Effects of Physical Activity on Medical Expenses among Individuals with Obesity in Korea: Insights from a Nationwide Study.

Background: Research on the relationship between physical activity and medical expenses among individuals with obesity has been sparse. This study investigates that association using nationwide data from Korea.

Methods: We analyzed data from the National Sample Cohort of the Korean National Health Insurance Service, including 112,531 adults with obesity who underwent at least two health screenings within a 2-year interval between 2009 and 2015.

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).

Effectiveness of the Stage 4 Smart Insulin Pen DIA:CONN P8 for Glycemic Control in a Real-World Setting.

This study evaluated whether a stage 4 smart insulin pen (SIP) provides superior glycemic control compared with a traditional insulin pen (TIP) in individuals with intensively insulin-treated diabetes. Forty-two adults with continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), multiple daily insulin injections, and no prior SIP use were included. After diabetes self-management education (DSME), the SIP group (n=21) initiated SIP, whereas the TIP group (n=21) continued their usual regimens.

How static and kinetic meditation, with or without guidance, affect autonomic nervous system activity in novice meditators.

Objective: This study explored the autonomic nervous system responses and perceived experiences of novice meditators during kinetic and static meditation.

Methods: Thirty-five participants completed both meditation types in randomized order. Each 20-min session included 10 min of guided and 10 min of unguided meditation.

Long-Term Anticoagulation Discontinuation After Catheter Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation: The ALONE-AF Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Data from randomized clinical trials on a long-term anticoagulation strategy for patients after catheter-based ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF) are lacking.

Objective: To evaluate whether discontinuing oral anticoagulant therapy provides superior clinical outcomes compared with continuing oral anticoagulant therapy in patients without documented atrial arrhythmia recurrence after catheter ablation for AF.

Design, Setting, And Participants: A randomized clinical trial including 840 adult patients (aged 19-80 years) who were enrolled and randomized from July 28, 2020, to March 9, 2023, at 18 hospitals in South Korea.

Immune Landscape Changes in MASLD and the Effects of 11β-HSD1 Inhibition Revealed by Single-Cell Mass Cytometry.

Background: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) affects nearly one-fourth of the global population, yet effective diagnostics and treatments remain limited. Systemic immune dysregulation plays a key role in MASLD pathogenesis, highlighting the value of immune profiling.

Methods: In this study, we used high-dimensional single-cell mass cytometry (CyTOF) to analyze peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from healthy donors (n = 6), MASLD patients (n = 4), and MASLD patients treated with an 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1) inhibitor (n = 2).

Temporal modulation of antiplatelet therapy in high-risk patients undergoing complex percutaneous coronary intervention: the TAILORED-CHIP randomized clinical trial.

Background And Aims: Limited data exist on optimal antiplatelet strategies for high-risk patients undergoing complex percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). This study aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of tailored antiplatelet treatment with temporal modulation of the intensity of platelet inhibition in patients undergoing complex high-risk PCI.

Methods: We randomly assigned 2018 patients with high-risk anatomical or clinical characteristics undergoing complex PCI to a tailored antiplatelet strategy with early escalation (low-dose ticagrelor at 60 mg twice daily plus aspirin <6 months) and late de-escalation (clopidogrel monotherapy >6 months) or dual antiplatelet therapy (clopidogrel plus aspirin for 12 months).

Naphthalene exposure inhibits osteogenic differentiation via the reactive oxygen species-ubiquitin pathway.

While acute and chronic toxicities of naphthalene have been well documented, its effects on osteogenesis remain unexplored. In this study, we investigated the toxicity of naphthalene on osteoblast function using osteoblast-like MG-63 cells. Naphthalene at concentrations of 5-50 μM, which were low enough to not affect cell viability, effectively suppressed alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and matrix mineralization in MG-63 cells.

Association Between Serum High Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein Levels and Low Muscle Strength Among Korean Adults.

Purpose: Chronic low-grade inflammation is increasingly recognized as a contributor to age-related muscle loss and functional decline, yet its association with muscle strength in Asian populations remains underexplored. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and low muscle strength in Korean adults.

Materials And Methods: Data were obtained from 14,354 participants aged ≥ 19 years in the 7th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES VII, 2016-2018).

Long-Term Patency of Plastic Stents in Elderly Patients with Common Bile Duct Stones: A Prospective Pilot Study.

: Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) with stone extraction is the standard treatment for common bile duct (CBD) stones. However, when complete removal is not feasible, the temporary placement of a plastic stent (PS) is commonly used. This study aimed to assess 12-month stent patency in elderly patients with CBD stones.

Distinct cerebral cortical microstructural changes in idiopathic normal-pressure hydrocephalus.

Objective: The aims of the study were to investigate differences in cortical mean diffusivity (MD) among idiopathic normal-pressure hydrocephalus (INPH) patients, Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients, and healthy controls, and to analyze mean MD among INPH and AD groups in INPH-specific areas showing distinctive cortical MD changes for distinguishing INPH from AD.

Methods: Forty-two INPH patients, 51 AD patients, and 23 healthy controls were imaged with MRI, including diffusion tensor imaging MR images, for surface-based analysis across the entire brain.

Results: Compared with healthy controls, INPH patients showed a statistically significant reduction in MD in the high convexity of the frontal, parietal, and occipital cortical regions.

Analysis and development of risk prediction models for chronic opioid use after surgery: a cohort study using the nationwide database.

Background: Chronic opioid use has become a socioeconomic as well as a medical problem. This study aimed to identify risk factors and develop prediction models for postoperative chronic opioid use (PCOU).

Methods: This retrospective cohort study used data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) between January 2008 and December 2018.

Sesamin Induces MCL-1-Dependent Apoptosis in Activated T Cells and Ameliorates Experimental Atopic Dermatitis.

Sesamin, a natural lignan derived from , has been reported to possess anti-inflammatory and pro-apoptotic properties. However, its effect on T cell-mediated diseases and the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we demonstrate that sesamin selectively induces apoptosis in activated T cells through direct interaction with MCL-1, a critical anti-apoptotic protein of the Bcl-2 family.

Development and Feasibility Testing of a Sensemaking Coaching Program to Improve Communication Skills for Intensive Care Unit Nurses: A Mixed Methods Study.

Background: This mixed methods study was conducted to develop and evaluate the feasibility of the 8-week Sensemaking Coaching program for communication training for bedside intensive care unit nurses.

Method: We adopted a one-group pre- and posttest design with six intensive care unit nurses working at a tertiary care hospital in Seoul, South Korea. The Sensemaking Coaching program consisted of three steps (Step 1, on-demand lectures; Step 2, simulation workshop; and Step 3, coaching, including self-reflection and small group sessions).

High-resolution analysis of seasonal spatial variation for urban air pollution: Implications for exposure assessment.

Exposure to air pollutants is associated with significant health effects. Accurate exposure assessment remains a critical yet challenging aspect of environmental health research. Although air quality monitoring station (AQMS) data are commonly used as a surrogate for personal exposure, diverse spatial-temporal variations can lead to significant exposure misclassification.

Comparison of sarcopenia screening indices using serum creatinine and cystatin C in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.

Background: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and sarcopenia share underlying pathophysiological mechanisms and can bidirectionally influence the development and progression of each other. Diagnosing sarcopenia in individuals with MASLD is challenging due to overlapping symptoms and the frequent requirement for expensive, specialized equipment for muscle mass assessment. Therefore, accessible screening methods are crucial.

CREGS-2 - A multinational, high-quality comparative effectiveness study of Cerebrolysin in moderate acute ischemic stroke.

Background: The main objective of the Cerebrolysin REGistry Study in Stroke 2 (C-REGS2) was to systematically record the routine clinical use of Cerebrolysin in patients with moderate ischemic stroke (IS) following the principles of a prospective controlled effectiveness study (CES) to compare its effectiveness in terms of functional recovery to patients treated with standard therapy alone.

Methods: C-REGS2 used an open label, prospective controlled comparative effectiveness design aligning with the Target Trial Emulation Framework (TTEF) and the GRACE principles for high-quality observational studies based on the principles of high-quality comparative effectiveness research (HQCER) to capture treatment effects in clinical practice. The study was conducted in 16 countries worldwide between April 2018 and April 2024.

Evaluating the association between migraine treatments and tinnitus: Insights from the US Food and Drug Administration adverse event reporting system.

Tinnitus, a distressing condition that can significantly impair quality of life, has been associated with several medications, including triptans. This study aimed to explore the relationship between tinnitus and specific migraine treatments, focusing on triptans and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) inhibitors. Data from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) through the third quarter of 2023 were analyzed to calculate proportional reporting ratios (PRR) and reporting odds ratios (ROR) for migraine treatments, specifically triptans and CGRP inhibitors.

2024 Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Pharmacologic Treatment of Overweight and Obesity by the Korean Society for the Study of Obesity.

The Korean Society for the Study of Obesity has published the 9th edition of its Clinical Practice Guidelines to provide updated, evidence-based recommendations for the management of overweight and obesity. Developed through a structured process of systematic literature review and expert consensus, these guidelines incorporate recent clinical evidence for obesity management. Key clinical questions were formulated using the Population, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcome framework and addressed through comprehensive evaluations of randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, systematic reviews, and existing guidelines.

Graft Treatment for Rotator Cuff Tendon-Bone Interface Augmentation: Status and Prospects-A Narrative Review.

Sutures and suture anchors are commonly used in rotator cuff repairs as they offer cost-effective and mechanically robust solutions for tendon-bone interface (TBI) healing. However, in large to massive rotator cuff tears, where substantial tendon loss and limited intrinsic healing potential are present, conventional repair techniques alone often fail to restore the native biomechanics and structural integrity. Consequently, retear rates in these cases remain unacceptably high.

Vasovagal syncope and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome in adolescents: transcranial doppler versus autonomic function test results.

Background: Syncope is a temporary loss of consciousness due to cerebral hypoperfusion associated with autonomic dysfunction. Vasovagal syncope (VVS) and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) are the most common causes of syncope in adolescents.

Purpose: Here we conducted a comparative analysis of VVS and POTS in adolescents using transcranial doppler (TCD) and autonomic function tests to identify the mechanisms underlying the occurrence of each.

Perioperative blood loss of surgical techniques designed for alignment that do not violate intramedullary cavity of the femur in patients with total knee arthroplasty: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: We aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis comparing perioperative blood loss between navigation or robot-assisted total knee arthroplasty (TKA), or patient-specific instrumentation (PSI), which are surgical techniques that do not violate the femoral medullary cavity, and conventional TKA.

Methods: The PICO (population, intervention, comparison, and outcome) of this study are as follows. (1) Population: patients undergoing primary unilateral TKA.

Medical image-based 3D orthodontic wire optimization considering constraints at bracket and processing points.

In this paper, we propose a new orthodontic wire design system (OWDS) that allows medical staff to set the bracket attachment position and direction on a 3D tomographic medical image. To enable fully automated processing of the orthodontic wire by a robot, a method for modeling the geometrically designed wire based on homogeneous transformation is proposed. A new custom algorithm is proposed for optimal wire design, which results in the shortest length that satisfies the constraints required for wire mounting.

Association between smartphone overdependence and sexual behavior in adolescents: a secondary data analysis of the 19th Youth Health Behavior Survey.

Purpose: The majority of adolescents use smartphones, and their overdependence on smartphones has emerged as a serious social issue. Although studies have explored the effect of smartphone overdependence on adolescent problem behaviors, research on its influence on sexual behavior is scarce. This study aimed to examine the association between smartphone overdependence and sexual behavior among adolescents.