PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to develop an emotional self-regulation program for obese children and to examine the program's effectiveness on depression, eating habits, and body mass index. METHODS: The emotional self-regulation program was developed from theory-based strategies and a pre-post pilot study was conducted with 46 children (19: intervention, 27: control). The program included 6 weekly group sessions over 2 months. The embedded experimental model of concurrent mixed methods was used to better understand research outcomes by converging both quantitative and qualitative data. Anthropometric measurements and surveys were performed before and after the intervention. Three focus group interviews were conducted with all participants after intervention to explore their experiences. RESULTS: The intervention group displayed decreased depression levels in the quantitative outcomes. The participants also expressed positive outcomes such as improvements in confidence, impulse management, intimacy, happiness, and losing weight. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that emotional self-regulation skills are crucial factors for obese children not only to manage their emotional problems but also to control their weight. Further research is needed with a larger sample size and randomized controlled trials.
Child ; Depression ; Eating ; Focus Groups ; Happiness ; Humans ; Models, Theoretical ; Obesity ; Pilot Projects ; Sample Size ; Self-Control

Reconstruction method choice in recurrent head and neck cancer depends on surgical history, radiation therapy dosage, conditions of recipient vessels, and general patient condition. Furthermore, when defects are multiple or three dimensional in nature, reconstruction and flap choice aimed at rebuilding the functional structure of the head and neck are difficult. We experienced successful reconstruction of recurrent laryngeal cancer requiring reconstruction of esophageal and tracheostomy stroma defects using a chimeric two-skin anterolateral thigh flap with a single pedicle.
Esophagus ; Free Tissue Flaps ; Head ; Head and Neck Neoplasms ; Humans ; Laryngeal Neoplasms ; Methods ; Neck ; Thigh ; Tracheostomy

We present a patient with anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA), which was diagnosed and corrected in her 60 s. The patient is the oldest documented survivor of ALCAPA who underwent a surgical repair. ALCAPA should be corrected surgically to restore the dual coronary system at any age and this case shows that the surgical procedure may be performed safely even in an elderly patient.
Aged ; Coronary Vessels ; Female ; Humans ; Pulmonary Artery ; Survivors

Eucommia ulmoides Oliv. Bark (EUE) is commonly used for the treatment of hypertension, rheumatoid arthritis, lumbago, and ischialgia as well as to promote longevity. In this study, we tested the effects of EUE aqueous extract in graded doses to protect and enhance cognition in scopolamine-induced learning and memory impairments in mice. EUE significantly improved the impairment of short-term or working memory induced by scopolamine in the Y-maze and significantly reversed learning and memory deficits in mice as measured by the passive avoidance and Morris water maze tests. One day after the last trial session of the Morris water maze test (probe trial session), EUE dramatically increased the latency time in the target quadrant in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, EUE significantly inhibited acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) activities in the hippocampus and frontal cortex in a dose-dependent manner. EUE also markedly increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and phosphorylation of cAMP element binding protein (CREB) in the hippocampus of scopolamine-induced mice. Based on these findings, we suggest that EUE may be useful for the treatment of cognitive deficits, and that the beneficial effects of EUE are mediated, in part, by cholinergic signaling enhancement and/or protection.
Acetylcholinesterase ; Alzheimer Disease ; Animals ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor ; Carrier Proteins ; Cognition ; Eucommiaceae* ; Hippocampus ; Hypertension ; Learning* ; Longevity ; Low Back Pain ; Maze Learning ; Memory Disorders* ; Memory* ; Memory, Short-Term ; Mice* ; Phosphorylation ; Scopolamine Hydrobromide

BACKGROUND: Due to rapidly growing elderly population, there are increasing numbers of older persons with multiple chronic disorders and geriatric problems arising from polypharmacy. In this study we tried to find out the state of polypharmacy and inappropriate drug prescription and their related factors in community-dwelling elderly by review of drugs taken by older persons visiting a day health center. METHODS: From April 2007 to July 2007, 80 subjects of 65 year-old or over with chronic illness who visited a elderly-wellness and health care center were randomly sampled. All of them were surveyed by structured questionnaires, medical records review, pill counts about all medications they are taking and experience of adverse drug reactions. And all the prescribed medications were reviewed or their drug prescription's appropriateness for each elderly according to Beers criteria. Data results were evaluated by frequency and correlation analyses. RESULTS: The average counts of drugs taken by elderly with chronic disorders were 7.23, minimum 1 to maximum 27 drugs a day. Patients experienced more adverse effects significantly when more prescribed medications were taken (P=0.005), and patients with lack of information about their drugs had taken increased number of medications (P<0.001). Referred to Beers criteria, inappropriate cases of prescription were observed in 26 persons. Those drugs were NSAIDs including aspirin in 17 subjects (21%), amitrityline in 3 (4%), short-acting benzodiazepines in 3 (4%), long acting benzodiazepines in 2 (3%), and anticholinergic antihistamine in 1 (1%). CONCLUSION: Polypharmacy is very common in community-dwelling elderly with chronic disorders. More medications were related to more adverse drug reactions and lack of information about their drugs related to increased number of drug taking. High proportion of inappropriate drug prescriptions was observed in the elderly, which may have resulted from poor education concerning geriatric care of the medical personnels.
Aged ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; Aspirin ; Beer ; Benzodiazepines ; Chronic Disease ; Delivery of Health Care ; Drug Prescriptions ; Drug Toxicity ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Polypharmacy ; Prescriptions ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder that leads to a progressive muscle wasting and paralysis. The pathological phenotypes are featured by severe motor neuron death and glial activation in the lumbar spinal cord. Proposed ALS pathogenic mechanisms include glutamate cytotoxicity, inflammatory pathway, oxidative stress, and protein aggregation. However, the exact mechanisms of ALS pathogenesis are not fully understood yet. Recently, a growing body of evidence provides a novel insight on the importance of glial cells in relation to the motor neuronal damage via the non-cell autonomous pathway. Accordingly, the aim of the current paper is to overview the role of astrocytes and microglia in the pathogenesis of ALS and to better understand the disease mechanism of ALS.
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis ; Astrocytes* ; Glutamic Acid ; Microglia* ; Motor Neurons ; Neurodegenerative Diseases ; Neuroglia ; Oxidative Stress ; Paralysis ; Phenotype ; Spinal Cord

Objectives: The aim of this study was to provide baseline data for the assessment of exposure to indium and to prevent adverse health effects among workers engaged in the electronics and related industries in Republic of Korea. Methods: Total (n = 369) and respirable (n = 384) indium concentrations were monitored using personal air sampling in workers at the following 19 workplaces: six sputtering target manufacturing companies, four manufacturing companies of panel displays, two companies engaged in cleaning of sputtering components, two companies dedicated to the cleaning of sputtering target, and five indium recycling companies. Results: The level of exposure to total indium ranged from 0.9 to 609.3 μg/m3 for the sputtering target companies; from 0.2 to 2,782.0 μg/m3 for the panel display companies and from 0.5 to 2,089.9 μg/m3 for the indium recycling companies. The level of exposure to respirable indium was in the range of 0.02 to 448.6 μg/m3 for the sputtering target companies; 0.01 to 419.5 μg/m3 for the panel display companies; and 0.5 to 436.3 μg/m3 for the indium recycling companies. The indium recycling companies had the most samples exceeding the exposure standard for indium, followed by sputtering target companies and panel display companies. Conclusions The main finding from this exposure assessment is that many workers who handle indium compounds in the electronics industry are exposed to indium levels that exceed the exposure standards for indium. Hence, it is necessary to continuously monitor the indium exposure of this workforce and take measures to reduce its exposure levels.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to provide baseline data for the assessment of exposure to indium and to prevent adverse health effects among workers engaged in the electronics and related industries in Republic of Korea. Methods: Total (n = 369) and respirable (n = 384) indium concentrations were monitored using personal air sampling in workers at the following 19 workplaces: six sputtering target manufacturing companies, four manufacturing companies of panel displays, two companies engaged in cleaning of sputtering components, two companies dedicated to the cleaning of sputtering target, and five indium recycling companies. Results: The level of exposure to total indium ranged from 0.9 to 609.3 μg/m3 for the sputtering target companies; from 0.2 to 2,782.0 μg/m3 for the panel display companies and from 0.5 to 2,089.9 μg/m3 for the indium recycling companies. The level of exposure to respirable indium was in the range of 0.02 to 448.6 μg/m3 for the sputtering target companies; 0.01 to 419.5 μg/m3 for the panel display companies; and 0.5 to 436.3 μg/m3 for the indium recycling companies. The indium recycling companies had the most samples exceeding the exposure standard for indium, followed by sputtering target companies and panel display companies. Conclusions The main finding from this exposure assessment is that many workers who handle indium compounds in the electronics industry are exposed to indium levels that exceed the exposure standards for indium. Hence, it is necessary to continuously monitor the indium exposure of this workforce and take measures to reduce its exposure levels.

Purpose: Acoustic streaming induced by applying transcranial focused ultrasound (FUS) promotes localized advective solute transport in the brain and has recently garnered research interest for drug delivery and enhancement of brain waste clearance. The acoustic streaming behavior in brain tissue is difficult to model numerically and thus warrants an in vitro examination of the effects of using different sonication parameters, in terms of frequency, intensity, and pulse duration (PD). Methods: Melamine and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) foams were used to mimic the porous brain tissue, which contains leptomeningeal fenestrations and perivascular space, while agar hydrogel was used to emulate denser neuropil. FUS was delivered to these media, which were immersed in a phosphate-buffered saline containing toluidine blue O dye, across various frequencies (400, 500, and 600 kHz; applicable to transcranial delivery) in a pulsed mode at two different spatialpeak pulse-average intensities (3 and 4 W/cm2). Results: Image analysis showed that the use of 400 kHz yielded the greatest dye infiltration in melamine foam, while sonication had no impact on infiltration in the agar hydrogel due to the dominance of diffusional transport. Using a fixed spatial-peak temporal-average intensity of 0.4 W/cm2 at 400 kHz, a PD of 75 ms resulted in the greatest infiltration depth in both melamine and PVA foams among the tested range (50-150 ms). Conclusion These findings suggest the existence of a specific frequency and PD that induce greater enhancement of solute/fluid movement, which may contribute to eventual in vivo applications in promoting waste clearance from the brain.

Purpose: Acoustic streaming induced by applying transcranial focused ultrasound (FUS) promotes localized advective solute transport in the brain and has recently garnered research interest for drug delivery and enhancement of brain waste clearance. The acoustic streaming behavior in brain tissue is difficult to model numerically and thus warrants an in vitro examination of the effects of using different sonication parameters, in terms of frequency, intensity, and pulse duration (PD). Methods: Melamine and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) foams were used to mimic the porous brain tissue, which contains leptomeningeal fenestrations and perivascular space, while agar hydrogel was used to emulate denser neuropil. FUS was delivered to these media, which were immersed in a phosphate-buffered saline containing toluidine blue O dye, across various frequencies (400, 500, and 600 kHz; applicable to transcranial delivery) in a pulsed mode at two different spatialpeak pulse-average intensities (3 and 4 W/cm2). Results: Image analysis showed that the use of 400 kHz yielded the greatest dye infiltration in melamine foam, while sonication had no impact on infiltration in the agar hydrogel due to the dominance of diffusional transport. Using a fixed spatial-peak temporal-average intensity of 0.4 W/cm2 at 400 kHz, a PD of 75 ms resulted in the greatest infiltration depth in both melamine and PVA foams among the tested range (50-150 ms). Conclusion These findings suggest the existence of a specific frequency and PD that induce greater enhancement of solute/fluid movement, which may contribute to eventual in vivo applications in promoting waste clearance from the brain.