Impact of Media Coverage on Influenza Vaccine Coverage in Elderly Individuals from 2020 to 2021 in the Republic of Korea.

Increased awareness of adverse events following immunization (AEFI) can disrupt vaccination programs. In South Korea, a report of alleged influenza vaccine-related deaths attracted significant media attention in 2020. We retrieved the vaccination coverage and AEFI data to determine their association with media coverage. Between 2015 and 2019, the vaccination coverage rate ranged between 80.5% and 83.3%; however, the vaccination coverage rate declined significantly from 2020 to 2021 to 73.6% (p < 0.0001). During the 43rd week of 2020, following a large amount of media coverage on vaccine safety issues, the number of cases with AEFI reached 60. Between 2015 and 2020, the mortality rate ratios for influenza vaccines and non-vaccines ranged between 0.1296 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.1262-0.1331, p < 0.0001) and 0.1608 (95% CI, 0.1572-0.1644, p < 0.0001). Vaccine safety surveillance should be continued in conjunction with investigation and transparent risk communication to maintain public trust in vaccines and vaccinations.

Continuous quality improvement program and its results of Korean Society for Cytopathology.

BACKGROUND: Since 1995, the Korean Society for Cytopathology has overseen the Continuous Quality Improvement program for cytopathology laboratories. The Committee of Quality Improvement has carried out an annual survey of cytology data for each laboratory and set standards for proficiency tests. METHODS: Evaluations were conducted four times per year from 2008 to 2018 and comprised statistics regarding cytology diagnoses of previous years, proficiency tests using cytology slides provided by the committee, assessment of adequacy of gynecology (GYN) cytology slides, and submission of cytology slides for proficiency tests. RESULTS: A total of 206 institutes participated in 2017, and the results were as follows. The number of cytology tests increased from year to year. The ratio of liquid-based cytology in GYN gradually decreased, as most of the GYN cytology had been performed at commercial laboratories. The distribution of GYN diagnoses demonstrated nearly 3.0% as atypical squamous cells. The rate for squamous cell carcinoma was less than 0.02%. The atypical squamous cell/squamous intraepithelial lesion ratio was about 3:1 and showed an upward trend. The major discordant rate of cytology-histology in GYN cytology was less than 1%. The proficiency test maintained a major discordant rate less than 2%. The rate of inappropriate specimens for GYN cytology slides gradually decreased. CONCLUSIONS: The Continuous Quality Improvement program should be included in quality assurance programs. Moreover, these data can contribute to development of national cancer examination guidelines and facilitate cancer prevention and treatment.

Anti-amnesic effect of Chong-Myung-Tang on scopolamine-induced memory impairments in mice.

AIM OF THE STUDY: Chong-Myung-Tang (CMT) consisted of Acorus gramineus Soland, Polygala tenuifolia Willdenow, and Poria cocos Wolf is one of the traditional Korean herbal medicines used for the therapy of learning and memory improvement. The present study was investigated the effect of CMT on learning and memory functions in SCOP-induced memory deficits mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The cognitive-enhancing effect of CMT on amnesic mice induced by SCOP was investigated by assessing the passive avoidance test and the Morris water maze test. In order to confirm the underlying mechanisms of memory enhancing effects of CMT, activities of AChE, choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), and antioxidant enzymes were measured. RESULTS: Administration of CMT significantly restored memory impairments induced by SCOP in the passive avoidance test and also reduced escape latency during trial sessions in the Morris water maze test. The increased AChE activity produced by SCOP was significantly inhibited by CMT. CMT significantly enhanced ChAT activity. Moreover, treatment with CMT to the amnesic mice induced by SCOP considerably decreased malondialdehyde levels and restored activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase to the control values. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that CMT may be useful for the cognitive improvement via regulation of cholinergic marker enzyme activities and the antioxidant defense system.

Castleman's disease: unusual case of inflammatory spinal dorsal epidural mass: case report.

OBJECTIVE AND IMPORTANCE: Castleman's disease (giant lymph node hyperplasia) is a rare, heterogeneous, lymphoproliferative disorder of unknown cause and pathogenesis. Most cases occur as mediastinal masses, although extrathoracic involvement, including nodal and extranodal locations, has been reported. The localized variants (solitary lesions) respond well to surgical excision. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: We report the case of a 34-year-old man with headache, intermittent febrile sense, progressive weakness of the legs, and urinary incontinence. Magnetic resonance imaging disclosed an enhancing dorsal extradural mass with impingement on the spinal cord at the T2-T3 level. Other abnormal laboratory findings were increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate and mild leukocytosis. TECHNIQUE: The mass lesion was removed; the histopathological findings included diffuse lymphoid cell infiltration and vascular proliferation, which are compatible with Castleman's disease. CONCLUSION: Although the dorsal epidural site of this case is very unusual, Castleman's disease was considered the most appropriate diagnosis on the basis of the associated systemic findings. This patient with dorsal epidural Castleman's disease may be the first reported case in the literature.