Several lines of evidence indicate that prehypertension is more atherogenic than normal blood pressure. Serum gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) is known to be positively associated with prehypertensive status and the progression of hypertension. However, there have been no prospective studies of serum GGT level as a predictor of prehypertension. Apparently 13,435 healthy men (mean age 42.0 +/- 6.6 yr) with normal blood pressure were included in a prospective cohort study in 2005 and were followed up to 2010 with the endpoint being incident of prehypertension. During the follow up period (median 2.80 +/- 1.44 yr; actual follow-up 37,679.1 person-year), prehypertension was developed in 7,867 (58.6%) participants. Risk estimations for incident prehypertension were analyzed based on quartiles of serum GGT levels using multivariate adjusted Cox proportional hazards model. In unadjusted model, the hazard ratio for incident prehypertension for the highest 3 quartiles of baseline serum GGT level was 1.21 (1.13-1.29), 1.29 (1.21-1.38), and 1.57 (1.47-1.67) compared the lowest quartile of serum GGT level, respectively (P for trend < 0.001). These associations still remained statistically significant, even after adjusting for multiple covariates. These findings indicate that increased serum GGT level is independently associated with incident prehypertension in Korean men.
Adult ; Biological Markers/blood ; Blood Pressure ; Cohort Studies ; Humans ; Hypertension/blood ; Incidence ; Male ; Oxidative Stress ; Prehypertension/*blood/epidemiology ; Prospective Studies ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; gamma-Glutamyltransferase/*blood

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Increasing evidence supports that psychological factors may be related to development of coronary artery disease (CAD). Although psychological well-being, ill-being, and control strategy factors may play a significant role in CAD, rarely have these factors been simultaneously examined previously. We assessed comprehensive psychological factors in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of 85 ACS patients (56 unstable angina, 29 acute myocardial infarction; 52.6+/-10.2 years; M/F=68/17) and 63 healthy controls (48.7+/-6.7 years, M/F=43/20) were included. Socio-demographic information, levels of psychological maladjustment, such as anxiety, hostility, and job stress, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and primary and secondary control strategy use were collected through self-report questionnaires. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the ACS group and control group in levels of anxiety, hostility, and job stress. However, ACS patients had significantly lower scores on the general health perception and bodily pain subscales of HRQoL than the control group. The ACS group, as compared with the controls, tended to use primary control strategies more, although not reaching statistical significance by univariate analysis. Multivariate logistic regression analysis after adjusting age and gender identified the physical domain of HRQoL {odds ratio (OR)=0.40}, primary control strategy (OR=1.92), and secondary control strategy (OR=0.53) as independent predictors of ACS. CONCLUSION: Poor HRQoL and primary control strategy, proactive behaviors in achieving ones' goal, may act as risk factors for ACS, while secondary control strategy to conform to current situation may act as a protective factor for ACS.
Acute Coronary Syndrome* ; Angina, Unstable ; Anxiety ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Hostility ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Myocardial Infarction ; Psychology ; Quality of Life* ; Risk Factors* ; Stress, Psychological ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND: Lung age, calculated from sex, forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), and height, was developed to illustrate premature changes to the lungs and could be used to motivate smoking cessation. However, this method has not been tested in association with smoking in Korea. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of lung age with smoking and other factors in Korean males. METHODS: We reviewed the records of 1,100 healthy men who visited a health promotion center at Ewha Womans University Medical Center from January 2008 to June 2009. Lung age was calculated from FEV1 and normal predictive values of spirometry according to age in the Korean population. The difference between lung age and chronological age was evaluated in relation to smoking status, weight, body mass index, waist, muscle mass, fat mass, and exercise. RESULTS: The age difference was significantly higher in current smokers than in non-smokers (12.47 +/- 19.90 vs. 7.30 +/- 19.52, P < 0.001). Additionally, the age difference was positively correlated with life time pack-year (beta = 0.223; P < 0.001) and fat mass (beta = 0.462; P < 0.001). Lung age increased 1 year for 4.48 pack-year increase or for 2.16% increase in fat mass. CONCLUSION: We found a significant relationship between lung age and both smoking status and fat mass in healthy Korean males. Lung age may be a useful tool for motivating cessation of cigarette smoking and management of risk factors related to obesity.
Academic Medical Centers ; Body Weight ; Female ; Forced Expiratory Volume ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Korea ; Lung* ; Male ; Methods ; Muscles ; Obesity ; Risk Factors ; Smoke* ; Smoking Cessation ; Smoking* ; Spirometry

Recently, a case of cervical cancer on the mucosal surface of a pedunculated cervical leiomyoma had been reported. We experienced a similar but distinct case of microinvasive squamous cell carcinoma on the mucosal surface of a pedunculated submucous leiomyoma. A 45-year-old Korean woman underwent type I hysterectomy for heavy bleeding from pedunculated submucous leiomyoma. Histopathological examination revealed that the leiomyoma of which mucosa was covered focally by microinvasive squamous cell carcinoma. During the management of pedunculated leiomyoma protruding through cervix, caution must be taken because of, although rare instance, a possible coexisting malignancy.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Cervix Uteri* ; Female ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Leiomyoma* ; Middle Aged ; Mucous Membrane ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms

BACKGROUND: Obesity and deterioration of pulmonary function are known to increase all-cause mortality and morbidity associated with chronic diseases. Obesity is a known risk factor for decreasing pulmonary function; however, studies on the effect of changes in body weight or body mass index (BMI) on pulmonary function are rare. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the change in body weight or BMI and the pulmonary function test (PFT) in Koreans who underwent consecutive screening at a health promotion center. METHODS: We enrolled 5,032 patients who underwent consecutive screening health check-ups at a health promotion center in 2015 and 2017. The BMI was calculated as the body weight (kg) divided by the square of the height (m²) in 2015 and 2017. We analyzed the association between the change in body weight or BMI and PFT. RESULTS: In males, PFT and changes in body weight were associated with forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV₁) but not with changes in BMI. In females, FEV₁/forced vital capacity and forced expiratory flow between 25–75% of vital capacity (FEF(25−75%)) were significantly associated with the changes in body weight and BMI. A correlation analysis between body weight and BMI showed a negative correlation with FEF(25−75%) in males. In females, FEV₁/FVC and FEF(25−75%) were negatively correlated. CONCLUSIONS: We observed that the increase in body weight and BMI was significantly associated with pulmonary function. This finding suggests that careful monitoring of body weight and BMI may aid in maintaining proper pulmonary function, thereby, reducing mortality and morbidity.
Body Mass Index ; Body Weight ; Chronic Disease ; Female ; Forced Expiratory Volume ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Male ; Mass Screening ; Mortality ; Obesity ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Risk Factors ; Vital Capacity

Purpose: We aimed to identify collaborative disaster governance through the demand and supply analysis of resources recognized by nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: We used a descriptive study design with an online survey technique for data collection. The survey questions were developed based on focus group interviews with nurses responding to COVID-19 and expert validity testing. A 42-question online survey focusing on disaster governance was sent to nurses working in COVID-19 designated hospitals, public health offices, and schools. A total of 630 nurses participated in the survey. Demand and supply analysis was used to identify the specific components of disaster governance during a pandemic situation and analyze priority areas in disaster governance, as reported by nurses. Results: Demand and supply analysis showed that supplies procurement, cooperation, education, and environment factors clustered in the high demand and supply quadrant while labor condition, advocacy, emotional support, and workload adjustment factors clustered in the high demand but low supply quadrant, indicating a strong need in those areas of disaster governance among nurses. The nurses practicing at the public health offices and schools showed major components of disaster governance plotted in the second quadrant, indicating weak collaborative disaster governance. Conclusion These findings show that there is an unbalanced distribution among nurses, resulting in major challenges in collaborative disaster governance during COVID-19. In the future and current pandemic, collaborative disaster governance, through improved distribution, will be useful for helping nurses to access more required resources and achieve effective pandemic response.

BACKGROUND: Obesity and deterioration of pulmonary function are known to increase all-cause mortality and morbidity associated with chronic diseases. Obesity is a known risk factor for decreasing pulmonary function; however, studies on the effect of changes in body weight or body mass index (BMI) on pulmonary function are rare. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the change in body weight or BMI and the pulmonary function test (PFT) in Koreans who underwent consecutive screening at a health promotion center. METHODS: We enrolled 5,032 patients who underwent consecutive screening health check-ups at a health promotion center in 2015 and 2017. The BMI was calculated as the body weight (kg) divided by the square of the height (m²) in 2015 and 2017. We analyzed the association between the change in body weight or BMI and PFT. RESULTS: In males, PFT and changes in body weight were associated with forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV₁) but not with changes in BMI. In females, FEV₁/forced vital capacity and forced expiratory flow between 25–75% of vital capacity (FEF(25−75%)) were significantly associated with the changes in body weight and BMI. A correlation analysis between body weight and BMI showed a negative correlation with FEF(25−75%) in males. In females, FEV₁/FVC and FEF(25−75%) were negatively correlated. CONCLUSIONS We observed that the increase in body weight and BMI was significantly associated with pulmonary function. This finding suggests that careful monitoring of body weight and BMI may aid in maintaining proper pulmonary function, thereby, reducing mortality and morbidity.

Sesquiterpene lactones, a class of natural compounds abundant in the Asteraceae family, have gained attention owing to their diverse biological activities, and particularly their anti-proliferative effects on human cancer cells. In this study, we systematically investigated the structure-activity relationship of ten sesquiterpene lactones with the aim of elucidating the structural determinants for the STAT3 inhibition governing their anti-proliferative effects. Our findings revealed a significant correlation between the STAT3 inhibitory activity and the anti-proliferative effects of sesquiterpene lactones in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines. Among the compounds tested, alantolactone and isoalantolactone emerged as the most potent STAT3 inhibitors, highlighting their potential as candidates for anticancer drug development. Through protein-ligand docking studies, we revealed the structural basis of STAT3 inhibition by sesquiterpene lactones, emphasizing the critical role of hydrogen-bonding interactions with key residues, including Arg609, Ser611, Glu612, and Ser613, in the SH2 domain of STAT3. Furthermore, our conformational analysis revealed the decisive role of the torsion angle within the geometry-optimized structures of sesquiterpene lactones in their STAT3 inhibitory activity (R=0.80, p<0.01). These findings not only provide preclinical evidence for sesquiterpene lactones as promising phytomedicines against diseases associated with abnormal STAT3 activation, but also highlight the importance of stereochemical aspects in their activity.

Sesquiterpene lactones, a class of natural compounds abundant in the Asteraceae family, have gained attention owing to their diverse biological activities, and particularly their anti-proliferative effects on human cancer cells. In this study, we systematically investigated the structure-activity relationship of ten sesquiterpene lactones with the aim of elucidating the structural determinants for the STAT3 inhibition governing their anti-proliferative effects. Our findings revealed a significant correlation between the STAT3 inhibitory activity and the anti-proliferative effects of sesquiterpene lactones in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines. Among the compounds tested, alantolactone and isoalantolactone emerged as the most potent STAT3 inhibitors, highlighting their potential as candidates for anticancer drug development. Through protein-ligand docking studies, we revealed the structural basis of STAT3 inhibition by sesquiterpene lactones, emphasizing the critical role of hydrogen-bonding interactions with key residues, including Arg609, Ser611, Glu612, and Ser613, in the SH2 domain of STAT3. Furthermore, our conformational analysis revealed the decisive role of the torsion angle within the geometry-optimized structures of sesquiterpene lactones in their STAT3 inhibitory activity (R=0.80, p<0.01). These findings not only provide preclinical evidence for sesquiterpene lactones as promising phytomedicines against diseases associated with abnormal STAT3 activation, but also highlight the importance of stereochemical aspects in their activity.

Sesquiterpene lactones, a class of natural compounds abundant in the Asteraceae family, have gained attention owing to their diverse biological activities, and particularly their anti-proliferative effects on human cancer cells. In this study, we systematically investigated the structure-activity relationship of ten sesquiterpene lactones with the aim of elucidating the structural determinants for the STAT3 inhibition governing their anti-proliferative effects. Our findings revealed a significant correlation between the STAT3 inhibitory activity and the anti-proliferative effects of sesquiterpene lactones in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines. Among the compounds tested, alantolactone and isoalantolactone emerged as the most potent STAT3 inhibitors, highlighting their potential as candidates for anticancer drug development. Through protein-ligand docking studies, we revealed the structural basis of STAT3 inhibition by sesquiterpene lactones, emphasizing the critical role of hydrogen-bonding interactions with key residues, including Arg609, Ser611, Glu612, and Ser613, in the SH2 domain of STAT3. Furthermore, our conformational analysis revealed the decisive role of the torsion angle within the geometry-optimized structures of sesquiterpene lactones in their STAT3 inhibitory activity (R=0.80, p<0.01). These findings not only provide preclinical evidence for sesquiterpene lactones as promising phytomedicines against diseases associated with abnormal STAT3 activation, but also highlight the importance of stereochemical aspects in their activity.