PURPOSE: This study aims to investigate the effects of atopic dermatitis on suicidal ideation, plans and attempts in young adult. METHODS: Data are from the Sixth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES VI,2013, 2015) in a sample of 2,983 respondents aged 19 to 39 years. Data were analyzed using Frequency, Percentage, χ2 test, Complex sample multivariate binary logistic regression analysis with SPSS version 18.0 software. RESULTS: Firstly, factors affecting suicidal ideation are gender, education level, smoking, self-reported health status, asthma, depression and stress perception. Factors affecting suicidal plan are education level, self-reported health status, asthma and depression. Lastly, factors affecting suicidal attempt are gender, education level, smoking, self-reported health status, depression and stress perception. Compared to non-atopic group, the prevalence of suicidal ideation and plan of atopic group increased from odds ratio 2.14 to 2.48 and 1.90 to 2.50, respectively. Odds ratio for suicidal attempt was odds ratio 2.69 (10% error level). CONCLUSION: The results show that atopic dermatitis in young adult affects suicidal ideation, plans and attempts. Therefore, it is necessary to identify atopic patients who have suicidal thoughts and plans and develop an intervention program to prevent and manage suicide in young adult.
Asthma ; Depression ; Dermatitis, Atopic* ; Education ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Nutrition Surveys ; Odds Ratio ; Prevalence ; Self-Injurious Behavior ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Suicidal Ideation* ; Suicide ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Young Adult*

Purpose: Smoking is a way of coping with anxiety and stress. This study aimed to identify the effects of forest-thermal combined therapy on anxiety and depression in smokers who desire to quit smoking. Methods: Thirty participants were included in the study, 15 in the experimental group and 15 in the control group. Those in the experimental group participated in a three-day forest-thermal combined therapy program. The program includes forest walks, meditation and thermal therapy in the charcoal kiln. Results: Before and after the program, physiological indicators such as cortisol, heart rate variability, and serotonin anxiety level using the state-trait anxiety inventory (STAI), and stress level using the psychosocial well-being index (PWI) were measured in both groups. The differences in STAI (p = .012) and PWI (p = .006) scores between the experimental and control groups were statistically significant. However, cortisol, heart rate variability, and serotonin were not significantly different between the two groups after the program. Conclusion These results show that forest-thermal combination therapy effectively reduces anxiety and stress in smokers. It suggests that forest-thermal therapy can potentially increase smoking cessation rates.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to examine the impact of alcohol use on the antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence of Koreans living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). METHODS: A total of 144 HIV-infected Koreans older than the age of 19 years who had been receiving antiretroviral drugs for at least 3 months were surveyed. Alcohol use was identified as nonhazardous, binge, hazardous, and alcohol dependent as determined by the Alchol Use Disorder Identification Test-Korea (AUDIT-K). ART adherence was defined according to the components of adherence motivation, adherence knowledge, and 95% medication adherence using the modified Morisky scale. Collected data were analyzed using logistic regression analysis for each component of therapy adherence. RESULTS: Of all participants, 13.9% were binge drinkers, 17.4% were hazardous drinkers, and 4.2% were alcohol dependent. For low adherence motivation, the odds ratio for the hazardous drinkers was 7.47 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.72–32.41; p = .007] and for the alcohol dependent, it was 12.61 (95% CI: 1.38–115.38; p = .025) when compared with the nonhazardous drinkers. For medication adherence under 95%, the odds ratio for binge drinkers was 4.65 (95% CI: 1.15–18.92; p = .032), for hazardous drinkers was 8.05 (95% CI: 2.08–31.20; p = .003), and for the alcohol dependent was 27.67 (95% CI: 2.12–360.51; p = .011). CONCLUSION: It is recommended that Korean institutions and governments develop specific mediation and counseling programs that include alcohol useerelated monitoring for the improvement of the ART adherence of people living with HIV.
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ; Alcoholism ; Counseling ; HIV* ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Medication Adherence ; Motivation ; Negotiating ; Odds Ratio

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of self-care adherence in the elderly with diabetes mellitus (DM) who have lived alone, and to investigate the association between health literacy, diabetic knowledge and self-care adherence. METHODS: Descriptive research using the cross-sectional approach was conducted. Data was collected by using a convenience sampling of 201 participants who aged sixty-five years old or more and have lived alone. Statistical analysis was conducted by using an independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, Scheffé test, Pearson correlation coefficient and stepwise multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: Mean scores of health literacy, diabetic knowledge and adherence of self-care were 4.41±3.54 points out of a possible 12, 6.22±2.55 points out of a possible 15, 58.56±17.28 points out of a possible 112, respectively. Adherence of self-care showed a statistical association with health literacy (r=.26, p<.001) and diabetic knowledge (r=.30, p<.001). Statistically significant factors in the regression model were monthly income, diabetic knowledge and exercise. CONCLUSION: The level of self-care adherence in the elderly with diabetes living alone was relatively low. Diabetic knowledge was an important factor to improve the level of self-care adherence for the elderly with diabetes living alone.
Aged* ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Health Literacy* ; Humans ; Self Care*

BACKGROUND: Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) and deleted in breast cancer 1 (DBC1) are known as tumor suppressor or promoter genes. This may be due to their diverse functions and interaction with other proteins. Gastric adenocarcinoma is one of the most common malignancies, but little is known about its carcinogenesis. Therefore, we investigated the association of immunohistochemical expression of SIRT1, DBC1, p53, and beta-catenin and their variable clinicopathological characteristics. METHODS: We obtained samples from 452 patients who underwent gastrectomy. Tissue microarray blocks were constructed and immonohistochemical staining was performed. RESULTS: Expression of DBC1 and SIRT1 was associated with lower histologic grade, intestinal type of Lauren classification, and lower pT (p<0.001) and pN stage (DBC1, p=0.002; SIRT1, p<0.001). Association between absence of lymphatic invasion, and SIRT1 (p=0.001) and DBC1 (p=0.004) was observed. Cytoplasmic beta-catenin expression was associated with lower histologic grade, pT, pN, tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage, DBC1 (p<0.001), and SIRT1 (p=0.001). Expression of SIRT1 and DBC1 was not associated with p53 (p=0.063 and p=0.060). DBC1 was an independent good prognostic factor in multivariate analysis (p=0.012). CONCLUSIONS: SIRC1 and DBC1 can be considered to be good prognostic factors in gastric adenocarcinoma.
Adenocarcinoma ; beta Catenin ; Breast Neoplasms ; Cytoplasm ; Gastrectomy ; Humans ; Multivariate Analysis ; Proteins ; Sirtuin 1 ; Stomach ; Tumor Suppressor Proteins

ression and quality of life of family caregivers of patients with Parkinson's disease(PD). METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in one neurology outpatient clinic in Seoul, Korea from March to June, 2006. Sixty eight family caregivers of PD patients were participated to the study, using CES-D and SF-36. RESULTS: Mean scores of depression were 16.18+/-8.39 (range: 0-48) and it was a little lower than caregiver's who took care of Dementia patients and were higher than primary caregivers of the patients with Stroke. Time for caregiving, perceived severity, duration of PD were significantly related with depression respectively. Higher ADL scores which mean greater motor disabilities were related to higher caregiver depression. Lower income and greater medical expenditure were closely related with the depression of family caregivers respectively. The mean scores of total QOL were 435.5+/-96.5 and the mean scores of PF, SF, RE and MH were lower than general population. Time for caregiving, depression, patients' ADL scores were significantly associated with QOL respectively. People who were older and had lower educational background showed lower QOL scores respectively. CONCLUSION: Healthcare professionals should pay more attention to emotional aspects of caregivers who take care of PD patients, and develop comprehensive management strategies both for patients and their caregivers.
Activities of Daily Living ; Ambulatory Care Facilities ; Caregivers* ; Delivery of Health Care ; Dementia ; Depression* ; Health Expenditures ; Humans ; Korea* ; Neurology ; Parkinson Disease* ; Quality of Life* ; Seoul ; Stroke

BACKGROUND: Overexpression of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) has been observed in many types of cancer including gastric adenocarcinomas, although the exact role of HSP70 in carcinogenesis remains unclear. METHODS: The study analyzed a total of 458 radical gastrectomy specimens which were immunohistochemically stained with HSP70, p53, and Ki-67 antibodies. RESULTS: The study determined that the expression of HSP70 was significantly increased in early gastric cancer (EGC) compared to advanced gastric cancer (p<0.001). The HSP70 expression was correlated with well-differentiated tumor type, intestinal type of Lauren classification and the lower pT and pN stage. Negative expression of Ki-67 and p53 expression was associated with poor prognosis. The study did not find any correlation between HSP70 and p53 expression. The study determined that HSP70 expression in the EGC subgroup was associated with a poor prognosis (p=0.009), as well as negative Ki-67 expression (p=0.006), but was not associated with p53. Based on multivariate analysis, HSP70 expression (p=0.024), negative expression of Ki-67, invasion depth and lymph node metastasis were determined to be independent prognostic markers. CONCLUSIONS: HSP70 is expressed in the early stages of gastric adenocarcinoma. In EGC, HSP70 is a poor independent prognostic marker and is correlated with a low proliferation index.
Adenocarcinoma ; Gastrectomy ; Heat-Shock Proteins ; Hot Temperature ; HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins ; Ki-67 Antigen ; Lymph Nodes ; Multivariate Analysis ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prognosis ; Stomach Neoplasms

Herpes zoster (HZ), or shingles, is caused by the reactivation of latent varicella-zoster virus (VZV) from the sensory ganglia when VZV-specific T-cell immunity is decreased because of aging or immunosuppression. In the present study, we developed HZ DNA vaccine candidates encoding VZV proteins and cytokine adjuvants, such as IL-7 and IL-33. We immunized C57BL/6 mice with DNA plasmids encoding VZV glycoprotein E (gE), immediate early (IE) 63, or IE62 proteins and found that robust VZV protein-specific T-cell responses were elicited by HZ DNA vaccination. Co-administration of DNA plasmids encoding IL-7 or IL-33 in HZ DNA vaccination significantly enhanced the magnitude of VZV protein-specific T-cell responses. Protective immunity elicited by HZ DNA vaccination was proven by challenge experiments with a surrogate virus, vaccinia virus expressing gE (VV-gE). A single dose of HZ DNA vaccine strongly boosted gE-specific T-cell responses in mice with a history of previous infection by VV-gE. Thus, HZ DNA vaccines with IL-7 and IL-33 adjuvants strongly elicit protective immunity.
Aging ; Animals ; DNA* ; Ganglia, Sensory ; Glycoproteins ; Herpes Zoster* ; Herpesvirus 3, Human ; Immunosuppression ; Interleukin-33* ; Interleukin-7* ; Mice ; Plasmids ; T-Lymphocytes ; Vaccination ; Vaccines, DNA* ; Vaccinia virus

Plexiform angiomyxoid myofibroblastic tumor (PAMT) of the stomach is a recently recognized entity. Because of its rarity, only 22 cases have been reported in the English-language literature and most of these are single case reports. We report two cases of gastric PAMT. The tumor cells were bland and plexiform arranged in a myxoid stroma, which was positive for alcian blue. Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells were positive for smooth muscle actin, but negative for c-kit, CD34, desmin, S-100 protein, epithelial membrane antigen, neurofilament, and protein kinase C-theta. Mutation analyses for exon 9, 11, 13, and 17 of KIT genes and 12, 14, and 18 of the platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRA) genes were performed and the tumors were wild-type for mutation.

Plexiform angiomyxoid myofibroblastic tumor (PAMT) of the stomach is a recently recognized entity. Because of its rarity, only 22 cases have been reported in the English-language literature and most of these are single case reports. We report two cases of gastric PAMT. The tumor cells were bland and plexiform arranged in a myxoid stroma, which was positive for alcian blue. Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells were positive for smooth muscle actin, but negative for c-kit, CD34, desmin, S-100 protein, epithelial membrane antigen, neurofilament, and protein kinase C-theta. Mutation analyses for exon 9, 11, 13, and 17 of KIT genes and 12, 14, and 18 of the platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRA) genes were performed and the tumors were wild-type for mutation.