Purpose: Osteoporosis is characterized by structural deterioration of the bone tissue because of the loss of osteoblastic activity or the increase in osteoclastic activity, resulting in bone fragility and an increased risk of fractures. Hederagenin (Hed) is a pentacyclic triterpenoid saponin isolated from Dipsaci Radix, the dried root of Dipsacus asper Wall. Dipsaci Radix has been used in Korean herbal medicine to treat bone fractures. In this study, we attempted to demonstrate the potential anti-osteoporotic effect of Hed by examining its effect on osteoblast differentiation in MC3T3-E1 cells. Methods: Osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells were cultured in 0, 1, and 10 μg/mL Hed for 3 and 7 days. The activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), bone nodule formation and level of expression of bone-related genes and proteins were measured in MC3T3-E1 cells exposed to Hed. The western blot test was used to detect the activation of the bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP2)/ Suppressor of Mothers against Decapentaplegic (SMAD)1 pathway. Results: Hed significantly increased the proliferation of MC3T3-E1 cells. Intracellular ALP activity was significantly increased in the 1 μg/mL Hed-treated group. Hed significantly increased the concentration of calcified nodules. Furthermore, Hed significantly upregulated the expression of genes and proteins associated with osteoblast proliferation and differentiation, such as Runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), ALP, osteopontin (OPN), and type I procollagen (ProCOL1). Induction of osteoblast differentiation by Hed was associated with increased BMP2. In addition, Hed induced osteoblast differentiation by increasing the activity of SMAD1/5/8. These results suggest that Hed has the potential to prevent osteoporosis by promoting osteoblastogenesis in osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells via the modulation of the BMP2/SMAD1 pathway. Conclusion The results presented in this study indicate that Hed isolated from Dipsaci Radix has the potential to be developed as a healthcare food and functional material possessing anti-osteoporosis effects.

We retrospectively reviewed patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections who wereadmitted to an intensive care unit in Daegu, South Korea. The outcomes of patients who did (cases) or did not (controls) receivedarunavir-cobicistat (800–150 mg) therapy were compared. Fourteen patients received darunavir-cobicistat treatment, and 96 receivedother antiviral therapy (controls). Overall, the darunavir-cobicistat group comprised patients with milder illness, and thecrude mortality rate of all patients in the darunavir-cobicistat group was lower than that in the controls [odds ratio (OR) 0.20, 95%confidence interval (CI) 0.04–0.89, p=0.035]. After 1:2 propensity-score matching, there were 14 patients in the darunavir-cobicistatgroup, and 28 patients in the controls. In propensity score-matched analysis, the darunavir-cobicistat group had lower mortalitythan the controls (OR 0.07, 95% CI 0.01–0.52, p=0.009). In conclusion, darunavir-cobicistat therapy was found to be associatedwith a significant survival benefit in critically ill patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection.

The present study aimed to investigate the distribution of total serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels in Korean schoolchildren and to evaluate its utility in the prediction of atopy and allergic diseases. A nationwide, cross-sectional survey was conducted in first grade students from randomly selected elementary and middle schools. Total IgE levels were measured by ImmunoCAP. Skin prick tests were performed for 18 common inhalant allergens to determine the presence of atopy. Children aged 12–13 years and parents of children aged 6–7 years were asked to complete questionnaire assessing allergic diseases. The cut-off levels of total IgE were determined by analyzing receiver operating characteristic curves. The median total IgE level was 86.7 kU/L (range: 1.5–4,523.1) in 3,753 children aged 6–7 years and 94.7 kU/L (range: 1.5–3,000.0) in 3,930 children aged 12–13 years. Total IgE concentrations were higher in children with atopy or allergic diseases than in those without (all P < 0.001). At the cut-off value of 127.7 kU/L, sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values (PPV and NPV) were 67.1%, 75.4%, 65.4%, and 76.7%, respectively, in elementary schoolchildren. At the cut-off value of 63.0 kU/L, sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV were 81.9%, 66.6%, 75.0%, and 75.1%, respectively, in middle schoolchildren. PPV and NPV were ≥ 70% when cut-offs of 258.8 kU/L and 38.4 kU/L were used for the diagnosis of atopy in 6–7 year-olds and 12–13 year-olds, respectively. This nationwide population-based study provided the first normal reference ranges of total IgE in Korean schoolchildren.
Allergens ; Child ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunoglobulin E* ; Immunoglobulins* ; Korea ; Parents ; Reference Values* ; ROC Curve ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Skin

PURPOSE: This study aimed to analyze the prevalence of allergic diseases in Korean schoolchildren according to their residential areas in 2010. METHODS: A nationwide, cross-sectional study was conducted in children aged 6-7 years (n=4,003) and adolescents aged 12-13 years (n=4,112) who were randomly selected. Demographic and disease-related information was obtained through a Korean version of ISAAC (International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood) questionnaire, and skin prick tests for 18 inhalant allergens were performed. RESULTS: There was statistically significant regional difference in the prevalence of allergic rhinitis (AR) (P<0.05). The regions with highest and lowest prevalence in 12- to 13-year-old children were as follows: Chungcheong and Honam in "Diagnosis of AR, ever" (33.7% vs. 24.5%), Jeju and Yeongnam in "Treatment of AR, last 12 months" (25.5% vs. 18.0%), Chungcheong and Yeongnam in "Rhinitis with sensitization" (31.6% vs. 23.6%). The regions with highest and lowest prevalence in 6-7 years old children were as follows: Yeongnam and Seoul in "Diagnosis of AR, ever" (42.1% vs. 31.0%), Yeongnam and Jeju in "Treatment of AR, last 12 months" (31.8% vs. 21.9%), Jeju and Seoul in "Rhinitis with sensitization" (26.0% vs. 18.4%). We also found a regional difference in inhalant allergens among the children with "rhinitis with sensitization" CONCLUSION: The prevalence of AR in children differs according to residential areas in a nationwide survey in 2010 while there is no significant regional difference in the prevalence of asthma and AD.
Adolescent ; Allergens ; Asthma ; Child* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Prevalence* ; Rhinitis ; Seoul ; Skin ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Objectives: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been declared a global pandemic owingto the rapid spread of the causative agent, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.Its Delta and Omicron variants are more transmissible and pathogenic than other variants.Some debates have emerged on the mechanism of variants of concern. In the COVID-19 wave that began in December 2021, the Omicron variant, first reported in South Africa, became identifiable in most cases globally. The aim of this study was to provide data to inform effective responses to the transmission of the Omicron variant. Methods: The Delta variant and the spike protein D614G mutant were compared with the Omicron variant. Viral loads from 5 days after symptom onset were compared usingepidemiological data collected at the time of diagnosis. Results: The Omicron variant exhibited a higher viral load than other variants, resulting in greater transmissibility within 5 days of symptom onset. Conclusion Future research should focus on vaccine efficacy against the Omicron variant and compare trends in disease severity associated with its high viral load.

Since a novel beta-coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was first reported in December 2019, there has been a rapid global spread of the virus. Genomic surveillance was conducted on samples isolated from infected individuals to monitor the spread of genetic variants of SARS-CoV-2 in Korea. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency performed whole genome sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 in Korea for 1 year (January 2020 to January 2021). A total of 2,488 SARSCoV-2 cases were sequenced (including 648 cases from abroad). Initially, the prevalent clades of SARSCoV-2 were the S and V clades, however, by March 2020, GH clade was the most dominant. Only international travelers were identified as having G or GR clades, and since the first variant 501Y.V1 was identified (from a traveler from the United Kingdom on December 22 nd , 2020), a total of 27 variants of 501Y.V1, 501Y.V2, and 484K.V2 have been classified (as of January 25 th , 2021). The results in this study indicated that quarantining of travelers entering Korea successfully prevented dissemination of the SARS-CoV-2 variants in Korea.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global pandemic that had affected more than eight million people worldwide by June 2020. Given the importance of the presence of diabetes mellitus (DM) for host immunity, we retrospectively evaluated the clinical characteristics and outcomes of moderate-to-severe COVID-19 in patients with diabetes.