Factors associated with cervical cancer screening behaviors among young married female (aged 20-29) immigrants in South Korea.

OBJECTIVE: To identify factors that affect the participation of female immigrants in their 20s in the national cervical cancer screening programs. METHODS: Data were obtained from the National Health Insurance Services from 2016 to 2017. A total of 17,730 women who agreed to undergo cervical cancer screening during 2016-2017 were included in the study. RESULTS: Of the 17,730 women, 8,149 (46%) participated in cervical cancer screening, whereas, 9,581 (54%) did not. Logistic regression analysis of factors related to cervical cancer screening showed that the odds ratio (OR) of screening was higher in short duration of stay (OR, 1.18; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03-1.35), Chinese nationality (OR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.28-1.59), unemployment (OR, 1; 95% CI, reference), participation in general health screening (OR, 4.16; 95% CI, 3.24-5.33), and comorbidities (OR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.09-1.24) when compared to the other populations. The highest OR was associated with participation in general health screening. CONCLUSION: Appropriate programs should be developed to increase participation of socially vulnerable groups in cervical cancer screening. Such programs will improve awareness regarding cervical cancer screening and reduce disparities in healthcare.

Balance performance and related soft tissue components across three age groups.

With the aging process, falls and related injuries are common and unwanted events among older women. Lost balance is the last step before the frequent experience of falls. After menopause, women's bone conditions regarding health and balance performance steeply decline often resulting in serious injury. Our purpose in the study is to identify balance performance and its associations with soft tissue components among Korean-American (KA) women with three menopausal conditions. Researchers conducted a cross-sectional study with 63 KA women divided into three age groups: 25-35 years (young), 45-55 years old (middle), and 65+ years (old). Lean and fat mass on the entire body, appendicular and gynoid areas were measured by using the dual X-ray absorptiometry. Static and dynamic balance and physical performance (floor sit to stand) were tested. We found that with increased aging, lean mass, fat and body mass index were changed; balance and physical performance decreased significantly. In regression models, age and fat ratio of android/gynoid changes explain static balance and physical performance; appendicular lean mass predicted dynamic balance. With advancing age, maintaining lean mass and proportion of fat accumulation is critical for stable balance.

Effect of Hydrocolloids on Rheological Properties and Printability of Vegetable Inks for 3D Food Printing.

In food ink systems in which the particles are dispersed in a hydrocolloid matrix, the source of the particles and the particle content are the main factors affecting the printability and rheological properties of the system. In this study, different contents (10% and 30% w/w) of vegetable (broccoli, spinach, or carrot) powders were added to hydrocolloid matrices with different hydration properties, and their influence on the printability and rheological properties was investigated. At low powder contents (10%), slight differences in the printability and rheological values were observed between the different vegetable sources in all hydrocolloids. When the powder content was increased to 30%, the hydrocolloid with the lowest water hydration capacity, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, showed the greatest differences in rheology and printability when different vegetable sources were used. Xanthan gum, with its higher water hydration capacity, inhibited the swelling of the particles, thus minimizing the increase in the rheological values at high volume fractions of powder and reducing the differences in printability between different vegetable sources. Confocal laser scanning microscopy analysis of the vegetable inks showed that xanthan gum inhibited swelling of the particles regardless of the vegetable powder source. The mixtures using xanthan gum could be smoothly extruded from the nozzle due to their low extruded hardness (2.96 ± 0.23 to 3.46 ± 0.16 kg), and the resulting objects showed high resolution without collapse over time. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The powder-based texturization technology introduced in this study provides a standardized method of preparing food ink that can be universally applied to all food materials that can be powdered. In addition, the present invention can be applied to a 3D printing technique in which a powder and a hydrocolloid matrix are independently stored and mixed immediately before printing. This technique can minimize the inherent rheological differences between formulations with different food sources and compositions.

Immunomodulatory Effects of Deokgu Thermomineral Water Balneotherapy on Oxazolone-Induced Atopic Dermatitis Murine Model.

BACKGROUND: Although the therapeutic mechanism of balneotherapy for atopic dermatitis has not been clarified, many atopic patients who visit thermomineral springs have shown clinical improvements. OBJECTIVE: This study was aimed to evaluate the immunomodulatory effect of thermomineral water balneotherapy on the atopic dermatitis murine model. METHODS: The oxazolone-induced atopic dermatitis murine model was used to evaluate the therapeutic effect of balneotherapy with Deokgu thermomineral water compared with distilled water. Histologic evaluation and confocal microscopic imaging were performed to analyze the lesional expression of cluster-of-differentiation (CD)4 and forkhead box p3 (Foxp3). Lesional mRNA expression of interleukin (IL) 33, thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), and Foxp3 was evaluated by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Compared with the distilled water bath group, confocal microscopic evaluation of CD4 and Foxp3 merged images showed increased expression of regulatory T cells in the thermomineral balneotherapy group. The lesional mRNA level of IL-33 showed a reduced trend in the thermomineral balneotherapy group, whereas the level of mRNA of Foxp3 was increased. TSLP showed a decreased trend in both distilled water and thermomineral water bath groups. There was a trend of reduced expression in lesional IL-33 mRNA but increased cell count of CD4(+) Foxp3(+) regulatory T cells in thermomineral balneotherapy compared with distilled water bath. CONCLUSION: Therefore, thermomineral balneotherapy can be an effective and safe adjuvant therapeutic option for atopic dermatitis.

Combination treatment of low-fluence Q-switched Nd:YAG laser and oral tranexamic acid for post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation due to allergic contact dermatitis to henna hair dye.

A 64-year-old female presented with facial hyperpigmentation. She had dyed her hair monthly with pure henna powder for the past seven months. After patch tests, the patient was diagnosed as post-inflammatory hyperpigmentastion due to allergic contact dermatitis to pure henna that has rarely been reported. The patient underwent Q-switched Nd:YAG laser treatment and was treated with oral tranexamic acid for 10 weeks. The hyperpigmentation on her forehead demonstrated substantial improvement.

Efficient PEDOT:PSS-Free Polymer Solar Cells with an Easily Accessible Polyacrylonitrile Polymer Material as a Novel Solution-Processable Anode Interfacial Layer.

We demonstrate that an easily accessible polyacrylonitrile (PAN) polymer can efficiently function as a novel solution-processable anode interfacial layer (AIL) to boost the device performances of polymer:fullerene-based solar cells (PSCs). The PAN thin film was simply prepared with spin-coating of a cost-efficient PAN solution dissolved in dimethylformamide on indium tin oxide (ITO), and the thin polymeric interlayer on PSC parameters and stability were systemically investigated. As a result, the cell efficiency of the PSC with PAN was remarkably enhanced compared to the device using bare ITO. Furthermore, with PAN, we finally achieved an excellent power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 6.7% and a very high PSC stability in PTB7:PC71BM systems, which constitute a highly comparable PCE and superior device lifetime relative to those of conventional PSCs with poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) ( PEDOT: PSS). These results demonstrate that the inexpensive solution-processed PAN polymer can be an attractive PEDOT: PSS alternative and is more powerful for achieving better cell performances and lower cost PSC production.

Genomic diagnosis by whole genome sequencing in a Korean family with atypical progeroid syndrome.

Clinical genomic diagnosis is unfamiliar to many dermatologists. Limited knowledge of bioinformatics has limited the use of the next generation sequencing method in dermatological clinics. We evaluated the usefulness of whole genome sequencing as a diagnostic approach to inherited dermatological disease. Here, we present our experience with two female siblings with atypical familial generalized lipodystrophy with diabetes mellitus and dyslipidemia. Whole genome sequencing was performed to diagnose the inherited disease. We compared control genomic databases using the Exome Aggregation Consortium, and filtered false-positive calls with the segmental duplication, non-flagged single nucleotide variants and COSMIC mutation databases, and applied the prediction tools of SIFT and PolyPhen2. The two siblings who presented with generalized lipodystrophy were diagnosed with an atypical progeroid syndrome with a p.D136H mutation in the LMNA gene (NM_005572). We diagnosed a familial atypical progeroid syndrome using whole genome sequencing. In this paper, we present our experience with whole genome sequencing and demonstrate that it can provide useful information for clinical genomic diagnosis of inherited diseases with atypical clinical features, such as atypical progeroid syndrome.

Histology of a novel injectable filler (polymethylmethacrylate and cross-linked dextran in hydroxypropyl methylcellulose) in a rat model.

A novel injectable filler of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and cross-linked dextran in hydroxypropyl methylcellulose was introduced in the commercial filler market. For soft tissue augmentation, safety and biocompatibility should be evaluated and the stability at the implantation site should be assessed using histologic evaluation. In order to evaluate the biocompatibility of the novel soft tissue filler, PMMA and cross-linked dextran in hydroxypropyl methylcellulose was subdermally injected into the skin of Sprague-Dawley Rats. Histologic evaluation was performed at 13 weeks and 12 months after the injection. Inflammatory cell infiltration, neovascularization, and fibrosis were scored according to defined grading systems. The mean score of the histologic evaluation was 5.7 and 3.9 at 13 weeks and 12 months, respectively. At 12 months after injection, the PMMA and cross-linked dextran in hydroxypropyl methylcellulose appeared to be kept in place through fine fibrous capsules. The mixture of PMMA and cross-linked dextran in hydroxypropyl methylcellulose can be safely applied for soft tissue augmentation with longevity of greater than 12 months.