This book explores Korea's place in terms of multiple levels and domains of interaction pertaining to foreign-policy behaviors and relations with the four regional/global powers (China, Russia, ...Japan, and the United States). The synergy of global transformations has now brought to an end Korea's proverbial identity and role as the helpless shrimp among whales, and both North Korea and South Korea have taken on new roles in the process of redefining and projecting their national identities. Synthetic national identity theory offers a useful perspective on change and continuity in Korea's turbulent relationships with the great powers over the years. Following a review of Korean diplomatic history and competing theoretical approaches, along with a synthetic national-identity theory as an alternative approach, one chapter each is devoted to how Korea relates to the four powers in turn, and the book concludes with a consideration of inter-Korean relations and potential reunification.
Cancer immunotherapy has revolutionized the treatment landscape in medical oncology, but its efficacy has been variable across patients. Biomarkers to predict such differential response to ...immunotherapy include cytotoxic T lymphocyte infiltration, tumor mutational burden, and microsatellite instability. A growing number of studies also suggest that baseline tumor burden, or tumor size, predicts response to immunotherapy. In this review, we discuss the changes in immune profile and therapeutic responses that occur with increasing tumor size. We also overview therapeutic approaches to reduce tumor burden and favorably modulate the immune microenvironment of larger tumors.
The purpose of the study was to characterize changes in waitlist and post-transplant outcomes of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) patients bridged to heart transplantation under the 2018 ...adult heart allocation policy.
All adult patients listed for isolated heart transplantation from August 2016 to December 2020 were identified using the United Network for Organ Sharing database. Patients were stratified into Eras (Era 1 and Era 2) centered around the policy change on October 18, 2018. Competing risk regression was used to evaluate waitlist death or deterioration across Eras. Cox proportional hazards models were used to determine associations between use of ECMO and 1-year post-transplant mortality within each Era.
Of 8,902 heart transplants included in analysis, 339 (3.8%) were bridged with ECMO (Era 2: 6.1% vs Era 1: 1.2%, P<0.001). Patients bridged with ECMO in Era 2 were less frequently female (26.0% vs 42.0%, P = 0.02) and experienced shorter waitlist times (5 vs 11 days, P<0.001) along with a lower likelihood of waitlist death or deterioration (subdistribution hazard ratio, 0.45, 95% confidence interval, CI, 0.30-0.68, P<0.001) compared to those in Era 1. Use of ECMO was associated with increased post-transplant mortality at 1-year compared to all other transplants in Era 1 (hazard ratio 3.78, 95% CI 1.88-7.61, P < 0.001) but not Era 2.
Patients bridged with ECMO in Era 2 experience improved waitlist and post-transplant outcomes compared to Era 1, giving credence to the increased use of ECMO under the new allocation policy.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Droplet microfluidics can identify and sort cells using digital reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) signals from individual cells. However, current methods require multiple ...microfabricated devices for enzymatic cell lysis and PCR reagent addition, making the process complex and prone to failure. Here, we describe a new approach that integrates all components into a single device. The method enables controlled exposure of isolated single cells to a high pH buffer, which lyses cells and inactivates reaction inhibitors but can be instantly neutralized with RT-PCR buffer. Using our chemical lysis approach, we distinguish individual cells’ gene expression with data quality equivalent to more complex two-step workflows. Our system accepts cells and produces droplets ready for amplification, making single-cell droplet RT-PCR faster and more reliable.
The study of the intestinal or gut microbiome is a newer field that is rapidly gaining attention. Bidirectional communication between gut microbes and the host can impact numerous biological systems ...regulating immunity and metabolism to either promote or negatively impact the host's health. Habitual routines, dietary choices, socioeconomic status, education, host genetics, medical care and environmental factors can all contribute to the composition of an individual's microbiome. A key environmental factor that may cause negative outcomes is the consumption of nicotine products. The effects of nicotine on the host can be exacerbated by poor dietary choices and together can impact the composition of the gut microbiota to promote the development of metabolic disease including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. This review explores the contribution of nicotine, poor dietary choices and other unhealthy lifestyle factors to gut dysbiosis.
Imaging voltage using fluorescent-based sensors could be an ideal technique to probe neural circuits with high spatiotemporal resolution. However, due to insufficient signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), ...imaging membrane potential in mammalian preparations is still challenging. In recent years, many genetically encoded voltage indicators (GEVIs) have been developed. To compare them and guide decisions on which GEVI to use, we have characterized side by side the performance of eight GEVIs that represent different families of molecular constructs. We tested GEVIs in vitro with 1-photon imaging and in vivo with 1-photon wide-field imaging and 2-photon imaging. We find that QuasAr2 exhibited the best performance in vitro, whereas only ArcLight-MT could be used to reliably detect electrical activity in vivo with 2-photon excitation. No single GEVI was ideal for every experiment. These results provide a guide for choosing optimal GEVIs for specific applications.
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•Side-by-side comparison of genetically encoded voltage indicators (GEVIs)•Side-by-side evaluation of 8 GEVIs in cultured neurons with 1-photon imaging•Side-by-side evaluation of 4 GEVIs in vivo with 1-photon and 2-photon imaging•Detection of optical field potential (OFP) with GEVIs in vivo
Bando et al. compare the performance of recently developed genetically encoded voltage indicators (GEVIs) under multiple experimental conditions in vitro and in vivo. Each indicator has advantages and disadvantages, and no single GEVI is ideal for every experiment. The results provide a guide for choosing optimal GEVIs for specific applications.
The compartmentalization of reactions in monodispersed droplets is valuable for applications across biology. However, the requirement of microfluidics to partition the sample into monodispersed ...droplets is a significant barrier that impedes implementation. Here, we introduce particle-templated emulsification, a method to encapsulate samples in monodispersed emulsions without microfluidics. By vortexing a mixture of hydrogel particles and sample solution, we encapsulate the sample in monodispersed emulsions that are useful for most droplet applications. We illustrate the method with ddPCR and single cell culture. The ability to encapsulate samples in monodispersed droplets without microfluidics should facilitate the implementation of compartmentalized reactions in biology.
The Republic of Korea is regarded as a shining example of democracy in East Asia. Despite this significant achievement, Korea's democracy in practice has been plagued by political gridlock, severe ...factional infighting, a lack of social capital and cooperation between civil society and political institutions, and leadership behavior that calls to mind its authoritarian past. Although the country is now a secure electoral democracy, its journey toward democratic consolidation is far from complete. In this volume, some of the best scholars on Korean politics explore and assess the complex interplay of the facilitating and inhibiting factors that have influenced and reshaped Korea's democratic consolidation process at all levels of state and society, as well as the prospects for consolidation in the coming years.
Proteins are the primary effectors of cellular function, including cellular metabolism, structural dynamics, and information processing. However, quantitative characterization of proteins at the ...single-cell level is challenging due to the tiny amount of protein available. Here, we present Abseq, a method to detect and quantitate proteins in single cells at ultrahigh throughput. Like flow and mass cytometry, Abseq uses specific antibodies to detect epitopes of interest; however, unlike these methods, antibodies are labeled with sequence tags that can be read out with microfluidic barcoding and DNA sequencing. We demonstrate this novel approach by characterizing surface proteins of different cell types at the single-cell level and distinguishing between the cells by their protein expression profiles. DNA-tagged antibodies provide multiple advantages for profiling proteins in single cells, including the ability to amplify low-abundance tags to make them detectable with sequencing, to use molecular indices for quantitative results, and essentially limitless multiplexing.
A crystalline microporous hydrogen-bonded cross-linked organic framework has been developed through covalent photo-cross-linking of molecular monomers that are assembled in a crystalline state. The ...elastic framework expands its void space to adsorb iodine rapidly with a high uptake capacity in an aqueous environment as well as recovering its crystalline form after the release of iodine.
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