We performed a prospective survey on the adverse reactions following the first dose of two types of vaccines against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in healthcare workers (HCWs) in South Korea.
...HCWs at a tertiary referral hospital in Seoul, South Korea, received a chimpanzee adenovirus-vectored vaccine (ChAdOx1 nCoV-19) or an mRNA-based vaccine (BNT162b2) between March 5 and March 26, 2021. The HCWs were asked to report adverse reactions through a mobile self-report questionnaire for three days after vaccination.
A total of 7,625 HCWs received the first dose of ChAdOx1 or BNT162b2 vaccine during the study period. Of them, 5,866 (76.9%) HCWs (ChAdOx1, n = 5,589 95.3%; BNT162b2, n = 277 4.7%) participated at least once in the survey, of whom 77% were female and 86% were younger than 50 years. The overall adverse reaction rate was 93% in the ChAdOx1 group and 80% in the BNT162b2 group (
< 0.001). Both local and systemic reactions were more commonly reported in the ChAdOx1 group, and the difference was larger in systemic reactions such as fever and fatigue. In the ChAdOx1 group, the incidence of adverse reactions was significantly higher in females and those in the younger age groups, while the BNT162b2 group showed such difference according to age.
In our prospective survey, vaccine-associated adverse reactions were more commonly reported in the ChAdOx1 group than in the BNT162b2 group. Females and younger age groups experienced vaccine-associated adverse reactions more frequently.
In this study, we engineered liposomal indocyanine green (ICG) to maximize its photothermal effects while maintaining the fluorescence intensity. Various liposomal formulations of ICG were prepared ...by varying the lipid composition and the molar ratio between total lipid and ICG, and their photothermal characteristics were evaluated under near-infrared irradiation. We showed that the ICG dispersity in the liposomal membrane and its physical interaction with phospholipids were the main factors determining the photothermal conversion efficiency. In phototherapeutic studies, the optimized formulation of liposomal ICG showed greater anticancer effects in a mouse tumor model compared with other liposomal formulations and the free form of ICG. Furthermore, we utilized liposomal ICG to visualize the metastatic lymph node around the primary tumor under fluorescence imaging guidance and ablate the lymph node with the enhanced photothermal effect, indicating the potential for selective treatment of metastatic lymph node.
Background and Purpose
Chitinase‐3‐like 1 (CHI3L1) causes skin inflammation in the progression of atopic dermatitis. We investigated if anti‐CHI3L1 antibody could prevent the development of atopic ...dermatitis and its mechanisms of action.
Experimental Approach
The effect of CHI3L1 antibody on phthalic anhydride‐induced atopic dermatitis animal model and in vitro reconstructed human skin (RHS) model were investigated. Expression and release of atopic dermatitis‐related cytokines were determined using an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay, and RT‐qPCR, STAT3 and CXCL8 signalling were measured by western blotting.
Key Results
Anti‐CHI3L1 antibody suppressed phthalic anhydride‐induced epidermal thickening, clinical score, IgE level and infiltration of inflammatory cells, and reduced phthalic anhydride‐induced inflammatory cytokines concentration. In addition, CHI3L1 antibody treatment inhibited the expression of STAT3 activity in phthalic anhydride‐treated skin. It was also confirmed that CHI3L1 antibody treatment alleviated atopic dermatitis‐related inflammation in the RHS model. The inhibitory effects of CHI3L1 antibody was similar or more effective compared with that of the IL‐4 antibody. We further found that CHI3L1 is associated with CXCL8 by protein‐association network analysis. siRNA of CHI3L1 blocked the mRNA levels of CHI3L1, IL‐1β, IL‐4, CXCL8, TSLP, and the expression of CHI3L1 and p‐STAT, and the level of CXCL8, whereas recombinant level of CXCL8 was elevated. Moreover, siRNA of STAT3 reduced the mRNA level of these cytokines. CHI3L1 and p‐STAT3 expression correlated with the reduced CXCL8 level in the RHS in vitro model.
Conclusion and Implications
Our data demonstrated that CHI3L1 antibody could be a promising effective therapeutic drug for atopic dermatitis.
Aims
To determine the need for care robots among nurses and to suggest how robotic care should be prioritized in integrated nursing care services.
Background
Korea is expected to be a super‐aged ...society by 2030. To solve care issues with elderly inpatient caused by informal caregivers, the government introduced “integrated nursing care services”; these are comprehensive care systems staffed by professionally trained nurses. To assist them, a care robot development project has been launched.
Design
The study applied a cross‐sectional survey.
Methods
In 2016, we conducted a multicentre survey involving 302 Registered Nurses in five hospitals including three tertiary and two secondary hospitals in Korea. The questionnaire consisted of general characteristics of nurses and their views on and extents of agreement about issues associated with robotic care.
Results
Trial centre nurses and those with ≥10 years of experience reported positively on the prospects for robotic care. The top‐three desired primary roles for care robots were “measuring/monitoring”, “mobility/activity” and “safety care”. “Reduction in workload”, especially in terms of “other nursing services” which were categorized as nonvalue‐added nursing activities, was the most valued feature. The nurses approved of the aid by care robots but were concerned about device malfunction and interruption of rapport with patients.
Conclusion
Care robots are expected to be effective in integrated nursing care services, particularly in “measuring/monitoring”. Such robots should decrease nurses’ workload and minimize nonvalue‐added nursing activities efficiently. No matter how excellent care robots are, they must cooperate with and be controlled by nurses.
Data are limited on whether patients with breakthrough COVID-19 infection have the potential to significantly contribute to the spread of SARS-CoV-2.
To compare the secondary attack rate and ...infectious viral shedding kinetics of SARS-CoV-2 between fully vaccinated individuals (breakthrough infection group) and partially or unvaccinated individuals (nonbreakthrough infection group).
This cohort study assessed secondary transmission by analyzing the epidemiologic data of health care workers, inpatients, and caregivers diagnosed with COVID-19 during hospitalization or residence in a tertiary care hospital between March 1, 2020, and November 6, 2021. To evaluate viral shedding kinetics, the genomic RNA of SARS-CoV-2 was measured using polymerase chain reaction and performed virus culture from daily saliva samples of individuals with mild COVID-19 infected with the Delta variant who were isolated in a community facility in Seoul, South Korea, between July 20 and August 20, 2021.
COVID-19 vaccination.
The secondary attack rate and infectious viral shedding kinetics according to COVID-19 vaccination status.
A total of 173 individuals (median IQR age, 47 32-59 years; 100 female 58%) with COVID-19 were included in the secondary transmission study, of whom 50 (29%) had a breakthrough infection. Secondary transmission was significantly less common in the breakthrough infection group than in the nonbreakthrough infection group (3 of 43 7% vs 29 of 110 26%; P = .008). In the viral shedding kinetics study, 45 patients (median age, 37 years IQR, 25-49 years; 14 female 31%) infected with the Delta variant were included, of whom 6 (13%) were fully vaccinated and 39 (87%) were partially or unvaccinated. Although the initial genomic viral load was comparable between the 2 groups, viable virus in cell culture was detected for a notably longer duration in partially vaccinated (8 days after symptom onset) or unvaccinated (10 days after symptom onset) individuals compared with fully vaccinated individuals (4 days after symptom onset).
In this cohort study, although the initial genomic viral load was similar between vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals, fully vaccinated individuals had a shorter duration of viable viral shedding and a lower secondary attack rate than partially vaccinated or unvaccinated individuals. Data from this study provide important evidence that despite the possibility of breakthrough infections, COVID-19 vaccinations remain critically useful for controlling the spread of SARS-CoV-2.
It is unknown whether HBsAg seroclearance affects the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence after liver resection. We aimed to investigate the impact of HBsAg seroclearance on the ...recurrence of HCC after curative liver resection, with a focus on late recurrence.
This study comprised 2,520 consecutive patients who received curative liver resection for HBV-related HCC of Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage 0 or A in Korea between 2000 and 2017. To focus on late recurrence, patients with recurrence or a follow-up duration less than 2 years were excluded. The impact of HBsAg seroclearance on HCC recurrence was assessed by landmark analysis (2-, 5-and 8-year after liver resection), time-dependent Cox and multistate modeling.
The mean patient age was 54.4 years and 75.7% were men. A total of 891 (35.4%) patients developed HCC recurrence at rates of 11.2%, 25.5%, and 46.8% at 3, 5, and 10 years after resection. HBsAg seroclearance was achieved in 172 (6.8%) patients during a median follow-up duration of 6.9 years after resection. HBsAg seroclearance, compared with persistent HBsAg positivity, was associated with a lower risk of late HCC recurrence in the 2-, 5-, and 8-year landmark analysis (p = 0.04, p = 0.02 and p = 0.03, respectively) and on time-dependent multivariable Cox modeling (adjusted hazard ratio 0.62; p = 0.005). Based on a 3-state unidirectional illness–death model, patients without HBsAg seroclearance transitioned to HCC recurrence more rapidly than patients who experienced HBsAg seroclearance.
HBsAg seroclearance is associated with a lower risk of late recurrence of HBV-related HCC among Korean patients who undergo curative liver resection.
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a leading cause of chronic liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Suppression of HBV replication is known to lower the risk of HCC recurrence after liver resection (a procedure used to treat and in some cases cure HCC). However, whether the loss of a specific HBV protein (hepatitis B surface antigen or HBsAg) has an impact on recurrence after liver resection remains unknown. Herein, we show that loss of HBsAg is associated with a reduce risk of late recurrence of HCC after liver resection in patients with HBV-related HCC.
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•Whether HBsAg seroclearance affects the risk of late (≥2 years) HCC recurrence after liver resection remains unanswered.•2,520 consecutive Korean patients who underwent curative-intent liver resection for HBV-related HCC of BCLC 0 or A were analyzed.•HBsAg seroclearance after liver resection was independently associated with a reduced risk of late (≥2 years) HCC recurrence.
E-cigarette use has grown rapidly over the past decade and become a threat to public health. Marketing-especially through social media-has contributed significantly to this growth, which suggests ...that regulating content in social media will be critical in supporting efforts to reverse this trend. A content analysis was performed to compare 254 e-cigarette posts on Instagram with 228 cigarette posts on the same platform. The majority of e-cigarette posts were from e-cigarette companies (40.9%) and industry people (18.5%), whereas the majority of cigarette posts were from laypeople (76.8%). More e-cigarette posts than cigarette posts appeared to have a marketing intent (56.3% vs. 1.3%), and brand representation in photographs/videos was more frequent in the e-cigarette posts than in the cigarette posts (63.0% vs. 15.8%). Further, compared with the e-cigarette posts, the cigarette posts were more likely to portray daily life (73.2% vs. 41.3%) and humans (80.3% vs. 43.7%) in the photograph/video. The cigarette posts also portrayed smoking much more often than the e-cigarette posts portrayed vaping (67.1% vs. 21.3%). The study findings broaden the field's understanding of cigarette and e-cigarette content on Instagram and social media, and have implications for monitoring and regulating content for e-cigarettes and cigarettes.
This study was carried out to develop a high-performance liquid chromatography method for short-time analysis of the main cannabinoids in the inflorescence of hemp (Cannabis sativa L.). We also ...performed decarboxylation of the raw material using our advanced analysis technique. In this study, the UV spectrum was considered to analyze each of the four common cannabinoids, solvents, and samples, where the uniform elution of acidic cannabinoids without peak tailing and acids was tested. Optimal results were obtained when readings were taken at a wavelength of 220 nm using water and methanol containing trifluoroacetic acid as mobile phases in a solvent gradient system. The established conditions were further validated by system suitability, linearity, precision, detection limit, and quantitation limit tests. The decarboxylation index (DT50) confirmed that Δ9-THCA decarboxylated faster than CBDA, and both maintained a linear relationship with time and temperature. In addition, the loss of cannabidiol was better prevented during the decarboxylation process in the natural state than in the extracted state.
The aim of this study was to develop an educational program to strengthen the nursing management competency of experienced nurses who are prospective nurse managers and then determine the ...effectiveness of the program. This quasi-experimental study was conducted from January to April 2021. A total of 22 nurses were assigned to the experiment group (mean age: 26.55 ± 1.30 years; 2 males, 20 females), and 20 were assigned to the control group (mean age: 27.55 ± 2.04 years; 20 females). The program, known as the "High-Up" program, comprised problem-based learning (PBL) and video lectures. In the experiment group, nurses discussed PBL cases through video conferences and applied problem-solving methods. The collected data were analyzed using the Friedman test and Wilcoxon rank-sum test (administered through SPSS). At four weeks after the intervention, the experiment group showed higher critical thinking tendency scores than the control group (pre-intervention score: 3.48 ± 0.36; post-intervention score: 3.71 ± 0.49; Z = -1.99,
= 0.046). The findings indicate that the "High-Up" program can enhance the nurse management competency of experienced nurses who need to prepare for nurse manager roles, and that it can also positively influence the performance of nursing organizations. However, it can be difficult to comprehensively enhance nursing management competency in a short period of time, meaning continuous education is required.
Background
No tick‐borne pathogens (TBPs) causing haemolytic anaemia in cattle have been reported, except Theileria orientalis and complete blood count (CBC) profile is the only haematological ...parameter to determine the severity of regenerative haemolytic anaemia.
Objectives
To identify the causative agents of TBP‐induced haemolytic anaemia and determine haematological parameters that indicate haemolytic anaemia in grazing cattle.
Methods
Eighty‐two Korean indigenous cattle (Hanwoo) were divided into two groups: grazing (n = 67) and indoor (n = 15) groups. CBC and serum biochemistry were performed. PCR was conducted using whole blood‐extracted DNA to investigate the prevalence of TBPs.
Results
TBP‐induced haemolytic anaemia was observed in the grazing group. In grazing cattle, co‐infection (43.3%, 29/67) was most frequently detected, followed by T. orientalis (37.6%, 25/67) and Anaplasma phagocytophilum infections (1.5%, 1/67). In indoor cattle, only co‐infection (20%, 3/15) was identified. Grazing cattle exhibited regenerative haemolytic anaemia with marked monocytosis, mild neutropenia, and thrombocytopenia. According to grazing frequency, the 1st‐time grazing group had more severe anaemia than the 2nd‐time grazing group. Elevations in indirect bilirubin and L‐lactate due to haemolytic anaemia were identified, and correlations with the respective markers were determined in co‐infected grazing cattle.
Conclusions
Quantitative evaluation of haematocrit, mean corpuscular volume, and reticulocytes (markers of regenerative haemolytic anaemia in cattle) was performed for the first time. Our results show that, in addition to T. orientalis, A. phagocytophilum is strongly associated with anaemia. The correlation between haemolytic anaemia severity and haematological parameters (indirect bilirubin, reticulocytes, and L‐lactate) was confirmed.
In grazing Korean indigenous cattle, haemolytic anaemia caused by Theileria orientalis and Anaplasma phagocytophilum has been observed.
Reticulocytosis, a marker of regeneration, was quantitatively expressed with an increase in indirect bilirubin and a decrease in haptoglobin.
In addition, indirect bilirubin, L‐lactate and reticulocytes were correlated with the severity of anaemia after HCT.
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