Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) is a severe condition characterized by extensive lung inflammation and increased alveolar-capillary permeability, often triggered by infections or systemic inflammatory responses. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs)-based therapy holds promise for treating ARDS, as MSCs manifest immunomodulatory and regenerative properties that mitigate inflammation and enhance tissue repair. Primed MSCs, modified to augment specific functionalities, demonstrate superior therapeutic efficacy in targeted therapies compared to naive MSCs. This study explored the immunomodulatory potential of MSCs using mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) assays and co-culture experiments with M1/M2 macrophages. Additionally, RNA sequencing was employed to identify alterations in immune and inflammation-related factors in primed MSCs. The therapeutic effects of primed MSCs were assessed in an LPS-induced ARDS mouse model, and the underlying mechanisms were investigated through spatial transcriptomics analysis. The study revealed that MSCs primed with IFN-γ and IL-1β significantly enhanced the suppression of T cell activity compared to naive MSCs, concurrently inhibiting TNF-α while increasing IL-10 production in macrophages. Notably, combined treatment with these two cytokines resulted in a significant upregulation of immune and inflammation-regulating factors. Furthermore, our analyses elucidated the mechanisms behind the therapeutic effects of primed MSCs, including the inhibition of inflammatory cell infiltration in lung tissue, modulation of immune and inflammatory responses, and enhancement of elastin fiber formation. Signaling pathway analysis confirmed that efficacy could be enhanced by modulating NFκB and TNF-α signaling. In conclusion, in early-phase ARDS, primed MSCs displayed enhanced homing capabilities, improved lung function, and reduced inflammation.

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) is a severe condition characterized by extensive lung inflammation and increased alveolar-capillary permeability, often triggered by infections or systemic inflammatory responses. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs)-based therapy holds promise for treating ARDS, as MSCs manifest immunomodulatory and regenerative properties that mitigate inflammation and enhance tissue repair. Primed MSCs, modified to augment specific functionalities, demonstrate superior therapeutic efficacy in targeted therapies compared to naive MSCs. This study explored the immunomodulatory potential of MSCs using mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) assays and co-culture experiments with M1/M2 macrophages. Additionally, RNA sequencing was employed to identify alterations in immune and inflammation-related factors in primed MSCs. The therapeutic effects of primed MSCs were assessed in an LPS-induced ARDS mouse model, and the underlying mechanisms were investigated through spatial transcriptomics analysis. The study revealed that MSCs primed with IFN-γ and IL-1β significantly enhanced the suppression of T cell activity compared to naive MSCs, concurrently inhibiting TNF-α while increasing IL-10 production in macrophages. Notably, combined treatment with these two cytokines resulted in a significant upregulation of immune and inflammation-regulating factors. Furthermore, our analyses elucidated the mechanisms behind the therapeutic effects of primed MSCs, including the inhibition of inflammatory cell infiltration in lung tissue, modulation of immune and inflammatory responses, and enhancement of elastin fiber formation. Signaling pathway analysis confirmed that efficacy could be enhanced by modulating NFκB and TNF-α signaling. In conclusion, in early-phase ARDS, primed MSCs displayed enhanced homing capabilities, improved lung function, and reduced inflammation.

Purpose: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy combined with meibomian gland expression (MGX) in treating meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) caused by glaucoma eye drops. Methods: This study included 20 patients (aged 18-85 years) who were using glaucoma eye drops and exhibited signs of MGD. Participants underwent four sessions of IPL therapy at 3-week intervals, each followed by MGX. Evaluative measures included the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), best-corrected visual acuity, Schirmer's test, tear break-up time (TBUT), corneal fluorescein staining score (CFS), lid margin abnormalities, meibomian gland expressibility (MGE), meibum quality, lipid layer thickness (LLT), and meiboscore. These assessments were conducted before and after each treatment. Results: After treatment, significant improvements were observed across all measured parameters, including OSDI, Schirmer's test, TBUT, CFS, lid margin abnormalities, MGE, meibum quality, LLT, and meiboscore. Conclusions IPL therapy combined with MGX was effective in improving ocular surface and eyelid abnormalities among patients with MGD induced by glaucoma eye drops. Our findings support the use of IPL and MGX as safe and effective adjunct therapies for these patients.

Purpose: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy combined with meibomian gland expression (MGX) in treating meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) caused by glaucoma eye drops. Methods: This study included 20 patients (aged 18-85 years) who were using glaucoma eye drops and exhibited signs of MGD. Participants underwent four sessions of IPL therapy at 3-week intervals, each followed by MGX. Evaluative measures included the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), best-corrected visual acuity, Schirmer's test, tear break-up time (TBUT), corneal fluorescein staining score (CFS), lid margin abnormalities, meibomian gland expressibility (MGE), meibum quality, lipid layer thickness (LLT), and meiboscore. These assessments were conducted before and after each treatment. Results: After treatment, significant improvements were observed across all measured parameters, including OSDI, Schirmer's test, TBUT, CFS, lid margin abnormalities, MGE, meibum quality, LLT, and meiboscore. Conclusions IPL therapy combined with MGX was effective in improving ocular surface and eyelid abnormalities among patients with MGD induced by glaucoma eye drops. Our findings support the use of IPL and MGX as safe and effective adjunct therapies for these patients.

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) is a severe condition characterized by extensive lung inflammation and increased alveolar-capillary permeability, often triggered by infections or systemic inflammatory responses. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs)-based therapy holds promise for treating ARDS, as MSCs manifest immunomodulatory and regenerative properties that mitigate inflammation and enhance tissue repair. Primed MSCs, modified to augment specific functionalities, demonstrate superior therapeutic efficacy in targeted therapies compared to naive MSCs. This study explored the immunomodulatory potential of MSCs using mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) assays and co-culture experiments with M1/M2 macrophages. Additionally, RNA sequencing was employed to identify alterations in immune and inflammation-related factors in primed MSCs. The therapeutic effects of primed MSCs were assessed in an LPS-induced ARDS mouse model, and the underlying mechanisms were investigated through spatial transcriptomics analysis. The study revealed that MSCs primed with IFN-γ and IL-1β significantly enhanced the suppression of T cell activity compared to naive MSCs, concurrently inhibiting TNF-α while increasing IL-10 production in macrophages. Notably, combined treatment with these two cytokines resulted in a significant upregulation of immune and inflammation-regulating factors. Furthermore, our analyses elucidated the mechanisms behind the therapeutic effects of primed MSCs, including the inhibition of inflammatory cell infiltration in lung tissue, modulation of immune and inflammatory responses, and enhancement of elastin fiber formation. Signaling pathway analysis confirmed that efficacy could be enhanced by modulating NFκB and TNF-α signaling. In conclusion, in early-phase ARDS, primed MSCs displayed enhanced homing capabilities, improved lung function, and reduced inflammation.

Purpose: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy combined with meibomian gland expression (MGX) in treating meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) caused by glaucoma eye drops. Methods: This study included 20 patients (aged 18-85 years) who were using glaucoma eye drops and exhibited signs of MGD. Participants underwent four sessions of IPL therapy at 3-week intervals, each followed by MGX. Evaluative measures included the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), best-corrected visual acuity, Schirmer's test, tear break-up time (TBUT), corneal fluorescein staining score (CFS), lid margin abnormalities, meibomian gland expressibility (MGE), meibum quality, lipid layer thickness (LLT), and meiboscore. These assessments were conducted before and after each treatment. Results: After treatment, significant improvements were observed across all measured parameters, including OSDI, Schirmer's test, TBUT, CFS, lid margin abnormalities, MGE, meibum quality, LLT, and meiboscore. Conclusions IPL therapy combined with MGX was effective in improving ocular surface and eyelid abnormalities among patients with MGD induced by glaucoma eye drops. Our findings support the use of IPL and MGX as safe and effective adjunct therapies for these patients.

Objective: We elucidated the effect of monochorionicity on neonatal and long-term neurologic outcomes on an individual basis in triplets. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the perinatal outcomes and development and growth at 18 to 24 months corrected age (CA) of triplets born alive between 24 and 32 weeks of gestational age (GA) between 2009 and 2021 from the Seoul National University Hospital database. Neurod­evelopmental impairment (NDI) was defined as any delay among the Bayley-III domains (motor and language), cerebral palsy, hearing impairment, or visual loss and was performed at a CA of 18 to 24 months. Results: We included 40 sets of triplets (120 infants), comprising 26, 10, and 4 sets of trichorionic (TC), dichorionic (DC), and monochorionic (MC) triplets, respectively. Ten infants, unaffected by monochorionicity out of 30 DC infants, were included in the non-MC group. Eighty-eight infants were included in the non-MC group, and 32 infants were affected by monochorionicity. In vitro fertilization-embryo transfer was more frequent in the non-MC group (P<0.05), and twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome affected only the MC group (P<0.01). At 24 months of CA, a combined delay of language and cognition in Bayley-III was evident in the MC group (P<0.05). Although NDI did not significantly differ between the 2 groups (P=0.059), the composite outcome of NDI+ postnatal death was significantly different (P<0.05). NDI+ postnatal death correlated with GA, Z-score of birth weight, brain injury, and monochorionicity in the univariate analysis (P<0.05). Multivariate analysis revealed a significant correlation between monochorionicity and NDI+ postnatal death. (P<0.05). Conclusion Monochorionicity is associated with adverse long-term neurodevelopmental out comes.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the current status of periodontal disease programs implemented by public health centers in the Republic of Korea. Methods: An explanatory survey was conducted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare from October to November 2023. The survey focused on the periodontal programs and the implementation status across different stages. Distributed and collected via Google Forms, the survey targeted 196 oral health teams within public health centers in Korea. A total of 109 public health centers responded to the study questionnaire, yielding a participation rate of 55.6%. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, version 26. Results: A majority of periodontal disease programs were implemented exclusively by oral health teams, with a rate of 33.0%. The implementation rate of collaboration with home-visiting health teams was 17.4% and with other teams was 10.1%. The implementation rates of periodontal management across stages were as follows: 11.9% for periodontal examination, 18.3% for periodontal treatment, and 11.9% for sustainable periodontal care. Conclusions Periodontal disease programs are predominantly conducted by oral health teams with limited collaboration across other health teams. Additionally, periodontal management activities, such as examinations and treatments, remain insufficient. Integration between oral health teams and other health teams within public health centers or private dental clinics should be improved.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the current status of periodontal disease programs implemented by public health centers in the Republic of Korea. Methods: An explanatory survey was conducted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare from October to November 2023. The survey focused on the periodontal programs and the implementation status across different stages. Distributed and collected via Google Forms, the survey targeted 196 oral health teams within public health centers in Korea. A total of 109 public health centers responded to the study questionnaire, yielding a participation rate of 55.6%. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, version 26. Results: A majority of periodontal disease programs were implemented exclusively by oral health teams, with a rate of 33.0%. The implementation rate of collaboration with home-visiting health teams was 17.4% and with other teams was 10.1%. The implementation rates of periodontal management across stages were as follows: 11.9% for periodontal examination, 18.3% for periodontal treatment, and 11.9% for sustainable periodontal care. Conclusions Periodontal disease programs are predominantly conducted by oral health teams with limited collaboration across other health teams. Additionally, periodontal management activities, such as examinations and treatments, remain insufficient. Integration between oral health teams and other health teams within public health centers or private dental clinics should be improved.

With advancements in both pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatments, significant changes have occurred in heart failure (HF) management. The previous Korean HF registries, namely the Korea Heart Failure Registry (KorHF-registry) and Korean Acute Heart Failure Registry (KorAHF-registry), no longer accurately reflect contemporary acute heart failure (AHF) patients. Our objective is to assess contemporary AHF patients through a nationwide registry encompassing various aspects, such as clinical characteristics, management approaches, hospital course, and long-term outcomes of individuals hospitalized for AHF in Korea. This prospective observational multicenter cohort study (KorHF III) is organized by the Korean Society of Heart Failure. We aim to prospectively enroll 7,000 or more patients hospitalized for AHF at 47 tertiary hospitals in Korea starting from March 2018. Eligible patients exhibit signs and symptoms of HF and demonstrate either lung congestion or objective evidence of structural or functional cardiac abnormalities in echocardiography, or isolated right-sided HF. Patients will be followed up for up to 5 years after enrollment in the registry to evaluate long-term clinical outcomes. KorHF III represents the nationwide AHF registry that will elucidate the clinical characteristics, management strategies, and outcomes of contemporary AHF patients in Korea.