We investigated the occurrence of color vision loss in 70 organic solvent mixtures exposed workers and in 47 controls. Color Vision was assessed with a color arrangement test designed to identify the defective color sense, the Han Double 15-Hue Test. The results of the test were no significant difference between exposed workers and controls in the proportion of subjects who committed one or two errors. Quantitative analysis, using color confusion index(CCI), showed no signifiant difference between exposed workers and controls. A significant linear correlation was present between age and CCI in both exposed workers(CCi=0.0056age + 0.94; r=0.23; p<0.05) and controls(CCI=0.0066age + 0.86; r=0.33; p<0.05). Qualitative analysis of the patterns on the hue circle showed that the prevalence of acquired dyschromatopsia was 21% in both and no significant difference. Multiple regression analyses showed that age was significantly related to color vision loss. These results did not provide evidence of a relationship between organic solvents exposure and incidence of color vision loss. In field studies for monitor the people at risk of the acquired color vision loss involving low-dose organic solvents exposed workers, both quantitative and qualitative information should be considered.
Color Vision ; Incidence ; Prevalence ; Solvents

Acrodermatitis enteropathica(AE) which starts in early infancy after weaning is a rare hereditary chronic disorder of zinc absorption. AE is characterized by alopecia, diarrhea and skin lesions localized to periorificial areas and acrally on the extremities. However, recent reports presented Transient Symptomatic Zinc Deficiency(TSZD) in preterm infants. TSZD is clinically similar to AE and skin lesions rapidly heals after zinc supplementation. When the treatment was withheld, no recurrence was seen. We experienced a TSZD case in a cow's milk fed, preterm infant, so We report it with a brief review of literature.
Absorption ; Acrodermatitis ; Alopecia ; Diarrhea ; Extremities ; Humans ; Infant* ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature* ; Milk* ; Recurrence ; Skin ; Weaning ; Zinc*

No abstract available.
Arthritis, Juvenile*

The muscle glycogen is an important energy source for muscle contraction especially in prolonged exercise. One of the important factors for improvement of physical performance in athletes is the storage of extra-amount of glycogen (supercompensation) in liver and muscles. During 120 minutes treadmill exercise (intensity of exercise was approximatly 80% VO2max), the glycogen concentration was significantly decreased to 36% in liver and 46% in muscles after 60 minutes exercise. At 90 and 120 minutes of exercise, the level of glycogen concentration of liver and muscles statistically were not different from the levels of the 60 minutes exercise. The repletions of glycogen in the liver and muscles in overnight fasted control(C) and 120 minutes treadmill exercise(E) groups during l80minutes after glucose ingestion were investigatect. ln the liver, the concentration of glycogen in C and E groups were markdly increased till 120 minutes after zlucose ingestion, hut the levels of concentration at 180 minutes were decreased comparing to the levels of 120 minutes in both groups. In the muscles, the repletion of glycogen at 60, 120 and 180 minutes of C and E groups were significantly increased comparing to 0 minute of respective groups in the soleus and plantaris muscles. In soleus(SOL), the repletion of glycogen in all of the E groups was significantly higher than that of the respective C groups. However, the repletion of glycogen in all of the E groups of plantaris was revealed higher tendency comparing to respective C groups. Mean repletion rates of glycogen in liver and muscles after glucose ingestion were highest during the first 60 minutes in all groups and the rates of E groups were 2-3 times than those of respective C groups. These results suggest that the glycogen supercompensation in the muscle be provided with decrement of glycogen concentration by exercise, increment of glucose uptake by muscuiar contraction itself and increased insuJin level, and the activation of glycogen synthetase by insulin.
Animals ; Athletes ; Eating* ; Glucose* ; Glycogen Synthase ; Glycogen* ; Humans ; Insulin ; Liver* ; Muscle Contraction ; Muscles ; Rats*

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, is a chronic inflammatory disorder that significantly diminishes the quality of life of patients.Current pharmacological treatments are often limited by low therapeutic efficacy and severe side effects, restricting their long-term application. This necessitates the development of novel therapeutic strategies. Exosome-based therapies have recently emerged as promising candidates due to the therapeutic potential demonstrated by exosomes derived from mammalian cells and plant sources in IBD management. These exosomes exhibit antiinflammatory effects by downregulating proinflammatory cytokine expression, modulating macrophage polarization, and promoting mucosal regeneration. However, scalability challenges and high production costs hinder the clinical translation of mammalian cell-derived exosomes. In contrast, plant-derived exosomes offer distinct advantages, including cost-effective large-scale production, enhanced stability, and reduced immunogenicity, positioning them as a emerging next-generation therapeutic modality for IBD. However, there are still some hurdles in the standardization of largescale exosome production and the precise elucidation of their therapeutic mechanisms. Future research needs to focus on optimizing exosome manufacturing processes, conducting mechanistic studies, and combinatory approaches to accelerate clinical application.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, is a chronic inflammatory disorder that significantly diminishes the quality of life of patients.Current pharmacological treatments are often limited by low therapeutic efficacy and severe side effects, restricting their long-term application. This necessitates the development of novel therapeutic strategies. Exosome-based therapies have recently emerged as promising candidates due to the therapeutic potential demonstrated by exosomes derived from mammalian cells and plant sources in IBD management. These exosomes exhibit antiinflammatory effects by downregulating proinflammatory cytokine expression, modulating macrophage polarization, and promoting mucosal regeneration. However, scalability challenges and high production costs hinder the clinical translation of mammalian cell-derived exosomes. In contrast, plant-derived exosomes offer distinct advantages, including cost-effective large-scale production, enhanced stability, and reduced immunogenicity, positioning them as a emerging next-generation therapeutic modality for IBD. However, there are still some hurdles in the standardization of largescale exosome production and the precise elucidation of their therapeutic mechanisms. Future research needs to focus on optimizing exosome manufacturing processes, conducting mechanistic studies, and combinatory approaches to accelerate clinical application.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, is a chronic inflammatory disorder that significantly diminishes the quality of life of patients.Current pharmacological treatments are often limited by low therapeutic efficacy and severe side effects, restricting their long-term application. This necessitates the development of novel therapeutic strategies. Exosome-based therapies have recently emerged as promising candidates due to the therapeutic potential demonstrated by exosomes derived from mammalian cells and plant sources in IBD management. These exosomes exhibit antiinflammatory effects by downregulating proinflammatory cytokine expression, modulating macrophage polarization, and promoting mucosal regeneration. However, scalability challenges and high production costs hinder the clinical translation of mammalian cell-derived exosomes. In contrast, plant-derived exosomes offer distinct advantages, including cost-effective large-scale production, enhanced stability, and reduced immunogenicity, positioning them as a emerging next-generation therapeutic modality for IBD. However, there are still some hurdles in the standardization of largescale exosome production and the precise elucidation of their therapeutic mechanisms. Future research needs to focus on optimizing exosome manufacturing processes, conducting mechanistic studies, and combinatory approaches to accelerate clinical application.

OBJECTIVES: Changes in lung function are frequently used as biological markers to assess the health effects of criteria air pollutants. We tried to formulate the prediction models of pulmonary functions based on height, weight, age and gender, especially for children aged 12 years who are commonly selected for the study of health effects of the air pollution. METHODS: The target pulmonary function parameters were forced vital capacity(FVC) and forced expiratory volume in one second(FEV1). Two hundreds and fifity-eight male and 301 female 12-year old children were included in the analysis after excluding unsatisfactory tests to the criteria recommended by American Thoracic Sosiety and excluding more or less than 20% predicted value by previous prediction equations. The weight prediction equation using height as a independent variable was calculated, and then the difference of observed weight and predicted weight (i.e. residual) was used as the independent variable of pulmonary function prediction equations with height. RESULTS: The prediction equations of FVC and FEV1 for male are FVC(ml) = 50.84 x height(cm) + 7.06 x weight residual - 4838.86, FEV1(ml) = 43.57 x height(cm) + 3.16 x weight residual - 4156.66, respectively. The prediction equations of FVC and FEV1 for female are FVC(ml) = 42.57 x height(cm) + 12.50 x weight residual - 3862.39, FEV1(ml) = 36.29 x height(cm) + 7.74 x weight residual - 3200.94, respectively.
Air Pollutants ; Air Pollution ; Biomarkers ; Child* ; Female ; Forced Expiratory Volume ; Humans ; Lung ; Male

PURPOSE: TRAM flap surgery has settled down as a common method for breast reconstruction after mastectomy. We investigated how TRAM flap surgery influences on the patients' physical movement capability by observing their capability of sit-ups as well as exercises they usually enjoy. METHODS: A total of consecutive 375 patients were investigated who had breast reconstruction with unilateral pedicled TRAM flap surgery at Asan Medical Center from July 2001 to August 2005. The patients were asked to sit up right before the surgery and do it again 6 months later and 1 year later. 221 patients were followed up 6 month after the surgery. And 132 patients were followed up 1 year after the surgery. In addition, 155 patients who used to exercise before the surgery were also asked to show us the change in their physical movement capability one year after their surgery. RESULTS: 139 patients showed decrease in the counted number of sit-ups, 48 increase, and 34 showed no change between 6 months in the first group of 221 patients. Among the second group of 132 patients, 64 showed decrease, 39 increase, and 29 no change a year later. There was a statistical significant decrease in the number of sit-ups between pre-operation and six months later and between pre-operation and one year later. According to the research on the exercise that 155 patients participated, 3 of them showed improvement in athletic ability, 7 showed decrease, while the rest, 145 patients, showed no change at all. CONCLUSION: Considering no difference in usual exercise ability, some patients' increase in the number of sit-ups and the effect of anticancer treatment, we found that the loss of abdominal wall function on this research is not too serious to exclude TRAM flap surgery in the field of breast reconstruction
Abdominal Wall* ; Breast* ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Exercise ; Female ; Humans ; Mammaplasty* ; Mastectomy ; Prospective Studies* ; Sports

The present study was aimed at investigating the role of type II 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (IIbeta- HSD II) in the development of hypertension. Two-kidney, one-clip (2K1C), deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)/salt, or NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) hypertension was induced in male Sprague- Dawley rats. Four weeks later, the expression of 11beta-HSD II mRNA was determined in the kidney by Northern blot analysis. The plasma level of aldosterone was measured by radioimmunoassay. In 2K1C hypertension, the expression of 11beta-HSD II was decreased in the clipped kidney and increased in the non-clipped kidney. The expression was increased in the remnant kidney of DOCA/salt hypertension, while decreased in the kidneys of L-NAME hypertension. The plasma level of aldosterone was increased, decreased, and remained unchanged in 2K1C, DOCA/salt, and L-NAME hypertension, respectively. The down-regulation of 11beta-HSD II may contribute to the sodium retention, thereby increasing the blood pressure in 2K1C and L-NAME hypertension. On the contrary, the up-regulation in DOCA/salt hypertension may play a compensatory role to dissipate the sodium retention.
11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases* ; Aldosterone ; Animals ; Blood Pressure ; Blotting, Northern ; Desoxycorticosterone ; Down-Regulation ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Kidney* ; Male ; NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester ; Plasma ; Radioimmunoassay ; Rats* ; RNA, Messenger ; Sodium ; Up-Regulation