Jumin Park

Nucleocytoplasmic transport (NCT) defects have been implicated in neurodegenerative diseases such as C9ORF72-associated amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia (C9-ALS/FTD). Here, we identify a neuroprotective pathway of like-Sm protein 12 (LSM12) and exchange protein directly activated by cyclic AMP 1 (EPAC1) that sustains the nucleocytoplasmic RAN gradient and thereby suppresses NCT dysfunction by the C9ORF72-derived poly(glycine-arginine) protein. LSM12 depletion in human neuroblastoma cells aggravated poly(GR)-induced impairment of NCT and nuclear integrity while promoting the nuclear accumulation of poly(GR) granules. In fact, LSM12 posttranscriptionally up-regulated EPAC1 expression, whereas EPAC1 overexpression rescued the RAN gradient and NCT defects in LSM12-deleted cells. C9-ALS patient-derived neurons differentiated from induced pluripotent stem cells (C9-ALS iPSNs) displayed low expression of LSM12 and EPAC1. Lentiviral overexpression of LSM12 or EPAC1 ...

Background: Biomarkers can be used as prognostic, predictive, or monitoring indicators of an associated outcome. The purpose of this review was to provide a comprehensive summary of the research examining the use of biomarkers as surrogate end points for clinical outcomes in family caregivers for cancer patients, identify gaps, and make recommendations for future research. Methods: A scoping review, a process of mapping the existing literature, was conducted. Studies comparing biomarkers across caregivers and controls and/or examining relationships between biomarkers and psychological health were reviewed. Results: The studies ( N = 18) of caregivers for cancer patients who were identified used biomarkers to predict outcomes ( n = 13) and to monitor the efficacy of interventions ( n = 6). Biomarkers were divided into two categories based on physiological systems involved: (1) neuroendocrine function (sympathetic–adrenal–medullary axis activity, hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis ac...

The aim of this study is to examine social adjustment to illness and to identify factors related to social adjustment in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) survivors. Cross-sectional data were drawn from a longitudinal study of patients ≥ 3 years after their first HCT. The five subscales of the Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale (PAIS) that reflect social adjustment, specifically vocational environment (VE); domestic environment (DE); sexual relationships (SEX); extended family relationships (ER); and social environment (SE) were examined in this analysis. Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue (FACIT-F) measured cancer-related fatigue. Subjects (N = 171) were a median of 5.19 years from HCT (range 3-16). The most impaired dimension of social adjustment was ER with 38% of participants reaching clinically relevant (score ≥ 62) levels of social maladjustment. Unmarried and unemployed participants had lower levels of social adjustment in VE (p &...

Alcohol use disorders (AUDs) are often accompanied by comorbid physiologic and psychosocial conditions, including sleep disturbances. Sleep disturbances in these individuals may be associated with increased risk of relapse to drinking following detoxification and rehabilitation. The sample of inpatient treatment-seeking individuals with AUDs (N = 164) was 70.1% male and 47.6% African American with a mean age of 45.6 years (±9.5 years). Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to identify unmeasured class membership based on seven indicators: maximum Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment (CIWA) scores; sleep efficiency (actigraphy); sleep disturbances (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index-PSQI); anxiety or depression (Comprehensive Psychopathological Rating Scale [CPRS]); and current and lifetime posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The average number of drinking days in the 90 days preceding admission was 72.0 (±22.0 days), with an average of 13.16 drinks per day (±5.70 drinks). Nearly on...

This secondary data analyses of a longitudinal study assessed whether self-efficacy for exercise (SEE) mediated online intervention effects on exercise among older adults and whether age (50-64 vs. ≥65 years) moderated the mediation. Data were from an online bone health intervention study. Eight hundred sixty-six older adults (≥50 years) were randomized to three arms: Bone Power (n = 301), Bone Power Plus (n = 302), or Control (n = 263). Parallel process latent growth curve modeling (LGCM) was used to jointly model growths in SEE and in exercise and to assess the mediating effect of SEE on the effect of intervention on exercise. SEE was a significant mediator in 50- to 64-year-old adults (0.061, 95 BCI: 0.011, 0.163) but not in the ≥65 age group (-0.004, 95% BCI: -0.047, 0.025). Promotion of SEE is critical to improve exercise among 50- to 64-year-olds.

Patients with heart failure (HF) experience multiple symptoms or symptom clusters. The purposes of this study were to (a) determine if distinct latent classes of HF symptoms could be identified, and (b) explore whether sociodemographic and clinical characteristics influenced symptom cluster membership. A total of 4,011 HF patients recruited from outpatient setting completed the Minnesota Living With Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ), including five physical symptoms (edema, shortness of breath, fatigue-increased need to rest, fatigue-low energy, and sleep difficulties) and three psychological symptoms (worrying, feeling depressed, and cognitive problems). Four distinct classes using latent class profile analysis were identified: low distress (Class 1), physical distress (Class 2), psychological distress (Class 3), and high distress (Class 4). Significant differences among the four latent classes were found for age, education level, and comorbidities. Symptom clusters are useful fo...

An understanding of symptoms in heart failure (HF) among different cultural groups has become increasingly important. The purpose of this study was to compare symptom reporting and symptom clusters in HF patients between a Western (the United States) and an Eastern Asian sample (China and Taiwan). A secondary analysis of a cross-sectional observational study was conducted. The data were obtained from a matched HF patient sample from the United States and China/Taiwan ( N = 240 in each). Eight selective items related to HF symptoms from the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire were analyzed. Compared with the U.S. sample, HF patients from China/Taiwan reported a lower level of symptom distress. Analysis of two different regional groups did not result in the same number of clusters using latent class approach: the United States (four classes) and China/Taiwan (three classes). The study demonstrated that symptom reporting and identification of symptom clusters might be inf...

To determine the influence of age and gender, respectively, on the association between employment status and body mass index (BMI) in Korean adults using a large, nationally representative sample. Cross-sectional study. South Korea. 7228 from fourth wave of the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (KLoSA), the survey's short form and year: 'KLoSA 2012'. BMI. BMI among the employed was higher than among the unemployed for those under 60. In terms of gender, employed men reported higher BMI than their unemployed counterparts, whereas employed women reported lower BMI than did unemployed women. Employment status showed varying impacts on obesity by age and gender. Both unemployment at or after 60, as well as unemployment among women, is associated with increased BMI compared with unemployment among younger individuals or men, respectively.

An awareness of the public's level of satisfaction with health professionals is becoming more important as steps are being taken to improve quality, reduce costs, and implement reform. The purpose of this study is to assess public satisfaction with the healthcare system and to examine the relationship between satisfaction and socio-demographic factors in the context of the health care environment in the Republic of Korea. The data were obtained from 1573 adults aged 20-69 in three major areas - Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Busan - by the Ministry of Health and Welfare during June and July 2011 in South Korea. Satisfaction with the healthcare system was evaluated by using 13 items in three sections: access to care, cost of care, and quality of care. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to examine the validity of satisfaction with a healthcare system performance questionnaire. A structural equation model (SEM) was estimated to assess the relative impact of demographic and socio-economic variables on satisfaction. The study proposed a comprehensive three-factor model of healthcare system performance satisfaction. Among the three factors, the quality of care had the largest impact on satisfaction with the healthcare system, suggesting that is the most important determinant of consumers' satisfaction with their healthcare system. Regarding the relationships between public satisfaction and demographic and socio-economic variables, residence and marital status were significant predictors of the satisfaction level. It is important to be aware of the potential significance of background variables in determining satisfaction with the healthcare system. An understanding of the characteristics of the sample enables healthcare managers and/or policymakers to inform targeted follow-up actions.

This study investigated the association of employment status with health-related quality of life in adult Koreans, as well as the gender difference in the relationship, using a large, nationally representative sample. Using data from the Korea Health Panel survey, we examined the relationship between quality of life measured by EQ-5D and work status among Korean adults. We also tested whether and how the relationship between quality of life and work status differed by gender. Quality of life among working adults was better than among non-working adults. The gap between the two groups was larger among male than female participants. Further, the gender differential effect was larger in the 41-60-year-old age group than in the 18-40-year-old and 61-or-older groups. Being employed has a positive relation to quality of life among adults. Work status plays a more important role in quality of life for men than for women, especially for the working elderly men than working elderly women.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the associations among the internal health locus of control, depression, perceived health status, self efficacy, social support, and health-promoting behavior in Iranian breast cancer survivors and to determine influential variables. A predictive design was adopted. By convenient sampling the data of 262 breast cancer survivors in Iran were collected by questionnaires during 2014. Data were analyzed applying descriptive statistics, t-tests, one-way ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and stepwise multiple regression. The internal health locus of control, depression, perceived health status, self efficacy, social support and undergoing chemotherapy all correlated significantly with the health-promoting lifestyle. Stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that social internal health locus of control, depression, perceived health status, self efficacy and social support and chemotherapy accounted for about 39.8% of the varian...