The ezrin-radixin-moesin (ERM) proteins are a family of membrane-associated proteins known to play roles in cell-shape determination as well as in signaling pathways. We have previously shown that amphetamine decreases phosphorylation levels of these proteins in the nucleus accumbens (NAcc), an important neuronal substrate mediating rewarding effects of drugs of abuse. In the present study, we further examined what molecular pathways may be involved in this process. By direct microinjection of LY294002, a PI3 kinase inhibitor, or of S9 peptide, a proposed GSK3β activator, into the NAcc core, we found that phosphorylation levels of ERM as well as of GSK3β in this site are simultaneously decreased. These results indicate that ERM proteins are under the regulation of Akt-GSK3β signaling pathway in the NAcc core. The present findings have a significant implication to a novel signal pathway possibly leading to structural plasticity in relation with drug addiction.
Amphetamine ; Animals ; Glycogen Synthase Kinases ; Humans ; Membrane Proteins ; Microinjections ; Negotiating ; Neurons ; Nucleus Accumbens ; Phosphorylation ; Phosphotransferases ; Plastics ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; Rats ; Reward ; Signal Transduction ; Street Drugs ; Substance-Related Disorders

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the ability of readout-segmented echo-planar imaging (rs-EPI)-based diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in assessing the microstructural change of extraocular muscles (EOMs) and optic nerves in patients with thyroid-associated orbitopathy (TAO) as well as in evaluating disease activity.MATERIALS AND METHODS: We enrolled 35 TAO patients and 22 healthy controls (HCs) who underwent pre-treatment rs-EPI-based DTI. Mean, axial, and radial diffusivity (MD, AD, and RD) and fractional anisotropy (FA) of the medial and lateral EOMs and optic nerve for each orbit were calculated and compared between TAO and HC groups and between active and inactive TAO groups. Factors such as age, sex, disease duration, mediation, and smoking history between groups were also compared. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the predictive value of significant variables for disease activity.RESULTS: Disease duration was significantly shorter in active TAOs than in inactive ones (p < 0.001). TAO patients showed significantly lower FA and higher MD, AD, and RD than HCs for both medial and lateral EOMs (p < 0.001), but not the AD value of lateral EOMs (p = 0.619). Active patients had significantly higher FA, MD, and AD than inactive patients for medial EOMs (p < 0.005), whereas only FA differed significantly in the lateral EOMs (p = 0.018). The MD, AD, and RD of optic nerves were significantly lower in TAO patients than HCs (p < 0.05), except for FA (p = 0.129). Multivariate analysis showed that the MD of medial EOMs and disease duration were significant predictors for disease activity. The combination of these two parameters showed optimal diagnostic efficiency for disease activity (area under the curve, 0.855; sensitivity, 68.4%; specificity, 96.9%).CONCLUSION: rs-EPI-based DTI is promising in assessing microstructural changes of EOMs and optic nerves and can help to indicate the disease activity of TAO, especially through the MD of medial EOMs.
Anisotropy ; Diffusion Tensor Imaging ; Diffusion ; Echo-Planar Imaging ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Multivariate Analysis ; Muscles ; Negotiating ; Optic Nerve ; Orbit ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Troleandomycin

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to construct and test a structural equation model on nursing work outcomes based on Youssef and Luthans' positive psychological capital and integrated conceptual framework of work performance.METHODS: This study used a structured questionnaire administered to 340 nurses. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling.RESULTS: Positive psychological capital showed indirect and direct effects on job satisfaction, retention intention, organizational citizenship behavior, and nursing performance. While, the nursing work environment had direct and indirect effects on job satisfaction and nursing performance, it only had indirect effects on intention to work and organizational citizenship behavior. Additionally, a mediating effect on retention intention and organizational citizenship behavior was found between job satisfaction and nursing performance variables.CONCLUSION: The nursing organization needs to build a supportive work environment and reinforce positive psychological capital to improve nursing performance. Additionally, it needs to actively manage the necessary parameters involved in the stages of job satisfaction, retention intention, nursing performance, and organizational citizenship behavior of nurses. The findings propose the continuous management of nursing personnel based on nurses' attitude outcome, behavioral intention, behavioral outcome, and stage of role performance.
Attitude of Health Personnel ; Intention ; Job Satisfaction ; Negotiating ; Nursing ; Psychology, Industrial ; Task Performance and Analysis ; Work Performance

High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is a promising ablation technique for benign thyroid nodules. Current evidence has found good short- to medium-term outcomes, similar to those of better-established ablation techniques such as radiofrequency and laser ablation. The fact that it does not require insertion of a needle into the target makes HIFU a truly non-invasive treatment. Although it is not without risks, its low risk profile makes it an attractive alternative to surgery. There is much room for future development, starting from expanding the current indications to enhancing energy delivery. Relapsed Graves disease and papillary microcarcinoma are diseases that can benefit from HIFU treatment. Its role in the mediation of immune responses and synergistic effects with immunotherapy are promising in the fight against metastatic cancers.
Ablation Techniques ; Goiter, Nodular ; Graves Disease ; High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Ablation ; Hyperthermia, Induced ; Immunotherapy ; Laser Therapy ; Needles ; Negotiating ; Thyroid Diseases ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroid Nodule ; Ultrasonography ; Ultrasonography, Interventional

The aim of this study was to construct and test a structural equation model for the risk factors of metabolic syndrome in Korean adults. The structural equation model hypothesizes that eating alone and feeling depressed is a risk factor for metabolic syndrome. The data of this study were obtained from the Sixth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey which was cross-sectional data from the representative national survey. A total of 4,013 subjects replied to the survey item of lifestyle and completed the physical examinations among adults aged 19 years or older in South Korea was in 2015. The structural model in this study was composed of four latent variables: eating alone, depression, negative health behavior, and metabolic syndrome. Two variables, the rate of eating alone and depression, were exogenous variables. Negative health behavior was both a mediating variable and endogenous variable, and metabolic syndrome was the final endogenous variable. The data were analyzed using the Maximum Likelihood method and bootstrapping. The structural model was appropriate for the data based on the model fit indices. The results of this study can be summarized as follows: Eating alone is a direct risk factor of metabolic syndrome in Korean women. Depression can mediate metabolic syndrome through negative health behaviors. Negative health behavior had a direct impact on metabolic syndrome in both men and women. This study may be a guideline for interventions and strategies to reduce the incidence of metabolic syndrome in Korean adults.
Adult ; Depression ; Eating ; Female ; Health Behavior ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Life Style ; Male ; Methods ; Models, Structural ; Negotiating ; Nutrition Surveys ; Physical Examination ; Risk Factors

This study examined the effects of social identity (cognitive, affective, and evaluative social identity) on affective commitment and behavioral intention in premium food markets. Data were collected from customers who had visited the premium food markets within three months prior to the time of the survey. A total of 247 responses were analyzed using SPSS 25.0 for Windows. The three attributes of social identity (cognitive, affective, and evaluative social identity) had a significant positive effect on the affective commitment, while affective commitment had a positive effect on the behavioral intention in premium food markets. On the other hand, only evaluative social identity had a significant positive effect on the behavioral intention in premium food markets. These results revealed the mediating effect of affective commitment in the relationship between social identity and customers' behavioral intention. This suggests a positive affective commitment as a key factor for customers in premium food markets. The results would be applied to marketing strategies based on the attributes of premium food market customers.
Hand ; Intention ; Marketing ; Negotiating ; Social Identification

This study investigated the effect of emotional stability (ES) on insomnia through anxiety in preoperative patients with cataracts. Fifty-four subjects completed a self-questionnaire that included the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), the International Personality Item Pool (IPIP) for ES, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HADS). Pathway analysis was performed to analyze the mediating effects of ES, the anxiety subscale scores of the HADS, and the ISI scores. The low-ES group exhibited an insomnia severity that was significantly higher than that of the high-ES group (p=0.048). According to the pathway analysis, the significant indirect effect of ES on the ISI scores was mediated by the scores on the anxiety subscale of the HADS. Cataract patients with low ES waiting to undergo surgery have a high risk of experiencing insomnia due to anxiety. Before surgery, it is essential to identify patients’ personality characteristics and provide appropriate intervention.
Anxiety ; Cataract ; Depression ; Humans ; Negotiating ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders

OBJECTIVE: The relationship among chronic fatigue, depressive symptoms, and post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSSs) among Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) survivors is poorly understood. METHODS: Of 148 survivors who consented to be registered and underwent assessments at 12 months (T1) and 18 months (T2) after the MERS outbreak, 72 (48.65%) were evaluated for chronic fatigue, depressive symptoms, and PTSSs based on the Impact of Event ScaleRevised (IES-R), the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS). Data from 52 subjects, who completed both assessments, were analyzed using a regression-based serial multiple mediation model (PROCESS Model 6). RESULTS: Bootstrap analyses indicated no direct effects of T1 FSS on T2 IES-R but significant positive indirect effects of T1 FSS on T2 IESR through T1 PHQ-9 and T2 PHQ-9 (B=2.1601, SE=1.3268, 95% confidence interval=0.4250–6.1307). In other words, both T1 PHQ-9 and T2 PHQ-9 fully mediated the relationship between T1 FSS and T2 IES. CONCLUSION: Chronic fatigue 12 months after MERS had indirect effects on prolonged PTSSs 18 months after MERS via persisting depression in MERS survivors. This finding supports the need to promote interventional programs for emerging infectious disease survivors with chronic fatigue to reduce depression and prevent prolonged PTSSs.
Communicable Diseases, Emerging ; Coronavirus Infections ; Depression ; Fatigue ; Humans ; Middle East ; Negotiating ; Survivors

PURPOSE: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly aggressive malignant tumor, the prognosis of which remains poor. Recently, microRNAs have been reported to play crucial functions in multiple tumors, including HCC. However, the molecular mechanisms of miR-370 in HCC still remain largely unknown. The present study focused on the effects of miR-370 on HCC migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We investigated the key roles and possible regulatory mechanism of miR-370 in regulating HCC metastasis with functional assays, such as transwell assay. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to detect miR-370 and guanylylcyclase domain containing 1 (GUCD1) expression in HCC tissues and cells. Subsequently, we performed transwell assays to determine the functions of miR-370 in HCC cell invasion and migration. Western blot was used to determine protein expressions of relevant genes. Luciferase reporter assays were conducted to confirm the target gene of miR-370. RESULTS: qRT-PCR analysis demonstrated that miR-370 was dramatically downregulated in HCC. Moreover, downregulated miR-370 was found to be associated with poor survival and adverse clinicopathologic characteristics of HCC patients. Transwell assays revealed that miR-370 overexpression dramatically suppressed HCC invasion and migration. Meanwhile, miR-370 restoration prominently inhibited EMT progression in HCC cells. Luciferase reporter assays confirmed GUCD1 as a downstream target gene of miR-370. GUCD1 expression in HCC tissues was prominently increased and inversely correlated with miR-370 expression. Furthermore, GUCD1 was verified as mediating the suppressive influence of miR-370 on cell metastasis and EMT in HCC. CONCLUSION: Taken together, our study confirmed that miR-370 suppressed HCC cell metastasis and EMT via regulating GUCD1. Accordingly, the miR-370/GUCD1 axis may potentially acts as attractive therapeutic targets and novel biomarkers for HCC treatment.
Biomarkers ; Blotting, Western ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition ; Humans ; Luciferases ; MicroRNAs ; Negotiating ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prognosis ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction

PURPOSE: This study tries to test mediating effects of hope and therapeutic relationship in the relation between general social functions and mental health recovery of community people with mental illness. METHODS: This study was carried out in a cross-sectional research design. The participants included 217 people with mental illnesses who were enrolled at eight Mental Health Welfare Centers in the Gyeonggi Province. Data were collected from February to May, 2018. The collected data were analyzed using a regression analysis, and SPSS PROCESS macro was used to test the mediating effects. RESULTS: This study analyzed the direct effects of general social functions on the hope, therapeutic relationship and mental health recovery. And general social functions had indirect effects on their mental health recovery via hope and therapeutic relationship. Both hope and therapeutic relationship had dual mediating effects in the influence of general social functions on mental health recovery. CONCLUSION: The role of hope and therapeutic relationship in the mental health recovery of community people with mental illness is important, and it is confirmed that hope is a powerful factor influencing mental health recovery.
Gyeonggi-do ; Hope ; Humans ; Mental Health ; Mentally Ill Persons ; Negotiating ; Professional-Patient Relations ; Research Design ; Social Adjustment