BACKGROUND: This study aimed to examine (1) the patterns of online health information search with respect to seeking and scanning, and (2) how online search, along with eHealth literacy, predicts perceived information usefulness in the context of diet and weight control. METHODS: Online survey was conducted with 299 adults from the consumer panel recruited for the purpose of quality assessment of the Korean National Health Information Portal in 2016. We conducted paired sample t-test and multiple logistic regression to address the research questions. Data analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics ver. 24.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA) and SAS ver. 9.3 (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA). RESULTS: Of the respondents, 38.8% were ‘high seek-high scanners,’ 35.8% were ‘low seek-low scanners,’ 13.0% were ‘high seek-low scanners,’ and 12.4% were ‘low seek-high scanners.’ eHealth literacy was a significant, positive predictor of online information scanning (odds ratio [OR], 2.46; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.41–4.29), but not for online information seeking (OR, 1.75; 95% CI, 1.00–3.05). With respect to perceived usefulness of online information seeking, online seeking (OR, 4.90; 95% CI, 2.19–11.00) and eHealth literacy (OR, 2.30; 95% CI, 1.11–4.75) were significant predictors. Perceived usefulness of online scanning had a significant association with online scanning (OR, 2.38; 95% CI, 1.08–5.22), but not with eHealth literacy. CONCLUSION: To increase the effectiveness of the health policy for online information search and related outcomes in the context of diet and weight control, it is important to develop education programs promoting eHealth literacy.
Adult ; Diet ; Education ; Health Policy ; Humans ; Information Seeking Behavior ; Literacy ; Logistic Models ; Statistics as Topic ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Telemedicine ; Weight Loss

Objective: Pathological features indicating metastatic mucinous carcinoma to the ovary (MMCO) have been rarely reported in primary mucinous ovarian carcinoma (PMOC). However, little is known about how often they are observed in PMOC and how they relate to patient prognosis. In this study, we investigated the pathological features indicating MMCO in a large cohort of PMOCs and analyzed their association with patient prognosis. Methods: We reviewed surgically treated PMOC patients diagnosed at the Seoul National University Hospital from 1995 to 2019, according to the updated WHO classification, and investigated the presence of pathological features indicating MMCO. Results: A total of 144 patients with PMOCs were included. The 5 pathological findings indicating MMCO, including an infiltrative invasive pattern, the absence of benign or borderline components, a smaller tumor size, the presence of signet ring cells and the presence of extracellular mucin were observed in PMOC (21.6%, 43.1%, 20.8%, 4.3% and 12.9%, respectively), and were significantly correlated with poor overall and progression-free survival rates in PMOC. The patient’s prognosis worsened as the extent of the infiltrative invasive pattern increased (p<0.001). In addition, the prognostic power was stronger when the 5 pathological factors were analyzed together (new grouping system) than when analyzed individually (p<0.001) and the new grouping system was identified as an independent prognostic factor regardless of FIGO stage. Conclusion Five pathological findings indicating MMCO in PMOC were significantly associated with poor prognosis in PMOC patients. Also, the new grouping system combining these findings was identified as an independent prognostic factor.

The diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is still obscure even to specialists. To improve the diagnostic accuracy, to find at-risk people as early as possible, to predict the efficacy or adverse reactions of pharmacotherapy on an individual basis, to attain more reliable results of clinical trials by recruiting better defined participants, to prove the disease-modifying ability of new candidate drugs, to establish prognosis-based therapeutic plans, and to do more, is now increasing the need for biomarkers for AD. Among AD-related biochemical markers, cerebrospinal beta-amyloid and tau have been paid the most attention since they are materials directly interfacing the brain interstitium and can be obtained through the lumbar puncture. Level of beta-amyloid is reduced whereas tau is increased in cerebrospinal fluid of AD patients relative to cognitively normal elderly people. Remarkably, such information has been found to help predict AD conversion of mild cognitive impairment. Despite inconsistent findings from previous studies, plasma beta-amyloid is thought to be increased before the disease onset, but show decreasing change as the disease progress. Regarding other peripheral biochemical markers, omics tools are being widely used not only to find useful biomarkers but also to generate novel hypotheses for AD pathogenesis and to lead new personalized future medicine.
Aged ; Alzheimer Disease ; Biomarkers ; Brain ; Humans ; Mild Cognitive Impairment ; Plasma ; Specialization ; Spinal Puncture

Background: The relationship between cystitis glandularis (CG) and bladder malignancy remains unclear. Methods: We identified the oncologic significance of CG at the molecular level using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry-based proteomic analysis of 10 CG, 12 urothelial carcinoma (UC), and nine normal urothelium (NU) specimens. Differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were identified based on an analysis of variance false discovery rate < 0.05, and their functional enrichment was analyzed using a network model, Gene Set Enrichment Analysis, and Gene Ontology annotation. Results: We identified 9,890 proteins across all samples and 1,139 DEPs among the three entities. A substantial number of DEPs overlapped in CG/NU, distinct from UC. Interestingly, we found that a subset of DEP clusters (n = 53, 5%) was differentially expressed in NU but similarly between CG and UC. This “UC-like signature” was enriched for reactive oxygen species (ROS) and energy metabolism, growth and DNA repair, transport, motility, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and cell survival. Using the top 10 shortlisted DEPs, including SOD2, PRKCD, CYCS, and HCLS1, we identified functional elements related to ROS metabolism, development, and transport using network analysis. The abundance of these four molecules in UC/CG than in NU was consistent with the oncologic functions in CG. Conclusions Using a proteomic approach, we identified a predominantly non-neoplastic landscape of CG, which was closer to NU than to UC. We also confirmed a small subset of common DEPs in UC and CG, suggesting that altered ROS metabolism might imply potential cancerous risks in CG.

Background: Aquaporin (AQP) expression has been investigated in various malignant neoplasms, and the overexpression of AQP is related to poor prognosis in some malignancies. However, the expression of AQP protein in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) has not been extensively investigated by immunohistochemistry with large sample size. Methods: We evaluated the AQP expression in 827 ccRCC with immunohistochemical staining in tissue microarray blocks and classified the cases into two categories, high and low expression. Results: High expression of aquaporin-1 (AQP1) was found in 320 cases (38.7%), but aquaporin-3 was not expressed in ccRCC. High AQP1 expression was significantly related to younger age, low TNM stage, low World Health Organization/International Society of Urologic Pathology nuclear grade, and absence of distant metastasis. Furthermore, high AQP1 expression was also significantly associated with longer overall survival (OS; p<.001) and progression-specific survival (PFS; p<.001) and was an independent predictor of OS and PFS in ccRCC. Conclusions Our study revealed the prognostic significance of AQP1 protein expression in ccRCC. These findings could be applied to predict the prognosis of ccRCC.

Purpose: Although previous studies have found an association between brain iron levels and brain function, few have explored this relationship in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Thus, we aimed to determine the association between quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM)-derived magnetic susceptibility values (MSVs) and brain function in children with ASD. Materials and Methods: The study included children with ASD who underwent both a brain magnetic resonance imaging with QSM and the Wechsler intelligence scale for children intelligence quotient (IQ) test. Select subcortical brain regions (caudate, putamen, globus pallidus, and thalamus; both right and left) were automatically segmented, and the MSVs were extracted from the QSM. The IQ score parameters (verbal comprehension, working memory, perceptual organization, and processing speed indices, and full-scale IQ) were measured. Correlation analysis was used to assess the association between age and IQ test parameters and between age and MSV. Linear regression analysis was performed to measure the relationship between the MSV and IQ test parameters. Results: A total of 23 children with ASD (median age [interquartile range]: 10 [8–14] years; 12 males) were included. Age was not correlated with any of the IQ test parameters (p > 0.05). There was a significant correlation between age and right-thalamus MSV (r = 0.443, p = 0.03); however, no such correlation was found with the MSVs of other regions (p > 0.05). Among the IQ test parameters, the verbal comprehension index significantly correlated with the left-caudate MSV (r = 0.420, p = 0.046) and the perceptual organization index significantly correlated with the right-globus-pallidus MSV (r = 0.414, p = 0.049). Conclusion Select subcortical MSVs were associated with IQ test parameters in children with ASD, suggesting that QSM is a potential neurodevelopmental marker.

Here, we report on a 20-year-old patient with a primary nonseminomatous mediastinal germ cell tumor (MGCT) who developed myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) 2 months following chemotherapy with cisplatin, etoposide, ifosfamide, and paclitaxel. Bone marrow examinations revealed that the MDS was a refractory anemia with excess type II blasts and complex chromosomal abnormalities. With the onset of MDS occurring rapidly following chemotherapy, it is unlikely to have been caused by the therapy. We discuss the association between primary nonseminomatous MGCTs and hematological malignancies, including the possibility of a common clonal origin.
Anemia, Refractory ; Bone Marrow Examination ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Cisplatin ; Drug Therapy* ; Etoposide ; Germ Cells* ; Hematologic Neoplasms ; Humans ; Ifosfamide ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes* ; Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal* ; Paclitaxel ; Young Adult

Lay public's concerns around health and health information are increasing. In response, governments and government agencies are establishing websites to address such concerns and improve health literacy by providing better access to validated health information. Since 2011, the Korean government has constructed the National Health Information Portal (NHIP) website run in collaboration with the Korean Academy of Medical Sciences (KAMS). This study therefore aimed to 1) examine consumer use of NHIP, with respect to the usage patterns, evaluation on health information provided, and perceived effectiveness of the site; and 2) identify factors that may impact perceived effectiveness of the site. An online survey was conducted with 164 NHIP users, recruited through a popup window on the main screen of the portal website from October to November 2015. The significant predicting factors supported by the data include the relevance of health information on the site, the usefulness of information in making health decisions, and the effective visualization of information. These factors can inform future efforts to design more effective health information websites, possibly based on metadata systems, to further advance the lay public's information seeking and health literacy.
Cooperative Behavior ; Government Agencies ; Health Literacy ; Internet

BACKGROUND: Prostatitis, one of the most common diseases of the prostate, is a complex disease with various clinical features. This study aims to analyze the utilization and prescribing patterns of antibiotics in Korean patients with prostatitis between 2008 and 2015. METHODS: We used the National Health Insurance Database complied from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA). The outcomes included the number of claims, number of patients, medical cost, and length of stay for each year. In addition, the prescribing patterns of antibiotics, including fluoroquinolone, and low-dose use of ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin were investigated. RESULTS: The total number of patients and medical cost increased by 9.5% and 51.7% from 2008 to 2015, respectively. Most prostatitis patients were classified as chronic prostatitis patients. The prescribing proportion of antibiotics for chronic prostatitis outpatients decreased from 71.0% to 66.9% from 2008 to 2015, and fluoroquinolone accounted for more than half of the total antibiotics. Over 80% of prescription of levofloxacin and ciprofloxacin was identified to be for low-dose use. CONCLUSION: Most of the patients with prostatitis experienced pain relief and condition improvement after antibiotic treatment; however, chronic prostatitis and chronic pelvic pain syndrome recur easily. Therefore, active disease management and further studies are needed to enhance our understanding of effective treatment for prostatitis.
Anti-Bacterial Agents* ; Ciprofloxacin ; Disease Management ; Humans ; Insurance, Health ; Korea* ; Length of Stay ; Levofloxacin ; National Health Programs ; Outpatients ; Pelvic Pain ; Prescriptions ; Prostate ; Prostatitis*

This study was undertaken to examine effects of dietary intake of garcinia cambogia extract, soy peptide and L-carnitine mixture on body weight gain and obesity-related bio-markers in rats fed high-fat diet for 9 weeks with or without regular treadmill exercise. Forty 5-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups; sedentary control group (SC), exercised control group (EC), sedentary formula-fed group (SF), and exercised formula-fed group (EF). The SC and EC rats were fed high-fat control diet (fat comprises 40% of total caloris), and SF and EF rats were fed high-fat formula (composed of garcinia cambogia, soy peptide and L-carnitine) supplemented diet. Statistical analyses by two-way ANOVA indicated that the regular treadmill exercise significantly lowered cumulative body weight gain, total visceral fat mass, and epididymal, perirenal and retroperitoneal fat pad weights, and serum concentrations of total cholesterol and LDL + VLDL cholesterol, insulin, c-peptide and leptin. Feeding the formula also resulted in significant reductions in cumulative body weight gain and visceral fat pad weights, along with other related parameters including serum total and LDL + VLDL cholesterol levels, and hepatic enzyme activities involved in fatty acid synthesis. Statistical analyses by one-way ANOVA revealed that the formula consumption significantly improved body weight gain (18% reduction), total visceral fat weight (20% reductions), and serum total (43% reduction) and LDL + VLDL cholesterol (54% reduction) levels, as well as serum levels of insulin (49% reduction), and c-peptide (41% reduction) in sedentary rats, but failed to exhibit significant reductions in these indices in animals under treadmill exercise program. Taken together, these results suggest that the treadmill exercise per se exhibited significant improvements in body fat reduction and other related bio-markers, and so the formula consumption did not achieve a further significant reductions in these bio-markers in exercised rats. Nevertheless, animals fed the formula with regular exercise showed the most efficient weight reduction compared to other groups either fed formula without exercise or received regular exercise without dietary supplementation.
Adipose Tissue ; Animals ; Body Weight* ; C-Peptide ; Carnitine* ; Cholesterol ; Cholesterol, VLDL ; Diet ; Diet, High-Fat* ; Dietary Supplements ; Garcinia cambogia* ; Garcinia* ; Humans ; Insulin ; Intra-Abdominal Fat ; Leptin ; Male ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Weight Loss ; Weights and Measures