To investigate the effect of choline alfoscerate (CA) on hearing amplification in patients with age related hearing loss, we performed a prospective case-control observational study from March 2016 ...to September 2020. We assessed patients with bilateral word recognition score (WRS) <50% using monosyllabic words. The patients were 65–85 years old, without any history of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, parkinsonism, or depression. After enrollment, all patients started using hearing aids (HA). The CA group received a daily dose of 800 mg CA for 11 months. We performed between-group comparisons of audiological data, including pure tone audiometry, WRS, HA fitting data obtained using real-ear measurement (REM), and the Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid benefit scores after treatment. After CA administration, the WRS improved significantly in the CA group (4.2 ± 8.3%), but deteriorated in the control group (−0.6 ± 8.1%,
p
= 0.035). However, there was no significant between-group difference in the change in pure tone thresholds and aided speech intelligibility index calculated from REM. These findings suggest that the difference in WRS was relevant to central speech understanding rather than peripheral audibility. Therefore, administering oral CA could effectively enrich listening comprehension in older HA users.
The goal of this study was to compare the lipid-lowering efficacy of the combination of ezetimibe and low- or intermediate-intensity statin therapy versus that of high-intensity statin monotherapy.
...This study is a post hoc analysis of an 8-week, randomized, double-blind, Phase III trial. Patients who had hypercholesterolemia and required lipid-lowering treatment were randomly assigned to 1 of 6 treatment groups: rosuvastatin 5 mg (R5, n = 68), rosuvastatin 10 mg (R10, n = 67), rosuvastatin 20 mg (R20, n = 69), and ezetimibe 10 mg combined with rosuvastatin 5 mg (R5 + E10, n = 67), rosuvastatin 10 mg (R10 + E10, n = 68), and rosuvastatin 20 mg (R20 + E10, n = 68) daily. The effects of coadministration of ezetimibe and a low dose of rosuvastatin on lipid parameters and the target achievement rate were compared between the R5 + E10 and R10 treatment groups, the R5 + E10 and R20 treatment groups, and the R10 + E10 and R20 treatment groups.
Reductions in total cholesterol, LDL-C, apolipoprotein B, the apolipoprotein B/A1 ratio, and non–HDL-C were not different between the R5 + E10 and R10 treatment groups (all, P > 0.017), the R5 + E10 and R20 treatment groups (all, P > 0.017), and the R10 + E10 and R20 treatment groups (all, P > 0.017). R5 + E10 treatment showed efficacy comparable to that of R10 or R20 in affording LDL levels <50% of the baseline level (R5 + E10 vs R10, 73.13% vs 62.69% P = 0.1952; R5 + E10 vs R20, 73.13% vs 73.91% P = 0.9180), LDL-C levels <70 mg/dL (R5 + E10 vs R10, 64.18% vs 55.22% P = 0.2906; R5 + E10 vs R20, 64.18% vs 62.32% P = 0.8220), and LDL-C levels <50% of the baseline level or <70 mg/dL (R5 + E10 vs R10, 77.61% vs 70.15% P = 0.3255; R5 + E10 vs R20, 77.61% vs 78.26% P = 0.9273). The R10 + E10 treatment group was better than the R20 treatment group in achieving the target LDL-C level <70 mg/dL (83.82% vs 62.32%; P = 0.0046), even among participants with a baseline LDL-C level >135 mg/dL (77.5% vs 48.8%, respectively; P = 0.0074).
Ezetimibe combined with low- or intermediate-intensity statin therapy has lipid-lowering efficacy comparable to or better than that of high-intensity rosuvastatin monotherapy. The results of the present study indicate that the combination treatment with ezetimibe is advantageous in that it permits dose reduction of rosuvastatin without compromising the lipid-lowering efficacy of rosuvastatin. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02205606.
There are only a few studies on characteristics and outcomes of late recurrence (LR) of urothelial carcinoma of bladder (UCB) after radical cystectomy (RC). The objective of this study was to assess ...characteristics and oncological outcomes of such LR that developed 5 years after RC.
We retrospectively reviewed 570 patients who underwent RC and bilateral regional lymphadenectomy for UCB at our institution. Comparisons of post-recurrence disease-specific survival (DSS) according to the timing of recurrence and the site of recurrence were performed using Kaplan-Meier survival curves and log-rank test. Cox regression model was fitted to assess factors for post-recurrence DSS.
Disease recurrence occurred in 214 (37.5%) patients, including 20 (9.3%) who had LRs. Median time from RC to recurrence was 13.0 (interquartile range 6.0-32.0) months. There were no significant differences in clinicopathological factors between early- and late-recurrence groups. Post-recurrence 5-year DSS was not significantly different (21.6 vs. 14.1%, p = 0.344) between early- and late-recurrence groups. However, it was worse in the nonurothelial recurrence group compared to that in the urothelial recurrence group (14.0 vs. 19.4%, p = 0.056). Older age (HR 1.03, 95% CI 1.01-1.05, p = 0.001), nonorgan-confined disease at RC (HR 1.73, 95% CI 1.15-2.61, p = 0.008), and lymph node invasion (HR 1.58, 95% CI 1.01-2.45, p = 0.043) were significant predictors for post-recurrence 5-year DSS.
LR after RC with lymphadenectomy is not common. However, it cannot be overlooked. LR had similar characteristics to early recurrence. Interestingly, the time to recurrence did not affect post-recurrence survival.
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•We prepared a 3-D flexible Si-composite electrode (Si/CNF-P).•The Si/CNF-P showed a high specific capacity and high rate performance.•The enhanced performance is due to voids formed ...by 3-D carbon nanofiber networks.
To increase the energy storage capacity of Li-ion batteries (LIBs), novel anode materials having excellent electrochemical properties need to be intensively studied. In particular, although Si as an anode active material has a high theoretical capacity compared to graphite, Si has exhibited irreversible cycle properties due to its volumetric expansion during the charge/discharge process. In this study, a 3-D paper-type Si-carbon nanofiber-composite electrode (Si/CNF-P) as a binder/current collector-free anode for LIBs was prepared using an electrospinning method. The Si/CNF-P exhibited a high initial capacity of 1957mAhg−1 at 2Ag−1 and maintained 1187mAhg−1 (retention rate of 60.6%) for 400 cycles. The enhanced performance of Si/CNF-P as an anode without a current collector and a binder in LIBs can be mainly attributed to the voids produced by cross-linked CNFs as a matrix and the electrochemical reaction of Si NPs on the CNFs without additional collapse of the electrode.
Furfural is an intermediary and aldehyde compound degraded from paper insulation, which is used with liquid fluid in power transformers. It can be utilized as an important indicator to evaluate the ...degradation degree of the paper insulation and the condition of transformers to predict their lifetime. However, the conventional methods are inevitably inconvenient as they require additional derivatization with hazardous agents and time-consuming chromatographic separation and processes. In this work, a facile and green analysis method for the determination of furfural concentration in the insulating fluid of operating power transformers was developed. As furfural was selectively extracted from the insulting fluid by deionized water, the aqueous solution could be directly subjected to a UV spectral analysis without any derivatization using hazardous agents or hindrance of the fluid in the UV spectrum. The results showed that the spectral method could obtain a favorable linear relationship between the concentration of furfural and its characteristic absorbance at 280 nm (λ max). The limit of detection (LOD) was below 0.1 ppm, which is a sufficient detection level to evaluate the condition of the insulating fluid. Furthermore, the method was compared with the conventional HPLC and colorimetric analyses, revealing satisfactory accuracy and verification of the results. It is possible to measure the furfural concentration in situ using a portable UV-spectrometer at a single wavelength, 280 nm, after simple extraction in the field. This approach offers a novel and green analytical method to quantitatively determine the aromatic furan compounds in a power transformer’s insulating fluid in place without the use of an organic extraction solvent or hazardous reagents for derivatization and analysis.
Li4Ti5O12 (LTO) with a spinel structure is attractive as a promising anode for lithium-ion batteries due to a high charge/discharge voltage versus Li/Li+ and almost no volumetric expansion with ...improved cycle performance. In this study, a sea urchin-like nanostructured LTO (F-LTO) was prepared in the presence of F-127 as a surfactant. The morphology and structure of the samples were confirmed using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) method. To investigate the electrochemical properties of the samples, charging/discharging analysis was performed for 1000 cycles at a high current density. F-LTO showed an improved capacity retention rate and a high average capacity compared to the LTO sample prepared in the absence of F-127. It was found that, when using the high-rate performance analysis at different charging/discharging current densities, the intercalation of Li+ ion to an electrode might be a crucial factor to reduce capacity and energy density. Due to its porous nanostructure with high specific area, F-LTO showed low polarization and improved kinetic properties, resulting in enhanced LIB performance including high energy density and cycling properties.
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•A novel Li4Ti5O12 nanostructure was synthesized using F-127 as a surfactant.•F-LTO exhibited a sea urchin-like nanostructure with a high surface area.•F-LTO facilitated an efficient contact between the electrode and electrolyte.•F-LTO showed low polarization and improved kinetic properties.•F-LTO exhibited the high rate cycling properties in LIBs.
BACKGROUND/AIMSTo examine the prevalence and clinical characteristics of apparent treatment-resistant hypertension among ambulatory hypertensive patients. METHODSWe enrolled adult ambulatory ...hypertensive patients at 13 well-qualified general hospitals in Korea from January to June 2012. Apparent resistant hypertension was defined as an elevated blood pressure > 140/90 mmHg with the use of three antihypertensive agents, including diuretics, or ≥ 4 antihypertensives, regardless of the blood pressure. Controlled hypertension was defined as a blood pressure within the target using three antihypertensives, including diuretics. RESULTSAmong 16,915 hypertensive patients, 1,172 (6.9%) had controlled hypertension, and 1,514 (8.9%) had apparent treatment-resistant hypertension. Patients with apparent treatment-resistant hypertension had an earlier onset of hypertension (56.8 years vs. 58.8 years, p = 0.007) and higher body mass index (26.3 kg/m2 vs. 24.9 kg/m2, p < 0.001) than those with controlled hypertension. Drug compliance did not differ between groups. In the multivariable analysis, earlier onset of hypertension (odds ratio OR, 0.98; 95% confidence interval CI, 0.97 to 0.99; p < 0.001) and the presence of comorbidities (OR, 2.06; 95% CI, 1.27 to 3.35; p < 0.001), such as diabetes mellitus, ischemic heart disease, heart failure, and chronic kidney disease, were independent predictors. Among the patients with apparent treatment-resistant hypertension, only 5.2% were receiving ≥ 2 antihypertensives at maximally tolerated doses. CONCLUSIONApparent treatment-resistant hypertension prevalence is 8.9% among ambulatory hypertensive patients in Korea. An earlier onset of hypertension and the presence of comorbidities are independent predictors. Optimization of medical treatment may reduce the rate of apparent treatment-resistant hypertension.
This study aimed to evaluate the impact of seasonal variations in climate on the performance of the fecal immunochemical test (FIT) in screening for colorectal cancer in the National Cancer Screening ...Program in Korea.
Data were extracted from the National Cancer Screening Program databases for participants who underwent FIT between 2009 and 2010. We compared positivity rates, cancer detection rates, interval cancer rates, positive predictive value, sensitivity, and specificity for FIT during the spring, summer, fall, and winter seasons in Korea.
In total, 4,788,104 FIT results were analyzed. FIT positivity rate was lowest during the summer months. In the summer, the positive predictive value of FIT was about 1.1 times (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.08, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.00-1.16) higher in the overall FIT group and about 1.3 times (aOR 1.29, 95% CI 1.10-1.50) higher in the quantitative FIT group, compared to those in the other seasons. Cancer detection rates, however, were similar regardless of season. Interval cancer risk was significantly higher in the summer for both the overall FIT group (aOR 1.16, 95% CI 1.07-1.27) and the quantitative FIT group (aOR 1.31, 95% CI 1.12-1.52). In addition, interval cancers in the rectum and distal colon were more frequently detected in the summer and autumn than in the winter.
The positivity rate of FIT was lower in the summer, and the performance of the FIT screening program was influenced by seasonal variations in Korea. These results suggest that more efforts to reduce interval cancer during the summer are needed in population-based screening programs using FIT, particularly in countries with high ambient temperatures.
Direct ethanol fuel cells (DEFCs), which use ethanol as a fuel, have attracted considerable attention due to their relatively high energy density, the nontoxicity of ethanol, and the abundance of ...ethanol sources. However, since the crossover of ethanol as a fuel in DEFCs can deteriorate the cell performance due to the oxidation of ethanol (EtOH) at the cathode during oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), nonprecious metal (NPM) cathode catalysts for ORR have been studied using carbon-based nanostructures as promising alternatives to Pt-based catalysts. Herein, the doped carbon nanostructures (C/Fe-TMPP and C/Fe-Pc) as cathode catalysts were synthesized using a template method with iron(III) 5,10,15,20-(tetra-4-methoxyphenyl) porphyrin chloride (Fe-TMPP) and iron(II) phthalocyanine (Fe-Pc). In the half-cell test, C/Fe-TMPP exhibited an enhanced ORR activity in 0.5 M H2SO4 (i.e., high half-wave potential and specific current density) and maintained ORR performance in the presence of crossover ethanol, compared to a commercial Pt/C. Moreover, C/Fe-TMPP exhibited high performance in the DEFC supplied with high-concentrated EtOH as a fuel at the cathode. The excellent ORR activity of C/Fe-TMPP for the DEFC can be attributed to ethanol tolerance in the ORR and low ethanol adsorption energy of the active sites for the ORR of C/Fe-TMPP.
Background:
Although brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) is simple and convenient, its usefulness as an initial screening test for hypertensive patients is not well-known. This study aimed to ...investigate the association of baPWV with left ventricular (LV) geometry and diastolic function in treatment-naive hypertensive patients.
Methods:
A total of 202 untreated hypertensive patients (mean age, 62 years; males, 51.5%) without documented cardiovascular diseases were prospectively enrolled. Both baPWV and transthoracic echocardiography were performed on the same day before antihypertensive treatment.
Results:
In multiple linear regression analysis after adjustment for potential confounders, baPWV had significant correlations with structural measurements of LV including relative wall thickness (β = 0.219,
P
= 0.021) and LV mass index (β = 0.286,
P
= 0.002), and four diastolic parameters including septal e′ velocity (β = −0.199,
P
= 0.018), E/e′ (β = 0.373,
P
< 0.001), left atrial volume index (β = 0.334,
P
< 0.001), and maximal velocity of tricuspid regurgitation (β = 0.401,
P
< 0.001). The baPWV was significantly increased in patients with LV hypertrophy, abnormal LV remodeling, or diastolic dysfunction, compared to those without (
P
= 0.008,
P
= 0.035, and
P
< 0.001, respectively). In the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the discriminant ability of baPWV in predicting LV hypertrophy and diastolic dysfunction had an area under the curve of 0.646 (95% confidence interval 0.544–0.703,
P
= 0.004) and 0.734 (95% confidence interval 0.648–0.800,
P
< 0.001), respectively.
Conclusion:
baPWV was associated with parameters of LV remodeling and diastolic function in untreated hypertensive patients. The baPWV could be a useful screening tool for the early detection of adverse cardiac features among untreated hypertensive patients.
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