BACKGROUND: Health illiteracy is a problem often unrecognized by health care providers. It influences medical costs and the health status of adults. The purposes of this study were to determine the level of health literacy in community-dwelling adults and to identify the factors influencing it. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Seoul, Gyeonggi and Chungcheong province. A total of 420 adults aged 18 or older were interviewed by trained nursing students between November 1 to December 30, 2011. Health literacy was measured using the Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults. Data were analyzed using the PASW 18.0 program. RESULTS: The mean score of health literacy was 50.64+/-19.18. In the multiple linear regression analysis, health literacy was significantly associated with education (beta=0.17, P=0.001), alcohol use (beta=-0.12, P=0.010), and perceived health status (beta=0.11, P=0.029). These factors accounted for about 7% of health literacy. CONCLUSIONS: Health literacy is a very important public health issue. Our findings showed that educational level, alcohol use and perceived health status should be considered when assessing this issue in patients. Furthermore, the development of a standardized Korean assessment tool for health literacy and specified interventions for enhancing health literacy are needed to improve health outcomes.
Adult* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Education ; Gyeonggi-do ; Health Literacy* ; Health Personnel ; Health Status ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Literacy ; Primary Prevention ; Public Health ; Seoul ; Students, Nursing

This article introduces a measuring method for invasive blood pressure based on SecWave technology and a testing method of effectiveness based on IBP database and simulator. Besides, quantified indexes are set out for the accuracy evaluation, such as static pressure accuracy, accuracy of dynamic pressure pulse wave recognition, pulse rate and the response time, so as to provide an important reference method of effectively objective evaluation for invasive blood pressure measurements.
Algorithms ; Automatic Data Processing ; methods ; Blood Pressure Determination ; instrumentation ; methods ; Humans

BACKGROUND: Obesity is known as an important risk factor for colorectal adenoma. However, for the elderly with changes in body composition, reduced muscle, and increased fat, the body mass index (BMI), one of the most commonly used indicators of obesity, is limited in predicting a link to colorectal cancer. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between colorectal adenoma and grip strength that can predict muscle reduction in the elderly. METHODS: This study included 262 participants aged ≥65 years who underwent medical examination between June 2015 and August 2018. The control group comprised participants with normal findings or hyperplasia and other benign lesions, except adenoma on colonoscopy, whereas the adenoma group consisted of participants with more than one adenoma. Grip strength was alternately measured twice for each hand using a hydraulic dynamometer. RESULTS: The grip strength was statistically lower in the adenoma group than in the control group among women (P=0.042). For both sexes, grip strength was significantly lower in participants with ≥5 adenomas than in those with <5 adenomas (P=0.021, P=0.007). Similarly, men with large adenomas (≥7 mm) exhibited significantly lower grip strength than did those with small adenomas (<7 mm) (P=0.004). Even after correction for age, BMI, smoking status, alcohol consumption, exercise, insulin resistance, hypertension, and diabetes, the negative correlation between grip strength and number of adenomas among men and women remained (P=0.034, P=0.019). CONCLUSIONS: A significant relationship between hand grip strength and number of colorectal adenomas was noted.
Adenoma ; Aged ; Alcohol Drinking ; Body Composition ; Body Mass Index ; Colonoscopy ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Female ; Hand Strength ; Hand ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Hypertension ; Insulin Resistance ; Male ; Obesity ; Risk Factors ; Smoke ; Smoking

Apoptosis is an important host defense mechanism against mycobacterial infection. Recent reports suggest that links between apoptosis and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress are critical for the regulation of mycobacterial survival; however, the exact regulatory mechanisms are not well known. In this study, we isolated 20 Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) clinical strains from Korean patients and examined ER stress-mediated apoptosis in Mtb-infected macrophages. Most Mtb strains increased the rates of apoptosis and production of ER stress-sensing molecules in mouse macrophages, similar to Mtb H37Rv infection. Moreover, the intracellular survival of Mtb clinical isolates in macrophages was similar to that of H37Rv. Our data suggest that infection with Mtb downregulated MCP-1 and MCPIP. The regulation of MCPIP may decrease ROS production, leading to a reduction in ER stress-mediated apoptosis.
Animals ; Apoptosis* ; Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress* ; Endoplasmic Reticulum* ; Humans ; Korea* ; Macrophages* ; Mice ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis* ; Mycobacterium*

OBJECTIVETo probe the epidemiological trend of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and cellular immunological change of RSV bronchopneumonia among children in Suzhou in the past five years.

METHODS10,205 children with acute respiratory tract infection from January 2001 to December 2005 were enrolled into the study. Nasopharyngeal aspirates were obtained from the respiratory tract by aseptic vacuum aspiration. Direct immuno-fluorescence assay was employed to detect seven kinds of virus antigens including RSV antigen. CD3, CD4, CD8, CD19, CD16 and CD56 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of 30 patients with RSV bronchopneumonia (1.5-24.0 months old group) were analyzed by flow cytometry analysis, and 15 normal infants (1.5-24.0 months old group) were enrolled as control group.

RESULTSThe annual positive rate of RSV was 24.94%, 25.83%, 24.05%, 25.39% and 27.30% respectively from 2001 to 2005. It also found that the peak season for RSV infection was spring or winter (January to March or November to December). The positive rate of RSV was significantly higher in 1-12 months old group than that in > 12 months old group (chi2 = 97.320, P < 0.01), as well as the groups between 1-12 months old (chi2 = 7.804, P < 0.05, the highest positive rate was occurred at 3-6 months old group). The positive rate of RSV was significantly higher in boys than that in girls (chi2 = 9.693, P < 0.01). The percentages of CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ and NK (CD16 + 56)+ cells were significantly lower in RSV bronchopneumonia than those in control group (t = 3.199, P < 0.01; t = 2.215, P < 0.05; t = 2.619, P < 0.05 and t = 5.240, P < 0.01, respectively). While the percentage of CD19+ cells was significantly elevated in RSV bronchopneumonia than that in control group (t = 2.875, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONRSV infection is of obvious seasonal changes. The younger the patient, the higher positive rates of RSV infection is, while and the cellular immunity function is lower. The effective measures for preventing RSV infection are important, especially for the infants. Further investigation is necessary to understand the causes of the variations for RSV infections between boys and girls.

Adolescent ; Bronchopneumonia ; epidemiology ; immunology ; virology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections ; epidemiology ; immunology ; Respiratory Syncytial Viruses

PURPOSE: To develop a novel approach to calculate the sensitivity profiles of the phased array coil for use in non-uniform intensity correction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The proposed intensity correction method estimates the sensitivity profile of the coil to extract intensity variations that represent the scanned image. The sensitivity profile is estimated by fitting a non-linear curve to various angles of projections through the imaged object in order to eliminate the high-frequency image content. Filtered back projection is then used to compute the estimates of the sensitivity profile of each coil. The method was applied both to phantom and brain images from 8-channel phased-array coil and 4-channel phased-array coil, respectively. RESULTS: Intensity-corrected images from the proposed method have more uniform intensity than those from the commonly used `sum-of-squares' approach. By using the proposed correction method, the intensity variation was reduced to 6.1% from 13.1%, acquired from the `sum-of-squares'. CONCLUSION: The proposed method is more effective at correcting the intensity non-uniformity of the phased-array surface-coil images than the conventional`sum-of-squares' method.
Brain

PURPOSE: To develop a novel approach to calculate the sensitivity profiles of the phased array coil for use in non-uniform intensity correction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The proposed intensity correction method estimates the sensitivity profile of the coil to extract intensity variations that represent the scanned image. The sensitivity profile is estimated by fitting a non-linear curve to various angles of projections through the imaged object in order to eliminate the high-frequency image content. Filtered back projection is then used to compute the estimates of the sensitivity profile of each coil. The method was applied both to phantom and brain images from 8-channel phased-array coil and 4-channel phased-array coil, respectively. RESULTS: Intensity-corrected images from the proposed method have more uniform intensity than those from the commonly used `sum-of-squares' approach. By using the proposed correction method, the intensity variation was reduced to 6.1% from 13.1%, acquired from the `sum-of-squares'. CONCLUSION: The proposed method is more effective at correcting the intensity non-uniformity of the phased-array surface-coil images than the conventional`sum-of-squares' method.
Brain

Adult ; Child, Preschool ; Chromosomes, Human, X ; Female ; Genetic Linkage ; Humans ; Hypophosphatemia, Familial ; genetics ; pathology ; Mouth ; pathology ; Rickets ; genetics ; pathology ; Vitamin D ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVEThe purpose was to analyze the effects of three sterilization methods (dry heat sterilization, steam sterilization, and chemical sterilization) on the corrosion of dental fissure bur.

METHODS200 dental fissure burs were distributed to 10 groups. Bending strength, elastic modulus, and torsional strength were measured by bending and torsional instrument and calculated with special designed software. Among the three sterilization methods, the steam sterilization group showed the most evident.

RESULTSThe corrosion was most severe in steam sterilization group, followed by chemical sterilization, dry heat sterilization. With the sterilization time increased, bending strength, elastic modulus, and torsional strength decreased respectively. Of the three sterilization methods, the mechanical properties were decreased most evidently by steam sterilization, followed by chemical sterilization and dry heat sterilization.

CONCLUSIONIt is proved that the bending strength, elastic modulus and torsional strength have a tight relationship with the corrosion of dental fissure burs. The corrosion was most severe in steam sterilization group, followed by chemical sterilization, dry heat sterilization. In regards of the corrosive effect, the dry heat sterilization might be the best way to sterilize the dental fissure burs.

Dental Fissures ; Dental High-Speed Equipment ; Dental Instruments ; Steam ; Sterilization

OBJECTIVEHepatic stellate cells (HSC) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) transdifferentiate into extracellular matrix-producing myofibroblasts. Activated HSC can promote invasion and metastasis of HCC. To understand the differences of HSC in normal liver and HCC, we compared the gene expression patterns in HCC cell induction-activated and culture-activated rat HSC.

METHODSHSC were isolated by density centrifugation and exposed to conditioned medium from rat HCC cell line C5F. Expression of 22 012 genes in quiescent HSC, culture-activated HSC and HCC induction-activated HSC was analyzed by cDNA microarray and confirmed by real-time RT-PCR and Western blot.

RESULTS1672 genes were differentially expressed in culture-activated HSC, including proinflammatory factors, cell adhesion molecules, cell surface receptors, signaling transduction molecules and immune factors. 711 genes were differentially expressed in HCC induction-activated HSC. Some of them were identical to those in culture-activated HSC. HCC Induction-activated HSC showed specific gene expression patterns, including Raf1, Rac2, Adam17, Wnt6, MMP-9 and TNF, suggesting that HCC cells can specifically induce HSC activation.

CONCLUSIONThe gene expression patterns in HCC induction-activated HSC are different from those in culture-activated HSC. HCC induction-activated HSC may play a major role in the invasion and metastasis of HCC. In vivo activation should be considered as the standard for the study of HSC biology. HCC induction-activated HSC should be considered as the standard for HSC biology studies.

Animals ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cells, Cultured ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Hepatic Stellate Cells ; metabolism ; pathology ; Liver Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred F344