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Purpose: This study aims to evaluate the association between body image dissatisfaction and quality of life and depression among patients after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey at three university-based HSCT outpatient clinics and the Korea Blood Cancer Association. We assessed the body image using the body image scale; quality of life and depression were measured using the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF and the Patient Health Questionnaire 9, respectively. Univariate and multivariate linear regression models were used to find an association between body image, quality of life, and depression. Results: Among 163 study participants, 71.8% were male, and the mean age of the participants was 48.3 (SD = 11.2). Over 70% of the participants reported that they felt less physically and sexually attractive due to HSCT, and 39.3% of the patients were dissatisfied with their body image. In fully adjusted models, patients with dissatisfied body image had significantly poorer quality of life (− 13.68, 95% confidence interval [CI] = − 18.16, − 9.21). Moreover, patients with body image dissatisfaction were 8.59 times (95% CI = 3.79, 19.48) more likely to have depressive symptoms than patients without it. Conclusion: The majority of HSCT patients experienced body image dissatisfaction, which was significantly associated with poor quality of life and depression. It would be essential to evaluate body image after HSCT and provide appropriate interventions for preventing further psychological consequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a topical lotion (CG428) on hair thickness and density in breast cancer survivors with permanent chemotherapy-induced alopecia (PCIA).Methods: The study was a double-blind, randomized controlled trial which conducted from February 2016 to December 2016 at the Samsung Comprehensive Cancer Center in Seoul, South Korea. Breast cancer patients with PCIA were randomized on average of 3.5 years after chemotherapy. Topical lotion (Batch DT023) is a botanical drug under development containing a novel patented blend of 4 botanical ingredients: citrus, cocoa, guarana, and onion. Participants were asked to self-apply the study product or placebo twice per day for 6 months. Changes in hair density and thickness were assessed using a noninvasive bioengineering device, and patient-reported outcomes were evaluated at 3 and 6 months after randomization.Results: A total of 35 patients were randomized to intervention (N = 18) or placebo (N = 17). Patients in the intervention group were older than those in the placebo group (52.1 vs. 41.6 years; P < 0.001). The mean hair density (SD) at baseline was 97.6 (6.4) and 126.8 (30.3) hairs/cm2 in the intervention and placebo group, respectively (P = 0.005). The corresponding values for hair thickness were 49.9 (12.7) and 48.1 (8.4) μm, respectively. After 6 months, hair density had increased by 34.7 and 24.9% compared with baseline in the intervention and control groups, respectively (P = 0.37). Corresponding values for hair thickness were 19.8 and 35.6%, respectively (P = 0.23). Similar findings were observed after age adjustment.Discussion: In this pilot randomized clinical trial, we observed safety, tolerability, and a trend toward the efficacy of CG428 vs. placebo, especially regarding hair density and self-reported improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To find out which symptoms most frequently and severely affect breast cancer patients during radiotherapy and how patients manage the symptoms and unmet needs.Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 111 patients who receive radiotherapy for breast cancer from January to April 2015 at Samsung Medical Center in Seoul, South Korea. Participants were asked about symptoms and discomfort due to radiotherapy, management methods for radiation dermatitis, unmet needs for radiation dermatitis care, and clinical and socio-demographic information.Results: Of total, 108 out of 111 patients (97.3%) reported symptoms related to radiation dermatitis. Hyperpigmentation was the most commonly reported uncomfortable symptom followed by erythema. On average, patients reported 8.6 radiotherapy-induced skin problems (range, 0-11). Of total, 59 (53.2%) patients stated that they wanted care for radiation dermatitis, and 80.0, 59.4, and 51% of patients searched for information, used products, and visited the hospital to manage radiotherapy-related skin problems. Patients who experienced dryness, burning feelings, irritation, roughness, and hyperpigmentation were 11.73, 7.02, 5.10, 4.27, and 2.80 times more likely to have management needs than patients without those symptoms, respectively, adjusting age, current cycle of radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and type of surgery.Conclusions: Most of the breast cancer patients experience multiple symptoms associated with radiation dermatitis. Hyperpigmentation was the most common and uncomfortable symptom followed by erythema. Majority of patients wanted management for radiation dermatitis and patients who experienced dryness, burning feelings, irritation, roughness, and hyperpigmentation had higher needs for radiation dermatitis management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to examine the prevalence and factors associated with sexual problems and their relationship to health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in male and female non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) survivors. In this cross-sectional study, 738 NHL survivors (425 men and 313 women; mean time since diagnosis, 6.2 years) in South Korea completed the six-item instrument of adult sexual behavior used by the National Health and Social Life Survey in the United States. HRQOL was measured by two subscales of the EORTC QLQ-C30. Sexual problems were reported by a greater proportion of women (range, 31.9 to 64.4%) than men (range, 23.3 to 49.1%). Among four items common to both sexes, three (lacking interest in sex, unable to achieve orgasm, sex not pleasurable) were significantly more prevalent in women. Significant factors associated with multiple sexual problems in men were older age and being unemployed; in women, they were marital status and comorbidity. Lastly, more significant associations between sexual problems and HRQOL were observed in men than in women. Male and female NHL survivors differ in the prevalence of sexual problems and the factors associated with them as well as their associations with HRQOL. These findings can be used to develop sex-specific interventions to improve sexual function in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to measure concentrations of PM and airborne bacteria (AB) to determine how each one of them correlated with particular indoor environmental factors and characteristics of daycare centers in Seoul, South Korea.PM and AB were sampled in 330 daycare centers in the middle of a classroom, along with measurements of temperature and relative humidity. Spearman's correlation and Mann-Whitney analyses were used to examine the relationship among and differences between PM concentration, AB concentration, indoor environmental factors, and daycare center characteristics.There were significant correlations between PM concentration and AB concentration ( r = 0.128, p < 0.05), temperature ( r = 0.153, p < 0.01), and relative humidity ( r = 0.185, p < 0.01). PM concentrations with two or more windows; a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system; and the use of air purifier were lower than concentrations with one window, window ventilation only, and no air purifier. AB concentrations were significantly higher when daycare centers had only one window and used only window ventilation ( p < 0.05).Though there are many uncontrollable outdoor environmental factors that influence air quality, we demonstrated that using an HVAC system and an air purifier significantly reduces PM concentrations and is a practical change that could be implemented to improve the indoor air quality of daycare centers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to identify the impact of preoperative colonoscopic tattooing (PCT) on lymph node harvest in T1 colorectal cancer patients. Material and methods: One hundred and forty-three patients were included who underwent curative resection and were diagnosed with T1 colorectal cancer. These patients were categorized into the tattooing group and the non-tattooing group depending on whether preoperative India ink tattooing was done. Clinicopathological findings and lymph node harvest were compared between the two groups. Results: The median number of lymph nodes examined was 18 in the tattooing group and 13 in the non-tattooing group ( p < 0.001). The rate of adequate lymph node harvest (retrieval of more than 12 lymph nodes) was higher in the tattooing group than that in the non-tattooing group (83.7 vs. 58.5 %, p = 0.002). The PCT was significantly associated with adequate lymph node harvest in multivariate analysis (hazard ratio, 3.8; 95 % confidence interval, 1.5-9.2; p = 0.003). Among the 40 patients who showed at least one carbon particle-containing lymph nodes, the positive lymph node rate was not different between carbon-containing LNs (0.9 %) and non-carbon-containing LNs (1.7 %). Conclusions: PCT was associated with higher lymph node yield in T1 colorectal cancer. It is questionable if tattooing has additional detection power as a sentinel lymph node mapping tool in T1 colorectal cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study is to evaluate objective changes in water content, sebum content, transepidermal water loss (TEWL), and melanin due to breast cancer chemotherapy, and their association with subjective symptoms. Prospective cohort study of 61 patients 18 years of age or older with a postoperative diagnosis of stage I-III breast cancer, who received adjuvant chemotherapy between February and September 2012 at an outpatient breast cancer clinic in Korea. Objective skin parameters, measured using a noninvasive bioengineering device, and patient-reported dryness and dullness were assessed before chemotherapy, after two cycles of chemotherapy, and 1, 3, and 6 months after completion of chemotherapy. Water content (−6.5 %), sebum (−75.5 %), and TEWL (−22.4 %) significantly decreased during chemotherapy compared to pre-chemotherapy levels (all p values <0.001). These parameters were lowest at 1 month after completion of chemotherapy and recovered thereafter but did not return to baseline levels after 6 months of follow-up. Melanin increased during chemotherapy with respect to pre-chemotherapy levels (8.4 %; p < 0.001) but decreased from the first month after completion of chemotherapy through the end of follow-up (−17.1 %; p < 0.001). The patterns of skin changes were similar in patients with or without hormone therapy. Most of patients reported dryness (57.9 %) and dullness (49.1 %) after chemotherapy, and patient-reported dryness was significantly associated with decreased sebum content. Chemotherapy-induced substantial changes in objective skin composition parameters. These changes persisted after 6 months from completion of chemotherapy and were associated with patient-reported symptoms. Additional research is needed to translate these findings into interventions for improving the dermatologic quality of life of breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to find indicators to improve indoor air quality by measuring and evaluating formaldehyde in residential environments and analyzing household living patterns to determine whether residents suffer from environmental diseases. The average household concentration was 30.7 µg/m. The average concentration in remodeled households was 38.8 µg/m, which was higher than in households that had not been remodeled. Formaldehyde concentrations were higher in households residing at ground level than those in households based in underground spaces. The average concentration of households that had moved into their homes within the previous year were the highest at 43.5 µg/m with the concentrations gradually decreasing over time after move-in. Formaldehyde concentrations were higher in households that conducted ventilation 2-3 times per weekly (43.9 µg/m) than those that conducted ventilation daily (26.1 µg/m). The average concentration of the households that had experienced atopy was higher (36.7 µg/m) compared to the households that had not (26.4 µg/m). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: During restaging after preoperative chemoradiotherapy (CRT), the assessment of lymph node (LN) metastasis is vital for selecting further treatment strategies. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of LN size to predict LN metastasis in rectal cancer patients after preoperative CRT. Methods: A total of 30 consecutive patients who underwent preoperative CRT followed by curative resection of primary rectal cancer were selected as a study group (CRT group). As a control group (non-CRT group), 30 patients who underwent primary tumor resection were selected using a 1:1 case-match design. Matching criteria were gender, age, and clinical T stage. The size of each LN was measured from the surgical specimen. To clarify optimal cutoff values for node size according to the risk of detecting metastasis, receiving-operator characteristic (ROC) curves were generated. Results: In the non-CRT group, 39/474 LNs were confirmed to have metastasis. In the CRT group, 29/422 LNs showed metastasis. The median size of metastatic LNs was 6.0 mm in CRT group, which was significantly larger than 4.0 mm in the non-CRT group ( p = 0.006). The optimal cutoff value for determining metastasis in the CRT group was 4.5 mm, compared to 3.5 mm in the non-CRT group. The accuracy of the cutoff value was much higher in the CRT group (CRT vs. non-CRT, 77.9 vs. 59.9 %). Conclusions: LN size is a strong indicator for prediction of regional LN metastasis in rectal cancer patients after preoperative CRT, compared to those without CRT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the importance of health rises in the public consciousness, environmental health impact assessments (HIA) are gaining renewed attention. This implies that the existing medium-centered environmental assessments (EA) should shift toward recipient-centered EAs. Currently, sanitation and public health are health components of the environmental impact assessment (EIA) in Korea, which contain occupational and residential health, analysis of and mitigation measures against disease-causing factors (such as communicable diseases), and placement and management plans for public health facilities. In short, HIAs are managed under the sanitation and public health criteria of the EIA. This research is a comprehensive analysis of the most recent literature and online information regarding Korea's EIA system, and has been undertaken in an effort to explore and suggest improvement measures for the nation's HIA. An HIA's definition, role, and international trends were reviewed, and building on those findings, a thorough examination explored means to effectively integrate the sanitation and public health component recommended by current regulations into the HIA (such as the EIA reporting guidelines). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Complete mesocolic excision (CME) has recently been reemphasized as a technical approach for anatomical dissection during colon cancer surgery. Although a laparoscopic approach for right colon cancer is performed frequently, identifying an adequate dissection plane is not always easy. In our practice, the patient lies in a modified lithotomy position. The first step is ileocolic area mobilization, followed by adequate retraction of the cecum laterally. This procedure enables discrimination of the ileocolic vessels and superior mesenteric vessels. Importantly, this method facilitates identification of the superior mesenteric vein (SMV), followed by the identification of the root of ileocolic pedicles. After that, sharp dissection along the SMV in an upward direction helps to safely identify the middle colic artery (MCA). Dissection then continues to the level of the origin of MCA, after which the right branch of MCA can be divided. Methods: A total of 128 consecutive patients (63 males) who underwent laparoscopic CME for right colon cancer by a single surgeon were analyzed in this study. Results: There was no conversion to open surgery. The median operation time was 192 min (interquartile range [IQR] 118-363 min). The median proximal and distal resection margins were 11 and 10 cm, respectively. The median number of harvested lymph nodes was 28 (IQR 3-88). There were six postoperative complications (4.6 %). The median hospital stay was 5 days (IQR 4-37 days). The video demonstrates a laparoscopic CME for a patient who had advanced distal ascending colon cancer. Conclusion: In conclusion, identifying the anatomical location of the SMV and performing meticulous dissection along the SMV is an essential procedure for containing all potential routes of metastatic tumors. Initial ileocecal mobilization with adequate counter traction of the cecum may be useful for novice surgeons attempting to identify the location of SMV during laparoscopic CME for right colon cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of lymphoma survivors, to compare it with that of the general population, and to identify its predictors in lymphoma survivors. We enrolled 837 participants (mean age, 54.6 years; mean time since diagnosis, 6.3 years) with a history of Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) ( n = 58) or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) ( n = 779) who had been treated at any of three Korean hospitals from 1989 through 2010. For controls, we selected 1,000 subjects randomly from a representative Korean population. We administered the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Overall, the HRQOL in both groups of survivors and the general population were comparable, but we observed clinically meaningful worse social functioning in NHL survivors ( p < 0.001) and more severe fatigue in HL survivors ( p < 0.001) than in the general population. Analysis of covariance revealed no clinically meaningful difference in HRQOL associated with age or sex. Survivors who received peripheral blood stem cell transplants showed clinically meaningful worse role ( p = 0.001) and social ( p < 0.001) functioning than those who were treated with first-line chemotherapy alone. In multivariate analyses, fatigue, depression, and financial difficulties emerged as the strongest predictors for almost all subscales of functioning and global quality of life. Interventions for alleviating fatigue, depression, and financial difficulties are needed to enhance the HRQOL of Korean lymphoma survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The objective of this study is to ascertain the impact of laparoscopic colorectal surgery (LCS) experience on the learning curve of robotic rectal cancer surgery (RRS). Whether LCS experience is mandatory on overcoming the learning curve of RRS or not remains undetermined. Methods: Before starting the robotic procedure, surgeon A had a limited experience of less than 30 LCS cases, whereas surgeon B had performed more than 300 cases of LCS. From the beginning, 100 consecutive, unselected RRS cases performed by each of the two surgeons were retrospectively analyzed (groups A and B). Perioperative surgical and oncologic outcomes were compared between the two groups. Results: Clinicopathological characteristics between the two groups were similar. One case in group A was converted to open surgery. Mean operation time was shorter in group A than that of group B (272 vs. 344 min, p < 0.001). Overall perioperative morbidity rates were not different between the two groups (17.0 vs. 10.0 %, p = 0.214). There was no difference of circumferential resection margin positivity rate and retrieved lymph node numbers. In group A, the operation time decreased with a steep slope until 17 cases on the moving average curve. The slope in group B maintained a steady state and showed no remarkable changes throughout the study period. Conclusions: A one-step transition from open to robotic rectal cancer surgery can be achieved without having extensive prior laparoscopic experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concomitant with the increase in production and application of various nanomaterials, researches on their cytotoxic and genotoxic potential have become well established, as exposure to these nanoscaled materials may contribute to detrimental health effects. Positive indications of the damaging effects of nanoparticles on DNA are likely to be inconsistent in in vitro systems, and thus the implementation of in vivo investigations has been achieved. This review summarizes the current results, both in vitro and in vivo, of the genotoxic effects of potential metal or metal oxide nanoparticles, including the oxides of aluminium, iron, silica, titanium, and zinc, as well as silver, gold, cobalt, quantum dots, and so forth. They present indications of different types of DNA damage, ranging from chromosomal aberrations, through DNA strand breaks, oxidative DNA damage, to mutations. Their toxicological profiles are definitely associated with physicochemical characters, depending upon the characterization methods by which they are analyzed, in particular, microscopy techniques. Besides physicochemical properties, we also discuss significant parameters that may influence genotoxic response, including toxicity assays/endpoint tests, exposure duration and route of exposure, and experimental conditions. We describe advantages and disadvantages of particular characterization methods, as well as the appropriateness of methodologies for investigating physicochemical characters. Therefore, recommendations on particle characterization are further emphasized, to provide better understanding of genotoxic potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the removal efficiency, absorption amount, and loading value of CO2 into aqueous blended 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol (AMP)/ammonia (NH3) solutions were measured by using the absorption and regeneration continual process. The effect of adding NH3 to enhance absorption characteristics of AMP was investigated. The performance was evaluated under various operating conditions. As a result, the method of blending AMP and NH3 was not adequate because of a problem with scale formation. Consequently, NH3 of 1, 3, 5, and 7 wt% was added to 30 wt% AMP. Of these additions, 5 wt% NH3 was the optimum concentration because the CO2 removal efficiency and absorption amount were almost 100% and 2.17 kg CO2/kg absorbent, respectively. Also, the scale problem was almost absent. As the regenerator temperature varied from 80–110 °C, the loading of rich amine was almost constant, but the loading of lean amine was decreased as the regenerator temperature increased. Thus, the optimum regenerator temperature was 110 °C in this experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Specific protein 1 (SP1) is associated with aggressive behavior, invasive clinical phenotype and poor clinical outcomes in various cancers. We studied whether SP1 exerts its effect on invasiveness and promotion of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) by regulating lysyl oxidase-like 2 (LOXL2) in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cell lines. We showed that silencing of SP1 in MIA Paca-2 cell significantly decreased cell invasion and migration. In MIA Paca-2 cells, silencing of SP1 induced a reduction of LOXL2 expression, whereas LOXL2 silencing did not lead to a decrease in the expression of SP1. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assay demonstrated the binding of SP1 to LOXL2 promoter. Wound healing and transmigration assays also showed that transfection of both SP1 and LOXL2 siRNA induced most significant decrease of cell invasion and migration compared to either SP1 or LOXL2-only silenced cells. Finally, we investigated the prognostic value of SP1 in patients with PDAC and SP1/LOX2 expression was examined by immunochemistry. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that tumor differentiation and co-expression of SP1 and LOXL2 were independent factors for disease-free survival. In summary, our study demonstrates that SP1 modulates EMT and is involved in tumor invasion and migration of PDAC cells through the regulation of LOXL2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]