Background: Dermatophyte infection is one of the most common skin diseases affecting the skin, hair, and nails. Despite widespread recognition of the disease, missing details and misperceptions are commonplace in the general population. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the public perception and behavior regarding dermatophytosis of the hands and feet. Methods: This results from an online survey conducted between July 2022 and August 2022. The survey included 1,000 Korean participants aged 20 to 69 years, of whom 60% experienced symptoms of tinea pedis or onychomycosis. The questionnaire focused on the awareness and personal experience of tinea pedis and perception of the treatment of dermatophytosis. Results: Of the 1,000 participants, nearly 80% regarded tinea pedis as a common skin condition by which anyone can be affected. Furthermore, 88.4% had heard that the treatment of tinea pedis could be harmful, causing skin rash (60.4%) and worsening liver function (48.5%). Among 896 participants who noticed suspicious symptoms, 81.2% did not visit the clinic because it was not severe (50.1%) and seemed easily manageable (25.7%). Of the respondents, 84.4% preferred to meet dermatologists rather than non-dermatologist doctors regarding skin diseases, mainly because of trust in experts and belief in a faster cure. Conclusion Providing accurate and detailed information via online media, educational campaigns, and medical papers can rectify misconceptions and improve patient appliance, contributing to public skin health.

Purpose: We aimed to identify factors influencing smoking cessation success among cancer patients registered in an inpatient smoking cessation program at a single cancer center. Materials and Methods: The electronic medical records of enrolled patients with solid cancer were retrospectively reviewed. We evaluated factors associated with 6-month smoking cessation. Results: A total of 458 patients with cancer were included in this study. Their mean age was 62.9±10.3 years, and 56.3% of the participants had lung cancer. 193 (42.1%) had not yet begun their main treatment. The mean number of counseling sessions for the participants was 8.4±3.5, and 46 (10.0%) patients were prescribed smoking cessation medications. The 6-month smoking cessation success rate was 48.0%. Multivariate analysis showed that younger age (<65 years), cohabited status, early stage, and the number of counseling sessions were statistically significant factors affecting 6-month smoking cessation success (p<0.05). Initiation of a cessation program before cancer treatment was significantly associated with cessation success (odds ratio, 1.66; 95% confidence interval, 1.02–2.70; p=0.040). Conclusion Smoking cessation intervention must be considered when establishing a treatment plan immediately after a cancer diagnosis among smokers.

Purpose: We examined the effects of the 8-week moderate-intensity Pilates exercise program on body composition, balance ability, metabolic parameters, arterial condition, and eating habits among overweight and obese women. Methods: From the general sample of overweight or obese Korean women (body mass index ≥ 23 kg/m2 ), those who had not been diagnosed with any chronic degenerative diseases were enrolled in the study (n = 39). After 8 weeks of the Pilates exercise program, the participants were subdivided into adherence and non-adherence groups. Among the study participants, 24 women were matched for age and menopausal status to reduce the bias, and then finally included for the comparison (Pilates-adherence, n = 12; Pilates-non-adherence, n = 12). Results: The body balance measured by the Y-balance test, body mass index, and subcutaneous fat areas were significantly improved in both groups. However, the Pilatesadherence group showed more positive changes in body balance and had significant improvement in body composition parameters such as waist size, visceral fat area, systolic blood pressure, arterial aging index, fasting blood glucose, and glycated hemoglobin than the Pilates-non-adherence group. In addition, the nutrition quotient for Korean adults (balance,moderation, and behavior except diversity) were significantly improved in both groups after dietary education. However, the participants did not show dramatic improvement in the metabolic parameters, because all the study subjects were in relatively good health and did not have any diagnosed diseases. Conclusion This study demonstrated that higher adherence to the Pilates exercise program together with a modification of eating habits may effectively improve body balance, body composition, and obesity-related parameters among overweight and obese women.

PURPOSE: Helicobacter pylori infection induces phenotype-stabilizing methylation and promotes gastric mucosal atrophy that can inhibit CpG-island methylation. Relationship between the progression of gastric mucosal atrophy and the initiation of CpG-island methylation was analyzed to delineate epigenetic period for neoplastic transformation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Normal-appearing gastric mucosa was biopsied from 110 H. pylori–positive controls, 95 H. pylori–negative controls, 99 gastric cancer patients, and 118 gastric dysplasia patients. Gastric atrophy was assessed using endoscopic-atrophic-border score. Methylation-variable sites of eight CpG-island genes adjacent to Alu (CDH1, ARRDC4, PPARG, and TRAPPC2L) or LTR (MMP2, CDKN2A, RUNX2, and RUNX3) retroelements and stomach-specific TFF3 gene were analyzed using radioisotope-labeled methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Mean ages of H. pylori–positive controls with mild, moderate, and severe atrophy were 51, 54, and 65 years and those of H. pylori–associated TFF3 overmethylation at the three atrophic levels (51, 58, and 63 years) tended to be periodic. Alu-adjacent overmethylation (50 years) was earlier than TFF3 overmethylation (58 years) in H. pylori–positive controls with moderate atrophy. Cancer patients with moderate atrophy showed late Alu-adjacent (58 years) overmethylation and frequent LTR-adjacent overmethylation. LTR-adjacent overmethylation was frequent in cancer (66 years) and dysplasia (68 years) patients with severe atrophy. CONCLUSION: Atrophic progression is associated with gastric cancer at moderate level by impeding the initiation of Alu-adjacent methylation. LTR-adjacent methylation is increased in cancer patients and subsequently in dysplasia patients.
Atrophy* ; DNA Methylation ; Epigenomics ; Gastric Mucosa ; Gastritis, Atrophic ; Genes, Essential* ; Helicobacter pylori ; Housekeeping* ; Humans ; Methylation* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Retroelements ; Stomach Neoplasms*

Red Liriope platyphylla (RLP) is a known herbal medicine used in the treatment of some chronic diseases including constipation, neurodegenerative disorders, diabetes and obesity. To determine and characterize putative biomarkers that predict the laxative effects induced by RLP treatment, alteration of endogenous metabolites was measured in the serum of loperamide (Lop)-induced constipation rats after administration of RLP extract (EtRLP) using 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectral data. The urine volume and amounts, and weights and water contents of stools were significantly recovered in the Lop + EtRLP treated group as compared to the No group, whereas body weight and food intake maintained constant levels. Also, significant recoveries in the thickness of mucosa and muscle were detected in the colon of the Lop + EtRLP treated group. Furthermore, pattern recognition showed absolutely different clustering of the serum analysis parameters when comparing the Lop treated group and Lop + EtRLP treated group. Of the 33 endogenous metabolites, 7 amino acids (alanine, arginine, glutamate, glutamine, glycine, threonine and valine) and 8 endogenous metabolites (betaine, creatine, glucose, taurine, ethanol, lactate, glycerol and succinate) were dramatically increased in the Lop + EtRLP treated SD rats. These results provide the first evidence pertaining to metabolic changes in the constipation rats treated with Lop + EtRLP. Additionally, these findings correlate with changes observed in 15 metabolites during the laxative effects of EtRLP.

Malignant fibrous histiocytoma, a type of sarcoma, is a malignant neoplasm with uncertain origin that arises in both the soft tissues and the bone. The occurrence of primary malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the pleura is extremely rare. We report a case of a 65-year-old Korean man who is being diagnosed with primary malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the pleura.
Histiocytoma, Malignant Fibrous ; Pleura ; Sarcoma

Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) has become an effective alternative treatment strategy for patients with inoperable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Although TACE is relatively safe, acute respiratory distress syndrome associated with pulmonary lipiodol embolism is a rare and potentially fatal complication. We report a rare case of acute respiratory distress syndrome after TACE for inoperable HCC. A 75-year-old man, with huge HCC in right lobe, was treated by TACE for the first time. Seven hours after uneventful TACE procedure, he felt dyspneic and his oxygen saturation recorded by pulse oximetry (SpO2) fell to 80% despite of applying non-rebreathing mask. He underwent mechanical ventilation with a protective ventilatory strategy. We experienced a case of acute respiratory distress syndrome after TACE for HCC.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Embolism ; Ethiodized Oil ; Humans ; Masks ; Oximetry ; Oxygen ; Respiration, Artificial ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to compare the outcome of carbapenem versus non-carbapenem antimicrobial therapy for pediatric urinary tract infections (UTIs) caused by extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing Enterobacteriaceae. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 2006 to 2011, 42 episodes of UTI caused by ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae were diagnosed at Seoul National University Children's Hospital. Patients were grouped according to the antimicrobials they received into a carbapenem group and a non-carbapenem group. Medical records were retrospectively reviewed to assess treatment outcome, time to defervescence after initiation of treatment, and relapse rate. RESULTS: There were 36 children with 42 episodes of UTI caused by ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae. Twenty-seven cases (64%) had an underlying urologic disease, 28 (67%) cases were caused by Escherichia coli, and 14 (33%) cases were caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae. Four (10%) cases were treated with carbapenem, 23 cases (55%) were treated with non-carbapenem, and 15 (36%) cases were treated by switching from a carbapenem to a non-carbapenem and vice versa. There was no treatment failure at the time of antimicrobial discontinuation. Between the carbapenem and the non-carbapenem treatment groups, there were no significant differences in bacterial etiology (P = 0.59), time to defervescence after the initiation of antimicrobials (P = 0.28), and relapse rate (P = 0.50). In vitro susceptibility to non-carbapenem antimicrobials did not affect the time to defervescence after the initiation of antimicrobial treatment, and the relapse rate in the non-carbapenem group. CONCLUSIONS: This study found no significant difference in the treatment outcome between pediatric patients treated with carbapenem and those treated with non-carbapenem antimicrobials for UTI caused by ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae. Therefore, the initially administered non-carbapenem can be maintained in UTI patients showing clinical improvement.
beta-Lactamases ; Child ; Enterobacteriaceae* ; Escherichia coli ; Humans ; Klebsiella pneumoniae ; Medical Records ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Seoul ; Treatment Failure ; Treatment Outcome ; Urinary Tract Infections* ; Urinary Tract* ; Urologic Diseases

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystemic inflammatory autoimmune disease mediated by autoantibodies and immune complexes. In SLE, a splenectomy to control the thrombocytopenia does not increase the total risk of thrombosis, but tends to increase arterial events. We experienced a patient with lupus- anticoagulant positive SLE who developed a venous thrombosis after a splenectomy for the control of thrombocytopenia, which was a very rare case.
Antigen-Antibody Complex ; Autoantibodies ; Autoimmune Diseases ; Humans ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; Splenectomy ; Thrombocytopenia ; Thrombosis ; Venous Thrombosis

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystem inflammatory disorder mediated by autoantibodies and immune complexes that exhibit a range of symptoms. Although thirty-five to forty percent of patients with SLE show signs or symptoms of gastrointestinal involvement, acute pancreatitis is an uncommon complication of SLE, and SLE presenting with acute pancreatitis is extremely rare. We report a case of a 28-year-old female SLE patient who initially presented with acute abdominal pain and elevated pancreatic enzyme levels. The patient was diagnosed clinically with acute pancreatitis and then with SLE after further investigations. Her condition improved after high dose steroid therapy.
Abdominal Pain ; Adult ; Antigen-Antibody Complex ; Autoantibodies ; Female ; Humans ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; Pancreatitis