Associated factors of depression in pregnant women in Korea based on the 2019 Korean Community Health Survey: a cross-sectional study

Purpose Various individual and social factors influence depression in pregnant women. The purpose of this study was to identify the influence of socioeconomic status, health behaviors, and health status on depression of pregnant women in Korea. Methods This study analyzed data from the 2019 Korean Community Health Survey conducted from August to October 2019. A structural questionnaire with Patient Health Quetsionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), health behavior, health status, and psychological characteristics was used. The data of 1,096 pregnant women between the ages of 19 and 55 years were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent-test and chi-square tests, and multiple regression. Results The mean score of prenatal depression as measured by the PHQ-9 during pregnancy was 2.35 points out of 0 to 27 points. Low income (B=0.69, p<.001), low-education level (B=0.70, p<.001), skipping breakfast (B=0.34, p=.001), less than 8 hours of sleeping (B=0.26, p=.009), binge drinking during pregnancy (B=0.46, p=.001), and stress (B=1.89, p<.001) were significantly associated with increased depression scores. In contrast, depression scores significantly decreased as subjective health status (B=–0.59, p<.001) and subjective oral health status (B=–.17, p=.003) increased. Conclusion Findings support the need for healthcare policies and clinical screening to alleviate prenatal depression, especially for pregnant women with low socioeconomic status, poor health behavior, poor health status, and high stress

Behavioral analysis of Pacific abalone, Haliotis discus hannai, reveals its feeding preference and attraction potential for brown alga, Sargassum horneri

The Pacific abalone, Haliotis discus hannai, is a highly valued and industrially important aquaculture species with growing demands of the expanding abalone aquaculture industry. To explore the feasibility of using the brown alga, Sargassum horneri, as a potential substitute for abalone feed, it is important to identify the feed preference and attractant effect of S. horneri on Pacific abalone. Our experiments indicated that the feeding-associated movement of abalone could be detected using a video tracking system under indirect illumination with dim red light. To further analyze the attraction potentials of various test materials, preference analysis was performed using Avicel-coated glass plates with ground powders of various seaweeds (e.g., S. horneri, Saccharina japonica, and Undaria pinnatifida) and commercial abalone feed, together with coffee waste. Heat map analysis indicated greater attraction by the kelp S. japonica than by S. horneri and commercial feed, which showed similar preference levels. Feeding preference based on the area of Avicel eaten by abalone showed a significant preference for U. pinnatifida over S. horneri (feeding area: 68.6 ± 20.1% vs. 37.5 ± 22.4%, p &lt; 0.05). Additionally, the feeding area was significantly greater for plates with S. ja-ponica than for plates with S. horneri (44.0 ± 16.6% vs. 22.6 ± 15.4%, p &lt; 0.05). There was no significant difference in feeding area between commercial feed and S. horneri (31.7 ± 11.6% vs. 31.6 ± 20.2%, p &gt; 0.05). The methanol extracts attracted abalone in the following order: U. pinnatifida &gt; S. horneri &gt; S. japonica &gt; commercial feed &gt; coffee waste. To determine the attractive effects of the components of methanol extracts, mixtures of methanol extracts of commercial feed with increasing amounts of S. horneri were examined. The results showed a significant increase in feeding preference upon addition of S. horneri up to 50% and 75%, suggesting its potential for use as an appetite-enhancing feed additive. This study identified conditions that can be successfully used to monitor the movement of Pacific abalone; the results of preference analysis confirmed that abalone exhibited similar attraction and feeding preference for S. horneri, compared with commercial feed

First Successful Application of Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis for Lethal Neonatal Rigidity and Multifocal Seizure Syndrome in Korea: A Case Report

Lethal neonatal rigidity and multifocal seizure syndrome (RMFSL) is a severe autosomal recessive epileptic encephalopathy characterized by rigidity, intractable multifocal seizures, microcephaly, apnea, and bradycardia immediately after birth. RMFSL is related to a mutation in breast cancer 1-associated ataxia telangiectasia mutated activation-1 protein (BRAT1). We report a case of a female infant born to non-consanguineous Korean parents who developed hypertonia, dysmorphic features, progressive encephalopathy with refractory seizures at birth, and worsening intermittent apnea, leading to intubation and death at 137 days of age. The initial repeated electroencephalographic findings were normal; however, a pattern of focal seizures emerged at 35 days of life. Rapid trio whole-exome sequencing revealed heterozygous mutations c.1313_1314delAG p.(Gln438Argfs*51) and c.1276C>T p. (Gln426*) in BRAT1. After genetic counseling for pregnancy planning, a preimplantation genetic diagnosis for targeted BRAT1 mutations was successfully performed, and a healthy baby was born. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of a Korean patient with compound heterozygous mutations in BRAT1. An early and accurate genetic diagnosis can help provide timely treatment to patients and indicate the need for reproductive counseling for parents for family planning

Angiogenesis effect of udenafil in a caveolin-1 deficient moyamoya disease model: A pre-clinical animal study

Purpose Although pathogenic mechanisms of moyamoya disease (MMD) remain unknown, recent studies suggest that it is a caveolae disease. This study evaluated the effect of udenafil, a phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor, on angiogenesis in in vitro and in vivo MMD models. Methods Angiogenesis and vessel maturation were assessed in in vitro models, caveolin- 1 (Cav-1) knockdown human umbilical vessel endothelial cells (HUVECs) and coronary artery smooth muscle cells (CASMCs), and in in vivo model of bilateral internal carotid artery occlusion (bICAo). Udenafil was administered (1,3,10, and 30 μM) in cell culture conditions, and functional studies (migration and tube formation assay) were performed and vessel maturation factors and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) accumulation were measured. Results Udenafil (3 and 10 mg/kg) was orally administered once daily for 4 weeks in bICAo rat model, and histological analysis for angiogenesis and vessel maturation was performed. Udenafil increased vessel formation in both Cav-1 knockdown HUVEC and bICAo models without increased migration/proliferation of HUVECs and CASMCs. Udenafil increased CD31+ vessel density and NG2/Col4+ mural cell density in bICAo models. Cav-1 knockdown inhibited accumulation of cGMP, and udenafil treatment restored cGMP levels in Cav-1 knockdown HUVEC models. Vessel maturation factors (angiopoietin- 1 and platelet-derived growth factor receptor-β) and angiogenic factors (endothelial nitric oxide synthase) were increased after treatment with udenafil in vitro. Conclusion Our results indicate that udenafil reversed cellular levels of cGMP related to Cav-1 deficiency and induced angiogenesis and vessel maturation. Further studies are warranted to confirm the therapeutic effects of this strategy in MMD

Questionnaire study of application about sentinel lymph node biopsy surgery in locally advanced breast cancer patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy

BackgroundNodal staging from sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy has become the standard procedure for early-stage breast cancer patients. SLN biopsy implementation after chemotherapy has previously been evaluated. This questionnaire study aimed to investigate the current trend of SLN biopsy after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) for locally advanced breast cancer.Methods and materialsWe conducted a web-based survey among breast surgeons who are members of the Korean Breast Cancer Society. The survey comprised 14 questions about axillary surgery after NAC.ResultsOf 135 respondents, 48.1% used a combined method of dye and radioactive isotope (RI). In the absence of SLN metastasis, 67.7% would perform only SLN biopsy, while 3% would perform ALN dissection. In case of SLN metastasis, the proportions of surgeons who would proceed with ALN dissection were 60.2% and 67.2% for less than two and more than three positive SLNs, respectively.ConclusionThe present study confirmed the increasing tendency to adopt SLN biopsy for axillary staging in patients who achieved complete response with initial nodal metastasis. It could be expected that the mapping methods for patients receiving NAC have become diverse, including RI, vital dye, and indocyanine green fluorescence. The implementation of SLN biopsy after NAC will grow in the coming years due to an increasing demand of minimally invasive surgery