No abstract available.
Animals ; Lymphocyte Subsets* ; Lymphocytes* ; Rats*

Objectives: ：The purpose of this study was to find out how demographic factors, suicide attempt patterns, psychiatric history and management of suicide attempters affect the completion of emergency department (ED) based case management program. Methods: ：Among the patients who attempted suicide and visited the emergency department of Chung-Ang University Hospital from June 1, 2018 to May 31, 2021, 661 patients who agreed to case management were studied. After being discharged from the emergency department, subjects were registered for an eight-week follow-up service program. Hierarchical logistic regression analysis was conducted with demographic factors, suicide attempt patterns, psychiatric history and management as independent variables, and completion of case program as dependent variables. Results: ：Suicide attempt pattern had the most significant influence on the completion of case management program, followed by demographic factors, psychiatric history and management. Those who completed the case management program were significantly more likely to have suicide plans in the future, more authentic in sui-cide attempts, and had higher proportion of past suicide attempts than those who did not complete the program. Conclusions ：To ensure that the subjects complete the follow-up project program and get connected to community services, an individualized approach with consideration of suicide attempt patterns, demographic factors, and psychiatric history is needed.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate differences in skeletal maturity in relation to vertical facial types and to compare differences in the skeletal maturity of the cervical vertebrae and hand-wrist in females. METHODS: This study included 59 females aged 7 to 9 years with skeletal Class I malocclusion. The participants were categorized into three groups (low, normal, and high) according to the mandibular plane angle. Skeletal maturity was measured using skeletal maturity indicators (SMIs) and the Tanner–Whitehouse III (TW3) method on hand-wrist radiographs and by using cervical vertebrae maturation indicators (CVMIs) on lateral cephalometric radiographs. RESULTS: The SMI was higher in the high-angle group than in the low-angle group (p = 0.014). The median TW3 bone age was 11.4 months higher in the high-angle group than in the low-angle group (p = 0.032). There was no significant difference in CVMI among the three groups. Skeletal maturity showed a weakly positive correlation with the mandibular plane angle (SMI, r = 0.391; TW3, r = 0.333; CVMI, r = 0.259). CONCLUSIONS The skeletal maturity of the hand-wrist in females with a high mandibular plane angle was higher than that in females with a low mandibular plane angle. Obtaining additional hand-wrist radiographs may facilitate evaluation of skeletal maturity of females. In females with a high mandibular angle, the time to commence orthodontic treatment may be earlier than that in females with a low mandibular angle.

Purpose: Although the taller-than-wide (TTW) sign has been regarded as one of the most specific ultrasound (US) features of thyroid malignancy, uncertainty still exists regarding the US probe’s orientation when evaluating it. This study investigated which US plane would be optimal to identify the TTW sign based on malignancy risk stratification using a registry-based imaging dataset. Methods: A previous study by 17 academic radiologists retrospectively analyzed the US images of 5,601 thyroid nodules (≥1 cm, 1,089 malignant and 4,512 benign) collected in the webbased registry of Thyroid Imaging Network of Korea through the collaboration of 26 centers. The present study assessed the diagnostic performance of the TTW sign itself and fine needle aspiration (FNA) indications via a comparison of four international guidelines, depending on the orientation of the US probe (criterion 1, transverse plane; criterion 2, either transverse or longitudinal plane). Results: Overall, the TTW sign was more frequent in malignant than in benign thyroid nodules (25.3% vs. 4.6%). However, the statistical differences between criteria 1 and 2 were negligible for sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve (AUC) based on the size effect (all P<0.05, Cohen’s d=0.19, 0.10, and 0.07, respectively). Moreover, the sensitivity, specificity, and AUC of the four FNA guidelines were similar between criteria 1 and 2 (all P>0.05, respectively). Conclusion A longitudinal US probe orientation provided little additional diagnostic value over the transverse orientation in detecting the TTW sign of thyroid nodules.

The aim of this study was to establish reference data for the quantitative ultrasound (QUS) of the calcaneus and for the bone mineral densities (BMD) of the calcaneus and distal forearm, and to evaluate the correlation between QUS parameters and BMD in a Korean population. We performed a cross-sectional study involving 3,053 subjects (1,225 men and 1,828 women). QUS was conducted on the calcaneus and was quantified as speed of sound (SOS, m/sec), broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA, dB/MHz), and stiffness index. The BMD of the calcaneus and distal forearm were measured using dual X-ray absorptiometry. The peak mean values for the QUS parameters occurred in the 20 to 29-yr-old subjects of both sexes, with the exception of the BUA, which reached the highest values in women of 30-39 yr. For both sexes, the mean BMD of the calcaneus was highest in those 20-29 yr old and that of the distal forearm was highest in those 40-49 yr old. The correlations between the QUS and BMD results were found to be 0.41 to 0.73 in men and 0.51 to 0.76 in women. Theses data can serve as a reference values for both sexes in Korea.
Adult ; Aged ; *Bone Density ; Calcaneus/*metabolism/*ultrasonography ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Densitometry, X-Ray ; Female ; Forearm ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Osteoporosis/etiology/metabolism/ultrasonography ; Reference Values ; Risk Factors

The Doppler ankle-brachial pressure index (ABI) is an objective and efficient tool that can be used to determine the presence and severity of peripheral arterial disease in the lower extremities. The ABI value is inversely associated with other cardiovascular risk factors. To date, there have been no studies of the distribution of ABI in Korea. We performed a cross-sectional study of 1,943 subjects (681 men and 1,262 women; 45-74 yr old) in Namwon, Korea. The prevalence of a low ABI (<0.90) was 2.2% in men and 1.8% in women, and a high ABI (>or=1.30) was prevalent in 3.1% of men and 0.8% of women. Age, smoking habits, waist circumference, hypertension, and blood pressure were associated with ABI values in both sexes. The presence of carotid plaques was associated with ABI values only in men, whereas pulse pressure was associated with ABI values only in women (p<0.05). Although the prevalence of a low ABI in the present study was lower than those reported previously for Western populations and Japanese men, our results suggest that the ABI might be used as an indicator of cardiovascular risk factors in adult Koreans.
Aged ; Analysis of Variance ; Ankle/*blood supply ; Blood Flow Velocity ; Blood Pressure ; Brachial Artery/*physiology ; Cardiovascular Diseases/blood/etiology/*physiopathology ; Cholesterol/blood ; Cohort Studies ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/complications ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension/complications ; Korea ; Lipoproteins, HDL Cholesterol/blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Triglycerides/blood

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of polymorphisms in the apolipoprotein E gene (APOE) on lipid levels in Korean adults and to investigate the interactions between these polymorphisms and environmental factors in determining lipid levels. We performed a cross-sectional study of 1,900 subjects (668 men and 1,232 women; 45-74 yr old) in Namwon, Korea, in 2004. APOE polymorphisms were determined by polymerase chain reaction and restriction enzyme analysis. Carriers of the APOE*E2 (E2) allele had significantly lower total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) concentrations than did carriers of the APOE*E3 (E3) or APOE*E4 (E4) alleles, regardless of gender. The APOE allele type had significant effect on high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and triglyceride levels in women, but not in men. The effect of APOE allele type on HDL-C levels was modified by age in women. In addition, in men, the effect of APOE allele type on triglyceride levels was modified by smoking. These findings highlight the important effect of gene-environment interactions on lipid levels.
Aged ; Analysis of Variance ; Apolipoproteins E/*genetics ; Comparative Study ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Humans ; Korea ; Lipids/*blood ; Lipoproteins, HDL Cholesterol/blood ; Lipoproteins, LDL Cholesterol/blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; *Polymorphism, Genetic ; Triglycerides/blood

Anesthesia, Local ; Humans ; Mandibular Fractures ; Maxilla ; Oral Hygiene ; Rehabilitation ; Tooth

Incidental thyroid nodules are commonly detected on ultrasonography (US). This has contributed to the rapidly rising incidence of low-risk papillary thyroid carcinoma over the last 20 years. The appropriate diagnosis and management of these patients is based on the risk factors related to the patients as well as the thyroid nodules. The Korean Society of Thyroid Radiology (KSThR) published consensus recommendations for US-based management of thyroid nodules in 2011 and revised them in 2016. These guidelines have been used as the standard guidelines in Korea. However, recent advances in the diagnosis and management of thyroid nodules have necessitated the revision of the original recommendations. The task force of the KSThR has revised the Korean Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System and recommendations for US lexicon, biopsy criteria, US criteria of extrathyroidal extension, optimal thyroid computed tomography protocol, and US follow-up of thyroid nodules before and after biopsy. The biopsy criteria were revised to reduce unnecessary biopsies for benign nodules while maintaining an appropriate sensitivity for the detection of malignant tumors in small (1–2 cm) thyroid nodules. The goal of these recommendations is to provide the optimal scientific evidence and expert opinion consensus regarding US-based diagnosis and management of thyroid nodules.