Wearable blood‐pressure sensors have recently attracted attention as healthcare devices for continuous non‐invasive arterial pressure (CNAP) monitoring. However, the accuracy of wearable ...blood‐pressure (BP) monitoring devices has been controversial due to the low signal quality of sensors, the absence of an accurate transfer function to convert the sensor signals into BP values, and the lack of clinical validation regarding measurement precision. Here, a wearable piezoelectric blood‐pressure sensor (WPBPS) is reported, which achieves a high normalized sensitivity (0.062 kPa−1), and fast response time (23 ms) for CNAP monitoring. The transfer function of a linear regression model is designed, offering a simple solution to convert the flexible piezoelectric sensor signals into BP values. In order to verify the measurement accuracy of WPBPS, clinical trials are performed on 35 subjects aged from 20 to 80 s after screening. The mean difference between the WPBPS and a commercial sphygmomanometer of 175 BP data pairs is −0.89 ± 6.19 and −0.32 ± 5.28 mmHg for systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), respectively. By building a WPBPS‐embedded wristwatch, the potentially promising use of a convenient, portable, continuous BP monitoring system for cardiovascular disease diagnosis is demonstrated.
A wearable piezoelectric blood‐pressure sensor (WPBPS) using an extremely sensitive flexible piezoelectric sensor is demonstrated for continuous and non‐invasive arterial pressure (CNAP) monitoring. Its transfer function is designed by a linear regression model, offering a simple solution to convert the sensor signals into BP values. The high accuracy of WPBPS is confirmed through clinical validation with an oscillometric sphygmomanometer as a reference.
Mechanical energy harvesting technology converting mechanical energy wasted in our surroundings to electrical energy has been regarded as one of the critical technologies for self-powered sensor ...network and Internet of Things (IoT). Although triboelectric energy harvesters based on contact electrification have attracted considerable attention due to their various advantages compared to other technologies, a further improvement of the output performance is still required for practical applications in next-generation IoT devices. In recent years, numerous studies have been carried out to enhance the output power of triboelectric energy harvesters. The previous research approaches for enhancing the triboelectric charges can be classified into three categories: i) materials type, ii) device structure, and iii) surface modification. In this review article, we focus on various mechanisms and methods through the surface modification beyond the limitations of structural parameters and materials, such as surficial texturing/patterning, functionalization, dielectric engineering, surface charge doping and 2D material processing. This perspective study is a cornerstone for establishing next-generation energy applications consisting of triboelectric energy harvesters from portable devices to power industries.
Obesity is a prevalent and complex disease. The prevalence of obesity in Korea increased from 29.7% in 2010 to 35.7% in 2018, with the prevalence of abdominal obesity being 23.8% in 2018. Obesity ...contributes to medical costs and socioeconomic burden due to associated comorbidities. The treatment and management of obesity is changing based on new clinical evidence. The 2020 Korean Society for the Study of Obesity Guideline for the Management of Obesity in Korea summarizes evidence-based recommendations and treatment guidelines.Obesity is a prevalent and complex disease. The prevalence of obesity in Korea increased from 29.7% in 2010 to 35.7% in 2018, with the prevalence of abdominal obesity being 23.8% in 2018. Obesity contributes to medical costs and socioeconomic burden due to associated comorbidities. The treatment and management of obesity is changing based on new clinical evidence. The 2020 Korean Society for the Study of Obesity Guideline for the Management of Obesity in Korea summarizes evidence-based recommendations and treatment guidelines.
•A pressure sensor based on a porous elastomer film exhibits the relatively high sensitivity in the low pressure region and the fast response.•Uniform dispersion of micro-pores was achieved using a ...simple and low-cost method through the phase separation between the elastomer medium and water.•A flexible pressure sensor is applicable for ultra-sensitive e-skin and highly sensitive touch screen devices.
We developed a low-cost flexible pressure sensor based on an elastomer film with uniformly distributed micro-pores as a dielectric layer. The dispersion of the micro-pores in the elastomer film results from the phase separation between a prepolymer material and deionized water to the elastomer, followed by the subsequent evaporation of the solvent within the polymer matrix after polymerization. Owing to the enhanced deformability by the pore structures, the relatively high sensitivity of 1.18kPa−1 in the low pressure (<0.02kPa) as well as the fast response time of 150ms was achieved. The sensitivity was found to primarily vary with the porosity of the elastomer film. Due to the highly elastic and flexible features of the porous film fabricated in a simple way, our pressure sensor is applicable for advanced touch panels with more human-friendly interfaces and skin sensors that allow the detection of a small change in pressure.
The Committee of Clinical Practice Guidelines of the Korean Diabetes Association revised and updated the 6th Clinical Practice Guidelines in 2019. Targets of glycemic, blood pressure, and lipid ...control in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) were updated. The obese and overweight population is increasing steadily in Korea, and half of the Koreans with diabetes are obese. Evidence-based recommendations for weight-loss therapy for obesity management as treatment for hyperglycemia in T2DM were provided. In addition, evidence from large clinical studies assessing cardiovascular outcomes following the use of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors and glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists in patients with T2DM were incorporated into the recommendations.
Targeted protein degradation allows targeting undruggable proteins for therapeutic applications as well as eliminating proteins of interest for research purposes. While several degraders that harness ...the proteasome or the lysosome have been developed, a technology that simultaneously degrades targets and accelerates cellular autophagic flux is still missing. In this study, we develop a general chemical tool and platform technology termed AUTOphagy-TArgeting Chimera (AUTOTAC), which employs bifunctional molecules composed of target-binding ligands linked to autophagy-targeting ligands. AUTOTACs bind the ZZ domain of the otherwise dormant autophagy receptor p62/Sequestosome-1/SQSTM1, which is activated into oligomeric bodies in complex with targets for their sequestration and degradation. We use AUTOTACs to degrade various oncoproteins and degradation-resistant aggregates in neurodegeneration at nanomolar DC
values in vitro and in vivo. AUTOTAC provides a platform for selective proteolysis in basic research and drug development.
Background Few studies report the effects of tamoxifen intake and the occurrence of de novo fatty liver and the deterioration of existing fatty liver. The aim of this study was to investigate the ...effects of tamoxifen on fatty change of liver over time and also the impact of fatty liver on the prognosis of patients with breast cancer. Methods This was a single-center, retrospective study of patients who were diagnosed with primary breast cancer from January 2007 to July 2017. 911 consecutive patients were classified into three groups according to treatment method: tamoxifen group, aromatase inhibitor (AI) group, and control group. Results Median treatment duration was 49 months (interquartile range, IQR; 32–58) and median observational period was 85 months (IQR; 50–118). Long-term use of tamoxifen significantly aggravated fatty liver status compared to AI or control groups hazard ratio (HR): 1.598, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.173–2.177, P = 0.003 after adjusting other factors. When analyzed separately depending on pre-existing fatty liver at baseline, tamoxifen was involved in the development of de novo fatty liver HR: 1.519, 95% CI: 1.100–2.098, P = 0.011) and had greater effect on fatty liver worsening (HR: 2.103, 95% CI: 1.156–3.826, P = 0.015). However, the progression of fatty liver did not significantly affect the mortality of breast cancer patients. Conclusions Tamoxifen had a significant effect on the fatty liver status compared to other treatment modalities in breast cancer patients. Although fatty liver did not affect the prognosis of breast cancer, meticulous attention to cardiovascular disease or other metabolic disease should be paid when used for a long time.
Obesity increases the risks of diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases, ultimately contributing to mortality. Korean Society for the Study of Obesity (KSSO) was established to improve the ...management of obesity through research and education; to that end, the Committee of Clinical Practice Guidelines of KSSO reviews systemic evidence using expert panels to develop clinical guidelines. The clinical practice guidelines for obesity were revised in 2018 using National Health Insurance Service Health checkup data from 2006 to 2015. Following these guidelines, we added a category, class III obesity, which includes individuals with body mass index (BMI) ≥35 kg/m
. Agreeing with the International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders, Asian Pacific Chapter consensus, we determined that bariatric surgery is indicated for Korean patients with BMI ≥35 kg/m
and for Korean patients with BMI ≥30 kg/m
who have comorbidities. The new guidelines focus on guiding clinicians and patients to manage obesity more effectively. Our recommendations and treatment algorithms can serve as a guide for the evaluation, prevention, and management of overweight and obesity.
The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence, management, and comorbidities of diabetes among Korean adults aged 30 years and older.
This study used 2013 to 2016 data from the Korea ...National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a nationally-representative survey of the Korean population. Diabetes was defined as fasting glucose ≥126 mg/dL, current use of antidiabetic medication, a previous history of diabetes, or glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) ≥6.5%.
In 2016, 14.4% (approximately 5.02 million) of Korean adults had diabetes. The prevalence of impaired fasting glucose was 25.3% (8.71 million). From 2013 to 2016, the awareness, control, and treatment rates for diabetes were 62.6%, 56.7%, and 25.1%, respectively. People with diabetes had the following comorbidities: obesity (50.4%), abdominal obesity (47.8%), hypertension (55.3%), and hypercholesterolemia (34.9%). The 25.1%, 68.4%, and 44.2% of people with diabetes achieved HbA1c <6.5%, blood pressure <140/85 mm Hg, and low density lipoprotein cholesterol <100 mg/dL. Only 8.4% of people with diabetes had good control of all three targets.
This study confirms that diabetes is as an important public health problem. Efforts should be made to increase awareness, detection, and comprehensive management of diabetes to reduce diabetes-related morbidity and mortality.
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