BACKGROUND: Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is a relatively recently identified respiratory virus that induces respiratory symptoms similar to those of respiratory syncytial virus infection in children. The characteristics of hMPV-infected adults are unclear because few cases have been reported. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of hospitalized adult patients with a positive multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction assay result from 2012 to 2016 at a single tertiary referral hospital in South Korea. We analyzed clinical characteristics of the enrolled patients and divided patients into an acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) group and a non-ARDS group. RESULTS: In total, 110 adults were reviewed in this study. Their mean age was 61.4 years, and the majority (n = 105, 95.5%) had comorbidities or were immunocompromised. Most of the patients had pneumonia on chest X-ray (n = 88, 93.6%), 22 (20.0%) had ARDS, and 12 (10.9%) expired during hospitalization. The mortality rate for patients with ARDS was higher than that of the other patients (36.4% vs. 5.7%, P = 0.001). The risk factor for hMPV-associated ARDS was heart failure (odds ratio, 5.24; P = 0.044) and laboratory values were increased blood urea nitrogen and increased C-reactive protein. The acquisition site of infection was divided into community vs. nosocomial; 43 patients (39.1%) had a nosocomial infection. The risk factors for nosocomial infection were an immunocompromised state, malignancy and immunosuppressive treatment. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that hMPV is one of the important respiratory pathogens important respiratory pathogen that causes pneumonia/ARDS in elderly, immunocompromised individuals and that it may be transmitted via the nosocomial route.
Adult* ; Aged ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; C-Reactive Protein ; Child ; Comorbidity ; Cross Infection ; Heart Failure ; Hospitalization ; Humans* ; Korea ; Metapneumovirus* ; Mortality* ; Pneumonia ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult* ; Respiratory Syncytial Viruses ; Retrospective Studies* ; Risk Factors ; Tertiary Care Centers ; Thorax

Purpose: To investigate effects of client violence and supervision on burnout of mental health professionals working in communities. Methods: This was a descriptive study. Data from 170 participants were collected through a self-reported online survey using a convenience sampling method. The survey was conducted from November 2023 to March 2024. Results: Multiple regression analysis revealed that client violence (β=.22, p=.006) was a predictor of burnout, whereas supervision had no significant effect. Conclusion Findings of this study revealed that factors exacerbating burnout, such as client violence, significantly affected the burnout of community mental health professionals. In contrast, factors mitigating burnout, such as supervision, did not have a significant impact. Accordingly, strategies aimed at mitigating and eliminating factors that contribute to increased burnout must be prioritized to alleviate burnout among professionals working in community mental health facilities.

Purpose: To investigate effects of client violence and supervision on burnout of mental health professionals working in communities. Methods: This was a descriptive study. Data from 170 participants were collected through a self-reported online survey using a convenience sampling method. The survey was conducted from November 2023 to March 2024. Results: Multiple regression analysis revealed that client violence (β=.22, p=.006) was a predictor of burnout, whereas supervision had no significant effect. Conclusion Findings of this study revealed that factors exacerbating burnout, such as client violence, significantly affected the burnout of community mental health professionals. In contrast, factors mitigating burnout, such as supervision, did not have a significant impact. Accordingly, strategies aimed at mitigating and eliminating factors that contribute to increased burnout must be prioritized to alleviate burnout among professionals working in community mental health facilities.

Purpose: To investigate effects of client violence and supervision on burnout of mental health professionals working in communities. Methods: This was a descriptive study. Data from 170 participants were collected through a self-reported online survey using a convenience sampling method. The survey was conducted from November 2023 to March 2024. Results: Multiple regression analysis revealed that client violence (β=.22, p=.006) was a predictor of burnout, whereas supervision had no significant effect. Conclusion Findings of this study revealed that factors exacerbating burnout, such as client violence, significantly affected the burnout of community mental health professionals. In contrast, factors mitigating burnout, such as supervision, did not have a significant impact. Accordingly, strategies aimed at mitigating and eliminating factors that contribute to increased burnout must be prioritized to alleviate burnout among professionals working in community mental health facilities.

Purpose: To investigate effects of client violence and supervision on burnout of mental health professionals working in communities. Methods: This was a descriptive study. Data from 170 participants were collected through a self-reported online survey using a convenience sampling method. The survey was conducted from November 2023 to March 2024. Results: Multiple regression analysis revealed that client violence (β=.22, p=.006) was a predictor of burnout, whereas supervision had no significant effect. Conclusion Findings of this study revealed that factors exacerbating burnout, such as client violence, significantly affected the burnout of community mental health professionals. In contrast, factors mitigating burnout, such as supervision, did not have a significant impact. Accordingly, strategies aimed at mitigating and eliminating factors that contribute to increased burnout must be prioritized to alleviate burnout among professionals working in community mental health facilities.

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to better understand the illness experiences and palliative care needs in community-dwelling persons with cardiometabolic diseases. METHODS: This qualitative descriptive study was conducted with 11 patients (and three family members) among 28 patients contacted. Interviews were led by the principal investigator in her office or at participants' home depending on their preference. All interviews were digitally recorded and transcribed by a research assistant. The interviews were analyzed by two independent researchers using a conventional method. RESULTS: Participants' ages ranged from 42 to 82 years (nine men and two women). Three themes were identified: (1) same disease, but different illness experiences; (2) I am in charge of my disease(s); (3) preparation for disease progression. Participants were informed of the name of their disease when they were diagnosed, but not provided with explanation of the diagnosis or meant or how to do self-care to delay the disease progression, which increased the feelings of uncertainty, hopelessness and anxiety. Taking medication was considered to be the primary treatment option and self-care a supplemental one. Advanced care plans were considered when they felt the progression of their disease(s) while refraining from sharing it with their family or health care professionals to save their concerns. All participants were willing to withhold life-sustaining treatment without making any preparation in writing. CONCLUSION: Education on self-care and advanced care planning should be provided to community-dwelling persons with cardiometabolic diseases. A patient-centered education program needs to be developed for this population.
Anxiety ; Chronic Disease ; Delivery of Health Care ; Diagnosis ; Disease Progression ; Education ; Humans ; Independent Living ; Male ; Methods ; Palliative Care ; Qualitative Research ; Research Personnel ; Self Care ; Uncertainty ; Writing

Background: Although numerous studies have indicated that lower levels of physical activity correlate with a higher risk of depression, an association between the type of physical activity and depression has not been identified in Korea. This study aimed to examine whether the type and intensity of physical activity are associated with depression in Korean adults. Methods: This cross-sectional study used data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). A total of 11,679 individuals were analyzed using multiple logistic regression analyses to identify any association between the type of physical activity and depressive disorders in the sample subjects. Results: Measured weekly in units of energy expenditure, known as metabolic equivalents (METs), the amount of work-related physical activity was higher in individuals with depression according to the Patient Health Questionnaire- 9 than the participants without depression (386.7 vs. 206.7 MET-min/wk, P=0.01). Those diagnosed with depression tended to engage in less recreational activity per week (143.7 vs. 316.3 MET-min/wk, P<0.001) than those without depression. After controlling for covariates, the risk of depression among all participants was 1.012 times higher with a 100-unit increase in total work-related activity measured in METs (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.006–1.017; P<0.001) and 0.962 times lower with a 100-unit increase in total leisure activity measured in METs (95% CI, 0.937–0.987; P=0.003). Conclusion Different types of physical activity were shown to be differently associated with depressive disorders in Korean adults. This study might guide in reducing work-related physical activity and increasing leisure activity to prevent the occurrence of depression.

27-Hydroxycholesterol (27OHChol), a prominent cholesterol metabolite present in the bloodstream and peripheral tissues, is a kind of immune oxysterol that elicits immune response. Recent research indicates the involvement of 27OHChol in metabolic inflammation (meta-inflammation) characterized by chronic responses associated with metabolic irregularities. 27OHChol activates monocytic cells such that they secrete pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, and increase the expression of cell surface molecules such as pattern-recognition receptors that play key roles in immune cell-cell communication and sensing metabolism-associated danger signals. Levels of 27OHChol increase when cholesterol metabolism is disrupted, and the resulting inflammatory responses can contribute to the development and complications of metabolic syndrome, including obesity, insulin resistance, and cardiovascular diseases. Since 27OHChol can induce chronic immune response by activating monocyte-macrophage lineage cells that play a crucial role in meta-inflammation, it is essential to understand the 27OHChol-induced inflammatory responses to unravel the roles and mechanisms of action of this cholesterol metabolite in chronic metabolic disorders.

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) is rare, soft tissue, spindle cell sarcoma of an ectomesenchymal origin. MPNSTs frequently occur in the extremities and trunk, whereas there has been only one previous report of MPNST originated from the pancreas. A 55-yr-old previously healthy man was admitted for a pancreas head mass, which was detected during a routine health inspection. Fine needle aspiration biopsy showed atypical cells that were suspicious for malignancy. On open exploration, a 2.6cm sized hypervascular well capsulated mass was seen between the duodenal first portion and the pancreas head, and so enucleation was performed. The tumor was composed with spindle cells without a typical storiform pattern and the cells were positive for mesenchymal antigen, S-100 and vimentin, whereas they were negative for epithelial membrane antigen and cytokeratin. It was concluded that the tumor was a MPNST with perineural cell differentiation. Primary MPNST of the pancreas is extremely rare and performing immunohistochemical staining is necessary for making its diagnosis.
Biopsy ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Cell Differentiation ; Extremities ; Head ; Keratins ; Mucin-1 ; Nerve Sheath Neoplasms ; Pancreas ; Peripheral Nerves ; Sarcoma ; Vimentin

Purpose: This study aims to investigate factors associated with depression during Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) quarantine. Methods: An online survey was done to assess depression of the individuals living in Seoul, who were under quarantine due to COVID-19 between October and December 2020. A total of 1,139 individuals were included in our analysis. Logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate factors contributing to depression during COVID-19 quarantine. Results: The prevalence of depression among the participants was 8.5% (women 11.1%, men 5.8%). Our regression analyses showed that pre-existing depression, women, perceived support, correct understanding of the rationale for quarantine, and understanding of quarantine instructions were significantly associated with the likelihood of depression during quarantine due to COVID-19. Conclusion The findings suggest that it is necessary to develop and implement a preemptive measure focusing on vulnerable groups such as women or people with pre-existing depression to prevent depression during quarantine. In addition, this study confirmed that active and efficient communication by the health authorities is essential to better understand the purpose and instructions of quarantine, which is also effective in preventing depressive symptoms during quarantine.