OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of self-esteem as a moderator of the factors influencing suicidality among middle-schoolers. METHODS: Moderated multiple regression analysis was applied to assess the influence of happiness, depression, and hostility on suicidality and to determine the degree to which self-esteem served as a moderator of those relationships. Data were collected from 268 students at a middle school in Busan, Korea, using a self-administered structured questionnaire. RESULTS: Happiness, depression, and hostility had significant direct effects on suicidality. Self-esteem showed no direct effect, but had a significant moderating effect on the relationship between hostility and suicidal behavior. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that various interventions, such as counseling programs, should be designed to alleviate hostility and depression and to enhance happiness and self-esteem among early adolescents.
Adolescent ; Busan ; Counseling ; Depression ; Happiness ; Hostility ; Humans ; Korea

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of self-esteem as a moderator of the factors influencing suicidality among middle-schoolers. METHODS: Moderated multiple regression analysis was applied to assess the influence of happiness, depression, and hostility on suicidality and to determine the degree to which self-esteem served as a moderator of those relationships. Data were collected from 268 students at a middle school in Busan, Korea, using a self-administered structured questionnaire. RESULTS: Happiness, depression, and hostility had significant direct effects on suicidality. Self-esteem showed no direct effect, but had a significant moderating effect on the relationship between hostility and suicidal behavior. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that various interventions, such as counseling programs, should be designed to alleviate hostility and depression and to enhance happiness and self-esteem among early adolescents.

The teeth are the hardest structures in the body and can be a biomarker of aging. The aging process and degenerative changes in the teeth are helpful for estimation of age in adults. One of the best-known features of dental aging is a reduction in the size of the pulp chamber as a result of secondary deposition of dentin. In this study, we developed new regression models to estimate chronological age in Korean adults using the mandibular first molars to examine the relationship between age and pulp cavity size on intraoral radiographs. Intraoral periapical digital radiographs of the mandibular first molars were collected from 243 patients (147 male, 96 female) of known age. The radiographic images were analyzed by using the Adobe Photoshop CS5 image editing program. The pulp chamber height ratio (PCHR), pulp chamber width ratio (PCWR) were calculated and found to have a significant negative correlation with age. The correlation was consistently higher for PCHR than for PCWR. The strongest correlation was found for PCHR in female patients (r=−0.824). Multiple regression models were derived using the PCHR and PCWR. The determination coefficients (R²) of the models ranged from 0.660 to 0.730. Our results indicate that the measurement of pulp chamber height and width in the mandibular first molar is a practical, simple and reliable method for estimation of age in Korean adults.
Adult ; Age Determination by Teeth ; Aging ; Dental Pulp Cavity ; Dentin ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Methods ; Molar ; Radiography ; Tooth

The teeth are the hardest structures in the body and can be a biomarker of aging. The aging process and degenerative changes in the teeth are helpful for estimation of age in adults. One of the best-known features of dental aging is a reduction in the size of the pulp chamber as a result of secondary deposition of dentin. In this study, we developed new regression models to estimate chronological age in Korean adults using the mandibular first molars to examine the relationship between age and pulp cavity size on intraoral radiographs. Intraoral periapical digital radiographs of the mandibular first molars were collected from 243 patients (147 male, 96 female) of known age. The radiographic images were analyzed by using the Adobe Photoshop CS5 image editing program. The pulp chamber height ratio (PCHR), pulp chamber width ratio (PCWR) were calculated and found to have a significant negative correlation with age. The correlation was consistently higher for PCHR than for PCWR. The strongest correlation was found for PCHR in female patients (r=−0.824). Multiple regression models were derived using the PCHR and PCWR. The determination coefficients (R²) of the models ranged from 0.660 to 0.730. Our results indicate that the measurement of pulp chamber height and width in the mandibular first molar is a practical, simple and reliable method for estimation of age in Korean adults.

Age estimation is important in the practice of forensic science to establish the identity of human remains, as well as with living persons. Particularly in Korea, age estimation in adults has been increase in the demand for incorrect birth records in order to be entitled to civil liability, social benefits, employment. The reduction of pulp cavity size as a result of secondary dentin deposit with increasing age could be used to estimate age. This regressive change can be analyzed using radiological techniques; thus, a variety of methods for dental age estimation based on this approach have been proposed. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the concurrence between the Drusini's method and the Jeon's method using the mandibular first molar on orthopantomographs (OPGs) in Korean adults. A total of 232 OPGs (91 females and 141 males) of Korean individuals with ages ranging from 20 to 69 years were analyzed using Drusini's method and Jeon's method. Our results revealed that the correlation of the two methods with age was statistically significant (r=0.501). Both Drusini's method and Jeon's method showed significant correlation with chronological age, and Jeon's method showed a greater correlation with chronological age (r=0.738) than Drusini's method (r=0.586). The mean absolute error was 7.99 years for Jeon's method and 9.79 years for Drusini's method. Our results demonstrate that Jeon's method using the mandibular first molar on OPGs is a practical and suitable method for age estimation in Korean adults.
Adult* ; Age Determination by Teeth ; Birth Certificates ; Dentin ; Dentin, Secondary ; Employment ; Female ; Forensic Sciences ; Humans ; Korea ; Methods* ; Molar* ; Radiography

OBJECTIVE: We used data from the 2010 to 2012 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys to investigate whether the age at menopause is related to age at last delivery. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study of the data for 714 women who became menopausal within the 3 years preceding the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. RESULTS: Smoking, exercise, drink, educational level, and income were adjusted in model 1, and the mean ages at menopause were 50.5±0.3, 51.2±0.2, 51.2±0.3, and 50.2±0.4 years for women with <25, ≥25 and <30, ≥30 and <35, ≥35 years age at last delivery, respectively (P=0.049). Smoking, exercise, drink, educational level, income, age at first delivery, age at last delivery, and gravidity were adjusted in model 2, and the respective mean ages at menopause were 50.5±0.5, 50.7±0.4, 50.3±0.4, and 49.2±0.5 years (P=0.03). In both models, older age at last delivery showed higher age at menopause compared with women with younger age at last delivery. CONCLUSION: Korean women with older age at last delivery were associated with younger age at menopause. Increased number of pregnancies was related to older age at menopause.
Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Gravidity ; Humans ; Korea* ; Menopause* ; Nutrition Surveys* ; Pregnancy ; Smoke ; Smoking

We experienced a case of micropapillary lung adenocarcinoma with aerogenous spread in a patient who was suspected of having interstitial pneumonia. To our knowledge, our case has not been described in the Korean literature. Our case indicates that clinicians cannot rule out the possibility of micropapillary lung adenocarcinoma with aerogenous spread in patients with a persistent presence of lesions in the lower left lung.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Humans ; Lung Diseases, Interstitial ; Lung* ; Pneumonia

Pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis is an uncommon diffuse cystic lung disease in adults. In rare cases, it can involve extrapulmonary organs and lead to endocrine abnormalities such as central diabetes insipidus. A 42-year-old man presented with polyphagia and polydipsia, as well as a dry cough and dyspnea on exertion. Magnetic resonance imaging of the hypothalamic-pituitary system failed to show the posterior pituitary, which is a typical finding in patients with central diabetes insipidus. This condition was confirmed by a water deprivation test, and the patient was also found to have type 2 diabetes mellitus. Computed tomographic scanning of the lungs revealed multiple, irregularly shaped cystic lesions and small nodules bilaterally, with sparing of the costophrenic angles. Lung biopsy through video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery revealed pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis. On a follow-up visit, only 1 year after the patient had quit smoking, clinical and radiological improvement was significant. Here, we report an uncommon case of pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis that simultaneously presented with diabetes insipidus and diabetes mellitus.
Adult* ; Biopsy ; Cough ; Diabetes Insipidus ; Diabetes Insipidus, Neurogenic* ; Diabetes Mellitus* ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Dyspnea ; Follow-Up Studies ; Histiocytosis, Langerhans-Cell* ; Humans ; Lung ; Lung Diseases ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male* ; Polydipsia ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Smoking Cessation ; Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted ; Water Deprivation

PURPOSE: The adult tetanus, reduced diphtheria, and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccine has been introduced in order to provide individual protection and reduce the risk of transmitting pertussis to infants. We assessed the knowledge and acceptability of the Tdap vaccine around pregnancy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was a cross-sectional survey of women of childbearing age (20-45 years) who visited obstetrics and gynecologic units of primary, secondary, or tertiary hospitals. They were asked to fill in a questionnaire assessing their knowledge, attitudes, and acceptability of Tdap. RESULTS: The questionnaire was completed by 308 women; 293 (95.1%) had not received information from doctors about Tdap, and 250 (81.2%) did not know about the need for vaccination. A significantly important factor related to subjects' intention to be vaccinated, identified by stepwise multiple logistic regression, was the knowledge (OR 13.5, CI 3.92-46.33) that adult Tdap is effective in preventing pertussis for infants aged 0-6 months. Additionally, 276 (89.6%) considered the recommendation of obstetric doctors as the most influencing factor about Tdap vaccination. CONCLUSION: In Korea, most women of childbearing age seem to be neither recommended nor adequately informed about the vaccination, although our population was not a nationwide representative sample. Information given by healthcare workers may be critical for improving awareness and preventing pertussis.
Adult ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Diphtheria ; Diphtheria-Tetanus-acellular Pertussis Vaccines/*administration & dosage ; Female ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice/*ethnology ; Humans ; Immunization/*statistics & numerical data ; Infant ; Logistic Models ; Multivariate Analysis ; Patient Acceptance of Health Care/*ethnology/statistics & numerical data ; Pregnancy ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Risk ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Tetanus ; Vaccination ; Whooping Cough/diagnosis/ethnology

Radiation-induced hemorrhagic gastritis is an intractable and dangerous condition. We describe a 59-year-old female patient with radiation-induced hemorrhagic gastritis. The patient underwent postoperative radiation therapy with a dose of 54 Gy in 30 fractions after a radical operation for a Klatskin tumor. Radiation volume included the gastric antrum. Approximately three months after radiation therapy, she was admitted for melena and anemia. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy showed an area of bleeding in the gastric antrum that was so diffuse that effective laser coagulation was not feasible. After failure of various treatments and transfusion of 7,040 mL of packed red blood cells, we successfully stopped the hemorrhage using oral prednisolone treatment. Based on this case, we think that oral prednisolone treatment can be tried as a first treatment for potentially life-threatening radiation-induced hemorrhagic gastritis.
Anemia ; Endoscopy, Digestive System ; Erythrocytes ; Female ; Gastritis* ; Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Klatskin's Tumor ; Laser Coagulation ; Melena ; Middle Aged ; Prednisolone* ; Pyloric Antrum