Impact of multidrug resistance on outcomes in hematologic cancer patients with bacterial bloodstream infections.

Despite the improved outcomes in patients with hematological malignancies, infections caused by multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) pose a new threat to these patients. We retrospectively reviewed the patients with hematological cancer and bacterial bloodstream infections (BSIs) at a tertiary hospital between 2003 and 2022 to assess the impact of MDROs on outcomes. Among 328 BSIs, 81 (24.7%) were caused by MDROs. MDRO rates increased from 10.3% (2003-2007) to 39.7% (2018-2022) (P < 0.001). The 30-day mortality rate was 25.0%, which was significantly higher in MDRO-infected patients than in non-MDRO-infected patients (48.1 vs. 17.4%; P < 0.001). The observed trend was more pronounced in patients with newly diagnosed diseases and relapsed/refractory disease but less prominent in patients in complete remission. Among MDROs, carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacteria exhibited the highest mortality, followed by vancomycin-resistant enterococci, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and extended-spectrum ß-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae. Multivariate analysis identified independent risk factors for 30-day mortality as age ≥ 65 years, newly diagnosed disease, relapsed/refractory disease, MDROs, polymicrobial infection, CRP ≥ 20 mg/L, and inappropriate initial antibiotic therapy. In conclusion, MDROs contribute to adverse outcomes in patients with hematological cancer and bacterial BSIs, with effects varying based on the underlying disease status and causative pathogens. Appropriate initial antibiotic therapy may improve patient outcomes.

Validation of self-reported morbidities of the Korean Atomic Bomb Survivor Cohort.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the agreement of disease status collected through a survey of the Korean Atomic Bomb Survivor Cohort (K-ABC), compared with medical claim records from the Korean National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) database and the Korean Central Cancer Registry (KCCR). Methods: Data on the lifetime physician-diagnosed morbidities of 1,215 K-ABC participants were collected through an interviewer-administered questionnaire between 2020 and 2022. Survey data were linked to the NHIS and KCCR databases. Eleven diseases were included for validation. We evaluated the following indicators: sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), accuracy, the area under the curve (AUC), and the kappa coefficient. Results: The mean (standard deviation) age was 62.1 (18.7) years, and 42.6% of the participants were aged ≥70 years. Hypertension and cataracts showed the highest prevalence rates (33.8% and 28.8%, respectively). Hypertension, diabetes, and cancer demonstrated high sensitivity (>0.8) and specificity (>0.9), whereas diabetes, cancer, myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, and asthma exhibited high accuracy (>0.9). In contrast, arthritis, allergic rhinitis, and asthma showed low sensitivity (<0.4) and kappa values (<0.3). In the participants aged ≥70 years, the kappa value was ≥0.4 for all diseases except arthritis, allergic rhinitis, and asthma. Conclusion: The results from this initial analysis showed relatively high agreement between the survey and NHIS/KCCR databases, especially for hypertension, diabetes, and cancer. Our findings suggest that the information on morbidities collected through the questionnaires in this cohort was valid for both younger and older individuals.

Exosomes Derived from Hypertrophic Scar Fibroblasts Suppress Melanogenesis in Normal Human Epidermal Melanocytes.

Post-burn hypertrophic scars often exhibit abnormal pigmentation. Exosomes play important roles in maintaining normal physiological homeostasis and in the pathological development of diseases. This study investigated the effects of the exosomes derived from hypertrophic scar fibroblasts (HTSFs) on melanocytes, which are pigment-producing cells. Normal fibroblasts (NFs) and HTSFs were isolated and cultured from normal skin and hypertrophic scar (HTS) tissue. Both the NF- and HTSF-exosomes were isolated from a cell culture medium and purified using a column-based technique. The normal human epidermal melanocytes were treated with both exosomes at a concentration of 100 µg/mL at different times. The cell proliferation, melanin content in the medium, apoptotic factors, transcription factors, melanin synthesis enzymes, signaling, signal transduction pathways, and activators of transcription factors (STAT) 1, 3, 5, and 6 were investigated. Compared with the Dulbecco's phosphate-buffered saline (DPBS)-treated controls and NF-exosomes, the HTSF-exosomes decreased the melanocyte proliferation and melanin secretion. The molecular patterns of apoptosis, proliferation, melanin synthesis, Smad and non-Smad signaling, and STATs were altered by the treatment with the HTSF-exosomes. No significant differences were observed between the DPBS-treated control and NF-exosome-treated cells. HTSF-derived exosomes may play a role in the pathological epidermal hypopigmentation observed in patients with HTS.

Association between Visceral Adipose Tissue Metabolism and Cerebral Glucose Metabolism in Patients with Cognitive Impairment.

Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) dysfunction has been recently recognized as a potential contributor to the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study aimed to explore the relationship between VAT metabolism and cerebral glucose metabolism in patients with cognitive impairment. This cross-sectional prospective study included 54 patients who underwent 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) brain and torso positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT), and neuropsychological evaluations. VAT metabolism was measured by 18F-FDG torso PET/CT, and cerebral glucose metabolism was measured using 18F-FDG brain PET/CT. A voxel-based analysis revealed that the high-VAT-metabolism group exhibited a significantly lower cerebral glucose metabolism in AD-signature regions such as the parietal and temporal cortices. In the volume-of-interest analysis, multiple linear regression analyses with adjustment for age, sex, and white matter hyperintensity volume revealed that VAT metabolism was negatively associated with cerebral glucose metabolism in AD-signature regions. In addition, higher VAT metabolism was correlated with poorer outcomes on cognitive assessments, including the Korean Boston Naming Test, Rey Complex Figure Test immediate recall, and the Controlled Oral Word Association Test. In conclusion, our study revealed significant relationships among VAT metabolism, cerebral glucose metabolism, and cognitive function. This suggests that VAT dysfunction actively contributes to the neurodegenerative processes characteristic of AD, making VAT dysfunction targeting a novel AD therapy approach.

Ultrathin, High-Aspect-Ratio Bismuth Sulfohalide Nanowire Bundles for Solution-Processed Flexible Photodetectors.

In this study, a novel synthesis of ultrathin, highly uniform colloidal bismuth sulfohalide (BiSX where X = Cl, Br, I) nanowires (NWs) and NW bundles (NBs) for room-temperature and solution-processed flexible photodetectors are presented. High-aspect-ratio bismuth sulfobromide (BiSBr) NWs are synthesized via a heat-up method using bismuth bromide and elemental S as precursors and 1-dodecanethiol as a solvent. Bundling of the BiSBr NWs occurs upon the addition of 1-octadecene as a co-solvent. The morphologies of the BiSBr NBs are easily tailored from sheaf-like structures to spherulite nanostructures by changing the solvent ratio. The optical bandgaps are modulated from 1.91 (BiSCl) and 1.88 eV (BiSBr) to 1.53 eV (BiSI) by changing the halide compositions. The optical bandgap of the ultrathin BiSBr NWs and NBs exhibits blueshift, whose origin is investigated through density functional theory-based first-principles calculations. Visible-light photodetectors are fabricated using BiSBr NWs and NBs via solution-based deposition followed by solid-state ligand exchanges. High photo-responsivities and external quantum efficiencies (EQE) are obtained for BiSBr NW and NB films even under strain, which offer a unique opportunity for the application of the novel BiSX NWs and NBs in flexible and environmentally friendly optoelectronic devices.

Effectiveness and satisfaction with virtual and donor dissections: A randomized controlled trial.

In recent years, human anatomy education has faced challenges with traditional donor dissection, leading to the emergence of virtual dissection as an alternative. This study aims to investigate the academic performance and satisfaction of medical students by comparing the virtual and donor dissections. An open-labeled crossover randomized controlled trial was conducted with 154 first-year medical students in Human Anatomy and Neuroanatomy laboratories, which were divided into three classes. Students were randomly assigned to either the virtual (virtual dissection followed by donor dissection) or donor (donor dissection followed by virtual dissection) groups in each class. A curriculum, incorporating head-mounted displays (HMDs), a life-sized touchscreen, and tablets, was developed. Data was evaluated through quizzes and surveys. In the Human Anatomy laboratory, each class of the donor group conducted heart extraction, dissection and observation. In observation class, the virtual group had a significantly higher mean quiz score than the donor group (p < 0.05). Compared to the donor, satisfaction was significantly higher for the HMD (understanding of concept and immersion), life-size touchscreen (esthetics, understanding of the concept, and spatial ability), and tablet (esthetics, understanding of the concept, spatial ability, and continuous use intention). In the Neuroanatomy laboratory, the virtual group showed significantly higher mean quiz scores than the donor group (p < 0.05), and tablet showed a significantly higher satisfaction than donor in terms of esthetics, understanding of the concept, and spatial ability. These results suggest that virtual dissection has the potential to supplement or replace donor dissection in anatomy education. This study is innovative in that it successfully delivered scenario-based virtual content and validated the efficacy in academic performance and satisfaction when using virtual devices compared to donor.Trial registration: This research has been registered in the Clinical Research Information Service (CRIS, https://cris.nih.go.kr/cris/search/detailSearch.do?search_lang=E&focus=reset_12&search_page=L&pageSize=10&page=undefined&seq=26002&status=5&seq_group=26002 ) with registration number "KCT0009075" and registration date "27/12/2023".

Health-related quality of life instrument with 8 items to measure health-related quality of life among family caregivers of people with dementia: A pilot validation study.

BACKGROUND: The health-related quality of life instrument with 8 items (HINT-8) was developed to measure health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in Korea. However, the HINT-8 has not yet been validated among the family caregivers of people with dementia (PwD). DESIGN: A cross-sectional pilot study. OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to examine the convergent and discriminant validity of the HINT-8 among family caregivers of individuals with dementia. SAMPLE: Forty-seven family caregivers of PwD. MEASUREMENTS: HINT-8 was compared with the 5-level EQ-5D (EQ-5D-5L) to assess its convergent and discriminant validity. Additionally, the association between the two instruments assessing HRQoL was examined using the short-form Bédard-Zarit Burden Interview (SZBI). RESULTS: The HINT-8 was a promising and valid HRQoL instrument for family caregivers of PwD. There was a significantly high correlation between the overall HINT-8 and EQ-5D-5L indices (r = 0.85, p < .001). The HINT-8 had acceptable psychometric properties compared to the commonly used EQ-5D-5L, as indicated by the subdomains associated with family caregivers' burden measured by the SZBI. CONCLUSION: Future studies should compare the HINT-8 with existing dementia carer-specific QoL instruments among a larger study sample to enhance its statistical power and confirm its reliability and structural validity.

Oligomeric amyloid-ß targeted contrast agent for MRI evaluation of Alzheimer's disease mouse models.

Background: Oligomeric amyloid beta (oAß) is a toxic factor that acts in the early stage of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and may initiate the pathologic cascade. Therefore, detecting oAß has a crucial role in the early diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of AD. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate MRI signal changes in different mouse models and the time-dependent signal changes using our novel gadolinium (Gd)-dodecane tetraacetic acid (DOTA)- ob5 aptamer contrast agent. Methods: We developed an MRI contrast agent by conjugating Gd-DOTA-DNA aptamer called ob5 to evaluate its ability to detect oAß deposits in the brain using MRI. A total of 10 control mice, 9 3xTg AD mice, and 11 APP/PS/Tau AD mice were included in this study, with the age of each model being 16 or 36 weeks. A T1-weighted image was acquired at the time points before (0 min) and after injection of the contrast agent at 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 min. The analyses were performed to compare MRI signal differences among the three groups and the time-dependent signal differences in different mouse models. Results: Both 3xTg AD and APP/PS/Tau AD mouse models had higher signal enhancement than control mice at all scan-time points after injection of our contrast media, especially in bilateral hippocampal areas. In particular, all Tg AD mouse models aged 16 weeks showed a higher contrast enhancement than those aged 36 weeks. For 3xTg AD and APP/PS/Tau AD groups, the signal enhancement was significantly different among the five time points (0 min, 5 min, 10 min, 15 min, 20 min, and 25 min) in multiple ROI areas, typically in the bilateral hippocampus, left thalamus, and left amygdala. Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that the expression of the contrast agent in different AD models demonstrates its translational flexibility across different species. The signal enhancement peaked around 15-20 min after injection of the contrast agent. Therefore, our novel contrast agent targeting oAß has the potential ability to diagnose early AD and monitor the progression of AD.

Botulinum toxin type A is a potential therapeutic drug for chronic orofacial pain.

BACKGROUND: Botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A), produced by the gram-positive anaerobic bacterium Clostridium botulinum, acts by cleaving synaptosome-associated protein-25 (SNAP-25), an essential component of the presynaptic neuronal membrane that is necessary for fusion with the membrane proteins of neurotransmitter-containing vesicles. Recent studies have highlighted the efficacy of BTX-A in treating chronic pain conditions, including lower back pain, chronic neck pain, neuropathic pain, and trigeminal neuralgia, particularly when patients are unresponsive to traditional painkillers. This review focuses on the analgesic effects of BTX-A in various chronic pain conditions, with a particular emphasis on the orofacial region. HIGHLIGHT: This review focuses on the mechanisms by which BTX-A induces analgesia in patients with inflammatory and temporomandibular joint pain. This review also highlights the fact that BTX-A can effectively manage neuropathic pain and trigeminal neuralgia, which are difficult-to-treat chronic pain conditions. Herein, we present a comprehensive assessment of the central analgesic effects of BTX-A and a discussion of its various applications in clinical dental practice. CONCLUSION: BTX-A is an approved treatment option for various chronic pain conditions. Although there is evidence of axonal transport of BTX-A from peripheral to central endings in motor neurons, the precise mechanism underlying its pain-modulating effects remains unclear. This review discusses the evidence supporting the effectiveness of BTX-A in controlling chronic pain conditions in the orofacial region. BTX-A is a promising therapeutic agent for treating pain conditions that do not respond to conventional analgesics.

Production of Plant-Based, Film-Type Scaffolds Using Alginate and Corn Starch for the Culture of Bovine Myoblasts.

Natural scaffolds have been the cornerstone of tissue engineering for decades, providing ideal environments for cell growth within extracellular matrices. Previous studies have favored animal-derived materials, including collagen, gelatin, and laminin, owing to their superior effects in promoting cell attachment, proliferation, and differentiation compared to non-animal scaffolds, and used immortalized cell lines. However, for cultured meat production, non-animal-derived scaffolds with edible cells are preferred. Our study represents the first research to describe plant-derived, film-type scaffolds to overcome limitations associated with previously reported thick, gel-type scaffolds completely devoid of animal-derived materials. This approach has been employed to address the difficulties of fostering bovine muscle cell survival, migration, and differentiation in three-dimensional co-cultures. Primary bovine myoblasts from Bos Taurus Coreanae were harvested and seeded on alginate (Algi) or corn-derived alginate (AlgiC) scaffolds. Scaffold functionalities, including biocompatibility and the promotion of cell proliferation and differentiation, were evaluated using cell viability assays, immunofluorescence staining, and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Our results reveal a statistically significant 71.7% decrease in production time using film-type scaffolds relative to that for gel-type scaffolds, which can be maintained for up to 7 days. Film-type scaffolds enhanced initial cell attachment owing to their flatness and thinness relative to gel-type scaffolds. Algi and AlgiC film-type scaffolds both demonstrated low cytotoxicity over seven days of cell culture. Our findings indicated that PAX7 expression increased 16.5-fold in alginate scaffolds and 22.8-fold in AlgiC from day 1 to day 3. Moreover, at the differentiation stage on day 7, MHC expression was elevated 41.8-fold (Algi) and 32.7-fold (AlgiC), providing initial confirmation of the differentiation potential of bovine muscle cells. These findings suggest that both Algi and AlgiC film scaffolds are advantageous for cultured meat production.

D3S-001, a KRAS G12C inhibitor with rapid target engagement kinetics, overcomes nucleotide cycling and demonstrates robust preclinical and clinical activities.

First-generation KRAS G12C inhibitors, such as sotorasib and adagrasib, are limited by the depth and duration of clinical responses. One potential explanation for their modest clinical activity is the dynamic "cycling" of KRAS between its GDP- and GTP-bound states, raising controversy about whether targeting the GDP-bound form can fully block this oncogenic driver. We herein report D3S-001, a next generation GDP-bound G12C inhibitor with faster target engagement (TE) kinetics, depletes cellular active KRAS G12C at nanomolar concentrations. In the presence of growth factors, such as EGF and HGF, the ability of sotorasib and adagrasib to inhibit KRAS was compromised whereas the TE kinetics of D3S-001 was nearly unaffected, a unique feature differentiating D3S-001 from other GDP-bound G12C inhibitors. Furthermore, the high covalent potency and cellular TE efficiency of D3S-001 contributed to robust anti-tumor activity preclinically and translated into promising clinical activity in an ongoing phase 1 trial (NCT05410145).

Factors associated with musculoskeletal pain in professional dancers, including lapse period of group practice due to the COVID-19 outbreak: repeated-measures analysis.

Background: This study investigated the prevalence and associated factors of musculoskeletal pain among professional dancers who experienced a lapse in group practice due to coronavirus disease 2019. Methods: General characteristics, practice time, region of musculoskeletal pain due to injury using the visual numeric scale (VNS), and causative motion were surveyed among professional dancers. Pain of VNS 0 to 3 was categorized as "no or minor," 4 to 6 was categorized as "moderate," and 7 to 10 was categorized as "severe." The causal motions of musculoskeletal pain were analyzed according to body region. Factors other than motion associated with pain were also analyzed. Results: In total, 368 participants were included. In the univariate analysis, age and practice time were positively associated with "moderate" pain. Practice time, dance experience, and postural accuracy were positively associated with "severe" pain, as was performing Korean traditional dance. In the multivariable analysis, practice time, group practice, and age were positively associated with pain of VNS 4 to 10, and practice time, group practice, and Korean traditional dance were positively associated with pain of VNS 7 to 10. Conclusion: Among the factors related to dancer training, practice time, group practice, and dance type affect the occurrence of pain.

Clinical scoring model for predicting cefotaxime-resistance in Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteremia: development and validation based on portal of entry.

We developed a prediction model for cefotaxime resistance in patients with K. pneumoniae bacteremia. Adult patients with K. pneumoniae bacteremia were grouped into derivation (from March 2018 to December 2019) and validation (from January 2020 to August 2020) cohorts. The prediction scoring system was based on factors associated with cefotaxime resistance identified by the logistic regression model. A total of 358 patients were enrolled (256 for derivation, 102 for validation). In the multivariable analysis, age ≥65 years, hospital-acquired infection, prior antimicrobial use, and an updated Charlson comorbidity index ≥3 points were associated with cefotaxime resistance in the derivation cohort. When each variable was counted as 1 point, the values of the area under the curve were 0.761 in the derivation and 0.781 in the validation cohorts. The best cutoff value using the Youden index was ≥2 with 73.6% sensitivity and 67.5% specificity. Our simple scoring system favorably predicted cefotaxime resistance.

Replacing Mercury Sphygmomanometers With Mercury-Free Sphygmomanometers for the National Health Survey in Children: Direct Comparisons Applying Two Types of Mercury-Free Sphygmomanometer.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Blood pressure (BP) measurement using an auscultatory sphygmomanometer is recommended for diagnosing hypertension in children. As mercury sphygmomanometers (MSs) are banned owing to environmental concerns, it is crucial to determine the accuracy of mercury-free sphygmomanometers to replace them. We analyzed the accuracy of these devices to guide the National Survey selection. METHODS: BP was measured thrice each with MS, auscultatory device (AD), and oscillometric device (OD) in 104 participants aged 10-18 using the National Survey data. The difference in BP was defined as the difference between MS and other devices. The BP differences, correlations, and influencing factors were analyzed. The frequencies of hypertension were also compared. RESULTS: Systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) differences between MS and AD were 0.88±3.36 mmHg and 0.63±3.95 mmHg, and those between MS and OD were 0.43±5.83 mmHg and 4.57±6.89 mmHg, respectively. The absolute error of <10 mmHg for DBP between MS and OD was 76%. The concordance correlation coefficient between MS and AD was 0.94 for SBP and 0.90 for DBP, and 0.81 and 0.67, respectively for MS and OD. Arm circumference negatively correlated with BP differences except for SBP between the MS and OD. The frequency of hypertension was not different between MS and AD but was underestimated by OD. CONCLUSIONS: AD correlated well with MS, while OD did not, especially for DBP. The superiority of AD over OD suggests AD as a possible alternative for MS in the National Survey.

Utility of abbreviated MRI in the post-treatment evaluation of rectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Post-treatment evaluation of patients with rectal cancer (RC) using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) burdens medical resources, necessitating an exploration of abbreviated protocols. PURPOSE: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of abbreviated MRI (A-MRI) for the post-treatment evaluation of RC patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This retrospective study included RC patients who underwent non-contrast rectal MRI and standard liver MRI, as well as abdominal contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) for post-treatment evaluation. A-MRI comprised diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and T2-weighted imaging of the upper abdomen and the pelvic cavity. Three radiologists independently reviewed A-MRI, CECT, and standard liver MRI in the detection of viable disease. The diagnostic performances were compared using a reference standard considering all available information, including pathology, FDG-PET, endoscopic results, and clinical follow-up. RESULTS: We included 78 patients (50 men, 28 women; mean age=60.9 ± 10.2 years) and observed viable disease in 34 (43.6%). On a per-patient-basis analysis, A-MRI showed significantly higher sensitivity (95% vs. 81%, P = 0.04) and higher accuracy (93% vs. 82%, P < 0.01), compared to those of CECT, while A-MRI showed comparable sensitivity (91% vs. 91%, P = 0.42) and accuracy (97% vs. 98%, P = 0.06) to that of standard liver MRI. On a per-lesion-based analysis, A-MRI exhibited significantly superior lesion detectability than that of CECT (figure of merit 0.91 vs. 0.77, P < 0.01) and comparable to that of standard liver MRI (figure of merit 0.91 vs. 0.92, P = 0.75). CONCLUSION: A-MRI exhibited higher sensitivity and diagnostic accuracy than those of CECT in the post-treatment evaluation of RC, while it showed comparable performances with standard liver MRI. A-MRI provides diagnostic added value in the follow-up of RC patients.

Evacuation safety effects of a lightweight elevator-type evacuation device using carbon material: Focus on plantar pressure and muscle strength.

BACKGROUND: Elevator-type evacuation devices have proven to be feasible in high-rise buildings through studies on safety performance and evacuation time. However, there is a lack of research on safety using biosignal analysis in the elderly population. OBJECTIVE: A carbon material is used in this study to reduce the weight of an evacuation elevator. The impact on the human body is evaluated by conducting a satisfaction survey involving elderly and youth groups and quantitatively analyzing biological signals, including electromyography (EMG) and plantar pressure, during five repeated uses of the proposed device. METHODS: The study involves 12 healthy adults in their 20s and 20 elderly individuals with no experience in using an evacuation elevator. The EMG and left and right plantar pressures are analyzed to evaluate the physical factors affected by repeated use. RESULTS: The experiment results showed that the normalization of EMG to maximum voluntary contraction showed a significant decrease with repeated use, especially in the right tibialis anterior muscle. Moreover, plantar pressure shows a significant difference, which decreased with repetition, and the left and right balance gradually tilted to the left. CONCLUSION: This suggests that with more repeated use, muscle tension decreases owing to adaptation, resulting in lower muscle activity and plantar pressure. Particularly, the tibialis anterior muscle experiences significant muscle activity, indicating increased load, but without any apparent danger. In the future, it will be necessary to evaluate elevators for disabled individuals.

Development of sarcopenia assessment system using balance and gait ability: Preliminary tests in the elderly.

BACKGROUND: Sarcopenia is a disease that has recently become an issue, and research on various assessment methods is being conducted based on guidelines published for the diagnosis of sarcopenia. However, most assessments are complex because the inspector must measure each device to collect data, or the elderly must directly manipulate and get assessment. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we developed an sarcopenia assessment system to assess and analyze various sarcopenia in one system. METHODS: The system consists of a scaffold sensor for balance ability assessment, a chair sensor for assessing the walking and lower extremity function, and a hand-held dynamometer for assessing grip strength. The balance pad consists of 326 FSR (Force Sensitive Resistor) sensors, and the accuracy is 10 kg/± 10%. The chair sensor applied four weight sensors (Loadcells) to the corner of the hip of the chair, and the accuracy is up to 150 kg ± 10%, and the resolution is 1 kg ± 10%. All data is transmitted to the software through a USB cable to assess sarcopenia through data analysis. The software has built a database to manage user-specific data. The assessment items consisted of "Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) Test" and "Hand Grip Strength Test." After completion, the software automatically terminates the assessment results and classifies sarcopenia according to the presented reference value. RESULTS: The average value of the total SPPB test scores, including the balance test, gait speed test, and chair stand test, of all participants was 9.06 ± 1.97. The average values of the balance test, gait speed test, and chair stand test scores of all participants were 8.48 ± 2.80 sec (score 3.28 ± 1.23), 1.05 ± 0.26 m/sec (score 3.69 ± 0.79), and 16.05 ± 4.62 sec (score 2.08 ± 1.13). The average value of the hand grip test of all participants was 28.57 ± 2.94 kgf. CONCLUSIONS: A preliminary assessment was conducted on the elderly in their 60 s or older with the developed system, and its performance confirmed that the assessment and result analysis were conducted well without any errors in software or hardware. Future studies intend to verify the reliability and accuracy of the assessment results compared to the existing direct measurement methods. In addition, we would like to conduct a study to establish data on the muscle reduction index by age group of Koreans.

Patent ductus arteriosus management in very-low-birth-weight prematurity: a place for an early operation?

OBJECTIVES: The goal was to evaluate neonatal outcomes based on treatment strategies and time points for haemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus (hsPDA) in very-low-birth-weight preterm infants, with a particular focus on surgical closure. METHODS: This retrospective study included very-low-birth-weight infants born between 2014 and 2021 who received active treatment for hsPDA. Neonatal outcomes were compared between (i) primary surgical closure versus primary ibuprofen; (ii) early (<14th post-natal day) versus late primary surgical closure (≥14th post-natal day); and (iii) primary versus secondary surgical closure after ibuprofen failure. Further analysis using 1:1 propensity score matching was performed. Logistic regression was conducted to analyse the risk factors for post-ligation cardiac syndrome (PLCS) and/or acute kidney injury (AKI). RESULTS: A total of 145 infants with hsPDA underwent active treatment for closure. The in-hospital death rate and the incidence of severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) were similar between the primary surgical closure group and the primary ibuprofen group in a 1:1 matched analysis. Severe BPD was significantly higher in the late surgical closure group than in the early primary surgical closure group with 1:1 propensity score matching (72.7% vs 40.9%, P=0.033). The secondary surgical closure group showed the mildest clinical condition; however, the probability of PLCS/AKI was highest (38.6%) compared to the early (15.2%) or the late primary surgical group (28.1%, P<0.001), especially in extremely premature infants (gestational age < 28 weeks). CONCLUSIONS: Surgical patent ductus arteriosus closure is not inferior to pharmacologic treatment. Considering the harmful effect of a prolonged patent ductus arteriosus shunt exposure, a timely decision and timely efforts should be made to minimize the risk of severe BPD and PLCS/AKI after surgical closure.

Functional characterization of plant specific Indeterminate Domain (IDD) transcription factors in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.).

Plant-specific transcription factors (TFs) are responsible for regulating the genes involved in the development of plant-specific organs and response systems for adaptation to terrestrial environments. This includes the development of efficient water transport systems, efficient reproductive organs, and the ability to withstand the effects of terrestrial factors, such as UV radiation, temperature fluctuations, and soil-related stress factors, and evolutionary advantages over land predators. In rice and Arabidopsis, INDETERMINATE DOMAIN (IDD) TFs are plant-specific TFs with crucial functions, such as development, reproduction, and stress response. However, in tomatoes, IDD TFs remain uncharacterized. Here, we examined the presence, distribution, structure, characteristics, and expression patterns of SlIDDs. Database searches, multiple alignments, and motif alignments suggested that 24 TFs were related to Arabidopsis IDDs. 18 IDDs had two characteristic C2H2 domains and two C2HC domains in their coding regions. Expression analyses suggest that some IDDs exhibit multi-stress responsive properties and can respond to specific stress conditions, while others can respond to multiple stress conditions in shoots and roots, either in a tissue-specific or universal manner. Moreover, co-expression database analyses suggested potential interaction partners within IDD family and other proteins. This study functionally characterized SlIDDs, which can be studied using molecular and bioinformatics methods for crop improvement.