Purpose: To analyze prognostic factors for morphological and functional recovery after vitrectomy in patients with idiopathic epiretinal membrane (ERM). Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients with ERM who underwent vitrectomy. Postoperative outcomes were evaluated in terms of functional and morphological changes, assessing best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central macular thickness (CMT) after 6 months. Logistic regression was used to identify factors influencing postoperative outcomes. Results: This study included 77 patients (35.1% men). Thirty-eight patients underwent combined vitrectomy and cataract surgery. Logistic regression revealed that better preoperative BCVA was associated with improved postoperative BCVA (p = 0.002). Among the 38 eyes that underwent combined surgery, longer preoperative axial length was linked to better visual outcomes in univariate analysis (p = 0.043), although the association was not statistically significant in multivariate analysis (p = 0.064). Younger age and thinner preoperative CMT were associated with better morphological outcomes (p = 0.034 and p = 0.001, respectively). Conclusions Preoperative BCVA, age, preoperative CMT, and axial length are predictive factors for functional and morphological outcomes after vitrectomy in patients with ERM. These findings may facilitate treatment planning and prognosis prediction before surgery.

Purpose: To analyze prognostic factors for morphological and functional recovery after vitrectomy in patients with idiopathic epiretinal membrane (ERM). Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients with ERM who underwent vitrectomy. Postoperative outcomes were evaluated in terms of functional and morphological changes, assessing best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central macular thickness (CMT) after 6 months. Logistic regression was used to identify factors influencing postoperative outcomes. Results: This study included 77 patients (35.1% men). Thirty-eight patients underwent combined vitrectomy and cataract surgery. Logistic regression revealed that better preoperative BCVA was associated with improved postoperative BCVA (p = 0.002). Among the 38 eyes that underwent combined surgery, longer preoperative axial length was linked to better visual outcomes in univariate analysis (p = 0.043), although the association was not statistically significant in multivariate analysis (p = 0.064). Younger age and thinner preoperative CMT were associated with better morphological outcomes (p = 0.034 and p = 0.001, respectively). Conclusions Preoperative BCVA, age, preoperative CMT, and axial length are predictive factors for functional and morphological outcomes after vitrectomy in patients with ERM. These findings may facilitate treatment planning and prognosis prediction before surgery.

Purpose: To analyze prognostic factors for morphological and functional recovery after vitrectomy in patients with idiopathic epiretinal membrane (ERM). Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients with ERM who underwent vitrectomy. Postoperative outcomes were evaluated in terms of functional and morphological changes, assessing best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central macular thickness (CMT) after 6 months. Logistic regression was used to identify factors influencing postoperative outcomes. Results: This study included 77 patients (35.1% men). Thirty-eight patients underwent combined vitrectomy and cataract surgery. Logistic regression revealed that better preoperative BCVA was associated with improved postoperative BCVA (p = 0.002). Among the 38 eyes that underwent combined surgery, longer preoperative axial length was linked to better visual outcomes in univariate analysis (p = 0.043), although the association was not statistically significant in multivariate analysis (p = 0.064). Younger age and thinner preoperative CMT were associated with better morphological outcomes (p = 0.034 and p = 0.001, respectively). Conclusions Preoperative BCVA, age, preoperative CMT, and axial length are predictive factors for functional and morphological outcomes after vitrectomy in patients with ERM. These findings may facilitate treatment planning and prognosis prediction before surgery.

Objective: To compare the clinical and radiological features of various etiologies of chronic diffuse lacrimal gland enlargement. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 91 consecutive patients who underwent surgical biopsy for chronic diffuse lacrimal gland enlargement and were diagnosed with non-specific dacryoadenitis (DA) (n = 42), immunoglobulin G4-related dacryoadenitis (IgG4-RD) (n = 33), and lymphoma (n = 16). Data on patient demographics, clinical presentation, and CT imaging findings (n = 73) and MRI (n = 43) were collected. The following radiologic features of lacrimal gland enlargement were evaluated: size, unilaterality, wedge sign, angle with the orbital wall, heterogeneity, signal intensity, degree of enhancement, patterns of dynamic contrast-enhanced, and apparent diffusion coefficient value. Radiological features outside the lacrimal glands, such as extra-lacrimal orbital involvement and extra-orbital head and neck involvement, were also evaluated. The clinical and radiological findings were compared among the three diseases. Results: Compared to the DA and IgG4-RD groups, the lymphoma group was significantly older (mean 59.9 vs. 46.0 and 49.4 years, respectively; p = 0.001) and had a higher frequency of unilateral involvement (62.5% vs. 31.0% and 15.2%, respectively;p = 0.004). Compared to the IgG4-RD and lymphoma groups, the DA group had significantly smaller lacrimal glands (2.3 vs. 2.8 and 3.3 cm, respectively; p < 0.001) and a lower proportion of cases with a wedge sign (54.8% vs. 84.8% and 87.5%, respectively; p = 0.005). The IgG4-RD group showed more frequent involvement of the extra-orbital head and neck structures, including the infraorbital nerve (36.4%), paranasal sinus (72.7%), and salivary gland (58.6%) compared to the DA and lymphoma groups (4.8%–28.6%) (all p < 0.005). Conclusion Patient age, unilaterality, lacrimal gland size, wedge sign, and extra-orbital head and neck involvement differed significantly different between lymphoma, DA, and IgG4-RD. Our results will be useful for the differential diagnosis and proper management of chronic lacrimal gland enlargement.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the moderating effect of interpersonal skills on the relationship between childhood emotional trauma and depression. METHODS: From June to July, 2017, a convenience sample of 226 nursing students was recruited. Research data were collected through self-report questionnaires and analyzed using SPSS version 22.0. RESULTS: 68.1% (154) respondents experienced emotional abuse, and 48.1% (110) emotional neglect in childhood emotional trauma. The average depression score was 10.76. There were 54.4% (123), 34.5% (78), 12.8% (29), and 7.1% (16) of respondents with mild, moderate, and severe depression, respectively. The average interpersonal skills score was 3.59. There was a significant correlation between childhood emotional trauma (emotional abuse, emotional neglect), interpersonal skills and depression. And the moderating effect of interpersonal skills on the relationship between childhood emotional neglect and depression was significant. CONCLUSION: Interpersonal skills play a role as a moderating variable influencing the relationship between emotional neglect of childhood emotional trauma and depression, and also reduce the effects of childhood emotional trauma on depression. When developing a depression prevention program for nursing college students, such programs should consider strategies to reduce the negative effects of childhood emotional trauma and to improve interpersonal skills.
Depression ; Humans ; Nursing ; Psychological Trauma ; Social Skills ; Students, Nursing ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: This study aimed to identify the early predictors of neurodevelopmental outcomes in infants undergoing therapeutic hypothermia for neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy. METHODS: The medical records of 24 neonates who underwent hypothermia therapy for hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy at the neonatal intensive care unit of Yeouido St. Mary's Hospital of the Catholic University of Korea between August 2013 and May 2016 were reviewed. Patients were divided into two groups according to their neurological outcome at the age of 18 to 24 months: a normal group (n=14), which included patients with normal neurological function, and an abnormal group (n=10), which included patients with neurological deficits. The clinical characteristics, clinical outcomes, and laboratory findings before and after hypothermia treatment were compared between the groups. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the demographic characteristics between the two groups. With regard to clinical outcomes, only brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings showed significant differences between the normal and abnormal groups (21.4% vs. 100.0%, P < 0.001). With regard to laboratory findings, there were significant differences in the white blood cell (WBC) count after hypothermia treatment between the normal and abnormal groups (9.78±3.52 vs. 14.90±3.48, P=0.003). However, logistic regression analysis showed that the WBC count was not an independent risk factor for abnormal neurodevelopment (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: The presence of abnormal lesions on MRI was the most useful predictor of poor neurodevelopmental outcome in infants treated with therapeutic hypothermia after perinatal asphyxia.
Asphyxia ; Brain ; Humans ; Hypothermia ; Hypothermia, Induced ; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Intensive Care, Neonatal ; Korea ; Leukocytes ; Logistic Models ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Medical Records ; Risk Factors ; Treatment Outcome

PURPOSE: The purpose of this report is to organize the history of Korean Mothersafe, a professional teratology information center. Throughout its domestic and international activities, Mothersafe has firm role to write journals and books, to provide counseling, to run educational courses on maternal and fetal toxicology, and so on. This paper delineates the achievements in last ten years and discusses the vision of Mothersafe. METHODS: In order to formulate the accomplishments of Korean Mothersafe, the volume of counseling calls are carefully reviewed by their contents, counselees, and the consultation results, etc. Textbooks and journals based on the data from Mothersafe are evaluated. Other roles of the Mothersafe, such as hosting symposium and running public programs are also noted. RESULTS: Korean Mothersafe provided 76,555 counseling to 45,933 expectant women and 30,622 breast-feeding women. The database has total 52,130 enrollments from 2010 to 2019. A total of 33 papers are published regarding medication, alcohol, smoking, radiation, etc. A specialized book on maternal-fetal toxicology was published and teratology part of obstetrics textbook was updated. Education programs and symposiums were held and primary care programs for expectant parents are run by Mothersafe. CONCLUSION Korean Mothersafe has contributed to safe environments for numerous pregnant and breast-feeding women regarding medication, drinking, smoking, and other hazardous substances. The huge database provided evidence for researches, textbooks and seminars, etc. Korean Mothersafe is now facing a new challenge to go forward through social dynamics with many issues regarding prevention and continuance of pregnancy, abortion, and so on.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a T-lymphocyte-mediated autoimmune disease that is characterized by inflammation in the central nervous system (CNS). Although many disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) are presumed effective in patients with MS, studies on the efficacy and safety of DMTs for preventing MS relapse are limited. Therefore, we tested the immunosuppressive anti-inflammatory effects of oral-formulated tacrolimus (FK506) on MS in a mouse model of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). The mice were randomly divided into 3 experimental groups: an untreated EAE group, a low-dose tacrolimus-treated EAE group, and a high-dose tacrolimus-treated EAE group. After autoimmunization of the EAE mice with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein, symptom severity scores, immunohistochemistry of the myelination of the spinal cord, and western blotting were used to evaluate the EAE mice. After the autoimmunization, the symptom scores of each EAE group significantly differed at times. The group treated with the larger tacrolimus dose had the lowest symptom scores. The tacrolimus-treated EAE groups exhibited less demyelination and inflammation and weak immunoreactivity for all of the immunization biomarkers. Our results revealed that oral-formulated tacrolimus inhibited the autoimmunization in MS pathogenesis by inactivating inflammatory cells.
Animals ; Autoimmune Diseases ; Biomarkers ; Blotting, Western ; Central Nervous System ; Demyelinating Diseases ; Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental* ; Humans ; Immunization ; Immunohistochemistry ; Inflammation ; Mice* ; Multiple Sclerosis ; Myelin Sheath ; Myelin-Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein ; Neuromyelitis Optica ; Recurrence ; Spinal Cord ; Tacrolimus*

BACKGROUND: The appropriate procedures and equipment for the pretransfusion test are fundamental to a safe blood transfusion. The present study aimed to assess the current status of procedures and equipment for pretransfusion tests at small- and medium-sized medical institutions, as well as to use this basic raw data to better manage blood transfusions at these institutions. METHODS: Offline and online questionnaire surveys were performed at institutions that used between 24 and 1,000 units of blood products in 2014. A total of 338 institutions participated, and the survey results were subsequently analyzed. RESULTS: Among 307 institutions where on-site ABO blood typing was performed, 15.0%, 2.1%, and 43.5% did not conduct ABO serum typing, RhD typing, and irregular antibody screening tests, respectively, and 12.8% only conducted the saline phase for crossmatching. Moreover, among 338 institutions, only 66.7% of blood banks had centrifuges, 84.5% had 37℃ incubators, 41.1% had slide view boxes; in addition, 66.1% and 18.6% had refrigerators and deep freezers, respectively, for blood storage. CONCLUSION: Certain small- and medium-sized institutions did not have the essential equipment required to operate as blood banks. Moreover, they also needed to improve their testing procedures. To address these issues, the initiation of systematic training programs and the employment of institutional strategies are necessary to enhance testing procedures and equipment, respectively.
Blood Banks ; Blood Grouping and Crossmatching ; Blood Transfusion ; Education ; Employment ; Incubators ; Korea* ; Mass Screening

The Ael subgroup expresses the least amount of A antigens and could only be detected by performing the adsorption-elution test. The frequency of the Ael subgroup is about 0.001% in Koreans, and the Ael02 allele, which originates from A102, is the most frequently identified allele in the Korean population. We report a Korean family with the Ael03 allele identified by molecular genetic analysis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first such report in Korea to date.
ABO Blood-Group System/*genetics ; Alleles ; Base Sequence ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Exons ; Frameshift Mutation ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pedigree ; Phenotype ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Republic of Korea