Effect of information provision on parental intention toward COVID-19 vaccination for children: a nationwide survey experiment.

The reluctance of parents to vaccinate their children against COVID-19 was prevalent particularly when uncertainty over vaccination outcomes prevailed. We conducted a nationwide randomized online survey experiment to assess the effect of information provision on parental intention for COVID-19 vaccination before the government started vaccination for children in South Korea. Parents of elementary school children were provided with either no information (Control), information on vaccine profile (vaccine informed group; VI), or COVID-19 (disease informed group; DI). Among 359,110 participants, parental intention for vaccination of children was significantly higher in both VI and DI groups compared with the Control group. In terms of effect size, information on COVID-19 vaccine increased likelihood to vaccinate by 1620 per 100,000 parents and reduced vaccine hesitancy by 1340 per 100,000 parents. Consistently with the positive effect on vaccination intention, both VI and DI interventions increased participants' perceptions on vaccination benefits being higher than its risks and vaccination risks being lower than health risks of COVID-19 infection, and self-reported trust in COVID-19 information. Our results lend strong support to the claim that the provision of targeted, tailored information on COVID-19 vaccine and infection increases parental intention to vaccinate children and reduces vaccine hesitancy.

Labdane-Type Diterpenoids from Streptomyces griseorubens and Their Antimicrobial and Cytotoxic Activities.

Chemical investigation of the ethyl acetate (EtOAc) extract from a marine-derived actinomycete, Streptomyces griseorubens, resulted in the discovery of five new labdane-type diterpenoids: chlorolabdans A-C (1-3), epoxylabdans A and B (4 and 5), along with one known analog (6). The structures of the new compounds were determined by spectroscopic analysis (HR-ESIMS, 1D, and 2D NMR) and by comparing their experimental data with those in the literature. The new compounds were evaluated for their antimicrobial activity, and 2 displayed significant activity against Gram-positive bacteria, with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranging from 4 to 8 µg/mL. Additionally, 1, 2, and 4 were tested for their cytotoxicity against seven blood cancer cell lines by CellTiter-Glo (CTG) assay and six solid cancer cell lines by sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay; 1, 2, and 4 exhibited cytotoxic activities against some blood cancer cell lines, with concentration causing 50% cell growth inhibition (IC50) values ranging from 1.2 to 22.5 µM.

Meirols A-C: Bioactive Catecholic Compounds from the Marine-Derived Fungus Meira sp. 1210CH-42.

Three new catecholic compounds, named meirols A-C (2-4), and one known analog, argovin (1), were isolated from the marine-derived fungus Meira sp. 1210CH-42. Their structures were determined by extensive analysis of 1D, 2D NMR, and HR-ESIMS spectroscopic data. Their absolute configurations were elucidated based on ECD calculations. All the compounds exhibited strong antioxidant capabilities with EC50 values ranging from 6.01 to 7.47 µM (ascorbic acid, EC50 = 7.81 µM), as demonstrated by DPPH radical scavenging activity assays. In the α-glucosidase inhibition assay, 1 and 2 showed potent in vitro inhibitory activity with IC50 values of 184.50 and 199.70 µM, respectively (acarbose, IC50 = 301.93 µM). Although none of the isolated compounds exhibited cytotoxicity against one normal and six solid cancer cell lines, 1 exhibited moderate cytotoxicity against the NALM6 and RPMI-8402 blood cancer cell lines with GI50 values of 9.48 and 21.00 µM, respectively. Compound 2 also demonstrated weak cytotoxicity against the NALM6 blood cancer cell line with a GI50 value of 29.40 µM.

Is living alone beneficial to older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic? Examining associations between living arrangements and life satisfaction by gender in Korea.

OBJECTIVES: This study examines associations between living arrangements and life satisfaction and the associated effects of gender among Korean older adults during the pandemic. METHOD: Data were drawn from the 2020 National Survey of Older Koreans-a nationally representative survey. Living arrangements were categorized into four groups: living alone; living with spouse only; living with family and spouse; and living with family without spouse. Logistic regression analyses were used to examine associations between living arrangements and life satisfaction measured as a binary outcome. RESULTS: Older adults living alone were more likely to be satisfied with life compared with those who lived with a spouse only. However, living alone became nonsignificant after controlling for social contact with friends or neighbors and social participation. Interestingly, there was a significant interaction between living arrangements and gender, showing that living alone was beneficial to older women but not to men. Subsample analysis by gender confirmed that older women living alone had a greater likelihood of being satisfied with life than those living with a spouse only, whereas men living alone had lower life satisfaction. CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that living alone is not always deleterious to older adults, particularly women. During the pandemic, older Korean women living with their spouse and/or family might be less satisfied with life due to the dual burden of family care and housework, associated with traditional gendered norms and social context.

Double jeopardy: Exploring the moderating effect of educational mismatch in the relationship between work-family conflict and depressive symptoms among Korean working women.

RATIONALE: Despite a growing body of empirical evidence on the detrimental effects of work-family conflict (WFC) on psychological health, little attention has been given to whether educational mismatch in the workplace, which refers to the perceived level of match between one's attained education and the required educational level for a position, may exacerbate these effects. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between WFC, educational mismatch, and depressive symptoms in Korean working women, with a particular focus on the potential moderating effects of educational mismatch on the association between WFC and depressive symptoms. METHODS: The data utilized for this study were collected from 5174 married working women over five waves (16,610 person-observations) of the Korean Longitudinal Survey of Women and Families spanning 8 years between 2012 and 2020. Fixed effects (FE) models were estimated to account for unobserved individual-level heterogeneity. RESULTS: FE estimates indicated that WFC is associated with an increase in depressive symptoms, even after accounting for unobserved confounding factors and time-varying covariates. The interaction model provides evidence for the moderating role of educational mismatch in the association between WFC and depressive symptoms. The positive association between WFC and depressive symptoms was more pronounced among those who perceive themselves as "overeducated." The estimated coefficient for the association was about 45% larger for those who perceive themselves as "overeducated" than their "well-matched" counterparts. CONCLUSION: The study's findings suggest a robust link between WFC and depressive symptoms and further elaborate on how this association varies depending on educational mismatch. In Korea, where conservative gender role norms of female-caregiver ideology are still prevalent, WFC and educational mismatch can act as double jeopardy, exacerbating the mental health of working women.

Streptinone, a New Indanone Derivative from a Marine-Derived Streptomyces massiliensis, Inhibits Particulate Matter-Induced Inflammation.

Inflammatory diseases caused by air pollution, especially from particulate matter (PM) exposure, have increased daily. Accordingly, attention to treatment or prevention for these inflammatory diseases has grown. Natural products have been recognized as promising sources of cures and prevention for not only inflammatory but also diverse illnesses. As part of our ongoing study to discover bioactive compounds from marine microorganisms, we isolated streptinone, a new indanone derivative (1), along with three known diketopiperazines (2-4) and piericidin A (5), from a marine sediment-derived Streptomyces massiliensis by chromatographic methods. The structure of 1 was elucidated based on the spectroscopic data analysis. The relative and absolute configurations of 1 were determined by 1H-1H coupling constants, 1D NOESY, and ECD calculation. The anti-inflammatory activities of 1 were evaluated through enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), Western blot, and qPCR. Compound 1 suppressed the production of nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), and pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1ß, by inhibiting the Toll-like receptor (TLR)-mediated nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway. Therefore, compound 1 could potentially be used as an agent in the prevention and treatment of diverse inflammatory disorders caused by particulate matter.

Does having children matter? Associations between transitions in work-family role combinations and depressive symptoms among married women in Korea.

Although having a variety of roles is generally beneficial for mental health, little is known about the relationships between work-family role combinations and depressive symptoms among married women in Korea, where child rearing is strongly considered a mother's responsibility. This study examines how the four types of work-family role combinations may be associated with depressive symptoms among married Korean women younger than 50 years old. Data were collected from 2012 through 2020 in five surveys by the Korean Longitudinal Survey of Women & Families. In total, 4811 married women (14,851 person-period observations) were analyzed using regression models with fixed effects. This enabled estimation of the within-person effects of transitions in work-family role combinations on depressive symptoms. Work-family role combinations were categorized as follows based on whether respondents had a job or at least one child: having both worker and mother roles, having a worker role only, having neither a worker nor a mother role, and having a mother role only. The findings indicate that married women who had only a mother role had more severe depressive symptoms than the other three groups. However, after controlling for whether respondents had a preschool-aged child, only those with both worker and mother roles had significantly lower levels of depressive symptoms compared with those with a mother role only. This study suggests that transitioning to being a working mother from a full-time mother may benefit the mental health of married Korean women. Furthermore, whether married women have a child critically impacts their mental health more than the number of roles. Raising a preschool-aged child seems to potentially be especially stressful for married Korean women. Working outside the home can protect the mental health of married Korean mothers who are affected by the social pressure to immerse themselves in child-rearing.

Thiolactones and Δ8,9-Pregnene Steroids from the Marine-Derived Fungus Meira sp. 1210CH-42 and Their α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Activity.

The fungal genus Meira was first reported in 2003 and has mostly been found on land. This is the first report of second metabolites from the marine-derived yeast-like fungus Meira sp. One new thiolactone (1), along with one revised thiolactone (2), two new Δ8,9-steroids (4, 5), and one known Δ8,9-steroid (3), were isolated from the Meira sp. 1210CH-42. Their structures were elucidated based on the comprehensive spectroscopic data analysis of 1D, 2D NMR, HR-ESIMS, ECD calculations, and the pyridine-induced deshielding effect. The structure of 5 was confirmed by oxidation of 4 to semisynthetic 5. In the α-glucosidase inhibition assay, compounds 2-4 showed potent in vitro inhibitory activity with IC50 values of 148.4, 279.7, and 86.0 µM, respectively. Compounds 2-4 exhibited superior activity as compared to acarbose (IC50 = 418.9 µM).

I Am Not Supposed to Be Treated Like This: Associations Between Age Discrimination, Perceived Social Respect for Older Adults, and Depressive Symptoms in Korean Older Adults.

OBJECTIVES: This study examines the relationships between age discrimination, perceived social respect for older adults as a proxy of perceived social climate, and depressive symptoms in older adults in Korea. In doing so, it clarifies whether and how age discrimination has a differential effect on mental health, depending on the level of perceived social respect. METHODS: This study uses multiple regression analyses to examine the data obtained from the 2020 National Survey of Older Koreans, a nationally representative survey. RESULTS: Findings show that age discrimination was positively associated with depressive symptoms, whereas perceived social respect for older adults was negatively associated with depressive symptoms. Older respondents exhibited fewer depressive symptoms if they felt that older adults were respected in Korea. The results also revealed a significant interaction between age discrimination and perceived social respect; age discrimination had a more harmful impact on depressive symptoms in older adults with a higher level of perceived social respect. DISCUSSION: The findings suggest that a positive social climate for older adults is beneficial to their mental health, but ironically, it may form a more stressful context for older adults who experience age discrimination that is characteristically opposite from their subjective evaluation of that social climate. The gap between the expected social climate and individual discriminatory experiences may have a deleterious effect on the mental health of older adults.

The matricellular protein CCN5 induces apoptosis in myofibroblasts through SMAD7-mediated inhibition of NFκB.

We previously showed that the matricellular protein CCN5 reverses established cardiac fibrosis (CF) through inducing apoptosis in myofibroblasts (MyoFBs) but not in cardiomyocytes or fibroblasts (FBs). In this study, we set out to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying CCN5-mediated selective apoptosis of MyoFBs. We first observed that the apoptotic protein p53 and the anti-apoptotic protein NFκB are simultaneously induced in MyoFBs. When the expression level of p53 was suppressed using a siRNA, CCN5 did not induce apoptosis in MyoFBs. By contrast, when NFκB signaling was inhibited using IKK VII, an IκB inhibitor, MyoFBs underwent apoptosis even in the absence of CCN5. SMAD7 is one of the downstream targets of CCN5 and it was previously shown to potentiate apoptosis in epithelial cells through inhibition of NFκB. In accordance with these reports, when the expression of SMAD7 was suppressed using a siRNA, NFκB signaling was enhanced, and CCN5 did not induce apoptosis. Lastly, we used a luciferase reporter construct to show that CCN5 positively regulated SMAD7 expression at the transcriptional level. Collectively, our data suggest that a delicate balance between the two mutually antagonistic proteins p53 and NFκB is maintained for MyoFBs to survive, and CCN5 tips the balance in favor of the apoptotic protein p53. This study provides insight into the anti-fibrotic activity of CCN5 during the regression of CF.

How the Popularity of Bullies Influences the Self-Esteem of Their Classmates: A Study of First-Year Middle School Students in South Korea.

This study investigated whether and how classroom-level bullies' friendship networks, which reflect the popularity of bullies, were associated with the self-esteem of middle school students in the classroom. We analyzed survey data from 2,444 students in 101 classrooms from 22 middle schools in Korea. Respondents reported their friends' and bullies' names from their classroom. For each student, we generated the number of close friends that a respondent reported (outdegree) and the number of classmates who nominated him or her as a close friend (indegree). Bullies' popularity was measured by the sum of all the bullies' indegrees in a classroom. The findings showed that students in a classroom of bullies with larger popularity had a lower level of self-esteem. Moreover, bullies' popularity was harmful to nonvictims' self-esteem as well as victims' self-esteem. This study suggests that even indirect exposure to bullying in a classroom can decrease the self-esteem of nonvictims by leading to negative emotions such as anger, anxiety, fear, and/or guilty feelings.

Digital technology use and depressive symptoms among older adults in Korea: beneficial for those who have fewer social interactions?

OBJECTIVES: Our study examines the relationship between digital technology use and depressive symptoms among older Koreans and whether social interaction moderates the relationship. METHODS: The data were drawn from the 2017 Survey of Living Conditions and Welfare Needs of Korean Older Persons, a nationally representative survey. Digital technology use was measured by the number of digital functions that respondents perform with their electronic devices. Social interactions were measured by the frequencies of face-to-face and remote connections with friends or neighbors. Relationships were estimated with multiple regression analyses. RESULTS: Digital technology use was inversely associated with depressive symptoms even after adjusting for covariates including cognitive function. Both remote and face-to-face connections with friends or neighbors were associated with fewer depressive symptoms. An interaction between digital technology use and remote contact also was detected: the effect of digital technology use on depressive symptoms was more beneficial for older adults with infrequent remote contact with friends or neighbors than for those with frequent remote contact. CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that digital technology use can reduce depressive symptoms of older adults, especially those who have fewer social interactions. Educating older adults to increase their digital literacy level and use of remote interactions may improve their psychological wellbeing, perhaps even during times of a viral pandemic.

The matricellular protein CCN5 prevents adverse atrial structural and electrical remodelling.

Atrial structural remodelling including atrial hypertrophy and fibrosis is a key mediator of atrial fibrillation (AF). We previously demonstrated that the matricellular protein CCN5 elicits anti-fibrotic and anti-hypertrophic effects in left ventricles under pressure overload. We here determined the utility of CCN5 in ameliorating adverse atrial remodelling and arrhythmias in a murine model of angiotensin II (AngII) infusion. Advanced atrial structural remodelling was induced by AngII infusion in control mice and mice overexpressing CCN5 either through transgenesis (CCN5 Tg) or AAV9-mediated gene transfer (AAV9-CCN5). The mRNA levels of pro-fibrotic and pro-inflammatory genes were markedly up-regulated by AngII infusion, which was significantly normalized by CCN5 overexpression. In vitro studies in isolated atrial fibroblasts demonstrated a marked reduction in AngII-induced fibroblast trans-differentiation in CCN5-treated atria. Moreover, while AngII increased the expression of phosphorylated CaMKII and ryanodine receptor 2 levels in HL-1 cells, these molecular features of AF were prevented by CCN5. Electrophysiological studies in ex vivo perfused hearts revealed a blunted susceptibility of the AAV9-CCN5-treated hearts to rapid atrial pacing-induced arrhythmias and concomitant reversal in AngII-induced atrial action potential prolongation. These data demonstrate the utility of a gene transfer approach targeting CCN5 for reversal of adverse atrial structural and electrophysiological remodelling.

Age Discrimination and Suicidal Ideation Among Korean Older Adults.

OBJECTIVE: We examined the role of age discrimination in suicidal ideation among community-dwelling older adults in South Korea. METHODS: We analyzed adults aged 65 or older residing in Korea drawn from the 2014 Survey of Living Conditions and Welfare Needs of Korean Older Persons (total unweighted n = 10,279; total weighted N = 6,280,588). Data were analyzed using chi-square, t tests, and logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: Results from logistic regression analysis showed that after adjusting for covariates, Korean elders who experienced age discrimination had 2.26 times higher odds of having suicidal ideation than those who did not. CONCLUSIONS: The experience of age discrimination increased the risk of suicidal ideation among Korean elders. Identifying ways to reduce age discrimination may be an effective means of reducing suicidal ideation, which would, in turn, potentially decrease suicide rates among older adults. There may be cross-cultural clinical implications and variations due to belief systems surrounding respect for older adults.

Development of a LC-MS/MS method for determination of propofol-glucuronide in hair and preliminary study on relationships between dose and hair concentration.

Propofol abuse has been reported worldwide, suggesting the need to establish analytical methods for human biological samples to investigate the abuse of propofol. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between dose and hair concentration using a simple and rapid analytical method developed and validated in this study. In the sample preparation, hair samples were washed with distilled water and methanol and extracted in methanol during 16h at room temperature. After centrifugation and evaporation, the residue was reconstituted and filtered through a 0.22µm membrane filter before LC-MS/MS analysis. The precursor-to-product ion transitions were 353 → 175, 113 for propofol glucuronide and m/z 370 → 175, 113 for internal standard(propofol glucuronide-d17). The calibration curves were satisfactory (R2=0.9997) and the limits of detection and quantification were 2 and 5pg/mg, respectively. In addition, this study collected the history of propofol use from subjects using a questionnaire and analyzed subjects' hair samples using a validated analytical method. As a result, the concentrations of propofol glucuronide ranged from 7 to 122pg/mg (mean : 51pg/mg). There were cases of positive relationships, but generally there was no correlation between dose and hair concentration.

Role of the PRC2-Six1-miR-25 signaling axis in heart failure.

The reduced expression of cardiac sarco-endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase (SERCA2a) is a hallmark of heart failure. We previously showed that miR-25 is a crucial transcriptional regulator of SERCA2a in the heart. However, the precise mechanism of cardiac miR-25 regulation is largely unknown. Literatures suggested that miR-25 is regulated by the transcriptional co-factor, sine oculis homeobox homolog 1 (Six1), which in turn is epigenetically regulated by polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC 2) in cardiac progenitor cells. Therefore, we aimed to investigate whether Six1 and PRC2 are indeed involved in the regulation of the miR-25 level in the setting of heart failure. Six1 was up-regulated in the failing hearts of humans and mice. Overexpression of Six1 led to adverse cardiac remodeling, whereas knock-down of Six1 attenuated pressure overload-induced cardiac dysfunction. The adverse effects of Six1 were ameliorated by knock-down of miR-25. The epigenetic repression on the Six1 promoter by PRC2 was significantly reduced in failing hearts. Epigenetic repression of Six1 is relieved through a reduction of PRC2 activity in heart failure. Six1 up-regulates miR-25, which is followed by reduction of cardiac SERCA2a expression. Collectively, these data showed that the PRC2-Six1-miR-25 signaling axis is involved in heart failure. Our finding introduces new insight into potential treatments of heart failure.

The keys to happiness: Associations between personal values regarding core life domains and happiness in South Korea.

Personal values refer to the beliefs, principles or ideas that are important to people's lives. We investigated the associations between personal values and happiness. We inquired about the importance of four different categories of personal values: prioritizing social relationships, extrinsic achievements, physical health, and spirituality. Data were drawn from the Korean General Social Survey (KGSS), a nationally representative cross-sectional sample collected over three years (i.e., 2007, 2008, and 2009). The findings showed that respondents prioritizing religion (i.e., spirituality) were the most likely to be happy, followed by those prioritizing social relationships, including family, friends, and neighbors. Those who prioritized extrinsic achievements (money, power, educational attainment, work, and leisure) as well as health were least likely to be happy. The findings suggest that pursuing goals focused on self-enhancement or self-centered value are less likely to result in happiness compared to pursuing alter-centered collective goals or self-transcendence/selflessness.

CCN5 knockout mice exhibit lipotoxic cardiomyopathy with mild obesity and diabetes.

Obesity is associated with various human disorders, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, and cancers. In this study, we observed that knockout (KO) of CCN5, which encodes a matricellular protein, caused mild obesity in mice. The CCN5 KO mice also exhibited mild diabetes characterized by high fasting glucose levels and impaired insulin and glucose tolerances. Cardiac hypertrophy, ectopic lipid accumulation, and impaired lipid metabolism in hearts were observed in the CCN5 KO mice, as determined using histology, quantitative RT-PCR, and western blotting. Fibrosis was significantly greater in hearts from the CCN5 KO mice both in interstitial and perivascular regions, which was accompanied by higher expression of pro-fibrotic and pro-inflammatory genes. Both systolic and diastolic functions were significantly impaired in hearts from the CCN5 KO mice, as assessed using echocardiography. Taken together, these results indicate that CCN5 KO leads to lipotoxic cardiomyopathy with mild obesity and diabetes in mice.

Fluorescence change of Fusobacterium nucleatum due to Porphyromonas gingivalis.

The aim of this study was to measure changes in the fluorescence of Fusobacterium nucleatum interacting with Porphyromonas gingivalis for excitation with blue light at 405-nm. P. gingivalis was mono- and co-cultivated in close proximity with F. nucleatum. The fluorescence of the bacterial colonies was photographed using a QLF-D (Quantitative Light-induced Fluorescence-Digital) Biluminator camera system with a 405 nm light source and a specific filter. The red, green and blue intensities of fluorescence images were analyzed using the image analysis software. A fluorescence spectrometer was used to detect porphyrin synthesized by each bacterium. F. nucleatum, which emitted green fluorescence in single cultures, showed intense red fluorescence when it was grown in close proximity with P. gingivalis. F. nucleatum co-cultivated with P. gingivalis showed the same pattern of fluorescence peaks as for protoporphyrin IX in the red part of the spectrum. We conclude that the green fluorescence of F. nucleatum can change to red fluorescence in the presence of adjacent co-cultured with P. gingivalis, indicating that the fluorescence character of each bacterium might depend on the presence of other bacteria.

The company you keep: Is socialising with higher-status people bad for mental health?

Socialising with higher-status individuals can be hypothesised to exert opposing influences on the mental health of the ego. On the one hand, socialising with higher-status alters might enable individuals to access valuable resources. On the other hand, status-discrepant friendships could be detrimental to mental health by engendering feelings of unfairness. We sought to examine the impact of status-discrepant social relationships on depressive symptoms in the 2012 Korean General Social Survey (KGSS), a nationally representative sample. We show that socialising with higher-status people is positively associated with depressive symptoms. There is no significant difference between those socialising with equivalent-status or with lower-status alters. Perceived unfairness also increase depressive symptoms. Respondents socialising with higher-status alters tend to report greater depressive symptoms as their perceived unfairness increases. Gender-stratified analyses reveal that the detrimental impact of status-discrepant relationships are observed for men only, not for women. These findings suggest that socialising with higher-status people can be a net detriment for mental wellbeing by increasing stress/frustration or decreasing psychological resources such as self-esteem, and that these effects are more pronounced for individuals who perceive that society is unfair. This pattern appears stronger for men, which might be associated with gender roles internalised through gender socialisation processes.