Analysis of the development trend and severity of the COVID-19 panidemic in the global world / 北京大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To analyze the recent severity of COVID-19 in various countries.@*METHODS@#Data were ollected on the epidemic situation of COVID-19 in various countries as of January 16, 2021, and the scale and overall trend of the epidemic were retrospectively described; combined with the recent trend of newly confirmed cases, from January 10 to 16 (the 54th week) and the newly confirmed cases indexes, such as the number and incidence density the severity of the epidemic was classified. Feasible suggestions were put forward based on the variation of the virus, actual data of vaccine research and development and possible existence in many countries.@*RESULTS@#Up to January 16, 2021, there were 92 510 419 confirmed cases worldwide; 4 849 301 new confirmed cases were confirmed in the 54th week, and they were still growing. Among all the continents, the cumulative number of confirmed cases in Europe, North America, and Asia has exceeded 21 million, and the number of new confirmed cases in a single week in North America, South America and Asia were all increasing. Among the countries, the cumulative number of confirmed cases in 18 countries including the United States, India, and Brazil was more than 1 million, accounting for 77.04% of the total number of cumulative confirmed cases in the world. Eleven countries including the United States, Brazil, France, Spain, Colombia, The United Kingdom, Russia, Germany, South Africa, Italy, and India are at higher risk of the epidemic; The United States, Brazil, France, Spain, and Colombia were still experiencing new confirmed cases and increasing status, the risk of the epidemic was greater. Novel coronavirus mutates frequently, up to February 2021, there had been 3 931 mutant genotypes in the world. At the same time, a total of 11 vaccines were successfully launched, however we were still facing some troubles, such as the global shortage of vaccines, the public's willingness to vaccinate needed to be improved, and equity in the distribution of vaccines.@*CONCLUSION@#The global epidemic situation is still getting worse, with repeated epidemics in all the continents and countries, and has not been fundamentally controlled. At the continent level, North America, South America, and Europe have the most severe epidemics; at the national level, The United States, Brazil, France, Spain, Colombia and other countries have higher epidemic risks. Focusing on the severely affected countries will help bring the global epidemic under control as soon as possible. Under the premise of ensuring the safety and effectiveness of the vaccines, it is a key and feasible direction to improve the yield and vaccination rate of the vaccines, shorten the onset time of the vaccines and prolong the immune persistence.

Pediatric Home Mechanical Ventilation in Korea: the Present Situation and Future Strategy

BACKGROUND: The number of children using home mechanical ventilation (HMV) has increased markedly in Europe and North America, but little is known about the situation in Korea. We described the clinical characteristics of children using HMV and investigated the current situation of HMV utilization in children. METHODS: Data on HMV prescriptions in year 2016 for children under the age of 19 was retrieved from the National Health Insurance Service for nationwide information. For more detailed information, data from year 2016 to 2018 was also retrieved from a tertiary center, Severance Children's Hospital. RESULTS: Nationwide, 416 children were prescribed with HMV in 2016, with an estimated prevalence of 4.4 per 100,000 children, of which 64.2% were male and mean age was 6-year-old. The estimated number of patients using invasive ventilators via tracheostomy was 202 (49%). Neuromuscular diseases were the most frequent cause (217; 52%), followed by central nervous system diseases (142; 34%), and cardiopulmonary diseases (57; 14%). In the tertiary center, a total of 62 children were prescribed with HMV (19 [31%] with non-invasive ventilation; 43 [69%] with invasive ventilation]. The number of children with HMV increased from 11 in 2016 to 29 in 2018. The mean age for initiation of HMV was 3.1 years and male patients comprised 65%. The most frequent diagnostic reason for HMV was central nervous system diseases (68%), followed by cardiopulmonary diseases (19%) and neuromuscular diseases (13%). Five patients died during the study period and five patients weaned from HMV. CONCLUSION: This study provides insights on the present situation of HMV utilization in Korean children.

Radiomics and radiogenomics of primary liver cancers

Concurrent advancements in imaging and genomic biomarkers have created opportunities to identify non-invasive imaging surrogates of molecular phenotypes. In order to develop such imaging surrogates radiomics and radiogenomics/imaging genomics will be necessary; there has been consistent progress in these fields for primary liver cancers. In this article we evaluate the current status of the field specifically with regards to hepatocellular carcinoma and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, highlighting some of the up and coming results that were presented at the annual Radiological Society of North America Conference in 2017. There are an increasing number of studies in this area with a bias towards quantitative feature measurement, which is expected to benefit reproducibility of the findings and portends well for the future development of biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment response assessment. We review some of the advancements and look forward to some of the exciting future applications that are anticipated as the field develops.

Changes in the Treatment Strategies for Helicobacter pylori Infection in Children and Adolescents in Korea / 대한소아소화기영양학회지

The policies developed for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection in adults may not be the most suitable ones to treat children and adolescents. Methods used to treat children and adolescents in Europe and North America may not be appropriate for treating children and adolescents in Korea due to differences in epidemiological characteristics of H. pylori between regions. Moreover, the agreed standard guidelines for the treatment of H. pylori infection in children and adolescents in Korea have not been established yet. In this study, the optimal treatment strategy for H. pylori infection control in children and adolescents in Korea is discussed based on these guidelines, and recent progress on the use and misuse of antimicrobial agents is elaborated. Non-invasive as well as invasive diagnostic test and treatment strategy for H. pylori infection are not recommendable in children aged less than ten years or children with body weight under 35 kg, except in cases of clinically suspected or endoscopically identified peptic ulcers. The uncertainty, whether enough antimicrobial concentrations to eradicate H. pylori can be maintained when administered according to body weight-based dosing, and the costs and adverse effects outweighing the anticipated benefits of treatment make it difficult to decide to eradicate H. pylori in a positive non-invasive diagnostic test in this age group. However, adolescents over ten years of age or with a bodyweight of more than 35 kg can be managed aggressively as adults, because they can tolerate the adult doses of anti-H. pylori therapy. In adolescents, the prevention of future peptic ulcers and gastric cancers is expected after the eradication of H. pylori. Bismuth-based quadruple therapy (bismuth-proton pump inhibitor-amoxicillin/tetracycline-metronidazole) with maximal tolerable doses and optimal dose intervals of 14 days is recommended, because in Korea, the antibiotic susceptibility test for H. pylori is not performed at the initial diagnostic evaluation. If the first-line treatment fails, concomitant therapy plus bismuth can be attempted for 14 days as an empirical rescue therapy. Finally, the salvage therapy, if needed, must be administered after the H. pylori antibiotic susceptibility test.

Brazilian and North-American nursing in the HOPE Project (1972): approximations and gaps / La enfermería brasileña y norteamericana del Proyecto HOPE (1972): aproximaciones y distanciamientos / Enfermagem brasileira e norte-americana do Projeto HOPE (1972): aproximações e distanciamentos

ABSTRACT Objective: Understand the structuring and operation of the Nursing Service on the hospital ship HOPE and the relations between Nursing from North America and from Rio Grande do Norte. Method: Qualitative, sociohistorical research, developed by consulting documentary and oral sources. Results: The analysis revealed the categories: The HOPE Project: impressions of its nurses and Nursing on the hospital ship SS HOPE: Brazilian impressions. These categories revealed a Nursing Service similar to that of a general hospital, ordered by scales and which functioned uninterruptedly in the three shifts. Final considerations: The Nursing Service consisted exclusively of nurses; followed a hierarchical system; with accumulation of administrative and care functions; strict, precise and technical execution of the work. The language and cultural barriers do not seem to have compromised the Exchange and the work system in counterparts.

RESUMEN Objetivo: Comprender la estructuración, el funcionamiento del Servicio de Enfermería del buque hospital SS HOPE y las relaciones entre la Enfermería norteamericana y la norte-rio-grandense. Método: Investigación cualitativa, socio-histórica, realizada a partir de consultas a fuentes documentales y orales. Resultados: El análisis llegó a las categorías: El Proyecto HOPE - impresiones de sus enfermeras y La Enfermería del buque hospital SS HOPE - impresiones brasileñas. Estas categorías revelaron un Servicio de Enfermería similar al de un hospital general, ordenado por escalas y que funcionaba ininterrumpidamente en los tres turnos. Consideraciones finales: El Servicio de Enfermería estaba compuesto exclusivamente de enfermeras, obedecía a un sistema de jerarquía con acumulación de funciones administrativas y asistenciales, la ejecución del trabajo se realizaba de manera rígida, precisa y técnica, y las barreras idiomáticas y culturales parecen no haber comprometido el intercambio y el sistema de trabajo en contrapartes.

RESUMO Objetivo: Compreender a estruturação, o funcionamento do Serviço de Enfermagem do navio-hospital SS HOPE e as relações entre a Enfermagem norte-americana e a norte-rio-grandense. Método: Pesquisa qualitativa, sócio-histórica, realizada a partir de consultas a fontes documentais e orais. Resultados: A análise chegou às categorias: O Projeto HOPE: impressões de suas enfermeiras e A Enfermagem do navio-hospital SS HOPE: impressões brasileiras. Essas categorias revelaram um Serviço de Enfermagem similar ao de um hospital geral, ordenado por escalas e que funcionava, ininterruptamente, nos três turnos. Considerações finais: O Serviço de Enfermagem era composto, exclusivamente, de enfermeiras, obedecia a um sistema de hierarquia com acúmulo de funções administrativas e assistenciais, a execução do trabalho era realizada de maneira rígida, precisa e técnica, e as barreiras idiomáticas e culturais parecem não ter comprometido o intercâmbio e o sistema de trabalho em contrapartes.

Horses as a Potential Reservoir of Lyme Borreliosis in Jeju-do, Korea / 예방의학회지

Lyme borreliosis (LB) is the most common tick-borne infectious disease in North America, and it was designated as a national notifiable infectious disease in Korea in December 2010. While no cases in Jeju-do were recorded from 2012 to 2016, a recent survey reported that the seroprevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays in horses in Jeju-do was 19.0% (95% confidence interval, 12.0 to 28.3%). This fact suggests that horses may be a potential reservoir of LB in Jeju-do and that individuals in close contact with horses may be a high-risk group. Thus, a serological study in this high-risk group is urgently needed.

Isotretinoin exposure in pregnant women in Korea

OBJECTIVE: Isotretinoin is a notorious teratogen otherwise used for the treatment of acne vulgaris. Some countries, including those in North America and the European Union, implemented the pregnancy prevention program (PPP); however, no PPP has yet been established in South Korea. So the aim of this study was to evaluate the rate of pregnant women exposed to isotretinoin among the callers of the Korean Mother Safe Counseling Center. METHODS: This is a prospective cohort study. We evaluated the demographic characteristics, obstetric history, and isotretinoin exposure of pregnant women based on the mother safe registry from April 2010 to July 2016. RESULTS: Among 22,374 callers, 650 (2.9%) pregnant women were exposed to isotretinoin. The mean age was 29.0±4.4 years in the isotretinoin-exposed group and 32.0±4.2 years in the unexposed group (P < 0.001). Moreover, the incidence of pregnancies within 30 days after isotretinoin discontinuation or during isotretinoin intake was 78.9% (513/650). The median duration of isotretinoin exposure was 18 (1–4,231) days. Furthermore, from 2011 to 2015, the incidence of isotretinoin exposure was 2.9±1.2 pregnancies per 10,000 births in South Korea. CONCLUSION: Approximately 80% of pregnant women are exposed to isotretinoin within the recommended 30 days of contraception or during pregnancy. Therefore, the PPP has to be established in South Korea.

North American nurse educators in the HOPE Earth Project and Nursing teaching / Enfermeras profesoras norteamericanas del Proyecto HOPE Tierra y la enseñanza de Enfermería / Enfermeiras professoras norte-americanas do Projeto HOPE Terra e o ensino de Enfermagem

ABSTRACT Objective: analyze the activities of the North American nurse educators of the Project Health Opportunity for People Everywhere Earth (HOPE Earth Project) in Natal, state capital of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil (1974-1981). Method: sociohistorical, qualitative study, resulting from filed documents and ten semistructured interviews. These sources were processed and analyzed using Oral History and Thematic Analysis. Results: the following categories emerged: The North American nurse educators of the HOPE Earth Project and Educator Mary Anne Small through the memories of who had contact with her. Final considerations: the HOPE Earth Project contributed to higher education in health at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, guaranteeing the coming of qualified and experienced lecturers, and the North American educators cooperated towards the qualification of the Nursing Course, even when it was already structured and fully functioning.

RESUMEN Objetivo: analizar el rendimiento de las enfermeras profesoras norteamericanas del Project Health Opportunity for People Everywhere Earth (Proyecto HOPE Tierra) en la ciudad de Natal, capital del Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil (1974-1981). Método: estudio sociohistórico, cualitativo, resultante de documentos pertenecientes a archivos y de la realización de 10 entrevistas semiestructuradas. El tratamiento y el análisis de esas fuentes se realizaron por medio del recurso a la Historia Oral y al Análisis Temático. Resultados: han surgido las siguientes categorías: Las enfermeras profesoras norteamericanas del Proyecto HOPE Tierra y la profesora Mary Anne Small por las memorias de las personas que convivieron con ella. Consideraciones finales: el Proyecto HOPE Terra contribuyó a la enseñanza superior de cursos del área de la salud en la Universidad Federal de Rio Grande do Norte, asegurando la llegada de docentes calificados y expertos, y las profesoras norteamericanas colaboraron para la calificación del Curso de Enfermería, incluso cuando ya se encontraba estructurado y en pleno funcionamiento.

RESUMO Objetivo: analisar a atuação das enfermeiras professoras norte-americanas do Project Health Opportunity for People Everywhere Earth (Projeto HOPE Terra), em Natal, capital do Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil (1974-1981). Método: estudo sócio-histórico, qualitativo, resultante de documentos pertencentes a arquivos e da realização de 10 entrevistas semiestruturadas. O tratamento e a análise dessas fontes realizaram-se por meio do recurso à História Oral e à Análise Temática. Resultados: emergiram as seguintes categorias: As enfermeiras professoras norte-americanas do Projeto HOPE Terra e A professora Mary Anne Small pelas memórias de quem conviveu com ela. Considerações finais: o Projeto HOPE Terra contribuiu para o ensino superior de cursos da área da saúde na Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, assegurando a vinda de docentes qualificados e experientes, e as professoras norte-americanas colaboraram para a qualificação do Curso de Enfermagem, mesmo quando este já se encontrava estruturado e em pleno funcionamento.

Atuação do Nurse Navigator: revisão integrativa / Actuación del Nurse Navigator: revisión integrativa / Role of the Nurse Navigator: integrative review

Resumo OBJETIVO Conhecer a produção científica sobre o enfermeiro atuando na oncologia com a função de navegador de pacientes, Nurse Navigator. MÉTODOS Revisão integrativa com buscas nas bases de dados LILACS, MEDLINE/PubMed, SCOPUS, SciELO, Web of Science e Science Direct, utilizando os descritores: patient; navigation; nurse; professional; cancer; oncology; navigator e navigators. RESULTADOS Identificaram-se 17 artigos. Estes foram agrupados conforme a abordagem temática: Processos Assistenciais; Pacientes; e Profissionais de Saúde. Evidenciou-se que o conhecimento científico produzido sobre Nurse Navigator concentra-se nos Estados Unidos, Austrália, Canadá, Suécia e Dinamarca, países onde os primeiros Programas de Navegação de Pacientes foram implantados. Não houveram estudos publicados em periódicos ou populações locais. CONCLUSÕES A atuação do Nurse navigator, proporciona um diferencial para a qualidade assistencial dos serviços. Apesar de serem recentes as pesquisas internacionais abordando o tema, ficou claro que ainda se faz necessária a realização de mais estudos acerca do papel deste profissional.

Resumen OBJETIVO Conocer la producción científica sobre enfermero actuando en oncología con la función de navegador de pacientes, Nurse Navigator. MÉTODOS Revisión integradora con búsqueda en bases de datos LILACS, MEDLINE/PubMed, SCOPUS, SciELO, Web of Science y Science Direct, utilizando descriptores: patient; navigation; nurse; professional; cancer; oncology; navigator y navigators. RESULTADOS Se identificaron 17 artículos. Se agruparon conforme abordaje temático: Procesos Asistenciales; Pacientes; y Profesionales de Salud. Se evidenció que el conocimiento científico producido sobre Nurse Navigator se concentra en Australia, Estados Unidos, Canadá, Suecia y Dinamarca, países donde se implantaron los primeros Programas de Navegación de Pacientes. No hay estudios publicados en periódicos o poblaciones locales. CONCLUSIONES La actuación del Nurse navigator, proporciona un diferencial para la calidad asistencial de los servicios. A pesar de recientes las investigaciones internacionales abordando el tema, se hace necesaria la realización de más estudios acerca del papel de este profesional.

Abstract OBJECTIVE To identify scientific literature on oncology nurses who provide patient navigation services as nurse navigators. METHODS Integrative review of literature searches in the databases LILACS, MEDLINE/PubMed, SCOPUS, SciELO, Web of Science and Science Direct based on the descriptors patient; navigation; nurse; professional; cancer; oncology; navigator; and navigators. RESULTS Seventeen articles were identified and grouped according to the following thematic approach: Care Processes; Patients; and Health Workers. It was observed that scientific literature on nurse navigators mostly comes from the United States, Australia, Canada, Sweden, and Demark, where the first nurse navigator programmes were introduced. No studies were found in local journals or populations. CONCLUSIONS The nurse navigator offer a unique service for the provision of quality care. Although international research is recent, further studies on the role of these professionals are clearly needed.

Treatment of relapsed hyperthyroidism

Graves disease is the most common disease that causes hyperthyroidism. It is an autoimmune disease characterized by the overproduction of thyroid hormones due to continuous stimulation of the thyroid gland by thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor antibody. Therapeutic modalities for Graves disease include antithyroid drugs (ATDs), radioactive iodine, and thyroidectomy. ATDs are the most preferred therapeutic option by physicians in most countries except North America. However, current treatment strategies are unfortunately aimed at inhibiting thyroid hormone production or ablating the thyroid to induce permanent hypothyroidism, not at inhibiting thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor antibody. ATD therapy has a high relapse rate (more than 50%), and morbidity and mortality increase in cases of relapse. Therefore, the proper and prompt management of relapsed patients is very important.

Premature Deaths Attributable to Long-term Exposure to Ambient Fine Particulate Matter in the Republic of Korea

BACKGROUND: Ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the major environmental health risk factor in Korea. Exposure to PM2.5 has been a growing public concern nationwide. With the rapid aging of the Korean population, the health effects attributable to long-term exposure to PM2.5 were expected to increase further in the future. We aimed to estimate premature deaths attributable to long-term exposure to ambient PM(2.5) in Korea. METHODS: A modelled estimation of long-term exposure to PM2.5 was used to calculate the nationwide exposure level. Hazard ratios of long-term exposure to PM2.5 were obtained from a large prospective cohort study in North America. Modified cause of death (CoD) data, which applied the garbage code reclassification algorithm, were used to calculate premature deaths attributable to long-term exposure to PM2.5. RESULTS: From 1990 to 2013, the average population-weighted PM2.5 concentration in Korea was 30.2 μg/m3. The estimated number of premature deaths was 17,203 (95% confidence interval [CI], 11,056–22,772). The most common CoD was ischemic stroke (5,382; 3,101–7,403), followed by cancer of trachea, bronchus, and lung (4,958; 2,857–6,820), hemorrhagic stroke (3,452; 1,989–4,748), and ischemic heart disease (3,432; 1,383–5,358). CONCLUSION: Premature deaths due to long-term exposure to PM2.5 accounted for 6.4% of all deaths in Korea. However, individual efforts alone cannot prevent the effects of air pollution. This disease burden study can serve as a basis for the establishment of government policies and budgets and can be used to assess the effectiveness of environmental health policies.

Rotational Acetabular Osteotomy

Hip dysplasia is the most common cause of secondary osteoarthritis (OA). To prevent the early onset of secondary OA, Nishio's transposition osteotomy, Steel's triple osteotomy, Eppright's dial osteotomy, Wagner's spherical acetabular osteotomy, Tagawa's rotational acetabular osteotomy (RAO), and Ganz' periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) have been proposed. PAO and RAO are now commonly used in surgical treatment of symptomatic acetabular dysplasia in Europe, North America, and Asia. The aim of this paper is to present the followings: the patient selection criteria for RAO; the surgical technique of RAO; the long-term outcome of RAO; and the future perspectives.

Transcultural Adaptation and Validation of the Family Satisfaction in the Intensive Care Unit Questionnaire in a Korean Sample / 대한구급학회지

BACKGROUND: A number of questionnaires designed for analyzing family members' inconvenience and demands in intensive care unit (ICU) care have been developed and validated in North America. The family satisfaction in the intensive care Unit-24 (FS-ICU-24) questionnaire is one of the most widely used of these instruments. This study aimed to translate the FS-ICU-24 questionnaire into Korean and validate the Korean version of the questionnaire. METHODS: The study was conducted in the medical, surgical, and emergency ICUs at three tertiary hospitals. Relatives of all patients hospitalized for at least 48 hours were enrolled for this study participants. The validation process included the measurement of construct validity, internal consistency, and interrater reliability. The questionnaire consists of 24 items divided between two subscales: satisfaction with care (14 items) and satisfaction with decision making (10 items). RESULTS: In total, 200 family members of 176 patients from three hospitals completed the FS-ICU-24 questionnaire. Construct validity for the questionnaire was superior to that observed for a visual analog scale (Spearman's r = 0.84, p < 0.001). Cronbach's αs were 0.83 and 0.80 for the satisfaction with care and satisfaction with decision making subscales, respectively. The mean (± standard deviation) total FS-ICU-24 score was 75.44 ± 17.70, and participants were most satisfied with consideration of their needs (82.13 ± 21.03) and least satisfied with the atmosphere in the ICU waiting room (35.38 ± 34.84). CONCLUSIONS: The Korean version of the FS-ICU-24 questionnaire demonstrated good validity and could be a useful instrument with which to measure family members' satisfaction about ICU care.

Role Identification of Passiflora Incarnata Linnaeus: A Mini Review

Some species of traditional herbal medicine has a history of use, most traditional natural herbs have been used for various diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity. Among them, Passiflora incarnata L. is a traditional natural medicine, flowers as well as berries, roots, and leaves have been used as a medicine. It has been used as a natural medicine for the treatment of insomnia and anxiety for a longtime in Europe, and it has been used primarily for sedation tea in North America. Moreover, Passiflora incarnata L. is widely used anti-asthmatic, analgesic and sedation in Brazil. In other words, Passiflora incarnata L. has been used to treat a sedative, dysmenorrhea, insomnia, cancer, etc. in many countries. Present review of the plants showed a wide range of pharmacological activity in anxiolytic relax the clinical disease, such as anti-inflammatory, anxiety and antioxidant. In addition, Passiflora incarnata L. affects menopause symptoms such as vasomotor symptoms, insomnia, and depression. This review aims to provide the latest information on specific functional components of Passiflora incarnata L. especially the results of clinical trials will provide new insights into opportunities for the future development of natural medicines and doors will be used for purposes of analysis.

Radiotherapy, a New Treatment Option for Non-malignant Disorders: Radiobiological Mechanisms, Clinical Applications, and Radiation Risk

Radiotherapy is used to treat not only malignant tumors but also benign inflammatory and hypertrophic diseases. Because of concerns about the potential hazards of irradiation, physicians in many countries, especially in North America, ruled radiotherapy out of medical practice for non-malignant diseases. Low-dose radiotherapy modulates the inflammatory response, providing an anti-inflammatory effect. Many researchers have reported low-dose radiotherapy efficacious for degenerative and inflammatory diseases. There are broad potential clinical indications for radiotherapy of non-malignant diseases. The general indications for radiotherapy for non-malignant disorders are acute/chronic painful degenerative diseases, such as chronic or acute painful osteoarthritic diseases of various joints; hypertrophic (hyperproliferative) disorders of soft tissues, such as early stages of Morbus Dupuytren and Ledderhose, keloids and pterygium; functional diseases, such as dysthyroid ophthalmopathy and arteriovenous malformations; and others, such as prophylaxis of heterotopic ossification. Radiotherapy for non-malignant disorders may be safely and effectively used, especially in older patients who suffered from these disorders and those who are reluctant to use other treatment options.

Radiotherapy, a New Treatment Option for Non-malignant Disorders: Radiobiological Mechanisms, Clinical Applications, and Radiation Risk

Radiotherapy is used to treat not only malignant tumors but also benign inflammatory and hypertrophic diseases. Because of concerns about the potential hazards of irradiation, physicians in many countries, especially in North America, ruled radiotherapy out of medical practice for non-malignant diseases. Low-dose radiotherapy modulates the inflammatory response, providing an anti-inflammatory effect. Many researchers have reported low-dose radiotherapy efficacious for degenerative and inflammatory diseases. There are broad potential clinical indications for radiotherapy of non-malignant diseases. The general indications for radiotherapy for non-malignant disorders are acute/chronic painful degenerative diseases, such as chronic or acute painful osteoarthritic diseases of various joints; hypertrophic (hyperproliferative) disorders of soft tissues, such as early stages of Morbus Dupuytren and Ledderhose, keloids and pterygium; functional diseases, such as dysthyroid ophthalmopathy and arteriovenous malformations; and others, such as prophylaxis of heterotopic ossification. Radiotherapy for non-malignant disorders may be safely and effectively used, especially in older patients who suffered from these disorders and those who are reluctant to use other treatment options.

Transcultural Adaptation and Validation of the Family Satisfaction in the Intensive Care Unit Questionnaire in a Korean Sample / 대한중환자의학회지

BACKGROUND: A number of questionnaires designed for analyzing family members' inconvenience and demands in intensive care unit (ICU) care have been developed and validated in North America. The family satisfaction in the intensive care Unit-24 (FS-ICU-24) questionnaire is one of the most widely used of these instruments. This study aimed to translate the FS-ICU-24 questionnaire into Korean and validate the Korean version of the questionnaire. METHODS: The study was conducted in the medical, surgical, and emergency ICUs at three tertiary hospitals. Relatives of all patients hospitalized for at least 48 hours were enrolled for this study participants. The validation process included the measurement of construct validity, internal consistency, and interrater reliability. The questionnaire consists of 24 items divided between two subscales: satisfaction with care (14 items) and satisfaction with decision making (10 items). RESULTS: In total, 200 family members of 176 patients from three hospitals completed the FS-ICU-24 questionnaire. Construct validity for the questionnaire was superior to that observed for a visual analog scale (Spearman's r = 0.84, p < 0.001). Cronbach's αs were 0.83 and 0.80 for the satisfaction with care and satisfaction with decision making subscales, respectively. The mean (± standard deviation) total FS-ICU-24 score was 75.44 ± 17.70, and participants were most satisfied with consideration of their needs (82.13 ± 21.03) and least satisfied with the atmosphere in the ICU waiting room (35.38 ± 34.84). CONCLUSIONS: The Korean version of the FS-ICU-24 questionnaire demonstrated good validity and could be a useful instrument with which to measure family members' satisfaction about ICU care.

Effectiveness of Direct Safety Regulations on Manufacturers and Users of Industrial Machines: Its Implications on Industrial Safety Policies in Republic of Korea

BACKGROUND: Despite considerable efforts made in recent years, the industrial accident rate and the fatality rate in the Republic of Korea are much higher than those in most developed countries in Europe and North America. Industrial safety policies and safety regulations are also known to be ineffective and inefficient in some cases. METHODS: This study focuses on the quantitative evaluation of the effectiveness of direct safety regulations such as safety certification, self-declaration of conformity, and safety inspection of industrial machines in the Republic of Korea. Implications on safety policies to restructure the industrial safety system associated with industrial machines are also explored. RESULTS: Analysis of causes in industrial accidents associated with industrial machines confirms that technical causes need to be resolved to reduce both the frequency and the severity of such industrial accidents. Statistical analysis also confirms that the indirect effects of safety device regulation on users are limited for a variety of reasons. Safety device regulation needs to be shifted to complement safety certification and self-declaration of conformity for more balanced direct regulations on manufacturers and users. An example of cost-benefit analysis on conveyor justifies such a transition. CONCLUSION: Industrial safety policies and regulations associated with industrial machines must be directed towards eliminating the sources of danger at the stage of danger creation, thereby securing the safe industrial machines. Safety inspection further secures the safety of workers at the stage of danger use. The overall balance between such safety regulations is achieved by proper distribution of industrial machines subject to such regulations and the intensity of each regulation. Rearrangement of industrial machines subject to safety certification and self-declaration of conformity to include more movable industrial machines and other industrial machines with a high level of danger is also suggested.

Treatment of Autoimmune Pancreatitis / 대한췌담도학회지

Autoimmune pancreatitis is a rare type of chronic pancreatitis. Unlike chronic pancreatitis caused by other causes, autoimmune pancreatitis is characterized by a dramatic response to corticosteroid and immunomodulator therapy. Two most widely used drugs for treatment of autoimmune pancreatitis are corticosteroid and immunomodulators. Corticosteroid is the first line drug for autoimmune pancreatitis and used for remission induction. Remission induction rate of corticosteroid therapy is more than 90%, but relapse rate is approximately 30%. Centers in Japan and Republic of Korea prefer low-dose corticosteroid for maintenance. On the other hand, centers in North America and Europe prefer immunomodulators for maintenance. In the future, well-designed studies on methods to decrease relapse rate of autoimmune pancreatitis and effective use of immunomodulators are needed.

Bilateral Triple-Negative Invasive Breast Cancer with a BRCA2 Mutation, and Glioblastoma: A Case Report and Literature Review / 한국유방암학회지

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death among women in North America. Glioblastoma is the most common primary malignant central nervous system tumor in adults. The majority of hereditary breast cancers are associated with deleterious mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. Although few case reports have described the incidence of glioblastoma in patients previously diagnosed with breast cancer, any association between BRCA2 mutations and glioblastoma has not been demonstrated to date. Herein, we report a woman who is a carrier of a familial BRCA2 mutation, and was previously diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and subsequently with a second primary TNBC and glioblastoma. Further investigation is required to define the possible relationship between these two aggressive malignances and the BRCA2 mutation, which might be critical for the proper management and treatment of this disease.