Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the associations of aerobic physical activity and musclestrengthening exercise with mental health, respectively. Furthermore, the relationship between combined exercise with depression, stress, and suicidal thoughts was also examined. Methods: The association between adherence to physical activity guidelines and mental health was analyzed among 27,268 adults who participated in the 2014– 2018 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Logistic regression was used to predict the relationship between adherence to physical activity guidelines and mental health. Results: The odds ratio for depression and suicidal thoughts in groups that met both aerobic physical activity and muscle-strengthening exercise guidelines decreased by 27% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.56– 0.94) and 40% (95% CI, 0.39– 0.93), respectively, compared to those that did not meet both. Stress awareness decreased by 22% (95% CI, 0.67– 0.90) in those who met muscular exercise guidelines, but did not meet aerobic physical activity guidelines. For those who met only the aerobic physical activity guidelines, stress awareness decreased by 12% (95% CI, 0.82 – 0.95). In addition, the odds ratio decreased by 29% (95% CI, 0.62 – 0.80) in groups that met both guidelines. Conclusion The most positive relationships between adherence to physical activity guidelines and mental health were found when both aerobic and muscular exercise guidelines were met.

Objectives: Between July 2, 2021, and September 20, 2022, a Mycobacterium bovis outbreak occurred among exhibition animals at a zoo in the Republic of Korea. This study was conducted to assess the likelihood of M. bovis transmission to human contacts through a contact investigation and to implement preventive treatment for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). Methods: In this descriptive study, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency conducted a contact investigation, which included interviews, interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) tests, and chest X-rays. Contacts underwent IGRA testing on 2 occasions: initial testing of 29 contacts (15 in the first cluster of infection and 14 in the second cluster) and follow-up testing of the 15 contacts in the first cluster. Results: The study included 29 participants, 18 of whom were male (62.1%) and 11 female (37.9%). The mean participant age was 37.3 years (standard deviation, 9.6 years). In the initial IGRA tests, 6 of the 29 participants tested positive, indicating a prevalence of 20.7%. Following prolonged exposure, 1 additional positive case was detected in follow-up testing, raising the prevalence of LTBI to 24.1%. None of the contacts had active tuberculosis. Among the 7 individuals with positive results, 2 (28.6%) underwent treatment for LTBI. Conclusion This study faced challenges in confirming the transmission of M. bovis infection from infected animals to humans in the Republic of Korea. Nevertheless, adopting a One Health approach necessitates the implementation of surveillance systems and infection control protocols, particularly for occupational groups at high risk of exposure.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate long-term follow-up radiologic/clinical outcomes of patients who underwent anterior cervical discectomy and inter-body fusion (ACDF) with stand-alone cages (SAC) in a single academic institution. METHODS: Total 99 patients who underwent ACDF with SAC between February 2004 and December 2012 were evaluated retrospectively. A total of 131 segments were enrolled in this study. Basic demographic information, radiographic [segmental subsidence rate, fusion rate, C2-7 global angle, and segmental angle changes)/clinical outcomes (by Odom's criteria and visual analog score (VAS)] and complications were evaluated to determine the long-term outcomes. RESULTS: The majority were males (55 vs. 44) with average age of 53.2. Mean follow-up period was 62.9 months. The segmental subsidence rate was 53.4% and fusion rate was 73.3%. In the subsidence group, anterior intervertebral height (AIH) had more tendency of subsiding than middle or posterior intervertebral height (p=0.01). The segmental angle led kyphotic change related to the subsidence of the AIH. Adjacent segmental disease was occurred in 18 (18.2%) patients. Total 6 (6%) reoperations were performed at the index level. There was no statistical significance between clinical and radiological outcomes. But, overall long-term clinical outcome by Odom's criteria was unsatisfactory (64.64%). The neck and arm VAS score were increased by over time. CONCLUSION: Long-term outcomes of ACDF with SAC group were acceptable but not satisfactory. For optimal decision making, more additional comparative long-term outcome data is needed between ACDF with SAC and ACDF with plating.
Arm ; Decision Making ; Diskectomy ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Humans ; Male ; Neck ; Retrospective Studies