Comparative study of imputation strategies to improve the sarcopenia prediction task.

Objective: Sarcopenia, a condition characterized by the progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength, poses significant challenges in research due to missing data. Incomplete datasets undermine the accuracy and reliability of studies, necessitating effective imputation techniques. This study conducts a comparative analysis of three advanced methods-multiple imputation by chained equations (MICE), support vector regression, and K-nearest neighbors (KNN)-to address data completeness issues in sarcopenia research.

A multi-patch-based deep learning model with VGG19 for breast cancer classifications in the pathology images.

Purpose: Breast cancer encompasses various subtypes with distinct prognoses, necessitating accurate stratification methods. Current techniques rely on quantifying gene expression in limited subsets. Given the complexity of breast tissues, effective detection and classification of breast cancer is crucial in medical imaging.

Using a mobile app comprising neurofeedback-based meditation and binaural beat music to treat PTSD symptoms: A qualitative analysis.

Background: There is a significant need for an effective and convenient symptom management and healing program for people experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms; however, research on this topic is lacking.

Objective: This study explored the experiences of individuals with PTSD who used a mobile traumatic stress management app with neurofeedback-based meditation and binaural beat music to promote their psychological recovery.

Methods: This study used a qualitative research method to explore the experiences of neurofeedback-based meditation and binaural beat music using a mobile traumatic stress management app to promote the psychological recovery of people experiencing chronic traumatic stress.

Prediction of reduced left ventricular ejection fraction using atrial fibrillation or flutter electrocardiograms: A machine-learning study.

Objective: Although the evaluation of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) or atrial flutter (AFL) is crucial for appropriate medical management, the prediction of reduced LVEF (<50%) with AF/AFL electrocardiograms (ECGs) lacks evidence. This study aimed to investigate deep-learning approaches to predict reduced LVEF (<50%) in patients with AF/AFL ECGs and easily obtainable clinical information.

Methods: Patients with 12-lead ECGs of AF/AFL and echocardiography were divided into those with LVEF <50% and ≥50%.

Meta-narrative review: the impact of music therapy on sleep and future research directions.

Sleep is essential to human health, yet 27% of the global population suffers from sleep issues, which often lead to fatigue, depression, and impaired cognitive function. While pharmacological treatments exist, non-pharmacological approaches like music therapy have shown promise in enhancing sleep quality. This review, analyzing 27 studies with various experimental paradigms, confirms that music therapy significantly improves subjective sleep quality, largely by alleviating anxiety and regulating mood through perceptual pathways.

Impact of A1 segment asymmetry on hemodynamic conditions around the circle of Willis and anterior communicating artery aneurysm formation.

Background: This study aims to investigate how A1 segment asymmetry-also known as A1 dominancy-influences the development of the anterior communicating artery aneurysm (AcomA) as it affects hemodynamic conditions within the circle of Willis (COW). Using time-of-flight magnetic resonance angiography (TOF-MRA), the research introduces a novel approach to assessing shear stress in A1 segments to uncover the hemodynamic factors contributing to AcomA formation.

Method: An observational study was conducted over 6 years at a tertiary university hospital's outpatient clinic.

Impact of in-hospital COVID-19 quarantine policy changes on quality of acute stroke care: a single center experience.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic is known to impact in-hospital processes for acute stroke patients, potentially resulting in delays due to quarantine and screening measures. The purpose of this study was to determine effects of changes in in-hospital quarantine policies on quality of care for acute stroke patients.

Methods: Hyperacute ischemic stroke patients who were admitted to Korea University Guro Hospital between January 2019 and February 2021 via the emergency department were included in this study.

Survival benefits of adjuvant chemotherapy after conversion surgery in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.

Background: Oncologic outcomes of conversion surgery for advanced pancreatic cancer (PC) have scarcely been reported. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the outcomes of conversion surgery with preoperative treatment of FOLFIRINOX or gemcitabine with nab-paclitaxel (GnP) for patients with advanced PC including locally advanced or metastatic PC.

Methods: Using the National Health Insurance database between 2005 and 2020, we identified patients who underwent conversion surgery after chemotherapy with FOLFIRINOX or GnP for advanced PC.

Composition of soil fungal communities and microbial activity along an elevational gradient in Mt. Jiri, Republic of Korea.

Approximately 64% of the Republic of Korea comprises mountainous areas, which as cold and high-altitude regions are gravely affected by climate change. Within the mountainous and the alpine-subalpine ecosystems, microbial communities play a pivotal role in biogeochemical cycling and partly regulate climate change through such cycles. We investigated the composition and function of microbial communities, with a focus on fungal communities, in Republic of Korea's second tallest mountain, Mt.

Adaptation responses to salt stress in the gut of .

Osmoregulation is essential for the survival of aquatic organisms, particularly teleost fish facing osmotic challenges in environments characterized by variable salinity. While the gills are known for ion exchange, the intestine's role in water and salt absorption is gaining attention. Here, we investigated the adaptive responses of the intestine to salinity stress in guppies (), observing significant morphological and transcriptomic alterations.

Differential pathological changes in colon microenvironments in acute and chronic mouse models of inflammatory bowel disease.

Inflammatory bowel disease is a chronic condition characterized by inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, resulting from an abnormal immune response to normal stimuli, such as food and intestinal flora. Since the etiology of this disease remains largely unknown, murine models induced by the consumption of dextran-sodium sulfate serve as a pivotal tool for studying colon inflammation. In this study, we employed both acute and chronic colitis mouse models induced by varying durations of dextran-sodium sulfate consumption to investigate the pathological and immunologic characteristics throughout the disease course.

Association between nurse turnover and missed nursing care in acute care hospitals in South Korea.

Objectives: High nurse turnover during nursing shortages can contribute to missed nursing care. This study investigated the prevalence of missed nursing care and how nurse turnover affects missed nursing care.

Methods: A cross-sectional design was adopted to collect data from a convenience sample of nurses working in general hospitals in South Korea.

Increased risk of type 2 diabetes after traumatic amputation: a nationwide retrospective cohort study.

Background: Amputation confers disabilities upon patients and is linked to cardiometabolic morbidity and mortality. We aimed to compare the incidence of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) between individuals following amputation with those of the general population.

Methods: We performed a population-based retrospective cohort study using the Nationwide Health Insurance Service database.

Platelet Count at Diagnosis Is Associated with Endoscopic Activity in Pediatric Patients with Crohn's Disease.

Purpose: We aimed to evaluate the association between platelet count and endoscopy activity in pediatric patients with Crohn's disease (CD).

Methods: This single center retrospective study included children and adolescents aged <19 years who were newly diagnosed with CD. Comparison of baseline characteristics at diagnosis between two groups divided according to the presence and absence of thrombocytosis were conducted.

Significance and Related Factors of Infection in Children with Dyspepsia.

Purpose: is a Gram-negative bacterium that is associated with peptic ulcer disease (PUD) and gastric cancer. However, studies on the endoscopic finding and factors related to infection in children are lacking. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and factors associated with infection in children with dyspepsia.

Mental health and psychological resilience amid the spread of the Omicron variant: a comparison between China and Korea.

Objectives: Besides physical health risks, large public health events also exert negative impacts on people's mental health. We aimed to explore the prevalence and correlates of mental distress and its association with psychological resilience among countries amid the Omicron wave.

Methods: We conducted cross-sectional surveys simultaneously in China and South Korea from March 15 to 30, 2023.

Key risk factors of generalized anxiety disorder in adolescents: machine learning study.

Adolescents worldwide are increasingly affected by mental health disorders, with anxiety disorders, including Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), being particularly prevalent. Despite its significant impact, GAD in adolescents often remains underdiagnosed due to vague symptoms and delayed medical attention, highlighting the need for early diagnosis and prevention strategies. This study utilized data from the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey (KYRBS) from 2020 to 2023 to analyze factors influencing GAD in adolescents.

Area-Specific Assessment of Stratum Corneum Hydration and Transepidermal Water Loss in Pediatric Patients With Atopic Dermatitis.

SCORring atopic dermatitis (SCORAD) is widely used to assess the severity of atopic eczema, but score systems based on the entire body may be limited in effective monitoring and intervention. It is crucial to monitor moisture levels in each affected body part, but empirical research is still lacking. The objective of this study was to analyze the levels of stratum corneum hydration (SCH) and transepidermal water loss (TEWL) in atopic dermatitis (AD) patients, focusing on the presence and location of atopic lesions at different body sites.

Characterization of an Unexpected μ Adsorption of Molecular Oxygen on Ag(100) with Low-Temperature STM.

Precise description of the interaction between molecular oxygen and metal surfaces is one of the most challenging topics in quantum chemistry. In this work, we use low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) to identify and characterize an adsorption state of molecular oxygen that coordinates to three Ag atoms (μ) on Ag(100). Surprisingly, μ-O cannot be identified as a stable configuration with generalized gradient approximation (GGA)-level density functional theory (DFT) calculations.

A rhodamine-conjugated fluorescent and colorimetric receptor for the detection of Cu ions: environmental utility and smartphone integration.

A new rhodamine based turn on florescent probe ()-3',6'-bis(ethylamino)-2-(((6-methoxy-2-oxo-1,2-dihydroquinolin-3-yl)methylene)amino)-2',7'-dimethylspiro[isoindoline-1,9'-xanthen]-3-one (RME) was efficiently synthesized through a simple condensation reaction of 2-amino-3',6'-bis(ethylamino)-2',7'-dimethylspiro[isoindoline-1,9'-xanthen]-3-one and 6-methoxy-2-oxo-1,2-dihydroquinoline-3-carbaldehyde. The receptor RME is highly non-fluorescent and when copper ions (Cu ions) are added in DMF/water (1 : 2, v/v) medium, the receptor RME exhibits a specific "turn-on" colorimetric and fluorometric response. Moreover, RME binding with Cu ions produced a remarkable color variation that was perceptible to the human eye, changing from colorless to pink.

High- organic-inorganic hybrid dielectric material for flexible thin-film transistors and printed logic circuits.

A new photopolymerizable organic-inorganic (O-I) hybrid sol-gel material, AUP@SiO-184, has been synthesized and utilized as a gate dielectric in flexible organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs). The previously reported three-arm alkoxy-functionalized silane amphiphilic polymer has yielded stable O-I hybrid materials comprising uniformly dispersed nanoparticles in the sol state. In this study, a photosensitizer was introduced, facilitating curing effects under ultraviolet light.

Tunable Catalytic Vertex Wall Chemistry in Metal-free Covalent Organic Frameworks for Enhanced Oxygen Reduction.

Metal-free covalent organic frameworks (COFs) have emerged as promising catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) because of their unique structural properties and notable stability. To enhance both catalytic activity and selectivity, a variety of linkers and linkages have been investigated in efforts to precisely engineer COFs. However, the impact of vertex structures within COFs on ORR catalysis remains largely underexplored.

Update on the treatment navigation for functional cure of chronic hepatitis B: expert consensus 2.0.

As new evidence emerges, treatment strategies toward the functional cure of chronic hepatitis B are evolving. In 2019, a panel of national hepatologists published a Consensus Statement on the functional cure of chronic hepatitis B. Currently, an international group of hepatologists has been assembled to evaluate research since the publication of the original consensus, and to collaboratively develop the updated statements.

Modulation of PRL-1 within placental MSCs instigates the transition between EMT and MET subsequent to hepatic fibrosis.

Background/aims: Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays a crucial role in hepatic fibrogenesis and liver repair in chronic liver disease. Our research highlights the antifibrotic potential of placenta-derived mesenchymal stem cells (PD-MSCs) and the role of phosphatase of regenerating liver-1 (PRL-1) in promoting liver regeneration.

Methods: We evaluated the efficacy of PD-MSCs overexpressing PRL-1 (PD-MSCsPRL-1) in a bile duct ligation (BDL)-induced rat injury model, focusing on their ability to regulate EMT.

A Bioengineered Model of the Human Cornea for Preclinical Assessment of Human Ocular Exposure to Environmental Toxicants.

Here a bioengineered platform is introduced to investigate adverse effects of environmental materials on the human cornea. Using primary cells, this system is capable of reproducing the differentiated corneal epithelium and its underlying stroma in the human eye, which can then be treated with externally applied solid, liquid, or gaseous substances in a controlled manner and under physiologically relevant conditions. The proof-of-principle of how this system can be used to simulate human ocular exposure to different classes of environmental toxicants for direct visualization and quantitative analysis of their potential to induce acute corneal injury and inflammation is demonstrated.