• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.85 no.4
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• pp.289-301
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• 2022

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic airway inflammation characterized by fixed airflow limitation and chronic respiratory symptoms, such as cough, sputum, and dyspnea. COPD is a progressive disease characterized by a decline in lung function. During the natural course of the disease, acute deterioration of symptoms leading to hospital visits can occur and influence further disease progression and subsequent exacerbation. Moreover, COPD is not only restricted to pulmonary manifestations but can present with other systemic diseases as comorbidities or systemic manifestations, including lung cancer, cardiovascular disease, pulmonary hypertension, sarcopenia, and metabolic abnormalities. These pulmonary and extrapulmonary conditions lead to the aggravation of dyspnea, physical inactivity, decreased exercise capacity, functional decline, reduced quality of life, and increased mortality. In addition, pneumonia, which is attributed to both COPD itself and an adverse effect of treatment (especially the use of inhaled and/or systemic steroids), can occur and lead to further deterioration in the prognosis of COPD. This review summarizes the long-term outcomes of patients with COPD. In addition, recent studies on the prediction of adverse outcomes are summarized in the last part of the review.

• Journal of Korea Multimedia Society
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• v.25 no.8
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• pp.1233-1241
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• 2022

Tumors of the brain are the deadliest, with a life expectancy of only a few years for those with the most advanced forms. Diagnosing a brain tumor is critical to developing a treatment plan to help patients with the disease live longer. A misdiagnosis of brain tumors will lead to incorrect medical treatment, decreasing a patient's chance of survival. Radiologists classify brain tumors via biopsy, which takes a long time. As a result, the doctor will need an automatic classification system to identify brain tumors. Image classification is one application of the deep learning method in computer vision. One of the deep learning's most powerful algorithms is the convolutional neural network (CNN). This paper will introduce a novel deep learning structure and image gradient to classify brain tumors. Meningioma, glioma, and pituitary tumors are the three most popular forms of brain cancer represented in the Figshare dataset, which contains 3,064 T1-weighted brain images from 233 patients. According to the numerical results, our method is more accurate than other approaches.

• BMB Reports
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.140-144
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• 2023

While CD8⁺ cytotoxic T cells have long been considered the primary effector in controlling tumors, the involvement of CD4⁺ "helper" T cells in anti-tumor immunity has been underappreciated. The investigations of intra-tumoral T cells, fueled by the recent advances in genomic technologies, have led to a rethinking of the indirect role of CD4⁺ T cells that have traditionally been described as a "helper". Accumulating evidence from preclinical and clinical studies indicates that CD4⁺ T cells can acquire intrinsic cytotoxic properties and directly kill various types of tumor cells in a major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC-II)-dependent manner, as opposed to the indirect "helper" function, thus underscoring a potentially critical contribution of CD4⁺ cytotoxic T cells to immune responses against a wide range of tumor types. Here, we discuss the biological properties of anti-tumor CD4⁺ T cells with cytotoxic capability and highlight the emerging observations suggesting their more significant role in anti-tumor immunity than previously appreciated.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.165-175
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• 2023

The transcription factor Nrf2 was originally identified as a master regulator of redox homeostasis, as it governs the expression of a battery of genes involved in mitigating oxidative and electrophilic stress. However, the central role of Nrf2 in dictating multiple facets of the cellular stress response has defined the Nrf2 pathway as a general mediator of cell survival. Recent studies have indicated that Nrf2 regulates the expression of genes controlling ferroptosis, an iron-and lipid peroxidation-dependent form of cell death. While Nrf2 was initially thought to have anti-ferroptotic function primarily through regulation of the antioxidant response, accumulating evidence has indicated that Nrf2 also exerts anti-ferroptotic effects via regulation of key aspects of iron and lipid metabolism. In this review, we will explore the emerging role of Nrf2 in mediating iron homeostasis and lipid peroxidation, where several Nrf2 target genes have been identified that encode critical proteins involved in these pathways. A better understanding of the mechanistic relationship between Nrf2 and ferroptosis, including how genetic and/or pharmacological manipulation of Nrf2 affect the ferroptotic response, should facilitate the development of new therapies that can be used to treat ferroptosis-associated diseases.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.6.1-6.8
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• 2023

Glaucoma is the second leading cause of irreversible blindness, and primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is the most common type. Due to inadequate diagnosis, treatment is often not administered until symptoms occur. Hence, approaches enabling earlier prediction or diagnosis of POAG are necessary. We aimed to identify novel drugs for glaucoma through bioinformatics and network analysis. Data from 36 samples, obtained from the trabecular meshwork of healthy individuals and patients with POAG, were acquired from a dataset. Next, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified to construct a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. In both stages, the genes were enriched by studying the critical biological processes and pathways related to POAG. Finally, a drug-gene network was constructed, and novel drugs for POAG treatment were proposed. Genes with p < 0.01 and |log fold change| > 0.3 (1,350 genes) were considered DEGs and utilized to construct a PPI network. Enrichment analysis yielded several key pathways that were upregulated or downregulated. For example, extracellular matrix organization, the immune system, neutrophil degranulation, and cytokine signaling were upregulated among immune pathways, while signal transduction, the immune system, extracellular matrix organization, and receptor tyrosine kinase signaling were downregulated. Finally, novel drugs including metformin hydrochloride, ixazomib citrate, and cisplatin warrant further analysis of their potential roles in POAG treatment. The candidate drugs identified in this computational analysis require in vitro and in vivo validation to confirm their effectiveness in POAG treatment. This may pave the way for understanding life-threatening disorders such as cancer.

• BMB Reports
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• v.56 no.11
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• pp.618-623
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• 2023

Most cancer cells utilize glucose at a high rate to produce energy and precursors for the biosynthesis of macromolecules such as lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. This phenomenon is called the Warburg effect or aerobic glycolysis- this distinct characteristic is an attractive target for developing anticancer drugs. Here, we found that Phosphofructokinase-1 (PFK-1) is a substrate of the Protein Phosphatase 4 catalytic subunit (PP4C)/PP4 regulatory subunit 1 (PP4R1) complex by using immunoprecipitation and in vitro assay. While manipulation of PP4C/PP4R1 does not have a critical impact on PFK-1 expression, the absence of the PP4C/PP4R1 complex increases PFK-1 activity. Although PP4C depletion or overexpression does not cause a dramatic change in the overall glycolytic rate, PP4R1 depletion induces a considerable increase in both basal and compensatory glycolytic rates, as well as the oxygen consumption rate, indicating oxidative phosphorylation. Collectively, the PP4C/PP4R1 complex regulates PFK-1 activity by reversing its phosphorylation and is a promising candidate for treating glycolytic disorders and cancers. Targeting PP4R1 could be a more efficient and safer strategy to avoid pleiotropic effects than targeting PP4C directly.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.124-131
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• 2024

Viruses have various applications in the biopharmaceutical industry. They are used in pesticide production, production of vaccines, gene transfers, cancer therapeutics, and more. The downstream processing of viruses is an essential step for their biological and pharmaceutical applications. Among the various processes, the purification of viruses is critical. Membrane chromatography plays a vital role in this process. While ion exchange membrane chromatography is a primarily used method, it has various limitations regarding size exclusion and insufficient purification. Also, it cannot be applied to the rapidly changing strains of viruses such as influenza. This review examines various improved methods of membrane chromatography or alternatives. It focuses on purification, viral recovery rates, and scalability of the methods.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.211-220
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• 2024

Non-secretory multiple myeloma (NSMM) is a rare cancer of plasma cells characterized by the absence of detectable monoclonal M protein in the blood or urine. A 57-year-old woman presented with mandibular pain but without intraoral swelling. Imaging studies revealed multiple osteolytic lesions in her mandible and pronounced root resorption of the left mandibular second molar. Biopsy results showed atypical plasmacytoid cells positive for anti-kappa, CD138, MUM1, and CD79a antibodies, but negative for anti-lambda and CD20. These results were indicative of a malignant plasma cell neoplasm. No abnormalities were revealed by free light chain assay or by serum or urine protein electrophoresis, leading to a diagnosis of NSMM. The patient began chemotherapy in conjunction with bisphosphonate therapy and achieved remission following treatment. This case underscores the critical role of dentists in the early detection and prevention of NSMM complications, as the disease can initially present in the oral cavity.

• Oncology Letters
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.3305-3312
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• 2019

Histone H2B monoubiquitination has been shown to play critical roles in diverse cellular processes including DNA damage response. Although recent data indicate that H2B monoubiquitination is strongly connected with tumor progression and regulation, the implications of this modification in lung adenocarcinoma are relatively unknown. In the present study, we demonstrated the clinical implication of H2B monoubiquitination and the potential role of tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor-interacting protein (TRAIP) in regulating its modification in lung adenocarcinoma. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that H2B monoubiquitination was significantly downregulated in 68 human lung adenocarcinoma patient samples compared to their normal adjacent tissues. Depletion of TRAIP by specific siRNA treatment markedly decreased ionizing radiation (IR)-induced H2B monoubiquitination. In addition, deletion mutants without RING domain or C-terminus of TRAIP diminished the ability to induce H2B monoubiquitination at lysine 120. Notably, the nuclear expression of TRAIP was positively related with H2B monoubiquitination levels in patients with lung adenocarcinoma. Furthermore, statistical analysis indicated that low levels of both TRAIP and H2B monoubiquitination, not each alone, in patients with lung adenocarcinoma were strongly correlated with poor survival. Taken together, these results suggest that TRAIP is a novel regulator of H2B monoubiquitination in DNA damage response and cancer development in lung adenocarcinoma.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.229-236
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• 2024

The linear no-threshold (LNT) model is an assumption that explains the dose-response relationship for health risks, allowing for linear extrapolation from high doses to low doses without a threshold. The selection of an appropriate model for low-dose risk evaluation is a critical component in the risk assessment process for hazardous agents. This paper reviews the LNT model in light of epidemiological evidence from major international consortia studying ionizing radiation. From a scientific perspective, substantial evidence supporting the LNT model has been observed in epidemiological studies of low-dose ionizing radiation exposure, although some findings suggest non-linear dose relationships for certain cancer sites and variations across populations. From a practical standpoint, the LNT remains the most useful model for radiation protection purposes, with no alternative dose-response relationship proving more appropriate. It is important to note that the LNT model does not directly reflect the magnitude of risk at the population level, and this distinction should be clearly communicated to the public. While applying the LNT model as the principal basis for radiation protection, continuous research into various dose-response relationships is crucial for advancing our understanding.