Objectives: Korea is one of the fastest-aging societies, and a large proportion of its older population lives alone. This study examined the impact of family interaction frequency on the association between living alone and depressive symptoms among older adults aged ≥80 years using nationally representative survey data. Methods: Among the 229 099 participants of the 2019 Korea Community Health Survey, 15 672 participants aged ≥80 years who either lived with close family or lived alone were included in the analysis. Participants living alone were classified according to the frequency of family interaction, ranging from less than once a month to more than once a week. The outcome variable was moderate to severe depressive symptoms, defined as a Patient Health Questionnaire-9 score of ≥10. Results: The prevalence of depressive symptoms was higher among older adults living alone (9.4–14.1%, depending on the frequency of family interaction) than among those living with close family (6.5%). Older adults living alone who interacted with family less than once a month were more likely to report depressive symptoms compared with those living with close family (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.71; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.36 to 2.15). Weekly family interaction mitigated the impact of living alone on the prevalence of depressive symptoms (aOR 1.10; 95% CI, 0.84 to 1.42). The influence of family interaction on the association between living alone and depressive symptoms remained consistent across subgroups of men, women, and those with difficulty in daily activities. Conclusions Encouraging regular interaction among family members could serve as an effective strategy to protect the mental health of older adults.

This study examined sleep-related characteristics among university students and the associations between sleep quality, dietary habits, and diet quality.Three hundred and ninety-three university students (206 men and 187 women) enrolled at universities in the Chungcheong region of Korea participated in this study between November and December 2023. Data on the general characteristics, dietary habits, sleep status, and the Nutrition Quotient (NQ) for adults were collected using a structured questionnaire. The sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index– Korean version (PSQI-K). The participants were classified into a good sleeper group (PSQI-K≤5) and a poor sleeper group (PSQI-K≥6). The dietary habits and NQ scores were compared according to the sleep quality. Compared with good sleepers, poor sleepers had a significantly higher prevalence of eating alone at least once per day (P<0.01) and higher scores for unhealthy dietary behaviors, including overeating, eating quickly, a preference for salty food, skipping meals, and irregular meal timing (P<0.05). Although the total NQ scores and balance and practice domain scores did not differ according to sleep quality, the moderation domain scores were significantly lower among poor sleepers, particularly in men (P<0.05). In conclusion, poor sleep quality among university students was associated with unhealthy dietary habits and lower diet quality related to dietary restraint. These findings highlight the importance of improving sleep quality as a part of health education and dietary intervention programs for university students.

Objectives: This study aimed to examine the current status of foodservice management and nutrition education practices, and the needs for individuals with developmental disabilities in welfare centers in Seoul and Gyeonggi, South Korea, and to compare the differences according to dietitians’ level of understanding of developmental disabilities. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among dietitians working at 65 welfare centers, and data from 45 centers were analyzed. The questionnaire assessed general characteristics, foodservice operations, nutrition education practices, perceived needs, and the understanding of developmental disabilities. Participants were classified into high- (n = 17) and low-understanding (n = 28) groups based on their self-rated understanding of developmental disabilities. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics 29.0 (IBM Corp.). Results: All centers provided one daily meal (lunch), with one cook serving an average of 116 individuals. Only 11.1% of centers implemented nutrition education, primarily limited due to insufficient time and low expectations regarding the effectiveness of nutrition education. Overall, no significant differences were observed between the two groups in most aspects of foodservice management and nutrition education practices, although some specific items showed significant differences. The high-understanding group reported a significantly greater perceived need for nutrition education and placed higher importance on rapport-building and situational response skills. These findings suggest that structural constraints, including staffing, budget, and limited resources, may play a greater role than individual- level understanding in shaping foodservice and nutrition education practices. Conclusion Welfare centers showed limited capacity to provide tailored foodservice and systematic nutrition education for adults with developmental disabilities. Strengthening staffing standards, improving foodservice environments, and developing standardized educational materials that consider communication levels are necessary. Moreover, expanding professional training opportunities for dietitians and establishing institutional support systems are essential to enhance sustainable nutrition education practices.

Objective To observe the effects of Levo-tetrahydropalmatine(l-THP)on the expression,regression and relapse of conditioned place preference(CPP)in ketamine induced rats,and to detect the content of dopamine(DA)in the striatum(caudate putamen,CPu)of the rat brain at different time points.Methods Ketamine addiction rat model was established by CPP.The effects of l-THP on the expression,regression and relapse of ketamine induced rat CPP were investigated using CPP score as the index.The content of DA in CPu of rats was determined by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry(UPLC-MS/MS)after ketamine administration and l-THP intervention at 30 min,60 min,90 min,120 min and 150 min.Results It indicated that 1-THP could decrease the expression of CPP in ketamine induced rats,promote the process of CPP resolution and inhibit the process of relapse.In addition,l-THP combined with ketamine administration significantly inhibited the ketamine-induced increase in DA content in the CPu of the rats.Conclusion The mechanism of l-THP inhibiting the reward effect of ketamine may be related to blocking DA receptors and reducing the release of DA neurotransmitters.l-THP has potential implications for the treatment of ketamine addiction.

Purpose: There is limited information on the clinical characteristics and prognosis of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection during pregnancy. The clinical features and risk factors for hypoxemia development were investigated in pregnant women with coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). Materials and Methods: From August 2020 to February 2022, we performed a retrospective cohort study of 410 pregnant women with COVID-19. The clinical characteristics and prognoses were compared between pregnant COVID-19 patients requiring oxygen and those who did not. Results: Of 410 patients, 100 (24.4%) required oxygen therapy. Among them, fever [163 (52.6%) vs. 81 (81.0%), p<0.001] and cough [172 (56.4%) vs. 73 (73.0%), p=0.003] were more frequently observed than in non-oxygen group. The proportion of unvaccinated women was higher in oxygen group than in non-oxygen group [264 (85.2%) vs. 98 (98.0%), p=0.003]. During the Omicron wave, patients were more likely to have no oxygen requirement [98 (31.6%) vs. 18 (18.0%), p=0.009]. The risk of hypoxemic respiratory difficulty increased if SARS-CoV-2 infection occurred during the third trimester [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 5.083, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.095–23.593, p=0.038] and C-reactive protein (CRP) was elevated (≥1.0 mg/dL) at admission (aOR 5.878, 95% CI:3.099–11.146, p<0.001). The risk was higher in unvaccinated patients (aOR 5.376, 95% CI: 1.193-24.390, p=0.028). However, the risk was lower in patients during the Omicron wave (aOR 0.498, 95% CI: 0.258–0.961, p=0.038). Conclusion A quarter of SARS-CoV-2-infected women developed hypoxemic respiratory difficulty during pregnancy. SARSCoV-2 infection during the third trimester, CRP elevation at admission, and no vaccination increased the risk of hypoxemia in pregnant women.

Fibroadenomas are the most common benign breast tumors in women. Giant juvenile fibroadenomas, which represent about 0.5% to 2% of all fibroadenomas, are a rare variant of these tumors. Giant juvenile fibroadenomas develop between the ages of 11 to 18 years and are usually unilateral and solitary. In the case presented, a 21-year-old woman was found to have multilobular fibroadenomas in both breasts, each with a maximum diameter of over 20 cm. The masses weighed 636 g on the right side and 752 g on the left. The patient underwent nipple-sparing mastectomy and immediate reconstruction with implant insertion in both breasts. This case is notable for the unusual size and shape of the masses, which presented considerable challenges for surgical removal and breast reconstruction. The patient was discharged without postoperative complications and remains under outpatient observation.

Background: With a rapid decrease in tuberculosis (TB) incidence, the significance of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) has been underscored in South Korea. Although South Korea does not have a high proportion of immigrants compared to other countries, there is a growing argument that it should actively embrace immigrants as a solution to address issues of low birth rates and population aging. This study aimed to assess TB incidence among immigrants who participated a pilot LTBI screening program in South Korea. Methods: Records of immigrants participated in a pilot LTBI screening program in South Korea between 2018 and 2019 were linked with Korean National TB Surveillance System to determine TB development. Participants underwent interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) and chest X-rays. Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) stratified by age, country of origin’s TB burden was calculated with a reference group of general South Korean population. Results: Of a total of 9,517 participants, 14 TB cases were identified. Participants with positive IGRA results who did not initiate LTBI treatment showed TB incidence of 312.5 per 100,000 person-years, whereas those with negative results showed TB incidence of 34.4 per 100,000 person-years, resulting in an incidence rate ratio of 9.08 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.50–32.99). SIR of TB among total participants including those with negative IGRA results was 2.60 (95% CI, 1.54–4.38; P < 0.001), whereas SIR among those with positive IGRA results was 5.86 (95% CI, 3.15–10.89; P < 0.001). In the calculation of SIR among participants with positive IGRA results, those aged under 35 from high TB-burden countries or intermediate TBburden countries showed a high SIR (18.08; 95% CI, 2.55–128.37; P = 0.004), and 11.30 (95% CI, 2.82–45.16; P < 0.001), respectively). Contrary to previous reports that suggest the majority of elderly population with a positive IGRA result were due to remote infection and had a lower TB risk compared to younger ages, SIR among those aged 65 or over from intermediate TB-burden countries was 6.15 (95% CI, 0.87–43.69; P = 0.069), which was comparable to that in younger participants aged between 35 and 49 (SIR, 4.87; 95% CI, 1.22–19.49; P = 0.025) or those aged between 50 and 64 (SIR, 4.62; 95% CI, 1.73–12.31; P = 0.002). Conclusion Young immigrants with positive IGRA results from countries with high or intermediate TB burden showed a relatively high TB risk compared to a general South Korea population. In addition, unexpected high TB risk was observed among elderly immigrants with positive IGRA results. In establishing future policies for LTBI in immigrants in South Korea, screenings should primarily focus on younger age group (who aged under 35).Additionally, further research is needed on the high TB risk observed in elderly immigrants.

Objective:To investigate clinical characteristics of and genetic variants in the NF1 gene in children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) .Methods:Clinical data were collected from 22 children with NF1, who were admitted to the Department of Dermatology, Children's Hospital, Capital Institute of Pediatrics from January 2022 to September 2023, and were analyzed. Next-generation sequencing was performed to detect NF1 mutations in the probands, and the variants were verified in the family members by Sanger sequencing. A homology modeling software was used to predict the three-dimensional protein structure, and analyze the characteristics of gene mutations.Results:Among the 22 children with NF1, there were 14 males and 8 females, and they were aged from 3 months to 12 years at the clinic visit. All the 22 children presented with multiple café-au-lait spots, and their age at onset ranged from birth to 2 years. Nine patients were accompanied by freckles in the axillary or inguinal regions, 2 by cutaneous neurofibromas, 2 by juvenile xanthogranuloma, 2 by learning disabilities, and Lisch nodules of the iris, central precocious puberty and scoliosis occurred in 1 case each; 5 cases showed characteristic manifestations of neurofibroma on brain magnetic resonance imaging. A total of 5 types of NF1 gene variants were identified in the 22 patients, including complete heterozygous deletion of the NF1 gene (1 patient), missense variants (4 patients, one of whom carried 2 types of missense variants), frameshift variants (8 patients), nonsense variants (6 patients), and classical splicing variants (3 patients). Among the 22 variants, 7 were unreported variants, including c.758T>A (p.Val253Glu), c.2360dupC (p.Thr788Asnfs*5), c.5513T>G (p.Leu1838*), c.2774dupT (p.Leu925Phefs*11), c.6894dupT (p.Val2299Cysfs*7), c.6882_6883delCT (p.Phe2295Leufs*10), and c.6448A>T (p.Lys2150*). Of the unreported variants, 6 were frameshift or nonsense variants leading to different degrees of truncated protein expression, and severely affecting protein function; based on the three-dimensional protein structure prediction analysis, it was uncertain if the missense variant c.758T>A (p.Val253Glu) affected protein conformation. In 2 children, the NF1 variants were inherited from their mothers; 1 child carried 2 NF1 missense variants, 1 of which was a spontaneous mutation potentially causing the disease, while the other one with unknown pathogenicity was inherited from the phenotypically normal father; the remaining 19 children all carried spontaneous mutations.Conclusions:Children with NF1 mainly present with multiple café-au-lait spots at the early stage, and some characteristic manifestations such as cutaneous neurofibroma, juvenile xanthogranuloma, and Lisch nodules of the iris can also occur. NF1 gene pathogenic variants are complex and diverse, and 22 variants were identified in this study, enriching the spectrum of NF1 gene variants.

Parkinson’s disease (PD) which has various pathological mechanisms, recently, it is attracting attention to the mechanism via microbiome-gut-brain axis. 6-Shogaol, a representative compound of ginger, have been known for improving PD phenotypes by reducing neuroinflammatory responses. In the present study, we investigated whether 6-shogaol and ginger attenuate degeneration induced by Proteus Mirabilis(P. mirabilis) on the intestine and brain, simultaneously. C57BL/6J mice received P. mirabilis for 5 days. Ginger (300 mg/kg) and 6-shogaol (10 mg/kg) were treated by gavage feeding for 22 days including the period of P. mirabilis treatment. Results showed that 6-shogaol and ginger improved motor dysfunction and dopaminergic neuronal death induced by P. mirabilis treatment. In addition, they suppressed P. mirabilis-induced intestinal barrier disruption, pro-inflammatory signals such as toll-like receptor and TNF-α, and intestinal α-synuclein aggregation. Moreover, ginger and 6-shogaol significantly inhibited neuroinflammation and α-synuclein in the brain. Taken together, 6-shogaol and ginger have the potential to ameliorate PD-like motor behavior and degeneration of dopaminergic neurons induced by P. mirabilis in mice. Here, these findings are meaningful in that they provide the first experimental evidence that 6-shogaol might attenuate PD via regulating gut-brain axis.

Background: Various regional analgesia techniques are used to reduce postoperative pain in patients undergoing video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS). This study aimed to determine the relative efficacy of regional analgesic interventions for VATS using a network meta-analysis (NMA). Methods: We searched the Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane Controlled Trial Register, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases to identify all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared the analgesic effects of the following interventions: control, thoracic paravertebral block (TPVB), erector spinae plane block (ESPB), serratus plane block (SPB), and intercostal nerve block (INB). The primary outcome was opioid consumption during the first 24-h postoperative period. Pain scores were also collected during three different postoperative periods: the early (0–6 h), middle (6–18 h), and late (18–24 h) periods. Results: A total of 21 RCTs (1391 patients) were included. TPVB showed the greatest effect on opioid consumption compared with the control (mean difference [MD] = −13.2 mg; 95% CI [−16.2, −10.1]). In terms of pain scores in the early period, ESPB had the greatest effect compared to control (MD = −1.6; 95% CI [−2.3, −0.9]). In the middle and late periods, pain scores showed that TPVB, ESPB and INB had superior analgesic effects compared to controls, while SPB did not. Conclusions TPVB had the best analgesic efficacy following VATS, though the analgesic efficacy of ESPBs was comparable. However, further studies are needed to determine the optimal regional analgesia technique to improve postoperative pain control following VATS.