Association between body mass index and atopic dermatitis among adolescents: Findings from a national cross-sectional study in Korea.

BACKGROUND: The association between atopic dermatitis and childhood overweight and obesity has been studied extensively, but the results are inconclusive; most studies have focused on body mass index as a measure of obesity, with few investigating the relationship with underweight. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the association between body mass index levels and atopic dermatitis in Korean adolescents. METHODS: 3-year (2019-2021) of Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey were used. Body mass index was used to measure obesity and a recent diagnosis within the past year was used as the criterion for atopic dermatitis. Multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to explore the associations. The odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. RESULTS: A total of 144,183 adolescents aged 12-18 years were included in this study (74,704 males and 69,479 females). Over the past year, 5.4% of males and 7.3% of females were diagnosed with atopic dermatitis in the study population. Adolescents with normal weight (males [OR: 1.19, CI: 1.02-1.38]; females [OR: 1.26, CI: 1.10-1.43]) and overweight (males [OR: 1.37, CI: 1.16-1.61]; females [OR: 1.37, CI: 1.19-1.58]) were more likely to develop atopic dermatitis than underweight. CONCLUSION: Increased degree of obesity may contribute to the development of atopic dermatitis. The normal-weight and obese adolescents had higher likelihood of developing atopic dermatitis compared with the underweight adolescents.

Effect of Chronic Kidney Disease on All-Cause Mortality After Hip Fracture Surgery: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

In this retrospective cohort study, we investigated: (1) The impact of comorbid chronic kidney disease (CKD) on postoperative mortality in patients with a hip fracture; (2) mortality variations by dialysis type, potentially indicating CKD stage; (3) the efficacy of different hip fracture surgical methods in reducing mortality for patients with CKD. This study included 25,760 patients from the Korean National Health Insurance Service-Senior cohort (2002-2019) who underwent hip fracture surgery. Participants were categorized as CKD and Non-CKD. Mortality rate was determined using a generalized linear model with a Poisson distribution. The effect size was presented as a hazard ratio (HR) through a Cox proportional-hazard model. During follow-up, we ascertained that 978 patients (3.8%) had CKD preoperatively. Compared to the Non-CKD group, the mortality risk (HR) in the CKD group was 2.17 times higher (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.99-2.37). In sensitivity analysis, the mortality risk of in patients who received peritoneal dialysis and hemodialysis was 6.21 (95% CI, 3.90-9.87) and 3.62 times (95% CI, 3.11-4.20) higher than that of patients who received conservative care. Mortality risk varied by surgical method: hip hemiarthroplasty (HR, 2.11; 95% CI, 1.86-2.40), open reduction and internal fixation (HR, 2.21; 95% CI, 1.94-2.51), total hip replacement (HR, 2.27; 95% CI, 1.60-3.24), and closed reduction and percutaneous fixation (HR, 3.08; 95% CI, 1.88-5.06). Older patients with CKD undergoing hip fracture surgery had elevated mortality risk, necessitating comprehensive pre- and postoperative assessments and management.

Identification of New Isolates of Phytophthora sojae and Selection of Resistant Soybean Genotypes.

Phytophthora root and stem rot (PRR), caused by Phytophthora sojae, can occur at any growth stage under poorly drained and humid conditions. The expansion of soybean cultivation in South Korean paddy fields has increased the frequency of PRR outbreaks. This study aimed to identify four P. sojae isolates newly collected from domestic fields and evaluate race-specific resistance using the hypocotyl inoculation technique. The four isolates exhibited various pathotypes, with GJ3053 exhibiting the highest virulence complexity. Two isolates, GJ3053 and AD3617, were screened from 205 soybeans, and 182 and 190 genotypes (88.8 and 92.7%, respectively) were susceptible to each isolate. Among these accessions, five genotypes resistant to both isolates were selected. These promising genotypes are candidates for the development of resistant soybean cultivars that can effectively control PRR through gene stacking.

Active Sites of Mixed-Metal Core-Shell Oxygen Evolution Reaction Catalysts: FeO4 Sites on Ni Cores or NiN4 Sites in C Shells?

Water electrolysis for clean hydrogen production requires high-activity, high-stability, and low-cost catalysts for its particularly sluggish half-reaction, the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Currently, the most promising of such catalysts working in alkaline conditions is a core-shell nanostructure, NiFe@NC, whose Fe-doped Ni (NiFe) nanoparticles are encapsulated and interconnected by N-doped graphitic carbon (NC) layers, but the exact OER mechanism of these catalysts is still unclear, and even the location of the OER active site, either on the core side or on the shell side, is still debated. Therefore, we herein derive a plausible active-site model for each side based on various experimental evidence and density functional theory calculations and then build OER free-energy diagrams on both sides to determine the active-site location. The core-side model is an FeO4-type (rather than NiO4-type) active site where an Fe atom sits on Ni oxide layers grown on top of the core surface during catalyst activation, whose facile dissolution provides an explanation for the activity loss of such catalysts directly exposed to the electrolyte. The shell-side model is a NiN4-type (rather than FeN4-type) active site where a Ni atom is intercalated into the porphyrin-like N4C site of the NC shell during catalyst synthesis. Their OER free-energy diagrams indicate that both sites require similar amounts of overpotentials, despite a complete shift in their potential-determining steps, i.e., the final O2 evolution from the oxophilic Fe on the core and the initial OH adsorption to the hydrophobic shell. We conclude that the major active sites are located on the core, but the NC shell not only protects the vulnerable FeO4 active sites on the core from the electrolyte but also provides independent active sites, owing to the N doping.

Musculoskeletal Pain, Physical Activity, Muscle Mass, and Mortality in Older Adults: Results from the Korean Longitudinal Study on Health and Aging (KLoSHA).

Background and objectives: Musculoskeletal (MSK) pain significantly impacts physical activity and quality of life in older adults, potentially influencing mortality. This study explored the relationship between MSK pain, physical activity, muscle mass, and mortality among older adults. Material and Methods: We studied 1000 participants in the Korean Longitudinal Study on Health and Aging (KLoSHA), a prospective, population-based cohort study of people aged 65 years or older. Survival status was tracked over a 5-year period. Correlations between low back pain (LBP), knee pain, regular exercise, appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM), and other variables were analyzed. Logistic regression analyses were used to identify independent risk factors for mortality. Results: Of the total participants, 829 (82.9%) survived over a 5-year period. Survivors tended to be younger, had a higher BMI, and were more active in regular exercise. In contrast, non-survivors exhibited a higher prevalence of both LBP and knee pain, along with increased instances of multiple MSK pains. Lower ASM correlated moderately with LBP and knee pain, whereas higher ASM was associated with regular exercise. There was a moderate correlation between LBP and knee pain, both of which were associated with a lack of regular exercise. Age, sex, ASM, and regular exercise were significant predictors, even though MSK pain itself did not directly predict all-cause mortality. Conclusions: This study demonstrated the independent association between ASM, regular exercise, and mortality. Although MSK pain did not directly correlate with all-cause mortality, the non-survivor group had higher levels of both single and multiple MSK pains. Recognizing the interplay of MSK pain, physical activity, and muscle mass for older adults, the research underscores the need for holistic strategies to enhance health outcomes in older individuals with MSK pain.

Impact of parental leave system on the childbirth plan among working married women: a three-year follow-up study of the Korean longitudinal survey of women and families.

BACKGROUND: The Korean government seeks to balance work and family and alleviate low fertility by implementing a parental leave system. This study aimed to identify the impact of the parental leave system on childbirth among married working women in South Korea. METHODS: This study used three-year follow-up data from the Korean Longitudinal Survey of Women and Families (2016, 2018, and 2020). The number of participants was 324 at baseline. Logistic regressions using a generalized estimating equation model were performed to examine the impact of parental leave on childbirth. Sub-analyses of covariates, childbirth support, and parental leave systems were conducted. RESULTS: Of workers covered by the parental leave system, 31.7% considered childbirth. Women covered by parental leave were 3.63 times more likely to plan childbirth (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.32-9.99). The tendency to plan childbirth was pronounced among those in their early 30s (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 7.20) and those who thought that having children was necessary (AOR, 4.30). Child planning was more influenced by leave support (AOR, 6.61) than subsidies. CONCLUSIONS: Parental leave systems can have a positive impact on working married women's childbirth plans. Although this system was effective in a group interested in childbirth, it did not create a fundamental child plan. Time support is more important than money concerning childbirth plans. The parental leave system had an impact on childbirth plan. Appropriate parenting policies can effectively increase the fertility rate.

Wilms' tumor 1 (WT1) antigen is overexpressed in Kaposi Sarcoma and is regulated by KSHV vFLIP.

In people living with HIV, Kaposi Sarcoma (KS), a vascular neoplasm caused by KS herpesvirus (KSHV/HHV-8), remains one of the most common malignancies worldwide. Individuals living with HIV, receiving otherwise effective antiretroviral therapy, may present with extensive disease requiring chemotherapy. Hence, new therapeutic approaches are needed. The Wilms' tumor 1 (WT1) protein is overexpressed and associated with poor prognosis in several hematologic and solid malignancies and has shown promise as an immunotherapeutic target. We found that WT1 was overexpressed in >90% of a total 333 KS biopsies, as determined by immunohistochemistry and image analysis. Our largest cohort from ACTG, consisting of 294 cases was further analyzed demonstrating higher WT1 expression was associated with more advanced histopathologic subtypes. There was a positive correlation between the proportion of infected cells within KS tissues, assessed by expression of the KSHV-encoded latency-associated nuclear antigen (LANA), and WT1 positivity. Areas with high WT1 expression showed sparse T-cell infiltrates, consistent with an immune evasive tumor microenvironment. We show that major oncogenic isoforms of WT1 are overexpressed in primary KS tissue and observed WT1 upregulation upon de novo infection of endothelial cells with KSHV. KSHV latent viral FLICE-inhibitory protein (vFLIP) upregulated total and major isoforms of WT1, but upregulation was not seen after expression of mutant vFLIP that is unable to bind IKKÆ´ and induce NFκB. siRNA targeting of WT1 in latent KSHV infection resulted in decreased total cell number and pAKT, BCL2 and LANA protein expression. Finally, we show that ESK-1, a T cell receptor-like monoclonal antibody that recognizes WT1 peptides presented on MHC HLA-A0201, demonstrates increased binding to endothelial cells after KSHV infection or induction of vFLIP expression. We propose that oncogenic isoforms of WT1 are upregulated by KSHV to promote tumorigenesis and immunotherapy directed against WT1 may be an approach for KS treatment.

Association between alcohol use disorder and risk of obstructive sleep apnea.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common sleep disorder characterised by recurrent upper airway collapse during sleep. Alcohol consumption has been linked to an increased risk of OSA due to its effects on the upper airway and body mass index (BMI). We aimed to investigate the correlation between alcohol use disorders and OSA. We used 11,859 participants data from Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. The variable of interest was alcohol use disorder, measured using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, and the dependent variable was the risk of OSA, measured using the Snoring, Tiredness, Observed apnea, high blood Pressure, BMI, age, neck circumference, and male gender questionnaires. Multiple logistic regression was used to assess the association between alcohol use disorder and OSA risk after adjusted analysis. A significant association was found between alcohol use disorder and OSA (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.14, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.93-2.37). In the unemployed group, those with alcohol use disorder had the highest odds of being at risk of OSA compared with those who did not have this disorder (aOR 2.45, 95% CI 2.04-2.95). The OSA risk increased as the snoring frequency, amount of alcohol consumed, and frequency of binge drinking increased. This study suggests an association between alcohol use disorders and the risk of OSA. The frequency of alcohol consumption, quantity of alcohol consumed, and snoring frequency were associated with the risk of OSA. Therefore, ceasing alcohol consumption is recommended as an effective approach to enhancing sleep quality.

Socioeconomic Status and Dementia Risk Among Intensive Care Unit Survivors: Using National Health Insurance Cohort in Korea.

BACKGROUND: In aging populations, more elderly patients are going to the intensive care unit (ICU) and surviving. However, the specific factors influencing the occurrence of post-intensive care syndrome in the elderly remain uncertain. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and risk of developing dementia within two years following critical care. METHODS: This study included participants from the Korean National Health Insurance Service Cohort Database who had not been diagnosed with dementia and had been hospitalized in the ICU from 2003 to 2019. Dementia was determined using specific diagnostic codes (G30, G31) and prescription of certain medications (rivastigmine, galantamine, memantine, or donepezil). SES was categorized into low (medical aid beneficiaries) and non-low (National Health Insurance) groups. Through a 1:3 propensity score matching based on sex, age, Charlson comorbidity index, and primary diagnosis, the study included 16,780 patients. We used Cox proportional hazard models to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (HR) of dementia. RESULTS: Patients with low SES were higher risk of developing dementia within 2 years after receiving critical care than those who were in non-low SES (HR: 1.23, 95% CI: 1.04-1.46). Specifically, patients with low SES and those in the high-income group exhibited the highest incidence rates of developing dementia within two years after receiving critical care, with rates of 3.61 (95% CI: 3.13-4.17) for low SES and 2.58 (95% CI: 2.20-3.03) for high income, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: After discharge from critical care, compared to the non-low SES group, the low SES group was associated with an increased risk of developing dementia.

The Potential of Campanula takesimana Callus Extract to Enhance Skin Barrier Function.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a prevalent inflammatory skin disease characterized by epidermal barrier dysfunction and Th2-skewed inflammation. Campanula takesimana (C. takesimana), a Korean endemic plant grown on Ulleng Island, has long been associated with a traditional alternative medicine for asthma, tonsillitis, and sore throat. In this study, we reported the effect of C. takesimana callus extract on upregulating epidermal barrier-related proteins dysregulated by Th2 cytokines. C. takesimana callus extract induced the expression of skin barrier proteins, such as filaggrin, claudin-1, and zonula occludens-1, in both human primary keratinocytes and Th2-induced AD-like skin-equivalent models. Additionally, RNA sequencing analysis demonstrated that C. takesimana callus extract partially restored Th2 cytokine-induced dysregulation of the epidermal development and lipid metabolic pathways. Considering the advantages of callus as a sustainable eco-friendly source of bioactive substances, and its effect on skin barrier proteins and lipid metabolic pathways, C. takesimana callus extracts can possibly be utilized to improve the integrity of the skin barrier.

DNA groove preference shift upon phosphorylation of a protamine-like cationic peptide.

Protamines, arginine-rich DNA-binding proteins, are responsible for chromatin compaction in sperm cells, but their DNA groove preference, major or minor, is not clearly identified. We herein study the DNA groove preference of a short protamine-like cationic peptide before and after phosphorylation, using all-atom molecular dynamics and umbrella sampling simulations. According to various thermodynamic and structural analyses, a peptide in its non-phosphorylated native state prefers the minor groove over the major groove, but phosphorylation of the peptide bound to the minor groove not only reduces its binding affinity but also brings a serious deformation of the minor groove, eliminating the minor-groove preference. As protamines are heavily phosphorylated before binding to DNA, we expect that the structurally disordered phosphorylated protamines would prefer major grooves to enter into DNA during spermatogenesis.

Association between having a meal together with family and smoking: a cross-sectional nationwide survey.

BACKGROUND: Smoking is a major risk factor that significantly affects public health. Although the South Korean government spends significant money on smoking cessation services, the smoking rate remains stagnant. Families influence health-conscious decisions, and family meals can positively affect smoking suppression and health behaviors. Therefore, this study investigated whether family meals are correlated with adults' smoking behaviors. METHODS: This study used data from the 2019-2021 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Having a meal together with family was defined as "yes" for those who have at least one meal with their family each day and "no" for those who do not. Current smoking status was classified as having smoked at least 5 packs of cigarettes (100 cigarettes) in one's lifetime and having used either conventional cigarettes or e-cigarettes in the last 30 days. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to examine the association between eating together, smoking, and weight application. RESULTS: When comparing the group that ate with their family compared to the group that did not, the odds ratio for current smoking status was 1.27 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.05-1.54) for male participants and 1.90 (95% CI: 1.33-2.71) for female participants. This showed a dose-dependent effect according to the frequency of family meals. Those who smoked conventional cigarettes had a strong association (men: OR 1.28, 95% CI 1.00-1.67; women: OR 2.22, 95% CI 1.42-3.46). However, those who only vaped e-cigarettes or used both conventional cigarettes and e-cigarettes had no statistically significant correlations. CONCLUSION: This study provides evidence suggesting that eating meals as a family is related to smoking behavior and can positively affect smoking cessation intentions in adults. Consequently, a smoking cessation program can be developed that uses social support, such as encouraging family meals.

Development of Polycistronic Baculovirus Surface Display Vectors to Simultaneously Express Viral Proteins of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome and Analysis of Their Immunogenicity in Swine.

To simultaneously express and improve expression levels of multiple viral proteins of a porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), polycistronic baculovirus surface display vectors were constructed and characterized. We engineered polycistronic baculovirus surface display vectors, namely, pBacDual Display EGFP(BacDD)-2GP2-2GP4 and pBacDD-4GP5N34A/N51A (mtGP5), which simultaneously express and display the ectodomain of His-tagged GP2-gp64TM-CTD, His-tagged GP4-gp64TM-CTD, and His-tagged mtGP5-gp64TM-CTD fusion proteins of PRRSV on cell membrane of Sf-9 cells. Specific pathogen-free (SPF) pigs were administered intramuscularly in 2 doses at 21 and 35 days of age with genetic recombinant baculoviruses-infected cells. Our results revealed a high level of ELISA-specific antibodies, neutralizing antibodies, IL-4, and IFN-γ in SPF pigs immunized with the developed PRRSV subunit vaccine. To further assess the co-expression efficiency of different gene combinations, pBacDD-GP2-GP3-2GP4 and pBacDD-2mtGP5-2M constructs were designed for the co-expression of the ectodomain of His-tagged GP2-gp64TM-CTD, His-tagged GP3-gp64TM-CTD, and His-tagged GP4-gp64TM-CTD proteins as well as the ectodomain of His-tagged mtGP5-gp64TM-CTD and His-tagged M-gp64TM-CTD fusion proteins of PRRSV. To develop an ELISA assay for detecting antibodies against PRRSV proteins, the sequences encoding the ectodomain of the GP2, GP3, GP4, mtGP5, and M of PRRSV were amplified and subcloned into the pET32a vector and expressed in E. coli. In this work, the optimum conditions for expressing PRRSV proteins were evaluated, and the results suggested that 4 × 105 of Sf-9 cells supplemented with 7% fetal bovine serum and infected with the recombinant baculoviruses at an MOI of 20 for three days showed a higher expression levels of the protein. Taken together, the polycistronic baculovirus surface display system is a useful tool to increase expression levels of viral proteins and to simultaneously express multiple viral proteins of PRRSV for the preparation of subunit vaccines.

Corrosion-driven droplet wetting on iron nanolayers.

The classical Evans' drop describes a drop of aqueous salt solution, placed on a bulk metal surface where it displays a corrosion pit that grows over time producing further oxide deposits from the metal dissolution. We focus here on the corrosion-induced droplet spreading using iron nanolayers whose semi-transparency allowed us to monitor both iron corrosion propagation and electrolyte droplet behavior by simple optical means. We thus observed that pits grow under the droplet and merge into a corrosion front. This front reached the triple contact line and drove a non radial spreading, until it propagated outside the immobile droplet. Such chemically-active wetting is only observed in the presence of a conductive substrate that provides strong adhesion of the iron nanofilm to the substrate. By revisiting the classic Evan's drop experiment on thick iron film, a weaker corrosion-driven droplet spreading is also identified. These results require further investigations, but they clearly open up new perspectives on substrate wetting by corrosion-like electrochemical reactions at the nanometer scale.

DNA-protamine condensates under low salt conditions: molecular dynamics simulation with a simple coarse-grained model focusing on electrostatic interactions.

Protamine, a small, strongly positively-charged protein, plays a key role in achieving chromatin condensation inside sperm cells and is also involved in the formulation of nanoparticles for gene therapy and packaging of mRNA-based vaccines against viral infection and cancer. The detailed mechanisms of such condensations are still poorly understood especially under low salt conditions where electrostatic interaction predominates. Our previous study, with a refined coarse-grained model in full consideration of the long-range electrostatic interactions, has demonstrated the crucial role of electrostatic interaction in protamine-controlled reversible DNA condensation. Therefore, we herein pay our attention only to the electrostatic interaction and devise a coarser-grained bead-spring model representing the right linear charge density on protamine and DNA chains but treating other short-range interactions as simply as possible, which would be suitable for real-scale simulations. Effective pair potential calculations and large-scale molecular dynamics simulations using this extremely simple model reproduce the phase behaviour of DNA in a wide range of protamine concentrations under low salt conditions, again revealing the importance of the electrostatic interaction in this process and providing a detailed nanoscale picture of bundle formation mediated by a charge disproportionation mechanism. Our simulations also show that protamine length alters DNA overcharging and in turn redissolution thresholds of DNA condensates, revealing the important role played by entropies and correlated fluctuations of condensing agents and thus offering an additional opportunity to design tailored nanoparticles for gene therapy. The control mechanism of DNA-protamine condensates will also provide a better microscopic picture of biomolecular condensates, i.e., membraneless organelles arising from liquid-liquid phase separation, that are emerging as key principles of intracellular organization. Such condensates controlled by post-translational modification of protamine, in particular phosphorylation, or by variations in protamine length from species to species may also be responsible for the chromatin-nucleoplasm patterning observed during spermatogenesis in several vertebrate and invertebrate species.

Association between work-related physical activity and depressive symptoms in Korean workers: data from the Korea national health and nutrition examination survey 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2020.

BACKGROUND: The workplace experiences of employees can impact their mental health. Depressive symptoms, which are experienced by workers, are a mental health issue that deserves attention. Several studies have evaluated physical activity to prevent possible depression in workers in a work environment, however, research on physical activity and depression symptoms directly related to work is still insufficient. Therefore, we aimed to identify the relationship between work-related physical activity and depression among South Korean workers. METHODS: We used data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted in 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2020, which included 31,051 participants. We excluded, participants aged < 15 years (n = 4,663), unemployed and economically inactive persons (n = 9,793), those who did not engage in work-related physical activities (n = 1,513) and leisure physical activities (n = 1,558), or those with missing data (n = 450). Therefore, the study included 13,074 participants. Work-related activity was measured by self-reporting, while depressive symptoms were measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate the association between work-related physical symptoms and depressive symptoms among workers. RESULTS: Individuals who engaged in work-related physical activity had higher PHQ-9 scores than those who did not (male: odds ratio [OR]: 1.71, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.16-2.52; female: OR: 2.33, 95% CI: 1.66-3.29). High-intensity work-related physical activity significantly increased depressive symptoms (male: OR: 2.15, 95% CI: 1.04-4.43; female: OR: 2.90, 95% CI: 1.46-5.96). When classified according to the severity of depressive symptom, the OR of depressive symptoms of workers engaged in both leisure and work-related physical activities tended to be lower than that of those engaged only in work-related physical activities. CONCLUSION: Korean workers who engaged in work-related physical activities exhibited more depressive symptoms. Therefore, our findings suggest that balancing work-related and leisure physical activities can help Korean workers prevent development of depressive symptoms.

Effect of a Real-Time Audio Ventilation Feedback Device on the Survival Rate and Outcomes of Patients with Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Study.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of real-time audio ventilation feedback on the survival of patients with an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) during advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) performed by paramedics. This research was a prospective randomized controlled study performed in Busan, South Korea, from July 2022 to December 2022. This study included 121 patients, ages 19 and up, who were transferred to the study site, excluding 91 patients who did not receive CPR under a doctor's direction as well as those who had a '(DNR)' order among 212 adult CA patients. OHCA patients' clinical prognosis was compared by being randomly assigned to either a general manual defibrillator (NVF) group (N = 58) or a manual defibrillator with an audio ventilation feedback (AVF) group (N = 63). To verify the primary outcome, the cerebral performance category (CPC), return of spontaneous consciousness (ROSC), 30h survival, and survival discharge were compared. Multivariate logistic regression was conducted to analyze the association between the audio-feedback manual defibrillator (AVF) and the ROSC of OHCA patients. This study analyzed 121 patients among 212 OHCA patients. The ROSC (AVF group: 32 {26.4%} vs. NVF group: 21 {17.3%}), 24 h survival (AVF group: 24 {19.8%} vs. NVF group: 11 {9.0%}), and survival discharge (AVF group: 12 {9.9%} vs. NVF group: 6 {4.9%}) were higher in the AVF group than the NVF group. However, upon analyzing CPC scores in the surviving patients between the two groups, there was no significant difference (AVF group: 4.1 ± 1.23 vs. NVF group:4.7 ± 1.23, p = 1.232). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the use of AVF was associated with a higher ROSC (odds ratio {OR}, 0.46; 95% confidence interval {CI}, 0.23-0.73; p < 0.01) and higher survival at 30 h (OR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.41-0.98; p = 0.01).

Crif1 deficiency in dopamine neurons triggers early-onset parkinsonism.

Mitochondrial dysfunction has been implicated in Parkinson's Disease (PD) progression; however, the mitochondrial factors underlying the development of PD symptoms remain unclear. One candidate is CR6-interacting factor1 (CRIF1), which controls translation and membrane insertion of 13 mitochondrial proteins involved in oxidative phosphorylation. Here, we found that CRIF1 mRNA and protein expression were significantly reduced in postmortem brains of elderly PD patients compared to normal controls. To evaluate the effect of Crif1 deficiency, we produced mice lacking the Crif1 gene in dopaminergic neurons (DAT-CRIF1-KO mice). From 5 weeks of age, DAT-CRIF1-KO mice began to show decreased dopamine production with progressive neuronal degeneration in the nigral area. At ~10 weeks of age, they developed PD-like behavioral deficits, including gait abnormalities, rigidity, and resting tremor. L-DOPA, a medication used to treat PD, ameliorated these defects at an early stage, although it was ineffective in older mice. Taken together, the observation that CRIF1 expression is reduced in human PD brains and deletion of CRIF1 in dopaminergic neurons leads to early-onset PD with stepwise PD progression support the conclusion that CRIF1-mediated mitochondrial function is important for the survival of dopaminergic neurons.

Selective isotropic etching of SiO2 over Si3N4 using NF3/H2 remote plasma and methanol vapor.

In this study, an isotropic etching process of SiO2 selective to Si3N4 using NF3/H2/methanol chemistry was investigated. HF was formed using a NF3/H2 remote plasma, and in order to remove the F radicals, which induces spontaneous etching of Si-base material, methanol was injected outside the plasma discharge region. Through this process, etch products were formed on the surface of SiO2, and then the (NH4)2SiF6 was removed by following heating process. When the H and F radicals were abundant, the highest SiO2 etch per cycle (EPC) was obtained. And, the increase of H2 and methanol percentage in the gas chemistry increased the etch selectivity by decreasing the F radicals. The etch products such as (NH4)2SiF6 were formed on the surfaces of SiO2 and Si3N4 during the reaction step and no noticeable spontaneous etching by formation of SiF4 was observed. By optimized conditions, the etch selectivity of SiO2 over Si3N4 and poly Si higher than 50 and 20, respectively, was obtained while having SiO2 EPC of ~ 13 nm/cycle. It is believed that the cyclic process using NF3/H2 remote plasma and methanol followed by heating can be applied to the selective isotropic SiO2 etching of next generation 3D device fabrication.