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This study longitudinally examined university-level students' stances, communication of negative emotions, and L2 swearing with regard to English-medium instruction (EMI). Sixteen graduate students enrolled in an English-medium course in a university in Korea participated in the study. The research instruments were classroom observations, reflective journal writing, and in-depth, semi-structured interviews. The results indicated that there were three occasions, during small group discussions, on each of which one student articulated her/his language ideologies against EMI and expressed her/his anger in Korean, and swore in English. These occasions occurred due to a student's opposition to EMI, a student's opposition to EMI preceded by her own support for it, and a student's opposition to EMI faced with another student's support for it, respectively. What affected the occasions included their teacher's idiosyncratic focus on general vocabulary in addition to subject-specific vocabulary (a factor common to these students), and challenges intrinsic to EMI, face, and the teacher's excessive academic push.

The current study looked at an English as a foreign language (EFL) teacher's emotional intelligence (EI) and emotional labor (EL). A Korean elementary fifth-grade classroom was observed eight times in a non-participant way. Further, the teacher and the students were interviewed in a semi-structured way, and the teacher was asked to write reflective journals about her classroom teaching. The results showed that a number of factors influenced the processes of her EI and EL. Principal among these factors was her teacher agency, which related to her focus on her pedagogical goal of enabling her students to learn EFL better. Based on the findings of the study, implications are suggested.

Background: The DAPA-HF and DELIVER trials demonstrated the clinical benefits of dapagliflozin in heart failure (HF) patients across the entire ejection fraction (EF) spectrum. However, further investigation is needed for the real-world application of dapagliflozin in HF patients. This study examines the proportion of real-world HF patients eligible for dapagliflozin and evaluates the cost-effectiveness of adding dapagliflozin to current HF therapy. Methods: Data from the nationwide prospective registry, the Korean Acute Heart Failure (KorAHF) registry, were used to determine dapagliflozin eligibility based on the enrollment criteria of the DAPA-HF/DELIVER trials. A cost-utility analysis was conducted using a Markov model to assess the cost-effectiveness of dapagliflozin by comparing it to the standard of care. Results: Out of 5178 KorAHF patients, 48.7% met the enrollment criteria of the DAPA-HF/DELIVER trials, while 89.5% met the label criteria (US Food and Drug Administration, European Medicines Agency, and Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety). Eligibility was highest among HF patients with preserved EF (55.3% vs. HF with mildly reduced EF and HF with reduced EF 46.4%). Dapagliflozin proved to be cost-effective, with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of 4557 US dollar (US$) per quality-adjusted life year, which falls below the US$18,182 willingness-to-pay threshold. The cost-effectiveness benefit was more pronounced in patients with a left ventricular EF (LVEF) ≤ 40% (ICER US$3279 for LVEF ≤ 40% vs. US$8383 for LVEF > 40%). Conclusions: Discrepancies in dapagliflozin eligibility were observed between real-world data and clinical trial results. The addition of dapagliflozin to HF therapy proved to be highly cost-effective across the entire EF spectrum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The issue of classroom management in the English as a foreign language (EFL) setting has not been addressed adequately despite teachers' views of it as constituting one of their prioritized tasks. Among the aspects of classroom management, in particular, classroom discipline seems to warrant research focus because it contributes to "smooth and efficient teaching and learning in the lesson" (Ur, 1996, p. 270). The current study examined Korean elementary school EFL teachers' language use for disciplinary purposes. Classroom interactions between two non-native English speaking EFL teachers and their respective students were observed in nine classes between March and June 2010, and audio-recorded. In addition, the teachers and students were interviewed in a semi-structured way. The results show that the teacher whose EFL proficiency level was high relied significantly more on the target language (TL) than on the first language (L1), while the low proficiency level teacher depended significantly more on L1 than on TL. The differences were found to be caused in complex ways by a number of factors. Based on the findings of the study, implications are suggested. (Contains 3 tables and 2 figures.)

This study investigated the effects of supplemental inter-lighting on paprika (cv. Nagano RZ) in South Korea in summer using various LED light sources. The following LED inter-lighting treatments were used: QD-IL (blue + wide-red + far-red inter-lighting), CW-IL (cool-white inter-lighting), and B+R-IL (blue + red (1:2) inter-lighting). To investigate the effect of supplemental lighting on each canopy, top-lighting (CW-TL) was also used. Additionally, a control without supplemental lighting was included for comparison. Significant variations were observed in the plant growth indexes 42 days after treatment. The SPAD values and total chlorophyll content in the last period of cultivation were significantly higher than those of the control. In November, the marketable fruit yield was significantly higher than that of the control. QD-IL, CW-IL, and CW-TL resulted in significantly higher values of total soluble solids than the control, and CW-IL resulted in higher values of ascorbic acid content than the control. Regarding the economic analysis, CW-IL resulted in the highest net income rate (12.70%) compared with the control. Therefore, the light sources of CW-IL were assessed as suitable for supplemental lighting due to the highest total soluble solids, ascorbic acid content, and net income rate obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The continued interest in better EFL pedagogy for elementary school students has led to many interesting suggestions, one of which is TETE, Teaching English through English. Notwithstanding the importance of the method (policy), though, few studies have been conducted to describe and explain a non-native EFL teacher's practice of TETE in the elementary school classroom. The present study, a case study of a Korean elementary school EFL teacher undertaken to fill the empirical gap, found that the teacher used both L1 and TL for many pedagogical reasons among which her attention to her students' interest was principal. The study also revealed that her language use reflected the students' perspectives.

The rate of preterm birth is increasing worldwide and preterm infants are susceptible to oral health problems. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the effect of premature birth on dietary and oral characteristics as well as dental treatment experiences of preterm infants using a nationwide cohort study. Data was retrospectively analyzed from National Health Screening Program for Infants and Children (NHSIC) of the National Health Insurance Service of Korea. 5% sample of children born between 2008 and 2012 who completed first or second infant health screening were included and divided into full-term and preterm-birth groups. Clinical data variables such as dietary habits, oral characteristics, and dental treatment experiences were investigated and comparatively analyzed. Preterm infants showed significantly lower rates of breastfeeding at 4–6 months (p<0.001), delayed start of weaning food at 9–12 months (p<0.001), higher rates of bottle feeding at 18–24 months (p<0.001), poor appetite at 30–36 months (p<0.001) and higher rates of improper swallowing and chewing function at 42–53 months (p = 0.023) than full-term infants. Preterm infants also had eating habits leading to poor oral conditions and higher percentage of absence of dental visit compared to full-term infants (p = 0.036). However, dental treatments including 1-visit pulpectomy (p = 0.007) and 2-visit pulpectomy (p = 0.042) significantly decreased when oral health screening was completed at least once. The NHSIC can be an effective policy for oral health management in preterm infants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing amount of marine plastic debris (MPD) poses risks of ingestion, entanglement, and transport of alien species. A new ecosystem called the "plastisphere" is currently being studied, but relevant research on it is limited. In this study, we analyzed the frequency of appearance of macroinvertebrate species on MPD. Macroinvertebrates attached to MPD were collected once every three months from March to December 2021 in eight regions. MPD in the form of aquaculture and fishing gear was detected most frequently during the study. In total, two phyla, 14 orders, 19 families, and 41 species of attached macroinvertebrates were detected during the study. There were more attached macroinvertebrate species, and they were more frequent, on fishing/aquaculture MPD (sea origin) than packaging MPD (land origin). Most fishing/aquaculture MPD is made of softer or rougher materials than packaging MPD and has a longer exposure time in the sea. In particular, the alien species Mytilus galloprovincialis was found on all longer-exposure MPD. These findings suggest that the macroinvertebrates attached to MPD are affected by the duration of exposure to the water and the characteristics of the MPD material. Therefore, in the future, fishing/aquaculture MPD could be used as an indicator for monitoring MPD-attached organisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ulleung Basin of the East Sea is a biological hotspot, but studies on the macrobenthos therein are lacking. To evaluate the macrobenthos species diversity and community structure in the Ulleung Basin, we conducted a survey from 2017 to 2021. A total of 262 species of macrobenthos was detected by the survey, and the average habitat density was 243 individuals/m2. The average biomass of macrobenthos was 43.7 g/m2, and the average Shannon and Wiener's diversity index was 2.3 (0.69–3.61). The dominant species were the polychaetes Terebellides horikoshii, Chaetozone setosa, Scalibregma inflatum, and Aglaophamus sp. and the bivalvia Axinopsida subquadrata. The community structure of macrobenthos differed according to water depth, and a correlation analysis using environmental variables showed that the community was affected by water temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen. The macrobenthic fauna in the Ulleung Basin was greatly influenced by water depth, the sedimentary environment was different, and the dominant species were also different. In addition, there was little seasonal change compared to the East Sea coast. Our findings will facilitate further investigation of benthic ecosystems throughout the East Sea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A nationwide birth cohort study in South Korea investigated the risk of atopic dermatitis (AD) in infants born to women who were infected with SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy. The study found that offspring exposed to prenatal SARS-CoV-2 had a higher risk of developing AD, particularly if the infection occurred during the first trimester. The first trimester is a critical phase for developing and maintaining the immune system in the offspring. However, the study did not consider other allergic conditions such as allergic asthma, and further research is needed to comprehensively address this issue. [Extracted from the article]

Tomato is a widely distributed, cultivated, and commercialized vegetable crop. It contains antioxidant constituents including lycopene, tocopherols, vitamin C, γ-aminobutyric acid, phenols, and flavonoids. This study determined the contents of the antioxidant components and activities of the pulp with skin of ten regular, six medium-sized, and two small cherry tomato cultivars at red ripe (BR + 10) stage cultivated in Korea. The relationships among the Hunter color coordinates, the content of each component, and antioxidant activities were measured by Pearson's correlation coefficients. As the a* value increased, the carotenoid and vitamin C contents increased, while the L* value, hue angle and tocopherol content decreased. As the b* value increased, the lycopene and total carotenoid contents decreased, and the flavonoid content in the hydrophilic extracts increased. The contents of vitamin C and total carotenoids including lycopene showed high positive correlations with the DPPH radical scavenging activities of both the lipophilic and hydrophilic extracts. Tocopherols and total phenolics in the hydrophilic and lipophilic extracts were not major positive contributors to the antioxidant activity. These findings suggest the quality standards for consumer requirements and inputs for on-going research for the development of better breeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to estimate the socioeconomic burden of pneumonia due to multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (MRAB) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MRPA). We prospectively searched for MRAB and MRPA pneumonia cases and matched them with susceptible-organism pneumonia and non-infected patients from 10 hospitals. The matching criteria were: same principal diagnosis, same surgery or intervention during hospitalisation, age, sex, and admission date within 60 days. We calculated the economic burden by using the difference in hospital costs, the difference in caregiver costs, and the sum of productivity loss from an unexpected death. We identified 108 MRAB pneumonia [MRAB-P] and 28 MRPA pneumonia [MRPA-P] cases. The estimated number of annual MRAB-P and MRPA-P cases in South Korea were 1309–2483 and 339–644, with 485–920 and 133–253 deaths, respectively. The annual socioeconomic burden of MRAB-P and MRPA-P in South Korea was $64,549,723–122,533,585 and $15,241,883–28,994,008, respectively. The results revealed that MRAB-P and MRPA-P occurred in 1648–3127 patients, resulted in 618–1173 deaths, and caused a nationwide socioeconomic burden of $79,791,606–151,527,593. Multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO) impose a great clinical and economic burden at a national level. Therefore, controlling the spread of MDRO will be an effective measure to reduce this burden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to establish the dry aging period of beef loin in an electric field refrigeration system. Beef loins (Korea quality grade 2) were dry aged at 0, −1, and −2 °C temperature in an electric field refrigeration system (air velocity, 5 ± 2 m/s) and aging stopped as the value of TPC reached 7 log CFU/g. Samples were examined by aging yield, trimming yield, pH, color, water holding capacity (WHC), cooking yield, shear force, total plate count (TPC), 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), and volatile basic nitrogen (VBN). The results for aging yield, trimming yield, redness, yellowness, and chroma decreased with increasing the dry aging period. Contrariwise, those for pH, lightness, hue angle, WHC, and cooking yield increased with the dry aging period. In shear force, the lowest value occurred at four weeks at all temperatures. The results for TPC, TBARS, and VBN increased with aging period, and VBN at 6 weeks at 0 °C and 9 weeks at −1 °C exceed the standard value (20 mg/100 g), while dry aging temperature had an effect on physico-chemical and storage properties by lower temperatures showed slower progress. Therefore, dry aging on an electric field refrigerate system can be used until 4 weeks at 0 °C, 8 weeks at −1 °C, and 10 weeks at −2 °C. However, considering physico-chemical properties, 4 weeks at every temperature is suitable for manufacturing soft dry-aged beef loin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports the first natural infection of hop stunt viroid (HSVd) in Vigna angularis, commonly known as red bean, in Korea. Nine plants in Samchuck, Korea, displayed virus-like symptoms, and RNA was extracted from symptomatic leaves for sequencing. The sequencing confirmed the presence of HSVd in all samples, and a representative sequence was deposited in GenBank. This finding is significant as it is the first report of HSVd infection in V. angularis in Korea. The research was supported by the Cooperative Research Program for Agriculture Science and Technology Development. [Extracted from the article]

Background/aim: We investigated alterations in the expression of serum exosomal miRNAs with the progression of liver fibrosis and evaluated their clinical applicability as biomarkers. Methods: This study prospectively enrolled 71 patients who underwent liver biopsy at an academic hospital in Korea. Exosomes were extracted from serum samples, followed by next-generation sequencing (NGS) of miRNAs and targeted real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. A model was derived to discriminate advanced fibrosis based on miRNA levels and the performance of this model was evaluated. Validation of the effect of miRNA on liver fibrosis in vitro was followed. Results: NGS data revealed that exosomal miR-660-5p, miR-125a-5p, and miR-122 expression were changed significantly with the progression of liver fibrosis, of which miR-122 exhibited high read counts enough to be used as a biomarker. The level of exosomal miR-122 decreased as the pathologic fibrosis grade progressed and patients with biopsy-proven advanced fibrosis had significantly lower levels of exosomal miR-122 (P < 0.001) than those without advanced fibrosis. Exosomal miR-122 exhibited a fair performance in discriminating advanced fibrosis especially in combination with fibrosis-4 score and transient elastography. In a subgroup of patients with a non-viral etiology of liver disease, the performance of exosomal miR-122 as a biomarker was greatly improved. Inhibition of miR-122 expression increased the proliferation of the human hepatic stellate cell line, LX-2, and upregulated the expression of various fibrosis related proteins. Conclusion: Exosomal miR-122 may serve as a useful non-invasive biomarker for liver fibrosis, especially in patients with non-viral etiologies of chronic liver disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sufficient physical activity (PA) is highly recommended to improve the prognosis after stroke. However, there have been only a few studies evaluating the changes in PA level after stroke. We aimed to identify the changes in PA level between before and after stroke, and to determine the association between PA and adverse outcomes. This observational, retrospective cohort study was performed using the Nationwide Health Insurance Service (NHIS) database in South Korea. Subjects between the ages of 20 to 80 years, who had a first-ever ischemic stroke from 2010 to 2013, were included. Subjects were divided into either the "sufficient" or "insufficient" subgroups, depending on the result of the self-reported PA questionnaire. Adverse outcomes, including all-cause mortality, stroke recurrence, and myocardial infarction (MI), were collected from a post-stroke health checkup to 2017. Of the 34,243 subjects with ischemic stroke, only 21.24% had sufficient PA level after stroke. Among those with insufficient PA level, only 17.34% improved their PA level after stroke. Subjects with sufficient PA level after stroke, regardless of their PA level prior to stroke, showed a lower risk of composite adverse outcomes (adjusted Hazard Ratio [HR], 95% CI: 0.85, 0.80–0.90). Subjects who went from insufficient to sufficient PA level (HR 0.87, 95% CI: 0.81–0.93) showed a significantly lower risk of composite adverse outcomes. Achieving a sufficient PA level after ischemic stroke appears to significantly reduce major adverse events. Further effort is needed to promote the PA level after ischemic stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Self-care behaviours are important to improve health outcomes in patients with heart failure. However, little is known about the factors related to the subdimensions of self-care behaviours in these patients. Aims: To identify the factors associated with the subdimensions of self-care behaviours among South Korean patients with heart failure. Methods: The participants in this cross-sectional descriptive study conducted between October 2016 and January 2017 were 178 patients with heart failure. Self-care behaviours were measured using the EHFScB-9, which has three subdimensions: autonomy-based adherence; provider-directed adherence; and consulting behaviours. Demographic characteristics, experience of heart failure education, physical function, patient health questionnaire-9, Pittsburgh sleep quality index and self-care confidence were also measured. Descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression analysis were conducted. Results: The mean age was 62 ± 12 years, and 37% were women. Younger age (P =0.023), no experience of heart failure education (P =0.039), poor physical function (P =0.003), poor sleep quality (P =0.037) and lower self-care confidence (P =0.001) were significantly associated with poor autonomy-based adherence. Being employed (P =0.042), poor sleep quality (P =0.042) and lower levels of self-care confidence (P =0.001) were associated with poor provider-directed adherence. Younger age (P =0.001) and lower self-care confidence (P =0.001) were associated with lower engagement in consulting behaviours. Conclusion: The three subdimensions of self-care behaviours were associated with different psychosocial factors, necessitating the development of tailored interventions and educational materials based on unique self-care behaviour patterns in patients with heart failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyses how forward‐looking criteria (FLC) and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), as well as changes in accounting principles, affect the informativeness of banks' loan loss allowances. The results indicate that although the relationship between non‐performing loans and loan loss allowances strengthened after the application of FLC, the relationship between non‐performing loans and loan loss allowances weakened and that between net charge‐offs and loan loss allowances strengthened after the application of IFRS, presumably because banks delayed the reflection of insolvent loans on loan loss allowances in the latter case. Moreover, the introduction of IFRS did not improve the ability to predict the future charge‐off scale using loan loss allowances, referred to as the 'informativeness of loan loss allowances'. This result occurred because IFRS's incurred loss model does not incorporate the impact of macroeconomic situations into loan loss allowances in the early stage, although it does enhance the accuracy of loan loss allowances. By exploring the effect of accounting principles on the determinants of loan loss allowances, this study has implications for the assessment of loan loss allowances, capital adequacy and asset quality for stakeholders such as depositors, creditors, capital markets and financial supervisory authorities. This study analyses how FLC and IFRS affect the informativeness of loan loss allowances. Although the relationship between non‐performing loans and loan loss allowances strengthened after FLC, the relationship between non‐performing loans and loan loss allowances weakened and that between net charge‐offs and loan loss allowances strengthened after IFRS. Moreover, IFRS did not improve the ability to predict the future charge‐off scale using loan loss allowances, referred to as the 'informativeness of loan loss allowances''. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although a better survival rate in women than in men has been reported in heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), the sex-specific prognosis has scarcely been addressed in HF with preserved EF (HFpEF). Thus, this study investigated the sex difference in clinical outcomes in patients with HFpEF, as well as in those with HFrEF. Materials and Methods: We studied clinical outcomes of 2,572 hospitalized patients due to HF (66.8 ± 14.4 years, 49.7% women) in the Korean Heart Failure Registry. Patients were divided into two groups by left ventricular EF (LVEF): HFpEF (LVEF ≥50%, n = 764) and HFrEF (LVEF <40%, n = 1,808) groups. Results: During a median follow-up of 1,121 days, there were 693 (28.7%) deaths and 1,073 (44.5%) composite events (death and HF readmission). There were no sex differences in the incidence of death or composite events during follow-up in both HFrEF and HFpEF groups (p > 0.05 for each). In 1:1 age-matched population (n = 1,005 in each sex), the long-term mortality was significantly lower in women than men in HFrEF group (p = 0.005), but not in HFpEF group (p = 0.786), while the incidences of composite events were similar between sex irrespective of LVEF (p > 0.05). However, there were no significant associations between sex and clinical outcomes in multivariable analysis (p > 0.05 for each). Conclusions: Sex per se was not the significant factor determining long-term clinical outcomes in HF patients regardless of the LVEF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the occurrence and removals of micropollutants in the sewage treatment tank (STT) which is a typical private wastewater treatment facility used in the rural communities in Korea, and their impact on receiving water. STTs were selected in eight provinces to examine the regional difference in the composition of micropollutant occurrence. We measured ten selected micropollutants in influents and effluents of STTs, as well as upstream and downstream of its receiving surface water. The dominant micropollutants in the influent of the STTs were caffeine (13,346 ng/L), acetaminophen (11,331 ng/L), ibuprofen (1440 ng/L), and naproxen (1313 ng/L), in agreement with the amounts produced annually in Korea. In the effluent, caffeine (1912 ng/L), acetaminophen (1586 ng/L), naproxen (475 ng/L), and ibuprofen (389 ng/L) were detected in relatively high concentrations. The composition of micropollutants in STT influents showed little regional variation by provinces, suggesting that the consumption pattern of these micropollutants did not show regional variation. The removal efficiencies of the selected micropollutants at the STTs ranged from 12% (carbamazepine) to 88% (acetaminophen), lower than typical removal by sewage treatment plants (STPs). This result is probably due to the automatic operation systems and simple treatment processes in STTs compared with STPs. The concentrations of selected micropollutants upstream of the receiving water were generally lower compared with those observed downstream, indicating that effluent from STTs was the main source. The per capita discharge loads of STTs and annual emissions rates (kg/year) from private wastewater treatment facilities were estimated for the selected micropollutants. Highlights: The removal of micropollutants in sewage treatment tanks (STTs) was examined. The composition of micropollutants in STT influents showed little regional variation. STT effluent was the major source of micropollutants on the receiving river. The per capita discharge load of target micropollutants in STTs was calculated. National emission load of micropollutants from private STTs was calculated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We posit that the effect of non‐audit fees on auditor independence in Korea is based on audit client performance. Further, we suggest that an audit client with low performance has an incentive to purchase non‐audit services (NAS) from an incumbent auditor to facilitate earnings management and steer accounting practices in a preferred direction. We find evidence that as non‐audit fees in Korea increase, auditor independence is reduced only for low‐performing audit clients. Thus, unconditional prohibition of NAS seems unnecessary. Regulators and policymakers should examine the motivation for purchasing NAS, particularly among audit clients with poor performance. We examine non‐audit fees in Korea, and find that as non‐audit fees increase, auditor independence is reduced only for low‐performing audit clients. Thus, unconditional prohibition of non‐audit services (NAS) seems unnecessary. Regulators should examine the motivation for purchasing NAS, particularly among low‐performing audit clients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Depressive symptoms and vitamin D deficiency predict cardiac events in heart failure patients, but whether vitamin D supplements are associated with depressive symptoms and cardiac events in heart failure patients remains unknown. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the association of vitamin D supplement use with depressive symptoms and cardiac events in heart failure patients with mild or moderate to severe depressive symptoms. Methods: A total of 177 heart failure patients with depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire-9 score ≥5) completed a three-day food diary to determine dietary vitamin D deficiency. Patients were split into four groups by dietary vitamin D adequacy versus deficiency and vitamin D supplement use versus non-use. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 was used to reassess depressive symptoms at six months. Data on cardiac events for up to one year and vitamin D supplement use were obtained from patient interview and medical record review. Hierarchical linear and Cox regressions were used for data analysis. Results: Sixty-six patients (37.3%) had dietary vitamin D deficiency and 80 (45.2%) used vitamin D supplements. In patients with moderate to severe depressive symptoms, the group with dietary vitamin D deficiency and no supplements had the highest Patient Health Questionnaire-9 score at six months (β=0.542, p<0.001) and shortest cardiac event-free survival (p<0.001) among the four groups, the group with dietary vitamin D deficiency and no supplements didn’t have the highest Patient Health Questionnaire-9 score at six months and shortest cardiac event-free survival in patients with mild depressive symptoms. Conclusions: Vitamin D supplements predicted lower depressive symptoms and reduced cardiac events for patients with moderate to severe depressive symptoms. Vitamin D deficiency was associated with higher risk of shorter cardiac event-free survival in heart failure patients regardless of vitamin D supplementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To investigate the association between heavy metal levels and open-angle glaucoma (OAG) with low- and high-teen baseline intraocular pressure (IOP) using a population-based study design. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 5,198 participants older than 19 years of age who participated in the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) from 2008 to 2012 and had blood heavy metal levels available. The OAG with normal baseline IOP (IOP ≤ 21 mmHg) subjects were stratified into low-teen OAG (baseline IOP ≤ 15 mmHg) and high-teen OAG (15 mmHg < baseline IOP ≤ 21 mmHg), and the association between blood lead, mercury, and cadmium levels and glaucoma prevalence was assessed for low- and high-teen OAG. Results: The adjusted geometric mean of blood cadmium levels was significantly higher in subjects with low-teen OAG than that of the non-glaucomatous group (P = 0.028), whereas there were no significant differences in blood lead and mercury levels. After adjusting for potential confounders, the low-teen OAG was positively associated with log-transformed blood cadmium levels (OR, 1.41; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.03–1.93; P = 0.026). For high-teen OAG, log-transformed blood levels of the three heavy metals were not associated with disease prevalence. The association between log-transformed blood cadmium levels and low-teen OAG was significant only in men (OR, 1.65; 95% CI, 1.10–2.48; P = 0.016), and not in women (OR, 1.10; 95% CI, 0.66–1.85; P = 0.709). Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that cadmium toxicity could play a role in glaucoma pathogenesis, particularly in men and in OAG with low-teen baseline IOP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to develop a comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation program that considered patients' learning needs and cultural context, and to identify the impact of this program on patients with coronary heart disease in Korea. We employed a quasi-experimental design to evaluate the effects of the developed program in 61 patients with coronary heart disease. The experimental group received education, counseling, educational materials, and telephone follow-ups by cardiac nurses for six months. Results showed that participants of the program exhibited reduced body mass index and waist circumference as well as improved left ventricular diastolic function and cardiac disease-related quality of life. There was no significant difference between the groups with the rate of recurring symptoms or cardiac events. This comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation program safely and effectively improved body composition, cardiac function, and quality of life in patients with coronary heart disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is used as a therapeutic agent in various autoimmune diseases. The aims of this study were to investigate the therapeutic effects of IVIG on collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) and identify the mechanism responsible for any therapeutic effects. Methods. IVIG was administered to mice with CIA, and the in vivo effects were determined. Th17 and Treg cell frequencies were analyzed by flow cytometry, and cytokine levels in the supernatant were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Subpopulations of T cells and B cells in the spleen were assessed by confocal microscopy. Results. The arthritis severity score and incidence of arthritis were lower in mice treated with IVIG compared with untreated mice. Histopathologic analysis showed less joint damage in mice treated with IVIG. The expression of proinflammatory cytokines, specific type II collagen antibodies, and osteoclast markers was significantly reduced in mice treated with IVIG. Administration of IVIG induced increased FoxP3 expression and inhibited Th17 cell development. The number of FoxP3+ Treg cells was increased, and the number of Th17 cells was decreased in the spleens of mice treated with IVIG. The number of FoxP3+ follicular helper T cells was increased, and subsequent maturation of germinal center B cells was inhibited by IVIG. In addition, IVIG up-regulated interleukin-10 (IL-10) and Fcγ receptor IIB expression. The treatment effects of IVIG on arthritis were lost in IL-10-knockout mice. Conclusion. These results showed that IVIG has therapeutic effects by modulating CD4+ T cell differentiation. The therapeutic effects of IVIG are dependent on IL-10. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the effects of study-abroad (SA) experiences on English as a foreign language (EFL) learners' willingness to communicate (WTC), speaking abilities, and participation in interaction in classes taught by the native English-speaking teacher (NEST) in their home country. Sixty Korean university students participated in this study. The results indicated that the EFL learners' WTC, speaking abilities, and participation in interaction in classes taught by the NEST were significantly developed as a result of SA in L1 English-speaking countries. Concerning proficiency dependent differences, the EFL learners in three proficiency level groups were differently influenced by SA experiences in terms of WTC and speaking abilities. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Aim Poor health-related quality of life ( HRQOL) in patients with chronic heart failure ( CHF) may be one of the most common predictors of mortality and rehospitalization. This study was conducted to identify factors affecting HRQOL in Korean patients with CHF using two HRQOL measurements. Methods The study included a sample of 114 patients. HRQOL was measured by the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire ( MLHFQ) and the World Health Organization's Quality of Life Instrument - Short Version ( WHOQOL-BREF). Multiple regression analyses were performed to analyze the relationship between the factors and HRQOL. Results Significant correlations were found between MLHFQ and WHOQOL-BREF in total and component scores, with the two exceptions of WHOQOL-BREF psychological and MLHFQ physical or total. The perceived economic status, functional status, and sex were factors identified as having an effect on HRQOL. Conclusion The MLHFQ was better able to differentiate sex, comorbidity, and functional status. Further studies are needed to implement cost-effective nursing interventions for patients with CHF to improve their HRQOL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study was a multicenter, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled phase III clinical trial to investigate the efficacy and safety of an olmesartan/amlodipine single pill plus rosuvastatin combination treatment for patients with concomitant hypertension and dyslipidemia. Methods: Patients with both hypertension and dyslipidemia aged 20–80 were enrolled from 36 tertiary hospitals in Korea from January 2017 to April 2018. Patients were randomized to three groups in a 1:1:0.5 ratio, olmesartan/amlodipine single pill plus rosuvastatin (olme/amlo/rosu) or olmesartan plus rosuvastatin (olme/rosu) or olmesartan/amlodipine single pill (olme/amlo) combination. The primary endpoints were change of sitting systolic blood pressure (sitSBP) from baseline in the olme/amlo/rosu vs. olme/rosu groups and the percentage change of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) from baseline in the olme/amlo/rosu vs. olme/amlo groups after 8 weeks of treatment. Results: A total of 265 patients were randomized, 106 to olme/amlo/rosu, 106 to olme/rosu and 53 to olme/amlo groups. Baseline characteristics among the three groups did not differ. The mean sitSBP change was significantly larger in the olme/amlo/rosu group with −24.30 ± 12.62 mmHg (from 153.58 ± 10.90 to 129.28 ± 13.58) as compared to the olme/rosu group, −9.72 ± 16.27 mmHg (from 153.71 ± 11.10 to 144.00 ± 18.44 mmHg). The difference in change of sitSBP between the two groups was −14.62± 1.98 mmHg with significance (95% CI −18.51 to −10.73, p < 0.0001). The mean LDL-C reduced significantly in the olme/amlo/rosu group, −52.31 ± 16.63% (from 154.52 ± 30.84 to 72.72 ± 26.08 mg/dL) as compared to the olme/amlo group with no change, −2.98 ± 16.16% (from 160.42 ± 32.05 to 153.81 ± 31.57 mg/dL). Significant difference in change was found in LDL-C between the two groups with −50.10 ± 2.73% (95% CI −55.49 to −44.71, p < 0.0001). Total adverse drug reaction rates were 10.48%, 5.66% and 3.7% in the olme/amlo/rosu, olme/rosu and olme/amlo groups, respectively with no statistical significance among the three groups. Serious adverse drug reactions did not occur. Conclusions: Olmesartan/amlodipine single pill plus rosuvastatin combination treatment for patients with both hypertension and dyslipidemia is effective and safe as compared to either olmesartan plus rosuvastatin or olmesartan plus amlodipine treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ulmus species (Ulmaceae) are large deciduous trees distributed throughout Korea. Although their root and stem bark have been used to treat gastrointestinal diseases and wounds in folk medicine, commercial products are consumed without any standardization. Therefore, we examined anatomical and chemical differences among five Ulmus species in South Korea. Transverse sections of leaf, stem, and root barks were examined under a microscope to elucidate anatomical differences. Stem and root bark exhibited characteristic medullary ray and secretary canal size. Leaf surface, petiole, and midrib exhibited characteristic inner morphologies including stomatal size, parenchyma, and epidermal cell diameter, as well as ratio of vascular bundle thickness to diameter among the samples. Orthogonal projections to latent structures discriminant analysis of anatomical data efficiently differentiated the five species. To evaluate chemical differences among the five species, we quantified (-)-catechin, (-)-catechin-7-O-β-D-apiofuranoside, (-)-catechin-7-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside, (-)-catechin-7-O-β-D-xylopyranoside, (-)-catechin-7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, and (-)-catechin-5-O-β-D-apiofuranoside using high-performance liquid chromatography with a diode-array detector. (-)-Catechin-7-O-β-D-apiofuranoside content was the highest among all compounds in all species, and (-)-catechin-7-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside content was characteristically the highest in Ulmus parvifolia among the five species. Overall, the Ulmus species tested was able to be clearly distinguished on the basis of anatomy and chemical composition, which may be used as scientific criteria for appropriate identification and standard establishment for commercialization of these species [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fruit of Schisandra chinensis, Omija, is a well-known traditional medicine used as an anti-tussive and anti-diarrhea agent, with various biological activities derived from the dibenzocyclooctadiene-type lignans. A high-pressure liquid chromatography-diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) method was used to determine seven lignans (schisandrol A and B, tigloylgomisin H, angeloylgomisin H, schisandrin A, B, and C) in the different plant parts and beverages of the fruit of S. chinensis grown in Korea. The contents of these lignans in the plant parts descended in the following order: seeds, flowers, leaves, pulp, and stems. The total lignan content in Omija beverages fermented with white sugar for 12 months increased by 2.6-fold. Omija was fermented for 12 months with white sugar, brown sugar, and oligosaccharide/white sugar (1:1, w/w). The total lignan content in Omija fermented with oligosaccharide/white sugar was approximately 1.2- and 1.7-fold higher than those fermented with white sugar and brown sugar, respectively. A drink prepared by immersion of the fruit in alcohol had a higher total lignan content than these fermented beverages. This is the first report documenting the quantitative changes in dibenzocyclooctadiene-type lignans over a fermentation period and the effects of the fermentable sugars on this eco-friendly fermentation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been reported repeatedly that depression in middle-aged people may cause serious ramifications in public health. However, previous studies on this important research topic have focused on utilizing either traditional statistical methods (i.e., logistic regressions) or black-or-gray artificial intelligence (AI) methods (i.e., neural network, Support Vector Machine (SVM), ensemble). Previous studies lack suggesting more decision-maker-friendly methods, which need to produce clear interpretable results with information on cause and effect. For the sake of improving the quality of decisions of healthcare decision-makers, public health issues require identification of cause and effect information for any type of strategic healthcare initiative. In this sense, this paper proposes a novel approach to identify the main causes of depression in middle-aged people in Korea. The proposed method is the Sons and Spouses Bayesian network model, which is an extended version of conventional TAN (Tree-Augmented Naive Bayesian Network). The target dataset is a longitudinal dataset employed from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) database with a sample size of 8580. After developing the proposed Sons and Spouses Bayesian network model, we found thirteen main causes leading to depression. Then, genetic optimization was executed to reveal the most probable cause of depression in middle-aged people that would provide practical implications to field practitioners. Therefore, our proposed method can help healthcare decision-makers comprehend changes in depression status by employing what-if queries towards a target individual. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reynoutria species are medicinal plants that belong to the family Polygonaceae and are widely distributed in eastern Asia, North America and Europe. Although the phylogeny and morphological and anatomical studies of some species in Korea have been previously reported, there are no discriminative anatomical and chemical data available. Therefore, anatomical characterization of the leaf, stem and root, and high performance liquid chromatography–diode array detector (HPLC–DAD) analyses were carried out to assess the differences in anatomical and chemical profiles among the Reynoutria plants in Korea, i.e., R. japonica, R. sachalinensis, R. forbesii and R. japonica for. elata. The anatomical evaluation showed discriminative characteristics, such as the shape of the stomata and the stomatal index of the lower leaf surface; the ratio of the adaxial/abaxial height, the size of the vascular bundles and the frequency of druse in the midrib, petiole, and stem; and the pericycle number in the root. For the HPLC analysis, ten compounds corresponding to each major peak were isolated from R. japonica roots and their structures were identified by comprehensive spectroscopic studies. Samples collected before the flowering season showed higher contents of these ten major compounds than those collected after the flowering season. The orthogonal projections to latent structures-discrimination analysis (OPLS-DA) with the inner morphological and HPLC quantification results, clearly discriminated these plants. These results provide anatomical parameters and HPLC profiling that can be used to distinguish the four Reynoutria plants, which supports quality control for their precise identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Sapsaree is a breed of dog (Canis familiaris) native to Korea, which became perilously close to extinction in the mid-1980s. However, with systematic genetic conservation and restoration efforts, this breed was rescued from extinction and population sizes have been gradually increasing over the past few decades. The aim of this study was to ascertain novel information about the genetic diversity, population structure, and demographic history of the Sapsaree breed using genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism data. We characterized the genetic profile of the Sapsaree breed by comparison with seven foreign dog breeds with similar morphologies to estimate genetic differentiation within and among these breeds. Results: The results suggest that Sapsarees have higher genetic variance compared with the other breeds analyzed. The majority of the Sapsarees in this study share a discrete genetic pattern, although some individuals were slightly different, possibly as a consequence of the recent restoration process. Concordant results from analyses of linkage disequilibrium, effective population size, genetic diversity, and population structural analyses illustrate a relationship among the Sapsaree and the Tibetan breeds Tibetan terrier and Lhasa Apso, and a small genetic introgression from European breeds. The effective population size of the Sapsaree has contracted dramatically over the past generations, and is currently insufficient to maintain long-term viability of the breed's genetic diversity. Conclusions: This study provides novel insights regarding the genetic diversity and population structure of the native Korean dog breed Sapsaree. Our results suggest the importance of a strategic and systematic approach to ensure the genetic diversity and the authenticity of the Sapsaree breed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Submerged marine debris alters local species compositions and the characteristics of benthic communities. However, few studies have explored species composition and characteristics within benthic communities. Here, we investigate the effects of submerged marine debris on the species compositions of the macrobenthos, as well as the characteristics of debris distribution, in subtidal sediments and rocky areas. Our results indicated that, when debris is present in subtidal sediment areas, mobile species (arthropods), which do not typically occur in the subtidal sediment area, are highly abundant dominant. In debris-covered rocky subtidal areas, the number of species, density, diversity, and biomass are all low. The Iwagaki oyster (Magallana nippona ; megabenthos; > 1 cm) only occurred at debris-free sites. Our study provides evidence that submerged marine debris affects macrobenthos; however, due to the small number of surveys and short distances between sites, some of these effects remain unclear. As such, we will supplement these data in a future study. • High density and appearance of mobile species when debris was present in the subtidal sediment area was confirmed. • Giant benthic species appear only when debris was absence in the subtidal rocky area. • Submerged marine debris affects the macrobenthos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies regarding donor–recipient size and sex matching in heart transplantation (HTx) mainly included Caucasians with only a small portion of Asians. Even predicted heart mass (PHM) has not yet been elucidated in Asians. We evaluated the association between donor–recipient sex and size matching, including mismatching by PHM, and post-heart transplant survival in Korea. We enrolled 660 adult HTx recipients between January 2014 and December 2020 using the Korean Organ Transplant Registry data. Recipients were categorized based on donor–recipient PHM, body weight, and sex matching. The primary outcome was 1-year mortality and retransplantation after HTx and survival analyses were performed using Kaplan–Meier method and Cox proportional hazard models. Among 660 patients, 74 (11.2%), 404 (61.2%), and 182 (27.6%) received undersized (<−15%), matched (−15% to 20%), and oversized (>20%) hearts by PHM, respectively. Size mismatching by PHM was present in a large number of sex-mismatched patients with 85.1% of male donor–female recipients being classified as oversized by PHM and 62.2% of female donor–male recipients being classified as undersized by PHM. Recipients of undersized or oversized hearts by PHM showed an increased 1-year mortality compared with recipients of matched-size hearts (14.8% versus 9.7%; log-rank p = 0.038). The increased mortality persisted after adjusting for other factors affecting mortality (hazard ratio = 1.60, 95% confidence interval: 1.01-2.56). These associations were not shown in obese recipients (body mass index ≥25 kg/m2). Heart size mismatching by body weight (log-rank p = 0.332) or sex mismatching (all, log-rank p > 0.05) did not predict 1-year mortality after HTx. Heart size matching by PHM, not by body weight or sex, was associated with increased 1-year mortality after HTx in Korea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal pollution is one of the major threats to the aquatic environment due to its high bio-concentrations and toxicity. Although numerous studies have been conducted to understand detoxification and toxicity mechanisms in aquatic invertebrates, most of them were limited in laboratory study. Here, we investigated adverse effects of the contaminated-natural seawater on the marine rotifer Brachionus koreanus. Field seawater was collected from five different sites of Youngil Bay, South Korea where pollution by metals is predicted due to industrial discharges from nearby steel industry complexes. The marine rotifer B. koreanus was exposed to different seawater samples, and we found decreased population growth rates with highly induced transcriptional level of detoxification-related genes. Our finding shows a link between the induction of metal-mediated regulation of detoxification genes in B. koreanus and concentration of heavy metals present in various seawater samples, implying those biomarker genes can be useful to assess the toxicity of metal polluted natural seawaters. Our results are helpful to validate and establish biomarker genes for early risk assessment of metal contamination in the natural sea water. Unlabelled Image • ICP-MS analysis revealed the presence of nickel, copper, zinc, and lead in Youngil Bay, South Korea. • Decreased population growth rates were shown in B. koreanus upon seawater exposures. • Detoxification-related genes were highly induced upon seawater exposures. • The induction of detoxification genes was correlated with concentration of heavy metals in various seawaters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Many patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) do not participate in cardiac rehabilitation (CR) program despite the evidence that participation in CR after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is associated with better clinical outcomes. Traditionally, an educational approach, providing patients with the benefits of CR in relation to their underlying CAD and its risk factor reduction, has been made. The aim of this study was to examine concurrently the role of symptom experience and health belief as patient factors on attendance of CR education program among Korean patients with PCI. Methods: A prospective questionnaire survey was conducted between October 2014 and July 2015. Total of 173 patients who underwent PCI from a university affiliated hospital in South Korea were recruited. Symptom experiences, health belief (perceived susceptibility/severity/benefits/barriers), sociodemographic, and clinical characteristics were collected at baseline (after percutaneous coronary intervention). Three to four weeks later, the disease-related knowledge of coronary artery disease, the health behavior scale were collected to make a comparison between CR education program attendants and non-attendants. Results: Finally, 80 patients out of 173 (46.2%) attended CR education. The symptom experience before PCI was the most significant predictor of CR education attendance (odds ratio [OR]=3.70; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.51-9.09), followed by perceived socioeconomic status (OR=2.40; 95% CI 1.01-5.73), perceived susceptibility (OR=1.21, 95% CI 1.06-1.37), perceived severity (OR=1.05; 95% CI 1.01-1.09). The better disease-related knowledge and health behavior were also significant in CR education attendants. Conclusions: The strategic approach based on individual symptom experience and health belief may help patients with PCI to initiate CR utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]