Current practices in peripheral blood stem cell processing and cryopreservation: a nationwide survey of Korean transplant centers.

Purpose: Processing methods for hematopoietic stem cells vary significantly across institutions, with no standardized guidelines currently in place. This lack of standardization presents challenges in ensuring consistent quality and outcomes of stem cell transplantation procedures. This study investigated current practices in peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) processing and storage among transplant centers in Korea to establish a foundation for the development of standardized guidelines.

Serial next-generation sequencing for detecting germline predisposition in acute myeloid leukemia.

Not available.

Enhancing Free-hand 3D Photoacoustic and Ultrasound Reconstruction using Deep Learning.

This study introduces a motion-based learning network with a global-local self-attention module (MoGLo-Net) to enhance 3D reconstruction in handheld photoacoustic and ultrasound (PAUS) imaging. Standard PAUS imaging is often limited by a narrow field of view (FoV) and the inability to effectively visualize complex 3D structures. The 3D freehand technique, which aligns sequential 2D images for 3D reconstruction, faces significant challenges in accurate motion estimation without relying on external positional sensors.

Microbial and Immune Landscape of Malignant Ascites: Insights from Gut, Bladder, and Ascitic Fluid Analyses.

Background/objectives: Malignant ascites frequently arises in advanced cancers with peritoneal metastasis and is associated with poor outcomes. Known mechanisms include lymphatic obstruction by tumor cells, increased vascular permeability, and sodium retention via the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system; however, the pathogenesis remains not fully understood. We investigated whether gut and bladder microbiomes correlate with malignant ascites development or progression and whether the immune microenvironment in ascitic fluid is altered.

Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation can overcome the adverse prognosis indicated by secondary-type mutations in de novo acute myeloid leukemia.

Secondary-type mutations (STMs), namely SRSF2, SF3B1, U2AF1, ZRSR2, ASXL1, EZH2, BCOR, and STAG2, are more frequently detected in secondary acute myeloid leukemia (AML) than in de novo AML. Whether de novo AML with STMs should be differently managed is, however, unclear. In 394 patients diagnosed with de novo AML who had a normal karyotype, the genetic profiling via targeted deep sequencing of 45 genes revealed 59 patients carrying STMs (STM).

Phytochemistry, Ethnopharmacological Uses, Biological Activities, and Therapeutic Applications of L.: A Comprehensive Review.

L., of the Leguminosae family, is used as a diuretic, laxative, tonic, purgative, and natural remedy for treating headache, dizziness, constipation, tophobia, and lacrimation and for improving eyesight. It is commonly used in tea in Korea.

Allogeneic transplant can abrogate the risk of relapse in the patients of first remission acute myeloid leukemia with detectable measurable residual disease by next-generation sequencing.

In patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) consolidation treatment options are between allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT) and chemotherapy, based on disease risk at the time of initial presentation and age. Measurable residual disease (MRD) following induction chemotherapy could be incorporated as a useful parameter for treatment decisions. The present study evaluated treatment outcomes according to the next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based MRD status and the type of consolidation therapy in patients with normal karyotype (NK)-AML.

Next-generation sequencing-based posttransplant monitoring of acute myeloid leukemia identifies patients at high risk of relapse.

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) has been applied to define clinically relevant somatic mutations and classify subtypes in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Persistent allelic burden after chemotherapy is associated with higher relapse incidence, but presence of allelic burden in AML patients after receiving allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) has not been examined longitudinally. As such, we aimed to assess the feasibility of NGS in monitoring AML patients receiving HCT.

Kushneria konosiri sp. nov., isolated from the Korean salt-fermented seafood Daemi-jeot.

A halophilic bacterial strain, X49T, was isolated from the Korean traditional salt-fermented seafood Daemi-jeot. X49T was an obligately aerobic, Gram-stain-negative, motile, oval or rod-shaped (0.5-1.

Blautia faecis sp. nov., isolated from human faeces.

A strictly anoxic, Gram-stain-positive, non-motile Blautia-like bacterium, designated strain M25(T), was isolated from a human faecal sample. Strain M25(T) was negative for both catalase and oxidase activity, utilized carbohydrates as fermentable substrates, produced lactate and acetate as the major end products of glucose fermentation in PYG medium, and had a DNA G+C content of 41.6 mol%.

Ruegeria conchae sp. nov., isolated from the ark clam Scapharca broughtonii.

A slightly halophilic, Gram-negative, strictly aerobic, non-motile rod, designated TW15(T), was isolated from an ark clam in South Korea. Growth occurred at 10-37 °C, with 1-5% (w/v) NaCl and at pH 7.0-10.

Genome sequence of Brachybacterium squillarum M-6-3(T), isolated from salt-fermented seafood.

Brachybacterium squillarum M-6-3(T) was isolated from salt-fermented seafood in Korea and belongs to the Dermabacteraceae, a rather isolated family within the actinobacterial suborder Micrococcineae. Here, we present the draft genome sequence of the type strain Brachybacterium squillarum M-6-3(T) (3,191,479 bp), a Gram-positive bacterium with high (72.8%) G+C content.

Efficacy and safety of oxaliplatin, 5-Fluorouracil, and folinic Acid combination chemotherapy as first-line treatment in metastatic or recurrent gastric cancer.

Purpose: We retrospectively determined the efficacy and safety of the combination of oxaliplatin, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), and folinic acid (FA) as first-line chemotherapy for patients with metastatic or recurrent gastric cancer.

Materials And Methods: Between January 2006 and August 2009, 39 patients with histologically-confirmed, metastatic or recurrent gastric cancer underwent chemotherapy, and the results were retrospectively investigated. The chemotherapy regimen consisted of oxaliplatin (100 mg/m(2)) and FA (200 mg/m(2); 2-hour infusion), then 5-FU (2,400 mg/m(2); 46-hour continuous infusion) every 2 weeks.

Mesenchymal stem cell transfer suppresses airway remodeling in a toluene diisocyanate-induced murine asthma model.

Purpose: Severe asthma is characterized by high medication requirements to maintain good disease control or by persistent symptoms despite high medication use. The transfer of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMDMSCs) to the injured lungs is a possible treatment for severe asthma. This study investigated the therapeutic effects of BMDMSCs in airway remodeling and inflammation in an experimental toluene diisocyanate (TDI)-induced asthma animal model of severe asthma.

Blautia stercoris sp. nov., isolated from human faeces.

Strain GAM6-1T is a novel, strictly anaerobic, non-spore-forming, Gram-stain-positive bacterium that was isolated from the faeces of a healthy individual. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain GAM6-1T was most closely related to Blautia producta ATCC 27340T (95.7 % sequence similarity), in the family Lachnospiraceae.

Phase II Clinical Trial of Genexol® (Paclitaxel) and Carboplatin for Patients with Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Cancer.

Purpose: This phase II clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the activity and safety of a combination treatment of paclitaxel (Genexol®) plus carboplatin in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

Materials And Methods: Chemotherapy-naïve patients having histologically confirmed advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer were enrolled. Genexol® was administered at 225 mg/m(2) intravenous (IV) infusion over 3 hours, followed by carboplatin (area under the concentration-time curve=6) IV on day 1 every 3 weeks.

Brachybacterium squillarum sp. nov., isolated from salt-fermented seafood.

A Gram-positive bacterium, strain M-6-3(T), was isolated from salt-fermented seafood in Korea. The organism grew in 0-10 % (w/v) NaCl and at 25-37 °C, with optimal growth occurring in 5 % NaCl and at 28-30 °C. The peptidoglycan type was variation A4γ with meso-diaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic cell-wall diamino acid.

Modulation of cytokine and nitric oxide by mesenchymal stem cell transfer in lung injury/fibrosis.

Background: No effective treatment for acute lung injury and fibrosis currently exists. Aim of this study was to investigate the time-dependent effect of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMDMSCs) on bleomycin (BLM)-induced acute lung injury and fibrosis and nitric oxide metabolites and inflammatory cytokine production.

Methods: BMDMSCs were transferred 4 days after BLM inhalation.

Usefulness of umbilical cord blood cells in era of hematopoiesis research.

Although worldwide experience with umbilical cord blood (UCB) transplantation is still relatively limited, clinical experience with UCB transplantation is encouraging. The use of UCB for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) has advantages and disadvantages. Among the advantages are rapid availability, ability to more rapidly schedule the transplant as the UCB units are stored and ready for use, the apparent reduced need for an exact human leukocyte antigen (HLA) match, and induction of a less severe graft versus host disease (GVHD) compared with bone marrow.

Enhanced inhibitory effect of ultra-fine granules of red ginseng on LPS-induced cytokine expression in the monocyte-derived macrophage THP-1 cells.

Red ginseng is one of the most popular traditional medicines in Korea because its soluble hot-water extract is known to be very effective on enhancing immunity as well as inhibiting inflammation. Recently, we developed a new technique, called the HAC-gearshift system, which can pulverize red ginseng into the ultra-fine granules ranging from 0.2 to 7.

The role of mesenchymal stem cells in the functional improvement of chronic renal failure.

The most commonly used therapeutic targets in nephrology are the reduction of injury, the delay of progression, or renal replacement therapy. Many animal and human studies demonstrated the role of stem cells in repair and regenerations of kidney. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have shown to improve outcome of acute renal injury models.

Cytoprotective effects of Morinda officinalis against hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative stress in Leydig TM3 cells.

Aim: To investigate the antioxidant effects of Morinda officinalis (Morindae radix, MR) on H(2)O(2)-induced oxidative stress in cultured mouse TM3 Leydig cells.

Methods: We carried out 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl free radical scavenging, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide, lipid peroxidation, testosterone enzyme immunoassay, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) assays in Leydig TM3 cells.

Results: MR showed a 47.

Electroacupuncture protects against CCK-induced acute pancreatitis in rats.

Objective: Electroacupuncture (EA) has been used to treat myalgia, adiposis and gastroenteropathy in Korea. EA as a complementary and alternative medicine has been accepted worldwide mainly for the treatment acute and chronic pain and inflammation. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of EA on acute pancreatitis induced by cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK) in rats.

Co-transplantation of human mesenchymal stem cells promotes human CD34+ cells engraftment in a dose-dependent fashion in NOD/SCID mice.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have recently been identified and characterized in humans. Moreover, MSC secrete cytokines that can support hematopoietic progenitor growth. In the present study, we evaluated whether the efficacy of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is improved by their co-transplantation with MSC, and whether this is positively correlated with the dose of infused MSCs.