Objectives: Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a neuropsychiatric disorder associated with cirrhosis and chronic liver disease primarily driven by ammonia (NH3) toxicity, which leads to neuroinflammation and cognitive deficits. Recent studies have identified olfactory dysfunction as a potential early indicator of HE, linked to ammonia-induced neurotoxicity in the brain.
Methods: After confirming physiological alterations in olfactory cells induced by ammonia, we assessed gene expression changes in olfactory bulbs of bile duct ligation (BDL) mice as an HE mouse model.
Prev Nutr Food Sci
August 2025
Sinonasal squamous cell carcinoma (SNSCC) is a rare, aggressive malignancy with poor clinical outcomes. Metabolic syndrome components, including obesity-associated hyperleptinemia, may promote tumor progression. Leptin is an adipokine that is elevated in obesity and activates oncogenic pathways that drive cancer cell proliferation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPediatric cataracts are a significant cause of childhood blindness, requiring long-term management. This study evaluated the economic burden of pediatric cataract surgery in South Korea and identified factors influencing the medical costs, particularly in patients with complications after cataract surgery. We used National Health Insurance Service claims data, covering the Korean population, including pediatric patients (aged ≤5 years) who underwent cataract surgery between 2004 and 2011.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground/aims: Few studies have compared the outcomes of catheter angiography and colonoscopy after positive computed tomography angiography (CTA) results in patients with severe lower gastrointestinal bleeding. This study aimed to evaluate differences in clinical outcomes between these approaches.
Methods: We analyzed data from 254 patients with positive CTA results of the lower gastrointestinal tract at Severance Hospital, South Korea (2014-2024).
Transl Lung Cancer Res
December 2024
Background: Previous studies reported significant relationships between obesity and pulmonary dysfunction. Here, we investigated genetic alterations in the lung tissues of high fat diet (HFD) induced obese mouse through transcriptomic and molecular analyses.
Methods: Eight-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were fed either a normal chow diet (NCD) or HFD for 12 weeks.
Obesity is a prevalent metabolic disorder linked to insulin resistance, hyperglycemia, increased adiposity, chronic inflammation, and cognitive dysfunction. Recent research has focused on developing therapeutic strategies to mitigate cognitive impairment associated with obesity. Insulin growth factor-1 (IGF1) deficiency is linked to insulin resistance, glucose intolerance, and the progression of obesity-related central nervous system (CNS) disorders.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBiomed Pharmacother
October 2024
Oligonol, a low-molecular-weight polyphenol derived from lychee fruit, is well recognized for its antioxidant properties, blood glucose regulation, and fat mass reduction capability. However, its effect on the central nervous system remains unclear. Here, we investigated the effects of oligonol on brain in a high-fat diet (HFD) fed mouse model, and SH-SY5Y neuronal cells and primary cultured cortical neuron under insulin resistance conditions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF"Organoids", three-dimensional self-organized organ-like miniature tissues, are proposed as intermediary models that bridge the gap between animal and human studies in drug development. Despite recent advancements in organoid model development, studies on toxicity using these models are limited. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to analyze the functionality and gene expression of pre- and post-differentiated human hepatic organoids derived from induced pluripotent stem cells and utilize them for toxicity assessment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe prevalence of metabolic syndrome caused by diets containing excessive fatty acids is increasing worldwide. Patients with metabolic syndrome exhibit abnormal lipid profiles, chronic inflammation, increased levels of saturated fatty acids, impaired insulin sensitivity, excessive fat accumulation, and neuropathological issues such as memory deficits. In particular, palmitic acid (PA) in saturated fatty acids aggravates inflammation, insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance, and synaptic failure.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOvarian cancer, which ranks eighth among global female cancers and fifth in fatality, poses a significant health challenge owing to its asymptomatic early stages. Understanding the pathogenesis requires extensive research. Recent studies have emphasized the role of the gut and cervicovaginal microbiota in ovarian cancer.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAlzheimer's disease (AD) stands as the most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder, characterized by a multitude of pathological manifestations, prominently marked by the aggregation of amyloid beta. Recent investigations have revealed a compelling association between excessive adiposity and glial activation, further correlating with cognitive impairments. Additionally, alterations in levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) have been reported in individuals with metabolic conditions accompanied by memory dysfunction.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPolyethylene glycol (PEG) is a polymer used for surface modification of important substances in the modern pharmaceutical industry and biopharmaceutical fields. Despite the many benefits of PEGylation, there is also the possibility that the application and exposure of the substance may cause adverse effects in the body, such as an immune response. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the sensitization responses that could be induced through the intercomparison of nanomaterials of the PEG-coated group with the original group.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNanomaterials (Basel)
August 2021
Nowadays, various industries using nanomaterials are growing rapidly, and in particular, as the commercialization and use of nanomaterials increase in the cosmetic field, the possibility of exposure of nanomaterials to the skin of product producers and consumers is increasing. Due to the unique properties of nanomaterials with a very small size, they can act as hapten and induce immune responses and skin sensitization, so accurate identification of toxicity is required. Therefore, we selected silica nanomaterials used in various fields such as cosmetics and biomaterials and evaluated the skin sensitization potential step-by-step according to in-vitro and in-vivo alternative test methods.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Sepsis has a high mortality rate, but no specific drug has been proven effective, prompting the development of new drugs. Immunologically, sepsis can involve hyperinflammation, immune paralysis, or both, which might pose challenges during drug development. Recently, mitochondrial transplantation has emerged as a treatment modality for various diseases involving mitochondrial dysfunction, but it has never been tested for sepsis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNon-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a major subtype of lung cancer. Besides genetic and environmental factors, epigenetic alterations contribute to the tumorigenesis of NSCLC. Epigenetic changes are considered key drivers of cancer initiation and progression, and altered expression and activity of epigenetic modifiers reshape the epigenetic landscape in cancer cells.
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