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Background: The International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ) is a self-report assessment focused on the core features of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD). It is consistent with the organizing principles of the 11th revision to the WHO's International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11). Since the 1990s, the number of North Korean defectors (NKD) entering South Korea to escape human rights violations has been increasing rapidly, with 33,815 NKD settled by 2021. The South Korean government faces an important challenge in supporting NKD to successfully adapt and settle in South Korean society. NKD experience various traumatic events during the process of defecting and repatriation. Therefore, it is essential to understand the psychological disorders of NKD, especially PTSD and CPTSD. Objective: This study aimed to test the validity of the ITQ assessment and explore the differences in symptoms and quality of life between PTSD and CPTSD. Method: The study sample comprised 503 trauma-exposed NKD. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and latent class analysis (LCA) were used to evaluate the validity of ITQ. One-way analysis of variances and post-hoc analyses revealed the difference in the Depression and Somatic Symptoms Scale (DSSS) and WHOQOL-BREF results among PTSD and CPTSD symptom LCA classes. Results: The CFA and LCA results supported the ICD-11 conceptualization of PTSD and CPTSD in NKD. The CFA results confirmed that both the first- and second-order models were statistically fit, but for community-dwelling NKD the first-order model had better model fit than the second-order model. The LCA findings revealed a four-class model with ‘PTSD’, ‘CPTSD’, ‘DSO’, and ‘low symptom’ classes. Compared to the PTSD class, CPTSD class had higher levels of depression and somatic symptoms and a lower quality of life. Conclusion: This study provided evidence that ITQ is a valid tool to assess PTSD or CPTSD in community-dwelling NKD.

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A novel natural small molecule, voacangine (Voa), has been discovered as a potent antiangiogenic compound. Notably, Voa directly binds the kinase domain of the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) and thereby inhibits downstream signaling. Herein, we developed synthetic small molecules based on the unique chemical structure of Voa that directly and specifically target and modulate the kinase activity of VEGFR2. Among these Voa structure analogues, Voa analogue 19 (V19) exhibited increased antiangiogenic potency against VEGF-induced VEGFR2 phosphorylation without cytotoxic effects. Moreover, treatment with V19 resulted in significant tumor cell death in a mouse xenograft model. In conclusion, this new VEGFR2 modulator, inspired from the rigid scaffold of a natural compound, Voa, is presented as a potent candidate in the development of new antiangiogenic agents.

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