Background
The risk of breast cancer related to changes in breast density over time, including its regression and persistence, remains controversial. The authors investigated the relationship between ...breast density and its changes over time with the development of breast cancer in premenopausal and postmenopausal women.
Methods
The current cohort study included 74,249 middle‐aged Korean women (aged ≥35 years) who were free of breast cancer at baseline and who underwent repeated screening mammograms. Mammographic breast density was categorized according to the American College of Radiology Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI‐RADS). A dense breast was defined as heterogeneously dense or extremely dense, and changes in dense breasts between baseline and subsequent follow‐up were classified as none, developed, regressed, or persistent dense breast.
Results
During a median follow‐up of 6.1 years (interquartile range, 4.1‐8.8 years), a total of 803 incident breast cancers were identified. Baseline breast density was found to be positively associated with incident breast cancer in a dose‐response manner, and this association did not significantly differ by menopausal status. The multivariable‐adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for breast cancer comparing “heterogeneously dense” and “extremely dense” categories with the nondense category were 1.96 (95% confidence interval 95% CI, 1.40‐2.75) and 2.86 (95% CI, 2.04‐4.01), respectively. With respect to changes in dense breasts over time, multivariable‐adjusted HRs for breast cancer comparing persistent dense breast with none were 2.37 (95% CI, 1.34‐4.21) in premenopausal women and 3.61 (95% CI, 1.78‐7.30) in postmenopausal women.
Conclusions
Both baseline dense breasts and their persistence over time were found to be strongly associated with an increased risk of incident breast cancer in premenopausal and postmenopausal women.
Lay Summary
Both baseline breast density and its changes over time were found to be independently associated with the risk of breast cancer in both premenopausal and postmenopausal women.
The risk of incident breast cancer increased in women with persistent dense breasts, whereas the breast cancer risk decreased as dense breasts regressed.
The findings of the current study support that both dense breasts at baseline and their persistence over time are independent risk factors for developing breast cancer.
In the current study, the authors investigate the relationship between breast density and its changes over time with the development of breast cancer in premenopausal and postmenopausal women. Breast density and its persistence over time appear to be strongly associated with an increased risk of incident breast cancer.
In this study, sample pretreatment methods have been developed for the determination of chlorpyrifos, diazinon, and their by‐products present in cherry tomato and perilla leaf using liquid ...chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry. To optimize a quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe method, the recoveries at each step were evaluated. The steps improved the recoveries of chlorpyrifos, chlorpyrifos oxon, diazinon, diazoxon, and 2‐isopropyl‐6‐methyl‐4‐pyrimidinol up to 80% or more by removing interferents, but diethyl phosphate was almost lost during the partition procedure, and the 3,5,6‐trichloro‐2‐pyridinol recovery was below 65%. Therefore, the compounds were evaluated using different solvent compositions based on a quick polar pesticides method; note that 100% methanol showed acceptable extraction results. The optimized method provided method detection limits ranging from 0.03 to 1.22 ng/g and good linearities (R2 > 0.996). The recovery values were between 82.1 and 113.3%. The intra‐ and interday reproducibility was evaluated to be within 8.6 and 9.9%, respectively. The method was applied to determine the degradation efficiency of chlorpyrifos and diazinon and their by‐products formed during plasma treatment.
In this study, the Convolution Neural Network (CNN) algorithm is applied for non-destructive evaluation of aluminum panels. A method of classifying the locations of defects is proposed by exciting an ...aluminum panel to generate ultrasonic Lamb waves, measuring data with a sensor array, and then deep learning the characteristics of 2D imaged, reflected waves from defects. For the purpose of a better performance, the optimal excitation location and sensor locations are investigated. To ensure the robustness of the training model and extract the feature effectively, experimental data are collected by slightly changing the excitation frequency and shifting the location of the defect. The high classification accuracy for each defect location can be achieved. It is found that the proposed algorithm is also successfully applied even when a bar is attached to the panel.
Our understanding of the gut microbiota of animals is largely based on studies of mammals. To better understand the evolutionary basis of symbiotic relationships between animal hosts and indigenous ...microbes, it is necessary to investigate the gut microbiota of non-mammalian vertebrate species. In particular, fish have the highest species diversity among groups of vertebrates, with approximately 33,000 species. In this study, we comprehensively characterized gut bacterial communities in fish.
We analyzed 227 individual fish representing 14 orders, 42 families, 79 genera, and 85 species. The fish gut microbiota was dominated by Proteobacteria (51.7%) and Firmicutes (13.5%), different from the dominant taxa reported in terrestrial vertebrates (Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes). The gut microbial community in fish was more strongly shaped by host habitat than by host taxonomy or trophic level. Using a machine learning approach trained on the microbial community composition or predicted functional profiles, we found that the host habitat exhibited the highest classification accuracy. Principal coordinate analysis revealed that the gut bacterial community of fish differs significantly from those of other vertebrate classes (reptiles, birds, and mammals).
Collectively, these data provide a reference for future studies of the gut microbiome of aquatic animals as well as insights into the relationship between fish and their gut bacteria, including the key role of host habitat and the distinct compositions in comparison with those of mammals, reptiles, and birds. Video Abstract.
Macrophages play an important role in the innate and adaptive immune responses of organ systems, including the lungs, to particles and pathogens. Cumulative results show that macrophages contribute ...to the development and progression of acute or chronic inflammatory responses through the secretion of inflammatory cytokines/chemokines and the activation of transcription factors in the pathogenesis of inflammatory lung diseases, such as acute lung injury (ALI), acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), ARDS related to COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)), allergic asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). This review summarizes the functions of macrophages and their associated underlying mechanisms in the development of ALI, ARDS, COVID-19-related ARDS, allergic asthma, COPD, and IPF and briefly introduces the acute and chronic experimental animal models. Thus, this review suggests an effective therapeutic approach that focuses on the regulation of macrophage function in the context of inflammatory lung diseases.
Herein, Ti4+ in P′2‐Na0.67(Mn0.78Fe0.22)0.9Ti0.1O2 is proposed as a new strategy for optimization of Mn‐based cathode materials for sodium‐ion batteries, which enables a single phase reaction during ...de‐/sodiation. The approach is to utilize the stronger Ti–O bond in the transition metal layers that can suppress the movements of Mn–O and Fe–O by sharing the oxygen with Ti by the sequence of Mn–O–Ti–O–Fe. It delivers a discharge capacity of ≈180 mAh g−1 over 200 cycles (86% retention), with S‐shaped smooth charge–discharge curves associated with a small volume change during cycling. The single phase reaction with a small volume change is further confirmed by operando synchrotron X‐ray diffraction. The low activation barrier energy of ≈541 meV for Na+ diffusion is predicted using first‐principles calculations. As a result, Na0.67(Mn0.78Fe0.22)0.9Ti0.1O2 can deliver a high reversible capacity of ≈153 mAh g−1 even at 5C (1.3 A g−1), which corresponds to ≈85% of the capacity at 0.1C (26 mA g−1). The nature of the sodium storage mechanism governing the ultrahigh electrode performance in a full cell with a hard carbon anode is elucidated, revealing the excellent cyclability and good retention (≈80%) for 500 cycles (111 mAh g−1) at 5C (1.3 A g−1).
The substitution of Mn with Fe3+ and Ti4+ in P′2‐type Na0.67(Mn0.78Fe0.22)0.9Ti0.1O2 leads to the suppression of phase transitions with an increased average Mn oxidation state. Therefore, it delivers high reversible capacity during cycling with a small volume change. Above all, it shows excellent high rate capability, accompanied by low activation barrier energy of ≈541 meV for Na+ diffusion.
Several studies have shown that depression increases the risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS), which is often exacerbated by the fact that both exist concurrently. People with depression are more likely ...to have unhealthy eating habits, which can eventually trigger the development of MetS. This study was to investigate whether diet quality modifies the association between depression and MetS in a total of 13,539 Korean adults aged 19 to 80 from 2014, 2016 and 2018 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. Depression was assessed by the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and subjects were divided into subgroups according to the PHQ-9 scores: normal (<5), mild (5-9), and moderate-to-severe (≥10) groups. Diet quality was measured by the Korean Healthy Eating Index (KHEI). A complex sample multiple logistic regression stratified by tertiles of KHEI scores was used to explore whether diet quality modifies an association between depression severity and metabolic syndrome. Depression severity was positively associated with the risk of MetS (
trend = 0.006) after adjustment for potential confounders. Only the lowest diet quality, moderately-to-severely depressed group, showed a higher risk of MetS (OR: 1.72, 95% CI: 1.24-2.40) compared to the normal group. Our results suggest that healthy diet quality could offset the positive relationship between depression and MetS in the general Korean adult population. Encouraging a healthy diet regime can improve not only physical health but also the mental state of the general public.
The current study evaluated the hypothesis that the administration of spheroidal adipose‐derived stromal/stem cells (ASCs) promotes cell survival and arrests the progression of surgically induced ...osteoarthritis (OA) in a rat model. We also tested the optimal conditions for spheroid production from ASCs using microwell methods. The formation of ASC spheroids was optimized at a well diameter of 600 μm under cell concentrations of 106cell/ml. When ASC spheroids cultured in 3D were compared with ASCs cultured in 2D monolayer, the cell survival and chondrogenic potential were enhanced while the apoptosis was reduced in ASC spheroids compared with ASCs in 2D monolayer culture. In vivo tracking of fluorescently labeled ASCs in the knee joints of rats with surgically induced OA showed longer fluorescent activity at a higher intensity in ASC spheroids than in ASC single‐cell suspension. When OA‐induced rats treated with ASC injection were sacrificed after 8 weeks, the OARSI score was enhanced in both ASC single‐cell suspension and ASC spheroids compared with negative control, spheroid treatment resulting in a better score than single‐cell treatment. However, injected cells were not detectable from the joints. These finding altogether suggests that ASC spheroids have better in vitro and in vivo survival and chondrogenic potential and exert greater regenerative effects for articular cartilage and arrest the progression of surgically induced OA better than ASCs in single‐cell suspension by the paracrine mode of action. The study findings support the notion of developing cell therapeutics to treat OA based on ASC spheroid forms.
Graphdiyne (GDY) has garnered significant attention as a cutting‐edge 2D material owing to its distinctive electronic, optoelectronic, and mechanical properties, including high mobility, direct ...bandgap, and remarkable flexibility. One of the key challenges hindering the implementation of this material in flexible applications is its large area and uniform synthesis. The facile growth of centimeter‐scale bilayer hydrogen substituted graphdiyne (Bi‐HsGDY) on germanium (Ge) substrate is achieved using a low‐temperature chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method. This material's field effect transistors (FET) showcase a high carrier mobility of 52.6 cm2 V−1 s−1 and an exceptionally low contact resistance of 10 Ω µm. By transferring the as‐grown Bi‐HsGDY onto a flexible substrate, a long‐distance piezoresistive strain sensor is demonstrated, which exhibits a remarkable gauge factor of 43.34 with a fast response time of ≈275 ms. As a proof of concept, communication by means of Morse code is implemented using a Bi‐HsGDY strain sensor. It is believed that these results are anticipated to open new horizons in realizing Bi‐HsGDY for innovative flexible device applications.
Efficiently synthesized via low‐temperature chemical vapor deposition on a germanium substrate, centimeter‐scale bilayer hydrogen‐substituted graphdiyne (Bi‐HsGDY) demonstrates high carrier mobility (52.6 cm2 V−1 s−1) and low contact resistance (10 Ω µm). Transferred to a flexible substrate, Bi‐HsGDY serves as a piezoresistive strain sensor with a remarkable gauge factor of 43.34 and a rapid ≈275 ms response time.
•Epidemiologic features of the second and third waves of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in South Korea were compared.•Strengthening of social distancing policies was delayed in the ...third wave compared with the second wave.•The third wave persisted longer than the second wave, and had a higher case fatality rate.•Early public health intervention is important to control the COVID-19 pandemic.
To compare epidemiologic features of the second and third waves of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in South Korea.
Nationwide COVID-19 data were collected between 6 May and 30 December 2020. The degree of social activity was estimated using an Internet search trend analysis program for leisure-related keywords, including ‘eating-out’, ‘trip’ and ‘get directions’ (transportation). Demographics, transmission chains, case fatality rates, social activity levels and public health responses were compared between the second (13 August–18 September 2020) and third (4 November 2020–present) waves.
In comparison with the second wave, the third wave was characterized by delayed strengthening of social distancing policies (3 vs. 15 days), longer duration (36 vs. >56 days) and a higher case fatality rate (0.91% vs. 1.26%). There were significant differences in transmission chains between the second and third waves (P < 0.01). In comparison with the second wave, the proportion of local clusters (24.8% vs. 45.7%) was lower in the third wave, and personal contact transmission (38.5% vs. 25.9%) and unknown routes of transmission (23.5% vs. 20.8%) were higher in the third wave.
Early and timely interventions with strengthened social distancing policies should be implemented to suppress and control the COVID-19 pandemic effectively.
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