The surveillance and epidemiological investigation systems for companion animals in South Korea are significantly underdeveloped compared to those for humans and livestock. Recent outbreaks, such as idiopathic neuromuscular syndrome and highly pathogenic avian influenza among cats, have highlighted the need for reliable systems. This short review conducts situation analysis regarding disease surveillance and epidemiological investigation for companion animals in South Korea. The current challenges include an absence of administrative leadership, a lack of legal support, and unreliable medical data. The recommendations for future directions include clear leadership by the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, amending the Act on the Prevention of Contagious Animal Diseases to include companion animals, and enhancing the quality of medical data through standardized coding systems, such as Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine Clinical Terms. In addition, sentinel surveillance rather than universal systems should be established to provide adequate incentives for local practitioners to provide data and develop sustainable public–private networks. These recommendations could be important for developing a comprehensive and sustainable system for disease surveillance and epidemiological investigation in the companion animal field.

The digital facebow device records the trajectory of the mandibular movement where it is then reflected on the computer-aided design software, leading to an improvement on treatment outcomes of prosthetic restorations. In this clinical case, using a digital technology, an implant placement and prosthetic restoration were done in a patient who has lost maxillary and mandibular molars. Following an intraoral scan, a surgical stent for implant surgery was fabricated based on digital diagnostic wax-up, and implants were installed. After six months of sufficient osseointegration, customized abutments and the first temporary prostheses were delivered. Then two months later, at an abutment level, an intraoral scan and digital facebow transfer device were used to mount the intraoral scan data on a virtual articulator, and record the mandibular movements. Once the second temporary prostheses were fabricated and delivered on a basis of the mandibular movement, the definitive zirconia prostheses were designed and delivered based on a stabilized occlusion that was duplicated via double scan technique.

Background/Aims: Despite the possible role of systemic low-grade inflammation on frailty, the majority of previous studies have focused solely on the phenotypic frailty with limited participant numbers, thereby weakening the evidence supporting the notion that circulating C-reactive protein (CRP) could be a potential frailty biomarker. Methods: This study is a nationally representative, population-based, cross-sectional analysis from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, involving 5,359 participants aged 65 and older. We generated a deficit accumulation frailty index (FI) based on 38 items, encompassing physical, cognitive, psychological, and social status. Frailty was classified as non-frail (FI ≤ 0.15), pre-frail (0.15 < FI ≤ 0.25), or frail (FI > 0.25). Serum high-sensitivity CRP (hsCRP) levels were measured by immunoturbidometric method. Results: After adjusting for confounders including age, sex, income, education, smoking, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, stroke, cardiovascular diseases, and body mass index, serum hsCRP levels were 29.4% higher in frail participants compared to their non-frail counterparts (p = 0.001). Additionally, circulating hsCRP concentrations positively correlated with the FI (p = 0.003), and the odds ratio for frailty per standard deviation increase in serum hsCRP was 1.18 (p = 0.001). Moreover, older adults in the highest hsCRP quartile exhibited a significant higher FI with a 1.59-fold increased odds ratio for frailty than those in the lowest quartile (p = 0.002 and 0.001, respectively). Conclusions These findings validate the impact of age-related systemic low-grade inflammation on frailty and support the utility of serum hsCRP as a potential biomarker for detecting frailty in older adults.

Background/Aims: Despite the possible role of systemic low-grade inflammation on frailty, the majority of previous studies have focused solely on the phenotypic frailty with limited participant numbers, thereby weakening the evidence supporting the notion that circulating C-reactive protein (CRP) could be a potential frailty biomarker. Methods: This study is a nationally representative, population-based, cross-sectional analysis from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, involving 5,359 participants aged 65 and older. We generated a deficit accumulation frailty index (FI) based on 38 items, encompassing physical, cognitive, psychological, and social status. Frailty was classified as non-frail (FI ≤ 0.15), pre-frail (0.15 < FI ≤ 0.25), or frail (FI > 0.25). Serum high-sensitivity CRP (hsCRP) levels were measured by immunoturbidometric method. Results: After adjusting for confounders including age, sex, income, education, smoking, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, stroke, cardiovascular diseases, and body mass index, serum hsCRP levels were 29.4% higher in frail participants compared to their non-frail counterparts (p = 0.001). Additionally, circulating hsCRP concentrations positively correlated with the FI (p = 0.003), and the odds ratio for frailty per standard deviation increase in serum hsCRP was 1.18 (p = 0.001). Moreover, older adults in the highest hsCRP quartile exhibited a significant higher FI with a 1.59-fold increased odds ratio for frailty than those in the lowest quartile (p = 0.002 and 0.001, respectively). Conclusions These findings validate the impact of age-related systemic low-grade inflammation on frailty and support the utility of serum hsCRP as a potential biomarker for detecting frailty in older adults.

Background/Aims: Despite the possible role of systemic low-grade inflammation on frailty, the majority of previous studies have focused solely on the phenotypic frailty with limited participant numbers, thereby weakening the evidence supporting the notion that circulating C-reactive protein (CRP) could be a potential frailty biomarker. Methods: This study is a nationally representative, population-based, cross-sectional analysis from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, involving 5,359 participants aged 65 and older. We generated a deficit accumulation frailty index (FI) based on 38 items, encompassing physical, cognitive, psychological, and social status. Frailty was classified as non-frail (FI ≤ 0.15), pre-frail (0.15 < FI ≤ 0.25), or frail (FI > 0.25). Serum high-sensitivity CRP (hsCRP) levels were measured by immunoturbidometric method. Results: After adjusting for confounders including age, sex, income, education, smoking, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, stroke, cardiovascular diseases, and body mass index, serum hsCRP levels were 29.4% higher in frail participants compared to their non-frail counterparts (p = 0.001). Additionally, circulating hsCRP concentrations positively correlated with the FI (p = 0.003), and the odds ratio for frailty per standard deviation increase in serum hsCRP was 1.18 (p = 0.001). Moreover, older adults in the highest hsCRP quartile exhibited a significant higher FI with a 1.59-fold increased odds ratio for frailty than those in the lowest quartile (p = 0.002 and 0.001, respectively). Conclusions These findings validate the impact of age-related systemic low-grade inflammation on frailty and support the utility of serum hsCRP as a potential biomarker for detecting frailty in older adults.

Background/Aims: Despite the possible role of systemic low-grade inflammation on frailty, the majority of previous studies have focused solely on the phenotypic frailty with limited participant numbers, thereby weakening the evidence supporting the notion that circulating C-reactive protein (CRP) could be a potential frailty biomarker. Methods: This study is a nationally representative, population-based, cross-sectional analysis from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, involving 5,359 participants aged 65 and older. We generated a deficit accumulation frailty index (FI) based on 38 items, encompassing physical, cognitive, psychological, and social status. Frailty was classified as non-frail (FI ≤ 0.15), pre-frail (0.15 < FI ≤ 0.25), or frail (FI > 0.25). Serum high-sensitivity CRP (hsCRP) levels were measured by immunoturbidometric method. Results: After adjusting for confounders including age, sex, income, education, smoking, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, stroke, cardiovascular diseases, and body mass index, serum hsCRP levels were 29.4% higher in frail participants compared to their non-frail counterparts (p = 0.001). Additionally, circulating hsCRP concentrations positively correlated with the FI (p = 0.003), and the odds ratio for frailty per standard deviation increase in serum hsCRP was 1.18 (p = 0.001). Moreover, older adults in the highest hsCRP quartile exhibited a significant higher FI with a 1.59-fold increased odds ratio for frailty than those in the lowest quartile (p = 0.002 and 0.001, respectively). Conclusions These findings validate the impact of age-related systemic low-grade inflammation on frailty and support the utility of serum hsCRP as a potential biomarker for detecting frailty in older adults.

OBJECTIVES: People at ultra-high risk for psychosis have heterogenous character and different long-term outcomes. We divided ultra-high risk subjects into two subgroups by presence of familial history and tried to find different pattern of functional connectivity of the default mode network (DMN) between the two groups in order to examine the effects familial loading. METHODS: Eleven subjects at clinical-high risk (CHR) group with familial history of psychiatric illness and nineteen subjects of CHR group without familial history were recruited. All the subjects were scanned using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. A posterior cingulate cortex was the seed region of the analysis, and the DMN of the both high risk group were analyzed with voxel-wise two sample T test. RESULTS: The CHR group with familial history showed greater functional connectivity in the precuneus area in contrast with the other high risk subjects (peak-level t=5.49, p<0.001). There were no significant differences in total score on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale and Scales of Psychosis-risk Syndrome between the two groups. CONCLUSION: The study suggests that the abnormalities of functional connectivity between precuneus and posterior cingulate area may be associated with the genetic vulnerability of high risk trait.
Gyrus Cinguli ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Pilot Projects ; Psychotic Disorders ; Seeds ; Weights and Measures

PURPOSE: To compare the visual outcome after cataract surgery in patients 85 years of age or older with those in other age groups. METHODS: This retrospective study included 313 eyes of 204 patients who underwent cataract surgery from April 2014 to March 2015 at Kangwon National University Hospital and were followed up or 3 months or longer. The patients were divided into groups A (86 eyes of 53 patients between 55 and 69 years of age), B (85 eyes of 53 patients between 70 and 84 years of age), and C (143 eyes of 98 patients 85 years of age or older), and the medical records of the patients were reviewed and analyzed. RESULTS: The postoperative best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) improved in 95% of group A patients, 87% of group B, and 81% of group C. When compared with the log MAR BCVA before and after surgery, the visual acuity after cataract surgery was improved effectively from 0.40 to 0.06 in group A, from 0.50 to 0.16 in group B, and from 0.75 to 0.31 in group C (p < 0.001). In group C, preoperative and postoperative BCVAs were significantly worse than in other groups (p < 0.001 and < 0.001, respectively) and the ratio of patients with vision improvement and patients with BCVA of 20/40 or better was significantly lower than in the other groups (p = 0.009 and < 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The ratio of visual acuity improvement was decreased among the patients over 85 years of age. Pre and postoperative visual acuities in group C were observed worse than in other groups. Additionally, the postoperative visual acuity was low. However, average visual acuity improved in 81% of patients. Therefore, cataract surgery should be strongly recommended for very old patients.
Cataract* ; Gangwon-do ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Retrospective Studies ; Visual Acuity

PURPOSE: Use of bipolar electocoagulation devices becomes popular in the laparoscopic surgical field. However, several studies comparing energy-based devices for use in performance of mechanical sealing and cutting techniques have reported various results. The aim of this study was to evaluate feasibility and efficacy of new commercially available bipolar electocoagulation devices: EnSeal(TM) device (Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Cincinnati, OH, USA) by comparison with LigaSure(TM) atlas 5 mm (COVIDIEN, Boulder, CO, USA), for use in performance of coagulation and cutting techniques during performance of laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery. METHODS: Between June 2010 and February 2011, 50 consecutive patients who underwent curative laparoscopic surgery for right colon cancer or rectal cancer were enrolled. Time and number of device activations were compared during omentectomy in cases of right colectomy and mesorectal trimming procedure in cases of anterior resection. Pathologic data and short-term clinical outcomes were also compared. RESULTS: No significant differences in terms of clinicopathologic comparison were observed between the EnSeal and LigaSure groups. No significant difference in mean operative time (207.6+/-45.3 vs. 198.9+/-57.2; p=0.558), mean time of omentectomy (11.0+/-4.5 vs. 12.6+/-8.6; p=0.293), mean time of m esorectal trimming (18.6+/-10.0 vs. 16.1+/-6.9; p=0.418), mean number of device activations during omentectomy (43.5+/-10.2 vs. 51.6+/-39.2; p=0.586), and mean number of device activations during performance of mesorectal trimming (44.8+/-22.3 vs. 49.1+/-23.7; p=0.597) were observed between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Bipolar electocoagulation devices were adapted for use in laparoscopic surgery, resulting in reduced operative time and blood loss. EnSeal(TM) Device and LigaSure(TM) atlas 5 mm were useful during performance of sealing and cutting techniques in laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery.
Colectomy ; Colonic Neoplasms ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Operative Time ; Rectal Neoplasms ; Surgical Instruments

PURPOSE: Acute appendicitis is the most common cause of an acute abdomen that needs an emergency operation. However, the preoperative diagnosis is difficult. The purpose of this study is to assess the diagnostic efficacy of the Alvarado score by a comparison with CT and to determine the indication of CT evaluation. METHODS: From August 2006 to October 2006, 111 consecutive patients were admitted to Chung-Ang University hospital under the impression of acute appendicitis, and a CT scan was done. The Alvarado score, which consists of migration, anorexia, nausea-vomitig, tenderness, rebound tenderness, fever, leukocytosis, and left shift, was applied to the patients. RESULTS: Of the 111 patients, 85 patients underwent an operation, and 26 were discharged without an operation on the basis of the CT finding. The negative appendectomy rate were 4.7%. CT showed a sensitivity, of 0.90 a specificity of 0.97 and an accuracy rate of 0.92. Tenderness and leukocytosis were confirmed as the most important tests and showed accuracy rates of 0.73 and 0.70, respectively. The sensitivity was 0.90 at score 5 and 0.85 at score 7. Therefore, there was no single cut-off score that satisfied all diagnostic values. CONCLUSIONS: The Alvarado score alone is not a satisfactory diagnostic method acute appendicitis. Of the appendicitis patients, 90% might be included in the diagnosis for Alvarado scores above 5, and the negative appendectomy could be as high as 15% for Alvarado scores above 7, which is the score generally accepted for a diagnosis of appendicitis.
Abdomen, Acute ; Anorexia ; Appendectomy ; Appendicitis ; Emergencies ; Fever ; Humans ; Leukocytosis ; Sensitivity and Specificity