Forest soil properties regulate arsenic mobility and life stage-specific ecotoxicity in Collembola: Implications for early-stage contamination risk.

Arsenic (As) contamination from abandoned gold mines threatens adjacent ecosystems through leaching and erosion. This study investigated how soil physicochemical properties regulate As binding forms upon initial contamination and associated ecotoxicological effects on soil invertebrates. Forest soils (0-10 cm depth) were collected from four mountainous sites across Korea with varying physicochemical properties.

Source-specific contamination process revealed by mercury isotope analyses and hydrodynamic modeling in an estuary.

While mercury (Hg) concentration and isotope analyses play pivotal roles in understanding contamination levels and Hg sources, complex hydrodynamics often obscure Hg transport pathways from source to sink. We applied hydrodynamic modeling with Hg stable isotopes to unravel source-specific contamination processes and propose effective management strategies in an estuarine system (Yeongil Bay) impacted by Hg-contaminated riverine input (Hyeongsan River) in Korea. Sediment isotope data revealed contributions of three sources: legacy Hg from the river, regional background Hg, and atmospheric Hg sources.

The Clinical Impact of Intravascular Imaging-Guided Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Acute Myocardial Infarction Patients with High Thrombus Burden.

Despite the established clinical efficacy following intravascular imaging (IVI)-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) than angiography-guided PCI, evidence regarding prognostic benefits of IVI-guided PCI in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients with high thrombus burden remains limited. Using the nationwide registries of KAMIR-NIH and KAMIR-V, we evaluated the prognostic impact of IVI-guided PCI in AMI patients with high thrombus burden. A total of 4,074 patients with AMI and TIMI thrombus grades 4 or 5 who underwent aspiration thrombectomy were selected, of whom 892 patients (21.

Quality Matters: Effect of High-Quality Early Palliative Care in Advanced Cancer.

Context: Early palliative care (EPC) is an integral treatment for advanced cancer patients, improving quality of life and symptom management, but the impact of its quality on outcomes is less understood.

Objectives: This study aimed to quantify the quality of EPC and analyze its longitudinal association with depression levels, quality of life (QoL), patient survival, and self-management strategies in patients with advanced cancer.

Methods: This secondary analysis included 144 advanced cancer patients from a randomized controlled trial in South Korea.

Recommendation for use of a long-acting monoclonal antibody to prevent respiratory syncytial virus infection in infants and young children.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a leading cause of acute lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) in infants and young children. In April 2024, the Korea Ministry of Food and Drug Safety approved nirsevimab (Beyfortus), a long-acting monoclonal antibody, as a passive immunization to prevent RSV-associated LRTI among infants and young children. Nirsevimab was launched in Korea in February 2025.

Environmental impact analysis for manufacturing 200 kW SOFC and PAFC systems via life cycle assessment.

The fuel cells of the future for sustainable development are solid oxide fuel cell (SOFCs) and phosphoric acid fuel cell (PAFCs), and they will have to coexist as future energy sources. This requires a proper understanding of the properties of the materials used in both fuel cell systems and the ability to identify and mitigate the challenges associated with materials that have a high environmental impact. In this study, all materials and processes involved in the manufacturing of 200 kW SOFC and PAFC systems for power generation are divided into stack, balance of plant (BOP) and system assembling components, and a cradle-to-gate environmental impact assessment is conducted to assess the life cycle process from raw materials extraction to final system manufacturing.

Triazine-Functionalized Covalent Organic Framework Ultrathin Films for Enhancing Local CO Concentrations in Electrochemical CO Reduction.

Electrochemical CO reduction (COR) with transition-metal catalysts often suffers from low selectivity for value-added products. Organic layers have been explored to enhance selectivity by modifying local environments and adjusting the CO and CO adsorption, but their role remains unclear due to structural and mechanical instability. Here, we designed a well-defined organic layer model consisting of ∼4 nm-thick covalent organic framework (COF) films with ∼3 nm pores and a cm-scale area.

3D Multilayered BNMR/Epoxy Composites with Enhanced Neutron Shielding Performance for Protection of Space Electronics.

With the rapid advancement of space technologies, ensuring the reliable performance of electronic systems in extreme space environments has become increasingly critical. However, conventional polymeric materials used in electronic device packaging suffer from insufficient neutron shielding capability and poor thermal stability, requiring improved effectiveness in protecting sensitive components from high-energy radiation and drastic temperature fluctuations. In this study, we report a novel multilayered composite consisting of boron nitride microbridle (BNMR) and epoxy resin.

Refugial isolation and ecological niche differentiation promote genetic divergence of Oresitrophe and Mukdenia in Northeast Asia.

Premise: The demographic histories of temperate plants in Northeast Asia in response to Quaternary climate oscillations have long been the focus of evolutionary biologists, but have rarely been studied in herbaceous plants. Here, we investigated the phylogeographic patterns of Mukdenia and Oresitrophe.

Methods: We sequenced two plastid regions for O.

Characteristics and management of mechanically ventilated patients in South Korea compared with other high-income Asian countries and regions.

Background: This study investigated the characteristics of mechanically ventilated patients in South Korean intensive care units (ICUs).

Methods: We conducted a subgroup analysis of a multinational observational study. Data from 271 mechanically ventilated patients in South Korean ICUs were analyzed for demographics, ventilation practices, and mortality, and were compared with those of 327 patients from other high-income Asian countries.

Solitary phospholipase C β2-positive cells in the vomeronasal organs of Korean roe deer (Capreolus pygargus).

Little is known about the vomeronasal organ (VNO), which is associated with social behaviors through pheromone detection in mammals, particularly ungulates. We investigated the distribution of phospholipase C beta 2 (PLCβ2), a marker of solitary chemosensory cells (SCCs), in the VNO of the Korean roe deer (Capreolus pygargus). PLCβ2-positive cells were detected in both the sensory and non-sensory epithelium of the VNO, and resembled the bipolar cells.

Genetic Association Between Polymorphisms in lncRNA and Gastric Cancer Susceptibility.

Genetic variations of long noncoding RNAs are potential biomarkers for gastric cancer (GC). However, reports on the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in antisense noncoding RNA in the INK4 locus () and GC risk are few. This case-control study aimed to evaluate the association between SNPs in , GC risk, and subgroups in a Korean population.

Therapeutic potential of sulfasalazine for sarcopenia: Insights from mouse models and clinical data.

Sarcopenia, a disease marked by a progressive loss of muscle mass, increases the risks of disability and metabolic disorders, and decreases quality of life. Current therapeutic options are limited. YY1 transcriptional activity is augmented through an interaction with PHF20 at its promoter region, suppressing muscle differentiation.

A robust cyanide sensor for multiphase detection: Enabling practical on-site applications.

A new colorimetric and fluorimetric probe PBT, for the efficient recognition of cyanide ion was synthesized and characterized; the sensing properties were analyzed and used for various real-time applications. The probe consists of a D-π-A conception with a donor unit of phenothiazine and an acceptor unit of benzothiazole to make a molecule for the ease of charge transfer transition. The mechanism of recognition is confirmed by H NMR and HRMS spectral analysis.

COSINE-100 full dataset challenges the annual modulation signal of DAMA/LIBRA.

For over 25 years, the DAMA/LIBRA collaboration has claimed to observe an annual modulation signal, suggesting the existence of dark matter interactions. However, no experiment using different target materials has observed a dark matter signal consistent with their result. To address this puzzle, the COSINE-100 collaboration conducted a model-independent test using sodium iodide crystal detectors, the same target material as DAMA/LIBRA.

Impact of preoperative anemia on short- and long-term outcomes of sphincter-preserving rectal cancer surgery.

Background: Preoperative anemia is associated with an increased risk of postoperative complications and poor survival in colorectal cancer; however, its effects on long-term outcomes in sphincter-preserving rectal surgery remain unclear. Therefore, we analyzed the correlation among preoperative anemia, postoperative complications and surgical outcomes in sphincter-preserving rectal cancer surgeries.

Methods: Data from patients who underwent sphincter-preserving surgery for stage I–III rectal cancer between 2011 and 2015 were reviewed.

The Factors Influencing Quality of Life Among Patients With Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Cancers.

Background: Maintaining a good quality of life improves treatment outcomes and overall survival rate among patients with hepatobiliary and pancreatic cancers. However, known factors influencing the quality of life are fragmented and require a comprehensive investigation of influencing factors to improve the quality of life among patients with hepatobiliary and pancreatic cancers during treatment periods.

Objective: We aimed to comprehensively identify the factors influencing the quality of life among patients with hepatobiliary or pancreatic cancer during illness and treatment periods.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Serological Tests for Infections in Children with Pneumonia, Based on Symptom Onset.

Background: is a major cause of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in children, with a rising incidence of macrolide resistance. Early diagnosis is crucial for reducing the disease burden; however, current diagnostic tools have limitations. We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of serological assays and their performance based on symptom onset in children with CAP.

Can Reference Materials Prepared Following CLSI C37-A Be Utilized Without Commutability Assessment? Perspectives Based on Lipid Measurements.

Background: Ensuring reference material (RM) commutability is crucial for evaluating measurement traceability in order to standardize laboratory tests. However, commutability assessment is not routinely performed. We assessed whether RMs prepared following CLSI C37-A guidelines could be used without assessing commutability by evaluating their commutability for four lipid measurements using the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (IFCC) and CLSI EP14 protocols.

Field application of a tiered TRIAD approach: Effects of soil extraction methods on site-specific soil ecological risk assessment.

The TRIAD approach achieves site-specific soil ecological risk assessments by integrating three lines of evidence (LoEs): chemistry, ecotoxicology, and ecology. Although the various toolbox items within TRIAD should be analyzed according to the site characteristics, no studies have yet determined the effect of selecting different analytical items on the resulting ecological risk. In this study, we applied the tiered TRIAD system to two heavy-metal-contaminated sites and compared the ecological risk values derived from two different soil extraction methods: batch and column tests.

Thermal denaturation of porcine myofibrillar proteins at different heating temperatures: A focus on the surface hydrophobicity.

Changes in the hydrophobic interactions of porcine myofibrillar proteins (MPs) were investigated at various heating and internal temperatures (ITs). MP extracts were heated at 50, 60, 70, 80, or 90 °C until their ITs reached the same respective values (±2 °C) and were labeled IT50, IT60, IT70, IT80, and IT90. The intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence intensity (FI) of the MPs decreased after heating at all ITs ( < 0.

Co-elution of -NMIFAs in the 18:3t region: analytical approach in fatty acid identification.

Accurate identification of -18:3 fatty acid isomers remain challenging due to the co-elution of structurally diverse isomers, particularly non-methylene-interrupted fatty acids (NMIFAs). GC-FID analysis of pine nut using an SP™-2560 column revealed unusually high peak areas (> 13%) in the 18:3t region. However, a peak reduction in the 18:3t region after nitric acid-induced isomerization reaction, suggested the presence of isomers in native pine nut.

Phloridzin Mitigates Gorham-Stout Disease by Dual Inhibition of Osteoclastogenesis Related to the Ca Signaling Pathway and Vascular Proliferation.

Phloridzin, a natural compound derived from , exhibits a wide range of biological activities, making it a promising candidate for the development of functional foods aimed at promoting health and preventing disease. Gorham-Stout disease (GSD) is an orphan rare disorder defined by gradual bone resorption and vascular proliferation, with fewer than 400 cases documented, leading to severe pathological consequences. This study aims to examine the mechanisms underlying two key features of GSD, including progressive osteolysis, through osteoclastogenesis, and vascular proliferation, by examining endothelial and vascular cell proliferation.

Acute-phase response- and inflammation-, but not extracellular matrix-related proteins in the amniotic fluid are associated with spontaneous preterm delivery in asymptomatic women with midtrimester short cervix.

To determine whether (i) altered levels of acute-phase (APR)-, inflammation-, and extracellular matrix (ECM)-related in the amniotic fluid (AF) were associated with spontaneous preterm delivery (SPTD) in asymptomatic women with midtrimester short cervix (SCX) and (ii) if SPTD risk severity was related to the expression levels of inflammation-related proteins in the AF. This retrospective cohort study included 70 singleton pregnant women diagnosed with a SCX (<25 mm) at 17-25 weeks, who were subjected to amniocentesis to exclude intraamniotic inflammation (IAI; defined as AF interleukin [IL]-6 ≥ 2.6 ng/mL).

Tumour-specific delivery of ω-conotoxin MVIIA via engineered Salmonella for safe anticancer therapy.

Introduction: Solid tumours present a significant treatment challenge owing to the poor penetration of therapeutics into the tumour core. Bacteria offer a unique solution to this problem because they can selectively target tumours and proliferate within the tumour microenvironment.

Methods: In this study, we engineered Salmonella typhimurium to deliver MVIIA, a ω-conotoxin that inhibits N-type calcium channels.