Recent progress in biopolymer-based electrospun nanofibers and their potential biomedical applications: A review.

Tissue engineering offers an alternative approach to developing biological substitutes that restore, maintain, or enhance tissue functionality by integrating principles from medicine, biology, and engineering. In this context, biopolymer-based electrospun nanofibers have emerged as attractive platforms due to their superior physicochemical properties, including excellent biocompatibility, non-toxicity, and desirable biodegradability, compared to synthetic polymers. Considerable efforts have been dedicated to developing suitable substitutes for various biomedical applications, with electrospinning receiving considerable attention as a versatile technique for fabricating nanofibrous platforms.

Cardiorespiratory Dynamics in the Brain: Review on the Significance of Cardiovascular and Respiratory Correlates in functional MRI signal.

Cardiorespiratory signals have long been treated as "noise" in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) research, with the goal of minimizing their impact to isolate neural activity. However, there is a growing recognition that these signals, once seen as confounding variables, provide valuable insights into brain function and overall health. This shift reflects the dynamic interaction between the cardiovascular, respiratory, and neural systems, which together support brain activity.

Additional Dose of Intravenous Dexamethasone Can Replace Patient-Controlled Analgesia in Pain Control after Total Knee Arthroplasty while Reducing Opioid Complications.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether IV dexamethasone, within the current multimodal pain management protocol, (1) could maintain postoperative pain at a comparable level without IV PCA, (2) could reduce opioids-related side effects, and (3) whether an additional dose of dexamethasone on POD 2 would offer further pain-relieving effect without increasing the risk of complications. Methods A total of 178 patients (182 knees) who underwent total knee arthroplasty (TKA) for osteoarthritis were included in the study. The patients were divided into Dexa 2 & PCA and Dexa 3 & NoPCA group.

PFSH-Net: Parallel frequency-spatial hybrid network for segmentation of kidney stones in pre-contrast computed tomography images of dogs.

Kidney stone is a common urological disease in dogs and can lead to serious complications such as pyelonephritis and kidney failure. However, manual diagnosis involves a lot of burdens on radiologists and may cause human errors due to fatigue. Automated methods using deep learning models have been explored to overcome this limitation.

Patterns of neuronal synchrony in higher-order networks.

Synchrony in neuronal networks is crucial for cognitive functions, motor coordination, and various neurological disorders. While traditional research has focused on pairwise interactions between neurons, recent studies highlight the importance of higher-order interactions involving multiple neurons. Both types of interactions lead to complex synchronous spatiotemporal patterns, including the fascinating phenomenon of chimera states, where synchronized and desynchronized neuronal activity coexist.

The impact of clinical seizures and adverse brain MRI patterns in neonates with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy and abnormal neurodevelopment.

Introduction: This study aimed to investigate the associations among seizures, clinical characteristics, and brain injury on Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in infants with Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE), and to determine whether these findings can predict unfavorable neurodevelopmental outcomes.

Method: Clinical and electrographic seizures were assessed by amplitude-integrated electroencephalogram, and the extent of brain injury was evaluated by using MRI. At 12‒24 months of age, developmental impairment or death was assessed.

Risk assessment and monitoring of tranquilizers in live seafood: Analysis of natural essential oil and 2-phenoxyethanol by GC-MS/MS.

An analytical method for nine tranquilizer compounds, including eight major natural oil components and 2-phenoxyethanol, was developed using gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry and validated under CODEX and National Institute of Food and Drug Safety Evaluation guidelines. Subsequently, 315 live seafood samples under Korean preference for sashimi (eight species) were monitored with sales distribution channels and place of origin. A total of 76 detection cases in 65 seafood samples contained the target tranquilizer compounds at concentrations ranging from 2.

Very-light-intensity exercise as minimal intensity threshold for activating dorsal hippocampal neurons: Evidence from rat physiological exercise model.

Exercise benefits the brain, particularly the learning and memory center-the dorsal hippocampus (dHPC)-and holds promise for therapeutic applications addressing age-related cognitive deficits. While moderate-to-vigorous-intensity exercise is commonly recommended for health benefits, our translational research proposes the effectiveness of very-light-intensity exercise in enhancing cognitive functions. However, the intensity-dependent characteristics of HPC activation have yet to be fully delineated; therefore, there is no evidence of whether such easily accessible exercises for people of all ages and most fitness levels can activate HPC neurons.

Do renewable energy policies exacerbate corporate information uncertainty?

This study analyzes the impact of state-level renewable energy policies and incentives on the corporate information environment in the US. It considers these renewable energy policies and incentives as exogenous measures of firm-level renewable energy exposure. The findings indicate that such policies and incentives significantly increase firms' adoption of renewable energy, confirming their suitability as proxies for external shocks.

Research review and transcriptomic insights into Benzalkonium chloride inhalation and disease association.

The widespread use of disinfectants, particularly during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, has significantly increased human exposure to biocides, raising concerns about their potential health risks, especially when inhaled. Benzalkonium chloride (BKC), a quaternary ammonium compound commonly used as a disinfectant and preservative, is a notable example because it is frequently used in household products and medical settings. Despite its broad usage, limited research has been conducted on the respiratory and systemic toxicities of BKC.

ATM in immunobiology: From lymphocyte development to cancer immunotherapy.

Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated (ATM) is a protein kinase traditionally known for its role in DNA damage response and cell cycle regulation. However, emerging research has revealed its multifaceted and crucial functions in the immune system. This comprehensive review explores the diverse roles of ATM in immune regulation, from lymphocyte development to its involvement in cancer immunotherapy.

Meeting summary: Global vaccine and immunization research forum, 2023.

At the 2023 Global Vaccine and Immunization Research Forum (GVIRF), researchers from around the world gathered in the Republic of Korea to discuss advances and opportunities in vaccines and immunization. Many stakeholders are applying the lessons of Covid-19 to future emergencies, by advancing early-stage development of prototype vaccines to accelerate response to the next emerging infectious disease, and by building regional vaccine research, development, and manufacturing capacity to speed equitable access to vaccines in the next emergency. Recent vaccine licensures include: respiratory syncytial virus vaccines, both for the elderly and to protect infants through maternal immunization; a new dengue virus vaccine; and licensure of Covid-19 vaccines previously marketed under emergency use authorizations.

Hunting for fresh food: The impact of online fresh food platforms on health.

In response to the growing demand for healthier food, online fresh food platforms have emerged as a convenient solution, aiming to meet this need. This study employs a difference-in-differences design and an imputation method to evaluate the impact of online fresh food platforms on population health. These methodological approaches enable the identification of causal effects, offering insights into how these platforms influence health outcomes across different demographic groups.

Clinical features of FOSMN syndrome in Korea: A comparative analysis with bulbar-onset amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Facial onset sensory and motor neuronopathy (FOSMN) syndrome is a rare neurodegenerative disorder initially characterized by facial sensory deficits, which later progress to motor deficits in a rostral-caudal distribution. This study investigated the prevalence, clinical features, and prognosis of FOSMN syndrome and compared these aspects with those of bulbar-onset amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) within a single institutional cohort of motor neuron diseases. We identified four patients with FOSMN syndrome who had been misclassified as having bulbar-onset ALS, representing approximately 2 % of such ALS cases.

Exponentially Enhanced Scheme for the Heralded Qudit Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger State in Linear Optics.

High-dimensional multipartite entanglement plays a crucial role in quantum information science. However, existing schemes for generating such entanglement become complex and costly as the dimension of quantum units increases. In this Letter, we overcome the limitation by proposing a significantly enhanced linear optical heralded scheme that generates the d-level N-partite Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger (GHZ) state with single-photon sources and linear operations.

Development and Evaluation of a Mental Health Chatbot Using ChatGPT 4.0: Mixed Methods User Experience Study With Korean Users.

Background: Mental health chatbots have emerged as a promising tool for providing accessible and convenient support to individuals in need. Building on our previous research on digital interventions for loneliness and depression among Korean college students, this study addresses the limitations identified and explores more advanced artificial intelligence-driven solutions.

Objective: This study aimed to develop and evaluate the performance of HoMemeTown Dr.

How the nursing work environment moderates the relationship between clinical judgment and person-centered care among intensive care unit nurses.

Background: Person-centered care focuses on individualized care that respects patients' values, preferences, and autonomy. To enhance the quality of critical care nursing, institutions need to identify the factors influencing ICU nurses' ability to provide person-centered care. This study explored the relationship between clinical judgment ability and person-centered care among intensive care unit (ICU) nurses, emphasizing how the ICU nursing work environment moderates this relation.

12″ Wafer-Scale Mass-Manufactured Metal-Insulator-Metal Reflective Metaholograms by Nanotransfer Printing.

The unique characteristics of metasurfaces to precisely control the amplitude, phase, and polarization of light within a thin, flat footprint make them a promising replacement for bulky optical components. However, fabrication methods of conventional metasurfaces have suffered from low throughput and high costs, limiting scalability and practical application. To address these challenges, an advanced fabrication technique is developed by combining deep-ultraviolet argon fluoride photolithography with wafer-scale nanotransfer printing to facilitate the scalable fabrication of metal-insulator-metal structures.

Endonuclease G promotes hepatic mitochondrial respiration by selectively increasing mitochondrial tRNA production.

Mitochondrial endonuclease G (EndoG) contributes to chromosomal degradation when it is released from mitochondria during apoptosis. It is presumed to also have a mitochondrial function because EndoG deficiency causes mitochondrial dysfunction. However, the mechanism by which EndoG regulates mitochondrial function is not known.

Perovskite retinomorphic image sensor for embodied intelligent vision.

Retinomorphic systems that can see, recognize, and respond to real-time environmental information will extend the complexity and range of tasks that an exoskeleton robot can perform to better assist physically disabled people. However, the lack of ultrasensitive, reconfigurable, and large-scale integratable retinomorphic devices and advanced edge-processing algorithms makes it difficult to realize retinomorphic hardware. Here, we report the retinomorphic hardware prototype with a 4096-pixel perovskite image sensor array as core module to endow embodied intelligent vision functionalities.

Effects of maximum dose on local control after stereotactic body radiotherapy for oligometastatic tumors of colorectal cancer.

This study aimed to identify radiotherapy dosimetric parameters related to local failure (LF)-free survival (LFFS) in patients with lung and liver oligometastases from colorectal cancer treated with stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT). We analyzed 75 oligometastatic lesions in 55 patients treated with SBRT between January 2014 and December 2021. There was no constraint or intentional increase in maximum dose.

Uncovering NK cell sabotage in gut diseases via single cell transcriptomics.

The identification of immune environments and cellular interactions in the colon microenvironment is essential for understanding the mechanisms of chronic inflammatory disease. Despite occurring in the same organ, there is a significant gap in understanding the pathophysiology of ulcerative colitis (UC) and colorectal cancer (CRC). Our study aims to address the distinct immunopathological response of UC and CRC.

Effectiveness of robot-assisted task-oriented training intervention for upper limb and daily living skills in stroke patients: A meta-analysis.

Purpose: Stroke is one of the leading causes of acquired disability in adults in high-income countries. This study aims to determine the intervention effects of robot-assisted task-oriented training on enhancing the upper limb function and daily living skills of stroke patients.

Methods: A systematic search was conducted across PubMed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Embase, and Scopus databases through March 1, 2024.

Ratio of remnant cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in relation to gestational diabetes mellitus risk in early pregnancy among Korean women.

Objective: There is no evidence to suggest that an association exists between the remnant cholesterol (RC) to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) ratio and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). In this study, the RC/HDL-C ratio during the first trimester was examined as a potential indicator of the onset of GDM during the second trimester.

Methods: This was a secondary analysis of data from a Korea-based prospective cohort study.