Effects of Quality of Integrity on Clinical and Structural Outcomes of Rotator Cuff Repair: A Retrospective Cohort Study of 504 Cases.

Background: The clinical implications of structural integrity have been a subject of long debate. The oversimplified binary categorization of structural integrity into either healing or retear, along with faulty preoperative baselines for comparison, may contribute to the controversy.

Purpose: To determine how the quality of structural integrity in a repaired cuff tendon affects both clinical and structural outcomes by dividing the patients into groups based on integrity and using the immediate postoperative baseline (time zero).

Clinical Implication of Glenohumeral and Subacromial Synovitis in Rotator Cuff Tears.

Background: Synovitis of the glenohumeral (GH) joint and the subacromial (SA) space is commonly observed during arthroscopic rotator cuff surgery.

Purpose: To investigate the distribution, severity, and clinical implications of synovitis in the GH joint and SA space in patients with a full-thickness rotator cuff tear (RCT).

Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Effectiveness of home hospice care: a nationwide prospective observational study.

Purpose: Many assert the need for home hospice care. However, limited research has shown its effectiveness. The authors of this study thus evaluated the effectiveness of a home hospice care pilot project regarding (1) early enrollment in hospice care, (2) efficient use of inpatient hospice resources, and (3) enabling terminally ill patients to stay at their preferred place of care.

The ameliorative effect of Larvae in HFD-induced obese mice.

Lewis () larvae, edible insect, traditionally is consumed for various health benefits. However, little information is available with respect to its direct anti-obesity effects. Thus, the present study was designed to investigate the regulatory effect of against high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice.

Decursinol Angelate Inhibits LPS-Induced Macrophage Polarization through Modulation of the NFκB and MAPK Signaling Pathways.

Inflammation is considered the root cause of various inflammatory diseases, including cancers. Decursinol angelate (DA), a pyranocoumarin compound obtained from the roots of , has been reported to exhibit potent anti-inflammatory effects. In this study, the anti-inflammatory effects of DA on the MAP kinase and NFκB signaling pathways and the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines were investigated in phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-activated human promyelocytic leukemia (HL-60) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated macrophage (Raw 264.

Experiences of peer exclusion and victimization, cognitive functioning, and depression among adolescent cancer survivors in South Korea.

Adolescents who reenter school after treatment for cancer may face certain challenges, such as social exclusion by their peers and difficulties in cognitive functioning, due to the cancer treatment and its psychosocial sequelae. Such challenges may have an impact on their mental health. This cross-sectional study examined the impact of peer exclusion-victimization and cognitive functioning on depression among adolescent survivors of childhood cancer.

Elevated neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio and ischemic stroke risk in generally healthy adults.

Elevated neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has been reported as a marker for chronic inflammation, associated with poor prognosis in ischemic stroke patients, but there has been no study that investigated its association with ischemic stroke risk. This study was conducted to investigate elevated NLR as an independent risk factor for ischemic stroke incidence. Our retrospective cohort study included 24,708 generally healthy subjects aged 30-75 who received self-referred health screening at Seoul National University Hospital.

Performance on physical function tests and the risk of fractures and admissions: Findings from a national health screening of 557,648 community-dwelling older adults.

Objective: Falls and fractures in older adults are often preventable, yet remain major health concerns as comprehensive physical function assessment may not be readily available. This study investigated whether simple timed up and go test (TUG) and unipedal stance test (UST) are effective in identifying people with an increased risk of fractures, femoral fractures, or admissions due to femoral fractures.

Methods: Community-dwelling Korean older adults aged 66 years participated in the Korean National Screening Program for the Transitional Ages (n=557,648) between 2007 and 2010.

Decursinol angelate inhibits PGE2-induced survival of the human leukemia HL-60 cell line via regulation of the EP2 receptor and NFκB pathway.

Decursinol angelate (DA), an active pyranocoumarin compound from the roots of Angelica gigas, has been reported to possess anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activities. In a previous study, we demonstrated that prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) plays a survival role in HL-60 cells by protecting them from the induction of apoptosis via oxidative stress. Flow cytometry and Hoechst staining revealed that PGE2 suppresses menadione-induced apoptosis, cell shrinkage, and chromatin condensation, by blocking the generation of reactive oxygen species.

Association Between Change in Serum Aminotransferase and Mortality: A Nationwide Cohort Study in Korea.

There is little information on how the change in serum aminotransferase affects mortality. We investigated the association between changes in serum aminotransferase levels and mortality from all causes, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and liver disease.Three percent of men from the Korean National Health Insurance database were sampled randomly at the end of 2002.

Recovery effect of phenylpropanoid glycosides from Magnolia obovata fruit on alloxan-induced pancreatic islet damage in zebrafish (Danio rerio).

Investigation of phytochemicals from Magnolia obovata fruit led to the isolation of three novel phenylpropanoid glycosides: obovatoside A-C (1-3) and two known phenylpropanoids, syringin (4) and pavonisol (5). The structures of 1-5 were determined by NMR, HRMS, IR and CD spectroscopic analyses. All compounds were evaluated for their effects on recovery from alloxan-induced pancreatic islet damage in zebrafish.

Treatment Gap in the National Health-screening Program in Korea: Claim-based Follow-up of Statin Use for Sustained Hypercholesterolemia.

Participation in a screening program by itself may not improve clinical outcomes. Treatment gaps in the program may limit its full benefit. We evaluated statin prescription rates for subjects with sustained hypercholesterolemia to assess the treatment gaps in the National Health Screening Program (NHSP) in Korea.

Terminal Versus Advanced Cancer: Do the General Population and Health Care Professionals Share a Common Language?

Purpose: Many end-of-life care studies are based on the assumption that there is a shared definition of language concerning the stage of cancer. However, studies suggest that patients and their families often misperceive patients' cancer stages and prognoses. Discrimination between advanced cancer and terminal cancer is important because the treatment goals are different.

Prediction of future hepatocellular carcinoma incidence in moderate to heavy alcohol drinkers with the FIB-4 liver fibrosis index.

Background: Although heavy alcoholics are at heightened risk for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), there are no guidelines that recommend HCC screening for heavy alcoholics. This study investigated FIB-4, a noninvasive and easily applicable liver fibrosis index, as a risk factor for HCC incidence among alcohol drinkers without viral hepatitis.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 6661 generally healthy adults who were 30 years old or older, did not have chronic viral hepatitis, and visited Seoul National University Hospital for a general, routine health evaluation.

Effect of the fragrance inhalation of essential oil from Asarum heterotropoides on depression-like behaviors in mice.

Background: Psychological stressors may cause affective disorders, such as depression and anxiety, by altering expressions of corticotropin releasing factor (CRF), serotonin (5-HT), and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in the brain. This study investigated the effects of essential oil from Asarum heterotropoides (EOAH) on depression-like behaviors and brain expressions of CRF, 5-HT, and TH in mice challenged with stress.

Methods: Male ICR mice received fragrance inhalation of EOAH (0.

Perceived risk as a barrier to appropriate diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome.

Aim: To evaluate perceived risk, diagnostic testing, and acceptance of a diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) among the Korean laypersons.

Methods: We designed a conceptual framework to evaluate the health-seeking behavior of subjects based on a knowledge, attitude, and practice model. We developed a vignette-based questionnaire about IBS based on a literature review and focused group interviews.

Angelica keiskei Koidzumi extracts improve some markers of liver function in habitual alcohol drinkers: a randomized double-blind clinical trial.

Alcohol induces oxidative stress and inflammatory response, which can lead to hepatitis and cirrhosis. Previous studies reported that the extracts of Angelica keiskei Koidzumi (AKE) have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, suggesting that AKE could improve abnormalities associated with alcoholic liver disease. In this study, the effectiveness of AKE supplementation was assessed in 82 habitual alcohol drinkers (male: more than 14 units per week, female: more than 7 units per week) with abnormal liver biochemistry in a placebo-controlled, randomized double-blind trial over 12 weeks.

High liver fibrosis index FIB-4 is highly predictive of hepatocellular carcinoma in chronic hepatitis B carriers.

Unlabelled: Screening for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is clinically important given that its early detection has remarkable survival benefits. We investigated the possible role of FIB-4, a recently developed noninvasive marker for liver fibrosis based on routine laboratory tests, as a clinical indicator for predicting future HCC among hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carriers. Our retrospective cohort study involved 986 Korean HBsAg carriers 40 years of age or older who visited Seoul National University Hospital for a health checkup.

Ribes fasciculatum var. chinense Attenuated Allergic Inflammation In Vivo and In Vitro.

Ribes fasciculatum var. chinense MAX. (R.

Discordance among patient preferences, caregiver preferences, and caregiver predictions of patient preferences regarding disclosure of terminal status and end-of-life choices.

Background: The complexity of end-of-life (EOL) communication in cancer care is often increased by family caregivers, who frequently affect the information and decision-making process. We assessed cancer patient preferences (PP), family caregiver preferences (FCP), and family caregiver predictions of patient preferences (FCPPP) regarding the disclosure of terminal status, family involvement in the disclosure process, and EOL choices, and we evaluated the concordances among them.

Methods: A national, multicenter, cross-sectional survey of 990 patient-caregiver dyads (participation rate = 76.

β-catenin and its alteration in an experimental model of diabetic nephropathy.

Introduction: The aim of our study was to determine whether beta-catenin, a subunit of the cadherin protein complex in the podocyte cytoskeleton, would be altered by hyperglycemia and advanced glycation endproducts (AGE) in glomerular epithelial cells and podocytes in vitro.

Materials And Methods: Rat glomerular epithelial cells and mouse podocytes on bovine serum albumin-coated or AGE-coated plates with normal (5 mM) and high (30 mM) glucose doses were cultured and examined for the distribution of bet;-catenin using confocal microscopy and changes in beta-catenin production by western blotting and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, at 48 hours, 4 weeks, and 10 weeks.

Results: Immunofluorescent staining revealed that beta-catenin and alpha-actinin were colocalized around the cell membrane, and that beta-catenin staining was most intense along the capillary loops, but moved internally toward the inner actin filaments in the presence of AGE and hyperglycemia.

Guilt, censure, and concealment of active smoking status among cancer patients and family members after diagnosis: a nationwide study.

Objectives: We aimed to identify the prevalence of feelings of guilt, censure, and concealment of smoking status among cancer patients and their family members who continued to smoke after the patient's diagnosis.

Methods: Among 990 patient-family member dyads, 45 patients and 173 family members who continued to smoke for at least 1 month after the patients' diagnoses were administered questions examining feelings of guilt, censure, and smoking concealment.

Results: Most patients who continued to smoke reported experiencing feelings of guilt toward their families (75.

The impact of awareness of terminal illness on quality of death and care decision making: a prospective nationwide survey of bereaved family members of advanced cancer patients.

Objects: We aimed to assess whether awareness of a terminal illness can affect care decision making processes and the achievement of a good death in advanced cancer patients receiving palliative care services.

Methods: Awareness of terminal illness at the time of palliative care service admission was assessed by the health care professionals during the routine initial comprehensive assessment process and was recorded in the national terminal cancer patient registry. A follow-up nationwide bereavement survey was conducted, which contained questions regarding decision making processes and the Korean version of the Good Death Inventory.

The ameliorative effect of sophoricoside on mast cell-mediated allergic inflammation in vivo and in vitro.

Sophoricoside exhibits numerous pharmacological effects, including anti- inflammatory and anti-cancer actions, yet the exact mechanism that accounts for the anti-allergic effects of sophoricoside is not completely understood. The aim of the present study was to elucidate whether and how sophoricoside modulates the mast cell-mediated allergic inflammation in vitro and in vivo. We investigated the pharmacological effects of sophoricoside on both compound 48/80 or histamine-induced scratching behaviors and 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB)-induced atopic dermatitis in mice.