Development of a prediction tool for kidney function decline in children with chronic kidney disease.

Background: A paucity of literature exists on the development of predictive tools for the decline of kidney function in pediatric chronic kidney disease (CKD). The objective of this study is to develop and internally validate a tool for the short-term prediction of a kidney function decline in pediatric patients with CKD.

Methods: A total of 539 patients participating in the KNOW-PedCKD (KoreaN cohort study for Outcomes in patients With Pediatric Chronic Kidney Disease) were evaluated for 48 variables related to sociodemographic characteristics, laboratory data, and treatment use.

Effects of driving simulator intervention on post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms after traffic accidents: A single-subject study.

Background: Although exposure therapy is a proven treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), empirical research is difficult due to ethical issues. Recently, virtual reality-based content that can provide space and time similar to reality for exposure therapy techniques is increasing.

Aim: To examine exposure therapy using driving simulations in patients with PTSD due to traffic accidents with PTSD symptoms.

Evaluation of Reactogenicity and Neutralizing Antibody Responses 6 Months Post-Vaccination with Monovalent COVID-19 Vaccine.

The association between reactogenicity and long-term immunogenicity after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination remains unclear. This study investigated whether adverse reactions to ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 or BNT162b2 vaccines correlate with neutralizing antibody responses in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection-naïve healthcare workers. Blood samples were collected at three time points to measure neutralizing antibodies.

Mechanosignaling and 3D morphological adaptation of MSCs in response to hydrogel rigidity underpin angiogenic and immunomodulatory efficacy for ischemic injury regeneration.

Activating angiogenic and immunomodulatory potential of stem cells through optimized cultivation strategies presents significant opportunities for cell-based tissue therapeutics. Among others, hydrogels with tunable chemo-mechanical properties offer optimal 3D environments for stem cell functions. Here, we report rigidity sensing and mechanoresponses of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) in 3D hydrogels drive therapeutic effects in ischemic injury.

3D Printing for Energy Storage Devices: Advances, Challenges, and Future Directions.

3D printing (3DP) has emerged as a transformative technology for the fabrication of electrochemical energy storage devices (EESDs), offering unprecedented advantages in design freedom, shape conformality, and material versatility. Unlike previous reviews that narrowly focus on specific materials or device types, this review offers a comprehensive and integrative perspective on the role of 3DP across the full architecture of EESDs, including batteries, supercapacitors, and fuel cells. Recent advances are highlighted in ink formulation strategies tailored for electrochemical functionality, advanced printing techniques enabling microscale precision and structural complexity, and the integration of printed components into functional devices.

Cytokine profiles associated with persisting symptoms of post-acute sequelae of COVID-19.

Background/aims: Post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) are highly heterogeneous; therefore, the pathophysiological mechanisms for PASC remain unclear. In this study, we aimed to examine the immunologic aspects of various PASC symptoms.

Methods: We prospectively enrolled adults aged ≥ 18 years who were diagnosed with COVID-19 between August 2022 and September 2023.

Risk and Distribution of Metastatic Infections by Primary Infection Focus in Bacteremia.

Background: bacteremia (SAB) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality, with a high risk of metastatic infections. Understanding the timing and distribution of metastatic infections based on the primary infection focus is crucial for effective management. We aimed to identify patterns that could guide clinicians in prioritizing surveillance and interventions for patients at high risk of metastatic infection.

Wearable PEDOT:PSS/DVS-Coated Yarn-Type Transpiration-Driven Electrokinetic Power Generator with High Power Efficiency and Water Stability.

Hydrovoltaic nanogenerators, which harness small quantities of water to generate power, are gaining considerable attention for applications in next-generation wearable electronics. Conventional hydrovoltaic nanogenerators are constrained by their limited power density and suboptimal long-term stability. Therefore, a transpiration-driven electrokinetic power generator (TEPG) based on silk yarn coated with poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS)/divinyl sulfone (DVS) and designed as a wearable hydrovoltaic nanogenerator offering outstanding power generation efficiency and water stability is presented in this study.

Innovating care for people with sarcoidosis using a machine learning-driven approach.

Introduction: Understanding patients' everyday experience is essential to improve patient centered care in sarcoidosis. So far, patient perspectives are based on survey- and qualitative research.

Aim: We aimed to assess patient-driven perspectives on their care trajectories using a novel machine learning-driven approach (MLD).

Species-specific risk of ophthalmic involvement in candidaemia: a propensity-matched competing risk analysis.

Objectives: Given the limited data on species-specific ocular involvement in candidaemia, we aimed to assess the differential risk of ocular involvement according to Candida species in patients with candidaemia.

Methods: A retrospective review was conducted of patients with candidaemia who underwent funduscopic examination at a tertiary centre in Seoul, Republic of Korea between January 2014 and December 2023. Ocular involvement, defined as endophthalmitis, was determined by two retinal specialists.

Effects of Liquid Bio-Fertilizer on Plant Growth, Antioxidant Activity, and Soil Bacterial Community During Cultivation of Chinese Cabbage ( L. ssp. ).

This study investigated the effects of liquid bio-fertilizer (LBF) on the growth, antioxidant activity, soil properties, and soil microbial composition of Chinese cabbage ( L. ssp. ).

Image analysis using smartphones: relationship between leaf color and fresh weight of lettuce under different nutritional treatments.

Image analysis can be useful for assessing crop health and predicting yield. Instead of expensive equipment, smartphones are considered an accessible and low-cost alternative. The objectives of this study were to evaluate whether fresh weight in green and red lettuce could be predicted by leaf color (intensity of green color measured by RGB) under different fertilizer treatments using RGB imaging from two widely used smartphone models (Samsung Galaxy and Apple iPhone).

The clinical impact of prolonged steroid therapy in severe COVID-19 patients: a retrospective cohort study with propensity score matching.

Background: The optimal duration of steroid therapy for patients with COVID-19 remains unclear. This study compared clinical outcomes between early steroid withdrawal (EW; ≤10 days) and prolonged steroid tapering (PT; >10 days) in patients with severe COVID-19 requiring oxygen support.

Methods: This retrospective, single-center cohort study included adult patients with COVID-19 and WHO-CPS scores of 6-9 admitted to a tertiary hospital in Seoul, Republic of Korea.

Troubleshooting Carbon Nanotube Bundling Using Electrostatic Energy-Driven Dispersion for LiFePO Bimodal Thick Electrode in Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Interest in using thick LiFePO cathodes to enhance lithium-ion battery energy density has recently been growing. To obtain thick cathodes with superior electrical conductivity throughout their depth, it is crucial to substitute conventional zero-dimensional conductive agents with one-dimensional carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Nevertheless, the inherent properties of CNT, including their high aspect ratio and strong van der Waals interaction, hinder uniform dispersion, causing poor performance in thick electrodes.

Ovarian Function Restoration with Biomimetic Scaffold Incorporating Angiogenic Molecules and Antioxidant in Chemotherapy-Induced Perimenopausal Model.

Chemotherapy-induced premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) is a major cause of infertility and hormonal imbalance in young female cancer survivors. In this study, developed a biomimetic scaffold is developed that incorporates polydeoxyribonucleotide (PDRN) and melatonin to restore ovarian function. The scaffold is designed to mimic the ovarian extracellular matrix (ECM), enhancing angiogenesis, promoting antioxidant effects, and reducing reactive oxygen species (ROS).

Impact of fluoroquinolone exposure on the diagnosis and prognosis of tuberculosis in immunocompromised patients: a propensity-score-matched, competing risk analysis.

Objectives: Tuberculosis (TB) in immunocompromised patients presents a significant diagnostic challenge. These patients are sometimes empirically treated with quinolones before a definitive diagnosis is established. However, there are limited data on the impact of fluoroquinolone exposure on TB diagnosis and outcomes in these patients.

Minocycline Susceptibility of Carbapenem-Resistant Blood Isolates from a Single Center in Korea: Role of in Resistance.

Background: Carbapenem-resistant (CRAB) represents a devastating and growing global threat, calling for new antibiotic treatments. In Korea, the challenge of treating CRAB is compounded by high nosocomial acquisition rates and limited availability of novel antibiotics. Minocycline, a semisynthetic tetracycline derivative, has been proposed as a therapeutic option for CRAB infections.

New drug accessibility and budgetary impact in South Korea: policy challenges and implications.

Background: To compare the accessibility indicators for new drugs in South Korea with those in the United States, Europe, and Japan, and examine the structure of pharmaceutical expenditures in South Korea.

Research Design And Methods: Patient accessibility and budget impacts of new drugs were analyzed using two independent datasets. Accessibility was evaluated for 171 drugs approved between 2013 and 2022 based on reimbursement rates, time to listing post-approval, and international comparisons.

Chiral Pseudogap Metal Emerging from a Disordered Van der Waals Mott Insulator 1T-TaSSe.

The emergence of a pseudogap is a hallmark of anomalous electronic states formed through substantial manybody interaction but the mechanism of the pseudogap formation and its role in related emerging quantum states such as unconventional superconductivity remain largely elusive. Here, the emergence of an unusual pseudogap in a representative van der Waals chiral charge density wave (CDW) materials with strong electron correlation, 1T-TaS is reported, through isoelectronic substitute of S. The evolution of electronic band dispersions of 1T-TaSSe (0 ⩽ x ⩽ 2) is systematically investigated using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES).

Mucormycosis coinfection in patients with proven aspergillosis.

Data on the coinfection of molds are limited. Therefore, we systematically investigated mucormycosis coinfection in patients with morphologically proven aspergillosis. The medical records of adult patients with proven aspergillosis and available formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue sections were retrospectively reviewed at a tertiary hospital between January 2019 and July 2024.

Genotype of PAX2-related disorders correlates with kidney and ocular manifestations.

PAX2-related disorders encompass renal coloboma syndrome (RCS) and hereditary focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) type 7. We retrospectively analyzed 27 Korean patients with PAX2 pathogenic variants detected between 2004 and 2022 and conducted a literature review of 328 cases, including 301 previously reported. In our cohort, 19 had RCS, 4 had FSGS, and 4 had isolated congenital anomalies of the kidneys and urinary tract.

Initial and peak serum levels of Krebs von den Lungen-6 for predicting the prognosis of patients with COVID-19.

Background/aims: Krebs von den Lungen-6 (KL-6) is associated with prognosis in patients with COVID-19. However, there is limited data on the correlation between the prognosis of COVID-19 and varying KL-6 levels at different time points. We investigated the optimal cutoff values of the initial and peak serum KL-6 levels to predict mortality and evaluated their correlation with mortality.

Clinical and microbiological analysis of risk factors for breakthrough bloodstream infection during Tigecycline Therapy.

Background: Tigecycline is widely used to treat a variety of bacterial infections despite concerns regarding increased mortality in severe infections. Previous case reports have documented breakthrough bloodstream infections (BSI) during tigecycline therapy. This study aimed to investigate the incidence of, and risk factors for, breakthrough BSI during tigecycline monotherapy.