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Hepatobiliary infections are common in the emergency department (ED), and the mortality rate for this condition is high. A suitable bacteremia prediction model would support prompt identification of bacteremia and appropriate management of hepatobiliary infections in the ED. Therefore, we attempted to produce a bacteremia prediction model with both internal and external validation for hepatobiliary infections in the ED. Patients with hepatobiliary infection were extracted from retrospective cohort databases of two tertiary hospitals from January 2018 to December 2019 and from January 2016 to December 2019, respectively. Independent risk factors were determined using multivariable logistic regression in a developmental cohort. We assigned a weighted value to predictive factors and developed a prediction model, which was validated both internally and externally. We assessed discrimination using the area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC). One hospital cohort of 1568 patients was randomly divided into a developmental group of 927 patients (60%) and an internal validation group of 641 patients (40%), and 736 people from the other hospital cohort were used for external validation. Bacteremia rates were 20.5%, 18.1%, and 23.1% in the developmental, internal, and external validation cohorts, respectively. Nine significant factors were used for predicting bacteremia, including age, three vital signs, and five laboratory tests. After applying our bacteremia prediction rule to the validation cohort, 56.5% and 53.8% of the internal and external validation groups were classified as low-risk bacteremia groups (bacteremia rates: 8.6% and 13.9%, respectively). The AUCs were 0.727 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.686–0.767), 0.730 (95% CI: 0.679–0.781), and 0.715 (95% CI: 0.672–0.758) for the developmental, internal, and external validation cohorts, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity for internal validation/external validation was 73.2%/67.6% and 63.0%/60.2%, respectively. A bacteremia prediction model for hepatobiliary infection might be useful to predict the risk of bacteremia. It might also reduce the need for blood culture in low-risk patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We aimed to describe the clinical manifestations of patients with sepsis who had the hollow adrenal gland sign (HAGS) during the acute phase of resuscitation and evaluated its value in predicting in-hospital mortality.Methods: We performed a single-center, retrospective study of patients with sepsis who visited the emergency department (ED) from November 2015 to December 2018. The patients were categorized into the positive HAGS (pHAGS) and negative HAGS (nHAGS) groups, based on its presence in initial dual-phase contrast-enhanced abdominal computed tomography (CT). The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. A multiple logistic regression model was developed to assess variables related to in-hospital mortality.Results: In all, 156 patients were included, and 36.5% (n = 57) was assigned to the pHAGS group. Both the maximal Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score within 24 h after ED arrival (10, interquartile range [IQR] 7-13 vs. 8, IQR 6-10, p < 0.01) and APACHE II score (24, IQR 20-31 vs. 20, IQR 17-25, p < 0.01) were significantly higher in the pHAGS than in the nHAGS group; the former group received significantly more interventions including vasopressors, renal replacement therapy, mechanical ventilation, and transfusions; in-hospital mortality was significantly higher in the former than in the latter group (29.8% vs. 10.1%, p < 0.01). pHAGS was an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality (adjusted odds ratio, 2.89; 95% confidence interval, 1.08-7.78; p = 0.04).Conclusions: Patients with sepsis who showed the HAGS had more severe illness than those who did not, and had an increased need for organ-supportive interventions. Presence of the HAGS was independently associated with in-hospital mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of the study was to investigate the diagnostic accuracy of initial and post-fluid resuscitation lactate levels in predicting 28 day mortality.Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed a multi-center registry of suspected septic shock cases that was prospectively collected between October 2015 and December 2018 from 11 Emergency Departments. The primary outcome was 28 day mortality. The diagnostic performance of the initial and post-fluid resuscitation lactate levels as a predictor for 28 day mortality was assessed.Results: A total of 2568 patients were included in the final analysis. The overall 28 day mortality rate was 23%. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of initial lactate for predicting 28 day mortality was 0.66 (95% CI, 0.64-0.69) and that of after fluid administration lactate was 0.70 (95% CI, 0.67-0.72), and there was a significant difference (p < 0.001). The optimal cutoff point of lactate after fluid administration was 4.4 mmol/L. Compared with this, the Sepsis-3 definition with a lactate level of 2 mmol/L or more was relatively more sensitive and less specific for predicting 28 day mortality.Conclusion: The post-fluid resuscitation lactate level was more accurate than the initial lactate level in predicting 28 day mortality in patients with suspected septic shock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: We evaluated the relationship between hyperkalemia and wide QRS complex in patients with pulseless electrical activity (PEA) cardiac arrest.Methods: This was a single-center, retrospective observational study of patients over the age of 18 treated for cardiac arrest at a tertiary referral hospital whose initial electrocardiogram rhythm was PEA from February 2010 to December 2019. Wide QRS PEA was defined as a QRS interval of 120 ms or more. Hyperkalemia was defined as serum potassium level > 5.5 mmol/L. The primary outcome was hyperkalemia. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the relationship between wide QRS and hyperkalemia.Results: Among 617 patients, we analyzed 111 episodes in the wide QRS group and 506 episodes in the narrow QRS group. The potassium level in the wide QRS group was significantly higher than in the narrow QRS group (5.4 mmol/L, IQR 4.4-6.7 vs. 4.6 mmol/L, IQR 4.0-5.6, P < 0.001). Among all patients, 49.6% (n = 55/111) in the wide QRS group had hyperkalemia, which was significantly higher than the 26.7% (n = 135/506) in the narrow QRS group (P < 0.001). In multivariable logistic regression analysis, wide QRS PEA was significantly associated with hyperkalemia (odds ratio = 2.86, 95% confidence interval: 1.80-4.53, P < 0.001).Conclusions: Wide QRS PEA as an initial cardiac rhythm was significantly associated with hyperkalemia in cardiac arrest patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The application of appropriate personal protective equipment for respiratory protection to health care workers is a cornerstone for providing safe healthcare in emergency departments. We investigated the protective effect and usefulness of loose-fitting powered air-purifying respirators (PAPRs) during chest compression.Methods: This was a single-center simulation study performed from May 2019 to July 2019 in a tertiary hospital. We measured the concentrations of ambient aerosol and particles inside the loose-fitting PAPR during chest compression, and this ratio was set as the simulated workplace protecting factor (SWPF). According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health regulations, the assigned protection factor (APF) of loose-fitting PAPRs is 25. Thus, the loose-fitting PAPRs were assumed to have a protective effect when the SWPF were ≥ 250 (APF × 10). We measured the SWPF of PAPR in real time during chest compression and also investigated the problems encountered during its use.Results: Ninety-one participants (median age 29 [interquartile range (IQR): 26-32] years; 74% female) completed the simulation. None of the participants failed with SWPF below 250 during three sessions of chest compression. The median (IQR) values of SWPF at three cycles were 17,063 (10,145-26,373), 15,683 (9477-32,394), and 16,960 (7695-27,279). There was no disconnection of equipment or mechanical failures during chest compression. In addition, most participants (83%) replied that they rarely or never experienced difficulty in verbal communication and felt that the loose-fitting PAPR was comfortable.Conclusions: The loose-fitting PAPRs provided sufficient respiratory protection without disturbances during chest compression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This is the first study to evaluate the association between the serially measured RDW values and clinical severity in patients surviving >24 h after sustaining trauma. We evaluated the serial measurement and cut-off values of RDW to determine its significance as a prognostic marker of early mortality in patients with suspected severe trauma.Methods: This study retrospectively analyzed prospective data of eligible adult patients who were admitted to the ED with suspected severe trauma. The RDW was determined on each day of hospitalization. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality within 28-days of ED admission.Results: We included 305 patients who met our inclusion criteria. The multivariate Cox regression model demonstrated that higher RDW values on day 1 (hazard ratio [HR], 1.558; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.09-2.227; p=0.015) and day 2 (HR, 1.549; 95% CI, 1.046-2.294; p=0.029) were strong independent predictors of short-term mortality among patients with suspected severe trauma. Considering the clinical course of severe trauma patients, the RDW is an important ancillary test for determining severity. Specifically, we found that RDW values >14.4% on day 1 (HR, 4.227; 95% CI: 1.672-10.942; p<0.001) and >14.7% on day 2 (HR, 6.041; 95% CI: 2.361-15.458; p<0.001) increased the hazard 28-day all-cause mortality.Conclusion: An increased RDW value is an independent predictor of 28-day mortality in patients with suspected severe trauma. The RDW, routinely obtained as part of the complete blood count without added cost or time, can be serially measured as indicator of severity after trauma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To evaluate the performance of the Cobas TaqMan MTB assay (Cobas assay) with respect to its clinical application. Methods This was a retrospective analysis of 1154 results from 1034 patients for whom mycobacterial cultures and the Cobas assay were performed simultaneously. Based on the patient medical records, two categories of clinical application were defined: (1) the diagnosis of patients with a high probability of pulmonary tuberculosis according to clinical and radiological features ( n = 128), and (2) the exclusion of tuberculosis in clinically indeterminate patients ( n = 1026). Standard culture was used as the reference method. Results The sensitivity of the Cobas assay for the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis was 70.4% (95% confidence interval (CI) 49.7–85.5%) for category 1, but only 25.0% (95% CI 4.5–64.4%) for category 2. The specificity was ≥95.0% for both categories. The positive predictive value was 79.2% (95% CI 57.3–92.1%) for category 1 and 33.3% (95% CI 6.0–75.9%) for category 2, while the negative predictive value was 92.3% (95% CI 85.0–96.4%) for category 1 and 99.4% (95% CI 98.7–99.8%) for category 2. Conclusions The results of this study indicate that Cobas assay results must be interpreted carefully according to the clinical purpose of the assay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite concerns to their increasing contribution to ecological and human exposure, the atmospheric levels of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have been determined mainly in Europe and North America. This study presents the indoor and outdoor air concentrations of volatile PFASs [fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs), and perfluoroalkyl sulfonamides/sulfonamidoethanols/sulfonamide ethyl acetate (FOSAs/FOSEs/FOSEA)] for the first time in Korean cities. In contrast to the good agreement observed for indoor FTOHs levels in Korea and Europea/North America, FOSAs/FOSEs levels were 10–100-fold lower in Korean indoor air, representing a cultural difference of indoor source. Korean outdoor air contained higher PFAS levels than indoor air, and additionally showed different PFAS composition profile from indoor air. Thus, indoor air would not likely be a main contributor to atmospheric PFAS contamination in Korea, in contrast to western countries. Inhalation exposure of volatile PFASs was estimated to be a minor contributor to PFOA and PFOS exposure in Korea. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Depression is the fourth leading factor of disease burden for the global female population, but while increasing evidence has supported a contributing role of depression in cardiovascular disease, little is known about this association within the female population of Korea. We examined the association in a study of 5658 Korean women who participated in the fourth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. A logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). A total of 279 cases of depression were included. Cardiovascular disease risk factors were associated with higher odds of depression: ORs (95% CIs) were 3.99 (2.25–7.05) for current smokers with <5 pack-years vs. never-smokers, 1.97 (1.18–3.30) for ≥28 vs. <20kg/m2 of body mass index, 1.42 (1.03–1.95) for 100–125 vs. <100mg/dL of fasting serum glucose levels, and 2.10 (1.46–3.03) for a history of hyperlipidemia. Women with a history of two or three comorbid disorders (diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease) had a 1.63-fold higher OR for depression than women without any of these diseases. Korean women with depression had a greater prevalence of major risk factors for cardiovascular disease than women without depression. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) measured in surface running waters indicated the existence of different emission sources in eight main city basins. The tap water reflected the contamination pattern and levels in their corresponding source water basins. The daily intakes through tap water consumption ranged from <0.01 to 0.73 ng kg−1 d−1 for perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and <0.01 to 0.08 ng kg−1 d−1 for perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS). Tap water intake-derived exposure accounted for 8.6%–101% (for PFOA) and while <10% (for PFOS) of total daily exposure, which was estimated from Korean serum concentrations using a pharmacokinetic model. Our findings indicate that tap water intake could be an important contributor to PFOA exposure in Korean populations; accordingly, additional efforts are necessary to improve the removal efficiency of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in the water purification process. However, more fundamentally the aim would be to reduce the discharge of PFCs from potential sources within the basin. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Nanoparticles of Pd–Sn were prepared under various conditions by applying ultrasonic irradiation, and their electrocatalytic activity for oxygen reduction was evaluated in 0.5M KOH. The average size of Pd–Sn nanoparticles thus prepared was about 3–5nm. The Pd in Pd–Sn nanoparticles was found to be mostly in the metallic state. The electrocatalytic activity of the Pd–Sn nanoparticles for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is greater than Pt or Pd nanoparticles in alkaline media. The molar ratio of Pd to Sn metal ions in the synthesizing solution, their initial concentrations, the concentration of ethanol, which increases primary hydrogen radicals during sonolysis, and the concentration of citric acid were found to affect the size distribution of the Pd–Sn nanoparticles, and therefore, those factors controlled the electrocatalytic activity for ORR. Particularly, the concentration of citric acid was found to be important for controlling the surface property on Pd–Sn particles to adjust the electrocatalytic activity for ORR. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Different shapes (nanosphere or nanorod) of gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) were synthesized with and without ultrasonic irradiation in the presence of citric acid. Spherical-shaped and rod-shaped Au-NPs showed different surface plasmon resonance (SPR) absorption bands. The Au-NPs with different shapes were immobilized on a monolayer of 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APS) coated on an indium–tin oxide (ITO) electrode. The potential dependence of the SPR band of different shaped Au-NPs in an aqueous solution was explored. The SPR band and intensity changes of the Au-NPs were found to depend on the applied potential. The spherical-shaped and rod-shaped Au-NPs showed different SPR absorption behaviors when potential was applied. These behavior changes were interpreted as the result of the potential-induced changes of the local dielectric environment around the nanoparticles due to molecular absorption/desorption and the charging/discharging of the particles. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this study, we investigated the antimicrobial activity of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) and platinum nanoparticles (Pt-NPs) aqueous solution, which were prepared using different stabilizer, such as sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) and poly-(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) (PVP), for Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E.coli) by measuring the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). Antimicrobial effect of Ag-NPs for S. aureus and E. coli was investigated using cup diffusion method. The growth of Gram-positive (S. aureus) and Gram-negative (E. coli) bacteria were inhibited by Ag-NPs. The MIC of Ag-NPs for S. aureus and E. coli were 5 and 10ppm, respectively. But the Au-NPs stabilized with SDS did not show antimicrobial activity. Also, the Pt-NPs stabilized with PVP (or SDS) did not show antimicrobial activity for the test organisms. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Colloidal dispersions of hybrid nanocomposite composed of polypyrrole (PPy) and gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) or platinum nanoparticles (Pt-NPs) were prepared by a sonochemical method, in which Au ion and pyrrole monomer in an aqueous solution were reduced and oxidized, respectively, by ultrasonic irradiation in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). The formation of PPy on the surface of Au-NPs or Pt-NPs is confirmed by UV–vis and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Electrochemical behavior of polyaniline (PAn) film containing Pd nanoparticles (Pd-NPs) was investigated in propylene carbonate solution. The PAn-Pd particle systems were characterized by using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV–visible absorption spectroscopy, and FT-IR spectroscopy. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and XPS analysis indicated that PAn interacts strongly with Pd-NPs. The electrochemical behavior of PAn film electrode containing Pd-NPs was sensitive to the amount of Pd in the film. From the XPS results, we confirmed that Pd-NPs are stable as metallic state Pd(0) in the PAn-Pd composite film, whereas it exists as ionic state Pd(II) by electrochemical reaction with PAn. Our results indicate that Pd-NPs in the PAn matrix are coordinated to the nitrogen atom of the PAn chain and this leads to the complex formation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The electrochemical properties of 2,5-dimercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazole (DMcT)—polyaniline (PAn) composite films containing Pd nanoparticles (average diameter: 28 nm) were investigated. Compared to DMcT–PAn composite film, the DMcT–PAn composite film containing Pd nanoparticles showed enhanced redox current and discharge capacity. The enhanced activity is attributed to the nanosize dispersion of the Pd catalyst particles within the DMcT–PAn matrix. UV-Vis spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results confirmed the interactions between DMcT and Pd nanoparticles. We have obtained the positive effect of Pd nanoparticles addition on the redox activity of the DMcT–PAn composite. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

There is a genetic overlap among various neurodegenerative diseases that cause dementia. We analyzed dementia-related gene variants in 60 apolipoprotein E ε4 non-carrying Korean patients with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. Thirty-one dementia-related genes were screened by exome sequencing. Among the 60 patients, three likely pathogenic variants (LPVs) and 1 variant of uncertain significance (VUS) were identified in PSEN1. In addition, two LPVs in TYROBP (c.141del) and PINK1 (c.1220G>A) and 17 VUS were found in other dementia-causing genes. Two variants in SORL1 and TREM2 were identified that were associated with Alzheimer's disease. In this study, we identified 5 (8.3%) LPVs and 18 (30%) VUSs in known dementia-related genes in apolipoprotein E ε4 noncarrying Korean patients with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. • We analyzed 31 dementia-related genes in 60 apolipoprotein E ε4 noncarrying patients with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. • Three likely pathogenic and 1 variant of uncertain significance in PSEN1 were identified. • Two likely pathogenic variant in PINK1 and TYROBP were identified, respectively. • A third of patients carried at least one variant of uncertain significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The electrochemical properties of 2,5-dimercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazole (DMcT)–polyaniline (PAn) composite films containing Ag nanoparticles (Ag-NPs; Ø 17nm) were investigated. Adding the nanoparticles to DMcT–PAn composites, charge–discharge performance of the composite was enhanced due to electrocatalytic activation of DMcT by the nanoparticles. Optimum content of the Ag-NPs was 5wt.%. The observed current enhancement was ascribed to the improve efficiency of DMcT utilization in the composites due to electrocatalytic activation of the DMcT redox reactions in the presence of Ag-NPs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The burgeoning field of bioinformatics has seen a surge in computational tools tailored for omics data analysis driven by the heterogeneous and high-dimensional nature of omics data. In biomedical and plant science research multi-omics data has become pivotal for predictive analytics in the era of big data necessitating sophisticated computational methodologies. This review explores a diverse array of computational approaches which play crucial role in processing, normalizing, integrating, and analyzing omics data. Notable methods such similarity-based methods, network-based approaches, correlation-based methods, Bayesian methods, fusion-based methods and multivariate techniques among others are discussed in detail, each offering unique functionalities to address the complexities of multi-omics data. Furthermore, this review underscores the significance of computational tools in advancing our understanding of data and their transformative impact on research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objective: We compared the biogenetic temperaments and characters of primary insomnia patients, major depressive disorder (MDD) patients with insomnia, MDD patients without insomnia, and normal controls. Methods: A total of 417 participants were recruited from a community and a psychiatric clinic in South Korea. Subjects were divided into 4 groups based on the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV axis I disorder (SCID-IV) and sleep questionnaire: 1) normal controls (n=314), 2) primary insomnia (n=33), 3) MDD without insomnia (n=30), and 4) MDD with insomnia (n=40). All participants were requested to complete the Temperament and Character Inventory. Results: There were significant between-group differences in harm avoidance (HA)(F=32.96, p<0.001), reward dependence (RD)(F=5.21, p<0.01), self-directedness (SD)(F=24.72, p<0.001) and cooperativeness (CO)(F=15.75, p<0.001), after controlling for age and gender. Subjects with primary insomnia showed higher HA and lower SD than normal control, but lower HA and higher SD than MDD patients with insomnia. CO was lower in MDD patients, but not in subjects with primary insomnia. Lower RD was found only in MDD patients with insomnia. Conclusion: The current study suggests that high HA and low SD were related to primary insomnia, although these patterns were more prominent in patients with MDD. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Single-accelerator microvia filling was achieved by pulse-reverse electrodeposition. • The addition of Cl− was critical for single-accelerator microvia filling. • Dissolution step and fluidic motion determined the acceleration effect of SPS. • The detachment of CuCl-SPS deactivated outside the microvia for Cu deposition. • The other accelerators (MPSA, DPS) were ineffective for single-accelerator filling. Cu electrodeposition processes are widely employed to achieve defect-free interconnections in electronic devices. Typically, combinations of three additives—an accelerator, a suppressor, and a leveler—are used for bottom-up filling of Cu in microscaled features. However, the use of multiple additives adds complexity to electrolyte maintenance and can lead to reliability issues in the process. To address this challenge, we have developed a single-accelerator filling technique using pulse-reverse electrodeposition for microvias. During pulse-reverse electrodeposition, the anodic steps produce a large amount of Cu+ ions near the electrode surface. These Cu+ ions can form complexes with Cl− ions or CuCl layers, thereby enhancing the adsorption of the accelerator, SPS. This phenomenon depends on the electrolyte convection. Under strong forced convection, Cu-Cl species are removed, leading to subsequent deactivation of SPS, whereas Cu-Cl species remain stable under mild convection conditions. Based on this convection-dependent behavior of SPS and Cl, Cu electrodeposition is promoted at the bottom of microvias while the SPS is selectively deactivated outside the microvias where the strong electrolyte motion exists. As a result, without any polymeric suppressor and organic leveler, the microvias are successfully filled with Cu. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long non coding RNAs (lncRNA) have been previously found to be involved in important cellular activities like epigenetics, implantation, cell growth etc. in pigs. However, comprehensive analysis of lncRNA in back fat tissues at different developmental stages in pigs is still lacking. In this study we conducted transcriptome analysis in the back fat tissue of a F1 crossbred Korean Native Pig (KNP) × Yorkshire Pig to identify lncRNA. We investigated their role in 16 pigs at two different growth stages; stage 1 (10 weeks, n = 8) and stage 2 (26 weeks, n = 8). After quality assessment of sequencing reads, we got a total of 1,641,165 assembled transcripts out of eight paired end read from each stage. Among them, 6808 lncRNA transcripts were identified by filtering on the basis of multiple parameters like read length ≥ 200 nucleotides, exon numbers ≥2, FPKM ≥0.5, coding potential score < 0 etc. PFAM and RFAM were used to filter out all possible protein coding genes and housekeeping RNAs respectively. A total of 103 lncRNAs and 1057 mRNAs were found to be differentially expressed (DE) between the two stages (|log2FC| > 2, q < 0.05). We also identified 306 genes located around 100 kb upstream and 234 genes downstream around these DE lncRNA transcripts. The expression of top eleven DE lncRNAs (COL4A6, LY7S, MYH2, OXCT1, SMPDL3A, TMEM182, TTC36, RFOOOO4, RFOOO15, RFOOO45, CADM2) had been validating by qRT-PCR. Pathway and GO terms analysis showed that, positive regulation of biosynthetic process, Wnt signaling pathway, cellular protein modification process, and positive regulation of nitrogen compound were differentially enriched. Our results suggested that, KEGG pathways such as protein digestion and absorption, Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) to be significantly enriched in both DE lncRNAs as well as DE mRNAs and involved in back fat tissues development. It also suggests that, identified lncRNAs are involved in regulation of important adipose tissues development pathways. • Analysis of lncRNAs in back fat tissues at different developmental stages in the pigs • A total of 103 lncRNAs and 1057 mRNAs were found to be differentially expressed. • KEGG pathway and GO analysis for functional annotation of lncRNAs • Top DE transcripts were validated by qRTPCR. • Relation between back fat metabolism and lncRNAs were established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ATXN2 intermediate-length trinucleotide repeat expansions have been reported as a risk factor for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in various ethnicities. We tried to confirm this finding in Korean patients with ALS by screening ATXN2 cytosine-adenine-guanine nucleotide sequences (CAG) repeat lengths in 464 unrelated ALS patients and 703 controls. The most common and the highest CAG repeat lengths in the controls were 22 and 28, respectively, whereas those in ALS patients were 22 and 33, respectively. The frequency of CAG repeat lengths of 30 or more was significantly different between the 2 groups after Bonferroni correction (1.5% in ALS vs. 0% in controls, corrected p = 0.0075). There were no significant differences in gender, age at onset, site of onset, functional rating scale–revised score at initial visit, calculated progression rate, or survival between patients with CAG repeat lengths of 30–33 and patients with CAG repeat lengths <30. These findings support the notion that intermediate-length ATXN2 repeat expansions might be a risk factor in Korean patients with ALS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]