Objective: It has been 1 year since the start of the worldwide coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic. This study analyzed the indirect effects of COVID-19 on treating patients with non-infectious diseases by comparing the incidence of complicated appendicitis before and after the pandemic. Methods: The target group included patients aged at least 16 years diagnosed with acute appendicitis between February 23 and July 31, 2020. Patients diagnosed during the same period in 2019 were selected as the control group. The differences in the incidence of complicated appendicitis before and after COVID-19 were investigated, and the association with various variables was analyzed using the odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: The study included 120 subjects in 2019 (pre-COVID group) and 119 cases in 2020 (post-COVID group). The pre-COVID group included 25 cases (20.8%) of complicated appendicitis, while the post-COVID group included 48 cases (40.3%). The median time from symptom onset to visit (pre-hospital time) increased from 15 to 22 hours, and the median time from the visit to surgery (in-hospital time) increased from 7 to 11 hours. Multivariate regression analysis of the three variables revealed odds ratios (95% CIs) of pre-hospital time, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and inclusion in the post-COVID group of 1.02 (1.01-1.02), 2.07 (1.11-3.86), and 2.15 (1.12-4.11), respectively. Conclusion The incidence of complicated appendicitis increased after the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, a healthcare system that can minimize the delay in treating non-infectious emergency patients is needed.

Intraflagellar transport (IFT) particles, a multi-protein apparatus composed of complex A and B, are known to be involved in homeostasis of flagella formation. IFT particles have recently become an interesting topic in Giardia lamblia, which has 4 pairs of flagella. In this experiment, we examined the function of giardial IFT components. When 7 components (IFT121, 140, 20, 46, 52, 81, and 88) of IFT were expressed in Giardia trophozoites as a tagged form with mNeonGreen, all of them were found in both flagella pores and cytoplasmic axonemes. In addition, motor proteins for IFT particles (kinesin-13 and kinesin-2b), were localized to a median body and cytoplasmic flagella, respectively. The CRISPRi-mediated knockdown of IFT88 significantly affected the lengths of all 4 flagella compared to the control cells, Giardia expressing dead Cas9 using control guide RNA. Decreased expression of kinesin-2b also resulted in shortening of flagella, excluding the ventral flagella. Live Giardia cells expressing IFT88-mNeonGreen clearly demonstrated fluorescence in flagella pores and cytoplasmic axonemes. These results on IFT88 and kinesin-2b indicate that IFT complex plays a role in maintenance of G. lamblia flagella.

Intraflagellar transport (IFT) particles, a multi-protein apparatus composed of complex A and B, are known to be involved in homeostasis of flagella formation. IFT particles have recently become an interesting topic in Giardia lamblia, which has 4 pairs of flagella. In this experiment, we examined the function of giardial IFT components. When 7 components (IFT121, 140, 20, 46, 52, 81, and 88) of IFT were expressed in Giardia trophozoites as a tagged form with mNeonGreen, all of them were found in both flagella pores and cytoplasmic axonemes. In addition, motor proteins for IFT particles (kinesin-13 and kinesin-2b), were localized to a median body and cytoplasmic flagella, respectively. The CRISPRi-mediated knockdown of IFT88 significantly affected the lengths of all 4 flagella compared to the control cells, Giardia expressing dead Cas9 using control guide RNA. Decreased expression of kinesin-2b also resulted in shortening of flagella, excluding the ventral flagella. Live Giardia cells expressing IFT88-mNeonGreen clearly demonstrated fluorescence in flagella pores and cytoplasmic axonemes. These results on IFT88 and kinesin-2b indicate that IFT complex plays a role in maintenance of G. lamblia flagella.

Objective: It has been 1 year since the start of the worldwide coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic. This study analyzed the indirect effects of COVID-19 on treating patients with non-infectious diseases by comparing the incidence of complicated appendicitis before and after the pandemic. Methods: The target group included patients aged at least 16 years diagnosed with acute appendicitis between February 23 and July 31, 2020. Patients diagnosed during the same period in 2019 were selected as the control group. The differences in the incidence of complicated appendicitis before and after COVID-19 were investigated, and the association with various variables was analyzed using the odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: The study included 120 subjects in 2019 (pre-COVID group) and 119 cases in 2020 (post-COVID group). The pre-COVID group included 25 cases (20.8%) of complicated appendicitis, while the post-COVID group included 48 cases (40.3%). The median time from symptom onset to visit (pre-hospital time) increased from 15 to 22 hours, and the median time from the visit to surgery (in-hospital time) increased from 7 to 11 hours. Multivariate regression analysis of the three variables revealed odds ratios (95% CIs) of pre-hospital time, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and inclusion in the post-COVID group of 1.02 (1.01-1.02), 2.07 (1.11-3.86), and 2.15 (1.12-4.11), respectively. Conclusion The incidence of complicated appendicitis increased after the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, a healthcare system that can minimize the delay in treating non-infectious emergency patients is needed.

Intraflagellar transport (IFT) particles, a multi-protein apparatus composed of complex A and B, are known to be involved in homeostasis of flagella formation. IFT particles have recently become an interesting topic in Giardia lamblia, which has 4 pairs of flagella. In this experiment, we examined the function of giardial IFT components. When 7 components (IFT121, 140, 20, 46, 52, 81, and 88) of IFT were expressed in Giardia trophozoites as a tagged form with mNeonGreen, all of them were found in both flagella pores and cytoplasmic axonemes. In addition, motor proteins for IFT particles (kinesin-13 and kinesin-2b), were localized to a median body and cytoplasmic flagella, respectively. The CRISPRi-mediated knockdown of IFT88 significantly affected the lengths of all 4 flagella compared to the control cells, Giardia expressing dead Cas9 using control guide RNA. Decreased expression of kinesin-2b also resulted in shortening of flagella, excluding the ventral flagella. Live Giardia cells expressing IFT88-mNeonGreen clearly demonstrated fluorescence in flagella pores and cytoplasmic axonemes. These results on IFT88 and kinesin-2b indicate that IFT complex plays a role in maintenance of G. lamblia flagella.

Intraflagellar transport (IFT) particles, a multi-protein apparatus composed of complex A and B, are known to be involved in homeostasis of flagella formation. IFT particles have recently become an interesting topic in Giardia lamblia, which has 4 pairs of flagella. In this experiment, we examined the function of giardial IFT components. When 7 components (IFT121, 140, 20, 46, 52, 81, and 88) of IFT were expressed in Giardia trophozoites as a tagged form with mNeonGreen, all of them were found in both flagella pores and cytoplasmic axonemes. In addition, motor proteins for IFT particles (kinesin-13 and kinesin-2b), were localized to a median body and cytoplasmic flagella, respectively. The CRISPRi-mediated knockdown of IFT88 significantly affected the lengths of all 4 flagella compared to the control cells, Giardia expressing dead Cas9 using control guide RNA. Decreased expression of kinesin-2b also resulted in shortening of flagella, excluding the ventral flagella. Live Giardia cells expressing IFT88-mNeonGreen clearly demonstrated fluorescence in flagella pores and cytoplasmic axonemes. These results on IFT88 and kinesin-2b indicate that IFT complex plays a role in maintenance of G. lamblia flagella.

Objective: It has been 1 year since the start of the worldwide coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic. This study analyzed the indirect effects of COVID-19 on treating patients with non-infectious diseases by comparing the incidence of complicated appendicitis before and after the pandemic. Methods: The target group included patients aged at least 16 years diagnosed with acute appendicitis between February 23 and July 31, 2020. Patients diagnosed during the same period in 2019 were selected as the control group. The differences in the incidence of complicated appendicitis before and after COVID-19 were investigated, and the association with various variables was analyzed using the odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: The study included 120 subjects in 2019 (pre-COVID group) and 119 cases in 2020 (post-COVID group). The pre-COVID group included 25 cases (20.8%) of complicated appendicitis, while the post-COVID group included 48 cases (40.3%). The median time from symptom onset to visit (pre-hospital time) increased from 15 to 22 hours, and the median time from the visit to surgery (in-hospital time) increased from 7 to 11 hours. Multivariate regression analysis of the three variables revealed odds ratios (95% CIs) of pre-hospital time, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and inclusion in the post-COVID group of 1.02 (1.01-1.02), 2.07 (1.11-3.86), and 2.15 (1.12-4.11), respectively. Conclusion The incidence of complicated appendicitis increased after the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, a healthcare system that can minimize the delay in treating non-infectious emergency patients is needed.

Intraflagellar transport (IFT) particles, a multi-protein apparatus composed of complex A and B, are known to be involved in homeostasis of flagella formation. IFT particles have recently become an interesting topic in Giardia lamblia, which has 4 pairs of flagella. In this experiment, we examined the function of giardial IFT components. When 7 components (IFT121, 140, 20, 46, 52, 81, and 88) of IFT were expressed in Giardia trophozoites as a tagged form with mNeonGreen, all of them were found in both flagella pores and cytoplasmic axonemes. In addition, motor proteins for IFT particles (kinesin-13 and kinesin-2b), were localized to a median body and cytoplasmic flagella, respectively. The CRISPRi-mediated knockdown of IFT88 significantly affected the lengths of all 4 flagella compared to the control cells, Giardia expressing dead Cas9 using control guide RNA. Decreased expression of kinesin-2b also resulted in shortening of flagella, excluding the ventral flagella. Live Giardia cells expressing IFT88-mNeonGreen clearly demonstrated fluorescence in flagella pores and cytoplasmic axonemes. These results on IFT88 and kinesin-2b indicate that IFT complex plays a role in maintenance of G. lamblia flagella.

Background: We aimed to investigate the characteristics of pediatric ulcerative colitis (UC) at diagnosis in Korea. Methods: This was a multicenter, registry-based, inception cohort study conducted in Korea between 2021 and 2023. Children and adolescents newly diagnosed with UC < 18 years were included. Baseline clinicodemographics, results from laboratory, endoscopic exams, and Paris classification factors were collected, and associations between factors at diagnosis were investigated. Results: A total 205 patients with UC were included. Male-to-female ratio was 1.59:1, and the median age at diagnosis was 14.7 years (interquartile range 11.9–16.2). Disease extent of E1 comprised 12.2% (25/205), E2 24.9% (51/205), E3 11.2% (23/205), and E4 51.7% (106/205) of the patients. S1 comprised 13.7% (28/205) of the patients. The proportion of patients with a disease severity of S1 was significantly higher in patients with E4 compared to the other groups (E1: 0% vs. E2: 2% vs. E3: 0% vs. E4: 24.5%, P < 0.001). Significant differences between disease extent groups were also observed in Pediatric Ulcerative Colitis Activity Index (median 25 vs. 35 vs. 40 vs. 45, respectively, P < 0.001), hemoglobin (median 13.5 vs.13.2 vs. 11.6 vs. 11.4 g/dL, respectively, P < 0.001), platelet count (median 301 vs. 324 vs. 372 vs. 377 × 103 /μL, respectively, P = 0.001), C-reactive protein (median 0.05 vs. 0.10 vs. 0.17 vs. 0.38 mg/dL, respectively, P < 0.001), and Ulcerative Colitis Endoscopic Index of Severity (median 4 vs. 4 vs. 4 vs. 5, respectively, P = 0.006). No significant differences were observed in factors between groups divided according to sex and diagnosis age. Conclusion This study represents the largest multicenter pediatric inflammatory bowel disease cohort in Korea. Disease severity was associated with disease extent in pediatric patients with UC at diagnosis.

Background and Objectives: Lipid lowering therapy is essential to reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events; however, limited evidence exists regarding the use of statin with ezetimibe as primary prevention strategy for middle-aged adults. We aimed to investigate the impact of single pill combination therapy on clinical outcomes in relatively healthy middleaged patients when compared with statin monotherapy. Methods: Using the Korean National Health Insurance Service database, a propensity score match analysis was performed for baseline characteristics of 92,156 patients categorized into combination therapy (n=46,078) and statin monotherapy (n=46,078) groups. Primary outcome was composite outcomes, including death, coronary artery disease, and ischemic stroke. And secondary outcome was all-cause death. The mean follow-up duration was 2.9±0.3 years. Results: The 3-year composite outcomes of all-cause death, coronary artery disease, and ischemic stroke demonstrated no significant difference between the 2 groups (10.3% vs.10.1%; hazard ratio [HR], 1.022; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.980–1.064; p=0.309).Meanwhile, the 3-year all-cause death rate was lower in the combination therapy group than in the statin monotherapy group (0.2% vs. 0.4%; p<0.001), with a significant HR of 0.595 (95% CI, 0.460–0.769; p<0.001). Single pill combination therapy exhibited consistently lower mortality rates across various subgroups. Conclusions Compared to the statin monotherapy, the combination therapy for primary prevention showed no difference in composite outcomes but may reduce mortality risk in relatively healthy middle-aged patients. However, since the study was observational, further randomized clinical trials are needed to confirm these findings.