Turtle leeches have not been recorded in Korea, although they occur in geographically adjacent countries including China and Japan. This study describes a turtle leech, Ozobranchus jantseanus (Clitellata: Ozobranchidae), found from Reeve’s turtle (Mauremys reevesii) in Korea. Of the 143 Reeve’s turtles collected from the freshwater reservoir in Jinju City, Gyeongsangnam-do, Korea, 95 unidentified leeches were found in 8 (5.6%) individuals. The leeches had 22 somites with 11 pairs of externally exposed branchiae, body-sized posterior suckers, and spines on the dorsal surface. We identified these leeches as Ozobranchus jantseanus Oka, 1912 (Clitellata: Ozobranchidae). This species of turtle leeches found in Korea may fill the gap in the biodiversity of East Asian annulus.

PURPOSE: We aimed to examine if past and more recent body mass index (BMI) changes are associated with eating behavior (EB) traits and whether these associations are due to non-genetic factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 1321 Korean twins and family members, recent and past BMI change groups were defined using quartiles of BMI change between first and second visits over 2.4+/-0.9 years and BMI change between 20 years old and second visit, respectively. We applied linear mixed analysis for relationships of past or recent BMI change groups and each EB (restrained, external, and emotional EB using the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire) assessed at second visit after adjusting for household effect and covariates (age, gender, education, medical history of diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia, alcohol use, physical activity, smoking habit, and calorie intake). In monozygotic twin pairs, paired t-test for within-pair comparison and conditional logistic regression analysis were conducted regarding EB. RESULTS: Greater past BMI change was associated with higher restrained eating scores (P for trend=0.031), whereas greater recent BMI change was associated with higher external eating scores (P for trend=0.046). In co-twin-control analysis, twins with greater past BMI change were more likely to have higher restrained eating scores as compared with their co-twins with lower past BMI change (odds ratio 1.80; 95% confidence interval 1.13-2.87), whereas there were no associations between recent BMI change and external eating scores. CONCLUSION: Greater BMI change since 20 years old is associated with higher dietary restraint, and non-genetic factors explain this relationship.
Adult ; Aged ; Body Composition/physiology ; *Body Mass Index ; Body Weight/physiology ; Feeding Behavior/*physiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Questionnaires ; Twins, Monozygotic

BACKGROUND: We aimed to evaluate the effect of school- based obesity prevention and management program applied to adolescents in a middle school on body mass index (BMI), weight-related attitude, eating behavior and physical activity of adolescents. METHODS: A total of 664 adolescents (14.7+/-0.9 years old) in a middle school located in Busan were study subjects. The obesity prevention and management program was conducted for 6 months, from March to September, 2005. Their weight and height were measured and their weight-related attitude, eating habit and physical activity were assessed using a questionnaire at baseline and after 6 months. Their weight status was classified into under-, normal-, and overweight according to their BMI at baseline. RESULTS: The prevalence of underweight and overweight was 6.2% and 19.3%, respectively. Among the adolescents with overweight, the BMI significantly decreased after 6 months compared to the BMI at baseline (P < 0.05), while the BMI was not significantly changed over 6 months among the under- and normal weight groups. The adolescents were more likely to become highly concerned about obesity-related problems (P=0.002) and actively participating in obesity prevention program (P=0.007) after 6 months compared to those attitude at baseline. The BMI significantly decreased in the adolescents whose eating behavior or physical activity were improved compared to their counterparts (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The 6-months program for obesity prevention and management seemed to reduce BMI in overweight adolescents and raise concern about obesity related problems and promote participation in obesity prevention program in adolescents as a whole. Further long-term intervention studies need to be implemented.
Adolescent ; Body Mass Index ; Eating ; Feeding Behavior ; Humans ; Clinical Trial ; Motor Activity ; Obesity ; Overweight ; Prevalence ; Thinness ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND: We evaluated whether the unilateral spinal anesthesia using a 26-gauge Quincke needle provides more adequate or hemodynamically stable spinal anesthesia than the conventional spinal anesthesia in orthopedic patients. METHODS: Fifty-eight ASA 1 or 2 patients aged from 18 to 65 years undergoing unilateral lower limb surgery were included. All patients were placed in the lateral position with the side to be operated on dependent and received a 8 mg 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine through a 26-gauge Quincke spinal needle for 80 seconds. Local anesthetic was injected with the needle orifice turned toward the dependent side, then the immediate supine position (conventional group, n = 34), or the lateral position (unilateral group, n = 24) was maintained for 15 minutes. Hemodynamic variables, as well as loss of cold, pinprick sensation and motor block on both sides were recorded. RESULTS: All the 23 patients in the unilateral group had adequate spinal anesthesia, whereas 6 out of 34 patients of the conventional group (17.6%) had inadequate to failed spinal anesthesia (P < 0.05). There were significant differences in the degree of motor block on the dependent side of lower extremities between the two groups. Motor block of grade 0 to 1 on the dependent side were 23.5% and 0% in the conventional and unilateral group, respectively (P < 0.05). Unilateral sympathetic or sensory block were not observed in the unilateral group. No differences in blood pressure, heart rate changes were observed between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: The present study does demonstrate clinically relevant advantages of a lateral position for 15 minutes, either in terms of adequacy of spinal anesthesia or differential motor block using a 26-gauge Quincke spinal needle in orthopedic patients.
Anesthesia, Spinal* ; Blood Pressure ; Bupivacaine ; Heart Rate ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Lower Extremity ; Needles* ; Orthopedics ; Sensation ; Supine Position

OBJECTIVE: Pre-pregnancy weight and excess weight gain during pregnancy were associated with obstetric outcomes and plasma leptin was reported to have association with postpartum weight retention. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between pregnancy related factors including plasma leptin and weight gain during pregnancy and postpartum weight retention. METHODS: Seventy-five women were observed through pregnancy and 6 months postpartum. First trimester, third trimester and postpartum leptin were measured by radioimmunoassay. Weight gain categories were based on the Institute of Medicine recommendations. Relationships between pregnancy related factors and leptin were examined. And relationship between leptin and postpartum weight retention was also examined. RESULTS: Among subjects, 44.0% of women had concerns for postpartum weight retention and 18.9% had diet controls for postpartum weight management. Initial BMI categories by IOM classification were underweight, 29 (38.7%), normal, 37 (49.3%), and overweight group, 9 (12.0%). Underweight group was largely below IOM weight gain recommendation and overweight group was largely over IOM weight gain recommendation (P=0.013). First trimester leptin was correlated with pregravid BMI (r=0.678, P=0.000), maternal weight at term (r=0.547, P=0.006) and postpartum BMI (r=0.608, P=0.002), but not correlated with weight gain during pregnancy and postpartum weight retention. Third trimester leptin was not correlated with above variables. Initial BMI categories by IOM were significantly correlated with first trimester leptin, leptin at 5 weeks postpartum, maternal weight at term (0.741, P=0.000), weight at 5 weeks postpartum (r=0.728, P=0.001) and weight at 6 months postpartum (r=0.684, P=0.002). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that first trimester plasma leptin may predict maternal weight at term and initial BMI categories may be a predictor of maternal weight at 5 weeks postpartum and 6 months postpartum. However, weight gain during pregnancy was not correlated with postpartum weight retention.
Classification ; Diet ; Female ; Humans ; Institute of Medicine (U.S.) ; Leptin ; Overweight ; Plasma ; Postpartum Period* ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, First ; Pregnancy Trimester, Third ; Radioimmunoassay ; Thinness ; Weight Gain

BACKGROUND: This study was carried out to determine the usefulness of regional body fat measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) by examining the relationship between regional body fat and metabolic risk factors. METHODS: A total of 98 women aged 18~65 years with central obesity (waist circumference > or =80 cm) took the evaluation for metabolic risk factors (blood pressure, fasting glucose, insulin, high sensitive c-reactive protein (hs-CRP), lipid profile, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR)) and the anthropometric measurement, and regional body fat measurement using DEXA. The relationship of regional body fat with the metabolic risk factors, the metabolic syndrome (MS) defined by the International Diabetes Federation and insulin resistance (IR, defined by HOMA-IR> or =2.48) were assessed. The analyses were conducted using regression and logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: After adjustment for age and total body fat (%), legs fat (%) was significantly and negatively associated with LDL-C, triglyceride, HOMA-IR, and hs-CRP, while positively with HDL-C. The 1% increase of legs fat was associated with the MS by odds ratio of 0.82 (95% C.I 0.71~0.96) and with the IR by odds ratio of 0.80 (95% C.I. 0.67~0.95). Trunk fat (%) was significantly and positively associated with LDL-C, triglycerides, and HOMA-IR. The 1% increase of trunk fat was associated with the MS by odds ratio of 1.32 (95% C.I. 1.03~1.71) and with the IR by odds ratio of 1.33 (95% C.I. 1.01~1.77). The ratio of android fat to gynoid fat was significantly and positively associated with LDL-C, triglycerides, glucose, and HOMA- IR, while negatively with HDL-C. The 0.1 increase of the ratio was associated with the MS by odds ratio of 1.66 (95% C.I. 1.07~2.60). CONCLUSION: The trunk fat, and legs fat, the ratio of android fat to gynoid fat assessed by DEXA seemed to be useful indicators to predict the metabolic risk factors in women with central obesity.
Absorptiometry, Photon ; Adipose Tissue ; Aged ; C-Reactive Protein ; Fasting ; Female ; Glucose ; Homeostasis ; Humans ; Insulin ; Insulin Resistance ; Leg ; Logistic Models ; Obesity, Abdominal ; Odds Ratio ; Risk Factors ; Triglycerides

BACKGROUND: Smoking effects are relatively well-documented, especially on cancers and cardiovascular diseases. However, the direction and magnitude of association between smoking and obesity remain unclear. Conflicting results so far are thought to stem from the multiple confounding structure of smoking and other obesogenic life style characteristics. METHODS: Cotwin control study is a genomic epidemiology design, in which the other twin (=cotwin) serves as a control of the twin. Cotwin control study, discordant for smoking habits can provide powerful evidence of association between smoking and obesity by completely matching genomic information, intrauterine environment, and almost all environmental factors. We selected 3,697 like-sex twin pairs (2,762 male and 935 female pairs) out of 63,666 pairs of adult twins in the existing Korea Twin and Family Register, whose smoking habits are discordant. We used the information of obesity as body mass index (BMI, kg/m2), blood pressure, and blood cholesterol level at the time or later than the smoking information. Paired t-test was done to compare the smoking effects. RESULTS: Lifetime smoking rate was 80.1% (47.9 current smoker) for men and 10% (1.7% current smoker) for women. Among 2,762 and 935 male and female like-sex twin pairs, 363 male pairs and 20 female pairs correspond to the definition of smoker-nonsmoker pair. The male smokers demonstrated increase in BMI by 0.47, while female smokers show slight decrease (by 0.13), which were not statistically significant. Diastolic and systolic blood pressure, and cholesterol level were slightly increased among smokers by 1.85 mmHg,0.62 mmHg, and 1.28 mg/dl for men. For women, the results show increase in diastolic blood pressure (3.42mmHg) and cholesterol level (1.25 mg/dl), and systolic pressure (8.17 mmHg). CONCLUSION: The results refute the possibility that smoking can reduce BMI. Considering the direct adverse effect of smoking, it should be emphasized that smoking do not decrease obesity and thus increase overall metabolic syndrome.
Adult ; Blood Pressure ; Body Mass Index ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cholesterol ; Epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Life Style ; Male ; Obesity ; Risk Factors* ; Smoke* ; Smoking* ; Twins

Bone mineral density (BMD) has been suggested to be associated with atherosclerosis. In the present study, we evaluated the association between lumbar BMD and the segments of carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), a surrogate marker of subclinical atherosclerosis, in Korean adults, with consideration of sex and menopause status. Among 1,679 Korean adults who enrolled in a Healthy Twin Study, 723 men, 690 premenopausal women, and 266 postmenopausal women measured the CIMT at the common carotid artery intima-media thickness (CCA-IMT), carotid bifurcation intima-media thickness (BIF-IMT), internal carotid artery intima-media thickness (ICA-IMT) using B-mode ultrasound and lumbar BMD using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. The composite CIMT was calculated as the mean value of three CIMTs. The association was evaluated using linear mixed models. In premenopausal women, lumbar BMD was positively associated with composite CIMT and with CCA-IMT (P = 0.008 and 0.002, respectively). However, no association was observed between BMD and CIMT in men or in postmenopausal women. Stratified analysis revealed the effect of body mass index (BMI) on the association between BMD and CIME. The positive association in premenopausal women persisted only in low BMI (< 25 kg/m²) group, whereas a positive association appeared at high BMI (≥ 25 kg/m²) group in men. A high lumbar BMD may indicate an elevated risk of subclinical atherosclerosis in premenopausal women and men with high BMI.
Absorptiometry, Photon ; Adult* ; Atherosclerosis ; Biomarkers ; Body Mass Index ; Bone Density* ; Carotid Arteries ; Carotid Artery, Common ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Carotid Intima-Media Thickness* ; Cross-Sectional Studies* ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Menopause ; Osteoporosis ; Twins* ; Ultrasonography