Short- and Long-Term Exposure to Particulate Matter and Pulse Wave Velocity / 가정의학회지

Background@#In hemodialysis patients, brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) levels are affected by particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of 10 μm or less (PM10). We conducted this study to determine whether there is an association between short- and long-term PM10 exposure and baPWV in apparently healthy adults aged 40 years and older. @*Methods@#A total of 1,628 subjects who underwent health examinations between 2006 and 2009 were included in the study. On the basis of the day of medical screening, the 1–3-day and 365-day moving averages of PM10 concentrations were used to evaluate the association between short- and long-term exposure to PM10 and high baPWV (≥the third quartile of baPWV, 1,534 cm/s) using logistic regression models. Additional subgroup analyses were conducted according to age, sex, obesity (body mass index ≥25.0 kg/m2), and comorbidities such as metabolic syndrome. @*Results@#No statistically significant associations were identified between short-term and long-term exposure to PM10 and baPWV in any of the subjects and subgroups. A 10-μg/m3 increase in the 2-day moving average of PM10 exposure was marginally associated with high baPWV in non-obese subjects (odds ratio, 1.059; P=0.058). This association in non-obese subjects was significantly different from that in obese subjects (P=0.038). @*Conclusion@#This study did not show statistically significant associations between short-term and long-term exposure to PM10 and baPWV in apparently healthy subjects. With short-term exposure to PM10, non-obese subjects showed a marginally unfavorable association with baPWV. Further studies are necessary to validate and elucidate the mechanism underlying the effect of PM10 on baPWV.

Short- and Long-Term Exposure to Particulate Matter and Pulse Wave Velocity / 가정의학회지

Background@#In hemodialysis patients, brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) levels are affected by particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of 10 μm or less (PM10). We conducted this study to determine whether there is an association between short- and long-term PM10 exposure and baPWV in apparently healthy adults aged 40 years and older. @*Methods@#A total of 1,628 subjects who underwent health examinations between 2006 and 2009 were included in the study. On the basis of the day of medical screening, the 1–3-day and 365-day moving averages of PM10 concentrations were used to evaluate the association between short- and long-term exposure to PM10 and high baPWV (≥the third quartile of baPWV, 1,534 cm/s) using logistic regression models. Additional subgroup analyses were conducted according to age, sex, obesity (body mass index ≥25.0 kg/m2), and comorbidities such as metabolic syndrome. @*Results@#No statistically significant associations were identified between short-term and long-term exposure to PM10 and baPWV in any of the subjects and subgroups. A 10-μg/m3 increase in the 2-day moving average of PM10 exposure was marginally associated with high baPWV in non-obese subjects (odds ratio, 1.059; P=0.058). This association in non-obese subjects was significantly different from that in obese subjects (P=0.038). @*Conclusion@#This study did not show statistically significant associations between short-term and long-term exposure to PM10 and baPWV in apparently healthy subjects. With short-term exposure to PM10, non-obese subjects showed a marginally unfavorable association with baPWV. Further studies are necessary to validate and elucidate the mechanism underlying the effect of PM10 on baPWV.

The Association between the Ratio of Energy Intake to Basal Metabolic Rate and Physical Activity to Sarcopenia: Using the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (2008–2011) / 가정의학회지

Background@#Sarcopenia is an important health problem, the risk factors of which a few studies have reported on. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the correlation between sarcopenia and the ratio of total energy intake to basal metabolic rate (BMR) as well as physical activity, and determine whether the relationship was different between younger and older age groups using data from the 2008–2011 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. @*Methods@#We analyzed 16,313 subjects older than 19 years who had dual energy X-ray absorptiometry data. Sarcopenia was defined as an appendicular lean mass/weight (%) ratio of 1 standard deviation below the sex-specific mean value for a younger reference group, and BMR was calculated using the Harris–Benedict equation. A chi-squared test and logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate the factors associated with sarcopenia. @*Results@#In this study, 15.2% of males and 15.4% of females had sarcopenia. Energy intake/BMR as well as physical activity was negatively related to sarcopenia risk. In stratified analysis by age and sex, strength exercises showed an inverse association with sarcopenia only in males under the age of 50 years (odds ratio, 0.577; P<0.0001), whereas higher energy intake/BMR was negatively associated with sarcopenia in each age and sex group. @*Conclusion@#Our findings suggest that adequate energy intake is important to prevent sarcopenia regardless of whether one exercises.

Immunohistochemical study on the expression of calcium binding proteins (calbindin-D28k, calretinin, and parvalbumin) in the cerebral cortex and in the hippocampal region of nNOS knock-out(-/-) mice / 대한해부학회지

Nitric oxide (NO) modulates the activities of various channels and receptors to participate in the regulation of neuronal intracellular Ca2+ levels. Ca2+ binding protein (CaBP) expression may also be altered by NO. Accordingly, we examined expression changes in calbindin-D28k, calretinin, and parvalbumin in the cerebral cortex and hippocampal region of neuronal NO synthase knockout(-/-) (nNOS-/-) mice using immunohistochemistry. For the first time, we demonstrate that the expression of CaBPs is specifically altered in the cerebral cortex and hippocampal region of nNOS-/- mice and that their expression changed according to neuronal type. As changes in CaBP expression can influence temporal and spatial intracellular Ca2+ levels, it appears that NO may be involved in various functions, such as modulating neuronal Ca2+ homeostasis, regulating synaptic transmission, and neuroprotection, by influencing the expression of CaBPs. Therefore, these results suggest another mechanism by which NO participates in the regulation of neuronal Ca2+ homeostasis. However, the exact mechanisms of this regulation and its functional significance require further investigation.

Antimicrobial Effects of Oleanolic Acid against Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus Isolated from a Korean Population

Oleanolic acid is a natural triterpenoid that exists widely in foods and some medicinal herbs. The purpose of this study was to determine the antimicrobial activity of oleanolic acid against Streptococcus mutans strains isolated from a Korean population. Antimicrobial activity against these bacteria was evaluated by minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and time kill curves. The tolerance of human gingival fibroblasts and human periodontal ligaments to oleanolic acid was tested using a methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay. The MIC90 value of oleanolic acid for both S. mutans and S. sobrinus isolated from Koreans was 8 microg/ml. Oleanolic acid showed bactericidal effects against S. mutans ATCC 25175T and S. sobrinus ATCC 33478T at 1 x MIC (8 microg/ml) and had no cytotoxic effects against KB cells at this dose. The results suggest that oleanolic acid could be useful in the future development of oral hygiene products for the prevention of dental caries.

Immunohistochemical study on the expression of calcium binding proteins (calbindin-D28k, calretinin, and parvalbumin) in the cerebellum of the nNOS knock-out(-/-) mice / 대한해부학회지

Nitric Oxide (NO) actively participates in the regulation of neuronal intracellular Ca2+ levels by modulating the activity of various channels and receptors. To test the possibility that modulation of Ca2+ buffer protein expression level by NO participates in this regulatory effect, we examined expression of calbindin-D28k, calretinin, and parvalbumin in the cerebellum of neuronal NO synthase knock-out (nNOS(-/-)) mice using immunohistochemistry. We observed that in the cerebellar cortex of the nNOS(-/-) mice, expression of calbindin-D28k and parvalbumin were significantly increased while expression of calretinin was significantly decreased. These results suggest another mechanism by which NO can participate in the regulation of Ca2+ homeostasis.

Two Cases of Leiomyoma in Vulva and Vagina / 대한산부인과학회잡지

Leiomyomas of vagina and vulva are rare solid tumors, but most common mesenchymal tumors in adult woman. Most of the reported cases have been benign. The tumors were firm, well-defined submucosal masses in a majority of patients. We experienced two cases of vulvar and vaginal leiomyoma, thus it is presented with a brief review of the cases and its literatures.