Purpose: This study evaluated the postoperative quality of life (QoL) after various types of gastrectomy for gastric cancer. Materials and Methods: A multicenter prospective observational study was conducted in Korea using the Korean Quality of Life in Stomach Cancer Patients Study (KOQUSS)-40, a new QoL assessment tool focusing on postgastrectomy syndrome. Overall, 496 patients with gastric cancer were enrolled, and QoL was assessed at 5 time points: preoperatively and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery. Results: Distal gastrectomy (DG) and pylorus-preserving gastrectomy (PPG) showed significantly better outcomes than total gastrectomy (TG) and proximal gastrectomy (PG) with regard to total score, indigestion, and dysphagia. DG, PPG, and TG also showed significantly better outcomes than PG in terms of dumping syndrome and worry about cancer. Postoperative QoL did not differ significantly according to anastomosis type in DG, except for Billroth I anastomosis, which achieved better bowel habit change scores than the others. No domains differed significantly when comparing double tract reconstruction and esophagogastrostomy after PG. The total QoL score correlated significantly with postoperative body weight loss (more than 10%) and extent of resection (P<0.05 for both).Reflux as assessed by KOQUSS-40 did not correlate significantly with reflux observed on gastroscopy 1 year postoperatively (P=0.064). Conclusions Our prospective observation using KOQUSS-40 revealed that DG and PPG lead to better QoL than TG and PG. Further study is needed to compare postoperative QoL according to anastomosis type in DG and PG.

Purpose: This study evaluated the postoperative quality of life (QoL) after various types of gastrectomy for gastric cancer. Materials and Methods: A multicenter prospective observational study was conducted in Korea using the Korean Quality of Life in Stomach Cancer Patients Study (KOQUSS)-40, a new QoL assessment tool focusing on postgastrectomy syndrome. Overall, 496 patients with gastric cancer were enrolled, and QoL was assessed at 5 time points: preoperatively and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery. Results: Distal gastrectomy (DG) and pylorus-preserving gastrectomy (PPG) showed significantly better outcomes than total gastrectomy (TG) and proximal gastrectomy (PG) with regard to total score, indigestion, and dysphagia. DG, PPG, and TG also showed significantly better outcomes than PG in terms of dumping syndrome and worry about cancer. Postoperative QoL did not differ significantly according to anastomosis type in DG, except for Billroth I anastomosis, which achieved better bowel habit change scores than the others. No domains differed significantly when comparing double tract reconstruction and esophagogastrostomy after PG. The total QoL score correlated significantly with postoperative body weight loss (more than 10%) and extent of resection (P<0.05 for both).Reflux as assessed by KOQUSS-40 did not correlate significantly with reflux observed on gastroscopy 1 year postoperatively (P=0.064). Conclusions Our prospective observation using KOQUSS-40 revealed that DG and PPG lead to better QoL than TG and PG. Further study is needed to compare postoperative QoL according to anastomosis type in DG and PG.

Purpose: This study evaluated the postoperative quality of life (QoL) after various types of gastrectomy for gastric cancer. Materials and Methods: A multicenter prospective observational study was conducted in Korea using the Korean Quality of Life in Stomach Cancer Patients Study (KOQUSS)-40, a new QoL assessment tool focusing on postgastrectomy syndrome. Overall, 496 patients with gastric cancer were enrolled, and QoL was assessed at 5 time points: preoperatively and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery. Results: Distal gastrectomy (DG) and pylorus-preserving gastrectomy (PPG) showed significantly better outcomes than total gastrectomy (TG) and proximal gastrectomy (PG) with regard to total score, indigestion, and dysphagia. DG, PPG, and TG also showed significantly better outcomes than PG in terms of dumping syndrome and worry about cancer. Postoperative QoL did not differ significantly according to anastomosis type in DG, except for Billroth I anastomosis, which achieved better bowel habit change scores than the others. No domains differed significantly when comparing double tract reconstruction and esophagogastrostomy after PG. The total QoL score correlated significantly with postoperative body weight loss (more than 10%) and extent of resection (P<0.05 for both).Reflux as assessed by KOQUSS-40 did not correlate significantly with reflux observed on gastroscopy 1 year postoperatively (P=0.064). Conclusions Our prospective observation using KOQUSS-40 revealed that DG and PPG lead to better QoL than TG and PG. Further study is needed to compare postoperative QoL according to anastomosis type in DG and PG.

Public health and clinical medicine should identify and characterize modifiable risk factors for skin cancer in order to facilitate primary prevention. In existing literature, the impact of occupational exposure on skin cancer, including malignant melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancers, has been extensively studied. This review summarizes the available epidemiological evidence on the significance of occupational risk factors and occupations associated with a higher risk in skin cancer. The results of this review suggest that there is sufficient epidemiological evidence to support the relationship between the increased risk of non-melanoma skin cancers and occupational exposure to solar radiation, ultraviolet radiation, ionizing radiation, arsenic and its compounds, and mineral oils. Occupational exposure to pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls appears to provide sufficient epidemiological evidence for melanoma, and a higher risk of melanoma has been reported among workers in petroleum refining and firefighters. This comprehensive analysis will establish a foundation for subsequent investigations and developing targeted interventions of focused preventive measures against skin cancer among the working population.

Objective: This study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an individually tailored program based on self-measurement of blood glucose on health behavior and HbA1c in diabetes and pre-diabetes patients. Methods: The program consisted of seven sessions for 12 weeks which were carried out every two weeks. Almost all sessions were progressed on untact method except for the first and last session. The 71 subjects were assessed for their knowledge of diabetes, health behavior, the experience of self-measurement of blood glucose, body mass Index (BMI) and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) at before and after the program. They were also evaluated on their degree of utilization of blood glucose measurements after the program. Results: Each mean score on their knowledge of diabetes, health behavior and the experience of self-measurement of blood glucose was significantly increased from 14.77, 25.50, and 2.70 to 15.41, 28.40, and 4.81, respectively. Each mean score on both BMI and HbA1c (n=53) was significantly decreased from 24.47kg/m2 and 7.27% to 24.01kg/m2 and 6.67%, respectively. The post-HbA1c had a significant negative correlation(r=-0.415) with the degree of utilization of blood glucose measurements. The degree of utilization of blood glucose measurements had a significant positive correlation(r=0.581) with post-health behavior. Conclusions The program shows effectiveness in improving HbA1c in Type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes patients. The post-HbA1c might be related to the degree of utilization of blood glucose measurements which might be related to the health behavior.

The long setting time of dental MTA (Mineral Trioxide Aggregate) cement is a major disadvantage in clinical use. In this study, the setting time (ST) of nine commercial MTA cements was tested according to the ISO 6876:2012 standard (n = 5).Materials evaluated were ProRoot MTA (PR), Ortho MTA (Ortho), Retro MTA (Retro), Endocem MTA (Endocem), Endoseal MTA (Endoseal), One-Fil (OF), MTA Cem (MC), EZ-Seal (EZ), and Biodentine (BD). XRD and XRF analysis were performed to evaluate the effect of composition on ST. Kruskal-Wallis test as a non-parametric ANOVA followed by Duncan’s post hoc test was used for statistical analysis. The ST was PR > EZ > OF > Ortho > Retro > MC > Endoseal > BD > Endocem in decreasing order (p < 0.001). PR showed the longest (369.4 min) and Endocem showed the shortest (2.4 min) ST. Endocem (2.4 min), BD (16.0 min) and Endoseal (47.0 min) contained calcium carbonate. MC (48.8 min), Retro (43.6 min), Ortho (65.0), and OF (165.4 min), which had the next short setting time, contained dicalcium aluminate. In EZ (182.4 min), dicalcium silicate was the main crystalline phase rather than tricalcium silicate, which contributes to the early strength, and it contained calcium sulfate. Endocem, which showed the shortest setting time, showed the smallest d90 particle size of 6.12 µm. The information obtained from this study would be helpful in developing a composition for controlling the setting time of MTA cement and selecting a product with a setting time suitable for each clinical case.

The long setting time of dental MTA (Mineral Trioxide Aggregate) cement is a major disadvantage in clinical use. In this study, the setting time (ST) of nine commercial MTA cements was tested according to the ISO 6876:2012 standard (n = 5).Materials evaluated were ProRoot MTA (PR), Ortho MTA (Ortho), Retro MTA (Retro), Endocem MTA (Endocem), Endoseal MTA (Endoseal), One-Fil (OF), MTA Cem (MC), EZ-Seal (EZ), and Biodentine (BD). XRD and XRF analysis were performed to evaluate the effect of composition on ST. Kruskal-Wallis test as a non-parametric ANOVA followed by Duncan’s post hoc test was used for statistical analysis. The ST was PR > EZ > OF > Ortho > Retro > MC > Endoseal > BD > Endocem in decreasing order (p < 0.001). PR showed the longest (369.4 min) and Endocem showed the shortest (2.4 min) ST. Endocem (2.4 min), BD (16.0 min) and Endoseal (47.0 min) contained calcium carbonate. MC (48.8 min), Retro (43.6 min), Ortho (65.0), and OF (165.4 min), which had the next short setting time, contained dicalcium aluminate. In EZ (182.4 min), dicalcium silicate was the main crystalline phase rather than tricalcium silicate, which contributes to the early strength, and it contained calcium sulfate. Endocem, which showed the shortest setting time, showed the smallest d90 particle size of 6.12 µm. The information obtained from this study would be helpful in developing a composition for controlling the setting time of MTA cement and selecting a product with a setting time suitable for each clinical case.

Background: This study was performed to identify acute tinnitus and evaluate the efficacy of steroids for noise-induced acute tinnitus by measuring the gap-prepulse inhibition of the acoustic startle (GPIAS) value in an animal model. Methods: Nineteen rats (the noise group [n = 7] and the noise + dexamethasone [DEX] group [n = 12]) were exposed to narrow-band noise centered at 16 kHz from a sound generator for 4 hours. The noise + DEX group received intraperitoneal steroid administration daily for 5 days (1.5 mg/kg/day) after completing noise exposure. Auditory brainstem response and GPIAS value were measured just prior to, and 1 day after noise exposure and on days 1 and 10 days after completing steroid administration. The changes in cochlear structure were evaluated by histological analysis. Results: The threshold shift was checked 1 and 10 days after intraperitoneal steroid injection, and no differences in threshold shift were observed between the two groups in each frequency except for 32 kHz 1 day after steroid injection. The mean GPIAS value in the noise + DEX group (36.4% ± 14.1%) was significantly higher than that in the noise group (16.4% ± 18.8%) 10 days after intraperitoneal steroid administration (P = 0.017). There were no pathological changes associated with noise trauma in the two groups as determined on hematoxylin and eosin and immunohistochemical staining. Conclusion An acute tinnitus model with minimal structural changes by noise exposure was set up, and used to verify tinnitus objectively by measuring the GPIAS value. Steroid therapy for control of tinnitus was validated in this animal model.