BACKGROUND: Leukocyte reduced (LR) and irradiated (IR) blood components are used to prevent immunological transfusion-related adverse reactions. However, so far, reports on the usage of LR or IR blood components in Korea are scarce. METHODS: Data from January, 2007 to December, 2013 provided by the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service of Korea were analyzed. Disease categories of the patients were classified according to the Korean Standard Classification of Disease. RESULTS: In 2013, 26.7% of total transfused blood components were leukocyte reduced and an increase of 5.3% compared to 2007. The proportion of IR components increased from 21.4% in 2007 to 27.9% in 2013. The percentage of LR (IR) blood components for RBCs, platelets, and SDPs was 15.4% (14.7%), 35.1% (38.8%), and 75.2% (80.1%), respectively, in 2013. In particular, the percentage of IR FFPs units increased gradually over the years, from 11.2% in 2007 to 22.7% in 2013. LR and IR components were used mainly in hemato-oncology patients but the proportion showed a downward trend. Due to aging of the society, transfusion of LR and IR components has inclined trends in the 70's or more. CONCLUSION: Although the transfusion rate of both LR and IR blood component is increasing, it is still remarkably lower than that in developed countries. Therefore, LR and IR blood components should be used more extensively. For this, reimbursement criteria for National Health Insurance for these blood components should be extended and the fee schedule for LR and IR blood components should be adjusted to reflect clinical practice and patient need.
Aging ; Classification ; Developed Countries ; Fee Schedules ; Humans ; Insurance, Health ; Korea* ; Leukocytes* ; National Health Programs

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the main cause of cervical cancer and major viruses related to carcinogenesis in various malignant diseases such as cervical cancer, vaginal cancer, vulvar cancer, anal cancer, and head and neck cancer. Cervical cancer is the second most prevalent female cancer in the world and the fourth in Korea. Prophylactic HPV vaccines in widespread use include the used in South Korea to prevent cervical cancer are bivalent (2-valent HPV vaccine; Cervarix), quadrivalent (4-valent HPV vaccine; Gardasil), and nonavalent (9-valent HPV vaccine; Gardasil9). Since HPV vaccines the first approval in 2006, 115 countries have include HPV vaccines in their national immunization programs, that its preventive effect is as much as 70%, and that the incidence of high-risk types of HPV has gradually decreased. According to HPV cohort studies in Korea, about 26% of adult women have an HPV vaccination history and show a low incidence of HPV-16/18 genotypes compared to unvaccinated women. In the countries that National Immunization Programs for HPV vaccine were conducted earlier than in Korea, the safety, efficacy, and effectiveness of HPV vaccines have been reported. Therefore, it is considered that basic research including an analysis of the effectiveness of HPV vaccines for policy decisions related to the expanding the HPV vaccine coverage and introducing of new vaccine in the future.

Background: This study investigated the relationship between fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) levels and growth in children with growth hormone deficiency (GHD) and idiopathic short stature (ISS), and the effects of the FGF21 level on response to growth hormone (GH) treatment. Methods: We included 171 pre-pubertal children with a GHD (n = 54), ISS (n = 46), and normal height (n = 71). Fasting FGF21 levels were measured at baseline and every 6 months during GH treatment. Factors associated with growth velocity (GV) after GH therapy were investigated. Results: The FGF21 level was higher in short children than in the controls without significant difference between the GHD and ISS groups. In the GHD group, the FGF21 level was inversely associated with the free fatty acid (FFA) level at baseline (r = −0.28, P = 0.039), however, was positively correlated with the FFA level at 12 months (r = 0.62, P = 0.016). The GV over 12 months of GH therapy was positively associated with the delta insulin-like growth factor 1 level (β = 0.003, P = 0.020). The baseline log-transformed FGF21 level was inversely associated with GV with marginal significance (β = −0.64, P = 0.070). Conclusion The FGF21 level was higher in children of short stature, both those with GHD and the ISS, than in children with normal growth. The pretreatment FGF21 level negatively affected the GV of children with GH-treated GHD. These results suggest the existence of a GH/FFA/FGF21 axis in children.

Human papillomavirus is known to be a major cause of cervical cancer. More than 190 HPV genotypes have been identified and classified into a high-risk group (18 genotypes) and a low-risk group (12 genotypes) depending on the risk of disease progression. This report investigated the results of domestic and overseas studies on HPV prevalence and genotype distribution; identified prevalence and genotype distribution in Korea and in the world; and described and presented the results obtained as part of an internal research project at the KNIH. Through systematic review and meta-analysis, the previous study shows that the prevalence of HPV was found to be 10.7% (worldwide) and 13.6% (Korea and China) in women with normal cytology, respectively. HPV-16, HPV-18, HPV-31, HPV-58, and HPV-52 were the five most prevalent genotypes in the world. By contrast, in East Asia, including Korea, HPV-16, HPV-18, HPV-58, HPV-52, and HPV-70 were the prevalent genotypes. In an intramural research project conducted by the KNIH, the prevalence of HPV was estimated to be about 36% according to a meta-analysis. This result provides the basic statistics of HPV infection in Korea.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of blood contamination on the compressive strength and surface morphology of both conventional and newly developed calcium silicate cements (CSCs). Materials and Methods: Compressive strengths of Endocem MTA Premixed Regular (EMPR) and ProRoot MTA (PMTA) were assessed after immersion in fetal bovine serum (FBS), saline, and deionized water (DW). Surface morphology was examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results: The compressive strength of EMPR samples immersed in FBS for both 1 and 7 days was significantly lower compared to those in saline and DW, with no significant differences between the saline and DW groups. The PMTA group exhibited the lowest compressive strength after 1 day in FBS, although it did not significantly differ from that of saline and DW groups. SEM images revealed significant differences in crystalline formation between FBS and the other experimental groups. Conclusion Minimizing blood contamination during vital pulp therapy (VPT) is crucial to ensure optimal CSC setting. PMTA may be preferred over EMPR for resisting high occlusal forces in the presence of blood contamination.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of blood contamination on the Vickers hardness and the surface morphology of premixed MTA and compare them with the effects on conventional MTA. The Vickers microhardness of Endocem MTA Premixed Regular (EP) and ProRoot MTA (PM) was assessed after immersion in fetal bovine serum (FBS) and saline. Stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED) were seeded on MTA after immersion in FBS, saline, and deionized water (DW). Cell adhesion patterns and surface morphology were visualized via scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The surface microhardness of EP and PM in FBS was lower than in saline. However, short-term exposure of PM to FBS did not reduce the microhardness compared to saline. Angular crystals formed in water, while rounded crystals with more air voids appeared in FBS. Favorable SHED attachment occurred in all groups. Overall, the surface hardness of EP and PM decreased after FBS exposure, although PM was less influenced. We suggest minimizing the amount of bleeding when using MTA clinically; nevertheless, PM remains an option with more expected blood contamination than EP. In summary, exposure to FBS decreased mechanical performance but allowed cell adhesion for both MTAs, with PM being more resistant to these changes.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The aim of this experiments was to show anti-obesity effects of Korean solar salt from different salt fields in diet-induced obese mice. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Diet-induced obesity (DIO) was induced by a high-fat diet (HFD; 45% cal from fat) in C57BL/6J mice for eight weeks. The mice were fed with the designated diets (chow diet for Normal, HFD for Control, 0.47%-salt-mixed HFD for purified salt (PS), Guerande solar salt from France (SS-G), solar salt from Y salt field (SS-Y), solar salts from T salt field (SS-T) and S salt field (SS-S)) for another eight weeks. We checked body weight, food efficiency ratio (FER) and tissue weights (liver and epididymal adipose tissue (EAT)), and observed serum concentrations of triacylglycerol (TG), total cholesterol (TC), leptin and insulin. We also evaluated gene expressions of adipogenic / lipogenic mRNAs of C/EBPα, PPARγ and FAS and beta-oxidation-related factors (PPARα and CPT-1) in liver and EAT. The mineral composition of salt samples were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). RESULTS: SS-T and SS-S significantly reduced body weight gain, FER, and weight of EAT compared to control and other samples (P < 0.05). SS-T and SS-S also significantly decreased serum levels of TG, TC, leptin and insulin (P < 0.05). SS-T and SS-S suppressed expressions of adipogenic / lipogenic mRNAs in liver and EAT, while promoting expression of beta-oxidation-related factors. The lowest sodium concentration was observed in SS-T (30.30 ± 0.59%), and the lowest sodium-to-potassium (Na/K) ratio was found in SS-S (17.81). CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows that well-processed Korean solar salt may have anti-obesity effects in vivo, probably owing to its differences in mineral composition and other components, presumably resulting from the manufacturing processes. Further research is needed into the mechanism and to explore optimal manufacturing processes.
Adipose Tissue ; Animals ; Body Weight ; Cholesterol ; Diet ; Diet, High-Fat ; France ; Gene Expression ; Insulin ; Leptin ; Liver ; Mice ; Mice, Obese* ; Miners ; Obesity* ; Plasma ; RNA, Messenger ; Salts* ; Sodium ; Spectrum Analysis ; Triglycerides ; Weights and Measures

Purpose: We assessed human papillomavirus (HPV) genotype-based risk stratification and the efficacy of cytology testing for cervical cancer screening in patients with atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS)/low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL). Materials and Methods: Between 2010 and 2021, we monitored 1,273 HPV-positive women with ASCUS/LSIL every 6 months for up to 60 months. HPV infections were categorized as persistent (HPV positivity consistently observed post-enrollment), negative (HPV negativity consistently observed post-enrollment), or non-persistent (neither consistently positive nor negative). HPV genotypes were grouped into high-risk (Hr) groups 1 (types 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58) and 2 (types 35, 39, 51, 56, 59, 66, and 68) and a low-risk group. Hr1 was subdivided into types (a) 16 and 18; (b) 31, 33, and 45; and (c) 52 and 58. Cox regression and machine learning (ML) algorithms were used to analyze progression rates. Results: Among 1,273 participants, 17.6% with persistent HPV infections experienced disease progression versus no progression in the HPV-negative group (p < 0.001). Cox analysis revealed the highest hazard ratios (HRs) for Hr1-a (11.6, p < 0.001), followed by Hr1-b (9.26, p < 0.001) and Hr1-c (7.21, p < 0.001). HRs peaked at 12-24 months, with Hr1-a maintaining significance at 24-36 months (10.7, p=0.034). ML analysis identified the final cytology change pattern as the most significant factor, with 14-15 months the optimal time for detecting progression from the first examination. Conclusion In ASCUS/LSIL cases, follow-up strategies should be based on HPV risk types. Annual follow-up was the most effective monitoring for detecting progression/regression.

Objective: To evaluate human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine effectiveness in a cohort of Korean women infected with HPV. Methods: From 2010 to 2021, Korean women aged 20–60 years who diagnosed HPV-positive atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance or low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion were recruited from 6 hospitals. HPV vaccine effectiveness was estimated by observing the differences in pathological and clinical information and experimental results— prevalence, viral load (VL), physical state (PS), and HPV16/18 infection duration—between the vaccinated and unvaccinated groups. Results: HPV16/18 prevalence declined from 18.5% to 11.8% as vaccination rates increased from 14.3% to 60.7% in the 1,757 registered cohort women. DNA analysis from 96 samples collected from the participants, indicated that HPV vaccination reduced HPV16 VL by 6 times and increased E2/E6 ratio for both HPV16 and HPV18 by 1.4 and 5 times, respectively. The HPV16 infection rate—lasting more than 18 months from 31.0% to 21.6%—and the HPV18 infection rate—lasting more than 12 and less than 24 months from 35.5% to 21.1%—were reduced by vaccination. We found VL and the infection duration to be directly proportional.Moreover, HPV vaccination reduced not only the VL to 1/4 in both the persistence and clearance groups but also the persistence rate from 90% (27/30) to 70.6% (12/17) in HPV16. Conclusion HPV vaccination reduced the prevalence and duration of infection and kept the PS in an episomal form for both HPV16 and HPV18. The tendency of persistence VL to be higher than clearance in the unvaccinated group implies that the vaccine’s effect of reducing VL in HPV16 may lower the risk of progression to cervical cancer by shortening the infection duration.

Purpose: We assessed human papillomavirus (HPV) genotype-based risk stratification and the efficacy of cytology testing for cervical cancer screening in patients with atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS)/low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL). Materials and Methods: Between 2010 and 2021, we monitored 1,273 HPV-positive women with ASCUS/LSIL every 6 months for up to 60 months. HPV infections were categorized as persistent (HPV positivity consistently observed post-enrollment), negative (HPV negativity consistently observed post-enrollment), or non-persistent (neither consistently positive nor negative). HPV genotypes were grouped into high-risk (Hr) groups 1 (types 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58) and 2 (types 35, 39, 51, 56, 59, 66, and 68) and a low-risk group. Hr1 was subdivided into types (a) 16 and 18; (b) 31, 33, and 45; and (c) 52 and 58. Cox regression and machine learning (ML) algorithms were used to analyze progression rates. Results: Among 1,273 participants, 17.6% with persistent HPV infections experienced disease progression versus no progression in the HPV-negative group (p < 0.001). Cox analysis revealed the highest hazard ratios (HRs) for Hr1-a (11.6, p < 0.001), followed by Hr1-b (9.26, p < 0.001) and Hr1-c (7.21, p < 0.001). HRs peaked at 12-24 months, with Hr1-a maintaining significance at 24-36 months (10.7, p=0.034). ML analysis identified the final cytology change pattern as the most significant factor, with 14-15 months the optimal time for detecting progression from the first examination. Conclusion In ASCUS/LSIL cases, follow-up strategies should be based on HPV risk types. Annual follow-up was the most effective monitoring for detecting progression/regression.