This study was performed to evaluate the differences in blood pressure, sodium intake and dietary behavior changes according to the extent of session attendance on sodium reduction education program for pre-hypertensive adults in a public health center. Sodium reduction education program consisted of 8 sessions for 8 weeks. Fifty three patients who completed the pre and post nutritional assessments were classified into 2 groups according to the session attendance rate. Nineteen participants who attended the education program 3 times or less (< or = 3) were categorized into the less attendance (LA) group and 34 participants attended 4 times or more (> or = 4) into the more attendance (MA) group. Blood pressure, anthropometric measurements, serum lipid profile, nutrient intakes including sodium, nutrition knowledge and dietary behavior score were assessed before and after the nutrition education program. Mean sodium intakes (p < 0.001), systolic/diastolic blood pressure (p < 0.001), and weight (p < 0.001) were significantly decreased in the MA group after sodium reduction education program. Compared to the MA group, mean sodium intakes, systolic/diastolic blood pressure were not significantly changed after the education program even with significantly increased nutrition knowledge (p < 0.05) and dietary behavior score (p < 0.01) in the LA group. It appears that pre-hypertensive adults need to attend the sodium reduction education program for at least 4 times or more to gain beneficial effects from the intervention. Positive feedback of healthcare team or offering more cooking classes may be needed to raise the attendance rate in the sodium reduction education program.
Adult* ; Blood Pressure* ; Cooking ; Education* ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Nutrition Assessment ; Patient Care Team ; Public Health* ; Sodium*

The explosive development of genomics technologies including microarrays and next generation sequencing (NGS) has provided comprehensive maps of cancer genomes, including the expression of mRNAs and microRNAs, DNA copy numbers, sequence variations, and epigenetic changes. These genome-wide profiles of the genetic aberrations could reveal the candidates for diagnostic and/or prognostic biomarkers as well as mechanistic insights into tumor development and progression. Recent efforts to establish the huge cancer genome compendium and integrative omics analyses, so-called "integromics", have extended our understanding on the cancer genome, showing its daunting complexity and heterogeneity. However, the challenges of the structured integration, sharing, and interpretation of the big omics data still remain to be resolved. Here, we review several issues raised in cancer omics data analysis, including NGS, focusing particularly on the study design and analysis strategies. This might be helpful to understand the current trends and strategies of the rapidly evolving cancer genomics research.
Coat Protein Complex I ; DNA ; Epigenomics ; Genome ; Genomics ; MicroRNAs ; Population Characteristics ; Research Design ; RNA, Messenger ; Statistics as Topic ; Biomarkers

The explosive development of genomics technologies including microarrays and next generation sequencing (NGS) has provided comprehensive maps of cancer genomes, including the expression of mRNAs and microRNAs, DNA copy numbers, sequence variations, and epigenetic changes. These genome-wide profiles of the genetic aberrations could reveal the candidates for diagnostic and/or prognostic biomarkers as well as mechanistic insights into tumor development and progression. Recent efforts to establish the huge cancer genome compendium and integrative omics analyses, so-called "integromics", have extended our understanding on the cancer genome, showing its daunting complexity and heterogeneity. However, the challenges of the structured integration, sharing, and interpretation of the big omics data still remain to be resolved. Here, we review several issues raised in cancer omics data analysis, including NGS, focusing particularly on the study design and analysis strategies. This might be helpful to understand the current trends and strategies of the rapidly evolving cancer genomics research.
Coat Protein Complex I ; DNA ; Epigenomics ; Genome ; Genomics ; MicroRNAs ; Population Characteristics ; Research Design ; RNA, Messenger ; Statistics as Topic ; Biomarkers

BACKGROUND: The incidence of Crohn's disease in the upper digestive tract, and especially in the stomach, is recently increasing. Focal inflammatory reaction without Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is thought to be the characteristic pathologic findings suggesting Crohn's disease in the stomach. Yet gastric involvement of Crohn's disease has not been studied in Korea. We studied the endoscopic and pathologic findings of patients with Crohn's disease in the stomach by taking biopsies. METHODS: Thirty patients with Crohn's disease who underwent gastroduodenoscopy followed by biopsies were included in the study. The pathology of the gastric biopsy specimens and the presence of H. pylori were evaluated. RESULTS: Among 30 cases, 22 cases (73.3%) were H. pylori negative and 8 cases (26.7%) were H. pylori positive. For the H. pylori negative cases, all but one cases showed pit abscess and focal lymphocytic collections in the antrum. Granulomas were found in 6 cases (20%) and they were exclusively located in the antrum. CONCLUSIONS: In the stomach, pit abscess and focal lymphocytic collections that are not associated with H. pylori infection are the characteristic pathologic findings found in Crohn's disease.
Abscess ; Biopsy ; Crohn Disease* ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Granuloma ; Helicobacter pylori ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Pathology ; Stomach*

Endometrial cancer is the third most common gynecologic cancer in the Korea and occurs mainly in menopausal women. Although it can develop in young premenopausal women cancer as well, an attack in the adolescent girl is very rare. A 13-year-old girl visited gynecology department with the complaint of abnormal uterine bleeding. An endometrial biopsy revealed FIGO (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics) grade II endometrial adenocarcinoma. In the treatment of endometrial cancer, conservative management should be considered if the patient is nulliparous or wants the fertility preservation. Therefore, we decided to perform a hormonal therapy and a follow-up endometrial biopsy after progestin administration for eight months revealed no residual tumor. We report a case of endometrial cancer occurred in a 13-year-old girl with a brief review of the literature.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Adolescent* ; Biopsy ; Endometrial Neoplasms ; Female* ; Fertility Preservation ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gynecology ; Humans ; Korea ; Neoplasm, Residual ; Uterine Hemorrhage

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-gamma), a ligand-activated transcription factor has been investigated as the target for cancer treatment as well as metabolic disorders. Recent studies have demonstrated that PPAR-gamma ligands are anti-tumorigenic in prostate cancer due to anti-proliferative and pro-differentiation effects. The aim of this study was to validate PPAR-gamma expression in malignant and benign prostate tissues by immunohistochemistry and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). A total of 730 prostatic adenocarcinomas (PCAs) including 63 whole sections from radical prostatectomy specimens and tissue microarrays containing 667 PCAs were subject to immunostaining for two PPAR-gamma antibodies. Twenty-five benign prostate tissues and PCAs were selected for investigating mRNA expression by quantitative real-time PCR. 10.7% of PCAs (78/730) showed cytoplasmic immunoreactivity of PPAR-gamma and no nuclear immunoreactivity was noted in PCAs. Most benign prostatic glands showed negative immunoreactivity of PPAR-gamma except for variable weak cytoplasmic staining in some glands. Nuclear immunoreactivity of PPAR-gamma was noted some central zone and verumontanum mucosal epithelium. The constitutive PPAR-gamma mRNA showed significantly lower level in PCAs compared to that in the benign tissues. There was no difference of PPAR-gamma mRNA expression between low (< or =7) and high (>7) Gleason score groups. There was no association of PPAR-gamma mRNA level or cytoplasmic immunostaining with Gleason grade or pathologic stage. Our study supported the evidence of extra-nuclear localization and nongenomic actions of PPAR-gamma. Further studies are needed to assess the functional role of PPAR-gamma and to validate its therapeutic implication in prostate cancer.
Adenocarcinoma/metabolism/*pathology ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; *Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; PPAR gamma/*genetics/*metabolism ; Prostate/pathology ; Prostatectomy ; Prostatic Neoplasms/metabolism/*pathology ; RNA, Messenger/metabolism ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Tissue Array Analysis

Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) begins with a painful, erythematous skin lesion followed by pustule formation and rapid ulceration in which an erythematous border surrounds a sterile, necrotic center. In most patients, symptoms of ulcerative colitis precede PG, and exacerbations of the bowel disease frequently correlate with worsening of the skin lesions. As PG is not commonly encountered by clinicians, the diagnosis of such lesions is not always straightforward. This case emphasizes the importance of detailed history taking and the consideration of PG as a differential diagnosis of such lesions in patients with a background of related systemic disease. The prognosis of PG is generally good. But, early aggressive therapy can minimize severe complications, and maintenance treatment may prevent some devastating consequences. We report two cases of PG that developed on the entire body and on an anterior chest wall abscess with ulcerative colitis, which improved with corticosteroid and cyclosporine.
Abscess ; Colitis, Ulcerative ; Cyclosporine ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Prognosis ; Pyoderma ; Pyoderma Gangrenosum ; Skin ; Thoracic Wall ; Ulcer

Salmonella usually invades the Peyer's patch of the terminal ileum or ascending colon. A 55-year old female was referred to our hospital for general weakness and sustained fever. On the abdominal contrast computed tomography (CT) scan, we found symmetric circular hypertrophy of the intestinal wall and multiple hypertrophied lymph nodes in the terminal ileum. The positron emission tomography computed tomography (PET-CT) scan showed skipped areas of wall thickening and intense fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake in the terminal ileum and the ileocecal valve with adjacent lymphadenopathies. On the colonoscopy, multiple mass forming variable-sized ulcers on the terminal ileum were found, so a biopsy specimen and the colonic luminal fluid were obtained, and we made a diagnosis of lymphoma. However, the blood and colonic luminal fluid culture for Salmonella paratyphi-A was reported as positive, and therefore we corrected the diagnosis to Salmonella infection. We report here on a case of Salmonella infection in the terminal ileum, which looked like malignant lymphoma on the baseline radiologic image studies, including the CT and PET-CT.
Biopsy ; Colon ; Colon, Ascending ; Colonoscopy ; Female ; Fever ; Humans ; Hypertrophy ; Ileocecal Valve ; Ileum ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphoma ; Phenobarbital ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Salmonella ; Salmonella Infections ; Ulcer

Diabetic muscle infarction (DMI) is a rare condition that usually occurs in diabetic patients who have longstanding microvascular complication. The typical presentation is a painful swelling with abrupt onset in the lower limbs, particularly involving hyper-intense signals in T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images. The treatment consists of bed rest, analgesics, and physical therapy. The authors encountered a case of DMI with bilateral tender swelling on the anteromedial aspect of the thighs. DMI is less likely to develop in patients with good glycemic control. Recently, however, a few cases demonstrated that DMI can also develop in patients with good glucose control. However, diffuse and extensive infarction of muscle, such as in our case, is rare. It is important to consider differential diagnoses in order to avoid misdiagnosis and non-essential treatment such as overuse of antibiotics or steroid treatment. In this case, we diagnosed the patient using MRI, muscle biopsy, and electromyography and successful treatment involved bed rest and analgesics. We herein report a case of 76-year-old man with very extensive and diffuse DMI in spite of well-controlled type 2 diabetes.
Aged ; Analgesics ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Bed Rest ; Biopsy ; Diabetes Complications ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Diagnostic Errors ; Electromyography ; Glucose* ; Humans ; Infarction* ; Lower Extremity ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Thigh*

Objective To determine skin whitening and wrinkle improvement efficacy, glycoprotein fractions were extracted from liquid extracts of boiled sea cucumber and their effects on tyrosine and elastase inhibitory activities were assayed. Methods Fractions above and below 50 kDa (>50 kDa and <50 kDa) were extracted via a series of steps involving: boiling, filtering, desalting and freeze drying. Cytotoxicity, skin whitening and wrinkle-removing effects of boiled liquid were determined. Results Our MTT data showed that neither glycoprotein fraction of boiled liquid induces cellular cytotoxicity up to a concentration of 10 mg/mL treatment of the mouse melanoma cell line, B16F10, with 10 mg/mL >50 kDa enhanced tyrosinase and elastase inhibitory activities by 50.84% and 28.78%, respectively. Correlations of the >50 kDa concentration with tyrosinase inhibitory (R2 = 0.968) and elastase inhibitory (R2 = 0.983) efficacy were significant. Conclusions >50 kDa glycoprotein fraction isolated from liquid extracts of boiled sea cucumber, which can serve as a functional cosmetic ingredient for whitening and wrinkle improvement of skin.