Acute Alcohol Intake Impairs the Velocity Storage Mechanism and Affects Both High-Frequency Vestibular-Ocular Reflex and Postural Control.

Background: Acute alcohol intake is known to cause gait instability, dizziness, and lack of psychomotor coordination. Previous studies demonstrated the positive effects of alcohol on the oculomotor system and the low-frequency vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR). However, the low-frequency VORs is a rather un-physiologic stimulation, and the reported explanations regarding the relations between the alcohol-induced VOR changes and posture control are inconsistent.

Effect of an Integrative Mobile Health Intervention in Patients With Hypertension and Diabetes: Crossover Study.

Background: Obesity, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are worldwide epidemics that inflict burdens on both public health and health care costs. Self-management plays an important role in the proper management of these 3 chronic diseases, and in this context, mobile health (mHealth) can be a cost-effective self-management tool.

Objective: The aim of this pilot study is to evaluate the effects of an integrative mHealth approach for obesity, hypertension, and T2DM on body fat, blood pressure, and blood glucose levels and demonstrate the clinical outcomes.

Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and adverse clinical outcomes in chronic kidney disease: Results from the KNOW-CKD.

Background And Aims: The optimal low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level to prevent cardiovascular disease in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients remains unknown. This study aimed to explore the association of LDL-C levels with adverse cardiovascular and kidney outcomes in Korean CKD patients and determine the validity of "the lower, the better" strategy for statin intake.

Methods And Results: A total of 1886 patients from the KoreaN cohort study for Outcome in patients With CKD (KNOW-CKD) were included.

Results of a Government-supported Newborn Hearing Screening Pilot Project in the 17 Cities and Provinces from 2014 to 2018 in Korea.

Background: The aim of this study was to present and analyze, for the first time, the results of a government-supported nationwide newborn hearing screening (NHS) pilot project in the 17 major cities and provinces of Korea.

Methods: We analyzed a nationwide NHS database of 344,955 newborns in the pilot project from 2014 to 2018. The government supported the cost of one NHS and one diagnostic auditory brainstem response (ABR) test.

Non-contact home-adapted device estimates sleep stages in middle-aged men: A preliminary study.

Background: Sleep monitoring is essential to maintain a healthy life, especially for the elderly who want to age well. Among various forms of sleep devices, the non-wearable and home-adapted device might be preferred because it can be easily used.

Objective: In this study, we evaluated the performance of a non-contact home-adapted device compared to polysomnography (PSG), a gold standard method.

Recent Advances in Sustainable Plastic Upcycling and Biopolymers.

Advances in scientific technology in the early twentieth century have facilitated the development of synthetic plastics that are lightweight, rigid, and can be easily molded into a desirable shape without changing their material properties. Thus, plastics become ubiquitous and indispensable materials that are used in various manufacturing sectors, including clothing, automotive, medical, and electronic industries. However, strong physical durability and chemical stability of synthetic plastics, most of which are produced from fossil fuels, hinder their complete degradation when they are improperly discarded after use.

Biosynthesis of polyhydroxyalkanoates from sucrose by metabolically engineered Escherichia coli strains.

Sucrose utilization has been established in Escherichia coli strains by expression of Mannheimia succiniciproducens β-fructofuranosidase (SacC), which hydrolyzes sucrose into glucose and fructose. Recombinant E. coli strains that can utilize sucrose were examined for their abilities to produce poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) [P(3HB)] and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-lactate) [P(3HB-co-LA)] from sucrose.

Prevalence of Dizziness and Associated Factors in South Korea: A Cross-Sectional Survey From 2010 to 2012.

Background: Dizziness is one of the most common complaints in medicine and a frequent symptom among older people. Dizziness has a considerable impact on life quality and is associated with high economic costs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of dizziness in the general population and to describe its clinical characteristics and associated factors.

Sebaceous Carcinoma: Clinicopathologic Analysis of 29 Cases in a Tertiary Hospital in Korea.

Sebaceous carcinoma (SC) is a neoplasm derived from the adnexal epithelium of the sebaceous glands, and most studies on this neoplasm have been conducted in Caucasians. We retrospectively reviewed the records of 29 patients with SC (16 extraocular and 13 ocular lesions) who were diagnosed from 2001 to 2014 to analyze the clinical and histopathological features of SC in the Korean population. Sixteen of the patients were women and 13 were men.

Combined Embedding of N/F-Doping and CaCO3 Surface Modification in the TiO2 Photoanode for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells.

N/F-doping and CaCO3 surface modification was carried out in TiO2 photoelectrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The combined effect of the N/F doped TiO2 and the CaCO3 coating showed a great increase of the short-circuit current (J(sc)), and photoelectric conversion efficiency (η) of the prepared cells; the efficiency (η) was improved from 7.00% of a commercial TiO2 photoelectrode to 7.

Is Intratympanic Dexamathasone Injection Effective for the Treatment of Idiopathic Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss?

Background And Objectives: The purpose of this study is to identify the effectiveness of intratympanic (IT) steroids when used as an initial therapy in sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL), and when it is used as a salvage therapy in a refractory SSNHL.

Subjects And Methods: This retrospective study included 122 patients with SSNHL. First, patients were divided into three groups according to the initial treatment; IT steroid, systemic steroid and combined (systemic and IT steroid) groups.

The Effect of Scattering Layer on the Performance of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Using TiO2 Hollow Spheres/TiO2 Nanoparticles Films as Photoanodes.

TiO2 hollow spheres were successfully synthesized using poly styrene as the template. Dye-sensitized solar cells are fabricated based on double-layered composite films of TiO2 nanoparticles and TiO2 hollow spheres. The photoelectric conversion performances of Dye-sensitized solar cells based on TiO2 nanoparticles/TiO2 nanoparticles, TiO2 nanoparticles/TiO2 hollow spheres and TiO2 hollow spheres/TiO2 hollow spheres double-layered films are investigated, and their photoelectric conversion efficiencies were determined to 4.

Fabrication N, F, and N/F-Doped TiO2 Photoelectrodes for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells.

In this study, pure TiO2, N-doped TiO2, F-doped TiO2, and N/F-doped TiO2 particles were successfully synthesized through the hydrolysis of TiCl4 in the presence of ammonia water and NH4F, respectively. The introduction of doping materials did not affect the crystalline structure. No absorption peak for pure TiO2 was observed above the wavelength of 400 nm.

Preparation of Carbon-Doped TiO2 and Its Application as a Photoelectrodes in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells.

In this study, C-doped TiO2 particles were successfully synthesized by a hydrothermal method. Three binding energy peaks were observed at 284.6, 286.

Protective role of edaravone against cisplatin-induced ototoxicity in an auditory cell line.

Edaravone is a neuroprotective agent with a potent free radical scavenging and antioxidant actions. In the present study we investigated the influence of edaravone on cisplatin ototoxicity in auditory cells. Cell viability was determined using a 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazoliumbromide cell proliferation assay.

Optimization of the TiO2-surface modification temperature for performance enhancement of dye-sensitized solar cells.

A nanoporous TiO2 electrode was modified with magnesium salts (MSs), MgCO3 and Mg(CH3COO)2, by simple dip coating process at varied temperatures, and then applied to dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). When the surface treatment was conducted at 40 °C, the DSSC with MS-modified TiO2 layer showed an increase in short circuit current (JSC) and open circuit voltage (VOC), resulting in a power conversion efficiency of 8.52%, compared to that (7.

Incidence of primary skin cancer after organ transplantation: An 18-year single-center experience in Korea.

Background: Skin cancer is the most common malignancy to arise after organ transplantation in Caucasians, but limited data are available on its incidence in Asian transplant recipients.

Objective: We sought to assess the incidence of skin cancer after organ transplantation in a Korean cohort.

Methods: A cohort study was conducted to determine the incidence and risk factors for skin cancers among kidney, liver, heart, or pancreas transplant recipients, treated at the Asan Medical Center in Seoul, Korea.

Usefulness of liver biopsy in anti-hepatitis C virus antibody-positive and hepatitis C virus RNA-negative kidney transplant recipients.

Background: Some guidelines recommend a liver biopsy to all anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody-positive kidney transplant (KT) recipients. However, in the case of HCV RNA-negative KT recipients, the benefit of a liver biopsy is unclear. We examined the usefulness of a liver biopsy for anti-HCV antibody-positive and HCV RNA-negative patients by analyzing the hepatic histologic findings and clinical outcomes.

Mycophenolic acid regulates spleen tyrosine kinase to repress tumour necrosis factor-alpha-induced monocyte chemotatic protein-1 production in cultured human aortic endothelial cells.

Atherosclerosis develops from cascades of inflammatory processes. Spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) and monocyte chemotatic protein-1 (MCP-1) play important roles in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Mycophenolic acid (MPA) has an anti-inflammatory effect.

Activation of AMP-activated protein kinase inhibits albumin-induced endoplasmic reticulum stress and apoptosis through inhibition of reactive oxygen species.

Background: Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress induced by urinary albumin plays an important role in tubulointerstitial injury. We have shown that albumin-induced ER stress is regulated through reactive oxygen species (ROS)-c-Src kinase-mTOR signaling pathways. We postulated that peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ) might also act as an upstream signaling molecule between c-Src kinase and mTOR.

A comparison of the time from sepsis to inception of continuous renal replacement therapy versus RIFLE criteria in patients with septic acute kidney injury.

We hypothesized that the time from sepsis to inception of continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) can be used to predict survival rates in patients with septic acute kidney injury (AKI). The survival predictability of CRRT inception time was compared with that of RIFLE criteria, which were previously used in clinical practice. We retrospectively analyzed outcomes in 55 patients with septic AKI admitted to the medical intensive care unit at Asan Medical Center (Seoul, Korea) between April 2009 and October 2010.

Long-term outcome of Hepatitis B-positive renal allograft recipients after development of antiviral treatment.

Background/aims: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection can adversely affect the clinical outcome of kidney transplantation (KT). Short-term efficacy of lamivudine has been demonstrated for chronic hepatitis B in KT recipients (KTR).

Methods: To clarify the long-term impact of antiviral treatment for HBV-positive KTR, we retrospectively reviewed 94 HBV-positive (male 73%) and 282 age/sex-matched HBV-negative patients who underwent KT from February 1997 to November 2009, after lamivudine had come into wide use.

Occupational exposure to pesticides and nerve conduction studies among Korean farmers.

This study aimed to determine whether occupational exposure to pesticides was associated with decreased nerve conduction studies among farmers. On 2 separate occasions, the authors performed a cross-sectional study of a group of 31 male farmers who periodically applied pesticides. The study included questionnaire interviews and nerve conduction studies on the median, ulnar, posterior tibial, peroneal, and sural nerves.