Impact of Digital Health Technology on Quality of Life in Patients With Heart Failure.

Background: Digital health tools may improve quality of life (QoL) in patients with heart failure (HF) by promoting self-care, knowledge, and engagement.

Objectives: This study evaluates the effect of 3 digital technologies on QoL in patients with HF.

Methods: A total of 182 patients were randomized to usual care or one of the technologies promoting self-care: Bodyport (cardiac scale), Conversa (conversational platform), or Noom (smartphone application).

Pragmatic randomized trial assessing the impact of digital health technology on quality of life in patients with heart failure: Design, rationale and implementation.

Background: Self-care and patient engagement are important elements of heart failure (HF) care, endorsed in the guidelines. Digital health tools may improve quality of life (QOL) in HF patients by promoting care, knowledge, and engagement. This manuscript describes the rationale and challenges of the design and implementation of a pragmatic randomized controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of three digital health technologies in improving QOL for patients with HF.

Prevalence of a Single-Nucleotide Variant of SARS-CoV-2 in Korea and Its Impact on the Diagnostic Sensitivity of the Xpert Xpress SARS-CoV-2 Assay.

The sensitivity of molecular diagnostics could be affected by nucleotide variants in pathogen genes, and the sites affected by such variants should be monitored. We report a single-nucleotide variant (SNV) in the nucleocapsid (N) gene of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), i.e.

The Humanoid Robot Sil-Bot in a Cognitive Training Program for Community-Dwelling Elderly People with Mild Cognitive Impairment during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a stage preceding dementia, and early intervention is critical. This study investigated whether multi-domain cognitive training programs, especially robot-assisted training, conducted 12 times, twice a week for 6 weeks can improve cognitive function and depression decline in community-dwelling older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 135 volunteers without cognitive impairment aged 60 years old or older.

In vitro cytotoxic activity of ginseng leaf/stem extracts obtained by subcritical water extraction.

Ginseng leaf/stem extract produced by subcritical water extraction at high temperature (190°C) possess higher cytotoxic activity against human cancer cell lines than ethanol extract. Subcritical water extraction can be a great candidate for extraction of functional substance from ginseng leaves/stems.

Korean Work Environment Scales for Clinical Nurses.

Aim: The aim of this study was to develop an assessment tool for the hospital nursing work environment in Korea.

Methods: The participants were 564 clinical nurses who worked in 13 hospitals in seven provinces in regions throughout South Korea; they worked in medical-surgical nursing, pediatric and maternal nursing, intensive care unit, and other areas. The data analysis relied on descriptive analysis and exploratory factor analysis, including varimax rotation, and reliability was determined using SPSS software.

Aggressive angiomyxoma of the vulva: A case report.

Aggressive angiomyxoma (AA) is an unusual mesenchymal tumor. AA occurs most commonly in women of reproductive age and is located in the perineal or pelvic region. This is a distinct soft tissue tumor that has a prominent myxoid matrix and numerous thin-walled blood vessels and may have an aggressive local recurrence.

Antimicrobial activity of acid-hydrolyzed Citrus unshiu peel extract in milk.

Citrus fruit (Citrus unshiu) peels were extracted with hot water and then acid-hydrolyzed using hydrochloric acid. Antimicrobial activities of acid-hydrolyzed Citrus unshiu peel extract were evaluated against pathogenic bacteria, including Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria monocytogenes. Antilisterial effect was also determined by adding extracts at 1, 2, and 4% to whole, low-fat, and skim milk.

Vaginal cancer with multiple liver and pulmonary metastases that achieved long-term survival.

Primary vaginal cancer represents only 1% to 2% of malignant neoplasm of the female genital tract. Here, we report a 68-year-old woman who showed a vaginal tumor extending to urethra and clitoris, a 10 cm-sized mass in left adnexa and multiple metastases in lung and liver. Vaginal biopsy showed squamous cell carcinoma of vagina and she was diagnosed as International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage IVB vaginal cancer.

Angiomyofibroblastoma of the vulva.

Angiomyofibroblastoma (AMFB) is an uncommon benign mesenchymal tumor. AMFB occurs almost in the vulvo-vaginal area of women. The gross features of AMFB are well-circumscribed so it clinically is often thought as Bartholin gland cyst or aggressive angiomyxoma.

[Structural equation modeling on nursing productivity of nurses in Korea].

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to propose and test a predictive model that could explain and predict nursing productivity.

Methods: A survey using a structured questionnaire was conducted with 360 nurses in Korea. The data were analyzed using SPSS Windows 18.

Analysis of changes in the viability and gene expression profiles of human mesenchymal stromal cells over time.

Background Aims: Because of their ability to differentiate and widespread availability, human mesenchymal stromal cells (hMSC) are often used as a clinical therapeutic tool. However, the factors that determine the quality and viability of hMSC are not well understood.

Methods: We evaluated the viability of hMSC over time using flow cytometry analysis (FACS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to determine if morphologic changes occurred in hMSC.