Flexible, surface-lighting MicroLED skin patch for multiple human skincare.

As the global population ages, concerns regarding aesthetic appearance have increased. Wearable light-emitting diode (LED) devices have received significant attention in the cosmetic fields due to their non-invasive, non-thermal, home-use characteristics. However, conventional bulk LED chips have limitations in flexibility and uniform irradiation, hindering efficient light penetration into the skin.

Mortality of very low birth weight infants by neonatal intensive care unit workload and regional group status.

Background: Very low birth weight infants (VLBWIs) continue to face high mortality risk influenced by the care quality of neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Under-standing the impact of workload and regional differences on these rates is crucial for improving outcomes.

Purpose: This study aimed to assess how the structural and staffing attributes of NICUs influence the mortality rates of VLBWIs, emphasizing the significance of the availability of medical personnel and the regional distribution of care facilities.

Mitochondrial DNA mutations in extremely preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a serious chronic lung disease affecting extremely preterm infants. While mitochondrial dysfunction has been investigated in various medical conditions, limited research has explored mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) gene mutations, specifically in BPD. This study aimed to evaluate mitochondrial mtDNA gene mutations in extremely preterm infants with BPD.

Outcomes at 18-24 Months of Infants with Birth Weight under 500 g Born in Korea during 2013-2017: A Nationwide Cohort Study.

Introduction: This study aimed to investigate the outcomes of infants at 18-24 months born in the Korean Neonatal Network with a birth weight <500 g.

Methods: The anthropometric and neurodevelopmental data of infants with a birth weight <500 g at a gestational age of ≥22 weeks who were registered in the Korean Neonatal Network 2013-2017 and followed up at a corrected age of 18-24 months were reviewed. Neurodevelopmental impairment was defined as the presence of any of the following: (1) cerebral palsy; (2) severe visual impairment; (3) hearing impairment; or (4) cognitive impairment.

Wide-wavelength-tunable distributed Bragg reflector laser diode with high thermal efficiency.

We proposed a thermally-tuned distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) laser diode that has a high tuning efficiency over a wide wavelength tuning range. The laser diode is composed of a gain, a phase control (PC), and a DBR region, and its wavelength is tuned coarsely and finely by the micro-heaters on the DBR and PC regions, respectively. To improve the tuning efficiency, we developed a technique for fabricating a thermal isolation structure through a reverse mesa etching process, replacing the complex process that uses an InGaAs sacrificial layer.

Prevention of human milk-acquired cytomegalovirus infection in very-low-birth-weight infants.

Background: The aim of the study was to determine the rate of cytomegalovirus virolactia in the human milk (HM) of mothers of VLBW infants, compare the CMV infection rates and the changes in CMV DNA viral load and nutrient profile among different HM preparation methods.

Methods: A prospective randomized controlled study was performed in infants with gestational age < 32 weeks or birth-weight < 1500 g admitted to neonatal intensive care unit of Asan Medical Center and Haeundae Paik Hospital who were given mother's own milk. Enrolled infants were randomized into three groups according to the HM preparation methods: freezing-thawing (FT), FT + low-temperature Holder pasteurization (FT + LP), and FT + high-temperature short-term pasteurization (FT + HP).

Wearable Surface-Lighting Micro-Light-Emitting Diode Patch for Melanogenesis Inhibition.

Wearable light-emitting diode (LED)-based phototherapeutic devices have recently attracted attention as skin care tools for wrinkles, acne, and hyperpigmentation. However, the therapeutic effectiveness and safety of LED stimulators are still controversial due to their inefficient light transfer, high heat generation, and non-uniform spot irradiation. Here, a wearable surface-lighting micro-LED (SµLED) photostimulator is reported for skin care and cosmetic applications.

Hair methylmercury levels are inversely correlated with arterial stiffness.

Background And Aims: Cardiovascular diseases (CVD), including coronary heart disease, are the leading cause of death worldwide. Several studies investigating the relationship between fish intake, methylmercury exposure, and CVDs in adults have reported inconsistent results. This study aimed to determine the association between hair methylmercury levels and arterial stiffness using brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV).

Survival and Morbidities in Infants with Birth Weight Less than 500 g: a Nationwide Cohort Study.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the survival and morbidities of infants in the Korean Neonatal Network (KNN) with birth weight (BW) < 500 g.

Methods: The demographic and clinical data of 208 live-born infants with a BW < 500 g at a gestational age of ≥ 22 weeks who were treated in the neonatal intensive care units of the KNN between 2013 and 2017 were reviewed.

Results: The survival rate of the infants was 28%, with a median gestational age and BW of 24 weeks (range, 22-33) and 440 g (range, 220-499), respectively.

Stem cells for bronchopulmonary dysplasia in preterm infants: A randomized controlled phase II trial.

We previously demonstrated the safety and feasibility of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) transplantation for bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in preterm infants in a phase I clinical trial. We thus investigated the therapeutic efficacy of MSCs for BPD in premature infants. A phase II double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted on preterm infants at 23 to 28 gestational weeks (GW) receiving mechanical ventilator support with respiratory deterioration between postnatal days 5 and 14.

Comparing Axillary and Rectal Temperature Measurements in Very Preterm Infants: A Prospective Observational Study.

Purpose: The agreement between axillary temperature (AT) and rectal temperature (RT) measurements has not been well established in preterm infants. Therefore, our study aimed to evaluate the agreement between AT and RT measurements in very preterm infants.

Methods: Preterm infants <32 weeks of gestational age were prospectively included.

16-channel tunable and 25-Gb/s EAM-integrated DBR-LD for WDM-based mobile front-haul networks.

We report a tunable distributed Bragg reflector-laser diode (DBR-LD) integrated with an electro-absorption-modulator (EAM) at an operating wavelength of 1.3 µm. This LD consists of gain, phase control (PC), DBR, and EAM sections, realized by using a butt-coupling technique in monolithically integrating the multiple quantum wells (MQWs) with the passive core and by applying an etched-mesa buried hetero-structure (EMBH) to the resonance cavity (i.

Functional and structural evaluation in the lungs of children with repaired congenital diaphragmatic hernia.

Background: To evaluate the long-term functional and structural pulmonary development in children with repaired congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) and to identify the associated perinatal-neonatal risk factors.

Methods: Children with repaired CDH through corrective surgery who were born at gestational age ≥ 35 weeks were included in this analysis. Those who were followed for at least 5 years were subjected to spirometry and chest computed tomography for evaluation of their functional and structural growth.

Morbidity and Mortality of Very Low Birth Weight Infants with Congenital Heart Disease.

Background And Objectives: This study aimed to provide morbidity and mortality information on very low birth weight (VLBW) infants with congenital heart disease (CHD-VLBWs).

Methods: The study used a 10-year cohort of VLBW infants from a single institution. CHD was classified according to International Classification of Diseases, Version 9, Clinical Modification.

Challenges of acute peritoneal dialysis in extremely-low-birth-weight infants: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Peritoneal dialysis (PD) has been used occasionally in extremely-low-birth-weight (ELBW) infants with acute kidney injury (AKI). This study aimed to evaluate the clinical characteristics and outcomes of ELBW infants with AKI treated with PD.

Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, the medical records of ELBW infants with AKI, who underwent PD from January 2008 to February 2018, were reviewed.

Plasma B-type natriuretic peptide cannot predict treatment response to ibuprofen in preterm infants with patent ductus arteriosus.

Plasma B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is a useful marker for diagnosis of hemodynamically significant PDA (hsPDA) and serial BNP measurement is also valuable for monitoring treatment response. This retrospective study was performed to evaluate whether plasma BNP level can predict treatment response to ibuprofen in preterm infants born at <30 weeks of gestation with hsPDA. Plasma BNP was measured before (baseline) and 12 to 24 h after (post-treatment) completion of the first (IBU1) and second (IBU2) course of ibuprofen.

Neonatal exchange transfusion: Experience in Korea.

Background: Exchange transfusion (ET) is an established, efficacious, and reliable practice for severe neonatal hyperbilirubinemia, hemolytic disease of the newborn, and neonatal sepsis. This study assessed the indications and clinical outcomes of ET performed in a tertiary hospital in Korea.

Materials And Methods: We studied 64 ET sessions performed on 23 neonates between March 1999 and March 2018.

1.3-µm and 10-Gbps tunable DBR-LD for low-cost application of WDM-based mobile front haul networks.

We report a 1.3-µm and 10-Gbps tunable distributed Bragg reflector laser diode (DBR-LD) for the low-cost application of a wavelength division multiplex based mobile front-haul network. The device consists of gain, phase control, and DBR sections, implemented using a butt-coupling method through a monolithic integration and through the introduction of an etched mesa planar buried hetero-structure in a waveguide structure.

4-O-methylhonokiol protects against diabetic cardiomyopathy in type 2 diabetic mice by activation of AMPK-mediated cardiac lipid metabolism improvement.

Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) is characterized by increased left ventricular mass and wall thickness, decreased systolic function, reduced ejection fraction (EF) and ultimately heart failure. The 4-O-methylhonokiol (MH) has been isolated mainly from the bark of the root and stem of Magnolia species. In this study, we aimed to elucidate whether MH can effectively prevent DCM in type 2 diabetic (T2D) mice and, if so, whether the protective response of MH is associated with its activation of AMPK-mediated inhibition of lipid accumulation and inflammation.

Validity of the Korean Developmental Screening Test for very-low-birth-weight infants.

Purpose: The importance of the neurodevelopmental outcomes of very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants has been emphasized as their mortality rate has markedly improved. This study aimed to assess the validity of the Korean Developmental Screening Test (K-DST), a developmental screening tool approved by the Korean Society of Pediatrics, for the timely diagnosis of neurodevelopmental delay in VLBW infants.

Methods: Subjects included VLBW infants enrolled in the Korean Neonatal Network database between January 2012 and December 2014.

Basal serum cortisol concentration in very low birth weight infants.

Background: The aim of our study was to measure the basal serum cortisol concentration immediately after birth and to determine its association with perinatal factors and clinical outcomes in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants.

Methods: Basal serum cortisol level was obtained within one hour after birth in inborn VLBW infants. The association between the basal serum cortisol level and perinatal and clinical outcomes was analyzed by comparing the groups with high versus low cortisol levels.