Non-sugar sweeteners (NSS) are low in calories and can be used in very small amounts. Both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Korea Ministry of Food and Drug Safety have stated that consuming NSS within the recommended dosage is not harmful to human health. Nonetheless, the World Health Organization in its 2023 guidelines on NSS use advised the general population against the consumption of NSS as a means of controlling weight and reducing the risk of chronic diseases, including diabetes. However, there is insufficient evidence regarding the health benefits and potential risks of NSS for patients with diabetes. Given the ongoing debate about the efficacy of NSS, the 2023 clinical guidelines of the Korean Diabetes Association recommend minimizing beverages containing sugar or NSS, although NSS may help reduce sugar intake in the short term. This review aims to explore the latest research on the benefits and risks of NSS for the general population and patients with diabetes.

Non-sugar sweeteners (NSS) are low in calories and can be used in very small amounts. Both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Korea Ministry of Food and Drug Safety have stated that consuming NSS within the recommended dosage is not harmful to human health. Nonetheless, the World Health Organization in its 2023 guidelines on NSS use advised the general population against the consumption of NSS as a means of controlling weight and reducing the risk of chronic diseases, including diabetes. However, there is insufficient evidence regarding the health benefits and potential risks of NSS for patients with diabetes. Given the ongoing debate about the efficacy of NSS, the 2023 clinical guidelines of the Korean Diabetes Association recommend minimizing beverages containing sugar or NSS, although NSS may help reduce sugar intake in the short term. This review aims to explore the latest research on the benefits and risks of NSS for the general population and patients with diabetes.

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the factors influencing nurses’ perceptions of the disclosure of patient safety incidents in tertiary hospitals. Methods: As a descriptive study, data were collected from 315 nurses working in two tertiary hospitals in Busan via structured self-report questionnaires from June 28 to September 3, 2023, through an online survey. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson’s correlation coefficients, and hierarchical regression analysis with SPSS/WIN 27.0. Results: Analysis was conducted by controlling for the characteristics of the study participants, which revealed significant differences in their perceptions of the disclosure of patient safety incidents. Ethical nursing competence (β=.30, p<.001) and patient safety culture (β=.15, p=.012) were significant influencing factors on the perception of such disclosure, and the explanatory power of the regression model was 21.0% (F=14.63, p<.001). Conclusion To enhance the aforementioned perception among nurses in tertiary hospitals, healthcare institutions should provide learning opportunities to improve their ethical nursing competence. Fostering an organizational culture that promotes and encourages open disclosure of patient safety incidents is also essential.

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the factors influencing nurses’ perceptions of the disclosure of patient safety incidents in tertiary hospitals. Methods: As a descriptive study, data were collected from 315 nurses working in two tertiary hospitals in Busan via structured self-report questionnaires from June 28 to September 3, 2023, through an online survey. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson’s correlation coefficients, and hierarchical regression analysis with SPSS/WIN 27.0. Results: Analysis was conducted by controlling for the characteristics of the study participants, which revealed significant differences in their perceptions of the disclosure of patient safety incidents. Ethical nursing competence (β=.30, p<.001) and patient safety culture (β=.15, p=.012) were significant influencing factors on the perception of such disclosure, and the explanatory power of the regression model was 21.0% (F=14.63, p<.001). Conclusion To enhance the aforementioned perception among nurses in tertiary hospitals, healthcare institutions should provide learning opportunities to improve their ethical nursing competence. Fostering an organizational culture that promotes and encourages open disclosure of patient safety incidents is also essential.

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the factors influencing nurses’ perceptions of the disclosure of patient safety incidents in tertiary hospitals. Methods: As a descriptive study, data were collected from 315 nurses working in two tertiary hospitals in Busan via structured self-report questionnaires from June 28 to September 3, 2023, through an online survey. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson’s correlation coefficients, and hierarchical regression analysis with SPSS/WIN 27.0. Results: Analysis was conducted by controlling for the characteristics of the study participants, which revealed significant differences in their perceptions of the disclosure of patient safety incidents. Ethical nursing competence (β=.30, p<.001) and patient safety culture (β=.15, p=.012) were significant influencing factors on the perception of such disclosure, and the explanatory power of the regression model was 21.0% (F=14.63, p<.001). Conclusion To enhance the aforementioned perception among nurses in tertiary hospitals, healthcare institutions should provide learning opportunities to improve their ethical nursing competence. Fostering an organizational culture that promotes and encourages open disclosure of patient safety incidents is also essential.

Non-sugar sweeteners (NSS) are low in calories and can be used in very small amounts. Both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Korea Ministry of Food and Drug Safety have stated that consuming NSS within the recommended dosage is not harmful to human health. Nonetheless, the World Health Organization in its 2023 guidelines on NSS use advised the general population against the consumption of NSS as a means of controlling weight and reducing the risk of chronic diseases, including diabetes. However, there is insufficient evidence regarding the health benefits and potential risks of NSS for patients with diabetes. Given the ongoing debate about the efficacy of NSS, the 2023 clinical guidelines of the Korean Diabetes Association recommend minimizing beverages containing sugar or NSS, although NSS may help reduce sugar intake in the short term. This review aims to explore the latest research on the benefits and risks of NSS for the general population and patients with diabetes.

Purpose: Providing continuous self-care support to the growing diabetes population is challenging. Strategies are needed to enhance engagement in self-care, utilizing innovative technologies for personalized feedback. This study aimed to assess the feasibility of the Automated Personalized Self-Care program among type 2 diabetes patients and evaluate its preliminary effectiveness. Methods: A parallel randomized pilot trial with qualitative interviews occurred from May 3, 2022, to September 27, 2022. Participants aged 40e69 years with type 2 diabetes and HbA1c ! 7.0% were recruited. The three-month program involved automated personalized goal setting, education, monitoring, and feedback. Feasibility was measured by participants' engagement and intervention usability. Preliminary effectiveness was examined through self-care self-efficacy, self-care behaviors, and health outcomes. Qualitative interviews were conducted with the intervention group. Results: A total of 404 patients were screened. Out of the 61 eligible patients, 32 were enrolled, resulting in a recruitment rate of 52.5%. Retention rates at three months were 84.2% and 84.6% in the intervention and control groups, respectively. Among the intervention group, 81.3% satisfied adherence criteria.Mobile application's usability scored 66.25, and participants' satisfaction was 8.06. Intention-to-treat analysis showed improvements in self-measured blood glucose testing, grain intake, and HbA1c in the intervention group. Qualitative content analysis identified nine themes. Conclusion Feasibility of the program was verified. A larger randomized controlled trial is needed to determine its effectiveness in self-care self-efficacy, self-care behaviors, and health outcomes among type 2 diabetes patients. This study offers insights for optimizing future trials assessing clinical effectiveness.

Severe neck pain, worsened by head rotation, may signal atlantoaxial joint involvement, prompting differentiation between inflammatory and mechanical causes. This study challenges conventions by presenting three cases where inflammatory diseases, typically associated with extremities, affect the atlantoaxial joint. Cases involve a 64-year-old woman with crowned dens syndrome (CDS) due to calcium pyrophosphate crystals, a 69-year-old male with septic arthritis at the C1-2 level and an 82-year-old female with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Despite shared severe neck pain, patients with CDS and septic arthritis show notable neck rotation limitations, while the RA patient experiences joint pain without such constraints. Diagnostic methods include cervical computed tomography (CT) for CDS, and various imaging and blood tests for septic arthritis, and American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism criteria (ACR/EULAR) for RA. These cases highlight atypical inflammatory manifestations at the atlantoaxial joint, urging consideration in severe neck pain scenarios.

Background: Current guidelines recommend using nirmatrelvir-ritonavir for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) treatment, but its potential drug interactions and contraindications limit its applicability in certain categories of patients. The aim of the study was to evaluate the real-world effectiveness of molnupiravir and nirmatrelvir-ritonavir in managing COVID-19 among hospitalized patients. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study among hospitalized COVID-19 patients who received molnupiravir or nirmatrelvir-ritonavir and did not require baseline supplemental oxygen from February 2022 to January 2023. We compared the effectiveness of molnupiravir and nirmatrelvir-ritonavir with a focus on disease progression. Results: The study included 401 high-risk, hospitalized adult COVID-19 patients who received molnupiravir or nirmatrelvir-ritonavir. No significant difference was found in disease progression, the composite outcome of disease progression (4.0% vs. 1.4%, P = 0.782), and O2 supplementation via nasal prong (21.8% vs. 14.8%, P = 0.115) between the patients treated with molnupiravir and those treated with nirmatrelvir-ritonavir. This finding was similar after 1:1 propensity-score matching. In the multivariate analysis, molnupiravir treatment was not significantly associated with progression to severe disease. Conclusion In conclusion, our findings suggest that similar to nirmatrelvir-ritonavir, molnupiravir has a distinct potential role in COVID-19 treatment, transcending its current perceived status as only a secondary option.

Non-sugar sweeteners (NSS) are low in calories and can be used in very small amounts. Both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Korea Ministry of Food and Drug Safety have stated that consuming NSS within the recommended dosage is not harmful to human health. Nonetheless, the World Health Organization in its 2023 guidelines on NSS use advised the general population against the consumption of NSS as a means of controlling weight and reducing the risk of chronic diseases, including diabetes. However, there is insufficient evidence regarding the health benefits and potential risks of NSS for patients with diabetes. Given the ongoing debate about the efficacy of NSS, the 2023 clinical guidelines of the Korean Diabetes Association recommend minimizing beverages containing sugar or NSS, although NSS may help reduce sugar intake in the short term. This review aims to explore the latest research on the benefits and risks of NSS for the general population and patients with diabetes.