is an autoimmune disorder associated with fibroinflammatory conditions that can affect multiple organs. Hallmark histopathological findings of IgG4-RD include lymphocytic infiltration of IgG4-positive plasma cells, storiform fibrosis, and obliterative phlebitis. However, little is known about central nervous system involvement of IgG4-RD.

Factors for achieving target serum uric acid levels after initiating urate-lowering therapy in patients with gout: results from the ULTRA registry.

Achieving target serum uric acid (SUA) levels is important in gout management. Guidelines recommend lowering SUA levels to < 6 mg/dL; however, many patients fail to reach this target, even with uric acid-lowering therapy (ULT). This study investigated clinical characteristics of target SUA achievers among Korean patients with gout.

Inhibitory effect of γ-ray-modified hydroxymethylated baicalins on NO production.

Baicalin, a glucuronic flavone, is the major active component in the medicinal plant Scutellaria baicalensis. Herein, baicalin was irradiated by γ-rays to afford four unusual flavanones, baicalinols A (2), B (3), and C (4) and peroxybaicaleinol (5), and two known flavones, oroxylin A (6) and baicalein (7). The structures of the hydroxymethylated products were elucidated using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and mass spectrometry, and their absolute configuration was established using electronic circular dichroism spectroscopy.

Yeast vacuolar enzymes as novel hatching inhibitors for aquatic organisms, Daphnia magna and Danio rerio eggs.

Concerns over the spread of non-native species in aquatic environments have led to the need for effective methods to prevent and control their spread while protecting native species. This study investigated the potential of yeast vacuolar enzymes as a natural hatching inhibitor for controlling aquatic organisms. Hatching experiments with Daphnia magna eggs demonstrated that exposure to yeast vacuole enzymes inhibited hatching in a concentration-dependent manner, suggesting their potential as an effective inhibitor of egg hatching in aquatic organisms.

Korean guidelines for the management of gout.

Gout is the most common form of arthritis, with the prevalence increasing worldwide. The present treatment guidelines provide recommendations for the appropriate treatment of acute gout, management during the inter-critical period, and prevention of chronic complications. The guidelines were developed based on evidence-based medicine and draft recommendations finalized after expert consensus.

Korean guidelines for the management of gout.

Gout is the most common form of arthritis, with the prevalence increasing worldwide. The present treatment guidelines provide recommendations for the appropriate treatment of acute gout, management during the inter-critical period, and prevention of chronic complications. The guidelines were developed based on evidence-based medicine and draft recommendations finalized after expert consensus.

Hydrogen Production from Barley Straw and Miscanthus by the Hyperthermophilic Bacterium, .

This work aimed to evaluate the feasibility of biohydrogen production from Barley Straw and Miscanthus. The primary obstacle in plant biomass decomposition is the recalcitrance of the biomass itself. Plant cell walls consist of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, which make the plant robust to decomposition.

The new insight into the inflammatory response following focused ultrasound-mediated blood-brain barrier disruption.

Background: Despite the great potential of FUS-BBB disruption (FUS-BBBD), it is still controversial whether FUS-BBBD acts as an inducing factor of neuro-inflammation or not, and the biological responses after FUS-BBBD triggers the inflammatory process are poorly understood. The aim of this study is to investigate the safety window for FUS levels based on a comprehensive safety assessment.

Methods: The mice were treated with two different ultrasound parameters (0.

Methylene Blue Delivery Mediated by Focused Ultrasound-Induced Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption Reduces Neural Damage and Amyloid-Beta Plaques by AQP-4 Upregulation.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent neurodegenerative disease worldwide, causing progressive cognitive decline, memory impairment, and neurological deficits. Methylene blue (MB), an antioxidant, has emerged as a potential drug for the treatment of AD owing to its cognitive improvement and neuroprotective functions. Despite the small molecular size of MB, which can cross the BBB, the therapeutic effective dosage using a BBB-permeable delivery system in a specific brain localization remains unclear.

Comprehensive Characterization of Mutant Co-Fermenting Cellobiose and Xylose through Genomic and Transcriptomic Analyses.

The development of a yeast strain capable of fermenting mixed sugars efficiently is crucial for producing biofuels and value-added materials from cellulosic biomass. Previously, a mutant YN14 strain capable of co-fermenting xylose and cellobiose was developed through evolutionary engineering of the wild-type CBS6054 strain, which was incapable of cofermenting xylose and cellobiose. In this study, through genomic and transcriptomic analyses, we sought to investigate the reasons for the improved sugar metabolic performance of the mutant YN14 strain in comparison with the parental CBS6054 strain.

Effects of Engineered Fermenting Cellobiose through Low-Energy-Consuming Phosphorolytic Pathway in Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation.

Until recently, four types of cellobiose-fermenting strains have been developed by introduction of a cellobiose metabolic pathway based on either intracellular β-glucosidase (GH1-1) or cellobiose phosphorylase (CBP), along with either an energy-consuming active cellodextrin transporter (CDT-1) or a non-energy-consuming passive cellodextrin facilitator (CDT-2). In this study, the ethanol production performance of two cellobiose-fermenting strains expressing mutant CDT-2 (N306I) with GH1-1 or CBP were compared with two cellobiose-fermenting strains expressing mutant CDT-1 (F213L) with GH1-1 or CBP in the simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) of cellulose under various conditions. It was found that, regardless of the SSF conditions, the phosphorolytic cellobiose-fermenting expressing mutant CDT-2 with CBP showed the best ethanol production among the four strains.

Patient Perspectives and Preferences Regarding Gout and Gout Management: Impact on Adherence.

Background: Patient-centered management is becoming increasingly important in gout, but there are limited studies exploring patients' perspectives and preferences. We aimed to investigate patients' perspectives and preferences regarding gout and gout management, and their impacts on adherence to urate lowering therapy (ULT).

Methods: A paper-based survey was performed in patients with gout seen at the rheumatology outpatient clinics of 16 tertiary hospitals.

Outcomes and Risk Factors of Systolic Pulmonary Artery Pressure Progression in Patients with Systemic Rheumatic Diseases: Follow-up Results from a Korean Registry.

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the outcomes and risk factors associated with the progression of systolic pulmonary artery pressure (sPAP) in patients with systemic rheumatic diseases.

Patients And Methods: A total of 532 patients (73 males, 459 females; median age 49 years; interquartile range (IQR), 36 to 62 years) registered with the Registry of Pulmonary Hypertension Associated with Rheumatic Diseases were included. Mortality curves were constructed using the Kaplan- Meier method and comparisons were performed using the log-rank test.

Risk factors for herpes zoster in patients with rheumatic diseases: a nationwide cohort study in Korea.

Objective: To determine the risk factors for herpes zoster (HZ) in patients with rheumatic diseases in Korea.

Methods: We used the nationwide database of the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service to analyse patients aged ≥20 years who had visited a hospital more than twice for rheumatic disease as a principal diagnosis from January 2009 to April 2013. HZ was identified using HZ-related Korean Standard Classification of Diseases 6 (KCD-6) codes and the prescription of antiviral agents.

Particulate matter (PM) as a newly identified environmental risk factor for acute gout flares: A time-series study.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effect of short-term exposure to ambient particulate matter less than 10μm in diameter (PM) on occurrence of acute gout flares in the general population and identify susceptible groups accordingly.

Methods: The data of emergency department (ED) cases with acute gout flare in Incheon city, Korea between January 1st 2008 and December 31st 2015 were collected from the National Health Insurance Service claims data. The levels of PM and meterological measurements were provided by the Ministry of Environment and the National Meterological Office, respectively.

A local difference in blood-brain barrier permeability in the caudate putamen and thalamus of a rat brain induced by focused ultrasound.

A blood-brain barrier (BBB) opening induced by focused ultrasound (FUS) has been widely studied as an effective way of treating brain diseases. We investigate the effect of ultrasound's incidence angle at caudate putamen (Cp) and thalamus (Th) of the rat brain by inducing the same power of focused ultrasound that corresponds to the acoustic pressure of 0.65 MPa in free field.

Seasonal Variations and Associated Factors of Gout Attacks: a Prospective Multicenter Study in Korea.

Background: We purposed to evaluate the seasonality and associated factors of the incidence of gout attacks in Korea.

Methods: We prospectively enrolled patients with gout attacks who were treated at nine rheumatology clinics between January 2015 and July 2018 and followed them for 1-year. Demographic data, clinical and laboratory features, and meteorological data including seasonality were collected.