Search

Sebaceoma is a rare benign tumor arising from the sebaceous gland of the skin. Sebaceoma often occurs on the head and neck but rarely on the ears. We present the case of a 78-year-old female patient with a two-year history of a protruding mass in her left ear. Physical examination revealed a well-circumscribed plaque in the crus of the helix of the left ear. A wide local excisional biopsy was taken, and the mass was subjected to histopathologic assessment. While the mass showed cytological findings indicating sebaceoma, it also presented malignant features architecturally and immunohistochemically. Based on these findings, the tumor was regarded as a sebaceoma of borderline malignancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virtual reality exposure treatment (VRET) for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an emerging treatment. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness and safety of VRET in patients with PTSD due to motor vehicle or industrial accidents. Twenty-six patients with PTSD (19 motor vehicle accidents and 7 industrial accidents) and eighteen subjects without PTSD were enrolled in five VRET sessions that were conducted using a head-mounted display. The VRET was based on systematic desensitization and included psychoeducation and training for breathing and relaxation techniques. The effectiveness of VRET was evaluated using the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist-Civilian version (PCL-C), Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), Clinical Global Impression-Severity scale (CGI-S), and Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS). Safety was assessed using the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire and Presence Questionnaire. After controlling for age, sex, marital status, job, economic status, and body mass index, we found that the CGI-S (F = 12.76, p = 0.001), PCL-C (F = 11.87, p = 0.002), IES-R (total score; F-8.31, p = 0.007), and SDS-A (F = 7.53, p = 0.010) scores in the VRET group were lower than those in the control group. Responses to the Simulator Sickness and Presence questionnaires did not differ significantly between the VRET and control groups (p > 0.05). In conclusion, for patients with PTSD due to motor vehicle accidents, VRET is a safe and potentially effective treatment method. Future randomized controlled studies are needed to provide stronger evidence for the effectiveness of VRET in patients with PTSD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, for the deposition of high-melting point engineering plastics (PEEK, ULTEM), a thermo-fluid simulation method for a 3D printer nozzle and chamber was developed based on computational fluid dynamics techniques. To predict the temperature distribution of the extruder, surface-to-surface radiative heat transfer and laminar natural convection models were used. The developed method was applied to the thermal analysis of the sample nozzle configuration, and less than 5% error compared with the test result was observed. For the chamber thermal simulation, the pressure drop and heat transfer effect of the positive thermal coefficient heater were modeled based on a porous medium. In addition, the user-defined function provided by ANSYS Fluent was used to model the duct connecting the chamber and the positive thermal coefficient heater to increase the simulation efficiency. The results were compared with those of the model chamber test, and it was showed that the uniformity of the air temperature in the chamber could be predicted with an error of less than 4%. The numerical simulation method developed in this study can accurately predict the thermo-fluid field of the nozzle and chamber. The proposed method is useful in the development of a 3D printer for printing high-melting-point engineering plastics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Telomerase reverse transcriptase gene promoter (TERTp) mutation is a potential candidate for pathogenesis and therapeutic target of tonsillar squamous cell carcinomas (TSCCs) in association with human papillomavirus (HPV). Their clinical relevance has not been validated under the new 8th American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging system. We analyzed real-time peptide nucleic acid–mediated PCR and sequencing methods (TERTp mutation) and real-time PCR-based assay (HPV) in 80 surgically resected TSCCs. The 8th edition staging system improved the stratification of the early and advanced stages and between T or N categories for overall survival over the 7th edition. TERTp mutation was found in 7.5%, and HPV in 80.0% of the patients. The majority (83.3%) of TERTp mutation cases were HPV-positive TSCCs. Applying the 8th edition staging system, TERTp mutation was an independent factor of poor prognosis for disease-free survival (DFS) in TSCC patients, supporting the clinical significance of TERTp mutation in tonsil cancer. TERTp mutations were also negatively correlated with overall survival and DFS in HPV-negative TSCCs. Conclusively, TERTp mutation provides negative prognostic impact on survival of surgically managed tonsil cancers staged with the AJCC 8th edition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acupuncture has been widely used as a therapeutic intervention, and the brain network plays a crucial role in its neural mechanism. This study aimed to investigate the acupuncture mechanism from peripheral to central by identifying how the peripheral molecular signals induced by acupuncture affect the brain neural responses and its functional connectivity. We confirmed that peripheral ERK activation by acupuncture plays a role in initiating acupuncture-induced peripheral proteomic changes in mice. The brain neural activities in the neocortex, hippocampus, thalamus, hypothalamus, periaqueductal grey, and nucleus of the solitary tract (Sol) were significantly changed after acupuncture, and these were altered by peripheral MEK/MAPK inhibition. The arcuate nucleus and lateral hypothalamus were the most affected by acupuncture and peripheral MEK/MAPK inhibition. The hypothalamic area was the most contributing brain region in contrast task PLS analysis. Acupuncture provoked extensive changes in brain functional connectivity, and the posterior hypothalamus showed the highest betweenness centrality after acupuncture. After brain hub identification, the Sol and cingulate cortex were selected as hub regions that reflect both degree and betweenness centrality after acupuncture. These results suggest that acupuncture activates brain functional connectivity and that peripheral ERK induced by acupuncture plays a role in initiating brain neural activation and its functional connectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A tenosynovial giant cell tumor is a benign proliferative disease, mostly arising from the synovial membrane of tendon sheaths, bursae, and joints. Axial skeleton involvement is very rare, but it is often found in the cervical spine. Spinal tenosynovial giant cell tumors often arise at the facet joints; a completely extra-articular spinal tenosynovial giant cell tumor is rare. We report an extremely rare case of tenosynovial giant cell tumor in the upper cervical spine that extended from the posterior atlanto-occipital membrane rather than the facet joint. Herein, the clinical and radiological findings will be reviewed to better our understanding of the characteristics of spinal tenosynovial giant cell tumors, and to help improve their diagnosis despite their non-typical locations of origin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate age-related differences in the relationships among at-risk alcohol consumption, alcohol use disorder (AUD), and psychological distress with a special focus on older adults.Methods: We used a nationwide cross-sectional study of a representative sample of community-dwelling adults from the Korean Epidemiologic Catchment Area study for psychiatric disorders conducted by door-to-door interviews. The Korean version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview was applied. Subjects were categorized into four age groups: young-to-middle-aged (20-54 years), near-old (55-64 years), early-old (65-74 years), and late-old (≥ 75 years). The associations among at-risk drinking, alcohol use disorder, and psychological distress were examined according to age groups.Results: Among a total of 5102 individuals, half of them drank alcohol in the previous year, of whom 20.5% were at-risk drinkers (≥ 100 g/week). Older people were less often diagnosed with AUD than young-to-middle-aged adults with a similar degree of at-risk drinking. They were less likely to meet the DSM-5 AUD criteria in terms of social and vocational role disruption or creation of a physically hazardous situation. However, at-risk drinking showed a stronger association with subjective psychological distress in older adults, particularly in the near-old group (adjusted odds ratio 1.82, 95% confidence interval 1.09-3.03; p = 0.023).Conclusions: These findings indicate the importance of screening for mental health problems in older adults, especially near-old adults, who drink more than 100 g of alcohol per week even when they do not satisfy the criteria for a diagnosis of AUD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: We explored the association between subjective snoring frequency and heart rate variability (HRV) in a healthy adolescent population. Methods: A total of 102 healthy adolescents were recruited from high schools in South Korea, and reported their sleep habits and snoring frequency. HRV was assessed to indirectly measure autonomic function. We assessed correlations between snoring frequency and HRV indices. We also investigated the effects of sex and behaviorally induced insufficient sleep syndrome (BISS) on the associations between HRV parameters and snoring frequency. Results: Overall, significant correlations were apparent between snoring frequency and HRV indices including the standard deviation of the normal-to-normal intervals (SDNN) and the low-frequency/high-frequency (LF/HF) ratio. Associations were more evident in males and those with BISS compared to females and those without BISS. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that snoring changes autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity in adolescents; the changes are more dramatic in males and those with insufficient sleep. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assessed the association between experiencing physical or sexual intimate partner violence (IPV) and mental health among women in the general Korean population. A total of 3160 South Korean women aged 18 to 74 responded to the Korean version of the WHO-Composite International Diagnostic Interview (K-CIDI), version 2.1., and questions about IPV. Multiple logistic regression was used to examine the odds of developing mental disorders associated with each type of IPV. Victimization by any type of IPV was associated with significantly increased odds of experiencing any mental disorders in the lifetime (OR 4.4, 95% CI 2.4–8.0). Participants who experienced sexual IPV had the highest odds of having mental disorders (OR 14.3, 95% CI 4.1–54.8). Sexual IPV experience among participants was associated with higher odds of major depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, specific phobias, agoraphobia, and nicotine dependence. Alcohol use disorder was highly associated with experiencing physical IPV (OR 3.8, 95% CI 1.7–8.0). Among women who experienced IPV, the youngest age group, from 18 to 35 years old (2.6%, 95% CI 1.4–3.8), and the never married group (2.7%, 95% CI 1.2–4.2) experienced the highest proportion of any form of IPV. Mental disorders throughout the lifetime are highly associated with the experience of IPV among women and are most prevalent among those who experienced sexual IPV. Thus, to prevent mental disorders among female IPV victims, treatment specific to each type of IPV should be provided early. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate differences in the functional brain activation of patients with insomnia disorder (n = 21, mean age = 36.6) and of good sleepers (n = 26, mean age = 33.2) without other comorbidities or structural brain abnormalities during a working memory task.Methods: All participants completed a clinical questionnaire, were subjected to portable polysomnography (PSG), and performed the working memory task during an fMRI scan. The subjects who were suspected of major sleep disorder and comorbid psychiatric disorders except insomnia disorder were excluded. To compare the brain activation on working memory from the insomnia group with those from the good-sleeper group, a two-sample t test was performed. Statistical significance was determined using 3DClustSim with the updated algorithm to obtain a reasonable cluster size and p value for each analysis.Results: We observed higher levels of brain activation in the right lateral inferior frontal cortex and the right superior temporal pole in the insomnia group compared to good sleepers (cluster-based multiple comparison correction, p < 0.001, k = 34 @ α = 0.01).Conclusion: Thus, patients with insomnia disorder showed increased brain activation during working memory relative to good sleepers, and this may be indicative of compensatory brain activation to maintain cognitive performance in patients with insomnia disorder without other comorbidities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The relationship between the severity of the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and the quality of life (QOL) in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has been inconsistent in previous studies. This study aimed to identify the core factor associated with the QOL of suspected OSA patients and to compare the QOL of subjects with OSA and simple snoring (SS). Methods: Two hundred eighty-five subjects who were clinically suspected to have OSA underwent nocturnal polysomnography (PSG) and completed self-report questionnaires including the World Health Organization Quality of Life Short Form (WHOQOL-BREF) and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The effects of the clinical and PSG variables on the QOL score were analyzed using multiple stepwise regression analyses, and the QOL of OSA and SS groups was compared. Results: In correlation analyses, the most significant factor that correlated with the QOL of the subjects was the PSQI total score ( p < 0.001), while the AHI was not related to the WHOQOL-BREF total score. In multiple linear regression analysis, the PSQI total score was the most significant factor associated with the QOL of participants ( p < 0.001). The mean score of the WHOQOL-BREF did not differ significantly between the OSA group and the SS group. Conclusion: This study suggests that the main factor affecting the QOL of suspected OSA subjects is their subjective sleep quality. We therefore conclude that patients with OSA symptoms estimate their QOL based on their subjective sleep perception rather than AHI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The aim of this study was to assess caregiver preference and treatment compliance with oral and transdermal medications in a "real-world" setting in patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD) in South Korea.Methods: Real-world evaluation of compliance and preference in Alzheimer's disease treatment (RECAP) was a 24-week, multicenter, prospective, non-interventional study in patients with AD treated with oral or transdermal therapy. Here, we report data from patients living in South Korea. Eligible patients were grouped into one of two treatment cohorts: oral (donepezil, galantamine, rivastigmine, or memantine) or transdermal (rivastigmine patch). Caregiver preference, patient compliance, and physician preference were assessed at week 24 (end of the study). Safety was assessed by reported adverse events (AEs).Results: A total of 398 patients were enrolled (oral 51.8%; transdermal 48.2%) and 79.4% completed the study. Caregivers of patients that were exposed to either the oral or transdermal monotherapy showed a preference for the treatment to which the patients were exposed (both p < 0.0001). However, caregivers of patients that were exposed to both forms of treatments reported a higher preference for transdermal monotherapy (65.9%; p < 0.0041). Patients in both treatment cohorts showed good compliance, with an overall mean (SD) score of 8.84 (1.514) (a median of 9). Of the 15 participating physicians, eight indicated their preference for transdermal therapy and seven preferred oral therapy at week 24. A total of 133 (33.4%) patients reported at least one AE during the study period (oral: 60 patients; transdermal: 73 patients).Conclusion: The study showed higher caregiver preference for transdermal monotherapy over oral monotherapy when patients with AD were exposed to both forms of treatment and good patient compliance for both oral and transdermal treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy harvesting is the process which gathers and converts external energies such as light, vibration, movements of people and heat which are disposed into reusable electrical energy and uses such electrical energy. Harvesting using vibration energy is a technology which converts mechanical vibrations into electrical energy, and the methods using electrostatic, electromagnetic and piezoelectric effects are available. The method using electrostatic is advantageous for miniaturization but its energy conversion efficiency is low, and harvesting using piezoelectric uses piezoelectric ceramic so that stress cracking occurs easily so that the performance cannot be maintained. However, the harvesting system using electromagnetic has advantages that its production cost is relatively low in comparison to the methods using electrostatic and piezoelectric and electric power generated through harvesting has a high efficiency. In this study, the analysis of effect on the generation quantity according to a change in design variables of linear electromagnetic generator which could harvest vibration energy effectively. The number and shape of permanent magnets and number of coil turns were set as design variables, and the generation quantity analysis was carried out using MAXWELL, a commercial electromagnetic finite-element analysis program, and the effect of variables on the generation quantity was analyzed statistically through the response surface analysis method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study compared the factors associated with the utilization of mental health services across various age cohorts, with a particular focus on the differential influence of the stigma placed on mental illness on the use of these services. Methods: The present study used data from a Korean national epidemiological survey of mental disorders among community-dwelling adults aged 18-74 years ( n = 3,055). The subjects were categorized into three age groups: young (18-39), middle-aged (40-59), and late adulthood (60-74). The Perceived Devaluation-Discrimination scale was used to assess the stigma placed on mental disorders in each group. The influence of perceived stigma on lifetime utilization of mental health services was examined according to age cohort using multiple logistic regression analyses that were adjusted for various sociodemographic factors ( p < 0.006 with a Bonferroni correction). Results: The late-adulthood cohort was more likely to have perceived stigma of mental illness than were the other two groups, and the utilization of mental health services by the elderly cohort was more strongly affected by this perceived stigma than was such utilization by younger cohorts [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 4.14, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.86-9.22]. In the middle-aged cohort, being female or never being married was a significant determinant of use of mental health services (female, AOR 3.80, 95 % CI 2.17-6.65; unmarried, AOR 3.09, 95 % CI 1.43-6.70). Conclusion: It is important to reduce the perceived stigma placed on mental illness to improve access to mental health care among the current population of elderly people in Korea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: We examined the prevalence, correlates, comorbidities, and suicidal tendencies of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) according to the DSM-IV criteria in a nationwide sample of Korean women. Methods: A total of 2,499 women aged 18-64 years participated in this study. Diagnostic assessments were based on the Korean version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) 2.1 and its 12-month PMDD diagnostic module, which were administered by lay interviewers. The frequencies of DSM-IV psychiatric disorders, insomnia, and suicidal tendency were analyzed among PMDD cases and compared with non-PMDD cases, and both odds ratios and significance levels were calculated. Results: The 12-month prevalence rate of DSM-IV-diagnosed PMDD was 2.4 %. Among subjects with PMDD, 59.3 % had at least one psychiatric illness; in comparison, the control frequency was 21.8 %. Associations between PMDD and alcohol abuse/dependence, major depressive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, social phobia, specific phobia, somatoform disorder, insomnia, and suicidality were overwhelmingly positive and significant ( p < 0.05), after controlling for age. Physical illness and being underweight were associated with increased risks of PMDD ( p < 0.05). Conclusions: PMDD was prevalent in the nationwide sample of Korean women and was frequently associated with other psychiatric disorders, insomnia, and suicidality, suggesting the need to detect and treat women who experience PMDD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The present study represents the first attempt at examining variation across Korean cohorts with respect to lifetime risk of DSM-IV psychiatric disorders. Aims: To present data on lifetime prevalence and projected lifetime risk, as well as age of onset (AOO) and demographic correlates of DSM-IV psychiatric disorders as assessed in the nationwide survey of a representative sample of Korean adults. Method: The survey was based on a multistage area probability sample of non-institutionalized Koreans aged 18-64 years. The Korean version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview 2.1 (K-CIDI 2.1) was administered by lay interviewers. Results: Lifetime prevalence of any disorder was 24.6%. Alcohol abuse (9.2%), alcohol dependence (7.0%), major depressive disorder (5.6%), specific phobia (3.8%), and GAD (1.6%) were the most common disorders. The median AOO was earliest for anxiety disorders (age 29), latest for mood disorders (age 47), and intermediate for alcohol use disorders (age 31). Compared to observed lifetime prevalence (24.6%), 35.0% of Koreans will eventually experience one of these disorders. Further, half of the population who present with a psychiatric disorder do so by the age of 32 and younger cohorts are at greater risk for most disorders. Conclusions: About one-third of the Korean adult population will meet the criteria for a DSM-IV psychiatric disorder at some time during their life. The median age of onset varies from disorder to disorder and younger cohorts appear to be at greater risk for most disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laminated films composed of drug-containing reservoir layer and drug-free membrane were prepared. Zero-order drug release with lag time was achieved by laminating drug-free film onto the reservoir layer, while burst effect was observed on cast-on film. The rate controlling membrane was either attached to or cast directly into the reservoir. The release rate was independent on the reservoir composition but dependent on the composition of rate-controlling membrane. In growth inhibitory test of cephalexin from Eudragit RS film to Streptococcus Mutans, the disk even after release test for 72 hours showed more bacterial growth inhibition than that of control. Permeation of drug through rat skin was proportional to the HPC fraction in the film. We could control the release of cephalexin from the film by changing the fraction of Eudragit RS, HPC and DEP content. Consequently, Eudragit RS/HPC film was found to be very effective system for local delivery of drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]