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Background The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) has been standardized in several populations and is widely used in clinical practice and health care. However, it has not been appropriately standardized in the Korean general population, and no normative data have been presented. The aim of this study was to provide the normative data and psychometric properties of the PHQ-9 in the nationally representative population of Korea. Methods We used the nationwide cross-sectional survey data of Korea from 2014 to 2016. The data of 10,759 individuals aged over 19 years were analyzed in this study. As the distribution of the PHQ-9 scores was not normative, the percentile ranks for raw scores were provided. The survey questionnaires included the PHQ-9, The EuroQol-5 Dimension (EQ-5D), and demographic characteristics. We analyzed the construct validity and internal consistency of the PHQ-9. Results The normative data of the PHQ-9 were generated according to the sex and different age categories. The correlation coefficient between the sum of the PHQ-9 scores and the EQ-5D index was 0.44, which was moderate. The most appropriate model was the two-factor model with five ‘affective-somatic’ labeled items and four ‘cognitive’ labeled items. Cronbach’s α for the PHQ-9 was 0.79. Conclusions Our result supports reliability and validity with two-factor structure of PHQ-9 for measuring depression in the Korean nationally representative population. The Korean normative data on the PHQ-9 according to percentile rank can assist in interpreting and comparing scores with other populations.

Objectives Saliva, like other body fluids, has been investigated as a source of biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease (AD) due to its accessibility. Recently, decreased amyloid‐PET uptake in the salivary glands of patients with AD was reported, prompting interest in the potential clinical relevance of that finding. This study evaluates the association between salivary gland uptake on 18F‐florbetaben PET and cortical amyloid burden and assesses its diagnostic value. Methods We retrospectively analyzed 73 patients who underwent 18F‐florbetaben PET imaging. Salivary gland uptake (SUVRSG) was measured and compared with the cortical amyloid burden, severity of dementia, and clinical diagnoses (cognitively normal, mild cognitive impairment, and dementia). Diagnostic performance was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses. Results The mean SUVRSG was 1.43 ± 0.29, with no significant differences based on the cortical amyloid burden, severity of dementia, or clinical diagnosis. SUVRSG did not correlate with the cortical amyloid burden (ρ = −0.103, p > 0.05). The area under the ROC curve and volume under the ROC surface indicated that SUVRSG had poor diagnostic performance. Conclusions Salivary gland uptake on 18F‐florbetaben PET was not associated with the cortical amyloid burden or clinical stage of AD, and it did not demonstrate diagnostic value. Further research is needed to explore its biological significance and standardization methods. Salivary gland uptake on 18F‐florbetaben PET was not associated with cortical amyloid burden in patients across the cognitive spectrum. No significant differences in salivary gland amyloid‐PET uptake were observed according to dementia severity or clinical diagnosis. These findings suggest that salivary gland amyloid‐PET uptake has limited clinical utility for assessing Alzheimer's disease.

This study assesses the early effectiveness of esketamine nasal spray (ESK) in adults with treatment-resistant depression (TRD) 1 day after the first administration, as monitored through self-assessment via the mobile application, Esketamine Continuing Assessment for Relapse Prevention (EsCARe). In this multi-center, open-label, single-arm study, adults aged 18–65 years diagnosed with TRD after failing at least two antidepressant therapies were enrolled from five tertiary hospitals in South Korea. During the induction period, participants self-administered ESK twice weekly and used the EsCARe app daily to record mood, sleep, and somatic symptoms. Key clinical assessments, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD), and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), were measured at baseline and at weeks 2 and 4. The reliability and validity of EsCARe was assessed. The treatment results indicated significant improvements in depressive and anxiety symptoms, with notable reductions in the PHQ-9 and the GAD-7 by week 2, and the HAMD by week 4. The EsCARe app reliably and validly monitored depressive symptoms and demonstrated a significant reduction in depressive symptoms 1 day after the first administration of ESK. Using ESK, complemented by mobile self-monitoring, effectively reduces the symptoms of TRD early in the treatment course. Integrating mobile health technology into the therapeutic regimen highlights a significant advancement in managing TRD, offering patients and clinicians immediate feedback on treatment efficacy.

A diamond conditioner is one of the essential components in the maintenance of surface roughness of a pad during chemical mechanical polishing (CMP). In this paper, four different types of diamond conditioner were evaluated for the pad wear rate (PWR) and the material removal rate (MRR) during the pad conditioning and the wafer polishing ex situ. The experiment results revealed that the pad conditioning is strongly dependent on the diamond orientation as compared to grit size and pitch. It is observed that the PWR for “C type” conditioners is about 0.3 mm/h which is higher than that of “N type” diamond conditioner. The COF of “N type” diamond conditioner has the lowest value of ~0.56. The MRR using pad treated by “N type” diamond conditioner is approximately 3500 Å/min, which is about 1.6 times higher than that of C 1 -type diamond conditioner which has same diamond grit size and pitch.

During the Chemical mechanical planarization (CMP), the pad conditioning process can affect the pad surface characteristics. Among many CMP process parameters, the improper applied load on the conditioner arm may have adverse effects on the polyurethane pad. In this work, we evaluated the pad surface properties under the various conditioner arm applied during pad conditioning process. The conditioning pads were evaluated for surface topography, surface roughness parameters such as Rt and Rvk and Material removal rate (MRR) and within-wafer non-uniformity after wafer polishing. We observed that, the pad asperities were collapsed in the direction of conditioner rotation and blocks the pad pores applied conditioner load. The Rvk value and MRR were founded to be in relation with 4 > 1 > 7 kgF conditioner load. Hence, this study shows that, 4 kgF applied load by conditioner is most suitable for the pad conditioning during CMP.

Saliva, like other body fluids, has been investigated as a source of biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease (AD) due to its accessibility. Recently, decreased amyloid-PET uptake in the salivary glands of patients with AD was reported, prompting interest in the potential clinical relevance of that finding. This study evaluates the association between salivary gland uptake on F-florbetaben PET and cortical amyloid burden and assesses its diagnostic value. We retrospectively analyzed 73 patients who underwent F-florbetaben PET imaging. Salivary gland uptake (SUVR ) was measured and compared with the cortical amyloid burden, severity of dementia, and clinical diagnoses (cognitively normal, mild cognitive impairment, and dementia). Diagnostic performance was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses. The mean SUVR was 1.43 ± 0.29, with no significant differences based on the cortical amyloid burden, severity of dementia, or clinical diagnosis. SUVR did not correlate with the cortical amyloid burden (ρ = -0.103, p > 0.05). The area under the ROC curve and volume under the ROC surface indicated that SUVR had poor diagnostic performance. Salivary gland uptake on F-florbetaben PET was not associated with the cortical amyloid burden or clinical stage of AD, and it did not demonstrate diagnostic value. Further research is needed to explore its biological significance and standardization methods.

Although social anxiety remains prevalent, conventional exposure therapy faces limitations such as limited accessibility, high cost, and low ecological validity. These barriers highlight the need for alternative, scalable methods that can effectively simulate social evaluative contexts.BACKGROUNDAlthough social anxiety remains prevalent, conventional exposure therapy faces limitations such as limited accessibility, high cost, and low ecological validity. These barriers highlight the need for alternative, scalable methods that can effectively simulate social evaluative contexts.This study aims to evaluate the anxiety-inducing effects of video conferencing exposure, measured through heart rate variability (HRV), using a fully online-based methodology.OBJECTIVEThis study aims to evaluate the anxiety-inducing effects of video conferencing exposure, measured through heart rate variability (HRV), using a fully online-based methodology.A total of 31 participants who reported social anxiety were recruited online and engaged in a simulated video conference task, where they interacted with multiple audience members' emotional faces on a 3×3 split screen. Their video recordings were analyzed using imaging photoplethysmography (iPPG) to obtain HRV data. Baseline anxiety levels were assessed using validated self-report questionnaires, including the State Anxiety Scale (STAI-X1), Trait Anxiety Scale (STAI-X2), Social Interaction Anxiety Scale (SIAS), and Social Phobia Scale (SPS).METHODSA total of 31 participants who reported social anxiety were recruited online and engaged in a simulated video conference task, where they interacted with multiple audience members' emotional faces on a 3×3 split screen. Their video recordings were analyzed using imaging photoplethysmography (iPPG) to obtain HRV data. Baseline anxiety levels were assessed using validated self-report questionnaires, including the State Anxiety Scale (STAI-X1), Trait Anxiety Scale (STAI-X2), Social Interaction Anxiety Scale (SIAS), and Social Phobia Scale (SPS).Pearson correlation analysis revealed that STAI-X1 scores negatively correlated with high-frequency normalized units (HFnu) changes and positively correlated with low-frequency high-frequency (LF-HF) ratio and low-frequency normalized units (LFnu) changes. Similar patterns were observed for STAI-X2. These findings suggest that higher levels of trait and state anxiety are associated with greater reductions in parasympathetic activity and increased sympathetic activation during online video conferencing.RESULTSPearson correlation analysis revealed that STAI-X1 scores negatively correlated with high-frequency normalized units (HFnu) changes and positively correlated with low-frequency high-frequency (LF-HF) ratio and low-frequency normalized units (LFnu) changes. Similar patterns were observed for STAI-X2. These findings suggest that higher levels of trait and state anxiety are associated with greater reductions in parasympathetic activity and increased sympathetic activation during online video conferencing.This study underscores the clinical potential of online video conferencing as a scalable and accessible exposure therapy for the digital era, eliminating spatial and logistical constraints associated with traditional in-person exposure therapy.CONCLUSIONSThis study underscores the clinical potential of online video conferencing as a scalable and accessible exposure therapy for the digital era, eliminating spatial and logistical constraints associated with traditional in-person exposure therapy.

Although social anxiety remains prevalent, conventional exposure therapy faces limitations such as limited accessibility, high cost, and low ecological validity. These barriers highlight the need for alternative, scalable methods that can effectively simulate social evaluative contexts. This study aims to evaluate the anxiety-inducing effects of videoconferencing exposure, measured through heart rate variability (HRV), using a fully online-based methodology. A total of 31 participants who reported social anxiety were recruited online and engaged in a simulated videoconference task, where they interacted with multiple audience members' emotional faces on a 3 × 3 split screen. Their video recordings were analysed using imaging photoplethysmography to obtain HRV data. Baseline anxiety levels were assessed using validated self-report questionnaires, including the State Anxiety Scale (STAI-X1), Trait Anxiety Scale (STAI-X2), Social Interaction Anxiety Scale, and Social Phobia Scale. Pearson correlation analysis revealed that STAI-X1 scores negatively correlated with high-frequency normalised units (HFnu) changes and positively correlated with low-frequency high-frequency (LF-HF) ratio and low-frequency normalised units (LFnu) changes. Similar patterns were observed for STAI-X2. These findings suggest that higher levels of trait and state anxiety are associated with greater reductions in parasympathetic activity and increased sympathetic activation during online videoconferencing. This study underscores the clinical potential of online videoconferencing as a scalable and accessible exposure therapy for the digital era, eliminating spatial and logistical constraints associated with traditional in-person exposure therapy.

ABSTRACTBackgroundComplement factor H (CFH) plays a key role in regulating the cascade of the alternative pathway of the complement system. Dysregulation of CFH may be involved in the pathophysiology of various inflammation-mediated diseases including neuropsychiatric illnesses. This study aimed to investigate this relationship by examining determining CFH levels in elderly individuals with and without depression. MethodsA total of 152 elderly individuals (major depressive disorder (MDD) group, n = 76; comparison sample, n = 76) were selected from the Ansan Geriatric study. The plasma level of CFH was measured. MDD was diagnosed with the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview as per DSM-IV criteria. The severity of depression was evaluated with the geriatric depression scale (GDS). Mean CFH levels were compared using the Mann–Whitney U test. After adjusting for possible confounding factors including age, sex, marital status, education, alcohol use, hemoglobin levels, and the Korean version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE-KC), a multiple regression analysis was conducted. The GDS score and plasma level of CFH were analyzed using Spearman's correlation. ResultsPlasma CFH level was significantly higher in individuals with MDD than in the comparison sample (289.51 ± 21.16 vs. 339.67 ± 66.23, p < 0.001). In a regression model adjusted for possible confounders, CFH was significantly associated with geriatric depression (p < 0.001). CFH levels were not significantly related to GDS scores in the depressed group. ConclusionThis study revealed an association between high plasma levels of CFH and geriatric depression, thereby suggesting the alternative pathway of the complement system contributing to the development of geriatric depression.