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ARS-interacting multifunctional proteins 2 (AIMP2) is known to be a powerful tumour suppressor. However, the target AIMP2-DX2, AIMP2-lacking exon 2, is often detected in many cancer patients and cells. The predominant approach for targeting AIMP-DX2 has been attempted via small molecule mediated inhibition, but due to the lack of satisfactory activity against AIMP2-DX2, new therapeutic strategies are needed to develop a novel drug for AIMP2-DX2. Here, we report the use of the PROTAC strategy that combines small-molecule AIMP2-DX2 inhibitors with selective E3-ligase ligands with optimised linkers. Consequently, candidate compound 45 was found to be a degrader of AIMP2-DX2. Together, these findings demonstrate that our PROTAC technology targeting AIMP2-DX2 would be a potential new strategy for future lung cancer treatment.

Intergenerational volunteerism is a global phenomenon that aids multiple generations. Considering the positive evidence of volunteering among older adults and their desire for engagement with children, it is important to explore older adult volunteers' experiences in intergenerational programs with a specific focus on the cultural and social impacts of volunteering in educational settings. Using a phenomenological qualitative approach, 43 interviews with older adult volunteers (23 in South Korea (Korea) and 20 in the United States (US) in intergenerational programs were conducted. Participants were recruited from the Beautiful Story Grandma (BSG) in Korea and the Foster Grandparent Program (FGP) in the US in 2019. Three major themes emerged from the interviews revolving around the role of culture and other demographics in the experience of volunteering: (1) Benefits from volunteering with children that transcend demographic and geographic differences; (2) distinctive cultural factors lead to different experiences of volunteering in educational settings; and (3) operational and procedural differences of volunteer programs impact older adult volunteers' experiences in educational settings. This comparative research can inform the development of culturally responsive intergenerational volunteering programs for older adults and other generations in their communities.

Women's representation in managerial positions is a common metric for gender equity in organizations. Whether women managers improve gender equity among their subordinates is, however, less clear. Drawing on rich longitudinal personnel data from a large Korean food company, we provide new insight into this question by focusing attention on key micro-contexts for interaction and relational politics within organizations: workgroups. Building on social-psychological theories about in-group preference and value threats, we theorize that workgroup gender composition conditions the relationship between supervisor gender and gender earnings differentials. Results from regression models with workgroup fixed effects confirm this insight. Women supervisors are associated with smaller gender earnings gaps in workgroups when they are male-dominated. This relationship is stronger for less-advantaged workers, with supervisor gender and workgroup gender composition mattering more for "sticky floors" than "glass ceilings." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Krabbe disease (KD) is an autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorder caused by deficiency of the galactocerebrosidase (GALC) due to variants in the GALC gene. Here, we provide the first and the largest comprehensive analysis of clinical and genetic characteristics, and genotype–phenotype correlations of KD in Korean in comparison with other ethnic groups. From June 2010 to June 2023, 10 patients were diagnosed with KD through sequencing of GALC. Clinical features, and results of GALC sequencing, biochemical test, neuroimaging, and neurophysiologic test were obtained from medical records. An additional nine previously reported Korean KD patients were included for review. In Korean KD patients, the median age of onset was 2 years (3 months–34 years) and the most common phenotype was adult‐onset (33%, 6/18) KD, followed by infantile KD (28%, 5/18). The most frequent variants were c.683_694delinsCTC (23%) and c.1901T>C (23%), while the 30‐kb deletion was absent. Having two heterozygous pathogenic missense variants was associated with later‐onset phenotype. Clinical features were similar to those of other ethnic groups. In Korean KD patients, the most common phenotype was the adult‐onset type and the GALC variant spectrum was different from that of the Caucasian population. This study would further our understanding of KD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Producing defect‐free products is one of the essential tasks of a manufacturing company. In this paper, the causes of dead pixels are analyzed and the coordinates of dead pixels are predicted using machine learning to solve problems of dead pixels. Unlike the existing method of analyzing defects using images, tabular data where each element contains significance were used, and detailed description of suggested models are depicted. Experiments ensured the consistency of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The rapid expansion of robotic surgical equipment necessitates a review of the needs and challenges faced by hospitals introducing robots for the first time to compete with experienced institutions. The aim of this study was to analyze the impact of robotic surgery on our hospital compared to open and laparoscopic surgery, examine internal transformations, and assess regional, domestic, and international implications. Methods: A retrospective review was conducted of electronic medical records (EMRs) from 2019 to 2022 at Inha University Hospital, including patients who underwent common robotic procedures and equivalent open and laparoscopic operations. The study investigated clinical and operational performance changes in the hospital after the introduction of robotic technology. It also evaluated the operational effectiveness of robot implementation in local, national, and international contexts. To facilitate comparison with other hospitals, the data were transmitted to Intuitive Surgical, Inc. for analysis. The study was conducted in compliance with domestic personal information regulations and received approval from our Institutional Review Board. Results: We analyzed EMR data from 3,147 patients who underwent surgical treatment. Over a period of 3.5 years, the adoption of robotic technology in a hospital setting significantly enhanced the technical skills of all professors involved. The introduction of robotic systems led to increased patient utilization of conventional surgical techniques, as well as a rise in the number of patients choosing robotic surgery. This collective trend contributed to an overall increase in patient numbers. This favorable evaluation of the operational effectiveness of our hospital's robot implementation in the context of local, national, and global factors is expected to positively influence policy changes. Conclusions: Stakeholders should embrace data science and evidence-based techniques to generate valuable insights from objective data, assess the health of robot-assisted surgery programs, and identify opportunities for improvement and excellence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Electroencephalography (EEG) is useful for clarifying the association between cortical activity and cognitive processes in children. We investigated whether EEG abnormalities were correlated with developmental delay/intellectual disability (DD/ID) in the absence of clinical seizures. Methods: We retrospectively identified 166 children with DD/ID who underwent EEG at Pusan National University Hospital between January 2011 and December 2021. We compared clinical characteristics and test results between those with normal and those with abnormal EEGs. Additionally, we analyzed EEG abnormalities in relation to neurodevelopmental disorders, specifically autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Results: Of the 166 patients, 39 (23.5%) displayed abnormal EEGs, while 127 (76.5%) had normal EEGs. Of the former, 25 (64.1%) patients exhibited epileptiform discharges, including 22 (56.3%) with focal and three (7.7%) with generalized discharges. Focal discharges most frequently affected the central area (35.9%). Twenty patients (51.3%) exhibited rhythmic slowing patterns. Epilepsy diagnoses were significantly more common among patients with abnormal EEGs (n=8, 20.5%) than among those with normal EEGs (n=9, 7.1%) (P<0.001). Of 22 patients with ASD, five (12.8%) had abnormal EEGs. Of 13 patients with ADHD, five (36.4%) had abnormal EEGs, all with epileptiform discharges. Two patients with ASD and two with ADHD exhibited rhythmic slowing. Abnormal EEG findings were significantly more common among those with genetic abnormalities compared to genetically normal patients (26 vs. 13, P=0.017). Conclusion: EEG represents a potential screening tool for children with DD. Abnormal EEG findings are associated with increased epilepsy risk, informing diagnosis and treatment planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]