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Background: Time elapsed since pain onset might affect the likelihood of neuropathic component in low back pain. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between neuropathic pain component and pain duration in patients with low back pain and to identify factors associated with neuropathic pain component. Methods: Patients with low back pain who received treatment at our clinic were enrolled. Neuropathic component was assessed using the painDETECT questionnaire at the initial visit. PainDETECT scores and the results for each item were compared according to pain duration category (< 3 months, 3 months to 1 year, 1 year to 3 years, 3 years to 10 years, and ≥ 10 years). A multivariate analysis was used to identify factors associated with neuropathic pain component (painDETECT score ≥ 13) in low back pain. Results: A total of 1957 patients, including 255 patients who reported neuropathic‐like pain symptoms (13.0%), fully satisfied the study criteria for analysis. No significant correlation between painDETECT score and pain duration was observed (ρ = −0.025, p = 0.272), and there were no significant differences between median painDETECT score or trend of change in the proportion of patients with neuropathic component and the pain duration category (p = 0.307, p = 0.427, respectively). The electric shock‐like pain symptom was frequently reported in patients with acute low back pain, and the persistent pain pattern with slight fluctuations was predominant in chronic low back pain. The pattern of attacks with pain between them was much less common in patients with pain for 10 years or longer. Multivariate analysis revealed that a history of lumbar surgery, severe maximum pain, opioid use, lumbosacral radiculopathy, and sleep disturbance were significantly associated with a neuropathic component in low back pain. Conclusion: Time elapsed since current pain onset did not correlate with neuropathic pain component in patients with low back pain. Therefore, diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for this condition should be based on a multidimensional evaluation at assessment and not on pain duration alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The present study examined whether mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn) and telomere length — key markers of cellular aging — were altered in male and female participants with obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) compared to healthy controls. We also tested for associations between these alterations and OCD-related clinical features and inflammatory index. Methods: A total of 235 patients with OCD (38.7% female) and 234 healthy controls (41.5% female) were included. We quantified whole-blood mtDNAcn and leukocyte telomere length using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. We also calculated the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio from complete blood cell counts. Results: Multivariate analysis of covariance showed that OCD status had a significant overall effect on cellular aging markers in men (Wilks λ = 0.889, F 2,275 = 17.13, p < 0.001) and women (Wilks λ = 0.742, F 2,182 = 31.61, p < 0.001) after controlling for age, body mass index and childhood trauma. In post-hoc comparisons, men with OCD had lower mtDNAcn than controls (p < 0.001), but we found no between-group difference for telomere length (p = 0.55). Women with OCD had a significantly lower mtDNAcn (p < 0.001) and shortened telomere length (p = 0.023) compared to controls. Moreover, the lower mtDNAcn shown in the OCD group was significantly correlated with an increase in systemic inflammation for both sexes, as measured by neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio. Limitations: The present cross-sectional design did not allow us to infer a causal relationship between OCD disease status and cellular aging markers. Conclusion: The present study is, to our knowledge, the first to demonstrate alterations in mtDNAcn and telomere shortening in OCD. These results suggest that aging-associated molecular mechanisms may be important in the pathophysiology of OCD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to compare perceptions of spiritual care among patients with life-threatening cancer, their primary family caregivers, and hospice/palliative care nurses. Data were collected using both structured and unstructured approaches. Structured questionnaire data were examined using statistical analysis methods, and unstructured data were examined using content analysis to compare the 3 participant groups. The questionnaire revealed that among all 3 groups, spiritual care was commonly perceived to relate to "having the opportunity for internal reflection," "finding meaning," "encouraging hope," and "listening to and being with patients." Content analysis of the unstructured data revealed 5 themes: "Caring with sincerity," "Strengthening spiritual resources," "Alleviating physical pain and discomfort" (among patients and primary family caregivers only), "Improving spiritual care service," and "Multifaceted cooperation" (among hospice/palliative care nurses only). Our findings suggest that for patients with life-threatening illnesses such as terminal cancer, spiritual care should not be limited to religious practice but should also satisfy inner existential needs, for example, by encouraging hope, providing empathy, and helping patients find meaning in their circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Breast self‐examination is a convenient and effective way to detect breast abnormalities. Based on Dale's Cone of Experience theory, we hypothesized that the combination of a smartphone application with hands‐on practice would have a greater impact than using a smartphone application alone. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of different educational methods on (a) knowledge, (b) attitudes, (c) skills, and (d) students' satisfaction with the learning methods. Methods: We conducted a pre‐ and post‐test quasi‐experimental design and developed a smartphone application using a video clip. One experimental group received smartphone‐based education, another group received smartphone‐based education combined with hands‐on practice, and the control group received a one‐time classroom lecture. We administered a pre‐test, provided intervention, and conducted a post‐test. Results: Among the three groups, the knowledge and attitude of the experimental groups were significantly higher than that of the control group. In addition, the group using the combination of the smartphone application and hands‐on practice showed the highest score changes in skills and satisfaction with the learning methods. Conclusions: Smartphone application use combined with hands‐on practice could be an effective education method for breast self‐examination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to compare the learning effects of debriefing methods used in the simulation of prematurity care by measuring: (i) academic self‐efficacy; (ii) confidence in performance; (iii) self‐assessed communication skills; and (iv) satisfaction. We employed a quasi‐experimental design with three experimental groups that experienced instructor‐directed, self‐directed, and video‐assisted, self‐directed debriefing, respectively. Participants were 146 senior nursing students from three nursing schools. To compare learning effects, the same developed scenario for prematurity care was applied to all three groups. Significant differences were observed in the mean scores for the study variables among the three groups. The post‐hoc analysis showed that the video‐assisted, self‐directed debriefing group obtained the highest mean score difference for confidence in performance, self‐assessed communication skills, and satisfaction with the debriefing method. Thus, video‐assisted, self‐directed debriefing could be the most effective debriefing method for students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing functional decline is an essential treatment goal in older adults after hip fracture surgery. The current study examined different effects of functional decline–related factors according to activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental ADL (IADL) in older adults after hip fracture surgery. A total of 120 participants were included. In quantile regression, preoperative walking and fear of falling were significantly associated with ADLs in the 25th percentile ADL group. Fear of falling was the only significant factor in the poorest IADL group (25th percentile). Efforts should be made to reduce fear of falling after hip fracture surgery. Preoperative walking status was significant in patients with poor ADL after hip fracture surgery; therefore, walking status should be taken into consideration when planning rehabilitation care in this group, so that the best possible ADL outcomes can be attained. (6),312–320.][Research in Gerontological Nursing, 12(6),312–320.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives This study aimed to identify factors influencing beliefs about intimate partner violence among Korean adults. Design and Sample This is a cross-sectional descriptive study that analyzed data from 466 adults. Measures Beliefs about intimate partner violence were measured using a self-report questionnaire with a total of 28 items consisting of four subscales: perpetrator's justification for beating women, blaming women for violence against them, perpetrator's responsibility for violence, and giving help to victims. Results Men and women had significantly different beliefs about intimate partner violence ( t = −7.19, p < .001). Some characteristics were identified that led to unhealthy beliefs about intimate partner violence. Four variables-gender, age, educational level, and witnessing parental violence-had an explanatory power of 20% with regard to beliefs about IPV ( F = 10.50, p = .000). Conclusions In South Korea, men, older individuals, and those with less formal education or who have witnessed parental violence need education to foster healthier beliefs about intimate partner violence. Nurses can play a vital role in efforts to decrease intimate partner violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Educational outcomes, such as knowledge, confidence in performance, ability in nursing practice, and satisfaction with learning methods in caring for children with croup, were compared between groups of students that received education through simulation combined with pre-education, simulation only, and pre-education only. In this quasi-experimental design, the educational intervention for the experimental group was the pre-education modality. Data from a convenience sample of 127 senior nursing students were drawn from three nursing schools in South Korea. There were significant differences in the mean scores of knowledge, confidence in performance, satisfaction with the learning method, and ability in nursing practice between the three groups. Pre-education with simulation significantly enhanced students' knowledge, confidence in performance, ability in nursing practice, and satisfaction with learning methods compared with pre-education or simulation alone. Simulation strategies should focus more on enhancing nursing students' learning outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Posttreatment detection of recurrence may lead to salvage treatment and prognostic prediction in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). We evaluated the diagnostic and prognostic values of 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose ( 18 F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) after definitive treatment of HNSCC. Methods This prospective study included 278 consecutive patients who underwent curative surgery ( n = 143, 51.4%) or definitive radiotherapy/chemoradiotherapy ( n = 135, 48.6%) for previously untreated HNSCC. The patients were regularly followed up and evaluated by 18 F-FDG PET/CT, head and neck CT/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and chest CT at regular intervals after treatment. The imaging interpretations were compared with the histological results for recurrence. Receiver operating characteristics curves analysis, McNemar's test and logistic regression using generalised estimating equations were used to compare the diagnostic accuracy of 18 F-FDG PET/CT and standard imaging of CT/MRI or chest CT, and a Cox proportional hazards model was used to assess the prognostic value of PET/CT. Results During a median follow-up of 44 months (range, 24–62 months), 73 patients (26.3%) had recurrence or persistent diseases. The area under curves for 18 F-FDG PET/CT and CT/MRI were 0.975 (0.964–0.992) and 0.789 (0.713–0.874), respectively ( P < 0.001). 18 F-FDG PET/CT detected 65 of 66 recurrences (98.5%) not suggested by physical examination and endoscopy. Positive findings on 18 F-FDG PET/CT scans were independent predictors of poorer cancer-specific and overall survival outcomes ( P < 0.01). Conclusions Posttreatment 18 F-FDG PET/CT surveillance helps to properly detect recurrence and to predict the survival following treatment of HNSCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to identify the differences in suicide risk, meaning in life, and need for life respect among three age groups (young adults, the middle aged, and the elderly) of 540 public hospital outpatients in South Korea. This was a cross-sectional study. Among these 3 age groups, we observed significant differences in suicide risk, meaning in life, and need for life respect according to education level, marital status, living arrangements, type of disease, gender, and monthly income. These findings might contribute to the prevention of suicide in the future and the implementation of better community-based nursing care. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Conclusion:Seven-day administration of systemic steroids was more effective in preserving hearing for 12 weeks after cochlear implantation (CI) than a 3-day delivery. Objectives:To determine the effectiveness of extended delivery of systemic steroids to preserve hearing in guinea pigs after CI. Methods:Dexamethasone (4 mg/ml) was delivered parenterally via a mini-osmotic pump for either 3 or 7 days. A dummy CI electrode was inserted via cochleostomy approach in 8-week-old guinea pigs. Auditory thresholds were assessed from tone burst auditory brainstem responses (2, 8, 16, 24, and 32 kHz) at 1 day prior to CI, and 1, 4, and 12 weeks after implantation. Histologic evaluation of the cochleae was carried out. Results:No differences were observed in hearing thresholds among groups before CI. Significant hearing preservation was achieved at 8, 16, 24, and 32 kHz only in the 7-day infusion group compared with the control group at 1 week after CI. The same trend was maintained at 4 weeks (16, 24 kHz) and 12 weeks (16, 24, and 32 kHz). Histologic review of the 7-day infusion group revealed less fibrosis and ossification in the scala tympani and the preservation of more spiral ganglion cells, compared with the control group. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Protoporphyrinogen oxidase ( PPO) is a key enzyme of peroxidising herbicides. Transgenic rice event CPPO06, which overexpresses PPO gene derived from soil bacterium, Myxococcus xanthus, showed high resistance to PPO inhibitors. This study was designed to compare the compositional profile of rice event CPPO06 with that of conventional control and commercial cultivars. Field trials were carried out in the three different regions of South Korea during the 2011 and 2012 growing seasons. After harvesting, brown rice samples were analysed for their proximates, amino acids, fatty acids, minerals and vitamins. Over 2-year field trials, statistical differences between rice event CPPO06 and its control were found for crude protein, aspartic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, copper and potassium. However, all the tested values for these components were both within the 99% tolerance interval for the commercial cultivars and within the literature ranges. It was concluded that rice event CPPO06 is compositionally equivalent to that of the conventional rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Central sensitization plays an important role in the chronic pain experienced by osteoarthritis ( OA) patients. In this prospective observational study, we investigated the influence of the level of preoperative centrally mediated symptoms measured by the Central Sensitization Inventory ( CSI) on pain intensity after total knee arthroplasty ( TKA) for OA. Methods Ninety-eight female OA patients undergoing TKA were enrolled in this study. We assessed CSI scores, pain-related data, and other clinical data preoperatively. All patients received spinal anesthesia and postoperative epidural analgesia. Pain intensity (at rest and on movement) and rescue meperidine requirements were assessed during postoperative days 1 and 2. Also, pain intensity and patient satisfaction were assessed 1 month and 3 months after surgery. After the completion of all postoperative assessments, we separated the study population into a preoperative CSI score ≥40 and <40 group. We assessed pain-related data between the 2 groups at each assessment time. Results Ninety-one patients completed the postoperative assessments (a preoperative CSI ≥40 group; n = 44, CSI <40 group; n = 47). Patients with preoperative CSI ≥40 complained of a greater pain intensity ( P = 0.001) during postoperative days 1 and 2 and required a higher dose of meperidine rescue ( P = 0.003) than those with a preoperative CSI <40. The high CSI score group also showed a less favorable outcome in terms of pain relief on follow-up at 1 month ( P = 0.006) and 3 months ( P = 0.002) after surgery. In multivariate analysis, a preoperative CSI score ≥40 was the strongest determinant with 5.091 of the highest odds ratio (95% CI 1.324 to 19.523, P = 0.016) for predicting a persistent pain 3 months after surgery among demographic and pain-related variables. Conclusions OA patients with high levels of comorbid centrally mediated symptoms showed severe pain and increased analgesic requirements after TKA in the early postoperative period. Moreover, these patients seemed to be at higher risk of persistent pain, and a high CSI score was predictive of low patient satisfaction in terms of pain relief after surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although the Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE) is the most widely used screening instrument for dementia, it has several limitations. Methods: We developed and validated a new scoring method of the MMSE, namely the short form of the MMSE (MMSE-S). Results: The MMSE-S was more robust to demographic influences than the MMSE. The influence of education, in particular, was smaller in the MMSE-S compared to the MMSE (p < 0.01). The diagnostic accuracy of the MMSE-S for very mild to mild dementia was also better than that of the original MMSE (p < 0.0001). Its specificity, in particular, was higher than that of the original MMSE. In Korea, we could improve the post-test probability for dementia from 46.88 to 64.76% by employing the MMSE-S instead of the MMSE. We also provided optimal cut-off scores for dementia stratified by age, education, and gender, which may further improve the diagnostic accuracy of the MMSE-S for dementia. Conclusion: Due to its good accuracy and brevity, the MMSE-S may contribute to enhancing the cost-effectiveness of and accessibility to dementia screening as well as early diagnosis and treatment of dementia, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined factors associated with lifetime treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) in a nationwide sample of Korean adults. Of the 6,510 subjects aged 18-64 years who participated in the Korean Epidemiologic Catchment Area study, 362 (5.6%) with a lifetime diagnosis of MDD were analyzed. Diagnostic assessments were based on the Korean version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview administered by lay interviewers. Of the 362 respondents with a lifetime diagnosis of MDD, 117 (32.3%) had been treated for psychiatric problems. Treated individuals with MDD were more likely to have chronic episode(s), more symptoms of depression, insomnia, and suicidal ideation, and were less likely to have feelings of guilt. In addition, treated individuals were more likely to have comorbid anxiety disorders, especially obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder. Treatment-seeking by individuals with MDD is affected by socio-cultural factors such as misconception and stigma of mental illness, as well as severity of depression and comorbid conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry 2011; 21: 241-248 The aim of this study was to clinically assess the effectiveness of masking white spot enamel lesions using a resin infiltration technique that was recently developed to arrest incipient caries in a micro-invasive concept. Twenty teeth with a Developmental Defect of Enamel (DDE) and 18 teeth with Post-orthodontic Decalcification (POD) were selected and treated with resin infiltration. Standardized photographs were taken before, immediately after, and 1 week after treatment and were analysed using image analysing software to calculate the ΔE values. The results were classified into three groups: completely masked, partially masked, and unchanged. Among the 20 teeth with DDE, five teeth (25%) were classified as completely masked, whereas seven (35%) and eight teeth (40%) were partially masked and unchanged, respectively. Among the 18 teeth with POD, 11 teeth (61%) were completely masked, six teeth (33%) were partially masked, and one tooth (6%) was unchanged. In some teeth, the result was more improved after 1 week than immediately after infiltration. The masking effect was dramatic in some cases but not in others. The long-term colour stability of the result should be followed up through continuous clinical and scientific studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we identified the factors influencing behavioral intention to undergo Papanicolaou testing among Japanese and Korean women in early adulthood. Their behavioral intentions were compared in this cross-sectional descriptive study. In total, 887 women (Japanese = 498, Korean = 389) aged 20-39 years participated in this study. Using a self-report questionnaire, knowledge, attitudes, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, and behavioral intention were surveyed. There were significant differences between Japanese and Korean women's scores on all main variables. For Japanese women, all the variables moderately correlated with behavioral intention. In comparison, for Korean women, all independent variables, except for knowledge, moderately correlated with behavioral intention. Through a multiple regression analysis, age, undergoing Papanicolaou testing, attitudes, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control were identified as significant predictors of behavioral intention among Japanese women. Among Korean women, job status, undergoing a Papanicolaou test, attitudes, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control were demonstrated as significant predictors of behavioral intention. Health professionals should consider these factors to encourage Papanicolaou testing in women in early adulthood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]