Cluster Analysis on the Mental Health States in a Community Sample of Young Women During Pre-Pregnancy, Pregnancy, or the Postpartum Period

Objective@#It is necessary to identify the mental health types of young women considering the importance of the mental health during the peripartum period. This study aimed to classify the mental health types in a community sample of young women with pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, or the postpartum period. @*Methods@#A total of 293 young women during pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, or the postpartum period were included in this study. The clinical characteristics of depression, anxiety, perceived stress, and quality of life were assessed. The clinical characteristics of the subject were classified by cluster analysis and compared by analysis of variance. @*Results@#From the cluster analysis, the subjects were classified into three groups. Cluster 1 showed significantly lower depression and anxiety and higher quality of life than those of cluster 2 and 3. Cluster 2 demonstrated significantly higher depression and anxiety and lower quality of life than those of cluster 3 and 1. Cluster 3 represented the intermediate levels between cluster 2 and 1. @*Conclusion@#This study suggested that young women during pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, or the postpartum period might be in a good mental health group, a high-risk group requiring active monitoring, or a group in need of treatment. By monitoring mental health, the groups with high risk or requiring treatment could be discovered and proper management for prevention or improvement of mental health and quality of life can be provided.

A Validation Study of Mental Health Monitoring Through a Mobile Application

Objective@#Face-to-face evaluation is the most important in psychiatric evaluation, but smart healthcare, including non-face-to-face evaluation, can be beneficial considering the situation in which face-to-face evaluation is limited or the preventive aspect of mental illness. In this paper, we aimed to check whether mental health screening tests have the same significance as paper-based tests even when collected through mobile applications. @*Methods@#A smart mental healthcare screening test was conducted on the 1,327 community subjects. We measured two indicators of depression (Patient Health Questionnaire 9-item scale, PHQ-9) and anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale, GAD-7) to check mental health conditions. @*Results@#The average Cronbach’s alpha value of the PHQ-9 questionnaire was good at 0.870. As a result of PHQ-9’s principal component analysis, one component with an eigenvalue of 1 or more was identified, which is suitable to be described as a single factor. The average Cronbach’s alpha value of the GAD-7 was 0.919. The structural validity of the GAD-7 was confirmed through principal component analysis. @*Conclusion@#Our results show that PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scales performed through mobile applications can have the same meaning as paper-based tests. Surveys using a tablet PC, or smartphone application can monitor residents’ mental health and accumulate data. Based on these data, smart mental health management can check the mental health of residents and treat mental illness in connection with medical services.

Influence of Optimism, Social Support, and Spirituality on COVID-19 Stress in Christian Church Community

Objective@#Optimism, social support, and spirituality can be important factors related to coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) stress. However, studies investigating the influence and interplay of optimism, social support, and spirituality on COVID-19 simultaneously are still few. This study is aimed to explore the influence of optimism, social support, and spirituality on COVID-19 stress in the Christian church community. @*Methods@#A total 350 participants were included in this study. This study was cross-sectionally conducted by using an online survey on optimism, social support, spirituality, and COVID-19 stress that were measured by the Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R), Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support Scale (MSPSS), Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWBS), and COVID-19 Stress Scale for Korean People (CSSK). The prediction models for COVID-19 stress were analyzed by using univariate and multiple linear regression. @*Results@#Based on the results of univariate linear regression, subjective feelings on income (p<0.001) and health status (p<0.001), LOTR (p<0.001), MSPSS (p=0.025), and SWBS (p<0.001) scores were significantly associated with COVID-19 stress. The multiple linear regression model with subjective feelings on income and health status and SWSB score was significant (p<0.001) and explained 17.7% of the variance (R2=0.177). @*Conclusion@#This study showed that subjective feeling on low income, those who had poor health status, lower optimism, lower perceived social support, and lower spirituality were significantly affected with COVID-19 stress. Especially, the model with subjective feelings on income and health status, and spirituality showed highly significant effects, despite the interaction with associated factors. To cope with unpredictable stressful situations like the COVID-19 pandemic, integrated interventions on psycho-socio-spiritual aspect are warranted.

Difference in Cognitive Performance in Virtual Reality– Assisted Mental Health Promotion Program According to Groups Clustered Based on Mental Health / 우울ㆍ조울병

Background@#Several studies support the effectiveness and tolerability of virtual reality (VR) interventions in the psychiatric field. This study aimed to examine changes of cognitive performance in VR-assisted mental health promotion programs and to investigate the difference in performance according to clinical characteristics. @*Methods@#Thirty subjects aged >55 years participated in the study. The clinical characteristics of depression, anxiety, perceived stress, quality of life, and cognition were assessed. Cognitive performance in VR-assisted mental health promotion programs was compared between the clusters classified by clinical characteristics. @*Results@#Cluster analysis classified the subjects into three groups. In Cluster 1, the Module 3 training score was significantly different before and after VR performance. In Cluster 2, significant differences were observed in the Module 1 training score, the Module 2 training score, the Module 2 defense failure score, and the Module 3 training score.In Cluster 3, a significant difference was observed in the Module 3 training score. @*Conclusion@#The results of this study suggest that VR performance might differ according to clinical characteristics. A cognitive training strategy using VR has to be differentially established depending on the characteristics of the community population.

Influences of Dopamine D2, D3 Agonist Quinpirole Dosage on Locomotor Activity Measured by Open-FieldTest / 우울ㆍ조울병

Background@#Dopamine D2 and D3 receptor agonist quinpirole have been tried as one of drug-induced bipolar animal models. An open-field test is used to assess locomotor activity related to anxiety. Not many studies have analyzed the effects of quinpirole dosages on locomotor activity. The purpose of this study was to look at the locomotor activity of quinpirole-injected mice in an open-field test. @*Methods@#The open-field test was used to observe the locomotor activities of 28 mice. Quinpirole was administrated at 0.05-5 mg/kg and normal saline were used as a control. The Mann-Whitney U-test was employed to compare the locomotor activities in the quinpirole and control groups. @*Results@#Quinpirole-induced locomotor activities reduced as time elapsed during the first 30 minutes following the injection in most mice, then increased or fluctuated in the later 30 minutes. As the dosage was increased, there was a stronger initial inhibition, followed by a rapid and further increase in the last 30 minutes. @*Conclusion@#This study showed the differential effects of quinpirole-induced locomotor activities depending on dosage, and initial suppression of locomotor activities by quinpirole was observed. Additionally, longitudinal observation of more than 1 hour would be required to look into the biphasic pattern of quinpirole in an animal model.

Prediction of Locomotor Activity by Infrared Motion Detector on Sleep-wake State in Mice

Objective@#Behavioral assessments that effectively predict sleep-wake states were tried in animal research. This study aimed to examine the prediction power of an infrared locomotion detector on the sleep-wake states in ICR (Institute Cancer Research) mice. We also explored the influence of the durations and ways of data processing on the prediction power. @*Methods@#The locomotor activities of seven male mice in home cages were recorded by infrared detectors. Their sleep-wake states were assessed by video analysis. Using the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the cut-off score was determined, then the area under the curve (AUC) values of the infrared motion detector that predicted sleep-wake states were calculated. In order to improve the prediction power, the four ways of data processing on the prediction power were performed by Matlab 2013b. @*Results@#In the initial analysis of raw data, the AUC value was 0.785, but it gradually reached to 0.942 after data summation. The simple data averaging and summation among four different methods showed the maximal AUC value. The 10-minute data summation improved sensitivity (0.889) and specificity (0.901) significantly from the baseline value (sensitivity 0.615; specificity 0.936) (p ＜ 0.001). @*Conclusion@#This study suggests that the locomotor activity measured by an infrared motion detector might be useful to predict the sleep-wake states in ICR mice. It also revealed that only simple data summation may improve the predictive power. Using daily locomotor activities measured by an infrared motion detector is expected to facilitate animal research related to sleep-wake states.

Psychometric Properties of Behavioral Checklist for Coping with Stress in Patients with Mood Disorders

Objective@#Even though the importance of stress-coping, there is no reliable and valid scale to measure the stress-coping behavior yet. The purpose of this study is to explore the psychometric properties of Behavioral Checklist for Coping with Stress (BCCS). @*Methods@#A total of 458 subjects including healthy subjects and patients with bipolar or depressive disorders were analyzed. The reliability and validity of BCCS were examined by Chronbach’s alpha and exploratory factor analysis using Principal Component Analysis. In order to evaluate criterion-related validity, the Pearson’s correlation analyses between factors of BCCS and relevant scales were performed. @*Results@#BCCS showed good Chronobach’s alpha (0.695–0.833) and had acceptable validity. Factor 1 and factor 4 of BCCS were negatively correlated with depression, anxiety and positivity correlated with task and problem-solving, avoidance, tension-releasing copings in common. Factor 2 and 3 were positively correlated with impulsivity, emotionality, avoidance, behavioral and verbal aggression and tension-releasing copings in common. Different from factor 2, factor 3 was positively correlated with depression, anxiety and anger-suppression. @*Conclusion@#The results of this study suggest that this BCCS might be a reliable and valid scale for measuring stress-coping behaviors. This scale could facilitate research to investigate clinical implications related to behavioral stress-coping.

Prediction of Locomotor Activity by Infrared Motion Detector on Sleep-wake State in Mice

Objective@#Behavioral assessments that effectively predict sleep-wake states were tried in animal research. This study aimed to examine the prediction power of an infrared locomotion detector on the sleep-wake states in ICR (Institute Cancer Research) mice. We also explored the influence of the durations and ways of data processing on the prediction power. @*Methods@#The locomotor activities of seven male mice in home cages were recorded by infrared detectors. Their sleep-wake states were assessed by video analysis. Using the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the cut-off score was determined, then the area under the curve (AUC) values of the infrared motion detector that predicted sleep-wake states were calculated. In order to improve the prediction power, the four ways of data processing on the prediction power were performed by Matlab 2013b. @*Results@#In the initial analysis of raw data, the AUC value was 0.785, but it gradually reached to 0.942 after data summation. The simple data averaging and summation among four different methods showed the maximal AUC value. The 10-minute data summation improved sensitivity (0.889) and specificity (0.901) significantly from the baseline value (sensitivity 0.615; specificity 0.936) (p ＜ 0.001). @*Conclusion@#This study suggests that the locomotor activity measured by an infrared motion detector might be useful to predict the sleep-wake states in ICR mice. It also revealed that only simple data summation may improve the predictive power. Using daily locomotor activities measured by an infrared motion detector is expected to facilitate animal research related to sleep-wake states.

Relationship between Stress-Coping and Personality in Patients with Bipolar and Depressive Disorders / 우울ㆍ조울병

Background@#Personality might be one of the important factors related to stress-coping in mood disorders. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between personality and stress-coping strategies in patients with bipolar and depressive disorders. @*Methods@#A total of 195 patients diagnosed with bipolar and depressive disorders according to the criteria mentioned in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental disorders’ 5th edition were included. Pearson’s correlation and multiple regression analyses were used to analyze the relationship between personality, measured by Temperament and Character Inventory and NEO-Five Factor Inventory, and coping strategies, measured by Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations. @*Results@#Self-directedness was reported to be positively associated with task-oriented coping in bipolar disorders, and harm avoidance was negatively associated with task-oriented coping in depressive disorders. Beck Depression Inventory score, neuroticism, and extroversion were found to be positively associated with emotion-oriented coping in bipolar disorders, and neuroticism was positively associated with emotion-oriented coping in depressive disorders. Extroversion was reported to be positively associated with avoidance-oriented coping in bipolar disorders, and extroversion, novelty seeking, and reward dependence were positively associated with avoidance-oriented coping in depressive disorders. @*Conclusion@#This study concluded that the relationship between personality and stress-coping strategies may vary based on the type of mood disorder that is diagnosed. The interaction between personality and stress-coping might be considered for the modification of coping strategies in mood disorders.

Anger-Related Characteristics According to Chronotypes in Bipolar or Depressive Disorders

Objective@#Though anger was highly associated with eveningness in general population, there is no study on the relationship between chronotype and anger-related characteristics in bipolar or depressive disorders. This study aimed to investigate the difference of anger-related characteristics according to chronotypes in bipolar or depressive disorders. @*Methods@#Patients with bipolar or depressive disorders (n=238) were included in this study. Their chronotypes and anger-related characteristics were assessed with a self-evaluation of the Composite Scale of Morningness (CSM), the State Trait Anger Expression Inventory (STAXI) and the Anger Coping Scale (ACS). @*Results@#The eveningness group in patients with mood disorders showed the highest scores of anger-trait (p<0.001), anger-expression (p=0.002) and anger-in (p<0.001) in STAXI subscales, verbal aggression (p=0.010) in ACS subscales among three groups, but the morningess group showed the lowest scores of these subscales among three groups. However, there were no significant differences in all subscales of the STAXI and ACS according to diagnostic subtypes in the Friedman test. @*Conclusion@#The results of this study suggested that eveningness in patients with mood disorders might be related to anger proneness and maladaptive anger coping. To manage anger emotion in the patients with mood disorders, therapeutic interventions to modulate eveningness might be helpful.

Similarities and Differences of Strategies between Bipolar and Depressive Disorders on Stress Coping

Objective@#As coping strategies can influence the illness course of mood disorder, they could be potential targets for psychological intervention. The current study investigated the similarities and differences in stress coping styles between bipolar disorder (BD) and depressive disorder (DD). @*Methods@#Subjects with BD (n=135) and DD (n=100) who met the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria were included in this analysis. Coping strategies were assessed using the coping inventory for stressful situations and depressive symptoms were assessed by Beck depression inventory. @*Results@#The BD group showed significantly more avoidant and task-oriented coping than the DD group (t=2.714, p=0.007; t=2.193, p=0.039). After excluding the effect of the depressive symptoms themselves (by comparing two groups in non-depressive state), the BD group still showed significantly more avoidant and task-oriented coping than the DD group (t=2.040, p=0.045; t=2.556, p=0.013), but when the symptoms of depression get greater, the difference between BD and DD coping strategies were reduced. @*Conclusion@#Subjects with BD tend to use more task and avoidant coping than DD subjects. But when the symptoms of depression get greater, the difference in coping strategies between BD and DD were reduced.

Significant Abnormalities Other than Lung Cancer in Korean Lung Cancer CT Screening

A low-dose chest CT is performed for early detection of lung cancer, but the CT scan frequently shows several incidental abnormalities. Identification of the incidental findings may enable early detection of diseases other than lung cancer, thereby improving the survival of the individual undergoing screening. However, insignificant incidental abnormalities may cause unnecessary additional examination and costs. It is crucial for radiologists to appropriately comprehend and report significant incidental abnormalities other than lung cancer for successful implementation of the national lung cancer screening program in Korea.

Characterization of Tendon-Specific Markers in Various Human Tissues, Tenocytes and Mesenchymal Stem Cells

BACKGROUND: Unlike bone, cartilage, or muscle, tendon-specific markers are not well established. The purpose of the study was to investigate expression pattern and level of 6 well-known tendon-specific markers, in various human musculoskeletal tissues, tenocytes, and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). METHODS: Musculoskeletal tissue samples of tendon, bone, cartilage, nerve, muscle, and fat were obtained from patients undergoing orthopedic surgery. Tenocytes, MSCs from bone marrow, adipose tissue, and umbilical cord were isolated from each tissue and cultured. Six tendon-specific markers, scleraxis (Scx), tenomodulin (TNMD), thrombospondin-4 (TSP-4), tenascin-C (TNC), type I collagen (Col I), and type III collagen (Col III) were investigated in tendon tissue, tenocytes, and MSCs. RESULTS: mRNA levels of 6 tendon-specific markers were significantly higher in tendon tissue that in other connective tissues levels of Scx, TNMD, TSP-4, and Col III immediately decreased after plating tenocytes in culture dishes whereas those of TNC and Col I did not. In comparison with tendon tissue, mRNA levels pattern of Scx, TNMD, and TSP-4 in tenocytes were significantly higher than that in MSCs, but lower than in tendon tissue whereas expression pattern of TNC, Col I and III showed different pattern with each other. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that 6 commonly used tendon-specific markers were mainly expressed in tendon tissue, but that expression level and pattern of the tendon-specific markers with respect to kinds of tissues, culture duration of tenocytes and sources of MSCs.

Accuracy of Model-Based Iterative Reconstruction for CT Volumetry of Part-Solid Nodules and Solid Nodules in Comparison with Filtered Back Projection and Hybrid Iterative Reconstruction at Various Dose Settings: An Anthropomorphic Chest Phantom Study

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the accuracy of model-based iterative reconstruction (MIR) for volume measurement of part-solid nodules (PSNs) and solid nodules (SNs) in comparison with filtered back projection (FBP) or hybrid iterative reconstruction (HIR) at various radiation dose settings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: CT scanning was performed for eight different diameters of PSNs and SNs placed in the phantom at five radiation dose levels (120 kVp/100 mAs, 120 kVp/50 mAs, 120 kVp/20 mAs, 120 kVp/10 mAs, and 80 kVp/10 mAs). Each CT scan was reconstructed using FBP, HIR, or MIR with three different image definitions (body routine level 1 [IMR-R1], body soft tissue level 1 [IMR-ST1], and sharp plus level 1 [IMR-SP1]; Philips Healthcare). The SN and PSN volumes including each solid/ground-glass opacity portion were measured semi-automatically, after which absolute percentage measurement errors (APEs) of the measured volumes were calculated. Image noise was calculated to assess the image quality. RESULTS: Across all nodules and dose settings, the APEs were significantly lower in MIR than in FBP and HIR (all p < 0.01). The APEs of the smallest inner solid portion of the PSNs (3 mm) and SNs (3 mm) were the lowest when MIR (IMR-R1 and IMR-ST1) was used for reconstruction for all radiation dose settings. (IMR-R1 and IMR-ST1 at 120 kVp/100 mAs, 1.06 ± 1.36 and 8.75 ± 3.96, p < 0.001; at 120 kVp/50 mAs, 1.95 ± 1.56 and 5.61 ± 0.85, p = 0.002; at 120 kVp/20 mAs, 2.88 ± 3.68 and 5.75 ± 1.95, p = 0.001; at 120 kVp/10 mAs, 5.57 ± 6.26 and 6.32 ± 2.91, p = 0.091; at 80 kVp/10 mAs, 5.84 ± 1.96 and 6.90 ± 3.31, p = 0.632). Image noise was significantly lower in MIR than in FBP and HIR for all radiation dose settings (120 kVp/100 mAs, 3.22 ± 0.66; 120 kVp/50 mAs, 4.19 ± 1.37; 120 kVp/20 mAs, 5.49 ± 1.16; 120 kVp/10 mAs, 6.88 ± 1.91; 80 kVp/10 mAs, 12.49 ± 6.14; all p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: MIR was the most accurate algorithm for volume measurements of both PSNs and SNs in comparison with FBP and HIR at low-dose as well as standard-dose settings. Specifically, MIR was effective in the volume measurement of the smallest PSNs and SNs.

Cone-Beam CT Virtual Navigation-Guided Percutaneous Needle Biopsy of Suspicious Pleural Metastasis: A Pilot Study

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) virtual navigation-guided percutaneous pleural biopsy for suspected malignant pleural disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study enrolled 59 patients (31 males and 28 females; mean age, 63.4 years) with suspected malignant pleural disease diagnosed with CBCT from December 2010 to December 2016. Sixty-three CBCT-guided biopsies were performed using a coaxial system with 18- or 20-gauge cutting needles. Procedural details, diagnostic performance, radiation exposure, and complication rates were investigated. RESULTS: The mean diameter perpendicular to the pleura of 51 focal and 12 diffuse pleural lesions was 1.53 ± 0.76 cm. The mean distance from the skin to the target was 3.40 ± 1.51 cm. Mean numbers of CT acquisitions and biopsies were 3.21 ± 0.57 and 3.05 ± 1.54. Total procedure time and coaxial introducer indwelling time were 11.87 ± 5.59 min and 8.78 ± 4.95 min, respectively. The mean dose area product was 12013.61 ± 7969.59 mGym². There were 48 malignant, 10 benign, and 5 indeterminate lesions. Sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy were 93.8% (45/48), 100% (10/10), and 94.8% (55/58), respectively. Positive and negative predictive values for malignancy were 100% (45/45) and 76.9% (10/13), respectively. Four patients (6.8%) with benign pathology during initial biopsy but still showing a high suspicion of malignancy underwent repeat biopsy and three of them were finally diagnosed with malignant pleural disease. There were three cases of minimal pneumothorax and no grave procedure-related complications. CONCLUSION: Cone-beam computed tomography-guided biopsy is an accurate and safe diagnostic technique for suspected malignant pleural lesion with reasonable radiation exposure and procedure time.

The Trends in Research on the Health of North Korean Refugees

PURPOSE: This study aims to identify the general characteristics, subjects, and methods of research on the health of North Korean refugees through a systematic literature review. METHODS: A total of 140 studies on health were reviewed using the analytical framework developed by the researchers. RESULTS: The quantitative research comprised 90.7% of the studies, whereas the qualitative research were 7.9% of them. Approximately 81.4% of those reviewed have publication dates spanning 2006 to 2015. Only 13.6% of the studies were conducted with the approval of an institutional review board. The subjects of studies were psycho-social health (151.8%), behavioral health (28.5%), cognitive health (15.0%), physical health (12.2%), integrated health (7.8%), and spiritual health (2.8%). Within the quantitative studies reviewed, the most commonly used study design was survey research (86.0%). The two sampling methods used most often were convenience sampling (53.5%) and snowball sampling (19.4%), and the most commonly used data-collection method were questionnaires (94.6%). As for the qualitative studies, the most commonly used study design was phenomenology. CONCLUSION: The results suggested that the reviewed studies focused on physical health more than psycho-social health, and physiological measurement more than questionnaires. Ethical considerations need to be expanded.

Association Between Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index and Prolonged Length of Stay After Elective Hepatectomy in the Elderly Patients

BACKGROUND: Malnutrition is common in elderly patients with cancer and is associated with many adverse clinical outcomes, including longer length of hospital stay (LOS), muscle loss, and various postsurgical complications. In particular, elderly patients with hepatocellular carcinoma have a high risk for malnutrition, which is associated with mortality and reduced quality of life. Therefore, we evaluated the association between nutritional status and the LOS after hepatectomy for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma in elderly patients. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on 66 patients aged ≥65 years admitted consecutively from January 2010 to December 2014 for elective surgery to treat hepatocellular carcinoma. The Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) was applied for the assessment of nutritional risk in hospitalized elderly patients before surgery. RESULTS: The association between several factors that have been identified to influence outcomes and the LOS were evaluated by using multiple regression analysis. We found that only the GNRI was associated with the LOS. CONCLUSION: Our study shows that identifying nutritional risk using the GNRI before elective surgery is associated with increased risk of prolonged LOS. Therefore, prospective research based on GNRI can serve as a valuable resource for evaluating nutritional status of elderly patients under various clinical circumstances. Moreover, this particular research allows us to establish new ways of reducing the length of hospital stay for patients who underwent hepatic resection.

Ossification of the Medial Clavicular Epiphysis on Chest Radiographs: Utility and Diagnostic Accuracy in Identifying Korean Adolescents and Young Adults under the Age of Majority

The aim of our study was to evaluate the utility and diagnostic accuracy of the ossification grade of medial clavicular epiphysis on chest radiographs for identifying Korean adolescents and young adults under the age of majority. Overall, 1,151 patients (age, 16-30) without any systemic disease and who underwent chest radiography were included for ossification grading. Two radiologists independently classified the ossification of the medial clavicular epiphysis from chest radiographs into five grades. The age distribution and inter-observer agreement on the ossification grade were assessed. The diagnostic accuracy of the averaged ossification grades for determining whether the patient is under the age of majority was analyzed by using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Two separate inexperienced radiologists assessed the ossification grade in a subgroup of the patients after reviewing the detailed descriptions and image atlases developed for ossification grading. The median value of the ossification grades increased with increasing age (from 16 to 30 years), and the trend was best fitted by a quadratic function (R-square, 0.978). The inter-observer agreements on the ossification grade were 0.420 (right) and 0.404 (left). The area under the ROC curve (AUC) was 0.922 (95% CI, 0.902-0.942). The averaged ossification scores of 2.62 and 4.37 provided 95% specificity for a person < 19 years of age and a person ≥ 19 years of age, respectively. A preliminary assessment by inexperienced radiologists resulted in an AUC of 0.860 (95% CI, 0.740-0.981). The age of majority in Korean adolescents and young adults can be estimated using chest radiographs.

The Impact of Iterative Reconstruction in Low-Dose Computed Tomography on the Evaluation of Diffuse Interstitial Lung Disease

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of iterative reconstruction (IR) on the assessment of diffuse interstitial lung disease (DILD) using CT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An American College of Radiology (ACR) phantom (module 4 to assess spatial resolution) was scanned with 10–100 effective mAs at 120 kVp. The images were reconstructed using filtered back projection (FBP), adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASIR), with blending ratios of 0%, 30%, 70% and 100%, and model-based iterative reconstruction (MBIR), and their spatial resolution was objectively assessed by the line pair structure method. The patient study was based on retrospective interpretation of prospectively acquired data, and it was approved by the institutional review board. Chest CT scans of 23 patients (mean age 64 years) were performed at 120 kVp using 1) standard dose protocol applying 142–275 mA with dose modulation (high-resolution computed tomography [HRCT]) and 2) low-dose protocol applying 20 mA (low dose CT, LDCT). HRCT images were reconstructed with FBP, and LDCT images were reconstructed using FBP, ASIR, and MBIR. Matching images were randomized and independently reviewed by chest radiologists. Subjective assessment of disease presence and radiological diagnosis was made on a 10-point scale. In addition, semi-quantitative results were compared for the extent of abnormalities estimated to the nearest 5% of parenchymal involvement. RESULTS: In the phantom study, ASIR was comparable to FBP in terms of spatial resolution. However, for MBIR, the spatial resolution was greatly decreased under 10 mA. In the patient study, the detection of the presence of disease was not significantly different. The values for area under the curve for detection of DILD by HRCT, FBP, ASIR, and MBIR were as follows: 0.978, 0.979, 0.972, and 0.963. LDCT images reconstructed with FBP, ASIR, and MBIR tended to underestimate reticular or honeycombing opacities (-2.8%, -4.1%, and -5.3%, respectively) and overestimate ground glass opacities (+4.6%, +8.9%, and +8.5%, respectively) compared to the HRCT images. However, the reconstruction methods did not differ with respect to radiologic diagnosis. CONCLUSION: The diagnostic performance of LDCT with MBIR was similar to that of HRCT in typical DILD cases. However, caution should be exercised when comparing disease extent, especially in follow-up studies with IR.

Lindera obtusiloba Extends Lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans

Lindera obtusiloba has been widely used as a traditional medicine for the treatment of lots of diseases, including abdominal pain, bruise, and hepatocirrhosis. Here in this study, we elucidated the lifespan-extending effect of methanolic extract of Lindera obtusiloba (MLO) using Caenorhabditis elegans model system. We found that MLO has potent lifespan extension activities under normal culture condition. Then, we determined the protective effects of MLO on the stress conditions such as osmotic, thermal and oxidative stress. To reveal possible mechanism of MLO-mediated lifespan, we further investigated the effect of MLO on the antioxidant enzyme activities and intracellular ROS levels. Our results demonstrated that superoxide dismutase and catalase activities were significantly up-regulated by MLO treatment, resulted in reduced intracellular ROS levels. In this work, we also tested whether MLO-mediated longevity activity was associated with aging-related factors such as food intake and growth. Our data revealed that both of pharyngeal pumping rate and body length were significantly shifted by MLO treatment, indicating these factors were involved in MLO's lifespan-extension effects. Although MLO induces reduction in food intake, the body movement of MLO-fed aged worms was not decreased, compared to untreated control worms, indicating MLO might extend lifespan without affecting healthspan.