Eui-Seok Lee

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This review surveys recent progress in portable, on-site devices for detecting pesticide residues in food that exceed legal safety limits. Biosensors incorporating biological recognition molecules, nanomaterials, and digital readouts have advanced rapidly, but challenges remain in detecting multiple pesticides at once, handling complex food matrices, and meeting regulatory standards. Future development should focus on miniaturization, AI-assisted analysis, and international standardization of testing protocols.

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A newborn with joint contractures and breathing problems was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder (Schaaf-Yang syndrome) caused by a new spontaneous mutation in the MAGEL2 gene. Because this gene is only active when inherited from the father, diagnosing it requires both DNA sequencing and methylation testing to confirm which parent's copy carries the mutation. This case demonstrates the diagnostic workflow needed to accurately identify this syndrome, which can otherwise be confused with similar conditions.

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In a rat model of rotator cuff tears, researchers tracked gene expression changes before and after surgical repair, finding that two markers—Collagen I and a mechanical stress sensor called YAP1—were consistently reduced during degeneration and robustly recovered after successful repair. The same reduction in YAP1 was confirmed in degenerative human tendon samples, and mechanical loading in lab-grown tissue reinforced YAP1 activity. YAP1 emerges as a promising biomarker for tracking tendon health and a potential therapeutic target.

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This review covers how patient-specific biodegradable scaffolds made by 3D printing are being used to rebuild bone lost in the jaw due to gum disease, injury, or tooth removal. Composite materials combining structural polymers with bone-conductive ceramics showed the best results in both lab and early clinical studies. Bioactive additions like stem cells and growth factors further enhance tissue regeneration, and the technology is advancing toward routine clinical use in oral and jaw surgery.

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A six-week nurse-delivered self-care program called HEALing improved psychological wellbeing, foot care confidence, wound knowledge, and even blood sugar control in 29 patients with diabetic foot ulcers, with 90% completing all sessions. Patients described gaining knowledge, emotional support, and motivation to take better care of their feet. This feasibility study supports scaling the program and testing it in a larger trial to confirm its clinical benefits.

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This study examined how cleaning the metal-semiconductor contact surface on high-speed light-detecting devices (UTC photodiodes) affects their performance. Cleaning with a buffered oxide etchant outperformed other methods by allowing a thin protective oxide layer to remain at the interface, which reduced unwanted current leakage and improved detection speed and efficiency. The absorber layer thickness had little effect, pointing to surface treatment as the key variable for optimizing these devices.

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A case report describes the first documented use of fibrin glue to seal a microscopic wound leak that caused dangerously low eye pressure after removing an older type of implantable lens and replacing it with a modern corrective lens. Standard repair with sutures had failed to stop the leak, but fibrin glue resolved it within a day, restoring normal pressure and preserving the patient's vision. This approach offers a minimally invasive option when sutures are insufficient in this type of lens exchange surgery.

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A rapid, field-deployable diagnostic test was developed for Megalocytivirus pagrus 1, a virus causing high mortality in farmed fish. The test uses a technique called digital MIRA-EXO and detected the virus in 92% of infected samples with 100% specificity—no false positives—in under an hour without specialized lab equipment. It performed as well as the official reference PCR method and could improve disease surveillance and outbreak response in aquaculture.

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Researchers engineered black nightshade plants (Solanum nigrum) to redirect their natural steroid chemistry toward producing diosgenin, a compound used as the starting material for manufacturing steroid drugs like corticosteroids and birth control pills. By disabling two key metabolic enzymes and using fermentation to complete the chemical conversion, green fruits of the engineered plant accumulated diosgenin at up to 1% of dry weight. This establishes a new plant-based production platform that could reduce reliance on wild-harvested yams.

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CT scans of patients with a particularly invasive type of stomach cancer (poorly cohesive gastric carcinoma) showed that the cancerous lymph nodes were significantly smaller than those in other gastric cancer types—averaging about 6 mm versus 9 mm. This means the standard radiological threshold for flagging suspicious lymph nodes misses many cases in this cancer type. Lowering the size cutoff to 6 mm for pre-surgical CT scans of poorly cohesive gastric carcinoma could improve staging accuracy.

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Among over 1,500 breast cancer patients who completed five years of hormone therapy without recurrence, the factors that predicted late relapse differed markedly by menopause status: in premenopausal women, lymph node involvement and younger age at diagnosis were the dominant risk factors, while in postmenopausal women, tumor size above 2 cm was the main predictor. These divergent risk profiles suggest that decisions about extended hormone therapy should be tailored based on menopausal status rather than applying the same criteria to all patients.

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Using a gene-silencing tool (CRISPRi), researchers knocked down four genes in Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP)—the bacterium that causes Johne's disease in cattle and has been linked to Crohn's disease in humans—and observed how each mutant grew and survived under stress. Silencing one gene notably impaired bacterial growth, while others affected survival under nutrient deprivation or oxidative stress. The work identifies specific genes that are likely important for MAP's ability to cause disease.

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This study compared three ways to prepare zirconia dental crowns for bonding to titanium: chemical treatment, sandblasting, and laser texturing. Laser texturing produced the strongest bonds and a higher proportion of favorable failure patterns, but it also reduced the material's bending strength, particularly in a tougher grade of zirconia (5Y-PSZ). Clinicians should weigh the bond strength benefit against the potential weakening of the ceramic when choosing surface preparation methods.

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Researchers discovered that adding specific DNA sequences to the end of the promoter used to drive RNA production (in a lab RNA synthesis system) can block transcription when those sequences are rich in certain building blocks (cytosine and thymine). By engineering enzymes that remove these blocking sequences on command, they built two programmable RNA synthesis switches that work without any added proteins or chemicals. This platform could enable precise, on-demand production of therapeutic RNA molecules.

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This review examined whether diabetes mellitus affects the likelihood of developing a painful nerve growth called a symptomatic neuroma after amputation. Some evidence suggests that diabetic nerve damage reduces neuroma formation by impairing the regrowth of nerve fibers, but the data are mixed. Surgical techniques like targeted muscle reinnervation (TMR) show promise for preventing neuromas but have not been well studied in diabetic patients, who face higher surgical risks.

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Using live-cell microscopy to track individual molecules, researchers showed that DNMT1—the enzyme that copies DNA methylation patterns when cells divide—only needs to be bound to DNA about 12% of the time to maintain full epigenetic inheritance. Drug treatments that inhibit DNMT1, including one thought to work without trapping the enzyme, all caused it to become stuck on DNA. These findings clarify how DNMT1 works in living cells and how current and future drugs that target it actually function.

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Three herbal extract combinations were tested against two major viruses causing diarrhea in newborn calves (bovine rotavirus and coronavirus) and against inflammation in lab models. All three extracts inhibited both viruses and reduced some inflammatory markers, while one extract (C) also promoted a specific type of immune activation (Th1/Th17) in cattle blood cells. These preliminary results suggest herbal extracts could complement or reduce antibiotic use in managing calf diarrheal disease.

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This review summarizes what is known about phyllodes tumors—rare breast tumors that can range from completely benign to highly aggressive and metastatic. Key challenges include difficulty distinguishing grades on needle biopsy, lack of consensus on how wide surgical margins should be, and uncertainty about when to use radiation or other adjuvant therapy. Advances in molecular profiling are beginning to identify targets for therapy in aggressive cases, but larger prospective studies are still needed.

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Machine learning models trained on electronic health records from over 375,000 adults with mild-to-moderate kidney disease accurately predicted which patients would develop worsening heart failure or die within a follow-up period, achieving strong performance across different ages, sexes, and racial groups. The models used more than 500 clinical variables and maintained accuracy even as kidney function worsened. They are ready for deployment in hospital systems to help prioritize high-risk patients for preventive care.

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An analysis of over 500,000 patients aged 50 and older at Singapore's public primary care clinics found that 60% had two or more chronic conditions, with hypertension and high cholesterol appearing in nearly all of the most common and costly disease combinations. Despite the enormous variety of possible combinations, just a handful accounted for the majority of cases and costs. This points to the need for integrated care pathways designed around the most prevalent multi-disease clusters rather than treating each condition separately.

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In obese male mice, a gut immune protein called interleukin-22 (IL-22) directly stimulates production of GLP-1, a hormone that controls blood sugar by promoting insulin release. When IL-22 was absent, GLP-1 dropped and blood sugar regulation worsened; restoring IL-22 reversed these effects. This IL-22 to GLP-1 pathway is a previously unrecognized link between gut immunity and metabolic health, and could be targeted to treat obesity-related diabetes.

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Lactose-free milk fermented with two probiotic strains (NK24 and NK34) remained stable in quality over 28 days of refrigeration and activated immune responses in laboratory macrophage cells—stimulating nitric oxide production, increased phagocytosis, and inflammatory signaling through the NF-κB and MAPK pathways. These effects were comparable to those triggered by bacterial cell wall components, suggesting genuine immune-stimulating activity. The findings support development of these fermented milks as functional foods for people who are lactose intolerant.

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A large multicenter study evaluated how well the updated 2022 Korean liver cancer imaging guidelines (KLCA-NCC v2022) identify hepatocellular carcinoma on MRI. The new version is slightly more sensitive but less specific than the prior version, and a particular category of lesions called "probable HCC" had a notably lower positive predictive value—mostly because benign nodules called FNH were frequently misclassified. Radiologists using these guidelines should be aware of this pitfall, especially when the lesion lacks arterial enhancement.

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Two strains of lactic acid bacteria isolated from kimchi (WB4404 and WB4503) were found to kill human colorectal cancer cells by activating the cell's own internal self-destruction program. The bacteria triggered a chain of molecular signals—caspase activation, DNA fragmentation, and a shift in the Bax/Bcl-2 protein ratio—that are hallmarks of programmed cell death. These strains show promise as probiotic candidates that could be incorporated into functional foods with anticancer properties.

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Among patients who had stomach cancer removed by endoscopy, tumors larger than 2 cm were the strongest predictor of a positive lateral margin—meaning cancer cells were likely left behind at the edge of the resection. A specific pattern of tumor spread beneath the normal mucosa (subepithelial spread ≥5 mm) also significantly raised this risk. Surgeons should consider wider resection margins when these features are present to reduce the chance of leaving residual disease.

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This review consolidates current guidelines on preventing and managing bowel perforations caused by ERCP, a common endoscopic procedure used to treat bile duct and pancreas problems. Most perforations around the sphincter or in the bile duct can be managed without surgery using endoscopic clips or stents, while large tears in the intestinal wall often require urgent surgery. Early recognition, careful technique, and a systematic classification of injury severity are the keys to good outcomes.

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A compound called 1β,6α-dihydroxyeudesm-4(15)-ene (DE), isolated from myrrh, protected lab-grown human neurons from a toxin that models the cell death seen in Parkinson's disease. DE blocked multiple cell-death pathways—it reduced oxidative damage, stabilized mitochondria, and rebalanced a key stress-signaling network (the MAP kinase pathway). These results identify DE as a candidate neuroprotective agent worth further study in Parkinson's disease research.

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Researchers built a laser-based distance and speed sensor (LiDAR) using a polymer chip with 128 tiny light-steering elements that emit a flat line of light instead of a single point. This line-beam approach scans a scene faster than conventional point-by-point methods and can simultaneously measure how far away objects are and how fast they are moving. The technology could speed up 3D mapping for autonomous vehicles and robotics.

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A plant-derived compound called a triterpenoid was found to cause lipid membranes to curve and fuse into very small, stable spherical structures about 20 nanometers across—far smaller than typical drug-delivery vesicles. The compound acts like molecular glue, holding the membrane together despite the stress of extreme curvature, and the resulting structures resist heat, acid, and detergents. These ultrasmall, stable lipid nanocages could improve drug delivery through the skin and other barriers.

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Experiments simulating online delivery of raw chicken found that two ice packs were insufficient to keep meat safe at room temperature (25°C) or higher—bacterial counts, nitrogen levels, and oxidation all exceeded safety limits within two days. Even four ice packs failed at room temperature, and the placement of ice packs affected results. Online grocery platforms and regulators need stronger cold-chain standards for fresh poultry delivery.

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This study compared how well key clotting proteins survive in liquid plasma (stored refrigerated for up to 26 days) versus thawed plasma (used within 5 days of thawing). Fibrinogen and protein C levels were comparable between the two, but factors V, VIII, and especially protein S were lower in the older liquid plasma. Liquid plasma is still a viable backup for emergency transfusions, though clinicians should be aware of its reduced levels of some clotting factors.

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Researchers used computational design to identify a tripeptide called KCV (Tripeptide-132) that binds strongly to hair proteins. When applied to hair, a fatty-acid-modified version of KCV increased tensile strength by 44% and reduced breakage by nearly half, with the molecule penetrating deep into the hair shaft. This offers a science-driven approach to developing hair care products that structurally repair and reinforce damaged hair.

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Two clinical cases demonstrated that a light-based imaging technique called quantitative light-induced fluorescence (QLF) can detect cavities forming under existing tooth fillings before they are visible on standard X-rays or clinical exam. In one case it confirmed deep decay requiring a root canal; in another it caught an early lesion that could be managed with preventive care alone. Early detection of these hidden cavities changes treatment decisions and can save teeth.

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An epigenome-wide study of over 1,300 Singaporeans identified three new DNA methylation sites linked to carotid artery wall thickness, a marker of heart disease risk. One of these sites appears to influence coronary artery disease risk through a gene involved in immune regulation. A combined methylation score from these three sites nearly tripled the odds of having elevated carotid thickness, highlighting new biological targets for cardiovascular disease research in Asian populations.

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A UV-absorbing compound called Porphyra-334, derived from algae, was shown to fight skin aging through mechanisms that don't require UV exposure—it neutralizes harmful reactive oxygen species, boosts collagen production, reduces collagen-degrading enzymes, and slows the formation of sugar-protein crosslinks that stiffen skin. These effects were confirmed in human skin cells and in artificial skin tissue models. The results position Porphyra-334 as a potential multifunctional ingredient in sunscreens and anti-aging cosmetics.

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Researchers re-analyzed 161 strains of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) using the complete spike gene and found that Korean strains previously classified as one subgroup actually belong to a newer subgroup (G2e), formed by recombination between two other lineages. This reclassification matters because the spike protein drives how the virus infects cells and determines its virulence. Keeping classification current ensures vaccines and outbreak-tracking tools remain accurate.

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A nationwide survey of emergency physicians in South Korea found that nearly 15% showed signs of moderate-to-severe depression, driven not by raw workload hours but by perceived staff shortages, verbal abuse, poor sleep, and irregular eating habits. Being married and having good overall wellness were protective. These findings point to specific, addressable factors—workplace safety, sleep support, and social connection—that hospital systems can target to protect physician mental health.

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This review covers both established and emerging treatments for Alzheimer's disease, including drugs that target amyloid plaques and tau tangles as well as plant-based compounds with potential neuroprotective effects. It also discusses gene therapy approaches and advances in nanoparticle-based drug delivery that aim to get therapies into the brain more effectively. The review identifies gaps in current treatments and highlights directions for developing therapies that modify disease progression rather than just managing symptoms.

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A small randomized trial in Singapore tested whether giving primary care patients their personalized colorectal cancer risk score increased their likelihood of getting screened. Patients shown their risk scores were nearly twice as likely to complete screening (63% vs. 33%) compared to those given standard recommendations. The risk tool was easy to use and well accepted by both patients and doctors, supporting its integration into routine primary care visits to boost screening rates.

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This review explains how manganese (Mn) toxicity—relevant to occupational exposure and certain neurological conditions—disrupts the mitochondrial maintenance systems that normally keep brain cells healthy. Mn impairs the cell's ability to remove damaged mitochondria (mitophagy), skews mitochondria toward fragmentation over fusion, and suppresses the production of new mitochondria. These combined defects in mitochondrial quality control contribute to the inflammation and cell death seen in manganese-induced brain damage.

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In 47 patients who received knee replacement surgery in both knees—one using an intramedullary alignment guide and the other an extramedullary guide—there were no significant differences in bone alignment, joint line position, or range of motion between the two methods at one year. The study controlled for patient-level variables by comparing both methods within the same individuals. Surgeons can choose between these alignment techniques based on patient anatomy and preference without expecting different outcomes.

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The HELIOS study enrolled 10,004 Singaporeans from Chinese, Indian, and Malay backgrounds and collected detailed health measurements alongside genome sequencing, RNA profiling, DNA methylation, and metabolomics data. Analysis revealed extensive biological differences between the three ethnic groups, including distinct patterns of gene regulation linked to diet, education, body fat, and risk of diabetes and other chronic diseases. The cohort is designed as a long-term resource for precision medicine research in Asian populations.

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Using Random Forest models fitted to 69 legally protected plant species, researchers mapped current habitat suitability and projected future distributions across South Korea under two climate scenarios through 2090. High-diversity areas concentrated along mountain ranges and Jeju Island are projected to shrink significantly, especially under high emissions, while southern lowlands face the greatest losses. The resulting species-richness maps identify climate refugia and can guide decisions about where to prioritize conservation investment.

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A modified PCR method that combines the reverse transcription and first amplification steps into a single tube was 1,000 times more sensitive at detecting spring viremia of carp virus—a major threat to farmed carp—than the standard two-step method recommended by the World Organisation for Animal Health. It also improved field sample detection rates from 84% to 92% while reducing hands-on time and contamination risk. The authors propose it as a candidate replacement for the current diagnostic standard.

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When the nematode worm C. elegans becomes overcrowded, it secretes a protease enzyme (CPR-4, similar to human cathepsin B) that damages DNA in reproductive cells, reducing fertility and increasing embryo death as a density-control mechanism. Animals grown through 10 generations of crowding accumulated nearly three times more new mutations per generation than uncrowded animals, with mutations concentrated in non-coding regions and accompanied by growth advantages. This identifies a molecular mechanism by which population density drives genome evolution.

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Using 11 different modeling algorithms combined into a single ensemble, researchers predicted how suitable habitat for eight endangered amphibians and reptiles in South Korea will change under moderate and high greenhouse gas scenarios by the 2070s. High-species-richness areas are projected to shrink by 22–45%, with habitats shifting northeastward and lowland areas losing the most ground. Three species with narrow habitat requirements and restricted ranges were identified as conservation priorities.

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A Persian Chinchilla cat developed a rare and fatal condition called Budd-Chiari-like syndrome—obstruction of blood flow from the liver—caused by an massively enlarged liver full of cysts compressing a major vein. Whole-genome sequencing identified mutations in several genes associated with polycystic kidney and liver disease. This is the first reported feline case of this vascular complication from cyst-driven liver enlargement, and it highlights the importance of checking for vascular complications in cats with advanced polycystic disease.

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A multicenter Korean study of 787 women found that nipple-sparing mastectomy is equally safe for women with BRCA1/2 gene mutations as for those without, with comparable local recurrence rates (around 6-7%) at a median follow-up of nearly 5 years. Among the mutation carriers who also had the opposite breast removed preventively, no contralateral breast cancers developed. These results support nipple-sparing mastectomy as both a safe treatment option and an effective preventive strategy for BRCA mutation carriers.

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Men living with abdominal aortic aneurysm—a bulge in the main abdominal artery that can be fatal if it ruptures—reported improved quality of life scores for general health and pain after 12 months of follow-up in a vascular clinic, with no significant worsening in other domains. The study suggests that structured clinical follow-up may itself have a positive effect on wellbeing beyond just medical monitoring. Regular quality-of-life assessments are recommended to track how patients experience living with this condition over time.