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Grounded in the psychology of working theory, the link between economic constraints and decent work is well established. However, previous studies did not incorporate a developmental framework when examining this relationship. Drawing on a life history perspective, this study explored how childhood socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with well-being through decent work. We adopted a dual-contextual approach, examining the interaction between childhood SES and current job insecurity as a predictor of decent work and well-being. Using data collected from 417 workers in South Korea, we tested a moderated mediation model. The results revealed significant indirect relationships between childhood SES and job and life satisfaction through decent work, particularly among individuals with higher job insecurity. Notably, these findings remained significant even after controlling for participants' current SES. Overall, our findings suggest that in contexts where job insecurity is prevalent, an individual's childhood SES is distinctly associated with decent work and well-being, independent of their current SES. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Four Gram-stain-positive and two Gram-stain-negative bacterial strains, designated as W4 T , FW7 T , TW48 T , UW52 T , PT-3 T , and RJY3 T , were isolated from soil samples collected from the Republic of Korea. The 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that strains W4 T and FW7 T belonged to the genus Microbacterium , strains TW48 T and UW52 T were affiliated to the genus Paenibacillus, strain PT-3 T was related to the genus Flavobacterium , and strain RJY3 T was associated with the genus Aquabacterium . The closest phylogenetic taxa to W4 T , FW7 T , TW48 T , UW52 T , PT-3 T , and RJY3 T were Microbacterium bovistercoris NEAU-LLE T (97.7 %), Microbacterium protaetiae DFW100M-13 T (97.9 %), Paenibacillus auburnensis JJ-7 T (99.6 %), Paenibacillus allorhizosphaerae JJ-447 T (95.7 %), Flavobacterium buctense T7 T (97.1 %), and Aquabacterium terrae S2 T (99.5 %), respectively. Average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values between the novel strains and related reference type strains were <95.0 % and <70.0 %, respectively. The major cellular fatty acid in strains W4 T , FW7 T TW48 T , and UW52 T was antiso-C 15 : 0 . Similarly, strain PT-3 T revealed iso-C 15 : 0 , iso-C 15 : 1 G, iso-C 17 : 0 3-OH, and iso-C 15 : 0 3-OH as its principal fatty acids. On the other hand, RJY3 T exhibited summed feature 3 (C 16 : 1  ω 7 c and/or C 16 : 1  ω 6 c ), C 16 : 0 , summed feature 8 (C 18 : 1  ω 7 c and/or C 18 : 1  ω 6 c ), and C 12 : 0 as its predominant fatty acids. Overall, the polyphasic taxonomic data indicated that strains W4 T , FW7 T , TW48 T , UW52 T , PT-3 T , and RJY3 T represent novel species within the genera Microbacterium , Paenibacillus , Flavobacterium , and Aquabacterium . Accordingly, we propose the names Microbacterium humicola sp. nov., with the type strain W4 T (=KCTC 49888 T =NBRC 116001 T ), Microbacterium terrisoli sp. nov., with the type strain FW7 T (=KCTC 49859 T =NBRC 116000 T ), Paenibacillus pedocola sp. nov., with the type strain TW48 T (=KCTC 43470 T =NBRC 116017 T ), Paenibacillus silviterrae sp. nov., with the type strain UW52 T (=KCTC 43477 T =NBRC 116018 T ), Flavobacterium terrisoli sp. nov., with the type strain PT-3 T (=KCTC 92106 T =NBRC 116012 T ), and Aquabacterium humicola sp. nov., with the type strain RJY3 T (=KCTC 92105 T =NBRC 115831 T ).

Yak-Kong (YK) is a small black soybean widely cultivated in Korea. It is considered to have excellent health functionality, as it has been reported to have better antioxidant efficacy than conventional black or yellow soybeans. Since YK has been described as good for the muscle health of the elderly in old oriental medicine books, this study sought to investigate the effect of fermented YK with Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis LDTM 8102 (FYK) on muscle atrophy. In C2C12 mouse myoblasts, FYK elevated the expression of MyoD, total MHC, phosphorylated AKT, and PGC1α. In addition, two kinds of in vivo studies were conducted using both an induced and normal aging mouse model. The behavioral test results showed that in the induced aging mouse model, FYK intake alleviated age-related muscle weakness and loss of exercise performance. In addition, FYK alleviated muscle mass decrease and improved the expression of biomarkers including total MHC, myf6, phosphorylated AKT, PGC1α, and Tfam, which are related to myoblast differentiation, muscle protein synthesis, and mitochondrial generation in the muscle. In the normal aging model, FYK consumption did not increase muscle mass, but did upregulate the expression levels of biomarkers related to myoblast differentiation, muscle hypertrophy, and muscle function. Furthermore, it mitigated age-related declines in skeletal muscle force production and functional limitation by enhancing exercise performance and grip strength. Taken together, the results suggest that FYK has the potential to be a new functional food material that can alleviate the loss of muscle mass and strength caused by aging and prevent sarcopenia.

Objectives: Repetitive unbalances and tensions generated by inspiratory efforts against an obstructive upper airway during sleep predispose the development of expiratory central airway collapse. In addition, structures of the upper airway between men and women have differences and could be the reasons for differences in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) prevalence between genders. The present study aimed to evaluate the association between parameters of expiratory dynamic tracheal collapse measured using chest multidetector CT and objectively measured OSA severity between men and women., Materials and Methods: A total of 901 participants who underwent chest CT and overnight in-home polysomnography from the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study were cross-sectionally analyzed (women: 46.2%). The participants were divided into three groups based on OSA severity by apnea-hypopnea index (AHI). Multivariate linear regression analysis was performed to determine the effects of central airway collapse after adjustment for cardiovascular-related covariates., Results: In a multivariate analysis, percentages of expiratory lumen structure reductions involving area, diameter, and perimeter were associated with AHI (all p values < 0.05) and with OSA severity (moderate-to-severe OSA than no OSA: β = 3.30%, p = 0.03; β = 2.05%, p = 0.02; β = 1.97%, p = 0.02, respectively) in women, whereas men had only a greater percentage of expiratory wall thickness reduction in moderate-to-severe OSA than no OSA (β = 0.72%, p = 0.003). In addition, women with both mild OSA and moderate-to-severe OSA had higher expiratory tracheal collapse than men without OSA, and a moderate effect of sex was observed (p for interaction = 0.007)., Conclusion: The expiratory dynamic tracheal collapse was independently associated with severity of OSA in women than in men., Clinical Relevance Statement: Differences of pharyngeal structures and inherent features of airways by genders may affect the dissimilarities in vulnerability to sleep apnea between men and women., Key Points: • The expiratory dynamic tracheal collapse was independently associated with severity of OSA in women than in men. • Women with over mild OSA had higher expiratory tracheal collapse than men without OSA, and moderate effect of sex was observed. • Structural differences of airway may affect differences in susceptibility of sleep apnea between genders., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Strain wdc7 T , a rod-shaped bacterium, was isolated from soil in the Gotjawal Forest on Jeju Island, South Korea. Strain wdc7 T was Gram stain-negative, facultatively anaerobic, catalase- and oxidase positive, yellow pigmented, and non-flagellated. It grew at 4-37 °C and pH 5.0-8.0 in 0-3% (w/v) NaCl. 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis revealed that strain wdc7 T belonged to the genus Chryseobacterium and was most closely related to Chryseobacterium salivictor NBC 122 T , with a sequence similarity of 98.51%. Menaquinone 6 was the sole respiratory quinone, and C 15:0 anteiso, C 15:0 iso, and summed feature 9 were the major fatty acids. The genome length was 3.30 Mbp, with a 37% G + C content. Average amino acid identity, average nucleotide identity, and digital DNA-DNA relatedness between strain wdc7 T and C. salivictor NBC 122 T were 93.52%, 92.80%, and 49.7%, respectively. Digital genomic and polyphasic analyses showed that strain wdc7 T likely represented a new species of the genus Chryseobacterium. We proposed the name Chryseobacterium gotjawalense sp. nov., with wdc7 T (= KCTC 92440 T  = JCM 35602 T ) as the type strain., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Little is known about the risk factors and frequency of metronidazole-associated neurological adverse events., Objective: To investigate the risk factors and frequency of metronidazole-associated neurological adverse events., Design: This retrospective study contained two parts. First, we investigated metronidazole treatment-associated neurologic adverse events by performing a population-based cohort study using the Korea Adverse Event Reporting System (KAERS) database from January 2011 to December 2020. Second, we conducted a matched case-control study based on a retrospective cohort of patients treated with metronidazole between January 2006 and July 2021 at a tertiary hospital in South Korea. The data analysis was performed from August 2021 to April 2022., Participants: In the case-control study, case patients were defined as those diagnosed with metronidazole-associated encephalopathy or peripheral neuropathy during the study period with causal assessment based on the clinical diagnoses and findings from associated tests. In a ratio of 1:3, case patients were compared to a control group of patients prescribed metronidazole without neurologic adverse events matched for age and cumulative dose of metronidazole., Main Measures: Frequency and risk factors for metronidazole-associated neurological adverse events., Key Results: Overall, 2,309 cases of neurologic adverse events were reported to the KAERS from 2011 to 2020, and the number of reported neurological adverse events showed an increasing trend. Further, 92,838 patients were prescribed metronidazole during the study period at the Severance Hospital; 54 patients were diagnosed with metronidazole-associated encephalopathy or peripheral neuropathy, 40 with central and 28 with peripheral nervous system adverse events. Liver cirrhosis, chronic kidney disease, intravenous administration, and lower body weight were identified as risk factors for these adverse events., Conclusions: The number of reported metronidazole-associated neurological adverse events are increasing. Prolonged metronidazole treatment in patients with the aforementioned factors requires careful examination for neurological adverse events., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Society of General Internal Medicine.)

Background/aims: The SAMe-TT2R2 score is used for assessing anticoagulation control (AC) quality with warfarin. However, it is hard to apply SAMe-TT2R2 score in Asian patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), because it has not been proven in those populations. This study aimed to validate the SAMe-TT2R2 score in Asian patients with AF and suggest a modified SAMe- TT2R2 score for this population., Methods: We analyzed 710 Korean patients with AF who were using warfarin. The AC quality was assessed as the mean time in therapeutic range (TTR). Each component of SAMe-TT2R2 score was evaluated for the relationship with AC. Further clinical factors that predict AC were analyzed. Identified factors were re-assorted and constructed as SA2Me-TTR scoring system., Results: Of the components of the SAMe-TT2R2 score, female, age, and rhythm control were associated with AC. Heart failure and renal insufficiency were newly identified factors associated with AC. The modified SA2Me-TTR score was reconstructed with the relevant risk factors (S, female gender, 1 point; A, age < 60 yr, 2 points; Me, medical history of heart failure, 1 point; T, treatment for rhythm control, 1 point; T, history of stroke or transient ischemic attack, 1 point; R, renal insufficiency, 1 point). The modified SA2Me-TTR score demonstrated an excellent relationship with the grading of AC. The modified SA2Me-TTR score ≤ 1 identified patients with good AC (hazard ratio 2.46, 95% CI 1.75-3.47)., Conclusion: The modified SA2Me-TTR score was useful for guiding oral anticoagulants selection in Asian patients with AF.

In this study, the phospholipid species [i.e., phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylcholine (PC), and sphingomyelin (SM)] in human milk (HM) were compared according to their fatty acid (FA) composition. 34 HM samples were collected and classified into three groups (A < B < C) according to their fat content. Stearic acid (C18:0) was the main FA in PE, PC, and SM. The highest concentrations of arachidonic acid (AA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) were observed in PE, whereas docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) was predominant in SM. Although PC exhibited the highest total saturated FAs (SFAs) and PE contained the highest unsaturated FAs (UFAs), very long-chain SFAs and monounsaturated FAs (MUFAs) were preferentially distributed in SM. PC and SM had higher saturation compared to PE. Regarding the effect of the fat content of HM on the FA composition of the phospholipid species, a limited influence was observed on the composition of SFAs and MUFAs of PE, SM, and particularly PC. However, a more pronounced effect on the composition of polyunsaturated FAs (PUFAs) in phospholipids was observed, especially for linoleic acid (LA), α-linolenic acid (ALA), EPA, and DHA, indicating that the composition of FAs in the phospholipid species was probably affected by the maternal diet.

Purpose: This subgroup analysis of the Korean subset of patients in the phase 3 LASER301 trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of lazertinib versus gefitinib as first-line therapy for epidermal growth factor receptor mutated (EGFRm) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)., Materials and Methods: Patients with locally advanced or metastatic EGFRm NSCLC were randomized 1:1 to lazertinib (240 mg/day) or gefitinib (250 mg/day). The primary endpoint was investigator-assessed progression-free survival (PFS)., Results: In total, 172 Korean patients were enrolled (lazertinib, n=87; gefitinib, n=85). Baseline characteristics were balanced between the treatment groups. One-third of patients had brain metastases (BM) at baseline. Median PFS was 20.8 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 16.7 to 26.1) for lazertinib and 9.6 months (95% CI, 8.2 to 12.3) for gefitinib (hazard ratio [HR], 0.41; 95% CI, 0.28 to 0.60). This was supported by PFS analysis based on blinded independent central review. Significant PFS benefit with lazertinib was consistently observed across predefined subgroups, including patients with BM (HR, 0.28; 95% CI, 0.15 to 0.53) and those with L858R mutations (HR, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.20 to 0.63). Lazertinib safety data were consistent with its previously reported safety profile. Common adverse events (AEs) in both groups included rash, pruritus, and diarrhoea. Numerically fewer severe AEs and severe treatment-related AEs occurred with lazertinib than gefitinib., Conclusion: Consistent with results for the overall LASER301 population, this analysis showed significant PFS benefit with lazertinib versus gefitinib with comparable safety in Korean patients with untreated EGFRm NSCLC, supporting lazertinib as a new potential treatment option for this patient population.

Background: Although poor oral health is a common comorbidity in individuals with airflow limitation (AFL), few studies have comprehensively evaluated this association. Furthermore, the association between oral health and the severity of AFL has not been well elucidated., Methods: Using a population-based nationwide survey, we classified individuals according to the presence or absence of AFL defined as pre-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 second/forced vital capacity < 0.7. Using multivariable logistic regression analyses, we evaluated the association between AFL severity and the number of remaining teeth; the presence of periodontitis; the Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth (DMFT) index; and denture wearing., Results: Among the 31,839 participants, 14% had AFL. Compared with the control group, the AFL group had a higher proportion of periodontitis (88.8% vs. 79.4%), complete denture (6.2% vs. 1.6%), and high DMFT index (37.3% vs. 27.8%) ( P < 0.001 for all). In multivariable analyses, denture status: removable partial denture (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.12; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.04-1.20) and complete denture (aOR, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.01-2.05), high DMFT index (aOR, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.02-1.24), and fewer permanent teeth (0-19; aOR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.12-1.52) were significantly associated with AFL. Furthermore, those with severe to very severe AFL had a significantly higher proportion of complete denture (aOR, 2.41; 95% CI, 1.11-3.71) and fewer remaining teeth (0-19; aOR, 2.29; 95% CI, 1.57-3.01)., Conclusion: Denture wearing, high DMFT index, and fewer permanent teeth are significantly associated with AFL. Furthermore, a reduced number of permanent teeth (0-19) was significantly related to the severity of AFL. Therefore, physicians should pay attention to oral health in managing patients with AFL, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease., Competing Interests: The authors have no potential conflicts of interest to disclose., (© 2023 The Korean Academy of Medical Sciences.)

This article provides evidence-based recommendations and expert opinions to aid urologists in making optimal decisions regarding managing urolithiasis in various clinical scenarios. The most frequently asked questions by urologists in their clinical practice have been collected and answered in the form of FAQs; based on the latest evidence and expert opinions. The natural history of urolithiasis is divided into active treatment and silent phases, with the active treatment stage divided into typical and special situations and peri-treatment management. The authors address 28 key questions, offering practical guidance for the proper diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of urolithiasis in clinical practice. This article is expected to be served as a valuable resource for urologists., Competing Interests: The authors have nothing to disclose., (© The Korean Urological Association.)

Background/aims: Although a management fee for hospitalist service was established in Korea, the number of hospitalists required for the system to run remains outmatched., Methods: In January 2020 and February 2022, before and after the establishment of the hospitalist fee system respectively, cross-sectional online surveys were conducted among internal medicine board-certified hospitalists., Results: There were 59 and 64 respondents in the 2020 and 2022 surveys, respectively. The percentage of respondents who cited financial benefits as a motive for becoming a hospitalist was higher in the 2022 survey than in the 2020 survey (34.4% vs. 10.2%; p = 0.001). The annual salary of respondents was also higher in the 2022 survey than in the 2020 survey (mean, 182.9 vs. 163.0 million in South Korean Won; p = 0.006). A total of 81.3% of the respondents were willing to continue a hospitalist career in the 2022 survey. In multivariate regression analysis, the possibility of being appointed as a professor was found to be an independent predictive factor of continuing a hospitalist career (odds ratio, 4.00; 95% confidence interval, 1.09-14.75; p = 0.037)., Conclusion: Since the establishment of the hospitalist fee system, monetary compensation has improved for hospitalists. The possibility of being appointed as a professor could predict long-term work as hospitalists.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to assess the feasibility of incorporating virtual reality/augmented reality (VR/AR) programs into practical tests administered as part of the Korean Radiological Technologists Licensing Examination (KRTLE). This evaluation is grounded in a comprehensive survey that targeted enrolled students in departments of radiology across the nation., Methods: In total, 682 students from radiology departments across the nation were participants in the survey. An online survey platform was used, and the questionnaire was structured into 5 distinct sections and 27 questions. A frequency analysis for each section of the survey was conducted using IBM SPSS ver. 27.0., Results: Direct or indirect exposure to VR/AR content was reported by 67.7% of all respondents. Furthermore, 55.4% of the respondents expressed that VR/AR could be integrated into their classes, which signified a widespread acknowledgment of VR among the students. With regards to the integration of a VR/AR or mixed reality program into the practical tests for purposes of the KRTLE, a substantial amount of the respondents (57.3%) exhibited a positive inclination and recommended its introduction., Conclusion: The application of VR/AR programs within practical tests of the KRTLE will be used as an alternative for evaluating clinical examination procedures and validating job skills.

Most studies on the real-world effectiveness and safety of dolutegravir/lamivudine (DTG/3TC) have been conducted in Western countries, and Asian reports are lacking. We evaluated the effectiveness and safety of DTG/3TC in Korean adult people living with HIV (PLWH). This retrospective study was conducted from July 2020 to July 2022 at a tertiary hospital in Korea. Those who were followed up for more than 12 months were included. We analyzed the baseline characteristics, effectiveness, resistant profiles, body weights, metabolic parameters, and safety of DTG/3TC treatment in 151 PLWH, dividing them into the treatment-naïve group and the switching group. The median DTG/3TC treatment durations in the treatment-naïve and switching groups were 507.5 and 525.0 days. In the treatment-naïve group, the viral RNA titer was undetectable at 6 and 12 months in 95% of patients. In the switching group, virologic suppression was well-maintained. Meanwhile, the creatinine levels were slightly elevated in both groups compared to baseline. Five participants complained of mild side effects, such as indigestion, constipation, diarrhea, and fatigue. However, no patient stopped treatment during the follow-up period. Since there was no virological failure or serious complications observed in this study, DTG/3TC may be a good treatment option for PLWH in Korea.

Purpose: Atrial fibrillation (AF) patients with low to intermediate risk, defined as non-gender CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc score of 0-1, are still at risk of stroke. This study verified the usefulness of ABCD score [age (≥60 years), B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) or N-terminal pro-BNP (≥300 pg/mL), creatinine clearance (<50 mL/min/1.73 m²), and dimension of the left atrium (≥45 mm)] for stroke risk stratification in non-gender CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc score 0-1., Materials and Methods: This multi-center cohort study retrospectively analyzed AF patients with non-gender CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc score 0-1. The primary endpoint was the incidence of stroke with or without antithrombotic therapy (ATT). An ABCD score was validated., Results: Overall, 2694 patients [56.3±9.5 years; female, 726 (26.9%)] were followed-up for 4.0±2.8 years. The overall stroke rate was 0.84/100 person-years (P-Y), stratified as follows: 0.46/100 P-Y for an ABCD score of 0; 1.02/100 P-Y for an ABCD score ≥1. The ABCD score was superior to non-gender CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc score in the stroke risk stratification (C-index=0.618, p =0.015; net reclassification improvement=0.576, p =0.040; integrated differential improvement=0.033, p =0.066). ATT was prescribed in 2353 patients (86.5%), and the stroke rate was significantly lower in patients receiving non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant (NOAC) therapy and an ABCD score ≥1 than in those without ATT (0.44/100 P-Y vs. 1.55/100 P-Y; hazard ratio=0.26, 95% confidence interval 0.11-0.63, p =0.003)., Conclusion: The biomarker-based ABCD score demonstrated improved stroke risk stratification in AF patients with non-gender CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc score 0-1. Furthermore, NOAC with an ABCD score ≥1 was associated with significantly lower stroke rate in AF patients with non-gender CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc score 0-1., Competing Interests: The authors have no potential conflicts of interest to disclose., (© Copyright: Yonsei University College of Medicine 2022.)

Introduction: Lateral epicondylitis is a common tendinopathy of the elbow. An adequately validated questionnaire is essential to compare the various treatment options, because there is still controversy regarding the best treatment for lateral epicondylitis., Purpose of the Study: The patient-rated tennis elbow evaluation (PRTEE) was introduced to measure the degree of symptoms and the limitation of function in these patients. This English questionnaire was previously translated into several languages and validated; however, it has not been translated into Korean. The aim of this study was to translate and cross-culturally adapt the PRTEE questionnaire into Korean, and to assess the reliability and validity of the translated questionnaire., Methods: Eighty-three patients were asked to complete the Korean version of the PRTEE and other questionnaires related to the upper extremity or to the general health condition (the Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder, and Hand questionnaire, Short Form-12, and EQ-5D). The PRTEE responses were recorded twice to evaluate test-retest reliability. Internal consistency, test-retest reliability, concurrent validity, and ceiling and flooring effects were evaluated., Results: The Korean version of the PRTEE showed high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.968). The overall test-retest reliability was good (intra-class correlation score = 0.94). High correlation efficiencies between the PRTEE and other questionnaires were observed, supporting high concurrent validity (Spearman's correlation = 0.83 for the Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder, and Hand questionnaire; -0.73 for Short Form-12; and -0.57 for EQ-5D). Ceiling and floor effects were not observed on this test., Conclusion: We successfully translated the PRTEE into the Korean language; this version of the PRTEE showed good reliability and construct validity in Korean-speaking patients with lateral epicondylitis., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Airway wall thickening (AWT) plays an important pathophysiological role in airway diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). There are only a few studies on the genetic components contributing to AWT in the Korean population. This study aimed to identify AWT-related single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) using a genome-wide association study (GWAS). We performed GWAS for AWT using the CODA and KUCOPD cohorts. Thereafter, a meta-analysis was performed. Airway wall thickness was measured using automatic segmentation software. The AWT at an internal perimeter of 10 mm (AWT-Pi10) was calculated by the square root of the theoretical airway wall area using the full-width-half-maximum method. We identified a significant SNP (rs11648772, p = 1.41 × 10 -8 ) located in LINC02127 , near SALL1 . This gene is involved in the inhibition of epithelial-mesenchymal transition in glial cells, and it affects bronchial wall depression in COPD patients. Additionally, we identified other SNPs (rs11970854, p = 1.92 × 10 -6 ; rs16920168, p = 5.29 × 10 -6 ) involved in airway inflammation and proliferation and found that AWT is influenced by these genetic variants. Our study helps identify the genetic cause of COPD in an Asian population and provides a potential basis for treatment.

Heterocyclic amines (HCAs) are contaminants in proteinaceous foods produced by cooking at high temperatures. This study was the first assessment of exposure to HCAs using the Korean total diet study. Twelve HCAs were analysed in 1,232 pooled samples using six isotope-labelled internal standards and HPLC-MS/MS. The daily intake of HCAs in the Korean population was estimated based on the concentration of HCAs in the total diet study samples and individual food consumption data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Among HCAs, the intake of β-carbolines, such as harman and norharman, was the highest, followed by the intake of PhIP. The primary sources of HCA intake were meat, fish, shellfish, and beverages, including alcohol. The margin of exposure to PhIP was 2,349,000 at the average level and 373,000 at the 95 th percentile in the Korean population. The estimated daily intake of all HCAs in the Korean population was considered safe.

Although amlodipine is recommended as the first-line therapy for the treatment of hypertension, its use is limited by its potential side effects. S-amlodipine is expected to be able to minimize side effects of amlodipine with a similar antihypertensive effect by removing the malicious R-chiral form. However, sustainable blood pressure control with S-amlodipine has not been well established yet. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) profiles before and after a 12-week treatment of S-amlodipine. Patients received once-daily S-amlodipine 2.5 or 5 mg. ABP during 24 hr and office blood pressure were measured at baseline and after the 12-week treatment. Primary endpoints were changes of systolic and diastolic 24 hr ABP. After 12-week S-amlodipine treatment, mean systolic ABP (-15.1 ± 16.2 mmHg, p < .001) and diastolic ABP (-8.9 ± 9.8 mmHg, p < .001) were decreased significantly. Both daytime and night-time mean systolic BP and diastolic BP were also significantly decreased after the 12-week treatment. Global trough-to-peak ratio and smoothness index after 12-week S-amlodipine treatment were .75 and .79 for SBP and .65 and .61 for DBP, respectively. Age ≥65 years (hazard ratio [HR]: 3.13; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.67-14.3) and nonalcohol drinking (HR: 3.09; 95% CI: 1.34-7.17) were independent clinical factors for target ABP achievement. Adverse drug reactions (ADR) were developed in 16 (6.4%) patients, including two (.8%) cases of peripheral edema. In conclusion, this study demonstrated the efficacy and safety of S-amlodipine in patients with uncontrolled essential hypertension., (© 2022 The Authors. The Journal of Clinical Hypertension published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background & Aims: Nasal obstruction caused by nasal septal deviation is very bothersome and, therefore, can affect the patient's emotional state. However, little is known about the effect of nasal septal deviation (NSD) on the neuropsychiatric aspects of patients. Therefore, this study aims to verify the higher incidence of anxiety, depression, and migraine in patients diagnosed with NSD compared to general populations using big data., Methods: This retrospective cohort study collected subjects from the Korean National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) database. Adjustments were made to minimize the confounding of variables for age, sex, residence type, income levels, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, rhinitis, and chronic rhinosinusitis between the two groups. The primary endpoint of this study was newly diagnosed anxiety, depression, and migraine between January 2009 and December 2018. Kaplan-Meier survival curves, logarithmic rank test, and Cox proportional regression test were used for statistical analysis., Results: Among a total of 135,769 subjects in the NHIS database, 48,495 patients with NSD (NSD group) and 54,475 control subjects (control group) were selected. Patients with NSD had an increased risk of anxiety, depression, and migraine compared to the control group. In the NSD group, the adjusted hazard ratios (HR) were 1.236 (95% CI, 1.198-1.276) for anxiety, 1.289 (95% CI, 1.238-1.343) for depression, and 1.251 (95% CI, 1.214-1.290) for migraine., Conclusion: NSD is associated with a higher incidence of anxiety, depression, and migraine. Therefore, it is suggested that physicians carefully consider psychoneurological distress and employ therapeutic strategies to minimize these conditions., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Background: We previously showed that enzymatically hydrolyzed Dendropanax morbiferus H. Lév. leaf (Hy-DP) and unripe Rubus coreanus Miq. (5-uRCK) extracts exhibit potent vasodilator effects on isolated aortic rings from rats partly through endothelium-dependent and endothelium-independent mechanisms. These two extracts have different mechanisms of action; however, their combined effect on antihypertensive activity has not been explored., Methods: The present study aims to investigate the effect of a chronic optimized mixture (HDR-2, composed of Hy-DP and 5-uRCK in a 2:1 mass ratio) on vascular tension and blood pressure in two different hypertensive rat models., Results: The results showed that HDR-2 concentration-dependently relaxed endothelium-intact and endothelium-denuded aortic rings precontracted with phenylephrine. Antihypertensive effects were assessed in vivo on a 1 kidney-1 clip (1 K-1C) rat model of hypertension and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). Acute HDR-2 treatment significantly decreased systolic blood pressure (SBP) 3 h posttreatment in both models. Chronic HDR-2 administration also significantly decreased SBP in the hypertensive rat models. Moreover, HDR-2 increased eNOS protein expression and phosphorylation levels in the aorta., Conclusion: Chronic HDR-2 administration may effectively improve vascular function by decreasing plasma angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity and AngII levels. HDR-2 significantly improved acetylcholine (ACh)-induced aortic endothelium-dependent relaxation and affected sodium nitroprusside (SNP)-induced endothelium-independent relaxation in SHRs., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

A Gram-stain-negative, catalase- and oxidase-positive, rod-shaped bacterium, designated as JK6 T was isolated from a coastal marine sediment in Jeju Island. Strain JK6 T was characterized by polyphasic investigation including genome features. It grew at pH 5.0-9.0 (optimum 7.5), 18-30 °C (optimum 25 °C) and 1.0-7.0% (w/v) NaCl (optimum 2.0%). Strain JK6 T utilized D-mannose, D-glucose, L-fucose, propionate and acetate as carbon and energy sources. The sole quinone was ubiquinone-10, and the major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine, and sphingolipid. Strain JK6 T was closely related to Parasphingorhabdus flavimaris SW-151 T (98.2%), Parasphingorhabdus marina DSM 22363 T (97.6%) and Parasphingorhabdus litoris FR1093 T (97.6%) based on 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity. Genome length and GC content were 3.29 Mbp and 53.0%, respectively. Digital DNA-DNA relatedness, average nucleotide identity, and average amino acid identity between strain JK6 T and P. flavimaris SW-151 T were 16.6%, 73.9%, and 77.6%, respectively. These results showed that the strain can be recognized as a novel bacterium named Parasphingorhabdus halotolerans. The type strain of Parasphingorhabdus halotolerans sp. nov. is JK6 T (= KCTC 72818 T  = VTCC 910111 T )., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Purpose: Although immune-checkpoint inhibitors have become a new therapeutic option for recurrent/metastatic non-small cell lung cancers (R/M-NSCLC), its clinical benefit in the real-world is still unclear., Methods: We investigated 1181 Korean patients with programmed death-1 ligand 1 (PD-L1)-positive [tumor proportion score (TPS) ≥ 10% by the SP263 assay or ≥ 50% by the 22C3 assay] R/M-NSCLC treated with pembrolizumab or nivolumab after failure of platinum-based chemotherapy., Results: The median age was 67 years, 13% of patients had ECOG-PS ≥ 2, and 27% were never-smokers. Adenocarcinoma was predominant (61%) and 18.1% harbored an EGFR activating mutation or ALK rearrangement. Pembrolizumab and nivolumab were administered to 51.3% and 48.7, respectively, and 42% received them beyond the third-line chemotherapy. Objective response rate (ORR) was 28.6%. Pembrolizumab group showed numerically higher ORR (30.7%) than the nivolumab group (26.4%), but it was comparable with that of the nivolumab group having PD-L1 TPS ≥ 50% (32.4%). Median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 2.9 (95% CI 0-27.9) and 10.7 months (95% CI 0-28.2), respectively. In multivariable analysis, concordance of TPS ≥ 50% in both PD-L1 assays and the development of immune-related adverse events (irAEs) were two significant predictors of better ORR, PFS, and OS. EGFR mutation could also predict significantly worse OS outcomes., Conclusion: The real-world benefit of later-line anti-PD1 antibodies was comparable to clinical trials in patients with R/M-NSCLC, although patients generally were more heavily pretreated and had poorer ECOG-PS. Concordantly high PD-L1 TPS ≥ 50% and development of irAE could independently predict better treatment outcomes, while EGFR mutation negatively affected OS.

A Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped, and strictly aerobic bacterium designated strain G2-b T was isolated from the marine sediment around Jeju Island, South Korea. Strain G2-b T was found to be catalase- and oxidase-positive, white-pigmented, motile with polar flagellum, and to grow optimally at 25 °C, pH 7.0 in the presence of 4% (w/v) NaCl. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that strain G2-b T belongs to the genus Salinimonas and was closely related Salinimonas sediminis N102 T (96.7% sequence similarity), Salinimonas iocasae KX18D6 T (95.4%), Salinimonas lutimaris DPSR-4 T (94.7%), and Salinimonas chungwhensis BH030046 T (94.6%). Strain G2-b T possessed ubiquinone 8 as the sole respiratory quinone, summed feature 3 and summed feature 8 as the major fatty acids, and phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylglycerol as the major polar lipids. The genome size and G + C content of the strain G2-b T were determined to be 3,765,169 bp, and 49.7%, respectively, as a complete circular genome. Based on the genomic analyses (e.g., average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization), the strain G2-B T likely represents a new species in the genus Salinimonas, for which we propose to name this novel bacterium Salinimonas marina sp. nov., and the type strain is designated G2-B T (= KCTC 72817 T  = VTCC 910110 T )., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

A Gram-stain-negative, long-rod shaped, and facultatively anaerobic bacterium, designated as strain M1 T , was isolated from the marine sediment of Jeju Island, South Korea. Strain M1 T was found to be catalase- and oxidase-positive, light yellow-pigmented, non-motile, and non-flagellated, growing optimally at 30 °C, pH 7.0, and in the presence of 3% (w/v) NaCl. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain M1 T belongs to the genus Draconibacterium and is closely related to Draconibacterium orientale FH5 T (97.2%), Draconibacterium sediminis JN14CK-3  T (96.5%), "Draconibacterium filum" F2 T (96.5%) and Draconibacterium mangrovi GM2-18  T (96.3% sequence similarity). The values for digital DNA-DNA hybridization ranged from 37.6 to 38.3% against D. orientale FH5 T , D. sediminis KN14CK-3  T , and D. mangrovi GM2-18  T , clearly indicating that strain M1 T represents a distinct species of the genus Draconibacterium. Strain M1 T has a 40.0% G + C content estimated by genome sequence, menaquinone 7 as the sole respiratory quinone, C 15:0 anteiso and C 15:0 iso as the major fatty acids, and phosphatidylethanolamine, an unidentified phospholipid, and unidentified lipids as the polar lipids. Based on the polyphasic characteristics, it is suggested that strain M1 T be assigned to the genus Draconibacterium as the type strain of a novel species, for which the name Draconibacterium halophilum sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is M1 T (= KCTC 72809  T  = VTCC 910107  T ).

Fat globule size and phospholipid (PL) content in human milk (HM) were investigated. HM was classified into three groups depending on fat content (A < B < C). PL content (mg/100 g HM) was significantly higher in the C group ( p < 0.05), indicating its positive relationship with HM fat content. When the PL content was normalized (mg/g fat), that of group A was significantly higher ( p < 0.05) and fat droplet size in group C was slightly larger, suggesting that HM fat content is affected by fat droplet numbers to a larger extent than by fat droplet size. A correlation between PC and SM content in HM was observed regardless of fat content, while correlation between PE and either PC or SM increased in the order of C > B > A, hence the composition and content of PL species in HM varied according to its fat content.

Background: Data on the clinical characteristics of delayed treatment initiation among pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) patients are lacking. Thus, this study aimed to identify the factors associated with delayed treatment in culture-confirmed pulmonary TB and to assess outcomes of delayed treatment., Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 151 patients with culture-confirmed pulmonary TB between 2015 and 2017. Delayed and timely treatment was defined as initiation of anti-TB treatment after and before the identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex isolate, respectively. Factors related to delayed treatment, such as comorbidities, clinical presentation, and patterns of initial healthcare use, were collected. We analyzed whether delayed treatment was associated with all-cause mortality using a multivariate binary logistic regression model adjusted for age, sex, cardiovascular disease, and malignancy., Results: In total, 55 (36.4%) patients had delayed treatment. The median length between the first medical visit and treatment initiation was 9 days. Compared with timely treatment, delayed treatment was associated with no initial visit to a non-pulmonary department [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) =10.49, 95% confidence interval (CI), 2.56-42.93] and absence of nucleic acid amplification test (aOR =7.54, 95% CI, 2.75-20.67). After adjusting for age, sex, cardiovascular disease, and solid malignancies, delayed treatment was significantly associated with all-cause mortality (aOR =3.79, 95% CI, 1.36-10.58). The most frequent possible cause of delayed treatment was the doctor's low suspicion of active TB disease., Conclusions: Given that delayed treatment is associated with worse outcomes in South Korea, targeted interventions to increase awareness on TB in the healthcare community are necessary for additional mycobacterial tests and consults of suspicious patients to TB specialists.

Two bacterial strains designated as MA3 T and BT182 were isolated from a soil sample in South Korea. Cells of the two strains were Gram-stain-negative, non-motile, rod-shaped and formed red colonies on R2A agar at 25 °C. The 16S rRNA genes of the two strains shared a sequence similarity of 99.8%. Both strains shared the highest 16S rRNA gene similarity of 96.8% with Hymenobacter edaphi NL T , followed by Hymenobacter paludis KBP-30 T (96.3%), Hymenobacter coalescens WW84 T (96.3%) and Hymenobacter gummosus ANT-18 T (96.3%). Growth was observed at 15-37 °C (optimum 30 °C), pH 6-8 (optimum pH 7) and in the presence up to 1% NaCl. The genome size of strains MA3 T and BT182 is 4.9 Mb and 4.8 Mb, respectively. The genomic G + C content of both strains is 62.0 mol%. The main polar lipid of the strains was phosphatidylethanolamine, the only respiratory quinone detected was menaquinone-7 and the major fatty acids were anteiso-C 15:0 , iso-C 15:0 , summed feature 4 (iso-C 17:1 I/anteiso-C 17:1 B) and summed feature 3 (C 16:1 ω6c/C 16:1 ω7c), supporting the affiliation of these strains with the genus Hymenobacter. Based on the phylogenetic, genotypic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic data, strains MA3 T and BT182 represent a novel species of the genus Hymenobacter, for which the name Hymenobacter busanensis is proposed. The type strain is MA3 T (= KCTC 72631 T  = NBRC 114193 T ).

A novel light-yellow-coloured, Gram-stain-positive, nearly-coccoid, aerobic bacterium, designated strain ID2601S T was isolated from a car evaporator core collected from South Korea. Strain ID2601S T was catalase positive and oxidase negative, able to grow at pH 6.0-8.0, temperature 20-45 °C, and 0-6.0% (w/v) NaCl concentration. The 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that strain ID2601S T belonged to the genus Flexivirga, with the nearest phylogenetic neighbour being Flexivirga endophytica YIM 7505 T (97.9% sequence similarity). The strain comprised diphosphatidylglycerol as the main polar lipid; MK-8(H 4 ) as a predominant respiratory quinone; serine, alanine, glycine, glutamic acid, and lysine as main components of peptidoglycan and iso-C 16:0 , summed feature 9 (iso-C 17:1 ω9c and/or C 16:0 10-methyl), anteiso-C 17:0 , and C 17:0 10-methyl as the major fatty acids. The average nucleotide identity (ANI) values between strain ID2601S T and the closest species (Flexivirga endophytica YIM 7505 T and Flexivirga caeni BO-16 T ) were < 78%. The in silico DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) values of strain ID2601S T with the closest species were < 22%. These observations were below the threshold values of 95% (for ANI) and 70% (for dDDH) used for species delineation. The DNA G+C content was 69.8 mol%. Based on the polyphasic taxonomic data, the novel species Flexivirga aerilata sp. nov. is proposed with the type strain ID2601S T (=KCTC 49353 T =NBRC 114622 T ).

Background: The independent role of pericardial adipose tissue (PAT) as an ectopic fat associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains controversial. This study aimed to determine whether PAT is associated with left ventricular (LV) structure and function independent of other markers of general obesity., Methods: We studied 2471 participants (50.9 % women) without known CVD from the Korean Genome Epidemiology Study, who underwent 2D-echocardiography with tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) and computed tomography measurement for PAT., Results: Study participants with more PAT were more likely to be men and had higher cardiometabolic indices, including blood pressure, glucose, and cholesterol levels (all P < 0.001). Greater pericardial fat levels across quartiles of PAT were associated with increased LV mass index and left atrial volume index (all P < 0.001) and decreased systolic (P = 0.015) and early diastolic (P < 0.001) TDI velocities, except for LV ejection fraction. These associations remained after a multivariable-adjusted model for traditional CV risk factors and persisted even after additional adjustment for general adiposity measures, such as waist circumference and body mass index. PAT was also the only obesity index independently associated with systolic TDI velocity (P < 0.001)., Conclusions: PAT was associated with subclinical LV structural and functional deterioration, and these associations were independent of and stronger than with general and abdominal obesity measures.

Strain M2 T , isolated from marine sediment collected at Jeju Island, was an aerobic, Gram-stain-negative, oxidase- and catalase-positive, motile, rod-shaped bacterium that formed circular, raised, yellow colonies. Strain M2 T grew at 15-42 °C, pH 5.5-9.0 and with 1-9 % (w/v) NaCl. Phylogenetic analysis based on its 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain M2 T was closely related to Kineobactrum sediminis F02 T (98.0 % sequence similarity). Ubiquinone-8 was determined to be the sole respiratory quinone. Summed feature 3 (C 16 : 1  ω 6 c /C 16 : 1  ω 7 c ) and summed feature 8 (C 18 : 1  ω 7 c /C 18 : 1  ω 6 c ) were identified as the predominant fatty acids. The DNA G+C content and digital DNA-DNA relatedness between strain M2 T and K. sediminis F02 T were 60.7 mol% and 19.5 %, respectively. Phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylethanolamine were identified as the major polar lipids. Thus, polyphasic characterization revealed that strain M2 T represents a novel species in the genus Kineobactrum , for which the name Kineobactrum salinum sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is M2 T (=KCTC 72815 T =VTCC 910108 T ).

A novel white-colored, aerobic, Gram-stain-positive, rod-shaped bacterium, designated strain DB0629 T was isolated from a motor car evaporator core collected in South Korea. Strain DB0629 T grew at 10-35 °C, pH 6.0-9.0, and 0-5.0% (w/v) NaCl concentration. The 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that strain DB0629 T belonged to the genus Nakamurella, with the nearest phylogenetic neighbor being Nakamurella lactea DSM 19367 T (97.6% sequence similarity). The strain comprised diphosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylinositol as the main polar lipids; MK-8(H 4 ) as a sole respiratory quinone; meso-diaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic diamino acid in the cell-wall peptidoglycan and anteiso-C 15:0 , anteiso-C 17:0 , iso-C 16:0 , iso-C 15:0 , and C 16:0 as the major fatty acids. The average nucleotide identity (ANI) and in silico DNA-DNA hybridization values between strain DB0629 T and N. lactea DSM 19367 T were 74.9% and 20.8%, respectively, which were below the threshold values of 95% and 70%, respectively. The DNA G + C content was 69.5 mol%. Based on the polyphasic taxonomic data, the novel species Nakamurella aerolata sp. nov. is proposed with the type strain DB0629 T (= KCTC 72726 T  = NBRC 114624 T ).

Background: Subclinical tuberculosis (TB) is a potential target for public health intervention because its early identification may reduce TB transmission. We aimed to describe the clinical and laboratory findings of subclinical disease among pulmonary TB patients and compared treatment outcomes for subclinical and active diseases., Methods: In this prospective cohort study, we enrolled adult patients aged ≥ 19 years with pulmonary TB between 2016 and 2018. Subclinical TB was defined as radiographic or microbiologic test results consistent with TB without clinical symptoms. We implemented a two-stage symptom assessment using a predefined TB symptom checklist. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were compared between subclinical and active diseases using multivariable binary logistic regression analysis. We evaluated treatment outcomes in the drug-susceptible cohort., Results: Among 420 enrolled patients, 81 (19.3%) had subclinical TB. Multivariable analysis showed that age < 65 years was the only variable significantly associated with subclinical disease. Subclinical disease had a significantly lower proportion of acid-fast bacilli smear and culture positivity and multiple lobe involvement compared to active disease. The white blood cell counts, platelet counts, and C-reactive protein levels were significantly higher among patients with active disease than among those with subclinical disease. Among 319 patients with treatment success in the drug-susceptible cohort, six (1.9%) recurrent cases were identified, and all were active disease. Patients with subclinical disease had a higher proportion of favourable outcomes; however, its odds ratio was insignificant., Conclusions: Nearly one-fifth of tuberculosis cases were subclinical in South Korea. Despite its milder clinical presentation and lower level of inflammatory markers, the treatment outcomes of subclinical TB were not significantly different from that of active disease.

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, nonmotile, yellow-colored strain BT328 T and Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-motile, red-colored strain BT18 T were isolated from the soil collected in Korea. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that strain BT328 T formed a distinct lineage within the family Spirosomaceae (order Cytophagales, class Cytophagia) and was most closely related to a member of the genus Spirosoma, Spirosoma terrae 15J9-4 T (95.9% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity). Optimal growth occurred at 25 °C, pH 7.0 and in the absence of NaCl. The predominant cellular fatty acids were summed feature 3 (C 16:1 ω6c/C 16:1 ω7c) and C 16:1 ω5c. The major respiratory quinone was MK-7. The major polar lipid was phosphatidylethanolamine. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain BT18 T formed a distinct lineage within the family Hymenobacteraceae (order Cytophagales, class Cytophagia, phylum Bacteroidetes) and was most closely related to members of the genus Hymenobacter, Hymenobacter knuensis 16F7C-2 T (97.0% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity). Optimal growth occurred at 25 °C and pH 7.0 without NaCl. The major fatty acids were iso-C 15:0 and anteiso-C 15:0 . The major menaquinone was MK-7. The major polar lipid was phosphatidylethanolamine. Biochemical, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic analyses indicated that strains BT328 T and BT18 T represents a novel bacterial species within the genus Spirosoma and Hymenobacter, respectively. For which the name Spirosoma aureum and Hymenobacter russus is proposed. The type strain of S. aureum is BT328 T (=KCTC 72365 T  = NBRC 114506 T ) and the type strain of H. russus is BT18 T (=KCTC 62610 T  = NBRC 114380 T ).

The novel bacterial strain C33 T was isolated from a freshwater sample collected from the Hapcheon-Changnyeong barrage. The Gram-negative, motile, yellow-pigmented strain C33 T was characterized as a rod-shaped and strictly aerobic bacterium. A 16S-rRNA phylogenetic analysis revealed that this strain was most closely related to Sphingomonas changbaiensis V2M44 T , Sphingomonas tabacisoli X1-8 T , and Sphingomonas flavalba ZLT-5 T with 97.1, 97.0, and 95.0 % 16S-rRNA sequence similarities, respectively. The genomic DNA GC content of strain C33 T was estimated at 65.0 mol%. The average nucleotide identity of strain C33 T relative to S. changbaiensis V2M44 T and S. flavalba ZLT-5 T was found to be 77.0 and 75.6%, with average amino-acid identities of 69.9, and 66.7%, and the digital DNA-DNA hybridization values of 21.3 and 17.7 %, respectively. The cells grew at 19-37 °C and pH 6-9 with 0-0.5 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum: 28 °C, pH 6.5, and 0 % NaCl). The major component identified in the polyamine pattern was sym -homospermidine, and the main ubiquinone was Q-10. The predominant polar lipids characterized were diphophatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylmonomethylethanolamine, phosphatidyldimethylethanolamine, and sphingoglycolipid. Iso-C 15 : 0 , C 15 : 0 anteiso, and summed feature 3 (C 16 : 1 ω 6 c and/or C 16 : 1 ω 7 c ) were found to be the primary cellular fatty acids in strain C33 T . Based on these genotypic and phenotypic characteristics, strain C33 T was classified as a novel species of the genus Sphingomonas ; and the name Sphingomonas changnyeongensis sp. nov. is proposed (=KACC 21511 T =JCM 33880 T ).

This study aims to identify the regions and people with low food access (LFA) for Korea at the national level and to examine disparities in food consumption, dietary behavior, and health outcome for those regions and people. Based on the distance to the nearest grocery store from residence, the regions and people with LFA are identified through geographical information system (GIS) analysis. To examine disparities between the regions and people with LFA and without LFA, a consumer survey is conducted and data from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and Community Health Survey are analyzed. This study found that there exists a serious access to food issue in Korea, especially for the aged. Moreover, there also exist significant disparities between the regions and people with and without LFA in the distance and one-way travel time to the grocery store that is mainly visited, frequency of offline/online grocery shopping, availability of various foods, dietary habits such as eating regularly, eating nutritionally balanced foods, and eating sufficient fruit/vegetable/whole grains, the acquisition and utilization of food-related information, and health outcomes. This study suggests that, to resolve such a serious food access problem, assistance policies, such as mobile grocery stores and lunch-box delivery, need to be activated in countries similar to Korea since this problem could potentially deteriorate the national medical finances as well as the regional and individual disparities.

Background: Although sites and types of injury frequently occurring in fencers have been well described, the type of injury caused by the use of fencing movements is still unknown. This study aimed to provide basic data for injury prevention by understanding the sports injury status in fencers., Methods: A total of 584 South Korean fencers were included in the survey and were classified according to the injured site, cause of injury, and movement that causes injury. The collected data were analyzed using frequency analysis, χ 2 tests, and logistic regression analysis to identify differences in sex, event type, age, and career., Results: Female (P=0.001) and foil fencers (P=0.015) were more likely to experience injury than male and sabre and epee fencers. The incidence of injury was significantly higher according to age (P=0.001) and career (P=0.001). The ankle was the most frequently injured site (17.71%). Injuries most frequently occur during Fente movement (48.11%). Insufficient warm-up was the most common cause of injury (23.91%) in all groups., Conclusions: These results suggest that a specific warm-up program and strengthening exercises of the ankle and knee ligaments should be established to prevent injuries for fencers. Particularly, female, foil, adult, and experienced fencers should be more careful in preventing injuries.

Purpose: The introduction of immune checkpoint inhibitors represents a major advance in the treatment of lung cancer, allowing sustained recovery in a significant proportion of patients. Nivolumab is a monoclonal anti-programmed death cell protein 1 antibody licensed for the treatment of locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after prior chemotherapy. In this study, we describe the demographic and clinical outcomes of patients with advanced NSCLC treated with nivolumab in the Korean expanded access program., Materials and Methods: Previously treated patients with advanced nonsquamous and squamous NSCLC patients received nivolumab at 3 mg/kg every 2 weeks up to 36 months. Efficacy data including investigator-assessed tumor response, progression data, survival, and safety data were collected., Results: Two hundred ninety-nine patients were treated across 36 Korean centers. The objective response rate and disease control rate were 18% and 49%, respectively; the median progression-free survival was 2.1 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.87 to 3.45), and the overall survival (OS) was 13.2 months (95% CI, 10.6 to 18.9). Patients with smoking history and patients who experienced immune-related adverse events showed a prolonged OS. Cox regression analysis identified smoking history, presence of immune-related adverse events as positive factors associated with OS, while liver metastasis was a negative factor associated with OS. The safety profile was generally comparable to previously reported data., Conclusion: This real-world analysis supports the use of nivolumab for pretreated NSCLC patients, including those with an older age.

Introduction: Atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) is a rare thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA), characterized by micro-angiopathic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, and renal failure. In more than half of cases, genetic defects leading to overactivation of the alternative complement system have been identified. In this study, we investigated genetic defects in Korean adult patients with aHUS., Materials and Methods: Sixty-six Korean adult patients with aHUS were ascertained from the Korean TMA Registry. Genetic variants of 15 aHUS-related genes (eight core genes [CFH, CFB, CFI, CD46, C3, THBD, PLG, and DGKE] and seven candidate genes [CFP, C4BPA, and CHFR1-5]) were analyzed from exome sequencing data. Multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification of CFH and related genes was performed to detect hybrid genes or large deletions., Results: Thirty patients (45%) had at least one aHUS-related variant (s) in eight core genes (total 40 variant alleles). The most frequently affected gene was CFH (13/40, 32%), followed by THBD (8/40, 20%) and CD46 (7/40, 18%). The two most common variants were Asp486Tyr of THBD (N = 7) and Tyr1058His-Val1060Leu of CFH (N = 5, linked on the same allele), accounting for 30% (12/40). In seven candidate genes, 19 variants were detected. When combined, 40 patients (61%) had at least one variant in 15 core or candidate genes. No patients had anti-CFH Ab or hybrid gene/CFHR1 homozygous deletions., Conclusions: The genetic profile of Korean adult aHUS was unique with recurrent missense variants, demonstrating ethnicity- and age-dependent differences in the genetic background of aHUS., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: South Korea's aggressive responses to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have greatly slowed the epidemic without regional lockdowns., Methods: The Korean Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's daily briefings were thoroughly reviewed. Information about hospital countermeasures and government coordination was collected via telephone interviews with 4 infection control team leaders, 1 emergency department nurse, and 1 infectious disease physician in Korea., Results: After the 2015 Middle East Respiratory Syndrome outbreak, the government and hospitals prepared for the inevitable outbreak of emerging infectious diseases by reforming the epidemic preparedness system. As a result, COVID-19 diagnostic test kits were quickly developed, enabling extensive early detection of potential cases. Other key steps were tracking cases, finding exposed individuals, coordinating case assignments with health care facilities, and selective clinic screenings for visitors' entering hospitals with mandatory mask wearing. Consequently, after overcoming the initial peak of the outbreak, which was related to a religious group, Korea has been able to maintain daily new cases at around 100 and to less than 50 daily cases in the second week of April., Conclusions: To counter the COVID-19 pandemic, which may persist, long-term, sustained response strategies must be prepared along with coordination between government and health systems., (Copyright © 2020 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-flagellated, red-colored strains BT214 T and BT326 T were isolated from soil collected in Uijeongbu city, Korea. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strains BT214 T and BT326 T formed a distinct lineage within the family Hymenobacteraceae (order Chitinophagales, class Chitinophagia) and were most closely related to members of the genus Pontibacter, Pontibacter populi HLY7-15 T (96.9% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity) and Pontibacter amylolyticus 9-2 T (96.1%), respectively. Optimal growth of two strains occurred at 25 °C, pH 7.0 and in the absence of NaCl. The predominant cellular fatty acids were summed feature 4 (iso-C 17:1 I/anteiso-C 17:1 B) and iso-C 15:0 . The major respiratory quinone of two strains was MK-7. The major polar lipid of two strains was phosphatidylethanolamine. Biochemical, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic analyses indicated that strains BT214 T and BT326 T represent novel bacterial species within the genus Pontibacter, for which the names Pontibacter pudoricolor and Pontibacter russatus are proposed. The type strains of Pontibacter pudoricolor and Pontibacter russatus are BT214 T and BT326 T , respectively.

We analyzed the patterns of diagnosis, treatment, and prognoses of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients with and without disabilities. The data were collected from the National Disability Database, the Korean Central Cancer Registry, and the Korean National Health Insurance claim database. We built a cohort of 2 776 450 people with disabilities and a nondisabled cohort of 8 329 350 people who were selected at a ratio of 1:3 by matching age and sex. From this population, adult patients who were diagnosed with AML were analyzed. The number of patients with AML were 26.74 per 100 000 in people without disabilities and 20.39 per 100 000 in those with disabilities (P < .0001). The proportion of AML patients receiving chemotherapy and those of patients receiving transplants were significantly lower in the disabled population than that of nondisabled populations (71.2% vs 77.1%, P = .0031, and 17.5% vs 26.9%, P = .002). This trend was more pronounced in subgroups of communication disability and major internal organ disorder. The median survival was 10.8 months for patients with disabilities, which was significantly shorter than 17.1 months for those without a disability (P = .002). Individuals with disabilities have a low diagnosis rate of AML and undergo less active treatment, which results in inferior prognosis., (© 2020 The Authors. Cancer Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The one reason of the decrease of walking time for adults in South Korea among various factors is the sense of fear about fine dust sparked by media reports, which has created a negative perception of fine dust. This study aimed to assess the change in concentration of fine dust, as well as individuals' walking time and health status, in South Korea, and to investigate the relationship between the media reports on fine dust. Using the national government statistics data, we analyzed the relationship between walking time, concentration of fine dust, and amount of media reports on fine dust. From 2008 to 2017, the average walking time and PM10 levels decreased from 76.17 to 49.47 min and 52 to 45 μg/m 3 ; whereas PM10 media frequency increased from 349 to 9,234. No positive correlation existed between walking time in South Korea and exposure to fine dust. However, media reports on fine dust increased steadily from 2012 and peaked in 2015. The decrease in average walking time in South Korea was due to the negative perception created by the increase in media reports on fine dust, rather than the increase in the actual concentration of fine dust.

Because of the nature of their work, physical and occupational therapists are at high risk of burnout, which is associated with decreased job satisfaction, medical errors, and mental wellbeing in healthcare professionals. To well manage and minimize potential impact of burnout, risk factors should be determined. This study examined burnout and job stress in physical and occupational therapists in various Korean hospital settings. Physical and occupational therapists from several rehabilitation facilities in South Korea completed a survey between March-May 2019. A set of questionnaires, including the Maslach Burnout Inventory and Job Content Questionnaire, were distributed to all participants. In total, 325 professionals (131 men and 194 women) were recruited. Burnout and work-related stress differed significantly according to several factors. Hospital size, gender, and age were the main contributory factors affecting at least two dimensions of the questionnaires. The more vulnerable group consisted of female therapists in their 20s at small- or medium-sized hospitals with low scores for quality of life. High levels of job stress and burnout were observed in female therapists in their 20s at small- or medium-sized hospitals. Hospitals and society should create suitable environments and understand the nature of therapists' work to improve healthcare.

Background: Many clinical trials on antihypertensive drugs have confirmed the usefulness of these drugs in regulating blood pressure effectively. However, all the drugs usually require long-term use; thus, economic burdens as well as some adverse effects, including headache, diarrhea, skin rash, edema, fever, and liver and kidney dysfunction, accompany their use. Therefore, we attempted to identify natural medications for treating hypertension. We investigated the antihypertensive effects of Dendropanax morbiferus H. Lév. extract (DP), enzymatically hydrolyzed DP extract (Hy-DP) and 5% unripe Rubus coreanus Miq. ethanol extract (5-uRCK)., Methods: Extracts of the unripe R. coreanus were made using 20 volumes of 5% ethanol at 100 °C for 4 h. The dried leaves of D. morbiferus were subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis by protease, trypsin, bromelain and papain to increase L -arginine and GABA levels. Vasorelaxant effects of these extracts were evaluated on rat aorta precontracted with phenylephrine. In addition, hippocampal neurons, RAW 264.7 macrophages and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were used to exam nitric oxide (NO) production and NO synthase (NOS) gene expression., Results: DP, Hy-DP and 5-uRCK dose-dependently relaxed isolated rat aortic rings contracted with phenylephrine; however, Hy-DP was more effective than DP. L -NAME and ODQ differentially inhibited Hy-DP- and 5-uRCK-induced relaxation; both L -NAME and ODQ completely blocked 5-uRCK-mediated relaxation. Endothelium-denuded aortic ring relaxation was induced much less by 5-uRCK than by Hy-DP. Therefore, 5-uRCK and Hy-DP induced vascular relaxation by endothelium-dependent and partially endothelium-dependent mechanisms, respectively. Hy-DP and 5-uRCK induced eNOS gene expression and NO production in endothelial cells but did not change iNOS/nNOS expression or NO production in macrophages or neuronal cells. Both Hy-DP and 5-uRCK effectively induced vascular relaxation via similar but slightly different mechanisms. The best effective combination was investigated after mixing Hy-DP and 5-uRCK at different ratios. The 2:1 Hy-DP:5-uRCK mixture inhibited ACE, cGMP- and cAMP-dependent phosphodiesterase activity and vascular relaxation better than the other mixtures., Conclusion: In conclusion, Hy-DP and 5-uRCK exert antihypertensive effects through different endothelium-dependent or endothelium-independent mechanisms. These findings may greatly help elucidate the mechanisms of clinical efficacy of Hy-DP:5-uRCK mixtures used for blood pressure regulation.

Actinidia arguta , commonly called hardy kiwifruit or kiwiberry, has cold-resistant properties and can be cultivated in Asia, including Korea. Seven new triterpenoids ( 2 - 4 and 8 - 11 ) along with eight known triterpenoids were isolated from the leaves of A. arguta through various chromatographic techniques. The new triterpenoids were defined as actiniargupenes A-C ( 2 - 4 ), actinidic acid derivatives with phenylpropanoid constituent units, dehydroisoactinidic acid ( 8 ), and actiniargupenes D-F ( 9 - 11 ), asiatic acid derivatives with phenylpropanoid substituents, on the basis of 1D and 2D NMR and MS data. Among the triterpenoids, those with a phenylpropanoid constituent unit showed inhibitory activity on α-glucosidase, which suggested the importance of the phenylpropanoid moiety. Molecular docking analysis demonstrated the interaction between the 4'-OH group of the phenylpropanoid moiety and α-glucosidase.

A novel, Gram-stain-positive, non-spore-forming, facultatively anaerobic bacterium, designated strain H21T32 T , was isolated from the faeces of an Oriental stork, Ciconia boyciana . Cells formed cocci grouped in pairs, tetrads or conglomerates, and colonies on solid medium were pale yellow. Strain H21T32 T belonged to the genus Jeotgalibaca , family Carnobacteriaceae , order Lactobacillales and class Bacilli . The 16S rRNA gene sequences of the strain showed 97.06-97.34, 96.17-96.31 and 95.93-96.07 % similarity to the type strains of Jeotgalibaca arthritidis , J. porci and J. dankookensis , respectively. The strain grew at 10-37 °C (optimum temperature: 30 °C), with 0-7 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum salinity: 0.5 %) and at pH 7-9 (optimum pH: 8). The main cellular fatty acids were C 16 : 1 ω 9 c , C 18 : 1 ω 9 c and C 16 : 0 . The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylglycerol. Respiratory quinones were not detected. Sugar components of the peptidoglycan were rhamnose, ribose and glucose. Amino acid components of the cell wall were l-alanine, d-glucose, l-lysine, glycine and aspartic acid. The DNA G+C content of the strain was 37.1 mol%. Average nucleotide identity between strain H21T32 T and J. arthritidis CECT 9157 T was 77.02 %, confirming that strain H21T32 T represents a novel species of the genus Jeotgalibaca , for which the name Jeotgalibaca ciconiae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is H21T32 T (=KCTC 33991 T =JCM 33222 T ).

Background/aims: Although the diarrheal disease caused by Campylobacter bacteria has been continuously increasing in Korea, there has been limited study on the clinical aspects of Campylobacter enteritis in adults in Korea. The purpose of this study was to analyze the clinical features and characteristics of adult patients with Campylobacter enteritis., Methods: This retrospective study included patients diagnosed with Campylobacter enterocolitis at Nowon Eulji University Hopsital between January 2016 and December 2017. Campylobacter enterocolitis was diagnosed through polymerase chain reaction of stools from patients with acute diarrhea., Results: Among 630 hospitalized patients with acute diarrhea, Campylobacter enterocolitis was diagnosed in 88 patients (14.0%). The mean age was 37.9±19.1 years. Campylobacter enterocolitis was most prevalent in the summer (52 patients, 59.1%). Patients exhibited more than 10 times of diarrhea in 36 (40.9%), high fever above 39°C in 19 (21.59%), and abdominal pain above 5 points on the numeric rating scale in 23 (26.14%) cases. In abdominal CT scan, pancolitis was found in 58 patients (65.9%). Small intestine was involved in 37 patients (42.4%). Mean CRP was 10.14 mg/dL (range 0.72-32.27 mg/dL). The duration of diarrhea after antibiotics treatment was 2.34±1.51 days in the ciprofloxacin treatment group and 2.26±1.71 days in the 3rd cephalosporin treatment group., Conclusions: Campylobacter enterocolitis was common during summer. Commonly healthy young adults were hospitalized due to severe symptoms of Campylobacter enterocolitis. Whole colon and small bowel were frequently involved. Most patients were treated with antibiotics, and the efficacy of 3rd cephalosporin treatment was not inferior to that of ciprofloxacin treatment.

A novel Gram-negative, obligately aerobic, rod-shaped and non-motile bacterium, designated strain K13M18 T , was isolated from the intestinal tract of a Korean indigenous fish, oily bitterling ( Acheilognathus koreensis ). Strain K13M18 T formed creamy-pink colonies on a marine agar plate. Results of phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity indicated that strain K13M18 T was most closely related to Tabrizicola sediminis DRYC-M-16 T , sharing 97.62 % similarity with that strain. Strain K13M18 T belonged to the genus Tabrizicola , which formed a cluster with Tabrizicola aquatica RCRI19 T , Tabrizicola fusiformis SY72 T , Tabrizicola sediminis DRYC-M-16 T and Tabrizicola alkalilacus DJC T in a phylogenetic tree based on the 16S rRNA gene sequences. Strain K13M18 T grown optimally in 0 % (w/v) NaCl, at pH 7 and 30 °C, in a marine broth medium. The predominant cellular fatty acids were C 18 : 1 ω 7 c and C 18 : 1 ω 6 c . The major respiratory isoprenoid quinone was ubiquinone Q-10. Polar lipids of strain K13M18 T contained phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, diphosphatidylglycerol, six unidentified aminophospholipids, one unidentified aminolipid and an unidentified lipid. Based on genome sequencing, the DNA G+C content of strain K13M18 T was 64.08 mol %, with an average nucleotide identity value, calculated by a comparative genomic analysis of strains K13M18 T and T. sediminis DRYC-M-16 T , of 74.82 %. Based on the phylogenetic, genotypic, and phenotypic information, strain K13M18 T is proposed to be a novel species of the genus Tabrizicola . The type strain is K13M18 T (=KCTC 62659 T =JCM 33230 T ).