OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the relationship between the blood mercury concentration and cardiovascular risk factors in elderly Korean individuals living in coastal areas. METHODS: The sample consisted of 477 adults (164 males, 313 females) aged 40 to 65 years who visited a Busan health promotion center from June to September in 2009. The relationship between blood mercury concentration and cardiovascular risk factors including metabolic syndrome, cholesterol profiles, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), was investigated. Variables related to blood mercury concentration were further evaluated using multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: The blood mercury concentration of the study population was 7.99 (range, 7.60 to 8.40) microg/L. In males, the blood mercury concentration was 9.74 (8.92 to 10.63) microg/L, which was significantly higher than that in females (7.21, [6.80 to 7.64] microg/L). The blood mercury concentration of the study population was related to several cardiovascular risk factors including low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (p=0.044), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (p=0.034), BMI (p = 0.006), waist circumference (p = 0.031), and WHR (p < 0.001). In males, the blood mercury concentration was significantly correlated with WHR in the multiple regression analysis. CONCLUSIONS: In males, the blood mercury concentration was related to waist-to-hip ratio, which is a central obesity index and cardiovascular risk factor. Our finding suggests that cardiovascular disease risk in males was increased by mercury exposure via an obesity-related mechanism.
Adult ; Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Body Mass Index ; Cardiovascular Diseases/blood/etiology ; Cholesterol, HDL/blood ; Cholesterol, LDL/blood ; Female ; Humans ; Interviews as Topic ; Male ; Mercury/*blood ; Middle Aged ; Questionnaires ; Regression Analysis ; Republic of Korea ; Risk Factors ; Waist Circumference ; *Waist-Hip Ratio

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this paper was to elucidate the potential methylation levels of adjacent normal and cancer tissues by comparing them with normal colorectal tissues, and to describe the correlations between the methylation and clinical parameters in Korean colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. METHODS: Hypermethylation profiles of nine genes (RASSF1, APC, p16INK4a, Twist1, E-cadherin, TIMP3, Smad4, COX2, and ABCB1) were examined with 100 sets of cancer tissues and 14 normal colorectal tissues. We determined the hypermethylation at a given level by a percent of methylation ratio value of 10 using quantitative methylation real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Nine genes' hypermethylation levels in Korean CRC patient tissues were increased more higher than normal colorectal tissues. However, the amounts of p16INK4a and E-cadherin gene hypermethylation in normal and CRC tissues were not significantly different nor did TIMP3 gene hypermethylation in adjacent normal and cancer tissues differ significantly. The hypermethylation of TIMP3, E-cadherin, ABCB1, and COX2 genes among other genes were abundantly found in normal colorectal tissues. The hypermethylation of nine genes' methylation in cancer tissues was not significantly associated with any clinical parameters. In Cohen's kappa test, it was moderately observed that RASSF1 was related with E-cadherin, and Smad4 with ABCB1 and COX2. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence for different hypermethylation patterns of cancer-associated genes in normal and CRC tissues, which may serve as useful information on CRC cancer progression.
Colorectal Neoplasms/*genetics ; *DNA Methylation ; Disease Progression ; *Gene Expression Profiling ; Humans ; Prognosis ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the association between low-level mercury exposure and neurobehavioral functions in adults living in coastal regions of Korea. METHODS: We selected 172 adults aged 20-65 years living in a city in the coastal region of Korea. A sociodemographic survey was conducted, mercury levels in the blood, urine, and hair were measured, and the associations according to computerized neurobehavioral tests were determined using univariate analysis. After adjustment for associated variables, a multivariate linear regression analysis was performed. RESULTS: The geometric mean mercury levels in the blood, urine, and hair were 5.41 microg/L (range, 0.00-15.84 microg/L), 1.17 microg/g-creatinine (range, 0.00-32.86 microg/g-creatinine), and 1.37 mg/kg (range, 0.42-6.56 mg/kg), respectively. Variables that were associated with simple reaction time according to the neurobehavioral test results were age and urine mercury level. Variables associated with choice reaction time were the recent use of Korean traditional medicine and urine mercury level. Variables associated with the right-hand finger tapping speed test were age, gender, smoking behavior, education level, monthly household income, and urine mercury level. Variables associated with the left-hand finger tapping speed test were age, gender, education level, and urine mercury level. After adjustment for associated variables, there was no significant association between urine mercury level and simple reaction time (beta=25.96; p=0.47), choice reaction time (beta=50.37; p=0.32), or the number of left-hand finger taps (beta=-1.54; p=0.21). However, urine mercury level was significantly associated with the number of right-hand finger taps (beta=-3.86; p=0.01). CONCLUSIONS: We found no evidence that low-level mercury exposure in adults is associated with deficits in neurobehavioral functions. A longer follow-up study is required to confirm this conclusion.
Adult* ; Education ; Family Characteristics ; Fingers ; Hair ; Humans ; Korea ; Linear Models ; Medicine, Korean Traditional ; Reaction Time ; Smoke ; Smoking

OBJECTIVES: This study was carried out for the purpose of evaluating the blood mercury concentration of the residents of Busan, Korea, as well as the relationship between the mercury concentration and the pattern of fish consumption along with other epidemiological factors. METHODS: Two hundred ninety-three subjects (147 men and 146 women), who were aged 40 years or more, were recruited into this study between June and October 2009. The mean age of the subjects was 54.3 years (with a range of 40-70 years). Mercury concentrations in blood samples were measured using a gold-amalgam collection method. RESULTS: The geometric mean concentration of mercury in the total subjects was 8.63 microgram/L [range: 1.48~45.71 microgram/L]. The blood mercury concentration of the men (9.55 microgram/L) was significantly higher than that of the women (7.76 microgram/L). The blood mercury concentration of those who eat fish more than 4 times per week was higher than others, and was statistically significant (male p = 0.0019, female p = 0.0002). According to the multiple analysis, the blood mercury concentration was significantly affected by the consumed fish but other epidemiological factors were not related. CONCLUSIONS: It was found that the subjects who have consumed a large amount of fish may have high blood mercury concentration. It appears that fish consumption can influence blood mercury concentration. Therefore, guidelines for fish consumption that will decrease blood mercury concentration might be necessary in Korea.
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Fish Products/*adverse effects ; *Food Contamination ; Humans ; Male ; Mercury/*blood ; Middle Aged ; Republic of Korea ; Sex Factors ; Time Factors ; Urban Population

This study was performed to evaluate the effect of dietary factors for mercury exposure by comparing with blood mercury concentration. Study population consisted of 1,866 adults (839 men and 1,027 women) in randomly-selected 30 districts in southeast Korea. Dietary mercury intake was calculated from food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) on seafood items and 24 hr recall record. Blood mercury concentration was measured with atomic absorption spectrometry. Mean age of the subjects was 43.5 +/- 14.6 yr. The FFQ showed that mercury-laden fish (tuna, shark) and frequently-eating fish (squid, belt fish, mackerel) were important in mercury intake from fish species. The recall record suggested that fish and shellfish was a highest group (63.1%) of mercury intake and had a wide distribution in the food groups. In comparison with the blood mercury concentration, age group, sex, household income, education, drinking status and coastal area were statistically significant (P < 0.001). In multiple regression analysis, coefficient from the FFQ (beta = 0.003) had greater effect on the blood mercury than the recall record (beta = 0.002), but the effect was restricted (adjusted R2 = 0.234). Further studies with more precise estimation of dietary mercury intake were required to evaluate the risk for mercury exposure by foods and assure risk communication with heavily-exposed group.
Adult ; Age Factors ; Alcohol Drinking ; Demography ; Environmental Exposure ; Female ; *Food Habits ; Humans ; Male ; Mercury/*blood ; Middle Aged ; Questionnaires ; Regression Analysis ; Seafood/*analysis ; Sex Factors

OBJECTIVE: Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) facilitates mammalian embryonic development and implantation. However, its biological function after implantation is not elucidated. The aim of this study is to assess the changes of gene expression by GM-CSF in human trophoblast obtained in early pregnancy. METHODS: Human trophoblast obtained in early pregnancy was cultured with or without GM-CSF. The difference of gene expression was evaluated with microarray and selected genes were reevaluated with real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS: Microarray analysis revealed that the expressions of 468 genes were increased while those of 40 genes were decreased by GM-CSF. These genes were evaluated according to the known biologic pathways. The regulation of actin cytoskeleton and focal adhesion pathways were mostly influenced by GM-CSF. Annexin A2, thymosin-like 3, vimentin, myogenin, ACK1, and tensin1 genes were selected for real-time RT-PCR. The increased expressions of of vimentin and ACK1, and decreased expressions of tensin1 were confirmed by real-time RT-PCR. CONCLUSION: GM-CSF activates focal adhesion pathway in human trophoblast by increasing the expression of vimentin and ACK1, and decreasing the expression of tensin1.
Actin Cytoskeleton ; Annexin A2 ; Embryonic Development ; Female ; Focal Adhesions ; Gene Expression ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor ; Humans ; Microarray Analysis ; Myogenin ; Pregnancy ; Trophoblasts ; Vimentin

OBJECTIVES: The microRNA (miRNA) miR-196a2 may play an important role in lung cancer development and survival by altering binding activity of target mRNA. In this study, we evaluated their associations with the susceptibility of non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) by case-control study in a Korean population. METHODS: We performed genotyping analyses for miR-196a2 rs11614913 T/C at miRNA regions in a case-control study using blood samples of 406 NSCLC patient and 428 cancer-free control groups. RESULTS: The total C allele frequencies for miR-196a2 were 48.8% for the patients and 45.6% for the controls; and the genotype frequencies of TT, TC, and CC were 23.7%, 55.2%, and 21.1% for the patients and 31.1%, 46.35%, and 22.4% for the controls (p<0.05). Participants who possesses TC/CC genotypes showed high risk for NSCLC compared to those possessed TT genotypes (OR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.03 to 1.96). The association was persisted in 60 and older age group, male, smokers, those without family history for cancer. However, no significant association of CC genotypes in recessive genetic model was observed. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, this case-control study provides evidence that miR-196a2 rs11614913 C/T polymorphisms are associated with a significantly increased risk of NSCLC in a dominant model, indicating that common genetic polymorphisms in miR-196a2 rs11614913 are associated with NSCLC. The association of miR196a2 rs11614913 polymorphisms and NSCLC risk require confirmation through additional larger studies.
Age Factors ; Aged ; *Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/*genetics ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Genetic Association Studies ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms/*genetics ; Male ; MicroRNAs/*genetics ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Republic of Korea ; Risk Factors ; Sex Factors ; Smoking/ethnology

BACKGROUND: We aimed to quantify stress-induced hyperglycemia and differentiate the glucose response between normal animals and those with diabetes. We also examined the pattern in glucose fluctuation induced by stress according to type of diabetes. METHODS: To load psychological stress on animal models, we used a predator stress model by exposing rats to a cat for 60 minutes and measured glucose level from the beginning to the end of the test to monitor glucose fluctuation. We induced type 1 diabetes model (T1D) for ten Sprague-Dawley rats using streptozotocin and used five Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty rats as obese type 2 diabetes model (OT2D) and 10 Goto-Kakizaki rats as nonobese type 2 diabetes model (NOT2D). We performed the stress loading test in both the normal and diabetic states and compared patterns of glucose fluctuation among the three models. We classified the pattern of glucose fluctuation into A, B, and C types according to speed of change in glucose level. RESULTS: Increase in glucose, total amount of hyperglycemic exposure, time of stress-induced hyperglycemia, and speed of glucose increase were significantly increased in all models compared to the normal state. While the early increase in glucose after exposure to stress was higher in T1D and NOT2D, it was slower in OT2D. The rate of speed of the decrease in glucose level was highest in NOT2D and lowest in OT2D. CONCLUSION: The diabetic state was more vulnerable to stress compared to the normal state in all models, and the pattern of glucose fluctuation differed among the three types of diabetes. The study provides basic evidence for stress-induced hyperglycemia patterns and characteristics used for the management of diabetes patients.
Animals ; Cats ; Glucose ; Humans ; Hyperglycemia* ; Models, Animal ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Streptozocin ; Stress, Psychological

Although herpetic skin infections are very common, herpetic folliculitis is not often reported in the literature. It has varied presentations, some of which are clinically atypical requiring histopathological confirmation of follicular involvement. We report a case of herpetic folliculitis which developed on the left shoulder of a 36-year-old man with painful erythematous grouped papules, but without vesicles. On histopathologic examination of a papular lesion, viral cytopathologic changes such as ballooning degeneration and giant cell formation, were observed within the follicular epithelium, thus we could diagnose this case as a viral folliculitis. The patient was treated with an antiviral agent, and the lesions subsided within several days.
Adult ; Epithelium ; Folliculitis* ; Giant Cells ; Humans ; Shoulder ; Skin

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of a method for positioning the femoral stem in neutral position refer to the measured value of "lateral distance" in pre-operative templating and the femoral stem position post-operatively. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 81 hips in 76 patients underwent cementless total hip arthroplasty between March 2008 and April 2012 using the C2 stem (Lima Corporate S.P.A, Udine, Italy). We measured the perpendicular distance from the lateral outermost part of the greater trochanter to the lateral outermost part of the femoral stem (lateral distance, LD) in pre-operative templating. We aimed to insert the femoral stem in neutral position by comparing LD measured intra-operatively. We evaluated the position of the femoral stem on post-operative plain radiography. We compared the result of post-operative re-measurement of the LD with that of pre-operative measurement. RESULTS: In all of the 81 cases, the femoral stem was inserted in neutral position, defined as the femoral stem position within 3degreesvalgus or varus. The average angle of the inserted femoral stem was 1.20degrees(0.003-2.85degrees). LD measured in preoperative templating was 15.6 mm(10-21.5 mm), and it showed no correlation ratio with LD; LD re-measured post-operatively was 15.9 mm(10.3-23.5 mm) (P=0.781). CONCLUSION: Measuring LD pre-operatively and using the value intra-operatively is an effective method for insertion of the femoral stem in neutral position.
Arthroplasty ; Femur ; Hip ; Humans