The study examined the perceived health status, dietary habits, and health-related lifestyle habits of middle-aged men and women in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do areas. The survey was conducted on 670 individuals (320 men and, 350 women), aged 40∼64 years, in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do areas. The online and written data were analyzed using the SPSS WIN 25.0 program. Although there was a significant difference in the perceived health status (P＜0.01), there were no significant differences in the subjective stress and the current disease status according to sex. For dietary habits, the scores for fruit intake (P＜0.05), meat and fish intake (P＜0.05), milk and dairy products intake (P＜0.01), and seaweed intake (P＜0.05) were higher in women than men. The scores for three-meal eating (P＜0.05) and water intake (P＜0.01) were higher in men than women. For the health-related habits, alcohol-drinking frequency, daily alcohol consumption, smoking experience, and daily smoking were higher in men than women (P＜0.001). In contrast, caffeinated beverage intake, exercise frequency, and daily smart-phone, computer, and TV using time were similar in both sexes. The meal-eating time was faster in men than women (P＜0.01). For dietary behavior changes, only appetite showed a significant gender difference (P＜0.05). This study provides essential information on the perceived health status, dietary habits, and health-related lifestyle habits in middle-aged men and women. Nevertheless, further research and a practical nutrition program will be needed to solve undesirable dietary habits and improve the health and lifestyle of middle-aged adults according to sex.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The study was performed to investigate the degree of perceived stress by sex in middle-aged people, and to provide basic data for appropriate nutrition education and interventional measures for middle-aged subjects through comparative analysis of association between stress and dietary habits, emotional eating behavior, and insomnia. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A survey was conducted in 670 middle-aged subjects (320 men and 350 women) aged 40–64 years, resided in Seoul and Gyeonggi area. Collected data were analyzed using SPSS WIN 25.0 program. RESULTS: Perceived stress in middle-aged subjects was not different by sex. Stress was higher in men with low dietary habits level compared to other groups (P < 0.001), and was higher in women with low and moderate dietary habits level compared to women with high dietary habits level (P < 0.05). Stress in men was higher in the group with emotional eaters (P < 0.05), and the same result was shown in women (P < 0.001). Stress was higher in both men and women with poor sleep quality (P < 0.001). Stress score was positively correlated with emotional dietary behavior and insomnia (P < 0.001) and negatively correlated with dietary habits (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS It is considered that proper nutrition education and interventional measures according to sex are needed for stress control and proper dietary behavior and lifestyle in middle-aged people population, along with projects and policies at the national level.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The study was performed to investigate health-related lifestyle, dietary habits, and depression according to exercise frequency to understand complex factors that affect effective health management. Thus, exercise frequency, health-related lifestyle, dietary habits, and depression were evaluated in college students in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do areas. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A survey was conducted on college students, aged 19–29, in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do areas from May 13 to May 31, 2020. A total of 594 questionnaires were collected and 566 (269 from males, 297 from females) were statistically analyzed, except 28 with incomplete responses. Collected data were analyzed using SPSS WIN 21.0 program. RESULTS: The sex distribution of the 3 groups according to exercise frequency was significantly different; the ratio of males in over 3 times/week group was significantly higher than those in 1–2 times/week group and no-exercise group (P < 0.001). The height (P < 0.001), weight (P < 0.001), and body mass index (P < 0.05) were significantly higher in over 3 times/week group compared to no-exercise group. The ratio of subjects who answered ‘good’ or ‘very good’ for subjective health condition was significantly high in the order of ‘over 3 times/week’ group (59.1%), ‘1–2 times/week’ group (34.5%), and ‘no-exercise’ group (25.0%) (P < 0.001). The ratio for meal regularity was high as 56.6% in ‘over 3 times/week’ group and the ratio for irregular meals was significantly higher in ‘no-exercise’ group (67.2%) and ‘1–2 times/week’ group (54.9%) (P < 0.001). Among questions on dietary habits, ‘Eat meat, fish, egg or beans’ (P < 0.01) and ‘Eat fruit’ (P < 0.01) were significantly higher in ‘over 3 times/ week’ group compared to ‘no-exercise’ group. ‘Drink more than 2 liters of water’ (P < 0.001) was 0.70 in ‘over 3 times/week’ group, which was significantly higher than 0.54 in ‘1–2 times/ week’ group and 0.38 in ‘no-exercise’ group. Moderate depression and severe depression that need treatments were significantly lower in ‘over 3 times/week’ group (18.7%) compared to ‘1–2 times/week’ group (26.0%) and ‘no-exercise’ group (29.7%) (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS It is considered that combined intervention for exercise habits, proper dietary habits, and depression management is needed for effective health management.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The study was performed to investigate the degree of perceived stress by sex in middle-aged people, and to provide basic data for appropriate nutrition education and interventional measures for middle-aged subjects through comparative analysis of association between stress and dietary habits, emotional eating behavior, and insomnia. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A survey was conducted in 670 middle-aged subjects (320 men and 350 women) aged 40–64 years, resided in Seoul and Gyeonggi area. Collected data were analyzed using SPSS WIN 25.0 program. RESULTS: Perceived stress in middle-aged subjects was not different by sex. Stress was higher in men with low dietary habits level compared to other groups (P < 0.001), and was higher in women with low and moderate dietary habits level compared to women with high dietary habits level (P < 0.05). Stress in men was higher in the group with emotional eaters (P < 0.05), and the same result was shown in women (P < 0.001). Stress was higher in both men and women with poor sleep quality (P < 0.001). Stress score was positively correlated with emotional dietary behavior and insomnia (P < 0.001) and negatively correlated with dietary habits (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS It is considered that proper nutrition education and interventional measures according to sex are needed for stress control and proper dietary behavior and lifestyle in middle-aged people population, along with projects and policies at the national level.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The study was performed to investigate health-related lifestyle, dietary habits, and depression according to exercise frequency to understand complex factors that affect effective health management. Thus, exercise frequency, health-related lifestyle, dietary habits, and depression were evaluated in college students in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do areas. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A survey was conducted on college students, aged 19–29, in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do areas from May 13 to May 31, 2020. A total of 594 questionnaires were collected and 566 (269 from males, 297 from females) were statistically analyzed, except 28 with incomplete responses. Collected data were analyzed using SPSS WIN 21.0 program. RESULTS: The sex distribution of the 3 groups according to exercise frequency was significantly different; the ratio of males in over 3 times/week group was significantly higher than those in 1–2 times/week group and no-exercise group (P < 0.001). The height (P < 0.001), weight (P < 0.001), and body mass index (P < 0.05) were significantly higher in over 3 times/week group compared to no-exercise group. The ratio of subjects who answered ‘good’ or ‘very good’ for subjective health condition was significantly high in the order of ‘over 3 times/week’ group (59.1%), ‘1–2 times/week’ group (34.5%), and ‘no-exercise’ group (25.0%) (P < 0.001). The ratio for meal regularity was high as 56.6% in ‘over 3 times/week’ group and the ratio for irregular meals was significantly higher in ‘no-exercise’ group (67.2%) and ‘1–2 times/week’ group (54.9%) (P < 0.001). Among questions on dietary habits, ‘Eat meat, fish, egg or beans’ (P < 0.01) and ‘Eat fruit’ (P < 0.01) were significantly higher in ‘over 3 times/ week’ group compared to ‘no-exercise’ group. ‘Drink more than 2 liters of water’ (P < 0.001) was 0.70 in ‘over 3 times/week’ group, which was significantly higher than 0.54 in ‘1–2 times/ week’ group and 0.38 in ‘no-exercise’ group. Moderate depression and severe depression that need treatments were significantly lower in ‘over 3 times/week’ group (18.7%) compared to ‘1–2 times/week’ group (26.0%) and ‘no-exercise’ group (29.7%) (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS It is considered that combined intervention for exercise habits, proper dietary habits, and depression management is needed for effective health management.

The study examined the perceived health status, dietary habits, and health-related lifestyle habits of middle-aged men and women in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do areas. The survey was conducted on 670 individuals (320 men and, 350 women), aged 40∼64 years, in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do areas. The online and written data were analyzed using the SPSS WIN 25.0 program. Although there was a significant difference in the perceived health status (P＜0.01), there were no significant differences in the subjective stress and the current disease status according to sex. For dietary habits, the scores for fruit intake (P＜0.05), meat and fish intake (P＜0.05), milk and dairy products intake (P＜0.01), and seaweed intake (P＜0.05) were higher in women than men. The scores for three-meal eating (P＜0.05) and water intake (P＜0.01) were higher in men than women. For the health-related habits, alcohol-drinking frequency, daily alcohol consumption, smoking experience, and daily smoking were higher in men than women (P＜0.001). In contrast, caffeinated beverage intake, exercise frequency, and daily smart-phone, computer, and TV using time were similar in both sexes. The meal-eating time was faster in men than women (P＜0.01). For dietary behavior changes, only appetite showed a significant gender difference (P＜0.05). This study provides essential information on the perceived health status, dietary habits, and health-related lifestyle habits in middle-aged men and women. Nevertheless, further research and a practical nutrition program will be needed to solve undesirable dietary habits and improve the health and lifestyle of middle-aged adults according to sex.

Immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) can involve any organ. The majority of reported cases involve IgG4-RD of the biliary tract or pancreas, while only two cases of pericarditis have been reported. A 58-year-old man visited the outpatient clinic of our institution with a seven-day history of progressive dyspnea. Based on his transthoracic echocardiogram and transesophageal echocardiogram, he was diagnosed with constrictive pericarditis. The histopathology of his pericardiectomy revealed the cause of constrictive pericarditis to be IgG4-RD. Prednisolone (40 mg) was initiated after the pericardiectomy. As the patient's symptoms resolved, he was discharged and followed-up on an outpatient basis. This is the first case report of constrictive pericarditis caused by IgG4-RD in Korea.
Ambulatory Care Facilities ; Biliary Tract ; Dyspnea ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulins* ; Inflammation ; Korea ; Middle Aged ; Outpatients ; Pancreas ; Pericardiectomy ; Pericarditis ; Pericarditis, Constrictive* ; Prednisolone

OBJECTIVES: Asia sand dust (ASD) is known to cause various human diseases including respiratory infection. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of ASD on inflammatory response in human middle ear epithelial cells (HMEECs) in vitro and in vivo. METHODS: Cell viability was assessed using the cell counting kit-8 assay. The mRNA levels of various genes including COX-2, TNF-a, MUC 5AC, MUC 5B, TP53, BAX, BCL-2, NOX4, and SOD1 were analyzed using semiquantitative realtime polymerase chain reaction. COX-2 protein levels were determined by western blot analysis. Sprague Dawley rats were used for in vivo investigations of inflammatory reactions in the middle ear epithelium as a result of ASD injection. RESULTS: We observed dose-dependent decrease in HMEEC viability. ASD exposure significantly increased COX-2, TNF-a, MUC5AC, and MUC5B mRNA expression. Also, ASD affected the mRNA levels of apoptosis- and oxidative stress-related genes. Western blot analysis revealed a dose-dependent increase in COX-2 production. Animal studies also demonstrated an ASD-induced inflammatory response in the middle ear epithelium. CONCLUSION: Environmental ASD exposure can result in the development of otitis media.
Animals ; Asia ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Count ; Cell Survival ; Cyclooxygenase 2 ; Dust* ; Ear, Middle* ; Epithelial Cells ; Epithelium ; Gene Expression* ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; Mucins* ; Otitis Media ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; RNA, Messenger

This experimental study examined differences in doctor-patient relationships according to the health communication strategies during cases of medical malpractices occurred at primary medical institution. A total of 116 subjects aged in their 20s-50s was sampled. The first medical malpractice scenario chosen was the medical malpractice case most frequently registered at the Korean Medical Association Mutual Aid and the second scenario was associated with materials and devices as the cause of malpractice. Four types of crisis communication strategy messages were utilized, consisting of denial, denial + ingratiation, apology, and apology + ingratiation. Subjects were classified into four research groups by crisis communication strategy to measure levels of trust, control mutuality, commitment, and satisfaction, before and after the occurrence of medical malpractice and application of communication strategies. The findings of this study revealed that the apology strategy, compared with the denial strategy, showed a smaller difference before and after the application of communication strategies in all variables of trust (F = 8.080, F = 5.768), control mutuality (F = 8.824, F = 9.081), commitment (F = 9.815, F = 8.301), and satisfaction (F = 8.723, F = 5.638). Further, a significant interaction effect was shown between variables. The apology strategy, compared with the denial strategy, was effective in the improvement of doctor-patient relationships in both Scenarios I and II. For Scenario I, the apology strategy without ingratiation boosted commitment and satisfaction, but for Scenario II, utilizing the apology strategy with ingratiation boosted the effectiveness of trust and commitment.
Adult ; Female ; *Health Communication ; Humans ; Male ; Malpractice ; Middle Aged ; Non-Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Patient Satisfaction ; Physician-Patient Relations ; Program Evaluation ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Trust

Circumscribed palmar or plantar hypokeratosis is a rare dermatosis, and it consists of asymptomatic erythematous, well-circumscribed and depressed patch with scaly borders on the palm or sole. It usually affects middle-aged or elderly women. Histopathologically, it has a sharp stair between the normal and involved skin, and a demarcated area with an abrupt decrease in the horny layer thickness. We report herein a case of circumscribed palmar hypokeratosis that was successfully treated with cryotherapy.
Aged ; Cryotherapy ; Female ; Humans ; Skin ; Skin Diseases