Prior COVID-19 vaccination and reduced risk of cerebrovascular diseases among COVID-19 survivors.

The effects of COVID-19 vaccination on short-term and long-term cerebrovascular risks among COVID-19 survivors remained unknown. We conducted a national multi-center retrospective cohort study with 151 597 vaccinated and 151 597 unvaccinated COVID-19 patients using the TriNetX database, from January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2023. Patients baseline characteristics were balanced with propensity score matching (PSM). The outcomes were incident cerebrovascular diseases occurred between 1st and 30th days (short-term) after COVID-19 diagnosis. Nine subgroup analyses were conducted to explore potential effect modifications. We performed six sensitivity analyses, including evaluation of outcomes between 1st to 180th days, accounting for competing risk, and incorporating different variant timeline to test the robustness of our results. Kaplan-Meier curves and Log-Rank tests were performed to evaluate survival difference. Cox proportional hazards regressions were adopted to estimate the PSM-adjusted hazard ratios (HR). The overall short-term cerebrovascular risks were lower in the vaccinated group compared to the unvaccinated group (HR: 0.66, 95% CI: 0.56-0.77), specifically cerebral infarction (HR: 0.62, 95% CI: 0.48-0.79), occlusion and stenosis of precerebral arteries (HR: 0.74, 95% CI: 0.53-0.98), other cerebrovascular diseases (HR: 0.57, 95% CI: 0.42-0.77), and sequelae of cerebrovascular disease (HR: 0.39, 95% CI:0.23-0.68). Similarly, the overall cerebrovascular risks were lower in those vaccinated among most subgroups. The long-term outcomes, though slightly attenuated, were consistent (HR: 0.80, 95% CI: 0.73-0.87). Full 2-dose vaccination was associated with a further reduced risk of cerebrovascular diseases (HR: 0.63, 95% CI: 0.50-0.80) compared to unvaccinated patients. Unvaccinated COVID-19 survivors have significantly higher cerebrovascular risks than their vaccinated counterparts. Thus, clinicians are recommended to monitor this population closely for stroke events during postinfection follow-up.

Capacitive and Efficient Near-Infrared Stimulation of Neurons via an Ultrathin AgBiS2 Nanocrystal Layer.

Colloidal nanocrystals (NCs) exhibit significant potential for photovoltaic bioelectronic interfaces because of their solution processability, tunable energy levels, and inorganic nature, lending them chemical stability. Silver bismuth sulfide (AgBiS2) NCs, free from toxic heavy-metal elements (e.g., Cd, Hg, and Pb), particularly offer an exceptional absorption coefficient exceeding 105 cm-1 in the near-infrared (NIR), surpassing many of their inorganic counterparts. Here, we integrated an ultrathin (24 nm) AgBiS2 NC layer into a water-stable photovoltaic bioelectronic device architecture that showed a high capacitive photocurrent of 2.3 mA·cm-2 in artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF) and ionic charges over 10 µC·cm-2 at a low NIR intensity of 0.5 mW·mm-2. The device without encapsulation showed a halftime of 12.5 years under passive accelerated aging test and did not show any toxicity on neurons. Furthermore, patch-clamp electrophysiology on primary hippocampal neurons under whole-cell configuration revealed that the device elicited neuron firing at intensity levels more than an order of magnitude below the established ocular safety limits. These findings point to the potential of AgBiS2 NCs for photovoltaic retinal prostheses.

Characterization of Genotype V Japanese Encephalitis Virus Isolates from Republic of Korea.

Japanese encephalitis (JE), caused by the Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) infection, continues to pose significant public health challenges worldwide despite efficient vaccines. The virus is classified into five genotypes, among which genotype V (GV) was not detected for a long period after its initial isolation in 1952, until reports emerged from China and the Republic of Korea (ROK) since 2009. The characteristics of the virus are crucial in estimating its potential epidemiological impact. However, characterization of GV JEVs has so far been limited to two strains: Muar, the original isolate, and XZ0934, isolated in China. Two additional ROK GV JEV isolates, NCCP 43279 and NCCP 43413, are currently available, but their characteristics have not been explored. Our phylogenetic analysis revealed that GV virus sequences from the ROK segregate into two clades. NCCP 43279 and NCCP 43413 belong to different clades and exhibit distinct in vitro phenotypes. NCCP 43279 forms larger plaques but demonstrates inefficient propagation in cell culture compared to NCCP 43413. In vivo, NCCP 43279 induces higher morbidity and mortality in mice than NCCP 43413. Notably, NCCP 43279 shows more severe blood-brain barrier damage, suggesting superior brain invasion capabilities. Consistent with its higher virulence, NCCP 43279 displays more pronounced histopathological and immunopathological outcomes. In conclusion, our study confirms that the two ROK isolates are not only classified into different clades but also exhibit distinct in vitro and in vivo characteristics.

Examining the typical hemodynamic performance of nearly 3000 modern surgical aortic bioprostheses.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this analysis was to assess the normal haemodynamic performance of contemporary surgical aortic valves at 1 year postimplant in patients undergoing surgical aortic valve replacement for significant valvular dysfunction. By pooling data from 4 multicentre studies, this study will contribute to a better understanding of the effectiveness of surgical aortic valve replacement procedures, aiding clinicians and researchers in making informed decisions regarding valve selection and patient management. METHODS: Echocardiograms were assessed by a single core laboratory. Effective orifice area, dimensionless velocity index, mean aortic gradient, peak aortic velocity and stroke volume were evaluated. RESULTS: The cohort included 2958 patients. Baseline age in the studies ranged from 70.1 ± 9.0 to 83.3 ± 6.4 years, and Society of Thoracic Surgeons risk of mortality was 1.9 ± 0.7 to 7.5 ± 3.4%. Twenty patients who had received a valve model implanted in fewer than 10 cases were excluded. Ten valve models (all tissue valves; n = 2938 patients) were analysed. At 1 year, population mean effective orifice area ranged from 1.46 ± 0.34 to 2.12 ± 0.59 cm2, and dimensionless velocity index, from 0.39 ± 0.07 to 0.56 ± 0.15. The mean gradient ranged from 8.6 ± 3.4 to 16.1 ± 6.2 mmHg with peak aortic velocity of 1.96 ± 0.39 to 2.65 ± 0.47 m/s. Stroke volume was 75.3 ± 19.6 to 89.8 ± 24.3 ml. CONCLUSIONS: This pooled cohort is the largest to date of contemporary surgical aortic valves with echocardiograms analysed by a single core lab. Overall haemodynamic performance at 1 year ranged from good to excellent. These data can serve as a benchmark for other studies and may be useful to evaluate the performance of bioprosthetic surgical valves over time. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT02088554, NCT02701283, NCT01586910 and NCT01531374.

Validating Well-Functioning Hepatic Organoids for Toxicity Evaluation.

"Organoids", three-dimensional self-organized organ-like miniature tissues, are proposed as intermediary models that bridge the gap between animal and human studies in drug development. Despite recent advancements in organoid model development, studies on toxicity using these models are limited. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to analyze the functionality and gene expression of pre- and post-differentiated human hepatic organoids derived from induced pluripotent stem cells and utilize them for toxicity assessment. First, we confirmed the functional similarity of this hepatic organoid model to the human liver through various functional assessments, such as glycogen storage, albumin and bile acid secretion, and cytochrome P450 (CYP) activity. Subsequently, utilizing these functionally validated hepatic organoids, we conducted toxicity evaluations with three hepatotoxic substances (ketoconazole, troglitazone, and tolcapone), which are well known for causing drug-induced liver injury, and three non-hepatotoxic substances (sucrose, ascorbic acid, and biotin). The organoids effectively distinguished between the toxicity levels of substances with and without hepatic toxicity. We demonstrated the potential of hepatic organoids with validated functionalities and genetic characteristics as promising models for toxicity evaluation by analyzing toxicological changes occurring in hepatoxic drug-treated organoids.

A Novel Inhibitor of Translation Initiation Factor eIF5B in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The eukaryotic translation initiation factor eIF5B is a bacterial IF2 ortholog that plays an important role in ribosome joining and stabilization of the initiator tRNA on the AUG start codon during the initiation of translation. We identified the fluorophenyl oxazole derivative 2,2-dibromo-1-(2-(4-fluorophenyl)benzo[d]oxazol-5-yl)ethanone quinolinol as an inhibitor of fungal protein synthesis using an in vitro translation assay in a fungal system. Mutants resistant to this compound were isolated in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and were demonstrated to contain amino acid substitutions in eIF5B that conferred the resistance. These results suggest that eIF5B is a target of potential antifungal compound and that mutation of eIF5B can confer resistance. Subsequent identification of 16 other mutants revealed that primary mutations clustered mainly on domain 2 of eIF5B and secondarily mainly on domain 4. Domain 2 has been implicated in the interaction with the small ribosomal subunit during initiation of translation. The tested translation inhibitor could act by weakening the functional contact between eIF5B and the ribosome complex. This data provides the basis for the development of a new family of antifungals.

Sports-related fractures in the geriatric population at a level I trauma center.

BACKGROUND: The population is rapidly aging and remains active over the age of 65 years. An increasing number of sports-related fractures (SRFs) in individuals 65 and older are thus anticipated. Despite the increase in SRFs among the geriatric population, there are limited studies regarding the epidemiological data regarding SRFs in geriatric patients. This study examined the epidemiology of SRFs in a geriatric population who visited a level I trauma center. METHODS: Data from geriatric patients who visited a level I trauma center were collected between June 2020 and July 2023. Overall, 1,109 geriatric patients with fractures were included in the study. Among them, 144 (13.0%) had fractures during sports activities (SRF group) and 965 (87.0%) had fractures during non-sports activities (non-SRF group). We investigated the type of sport in the SRFs and compared SRFs and NSRFs to describe the differences in patient, fracture, and treatment characteristics. RESULTS: The mean age of SRFs was significantly lower (73.6 vs. 78.7 years; P < .001). The proportion of men was significantly higher in the SRF group than in the non-SRF group (51.4 vs. 29.6%; P < .001). We identified 13 types of sports associated with fractures, and the four most common were outdoor walking (36.1%), outdoor biking (27.8%), mountain hiking (19.4%), and gym (8.3%). There were no significant differences in the rate of hospitalization, operative treatment, or length of hospital stay between the two groups. However, compared to the non-SRF group, patients in the SRF group tended to return home after hospitalization (P = .002). CONCLUSION: This epidemiological study describes geriatric population that continues to be involved in sports and is thus susceptible to fractures. The identification of the type and distribution of SRFs in geriatric patients provides useful information for determining risk factors and appropriate preventive measures that may reduce their incidence.

Association of gut microbiome with immune microenvironment in surgically treated colorectal cancer patients.

This study explored the relationship between faecal microbiota distribution and local or systemic immune response in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). The study population included 114 surgically treated CRC patients. Faeces were analysed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The immune score in tumour microenvironment was evaluated using CD3 and CD8 immunohistochemistry. Genetic alterations, microsatellite instability status and five systemic inflammatory markers were also analysed. Thirty of 114 (26.3%) CRC patients were categorised as the 'immune type' with a high density of T-cells. The immune type CRC cases showed lower angiolymphatic invasion and longer overall survival. Of the 123 selected bacterial species, Bacteroides fragilis and Collinsella aerofaciens were prevalent in immune CRC cases, whereas Odoribacter splanchnicus and Phascolarctobacterium succinatutens were prevalent in non-immune CRC patients. Bacteroides fragilis was associated with shorter disease free survival in univariable and multivariable survival analyses. Regarding systemic immunity, a high prevalence of C. aerofaciens was associated with a high modified Glasgow prognostic score. This study revealed a potential relationship among the gut microbiome, immune microenvironment, and disease progression in patients with CRC. Our findings suggest that abundant B. fragilis in patients with CRC is associated with a 'cold immune' tumour microenvironment.

Fine-mapping analysis including over 254,000 East Asian and European descendants identifies 136 putative colorectal cancer susceptibility genes.

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified more than 200 common genetic variants independently associated with colorectal cancer (CRC) risk, but the causal variants and target genes are mostly unknown. We sought to fine-map all known CRC risk loci using GWAS data from 100,204 cases and 154,587 controls of East Asian and European ancestry. Our stepwise conditional analyses revealed 238 independent association signals of CRC risk, each with a set of credible causal variants (CCVs), of which 28 signals had a single CCV. Our cis-eQTL/mQTL and colocalization analyses using colorectal tissue-specific transcriptome and methylome data separately from 1299 and 321 individuals, along with functional genomic investigation, uncovered 136 putative CRC susceptibility genes, including 56 genes not previously reported. Analyses of single-cell RNA-seq data from colorectal tissues revealed 17 putative CRC susceptibility genes with distinct expression patterns in specific cell types. Analyses of whole exome sequencing data provided additional support for several target genes identified in this study as CRC susceptibility genes. Enrichment analyses of the 136 genes uncover pathways not previously linked to CRC risk. Our study substantially expanded association signals for CRC and provided additional insight into the biological mechanisms underlying CRC development.

Transcatheter or Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement in Women With Small Annuli at Low or Intermediate Surgical Risk.

There are limited data from randomized controlled trials assessing the impact of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) or surgery in women with aortic stenosis and small aortic annuli. We evaluated 2-year clinical and hemodynamic outcomes after aortic valve replacement to understand acute valve performance and early and midterm clinical outcomes. This post hoc analysis pooled women enrolled in the randomized, prospective, multicenter Evolut Low Risk and SURTAVI intermediate risk trials. Women with severe aortic stenosis at low or intermediate surgical risk who had a computed tomography-measured annular perimeter of ≤72.3 mm were included and underwent self-expanding, supra-annular TAVR or surgery. The primary end point was 2-year all-cause mortality or disabling stroke rate. The study included 620 women (323 TAVR, 297 surgery) with a mean age of 78 years. At 2 years, the all-cause mortality or disabling stroke was 6.5% for TAVR and 8.0% for surgery, p = 0.47. Pacemaker rates were 20.0% for TAVR and 8.3% for surgery, p <0.001. The mean effective orifice area at 2 years was 1.9 ± 0.5 cm2 for TAVR and 1.6 ± 0.5 cm2 for surgery and the mean gradient was 8.0 ± 4.1 versus 12.7 ± 6.0 mm Hg, respectively (both p <0.001). Moderate or severe patient-prothesis mismatch at discharge occurred in 10.9% of patients who underwent TAVR and 33.2% of patients who underwent surgery, p <0.001. In conclusion, in women with small annuli, the clinical outcomes to 2 years were similar between self-expanding, supra-annular TAVR and surgery, with better hemodynamics in the TAVR group and fewer pacemakers in the surgical group.

Energy Metabolism in Human Pluripotent Stem and Differentiated Cells Compared Using a Seahorse XF96 Extracellular Flux Analyzer.

Evaluating cell metabolism is crucial during pluripotent stem cell (PSC) differentiation and somatic cell reprogramming as it affects cell fate. As cultured stem cells are heterogeneous, a comparative analysis of relative metabolism using existing metabolic analysis methods is difficult, resulting in inaccuracies. In this study, we measured human PSC basal metabolic levels using a Seahorse analyzer. We used fibroblasts, human induced PSCs, and human embryonic stem cells to monitor changes in basal metabolic levels according to cell number and determine the number of cells suitable for analysis. We evaluated normalization methods using glucose and selected the most suitable for the metabolic analysis of heterogeneous PSCs during the reprogramming stage. The response of fibroblasts to glucose increased with starvation time, with oxygen consumption rate and extracellular acidification rate responding most effectively to glucose 4 hours after starvation and declining after 5 hours of starvation. Fibroblasts and PSCs achieved appropriate responses to glucose without damaging their metabolism 2∼4 and 2∼3 hours after starvation, respectively. We developed a novel method for comparing basal metabolic rates of fibroblasts and PSCs, focusing on quantitative analysis of glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation using glucose without enzyme inhibitors. This protocol enables efficient comparison of energy metabolism among cell types, including undifferentiated PSCs, differentiated cells, and cells undergoing cellular reprogramming, and addresses critical issues, such as differences in basal metabolic levels and sensitivity to normalization, providing valuable insights into cellular energetics.

Sex differences of the association between handgrip strength and health-related quality of life among patients with cancer.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the association between handgrip strength (HGS) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL), demonstrating HGS as an effective indicator for evaluating HRQoL of patients with cancer. Analyzing 1657 Korean adult cancer patients (644 males, 1013 females) aged ≥ 20 years from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2014-2019), HGS was standardized based on body mass index and categorized by sex. HRQoL was assessed using the Euro Quality of Life-5-Dimension 3-Level version (EQ-5D-3L) Index. Lower relative HGS was associated with decreased HRQoL in female patients, while no significant association was found in male patients. The lowest quartile of relative HGS exhibited a 2.5-fold decrease in HRQoL compared to the highest quartile (OR 2.50, 95% CI 1.59-3.95, p < 0.001). Both male and female patients with cancer were affected by age, subjective health perception, and stress recognition regarding HRQoL. This study suggests that HGS may be associated with the HRQoL of female patients with cancer, emphasizing that the HGS measurement can be effectively utilized as a pivotal tool for evaluating HRQoL in female patients with cancer.

Controlled Molecular Arrangement of Cinnamic Acid in Layered Double Hydroxide through pi-pi Interaction for Controlled Release.

Cinnamic acid (CA) was successfully incorporated into Zn-Al layered double hydroxide (LDH) through coprecipitation. The CA moiety was stabilized in the interlayer space through not only electrostatic interaction but also intermolecular π-π interaction. It was noteworthy that the CA arrangement was fairly independent of the charge density of LDH, showing the important role of the layer-CA and CA-CA interactions in molecular stabilization. Computer simulations using the Monte Carlo method as well as analytical approaches including infrared, UV-vis spectroscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry showed the existence of intermolecular interaction. In order to reinforce molecular stabilization, a neutral derivative of CA, cinnamaldehyde (CAD), was additionally incorporated into LDH. It was clearly shown that CAD played a role as a π-π interaction mediator to enhance the stabilization of CA. The time-dependent release of CA from LDH was first governed by the layer charge density of LDH; however, the existence of CAD provided additional stabilization to the CA arrangement to slow down the release kinetics.

Food deserts exposure, density of fast-food restaurants, and park access: Exploring the association of food and recreation environments with obesity and diabetes using global and local regression models.

To prevent obesity and diabetes environmental interventions such as eliminating food deserts, restricting proliferation of food swamps, and improving park access are essential. In the United States, however, studies that examine the food and park access relationship with obesity and diabetes using both global and local regression are lacking. To guide county, state, and federal policy in combating obesity and diabetes, there is a need for cross-scale analyses to identify that relationship at national and local levels. This study applied spatial regression and geographically weighted regression to the 3,108 counties in the contiguous United States. Global regression show food deserts exposure and density of fast-food restaurants have non-significant association with obesity and diabetes while park access has a significant inverse association with both diseases. Geographically weighted regression that takes into account spatial heterogeneity shows that, among southern states that show high prevalence of obesity and diabetes, Alabama and Mississippi stand out as having opportunity to improve park access. Results suggest food deserts exposure are positively associated with obesity and diabetes in counties close to Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee while density of fast-food restaurants show positive association with two diseases in counties of western New York and northwestern Pennsylvania. These findings will help policymakers and public health agencies in determining which geographic areas need to be prioritized when implementing public interventions such as promoting healthy food access, limiting unhealthy food options, and increasing park access.

Inhibition of miR-25 ameliorates cardiac and skeletal muscle dysfunction in aged mdx/utrn haploinsufficient (+/-) mice.

Dystrophic cardiomyopathy is a significant feature of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Increased cardiomyocyte cytosolic calcium (Ca2+) and interstitial fibrosis are major pathophysiological hallmarks that ultimately result in cardiac dysfunction. MicroRNA-25 (miR-25) has been identified as a suppressor of both sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase 2a (SERCA2a) and mothers against decapentaplegic homolog-7 (Smad7) proteins. In this study, we created a gene transfer using an miR-25 tough decoy (TuD) RNA inhibitor delivered via recombinant adeno-associated virus serotype 9 (AAV9) to evaluate the effect of miR-25 inhibition on cardiac and skeletal muscle function in aged dystrophin/utrophin haploinsufficient mice mdx/utrn (+/-), a validated transgenic murine model of DMD. We found that the intravenous delivery of AAV9 miR-25 TuD resulted in strong and stable inhibition of cardiac miR-25 levels, together with the restoration of SERCA2a and Smad7 expression. This was associated with the amelioration of cardiomyocyte interstitial fibrosis as well as recovered cardiac function. Furthermore, the direct quadricep intramuscular injection of AAV9 miR-25 TuD significantly restored skeletal muscle Smad7 expression, reduced tissue fibrosis, and enhanced skeletal muscle performance in mdx/utrn (+/-) mice. These results imply that miR-25 TuD gene transfer may be a novel therapeutic approach to restore cardiomyocyte Ca2+ homeostasis and abrogate tissue fibrosis in DMD.

Association between drinking behaviors, sleep duration, and depressive symptoms.

Excessive alcohol consumption has been consistently linked to depression. This study, utilizing nationwide samples from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (n = 21,440) examined the association between drinking behaviors and depressive symptoms while also exploring the influence of sleep duration on this relationship. Demographic, socioeconomic, and health-related factors were included as covariates in the multivariable logistic regression analysis to assess their relationships with depressive symptoms. Based on their sleep duration, the participants were divided into subgroups to explore how sleep duration affects the relationship between drinking behaviors and depressive symptoms. Moderate alcohol consumption (1-4 times a month) was associated with reduced likelihood of experiencing depressive symptoms in women (p = 0.024), with a similar trend observed among men (p = 0.001). Men who started consuming alcohol before the age of 19 had a higher likelihood of experiencing depressive symptoms (p = 0.048). Only women who consumed more alcohol per occasion (≥ 7 drinks) had higher odds of depressive symptoms (p = 0.001). This study revealed complex factors that influence depressive symptoms, including alcohol consumption and sleep duration. This highlights the importance of tailored interventions based on sleep duration and sociodemographic characteristics for preventing and treating depression.

Tyrosinase-Based Proximity Labeling in Living Cells and In Vivo.

Characterizing the protein constituents of a specific organelle and protein neighbors of a protein of interest (POI) is essential for understanding the function and state of the organelle and protein networks associated with the POI. Proximity labeling (PL) has emerged as a promising technology for specific and efficient spatial proteomics. Nevertheless, most enzymes adopted for PL still have limitations: APEX requires cytotoxic H2O2 for activation and thus is poor in biocompatibility for in vivo application, BioID shows insufficient labeling kinetics, and TurboID suffers from high background biotinylation. Here, we introduce a bacterial tyrosinase (BmTyr) as a new PL enzyme suitable for H2O2-free, fast (≤10 min in living cells), and low-background protein tagging. BmTyr is genetically encodable and enables subcellular-resolved PL and proteomics in living cells. We further designed a strategy of ligand-tethered BmTyr for in vivo PL, which unveiled the surrounding proteome of a neurotransmitter receptor (Grm1 and Drd2) in its resident synapse in a live mouse brain. Overall, BmTyr is one promising enzyme that can improve and expand PL-based applications and discoveries.

High-Volume Hospital Had Lower Mortality of Severe Intracerebral Hemorrhage Patients.

Objective: Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) accompanies higher mortality rates than other type of stroke. This study aimed to investigate the association between hospital volume and mortality for cases of ICH. Methods: We used nationwide data from 2013 to 2018 to compare high-volume hospitals (≥32 admissions/year) and low-volume hospitals (<32 admissions/year). We tracked patients' survival at 3-month, 1-year, 2-year, and 4-year endpoints. The survival of ICH patients was analyzed at 3-month, 1-year, 2-year, and 4-year endpoints using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Multivariable logistic regression analysis and Cox regression analysis were performed to determine predictive factors of poor outcomes at discharge and death. Results: Among 9,086 ICH patients who admitted to hospital during 18-month period, 6,756 (74.4%) and 2,330 (25.6%) patients were admitted to high-volume and low-volume hospitals. The mortality of total ICH patients was 18.25%, 23.87%, 27.88%, and 35.74% at the 3-month, 1-year, 2-year, and 4-year, respectively. In multivariate logistic analysis, high-volume hospitals had lower poor functional outcome at discharge than low-volume hospitals (odds ratio, 0.80; 95% confidence interval, 0.72-0.91; p < 0.001). In the Cox analysis, high-volume hospitals had significantly lower 3-month, 1-year, 2-year, and 4-year mortality than low-volume hospitals (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The poor outcome at discharge, short- and long-term mortality in ICH patients differed according to hospital volume. High-volume hospitals showed lower rates of mortality for ICH patients, particularly those with severe clinical status.

Comparison of blood loss between intra-articular microporous polysaccharide hemospheres powder and tranexamic acid following primary total knee arthroplasty.

Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is associated with substantial blood loss and tranexamic acid (TXA) effectively reduces postoperative bleeding. Although it is known that there is no difference between intravenous or intra-articular (IA) injection, the general interest is directed towards topical hemostatic agents regarding thromboembolic events in high-risk patients. This study aimed to compare the blood conservation effects of IA MPH powder and TXA in patients undergoing primary TKA. We retrospectively analyzed 103 patients who underwent primary TKA between June 2020 and December 2021. MPH powder was applied to the IA space before capsule closure (MPH group, n = 51). TXA (3 g) was injected via the drain after wound closure (TXA group, n = 52). All patients underwent drain clamping for three postoperative hours. The primary outcome was the drain output, and the secondary outcomes were the postoperative hemoglobin (Hb) levels during the hospitalization period and the perioperative blood transfusion rates. An independent Student's t-test was used to determine differences between the two groups. The drain output in the first 24 h after surgery was significantly higher in the MPH group than in the TXA group. The postoperative Hb levels were significantly lower in the MPH group than in the TXA group. In patients with simultaneous bilateral TKA, there was a significant difference in the blood transfusion volumes and the rates between groups. It is considered that IA MPH powder cannot replace IA TXA because of an inferior efficacy in reducing blood loss and maintaining postoperative Hb levels in the early postoperative period after primary TKA. Moreover, in the case of simultaneous bilateral TKA, we do not recommend the use of IA MPH powder because it was notably less effective in the field of transfusion volume and rate.

The interaction effect of dietary selenium intake and the IL10 rs1800871 polymorphism on the risk of colorectal cancer: a case-control study in Korea.

The importance of Se in human health has received much attention due to its antioxidant properties when it is consumed at an appropriate level. However, the existing evidence is limited to obtain an effective conclusion for colorectal cancer (CRC). Notably, an adequate intake of Se was reported for Koreans. Furthermore, cytokine secretion and immune function may be affected by dietary Se. Our study aimed to explore whether Se potentially reduces CRC risk and whether the IL10 rs1800871 polymorphism has an effect on this association. We designed a case-control study with 1420 cases and 2840 controls. A semi-quantitative FFQ was used to obtain information on Se intake. We determined IL10 rs1800871 through genetic analysis. Different models were developed to explore Se intake related to CRC risk by calculating OR and 95 % CI using unconditional logistic regression. A reduced risk of CRC was found as Se intake increased, with an OR (95 % CI) of 0·44 (0·35, 0·55) (Pfor trend < 0·001). However, this association seems to be allele-specific and only present among risk variant allele carriers (GA/GG) with a significant interaction between dietary Se and IL10 rs1800871 (Pfor interaction = 0·043). We emphasised that a reduction in CRC risk is associated with appropriate Se intake. However, the IL10 rs1800871 polymorphism has an impact on this reduction, with a greater effect on variant allele carriers. These findings suggest the importance of considering an individual's genetic characteristics when developing nutritional strategies for CRC prevention.