Effect of COVID-19 infection and vaccination on SARS-CoV-2 antibody titer change following ovarian stimulation: Prospective analysis of IVF outcomes.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak caused by SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2) has affected various medical fields worldwide. However, relatively few studies have examined the impact of COVID-19 infection and vaccination on in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes and changes in SARS-CoV-2 antibody concentration in follicular fluid (FF). A total of 45 women were prospectively recruited and assigned to 3 groups: uninfected and non-vaccinated control group (Control group), infected group (COVID + group), and vaccinated group (Vaccination group). Serum and follicular fluid (FF) estradiol, progesterone, and SARS-CoV-2 antibody concentrations were measured. There were no statistical differences in the total number of retrieved oocytes (P = .291), mature oocytes (P = .416), and good-quality embryos (P = .694) among the 3 groups. In the vaccination group, BNT162b2 exhibited a significantly lower trigger-day serum estradiol/MII oocyte level (110.6 pg/mL) than other vaccines (289.5 pg/mL) (P = .006). No statistical differences in serum (P = .687) and FF (P = .108) SARS-CoV-2 antibody changes were noted among the 3 groups. Only FF antibody changes exhibited statistically significant differences between the BNT162b2 and other vaccine subgroups (P = .047). COVID-19 infection and vaccination do not affect IVF outcomes. However, the effect of BNT162b2 on steroidogenesis of the mature oocyte and FF SARS-CoV2 antibody titer should be further investigated.

Use of eye tracking to improve the identification of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common neurodevelopmental disorder of childhood. Although it requires timely detection and intervention, existing continuous performance tests (CPTs) have limited efficacy. Research suggests that eye movement could offer important diagnostic information for ADHD. This study aimed to compare the performance of eye-tracking with that of CPTs, both alone and in combination, and to evaluate the effect of medication on eye movement and CPT outcomes. We recruited participants into an ADHD group and a healthy control group between July 2021 and March 2022 from among children aged 6-10 years (n = 30 per group). The integration of eye-tracking with CPTs produced higher values for the area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUC, 0.889) compared with using CPTs only (AUC, 0.769) for identifying patients with ADHD. The use of eye-tracking alone showed higher performance compare with the use of CPTs alone (AUC of EYE: 0.856, AUC of CPT: 0.769, p = 0.029). Follow-up analysis revealed that most eye-tracking and CPT indicators improved significantly after taking an ADHD medication. The use of eye movement scales could be used to differentiate children with ADHD, with the possibility that integrating eye movement scales and CPTs could improve diagnostic precision.

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Germline and Somatic BRCA Testing in Patients With Advanced Ovarian Cancer.

Background: BRCA testing is necessary for establishing a management strategy for ovarian cancer. Several BRCA testing strategies, including germline and somatic testing, are implemented in clinical practice in Korea. We aimed to comparatively evaluate their cost-effectiveness from patients' perspective. Methods: We developed a decision model comprising five BRCA testing strategies implemented in Korea: (1) germline testing first, followed by somatic tumor testing for patients without a germline variant; (2) somatic testing first, followed by germline testing for patients with a variant detected by somatic testing; (3) both germline and somatic testing; (4) germline testing alone; and (5) somatic testing alone, with no testing as the comparator. One-way sensitivity analysis was conducted to test the uncertainty of key parameters. Results: Assuming a willingness-to-pay of $20,000 per progression-free life-year gain (PF-LYG), all five strategies were considered cost-effective. Strategy 4 was the most cost-effective option, with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of $2,547.7 per PF-LYG, followed by strategy 1, with an ICER of $3,978.4 per PF-LYG. Even when the parameter values were varied within the possible range, the ICERs of all strategies did not exceed the willingness-to-pay threshold. Conclusions: Considering the importance of knowing a patient's BRCA gene status, germline testing first, followed by somatic testing, may be a reasonable option.

Psychosis Relapse Prediction Leveraging Electronic Health Records Data and Natural Language Processing Enrichment Methods.

Background: Identifying patients at a high risk of psychosis relapse is crucial for early interventions. A relevant psychiatric clinical context is often recorded in clinical notes; however, the utilization of unstructured data remains limited. This study aimed to develop psychosis-relapse prediction models using various types of clinical notes and structured data. Methods: Clinical data were extracted from the electronic health records of the Ajou University Medical Center in South Korea. The study population included patients with psychotic disorders, and outcome was psychosis relapse within 1 year. Using only structured data, we developed an initial prediction model, then three natural language processing (NLP)-enriched models using three types of clinical notes (psychological tests, admission notes, and initial nursing assessment) and one complete model. Latent Dirichlet Allocation was used to cluster the clinical context into similar topics. All models applied the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator logistic regression algorithm. We also performed an external validation using another hospital database. Results: A total of 330 patients were included, and 62 (18.8%) experienced psychosis relapse. Six predictors were used in the initial model and 10 additional topics from Latent Dirichlet Allocation processing were added in the enriched models. The model derived from all notes showed the highest value of the area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC = 0.946) in the internal validation, followed by models based on the psychological test notes, admission notes, initial nursing assessments, and structured data only (0.902, 0.855, 0.798, and 0.784, respectively). The external validation was performed using only the initial nursing assessment note, and the AUROC was 0.616. Conclusions: We developed prediction models for psychosis relapse using the NLP-enrichment method. Models using clinical notes were more effective than models using only structured data, suggesting the importance of unstructured data in psychosis prediction.

Network modeling of anxiety and psychological characteristics on suicidal behavior: Cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Suicide is influenced by complex interactions among various psychopathological features. We aimed to examine the relationship between suicide risk and psychological risk factors such as defense mechanisms, personality, and anxiety. METHODS: We established a psychiatric database by utilizing the Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership Common Data Model. We conducted a 1:1 propensity score matching with age, sex, and depression severity, and identified a sample (n = 258) with two groups: those with suicidal behavior and those with non-suicidal behavior. Using principal component analysis, we extracted nine psychological scales and applied network analysis to compare relationships among psychological factors between the two groups. RESULTS: Patients with non-suicidal behaviors showed associations between trait anxiety and defense mechanisms, while those with suicidal behaviors did not. For patients with suicidal ideation there was an association between somatization and trait anxiety. Patients with suicide attempts showed associations between paranoia and dissociation connected to trait anxiety. LIMITATIONS: Longitudinal research is required to fully observe transitions from suicidal ideation to attempts and recurrent suicidal events. In addition, these networks may not generalize suicidal behaviors because the group participants are not homogeneous. Lastly, data from self-report questionnaires limits the reliability of responses. CONCLUSIONS: We presented important new insights on suicidal behavior by estimating psychological networks. Patients with non-suicidal behavior may exhibit discrete relationships between defense mechanisms and anxiety, compared to those with suicidal behavior. Patients with suicidal ideation and suicide attempts may show distinct associations between anxiety and psychopathological features.

Associations of rest-activity patterns with amyloid burden, medial temporal lobe atrophy, and cognitive impairment.

BACKGROUND: We sought to investigate the possible associations of rest-activity patterns with cortical amyloid burden, medial temporal lobe (MTL) neurodegeneration, and cognitive function in patients in the early stage of cognitive impairment. METHODS: Rest-activity patterns were assessed in 100 participants (70 with mild cognitive impairment and 30 with mild dementia) using wrist actigraphy. All participants underwent 18F-flutemetamol positron emission tomography (PET) imaging to quantify cortical amyloid burden, structural brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to quantify MTL grey matter volume, neuropsychological testing, and clinical diagnosis. We used multiple linear regression models adjusted for covariates, including demographics, diabetes, hypertension, depressive symptom, psychotropic medication, sleep medication, weekend effect, and apolipoprotein-ε allele status. FINDINGS: After adjusting for possible confounders, we found that the midline estimation of statistic of rhythm (MESOR) associated positively with frontal/executive function (estimate = 1.17, standard error [SE] = 0.37, p = 0.002). The least active 5-h (L5) onset time associated positively with MTL grey matter volume and memory function (estimate = 1.24, SE = 0.33, p = 0.001, and estimate = 3.77, SE = 1.22, p = 0.003, respectively), particularly in amyloid-negative participants. Additional path analysis revealed that MTL grey matter volume partially mediated the association between L5 onset time and memory function in amyloid-negative participants. INTERPRETATION: Decreased MESOR and advanced L5 onset time may be useful as early signs of cognitive decline or MTL neurodegeneration. Furthermore, amyloid pathology may act as a moderator of the relationships between rest-activity patterns, neurodegeneration, and cognitive function. FUNDING: Korea Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (#4845-303); National Research Foundation of Korea (2019M3C7A1031905, 2019R1A5A2026045).

Differential contributions of sarcomere and mitochondria-related multigene variants to the endophenotype of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a multigenic disease that occurs due to various genetic modifiers. We investigated phenotype-based clinical and genetic characteristics of HCM patients using comprehensive genetic tests and rare variant association analysis. METHODS: A comprehensive HCM-specific panel, consisting of 82 nuclear DNAs (nDNAs: 33 sarcomere-associated genes, 5 phenocopy genes, and 44 nuclear genes linked to mitochondrial cardiomyopathy) and 37 mitochondrial DNAs (mtDNAs), was analyzed. Rare variant analysis was performed to determine the association of specific genes with different phenotypes. RESULTS: Among the 212 patients, pathogenic variants in sarcomere-associated genes were more prevalent in non-apical HCM (41.4%, 46/111; P = 0.001) than apical HCM (20.8%, 21/101). Apical HCM exhibits mild phenotypes than non-apical HCM, and it showed fewer numbers of sarcomere mutations than non-apical HCM. Interestingly, inverted mutation frequency of TNNI3 (35%) and MYH7 (9%) was observed in apical HCM. In a rare variant analysis, MT-RNR2 positively correlated with apical HCM (OR: 1.37, P = 0.025). And, MYBPC3 (sarcomere gene) negatively contributed to apical HCM (OR: 0.54, P = 0.027). On the other hand, both pathogenic mutation (P < 0.05) and rare variants in sarcomere-associated genes (OR: 2.78-3.47, P < 0.05) were related to diastolic dysfunction and left atrium remodeling, which correlated with poor prognosis in HCM patients. CONCLUSIONS: Our results provide a clue towards explaining the difference between the prevalence and phenotype of apical HCM in Asian populations, and a foundation for genetics-based approaches that may enable individualized risk stratification for HCM patients.

A 12-week multidomain intervention for late-life depression: a community-based randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Given that current unimodal strategies for treating late-life depression are insufficient, the awareness of the necessity and importance of multidomain intervention has increased. We assessed the efficacy of multidomain intervention in reducing symptoms of late-life depression. METHODS: This was a 12-week community-based randomized controlled trial in 78 older adults diagnosed with major depressive disorder. Participants were randomly assigned to the multidomain intervention or supportive therapy group. We provided four home visits and 12 telephone calls over 12 weeks. Four therapeutic approaches (physical activity, healthy diet, social activity, and brief cognitive restructuring) were incorporated into the multidomain intervention. The primary outcome was the change in depressive symptoms, as measured by the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS). Secondarily, we investigated changes in resting-state functional connectivity. RESULTS: The MADRS total score was reduced more in the multidomain intervention group than in the supportive therapy group during the 12 weeks (intervention × time interaction, P = =0.007). After correction for multiple comparisons, the multidomain intervention group exhibited a lower MADRS total score at week 12 (score difference 5.117; P = =0.029). At follow-up, the multidomain intervention group also exhibited less functional connectivity between the posterior cingulate cortex and left inferior parietal lobule within the default mode network (FDR < 0.1). LIMITATIONS: Caution is needed in the interpretation of the results, considering the small sample size and high percentage of female participants. CONCLUSIONS: A 12-week multidomain intervention resulted in a greater reduction of depressive symptoms among the elderly with major depressive disorder than their counterparts who received supportive therapy.

Ordinary Responses to an Extraordinary Disaster: Sewol Ferry Sinking and the Victim Families' Experience.

Sewol Ferry sinking was a man-made disaster that happened on April 16, 2014, in South Korea, resulting in 304 deaths. In the 2 years following the disaster, the Special Investigation Commission on the Sewol Ferry Disaster conducted a qualitative study with the victim families to investigate their experience. One hundred forty-five interviews were conducted with parents, aunts, and grandparents of high school student victims by a team of clinical and community psychologists. Based on 54 in-depth interviews with parents and parent figures randomly selected out of the 145 interviews conducted, we aimed to understand the lived experience of the victim parents. The grounded theory yielded 59 codes and five categories, whose core variable was self-empowerment of the victim community. The community of victim families was supported by the engagement of other citizens, as well as the victim families themselves. The meanings implicated in the results, along with the practical implications in the community, are discussed.

Posttraumatic stress disorder and complicated grief in bereaved parents of the Sewol Ferry disaster exposed to injustice following the loss.

BACKGROUND: Perceived justice after man-made disaster bereavement may involve as a protective factor in the recovery process. However, perceived justice related to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or complicated grief (CG) after disaster bereavement has not been sufficiently discussed in previous studies. AIMS: This study aims to assess PTSD and CG in bereaved parents of Sewol disaster and to explore whether perceived justice is related with the diagnostic groups. METHODS: Bereaved parents of Sewol disaster (N = 122) were interviewed approximately 2 years after the incident. Structured interviews for PTSD and CG were assessed, and perceived institutional justice surrounding the incident was measured. Symptom groups were identified, and multinomial logistic regression was conducted to find whether perceived justice was related with PTSD or CG. RESULTS: Participants showed high rates of CG and PTSD, and were classified into the both PTSD and CG group, the CG-only group and the resilient group. The analysis revealed that less perceived justice and being a mother increased the likelihood of having both PTSD and CG. Less perceived justice also showed a tendency to be associated with having CG without PTSD. CONCLUSION: Parents bereaved by the Sewol disaster had high PTSD and CG related to lower levels of perceived justice surrounding the post-disaster period. Post-disaster environment seeking justice may facilitate the natural grieving process or encourage access to effective individual interventions.

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy in Korean patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: A pilot study.

BACKGROUND: and purpose: The stress and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are intertwined and affecting each other. This pilot study evaluated the mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) in Korean patients with SLE. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Korean version of the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) were evaluated for the effect of the MBCT in 25 patients. RESULTS: The BDI-II, BAI, SWLS, and PSS before the MBCT were 24.2 ±â€¯10.6, 19.1 ±â€¯9.7, 14.7 ±â€¯6.5, and 20.4 ±â€¯3.8, respectively. Eighteen patients completed the MBCT. After the MBCT, BDI-II, BAI, and PSS improved to 17.4 ±â€¯13.0 (p < 0.01), 13.4 ±â€¯7.7 (p = 0.04), and 17.9 ±â€¯4.6 (p = 0.04), respectively. However, SWLS and SLE disease activity did not. CONCLUSION: The MBCT could reduce the anxiety, depression, and stress but not SLE disease activity.

Assessment of real-time PCR method for detection of EGFR mutation using both supernatant and cell pellet of malignant pleural effusion samples from non-small-cell lung cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: EGFR mutation is an emerging biomarker for treatment selection in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. However, optimal mutation detection is hindered by complications associated with the biopsy procedure, tumor heterogeneity and limited sensitivity of test methodology. In this study, we evaluated the diagnostic utility of real-time PCR using malignant pleural effusion samples. METHODS: A total of 77 pleural fluid samples from 77 NSCLC patients were tested using the cobas EGFR mutation test (Roche Molecular Systems). Pleural fluid was centrifuged, and separated cell pellets and supernatants were tested in parallel. Results were compared with Sanger sequencing and/or peptide nucleic acid (PNA)-mediated PCR clamping of matched tumor tissue or pleural fluid samples. RESULTS: All samples showed valid real-time PCR results in one or more DNA samples extracted from cell pellets and supernatants. Compared with other molecular methods, the sensitivity of real-time PCR method was 100%. Concordance rate of real-time PCR and Sanger sequencing plus PNA-mediated PCR clamping was 98.7%. CONCLUSIONS: We have confirmed that real-time PCR using pleural fluid had a high concordance rate compared to conventional methods, with no failed samples. Our data demonstrated that the parallel real-time PCR testing using supernatant and cell pellet could offer reliable and robust surrogate strategy when tissue is not available.

The effects of alveolar bone loss and miniscrew position on initial tooth displacement during intrusion of the maxillary anterior teeth: Finite element analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the optimal loading conditions for pure intrusion of the six maxillary anterior teeth with miniscrews according to alveolar bone loss. METHODS: A three-dimensional finite element model was created for a segment of the six anterior teeth, and the positions of the miniscrews and hooks were varied after setting the alveolar bone loss to 0, 2, or 4 mm. Under 100 g of intrusive force, initial displacement of the individual teeth in three directions and the degree of labial tilting were measured. RESULTS: The degree of labial tilting increased with reduced alveolar bone height under the same load. When a miniscrew was inserted between the two central incisors, the amounts of medial-lateral and anterior-posterior displacement of the central incisor were significantly greater than in the other conditions. When the miniscrews were inserted distally to the canines and an intrusion force was applied distal to the lateral incisors, the degree of labial tilting and the amounts of displacement of the six anterior teeth were the lowest, and the maximum von Mises stress was distributed evenly across all the teeth, regardless of the bone loss. CONCLUSIONS: Initial tooth displacement similar to pure intrusion of the six maxillary anterior teeth was induced when miniscrews were inserted distal to the maxillary canines and an intrusion force was applied distal to the lateral incisors. In this condition, the maximum von Mises stresses were relatively evenly distributed across all the teeth, regardless of the bone loss.

Effects of Early Childhood Peer Relationships on Adolescent Mental Health: A 6- to 8-Year Follow-Up Study in South Korea.

OBJECTIVE: Peer relationships are one of the important factors in children's development. The present study examines the relationship between the effects of early peer relationships and adolescent psychological adjustment. METHODS: The first survey took place from 1998 to 2000, and a follow-up assessment obtained data in 2006, as the original participants reached 13-15 years of age. The first assessment used the Korean version of the Child Behavior Checklist (K-CBCL) and simple questions about peer relationships to evaluate the participants. The follow-up assessment administered the Korean Youth Self Report (K-YSR). RESULTS: Children's peer relationships have longitudinal effects on mental health and adjustment. Children who had qualitative peer-relation problems were more likely to exhibit internalizing problems as adolescents. CONCLUSION: Children who have poor peer relationships might become more vulnerable to emotional problems and social adjustment as adolescents.

Development and Comparison of Warfarin Dosing Algorithms in Stroke Patients.

PURPOSE: The genes for cytochrome P450 2C9 (CYP2C9) and vitamin K epoxide reductase complex subunit 1 (VKORC1) have been identified as important genetic determinants of warfarin dosing and have been studied. We developed warfarin algorithm for Korean patients with stroke and compared the accuracy of warfarin dose prediction algorithms based on the pharmacogenetics. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 101 patients on stable maintenance dose of warfarin were enrolled. Warfarin dosing algorithm was developed using multiple linear regression analysis. The performance of all the algorithms was characterized with coefficient of determination, determined by linear regression, and the mean of percent deviation was used to predict doses from the actual dose. In addition, we compared the performance of the algorithms using percentage of predicted dose falling within ±20% of clinically observed doses and dividing the patients into a low-dose group (≤3 mg/day), an intermediate-dose group (3-7 mg/day), and high-dose group (≥7 mg/day). RESULTS: A new developed algorithms including the variables of age, body weight, and CYP2C9 and VKORC1 genotype. Our algorithm accounted for 51% of variation in the warfarin stable dose, and performed best in predicting dose within 20% of actual dose and intermediate-dose group. CONCLUSION: Our warfarin dosing algorithm may be useful for Korean patients with stroke. Further studies to elucidate clinical utility of genotype-guided dosing and find the additional genetic association are necessary.

Ethanol extract of Pinus koraiensis leaves containing lambertianic acid exerts anti-obesity and hypolipidemic effects by activating adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK).

BACKGROUND: In this study, we investigated the anti-obesity and anti-hyperlipidemic mechanisms of lambertianic acid (LA) isolated from Pinus koraiensis leaves and the ethanol extract of Pinus koraiensis leaves (EPK), both in vitro and in vivo. METHODS: Differentiated 3T3L-1 cells were treated with EPK (25 or 50 µg/mL) or LA (200 µM) and analyzed by western blotting or RT-PCR. In vitro, lipid accumulation of adipocytes was observed using Oil-Red-O staining and triglyceride analysis. The contribution of AMPK to anti-obesity activity was assessed by siRNA-mediated AMPK knockdown. After AMPK silencing, expression of AMPK was observed by western blotting. To confirm the in vitro activity, an animal study was conducted by administering a normal diet, HFD, and EPK for 6 weeks. Obesity-related physiological parameters and protein levels were measured. RESULTS: LA induced the expression of p-AMPK and inhibited PPARγ, C/EBP α, adiponectin, FAS, SREBP-1, and HMGCR expression. EPK containing LA significantly decreased lipid accumulation and triglyceride levels in the differentiated 3 T3-L1 cells. EPK treatment suppressed the expression of adipogenic transcription factors, FABP, GPDH, and cholesterol-synthesis-related factors in the differentiated 3 T3-L1 cells. EPK increased the expression of p-AMPK. The effects of EPK were reversed on inhibiting AMPK by using AMPK siRNA and compound C. In vivo analysis showed that body weight gain, serum triglyceride, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and AI value in the EPK treatment group were lower than those in the HFD control group. EPK induced the expression of p-AMPK and inhibited PPARγ in liver and adipose tissue. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the results suggest that EPK containing LA exerts significant anti-obesity and cholesterol-lowering effects by activating AMPK.

A Validation Study of the Korean-Ruminative Response Scale in Korean Adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of Korean version of Ruminative Response Scale (K-RRS) for Korean adolescents. METHODS: A community sample of 1220 adolescents was recruited from middle schools and high schools. Exploratory factor analyses and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted, and additional analyses were performed to assess the reliability and validity of the K-RRS. RESULTS: An exploratory factor analysis of a sample of adolescents (n=550) yielded a three factor structure: 'depressive rumination', 'reflective pondering', and 'brooding'. Confirmatory factor analyses of another sample of adolescents (n=530) supported the three-factor model for the K-RRS. The K-RRS was found to have good internal consistency and construct validity. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that K-RRS is a valid measurement to assess rumination in adolescents, as well as in adults.

Fermented Rhus verniciflua Stokes Extract Exerts an Antihepatic Lipogenic Effect in Oleic-Acid-Induced HepG2 Cells via Upregulation of AMP-Activated Protein Kinase.

Rhus verniciflua Stokes has been used as a traditional medicine and food supplement in Korea. In the present study, fermented R. verniciflua Stokes extract (FRVE), an allergen-free extract of R. verniciflua Stokes fermented with the yeast Saccharomyces carlsbergensis, was assessed for its lipid-lowering potential in an in vitro non-alcoholic fatty liver disease model. FRVE markedly suppressed lipid accumulation and intracellular triglycerides (TGs) in the presence of oleic acid (OA). Additionally, FRVE decreased both mRNA and protein levels of lipid-synthesis- and cholesterol-metabolism-related factors, such as sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1 (SREBP-1), fatty acid synthase (FAS), glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (GPAT), and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMGCR), in OA-induced HepG2 cells. Moreover, FRVE activated low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR), AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), and fatty acid oxidation-related factors peroxisome proliferator activated receptor α (PPARα) and carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 (CPT-1). Further, the AMPK inhibitor compound C suppressed the increased expression of AMPK phosphorylation induced by FRVE. Phenolics and cosanols in FRVE increased the phosphorylation of AMPK and decreased that of SREBP-1. Taken together, our findings suggest that FRVE has antilipogenic potential in non-alcoholic fatty livers via AMPK upregulation.

Avoidance symptoms and delayed verbal memory are associated with post-traumatic stress symptoms in female victims of sexual violence.

BACKGROUND: Victimization by sexual violence is strongly associated with the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). While several psychological and cognitive factors are known to be associated with PTSD prognosis, multivariable analysis is scarce. This study examined factors affecting the severity of PTSD symptoms in early stage of traumatic experience of sexual violence, including initial post-traumatic symptoms and cognitive characteristics. METHODS: Participants were recruited from the center for women and children victims of violence in a university hospital. Thirty-four sexual assault victims were assessed at the baseline and the second visit one to five months after the baseline. At the baseline, an array of posttraumatic symptoms and cognitive functions were measured: at follow-up, PTSD symptoms were determined by Clinician Administered PTSD Scale. RESULTS: Stepwise multiple regression showed that avoidance symptoms (ß = 0.551, P < 0.01) and delayed verbal memory (ß = -0.331, P < 0.05) at early stage of trauma predicted the severity of PTSD symptoms one to five month later. The regression model, factoring in avoidance and delayed verbal memory, showed a 34.9% explanatory power regarding the PTSD symptom severity. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that avoidance symptoms and verbal memory at the early stage of trauma are associated with later PTSD symptoms. It is also suggested that early intervention targeting avoidance symptoms may be beneficial in decreasing PTSD symptoms.