Purpose: Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACis) are epigenetic regulators and used clinically for hematopoietic malignancies. Recently, HDACis have received attention as a factor that modulates the immune system. In this study, the role of histone deacetylase (HDAC) expression as a predictive marker in lung cancer patients who were treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and the role of HDACi and ICI combination treatment in the mouse tumor model were analyzed. Materials and Methods: The overall response rate (ORR) and progression-free survival (PFS) were analyzed by the expression of HDAC. In vitro assay, the mRNA and protein expression levels of cytokines and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) were analyzed after HDACi treatment. In vivo assay, TC-1 tumor-bearing mice were treated with HDACi and mouse programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) inhibitor. Results: The HDAC6 low expression group showed high ORR and prolonged PFS. When the selective HDAC6 inhibitor was administered to the A549 cell line, the levels of interleukin-1β and interleukin-6 decreased and the expression of PD-L1 was reduced. Mice that received both the mouse PD-1 inhibitor and pan-HDACi had a smaller tumor size than that of the mice from the control group. Moreover, mice treated with the mouse PD-1 inhibitor and pan-HDACi generated greater numbers of E7-specific CD8+ T cells. Conclusion HDAC6 expression can predict the prognosis of non–small cell lung cancerpatients who were treated with ICIs. Furthermore, co-treatment with HDACi and PD-1 inhibitor was shown to decrease the tumor growth rate and create a favorable tumor microenvironment for cytotoxic T lymphocytes in the TC-1 mouse model.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular diseases are major cause of death. In many countries, several studies reported moderate alcohol drink reduces cardiovascular diseases. High sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) is useful as a biochemical marker that can evaluate the risk of cardiovascular diseases. This study investigated the association between alcohol consumption and hsCRP. METHODS: The subjects included 769 men and 449 women who had visited a health promotion center in one university hospital from May 2006 to June 2006. They responded to self-reported questionnaire on past medical history, quantity and frequency of alcohol intake. Blood sample was taken to examine hsCRP, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and triglyceride. The participants were classified into 4 groups in males and 3 groups in females by alcohol intake quantity. Using general linear model, analysis of covariance was done to evaluate the association between hsCRP and alcohol intake quantity after adjusting for smoking, body mass index, blood pressure, age, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides. RESULTS: Men who had drunk 1~4 drinks weekly had the lowest hsCRP. And a U-shaped correlation between alcohol intake quantity and hsCRP was found (P for U- shape trend test=0.059). In women, hsCRP decreased as the alcohol intake quantity increased (P for linear trend test= 0.0002). CONCLUSION: In Korean males, U-shaped relationship was found between hsCRP and alcohol intake quantity. In Korean females, inverse relationship was found between them.
Adult* ; Alcohol Drinking* ; Biomarkers ; Blood Pressure ; Body Mass Index ; C-Reactive Protein ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cause of Death ; Cholesterol ; Cholesterol, HDL ; Female ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Male ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Triglycerides ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND: BATHE, the acronym for background, affect, trouble, handling, and empathy, is an interview approach that can be applied in the out-patient setting whereby questions belonging to each of the 5 categories are asked in the above order. As we have been taught to believe that BATHE raises the level of patient satisfaction and the quality of medical treatment overall, this study was designed to test the validity of the claim that applying BATHE heightens patient satisfaction. METHODS: Each of the 5 doctors was assigned 10 patients (5 in the BATHE group and the other 5 in the control group) with each patient being randomly assigned to either of the groups. The control group was interviewed as usual and the BATHE group was interviewed using BATHE. Immediately after the interview, each patient anonymously filled out a patient satisfaction questionnaire. Whether the questions asked were appropriate for each category of the protocol was evaluated by the researcher through video clips taped during the interviews. RESULTS: On 7 out of 10 items on the patient satisfaction questionnaire, the BATHE group was found to experience higher level of satisfaction than the control group in a statistically significant manner. The questions asked the BATHE group were confirmed to be more appropriate for each category of the protocol except empathy than those asked the control group. CONCLUSION: As applying the BATHE approach was found to achieve higher level of patient satisfaction, we recommend using it in the out-patient setting.
Anonyms and Pseudonyms ; Baths ; Empathy ; Handling (Psychology) ; Humans ; Outpatients ; Patient Satisfaction ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND: In modern industrial society, the complexity and diversity of social structure has deeply influenced job stress, and thereby threatens mental health of jobholders more than ever. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the effect of job stress in jobholders on propensity of anxiety. METHODS: Initially, 235 jobholders living in Cheonan, Asan or Seoul, from May to June 2003, were the subjects of this questionnaire. Only 233 jobholders were evaluated due to inadequate responses from two subjects. The questionnaire was made up of three contents: socio-demographic characteristic, Extended Karasek questionnaire for evaluation of job stress, and the Korean version of Goldberg anxiety scale for evaluation of anxiety. The data were analyzed by chi-square test and multiple logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Univariate analysis of propensity to anxiety showed a statistical significance on age, monthly income and job characteristics. Moreover, in terms of multivariate analysis, in accordance with age, 40 to 49 (OR: 6.1), showed the highest odds ratio of propensity to anxiety, followed by 30 to 39 (OR: 5.2) and 10 to 29 (OR: 5.4). In job characteristics, high strain group (OR: 3.7) showed highest odds ratio, but neither low strain group nor active group revealed any statistical significance. In monthly income, there was no statistical significance. CONCLUSION: Job stress in jobholders and propensity to anxiety was positively associated; especially, the more stress jobholders got, the higher propensity to anxiety was.
Anxiety* ; Chi-Square Distribution ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Logistic Models ; Mental Health ; Multivariate Analysis ; Odds Ratio ; Seoul ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Purpose: This study conducted an epidemiological investigation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa urinary tract infections (UTIs) following cystoscopy at Chilgok Kyungpook National University Hospital. Materials and Methods: From May 16 to July 15, 2022, among 353 patients who underwent cystoscopy, 6 patients reported febrile UTIs following cystoscopy. They were admitted to the urology department of the hospital after visiting the Emergency Department. P. aeruginosa was found in the urine cultures of 4 of the 6 hospitalized patients. During the epidemiological investigation, no changes were observed in factors such as the reprocessing procedures for endoscopic equipment. Therefore, microbiological tests were performed using environmental samples derived from the endoscopic equipment and cleaning process. Results: P. aeruginosa was identified in a dual-enzymatic detergent (EmPower) used during the endoscope cleaning process. After changing the disinfectant and cleaning process, no further bacterial growth was observed in subsequent microbiological tests. Conclusions This study highlights the potential of cystoscopes to serve as reservoirs for bacteria due to inadequate cleaning during the disinfection process. To minimize the risk of infections following cystoscopy, it is important to pay close attention to the reprocessing and cleaning of cystoscopes.

Purpose: This study conducted an epidemiological investigation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa urinary tract infections (UTIs) following cystoscopy at Chilgok Kyungpook National University Hospital. Materials and Methods: From May 16 to July 15, 2022, among 353 patients who underwent cystoscopy, 6 patients reported febrile UTIs following cystoscopy. They were admitted to the urology department of the hospital after visiting the Emergency Department. P. aeruginosa was found in the urine cultures of 4 of the 6 hospitalized patients. During the epidemiological investigation, no changes were observed in factors such as the reprocessing procedures for endoscopic equipment. Therefore, microbiological tests were performed using environmental samples derived from the endoscopic equipment and cleaning process. Results: P. aeruginosa was identified in a dual-enzymatic detergent (EmPower) used during the endoscope cleaning process. After changing the disinfectant and cleaning process, no further bacterial growth was observed in subsequent microbiological tests. Conclusions This study highlights the potential of cystoscopes to serve as reservoirs for bacteria due to inadequate cleaning during the disinfection process. To minimize the risk of infections following cystoscopy, it is important to pay close attention to the reprocessing and cleaning of cystoscopes.

Purpose: This study conducted an epidemiological investigation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa urinary tract infections (UTIs) following cystoscopy at Chilgok Kyungpook National University Hospital. Materials and Methods: From May 16 to July 15, 2022, among 353 patients who underwent cystoscopy, 6 patients reported febrile UTIs following cystoscopy. They were admitted to the urology department of the hospital after visiting the Emergency Department. P. aeruginosa was found in the urine cultures of 4 of the 6 hospitalized patients. During the epidemiological investigation, no changes were observed in factors such as the reprocessing procedures for endoscopic equipment. Therefore, microbiological tests were performed using environmental samples derived from the endoscopic equipment and cleaning process. Results: P. aeruginosa was identified in a dual-enzymatic detergent (EmPower) used during the endoscope cleaning process. After changing the disinfectant and cleaning process, no further bacterial growth was observed in subsequent microbiological tests. Conclusions This study highlights the potential of cystoscopes to serve as reservoirs for bacteria due to inadequate cleaning during the disinfection process. To minimize the risk of infections following cystoscopy, it is important to pay close attention to the reprocessing and cleaning of cystoscopes.

Purpose: This study conducted an epidemiological investigation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa urinary tract infections (UTIs) following cystoscopy at Chilgok Kyungpook National University Hospital. Materials and Methods: From May 16 to July 15, 2022, among 353 patients who underwent cystoscopy, 6 patients reported febrile UTIs following cystoscopy. They were admitted to the urology department of the hospital after visiting the Emergency Department. P. aeruginosa was found in the urine cultures of 4 of the 6 hospitalized patients. During the epidemiological investigation, no changes were observed in factors such as the reprocessing procedures for endoscopic equipment. Therefore, microbiological tests were performed using environmental samples derived from the endoscopic equipment and cleaning process. Results: P. aeruginosa was identified in a dual-enzymatic detergent (EmPower) used during the endoscope cleaning process. After changing the disinfectant and cleaning process, no further bacterial growth was observed in subsequent microbiological tests. Conclusions This study highlights the potential of cystoscopes to serve as reservoirs for bacteria due to inadequate cleaning during the disinfection process. To minimize the risk of infections following cystoscopy, it is important to pay close attention to the reprocessing and cleaning of cystoscopes.

Purpose: This study conducted an epidemiological investigation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa urinary tract infections (UTIs) following cystoscopy at Chilgok Kyungpook National University Hospital. Materials and Methods: From May 16 to July 15, 2022, among 353 patients who underwent cystoscopy, 6 patients reported febrile UTIs following cystoscopy. They were admitted to the urology department of the hospital after visiting the Emergency Department. P. aeruginosa was found in the urine cultures of 4 of the 6 hospitalized patients. During the epidemiological investigation, no changes were observed in factors such as the reprocessing procedures for endoscopic equipment. Therefore, microbiological tests were performed using environmental samples derived from the endoscopic equipment and cleaning process. Results: P. aeruginosa was identified in a dual-enzymatic detergent (EmPower) used during the endoscope cleaning process. After changing the disinfectant and cleaning process, no further bacterial growth was observed in subsequent microbiological tests. Conclusions This study highlights the potential of cystoscopes to serve as reservoirs for bacteria due to inadequate cleaning during the disinfection process. To minimize the risk of infections following cystoscopy, it is important to pay close attention to the reprocessing and cleaning of cystoscopes.

BACKGROUND: The family medicine residency program consists mainly of clinical rotations in other specialties and the family medicine-specific training. We conducted this study to investigate how family medicine residents evaluated their training program that include family-oriented medicine, clinical preventive medicine, behavioral science and research in primary care. METHODS: In 2009, third-year residents of 129 training hospitals in Korea were surveyed to investigate the current state and their expectation of the residency program. The contents of questionnaires included training periods, conferences, procedures, interview techniques, outpatient and inpatient consultations, and written thesis. RESULTS: Total 133 out of 142 residents (93.7%) responded that 3 years of training is ideal or pertinent. Residents responded that the types of conference that they need most are journal review (81%), staff lecture (73.2%), and clinical topic review (73.2%), in that order. Procedures and interview techniques that the residents want to learn most were gastroscopy (72.5%), abdominal ultrasonography (65.2%), and pain management (46.4%). Hospitals where family medicine residents do not see hospitalized patients or patients in the outpatient clinic were 7.9% and 6.5%, respectively, whereas hospitals that maintain continuous family medicine outpatient clinics were only 40.8%. Education in outpatient clinic and articlewriting seminars was done less frequently in the secondary hospitals than in the tertiary hospitals. CONCLUSION: Evaluation and quality improvement of family medicine training program as well as specialty rotations should be considered in order to foster better family physicians. The efforts have to be made to minimize the difference in quality of each family medicine residency program.
Ambulatory Care Facilities ; Behavioral Sciences ; Clinical Medicine ; Congresses as Topic ; Family Practice ; Gastroscopy ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Internship and Residency ; Korea ; Outpatients ; Pain Management ; Physicians, Family ; Preventive Medicine ; Quality Improvement ; Referral and Consultation