PURPOSE: This study aims to verify the effects of the Group Motivational Interviewing Compliance Therapy on drug attitude, medicine application self-efficacy and medicine application in psychiatric patients. METHODS: This was a quasi-experimental study with a non-equivalent control group pre-posttest design. Participants were 43 patients (22 in experimental group and 21 in control group) who were registered at neuro-psychiatric day care center in one university hospital, S city. The experimental group received the Group Motivational Interviewing Compliance Therapy for 6 sessions over 6 weeks. Data were collected between November, 2014 and September, 2016. Comparison of the pre-post results was performed by paired t-test and between-group effect was analyzed by ANCOVA with the SPSS/WIN 23.0 program. RESULTS: The experimental group had a significant increase in drug attitude compared to the control group. However, there was no significant difference in medicine application self-efficacy and medicine application between the two groups. CONCLUSION: The Group Motivational Interviewing Compliance Therapy is suggested as a promising program that helps psychiatric patients improve drug attitude. Further studies are needed to confirm the effects of the Group Motivational Interviewing Compliance Therapy.
Compliance* ; Day Care, Medical ; Humans ; Medication Adherence ; Motivational Interviewing* ; Non-Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic

This study aims to establish the individual contributions of blood pressure variability (BPV) indexes, categorized into overall and linked variability, to mortality following intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) by examining the risk factors. Methods: Patients with spontaneous ICH (n = 1,036) were identified with valid blood pressures (BP) from the first 24-h systolic BP records in the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV version 2.2 database (MIMIC IV). Information on the baseline characteristics, including age, sex, initial Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores, ICH location, Charlson comorbidity index score, and presence of diabetes with or without complications, were collected. Three indexes of BPV—range, standard deviation (SD), and generalized BPV (GBPV)—were calculated using the first 24-h systolic BPs. An automated stepwise variable-selection procedure was used to develop the final logistic model for predicting in-hospital mortality. Results: Out of 1,036 patients, 802 (77.4%) survived and were discharged after spontaneous ICH. Factors associated with mortality included age; male sex; ICH in the brainstem, ventricle, or multiple locations; low GCS score (< 9); high NIHSS score (> 20); and diabetes with complications. Mean systolic BP, SD, and GBPV were also linked to mortality. Higher GBPV notably increased the risk of in-hospital death, with an odds ratio of 3.21 (95% confidence interval, 2.10 to 4.97) for every + 10 mmHg/h change in GBPV. Conclusions: This study underscores the additional impact of GBPV, herein linked to BPV, on mortality following ICH, providing further insights into the management of blood pressure in the early stages of ICH treatment.

This study aims to establish the individual contributions of blood pressure variability (BPV) indexes, categorized into overall and linked variability, to mortality following intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) by examining the risk factors. Methods: Patients with spontaneous ICH (n = 1,036) were identified with valid blood pressures (BP) from the first 24-h systolic BP records in the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV version 2.2 database (MIMIC IV). Information on the baseline characteristics, including age, sex, initial Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores, ICH location, Charlson comorbidity index score, and presence of diabetes with or without complications, were collected. Three indexes of BPV—range, standard deviation (SD), and generalized BPV (GBPV)—were calculated using the first 24-h systolic BPs. An automated stepwise variable-selection procedure was used to develop the final logistic model for predicting in-hospital mortality. Results: Out of 1,036 patients, 802 (77.4%) survived and were discharged after spontaneous ICH. Factors associated with mortality included age; male sex; ICH in the brainstem, ventricle, or multiple locations; low GCS score (< 9); high NIHSS score (> 20); and diabetes with complications. Mean systolic BP, SD, and GBPV were also linked to mortality. Higher GBPV notably increased the risk of in-hospital death, with an odds ratio of 3.21 (95% confidence interval, 2.10 to 4.97) for every + 10 mmHg/h change in GBPV. Conclusions: This study underscores the additional impact of GBPV, herein linked to BPV, on mortality following ICH, providing further insights into the management of blood pressure in the early stages of ICH treatment.

This study aims to establish the individual contributions of blood pressure variability (BPV) indexes, categorized into overall and linked variability, to mortality following intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) by examining the risk factors. Methods: Patients with spontaneous ICH (n = 1,036) were identified with valid blood pressures (BP) from the first 24-h systolic BP records in the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV version 2.2 database (MIMIC IV). Information on the baseline characteristics, including age, sex, initial Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores, ICH location, Charlson comorbidity index score, and presence of diabetes with or without complications, were collected. Three indexes of BPV—range, standard deviation (SD), and generalized BPV (GBPV)—were calculated using the first 24-h systolic BPs. An automated stepwise variable-selection procedure was used to develop the final logistic model for predicting in-hospital mortality. Results: Out of 1,036 patients, 802 (77.4%) survived and were discharged after spontaneous ICH. Factors associated with mortality included age; male sex; ICH in the brainstem, ventricle, or multiple locations; low GCS score (< 9); high NIHSS score (> 20); and diabetes with complications. Mean systolic BP, SD, and GBPV were also linked to mortality. Higher GBPV notably increased the risk of in-hospital death, with an odds ratio of 3.21 (95% confidence interval, 2.10 to 4.97) for every + 10 mmHg/h change in GBPV. Conclusions: This study underscores the additional impact of GBPV, herein linked to BPV, on mortality following ICH, providing further insights into the management of blood pressure in the early stages of ICH treatment.

This study aims to establish the individual contributions of blood pressure variability (BPV) indexes, categorized into overall and linked variability, to mortality following intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) by examining the risk factors. Methods: Patients with spontaneous ICH (n = 1,036) were identified with valid blood pressures (BP) from the first 24-h systolic BP records in the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV version 2.2 database (MIMIC IV). Information on the baseline characteristics, including age, sex, initial Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores, ICH location, Charlson comorbidity index score, and presence of diabetes with or without complications, were collected. Three indexes of BPV—range, standard deviation (SD), and generalized BPV (GBPV)—were calculated using the first 24-h systolic BPs. An automated stepwise variable-selection procedure was used to develop the final logistic model for predicting in-hospital mortality. Results: Out of 1,036 patients, 802 (77.4%) survived and were discharged after spontaneous ICH. Factors associated with mortality included age; male sex; ICH in the brainstem, ventricle, or multiple locations; low GCS score (< 9); high NIHSS score (> 20); and diabetes with complications. Mean systolic BP, SD, and GBPV were also linked to mortality. Higher GBPV notably increased the risk of in-hospital death, with an odds ratio of 3.21 (95% confidence interval, 2.10 to 4.97) for every + 10 mmHg/h change in GBPV. Conclusions: This study underscores the additional impact of GBPV, herein linked to BPV, on mortality following ICH, providing further insights into the management of blood pressure in the early stages of ICH treatment.

This study aims to establish the individual contributions of blood pressure variability (BPV) indexes, categorized into overall and linked variability, to mortality following intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) by examining the risk factors. Methods: Patients with spontaneous ICH (n = 1,036) were identified with valid blood pressures (BP) from the first 24-h systolic BP records in the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV version 2.2 database (MIMIC IV). Information on the baseline characteristics, including age, sex, initial Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores, ICH location, Charlson comorbidity index score, and presence of diabetes with or without complications, were collected. Three indexes of BPV—range, standard deviation (SD), and generalized BPV (GBPV)—were calculated using the first 24-h systolic BPs. An automated stepwise variable-selection procedure was used to develop the final logistic model for predicting in-hospital mortality. Results: Out of 1,036 patients, 802 (77.4%) survived and were discharged after spontaneous ICH. Factors associated with mortality included age; male sex; ICH in the brainstem, ventricle, or multiple locations; low GCS score (< 9); high NIHSS score (> 20); and diabetes with complications. Mean systolic BP, SD, and GBPV were also linked to mortality. Higher GBPV notably increased the risk of in-hospital death, with an odds ratio of 3.21 (95% confidence interval, 2.10 to 4.97) for every + 10 mmHg/h change in GBPV. Conclusions: This study underscores the additional impact of GBPV, herein linked to BPV, on mortality following ICH, providing further insights into the management of blood pressure in the early stages of ICH treatment.

Laser treatment for scars has improved over the past three decades. Autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) derived from whole blood is immunologically inert and contains a proper ratio of growth factors and cytokines. Here we describe the case of a 29-year-old female patient with a hypertrophic scar on her right shoulder caused by an operation performed in 2012. The patient underwent 11 laser therapy sessions with a fractional carbon dioxide (CO2) ablative laser system (LineXel) and two PRP injections. Her scar was evaluated with the Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS), and the baseline and post-treatment scores were 11 and 3, respectively. After treatment, the dimensions and volume of the scar were diminished, and contour, texture, and pigmentation had also improved compared to baseline. The patient reported less pain, swelling, and pigmentation following PRP combination ablative laser therapy. This case provides further evidence of the potential benefits of PRP as an adjuvant to fractional laser in reducing hypertrophic scars.
Adult ; Blood Platelets* ; Carbon Dioxide* ; Carbon* ; Cicatrix ; Cicatrix, Hypertrophic* ; Cytokines ; Female ; Humans ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; Laser Therapy ; Lasers, Gas* ; Pigmentation ; Platelet-Rich Plasma* ; Shoulder*

We aimed to review the current data composition of the Korean Tuberculosis and Post-Tuberculosis Cohort, which was constructed by linking the Korean Tuberculosis Surveillance System (KNTSS; established and operated by the Korean Disease Control and Prevention Agency since 2000) and the National Health Information Database (NHID; established by the National Health Insurance Service in 2012). The following data were linked: KNTSS data pertaining to patients diagnosed with tuberculosis between 2011 and 2018, NHID data of patients with a history of tuberculosis and related diseases between 2006 and 2018, and data (obtained from the Statistics Korea database) on causes of death. Data from 300 117 tuberculosis patients (177 206 men and 122 911 women) were linked. The rate of treatment success for new cases was highest in 2015 (86.7%), with a gradual decrease thereafter. The treatment success rate for previously treated cases showed an increasing trend until 2014 (79.0%) and decreased thereafter. In total, 53 906 deaths were confirmed among tuberculosis patients included in the cohort. The Korean Tuberculosis and Post-Tuberculosis Cohort can be used to analyze different measurement variables in an integrated manner depending on the data source. Therefore, these cohort data can be used in future epidemiological studies and research on policy-effect analysis, treatment outcome analysis, and health-related behaviors such as treatment discontinuation.

Trichoderma fungi have been intensively studied for mycoparasitism, and the latter is closely related to their cell-wall degrading enzymes including chitinase. Here, we studied marinederived Trichoderma spp., isolated from distinct sources and locations, for chitinolytic and antifungal activity. Based on morphological and phylogenetic analyses, two strains designated GJ-Sp1 and TOP-Co8 (isolated from a marine sponge and a marine alga, respectively) were identified as Trichoderma bissettii. This species has recently been identified as a closely related species to Trichoderma longibrachiatum. The extracellular crude enzymes of GJ-Sp1 and TOP-Co8 showed activities of chitobiosidase and β-N-acetylglucosaminidase (exochitinase) and chitotriosidase (endochitinase). The optimum chitinolytic activity of the crude enzymes was observed at 50°C, pH 5.0, 0–0.5% NaCl concentrations, and the activities were stable at temperatures ranging from 10 to 40 C for 2 h. Moreover, the crude enzymes showed inhibitory activity against hyphal growth of two filamentous fungi Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus niger. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of the chitinolytic and antifungal activity of T. bissettii.

OBJECTIVES: We compared mortality rates among various housing statuses within the homeless population and investigated factors contributing to their deaths, including housing status, gender, and age. METHODS: Using a comprehensive multi-year dataset (n=15,445) curated by the National Tuberculosis Screening and Case Management Programs, matched with the 2019-2021 Vital Statistics Death Database and National Health Insurance claims data, we calculated age-standardized mortality rates and conducted survival analysis to estimate differences in mortality rates based on housing status. RESULTS: The mortality rate among the homeless population was twice as high as that of the general population, at 1,159.6 per 100,000 compared to 645.8 per 100,000, respectively. Cancer and cardiovascular diseases were the primary causes of death. Furthermore, individuals residing in shelter facilities faced a significantly higher risk of death than those who were rough sleeping, with an adjusted hazard ratio of 1.70 (95% confidence interval, 1.37 to 2.11). This increased risk was especially pronounced in older adults and women. CONCLUSIONS The study highlights the urgent need for targeted interventions, as the homeless population faces significantly higher mortality rates. Older adults and women in shelter facilities are at the highest risk.