This paper describes the design, development, and implementation of a ubiquitous portfolio (u-portfolio) system aimed at enhancing clinical clerkship education at Inje University College of Medicine from 2016 to 2020. This developmental research employed involved a literature review of 69 papers on electronic portfolios (1990–2013), and as well as a series of focus group interviews and surveys with key stakeholders during the iterative design, evaluation, and revision process. The literature analysis revealed three main purposes of e-portfolios (learning, assessment, and showcase) and nine key elements for a multi-purpose e-portfolio (e.g., quality of student reflection, postgraduate continuous learning, and timely and frequent feedback). The system evolved from paper-based portfolios to address the standardization of students’ clerkship experiences across five teaching hospitals, incorporating competency-based education and enabling efficient data management to promote student learning, assessment, and feedback. Key challenges in transitioning from paper to electronic portfolios included infrastructure issues, user adaptation, and assessment standardization. The resulting u-portfolio system, which allowed the seamless integration of mobile devices, emphasized five core functions: enhanced real-time feedback, transparent evaluation with rubrics, improved reflection quality, real-time assessment and tracking, and mapping between learning and competency achievements. Initially implemented in the internal medicine clerkship in 2016, the system was gradually expanded to all core clerkships by 2018. The success of this system led to its adoption by 19 medical schools through a consortium organized by the Korea Association of Medical Colleges, with 31 schools now collaborating to enhance clerkships through the u-portfolio system.

This paper describes the design, development, and implementation of a ubiquitous portfolio (u-portfolio) system aimed at enhancing clinical clerkship education at Inje University College of Medicine from 2016 to 2020. This developmental research employed involved a literature review of 69 papers on electronic portfolios (1990–2013), and as well as a series of focus group interviews and surveys with key stakeholders during the iterative design, evaluation, and revision process. The literature analysis revealed three main purposes of e-portfolios (learning, assessment, and showcase) and nine key elements for a multi-purpose e-portfolio (e.g., quality of student reflection, postgraduate continuous learning, and timely and frequent feedback). The system evolved from paper-based portfolios to address the standardization of students’ clerkship experiences across five teaching hospitals, incorporating competency-based education and enabling efficient data management to promote student learning, assessment, and feedback. Key challenges in transitioning from paper to electronic portfolios included infrastructure issues, user adaptation, and assessment standardization. The resulting u-portfolio system, which allowed the seamless integration of mobile devices, emphasized five core functions: enhanced real-time feedback, transparent evaluation with rubrics, improved reflection quality, real-time assessment and tracking, and mapping between learning and competency achievements. Initially implemented in the internal medicine clerkship in 2016, the system was gradually expanded to all core clerkships by 2018. The success of this system led to its adoption by 19 medical schools through a consortium organized by the Korea Association of Medical Colleges, with 31 schools now collaborating to enhance clerkships through the u-portfolio system.

Background: The aim of this study is to evaluate the prevalence and associated psychosocial factors of behavioral addictions among school adolescents living in the Gwangju and Jeonnam regions in Korea. Methods: A self-reported survey was conducted from December 4, 2023, to January 31, 2024, including 855 middle and high school students residing in the Gwangju-Jeonnam regions. Aside from the information on demographic characteristics, data on depression, anxiety, Internet gaming addiction, gambling problems, and resilience was obtained. Results: The prevalence of Internet gaming addiction among adolescents was 5.4%, while the prevalence of gambling problems was 3.3%. The male adolescents had a significantly higher risk of behavioral addiction compared with the female adolescents. The logistic regression analysis revealed that male and depression were significant risk factors for Internet gaming addiction. For gambling problems, male was identified as a significant risk factor. Conclusion The findings of this study suggested that the prevalence of behavioral addiction among school adolescents has been relatively higher than that of previous studies, emphasizing the need for community-based prevention and intervention strategies tailored to the sex difference and psychological factors associated with adolescent behavioral addictions.

Background: Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is called ‘smoker’s disease’ because it is strongly associated with smoking and most cases occur in smokers. However, it can also occur in never smokers. We investigated the clinical features of never smokers with SCLC and compared their treatment outcomes with those of smokers with SCLC. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical data of patients who had proven SCLC and had received chemotherapy at a single cancer center between July 2002 and April 2021. Results: Of 1,643 patients, 1,416 (86.2%) were enrolled in this study. A total of 162 (11.4%) and 1,254 (88.6%) patients were never smokers and smokers, respectively. There were more female never smokers than smokers (n=130; 80.2% vs. 79, 6.3%, p=0.000), and the incidence of ischemic heart disease was lower among never smokers than among smokers (4/1,416, [2.5%] vs. 83/1,416 [6.6%], p=0.036). Never smokers showed less symptoms at diagnosis than smokers (80.9% vs. 87.2%, p=0.037); however, they showed more toxicity after first-line treatment (61.7% vs. 47.8%, p=0.001). The objective response rate (ORR) was significantly higher in never smokers (74.1% vs. 59.6%, p=0.000). In the multivariate analysis, never smoking and second-line treatment were associated with a better ORR. However, progression-free survival and overall survival were not significantly different between never smokers and smokers. Conclusion In conclusion, never smokers accounted for 11.4% of patients with SCLC. They had distinguishing clinical characteristics and showed better chemotherapeutic responses than smokers.

Background: s/Aims: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common cancer and second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in South Korea. This study evaluated the characteristics of Korean patients newly diagnosed with HCC in 2016-2018. Methods: Data from the Korean Primary Liver Cancer Registry (KPLCR), a representative database of patients newly diagnosed with HCC in South Korea, were analyzed. This study investigated 4,462 patients with HCC registered in the KPLCR in 2016-2018. Results: The median patient age was 63 years (interquartile range, 55-72). 79.7% of patients were male. Hepatitis B infection was the most common underlying liver disease (54.5%). The Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) staging system classified patients as follows: stage 0 (14.9%), A (28.8%), B (7.5%), C (39.0%), and D (9.8%). The median overall survival was 3.72 years (95% confidence interval, 3.47-4.14), with 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival rates of 71.3%, 54.1%, and 44.3%, respectively. In 2016-2018, there was a significant shift toward BCLC stage 0-A and Child-Turcotte-Pugh liver function class A (P<0.05), although survival rates did not differ by diagnosis year. In the treatment group (n=4,389), the most common initial treatments were transarterial therapy (31.7%), surgical resection (24.9%), best supportive care (18.9%), and local ablation therapy (10.5%). Conclusions Between 2016 and 2018, HCC tended to be diagnosed at earlier stages, with better liver function in later years. However, since approximately half of the patients remained diagnosed at an advanced stage, more rigorous and optimized HCC screening strategies should be implemented.

Background: Recombinant human follicle-stimulating hormone (rhFSH) is commonly used to treat female infertility, but its short half-life necessitates multiple doses. Even corifollitropin alfa, with an extended half-life, requires supplementary injections of rhFSH after 7 days. This study aimed to develop and evaluate a long-acting follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) formulation using anti-serum albumin Fab-associated (SAFA) technology to avoid additional injections and enhance ovarian function. Methods: SAFA-FSH was synthesized using a Chinese hamster ovary expression system. Its biological efficacy was confirmed through assays measuring its ability to stimulate cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) production, estradiol synthesis, and the expression of human cytochrome P450 family 19 subfamily A member 1 (hCYP19α1) and human steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (hSTAR) in human ovarian granulosa (KGN) cells. To evaluate the effects of SAFA-FSH, we compared its impact on serum estradiol levels and ovarian weight increase with that of rhFSH in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats using the modified Steelman-Pohley test. Results: The results indicated that SAFA-FSH induces cAMP synthesis in KGN cells and upregulates the expression of hCYP19α1 and hSTAR in a dose-dependent manner. Female SD rats, aged 21 days, receiving daily subcutaneous human chorionic gonadotropin injections for 5 days exhibited a significant increase in serum estradiol levels and ovarian weight when administered SAFA-FSH on the first day or when given nine injections of rhFSH over 5 days. Notably, the group receiving SAFA-FSH on the first and third days demonstrated an even greater rise in serum estradiol levels and ovarian weight. Conclusion These findings suggest that SAFA-FSH presents a promising alternative to current rhFSH treatments for female infertility. However, further research is essential to thoroughly assess its safety and efficacy in clinical contexts.

This paper describes the design, development, and implementation of a ubiquitous portfolio (u-portfolio) system aimed at enhancing clinical clerkship education at Inje University College of Medicine from 2016 to 2020. This developmental research employed involved a literature review of 69 papers on electronic portfolios (1990–2013), and as well as a series of focus group interviews and surveys with key stakeholders during the iterative design, evaluation, and revision process. The literature analysis revealed three main purposes of e-portfolios (learning, assessment, and showcase) and nine key elements for a multi-purpose e-portfolio (e.g., quality of student reflection, postgraduate continuous learning, and timely and frequent feedback). The system evolved from paper-based portfolios to address the standardization of students’ clerkship experiences across five teaching hospitals, incorporating competency-based education and enabling efficient data management to promote student learning, assessment, and feedback. Key challenges in transitioning from paper to electronic portfolios included infrastructure issues, user adaptation, and assessment standardization. The resulting u-portfolio system, which allowed the seamless integration of mobile devices, emphasized five core functions: enhanced real-time feedback, transparent evaluation with rubrics, improved reflection quality, real-time assessment and tracking, and mapping between learning and competency achievements. Initially implemented in the internal medicine clerkship in 2016, the system was gradually expanded to all core clerkships by 2018. The success of this system led to its adoption by 19 medical schools through a consortium organized by the Korea Association of Medical Colleges, with 31 schools now collaborating to enhance clerkships through the u-portfolio system.

Background: The aim of this study is to evaluate the prevalence and associated psychosocial factors of behavioral addictions among school adolescents living in the Gwangju and Jeonnam regions in Korea. Methods: A self-reported survey was conducted from December 4, 2023, to January 31, 2024, including 855 middle and high school students residing in the Gwangju-Jeonnam regions. Aside from the information on demographic characteristics, data on depression, anxiety, Internet gaming addiction, gambling problems, and resilience was obtained. Results: The prevalence of Internet gaming addiction among adolescents was 5.4%, while the prevalence of gambling problems was 3.3%. The male adolescents had a significantly higher risk of behavioral addiction compared with the female adolescents. The logistic regression analysis revealed that male and depression were significant risk factors for Internet gaming addiction. For gambling problems, male was identified as a significant risk factor. Conclusion The findings of this study suggested that the prevalence of behavioral addiction among school adolescents has been relatively higher than that of previous studies, emphasizing the need for community-based prevention and intervention strategies tailored to the sex difference and psychological factors associated with adolescent behavioral addictions.

Background: Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is called ‘smoker’s disease’ because it is strongly associated with smoking and most cases occur in smokers. However, it can also occur in never smokers. We investigated the clinical features of never smokers with SCLC and compared their treatment outcomes with those of smokers with SCLC. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical data of patients who had proven SCLC and had received chemotherapy at a single cancer center between July 2002 and April 2021. Results: Of 1,643 patients, 1,416 (86.2%) were enrolled in this study. A total of 162 (11.4%) and 1,254 (88.6%) patients were never smokers and smokers, respectively. There were more female never smokers than smokers (n=130; 80.2% vs. 79, 6.3%, p=0.000), and the incidence of ischemic heart disease was lower among never smokers than among smokers (4/1,416, [2.5%] vs. 83/1,416 [6.6%], p=0.036). Never smokers showed less symptoms at diagnosis than smokers (80.9% vs. 87.2%, p=0.037); however, they showed more toxicity after first-line treatment (61.7% vs. 47.8%, p=0.001). The objective response rate (ORR) was significantly higher in never smokers (74.1% vs. 59.6%, p=0.000). In the multivariate analysis, never smoking and second-line treatment were associated with a better ORR. However, progression-free survival and overall survival were not significantly different between never smokers and smokers. Conclusion In conclusion, never smokers accounted for 11.4% of patients with SCLC. They had distinguishing clinical characteristics and showed better chemotherapeutic responses than smokers.

This paper describes the design, development, and implementation of a ubiquitous portfolio (u-portfolio) system aimed at enhancing clinical clerkship education at Inje University College of Medicine from 2016 to 2020. This developmental research employed involved a literature review of 69 papers on electronic portfolios (1990–2013), and as well as a series of focus group interviews and surveys with key stakeholders during the iterative design, evaluation, and revision process. The literature analysis revealed three main purposes of e-portfolios (learning, assessment, and showcase) and nine key elements for a multi-purpose e-portfolio (e.g., quality of student reflection, postgraduate continuous learning, and timely and frequent feedback). The system evolved from paper-based portfolios to address the standardization of students’ clerkship experiences across five teaching hospitals, incorporating competency-based education and enabling efficient data management to promote student learning, assessment, and feedback. Key challenges in transitioning from paper to electronic portfolios included infrastructure issues, user adaptation, and assessment standardization. The resulting u-portfolio system, which allowed the seamless integration of mobile devices, emphasized five core functions: enhanced real-time feedback, transparent evaluation with rubrics, improved reflection quality, real-time assessment and tracking, and mapping between learning and competency achievements. Initially implemented in the internal medicine clerkship in 2016, the system was gradually expanded to all core clerkships by 2018. The success of this system led to its adoption by 19 medical schools through a consortium organized by the Korea Association of Medical Colleges, with 31 schools now collaborating to enhance clerkships through the u-portfolio system.