OBJECTIVES: Family members are often cancer patients’ primary source of social and emotional support and make a major contribution to how well patients manage their illness. We compared the prevalence of depression in the family members of cancer patients and the general population. METHODS: This study used the data from the fourth, fifth, and sixth rounds of the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The variable of interest was the presence of a cohabitating cancer patient in the family and the dependent variable was the presence of diagnosed depression. RESULTS: The odds of having medically diagnosed depression in those with a cohabitating cancer patient in the family were significantly higher than among those who did not have cancer patients in their families (odds ratio [OR], 1.56; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.12 to 2.17; p=0.009). The OR for females was 1.59, and this increase was statistically significant (95% CI, 1.09 to 2.31; p=0.02). CONCLUSIONS: We need to invest more effort into diagnosing and managing depression in the family members of cancer patients. This will have an impact both on their quality of life and on the well-being of patients, as supporters and caregivers play an instrumental role in helping patients manage their illness.
Caregivers ; Depression* ; Female ; Humans ; Korea* ; Nutrition Surveys ; Prevalence ; Quality of Life

Generally, odorant molecules are detected by olfactory receptors, which are specialized chemoreceptors expressed in olfactory neurons. Besides odorant molecules, certain volatile molecules can be inhaled through the respiratory tract, often leading to pathophysiological changes in the body. These inhaled molecules mediate cellular signaling through the activation of the Ca 2+ -permeable transient receptor potential (TRP) channels in peripheral tissues. This review provides a comprehensive overview of TRP channels that are involved in the detection and response to volatile molecules, including hazardous substances, anesthetics, plant-derived compounds, and pheromones. The review aims to shed light on the biological mechanisms underlying the sensing of inhaled volatile molecules. Therefore, this review will contribute to a better understanding of the roles of TRP channels in the response to inhaled molecules, providing insights into their implications for human health and disease.

Generally, odorant molecules are detected by olfactory receptors, which are specialized chemoreceptors expressed in olfactory neurons. Besides odorant molecules, certain volatile molecules can be inhaled through the respiratory tract, often leading to pathophysiological changes in the body. These inhaled molecules mediate cellular signaling through the activation of the Ca 2+ -permeable transient receptor potential (TRP) channels in peripheral tissues. This review provides a comprehensive overview of TRP channels that are involved in the detection and response to volatile molecules, including hazardous substances, anesthetics, plant-derived compounds, and pheromones. The review aims to shed light on the biological mechanisms underlying the sensing of inhaled volatile molecules. Therefore, this review will contribute to a better understanding of the roles of TRP channels in the response to inhaled molecules, providing insights into their implications for human health and disease.

Generally, odorant molecules are detected by olfactory receptors, which are specialized chemoreceptors expressed in olfactory neurons. Besides odorant molecules, certain volatile molecules can be inhaled through the respiratory tract, often leading to pathophysiological changes in the body. These inhaled molecules mediate cellular signaling through the activation of the Ca 2+ -permeable transient receptor potential (TRP) channels in peripheral tissues. This review provides a comprehensive overview of TRP channels that are involved in the detection and response to volatile molecules, including hazardous substances, anesthetics, plant-derived compounds, and pheromones. The review aims to shed light on the biological mechanisms underlying the sensing of inhaled volatile molecules. Therefore, this review will contribute to a better understanding of the roles of TRP channels in the response to inhaled molecules, providing insights into their implications for human health and disease.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical characteristics of total laparoscopic hysterectomy. METHODS: Clinical data about 600 cases who received TLH were collected and the hospital stay, operation time and complication were evaluated. RESULTS: The most common indications for TLH were uterine myomas, adenomyosis, severe endometriosis and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. Mean operating time was 90 minutes (range 35-200 min) and hospital stay was 3 days (range 2 days-10 days). The most important factors for the surgery time were uterine size, assistant's skill and presence of adhesions (obliteration of the cul-de-sac due to severe pelvic endometriosis). Several techniques were used, including bipolar coagulation of the ovarian and uterine vessels, and suture of the stump. A special uterine manipulator (RUMITM uterine manipulator with colpotomizer and pneumooccluder balloon) used in all procedures aided in anatomic definition and performing the circumferential colpotomy. We had two cases of ureteral obliteration by using bipolar coagulator, and 3 cases of bladder injuries during operation which was diagnosed and immediately repaired laparoscopically. We had two cases of ureterovaginal fistula, two cases of postoperative ileus and one case of bowel perforation. But there were no cases of death, thrombophlebitis or other pulmonary complications. CONCLUSIONS: Total laparoscopic hysterectomy can be performed safely and effectively when the surgical team is sufficiently trained. And we believe that total laparoscopic hysterectomy offers benefits to the patients in the form of less post-operative pain, shorter time in hospital.
Adenomyosis ; Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia ; Colpotomy ; Endometriosis ; Female ; Fistula ; Humans ; Hysterectomy* ; Ileus ; Leiomyoma ; Length of Stay ; Sutures ; Thrombophlebitis ; Ureter ; Urinary Bladder

The objective of this study is to evaluate short-term results of total laparoscopic hysterectomy with those of total abdominal hysterectomy and laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy in a retrospective study. We compared patient's age, mean uterine weight, total operating time, length of hospital stay and perioperative hemoglobin concentration change between total laparoscopic hysterectomy (300 patients) and total abdominal hysterectomy (100 patients) and laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy (52 patients). There were no differences in terms of patient's age, parity between the three groups. There were 7 minor complications in the laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy group compared with 9 minor complications in the abdominal hysterectomy group and 14 minor complications in the total laparoscopic hysterectomy group (P not significant). The length of hospital stay was significantly shorter for total laparoscopic hysterectomy than laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy and total abdominal hysterectomy (p<.001). This study demonstrates that laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomy and total laparoscopic hysterectomy appears to be as safe as laparotomy and may replace abdominal hysterectomy in most patients and generally has the advantage of shorter hospital stay and earlier return to normal activities.
Female ; Humans ; Hysterectomy* ; Hysterectomy, Vaginal* ; Laparotomy ; Length of Stay ; Parity ; Retrospective Studies

Anoctamin1 (ANO1) also known as TMEM16A is a transmembrane protein that functions as a Ca²⁺ activated chloride channel. Recently, the structure determination of a fungal Nectria haematococca TMEM16 (nhTMEM16) scramblase by X-ray crystallography and a mouse ANO1 by cryo-electron microscopy has provided the insight in molecular architecture underlying phospholipid scrambling and Ca²⁺ binding. Because the Ca²⁺ binding motif is embedded inside channel protein according to defined structure, it is still unclear how intracellular Ca²⁺ moves to its deep binding pocket effectively. Here we show that EF-hand like region containing multiple acidic amino acids at the N-terminus of ANO1 is a putative site regulating the activity of ANO1 by Ca²⁺ and voltage. The EF-hand like region of ANO1 is highly homologous to the canonical EF hand loop in calmodulin that contains acidic residues in key Ca²⁺-coordinating positions in the canonical EF hand. Indeed, deletion and Ala-substituted mutation of this region resulted in a significant reduction in the response to Ca²⁺ and changes in its key biophysical properties evoked by voltage pulses. Furthermore, only ANO1 and ANO2, and not the other TMEM16 isoforms, contain the EF-hand like region and are activated by Ca²⁺. Moreover, the molecular modeling analysis supports that EF-hand like region could play a key role during Ca²⁺ transfer. Therefore, these findings suggest that EF-hand like region in ANO1 coordinates with Ca²⁺ and modulate the activation by Ca²⁺ and voltage.
Amino Acids, Acidic ; Animals ; Calcium ; Calmodulin ; Chloride Channels ; Cryoelectron Microscopy ; Crystallography, X-Ray ; EF Hand Motifs ; Mice ; Models, Molecular ; Mutagenesis ; Nectria ; Protein Isoforms

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the change in the incidence rate, length of hospital stay (LOS), in-hospital mortality rate, and surgical method of hip fractures during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in South Korea where lockdown restrictions were not implemented. Methods: We calculated the expected values of the incidence of hip fractures, in-hospital mortality and LOS of hip fracture patients in 2020 (COVID period) based hip fracture database of the Korean National Health Insurance Review and Assessment (HIRA) during a 9-year period from 2011 to 2019 (pre-COVID period). A generalized estimating equation model with Poisson distribution and logarithmic link function was used to estimate adjusted annual percent change (PC) of incidence rate and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Then, we compared the annual incidence, in-hospital mortality rate and LOS in 2020 with the expected values. Results: The overall incidence rate of hip fracture in 2020 was not significantly different from the expected value (PC, −5%; 95% CI, −13 to 4; P = 0.280). In women, the incidence rate of hip fracture in age groups over 70 years was smaller than the predicted value (P < 0.001). The in-hospital mortality rate was not significantly different from the expected value (PC, 5%; 95% CI, −8 to 19; P = 0.461). The mean LOS was larger than the expected value by 2% (PC, 2%; 95% CI, 1 to 3; P < 0.001). In intertrochanteric fracture, the proportion of internal fixation was smaller than the predicted value by 2% (PC, −2%; 95% CI, −3 to −1; P < 0.001), and that of hemiarthroplasty was larger than the predicted value by 8% (PC, 8%; 95% CI, 4 to 14; P < 0.001). Conclusions In 2020, the incidence rate of hip fracture did not significantly decrease, and inhospital mortality rate did not significantly increase compared to the expected rates, which were projected based on the HIRA hip fracture data from 2011 to 2019. Only LOS increased slightly.

Crotamiton is an anti-scabies drug, but it was recently found that crotamiton also suppresses non-scabietic itching in mice. However, the underlying mechanism is largely unclear. Therefore, aim of the study is to investigate mechanisms of the anti-pruritic effect of crotamiton for non-scabietic itching. Histamine and chloroquine are used as non-scabietic pruritogens. The effect of crotamiton was identified using fluorometric intracellular calcium assays in HEK293T cells and primary cultured dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. Further in vivo effect was evaluated by scratching behavior tests. Crotamiton strongly inhibited histamine-induced calcium influx in HEK293T cells, expressing both histamine receptor 1 (H1R) and transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1), as a model of histamine-induced itching. Similarly, it also blocked chloroquine-induced calcium influx in HEK293T cells, expressing both Mas-related G-protein-coupled receptor A3 (MRGPRA3) and transient receptor potential A1 (TRPA1), as a model of histamine-independent itching. Furthermore, crotamiton also suppressed both histamine- and chloroquine-induced calcium influx in primary cultures of mouse DRG. Additionally, crotamiton strongly suppressed histamine- and chloroquine-induced scratching in mice. Overall, it was found that crotamiton has an anti-pruritic effect against non-scabietic itching by histamine and chloroquine.Therefore, crotamiton may be used as a general anti-pruritic agent, irrespective of the presence of scabies.