Larger animal models, such as porcine, have been validated as appropriate models of the human disc with respect to biomechanics and biochemistry. They are advantageous for research as the models are relatively straightforward to prepare and easily obtainable for research to perform surgical techniques. The intention of this study was to quantitatively analyze gene expression for collagen and proteoglycan components of the extracellular matrix and for collagenase (MMP-1) in porcine discs of varying ages (Newborn; 2-3weeks, Mature; 6-9 month, Older; 2-3 years). In this study, we observed that the cell number and GAG (glycosaminoglycan) formation dramatically decreased with aging. Also, gene expression in the annulus fibrosus (AF) and nucleus pulposus (NP) cells changed with aging. The level of MMP-1 mRNA increased with age and both type I, II collagens decreased with age. The level of aggrecan mRNA was highest in the mature group and decreased significantly with aging. In the mature group, MMP-1 expression was minimal compared to the newborn group. In AF cells, type II collagen was expressed at a high level in the mature group with a higher level of aggrecan, when aged NP showed a decrease in type II collagen. The model of IVD degeneration in the porcine disc shows many changes in gene expression with age that have been previously documented for human and may serve as a model for studying changes in IVD metabolism with age. We concluded that the porcine model is excellent to test hypotheses related to disc degeneration while permitting time-course study in biologically active systems.
Age Factors ; Aggrecans/genetics/metabolism ; Aging/genetics/*metabolism ; Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Collagen Type I/genetics/metabolism ; Collagen Type II/genetics/metabolism ; Glycosaminoglycans/genetics/metabolism ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disk Degeneration/genetics/*metabolism ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 1/genetics/*metabolism ; *Models, Animal ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Spinal Cord/*metabolism/pathology ; Swine

BACKGROUND: The study was performed to investigate effects of depression and health status on several factors of influencing suicidal ideation among living-alone elderly in rural area. And we assessed if depressive symptom mediates fully suicidal ideation among living-alone elderly in the rural area. METHODS: The subjects of this study used the survey data of elderly people living alone for the elderly mental health promotion project at the city health center. In the questionnaire, 200 people were interviewed by one of the public health center staffs directly. We analyzed a four step approach in which several logistic regression analyses were conducted and significance of the coefficients was examined at each step. RESULTS: The results from step 1 show that the total effect of health status(frailty) was significantly related to suicidal ideation(Exp(β)=2.198, P=0.042). In step 2, the direct effect of health status on depression was significant(Exp(β)=3.925, P<0.001) too. Step 3 analysis showed that the effect of depression on suicidal ideation was significant(Exp(β)=7.115, P=0.001). Step 4 showed that after controlling for depression, health status was not significant for suicidal ideation(P=0.322). Based on analysis results, the finding supports that suicidal ideation among living-alone elderly in the rural area was fully mediated by depressive symptom. CONCLUSIONS: Above findings imply that it is crucial to decrease depression in order to control suicidal ideation among living-alone elderly in rural area. To do that, early diagnosis and developing programs to decrease elderly depression and organizational approach according to characteristics of areas and elderly circunstances are needed.
Aged* ; Depression* ; Early Diagnosis ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Mental Health ; Negotiating* ; Public Health ; Suicidal Ideation*

No abstract available.
Central Nervous System ; Lymphoma

Background: Chronic stress is associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease. This study aimed to assess whether better coping with stress, as assessed using the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS), is associated with slower cognitive decline in community-dwelling older adults. Methods: This study used 2018/2019 data and 2-year follow-up data from the Korean Frailty and Aging Cohort Study. Of the 3,014 total participants, we included 1,826 participants (mean age, 77.6±3.7 years, 51.9% female) who completed BRS and Korean version of the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Battery and the Korean version of the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB). Results: Higher BRS score at baseline was associated with a lesser decline in the Mini-Mental State Examination score over 2 years after adjusting for age, sex, years of education, smoking status, hypertension, diabetes, and depression (B, 0.175; 95% confidence interval, 0.025–0.325) for 2 years, which represents global cognitive function. Other cognitive function measurements (Word List Memory, Word List Recall, Word List Recognition, Digit Span, Trail Making Test-A, and FAB) did not change significantly with the BRS score at baseline. Conclusion These findings suggest that better stress-coping ability, meaning faster termination of the stress response, may limit the decline in cognitive function.

Background: Chronic stress is associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease. This study aimed to assess whether better coping with stress, as assessed using the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS), is associated with slower cognitive decline in community-dwelling older adults. Methods: This study used 2018/2019 data and 2-year follow-up data from the Korean Frailty and Aging Cohort Study. Of the 3,014 total participants, we included 1,826 participants (mean age, 77.6±3.7 years, 51.9% female) who completed BRS and Korean version of the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Battery and the Korean version of the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB). Results: Higher BRS score at baseline was associated with a lesser decline in the Mini-Mental State Examination score over 2 years after adjusting for age, sex, years of education, smoking status, hypertension, diabetes, and depression (B, 0.175; 95% confidence interval, 0.025–0.325) for 2 years, which represents global cognitive function. Other cognitive function measurements (Word List Memory, Word List Recall, Word List Recognition, Digit Span, Trail Making Test-A, and FAB) did not change significantly with the BRS score at baseline. Conclusion These findings suggest that better stress-coping ability, meaning faster termination of the stress response, may limit the decline in cognitive function.

Background: Chronic stress is associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease. This study aimed to assess whether better coping with stress, as assessed using the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS), is associated with slower cognitive decline in community-dwelling older adults. Methods: This study used 2018/2019 data and 2-year follow-up data from the Korean Frailty and Aging Cohort Study. Of the 3,014 total participants, we included 1,826 participants (mean age, 77.6±3.7 years, 51.9% female) who completed BRS and Korean version of the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Battery and the Korean version of the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB). Results: Higher BRS score at baseline was associated with a lesser decline in the Mini-Mental State Examination score over 2 years after adjusting for age, sex, years of education, smoking status, hypertension, diabetes, and depression (B, 0.175; 95% confidence interval, 0.025–0.325) for 2 years, which represents global cognitive function. Other cognitive function measurements (Word List Memory, Word List Recall, Word List Recognition, Digit Span, Trail Making Test-A, and FAB) did not change significantly with the BRS score at baseline. Conclusion These findings suggest that better stress-coping ability, meaning faster termination of the stress response, may limit the decline in cognitive function.

Background: Chronic stress is associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease. This study aimed to assess whether better coping with stress, as assessed using the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS), is associated with slower cognitive decline in community-dwelling older adults. Methods: This study used 2018/2019 data and 2-year follow-up data from the Korean Frailty and Aging Cohort Study. Of the 3,014 total participants, we included 1,826 participants (mean age, 77.6±3.7 years, 51.9% female) who completed BRS and Korean version of the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Battery and the Korean version of the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB). Results: Higher BRS score at baseline was associated with a lesser decline in the Mini-Mental State Examination score over 2 years after adjusting for age, sex, years of education, smoking status, hypertension, diabetes, and depression (B, 0.175; 95% confidence interval, 0.025–0.325) for 2 years, which represents global cognitive function. Other cognitive function measurements (Word List Memory, Word List Recall, Word List Recognition, Digit Span, Trail Making Test-A, and FAB) did not change significantly with the BRS score at baseline. Conclusion These findings suggest that better stress-coping ability, meaning faster termination of the stress response, may limit the decline in cognitive function.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare vitrification optimization of mouse embryos using electron microscopy (EM) grid, cryotop, and thin plastic strip (TPS) containers by evaluating developmental competence and apoptosis rates. METHODS: Mouse embryos were obtained from superovulated mice. Mouse cleavage-stage, expanded, hatching-stage, and hatched-stage embryos were cryopreserved in EM grid, cryotop, and TPS containers by vitrification in 15% ethylene glycol, 15% dimethylsulfoxide, 10 microg/mL Ficoll, and 0.65 M sucrose, and 20% serum substitute supplement (SSS) with basal medium, respectively. For the three groups in which the embryos were thawed in the EM grid, cryotop, and TPS containers, the thawing solution consisted of 0.25 M sucrose, 0.125 M sucrose, and 20% SSS with basal medium, respectively. Rates of survival, re-expansion, reaching the hatched stage, and apoptosis after thawing were compared among the three groups. RESULTS: Developmental competence after thawing of vitrified expanded and hatching-stage blastocysts using cryotop and TPS methods were significantly higher than survival using the EM grid (p<0.05). Also, apoptosis positive nuclei rates after thawing of vitrified expanded blastocysts using cryotop and TPS were significantly lower than when using the EM grid (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The TPS vitrification method has the advantages of achieving a high developmental ability and effective preservation.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Blastocyst ; Dimethyl Sulfoxide ; Embryonic Structures ; Ethylene Glycol ; Ethylenes ; Ficoll ; Mental Competency ; Mice ; Microscopy, Electron ; Plastics ; Sucrose ; Vitrification

OBJECTIVE: To predict the risk of falls, Fall Risk Assessment (FRA) system has been newly developed to measure multi-systemic balance control among community-dwelling older adults. The aim of this study was to examine the association between FRA and fall-related physical performance tests. METHODS: A total of 289 community-dwelling adults aged 65 years and older participated in this cross-sectional study. All participants underwent FRA test and physical performance tests such as Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), and Timed Up and Go Test (TUG). RESULTS: Participants who were younger, male, highly educated, living with family members, having high body mass index, having high appendicular lean mass index, and having no irritative lower urinary tract syndrome were more likely to have higher FRA scores. SPPB (β=1.012), BBS (β=0.481), and TUG (β=-0.831) were significantly associated with FRA score after adjusting for the variables (all p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: FRA composite score was closely correlated with SPPB, BBS, and TUG, suggesting that FRA is a promising candidate as a screening tool to predict falls among community-dwelling elderly people.
Accidental Falls ; Adult ; Aged ; Body Mass Index ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Mass Screening ; Risk Assessment ; Urinary Tract

Objective: The risk of suicide is assessed by identifying the relationship between alcohol-use patterns and suicidal ideation in Korean employees. Methods: The study involved 13,858 employees who underwent workplace mental health screening at the Workplace Mental Health Institute of Kangbuk Samsung Hospital over a 6-year period between 2014 and 2019. Analysis was performed separately for Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Korea (AUDIT-K) items related to the frequency/volume of alcohol consumption (items 1 to 3, AUDIT-C) and those regarding alcohol dependence/related problems (items 4 to 10, AUDIT-D/P). Subjects were then classified into three groups on the basis of the presence or absence of clinical depression and suicidal ideation. The groups’ sociodemographic factors and clinical features of depression, anxiety, and alcohol-use patterns were analyzed with a chi-square test as well as one-way analysis of variance, followed by a post hoc test using the Bonferroni correction. Results: AUDIT-K and AUDIT-D/P scores were significantly associated with the presence or absence of clinical depression as well as the presence or absence of suicidal ideation (p<0.05). However, no significant differences were found among the three groups with regard to the AUDIT-C score (p=0.054). Conclusion Identifying or treating alcohol dependence/related problems can help lower the occurrence of mental health problems, and suicidal ideation in particular, in employees and reduce social costs.