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The effect of atmospheric ultrafine particulate matter (UPM) on respiratory allergic diseases has been investigated for decades; however, the precise molecular mechanisms underlying these effects remain poorly understood. In this study, we used a simulated UPM (sUPM) generated via the spark discharge method to refine black carbon, a core particle that closely mimics real-world UPM, including the size (i.e., size of agglomerates: 165 nm) and organic carbon/elemental carbon ratio (i.e., 2.62). When 25 μg/mouse of dispersed sUPM was instilled into the lungs of mice, it promoted the infiltration and degranulation response of pulmonary mast cells, and exposure to sUPM in an immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated passive anaphylaxis model intensified the degranulation response of peripheral mast cells. These effects of sUPM were demonstrated to amplify the downstream signaling mechanism of the high-affinity IgE receptor (FcεRI) mediated by IgE when tested using rat basophil leukemia (RBL)-2H3 and mouse bone marrow-derived mast cells (BMMCs) collected from the bone marrow of BALB/c mice. These results indicate that airborne UPM can exacerbate type 1 hypersensitivity reactions by enhancing the IgE-mediated signaling pathways within mast cells. Furthermore, this study provided mechanistic evidence on exacerbated allergic pulmonary diseases induced by UPM inhalation., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) is one of the representative polymeric materials serving as bioresorbable stents (BRS) for cardiovascular disease due to its proper biodegradation, high biocompatibility, and adequate mechanical properties among polymer candidates for BRS. However, PLLA BRS as cardiovascular stents also have limitations because their mechanical properties including low radial strength and high elastic recoil are inferior to those of metallic-based BRS stents., Methods: In the study, we developed and manufactured distinct and novel types of stent geometries for investigating mechanical properties of thin-walled PLLA BRS (110 μm) for cardiovascular applications. Five key mechanical tests, including radial strength, crimping profile, flexibility, elastic recoil, and foreshortening were performed through a comprehensive analysis. In addition, we applied the finite element method for further validation and insight of mechanical behaviors of the PLLA BRS., Results: Results revealed that Model 2 had advantages in high flexibility as well as radial strengths, which would be a proper option for complex and acutely curved lesions. Model 3 would be an optimum selection for stent placement in mild target site due to its strength in minimum elastic recoil. Even though Model 4 showed the highest radial strength, finite element simulation showed that the geometry caused higher maximum stress than that of Model 2 and Model 3 during the crimping process. Model 1 showed the most vulnerable geometry among the tested models in both in vitro and finite element analysis., Conclusion: Such data may suggest potential guidance in regard to understanding the mechanical behaviors of PLLA BRS as not only applicable cardiovascular but also peripheral and intracranial stents., (© 2024 International Center for Artificial Organs and Transplantation and Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: This study evaluates functional larynx preservation in patients with hypopharyngeal cancer (HPC) and laryngeal cancer (LC) who achieved complete remission following radiotherapy (RT) or concurrent chemoradiation (CCRT)., Methods: HPC and LC patients treated with RT/CCRT from 1999 to 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. Severe late dysphagia and tracheostomy cases were assessed to determine laryngeal function. Long-term preservation rate of functional larynx and associated factors were evaluated., Results: Of 152 patients (55 HPC, 97 LC), nine developed severe dysphagia, occurring on average 58.2 months post-treatment. HPC and cervical node metastasis significantly increased the risk of laryngeal function impairment (p < 0.001 and p = 0.014, respectively), presenting a continued decline in functional larynx preservation rate beyond 10 years., Conclusions: Patients with HPC and cervical node metastasis demonstrate an increased risk for long-term laryngeal function impairment despite successful oncologic outcomes. This risk extends beyond 10 years, underscoring the need for prolonged monitoring and comprehensive support., (© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: Intermittent hemodialysis (IHD) is commonly implemented in patients with AKI-D, irrespective of the initial kidney replacement therapy (KRT) modality. However, concerns remain regarding the hemodynamic instability during IHD. This study aimed to assess the association between hypotensive episodes during IHD and kidney recovery in AKI-D patients., Methods: We retrospectively enrolled AKI-D survivors who received IHD in the intensive care units of a tertiary care hospital in Korea from January 2018 to February 2024., Results: A total of 1791 IHD sessions from 209 AKI-D survivors were analyzed. The patients underwent a median of 7 IHD sessions (interquartile range [IQR] 3-11), with an incidence of intradialytic hypotension (IDH) of 16.8 % per patient. Of these, 43.1 % were dialysis-dependent at hospital discharge. The number of IDH was a significant predictor of dialysis dependence (odds ratio [OR] 1.56; 95 % confidence interval [CI] 1.16-2.22). Patients experiencing ≥3 IDH episodes had a substantially higher risk of dialysis dependence compared to those without IDH (OR 9.41; 95 % CI 2.41-41.69). In per-session analysis, the target ultrafiltration rate was identified as an independent risk factor for IDH occurrence., Conclusions: Our study revealed that IHD-related hypotension during hospitalization has a cumulative negative impact on kidney recovery in AKI-D survivors., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: This study aimed to assess the prognostic value of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) criteria for resection following neoadjuvant therapy for patients with localized pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC)., Methods: This retrospective single-center study assessed 193 consecutive patients with localized PDAC (104 males and 89 females; mean age, 61.1 ± 9.4 years) who underwent neoadjuvant therapy followed by surgery between January 2010 and March 2021. Combined resectability and carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9 evaluation before and after neoadjuvant therapy was used to determine whether patients were eligible for resection according to the NCCN criteria. Post-surgical overall survival (OS), recurrence free survival (RFS), and pathologic results were evaluated and compared between patients considered eligible according to the NCCN criteria and those considered ineligible. Preoperative factors associated with better OS and RFS also were investigated., Results: Of the 193 patients, 168 (87.0 %) were eligible for resection according to the NCCN criteria. The patients eligible according to the NCCN criteria showed marginally longer OS than those considered ineligible (p = 0.056). After adjustment of variables, meeting the NCCN criteria for resection was an independent predictor of better OS (hazard ratio, 0.57; 95 % confidence interval, 0.34-0.96; p = 0.034). The two groups had similar RFS. Lower T-staging (T2 or less) and less lympho-vascular invasion and peri-neural invasion were noted in the patients who met the NCCN criteria (p ≤ 0.045)., Conclusions: The patients eligible for resection according to the NCCN criteria showed a trend toward longer OS and better pathologic results than the patients considered ineligible., Competing Interests: Disclosure: There are no conflicts of interest., (© 2024. Society of Surgical Oncology.)

Background and Purpose: Atypical meningiomas are prevalent intracranial tumors with varied prognoses and recurrence rates. The role of adjuvant radiotherapy (ART) in atypical meningiomas remains debated. This study aimed to develop and validate a prognostic model incorporating machine learning techniques and clinical factors to predict progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with atypical meningiomas and assess the impact of ART., Materials and Methods: A retrospective review of 669 patients from five institutions in Korea and China was conducted. Cox proportional hazards, gradient boosting machine, and random survival forest models were employed for comparative analysis, utilizing both internal and external validation sets. Model performance was assessed using Harrell's concordance index and permutation feature importance., Results: Of 581 eligible patients, age, post-operative platelet count, performance status, Simpson grade, and ART were identified as significant prognostic factors across all models. In the ART subgroup, age and tumor size were the top prognostic indicators. The Cox model outperformed other methods, achieving a training C-index of 0.73 (95 % CI: 0.72-0.73) and an external validation C-index of 0.74 (95 % CI: 0.73-0.74). The model effectively stratified patients into risk categories, revealing a differential impact of ART: low-risk patients in the active surveillance group showed a 5.6 % improvement in 5-year PFS with predicted ART addition, compared to a 15.9 % improvement in the high-risk group., Conclusion: This multicenter study offers a validated prognostic model for atypical meningiomas, highlighting the need for tailored treatment plans. The model's ability to stratify patients into risk categories for PFS provides a valuable tool for clinical decision-making, potentially optimizing patient outcomes., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Lignocellulosic biomass is a promising renewable feedstock for biodegradable plastics like polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs). Cupriavidus necator, a versatile microbial host that synthesizes poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB), the most abundant type of PHA, has been studied to expand its carbon source utilization. Since C. necator NCIMB11599 cannot metabolize xylose, we developed xylose-utilizing strains by introducing synthetic xylose metabolic pathways, including the xylose isomerase, Weimberg, and Dahms pathways. Through rational and evolutionary engineering, the RXI22 and RXW62 strains were able to efficiently utilize xylose as the sole carbon source, producing 64.2 wt% (wt%) and 61.4 wt% PHB, respectively. Among the engineered strains, the xylose isomerase-based RXI22 strain demonstrated the most efficient co-fermentation performance, with a PHB content of 75.7 wt% and a yield of 0.32 (g PHB/g glucose and xylose) from mixed sugars. The strains developed in this study represent an enhanced PHA producer, offering a sustainable route for converting lignocellulosic biomass into bioplastics., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Patients with borderline resectable (BR) or locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) require complex management strategies. This study evaluated the prognostic significance of the perichemotherapy skeletal muscle index (SMI) and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) in patients with BRPC or LAPC treated with FOLFIRINOX., Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 227 patients with BR or LAPC who received at least four cycles of chemotherapy between 2015 and 2020. We analysed chemotherapy response, changes in SMI (ΔSMI, %) on computed tomography (CT) and CA19-9 to determine their impact on progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). After the early application of loco-regional treatments (LRT) within 3 months after completing four cycles of chemotherapy, the outcomes were compared between ΔSMI and CA19-9 subgroups., Results: Among 227 patients (median age, 60 years; 124 [54.6%] male) with 97 BR and 130 LAPC, 50.7% showed partial response (PR) to chemotherapy, 44.5% showed stable disease and 4.8% showed progressive disease (PD). Post-chemotherapy CA19-9 levels were normalized in 41.0% of patients. The high and low ΔSMI groups (based on the gender-specific cut-off of -8.6% for males and -2.9% for females) comprised 114 (50.2%) and 113 (49.8%) patients, respectively. The high ΔSMI group had poorer survival rates than the low ΔSMI group in both PFS (HR = 1.32, p = 0.05) and OS (HR = 1.74, p = 0.001). Multivariable analysis showed that ΔSMI (high vs. low; PFS, HR = 1.39, p = 0.03; OS, HR = 1.82, p < 0.001) and post-chemotherapy response (PD vs. PR/SD; PFS, HR = 18.69, p < 0.001; OS, HR = 6.19, p < 0.001) were independently associated with both PFS and OS. Additionally, the post-chemotherapy CA19-9 (≥ 37 vs. < 37; HR = 1.48, p = 0.01) was an independent predictor for PFS. Early application of LRT after chemotherapy significantly improved PFS and OS in both ΔSMI groups (all p < 0.05). However, it was not beneficial in the group with high ΔSMI and post-chemotherapy CA19-9 ≥ 37 (PFS, p = 0.39 and OS, p = 0.33)., Conclusions: Progressive sarcopenic deterioration after four cycles of chemotherapy was associated with poor survival outcomes in patients with BR or LAPC after FOLFIRINOX. We also investigated the optimal clinical setting for the early application LRTs using the ΔSMI and post-chemotherapy CA 19-9., (© 2024 The Author(s). Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Limited data exist regarding time-point risk stratification models after acute coronary syndrome. This study aimed to investigate time-point mortality rates in patients with acute myocardial infarction, focusing on comparison by type of myocardial infarction, in a real-world cohort. A total of 12,836 patients from a nationwide Korean registry were analyzed. Mortality rates at yearly, monthly, and weekly time points after admission were calculated by dividing the number of deaths during a specific period by the number of patients at risk in the same period for ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and non-STEMI (NSTEMI) groups. In the first week after admission, patients with STEMI had a significantly higher mortality rate than patients with NSTEMI (4.62% vs 1.79%, p <0.001). However, this trend was inverted since the second week. The higher mortality rate in patients with STEMI versus NSTEMI was inverted since the second week for male patients but only since the tenth week for female patients. Temporal assessment of correlates of mortality revealed that several baseline variables, including Killip class, systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, and STEMI diagnosis, had significantly different effects on deaths over time. In conclusion, temporal assessment of time-point outcomes from the Korean registry revealed that an initially higher mortality rate in patients with STEMI versus NSTEMI was inverted in the second week. This outcome assessment could be a step toward developing an advanced risk prediction model for time-course personalized medicine. Further studies are needed to clarify this issue., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest Dr. Jeong reports financial support was provided by Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. The remaining authors have no competing interests to declare., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Sarcopenia is an age-related muscle atrophy syndrome characterized by the loss of muscle strength and mass. Although many agents have been used to treat sarcopenia, there are no successful treatments to date. In this study, we identified Danshensu sodium salt (DSS) as a substantial suppressive agent of muscle atrophy. We used a D-galactose (DG)-induced aging-acceleration model, both in vivo and in vitro, to confirm the effect of DSS on sarcopenia. DSS inhibits the expression of muscle atrophy-related factors (MuRF1, MAFbx, myostatin, and FoxO3a) in DG-induced mouse C2C12 and human skeletal muscle cells. Additionally, DSS restored the diameter of reduced C2C12 myotubes. Next, we demonstrated that DSS stimulates AMPK and PGC1α through CaMKII. DSS inhibits the translocation of FoxO3a into the nucleus, thus inhibiting muscle atrophy in a calcium-dependent manner. DSS initiated the protein-protein interaction between FoxO3a and PGC1α. The reduction of the PGC1α-FoxO3a interaction by DG was restored by DSS. Also, DSS suppressed increased intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) by DG. In animal models, DSS administration improved mouse muscle mass and physical performance (grip strength and hanging test) under DG-induced accelerated aging conditions. These findings demonstrated that DSS attenuates muscle atrophy by inhibiting the expression of muscle atrophy-related factors. Therefore, DSS may be a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of sarcopenia., (© 2025 The Author(s). The FASEB Journal published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology.)

Study Design: A systematic literature review and consensus using Delphi method., Objective: The aim was to formulate consensus recommendations regarding the natural history, diagnosis, classification and optimal treatment of Os Odontoideum with global applicability., Summary of Background: Os odontoideum (OO) is a rare anomaly of the cranio-vertebral junction (CVJ). Due to the paucity of literature, there is still considerable debate about the clinical management of OO., Material and Method: Using PubMed, the authors reviewed the literature on OO published from 2011 to 2022. Using the Delphi method, a panel expert spine surgeons and members of the WFNS Spine Committee analyzed the strength of the published literature, elaborated and voted statements concerning diagnosis and management., Result: The diagnosis may be established incidentally. Symptoms may manifest as neck discomfort or encompass occipital-cervical pain, myelopathy, or vertebrobasilar ischemia. Diagnosis is usually made with plain radiographs and CT can. Dynamic x-rays identify C1-C2 instability whereas MRI assess spinal cord integrity and compression. Asymptomatic cases lacking radiologic instability are generally handled through regular observation and serial imaging, until predictors of neurological deterioration necessitate surgical intervention. In the event of atlantoaxial instability or neurological dysfunction, surgical intervention with instrumentation and fusion is required to maintain stability. In irreducible cases, C1-2 joint manipulation and distraction permits re-alignment and deformity correction avoiding decompression, either from anterior or posterior., Conclusion: The management guidelines for asymptomatic OO are still a grey zone as our understanding of the natural history is still vague. Therefore, we need more large-center studies to investigate this condition further. Whenever symptomatic, unstable or asymptomatic presenting with risk factors, OO is better managed with atlanto-axial fusion avoiding occipital inclusion in the construct. In irreducible OO, C1-2 joint manipulation and distraction is preferred to decompression., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: The authors have nothing to disclose., (Copyright © 2025 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic impact of permanent pacemaker (PPM) implantation within the first year after mitral valve (MV) surgery combined with the Cox-maze procedure, focusing on long-term outcomes, including overall mortality, infective endocarditis (IE), and ischaemic stroke., Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using data from the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) in South Korea, identifying 10,127 patients who underwent MV surgery with the Cox-maze procedure between 2005 and 2020. Patients were classified into the PPM and non-PPM groups based on PPM implantation within one year postoperatively. The primary outcome was overall mortality, and secondary outcomes included risk factors for overall mortality, IE and ischaemic stroke. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression and Fine-Gray competing risk models were utilized for statistical analysis., Results: Of the total cohort, 178 patients (1.76%) underwent PPM implantation. The overall mortality during the follow-up period was 20.5%, with no significant difference between the PPM and non-PPM groups. PPM implantation was not a significant risk factor for overall mortality (Hazard ratio [HR], 0.825; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.598-1.140; p = 0.244) or ischaemic stroke. However, PPM implantation was associated with a significantly increased risk of IE (HR, 2.015; 95% CI, 1.179-3.442; p = 0.010)., Conclusions: PPM implantation within the first year after MV surgery with the Cox-maze procedure does not significantly impact long-term mortality or ischaemic stroke risk but is associated with an increased risk of IE. The Cox-maze procedure remains advisable for patients with atrial fibrillation undergoing MV surgery., (© The Author(s) 2025. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)

The benefit of aspirin in primary prevention for atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (ASCVD) is questionable due to bleeding complications. We analyzed the Korean National Health Insurance data to compare the efficacy and overall bleeding of sarpogrelate, an antiplatelet agent with lower bleeding risk, versus aspirin in high-/very-high-risk diabetic populations without prior ASCVD. The primary endpoint was net adverse clinical events (NACE), defined as a composite of efficacy and overall bleeding. The efficacy was a composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke, whereas overall bleeding included intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) and gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding. A total of 10,778 high-/very-high-risk diabetic patients (9550 on aspirin, 1228 on sarpogrelate) were analyzed. After propensity score matching, sarpogrelate was linked to a lower incidence of NACE (HR:0.71; 95% CI 0.57-0.88), mainly driven by 62% reductions in overall bleeding (0.38; 0.17-0.81), a composite of 64% and 72% lower rate of GI bleeding and ICH, respectively. Additionally, there was no significant differences in MI or stroke between groups. In high- or very-high-risk diabetic patients without ASCVD, sarpogrelate use was associated with net clinical benefit mainly due to the reduction of significant reduction in overall bleeding events., Competing Interests: Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

The SiO electrode interface is passivated with a SiO 2 layer, which hinders the deposition of an inorganic solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) due to its high surface work function and low exchange current density of electrolyte decomposition. Consequently, a thermally vulnerable, organic-based SEI formed on the SiO electrode, leading to poor cycling performance at elevated temperatures. To address this issue, the SEI formation process is thermoelectrochemically activated. Increasing the formation temperature lowers the work function by shifting the electron energy levels and increases the exchange current density for SEI formation. Higher temperatures promote the incorporation of inorganic Li 2 CO 3 into the SEI film, resulting from the two-electron reduction of ethylene carbonate, and hence the thermally stable SEI film leads to stable cycleability. However, excessively high temperatures cause the SEI layer to become thick and resistive, significantly increasing the polarization of the SiO electrode, which leads to a deficient improvement of cycle performance. Therefore, moderate temperature exposure is required to convert the organic SEI into less resistive, inorganic components. The implementation of a mechanism-assisted SEI formation process in pouch cells using identical materials significantly improves the cycling performance, with a 20% enhancement by the 300 th cycle. Additionally, the thermoelectrochemical activation of SEI formation reduces cathodic side reactions on SiO electrodes, which helps in preventing coupled failure of the NCM electrode by mitigating intergranular cracking and preserving its structure.

Solar-powered electrochemical NH 3 synthesis offers the benefits of sustainability and absence of CO 2 emissions but suffers from a poor solar-to-ammonia yield rate (SAY) due to a low NH 3 selectivity, large bias caused by the sluggish oxygen evolution reaction, and low photocurrent in the corresponding photovoltaics. Herein, a highly efficient photovoltaic-electrocatalytic system enabling high-rate solar-driven NH 3 synthesis was developed. A high-performance Ru-doped Co nanotube catalyst was used to selectively promote the nitrite reduction reaction (NO 2 RR), exhibiting a faradaic efficiency of 99.6% and half-cell energy efficiency of 52.3% at 0.15 V vs the reversible hydrogen electrode, delivering a high NO 2 RR selectivity even in electrolytes with high NO 3 - and low NO 2 - concentrations. Thus, the promoted NO 2 RR was coupled with the ethylene glycol oxidation reaction and a perovskite photovoltaic cell to achieve the highest SAY reported to date (146 ± 1 μmol h -1 cm -2 ) and stable operation.

Infected alveolar bone defects pose challenging clinical issues due to disrupted intrinsic healing mechanisms. Thus, the employment of advanced biomaterials enabling the modulation of several aspects of bone regeneration is necessary. This study investigated the effect of multi-functional nanoparticles on anti-inflammatory/osteoconductive characteristics and bone repair in the context of inflamed bone abnormalities. Tannic-acid mineral nanoparticles (TMPs) were prepared by the supramolecular assembly of tannic acid with bioactive calcium and phosphate ions, which were subsequently incorporated into collagen plugs via molecular interactions. Under physiological conditions, in vitro analysis confirmed that tannic acid was dissociated and released, which significantly reduced the expression of pro-inflammatory genes in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated RAW264.7 cells. Meanwhile, the bioactive ions of Ca 2+ and PO 4 3- synergistically increased the gene and protein expressions of osteogenic markers of bone marrow-derived stem cells. For in vivo studies, combined endodontic-periodontal lesions were induced in beagle dogs where the plugs were readily implanted. After 2 months of the implantation, analysis of micro-computed tomography and histomorphometry revealed that groups of dogs implanted with the plug incorporating TMPs exhibited a significant decrease in bone surface density as well as structural model index, and significant increase in the mineralized bone content, respectively, with positive OPN expression being observed in reversal lines. Notably, the profound improvement in bone regeneration relied on the concentration of TMPs in the implants, underscoring the promise of multi-functional nanoparticles for treating infected alveolar bones.

Type-II superlattice (T2SL) detectors are emerging as key technologies for next-generation long-wavelength infrared (LWIR) applications, particularly in the 8-14 µm range, offering advantages in space exploration, medical imaging, and defense. A major challenge in improving quantum efficiency (QE) lies in achieving sufficient light absorption without increasing the active layer (AL) thickness, which can elevate dark current and complicate manufacturing. Traditional methods, such as thickening the absorber, are limited by the short carrier lifetime in T2SLs, necessitating alternative solutions. In this study, we introduced a guided-mode resonance (GMR) structure into T2SL LWIR detectors to enhance QE while maintaining a thin AL for efficient carrier collection. The GMR structure was fabricated by introducing a grating array on the surface of the detector and an Au mirror beneath the absorber. This configuration enhanced light trapping, which introduced additional resonance modes. The optimized grating design, with a 5 µm period and a fill factor of 0.6, significantly increased absorption, as predicted by finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulations and confirmed experimentally. The GMR-enhanced T2SL detector demonstrated a 2.58-fold improvement in QE over conventional LWIR detectors and a 1.33-fold increase compared to Fabry-Pérot (FP) resonance-based detectors in the 6-11 µm range. Despite exhibiting an almost identical dark current density, the GMR LWIR detector demonstrated superior performance, featuring a broader cut-off wavelength of 9.3 µm and higher QE compared to FP LWIR detectors.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the clinical significance of E-cadherin expression levels in colorectal cancer tissues and explore the relationship between E-cadherin expression and tumor node metastasis (TNM) stage. The goal was to establish a more accurate prognostic prediction for colorectal cancer patients by analyzing E-cadherin expression levels alongside TNM staging., Methods: The study examined colorectal cancer patients by dividing them into groups based on E-cadherin expression levels. It then assessed their 5-year event-free survival (EFS) and disease-specific survival (DSS) hazard ratios (HRs). Additionally, the prognosis of patients was analyzed by combining E-cadherin expression levels with TNM staging, particularly focusing on patients in stages III and IV., Results: The E-cadherin Low group had significantly worse outcomes, with HRs of 2.30 for EFS and 2.76 for DSS compared to the E-cadherin High group. When combined with TNM stage III/IV, patients with E-cadherin Low expression showed a poor prognosis, with HRs of 1.93 for EFS and 2.35 for DSS compared to those with E-cadherin High expression at the same TNM stage., Conclusions: Low levels of E-cadherin expression are associated with a poor prognosis and decreased survival in colorectal cancer patients. Combining E-cadherin expression levels with TNM staging provides a more precise prediction of patient prognosis and survival, potentially guiding personalized treatment strategies., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethical approval: All methods were carried out in accordance with relevant guidelines and regulations. Ethical approval for study was obtained from Institutional Review Board of Gachon University Gil Medical Center (GBIRB2023-224). Informed consent was obtained from all the participants. Consent for publication: All participants involved in the study have provided written informed consent for the publication of anonymized data and findings derived from the research. The authors affirm that no identifiable personal information or sensitive data has been included in this publication. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

Fire blight, a devastating bacterial disease affecting rosaceous plants such as apples and pears, is caused by Erwinia amylovora . The disease, known for its rapid spread and destructive potential, can lead to severe symptoms and often result in the death of infected plants. In Korea, the observation of E. amylovora was first recorded in 2015, and subsequent dissemination has been noted across the peninsula. We previously determined the genomic characteristics of five Korean E. amylovora strains isolated in 2015, demonstrating a close phylogenetic relationship to a North American lineage. Based on these results, we have now sequenced a collection of 92 E. amylovora genomes from various fire blight cases in Korea spanning from 2016 to 2018. Through the population genomic approach, we explored the genetic diversity among the isolates. Our comprehensive genomic assessment facilitated the reconstruction of phylogenetic relationships, the correlation of genetic and spatial distances, and the inference of the most recent common ancestor of Korean E. amylovora . We conclude that E. amylovora was introduced to Korea several years before the first disease outbreak. Genomic insights obtained from our investigation will be invaluable for understanding the genetic characteristics, geographic spread and evolutionary dynamics of Korean E. amylovora .

Background: Five fulfilled hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH)-2004 criteria, and the HScore are widely used and recommended by international expert consensus to diagnose secondary HLH. Both diagnostic scores have never been validated in heterogeneous patient cohorts of secondary HLH patients. We aimed to systematically optimize and validate diagnostic criteria of secondary HLH using a multicenter approach., Methods: We developed optimized criteria in our cohort of critically ill patients as a first step. We next validated these new criteria together with the original and modified HLH-2004 criteria as well as the HScore using original data of 13 published cohorts, which were identified by a systematic literature search., Results: The best performing HLH diagnostic criteria sets over all 13 validation cohorts were the original HLH-2004 criteria with a decreased cut-off (cut-off 4, mean sensitivity 86.5%, mean specificity 86.1%), followed by the revised HLH-2004 criteria (natural killer cell activity removed; cut-off 4, mean sensitivity 83.8%, mean specificity 87.8%) and the HScore (cut-off 169, mean sensitivity 82.4%, mean specificity 87.6%). Our newly developed HLH diagnostic criteria showed inferior performance. Ferritin ≥500 µg/L had 94.0% mean sensitivity over all cohorts., Conclusions: In this first multicenter validation study, four fulfilled HLH-2004 criteria and an HScore of 169 were suitable to diagnose secondary HLH, which will lead to rapid diagnosis and improved patient outcomes. Ferritin proved as a reliable HLH screening marker. Our results should be taken into account in clinical recommendations and in designing new studies., (© 2025 The Author(s). Journal of Internal Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Association for Publication of The Journal of Internal Medicine.)

Background and Aim: Although long self-expandable metal stent (SEMS) with a sufficient intragastric portion is typically preferred for endoscopic ultrasound-guided hepaticogastrostomy (EUS-HGS), this design can complicate endoscopic re-intervention for recurrent biliary obstruction (RBO). We evaluated the efficacy and safety of endoscopic re-intervention for RBO through the stent after EUS-HGS using a novel partially covered SEMS with an anchoring flange., Methods: The partially covered SEMS was designed with a intrahepatic uncovered portion measuring 1.5 cm in length and a resilient fold-back wide distal anchoring flange with a 2.0 cm diameter. Re-interventions were performed through the stent lumen while the stent was in situ. The primary outcomes were technical and clinical success, and secondary outcomes were procedure time, adverse events, and the median time to RBO after re-intervention., Results: In total, 35 re-interventions were performed in 19 patients. Re-intervention was successfully conducted in 97.1% (34/35) of cases via the intragastric end of the stent in a retroflexed position. Technical and clinical success were 94.3% (33/35) and 88.6% (31/35). Re-intervention methods included stent cleaning (18.2%), additional HGS stent placement (33.3%), and antegrade stent placement (48.5%). Mild cholangitis occurred in 5.7% (2/35) of patients and was managed conservatively. The median time to RBO after re-intervention was 148 days., Conclusion: Endoscopic re-interventions can be effectively and safely performed through the lumen of the novel partially covered SEMS with an anchoring flange., Competing Interests: Declarations. Conflict of Interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest for this article. This work was partly supported by the SoonChunHyang University Research Fund. Ethical approval: All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. The study was approved by the institutional review board of SoonChunHyang University Bucheon Hospital. Consent to participate: Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in this study. Consent to publish: Patients signed informed consent regarding publishing their data and photographs., (© 2025. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Interactions between microbial communities and the host can modulate mosquito biology, including vector competence. Therefore, future vector biocontrol measures will utilize these interactions and require extensive monitoring of the mosquito microbiome. Metabarcoding strategies will be useful for conducting vector monitoring on a large scale. We used 16S and 18S rRNA gene metabarcoding through iSeq100 sequencing to characterize the microbiome and eukaryome of Aedes albopictus (Skuse 1894) and Culex pipiens (Linnaeus 1758), two globally important vectors present in South Korea. Mosquitoes were collected from an urban and a semi-urban location in South Korea. Bacterial alpha and beta diversities varied by population. Pseudomonadota dominated the microbiomes of both species. The microbiome composition varied by population and was dominated by different taxa. At the genus level, Wolbachia sp. was the most enriched genus in Cx. pipiens, followed by Aeromonas sp. In Ae. Albopictus, the most abundant group was Enterococcus sp. The gregarine parasite Ascogregarina taiwanensis was highly prevalent in Ae. Albopictus and its absence was marked by the presence of seven bacterial taxa. To our knowledge, this is the first characterization of the microbiome of Ae. albopictus and Cx. pipiens in these regions of South Korea and contributes to the current information on the microbiome of mosquito species, which can be used in further studies to assess pathogen-microbiome and microbiome-microbiome interactions., Competing Interests: Declarations. Conflict of interest: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (© 2025. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Purpose: To evaluate the measurement of main pancreatic duct (MPD) diameter on MRI for predicting MPD involvement in intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMN)., Methods: This retrospective study included 595 patients with surgically confirmed IPMN who underwent preoperative MRI from 2015 to 2022. Three independent readers measured the maximum MPD diameter on two-dimensional axial and coronal T2-weighted imaging. Inter-plane and inter-reader agreements were assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Multivariable logistic regression identified clinical and radiological factors associated with MPD involvement. Accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of MPD diameter cutoffs, including the 5-mm threshold from the 2024 International Consensus Guidelines, were calculated., Results: Of the 595 patients (mean age: 64.6 years ± 8.6, 394 men), 423 (71.1%) had IPMN with MPD involvement, whereas 172 (28.9%) did not have MPD involvement. The mean maximum MPD diameter was 7.9 ± 5.1 mm. Inter-plane agreement was excellent (ICC = 0.977-0.988), as was inter-reader agreement (ICC = 0.963). Only a large MPD diameter on MRI was independently associated with MPD involvement (odds ratio = 1.29 [95% confidence interval; 1.14-1.47], p <.01). Use of a maximum MPD diameter cutoff of ≥ 5 mm for MPD involvement yielded accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of 76.0%, 79.2%, and 68.0%, respectively., Conclusion: Despite excellent inter-plane and inter-reader agreement, the MRI-based prediction of MPD involvement in IPMN has limitations., Competing Interests: Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Prenylation, which involves the addition of hydrophobic molecules, is considered to enhance the bioavailability and biological activity of flavonoids. However, the effect of prenylation on the estrogenic activity of flavonoids with different structures remains unclear. This study evaluated the estrogen receptor-α (ER-α) agonistic and antagonistic activities of estrogenic flavonoids in both unprenylated and prenylated forms using OECD standardized in vitro ER-α transactivation assay and in vivo uterine hypertrophy assay. A luciferase reporter assay using ER-α-HeLa-9903 cells revealed that twelve flavonoid compounds exhibited ER-α agonistic activity, and among them, only 6-prenylnaringenin (6-PN) exhibited ER-α antagonistic activity. Interestingly, except for 6-PN, prenylated flavonoids showed reduced or similar ER-α agonistic activity compared to their parent compounds. 6-PN, but not 8-prenylnaringenin, demonstrated both enhanced ER-α agonistic and antagonistic activity compared to its parent compound, naringenin. Among the tested compounds, coumestrol exhibited the most potent ER-α agonistic activity in both transactivation and uterotrophic assays. The uterotrophic effect of coumestrol at a dose of 25 mg/kg was stronger than that of 17β-estradiol at 200 μg/kg, as evidenced by changes in uterine weight and estrogen-responsive protein expression. These findings provide important insights into the relative estrogenic potency of flavonoids and the impact of prenylation on their activity., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Electrochemical water splitting, which encompasses the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), offers a promising route for sustainable hydrogen production. The development of efficient and cost-effective electrocatalysts is crucial for advancing this technology, especially given the reliance on expensive transition metals, such as Pt and Ir, in traditional catalysts. This review highlights recent advances in the design and optimization of electrocatalysts, focusing on density functional theory (DFT) as a key tool for understanding and improving catalytic performance in the HER and OER. We begin by exploring DFT-based approaches for evaluating catalytic activity under both acidic and alkaline conditions. The review then shifts to a material-oriented perspective, showcasing key catalyst materials and the theoretical strategies employed to enhance their performance. In addition, we discuss scaling relationships that exist between binding energies and electronic structures through the use of charge-density analysis and d-band theory. Advanced concepts, such as the effects of adsorbate coverage, solvation, and applied potential on catalytic behavior, are also discussed. We finally focus on integrating machine learning (ML) with DFT to enable high-throughput screening and accelerate the discovery of novel water-splitting catalysts. This comprehensive review underscores the pivotal role that DFT plays in advancing electrocatalyst design and highlights its potential for shaping the future of sustainable hydrogen production., Competing Interests: Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

Flexible memristors are promising candidates for multifunctional neuromorphic computing applications, overcoming the limitations of conventional computing devices. However, unpredictable switching behavior and poor mechanical stability in conventional memristors present significant challenges to achieving device reliability. Here, a reliable and flexible memristor using zirconium-oxo cluster (Zr 6 O 4 OH 4 (OMc) 12 ) as the resistive switching layer is demonstrated. The optimization of the structural rigidity of the hybrid oxo-cluster network by thermal polymerization allows the precise formation of dispersed conductive cluster networks, enhancing the repeatability of the resistive switching with mechanical flexibility. The optimized memristor exhibits endurance of ∼10 4 cycles and stable memory retention performance up to 10 4 s, maintaining a high I ON /I OFF ratio of 10 4 under a bending radius of 2.5 mm. Moreover, the device achieves a pattern recognition accuracy of 97.44%, enabled by highly symmetric analog switching with multilevel conductance states. These results highlight that hybrid metal-oxo clusters can provide novel material design principles for flexible and reliable neuromorphic applications, contributing to the development of artificial neural networks., (© 2024 The Author(s). Advanced Science published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared.

Toxic and carcinogenic compounds, such as synthetic dyes and polyphenols, were widely employed and released as pollutants in a variety of industries, including textiles, food, and cosmetics. Biological oxidation process that used oxidizing enzymes to breakdown pollutant compounds were environmentally favorable. However, due to the cell toxicity of metal ions supplements used for the biosynthesis of oxidizing enzymes like laccase, their efficient application for biological degradation is limited. In this study, we aimed to boost laccase activity by introducing high copper resistance into whole-cell biocatalysts through irradiation-based accelerated evolution. Bacillus velezensis MBLB 0692, a laccase producing bacterium, was employed as model strain that exhibited severe sensitivity under 10 mM copper. The selected Cu-resistant mutants not only overcame growth inhibition, but also increased laccase activity by 2.6-fold. The qRT-PCR analysis confirmed that mutants showed significant change in gene expressions related to laccase generation and copper-related functions. Furthermore, dye decolorization assays showed that mutants degrade synthetic dyes more efficiently under high copper conditions. The varying decolorization efficiencies across dyes were attributed to differences in dye structure and the potential influence of copper on enzyme activity. Collectively, these findings emphasize the interaction between copper concentration and laccase activity, and present implications for environmental bioremediation., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest ☒ The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2025. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Combination therapies using checkpoint inhibitors with immunostimulatory agonists have attracted great attention due to their synergistic therapeutic effects for cancer treatment. However, such combination immunotherapies require specific timing of doses to show sufficient antitumor efficacy. Sequential treatment usually requires multiple administrations of the individual drugs at specific time points, thus increasing the complexity of the drug regimen and compromising patient compliance. Here, we introduce an injectable porous silicon microparticle (pSiMP) for combination cancer immunotherapy where its multilayered nanopore structure was electrochemically programmed to achieve release of three distinct immunomodulatory drugs in the right sequence at the desired time. We find the optimal sequential treatment timeline of stimulator of interferon genes (STING) agonist, anti-OX40 antibody (aOX40), and anti-PD-1 antibody (aPD-1) for immunosuppressive tumors. We show that a single intratumoral injection of a cocktail of release-programmed pSiMPs coloaded with each antibody and a STING agonist significantly suppresses the tumor growth compared to conventional treatment involving sequential bolus injections, or an injection of pSiMPs configured to release all drugs at the same time, with no delay. With the timely release of immunomodulatory drugs, the programmable pSiMPs offer an effective treatment strategy for combination immunotherapy.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) affects over 10% of all pregnancies, both in Korea and worldwide. GDM not only increases the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes such as preeclampsia, preterm birth, macrosomia, neonatal hypoglycemia, and shoulder dystocia, but it also significantly increases the risk of developing postpartum type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease in the mother. Additionally, GDM is linked to a higher risk of childhood obesity and diabetes in offspring, as well as neurodevelopmental disorders, including autistic spectrum disorder. This review offers a comprehensive summary of clinical epidemiological studies concerning maternal and fetal complications and explores mechanistic investigations that reveal the underlying pathophysiology.

Background: The LI-RADS Ultrasound Surveillance algorithm was updated in 2024, incorporating alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and visualization score of VIS-C into management recommendations after nonpositive results. Objective: This study aimed to compare the diagnostic performance of LI-RADS Ultrasound Surveillance version 2017 (v2017) and version 2024 (v2024) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) detection in at-risk patients and to identify predictors of VIS-C on follow-up surveillance examinations. Methods: This retrospective analysis included 407 patients (median age, 56 years; 230 male, 177 female) with cirrhosis who underwent rounds of semi-annual surveillance ultrasound as part of a prospective trial from November 2011 to December 2012. Two radiologists independently assigned ultrasound categories to round-1 examinations and visualization scores to round-1 and round-2 examinations; a third radiologist adjudicated disagreements. AFP was considered positive if elevated or increasing from pre-enrollment values, per v2024 criteria. Reference standard for HCC was positive biopsy or LR-5 observation on MRI. Diagnostic performance was compared between v2017 and v2024. Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify predictors of round-2 VIS-C, with attention to risk factors for VIS-C described in v2024. Results: HCC was diagnosed in 28 (6.9%) patients. For reader 1, v2024, compared with v2017, showed greater sensitivity for reader 1 (64.3% vs 42.9%, p=.03) and reader 2 (64.3% vs 39.3%, p=.02), and lower specificity for reader 1 (82.0% vs 92.6%, p<.001) and reader 2 (82.3% vs 92.9%, p<.001). All seven patients with HCC detected by v2024 but not v2017 using consensus assessments had an increasing AFP; two also had an elevated AFP. In 299 patients who underwent round-2 ultrasound after negative round-1 v2024 surveillance results, the only independent predictor of round-2 VIS-C was round-1 VIS-C (adjusted OR=21.0, [95% CI, 10.8-40.8], p<.001). In 88 of these patients with round-1 VIS-C, no v2024 risk factor showed significant univariable association with repeat VIS-C. Conclusion: Compared with v2017, LI-RADS Ultrasound Surveillance v2024 had higher sensitivity but lower specificity for HCC detection, related primarily to increasing, rather than elevated, AFP. The only independent predictor of VIS-C on subsequent ultrasound was initial VIS-C result. Clinical Impact: The findings support use of v2024 to improve HCC detection in at-risk patients.

Nanoporous anodic alumina (nPAA) films formed on aluminum in lower aliphatic carboxylic acids exhibit blue self-coloring and characteristic properties such as photoluminescence (PL), electroluminescence, and electron spin resonance. The blue colors are seemingly originated from the adsorbed radicals incorporating into the oxide during the aluminum anodization. However, there is lack of reports revealing the detailed activation mechanism of the adatoms in the complexes. This study investigates the blue PL and its correlation with the atomic and electronic structures of the active aluminum surface using multiple theoretical and experimental methods. The results show that the concentration of carboxylates at the nPAA surface is highly correlated with the blue colorization and manifest that unpaired electrons in carbon (derived from the carboxylates) bridging two aluminum atoms at surface can play as an active source of the blue colorization. Therefore, it is suggested that controlling the adsorption of the carboxylate on the alumina membrane having large surface-to-volume ratio can be an efficient way to generate the blue light for the optoelectronic applications., Competing Interests: Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

Background: As the roles of chemotherapy (Chemo) and radiation therapy (Radio) in the definitive treatment of breast cancer have expanded, a broader understanding of the factors associated with breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) has become increasingly essential. Therefore, we investigated the association between multimodality treatment and the risk of BCRL., Methods: In this retrospective study conducted using National Health Insurance data and the Korea National Cancer Incidence Database (2006-2017), 114,638 participants who underwent Surgery (Surg) or Chemo within 6 months after breast cancer diagnosis were enrolled, and the effect of multimodality treatment on the risk of BCRL was analyzed using the Cox proportional-hazards model. Multimodality treatment administered through six months of treatment was grouped as only Surg; Surg/Chemo; Surg/ Chemo/Radio; Surg/Radio; only Chemo; and Chemo/Radio., Results: The risk of BCRL was higher in the Surg/Chemo group (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.54, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.43-1.65), Surg/Chemo/Radio group (HR: 1.51, 95% CI: 1.43-1.65), only Chemo group (HR: 1.58, 95% CI: 1.45-1.71), and Chemo/Radio group (HR: 1.13, 95% CI: 1.00-1.29) in comparison with the only Surg group., Conclusion: BCRL occurrence is an after-effect of complex breast cancer treatments, and the risk may vary depending on the treatment method, including Surg, chemo, and radio. Our findings suggest that multidisciplinary strategies are required to minimize the risk of BCRL development in patients with breast cancer., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: All procedures contributing to this work complied with the ethical standards of the relevant national and institutional committees on human experimentation and the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2008. As the NHIS data did not contain any identifying information, the study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Seoul National University Hospital (E-2206–076-1332). Because we used de-identified data, the need for informed consent was waived by the Institutional Review Board of Seoul National University Hospital (E-2206–076-1332). Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for the treatment of symptomatic distant metastasis of differentiated thyroid carcinoma., Materials and Methods: The medical records of 12 patients who underwent RFA for the palliative treatment of 18 symptomatic distant metastases from thyroid cancer between January 2008 and December 2020 were analyzed. All patients were assessed for their degree of discomfort and underwent periodical evaluations as outpatients, including clinical examination, imaging, and serologic markers., Results: Among the 18 tumors treated, nine were soft tissue, and nine were bone metastases. The mean size of the treated tumors was 5.3 cm (range, 1.7-10.7 cm). All patients complained of pain, discomfort and/or bulging of the metastatic mass before RFA. After RFA, 11 out of the 18 patients with metastatic tumors (61.1%) reported a subjective improvement in symptoms. Nine out of 18 tumors decreased in size, with a mean size reduction ratio of 43% ± 22%. Although symptom improvement was achieved in 61.1% of the tumors, after a mean follow-up duration of 37.4 months, five patients experienced progression of the tumor, four patients had a stable tumor status, and three patients died from pneumonia. There were no major adverse events related to RFA during the treatment or follow-up period., Conclusion: RFA can be used as palliative therapy to relieve the symptoms caused by metastatic tumors; however, it has a limited role in improving the overall prognosis in patients with distant metastasis from thyroid cancer., Competing Interests: Declarations. Conflict of interest: The authors declare that they have no relevant conflicts of interest to disclose., (© 2025. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to International Skeletal Society (ISS).)

Stroke is globally recognized as the second leading cause of death, significantly impairing both motor and cognitive functions. Enhancing regeneration after stroke is crucial for restoring these functions and necessitates strategies to promote neuroregeneration to achieve better post-stroke outcomes. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays a key role in neuroregeneration by influencing motor ability, learning, memory, and rehabilitation after stroke. However, challenges such as the substantial protein size, short half-life of BDNF, and blood-brain barrier hinder its efficient delivery to the brain. In this study, LM22A-4, a BDNF mimetic, was utilized and delivered through a Smart Mesoporous Ball (SMB-3) system to target the ischemic injured brain and explore its potential therapeutic effects in a mouse ischemic stroke model. Treatment with LM22A-4-loaded SMB-3 (LM22A-4-SMB-3) markedly restored neurological, motor, and cognitive deficits following ischemic stroke compared to LM22A-4 alone. Additionally, administration of LM22A-4-SMB-3 reduced apoptotic cell death and glial activation, as evidenced by the TUNEL assay results, and decreased GFAP and Iba-1 expression levels. Furthermore, the phosphorylation of TrkB and Akt, but not that of Erk, was considerably increased in the LM22A-4-SMB-3-treated group. Treatment also enhanced the number of BrdU+/NeuN+ cells, with a marked reduction in post-stroke brain atrophy. These findings suggest that LM22A-4-SMB-3 can attenuate ischemic damage and recover neurological, motor, and cognitive functions by increasing p-TrkB and p-Akt levels and promoting neurogenesis. Therefore, SMB-3-mediated delivery of LM22A-4 presents a potentially applicable delivery system, and LM22A-4-SMB-3 use could be considered a novel therapeutic strategy to improve post-stroke outcomes., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.. All rights reserved.)

Incorporation of polyethylene glycol (PEG) is widely used in lipid nanoparticle (LNP) formulation in order to achieve adequate stability due to its stealth properties. However, studies have detected the presence of anti-PEG neutralizing antibodies after PEGylated LNP treatment, which are associated with anaphylaxis, accelerated LNP clearance and premature release of cargo. Here, we report the development of LNPs incorporating ganglioside, a naturally occurring stealth lipid, as a PEG-free alternative. Physicochemical characterization showed that ganglioside-LNPs exhibited superior stability throughout prolonged cold storage compared to stealth-free LNPs, preventing particle aggregation. Additionally, there was no significant change in particle size after serum incubation, indicating the ability of ganglioside to prevent unwanted serum protein adsorption. These results exemplify the effective stealth properties of ganglioside. Furthermore, ganglioside-LNPs exhibited significantly higher mRNA transfection in vivo after intravenous administration compared to stealth-free LNPs. The ability of ganglioside to confer excellent stealth properties to LNPs while still enabling in vivo mRNA expression makes it a promising candidate as a natural substitute for immunogenic PEG in mRNA-LNP delivery platforms, contributing to the future advancement of gene therapy.

Context: Preterm (PT) and full-term with low birth weight (FT-LBW) children are at a high-risk of poor growth outcomes., Objective: This work aimed to investigate the growth trajectories of PT and FT-LBW children from birth to preschool ages., Methods: This study included 1 150 508 infants (PT, 41 454; FT-LBW, 38 250) who underwent the first 3 rounds (4-6, 9-12, and 18-24 months) of the National Health Screening Program for Infants and Children (NHSPIC). Growth measurements were obtained from the NHSPIC database and converted into Z-scores. Growth data at ages 2, 4, and 6 years were measured as outcome variables. The effect of being born small on poor growth outcomes was investigated using a generalized estimating equation and Cox proportional-hazards regression analysis., Results: The median birth weights of the PT, FT-LBW, and FT groups were 2.3, 2.4, and 3.2 kg, respectively. The incidence of short stature (height Z-score < -2 SD score [SDS]) and failure to thrive (FTT) (body mass index (BMI) Z-score < -2 SDS) was the highest in the FT-LBW group, followed by the PT and FT groups. At age 4 years, the incidence rates were 6.0% vs 5.2% vs 1.9% for short stature and 4.6% vs 3.9% vs 1.7% for FTT. The β estimate of height outcome was lower both in the PT (-0.326 SDS) and FT-LBW (-0.456 SDS) groups., Conclusion: The FT-LBW group was consistently shorter and lighter throughout the preschool period than the PT group, highlighting the significance of growth monitoring in high-risk populations., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Endocrine Society. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Organic anode materials have garnered attention for use in rechargeable Li-ion batteries (LIBs) owing to their lightweight, cost-effectiveness, and tunable properties. However, challenges such as high electrolyte solubility and limited conductivity, restrict their use in full-cell LIBs. Here, we report the use of highly crystalline Cl-substituted contorted hexabenzocoronene (Cl-cHBC) as an efficient organic anode for full-cell LIBs. By employing an antisolvent crystallization method, the crystallinity of the Cl-cHBC materials has been significantly enhanced, achieving superior electrochemical performance in a half-cell configuration. Furthermore, when incorporated with the conventional lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cathode, the Cl-cHBC||LFP full-cell delivers a high discharge cell voltage of 3.0 V, surpassing the voltages of conventional lithium-titanium oxide anodes and offering improved power densities. In addition, a full cell with high-voltage lithium cobalt oxide and single-crystal high-nickel-based cathodes demonstrates enhanced electrochemical characteristics, including elevated discharge voltages, stable C-rate performance, and cycle endurance. Thus, the proposed highly crystalline Cl-cHBC anode is a promising next-generation solution for LIB applications.

Despite advances in gastric cancer diagnosis and treatment, its prognosis remains poor owing to aggressive tumor progression and metastasis. As understanding the relevant molecular mechanisms is essential to effectively improve patient outcomes, we elucidated the role of Kindlin-1 in gastric cancer progression and metastasis. Kindlin-1 expression was analyzed in 359 gastric cancer tissue samples provided by Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital and publicly available GSE datasets. Kindlin-1 showed significantly higher expression in gastric cancer tissues than that in normal tissues, and high Kindlin-1 expression was associated with poor prognosis. Further, the mRNA and protein expression of Kindlin-1 were high in gastric cancer cell lines, where they were associated with increased proliferation, migration, and invasion. Our findings demonstrated that Kindlin-1 regulated epithelial-mesenchymal transition-related genes through interaction with activated Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Notably, Kindlin-1 enhanced β-catenin expression and promoted its nuclear translocation from the cytoplasm, increasing TCF4 transcriptional activity and inducing gastric cancer progression and metastasis. Overall, these findings demonstrate that Kindlin-1 is upregulated in gastric cancer and activates Wnt/β-catenin signaling to promote cell proliferation and motility., Competing Interests: Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

Permafrost soils store vast amounts of organic carbon, and their thawing due to climate warming accelerates the release of carbon as methane and carbon dioxide, exacerbating global climate change. Understanding the distribution of greenhouse gases trapped in these soils and predicting their behavior upon thawing is essential for accurately modeling climate feedbacks. This study presents an integrated biogeochemical and microbial dataset from ~1.8 m deep soil cores collected across a 970 km latitudinal gradient in Alaskan permafrost regions, spanning boreal forest and Arctic tundra biomes. This dataset includes vertical profiles of trapped greenhouse gases, their stable isotope signatures, soil physicochemical properties, and the composition and abundance of key methanogenic and methanotrophic genes. These data provide critical insights into methane cycling within permafrost soils in high-latitude ecosystems and contribute to refining the parameterization of biogeochemical processes in climate models, especially in the context of accelerating permafrost thaw., Competing Interests: Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

Dynamic communication between hepatocytes and the environment is critical in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development. Clinical immunotherapy against HCC is currently unsatisfactory and needs more systemic considerations, including the identification of new biomarkers and immune checkpoints. Transmembrane 4 L six family member 5 (TM4SF5) is known to promote HCC, but it remains unclear how cancerous hepatocytes avoid immune surveillance and whether avoidance can be blocked. We investigated how TM4SF5-mediated hepatic tumorigenesis avoids surveillance by natural killer (NK) cells, which are prevalent in the liver, and whether the avoidance can be blocked by anti-TM4SF5 agents. We used comprehensive structure activity relationship analysis to identify TM4SF5-specific isoxazole (TSI)-based small molecules that inhibit TM4SF5-mediated effects. TM4SF5 expressed by hepatocytes reduced NK cell cytotoxicity by downregulating stimulatory ligands/receptors, including signaling lymphocytic activation molecule family member 7 (SLAMF7). TM4SF5 bound SLAMF7 depending on N-glycosylation and caused intracellular trafficking of SLAMF7 from the plasma membrane to lysosomes for degradation. TSI treatments in cell lines and animal models of HCC blocked this binding, intracellular trafficking, and downregulation, resulting in higher levels of stimulatory NK cell ligands. In mouse xenograft models, TSI treatment abrogated HCC development by increasing the abundance and dispersion of Slamf7-positive cells in liver tissues, recapitulating the phenotype of Tm4sf5-knockout mice and indicating TSI-mediated restoration of NK cell surveillance. These findings suggest that TSIs can inhibit TM4SF5-mediated liver carcinogenesis by increasing NK cell surveillance., Competing Interests: Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

Microstructure optimization and high-performance material development are crucial for improving the electrochemical performance of all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs). Researchers frequently record numerous micro-scale or nano-scale electron micrographs for unbiased post-mortem analysis, performance evaluation, and improvement of ASSBs. However, these micrographs are often underutilized and typically analyzed qualitatively without ensuring an accurate representation of the experimental objectives. This study explores machine learning (ML)-based quantitative analysis techniques using electron microscopy images, combined with a stereology-driven linear-intercept concept method and semantic segmentation, to extract quantitative microstructural parameters for optimizing ASSB performance. The applicability of ML-assisted image analytics is demonstrated by employing composite cathodes in ASSBs to achieve unbiased automation and deep semantic segmentation during microstructural characterization. Furthermore, the ramifications of this ML-assisted method are discussed, along with its advantages and disadvantages in battery research., (© 2025 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Silicon nanowires (Si NWs) have attracted considerable interest owing to their distinctive properties, which render them promising candidates for a wide range of advanced applications in electronics, photonics, energy storage, and sensing. However, challenges in achieving large-scale production, high uniformity, and shape control limit their practical use. This study presents a novel fabrication approach combining nanoimprint lithography, nanotransfer printing, and metal-assisted chemical etching to produce highly uniform and shape-controlled Si NW arrays. By optimizing the process parameters, Si NWs with various diameters (100, 200, and 400 nm) are successfully fabricated on 6-inch wafers, achieving high uniformity confirmed through statistical and surface reflection analyses. Furthermore, a conformal coating of titanium nitride on the uniform Si NWs enables broadband absorption with average absorption of 75% in the wavelength range from 250 to 2500 nm, demonstrating their potential for next-generation optoelectronic devices. These findings provide valuable insights for the scalable production of Si NWs and their integration into high-performance electronic systems., (© 2025 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Background/Objectives: Sarcopenia, characterized by reduced muscle mass and strength, is associated with osteoarthritis (OA), particularly in middle-aged women, and may worsen postoperatively. Resistance exercise (RE) can resolve sarcopenia; however, recovery is often suboptimal. Nitrate (NO 3 - ) supplementation may enhance muscle recovery and complement RE. We investigated whether NO 3 - supplementation combined with RE improves thigh muscle mass and strength in middle-aged women during postoperative rehabilitation. Methods: We conducted a prospective randomized placebo-controlled double-blind study including 36 middle-aged women with sarcopenia and cartilage defects undergoing mesenchymal stem cell implantation. Participants were assigned to RE with NO 3 - supplementation (NG, n = 18) or with placebo (PG, n = 18) groups. Both groups underwent 12 weeks of supervised RE. The primary outcomes were thigh muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) and knee strength, whereas functional and clinical measures, including the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), skeletal muscle index (SMI), International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC), and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) scores, were secondary outcomes. Results: Thigh muscle CSA decreased in the PG but was maintained in the NG. Knee extension strength improved significantly in the NG compared with that in the PG at 6 and 12 weeks. Knee flexion strength also improved rapidly in the NG, with a significant increase at 6 weeks. SPPB and IKDC scores improved significantly in the NG. However, similar improvements were observed for WOMAC scores in both groups. Conclusions: NO 3 - supplementation combined with RE effectively prevented muscle atrophy and enhanced muscle strength in our study participants, indicating potential for improving postoperative recovery.

Background: Malaria cases in the Republic of Korea decreased during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic but surged in 2023. Current models inadequately address spatial heterogeneity in transmission dynamics. This study aimed to address this by designing a region-structured model considering spatial heterogeneity based on regional malaria data from high-risk areas., Methods: Malaria-risk areas were identified using data from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), with eight regions designated as hotspots. The population heterogeneity of the model by region was represented using the "Who Acquires Infection From Whom" matrix. The model was calibrated using 2014-2018 KDCA civilian malaria-case data. The reproduction number (R t ) of each region was then calculated using the estimated parameters and predicted malaria dynamics., Results: In the hotspots, the value of R t rose along with the number of long-latency patients, followed by an increase in short-latency patients. The points where R t exceeded and fell below one varied by region. Ganghwa-gun exhibited the longest period (R t >1), whereas Deokyang-gu had the shortest. Maximum R t values ranged from 1.1 in Deokyang-gu to 2.7 in Ganghwa-gun. A criterion was established to estimate the timing of R t >1 based on the weekly cumulative incidence per 100,000 people., Conclusion: This study constructed a region-structured model reflecting spatial heterogeneity using actual data. By estimating R t and an easily accessible index for each region, the model provides an indicator that assists in implementing effective malaria management policies at the regional level., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)