Health Care Spending Increases and Value in South Korea.

Importance: Health care spending in South Korea (hereafter Korea) nearly doubled from 2010 to 2019. However, little is known about the drivers and effectiveness of these spending increases in terms of changes in disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs).

Objectives: To evaluate the factors contributing to changes in health care spending and DALYs and estimate the value of health care spending from 2010 to 2019 in Korea.

Optimizing orthobiologic therapies with exercise, diet, and supplements.

Orthobiologic injections including platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and cell-based injections are becoming increasingly popular. Evidence suggests that these therapies can be effective in certain situations. The efficacy of these injections may be more dependent on the quality of the injectate, which given their autologous nature, may be dependent on lifestyle choices like exercise, diet, and supplements.

The Songdo consensus: Development of minimum reporting standards for studies of intervention in idiopathic anal fistula using a modified nominal group technique.

Aim: Cryptoglandular anal fistulas carry a substantial burden to quality of life. Surgery is the only effective curative treatment but requires balancing fistula healing against pain, wounds and continence impairment. Sphincter-preserving procedures do exist but demonstrate variable rates of success.

The Viral K1 Killer Yeast System: Toxicity, Immunity, and Resistance.

Killer yeasts, such as the K1 killer strain of S. Cerevisiae, express a secreted anti-competitive toxin whose production and propagation require the presence of two vertically-transmitted dsRNA viruses. In sensitive cells lacking killer virus infection, toxin binding to the cell wall results in ion pore formation, disruption of osmotic homeostasis, and cell death.

Association Between Symptoms of Body Dysmorphia and Social Media Usage: A Cross-Generational Comparison.

The rise of social media parallels a mental health epidemic. The effect of social media usage on rates and severity of body dysmorphic disorder is not well-understood. To determine if an association exists between social media engagement, body dysmorphia symptoms, and/or interest in cosmetic surgery in a demographically diverse cross-section of the U.

Effects of Iron Impurities and Content on Electrochemical Performance and Oxygen Evolution Selectivity of Nickel Catalysts for Ethanol Oxidation.

Although performance enhancements due to trace Fe incorporation into Ni catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) have been well documented, the effects of trace versus bulk Fe incorporation into Ni catalysts for the ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR)─a promising anodic alternative to OER─are unclear. Herein, we perform extensive cyclic voltammetry experiments on Ni-based thin films to show that trace Fe incorporation from electrolyte impurities has a minimal impact on EOR performance, while codeposited Fe significantly suppresses catalytic current (by half at 1.5 V).

Role of tRNA-Derived Fragments in Protozoan Parasite Biology.

tRNA molecules are among the most fundamental and evolutionarily conserved RNA types, primarily facilitating the translation of genetic information from mRNA into proteins. Beyond their canonical role as adaptor molecules during protein synthesis, tRNAs have evolved to perform additional functions. One such non-canonical role for tRNAs is through the generation of tRNA-derived fragments via specific cleavage processes.

Delivering Volumetric Hyperthermia to Head and Neck Cancer Patient-Specific Models Using an Ultrasound Spherical Random Phased Array Transducer.

In exploring adjuvant therapies for head and neck cancer, hyperthermia (40-45 °C) has shown efficacy in enhancing chemotherapy and radiation, as well as the delivery of liposomal drugs. Current hyperthermia treatments, however, struggle to reach large deep tumors uniformly and non-invasively. This study investigates the feasibility of delivering targeted uniform hyperthermia deep into the tissue using a non-invasive ultrasound spherical random phased array transducer.

Synthesizing the Evidence Base to Enhance Coordination between Humanitarian Mine Action and Emergency Care for Casualties of Explosive Ordnance and Explosive Weapons: A Scoping Review.

Background: Humanitarian mine action (HMA) stakeholders have an organized presence with well-resourced medical capability in many conflict and post-conflict settings. Humanitarian mine action has the potential to positively augment local trauma care capacity for civilian casualties of explosive ordnance (EO) and explosive weapons (EWs). Yet at present, few strategies exist for coordinated engagement between HMA and the health sector to support emergency care system strengthening to improve outcomes among EO/EW casualties.

Sex-Specific Clinical and Genetic Factors Associated With Adverse Outcomes in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

Background: Females with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy present at a more advanced stage of the disease and have a higher risk of heart failure and death. The factors behind these differences are unclear. We aimed to investigate sex-related differences in clinical and genetic factors affecting adverse outcomes in the Sarcomeric Human Cardiomyopathy Registry.

Temporal Trends of Fungal Infections in Cirrhotic Patients: A Retrospective Cohort Study 2016-2020.

Background: Patients with cirrhosis are susceptible to infections due to abnormalities in humoral and cell-mediated immunity. Fungal infections are associated with delayed diagnosis and high mortality rates, emphasizing the importance of performing fungal cultures and maintaining elevated levels of suspicion in this patient population.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study analyzes cirrhotic patients readmitted with bacterial and fungal infections and investigates outcomes, including in-hospital mortality and hospital resource utilization.

Advancing precision cancer immunotherapy drug development, administration, and response prediction with AI-enabled Raman spectroscopy.

Molecular characterization of tumors is essential to identify predictive biomarkers that inform treatment decisions and improve precision immunotherapy development and administration. However, challenges such as the heterogeneity of tumors and patient responses, limited efficacy of current biomarkers, and the predominant reliance on single-omics data, have hindered advances in accurately predicting treatment outcomes. Standard therapy generally applies a "one size fits all" approach, which not only provides ineffective or limited responses, but also an increased risk of off-target toxicities and acceleration of resistance mechanisms or adverse effects.

Ethnic and racial differences in children and young people with respiratory and neurological post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2: an electronic health record-based cohort study from the RECOVER Initiative.

Background: Children from racial and ethnic minority groups are at greater risk for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, but it is unclear whether they have increased risk for post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC). Our objectives were to assess whether the risk of respiratory and neurologic PASC differs by race/ethnicity and social drivers of health.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of individuals <21 years seeking care at 24 health systems across the U.

Synthesis, Structure, and Redox Reactivity of Ni Complexes Bearing a Redox and Acid-Base Non-innocent Ligand with Ni, Ni, and Ni Formal Oxidation States.

A series of Ni complexes bearing a redox and acid-base noninnocent tetraamido macrocyclic ligand, H-(TAML-4) {H-(TAML-4) = 15,15-dimethyl-5,8,13,17-tetrahydro-5,8,13,17-tetraaza-dibenzo[]cyclotridecene-6,7,14,16-tetraone}, with formal oxidation states of Ni, Ni, and Ni were synthesized and characterized structurally and spectroscopically. The X-ray crystallographic analysis of the Ni complexes revealed a square planar geometry, and the [Ni(TAML-4)] complex with the formal oxidation state of Ni was characterized to be [Ni(TAML-4)] with the oxidation state of the Ni ion and the one-electron oxidized TAML-4 ligand, TAML-4. The Ni oxidation state and the TAML-4 radical cation ligand, TAML-4, were supported by X-ray absorption spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations.

Ramadan during pregnancy and the role of dietary intake for neonatal health in Kaduna, Northwestern Nigeria: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Ramadan during pregnancy is associated with adverse offspring health outcomes. Recent evidence from Europe indicates that maternal diet during non-fasting hours might alleviate these effects. This study describes fasting, diet, and sleep habits among pregnant Muslims in Kaduna, Nigeria, and assesses impacts on neonatal health in this setting.

Lung injury in myocardial infarction-associated cardiogenic shock supported by venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: a scoping review.

Background: Acute lung injury and acute respiratory failure are frequent complications of cardiogenic shock and are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Even with increased use of temporary mechanical circulatory support, such as venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO), acute lung injury related to cardiogenic shock continues to have a determinantal effect on patient outcomes.

Objectives: To summarize potential mechanisms of acute lung injury described in patients with cardiogenic shock supported by VA-ECMO and determine current knowledge gaps.

Destabilization of Soil Carbon After Saltwater Intrusion in Coastal Agricultural Soils.

Saltwater intrusion (SWI) is a concerning issue impacting agricultural production and soil C cycling, which can have a wider effect on the climate. Complex soil processes driving soil C cycling following saltwater intrusion have not yet been fully quantified. Agricultural fields with varying degrees of saltwater intrusion, unaffected control, and native tidal marsh were studied to understand the impacts of saltwater intrusion on soil properties and soil carbon dynamics.

Unbound bilirubin and risk of severe neurodevelopmental impairment in extremely low birthweight newborns.

Background: Unbound bilirubin (UB) was measured on day 5 ± 1 in 1101 ELBW newborns in the Aggressive vs Conservative Phototherapy randomized controlled trial. We accessed this dataset to quantify the UB-mediated risk of severe neurodevelopmental impairment (sNDI) in extremely low birthweight (ELBW) newborns.

Methods: UB levels were standardized within laboratories as z-score percentiles.

The relationship between cannabis and cardiovascular disease: clearing the haze.

Cannabis has been consumed for centuries, but global regulatory changes over the past three decades have increased the availability and consumption of cannabis. Cannabinoids are touted to have therapeutic potential for many diseases and could be a replacement for opioids for analgesia and sedation. However, cannabinoids can cause substantial adverse cardiovascular events that would mitigate any potential benefit.