The National Health Information Portal (http://health.mw.go.kr), a collaborative project by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korean Academy of Medical Sciences, was officially launched in January 2011. In the modern society, the internet and smart phones have been flooded with health information, in addition to the information available through traditional media such as newspapers, television, and radio broadcasting. The Korean Medical Association and the Korean Academy of Medical Sciences have expanded their work in several directions, including a monitoring project to correct wrong health information that is commonly used. Nevertheless, they are confronted with the fundamental problem that they are unable to keep up with the speed of production and diffusion of health information in modern society. This initiative of the National Health Information Portal led by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korean Academy of Medical Sciences is significant in that anyone with internet access can easily find proven health information. Unlike existing health information, the National Health Information Portal is structured to help improve understanding by presenting a variety of materials, such as cartoons, pictures, photos, and videos, as compared to simple documents or texts. In addition, it is constructed with a feedback system so that the consumer of the health information can directly and easily access specific content. Furthermore, the National Health Information Portal continues to strive to provide practical contents with mobile services like smart phone applications. We expect the National Health Information Portal to make a contribution to the prevention and treatment of disease by reducing unnecessary medical expenditures, and providing quality health information to society.
Diffusion ; Health Expenditures ; Internet ; Periodicals ; Television

Background: Glyphosate and glufosinate use widely used as herbicide ingredients. There have been several reported cases of chemical burns caused by dermal exposure to glyphosatecontaining herbicide, and patients in these cases were discharged without fatal complications.There were no cases of severe symptoms due to non-oral exposure of glufosinate-containing herbicides. Here, we report a case of fatality accompanied with severe chemical burns in an 81-year-old man who did not wash his skin for more than 48 hours after dermal exposure to herbicide containing glyphosate and glufosinate with surfactant (HGlyGluS).Case presentation: An 81-year-old male with no underlying disease was admitted to the emergency department (ED). He had sprayed HGlyGluS with a manual knapsack sprayer 3 days ago and had not wash away the herbicide. On arrival, he was drowsy and had multiple severe corrosive skin lesions. Skin necrosis (10 × 15 cm) on the right shoulder and skin lesions with subcutaneous fat exposure (15 × 20 cm) on the right thigh were observed. Although he was treated including continuous renal replacement therapy, antibiotic apply, debridement operations, and so on, he was unable to recover and expired. Conclusions We suggest that prolonged dermal exposure to HGlyGluS induces fatality.Further studies including prolonged dermal exposure and ingredients of surfactants should be carried out. Also, it is necessary to educate farmers that it is very important to wash immediately after dermal exposure to pesticide.

Background: Glyphosate and glufosinate use widely used as herbicide ingredients. There have been several reported cases of chemical burns caused by dermal exposure to glyphosatecontaining herbicide, and patients in these cases were discharged without fatal complications.There were no cases of severe symptoms due to non-oral exposure of glufosinate-containing herbicides. Here, we report a case of fatality accompanied with severe chemical burns in an 81-year-old man who did not wash his skin for more than 48 hours after dermal exposure to herbicide containing glyphosate and glufosinate with surfactant (HGlyGluS).Case presentation: An 81-year-old male with no underlying disease was admitted to the emergency department (ED). He had sprayed HGlyGluS with a manual knapsack sprayer 3 days ago and had not wash away the herbicide. On arrival, he was drowsy and had multiple severe corrosive skin lesions. Skin necrosis (10 × 15 cm) on the right shoulder and skin lesions with subcutaneous fat exposure (15 × 20 cm) on the right thigh were observed. Although he was treated including continuous renal replacement therapy, antibiotic apply, debridement operations, and so on, he was unable to recover and expired. Conclusions We suggest that prolonged dermal exposure to HGlyGluS induces fatality.Further studies including prolonged dermal exposure and ingredients of surfactants should be carried out. Also, it is necessary to educate farmers that it is very important to wash immediately after dermal exposure to pesticide.

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are immature myeloid cells that exert suppressive function on the immune response. MDSCs expand in tumor-bearing hosts or in the tumor microenvironment and suppress T cell responses via various mechanisms, whereas a reduction in their activities has been observed in autoimmune diseases or infections. It has been reported that the symptoms of various diseases, including malignant tumors, can be alleviated by targeting MDSCs. Moreover, MDSCs can contribute to patient resistance to therapy using immune checkpoint inhibitors. In line with these therapeutic approaches, diverse oligonucleotide-based molecules and small molecules have been evaluated for their therapeutic efficacy in several disease models via the modulation of MDSC activity. In the current review, MDSC-targeting oligonucleotides and small molecules are briefly summarized, and we highlight the immunomodulatory effects on MDSCs in a variety of disease models and the application of MDSC-targeting molecules for immuno-oncologic therapy.

This study was performed to investigate the status of food restriction and the list of restricted foods in children with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis (AD), and to find out the effect of food restriction on the changes in nutrient intake and the severity of the disease. Sixty two patient children aged 12 months to 13 years presenting AD with a SCORing of Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) index between 20 and 50 were enrolled. The presence of food limitation, and list of restricted foods were surveyed through the caretakers and the patients were divided into 3 groups by the number of restricted food: non-restricted group, one to three restricted group, and more than three restricted group. Dietary intake was assessed for 3 months using a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Half of the subjects restricted foods. The restriction was higher in the order of soda, food additives, walnut, peanut, and other nuts as a single food item; and shellfish and crustacean group, processed foods, nuts, milk & dairy products, and meats as a food group. More than three restricted group ingested more fruits and less fish and meats, resulting in high consumption of vitamin C (p = 0.027). No significant difference in the ratio of nutrient intake by the number of restricted foods was observed in other nutrients. Significant improvement of AD symptom was observed in non-restricted group (p = 0.036) and one to three restricted group (p = 0.003). It is necessary to provide proper nutrition information and systematic and continuous nutrition management for balanced nutrient intake and disease improvement in children with AD.
Ascorbic Acid ; Child* ; Dairy Products ; Dermatitis, Atopic* ; Food Additives ; Fruit ; Humans ; Juglans ; Meat ; Milk ; Nuts ; Shellfish ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Bleeding from pancreatic pseudocyst is a rare complication. Furthermore, massive upper gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding from gastro-cystic fistula formation and intracystic bleeding are both extremely rare and are also potentially fatal. A 53-year-old male was referred to the emergency room with melena and hematemesis. An urgent endoscopy revealed a massive gastric hematoma but showed no specific bleeding focus. Gastrocystic fistula formation and intracystic bleeding leakage to the stomach were suspicious in the follow-up endoscopy. A contrast-enhanced computed tomography scan demonstrated splenic artery pseudoaneurysm and extravasation of contrast media into the cyst that was abutted to the greater curvature side of the stomach. A splenic artery embolization was performed and no further bleeding occurred after embolization. Upper GI bleeding from gastro-cystic fistula and intracystic bleeding are rare but possible. Therefore, this possibility should be considered in the unknown cause of an upper GI bleeding in a patient with pancreatic pseudocyst.
Aneurysm, False ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Endoscopy ; Extravasation of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Materials ; Fistula* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hematemesis ; Hematoma ; Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Male ; Melena ; Middle Aged ; Pancreatic Pseudocyst* ; Splenic Artery ; Stomach

PURPOSE: The empirical use of a chemotherapy regimen shows different results in individual breast cancer patient treatment. Recent studies showed the effectiveness of the adenosine triphosphate-based chemotherapy response assay (ATP-CRA). However, little is known about the correlation between chemosensitivity and breast cancer molecular subtypes. Therefore, we investigated whether the result of ATP-CRA is associated with a molecular subtype of breast cancer. METHODS: Two hundred eighty-seven patients diagnosed with breast cancer and receiving ATP-CRA at Mokdong Hospital, Ewha Womans University between September 2007 and December 2010 were enrolled in this study. Hormone receptor status, HER2/neu expression, and results of chemosensitivity tests of the patients was analyzed. RESULTS: In all of four subtypes, the combination of two agents showed significant higher mean cell death rate than a single agent. Within the breast cancer cell lines in this study, the range of chemosensitivity response was very wide and varied for each patient. For this reason, the molecular subtype of breast cancer is inconclusive in choosing an effective chemotherapeutic agent and in vitro chemosensitivity test, prior to therapy, could be a useful method for planning chemotherapy for each patient. CONCLUSION: Chemosensitivity response to anticancer agents was found to vary depending on the individual breast cancer patients. The molecular subtype of breast cancer is inconclusive to choose the effective chemotherapeutic agent and the in vitro chemosensitivity test, prior to therapy, could be more useful for planning chemotherapy for each patient.
Adenosine ; Adenosine Triphosphate ; Antineoplastic Agents ; Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Cell Death ; Cell Line ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Female ; Humans

PURPOSE: This study aimed to identify various infectious causes in unilateral recurrent hypertensive anterior uveitis in immunocompetent individuals. METHODS: Twenty eyes of 20 patients diagnosed with recurrent hypertensive anterior uveitis, who had negative systemic uveitis lab results, were enrolled. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed in the aqueous humor and peripheral blood specimens to detect the following infectious agents: cytomegalovirus (CMV), herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1), varicella zoster virus (VZV), toxoplasma. RESULTS: The mean age of 20 patients was 41.8 +/- 15.9 year (19-77 year), and 14 (70%) patients were male. CMV was positive in 7 eyes (35%) and was detected only in aqueous humor. HSV-1 was positive in 5 (25%) eyes; only in aqueous humor in 2 eyes, only in blood in 1 eye, and in both specimens in 2 eyes. Only 1 (5%) eye was positive for toxoplasma in the aqueous humor. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that CMV might be another major infectious cause in recurrent hypertensive anterior uveitis in immunocompetent patients. If CMV is detected, it might be reasonable to add appropriate antiviral agents, rather than treating only with immunosuppresive and hypotensive drugs.
Antiviral Agents ; Aqueous Humor ; Cytomegalovirus ; Eye ; Herpes Simplex ; Herpesvirus 1, Human ; Herpesvirus 3, Human ; Humans ; Male ; Methylmethacrylates ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polystyrenes ; Pyridines ; Thiazoles ; Toxoplasma ; Uveitis ; Uveitis, Anterior

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The early diagnosis of acute hepatitis A (AHA) is hindered because serum IgM against hepatitis A virus (HAV) can yield false-negative results during the window period. This study evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) kit for HAV RNA for the diagnosis of AHA. METHODS: Samples were collected from 136 patients with acute severe hepatitis at their admission to Asan Medical Center between June 2010 and July 2010. Samples were analyzed for serum IgM anti-HAV using an immunoassay test and for qualitative HAV RNA using the Magicplex HepaTrio PCR test kit. The diagnostic accuracies of these methods were tested on the basis of clinical and laboratory diagnoses of AHA. RESULTS: The concordance rate and kappa value between IgM anti-HAV and HAV RNA PCR were 88.2% and 0.707, respectively. For the diagnosis of AHA, the sensitivity and specificity of IgM anti-HAV were 90.7% and 100%, respectively, when an "equivocal" result was regarded as positive; and 79.1% and 100%, respectively, when an "equivocal" result was regarded as negative. The sensitivity and specificity of HAV RNA PCR were 81.4% and 100%, respectively. All four patients with negative IgM anti-HAV and positive HAV RNA PCR results and all four patients with equivocal IgM anti-HAV RNA and positive HAV RNA PCR results were eventually diagnosed with AHA. CONCLUSIONS: The qualitative HAV RNA PCR test has an equivalent diagnostic accuracy for AHA compared to IgM anti-HAV and may be more sensitive during the window period.
Acute Disease ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Hepatitis A/*diagnosis ; Hepatitis A virus/genetics/immunology ; Humans ; Immunoassay ; Immunoglobulin M/blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; *Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prospective Studies ; RNA, Viral/*blood ; Reagent Kits, Diagnostic ; Sensitivity and Specificity

Recent studies have shown that side population (SP) cells, isolated from adult myocardium, represent a distinct cardiac progenitor cell population that exhibits functional cardiomyogenic differentiation. However, information on the intrinsic characteristics and endothelial potential, of cardiac SP cells, is limited. The present study was designed to investigate whether cardiac SP cells exhibit endothelial differentiation potential. The cardiac SP cells more highly expressed the early cardiac transcription factors as well as endothelial cell markers compared to the bone marrow-SP cells. After treatment with VEGF, for 28 days, cardiac SP cells were able to differentiate into endothelial cells expressing von Willebrand factor as determined by immunocytochemistry. Furthermore, expression of endothelial cell markers increased several-fold in VEGF-treated cardiac SP cells compared to the control group when assessed by real-time PCR. We also confirmed that cardiac SP cells provided a significantly augmented ratio of ischemic/normal blood flow, in the cardiac SP cell-transplanted group compared with saline-treated controls on postoperative days 7, 14, 21 and 28, in a murine model. These results show that cardiac SP cells may contribute to regeneration of injured heart tissues partly by transdifferentiation into angiogenic lineages.
Animals ; Base Sequence ; Bone Marrow Cells/cytology/drug effects ; Cell Differentiation/drug effects ; Cell Separation ; Colony-Forming Units Assay ; DNA Primers/genetics ; Endothelial Cells/*cytology/drug effects/metabolism/transplantation ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Myocardium/*cytology/metabolism ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/pharmacology