BACKGROUND: The EuroQol-5 Dimension (EQ-5D) is the most frequently used questionnaire in cost-utility studies such as the quality-adjusted life year measure. Nevertheless, little attention has been paid to the relationship between an individual's visual analogue scale (VAS) score and EQ-5D dimensions. The objective of this study was to assess the relationship between the EQ-5D and VAS quality of life measures after adjusting for socio-demographic factors in the Korean general population. METHODS: The Fourth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, which is a national representative sample, was used to analyze the impact of the EQ-5D dimensions on the VAS. The known-group construct validity of the VAS was assessed by factors that included age, income and comorbidities. The ordinary linear regression models were applied to test for the effect of the EQ-5D dimensions after adjusting for socio-demographic and clinical factors. RESULTS: We found that the VAS showed good construct validity. The VAS significantly declined as age increased, and as education and income levels decreased. VAS scores decreased for all EQ-5D dimensions as the response level rose. The explanatory power of the VAS increased from 23.0% in the first model, which included only the EQ-5D dimensions and levels, to 25.0% in the full model, which included socio-demographic and clinical factors. CONCLUSIONS: While the EQ-5D dimensions were significant factors in determining the VAS, they did not, however, explain a sufficient amount of variance in the VAS. Further research is required on adding more dimensions to the EQ-5D preference-based instrument.
Comorbidity ; Korea ; Linear Models ; Nutrition Surveys ; Quality of Life ; Quality-Adjusted Life Years

PURPOSE: To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Korean short form-36 health survey version 2 for assessing the general population and to provide normative data on the general population. METHODS: Six hundred members of the general Korean population were recruited using a multistage quota sampling method. Data quality was evaluated in terms of the completeness of the data and the response consistency index. Each psychometric property was evaluated using descriptive statistics, item internal consistency, item discriminant validity, known-group validity, internal consistency reliability, and exploratory factor analysis. RESULTS: The rate of missing data was low, and the rate of consistent responses was similar to conventional criteria. Item internal consistency was acceptable across all scales, whilst item discriminant validity was satisfactory for five of the eight scales. Social functioning was the least acceptable in terms of not only item discriminant validity but also item consistency reliability (Cronbach's alpha = .64). Test-retest Pearson correlation coefficients ranged from .54 to .80. In known group comparison, male sex, age <60 years, high educational status, and the absence of any comorbidities were associated with higher scores than their counterparts. Item factor analysis yields the presence of six factors, accounting for 68.8% of the variance. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study generally support the use of the Korean short form-36 version 2 for evaluating the general population, although caution is recommended when interpreting the vitality, social functioning, and mental health scales. Further research is needed in Korea.
Accounting ; Comorbidity ; Educational Status ; Health Surveys ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Mental Health ; Psychometrics ; Quality of Life ; Reproducibility of Results ; Data Accuracy ; Weights and Measures

Ferroptosis is a newly recognized type of cell death that results from iron-dependent lipid peroxidation and is different from other types of cell death, such as apoptosis, necrosis, and autophagic cell death. This type of cell death is characterized by mitochondrial shrinkage with an increased mitochondrial membrane density and outer mitochondrial membrane rupture. Ferroptosis can be induced by a loss of activity of system Xc− and the inhibition of glutathione peroxidase 4, followed by the accumulation of lipid reactive oxygen species (ROS). In addition, inactivation of the mevalonate and transsulfuration pathways is involved in the induction of ferroptosis. Moreover, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase and p53 promote ferroptosis by increasing ROS production, while heat shock protein beta-1 and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 inhibit ferroptosis by reducing iron uptake. This article outlines the molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways of ferroptosis regulation, and explains the roles of ferroptosis in human disease.
Apoptosis ; Autophagy ; Cell Death* ; Glutathione Peroxidase ; HSP27 Heat-Shock Proteins ; Humans ; Iron ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Mevalonic Acid ; Mitochondrial Membranes ; NADP ; Necrosis ; Oxidoreductases ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Rupture

No abstract available.
Thioctic Acid*

Controversies about the posterior cruciate ligament continue with regards to total knee arthroplasty. There has been a long debate regarding PLC and its importance seems to be overrated in total knee arthroplasty. Twenty four patients had twenty six total knee replacements with insertion of the PCL substituting Press Fit Condylar modular total knee system with cement, and they were enrolled in a prospective study to assess the clinicoradiological results and measure the femoral roll-back postoperatively. Follow-up ranged from twenty four months to fifty months with an average of thirty two months. The mean HSS score was 92.1 points and the mean range of motion was 122.7 degrees. Twenty five cases(96.1%) showed excellent and good clinical results. The radiologic evaluation based on Knee Society roentgenographic system revealed proper alignment of all components and one significant radiolucent area. The mean femoral roll-back was 2.3mm posteriorly. In the present series, total knee arthroplasties with the Press Fit Condylar modular knee system resulted in excellent relief of pain, excellent range of motion and restoration of function.
Arthroplasty* ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Knee ; Posterior Cruciate Ligament ; Prospective Studies ; Range of Motion, Articular

The roentgenograms following arthroscopic ACL reconstruction show the enlargement of bone tunnels. Many authors hypothesized the cause of the tunnel enlargement, either mechanical or biological causes. The purpose of this study was to find the factors which affected the enlargement of the tibial tunnel following arthroscopic ACL reconstruction with bone-patellar tendon-bone or hamstring tendon. Sixty patients were reviewed retrospectively for radiographic measurement of tibial tunnel at post-operative one year (27 patients received bone-patellar tendon-bone autograft, 12 patients received bone-patellar tendon-bone autograft and Kennedy LAD-ligament augmentation device, 21 patients received Semitendinosus and Gracilis tendons with Endobutton). Roentgenographic anteroposterior and lateral films were checked and the tunnel was measured by two independent observers using a digital caliper. Statistical analysis was performed using a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and t-test. The tibial tunnel enlargement was only related to the position of the fixation of the tibial tunnel. We concluded that tibial tunnel enlargement following arthroscopic ACL reconstruction is attributed to the mechanical effect rather than the properties of grafts and the clinical results.
Autografts ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Tendons ; Transplants

In anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) deficient knee, several treatment methods were recommended. Recently, arthroscopic reconstruction is widely used as the best treatment method. As the graft materials, bone-patellar tendon-bone (BPB) unit is a gold standard material. Whereas, it has many problems. The purpose of this study was to introduce the new arthroscopic ACL reconstruction technique with quadrupled semitendinosus tendon and Endobutton and to evaluate its results. Twenty one patients were prospectively reviewed after ACL reconstruction with quadrupled semitendinosus tendon and Endobutton at one year post-operation. The surgery was performed in the series of graft tendon harvest, graft preparation, tunnel drilling and Endobutton fixation. The outcomes showed improved knee functions. Endobutton technique with quadrupled semitendinosus tendon is useful method for the arthroscopic ACL reconstruction. Stability and functional outcomes were similar to those with patellar tendon but it showed less donor site morbidity, less pitfall of fixation and simple procedure.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament ; Humans ; Knee ; Patellar Ligament ; Prospective Studies ; Tendons* ; Tissue Donors ; Transplants

Ferroptosis is a newly recognized type of cell death that results from iron-dependent lipid peroxidation and is different from other types of cell death, such as apoptosis, necrosis, and autophagic cell death. This type of cell death is characterized by mitochondrial shrinkage with an increased mitochondrial membrane density and outer mitochondrial membrane rupture. Ferroptosis can be induced by a loss of activity of system Xc− and the inhibition of glutathione peroxidase 4, followed by the accumulation of lipid reactive oxygen species (ROS). In addition, inactivation of the mevalonate and transsulfuration pathways is involved in the induction of ferroptosis. Moreover, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase and p53 promote ferroptosis by increasing ROS production, while heat shock protein beta-1 and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 inhibit ferroptosis by reducing iron uptake. This article outlines the molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways of ferroptosis regulation, and explains the roles of ferroptosis in human disease.
Apoptosis ; Autophagy ; Cell Death ; Glutathione Peroxidase ; HSP27 Heat-Shock Proteins ; Humans ; Iron ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Mevalonic Acid ; Mitochondrial Membranes ; NADP ; Necrosis ; Oxidoreductases ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Rupture

Objectives: Very limited previous research has investigated the utility weights of prostate-related diseases in the general population in Korea. The purpose of this study was to calculate the utility of prostate-related health states in the Korean general public using the standard gamble (SG) method. Methods: Seven health states for hypothetical prostate cancers, 1 for benign prostate hyperplasia, and 1 for erectile dysfunction were developed based on patient education material and previous publications. In total, 460 responses from the Korean general population were used to analyze the utility of prostate-related health states. Computer-assisted personal interviews were conducted, and utility values were measured using a visual analogue scale (VAS) and SG. Mean utility values were calculated for each prostate-related health state. Results: The mean utility values of prostate cancer derived from SG ranged from 0.281 (metastatic castration-refractory prostate cancer) to 0.779 (localized prostate cancer requiring prostatectomy). The utility value of benign prostate hyperplasia was 0.871, and that of erectile dysfunction was 0.812. The utility values obtained using the SG method in all conditions were higher than the values obtained by VAS. There were no significant demographic variables affecting utility values in multivariate analysis. Conclusions Our findings might be useful for economic evaluation and utility calculation of screening and interventions for prostate-related conditions in the general population.

Lysine-specific histone demethylase 1 (LSD1), also known as KDM1A, can remove the methyl group from lysine 4 and 9 at histone H3, which regulates transcriptional suppression and activation. Recently, high expression of LSD1 in tumors has been shown to be involved in cancer cell proliferation, metastasis, and poor prognosis. We found that SP2509, a potent and reversible inhibitor of LSD1, induced apoptosis in human renal carcinoma (Caki and ACHN) and glioma (U87MG) cells. Pharmacological inhibition and siRNA-mediated silencing of LSD1 expression effectively downregulated anti-apoptotic proteins such as Bcl-2 and Mcl-1. Ectopic expression of these proteins markedly attenuated SP2509-induced apoptosis. At a mechanistic level, we found that inhibition of LSD1 downregulated Bcl-2 at a transcriptional level. Interestingly, protein expression of Mcl-1 was modulated at a post-translation level. Our results reveal that LSD1 could induce apoptotic cell death in renal carcinoma cells through downregulation of Bcl-2 and Mcl-1.