Self-sovereign management scheme of personal health record with personal data store and decentralized identifier.

Conventional personal health record (PHR) management systems are centralized, making them vulnerable to privacy breaches and single points of failure. Despite progress in standardizing healthcare data with the FHIR format, hospitals often lack efficient platforms for transferring PHRs, leading to redundant tests and delayed treatments. To address these challenges, we propose a decentralized PHR management system leveraging Personal Data Stores (PDS) and Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs) in line with the Web 3.

Lower incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma with tenofovir alafenamide in chronic hepatitis B: Evidence from a large-scale cohort.

Background & Aims: Tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) lacks extensive research regarding its impact on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study evaluated and compared the effects of TAF, tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF), and entecavir (ETV) on HCC incidence using nationwide claim data.

Methods: In total, 75,816 patients with treatment-naïve HBV were included in the study and divided into TAF (n = 25,680), TDF (n = 26,954), and ETV (n = 23,182) groups after exclusions.

Mapping Trends and Hotspots Regarding the Use of Lung Ultrasound in the Field of Anesthesiology: A Bibliometric Analysis of Global Research.

Purpose: Lung ultrasound (LUS) is increasingly utilized in the field of anesthesiology due to its focused, quick application and the advantage of not exposing patients to ionizing radiation. This study aims to analyze the status and trends in this area from a macroscopic perspective.

Methods: A bibliometric analysis was conducted using the Web of Science (WoS) Core Collection.

Plant growth promotion via priming with volatile organic compounds emitted from strain EXTN-1.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced by potential plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) play an important role in plant interactions. However, the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are not well understood. Our findings show that the influence of VOCs from the PGPR strain (EXTN-1) on tobacco plant growth is dependent on the culture media used.

Post-Implant Global Longitudinal Strain as a Predictor of Pacing-Induced Cardiomyopathy in Patients with Preserved Ejection Fraction Undergoing Pacemaker Placement.

Background: Right ventricular (RV) pacing exacerbates heart failure and increases cardiac mortality in patients with reduced ejection fraction (EF). However, its impact on left ventricular dysfunction in patients with preserved EF remains inconclusive. This study investigates the relationship between RV pacing, global longitudinal strain (GLS), and EF in patients with preserved EF.

Association between the triglyceride/high-density lipoprotein (TG/HDL) ratio and incidence of gout: A nationwide cohort study.

Introduction: The global burden of gout, a severe and painful arthralgia, is of note and is expected to increase in the future. We aimed to investigate the association between the triglyceride/high-density lipoprotein (TG/HDL) ratio, a simple and validated biomarker for insulin resistance, and the incidence of gout in a longitudinal setting in the general population.

Methods: Our study was conducted using the National Health Insurance Service-Health Screening Cohort database of Republic of Korea (2002-2019).

A Pair of Fluorescent Probes Enabling Precise Diagnosis of Liver Cancer by Complementary Imaging.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is by far the predominant malignant liver cancer, with both high morbidity and mortality. Early diagnosis and surgical resections are imperative for improving the survival of HCC patients. However, limited by clinical diagnosis methods, it is difficult to accurately distinguish tumor tissue and its boundaries in the early stages of cancer.

Comparison of 12- to 24-Hour Versus 72-Hour Intravenous Terlipressin in Patients With Acute Esophageal Variceal Bleeding: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

To compare the efficacy and safety of 12-24 hours versus 72 hours of intravenous terlipressin therapy in patients with acute esophageal variceal bleeding (AVB). A systematic search was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, Web of Science, VHL, and ClinicalTrials.gov for studies published up to February 24, 2024.

Real-Time Monitoring of Electrode Surface Changes in Fast-Scan Cyclic Voltammetry Using Fourier Transform Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy.

Fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) is a widely used electrochemical technique to measure the phasic response of neurotransmitters in the brain. It has the advantage of reducing tissue damage to the brain due to the use of carbon fiber microelectrodes as well as having a high temporal resolution (10 Hz) sufficient to monitor neurotransmitter release in vivo. During the FSCV experiment, the surface of the carbon fiber microelectrode is inevitably changed by the fouling effect.

Evolutionary patterns of the SSU rRNA (V4 region) secondary structure in genus (Ciliophora, Spirotrichea): insights into cryptic species and primitive traits.

The genus , a group of ciliated protists, has attracted attention as a model organism due to its widespread distribution and ease of cultivation. This study examines the evolutionary patterns of the SSU rRNA secondary structure within this genus, aiming to elucidate its role in supporting evolutionary relationships and uncovering cryptic species. By predicting the secondary structure of SSU rRNA and applying the CBC (Compensatory Base Change) concept analysis, we examined 69 species of the genus , with 57 SSU rRNA gene sequences retrieved from GenBank and 12 newly sequenced specimens from South Korea.

Hyperspectral analysis to assess gametocytogenesis stage progression in malaria-infected human erythrocytes.

Significance: Developments of anti-gametocyte drugs have been delayed due to insufficient understanding of gametocyte biology. We report a systematic workflow of data processing algorithms to quantify changes in the absorption spectrum and cell morphology of single malaria-infected erythrocytes. These changes may serve as biomarkers instrumental for the future development of antimalarial strategies, especially for anti-gametocyte drug design and testing.

Moderate PM exposure increases prostate cancer: a longitudinal nationwide cohort study (2010-2020).

Introduction: Fine dust exposure has been reported to affect patients with prostate cancer, making it crucial to understand how environmental pollutants impact health. This study aimed to determine the risk of prostate cancer in South Korea associated with moderate levels of fine dust (PM) exposure.

Methods: We analyzed data from 20,430 individuals in the National Health Insurance Sharing Service database from 2010 to 2020, comparing a new prostate cancer group ( = 4,071, 19.

Expression of kiwifruit-derived actinidin in leaves.

Kiwifruit ()-derived actinidin, a cysteine protease, is renowned for its meat-tenderizing and milk-clotting activities. Despite its potential in various biotechnological applications, an efficient expression platform for actinidin production has not yet been developed. Instead, actinidin has traditionally been purified directly from the fruits of various plants.

Fabrication of water-dispersible dye/polymer matrix-stabilized β-FeOOH (Rh-B/F127@β-FeOOH) nanoparticles: synthesis, characterization and therapeutic applications.

In this study, dye/polymer matrix-stabilized β-FeOOH nanomaterials were fabricated for therapeutic applications. Rh-B/F127@β-FeOOH nanomaterials were synthesized using two different methods: co-precipitation (CoP) and hydrothermal (HT) methods. The as-synthesized nanoparticles were characterized using various spectroscopic techniques, including FT-IR, UV-Vis, PL, XRD, HR-TEM, and XPS analysis.

Highly selective ethanol gas sensor based on CdS/TiCT MXene composites.

Sensing of hazardous gases has an important role in ensuring safety in a variety of industries as well as environments. Mainly produced by the combustion of fossil fuels and other organic matter, ethanol is a dangerous gas that endangers human health and the environment. Stability and sensing sensitivity are major considerations when designing gas sensors.

Fabrication of a micropatterned shape-memory polymer patch with L-DOPA for tendon regeneration.

A scaffold design for tendon regeneration has been proposed, which mimics the microstructural features of tendons and provides appropriate mechanical properties. We synthesized a temperature-triggered shape-memory polymer (SMP) using the ring-opening polymerization of polycaprolactone (PCL) with polyethylene glycol (PEG) as a macroinitiator. We fabricated a micropatterned patch using SMP capillary force lithography, which mimicked a native tendon, for providing physical cues and guiding effects.

Association Between Diabetes Mellitus Education and Self-Management Pre- and Post-COVID-19.

Purpose: This study explored the association between diabetes education and self-management during different COVID-19 periods.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: Korea Community Health Survey (2019, 2021, and 2022) and the data from Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Agency.

Pro-inflammatory dietary pattern and the risk of female gout: sex-specific findings from three prospective cohort studies.

Objective: We aimed to determine whether a pro-inflammatory dietary pattern (mechanism-based diet) is associated with incident female gout among two large cohorts of US women.

Methods: We prospectively followed 79,104 women from Nurses' Health Study (NHS; 1984-2016) and 93,454 women from NHSII (1991-2017); 45,445 men from Health Professionals Follow-up Study (1986-2016) served as a comparison cohort. Validated food frequency questionnaires were used to calculate Empirical Dietary Inflammatory Pattern (EDIP; food-based index predictive of circulating inflammatory biomarkers) scores every 4-years.

Heat-Assisted Direct Photopatterning of Small-Molecule OLED Emitters at the Micrometer Scale.

A crucial step in fabricating full-color organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays is patterning the emissive layer (EML). Traditional methods utilize thermal evaporation through metal masks. However, this limits the achievable resolution required for emerging microdisplay technologies.

Urolithin A attenuates apoptosis and ferroptosis in hyperlipidemic tenocytes through PPARδ/ALDH2-mediated antioxidative signaling.

Urolithin A (URA), a product of the gut microflora from foods rich in ellagitannins found in berries and nuts, has demonstrated anti-inflammatory and antioxidative stress properties in various disease models. Ferroptosis, an iron-dependent form of cell death, is considered a pathogenic cause of tendinopathy. However, the effects of URA on hyperlipidemic tenocytes and the related molecular mechanisms for the treatment of tendinopathy have not been elucidated.

Effects of Unit Cell Size on Thermal Conductivity in Two Different Polymorphs of Niobium Diselenide.

2D materials possess weak inter-layer van der Waals bonding, allowing them to exist as different polymorphs depending on the stacking sequence of the layers. Herein, the thermal conductivities of the 2H-NbSe and 2H-3R-NbSe polymorphs by conducting experimental measurements and theoretical analysis are comparatively studied. Owing to its 1.

Lighting the Path to Precision Healthcare: Advances and Applications of Wearable Photonic Sensors.

Recent advancements in wearable photonic sensors have marked a transformative era in healthcare, enabling non-invasive, real-time, portable, and personalized medical monitoring. These sensors leverage the unique properties of light toward high-performance sensing in form factors optimized for real-world use. Their ability to offer solutions to a broad spectrum of medical challenges - from routine health monitoring to managing chronic conditions, inspires a rapidly growing translational market.

Enhanced membrane protein production in HEK293T cells via gene knockout: A CRISPR-Cas9 mediated approach.

HEK293T cells are extensively utilized for therapeutic protein production due to their human origin, which enables accurate post-translational modifications. This study aimed to enhance membrane protein production in HEK293T cells by knocking out the ATF4 gene using CRISPR-Cas9 technology. The ATF4 gene was edited by infecting HEK293T cells with a lentivirus carrying optimized single-guide RNA (ATF4-KO-3) and Cas9 genes.