Andong National University

Considering that bat ecology alterations may be linked with pathogen spillover, research on bat coronaviruses, particularly on the infection and transmission pattern among bats in relation with their ecology, is essential. We captured bats distributed in Korea from 2021 to 2022, examined coronaviruses in oral swabs, feces, urine, and ectoparasites, and were able to detect alphacoronavirus. We investigated coronaviruses, but noted no substantial differences in the body condition index in the coronavirus-positive bats. Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that bat ecological factors that were significantly associated with coronavirus-positive were roost type, sample type, and bat species. Coronavirus-positive ectoparasite cases suggested additional study on the potential role of them as the viral transmission vectors or fomites. Reinfection of a different coronavirus in recaptured bats was evident, suggesting the possibility that coronavirus circulation can evade the potential protective immunity acquired from previous coronavirus infections. The present findings provide comprehensive information on the coronaviruses transmission dynamics within bat populations linked with bat ecology.

To validate algorithms for classifying disease activity in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) using Korean claims data.

We used data from a prospective cohort of SLE patients enrolled at a single academic center between October 2014 and August 2020. Disease activity was assessed at each visit using the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index 2000 (SLEDAI-2K), with the annual average score serving as the gold standard. Three claims-based algorithms incorporating diagnostic codes for comorbidities and medication use were evaluated (1) a previously established model including SLE-related comorbidities, immunosuppressants, and oral glucocorticoids, (2) a modified version incorporating intravenous glucocorticoids, and (3) a version with adjusted glucocorticoid dosage criteria (5 mg) to better identify mild to moderate disease. The performance of each algorithm in classifying mild disease activity-defined as SLEDAI-2K <3-was assessed by calculating sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value, and the area under the curve.

A total of 151 patients were included. The mean age was 34.5±8.7 years, and 94.7% were female. The mean initial SLEDAI-2K score was 3.6±2.6. The PPV for identifying mild disease activity ranged from 75.9% to 77.2%, with Algorithm 3 demonstrating the highest PPV. However, incorporating intravenous glucocorticoids or adjusting dosage thresholds did not result in further improvement.

A claims-based algorithm using diagnostic and medication codes demonstrated a PPV of 77.2% for classifying mild disease activity in SLE. This approach may offer a practical method for disease activity assessment in Korean claims-based research.

The global proliferation of invasive plant species accelerates biodiversity loss, degrading ecosystems, and incurring economic costs exceeding hundreds of billions of dollars annually. Here, we conducted a three-year field trial to evaluate the effectiveness of high-pressure water spraying a unique, selective mechanical control method compared with conventional practices like mowing, selective uprooting, and cutting. The high-pressure water control method significantly reduced the plant cover (95 %) and soil seedbank (78 %) of target invasive species i.e., Sicyos angulatus, outperforming mowing (41 % and 21 %), cutting (23 % and 7.5 %) and uprooting (24 % and 37 %) treatments. The highest (74.5 %) suppression of the secondary invader, i.e., Humulus scandens was also found in the high-pressure water control method. Early sowing of native seed mixtures with high functional diversity did not show significant effects on invasion suppression and diversity recovery, however values little higher in early sowing plots. Biodiversity levels in water spray-treated plots were comparable to those in reference ecosystems. Our findings indicate that high-pressure water spraying is a scalable control method with minimal impact on native vegetation, reducing disturbance-induced invasion and offering a practical solution for invasion management and biodiversity restoration.