An empirical study on social network analysis for small residential communities in Gangwon State, South Korea.

Social Network Analysis (SNA) provides a dynamic framework for examining interactions and connections within networks, elucidating how these relationships impact behaviors and outcomes. This study targeted small residential communities in Gangwon State, South Korea, to explore network formation theories and derive strategies for enhancing health promotion services in rural communities. Conducted in 12 small residential areas, the survey led to a network categorization model distinguishing networks as formal, informal, or non-existent. Key findings demonstrated that demographic and socio-economic factors, specifically age, income, living environment, leisure activities, and education level, significantly influence network formation. Importantly, age, environmental conditions, satisfaction with public transportation, and walking frequency were closely associated with the evolution of formal networks. These results highlight the importance of early community network assessments, which must consider distinct network traits to develop effective health promotion models. Utilizing SNA early in the assessment process can improve understanding of network dynamics and optimize the effectiveness of health interventions.

Fifteen-year Experience with Telemedicine Services in Gangwon Province in Korea.

OBJECTIVES: This study attempted to identify the factors that contribute to successful telemedicine service. This was done by analyzing the operational state of successful telemedicine services offered in Gangwon Province of Korea and their outcome for the last fifteen years. METHODS: A comparative analysis was made based on reports and a thesis on the satisfaction rate of patients and providers, patient compliance to treatment, and economic assessment of Gangwon telemedicine service, which were carried out in three periods: the years 2006, 2010, and 2012. RESULTS: The satisfaction surveys in all three periods showed similar results for patients (4.46±0.70 point) and healthcare practitioners, including nurses (3.82±0.62 point) and physicians (3.60±0.56 point), in decreasing order from the year 2012. Through the survey of patients' compliance with treatment, it was confirmed that telemedicine services increased patients' compliance with drug administration, facilitated improvement of lifestyle habits, improved glycated hemoglobin for patients with diabetes mellitus, and enhanced the rate of blood pressure control. In the survey conducted on patients' willingness to pay for telemedicine services in 2007, it was found that those patients were willing to pay about $3.5 for services. CONCLUSIONS: The telemedicine services of Gangwon Province increased patients' compliance with drug administration, improved blood glucose control, enhanced blood pressure control for patients with hypertension, and provided economic advantage.

Vaccinium uliginosum L. Improves Amyloid ß Protein-Induced Learning and Memory Impairment in Alzheimer's Disease in Mice.

The present study investigated the effects of Vaccinium uliginosum L. (bilberry) on the learning and memory impairments induced by amyloid-ß protein (AßP) 1-42. ICR Swiss mice were divided into 4 groups: the control (Aß40-1A), control with 5% bilberry group (Aß40-1B), amyloid ß protein 1-42 treated group (Aß1-42A), and Aß1-42 with 5% bilberry group (Aß1-42B). The control was treated with amyloid ß-protein 40-1 for placebo effect, and Alzheimer's disease (AD) group was treated with amyloid ß-protein 1-42. Amyloid ß-protein 1-42 was intracerebroventricular (ICV) micro injected into the hippocampus in 35% acetonitrile and 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid. Although bilberry added groups tended to decrease the finding time of hidden platform, no statistical significance was found. On the other hand, escape latencies of AßP injected mice were extended compared to that of Aß40-1. In the Probe test, bilberry added Aß1-42B group showed a significant (P<0.05) increase of probe crossing frequency compared to Aß1-42A. Administration of amyloid protein (Aß1-42) decreased working memory compared to Aß40-1 control group. In passive avoidance test, bilberry significantly (P<0.05) increased the time of staying in the lighted area compared to AD control. The results suggest that bilberry may help to improve memory and learning capability in chemically induced Alzheimer's disease in experimental animal models.