Summary Background In 2015, a large outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection occurred following a single patient exposure in an emergency room at the Samsung ...Medical Center, a tertiary-care hospital in Seoul, South Korea. We aimed to investigate the epidemiology of MERS-CoV outbreak in our hospital. Methods We identified all patients and health-care workers who had been in the emergency room with the index case between May 27 and May 29, 2015. Patients were categorised on the basis of their exposure in the emergency room: in the same zone as the index case (group A), in different zones except for overlap at the registration area or the radiology suite (group B), and in different zones (group C). We documented cases of MERS-CoV infection, confirmed by real-time PCR testing of sputum samples. We analysed attack rates, incubation periods of the virus, and risk factors for transmission. Findings 675 patients and 218 health-care workers were identified as contacts. MERS-CoV infection was confirmed in 82 individuals (33 patients, eight health-care workers, and 41 visitors). The attack rate was highest in group A (20% 23/117 vs 5% 3/58 in group B vs 1% 4/500 in group C; p<0·0001), and was 2% (5/218) in health-care workers. After excluding nine cases (because of inability to determine the date of symptom onset in six cases and lack of data from three visitors), the median incubation period was 7 days (range 2–17, IQR 5–10). The median incubation period was significantly shorter in group A than in group C (5 days IQR 4–8 vs 11 days 6–12; p<0·0001). There were no confirmed cases in patients and visitors who visited the emergency room on May 29 and who were exposed only to potentially contaminated environment without direct contact with the index case. The main risk factor for transmission of MERS-CoV was the location of exposure. Interpretation Our results showed increased transmission potential of MERS-CoV from a single patient in an overcrowded emergency room and provide compelling evidence that health-care facilities worldwide need to be prepared for emerging infectious diseases. Funding None.
We investigated the relationship of changes in Metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components with the risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D) in South Korea. Records of 10,806,716 adults aged ≥ 20 years without ...a history of T2D between 2009 and 2015 were retrieved from database of the South Korean National Health Insurance Service and analyzed. Changes in metabolic components were monitored over a two-year period with follow-up occurring at an average of 4.087 years. During the follow-up period, 848,859 individuals were diagnosed with T2D. The risk of diabetes was lowered with a decrease in the number of MetS components at baseline and the second visit (p for trend <0.0001). Multivariable-adjusted HRs for incident diabetes were 0.645 among individuals with reduced number of MetS components, 0.54 for those with improvement in elevated fasting glucose, 0.735 for those with improvement in elevated triglycerides, 0.746 for those with improvement in elevated blood pressure, 0.763 for those with improvement in reduced HDL-cholesterol, and 0.92 for those with improvement in abdominal obesity compared with those manifesting them at both time points. In conclusion, changes in metabolic syndrome and its components were significantly associated with the development of T2D. Improvement in MetS and its components attenuated the risk of diabetes.
Few studies have investigated the impact of a change in metabolic syndrome (MetS) components on clinical renal outcomes in the general population. Using nationally representative data from the Korean ...National Health Insurance System, 13,310,924 subjects who underwent two health examinations over 2 years and were free from end-stage renal disease (ESRD) from 2009 to 2012 were followed to the end of 2016. The subjects were divided into four groups according to the change in MetS components between the two visits over 2 years: no MetS (-/-), post-MetS (-/+), pre-MetS (+/-), and both MetS (+/+). After a median follow up of 5.11 years, 18,582 incident ESRD cases were identified. In the multivariate adjusted model, the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for the development of ESRD in the both-MetS (+/+) group compared with the no-MetS (-/-) group was 5.65 (95% CI, 5.42-5.89), which was independent of age, sex, and baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate. Additionally, the HR for the pre-MetS (+/-) group versus the no-MetS (-/-) group was 2.28 (2.15-2.42). In subgroup analysis according to renal function, the impact of a change in MetS on the incidence of ESRD was more pronounced in individuals with advanced renal dysfunction. Subjects with resolved MetS components had a decreased risk of ESRD, but not as low as those that never had MetS components. This provides evidence supporting the strategy of modulating MetS in the general population to prevent the development of ESRD.
Grapevine flack virus (GFkV) causes fleck disease and leads to severe symptoms when the infection occurs with multiple viruses. Restricting the propagation of GFkV‐infected grapevines is the ideal ...management strategy to control the spread of this virus. Therefore, the development of rapid detection methods for GFkV is urgently required. In the present study, we developed a rapid and reliable assay based on the reverse transcription‐recombinase polymerase amplification (RT‐RPA) combined with lateral flow strips (LFS) using sequence‐specific primers and a probe‐based coat protein sequences for the GFkV detection in grapevines. The GFkV RT‐RPA‐LFS assay was optimized at 38°C for 10 min and an extra 5 min LFS incubation time. The optimized RT‐RPA‐LFS assay had similar sensitivity to RT‐PCR and showed no cross‐reaction with major viruses infecting grapevines in Korea. The assay was successfully validated for GFkV detection in grapevine field samples. This study provides a reliable technique for rapidly detecting GFkV as an alternative diagnostic approach for producing virus‐free grapevine nurseries.
Thiotrichinae are a subfamily of Gelechiidae with approximately 180 described species in five genera: Calliprora Meyrick, Macrenches Meyrick, Palumbina Rondani, Polyhymno Chambers and Thiotricha ...Meyrick. The subfamily was established based on two species in a recent molecular phylogenetic study of Gelechiidae, but the monophyly of each genus and the phylogenetic relationships among the genera have not been tested. To address these questions, we performed the first phylogenetic analyses based on seven molecular markers (COI, EF‐1α, GAPDH, RpS5, CAD, Wg and MDH) and 95 morphological characters for 47 ingroup and 3 outgroup taxa. Each dataset was analysed separately and together using maximum likelihood, Bayesian inference and maximum parsimony methods. The maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses produced nearly identical tree topologies for ingroup relationships, but the parsimony analysis yielded different results for some lineages. In all our analyses, Thiotrichinae formed a strongly supported monophyletic group with two other gelechiid genera, Cnaphostola Meyrick (Gelechiinae) and Semnostoma Meyrick (Apatetrinae). The genus Macrenches was recognized as the sister‐group to all other species in this clade. Polyhymno + Calliprora were found to be sister to all remaining ingroup taxa. The species‐rich group Thiotricha was non‐monophyletic, and it clustered with Palumbina, Cnaphostola and Semnostoma. The type species of Thiotricha was included in a monophyletic clade with a majority of congeneric species in the parsimony analyses, but the clade was divided into two groups in the model‐based results. The generic placement of two species Thiotricha dissobola Meyrick and T. pyrphora Meyrick was not confirmed in this study and they were placed as incertae sedis. The monophyly of Palumbina was strongly supported by both molecular data and morphological evidence. Based on genetic and morphological affinities and examination of the type specimens, four genera are synonymized with Thiotricha: Blastovalva Janse syn.n., Cnaphostola syn.n., Hierangela Meyrick syn.n. and Semnostoma syn.n. We propose two new genera for newly recognized two sub‐clades: Pulchrala gen.n. and Tenupalpa gen.n., and 15 new combinations are made: Thiotricha adamantina (Meyrick) comb.n., T. exalbida (Omelko & Omelko) comb.n., Tenupalpa angustella (Omelko) comb.n., T. biformis (Omelko) comb.n., T. flavitermina (Kyaw, Yagi & Hirowatari) comb.n., T. glenias (Meyrick) comb.n., T. nephodesma (Meyrick) comb.n., T. venustalis (Omelko) comb.n., Pulchrala clidias (Meyrick) comb.n., P. chujaensis (Park) comb.n., P. elaeocarpiella (Kyaw, Yagi & Hirowatari) comb.n., P. epiclista (Meyrick) comb.n., P. melanacma (Bradley) comb.n., P. panglycera (Turner) comb.n., and P. saulotis (Meyrick) comb.n. Revised generic concepts are provided in the study.
This published work has been registered on ZooBank,
http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:0E3C0EB5‐503C‐4ADC‐BE87‐A203230DE6CB.
The monophyly of Thiotrichinae is confirmed based on both molecular and morphological data, and the phylogenetic relationship among its five genera is resolved.
Polyhymno and Thiotricha which have been controversial for the taxonomic status are delimited as separate genera, and Thiotricha is resolved as a non‐monophyletic group.
With genetic and morphological evidence, four genera of Gelechiidae are synonymized with Thiotricha, and two new genera Pulchrala gen.n. and Tenupalpa gen.n. are proposed. Also, 15 new combinations are made.
The role of dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) in dental tissue regeneration is gaining attention because DPSCs can differentiate into odontoblasts and other specialized cell types. Epigenetic ...modification has been found to play an important role in cell differentiation and regulation, among which histone deacetylase (HDAC) is involved in suppressing genes by removing histone acetyl groups. The use of HDAC inhibitor to control this is increasing and has been widely studied by many researchers. This study aimed to induce differentiation by causing epigenetic changes in odontoblast-related genes and the MAPK signaling pathway in human dental pulp stem cells. Western blot and immunofluorescence staining showed increased expression of DMP-1, ALP, DSPP, and RUNX2 compared to the control. However, activation of the MAPK signaling system was similar to but slightly different from the expression of odontoblast-related proteins. After 3 days, as shown by MTT and LDH assays, proliferation decreased overall, but cytotoxicity decreased at only a specific concentration. We confirmed that there was no change in mRNA expression of caspase 3 or 9 using real-time PCR. In addition, flow cytometry analysis confirmed that differentiation occurred due to the decrease in the expression of the CD73 and CD146. Although overall proliferation was reduced due to the G2/M inhibition of the cell cycle, the expression of BCL-2 protected the cells from cell death. Overall, cell proliferation decreased in response to MS-275, but it did not induce cytotoxicity in 5 nM and 10 nM concentration and induces differentiation into odontoblast-like cells.
The nuclear membrane serves a critical role in protecting the contents of the nucleus and facilitating material and signal exchange between the nucleus and cytoplasm. While extensive research has ...been dedicated to topics such as nuclear membrane assembly and disassembly during cell division, as well as interactions between nuclear transmembrane proteins and both nucleoskeletal and cytoskeletal components, there has been comparatively less emphasis on exploring the regulation of nuclear morphology through nuclear membrane integrity. In particular, the role of type II integral proteins, which also function as transcription factors, within the nuclear membrane remains an area of research that is yet to be fully explored. The integrity of the nuclear membrane is pivotal not only during cell division but also in the regulation of gene expression and the communication between the nucleus and cytoplasm. Importantly, it plays a significant role in the development of various diseases. This review paper seeks to illuminate the biomolecules responsible for maintaining the integrity of the nuclear membrane. It will delve into the mechanisms that influence nuclear membrane integrity and provide insights into the role of type II membrane protein transcription factors in this context. Understanding these aspects is of utmost importance, as it can offer valuable insights into the intricate processes governing nuclear membrane integrity. Such insights have broad-reaching implications for cellular function and our understanding of disease pathogenesis.
Increasing global demand for inclusivity has resulted in a critical need to understand how consumers respond to inclusive marketing. Centering on skin color, which is an interminable inclusivity ...issue, this research examines how consumers in East Asian markets (e.g., China and South Korea) evaluate and respond to inclusive (vs. non-inclusive) beauty products in advertisements across three empirical studies. The different ethnic environments of consumers in Studies 1 A and 1B and consumers' individual differences in other-group orientation in Study 2 moderate the way inclusive products are evaluated and responded to. Additionally, a serial mediation analysis reveals that the inclusivity of products increases perceptions of brand inclusiveness and altruistic motives, thereby contributing to favorable attitudes and behavioral intentions. This research sheds light on the nuanced process of how consumers evaluate and respond to inclusive beauty products in advertisements based on individual and environmental differences.
Ferritin is associated with various cardiometabolic risk factors such as dyslipidemia, hypertension, obesity, and insulin resistance in adults. We aimed to study the association between serum ...ferritin levels and dyslipidemia in adolescents, because dyslipidemia is considered an important modifiable cardiovascular risk factor in the young.
We analyzed 1,879 subjects (1,026 boys and 853 girls) from the 2009-2010 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey IV. Subjects were categorized into quartiles according to their lipid parameters, which were classified according to age and gender. Those in the highest quartile groups for total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and triglyceride concentrations were diagnosed as having dyslipidemia. Those in the lowest quartile for high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) values were diagnosed with abnormal levels.
In boys, total cholesterol, LDL-C, and triglyceride concentrations were significantly correlated with serum ferritin levels. In both boys and girls, serum ferritin levels were negatively associated with HDL-C values, even after adjusting for all covariates. Furthermore, there was no significant correlation between serum ferritin levels and total cholesterol, LDL, and triglyceride concentrations in girls.
Serum ferritin levels were significantly associated with major dyslipidemia parameters, more prominently in boys than in girls, and this association represents a cardiometabolic risk factor.
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