Search

Abstract Background The discovery of viruses in small mammalian populations, particularly rodents, has expanded the family Paramyxoviridae. The overlap in habitats between rodents and humans increases the risk of zoonotic events, underscoring the importance of active surveillance. Rodent species, such as Apodemus agrarius, are natural hosts for Paramyxoviridae in the Republic of Korea (ROK). However, it is unknown whether Paramyxoviridae is present in Micromys minutus, another common rodent. Method Here, we screened M. minutus collected from the Gangwon Province in the ROK for paramyxoviruses using nested polymerase chain reaction and confirm positive samples by next-generation metagenomic sequencing. Complete paramyxovirus genomes were further characterized by phylogenetic analysis, amino acid similarity, secondary structure, and cophylogeny. Result Overall, 57 of 145 (39.3%) M. minutus kidney samples tested positive for paramyxoviruses. Among them, four whole genome sequences were identified and clustered within the genus Jeilongvirus. One sequence was determined as Samak Micromys paramyxovirus 1 (SMPV-1; 19,911 nucleotides long) and three sequences as Samak Micromys paramyxovirus 2 (SMPV-2; 18,199 nucleotides long). SMPV-1 has a smaller hydrophobic gene and a longer glycoprotein gene than SMPV-2. Cophylogenetic analysis suggests that SMPV-1 evolved through co-divergence, whereas SMPV-2 was inferred to have undergone transfer events. Conclusion These findings highlight the prevalence of paramyxoviruses in the wild and the potential of M. minutus as a natural viral reservoir. The discovery of SMPV-1 and SMPV − 2 also reveals the genetic diversity and evolutionary history of the genus Jeilongvirus in the Paramyxoviridae.

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic has been the most widespread and threatening health crisis experienced by the Korean society. Faced with an unprecedented threat to survival, society has been gripped by social fear and anger, questioning the culpability of this pandemic. This study explored the correlation between social cognitions and negative emotions and their changes in response to the severe events stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea. Methods The analysis was based on a cognitive-emotional model that links fear and anger to the social causes that trigger them and used discursive content from comments posted on YouTube’s COVID-19-related videos. A total of 182,915 comments from 1,200 videos were collected between January and December 2020. We performed data analyses and visualizations using R, Netminer 4.0, and Gephi software and calculated Pearson’s correlation coefficients between emotions. Results YouTube videos were analyzed for keywords indicating cognitive assessments of major events related to COVID-19 and keywords indicating negative emotions. Eight topics were identified through topic modeling: causes and risks, perceptions of China, media and information, infection prevention rules, economic activity, school and infection, political leaders, and religion, politics, and infection. The correlation coefficient between fear and anger was 0.462 (p

Background We hypothesized that analysis of serial ECGs could predict new‐onset atrial fibrillation (AF) more accurately than analysis of a single ECG by detecting the subtle cardiac remodeling that occurs immediately before AF occurrence. Our aim in this study was to compare the performance of 2 types of machine learning (ML) algorithms. Methods and Results Standard 12‐lead ECGs of patients selected by cardiologists between January 2010 and May 2021 were used for ML model development. Two ML models (single ECG and serial ECG) were developed using a light gradient boosting machine‐learning algorithm. Model performance was evaluated based on the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and F1 score. We trained the ML models on 415 964 ECGs from 176 090 patients. When testing the 2 ML models using external validation data sets, the performance of the serial‐ML model was significantly better than that of the single‐ML model for predicting new‐onset AF (single‐ versus serial‐ML model: sensitivity 0.744 versus 0.810; specificity 0.742 versus 0.822; accuracy 0.743 versus 0.816; F1 score 0.743 versus 0.815; area under the receiver operating characteristic curve 0.812 versus 0.880; P

The string (STR) with various geometrical profiles in 3-D NAND flash cause the degradation of program efficiency. This is because the program speed differences among WL layers within the STR are caused by the geometrical properties observed through measurement results. In this work, we propose the method to reduce the program speed differences based on a word-line (WL) grouping in terms of threshold voltage (Vth) distribution to compensate for the program start voltage (Vstart). To address various geometrical profiles, we consider a flexible compensation method through $\Delta $ Peak_Vth, i.e., the net amount of movement from the erase to the program state. $\Delta $ Peak_Vth according to WL layers clearly distinguished the geometrical properties among WL layers, and through this, the linearity of $\Delta $ Peak_Vth is frequently observed for specific WL layer intervals with taper profile. Utilizing this linearity, we conducted the WL grouping and successfully demonstrated $\text{V}_{\mathrm{ start}}$ compensation by applying the proposed method to each WL group through the measurement of a commercial 3-D NAND package. Moreover, the reduced WL grouping method is also contrived to relax circuit design complications and evaluated the usefulness of the proposed method.

Abstract Bersiporocin, a potent and selective prolyl‐tRNA synthetase inhibitor, is expected to show a synergistic effect with pirfenidone or nintedanib in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. To validate the combination therapy of bersiporocin with pirfenidone or nintedanib, a randomized, open‐label, two‐part, one‐sequence, three‐period, three‐treatment study was designed to evaluate the effect of drug–drug interactions (DDI) regarding their pharmacokinetics, safety, and tolerability in healthy participants. In addition, the pharmacokinetic profiles of the newly formulated, enteric‐coated bersiporocin tablet were evaluated after single and multiple administrations. The potential effects of cytochrome P450 2D6 (CYP2D6) genotyping on bersiporocin pharmacokinetics and DDI were also explored. In Part 1, participants were sequentially administered a single dose of pirfenidone 600 mg, a single dose of bersiporocin 150 mg followed by multiple doses, and bersiporocin in combination with pirfenidone. In Part 2, participants were sequentially administered a single dose of nintedanib 150 mg, multiple doses of bersiporocin 150 mg, and bersiporocin in combination with nintedanib. Forty‐six participants completed the study. There was no significant pharmacokinetic DDI between bersiporocin, and pirfenidone or nintedanib. All adverse events (AEs) were mild to moderate and did not include serious AEs, suggesting bersiporocin alone or in combination therapy were well‐tolerated. The newly formulated bersiporocin 150 mg tablet showed a moderate accumulation index. There was no significant difference in the pharmacokinetic profiles after administration of bersiporocin alone or in combination therapy between CYP2D6 phenotypes. In conclusion, there are no significant DDI regarding the pharmacokinetics, safety, and tolerability of bersiporocin administration with pirfenidone or nintedanib.

BackgroundVenous thrombosis associated with the use of oral contraceptives (OCs) occurs mostly in the deep veins of the lower extremity. A lesion of the upper extremity is rare, and the majority of thrombotic events that occur in the superficial vein of the upper extremity are caused by intravenous catheters. We present a rare case of superficial venous thrombus on the upper extremity in a woman with a history of long-term OC use.Case presentationA 35-year-old woman, with an 8-year history of OC use, presented with a 2-year history of painfully palpable masses on her left forearm. The lesion mimicking soft tissue mass was confirmed to be superficial venous thrombi through ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging. Conservative treatment including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, vasoprotective agents, and aspirin was prescribed. Through consultation with the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, it was confirmed that the current OCs could be discontinued, and the pain was almost relieved after conservative treatment.ConclusionsIf thrombotic events occur in the superficial vein of the upper extremity without intravenous catheters, detailed medical history taking and the possibility of OCs should be considered.

Background: Since evidence-based medicine has been pursued in complementary and alternative medicine, the clinical practice guideline (CPG) has become a key factor in providing standardized and validated practices in Korean Medicine (KM). We aimed to review the current status and characteristics of the development, dissemination, and implementation of KM-CPGs. Methods: We searched KM-CPGs and relevant publication via web-based databases. We organized the searching results focused on the year of publications and the development programs to show which and how KM-CPGs have been development. We also reviewed the manuals for KM-CPG development to introduce concise characteristics of the KM-CPGs published in Korea. Results: The KM-CPGs have been developed according to manuals and standard templates for developing evidence-based KM-CPGs. First, CPG developers reviews the previously published CPGs for a clinical condition of interest and plans the CPG development. After finalizing the key clinical questions, the evidence is searched, selected, appraised, and analyzed following the internationally standardized methods. The quality of the KM-CPGs is controlled by a tri-step appraisal process. Second, the CPGs were submitted for the appraisal of the KM-CPG Review and Evaluation Committee. The committee evaluates the CPGs according to the AGREE II tool. Finally, the Steering Committee of the KoMIT project reviews the entire process of developing the CPGs and confirms it for public disclosure and dissemination. Conclusion: Evidence-based KM from research to practice can be achieved with the attention and effort of multidisciplinary entities such as clinicians, practitioners, researchers, and policymakers for the CPGs.

Electrical characteristics with various program temperatures (TPGM) in three-dimensional (3-D) NAND flash memory are investigated. The cross-temperature conditions of the TPGM up to 120 °C and the read temperature (TREAD) at 30 °C are used to analyze the influence of grain boundaries (GB) on the bit line current (IBL) and threshold voltage (VT). The VT shift in the E-P-E pattern is successfully decomposed into the charge loss (ΔVT,CL) component and the poly-Si GB (ΔVT,GB) component. The extracted ΔVT,GB increases at higher TPGM due to the reduced GB potential barrier. Additionally, the ΔVT,GB is evaluated using the Technology Computer Aided Design (TCAD) simulation, depending on the GB position (XGB) and the bit line voltage (VBL).

BackgroundWhole-genome sequencing plays a critical role in the genomic epidemiology intended to improve understanding the spread of emerging viruses. Dabie bandavirus, causing severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS), is a zoonotic tick-borne virus that poses a significant public health threat. We aimed to evaluate a novel amplicon-based nanopore sequencing tool to obtain whole-genome sequences of Dabie bandavirus, also known as SFTS virus (SFTSV), and investigate the molecular prevalence in wild ticks, Republic of Korea (ROK).Principal findingsA total of 6,593 ticks were collected from Gyeonggi and Gangwon Provinces, ROK in 2019 and 2020. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction revealed the presence of SFSTV RNA in three Haemaphysalis longicornis ticks. Two SFTSV strains were isolated from H. longicornis captured from Pocheon and Cheorwon. Multiplex polymerase chain reaction-based nanopore sequencing provided nearly full-length tripartite genome sequences of SFTSV within one hour running. Phylogenetic and reassortment analyses were performed to infer evolutionary relationships among SFTSVs. Phylogenetic analysis grouped SFTSV Hl19-31-4 and Hl19-31-13 from Pocheon with sub-genotype B-1 in all segments. SFTSV Hl20-8 was found to be a genomic organization compatible with B-1 (for L segment) and B-2 (for M and S segments) sub-genotypes, indicating a natural reassortment between sub-genotypes.Conclusion/significanceAmplicon-based next-generation sequencing is a robust tool for whole-genome sequencing of SFTSV using the nanopore platform. The molecular prevalence and geographical distribution of SFTSV enhanced the phylogeographic map at high resolution for sophisticated prevention of emerging SFTS in endemic areas. Our findings provide important insights into the rapid whole-genome sequencing and genetic diversity for the genome-based diagnosis of SFTSV in the endemic outbreak.

Origami crawling robots, inspired by the principles of origami folding, have emerged as a promising approach for developing lightweight and flexible robots capable of navigating tight spaces. These robots utilize anisotropic friction, where the frictional forces between surfaces vary depending on the direction of motion, enabling controlled movement by changing the robot’s body orientation. While various actuation methods have been explored, such as pneumatic and magnetic systems, they suffer from limitations such as bulkiness or restricted workspace. In this paper, we propose a tendon-driven crawling robot that achieves anisotropic friction by controlling its out-of-plane curvature. By manipulating the robot’s shape and out-of-plane curvature, we can modulate the friction forces and enable efficient crawling motion. To maximize anisotropic friction, we design an asymmetric contact film composed of elastomer and polyester. We analyze the relationship between out-of-plane curvature and frictional force through experiments on flat and sloped surfaces, considering different leg angles and slope angles of the contact film. The results demonstrate the gait loss ratio of 1.96% for the optimized design, highlighting the robot’s ability to crawl efficiently with quick response times and a low-profile system. This research contributes to the advancement of origami-based crawling robots and their potential applications in confined and unstructured environments.

Whole-genome sequencing provides a robust platform for investigating the epidemiology and transmission of emerging viruses. Oxford Nanopore Technologies allows for real-time viral sequencing on a local laptop system for point-of-care testing. Seoul orthohantavirus (Seoul virus, SEOV), harbored by Rattus norvegicus and R. rattus, causes mild hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome and poses an important threat to public health worldwide. We evaluated the deployable MinION system to obtain high-fidelity entire-length sequences of SEOV for the genome identification of accurate infectious sources and their genetic diversity. One-step amplicon-based nanopore sequencing was performed from SEOV 80–39 specimens with different viral copy numbers and SEOV-positive wild rats. The KU-ONT-SEOV-consensus module was developed to analyze SEOV genomic sequences generated from the nanopore system. Using amplicon-based nanopore sequencing and the KU-ONT-consensus pipeline, we demonstrated novel molecular diagnostics for acquiring full-length SEOV genome sequences, with sufficient read depth in less than 6 h. The consensus sequence accuracy of the SEOV small, medium, and large genomes showed 99.75–100% (for SEOV 80–39 isolate) and 99.62–99.89% (for SEOV-positive rats) identities. This study provides useful insights into on-site diagnostics based on nanopore technology and the genome epidemiology of orthohantaviruses for a quicker response to hantaviral outbreaks.

BackgroundHantavirus infection occurs through the inhalation of aerosolized excreta, including urine, feces, and saliva of infected rodents. The presence of Hantaan virus (HTNV) RNA or infectious particles in urine specimens of patient with hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) remains to be investigated.Methodology/principal findingsWe collected four urine and serum specimens of Republic of Korea Army (ROKA) patients with HFRS. We performed multiplex PCR-based next-generation sequencing (NGS) to obtain the genome sequences of clinical HTNV in urine specimens containing ultra-low amounts of viral genomes. The epidemiological and phylogenetic analyses of HTNV demonstrated geographically homogenous clustering with those in Apodemus agrarius captured in highly endemic areas, indicating that phylogeographic tracing of HTNV genomes reveals the potential infection sites of patients with HFRS. Genetic exchange analyses showed a genetic configuration compatible with HTNV L segment exchange in nature.Conclusion/significanceOur results suggest that whole or partial genome sequences of HTNV from the urine enabled to track the putative infection sites of patients with HFRS by phylogeographically linking to the zoonotic HTNV from the reservoir host captured at endemic regions. This report raises awareness among physicians for the presence of HTNV in the urine of patients with HFRS.

Seoul virus (SEOV), an etiological agent for hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, poses a significant public health threat worldwide. This study evaluated the feasibility of a mobile Biomeme platform for facilitating rapid decision making of SEOV infection. A total of 27 Rattus norvegicus were collected from Seoul Metropolitan City and Gangwon Province in Republic of Korea (ROK), during 2016–2020. The serological and molecular prevalence of SEOV was 5/27 (18.5%) and 2/27 (7.4%), respectively. SEOV RNA was detected in multiple tissues of rodents using the Biomeme device, with differences in Ct values ranging from 0.6 to 2.1 cycles compared to a laboratory benchtop system. Using amplicon-based next-generation sequencing, whole-genome sequences of SEOV were acquired from lung tissues of Rn18-1 and Rn19-5 collected in Gangwon Province. Phylogenetic analysis showed a phylogeographical diversity of rat-borne orthohantavirus collected in Gangwon Province. We report a novel isolate of SEOV Rn19-5 from Gangwon Province. Our findings demonstrated that the Biomeme system can be applied for the molecular diagnosis of SEOV comparably to the laboratory-based platform. Whole-genome sequencing of SEOV revealed the phylogeographical diversity of orthohantavirus in the ROK. This study provides important insights into the field-deployable diagnostic assays and genetic diversity of orthohantaviruses for the rapid response to hantaviral outbreaks in the ROK.

BackgroundOrthohantaviruses, causing hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome, pose a significant public health threat worldwide. Despite the significant mortality and morbidity, effective antiviral therapeutics for orthohantavirus infections are currently unavailable. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of HFRS-associated orthohantaviruses and identify the etiological agent of orthohantavirus outbreaks in southern Republic of Korea (ROK).Methodology/principal findingsWe collected small mammals on Jeju Island during 2018-2020. We detected the Hantaan virus (HTNV)-specific antibodies and RNA using an indirect immunofluorescence assay test and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction on Apodemus agrarius chejuensis (A. chejuensis). The prevalence of anti-HTNV antibodies among rodents was 14.1%. A total of six seropositive mouse harbored HTNV RNA. The amplicon-based next-generation sequencing provided nearly full-length tripartite genomic sequences of six HTNV harbored by A. chejuensis. Phylogenetic and tanglegram analyses were conducted for inferring evolutionary relationships between orthohantaviruses with their reservoir hosts. Phylogenetic analysis showed a novel distinct HTNV genotype. The detected HTNV genomic sequences were phylogenetically related to a viral sequence derived from HFRS patient in southern ROK. Tanglegram analysis demonstrated the segregation of HTNV genotypes corresponding to Apodemus spp. divergence.Conclusions/significanceOur results suggest that A. chejuensis-borne HTNV may be a potential etiological agent of HFRS in southern ROK. Ancestral HTNV may infect A. chejuensis prior to geological isolation between the Korean peninsula and Jeju Island, supporting the co-evolution of orthohantaviruses and rodents. This study arises awareness among physicians for HFRS outbreaks in southern ROK.

Glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible vision loss that gradually damages the optic nerve. In ophthalmic fundus images, measurements of the cup to optic disc (CD) ratio, CD area ratio, neuroretinal rim to optic disc (RD) area ratio, and rim thickness are key measures to screen for potential glaucomatous damage. We propose an automatic method using deep learning algorithms to segment the optic disc and cup and to estimate the key measures. The proposed method comprises three steps: The Region of Interest (ROI) (location of the optic disc) detection from a fundus image using Mask R-CNN, the optic disc and cup segmentation from the ROI using the proposed Multiscale Average Pooling Net (MAPNet), and the estimation of the key measures. Our segmentation results using 1099 fundus images show 0.9381 Jaccard Index (JI) and 0.9679 Dice Coefficient (DC) for the optic disc and 0.8222 JI and 0.8996 DC for the cup. The average CD, CD area, and RD ratio errors are 0.0451, 0.0376, and 0.0376, respectively. The average disc, cup, and rim radius ratio errors are 0.0500, 0.2257, and 0.2166, respectively. Our method performs well in estimating the key measures and shows potential to work within clinical pathways once fully implemented.