Caffeine consumption of medical students in Korea: amount and symptoms based on a 2023 survey.

Purpose: To investigate the form and level of daily caffeine intake recommended above 400 mg in medical students expected to consume caffeinated beverages to enhance their performance.

Methods: From May to June 2023, freshman through senior medical students at a medical school in Korea were administered a seven-item questionnaire designed to measure the amount of caffeine-containing foods consumed, the weekly interval between consumption, the reason for consumption, and the level of caffeine-induced symptoms experienced.

Results: Out of 443 students, 361 responded (81.

Methylglyoxal-derived hydroimidazolone-1/RAGE axis induces renal oxidative stress and renal fibrosis in vitro and in vivo.

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are important contributors to the progression of chronic kidney diseases (CKD), including renal fibrosis. Although the relationship between AGEs and renal fibrosis has been well studied, the mechanisms of individual AGE-induced renal injury remain poorly understood. This study investigated the adverse effect of methylglyoxal-derived hydroimidazolone-1 (MG-H1), a methylglyoxal (MG)-derived AGE generated by the glycation of MG and arginine residues, on kidney damage.

Polyhexamethylene Guanidine Phosphate Enhanced Procoagulant Activity through Oxidative-Stress-Mediated Phosphatidylserine Exposure in Platelets.

Polyhexamethylene guanidine phosphate (PHMG-p) is a common biocidal disinfectant that is widely used in industry and household products. However, PHMG-p was misused as a humidifier disinfectant (HD) in South Korea, which had fatal health effects. Various health problems including cardiovascular diseases were observed in HD-exposed groups.

Dietary N-(carboxymethyl)lysine is a trigger of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease under high-fat consumption.

The irreversible glycation of proteins produces advanced glycation end products (AGEs) which are triggered to bind the receptor for AGE (RAGE), thereby activating mitogen-activated protein kinase/nuclear factor-κB signaling pathway and stimulating proinflammatory cytokines, ultimately leading to chronic disorders. In this study, we focus the promoting effect of N-carboxymethyl-lysine (CML), one of the most dietary AGEs, on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and evaluated NAFLD-related biomarkers. Oxidative stress and hepatic steatosis were assessed in oleic acid (OA)-induced HepG2 cells.

Predicting Suitable Areas for African Swine Fever Outbreaks in Wild Boars in South Korea and Their Implications for Managing High-Risk Pig Farms.

African swine fever (ASF) is a highly contagious disease affecting domestic pigs and wild boars, with no effective vaccine or treatment available. In South Korea, extensive measures have been implemented to prevent ASF transmission between wild boars and ASF spillover from wild boars to pig farm sectors, including the search for ASF-infected carcasses in mountainous forests and the installation of fences across wide areas of these forests. To determine the priority search range for infected carcasses and establish pig farm-centered quarantine measures, it is necessary to predict the specific path of ASF outbreaks in wild boars and identify pig farms at high risk of ASF spillover from wild boars.

Cost-effectiveness of Direct Oral Anticoagulant vs. Warfarin Among Atrial Fibrillation Patients With Intermediate Stroke Risk.

Background: Several studies have shown the cost-effectiveness of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs), compared with warfarin, to prevent atrial fibrillation (AF) related complications. However, few have reported cost-effectiveness of DOACs in AF patients with intermediate stroke risk. Thus, we investigated the cost-effectiveness of DOACs vs.

Acupuncture combined with multidisciplinary care for recovery after traumatic multiple rib fractures: a prospective feasibility cohort study.

Introduction: Acute pain significantly delays early physiological recovery and results in chronic functional disability in patients with traumatic multiple rib fractures (MRFs). This prospective cohort study aimed to investigate the feasibility of acupuncture combined with multidisciplinary care during recovery in patients with traumatic MRFs.

Methods: Twenty patients with traumatic MRFs who were admitted to a regional trauma centre in South Korea were enrolled.

Engineering of TeO-ZnO-BaO-Based Glasses for Mid-Infrared Transmitting Optics.

In this paper, the glass systems, TeO-ZnO-BaO (TZB), TeO-ZnO-BaO-NbO (TZB-Nb) and TeO-ZnO-BaO-MoO (TZB-Mo), were fabricated by the traditional melt-quench protocol for use as mid-infrared (mid-IR) transmitting optical material. The effect of NbO and MoO on the key glass material properties was studied through various techniques. From the Raman analysis, it was found that the structural modification was clear with the addition of both NbO and MoO in the TZB system.

Fully automated web-based tool for identifying regulatory hotspots.

Background: Regulatory hotspots are genetic variations that may regulate the expression levels of many genes. It has been of great interest to find those hotspots utilizing expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) analysis. However, it has been reported that many of the findings are spurious hotspots induced by various unknown confounding factors.

Unravelling interrelations between chemical composition and refractive index dispersion of infrared-transmitting chalcogenide glasses.

A facile procedure for compositional screening of chalcogenide glass (CG) is proposed to manage its infrared transmission edge (ω) as well as refractive index dispersion (ν) in the long-wavelength infrared (LWIR) range. Both ω and ν of CG turn out to be interpretable simply in connection with its chemical composition based on a postulation that CG behaves as a single average harmonic oscillator (SAHO). In this SAHO model, ω is expressed as a function of molar mass and average bond energy, both of which are easily accessible for a given CG composition.

Implication of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, Metabolic Syndrome, and Subclinical Inflammation on Mild Renal Insufficiency.

Background: Limited information exists about the impact of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) on mild renal insufficiency. We compared the relative influence of NAFLD, metabolic syndrome (MetS), and subclinical inflammation, alone or in combination, on mild renal insufficiency.

Methods: This study included 1174 Korean adults.

Preservative effect of Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze seed extract in soy sauce and its mutagenicity.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the applicability of green tea seed (GTS) extract as a natural preservative in food. Food preservative ability and mutagenicity studies of GTS extract and identification of antimicrobial compounds from GTS extract were carried out. The GTS extract showed only anti-yeast activity against Candida albicans with MIC value of 938μg/mL and Zygosaccharomyces rouxii with a MIC of 469μg/mL.

Infective Endocarditis Presenting as Endogenous Endophthalmitis Secondary to Streptococcus agalactiae in a Healthy Adult: Case Reports and Literature Review.

Endogenous endophthalmitis secondary to group B Streptococcus (GBS) is extremely rare, particularly in healthy adults. However, the visual prognosis is poor. We report the first South Korean case of GBS infective endocarditis presenting as endogenous endophthalmitis and skin and soft tissue infection.

Implications of circulating Meteorin-like (Metrnl) level in human subjects with type 2 diabetes.

Aims: Meteorin-like (Metrnl) was recently identified as a novel adipomyokine induced by exercise and cold exposure. Metrnl improves glucose tolerance, increases systemic energy expenditure, induces white adipose browning, and promotes anti-inflammatory gene programs in obese/diabetic mice. However, the relationship of Metrnl with diabetes and cardiometabolic risk variables in humans has not been explored.

Determinants of Long-Term Durable Glycemic Control in New-Onset Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Background: Long-term durable glycemic control is a difficult goal in the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We evaluated the factors associated with durable glycemic control in a real clinical setting.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 194 new-onset, drug-naïve patients with T2DM who were diagnosed between January 2011 and March 2013, and were followed up for >2 years.

Effects of Low Muscle Mass on Albuminuria and Chronic Kidney Disease in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: The Korean Sarcopenic Obesity Study (KSOS).

Background: Previous studies have shown that chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with accelerated loss of skeletal muscle in patients on dialysis. However, the relationships of sarcopenia with albuminuria and early-stage CKD in patients with type 2 diabetes have not been examined.

Methods: We analyzed diabetic subgroup data from 409 patients with type 2 diabetes from the Korean Sarcopenic Obesity Study (KSOS).

The Relations Between the Mechanical Properties and the Nano Crystalline in Chalcogenide Glass System.

Chalcogenide glass lens have been attracted because of excellent optical properties and low cost fabrication methods, i.e., glass molding press.

A massive haemothorax as an unusual complication of infective endocarditis caused by Streptococcus sanguinis.

Objective And Importance: Infective endocarditis involving the tricuspid valve is an uncommon condition, and a consequent haemothorax associated with pulmonary embolism is extremely rare. Particularly, there are no guidelines for the management of this complication. We describe a rare case of pulmonary embolism and infarction followed by a haemothorax due to infective endocarditis of the tricuspid valve caused by Streptococcus sanguinis.

Primary Hyperparathyroidism with Extensive Brown Tumors and Multiple Fractures in a 20-Year-Old Woman.

A brown tumor is a benign fibrotic, erosive bony lesion caused by localized, rapid osteoclastic turnover, resulting from hyperparathyroidism. Although brown tumors are one of the most pathognomonic signs of primary hyperparathyroidism, they are rarely seen in clinical practice. In this report, we present a case of 20-year-old woman with recurrent fractures and bone pain.

Comparison of two leukocyte reduction filters for whole blood derived platelets.

Background: Leukocyte reduction filters are widely used for platelet transfusion therapy, and effective leukocyte removal is mandatory for transfusion safety. We evaluated both the performance of leukocyte reduction filters for platelets and the effect of filtration on platelet function.

Methods: A total of 100 pooled products (eight platelet concentrates were randomly pooled for each product) were used in this study: 50 were filtered by BioP-plus (Fresenius Kabi AG, Homburg, Germany) and 50 by PXL-8 (Pall Corporation, East Hills, NY, USA).

[Hepatitis B core antigen expression pattern predicts response to lamivudine therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis B].

Backgrounds/aims: Negative hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg) staining in hepatocytes is indicative of viral replication by an active immune response. HBcAg is expressed mainly in the cytoplasm in patients with active hepatitis and hepatocyte regeneration, and mainly in the nuclei of hepatocytes in patients with minimal liver injury in the absence of hepatocyte regeneration. The aim of this study was to elucidate whether the existence and expression pattern of HBcAg predicts the response to antiviral treatment.

Regular arrays of monodisperse platinum/erbium disilicide core-shell nanowires and nanoparticles on Si(001) via a self-assembled template.

We have developed a process for fabricating monodisperse noble metal/rare earth disilicide core-shell nanoparticles and nanowires in regular arrays on Si(001) with a density of 5 x 10(10) / cm2, and over areas > 1 mm2. Pt deposited via physical vapor deposition on a self-assembled rare earth disilicide nanowire template combined with reactive ion etching produces arrays of nanostructures. SEM images demonstrate the ability to select nanowires or nanoparticles as a function of Pt coverage.