PolyQ-expansion of Ataxin-2 disrupts microtubule stability and impairs axon outgrowth.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by mislocalization and aggregation of proteins in motor neurons. Ataxin-2 (ATXN2), an RNA-binding protein harboring 22-polyglutamine (polyQ) repeats, is a risk factor for ALS, when its polyQ repeats are expanded to 27-33 repeats. However, the physiological function of ATXN2 beyond its role in RNA regulation, and how polyQ expansion in ATXN2 increases risk for ALS, remain unclear.

COSINE-100 full dataset challenges the annual modulation signal of DAMA/LIBRA.

For over 25 years, the DAMA/LIBRA collaboration has claimed to observe an annual modulation signal, suggesting the existence of dark matter interactions. However, no experiment using different target materials has observed a dark matter signal consistent with their result. To address this puzzle, the COSINE-100 collaboration conducted a model-independent test using sodium iodide crystal detectors, the same target material as DAMA/LIBRA.

Establishing consensus recommendations for metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer in South Korea: A modified Delphi study.

Purpose: Consensus is lacking among South Korean urologists on the appropriate treatment of metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC). A modified, Delphi-based consensus on managing mHSPC patients was developed to support clinical decision-making.

Materials And Methods: Thirty-six questions on mHSPC treatment were developed by an expert committee (five urologists).

Identification of severity related mutation hotspots in SARS-CoV-2 using a density-based clustering approach.

Background: The immune response to SARS-CoV-2 varies greatly among individuals yielding highly varying severity levels among the patients. While there are various methods to spot severity associated biomarkers in COVID-19 patients, we investigated highly mutated regions, or mutation hotspots, within the SARS-CoV-2 genome that correlate with patient severity levels. SARS-CoV-2 mutation hotspots were searched in the GISAID database using a density based clustering algorithm, Mutclust, that searches for loci with high mutation density and diversity.

Complications Following Percutaneous Epidural Neuroplasty: A Narrative Review of Clinical Evidence and the Rationale for Post-Procedural 6 h Inpatient Monitoring Amid Limited Systematic Data.

: Percutaneous epidural neuroplasty (PEN) and related adhesiolysis procedures are widely used for managing chronic spinal pain. Although generally safe, complications-ranging from minor to life-threatening-have been reported. This review aimed to estimate the incidence and characteristics of complications following PEN and to evaluate the medical rationale for post-procedural inpatient monitoring.

Translating SGRT from Breast to Lung Cancer: A Study on Frameless Immobilization and Real-Time Monitoring Efficacy, Focusing on Setup Accuracy.

Surface-Guided Radiation Therapy (SGRT) has been widely adopted in breast cancer radiotherapy, particularly for improving setup accuracy and motion management. Recently, its application in lung cancer has attracted growing interest due to similar needs for precision. This study investigates the feasibility and clinical utility of SGRT in lung cancer treatment, focusing on its effectiveness in patient setup and real-time motion monitoring under frameless immobilization conditions.

-Resveratrol and Hesperidin Supplementation with Treadmill Exercise Alleviates Methylglyoxal-Induced Skeletal Muscle Dysfunction.

Methylglyoxal (MGO), a reactive glycolytic byproduct, contributes to skeletal muscle atrophy by promoting oxidative stress, inflammation, and protein degradation. This study investigated the therapeutic potential of -resveratrol and hesperidin (tRES-HESP) supplementation, alone or in combination with aerobic exercise, in ameliorating MGO-induced muscle dysfunction in mice. ICR mice were divided into five groups and treated with MGO, tRES-HESP, treadmill exercise, or both interventions over eight weeks.

Microfluidic Platforms for Ex Vivo and In Vivo Gene Therapy.

Recent studies have demonstrated the clinical potential of nucleic acid therapeutics (NATs). However, their efficient and scalable delivery remains a major challenge for both ex vivo and in vivo gene therapy. Microfluidic platforms have emerged as a powerful tool for overcoming these limitations by enabling precise intracellular delivery and consistent therapeutic carrier fabrication.

Increased Extra-Axial Cerebrospinal Fluid Volume in Children with Angelman Syndrome: Links to Sleep Problems and Seizures.

Background: Previous studies demonstrated that children with autism have enlarged volumes of extra-axial cerebrospinal fluid (EA-CSF) and increased ratio of EA-CSF to brain volume, indicating that EA-CSF is disproportionally increased beyond macrocephaly often observed in autism. It is unknown whether EA-CSF is disproportionally enlarged in Angelman syndrome (AS), which shares phenotypic features with autism (sleep problems, seizures) but is characterized by microcephaly. This study examined EA-CSF and total cerebral volume (TCV) in AS children compared to neurotypical (NT) controls to test whether EA-CSF is disproportionally enlarged and is associated with sleep problems and seizures.

Platform study of circulating tumor DNA directed adjuvant chemotherapy in colon cancer (CLAUDIA colon cancer, KCSG CO22-12).

Background: Tumor-informed circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) analysis allows for the sensitive detection of minimal residual disease (MRD) and has the potential to enhance patient stratification for adjuvant chemotherapy. We hypothesize that intensifying adjuvant chemotherapy in colon cancer patients with postoperative MRD positivity may reduce recurrence and improve survival outcomes.

Methods: This multi-center platform trial (NCT05534087) consists of a prospective observational study (Part 1) and an interventional randomized trial (Part 2).

Clinical Utility of Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry for Thyroglobulin Measurement in Comparison with Immunoradiometric Assay and Chemiluminescence Microparticle Immunoassay.

Background: The liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was developed to overcome interference from thyroglobulin autoantibodies (TgAb); however, it has not yet been implemented in Korea. This study aimed to confirm the accuracy of LC-MS/MS compared to conventional methods and to identify its advantages in patients with thyroid carcinoma (TC).

Methods: A total of 206 TC and 18 Hashimoto's thyroiditis samples were collected.

Integrative analysis of inhibition of advanced glycation end-products accumulation and prevention of aging muscle deterioration in animals and human models.

Background: Advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) contribute to metabolic dysfunction and sarcopenia by promoting oxidative stress and inflammation. The therapeutic impact of exercise on AGEs-induced muscle deterioration and clinical relevance of skin autofluorescence (SAF) as a biomarker remain unclear. Therefore, we aimed to comprehensively investigate the physiological effects of AGEs using two complementary approaches.

Lactobacillus salivarius HHuMin-U attenuates vulvovaginal candidiasis via vaginal epithelial immune enhancement mediated by NF-κB activation.

Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC), primarily caused by Candida albicans infection, is one of the most common diseases among women and leads to various symptoms that adversely impact quality of life. VVC is conventionally treated with antifungal agents, but the high recurrence rates and the risk of inducing vaginal microbiome dysbiosis pose major concerns in effective treatment. Probiotics with immune-enhancing properties can be an effective strategy by strengthening mucosal immunity and reducing susceptibility to infection.

Peripheral substance P induces deficits in hippocampal synaptic plasticity and memory.

Substance P (SP) is a neuropeptide that functions in both the central and peripheral nervous systems. Although the peripheral actions of SP in regulating inflammatory responses have been extensively investigated, the effects of elevated peripheral SP on hippocampal functions such as spatial learning and memory remains unclear, even though SP can cross the blood-brain barrier. In this study, we found that male mice subcutaneously injected with SP for 14 days exhibited significant deficits in hippocampus-dependent memory, as assessed by the object place recognition and novel object recognition tests.

Context-Aware Hierarchical Fusion for Drug Relational Learning.

The simultaneous use of multiple medications is a common practice in disease treatment, yet the same drug combination can lead to different effects under varying physiological, pharmacological, or genomic conditions-collectively referred to as the 'context'. Accurately predicting the outcomes of drug combinations across diverse contexts, also known as drug relational learning (DRL), is essential for improving therapeutic efficacy and safety. Despite its importance, existing methods face two major challenges: they are often tailored to specific DRL tasks, lacking generalizability, and they fail to explicitly model the influence of context on drug interactions.

Effects of TBBPA Exposure on Neurodevelopment and Behavior in Mice.

Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) is a brominated flame retardant widely used in consumer products. TBBPA is often detected in soil, water, organisms, and even in human blood and breast milk. Hence, it is accessible to developing fetuses and nursing offspring after maternal exposure.

The bZIP3-AS1 complex promotes CONSTANS-induced FLOWERING LOCUS T activation in a daylength-dependent manner.

Plants monitor daylength to synchronize their flowering time with their surroundings and thus maximize reproductive fitness. In Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), CONSTANS (CO) activates the expression of FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT); this activation is a crucial aspect of the daylength-dependent regulation of flowering time. Here, we demonstrate that the basic leucine zipper 3 (bZIP3) transcription factor is important for CO-induced FT expression under long photoperiod conditions in Arabidopsis.

Impact of direct prehospital transport on mortality in patients with severe trauma based on the injury severity score: a nationwide observational study in the Republic of Korea.

Objectives: Severe trauma remains a leading cause of death in the Republic of Korea. In response, regional trauma centers were established in 2012. This study evaluated the impact of direct prehospital transport to trauma centers on in-hospital mortality among patients with severe trauma using the national trauma registry.

Beneath the rhetoric of global justice: Reinforcement of global hegemonic governmentality by South Korea's Global Vaccine Hub Project.

Background: During the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, the South Korean government initiated the Global Vaccine Hub Project (GVHP) purportedly to address global vaccine inequality. This study analyzes the strategies and underlying epistemology of GVHP through the perspective of global governmentality. Critical Discourse Study (CDS) approaches were used to identify governmental technologies and explain how their embedded knowledge is related to power relations.

Human cytomegalovirus long non-coding RNA counteracts nuclear cGAS to facilitate immune evasion.

Viruses have evolved diverse immune evasion strategies, including the targeting of host pattern recognition receptors. The role of viral non-coding RNAs in modulating pattern recognition receptor activity is unclear. Here we show that human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) produces long non-coding RNA4.

Neuroprotective Effects of Epicatechin against Oxidative Stress-Induced Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Oxidative stress is crucial in the pathogenesis of cognitive impairment and neurodegenerative diseases. Epicatechin, a natural flavanol abundant in cocoa, is a promising neuroprotective agent because of its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy of epicatechin in mitigating oxidative stress-induced cognitive impairment in animal models.

Biotransformation by beta glucosidase enhances anti inflammatory metabolites in licorice using untargeted metabolomics.

Licorice (Glycyrrhiza uralensis) has traditionally been used as a food-derived herbal remedy for inflammation; however, the anti-inflammatory potential of its fermented extract in skin health is still unclear. This study investigated fermented licorice extract (FLE) for its effects against glyoxal-derived advanced glycation end products (GO-AGEs) and ultraviolet B (UVB)-induced skin inflammation in HaCaT keratinocytes. At 10 µg/mL, FLE reduced IL-6 levels by 46% and TNF-α levels by 52%, and significantly lowered PGE levels.

Hepatitis E vaccine landscape update 2025.

Introduction: Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a significant public health concern, particularly in resource-limited and conflict-affected settings. While often self-limiting, HEV infection poses severe risks for pregnant women contracted with genotype 1 or 2, leading to high maternal mortality, and can cause chronic infection in immunocompromised individuals.

Areas Covered: This review examines the epidemiology, clinical manifestations, and vaccine landscape of HEV, highlighting licensed and investigational candidates.

IRE1 coordinates UPR and ERAD pathways to maintain protein homeostasis under ER stress in Arabidopsis.

Environmental stress in plants often leads to the accumulation of unfolded or misfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), triggering the unfolded protein response (UPR) and ER-associated degradation (ERAD) to restore protein homeostasis. In Arabidopsis, the ER stress sensor IRE1 catalyzes the unconventional splicing of bZIP60 mRNA, producing a transcription factor that regulates UPR-related genes. However, the role of IRE1 in ERAD regulation remains unclear.