Recommendation for use of a long-acting monoclonal antibody to prevent respiratory syncytial virus infection in infants and young children.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a leading cause of acute lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) in infants and young children. In April 2024, the Korea Ministry of Food and Drug Safety approved nirsevimab (Beyfortus), a long-acting monoclonal antibody, as a passive immunization to prevent RSV-associated LRTI among infants and young children. Nirsevimab was launched in Korea in February 2025.

Interactions with tau's microtubule-binding repeats modulate amyloid-β aggregation and toxicity.

The complicated pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by the accumulation of neurofibrillary tangles and senile plaques, primarily composed of tau and amyloid-β (Aβ) aggregates, respectively. While substantial efforts have focused on unraveling the individual roles of tau and Aβ in AD development, the intricate interplay between these components remains elusive. Here we report how the microtubule-binding repeats of tau engage with Aβ in a distinct manner.

Epidemiology of Candidemia in Children and Neonates in Korea, 2009-2018: A Multi-Center Study.

Background: Invasive candidal infection is a serious health threat to high-risk pediatric populations. Data on pediatric epidemiology of candidemia in Korea are limited.

Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed for patients aged 0-18 years who were diagnosed with candidemia from 2009 to 2018 in tertiary hospitals.

Nucleocytoplasmic HDAC Inhibition Drives Acetylation-dependent TDP-43 Mislocalization and Disulfide-linked Oligomerization.

TDP-43 proteinopathies, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD), are characterized by aberrant cytoplasmic mislocalization and aggregation of TDP-43. Here, we established a live-cell TDP43-BiFC model to visualize TDP-43 oligomerization in real time and screened diverse cellular stressors. Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibition emerged as the most potent trigger of TDP-43 oligomerization.

Metasurface-enhanced terahertz imaging for glioblastoma in orthotopic xenograft mouse model combined with neural network decision making.

Terahertz (THz) optical sensing and imaging offer significant potential in a range of biological and medical applications owing to their low-energy, non-ionizing nature, and ultra-broadband spectral information, which includes numerous molecular fingerprints. However, conventional THz imaging suffers from limited contrast and low absorption cross-section in biological tissues. Recent advances in terahertz sensing platforms, facilitated by various metasurfaces, have addressed these limitations by enhancing the sensitivity and selectivity of optical detection and imaging.

Pathological Disulfide Bond Crosslinking: Molecular Insights into Amyloidogenesis and Diseases Progression.

Amyloidogenesis is a complex process in which normally soluble proteins misfold and assemble into β-sheet-rich aggregates known as amyloid fibrils. This pathological process is implicated in a broad range of diseases, including neurodegenerative disorders and systemic amyloidosis. Recent studies indicate that disulfide-crosslinking plays a central role in promoting protein aggregation by stabilizing misfolded intermediates.

Predicting ICU Admission Risk in Children with Respiratory Syncytial Virus.

Introduction: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common infection in young children and a frequent cause of hospitalization. In some cases, RSV can lead to severe lower respiratory tract illness requiring admission to the intensive care unit (ICU). Here, we explore risk factors for RSV-related ICU admission in children.

Dual effects of Korean red ginseng extract and its fractions on influenza A virus infectivity in lung-derived cell lines.

Background: Influenza infections are significantly affected by the genetics of the viruses and the cells they infect. Our previous studies showed that various influenza A subtypes uniquely infect different cell lines, offering insights into viral infection mechanisms. Meanwhile, Korean red ginseng extract (RGE) is known for its anti-influenza properties, attributed to its rich composition of saponin and non-saponin components.

AI-assisted diagnostic approach for the influenza-like illness in children: decision support system for patients and clinicians.

Unlabelled: Influenza-like illnesses (ILI), such as influenza and RSV, pose significant global health burdens, especially in febrile children under 6 years old. Differentiating these from bacterial infections based solely on clinical symptoms is challenging. While PCR tests are reliable, they are costly and time-consuming.

Long-term Response to SARS-CoV-2 mRNA Vaccine in Adolescents.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic's transition to an endemic phase emphasizes the importance of vaccination. Despite initial strong immunogenicity, waning of vaccine-induced immunity requires further investigation. Therefore, this study evaluated the immunogenicity of the BNT162b2 vaccine in adolescents, focusing on spike-specific and neutralizing antibody kinetics following primary and booster vaccinations as well as the impact of breakthrough infections.

Engineering a membrane protein chaperone to ameliorate the proteotoxicity of mutant huntingtin.

Toxic protein aggregates are associated with various neurodegenerative diseases, including Huntington's disease (HD). Since no current treatment delays the progression of HD, we develop a mechanistic approach to prevent mutant huntingtin (mHttex1) aggregation. Here, we engineer the ATP-independent cytosolic chaperone PEX19, which targets peroxisomal membrane proteins to peroxisomes, to remove mHttex1 aggregates.

EBP1 potentiates amyloid β pathology by regulating γ-secretase.

The abnormal deposition of amyloid β (Aβ), produced by proteolytic cleavage events of amyloid precursor protein involving the protease γ-secretase and subsequent polymerization into amyloid plaques, plays a key role in the neuropathology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Here we show that ErbB3 binding protein 1 (EBP1)/proliferation-associated 2G4 (PA2G4) interacts with presenilin, a catalytic subunit of γ-secretase, inhibiting Aβ production. Mice lacking forebrain Ebp1/Pa2g4 recapitulate the representative phenotypes of late-onset sporadic AD, displaying an age-dependent increase in Aβ deposition, amyloid plaques and cognitive dysfunction.

Aptamer and N-Degron Ensemble (AptaGron) as a Target Protein Degradation Strategy.

Target protein degradation (TPD) is a promising strategy for catalytic downregulation of target proteins through various cellular proteolytic pathways. Despite numerous reports on novel TPD mechanisms, the discovery of target-specific ligands remains a major challenge. Unlike small-molecule ligands, aptamers offer significant advantages, owing to their SELEX-based systematic screening method.

Survey of patient satisfaction with genetic counseling services in Korea.

Since the 1990s, genetic clinics have been established in South Korea, enabling the provision of clinical genetics services. However, genetic counseling services are not widely used in the medical system. In contrast, recently, the demand for genetic counseling has increased due to the rapid development of genomic medicine.

Executive Summary of 2023 International Conference of the Korean Dementia Association (IC-KDA 2023): A Report From the Academic Committee of the Korean Dementia Association.

The Korean Dementia Association (KDA) has been organizing biennial international academic conferences since 2019, with the International Conference of the KDA (IC-KDA) 2023 held in Busan under the theme 'Beyond Boundaries: Advancing Global Dementia Solutions.' The conference comprised 6 scientific sessions, 3 plenary lectures, and 4 luncheon symposiums, drawing 804 participants from 35 countries. Notably, a Korea-Taiwan Joint Symposium addressed insights into Alzheimer's disease (AD).

A phase 3, single-arm, open-label study to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of a 15-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, V114, in a 3+1 regimen in healthy infants in South Korea (PNEU-PED-KOR).

There is an ongoing burden of pneumococcal disease in children despite the use of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs). This phase 3, open-label, single-arm, multisite, descriptive study was designed to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of a 3 + 1 regimen of V114 (VAXNEUVANCE™), a 15-valent PCV, in South Korean infants and toddlers. Adverse events (AEs) were reported for 14 d following any vaccination, and throughout the study period for serious AEs.

N-recognins UBR1 and UBR2 as central ER stress sensors in mammals.

In eukaryotes, a primary protein quality control (PQC) process involves the destruction of conformationally misfolded proteins through the ubiquitin-proteasome system. Because approximately one-third of eukaryotic proteomes fold and assemble within the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) before being sent to their destinations, the ER plays a crucial role in PQC. The specific functions and biochemical roles of several E3 ubiquitin ligases involved in ER-associated degradation in mammals, on the other hand, are mainly unknown.

NeuM: A Neuron-Selective Probe Incorporates into Live Neuronal Membranes via Enhanced Clathrin-Mediated Endocytosis in Primary Neurons.

The development of a small-molecule probe designed to selectively target neurons would enhance the exploration of intricate neuronal structures and functions. Among such probes, NeuO stands out as the pioneer and has gained significant traction in the field of research. Nevertheless, neither the mechanism behind neuron-selectivity nor the cellular localization has been determined.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of indane-based fluorescent probes for detection of amyloid-β aggregates in Alzheimer's disease.

In this article, the development of fluorescent imaging probes for the detection of Alzheimer's disease (AD)-associated protein aggregates is described. Indane derivatives with a donor-π-acceptor (D-π-A) structure were designed and synthesized. The probes were evaluated for their ability to bind to β-amyloid (Aβ) protein aggregates, which are a key pathological hallmark of AD.

Fluorescent Phenotyping of Blood Cells Using a Differential Sensing Strategy: Differentiating Physiological Aging Stages and Neuro-Degenerative Disease Drugs.

Blood continually contributes to the maintenance of homeostasis of the body and contains information regarding the health state of an individual. However, current hematological analyses predominantly rely on a limited number of CD markers and morphological analysis. In this work, differentially sensitive fluorescent compounds based on TCF scaffolds are introduced that are designed for fluorescent phenotyping of blood.

Impact of Nonpharmacological Interventions on Severe Acute Respiratory Infections in Children: From the National Surveillance Database.

Background: Nonpharmacological interventions (NPIs) reduce the incidence of respiratory infections. After NPIs imposed during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic ceased, respiratory infections gradually increased worldwide. However, few studies have been conducted on severe respiratory infections requiring hospitalization in pediatric patients.

Mitigating from COVID-19 during Intercollegiate Sports Match.

The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has posed a significant threat not only to health outcomes but also to other societal sectors, including the educational system. Apart from youth education, colleges and universities are characterized by the integration of in-depth theoretical and practical knowledge in young adulthood. Our observations in this study suggest that college fairs, sports matches, and extracurricular activities can be safely resumed when population-level immunity has reached herd protection.