Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading causes of death globally,which kill more each year than all other causes combined.It is estimated that 63％ of global total deaths were due to NCDs.Nearly 80％ of NCD deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries.China contributes the largest number of NCD patients and deaths.NCD rates have been increasing at an alarming rate over the past two decades in China and many other countries.Population-wide interventions can help reduce NCD burden and can be cost effective.Improved health care,early detection and timely treatment are also needed for reducing the impact of NCDs.Strong government commitment,adequate investment,and extensive involvement and collaboration of multiple diverse social sectors with health sectors are critical to fight the NCD burden in all countries,especially in low- and middle-income countries.

Autophagy, which has the literal meaning of self-eating, is a cellular catabolic process executed by arrays of conserved proteins in eukaryotes. Autophagy is dynamically ongoing at a basal level, presumably in all cells, and often carries out distinct functions depending on the cell type. Therefore, although a set of common genes and proteins is involved in this process, the outcome of autophagic activation or deficit requires scrutiny regarding how it affects cells in a specific pathophysiological context. The uterus is a complex organ that carries out multiple tasks under the influence of cyclic changes of ovarian steroid hormones. Several major populations of cells are present in the uterus, and the interactions among them drive complex physiological tasks. Mouse models with autophagic deficits in the uterus are very limited, but provide an initial glimpse at how autophagy plays a distinct role in different uterine tissues. Herein, we review recent research findings on the role of autophagy in the uterine mesenchyme in mouse models.

Transcription factors govern diverse aspects of cell growth and differentiation as major switches of gene expression. Etv5, a member of the E26 transformation-specific family of transcription factors, has many stories to share when it comes to reproduction. Etv5 deficient mice show complex infertility phenotypes both in males and females. In males, the infertility phenotype exhibited by Etv5 deficiency is sexually dimorphic, and it involves both somatic cells and germ cells. In Etv5-/- female mice, the problem is more complicated by hormonal involvement. This review synthesizes old and new information on this versatile transcription factor-from the inadvertent discovery of its role in the testes to its newly discovered role in maintaining spermatogonial stem cells.
Animals ; Female ; Gene Expression ; Germ Cells ; Humans ; Infertility ; Male ; Mice ; Phenotype ; Reproduction ; Stem Cells ; Testis ; Transcription Factors

Poor diet quality is one of strong predictors of subsequent increased mortality in hemodialysis patients. To determine diet quality and to define major problems contributing to poor diet quality in hemodialysis patients, a cross-sectional study was conducted between June 2009 and October 2010. Sixty-three hemodialysis patients (31 men, 32 women; aged 55.3 +/- 11.9 years) in stable condition were recruited from the Artificial Kidney Center in Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea. Three-day diet records were obtained for dietary assessment. Mean adequacy ratio (MAR) is the average of the ratio of intakes to Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) for 12 nutrients. Index of nutritional quality (INQ) was determined as the nutritional density per 1,000 kcal of calories. Overall diet quality was evaluated using the Diet Quality Index-International (DQI-I). Statistics were used to determine diet quality, comparing dietary intake to DRI. Dietary calories (21.9 +/- 6.7 kcal/kg/day) and protein (0.9 +/- 0.3 g/kg/day) were found insufficient in the participants. The overall intake of 12 nutrients appeared to be also inadequate (0.66 +/- 0.15), but INQs of overall nutrients, except for folate (0.6) and calcium (0.8), were found relatively adequate (INQ > or = 1). As a result of diet quality assessment using DQI-I, dietary imbalance and inadequacy were found to be the most problematic in hemodialysis patients. This study suggests that the main reason for insufficient intake of essential nutrients is insufficient calorie intake. Hemodialysis patients should be encouraged to use various food sources to meet their energy requirements as well as satisfy overall balance and nutrient adequacy.
Calcium ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Diet Records ; Diet* ; Energy Intake* ; Female ; Folic Acid ; Humans ; Kidneys, Artificial ; Korea ; Male ; Mortality ; Nutritive Value ; Recommended Dietary Allowances ; Renal Dialysis* ; Seoul

Floating-Harbor syndrome (FHS) is a rare genetic disorder. This report introduced in a patient with FHS. Distinctive facial characteristics, severe skeletal class 3 malocclusion with underdeveloped maxilla and protruded mandible, congenital missing teeth, microdontia and ectopic positions of maxillary teeth were presented in the patient. In his twin sister, mild skeletal class 3 malocclusion with protruded mandible was observed but congenital missing teeth and microdontia were not observed. High-arched palate, narrow V-shaped maxillary arch compared to wide and ovoid mandibular arch and inverse relationship between the maxillary and mandibular intermolar width resulted in posterior crossbite were confirmed by model analysis of the patient. These were not observed in the twins. Behaviorally, poor cooperation during dental treatment because of mental retardation was observed in the patient.

The purpose of this study was to analyze treatment methods, results, timings and clinical signs and symptoms in failed cases of each treatment method of dens evaginatus on the premolar areas. In this study, 151 patients and 417 teeth were included. Resin restoration and direct pulp capping as preventive treatment and pulp revascularization, apexification and conventional endodontic treatment as endodontic treatment were included for treatment methods. In the preventive resin restoration, successful results were shown in the intact tubercles and also effective when the tubercles were fractured. In the direct pulp capping, resolved clinical symptoms and growth of the roots were shown when there was only pain during chewing without apical lesion. Apical lesion was the most common pretreatment signs and symptoms of the pulp revascularization, apexification and conventional endodontic treatment. In the pulp revascularization, successful results was obtained in most cases. But in some cases, root length or root wall thickness was not increased. Effective results were shown both of the apexification and conventional endodontic treatment. In order to increase success rate of preventive treatment of dens evaginatus, resin restoration was required to be done when tubercle did not occluded or in the presence of intact tubercles. When tubercle was fractured, root development stage and pulp condition should be considered for successful treatment.

Objective: Autophagy is highly active in ovariectomized mice experiencing hormone deprivation, especially in the uterine mesenchyme. Autophagy is responsible for the turnover of vasoactive factors in the uterus, which was demonstrated in anti-Müllerian hormone receptor type 2 receptor (Amhr2)-Cre-driven autophagy-related gene 7 (Atg7) knockout (Amhr-Cre/Atg7f/f mice). In that study, we uncovered a striking difference in the amount of sequestosome 1 (SQSTM1) accumulation between virgin mice and breeder mice with the same genotype. Herein, we aimed to determine whether repeated breeding changed the composition of mesenchymal cell populations in the uterine stroma. Methods: All female mice used in this study were of the same genotype. Atg7 was deleted by Amhr2 promoter-driven Cre recombinase in the uterine stroma and myometrium, except for a triangular stromal region on the mesometrial side. Amhr-Cre/Atg7f/f female mice were divided into two groups: virgin mice with no mating history and aged between 11 and 12 months, and breeder mice with at least 6-month breeding cycles with multiple pregnancies and aged around 12 months. The uteri were used for Western blotting and immunofluorescence staining. Results: SQSTM1 accumulation, representing Atg7 deletion and halted autophagy, was much higher in virgin mice than in breeders. Breeders showed reduced accumulation of several vasoconstrictive factors, which are potential autophagy targets, in the uterus, suggesting that the uterine stroma was repopulated with autophagy-intact cells during repeated pregnancies. Conclusion Multiple pregnancies seem to have improved the uterine environment by replacing autophagy-deficient cells with autophagy-intact cells, providing evidence of cell mixing.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Soy isoflavones are expected to improve menopausal symptoms and osteoporosis in women. However, their efficacy is still inconclusive, and there was limited data for postmenopausal women in South Korea. We examined the effects of soy isoflavones on climacteric symptoms, bone biomarkers, and quality of life in Korean postmenopausal women. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A randomized, double-blind study design was used. Eighty-seven participants who had undergone natural menopause were randomly administered either 70 mg/day isoflavones (n = 43) or placebo (n = 41) for 12 weeks. We assessed the Kupperman index for climacteric symptoms and the menopause-specific quality of life (MENQOL) questionnaire for quality of the life. Biomarkers of bone metabolism were also measured in serum bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BALP), osteocalcin (OC), N- and C-terminal cross-linking telopeptides of type I collagen (NTx, CTx), and urine-deoxypyridinolin (u-DPD). RESULTS: Scores of the Kupperman index were decreased in both the isoflavones group (−7.0 ± 15.8, P = 0.0074) and placebo group (−6.3 ± 14.6, P = 0.0064) during the intervention, but no significant difference was noted between the groups. Regarding the bone formation markers, the level of serum BALP increased by 6.3 ± 4.1% (P = 0.004) and OC increased by 9.3 ± 6.2% (P < 0.001), meanwhile those of the placebo were not changed. For the bone resorption markers, NTx, CTx, and u-DPD were not significantly different in either group. MENQOL was significant decreased in the isoflavone group (−0.6 ± 0.5) and placebo group (−0.6 ± 0.4), with a significant difference between groups (P = 0.0228). CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that 70 mg isoflavones supplement has beneficial effects on bone formation markers; however, it showed no benefit compared to the placebo on climacteric symptoms or quality of life.
Alkaline Phosphatase ; Biomarkers* ; Bone Resorption ; Climacteric* ; Collagen Type I ; Double-Blind Method ; Female ; Humans ; Isoflavones* ; Korea ; Menopause ; Metabolism ; Osteocalcin ; Osteogenesis ; Osteoporosis ; Postmenopause ; Quality of Life*

The prevalence of obesity is increasing worldwide and has become a serious epidemic health problem. We developed the 'Change 10 Habits' educational program based on obesity treatment and dietary guidelines and examined its effects on customized nutrition education in mildly obese adults. The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board. Study subjects were excluded if they had several major diseases, if had consumed an anti-obesity drug, or if they practiced an obesity-related program within 30 days. The subjects (n=87, 25< or = BMI<30) were each exposed to the customized nutrition education program with four lessons according to the stage of the transtheoretical model (TTM). The stage-matched program was administered for 12 weeks and was run by a clinical dietitian. Overall, subjects who were in the precontemplation/contemplation stage at baseline made progress in the preparation and action/maintenance stage after 12 weeks (P<0.05). For 'Alcohol is consumed, up to 2 drinks per day', the proportion of subjects who belonged in the action/maintenance stage increased from 34.5% to 49.4% at 12 weeks. In addition, scores of all items significantly increased after the program (P<0.05). 'Chew more than 10 times and eat slowly' score significantly increased from 3.9+/-2.4 to 5.8+/-2.3 (P<0.05). In conclusion, behavioral stage-matched nutrition education using the 'Change 10 Habits' program was effective in improving eating behaviors and enhancing healthy lifestyles in mildly obese adults.
Adult* ; Education* ; Ethics Committees, Research ; Feeding Behavior ; Humans ; Life Style ; Nutrition Policy ; Nutritionists ; Obesity ; Prevalence

Nutritional status of children with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is important since it affects growth and development. This study was to investigate overall diet quality measured by nutrient intake adequacy, nutrient density, and several dietary habits in children with CKD and its relationship with clinical parameters according to glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Assessment of nutritional status and diet quality was conducted in nineteen children with CKD. Average Z-scores of height, weight and body mass index (BMI) in the participants were less than standard growth rate. Nutritional status, such as Z-scores of height (p < 0.05) and serum total protein (p < 0.05), were significantly lower in the children with GFR < 75 mL/min/1.73 m2 compared to those with GFR > or = 75 mL/min/1.73 m2. Nutrition adequacy ratio of energy, thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin B6, folate, iron, and zinc and overall diet quality were significantly poorer in the children with GFR < 75 mL/min/1.73 m2. Poorer appetite and avoidance of food were observed in the children with higher blood urea nitrogen (BUN). Intakes of iron, zinc, thiamin, niacin, and vitamin B6 were positively correlated with GFR. Intakes of calcium, potassium and folate were positively correlated with BUN, while protein intakes were negatively correlated. Overall nutrient intakes were inadequate and diet quality was decreased as kidney function was decreased. Dietary habit and appetite were also related with kidney function in this study subjects. Systemic efforts of nutritional intervention are imperative to prevent deteriorating growth and development and improve the nutritional status in children with CKD.
Appetite ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Body Mass Index ; Calcium ; Child* ; Diet* ; Folic Acid ; Food Habits ; Glomerular Filtration Rate ; Growth and Development ; Humans ; Iron ; Kidney ; Niacin ; Nutritional Status ; Potassium ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic* ; Riboflavin ; Vitamin B 6 ; Zinc