OBJECTIVES: We estimated the population prevalence of antibodies to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), including unreported infections, through a Korea Seroprevalence Study of Monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Retention and Transmission (K-SEROSMART) in 258 communities throughout Korea. METHODS: In August 2022, a survey was conducted among 10,000 household members aged 5 years and older, in households selected through two stage probability random sampling. During face-to-face household interviews, participants self-reported their health status, COVID-19 diagnosis and vaccination history, and general characteristics. Subsequently, participants visited a community health center or medical clinic for blood sampling. Blood samples were analyzed for the presence of antibodies to spike proteins (anti-S) and antibodies to nucleocapsid proteins (anti-N) SARS-CoV-2 proteins using an electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. To estimate the population prevalence, the PROC SURVEYMEANS statistical procedure was employed, with weighting to reflect demographic data from July 2022. RESULTS: In total, 9,945 individuals from 5,041 households were surveyed across 258 communities, representing all basic local governments in Korea. The overall population-adjusted prevalence rates of anti-S and anti-N were 97.6% and 57.1%, respectively. Since the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency has reported a cumulative incidence of confirmed cases of 37.8% through July 31, 2022, the proportion of unreported infections among all COVID-19 infection was suggested to be 33.9%. CONCLUSIONS The K-SEROSMART represents the first nationwide, community-based seroepidemiologic survey of COVID-19, confirming that most individuals possess antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 and that a significant number of unreported cases existed. Furthermore, this study lays the foundation for a surveillance system to continuously monitor transmission at the community level and the response to COVID-19.

Purpose: This study was undertaken to revise and update the Nutrition Quotient (NQ) for Korean adults, a tool used to evaluate dietary quality and behavior. Methods: The first 31 items of the measurable food behavior checklist were adopted based on considerations of the previous NQ checklist, recent literature reviews, national nutrition policies, and recommendations. A pilot survey was conducted on 100 adults aged 19 to 64 residing in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province from March to April 2021 using a provisional 26-item checklist. Pilot survey data were analyzed using factor analysis and frequency analysis to determine whether checklist items were well organized and responses to questions were well distributed, respectively. As a result, the number of items on the food behavior checklist was reduced to 23 for the nationwide survey, which was administered to 1,000 adults (470 men and 530 women) aged 19 to 64 from May to August 2021. The construct validity of the developed NQ (NQ-2021) was assessed using confirmatory factor analysis, linear structural relations. Results: Eighteen items in 3 categories, that is, balance (8 items), moderation (6 items), and practice (4 items), were finally included in NQ-2021 food behavior checklist. ‘Balance’ items addressed the intake frequencies of essential foods, ‘moderation’ items the frequencies of unhealthy food intakes or behaviors, and ‘practice’ items addressed eating behaviors. Items and categories were weighted using standardized path coefficients to calculate NQ-2021 scores. Conclusion The updated NQ-2021 appears to be suitable for easily and quickly assessing the diet qualities and behaviors of Korean adults.

Purpose: The effect of prebiotics intake after administration of a synbiotics mixture (a probiotic, Bifidobacterium longum, and a prebiotic, xylooligosaccharide containing sugar [XOS]) on human intestinal microflora and defecation characteristics was investigated in a randomized controlled trial. Methods: Twenty-five healthy young volunteers (11 males and 14 females) were randomly assigned to 2 groups (BL2XO2 and BL2XO6). The synbiotics mixture was orally administered to both groups for 2 weeks, and the prebiotics were subsequently administered to the BL2XO6 group for 4 additional weeks. The daily dose of the synbiotics mixture comprised 1010 colony-forming unit of Bifidobacterium longum and 10 g of XOS, and during the prebiotics period, the daily dose of prebiotics comprised only 10 g of XOS. The fecal pH, microflora, and defecation characteristics were analyzed at baseline and at weeks 1, 2, 4, and 6. Results: The counts of B. longum and Bifidobacterium spp. in the BL2XO6 group exhibited a steady, increasing trend during the synbiotics and prebiotics periods, whereas those of the BL2XO2 group exhibited considerable variation in each week of the study period. Although there was no significant difference, the counts of fecal Bifidobacterium in the BL2XO6 group tended to be higher than those of the BL2XO2 group at week 6. The growth of Lactobacillus spp. exhibited a time-dependent variation, peaking at week 6 in both groups. Low counts of Clostridium spp. were observed after treatment with the synbiotics and prebiotics in the BL2XO6 group (p < 0.05) throughout the study, whereas the inhibitory effect on Clostridium spp. was maintained only during the synbiotics period in the BL2XO2 group. The defecation characteristics did not differ between the two groups. Conclusion Administration of XOS after a synbiotics mixture containing B. longum and XOS can exert a prebiotic effect in healthy young volunteers by stimulating Bifidobacteriun spp.growth and inhibiting growth of Clostridium spp.

Secretory carcinoma of the breast is an extremely rare, clinically and histologically distinct variant of invasive ductal carcinoma, with an indolent growth pattern and a more favorable prognosis than that of typical ductal carcinoma. Few studies have described its imaging features. Herein, we report on a secretory breast carcinoma with findings from various imaging modalities, especially including the MRI findings, which appears a well-defined complex cystic mass. Awareness of its imaging features using various modalities will be helpful for the differential diagnosis.

Vulvar squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) consists of two different etiologic categories: human papilloma virus (HPV)-associated (HPV (+)) and HPV-non-associated (HPV (−)). There have been no genome-wide studies on the genetic alterations of vulvar SCCs or on the differences between HPV (+) and HPV (−) vulvar SCCs. In this study, we performed whole-exome sequencing and copy number profiling of 6 HPV (+) and 9 HPV (−) vulvar SCCs and found known mutations (TP53, CDKN2A and HRAS) and copy number alterations (CNAs) (7p and 8q gains and 2q loss) in HPV (−) SCCs. In HPV (+), we found novel mutations in PIK3CA, BRCA2 and FBXW7 that had not been reported in vulvar SCCs. HPV (−) SCCs exhibited more mutational loads (numbers of nonsilent mutations and driver mutations) than HPV (+) SCCs, but the CNA loads and mutation signatures between HPV (+) and HPV (−) SCCs did not differ. Of note, 40% and 40% of the 15 vulvar SCCs harbored PIK3CA and FAT1 alterations, respectively. In addition, we found that the SCCs harbored kataegis (a localized hypermutation) in 2 HPV (+) SCCs and copy-neutral losses of heterozygosity in 4 (one HPV (+) and 3 HPV (−)) SCCs. Our data indicate that HPV (+) and HPV (−) vulvar SCCs may have different mutation and CNA profiles but that there are genomic features common to SCCs. Our data provide useful information for both HPV (+) and HPV (−) vulvar SCCs and may aid in the development of clinical treatment strategies.

PURPOSE: The objective of the study was to investigate the effects of xylobiose-sugar mixture intake on defecation frequency and constipation symptoms in 31 young women with constipation. METHODS: Thirty-one subjects were assigned to two groups, and subjects in each group were administered 10 g of a 7% xylobiose-sugar mixture (Experiment 1: XBS, n = 15) or 10 g of a 7% xylobiose-sugar mixture containing coffee mix (Experiment 2: XBS coffee mix, n = 16) twice per day for 6 weeks. During the study, clinical efficacy was assessed by a daily diary record. The subjects recorded their defecation frequency and fecal characteristics. RESULTS: During pretreatment week, mean defecation frequency of XBS subjects was 2.13 times/week, whereas that of XBS coffee mix subjects was 1.56 times/week. The mean defecation frequencies of XBS and XBS coffee mix subjects increased significantly to 3.73 times/week (p < 0.05) and 3.56 times/week by week 6 (p < 0.05), respectively. After treatment with either XBS or XBS coffee mix, patients presented significant improvements in their amounts of stool, feelings of residual stool leftness, and abdominal pain symptoms (p < 0.05). The total constipation scoring system (CSS) for diagnosing constipation symptoms significantly decreased in the XBS group (10.53 score vs 7.22 score) and in the XBS coffee mix group (10.75 score vs 6.51 score) after 6 weeks. Improvement due to intake of 7% xylobiose-containing sugar seemed to last during the experimental period. CONCLUSION: The addition of approximately 7% xylobiose to commercially available sweeteners has been shown to improve constipation.
Abdominal Pain ; Coffee ; Constipation* ; Defecation* ; Female ; Humans ; Sweetening Agents ; Treatment Outcome

Tumor tissues from biopsies or surgery are major sources for the next generation sequencing (NGS) study, but these procedures are invasive and have limitation to overcome intratumor heterogeneity. Recent studies have shown that driver alterations in tumor tissues can be detected by liquid biopsy which is a less invasive technique capable of both capturing the tumor heterogeneity and overcoming the difficulty in tissue sampling. However, it is still unclear whether the driver alterations in liquid biopsy can be detected by targeted NGS and how those related to the tissue biopsy. In this study, we performed whole-exome sequencing for a breast cancer tissue and identified PTEN p.H259fs*7 frameshift mutation. In the plasma DNA (liquid biopsy) analysis by targeted NGS, the same variant initially identified in the tumor tissue was also detected with low variant allele frequency. This mutation was subsequently validated by digital polymerase chain reaction in liquid biopsy. Our result confirm that driver alterations identified in the tumor tissue were detected in liquid biopsy by targeted NGS as well, and suggest that a higher depth of sequencing coverage is needed for detection of genomic alterations in a liquid biopsy.
Biopsy ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; DNA* ; Frameshift Mutation ; Gene Frequency ; Plasma* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Population Characteristics

The syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH) is a potential cause of hyponatremia of the central nervous system (CNS). Although SIADH has been reported to be associated with many other central nervous disorders, its association with neuromyelitis optica (NMO) or NMO spectrum disorders are rare. NMO is a demyelinating disorder characterized by optic neuritis and transverse myelitis. Aquaporin-4 (AQP4), which is the target antigen for a NMO autoantibody, is the predominant CNS water channel. However, some NMO patients show seronegative AQP4 antibody results. The spectrum of NMO has been changed, and new findings about the disease have been reported. Here, we report a case of seronegative NMO spectrum disorder associated with SIADH.
Central Nervous System ; Demyelinating Diseases ; Humans ; Hyponatremia ; Inappropriate ADH Syndrome ; Myelitis, Transverse ; Neuromyelitis Optica* ; Optic Neuritis ; Water

The consensus guideline development committee of Korean Society of Gynecologic Oncology was reconvened in March 2012. The committee consisted of 36 experts representing 12 university hospitals and professional organizations. The objective of this committee was to develop standardized guidelines for cervical cancer screening tests for Korean women and to distribute these guidelines to every clinician, eventually improving the quality of medical care. Since the establishment of the consensus guideline development committee, evidence-based guidelines have either been developed de novo considering specific Korean situations or by adaptation of preexisting consensus guidelines from other countries. Recommendations for cervical cancer screening tests, management of atypical squamous and glandular cells, and management of low-grade and high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions were developed. Additionally, recommendations for human papillomavirus DNA testing and recommendations for adolescent and pregnant women with abnormal cervical screening test results were also included.
Adolescent ; Consensus ; DNA ; Female ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Pregnant Women ; Societies ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms

PURPOSE: Mounting evidence indicates that perturbation of tyrosine phosphorylation is implicated in the development of many human diseases, including cancers. Docking proteins (DOKs) are tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins that negatively regulate tyrosine kinase signaling and they are considered to be tumor suppressors. Deletion and the altered expression of the DOK2 gene have been studied in leukemias and lung cancers. However, the somatic mutation status of the DOK2 gene has not been studied in lung cancers. The aim of this study was to see whether alterations of DOK2 protein expression and somatic mutation of the DOK2 gene are present in human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed DOK2 somatic mutation in 45 NSCLCs (23 adenocarcinomas (AD) and 22 squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) by single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP). We examined the DOK2 protein expression in 45 NSCLCs by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: SSCP analysis revealed no evidence of somatic mutation in the DNA sequences encoding the DOK2 gene in the 45 NSCLCs. Among the informative cases, 27% and 21% of the ADs and SCCs showed allelic loss in the DOK2 locus, respectively. On the immunohistochemistry, DOK2 protein was expressed in the normal bronchial epithelial cells, while it was lost in 10 (22%) of the NSCLCs. CONCLUSION: Our data indicates that DOK2 is altered in NSCLC at the expressional level, but not at the mutational level. The data also suggests that loss of the expression of DOK2 might play roles in NSCLC development by possibly altering tyrosine kinase signaling.
Adenocarcinoma ; Base Sequence ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Epithelial Cells ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Leukemia ; Loss of Heterozygosity ; Lung ; Lung Neoplasms ; Phosphorylation ; Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational ; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases ; Proteins ; Tyrosine