Comparative effectiveness of N95, surgical or medical, and non-medical facemasks in protection against respiratory virus infection: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.

The aim of this systematic review and network meta-analysis is to evaluate the comparative effectiveness of N95, surgical/medical and non-medical facemasks as personal protective equipment against respiratory virus infection. The study incorporated 35 published and unpublished randomized controlled trials and observational studies investigating specific mask effectiveness against influenza virus, SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2. We searched PubMed, Google Scholar and medRxiv databases for studies published up to 5 February 2021 (PROSPERO registration: CRD42020214729). The primary outcome of interest was the rate of respiratory viral infection. The quality of evidence was estimated using the GRADE approach. High compliance to mask-wearing conferred a significantly better protection (odds ratio [OR], 0.43; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.23-0.82) than low compliance. N95 or equivalent masks were the most effective in providing protection against coronavirus infections (OR, 0.30; CI, 0.20-0.44) consistently across subgroup analyses of causative viruses and clinical settings. Evidence supporting the use of medical or surgical masks against influenza or coronavirus infections (SARS, MERS and COVID-19) was weak. Our study confirmed that the use of facemasks provides protection against respiratory viral infections in general; however, the effectiveness may vary according to the type of facemask used. Our findings encourage the use of N95 respirators or their equivalents (e.g., P2) for best personal protection in healthcare settings until more evidence on surgical and medical masks is accrued. This study highlights a substantial lack of evidence on the comparative effectiveness of mask types in community settings.

Systematic Review: Polysubstance Prevalence Estimates Reported during Pregnancy, US, 2009-2020.

INTRODUCTION: The objective of this systematic review is to describe polysubstance studies and their prevalence estimates among pregnant people in the US. METHODS: This review was not subject to protocol preparation or registration with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) because outcome data were not reported. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) Checklist was followed. Four scientific literature databases were used to identify articles published from January 1, 2009 to June 3, 2020 reporting prenatal exposure to two or more substances in the US. A standardized process of title and abstract screening followed by a two-phase full-text review was used to assess study eligibility. RESULTS: A total of 119 studies were included: 7 case-control studies, 7 clinical trials, 76 cohort studies, and 29 cross-sectional studies. Studies varied with respect to study design, time period, region, sampling and participant selection, substances assessed, and method of exposure ascertainment. Commonly reported polysubstance prevalence estimates among studies of pregnant people included combinations with alcohol, marijuana, and/or tobacco/nicotine. The range of prevalence estimates was wide (alcohol 1-99%; marijuana 3-95%; tobacco/nicotine 2-95%). DISCUSSION: Polysubstance use during pregnancy is common, especially with alcohol, marijuana, and/or tobacco/nicotine. Future research to assess polysubstance use during pregnancy could help better describe patterns and ultimately help mitigate its effects on maternal and infant health outcomes.

Screening and Brief Interventions for Alcohol Use During Pregnancy: Practices Among US Primary Care Clinicians, DocStyles 2019.

INTRODUCTION: Alcohol use during pregnancy can cause birth defects and developmental disabilities. From 2018 through 2020, 13.5% of pregnant women reported current drinking. The US Preventive Services Task Force recommends evidence-based tools (eg, AUDIT-C and SASQ) for implementing screening and brief interventions to reduce excessive alcohol use among adults, including pregnant people, for whom any alcohol use is considered excessive. METHODS: We used DocStyles 2019 data to conduct a cross-sectional analysis to examine current screening and brief intervention practices that primary care clinicians conduct among pregnant patients; clinicians' confidence levels in conducting screening, brief interventions, and referral to treatment; and the documentation of brief interventions in the medical record. RESULTS: A total of 1,500 US adult medicine clinicians completed the entire survey. Among the respondents who conduct screening (N = 1,373) and brief interventions (N = 1,357) in their practice, nearly all reported implementing screening (94.6%) and brief interventions (94.9%) with their pregnant patients for alcohol use, but fewer than half felt confident about conducting their screening practices (46.5%). Two-thirds (64%) reported using a tool that met the criteria recommended by the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). Over half documented brief interventions in electronic health record notes (51.7%) or designated space (50.7%). CONCLUSION: Pregnancy presents a unique opportunity for clinicians to incorporate screening into routine obstetric care and encourage behavior change among patients. Most providers reported always screening their pregnant patients for alcohol use, but fewer used evidence-based USPSTF-recommended screening tools. Increased clinician confidence in screening and brief intervention, the use of standardized screening tools tailored to pregnant people, and maximal use of electronic health record technology may enhance the benefits of their application to alcohol use, which ultimately can reduce adverse outcomes associated with alcohol use during pregnancy.

Development and psychometric validation of the Menstrual Health Instrument (MHI) for adolescents in Korea.

The aims of the researchers were to develop and test initial psychometric properties of the Menstrual Health Instrument, a measure of menstrual health in adolescents that comprehensively evaluates menstrual health. Data were collected with a convenience sample of 230 Korean adolescent girls. As a result of exploratory factor analysis with the 29-item instrument, five factors were extracted: affective symptoms, somatic symptoms and school life, daily habits for menstrual health, menstrual cycle characteristics, and attitudes and perceptions on menstruation. The reliability and validity estimates indicate the Menstrual Health Instrument could be used for screening in school or community settings.

Anger, anger expression, cardiovascular risk factors, and gastrointestinal symptoms by hwa-byung symptoms in Korean adult women.

PURPOSE: This study explored relationships of anger and anger expression to cardiovascular (CV) risk factors and gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms in Korean women based on hwa-byung (HB) symptoms. METHODS: A descriptive, comparative design was used. One-hundred four women who are from 20 to 65years old were recruited. Based on the HB score, 22 women indicated for HB and the rest were classified as normal. Data collection was done with several questionnaires including HB symptom scale, state-trait anger expression inventory, and GI symptom questionnaire and clinical information. RESULTS: Women with HB demonstrated significantly higher levels of trait anger and dysfunctional anger expression such as anger suppression and anger expression than normal group. Although blood pressure was higher in women with HB, the differences were not significant. Self-report of GI symptoms were significantly more in women with HB, however no significant difference was found in gastroscopy results. CONCLUSIONS: Women with HB were younger and might lack of sufficient social support. This study suggests relationship of anger and anger expression to functional GI symptoms. Characteristics of women with HB should be considered in developing intervention programs for healthy coping. Future studies need more women with HB for better comparison.

Biomass-Derived Optically Clear Adhesives for Foldable Displays.

Novel acrylate monomers, derived from terpenes are synthesized for use in optically clear adhesives (OCAs) suitable for foldable displays. These OCAs are prepared using visible-light-driven polymerization, an eco-friendly method. Through physical, rheological, and mechanical characterization, the prepared OCAs possess low modulus and exhibit outstanding creep and recovery properties, making them suitable for foldable devices.

11 C-Acetate PET/CT for Reactive Astrogliosis Outperforms 11 C-Methionine PET/CT in Glioma Classification and Survival Prediction.

PURPOSE: 11 C-acetate (ACE) PET/CT visualizes reactive astrogliosis in tumor microenvironment. This study compared 11 C-ACE and 11 C-methionine (MET) PET/CT for glioma classification and predicting patient survival. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this prospective study, a total of 142 patients with cerebral gliomas underwent preoperative MRI, 11 C-MET PET/CT, and 11 C-ACE PET/CT. Tumor-to-contralateral cortex (TNR MET ) and tumor-to-choroid plexus ratios (TNR ACE ) were calculated for 11 C-MET and 11 C-ACE. The Kruskal-Wallis test and Bonferroni post hoc analysis were used to compare the differences in 11 C-TNR MET and 11 C-TNR ACE . The Cox proportional hazards regression analysis and classification and regression tree models were used to assess progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: The median 11 C-TNR MET and 11 C-TNR ACE for oligodendrogliomas (ODs), IDH1 -mutant astrocytomas, IDH1 -wildtype astrocytomas, and glioblastomas were 2.75, 1.40, 2.30, and 3.70, respectively, and 1.40, 1.20, 1.77, and 2.87, respectively. The median 11 C-TNR MET was significantly different among the groups, except between ODs and IDH1 -wildtype astrocytomas, whereas the median 11 C-TNR ACE was significantly different among all groups. The classification and regression tree model identified 4 risk groups ( IDH1 -mutant with 11 C-TNR ACE ≤ 1.4, IDH1 -mutant with 11 C-TNR ACE > 1.4, IDH1 -wildtype with 11 C-TNR ACE ≤ 1.8, and IDH1 -wildtype with 11 C-TNR ACE > 1.8), with median PFS of 52.7, 44.5, 25.9, and 8.9 months, respectively. Using a 11 C-TNR ACE cutoff of 1.4 for IDH1 -mutant gliomas and a 11 C-TNR ACE cutoff of 2.0 for IDH1 -wildtype gliomas, all gliomas were divided into 4 groups with median OS of 52.7, 46.8, 27.6, and 12.0 months, respectively. Significant differences in PFS and OS were observed among the 4 groups after correcting for multiple comparisons. CONCLUSIONS: 11 C-ACE PET/CT is better for glioma classification and survival prediction than 11 C-MET PET/CT, highlighting its potential role in cerebral glioma patients.

Ultraviolet light blocking optically clear adhesives for foldable displays via highly efficient visible-light curing.

In developing an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panel for a foldable smartphone (specifically, a color filter on encapsulation) aimed at reducing power consumption, the use of a new optically clear adhesive (OCA) that blocks UV light was crucial. However, the incorporation of a UV-blocking agent within the OCA presented a challenge, as it restricted the traditional UV-curing methods commonly used in the manufacturing process. Although a visible-light curing technique for producing UV-blocking OCA was proposed, its slow curing speed posed a barrier to commercialization. Our study introduces a highly efficient photo-initiating system (PIS) for the rapid production of UV-blocking OCAs utilizing visible light. We have carefully selected the photocatalyst (PC) to minimize electron and energy transfer to UV-blocking agents and have chosen co-initiators that allow for faster electron transfer and more rapid PC regeneration compared to previously established amine-based co-initiators. This advancement enabled a tenfold increase in the production speed of UV-blocking OCAs, while maintaining their essential protective, transparent, and flexible properties. When applied to OLED devices, this OCA demonstrated UV protection, suggesting its potential for broader application in the safeguarding of various smart devices.

The effectiveness of a tailored programme to promote reproductive-health-promoting behaviour in young women based on the Precaution Adoption Process Model: A randomized controlled trial.

AIM: The study aimed to evaluate a tailored reproductive health promotion programme based on the Precaution Adoption Process Model (PAPM) for young adults. DESIGN: This was a two-group, non-blinded randomized controlled trial. METHODS: This study was performed with women aged 18-25 who were not performing reproductive health-related behaviour from September 2018 to November 2018 in Seoul, South Korea. The participants were stratified by stage of PAPM (1, 2 or 3) and were randomly allocated to the intervention group (n = 30) and the control group (n = 30). Women in the intervention group were given the programme, which was customized according to the stage of PAPM over 8 weeks, such as lectures, giving information, discussions, practical training, Q&A, case experience and counselling. The control group received educational material. The primary outcomes were reproductive-health-promoting behaviour and rate of contraception use. RESULTS: Reproductive-health-promoting behaviour was significantly higher in the intervention group than the control group post-intervention, as were reproductive health beliefs, motivation and self-efficacy.

The Postpartum Period: An Opportunity for Alcohol Screening and Counseling to Reduce Adverse Health Impacts.

OBJECTIVES: The postpartum period presents an opportunity to engage in discussions about alcohol consumption and related health harms. This study examined the prevalence of alcohol consumption among a sample of postpartum persons with a recent live birth and screening and brief intervention (alcohol SBI) or counseling by their providers. METHODS: We analyzed 2019 data from a telephone survey conducted 9 to 10 months postpartum among individuals who responded to the standard Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System survey in 6 states. Weighted prevalence estimates were calculated for alcohol consumption and alcohol SBI after birth through up to 10 months postpartum. RESULTS: Among 1790 respondents, 53.1% reported consuming alcohol postpartum. Among those who drank postpartum, 70.8% reported being asked about alcohol use by a healthcare provider. Slightly more than half of respondents who drank postpartum and were trying to get pregnant (52.4%) or were not using birth control at the time of the survey (59.8%) reported being asked about alcohol use. Approximately 25% of respondents who drank alcohol postpartum were advised about risky alcohol levels by a healthcare provider. Small proportions of individuals who drank alcohol postpartum and were pregnant or trying to get pregnant at the time of the survey were advised to reduce or stop drinking alcohol (10.6% and 2.3%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest missed opportunities to promote health and prevent adverse alcohol-related health outcomes during the postpartum period through evidence-based tools such as alcohol SBI.

Polysubstance Use in Pregnancy: Surveillance, Interventions, and Next Steps.

Substance use during pregnancy increases risk for a wide range of adverse maternal and neonatal health outcomes. Polysubstance use is common among people who use substances during pregnancy; however, the risks of combined substance exposures during pregnancy are poorly understood. In this report, we provide an overview of the activities of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and partners and identified gaps related to (1) surveillance, (2) routine screening, and (3) prevention of polysubstance use during pregnancy. Efforts by CDC and other partners to reduce polysubstance use during pregnancy can improve the health of pregnant people and their infants and children.

Visualizing Cancer-Originating Acetate Uptake Through MCT1 in Reactive Astrocytes in the Glioblastoma Tumor Microenvironment.

BACKGROUND: Reactive astrogliosis is a hallmark of various brain pathologies, including neurodegenerative diseases and glioblastomas. However, the specific intermediate metabolites contributing to reactive astrogliosis remain unknown. This study investigated how glioblastomas induce reactive astrogliosis in the neighboring microenvironment and explores 11C-acetate PET as an imaging technique for detecting reactive astrogliosis. METHODS: Through in vitro, mouse models, and human tissue experiments, we examined the association between elevated 11C-acetate uptake and reactive astrogliosis in gliomas. We explored acetate from glioblastoma cells, which triggers reactive astrogliosis in neighboring astrocytes by upregulating MAO-B and MCT1 expression. We evaluated the presence of cancer stem cells in the reactive astrogliosis region of glioblastomas and assessed the correlation between the volume of 11C-acetate uptake beyond MRI and prognosis. RESULTS: Elevated 11C-acetate uptake is associated with reactive astrogliosis and astrocytic MCT1 in the periphery of glioblastomas in human tissues and mouse models. Glioblastoma cells exhibit increased acetate production as a result of glucose metabolism, with subsequent secretion of acetate. Acetate derived from glioblastoma cells induces reactive astrogliosis in neighboring astrocytes by increasing the expression of MAO-B and MCT1. We found cancer stem cells within the reactive astrogliosis at the tumor periphery. Consequently, a larger volume of 11C-acetate uptake beyond contrast-enhanced MRI was associated with worse prognosis. CONCLUSION: Our results highlight the role of acetate derived from glioblastoma cells in inducing reactive astrogliosis and underscore the potential value of 11C-acetate PET as an imaging technique for detecting reactive astrogliosis, offering important implications for the diagnosis and treatment of glioblastomas.

Association between obesity and asthma in the elderly population: potential roles of abdominal subcutaneous adiposity and sarcopenia.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is a significant risk factor for asthma; however, the association of asthma with obesity has rarely been studied in the elderly population. The role of central obesity has been suggested as a link between the 2 entities but has not been comprehensively studied in elderly populations. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the mechanisms of association between obesity and asthma in the elderly population. METHODS: This cross-sectional analysis included 994 participants (aged ≥65 years) in the Korean Longitudinal Study on Health and Aging. Asthma was defined by using questionnaires. Spirometry and chest radiography were performed to exclude asthma-mimicking conditions. Measurements of abdominal subcutaneous and visceral fat were calculated by computed tomography of the abdomen, and regional body compositions were measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Biochemical parameters were also measured. RESULTS: The prevalence of asthma was 5.4%. The study population had a mean body mass index (BMI) of 24.0. Multivariate logistic regression tests revealed that the risk of asthma increased in proportion to an increase in BMI or abdominal subcutaneous adiposity. However, no association was found with visceral adiposity, serum adiponectin levels, or serum vitamin D levels. The dual energy X-ray absorptiometry-measured appendicular fat-free mass index was inversely related to asthma among patients with a BMI of 25.0 or greater. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that the relationships between obesity and asthma in the elderly population may be mediated by factors such as abdominal subcutaneous adiposity and sarcopenia. These associations warrant further investigations to identify their potential roles.

Extracellular Citrate Treatment Induces HIF1α Degradation and Inhibits the Growth of Low-Glycolytic Hepatocellular Carcinoma under Hypoxia.

HCC is well known for low glycolysis in the tumors, whereas hypoxia induces glycolytic phenotype and tumor progression. This study was conducted to evaluate the expression of SLCs in human HCCs and investigated whether extracellular nutrient administration related to SLCs in low-glycolytic HCC can prevent hypoxic tumor progression. SLCs expression was screened according to the level of glycolysis in HCCs. Then, whether extracellular nutrient treatment can affect hypoxic tumor progression, as well as the mechanisms, were evaluated in an in vitro cell line and an in vivo animal model. Low-glycolytic HCCs showed high SLC13A5/NaCT and SLC16A1/MCT1 but low SLC2A1/GLUT1 and HIF1α/HIF1α expression. Especially, high SLC13A5 expression was significantly associated with good overall survival in the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. In HepG2 cells with the highest NaCT expression, extracellular citrate treatment upon hypoxia induced HIF1α degradation, which led to reduced glycolysis and cellular proliferation. Finally, in HepG2-animal models, the citrate-treated group showed smaller tumor with less hypoxic areas than the vehicle-treated group. In patients with HCC, SLC13A5/NaCT is an important SLC, which is associated with low glycolysis and good prognosis. Extracellular citrate treatment induced the failure of metabolic adaptation to hypoxia and tumor growth inhibition, which can be a potential therapeutic strategy in HCCs.

11 C-Acetate PET/CT Detects Reactive Astrogliosis Helping Glioma Classification.

PURPOSE: 11 C-acetate ( 11 C-ACE) uptake on PET/CT was recently discovered to represent reactive astrocytes in the tumor microenvironment. This study aimed at evaluating the role of 11 C-ACE PET/CT as an imaging biomarker of reactive astrogliosis in characterizing different types of gliomas. METHODS: In this prospective study, a total of 182 patients underwent 11 C-ACE PET/CT before surgery. The ratio of SUV max of a glioma to the SUV mean of the contralateral choroid plexus ( 11 C-ACE TCR) on PET/CT was calculated. 11 C-ACE TCRs were compared with the World Health Organization grades and isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 ( IDH1 ) mutation status. Grade 2 was considered low-grade tumor, and grades 3 and 4 were considered high-grade tumors. RESULTS: The median 11 C-ACE TCR was significantly higher in IDH1 wild-type (wt) tumors (n = 91) than in IDH1 -mutant (mt) tumors (n = 91) (2.38 vs 1.30, P < 0.001). Of the 91 IDH1 -mt tumors, there were no differences in the median 11 C-ACE TCRs between oligodendrogliomas (ODs) and astrocytic tumors (1.40 vs 1.20, P > 0.05). In grading low- versus high-grade gliomas, the receiver operating characteristic curve analyses showed a higher area under the curve (0.951) in IDH1 -wt tumors than in IDH1 -mt tumors (0.783, P = 0.002). Grade 2 ODs were well differentiated from high-grade gliomas. The 11 C-ACE TCR of grade 3 ODs was significantly lower than that of IDH1 -wt glioblastomas. CONCLUSIONS: High 11 C-ACE uptake is associated with high-grade IDH1 -wt tumors, thus facilitating differentiation from high-grade IDH1-mt and low-grade gliomas. In particular, low 11 C-ACE uptake in ODs is advantageous in overcoming the limitation of radiolabeled amino acid tracers.

Evidence for the role of STAT4 as a general autoimmunity locus in the Korean population.

BACKGROUND: Recently, the association of a common STAT4 haplotype with type 1 diabetes (T1D) as well as rheumatoid arthritis has been documented in Caucasians and Koreans. STAT4 is involved in the signalling of interleukin-12 and γIFN, as well as interleukin-23. To discover genes affecting the susceptibility of common autoimmune diseases, we studied the association of polymorphisms in STAT4 with autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) as well as T1D in the Korean population. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Four single-nucleotide polymorphisms on the chromosome 2q (rs11889341, rs7574865, rs8179673, and rs10181656), which were found to associate with rheumatoid arthritis were examined for association in a Korean sample of 428 AITD, 418 T1D patients, and 1060 controls. RESULTS: The minor alleles of all four single-nucleotide polymorphisms and the reconstructed STAT4 haplotypes conferred significant degree of risk for AITD (p=10(-2) to 10(-4)). Although we found a weak association of rs11889341 with T1D (p<0.05), the same haplotypes were not associated with T1D susceptibility. When we stratified T1D patients according to the age of onset, the minor alleles of all four single-nucleotide polymorphisms and the same haplotypes showed significant association with the susceptibility of T1D in the early-onset subgroup (p<0.01), not in the late-onset subgroup. CONCLUSION: STAT4 alleles and the same haplotypes might influence cytokine signalling, and therefore the development of AITD as well as T1D. These results reinforce the influence of STAT4 gene as a general autoimmune gene.

Menstrual Cycle Patterns and the Prevalence of Premenstrual Syndrome and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome in Korean Young Adult Women.

Menstruation is one of the important indicators of reproductive health. Therefore, in order to improve the reproductive health of women in puberty and early adulthood, it is necessary to investigate menstrual health and symptoms. This cross-sectional descriptive correlational study was conducted to identify young women's menstrual cycle patterns, prevalence of Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS), Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and the relationships of health-related factors according to menstrual regularity and PCOS. 462 women participated in the first phase of the study and completed the menstrual health and health-related behaviors questionnaire. In the second phase, 88 women with irregular menstruation in phase one had blood tests taken and body composition measured. As a result, Menarche was slightly later in irregular menstruation group. Women with regular menstruation had a mean number of 11.7 menstrual cycles over the past year, 93.0% of them reported a normal menstruation cycle frequency (21-35 days), 95.2% reported a normal duration (2-7 days) and 55.9% of participants had heavy menstrual bleeding. In the irregular menstrual group, there were higher percentages of underweight and obese women as well as more women experiences weight and diet changes. The estimated prevalence rates of PMS and PCOS were 25.5%, 5.2% respectively. This study provides updated basic data about menstrual health among Korean young women but more extensive and sophisticated studies are needed in the future.

Autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases and COVID-19 outcomes in South Korea: a nationwide cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Real-world evidence on the association between autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases, therapies related to these diseases, and COVID-19 outcomes are inconsistent. We aimed to investigate the potential association between autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases and COVID-19 early in the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: We did an exposure-driven, propensity score-matched study using a South Korean nationwide cohort linked to general health examination records. We analysed all South Korean patients aged older than 20 years who underwent SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR testing between Jan 1 and May 30, 2020, and received general health examination results from the Korean National Health Insurance Service. We defined autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases (inflammatory arthritis and connective tissue diseases) based on the relevant ICD-10 codes, with at least two claims (outpatient or inpatient) within 1 year. The outcomes were positive SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR test, severe COVID-19 (requirement of oxygen therapy, intensive care unit admission, application of invasive ventilation, or death), and COVID-19-related death. Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) with 95% CIs were estimated after adjusting for the potential confounders. FINDINGS: Between Jan 1 and May 30, 2020, 133 609 patients (70 050 [52·4%] female and 63 559 [47·6%] male) completed the general health examination and were tested for SARS-CoV-2; 4365 (3·3%) were positive for SARS-CoV-2, and 8297 (6·2%) were diagnosed with autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases. After matching, patients with an autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic disease showed an increased likelihood of testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 (adjusted OR 1·19, 95% CI 1·03-1·40; p=0·026), severe COVID-19 outcomes (1·26, 1·02-1·59; p=0·041), and COVID-19-related death (1·69, 1·01-2·84; p=0·046). Similar results were observed in patients with connective tissue disease and inflammatory arthritis. Treatment with any dose of systemic corticosteroids or disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) were not associated with COVID-19-related outcomes, but those receiving high dose (≥10 mg per day) of systemic corticosteroids had an increased likelihood of a positive SARS-CoV-2 test (adjusted OR 1·47, 95% CI 1·05-2·03; p=0·022), severe COVID-19 outcomes (1·76, 1·06-2·96; p=0·031), and COVID-19-related death (3·34, 1·23-8·90; p=0·017). INTERPRETATION: Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases were associated with an increased likelihood of a positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR test, worse clinical outcomes of COVID-19, and COVID-19-related deaths in South Korea. A high dose of systemic corticosteroid, but not DMARDs, showed an adverse effect on SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19-related clinical outcomes. FUNDING: National Research Foundation of Korea.

Anger, anger expression, and suicidal ideation in Korean adolescents.

This study described the levels of anger, anger expression, and suicidal ideation in Korean adolescents. Data from 18,752 adolescents were collected using a self-report questionnaire. Anger, anger expression, and suicidal ideation exhibited significant differences according to school level and gender. The group with higher anger and anger expression showed a higher average suicidal ideation score than that of the group with lower anger and anger expression, suggesting that school-based programs which alleviate anger may be needed to decrease suicidal ideation among Korean adolescents.

Development and Effects of College-Based Lifestyle Modification Program for Menstrual Health of Young Adult Women with Irregular Menses: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Purpose: This study was conducted to develop the 'College-based Lifestyle Modification Program' (College-based LMP) for young adult women with irregular menstruation and examine its effects after intervention. Methods: The College-based LMP consisted of small group education, individual physical exercise counseling/training, individual diet counseling, and feedback and support. Participants were comprised of 38 females who reported less than 10 irregular menstruations in a year and were randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups. The primary outcome variables consisted of menstrual cycle index (MCI), sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), and androgenic profile (testosterone-T, free androgen index-FAI), while the outcome variables included premenstrual symptoms (PMS), menstrual volume, body composition parameters, glycemic parameters (fasting blood sugar-FBS, insulin, HOMA-IR), sleep duration, perceived stress, and nutrient intake.. Results: There were no significant differences in primary outcome variables (MCI, SHBG, T, and FAI). In the variables, there were no significant differences except for the partial domain of PMS (symptoms of depression and anxiety) and sleep duration. Conclusions: The study was significant in that it demonstrated the importance of lifestyle, which could provide ordinary young adult women with healthy menstruation. The College-based LMP needs to be elaborated with further studies.