Human-derived materials are a crucial element of research in the life sciences. The Korea Biobank Network (KBN) portal is a shared open platform that provides the nationʼs most extensive disease resources, possessed by Human Bioresource Unit Banks of the KBN, to the public, including those in the fields of industry, academia, and research.This platform was developed to increase the efficient use of national disease resources. In the KBN portal, the current status of disease resources collected in Korea can be checked online. Human bioresources and clinical information are provided to consumers through systematic search and efficient distribution programs. Additionally, by simultaneously operating the KBN Distribution Support Center, we are working to support the rapid and convenient distribution of human resources in response to the needs of consumers. To effectively utilize the open human bioresource sharing platform, it is necessary to introduce an integrated clinical information management system. Currently, the KBN is in the process of establishing standard terminology for data and applying a common data model for the integrated management of various clinical information held by the KBN. We provide communications through the KBN portal, which is interconnected with the distribution support center, regional biobanks, and consumers. In conclusion, the KBN portal will provide open innovation by creating a business or service model by delivering shared open data and internalizing external innovative capabilities.

Objectives: The purpose of the study was to investigate the factors affecting unmet dental care needs among elderly living alone. Methods: The study subjects were 19,019 elderly living by themselves, who participated in the Korea Community Health Survey 2018 (KCHS, 2018). The data were analyzed using frequency analysis, Rao-Scott chi-square test, t-test, and binary logistic regression analysis, using the SAS 9.4 software. Results: Results from the multiple logistic regression analysis revealed a higher odds ratio (OR) for unmet dental care needs among those with a monthly household income below KRW 1,000,000 (OR=1.64, 95% confidence interval, 95%CI=1.39-1.92), compared to those with an income of above KRW 2,000,000. With regards to stress levels, unmet dental care needs were more prevalent among participants in the “stress moderate” (OR=1.19, 95% CI=1.06-1.33) and “stress” groups (OR=1.68 95% CI=1.48-1.92), compared to the “no stress” group. Furthermore, the OR for unmet dental care needs was significantly higher among participants in the “depression” group (OR=1.84, 95% CI=1.61-2.11) than the “no depression” group. Conclusions Higher unmet dental care needs were found among participants in the low monthly household income, stress, and depression groups. Further study is needed to analyze the association between factors and needs related to unmet dental care.

Mixed cryoglobulinemic vasculitis (CV) is occasionally caused by autoimmune diseases including systemic sclerosis. Multiorgan involvement such as skin, kidney, and peripheral nerve involvement is common in mixed CV. However, central nervous system (CNS) involvement is extremely rare. Here, we report a case of overlap syndrome of limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis and mixed cryoglobulinemic vasculitis with CNS involvement. The neurologic deficits and systemic symptoms improved promptly after steroid and cyclophosphamide therapy.

Objectives: The purpose of the study was to investigate the factors affecting unmet dental care needs among elderly living alone. Methods: The study subjects were 19,019 elderly living by themselves, who participated in the Korea Community Health Survey 2018 (KCHS, 2018). The data were analyzed using frequency analysis, Rao-Scott chi-square test, t-test, and binary logistic regression analysis, using the SAS 9.4 software. Results: Results from the multiple logistic regression analysis revealed a higher odds ratio (OR) for unmet dental care needs among those with a monthly household income below KRW 1,000,000 (OR=1.64, 95% confidence interval, 95%CI=1.39-1.92), compared to those with an income of above KRW 2,000,000. With regards to stress levels, unmet dental care needs were more prevalent among participants in the “stress moderate” (OR=1.19, 95% CI=1.06-1.33) and “stress” groups (OR=1.68 95% CI=1.48-1.92), compared to the “no stress” group. Furthermore, the OR for unmet dental care needs was significantly higher among participants in the “depression” group (OR=1.84, 95% CI=1.61-2.11) than the “no depression” group. Conclusions Higher unmet dental care needs were found among participants in the low monthly household income, stress, and depression groups. Further study is needed to analyze the association between factors and needs related to unmet dental care.

Mixed cryoglobulinemic vasculitis (CV) is occasionally caused by autoimmune diseases including systemic sclerosis. Multiorgan involvement such as skin, kidney, and peripheral nerve involvement is common in mixed CV. However, central nervous system (CNS) involvement is extremely rare. Here, we report a case of overlap syndrome of limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis and mixed cryoglobulinemic vasculitis with CNS involvement. The neurologic deficits and systemic symptoms improved promptly after steroid and cyclophosphamide therapy.

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) characterized by inflammatory intestinal necrosis is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in newborns. Deep RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) has recently emerged as a powerful technology enabling better quantification of gene expression than microarrays with a lower background signal. A total of 10 transcriptomes from 5 pairs of NEC lesions and adjacent normal tissues obtained from preterm infants with NEC were analyzed. As a result, a total of 65 genes (57 down-regulated and 8 up-regulated) revealed significantly different expression levels in the NEC lesion compared to the adjacent normal region, based on a significance at fold change ≥ 1.5 and P ≤ 0.05. The most significant gene, DPF3 (P < 0.001), has recently been reported to have differential expressions in colon segments. Our gene ontology analysis between NEC lesion and adjacent normal tissues showed that down-regulated genes were included in nervous system development with the most significance (P = 9.3 × 10⁻⁷; P(corr) = 0.0003). In further pathway analysis using Pathway Express based on the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) database, genes involved in thyroid cancer and axon guidance were predicted to be associated with different expression (P(corr) = 0.008 and 0.020, respectively). Although further replications using a larger sample size and functional evaluations are needed, our results suggest that altered gene expression and the genes' involved functional pathways and categories may provide insight into NEC development and aid in future research.
Axons ; Colon ; Enterocolitis, Necrotizing* ; Gene Expression Profiling* ; Gene Expression* ; Gene Ontology ; Genome ; Humans* ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Mortality ; Necrosis ; Nervous System ; Pilot Projects* ; Sample Size ; Sequence Analysis, RNA ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; Transcriptome

BACKGROUND: Because conventional echocardiographic parameters have several limitations, strain echocardiography has often been introduced in clinical practice. However, there are also obstacles in using it in clinical practice. Therefore, we wanted to find the current status of awareness on using strain echocardiography in Korea. METHODS: We conducted a nationwide survey to evaluate current use and awareness of strain echocardiography from the members of the Korean Society of Echocardiography. RESULTS: We gathered total 321 questionnaires from 25 cardiology centers in Korea. All participants were able to perform or interpret echocardiographic examinations. All participating institutions performed strain echocardiography. Most of our study participants (97%) were aware of speckle tracking echocardiography and 185 (58%) performed it for clinical and research purposes. Two-dimensional strain echocardiography was the most commonly used modality and left ventricle (LV) was the most commonly used cardiac chamber (99%) for clinical purposes. Most of the participants (89%) did not think LV strain can replace LV ejection fraction (LVEF) in their clinical practice. The common reasons for not performing routine use of strain echocardiography was diversity of strain measurements and lack of normal reference value. Many participants had a favorable view of the future of strain echocardiography. CONCLUSION: Most of our study participants were aware of strain echocardiography, and all institutions performed strain echocardiography for clinical and research purposes. However, they did not think the LV strain values could replace LVEF. The diversity of strain measurements and lack of normal reference values were common reasons for not using strain echocardiography in clinical practice.
Cardiology ; Echocardiography* ; Heart Ventricles ; Korea* ; Reference Values

Acute interstitial nephritis (AIN) is an important cause of reversible acute kidney injury and pathologically characterized by inflammatory infiltrate in the renal interstitium. Solanum nigrum (S. nigrum) is a medicinal plant member of the Solanaceae family. Although S. nigrum has been traditionally used to treat various ailments such as pain, inflammation, and fever, it has also been reported to have a toxic effect, resulting in anticholinergic symptoms. However, there have been no reports of AIN caused by S. nigrum. Here, we report the first case of biopsy-confirmed AIN after ingestion of S. nigrum. The patient was successfully treated using corticosteroid therapy.
Acute Kidney Injury ; Eating ; Fever ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Nephritis, Interstitial* ; Plants, Medicinal ; Solanaceae ; Solanum nigrum* ; Solanum*

PURPOSE: This study was done to investigate the level of nursing students' awareness, attitude, safety climate, and performance of infection control, and to identify factors influencing performance. METHODS: The sample consisted of 239 nursing students from 5 nursing schools. Data were collected from November 15 to December 11, 2013 and analyzed by frequency, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficients, and multiple stepwise regression with SPSS/WIN 21.0. RESULTS: Of the participants, 216 (90.4%) had experienced contact with infectious diseases. The performance of personal hygiene was scored the highest followed by standard precautions, transmission precautions, and vaccination. There were significant correlations between awareness, attitude, safety-climate and performance. Awareness, safety-climate, attitude, contents of infection control education, and direct exposure to infectious disease collectively explained 30% of the variance in performance, and awareness was the most influential factor. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that performance of infection control by nursing students can be increased if awareness, safety climate, attitude, and contents of infection control education are improved, and exposure to infectious disease is decreased. These findings can be utilized to improve performance by developing education programs for infection control.
Climate ; Communicable Diseases ; Education ; Humans ; Hygiene ; Infection Control* ; Nursing* ; Schools, Nursing ; Students, Nursing ; Vaccination

A Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) - coronavirus (CoV) cluster that attacked Korea in May 2015 revealed several weaknesses in Korea's health care system in the face of the crisis of an emerging infectious disease and its public health implications. This experience has shown that is necessary to prepare comprehensive countermeasures through the cooperation of civil and public agencies to prevent a second or even third MERS outbreak and to control future crises of infectious disease and public health. The MERS Policy Committee of the Korean Medical Association has thus proposed a master plan for reform of the national infectious disease prevention and management system to prepare a new framework for national infectious disease prevention and control. The specific targets of the master plan are improvement of the system of usage of medical services and of the medical culture among national health insurance subscribers, improvement of the emergency room management system to prevent the spread of infectious disease, the establishment of a support system to promote effective voluntary infectious disease prevention activities among medical institutions, the building of a public health crisis communication system in collaboration with medical organizations, the establishment of an independent Ministry of Health and capacity building of the Korea Centers for Disease Control (KCDC), the securing of an advanced research and development system in the field of prevention and control of infectious disease, and the capacity building of professional epidemiologists and personnel needed to prevent and control infectious disease. The five core strategies of the master plan have been planned by medical experts in this order of priority: the reform of the healthcare delivery system, the independence of the Ministry of Health and capacity building of the KCDC, fundraising for a public infection management fund, enforcement of medical organization infection control, and improvement of the emergency room management system.
Capacity Building ; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.) ; Communicable Diseases* ; Communicable Diseases, Emerging ; Cooperative Behavior ; Coronavirus ; Coronavirus Infections ; Delivery of Health Care ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Financial Management ; Infection Control ; Korea* ; Middle East ; National Health Programs ; Public Health