Multiple studies have established that mild encephalitis/encephalopathy with a reversible splenial lesion (MERS) exhibits reversible diffusion restriction in the white matter, including the splenium. There have been a few previous reports of the change in fractional anisotropy (FA) of MERS cases. Herein, we report the longitudinal changes in axial and radial diffusivity (AD and RD), and FA in a 15-year-old boy patient with MERS. Our case demonstrated that a MERS lesion had a significant drop of AD in the early period and gradual recovery. On the contrary, RD did not show any significant change.

Multi-component traditional Chinese medicines are an innovative research mode for traditional Chinese medicines. Currently, there are many design methods for developing multi-component traditional Chinese medicines, but their common feature is the lack of effective connection of the traditional Chinese medicine theory. In this paper, the authors discussed the multi-component traditional Chinese medicine design methods based on medicinal property combination modes, provided the combination methods with the characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine for the prescription combinations, and proved its feasibly with hypertension cases.
Animals ; Antihypertensive Agents ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Blood Pressure ; drug effects ; Drug Combinations ; Drug Therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Humans ; Hypertension ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Rats

The final degrees of education for the third and fourth authors were mutually misplaced.

Purpose: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused patients to suffer from various physical and psychological symptoms and social challenges, but the impact was harder for those COVID-19 patients receiving treatment in single-room isolation wards in South Korea. This study aimed to investigate resilience, anxiety, depression, and sleep quality of those patients and the relationships between those variables, and explore the patients’ experience of resilience during the COVID-19 treatment in single-room isolation wards. Methods: This study employed a mixed-methods approach, collecting quantitative data through surveys and qualitative data through semistructured interviews conducted between May and October 2022. Quantitative surveys encompassing disease-specific and demographic information, visual analog scales to assess anxiety, depression, and sleep quality, and the Connor–Davidson resilience scale were administered to patients (N = 153). Qualitative thematic analyses were conducted following interviews with a subset of patients (N = 13) belonging to the high-resilience group. Results: Resilience exhibited a negative correlation with anxiety and depression, while showing a positive correlation with sleep quality. Factors affecting resilience include having a spouse, educational attainment, and depression. The qualitative thematic analysis results were categorized into: (1) facing the reality of being isolated in a room; (2) struggling to accept and adapt to isolation; and (3) seeking connections in isolation. Conclusions This research sheds light on the challenges faced by individuals in isolation and underscores the crucial role of resilience in overcoming such challenges. The resilience observed in these patients is grounded in both interpersonal and profound spiritual connections. These findings underscore the necessity for nurses to develop customized strategies to alleviate the impacts of social isolation.

BACKGROUND: Liver transplantation (LT) is a complicated procedure with a high incidence of postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI). Previous studies indicate that even transient or mild post-LT AKI can result in critical conditions, including prolonged stays in hospitals and intensive care units and increased morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between body mass index (BMI) and occurrence of AKI in LT recipients. METHODS: Medical data from 203 patients who received LT surgery from January 2010 to August 2016 in a single university hospital setting were retrospectively collected and analyzed. Patients were classified as either underweight (BMI <20 kg/m²) or normal weight (20 ≤ BMI < 30 kg/m²). Demographic data, anesthetic methods, complications, and perioperative laboratory test values of each patient were assessed. Propensity analyses and logistic regression were performed to evaluate the association between BMI and post-LT AKI. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in occurrence of post-LT AKI between underweight and normal weight patients. The underweight patient group had significantly longer hospital stay compared with the normal weight patient group (P = 0.023). CONCLUSIONS: BMI classification was neither a positive nor negative predictor of postoperative AKI occurrence. However, patients with lower BMI had significantly longer hospital stay compared with their counterparts. Although our study was limited by its retrospective design, our observations suggest that lower BMI might play a role in post-LT AKI.
Acute Kidney Injury* ; Body Mass Index* ; Classification ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intensive Care Units ; Length of Stay ; Liver Transplantation* ; Liver* ; Logistic Models ; Mortality ; Retrospective Studies* ; Thinness

INTRODUCTION: Guided bone regeneration (GBR) is a common procedure for the treatment of bone defects and bone augmentation. The non-resorbable barriers are well-documented barriers for GBR because of their stability and malleability. However, few GBR studies have focused on the different types of non-resorbable barriers. Therefore, this study examined the clinical results of different non-resorbable barriers for GBR; expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (e-PTFE) (TR-Gore Tex, Flagstaff, AZ, USA), and high-density polytetrafluoroethylene (d-PTFE) (Cytoplast membrane, Oraltronics, Bremen, Germany). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The analysis was performed on patients treated with GBR and implant placement from January 2007 to October 2007 in the department of the Seoul National University Bundang Hospital. The patients were divided into two groups based on the type of non-resorbable barrier used, and the amount of bone regeneration, marginal bone resorption after prosthetics, implant survival rate and surgical complication in both groups were evaluated. RESULTS: The implants in both groups showed high survival rates, and the implant-supported prostheses functioned stably during the follow-up period. During the second surgery of the implant, all horizontal defects were filled with new bone, and there was no significant difference in the amount of vertical bone defect. CONCLUSION: In bone defect areas, GBR with non-resorbable barriers can produce favorable results with adequate postoperative management. There was no significant difference in bone regeneration between e-PTFE and d-PTFE.
Bone Regeneration ; Bone Resorption ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Membranes ; Polytetrafluoroethylene ; Prostheses and Implants ; Survival Rate

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the physiological and behavioral effects of auditory stimulation with their own parent’s voice on heart rate and sleep states of very-low-birth-weight infants (VLBWIs) in neonatal intensive care unit. Methods: The data of 28 VLBWIs at the Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital between October 2016 and May 2017 was analyzed. They were exposed to sounds similar to those of mothers’ heartbeat they had heard in the uterus and their own parent’s voice. Heart rate was assessed as the physiological responses and sleep state of infants as behavioral response. The sleep states were categorized into six states. The music intervention program was provided twice a week. Results: Twenty-eight babies with an average gestational age of 28 weeks (average birth weight of 1.09 kg) had undergone the sessions (average of 16 times) average of 16 times. During the initial period, there were no meaningful differences of the heart rates measured by the physiological functions before and after the sessions. However, as we move to the adaptive phase, the average heart rate was 156.96±12.22, and the pre-discharge was 149.11±12.01, which indicates meaningful differences (P<0.05). Infants’ behavioral function was statistically insignificant. Conclusion The music intervention techniques in the neonatal intensive care unit environment in Korea have provided positive influence to VLBWIs' physiological reactions. We were not able to come up with the relevant indicators during this phase of the study but we do plan to announce the future study results after indexing the observation results.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the physiological and behavioral effects of auditory stimulation with their own parent’s voice on heart rate and sleep states of very-low-birth-weight infants (VLBWIs) in neonatal intensive care unit. Methods: The data of 28 VLBWIs at the Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital between October 2016 and May 2017 was analyzed. They were exposed to sounds similar to those of mothers’ heartbeat they had heard in the uterus and their own parent’s voice. Heart rate was assessed as the physiological responses and sleep state of infants as behavioral response. The sleep states were categorized into six states. The music intervention program was provided twice a week. Results: Twenty-eight babies with an average gestational age of 28 weeks (average birth weight of 1.09 kg) had undergone the sessions (average of 16 times) average of 16 times. During the initial period, there were no meaningful differences of the heart rates measured by the physiological functions before and after the sessions. However, as we move to the adaptive phase, the average heart rate was 156.96±12.22, and the pre-discharge was 149.11±12.01, which indicates meaningful differences (P<0.05). Infants’ behavioral function was statistically insignificant. Conclusion The music intervention techniques in the neonatal intensive care unit environment in Korea have provided positive influence to VLBWIs' physiological reactions. We were not able to come up with the relevant indicators during this phase of the study but we do plan to announce the future study results after indexing the observation results.

BACKGROUND: Diagnostic imaging fee had been reduced in May 2011, but it was recovered after 6 months because of strong opposition of medical providers. This study aimed to analyze the behavior of medical providers according to fee changes. METHODS: The National Health Insurance claims data between November 2010 and December 2012 were used. The number of exams per computed tomography was analyzed to verify that the fee changes increased or decreased the number of exams. Multivariate regression model were applied. RESULTS: The monthly number of exams increased by 92.5% after fee reduction, so the diagnostic imaging spending were remained before it. But medical provider decreased the number of exams after fee return. After adjusting characteristic of hospitals, fee reduction increased the monthly number of exams by 48.0% in a regression model. Regardless type of hospitals and severity of disease, the monthly number of exams increased during period of fee reduction. The number of exams in large-scaled hospitals (tertiary and general hospital) were increased more than those of small-scaled hospitals. CONCLUSION: Fee-reduction increased unnecessary diagnostic exams under the fee-for-service system. It is needed to define appropriate exam and change reimbursement system on the basis of guideline.
Diagnostic Imaging ; Fees and Charges ; Insurance, Health ; National Health Programs

Objective To elucidate the effects of SP600125 at different concentrations on the proliferation and osteo-differentiation of human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs).Methods The hASCs harvested were cocuhured with SP600125 at concentrations of 0 μmol/L,1 μmol/L,5 μmol/L and 10 μmol/L in growth medium (OM group) and in osteogenesis medium (OM group),respectively.The DNA quantitative assay was carried out to evaluate proliferation of the hASCs;flow cytometry was used to determine the effect of SP600125 on the cell cycles of hASCs;Alkaline phosphatase level (ALP) and calcium deposition tests were conducted to observe the effects of SP600125 at different concentrations on osteogenic differentiation of the hASCs.Results The proliferation of hASCs was inhibited by 42.1％ when the cells were cocultured with SP600125 at the concentration of 10 μmol/L;the suppression decreased with decreased concentration of SP600125.The hASCs of phase G0/G1 in GM cocultured with SP600125 at the concentration of 10 μmol/L were more than those in GM cocultured with dimethylsulfoxide at the same concentration.ALP test revealed that after 10 days of culture in vitro the staining was more and more weakened and scattered and the ALP activity was more and more decreased with the increased concentration of SP600125.The extracellular calcium deposition of hASCs after 14 days of culture in vitro showed that the size and number of calcium nodules decreased with the increased concentration of SP600125.Conclusion SP600125 can suppress the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of hASCs in vitro.