Laboratory investigations of herpes simplex virus-1 and -2 clinical samples in Korea

Objectives@#Herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections have been reported in 60% to 95% of the adult population worldwide, making them one of the most common infectious conditions globally. HSV-1 and HSV-2 cause severe disease in immunocompromised patients. Therefore, the aim of this study was to provide information that could be used to reduce the incidence of genital herpes caused by HSV-1 and HSV-2. @*Methods@#From September 2018 to December 2020, 59,381 specimens were collected from outpatients across primary and secondary hospitals in Korea who requested U2Bio (Seoul, Korea) to conduct molecular biological testing of their samples for sexually transmitted infections. In this study, the positivity rates of HSV-1 and HSV-2 were analyzed according to age, sex, and specimen type. @*Results@#In the age-specific analysis of HSV-1, the highest positivity rate (0.58%) was observed in patients under 19 years of age, whereas the lowest positivity rate (0.08%) was observed in patients aged over 70 years. In the age-specific analysis of HSV-2, the highest positivity rate (2.53%) was likewise observed in patients under 19 years of age. @*Conclusion@#Our study identified differences in the infection rates of HSV-1 and HSV-2 depending on patients’ sex and age. These differences will be useful for improving disease prevention and control measures for HSV-1 and HSV-2.

Effect of Positive Psychological Capital, Sense of Community and Stress on Middle School Students' School Adjustment

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate psychological capital, sense of community and stress in relation to school adjustment and to identify factors influencing school adjustment in middle school students. METHODS: This study population consisted of 150 middle school students. Data were analyzed using t-test, analysis of variance, Pearson correlation coefficient, and multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: The mean score for school adjustment in middle school students was 3.68 out of 5 points. School adjustment explained 34% of the variance in sense of community (β=.39, p < .001), positive psychological capital (β=.35, p < .001), academic performance (β=.26, p < .001), and stress (β=−.21, p < .001). CONCLUSION: The results of our research suggest that sense of community is an important variable influencing school adjustment in middle school students. Therefore, to promote school adjustment in middle school students, it is necessary to develop and implement active educational strategies promoting sense of community, positive psychological capital, academic perfomance, and controlling stress.

Comparison of the Working Conditions of Dental Hygienists Using Data from Online Job Sites / 치위생과학회지

The shortage of dental hygienists has been a long-standing problem in Korea. Small-scaled dental clinics suffer from a lack of dental hygienists, who seem to prefer working at large-scaled dental clinics. The purpose of this study was to confirm the differences in the working conditions according to the scales of dental clinics. We collected the working information registered via job advertisements through the web-sites of Korean Dental Hygienists Association, Dental Jobs, and Nurse Jobs from July to August 2016. The results were as follows: 96.7% of the advertisements wanted regular workers, while the proportion of part-time workers was the highest (34.8%) in the group with less than 3 employees. The average workdays per week was 5.32±0.55 days, and the group with less than 3 employees had significantly longer workdays than the other groups. The daily working time was 8.99±0.44 hours, and there was no difference among the groups. Night overtime hours were needed by 54.4%, 45.0%, and 31.3% of the groups with of the groups with 4~7 employees, more than 8 employees, and less than 3 employees, respectively. Information regarding annual leave (60.5%), monthly leave (63.9%), half a day off (32.4%) and vacations (43.1%) were presented in the job advertisements, and these proportions were significantly higher by the group with more than 8 employees. Information on overtime pay (14.4%), night-work pay (13.4%), incentives (34.1%), lunches (60.2%), vacation bonuses (33.8%), and self-development (20.4%) were presented in job advertisements. The group with 4~7 employees had significantly higher proportions in severance pay, vacation bonuses, self-development, and major national insurance. It is necessary to consider the improvement of working conditions, diversity of working styles, and welfare of dental hygienists, and it is suggested that small dental clinics provide more precise working conditions.

A Study on the Relationship between Upper-scale General Hospital Nurses' Experience of Verbal Abuse and Job Stress / 한국직업건강간호학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between upper-scale general hospital nurses' experience of verbal abuse and job stress. METHODS: Subjects were 245 nurses working at 3 upper-scale general hospitals in B city and the data were collected by convenience samples using self-reported questionnaires consist of general characteristics, verbal abuse and job stress. The data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Scheffe test and Pearson's correlation coefficients. RESULTS: The mean score of verbal abuse level was 2.2 points and job stress level was 2.5 points. Experience of verbal abuse and job stress among the subjects had a positive correlation, and verbal abuse against nurses especially showed a strong correlation with job stress. CONCLUSION: Results of this study show that nurses' experience of verbal abuse increases their job stress. Therefore, continuous education and training programs that are based on the case studies with coping method according to clinical careers and working areas are required to reduce upper-scale general hospital nurses' experience of verbal abuse and decrease their job stress.

Enhanced compatibility and initial stability of Ti6Al4V alloy orthodontic miniscrews subjected to anodization, cyclic precalcification, and heat treatment / 대한치과교정학회지

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the bioactivity, and the biomechanical and bone-regenerative properties of Ti6Al4V miniscrews subjected to anodization, cyclic precalcification, and heat treatment (APH treatment) and their potential clinical use. METHODS: The surfaces of Ti6Al4V alloys were modified by APH treatment. Bioactivity was assessed after immersion in simulated body fluid for 3 days. The hydrophilicity and the roughness of APH-treated surfaces were compared with those of untreated (UT) and anodized and heat-treated (AH) samples. For in vivo tests, 32 miniscrews (16 UT and 16 APH) were inserted into 16 Wistar rats, one UT and one APH-treated miniscrew in either tibia. The miniscrews were extracted after 3 and 6 weeks and their osseointegration (n = 8 for each time point and group) was investigated by surface and histological analyses and removal torque measurements. RESULTS: APH treatment formed a dense surface array of nanotubular TiO2 layer covered with a compact apatite-like film. APH-treated samples showed better bioactivity and biocompatibility compared with UT and AH samples. In vivo, APH-treated miniscrews showed higher removal torque and bone-to-implant contact than did UT miniscrews, after both 3 and 6 weeks (p < 0.05). Also, early deposition of densely mineralized bone around APH-treated miniscrews was observed, implying good bonding to the treated surface. CONCLUSIONS: APH treatment enhanced the bioactivity, and the biomechanical and bone regenerative properties of the Ti6Al4V alloy miniscrews. The enhanced initial stability afforded should be valuable in orthodontic applications.

Experimental brush wear pattern and cariostatic effect of Biscover / 대한치과교정학회지

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the experimental brush wear pattern of a light cured surface sealant, Biscover (Bisco, Schaumburg, IL), and to evaluate its cariostatic effect. METHODS: Caries- free human premolars were used for the Biscover coating group (n = 90) and the control group (n = 10). The Biscover coating group was randomly assigned to nine subgroups of 10 each and the control group was assigned to two subgroups of 5 each according to the number of brushing strokes. An experimental 3-body wear test was conducted under different strokes of wear test. Tooth-brushing was accomplished with movement of each brush head set at a frequency of 100 rpm under a force of 1.5 N. Surface roughness was tested before, and after Biscover coating, and after brushing. Then, each of the 10 teeth of both groups were placed in artificial caries inducing solution for 7 days. All tooth surfaces were assessed using scanning electron microscopy. RESULTS: Biscover coated surfaces showed a smoother texture than enamel surfaces. The roughness was increased after experimental brushing and after 10,800 brushing strokes, the whole layer of Biscover wore out. However, teeth in the Biscover coating group had a cariostatic effect in cariogenic conditions. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that white lesions in orthodontic patients can be suppressed by topical applications of Biscover.