Chosun University

Persistent symptoms after SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC, long COVID) remain a major public-health concern. We developed a data-driven definition and static and dynamic PASC scoring systems in a multicenter, prospective-retrospective observational cohort across 12 South Korean institutions. Adults enrolled December 2022-March 2025 were followed up to 24 months; 8761 were recruited (7208 infected; 1553 controls) and 4668 met analysis criteria (4388 infected; 280 controls). Using participant-reported symptoms, surveys, and laboratory data, we identified nine symptoms robustly associated with PASC, with anosmia/ageusia and fatigue most influential. A static score integrating indicators observed within 24 months yielded an optimal threshold of 13, classifying 19% of infected participants and 4% of controls as PASC positive. A dynamic score tracking six-month intervals showed symptom burdens peaking at 0-5 months post-infection and declining thereafter; at the same threshold, 33% of infected participants were classified as PASC positive, reflecting temporal fluctuation. These data establish a quantitative definition of PASC and introduce a dynamic scoring framework to identify and monitor PASC, supporting future clinical research and practice.

In this study, we investigated the effect of heat treatment-induced grain size on the hydrogen embrittlement (HE) resistance of 30MnB5 steel, focusing particularly on the variation in prior austenite grain (PAG) size. As the heat treatment time increased, the PAGs coarsened, leading the martensite packets, blocks, and lath sizes to also coarsen. As the microstructure became more refined, the boundary density of the packet-block-lath structure increased along with a significant increase in the low-angle grain boundary (LAGB) fraction. The microstructure refinement accelerated the initial permeation rate of hydrogen, while the high density of LAGBs and trap sites effectively suppressed its long-term diffusion/localization. The slow strain rate tensile test confirmed that the tensile strength and elongation of 30MnB5 steel in a hydrogen environment were lower than those in air, indicating HE. Furthermore, the results showed that the HE sensitivity decreased in the fine microstructure condition, as evidenced by the smaller reduction in elongation compared to the coarse microstructure. The study results will enhance the understanding of hydrogen-induced degradation in hot-stamped automotive steels and offer fundamental insights for optimizing heat treatment strategies applied to 30MnB5 steel for mitigating HE.

Abstract The D1 line of 85Rb exhibits non-cycling transitions; therefore, only weak modulation transfer spectroscopy (MTS) signals could be obtained \cite{Khan2024}. In this study, however, strong MTS spectra were obtained for the D1 line via optical pumping (OP) of the D2 line of 85Rb. Four linear parallel (lin $\parallel$ lin) and linear perpendicular (lin$\perp$lin), $\sigma^+ - \sigma^+$, and $\sigma^+ - \sigma^-$ polarization configurations were investigated using an OP laser with four different polarizations such as linear horizontal (P), linear vertical (S), $\sigma^+$, and $\sigma^-$ polarizations. Under the linear perpendicular configuration, the MTS signal for the $F_g=3 \rightarrow F_e=2$ transition of the $D_1$ line exhibited approximately a 41-fold increase in the signal slope in the presence of a linearly-polarized OP beam, compared with the signal slope obtained without OP. The calculated MTS spectra for the $\sigma^+ \sigma^-$ configuration in the presence of $\sigma^+$- or $\sigma^-$-polarized OP beam as an example matched well with experimental observations.

Background/Objectives: Both erector spinae plane block (ESPB) and thoracic paravertebral block (TPVB) are widely used for thoracic surgery analgesia, but comparative evidence remains inconsistent. This meta-analysis compared their analgesic efficacy and safety with time-stratified analyses and trial sequential analysis (TSA). Methods: We searched MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and CENTRAL (inception to January 2026) for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies comparing ESPB with TPVB in adults undergoing thoracic surgery. Primary outcomes were pain scores at rest and during coughing at 0-6 h, 24 h, and 48 h postoperatively. Secondary outcomes included opioid consumption and adverse events. Random-effects meta-analyses were performed. Evidence certainty was assessed using GRADE. Results: Twenty-five studies (22 RCTs, 3 observational studies; 1847 patients) were included. TPVB provided superior early analgesia (0-6 h) at rest (SMD 0.25, 95% CI 0.03-0.47) and during coughing (SMD 0.28, 95% CI 0.02-0.54); TSA confirmed firm evidence for early pain at rest. Pain scores at 24 h and 48 h were comparable between techniques. TPVB reduced 24 h opioid consumption (SMD 0.42, 95% CI 0.11-0.73), but evidence certainty was low due to heterogeneity and insufficient information size by TSA. No differences were observed in postoperative nausea and vomiting or hypotension. Conclusions: ESPB and TPVB provide comparable analgesia beyond the early postoperative period. TPVB demonstrates superior early analgesia (0-6 h) with firm evidence, but opioid-sparing effects remain uncertain. Both techniques are safe. ESPB represents a practical alternative to TPVB, particularly where technical simplicity is prioritized.

Adrenal incidentaloma is defined as an adrenal mass measuring 1 cm that is incidentally detected on imaging studies performed for reasons unrelated to adrenal disease.Even in cases of non-functioning adrenal masses, surgical resection should be considered when the lesion measures >4 cm.However, when an adrenal mass is very large, particularly >10 cm, it may be difficult to determine whether the mass originates from the adrenal gland or the adjacent organs.In particular, a right-sided adrenal mass may rarely be misdiagnosed as exophytic hepatocellular carcinoma.Herein, we report a case of exophytic hepatocellular carcinoma in a 73-year-old male who was initially misdiagnosed as having a very large right adrenal incidentaloma measuring 12 cm, which led to adrenalectomy complicated by intra-hepatic bile duct injury.

Aging represents a fundamental evolutionary feature shared across all living organisms, intrinsically coupled with development and lifespan. It is orchestrated by a complex polygenic architecture involving numerous small-effect variants distributed across diverse biological pathways, giving rise to striking interindividual variation in aging trajectories and lifespan. Over the past decade and a half, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have uncovered multiple loci associated with lifespan, healthspan, exceptional longevity, and aging, converging on key biological processes such as lipid metabolism, inflammation, insulin/IGF signaling, and DNA repair. These discoveries have illuminated conserved molecular networks underlying the regulation of aging and longevity. Nevertheless, the identified variants collectively account for only a modest fraction of heritability, underscoring that aging and longevity arise from the cumulative and coordinated actions of myriad common alleles within complex biological networks. In this minireview, we synthesize major genetic insights from GWAS of aging and longevity, delineate recurrent pathways and molecular themes, and discuss how these findings refine our understanding of the genomic foundations of lifespan variation. We further highlight outstanding challenges, including phenotypic heterogeneity, ancestry-specific effects, and the limited predictive power of current models, and propose conceptual directions for future research aimed at establishing a more comprehensive and mechanistic framework for the genetic architecture of human aging and healthy longevity.