Objective: To evaluate the clinical characteristics of a nosocomial FCV-VSD outbreak involving 18 cats in Korea. Methods: Medical records of cats diagnosed with FCV-VSD from March to September 2018 at a referral veterinary hospital were reviewed. The patient’s signalment, history, clinical features, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis were evaluated. Results: Two outbreaks involving 18 cats diagnosed with FCV-VSD occurred over a 6-month period at a referral hospital in Korea. Anorexia, lethargy, fever, and limb edema were the most commonly observed clinical symptoms. Lymphopenia and macrothrombocytopenia were the most common hematological findings, and hyperbilirubinemia and increased levels of aspartate aminotransferase, creatine kinase, and serum amyloid A were the most frequent results of serum biochemistry. FCV was detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction in 11 patients and the remaining 7 were suspected with FCV-VSD. The overall mortality rate was 72.2%. The hospital was closed and disinfected twice, and no additional outbreaks have occurred since the last patient. Conclusions and Relevance: The clinical and diagnostic characteristics and outcomes of FCV-VSD described in this study can be used to recognize and contain infectious diseases through quick action. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first report of a nosocomial outbreak of FCV-VSD in Asia.

Background: CycloZ, a combination of cyclo-His-Pro and zinc, has anti-diabetic activity. However, its exact mode of action remains to be elucidated. Methods: KK-Ay mice, a type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) model, were administered CycloZ either as a preventive intervention, or as a therapy. Glycemic control was evaluated using the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels. Liver and visceral adipose tissues (VATs) were used for histological evaluation, gene expression analysis, and protein expression analysis. Results: CycloZ administration improved glycemic control in KK-Ay mice in both prophylactic and therapeutic studies. Lysine acetylation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha, liver kinase B1, and nuclear factor-κB p65 was decreased in the liver and VATs in CycloZ-treated mice. In addition, CycloZ treatment improved mitochondrial function, lipid oxidation, and inflammation in the liver and VATs of mice. CycloZ treatment also increased the level of β-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), which affected the activity of deacetylases, such as sirtuin 1 (Sirt1). Conclusion Our findings suggest that the beneficial effects of CycloZ on diabetes and obesity occur through increased NAD+ synthesis, which modulates Sirt1 deacetylase activity in the liver and VATs. Given that the mode of action of an NAD+ booster or Sirt1 deacetylase activator is different from that of traditional T2DM drugs, CycloZ would be considered a novel therapeutic option for the treatment of T2DM.

Background: Proteomics and genomics studies have contributed to understanding the pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but previous studies have limitations. Here, using a machine learning (ML) algorithm, we attempted to identify pathways in cultured bronchial epithelial cells of COPD patients that were significantly affected when the cells were exposed to a cigarette smoke extract (CSE). Methods: Small airway epithelial cells were collected from patients with COPD and those without COPD who underwent bronchoscopy. After expansion through primary cell culture, the cells were treated with or without CSEs, and the proteomics of the cells were analyzed by mass spectrometry. ML-based feature selection was used to determine the most distinctive patterns in the proteomes of COPD and non-COPD cells after exposure to smoke extract.Publicly available single-cell RNA sequencing data from patients with COPD (GSE136831) were used to analyze and validate our findings. Results: Five patients with COPD and five without COPD were enrolled, and 7,953 proteins were detected. Ferroptosis was enriched in both COPD and non-COPD epithelial cells after their exposure to smoke extract. However, the ML-based analysis identified ferroptosis as the most dramatically different response between COPD and non-COPD epithelial cells, adjusted P value = 4.172 × 10−6 , showing that epithelial cells from COPD patients are particularly vulnerable to the effects of smoke. Single-cell RNA sequencing data showed that in cells from COPD patients, ferroptosis is enriched in basal, goblet, and club cells in COPD but not in other cell types. Conclusion Our ML-based feature selection from proteomic data reveals ferroptosis to be the most distinctive feature of cultured COPD epithelial cells compared to non-COPD epithelial cells upon exposure to smoke extract.

Background: The purpose of this study was to identify the prevalence of posttraumatic embitterment disorder (PTED) among soldiers, and examine its relation to stress, depression, self-esteem, impulsiveness, and suicidal ideation. Methods: The subjects of this study were 200 soldiers and 197 control subjects, a total of 397 persons. Measurement tools used included the PTED self-rating scale, Stress Response Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Inventory, Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, and Beck Scale of Suicide Ideation.Result: The major findings of the analysis are as follows: first, 11.5% of the soldiers were in the risk group for PTED, and 4% of them had PTED. Second, PTED in the soldiers was significantly associated with a number of variables such as their educational background, stress, depression, self-esteem, impulsiveness, and suicidal ideation, while it was not significantly associated with age. Third, through the hierarchical multiple regression analysis, it was found that academic background, stress, and depression had a statistically significant positive effect on the incidence of PTED in the soldiers. Conclusion In order to prevent and effectively intervene in PTED in soldiers, there is a need for interventional efforts focused on depression and stress related to negative life events.

Cyclic GMP-AMP (cGAMP), synthesized by cGAMP synthase (cGAS), serves as a secondary messenger that modulates various cellular processes, including cell proliferation, cell death, immune response, and inflammation. cGAS is activated upon detecting cytoplasmic DNA, which may originate from damaged genomic and mitochondrial DNA or from viral and bacterial infections. The presence of DNA in the cytoplasm can trigger a substantial inflammatory reaction and cytokine production via the cGAS-STING signaling pathway. Consequently, specific inhibitors targeting this pathway hold significant potential as chemopreventive agents. In this review, we explore the potential effectiveness of modulating cGAS activity. We discuss the role of cGAMP, the mechanism of action for distinguishing between self and foreign DNA, and the possible functions of cGAS within the nucleus.

Objectives: ：Depressive disorder and anxiety disorder frequently co-occur, even at sub-threshold level. This study aims to identify network structure of co-morbid depression and anxiety at symptom level in nonclinical population and to reveal the central symptoms and bridge symptoms of the co-morbidity. Methods: ：This study was based on 2022 Asan Youth Mental Health Screening. Patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9) and Generalized anxiety disorder scale (GAD-7) were used to assess depressive and anxiety symptoms of 810 young adult participants from community sample. Network structure of co-morbid depressive and anxiety symptoms was estimated by Isingfit model. Results: ：Depressed mood, Restlessness and Nervousness were the most central symptoms in the network. Bridge symptoms between anxiety and depression were Restlessness and Irritability. Conclusions ：This study revealed key central symptoms and bridge symptoms of co-morbid depression and anxiety in nonclinical population and provided potential insight for treatment targets to reduce co-morbidity.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the clinical usefulness of magnetic resonance (MR) neurography using the 3-dimensional double-echo steady-state with water excitation (3D-DESS-WE) sequence for the preoperative delineation of the facial and lingual nerves. Materials and Methods: Patients underwent MR neurography for a tumor in the parotid gland area or lingual neuropathy from January 2020 to December 2021 were reviewed. Preoperative MR neurography using the 3D-DESS-WE sequence was evaluated. The visibility of the facial nerve and lingual nerve was scored on a 5-point scale, with poor visibility as 1 point and excellent as 5 points. The facial nerve course relative to the tumor wasidentified as superficial, deep, or encased. This was compared to the actual nerve course identified during surgery. The operative findings in lingual nerve surgery were also described. Results: Ten patients with parotid tumors and 3 patients with lingual neuropathy were included. Among 10 parotid tumor patients, 8 were diagnosed with benign tumors and 2 with malignant tumors. The median facial nerve visibility score was 4.5 points. The distribution of scores was as follows: 5 points in 5 cases, 4 points in 1 case, 3 points in 2 cases, and 2 points in 2 cases. The lingual nerve continuity score in the affected area was lower than in the unaffected area in all 3 patients. The average visibility score of the lingual nerve was 2.67 on the affected side and 4 on the unaffected side. Conclusion This study confirmed that the preoperative localization of the facial and lingual nerves using MR neurography with the 3D-DESS-WE sequence was feasible and contributed to surgical planning for the parotid area and lingual nerve.

Peroxiredoxin 6 (PRDX6) is a bifunctional protein with both glutathione peroxidase and calcium-independent phospholipase activity. Recently, we reported that PRDX6 plays an important role in dopaminergic neurodegeneration in Parkinson’s disease.However, the relationship between PRDX6 function and emotional behavior remains elusive. In the present study, we examined depression- and anxiety-like behaviors in PRDX6-overexpressing transgenic (PRDX6-Tg) mice using the forced swim test, tail suspension test, open field paradigm, and elevated plus-maze. PRDX6-Tg mice exhibited depression-like behaviors and low anxiety. In particular, female PRDX6-Tg mice exhibited anxiolytic behavior in the open field test. Furthermore, the serotonin content in the cortex and 5-hydroxytryptophan-induced head twitch response were both reduced in PRDX6-Tg mice. Interestingly, levels of dopa decarboxylase expression in the cortex were decreased in male PRDX6-Tg mice but not in female mice. Our findings provide novel insights into the role of PRDX6 in 5-HT synthesis and suggest that PRDX6 overexpression can induce depression-like behaviors via downregulation of the serotonergic neuronal system.

Objectives: ：Although subclinical depression symptoms are associated with suicidal idea, most research have focused on clinical depression such as major depressive disorder or dysthymia. The aim of this study is to investigate network structure of depressive symptom and to reveal which symptoms are associated with suicidal ideation. Methods: ：We used part of data from the seventh Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Participants were between 19 and 65 years of age (N=8,741). Network analysis with Isingfit model is used to reveal network structure of depressive symptoms and most central symptom and edges assessed by patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9). Results: ：The most two central symptoms were psychomotor activity and suicidal ideation. The strongest edge was psychomotor activity-suicidal ideation. Suicidal ideation also has strong association with depressive mood and worthlessness. Conclusions ：These results suggest that psychomotor activity and suicidal ideation can serve as treatment target for subclinical depression and psychomotor activity, worthlessness and depressed mood may be important factor for early intervention of suicidal ideation.

Objectives: ：The characteristics of depressive symptoms in patients with cancer is different from those in control group. However, few research has focused on the association between depressive symptoms in cancer patients. The aim of this study was to compare the network structure of depressive symptoms between patients with cancer and normal control. Methods: ：This study was based on cohort data from Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2016-2018. The Patient health Quetionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) was used to assess depressive symptoms in 599 patients with cancer and 599 age-sex matched controls. We estimated network structure of depressive symptom using Isingfit model. Results: ：There was no significant difference of each PHQ-9 item score. There were strong associations be-tween symptoms were concentration problem-psychomotor activity, anhedonia-depressed mood, and depressed mood-suicidal ideation in both groups. Strength centrality of worthlessness was significantly higher in patients with cancer. Conclusions ：These results suggest that worthless is associated with other depressive symptoms more tightly in patients with cancer. Worthless can serve as important treatment targets for intervention of depression in patients with cancer.