Continuous carbon capture in an electrochemical solid-electrolyte reactor.

Electrochemical carbon-capture technologies, with renewable electricity as the energy input, are promising for carbon management but still suffer from low capture rates, oxygen sensitivity or system complexity1-6. Here we demonstrate a continuous electrochemical carbon-capture design by coupling oxygen/water (O2/H2O) redox couple with a modular solid-electrolyte reactor7. By performing oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) redox electrolysis, our device can efficiently absorb dilute carbon dioxide (CO2) molecules at the high-alkaline cathode-membrane interface to form carbonate ions, followed by a neutralization process through the proton flux from the anode to continuously output a high-purity (>99%) CO2 stream from the middle solid-electrolyte layer. No chemical inputs were needed nor side products generated during the whole carbon absorption/release process. High carbon-capture rates (440 mA cm-2, 0.137 mmolCO2 min-1 cm-2 or 86.7 kgCO2 day-1 m-2), high Faradaic efficiencies (>90% based on carbonate), high carbon-removal efficiency (>98%) in simulated flue gas and low energy consumption (starting from about 150 kJ per molCO2) were demonstrated in our carbon-capture solid-electrolyte reactor, suggesting promising practical applications.

Three-dimensional nanoprinting via charged aerosol jets.

Three-dimensional (3D) printing1-9 has revolutionized manufacturing processes for electronics10-12, optics13-15, energy16,17, robotics18, bioengineering19-21 and sensing22. Downscaling 3D printing23 will enable applications that take advantage of the properties of micro- and nanostructures24,25. However, existing techniques for 3D nanoprinting of metals require a polymer-metal mixture, metallic salts or rheological inks, limiting the choice of material and the purity of the resulting structures. Aerosol lithography has previously been used to assemble arrays of high-purity 3D metal nanostructures on a prepatterned substrate26,27, but in limited geometries26-30. Here we introduce a technique for direct 3D printing of arrays of metal nanostructures with flexible geometry and feature sizes down to hundreds of nanometres, using various materials. The printing process occurs in a dry atmosphere, without the need for polymers or inks. Instead, ions and charged aerosol particles are directed onto a dielectric mask containing an array of holes that floats over a biased silicon substrate. The ions accumulate around each hole, generating electrostatic lenses that focus the charged aerosol particles into nanoscale jets. These jets are guided by converged electric-field lines that form under the hole-containing mask, which acts similarly to the nozzle of a conventional 3D printer, enabling 3D printing of aerosol particles onto the silicon substrate. By moving the substrate during printing, we successfully print various 3D structures, including helices, overhanging nanopillars, rings and letters. In addition, to demonstrate the potential applications of our technique, we printed an array of vertical split-ring resonator structures. In combination with other 3D-printing methods, we expect our 3D-nanoprinting technique to enable substantial advances in nanofabrication.

Pach-ing It in: The Peculiar Organization of Mammalian Pachytene Chromosomes.

In this issue of Molecular Cell, Wang et al. (2019) use Hi-C to visualize at high resolution the complex reprogramming of chromatin architecture during spermatogenesis in rhesus monkeys and mice. They find that pachytene spermatocytes have a unique chromosome organization that may result from the presence of the synaptonemal complex and transcription-associated proteins.

Maintenance of CTCF- and Transcription Factor-Mediated Interactions from the Gametes to the Early Mouse Embryo.

The epigenetic information present in mammalian gametes and whether it is transmitted to the progeny are relatively unknown. We find that many promoters in mouse sperm are occupied by RNA polymerase II (Pol II) and Mediator. The same promoters are accessible in GV and MII oocytes and preimplantation embryos. Sperm distal ATAC-seq sites containing motifs for various transcription factors are conserved in monkeys and humans. ChIP-seq analyses confirm that Foxa1, ERα, and AR occupy distal enhancers in sperm. Accessible sperm enhancers containing H3.3 and H2A.Z are also accessible in oocytes and preimplantation embryos. Furthermore, their interactions with promoters in the gametes persist during early development. Sperm- or oocyte-specific interactions mediated by CTCF and cohesin are only present in the paternal or maternal chromosomes, respectively, in the zygote and 2-cell stages. These interactions converge in both chromosomes by the 8-cell stage. Thus, mammalian gametes contain complex patterns of 3D interactions that can be transmitted to the zygote after fertilization.

Photochemical tuning of dynamic defects for high-performance atomically dispersed catalysts.

Developing active and stable atomically dispersed catalysts is challenging because of weak non-specific interactions between catalytically active metal atoms and supports. Here we demonstrate a general method for synthesizing atomically dispersed catalysts via photochemical defect tuning for controlling oxygen-vacancy dynamics, which can induce specific metal-support interactions. The developed synthesis method offers metal-dynamically stabilized atomic catalysts, and it can be applied to reducible metal oxides, including TiO2, ZnO and CeO2, containing various catalytically active transition metals, including Pt, Ir and Cu. The optimized Pt-DSA/TiO2 shows unprecedentedly high photocatalytic hydrogen evolution activity, producing 164 mmol g-1 h-1 with a turnover frequency of 1.27 s-1. Furthermore, it generates 42.2 mmol gsub-1 of hydrogen via a non-recyclable-plastic-photoreforming process, achieving a total conversion of 98%; this offers a promising solution for mitigating plastic waste and simultaneously producing valuable energy sources.

Recruitment of CTCF to an Fto enhancer is responsible for transgenerational inheritance of BPA-induced obesity.

The mechanisms by which environmentally-induced epiphenotypes are transmitted transgenerationally in mammals are poorly understood. Here we show that exposure of pregnant mouse females to bisphenol A (BPA) results in obesity in the F2 progeny due to increased food intake. This epiphenotype can be transmitted up to the F6 generation. Analysis of chromatin accessibility in sperm of the F1-F6 generations reveals alterations at sites containing binding motifs for CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) at two cis-regulatory elements (CREs) of the Fto gene that correlate with transmission of obesity. These CREs show increased interactions in sperm of obese mice with the Irx3 and Irx5 genes, which are involved in the differentiation of appetite-controlling neurons. Deletion of the CTCF site in Fto results in mice that have normal food intake and fail to become obese when ancestrally exposed to BPA. The results suggest that epigenetic alterations of Fto can lead to the same phenotypes as genetic variants.

Interlayer Engineering and Prelithiation: Empowering Si Anodes for Low-Pressure-Operating All-Solid-State Batteries.

Silicon (Si) anodes, free from the dendritic growth concerns found in lithium (Li) metal anodes, offer a promising alternative for high-energy all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs). However, most advancements in Si anodes have been achieved under impractical high operating pressures, which can mask detrimental electrochemo-mechanical issues. Herein, we effectively address the challenges related to the low-pressure operation of Si anodes in ASSBs by introducing an silver (Ag) interlayer between the solid electrolyte layer (Li6PS5Cl) and anode and prelithiating the anodes. The Si composite electrodes, consisting of Si/polyvinylidene fluoride/carbon nanotubes, are optimized for suitable mechanical properties and electrical connectivity. Although the impact of the Ag interlayer is insignificant at an exceedingly high operating pressure of 70 MPa, it substantially enhances the interfacial contacts under a practical low operating pressure of 15 MPa. Thus, Ag-coated Si anodes outperform bare Si anodes (discharge capacity: 2430 vs 1560 mA h g-1). The robust interfacial contact is attributed to the deformable, adhesive properties and protective role of the in situ lithiated Ag interlayer, as evidenced by comprehensive ex situ analyses. Operando electrochemical pressiometry is used effectively to probe the strong interface for Ag-coated Si anodes. Furthermore, prelithiation through the thermal evaporation deposition of Li metal significantly improves the cycling performance.

Risk of cardiovascular disease with high-dose versus low-dose use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in ankylosing spondylitis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) associated with increasing dose of a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). METHODS: Using the Korean National Health Insurance database, patients newly diagnosed with AS without prior CVD between 2010 and 2018 were included in this nationwide cohort study. The primary outcome was CVD, a composite outcome of ischaemic heart disease, stroke or congestive heart failure. Exposure to NSAIDs was evaluated using a time-varying approach. The dose of NSAIDs was considered in each exposure period. Cox proportional hazard regression was used to investigate the risk of CVD associated with NSAID use. RESULTS: Of the 19 775 patients (mean age, 36 years; 75% were male), 19 706 received NSAID treatment. During follow-up period of 98 290 person-years, 1663 cases of CVD occurred including 1157 cases of ischaemic heart disease, 301 cases of stroke and 613 cases of congestive heart failure. Increasing dose of NSAIDs was associated with incident CVD after adjusting for confounders (adjusted HR (aHR) 1.10; 95% CI 1.08 to 1.13). Specifically, increasing dose of NSAIDs was associated with incident ischaemic heart disease (aHR 1.08; 95% CI 1.05 to 1.11), stroke (aHR 1.09; 95% CI 1.04 to 1.15) and congestive heart failure (aHR 1.12; 95% CI 1.08 to 1.16). The association between NSAID dose and higher CVD risk was consistent in different subgroups. CONCLUSION: In a real-world AS cohort, higher dose of NSAID treatment was associated with a higher risk of CVD, including ischaemic heart disease, stroke and congestive heart failure.

Risk of cardiovascular disease associated with long-term use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in ankylosing spondylitis.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the risk of cardiovascular disease associated with long-term use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in a large real-world ankylosing spondylitis (AS) cohort. METHODS: This nationwide population-based cohort study used data from the Korean National Health Insurance Database. Patients aged ≥18 years old who were newly diagnosed with AS without prior cardiovascular disease between January 2010 and December 2018 were included in this study. Controls without AS were randomly selected by age, sex, and index year. The primary outcome was cardiovascular disease, a composite outcome of ischemic heart disease, stroke, or congestive heart failure. Long-term use of NSAIDs was defined as use of NSAIDs for >365 cumulative defined daily doses. The association between long-term use of NSAIDs and incident cardiovascular disease was examined in both AS and non-AS populations. RESULTS: Among 19 775 patients with AS and 59 325 matched controls without AS, there were 1,663 and 4,308 incident cases of cardiovascular disease, showing an incidence of 16.9 and 13.8 per 1,000 person-years, respectively. Long-term use of NSAIDs was associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease in non-AS controls (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.64; 95% CI, 1.48-1.82). In contrast, long-term use of NSAIDs did not increase the risk of cardiovascular disease in AS patients (aHR, 1.06; 95% CI, 0.94-1.20; adjusted for age, sex, socioeconomic status, body mass index, smoking status, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and tumor necrosis factor inhibitor use). CONCLUSION: Prolonged NSAID treatment in AS patients may not be as harmful as in the general population regarding cardiovascular risk.

Comparable outcomes of allogeneic peripheral blood versus bone marrow hematopoietic stem cell transplantation from a sibling donor for pediatric patients.

Traditionally, bone marrow (BM) has been preferred as a source of stem cells (SCs) in pediatric hematopoietic SC transplantation (HSCT); however, the use of peripheral blood SCs (PBSC) has recently increased. With advancing graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis, whether the BM is still a better SC source than PB in sibling donor HSCT remains controversial. Here, we compared the results of BM transplantation (BMT) and PBSC transplantation (PBSCT) in pediatric patients with malignant or non-malignant diseases receiving sibling HSCT using a total of 7.5 mg/kg of anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG). We retrospectively reviewed children who received HSCT from a sibling donor between 2005 and 2020 at Seoul National University Children's Hospital. Of the 86 patients, 40 underwent BMT, and 46 underwent PBSCT. Fifty- six patients had malignant diseases, whereas thirty patients had non-malignant diseases. All conditioning regimens comprised ATG. Busulfan-based myeloablative conditioning regimens were administered to patients with malignant diseases and approximately half of those with non-malignant diseases. The remaining half of the patients with non-malignant diseases were administered cyclophosphamide-based reduced- intensity conditioning regimens. According to studies conducted at our center, all BM donors received G-CSF before harvest to achieve early engraftment. In all 86 patients (47 males and 39 females), the median age at the time of HSCT was 11.4 (range, 0.7 - 24.6) years. The median follow-up period was 57.9 (range, 0.9-228.6) months, and the corresponding values for those with BM and PBSC were 77 (range, 2.4-228.6) months and 48.7 (range, 0.9-213.2) months, respectively. Engraftment failure occurred in one patient with BM and no patient with PBSC. The cumulative incidence of acute GVHD with grades II-IV was higher in PBSC (BM 2.5%, PBSC 26.1%, p = 0.002), but there was no significant difference in those with grades III-IV acute GVHD (BM 0%, PBSC 6.5%, p = 0.3703) and extensive chronic GVHD (BM 2.5%, PBSC 11.6%, p = 0.1004). There were no significant differences in treatment-related mortality (TRM) (BM 14.2%, PBSC 6.8%, p = 0.453), 5-year event-free survival (EFS) (BM 71.5%, PBSC 76.2%, p = 0.874), and overall survival (OS) rates (BM 80.8%, PBSC 80.3%, p = 0.867) between BM and PBSC in the univariate analysis. In the multivariate analysis, which included all factors with p < 0.50 in the univariate analysis, there was no significant prognostic factor for EFS or OS. There was no significant difference in the relapse incidence between BM and PBSC among patients with malignant diseases (BM 14.2%, PBSC 6.8%, p = 0.453). Additionally, there were no significant differences in the TRM, 5-year EFS, and OS rates between malignant and non-malignant diseases nor between the busulfan-based myeloablative regimen and reduced-intensity chemotherapy using cyclophosphamide. In this study, we showed no significant differences in EFS, OS, TRM, and GVHD, except for acute GVHD grades II-IV, between BMT and PBSCT from sibling donors, using ATG (a total of 7.5 mg/kg). Therefore, PB collection, which is less invasive for donors and less labor-intensive for doctors, could also be considered an acceptable SC source for sibling donor HSCT in children.

Lutimonas zeaxanthinifaciens sp. nov., a zeaxanthin-producing marine bacterium isolated from coastal sediment.

A Gram-stain-negative, yellow-pigmented, strictly aerobic, non-flagellated, motile by gliding, rod-shaped bacterium, designated strain YSD2104T, was isolated from a coastal sediment sample collected from the southeastern part of the Yellow Sea. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain YSD2104T was closely related to three type strains, Lutimonas vermicola IMCC1616T (97.4 %), Lutimonas saemankumensis SMK-142T (96.9 %), and Lutimonas halocynthiae RSS3-C1T (96.8 %). Strain YSD2104T has a single circular chromosome of 3.54 Mbp with a DNA G+C content of 38.3 mol%. The average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values between strain YSD2104T and the three type strains (L. vermicola IMCC1616 T, L. saemankumensis SMK-142T, and L. halocynthiae RSS3-C1T) were 74.0, 86.2 and 73.6 %, and 17.9, 30.3 and 17.8 %, respectively. Growth was observed at 20-30 °C (optimum, 30 °C), at pH 6.5-8.5 (optimum, pH 7.0), and with NaCl concentrations of 1.5-3.5 % (optimum, 2.5 %). The major carotenoid was zeaxanthin, and flexirubin-type pigment was not produced. The major respiratory quinone was menaquinone-6. The major fatty acids (>10 %) were iso-C15 : 0, iso-C15 : 1 G, iso-C17 : 0 3-OH, summed feature 3 (C16 : 1 ω6c and/or C16 : 1 ω7c), and summed feature 9 (iso-C17 : 1 ω9c and/or 10-methyl C16 : 0). The major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, one unidentified aminophospholipid, two unidentified aminolipids, and eight unidentified lipids. Conclusively, based on this polyphasic approach, we classified strain YSD2104T (=KCTC 102008T=JCM 36287T) as representing a novel species of the genus Lutimonas and proposed the name Lutimonas zeaxanthinifaciens sp. nov.

Successful Treatment of Refractory or Relapsed Hepatoblastoma With Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in Children.

BACKGROUND: The standard-risk hepatoblastoma has a good prognosis in children; however, refractory or relapsed (R/R) hepatoblastoma has a poor prognosis and high mortality rate. This study aimed to demonstrate the efficacy of high-dose chemotherapy and autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) rescue in pediatric patients with R/R hepatoblastoma. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 6 pediatric patients with R/R hepatoblastoma who underwent autologous HSCT. The MEC conditioning regimen was used for all patients, comprising melphalan 140 mg/m 2 /day intravenously (IV) on day 7 and 70 mg/m 2 on day 6, etoposide 200 mg/m 2 IV on days 5 to 8, and carboplatin 400 mg/m 2 IV on days 5 to 8. One patient received a TopoThioCarbo regimen, comprising topotecan 2 mg/m 2 /day IV on days 4 to 8, thiotepa 300 mg/m 2 /day IV on days 6 to 8, and carboplatin 500 mg/m 2 /day IV on days 3 to 5, as the conditioning regimen for the first transplantation. This was followed by salvage chemotherapy for relapse, and the second transplantation was performed using MEC as the conditioning regimen. RESULTS: We report the retrospective results of 6 patients with a median age of 1.8 (range 0.4 to 10.2) years who had R/R hepatoblastoma and underwent autologous HSCT. The median follow-up period was 58 (range 28 to 113) months after diagnosis. The median stage at diagnosis was 2.0 (range 2 to 4). Two patients had lung metastases during diagnosis. The median initial alpha-fetoprotein level was 292,888 (range 28,831 to 2,406,942) ng/mL, and the median number of chemotherapy lines before autologous HSCT was 3.5 (range 2 to 7). The disease status before HSCT was complete remission (CR) for all patients. The engraftment rate was 100%. No treatment-related mortality was reported. The 3-year event-free survival and overall survival rates were 83.3% and 100%, respectively. One patient relapsed after the second HSCT and achieved CR after salvage chemotherapy. CONCLUSION: This study suggests autologous HSCT as an effective treatment in pediatric patients with R/R hepatoblastoma. Nevertheless, future large-scale prospective studies are warranted.

Afebrile status at the time of emergency department visit is associated with delayed antibiotic therapy in patients with sepsis (revised).

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether there is a difference in antibiotic administration time and prognosis in afebrile sepsis patients compared to febrile sepsis patients. METHODS: This was retrospective multicenter observational study. Data collected from three referral hospitals. Data were collected from May 2014 through February 2016 under the SEPSIS-2 criteria and from March 2016 to April 2020 under the newly released SEPSIS-3 criteria. Patients were divided into two groups based on body temperature: afebrile (<37.3 °C) and febrile (≥37.3 °C). The relationship between initial body temperature and 28-day mortality were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression. The subgroup analysis was conducted on patients with complete Hour-1 bundle performance records. RESULTS: We included 4293 patients in this study. Initial body temperatures in 28-day survivors were significantly higher than in 28-day non-survivors (37.5 °C ± 1.2 °C versus 37.1 °C ± 1.2 °C, p < 0.01). Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed in afebrile and febrile sepsis patients. Adjusted odds ratio of afebrile sepsis patients for 28-day mortality was 1.76 (95% Confidence interval 1.46-2.12). As a result of performing the Hour-1 bundle, the number of patients who received antibiotics within 1 h was smaller in the afebrile sepsis patients (323/2076, 15.6%) than in the febrile sepsis patients (395/2156, 18.3%) (p = 0.02). In the subgroup analysis of patients with complete Hour-1 bundle performance records adjusted odds ratio of afebrile sepsis patients for 28-day mortality was 1.68 (95% Confidence interval 1.34-2.11). The febrile sepsis patients received antibiotics faster than the afebrile sepsis patients (175.5 ± 207.9 versus 209.3 ± 277.9, p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Afebrile sepsis patients were associated with higher 28-day mortality compared to their febrile counterparts and were delayed in receiving antibiotics. This underscores the need for improved early detection and treatment strategies for the afebrile sepsis patients.

Temperature trajectories and mortality in hypothermic sepsis patients.

OBJECTIVES: Hypothermia is associated with poor outcomes in sepsis patients, and hypothermic sepsis patients exhibit temperature alterations during initial treatment. The objective of this study was to classify hypothermic sepsis patients based on body temperature trajectories and investigate the associations of these patients with 28-day mortality. METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data from adult sepsis or septic shock patients who visited three emergency departments between August 2014 and December 2019. Hypothermic sepsis was defined as an initial body temperature <36 °C. delta temperature was calculated by subtracting the 0 h body temperature from the 6 h body temperature. We divided the patients into three groups according to delta temperature: Group A (delta temperature ≤ 0), Group B (0 < delta temperature ≤ 1) and Group C (delta temperature > 1). The primary outcome was 28-day mortality, and a multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression model was generated. RESULTS: Among 7344 patients with sepsis or septic shock, 325 hypothermic patients were included in the analysis, and the overall mortality rate was 36%. While initial body temperature was not different between survivors and nonsurvivors, survivors exhibited a higher body temperature at 6 h. The 28-day mortality rates for Groups A, B and C were 53.1%, 36.0%, and 30.0%, respectively, and Group A had significantly higher mortality than Group C did (p < 0.05). Group C demonstrated a 44.2% decrease in 28-day mortality compared to Group A (adjusted hazard ratio of 0.558; 95% confidence interval of 0.330-0.941). CONCLUSIONS: In hypothermic sepsis patients, an increase of 1 °C or more in body temperature after the initial 6 h is associated with a reduced risk of 28-day mortality.

Orphan nuclear receptor ERR-γ regulates hepatic FGF23 production in acute kidney injury.

Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23), a hormone generally derived from bone, is important in phosphate and vitamin D homeostasis. In acute kidney injury (AKI) patients, high-circulating FGF23 levels are associated with disease progression and mortality. However, the organ and cell type of FGF23 production in AKI and the molecular mechanism of its excessive production are still unidentified. For insight, we investigated folic acid (FA)-induced AKI in mice. Interestingly, simultaneous with FGF23, orphan nuclear receptor ERR-γ expression is increased in the liver of FA-treated mice, and ectopic overexpression of ERR-γ was sufficient to induce hepatic FGF23 production. In patients and in mice, AKI is accompanied by up-regulated systemic IL-6, which was previously identified as an upstream regulator of ERR-γ expression in the liver. Administration of IL-6 neutralizing antibody to FA-treated mice or of recombinant IL-6 to healthy mice confirms IL-6 as an upstream regulator of hepatic ERR-γ-mediated FGF23 production. A significant (P < 0.001) interconnection between high IL-6 and FGF23 levels as a predictor of AKI in patients that underwent cardiac surgery was also found, suggesting the clinical relevance of the finding. Finally, liver-specific depletion of ERR-γ or treatment with an inverse ERR-γ agonist decreased hepatic FGF23 expression and plasma FGF23 levels in mice with FA-induced AKI. Thus, inverse agonist of ERR-γ may represent a therapeutic strategy to reduce adverse plasma FGF23 levels in AKI.

Circulating mitochondrial N-formyl peptides contribute to secondary nosocomial infection in patients with septic shock.

Secondary infections typically worsen outcomes of patients recovering from septic shock. Neutrophil [polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs)] migration to secondarily inoculated sites may play a key role in inhibiting progression from local bacterial inoculation to secondary infection. Mitochondrial N-formyl peptide (mtFP) occupancy of formyl peptide receptor-1 (FPR1) has been shown to suppress PMN chemotaxis. Therefore, we studied the association between circulating mtFPs and the development of secondary infection in patients with septic shock. We collected clinical data and plasma samples from patients with septic shock admitted to the intensive care unit for longer than 72 h. Impacts of circulating nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide dehydrogenase subunit-6 (ND6) upon clinical outcomes were analyzed. Next, the role of ND6 in PMN chemotaxis was investigated using isolated human PMNs. Studying plasma samples from 97 patients with septic shock, we found that circulating ND6 levels at admission were independently and highly associated with the development of secondary infection (odds ratio = 30.317, 95% CI: 2.904 to 316.407, P = 0.004) and increased 90-d mortality (odds ratio = 1.572, 95% CI: 1.002 to 2.465, P = 0.049). In ex vivo experiments, ND6 pretreatment suppressed FPR1-mediated PMN chemotactic responses to bacterial peptides in the presence of multiple cytokines and chemokines, despite increased nondirectional PMN movements. Circulating mtFPs appear to contribute to the development of secondary infection and increased mortality in patients with septic shock who survive their early hyperinflammatory phase. The increased susceptibility to secondary infection is probably partly mediated by the suppression of FPR1-mediated PMN chemotaxis to secondary infected sites.

Trends in Healthy Life Expectancy (HALE) and Disparities by Income and Region in Korea (2008-2020): Analysis of a Nationwide Claims Database.

BACKGROUND: Healthy life expectancy is a well-recognized indicator for establishing health policy goals used in Korea's Health Plan. This study aimed to explore Koreans' healthy life expectancy and its gender, income, and regional disparities from 2008 to 2020. METHODS: This study was conducted on the entire population covered by health insurance and medical aid program in Korea. The incidence-based "years lived with disability" for 260 disease groups by gender, income level, and region was calculated employing the methodology developed in the Korean National Burden of Disease Study, and it was used as the number of healthy years lost to calculate health-adjusted life expectancy (HALE). RESULTS: Koreans' HALE increased from 68.89 years in 2008 to 71.82 years in 2020. Although the gender disparity in HALE had been decreasing, it increased to 4.55 years in 2020. As of 2020, 5.90 years out of 8.67 years of the income disparity (Q5-Q1) in HALE were due to the disparity between Q1 and Q2, the low-income groups. Income and regional disparities in HALE exhibited an increasing trend, and these disparities were higher in men than in women. CONCLUSION: A subgroup with a low health level was identified through the HALE results, and it was confirmed that improving the health level of this population can reduce health inequalities and improve health at the national level. Further exploration of the HALE calculation methodology may help in the development of effective policies such as prioritizing interventions for health risk factors.

Measuring the Burden of Disease in Korea Using Disability-Adjusted Life Years (2008-2020).

BACKGROUND: The measurement of health levels and monitoring of characteristics and trends among populations and subgroups are essential for informing evidence-based policy decisions. This study aimed to examine the burden of disease in Korea for both the total population and subgroups in 2020, as well as analyze changes in disease burden from 2008 to 2020. METHODS: We employed the methodology developed in the Korean National Burden of Disease and Injuries Study to calculate disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) by sex, causes, region, and income level from 2008 to 2020. DALYs were derived by combining years of life lost and years lived with disability. RESULTS: In 2020, the burden of disease for the Korean population was estimated to be 25,439 DALYs per 100,000 population, reflecting a 13.8% increase since 2008. The leading causes of DALYs were diabetes mellitus, followed by low back pain and ischemic stroke. A sex-specific gap reversal was observed, with the disease burden for men surpassing that of women starting in 2017. Furthermore, variations in disease burden were identified across 250 regions and income quintiles. CONCLUSION: It is imperative to establish appropriate health policies that prioritize the diseases with significantly increasing burdens and subgroups experiencing high disease burdens. The findings of this study are expected to serve as a foundation for developing healthcare policies aimed at improving the health levels of Koreans and achieving health equity.

Patient-Friendly Discharge Summaries in Korea Based on ChatGPT: Software Development and Validation.

BACKGROUND: Although discharge summaries in patient-friendly language can enhance patient comprehension and satisfaction, they can also increase medical staff workload. Using a large language model, we developed and validated software that generates a patient-friendly discharge summary. METHODS: We developed and tested the software using 100 discharge summary documents, 50 for patients with myocardial infarction and 50 for patients treated in the Department of General Surgery. For each document, three new summaries were generated using three different prompting methods (Zero-shot, One-shot, and Few-shot) and graded using a 5-point Likert Scale regarding factuality, comprehensiveness, usability, ease, and fluency. We compared the effects of different prompting methods and assessed the relationship between input length and output quality. RESULTS: The mean overall scores differed across prompting methods (4.19 ± 0.36 in Few-shot, 4.11 ± 0.36 in One-shot, and 3.73 ± 0.44 in Zero-shot; P < 0.001). Post-hoc analysis indicated that the scores were higher with Few-shot and One-shot prompts than in zero-shot prompts, whereas there was no significant difference between Few-shot and One-shot prompts. The overall proportion of outputs that scored ≥ 4 was 77.0% (95% confidence interval: 68.8-85.3%), 70.0% (95% confidence interval [CI], 61.0-79.0%), and 32.0% (95% CI, 22.9-41.1%) with Few-shot, One-shot, and Zero-shot prompts, respectively. The mean factuality score was 4.19 ± 0.60 with Few-shot, 4.20 ± 0.55 with One-shot, and 3.82 ± 0.57 with Zero-shot prompts. Input length and the overall score showed negative correlations in the Zero-shot (r = -0.437, P < 0.001) and One-shot (r = -0.327, P < 0.001) tests but not in the Few-shot (r = -0.050, P = 0.625) tests. CONCLUSION: Large-language models utilizing Few-shot prompts generally produce acceptable discharge summaries without significant misinformation. Our research highlights the potential of such models in creating patient-friendly discharge summaries for Korean patients to support patient-centered care.

Trends of Gaps Between Health-Adjusted Life Expectancy and Life Expectancy at the Regional Level in Korea Using a Group-Based Multi-Trajectory Modeling Approach (2008-2019).

BACKGROUND: Health-adjusted life expectancy (HALE) is an indicator of the average lifespan in good health. Through this study, we aimed to identify regional disparities in the gap between HALE and life expectancy, considering the trends that have changed over time in Korea. METHODS: We employed a group-based multi-trajectory modeling approach to capture trends in the gap between HALE and life expectancy at the regional level from 2008 to 2019. HALE was calculated using incidence-based "years lived with disability." This methodology was also employed in the Korean National Burden of Disease Study. RESULTS: Based on five different information criteria, the most fitted number of trajectory groups was seven, with at least 11 regions in each group. Among the seven groups, one had an exceptionally large gap between HALE and life expectancy compared to that of the others. This group was assigned to 17 regions, of which six were metropolitan cities. CONCLUSION: Based on the results of this study, we identified regions in which health levels have deteriorated over time, particularly within specific areas of metropolitan cities. These findings can be used to design comprehensive policy interventions for community health promotion and urban regeneration projects in the future.