This study investigated depot-specific mRNA expression of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) in human white adipose tissue (WAT) and its association with obesity-related markers.
We recruited 39 ...normal-weight, 41 nondiabetic obese, and 22 diabetic obese women. We measured UCP1 mRNA expression in abdominal visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), and investigated the associations between UCP1 mRNA expression in VAT and SAT, and obesity-related markers including mRNA expression of leptin, adiponectin, CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein homologous protein (CHOP), and positive regulatory domain-containing protein 16 (PRDM16). We also evaluated UCP1 mRNA expression in differentiated human white adipocytes after treatment with various stressors and metabolic improvement agents in vitro.
UCP1 mRNA in VAT was significantly higher than in SAT in all groups. UCP1 mRNA in SAT was negatively correlated with BMI, total abdominal fat area, visceral fat area, blood pressure, fasting glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR score, triglyceride, hsCRP, fasting leptin levels, and adipocyte size. UCP1 mRNA in SAT was positively correlated with fasting adiponectin levels. UCP1 mRNA in VAT was negatively correlated with visceral-to-subcutaneous fat ratio (VSR), fasting glucose, and triglyceride levels. In SAT, UCP1 mRNA was negatively correlated with mRNA expression of leptin and CHOP, and positively correlated with mRNA expression of adiponectin. The expression of PRDM16 was positively correlated with UCP1 mRNA in both VAT and SAT. UCP1 mRNA expression in differentiated human white adipocytes was significantly reduced after incubation with thapsigargin, tunicamycin, homocysteine, TNF-α, or IL-β, and significantly increased after incubation with exendin 4, dapagliflozin, and telmisartan.
This study demonstrated depot-specific mRNA expression of UCP1 and its association with obesity-related markers in human WAT. UCP1 mRNA in human white adipocytes was suppressed by inflammatory agents and enhanced by metabolic improvement agents. UCP1 in human WAT might participate in the pathogenesis of obesity-related metabolic diseases.
No population-based study has evaluated the natural course of UC over three decades in non-Caucasians. We aimed to assess the long-term natural course of Korean patients with UC in a population-based ...cohort.
This Korean population-based, Songpa-Kangdong IBD cohort included all patients (n=1013) newly diagnosed with UC during 1986-2015. Disease outcomes and their predictors were evaluated.
During the median follow-up of 105 months, the overall use of systemic corticosteroids, thiopurines and antitumour necrosis factor (anti-TNF) agents was 40.8%, 13.9% and 6.5%, respectively. Over time, the cumulative risk of commencing corticosteroids decreased, whereas that of commencing thiopurines and anti-TNF agents increased. During follow-up, 28.7% of 778 patients with proctitis or left-sided colitis at diagnosis experienced proximal disease extension. A total of 28 patients (2.8%) underwent colectomy, demonstrating cumulative risks of colectomy at 1, 5, 10, 20 and 30 years after diagnosis of 1.0%, 1.9%, 2.2%, 5.1% and 6.4%, respectively. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that extensive colitis at diagnosis (HR 8.249, 95% CI 2.394 to 28.430), ever use of corticosteroids (HR 6.437, 95% CI 1.440 to 28.773) and diagnosis in the anti-TNF era (HR 0.224, 95% CI 0.057 to 0.886) were independent predictors of colectomy. The standardised mortality ratio in patients with UC was 0.725 (95% CI 0.508 to 1.004).
Korean patients with UC may have a better clinical course than Western patients, as indicated by a lower colectomy rate. The overall colectomy rate has continued to decrease over the past three decades.
We investigated whether pulmonary function tests (PFTs) can predict pulmonary complications and if they are, to find new cutoff values in current open lung resection surgery. In this observational ...study, patients underwent open lung resection surgery at a tertiary hospital were analyzed (n = 1544). Various PFTs were tested by area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUC
) to predict pulmonary complications until 30 days postoperatively. In results, PFTs were generally not effective to predict pulmonary complications (AUC
: 0.58-0.66). Therefore, we could not determine new cutoff values, and used previously reported cutoffs for post-hoc analysis predicted postoperative forced expiratory volume in one second (ppoFEV
) < 40%, predicted postoperative diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (ppoDL
) < 40%. In multivariable analysis, old age, male sex, current smoker, intraoperative transfusion and use of inotropes were independent risk factors for pulmonary complications (model 1: AUC
0.737). Addition of ppoFEV
or ppoDL
< 40% to model 1 did not significantly increase predictive capability (model 2: AUC
0.751, P = 0.065). In propensity score-matched subgroups, patients with ppoFEV
or ppoDL
< 40% showed higher rates of pulmonary complications 13% (21/160) vs. 24% (38/160), P = 0.014, but no difference in in-hospital mortality 3% (8/241) vs. 6% (14/241), P = 0.210 or mean survival duration 61 (95% CI 57-66) vs. 65 (95% CI 60-70) months, P = 0.830 compared to patients with both > 40%. In conclusion, PFTs themselves were not effective predictors of pulmonary complications. Decision to proceed with surgical resection of lung cancer should be made on an individual basis considering other risk factors and the patient's goals.
The ongoing COhort for Childhood Origin of Asthma and allergic diseases (COCOA) study is a prospective birth cohort investigating the origin and natural courses of childhood allergic diseases, ...including atopic dermatitis, food allergy, allergic rhinitis and asthma, with long-term prognosis. Initiated under the premise that allergic diseases result from a complex interplay of immune development alterations, environmental exposures, and host susceptibility, the COCOA study explores these dynamic interactions during prenatal and postnatal periods, framed within the hygiene and microbial hypotheses alongside the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) hypothesis. The scope of the COCOA study extends to genetic predispositions, indoor and outdoor environmental variables affecting mothers and their offsprings such as outdoor and indoor air pollution, psychological factors, diets, and the microbiomes of skin, gut, and airway. We have embarked on in-depth investigations of diverse risk factors and the pathophysiological underpinnings of allergic diseases. By employing multi-omics approaches—proteomics, transcriptomics, and metabolomics—we gain deeper insights into the distinct pathophysiological processes across various endotypes of childhood allergic diseases, incorporating the exposome using extensive resources within the COCOA study. Integration with large-scale datasets, such as national health insurance records, enhances robustness and mitigates potential limitations inherent to birth cohort studies. As part of global networks focused on childhood allergic diseases, the COCOA study fosters collaborative research across multiple cohorts. The findings from the COCOA study are instrumental in informing precision medicine strategies for childhood allergic diseases, underpinning the establishment of disease trajectories.
This study examined the separate and combined impacts of future changes in climate and land use/land cover (LULC) on streamflow in the Hoeya River Basin, South Korea, using the representative ...concentration pathway (RCP) 4.5 and 8.5 scenarios of the Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). First, a LULC change model was developed using RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 storylines and logistic regression. Three scenarios (climate change only, LULC change only, and climate and LULC change combined) were established, and the streamflow in future periods under these scenarios was simulated by the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model. Each scenario showed distinct seasonal variations in streamflow. Under climate change only, streamflow increased in spring and winter but decreased in summer and autumn, whereas LULC change increased high flow during wet periods but decreased low flow in dry periods. Although the LULC change had less effect than climate change on the changes in streamflow, the effect of LULC change on streamflow was significant. The result for the combined scenario was similar to that of the climate change only scenario, but with larger seasonal changes in streamflow. Although the effects of LULC change were smaller than those caused by climate change, LULC changes may heighten the problems of increased seasonal variability in streamflow caused by climate change. The results obtained in this study provide further insight into the availability of future streamflow and can aid in water resource management planning in the study area.
► We examined the impacts of future changes in climate and LULC on streamflow. ► A LULC model was developed using RCP 4.5 and 8.5 storylines and logistic regression. ► The streamflow in future under three scenarios was simulated by the SWAT model. ► The effects of LULC change were smaller than those caused by climate change. ► The effect of LULC change on streamflow was very significant.
Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is an autosomal dominant disease characterized by neuorocutaneous lesions and multisystem involvement. Other notable features of NF1 include vasculopathy in the form of ...stenosis, occlusion, aneurysm, pseudoaneurysm, arteriovenous deformity, and rupture, which are difficult to manage and can have fatal outcomes. We describe two cases of extensive and progressive brachial artery hemorrhage following blunt trauma in patients with NF1. Management of these patients included combined endovascular and surgical treatment based on the patients’ condition. The patients had a poor prognosis because of uncontrolled bleeding. While one patient died, the other survived, but the involved arm was amputated. Endovascular treatment is a widely used, popular, minimally invasive, and safe method to control the bleeding associated with NF1. However, this treatment can be challenging at times. Close collaboration between an interventional radiologist and surgeon is necessary for optimal treatment and careful follow-up for this condition.
The long-term course of Crohn's disease (CD) has never been evaluated in non-Caucasian population-based cohorts. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the longterm prognosis of Korean CD ...patients in the well-defined population-based Songpa-Kangdong inflammatory bowel disease cohort.
Outcomes of disease and their predictors were evaluated for 418 patients diagnosed with CD between 1986 and 2015.
During a median of 123 months, systemic corticosteroids, thiopurines, and anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) agents were administered to 58.6%, 81.3%, and 37.1% of patients, respectively. Over time, the cumulative probability of starting corticosteroids significantly decreased (p=0.001), whereas that of starting thiopurines and anti-TNFs significantly increased (both p<0.001). The cumulative probability of behavioral progression was 54.5% at 20 years, and it significantly decreased during the anti-TNF era. Intestinal resection was required for 113 patients (27.0%). The cumulative probabilities of intestinal resection at 1, 5, 10, 20, and 25 years after CD diagnosis were 12.7%, 16.5%, 23.8%, 45.1%, and 51.2%, respectively. Multivariable Cox regression analysis identified stricturing behavior at diagnosis (adjusted hazard ratio aHR, 2.70; 95% confidence interval CI, 1.55 to 4.71), penetrating behavior at diagnosis (aHR, 11.15; 95% CI, 6.91 to 17.97), and diagnosis of CD during the anti-TNF era (aHR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.35 to 0.76) as independently associated with intestinal resection. The standardized mortality ratio among CD patients was 1.36 (95% CI, 0.59 to 2.68).
The long-term prognosis of Korean patients with CD is at least as good as that of Western CD patients, as indicated by the low intestinal resection rate. Moreover, behavioral progression and intestinal resection rates have decreased over the past 3 decades.
The evidence for the neuroprotective and cognitive effects of compound K, a metabolite biotransformed from ginsenosides Rb1, Rb2, and Rc, is reviewed here. Compound K is more bioavailable than other ...ginsenosides and therefore has greater potential to exert bioactive functions in the body. Although the capability of compound K to cross the blood-brain barrier is not clear, it has been reported to have neuroprotective and cognition enhancing effects and decrease inflammatory biomarkers in animal models of Alzheimer's disease and cerebral ischemia. The plethora of potential health benefits of compound K warrants further research to evaluate its biochemical mechanisms and its ability to protect healthy populations from neurodegenerative diseases.
Objectives
Neurolymphomatosis (NL) is a disease characterized by the infiltration of malignant lymphocytes into the peripheral nervous system. We report clinical features, radiographic findings, ...modes of treatment, and outcomes of patients with NL.
Methods
We retrospectively investigated patients with NL. We extracted data, including clinical features, magnetic resolution imaging (MRI),
18
F-fludeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scans, cerebrospinal fluid cytology findings, the results of electrodiagnostic studies, as well as patient treatments and outcomes.
Results
Ten NL patients were identified. All patients reported pain/paresthesia and weakness in the affected area. The MRI scans were abnormal in eight out of nine patients with an enhancement of the spinal nerve root, plexus, peripheral nerve trunk, and cranial nerve. The FDG PET/CT scans were positive in all patients. Radiculopathy or radiculoplexopathy was the most common electrodiagnostic finding. Neurological improvement was observed in only three patients. The condition of the nine patients who underwent multimodality treatments for cancer eventually deteriorated and the patients died.
Conclusions
NL should be considered in the differential diagnosis of any type of neuropathy in patients with lymphoma. Because it could be confused with other neuropathies in lymphoma and various musculoskeletal diseases, a high index of suspicion and familiarity with clinical manifestation of NL are key. FDG PET/CT was the most sensitive diagnostic imaging modality to detect relevant neural invasion. The root within the spinal neural foramen was the most frequently affected neural structure. Early diagnosis of this rare neurologic manifestation of lymphoma may improve treatment outcomes.
Outstanding material properties of organic‐inorganic hybrid perovskites have triggered a new insight into the next‐generation solar cells. Beyond solar cells, a wide range of controllable properties ...of hybrid perovskites, particularly depending on crystal growth conditions, enables versatile high‐performance optoelectronic devices such as light‐emitting diodes, photodetectors, and lasers. This article highlights recent progress in the crystallization strategies of organic–inorganic hybrid perovskites for use as effective light harvesters or light emitters. Fundamental background on perovskite crystalline structures and relevant optoelectronic properties such as optical band‐gap, electron‐hole behavior, and energy band alignment are given. A detailed overview of the effective crystallization methods for perovskites, including thermal treatment, additives, solvent mediator, laser irradiation, nanostructure, and crystal dimensionalityis reported offering a comprehensive correlation among perovskite processing conditions, crystalline morphology, and relevant device performance. Finally, future research directions to overcome current practical bottlenecks and move towards reliable high performance perovskite optoelectronic applications are proposed.
Organic–inorganic hybrid perovskite is a promising material for next‐generation optoelectronic devices. A wide range of optoelectronic properties of perovskite are controllable for target applications using effective crystal growth. Recent progress in perovskite optoelectronics is highlighted, focusing particularly on solar cells and light‐emitting diodes, as well as crystallization strategies for light harvesting and light emitting.
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