Background/Aims: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is characterized by fat accumulation in the liver. MASLD encompasses both steatosis and MASH. Since MASH can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer, steatosis and MASH must be distinguished during patient treatment. Here, we investigate the genomes, epigenomes, and transcriptomes of MASLD patients to identify signature gene set for more accurate tracking of MASLD progression. Methods: Biopsy-tissue and blood samples from patients with 134 MASLD, comprising 60 steatosis and 74 MASH patients were performed omics analysis. SVM learning algorithm were used to calculate most predictive features. Linear regression was applied to find signature gene set that distinguish the stage of MASLD and to validate their application into independent cohort of MASLD. Results: After performing WGS, WES, WGBS, and total RNA-seq on 134 biopsy samples from confirmed MASLD patients, we provided 1,955 MASLD-associated features, out of 3,176 somatic variant callings, 58 DMRs, and 1,393 DEGs that track MASLD progression. Then, we used a SVM learning algorithm to analyze the data and select the most predictive features. Using linear regression, we identified a signature gene set capable of differentiating the various stages of MASLD and verified it in different independent cohorts of MASLD and a liver cancer cohort. Conclusions We identified a signature gene set (i.e., CAPG, HYAL3, WIPI1, TREM2, SPP1, and RNASE6) with strong potential as a panel of diagnostic genes of MASLD-associated disease.

Objective: This study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an individually tailored program based on self-measurement of blood glucose on health behavior and HbA1c in diabetes and pre-diabetes patients. Methods: The program consisted of seven sessions for 12 weeks which were carried out every two weeks. Almost all sessions were progressed on untact method except for the first and last session. The 71 subjects were assessed for their knowledge of diabetes, health behavior, the experience of self-measurement of blood glucose, body mass Index (BMI) and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) at before and after the program. They were also evaluated on their degree of utilization of blood glucose measurements after the program. Results: Each mean score on their knowledge of diabetes, health behavior and the experience of self-measurement of blood glucose was significantly increased from 14.77, 25.50, and 2.70 to 15.41, 28.40, and 4.81, respectively. Each mean score on both BMI and HbA1c (n=53) was significantly decreased from 24.47kg/m2 and 7.27% to 24.01kg/m2 and 6.67%, respectively. The post-HbA1c had a significant negative correlation(r=-0.415) with the degree of utilization of blood glucose measurements. The degree of utilization of blood glucose measurements had a significant positive correlation(r=0.581) with post-health behavior. Conclusions The program shows effectiveness in improving HbA1c in Type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes patients. The post-HbA1c might be related to the degree of utilization of blood glucose measurements which might be related to the health behavior.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to identify the factors related to re-visit intentions of patients who had visited the 10 oral health care centers for the disabled currently operating in Korea. Methods: A self-developed questionnaire (29 items) was distributed among 1,000 randomly selected patients and their guardians who had visited one of the 10 oral health care centers for the disabled, with a consent. Consequently, 874 questionnaires were collected and analysed for statistics using SPSS 25.0. Results: The patients traveled a long distance to visit the oral health care centers because of their specialization for the disabled. With the level of satisfaction with dentist services, dental hygienist services, and facilities increasing, the re-visit intention proportionally rose. Conclusions This study presents basic data that provides information on the operation of 10 oral health care centers for the disabled. It is imperative to develop a more structured questionnaire, and conduct an annual survey of the disabled visiting the centers.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to identify the factors related to re-visit intentions of patients who had visited the 10 oral health care centers for the disabled currently operating in Korea. Methods: A self-developed questionnaire (29 items) was distributed among 1,000 randomly selected patients and their guardians who had visited one of the 10 oral health care centers for the disabled, with a consent. Consequently, 874 questionnaires were collected and analysed for statistics using SPSS 25.0. Results: The patients traveled a long distance to visit the oral health care centers because of their specialization for the disabled. With the level of satisfaction with dentist services, dental hygienist services, and facilities increasing, the re-visit intention proportionally rose. Conclusions This study presents basic data that provides information on the operation of 10 oral health care centers for the disabled. It is imperative to develop a more structured questionnaire, and conduct an annual survey of the disabled visiting the centers.

Purpose: This study examined the levels of traumatic event experience, self disclosure, social support, and posttraumatic growth of intensive care unit nurses and their relationships. Methods: Participants were 142 nurses who had worked for more than 3 months in six general hospitals, J province from August 7 to September 25, 2020. Collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t-test, ANOVA, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, and multiple regression using the program SPSS version 22.0. Results: The posttraumatic growth was found to correlate significantly with self disclosure (r=.23, p=.005), individual support (r=.54, p<.001), and organizational support (r=.32, p<.001). Factors influencing the participants of the posttraumatic growth were individual support (β=.46, p<.001) and organizational support (β=.21, p=.007). These factors explained 32.0% of the variance of ICU nurses’ posttraumatic growth (F=14.13, p<.001). Conclusion Efforts to support positive changes after traumatic event experience for ICU nurses are needed. We suggest to develop individual and organizational supportive programs for posttraumatic growth for ICU nurses and to investigate the effects of the programs.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify factors related to family health and develop a prediction model with an ability to explain family health in families of patients with schizophrenia.METHODS: A hypothesized model with twelve pathway forms was developed based on literature review. Family stress and social stigma were included as two exogenous variables; whereas family resilience, family empowerment, self-esteem, community integration, and family health were included as endogenous variables. Data were collected using a self-report questionnaire from 206 families of patients with schizophrenia living in Republic of Korea. Data were analyzed with PASW/WIN 18.0 and AMOS 18.0 programs.RESULTS: Social stigma had a negatively indirect and total effect on family health. Family resilience, self-esteem, and community integration had positive and direct and overall effects on family health.CONCLUSION: A prediction model for families of patients with schizophrenia is proposed and social stigma, family resilience, self-esteem, and community integration are presented as predicting factors for family health. Nursing interventions and support programs should be developed to overcome social stigma and improve family resilience, self-esteem, and community integration.
Community Integration ; Family Health ; Humans ; Nursing ; Power (Psychology) ; Republic of Korea ; Schizophrenia ; Social Stigma

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the effects of chronic medical diseases on depressive symptoms in individuals at high risk for depression living in rural areas, over a 1-year period.METHODS: A community-based longitudinal study was conducted; 67 participants aged 18–79 years residing in rural areas were included. In the first survey, all participants completed a self-report questionnaire battery. An interview was also conducted to obtain data on demographic variables and current or past chronic medical diseases. In the first survey, participants with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale(CES-D) scores of 16 or higher were categorized as being at high risk for depression; the same assessments were carried out 1 year later in a follow-up survey. Multiple regression analysis was performed to determine the association of chronic medical diseases with 1-year follow-up depressive symptoms in the high-risk group.RESULTS: In model 1, which controlled for sociodemographic variables, the number of chronic medical diseases (p =0.026), baseline severity of depressive symptoms(p =0.002), and presence of diabetes(p =0.039) were significantly associated with the follow-up CES-D scores. In model 2, which further adjusted for Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test and Beck Anxiety Inventory scores, the number of chronic medical diseases(p =0.036), baseline severity of depressive symptoms(p =0.017), and prevalence of diabetes(p =0.037) were also significantly associated with the follow-up CES-D scores.CONCLUSION: This study suggests that the number of chronic medical diseases, prevalence of diabetes, and severity of depressive symptoms are significantly associated with 1-year follow-up depressive symptoms in individuals at high risk for depression.
Anxiety ; Depression ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Follow-Up Studies ; Longitudinal Studies ; Prevalence ; Rural Population

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of black soybean (CJ-3) testa extracts on lipid profiles in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. METHODS: One control group and four STZ-induced diabetic groups with different doses of black soybean (CJ-3) testa extracts treatment [0 mg/kg (diabetic control, EX), 250 mg/kg (EX-250), 500 mg/kg (EX-500), 1,000 mg/kg (EX-1000)] were orally administered for 4 weeks. RESULTS: All CJ-3 treatment groups had remarkably lower serum triglyceride (TG) levels than that of EX group (p < 0.05) whereas hepatic TG contents did not show any differences. Results from serum total cholesterol (TC) concentrations of EX-250 and EX-1000 groups were decreased compared to EX group (p < 0.05). Furthermore, protein levels of 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-Coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase from the liver decreased in all treatment groups (p < 0.05). However, significant differences were not observed in serum glucose and insulin, and glucose transporter 4 (GLUT-4) protein expression in skeletal muscle tissue. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that black soybean testa extracts could be useful for improvement of hyperlipidemia and hypercholesteremia in diabetes.
Animals ; Anthocyanins ; Blood Glucose ; Cholesterol ; Glucose Transport Proteins, Facilitative ; Hypercholesterolemia ; Hyperlipidemias ; Insulin ; Liver ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Oxidoreductases ; Rats* ; Soybeans* ; Streptozocin ; Triglycerides

BACKGROUND: Detection of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) can be considered problematic due to assay variability and reagent sensitivity, high false-positive and false-negative rates, and lack of assay standardization. Therefore, utilizing an automated system can improve reproducibility and reduce interlaboratory variation. Here, we evaluated the analytical performance of the new automated ACL AcuStar chemiluminescence assay (Instrumentation Laboratory, USA). This was compared to the results of a panel analyzed with the QUANTA Lite ELISA (INOVA Diagnostics Inc., USA). METHODS: We evaluated the inter-assay precision, linearity, and carry-over between the two methods, ACL and ELISA. A reference range study for each of the anticardiolipin (aCL) and anti-beta2 glycoprotein-I (abeta2GPI) IgG and IgM antibodies were performed using 135 healthy patient samples, which served as controls. We then compared the accuracy among the AcuStar and ELISA systems via four aPL tests. For this comparison, 69 patient samples suspected of an autoimmune disorder were used as the experimental panel. RESULTS: The AcuStar analyzer showed excellent precision, linearity, and carry-over for all four assays. The calculated cutoff values were 20.3 U/mL for aCL IgG, 20.3 U/mL for aCL IgM, 26.3 U/mL for abeta2GPI IgG, and 11.9 U/mL for abeta2GPI IgM. The consensus between AcuStar and ELISA results were generally comparable. Total agreement varied between 82.6% and 95.7%, and kappa values showed moderate to good agreement. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates that the new AcuStar chemiluminescence assay showed better performance. This automated system leads to improved reproducibility and reduces interlaboratory variability.
Antibodies ; Antibodies, Anticardiolipin ; Antibodies, Antiphospholipid* ; Antiphospholipid Syndrome ; Automation ; Consensus ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulin M ; Luminescence* ; Reference Values