Objective: To evaluate the effects of Catalpa bignonioides fruit extract on the promotion of muscle growth and muscular capacity in vitro and in vivo. Methods: Cell viability was measured using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol- 2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. Cell proliferation was assessed using a 5-bromo-2’-deoxyuridine (BrdU) assay kit. Western blot analysis was performed to determine the protein expressions of related factors. The effects of Catalpa bignonioides extract were investigated in mice using the treadmill exhaustion test and whole-limb grip strength assay. Chemical composition analysis was performed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Results: Catalpa bignonioides extract increased the proliferation of C2C12 mouse myoblasts by activating the Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. It also induced metabolic changes, increasing the number of mitochondria and glucose metabolism by phosphorylating adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase. In an in vivo study, the extract-treated mice showed improved motor abilities, such as muscular endurance and grip strength. Additionally, HPLC analysis showed that vanillic acid may be the main component of the Catalpa bignonioides extract that enhanced muscle strength. Conclusions: Catalpa bignonioides improves exercise performance through regulation of growth and metabolism in skeletal muscles, suggesting its potential as an effective natural agent for improving muscular strength.

Neurologic complications, such as cognitive and emotional dysfunction, have frequently been observed in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. Previous research shows that uremic toxins play a role in the pathogenesis of CKD-associated cognitive impairment. Since astrocytes contribute to the protection and survival of neurons, astrocyte function and brain metabolism may contribute to the pathogenesis of neurodegeneration. Indoxyl sulfate (IS) is the most popular uremic toxin. However, how IS-induced astrocyte injury brings about neurologic complications in CKD patients has not been elucidated. Methods: The rate of extracellular acidification was measured in astrocytes when IS (0.5–3 mM, 4 or 7 days) treatment was applied. The hexokinase 1 (HK1), pyruvate kinase isozyme M2 (PKM2), pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH), and phosphofructokinase (PFKP) protein levels were also measured. The activation of the apoptotic pathway was investigated using a confocal microscope, fluorescence- activated cell sorting, and cell three-dimensional imaging was used. Results: In astrocytes, IS affected glycolysis in not only dose-dependently but also time-dependently. Additionally, HK1, PKM2, PDH, and PFKP levels were decreased in IS-treated group when compared to the control. The results were prominent in cases with higher doses and longer exposure duration. The apoptotic features after IS treatment were also observed. Conclusion: Our results showed that the inhibition of glycolysis by IS in astrocytes leads to cell death via apoptosis. Specifically, longterm and higher-dose exposures had more serious effects on astrocytes. Our results suggest that the glycolysis pathway and related targets could provide a novel approach to cognitive dysfunction in CKD patients.

Neurologic complications, such as cognitive and emotional dysfunction, have frequently been observed in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. Previous research shows that uremic toxins play a role in the pathogenesis of CKD-associated cognitive impairment. Since astrocytes contribute to the protection and survival of neurons, astrocyte function and brain metabolism may contribute to the pathogenesis of neurodegeneration. Indoxyl sulfate (IS) is the most popular uremic toxin. However, how IS-induced astrocyte injury brings about neurologic complications in CKD patients has not been elucidated. Methods: The rate of extracellular acidification was measured in astrocytes when IS (0.5–3 mM, 4 or 7 days) treatment was applied. The hexokinase 1 (HK1), pyruvate kinase isozyme M2 (PKM2), pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH), and phosphofructokinase (PFKP) protein levels were also measured. The activation of the apoptotic pathway was investigated using a confocal microscope, fluorescence- activated cell sorting, and cell three-dimensional imaging was used. Results: In astrocytes, IS affected glycolysis in not only dose-dependently but also time-dependently. Additionally, HK1, PKM2, PDH, and PFKP levels were decreased in IS-treated group when compared to the control. The results were prominent in cases with higher doses and longer exposure duration. The apoptotic features after IS treatment were also observed. Conclusion: Our results showed that the inhibition of glycolysis by IS in astrocytes leads to cell death via apoptosis. Specifically, longterm and higher-dose exposures had more serious effects on astrocytes. Our results suggest that the glycolysis pathway and related targets could provide a novel approach to cognitive dysfunction in CKD patients.

Neurologic complications, such as cognitive and emotional dysfunction, have frequently been observed in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. Previous research shows that uremic toxins play a role in the pathogenesis of CKD-associated cognitive impairment. Since astrocytes contribute to the protection and survival of neurons, astrocyte function and brain metabolism may contribute to the pathogenesis of neurodegeneration. Indoxyl sulfate (IS) is the most popular uremic toxin. However, how IS-induced astrocyte injury brings about neurologic complications in CKD patients has not been elucidated. Methods: The rate of extracellular acidification was measured in astrocytes when IS (0.5–3 mM, 4 or 7 days) treatment was applied. The hexokinase 1 (HK1), pyruvate kinase isozyme M2 (PKM2), pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH), and phosphofructokinase (PFKP) protein levels were also measured. The activation of the apoptotic pathway was investigated using a confocal microscope, fluorescence- activated cell sorting, and cell three-dimensional imaging was used. Results: In astrocytes, IS affected glycolysis in not only dose-dependently but also time-dependently. Additionally, HK1, PKM2, PDH, and PFKP levels were decreased in IS-treated group when compared to the control. The results were prominent in cases with higher doses and longer exposure duration. The apoptotic features after IS treatment were also observed. Conclusion: Our results showed that the inhibition of glycolysis by IS in astrocytes leads to cell death via apoptosis. Specifically, longterm and higher-dose exposures had more serious effects on astrocytes. Our results suggest that the glycolysis pathway and related targets could provide a novel approach to cognitive dysfunction in CKD patients.

Neurologic complications, such as cognitive and emotional dysfunction, have frequently been observed in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. Previous research shows that uremic toxins play a role in the pathogenesis of CKD-associated cognitive impairment. Since astrocytes contribute to the protection and survival of neurons, astrocyte function and brain metabolism may contribute to the pathogenesis of neurodegeneration. Indoxyl sulfate (IS) is the most popular uremic toxin. However, how IS-induced astrocyte injury brings about neurologic complications in CKD patients has not been elucidated. Methods: The rate of extracellular acidification was measured in astrocytes when IS (0.5–3 mM, 4 or 7 days) treatment was applied. The hexokinase 1 (HK1), pyruvate kinase isozyme M2 (PKM2), pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH), and phosphofructokinase (PFKP) protein levels were also measured. The activation of the apoptotic pathway was investigated using a confocal microscope, fluorescence- activated cell sorting, and cell three-dimensional imaging was used. Results: In astrocytes, IS affected glycolysis in not only dose-dependently but also time-dependently. Additionally, HK1, PKM2, PDH, and PFKP levels were decreased in IS-treated group when compared to the control. The results were prominent in cases with higher doses and longer exposure duration. The apoptotic features after IS treatment were also observed. Conclusion: Our results showed that the inhibition of glycolysis by IS in astrocytes leads to cell death via apoptosis. Specifically, longterm and higher-dose exposures had more serious effects on astrocytes. Our results suggest that the glycolysis pathway and related targets could provide a novel approach to cognitive dysfunction in CKD patients.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a significant challenge in healthcare. While there are considerable researches dedicated to AKI patients, a crucial factor in their renal function recovery, is often overlooked. Thus, our study aims to address this issue through the development of a machine learning model to predict restoration of kidney function in patients with AKI. Methods: Our study encompassed data from 350,345 cases, derived from three hospitals. AKI was classified in accordance with the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes. Criteria for recovery were established as either a 33% decrease in serum creatinine levels at AKI onset, which was initially employed for the diagnosis of AKI. We employed various machine learning models, selecting 43 pertinent features for analysis. Results: Our analysis contained 7,041 and 2,929 patients’ data from internal cohort and external cohort respectively. The Categorical Boosting Model demonstrated significant predictive accuracy, as evidenced by an internal area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) of 0.7860, and an external AUROC score of 0.7316, thereby confirming its robustness in predictive performance. SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) values were employed to explain key factors impacting recovery of renal function in AKI patients. Conclusion: This study presented a machine learning approach for predicting renal function recovery in patients with AKI. The model performance was assessed across distinct hospital settings, which revealed its efficacy. Although the model exhibited favorable outcomes, the necessity for further enhancements and the incorporation of more diverse datasets is imperative for its application in real- world.

Chronic kidney disease is a significant health burden worldwide, with increasing incidence. Although several genome- wide association studies (GWAS) have investigated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) associated with kidney trait, most studies were focused on European ancestry. Methods: We utilized clinical and genetic information collected from the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study (KoGES). Results: More than five million SNPs from 58,406 participants were analyzed. After meta-GWAS, 1,360 loci associated with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) at a genome-wide significant level (p = 5 × 10–8) were identified. Among them, 399 loci were validated with at least one other biomarker (blood urea nitrogen [BUN] or eGFRcysC) and 149 loci were validated using both markers. Among them, 18 SNPs (nine known ones and nine novel ones) with 20 putative genes were found. The aggregated effect of genes estimated by MAGMA gene analysis showed that these significant genes were enriched in kidney-associated pathways, with the kidney and liver being the most enriched tissues. Conclusion: In this study, we conducted GWAS for more than 50,000 Korean individuals and identified several variants associated with kidney traits, including eGFR, BUN, and eGFRcysC. We also investigated functions of relevant genes using computational methods to define putative causal variants.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a significant health challenge associated with adverse patient outcomes and substantial economic burdens. Many authors have sought to prevent and predict AKI. Here, we comprehensively review recent advances in the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to predict AKI, and the associated challenges. Although AI may detect AKI early and predict prognosis, integration of AI-based systems into clinical practice remains challenging. It is difficult to identify AKI patients using retrospective data; information preprocessing and the limitations of existing models pose problems. It is essential to embrace standardized labeling criteria and to form international multi-institutional collaborations that foster high-quality data collection. Additionally, existing constraints on the deployment of evolving AI technologies in real-world healthcare settings and enhancement of the reliabilities of AI outputs are crucial. Such efforts will improve the clinical applicability, performance, and reliability of AKI Clinical Support Systems, ultimately enhancing patient prognoses.

Background/Aims: We aimed to compare the effectiveness and safety of Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKi) vs. biologic disease- modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARD) in Korean patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who had an inadequate response to conventional synthetic DMARDs. Methods: A quasi-experimental, multi-center, prospective, non-randomized study was conducted to compare response rates between JAKi and bDMARDs in patients with RA naïve to targeted therapy. An interim analysis was performed to estimate the proportion of patients achieving low disease activity (LDA) based on disease activity score (DAS)–28– erythroid sedimentation rate (ESR) (DAS28-ESR) at 24 weeks after treatment initiation and to evaluate the development of adverse events (AEs). Results: Among 506 patients enrolled from 17 institutions between April 2020 and August 2022, 346 (196 JAKi group and 150 bDMARD group) were included in the analysis. After 24 weeks of treatment, 49.0% of JAKi users and 48.7% of bDMARD users achieved LDA (p = 0.954). DAS28-ESR remission rates were also comparable between JAKi and bDMARD users (30.1% and 31.3%, respectively; p = 0.806). The frequency of AEs reported in the JAKi group was numerically higher than that in the bDMARDs group, but the frequencies of serious and severe AEs were comparable between the groups. Conclusions Our interim findings reveal JAKi have comparable effectiveness and safety to bDMARDs at 24 weeks after treatment initiation.

Background/Aims: The Genoss DES™ is a novel, biodegradable, polymer-coated, sirolimus-eluting stent with a cobalt- chromium stent platform and thin strut. Although the safety and effectiveness of this stent have been previously investigated, real-world clinical outcomes data are lacking. Therefore, the aim of this prospective, multicenter trial was to evaluate the clinical safety and effectiveness of the Genoss DES™ in all-comer patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. Methods: The Genoss DES registry is a prospective, single-arm, observational trial for evaluation of clinical outcomes after Genoss DES™ implantation in all-comer patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention from 17 sites in South Korea. The primary endpoint was a device-oriented composite outcome of cardiac death, target vessel-related myocardial infarction (MI), and clinically driven target lesion revascularization (TLR) at 12 months. Results: A total of 1,999 patients (66.4 ± 11.1 years of age; 72.8% male) were analyzed. At baseline, 62.8% and 36.7% of patients had hypertension and diabetes, respectively. The implanted stent number, diameter, and length per patient were 1.5 ± 0.8, 3.1 ± 0.5 mm, and 37.0 ± 25.0 mm, respectively. The primary endpoint occurred in 1.8% patients, with a cardiac death rate of 1.1%, target vessel-related MI rate of 0.2%, and clinically driven TLR rate of 0.8%. Conclusions In this real-world registry, the Genoss DES™ demonstrated excellent safety and effectiveness at 12 months among all-comer patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. These findings suggest that the Genoss DES™ may be a viable treatment option for patients with coronary artery disease.