2,938 research outputs found
Low Phase Noise and High Output Power K-band MMIC VCO Utilizing a Miniaturized Hairpin Resonator and a Three-terminal p-HEMT Varactor
No full textRapid symptom improvement in major depressive disorder using accelerated repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation
No full textObjective: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has contributed to increase in the remission rate for patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). However, current rTMS treatment is practically inconvenient because it requires daily treatment sessions for several weeks. Accelerated rTMS treatment is as efficient and safe for MDD patients as conventional rTMS. Methods: Fifty-one patients with MDD participated in this study; they were randomized into accelerated rTMS (n = 21), conventional rTMS (n = 22), and sham-treatment (n = 8) groups. The accelerated and conventional rTMS groups received 15 sessions for 3 days and 3 weeks, respectively. The sham-treatment group received 15 sham rTMS sessions for 3 days. Primary outcome was assessed using self-report and clinician-rated Korean Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (KQIDS-SR and KQIDS-C, respectively). Adverse effects were monitored using the Frequency, Intensity, and Burden of Side Effects Rating scale. Changes in depressive symptoms were compared among the three groups using mixed model analyses. Results: For the KQIDS-SR score, there was a significant main effect of "time" (F3,47 = 11.05, p < 0.001), but no effect of "group" (F2,47 = 2.04, p = 0.142), and a trend-level interaction effect of "group × time" (F6,47 = 2.26, p = 0.053). Improvement in depressive symptoms, based on the KQIDS-SR score 3 weeks after treatment, was more prominent in the accelerated rTMS group than in the sham-treatment group (p = 0.011). Tolerability was comparable among the three groups. Conclusion: The accelerated rTMS treatment group showed rapid improvement of depressive symptoms compared with the sham-treatment and conventional rTMS treatment groups. Therefore, accelerated rTMS treatment could be a viable option for MDD, with improved accessibility
Introducing Open Dialogue as part of the WHO QualityRights Project in South Korea: experiences and opinions from an introductory workshop and 1-year pilot practice
No full textThis study explores the subjective experiences of participants in a 5-day Open Dialogue (OD) workshop and a 1-year pilot practice, conducted as part of the WHO QualityRights Project in South Korea. Twenty-four participants, selected through purposive sampling, completed surveys immediately after the workshop and 1 year later. Data were analyzed through both statistical and thematic approaches. A statistically significant decrease in the availability of “Flexibility and Mobility” was observed across all participants (p = 0.044) and a significant reduction in the availability of “Tolerance of Uncertainty” (p = 0.04) was noted among participants who engaged in network meetings over the course of 1 year. Qualitative analysis revealed that participants initially felt ambivalent toward OD due to systemic, cultural, and professional challenges. However, through experiential learning, their ambivalence shifted to hope, fostering solidarity and a more positive outlook for future OD practice. Participants recognized that implementing OD supported human rights, while addressing personal, organizational, and policy challenges. The findings provide important insights for developing OD training and implementation guidelines in South Korea. Recommendations include focusing on experiential learning and selecting mixed-group trainees from catchment area institutions, emphasizing the support of client rights, and considering individual, organizational, and systemic levels for successful implementation. This study represents a new case of OD dissemination through a top-down national research and development project and its integration into the WHO QualityRights service package, suggesting complementary potential between OD and global human rights-based mental health initiatives
Alterations of Cross Frequency Coupling and Feedback Structure in Schizophrenia Patients under Resting Condition: An MEG Study
No full textChosen logistics processes in Škoda JS
No full textThis master thesis deals with the purchase and sale process in Škoda JS company. The aim of this work is to assess whether the setting of the purchase and sale process is met by the company also within a real business case, in compliance with set controls, and whether the degree of perfect delivery is sufficient. In the introduction, the author specifies the basic terms: logistics, logistic chain, customer benefits, information systems in logistics, buying and selling. The following chapter introduces Škoda JS company, including the sphere of its entrepreneurial activity. This chapter also deals with the nuclear power industry. In the crucial chapter, the author describes the process of purchase and sale in Škoda JS company and compares it with a real business case. In conclusion, the author evaluates discrepancies and suggests recommendations to avoid them
Prevalence of Endocrine Disorders in Childhood Brain Tumor Survivors in South Korea
No full textBACKGROUND/AIM: This longitudinal study aimed to analyze the prevalence of endocrine disorders in childhood brain tumor survivors in South Korea using claims data.
PATIENTS AND METHODS: We identified in 1,058 patients from a nationwide cohort of patients diagnosed with brain tumors between January 1st 2009 to March 29th 2016. Multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate associations between clinical factors and endocrine disorders.
RESULTS: After a median follow-up of 60.0 months, 393 (37.1%) patients had at least 1 endocrine disorder. The commonest endocrine disorders were hypopituitarism (17.4%) and hypothyroidism (6.1%). Female gender (odds ratio(OR)=1.45, p=0.005) and age <10 years (OR=1.65, p=0.001) conferred a higher risk. Patients who received radiotherapy were more likely to have endocrine disorders compared to those who did not (OR=1.79, p<0.001).
CONCLUSION: Regular assessment of endocrine function and timely interventions are necessary for childhood brain tumor survivors with a risk of endocrine disorders
Characteristics of dimensional psychopathology in suicidal patients with major psychiatric disorders and its association with the length of hospital stay: Algorithm validation study
No full textBackground: Suicide has emerged as a serious concern for public health; however, only few studies have revealed the differences between major psychiatric disorders and suicide. Recent studies have attempted to quantify research domain criteria (RDoC) into numeric scores to systematically use them in computerized methods. The RDoC scores were used to reveal the characteristics of suicide and its association with major psychiatric disorders. Objective: We intended to investigate the differences in the dimensional psychopathology among hospitalized suicidal patients and the association between the dimensional psychopathology of psychiatric disorders and length of hospital stay. Methods: This retrospective study enrolled hospitalized suicidal patients diagnosed with major psychiatric disorders (depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder) between January 2010 and December 2020 at a tertiary hospital in South Korea. The RDoC scores were calculated using the patients' admission notes. To measure the differences between psychiatric disorder cohorts, analysis of variance and the Cochran Q test were conducted and post hoc analysis for RDoC domains was performed with the independent two-sample t test. A linear regression model was used to analyze the association between the RDoC scores and sociodemographic features and comorbidity index. To estimate the association between the RDoC scores and length of hospital stay, multiple logistic regression models were applied to each psychiatric disorder group. Results: We retrieved 732 admissions for 571 patients (465 with depression, 73 with schizophrenia, and 33 with bipolar disorder). We found significant differences in the dimensional psychopathology according to the psychiatric disorders. The patient group with depression showed the highest negative RDoC domain scores. In the cognitive and social RDoC domains, the groups with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder scored higher than the group with depression. In the arousal RDoC domain, the depression and bipolar disorder groups scored higher than the group with schizophrenia. We identified significant associations between the RDoC scores and length of stay for the depression and bipolar disorder groups. The odds ratios (ORs) of the length of stay were increased because of the higher negative RDoC domain scores in the group with depression (OR 1.058, 95% CI 1.006-1.114) and decreased by higher arousal RDoC domain scores in the group with bipolar disorder (OR 0.537, 95% CI 0.285-0.815). Conclusions: This study showed the association between the dimensional psychopathology of major psychiatric disorders related to suicide and the length of hospital stay and identified differences in the dimensional psychopathology of major psychiatric disorders. This may provide new perspectives for understanding suicidal patients
Lipase and its modulator from Pseudomonas sp strain KFCC 10818: Proline-to-glutamine substitution at position 112 induces formation of enzymatically active lipase in the absence of the modulator
No full textA lipase gene, lipK, and a lipase modulator gene, limK, of Pseudomonas sp. strain KFCC 10818 have been cloned, sequenced, and expressed in Escherichia coli. The limK gene is located immediately downstream of the lipK gene. Enzymatically active lipase was produced only in the presence of the limK gene. The effect of the lipase modulator LimK on the expression of active lipase was similar to those of the Pseudomonas subfamily I.1 and I.2 lipase-specific foldases (Lifs). The deduced amino acid sequence of LimK shares low homology (17 to 19%) with the known Pseudomonas Lifs, suggesting that Pseudomonas sp. strain KFCC 10818 is only distantly related to the subfamily I.1 and I.2 Pseudomonas species. Surprisingly, a lipase variant that does not require LimK for its correct folding was isolated in the study to investigate the functional interaction between LipK and LimK. When expressed in the absence of LimK, the P112Q variant of LipK formed an active enzyme and displayed 63% of the activity of wild-type LipK expressed in the presence of LimK. These results suggest that the Pro(112) residue of LipK is involved in a key step of lipase folding. We expect that the novel finding of this study may contribute to future research on efficient expression or refolding of industrially important lipases and on the mechanism of lipase folding
Neonatal Risk Factors for Growth Retardation in Infants With Congenital Heart Disease
No full textBACKGROUND: While the association of congenital heart disease (CHD) and growth retardation (GR) is known, data remain limited. This study investigated the incidence of GR and its neonatal risk factors in patients with CHD using nationwide population-based claims data. METHOD: The study population was extracted from Korean National Health Insurance Service claims data from January 2002 to December 2020. We included patients diagnosed with CHD under one year of age. GR was defined as an idiopathic growth hormone deficiency or short stature on the claims data. We investigated the neonatal risk factors for GR. RESULTS: The number of patients diagnosed with CHD within the first year of birth was 133,739. Of these, 2,921 newborns were diagnosed with GR. The cumulative incidence of GR was 4.8% at 19 years of age for individuals diagnosed with CHD at infancy. In the multivariable analysis, the significant risk factors for GR were preterm birth, small for gestational age, low birth weight, respiratory distress, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, bacterial sepsis, necrotizing enterocolitis, feeding problems and cardiac procedure. CONCLUSION: Several neonatal conditions were significant risk factors for GR in CHD patients, and appropriate monitoring and treatment programs are required in CHD neonates with these factors. Considering this study is limited to claims data, further studies are warranted, including genetic and environmental factors affecting GR in CHD patients
Association between impaired glucose metabolism and long-term prognosis at the time of diagnosis of depression: Impaired glucose metabolism as a promising biomarker proposed through a machine-learning approach
No full textBackground Predicting the course of depression is necessary for personalized treatment. Impaired glucose metabolism (IGM) was introduced as a promising depression biomarker, but no consensus was made. This study aimed to predict IGM at the time of depression diagnosis and examine the relationship between long-term prognosis and predicted results. Methods Clinical data were extracted from four electronic health records in South Korea. The study population included patients with depression, and the outcome was IGM within 1 year. One database was used to develop the model using three algorithms. External validation was performed using the best algorithm across the three databases. The area under the curve (AUC) was calculated to determine the model's performance. Kaplan-Meier and Cox survival analyses of the risk of hospitalization for depression as the long-term outcome were performed. A meta-analysis of the long-term outcome was performed across the four databases. Results A prediction model was developed using the data of 3,668 people, with an AUC of 0.781 with least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) logistic regression. In the external validation, the AUCs were 0.643, 0.610, and 0.515. Through the predicted results, survival analysis and meta-analysis were performed; the hazard ratios of risk of hospitalization for depression in patients predicted to have IGM was 1.20 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.02-1.41, p = 0.027) at a 3-year follow-up. Conclusions We developed prediction models for IGM occurrence within a year. The predicted results were related to the long-term prognosis of depression, presenting as a promising IGM biomarker related to the prognosis of depression
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