Comparison of lifestyle, cognitive function, mental health, and quality of life between hospitalized older adults with COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 in South Korea: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has greatly impacted older adults, resulting in many deaths. The impact of lifestyle and mental health on vulnerable groups, such as older adults, can be large and long lasting. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of COVID-19 confirmation on cognition, lifestyle, mental health, and quality of life in adults aged 55 years. METHODS: The sample consisted of 111 people in the COVID group and 189 people in the non-COVID group aged over 55 years in South Korea. An online survey was conducted between January and May 2022. Participants responded to the following assessment tools: Yonsei Lifestyle Profile, Prospective and Retrospective Memory (PRMQ), Subjective Memory Complaints Questionnaire (SMCQ), Visual Analogue Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19 S), and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale abbreviated version (WHOQOL-BREF). Differences in lifestyle, cognition, depression, anxiety, and quality of life were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: There were significant differences in physical activity, diet, the total score of the PRMQ, PM (a sub-score of the PRMQ), PHQ-9, Korean version of the ISI (ISI-K), and WHOQOL-BREF scores between the COVID and non-COVID groups. However, there were no significant differences in activity participation, Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), or FCV-19 S between groups. CONCLUSIONS: The study confirms that COVID-19 negatively affects memory, physical activity, diet, quality of life, depression, and insomnia in the older adults. Therefore, this study implicated that prevention and intervention strategies required improving the memory, lifestyle, and mental health of older adults with COVID-19. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki, and approved by the Institutional Review Board of Yonsei university in Korea (Registration number: 1041849-202112-SB-226-03, Date of registration: 01042022).

Social network typologies of Korean older adults and digital literacy differences: A latent class analysis.

Background: This study categorized older Korean adults' social networks and analyzed their characteristics and digital literacy differences based on type. Methods: We analyzed data from 9,377 Korean older adult participants of the 2020 National Survey of Older Koreans, and performed latent class analysis (LCA) χ2 and Welch's F analyses to understand the characteristics of each social network type. The Games-Howell post-hoc test was applied to determine the significance of differences between groups. Results: The three social network types derived using LCA were "child-centered," "child-friend," and "friend-centered." The digital literacy levels differed significantly according to social network type. Conclusion: The results of this study can be used to propose intervention programs and services associated with older adults' social networks by examining their social network types and the corresponding differences in digital literacy.

Nanomaterials for detection of biomolecules and delivering therapeutic agents in theragnosis: A review.

Nanomaterials are emerging facts used to deliver therapeutic agents in living systems. Nanotechnology is used as a compliment by implementing different kinds of nanotechnological applications such as nano-porous structures, functionalized nanomaterials, quantum dots, carbon nanomaterials, and polymeric nanostructures. The applications are in the initial stage, which led to achieving several diagnoses and therapy in clinical practice. This review conveys the importance of nanomaterials in post-genomic employment, which includes the design of immunosensors, immune assays, and drug delivery. In this view, genomics is a molecular tool containing large databases that are useful in choosing an apt molecular inhibitor such as drug, ligand and antibody target in the drug delivery process. This study identifies the expression of genes and proteins in analysis and classification of diseases. Experimentally, the study analyses the design of a disease model. In particular, drug delivery is a boon area to treat cancer. The identified drugs enter different phase trails (Trails I, II, and III). The genomic information conveys more essential entities to the phase I trials and helps to move further for other trails such as trails-II and III. In such cases, the biomarkers play a crucial role by monitoring the unique pathological process. Genetic engineering with recombinant DNA techniques can be employed to develop genetically engineered disease models. Delivering drugs in a specific area is one of the challenging issues achieved using nanoparticles. Therefore, genomics is considered as a vast molecular tool to identify drugs in personalized medicine for cancer therapy.

Nitridation-free preparation of bimetallic oxide-nitride bifunctional electrocatalysts for overall water splitting.

A novel one-pot surfactant-free synthesis is presented for designing bimetallic oxide-nitride electrocatalysts with tunable morphologies using metal salts and nitrogen-rich precursors. This innovative approach eliminates the need for a distinct nitridation process. Bifunctional electrode Co3O4/MoO3/MoxNy achieved a current density of 10 mA cm-2 while maintaining a cell voltage of 1.52 V, outperforming many bimetallic oxide-nitride catalysts in the scientific literature.

Controlled Synthesis and Uniform Anchoring of Hollow CuxO Nanocubes on Carbon Nanofiber for Enhanced Se(S)-Se(S) Bond Activation.

In the present study, we fabricated hollow cubic CuxO nanoparticles (∼23 nm) incorporated with CNF (HC-CuxO/CNF) through controlled thermal oxidation of solid cubic Cu2O nanoparticles (∼21 nm) supported on carbon nanofibers (SC-Cu2O/CNF) under airflow, exploiting the nanoscale Kirkendall effect. These hollow CuxO nanocubes with increased surface areas exhibited outstanding catalytic activity for unsymmetrical chalcogenide synthesis under ligand-free conditions.

Electrospun Fe doped TiO2 fiber photocatalyst for efficient wastewater treatment.

Water pollution caused by industrial wastewater is the most critical environmental problem in the world. Synthetic dyes are commonly used in various industries such as paper, plastic, printing, leather and textile for their ability to impact color. Complex composition, high toxicity and low biodegradability of dyes make them difficult to degrade which causes a substantial negative impact on overall ecosystems. To address this issue we synthesized TiO2 fibers photocatalyst using the combination of sol-gel and electrospinning techniques to be used in the degradation of dyes which causes water pollution. We doped Fe in TiO2 fibers to enhance the absorption in the visible region of the solar spectrum which will also help to increase the degradation efficiency. As synthesized pristine TiO2 fibers and Fe doped TiO2 fibers were analyzed using different characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction, Scanning electron microscopy, Transmission electron microscopy, UV-Visible spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. 5% Fe doped TiO2 fibers show excellent photocatalytic degradation activity for rhodamine B (99% degradation in 120 min). It can be utilized for degradation of other dye pollutants such as methylene blue, Congo red and methyl orange. It shows good photocatalytic activity (97%) even after 5 cycles of reuse. The radical trapping experiments reveals that holes, •O2- and •OH has a significant contribution in the photocatalytic degradation. Due to the robust fibrous nature of 5FeTOF the process of collection of photocatalysts was simple and without loss as compared to powder photocatalysts. This justifies our selection of electrospinning method of synthesis of 5FeTOF which is also useful for large scale production.

Electrocatalytic Oxygen Reduction Reaction of Graphene Oxide and Metal-Free Graphene in an Alkaline Medium.

Graphene is a well-known two-dimensional material with a large surface area and is used for numerous applications in a variety of fields. Metal-free carbon materials such as graphene-based materials are widely used as an electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reactions (ORRs). Recently, more attention has been paid to developing metal-free graphenes doped with heteroatoms such as N, S, and P as efficient electrocatalysts for ORR. In contrast, we found our prepared graphene from graphene oxide (GO) by the pyrolysis method under a nitrogen atmosphere at 900 °C has shown better ORR activity in aqueous 0.1 M potassium hydroxide solution electrolyte as compared with the electrocatalytic activity of pristine GO. At first, we prepared various graphene by pyrolysis of 50 mg and 100 mg of GO in one to three alumina boats and pyrolyzed the samples under a N2 atmosphere at 900 °C. The prepared samples are named G50-1B to 3B and G100-1B and G100-2B. The prepared GO and graphenes were also analyzed under various characterization techniques to confirm their morphology and structural integrity. The obtained results suggest that the ORR electrocatalytic activity of graphene may differ based on the pyrolysis conditions. We found that G100-1B (Eonset, E1/2, JL, and n values of 0.843, 0.774, 4.558, and 3.76) and G100-2B (Eonset, E1/2, and JL values of 0.837, 0.737, 4.544, and 3.41) displayed better electrocatalytic ORR activity, as did Pt/C electrode (Eonset, E1/2, and JL values of 0.965, 0.864, 5.222, and 3.71, respectively). These results display the wide use of the prepared graphene for ORR and also can be used for fuel cell and metal-air battery applications.

Health-adjusted life expectancy according to lifestyle classified by the Yonsei Lifestyle Profile-BREF.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate health-adjusted life expectancy (HALE) by demographic characteristics (sex, educational achievement, and residential area) according to the lifestyle classifications of the Yonsei Lifestyle Profile-BREF (YLP-BREF). METHODS: This study included 569 participants aged 55 years or older living in Korea. The YLP-BREF domains were physical activity, activity participation, and nutrition. RESULTS: Females had a longer HALE (mean±standard deviation, 8.90±5.06 years) in the physical activity domain, while males had a longer HALE in the nutrition domain (9.44±5.91 years). People living in rural areas had longer HALE in physical activity (12.02±5.60 years), activity participation (8.58±4.21 years), and nutrition (11.33±6.43 years). There were no significant differences according to sex or residential area. High school graduates showed the longest HALE (physical activity: 10.38± 6.89; activity participation: 7.64±4.29; nutrition: 9.59±6.40 years). There was a significant difference in educational achievement. CONCLUSIONS: As people age, the demand for a healthy lifestyle increases. This study attempted to calculate HALE by demographic characteristics according to lifestyle. The results of this study will help inform future research directions for providing a healthy lifestyle.

NRBF2-mediated autophagy contributes to metabolite replenishment and radioresistance in glioblastoma.

Overcoming therapeutic resistance in glioblastoma (GBM) is an essential strategy for improving cancer therapy. However, cancer cells possess various evasion mechanisms, such as metabolic reprogramming, which promote cell survival and limit therapy. The diverse metabolic fuel sources that are produced by autophagy provide tumors with metabolic plasticity and are known to induce drug or radioresistance in GBM. This study determined that autophagy, a common representative cell homeostasis mechanism, was upregulated upon treatment of GBM cells with ionizing radiation (IR). Nuclear receptor binding factor 2 (NRBF2)-a positive regulator of the autophagy initiation step-was found to be upregulated in a GBM orthotopic xenograft mouse model. Furthermore, ATP production and the oxygen consumption rate (OCR) increased upon activation of NRBF2-mediated autophagy. It was also discovered that changes in metabolic state were induced by alterations in metabolite levels caused by autophagy, thereby causing radioresistance. In addition, we found that lidoflazine-a vasodilator agent discovered through drug repositioning-significantly suppressed IR-induced migration, invasion, and proliferation by inhibiting NRBF2, resulting in a reduction in autophagic flux in both in vitro models and in vivo orthotopic xenograft mouse models. In summary, we propose that the upregulation of NRBF2 levels reprograms the metabolic state of GBM cells by activating autophagy, thus establishing NRBF2 as a potential therapeutic target for regulating radioresistance of GBM during radiotherapy.

A simple synthesis of surfactant-free polycrystalline CuO nanoparticles supported on carbon nanofibers for regioselective hydroboration of alkynes.

Copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) with a clean surface supported on carbon nanofibers (CNFs) in one-pot were prepared by simple solid-state grinding and aging followed by thermal treatment, yielding CuO nanoparticles with high (23.8 wt%) and uniform CuO loading in the absence of surfactants and solvent. The CuO NPs on CNFs (CuO/CNF) showed excellent catalytic activity in transforming a wide variety of alkynes into alkenyl boronates using B2Pin2 as a boron source in the absence of ligand and additives with high regioselectivity under mild conditions. Moreover, the present CuO/CNF catalyst was recyclable and possesses excellent chemoselectivity. The developed green synthetic approach is expected to offer exciting opportunities for designing monometallic or bimetallic nanoparticle catalysts on different supports applied in heterogeneous catalysis.

Transition metal oxy/hydroxides functionalized flexible halloysite nanotubes for hydrogen evolution reaction.

The hierarchical halloysite nanotubes (HNT) have alumina containing positive Al-OH groups on its inner surface and silica-containing negative siloxane groups of Si-O-Si on its outer surface. The silicate laminate consists of silicon-oxygen at tetrahedral sites and aluminum-oxygen at octahedral sites. Since HNT has an abundant hydroxyl group on the surface with exceptional cation/anion exchange capacity, the surface-functionalized HNT could boost electrocatalytic activity. Hence, we have synthesized Ni, Co, and Cu metal oxy/hydroxides functionalized HNT by a facile hydrothermal method for HER. Among them, Co(OH)2@HNT on flexible carbon cloth displays an ultra-low overpotential of 65 mV at 10 mA cm-2 current density and Tafel slope of 181 mV dec-1 and also exhibited a larger exchange current density of 3.98 mA cm-2 in alkaline 1 M KOH electrolyte due to superior electrostatic affinity between OH- and Co2+. The electrolyzers with anion exchange membrane consisting of RuO2||Co(OH)2@HNT show remarkable stability of over 50 h at 10 mA cm-2 in alkaline electrolyte. The post stability sample retains the same surface oxidation state which confirms the robustness of the electrocatalyst. The reported results are far better than many of the transition metal oxides/chalcogenides electrocatalysts and hence it is expected that HNT could act as a potential alternative candidate to replace the benchmark platinum catalyst.

The Impact of Social Network Characteristics on Health among Community-Dwelling Older Adults in Korea: Application of Social Network Analysis.

Objectives: Population aging is a reality in most developed countries. In this era, an important health issue for these countries is promoting health and quality of life in the elderly population. Older adults' social networks are associated with health and quality of life. Therefore, this study examines the association between the characteristics of social networks (friendship networks) and the subjective well-being of community-dwelling older adults. Methods: This study was conducted between June 2015 and August 2015 with a total of 146 participants. The size and density of social networks were analyzed using social network analysis. Additionally, to investigate the impact of social networks on health, a multiple linear regression analysis was performed using NetMiner 4.0. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: In terms of Model 1, which used social network characteristics as variables, the higher the out-degree (376.161) and in-closeness (201.825), the better the health. In contrast, the higher the in-degree (−279.167) and out-closeness (−52.620), the poorer the health. Regarding Model 2, which used sociodemographic characteristics as variables, the higher the out-degree (218.747) and in-closeness (170.075), the better the health. In addition, religion had a negative effect on health, and a high level of education had a positive effect on health. Conclusions: The findings suggest that higher out-degree and in-closeness intensity positively affect the health of older adults, but higher in-degree and out-closeness intensity negatively affect health. Therefore, health professionals should use appropriate strategies to increase the strength of social networks to improve the health of older adults living in the community.

Light-Harvesting Novel Hierarchical Porous Cu9S5-MnWO4 Hybrid Structures in Photocatalytic Oxidative Homocoupling of Alkynes and Amines.

The discovery of light-harvesting materials for use in photocatalytic organic reactions has recently attracted attention, indicating the potential for utilizing renewable energy sources. A hybrid semiconductor (SC)-SC structure, Cu9S5-MnWO4, was synthesized using a simple, efficient method. The novel hierarchical porous Cu9S5-MnWO4 hybrid structures were then applied in the photocatalysis of oxidative homocoupling of alkynes and amines. The design of a heterogeneous catalyst based on a porous, SC-SC hybrid structure and low-cost Cu should generate interest in the fabrication and modification of photocatalysts for a wide range of applications.

Applying Latent Profile Analysis to Identify Lifestyle Profiles and Their Association with Loneliness and Quality of Life among Community-Dwelling Middle- and Older-Aged Adults in South Korea.

This study aimed to examine the multi-faceted lifestyle profiles of community-dwelling middle- and older-aged adults based on their physical activity, participation in various activities, and nutrition. It identified the association of lifestyle profiles with demographic variables, quality of life, and mental health. The analysis included 569 participants (mean age = 60.2; SD = 4.3). Latent profile analysis identified three distinctive lifestyle profiles: "inactive and unbalanced" (36.4%), "basic life maintenance" (54.6%), and "active and balanced" (9.1%). Sex (p < 0.001), age (p < 0.001), and regular medication intake (p < 0.01) were statistically significantly different among the three profiles. Of the "inactive and unbalanced" lifestyle group, 63.3% of it was comprised of by females, and a relatively large distribution was aged over 65. In the "basic life maintenance" subgroup, males showed a relatively large distribution, and 92.6% of participants were aged 55-64. People with active and balanced lifestyles demonstrated high quality of life levels (p < 0.001) and low loneliness levels (p < 0.01). Multinomial logistic regression revealed a statistically significant positive association between lifestyle profiles and quality of life (p < 0.001) as well as mental health (p < 0.01). Therefore, health promotion that considers multi-faceted lifestyle factors would need to improve health and quality of life among community-dwelling middle- and older-aged adults in South Korea.

Differences in Multi-Faceted Lifestyles in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic and Their Association with Depression and Quality of Life of Older Adults in South Korea: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic on 11 March 2020, due to the number of newly reported confirmed cases and the rapid increase in deaths. Therefore, countries around the world limited their population to policies such as "social distancing" or "staying at home" to prevent the spread of the virus. The purpose of this study was to evaluate differences in lifestyle pre and post the outbreak COVID-19 among older adults in South Korea and to identify the impact of lifestyle differences on depression and quality of life. METHODS: An online single questionnaire covering sociodemographic data, lifestyle details, depression status, and quality of life level was distributed using mailing lists and social media. To assess lifestyles differences in older people pre and post the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, the online single questionnaire was used post COVID-19 pandemic. Based on the participants' memories, they responded lifestyles at two time points (pre and post COVID-19 pandemic). RESULTS: The results showed that there was a significant decrease in physical activity and activity participation during the pandemic. In terms of nutrition, there was no statistically significant change pre and post the outbreak COVID-19, except for the intake of protein, fat, and vitamins. Additionally, the results showed that the resulting lifestyle differences seem to have had a negative impact on depression and quality of life among older adults in South Korea. CONCLUSION: There was a significant difference the lifestyle patterns among the participants in South Korea between the current period and pre COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, it is observed that these differenced lifestyles were associated with depression and quality of life among the participants. Our findings may help to develop public health programs that support healthy lifestyles in pandemic conditions.

An Integrated Approach for the Efficient Extraction and Solubilization of Rice Microsomal Membrane Proteins for High-Throughput Proteomics.

The preparation of microsomal membrane proteins (MPs) is critically important to microsomal proteomics. To date most research studies have utilized an ultracentrifugation-based approach for the isolation and solubilization of plant MPs. However, these approaches are labor-intensive, time-consuming, and unaffordable in certain cases. Furthermore, the use of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and its removal prior to a mass spectrometry (MS) analysis through multiple washing steps result in the loss of proteins. To address these limitations, this study introduced a simple micro-centrifugation-based MP extraction (MME) method from rice leaves, with the efficacy of this approach being compared with a commercially available plasma membrane extraction kit (PME). Moreover, this study assessed the subsequent solubilization of isolated MPs in an MS-compatible surfactant, namely, 4-hexylphenylazosulfonate (Azo) and SDS using a label-free proteomic approach. The results validated the effectiveness of the MME method, specifically in the enrichment of plasma membrane proteins as compared with the PME method. Furthermore, the findings showed that Azo demonstrated several advantages over SDS in solubilizing the MPs, which was reflected through a label-free quantitative proteome analysis. Altogether, this study provided a relatively simple and rapid workflow for the efficient extraction of MPs with an Azo-integrated MME approach for bottom-up proteomics.

Development and Validation of the Yonsei Lifestyle Profile-Satisfaction (YLP-S) Using the Rasch Measurement Model.

Lifestyle plays an important role in determining health and vitality among older adults. However, there is limited evidence regarding lifestyle assessment. This study examined the psychometric properties of the Yonsei Lifestyle Profile-Satisfaction (YLP-S). The participants in the study included 156 older adults. Rasch analysis was used to test unidimensionality, fit statistics, and the precision of the YLP-S. The YLP-S demonstrated a unidimensional measurement construct, and 18 items fit the Rasch model. The YLP-S illustrated reasonable precision (person strata = 5.37). Only 4 items showed differential item functioning by sex or age groups. The findings indicate that the YLP-S demonstrated sound internal validity and can be used by health professionals to measure the multifaceted lifestyle of older adults.

Electrochemical Generation of Mesopores and Residual Oxygen for the Enhanced Activity of Silver Electrocatalysts.

The development of stable and efficient electrocatalysts is of key importance for the establishment of a sustainable society. The activity of a metal electrocatalyst is determined by its electrochemically active surface area and intrinsic activity, which can be increased using highly porous structures and heteroatomic doping, respectively. Herein, we propose a general strategy of generating mesopores and residual oxygen in metal electrocatalysts by reduction of metastable metal oxides using Ag2O3 electrodeposited onto carbon paper as a model system and demonstrating that the obtained multipurpose porous Ag electrocatalyst has high activity for the electroreduction of O2 and CO2. The presence of mesopores and residual oxygen is confirmed by electrochemical and spectroscopic techniques, and quantum mechanical simulations prove the importance of residual oxygen for electrocatalytic activity enhancement. Thus, the adopted strategy is concluded to allow the synthesis of highly active metal catalysts with controlled mesoporosity and residual oxygen content.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the lifestyle, mental health, and quality of life of adults in South Korea.

OBJECTIVE: The COVID-19 pandemic continues to pose significant challenges to nations. The Korean government aimed to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 through stay-at-home strategies and maintaining social distance, which are likely to result in major changes in the lifestyle, mental health, and quality of life of citizens. This study aimed to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on these factors in Koreans over 20 years old. METHODS: The study sample consisted of 104 adults in South Korea aged over 20 years. An online survey was conducted between August and October 2020, in which participants were asked to complete the Yonsei Lifestyle Profile to assess lifestyle changes, the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale, and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale abbreviated version. To investigate the changes in people's lifestyles, depression, and quality of life post COVID-19, descriptive statistics were calculated for these indicators before and after the onset of the pandemic. The p-value was two-sided, and values <0.05, were regarded as statistically significant. RESULTS: There was a significant decline in physical and other meaningful activities, including activities of daily living, leisure, social activity, and education. However, there were no significant changes in nutrition, except in the consumption of carbohydrates and minerals. Participants reported that their quality of life and mental health had decreased after the pandemic struck. CONCLUSIONS: We obtained novel data on the changes in the lifestyle, mental health, and quality of life of South Korean adults before and after the onset of the pandemic. The results of our study may assist health policymakers and practitioners in the development of health education or relevant interventions to deal with the pandemic situation as well as future crises.

Efficient photocatalytic degradation of dyes using photo-deposited Ag nanoparticles on ZnO structures: simple morphological control of ZnO.

In this work, morphology-controlled ZnO structures were prepared via a hydrothermal method by simple adjustments in the NaOH concentration. The NaOH concentration variation from 0.2 to 1.2 M resulted in the formation of ZnO structures in shapes such as walnut, spherical flower, flower, rod, and urchin-like. The extent of OH- ions is the main factor influencing the growth of ZnO structures. Well-defined morphologies, good crystallinity, and optical properties were obtained for all ZnO structures. Among these ZnO structures, ZnOsf (spherical flower-like) structure showed a greater percentage of photodegradation of methyl orange and rhodamine B dyes. Surface plasmon resonance was achieved by modifying the surface of ZnO with Ag nanoparticles. ZnOsf was loaded with Ag nanoparticles by a facile photo-deposition method. Ag-ZnOsf showed superior photoactivity and recyclability for the degradation of methyl orange and rhodamine B. Therefore, modification of different ZnO structures can help realize potential catalysts for future environmental applications.