To clarify transmissibility of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 Omicron variant, we determined serial intervals and secondary attack rates among household contacts in South Korea. ...Mean serial interval for 12 transmission pairs was 2.9 days, and secondary attack rate among 25 households was 50.0%, raising concern about a rapid surge in cases.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, ODKLJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Background:
The epidemiology of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder and multiple sclerosis varies depending on the region and ethnicity.
Objective:
To estimate the prevalence and incidence of ...neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder and multiple sclerosis in Korea during 2010–2016.
Methods:
We analyzed the National Health Insurance research database, which contains single-payer health insurance data collected in Korea. Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder was defined based on the 2006 Wingerchuk criteria (for 2010–2015), and the 2015 International Panel for Neuromyelitis Optica Diagnosis criteria (for 2016). Multiple sclerosis was defined by the 2005 International Panel criteria for multiple sclerosis.
Results:
In 2016, the age-standardized prevalence per 100,000 persons was 2.56 (95% confidence interval: 2.43–2.7) for neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder and 3.23 (95% confidence interval: 3.08–3.39) for multiple sclerosis. The age-standardized incidence of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder and multiple sclerosis were 0.73 (95% confidence interval: 0.66–0.8) and 0.50 (95% confidence interval: 0.44–0.56) per 100,000 persons in 2016. The prevalence of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder and multiple sclerosis have increased over time during 2010–2016 (18.5% and 5.4% annually; both p-trend < 0.001). The incidence of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder increased annually (10.0%, p-trend < 0.001), while the incidence of multiple sclerosis remained stable.
Conclusion:
While the prevalence of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder and multiple sclerosis are comparable in Korea, the incidence of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder is higher than that of multiple sclerosis. Both the prevalence and incidence of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder are rapidly increasing in Korea.
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NUK, OILJ, SAZU, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Analog in‐memory computing synaptic devices are widely studied for efficient implementation of deep learning. However, synaptic devices based on resistive memory have difficulties implementing ...on‐chip training due to the lack of means to control the amount of resistance change and large device variations. To overcome these shortcomings, silicon complementary metal‐oxide semiconductor (Si‐CMOS) and capacitor‐based charge storage synapses are proposed, but it is difficult to obtain sufficient retention time due to Si‐CMOS leakage currents, resulting in a deterioration of training accuracy. Here, a novel 6T1C synaptic device using only n‐type indium gaIlium zinc oxide thin film transistor (IGZO TFT) with low leakage current and a capacitor is proposed, allowing not only linear and symmetric weight update but also sufficient retention time and parallel on‐chip training operations. In addition, an efficient and realistic training algorithm to compensate for any remaining device non‐idealities such as drifting references and long‐term retention loss is proposed, demonstrating the importance of device‐algorithm co‐optimization.
A novel 6T1C synaptic device based on indium gallium zinc oxide thin film transistor (IGZO TFT) and capacitor and a novel optimized training algorithm, retention‐centric Tiki‐Taka algorithm, is proposed. Through a new training scheme by co‐optimizing the device and algorithm, modified national institute of standards and technology (MNIST) on‐chip training accuracy of over ≈97% even in wide retention requirements is obtained.
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FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Nanoparticles are primarily taken up by immune cells after systemic administration. Thus, they are considered an ideal drug delivery vehicle for immunomodulation. Because the spleen is the largest ...lymphatic organ and regulates the systemic immune system, there have been studies to develop spleen targeting nanoparticles for immunomodulation of cancer and immunological disorders. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) includes disorders involving chronic inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract and is considered incurable despite a variety of treatment options. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is one of the gasotransmitters that carries out anti-inflammatory functions and has shown promising immunomodulatory effects in various inflammatory diseases including IBD. Herein, we developed a delicately tuned H2S donor delivering liposome for spleen targeting (ST-H2S lipo) and studied its therapeutic effects in a dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) induced colitis model. We identified the ideal PEG type and ratio of liposome for a high stability, loading efficiency, and spleen targeting effect. In the treatment of the DSS-induced colitis model, we found that ST-H2S lipo and conventional long-circulating liposomes loaded with H2S donors (LC-H2S lipo) reduced the severity of colitis, whereas unloaded H2S donors did not. Furthermore, the therapeutic effect of ST-H2S lipo was superior to that of LC-H2S lipo due to its better systemic immunomodulatory effect than that of LC-H2S lipo. Our findings demonstrate that spleen targeting H2S lipo may have therapeutic potential for IBD.
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IJS, KILJ, NUK, PNG, UL, UM
Charge storage synaptic circuits employing InGaZnO thin‐film transistors (IGZO TFTs) and capacitors are a promising candidate for on‐chip trainable neural network hardware accelerators. However, IGZO ...TFTs often exhibit bias instability. For synaptic memory applications, the programming transistors are predominantly exposed to asymmetric off‐state biases, and a unique field‐dependent on‐current reduction under off‐scenario is observed which may result in programming current variation. Further examination of the phenomenon is conducted with transmission line‐like method and degradation recovery tests, and current reduction can be attributed to contact resistance increase by charge trapping in the source and drain electrode and the channel region. The current decrease is subsequently formulated with a stretched exponential model with bias‐dependent parameters for quantitative circuit analysis under off‐state degradation. A neural network hardware acceleration simulator is utilized to assess the complicated impact the off‐state current degradation could instigate on on‐chip trainable IGZO TFT‐based synapse arrays. The simulation results generally demonstrate deteriorated training accuracy with aggravated off‐state instability, and the accuracy trend is elucidated from the perspective of weight symmetry point.
Stability of InGaZnO transistors is analyzed under the off‐state electric field bias, which is the most dominant scenario in InGaZnO transistor‐based synapse circuits. Unique on‐current reduction is observed, and its characteristics are modeled based on experimental results. The stress model is applied to neural network simulation, and the impact of the degradation is evaluated.
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FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Although dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPPIV) inhibitors are known to have renoprotective effects, the mechanism underlying these effects has remained elusive. Here we investigated the effects of DA-1229, ...a novel DPPIV inhibitor, in two animal models of renal injury including db/db mice and the adriamycin nephropathy rodent model of chronic renal disease characterized by podocyte injury. For both models, DA-1229 was administered at 300 mg/kg/day. DPPIV activity in the kidney was significantly higher in diabetic mice compared with their nondiabetic controls. Although DA-1229 did not affect glycemic control or insulin resistance, DA-1229 did improve lipid profiles, albuminuria and renal fibrosis. Moreover, DA-1229 treatment resulted in decreased urinary excretion of nephrin, decreased circulating and kidney DPPIV activity, and decreased macrophage infiltration in the kidney. In adriamycin-treated mice, DPPIV activity in the kidney and urinary nephrin loss were both increased, whereas glucagon-like peptide-1 concentrations were unchanged. Moreover, DA-1229 treatment significantly improved proteinuria, renal fibrosis and inflammation associated with decreased urinary nephrin loss, and kidney DPP4 activity. In cultured podocytes, DA-1229 restored the high glucose/angiotensin II-induced increase of DPPIV activity and preserved the nephrin levels in podocytes. These findings suggest that activation of DPPIV in the kidney has a role in the progression of renal disease, and that DA-1229 may exert its renoprotective effects by preventing podocyte injury.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
White feces syndrome (WFS), a gastrointestinal disorder of cultivated penaeid shrimp, causes severe economic and production losses worldwide. Shrimp with WFS usually show a reduced feed consumption ...and growth rate, hepatopancreatic discoloration, and loose shells. Recently, WFS has been said to be related to an infection with Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei (EHP), a microsporidian parasite, and other opportunistic bacteria, such as the Vibrio species. Vibrio spp. may play an important role in WFS occurrence; nevertheless, Vibrio sp., as a single pathogen, cannot reproduce this syndrome under laboratory conditions. To date, no novel treatment has been found for WFS; therefore, preventive measures, such as strict biosecurity systems to eliminate or inactivate EHP spores and limit the total Vibrio number, have been suggested. This review summarizes the information regarding the association between WFS and water parameters, gut microbiomes, EHP and Vibrio, and disease control strategies.
This study aimed to investigate the activity of a nutrition support team (NST) and the trends of multi-chamber bag (MCB) and customized parenteral nutrition (PN) with NST consultations in South ...Korea. Data were obtained from the National Inpatient Sample Cohort between 2015 and 2020. Three datasets were constructed for NST consultation, MCB-PN product prescriptions, and aseptic preparation of total PN. The intersections of the NST consultation and each PN dataset were compiled into MCB-PN with NST or customized PN with a NST sub-dataset, respectively. Using personal identifiers, the patients' characteristics were evaluated in the NST cohort. A total of 91,384 reimbursements and 70,665 patients were included. The NST activity had increased by more than 50% over 6 years. Approximately 70% and 11%, respectively, of the NST cohort were classified into two subgroups: MCB-PN with NST (M-NST) and customized PN with NST (C-NST). M-NST had many elderly patients with cancer and showed a higher in-hospital mortality than C-NST (12.6% vs. 9.5%). C-NST included a larger number of patients under the age of 5 years, and the hospitalization period was more extended than M-NST (26.2 vs. 21.2 days). The present study showed that NST activities and the proportion of PN with NST consultation are gradually increasing in South Korea.
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection has a significant impact in patients after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). We investigated natural killer (NK) cell reconstitution and ...cytotoxic/cytokine production in controlling CMV infection, especially severe CMV disease in HSCT patients. Fifty-eight patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who received allo-HSCT were included. We monitored NK reconstitution and NK function at baseline, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, and 180 days after HSCT, and compared the results in recipients stratified on post-HSCT CMV reactivation (
23), non-reactivation (
24) versus CMV disease (
11) groups. The CMV disease group had a significantly delayed recovery of CD56dim NK cells and expansion of FcRγ-CD3ζ+NK cells started post-HSCT 150 days. Sequential results of NK cytotoxicity, NK cell-mediated antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (NK-ADCC), and NK-Interferon-gamma (NK-IFNγ) production for 180 days demonstrated delayed recovery and decreased levels in the CMV disease group compared with the other groups. The results within 1 month after CMV viremia also showed a significant decrease in NK function in the CMV disease group compared to the CMV reactivation group. It suggests that NK cells' maturation and cytotoxic/IFNγ production contributes to CMV protection, thereby revealing the NK phenotype and functional NK monitoring as a biomarker for CMV risk prediction, especially CMV disease.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Herein, we report the development of poly(3-hexylthiophene) regioblock copolymers (
block
-P3HTs), which are composed entirely of identical 3-hexylthiophene repeating units, with one block being ...highly regioregular (
rre
) and the second block being regiorandom (
rra
). This
block
-P3HT was prepared
via
catalyst-transfer polycondensation by the sequential addition of different monomer batches, with 3-hexylthiophene (3HT) monomers used for the
rre
block and a mixture of 3HT and 3,3′-dihexyl-2,2′-bithiophene (BT) monomers for the
rra
block. The average regioregularity (RR
avg
) of the
block
-P3HTs was tuned from 58 to 79% by differentiating the weight ratio between the
rre
and
rra
blocks, and the crystalline behavior of
block
-P3HTs in comparison with polymers having similar RR
avg
but a random distribution of 3HT and BT units (
co
-P3HT) was investigated. This study allowed for the exploration of the effects of the distribution of regiodefects within the polymer chain (
e.g.
confined to a single block
versus
uniformly distributed throughout the polymer) on the crystalline behaviors of the polymer. For example,
block
-P3HT with 72% RR
avg
formed long nanowires by solution assembly, due to the strong crystallinity from a sufficient effective conjugation length in the
rre
block, whereas
co
-P3HT with the same RR
avg
formed spherical micelles indicating amorphous characteristics. Overall, the
block
-P3HTs showed a strong tendency to crystallize, even with very low RR
avg
, driven by the
rre
block in the polymers, whereas the crystallinity of the
co
-P3HTs was substantially suppressed due to chain distortion by the distributed regiodefects.
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