Purpose: Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening condition that requires prompt recognition and treatment. Particularly in children, anaphylaxis often occurs in the child care facilities, making the role of teachers crucial. The aim of this study is to evaluate the extent of improvement in anaphylaxis awareness among child care facilities teachers both online and offline education programs. Methods: On June 22 and October 18–19, 2022, a total of 387 teachers from child care facilities in Busan participated. Among them, 271 individuals received education and completed surveys online in June, and 116 participated offline in October. We administered 9 items of questionnaire survey on knowledge, and management skills for anaphylaxis before and after the educational sessions were provided by an allergy specialist. Results: The overall correct answer rates for awareness were improved from 57.1% before to 67.3% after education. Awareness of anaphylaxis symptoms was the lowest (10.1%) before education, it has improved after education, but it remained the lowest (22.5%).Awareness of self-injectable epinephrine was significantly improved from 79.8% to 93.8%, and awareness of the injection site increased from 55.8% to 86.8%. Based on the education methods, the awareness improvement rate was 5% (56.6%→61.5%) for online and 14% (57.5%→73.0%) for offline (P < 0.01). Conclusion The correct awareness of anaphylaxis is important, so repetitive, systematic and continuous education is necessary to improve and promote. Additionally, the results suggest that an educational method combining practice and feedback in offline services may be more effective than online methods in enhancing awareness of anaphylaxis.

Purpose: Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening condition that requires prompt recognition and treatment. Particularly in children, anaphylaxis often occurs in the child care facilities, making the role of teachers crucial. The aim of this study is to evaluate the extent of improvement in anaphylaxis awareness among child care facilities teachers both online and offline education programs. Methods: On June 22 and October 18–19, 2022, a total of 387 teachers from child care facilities in Busan participated. Among them, 271 individuals received education and completed surveys online in June, and 116 participated offline in October. We administered 9 items of questionnaire survey on knowledge, and management skills for anaphylaxis before and after the educational sessions were provided by an allergy specialist. Results: The overall correct answer rates for awareness were improved from 57.1% before to 67.3% after education. Awareness of anaphylaxis symptoms was the lowest (10.1%) before education, it has improved after education, but it remained the lowest (22.5%).Awareness of self-injectable epinephrine was significantly improved from 79.8% to 93.8%, and awareness of the injection site increased from 55.8% to 86.8%. Based on the education methods, the awareness improvement rate was 5% (56.6%→61.5%) for online and 14% (57.5%→73.0%) for offline (P < 0.01). Conclusion The correct awareness of anaphylaxis is important, so repetitive, systematic and continuous education is necessary to improve and promote. Additionally, the results suggest that an educational method combining practice and feedback in offline services may be more effective than online methods in enhancing awareness of anaphylaxis.

Purpose: Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening condition that requires prompt recognition and treatment. Particularly in children, anaphylaxis often occurs in the child care facilities, making the role of teachers crucial. The aim of this study is to evaluate the extent of improvement in anaphylaxis awareness among child care facilities teachers both online and offline education programs. Methods: On June 22 and October 18–19, 2022, a total of 387 teachers from child care facilities in Busan participated. Among them, 271 individuals received education and completed surveys online in June, and 116 participated offline in October. We administered 9 items of questionnaire survey on knowledge, and management skills for anaphylaxis before and after the educational sessions were provided by an allergy specialist. Results: The overall correct answer rates for awareness were improved from 57.1% before to 67.3% after education. Awareness of anaphylaxis symptoms was the lowest (10.1%) before education, it has improved after education, but it remained the lowest (22.5%).Awareness of self-injectable epinephrine was significantly improved from 79.8% to 93.8%, and awareness of the injection site increased from 55.8% to 86.8%. Based on the education methods, the awareness improvement rate was 5% (56.6%→61.5%) for online and 14% (57.5%→73.0%) for offline (P < 0.01). Conclusion The correct awareness of anaphylaxis is important, so repetitive, systematic and continuous education is necessary to improve and promote. Additionally, the results suggest that an educational method combining practice and feedback in offline services may be more effective than online methods in enhancing awareness of anaphylaxis.

Purpose: Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening condition that requires prompt recognition and treatment. Particularly in children, anaphylaxis often occurs in the child care facilities, making the role of teachers crucial. The aim of this study is to evaluate the extent of improvement in anaphylaxis awareness among child care facilities teachers both online and offline education programs. Methods: On June 22 and October 18–19, 2022, a total of 387 teachers from child care facilities in Busan participated. Among them, 271 individuals received education and completed surveys online in June, and 116 participated offline in October. We administered 9 items of questionnaire survey on knowledge, and management skills for anaphylaxis before and after the educational sessions were provided by an allergy specialist. Results: The overall correct answer rates for awareness were improved from 57.1% before to 67.3% after education. Awareness of anaphylaxis symptoms was the lowest (10.1%) before education, it has improved after education, but it remained the lowest (22.5%).Awareness of self-injectable epinephrine was significantly improved from 79.8% to 93.8%, and awareness of the injection site increased from 55.8% to 86.8%. Based on the education methods, the awareness improvement rate was 5% (56.6%→61.5%) for online and 14% (57.5%→73.0%) for offline (P < 0.01). Conclusion The correct awareness of anaphylaxis is important, so repetitive, systematic and continuous education is necessary to improve and promote. Additionally, the results suggest that an educational method combining practice and feedback in offline services may be more effective than online methods in enhancing awareness of anaphylaxis.

Purpose: Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening condition that requires prompt recognition and treatment. Particularly in children, anaphylaxis often occurs in the child care facilities, making the role of teachers crucial. The aim of this study is to evaluate the extent of improvement in anaphylaxis awareness among child care facilities teachers both online and offline education programs. Methods: On June 22 and October 18–19, 2022, a total of 387 teachers from child care facilities in Busan participated. Among them, 271 individuals received education and completed surveys online in June, and 116 participated offline in October. We administered 9 items of questionnaire survey on knowledge, and management skills for anaphylaxis before and after the educational sessions were provided by an allergy specialist. Results: The overall correct answer rates for awareness were improved from 57.1% before to 67.3% after education. Awareness of anaphylaxis symptoms was the lowest (10.1%) before education, it has improved after education, but it remained the lowest (22.5%).Awareness of self-injectable epinephrine was significantly improved from 79.8% to 93.8%, and awareness of the injection site increased from 55.8% to 86.8%. Based on the education methods, the awareness improvement rate was 5% (56.6%→61.5%) for online and 14% (57.5%→73.0%) for offline (P < 0.01). Conclusion The correct awareness of anaphylaxis is important, so repetitive, systematic and continuous education is necessary to improve and promote. Additionally, the results suggest that an educational method combining practice and feedback in offline services may be more effective than online methods in enhancing awareness of anaphylaxis.

Background: Automated hematology analyzers report various research parameters. Certain parameters may have clinical implications, whereas others are used to set flags in automated hematology analyzers. In this study, we established sex-specific reference intervals for one reticulocyte parameter and two platelet clump parameters in Korean adults and examined the necessity of separate reference intervals for each sex. Methods: A total of 264 healthy adults (157 men and 107 women) aged between 18 and 65 years who underwent regular health check-ups were enrolled. Complete blood cell count was measured using Advia2120i (Siemens, Germany) within 4 hours of phlebotomy. Reference intervals were established according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute EP28-A3 guideline, and the necessity of separate sex-specific reference intervals was examined according to the method outlined by Harris and Boyd. Results: The reference intervals for each parameter were as follows:reticulocyte hemoglobin (g/L), 132.8–172.0 (men), 96.7–162.8 (women); the number of platelet clumps (# platelet clumps), 10.8–61.0 (men), －22.5–64.4 (women); and %platelet clumps, 0.20–1.49 (men), －0.57–1.53 (women).Reticulocyte hemoglobin showed a significant difference between men and women, whereas # platelet clumps and %platelet clumps did not; however, all three parameters needed separate sex-specific reference intervals. Conclusions We established sex-specific reference intervals for a reticulocyte parameter and platelet clumps parameters in Korean adults for the first time.The results could provide helpful information in clinical decision-making and instrument setting.

Melanogenesis is the production of melanin from tyrosine by a series of enzyme-catalyzed reactions, in which tyrosinase and DOPA oxidase play key roles. The melanin content in the skin determines skin pigmentation. Abnormalities in skin pigmentation lead to various skin pigmentation disorders. Recent research has shown that the expression of EMP2 is much lower in melanoma than in normal melanocytes, but its role in melanogenesis has not yet been elucidated. Therefore, we investigated the role of EMP2 in the melanogenesis of MNT1 human melanoma cells. We examined TRP-1, TRP-2, and TYR expression levels during melanogenesis in MNT1 melanoma cells by gene silencing of EMP2. Western blot and RT-PCR results confirmed that the expression levels of TYR and TRP-2 were decreased when EMP2 expression was knocked down by EMP2 siRNA in MNT1 cells, and these changes were reversed when EMP2 was overexpressed. We verified the EMP2 gene was knocked out of the cell line (EMP2 CRISPR/Cas9) by using a CRISPR/Cas9 system and found that the expression levels of TRP-2 and TYR were significantly lower in the EMP2 CRISPR/Cas9 cell lines. Loss of EMP2 also reduced migration and invasion of MNT1 melanoma cells. In addition, the melanosome transfer from the melanocytes to keratinocytes in the EMP2 KO cells cocultured with keratinocytes was reduced compared to the cells in the control coculture group. In conclusion, these results suggest that EMP2 is involved in melanogenesis via the regulation of TRP-2 expression.

An endolichenic fungus Xylaria grammica EL000614 produces grammicin, a potent nematicidal pyrone derivative that can serve as a new control option for root-knot nematodes. We optimized an Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation (ATMT) protocol for X.grammica to support genetic studies. Transformants were successfully generated after co-cultivation of homogenized young mycelia of X.grammica with A. tumefaciens strain AGL-1 carrying a binary vector that contains the bacterial hygromycin B phosphotransferase (hph) gene and the eGFP gene in T-DNA. The resulting transformants were mitotically stable, and PCR analysis showed the integratin of both genes in the genome of transformants.Expression of eGFP was confirmed via fluorescence microscopy. Southern analysis showed that 131 (78.9%) out of 166 transformants contained a single T-DNA insertion. Crucial factors for producing predominantly single T-DNA transformants include 48 h of co-cultivation, pretreatment of A. tumefaciens cells with acetosyringone before co-cultivation, and using freshly prepared mycelia. The established ATMT protocol offers an efficient tool for random insertional mutagenesis and gene transfer in studying the biology and ecology ofX.grammica.

Background/Aims: Cigarette smoking is an important modifiable risk factor in kidney disease progression. However, the underlying mechanisms for this are lacking. This study aimed to assess whether nicotine (NIC), a major toxic component of cigarette smoking, would exacerbates tacrolimus (TAC)-induced renal injury. Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats were treated daily with NIC, TAC, or both drugs for 4 weeks. The influence of NIC on TAC-caused renal injury was examined via renal function, histopathology, oxidative stress, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and programmed cell death (apoptosis and autophagy). Results: Both NIC and TAC significantly impaired renal function and histopathology, while combined NIC and TAC treatment aggravated these parameters beyond the effects of either alone. Increased oxidative stress, ER stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, proinf lammatory and profibrotic cytokine expressions, and programmed cell death from either NIC or TAC were also aggravated by the two combined. Conclusions Our observations suggest that NIC exacerbates chronic TAC nephrotoxicity, implying that smoking cessation may be beneficial for transplant smokers taking TAC.

Background: Lightwand is a convenient tool that can be used instead of a laryngoscope for intubation. Tracheal intubation causes direct stimulation of the larynx, drastically increasing hemodynamic values including blood pressure and heart rate. This study aims to identify the effect of different doses of esmolol on hemodynamic changes during lightwand intubation. Methods: The study subjects included 140 patients who underwent general anesthesia for elective surgery. The patients were randomly divided into four groups (35 patients in each group). The ‘C’ group only received 20 ml of normal saline, while the ‘E0.5’, ‘E1’, and ‘E2’ groups received 20 ml of normal saline containing esmolol—0.5 mg/kg, 1 mg/kg, and 2 mg/kg, respectively, injected 2 min prior to intubation. The patients’ blood pressure, heart rate, and rate-pressure product were measured six times, before and after the intubation. Results: The degree of heart rate elevation was suppressed in the E1 and E2 groups compared to the C group, and RPP after intubation significantly decreased in the E2 group compared to the C group. Conclusions 1–2 mg/kg of a single esmolol injection prior to lightwand intubation effectively blunts heart rate elevation, and 2 mg/kg of esmolol injection blunts rate-pressure product elevation.