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Vitamin D testing increased significantly during the Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemics due to its role in regulating the immune system. Therefore, vitamin D deficiency is associated with susceptibility to various diseases that may affect the quality of life regarding physical health, psychological well-being, social and environmental aspects. The study aimed to determine whether there is an association between vitamin D intake and quality of life in the 17 to 35-year-old age group. A cross-sectional study was conducted from April to November 2021. The sample consisted of students from the School of Medicine and Health Sciences Atma Jaya Catholic University of Indonesia, and their relatives in the same age group, who were selected using a consecutive sampling. Vitamin D intake was measured using Vitamin D Estimation Only - Food Frequency Questionnaire (VIDEO-FFQ). At the same time, the quality of life was assessed using the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL)-BREF questionnaire. Data analysis was performed using the Chi-square test. Of the 127 respondents, the results showed that most of respondents had inadequate vitamin D intake and good quality of life (68.50%;59.10%). The highest mean of the four quality of life domains belongs to the environmental domain (3.94) with a standard deviation (SD) of ± 0.83. Data analysis showed no significant correlation between vitamin D intake and quality of life (p>0.05). The conclusion shows that there was no correlation between vitamin D intake and quality of life in the 17–35-year age group.

Current Hydrogen Fueling Protocols (HFPs), such as SAE J2601, have been developed for non-communication and communication. They have problems due to the lack of versatility in their scope of application and the efficiency of their application method. The purpose of this study is to develop a new HFP for communication using a Real Time Responding method with outstanding efficiency and versatility. The new HFP was developed using simple model, that played the role of the engine of HFP, and a rigorous model that played the role as the testbed. This new HFP is founded to be more versatile and efficient compared to the existing HFP and to have excellent convenience, stability, safety, and economic feasibility. It is concluded that the new HFP can perform the function for communication only, while the existing HFP is used for both communication and non-communication.

In November 2021, 14 international travel-related severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) B.1.1.529 (omicron) variant of concern (VOC) patients were detected in South Korea. Epidemiologic investigation revealed community transmission of the omicron VOC. A total of 80 SARS-CoV-2 omicron VOC-positive patients were identified until December 10, 2021 and 66 of them reported no relation to the international travel. There may be more transmissions with this VOC in Korea than reported., Graphical Abstract

Background Following the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in Wuhan, China, a total of 637 patients had been diagnosed with the disease in Seoul as of May 2, 2020. Our study aimed to describe the impact of the 3T strategies (preemptive testing, prompt tracing and proper treatment) on the epidemiological characteristics of COVID-19 in Seoul. Methods The descriptive and explanatory analysis was carried out on critical indicators such as epidemiological characteristics and key duration of patient status change from January 24 to May 2 in Seoul before and after preemptive testing for patients under investigation associated with COVID-19 clusters. Results Preemptive testing increased the positive test rate (3.9% to 4.2%), an asymptomatic case at diagnosis (16.9% to 30.6%), and reduced the time from symptom onset to quarantine (4.0 to 3.0 days). Prompt tracing decreased unknown sources of infection (6.9% to 2.8%), the mean number of contacts (32.2 to 23.6), and the time-varying reproduction number R(t) (1.3 to 0.6). With proper treatment, only 2 cases of mortality occurred, resulting in a fatality rate of just 0.3%. Conclusion In the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic lasting 100 days, the effect of the 3T strategies flattened the curve and decreased the time during which infected individuals were contagious, thereby lowering the R(t) below 1 in Seoul., Graphical Abstract

This study examined factors associated with the intention to take an HIV test among men who have sex with men (MSM) in South Korea. An internet website-based survey was conducted among users of the only and largest online MSM website between 20 July 2016, and 20 August 2016. A total of 2915 participants completed the survey and answered questions related to sociodemographic information, health behaviors, sexual behaviors, and HIV testing history. Of these, 2587 (88.7%) participants responded as having an intention to take an HIV test. A multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed the following as having reduced the intention to undergo HIV testing: very good subjective health status and no sexual interactions during the last 6 months (Adjusted odds ratios [AOR] 0.45 and 0.54, respectively). In contrast, increased intention to take an HIV test was associated with being 20-29 years old, 30-39 years old, not paying or receiving money for sex, having a history of HIV testing, and taking an HIV test once per 12 months (AOR 2.64, 2.13, 1.54, 1.81, and 2.17, respectively). In conclusion, HIV testing among MSM in this study was associated with age, subjective health status, sex(es) of one's sexual partner(s) during the last 6 months, sexual risk behaviors, HIV testing history, and undergoing regular HIV testing.

Impact of intestinal microbes on obesity and health is a new topic recently started to get attention. Comparing to the global concern and research trends, there are few research on the association between intestinal bacteria and life style disease in Korean. One voluntary case (female) was reported to show the change in gut microbiota and weight by diet intervention. She was overweight (BMI 23.2 kg/m(2)) and has abnormal liver function, and the causes of overweight were frequent drinking and meat consumption at the late evening hours. For 47 days, she was administered an improved diet on breakfast and dinner with reduction of meat consumption frequency by 50%. Alcohol consumption was reduced to once a week. As a result, she lost 3 kilograms of body weight. Her fecal sample was collected before and after the intervention, and gut microbiota change was compared using a high-throughput sequencing technique. After diet correction, the shift of gut microbiota was clearly observed with decreased proportion of Firmicutes (from 75.7% to 47.3% in total microbiota) but increased proportion of Bacteroidetes upto 47.7%. After incorporating the diet intervention, it is meaningful to confirm the changes in dominant gut microbiota and weight loss.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES Increased consumption of instant noodles has recently been reported to be positively associated with obesity and cardiometabolic syndrome in South Korea, which has the highest per capita instant noodle consumption worldwide. This study aimed to investigate the association between instant noodle consumption and cardiometabolic risk factors among college students in Seoul. SUBJECTS/METHODS The study subjects consisted of 3,397 college students (1,782 male; 1,615 female) aged 18-29 years who participated in a health checkup. Information on instant noodle consumption was obtained from the participants' answers to a question about their average frequency of instant noodle intake over the 1 year period prior to the survey. RESULTS Statistical analysis using a general linear model that adjusted for age, body mass index, gender, family income, health-related behaviors, and other dietary factors important for cardiometabolic risk, showed a positive association between the frequency of instant noodle consumption and plasma triglyceride levels, diastolic blood pressure, and fasting blood glucose levels in all subjects. Compared to the group with the lowest frequency of instant noodle intake (≤ 1/month), the odds ratio for hypertriglyceridemia in the group with an intake of ≥ 3/week was 2.639 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.393–5.000] for all subjects, while it was 2.149 (95% CI, 1.045–4.419) and 5.992 (95% CI, 1.859–21.824) for male and female students, respectively. In female students, diastolic blood pressure was also higher among more frequent consumers of instant noodles. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that frequent consumption of instant noodles may be associated with increased cardiometabolic risk factors among apparently healthy college students aged 18–29 years.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Increased consumption of instant noodles has recently been reported to be positively associated with obesity and cardiometabolic syndrome in South Korea, which has the highest per capita instant noodle consumption worldwide. This study aimed to investigate the association between instant noodle consumption and cardiometabolic risk factors among college students in Seoul. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The study subjects consisted of 3,397 college students (1,782 male; 1,615 female) aged 18-29 years who participated in a health checkup. Information on instant noodle consumption was obtained from the participants’ answers to a question about their average frequency of instant noodle intake over the 1 year period prior to the survey. RESULTS: Statistical analysis using a general linear model that adjusted for age, body mass index, gender, family income, health-related behaviors, and other dietary factors important for cardiometabolic risk, showed a positive association between the frequency of instant noodle consumption and plasma triglyceride levels, diastolic blood pressure, and fasting blood glucose levels in all subjects. Compared to the group with the lowest frequency of instant noodle intake (≤ 1/month), the odds ratio for hypertriglyceridemia in the group with an intake of ≥ 3/week was 2.639 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.393-5.000] for all subjects, while it was 2.149 (95% CI, 1.045-4.419) and 5.992 (95% CI, 1.859-21.824) for male and female students, respectively. In female students, diastolic blood pressure was also higher among more frequent consumers of instant noodles. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that frequent consumption of instant noodles may be associated with increased cardiometabolic risk factors among apparently healthy college students aged 18-29 years.

Employing the glutathione S-transferase column retention method and far Western analysis, we found a physical association between tumor suppressor p53 and the hepatitis B virus X-gene product, which led us to study the function of observed interaction in relation to viral propagation. In the cell culture-based in vitro replication system, expression of p53 resulted in dramatic inhibition of viral replication, and this inhibition was relieved by the coexpression of the X-gene product in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, the activity of pregenomic/core promoter, responsible for the synthesis of pregenomic RNA, was almost completely inhibited upon expression of p53, and as in the replication assay, the inhibition was rescued by the coexpression of the X-gene product in a dose-dependent manner. Based on these results, we propose that the ratio of X-gene product to p53 is an important factor determining the fate of viral replication through modulation of the pregenomic/core promoter.