Assessment: Cognition ; Chronic cough

This study was aimed at assessing the antioxidant capacity and phenolic (free, bound, and total) contents in selected commercial beverages. Three different types of beverages commonly available in Malaysian supermarkets namely, cocoa, coffee and tea were selected. Phenolic contents were determined using a Folin-Ciocalteu assay. Antioxidant capacity (ferric reducing power and scavenging activity) was determined using FRAP and TEAC assays. Based on analysis of variance, coffee showed the highest amount of free phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity compared to cocoa and tea (p < 0.05). The major phenolic compound detected in coffee was chlorogenic acid. Cocoa showed higher phenolic content than tea. However, cocoa and tea have similar catechin content and possessed comparable antioxidant capacity. The free phenolic content in the three beverages was found to be highly correlated with antioxidant capacity. In addition, moderate correlation was observed between total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity. On the other hand, there was no significant contribution of bound phenolic compounds towards antioxidant capacity. The contribution of antioxidant capacity in these beverages could be due to phenolic compounds in the free form. The study indicated that the beverages studied possessed varying degrees of antioxidant capacity and phenolic contents.
Antioxidants ; Tea ; commercial ; Coffee ; Assessment: Cognition

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether the cognitive function in the acute stage evaluated by domain-specific neuropsychological assessments would be an independent predictor of functional outcome after stroke. METHODS: Forty patients underwent 4 domain-specific neuropsychological examinations about 3 weeks after the onset of stroke. The tests included the Boston Naming Test (BNT), the construction recall test (CRT), the construction praxis test (CPT), and the verbal fluency test (VFT). The Korean version of Modified Barthel Index (K-MBI) at 3 months and the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at 6 months were investigated as functional outcome after stroke. Functional improvement was assessed using the change in K-MBI during the first 3 months and subjects were dichotomized into 'good status' and 'poor status' according to mRS at 6 months. The domain-specific cognitive function along with other possible predictors for functional outcome was examined using regression analysis. RESULTS: The z-score of CPT (p=0.044) and CRT (p<0.001) were independent predictors for functional improvement measured by the change in K-MBI during the first 3 months after stroke. The z-score of CPT (p=0.049) and CRT (p=0.048) were also independent predictors of functional status at post-stroke 6 months assessed by mRS. CONCLUSION: Impairment in visuospatial construction and memory within one month after stroke can be an independent prognostic factor of functional outcome. Domain-specific neuropsychological assessments could be considered in patients with stroke in the acute phase to predict long-term functional outcome.
Cognition ; Humans ; Memory ; Patient Outcome Assessment ; Rehabilitation ; Stroke

Hepatocellular carcinoma, (HCC) is a serious health problem. It is prevalent in certain parts of the world where food contamination with aflatoxin is common. Aflatoxin, especially AFB1, has been shown to induce HCC in many species of laboratory and wild animals, including subhuman primates. Carcinogenesis studies have demonstrated that AFB1 is a potent genotoxic carcinogen. After bioactivation it may covalently bind with protein and with DNA. The former reaction is positively correlated with AFB1 exposure, and the latter signifies initiation of the carcinogenesis process. With these biomarkers, epidemiological studies have amply demonstrated the etiological role of aflatoxin in HCC. However, hepatitis B virus also contributes to the development of HCC. Risks and VSD (virtual safe dose) have been estimated from animal and epidemiological studies. These estimates further confirm that AFB1 is a potent carcinogen. Furthermore, the effects of AFB1 exposure and hepatitis B are synergistic. Some preventive measures, such as lowering the contamination level of AFB1 in food and appropriate vaccination programs, have been implemented in many parts of the world. Chemopreventive agents, which may abolish or reduce the effects of AFB1 are being tested for their effectiveness.
Aflatoxins ; Risk ; Primary carcinoma of the liver cells ; Assessment: Cognition ; Safety

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Acetyl-L-carnitine (ALC) is a widely used drug for various neurodegenerative diseases including dementia. The aim of the present study was to elucidate the efficacy of ALC in dementia patients with cerebrovascular disease (vascular cognitive impairment; VCI). METHODS: Fifty-six patients were randomized to treatment with 500 mg ter in die ALC, or placebo in this 28-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. The primary outcome measure was the Korean version of Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA-K). RESULTS: Following treatment with ALC, the cognitive function measured by the MoCA-K was significantly improved in the ALC-treated groups. However, other secondary outcomes were not statistically significant between ALC- and placebo-treated groups. In MoCA-K analysis, attention and language sub-items significantly favored the ALC-treated group. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with placebo, treatment with ALC 1,500 mg/day produced significant changes in MoCA-K in dementia patients with VCI. ALC was well tolerated in this population. Despite the study limitations, the findings suggested the potential benefits associated with the use of ALC in dementia patients with VCI.
Acetylcarnitine* ; Cerebrovascular Disorders* ; Cognition ; Cognition Disorders ; Dementia* ; Humans ; Neurodegenerative Diseases ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care)

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to explore dimensions in addition to the 5 dimensions of the 5-level EQ-5D version (EQ-5D-5L) that could satisfactorily explain variation in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in the general population of South Korea. METHODS: Domains related to HRQoL were searched through a review of existing HRQoL instruments. Among the 28 potential dimensions, the 5 dimensions of the EQ-5D-5L and 7 additional dimensions (vision, hearing, communication, cognitive function, social relationships, vitality, and sleep) were included. A representative sample of 600 subjects was selected for the survey, which was administered through face-to-face interviews. Subjects were asked to report problems in 12 health dimensions at 5 levels, as well as their self-rated health status using the EuroQol visual analogue scale (EQ-VAS) and a 5-point Likert scale. Among subjects who reported no problems for any of the parameters in the EQ-5D-5L, we analyzed the frequencies of problems in the additional dimensions. A linear regression model with the EQ-VAS as the dependent variable was performed to identify additional significant dimensions. RESULTS: Among respondents who reported full health on the EQ-5D-5L (n=365), 32% reported a problem for at least 1 additional dimension, and 14% reported worse than moderate self-rated health. Regression analysis revealed a R2 of 0.228 for the original EQ-5D-5L dimensions, 0.200 for the new dimensions, and 0.263 for the 12 dimensions together. Among the added dimensions, vitality and sleep were significantly associated with EQ-VAS scores. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified significant dimensions for assessing self-rated health among members of the general public, in addition to the 5 dimensions of the EQ-5D-5L. These dimensions could be considered for inclusion in a new preference-based instrument or for developing a country-specific HRQoL instrument.
Cognition ; Hearing ; Korea* ; Linear Models ; Patient Outcome Assessment ; Quality of Life* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Visual Analog Scale

Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is considered the second most common cause of neurodegenerative dementia. It is characterized with clinical and pathological feature that distinguish it from Alzheimer's disease (AD). These characteristics include fluctuating cognition, visual hallucination, and spontaneous feature of parkinsonism. DLB is commonly accompanied by neuropsychiatric symptoms and recent literature suggests that behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPDS) are frequently associated with DLB. So, psychiatrist caring for older adults may need a greater awareness of the clinical presentations of DLB in order to make a timely diagnosis. Also geriatric psychiatrist need to increase knowledge in order to raise awareness about the risks and benefits of medications in patients with DLB and to provide practical information and support for caregivers. This article reviews the clinical syndrome of DLB and its management.
Adult ; Alzheimer Disease ; Caregivers ; Cognition ; Dementia ; Hallucinations ; Humans ; Lewy Bodies ; Parkinsonian Disorders ; Psychiatry ; Risk Assessment

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to explore perceived cognitive function and its related factors in breast cancer patients that had received or were receiving adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery. METHODS: A cross-sectional and correlational design was used in this study. A total of 118 women who had undergone or were undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy after breast cancer surgery recruited from a convenience sample from a university hospital in Korea were included in the study. The attentional function index was used to measure perceived cognitive function while the linear analogue self-assessment scale was used to measure mood disturbance. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were done to determine possible predictors of perceived cognitive function in patients with breast cancer. RESULTS: Perceived cognitive function and mood disturbance had a mean score of 66.22 (SD = 13.43) and 159.78 (SD = 81.40), respectively. Mood disturbance was a statistically significant predictor of cognitive function in patients with breast cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Breast cancer patients with mood disturbance may experience decrements in perceived cognitive function. Nurses should be aware of mood changes and its influence on perceived cognitive function in breast cancer patients.
Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Cognition ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Self-Assessment

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The positive effects of galantamine on cognition and activities of daily living (ADL) in Alzheimer's disease (AD) are thought to be mediated via improvements in attention. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of galantamine on attention in AD patients using a computerized attention test and to elucidate the relationship between improvements in attention and change in cognition and ADL. METHODS: In this multicenter, open-label, prospective study, patients with mild to moderate AD received galantamine and then submitted to computerized attention tests, the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive subscale, and instrumental ADL (IADL) at baseline, 4 weeks, and 12 weeks. The differences in reaction time on computerized tests were explored relative to the changes in cognition and IADL. RESULTS: After 12 weeks of taking the trial medication there was a significant reduction from baseline levels in the choice reaction time (baseline, 5,216+/-3,650 sec; 12 weeks, 4,139+/-2,920 sec; p<0.01) and the simple reaction time (baseline, 1,089+/-782 sec; 12 weeks, 908+/-606 sec; p<0.01). Correlation analyses of changes in choice or simple reaction times relative to cognition and ADL measures yielded no significant associations. The improvement in attention observed at 4 weeks of galantamine treatment was not associated with any significant changes in outcome measures at the end of trial. CONCLUSIONS: This study found no significant association between the improvement in attention after treatment with galantamine and changes in cognition and ADL in patients with mild to moderate AD, despite the significant improvement in attention over the course of the treatment.
Activities of Daily Living* ; Alzheimer Disease* ; Cognition* ; Galantamine* ; Humans ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) ; Prospective Studies ; Reaction Time

There has been a great deal of recent interests in the topic of low testosterone in elderly men, a condition referred to as andropause, ADAM (androgen decline of aging male), or PADAM (partial androgen deficiency of the aging male), or LOH (late onset hypogonadism). Age-related decreases in androgen levels occur gradually and vary considerably among individuals. A low level of testosterone has been implicated as a cause of changes in sexual, physical and behavioral capacity in aging men. Although several observational and interventional studies have demonstrated that androgens have important beneficial functions in the body composition, muscle mass and strength, fat distribution, erythropoiesis, cognition, mood and bone density, and play a key role in male sexual function, a considerable controversy exists regarding the indications of testosterone supplementation in aging male.The objective of this article is to discuss what is known and not known regarding the benefits and risks of testosterone-replacement therapy and the monitoring of men receiving testosterone treatment.
Aged ; Aging ; Androgens ; Andropause ; Body Composition ; Bone Density ; Cognition ; Erythropoiesis ; Humans ; Hypogonadism* ; Male ; Risk Assessment ; Testosterone