Discovery of natural RORγt inhibitor using machine learning, virtual screening, and in vivo validation.

Introduction: Retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor gamma t (RORγt) is a crucial transcription factor regulating Th17 cells, which secrete the cytokine IL-17. RORγt inhibitors are regarded as a therapeutic modality in a wide range of autoimmunity including psoriasis.

Objectives: The objective of the study is to investigate novel RORγt inhibitors from natural products (NPs), combining machine learning (ML)-based virtual screening, chemotaxonomic analysis, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulations, and biological validation.

Determination of neonicotinoids in honey and pollen with probabilistic risk assessment for humans and pollinators in South Korea.

Neonicotinoid insecticides have been identified as significant contributors to the decline of pollinators. To evaluate potential exposure of pollinators to neonicotinoids in South Korea, 79 honey samples and 27 pollen samples were obtained from agricultural, mountain, and urban areas. These samples were analyzed for 17 compounds, including neonicotinoids and their metabolites using liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry.

Prediction of cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease conversion by a plasma biomarker panel in non-demented individuals.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) represents a growing global health burden, underscoring the urgent need for reliable diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. Although several disease-modifying treatments have recently become available, their effects remain limited, as they primarily delay rather than halt disease progression. Thus, the early and accurate identification of individuals at elevated risk for conversion to AD dementia is crucial to maximize the effectiveness of these therapies and to facilitate timely intervention strategies.

Quantitative analysis of PM oxidative potential: Insights into the role of organic compounds and sources.

This study evaluates the oxidative potential (OP) of PM and its chemical drivers across three contrasting environments in South Korea: a residential area, a cement factory, and a charcoal kiln facility. Mass-normalized OP (OPm, reflecting intrinsic particle reactivity) ranged from 9.5 to 13.

Unveiling NiO/Perovskite Interfaces: Charge Transport and Device Performance in Perovskite Solar Cells.

NiO is a p-type semiconductor widely used as a hole transport material in perovskite solar cells (PSCs), yet the impact of fabrication methods on its interfacial properties and the underlying mechanisms remains unclear. This study investigates how the fabrication process─nanoparticle precursor (NP NiO) and sputtering deposition (SP NiO)─and interfacial space charge effects influence charge transport and device performance in NiO/perovskite systems. SP NiO exhibits a higher Ni/Ni ratio and greater conductivity but induces significant hole depletion and band bending at the interface, leading to reduced open-circuit voltage and efficiency.

Unusual Ferromagnetic Band Evolution and High Curie Temperature in Monolayer 1T-CrTe on Bilayer Graphene.

2D van der Waals ferromagnets hold immense promise for spintronic applications due to their controllability and versatility. Despite their significance, the realization and in-depth characterization of ferromagnetic materials in atomically thin single layers, close to the true 2D limit, has been scarce. Here, a successful synthesis of monolayer (ML) 1T-CrTe is reported on a bilayer graphene (BLG) substrate via molecular beam epitaxy.

Prognostic Value of A/T/N Biomarkers: Comparing Plasma and Imaging Modalities in Alzheimer Disease.

Background: Alzheimer disease (AD) is characterized by amyloid-β plaques (A), tau tangles (T), and neurodegeneration (N), collectively defining the ATN framework. While imaging biomarkers are well-established, the prognostic value of plasma biomarkers in predicting cognitive decline remains underexplored. This study compares plasma and imaging A/T/N biomarkers in predicting cognitive decline and evaluate the impact of combining biomarkers across modalities.

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).

Fabrication of Patterned Composite Microneedles via Inkjet Printing for Enhanced Drug Delivery.

Microneedle (MN) technology offers a minimally invasive, patient-friendly alternative to conventional hypodermic injections for dermal drug delivery. However, traditional micro-molding techniques are limited by single-material fabrication, involving labor-intensive processes, excessive material waste, and scalability issues, restricting broader therapeutic applications. To address these challenges, an inkjet printing method is implemented to fabricate multi-material MN patches using gelatin and gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) hydrogels.

Efficacy of Transitional Care Services for Patients With Stroke: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Approximately 60% of patients who have a stroke are discharged to their homes, after which they require ongoing community-based rehabilitation to support long-term recovery. Transitional care services (TCS) serve as an intervention aimed at reducing hospital readmissions by maintaining treatment continuity, either when patients transition between different levels of care within the same setting or when they move to a new care environment.

Objectives: The purpose of this review was to evaluate the efficacy of TCS in reducing readmission rates, enhancing functional outcomes, improving self-efficacy, and boosting the quality of life for patients who had a stroke while also alleviating caregiver burden.

Lymph node metastasis in a patient with carcinoma rectal cancer: A case report.

Colorectal cancer typically progresses from intramucosal carcinoma to invasive cancer, with lymph node metastasis considered possible only after submucosal invasion. Tumors confined to the mucosa are classified as carcinoma (Tis), based on the American Joint Committee on Cancer, and are generally not thought to be capable of metastasis. The present study reports a rare case of lymph node metastasis in a 70-year-old female with Tis rectal cancer, who presented to Kangwon National University School of Medicine in December 2018.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Serological Tests for Infections in Children with Pneumonia, Based on Symptom Onset.

Background: is a major cause of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in children, with a rising incidence of macrolide resistance. Early diagnosis is crucial for reducing the disease burden; however, current diagnostic tools have limitations. We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of serological assays and their performance based on symptom onset in children with CAP.

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).

Impact of cooking methods on the oxidative stability of fish balls enriched with solvent-specific antioxidant sources.

This study evaluated the effects of various cooking methods on the oxidative stability of fish balls, used as a model for oxidizable food, enriched with antioxidant sources: cacao powder (CP), exhibiting higher activity in polar solvents, and ginger powder (GP), showing higher activity in non-polar solvents. CP or GP was incorporated at equivalent antioxidant levels, and the fish balls were prepared using boiling, steaming, air-frying, deep-frying, oven-roasting, or microwave cooking. Cooking reduced antioxidant activity to 20% and raised lipid oxidation products (LOP) up to 3.

Genetic diversity and phylogeographic structure of Anopheles kochi, Anopheles maculatus, and Anopheles vagus: ITS2-based analysis of highland transboundary populations in the Menoreh Hills, Java, Indonesia.

Baseline genetic characterization of malaria vector populations provides critical data for evidence-based surveillance in persistent transmission foci. This pilot study generated preliminary genetic baseline data for Anopheles populations in the Menoreh Hills border region between Central Java and Yogyakarta provinces, Indonesia, addressing a key geographic gap in regional vector research. Adult female mosquitoes were collected from 3 houses with reported malaria cases in Ngadirejo Village using standardized entomological methods, including human landing, animal landing, and resting collections.

Clonorchis sinensis dopamine transporter (CsDAT) facilitates dopamine uptake.

Clonorchis sinensis is a liver fluke that causes clonorchiasis, a significant public health concern in East Asia, closely associated with hepatobiliary diseases. Dopamine is an essential neurotransmitter involved in neuromuscular signaling, and its uptake by trematodes may contribute to parasite physiology and survival. This study aimed to characterize the dopamine transporter CsDAT in C.

International Trends in Opioid Prescribing by Age and Sex from 2001 to 2019: An Observational Study Using Population-Based Databases from 18 Countries and One Special Administrative Region.

Objective: To characterize multinational trends and patterns of opioid analgesic prescribing by sex and age.

Design, Setting, And Participants: We studied opioid analgesic prescribing from 2001 to 2019 with common protocol using population-based databases from eighteen countries and one special administrative region.

Main Outcome Measures: We measured opioid prescribing by geographical region, sex and age, estimating annual prevalent, incident, and nonincident opioid prescribing per 100 population with a 95% confidence interval (CI) and meta-analyzed the multinational and regional opioid prescribing with a random-effects model.

Microfluidic Generation of Exosome-Mimetic Nanoparticles for Scalable Production and Enhanced Therapeutic Efficacy.

Exosomes are nanoscale lipid-bilayer vesicles that mediate intercellular communication by delivering bioactive molecules such as nucleic acids and proteins. Among them, exosomes derived from salivary gland epithelial stem cells (sgESC-Exos) exhibit antifibrotic effects in salivary gland models through the delivery of antifibrotic microRNAs, such as miR-1290 and miR-3162. However, their clinical translation is hindered by low production yield and particle heterogeneity.

Mitochondrial dysfunction by glyoxalase 1 deficiency disrupts definitive endoderm and alveolar development of human pluripotent stem cells.

Normal mitochondrial function is essential for human induced pluripotent stem (hiPS) cell differentiation into definitive endoderm (DE). However, the underlying mechanisms that maintain mitochondrial homeostasis during DE differentiation are not fully elucidated. Here we report that glyoxalase 1 (GLO1) is a novel regulator of DE differentiation and subsequent alveolar development in hiPS cells via maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis.

Effects of light wavelength on oocyte maturation, parthenogenesis, and parthenogenetic embryo development in pigs.

Assisted reproductive technologies (ART) to generate developmentally competent oocytes necessitates light exposure due to the use of microscopes. Previous studies in several species have reported that the wavelength of light during the light exposure period is a critical factor in embryo development. However, the effects of different light wavelengths on embryo development in pigs remain unexplored.

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).

Duloxetine inhibits voltage-dependent K channels in rabbit coronary arterial smooth muscle: Electrophysiological evidence and mechanistic insights.

Duloxetine, a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, has been associated with increased blood pressure and other vascular side effects. However, the mechanisms underlying these effects remain poorly understood. Voltage-dependent K (Kv) channels are key regulators of membrane potential and vascular tone in arterial smooth muscle cells.

Pharmaceuticals in soil and groundwater: Analytical methods, sources, and mitigation techniques.

Pharmaceuticals have long been used to treat diseases in humans and animals and to control pests of plants/crops. However, with the identification of these contaminants in the environment, it is of major concern. While they have been documented either in soil or groundwater as separate entities, there are limited investigations on their sources.