Objectives: This study conducted a hierarchical regression analysis to explore the relationship between empathy and each symptom dimension in patients with psychopathology. Although there have been earlier studies on how empathy impacts mental health for ordinary people, this study is meaningful, as it is one of the first attempts to analyze the relationship between empathy and the major symptom dimensions of psychopathology in patients. Methods: The survey was conducted on 110 patients, 85 males (77.3%) and 25 females (22.7%), who visited a university hospital in the Kyeonggi province. First, a descriptive and correlational analysis was conducted on the nine sub-variables of empathy and psychopathology, which are the main variables of this study. The demographic characteristics of the study participants were also examined. Subsequently, hierarchical regression analysis was performed, controlling for sex, age, and social desirability, to examine whether empathy affects the sub-factors of psychopathology. All data were analyzed using SPSS 27.0, and there were no missing values. Results: The results were as follows: six variables (somatization, obsessive-compulsion, interpersonal sensitivity, hostility, paranoia, psychosis) showed a statistically significant negative relationship with empathy. That is, empathy played a protective role in these variables. On the other hand, depression did not have a statistically significant relationship with empathy, and anxiety and phobic anxiety were not associated with empathy. Conclusion There is a possibility that empathic ability can act as a protective factor for mental health. To promote community mental health, it is suggested that a health education program be developed that appropriately utilizes empathy.

In the past the patients with fracture on the occipital bone involved the lateral sinus and/or the foramen magnum, were treated with the early exploratory burr hole trephination regardless of mental state. The 64 cases occipital bone fracture were evaluated used the computed tomography of the brain scan. The fracture lines involved both the transeverse sinus and the foramen magnum were 59.4%, only the transeverse sinus were 29.7% and only the foramen magnum were 10.9%. The findings of the computed tomography of the brain scan were normal 42 cases, brain edema 13 cases. The 5 cases had large hematoma on the computed tomography of the brain scan performed emergency operation. The other 59 cases were treated with only close observation and conservative treatment. The mortality rate was 20% in operative treatment and 8.5% in conservative treatment. So we concluded that the patients with significant fracture on the occipital bone but had no surgical indication on the computed tomography of the brain scan might be treated with close observation & conservative treatment and it would not be necessary to perform the exploratory craniotomy as was done in the past.
Brain ; Brain Edema ; Craniotomy ; Emergencies ; Foramen Magnum ; Hematoma ; Humans ; Mortality ; Occipital Bone* ; Transverse Sinuses ; Trephining

Dermoid and epidermoid of the spinal cord are rare and their percentage was 2.6% of spinal cord tumors. In dermoid average age of occurrence is 28.3 years. They are dysembryonic malformations. Dermoid consists of desquamated material, sebaceous material and hairs. The region of preference is lumbosacral spinal cords, especially cauda equina and conus medullaris. We are reporting a case of dermoid which has taken intracapsular enucleation and discuss about the epidemiology and pathogenesis.
Cauda Equina ; Conus Snail ; Dermoid Cyst* ; Epidemiology ; Hair ; Spina Bifida Occulta ; Spinal Cord ; Spinal Cord Neoplasms

BACKGROUND: Proficiency testing is part of a total quality management program that provides objective evidence of clinical laboratory testing competence for customers, accrediting bodies, and regulatory agencies. Performing alternative assessment procedures for clinical tests, without proficiency testing, is recommended by Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guideline. In our study, an alternative assessment procedure was performed for blood bank tests that do not have an external proficiency program. METHODS: The laboratory for development and an evaluation center, supervised the program. Proficiency testing by seven institutions was performed 3 times at 6 month intervals by evaluating isoagglutinin and anti-D titers, and Weak D, Rh C and E typing, using ID-Internal Quality Control (Bio-Rad Laboratories) kits. RESULTS: Isoagglutinin and anti-D titer results were within one fold dilution range for all seven participating institutions, and Weak D, Rh C and E typing results all demonstrated identical antigenic reference patterns. CONCLUSION: An alternative assessment procedure was successfully performed without a proficiency testing program. Commercially manufactured reference materials could be an alternative method to support commutable, external, proficiency testing program.
Blood Banks ; Isoantibodies ; Mental Competency ; Quality Control ; Total Quality Management