This study estimated the prevalence and incidence rate of schizophrenia, schizotypal, and delusional disorders (SSDD) in Korea from 2008 to 2017 and analyzed the hospital admission rate, re-admission ...rate, and hospitalization period. It used the Korean nationwide National Health Insurance Service claims database. SSDD patients who had at least one visit to Korea's primary, secondary, or tertiary referral hospitals with a diagnosis of SSDD, according to the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10), were identified as SSDD cases if coded as F20-F29. Data were analyzed using frequency statistics. Results showed that the 12-month prevalence rate of SSDD increased steadily from 0.40% in 2008 to 0.45% in 2017. Analysis of the three-year cumulative prevalence rate of SSDD showed an increase from 0.51% in 2011 to 0.54% in 2017. In 2017, the five-year cumulative prevalence rate was 0.61%, and the 10-year cumulative prevalence rate was 0.75%. The hospital admission rate among SSDD patients decreased from 2008 (30.04%) to 2017 (28.53%). The incidence of SSDD was 0.05% and no yearly change was observed. The proportion of SSDD inpatients whose first hospital visit resulted in immediate hospitalization was 22.4% in 2017. Epidemiological indicators such as prevalence, incidence, and hospitalization rate play an important role in planning social and financial resource allocation. Therefore, efforts to produce more accurate epidemiological indicators are very important and this study's findings could have a significant social impact.
The burden of diabetes is considerable not only globally but also nationally within Korea. The Global Burden of Disease study derived the disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of diabetes depending ...on its complications as individual severity using prevalence-based approach from 2017. Conversely, the Korean National Burden of Disease study based on an incidence-based approach does not incorporate the severity of diseases. This study aimed to simulate incidence-based DALYs of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), given diabetic complications as disease severity using a Markov model.
We developed a model with six Markov states, including incident and existing prevalent cases of diabetes and its complications and death. We assumed that diabetes and its complications would not be cured. The cycle length was one year, and the endpoint of the simulation was 100 years. A 5% discount rate was adopted in the analysis. Transition cases were counted by 5-year age groups above 30 years of age. Age- and sex-specific transition probabilities were calculated based on the incident rate.
The total DALY estimates of T2DM were 5,417 and 3,934 per 100,000 population in men and women, respectively. The years of life lost in men were relatively higher than those in women in most age groups except the 80-84 age group. The distribution of years lived with disability by gender and age group showed a bell shape, peaking in the 55-59 age group in men and 65-69 age group in women.
The burden of T2DM considering its complications was larger compared to the outcomes from previous studies, with more precise morbid duration using the Markov model.
This study aimed to estimate the burden of cancer in Koreans attributable to smoking and alcohol consumption using disability-adjusted life years and population attributable fractions. We estimated ...the burden of 12 cancers due to simultaneous and independent smoking and alcohol exposure in Koreans aged ≥40 years. In men, the cancer burden attributable to the combined risk factors, smoking alone, and alcohol consumption alone were 9.5, 14.8, and 6.1%, respectively; the corresponding values for women were 1.1, 2.5, and 2.7%, respectively. In men, tracheal, bronchial, and lung cancers were the most common cancer types. The disease burden may have been reduced by 16.8, 32.3, and 4.1% in the absence of the combined risk factors, smoking alone, and alcohol consumption alone, respectively. Our findings suggest that risk factor-based intervention may have the greatest preventative effect for lung cancer among all cancers in men. Our real-world data methodology could provide further evidence-based methods to explore and facilitate effective health promotion interventions for specific target groups and may lay the foundation for the establishment of healthcare services according to population subgroups or regional characteristics.
Abstract
The
Drosophila
lymph gland, the larval hematopoietic organ comprised of prohemocytes and mature hemocytes, has been a valuable model for understanding mechanisms underlying hematopoiesis and ...immunity. Three types of mature hemocytes have been characterized in the lymph gland: plasmatocytes, lamellocytes, and crystal cells, which are analogous to vertebrate myeloid cells, yet molecular underpinnings of the lymph gland hemocytes have been less investigated. Here, we use single-cell RNA sequencing to comprehensively analyze heterogeneity of developing hemocytes in the lymph gland, and discover previously undescribed hemocyte types including adipohemocytes, stem-like prohemocytes, and intermediate prohemocytes. Additionally, we identify the developmental trajectory of hemocytes during normal development as well as the emergence of the lamellocyte lineage following active cellular immunity caused by wasp infestation. Finally, we establish similarities and differences between embryonically derived- and larval lymph gland hemocytes. Altogether, our study provides detailed insights into the hemocyte development and cellular immune responses at single-cell resolution.
Qualitative research on cancer survivors' need for comprehensive cancer survivorship care within the health care system is limited. Our study aimed to understand cancer survivors' and health ...professionals' expectations and perceptions for developing a comprehensive cancer survivorship care system in South Korea.
An exploratory qualitative study was conducted. A total of 16 subjects (11 cancer survivors and 5 health professionals) were purposively sampled from Regional Cancer Survivorship Centers or Cancer Survivor Clinics in Korea. In-depth semi-structured online or face-to-face interviews were conducted. Six steps of thematic analysis were used to analyze data.
The following four primary themes emerged from the interviews: 1) introducing a customized follow-up care system to improve continuity of survivorship care, 2) implementing educational strategies for both survivors and health professionals to manage changed health, and 3) accepting cancer survivors as companions. These three themes included a total of nine subthemes. As a result, the comprehensive survivorship model identified needs in terms of 1) changes in the medical healthcare system and core services that can accommodate the cancer survivors' condition and 2) necessary care services and social support for cancer survivors.
This study identified the existing gaps in Korea's current healthcare system regarding comprehensive cancer survivorship care for cancer survivors. Further research on eHealth-based counseling and educational support, the payment models of cancer survivorship care within universal health coverage, and changing social perceptions to strengthen the biopsychosocial needs of cancer survivors is needed.
This study developed and validated a Korean community health determinants index (K-CHDI), which can be used to assess the health status of the community. To develop composite indicators, we followed ...the guidelines of the Joint Research Centre of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. We reviewed previous studies and formed a theoretical framework to systematize our domains and indicators, which were decided through a Delphi survey of healthcare experts. Data on indicators were obtained from the Korean Statistics and Community Health Survey. We applied the Min-Max normalization method and measured weights by the analytic hierarchy process. Health outcomes were estimated using mortality, years of life lost, years lived with disability, and disability-adjusted life years by standardizing sex and age. The value of the index is between 0 and 1; higher values indicate more positive health determinants. K-CHDI for 250 subnational regions (cities, counties, and districts, or Si·Gun·Gu) were correlated with health outcomes. The correlation coefficient was stronger in large cities than in medium-sized areas and small areas, and the higher the K-CHDI group, the higher the coefficient. The K-CHDI represents a reference standard for estimating health status using health determinants as composite indicators at the subnational level.
Blood continually contributes to the maintenance of homeostasis of the body and contains information regarding the health state of an individual. However, current hematological analyses predominantly ...rely on a limited number of CD markers and morphological analysis. In this work, differentially sensitive fluorescent compounds based on TCF scaffolds are introduced that are designed for fluorescent phenotyping of blood. Depending on their structures, TCF compounds displayed varied responses to reactive oxygen species, biothiols, redox‐related biomolecules, and hemoglobin, which are the primary influential factors within blood. Contrary to conventional CD marker‐based analysis, this unbiased fluorescent phenotyping method produces diverse fingerprints of the health state. Precise discrimination of blood samples from 37 mice was demonstrated based on their developmental stages, ranging from 10 to 19 weeks of age. Additionally, this fluorescent phenotyping method enabled the differentiation between drugs with distinct targets, serving as a simple yet potent tool for pharmacological analysis to understand the mode of action of various drugs.
A differential sensing approach is demonstrated to distinguish distinct aging status of mouse using TCF probes. Despite there is no reliable CD markers selective for aging progress, cross‐reactivity of TCF probes generates unique fingerprint of aging by blood cell analysis.
Enzymes and their regulations are employed as indicators for various diseases, including cancer. To directly analyze the activity of the enzymes within a biological system, enzyme-activated ...near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent probes are being continuously developed. These probes enable clear imaging of enzyme activity in real time with high spatiotemporal resolution, while preserving their unique advantages such as high sensitivity, reduced autofluorescence, and low light scattering. Enzyme expression levels can also be investigated by evaluating the emission intensity. Owing to these strengths, enzyme-activated NIR fluorescent probes have been applied in various clinical areas such as biomedical imaging, quantitative analysis, and surgery. Therefore, the development of NIR fluorescent probes that could be specifically activated by disease-related enzymes is a crucial task. In this review, we introduce several enzymes associated with disorders and summarize the relevant activated NIR fluorescent probes reported from 2020 to 2023.
Display omitted
•Recent advancements in NIR fluorescent probes activated by specific disease-related enzymes are reviewed.•The design strategy, enzyme-response and application of enzyme-activated NIR fluorescent probes are mainly discussed.•Challenges and trends in developing novel NIR fluorescent probes for biological enzyme assays are proposed.
Molecular aggregates are receiving tremendous attention, demonstrating immense potential for biomedical applications in vitro and in vivo. For instance, the molecular aggregates of conventional ...fluorophores influence the electronic excitation states of the aggregates, causing characteristic photophysical property changes. A fundamental understanding of this classical relationship between molecular aggregate structures and photophysics has allowed for innovative biological applications. The chemical characteristics of drug molecules generally trigger the formation of colloidal aggregates, and this is considered detrimental to the drug discovery process. Furthermore, nano‐sized supramolecular aggregates have been used in biomedical imaging and therapy owing to their optimal properties for in vivo utility, including enhanced cell permeability, passive tumor targeting, and convenient surface engineering. Herein, we provide an overview of the recent trends in molecular aggregates for biomedical applications. The changes in photophysical properties of conventional fluorophores and their biological applications are discussed, followed by the effects of conventional drug molecule‐aggregates on drug discovery and therapeutics development. Recent trends in the investigation of biologically important analytes with aggregation‐induced emission are discussed for conventional and unconventional fluorophores. Lastly, we discuss nano‐sized supramolecular aggregates used in imaging and therapeutic purposes, with a focus on in vivo utilization.
This review presents an overview of the recent trends in molecular aggregates for biomedical applications. To explore biomedicine field in vitro and in vivo, the molecular aggregates are getting incredible consideration as potential tool. Here, AIE properties of the conventional, unconventional fluorophores and nano‐sized supramolecular aggregates are discussed for investigation of biologically important analytes, imaging, and therapeutic purposes.
The prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is increasing worldwide. We investigated the economic burden of ASD in South Korea using a nationally representative data source. The direct medical ...and non-medical costs, and indirect costs resulting from ASD were estimated. The total prevalence was 5.04 (per 100,000) in 2008, and 10.97 in 2015. The economic cost of ASD was estimated to be $2,700,596 in 2008 and $9,645,503 in 2015. Of the total economic cost in 2015, 72.3% was from direct costs and 27.7% from indirect costs, and 87.5% related to male patients and 12.5% to female patients. The results suggest that the increase in economic costs was greater than the increase in prevalence.
PDF
