• Journal of Integrative Natural Science
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.61-67
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• 2023

Human body ages differently due to environmental, genetic and pathological factors. DNA methylation patterns also differs depending on various factors such as aging and several other diseases. The aging clock model, which uses these differences to predict age, analyzes DNA methylation patterns, recognizes age-specific patterns, predicts age, and grasps the speed and degree of aging. Aging occurs in everyone and causes various problems such as deterioration of physical ability and complications. Alzheimer's disease is a disease associated with aging and the most common brain degenerative disease. This disease causes various cognitive functions disabilities such as dementia and impaired judgment to motor functions, making daily life impossible. It has been reported that the incidence and progression of this disease increase with aging, and that increased phosphorylation of Aβ and tau proteins, which are overexpressed in this disease and accelerates epigenetic aging. It has also been reported that DNA methylation is significantly increased in the hippocampus and entorhinal cortex of Alzheimer's disease patients. Therefore, we calculated the biological age using the Epi clock, a pan-tissue aging clock model, and confirmed that the epigenetic age of patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease is lower than their actual age. Also, it was confirmed to slow down aging.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.49-54
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• 2018

Adenomyosis is a benign gynecological disease frequently affecting women of reproductive age. It has a negative impact on the quality of life, causing bleeding disorders, dysmenorrhea, chronic pelvic pain, and infertility. However, the molecular mechanisms involved in adenomyosis development remain unclear. This paper summarizes the reports found in the MEDLINE database on the molecular mechanisms involved in the development and progression of uterine adenomyosis. The literature search included the following terms: "adenomyosis," "adenomyoma," "pathogenesis," "molecular mechanisms," and "gynecological disorders." Only peer-reviewed, English-language journal articles were included. This review focuses on the molecular genetics, epigenetic modifications, and pivotal signaling pathways associated with adenomyosis development and progression, which will provide insights into and a better understanding of its underlying pathophysiology.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.114-120
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• 2017

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: A pivotal role of oxidative stress has been emphasized in the pathogenesis as well as in the disease progression of Parkinson's disease (PD). We aimed at investigating serum levels of antioxidant vitamins and elucidating whether they could be associated with the pathogenesis and progression of PD. MATERIALS/METHODS: Serum levels of retinol, ${\alpha}$- and ${\gamma}$-tocopherols, ${\alpha}$- and ${\beta}$-carotenes, lutein, lycopene, zeaxanthin and ${\beta}$-cryptoxanthin were measured and compared between 104 patients with idiopathic PD and 52 healthy controls matched for age and gender. In order to examine the relationship between antioxidant vitamins and the disease progression, multiple group comparisons were performed among the early PD (Hoehn and Yahr stage I and II, N = 47), advanced PD (stage III and IV, N = 57) and control groups. Separate correlation analyses were performed between the measured antioxidant vitamins and clinical variables, such as Hoehn and Yahr stage and Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) motor score. RESULTS: Compared to controls, PD patients had lower levels of ${\alpha}$- and ${\beta}$-carotenes and lycopene. ${\alpha}$-carotene, ${\beta}$-carotene and lycopene levels were significantly reduced in advanced PD patients relative to early PD patients and were negatively correlated with Hoehn and Yahr stage and UPDRS motor score in PD patients. No significant differences were found in serum levels of retinol, ${\alpha}$- and ${\gamma}$-tocopherols, and other carotenoids between PD patients and controls. No significant correlations were found between these vitamin levels and clinical variables in PD patients. CONCLUSTIONS: We found that serum levels of some carotenoids, ${\alpha}$-carotene, ${\beta}$-carotene and lycopene, were lower in PD patients, and that these carotenoids inversely correlated with clinical variables representing disease progression. Our findings suggest that decreases in serum ${\alpha}$-carotene, ${\beta}$-carotene and lycopene may be associated with the pathogenesis as well as progression of PD.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.89-100
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• 2022

Objective: To improve the N biomarker in the amyloid/tau/neurodegeneration system by radiomics and study its value for predicting cognitive progression in individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Materials and Methods: A group of 147 healthy controls (HCs) (72 male; mean age ± standard deviation, 73.7 ± 6.3 years), 197 patients with MCI (114 male; 72.2 ± 7.1 years), and 128 patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) (74 male; 73.7 ± 8.4 years) were included. Optimal A, T, and N biomarkers for discriminating HC and AD were selected using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. A radiomics model containing comprehensive information of the whole cerebral cortex and deep nuclei was established to create a new N biomarker. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers were evaluated to determine the optimal A or T biomarkers. All MCI patients were followed up until AD conversion or for at least 60 months. The predictive value of A, T, and the radiomics-based N biomarker for cognitive progression of MCI to AD were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier estimates and the log-rank test. Results: The radiomics-based N biomarker showed an ROC curve area of 0.998 for discriminating between AD and HC. CSF Aβ42 and p-tau proteins were identified as the optimal A and T biomarkers, respectively. For MCI patients on the Alzheimer's continuum, isolated A+ was an indicator of cognitive stability, while abnormalities of T and N, separately or simultaneously, indicated a high risk of progression. For MCI patients with suspected non-Alzheimer's disease pathophysiology, isolated T+ indicated cognitive stability, while the appearance of the radiomics-based N+ indicated a high risk of progression to AD. Conclusion: We proposed a new radiomics-based improved N biomarker that could help identify patients with MCI who are at a higher risk for cognitive progression. In addition, we clarified the value of a single A/T/N biomarker for predicting the cognitive progression of MCI.

• Journal of Korean Ophthalmic Optics Society
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.75-84
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• 2013

Purpose: Changes of refractive correction value in different age group were investigated. Regarding the inhibitive effects against myopia progression after wearing reverse geometry contact lenses and myopia control lenses (MC lenses), the effects after wearing single vision lenses were compared. Methods: We organized children between the ages of six and fifteen into three groups by age, and distributed fifty-seven reverse geometry contact lenses, fifty-six MC lenses and seventy-eight single vision lenses among them to be worn. Group 1 consisted of children aged ten and under, Group 2 consisted of children between the ages of eleven and fifteen, and Group 3 represents all of the study participants. The aim of this study was to learn the inhibitive effects against myopia progression attained by changes of refractive correction value and to verify their statistical significance at twelve months and under, thirteen to twenty-four months and twenty-five to thirty-six months. Results: Changes of refractive correction value by each length of use in Group 3 were as follows. For the age group of under twelve months, participants using the reverse geometric contact lens showed no change, while those using the MC or single vision lens had significant changes (P<0.05) of $-0.36{\pm}0.10$ D and $-0.67{\pm}0.52$ D, respectively. Users of all three lens types displayed significant change (P<0.05), in the age group of between thirteen and twenty-four months, of $0.18{\pm}0.49$ D, $0.60{\pm}0.42$ D and $1.37{\pm}0.72$ D for users of the reverse geometry contact lens, the MC lens and the single vision lens, respectively. There were significant changes (P<0.05) of $0.29{\pm}0.61$ D, $0.93{\pm}0.57$ D and $1.72{\pm}0.78$ in the same respective order as the above in the age group of twenty-five to thirty-six months. Refractive correction value showed changes with different age group. Group 1 displayed significant changes (P<0.05) of $0.29{\pm}0.73$ D, $1.07{\pm}0.59$ D and $1.75{\pm}0.74$ D for users of the reverse geometry contact lens, MC lens and single vision lens, respectively, up to thirty-six months of lens wearing; Group 2, also up to thirty-six months, displayed significant changes (P<0.05) of $0.28{\pm}0.42$ D, $0.75{\pm}0.49$ D and $1.70{\pm}0.84$ D in the same respective order, and changes in refractive correction for the age group under ten years was significantly greater (P<0.05) for the age group of eleven and older. Conclusions: The results found in this study demonstrate that there were no changes of refractive correction value for the case of wearing reversing geometry contact lens up to twelve month or less. MC lens showed less changes in variations of visual acuity for all users which might be resulted in inhibiting progression of myoptia. When both reverse geometry contact lens and the MC lens are wearing for the period from 13 to 36 month, both lens showed less changes in variation of visual acuity for all users. The results suggested that the less changes in variation of visual acuity of both lens had an effect on inhibiting progression of myopia.

• Journal of East-West Nursing Research
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.51-60
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• 2021

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with high risk drinking in adults. Methods: Multi-variate logistic regression was used to analyze the data of 15,949 adults age 19 years or older from the sixth (2013-2015) Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Results: Factors associated with high risk drinking included education level, employment and smoking status among the age group of 19-39. In the 40-59 year age group, the associated factors were gender, employment, smoking, obesity, and depressive mood. In the over 60 year age group, related factors included gender, employment, smoking, abdominal obesity, and subjective health status. Conclusion: The result of this study suggests that early risk factor screening may be helpful to avoid the progression to high-risk drinking. An individualized approach for each age group can be used as a preventive measure.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.15
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• pp.6457-6461
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• 2015

MicroRNAs directly and indirectly influence many biological processes such as apoptosis, cell maintenance, and immune responses, impacting on tumor genesis and metastasis. They modulate gene expression at the posttranscriptional level and are associated with progression of liver disease. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a cancer which mostly occurs in males. There are many factors affect HCC development, for example, hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), co-infection, environmental factors including alcohol, aflatoxin consumption and host-related factors such as age, gender immune response, microRNA and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Chronic infection with the hepatitis B virus is the major factor leading to HCC progression since it causes the liver injury. At present, there are many reports regarding the association of SNPs on miRNAs and the HCC progression. In this research, we investigated the role of miR-149 (rs2292832) and miR-101-1 (rs7536540) with HCC progression in Thai population. The study included 289 Thai subjects including 104 HCC patients, 90 patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection (CHB) and 95 healthy control subjects. The allele and genotype of rs2292832 and rs7536540 polymorphisms were determined by TaqMan real-time PCR assay. Our results revealed no significant association between miR-149 (rs2292832) and miR-101-1 (rs7536540) and the risk of HCC in our Thai population. However, this research is the first study of miR-149 (rs2292832) and miR-101-1 (rs7536540) in HCC in Thai populations and the results need to be confirmed with a larger population.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.1 no.4
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• pp.217-223
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• 2005

To assess that the XRCC1 399Gln variant contributes to sensitivity to ionizing radiation treatment and is associated with progression-free and overall survival, one hundred and ninety-five lung cancer patients were recruited at the Asan Medical Center from 2000 to 2003. We determined the genotypes of the XRCC1 genes by PCR-RFLP. Kaplan-Meier survival curves and the log-rank test were used to analyze the effects of genotypes on survival. Hazard ratios, adjusted for age, sex, and other potential confounders, were calculated using the Cox-proportional hazard model. Patients carrying the 399Gln variant allele under radiotherapy only had a shorter progression-free and overall survival than those with the 399Arg homozygote. However, when we analyzed for the effect of the XRCC1 Arg399Gln polymorphism in the combined treatment of surgical resection and radiotherapy, we found that patients with the 399Gln variant allele had a longer progression-free and overall survival. This study shows different associations between the XRCC1 Arg399Gln polymorphism and progression-free or overall survival depending on treatment protocol in patients with NSCLC.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Health Science
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.1386-1397
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• 2020

Purpose: To examine the effectiveness of various treatments; bifocal spectacles, orthokeratology, atropine, and time spent in outdoors; in slowing down the myopia progression for Asian adolescents (6-18age). Methods: The research focused on examining the most effective treatment in controlling myopia based on the literature sources that have been published. Through meta-analysis of various research papers that already has been done in this field, a lot of data was collected. For each treatment, the difference in axial length and spherical equivalent over time was measured and recorded. To quantitatively record the difference, both axial length and spherical equivalent was determined by value of control group value of treatment group. The paper compared the effectiveness of each treatment based on the data that was measured. Results: Adolescents who chose to spend time outdoors in order to slow down myopia progression had axial length difference of 0.03 mm and spherical equivalent difference of 0.17 D. Adolescents that used atropine had axial length difference of 0.36 mm and spherical equivalent difference of 0.92 D. Bifocal spectacle resulted in axial length difference of 0.21 mm and spherical equivalent difference of 0.59 D, and for orthokeratology 0.23 mm and 0.04 D, respectively. Axial length wise, myopia was most controlled by the atropine since there was a greatest difference between the group that got the treatment and the group that did not have the treatment. According to the spherical equivalent difference data, myopia was most controlled by atropine. Conclusion: Atropine showed the most effective result in controlling myopia among the four treatment. Again, compared to other three treatment, using atropine appeared to have greatest ability in slowing down myopia progression since adolescents who were treated with atropine had greatest difference from adolescents in the control group that had the same condition but didn't get the treatment. However, every treatment was only used for 2 or 3 years which is quite short time period to measure the long term effect of the four treatments. Also, since atropine is a pharmaceutical method to control myopia, it may harm adolescents' eyes compared to optical or environmental treatment.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.17
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• pp.7875-7882
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• 2015

Background: The objectives of this study were to evaluate the expression of brain and acute leukemia, cytoplasmic (BAALC) gene and erythroblast transformation-specific related gene (ERG) in de novo cases of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and identify roles in disease progression and outcome. Materials and Methods: This study included 50 newly diagnosed AML patients, along with 10 apparently healthy normal controls. BAALC and ERG expression was detected in the bone marrow of both patients and controls using real-time RT-PCR. Results: BAALC and ERG expression was detected in 52% of cases but not in any controls. There was a statistically significant correlation between BAALC and ERG gene expression and age (p-value=0.004 and 0.019, respectively). No statistical significance was noted for sex, lymphadenopathy, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, other hematological findings, immunophenotyping and FAB sub-classification except for ERG gene and FAB (p-value=0.058). A statistical significant correlation was found between response to treatment with ERG expression (p-value=0.028) and age (p-value=0.014). A statistically significant variation in overall survival was evident with patient age, BM blast cells, FAB subgroups, BAALC and ERG expression (p-value=<0.001, 0.045, 0.041, <0.008 and 0.025 respectively). Conclusions: Our results suggest that BAALC and ERG genes are specific significant molecular markers in AML disease progression, response to treatment and survival.