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Background and Objective: The number of hospitalizations due to opioid use disorders in the USA increased steadily from 62,010 in 1998–2000 to 136,240 in 2015–2016; however, no health care utilization of lung cancer patients with opioid use disorder has been reported. The purpose of this paper is to investigate health care utilization due to opioid use disorder among lung cancer patients and to investigate additional charge status due to this disorder. Methods: The National Inpatient Sample of the USA was used to identify lung cancer patients (n = 11,418, weighted n = 557,090) from 2016 to 2020. The characteristics of patient samples, temporal trend of opioid use disorder, and its association with health care utilization measured by hospital charges were thoroughly examined by the multivariate survey linear regression model. Results: Among 557,090 lung cancer patients, 2.4% had opioid use disorder. The proportion of opioid use disorder among lung cancer patients during the study periods had continuously grown. Hospital charges also continued to increase during the study period and were higher among lung cancer patients with opioid use disorder. Survey linear results showed that opioid use disorder was associated with 12.6% higher hospital charges. Analysis of subgroups revealed that this trend was similar across p < the majority of social groups; however, it was significantly higher among Caucasian individuals (0.001) and self-pay groups (p = 0.035) than among others. Conclusions: Research conducted has identified gaps in care in rural and suburban areas and a lack of equal care given to minority and low-income patients. These vulnerable groups access health care less often, are charged more for the care they receive, and often face multiple barriers to treatment. Unless these issues are addressed with a focus on socioeconomic factors, race, and region, the opioid epidemic will continue to negatively decimate these populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although strengthening coverage has improved cancer care, there are concerns related to medical distortion. Previous studies have only examined whether patients visit a specific hospital, and not the continuum of patients with cancer, resulting in a lack of evidence in South Korea. This study aimed to investigate the patterns in hospital type for cancer care and analyze their association with outcomes. Methods: The data for this study were obtained from the National Health Insurance Services Sampled Cohort database. This study included patients with four types of cancer (top four cancer incidence in 2020): gastric (3353), colorectal (2915), lung (1351), and thyroid (5158) cancer. The latent class mixed model was used to investigate cancer care patterns, and multiple regression or survival analysis was performed to examine medical cost, length of stay (LOS), and mortality. Results: The patterns in each cancer type were classified into two to four classes, namely, mainly visited clinics or hospitals, mainly visited general hospitals, mainly visited tertiary hospitals (MT), and tertiary to general hospitals through trajectory modeling based on the utilization of cancer care. Compared to the MT pattern, other patterns were generally associated with higher cost, LOS, and mortality. Conclusion: The patterns found in this study may be a more realistic way of defining patients with cancer in South Korea compared to previous studies, and its association‐related outcomes may be used as a basis to address problems in the healthcare system and prepare alternatives for patients with cancer. Future studies should review cancer care patterns related to other factors such as regional distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a lack of research focused on understanding the different characteristics and healthcare utilization of metastatic breast cancer patients by palliative care use. This study aims to investigate trend of in-patient palliative care and its association with healthcare utilization among hospitalized metastatic breast cancer patients in the US. National Inpatient Sample (NIS) was used to identify nationwide metastatic breast cancer patients (n = 5209, weighted n = 25,961) from 2010 to 2014. We examined the characteristics of the study sample by palliative care and its association with healthcare utilization, measured by discounted hospital charges and length of stay. Multivariable survey regression models were used to identify predictors. Among 26,961 breast cancer patients, 19.0% had palliative care. Percentage of receiving palliative care during the period were gradually increased. Social factors including race, insurance types were also associated with a receipt of palliative care. Survey linear regression results showed that patients with palliative care were associated with 31% lower hospital charges, however, length of stays were not significantly associated. This study found evidence of who was associated with the receipt of palliative care and its relationship with healthcare utilization. This study also emphasizes the importance of receiving palliative care in patients with breast cancer, paving the way for future research into ways to improve palliative care in cancer patients. This study also found social differences and gave evidence of programs that could be used to help vulnerable groups in future health policy decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We aimed to investigate the association between fragmented cancer care in the early phase after cancer diagnosis and patient outcomes using national insurance claim data. Methods: From a nationwide sampled cohort database, we identified National Health Insurance beneficiaries diagnosed with gastric cancer (ICD-10: C16) in South Korea during 2005–2013. We analyzed the results of a multiple logistic regression analysis using the generalized estimated equation model to investigate which patient and institution characteristics affected fragmented cancer care during the first year after diagnosis. Then, survival analysis using the Cox proportional hazard model was conducted to investigate the association between fragmented cancer care and five-year mortality. Results: Of 2879 gastric cancer patients, 11.9% received fragmented cancer care by changing their most visited medical institution during the first year after diagnosis. We found that patients with fragmented cancer care had a higher risk of five-year mortality (HR: 1.310, 95% CI: 1.023–1.677). This association was evident among patients who only received chemotherapy or radiotherapy (HR: 1.633, 95% CI: 1.005–2.654). Conclusions: Fragmented cancer care was associated with increased risk of five-year mortality. Additionally, changes in the most visited medical institution occurred more frequently in either patients with severe conditions or patients who mainly visited smaller medical institutions. Further study is warranted to confirm these findings and examine a causal relationship between fragmented cancer care and survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is a lack of US population-based research on healthcare utilization differences caused by opioid misuse. Objective: The aim of this study was to explore disparities in healthcare utilization by type of opioid use disorder, race, region, and other patient factors for a more targeted prevention and treatment program. Methods: The National Inpatient Sample of the United States was used to identify patients with opioid use disorder (n = 101,231, weighted n = 506,155) from 2016 to 2019. Type of opioid use disorder was defined as opioid dependence/unspecified use, adverse effects of opioids, opioid misuse, and opioid poisoning (also known as overdose). We examined the sample characteristics and the association between type of disorder, racial and regional variables, and healthcare utilization, measured by hospital charges and length of stay. The multivariate survey linear regression model was used. Results: Among 506,155 patients, most were categorized as opioid dependence/unspecified use (56.3%) and opioid poisoning (42.7%). The number of opioid use disorder patients during the study decreased; however, overall total charges and length of stay continuously increased. Survey linear results showed that opioid poisoning, adverse effects, and abuse were associated with higher hospital charges than opioid dependence; however, length of stay was significantly lower for these groups. White patients compared with minorities, and West, Northeast, and South regions were associated with higher hospital charges and length of stay. Conclusion: Significant differences in healthcare utilization exist between type of disorder, race, and region. Such findings illustrate that tailored treatment regimens are required to bridge the gaps in care and combat the opioid crisis. Minorities with opioid use disorder utilize healthcare the least, possibly because of affordability, and need culturally sensitive and financially feasible treatment options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of excess Ba concentration on the dielectric nonlinearity was investigated in Mn and V-doped BaTiO3 multi layer ceramic capacitors (MLCC) under the same grain size condition, which was described by the Preisach model utilizing the first order reversal curve (FORC) distribution. The high-field dielectric constant and its ac field dependence dramatically changed increasing to a maximum and then decreasing with the increase of Ba concentration. The saturation polarization which scales to the magnitude of spontaneous polarization also showed similar behavior. These results indicate that the dependence of the dielectric constant on the Ba concentration is associated with the variation of both domain wall contribution and the magnitude of the spontaneous polarization, which could be correlated with the same dependence on the Ba concentration of the reversible FORC distribution at zero bias and the irreversible FORC distribution near origin. In the corresponding bulk specimens of the dielectrics of MLCC, almost the same amount of the Ba2TiSi2O8 second phases were detected irrespective of Ba concentration, which shows that the excess Ba incorporate into BaTiO3. Thus, low and high Ba concentration corresponds to Ba-deficient and Ba-rich or Ti-deficient BaTiO3, respectively, which results in a small spontaneous polarization and low domain wall density. The intermediate Ba concentration for the maximum dielectric constant is supposed to be near stoichiometric condition in the ABO3 structure corresponding to large spontaneous polarization and high domain wall density. The excess Ba concentration and its resultant A/B stoichiometry is a crucial factor controlling dielectric properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A desmoid tumor is a fibroblastic proliferation of mesenchymal origin, which has no metastasizing potential but is locally aggressive. Although treatment has shifted to observation and active surveillance for newly diagnosed patients with desmoid tumors, intra-abdominal mesenteric tumors or tumors that persistently grow and provoke symptoms may need prompt surgical treatment. There have only been a small number of case reports that illustrate large sporadic intra-abdominal mesentery-deriving desmoid tumors in which the longest diameter was ≥19 cm. In the present study, an adolescent male patient with a rapidly growing 38-cm long sporadic intra-abdominal desmoid tumor of mesenchymal origin is reported. The patient was treated with chemotherapy followed by surgical resection due to non-responsiveness and progression of symptoms, then with maintenance adjuvant chemotherapy to prevent recurrence due to the large size of the tumor. Despite the rapid growth of the tumor and its high occupancy in the intra-abdominal cavity, an R0 resection was successful with organ preservation. The patient has been recurrence-free for 2 years, and further follow-up is expected in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Since 2011, specialty hospitals in South Korea have been known for providing high- quality care in specific clinical areas. Much research related to specialty hospitals and their performance in many such areas has been performed, but investigations about their performance in obstetrics and gynecology are lacking. Thus, we aimed to compare specialty vs. non-specialty hospitals with respect to mode of obstetric delivery, especially the costs and length of stay related to Cesarean section (CS) procedures, and to provide evidence to policy-makers for evaluating the success of hospitals that specialize in obstetric and gynecological (OBGYN) care. Methods: We obtained National Health Insurance claim data from 2012 to 2014, which included information from 418,141 OBGYN cases at 214 hospitals. We used a generalized estimating equation model to identify a potential association between the likelihood of CS at specialty hospitals compared with other hospitals. We also evaluated medical costs and length of stay in specialty hospitals according to type of delivery. Results: We found that 150,256 (35.9%) total deliveries were performed by CS. The odds ratio of CS was significantly lower in specialty hospitals (OR: 0.95, 95% CI: 0.93–0.96compared to other hospitals Medical costs (0.74%) and length of stay (1%) in CS cases increased in specialty hospitals, although length of stay following vaginal delivery was lower (0.57%) in specialty hospitals compared with other hospitals. Conclusions: We determined that specialty hospitals are significantly associated with a lower likelihood of CS delivery and shorter length of stay after vaginal delivery. Although they are also associated with higher costs for delivery, the increased cost could be due to the high level of intensive care provided, which leads to improve quality of care. Policy-makers should consider incentive programs to maintain performance of specialty hospitals and promote efficiency that could reduce medical costs accrued by patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Levan coated cerium oxide nanoparticles (LCNPs) with the enhanced antioxidant activity were successfully synthesized and characterized. Levan and their derivatives are attractive for biomedical applications attributable to their antioxidant, anti-inflammation and anti-tumor properties. LCNPs were synthesized using the one-pot and green synthesis system with levan. For production of nanoparticles, levan plays a role as a stabilizing and reducing agent. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) analysis showed that LCNPs successfully synthesized. The morphology and size of nanoparticles were confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). LCNPs have good water solubility and stability. The conjugation of levan with cerium oxide nanoparticles improved antioxidant activity. Moreover the level of ROS was reduced after treatment of LCNPs to H 2 O 2 stimulated NIH3T3 cells. These results demonstrate that the LCNPs are useful for applying of treatment of ROS induced diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous risk alleles for systemic lupus erythematosus ( SLE) have now been identified. Analysis of the expression of genes with risk alleles in cells of hematopoietic origin demonstrates them to be most abundantly expressed in B cells and dendritic cells ( DCs), suggesting that these cell types may be the drivers of the inflammatory changes seen in SLE. DCs are of particular interest as they act to connect the innate and the adaptive immune response. Thus, DCs can transform inflammation into autoimmunity, and autoantibodies are the hallmark of SLE. In this review, we focus on mechanisms of tolerance that maintain DCs in a non-activated, non-immunogenic state. We demonstrate, using examples from our own studies, how alterations in DC function stemming from either DC-intrinsic abnormalities or DC-extrinsic regulators of function can predispose to autoimmunity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Cancer is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Recently, survival rates of cancer patients have been improving. Many patients are diagnosed with cancer at an age when their career is an important component of their lives, and job status can have a significant impact on health-related quality of life (HRQOL). The purpose of this study was to determine the association of job status and HRQOL with respect to particular situations, such as long-term cancer survival and the presence of comorbid conditions, as compared with the general population.Methods: Data on a total of 27,089 eligible participants from the 2007-2012 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used in the study. To identify factors associated with the HRQOL of long-term cancer survivors, multiple linear regression analysis was performed. HRQOL was measured by the EuroQol five-dimension instrument (EQ-5D).Results: People who once had a job and lost it because of health issues have been shown to have a lower EQ-5D (β =-8.997, p < 0.0001) than those who still have their jobs. Although long-term cancer survivors with comorbid conditions showed only a trend toward a lower EQ-5D, in a subgroup analysis, those in the 'Job loss due to health issue' group had a significantly lower EQ-5D (β =-8.739, p < 0.0001).Conclusions: There was a significant association between job status and HRQOL in study participants. This study suggests that individuals who are long-term cancer survivors or have comorbid conditions need particular attention, and a specialized job rehabilitation program should be developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Readmission rates for mental health care are higher in South Korea than other Organization for Economic Development (OECD) countries. Therefore, it is worthwhile to continue investigating how to reduce readmissions. Taking a novel approach, we determined the relationship between psychiatrist experience and mental health care readmission rates. We used National Health Insurance claim data ( N =21,315) from 81 hospitals to analyze readmissions within 30 days of discharge for “mood disorders” or “schizophrenia, schizotypal and delusional disorders” during 2010–2013. In this study, multilevel models that included both patient and hospital-level variables were analyzed to examine associations with readmission. Readmissions within 30 days of discharge accounted for 1079 (5.1%) claims. Multilevel analysis demonstrated that the proportion of experienced psychiatrists at a hospital was inversely associated with risk of readmission (OR: 0.79, 95% CI: 0.74–0.84 per 10% increase in experienced psychiatrists). Readmission rates for psychiatric disorders within 30 days of discharge were lower in hospitals with a higher number of nurses (OR: 0.95, 95% CI: 0.94–0.96 per 10 nurses). In conclusion, health policymakers and hospital managers should make an effort to reduce readmissions for psychiatric disorders and other diseases by considering the role that physician experience plays and nurse staffing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous studies found that hospice and palliative care reduces healthcare costs for end-of-life cancer patients. Aim: To investigate hospital inpatient charges and length-of-stay differences by availability of hospice care beds within hospitals using nationwide data from end-of-life inpatients with lung cancer. Design: A retrospective cohort study was performed using nationwide lung cancer health insurance claims from 2002 to 2012 in Korea. Setting and participants: Descriptive and multi-level (patient-level and hospital-level) mixed models were used to compare inpatient charges and lengths of stay. Using 673,122 inpatient health insurance claims, we obtained aggregated hospital inpatient charges and lengths of stay from a total of 114,828 inpatients and 866 hospital records. Results: Hospital inpatient charges and length of stay drastically increased as patients approached death; a significant portion of hospital inpatient charges and lengths of stay occurred during the end-of-life period. According to our multi-level analysis, hospitals with hospice care beds tend to have significantly lower end-of-life hospital inpatient charges; however, length of stay did not differ. Hospitals with more hospice care beds were associated with reduction in hospital inpatient charges within 3 months before death. Conclusion: Higher end-of-life healthcare hospital charges were found for lung cancer inpatients who were admitted to hospitals without hospice care beds. This study suggests that health policy-makers and the National Health Insurance program need to consider expanding the use of hospice care beds within hospitals and hospice care facilities for end-of-life patients with lung cancer in South Korea, where very limited numbers of resources are currently available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Cerebrovascular diseases are the second-highest cause of death in South Korea (9.6% of all causes of mortality in 2013). South Korea has a shortage of trained medical personnel compared with other countries and the demands for health care are continuously increasing. Our study sought to determine the relationship between hospital human resources and the outcomes of stroke patients. Methods We used data from NHI claims ( n = 99,464) at 120 hospitals to analyze readmission or death within 30 days after discharge or hospitalization for stroke patients during 2010–2013. We used multilevel models that included both patient-level and hospital-level variables to examine factors associated with readmission or death within 30 days. Results A total of 1782 (1.8%) patients were readmitted within 30 days, and death occurred within 30 days for 6926 (7.0%) patients. Patients cared for by a higher percentages of specialists or registered nurses had a lower risk of readmission or death within 30 days (readmission per 10% increase in registered nurses, OR = 0.89 and SD = 0.85–0.94; death per 10% increase in specialists, OR = 0.93 and SD = 0.89–0.98). Conclusions The percentages of specialist and registered nurses caring for stroke patients were positively correlated with better patient outcomes, particularly for patients with cerebral infarction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A key function of dendritic cells (DCs) is to induce either immune tolerance or immune activation. Many new DC subsets are being recognized, and it is now clear that each DC subset has a specialized function. For example, different DC subsets may express different cell surface molecules and respond differently to activation by secretion of a unique cytokine profile. Apart from intrinsic differences among DC subsets, various immune modulators in the microenvironment may influence DC function; inappropriate DC function is closely related to the development of immune disorders. The most exciting recent advance in DC biology is appreciation of human DC subsets. In this review, we discuss functionally different mouse and human DC subsets both in lymphoid organs and non-lymphoid organs, the molecules that regulate DC function, and the emerging understanding of the contribution of DCs to autoimmune diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose a method to recognize human actions independently of viewpoints by developing 4D space–time features which can generalize the information from a finite number of views in training phase so as to show a satisfactory performance in arbitrary testing views. This 4D space–time interest points (4D-STIPs, [ x , y , z , t ] ) are extracted using 3D space volumes reconstructed from images of a finite number of different views. Since the proposed features are constructed using volumetric information, the features for arbitrary 2D space viewpoint in testing can be generated by projecting the 3D space volumes and 4D-STIPs on corresponding test image planes. This enables action recognition in any camera viewpoint even after training with images from only a finite number of views. We also propose the variant of 3D space–time interest points, which take into account the simultaneous gradient variation in all 3 dimensions to focus on the motion of important spatial corner points. 3D space volumes and 4D-STIPs can be projected to arbitrary viewpoints for training each action to get generalization capability of the classifier. With these projected features, we construct motion history images and non-motion history images which encode the moving and non-moving parts of an action respectively. After reducing the feature dimension, the final features are learned by support vector data description method. In experiments, we train the models using IXMAS dataset constructed from five views and test them with a new SNU dataset made for evaluating the generalization performance for arbitrary view videos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objectives: To assess the overall quality of life of long-stay nursing home residents with preserved cognition, to examine whether the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service's Nursing Home Compare 5-star quality rating system reflects the overall quality of life of such residents, and to examine whether residents' demographics and clinical characteristics affect their quality of life. Design/measurements: Quality of life was measured using the Participant Outcomes and Status Measures—Nursing Facility survey, which has 10 sections and 63 items. Total scores range from 20 (lowest possible quality of life) to 100 (highest). Setting/participants: Long-stay nursing home residents with preserved cognition (n = 316) were interviewed. Results: The average quality- of-life score was 71.4 (SD: 7.6; range: 45.1–93.0). Multilevel regression models revealed that quality of life was associated with physical impairment (parameter estimate = −0.728; P = .04) and depression (parameter estimate = −3.015; P = .01) but not Nursing Home Compare's overall star rating (parameter estimate = 0.683; P = .12) and not pain (parameter estimate = −0.705; P = .47). Conclusion: The 5-star quality rating system did not reflect the quality of life of long-stay nursing home residents with preserved cognition. Notably, pain was not associated with quality of life, but physical impairment and depression were. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Diagnosis and therapy of early stage liver fibrosis is very important for the treatment of fatal liver diseases. Here, we report on the targeted imaging and therapy of activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and fibrotic liver tissue using N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc)- and indocyanine green (ICG)-conjugated PEI/siRNA complexes. The conjugation of a disulfide bond to PEI (PEI-D) was achieved by Michael addition. We modified PEI with N-acetylglucosamine (PEI-D-GlcNAc), which can specifically interact with desmin on activated HSCs, using the EDC coupling method. Confocal microscopic analysis showed that the PEI-D-GlcNAc/siRNA was internalized by HSCs upon interaction with surface desmin. In vitro western blot analysis confirmed that PEI-D-GlcNAc provided strong protein knock-down after transfection with TGFβ1siRNA into HSCs. After a tail vein injection of ICG-conjugated complexes, the PEI-D-GlcNAc-ICG/siRNA complex accumulated to a greater extent in the livers of fibrotic mice than in normal mice over an extended duration. Moreover, immunohistofluorescence analysis confirmed that the PEI-D-GlcNAc-ICG/siRNA complex specifically colocalized with HSCs, which are desmin-positive cells, in fibrotic liver tissues. In vivo TGFβ1siRNA delivery also resulted in superior protein knock-down when using the PEI-D-GlcNAc complex. These results demonstrate that the PEI-D-GlcNAc-ICG/TGFβ1siRNA complex is a useful tool for imaging and treatment of liver fibrosis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Mice with a DC-specific deletion of the transcriptional repressor B lymphocyte-induced maturation protein-1 (Blimp1) exhibit a lupus-like phenotype, secondary to enhanced DC production of IL-6. Here we explored further phenotypic changes in Blimp1-deficient DCs, the molecular mechanism underlying these changes, and their relevance to human disease. Blimp1-deficient DCs exhibited elevated expression of MHC II, and exposure to TLR agonists increased secretion of proinflammatory cytokines. This phenotype reflects enhanced expression of the microRNA let-7c, which is regulated by BLIMP1. Let-7c reciprocally inhibited Blimp1 and also blocked LPS-induced suppressor of cytokine signaling-1 (SOCS1) expression, contributing to the proinflammatory phenotype of Blimp1-deficient DCs. DCs from Blimp1 SLE-risk allele carriers exhibited analogous phenotypic changes, including decreased BLIMP1 expression, increased let-7c expression, and increased expression of proinflammatory cytokines. These results suggest that let-7c regulates DC phenotype and confirm the importance of BLIMP1 in maintaining tolerogenic DCs in both mice and humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Pure ZnO and CuO–ZnO composite hollow spheres were prepared by one-pot, glucose-mediated hydrothermal reaction with subsequent heat treatment. The pure ZnO hollow spheres could selectively detect C2H5OH at 475°C. The CuO–ZnO hollow spheres prepared from the solutions with the compositions of [Cu2+]/([Cu2+]+[Zn2+])=0.02 and 0.04 showed high responses to 5ppm H2S (R a /R g =13.3 and 32.4, R a : resistance in air, R g : resistance in gas) with negligible cross responses to 100ppm C2H5OH, C3H8, CO and H2 (R a /R g =1.4–1.8) at 336°C. They also showed selective C2H5OH detection at 475°C. The dual selective detection of H2S and C2H5OH by the composite particles was due to electrochemical interactions with H2S of nano-scale p(CuO)–n(ZnO) junctions within the hollow spheres. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The SnO2 nanowire networks were grown on a laser-scribed Al2O3 substrate containing 16 sensor elements with Au electrodes and Pt heaters via a single step vapor phase reaction, and their gas sensing characteristics were studied. The sensor showed a high response to 5ppm NO2 (R g /R a =1909, R g : resistance in gas, R a : resistance in air) at the sensor temperature of 141°C and high and selective responses to 100ppm C2H5OH (R a /R g =301.8–326.4) at 240 and 296°C, which demonstrated that high performance SnO2 nanowire network gas sensors can be fabricated on a large scale through a facile and cost-effective route. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: It is necessary to develop highly functionalized liver cell culture systems for liver tissue engineering such as bioartificial livers and liver cell chips. To maintain a high level of hepatocyte function, well-organized patterning culture systems of hepatocytes and nonparenchymal cells would be advantageous. To design the patterning culture system using these cells, cell-recognizable polymers should be useful to regulate not only the hepatocytes, but also the nonparenchymal cells. Here, we report that N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc)-bearing polymers are useful as nonparenchymal cell-recognizable polymers. It has previously been reported that mesenchymal cells adhered to GlcNAc-bearing polymer-coated dishes through surface vimentin. It was also observed that nonparenchymal cells expressing vimentin or desmin specifically adhered to GlcNAc-bearing polymer-coated dishes. Especially, in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) cultured on GlcNAc-bearing polymer-coated dishes, the expression of α-smooth muscle actin as an activated HSCs marker was suppressed in long-term. Therefore, HSCs were shown to maintain a quiescent state on PVGlcNAc-coated dishes during a long-term culture. These results demonstrated that GlcNAc-bearing polymers could be beneficial to culture nonparenchymal cells such as HSCs. Our findings suggest that galactose- and GlcNAc-bearing polymers can regulate the culture of all liver cells and may be useful tools for the establishment of liver tissue engineering. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In2O3 hollow spheres with shell thicknesses of ∼150nm and ∼300nm were prepared by the one-pot synthesis of indium-precursor-coated carbon spheres via hydrothermal reaction and subsequent removal of core carbon by heat treatment. The gas response (R a /R g , R a : resistance in air, R g : resistance in gas) of the thin hollow spheres to 100ppm C2H5OH was 137.2 at 400°C, which was 1.86 and 3.84 times higher than that of the thick hollow spheres and of the nanopowders prepared by precipitation, respectively. The gas sensing characteristics are discussed in relation to the shell configuration of the hollow spheres. The enhanced gas response of the hollow spheres was attributed to the effective diffusion of analyte gas toward the entire sensor surface via very thin and nano-porous shells. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Gene and drug-delivery systems that use immobilization of carbohydrates are useful for the specific targeting of lectin-expressing tissues. Here, we report that N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) with polyethylenimine (GlcNAc-PEI) specifically interacted with vimentin-expressing cells such as 293FT and HeLa cells. Recently, the intermediate filaments vimentin and desmin have been reported to have GlcNAc-binding lectin-like properties on the cell surface. Therefore, GlcNAc-conjugated agents can be targeted to vimentin- and desmin-expressing cells and tissues. Vimentin-expressing 293FT and HeLa cells were efficiently transfected with green fluorescent protein and luciferase genes by using GlcNAc-PEI; the expression of these genes in vimentin-knockdown cells were low. Confocal microscopic analysis showed that GlcNAc-PEI complexes interacted with vimentin on the cell surface of HeLa cells. These results demonstrate that GlcNAc-PEI/DNA complexes were specifically taken up by 293FT and HeLa cells via vimentin. We suggest that this gene-delivery system could be used to target various vimentin-expressing cells such as fibroblasts and tumor cells. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Altered signaling pathways resulting from aberrant changes in epigenetic parameters may play a pivotal role in carcinogenesis. To identify biological pathways likely to be affected by methylation-mediated alterations in gene expression in prostate cancer, we performed a genome-wide methylation analysis of 27,578 CpG sites, corresponding to 14,495 genes on a pooled sample of 12 pairs of prostate tumor and adjacent normal tissues. In all, 972 CpG sites were significantly hypermethylated while 209 sites were hypomethylated in prostate tumor tissue (FDR adjusted p-value<0.05; fold change⩾2) corresponding to 1043 unique genes, which is consistent with genome-wide gene-specific hypermethylation patterns previously observed in multiple cancer models. Global hypomethylation in prostate tumor was also detected by measuring methylation changes in ALU repeat sequences. Pathway analysis of the genes with altered methylation patterns identifies the involvement of a cancer related network of genes whose activity may be heavily regulated by TNF-α in prostate tumorigenesis. Our results suggest that epigenetic dysregulation of cellular processes relevant to TNF-α-dependent apoptosis and electrophile detoxification may be intimately involved in prostate carcinogenesis. These findings may lend credence to the possibility of using tumor-specific alterations in methylation patterns as biomarkers in estimating prognosis and assessing treatment options for prostate cancer. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: WO3⋅H2O nanoplates were prepared by the acidification of Na2WO4∙2H2O and converted into monoclinic WO3 nanoplates by heat treatment. The sizes, morphologies and preferred orientation of the WO3 nanoplates could be controlled by manipulating the acidity of the solution used for the acidification reaction. All of the WO3 nanoplates showed the selective detection of NO2 in the presence of other reducing gases, such as C2H5OH, CH3COCH3, CO, C3H8, and H2. The gas response, selectivity, and response speed were optimized by varying the morphology of the sensing materials and operation temperature. The WO3 nanoplates with a mean edge size of 192nm showed the most rapid gas response along with a high response and selectivity to NO2 when operated at 300°C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We investigated the genetic structure of Streptococcus pneumoniae isolated from Korean children prior to the use of heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7). A total of 278 pneumococcal isolates were obtained from invasive (n = 77) and noninvasive (n = 201) specimens from children <5 years of age that visited the Seoul National University Children''s Hospital between 1995 and 2005; these samples were serotyped. Two hundred seventy-eight isolates were characterized by multilocus sequence typing, antibiotic susceptibility pattern testing with the E-test. The common serotypes were 19F (22.7%), 23F (19.1%), 19A (14.4%), 6B (11.2%), 6A (8.3%), 14 (5.4%), and 9V (4.3%); these 7 serotypes accounted for 85.3% of the 278 isolates. The isolates belonged to 23 serotypes and 81 sequence types (STs) (including 48 newly discovered STs). The eBURST analysis showed 7 clonal complexes (CCs). CC271 was the main CC of serogroup 19; CC81 and CC3115, serotype 6A; CC81 and CC880, serotype 23F; CC90, serotype 6B; CC166, serotype 9V; and CC554, serotype 14. Nonsusceptibility rates to penicillin and erythromycin among the invasive isolates were 9.1% and 94.8%, respectively. The resultant database may be useful for postvaccine surveillance. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The ZnO–SnO2 core–shell nanowires (NWs) were synthesized by a continuous two-step vapor growth method at different synthesis temperatures. A crystalline 15–20nm-thick, SnO2 shell layer was pseudo-epitaxially coated on ZnO NWs with a diameter of 50–80nm. The gas response of the ZnO–SnO2 core–shell NW sensor to 10ppm NO2 reached ∼33 times enhancement compared to that of the ZnO NWs at 200°C. In addition, the ZnO–SnO2 core–shell NW sensors showed selective detection to NO2 at 200–300°C and to C2H5OH at 400°C. The enhanced gas responses to NO2 and C2H5OH are discussed in relation to the thin SnO2 shell layer and core–shell configuration of the NWs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Tungsten-coated carbon microspheres were prepared by one-pot hydrothermal reaction of an aqueous solution containing glucose and sodium tungstate. The spheres were converted into WO3 hollow microspheres by the decomposition of their core carbon. The [glucose]/[sodium tungstate] ratio of the stock solution determined not only the morphology of the precursors but also the phase of the powders after calcination. The WO3 hollow microspheres showed a higher gas response and more selective detection of 0.5–2.5ppm NO2 than WO3 solid and nano-porous microspheres did. The enhanced NO2 sensing characteristics are explained in relation to the surface area, pore volume, and hollow morphology. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The effects of the acid site densities of MOR zeolites on their product selectivity and deactivation were investigated in the methanol-to-olefin (MTO) reactions. The MOR zeolites showed a high conversion and high yield of the lower olefins at the initial time of the MTO reaction, regardless of their acid site density. However, the conversion and the yield of the lower olefins over them rapidly decreased in the order of MOR(103)

Abstract: Various compositions of gas sensing films were prepared by the combinatorial deposition of SnO2, ZnO, and WO3 sol solutions and their gas sensing behaviors were investigated. The film composition could be manipulated conveniently via the alternate dropping of different oxide sol solutions. From the correlation between film compositions and gas sensitivities, the selective detection of C2H5OH and CH3COCH3 in the presence of CO, C3H8, H2, and NO2 could be attained. In addition, the discrimination between C2H5OH and CH3COCH3, which is a challenging issue due to their similar chemical nature, becomes possible. This research demonstrates the precise design of the sensor-material composition for the selective gas detection via the combinatorial approach. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The abnormal grain growth (AGG) behavior of undoped and SiO2-doped CaCu3Ti4O12 (CCTO) ceramics were investigated. With the addition of 2wt.% SiO2, the AGG-triggering temperature decreased from 1100 to 1060°C, and the temperature for obtaining a uniform and coarse microstructure decreased from 1140 to 1100°C. The lowering of the AGG temperature by SiO2 addition was attributed to the formation of a CuO-SiO2-rich intergranular phase at lower temperature. The apparent dielectric permittivity of coarse SiO2-doped CCTO ceramics was ∼10 times higher than that of fine SiO2-doped CCTO ceramics at the frequency of 103–105 Hz. The doping of SiO2 to CCTO ceramics provides an efficient route of improving the dielectric properties via grain coarsening. The correlation between the microstructure and apparent permittivity suggests the presence of a barrier layer near the grain boundary. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Niemann–Pick type C disease (NPC) is a neurodegenerative and lipid storage disorder for which no effective treatment is known. We previously reported that neural stem cells derived from NPC1 mice showed impaired self-renewal and differentiation. We examined whether valproic acid (VPA), a histone deacetylase inhibitor, could enhance neuronal differentiation and recover defective cholesterol metabolism in neural stem cells (NSCs) from NPC1-deficient mice (NPC1−/−). VPA could induce neuronal differentiation and restore impaired astrocytes in NSCs from NPC1−/− mice. Importantly, an increasing level of cholesterol within NSCs from NPC1−/− mice could be reduced by VPA. Moreover, essential neurotrophic genes (TrkB, BDNF, MnSoD, and NeuroD) were up-regulated through the repression of the REST/NRSF and HDAC complex by the VPA treatment. Up-regulated neurotrophic genes were able to enhance neural differentiation and cholesterol homeostasis in neural stem cells from NPC1−/− mice. In this study, we suggested that, along with cholesterol homeostasis, impaired neuronal differentiation and abnormal morphology of astrocytes could be rescued by the inhibition of HDAC and REST/NRSF activity induced by VPA treatment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Investigates the relationship between the presence of extratemporal hypometabolism on fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography and seizure outcome after temporal lobectomy in patients with medically intractable temporal lobe epilepsy. Importance of the prediction of seizure control; Suggestion that thalamic hypometabolism may be secondary to extratemporal or temporal pathology.

Hydrogenated amorphous carbon (a-C:H) films were deposited using inductively coupled C 2 H 2 plasma, and the effect of process parameters on the sp2/sp3 hybridization ratio of the films was investigated. The sp2/sp3 ratio was deduced from the intensity ratios of the D and G peaks (I D /I G) observed in Raman spectra. The ion density in the C 2 H 2 plasma was determined using an ion probe, and the relative density of CH and H radicals was quantified using optical actinometry. A high I D /I G ratio was observed at high substrate temperatures, and the high sp2/sp3 ratio is attributed to the loss of hydrogen atoms at high temperatures. A high I D /I G ratio was also observed with high plasma power and low pressure. The I D /I G ratio of the a-C:H films increased with increasing ion density in the C 2 H 2 plasmas generated under various conditions, but decreased with the relative density of CH radicals. Ions remove hydrogen atoms from a-C:H films, and CH radicals introduce hydrogen atoms into a-C:H films. The etching resistance of a-C:H films was also investigated, wherein the etch rates of the a-C:H films decreased by 83.3% in the CF 4 plasma and by 70.2% in the O 2 plasma when the sp2/sp3 ratio was increased from 0.97 to 1.62. • The effects of ions and CH radicals were investigated on sp2/sp3 ratios of a-C:H. • Ions in C 2 H 2 plasma make a-C:H films sp2-rich because ions remove H atoms in films. • CH radicals make more sp3 structure in a-C:H due to incorporation of H atoms [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human thrombopoietin (hTPO) is the primary physiological regulator of platelet production and plays a pivotal role in promoting the proliferation and maturation of megakaryocytic progenitor cells and megakaryocytes. In this study, transgenic mice were produced harboring either full-length or the erythropoietin (EPO)-like amino-terminal domain of hTPO cDNA sequences fused to the regulatory elements of the bovine beta-casein gene. The transgene RNA was expressed exclusively in the mammary glands of eight transgenic mice, and a trace amount of the transgene was also found in the lungs of one mouse. The full-length form induced efficient expression of the protein with the highest expression level of 1500 mu g/ml; however, the EPO-like domain alone expressed the protein at <0.1 mu g/ml. The proteins from the two recombinant cDNAs have apparent molecular weights of about 74 and 17 kDa, due to glycosylation in the case of the full-length cDNA. Cell proliferation assay in vitro indicated that both of the recombinant forms stimulated proliferation of the TPO-dependent BaF3-Mpl cells. A positive correlation appeared between the amount of TPO in the milk of lactating animals and their blood platelet levels. About a twofold increase in platelet numbers in the blood was observed after direct subcutaneous injection of the recombinant hTPO at the level of 30 mu g/kg of body weight. On the basis of these results, we anticipate that the recombinant hTPO produced efficiently in milk of transgenic mice will have the same activities as the native hTPO in a few in vivo as well as in vitro biochemical aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The generation of hexamethylbenzenium radical cations as the key reaction intermediate in chabazite-type molecular sieve acids (i.e., H-SAPO-34 and H-SSZ-13) during the methanol-to-olefin process has been directly evidenced by ESR spectroscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, silicon nitride (SiN x) thin films were deposited by inductively coupled plasma chemical vapor deposition using trisilylamine (TSA, N(SiH 3) 3) and ammonia (NH 3) plasma, and their moisture barrier properties were improved by plasma post-treatment. Ar, N 2 , and O 2 plasmas were applied to the SiN x films after deposition. After O 2 plasma treatment, the reduction of hydrogen in -NH x was confirmed by FT-IR analysis. Mass spectroscopic results showed a distinct hydrogen peak in the O 2 plasma processes. Hydrogen was speculated to be removed from the SiN x surface, and the reduced hydrogen on the surface was attributed to the densification of the SiN x thin films. The increased film density reduced the moisture permeability of the SiN x thin films. The water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) of 120-nm thick single SiN x thin films was reduced by 77% to 3.0 × 10−3 g/m2-day from 1.3 × 10−2 g/m2-day with O 2 plasma treatment. The increase of WVTR evaluated using a bending test was adopted to estimate flexibility. The increase of WVTR reduced to 71% in O 2 -plasma treated SiN x single layers from 88% with untreated SiN x single layers after bending the film at a bending radius of 1.5 cm. Multilayer moisture barrier films were fabricated using the O 2 -plasma treated SiN x layers and hydrocarbon plasma polymer layers made of cyclohexane plasma to further improve the moisture barrier properties and flexibility. The increase of WVTR reduced by approximately five times in the multilayer structure with O 2 plasma treated SiN x /hydrocarbon plasma polymer after the bending test. A WVTR of 7.6 × 10−4 g/m2-day was obtained with an alternating nine-layer structure. In this study, we demonstrated that plasma post-treatment processes can improve the moisture barrier properties and flexibility by reducing the hydrogen dangling bonds and hydrogen concentration inside SiN x thin films. • O 2 plasma treatment was applied to SiN x deposited at room temperature. • WVTR of SiN x single layer was reduced by 77% and flexibility was increased by 24%. • Strong H 2 peak was detected during O 2 plasma treatment with mass spectroscopy. • Hydrogen dangling bonds is believed to be reduced significantly from SiN x films. • The improvement of moisture barrier properties is attributed to the reduced H concentration by O 2 plasma treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose ([18F]FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) has limitations in prostate cancer (PCa) detection owing to low glycolysis in the primary tumour. Recently, prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) PET/CT has been useful for biochemical failure detection and radioligand therapy (RLT) guidance. However, few studies have evaluated its use in primary prostate tumours using PSMA and [18F]FDG PET/CT. This study aimed to evaluate [18F]PSMA-1007 and [18F]FDG PET/CT for primary tumour detection and understand the association of metabolic heterogeneity with clinicopathological characteristics at staging and postoperatively. Method: This prospective study included 42 index tumours (27 acinar and 15 ductal-dominant) in 42 patients who underwent [18F]PSMA-1007 and [18F]FDG PET/CT and subsequent radical prostatectomy. All patients were followed for a median of 26 mo, and serum prostate-specific antigen levels were measured every 3 mo to evaluate biochemical failure. One-way analysis of variance, Tukey's multiple comparison test, and Fisher's exact test were performed. Results: All 42 index tumours were detected on [18F]PSMA-1007 PET/CT, whereas only 15 were detected on [18F]FDG PET/CT (62.3% vs. 37.7%, p < 0.0001). A high SUVmax for [18F]PSMA-1007 was observed in tumours with high Gleason scores (GS 6–7 vs. GS 8–10; 12.1 vs. 20.1, p < 0.05). Tumours with [18F]FDG uptake were mostly ductal dominant (acinar-dominant 4/27; ductal-dominant; 11/15, p < 0.001), with lower [18F]PSMA-1007 uptake than tumours without [18F]FDG uptake (SUVmax 16.58 vs. 11.19, p < 0.001). There were 16.6% (7/42) of patients with pStage IV in whom the primary tumours were [18F]FDG positive. Biochemical failure was observed in 14.8% (4/27) of patients with [18F]FDG negative tumours but in 53.3% (8/15) of patients with [18F]FDG positive tumours (p = 0.013). Conclusions: [18F]PSMA-1007 PET/CT was superior to [18F]FDG PET/CT in detecting primary PCa. In contrast, tumours with [18F]FDG uptake are associated with larger size, a ductal-dominant type, and likely to undergo metastasis at staging and biochemical failure postoperatively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arthritis is not only a chronic disease but also causes physical inactivity. We investigated the association between arthritis and quality of life and psychological problems, as measured by suicidal ideation. We used data from the 2013 Community Health Survey, and 162,598 persons aged 40 years and older were included as study subjects. Our main focus was to investigate association of arthritis with suicidal ideation and quality of life. Multivariate survey logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the odds ratio for suicidal ideation, and multivariate survey linear regression analysis used to identify associations between variables and scores on the EuroQol Visual Analogue Scale(EQ-VAS). 8.30% of male and 13.90% of female experienced suicidal ideation, and 16.17% of and 21.23% of female suffered from arthritis. Individuals with arthritis were more likely to report suicidal ideation and have lower health-related quality of life (HRQOL) scores. Furthermore, higher rates of suicidal ideation and lower HRQOLs were also associated with older age, low income and less education. Arthritis was associated with higher rates of suicidal ideation and lower HRQOL scores. These results should contribute to the development and implementation of polices and management strategies to alleviate suicidal ideation and increase HRQOL scores among arthritis patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, silicon nitride (SiNx) films were deposited on plastic substrates at room temperature close to 30 ∘ C on polyethylenenaphthalate (PEN) films in an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) reactor with trisilylamine (TSA, N(SiH 3 ) 3 ) precursor and ammonia for flexible moisture barrier films. Moisture barrier property is improved as SiNx layer gets thicker, but cracks are found at thicker films above 300 nm or more. And the barrier performance of the thicker layers is degraded significantly. In order to improve both flexibility and barrier property, plasma polymer (PP) layers were deposited at room temperature and introduced between the SiNx layers. The water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) of a single SiNx film, 6. 3 × 1 0 − 3 g/(m 2 ⋅ day ), is reduced to 1. 3 × 1 0 − 3 g/(m 2 ⋅ day ) with SiNx/PP/SiNx/PP/SiNx alternating five-layer structure. After 1000 times bending in 1.5 cm of bending radius, the WVTR increases by 41% with five-layer structure, while that of single-layer structure increases by 69%. This work demonstrated that the SiNx and PP layers can be deposited at room temperature for flexible moisture barrier films. Flexible SiNx/plasma polymer multilayer moisture barrier was deposited by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition processes at room temperature close to 30 ∘ C. The trisilylamine and NH3 were used to form SiNx in an inductively coupled plasma reactor. The water vapor transmission rate of 1. 3 × 1 0 − 3 g/(m 2 ⋅ day ) was achieved with a five-layer structure, and this is 79% lower than a single SiNx. Less change in WVTR was observed after 1000 bending at 1.5 cm radius with the five-layer structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Therefore, this study aimed to examine the association between psychiatric symptoms (stress and depressive symptoms) with the prevalence of AD in adolescents in South Korea using Korean Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey. If dermatological symptoms are under-reported constantly, adolescents are likely to be exposed to high stress and depressive symptoms due to AD symptoms. Adolescents with AD diagnosis (with one year and lifetime diagnosis) showed more stress and depression experience compared to the no diagnosis group ( I p i < 0.001). [Extracted from the article]

Background: Type II diabetes is not only major public health problem but also heavy fiscal burden to each nation's health care system around the world. This study aimed to investigate the effect of early onset and pack-years of smoking on type II diabetes risk.Methods: We used the most recent cross-sectional National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey set of South Korea (2010) and the United States (2009-2010). Participants who were diagnosed with diabetes after age 20 were included (South Korea: n = 7273, 44% male; U.S.: n = 3271, 52% male). Cox proportional models, stratified by sex and country, were used to estimate hazard ratios.Results: 7.1% of South Korean men, 5.5% of South Korean women, 15.5% of U.S. men, and 12.4% of U.S. women had type II diabetes; 40% of South Korean men, 34% of U.S. men, and 21% of U.S. women began smoking before age 20 (57%, 49%, 36% of those who had type II diabetes, respectively). Type II diabetic participants were older and married; have a higher BMI, low income, and less education; lack moderate physical activity, smoked more and earlier compared to those without type II diabetes. Differences in risk factors including life-style behaviors and SES were found in both diabetic and non-diabetic populations. Men who began smoking before age 16 had a higher type II diabetes risk than who never smoked (South Korea: hazard ratio [HR] 2.46, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.04-5.79; U.S.: HR 1.64, 95% CI 1.01-2.67), as did U.S. men who began smoking between 16 and 20 years (HR 1.58, 95% CI 1.05-2.37). Smoking pack-years were also associated with type II diabetes in U.S. men (HR 1.07, 95% CI 1.01-1.12). In women population, however, associations were not found.Conclusions: Early onset of smoking increases type II diabetic risk among men in South Korea and the U.S., and type II diabetic risk increases with higher pack-years in U.S. men, however, no associations were found in women population. Underage tobacco policy and education programs are strongly needed in both countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While a number of coding genes have explained the anticancer activity of ginsenoside Rh2, little is known about noncoding RNAs. This study was performed to elucidate the regulatory activity of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) CFAP20DC-AS1, which is known to be downregulated by Rh2. MiR-3614-3p, which potentially binds CFAP20DC-AS1, was screened using the LncBase Predicted program, and the binding was verified by assaying the luciferase activity of a luciferase/lncRNA recombinant plasmid construct. The competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) relationship of the two RNAs was further validated by quantitative PCR after deregulation of each RNA using siRNA. The effect of miRNA and target genes on the MCF-7 cancer cell growth was determined by monitoring proliferation and apoptosis in the presence of Rh2 after deregulating the corresponding gene. The miRNA decreased the luciferase activity of the luciferase/CFAP20DC-AS1 fusion vector, confirming the binding. SiRNA-based deregulation of CFAP20DC-AS1 attenuated the expression of miR-3614-3p and vice versa. In contrast to CFAP20DC-AS1, miR-3614-3p was upregulated by Rh2, inhibiting proliferation but stimulating apoptosis of the MCF-7 cells. Target genes of miR-3614-3p, BBX and TNFAIP3, were downregulated by Rh2 and the miRNA but upregulated by the lncRNA. Rh2 inhibits CFAP20DC-AS1, which obscures the association of the lncRNA with miR-3614-3p, resulting in the suppression of oncogenic BBX and TNFAIP3. Taken together, the Rh2/CFAP20DC-AS1/miR-3614-3p/target gene axis contributes to the antiproliferation activity of Rh2 in cancer cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background We evaluated clinical effectiveness of regdanvimab (CT-P59), a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 neutralizing monoclonal antibody, in reducing disease progression and clinical recovery time in patients with mild-to-moderate coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), primarily Alpha variant. Methods This was phase 3 of a phase 2/3 parallel-group, double-blind, randomized clinical trial. Outpatients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 were randomized to single-dose regdanvimab 40 mg/kg (n = 656) or placebo (n = 659), alongside standard of care. The primary endpoint was COVID-19 disease progression up to day 28 among "high-risk" patients. Key secondary endpoints were disease progression (all randomized patients) and time to recovery (high-risk and all randomized patients). Results Of 1315 randomized patients, 880 were high risk; the majority were infected with Alpha variant. The proportion with disease progression was lower (14/446, 3.1% [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.9%–5.2%] vs 48/434, 11.1% [95% CI, 8.4%–14.4%]; P  < .001) and time to recovery was shorter (median, 9.27 days [95% CI, 8.27–11.05 days] vs not reached [95% CI, 12.35–not calculable]; P  < .001) with regdanvimab than placebo. Consistent improvements were seen in all randomized and non-high-risk patients who received regdanvimab. Viral load reductions were more rapid with regdanvimab. Infusion-related reactions occurred in 11 patients (4/652 [0.6%] regdanvimab, 7/650 [1.1%] placebo). Treatment-emergent serious adverse events were reported in 5 of (4/652 [0.6%] regdanvimab and 1/650 [0.2%] placebo). Conclusions Regdanvimab was an effective treatment for patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19, significantly reducing disease progression and clinical recovery time without notable safety concerns prior to the emergence of the Omicron variant. Clinical Trials Registration NCT04602000; 2020-003369-20 (EudraCT). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The benefits of palliative care for cancer patients were well developed; however, the characteristics of receiving palliative care and the utilization patterns among lung cancer patients have not been explored using a large-scale representative population-based sample. Methods: The National Inpatient Sample of the United States was used to identify deceased metastatic lung cancer patients (n = 5,068, weighted n = 25,121) from 2010 to 2014. We examined the characteristics of receiving palliative care use and the association between palliative care and healthcare utilization, measured by discounted hospital charges and LOS (length of stay). The multivariate survey logistic regression model (to identify predictors for receipts of palliative care) and the survey linear regression model (to measure how palliative care is associated with healthcare utilization) were used. Results: Among 25,121 patients, 50.1% had palliative care during the study period. Survey logistic results showed that patients with higher household income were more likely to receive palliative care than those in lower-income groups. In addition, during hospitalization, receiving palliative care was associated with11.2% lower LOS and 28.4% lower discounted total charges than the non-receiving group. Conclusion: Clinical evidence demonstrates the benefits of palliative care as it is associated with efficient end-of-life healthcare utilization. Health policymakers must become aware of the characteristics of receiving the care and the importance of limited healthcare resource allocation as palliative care continues to grow in cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]