1.First report of iron-overload myopathy due to secondary hemochromatosis in a dog
Jae-Hyuk YIM ; Tae-Un KIM ; Woo Jun KIM ; Seulgi BAE ; Sungho YUN ; Su-Min BAEK ; Jin-Kyu PARK
Journal of Veterinary Science 2025;26(1):e3-
and Relevance: Severe necrosis and mild fibrosis were observed in the liver and forelimb skeletal muscles. Based on histological analysis, we diagnosed iron overload myopathy by secondary hemochromatosis. Secondary hemochromatosis with severe muscle atrophy and myositis is very rare, and this is the first report of iron-overload myopathy in a dog.
2.Characteristics and Prevalence of Sequelae after COVID-19: A Longitudinal Cohort Study
Se Ju LEE ; Yae Jee BAEK ; Su Hwan LEE ; Jung Ho KIM ; Jin Young AHN ; Jooyun KIM ; Ji Hoon JEON ; Hyeri SEOK ; Won Suk CHOI ; Dae Won PARK ; Yunsang CHOI ; Kyoung-Ho SONG ; Eu Suk KIM ; Hong Bin KIM ; Jae-Hoon KO ; Kyong Ran PECK ; Jae-Phil CHOI ; Jun Hyoung KIM ; Hee-Sung KIM ; Hye Won JEONG ; Jun Yong CHOI
Infection and Chemotherapy 2025;57(1):72-80
Background:
The World Health Organization has declared the end of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) public health emergency. However, this did not indicate the end of COVID-19. Several months after the infection, numerous patients complain of respiratory or nonspecific symptoms; this condition is called long COVID. Even patients with mild COVID-19 can experience long COVID, thus the burden of long COVID remains considerable. Therefore, we conducted this study to comprehensively analyze the effects of long COVID using multi-faceted assessments.
Materials and Methods:
We conducted a prospective cohort study involving patients diagnosed with COVID-19 between February 2020 and September 2021 in six tertiary hospitals in Korea. Patients were followed up at 1, 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months after discharge. Long COVID was defined as the persistence of three or more COVID-19-related symptoms. The primary outcome of this study was the prevalence of long COVID after the period of COVID-19.
Results:
During the study period, 290 patients were enrolled. Among them, 54.5 and 34.6% experienced long COVID within 6 months and after more than 18 months, respectively. Several patients showed abnormal results when tested for post-traumatic stress disorder (17.4%) and anxiety (31.9%) after 18 months. In patients who underwent follow-up chest computed tomography 18 months after COVID-19, abnormal findings remained at 51.9%. Males (odds ratio [OR], 0.17; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.05–0.53; P=0.004) and elderly (OR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.00–1.09; P=0.04) showed a significant association with long COVID after 12–18 months in a multivariable logistic regression analysis.
Conclusion
Many patients still showed long COVID after 18 months post SARS-CoV-2 infection. When managing these patients, the assessment of multiple aspects is necessary.
3.First report of iron-overload myopathy due to secondary hemochromatosis in a dog
Jae-Hyuk YIM ; Tae-Un KIM ; Woo Jun KIM ; Seulgi BAE ; Sungho YUN ; Su-Min BAEK ; Jin-Kyu PARK
Journal of Veterinary Science 2025;26(1):e3-
and Relevance: Severe necrosis and mild fibrosis were observed in the liver and forelimb skeletal muscles. Based on histological analysis, we diagnosed iron overload myopathy by secondary hemochromatosis. Secondary hemochromatosis with severe muscle atrophy and myositis is very rare, and this is the first report of iron-overload myopathy in a dog.
4.Precise application of O-arm navigation system in thoracolumbar fractures with developmental pedicle stenosis
Lintao SU ; Jianfeng JIANG ; Jun MA ; Liangliang HUANG ; Changyu LEI ; Yaozheng HAN ; Hui KANG
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(9):1855-1862
BACKGROUND:For thoracolumbar spine fractures with developmental stenosis of the vertebral arch,accurate nail placement is difficult using traditional fluoroscopy-assisted techniques.O-arm navigation assistance systems offer higher precision in general vertebral arch nail placement,but there is scarce literature on the application of O-arm navigation-assisted nail placement in thoracolumbar spine fractures with developmental stenosis of the vertebral arch both domestically and abroad. OBJECTIVE:To explore the accuracy of percutaneous vertebral arch nail placement assisted by O-arm navigation in patients with thoracolumbar spine fractures complicated by developmental stenosis of the vertebral arch. METHODS:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 53 patients who underwent percutaneous vertebral arch screw fixation surgery at Department of Orthopedics,General Hospital of Central Theater Command of PLA for thoracolumbar spine fractures complicated by developmental stenosis of the vertebral arch from January 2021 to March 2023.Totally 208 cases of vertebral arch developmental stenosis were found(cases with multiple vertebral arch developmental stenosis were counted separately).Based on the surgical approach,the patients were divided into two groups:O-arm navigation group(n=98)and C-arm fluoroscopy group(n=110).Postoperative imaging data were compared between the two groups,including anatomical perforation score,functional perforation score,actual vs.expected nail trajectory in the horizontal plane,and sagittal plane angle differences. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)There was no significant difference in the narrowest width of the pedicle isthmus(pow)between the two groups of patients(P>0.05).The proportions of different degrees of narrowing(mild:6 mm≤pow<7 mm,moderate:5 mm≤pow<6 mm,severe:pow<5 mm)were also not significantly different between the two groups(P>0.05).(2)The overall grade and scores of anatomical perforation and functional perforation were lower in the O-arm group compared to the C-arm group,and these differences were statistically significant(P<0.001).In terms of the angular deviation between the actual and planned screw trajectories,the O-arm group had smaller deviations,and these differences were statistically significant(P<0.05).(3)In the mild and moderate narrowing groups,the O-arm group showed significant advantages in anatomical perforation,functional perforation,and angular deviation between actual and planned screw trajectories,and these differences were statistically significant(P<0.001).(4)The O-arm group demonstrated better performance in anatomical perforation and functional perforation,especially in the T12-L2 segment,with more significant advantages.Additionally,the O-arm group had better angular deviations in actual and planned screw trajectories in all segments compared to the C-arm group.(5)Therefore,the use of O-arm navigation-assisted percutaneous screw placement for the treatment of thoracolumbar fractures with developmental pedicle isthmal narrowing provides higher accuracy and safer surgery.
5.Traditional Chinese Medicine Intervenes in Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease by Regulating TLR4 Signaling Pathway: A Review
Zhiwei SU ; Juan XUE ; Jun SUN ; Heng FAN ; Rui ZHU ; Chunyan JI
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(5):291-299
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a chronic liver disease closely related to metabolism, which is mainly characterized by abnormal lipid deposition in hepatocytes. In recent years, with the increasing prevalence of obesity and metabolic syndrome, NAFLD has become one of the most common chronic diseases in the world. The pathogenesis of NAFLD is complex and varied, involving the cross-regulation of multiple signaling pathways such as glucose-lipid metabolism, oxidative stress, and inflammation. The TLR4 signaling pathway plays a key role in the development and progression of NAFLD, and abnormal activation of this pathway accelerates the deterioration of NAFLD by promoting the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, inducing oxidative stress, and exacerbating insulin resistance. Studies have shown that traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) can regulate the TLR4 signaling pathway to alleviate the symptoms and pathological features of NAFLD. The present review summarizes the experimental research progress in the TCM regulation of the TLR4 signaling pathway in treating NAFLD in the past 5 years, covering a wide range of TCM active ingredients (such as polysaccharides, terpenoids, alkaloids, flavonoids) and compound prescriptions. The active ingredients and compound prescriptions of TCM can effectively ameliorate lipid metabolism disorders, reduce insulin resistance, regulate intestinal flora, and inhibit inflammation and oxidative stress by regulating the TLR4 signaling pathway via multiple targets and pathways, thus slowing down the progression of NAFLD. Through in-depth analysis of the pathological mechanisms of NAFLD and exploration of the potential of TLR4 signaling pathway as a therapeutic target, we can provide theoretical support for the application of TCM in the treatment of NAFLD, as well as new perspectives and directions for future clinical research and new drug development, thereby promoting the innovation and development of therapeutic strategies for NAFLD.
6.The Ferroptosis-inducing Compounds in Triple Negative Breast Cancer
Xin-Die WANG ; Da-Li FENG ; Xiang CUI ; Su ZHOU ; Peng-Fei ZHANG ; Zhi-Qiang GAO ; Li-Li ZOU ; Jun WANG
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(4):804-819
Ferroptosis, a programmed cell death modality discovered and defined in the last decade, is primarily induced by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation. At present, it has been found that ferroptosis is involved in various physiological functions such as immune regulation, growth and development, aging, and tumor suppression. Especially its role in tumor biology has attracted extensive attention and research. Breast cancer is one of the most common female tumors, characterized by high heterogeneity and complex genetic background. Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a special type of breast cancer, which lacks conventional breast cancer treatment targets and is prone to drug resistance to existing chemotherapy drugs and has a low cure rate after progression and metastasis. There is an urgent need to find new targets or develop new drugs. With the increase of studies on promoting ferroptosis in breast cancer, it has gradually attracted attention as a treatment strategy for breast cancer. Some studies have found that certain compounds and natural products can act on TNBC, promote their ferroptosis, inhibit cancer cells proliferation, enhance sensitivity to radiotherapy, and improve resistance to chemotherapy drugs. To promote the study of ferroptosis in TNBC, this article summarized and reviewed the compounds and natural products that induce ferroptosis in TNBC and their mechanisms of action. We started with the exploration of the pathways of ferroptosis, with particular attention to the System Xc--cystine-GPX4 pathway and iron metabolism. Then, a series of compounds, including sulfasalazine (SAS), metformin, and statins, were described in terms of how they interact with cells to deplete glutathione (GSH), thereby inhibiting the activity of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) and preventing the production of lipid peroxidases. The disruption of the cellular defense against oxidative stress ultimately results in the death of TNBC cells. We have also our focus to the realm of natural products, exploring the therapeutic potential of traditional Chinese medicine extracts for TNBC. These herbal extracts exhibit multi-target effects and good safety, and have shown promising capabilities in inducing ferroptosis in TNBC cells. We believe that further exploration and characterization of these natural compounds could lead to the development of a new generation of cancer therapeutics. In addition to traditional chemotherapy, we discussed the role of drug delivery systems in enhancing the efficacy and reducing the toxicity of ferroptosis inducers. Nanoparticles such as exosomes and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) can improve the solubility and bioavailability of these compounds, thereby expanding their therapeutic potential while minimizing systemic side effects. Although preclinical data on ferroptosis inducers are relatively robust, their translation into clinical practice remains in its early stages. We also emphasize the urgent need for more in-depth and comprehensive research to understand the complex mechanisms of ferroptosis in TNBC. This is crucial for the rational design and development of clinical trials, as well as for leveraging ferroptosis to improve patient outcomes. Hoping the above summarize and review could provide references for the research and development of lead compounds for the treatment for TNBC.
7.A comparison of health-related quality of life using the World Health Organization Quality of Life–BREF and 5-Level EuroQol-5 Dimensions in the Malaysian population
Andrian LIEM ; Hui Jun CHIH ; Vithya VELAITHAN ; Richard NORMAN ; Daniel REIDPATH ; Tin Tin SU
Osong Public Health and Research Perspectives 2025;16(2):126-140
Objectives:
This study aimed to describe and compare health-related quality of life (QoL) as measured by the World Health Organization Quality of Life–BREF (WHOQoL-BREF) and the EuroQol-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D) among the Malaysian population, examining differences by sociodemographic characteristics including age, income, sex, ethnicity, educational level, and occupation.
Methods:
This cross-sectional study used data from 19,402 individuals collected as part of a health and demographic surveillance system survey conducted in the Segamat district of Malaysia in 2018–2019. Descriptive statistics and measures of central tendency were produced.Differences in QoL among demographic sub-groups were examined using the t-test and analysisof variance, while the correlations between the WHOQoL-BREF and EQ-5D were evaluated usingPearson correlation coefficients.
Results:
Based on complete case analysis (n = 19,129), the average scores for the 4 WHOQoLBREF domains were 28.2 (physical), 24.1 (psychological), 12.0 (social relationships), and 30.4 (environment). The percentages of participants not in full health for each EQ-5D dimension were 12.8% (mobility), 3.1% (self-care), 6.9% (usual activities), 20.9% (pain/discomfort), and 6.8% (anxiety/depression). Correlations between the 4 WHOQoL-BREF domains and the 5 EQ-5D dimensions were relatively weak, ranging from –0.06 (social relationships with self-care and pain/discomfort; p < 0.001) to –0.42 (physical with mobility; p < 0.001).
Conclusion
Although health-related QoL as measured by the WHOQoL-BREF and the EQ-5D are correlated, these 2 measures should not be considered interchangeable. The choice betweenthem should be guided by the specific research questions and the intended use of the data.
8.Health rights of inmates in correctional facilities in Korea as of 2016: a cross-sectional study
Young Su JU ; Myoung-hee KIM ; Jun YIM ; Minyoung CHOUNG
The Ewha Medical Journal 2025;48(1):e75-
9.Characteristics and outcomes of portal vein thrombosis in patients with inflammatory bowel disease in Korea
Ki Jin KIM ; Su-Bin SONG ; Jung-Bin PARK ; June Hwa BAE ; Ji Eun BAEK ; Ga Hee KIM ; Min-Jun KIM ; Seung Wook HONG ; Sung Wook HWANG ; Dong-Hoon YANG ; Byong Duk YE ; Jeong-Sik BYEON ; Seung-Jae MYUNG ; Suk-Kyun YANG ; Chang Sik YU ; Yong-Sik YOON ; Jong-Lyul LEE ; Min Hyun KIM ; Ho-Su LEE ; Sang Hyoung PARK
The Korean Journal of Internal Medicine 2025;40(2):243-250
Background/Aims:
Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) frequently occurs in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), particularly when influenced by factors such as abdominal infections, IBD flare-ups, or surgical procedures. The implications of PVT range from immediate issues such as intestinal ischemia to long-term concerns including portal hypertension and its complications. However, there is a notable gap in comprehensive studies on PVT in IBD, especially with the increasing incidence of IBD in Asia. This research aimed to evaluate the clinical features and outcomes of PVT in patients with IBD at a leading hospital in South Korea.
Methods:
This retrospective analysis reviewed adult patients diagnosed with both IBD and PVT from 1989 to 2021 at a renowned South Korean medical center. The study focused on patient characteristics, specifics of PVT, administered treatments, and outcomes, all confirmed through enhanced CT scans.
Results:
A total of 78 patients met the study’s criteria. Notably, only 20.5% (16/78) were treated with oral anticoagulants; however, a vast majority (96.2%; 75/78) achieved complete radiographic resolution (CRR). When comparing patients receiving anticoagulants to those who did not, a significant preference for anticoagulant use was observed in cases where the main portal vein was affected, as opposed to just the left or right veins (p = 0.006). However, multivariable analysis indicated that neither anticoagulant use nor previous surgeries significantly impacted CRR.
Conclusions
Patients with IBD and PVT generally had favorable outcomes, regardless of anticoagulant use.
10.Immunologic Response and Effects of COVID-19Vaccines in Patients with Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody-Associated Vasculitis
Ki Hyun LEE ; Hyunsue DO ; Jun Yong CHOI ; Yong-Beom PARK ; Sinyoung KIM ; Sang-Won LEE ; Su Jin JEONG
Yonsei Medical Journal 2025;66(5):259-268
Purpose:
The immunological response and adverse effects of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis (AAV) in patients receiving coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) vaccines remain unclear. We aimed to evaluate the effects of these vaccines on AAV disease activity.
Materials and Methods:
We reviewed the medical records of 52 patients with AAV who had received at least second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine and evaluated their immunogenicity by measuring the anti-spike (S) antibody (Ab) titer levels using the Roche Elecsys® immunoassay. Responses to the Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score (BVAS) tool and 36-Item Short Form Survey before and after vaccination were obtained to assess AAV disease activity. Vaccine reactivity was measured using a standardized questionnaire.
Results:
We enrolled 52 patients with AAV. No differences were found between those who received second and third doses of vaccination in terms of AAV type, disease activity, vaccine type, or the use of immunosuppressive agents, including steroids. The median anti-S Ab titer was 3967.0 after third doses compared to 419.0 after second doses (p=0.001). Except for mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), when immunosuppressants were administered in conjunction with steroids, the Ab titer was higher after the third vaccination than that after the second dose. The BVAS remained unchanged before and after second and third doses. No life-threatening adverse events were reported.
Conclusion
Although COVID-19 vaccine may not produce sufficient antibodies in patients taking MMF, the vaccine did not exacerbate disease activity or cause severe side effects. Therefore, COVID-19 vaccines should be considered in patients with AAV.

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