Background: This study used data from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey of Korean adolescents to determine the current trends insecondhand smoke (SHS) among adolescents and to identify the association between the level of exposure to SHS and oral symptoms. Methods: This study employed data that were extracted from the 17th Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey in 2021 andfinally analyzed data from 54,848 adolescents. Oral symptoms were classified into three classes to analyze subjective oral symptoms: Class I for tooth pain when eating or drinking hot or cold foods; Class II for throbbing tooth pain; and Class III for sore or bleeding gums during the recent 12 months. The frequency and place of SHS per week were analyzed for SHS variables. The analysis plan file was created by reflecting weight, stratification variables, and cluster variables for analysis. Results: Among the adolescents, 53.2% were exposed to SHS at least once a week, of which 23.3%, 7.9%, and 40.0% wereexposed at home, school, and in public indoor places. Subjective oral symptom classes I, II, and III were associated with sex, grade, educational level of their fathers and mothers, subjective economic class, and subject academic class. Compared to a group not exposed to SHS, the risk of subjective oral symptom classes I, II, and III was significantly higher in those who were exposed to SHS at least once a week. Conclusion This study identified the association between the level of exposure to SHS and oral symptoms among adolescents.Factors for SHS should be considered to prevent oral symptoms among adolescents, and plans that can control SHS of adolescents should be established.

Background: This study used data from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey of Korean adolescents to determine the current trends insecondhand smoke (SHS) among adolescents and to identify the association between the level of exposure to SHS and oral symptoms. Methods: This study employed data that were extracted from the 17th Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey in 2021 andfinally analyzed data from 54,848 adolescents. Oral symptoms were classified into three classes to analyze subjective oral symptoms: Class I for tooth pain when eating or drinking hot or cold foods; Class II for throbbing tooth pain; and Class III for sore or bleeding gums during the recent 12 months. The frequency and place of SHS per week were analyzed for SHS variables. The analysis plan file was created by reflecting weight, stratification variables, and cluster variables for analysis. Results: Among the adolescents, 53.2% were exposed to SHS at least once a week, of which 23.3%, 7.9%, and 40.0% wereexposed at home, school, and in public indoor places. Subjective oral symptom classes I, II, and III were associated with sex, grade, educational level of their fathers and mothers, subjective economic class, and subject academic class. Compared to a group not exposed to SHS, the risk of subjective oral symptom classes I, II, and III was significantly higher in those who were exposed to SHS at least once a week. Conclusion This study identified the association between the level of exposure to SHS and oral symptoms among adolescents.Factors for SHS should be considered to prevent oral symptoms among adolescents, and plans that can control SHS of adolescents should be established.

Background: This study used data from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey of Korean adolescents to determine the current trends insecondhand smoke (SHS) among adolescents and to identify the association between the level of exposure to SHS and oral symptoms. Methods: This study employed data that were extracted from the 17th Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey in 2021 andfinally analyzed data from 54,848 adolescents. Oral symptoms were classified into three classes to analyze subjective oral symptoms: Class I for tooth pain when eating or drinking hot or cold foods; Class II for throbbing tooth pain; and Class III for sore or bleeding gums during the recent 12 months. The frequency and place of SHS per week were analyzed for SHS variables. The analysis plan file was created by reflecting weight, stratification variables, and cluster variables for analysis. Results: Among the adolescents, 53.2% were exposed to SHS at least once a week, of which 23.3%, 7.9%, and 40.0% wereexposed at home, school, and in public indoor places. Subjective oral symptom classes I, II, and III were associated with sex, grade, educational level of their fathers and mothers, subjective economic class, and subject academic class. Compared to a group not exposed to SHS, the risk of subjective oral symptom classes I, II, and III was significantly higher in those who were exposed to SHS at least once a week. Conclusion This study identified the association between the level of exposure to SHS and oral symptoms among adolescents.Factors for SHS should be considered to prevent oral symptoms among adolescents, and plans that can control SHS of adolescents should be established.

Purpose: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a particularly challenging subtype of breast cancer, with a poorer prognosis compared to other subtypes. Unfortunately, unlike luminal-type cancers, there is no validated biomarker to predict the prognosis of patients with early-stage TNBC. Accurate biomarkers are needed to establish effective therapeutic strategies. Materials and Methods: In this study, we analyzed gene expression profiles of tumor samples from 184 TNBC patients (training cohort, n=76; validation cohort, n=108) using RNA sequencing. Results: By combining weighted gene expression, we identified a 10-gene signature (DGKH, GADD45B, KLF7, LYST, NR6A1, PYCARD, ROBO1, SLC22A20P, SLC24A3, and SLC45A4) that stratified patients by risk score with high sensitivity (92.31%), specificity (92.06%), and accuracy (92.11%) for invasive disease-free survival. The 10-gene signature was validated in a separate institution cohort and supported by meta-analysis for biological relevance to well-known driving pathways in TNBC. Furthermore, the 10-gene signature was the only independent factor for invasive disease-free survival in multivariate analysis when compared to other potential biomarkers of TNBC molecular subtypes and T-cell receptor β diversity. 10-gene signature also further categorized patients classified as molecular subtypes according to risk scores. Conclusion Our novel findings may help address the prognostic challenges in TNBC and the 10-gene signature could serve as a novel biomarker for risk-based patient care.

Methods: The mixture of IB and DJ extracts was analyzed for its total flavonoid content (TFC), total polyphenol content (TPC), and radical scavenging activities. Gastric lesions were induced by treating rats with 1 mL of a solution containing 60% ethanol and 150 mM HCl.The rats were then divided into 5 groups: CON (normal control), HEC (treated with 150 mM HCl-60% ethanol and distilled water), IBE (treated with 150 mM HCl-60% ethanol and IB extract at 350 mg/kg body weight [BW]), ID30 (treated with 150 mM HCl-60% ethanol and a mixture of IB and DJ extracts in a 7:3 ratio at 350 mg/kg BW), and DJE (treated with 150 mM HCl-60% ethanol and DJ extract at 350 mg/kg BW). Results: The ID30 group exhibited significantly higher TFC, TPC, and radical scavenging activities than the groups treated with single extracts. This group also showed a notable decrease in the formation of gastric lesions and preservation of gastric wall mucus. In addition, the serum levels of the inflammatory marker tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α were significantly lower in the ID30 group than in the HEC group. Conclusion The antioxidants present in the ID30 mixture effectively reduced oxidative stress and reactive oxygen species, mitigating gastric mucosal irritation induced by alcohol and acid. Furthermore, the mixture inhibited gastric acid secretion and inflammatory marker expression, such as TNF-α, preventing tissue damage. These findings suggest that the ID30 mixture is a potential preventative treatment for gastritis.

Adult-onset Still’s disease (AOSD) is a rare systemic inflammatory disease characterized by spiking fever, arthralgia, skin rashes, and hyperferritinemia. The rash is usually salmon-colored, non-itchy, accompanied by fever, and disappears with an improvement of fever. However, in some cases, the rash persisted regardless of fever. Here, we present a case of AOSD with an atypical persistent rash that showed histological findings resembling those of neutrophilic urticarial dermatosis. The patient was a 60-year-old woman with high fever, arthralgia, and a persistent flagellated skin rash. Despite systemic steroid treatment, the patient developed a serious complication: macrophage activation syndrome. Since this case presented with an atypical persistent rash with histological resemblance to neutrophilic urticarial dermatosis, we report its contribution to the further study of AOSD.

Objective: To investigate the clinical factors associated with successful gastrostomy tube weaning in patients with prolonged dysphagia after stroke. Methods: This study involved a retrospective medical chart review of patients diagnosed with prolonged dysphagia after stroke who underwent gastrostomy tube insertion between May 2013 and January 2020. Forty-seven patients were enrolled and consequently divided into gastrostomy tube sustaining and weaning groups. The numbers of patients in the sustaining and weaning groups were 31 and 16, respectively. The patients’ demographic data, Korean version of Mini-Mental State Examination (K-MMSE) score, Korean version of the Modified Barthel Index (K-MBI), Functional Dysphagia Scale (FDS) score, and Penetration-Aspiration Scale (PAS) score were compared between the two groups. A videofluoroscopic swallowing study was performed before making the decision of gastrostomy tube weaning. The clinical factors associated with gastrostomy tube weaning were then investigated. Results: There were significant differences in age; history of aspiration pneumonia; K-MMSE, FDS, and PAS scores; and K-MBI between the groups. In the multiple logistic regression analysis, the FDS (odds ratio [OR]=0.791; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.634–0.987) and PAS scores (OR=0.205; 95% CI, 0.059–0.718) were associated with successful gastrostomy tube weaning. In the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the FDS and PAS were useful screening tools for successful weaning, with areas under the curve of 0.911 and 0.918, respectively. Conclusion In patients with prolonged dysphagia, the FDS and PAS scores are the only factors associated with successful gastrostomy tube weaning. An evaluation of the swallowing function is necessary before deciding to initiate gastrostomy tube weaning.

Objective: We investigated the usefulness of maximal expiratory pressure (MEP) in evaluating dysphagia subsequent to ischemic stroke. Methods: This study included patients with ischemic stroke who underwent MEP testing and videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS), from October 2016 to February 2020. The VFSS findings were interpreted using the penetrationaspiration scale (PAS) and functional dysphagia scale (FDS). Patients were stratified into the non-aspiration (n=59) and aspiration (n=47) groups. Partial correlation analysis among MEP, PAS, and FDS was performed after adjusting for age. Binary logistic regression using PAS was conducted to investigate the risk factors predisposing patients to inclusion in the aspiration group. Multiple linear regression using FDS was conducted to investigate the risk factors according to dysphagia severity. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was applied to investigate factors which could be useful for detecting aspiration. Results: Student’s t-test revealed a significant difference in MEP between the non-aspiration and aspiration groups.MEP showed a positive correlation with PAS and FDS. MEP was also determined to be a risk factor for inclusion into the aspiration group, and a risk factor according to the severity of dysphagia. In the ROC curve analysis, MEP showed good diagnostic properties to help classify patients with aspiration. Conclusion Our results indicate that swallowing assessment can predict and help prevent aspiration pneumonia in patients with ischemic stroke. In the present study, MEP showed significant association with aspiration and the severity of dysphagia. Thus, determining the MEP during swallowing assessment in patients with ischemic stroke is potentially a useful parameter to predict dysphagia.

At the end of 2019, the cause of pneumonia outbreaks in Wuhan, China, was identified as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. In February 2020, the World Health Organization named the disease cause by SARS-CoV-2 as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In response to the pandemic, the Korean Cancer Association formed the COVID-19 task force to develop practice guidelines. This special article introduces the clinical practice guidelines for cancer patients which will help oncologists best manage cancer patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.