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Abstract Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) can resolve transcriptional features from individual cells, but scRNA-seq techniques capable of resolving the variable regions of B cell receptors (BCRs) remain limited, especially from widely-used 3′-barcoded libraries. Here, we report a method that can recover paired, full-length variable region sequences of BCRs from 3′-barcoded scRNA-seq libraries. We first verify this method (B3E-seq) can produce accurate, full-length BCR sequences. We then apply this method to profile B cell responses elicited against the capsular polysaccharide of Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 3 (ST3) by glycoconjugate vaccines in five infant rhesus macaques. We identify BCR features associated with specificity for the ST3 antigen which are present in multiple vaccinated monkeys, indicating a convergent response to vaccination. These results demonstrate the utility of our method to resolve key features of the B cell repertoire and profile antigen-specific responses elicited by vaccination.

Risk perceptions of the COVID-19 pandemic changed economic expectations and shaped individuals’ consumption and investment choices, thereby worsening its economic and social damage. This study investigated the associations between COVID-19 risk perceptions and economic expectations using a South Korean dataset collected during the pandemic. The results of a logistic regression conducted on 1,001 participants revealed that greater pandemic risk perceptions were significantly associated with negative economic expectations at both the national and the household levels. Affective risk perception had a large and significant negative association with all four types of economic expectations, whereas cognitive risk perception had a significant negative association only with households’ economic expectations. The association was greater for the perception that the economy would “get better” than for “get worse” or “remain the same,” indicating COVID-19 may have reduced individuals’ optimistic economic expectations. COVID-19’s economic damage may last beyond the pandemic, as individuals adjust their economic expectations.

Deep neural networks (DNN) have made significant improvements in image processing, particularly in media forensic investigations. However, the resulting images or frames from DNN-based algorithms are typically not admissible as evidence because these algorithms do not precisely verify the internal processes from input to output. This study proposes an efficient local contrast enhancement criterion for a layered difference representation (LDR) loss, a verifiable image enhancement network. The LDR originally derives a transformation function based on neighboring pixel value differences. However, appending an additional constraint, such as image similarity to the ground truth, is challenging. To address this, we utilize DNNs and introduce a novel criterion, LDR loss, for image enhancement. The LDR loss aims to increase neighboring pixel differences, whereas the image loss ensures similarity with the ground truth, thus enhancing both global and local contrasts of the image. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm outperforms conventional image enhancement algorithms.

In 2019, a child’s death in Korea led to legislation that imposed stricter penalties for school zone traffic violations. We assessed the impact of that legislation using 2017-2022 Traffic Accident Analysis System data. Adjusted analyses revealed a significant decline in severe injuries in school zones, decreasing from 11 cases to 8 cases per month (p=0.017). The legislation correlated with a reduced risk of all child traffic injuries (risk ratio, 0.987; 95% confidence interval, 0.977 to 0.997; p=0.002), indicating its efficacy in curbing accidents.

OBJECTIVES This study analyzed inequities in excess mortality according to region and socioeconomic position to explain the distribution of excess mortality in Korea in 2020. METHODS We acquired weekly all-cause mortality data from January 2015 to December 2020 from (1) the National Health Insurance Database and (2) Vital Statistics. Excess mortality for 2020 was calculated by comparing the weekly observed and expected deaths from the same period (2015-2019) using quasi-Poisson regression. RESULTS An inequitable distribution of excess mortality was identified. The estimated excess mortality in Korea was -29,112 (95% confidence interval, -29,832 to -28,391), corresponding to -55 per 100,000, and the ratio of observed deaths to expected deaths was 0.91. Negative excess mortality was observed except for females in the 0-14 age group. Male Medical Aid beneficiaries showed positive excess mortality, while non-disabled and disabled groups showed similar negative values. When the standardized mortality ratio was calculated for the top 10 causes of death, deaths from Alzheimer’s disease and septicemia increased, whereas those from diabetes mellitus and cerebrovascular disease decreased. The decrease in mortality was primarily concentrated in older adults, while the mortality of young females increased due to increased intentional self-harm. CONCLUSIONS This study adds essential evidence regarding the overall performance of Korea. The observed inequalities according to various socioeconomic variables indicate that the results of strict measures to control coronavirus disease 2019 were not distributed equitably. Efforts should be made to properly evaluate the current and future problems related to the pandemic.

Concomitant with the virtual ubiquity of dashcams in vehicles, the instantaneous speed of vehicles during accidents can now be measured using dashcam videos to understand the causes of such accidents. In this study, we estimated vehicle speeds using dashcam videos recorded in various road environments and analyzed them by comparing them to ground truth. We also considered various scenarios yielding retaken and re-encoded videos from additional recording devices, depending on the circumstances, wherein the original video can be manipulated in terms of playback speed and/or frames per second. The experimental results revealed that the actual and measured speeds were similar for most user-specific intervals. Moreover, the results suggest that our estimated speed is adequately valid as evidence, regardless of retake and re-encoding states. Furthermore, we adopted a statistical approach (i.e., Pearson’s correlation coefficient analysis) to verify the proposed vehicle speed estimation method. The results showed that when playback speed was manipulated in re-encoded or retaken video, the proposed method consistently measured speeds at 99.99 % accuracy. This verified method will play an important role in deriving reliable results from various evidential video sources.

ObjectiveThis study assessed the relationship between self-rated political orientation and attitude toward the cash transfer policy during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsThis cross-sectional study conducted in South Korea during the pandemic included a stratified sample of 1,004 respondents (aged 19 years and older). We tested the hypotheses that political orientation shapes attitudes toward social policies and that other socioeconomic factors might have relatively minor importance. Logistic regression was used to identify associations between political orientation and attitude toward the cash transfer policy. Average marginal effects were calculated to determine the effect size of each variable.ResultsPolitical orientation, age, and residential area were correlated with attitudes toward the policy. Compared to the conservatives, the non-committed and the moderate showed about 10% more favorable attitudes, and the progressive group showed robust support. People in their 30s and 40s showed similar attitudes to the 18–29 group, while older people showed much lower support. Compared to the Seoul metropolitan area, residents of the Ho-nam area showed favorable attitudes, and those of the Yeong-nam area had relatively unfavorable attitudes.ConclusionsThis study suggests that attitudes toward the cash transfer policy are mainly associated with political orientation. Although these results illuminate pandemics' social and political dimensions, further efforts are needed to fully understand the determinants and mechanisms of attitudes toward policies outside the traditional health policy scope.

The mammalian STE 20-like protein kinase 4 (MST4) gene is highly expressed in several cancer types, but little is known about the role of MST4 in breast cancer, and the function of MST4 during epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has not been fully elucidated. Here we report that overexpression of MST4 in breast cancer results in enhanced cell growth, migration, and invasion, whereas inhibition of MST4 expression significantly attenuates these properties. Further study shows that MST4 promotes EMT by activating Akt and its downstream signaling molecules such as E-cadherin/N-cadherin, Snail, and Slug. MST4 also activates AKT and its downstream pro-survival pathway. Furthermore, by analyzing breast cancer patient tissue microarray and silicon datasets, we found that MST4 expression is much higher in breast tumor tissue compared to normal tissue, and significantly correlates with cancer stage, lymph node metastasis and a poor overall survival rate (p < 0.05). Taken together, our findings demonstrate the oncogenic potential of MST4 in breast cancer, highlighting its role in cancer cell proliferation, migration/invasion, survival, and EMT, suggesting a possibility that MST4 may serve as a novel therapeutic target for breast cancer.

Study DesignA noninterventional, multicenter, cross-sectional study.PurposeWe investigated the prevalence of neuropathic pain (NP) and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) of the quality of life (QoL) and functional disability in Korean adults with chronic low back pain (CLBP).Overview of LiteratureAmong patients with CLBP, 20%–55% had NP.MethodsPatients older than 20 years with CLBP lasting for longer than three months, with a visual analog scale (VAS) pain score higher than four, and with pain medications being used for at least four weeks before enrollment were recruited from 27 general hospitals between December 2014 and May 2015. Medical chart reviews were performed to collect demographic/clinical features and diagnosis of NP (douleur neuropathique 4, DN4). The QoL (EuroQoL 5-dimension, EQ-5D; EQ-VAS) and functional disability (Quebec Back Pain Disability Scale, QBPDS) were determined through patient surveys. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed to compare PROs between the NP (DN4≥4) and non-NP (DN4

Abstract Background Sedentary behavior is considered an independent cause of cardio-metabolic diseases, regardless of physical activity level and obesity. Few studies have reported the association between leisure sedentary time and cardio-vascular diseases in terms of occupation. Methods We performed a cross-sectional study using data from the Korean Community Health Survey (KCHS) for 240,086 participants assessed in 2011 and 2013. Occupation was categorized into four groups: farmer or fisherman, laborer, and soldier (Group I); service worker, salesperson, technician, mechanic, production worker, and engineer (Group II); manager, expert, specialist, and clerk (Group III); and unemployed (Group IV). Leisure sedentary time was divided into five groups: 0 h, 1 h, 2 h, 3 h, and 4+ h. The association between leisure sedentary time on weekdays and hypertension/diabetes mellitus/hyperlipidemia for different occupations was analyzed using simple and multiple logistic regression analyses with complex sampling. Results In Groups I, II and III, no length of sedentary time was associated with hypertension, and only 3 h or 4+ h of sedentary time was associated with diabetes mellitus and hyperlipidemia. Group IV showed a significant association with hypertension and diabetes mellitus for the 2 h, 3 h, and 4+ h sedentary times. Conclusions The unemployed are more susceptible than other occupation groups to cardio-metabolic diseases when leisure time is sedentary.

Mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes (MELAS), one of the most common maternally inherited mitochondrial diseases, is caused by mitochondrial DNA mutations that lead to mitochondrial dysfunction. Several treatment options exist, including supplementation with CoQ10, vitamins, and nutrients, but no treatment with proven efficacy is currently available. In this study, we investigated the effects of a novel NAD+ modulator, KL1333, in human fibroblasts derived from a human patient with MELAS. KL1333 is an orally available, small organic molecule that reacts with NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) as a substrate, resulting in increases in intracellular NAD+ levels via NADH oxidation. To elucidate the mechanism of action of KL1333, we used C2C12 myoblasts, L6 myoblasts, and MELAS fibroblasts. Elevated NAD+ levels induced by KL1333 triggered the activation of SIRT1 and AMPK, and subsequently activated PGC-1α in these cells. In MELAS fibroblasts, KL1333 increased ATP levels and decreased lactate and ROS levels, which are often dysregulated in this disease. In addition, mitochondrial functional analyses revealed that KL1333 increased mitochondrial mass, membrane potential, and oxidative capacity. These results indicate that KL1333 improves mitochondrial biogenesis and function, and thus represents a promising therapeutic agent for the treatment of MELAS.

Lack of immune system cells or impairment in differentiation of immune cells is the basis for many chronic diseases. Metabolic changes could be the root cause for this immune cell impairment. These changes could be a result of altered transcription, cytokine production from surrounding cells, and changes in metabolic pathways. Immunity and mitochondria are interlinked with each other. An important feature of mitochondria is it can regulate activation, differentiation, and survival of immune cells. In addition, it can also release signals such as mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and mitochondrial ROS (mtROS) to regulate transcription of immune cells. From current literature, we found that mitochondria can regulate immunity in different ways. First, alterations in metabolic pathways (TCA cycle, oxidative phosphorylation, and FAO) and mitochondria induced transcriptional changes can lead to entirely different outcomes in immune cells. For example, M1 macrophages exhibit a broken TCA cycle and have a pro-inflammatory role. By contrast, M2 macrophages undergo β-oxidation to produce anti-inflammatory responses. In addition, amino acid metabolism, especially arginine, glutamine, serine, glycine, and tryptophan, is critical for T cell differentiation and macrophage polarization. Second, mitochondria can activate the inflammatory response. For instance, mitochondrial antiviral signaling and NLRP3 can be activated by mitochondria. Third, mitochondrial mass and mobility can be influenced by fission and fusion. Fission and fusion can influence immune functions. Finally, mitochondria are placed near the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) in immune cells. Therefore, mitochondria and ER junction signaling can also influence immune cell metabolism. Mitochondrial machinery such as metabolic pathways, amino acid metabolism, antioxidant systems, mitochondrial dynamics, mtDNA, mitophagy, and mtROS are crucial for immune functions. Here, we have demonstrated how mitochondria coordinate to alter immune responses and how changes in mitochondrial machinery contribute to alterations in immune responses. A better understanding of the molecular components of mitochondria is necessary. This can help in the development of safe and effective immune therapy or prevention of chronic diseases. In this review, we have presented an updated prospective of the mitochondrial machinery that drives various immune responses.

Previous studies have suggested that excessive internet use may cause lack of sleep. However, recent studies have hypothesized that lack of sleep may instigate internet use for leisure. To elucidate the potential effects of sleep time on internet use, we explored the different associations between sleep time and internet use according to its purpose.The population-based, cross-sectional study group from the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey (KYRBWS) collected data from 57,425 middle school students in 2014 and 2015. Sleep time over the past 7 days was classified into the following groups: < 7 h (6 h); ≥ 7 h, < 8 h (7 h); ≥ 8 h, < 9 h (8 h); and ≥ 9 h (9+ h). Internet use time per day was separately surveyed for leisure and for study and categorized as follows: 0 h; > 0 h, ≤ 1 h (1 h); > 1 h, ≤ 2 h (2 h); and > 2 h (2+ h) per day. Information on age, sex, region of residence, body mass index (BMI), economic level, parental education level, stress level, school performance level, and sleep satisfaction were retrieved. The relationships between sleep time and internet use time for leisure/study were analyzed using multinomial logistic regression with complex sampling. In the subgroup analysis according to sleep satisfaction (good, normal, and poor), the associations of sleep time with internet use for leisure were analyzed using the same methods.Compared to 9+ h of sleep, less sleep was related to a long internet use time (2+ h) for leisure (adjusted odds ratio, AOR [95% confidence interval, CI] of sleep: 8 h = 1.23 [1.14-1.32]; 7 h = 1.42 [1.31-1.54]; and 6 h = 1.56 [1.44-1.70]; P < 0.001). Conversely, a relationship between less sleep and a long internet use time (2+ h) for study was evident only for 6 h of sleep (AOR of sleep: 8 h = 0.84 [0.84-1.04]; 7 h = 1.05 [0.94-1.17]; and 6 h = 1.32 [1.27-1.59]; P < 0.001). In the subgroup analysis according to sleep satisfaction, less sleep was associated with a long internet use time for leisure in all sleep satisfaction groups, although the relationship was more significant in the lower sleep satisfaction group.Less sleep was significantly related to long-term use of the internet for leisure, whereas this association was not definite for internet use for study. Furthermore, poor sleep quality potentiated the relationship between less sleep time and internet use for leisure.

Several reports have demonstrated associations between falls and nocturia in the elderly. However, little information is available regarding other age groups. This study evaluated the relationship between the frequency of nocturia and falls in men using a large, population-based survey in Korea, and the results were adjusted for various confounding factors. Data from a 2011 Korean community health survey (KCHS) were retrieved for 92,660 men aged 19 to 103 years. Information regarding the history of slips or falls in the past year was collected. The frequency of nocturia was classified as 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and ≥ 5 instances a night. Walking during the day, education, income, body mass index (BMI), smoking, alcohol consumption, sleep time, stress level and medical histories of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, cerebral stroke, angina or myocardial infarction, arthritis, and osteoporosis were adjusted using multiple logistic regression analysis with complex sampling. A subgroup analysis was conducted for young (19-30 years), middle-aged (31-60 years), and elderly individuals (61+ years). Approximately 14.6% of the men had a history of falls. Their mean age was 42.9 years, which was significantly higher than that of the non-faller group (P < 0.001). An increased frequency of nocturia was associated with increased adjusted odds ratio (AOR) for falls (AOR for 1 instance of nocturia/night = 1.41 [95% confidence interval, 1.33-1.50]; AOR for 2 instances = 1.41 [1.33-1.50]; AOR for 3 instances = 2.00 [1.75-2.28]; AOR for 4 instances = 2.12 [1.73-2.61]; AOR for ≥ 5 instances = 2.02 [1.74-2.36], P < 0.001). In the subgroup analysis, the AORs for falls significantly increased in all age groups as the frequency of nocturia increased.

Although overuse of the internet has been suggested to be related to poor academic performance, the effects of internet use for education on academic performance showed conflict results in previous studies. Accordingly, the associations of school performance with internet use for study and for general purpose were explored in a large population of Korean adolescents. Cross-sectional data from the 2013 Korean Youth Risk Behaviour Web-based Survey (KYRBWS) were retrieved for 59,105 12- to 18-year-old adolescents. The associations between school performance and internet use were analysed using multinomial logistic regression with complex sampling. Days of physical activity, sex, obesity, region of residence, income level, parental education level, stress, sleep time, smoking, alcohol consumption, drug use, and total study time were recorded and adjusted for as confounders. Higher school performance was positively associated with longer internet use for study (adjusted odds ratio, AOR, of 2+ h [95% confidence interval] = 2.43 [2.10-2.82], 2.02 [1.78-2.30], 1.66 [1.46-1.89], and 1.30 [1.15-1.47] for performance groups A, B, C, and D, respectively, P < 0.001) but negatively associated with longer internet use for general purpose (AOR of 3+ h [95% confidence interval] = 0.68 [0.60-0.78], 0.85 [0.76-0.94], 0.83 [0.75-0.92], and 0.98 [0.89-1.08] for performance groups A, B, C, and D, respectively, P < 0.001). Higher school performance significantly positively correlated with internet use for study but negatively correlated with internet use for general purpose. Academic use of the internet could be a means of achieving good school performance.

Several studies have reported negative relations between allergic diseases and school performance but have not simultaneously considered various allergic diseases, including allergic rhinitis, asthma, and atopic dermatitis, and only examined a limited number of participants. The present study investigated the associations of allergic rhinitis, asthma, and atopic dermatitis with school performance in a large, representative Korean adolescent population. A total of 299,695 7th through 12th grade students participated in the Korea Youth Risk Behaviour Web-based Survey (KYRBWS) from 2009 to 2013. The subjects' history of allergic rhinitis, asthma, and atopic dermatitis and number of school absences due to these diseases in the previous 12 months were examined and compared. School performance was classified into 5 levels. The relations between allergic disorders and school performance were analyzed using multiple logistic regressions with complex sampling and adjusted for the subjects' durations of sleep, days of physical activity, body mass indexes (BMIs), regions of residence, economic levels, parents' education levels, stress levels, smoking status, and alcohol use. A subgroup analysis of the economic groups was performed. Allergic rhinitis was positively correlated with better school performance in a dose-dependent manner (adjusted odds ratios, AOR, [95% confidence interval, CI] = 1.50 [1.43-1.56 > 1.33 [1.28-1.38] > 1.17 [1.13-1.22] > 1.09 [1.05-1.14] for grades A > B > C > D; P < 0.001). Asthma was negatively correlated with better school performance (AOR [95% CI] = 0.74 [0.66-0.83], 0.87 [0.79-0.96], 0.83 [0.75-0.91], 0.93 [0.85-1.02] for performance A, B, C, and D, respectively; P < 0.001). Atopic dermatitis was not significantly correlated with school performance. The subgroup analysis of the students' economic levels revealed associations between allergic diseases and school performance. Compared to other allergic disorders, the asthma group had more school absences due to their symptoms (P < 0.001). School performance was positively correlated with allergic rhinitis and negatively correlated with asthma in Korean adolescents, even after adjusting for other variables. The asthma group had an increased number of school absence days, which presumably contributes to these students' poor school performance.

The objective of this study was to compare the incidence of post-operative depression in breast cancer patients who have undergone mastectomy with the incidence of post-operative depression in non-breast cancer participants (controls).Using data from the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA), we selected 2,130 patients with breast cancer who have undergone mastectomy for this national cohort study and matched these patients 1:4 with 8,520 control participants according to age, sex, income, region, and pre-operative depression. The incidence of post-operative depression was measured from mastectomy year to post-op year 10. The Mann-Whitney U test was used for data analysis, and the false-discovery rate was applied to determine statistical significance (P < 0.05).The incidence of depression was higher in the breast cancer with mastectomy group than in the control group up to 3 years after mastectomy). However, there was no difference in the incidence of depression between the breast cancer with mastectomy group and the control group after post-op 4 years. The incidence of depression was higher in the breast cancer with mastectomy group than in the control group up to 2 years after mastectomy, and there was no difference in the incidence of depression between the two groups after post-op 3 years in middle-aged and older adults (≥ 40 years old). In young adults (≤ 39 years old), the incidence of depression was significantly higher in the breast cancer with mastectomy group than in the control group in mastectomy year.Patients undergoing mastectomy for breast cancer experience depression more frequently than healthy people. However, patients overcome their depressive mood symptoms during the postoperative period. Young adults overcome their symptoms more quickly than middle-aged and older adults.

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to examine the difference between self-reported hearing status and hearing impairment assessed using conventional audiometry. The associated factors were examined when a concordance between self-reported hearing and audiometric measures was lacking.MethodsIn total, 19,642 individuals ≥20 years of age who participated in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys conducted from 2009 through 2012 were enrolled. Pure-tone hearing threshold audiometry (PTA) was measured and classified into three levels: ResultsOverall, 80.1%, 7.1%, and 12.8% of the participants were assigned to the concordance, overestimation, and underestimation groups, respectively. Older age (adjusted odds ratios [AORs] = 1.28 [95% confidence interval = 1.19-1.37] and 2.80 [2.62-2.99] for the overestimation and the underestimation groups, respectively), abnormal TM (2.17 [1.46-3.23] and 1.59 [1.17-2.15]), and tinnitus (2.44 [2.10-2.83] and 1.61 [1.38-1.87]) were positively correlated with both the overestimation and underestimation groups. Compared with specialized workers, service workers, manual workers, and the unemployed were more likely to be in the overestimation group (1.48 [1.11-1.98], 1.39 [1.04-1.86], and 1.50 [1.18-1.90], respectively), and service workers were more likely to be in the underestimation group (AOR = 1.42 [1.01-1.99]). Higher education level (0.77 [0.59-1.01] and 0.43 [0.33-0.57]) and hearing aid use (0.36 [0.17-0.77] and 0.23 [0.13-0.43]) were negatively associated with being in the underestimation group (0.43 [0.37-0.50]). Compared with males, females were less likely to be assigned to the underestimation group (0.43 [0.37-0.50]). Stress (1.98 [1.32-2.98]) and anxiety/depression (1.30 [1.06-1.59]) were associated with overestimation group.ConclusionOlder age, lower education level, occupation, abnormal TM, non-hearing aid use, and tinnitus were related to both overestimation and underestimation groups. Male gender was related to underestimation, and stress and anxiety/depression were correlated with overestimation group. An understanding of these factors associated with the self-reported hearing loss will be instrumental to identifying and managing hearing-impaired individuals.

Purpose. Control of persistent pain following spinal surgery is an unmet clinical need. This study compared the efficacy and safety of buprenorphine transdermal system (BTDS) to oral tramadol/acetaminophen (TA) in Korean patients with persistent, moderate pain following spinal surgery. Methods. Open-label, interventional, randomized multicenter study. Adults with persistent postoperative pain (Numeric Rating Scale [NRS] ≥ 4 at 14–90 days postsurgery) were enrolled. Patients received once-weekly BTDS (n=47; 5 μg/h titrated to 20 μg/h) or twice-daily TA (n=40; tramadol 37.5 mg/acetaminophen 325 mg, one tablet titrated to 4 tablets) for 6 weeks. The study compared pain reduction with BTDS versus TA at week 6. Quality of life (QoL), treatment satisfaction, medication compliance, and adverse events (AEs) were assessed. Findings. At week 6, both groups reported significant pain reduction (mean NRS change: BTDS −2.02; TA −2.76, both P

ObjectivesTo compare the velopharyngeal function, swallowing and speech of the conventional and modified radial forearm free flap (RFFF) for soft palate reconstruction.MethodsRetrospective clinical study. Twenty-eight patients who underwent oropharyngeal reconstruction with RFFF were divided into two groups: 10 patients had conventional folded RFFF and 18 patients underwent modified method.ResultsThe average speech intelligibility score in modified RFFF group was 8.0±2.4, and 6.2±2.2 in conventional RFFF group (P

BACKGROUND:Numerous studies have suggested that nutritional intake is related to allergic diseases. Although conflicting results exist, fat intake is often associated with allergic diseases. We investigated the relationship between allergic diseases and nutritional intake after adjusting for various demographic and socioeconomic factors in a large, representative sample of Korean children. METHODS:A total of 3,040 participants, aged 4 to 13 years old, were enrolled in the present study from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES), 2010-2012. Nutritional intake data, including total calories, protein, fat, carbohydrate, vitamin A, vitamin C, thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin, were retrieved from the survey using the complete 24-hour recall method. The associations between each nutritional factor and allergic rhinitis/asthma/atopic dermatitis were analyzed using simple and multiple logistic regression analyses with complex sampling. Age, sex, body mass index (BMI), number of household members, income level, and region of residence were adjusted for as covariates. RESULTS:Of the participants, 22.1%, 6.0%, and 15.5% suffered from allergic rhinitis, asthma, and atopic dermatitis, respectively. Allergic rhinitis was significantly correlated with high-fat and low-carbohydrate diets. The adjusted odds ratio (AOR) was 1.25 (95% CIs = 1.06-1.46, P = 0.007) for fat intake, denoting a 10% increase. Carbohydrate intake (10% increase) was negatively related to allergic rhinitis with an AOR of 0.84 (95% CIs = 0.74-0.95, P = 0.004). No other significant relationships were found between the retrieved nutritional factors and either asthma or atopic dermatitis. CONCLUSION:Allergic rhinitis was related to high-fat and low-carbohydrate diets. Although the underlying mechanisms and causal relationships remain elusive, the present study provides reliable evidence regarding the associations between nutritional factors and allergic rhinitis by considering numerous factors within a large and representative population.

Olfactory function can impact food selection. However, few large population-based studies have investigated this effect across different age groups. The objective of this study was to assess the association between subjective olfactory dysfunction (anosmia or hyposmia) and macronutrient intake.A total of 24,990 participants aged 20 to 98 years were evaluated based on data collected through the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2008 through 2012. Olfactory dysfunction was surveyed using a self-reported questionnaire, and the nutritional status was assessed through a validated 24-hour recall method. Simple and multiple linear regression analyses with complex sampling were performed to evaluate the relationships between olfactory dysfunction and protein intake (daily protein intake/recommended protein intake [%]), carbohydrate intake (daily carbohydrate intake/total calories [%]), and fat intake (daily fat intake/total calories [%]) after adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, income, smoking history, alcohol consumption, and stress level.Olfactory dysfunction was reported by 5.4% of Korean adults and was found to be associated with decreased fat consumption (estimated value [EV] of fat intake [%] = -0.57, 95% confidence interval [CI] = -1.13 to -0.13, P = 0.045). A subgroup analysis according to age and sex revealed that among young females, olfactory dysfunction was associated with reduced fat consumption (EV = -2.30, 95% CI = -4.16 to -0.43, P = 0.016) and increased carbohydrate intake (EV = 2.80, 95% CI = 0.55 to 5.05, P = 0.015), and that among middle-aged females, olfactory dysfunction was also associated with reduced fat intake (EV = -1.26, 95% CI = -2.37 to -0.16, P = 0.025). In contrast, among young males, olfactory dysfunction was associated with reduced protein intake (EV = -26.41 95% CI = -45.14 to -7.69, P = 0.006).Olfactory dysfunction was associated with reduced fat intake. Moreover, olfactory dysfunction exerted differential effects on eating behavior depending on age and sex.

NADH-quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) modulates cellular NAD(+)/NADH ratio which has been associated with the aging and anti-aging mechanisms of calorie restriction (CR). Here, we demonstrate that the facilitation of NQO1 activity by feeding β-lapachone (βL), an exogenous NQO1 co-substrate, prevented age-dependent decline of motor and cognitive function in aged mice. βL-fed mice did not alter their food-intake or locomotor activity but did increase their energy expenditure as measured by oxygen consumption and heat generation. Mitochondrial structure and numbers were disorganized and decreased in the muscles of control diet group but those defects were less severe in βL-fed aged mice. Furthermore, for a subset of genes associated with energy metabolism, mice fed the βL-diet showed similar changes in gene expression to the CR group (fed 70% of the control diet). These results support the potentiation of NQO1 activity by a βL diet and could be an option for preventing age-related decline of muscle and brain functions.

Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate the associations of frailty with perceived neighborhood walkability and environmental pollution among community-dwelling older adults in rural areas. Methods The participants were 808 community-dwelling men and women aged 65 years and older in 2 rural towns. Comprehensive information, including demographics, socioeconomic status, grip strength, polypharmacy, perceived neighborhood environment (specifically, walkability and environmental pollution), and frailty, was collected from participants using face-to-face interviews conducted between June and August 2018. Perceived neighborhood walkability was measured using 20 items that were selected and revised from the Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale, the Neighborhood Walkability Checklist from the National Heart Foundation of Australia, and the Physical Activity Neighborhood Environment Survey. The Kaigo-Yobo Checklist was used to assess participants’ frailty. Results The overall prevalence of frailty in this community-dwelling population was 35.5%. Sex, age, cohabitation status, educational attainment, employment status, grip strength, and polypharmacy were significantly associated with frailty. In the logistic regression analysis, frailty was associated with low perceived neighborhood walkability (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.881; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.833 to 0.932; p

Objectives This study aimed to explore the health inequality discourse in the Korean press by analyzing newspaper articles using a relatively new content analysis technique. Methods This study used the search term “health inequality” to collect articles containing that term that were published between 2000 and 2018. The collected articles went through pre-processing and topic modeling, and the contents and temporal trends of the extracted topics were analyzed. Results A total of 1038 articles were identified, and 5 topics were extracted. As the number of studies on health inequality has increased over the past 2 decades, so too has the number of news articles regarding health inequality. The extracted topics were public health policies, social inequalities in health, inequality as a social problem, healthcare policies, and regional health gaps. The total number of occurrences of each topic increased every year, and the trend observed for each theme was influenced by events related to its contents, such as elections. Finally, the frequency of appearance of each topic differed depending on the type of news source. Conclusions The results of this study can be used as preliminary data for future attempts to address health inequality in Korea. To make addressing health inequality part of the public agenda, the media’s perspective and discourse regarding health inequality should be monitored to facilitate further strategic action.

Mucormycosis encompasses a range of fungal infections that can impact various organs. Although pulmonary mucormycosis is relatively rare, it poses a significant threat, particularly to individuals with compromised immune systems. Pulmonary mucormycosis presents with various radiological manifestations. Notably, the involvement of the angioinvasive pulmonary artery in pulmonary mucormycosis cases has seldom been documented. In this report, we showcase the radiological characteristics of angioinvasive mucormycosis, which can mimic pulmonary thromboembolism or a pulmonary artery tumor, in a patient diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This systematic review summarizes existing evidence and outlines the benefits of artificial intelligence-assisted spine surgery. The popularity of artificial intelligence has grown significantly, demonstrating its benefits in computer-assisted surgery and advancements in spinal treatment. This study adhered to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses), a set of reporting guidelines specifically designed for systematic reviews and meta-analyses. The search strategy used Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms, including "MeSH (Artificial intelligence)," "Spine" AND "Spinal" filters, in the last 10 years, and English--from January 1, 2013, to October 31, 2023. In total, 442 articles fulfilled the first screening criteria. A detailed analysis of those articles identified 220 that matched the criteria, of which 11 were considered appropriate for this analysis after applying the complete inclusion and exclusion criteria. In total, 11 studies met the eligibility criteria. Analysis of these studies revealed the types of artificial intelligence-assisted spine surgery. No evidence suggests the superiority of assisted spine surgery with or without artificial intelligence in terms of outcomes. In terms of feasibility, accuracy, safety, and facilitating lower patient radiation exposure compared with standard fluoroscopic guidance, artificial intelligence-assisted spine surgery produced satisfactory and superior outcomes. The incorporation of artificial intelligence with augmented and virtual reality appears promising, with the potential to enhance surgeon proficiency and overall surgical safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abscess formation due to Candida albicans infection is extremely rare. Radiological diagnosis of an atypical abscess at an uncommon site is challenging. In this study, we present a case of insidious onset multifocal chest wall and spinal abscess after candidemia in a young woman in the intensive care unit due to postpartum bleeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]