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Background and Aims: Obesity is one of the main risk factors for gastric cardia adenocarcinoma (GCA) in the West. Also, recent studies have suggested that GCA is distinct from distal stomach tumor, with differing risk factors, tumor characteristics, and biological behavior. The objective of our research was to evaluate the relationship between obesity and GCA compared to non-cardia adenocarcinoma.Materials and Methods: A total of 298 patients who were diagnosed with gastric adenocarcinoma and underwent surgery at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital were evaluated. Ninety-one cases were GCA, and 207 cases were non-cardiac adenocarcinoma. Obesity was estimated by body mass index (BMI, kg/m(2)). The degree of obesity was determined by using BMI <18.5, 18.5-23.9, 24-27.9, and ≥ 28 (kg/m(2)) as the cut-off points for underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obese, respectively. Association with obesity was estimated by odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI).Results: Obesity was more prevalent in patients with GCA at the time of diagnosis for gastric cancer. Among obese persons with a BMI of 28 kg/m(2) or higher, the OR was 3.937 (95% CI, 1.492-10.389; p = 0.006) for GCA compared to non-cardia adenocarcinoma. For overweight individuals, the OR was 2.194 (95% CI, 1.118-4.305; p = 0.022). Multivariate analysis of age, Helicobacter pylori infection, smoking, stage, and BMI with logistic regression was performed. BMI was an independent risk factor for GCA (OR, 1.123; 95% CI, 1.037-1.217; p = 0.004).Conclusion: Obesity was more prevalent in patients with GCA compared to that in patients with gastric non-cardia adenocarcinoma. Also, BMI was an independent risk factor for GCA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: This study was conducted to assess the status of infection surveillance and control programs (ISCPs) and to analyze the trends associated with ISCP implementation since the first program was established in Korea in 1991. METHODS: A questionnaire modified from the Study on the Efficacy of Nosocomial Infection Control was mailed 4 times nationwide to acute care hospitals (n = 164) with more than 300 beds between June and October 2003. Eighty-five hospitals participated (52%). RESULTS: The mean number of beds (649) in the responding hospitals was significantly greater than in nonresponding hospitals. Of the participating hospitals, 92% had educational functions, 40% to 90% used hand hygiene resources, and 100% had infection control committees; 86% had infection control doctors, 98% had infection control nurses (ICNs), 89% employed only 1 ICN, and 59% employed an ICN only part-time; 68% performed surveillance, undertaking 2.7 epidemic investigations per year and 8.4 teaching programs per year; 88% undertook needlestick prevention programs; 58% performed regular air culture; and 64% discarded ineffective ISCPs. Annual trends analysis of ISCPs indicated that accreditation and legislation impact strongly on Korean ISCPs. CONCLUSION: The figures for ISCPs in this study indicate that improvements have been made since the 1990s. Legislation and accreditation have strongly influenced ISCPs. Much consideration should be given to the weaknesses in Korean ISCPs: surveillance, insufficient hand hygiene resources, and shortage of ICNs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) outbreak occurred at a hematology/oncology (HO) service in a tertiary acute care hospital, 1 January to 30 April 2002. This study was undertaken to identify risk factors, and to establish relations between seasonal factors and this VRE outbreak. Every patient (n = 82) and health care worker (HCW) (n = 31) at the HO unit was screened by rectal swab and stool culture during the VRE outbreak. Environmental surface culture (n = 35) and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) of VRE isolates were preformed. Among a total of 82 patients, 17 had VRE. All VRE isolates were E. faecium, the 6 studied further were Van A with identical PFGE patterns. Cultures of surfaces and HCWs were negative for VRE. Prolonged hospital stay (p = 0.02), male gender (p = 0.02), and care in a 6-bed room (p < 0.01) were risk factors for acquisition of VRE. An association with the VRE outbreak period was found again for long hospital stay, but also for the antibiotic usage pattern, frequent surgery and a high proportion of new inexperienced staff (52% vs 4% before the outbreak (p < 0.01, Fisher's exact test). Sudden personnel turnover in high-risk units should be avoided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The objective of this pilot randomized clinical trial was to investigate the relative effectiveness of anchorage conservation of en-masse and 2-step retraction techniques during maximum anchorage treatment in patients with Angle Class I and Class II malocclusions. Methods: Sixty-four growing subjects (25 boys, 39 girls; 10.2-15.9 years old) who required maximum anchorage were randomized to 2 treatment techniques: en-masse retraction (n = 32) and 2-step retraction (n = 32); the groups were stratified by sex and starting age. Each patient was treated by a full-time clinic instructor experienced in the use of both retraction techniques at the orthodontic clinic of Peking University School of Stomatology in China. All patients used headgear, and most had transpalatal appliances. Lateral cephalograms taken before treatment and at the end of treatment were used to evaluate treatment-associated changes. Differences in maxillary molar mesial displacement and maxillary incisor retraction were measured with the before and after treatment tracings superimposed on the anatomic best fit of the palatal structures. Differences in mesial displacement of the maxillary first molar were compared between the 2 treatment techniques, between sexes, and between different starting-age groups. Results: Average mesial displacement of the maxillary first molar was slightly less in the en-masse group than in the 2-step group (mean, -0.36 mm; 95% CI, -1.42 to 0.71 mm). The average mesial displacement of the maxillary first molar for both treatment groups pooled (n = 63, because 1 patient was lost to follow-up) was 4.3 ± 2.1 mm (mean ± standard deviation). Boys had significantly more mesial displacement than girls (mean difference, 1.3 mm; P <0.03). Younger adolescents had significantly more mesial displacement than older adolescents (mean difference, 1.3 mm; P <0.02). Conclusions: Average mesial displacement of the maxillary first molar with 2-step retraction was slightly greater than that for en-masse retraction, but the difference did not reach statistical significance. This finding appears to contradict the belief of many clinicians that 2-step canine retraction is more effective than en-masse retraction in preventing clinically meaningful anchorage loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The distribution of mammalian pests is altered by changes in global climate and land cover. Rattus norvegicus is a significant pest that contributes to the catastrophic decline of native species. Therefore, the studies identifying potentially suitable habitats for Rattus norvegicus and the impact of future climate change on the extent of such habitats are crucial. In this study, we determined the effects of key environmental and ecological variables on Rattus norvegicus in South Korea by considering multiple climate changes, land cover, and dispersal scenarios. The available presence locations with the least correlated variables and Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) model along with multiple Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) scenarios were utilized to project current and future habitat suitability. Additionally, three dispersal scenarios were incorporated into the model to enrich the analysis of potential future distribution. Mean diurnal temperature, elevation, and nighttime light were the three most important variables contributing to the species' distribution. The coastal and northern regions of South Korea constitute currently suitable habitats and are expected to exhibit a significant increase in the species' population under future climate projections. The results demonstrate the potential expansion of Rattus norvegicus as a result of changes in climate and land cover and provide crucial insights into the species' environmental niches. This study highlights the potential areas for monitoring, early warning, and developing effective prevention and control strategies for Rattus norvegicus., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (© 2024 The Author(s). Ecology and Evolution published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The presence of oxygen vacancies (V o ) in electrocatalysts plays a significant role in improving the selectivity and activity of CO 2 reduction reaction (CO 2 RR). In this study, 1D material with large surface area is utilized to enable uniform V o formation on the catalyst. 1D structured indium selenoiodide (InSeI) is synthesized and used as an electrocatalyst for the conversion of CO 2 to formate. The electrochemical treatment of InSeI leads to the leaching of Se and I from the catalyst surface and the formation of V o . The resulting V o promotes the activity of the CO 2 RR, which increases the local pH of the catalyst surface and chemically maintains the oxidized metal sites on the catalyst. Owing to these characteristics, activated In wire exhibited remarkable CO 2 RR activity, thereby surpassing 93% FE formate at 500 mA cm -2 , with a maximum of 97.3% FE formate at 100 mA cm -2 . Moreover, the catalytic activity remained consistent for over 50 h at 100 mA cm -2 (FE formate >88%). Thus, the findings imply that using 1D materials can facilitate the formation of oxygen vacancies on the catalyst surface and improve the selectivity and durability of CO 2 RR. This indicates the potential for further research on 1D materials as electrocatalysts., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Background: This study aims to identify distinct microbial and functional biomarkers characteristic of body-first or brain-first subtypes of Parkinson's disease (PD). This could illuminate the unique pathogenic mechanisms within these subtypes., Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we classified 36 well-characterized PD patients into body-first, brain-first, or undetermined subtypes based on the presence of premotor REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) and cardiac meta-iodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) uptake. We then conducted an in-depth shotgun metagenomic analysis of the gut microbiome for each subtype and compared the results with those from age- and sex-matched healthy controls., Results: Significant differences were found in the gut microbiome of body-first PD patients (n = 15) compared to both brain-first PD patients (n = 9) and healthy controls. The gut microbiome in body-first PD showed a distinct profile, characterized by an increased presence of Escherichia coli and Akkermansia muciniphila, and a decreased abundance of short-chain fatty acid-producing commensal bacteria. These shifts were accompanied by a higher abundance of microbial genes associated with curli protein biosynthesis and a lower abundance of genes involved in putrescine and spermidine biosynthesis. Furthermore, the combined use of premotor RBD and MIBG criteria was more strongly correlated with these microbiome differences than the use of each criterion independently., Conclusions: Our findings highlight the significant role of dysbiotic and pathogenic gut microbial alterations in body-first PD, supporting the body-first versus brain-first hypothesis. These insights not only reinforce the gut microbiome's potential as a therapeutic target in PD but also suggest the possibility of developing subtype-specific treatment strategies., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest Eun Jeong Lee reports financial support was provided by Korea Ministry of Science and ICT. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Electrochemical CO 2 reduction reaction (CO 2 RR) to produce value-added multi-carbon chemicals has been an appealing approach to achieving environmentally friendly carbon neutrality in recent years. Despite extensive research focusing on the use of CO 2 to produce high-value chemicals like high-energy-density hydrocarbons, there have been few reports on the production of propane (C 3 H 8 ), which requires carbon chain elongation and protonation. A rationally designed 0D/2D hybrid Cu 2 O anchored-Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene catalyst (Cu 2 O/MXene) is demonstrated with efficient CO 2 RR activity in an aqueous electrolyte to produce C 3 H 8 . As a result, a significantly high Faradaic efficiency (FE) of 3.3% is achieved for the synthesis of C 3 H 8 via the CO 2 RR with Cu 2 O/MXene, which is ≈26 times higher than that of Cu/MXene prepared by the same hydrothermal process without NH 4 OH solution. Based on in-situ attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations, it is proposed that the significant electrocatalytic conversion originated from the synergistic behavior of the Cu 2 O nanoparticles, which bound the *C 2 intermediates, and the MXene that bound the *CO coupling to the C 3 intermediate. The results disclose that the rationally designed MXene-based hybrid catalyst facilitates multi-carbon coupling as well as protonation, thereby manipulating the CO 2 RR pathway., (© 2024 The Author(s). Advanced Science published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Membrane electrode assembly (MEA) cells incorporating Cu catalysts are effective for generating C 2+ chemicals via the CO 2 reduction reaction (CO 2 RR). However, the impact of MEA configuration on the inevitable reconstruction of Cu catalysts during CO 2 RR remains underexplored, despite its considerable potential to affect CO 2 RR efficacy. Herein, we demonstrate that MEA cells prompt a unique reconstruction of Cu, in contrast to H-type cells, which subsequently influences CO 2 RR outcomes. Utilizing three Cu-based catalysts, specifically engineered with different nanostructures, we identify contrasting selectivity trends in the production of C 2+ chemicals between H-type and MEA cells. Operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy, alongside ex-situ analyses in both cell types, indicates that MEA cells facilitate the reduction of Cu 2 O, resulting in altered Cu surfaces compared to those in H-type cells. Time-resolved CO 2 RR studies, supported by Operando analysis, further highlight that significant Cu reconstruction within MEA cells is a primary factor leading to the deactivation of CO 2 RR into C 2+ chemicals., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) has coevolved with Homo sapiens for over 100,000 years, maintaining a tenacious presence by establishing lifelong, incurable infections in over half the human population. As of 2024, an effective prophylactic or therapeutic vaccine for HSV remains elusive. In this review, we independently screened PubMed, EMBASE, Medline, and Google Scholar for clinically relevant articles on HSV vaccines. We identified 12 vaccines from our literature review and found promising candidates across various classes, including subunit vaccines, live vaccines, DNA vaccines, and mRNA vaccines. Notably, several vaccines-SL-V20, HF10, VC2, and mRNA-1608-have shown promising preclinical results, suggesting that an effective HSV vaccine may be within reach. Additionally, several other vaccines such as GEN-003 (a subunit vaccine from Genocea), HerpV (a subunit vaccine from Agenus), 0ΔNLS/RVx201 (a live-attenuated replication-competent vaccine from Rational Vaccines), HSV 529 (a replication-defective vaccine from Sanofi Pasteur), and COR-1 (a DNA-based vaccine from Anteris Technologies) have demonstrated potential in clinical trials. However, GEN-003 and HerpV have not advanced further despite promising results. Continued progress with these candidates brings us closer to a significant breakthrough in preventing and treating HSV infections.

Objective: We evaluated the changes and molecular epidemiology of meningococcal carriage in military recruits after quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccines (MenACWY) vaccination., Methods: Oropharyngeal swabs were obtained at the beginning and end of the 5-week training. Carriage rates before and after vaccination were compared to estimate vaccine effectiveness (VE). Cultured isolates were characterized by multi-locus sequence typing (MLST)., Results: Of 866 vaccinated participants, the overall carriage rate was 10.6% prior to MenACWY vaccination and it tended to decrease to 9.5% after 5 weeks of vaccination (P = 0.424). Carriage rate of serogroup ACWY decreased significantly after vaccination (VE ACWY = 72.6%, 95% CI: 36.3-88.2), and serogroup C was particularly reduced (VE C = 83.0%, 95% CI: 50.6-94.1), whereas non-groupable isolates increased significantly after vaccination (VE NG = -76.1%, 95% CI: -176.2 to -13.1). Among 99 carriage isolates with complete MLST profiles, 45 different sequence types with nine clonal complexes (CCs) were identified, and 35.3% of the carriage isolates belonged to hypervirulent strains such as CC-32, CC-41/44, and CC-269., Conclusions: MenACWY vaccination in military recruits led to reduced carriage rates of serogroups C, W, and Y within a short 5-week period. However, serogroup B isolates belonging to the hypervirulent lineage remained after the implementation of MenACWY vaccination., Competing Interests: Declarations of competing interest All authors have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Rapid and accurate detection and visualization of temperature variations near the human body hold significant importance. This study presents thermochromic colloids capable of adjusting the detectable temperature range and reflection wavelength over a wide spectrum. The systematic investigation focuses on understanding the influence of the molecular structure of nematic mesogens on the morphological dynamics of cholesteric liquid crystal droplets and their associated thermochromic behaviors. A tunable colorimetric temperature range (i.e., from 10 to 40 °C) and high sensitivity (i.e., Δλ ΔT -1  > 100nm °C -1 ) are realized through precise modulation of the alkyl chain lengths in cyanobiphenyls molecules, combined with a cholesteryl oleyl carbonate as a chiral dopant. We demonstrate the efficiency of a binary mixture of different mesogens, enabling customized structural colors with desired temperature responses. Finally, inspired by the ability of the octopus to camouflage through the elongation or contraction of its pigment cells, thermochromic droplets are embedded within a polymer matrix, resulting in a portable skin patch that offers quick, reversible, and direct temperature visualization of the human body., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Herpes zoster (HZ), or shingles, is caused by reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), which remains latent in the sensory ganglia until immunity wanes with age. The representative HZ vaccine, Shingrix is efficacious but causes side effects due to vaccine adjuvants. Therefore, the development of highly efficacious vaccines with minimal side effects is required. We developed chimeric adenovirus vector (ChimAd)-based HZ vaccine candidates encoding the VZV glycoprotein E (gE). These candidates include ChimAd-tPAgE, in which the signal peptide is replaced with tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), and ChimAd-WTgE, which retains the original signal peptide. C57BL/6 mice were immunized with VZV-vaccine candidates, and cellular and humoral immune responses were evaluated using interferon-γ ELISPOT and ELISA. The ChimAd-based HZ vaccines induced high levels of gE-specific antibodies and cell-mediated immunity. ChimAd-tPAgE (optimal dose: 1 × 10 7 IFU) elicited a more robust gE-specific T-cell response than Shingrix and Zostavax, showing potential as HZ prophylactic vaccines., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests.Sun Ok Jang, Jae Hyun Lee, Yong-Ju Chung, Hyun-Seok Oh, Myeongcheol Shin, Soo-Ok Kim, Sun Pyo Hong reports financial support was provided by Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. Kim, S. HS, Kim S, Jang S, Kim H, Lee S has patent licensed to GeneMatrix, Inc. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

This study aimed to develop a 3D-printed fixed-dose combination tablet featuring differential release of two drugs using double-melt extrusion (DME). The hot-melt extrusion (HME) process was divided into two steps to manufacture a single filament containing the two drugs. In Step I, a sustained-release matrix of acetaminophen (AAP) was obtained through HME at 190 °C using Eudragit® S100, a pH-dependent polymer with a high glass transition temperature. In Step II, a filament containing both sustained-release AAP from Step I and solubilized ibuprofen (IBF) was fabricated via HME at 110 °C using a mixture of hydroxy propyl cellulose (HPC-LF) and Eudragit® EPO, whose glass transition temperatures make them suitable for use in a 3D printer. A filament manufactured using DME was used to produce a cylindrical 3D-printed fixed-dose combination tablet with a diameter and height of 9 mm. To evaluate the release characteristics of the manufactured filament and 3D-printed tablet, dissolution tests were conducted for 10 h under simulated gastrointestinal tract conditions using the pH jump method with the United States Pharmacopeia apparatus II paddle method at 37 ± 0.5 °C and 50 rpm. Dissolution tests confirmed that both the sustained-release and solubilized forms of AAP and IBF within the filament and 3D-printed tablet exhibited distinct drug-release behaviors. The physicochemical properties of the filament and 3D-printed tablet were confirmed by thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, powder X-ray diffraction, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. HME transforms crystalline drugs into amorphous forms, demonstrating their physicochemical stability. Scanning electron microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy indicated the presence of sustained AAP granules within the filament, confirming that the drugs were independently separated within the filament and 3D-printed tablets. Finally, sustained-release AAP and solubilized IBF were independently incorporated into the filaments using DME technology. Therefore, a dual-release 3D-printed fixed-dose combination was prepared using the proposed filament., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Temperament and character are useful in risk assessment and therapy of individuals in the anxiety-depression spectrum but understudied in South Korea., Objective: The study aimed to identify the temperament and character features associated with anxiety and/or depression in individuals with clinical disorders and in the general population., Methods: A representative sample of 1384 Korean adults over 18 years old (58 % female) were assessed with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). Multivariate analyses, including structural equation modeling and complex systems analysis, evaluated how personality influenced risk and resilience for anxiety and/or depression., Results: The three groups with anxiety and/or depression were strongly distinguished by temperament and character: (i) In AD (n = 58), Harm Avoidance and Reward Dependence were higher than in DD, and Self-directedness was higher than in AD+DD; (ii) In DD (n = 90), Persistence, Self-Directedness and Cooperativeness were higher than in AD+DD; and (iii) In AD+DD (n = 101), Harm Avoidance was highest and Persistence and Self-directedness were lowest (i.e., they were lowest in Resilience). Structural equation models confirmed these risk relations with strong character development reducing the adverse effects of emotional hyperreactivity from extreme temperaments., Limitations: Self-reports were measured only at one point in time, requiring collateral experimental data to support causal interpretation., Conclusions: Interactions of temperament and character are strongly predictive of risk and resilience to anxiety and/or depression by regulating both positive and negative affect. Character mediates the adverse effects of extreme temperaments on affect., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Importance: Limited data suggest that early palliative care (EPC) improves quality of life (QOL) and survival in patients with advanced cancer., Objective: To evaluate whether comprehensive EPC improves QOL; relieves mental, social, and existential burdens; increases survival rates; and helps patients develop coping skills., Design, Setting, and Participants: This nonblinded randomized clinical trial (RCT) recruited patients from 12 hospitals in South Korea from September 2017 to October 2018. Patients aged 20 years or older with advanced cancer who were not terminally ill but for whom standard chemotherapy has not been effective were eligible. Participants were randomized 1:1 to the control (receiving usual supportive oncological care) or intervention (receiving EPC with usual oncological care) group. Intention-to-treat data analysis was conducted between September and December 2022., Interventions: The intervention group received EPC through a structured program of self-study education materials, telephone coaching, and regular assessments by an integrated palliative care team., Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was the change in overall QOL score (assessed with the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 15 Palliative Care) from baseline to 24 weeks after enrollment, with evaluations also conducted at 12 and 18 weeks. Secondary outcomes were social and existential burdens (assessed with the McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire) as well as crisis-overcoming capacity and 2-year survival., Results: A total of 144 patients (83 males [57.6%]; mean [SD] age, 60.7 (7.2) years) were enrolled, of whom 73 were randomized to the intervention group and 71 to the control group. The intervention group demonstrated significantly greater changes in scores in overall health status or QOL from baseline, especially at 18 weeks (11.00 [95% CI, 0.78-21.22] points; P = .04; effect size = 0.42). However, at 12 and 24 weeks, there were no significant differences observed. Compared with the control group, the intervention group also showed significant improvement in self-management or coping skills over 24 weeks (20.51 [95% CI, 12.41-28.61] points; P < .001; effect size = 0.93). While the overall survival rate was higher in the intervention vs control group, the difference was not significant. In the intervention group, however, those who received 10 or more EPC interventions (eg, telephone coaching sessions and care team meetings) showed a significantly increased probability of 2-year survival (53.6%; P < .001)., Conclusions and Relevance: This RCT demonstrated that EPC enhanced QOL at 18 weeks; however, no significant improvements were observed at 12 and 24 weeks. An increased number of interventions sessions was associated with increased 2-year survival rates in the intervention group., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03181854.

Tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH), which is a chemical used in the electronic industry, is classified as a hazardous material (HAZMAT class 8) that threatens aquatic ecosystems and human health. Consequently, numerous studies have attempted to remove TMAH using various treatment methods, including advanced oxidation processes such as ozone, UV, or Fenton oxidation. However, prior research has indicated a low kinetic rate of TMAH removal. In this context, we proposed an alternative to TMAH degradation by combining a cold plasma (CP) process with periodate oxidation. As for the kinetics of TMAH removal, the kinetic constant was improved by 5 times (0.1661 and 0.0301 for 40.56 and 2.2 W, respectively) as the electric power of a CP system increased from 2.2 to 40.56 W. The kinetic constant of a 40.56 W CP system further increased by 54 times (1.6250) than a 2 W CP system when 4 mM periodate was used simultaneously. As a result, the integrated CP/periodate system represented 2 times higher TMAH removal efficiency (29.5%) than a 2 W CP system (14.4%). This excellent TMAH degradation capability of the integrated CP/periodate system became pronounced at pH 10 and 25 °C. Overall, the integrated CP/periodate system is expected to be a viable management option for effectively controlling hazardous TMAH chemicals., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

1D nanostructures exhibit a large surface area and a short network distance, facilitating electron and ion transport. In this study, a 1D van der Waals material, tin iodide phosphide (SnIP), is synthesized and used as an electrocatalyst for the conversion of CO 2 to formate. The electrochemical treatment of SnIP reconstructs it into a web-like structure, dissolves the I and P components, and increases the number of oxygen vacancies. The resulting oxygen vacancies promote the activity of the CO 2 reduction reaction (CO 2 RR), increasing the local pH of the electrode surface and maintaining the oxidative metal site of the catalyst despite the electrochemically reducing environment. This strategy, which stabilizes the oxidation state of the catalyst, also helps to improve the durability of CO 2 RR. In practice, 1D structured SnIP catalyst exhibits outstanding performance with >92% formate faradaic efficiency (FE formate ) at 300 mA cm -2 , a maximum partial current density for formate of 343 mA cm -2 , and excellent long-term stability (>100 h at 100 mA cm -2 with >86% FE formate ). This study introduced a method to easily generate oxygen vacancies on the catalyst surface by utilizing 1D materials and a strategy to improve the durability of CO 2 RR by stabilizing the oxidation state of the catalyst., (© 2024 The Author(s). Small published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

We aimed to determine the relationship between the use of analgesics prescribed for pain management and the onset and progression of mood disorders using a large-scale cohort database. We calculated hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for patient risk of developing mood disorders based on age, income, health-related variables, disease history, Charlson comorbidity index, and analgesics prescription behavior (Models 1-3). Additionally, we determined the risk of mood disorder occurrence by age group (Model 4) using a proportional hazards regression model. The age- and income-adjusted HR (Model 1) was 1.8275. The age-, income-, BMI-, and physical-activity-adjusted HR (Model 2) was 1.882. The fully adjusted HR (Model 3) was 1.698. Compared with no analgesic use, nonregular use (HR = 1.386) and regular use (HR = 1.698) was associated with a higher risk of mood disorders. Among patients older than 50 years, those who participated in physical activity (less than five days) had a lower risk of mood disorders than those who did not. This suggests that it may be useful for preventing mood disorders in older cancer survivors. A high risk of comorbidities and regular use of analgesics are risk factors for developing mood disorders. Therefore, our results suggest that cancer survivors with a high risk of comorbidities and a history of regular analgesic use should undergo careful psychiatric consultation.

The study of blowfly (Diptera: Calliphoridae) biodiversity and distribution is crucial for forensic investigations. Abiotic and biotic factors, such as season and habitat type, have a significant impact on blowfly populations. However, only a few forensic entomology studies have been conducted in South Korea, particularly in the Gyeongsangnam-do region. To address this, an extensive year-long survey was conducted to analyze the compositions, habitat preferences, distribution, and seasonal abundance of forensically relevant blowflies in urban and forested habitats of Gyeongsangnam-do, with sampling conducted twice a month using mouse carcass-baited traps set for 48 h each time. A total of 3470 adult blowflies were recorded, encompassing five genera and 13 species, with a noted absence of specimens during the winter months. The predominant species was Lucilia porphyrina , accounting for 37.2% of the total sample, followed by Chrysomya pinguis (27.6%), Lucilia sericata (7.6%), and Lucilia illustris (7.1%). The species composition was consistent across all surveyed regions; however, seasonal variation in species diversity was evident, with a peak in spring and a decline in summer. Notably, certain species exhibited clear preferences for either urban ( Calliphora calliphoroides and L. sericata ) or forested habitats ( L. porphyrina and Ch. pinguis ). This pioneering study elucidates the diverse blowfly communities in Gyeongsangnam-do, highlighting significant seasonal and habitat-dependent variations. These findings enrich our understanding of blowfly ecology in this region, offering valuable insights for forensic applications and underscoring the necessity for ongoing entomological surveillance and research.

Solution-based processing of van der Waals (vdW) one- (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) materials is an effective strategy to obtain high-quality molecular chains or atomic sheets in a large area with scalability. In this work, quasi-1D vdW Ta 2 Pt 3 Se 8 was exfoliated via liquid phase exfoliation (LPE) to produce a stably dispersed Ta 2 Pt 3 Se 8 nanowire solution. In order to screen the optimal exfoliation solvent, nine different solvents were employed with different total surface tensions and polar/dispersive (P/D) component (P/D) ratios. The LPE behavior of Ta 2 Pt 3 Se 8 was elucidated by matching the P/D ratios between Ta 2 Pt 3 Se 8 and the applied solvent, resulting in N -methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) as an optimal solvent owing to the well-matched total surface tension and P/D ratio. Subsequently, Ta 2 Pt 3 Se 8 nanowire thin films are manufactured via vacuum filtration using a Ta 2 Pt 3 Se 8 /NMP dispersion. Then, gas sensing devices are fabricated onto the Ta 2 Pt 3 Se 8 nanowire thin films, and gas sensing property toward NO 2 is evaluated at various thin-film thicknesses. A 50 nm thick Ta 2 Pt 3 Se 8 thin-film device exhibited a percent response of 25.9% at room temperature and 32.4% at 100 °C, respectively. In addition, the device showed complete recovery within 14.1 min at room temperature and 3.5 min at 100 °C, respectively.

Objective: This study was performed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of lurasidone (160 mg/day) compared to quetiapine XR (QXR; 600 mg/day) in the treatment of acutely psychotic patients with schizophrenia., Methods: Patients were randomly assigned to 6 weeks of double-blind treatment with lurasidone 160 mg/day (n=105) or QXR 600 mg/day (n=105). Primary efficacy measure was the change from baseline to week 6 in Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) total score and Clinical Global Impressions severity (CGI-S) score. Adverse events, body measurements, and laboratory parameters were assessed., Results: Lurasidone demonstrated non-inferiority to QXR on the PANSS total score. Adjusted mean±standard error change at week 6 on the PANSS total score was -26.42±2.02 and -27.33±2.01 in the lurasidone and QXR group, respectively. The mean difference score was -0.91 (95% confidence interval -6.35-4.53). The lurasidone group showed a greater reduction in PANSS total and negative subscale on week 1 and a greater reduction in end-point CGI-S score compared to the QXR group. Body weight, body mass index, and waist circumference in the lurasidone group were reduced, with significantly lower mean change compared to QXR. Endpoint changes in glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein levels were also significantly lower. The most common adverse drug reactions with lurasidone were akathisia and nausea., Conclusion: Lurasidone 160 mg/day was found to be non-inferior to QXR 600 mg/day in the treatment of schizophrenia with comparable efficacy and tolerability. Adverse effects of lurasidone were generally tolerable, and beneficial effects on metabolic parameters can be expected.

Objective: Various patient placement criteria (PPC) have been developed to address alcohol use disorder (AUD), which has a high relapse rate and imposes substantial socioeconomic costs. Although research has shown PPC to be an effective tool, evidence supporting the Korean-PPC (K-PPC) is insufficient. This paper investigated whether treatment matching with the K-PPC was effective, based on variables related to AUD., Methods: In total, 524 participants were evaluated using the 6 dimensions of the K-PPC and levels of care (LoC) were recommended based on the results. Participants whose treatment matched with the recommended LoC were classified into the matched group, and those whose treatment did not match were classified into the mismatched group. Subsequently, treatment was planned according to the determined LoC, and a total of 3 follow-up evaluations were conducted at 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months., Results: There was no significant difference in the follow-up rate between the K-PPC matched group and the mismatched group. Of the variables measured by the 6 dimensions of the K-PPC, alcohol-related variables, depression, insight, and biomedical outcomes showed the most significant results (especially alcohol-related variables) from the baseline evaluation to the 6-month follow-up. In addition, the average adherence to the treatment program in the 6-month period was found to be higher in the matched group than in the mismatched group., Conclusion: The K-PPC could be effective for placing patients and providing treatment by matching patient characteristics. Enhancing treatment program retention can also have a positive effect on clinical outcomes.

This paper studies a new curve-fitting approach to data on Riemannian manifolds. We define a principal curve based on a mixture model for observations and unobserved latent variables and propose a new algorithm to estimate the principal curve for given data points on Riemannian manifolds.

This study addresses membrane biofouling in membrane bioreactors (MBRs) by exploring fungal-to-bacterial quorum quenching (QQ) strategies. While most research has been focused on bacterial-to-bacterial QQ tactics, this study identified fungal strain Vanrija sp. MS1, which is capable of degrading N-acyl-homoserine lactones (signaling molecules of Gram-negative bacteria). To determine the benefits of fungal over bacterial strains, after immobilization on fluidizing spherical beads in an MBR, MS1 significantly reduced the fouling rate by 1.8-fold compared to control MBR, decreased extracellular polymeric substance levels in the biofilm during MBR operation, and favorably changed microbial community and bacterial network, resulting in biofouling mitigation. It is noteworthy that, unlike Rhodococcus sp. BH4, MS1 enhanced QQ activity when switching from neutral to acidic conditions. These results suggest that MS1 has the potential for the effective treatment of acidic industrial wastewater sources such as semiconductor and secondary battery wastewater using MBRs., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Organ-derived plasma protein signatures derived from aptamer protein arrays track organ-specific aging, disease, and mortality in humans, but the robustness and clinical utility of these models and their biological underpinnings remain unknown. Here, we estimate biological age of 11 organs from 44,526 individuals in the UK Biobank using an antibody-based proteomics platform to model disease and mortality risk. Organ age estimates are associated with future onset of heart failure (heart age HR=1.83), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (lung age HR=1.39), type II diabetes (kidney age HR=1.58), and Alzheimer's disease (brain age HR=1.81) and sensitive to lifestyle factors such as smoking and exercise, hormone replacement therapy, or supplements. Remarkably, the accrual of aged organs progressively increases mortality risk while a youthful brain and immune system are uniquely associated with disease-free longevity. These findings support the use of plasma proteins for monitoring organ health and the efficacy of drugs targeting organ aging disease., Competing Interests: T.W-C., H.S.O. and J.R. are co-founders and scientific advisors of Teal Omics Inc. and have received equity stakes. T.W.-C. is a co-founder and scientific advisor of Alkahest Inc. and Qinotto Inc. and has received equity stakes in these companies.

Combining an electrochemically stable material onto the surface of a catalyst can improve the durability of a transition metal catalyst, and enable the catalyst to operate stably at high current density. Herein, the contribution of the N-doped carbon shell (NCS) to the electrochemical properties is evaluated by comparing the characteristics of the Ni 3 Fe@NCS catalyst with the N-doped carbon shell, and the Ni 3 Fe catalyst. The synthesized Ni 3 Fe@NCS catalyst has a distinct overpotential difference from the Ni 3 Fe catalyst (η OER = 468.8 mV, η HER = 462.2 mV) at (200 and -200) mA cm -2 in 1 m KOH. In stability test at (10 and -10) mA cm -2 , the Ni 3 Fe@NCS catalyst showed a stability of (95.47 and 99.6)%, while the Ni 3 Fe catalyst showed a stability of (72.4 and 95.9)%, respectively. In addition, the in situ X-ray Absorption Near Edge Spectroscopy (XANES) results show that redox reaction appeared in the Ni 3 Fe catalyst by applying voltages of (1.7 and -0.48) V. The decomposition of nickel and iron due to the redox reaction is detected as a high ppm concentration in the Ni 3 Fe catalyst through Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES) analysis. This work presents the strategy and design of a next-generation electrochemical catalyst to improve the electrocatalytic properties and stability., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

With the continued evolution of DNA sequencing technologies, the role of genome sequence data has become more integral in the classification and identification of Bacteria and Archaea. Six years after introducing EzBioCloud, an integrated platform representing the taxonomic hierarchy of Bacteria and Archaea through quality-controlled 16S rRNA gene and genome sequences, we present an updated version, that further refines and expands its capabilities. The current update recognizes the growing need for accurate taxonomic information as defining a species increasingly relies on genome sequence comparisons. We also incorporated an advanced strategy for addressing underrepresented or less studied lineages, bolstering the comprehensiveness and accuracy of our database. Our rigorous quality control protocols remain, where whole-genome assemblies from the NCBI Assembly Database undergo stringent screening to remove low-quality sequence data. These are then passed through our enhanced identification bioinformatics pipeline which initiates a 16S rRNA gene similarity search and then calculates the average nucleotide identity (ANI). For genome sequences lacking a 16S rRNA sequence and without a closely related genomic representative for ANI calculation, we apply a different ANI approach using bacterial core genes for improved taxonomic placement (core gene ANI, cgANI). Because of the increase in genome sequences available in NCBI and our newly introduced cgANI method, EzBioCloud now encompasses a total of 109 835 species, of which 21 964 have validly published names. 47 896 are candidate species identified either through 16S rRNA sequence similarity (phylotypes) or through whole genome ANI (genomospecies), and the remaining 39 975 were positioned in the taxonomic tree by cgANI (species clusters). Our EzBioCloud database is accessible at www.ezbiocloud.net/db.

Objective: This study aimed to determine the feasibility and limitations of deep learning-based coronary calcium scoring using positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) in comparison with coronary calcium scoring using ECG-gated non-contrast-enhanced cardiac computed tomography (CaCT)., Materials and Methods: A total of 215 individuals who underwent both CaCT and PET-CT were enrolled in this retrospective study. The Agatston method was used to calculate the coronary artery calcium scores (CACS) from CaCT, PET-CT(reader), and PET-CT(AI) to analyse the effect of using different modalities and AI-based software on CACS measurement. The total CACS and CACS classified according to the CAC-DRS guidelines were compared between the three sets of CACS. The differences, correlation coefficients, intraclass coefficients (ICC), and concordance rates were analysed. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05., Results: The correlation coefficient of the total CACS from CaCT and PET-CT(reader) was 0.837, PET-CT(reader) and PET-CT(AI) was 0.894, and CaCT and PET-CT(AI) was 0.768. The ICC of CACS from CaCT and PET-CT(reader) was 0.911, PET-CT(reader) and PET-CT(AI) was 0.958, and CaCT and PET-CT(AI) was 0.842. The concordance rate between CaCT and PET-CT(AI) was 73.8%, with a false-negative rate of 37.3% and a false-positive rate of 4.4%. Age and male sex were associated with an increased misclassification rate., Conclusions: Artificial intelligence-assisted CACS measurements in PET-CT showed comparable results to CACS in coronary calcium CT. However, the relatively high false-negative results and tendency to underestimate should be of concern., Clinical Relevance Statement: Application of automated calcium scoring to PET-CT studies could potentially select patients at high risk of coronary artery disease from among cancer patients known to be susceptible to coronary artery disease and undergoing routine PET-CT scans., Key Points: • Cancer patients are susceptible to coronary disease, and PET-CT could be potentially used to calculate coronary artery calcium score (CACS). • Calcium scoring using artificial intelligence in PET-CT automatically provides CACS with high ICC to CACS in coronary calcium CT. • However, underestimation and false negatives of CACS calculation in PET-CT should be considered., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to European Society of Radiology.)

Purpose: Active surveillance (AS) is an alternative treatment approach for small, low-risk papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC). This study aimed to assess the clinical outcomes of small, highly suspicious nodules lacking initial cytological confirmation., Methods: This study included 112 patients with highly suspicious nodules measuring ≤ 10 mm who underwent serial ultrasound at Asan Medical Center, Korea, between 2010 and 2023., Results: The median participant age was 51.9 years, and 74.1% were female. The median maximal tumor diameter and tumor volume (TV) were 4.5 (interquartile range [IQR] 3.7-5.2, range 2.2-9.3) mm and 25.2 (IQR 13.1-49.2) mm 3 , respectively. During a median follow-up period of 4.8 years, four (3.6%) patients showed a ≥ 3 mm increase in maximal diameter, and two (1.8%) developed new lymph node (LN) metastasis. Disease progression was associated with a TV doubling time (TVDT) of < 5 years and a ≥ 75% increase in TV (p = 0.017 and p < 0.005, respectively). Furthermore, 34.8% of patients underwent fine needle aspiration (FNA), primarily at their own request, yielding 46.2%, 5.1%, 41.0%, and 12.8 % malignant, benign, indeterminate, and non-diagnostic results, respectively. Of 18 patients with PTMC, 8 (44.4%) underwent surgery and 10 continued AS, with no LN metastasis during AS and no postoperative recurrence., Conclusion: Small, highly suspicious nodules had a low disease progression rate during AS without FNA. Disease progression was associated with a TVDT of < 5 years and a ≥ 75% increase in TV. FNA can be performed more conservatively than it currently is in patients with highly suspicious nodules measuring ≤ 10 mm., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Understanding the relationship between the gut microbiome and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is challenging due to the heterogeneous nature of ASD. Here, we analyzed the microbial and clinical characteristics of individuals with ASD using enterotypes. A total of 456 individuals participated in the study, including 249 participants with ASD, 106 typically developing siblings, and 101 controls. The alpha and beta diversities of the ASD, sibling, and control groups did not show significant differences. Analysis revealed a negative association between the Bifidobacterium longum group and the Childhood Autism Rating Scale, as well as a negative association between the Streptococcus salivarus group and the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) within the ASD group. When clustered based on microbial composition, participants with ASD exhibited two distinct enterotypes, E1 and E2. In the E2 group, the SRS score was significantly higher, and the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale score was significantly lower compared to the E1 group. Machine learning results indicated that the microbial species predicting SRS scores were distinct between the two enterotypes. Our study suggests that the microbial composition in individuals with ASD exhibits considerable variability, and the patterns of associations between the gut microbiome and clinical symptoms may vary depending on the enterotype., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest JC, YJ, HO, and SS are employees of CJ Bioscience, Inc. TL, YH, and HK report no potential conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Objective: While a significant link between emotional well-being (EWB) and the gut microbiome has been reported recently, their temporal relationships remain elusive. This study aims to fill this gap by examining the longitudinal associations between EWB and the Shannon Index (SI), an indicator of gut microbiome diversity., Method: The analysis focused on a dataset that collected participants' current EWB and fecal samples in both 2019 and 2022 ( N = 57, 56.1% female, M age = 52.47 years, SD = 12.65). Gut microbiome profiles were generated by sequencing the 16S rRNA gene, from which SI was subsequently calculated., Results: The cross-lagged panel analysis revealed significant positive cross-sectional associations between EWB and SI in both 2019 (β = .296, SE = 0.121, p = .014) and 2022 (β = .324, SE = 0.119, p = .006). However, no significant longitudinal associations were found between 2019 EWB and 2022 SI (β = .068, SE = 0.138, p = .623), nor between 2019 SI and 2022 EWB (β = -.016, SE = 0.13, p = .899)., Conclusions: Our findings indicate that emotional happiness may be associated with gut microbiome profiles at a particular time point, but they may not serve as predictive factors for each other over time. Future research is needed to establish causal relationships between them. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

To realize economically feasible electrochemical CO 2 conversion, achieving a high partial current density for value-added products is particularly vital. However, acceleration of the hydrogen evolution reaction due to cathode flooding in a high-current-density region makes this challenging. Herein, we find that partially ligand-derived Ag nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) could prevent electrolyte flooding while maintaining catalytic activity for CO 2 electroreduction. This results in a high Faradaic efficiency for CO (>90%) and high partial current density (298.39 mA cm ‒2 ), even under harsh stability test conditions (3.4 V). The suppressed splitting/detachment of Ag particles, due to the lipid ligand, enhance the uniform hydrophobicity retention of the Ag-NP electrode at high cathodic overpotentials and prevent flooding and current fluctuations. The mass transfer of gaseous CO 2 is maintained in the catalytic region of several hundred nanometers, with the smooth formation of a triple phase boundary, which facilitate the occurrence of CO 2 RR instead of HER. We analyze catalyst degradation and cathode flooding during CO 2 electrolysis through identical-location transmission electron microscopy and operando synchrotron-based X-ray computed tomography. This study develops an efficient strategy for designing active and durable electrocatalysts for CO 2 electrolysis., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Efforts are ongoing to enhance the functionality of human acellular dermal matrices (hADMs), which are extensively utilized in reconstructive surgeries. Among these efforts, plasma treatments, particularly vacuum plasma treatments, have recently emerged in the medical field. This study aims to investigate the efficacy of a vacuum plasma treatment in enhancing the biocompatibility and biointegration of hADMs. Utilizing a plasma activator (ACTILINK reborn, Plasmapp Co., Ltd., Daejeon, Republic of Korea), hADMs were treated and evaluated through in vitro and in vivo analyses. Hydrophilicity changes were gauged by the blood absorption times, while SEM imaging was used to analyze physical surface deformation. Protein adsorption was measured with fluorescently labeled bovine serum albumin and fibronectin. For the in vivo study, mice were implanted with plasma-treated and untreated hADMs, and the post-implantation effects were analyzed through histological and immunofluorescence microscopy. The plasma-treated hADMs demonstrated a significantly enhanced hydrophilicity compared to the untreated samples. SEM imaging confirmed the maintenance of the microroughness after the treatment. The treated hADMs showed a significant reduction in fibronectin adsorption, a critical factor for cellular adhesion. In vivo, the plasma-treated hADMs exhibited reduced capsule formation and enhanced fibroblast infiltration, indicating improved biocompatibility and integration. These findings highlight the potential of a plasma treatment to enhance the performance of hADMs in clinical settings, offering a promising avenue for improving reconstructive surgery outcomes.

Background: Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE) are of serious concern worldwide due to high morbidity and mortality., Aim: To evaluate the impact of the result of a subsequent polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for carbapenemase after serial negative surveillance cultures on positive culture conversion in patients with three consecutive negative surveillance cultures for CPE, and to identify risk factors for conversion., Methods: A retrospective study of patients with positive CPE cultures on CHROMagar KPC medium was performed in a Korean tertiary hospital from October 2018 to December 2022. PCR for bla KPC , bla NDM , bla IMP , bla VIM , bla GES , and bla OXA-48 was performed after three consecutive negative rectal swab cultures. Clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients were compared according to whether follow-up PCR was positive (CNPP) or negative (CNPN)., Findings: Of 1075 patients with positive CPE cultures, 150 (14.0%) yielded three consecutive negative rectal swab cultures. Of these, 50 (33.3%) were CNPP, and 100 (66.7%) were CNPN. Risk factors associated with a positive PCR result on multivariate analysis were: age, central venous catheter, and Escherichia coli infection. CNPP patients were more likely to have positive culture conversion for CPE than CNPN patients (39/44 (88.6%) vs 21/50 (42.0%), P<0.001). In multivariate analysis, independent risk factors for culture conversion were: a positive PCR result after surveillance cultures, diabetes mellitus, central venous catheter, and Klebsiella pneumoniae., Conclusion: CNPP patients have higher rates of culture conversion than CNPN patients, and a follow-up PCR test after serial negative surveillance cultures is useful in deciding whether or not to discontinue contact precautions., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Productive replication of herpes simplex virus (HSV) relies upon a well-ordered transcriptional cascade flowing from immediate-early (IE) to early (E) to late (L) gene products. While several virus-encoded transcriptional activators are involved in this process, IE and E gene promoters also contain multiple binding sites for the ubiquitously expressed cellular transcription factor Sp1. Sp1 has been previously implicated in activating HSV-1 gene transcription downstream of these sites, but why Sp1-binding sites are maintained in the promoters of genes activated by virus-encoded activators remains unclear. We hypothesized that Sp1 enables continued HSV-1 transcription and replication when viral transactivators are limited. We used a depletion-based approach in human foreskin fibroblasts to investigate the specific contribution of Sp1 to the initiation and progression of the HSV-1 lytic gene cascade. We found that Sp1 increased viral transcript levels, protein expression, and replication following infection with VP16- or ICP0-deficient viruses but had little to no effect on rescued viruses or during wild-type (WT) HSV-1 infection. Moreover, Sp1 promoted WT virus transcription and replication following interferon treatment of fibroblasts and thus may contribute to viral immune evasion. Interestingly, we observed reduced expression of Sp1 and Sp1-family transcription factors in differentiated sensory neurons compared to undifferentiated cells, suggesting that reduced Sp1 levels may also contribute to HSV-1 latent infection. Overall, these findings indicate that Sp1 can promote HSV-1 gene expression in the absence of key viral transactivators; thus, HSV-1 may use Sp1 to maintain its gene expression and replication under adverse conditions.IMPORTANCEHerpes simplex virus (HSV) is a common human pathogen that actively replicates in the epithelia but can persist for the lifetime of the infected host via a stable, latent infection in neurons. A key feature of the HSV replication cycle is a complex transcriptional program in which virus and host-cell factors coordinate to regulate expression of the viral gene products necessary for continued viral replication. Multiple binding sites for the cellular transcription factor Sp1 are located in the promoters of HSV-1 genes, but how Sp1 binding contributes to transcription and replication of wild-type virus is not fully understood. In this study, we identified a specific role for Sp1 in maintaining HSV-1 gene transcription under adverse conditions, as when virus-encoded transcriptional activators were absent or limited. Preservation of Sp1-binding sites in HSV-1 gene promoters may thus benefit the virus as it navigates diverse cell types and host-cell conditions during infection., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.