Sex differences in metabolic adaptation in infants with cyanotic congenital heart disease.

Background: Female infants with congenital heart disease (CHD) face significantly higher postoperative mortality rates after adjusting for cardiac complexity. Sex differences in metabolic adaptation to cardiac stressors may be an early contributor to cardiac dysfunction. In adult diseases, hypoxic/ischemic cardiomyocytes undergo a cardioprotective metabolic shift from oxidative phosphorylation to glycolysis which appears to be regulated in a sexually dimorphic manner.

Inferring super-resolution tissue architecture by integrating spatial transcriptomics with histology.

Spatial transcriptomics (ST) has demonstrated enormous potential for generating intricate molecular maps of cells within tissues. Here we present iStar, a method based on hierarchical image feature extraction that integrates ST data and high-resolution histology images to predict spatial gene expression with super-resolution. Our method enhances gene expression resolution to near-single-cell levels in ST and enables gene expression prediction in tissue sections where only histology images are available.

WebCSEA: web-based cell-type-specific enrichment analysis of genes.

Human complex traits and common diseases show tissue- and cell-type- specificity. Recently, single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) technology has successfully depicted cellular heterogeneity in human tissue, providing an unprecedented opportunity to understand the context-specific expression of complex trait-associated genes in human tissue-cell types (TCs). Here, we present the first web-based application to quickly assess the cell-type-specificity of genes, named Web-based Cell-type Specific Enrichment Analysis of Genes (WebCSEA, available at https://bioinfo.

Terahertz Field-Induced Reemergence of Quenched Photoluminescence in Quantum Dots.

The continuous and concerted development of colloidal quantum dot light-emitting diodes over the past two decades has established them as a bedrock technology for the next generation of displays. However, a fundamental issue that limits the performance of these devices is the quenching of photoluminescence due to excess charges from conductive charge transport layers. Although device designs have leveraged various workarounds, doing so often comes at the cost of limiting efficient charge injection.

Effects of a Neonatal Supportive Positioning Training Video Program for Preterm Infants on the Knowledge and Performance of Nurses in Neonatal Intensive Care Units.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to develop and apply a neonatal supportive positioning (NSP) training video program for premature infants, using a position support mat for nurses in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), and to verify its effect on nurses' performance.

Methods: Thirty-five NICU nurses were included in the study. For the pre-test, preliminary check-ups were conducted, questionnaires about NSP knowledge on preterm infants were distributed, and NSP performance using neonatal dolls were video recorded for each participant.

Differences in ICSI utilization rates among states with insurance mandates for ART coverage.

Background: Assisted reproductive technology (ART) insurance mandates promote more selective utilization of ART clinic resources including intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Our objective was to examine whether ICSI utilization differs by state insurance mandates for ART coverage and assess if such a difference is associated with male factor, preimplantation genetic testing (PGT), and/or live birth rates.

Methods: In this retrospective analysis of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) data from 2018, ART clinics in ART-mandated states (n = 8, AR, CT, HI, IL, MD, MA, NJ, RI) were compared individually to one another and with non-mandated states in aggregate (n = 42) for use of ICSI, male factor, PGT, and live birth rates.

Optimal CdS Buffer Thickness to Form High-Quality CdS/Cu(In,Ga)Se Junctions in Solar Cells without Plasma Damage and Shunt Paths.

CdS has been known to be one of the best junction partners for Cu(In,Ga)Se (CIGS) in CIGS solar cells. However, the use of thick CdS buffer decreases the short-circuit current density of CIGS solar cells. There are two obstacles that limit the use of ultrathin CdS.

Growth patterns over 2 years after birth according to birth weight and length percentiles in children born preterm.

Purpose: To analyze growth patterns over 2 years after birth according to preterm infant birth weight and length percentiles.

Methods: Anthropometric measurements of 82 preterm infants were retrospectively reviewed. Preterm infants with birth weight or length below the 10th percentile were classified as small for gestational age (SGA) (n=19) and those between the 10th and 89th percentile as appropriate for gestational age (AGA) (n=63).

Latent tuberculosis infection screening and treatment in congregate settings (TB FREE COREA): protocol for a prospective observational study in Korea.

Introduction: South Korea regards tuberculosis (TB) incidence in congregate settings as a serious problem. To this end, systematic latent TB infection (LTBI) diagnosis and treatment were provided to approximately 1.2 million individuals in high-risk congregate settings.

Data on lateral collection length of charge carriers depending on pre-white-light soaking process for metal mesh transparent electrode based Cu(In,Ga)Se solar cells.

The authors have recently reported silver nanowire based Cu(In,Ga)Se solar cells [1,2]. Metal mesh based transparent electrodes other than the silver nanowire can be also employed or have a potential to provide a better performance for the solar cells. To select a suitable electrode for a solar cell among metal meshes, it is required to have data on the lateral collection length of charge carriers in the targeted cell.

Job Analysis of the Nursing Unit Managers of Women's Hospital Using DACUM Analysis.

Purpose: To analyze the job of nursing unit managers working at women's hospital, using DACUM (developing a curriculum), DACUM is a method for analyzing job-focused competency.

Methods: This study involved a descriptive survey. A DACUM workshop was held to define women's hospital nursing unit managers' role and identify their duties and tasks.

Effects of Chronic Intake of a Low Concentration of Taurine on Physical Strength and Body Composition in Mice.

Most studies of taurine on athletic performance have been conducted at acute and high doses in rodents. These doses and duration of administration are not reasonable for normal human life. Thus, it is not valid to extrapolate these animal results to people.

Fabrication of Robust Nanoscale Contact between a Silver Nanowire Electrode and CdS Buffer Layer in Cu(In,Ga)Se2 Thin-film Solar Cells.

Silver nanowire transparent electrodes have been employed as window layers for Cu(In,Ga)Se2 thin-film solar cells. Bare silver nanowire electrodes normally result in very poor cell performance. Embedding or sandwiching silver nanowires using moderately conductive transparent materials, such as indium tin oxide or zinc oxide, can improve cell performance.

Itraconazole Attenuates Peritoneal Fibrosis Through Its Effect on the Sonic Hedgehog Signaling Pathway in Mice.

Background: Peritoneal fibrosis is a devastating complication of peritoneal dialysis. However, its precise mechanism is unclear, and specific treatments have not yet been established. Recent evidence suggests that the sonic hedgehog (SHH) signaling pathway is involved in tissue fibrogenesis.

An Investigation on the Therapeutic Effect of Thymosin β4 and Its Expression Levels in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Mice.

Thymosin 4 (T4) treatment was known to show the potential therapeutic effects on diabetic complications. This study was performed to determine if T4 expression is changed in both serum and tissues under diabetic conditions and can be a serum biomarker. Type 1 diabetic mice were induced in C57/BL6J mice by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ) at a dose of 50 mg/kg body weight.

Tuberculosis control in the Republic of Korea.

The incidence and mortality rates of tuberculosis (TB) in the Republic of Korea are 77 and 5.2 per 100,000 people, respectively (2016), which are the highest among the member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Recently, the incidence of TB among teens and individuals in their 20s in the Republic of Korea decreased significantly.

Significant circulation of influenza B viruses mismatching the recommended vaccine-lineage in South Korea, 2007-2014.

We aimed to characterize the lineages of influenza B viruses obtained from clinical specimens during the 2007-2014 seasons in South Korea. RT-PCR for the partial hemagglutinin gene of influenza B virus was performed on laboratory-confirmed influenza B samples from the 2007-2008 season to 2013-2014 season. A phylogenetic tree was generated, and current influenza vaccine strains for the Northern Hemisphere were used as representative strains of Victoria and Yamagata lineages.

Cancer in thyroid nodules with fine-needle aspiration in Korean pediatric populations.

Purpose: To determine the prevalence and clinical findings of benign thyroid nodules and cancer in Korean pediatric patients with thyroid nodules.

Methods: We investigated the medical records of 134 patients aged younger than 18 years who had a goiter, thyroid nodule, thyroid mass, or thyroid cancer who underwent fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB).

Results: The study population included 113 females (84.

The relationship between press release and newspaper coverage of tobacco-related issues in South Korea.

This study investigates an association between press release and news media response on tobacco-related issues in South Korea. We retrieved 231 tobacco-related newspaper articles from all major dailies throughout the year 2005. In total, 37 press releases on tobacco-related issues and policies published by the Korea Ministry of Health and Welfare were obtained from the Ministry website.

Remodeling of heterochromatin structure slows neuropathological progression and prolongs survival in an animal model of Huntington's disease.

Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal-dominant inherited neurological disorder caused by expanded CAG repeats in exon 1 of the Huntingtin (HTT) gene. Altered histone modifications and epigenetic mechanisms are closely associated with HD suggesting that transcriptional repression may play a pathogenic role. Epigenetic compounds have significant therapeutic effects in cellular and animal models of HD, but they have not been successful in clinical trials.

Characterization of Dye Decolorization in Cell-Free Culture Broth of CBR43.

The dye decolorization rate in a cell-free culture broth of the white-rot fungus CBR43 was studied, including the effects of inhibitors of NaCl, Zn(II), and Cd(II) on dye decolorization activity. The maximum rates of dye decolorization in cell-free culture broth were 1,410, 44.7, 41.