Association between alcohol consumption and sleep difficulty in a nationwide Korean survey.

Background: The data on the association between alcohol intake and sleep quality in a community-based setting are lacking. This study examined overall sleep difficulty according to alcohol habits among Korean adults.

Materials And Methods: We analyzed data from 4937 adults who responded to questions about sleep difficulty and drinking habits from the 2019 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Design, Synthesis, and Antioxidant and Anti-Tyrosinase Activities of ()-5-Benzylidene-2-(naphthalen-1-ylamino)thiazol-4(5)-one Analogs: In Vitro and In Vivo Insights.

Fifteen compounds (-) constructed on a hybrid structure combining a β-phenyl-α,β-unsaturated carbonyl template and a 2-aminothiazol-4(5)-one scaffold were designed and synthesized as potential novel anti-tyrosinase substances. Two compounds ( and ) showed more potent inhibition against mushroom tyrosinase than kojic acid, and the inhibitory activity of (IC value: 1.60 μM) was 11 times stronger than that of kojic acid.

Axially multifocal metalens for 3D volumetric photoacoustic imaging of neuromelanin in live brain organoid.

Optical resolution photoacoustic imaging of uneven samples without z-scanning is transformative for the fast analysis and diagnosis of diseases. However, current approaches to elongate the depth of field (DOF) typically imply cumbersome postprocessing procedures, bulky optical element ensembles, or substantial excitation beam side lobes. Metasurface technology allows for the phase modulation of light and the miniaturization of imaging systems to wavelength-size thickness.

The Road to Commercializing Optical Metasurfaces: Current Challenges and Future Directions.

Optical metasurfaces, components composed of artificial nanostructures, are recognized for pushing boundaries of wavefront manipulation while maintaining a lightweight, compact design that surpasses conventional optics. Such advantages align with the current trends in optical systems, which demand compact communication devices and immersive holographic projectors, driving significant investment from the industry. Although interest in commercialization of optical metasurfaces has steadily grown since the initial breakthrough with diffraction-limited focusing, their practical applications have remained limited by challenges such as, massive-production yield, absence of standardized evaluation methods, and constrained design methodology.

Tape-Assisted Residual Layer-Free One-Step Nanoimprinting of High-Index Hybrid Polymer for Optical Loss-Suppressed Metasurfaces.

The commercialization of metasurfaces is crucial for real-world applications such as wearable sensors, pigment-free color pixels, and augmented and virtual reality devices. Nanoparticle-embedded resin-based nanoimprint lithography (PER-NIL) has shown itself to be a low-cost, high-throughput manufacturing method enabling the replication of high-index nanostructures. It has been extensively integrated into the fabrication of hologram metasurfaces, metalenses, and sensors due to its procedural simplicity.

Marital satisfaction and its impact on frailty in Korean older adults: a longitudinal analysis.

Background: Despite a wealth of literature on marital dissatisfaction and adverse health outcomes, little is known about the relationship between marital dissatisfaction and frailty in older adults.

Methods: This longitudinal study utilised the data of 11 174 individuals who participated in the biennial Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing survey from 2006 to 2020 and were aged ≥45 during the initial wave. Frailty was measured using a frailty instrument, which utilised exhaustion, social isolation, and handgrip strength weakness.

Validity and reliability of the integrated palliative care outcome scale (IPOS) in Korea: a multicenter study of terminally ill cancer patients.

Background: The Integrated Palliative care Outcome Scale (IPOS) is a key tool for assessing the quality of palliative care using patient-reported outcomes. This study aimed to culturally adapt and translate the IPOS to Korean and verify its psychometric properties for use in palliative care settings.

Methods: The IPOS was translated and culturally adapted, followed by validation in 119 terminally ill cancer patients and 28 healthcare providers across six Hospice and Palliative Care Units from September 2023 to January 2024.

Supernova Axions Convert to Gamma Rays in Magnetic Fields of Progenitor Stars.

It has long been established that axions could have been produced within the nascent proto-neutron star formed following the type II supernova SN1987A, escaped the star due to their weak interactions, and then converted to gamma rays in the Galactic magnetic fields; the nonobservation of a gamma-ray flash coincident with the neutrino burst leads to strong constraints on the axion-photon coupling for axion masses m_{a}≲10^{-10}  eV. In this Letter, we use SN1987A to constrain higher mass axions, all the way to m_{a}∼10^{-3}  eV, by accounting for axion production from the Primakoff process, nucleon bremsstrahlung, and pion conversion along with axion-photon conversion on the still-intact magnetic fields of the progenitor star. Moreover, we show that gamma-ray observations of the next Galactic supernova, leveraging the magnetic fields of the progenitor star, could detect quantum chromodynamics axions for masses above roughly 50  μeV, depending on the supernova.

First molecular evidence of bovine hemoplasmas in houseflies (Musca domestica).

Background: Hemoplasma infections in cattle are caused by Mycoplasma wenyonii and Candidatus Mycoplasma haemobos and induce asymptomatic or chronic infections but occasionally lead to life-threatening hemolytic anemia. Despite the global distribution of bovine hemoplasmas, information regarding their transmission vectors and prevalence is still lacking in the Republic of Korea. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the infection rate of bovine hemoplasma in cattle and houseflies and to assess the risk factors associated with hemoplasma infection in cattle.

Design, Synthesis, and Anti-Melanogenic Activity of 2-Mercaptomethylbenzo[]imidazole Derivatives Serving as Tyrosinase Inhibitors: An In Silico, In Vitro, and In Vivo Exploration.

2-Mercaptomethylbenzo[]imidazole (2-MMBI) derivatives were designed and synthesized as tyrosinase (TYR) chelators using 2-mercaptomethylimidazole scaffolds. Seven of the ten 2-MMBI derivatives exhibited stronger inhibition of mushroom TYR activity than kojic acid. Their ability to chelate copper ions was demonstrated through experiments using the copper chelator pyrocatechol violet and assays measuring TYR activity in the presence or absence of exogenous CuSO.

A Multimodal Educational Boot Camp for Training Fellows in Pediatric Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO).

Introduction: Pediatric extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) management presents unique challenges in acute care settings, requiring specialized expertise to manage critically ill children. Medical and surgical fellows often manage these patients, but prior residency training rarely provides sufficient ECMO exposure. We developed and evaluated a multimodal pediatric ECMO boot camp for new fellows.

Amorphous to Crystalline Transition in Nanoimprinted Sol-Gel Titanium Oxide Metasurfaces.

Crystalline titanium dioxide (TiO) (anatase and rutile) possesses a higher refractive index than amorphous TiO and near-zero absorption in the visible region, making them an ideal material for visible metasurfaces. However, fabrication limitations hinder their implementation into flat optics. In this work, a wafer-scale manufacturing platform is proposed for crystalline TiO metasurfaces.

In Vitro Effects of Zinc Compounds on the Candidacidal Activities of Salivary Antimicrobials.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effects of zinc compounds on the candidacidal activities of lysozyme and the peroxidase (PO) and glucose oxidase-mediated peroxidase (GO-PO) systems against Candida albicans.

Methods: Four zinc compounds were used: zinc chloride, gluconate, lactate, and sulphate. Three antimicrobial systems were used: hen egg-white lysozyme (HEWL), the PO system [bovine lactoperoxidase (bLPO), potassium thiocyanate, and hydrogen peroxide], and the GO-PO system (bLPO, potassium thiocyanate, glucose oxidase, and glucose).

Modification of the association between cold spells and cardiovascular disease by changes in natural gas prices: A nationwide time-series study.

Background: Although the association between low ambient temperature and cardiovascular disease (CVD) is well-established, the effect of winter energy prices on this association remains unknown.

Aim: This ecological study aimed to investigate whether changes in natural gas prices (NGP), which account for a significant portion of winter energy prices in Korea, affect the association of cold spells with hospital admissions and mortality due to CVD.

Methods: Data from the National Health Insurance Service and Statistics Korea were used to determine the daily number of hospital admissions and mortality rates associated with CVD.

Gender disparity regarding the impact of retirement on marital satisfaction: Evidence from a longitudinal study of older Korean adults.

Objective: To investigate the impact of retirement on marital satisfaction by gender on Koreans aged >45 years in a large, nationally representative cohort.

Methods: Retirement status and marital satisfaction data of 5867 individuals were analysed. Marital dissatisfaction was defined as a satisfaction score reduction of more than 10 points versus the previous wave.

Pushing the Limits of Photoconductivity via Hot Electrons in Deep Trap States in Plasmonic Architectures.

Although extensive research on the mechanisms of photoconductivity enhancement in plasmonic Schottky structures has been conducted, the photoconductive interplay between hot electrons and trapping states remains elusive. In this study, we explored the photoconductive relationship between plasmonic hot-carriers and defect sites present in plasmonic architectures consisting of N-face n-GaN and Au nanoprisms. Our experimental results clearly verified that the plasmonic hot-electrons generated by interband transitions preferentially occupied deep trap levels in n-GaN, thereby considerably enhancing the photoconductivity through the combination of photogating and photovoltaic effects.

Exploring 2-mercapto--arylacetamide analogs as promising anti-melanogenic agents: and evaluation.

Based on the hypothesis that the 2-mercaptoacetamide moiety chelates the copper ions of tyrosinase, 2-mercapto--arylacetamide (2-MAA) analogs were designed and synthesized as potential tyrosinase inhibitors. Four 2-MAA analogs showed low IC values ranging from 0.95 to 2.

The impact of ageism experiences on social participation among community-dwelling older adults: Exploring the moderating role of digital literacy.

Objectives: This study examined how digital literacy moderates the relationship between ageism experiences and social participation among community-dwelling older adults.

Methods: Regression analysis of data from the 2020 National Survey of Older Koreans with 9,920 participants was conducted to identify the association of ageism experiences with social participation in model 1. The moderating effects of digital literacy were examined by adding an interaction term in model 2.

Robust and customizable spheroid culture system for regenerative medicine.

Three-dimensional cell spheroids show promise for the reconstruction of native tissues. Herein, we report a sophisticated, uniform, and highly reproducible spheroid culture system for tissue reconstruction. A mesh-integrated culture system was designed to precisely control the uniformity and reproducibility of spheroid formation.

Design, synthesis, and anti-melanogenic efficacy of 2-mercaptobenzoxazoles with nanomolar tyrosinase activity inhibition.

Tyrosinase is a metalloenzyme that contains copper(II) ions. We designed and synthesized eight known low-molecular-weight 2-mercaptobenzoxazole (2-MBO) analogs as tyrosinase inhibitors. Our focus was on the mercapto functional group, which interacts with copper ions.

Molecular surveillance of zoonotic pathogens from wild rodents in the Republic of Korea.

Background: Rodents are recognized as major reservoirs of numerous zoonotic pathogens and are involved in the transmission and maintenance of infectious diseases. Furthermore, despite their importance, diseases transmitted by rodents have been neglected. To date, there have been limited epidemiological studies on rodents, and information regarding their involvement in infectious diseases in the Republic of Korea (ROK) is still scarce.