Percentage of the population at high risk of osteoporotic fracture in South Korea: analysis of the 2010 Fifth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination survey data.

UNLABELLED: Osteoporosis and high-risk osteopenia (high-risk of osteoporotic fractures) are highly prevalent in South Korean postmenopausal women and men aged 50 years and over. INTRODUCTION: This study determined the percentages of the population at high risk of osteoporotic fractures according to the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria and the Fracture Risk Assessment (FRAX) model. METHODS: Data collected from the 2010 Fifth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a cross-sectional survey of the general South Korean general population, were analyzed. The percentages of the population with high-risk osteopenia according to the US National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF) and Japanese treatment guidelines were subsequently determined and compared. RESULTS: Based on the WHO criteria and FRAX model, 37.7% of the menopausal women and 12.7% of the men aged 50 years and older are at high risk of osteoporotic fracture. According to the Japanese and NOF guidelines, 10.9 (10.6% of men and 11.2% of women) and 10.7% (10.6% of men and 10.9% of women), respectively, of the study population with osteopenia are at high risk of fracture. By age group, 49.3% of Korean women aged 55 years and older, 67.7% of Korean women aged 65 years and older, and 33.5% of Korean men aged 75 years and older are at high risk. CONCLUSION: As a very large percentage of the South Korean postmenopausal population has osteoporosis or high-risk osteopenia, greater effort at identifying and treating this population should be expended to prevent osteoporotic fracture.

Characteristics of Porphyromonas gingivalis lipopolysaccharide in co-culture with Fusobacterium nucleatum.

Porphyromonas gingivalis is associated with chronic periodontitis and forms multi-species biofilms. They can communicate within species as well as with other species found in the subgingiva, which may induce changes in the growth ratio and virulence of periodontopathogens. The lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of P. gingivalis shows different virulence by growth condition. The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics of P. gingivalis LPS when co-cultured with Fusobacterium nucleatum. After culture of P. gingivalis in the presence or absence of F. nucleatum, P. gingivalis LPS was extracted. THP-1 cells were treated with the LPS and induction of cytokine expression was investigated using real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). For the analysis of P. gingivalis LPS, LPS biosynthesis-related genes such as lpxA and lpxD were evaluated with real-time RT-PCR. Finally, molecular mass of lipid A was measured by mass spectrometry after hydrolysis of the LPS. Co-cultured P. gingivalis LPS exhibited higher induction of expression of interleukin 1ß, 6, and 8 than single-cultured P. gingivalis LPS. These symptoms may be caused by an increase in m/z 1689 lipid A through the upregulation of lpxA and lpxD expression by communication between P. gingivalis and F. nucleatum.

Geobacillus toebii sp. nov., a novel thermophilic bacterium isolated from hay compost.

A thermophilic, spore-forming rod isolated from hay compost in Korea was subjected to a taxonomic study. The micro-organism, designated strain SK-1(T), was identified as being aerobic, Gram-positive, motile and rod-shaped. Growth of the isolate was observed at 45-70 degrees C (optimum 60 degrees C) and pH 6.0-9.0 (optimum pH 7.5). The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 43.9 mol%. Chemotaxonomic characteristics of the isolate included the presence of mesodiaminopimelic acid in the cell wall and iso-C15:0 and iso-C17:0 as the major cellular fatty acids. The predominant isoprenoid quinone was MK-7. The chemotaxonomic characteristics of strain SK-1(T) were the same as those of the genus Geobacillus. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rDNA sequences showed that strain SK-1(T) is most closely related to Geobacillus thermoglucosidasius. However, the phenotypic properties of strain SK-1(T) were clearly different from those of G. thermoglucosidasius. The level of DNA-DNA relatedness between strain SK-1(T) and the type strain of G. thermoglucosidasius was 27%. On the basis of the phenotypic traits and molecular systematic data, strain SK-1(T) represents a novel species within the genus Geobacillus, for which the name Geobacillus toebii sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is strain SK-1(T) (= KCTC 0306BP(T) - DSM 14590(T)).

Personal experiences and algorithm of endoscopically assisted subperiosteal face lift in orientals for 5 years.

Orientals are anatomically distinct from Caucasians and are characterized by a thick dermis, a Mongoloid slant of the palpebral fissure, a relatively prominent zygoma and mandible angle, and a relatively flat nose. Given these characteristics, it was believed that the subperiosteal face lift was not suitable for Orientals. However, at our institution, endoscopically assisted subperiosteal face lifts were performed from May of 1994 to October of 1998 on 236 patients; variable pitfalls, as well as satisfying results, were reported. Patient ages ranged from 29 to 66 years (mean age, 55.2 years), and follow-up ranged from 6 to 44 months (mean follow-up, 23 months). All forehead and brow lifts were performed using an endoscopic guide, and routine corrugator resections and procerus myotomies were performed. Three slanted cortical tunnels were made at the corresponding locations on the outer table of the calvarium, and 1-0 nylon or screw suspension and fixation were performed after a 1-cm to 2-cm lift. Midface lifts were performed through lower blepharoplasty incisions and vertical temporal incisions instead of through conventional preauricular and postauricular incisions. Dissections were made subperiosteally and over the deep layers of deep temporal fascia. Malar fat pads were suspended with 1-0 nylon and affixed to deep temporal fascia. Most patients have been satisfied with their postoperative results, but unfavorable results and complications have been reported. Complications were classified as early or late complications or unfavorable results on the basis of the 3-week postoperative evaluation. There were 28 early complications (11.9 percent), consisting of ecchymosis with edema (persisting for up to 4 weeks), paresthesia, lagophthalmos, accentuated Mongoloid slant, small dimpling on the scalp, and scalp fold formation on the fixation site. There were 13 late complications/unfavorable results (5.5 percent), consisting of insufficient lift, exaggeration of sunken upper eyelids, intermittent headaches, itching sensations, and paresthesia on the scalp. The unfavorable results occurred in the patients who had previously undergone blepharoplasty and in those who had a history of foreign body injections into the face, fatty and thick faces, sunken upper eyelids, Mongoloid slants, and asymmetric facial expressions. Through understanding the anatomic characteristics of the Oriental face (i.e., thick dermis, Mongoloid slant of palpebral fissure, prominent zygoma and mandible angle, and flat nose), satisfying results were achieved by appropriate application of the modified procedures.

Isolation of Bacillus subtilis (chungkookjang), a poly-gamma-glutamate producer with high genetic competence.

A bacterium with high poly-gamma-glutamate (PGA) productivity was isolated from the traditional Korean seasoning, Chung-Kook-Jang. This bacterium could be classified as a Bacillus subtilis, but sporulation in culture was infrequent in the absence of Mn2+. It was judged to be a variety of B. subtilis and designated B. subtilis (chungkookjang). L-Glutamate significantly induced PGA production, and highly elongated PGAs were synthesized. The volumetric yield reached 13.5 mg ml(-1) in the presence of 2% L-glutamate. The D-glutamate content was over 50% in every PGA produced under the conditions used. During PGA production, glutamate racemase activity was found in the cells, suggesting that the enzyme is involved in the D-glutamate supply. Molecular sizes of PGAs were changed by the salt concentration in the medium; PGAs with comparatively low molecular masses were produced in culture media containing high concentrations of NaCl. B. subtilis (chungkookjang) harbors no plasmid and is the first B. subtilis strain reported with both naturally high PGA productivity and high genetic competence.

Exercise influences spatial learning in the radial arm maze.

Previous studies indicate that the hippocampus is active during exercise, and that neurotrophin expression, receptor density, and survival of dentate gyrus granule cells in the hippocampus can be modified by moderate voluntary exercise. The present study was designed to test the consequences of voluntary exercise on a hippocampal-related behavior. Exercising and control rats were tested on the standard and delayed nonmatch-to-position (DNMTP) version of the eight-arm radial maze, both of which are sensitive to hippocampal damage. Voluntarily exercising rats ran in running wheels attached to their home cage for 7 weeks prior to and throughout testing, and took 30% fewer trials to acquire criterion performance than sedentary controls. Both groups spent the same average time per arm. Once the eight-arm maze had been learned to criterion, group differences were not apparent. Exercise can facilitate acquisition of a hippocampal-related spatial learning task, but does not affect performance following acquisition. Further work will be necessary to link these effects to hippocampal-related variables shown to be influenced by exercise.