We evaluated whether sexually transmitted infection (STI) clinic visits and chlamydia/gonorrhea tests in five jurisdictions had returned to pre-COVID levels by 2022. Patient volume and chlamydia/gonorrhea testing have not returned to pre-COVID levels, especially among people <30 years.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe aim of this study is to investigate the effects of crown closure seasonal changes in broad-leaved forests on the thermal comfort and the human responses. The participants were a total of 146 male and female university students. The participants sat in a chair and rested in forests with a high and low crown closure, and then closed their eyes and rested for 5 min.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn this study, the anti-inflammatory effect of the hot water extract of Endarachne binghamiae (EB-WE), a type of marine brown algae, was investigated in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells and an acute lung injury (ALI) mouse model induced by intranasal LPS administration. Treatment with EB-WE significantly inhibited NO and pro-inflammatory cytokine (TNF-a and IL-6) production in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAsia Pac J Public Health
January 2025
This study investigated the association between COVID-19-related characteristics and oral health in Korean adults. Data from the 2021 Korean Community Health Survey were used (n = 229 242). A total of 26.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDry eye disease (DED) is a very frequently encountered ocular disease, making it a growing public health burden. However, current treatments for DED present unmet medical needs owing to their side effects or ineffectiveness. Therefore, an effective and safe therapeutic agent to manage DED is needed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF: Aortic dissection (AD) and aortic intramural hematoma (IMH) are fatal diseases with similar clinical characteristics. Immediate computed tomography (CT) with a contrast medium is required to confirm the presence of AD or IMH. This retrospective study aimed to use CT images to differentiate AD and IMH from normal aorta (NA) using a deep learning algorithm.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSaccharomyces boulardii and Saccharomyces cerevisiae share over 99 % genetic similarity yet exhibit distinct metabolic traits. While the cell surface display system of S. cerevisiae is well-documented, the equivalent system in S.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground/objectives: There are scant established data on the cause, distribution, treatment options, and recurrence rate of pediatric keloids in Asian populations. We characterized clinical features by comprehensively categorizing pediatric keloid patients into prepubertal and postpubertal groups at a single tertiary center.
Methods: We searched the database of Kangbuk Samsung Hospital for pediatric patients (< 18 years) with clinically proven keloids who underwent outpatient-based treatment from 2007 to 2021.
Metal halide perovskite semiconductors have emerged as highly efficient amplifying materials; to ensure practical applicability, it is important to have precise control over the spectral and polarization characteristics of lasing emission. In this study, we present effective strategies for manipulating single- and multimode lasing from surface-emitting and optically pumped perovskite distributed feedback lasers. We show that cladding structures can be made to modify the optical properties of guided transverse electric and magnetic modes within the gain medium.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHealthcare (Basel)
August 2024
This study aimed to investigate the effects of prolonged inhalation of nature-derived odors indoors on humans. Twenty-six women participated in this study. Heart rate variability, heart rate, blood pressure, pulse rate, estradiol, testosterone, and cortisol were used as indicators of autonomic nervous system and endocrine system activities.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA building block containing eight zincs and eight iodo groups (8 Zn) is obtained by the Zn complexation of a salen ligand bearing two additional hydroxy groups. Through the Sonogashira-Hagihara coupling of 8 Zn with 1,3,5,7-tetra(4-ethynylphenyl) adamantane, microporous organic polymers bearing octanuclear zinc clusters (MOP-8 Zn) are prepared, exhibiting a high surface area of 562 m g, microporosity, and a particulate morphology with an average diameter of 249 nm. The MOP-8 Zn exhibits significantly enhanced catalytic performance, compared to molecular counterparts, in the reductive carbon dioxide fixation to formamides, possibly due to the cooperative adsorption and confinement effect of networks on substrates.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFVector Borne Zoonotic Dis
November 2024
Lyme disease, caused by infection with Borrelia burgdorferi, is the most common vector-borne disease in the United States. The standard two-tier testing (STTT) algorithm suffers from low sensitivity, misinterpretation, and long turnaround time, preventing timely detection and treatment. To address these challenges, we hypothesized that the canine point-of-care (PoC) SNAP 4Dx Plus test used to detect Borrelia burgdorferi antibodies could be employed for human diagnosis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA pH-sensitive dye-based freshness indicator has been developed to monitor the quality status of pork neck through distinct color transitions, addressing a crucial need for improved food safety and real-time monitoring within the food industry. This system aims to boost consumer confidence and improve shelf-life estimates by offering transparent and immediate quality indicators. Aerobically packaged pork neck samples underwent accelerated testing at 25 °C for 36 h, followed by refrigeration experiments at typical distribution temperatures of 4 and 8 °C over 10 days.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn this study, we prepared fermented products of isoflavone-enriched soybean leaves (IESLs) and analyzed their nutrients, isoflavones, anti-obesity efficacy, and effects on gut microbiota. Fermented IESLs (FIESLs) were found to be rich in nutrients, especially lauric acid, oleic acid, and linoleic acid. In addition, the concentrations of most essential free amino acids were increased compared to those of IESLs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLithium metal anode (LMA) emerges as a promising candidate for lithium (Li)-based battery chemistries with high-energy-density. However, inhomogeneous charge distribution from the unbalanced ion/electron transport causes dendritic Li deposition, leading to "dead Li" and parasitic reactions, particularly at high Li utilization ratios (low negative/positive ratios in full cells). Herein, an innovative LMA structural model deploying a hyperporous/hybrid conductive architecture is proposed on single-walled carbon nanotube film (HCA/C), fabricated through a nonsolvent induced phase separation process.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study utilized a fluidized bed reactor (FBR) for fluoride removal from high-concentration fluoride-ion-containing simulated semiconductor industry wastewater and recovered high-purity CaF crystals. The effects of hydraulic retention time (HRT), pH, Ca to F ratio, upflow velocity, seed size and seed bed height were investigated by performing lab-scale batch experiments. Considering fluoride removal and CaF crystallization efficiency, 5 h HRT, pH 6, seed height of 50 cm and [Ca]/[F] ratio of 0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Erosive pustular dermatosis of the scalp (EPDS) is a rare and recalcitrant condition in which chronic scalp pustules and erosive patches are diagnosed by nondiagnostic laboratory tests and histopathological tests. Although various precipitating factors including trauma have been reported, erosive pustular dermatosis arising on the long-standing burn scars is rare.
Case Presentation: We report three cases of EPDS arising on long-standing burn scars.
Extramammary Paget disease (EMPD) is a rare adenocarcinoma that usually occurs in areas of the body that are rich in apocrine sweat glands. Great depth of tumor invasion is a well-known risk factor for worse prognosis. Paget cells usually are limited to the epidermis, whereas invasive EMPD, which infiltrates the dermis, is relatively rare.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFixed drug eruption (FDE) is a well-defined hyperpigmented patch that recurs in a fixed location each time a particular drug is taken. Common causative agents of FDE are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, non-narcotic analgesics, sedatives, anticonvulsants, sulfonamides, and tetracycline. We report a 33-year-old male who presented with a recurrent, localized, brownish-to-erythematous macule and papules on the peri-philtrum area two hours after taking valacyclovir.
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