A role of anterior cingulate cortex in the emergence of worker-parasite relationship.

We studied the brain mechanisms underlying action selection in a social dilemma setting in which individuals' effortful gains are unfairly distributed among group members. A stable "worker-parasite" relationship developed when three individually operant-conditioned rats were placed together in a Skinner box equipped with response lever and food dispenser on opposite sides. Specifically, one rat, the "worker," engaged in lever-pressing while the other two "parasitic" rats profited from the worker's effort by crowding the feeder in anticipation of food. Anatomically, c-Fos expression in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) was significantly higher in worker rats than in parasite rats. Functionally, ACC inactivation suppressed the worker's lever-press behavior drastically under social, but only mildly under individual, settings. Transcriptionally, GABAA receptor- and potassium channel-related messenger RNA expressions were reliably lower in the worker's, relative to parasite's, ACC. These findings indicate the requirement of ACC activation for the expression of exploitable, effortful behavior, which could be mediated by molecular pathways involving GABAA receptor/potassium channel proteins.

Control of motor coordination by astrocytic tonic GABA release through modulation of excitation/inhibition balance in cerebellum.

Tonic inhibition in the brain is mediated through an activation of extrasynaptic GABAA receptors by the tonically released GABA, resulting in a persistent GABAergic inhibitory action. It is one of the key regulators for neuronal excitability, exerting a powerful action on excitation/inhibition balance. We have previously reported that astrocytic GABA, synthesized by monoamine oxidase B (MAOB), mediates tonic inhibition via GABA-permeable bestrophin 1 (Best1) channel in the cerebellum. However, the role of astrocytic GABA in regulating neuronal excitability, synaptic transmission, and cerebellar brain function has remained elusive. Here, we report that a reduction of tonic GABA release by genetic removal or pharmacological inhibition of Best1 or MAOB caused an enhanced neuronal excitability in cerebellar granule cells (GCs), synaptic transmission at the parallel fiber-Purkinje cell (PF-PC) synapses, and motor performance on the rotarod test, whereas an augmentation of tonic GABA release by astrocyte-specific overexpression of MAOB resulted in a reduced neuronal excitability, synaptic transmission, and motor performance. The bidirectional modulation of astrocytic GABA by genetic alteration of Best1 or MAOB was confirmed by immunostaining and in vivo microdialysis. These findings indicate that astrocytes are the key player in motor coordination through tonic GABA release by modulating neuronal excitability and could be a good therapeutic target for various movement and psychiatric disorders, which show a disturbed excitation/inhibition balance.

Surface-Integrated Electric Field Sensor for the Detection of High-Voltage Power Lines.

When a drone is used for inspection of facilities, there are often cases in which high-voltage power lines interfere, resulting in the drone being caught or falling. To prevent this type of incident, drones must be capable of detecting high-voltage power lines. Typically, a strong electric field is formed around the high-voltage lines. To detect the electric fields around high-voltage lines, this study proposes an electric field sensor that may be integrated within the body of a drone. In a laboratory environment, a voltage of 25 kV was applied to an overhead line, and the induced voltage in the proposed sensor was measured at various electric field intensities. Over an electric field range of 0.5 to 10.1 kV/m, a voltage of 0 to 0.77 V was measured with each proposed sensor. In addition, the electric field and the voltage induced in the sensor were measured in a real-world railway environment with overhead lines. Under these conditions, the proposed sensor has the compensated value of 4.5 when the measured electric field was 4.05 kV/m. Therefore, the proposed sensor may be applied in drones to measure large electric fields and to detect the presence of high-voltage lines in its vicinity.

Endogenous amyloid-ß mediates memory forgetting in the normal brain.

Amyloid beta (Aß) is known to be one of the strong candidate molecules for initiating Alzheimer's disease and has been extensively studied in the light of disease pathophysiology. However, it is still elusive what roles Aß play in the normal brain. In this study, we report that Aß is required for memory forgetting in the normal brain. We monitored object recognition memory, and in order to quench soluble Aß, we microinjected anti-Aß antibody (4G8) into the ventricles after memory acquisition. Microinjection of anti-Aß antibody prolonged the maintenance of object recognition memory. This effect appeared not to be due to modulation of memory consolidation since antibody injection after memory consolidation still had a similar effect on memory maintenance. Furthermore, the maintenance of object recognition memory was prolonged in Fcgr2b KO mice, which lacks IgG Fcγ receptor II-b (FcγRIIb), a receptor for soluble Aß oligomers. Taken together, these findings suggest that endogenous Aß is involved in memory forgetting in the normal brain.

Ibrutinib suppresses LPS-induced neuroinflammatory responses in BV2 microglial cells and wild-type mice.

BACKGROUND: The FDA-approved small-molecule drug ibrutinib is an effective targeted therapy for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Ibrutinib inhibits Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK), a kinase involved in B cell receptor signaling. However, the potential regulation of neuroinflammatory responses in the brain by ibrutinib has not been comprehensively examined. METHODS: BV2 microglial cells were treated with ibrutinib (1 µM) or vehicle (1% DMSO), followed by lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 1 µg/ml) or PBS. RT-PCR, immunocytochemistry, and subcellular fractionation were performed to examine the effects of ibrutinib on neuroinflammatory responses. In addition, wild-type mice were sequentially injected with ibrutinib (10 mg/kg, i.p.) or vehicle (10% DMSO, i.p.), followed by LPS (10 mg/kg, i.p.) or PBS, and microglial and astrocyte activations were assessed using immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Ibrutinib significantly reduced LPS-induced increases in proinflammatory cytokine levels in BV2 microglial and primary microglial cells but not in primary astrocytes. Ibrutinib regulated TLR4 signaling to alter LPS-induced proinflammatory cytokine levels. In addition, ibrutinib significantly decreased LPS-induced increases in p-AKT and p-STAT3 levels, suggesting that ibrutinib attenuates LPS-induced neuroinflammatory responses by inhibiting AKT/STAT3 signaling pathways. Interestingly, ibrutinib also reduced LPS-induced BV2 microglial cell migration by inhibiting AKT signaling. Moreover, ibrutinib-injected wild-type mice exhibited significantly reduced microglial/astrocyte activation and COX-2 and IL-1ß proinflammatory cytokine levels. CONCLUSIONS: Our data provide insights on the mechanisms of a potential therapeutic strategy for neuroinflammation-related diseases.

The small molecule CA140 inhibits the neuroinflammatory response in wild-type mice and a mouse model of AD.

BACKGROUND: Neuroinflammation is associated with neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). Thus, modulating the neuroinflammatory response represents a potential therapeutic strategy for treating neurodegenerative diseases. Several recent studies have shown that dopamine (DA) and its receptors are expressed in immune cells and are involved in the neuroinflammatory response. Thus, we recently developed and synthesized a non-self-polymerizing analog of DA (CA140) and examined the effect of CA140 on neuroinflammation. METHODS: To determine the effects of CA140 on the neuroinflammatory response, BV2 microglial cells were pretreated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 1 µg/mL), followed by treatment with CA140 (10 µM) and analysis by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). To examine whether CA140 alters the neuroinflammatory response in vivo, wild-type mice were injected with both LPS (10 mg/kg, intraperitoneally (i.p.)) and CA140 (30 mg/kg, i.p.), and immunohistochemistry was performed. In addition, familial AD (5xFAD) mice were injected with CA140 or vehicle daily for 2 weeks and examined for microglial and astrocyte activation. RESULTS: Pre- or post-treatment with CA140 differentially regulated proinflammatory responses in LPS-stimulated microglia and astrocytes. Interestingly, CA140 regulated D1R levels to alter LPS-induced proinflammatory responses. CA140 significantly downregulated LPS-induced phosphorylation of ERK and STAT3 in BV2 microglia cells. In addition, CA140-injected wild-type mice exhibited significantly decreased LPS-induced microglial and astrocyte activation. Moreover, CA140-injected 5xFAD mice exhibited significantly reduced microglial and astrocyte activation. CONCLUSIONS: CA140 may be beneficial for preventing and treating neuroinflammatory-related diseases, including AD.

Quantitative Imaging of Cerebral Thromboemboli In Vivo: The Effects of Tissue-Type Plasminogen Activator.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Quantitative imaging for the noninvasive assessment of thrombolysis is needed to advance basic and clinical thrombosis-related research and tailor tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) treatment for stroke patients. We quantified the evolution of cerebral thromboemboli using fibrin-targeted glycol chitosan-coated gold nanoparticles and microcomputed tomography, with/without tPA therapy. METHODS: We injected thrombi into the distal internal carotid artery in mice (n=50). Fifty-five minutes later, we injected fibrin-targeted glycol chitosan-coated gold nanoparticles, and 5 minutes after that, we treated animals with tPA or not (25 mg/kg). We acquired serial microcomputed tomography images for 24 hours posttreatment. RESULTS: Thrombus burden at baseline was 784×103±59×103 µm2 for the tPA group (n=42) and 655×103±103×103 µm2 for the saline group (n=8; P=0.37). Thrombus shrinkage began at 0.5 to 1 hour after tPA therapy, with a maximum initial rate of change at 4603±957 µm2/min. The rate of change lowered to ≈61% level of the initial in hours 1 to 2, followed by ≈29% and ≈1% in hours 2 to 3 and 3 to 24, respectively. Thus, 85% of total thrombolysis over 24 hours (≈500 µm2, equivalent to 64% of the baseline thrombus burden) occurred within the first 3 hours of treatment. Thrombus burden at 24 hours could be predicted at around 1.5 to 2 hours. Saline treatment was not associated with significant changes in the thrombus burden. Infarct size was smaller in the tPA group versus saline group (18.1±2.3 versus 45.8±3.3 mm2; P<0.01). Infarct size correlated to final thrombus burden (r=0.71; P<0.01). Time to thrombolysis, completeness of thrombolysis, and tPA therapy were independent predictors of infarct size. CONCLUSIONS: Thromboembolic burden and the efficacy of tPA therapy can be assessed serially, noninvasively, and quantitatively using high-resolution microcomputed tomography and a fibrin-binding nanoparticle imaging agent.

Cytokine Response to Diet and Exercise Affects Atheromatous Matrix Metalloproteinase-2/9 Activity in Mice.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to identify the principal circulating factors that modulate atheromatous matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity in response to diet and exercise.Methods and Results:Apolipoprotein-E knock-out (ApoE-/-) mice (n=56) with pre-existing plaque, fed either a Western diet (WD) or normal diet (ND), underwent either 10 weeks of treadmill exercise or had no treatment. Atheromatous MMP activity was visualized using molecular imaging with a MMP-2/9 activatable near-infrared fluorescent (NIRF) probe. Exercise did not significantly reduce body weight, visceral fat, and plaque size in either WD-fed animals or ND-fed animals. However, atheromatous MMP-activity was different; ND animals that did or did not exercise had similarly low MMP activities, WD animals that did not exercise had high MMP activity, and WD animals that did exercise had reduced levels of MMP activity, close to the levels of ND animals. Factor analysis and path analysis showed that soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule (sVCAM)-1 was directly positively correlated to atheromatous MMP activity. Adiponectin was indirectly negatively related to atheromatous MMP activity by way of sVCAM-1. Resistin was indirectly positively related to atheromatous MMP activity by way of sVCAM-1. Visceral fat amount was indirectly positively associated with atheromatous MMP activity, by way of adiponectin reduction and resistin elevation. MMP-2/9 imaging of additional mice (n=18) supported the diet/exercise-related anti-atherosclerotic roles for sVCAM-1. CONCLUSIONS: Diet and exercise affect atheromatous MMP activity by modulating the systemic inflammatory milieu, with sVCAM-1, resistin, and adiponectin closely interacting with each other and with visceral fat.

AMPA receptor exchange underlies transient memory destabilization on retrieval.

A consolidated memory can be transiently destabilized by memory retrieval, after which memories are reconsolidated within a few hours; however, the molecular substrates underlying this destabilization process remain essentially unknown. Here we show that at lateral amygdala synapses, fear memory consolidation correlates with increased surface expression of calcium-impermeable AMPA receptors (CI-AMPARs), which are known to be more stable at the synapse, whereas memory retrieval induces an abrupt exchange of CI-AMPARs to calcium-permeable AMPARs (CP-AMPARs), which are known to be less stable at the synapse. We found that blockade of either CI-AMPAR endocytosis or NMDA receptor activity during memory retrieval, both of which blocked the exchange to CP-AMPARs, prevented memory destabilization, indicating that this transient exchange of AMPARs may underlie the transformation of a stable memory into an unstable memory. These newly inserted CP-AMPARs gradually exchanged back to CI-AMPARs within hours, which coincided with the course of reconsolidation. Furthermore, blocking the activity of these newly inserted CP-AMPARs after retrieval impaired reconsolidation, suggesting that they serve as synaptic "tags" that support synapse-specific reconsolidation. Taken together, our results reveal unexpected physiological roles of CI-AMPARs and CP-AMPARs in transforming a consolidated memory into an unstable memory and subsequently guiding reconsolidation.

A new micro-computed tomography-based high-resolution blood-brain barrier imaging technique to study ischemic stroke.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Micro-computed tomography (mCT) offers high-resolution images, but it suffers from low contrast sensitivity and poor soft tissue contrast. We introduce a new mCT imaging technique with improved sensitivity for the dynamic spatial and temporal characterization of poststroke blood-brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction in small animals in vivo. METHODS: Transient middle cerebral artery occlusion was induced for 1 hour in 10- to 12-week-old C57BL/6 mice (n=35). At 4, 24, and 48 hours after ischemic stroke, serial in vivo mCT imaging was performed 5 minutes after intravenous infusion (n=3) or intracarotid infusion of iopromide (240 µL) for 5 minutes (n=32). After intravenous injection of 2% Evans blue, we performed ex vivo near-infrared fluorescent imaging of parenchymal Evans blue leakage, visual assessment of poststroke parenchymal hematoma, triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining of the brain tissue, and quantitative mapping of stroke-related brain lesions. RESULTS: Infarct-related BBB dysfunction could be demonstrated with intra-arterial but not with intravenous infusion of iopromide. Iopromide leakage across the dysfunctional BBB showed a monophasic (not biphasic) course for 48 hours after ischemic insult in both the parenchymal hematoma (n=5) and the non-parenchymal hematoma (n=24) groups, with relatively severe leakiness and greater hemispheric midline shift in animals with hemorrhage. Parenchymal staining on in vivo mCT overlapped with ex vivo fluorescent staining because of Evans blue. Multivariable analyses showed that midline shift and the amount of iopromide leakage at each of the 3 time points predicted the final infarct size at 48 hours. CONCLUSIONS: The new mCT BBB imaging technique, based on the intra-arterial infusion of clinically available iopromide, allows serial quantitative visualization of poststroke BBB dysfunction in mice, with high resolution and in a sensitive manner.

Hyperacute direct thrombus imaging using computed tomography and gold nanoparticles.

OBJECTIVE: Advancing the understanding and management of thromboembolic stroke requires simple and robust new methods that would be useful for the in vivo assessment of thrombus burden/distribution and for characterizing its evolution in a prompt and quantitative manner. METHODS: Animals (n=127) with experimental models of thrombosis were imaged with microcomputed tomography 5 minutes (and/or ~3 weeks) after intravenous injection of glycol chitosan (GC) gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). RESULTS: Nanoparticles accumulated in the thrombus, allowing computed tomography visualization of both the presence and extent of primary and recurrent thrombi in mouse carotid arteries without a single failure of detection. Nanoparticle thrombus imaging was also effective in monitoring the therapeutic efficacy of thrombolysis (n=118 tissue plasminogen activator [tPA] therapies). Thrombus evolution (either spontaneous or post-tPA) could be mapped at high resolution in both space and time. Due to a long circulating half-life, GC-AuNPs remain available for entrapment into fibrin matrix for an extended period of time (up to 3 weeks), allowing repetition or ongoing monitoring of thrombogenesis and thrombolysis. INTERPRETATION: This is the first report on a hyperacute direct thrombus imaging technique using thrombus-seeking AuNPs and computed tomography. When translated into stroke practice, the thrombus imaging may allow us to advance to personalized thrombolytic therapy by demonstrating thrombus burden, distribution, and character in a prompt and quantitative manner. Further study into this area is indicated.

Photodynamic therapy using a protease-mediated theranostic agent reduces cathepsin-B activity in mouse atheromata in vivo.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether an intravenously injected cathepsin-B activatable theranostic agent (L-SR15) would be cleaved in and release a fluorescent agent (chlorin-e6) in mouse atheromata, allowing both the diagnostic visualization and therapeutic application of these fluorophores as photosensitizers during photodynamic therapy to attenuate plaque-destabilizing cathepsin-B activity by selectively eliminating macrophages. APPROACH AND RESULTS: Thirty-week-old apolipoprotein E knock-out mice (n=15) received intravenous injection of L-SR15 theranostic agent, control agent D-SR16, or saline 3× (D0, D7, D14). Twenty-four hours after each injection, the bilateral carotid arteries were exposed, and Cy5.5 near-infrared fluorescent imaging was performed. Fluorescent signal progressively accumulated in the atheromata of the L-SR15 group animals only, indicating that photosensitizers had been released from the theranostic agent and were accumulating in the plaque. After each imaging session, photodynamic therapy was applied with a continuous-wave diode-laser. Additional near-infrared fluorescent imaging at a longer wavelength (Cy7) with a cathepsin-B-sensing activatable molecular imaging agent showed attenuation of cathepsin-B-related signal in the L-SR15 group. Histological studies demonstrated that L-SR15-based photodynamic therapy decreased macrophage infiltration by inducing apoptosis without significantly affecting plaque size or smooth muscle cell numbers. Toxicity studies (n=24) showed that marked erythematous skin lesion was generated in C57/BL6 mice at 24 hours after intravenous injection of free chlorin-e6 and ultraviolet light irradiation; however, L-SR15 or saline did not cause cutaneous phototoxicity beyond that expected of ultraviolet irradiation alone, neither did we observe systemic toxicity or neurobehavioral changes. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study showing that macrophage-secreted cathepsin-B activity in atheromata could be attenuated by photodynamic therapy using a protease-mediated theranostic agent.

Empirical analysis of retirement pension and IFRS adoption effects on accounting information: glance at IT industry.

This study reviews new pension accounting with K-IFRS and provides empirical changes in liability for retirement allowances with adoption of K-IFRS. It will help to understand the effect of pension accounting on individual firm's financial report and the importance of public announcement of actuarial assumptions. Firms that adopted K-IFRS had various changes in retirement liability compared to the previous financial report not based on K-IFRS. Their actuarial assumptions for pension accounting should be announced, but only few of them were published. Data analysis shows that the small differences of the actuarial assumption may result in a big change of retirement related liability. Firms within IT industry also have similar behaviors, which means that additional financial regulations for pension accounting are recommended.

Effects of corporate social responsibility and governance on its credit ratings.

This study reviews the impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate governance on its credit rating. The result of regression analysis to credit ratings with relevant primary independent variables shows that both factors have significant effects on it. As we have predicted, the signs of both regression coefficients have a positive sign (+) proving that corporates with excellent CSR and governance index (CGI) scores have higher credit ratings and vice versa. The results show nonfinancial information also may have effects on corporate credit rating. The investment on personal data protection could be an example of CSR/CGI activities which have positive effects on corporate credit ratings.

Effects of cooking methods on antioxidant activity and acrylamide formation in red bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.).

Red bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) is a popular and nutritious vegetable. In this study, oven cooking (OV), air-frying (AF), and infrared grilling (IR) were used to cook red bell peppers at different temperatures (170, 180, 190, and 200 °C). Changes in the total phenolic content, ascorbic acid content, antioxidant activity, and sugar and acrylamide content in red bell peppers were evaluated before and after cooking. The total phenolic and ascorbic acid contents decreased significantly after cooking (p < 0.05). Among the three evaluated methods, OV-cooked red bell peppers exhibited the highest antioxidant activity. The acrylamide content showed the lowest levels in OV 170 °C (93.67 ± 3.22 µg/kg dw) and the highest in AF 200 °C (1985.38 ± 76.39 µg/kg dw) samples. Compared to the AF and IR methods, OV was identified as the best way to preserve the antioxidant activity of red bell peppers while reducing acrylamide production. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10068-024-01623-y.

Characterization of the Outer Membrane Vesicles of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Exhibiting Growth Inhibition against Acinetobacter baumannii.

We investigated the Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) and their effect on Acinetobacter baumannii (AB) growth in vitro. The inhibitory effects of PA on AB were assessed using a cross-streak assay. The OMVs were extracted through high-speed centrifugation, tangential flow filtration, and ultracentrifugation and characterized by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and nanoparticle tracking assays (NTAs). Proteomic analysis was conducted to compare the OMVs of different PA strains. PA022 exhibited more pronounced inhibition of AB growth compared with PA ATCC 27853. TEM confirmed the presence of OMVs in both PA022 and PA ATCC 27853, revealing phospholipid bilayer structures. The NTA revealed similar sizes and concentrations. Proteomic analysis identified 623 and 538 proteins in PA022 and PA ATCC 27853 OMVs, respectively, with significant proportions of the outer membrane and extracellular proteins, respectively. Importantly, PA022 OMVs contained six known virulence factors and motility-associated proteins. This study revealed the unique characteristics of PA OMVs and their inhibitory effects on AB growth, shedding light on their role in bacterial interactions. Proteomic analysis provides valuable insights into potential pathogenic functions and therapeutic applications against bacterial infections.

Chemoembolization as first-line treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma invading segmental portal vein with tumour burden limited to a monosegmental level.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of chemoembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with portal vein tumour thrombosis (PVTT) confined to a monosegment of the liver. METHODS: A total of 192 treatment-naive patients who received chemoembolization between March 2008 and January 2023 as a first-line treatment for locally advanced HCC with PVTT limited to a monosegment were retrospectively analysed. Overall survival (OS) and the identification of pretreatment risk factors related to OS were investigated using Cox regression analysis. Complications, radiologic tumour response, and progression-free survival (PFS) following chemoembolization were investigated. RESULTS: After chemoembolization, the 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS rates were 86%, 48%, and 39%, respectively, and the median OS was 33 months. Multivariable analyses revealed four significant pretreatment risk factors: infiltrative HCC (P = .02; HR, 1.60), beyond the up-to-11 criteria (P = .002; HR, 2.26), Child-Pugh class B (P = .01; HR, 2.35), and serum AFP ≥400 ng/mL (P = .01; HR, 1.69). The major complication rate was 5%. Of the 192 patients, 1 month after chemoembolization, 35% achieved a complete response, 47% achieved a partial response, 11% had stable disease, and 7% showed progressive disease. The median PFS after chemoembolization was 12 months. CONCLUSIONS: Chemoembolization shows high safety and efficiency, and contributes to improved survival in patients with HCC with PVTT confined to a monosegment. Four risk factors were found to be significantly associated with improved survival rates after chemoembolization in patients with HCC with PVTT confined to a monosegment. ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE: (1) Although systemic therapy with a combination of atezolizumab and bevacizumab (Atezo-Bev) is recommended as the first-line treatment when HCC invades the portal vein, chemoembolization is not infrequently performed in HCC cases in which tumour burden is limited. (2) Our study cohort (n=192) had a median OS of 33 months and a 5% major complication rate following chemoembolization, findings in the range of candidates typically accepted as ideal for chemoembolization. Thus, patients with HCC with PVTT confined to a monosegment may be good candidates for first-line chemoembolization.

One-year mortality and associated factors in older hospitalized COVID-19 survivors: a Nationwide Cohort Study in Korea.

This study aimed to evaluate the 1-year mortality rate among older patients with COVID-19 discharged from hospital and to identify risk factors associated with this outcome. Using a COVID-19 dataset from the Korean National Health Insurance System, this study's evaluation period spanned from October 8, 2020, through December 31, 2021. The primary outcome was the 1-year mortality rate following hospital discharge. A logistic regression model was employed for multivariable analysis to estimate the odds ratios for the outcomes, and the Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze differences in 1-year survival rates. Among the 66,810 COVID-19 patients aged 60 years or older who were hospitalized during the study period, the in-hospital mortality rate was 4.8% (n = 3219). Among the survivors (n = 63,369), the 1-year mortality rate was 4.9% (n = 3093). Non-survivors, compared to survivors, were significantly older (79.2 ± 9.5 vs. 68.9 ± 7.8, P < 0.001) and exhibited a lower rate of COVID-19 vaccination (63.0% vs. 91.7%, P < 0.001). Additionally, non-survivors experienced a higher incidence of organ dysfunction, along with a greater proportion of required mechanical ventilation (14.6% vs. 1.0%, P < 0.001) and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (4.0% vs. 0.1%, P < 0.001). Multivariable logistic regression analysis identified older age, male sex, cardiovascular disease, immunosuppression, organ dysfunction, illness severity, and corticosteroid use during hospitalization as factors associated with death within 1 year after hospital discharge. However, vaccination was found to have a long-term protective effect against death among COVID-19 survivors. The 1-year mortality rate after hospital discharge for older COVID-19 patients was comparable to the in-hospital mortality rate for these patients in Korea. The long-term mortality rate among hospitalized older COVID-19 patients was influenced by demographic factors and the severity of illness experienced during hospitalization.

Br doping-induced evolution of the electronic band structure in dimorphic and hexagonal SnSe2 thermoelectric materials.

SnSe2 with its layered structure is a promising thermoelectric material with intrinsically low lattice thermal conductivity. However, its poor electronic transport properties have motivated extensive doping studies. Br doping effectively improves the power factor and converts the dimorphic SnSe2 to a fully hexagonal structure. To understand the mechanisms underlying the power factor improvement of Br-doped SnSe2, the electronic band parameters of Br-doped dimorphic and hexagonal SnSe2 should be evaluated separately. Using the single parabolic band model, we estimate the intrinsic mobility and effective mass of the Br-doped dimorphic and hexagonal SnSe2. While Br doping significantly improves the mobility of dimorphic SnSe2 (with the dominant hexagonal phase), it results in a combination of band convergence and band flattening in fully hexagonal SnSe2. Br-doped dimorphic SnSe2 is predicted to exhibit higher thermoelectric performance (zT ∼0.23 at 300 K) than Br-doped fully hexagonal SnSe2 (zT ∼0.19 at 300 K). Characterisation of the other, currently unidentified, structural phases of dimorphic SnSe2 will enable us to tailor the thermoelectric properties of Br-doped SnSe2.

Gastrointestinal Sequelae of COVID-19: Investigating Post-Infection Complications-A Systematic Review.

Gastrointestinal (GI) complications are significant manifestations of COVID-19 and are increasingly being recognized. These complications range from severe acute pancreatitis to colitis, adding complexity to diagnosis and management. A comprehensive database search was conducted using several databases. Our inclusion criteria encompassed studies reporting severe and long-term GI complications of COVID-19. Digestive disorders were categorized into infections, inflammatory conditions, vascular disorders, structural abnormalities, other diagnoses, and undiagnosed conditions. Of the 73 studies that were selected for full-text review, only 24 met our inclusion criteria. The study highlights a broad range of gastrointestinal complications following COVID-19 infection (excluding liver complications, which are examined separately), including inflammatory conditions, such as ulcerative colitis (UC), acute pancreatitis, and multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). Other GI complications were reported such as vascular disorders, including diverse thrombotic events and structural abnormalities, which ranged from bowel perforations to adhesions. Additionally, undiagnosed conditions like nausea and abdominal pain were prevalent across different studies involving 561 patients. The findings emphasize the substantial impact of COVID-19 on the GI tract. Ongoing research and monitoring are crucial to understanding the long-term effects and developing effective management strategies for these complications.