Factors Influencing Adolescent COVID-19 Vaccination During the Omicron Surge.

While most adolescents experience mild-COVID-19 infection, those with underlying medical conditions have an increased risk of severe health outcomes. Furthermore, compared with other pediatric populations, adolescents have experienced higher rates of COVID-19-associated hospitalization. COVID-19 vaccine decision-making in adolescents during COVID-19 surges is not well understood.

DISCOntinuation of disease-modifying therapies in MS: The DISCOMS extension trial.

Background: In the DISCOMS (DISCOntinuation of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) in multiple sclerosis (MS)) randomized clinical trial, we could not demonstrate that discontinuing MS DMTs in older, stable adults was not inferior to continuing DMTs. Relapses were rare in both groups, and most new disease activity was one to two new brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) lesions unassociated with clinical changes.

Objective/aims: Describe results of the DISCOMS extension study.

Real world effectiveness, persistence, tolerability, and safety of ofatumumab in clinical practice.

Aims: To describe the 12-month effectiveness, persistence, tolerability, and safety of ofatumumab (OMB), a highly effective disease-modifying therapy (DMT) for relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS), in a real-world MS population.

Patients & Methods: Electronic medical records of patients starting OMB from October 2020 to August 2022 at two comprehensive MS centers were reviewed. Demographics and disease characteristics and 6- and 12-month clinical, patient-reported, and radiologic outcome measures were analyzed.

A Dynamic Shift in Estrogen Receptor Expression During Granulosa Cell Differentiation in the Ovary.

This study uncovers a dynamic shift in estrogen receptor expression during granulosa cell (GC) differentiation in the ovary, highlighting a transition from estrogen receptor alpha (ESR1) to estrogen receptor beta (ESR2). Using a transgenic mouse model with Esr1-iCre-mediated Esr2 deletion, we demonstrate that ESR2 expression is absent in GCs derived from ESR1-expressing ovarian surface epithelium (OSE) cells. Single-cell analysis of the OSE-GC lineage reveals a developmental trajectory from Esr1-expressing OSE cells to Foxl2-expressing pre-GCs, culminating in GCs exclusively expressing Esr2.

Prognostic Value of Ambulatory Status at Transplant in Older Heart Transplant Recipients: Implications for Organ Allocation Policy.

Background: Shortage of organ donors in the Republic of Korea has become a major problem. To address this, it has been questioned whether heart transplant (HTx) allocation should be modified to reduce priority of older patients. We aimed to evaluate post-HTx outcomes according to recipient age and specific pre-HTx conditions using a nationwide prospective cohort.

Risk of Kawasaki Disease/Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome Following COVID-19 Vaccination in Korean Children: A Self-Controlled Case Series Study.

Background: Rare cases of Kawasaki disease (KD) and multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) have been reported following the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination; however, the association between COVID-19 vaccination and the risk of developing KD/MIS-C has not yet been established.

Methods: We conducted a self-controlled case series analysis using a large-linked database that connects the COVID-19 immunization registry with nationwide claims data. We identified individuals aged < 18 years who received their initial COVID-19 vaccination and had a KD/MIS-C diagnosis with a prescription for intravenous immunoglobulin or corticosteroids between October 18, 2021, and April 15, 2023.

Association between procedure duration and adverse events in congenital cardiac catheterization.

Background: Procedure duration is an important predictor of patient outcomes in surgery. However, the relationship between procedure duration and adverse events in congenital cardiac catheterization is largely unexplored.

Methods: All cases entered into the Congenital Cardiac Catheterization Project on Outcomes from 2014 to 2017 were included.

Empirical effect of the Dr Lee Jong-wook Fellowship Program to empower sustainable change for the health workforce in Tanzania: a mixed-methods study.

Purpose: This study evaluated the Dr Lee Jong-wook Fellowship Program's impact on Tanzania's health workforce, focusing on relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, and sustainability in addressing healthcare gaps.

Methods: A mixed-methods research design was employed. Data were collected from 97 out of 140 alumni through an online survey, 35 in-depth interviews, and one focus group discussion.

Cost-effectiveness of hearing aids in South Korea: a multistate Markov model analysis.

Objectives: This study evaluated the cost-effectiveness of using hearing aids among individuals aged 50 and older with varying levels of hearing loss in South Korea.

Methods: A state-transition Markov model was employed to assess the cost-effectiveness of hearing aid utilization from a societal perspective. We simulated a cohort of patients aged 50, tracking their progression through normal, mild, moderate, and severe stages of hearing loss until death or age 80.

Maternal exposure to fullerenols impairs placental development in mice by inhibiting estriol synthesis and reducing ERα.

Fullerenols, a water-soluble polyhydroxy derivative of fullerene, hold promise in medical and materials science due to their unique properties. However, concerns about their potential embryotoxicity remain. Using a pregnancy mouse model and metabolomics analysis, our findings reveal that fullerenols exposure during pregnancy not only significantly reduced mice placental weight and villi thickness, but also altered the classes and concentrations of metabolites in the mouse placenta.

Perceptions and barriers to the use and training of point-of-care ultrasound among Finnish emergency physicians - a nationwide survey.

Background: Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) has become integral to emergency medicine (EM) as a critical diagnostic support tool. In Finland, where EM was formally recognised as a specialty as recently as in 2013, a historical lack of systematic training for POCUS has existed. Such training has largely depended on individual initiative rather than a standardised program while many other areas of EM training have already seen the introduction of structured education.

Antibiofilm effect of Nano chitosan and calcium hydroxide intracanal medications and their effects on the microhardness and chemical structure of radicular dentine.

Background: Disinfection of the root canal system is a challenge to all clinicians, calcium hydroxide Ca(OH) one of the most popular intracanal medications used for this purpose, has some unwanted effects on dentine. This study aimed to investigate the antibiofilm effect of Nanochitosan (CSNPs) and Calcium hydroxide Ca(OH) intra canal medications and their effect on the microhardness and chemical structure of radicular dentine.

Methodology: A total of 52 extracted human mandibular premolars were used.

Real-world satisfaction and experience with injection and autoinjector device for ofatumumab indicated for multiple sclerosis.

Background: To evaluate the overall satisfaction, device usability, and injection experience of MS patients self-administering ofatumumab using the Sensoready autoinjector device in the United States (US).

Methods: This US-based, cross-sectional survey study included patients with MS (≥ 18 years) who self-administered ofatumumab using the Sensoready device within the previous 12 months of the survey. Eligible patients were administered a 30-item de novo questionnaire that focused on overall device satisfaction, device usability, convenience/flexibility for travel with the device, user confidence, injection experience, and time to administer the injection.

Heart Rate Variability Predicts Therapy Outcome in Anxiety Disorders: The Role of Inhibitory Learning.

Exposure therapy has been shown to be useful for the treatment of anxiety disorders. However, there are individual differences in the extent to which this intervention is effective in reducing symptoms, and a substantial number of patients may experience a return of fear (ROF). The factors associated with successful therapy outcomes are an important topic of investigation as these factors might influence the nature of the interventions as well as enhance our understanding of the process associated with the disorder and its treatment.

Evaluating non-utilization of deceased donor kidneys in Korea.

Considering the low deceased donation rates despite increasing rates of end-stage kidney disease in Asia, minimizing donor kidney discard is important. This study aimed to investigate the current situation of donor kidney discard in Korea. This nationwide study included deceased donor kidneys of candidates for kidney transplantation (KT) between 2013 and 2018 in Korea.

Long-term safety of lentiviral or gammaretroviral gene-modified T cell therapies.

Long-term risks of gene therapy are not fully understood. In this study, we evaluated safety outcomes in 783 patients over more than 2,200 total patient-years of observation from 38 T cell therapy trials. The trials employed integrating gammaretroviral or lentiviral vectors to deliver engineered receptors to target HIV-1 infection or cancer.

Disparities in Patient Demographics at a Student-Run Free Clinic: Comparing Clinic Utilization to City, State, and National Trends.

Background: With 8.4% of Americans uninsured, free clinics serve as essential safety nets for underserved populations. This study compared the demographics of the patients of a student-run free to Toledo, Ohio, and national census data to evaluate health needs, barriers to care, and the characteristics of the underserved population.

Proof-of-concept for integrating multimodal digital health assessments into lifestyle interventions for older adults with dementia risk factors.

Multimodal digital health assessments overcome the limitations of patient-reported outcomes by allowing for continuous and passive monitoring but remain underutilized in older adult lifestyle interventions for brain health. Therefore, we aim to (1) report ecological momentary assessment (EMA) and ActiGraph adherence among older adults during a lifestyle intervention; and (2) use dynamic data collected via EMA and ActiGraph to examine person-specific patterns of mindfulness, steps, and sleep throughout the intervention. We analyzed EMA and ActiGraph data from a pilot study of the 8-week My Healthy Brain program (N = 10) lifestyle group for older adults (60+) with subjective cognitive decline.

DDX1 is required for non-spliceosomal splicing of tRNAs but not of XBP1 mRNA.

RNA helicase DEAD-box helicase 1 (DDX1) forms a complex with the RNA ligase 2´,3´-cyclic phosphate and 5´-OH ligase (RTCB), which plays a vital role in non-spliceosomal splicing of tRNA and X-box binding protein 1 (XBP1) mRNA. However, the importance of DDX1 in non-spliceosomal splicing has not been clarified. To analyze the functions of DDX1 in mammalian cells, we generated DDX1 cKO cells from the polyploid human U2OS cell line and found that splicing of intron-containing tRNAs was significantly disturbed in DDX1-deficient cells, whereas endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-induced splicing of XBP1 mRNA was unaffected.

Raman and ATR-FTIR unmask crystallinity changes and carboxylate group and vinyl group accumulation in natural weathering polypropylene microplastics.

Naturally weathered polypropylene (NWPP) samples are useful for investigating the effects of various degradation factors that cannot be obtained in artificial laboratory experiments. In this study, NWPP samples were extracted from beach sediments (Ashiya, Hyogo, Japan). Raman and attenuated total reflection (ATR)-Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopies were used to analyze variations in the composition, crystallinity, orientation, and degradation of NWPP microplastics.

A climatically significant abiotic mechanism driving carbon loss and nitrogen limitation in peat bogs.

Sphagnum-dominated bogs are climatically impactful systems that exhibit two puzzling characteristics: CO:CH ratios are greater than those predicted by electron balance models and C decomposition rates are enigmatically slow. We hypothesized that Maillard reactions partially explain both phenomena by increasing apparent CO production via eliminative decarboxylation and sequestering bioavailable nitrogen (N). We tested this hypothesis using incubations of sterilized Maillard reactants, and live and sterilized bog peat.

Preparation of ZnAl layered double hydroxides supported by silica for the treatment of Cr(VI) and Cu(II) in aqueous solution.

A novel adsorbent ZnAl-LDHs/SiO (ZA/SiO) was prepared by blending urea mixture of ZnSO and Al(SO) while using SiO as a support form. The adsorption properties of ZA/SiO for the removal of toxic metal ions (Cu(II) and Cr(VI)) from water were evaluated. By batch experiment method to investigate the ZA/SiO adsorption of Cu(II) and Cr(VI) solution treatment effect.

Engineered CRISPR-Cas9 for Streptomyces sp. genome editing to improve specialized metabolite production.

The CRISPR-Cas9 system has frequently been used for genome editing in Streptomyces; however, cytotoxicity, caused by off-target cleavage, limits its application. In this study, we implement innovative modification to Cas9, strategically addressing challenges encountered during gene manipulation using Cas9 within strains possessing high GC content genome. The Cas9-BD, a modified Cas9 with the addition of polyaspartate to its N- and C-termini, is developed with decreased off-target binding and cytotoxicity compared with wild-type Cas9.

Engineering triple O-Ti-O vacancy associates for efficient water-activation catalysis.

Defect engineering can create various vacancy configurations in catalysts by finely tuning the local electronic and geometric structures of the active sites. However, achieving precise control and identification of these defects remains a significant challenge, and the origin of vacancy configurations in catalysts, especially clustered or associated ones, remains largely unknown. Herein, we successfully achieve the controllable fabrication and quantitative identification of triple O-Ti-O vacancy associate (VVV) in nanosized Ni-doped TiO.

A high-valence bismuth(V) nanoplatform triggers cancer cell death and anti-tumor immune responses with exogenous excitation-free endogenous HO- and O-independent ROS generation.

Reactive oxygen species with evoked immunotherapy holds tremendous promise for cancer treatment but has limitations due to its dependence on exogenous excitation and/or endogenous HO and O. Here we report a versatile oxidizing pentavalent bismuth(V) nanoplatform (NaBiO-PEG) can generate reactive oxygen species in an excitation-free and HO- and O-independent manner. Upon exposure to the tumor microenvironment, NaBiO-PEG undergoes continuous H-accelerated hydrolysis with •OH and O generation through electron transfer-mediated Bi-to-Bi conversion and lattice oxygen transformation.