Estimation of world seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies.

In this paper, we estimate the seroprevalence against COVID-19 by country and derive the seroprevalence over the world. To estimate seroprevalence among adults, we use serological surveys (also called the serosurveys) conducted within each country. When the serosurveys are incorporated to estimate world seroprevalence, there are two issues.

Differential effects of desvenlafaxine on hot flashes in women with breast cancer taking tamoxifen: a randomized controlled trial.

Hot flashes (HF) are a common adverse event of prolonged tamoxifen use in women with estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer, impacting psychiatric health and quality of life. While desvenlafaxine does not interact with tamoxifen, its efficacy and safety in breast cancer patients remain unstudied. This phase 3, four-week, multi-center, three-arm, parallel-group, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial investigated the efficacy and safety of desvenlafaxine for treating HF in women with breast cancer taking tamoxifen, assessing potential differential effects in patients with psychiatric and inflammatory conditions.

Bayesian inference for multivariate probit model with latent envelope.

The response envelope model proposed by Cook et al. (2010) is an efficient method to estimate the regression coefficient under the context of the multivariate linear regression model. It improves estimation efficiency by identifying material and immaterial parts of responses and removing the immaterial variation.

Design and Development of High-Entropy Alloys with a Tailored Composition and Phase Structure Based on Thermodynamic Parameters and Film Thickness Using a Novel Combinatorial Target.

This study presents a novel synthesis route for high-entropy alloys (HEAs) and high-entropy metallic glass (HEMG) using radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering and controlling the HEA phase selection according to atomic size difference (δ) and film thickness. The preparation of HEAs using sputtering requires either multitargets or the preparation of a target containing at least five distinct elements. In developing HEA-preparation techniques, the emergence of a novel sputtering target system is promising to prepare a wide range of HEAs.

Assessing continuum plasticity postulates with grain stress and local strain measurements in triaxially compressed sand.

Critical state and continuum plasticity theories have been used in research and engineering practice in soil and rock mechanics for decades. These theories rely on postulated relationships between material stresses and strains. Some classical postulates include coaxiality between stress and strain rates, stress-dilatancy relationships, and kinematic assumptions in shear bands.

Oxoglaucine Suppresses Hepatic Fibrosis by Inhibiting TGFβ-Induced Smad2 Phosphorylation and ROS Generation.

Hepatic fibrosis is the first stage of liver disease, and can progress to a chronic status, such as cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma. Excessive production of extracellular matrix (ECM) components plays an important role in the development of fibrosis. Mechanistically, transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ)-induced phosphorylation of Smad is thought to be a key signaling pathway in the development of liver fibrosis.

The Multifunctional Protein Syntenin-1: Regulator of Exosome Biogenesis, Cellular Function, and Tumor Progression.

Syntenin acts as an adaptor and scaffold protein through its two PSD-95, Dlg, and ZO-1 (PDZ) domains, participating in multiple signaling pathways and modulating cellular physiology. It has been identified as an oncogene, promoting cancer development, metastasis, and angiogenesis in various carcinomas. Syntenin-1 is also associated with the production and release of exosomes, small extracellular vesicles that play a significant role in intercellular communication by containing bioactive molecules such as proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids.

Checkpoint Kinase 1 (CHK1) Functions as Both a Diagnostic Marker and a Regulator of Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is more difficult to treat and has a higher mortality rate than other subtypes. Although hormone receptor-targeted therapy is an effective treatment to increase survival rate in breast cancer patients, it is not suitable for TNBC patients. To address the issues, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in TNBC patients from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database were analyzed.

Force inference in granular materials: Uncertainty analysis and application to three-dimensional experiment design.

Interparticle forces are known to influence mechanical and physical properties of granular materials. A method for inferring forces in two-dimensional and three-dimensional experiments has recently been developed and applied to the problem of examining force statistics, energy dissipation, fracture mechanics, and force-property relations. However, a systematic analysis of uncertainties in the forces inferred through this method has not been undertaken.

Differences in Optimal Platelet Reactivity after Potent P2Y12 Inhibitor Treatment in Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

Background: East Asian patients receiving treatment with the potent P2Y12 inhibitors prasugrel or ticagrelor experience more potent platelet inhibition than with clopidogrel. Methods: This study investigated differences in OPR rates with reduced doses of prasugrel (n = 38) or ticagrelor (n = 40) for maintenance therapy in 118 Korean ACS patients who had undergone PCI, in comparison to conventional-dose clopidogrel (n = 40). We assessed drug responses at one- and three-months post-PCI with VerifyNow and multiple electrode aggregometry assays.

Functional Characterization of Endothelial Cells Differentiated from Porcine Epiblast Stem Cells.

Endothelial cells (ECs), lining blood vessels' lumen, play an essential role in regulating vascular functions. As multifunctional components of vascular structures, pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) are the promising source for potential therapeutic applications in various vascular diseases. Our laboratory has previously established an approach for differentiating porcine epiblast stem cells (pEpiSCs) into ECs, representing an alternative and potentially superior cell source.

The longitudinal effects of chronotype on chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in patients with breast cancer receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Objective: The object of this longitudinal cohort study was to investigate whether chronotype affects the incidence of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) among patients with breast cancer.

Methods: The study included a total of 203 breast cancer patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy using a regimen of doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide with high emetogenicity. Patients received four cycles of chemotherapy in approximately three months.

Morning Chronotype Decreases the Risk of Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy in Women With Breast Cancer.

Background: The purpose of this longitudinal prospective cohort study was to investigate the role of chronotype in the incidence of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) among women with breast cancer.

Methods: We recruited women with breast cancer awaiting adjuvant chemotherapy, including four cycles of docetaxel. Participants reported peripheral neuropathy symptoms of numbness/tingling at the baseline, and at 4weeks after completion of chemotherapy.

Psychiatric symptoms mediate the effect of resilience on health-related quality of life in patients with breast cancer: Longitudinal examination.

Objective: Patients with breast cancer receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy are at increased risk of poor health-related quality of life (HRQOL). This study examined clinical caseness on depression and anxiety mediate the relationship between resilience and HRQOL in patients with breast cancer.

Methods: A total of 193 patients with breast cancer undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy completed questionnaires including the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast before the first session (T0), before the start of the last session (T1), and 6 months after the end (T2) of chemotherapy.

Pharmacodynamics and Outcomes of a De-Escalation Strategy with Half-Dose Prasugrel or Ticagrelor in East Asians Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome: Results from HOPE-TAILOR Trial.

East Asians treated with potent P2Y12 inhibitors (prasugrel or ticagrelor) generally experience more intense platelet inhibitory responses resulting in an increased risk of major bleeding. Whether a half-dose de-escalation strategy improves the net clinical benefit in Korean patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) remains uncertain. A total of 120 patients were pragmatically randomized to either prasugrel ( = 39, 60 mg loading dose (LD)/10 mg maintenance dose (MD)), ticagrelor ( = 40, 180 mg LD/90 mg MD), or clopidogrel ( = 41, 600 mg LD/75 mg MD) followed by a half-dose reduction at 1 month, or conventional dose 75 mg clopidogrel.

Comparison of Performance between ARC-HBR Criteria and PRECISE-DAPT Score in Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

The proper management of bleeding risk in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is critical. Recently, the Academic Research Consortium for High Bleeding Risk (ARC-HBR) criteria have been proposed as a standardized tool for predicting bleeding risk. We sought to compare the predictive performance of ARC-HBR criteria and the PRECISE-DAPT score for bleeding in Korean patients undergoing PCI.

Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in South Korea.

Unlabelled: In 2020, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency reported three rounds of surveys on seroprevalence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibodies in South Korea. SARS-CoV-2 is the virus which inflicts the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We analyze the seroprevalence surveys using a Bayesian method with an informative prior distribution on the seroprevalence parameter, and the sensitivity and specificity of the diagnostic test.

Effect of Aging on Homeostasis in the Soft Tissue of the Periodontium: A Narrative Review.

Aging is characterized by a progressive decline or loss of physiological functions, leading to increased susceptibility to disease or death. Several aging hallmarks, including genomic instability, cellular senescence, and mitochondrial dysfunction, have been suggested, which often lead to the numerous aging disorders. The periodontium, a complex structure surrounding and supporting the teeth, is composed of the gingiva, periodontal ligament, cementum, and alveolar bone.

Carpal tunnel syndrome caused by thrombosed persistent median artery - A case report.

Background: A rare case of carpal tunnel syndrome caused by a thrombosed persistent median artery is presented here.

Case: The diagnosis was delayed due to the overlapping cervical radiculopathy. Acute severe pain and nocturnal paresthesia were chief complaints.

Phenomenological examinations of delirium in advanced cancer patients: exploratory structural equation modelling and latent profile analysis.

Background: This study examined phenomenological manifestations of delirium in advanced cancer patients by examining the factor structure of the Delirium Rating Scale-Revised-98 (DRS-R-98) and profiles of delirium symptoms.

Methods: Ninety-three patients with advanced cancer admitted to inpatient palliative care units in South Korea were examined by psychiatrists using the DRS-R-98 and the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM). The factor structure of the DRS-R-98 was examined by exploratory structural equation modelling analysis (ESEM) and profiles of delirium were examined by latent profile analysis (LPA).

Rose Petal Extract () Exerts Skin Whitening and Anti-Skin Wrinkle Effects.

We sought to investigate the effect of extracts from petals (RPE) on skin whitening and anti-wrinkle activity. Tyrosinase activity was attenuated by RPE treatment, concomitant with the reduction of melanin accumulation in human B16F10 melanoma. Treatment of the facial skin of volunteers in a clinical trial with an RPE-containing formulation enhanced skin brightness (L* value) significantly.

The effect of perceived social support on chemotherapy-related symptoms in patients with breast cancer: A prospective observational study.

Objective: Few studies have examined the effect of perceived social support (PSS) on chemotherapy-related symptoms (CRS). This study examined the effect of PSS on CRS in 184 patients with breast cancer.

Methods: Participants were consecutively enrolled from a tertiary general hospital in Seoul, South Korea.