The association between health literacy, private health insurance, and medical expenditure in South Korea.

Background: Health literacy (HL) is crucial for effective healthcare utilization, but its relationship with private health insurance (PHI) enrollment and medical expenditure in South Korea remains unexplored.

Objectives: This study aimed to examine the associations between HL, PHI enrollment, and annual out-of-pocket (OOP) medical expenditure in South Korea's universal healthcare system.

Methods: Using data from the 2021 Korea Health Panel Study, we analyzed 5,469 participants aged 19-65.

An ensemble machine learning-based performance evaluation identifies top In-Silico pathogenicity prediction methods that best classify driver mutations in cancer.

Background And Objective: Accurate identification and prioritization of driver-mutations in cancer is critical for effective patient management. Despite the presence of numerous bioinformatic algorithms for estimating mutation pathogenicity, there is significant variation in their assessments. This inconsistency is evident even for well-established cancer driver mutations.

Reducing the risk of visual disability for children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis uveitis through disease surveillance: past and future challenges.

Childhood blindness significantly impacts development, education, employment, and mental health, creating burden for families and society. Between 8% and 30% of children with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) develop a potentially blinding chronic inflammatory eye disease, uveitis (JIAU). Alongside the use of disease-modifying agents and anti-TNF immunomodulators, JIAU surveillance has helped to reduce the risk of JIAU related blindness.

Akkermansia muciniphila and its metabolite propionic acid maintains neuronal mitochondrial division and autophagy homeostasis during Alzheimer's disease pathologic process via GPR41 and GPR43.

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative disease (ND). In recent years, multiple clinical and animal studies have shown that mitochondrial dysfunction may be involved in the pathogenesis of AD. In addition, short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) produced by intestinal microbiota metabolism have been considered to be important factors affecting central nervous system (CNS) homeostasis.

Exosome miR-199a-5p modulated vascular remodeling and inflammatory infiltration of Takayasu's arteritis.

Background: Advances in treatment have swiftly alleviated systemic inflammation of Takayasu's arteritis (TAK), while subclinical vascular inflammation and the ensuing arterial remodeling continue to present unresolved challenges in TAK. The phenotypic switching of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) is regarded as the first step in vascular pathology and contributes to arterial remodeling. Exosomes facilitate the transfer and exchange of proteins and specific nucleic acids, thereby playing a significant role in intercellular communication.

Multimodal data-based longitudinal prognostic model for predicting atrial fibrillation recurrence after catheter ablation in patients with patent foramen ovale and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.

Background: Clinical studies on atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence after catheter ablation in patients diagnosed with patent foramen ovale (PFO) and paroxysmal AF (PAF) are scarce. Here, we aimed to develop a nomogram model utilizing multimodal data for the risk stratification of AF recurrence following catheter ablation in individuals diagnosed with PFO and new-onset PAF.

Methods: Patients with PFO and PAF who underwent catheter ablation at the Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University from January 2018 to June 2020 were consecutively enrolled.

Recent advances in self-targeting natural product-based nanomedicines.

Natural products, recognized for their potential in disease prevention and treatment, have been integrated with advanced nano-delivery systems to create natural product-based nanomedicines, offering innovative approaches for various diseases. Natural products derived from traditional Chinese medicine have their own targeting effect and remarkable therapeutic effect on many diseases, but there are some shortcomings such as poor physical and chemical properties. The construction of nanomedicines using the active ingredients of natural products has become a key step in the modernization research process, which could be used to make up for the defects of natural products such as low solubility, large dosage, poor bioavailability and poor targeting.

Medical students' attitudes toward AI in education: perception, effectiveness, and its credibility.

Background: The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) has revolutionized both medical education and healthcare by delivering innovative tools that enhance learning and improve overall outcomes. The study aimed to assess students' perceptions regarding the credibility and effectiveness of AI as a learning tool and to explore the dynamics of integrating AI in medical education.

Methodology: A cross-sectional study was carried out across medical colleges in Pakistan.

Modulation of DAPK1 expression by its alternative splice variant DAPK1-215 in cancer.

Background: Death-Associated Protein Kinase 1 (DAPK1) family members are calcium/calmodulin-regulated serine/threonine kinases implicated in cell death, normal development, and human diseases. However, the regulation of DAPK1 expression in cancer remains unclear.

Methods: We examined the expression and functional impact of a DAPK1 splice variant, DAPK1-215, in multiple cancer cell lines.

Strengthening public health education and humanitarian response through academic volunteerism.

Introduction: Volunteers are an integral part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent (RCRC) Movement, with over 16 million people actively contributing to humanitarian action worldwide. Academic volunteerism within the Movement includes contributions from students, volunteers and professionals from academic institutions who offer their time and expertise. In this study we aimed to understand the process of embedding academic volunteers in humanitarian organizations such as the Canadian Red Cross (CRC) and assess the impact of their activities within the realm of public health education.

Improving access to services in neuro-developmental disability: proceedings of a national meeting to advance community capacity.

As part of a participatory project to advance navigational service delivery systems for children with neurodevelopmental disability (NDD) and their families, this paper addresses proceedings from a capacity-building conference in Vancouver, Canada. A total of 29 invited key stakeholders attended the meeting with the following aims: knowledge sharing amongst provincial/territorial regions advancing NDD navigation capacity; sustainable action-oriented knowledge exchange; and operationalizing next steps to build navigation resources across Canadian regions. Regional representation included multiple and inter-sectoral partners (e.

Elucidating the relationship between burnout and sleep disturbances among firefighters: a network analysis.

Background: There exists an intricate relationship between burnout and sleep disturbances, especially among firefighters. Network analysis offers novel perspectives for understanding the interactions of psychopathological variables. This study aims to elucidate the relationship between burnout and sleep disturbances among firefighters through network analysis.

Use of artificial intelligence to study the hospitalization of women undergoing caesarean section.

Objective: The incidence of caesarean sections (CSs) has increased significantly in recent years, especially in developed countries. This study aimed to identify the factors that most influence the length of hospital stay (LOS) after a CS, using data from 9,900 women who underwent CS at the "Federico II" University Hospital of Naples between 2014 and 2021.

Methods: Various artificial intelligence models were employed to analyze the relationships between the LOS and a set of independent variables, including maternal and foetal characteristics.

Additive interaction of conjoint tobacco smoking and heavy drinking on hypertension prevalence in rural Uganda: a community-based cross-sectional study.

Background: The prevalence of hypertension is high in Uganda, which places a significant burden on an already strained healthcare system. The behavioural risk factors, such as unhealthy diet, tobacco use, physical inactivity, and heavy drinking, contribute to hypertension development and complications. This study explored the associations of combined tobacco smoking and heavy alcohol consumption with existing hypertension in a community-based cross-sectional study conducted in two rural districts of Uganda.

Lung-specific CRBN knockout attenuates influenza a virus-induced acute lung injury in mice: a potential therapeutic approach.

Influenza-related acute lung injury is a life-threatening condition primarily caused by uncontrolled replication of the influenza virus and intense proinflammatory responses. Cereblon (CRBN) is a protein known for its role in the ubiquitin-proteasome system and as a target of the drug thalidomide. However, the function of CRBN in influenza virus infection remains poorly understood.

Rehabilitation, reablement, and restorative care approaches in the aged care sector: a scoping review of systematic reviews.

Background: Ageing populations are set to drive up demand for aged care services, placing strain on economies funding social care systems. Rehabilitation, reablement, and restorative care approaches are essential to this demographic shift as they aim to support independent function and quality of life of older people. Understanding the impact of these approaches requires nuanced insights into their definitions, funding, and delivery within the aged care context.

New insights into interspecies relationships, chromosomal evolution, and hybrid identification in the Lycoris Herb.

Background: Frequent interspecific hybridization, unclear genetic backgrounds, and ambiguous evolutionary relationships within the genus Lycoris pose significant challenges to the identification and classification of hybrids, thereby impacting the application and development of Lycoris. This study utilizes karyotype structure, genome size, and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) technology to explore the chromosomal evolution and hybrid identification of Lycoris employing three approaches at the cytogenetic level.

Results: The findings indicate that species with a smaller basic chromosome number exhibit less asymmetry than those with a larger basic chromosome number, suggesting that species with different basic chromosome numbers may have followed different evolutionary pathways.

CalciumZero: a toolbox for fluorescence calcium imaging on iPSC derived brain organoids.

Calcium plays an important role in regulating various neuronal activities in human brains. Investigating the dynamics of the calcium level in neurons is essential not just for understanding the pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric disorders but also as a quantitative gauge to evaluate the influence of drugs on neuron activities. Accessing human brain tissue to study neuron activities has historically been challenging due to ethical concerns.

Spatial and temporal distribution characteristics and source apportionment of biogenic elements using APCS-MLR model in the main inlet tributary of Danjiangkou Reservoir.

Danjiangkou Reservoir has been widely concerned as the water source of the world's longest cross basin water transfer project. Biogenic elements are the foundation of material circulation and key factors affecting water quality. However, there is no comprehensive study on the biogenic elements in tributaries of Danjiangkou Reservoir, hindering a detailed understanding of geochemical cycling characteristics of biogenic elements in this region.

Features of intermediate and late dry age-related macular degeneration on adaptive optics ophthalmoscopy: Pinnacle Study Report 8.

Background/objectives: Adaptive optics ophthalmoscopy (AOO) has the potential to provide insights into AMD pathology and to assess the risk of progression. We aim to utilise AOO to describe detailed features of intermediate AMD and to characterise microscopic changes during atrophy development.

Subjects/methods: Patients with intermediate AMD were recruited into PINNACLE, a prospective observational cohort study.

UDA-seq: universal droplet microfluidics-based combinatorial indexing for massive-scale multimodal single-cell sequencing.

The use of single-cell combinatorial indexing sequencing via droplet microfluidics presents an attractive approach for balancing cost, scalability, robustness and accessibility. However, existing methods often require tailored protocols for individual modalities, limiting their automation potential and clinical applicability. To address this, we introduce UDA-seq, a universal workflow that integrates a post-indexing step to enhance throughput and systematically adapt existing droplet-based single-cell multimodal methods.

CRISPR knock-in of a chimeric antigen receptor into GAPDH 3'UTR locus generates potent B7H3-specific NK-92MI cells.

CAR-NK therapy is becoming a promising approach to treat solid tumors. However, the random insertion of the CAR gene and inflexible CAR expression caused by common preparation methods significantly impact its efficacy and safety. Here we successfully established a novel type of CAR-NK cells by integrating CAR sequences into the GAPDH 3'UTR locus of NK-92MI cells (CRISPR-CAR-NK), achieving site-specific integration of the CAR gene and allowing endogenous regulatory components to govern CAR expression.

A compendium of 8,176 bat RNA viral metagenomes reveals ecological drivers and circulation dynamics.

Bats are natural hosts for many emerging viruses for which spillover to humans is a major risk, but the diversity and ecology of bat viruses is poorly understood. Here we generated 8,176 RNA viral metagenomes by metatranscriptomic sequencing of organ and swab samples from 4,143 bats representing 40 species across 52 locations in China. The resulting database, the BtCN-Virome, expands bat RNA virus diversity by over 3.

Synthesis of pillar-layered metal-organic frameworks with variable backbones through sequence control.

The properties and functions of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) can be tailored by tuning their structure, including their shape, porosity and topology. However, the design and synthesis of complex structures in a predictable manner remains challenging. Here we report the preparation of a series of isomeric pillar-layered MOFs, and we show that their three-dimensional topology can be controlled by altering the layer stacking.

Isolation of a planar π-aromatic Bi ring in a cobalt-based inverse-sandwich-type complex.

Monocyclic π-aromatic compounds are ubiquitous throughout almost all fields of natural sciences-as synthons in industrial processes, as ligands of metal complexes for catalysis or sensing and as bioactive molecules. Planar organocycles stand out through their specific way of overcoming electron deficiency by a non-localizable set of (4n + 2)π electrons. By contrast, all-metal aromatic monocycles are still rare, as metal atoms prefer to form clusters with multiply bonded atoms instead.