Comparison and analysis of the prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection by region in the Republic of Korea during 2005-2012

Background/AimsThis study compared the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in the Republic of Korea and estimated the high-risk regions and towns.MethodsNational Health Insurance Service data for 8 years from 2005 to 2012 were used. The subjects of the study had visited medical facilities and been diagnosed with or received treatment for acute or chronic HCV as a primary or secondary disease according to ICD-10 codes of B17.1 or B18.2, respectively. Any patient who received treatment for the same disease multiple times during 1 year was counted as one patient in that year. To correct for the effect of the age structure of the population by year and region, the age-adjusted prevalence was calculated using the direct method based on the registered population in 2010.ResultsThe overall prevalence of HCV infection among Korean adults (>20 years old) increased from 0.14% in 2005 to 0.18% in 2012. The sex-, age-, and region-adjusted prevalence in 2012 was 0.18%. The prevalence was highest in Busan, Jeonnam, and Gyeongnam, and there were towns with noticeably higher prevalences within these regions: Jindo (0.97%) in Jeonnam, Namhae (0.90%) in Gyeongnam, and Seo-gu (0.86%) in Busan.ConclusionsThe prevalence of HCV infection differs by regions as well as towns in the Republic of Korea, and is highest in Busan, Jeonnam, and Gyeongnam. The reasons for the high prevalence in these specific regions should be identified, since this could help prevent HCV infections in the future. In addition, active surveillance and treatment policies should be introduced to stop any further spread of infection in these high-prevalence regions

Effects of Alginate Oligosaccharide on Testosterone-Induced Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia in Orchiectomized Rats

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is an age-related disease of the urinary system that affects elderly men. Current treatments for BPH are associated with several adverse effects, thus highlighting the need for alternative agents. Alginate oligosaccharide (AOS), a water-soluble functional oligomer derived from brown algae, inhibits prostate cancer cell proliferation. However, the effects of AOS on BPH and the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Therefore, here, we aimed to investigate the therapeutic potential of AOS in BPH by using human benign prostatic epithelial cells (BPH-1) and a rat model of testosterone-induced BPH. Treatment with AOS inhibited in vitro and in vivo proliferation of prostatic epithelial cells and the testosterone-induced expression of androgen receptor (AR) and androgen-associated genes, such as those encoding 5α-reductase type 2 and prostate-specific antigen. Oral administration of AOS remarkably reduced the serum levels of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and testosterone as well as the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen, inflammatory cytokines, and enzymes, which showed increased levels in prostatic tissues of rats with testosterone-induced BPH. Taken together, these data demonstrate that AOS suppresses testosterone-induced BPH in rats by downregulating AR and the expression of androgen-associated genes, supporting the hypothesis that AOS might be of potential use for the treatment of BPH

Understanding the Bifunctional Effect for Removal of CO Poisoning: Blend of a Platinum Nanocatalyst and Hydrous Ruthenium Oxide as a Model System

CO poisoning of Pt catalysts is one of the most critical problems that deteriorate the electrocatalytic oxidation and reduction reactions taking place in fuel cells. In general, enhancing CO oxidation properties of catalysts by tailoring the electronic structure of Pt (electronic effect) or increasing the amount of supplied oxygen species (bifunctional effect), which is the typical reactant for CO oxidation, has been performed to remove CO from the Pt surface. However, though there have been a few reports about the understanding of the electronic effect for rapid CO oxidation, a separate understanding of bifunctional modification is yet to be achieved. Herein, we report experimental investigations of CO oxidation in the absence of electronic effect and an extended concept of the bifunctional effect. A model system was prepared by blending conventional Pt/C catalysts with hydrous ruthenium oxide particles, and the CO oxidation behaviors were investigated by various electrochemical measurements, including CO stripping and bulk oxidation. In addition, this system allowed the observation of CO removal by the Eley-Rideal mechanism at high CO coverages, which facilitates further CO oxidation by triggering the CO removal by the Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanism. Furthermore, effective CO management by this approach in practical applications was also verified by single-cell analysis. © 2016 American Chemical Society121231sciescopu

An Integrated Dementia Intervention for Korean Older Adults

Called dotage in Korea, dementia is primarily characterized by cognitive impairments. Secondary manifestations include mental-emotional problems, including depression. This study was designed to examine the effects of an integrated dementia intervention for Korean older adults. The intervention is composed of cognitive stimulation training, exercise, music, art, and horticultural therapy. Participants included 38 older adults with mild dementia. Twenty were assigned to the experimental group and 18 to the control group. Participants in the experimental group attended 18 program sessions. Significant differences were found postintervention between the two groups in measures of cognitive function, depression levels, and mental-emotional health. The findings indicate that this integrated dementia intervention can be applied to help older adults with mild dementia

Understanding the Bifunctional Effect for Removal of CO Poisoning: Blend of a Platinum Nanocatalyst and Hydrous Ruthenium Oxide as a Model System

CO poisoning of Pt catalysts is one of the most critical problems that deteriorate the electrocatalytic oxidation and reduction reactions taking place in fuel cells. In general, enhancing CO oxidation properties of catalysts by tailoring the electronic structure of Pt (electronic effect) or increasing the amount of supplied oxygen species (bifunctional effect), which is the typical reactant for CO oxidation, has been performed to remove CO from the Pt surface. However, though there have been a few reports about the understanding of the electronic effect for rapid CO oxidation, a separate understanding of bifunctional modification is yet to be achieved. Herein, we report experimental investigations of CO oxidation in the absence of electronic effect and an extended concept of the bifunctional effect. A model system was prepared by blending conventional Pt/C catalysts with hydrous ruthenium oxide particles, and the CO oxidation behaviors were investigated by various electrochemical measurements, including CO stripping and bulk oxidation. In addition, this system allowed the observation of CO removal by the Eley–Rideal mechanism at high CO coverages, which facilitates further CO oxidation by triggering the CO removal by the Langmuir–Hinshelwood mechanism. Furthermore, effective CO management by this approach in practical applications was also verified by single-cell analysis

Nutritional risk index as a predictor of mortality in acutely decompensated heart failure.

BACKGROUND:We investigated the role of nutritional risk index (NRI) in predicting 1-year mortality in patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). METHODS:Among 5,625 cohort patients enrolled in Korean Acute Heart Failure (KorAHF) Registry, a total of 5,265 patients who were possible to calculate NRI [NRI = (1.519 x serum albumin [g/dl]) + (41.7 x weight [kg]/ideal body weight [kg])] were enrolled. The patients were divided into 4 groups according to the NRI quartile; Q1 100 (n = 1711, 65.6 ± 14.5 years, 779 males). Primary end-point was all-cause mortality at 1-year clinical follow-up. RESULTS:The 1-year mortality was significantly increased as the NRI quartile decreased, and the lowest NRI quartile was associated with the highest 1-year mortality (Q1: 27.5% vs. Q2: 20.9% vs. Q3: 12.9% vs. Q4: 8.7%, linear p <0.001). On Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, the significant inter-quartile difference was observed (p <0.001 for all). In multivariate analysis using Cox proportional hazard regression, the lowest NRI quartile was an independent predictor of 1-year mortality in patients with ADHF. CONCLUSIONS:Poor nutritional status as assessed by NRI and quartile grading of NRI was associated with 1-year mortality in Korean patients with ADHF. The assessment of nutritional status by NRI may provide additional prognostic information and thus would be useful in the risk stratification of the patients with ADHF