Familial chylomicronemia syndrome: case reports of siblings with deletions of the GPIHBP1 gene.

BACKGROUND: Familial chylomicronemia syndrome (FCS) is a rare monogenic form of severe hypertriglyceridemia, caused by mutations in genes involved in triglyceride metabolism. Herein, we report the case of a Korean family with familial chylomicronemia syndrome caused by compound heterozygous deletions of glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored high-density lipoprotein-binding protein 1 (GPIHBP1). CASE PRESENTATION: A 4-year-old boy was referred for the evaluation of severe hypertriglyceridemia (3734 mg/dL) that was incidentally detected 4 months prior. His elder brother also demonstrated an elevated triglyceride level of 2133 mg/dL at the age of 9. Lipoprotein electrophoresis revealed the presence of chylomicrons, an increase in the proportion of pre-beta lipoproteins, and low serum lipoprotein lipase levels. The patient's parents and first elder brother had stable lipid profiles. For suspected FCS, genetic testing was performed using the next-generation sequencing-based analysis of 31 lipid metabolism-associated genes, which revealed no pathogenic variants. However, copy number variant screening using sequencing depth information suggested large heterozygous deletion encompassing all the coding exons of GPIHBP1. A real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction was performed to validate the deletion site. The results showed that the siblings had two heterozygous copy number variants consisting of the whole gene and an exon 4 deletion, each inherited from their parents. During the follow-up period of 17 months, the patient did not develop pancreatitis, following dietary intervention. CONCLUSION: These siblings' case of familial chylomicronemia syndrome caused by rare GPIHBP1 deletions highlight the implementation of copy number variants-beyond next-generation sequencing-as an important consideration in diagnosis. Accurate genetic diagnosis is necessary to establish the etiology of severe hypertriglyceridemia, which increases the risk of pancreatitis.

Effects of individual and environmental factors on COVID-19 infection control practices in small to medium-sized hospitals.

BACKGROUND: This study analyzed the influence of individual and environmental factors on infection control practices among nurses in small to medium-sized hospitals of South Korea during the pandemic. METHODS: We enrolled 171 nurses from five infectious disease specialized hospitals with 200 to 299 beds located in metropolitan areas of South Korea. Individual factors, including general characteristics, COVID-19 knowledge, attitude, and risk perception, and environmental factor including COVID-19 safety climate, were collected using self-report questionnaires. Individual and environmental factors were analyzed using multiple logistic regression. RESULTS: COVID-19-related safety climate (ß=.423) had the greatest association with infection control practices, followed by COVID-19-related attitude (ß=.174). Higher safety climate and attitude scores were associated with higher scores in infection control practices. The explanatory power of these variables was 30.6%. CONCLUSION: This study indicated that safety climate and COVID-19-related attitudes significantly influence infection control practices in small to medium-sized hospitals. This provides a basis to establish policies for responses to emerging infectious diseases in small to medium-sized hospitals, and contribute to consistent guidelines.

Association between Dyslipidemia and Glycated Hemoglobin in a Population-Based Study.

Diabetes mellitus and dyslipidemia are well-known risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Unfortunately, the prevalence of dyslipidemia and diabetes mellitus among individuals over 30 years of age in Korea has continuously increased. The current study therefore investigated the association between dyslipidemia and high glycated hemoglobin (Hemoglobin A1c, HbA1c) levels according to age group in adults over 20 years old. We used data from the 7th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 2016 to 2017. Glycated hemoglobin, a well-established marker for elevated glucose levels, was categorized into three groups, normal (<5.7%), prediabetes (5.7-6.4%), and diabetes (≥6.5%). The presence of dyslipidemia was defined based on a diagnosis of dyslipidemia by a physician. Logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate the association between the prevalence of dyslipidemia and glycated hemoglobin according to age group. After adjusting for possible confounders, including age, sex, body mass index, marital status, education, occupation, household income, drinking, and smoking, we found a significant increase in the odds ratios (ORs) for dyslipidemia in the prediabetes (OR; 1.915, 95% CI; 1.696 to 2.163) and diabetes (OR; 3.533, 95% CI; 3.019 to 4.134) groups. Among subjects with higher glycated hemoglobin levels, those in their 40s or over had significantly increased odds for dyslipidemia. The current study found an association between high glycated hemoglobin levels and a diagnosis of dyslipidemia among Korean adults. Markers of lipid metabolism in adults with high glycated hemoglobin levels may need to be monitored, especially those in their 40s and older.

Effects of micro-sized biodegradable plastics on Microcystis aeruginosa.

Plethora of plastics are being used in current society, generating huge amounts of plastic waste. Non-biodegradability of conventional plastics is one of the main challenges to treat plastic waste. In an effort to increase the efficiency of plastic waste treatment, biodegradable plastics have gained attention. Although the use of biodegradable plastics has been increased, their potential effects on the environments are not fully elucidated yet. In this study, the impacts of micro-sized non-biodegradable plastic (i.e., polystyrene (PS)) and micro-sized biodegradable plastics (i.e., polycaprolactone (PCL) and polylactic acid (PLA)) on Microcystis aeruginosa were investigated. Regardless of microplastic (MP) types, MP treatments inhibited the growth of M. aeruginosa at the beginning (4 days) while significant dose-dependent effect was not observed in the range of 0.1 to 10 mg/L. However, after long-term exposure (12 days), micro-sized biodegradable plastics stimulated the growth of M. aeruginosa (up to 73 % increase compared to the control). The photosynthetic activity showed a similar trend to the cell growth. The MP treatments induced the production of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). Indeed, micro-sized PCL and PLA stimulated the production of protein compounds in EPS. These might have affected the releases of chemicals from PCL and PLA, suggesting that the chemicals in biodegradable plastic leachates would promote the growth of M. aeruginosa in long-term exposure. The MP treatments also induced cyanotoxin (microcystin-LR) productions. Our results give a new insight into the cyanobacterial blooming and suggest a novel relationship between harmful algal blooms (HABs) and biodegradable plastics.

Potential Inflammatory Biomarkers for Major Depressive Disorder Related to Suicidal Behaviors: A Systematic Review.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a highly prevalent psychiatric condition affecting an estimated 280 million individuals globally. Despite the occurrence of suicidal behaviors across various psychiatric conditions, MDD is distinctly associated with the highest risk of suicide attempts and death within this population. In this study, we focused on MDD to identify potential inflammatory biomarkers associated with suicidal risk, given the relationship between depressive states and suicidal ideation. Articles published before June 2023 were searched in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library to identify all relevant studies reporting blood inflammatory biomarkers in patients with MDD with suicide-related behaviors. Of 571 articles, 24 were included in this study. Overall, 43 significant biomarkers associated with MDD and suicide-related behaviors were identified. Our study provided compelling evidence of significant alterations in peripheral inflammatory factors in MDD patients with suicide-related behaviors, demonstrating the potential roles of interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6, C-reactive protein, C-C motif chemokine ligand 2, and tumor necrosis factor-α as biomarkers. These findings underscore the intricate relationship between the inflammatory processes of these biomarkers and their interactions in MDD with suicidal risk.

Occupational Factors Associated With Workers' Depression, Anxiety, and General Fatigue.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to examine occupational factors affecting workers' mental health. METHODS: Using data from the fifth Korean Working Conditions Survey, 50,158 workers were analyzed. A multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted to analyze the occupational factors. RESULTS: Sex, age, education level, occupational type, job satisfaction, shift work, and occupational exposure were risk factors for depression, anxiety, and general fatigue. Furthermore, complete application of PPE decreased the risk of depression and anxiety than no application, but partial application of PPE increased the risk of depression and anxiety. Complete and partial application of PPE increased the risk of general fatigue. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that occupational factors are associated with mental health. This suggests that it is necessary to improve the working environment so that PPE can be applied structurally or systematically to protect against hazardous occupational exposure.

Ineffective implementation of emergency reduction measures against high concentrations of particulate matter in Seoul, Republic of Korea.

Since December 30, 2017, the Seoul Metropolitan Government, Republic of Korea, has been implementing emergency reduction measures (ERMs) restricting the operation of industrial sites, thermal power plants, and vehicles when air quality is expected to deteriorate. ERMs are implemented when the present observed concentration of particulate matter (PM) of aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 µm (PM2.5) and/or the predicted values for the following day exceed a threshold value. In this study, the effectiveness of ERMs was evaluated for 33 days with and 6 days without ERM implementation but where the PM2.5 concentration exceeded the threshold value, until March 15, 2021. Of the 33 days of ERM implementation, on 7 days it was executed despite the thresholds not being met. The ERM on these days might have been properly executed because the pre-notice and implementation of ERM might have reduced the local emissions of air pollutants. Our major findings are that even on days of ERM implementation, there were marginal reductions in vehicle traffic, thermal power generation, and industrial emissions. Second, the concentrations of PM2.5 and related air pollutants in Seoul were almost unchanged for most ERM implementation episodes. Third, most of the 39 (= 33 + 6) days when the air quality worsened were caused by the transboundary transport of air pollutants from China. In conclusion, it was revealed that the currently executed ERM law is insufficient for effectively reducing PM2.5. To achieve the required reductions, it is necessary to undertake stricter policies in Seoul and its neighboring regions.

GFAP as a Potential Biomarker for Alzheimer's Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Blood biomarkers have been considered tools for the diagnosis, prognosis, and monitoring of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Although amyloid-ß peptide (Aß) and tau are primarily blood biomarkers, recent studies have identified other reliable candidates that can serve as measurable indicators of pathological conditions. One such candidate is the glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), an astrocytic cytoskeletal protein that can be detected in blood samples. Increasing evidence suggests that blood GFAP levels can be used to detect early-stage AD. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we aimed to evaluate GFAP in peripheral blood as a biomarker for AD and provide an overview of the evidence regarding its utility. Our analysis revealed that the GFAP level in the blood was higher in the Aß-positive group than in the negative groups, and in individuals with AD or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) compared to the healthy controls. Therefore, we believe that the clinical use of blood GFAP measurements has the potential to accelerate the diagnosis and improve the prognosis of AD.

Antioxidative and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Rosebud Extracts of Newly Crossbred Roses.

Oxidative stress and inflammation are basic pathogenic factors involved in tissue injury and pain, as well as acute and chronic diseases. Since long-term uses of synthetic steroids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) cause severe adverse effects, novel effective materials with minimal side effects are required. In this study, polyphenol content and antioxidative activity of rosebud extracts from 24 newly crossbred Korean roses were analyzed. Among them, Pretty Velvet rosebud extract (PVRE) was found to contain high polyphenols and to show in vitro antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activities. In RAW 264.7 cells stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), PVRE down-regulated mRNA expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and thereby decreased nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production. In a subcutaneous air-pouch inflammation model, treatment with PVRE decreased λ-carrageenan-induced tissue exudation, infiltration of inflammatory cells, and inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1ß concentrations, as achieved with dexamethasone (a representative steroid). Notably, PVRE also inhibited PGE2, similar to dexamethasone and indomethacin (a representative NSAID). The anti-inflammatory effects of PVRE were confirmed by microscopic findings, attenuating tissue erythema, edema, and inflammatory cell infiltration. These results indicate that PVRE exhibits dual (steroid- and NSAID-like) anti-inflammatory activities by blocking both the iNOS-NO and COX-2-PG pathways, and that PVRE could be a potential candidate as an anti-inflammatory material for diverse tissue injuries.

Chiral Supramolecular Multiblock Copolymerization Accompanying Chirality Transfer in Heterostructures via Living Chain Growth.

We report the unique synthesis of chiral supramolecular tri- and penta-BCPs with controllable chirality using kinetically adjusted seeded supramolecular copolymerization in THF and DMSO (99 : 1, v/v). Tetraphenylethylene (d- and l-TPE) derivatives bearing d- and l-alanine side chains formed thermodynamically favored chiral products via a kinetically trapped in monomeric state with a long lag phase. In contrast, achiral TPE-G containing glycine moieties did not form a supramolecular polymer owing to the energy barrier in its kinetically trapped state. We show that the copolymerization of the metastable states of TPE-G not only enables the generation of supramolecular BCPs by the seeded living growth method, but also transfers chirality at the seed ends. This research demonstrates the generation of chiral supramolecular tri- and penta-BCPs with B-A-B, A-B-A-B-A, and C-B-A-B-C block patterns accompanying chirality transfer via seeded living polymerization.

Critical contribution of moisture to the air quality deterioration in a warm and humid weather.

The deterioration of air quality that threatens human health is recognized as focal compound hazard. Here, decisive thermodynamic conditions for activation of secondary aerosol formation have been investigated focused on Korea. In a dry environment with relative humidity < 60%, gas phase reaction to form fine particles depended largely on surface temperature. In a wet environment (relative humidity ≥ 60%), however, aqueous phase reaction of secondary inorganic aerosols, which are sulfate, nitrate, and ammonium, accounting for 67% of the total aerosol mass, was more activated. Thus, humidity is as important as temperature in the secondary production of aerosol; air quality often worsened when a low-pressure system was predominant over the Korean Peninsula. It is rather different from the general synoptic conditions of high concentrations of particulate matters characterized by high pressure and atmospheric stagnation. This study suggests additional favorable condition and responsible mechanism of air quality hazards that may be frequent in future.

Association between health-related quality of life and nonadherence to antihypertensive medication.

AIM: We aimed to examine the association between nonadherence to antihypertensive medications and Health-related quality of life. DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey was undertaken. METHODS: This study was conducted using the data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. A total of 6493 participants who diagnosed with hypertension, affected by hypertension at the time of survey, and took daily antihypertensive medications or never took this medication were included. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the factors that influenced the patients' nonadherence to antihypertensive medications according to sex. RESULTS: Our results showed that anxiety/depression was positively associated with antihypertensive medication nonadherence, regardless of sex. According to sex, mobility was negatively associated with antihypertensive medication nonadherence in women. In men, living together was negatively related to antihypertensive medication nonadherence. This study showed the factors associated with antihypertensive medication nonadherence according to sex. HRQoL was associated with antihypertensive medication nonadherence.

The cytotoxicity of nano- and micro-sized graphene oxides on microalgae depends on the characteristics of cell wall and flagella.

Cytotoxic effects of emerging contaminants in aquatic environments have been widely studied using diverse microalgal species. However, the role of microalgal characteristics such as presence/absence of cell wall or flagella on cytotoxicity of contaminants was not elucidated yet. In this study, four different Chlamydomonas reinhardtii strains that have different characteristics were used to confirm how these characteristics affect toxicity of contaminants, nano-/micro-sized graphene oxide (GO). The nano-sized GO inhibited the growth of cell wall-deficient strains and reduced the photosynthetic activity. The micro-sized GO inhibited the growth of all strains, but the inhibition efficiency was higher in flagella-deficient strains, indicating that cell wall and flagella have different roles in response to contaminant exposure. The electron microscopy analysis demonstrated that nano-sized GO caused the cell rupture in cell wall-deficient strains. In flagella-deficient strains, the nano- and micro-sized GOs were parallelly attached on the surface of cells, covering the cells. The wrapping of flagella-deficient cells by GO led to the increase of reactive oxygen species (ROS) contents. These results indicate main cytotoxic mechanism of nano-sized GO was the membrane damage of cells, and the presence of cell wall can protect the cells from the attack of nano-sized GO. On the one hand, the presence of flagella might help to avoid the attachment of GO while the cell proliferation and photosynthesis were inhibited in flagella-deficient cells due to the GO wrapping. Overall, given that different microalgal species have different characteristics and these characteristics might affect the cytotoxic effect of the contaminants, it is of great importance to consider the characteristics of test microalgal species when evaluating the cytotoxic mechanism of the nano-/micro-sized pollutants.

Volatile fatty acid-treated mixotrophic cultivation of lipid/carbohydrate-rich cyanobacterial species, Pseudanabaena mucicola GO0704, for the enhancement of biofuel production.

Cyanobacteria-derived biofuels can be helpful in achieving a circular bioeconomy. To increase the production of biodiesel/bioethanol from cyanobacterium, Pseudanabaena mucicola GO0704, mixotrophic cultivation using volatile fatty acid (VFA), a cheap organic carbon source, was performed. The treatment of butyric acid or acetic acid enhanced the cell growth, particularly, the dry weight of the butyric acid-treated cells was 2.30-fold higher than the control. The enhancement of the growth led to the increase of metabolite (i.e., lipid and carbohydrate) productions, resulting in high amount of biodiesel and bioethanol to be produced. Butyric acid was more effective compared to acetic acid and the productions of biodiesel (52.2 mg/L) and bioethanol (132.6 mg/L) from the butyric acid-treated P. mucicola GO0704 were 2.34- and 2.17-fold higher compared to the control, respectively. This study will provide a foundation to commercialize the cyanobacteria-based carbon-neutral fuels, and ultimately, achieve a circular bioeconomy.

Factors associated with adolescents' sexual experience based on the biopsychosocial model: a cross-sectional study using the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey (KYRBS).

OBJECTIVES: Sexual activity is an important integrative behaviour that interacts with biological, psychological and social factors among various changes in adolescence. However, starting sex at an early age is associated with adverse outcomes. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the factors associated with adolescents' sexual experience based on the biopsychosocial model. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. SETTING: The participants were selceted through a complex sample design at high schools and middle schools nationwide in Korea. PARTICIPANTS: We employed 4-year data (2017-2020) of the cross-sectional Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey. In total, 234567 participants attending middle school and high school were analysed. Sexual experience was defined as having had sexual intercourse (oral, anal or vaginal) in their lifetime. To identify variables associated with adolescents' sexual experiences, we used a biopsychosocial model. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the variables associated with sexual experience. RESULTS: 3.4% of boys and 1.6% of girls attending middle school had sexual experiences, showing a significant difference. A total of 10.4% of boys and 5.1% of girls attending high school had sexual experiences (p<0.001). Among the biological factors of the biopsychosocial model, age and gender were significantly associated with sexual experiences in adolescents. Regarding the psychological factors, suicidal thoughts were a significant risk factor associated with sexual experience. Furthermore, social factors including drinking, smoking and family structure were associated with sexual experience in adolescents. Particularly, a significantly higher sexual experience was found in the three groups living with a single parent, step-parents and no parents compared with the group living with both parents in family structure. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated the factors associated with adolescents' sexual experience based on the biopsychosocial model. Further research and policy strategies that consider supporting family communication and mental health and preventing substance use are required to prevent adolescents' sexual health.

Medical students' perceived stress and perceptions regarding clinical clerkship during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: It is important to ensure that both the qualitative and quantitative aspects of clinical education are maintained during the pandemic. Understanding students' views on clinical rotations and the extent of their perceived pandemic-related stress would thus be useful for designing and implementing effective clerkship programs. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate perceived stress and perceptions regarding clinical clerkship among incoming clinical students (third year) and senior clinical students (fourth year) during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: After completing orientation programs at the beginning of the academic year, we surveyed students on their perceived stress, their general perspectives regarding the appropriate scope of clinical clerkship, and their preferences regarding level of participation in clerkship. We examined the differences in stress and clerkship-related perceptions based on the students' study year and sex using independent t-test, chi-squared test, and Fisher's exact test. In addition, the influences of stress, sex, and study year on clerkship-related perceptions were examined using multinomial logistic regression. RESULTS: The independent t-test indicated that third-year students experienced lower stress than did fourth-year students. Clerkship-related perceptions also differed significantly between third- and fourth-year students. Multinomial logistic regression analyses on the scope of and participation levels in clinical clerkship revealed that third-year students had significantly lower odds of preferring a limited range of clinical rotations and lower engagement in clerkships compared to fourth-year students. CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected clinical education and, consequently, medical students' inclination toward active participation in clinical rotations. It is thus essential to understand students' views and provide them with relevant intra-pandemic educational supports.

Elucidating the mechanisms underlying the cytotoxic effects of nano-/micro-sized graphene oxide on the microalgae by comparing the physiological and morphological changes in different trophic modes.

Understanding the cytotoxic mechanisms of environmental contaminants is important to estimate their environmental impacts and prepare guidelines for pollution control. Many studies have assessed the cytotoxic mechanisms of graphene oxide (GO), an emerging aquatic contaminant. However, in many cases, the effect of GO size and putative trophic modes of microalgae on cytotoxicity has been neglected, hindering complete understanding of the cytotoxic mechanisms of GO. In this study, the microalga Euglena gracilis cultivated under light (phototrophic) or dark (heterotrophic) conditions was exposed to two sizes of GO [nano-sized (N) and micro-sized (M)] for assessing the effect of GO on microalgal growth. The cytotoxic effect of GO was higher under phototrophic conditions than under heterotrophic conditions, suggesting that a major cytotoxic mechanism of GO is related to photosynthetic activity inhibition. Moreover, N-GO showed higher toxicity than M-GO. The morphological and physiological changes in N-GO- and M-GO-exposed E. gracilis were assessed to further elucidate the cytotoxic mechanisms. N-GO internalized the cells via endocytic activity/piercing, whereas M-GO partially attached to the cell surface and did not enter the cells. Moreover, N-GO and M-GO negatively affected the cells by inducing oxidative stress; the oxidative stress parameters were higher in N-GO-exposed cells than in M-GO-exposed cells.

Circularly Polarized Luminescence Active Supramolecular Nanotubes Based on PtII Complexes That Undergo Dynamic Morphological Transformation and Helicity Inversion.

Circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) with tunable chirality is currently a challenging issue in the development of supramolecular nanomaterials. We herein report the formation of helical nanoribbons which grow into helical tubes through dynamic helicity inversion. For this, chiral PtII complexes of terpyridine derivatives, namely S-trans-1 and R-trans-1, with respective S- and R-alanine subunits and incorporating trans-double bonds in the alkyl chain were prepared. In DMSO/H2 O (5 : 1 v/v), S-trans-1 initially forms a fibrous self-assembled product, which then undergoes dynamic transformation into helical tubes (left-handed or M-type) through helical ribbons (right-handed or P-type). Interestingly, both helical supramolecular architectures are capable of emitting CPL signals. The metastable helical ribbons show CPL signals (glum =±4.7×10-2 ) at 570 nm. Meanwhile, the nanotubes, which are the thermodynamic products, show intense CPL signals (glum =±5.6×10-2 ) at 610 nm accompanied by helicity inversion. This study provides an efficient way to develop highly dissymmetric CPL nanomaterials by regulating the morphology of metallosupramolecular architectures.

Helicity-driven chiral self-sorting supramolecular polymerization with Ag+: right- and left-helical aggregates.

The study of chiral self-sorting is extremely important for understanding biological systems and for developing applications for the biomedical field. In this study, we attempted unprecedented chiral self-sorting supramolecular polymerization accompanying helical inversion with Ag+ in one enantiomeric component. Bola-type terpyridine-based ligands (R-L1 and S-L1) comprising R- or S-alanine analogs were synthesized. First, R-L1 dissolved in DMSO/H2O (1 : 1, v/v) forms right-handed helical fibers (aggregate I) via supramolecular polymerization. However, after the addition of AgNO3 (0.2-1.1 equiv.) to the R-L1 ligand, in particular, it was found that aggregate II with left-handed helicity is generated from the [R-L1(AgNO3)2] complex through the [R-L1Ag]+ complex via the dissociation of aggregate I by a multistep with an off pathway, thus demonstrating interesting self-sorting properties driven by helicity and shape discrimination. In addition, the [R-L1(AgNO3)2] complex, which acted as a building block to generate aggregate III with a spherical structure, existed as a metastable product during the formation of aggregate II in the presence of 1.2-1.5 equiv. of AgNO3. Furthermore, the AFM and CD results of two samples prepared using aggregates I and III with different volume ratios were similar to those obtained upon the addition of AgNO3 to free R-L1. These findings suggest that homochiral self-sorting in a mixture system occurred by the generation of aggregate II composed of the [R-L1Ag]+ complex via the rearrangement of both, aggregates I and III. This is a unique example of helicity- and shape-driven chiral self-sorting supramolecular polymerization induced by Ag+ starting from one enantiomeric component. This research will improve understanding of homochirality in complex biological models and contribute to the development of new chiral materials and catalysts for asymmetric synthesis.

The Association between Working Posture and Workers' Depression.

Various studies have focused on the association between physical health and working posture. However, little research has been conducted on the association between working posture and mental health, despite the importance of workers' mental health. This study aimed to examine the association between working posture and workers' depression. A total of 49,877 workers were analyzed using data from the 5th Korean Working Conditions Survey. We utilized multiple logistic regression to analyze the variables associated with workers' depression. This study showed that several working postures, such as tiring or painful positions, lifting or moving people, standing, and sitting, were associated with depression in workers. Furthermore, occupation types, job satisfaction, and physical health problems related to back pain and pain in upper (neck, shoulder, and arm) and lower (hip, leg, knee, and foot) body parts were associated with workers' depression. Therefore, this study demonstrated that working posture is associated with workers' depression. In particular, working postures causing musculoskeletal pain, improper working postures maintained for a long time, and occupation types were associated with workers' depression. Our findings demonstrate the need for appropriate management and interventions for addressing pain-inducing or improper working postures in the workplace.