Predictors of vaccine uptake during a pandemic: The interplay of lifetime discrimination, educational attainment, and family support.

The experience of discrimination can have significant health implications, especially during a global pandemic. This study examines how lifetime discrimination, educational attainment (measured in years of education), and family support individually and interactively predict COVID-19 vaccine uptake. Low educational attainment may amplify the impact of discrimination due to increased vulnerability to misinformation.

Local CpG- siRNA treatment improves antitumor effects of immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy has significantly benefited patients with several types of solid tumors and some lymphomas. However, many of the treated patients do not have a durable clinical response. It has been demonstrated that rescuing exhausted CD8 T cells is required for ICB-mediated antitumor effects.

Neural Tracking of Speech Acoustics in Noise Is Coupled with Lexical Predictability as Estimated by Large Language Models.

Adults heard recordings of two spatially separated speakers reading newspaper and magazine articles. They were asked to listen to one of them and ignore the other, and EEG was recorded to assess their neural processing. Machine learning extracted neural sources that tracked the target and distractor speakers at three levels: the acoustic envelope of speech (delta- and theta-band modulations), lexical frequency for individual words, and the contextual predictability of individual words estimated by GPT-4 and earlier lexical models.

The Role of Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor-κB Ligand/Osteoprotegerin Ratio in Synovial Fluid as a Potential Marker for Periprosthetic Osteolysis Following Total Ankle Arthroplasty.

Background: Periprosthetic osteolysis is a prevalent complication following total ankle arthroplasty (TAA), implicating various cytokines in osteoclastogenesis as pivotal in this process. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between osteolysis and the concentrations of osteoclastogenesis-related cytokines in synovial fluid and investigate its clinical value following TAA.

Methods: Synovial fluid samples from 23 ankles that underwent revision surgery for osteolysis following TAA were analyzed as the osteolysis group.

Optimal Piecewise Polynomial Approximation for Minimum Computing Cost by Using Constrained Least Squares.

In this paper, the optimal approximation algorithm is proposed to simplify non-linear functions and/or discrete data as piecewise polynomials by using the constrained least squares. In time-sensitive applications or in embedded systems with limited resources, the runtime of the approximate function is as crucial as its accuracy. The proposed algorithm searches for the optimal piecewise polynomial (OPP) with the minimum computational cost while ensuring that the error is below a specified threshold.

Formulation of Ascorbic Acid and Betaine-based Therapeutic Deep Eutectic System for Enhanced Transdermal Delivery of Ascorbic Acid.

L-ascorbic acid (AA), a potent antioxidant, is commonly used topically in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic fields. However, the incorporation of AA into topical formulations is difficult because of its highly unstable nature and relatively poor skin permeability. In this study, we propose an alternative strategy for improving the solubility and topical delivery of AA through its conversion to a therapeutic deep eutectic system (THEDES).

Exploring the Correlation between Systemic Inflammatory Markers and Carotid Atherosclerosis Indices in Middle-Aged Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: This study investigated the association between atherosclerosis and systemic inflammation markers, specifically the C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), in healthy middle-aged adults.

Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on a total of 1264 Korean adults aged 40-65. We assessed these inflammatory markers and carotid metrics, such as carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT), plaque number (PN), plaque stenosis score (PSS), and plaque score (PS), using linear regression, logistic regression, and receiver operating characteristic analysis.

Comparison of the Efficacy of Anti-Obesity Medications in Real-World Practice.

Purpose: Anti-obesity medications (AOMs), along with lifestyle interventions, are effective means of inducing and maintaining weight loss in patients with obesity. Although the efficacy of AOMs has been reported, there have been no direct comparisons of these drugs. Therefore, in the present study, we aimed to compare the efficacy of all the AOMs available in Korea in a real-world setting.

Physical Examination-Indicated Cerclage in Singleton and Twin Pregnancies and Risk Factors for Predicting Preterm Birth < 28 Weeks.

We compare the outcomes of physical examination-indicated cerclage (PEIC) between singleton and twin pregnancies and analyze predictive factors for preterm birth < 28 weeks of gestation. Patients who underwent PEIC at our center were reviewed. We compared perinatal outcomes between singleton and twin pregnancies.

Impact of the Great Recession on Adults With Autism and Their Mothers.

Autistic individuals and their families are at risk for poor outcomes in employment and mental health and may be vulnerable to long-term effects of broader societal conditions. The aim of the current longitudinal study was to understand the impact of the Great Recession of 2007-2009 on autistic individuals and their mothers (N = 392). Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) results indicated that problem behavior of autistic adults increased in the years following the recession.

Acoustic correlates of perceived personality from Korean utterances in a formal communicative setting.

The aim of the present study was to find acoustic correlates of perceived personality from the speech produced in a formal communicative setting-that of Korean customer service employees in particular. This work extended previous research on voice personality impressions to a different sociocultural and linguistic context in which speakers are expected to speak politely in a formal register. To use naturally produced speech rather than read speech, we devised a new method that successfully elicited spontaneous speech from speakers who were role-playing as customer service employees, while controlling for the words and sentence structures they used.

Childhood abuse and opioid prescription use in adulthood: Differences between non-Hispanic Whites and non-Hispanic Blacks in the United States.

Despite the rapid rise in opioid prescription medication usage, little research has examined the role of early life adversity, such as childhood abuse, particularly in the context of race, in opioid prescription usage in adulthood. Guided by the life course perspective, the current study investigates whether experiencing childhood abuse increases the risk of opioid prescription use in adulthood and whether this association varies by race. Data were sourced from the second wave of the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study (2004-2005).

The Korean Speech Recognition Sentences: A Large Corpus for Evaluating Semantic Context and Language Experience in Speech Perception.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to develop and validate a large Korean sentence set with varying degrees of semantic predictability that can be used for testing speech recognition and lexical processing.

Method: Sentences differing in the degree of final-word predictability (predictable, neutral, and anomalous) were created with words selected to be suitable for both native and nonnative speakers of Korean. Semantic predictability was evaluated through a series of cloze tests in which native ( = 56) and nonnative ( = 19) speakers of Korean participated.

Postoperative cervical length to predict success of repeat cerclage in singleton pregnancies with prolapsed membranes after prior cerclage.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the outcome of repeat cerclage (RC) in singleton pregnancies with prolapsed membranes following a prior cerclage and analyze predictive factors for delivery at ≥26 weeks of gestation following RC.

Materials And Methods: Patients who underwent RC between 2010 and 2020 at the Hallym University Medical Center were reviewed. Women with singleton pregnancies with prolapsed membranes following prior cerclage were candidates for RC.

Local CpG- siRNA treatment improves antitumor effects of immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy has significantly benefited patients with several types of solid tumors and some lymphomas. However, many of the treated patients do not have durable clinical response. It has been demonstrated that rescuing exhausted CD8 T cells is required for ICB-mediated antitumor effects.

Fabrication of liraglutide-encapsulated triple layer hyaluronic acid microneedles (TLMs) for the treatment of obesity.

Obesity is a chronic metabolic disease that is prevalent worldwide, causing complications that affect the quality of life and longevity of humans. Currently, the low bioavailability upon subcutaneous injection of an appetite suppressant, liraglutide, and health problems in the locally injected region remain to be overcome. In this study, we developed a novel hyaluronic acid-based liraglutide-encapsulated triple-layer microneedle (TLM) as a painless and patient-friendly long-term drug delivery system.

Risk factors based on myoma characteristics for predicting postoperative complications following cesarean myomectomy.

Objectives: To evaluate the influence of myoma characteristics on cesarean myomectomy and to demonstrate its additional advantages.

Methods: Retrospective data were collected from 292 women with myomas who had undergone cesarean section at Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital between 2007 and 2019. We performed subgroup analysis according to the type, weight, number, and size of myomas.

Adverse Reactions after BNT162b2 Messenger RNA Vaccination for Coronavirus Disease 2019 in Healthcare Workers Compared with Influenza Vaccination.

This study aimed to compare adverse reactions following BNT162b2 and influenza vaccinations in healthcare workers. This study included healthcare workers who received the BNT162b2 vaccine and/or inactivated influenza vaccine, quadrivalent (IIV4), on 18-29 October 2021 at a tertiary hospital in Korea. IIV4 was administered and BNT162b2 was subsequently administered one week later.

Improving Retention of Diverse Samples in Longitudinal Research on Developmental Disabilities.

Developmental disabilities (DD) research has depended on volunteer and clinical samples, with limited racial/ethnic diversity. This study focused on improving diversity and retention in DD research. The sample included 225 parents with a child with DD and 4,002 parents without children with DD from diverse racial/ethnic groups, drawn from Midlife in the United States, a national longitudinal study.

Egg Microneedle for Transdermal Delivery of Active Liraglutide.

Liraglutide, a human glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analog, is promising for safely treating type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), compared to insulin, by significantly reducing the risk of glucose-dependent hypoglycemia. Concerns related to injection prevent T2DM patients from taking liraglutide regularly, even though once-a-day subcutaneous (SC) injections. Dissolving microneedles (DMNs) are promising substitutes for SC injection and for improving patient convenience.

Pet Insects May Improve Physical Performance and Sleep in Community-Dwelling Frail Elderly People with Chronic Diseases: A Single-Arm Interventional Pilot Study.

Purpose: Animal-assisted intervention (AAI) is an effective intervention that improves the mental and physical health. However, few have examined the efficacy of pet insects as a form of AAI for prefrail and frail elderly. This study aimed to ascertain the effects of pet insects on physical performance and psychological health in community-dwelling frail elderly individuals with a chronic disease.

Ultrasound-Indicated Cerclage in Twin Pregnancies: A Cohort Study.

Background: To report the pregnancy and neonatal outcomes in patients with twin pregnancies who underwent ultrasound-indicated cerclage (UIC) and to compare them to patients with singleton pregnancies undergoing the same procedures.

Methods: Patients who underwent UIC between January 2010 and December 2020 at Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital were reviewed. We compared characteristics, pregnancy, and neonatal outcomes between patients with singleton and twin pregnancies.

Tissue-specific requirement of sodium channel and clathrin linker 1 (Sclt1) for ciliogenesis during limb development.

Primary cilia have essential roles as signaling centers during development and adult homeostasis. Disruption of ciliary structure or function causes congenital human disorders called ciliopathies. Centriolar distal appendage (DAP) proteins are important for anchoring cilia to the membrane.