Factors Associated With Medical Expenses Among Long-Term Care Insurance Recipients Aged 65 Years or Older in Korea.

This study examined the factors associated with medical expenses among LTCI (long-term care insurance) recipients in Korea. Secondary data analysis was performed using the 2019 Korea National Health Insurance (KNHI) reimbursement data of I metropolitan city. Data from 52 434 older adults who were LTCI recipients and living in I metropolitan city areas were included.

Assessing systemic, developmental, and reproductive toxicity and estrogenicity of Korean red ginseng extract G1899 in juvenile Sprague-Dawley Rats.

Background: Korean red ginseng (KRG) is a product from ginseng roots, which is enriched with ginsenosides and has been utilized for a long time as an adaptogen to alleviate various physiological or disease conditions. While KRG is generally considered safe, conducting a thorough toxicological assessment of the spray-dried powder G1899 during the juvenile period is essential to establish its safety profile. This study aimed to assess the safety of G1899 during the juvenile period using Sprague-Dawley rats.

Age and Gender Differences in Fall-Related Factors Affecting Community-Dwelling Older Adults.

Background: Falls are one of the major adverse events affecting older adults that can result in serious injuries. Hospitalizations and deaths because of fall-related injuries have been increasing. Nevertheless, there is a dearth of studies examining the physical condition and current exercise habits of older adults.

Generation of telomeric repeat binding factor 1 (TRF1)-knockout human embryonic stem cell lines, KRIBBe010-A-95, KRIBBe010-A-96, and KRIBBe010-A-97, using CRISPR/Cas9 technology.

Telomeric repeat binding factor 1 (TRF1) plays an essential role in maintaining telomere length. Here, we established TRF1-knockout human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs; hTRF1-KO) using the CRISPR/Cas9 technology. The hTRF1-KO cell lines expressed pluripotency markers and demonstrated a normal karyotype (46, XX) and DNA profile.

Gut metabolite trimethylamine -oxide induces aging-associated phenotype of midbrain organoids for the induced pluripotent stem cell-based modeling of late-onset disease.

Brain organoids are valuable research models for human development and disease since they mimic the various cell compositions and structures of the human brain; however, they have challenges in presenting aging phenotypes for degenerative diseases. This study analyzed the association between aging and the gut metabolite trimethylamine -oxide (TMAO), which is highly found in the midbrain of elderly and Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. TMAO treatment in midbrain organoid induced aging-associated molecular changes, including increased senescence marker expression (), p53 accumulation, and epigenetic alterations.

Effects of On-Campus and Off-Campus Smartphone Overdependence Prevention Programs Among University Students.

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to evaluate effects of self-determination theory-based on-campus and off-campus prevention programs on smartphone overdependence among university students.

Methods: This was a pre-posttest quasi-experimental study with a nonequivalent control group (CG). Seventy-eight students were recruited as participants.

Level of Acculturation and Acculturative Stress Perceived by Asian Immigrant Women Married to South Korean Men.

Introduction: Married immigrant women experience cultural conflicts due to different values, and customs. This study examined the factors associated with the acculturation and acculturative stress of Asian immigrant women in South Korea.

Method: A cross-sectional descriptive study was performed.

Effects of Life Skill Training on the School Violence Attitudes and Behavior Among Elementary School Children.

This study evaluated a life skill training program on school violence given to elementary school children. A quasi-experimental study was conducted, and a 12-week intervention was implemented targeting 70 students aged between 10 and 11 years. The instruments included peer competency, attitudes toward school violence, experience of school violence, and the Self-Control Rating Scale.

Influence of group resilience on job satisfaction among Korean nurses: A cross-sectional study.

Purpose: This study examined whether the individual and organisational factors of ecological systems theory are associated with job satisfaction among nurses in South Korea.

Background: Nursing shortages and high turnover rates are a global issue in healthcare settings, and job satisfaction is significantly associated with the turnover intention of nurses. Therefore, efforts to promote job satisfaction are needed to decrease the high turnover rates among nurses and promote care quality and patient safety.

Concomitants of menopause-specific quality of life in premenopausal and post-menopausal women living in South Korea.

The present study investigated the concomitants of menopause-specific quality of life among premenopausal and postmenopausal women. Based on the Wilson and Cleary model of quality of life, this cross-sectional study recruited 329 women of age 40-65 years following operational convenience. The study was conducted in the office of the Korea Population, Health and Welfare Association (KPHWA) in Incheon, South Korea.

Efficacy of Cognitive Behavioral Treatment for Insomnia: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

This study examined the effects of cognitive behavioral treatment for insomnia. A randomized controlled trial was performed on 44 women. The intervention included one group session of sleep hygiene education and four individual sessions of counseling.

Evaluation of the Interaction Model of Client Health Behavior-based multifaceted intervention on patient activation and osteoarthritis symptoms.

Purpose: This study evaluated a multifaceted intervention for osteoarthritis symptoms.

Methods: A cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted with a convenience sample of 90 patients aged between 45 and 82 years, who were recruited from three Community Health Posts (CHPs). The CHPs were randomized into two experimental groups (E1 and E2) and one control group (C).

Integrin-Linked Kinase Deficiency in Collecting Duct Principal Cell Promotes Necroptosis of Principal Cell and Contributes to Kidney Inflammation and Fibrosis.

Background: Necroptosis is a newly discovered cell death pathway that plays a critical role in AKI. The involvement of integrin-linked kinase (ILK) in necroptosis has not been studied.

Methods: We performed experiments in mice with an deletion in collecting duct (CD) principal cells (PCs), and cultured tubular epithelial cells treated with an ILK inhibitor or ILK siRNA knockdown.

Blood vessel formation in cerebral organoids formed from human embryonic stem cells.

Current cerebral organoid technology provides excellent in vitro models mimicking the structure and function of the developing human brain, which enables studies on normal and pathological brain; however, further improvements are necessary to overcome the problems of immaturity and dearth of non-parenchymal cells. Vascularization is one of the major challenges for recapitulating processes in the developing human brain. Here, we examined the formation of blood vessel-like structures in cerebral organoids induced by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in vitro.

Screen Time and Cardiovascular Risks Among Middle-Aged Women.

Background: Screen time is a marker of sedentary behavior that threatens the health of women. Extended screen time is associated with depression, insomnia, cardiovascular disease, and decreased quality of life.

Objective: In this study, we examined the factors associated with screen time and whether screen time is associated with the physiological and psychosocial health of middle-aged women.

Causal Relationships Between Modifiable Risk Factors of Cognitive Impairment, Cognitive Function, Self-Management, and Quality of Life in Patients With Rheumatic Diseases.

Background: Rheumatic diseases are one of the most common types of chronic conditions that affect cognitive functions.

Purpose: To develop and verify a hypothetical model of causal relationships between modifiable risk factors for cognitive impairment, cognitive function, self-management, and quality of life in patients with rheumatic diseases.

Methods: A hypothetical model was developed on the basis of empirical evidence.

Differences in Factors Associated with Depressive Symptoms between Urban and Rural Female Adolescents in Korea.

Purpose: To examine the prevalence of depressive symptoms and differentiate factors associated with them in urban and rural areas by applying the Ecological Models of Health Behavior.

Methods: We employed a cross-sectional design and convenience sample of 460 female adolescents. The instruments included the Adolescent Mental-Health Problem-Behavior Questionnaire (AMPQ-II) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI).

Corrigendum: Small molecule-mediated up-regulation of microRNA targeting a key cell death modulator BNIP3 improves cardiac function following ischemic injury.

This corrects the article DOI: 10.1038/srep23472.

Small molecule-mediated induction of miR-9 suppressed vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and neointima formation after balloon injury.

Pathologic proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) exacerbate cardiovascular disease. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), as endogenous inhibitors of protein synthesis, are expected to modulate pathologic proliferation of VSMCs. Here we report that both platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR) targeting miR-9 and a small molecule that increases miR-9 can inhibit the serum-induced proliferation of VSMCs.

Manganese promotes intracellular accumulation of AQP2 via modulating F-actin polymerization and reduces urinary concentration in mice.

Aquaporin-2 (AQP2) is a water channel protein expressed in principal cells (PCs) of the kidney collecting ducts (CDs) and plays a critical role in mediating water reabsorption and urine concentration. AQP2 undergoes both regulated trafficking mediated by vasopressin (VP) and constitutive recycling, which is independent of VP. For both pathways, actin cytoskeletal dynamics is a key determinant of AQP2 trafficking.

microRNA-133a attenuates cardiomyocyte hypertrophy by targeting PKCδ and Gq.

During the past decade, microRNAs have continuously been suggested as a promising therapeutic tool due to their beneficial effects, such as their multi-targets and multi-functions in pathologic conditions. As a pathologic phenotype is generally regulated by multiple signaling pathways, in this study we identified a microRNA regulating multiple target genes within cardiac hypertrophic signaling pathways. microRNA-133a is known to play a crucial role in cardiac hypertrophy.