Purpose: This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of psychological workplace counseling for South Korean employees. Methods: Psychological counseling sessions were conducted for 93 employees from 11 companies that signed a contract for psychological counseling services with the Workplace Mental Health Institute, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital. Each 50-minute session was tailored to the individual needs of the clients. The Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation-Outcome Measure (CORE-OM) counseling effectiveness assessment scale was administered before and after the counseling. A paired t-test was used to compare the mean scores before and after the sessions, and an analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed, followed by a Scheffe post hoc analysis. Results: In the overall sample, the mean CORE-OM scores before and after counseling showed a significant decrease from 1.343 to 0.883, with improvements observed in all four sub-domains. ANOVA showed that the group with more than 11 sessions showed greater change in scores than the group with four sessions or fewer. The reliable change index scores showed that 38% of the employees demonstrated a reliable change, and the groups with eight or more sessions exhibited greater change than the group with fewer than eight sessions. Conclusion Among South Korean employees who received workplace counseling services, both the mean total score of the CORE-OM and the mean scores of the four sub-domains decreased after counseling. In addition, the effectiveness of counseling significantly increased as the total number of sessions increased.

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of psychological workplace counseling for South Korean employees. Methods: Psychological counseling sessions were conducted for 93 employees from 11 companies that signed a contract for psychological counseling services with the Workplace Mental Health Institute, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital. Each 50-minute session was tailored to the individual needs of the clients. The Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation-Outcome Measure (CORE-OM) counseling effectiveness assessment scale was administered before and after the counseling. A paired t-test was used to compare the mean scores before and after the sessions, and an analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed, followed by a Scheffe post hoc analysis. Results: In the overall sample, the mean CORE-OM scores before and after counseling showed a significant decrease from 1.343 to 0.883, with improvements observed in all four sub-domains. ANOVA showed that the group with more than 11 sessions showed greater change in scores than the group with four sessions or fewer. The reliable change index scores showed that 38% of the employees demonstrated a reliable change, and the groups with eight or more sessions exhibited greater change than the group with fewer than eight sessions. Conclusion Among South Korean employees who received workplace counseling services, both the mean total score of the CORE-OM and the mean scores of the four sub-domains decreased after counseling. In addition, the effectiveness of counseling significantly increased as the total number of sessions increased.

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of psychological workplace counseling for South Korean employees. Methods: Psychological counseling sessions were conducted for 93 employees from 11 companies that signed a contract for psychological counseling services with the Workplace Mental Health Institute, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital. Each 50-minute session was tailored to the individual needs of the clients. The Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation-Outcome Measure (CORE-OM) counseling effectiveness assessment scale was administered before and after the counseling. A paired t-test was used to compare the mean scores before and after the sessions, and an analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed, followed by a Scheffe post hoc analysis. Results: In the overall sample, the mean CORE-OM scores before and after counseling showed a significant decrease from 1.343 to 0.883, with improvements observed in all four sub-domains. ANOVA showed that the group with more than 11 sessions showed greater change in scores than the group with four sessions or fewer. The reliable change index scores showed that 38% of the employees demonstrated a reliable change, and the groups with eight or more sessions exhibited greater change than the group with fewer than eight sessions. Conclusion Among South Korean employees who received workplace counseling services, both the mean total score of the CORE-OM and the mean scores of the four sub-domains decreased after counseling. In addition, the effectiveness of counseling significantly increased as the total number of sessions increased.

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of psychological workplace counseling for South Korean employees. Methods: Psychological counseling sessions were conducted for 93 employees from 11 companies that signed a contract for psychological counseling services with the Workplace Mental Health Institute, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital. Each 50-minute session was tailored to the individual needs of the clients. The Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation-Outcome Measure (CORE-OM) counseling effectiveness assessment scale was administered before and after the counseling. A paired t-test was used to compare the mean scores before and after the sessions, and an analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed, followed by a Scheffe post hoc analysis. Results: In the overall sample, the mean CORE-OM scores before and after counseling showed a significant decrease from 1.343 to 0.883, with improvements observed in all four sub-domains. ANOVA showed that the group with more than 11 sessions showed greater change in scores than the group with four sessions or fewer. The reliable change index scores showed that 38% of the employees demonstrated a reliable change, and the groups with eight or more sessions exhibited greater change than the group with fewer than eight sessions. Conclusion Among South Korean employees who received workplace counseling services, both the mean total score of the CORE-OM and the mean scores of the four sub-domains decreased after counseling. In addition, the effectiveness of counseling significantly increased as the total number of sessions increased.

Hyper-IgE syndrome (HIES) is a very rare primary immune deficiency characterized by elevated serum IgE levels, recurrent bacterial infections, chronic dermatitis, and connective tissue abnormalities. Autosomal dominant (AD) HIES involves a mutation in signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) that leads to an impaired T(H)17 response. STAT3 signaling is also involved in the function of RORγt⁺ type 3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC3s) and RORγt⁺T(H)17 cells. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of innate immune cells such as innate lymphoid cells (ILCs), granulocytes, and monocytes in a patient with HIES. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from a patient with HIES and three age-matched healthy controls were obtained for the analysis of the innate and adaptive immune cells. The frequencies of ILCs in PBMCs were lower in the patient with HIES than in the controls. Moreover, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and IL-17A produced by ILC3s in PBMCs were lower in the patient with HIES than the controls. Compared with the controls, classical monocytes (CD14⁺CD16(low)), which have a high antimicrobial capability, were also lower in the patient with HIES, while non-classical monocytes (CD14(low)CD16⁺) as well as intermediate monocytes (CD14⁺CD16(intermediate)) were higher. Taken together, these results indicate that the impaired immune defense against pathogenic microbes in the patient with HIES might be partially explained by functional defects in ILC3s and inflammatory monocytes.
Bacterial Infections ; Connective Tissue ; Cytokines ; Dermatitis ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor ; Granulocytes ; Humans ; Immunity, Innate ; Immunoglobulin E ; Interleukin-17 ; Job Syndrome* ; Lymphocytes* ; Monocytes* ; STAT3 Transcription Factor

Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) syndrome is a severe cutaneous adverse reaction involving various internal organs. Flare-ups after recovery from the initial presentation of DRESS are caused by relapse of drug-induced T-cell-mediated reactions. However, the specific underlying mechanism is unclear. Here, we report a case of a 60-year-old man with allopurinol-induced DRESS who suffered recurrent episodes of generalized rash with eosinophilia, which mimicked immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome. Analysis of immunological profiles revealed that the percentages of T lymphocytes and regulatory T cells in the patient with DRESS were higher than those in healthy controls. In addition, there was a notable change in the subtype of monocytes in the patient with DRESS; the percentage of nonclassical monocytes increased, whereas that of classical monocytes decreased. Upon viral infection, nonclassical monocytes exhibited strong pro-inflammatory properties that skewed the immune response toward a Th2 profile, which was associated with persistent flare-ups of DRESS. Taken together, the results increase our understanding of the pathogenesis of DRESS as they suggest that expansion of nonclassical monocytes and Th2 cells drives disease pathogenesis.
Allopurinol ; Drug Hypersensitivity Syndrome ; Eosinophilia ; Exanthema ; Herpesviridae ; Humans ; Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome ; Middle Aged ; Monocytes ; Recurrence ; T-Lymphocytes ; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory ; Th2 Cells

Breastfeeding has numerous benefits both for infants and mothers. WHO, UNICEF, and OECD report the breastfeeding rate (BR) and exclusive breastfeeding rate (EBR) at 3, 4, and 6 months of age for the international comparison. This article investigates the nationwide changes in BR and EBR in Korea from 1994 to 2012. EBR declined from 1994 to 2000, however progressively increased untill 2012. The latest data in 2012 revealed EBRs at 3, 4, and 6 months were 50.0%, 40.5%, and 11.4% respectively. The exclusive formula feeding rate (EFR) was highest in 2000 and gradually declined thereafter. In 2012, the EFRs at 3, 4 and 6 months were 21.7%, 26.5%, and 10.1%. In 2009, the EBRs at 3 and 6 months in the United States were 36.0% and 16.3% compared to 50.0% and 11.4% in Korea. In England, the EBRs were 17% and 12% in 2010. Amongst OECD countries, Hungary ranked highest EBRwith 95%, and Iceland, Norway, Slovak Republic, Australia, New Zealand followed. In conclusion, BRs were lowest in 2000, and there have been remarkable increases in BRs over the past 10 yr in Korea. Although BRs have been increasing, further efforts to increase BRs should be made continuously.
Breast Feeding/*statistics & numerical data/*trends ; Data Collection ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Mothers ; Republic of Korea

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Exercise is recommended for every patient with Parkinson's disease (PD). The effectiveness of two different forms of exercise for PD, Tai Chi and combined stretching-strengthening exercise, was compared. METHODS: Patients with mild-to-moderate PD were recruited to join either the combined stretching-strengthening exercise group (n=7), the Tai Chi group (n=9), or the control (nonintervention) group (n=7). Exercise was performed three times a week over a period of 8 weeks. The Tai Chi exercise was led by certified instructors based on a Tai-Chi-for-arthritis program. The combined stretching-strengthening exercise comprised folk dancing, stepping, and elastic-band exercises. The subjects' functional fitness, parkinsonian symptoms, quality of life (QoL), and depression were evaluated. RESULTS: Both exercise groups yielded better results in their overall functional fitness after the intervention. However, no improvement with exercise was found for parkinsonian symptoms, as evaluated using the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale. With respect to the domains of QoL, the combined stretching-strengthening exercise group fared better in the social domain of QoL, and the Tai Chi group fared better in the emotional domain, while QoL and depression worsened in the control group. The postintervention QoL was improved relative to the control condition only for the Tai Chi group. Although the exercise interventions did not have any effect on depression, the control group was associated with a significant deterioration. CONCLUSIONS: Exercise improved the functional fitness and QoL of PD patients, with Tai Chi yielding better results in QoL and favorable results in functional fitness. These findings suggest that Tai Chi could be a good exercise strategy for patients with PD.
Dancing ; Depression ; Exercise ; Humans ; Parkinson Disease* ; Quality of Life ; Tai Ji*

PURPOSE: To compare the results of laser epithelial keratomileusis (LASEK) and epi-laser in situ keratomileusis (Epi-LASIK) for the treatment of moderate to high myopia. METHODS: In this study, 50 patients with a manifest refraction of moderate to high myopia were assigned to two groups: 50 eyes of 25 patients treated with LASEK and 50 eyes of 25 patients treated with epi-LASIK. Uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), manifest refraction, corneal haze, and postoperative pain were reviewed in LASEK and epi-LASIK treated eyes at 3 months after the operation. RESULTS: At one week after surgery, UCVA was recovered more rapidly after epi-LASIK than LASEK (LASEK: 0.61+/-0.23, Epi-LASIK: 0.79+/-0.11, p<0.05), but UCVA at both 1 and 3 months showed no significant difference between the LASEK and epi-LASIK groups. However, epi-LASIK-treated eyes had lower postoperative pain scores and lower corneal haze scores (1 month; p=0.01) than those of LASEK-treated eyes. CONCLUSIONS: Epi-LASIK showed a more rapid visual recovery than LASEK at 1 week after surgery for the correction of myopia. Epi-LASIK-treated eyes also had less postoperative pain and an earlier reduction of postoperative corneal haze. These results suggest epi-LASIK could be a viable alternative procedure for the correction of moderate to high myopia.
Humans ; Keratectomy, Subepithelial, Laser-Assisted ; Myopia* ; Pain, Postoperative ; Visual Acuity

Hypoxic insult increases the level of extracellular glutamate, which leads to the influx of toxic Ca++ through the activation of N-methyl-D-aspartate(NMDA) receptors. The neuroprotective action of NMDA antagonist against hypoxic insult has been demonstrated in vitro. It has been demonstrated that the concentration of 50hydrox-ytryptamine(5-HT) also increased after ischemia in rat hippocampus. However, there is paucity of studies concerning the funtional relationships between the spontaneous release of 5-HT and NMDA receptor activity during hypoxia in vitro. Therefore, the present study was aimed to investigate whether hypoxia and/or NMDA was able to stimulate the release of 5-HT from the hypoxia-sensitive rat hippocampl slices.The hippocampus was obtained from the rat brain and sliced 400um thickness with manual chorpper. After 30 min's preincubation in the normal buffer, the slices were incubated for 20 min in a buffer containing 3H-5HT(0.1uM, 74uCi) for uptake, and washed. To measure the release of 3H-5-HT into the buffer, the incubation medium was drained off and refilled every ten minutes through a sequence of 14 tubes. Administration of NMDA or induction of hypoxia (gassing it with 95% N2/5% CO2) was done in the 6th and 7th tube, and APV was added 10 minutes prior to these manipulations. The radioactivities in each buffer and the tissue were counted using liquid scintillation counter and the results were expressed as a percentage of the total radioactivity. When slices were exposed to hypoxia for 20min, 3H-5-HT release was markedly decreased and a rebound release of 3H-5-HT was observed on the post-hypoxic period. NMDA(1mM) incereased 3H-5-HT release in the control group. NMDA also incereased rebound release of 3H-5-Htrelease. When 2-amino-5-hposphonovaleric acid (APV, 30uM or 60 uM) were added to the incubation media, NMDA-induced increase of 3H-5-HT release were blocked does-dependently. The rebound release of 3H-5-HT during post-hypoxic period was also blocked by APV. These results suggest that the spontaneous release of 3H-5HT decreases during hypoxic period, but 20min hypoxic exposure causes rebound increase of 3H-5-HT release during post-hypoxic period which is mediated by the increased activity of the NMDA receptor.
Animals ; Anoxia* ; Brain ; Glutamic Acid ; Hippocampus ; Ischemia ; N-Methylaspartate* ; Radioactivity ; Rats* ; Scintillation Counting ; Serotonin*