Deficits of case marker processing in persons with mild cognitive impairment

The purpose of the current study was to investigate whether persons with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) showed deficits in processing case markers compared to normal elderly adults (NEA). Results revealed that individuals with MCI presented significantly lower accuracy than the NEA group on a case marker processing (CMP) task. Both groups showed greater difficulties in the passive sentences than sentences with the transitive verbs. The current results suggested that individuals with early stage of dementia started presenting deficits in case marker processing compared to the control group

Editors' Note

We the editors of Korean Anthropology Review: A journal of Korean anthropology in translation (KAR) are presenting our fourth volume. This time we have selected articles that focus on space and place as anthropological problems. Anthropologists have long recognized space and place as objects of, and participants in, cultural meaning construction, and this volumes contributors explore how spatial phenomena are constructed and contested. The fourth volume also expands the geographical scope of our journal by including pieces that deal not only with South Korea but also present research conducted in another locale, Japan. Our goal is to showcase the geographical diversity of South Korean anthropologists interests, and we intend to continue translating articles that look beyond Korea for future volumes

β-Caryophyllene attenuates dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis in mice via modulation of gene expression associated mainly with colon inflammation

AbstractWe examined the modulatory activity of β-caryophyllene (CA) and gene expression in colitic colon tissues in a dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis model. Experimental colitis was induced by exposing male BALB/c mice to 5% DSS in drinking water for 7 days. CA (30 or 300mg/kg) was administered orally once a day together with DSS. CA administration attenuated the increases in the disease activity index, colon weight/length ratio, inflammation score, and myeloperoxidase activity in DSS-treated mice. Microarray analysis showed that CA administration regulated the expression in colon tissue of inflammation-related genes including those for cytokines and chemokines (Ccl2, Ccl7, Ccl11, Ifitm3, IL-1β, IL-28, Tnfrsf1b, Tnfrsf12a); acute-phase proteins (S100a8, Saa3, Hp); adhesion molecules (Cd14, Cd55, Cd68, Mmp3, Mmp10, Sema6b, Sema7a, Anax13); and signal regulatory proteins induced by DSS. CA significantly suppressed NF-κB activity, which mediates the expression of a different set of genes. These results suggest that CA attenuates DSS-induced colitis, possibly by modulating the expression of genes associated mainly with colon inflammation through inhibition of DSS-induced NF-κB activity

Hospital Staff and Patient Recognition Toward Opening of Medical Services Market, and Factors in Selecting a Foreign Hospital

PURPOSE: The objectives of this study are to compare the hospital employees' and patients' recognition and attitudes toward the opening of the medical services market, to analyze the differences between hospital employees and patients on the factors in selecting a foreign hospital. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study collected and analyzed data using systematic questionnaires that were self-administered by employees and outpatients to compare their recognition of the opening of the medical services market and the factors involved in selecting a foreign hospital. RESULTS: Employees exhibited a higher level of recognition than the patients. Reasons for agreement were to ensure the right of selection for both the employees and patients. Reasons for disagreement, however, were split between the two groups: degraded public characteristics of medical services, for employees; and expensive medical fees, for patients. The most urgent task to prepare for the opening of the medical services market is the improvement of the diagnosis and treatment technologies for employees, and improvement of the services provided by hospital staff for patients. CONCLUSION: Korean hospitals shall need to improve their diagnosis and treatment technologies and provide medical services of high quality in order to compete with foreign hospitals.ope

Pigmented Basal Cell Carcinoma of the Nipple-Areola Complex in an Elderly Woman

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC), which frequently occurs in sun-exposed areas of the head and neck region, is the most common cutaneous malignancy. The nipple-areola complex (NAC) is an uncommon site for BCC to develop. BCCs in this region display more aggressive behavior and a greater potential to spread than when found in other anatomical sites. This paper outlines the case of 67-year-old female with a solitary asymptomatic black plaque on the right areola. The lesion was initially recognized as Paget's disease of the nipple by a general surgeon. However, the histopathological features showed a tumor mass of basaloid cells, a peripheral palisading arrangement and scattered pigment granules. Finally, the patient was diagnosed with pigmented BCC of the NAC and was referred to the department of dermatology. Positron emission tomography-computed tomography revealed the absence of distant metastasis. A wide excision was done. The lesion resolved without recurrence or metastasis during 14 months of follow-up

Impact of Chronic Cough on Health-Related Quality of Life in the Korean Adult General Population: The Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2010–2016

PurposeChronic cough is a prevalent condition in the community and may pose considerable impairment to quality of life (QoL). However, its disease burden remains largely undefined in the general population. The present study investigated the relationship between chronic cough and health-related QoL in a Korean nationwide population database, with an emphasis on clinical conditions which may confound the impact of cough.MethodsThis study analyzed cross-sectional datasets of adults (aged ≥ 40 years) in the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2010–2016. Health-related QoL was assessed using the 3-level EuroQoL 5-dimension component (EQ-5D-3L) index score. The presence of chronic cough and other conditions were defined using structured questionnaires.ResultsThe prevalence of chronic cough was 3.48% ± 0.17% among adults aged ≥ 40 years. The overall EQ-5D-3L index score was significantly lower in subjects with than without chronic cough (0.79 ± 0.01 vs. 0.86 ± 0.00, P < 0.001). In subgroup analyses by age and sex, chronic cough had a notably large impact on QoL in women aged ≥ 65 years (vs. those without chronic cough: 0.55 ± 0.04 vs. 0.70 ± 0.01, P < 0.001), although the mean difference in the scores exceeded the minimally important difference score of 0.05 in all subgroups. In multivariate analyses, chronic cough was significantly associated with QoL, independent of confounders including depression, arthritis, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In dimension analyses, chronic cough was more associated with anxiety/depression, pain/discomfort, and usual activities than with self-care or mobility in the EQ-5D.ConclusionsThe present study demonstrated significant associations between chronic cough and health-related QoL in a nationwide large general adult population aged ≥ 40 years, which were independent of clinical confounders. The impact of chronic cough was greater in women aged ≥ 65 years. These findings indicate a considerable burden of chronic cough in the general population and warrant further investigations to assess the disease burden of chronic cough in a global scale

Extraintestinal Migration of Centrorhynchus sp (Acanthocephala: Centrorhynchidae) in Experimentally Infected Rats

Reptiles were known to serve as paratenic hosts for Centrorhynchus (Acanthocephala: Centrorhynchidae) in Korea, but the infection course in experimental animals was not elucidated yet. In this study, the tiger keelback snakes (Rhabdophis tigrinus) were collected and digested with artificial pepsin solution, and the larvae of Centrorhynchus were recovered from them. Then, the collected larvae were orally infected to rats for developmental observations. In rats, all the larvae were observed outside the intestine on day 3 post-infection (PI), including the mesentery and abdominal muscles. As for the development in rats, the ovary of Centrorhynchus sp. was observed at day 15 PI, and the cement glands were 3 in number. Based on the morphological characteristics, including the arrangement of proboscis hooks, these larvae proved to be a species of Centrorhynchus, and more studies were needed for species identification.