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: The aim of this study was to identify the mediating effect of psychological capital on the relationship between stress and college adjustment in nursing students. Methods: This study was conducted using a descriptive, cross-sectional design. A sample of 284 nursing students was recruited from various South Korean universities. Data were collected through an online survey conducted from October 2021 to February 2022. The questionnaire used in this study included the Revised Life Stress Scale for College Students, the Psychological Capital Scale, the College Adjustment Scale, and general characteristics of nursing students. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 25.0 and PROCESS macro version 4.1. Results: Stress exhibited significant direct and total effects on college adjustment. Additionally, psychological capital, the mediating variable, had a significant direct effect on college adjustment. Moreover, the indirect effect of stress on college adjustment through psychological capital was significant. Conclusion It is necessary to develop strategies to strengthen nursing students’ psychological capital to reduce stress and facilitate successful college adjustment.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify the mediating effect of psychological capital on the relationship between stress and college adjustment in nursing students. Methods: This study was conducted using a descriptive, cross-sectional design. A sample of 284 nursing students was recruited from various South Korean universities. Data were collected through an online survey conducted from October 2021 to February 2022. The questionnaire used in this study included the Revised Life Stress Scale for College Students, the Psychological Capital Scale, the College Adjustment Scale, and general characteristics of nursing students. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 25.0 and PROCESS macro version 4.1. Results: Stress exhibited significant direct and total effects on college adjustment. Additionally, psychological capital, the mediating variable, had a significant direct effect on college adjustment. Moreover, the indirect effect of stress on college adjustment through psychological capital was significant. Conclusion It is necessary to develop strategies to strengthen nursing students’ psychological capital to reduce stress and facilitate successful college adjustment.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify the mediating effect of psychological capital on the relationship between stress and college adjustment in nursing students. Methods: This study was conducted using a descriptive, cross-sectional design. A sample of 284 nursing students was recruited from various South Korean universities. Data were collected through an online survey conducted from October 2021 to February 2022. The questionnaire used in this study included the Revised Life Stress Scale for College Students, the Psychological Capital Scale, the College Adjustment Scale, and general characteristics of nursing students. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 25.0 and PROCESS macro version 4.1. Results: Stress exhibited significant direct and total effects on college adjustment. Additionally, psychological capital, the mediating variable, had a significant direct effect on college adjustment. Moreover, the indirect effect of stress on college adjustment through psychological capital was significant. Conclusion It is necessary to develop strategies to strengthen nursing students’ psychological capital to reduce stress and facilitate successful college adjustment.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify the mediating effect of psychological capital on the relationship between stress and college adjustment in nursing students. Methods: This study was conducted using a descriptive, cross-sectional design. A sample of 284 nursing students was recruited from various South Korean universities. Data were collected through an online survey conducted from October 2021 to February 2022. The questionnaire used in this study included the Revised Life Stress Scale for College Students, the Psychological Capital Scale, the College Adjustment Scale, and general characteristics of nursing students. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 25.0 and PROCESS macro version 4.1. Results: Stress exhibited significant direct and total effects on college adjustment. Additionally, psychological capital, the mediating variable, had a significant direct effect on college adjustment. Moreover, the indirect effect of stress on college adjustment through psychological capital was significant. Conclusion It is necessary to develop strategies to strengthen nursing students’ psychological capital to reduce stress and facilitate successful college adjustment.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study is to assess cognitive functions and their relationship with sleep symptoms in young narcoleptic patients. METHODS: Eighteen young narcolepsy patients and 18 normal controls (age: 17-35 years old) were recruited. All narcolepsy patients had HLA DQB1 *0602 allele and cataplexy. Several important areas of cognition were assessed by a battery of neuropsychological tests consisting of 13 tests: executive functions (e.g. cognitive set shifting, inhibition, and selective attention) through Wisconsin card sorting test, Trail Making A/B, Stroop test, Ruff test, Digit Symbol, Controlled Oral Word Association and Boston Naming Test; alertness and sustained attention through paced auditory serial addition test; verbal/nonverbal short-term memory and working memory through Digit Span and Spatial Span; visuospatial memory through Rey-Osterrieth complex figure test; verbal learning and memory through California verbal learning test; and fine motor activity through grooved pegboard test. Sleep symptoms in narcolepsy patients were assessed with Epworth sleepiness scale, Ullanlinna narcolepsy scale, multiple sleep latency test, and nocturnal polysomnography. Relationship between cognitive functions and sleep symptoms in narcolepsy patients was also explored. RESULTS: Compared with normal controls, narcolepsy patients showed poor performance in paced auditory serial addition (2.0 s and 2.4 s), digit symbol tests, and spatial span (forward) (t=3.86, p< 0.01; t=-2.47, p=0.02; t=-3.95, p< 0.01; t=-2.22, p=0.03, respectively). There were no significant between-group differences in other neuropsychological tests. In addition, results of neuropsychological test in narcolepsy patients were not correlated with Epworth sleepiness scale score, Ullanlinna narcolepsy scale score and sleep variables in multiple sleep latency test or nocturnal polysomnography. CONCLUSION: The current findings suggest that young narcolepsy patients have impaired attention. In addition, impairment of attention in narcolepsy might not be solely due to sleep symptoms such as excessive daytime sleepiness.
Alleles ; California ; Cataplexy ; Cognition ; Executive Function ; Humans ; Memory ; Memory, Short-Term ; Motor Activity ; Narcolepsy* ; Neuropsychological Tests ; Polysomnography ; Stroop Test ; Trail Making Test ; Verbal Learning ; Wisconsin

Immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4 RD) is a systemic immune-mediated inflammatory disease that presents as multiple organ dysfunction or mass lesions with lympho-plasmacytic infiltration. However, there are few case reports presenting central nervous system involvements. Herein, we report a case of a 70-year-old man with recurrent ischemic stroke which induced by IgG4 RD. IgG4 RD should be considered and treated as one of etiologies manifesting small vessel disease infarctions, especially when it occurs multiply and recurrently.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to develop evidence- and consensus-based clinical safety usage guidelines for sedative hypnotics using the Delphi technique. METHODS: A group of 15 sleep experts from Korean Academy of Sleep Medicine were chosen for this study comprising a three-round web-based Delphi survey. The first round survey was composed of 39 questions to identify problems with sedative hypnotics usage in Korean clinical practice and the result roughly outlined what should be included in the guidelines. The second round survey was composed of 21 questions to collect specific opinions of experts on clinically important issues in prescribing sedative hypnotics, and its result provided the basis for the guidelines. A third round survey aimed to evaluate the reliability and validity of the established guidelines. RESULTS: In the third round, all 17 items showed a median of 4 or more, with an average of 4.12 and a standard deviation of 0.32. Thus we present safety usage guidelines with 13 propositions for prescription, maintenance, and withdrawal of sedative hypnotics. CONCLUSION The safety usage guidelines on sedative hypnotics developed from this study could lead to safe and effective prescription of hypnotics in clinical practice, especially for the non-experts in sleep medicine. Furthermore, the guidelines will help to improve the quality of insomnia treatment by contributing to the establishment of a safe regime for sedative hypnotics without excessive use of drugs.

The global older adult population is rapidly growing, intensifying the burden of elderly care. To alleviate this challenge of an aging society, interventions utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) technology are becoming widespread. This review aimed to examine the effects of AI robot interventions on the psychological outcomes of community-dwelling older adults through a systematic literature review. Methods: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) method was employed to identify and select relevant studies. Seven electronic databases were thoroughly searched for eligible studies from June 1st to 30th, 2023. Methodological quality was assessed using RoB 2.0 or RoBANS 2. Results: Thirteen studies (five randomized controlled trials and eight quasi-experimental studies) were selected in the systematic review. Among the selected studies, eight provided AI robot interventions individually, whereas five used a group format, primarily addressing older adults with cognitive impairment or dementia. Depression was the most frequently addressed psychological outcome, with six of ten studies reporting significant effects. Additionally, five studies each highlighted significant effects on emotions, such as positive expressiveness and enjoyment. However, quality of life, anxiety, and loneliness revealed divergent results. Conclusion: AI robots show potential in alleviating psychological challenges for older adults. However, due to the scarcity of high-quality studies, the review recommends conducting more randomized controlled trials with rigorous designs. This review is expected to provide valuable insights for planning and executing AI robot interventions to improve psychological outcomes for community-dwelling older adults in future research.

Background: Although menopause is considered a risk factor for depression, no association has been established between the risk of suicidal ideation and age at menopause. This study aimed to evaluate the association between age at menopause and suicidal ideation in middleaged menopausal Korean women. Methods: This cross-sectional study used data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2013–2018). Women aged 40–65 years were divided into the following three categories: primary ovarian insufficiency (POI), early menopause, and menopause, according to age at natural menopause (< 40, 40–45, and > 45 years, respectively). Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Results: Among 2,232 menopausal women, 25 (1.1%) experienced POI and 114 (5.1%) experienced early menopause. The PHQ-9 items that pertained to low self-esteem and suicidal ideation scored higher in women with POI than in those who experienced menopause after 45 years of age. The prevalence of suicidal ideation differed significantly according to age at menopause (POI, 30.0%; early menopause, 12.7%; menopause, 8.0%; P = 0.016). Logistic regression analysis revealed that POI was significantly associated with suicidal ideation after the adjustment for age, body mass index, and education, household income, and walking levels (odds ratio, 4.2; 95% confidence interval, 1.0–17.7). Conclusion Korean middle-aged women with POI were more likely to have suicidal ideation than those who experienced menopause at 45 years or above, despite not being diagnosed with major depressive disorder.