Safety, Tolerability, Pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of YH35324, a novel Long-Acting High-Affinity IgETrap-Fc protein in subjects with Atopy: Results from the First-in-Human study.

BACKGROUND: YH35324, a long-acting IgETrap-Fc fusion protein, is a novel therapeutic agent for immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated allergic diseases. This randomized, double-blind, placebo/active-controlled, single ascending dose Phase 1 study assessed the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics (PK), and pharmacodynamics (PD) of YH35324 in subjects with atopy. METHODS: Eligible subjects were healthy subjects or atopic adults with mild allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, food allergy, or urticaria, and a serum total IgE level of 30-700 IU/mL (Part A) or > 700 IU/mL (Part B). In Part A, 35 subjects in 5 cohorts received YH35324 (0.3, 1, 3, 6, and 9 mg/kg), 8 received omalizumab (300 mg), and 9 received placebo. In Part B, 8 subjects received YH35324 and 8 received omalizumab. RESULTS: Twenty subjects (38.5 %) in Part A (YH35324: 37.1 %, omalizumab: 50.0 %, placebo: 33.3 %) and 10 subjects (62.5 %) in Part B (YH35324: 100 %; omalizumab: 25.0 %) experienced treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs). TEAEs were mostly grade 1/2; no serious AEs, AE-related treatment discontinuation, or anaphylaxis were reported. YH35324 exhibited dose-proportional increase in Cmax and AUClast over the dose range of 0.3-9 mg/kg. YH35324 rapidly suppressed serum-free IgE levels to a significant extent (< 25 and < 82.8 ng/mL, both P < 0.05) and with longer duration than omalizumab. CONCLUSION: This study showed that YH35324 has a favorable safety profile and is effective in reducing serum-free IgE levels in subjects with atopic conditions.

Long-term stable wireless smart contact lens for robust digital diabetes diagnosis.

Wearable devices for digital continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) have attracted great attention as a new paradigm medical device for diabetes management. However, the relatively inaccurate performance and instability of CGM devices have limited their wide applications in the clinic. Here, we developed hyaluronate (HA) modified Au@Pt bimetallic electrodes for long-term accurate and robust CGM of smart contact lens. After glucose oxidation reaction, the bimetallic electrodes facilitated the rapid decomposition of hydrogen peroxide and charge transfer for robust CGM. The passivation of Au@Pt bimetallic electrode with branch-type thiolated HA prevented the dissolution of Au electrode by chloride ions in tears. In diabetic and normal rabbits, the smart contact lens with HA-Au@Pt bimetallic electrodes enabled the high correlation (ρ = 0.88) CGM with 98.6% clinically acceptable data for 3 weeks. Taken together, we could confirm the feasibility of our smart contact lens for long-term CGM for further clinical development.

Genome-scale metabolic modeling and in silico analysis of opportunistic skin pathogen Cutibacterium acnes.

Cutibacterium acnes, one of the most abundant skin microbes found in the sebaceous gland, is known to contribute to the development of acne vulgaris when its strains become imbalanced. The current limitations of acne treatment using antibiotics have caused an urgent need to develop a systematic strategy for selectively targeting C. acnes, which can be achieved by characterizing their cellular behaviors under various skin environments. To this end, we developed a genome-scale metabolic model (GEM) of virulent C. acnes, iCA843, based on the genome information of a relevant strain from ribotype 5 to comprehensively understand the pathogenic traits of C. acnes in the skin environment. We validated the model qualitatively by demonstrating its accuracy prediction of propionate and acetate production patterns, which were consistent with experimental observations. Additionally, we identified unique biosynthetic pathways for short-chain fatty acids in C. acnes compared to other GEMs of acne-inducing skin pathogens. By conducting constraint-based flux analysis under endogenous carbon sources in human skin, we discovered that the Wood-Werkman cycle is highly activated under acnes-associated skin condition for the regeneration of NAD, resulting in enhanced propionate production. Finally, we proposed potential anti-C. acnes targets by using the model-guided systematic framework based on gene essentiality analysis and protein sequence similarity search with abundant skin microbiome taxa.

Ultrasensitive Near-Infrared InAs Colloidal Quantum Dot-ZnON Hybrid Phototransistor Based on a Gradated Band Structure.

Amorphous metal oxide semiconductor phototransistors (MOTPs) integrated with colloidal quantum dots (QDs) (QD-MOTPs) are promising infrared photodetectors owing to their high photoconductive gain, low off-current level, and high compatibility with pixel circuits. However, to date, the poor mobility of conventional MOTPs, such as indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO), and the toxicity of lead (Pb)-based QDs, such as lead sulfide and lead selenide, has limited the commercial applications of QD-MOTPs. Herein, an ultrasensitive QD-MOTP fabricated by integrating a high-mobility zinc oxynitride (ZnON)-based MOTP and lead-free indium arsenide (InAs) QDs is demonstrated. A new gradated bandgap structure is introduced in the InAs QD layer that absorbs infrared light, which prevents carriers from moving backward and effectively reduces electron-hole recombination. Chemical, optical, and structural analyses confirm the movement of the photoexcited carriers in the graded band structure. The novel QD-MOTP exhibits an outstanding performance with a responsivity of 1.15 × 105 A W-1 and detectivity of 5.32 × 1016 Jones at a light power density of 2 µW cm-2 under illumination at 905 nm.

Dietary Diversity during Early Infancy Increases Microbial Diversity and Prevents Egg Allergy in High-Risk Infants.

We aimed to investigate associations of dietary diversity (DD) with gut microbial diversity and the development of hen's egg allergy (HEA) in infants. We enrolled 68 infants in a high-risk group and 32 infants in a control group based on a family history of allergic diseases. All infants were followed from birth until 12 months of age. We collected infant feeding data, and DD was defined using 3 measures: the World Health Organization definition of minimum DD, food group diversity, and food allergen diversity. Gut microbiome profiles and expression of cytokines were evaluated by bacterial 16S rRNA sequencing and real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. High DD scores at 3 and 4 months were associated with a lower risk of developing HEA in the high-risk group, but not in the control group. In the high-risk group, high DD scores at 3, 4, and 5 months of age were associated with an increase in Chao1 index at 6 months. We found that the gene expression of IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, and IL-8 were higher among infants who had lower DD scores compared to those who had higher DD scores in high-risk infants. Additionally, high-risk infants with a higher FAD score at 5 months of age showed a reduced gene expression of IL-13. Increasing DD within 6 months of life may increase gut microbial diversity, and thus reduce the development of HEA in infants with a family history of allergic diseases.

Beyond language: Motivators and barriers to breast cancer screening among Korean-speaking women in Sydney Metropolitan, Australia.

BACKGROUND: There are persistent disparities in breast screening participation rates between Australian-born women and women from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds. Cancer Institute NSW statistics from 2015 show Korean speaking women had the second lowest breast screening participation rates when compared across all language groups. OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to gain a better understanding of the motivators and barriers associated with participation in breast cancer screening among women from a Korean background living in the Sydney metropolitan area. METHODS: Semi-structured individual interviews (n = 32) and small focus groups (n = 28) were conducted. Data from interviews and focus group discussions were analysed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: The findings highlight the barriers to access breast screening services extend beyond language to include perception, a lack of knowledge and understanding of the services offered, unfamiliarity with the Australian healthcare system and distrust in breast screening services. CONCLUSION: Supporting Korean women to understand and navigate the Australian healthcare system plays an important role in increasing breast screening participation rates. Key strategies to provide this support include the delivery of culturally sensitive health promotion and community engagement as well as the provision of translated health information.

Temporal Variation Dominates in Local Carabid Beetle Communities in Korean Mountains.

Spatial and temporal variation in ecological environments may result in spatial and temporal variation in communities. Temporal studies of biodiversity are essential for forecasting future changes in community structure and ecosystem function. Therefore, determining the mechanisms that drive temporal change in communities remains an important and interesting challenge in ecology. We quantified spatial and temporal variations in carabid beetle communities and site-specific environmental factors for 5 years at nine study sites on three mountains in the Baekdudaegan Mountain Range, Korea. Carabid beetle communities exhibited significant temporal variation, which was larger than spatial variations between and within mountains. Environmental factors mostly varied between sites within mountains. Community variation was only weakly associated with environmental factors at wide scales, i.e., between sites on three mountains, but was strongly associated at narrow spatial scales, i.e., between sites within one mountain. Our results indicate that temporal variation in communities occurs in response to variations in the local climate, and that the patterns of temporal variation differ between mountains. Thus, temporal surveys of insect communities and climates at local scales are important for predicting temporal changes in the communities.

Realization of an Artificial Visual Nervous System using an Integrated Optoelectronic Device Array.

Human behavior (e.g., the response to any incoming information) has very complex forms and is based on the response to consecutive external stimuli entering varied sensory receptors. Sensory adaptation is an elementary form of the sensory nervous system known to filter out irrelevant information for efficient information transfer from consecutive stimuli. As bioinspired neuromorphic electronic system is developed, the functionality of organs shall be emulated at a higher level than the cell. Because it is important for electronic devices to possess sensory adaptation in spiking neural networks, the authors demonstrate a dynamic, real-time, photoadaptation process to optical irradiation when repeated light stimuli are presented to the artificial photoreceptor. The filtered electrical signal generated by the light and the adapting signal produces a specific range of postsynaptic states through the neurotransistor, demonstrating changes in the response according to the environment, as normally perceived by the human brain. This successfully demonstrates plausible biological sensory adaptation. Further, the ability of this circuit design to accommodate changes in the intensity of bright or dark light by adjusting the sensitivity of the artificial photoreceptor is demonstrated. Thus, the proposed artificial photoreceptor circuits have the potential to advance neuromorphic device technology by providing sensory adaptation capabilities.

Natural Course and Prognostic Factors of Immediate-Type Peanut Allergy in Children.

BACKGROUND: Predicting food allergy resolution is essential to minimize the number of restricted foods in children. However, there have been no studies on the natural history of peanut allergy (PA) in Korea. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the natural course and prognostic factors of immediate-type PA in children till the age of 10 years. METHODS: We retrospectively collected data of 122 children who developed PA before 60 months of age from 3 tertiary hospitals in Korea. Diagnosis and resolution of PA was defined as an oral food challenge test or a convincing history of symptoms within 2 h after peanut ingestion. The prognostic factors for resolution of PA were identified using the Cox proportional hazard model. RESULTS: The median (interquartile range) age at diagnosis was 2.0 (1.3-3.0) years. Among the 122 children, PA resolved in 18 (14.8%) children. The level of peanut-specific IgE (sIgE) at diagnosis in the persistence group was significantly higher than that in the resolution group (p = 0.026). The probabilities of resolution of PA were 10.3% and 32.8% at the ages of 6 and 10 years, respectively. A peanut-sIgE level ≥1 kU/L at diagnosis was significantly associated with persistent PA (hazard ratio, 5.99; 95% confidence interval, 1.89-18.87). CONCLUSIONS: Only 10.3% of our patients had a probability of developing spontaneous resolution of PA by 6 years of age. Peanut-sIgE levels ≥1 kU/L at diagnosis were associated with the persistence of PA.

Health Literacy and Frailty in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: Evidence from a Nationwide Cohort Study in South Korea.

Health literacy is closely associated with poor health outcomes and mortality. However, only a handful of studies have examined the association between health literacy and frailty status. The current study used data from a nationwide sample of Korean adults aged 70-84 collected from 10 cities, each of which represents a different region of South Korea (n = 1521). We used the propensity score matching (PSM) method to minimize the potential selection bias and confounding factors that are present in observational studies. After PSM, demographic and health-related characteristics between the limited health literacy (n = 486) and the nonlimited health literacy (n = 486) groups were not significantly different. Multinomial logistic regression analyses were conducted for the PSM-matched sample to examine the association between health literacy and frailty outcomes, where the robust group was set as a reference. Limited health literacy significantly increased the risk of pre-frailty (RRR = 1.45, p = 0.02) and frailty (RRR = 2.03, p = 0.01) after adjusting for demographic and health-related factors. Our findings underscore the need to foster health literacy programs and provide preliminary evidence to inform tailored intervention programs so that we might attenuate the risk of frailty in the older population.

Room Temperature Processed Transparent Amorphous InGaTiO Cathodes for Semi-Transparent Perovskite Solar Cells.

In order to ensure high-performance semitransparent perovskite solar cells (ST-PSCs), the deposition of high-quality scalable transparent cathodes on ST-PSCs at room temperature is necessary. In this study, we designed an amorphous InGaTiO (IGTO) electrode, prepared by linear facing target sputtering (LFTS) as a transparent cathode for ST-PSCs. Even in the room temperature sputtering process, the amorphous IGTO cathode showed a low sheet resistance of 9.895 Ohm/square and a high optical transmittance of 87.53% without the occurrence of in situ or postannealing, unlike Sn-doped In2O3 (ITO) electrodes. Due to its complete amorphous structure and low energy sputtering, the amorphous IGTO electrode showed superior mechanical properties, when compared to other typical crystalline ITO films. Additionally, the LFTS process led to a low energy deposition of the amorphous IGTO cathode on ST-PSCs, and did not result in plasma damage on perovskite active layers, which is often typical in conventional situations of direct current sputtering. On the basis of these optimized plasma damage-free sputtering conditions, we examined the feasibility of LFTS-grown IGTO cathodes for ST-PSCs. In our results, we observed that a similar performance of the ST-PSC with an IGTO cathode with the opaque PSC with Ag cathode, indicated that amorphous IGTO cathode is a prospective transparent cathode for ST-PSCs on both rigid or flexible substrates.

Thermally-evaporated C60/Ag/C60 multilayer electrodes for semi-transparent perovskite photovoltaics and thin film heaters.

We investigated the characteristics of thermally evaporated fullerene (C60)/Ag/C60 (CAC) multilayer films for use in semi-transparent perovskite solar cells (PSCs) and thin-film heaters (TFHs). The top and bottom C60 layers and Ag interlayer were prepared using multi-source thermal evaporation, and the thickness of the Ag interlayer was investigated in detail for its effects on the resistivity, optical transmittance, and mechanical properties of the CAC electrodes. We used a figure-of-merit analysis to obtain a CAC electrode with a smooth surface morphology that exhibited a sheet resistance of 5.63 Ohm/square and an optical transmittance of 66.13% at a 550 nm wavelength. We conducted mechanical deformation tests to confirm that the thermally evaporated multilayer CAC electrode has a high durability, even after 10,000 times of inner and outer bending, rolling, and twisting due to the flexibility of the amorphous C60 and Ag interlayer. We evaluated the feasibility of using CAC electrodes for semi-transparent PSCs and TFHs. The semi-transparent PSC with 1.08 cm2 active area prepared with a transparent multilayer CAC cathode showed a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 5.1%. Furthermore, flexible TFHs (2.5 × 2.5 cm2) fabricated on a thermally evaporated CAC electrode show a high saturation temperature of 116.6 C, even at a low input voltage of 4.5 V, due to a very low sheet resistance. Based on the performance of the PSCs and TFHs, we conclude that the thermally evaporated multilayer CAC electrode is promising for use as a transparent conductive electrode (TCE) for semi-transparent PSCs and TFHs, with characteristics comparable to sputtered TCEs.

Lactobacillus paraplantarum THG-G10 as a potential anti-acne agent with anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory activities.

Cutibacterium acnes (formerly Propionibacterium acnes) is the main bacterium targeted for the prevention and medical treatment of acne vulgaris. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are a group of microorganisms classified by their ability to produce lactic acid through fermentation. Although the activities of LAB have been studied, their potential anti-acne effects are not well known. Here, Lactobacillus paraplantarum THG-G10, which has anti-bacterial activity against C. acnes, was isolated from traditional Kimchi in Republic of Korea. The anti-acne effects of dried cell-free supernatant of L. paraplantarum THG-G10 (DC-G10) were evaluated by determining its anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory activities. Anti-microbial activity was examined by a broth dilution assay: 25 mg/ml of DC-G10 inhibited the growth of C. acnes KCTC 5012 and KACC 1194; salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide for acne treatment inhibited the growth of C. acnes KCTC 5012 and KACC 11946 at concentrations of 1.25 and 7.5 mg/ml, respectively; and tea tree oil inhibited the growth of C. acnes KCTC 5012 but not the growth of C. acnes KACC 11946 at 50 mg/ml. Anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated by a nitric oxide (NO) assay: only DC-G10 and ascorbic acid reduced LPS-induced NO production in RAW 264.7 cells in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, the toxicities of erythromycin, salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, tea tree oil, and DC-G10 were examined in HaCaT cells and normal human dermal fibroblasts (NHDFs). In these cells, the cytotoxic effects of DC-G10 were weaker than the effects of erythromycin, benzoyl peroxide, and ascorbic acid. Furthermore, scanning electron microscopy revealed that DC-G10 induces deleterious morphological changes in the bacterial cell membrane. These results demonstrate that DC-G10 may be an effective and safe treatment for acne vulgaris.

Successful Sirolimus Treatment for Korean Patients with Activated Phosphoinositide 3-kinase δ Syndrome 1: the First Case Series in Korea.

Activated phosphoinositide 3-kinase δ syndrome (APDS)1 is caused by gain-of-function mutations in PIK3CD, which encodes the catalytic p110δ subunit of phosphoinositide 3 kinase. We describe three patients with APDS1, the first thereof in Korea. Therein, we investigated clinical manifestations of APDS1 and collected data on the efficacy and safety profile of sirolimus, a mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor and pathway-specific targeted medicine. The same heterozygous PIK3CD mutation was detected in all three patients (E1021K). After genetic diagnosis, all patients received sirolimus and experienced an excellent response, including amelioration of lymphoproliferation and improvement of nodular mucosal lymphoid hyperplasia in the gastrointestinal tract. The median trough level of sirolimus was 5.5 ng/mL (range, 2.8-7.5) at a dose of 2.6-3.6 mg/m². Two patients who needed high-dose, short-interval, immunoglobulin-replacement treatment (IGRT) had a reduced requirement for IGRT after initiating sirolimus, and the dosing interval was extended from 2 and 3 weeks to 4 weeks. The IgG trough level after sirolimus treatment (median, 594 mg/dL; range, 332-799 mg/dL) was significantly higher than that before sirolimus treatment (median, 290 mg/dL; range, 163-346 mg/dL) (p<0.001). One episode of elevated serum creatinine with a surge of sirolimus (Patient 2) and episodes of neutropenia and oral stomatitis (Patient 1) were observed. We diagnosed the first three patients with APDS1 in Korea. Low-dose sirolimus may alleviate clinical manifestations thereof, including hypogammaglobulinemia.

Sputtering-deposited amorphous SrVOx-based memristor for use in neuromorphic computing.

The development of brain-inspired neuromorphic computing, including artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, is of considerable importance because of the rapid growth in hardware and software capacities, which allows for the efficient handling of big data. Devices for neuromorphic computing must satisfy basic requirements such as multilevel states, high operating speeds, low energy consumption, and sufficient endurance, retention and linearity. In this study, inorganic perovskite-type amorphous strontium vanadate (a-SrVOx: a-SVO) synthesized at room temperature is utilized to produce a high-performance memristor that demonstrates nonvolatile multilevel resistive switching and synaptic characteristics. Analysis of the electrical characteristics indicates that the a-SVO memristor illustrates typical bipolar resistive switching behavior. Multilevel resistance states are also observed in the off-to-on and on-to-off transition processes. The retention resistance of the a-SVO memristor is shown to not significantly change for a period of 2 × 104 s. The conduction mechanism operating within the Ag/a-SVO/Pt memristor is ascribed to the formation of Ag-based filaments. Nonlinear neural network simulations are also conducted to evaluate the synaptic behavior. These results demonstrate that a-SVO-based memristors hold great promise for use in high-performance neuromorphic computing devices.

Comparison of NiO x thin film deposited by spin-coating or thermal evaporation for application as a hole transport layer of perovskite solar cells.

We compared nickel oxide (NiO x ) deposited by thermal evaporation and that deposited by the spin-coating process, for use in the hole transport layers of inverted planar perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Spin-coating deposition for NiO x HTL has been widely used, owing to its simplicity, low cost, and high efficiency. However, the spin-coating process has a technical limit to depositing a large-area uniformly. In contrast, thermal evaporation fabrication has a low price and is able to produce uniform and reproducible thin film. Hence, the chemical states, energy band alignment, surface morphologies, and microstructures of NiO x deposited by spin coating and thermal evaporation were analyzed. The PSC with NiO x HTL deposited by thermal evaporation showed a higher power conversion efficiency of 16.64% with open circuit voltage 1.07 V, short circuit current density of 20.68 mA cm-2, and a fill factor of 75.51% compared to that of PSC with spin-coated NiO x . We confirmed that thermal evaporation can deposit NiO x to give a better performance as a HTL with higher reproducibility than spin-coating.

Cellulomonas aurantiaca sp. nov., isolated from a soil sample from a tangerine field.

A Gram-stain positive, facultatively aerobic, motile and rod-shaped bacterial strain, designated THG-SMD2.3T, was isolated from a soil sample collected in a tangerine field, Republic of Korea. According to the 16S rRNA gene sequence comparisons, the isolate was identified as a member of the genus Cellulomonas and to be closely related to Cellulomonas fimi ATCC 484T (98.5%), Cellulomonas biazotea DSM 20112T (98.3%), Cellulomonas chitinilytica X.bu-bT (98.0%), Cellulomonas xylanilytica XIL11T (97.2%), Cellulomonas humilata ATCC 25174T (97.1%) and Cellulomonas composti TR7-06T (97.0%). The 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities with other current species of the genus Cellulomonas were in the range 95.4-96.6%. Catalase and oxidase tests were found to be positive. The DNA G+C content was determined to be 73.0 mol%. DNA-DNA hybridization values between strain THG-SMD2.3T and C. fimi ATCC 484T, C. biazotea DSM 20112T, C. chitinilytica X.bu-bT, C. xylanilytica XIL11T, C. humilata ATCC 25174T and C. composti TR7-06T were 58.1 ± 1.6%, 56.7 ± 0.8%, 30.3 ± 1.6%, 22.8 ± 1.6%, 19.9 ± 1.6%, and 13.5 ± 3.0%, respectively. Strain THG-SMD2.3T was also found to be able to grow at 20-42 °C, at 0-3% NaCl and at pH 5.5-10. The major fatty acids were identified as anteiso-C15:0, iso-C15:0, anteiso-C17:0 and iso-C14:0. The predominant menaquinone was identified as tetrahydrogenated menaquinones with nine isoprene units [MK-9(H4)]. The polar lipids were found to be diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, two unidentified aminolipids and two unidentified phospholipids. Based on these phenotypic, genotypic and phylogenetic characterisations strain THG-SMD2.3T (= KACC 19341T = CGMCC 1.16303T) is concluded to represent a novel species of the genus Cellulomonas, for which the name Cellulomonas aurantiaca sp. nov. is proposed.

Patient violence and health professionals' occupational outcomes in China: A time-lagged survey study.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the prevalence of patient violence in China and the association between patient violence and Chinese health professionals' felt disappointment with their occupations, occupational turnover intention, and word-of-mouth communication. METHODS: Data were collected from a convenience sample of 199 Chinese doctors and nurses in the summer of 2016 using two surveys. First, participants reported their experience of patient violence (i.e., physical and non-physical violence). Two weeks later, participants rated their disappointment, occupational turnover intention, and negative occupational word-of-mouth communication. Using path analysis, we examined the mediating role of disappointment in explaining the association between patient violence and health professionals' occupational turnover intention and word-of-mouth communication. RESULTS: On average, health professionals in the present sample experienced non-physical violence once or twice per month. Non-physical violence was positively related to feeling disappointed with one's occupation, which was in turn positively related to occupational turnover intention and negative word-of-mouth communication. Physical violence was experienced at a much lower rate, and was not correlated with either occupational outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Patient violence found in this study was prevalent, especially in terms of non-physical violence. The rates of patient violence were lower than those in previous studies conducted in China, reflecting potential differences between the present study and earlier studies in study sites, sample composition, measurements, and timing of studies. Nonetheless, our findings show that patient violence can be related to health professionals' intention to leave their occupation and negative word-of-mouth communication regarding their occupation. These findings call for interventions to reduce health professionals' turnover, improve their work conditions and quality-of-life, and subsequently improve the patient-provider relationship and the quality of patients' care.

Chitinophaga aurantiaca sp. nov., isolated from a soil sample from a tangerine field.

A Gram-stain-negative, facultatively anaerobic, non-motile and rod-shaped bacterial strain, designated THG-SD5.5T, was isolated from a soil sample collected in a tangerine field, Republic of Korea. According to the 16S rRNA gene sequence comparisons, the isolate was identified as a member of the genus Chitinophaga and to be closely related to Chitinophaga ginsengihumi KACC 17604T (97.9%) and Chitinophaga rupis KACC 14521T (97.5%). The 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities with other species of the genus Chitinophaga were in the range 92.8-95.5%. Catalase test was positive. Oxidase test was negative. The DNA G + C content was determined to be 46.1 mol%. DNA-DNA hybridization values between strain THG-SD5.5T and C. ginsengihumi KACC 17604T and C. rupis KACC 14521T were 45.1% and 15.6%, respectively. Strain THG-SD5.5T was also found to be able to grow at 24-33 °C, at 0-5% NaCl and at pH 5.5-9.0. The major fatty acids were identified as anteiso-C15:0, C16:0, anteiso-C17:0 and C18:0. The dominant respiratory quinone was identified as menaquinone-7 (MK-7). The polar lipids were found to be diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, an unidentified aminolipid, two unidentified phospholipids and three unidentified lipids. Based on these phenotypic, genotypic and phylogenetic characterisations, strain THG-SD5.5T (= KACC 19338T = CGMCC 1.16304T) is concluded to represent a novel species of the genus Chitinophaga, for which the name Chitinophaga aurantiaca sp. nov. is proposed.

The Perspectives of Volunteer Counselors of Korean Immigrant Women Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence.

This study investigates what needs to be considered in our current health services to appropriately respond to abused Korean immigrant women. Using a community-based participatory approach, this qualitative interpretive description analyzed counseling documents and semi-structured interviews. Data analyses suggested that intimate partner violence (IPV) screening for ethnic minority women in health care settings can be improved by informing patients about the role of health care providers in addressing IPV, establishing rapport before IPV screening, assuring confidentiality is maintained, respecting Korean immigrant women's unique perspectives and response toward IPV, providing translation services, and collaborating with ethnic minority women's community organizations.