The Usefulness of Carotid Artery Doppler Measurement as a Predictor of Early Death in Sepsis Patients Admitted to the Emergency Department.

This study aims to verify whether the blood flow velocity and the diameter size, measured through intra-carotid artery Doppler measurements performed on sepsis patients visiting the emergency department, are useful as tools for predicting the risk of early death. As a prospective study, this research was performed on sepsis patients who visited a local emergency medical center from August 2021 to February 2023. The sepsis patients' carotid artery was measured using Doppler imaging, and they were divided into patients measured for the size of systolic and diastolic mean blood flow velocity and diameter size: those measured for their qSOFA (quick sequential organ failure assessment) score and those measured using the SIRS (systemic inflammatory response syndrome) criteria.

Enhancing Passive Radiative Cooling Films with Hollow Yttrium-Oxide Spheres Insights from FDTD Simulation.

Passive daytime radiative cooling (PDRC) presents a promising avenue for efficient thermal management without relying on electrical power. In this study, the potential of integrating Hollow Yttrium-Oxide Spheres (HYSs) within a Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) matrix to enhance PDRC is investigated. Through a combination of experimental characterization and computational analysis, the optical properties and radiative cooling performance of PDMS films embedded with HYSs are evaluated.

P53 Status Influences the Anti-proliferative Effect Induced by IFITM1 Inhibition in Estrogen Receptor-positive Breast Cancer Cells.

Background/aim: Interferon-induced trans-membrane protein 1 (IFITM1) is known to be involved in breast cancer progression. We aimed to investigate its role in estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer cells with wild-type p53 and tamoxifen-resistant breast cancer cells.

Materials And Methods: The ER-positive breast cancer cell lines, MCF-7 with wild-type p53 and T47D with mutant p53, were used.

Comprehensive genomic landscape of antibiotic resistance in .

Unlabelled: , a common commensal bacterium found on human skin, can cause infections in clinical settings, and the presence of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) impedes the treatment of infections. However, studies characterizing the ARGs in with regard to genomic and ecological diversities are limited. Thus, we performed a comprehensive and comparative analysis of 405 high-quality genomes, including those of 35 environmental isolates from the Han River, to investigate the genomic diversity of antibiotic resistance in this pathogen.

Fabrication of Yttrium Oxide Hollow Films for Efficient Passive Radiative Cooling.

In recent years, many parts of the world have researched the transition to renewable energy, reducing energy consumption and moving away from fossil fuels. Among the studies to reduce energy consumption, passive radiative cooling can reduce the energy used for building cooling, and to improve this, the optical properties of atmospheric window emissivity and solar reflectance must be increased. In this study, hollow yttrium oxide (H-YO) was fabricated using melamine formaldehyde (MF) as a sacrificial template to improve the optical properties of passive radiative cooling.

Flavobacterium psychrotrophum sp. nov. and Flavobacterium panacagri sp. nov., Isolated from Freshwater and Soil.

Two novel bacterial strains CJ74 and CJ75 belonging to the genus Flavobacterium were isolated from freshwater of Han River and ginseng soil, South Korea, respectively. Strain CJ74 was Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, rod-shaped, non-motile, and non-flagellated, and did not produce flexirubin-type pigments. Strain CJ75 was Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, rod-shaped, motile by gliding, and non-flagellated, and produced flexirubin-type pigments.

Subcutaneous implantation of thyroid carcinoma and benign tissue after thyroidectomy: report on two cases and review of the current literature.

Background: Subcutaneous implantation of thyroid tissue after thyroidectomy is a rare occurrence involving both benign and malignant thyroid tissue. Clinically, subcutaneous implantation of thyroid tissue can be challenging to diagnose. We present two cases of subcutaneous implantation of thyroid tissue following thyroidectomy and discuss the differential diagnosis, clinicopathological characteristics, and the possible mechanism of implantation.

ApoE4-dependent lysosomal cholesterol accumulation impairs mitochondrial homeostasis and oxidative phosphorylation in human astrocytes.

Recent developments in genome sequencing have expanded the knowledge of genetic factors associated with late-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD). Among them, genetic variant ε4 of the APOE gene (APOE4) confers the greatest disease risk. Dysregulated glucose metabolism is an early pathological feature of AD.

New findings on the occurrence, removal, and risk assessment of nonylphenol and octylphenol in industrial wastewater treatment plants in Korea.

Nonylphenol (NP) and octylphenol (OP), extensively used in industries, can disrupt the human endocrine system and cause significant ecological toxicity. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to reveal the occurrence and removal characteristics of NP and OP in 30 industrial wastewater treatment plants (IWWTPs). Specifically, this study focused on 13 NP isomers that have not been previously reported.

Impacts of meteorological variables and machine learning algorithms on rice yield prediction in Korea.

As crop productivity is greatly influenced by weather conditions, many attempts have been made to estimate crop yields using meteorological data and have achieved great progress with the development of machine learning. However, most yield prediction models are developed based on observational data, and the utilization of climate model output in yield prediction has been addressed in very few studies. In this study, we estimate rice yields in South Korea using the meteorological variables provided by ERA5 reanalysis data (ERA-O) and its dynamically downscaled data (ERA-DS).

A Multifunctional Interlocked Binder with Synergistic In Situ Covalent and Hydrogen Bonding for High-Performance Si Anode in Li-ion Batteries.

Silicon has garnered significant attention as a promising anode material for high-energy density Li-ion batteries. However, Si can be easily pulverized during cycling, which results in the loss of electrical contact and ultimately shortens battery lifetime. Therefore, the Si anode binder is developed to dissipate the enormous mechanical stress of the Si anode with enhanced mechanical properties.

Predictive biological factors for late survival in patients with HER2-positive breast cancer.

The human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) enriched subtype of breast cancer is associated with early recurrence, mostly within 5 years. However, anti-HER2 therapies have improved outcomes and their benefits persist in the long term. This study aimed to determine predictive factors for late survival in patients with HER2-positive breast cancer.

A randomized controlled trial using surgical gloves to prevent chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy by paclitaxel in breast cancer patients (AIUR trial).

Background: Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a common adverse effect of taxane treatment and can significantly affect patient quality of life. Currently, there are no effective treatments to alleviate symptoms of CIPN; thus, starting with prevention steps in high-risk patients is considered advantageous. However, for these prevention steps to be applicable to all patients, their side effects or accompanying discomforts should be minimal, and the intervention cost-effective.

Chryseobacterium paludis sp. nov. and Chryseobacterium foetidum sp. nov. Isolated from the Aquatic Environment, South Korea.

Two novel bacterial species CJ51 and CJ63 belonging to the genus Chryseobacterium were isolated from the Upo wetland and the Han River, South Korea, respectively. Cells of these strains were Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-motile, rod-shaped, and catalase- and oxidase-positive. Both strains were shown to grow optimally at 30 °C and pH 7 in the absence of NaCl on tryptic soy agar.

Passive Daytime Radiative Cooling by Thermoplastic Polyurethane Wrapping Films with Controlled Hierarchical Porous Structures.

Invited for this month's cover is a combined work of the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology together with the Chungnam National University, the University of California, Irvine, and Chung-Ang University. The cover shows the effective thermal management of a vehicle interior through the wrapping of stretchable passive radiative cooling film. Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) cooler film with a hierarchical porous structure shows a dramatic cooling effect compared to commercial paint in sunny, hot weather.

Passive Daytime Radiative Cooling by Thermoplastic Polyurethane Wrapping Films with Controlled Hierarchical Porous Structures.

Current research has focused on effective solutions to mitigate global warming and the accelerating greenhouse gas emissions. Compared to most cooling methods requiring energy and resources, passive daytime radiative cooling (PDRC) technology offers excellent energy savings as it requires no energy consumption. However, existing PDRC materials encounter unprecedented problems such as complex structures, low flexibility, and performance degradation after stretching.

New insights into the occurrence and removal of 36 pesticides in pesticide wastewater treatment plants in Korea.

This study investigates the occurrence of 36 pesticides-including 33 that were monitored from 2007 to 2019 in Korean rivers-in wastewaters from pesticide manufacturing facilities (PMFs) and in 13 pesticide wastewater treatment plants (PWWTPs). Furthermore, an approach for the effective removal of these pesticides from pesticide wastewater (PW) is proposed. Among the 36 pesticides investigated, 32 were found to be present in the PMF wastewater and PWWTP influents (at concentrations ≤466.

Changes in Emergency Department Case Severity and Length of Stay before and after COVID-19 Outbreak in Korea.

Severe patients visited regional emergency centers more frequently during the COVID-19 period, and disposition status warranting admission to the intensive care unit or resulting in death was more common during the COVID-19 period. This study was conducted to compare the characteristics and severity of patients, and emergency department length of stay before and after the COVID-19 outbreak. Subjects were 75,409 patients who visited the regional emergency medical center from 1 February 2019 to 19 January 2020 and from 1 February 2020 to 19 January 2021.

Colistin-degrading proteases confer collective resistance to microbial communities during polymicrobial infections.

Background: The increasing prevalence of resistance against the last-resort antibiotic colistin is a significant threat to global public health. Here, we discovered a novel colistin resistance mechanism via enzymatic inactivation of the drug and proposed its clinical importance in microbial communities during polymicrobial infections.

Results: A bacterial strain of the Gram-negative opportunistic pathogen Stenotrophomonas maltophilia capable of degrading colistin and exhibiting a high-level colistin resistance was isolated from the soil environment.

Analysis of Genomic Alterations Associated with Recurrence in Early Stage HER2-Positive Breast Cancer.

We aimed to compare gene expression in primary tumors of patients with recurrence and nonrecurrence to gain insight into the biology of high-risk HER2-positive early breast cancer. Patients who underwent curative resection and received adjuvant trastuzumab for HER2-positive early breast cancer were evaluated. Gene expression analyses were performed using NanoString Technologies’ nCounter Breast Cancer 360 Panel.

Regional Control of Multistimuli-Responsive Structural Color-Switching Surfaces by a Micropatterned DNA-Hydrogel Assembly.

Structural colors have advantages compared with chemical pigments or dyes, such as iridescence, tunability, and unfading. Many studies have focused on developing the ability to switch ON/OFF the structural color; however, they often suffer from a simple and single stimulus, remaining structural colors, and target selectivity. Herein, we present regionally controlled multistimuli-responsive structural color switching surfaces.