Impact of obesity on palpation-guided distal radial access for coronary procedures: subgroup analysis of the multicenter, prospective KODRA registry.

Background: There is limited data on the impact of body mass index (BMI) on distal radial access (DRA). Using a large-scale prospective registry, the influence of obesity on DRA outcomes was evaluated, including cannulation and complications.

Methods: Using data from the prospective, multicenter KODRA (Korean Prospective Registry for Evaluation the Safety and Efficacy of Distal Radial Approach) registry data, 4,638 patients who planned palpation-guided distal radial artery puncture were enrolled into two groups, both with body mass index (BMI) information available: obese (n = 2,205; BMI ≥ 25 kg/m²) and non-obese (n = 2,433).

Clinical Relevance of Fractional Flow Reserve-Guided Percutaneous Coronary Interevention According to Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction in Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction and Multivessel Disease.

Background: Fractional flow reserve (FFR)-guided or angiography-guided complete revascularization has not been evaluated in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) with multivessel disease and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). This study sought to evaluate the impact of FFR-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for patients with AMI with multivessel disease according to left ventricular systolic function.

Methods: We performed a prespecified analysis of the FRAME-AMI (Fractional Flow Reserve Versus Angiography-Guided Strategy in Acute Myocardial Infarction With Multivessel Disease) trial, which randomly allocated 562 patients to undergo either FFR-guided PCI (FFR ≤0.

Intravascular Imaging-Guided PCI vs Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting for Left Main or 3-Vessel Disease.

Background: Previous trials have shown that coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) has better clinical outcomes compared with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for patients with left main coronary artery or 3-vessel disease. However, it is unclear whether intravascular imaging (IVI)-guided PCI would reduce the difference in clinical events compared to CABG.

Objectives: The present study sought to compare the clinical outcomes of patients with left main or 3-vessel disease who underwent IVI-guided PCI with those who underwent CABG.

STAGE: A compact and versatile TnpB-based genome editing toolkit for .

are naturally endowed with the capacity to produce a wide array of natural products with biomedical and biotechnological value. They have garnered great interest in synthetic biology applications given the abundance of uncharacterized biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs). However, progress has been hindered by the limited availability of genetic tools for manipulating these bacteria.

Pan-reactome analysis of Streptomyces strains reveals association and disconnection between primary and secondary metabolism.

Secondary metabolites have crucial medicinal and industrial applications, but their alignment with primary metabolism remains unclear. As secondary metabolism depends on primary metabolism for precursor supply, we present a pan-reactome analysis of 242 Streptomyces strains to investigate their association and disconnection. This analysis includes phylogenetic grouping of the strains using genome data, and uniform manifold approximation and projection (UMAP) analysis of their genome-scale metabolic models (GEMs) and biosynthetic gene cluster (BGC) data, which represent biochemical reactions in primary and secondary metabolism.

Clinical Implications of Leaflet Thrombosis After Percutaneous Pulmonary Valve Implantation With the Pulsta Valve: Life-Long Aspirin Is Necessary?

Background: Hypo-attenuated leaflet thickening (HALT) is a subclinical finding on cardiac computed tomography (CT) associated with leaflet thrombosis in bioprosthetic valves. However, its incidence and risk factors following percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation (PPVI) remain poorly characterized.

Aims: This study aimed to determine the incidence of HALT after PPVI and to identify clinical and procedural factors associated with its occurrence.

Unsustainable and overworked: unpacking the challenges faced by pediatric cardiologists and cardiac surgeons in Korea.

Background: Pediatric cardiologists (PCs) and pediatric cardiac surgeons (PedCSs) in Korea face growing workforce shortages due to declining birth rates, decreasing interest among trainees, and increasing burnout.

Purpose: This study investigated the working conditions, job satisfaction, and burnout levels among Korean PCs and PedCSs.

Methods: In June 2023, the Korean Pediatric Heart Society distributed a structured questionnaire via email to 149 members actively practicing pediatric cardiac care (115 PCs, 34 PedCSs).

Anatomical Snuffbox Versus Dorsum of the Hand for Optimal Access Site in Distal Radial Access: Insight From the KODRA Registry.

Background And Objectives: Distal radial access (DRA) has been recognized as an alternative to conventional radial access, with potential puncture sites at the anatomical snuffbox and on the dorsum of the hand. However, the optimal puncture site remains unknown. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of DRA at these two sites.

Distal radial access in elderly patients aged 70 years and older for coronary procedures: Lessons from the KODRA registry.

Background: While distal radial access (DRA) is increasingly adopted for coronary procedures, evidence supporting its use in elderly patients remains limited. This study evaluated the feasibility and safety of DRA in elderly patients using data from the KODRA registry.

Methods: A total of 4941 patients were divided into elderly (≥70 years; n = 2091) and non-elderly (<70 years; n = 2850) groups.

Expanding horizons of CRISPR applications beyond genome editing.

Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) technologies have rapidly evolved beyond genome editing, transforming fields such as molecular diagnostics, biosensing, transcriptional regulation, molecular imaging, protein interaction mapping, and single-cell analysis. Emerging CRISPR-based diagnostics harness the collateral cleavage activity of CRISPR-associated (Cas) enzymes for rapid nucleic acid detection. Advanced biosensors extend CRISPR's capabilities to detect ions, metabolites, and proteins by integrating synthetic biology components.

Non-culprit Lesion Location and FFR-guided Revascularization in Acute Myocardial Infarction With Multivessel Disease: FRAME-AMI Substudy.

Background And Objectives: The prognosis of unrevascularized non-culprit lesions (NCLs) and the benefits of non-culprit percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) may depend on their functional significance and location in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and multivessel coronary disease (MVD). We investigated the differential outcomes of fractional flow reserve (FFR) versus angiography-guided PCI for NCL between the left anterior descending artery (LAD) and non-LAD arteries.

Methods: This was a prespecified post hoc analysis of the FRAME-AMI trial.

Metabolic engineering of for the production of active hemoglobins and myoglobins by improving heme supply.

Hemoglobins (Hb) and myoglobins (Mb) are important hemoproteins with broad applications in food and medicine. Microbial cell factory is a promising approach for the green and sustainable production of hemoproteins. However, current microbial hosts face the challenges of safety and insufficient heme supply.

Quantitative comparisons of pulmonary artery hemodynamics before and after Pulsta valve implantation in patients with Tetralogy of Fallot using computational fluid dynamics.

Background And Objectives: The evaluation of percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation (PPVI) performance has been predominantly confined to assessing changes in the right ventricular volume using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This study aimed to evaluate the hemodynamic changes in the pulmonary arteries following PPVI using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) in patients with Tetralogy of Fallot.

Methods: We conducted CFD analysis based on MRI scans performed before and after PPVI using Pulsta valve in nine patients who underwent PPVI between 2016 and 2021.

Duration of dual antiplatelet therapy in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention for bifurcation lesions: Insights from the ULTRA-BIFURCAT registry.

Background: The optimal duration of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) remains debated, particularly for bifurcation lesions, which are associated with increased thrombotic risk. Shorter DAPT regimens may reduce bleeding but could compromise ischemic protection.

Methods: This study analyzed data from the ULTRA and BIFURCAT registries, including patients treated with PCI for bifurcation lesions.

Reframing the role of the objective function in its proper context for metabolic network modeling.

The "objective function" is a core concept in metabolic network modeling. Its use has enabled the analysis of large data to drive deeper understanding of cellular metabolism. This commentary reframes how the objective function is discussed to enhance its value and clarify misunderstandings in metabolic network modeling.

Standardized Measurement of Muscle Strength and Physical Performance for Sarcopenia: An Expert-Based Delphi Consensus.

Background: Despite updated sarcopenia guidelines, inconsistent protocols still cause clinical confusion and may compromise diagnostic and outcome accuracy. This Delphi study aimed to establish expert consensus to support the standardization of muscle strength and physical performance assessments for sarcopenia.

Methods: A two-round modified Delphi study was conducted with 26 experts in geriatrics and sarcopenia.

Subaqueous acoustic pressure system based one day heterotypic pseudo-islet spheroid formation with adipose derived stem cells for graft survival-related function enhancement.

To overcome Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), which can cause hyperglycemia due to diminished insulin secretion of β-cell function, islet transplantation has been developed with various strategies including pseudo-islet. However, conventional pseudo-islet formation techniques combining with other cells depend on natural cellular aggregation, which requires at least 5 days to form and even show segregation of distinct cell types, leading to diminished cell viability and function. Herein, we applied a subaqueous free-standing 3D cell culture (FS) device, which can reduce the spheroid formation time by trapped cell in nodes of acoustic standing wave.

Vein-first embolization is superior to transarterial approach in type IIIb arteriovenous malformations.

Objective: To propose a modified treatment concept for type IIIb arteriovenous malformation (AVM), involving a vein-first (VF) strategy that focuses on direct puncture and coil embolization of dilated veins, followed by ethanol injection from the vein to feeding arteries. This retrospective study evaluated the safety and efficacy of this approach.

Methods: A total of 117 patients (55 males; median age, 27 years) with type IIIb AVMs were retrospectively reviewed.

Synergistic cytotoxicity of deoxynivalenol and nivalenol at realistic dietary exposure ratios through ribotoxic stress-induced apoptosis in Caco-2 cells.

Trichothecenes, deoxynivalenol (DON) and nivalenol (NIV), frequently co-contaminate food, posing potential health risks through their combined toxicity effects. While previous studies have assessed DON-NIV interactions using arbitrary or effective concentration-based ratios, this study investigated their effects using realistic dietary exposure ratios estimated from South Korean food consumption data. Undifferentiated and differentiated Caco-2 cells were treated with DON and NIV, individually or in combination.

Association between cumulative pack-year smoking exposure and sarcopenia: a KoGES cohort study.

Background: Sarcopenia is the age-related involuntary loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength. Many factors, such as ageing and behaviour, may affect the risk of sarcopenia. However, no study had confirmed the association between cumulative exposure to smoking and the risk of developing sarcopenia.