Background: The frequencies of South Korean soldiers' depression and resulting suicide are increasing every year. Thus, this study aimed to develop and confirm the reliability and validity of a simple short form depression screening scale for soldiers. Methods: This study was conducted as part of a 2013 research project named ‘The Epidemiological Study on the Prevalence of Depression in Military Service and a Search for High Risk Group Management.’ Clinical depression was diagnosed using the Korean version of the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview and suicide risk was assessed through the Korean version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Furthermore, the Center for Epidemiological Studies for Depression Scale (CES-D), the Stress Response Inventory, and the Barret Impulsiveness Scale were employed. Of the 20 CES-D items, three of the most correlated items with clinical diagnosis were derived to form the short form scale.Analyses for internal consistency, concurrent validity, and factor analysis were implemented for its validation. We performed a receiver operating curve (ROC) analysis using a clinical diagnosis of depression as a gold standard to calculate the area under the curve (AUC) value, cut-off score, and corresponding sensitivity and specificity to that cut-off score. Results: According to the results of the correlation analysis, 7, 18, and 4 were selected to be on our scale. The three-item scale was reliable with a Cronbach's alpha value of 0.720, and a factor was derived from the factor analysis. The ROC analysis showed a high discriminant validity, with an AUC value of 0.891. The sensitivity and specificity were 84.8% and 78.2%, and 71.7% and 91.6%, respectively, for each when the selected cut-off scores were 2 and 3, respectively. Depression screened through the scale when the cut-off score was 2 or 3 was significantly associated with suicidality, stress, and social support. Conclusion The depression screening questionnaire for Korean soldiers developed through this study demonstrated high reliability and validity. Since it comprises only three items, it can be utilized easily and frequently. It is expected to be employed in a large-scale suicide prevention project targeting military soldiers in the future; it will be beneficial in selecting high-risk groups for depression.

Background: The frequencies of South Korean soldiers' depression and resulting suicide are increasing every year. Thus, this study aimed to develop and confirm the reliability and validity of a simple short form depression screening scale for soldiers. Methods: This study was conducted as part of a 2013 research project named ‘The Epidemiological Study on the Prevalence of Depression in Military Service and a Search for High Risk Group Management.’ Clinical depression was diagnosed using the Korean version of the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview and suicide risk was assessed through the Korean version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Furthermore, the Center for Epidemiological Studies for Depression Scale (CES-D), the Stress Response Inventory, and the Barret Impulsiveness Scale were employed. Of the 20 CES-D items, three of the most correlated items with clinical diagnosis were derived to form the short form scale.Analyses for internal consistency, concurrent validity, and factor analysis were implemented for its validation. We performed a receiver operating curve (ROC) analysis using a clinical diagnosis of depression as a gold standard to calculate the area under the curve (AUC) value, cut-off score, and corresponding sensitivity and specificity to that cut-off score. Results: According to the results of the correlation analysis, 7, 18, and 4 were selected to be on our scale. The three-item scale was reliable with a Cronbach's alpha value of 0.720, and a factor was derived from the factor analysis. The ROC analysis showed a high discriminant validity, with an AUC value of 0.891. The sensitivity and specificity were 84.8% and 78.2%, and 71.7% and 91.6%, respectively, for each when the selected cut-off scores were 2 and 3, respectively. Depression screened through the scale when the cut-off score was 2 or 3 was significantly associated with suicidality, stress, and social support. Conclusion The depression screening questionnaire for Korean soldiers developed through this study demonstrated high reliability and validity. Since it comprises only three items, it can be utilized easily and frequently. It is expected to be employed in a large-scale suicide prevention project targeting military soldiers in the future; it will be beneficial in selecting high-risk groups for depression.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to identify risk and protective factors of suicidality among Korean military officers. Methods: This study was conducted on 3162 military officers. Data were collected by online survey after obtaining informed consent. Demographic characteristics, depression, anxiety, suicidality, social support, stress, and attitude toward suicide were evaluated using structured instruments and self-report questionnaires. Suicidality was defined as having a suicidal idea, a suicide plan, or attempting suicide. Statistical analysis was performed using logistic regression to investigate associations between potential risk and protective factors and suicidality. Results: Depression (odds ratio [OR]=16.313, 95% confidence interval [CI]=10.028–26.539), anxiety (OR=14.377, 95% CI=8.680–23.812), and stress (OR=8.116, 95% CI=4.637–14.207) were positively associated with suicidality. On the other hand, good social networks and an unaccepting attitude toward suicide were negatively associated with suicidality (OR=0.131, 95% CI=0.072–0.240). No significant correlation was observed between living status and suicidality (OR=0.991, 95% CI=0.598–1.642). Conclusion Depression, anxiety, and stress were found to be risk factors of suicidality among Korean military officers. In contrast, good social networks and unaccepting attitudes toward suicide acted as protective factors. Hence, preventive interventions that place focus on risk and protective factors should be developed and implemented to mitigate suicidality.

Recently the reverse genetics system contributed to the progresses in the investigation of positive-stranded RNA viruses. Here, we report the successful construction of a stable full-length infectious cDNA clone of the live attenuated JEV vaccine strain SA14-14-2. The eleven kilobase viral RNA genome was reverse transcribed, amplified as four overlapping DNA fragments and successively ligated into the low copy number plasmid pACYC184, which contains the p15A origin of replication. In vitro-transcribed RNAs had a specific infectivity of approximately 104 PFU/microgram RNA, and the resulting virus exhibited growth kinetics and plaque morphology similar to the parental virus in cell culture. The structural and functional integrity of the cDNA clone was stably maintained even after at least 150 generations in Escherichia coli strain TOP10. The cDNA clone was engineered to contain single nucleotide change to create a XhoI site and knock out a XbaI site (A to C at nt 9134) acting as a genetic marker. This genetic marker was retained in the recovered progeny virus. Our results suggest that the instability of the full-length infectious JEV cDNA clone can be overcome by employing low copy number plasmid pACYC184. This infectious JEV cDNA clone will aid future studies of pathogenesis, virulence, and replication. Furthermore, it will facilitate the development of SA14-14-2 based recombinant vaccines.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; Cell Culture Techniques ; Clone Cells* ; DNA ; DNA, Complementary* ; Encephalitis Virus, Japanese* ; Encephalitis, Japanese* ; Escherichia coli ; Family Characteristics ; Genetic Markers ; Genome ; Humans ; Kinetics ; Parents ; Plasmids* ; Replication Origin ; Reverse Genetics ; RNA ; RNA Viruses ; RNA, Viral ; Vaccines, Synthetic ; Virulence

Recently the reverse genetics system contributed to the progresses in the investigation of positive-stranded RNA viruses. Here, we report the successful construction of a stable full-length infectious cDNA clone of the live attenuated JEV vaccine strain SA14-14-2. The eleven kilobase viral RNA genome was reverse transcribed, amplified as four overlapping DNA fragments and successively ligated into the low copy number plasmid pACYC184, which contains the p15A origin of replication. In vitro-transcribed RNAs had a specific infectivity of approximately 104 PFU/microgram RNA, and the resulting virus exhibited growth kinetics and plaque morphology similar to the parental virus in cell culture. The structural and functional integrity of the cDNA clone was stably maintained even after at least 150 generations in Escherichia coli strain TOP10. The cDNA clone was engineered to contain single nucleotide change to create a XhoI site and knock out a XbaI site (A to C at nt 9134) acting as a genetic marker. This genetic marker was retained in the recovered progeny virus. Our results suggest that the instability of the full-length infectious JEV cDNA clone can be overcome by employing low copy number plasmid pACYC184. This infectious JEV cDNA clone will aid future studies of pathogenesis, virulence, and replication. Furthermore, it will facilitate the development of SA14-14-2 based recombinant vaccines.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; Cell Culture Techniques ; Clone Cells* ; DNA ; DNA, Complementary* ; Encephalitis Virus, Japanese* ; Encephalitis, Japanese* ; Escherichia coli ; Family Characteristics ; Genetic Markers ; Genome ; Humans ; Kinetics ; Parents ; Plasmids* ; Replication Origin ; Reverse Genetics ; RNA ; RNA Viruses ; RNA, Viral ; Vaccines, Synthetic ; Virulence

Mycobacterium (M.) bovis, a bacterium in the M. tuberculosis complex, is a causative agent of bovine tuberculosis, a contagious disease of animals. Mycobacterial culture is the gold standard for diagnosing bovine tuberculosis, but this technique is laborious and time-consuming. In the present study, performance of the SD Bioline TB Ag MPT4 Rapid test, an immunochromatographic assay, was evaluated using reference bacterial strains and M. bovis field isolates collected from animals. The SD MPT64 Rapid test produced positive results for 95.5% (63/66) of the M. bovis isolates from cattle and 97.9% (46/47) of the isolates from deer. Additionally, the test had a sensitivity of 96.5% (95% CI, 91.2-99.0), specificity of 100% (95% CI, 96.7-100.0), positive predictive value of 100% (95% CI, 96.7-100.0), and negative predictive value of 92.9% (95% CI, 82.7-98.0) for M. bovis isolates. In conclusion, the SD MPT64 Rapid test is simple to use and may be useful for quickly confirming the presence of M. bovis in animals.
Animals ; Cattle ; Cattle Diseases/*diagnosis/microbiology ; *Deer ; Immunochromatography/methods/*veterinary ; Mycobacterium bovis/classification/*isolation & purification ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Tuberculosis/diagnosis/microbiology/*veterinary

BACKGROUND: Few studies have reported on breakthrough urinary tract infection (UTI) associated with the susceptibility of index UTI to prophylactic antibiotics in children with primary vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) receiving continuous antibiotic prophylaxis (CAP). We assessed the impact of the susceptibility of index UTI to prophylactic antibiotics in breakthrough UTIs in children with primary VUR receiving CAP. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 81 children with primary VUR who were diagnosed after febrile or symptomatic UTI and subsequently received trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) as CAP between January 2010 and December 2013. We allocated children to a susceptible group or a resistant group based on the susceptibility of index UTI to TMP-SMX. We evaluated patient demographics and clinical outcomes after CAP according to the susceptibility of index UTI to TMP-SMX. Multivariate analysis was used to identify the predictive factors for breakthrough UTI. RESULTS: Of the 81 children, 42 were classified into the susceptible group and 39 into the resistant group. The proportion of breakthrough UTI was 31.0% (13/42) in the susceptible group and 53.8% (21/39) in the resistant group (P = 0.037). Progression of renal scarring was observed in 0% of children in the susceptible group and 15% in the resistant group (P = 0.053). Multivariate analysis showed that TMP-SMX resistance and initial renal scarring were significant predictors of breakthrough UTI. CONCLUSION: Susceptibility of index UTI to prophylactic antibiotics is a risk factor of breakthrough UTI and is associated with poor clinical outcomes in children with primary VUR receiving CAP.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Antibiotic Prophylaxis ; Child ; Cicatrix ; Demography ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Multivariate Analysis ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination ; Urinary Tract Infections ; Urinary Tract ; Vesico-Ureteral Reflux