Serum or plasma is free of cellular components. As DNA is in the nucleus or mitochondria of a cell, it can be presumed that serum/plasma is DNA free. However, there are cases wherein serum/plasma is the only resource available for identification analysis, yet no sufficient data are available regarding whether reliable DNA testing can be applied to such cases, and what the influencing factors are when testing is a valid course of action. The aim of this study is to illustrate the factors that can be used in the genetic testing of serum/plasma when identifying an individual. The results showed that the concentration of serum DNA significantly increased over time in 4℃ storage, and the DNA yields from samples stored in heparin tubes were overall higher than from samples stored in ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid tubes. We observed that the concentration of DNA in serum successfully matched 100% to the short tandem repeat data of blood DNA.
DNA Fingerprinting ; DNA* ; Edetic Acid ; Genetic Testing ; Heparin ; Humans ; Microsatellite Repeats ; Mitochondria ; Plasma*

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study is to identify alcohol pharmacokinetics and to investigate the correlations between various factors for alcohol metabolism of healthy Korean males. METHODS: The 101 recruited volunteers were randomized into two groups as one group provided 0.35 mg/mL/kg and 0.7 mg/mL/kg, the other. Blood alcohol concentration was measured and analyzed in enzymatic methods eight times from drinking point. RESULTS: Alcohol elimination rate (beta) was found to be -0.0083%/h for low dose group and -0.0157%/h for the high dose group. The results indicate discrepancy in the legal criteria of alcohol elimination rate (-0.008%/h). The measured alcohol pharmacokinetic properties were following : mean time to reach maximum alcohol concentration in blood was 30 minutes, absorption rate was 0.0197%, maximum alcohol concentration in blood was 0.4930%, and Area under the curve was 59.25. Also, alcohol elimination was not affected by age, smoking, total body water, drinking capacity, body mass index, blood cholesterol, body fat, and body fat ratio. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that legal limitation could be adjusted in Korean males. Also the research should be extended including female and senior citizens for statistical significance of the research. These findings have contributed to our knowledge of the alcohol pharmacokinetics in Korean male.
Absorption ; Adipose Tissue ; Adult* ; Body Mass Index ; Body Water ; Cholesterol ; Drinking ; Female ; Humans ; Male* ; Metabolism ; Pharmacokinetics* ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Volunteers

This paper reviews the global effect of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the mental health of children and adolescents in South Korea, the U.S., Japan, and China. We reviewed research on deteriorated mental health, including increased suicide, suicidal thoughts, and self-harm. Various studies have shown that students’ mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety, have worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, the number of students who committed suicide has significantly increased in the U.S. and Japan. Factors such as prior mental health status, change in daily routine, reduced physical activity, excessive screen time, overuse of electronic devices, and reduced social support have been reported to have a significant effect. The chain of deteriorating mental health among the youth began at the onset of COVID-19, social distancing, and school closure. As youths began to stay at home instead of going to school, they lost opportunities to connect with their friends or teachers, who could provide support outside of their homes. Young people spent less time on physical activity and more time online, which damaged their sleeping schedule and daily routine. In preparing for the post-pandemic phase, we should thoroughly analyze the long-term effects of the pandemic on youth mental health, while simultaneously tackling current imminent issues.

Objective: This study compared the incidence of suicide cases among Korean students before and after the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods: Aggregated case reports of all known suicide victims attending elementary, middle, and high school in South Korea from 2017 to 2022 were analyzed. These reports, compiled by teachers under the directive of the South Korean Department of Education, surveyed the circumstances surrounding each suicide and identified associated risk factors posthumously. Results: The completed suicide rate was 2.37 per 100,000 students pre-COVID-19 (2017–2019), significantly increasing to 3.37 per 100,000 students post-COVID-19 (2020–2022; odds ratio [OR] 1.42, p<0.001). The rate began to rise approximately 6 months into the pandemic and continued to worsen throughout 2021 and 2022. Fair attendance significantly increased in 2020 (74.83%, p=0.003) during the initial stage of school closure measures compared to 2019 (58.27%) among students prior to suicide completion. However, as social distancing measures continued, “absence due to medical reasons” showed a significant increase in 2022 (23.56%) compared to 2019 (13.67%, p=0.025) and 2020 (9.52%, p<0.001) among these students. Among those who completed suicide, teachers reported increased signs of depression and anxiety posthumously compared to pre-COVID-19 periods. Conclusion The incidence of completed suicide among students was significantly higher in the post-COVID-19 years compared to pre-COVID-19. Attendance records and teachers’ reports indicated a deterioration in mental health among these students before suicide completion, highlighting the need to consider mental health impacts when implementing future quarantine policies.

Objective: This study compared the incidence of suicide cases among Korean students before and after the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods: Aggregated case reports of all known suicide victims attending elementary, middle, and high school in South Korea from 2017 to 2022 were analyzed. These reports, compiled by teachers under the directive of the South Korean Department of Education, surveyed the circumstances surrounding each suicide and identified associated risk factors posthumously. Results: The completed suicide rate was 2.37 per 100,000 students pre-COVID-19 (2017–2019), significantly increasing to 3.37 per 100,000 students post-COVID-19 (2020–2022; odds ratio [OR] 1.42, p<0.001). The rate began to rise approximately 6 months into the pandemic and continued to worsen throughout 2021 and 2022. Fair attendance significantly increased in 2020 (74.83%, p=0.003) during the initial stage of school closure measures compared to 2019 (58.27%) among students prior to suicide completion. However, as social distancing measures continued, “absence due to medical reasons” showed a significant increase in 2022 (23.56%) compared to 2019 (13.67%, p=0.025) and 2020 (9.52%, p<0.001) among these students. Among those who completed suicide, teachers reported increased signs of depression and anxiety posthumously compared to pre-COVID-19 periods. Conclusion The incidence of completed suicide among students was significantly higher in the post-COVID-19 years compared to pre-COVID-19. Attendance records and teachers’ reports indicated a deterioration in mental health among these students before suicide completion, highlighting the need to consider mental health impacts when implementing future quarantine policies.

Objective: This study compared the incidence of suicide cases among Korean students before and after the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods: Aggregated case reports of all known suicide victims attending elementary, middle, and high school in South Korea from 2017 to 2022 were analyzed. These reports, compiled by teachers under the directive of the South Korean Department of Education, surveyed the circumstances surrounding each suicide and identified associated risk factors posthumously. Results: The completed suicide rate was 2.37 per 100,000 students pre-COVID-19 (2017–2019), significantly increasing to 3.37 per 100,000 students post-COVID-19 (2020–2022; odds ratio [OR] 1.42, p<0.001). The rate began to rise approximately 6 months into the pandemic and continued to worsen throughout 2021 and 2022. Fair attendance significantly increased in 2020 (74.83%, p=0.003) during the initial stage of school closure measures compared to 2019 (58.27%) among students prior to suicide completion. However, as social distancing measures continued, “absence due to medical reasons” showed a significant increase in 2022 (23.56%) compared to 2019 (13.67%, p=0.025) and 2020 (9.52%, p<0.001) among these students. Among those who completed suicide, teachers reported increased signs of depression and anxiety posthumously compared to pre-COVID-19 periods. Conclusion The incidence of completed suicide among students was significantly higher in the post-COVID-19 years compared to pre-COVID-19. Attendance records and teachers’ reports indicated a deterioration in mental health among these students before suicide completion, highlighting the need to consider mental health impacts when implementing future quarantine policies.

Objective: This study compared the incidence of suicide cases among Korean students before and after the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods: Aggregated case reports of all known suicide victims attending elementary, middle, and high school in South Korea from 2017 to 2022 were analyzed. These reports, compiled by teachers under the directive of the South Korean Department of Education, surveyed the circumstances surrounding each suicide and identified associated risk factors posthumously. Results: The completed suicide rate was 2.37 per 100,000 students pre-COVID-19 (2017–2019), significantly increasing to 3.37 per 100,000 students post-COVID-19 (2020–2022; odds ratio [OR] 1.42, p<0.001). The rate began to rise approximately 6 months into the pandemic and continued to worsen throughout 2021 and 2022. Fair attendance significantly increased in 2020 (74.83%, p=0.003) during the initial stage of school closure measures compared to 2019 (58.27%) among students prior to suicide completion. However, as social distancing measures continued, “absence due to medical reasons” showed a significant increase in 2022 (23.56%) compared to 2019 (13.67%, p=0.025) and 2020 (9.52%, p<0.001) among these students. Among those who completed suicide, teachers reported increased signs of depression and anxiety posthumously compared to pre-COVID-19 periods. Conclusion The incidence of completed suicide among students was significantly higher in the post-COVID-19 years compared to pre-COVID-19. Attendance records and teachers’ reports indicated a deterioration in mental health among these students before suicide completion, highlighting the need to consider mental health impacts when implementing future quarantine policies.

Objective: This study compared the incidence of suicide cases among Korean students before and after the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods: Aggregated case reports of all known suicide victims attending elementary, middle, and high school in South Korea from 2017 to 2022 were analyzed. These reports, compiled by teachers under the directive of the South Korean Department of Education, surveyed the circumstances surrounding each suicide and identified associated risk factors posthumously. Results: The completed suicide rate was 2.37 per 100,000 students pre-COVID-19 (2017–2019), significantly increasing to 3.37 per 100,000 students post-COVID-19 (2020–2022; odds ratio [OR] 1.42, p<0.001). The rate began to rise approximately 6 months into the pandemic and continued to worsen throughout 2021 and 2022. Fair attendance significantly increased in 2020 (74.83%, p=0.003) during the initial stage of school closure measures compared to 2019 (58.27%) among students prior to suicide completion. However, as social distancing measures continued, “absence due to medical reasons” showed a significant increase in 2022 (23.56%) compared to 2019 (13.67%, p=0.025) and 2020 (9.52%, p<0.001) among these students. Among those who completed suicide, teachers reported increased signs of depression and anxiety posthumously compared to pre-COVID-19 periods. Conclusion The incidence of completed suicide among students was significantly higher in the post-COVID-19 years compared to pre-COVID-19. Attendance records and teachers’ reports indicated a deterioration in mental health among these students before suicide completion, highlighting the need to consider mental health impacts when implementing future quarantine policies.

PURPOSE: The study was aimed to determine the correlations of tissue-based biomarker expressions between primary and metastatic specimens of renal cell carcinoma and with several well-known prognostic clinicopathological parameters. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to determine the expression levels of 9 tissue-based markers calculated in H-score expressed by percentage of expression multiplied by the intensity score (0, 1, 2, and 3 points). Using 17 patients' 38 specimens paired with primary renal lesion and its metastatic lesions collected between 2004 and 2015, Tissue microarray with IHC was performed with BAP1, PBRM1, pS6, PTEN, TGase2, PD-L1, CA9, PSMA, and Ki-67 on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded sections. Pearson correlation and accuracy test were performed to analyze the correlation between primary and metastatic tissues. RESULTS: The 17 patients' mean age was 56.9 years old, mean tumor size was 7.9 cm, and the male to female ratio was 13:4 (76.5%:23.5%), respectively. Three patients had 2, 3, and 3 metastatic tissues, and the rest of 14 patients had only one metastatic tissue. The H-score (PSMA and Ki67) and intensity score (pS6 and PSMA) showed that some differential significant markers were identified which had statistical correlations of expression levels between primary and metastatic lesions among 9 markers. However, no real correlation of PSMA, Ki67, and pS6 markers were found their expressions of between primary and metastatic tissues because of their skewed expressions. CONCLUSIONS: Tissue markers failed to correlate their expression levels in primary lesions with those of metastatic lesions.
Biomarkers* ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell* ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Neoplasm Metastasis

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether histologic inflammation (HI) in initial and repeat prostate biopsy specimens was significantly associated with the detection of prostate cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between 2005 and 2017, the clinicopathological records of patients with high prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels who underwent initial and repeat prostate biopsies were retrospectively reviewed. The presence of HI and its degree in each biopsied specimen were interpreted by one uropathologist with 20 years of experience. The association between HI and cancer diagnosis was statistically assessed, with p < 0.05 considered significant, and the cancer and non-cancer groups were compared. RESULTS: Among the 522 patients with a median PSA levels of 6.5 ng/dL, including 258 (49.4%) whose cancer was diagnosed following repeat biopsy, the median degrees of HI in the initial and repeat biopsies were 25.0% and 41.7%, respectively. Furthermore, 211 (40.4%) and 247 (47.3%) patients had HI (> 0%) on biopsied specimens, respectively. Comparison of the cancer and noncancer groups revealed that a greater rate of HI specimens in the initial biopsy was associated with fewer prostate cancer diagnoses following repeat biopsy (p < 0.001). Other comparisons between the cancer and non-cancer groups showed that the cancer group had a significantly higher rate of hypertension, whereas those non-cancer group had a significantly higher rate of benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostatitis (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: A finding of a lesser degree of HI in the initial and a greater degree of HI in the repeat biopsied specimens was associated with the higher probability of cancer diagnosis in patients with high PSA levels.
Biopsy ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Inflammation ; Prostate ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; Prostatitis ; Retrospective Studies