Introducing statutory paid sick leave in South Korea: necessity and key considerations.

South Korea remains one of the few Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries without a statutory paid sick leave system or a public sickness benefit program. This paper examines the necessity of introducing statutory paid sick leave in South Korea and outlines key considerations for its implementation. The "right to rest when sick" is a fundamental health and labor right that ensures workers can recover from illness without risking job loss or income insecurity.

The effects of restricted visitation on delirium incidence in the intensive care units of a tertiary hospital in South Korea.

Background: Delirium is a common but serious complication in critically ill patients. Family visitation has been shown to reduce delirium; however, during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, intensive care units (ICUs) restricted regular visitation to prevent the spread of infection. This study aimed to evaluate the association between visitation policies and incidence of delirium in the ICUs.

Local nonequilibrium thermodynamics of polymer collapse dynamics.

Nonequilibrium thermodynamics plays a crucial role in understanding a wide range of physical and chemical processes. While significant advances have been made through frameworks, such as the fluctuation theorem, it remains challenging to define thermodynamic quantities, such as energy, entropy, and free energy, at the local level during nonequilibrium processes. Recently, Jinwoo and Tanaka [Sci.

PRMT1 (protein arginine methyltransferase 1) is essential for neuromuscular junction and mitochondrial homeostasis via mitophagy regulation.

The neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is essential for transmitting neural stimulus to muscles, triggering muscle contraction. Mitochondria are enriched in NMJ to support the energy needs required for neuromuscular function and stability. Thus, maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis through the clearance of damaged mitochondria, a process known as mitophagy, is vital for preserving neuromuscular health.

Associations of driving pressure and mechanical power with postoperative pulmonary complications in one-lung ventilated surgery.

Background: The potential clinical value of driving pressure (DP) and mechanical power (MP) as digital biomarkers for predicting postoperative pulmonary complications (PPC) has been emphasized. Although several studies have explored this association, evidence from clinical cohorts involving large patient populations remains limited.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted between October 2004 and May 2023 on patients who underwent OLV surgery.

Advancing Precision Medicine in Inflammatory Skin Disease.

The growing availability of targeted immunomodulatory therapies has transformed the treatment landscape for chronic inflammatory skin diseases. However, treatment selection remains largely empirical, often guided more by trial-and-error and insurance mandates than by an individual patient's underlying disease biology. This disconnect between therapeutic strategy and the need to address and calibrate for patient molecular heterogeneity undermines clinical outcomes and contributes to inefficiency in care delivery.

Awe is characterized as an ambivalent affect in the human behavior and cortex.

Awe is a complex emotion that encompasses conflicting affective feelings inherent to its key appraisals, but it has been studied as either a positive or a negative emotion, which has made its ambivalent nature underexplored. To address whether and how awe's ambivalent affect is represented both behaviorally and neurologically, we conducted a study using virtual reality (VR) and electroencephalography (N = 43). Behaviorally, the subjective ratings of awe intensity for VR clips were accurately predicted by the duration and intensity of ambivalent feelings.

Endothelial PRMT7 prevents dysfunction, promotes revascularization and enhances cardiac recovery post-myocardial infarction.

Myocardial infarction (MI) induces ischemic damage, triggering endothelial cell (EC) dysfunction that impairs revascularization and cardiac recovery. A key contributor to this dysfunction is excessive endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, which is activated by MI and exacerbates EC apoptosis and impaired angiogenesis. Here we investigate the role of endothelial-specific protein arginine methyltransferase 7 (PRMT7) in mitigating ER stress and promoting vascular homeostasis after MI.

Expression of Free Radicals and Reactive Oxygen Species in Endometriosis: Current Knowledge and Its Implications.

This review explores the dual role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and free radicals in the pathogenesis of endometriosis, aiming to deepen our understanding of these processes through a systematic literature review. To assess the induction and involvement of ROS in endometriosis, we conducted a comprehensive literature review using Cochrane Libraries, EMBASE, Google Scholar, PubMed, and SCOPUS databases. Of 30 qualifying papers ultimately reviewed, 28 reported a significant contribution of ROS to the pathogenesis of endometriosis, while two found no association.

Understanding the Electrocatalytic Trend of Sulfur Reduction Reaction and Design Rules of Advanced Electrocatalysts for Li-S Batteries.

Despite the great potential of using electrocatalysts to improve the performance of lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries, a deficient understanding of the electrocatalytic trends in the sulfur reduction reaction with respect to the adsorption energy of sulfur active species and a lack of descriptors to estimate electrocatalytic activity limit the design of advanced electrocatalysts for Li-S batteries. Herein, we systematically explore the impact of sulfur species adsorption energy on the electrocatalytic activity in Li-S batteries by modulating the metal -band structure of PtM (M = Cu, Fe, Ti, Co) alloy model systems. The PtCo catalyst, possessing a balanced -band center, exhibited the highest redox kinetics and Li-S cell performance due to its lowest energy barrier for the rate-determining step in the sulfur reduction reaction.

Interconvertible and rejuvenated Lewis acidic electrolyte additive for lean electrolyte lithium sulfur batteries.

Realizing practical lithium-sulfur batteries with high energy density requires lean electrolyte design. However, under low electrolyte/sulfur (E/S) ratios, highly concentrated lithium polysulfides in the electrolyte phase limit cycling and capacity. Here, we report that a small amount of Lewis acidic calcium cation in the electrolyte addresses the problems of lean electrolyte lithium-sulfur batteries.

Artificial-intelligence-assisted design principle for developing high-performance single-atom catalysts.

Artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted approaches are powerful means for advancing catalyst design, as they can significantly accelerate the development of novel catalysts. However, the underlying mechanisms of these approaches often remain elusive, which may lead to unreliable results due to a lack of clear understanding of the involved processes. Herein, we present an AI strategy that combines machine learning (ML) and data mining (DM) to identify high-performance catalysts while elucidating the key factors that govern catalytic performance in complex reactions.

Temporal Dynamics and Treatment Outcomes of Hepatitis C Virus/Human Immunodeficiency Virus Coinfection: A Multicenter Retrospective Study from South Korea.

Background/aims: Due to the very low incidence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in South Korea, epidemiological data on hepatitis C virus (HCV)/HIV coinfection are limited. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes of patients with HCV/HIV coinfection in South Korea.

Methods: We retrospectively collected data from patients diagnosed with HCV/HIV coinfection at 12 academic hospitals in South Korea from 2009 to 2020.

Simulation of dry matter partitioning in cucumber fruits: reflecting gas exchange characteristics based on leaf position and cropping type.

This study aimed to predict dry matter partitioning in cucumber fruit ( L.) by developing a simulation model that integrates photosynthetic characteristics based on leaf age and cropping type. Leaf gas exchange, growth, and environmental data from semi-forcing and forcing cropping types were used to calibrate models including the Farquhar-von Caemmerer-Berry (FvCB) model and other growth-related models.

Breaking the Selectivity Barrier of Single-Atom Nanozymes Through Out-of-Plane Ligand Coordination.

Peroxidase (POD)-like nanozymes have emerged as effective alternatives to natural enzymes owing to their stability and cost-effectiveness in biosensors. In particular, single-atom nanozymes (SAzymes) featuring Fe-N active sites have attracted significant attention for their high catalytic performance. However, their 2D exposed active sites result in limited reaction selectivity and strong pH dependence, restricting their functionality under neutral conditions.

Development and Validation of a Clinical Scoring System Predicting 30-Day Mortality in Acute Exacerbation of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.

Background And Objectives: Acute exacerbation (AE) of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a frequent and fatal complication of IPF, with highly variable individual outcomes that are challenging to predict.

Methods: This study included patients (≥ 19 years) who met the diagnostic criteria for AE-IPF. The primary outcome was 30-day mortality following hospital admission.

Metasurface-enhanced terahertz imaging for glioblastoma in orthotopic xenograft mouse model combined with neural network decision making.

Terahertz (THz) optical sensing and imaging offer significant potential in a range of biological and medical applications owing to their low-energy, non-ionizing nature, and ultra-broadband spectral information, which includes numerous molecular fingerprints. However, conventional THz imaging suffers from limited contrast and low absorption cross-section in biological tissues. Recent advances in terahertz sensing platforms, facilitated by various metasurfaces, have addressed these limitations by enhancing the sensitivity and selectivity of optical detection and imaging.

COPD and Inhaled Treatment Effects on Mortality in Lung Cancer Patients.

Introduction: In lung cancer patients, the impact of COPD diagnosis and subsequent management on mortality remains uncertain, as evidence supporting the efficacy of inhaled therapies in improving clinical outcomes in this population is limited. This study aims to assess whether COPD worsens outcomes in lung cancer patients and to investigate whether inhaled treatments for COPD can improve these outcomes.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study used the Korea Central Cancer Registry (K-CURE) database from 2012 to 2019.

The impact of enteral feeding intolerance on the prognosis of patients with septic shock in South Korea.

Background: While enteral feeding intolerance (EFI) is associated with worse clinical outcomes in critically ill patients, the relationship between the number of days of EFI and mortality outcomes remains unclear.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed adult patients admitted to the medical intensive care unit (ICU) with septic shock at a tertiary referral center. EFI was defined as the presence of vomiting, abdominal distension, pain, diarrhea, or radiographic evidence of ileus.

Tattoo electrodes in bioelectronics: a pathway to next-generation wearable systems.

Tattoo-based electronics have emerged as a transformative platform for next-generation wearable bioelectronics. Unlike conventional wearable devices, which rely on substrates, tattoo electrodes are directly formed or transferred onto the skin or internal organs, ensuring superior comfort, breathability, and long-term usability. This intimate interface minimizes motion-induced artifacts and enables reliable biosignal acquisition across diverse physiological and anatomical regions.

Acidic bicelles are a suitable membrane mimic for structural studies of the Lassa virus fusion domain.

Lassa virus (LASV) is the most prevalent arenavirus afflicting humans and has high pandemic potential. The genetic material of LASV is delivered into the host cell via membrane fusion initiated by the LASV fusion domain (FD). However, the molecular details of the LASV FD, particularly its structure after association with the host cell, remain poorly characterized.

Cytomegalovirus reactivation in the lower respiratory tract as an independent risk factor for mortality in critically Ill patients.

Background: The clinical significance of cytomegalovirus reactivation in the lower respiratory tract (LRT) of critically ill patients remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the association between cytomegalovirus reactivation detected in LRT and intensive care unit (ICU) prognosis.

Methods: This study included critically ill patients admitted to a medical ICU at a tertiary referral center in South Korea between January 2021 and June 2023.

Induced B cell receptor diversity predicts PD-1 blockade immunotherapy response.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors such as anti-Programmed Death-1 antibodies (aPD-1) can be effective in treating advanced cancers. However, many patients do not respond, and the mechanisms underlying these differences remain incompletely understood. In this study, we profile a cohort of patients with locally advanced or metastatic basal cell carcinoma undergoing aPD-1 therapy using single-cell RNA sequencing, high-definition spatial transcriptomics in tumors and draining lymph nodes, and spatial immunoreceptor profiling, with long-term clinical follow-up.

Design Strategies Based on Electronic Interactions for Effective Catalysts in Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

Lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs) are considered promising next-generation batteries due to their high energy density (>500 W h kg). However, LSBs exhibit an unsatisfactory energy density (<400 W h kg) and cycle life (<300 cycles) because of the shuttle effect caused by soluble lithium polysulfide (LiPS) intermediates and the sluggish conversion reaction kinetics caused by insulating sulfur (S) and lithium sulfide (LiS). Although various types of catalysts, including metal-based compounds to single-atom catalysts, have been reported to address these issues, most catalysts exhibited limited catalytic activity under practical lean electrolyte conditions (<5 µL mg).