Economic returns on investing in early childhood development in Vietnam: a cost-benefit analysis.

Background: Economic evidence on the long-term benefits of investing in early childhood development is limited. This study aimed to estimate the potential long-term economic benefits of an early childhood development intervention 'Learning Clubs' in Vietnam.

Methods: We conducted a cost-benefit analysis to estimate the costs and benefits of the intervention compared to the standard of care from a limited societal perspective.

Long-term cost-effectiveness of health behaviour intervention to manage type 2 diabetes in Nepal.

Background: Long-term cost-effectiveness analyses of health behaviour interventions to effectively manage type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in low-income countries are crucial for minimising economic burden and optimising resource allocation. Therefore, this study aimed to estimate the long-term cost-effectiveness of implementing a health behaviour intervention to manage T2DM in Nepal.

Methods: A Markov model in combination with a decision tree was developed to compare the costs and outcomes of the health behaviour intervention against usual care among 481 (238-intervention and 243-control) participants from healthcare system and societal perspectives.

Cytotoxic chemotherapy in a 3D microfluidic device induces dendritic cell recruitment and trogocytosis of cancer cells.

Cytotoxic chemotherapy that kills cancer cells can also elicit anti-tumor immune responses. Therefore, understanding the immunogenic context of cytotoxic chemotherapy can improve combination immunotherapies. In this study, we sought to improve our understanding about dendritic cell (DC) dynamics in cytotoxic chemotherapy-treated tumor tissues by developing 3D microfluidic devices that enable high-resolution visualization of cellular dynamics.

3D meshwork architecture of the outer coat protein CotE: implications for bacterial endospore sporulation and germination.

Unlabelled: a Gram-positive aerobic bacterium commonly found in soil, food, and water, forms endospores that can withstand harsh environmental conditions. The endospores are encased in a protective spore coat consisting of multiple layers of proteins, among which, CotE serves as a crucial morphogenetic protein within the outer coat. In this study, we observed that the homotrimeric CotE protein underwent further oligomerization induced by Ca and was subsequently dissociated by dipicolinic acid, a compound released from the spore core during germination.

Qualitative Evaluation of a Garden-Based Healing and Learning Program for Young Adults with Intellectual Disabilities.

This study investigated the impact of garden-based learning on young adults with intellectual disabilities (YAwID). Since YAwID often experiences difficulties collecting information, experiencing situations, and making decisions independently, we developed and implemented a customized learning program for them and analyzed its impact. This program was devised specially to help YAwID utilize the garden's resources properly.

Electrocardiography-based artificial intelligence predicts the upcoming future of heart failure with mildly reduced ejection fraction.

Background: Heart failure with mildly reduced ejection fraction (HFmrEF) has emerged as the predominant subtype of heart failure (HF). This study aimed to develop artificial intelligence (AI)-electrocardiography (ECG) to identify and predict the prognosis of patients with HFmrEF.

Methods: We collected 104,336 12-lead ECG datasets from April 2009 to December 2021 in a tertiary centre.

Cardiovascular Outcomes of Early LDL-C Goal Achievement in Patients with Very-High-Risk ASCVD.

Introduction: Clinical trial evidence supports early low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) goal achievement in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), but real-world evidence in Asia is lacking. We investigated the effects of early LDL-C goal achievement on recurrent major cardiovascular events (MACEs) among patients with very-high-risk ASCVD in South Korea.

Methods: We included adult patients hospitalized with ASCVD (acute coronary syndrome [ACS], stable angina, ischemic stroke, transient ischemic attack, peripheral arterial disease, or asymptomatic coronary artery disease) at a major Korean tertiary hospital from 2000 to 2020.

Polyhexamethylene guanidine phosphate induces epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and cancer stem cell-like properties via Wnt/β-catenin signaling in human bronchial epithelial cells.

Inhalation exposure to polyhexamethylene guanidine phosphate (PHMG-p), a primary component of humidifier disinfectants, has been linked to interstitial lung disease and potential carcinogenic effects. This study aimed to investigate epithelial cell transformation and the underlying molecular mechanisms by examining the properties of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cancer stem cells (CSCs) following prolonged exposure to PHMG-p. Beas-2B human bronchial epithelial cells were treated with 0.

Trueness of Customized Abutment Data Superimposition on Incompletely Scanned Impression: An In Vitro Study.

Objectives: This study evaluated the feasibility and trueness of superimposing titanium customized abutment library data onto scans of abutments with incomplete areas along margins or proximal surfaces, comparing this approach to the CAD program's hole-filling function.

Material And Methods: A dental model with one implant was used. A titanium customized abutment was scanned to create abutment library data.

Genomic analysis and process optimization for nigericin production in a newly-isolated antimicrobial Streptomyces.

Streptomyces, the dominant species of actinomycetes, contribute to a large proportion of bioactive natural products. In our previous study, over 2400 culture extracts were subjected to bioassays against Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus. Among these, Streptomyces javensis named Inha503, was found to produce nigericin, which exhibits antimicrobial activity against gram-positive bacteria, such as Micrococcus luteus and S.

Splicing factor SF3B4 acts as a switch in cancer cell senescence by regulating p21 mRNA stability.

SF3B4, a splicing factor known to regulate mRNA expression and function, is upregulated in various cancers. Despite its potential significance, the mechanisms through which SF3B4 regulates nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) and cancer cell senescence remain poorly understood. This study explores the underlying mechanisms by which SF3B4 modulates mRNA stability through the NMD pathway and elucidates its role in switching cancer cells between growth and senescence.

Postharvest Drying and Curing Affect Cannabinoid Contents and Microbial Levels in Industrial Hemp ( L.).

Postharvest operations affect the yield and quality of industrial hemp ( L.). This study aimed to investigate the postharvest drying and curing effects on the key quality and safety indicators of cannabinoid-type hemp.

Impact of Encapsulation Position in Pickering Emulsions on Color Stability and Intensity Turmeric Oleoresin.

The emulsification of natural pigment is a widely utilized strategy to enhance its stability in the food industry. However, high turbidity in emulsions often causes color fading, limiting their application. Here, we developed a comprehensive Pickering emulsion (PE) system to improve the color intensity and stability of turmeric oleoresin (Tur) under various food processing conditions.

Development and validation of an earphone-based system to measure short physical performance battery in older adults.

The short physical performance battery (SPPB) is a widely used clinical assessment tool to evaluate physical function in older adults. However, the manual measurement of the SPPB presents difficulties in terms of standardization and accessibility. To address these limitations, an earphone-shaped SPPB assessment device, named B-Lab, was developed.

Probing Strangeness Hadronization with Event-by-Event Production of Multistrange Hadrons.

This Letter presents the first measurement of event-by-event fluctuations of the net number (difference between the particle and antiparticle multiplicities) of multistrange hadrons Ξ^{-} and Ξ[over ¯]^{+} and its correlation with the net-kaon number using the data collected by the ALICE Collaboration in pp, p-Pb, and Pb-Pb collisions at a center-of-mass energy per nucleon pair sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02  TeV. The statistical hadronization model with a correlation over three units of rapidity between hadrons having the same and opposite strangeness content successfully describes the results.

Interrelation between hypoxic liver injury and Killip classification in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction patients.

Introduction: Hypoxic liver injury (HLI) and Killip classification are poor prognostic factors in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). This study investigates the interrelationship between hypoxic liver injury (HLI) and Killip classification.

Method And Results: A total of 1,537 STEMI patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) from 2007 to 2014 at four tertiary hospitals in the Incheon-Bucheon province were enrolled in this study.

SARS-CoV-2 drug resistance and therapeutic approaches.

In light of the transition of COVID-19 from a pandemic to an endemic phase, there is still a dire need to address challenges associated with drug resistance, particularly among immunocompromised and high-risk populations. This review explores the current state of research on SARS-CoV-2 drug resistance and underscores the ongoing need for effective therapeutic strategies. It critically evaluates existing knowledge on resistance mechanisms and therapeutic options, aiming to consolidate information and highlight areas for future research.

Genetic characteristics and pathogenesis of clade 2.3.4.4b H5N1 high pathogenicity avian influenza virus isolated from poultry in South Korea, 2022-2023.

During the 2022-2023 winter season in South Korea, a novel clade 2.3.4.

Color-appearance-matched data in high-dynamic-range luminance conditions.

We report color-appearance-matched data under high-dynamic-range luminance conditions. The experimental method and apparatus proposed in a previous study [J. Opt.

Structural insights into the role of reduced cysteine residues in SOD1 amyloid filament formation.

The formation of superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) filaments has been implicated in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Although the disulfide bond formed between Cys57 and Cys146 in the active state has been well studied, the role of the reduced cysteine residues, Cys6 and Cys111, in SOD1 filament formation remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the role of reduced cysteine residues by determining and comparing cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of wild-type (WT) and C6A/C111A SOD1 filaments under thiol-based reducing and metal-depriving conditions, starting with protein samples possessing enzymatic activity.

Child-Centric Robot Dialogue Systems: Fine-Tuning Large Language Models for Better Utterance Understanding and Interaction.

Dialogue systems must understand children's utterance intentions by considering their unique linguistic characteristics, such as syntactic incompleteness, pronunciation inaccuracies, and creative expressions, to enable natural conversational engagement in child-robot interactions. Even state-of-the-art large language models (LLMs) for language understanding and contextual awareness cannot comprehend children's intent as accurately as humans because of their distinctive features. An LLM-based dialogue system should acquire the manner by which humans understand children's speech to enhance its intention reasoning performance in verbal interactions with children.

Lifestyle factors and determination of optimal cut-off values for forward head posture in young adults with neck pain: a cross-sectional analysis.

Background: Neck pain is a common condition across various populations, with a substantial impact on daily life and quality of life. Forward head posture is frequently observed in individuals with neck pain and is closely associated with lifestyle factors. This study aimed to examine the relationship between lifestyle factors and forward head posture in young adults with neck pain and determine the optimal cutoff value for assessing the risk of forward head posture.

Cryoballoon Pulmonary Vein Isolation With Versus Without Additional Right Atrial Linear Ablation for Persistent Atrial Fibrillation: The CRALAL Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background: Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) alone is less effective in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) compared with those with paroxysmal AF. We investigate whether additional linear ablation from the superior vena cava to the right atrial septum and cavotricuspid isthmus ablation improves the rhythm outcome of patients with persistent AF undergoing cryoballoon PVI (Cryo-PVI).

Methods: In this investigator-initiated, multicenter, randomized clinical trial, 289 patients with persistent AF refractory to antiarrhythmic drug therapy were randomized 1:1 to either Cryo-PVI with additional right atrium (RA) linear ablation or Cryo-PVI alone.