Association between increase in temperature due to climate change and depressive symptoms in Korea.

Background: Studies on the long-term effects of rising temperature by climate change on mental health are limited. This study investigates the influence of temperature rise on the prevalence rate of depressive symptoms according to district type and age group in Korea.

Design: This cross-sectional study included 219,187 Korea Community Health Survey 2021 participants.

Effect of Oxidizing Agent on the Synthesis of ZnO Nanoparticles for Inverted Phosphorescent Organic Light-Emitting Devices without Multiple Interlayers.

Inverted organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs) have been aggressively developed because of their superiorities such as their high stability, low driving voltage, and low drop of brightness in display applications. The injection of electrons is a critical issue in inverted OLEDs because the ITO cathode has an overly high work function in injecting electrons into the emission layer from the cathode. We synthesized hexagonal wurtzite ZnO nanoparticles using different oxidizing agents for an efficient injection of electrons in the inverted OLEDs.

Hollow Microcavity Electrode for Enhancing Light Extraction.

Luminous efficiency is a pivotal factor for assessing the performance of optoelectronic devices, wherein light loss caused by diverse factors is harvested and converted into the radiative mode. In this study, we demonstrate a nanoscale vacuum photonic crystal layer (nVPCL) for light extraction enhancement. A corrugated semi-transparent electrode incorporating a periodic hollow-structure array was designed through a simulation that utilizes finite-difference time-domain computational analysis.

Health-related quality of life of Korean older adults according to age, sex, and living arrangements: a cross-sectional study.

Introduction: The number and proportion of older adults living alone is a significant issue. While the number of the oldest old people is also expected to increase, their health characteristics are poorly understood. This study aims to evaluate the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of the oldest old people according to age, sex, and living arrangements.

Association between dietary quality and the prevalence of periodontitis in older Korean adults aged 60 or over.

Purpose: This study investigated the association between dietary quality and the prevalence of periodontitis in older Korean adults (≥60 years of age) using data from the seventh Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES VII, 2016-2018).

Methods: Among the 16,489 KNHANES participants from 2016-2018, those aged ≥60 years were selected as the eligible population. After applying our exclusion criteria, 3,527 participants were included in the final study population.

Chronic effects of pulsed high intensity focused ultrasound aided delivery of gemcitabine in a mouse model of pancreatic cancer.

Pulsed high intensity focused ultrasound (pHIFU) is a non-invasive method that allows to permeabilize pancreatic tumors through inertial cavitation and thereby increase the concentration of systemically administered drug. In this study the tolerability of weekly pHIFU-aided administrations of gemcitabine (gem) and their influence on tumor progression and immune microenvironment were investigated in genetically engineered KrasLSL.G12D/þ; p53R172H/þ; PdxCretg/þ (KPC) mouse model of spontaneously occurring pancreatic tumors.

Icephobicity of Hierarchically Rough Aluminum Surfaces Sequentially Coated with Fluoroalkyl and PDMS Alkoxysilanes.

Superhydrophobic surfaces fabricated by grafting 1H,1H,2H,2H-heptadecafluorodecyl trimethoxysilane (FD-TMS) and polydimethylsiloxane triethoxysilane (PDMS-TES) onto a nano-micro hierarchical aluminum (Al) surface are considered to possess substantial anti-icing functionality, with delayed freezing and low ice-adhesion strength (IAS). Verifying the impacts of PDMS and the synergism of PDMS and FD on the anti-icing performance is the goal of this study. Roughness, one of the prerequisites for superhydrophobicity, was obtained by etching Al substrates in aqueous HCl, followed by immersion in boiling water.

The Association Between Bacille Calmette-Guérin Vaccination and Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Pulmonary Disease.

This study aimed to investigate the association between Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination and nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD). Patients in the prospective NTM-PD cohort were matched to healthy controls to measure the association between BCG and NTM-PD development. The clinical course of NTM-PD patients was also evaluated to investigate the association between BCG and NTM-PD progression.

Facile Synthesis of Fluorinated Polysilazanes and Their Durable Icephobicity on Rough Al Surfaces.

Superhydrophobic Al surfaces with excellent durability and anti-icing properties were fabricated by coating dual-scale rough Al substrates with fluorinated polysilazane (FPSZ). Flat Al plates were etched using an acidic solution, followed by immersion in boiling water to generate hierarchical micro-nano structures on their surfaces. The FPSZ coatings were synthesized by grafting 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecyltrimethoxysilane (FAS-17), a fluoroalkyl silane), onto methylpolysilazane, an organopolysilazane (OPSZ) backbone.

The Influence of Face Shields on the Quality of Colonoscopy in the Era of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background/aims: The worldwide coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has led endoscopists to use personal protective equipment (PPE) for infection prevention. This study aimed to investigate whether wearing a face shield as PPE affects the quality of colonoscopy.

Methods: We reviewed the medical records and colonoscopy findings of patients who underwent colonoscopies at Asan Medical Center, Korea from March 10 to May 31, 2020.

Changes in Mechanical Properties of Polyhydroxyalkanoate with Double Silanized Cellulose Nanocrystals Using Different Organosiloxanes.

Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) is a biodegradable plastic with great potential for tackling plastic waste and marine pollution issues, but its commercial applications have been limited due to its poor processability. In this study, surface-modified cellulose nanocrystals were used to improve the mechanical properties of PHA composites produced via a melt-extrusion process. Double silanization was conducted to obtain hydrophobically treated CNC-based fillers, using tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS).

Effects of emission trading schemes on corporate carbon productivity and implications for firm-level responses.

Since the South Korean government enacted the Emission Trading Scheme (ETS), companies have been striving to simultaneously improve productivity and reduce carbon emissions, which represent conflicting goals. We used firm-level emissions and corporate variables to investigate how ETS enactment has affected carbon productivity, which is a firm-level revenue created per unit of carbon emission. Results showed that firm-level carbon productivity increased significantly under the ETS, and such a trend was more evident for high-emission industries.

Risk factors and prognostic value of acute severe lower gastrointestinal bleeding in Crohn's disease.

Background: Acute severe lower gastrointestinal bleeding (LGIB) is an uncommon but challenging complication of Crohn's disease (CD).

Aim: To identify the predictors of acute severe LGIB and to evaluate the impact of acute severe LGIB on the subsequent clinical course in CD patients.

Methods: A retrospective inception cohort study was conducted in 75 CD patients with acute severe LGIB and 1359 CD patients without acute severe LGIB who were diagnosed between February 1991 and November 2019 at Asan Medical Center, a tertiary university hospital in Korea.

Azelaic Acid/Expanded Graphite Composites with High Latent Heat Storage Capacity and Thermal Conductivity at Medium Temperature.

A novel azelaic acid/expanded graphite (AA/EG) phase change composite (PCC) was fabricated as a shape-stabilized phase change material (PCM) for latent heat storage at medium temperatures. The composite exhibited a low supercooling degree and high heat storage capacity. Despite the impregnation of a high quantity of AA (85 wt %) in the porous network of EG, there was no leakage of liquid AA.

Endoscopic features and clinical outcomes of cytomegalovirus gastroenterocolitis in immunocompetent patients.

We aimed to investigate the endoscopic features and clinical course of CMV gastroenterocolitis in immunocompetent patients. We reviewed the medical records and endoscopic images of 86 immunocompetent patients with CMV gastroenterocolitis. Immunocompetent patients were defined as those without congenital or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, use of anti-cancer chemotherapeutic and immunosuppressive agents, and inflammatory bowel diseases.

Risk factors for rebleeding in Crohn's disease patients with acute severe lower gastrointestinal bleeding: With special reference to the role of anti-tumor necrosis factor therapy.

Background And Aim: Acute severe lower gastrointestinal bleeding (LGIB) in patients with Crohn's disease (CD) is uncommon; however, it is a potentially life-threatening complication, and its recurrence is common. We thus aimed to identify the predictors for rebleeding in CD patients with acute severe LGIB and particularly focused on whether anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) therapy lowers the risk of rebleeding compared with conventional medical therapy (CMT) or surgery.

Methods: The risk of rebleeding was analyzed in 131 CD patients with acute severe LGIB.

Attitude Toward Protective Behavior Engagement During COVID-19 Pandemic in Malaysia: The Role of E-government and Social Media.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is still evolving and affecting millions of lives. E-government and social media have been used widely during this unprecedented time to spread awareness and educate the public on preventive measures. However, the extent to which the 2 digital platforms bring to improve public health awareness and prevention during a health crisis is unknown.

n-Octadecane/Fumed Silica Phase Change Composite as Building Envelope for High Energy Efficiency.

A novel n-octadecane/fumed silica phase change composite has been prepared as a building envelope with a high content of phase change material and improved energy efficiency. With a high porosity (88 vol%), the fumed silica provided sufficient space to impregnate a high quantity of n-octadecane (70 wt%). The composite exhibited high latent heat storage capacity (155.

Chronic Viral Hepatitis Is Associated with Colorectal Neoplasia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Chronic viral hepatitis is associated with a wide range of extrahepatic diseases; however, evidence on a link between chronic viral hepatitis and colorectal neoplasia is still lacking.

Aims: To analyze the association between chronic viral hepatitis and prevalence of colorectal neoplasia.

Methods: A systematic review of articles published in the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library between 2000 and 2020 was performed.

Effect of COVID-19 Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions and the Implications for Human Rights.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many governments swiftly decided to order nationwide lockdowns based on limited evidence that such extreme measures were effective in containing the epidemic. A growing concern is that governments were given little time to adopt effective and proportional interventions protecting citizens' lives while observing their freedom and rights. This paper examines the effectiveness of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) in containing COVID-19, by conducting a linear regression over 108 countries, and the implication for human rights.

Effect of Silica Size and Content on Superamphiphobic Properties of Silica-Fluoropolymer Core-Shell Coatings.

We present a facile approach to fabricate superamphiphobic surfaces by spray coating silica-fluoropolymer core-shell particles without substrate pretreatment with an additional binder resin. A series of SiO@poly(1122-heptadecafluorodecyl methacrylate) (SiO@PFMA) core-shell particles with core particles of different sizes were prepared via thiol-lactam initiated radical polymerization (TLIRP). The surface of each SiO particle with an average particle size of 12, 80, 150, and 350 nm was modified with (3-mercaptopropyl) trimethoxysilane and used as a seed for TLIRP.

Klatskin tumor diagnosed concurrently with IgG4 related sclerosing cholangitis: A case report.

Rationale: IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is a systemic disease that can involve various organs and is characterized by the infiltrations of IgG4-positive plasma cells and lymphocytes, fibrosis, and elevated serum IgG4 levels. IgG4-related sclerosing cholangitis (IgG4-RSC) is a subtype of IgG4-RD. No certain relationship between IgG4-RSC and cholangiocarcinoma has been established as yet, and there have been few reports of the simultaneous diagnosis of IgG4-RSC and cholangiocarcinoma.

Correlation between the small dense LDL level and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: Possibility of a new biomarker.

Small dense low-density lipoprotein (sdLDL) is a distinct low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol subclass that has been reported to be associated with metabolic disease. On the other hand, the relationship between the sdLDL level and the nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) severity is unclear. In this study, the sdLDL level was measured in patients with NAFLD to assess its potential as a biomarker for evaluating NAFLD.

Improving the optical properties of organic light-emitting diodes using random nanoscale rods with a double refractive index.

In this study, random nanoscale rods (RNRs) with a double refractive index were fabricated via spin coating, dry etching, and sputtering, which are processes that are extensively applied in industry. With regard to optical properties, the RNRs with a double refractive index (RNRsD) exhibited a total transmittance that was >90% in the visible range and an optical haze in the range of 42%-50% at a wavelength of 520 nm. Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) with RNRsD, where SiO2 was deposited on the RNRs via radiofrequency sputtering, exhibited an enhancement of 34.