Daegu Health College

Polyphenolic flame‐retardant (FR) systems have attracted growing attention as promising candidates that can simultaneously address environmental sustainability and fire safety requirements. This review comprehensively analyzes their operating mechanisms and application performance through a comparative assessment of the literature. Representative polyphenolic materials—including lignin, polydopamine, tannic acid, flavonoids, and related phenolics—are examined with respect to char formation, radical scavenging, metal‐ion coordination, surface protection mechanisms, and synergistic effects with inorganic or organic coadditives. Their FR efficacy, durability, and stability are compared across diverse substrates, including polymers, wood, fibers, and coatings, with emphasis on biodegradability, renewability, and environmental safety. Furthermore, life cycle assessment (LCA) and safe‐and‐sustainable‐by‐design (SSbD) frameworks are applied to evaluate their alignment with circular economy principles. Collectively, this review clarifies the opportunities and limitations of polyphenolic FR systems and highlights their potential as sustainable candidates for next‐generation fire mitigation technologies.

Traumatic pseudoaneurysm of the middle meningeal artery (MMA) is a rare but potentially life-threatening condition, typically resulting from a laceration of the arterial wall due to adjacent skull fractures. We report an unusual case of a traumatic MMA pseudoaneurysm presenting with a large intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and significant subfalcine herniation that was successfully treated with preoperative glue embolization followed by decompressive craniectomy. This case emphasizes the importance of early vascular evaluation in traumatic ICH and highlights the value of endovascular embolization for achieving hemostatic control prior to surgery.

Objectives: This study aimed to comprehensively analyze the association between generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and oral health behaviors among Korean adolescents, utilizing data from the 20th Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey (2024). Methods: Data from approximately 54,000 middle and high school students were analyzed. GAD was assessed using the GAD-7 scale (score ≥10 for high-risk), and oral health behavior by daily toothbrushing frequency. Complex sample cross-tabulation and multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted. Results: The prevalence of the GAD high-risk group was 56.39%, a significant increase from previous surveys. Key factors significantly associated with GAD high-risk included perceived stress, female gender, economic status, subjective health, sleep recovery, unhealthy dietary habits (high-caffeine, sugary drinks, fast food), and physical activity. Factors influencing toothbrushing frequency included gender (females higher), grade level, academic performance, and economic status. Healthier lifestyle habits (e.g., regular breakfast, fruit intake, less unhealthy food, more physical activity) were also linked to better toothbrushing. Importantly, lower toothbrushing frequency was significantly associated with a higher proportion in the GAD high-risk group (e.g., 60.36% for ≤1 time/day). Conclusions: Overall health promotion efforts can positively impact oral health management. This highlights the necessity for developing integrated policies and educational programs that address both the mental and oral health of adolescents.

Enterocytozoon bieneusi is an opportunistic microsporidian parasite with zoonotic potential that causes gastrointestinal illness in humans and animals. This study aimed to investigate the presence and genetic diversity of E. bieneusi from cats in Korea and to assess the potential public health risks associated with zoonotic genotypes. Among the 137 feline fecal samples, 4 (2.9%) were PCR-positive for E. bieneusi. In addition, 2 E. bieneusi genotypes were identified: Type IV, a known zoonotic genotype belonging to Group 1, and KCAT1, a novel genotype with zoonotic potential belonging to Group 1. This study is the first to report on these genotypes from cats in Korea, most of which were companion cats visiting veterinary clinics. Despite the low detection rate, the presence of zoonotic genotypes in companion cats is a potential public health concern because of the close physical interaction between cats and their human caregivers. These findings indicate the importance of routine monitoring and the molecular characterization of E. bieneusi in companion animals to comprehensively understand their zoonotic transmission patterns and to guide future risk assessments and preventive strategies.

We previously developed a W-chromosome-specific primer (P0) for universal avian sexing, in conjunction with the P2 and P8 primers.In our prior study, 18 bird species across 12 orders were tested to assess the applicability of this approach.However, the reliability of the test needs further confirmation with a larger sample size due to potential sequence polymorphism in the PCR primer binding site.To validate the reliability of P0, we examined the conservation of nucleotide sequences in the Chromodomain-Helicase DNA-binding 1 (CHD1) gene on the W and Z chromosomes, focusing on the P0 binding site in Domestic Chickens (Gallus domesticus), Saunders's Gulls (Larus saundersi), and White Storks (Ciconia boyciana).We found no variation in the P0 binding site of 90 Domestic Chickens, 37 Saunders's Gulls, and 39 White Storks.In addition, there was no interspecies polymorphism among the three species except one nucleotide, indicating conservation of the sequence on both chromosomes targeted by P0.

Chemical recycling of polyester through depolymerisation processes is a promising strategy to mitigate the environmental burden of polyester-containing textile waste. However, residual disperse dyes in depolymerised products often degrade the purity and whiteness of recovered monomers. Conventional dye removal methods, such as solvent extraction, frequently fail to achieve complete dye removal. Herein, we report the development of iron oxide magnetic nanoadsorbents capped with three hydrophobic ligands for the efficient removal of disperse dyes from monomer solutions. Strong hydrophobic interactions between the ligands and dye molecules significantly enhance adsorption efficiency. Systematic evaluation with different dyes reveals that molecular features such as contour length, polarisability, and flexibility strongly influence adsorption performance. The dye-adsorbed nanoadsorbents are readily recovered through magnetic separation and reused without structural degradation. By applying the nanoadsorbents to the decolourisation of depolymerised coloured textiles, we obtained highly pure white monomers suitable for repolymerisation into textile-grade materials. These findings highlight a sustainable and reusable nanomaterial platform for dye removal during the recycling of polyester textiles.

Excess deaths, an indicator that compares total mortality rates before and during a pandemic, offer a comprehensive view of the pandemic's impact. However, discrepancies may arise from variations in estimating expected deaths. This study aims to compare excess deaths in Korea during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic using 3 methods and to analyze patterns using the most appropriate method. Expected deaths from 2020 to 2022 were estimated using mortality data from 2015-2019 as reference years. This estimation employed 3 approaches: (1) simple average, (2) age-adjusted average, and (3) age-adjusted linear regression. Excess deaths by age, gender, and cause of death were also presented. The number of excess deaths varied depending on the estimation method used, reaching its highest point with the simple average and its lowest with the age-adjusted average. Age-adjusted linear regression, which accounts for both the aging population and declining mortality rates, was considered most appropriate. Using this model, excess deaths were estimated at 0.3% for 2020, 4.0% for 2021, and 20.7% for 2022. Excess deaths surged among individuals in their 20s throughout the pandemic, largely attributed to a rise in self-harm and suicide. Additionally, the results indicated sharp increases in deaths associated with "endocrine, nutritional, and metabolic diseases" and "symptoms, signs, and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified." Substantial variations in excess deaths were evident based on estimation method, with a notable increase in 2022. The heightened excess deaths among young adults and specific causes underscore key considerations for future pandemic responses.

Simple SummaryThis study aimed to investigate the prognostic potential of programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) gene expressions in peripheral blood mononuclear cells for hepatocellular carcinoma. Higher PD-1 gene expression levels were observed in patients with multifocal tumors and those with lymphatic invasion or distant metastasis, while conventional serum biomarkers used for liver function testing did not exhibit similar correlations. PD-1 and CTLA-4 gene expressions demonstrated a strong association with overall survival and progression-free survival in HCC patients, whereas no significant correlation was found among the serum biomarkers used in this study. The findings of this study provide valuable insights into the potential use of PD-1 and CTLA-4 gene expressions as prognostic biomarkers in HCC.Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly aggressive form of liver cancer with poor prognosis. The lack of reliable biomarkers for early detection and accurate diagnosis and prognosis poses a significant challenge to its effective clinical management. In this study, we investigated the diagnostic and prognostic potential of programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in HCC. PD-1 and CTLA-4 gene expression was analyzed comparatively using PBMCs collected from HCC patients and healthy individuals. The results revealed higher PD-1 gene expression levels in patients with multifocal tumors, lymphatic invasion, or distant metastasis than those in their control counterparts. However, conventional serum biomarkers of liver function do not exhibit similar correlations. In conclusion, PD-1 gene expression is associated with OS and PFS and CTLA-4 gene expression is associated with OS, whereas the serum biomarkers analyzed in this study show no significant correlation with survival in HCC. Hence, PD-1 and CTLA-4 expressed in PBMCs are considered potential prognostic biomarkers for patients with HCC that can facilitate prediction of malignancy, response to currently available HCC treatments, and overall survival.

The purposes of this study are to establish and validate a finite element (FE) model using finite element analysis methods and to identify optimal loading conditions to simulate masticatory movement. A three-dimensional FE model of the maxillary and mandibular cortical bone, cancellous bone, and gingiva was constructed based on edentulous cone-beam-computed tomography data. Dental computer-aided design software was used to design the denture base and artificial teeth to produce a complete denture. Mesh convergence was performed to derive the optimal mesh size, and validation was conducted through comparison with mechanical test results. The mandible was rotated step-by-step to induce movements similar to actual mastication. Results showed that there was less than a 6% difference between the mechanical test and the alveolar bone-complete denture. It opened 10° as set in the first stage, confirming that the mouth closed 7° in the second stage. Occlusal contact occurred between the upper and lower artificial teeth as the mouth closed the remaining angle of 3° in the third stage while activating the masseter muscle. These results indicate that the FE model and masticatory loading conditions developed in this study can be applied to analyze biomechanical effects according to the wearing of dentures with various design elements applied.