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Objective: While the association between depression and frailty in the elderly population has been investigated, the psychological factors that mediate such a relationship remain unknown. The identification of psychological factors in interventions for depression treatment in the elderly may assist in the treatment and care. We aimed to explore the mediating effects of anger, anxiety, and resilience on the link between frailty and depression symptoms in patients with late-life depression. Methods: A sample of 203 older adults completed questionnaires that assessed depression, anger, resilience, and anxiety. To measure frailty, participants were evaluated using a self-rated health questionnaire, weight-adjusted waist index related to sarcopenia, and weight-adjusted handgrip strength to evaluate weakness. A mediation model was tested, hypothesizing that anger, anxiety, and resilience would partially mediate the strength of the frailty-depression link in the elderly. Results: Only self-rated health showed a significant association with depressive symptoms in late-life depression. Our study demonstrated that frailty has both direct and indirect associations with depression, mediated by anger, resilience, and anxiety. Conclusion: Given that anger, resilience, and anxiety influence the link between self-rated health and depression, interventions that lead to increased resilience and decreased anger and anxiety may be promising to reduce depressive symptoms in older adults with depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To translate the Brief Resilience Scale into Korean and evaluate its reliability and validity. Methods: To investigate the factor structure of the Brief Resilience Scale, we examined a two-factor model comprising positively and negatively worded items. Congruent and divergent validity of the Brief Resilience Scale were investigated using correlation analysis between the Brief Resilience Scale and resilience, depression, and perceived stress. By conducting an analysis of variance among groups classified by suicidality (no suicidality, only suicidal ideation, and suicidal ideation or suicidal plan groups), we evaluated how well the Brief Resilience Scale could detect people with a high risk of suicide. Results: Confirmatory factor analysis results supported the construct validity of the Brief Resilience Scale using a two-factor model. Cronbach's alpha (0.91) and McDonald's omega (0.91) scores indicated high internal consistency. Correlation analysis showed that the Brief Resilience Scale scores were strongly associated with a questionnaire evaluating resilience, depression, and perceived stress. Analysis of variance and post-hoc tests showed that he Brief Resilience Scale scores were highest in the no suicidality group (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The Korean version of the Brief Resilience Scale is a valid and reliable instrument for evaluating resilience as the capacity to recover from adversity and endure obstacles or stress. This study also provides important evidence regarding the sensitivity of the Brief Resilience Scale to suicidal risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Many studies have reported noticeable increases in the proportion of employees working either relatively short or relatively long hours. Such trends have been accompanied by an increasing concern that how much subjective mental well-being of employees would be influenced by their hours of work. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between work hours and clinically relevant depressive symptoms with demographic variables adjusted. Methods Participants were employees of a total of 56 private companies and local government organizations in Korea, aged 19 to 65 years. A self-report questionnaire that included items on working hour, job stress, levels of depression, and socio-demographic factors was administered to 15360 Korean employees, with 14477 valid responses. Hierarchical linear regression analyses, adjusted for sociodemographic factors, job related demographic factors, job stress, were used additionally to estimate the association between working hours and depressive scores. Results We found that working more than 40 hours per week correlated positively with the level of depressive symptoms after adjusting for demographic variables and the level of job stress. Furthermore, working 40 or fewer hours per week correlated negatively with the level of depressive symptoms. Being younger (β = -0.078, β = -0.099), being a female (β = 2.770, β = 1.268), and possessing a lower level of education (β = -0.315, β = -1.125) were significantly associated with higher level of depressive symptoms in all respondents. Conclusions Both of working excessively long or short hours is significantly associated with the prevalence of depressive symptoms. Establishing proper office hours for employees is critical to improving the quality of working conditions and maintaining good mental health in the workplace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The pathology of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with changes in brain structure and function, especially in the amygdala, medial prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and insula. Survivors of tragic accidents often experience psychological stress and develop post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), regardless of the diagnosis of PTSD. This study aimed to evaluate electroencephalographic changes according to PTSS in victims of a single traumatic event. Methods: This study enrolled 60 survivors of the Sewol ferry disaster that occurred in 2014 from Danwon High School and collected electroencephalographic data through 19 channels twice for each person in 2014 and 2015 (mean 451.88 [standard deviation 25.77] days of follow-up). PTSS was assessed using the PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version (PCL-C) and the participants were divided into two groups according to the differences in PCL-C scores between 2014 and 2015. Electroencephalographic data were converted to three-dimensional data to perform low-resolution electrical tomographic analysis. Results: Significant electroencephalographic changes over time were observed. The group of participants with worsened PCL-C score showed an increased change of delta slow waves in Brodmann areas 13 and 44, with the largest difference in the insula region, compared to those with improved PCL-C scores. Conclusion: Our findings suggests that the electrophysiological changes in the insula are associated with PTSS changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Many patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) suffer from residual symptoms without achieving remission. However, pharmacologic options for residual symptoms of MDD have been limited. This study aimed to investigate benefit of aripiprazole augmentation in the treatment of residual symptoms in the patients with partially remitted MDD. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the 8-week medical records of the patients. The enrolled patients did respond to treatment of antidepressant but were not remitted. The range of 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) total score of the subjects were 8 to 15 points. All patients were currently taking antidepressants when they started aripiprazole. The primary endpoint was the mean change of Clinically Useful Depression Outcome Scale (CUDOS). Secondary endpoint measures were HAMD, Clinical Global Impression-severity (CGI-S) scores, Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (PHQ-15), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Perceived Deficit Questionnaire-depression (PDQ-D), Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS) and General Health Questionnaire/Quality of Life-12 (GHQ/QL-12). Results: A total of 134 medical records were analyzed. The changes of CUDOS, HAMD, CGI-S, BAI, PHQ-15, PDQ-D, SDS and GHQ/QL-12 from baseline to the endpoint were -7.93, -3.29, -0.80, -4.02, -2.05, -4.35, -4.77 and -2.82, respectively (all p ‹ 0.001). At the endpoint, the newly remitted subjects rate by HAMD score criteria were approximately 46%. Conclusion: Our preliminary findings have presented the effectiveness of aripiprazole augmentation for residual symptoms of partially remitted MDD patients in routine practice. This study assures subsequent well-controlled studies of the possibility of generalizing the above promising outcome in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The aim of this study was to identify work stress associated with the development of suicidal ideation with a focus on gender and age differences among Korean employees. Methods The data of 95 356 healthy employees aged >18 years who had undergone at least two comprehensive health examinations at Kangbuk Samsung Hospital Health Screening Center, South Korea, were analyzed. Risk of suicidal ideation was assessed using a self-reported questionnaire examining suicidal ideation during the past year. Work stress was measured using the Korean Occupational Stress Scale-Short Form. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to examine relationship between work stress and suicidal ideation. Considering gender and age differences in the association between work stress and suicidal ideation, the data were stratified by gender and age groups. Results During 289 706 person-years of follow-up, suicide ideation was identified in 3 460 participants. For male workers, high job demands and lack of reward were associated with the risk of suicidal ideation in young adults and midlife decade group. Job insecurity was associated with the risk of suicidal ideation in midlife decade and middle-aged and older adulthood. Organizational injustice was associated with the risk of suicidal ideation in middle-aged and older adulthood. Discomfort in an organizational climate was associated with the development of suicidal ideation in all age groups. For female workers, organizational injustice and discomfort in an organizational climate were associated with the risk of suicidal ideation in early adulthood. Conclusion The results suggested that certain work stressors are risk factors of suicidal ideation. Gender and age differences in components of work stress associated with suicidal ideation were also observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atypical antipsychotics (AAP) are the prevailing form of schizophrenia treatment today due to their low side effects and superior efficacy. Nevertheless, some issues still need to be addressed. First, there are still a large number of patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS), which has led to a growing trend to resort to AAP polypharmacy with few side effects. Most clinical treatment guidelines recommend clozapine monotherapy in TRS, but around one third of schizophrenic patients fail to respond to clozapine. For these patients, with clozapine-resistant schizophrenia AAP polypharmacy is a common strategy with a continually growing evidence base. Second, AAP generally have great risks for developing metabolic syndrome, such as weight gain, abnormality in glucose, and lipid metabolism. These metabolic side effects have become huge stumbling blocks in today's schizophrenia treatment that aims to improve patients' quality of life as well as symptoms. The exact reasons why this particular syndrome occurs in patients treated with AAP is as yet unclear though factors such as interaction of AAP with neurotransmitter receptors, genetic pholymorphisms, type of AAPs, length of AAP use, and life style of schizophrenic patients that may contribute to its development. The present article aimed to review the evidence underlying these key issues and provide the most reasonable interpretations to expand the overall scope of antipsychotics usage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous studies suggest that there is a strong association between depression and cognitive decline, and that concurrent depressive symptoms in MCI patients could contribute to a difference in neurocognitive characteristics compared to MCI patients without depression. The authors tried to compare neurocognitive functions between MCI patients with and without depression by analyzing the results of neuropsychological tests.Methods: Participants included 153 MCI patients. Based on the diagnosis of major depressive disorder, the participants were divided into two groups: depressed MCI (MCI/D+) versus non-depressed MCI (MCI/D-). The general cognitive and functional statuses of participants were evaluated. And a subset of various neuropsychological tests was presented to participants. Demographic and clinical data were analyzed using Student t-test or χ 2 test.Results: A total of 153 participants were divided into two groups: 94 MCI/D+ patients and 59 MCI/D- patients. Age, sex, and years of education were not significantly different between the two groups. There were no significant differences in general cognitive status between MCI/D+ and MCI/D- patients, but MCI/D+ participants showed significantly reduced performance in the six subtests (Contrasting Program, Go-no-go task, Fist-edge-palm task, Constructional Praxis, Memory Recall, TMT-A) compared with MCI/D- patients.Conclusions: There were significantly greater deficits in neurocognitive functions including verbal memory, executive function, attention/processing speed, and visual memory in MCI/D+ participants compared to MCI/D-. Once the biological mechanism is identified, distinct approaches in treatment or prevention will be determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the therapeutic effects of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) on post-traumatic growth (PTG). Methods: This study was conducted using a sample of ten survivors of a large-scale maritime disaster that occurred in the Yellow Sea, South Korea, in April 2014. A total of eight EMDR sessions were administered by a psychiatrist at two-week intervals over a period of five months, starting two or three months after the accident. Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI), Stress-Related Growth Scale (SRGS), Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS), and Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) were measured before treatment, after sessions 4 and 8, and at three months after treatment completion. Results: After three months from treatment completion, significant increases were observed in PTG (PTGI: Z(8)=-2.380, p=0.017; SRGS: Z(8)=-2.380, p=0.017) and resilience (CD-RISC: Z(8)=-2.386, p=0.017). A decrease in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) level was also significant (CAPS: Z(8)=-2.176, p=0.030). The reduction of CAPS scores was correlated with increases of PTGI (rho=0.78, p=0.023) and SRGS (rho=0.79, p=0.020) scores. The changes in CAPS, PTGI, and SRGS scores between time point of end 8-session and three months follow-up was not significant (all p>0.05). Subjects with higher pre-treatment CD-RISC scores showed more significant improvements in PTGI (rho=0.88, p=0.004) and SRGS (rho=0.83, p=0.010) scores after treatment than did those with lower pre-treatment CD-RISC scores. Conclusion: EMDR therapy using standard protocol for trauma processing helped facilitating PTG in disaster survivors. To generalize these findings, further controlled studies comparing with other treatment modalities for PTSD are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study was aimed at evaluating the diagnostic validity of the Korean version of the Clinically Useful Depression Outcome Scale (CUDOS) with varying follow-up in a typical clinical setting in multiple centers. Methods: In total, 891 psychiatric outpatients were enrolled at the time of their intake appointment. Current diagnostic characteristics were examined using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (41% major depressive disorder). The CUDOS was measured and compared with three clinician rating scales and four self-report scales. Results: The CUDOS showed excellent results for internal consistency (Cronbach's α 0.91), test-retest reliability (patients at intake, r=0.81; depressed patients in ongoing treatment, r=0.89), and convergent and discriminant validity (measures of depression, r=0.80; measures of anxiety and somatization, r=0.42). The CUDOS had a high ability to discriminate between different levels of depression severity based on the rating of Clinical Global Impression for depression severity and the diagnostic classification of major depression, minor depression, and non-depression. The ability of the CUDOS to identify patients with major depression was high (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve=0.867). A score of 20 as the optimal cutoff point was suggested when screening for major depression using the CUDOS (sensitivity=89.9%, specificity=69.5%). The CUDOS was sensitive to change after antidepressant treatment: patients with greater improvement showed a greater decrease in CUDOS scores (p<0.001). Conclusion: The results of this multi-site outpatient study found that the Korean version of the CUDOS is a very useful measurement for research and for clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human influenza is a contagious respiratory illness caused by the influenza virus. The influenza vaccination is recommended annually, but several adverse effects related to allergic reactions have been reported. Panic attacks are also known to occur, but no case of a panic attack adverse effect has been reported in South Korea. We present two cases of panic disorder patients whose symptoms were aggravated by the influenza vaccination. We assumed that dysregulation of T-lymphocytes in panic disorder patients could have a role in activating various kinds of cytokines and chemokines, which then can lead to panic attack aggravation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oseltamivir is the most common antiviral drug used to treat and prevent influenza. Epidemiological studies performed in Japan, the United States, and the United Kingdom indicate that oseltamivir may cause psychiatric symptoms; however, the underlying mechanism has not been elucidated. In South Korea, interest in oseltamivir has increased with the spread of the new influenza virus; however, no case report or investigation of psychiatric symptoms associated with the drug has been reported to date. Here, we report a case of a 22-year-old male who complained of mood swings, suicidal feelings, auditory hallucinations, memory deterioration, and insomnia after taking oseltamivir. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leucine rich glioma inactivated (LGI1) encephalitis is an uncommon neurological disorder rarely encountered in clinical practice. However, it is a potentially fatal autoimmune syndrome that can decrease the level of consciousness, possibly progressing to coma. Additionally, unless diagnosed and promptly treated, it can cause permanent cognitive impairment. Since LGI1 encephalitis can initially present with psychiatric symptoms, there can be delays in reaching a proper diagnosis. This report describes a case of a 47-yearold woman with LGI1 antibodies-associated limbic encephalitis who initially presented with psychosis. Her blood tests were normal and no MRI and EEG abnormalities were found. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis was negative for other possible infectious causes. Three months after admission, she was found to be LGI1 antibody positive. LGI1 encephalitis should be suspected in patients with symptoms such as memory loss, confusion, seizures, and psychiatric symptoms. Prompt diagnosis and treatment of LGI1 encephalitis are warranted because prognosis becomes worse when such actions are delayed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are well known for their capacity to lower triglyceride levels, but the clinical effectiveness is hindered by limited bioavailability and patient adherence. To address this challenge, we introduce a novel liquid crystalline nanoparticle-based formulation, the innovative medicine and drug delivery (IMD)-Omega soft capsule (cap), designed to optimize the pharmacokinetics (PK) and safety of EPA and DHA. This randomized, open-label, crossover study engages a cohort of 24 healthy adult subjects, utilizing key PK parameters like Cmax, AUC, Tmax, t½, and Ke to conduct a comprehensive evaluation. The trial compares the performance of the IMD-Omega soft cap with the well-established Omacor® soft cap. The IMD-Omega soft cap exhibited an impressive 110% increase in bioavailability for EPA and a remarkable 134% surge for DHA in comparison to the Omacor® soft cap over a span of 72 h. The key success can be attributed to the innovative liquid crystalline nanoparticle design, bolstering the dissolution and permeability of these essential fatty acids. Intriguingly, intra-participant variability for AUC0–72 h and Cmax were calculated at 45.04% and 34.26%, respectively. It is noteworthy that the parameters of Tmax for EPA (≈6.00 h) and DHA (≈5.00 h), t½ for both EPA and DHA ≈ 30–40 h, and Kel around 0.18–0.22 h−1 for EPA and ≈0.008–0.02 h−1 for DHA, displayed comparability between the IMD-Omega and Omacor® formulations. Encouragingly, the IMD-Omega soft cap showed excellent tolerability. The promise of optimized patient compliance and reduced dosages adds further weight to its potential significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Workplace bullying is a prevalent issue with a significant impact on employees' mental health. This study aimed to explore the relationship between workplace bullying and the prevalence of depression, with a particular focus on the role of gender. A total of 12,344 Korean employees aged 19–65 years were included in the study. They completed the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and a score of 16 or higher in CES-D indicated depression. The association between workplace bullying and depression was analyzed using logistic regression analyses. The average CES-D scores were higher for both male and female employees who experienced bullying than for those who did not (p < 0.001). The association between the experience of workplace bullying and the prevalence of depression was statistically significant for both genders, with a stronger correlation observed among male employees (p for interaction < 0.001). Organizations are urged to address workplace bullying, particularly for male employees, through the implementation of anti-bullying strategies and policies, as well as the provision of mental health resources and support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common neurodevelopmental disorder of childhood. Although it requires timely detection and intervention, existing continuous performance tests (CPTs) have limited efficacy. Research suggests that eye movement could offer important diagnostic information for ADHD. This study aimed to compare the performance of eye-tracking with that of CPTs, both alone and in combination, and to evaluate the effect of medication on eye movement and CPT outcomes. We recruited participants into an ADHD group and a healthy control group between July 2021 and March 2022 from among children aged 6–10 years (n = 30 per group). The integration of eye-tracking with CPTs produced higher values for the area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUC, 0.889) compared with using CPTs only (AUC, 0.769) for identifying patients with ADHD. The use of eye-tracking alone showed higher performance compare with the use of CPTs alone (AUC of EYE: 0.856, AUC of CPT: 0.769, p = 0.029). Follow-up analysis revealed that most eye-tracking and CPT indicators improved significantly after taking an ADHD medication. The use of eye movement scales could be used to differentiate children with ADHD, with the possibility that integrating eye movement scales and CPTs could improve diagnostic precision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We developed and evaluated an interpersonal model of depression in employees, where passion and perseverance affect occupational stress and perceived control, which in turn affect risk of depression. The participants were employees of 18 private companies and local government organizations in Korea aged 19 to 65 years. A total of 11,422 participants completed questionnaires including the Korean version of the Grit scale, the occupational stress scale, the perceived control subscale in the perceived stress scale, and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Mediation analysis was performed to determine relationships among trait-level passion and perseverance, work-related stress, perceived control, and depression. Passion and perseverance preceded depression in employees. Higher occupational stress and lower perceived control mediated the association between passion and depression, and between perseverance and depression. Passion and perseverance exert preventive effects on depression by decreasing workplace stress and elevating perceived control. Future studies should investigate the effects of psychological characteristics on the development of depression in employees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: There has been increasing evidence of hormonal changes during reproductive events that lead to mood changes. However, studies on the severity of psychological problems according to the menopausal stage are limited. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the association between menopausal stages, depression and suicidality. Methods: A total of 45 177 women who underwent regular health check-ups between 2015 and 2018 at Kangbuk Samsung Hospital were included. Participants were stratified into four groups (pre-menopause, early transition, late transition and post-menopause) based on the Stages of Reproductive Aging Workshop Criteria. The Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression scale (CESD) was used to evaluate depressive symptoms, and the degree of depressive symptoms was classified as moderate (CESD score 16–24) or severe (CESD score ⩾ 25). To measure suicide risk, we administered questionnaires related to suicidal ideation. Results: Overall, the prevalence of CESD scores of 16–24 and ⩾ 25 was 7.6 and 2.8%, respectively. Menopausal stages were positively associated with depressive symptoms in a dose-dependent manner. Multivariable-adjusted prevalence ratios (PRs, 95% confidence intervals) for CESD scores of 16–24 comparing the stages of the early menopausal transition (MT), late MT and post-menopause to pre-menopause was 1.28 (1.16–1.42), 1.21 (1.05–1.38) and 1.58 (1.36–1.84), respectively. The multivariable-adjusted PRs for CESD scores ⩾ 25 comparing the stages of the early MT, late MT and post-menopause to pre-menopause were 1.31 (1.11–1.55), 1.39 (1.12–1.72), 1.86 (1.47–2.37), respectively. In addition, the multivariable-adjusted PRs for suicidal ideation comparing the early MT, late MT and post-menopause stages to the pre-menopause stage were 1.24 (1.12–1.38), 1.07 (0.93–1.24) and 1.46 (1.25–1.70) (p for trend <0.001), respectively. Conclusions: These findings indicate that the prevalence of depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation increases with advancing menopausal stage, even pre-menopause. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The prevalence of depressive disorders remains high in patients with cancer and their diagnosis and treatment remain an epidemiologic concern. Without proper screening and diagnosis, the necessary care and follow-up would not be possible for these patients who need potential support to increase their quality of mental health. Hence, the screening tools for depression are prominent in diagnosing this mental health disorder; however, there are few studies conducted for assessing psychometric properties of Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) amongst the cancer patients from developing countries. We, therefore, determined psychometric properties of the BDI-II among cancer patients from Butaro Ambulatory Cancer Center (BACC). Methods: Cross-sectional study design was conducted among 425 cancer patients from the BACC, Rwanda. Confirmatory and exploratory factor (CFA) analyses were performed to compare the fit indices of three-factor and two-factor models of the BDI-II. The eligible participants were administered the BDI-II instrument. Results: Average scores of depression was 16.3 (SD=9.8). Results showed an adequate consistency (Cronbach's α=0.904) and high correlations with the subscales of this instrument. Our findings showed that the area under the curve of the receiver operating characteristics analysis of BDI-II was 0.805. Our CFA results revealed that three-factor model (χ2=1699.921, p< 0.001) represented a better model fit than the two-factor model of BDI-II (χ2=2115.397, p< 0.001). In addition, the goodness of fit indices were tested and showed that the Beck's three-factor model had a better performance than the two-factor model. Kaiser–Meyer–Olin (KMO) measure of 0.916 demonstrated that the factor structure or sampling was adequate for analysis and the Bartlett's test of sphericity was highly significant (χ2=3780, p< 0.001) and this revealed that the items of BDI-II were significantly correlated and sufficiently large. Conclusion: BDI-II presented a good reliability and validity that represent adequate psychometric properties. Its sensitivity and specificity were suitable. This psychometric measure is important in diagnosing and treating depression in cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

B Results: b The average depression and anxiety levels in patients with IBD were not clinically significant, However, 35% of UC patients and 45% of CD patients complained of feeling depressive based on the PHQ-9 scale, whereas 25% of UC patients and those with CD had depressive mood based on the HADS-D. In addition, 20% of UC patients and 14% of CD patients complained of anxiety. B Results: b The COVID-19 patients showed severer symptoms including post-traumatic symptoms, depression, anxiety, somatic symptoms than comparison groups across all four screening scales (p < .001) When it comes to high-risk group, COVID-19 patients had an increased association for high-risk group compared to comparison groups (PC-PTSD: OR = 17.31, 95% CI = 9.26-32.35 p < .001; PHQ-9: OR = 8.11, 95% CI = 4.75-13.84, p < .001; GAD-7: OR = 14.67, 95% CI = 8.59-25.07, p < .001 PHQ-15: OR = 5.68, 95% CI = 3.1-10.25, p < .001; P4: OR = 14.67, 95% CI = 8.95-25.07, p < .001). The interaction effect of early trauma exposure and a diagnosis of panic disorder on cortical... Iseul An 1, Minji Bang 2, Sang-Hyuk Lee 2 1 Department of Clinical Counseling Psychology Graduate School, CHA University, Korea 2 Depar... B Purpose: b Early trauma is a risk factor for adult psychiatric disorders. EP-1051 Morphologic alterations in subregions of amygdala in adults with major depressive disorder Hyeyoung Kim 1, Byung-Joo Ham 1, Kyu-Man Han 1, Jee Soo Lee 2, Yoon Mi Woo 2, Aram Kim 3... 1 Department of Psychiatry, Korea University College of Medicine, Korea 2 Department of Psych... B Purpose: b Previous studies comparing the amygdala volume in major depressive disorder (MDD) patients with the amygdala volume in healthy controls (HC) showed inconsistent results. [Extracted from the article]

This study examined the validity and reliability of the Korean version of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder‐7 (GAD‐7) scale. The GAD‐7 was standardized with data from 112 patients at a psychiatric outpatient clinic. The GAD‐7 revealed high internal consistency, good test‐retest reliability, and convergent validity. The ROC analysis resulted in poor sensitivity and specificity for detecting anxiety disorders in a psychiatric setting. The GAD‐7 may not be useful in diagnosing anxiety disorders in a psychiatric setting, even though it appears to be a reliable, efficient, and valid measurement tool for evaluating anxiety symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to identify occupational stress associated with the development of new‐onset anxiety symptoms and the dose–response relationship between sleep duration and the onset of anxiety symptoms. Data from 29,251 healthy employees who had undergone at least two comprehensive health examinations at Kangbuk Samsung Hospital Health Screening Center were analysed. Anxiety symptoms were assessed using the Beck Anxiety Inventory. Occupational stress and sleep duration were measured using a self‐reported questionnaire about total sleep time and the Korean Occupational Stress Scale‐Short Form (KOSS‐SF), respectively. Flexible parametric proportional hazards model used to estimate the hazard ratios. Compared with the groups without case‐level anxiety, discomfort in an organizational climate, high job demands, job insecurity, organizational injustice and lack of reward were associated with the onset of case‐level anxiety. Compared with less than 6 hr of sleep per day, the beneficial level of sleep duration was 7 ≤ to <9 hr a day. Almost all subscales of job stress were associated with the development of anxiety symptoms. In addition, the efficacious level of sleep duration for reducing the onset of future anxiety symptoms was 7 ≤ to <9 hr a day. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To evaluate the bidirectional relationship between blood pressure (BP) and depressive symptoms using a large prospective cohort study. Methods: Prospective cohort study was performed in 276 244 adults who participated in a regular health check-up and were followed annually or biennially for up to 5.9 years. BP levels were categorised according to the 2017 American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association hypertension guidelines. Depressive symptoms were assessed using Centre for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression (CESD) questionnaire and a cut-off score of ≥25 was regarded as case-level depressive symptoms. Results: During 672 603.3 person-years of follow-up, 5222 participants developed case-level depressive symptoms. The multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) [95% confidence interval (CI)] for incident case-level depressive symptoms comparing hypotension, elevated BP, hypertension stage 1 and hypertension stage 2 to normal BP were 1.07 (0.99–1.16), 0.93 (0.82–1.05), 0.89 (0.81–0.97) and 0.81 (0.62–1.06), respectively (p for trend <0.001). During 583 615.3 person-years of follow-up, 27 787 participants developed hypertension. The multivariable-adjusted HRs (95% CI) for incident hypertension comparing CESD 16–24 and ⩾25 to CESD < 16 were 1.05 (1.01–1.11) and 1.12 (1.03–1.20), respectively (p for trend <0.001) and in the time-dependent models, corresponding HRs (95% CI) were 1.12 (1.02–1.24) and 1.29 (1.10–1.50), respectively (p for trend <0.001). Conclusions: In this large cohort study of young and middle-aged individuals, higher BP levels were independently associated with a decreased risk for developing case-level depressive symptoms and depressive symptoms were also associated with incident hypertension. Further studies are required to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the bidirectional association between BP levels and incident depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify gender- and age-specific occupational stress associated with depressive symptoms among Korean employees. Methods: Data of 73,014 employees aged 18 and above who had undergone comprehensive health examinations at Kangbuk Samsung Hospital Health Screening Center, South Korea, in January 2012 and who were followed up until December 2017 were collected, and 63,959 (participation rate: 87.59%, men: 50,413, women: 13,546) were finally analyzed. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate the hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals of the relationship between occupational stress and depressive symptoms. In light of gender and age differences in the association between occupational stress and depressive symptoms, interaction and stratification by gender and age groups were tested. Results: During 238,630 person-years of follow-up, case-level depressive symptoms developed in 4227 participants (an incident rate of 1.8%). There were gender differences in the relationship between job stress and incident depressive symptoms. For men, high job demand, job insecurity, lack of reward, and discomfort in their organizational climate were associated with incident depressive symptoms in all age groups. Insufficient job control was associated with the development of depressive symptoms only in midlife and organizational injustice only in early adulthood. For women, the results for high job demand, organizational injustice, and discomfort in an organizational climate were associated with the onset of depressive symptoms from early adulthood to the midlife decade. Conclusion: The results suggest gender and age differences in the relationship between occupational stress and incident depressive symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although depression has generally been explained with monoamine theory, it is far more multifactorial, and therapies that address the disease's pathway have not been developed. In this context, an understanding of neuroinflammation and neurovascular dysfunction would enable a more comprehensive approach to depression. Inflammation is in a sense a type of allostatic load involving the immune, endocrine, and nervous systems. Neuroinflammation is involved in the pathophysiology of depression by increasing proinflammatory cytokines, activating the hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal axis, increasing glucocorticoid resistance, and affecting serotonin synthesis and metabolism, neuronal apoptosis and neurogenesis, and neuroplasticity. In future, identifying the subtypes of depression with increased vulnerability to inflammation and testing the effects of inflammatory modulating agents in these patient groups through clinical trials will lead to more concrete conclusions on the matter. The vascular depression hypothesis is supported by evidence for the association between vascular disease and late-onset depression and between ischemic brain lesions and distinctive depressive symptoms. Vascular depression may be the entity most suitable for studies of the mechanisms of depression. Pharmacotherapies used in the prevention and treatment of cerebrovascular disease may help prevent vascular depression. In future, developments in structural and functional imaging, electrophysiology, chronobiology, and genetics will reveal the association between depression and brain lesions. This article aims to give a general review of the existing issues examined in the literature pertaining to depression-related neuroinflammatory and vascular functions, related pathophysiology, applicability to depression treatment, and directions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Development and comparison of spine-shaped phantoms generated by two different 3D-printing technologies, digital light processing (DLP) and Polyjet has been purposed to utilize in patient-specific quality assurance (QA) of stereotactic body radiation treatment. The developed 3D-printed spine QA phantom consisted of an acrylic body phantom and a 3D-printed spine shaped object. DLP and Polyjet 3D printers using a high-density acrylic polymer were employed to produce spine-shaped phantoms based on CT images. Image fusion was performed to evaluate the reproducibility of our phantom, and the Hounsfield units (HUs) were measured based on each CT image. Two different intensity-modulated radiotherapy plans based on both CT phantom image sets from the two printed spine-shaped phantoms with acrylic body phantoms were designed to deliver 16 Gy dose to the planning target volume (PTV) and were compared for target coverage and normal organ-sparing. Image fusion demonstrated good reproducibility of the developed phantom. The HU values of the DLP- and Polyjet-printed spine vertebrae differed by 54.3 on average. The PTV Dmax dose for the DLP-generated phantom was about 1.488 Gy higher than that for the Polyjet-generated phantom. The organs at risk received a lower dose for the 3D printed spine-shaped phantom image using the DLP technique than for the phantom image using the Polyjet technique. Despite using the same material for printing the spine-shaped phantom, these phantoms generated by different 3D printing techniques, DLP and Polyjet, showed different HU values and these differently appearing HU values according to the printing technique could be an extra consideration for developing the 3D printed spine-shaped phantom depending on the patient’s age and the density of the spinal bone. Therefore, the 3D printing technique and materials should be carefully chosen by taking into account the condition of the patient in order to accurately produce 3D printed patient-specific QA phantom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to optimize and evaluate self-assembled liquid crystalline nanoparticles (SALCs) prepared from phospholipids and oleic acid for enhancing the absorption of Ω-3s. We explored the structure and optimal formulation of SALCs, which are composed of Ω-3 ethyl ester (Ω-3 EE), phospholipids, and oleic acid, using a ternary diagram and evaluated the improvement in Ω-3 dissolution, permeation, and oral bioavailability. The in vitro dissolution and pharmacokinetics of Ω-3 SALCs were compared with those of Omacor soft capsules (as the reference). The shape of the liquid crystal was determined according to the composition of phospholipids, oleic acids, and Ω-3s and was found to be in cubic, lamellar, and hexagonal forms. The dissolution rates of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) obtained from Ω-3 SALCs were 1.7 to 2.3-fold higher than those of the Omacor soft capsules. Furthermore, a pharmacokinetic study in male beagle dogs revealed that Ω-3 SALCs increased the oral bioavailability of Ω-3 EE by 2.5-fold for EPA and 3.1-fold for DHA compared with the reference. We found an optimal formulation that spontaneously forms liquid crystal-based nanoparticles, improving the bioavailability of EPA and DHA, not found in the existing literature. Our findings offer insight into the impact of nanoparticle phase on the oral delivery of oil-soluble drugs and provide a novel Ω-3 EE formulation that improves the bioavailability of EPA and DHA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the Fighters' Bulletin (Tusahoebo), which was initially published by a student organization during the Gwangju People's Uprising and later became a kind of official newspaper of the struggle headquarters. Through an analysis of the contents of the Fighters' Bulletin, this study reconstructs the trajectory of the collective identity construction. The Fighters' Bulletin informed Gwangju citizens of the meaning and development of the Uprising and earnestly devoted itself to construct the collective identity of "we," defining the object and the subject of the resistance and guidelines for action. Concentrated on constructing the collective identity at the beginning, it tried to resist the stigmatic framing of the dominant discourses, to highlight the true meaning of the struggle. In the later stage of struggle, it devoted itself to investing in the emotional framing through the participants' willingness to sacrifice their lives for the struggle. It concludes that, even though the Gwangju Uprising was a failed 10-day long revolution, its collective identity, which was constructed and manifested through the Fighters' Bulletin, has been appropriated as a major framework for subsequent political struggles in South Korea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]