The Relationships between Rural Elderly’s Suicide Literacy, Suicide Stigma and Coping Advice for Suicide Prevention: The Moderated Mediation Effect of Social Expectations for Experiencing Negative Emotions

Purpose@#The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of the rural elderly suicide literacy level upon suicide stigma and coping advice with suicidal crises (recommending professional help for a suicidal person). In particular, this study investigates the role of cultural norms (perceived social expectations for the experience of negative emotions) on suicide stigma and coping ability. @*Methods@#A survey was conducted addressing elderly people (N=119) living in rural areas. Regression analysis using SPSS PROCESS macro was used to examine the relationships among the key variables. @*Results@#Participants with higher suicide literacy showed lower suicide stigma, and this perception had a significant effect on enhancing their coping advice with suicidal crises. Also, perceived social expectations significantly influenced the relationship between suicide stigma and coping advice. With lower levels of social expectations, the mediating effect of suicide stigma on the relationship between suicide literacy and recommending professional help did not exist whereas the indirect effect was significant when it pertained to high levels of social expectations. @*Conclusion@#This result signifies that suicide stigma serves as a barrier deterring Koreans from reaching out for professional help regarding their mental health. Moreover, these findings underscore the importance of cultural psychological factors such as perceived social expectations in terms of developing suicide prevention strategies.

Endodermal sinus tumor: immunophenotypic expression of a carcinoma

A series of five endodermal sinus tumors was studied for their cytoskeletal and other phenotypic markers. They included 2 ovarian, 2 testicular, and 1 inguinal tumors. The cytoskeletal expression was also studied by gel electrophoresis and immunoblotting. Every tumor was diffusely and strongly immunostained for cytokeratin. By SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting, cytokeratins 8 & 18 were detected. Vimentin was focally coexpressed in 4 cases. The stroma was diffusely immunostained for vimentin. None of them expressed desmin, neurofilament, or glial filament protein. Desmoplakin was expressed only in one ovarian tumor. Alpha-fetoprotein and S-100 protein were also diffusely positive among the neoplastic cells; intracytoplasmic globules were especially strongly immunostained. These findings suggest that endodermal sinus tumors represent a group of pure malignant epithelial neoplasms, and may be regarded as primitive carcinomas.

Extrafollicular reticulum cells in pathologic lymph nodes

Extrafollicular reticulum cells in lymph nodes are heterogeneous. They express cytokeratins, desmin, and/or vimentin as their intermediate filament profile. Using those markers, we undertook an immunohistochemical study of human lymph nodes under various pathologic conditions. Samples included 15 simple reactive lymph nodes, 7 follicular hyperplasia, 1 necrotizing lymphadenitis, 4 tuberculous lymphadenitis, 13 malignant lymphoma (9 non-Hodgkin's and 4 Hodgkin's lymphomas), and 11 metastatic adenocarcinoma. In lymph nodes with follicular hyperplasia, cytokeratin and/or desmin expressing reticulum cells displayed a characteristic dendritic meshwork in the subcapsular, perisinusoidal, and paracortical regions. In other forms reactive lymph nodes, they were similarly distributed but were less prominent. By SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting, cytokeratin polypeptides were identified. In necrotizing lymphadenitis, they were increased and the pattern of distribution was disturbed. In tuberculous lymphadenitis, they were also increased and located at nongranulomatous as well as in perigranulomatous areas. In lymphomas the reticular meshwork was entirely obliterated. Cytokeratin or desmin expressing reticulum cells were rarely seen within tumors. The reticular meshwork was also obliterated in metastatic carcinoma. However, the meshwork was maintained in uninvolved areas. In conclusion, extrafollicular reticulum cells displayed characteristic patterns of distribution under various pathologic conditions, and may be implicated in the pathogenesis of those pathologic conditions in human lymph nodes.