Engineering cyclized biomolecules for advanced diagnostic and therapeutic applications.

Nucleic acids, peptides, and proteins demonstrate remarkable structural diversity and play essential roles in various biological processes. These biomolecules function as ligands, diagnostic agents, and therapeutic cargoes. However, their practical applications are often limited by inherent instability and inefficient delivery for targeted diagnosis and therapy.

Machine perfusion across different donor pathways in heart transplantation: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Background: The shortage of donor hearts significantly limits heart transplantation. Innovative machine perfusion strategies have emerged to address the shortcomings of traditional static cold storage after brain death (SCS-DBD), potentially enhancing outcomes and broadening donor eligibility. We performed a systematic review and network meta-analysis to compare the effectiveness of heart transplantation using machine perfusion techniques with conventional SCS-DBD.

Biorefinery of avocado seed waste for sustainable production of bioplastics and functionalized silver nanocomposites.

This study examines the potential of utilizing avocado seeds (AS) waste for sustainable polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) production and green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in an integrated biorefinery approach. Initially, phytochemical compounds were extracted from AS biomass using solvent extraction. The residual AS biomass underwent hydrolysis through acid pretreatment and was subsequently utilized as a sustainable carbon source for PHA synthesis by Lysinibacillus sp.

Middle Interlayer Engineered Ferroelectric NAND Flash Overcoming Reliability and Stability Bottlenecks for Next-Generation High-Density Storage Systems.

Multilevel storage and low-voltage operation position ferroelectric transistors as promising candidates for next-generation nonvolatile memory. Among them, gate-injection-type ferroelectric transistors offer improved vertical scalability and power efficiency for three-dimensional (3D) NAND flash. However, their intricate interplay between polarization switching and charge trapping complicates systematic understanding of degradation mechanisms, limiting strategies to improve reliability and stability.

Cumulative abdominal obesity exposure and progressive risk of endometrial cancer in young women: a nationwide cohort study.

Background: The incidence of endometrial cancer has been rising sharply among younger generations, paralleling the growing obesity epidemic in this age group. Abdominal obesity is currently being investigated as an indicator of adiposity and cancer risk, and its prevalence is increasing in young women. This study aimed to examine whether cumulative abdominal obesity exposure in young women was associated with the development of endometrial cancer.

Mind the gap between natural phenomena and human constructs in psychiatric diagnostic frameworks.

Debates over psychiatric diagnosis pivot on a tension between realism, which treats mental disorders as biologically grounded entities, and nominalism, which views them as human-defined categories. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) moved from early psychoanalytic typologies to structured, symptom-based criteria, yet robust biological markers remain elusive. The DSM-5 still relies on categorical diagnoses and therefore contends with high heterogeneity, frequent comorbidity, and blurred boundaries.

Development of a shear grinding machine for enhanced liberation of copper from waste PCBs.

A shear grinding machine was developed to achieve enhanced liberation of copper from waste printed circuit boards (PCBs) through controlled shear-based comminution. Unlike previous approaches focused primarily on impact grinding, this study presents a comprehensive quantitative evaluation of the liberation performance of a newly developed shear-based grinding machine specially designed to exploit layered structure. The machine utilizes vertically aligned disks with corrugated surfaces to apply targeted shear stress at material interfaces.

Non-contact radiofrequency stimulation to the olfactory nerve of human subjects.

Damage to the olfactory nerve, caused by aging, trauma, or neurological disorders, can lead to smell loss, negatively impacting quality of life, taste perception, safety, and emotional well-being. Currently, olfactory training, which involves exposure to aromatic odorants, is the most widely used treatment. While this method provides some benefit, it does not offer a fundamental cure.

MUTE-Seq: An Ultrasensitive Method for Detecting Low-Frequency Mutations in cfDNA With Engineered Advanced-Fidelity FnCas9.

In this study, we present the development of the Mutation tagging by CRISPR-based Ultra-precise Targeted Elimination in Sequencing (MUTE-Seq) method. We engineered a highly precise advanced-fidelity FnCas9 variant, named FnCas9-AF2, to effectively discriminate single-base mismatches at all positions of the single guide RNA (sgRNA) target sequences. FnCas9-AF2 exhibited significantly lower off-target effects compared to existing high-fidelity CRISPR-Cas9 variants.

Targeted delivery of anti-microRNA-21 oligonucleotides using chlorotoxin-engineered extracellular vesicles for treatment of glioblastoma.

Glioblastoma is a devastating disease with a high mortality rate. Gene therapy with anti-microRNA inhibitors has been suggested as a new modality for treatment of glioblastoma. In this study, glioblastoma-targeted extracellular vesicles (EVs) were produced with specific ligands and evaluated as a carrier of anti-microRNA-21 oligonucleotides (AMO21).

The physical activity paradox in the development of metabolic syndrome: Based on the Korea National Health and nutrition examination survey.

: Although physical activity is widely used to prevent metabolic syndrome, growing evidence suggests that occupational physical activity (OPA) may not confer the same health benefits as leisure-time physical activity (LTPA), a phenomenon known as the physical activity paradox. This study investigated the combined effects of OPA and LTPA on the risk of developing metabolic syndrome in a representative Korean adult population. : We analyzed data from 18,691 adults aged ≥19 years who participated in the 2019-2021 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Duodenal Wedge Resection of Neuroendocrine Tumor Using the Da Vinci SP System Plus One Port: A Video Case Report.

Background: Benign duodenal and periampullary tumors pose surgical challenges due to their proximity to the ampullary complex and gastric outlet. While endoscopic techniques offer minimally invasive options, their efficacy is limited for larger or periampullary lesions1.J Gastroenterol Hepatol.

Growth enhancement of harmful dinoflagellate Prorocentrum cordatum by bacterial community shifts driven by dissolved organic matter derived from raphidophyte Heterosigma akashiwo.

Phytoplankton blooms release dissolved organic matter (DOM), altering the composition of marine environments, which impacts microbial communities. Variation in DOM utilization among bacterial taxa can shift bacterial community structure, potentially affecting phytoplankton growth and species composition. Given the observed bloom successions of Heterosigma akashiwo and Prorocentrum cordatum, we hypothesized that H.

Assessing human exposure to organic UV filters through biomonitoring in South Korea.

This study evaluated human exposure to organic UV filters in a family-based panel in South Korea through biomonitoring. Urine samples from 124 participants in 48 families were collected during summer, autumn, and winter of 2020-2021. Twelve organic UV filters and nine metabolites were analyzed using LC-MS/MS.

Advancements in CRISPR-Cas Systems for Genome Editing towards Eradication of Human Microbial Pathogens.

CRISPR-Cas systems have been explored for targeted genome editing of several organisms. It is rapid, cost-effective, specific, and versatile technology. It requires expression of multidomain single Cas9 protein and single guide RNA (sgRNA) that targets desired nucleic acids in the presence of a protospacer adjacent motif (PAM).

Korean-specific internal dosimetry data for radioiodine bioassay and evaluation of the dosimetric impact.

Our earlier works focused on exploring the Korean iodine biokinetic model and calculating Korean-specific S values and dose coefficients. Building on this foundation, this study extended our efforts to establish an extensive dosimetry dataset for Korean-specific iodine bioassay. We calculated bioassay functions (e.

Impact of metabolic dysfunction on treatment responses to nucleos(t)ide analogues in chronic hepatitis B: a retrospective multi-center REAL-B cohort study.

Background: Metabolic dysfunction is associated with liver disease but it is unclear if it would impact responses to antiviral treatment in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients.

Methods: Using data from an international consortium of 4507 treatment-naïve CHB patients who initiated nucleos(t)ide analogues (NAs) between January 2004 and August 2024 from 32 centers and propensity-score matching (PSM) to balance the background of patients with and without metabolic disease (diabetes, obesity, dyslipidemia, or hypertension), we compared their biochemical (BR), virologic (VR), and complete (CR) response.

Findings: More than half (54.

From Old to New: A Comprehensive Review of Obesity Diagnostic Criteria and Their Implications.

Obesity is a chronic, multifactorial disease that imposes significant health burdens worldwide. Although body mass index (BMI) is widely used for its simplicity and utility at the population level, it fails to capture critical clinical aspects, including body composition, fat distribution, metabolic health, and functional impairment. This review explores the limitations of current BMI-based diagnostic criteria for obesity and introduces a new definition and diagnostic framework proposed by the Commission on Clinical Obesity.

Tumor-based biomarkers and circulating tumor DNA for precision medicine in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver cancer and remains a major cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Systemic therapies, including targeted therapies and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), have revolutionized the management of advanced HCC. Although the prognosis of patients with advanced HCC remains poor, significant progress has been made with recent advances in drug development, particularly with the introduction of effective treatments such as atezolizumab plus bevacizumab or durvalumab plus tremelimumab.

Nasal Aβ42 mirrors brain amyloid dynamics and cognitive decline across the Alzheimer's disease continuum.

Early, non-invasive assessment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) progression remains a key challenge. This study evaluated whether nasal amyloid-β42 (Aβ42) levels reflect brain amyloid dynamics and cognitive decline. Nasal discharge from 161 individuals, ranging from cognitively unimpaired to AD dementia, was analyzed using ELISA, alongside neuropsychological assessments and amyloid PET imaging.

Long term effects of physical activity types on executive functions in school aged children.

To investigate the differential effects of three types of structured physical activity interventions (aerobic, coordination, and team sports) on executive functions in school-aged children, and to examine the age- and gender-specific responses to these interventions through a longitudinal study design. A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 426 children (aged 7-12 years) assigned to four groups: aerobic exercise (n = 106), coordination exercise (n = 107), team sports (n = 106), and control (n = 107). The 36-week intervention program consisted of three 45-min sessions weekly.

Comparing the Health Impacts of Fixed Night and Rotating Shift Work: An Umbrella Review of Meta-Analyses.

Despite abundant research on the health risks of shift work, studies directly comparing fixed night work and rotating-shift work are relatively rare. This study systematically reviewed and synthesised recent meta-analytic findings to assess how fixed night work and rotating-shift work influence health outcomes. An umbrella review of meta-analyses was conducted, including studies published until December 2024 from PubMed, Embase and Web of Science.

Mucoadhesive and Self-Assembled Chitosan Oligosaccharide-Glycyrrhizin Nanoparticle for Oral Nanotherapeutic in Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory disorder characterized by severe oxidative stress and intestinal barrier dysfunction. Conventional oral therapies are often limited by low bioavailability and off-target effects. Herein, we report the development of mucoadhesive nanotherapeutics engineered from low molecular weight chitosan oligosaccharide (COS) and glycyrrhizin (GL), a natural anti-inflammatory compound.

Compression Rate Progression of Osteoporotic Vertebral Compression Fracture in Conservative Treatments.

Background: The treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture (OVCF) aims to alleviate pain and prevent further compression; however, compression often progresses during conservative treatments. Furthermore, studies on the factors affecting compression rate progression and the timing at which compression progresses the most are limited.

Methods: A total of 122 patients with OVCF, who were follow-up duration > 6 months, were included.