This study was performed to investigate the ameliorating effects of steamed soybeans (SS) and fermented SS (FSS) on lipid metabolism in high-fat diet-induced obese mice. ICR mice were divided into four groups and given the following different diets: normal diet (ND), high-fat diet (HFD), HFD with 1% SS (HFD + SS), and HFD with 1% FSS (HFD + FSS). After 14 weeks, the body weight gain was higher in the HFD group compared with the ND group but lower in the HFD + FSS group compared with the HFD group. Plasma levels of triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were significantly higher in the HFD group compared to the ND group, but lower in the HFD + SS and HFD + FSS groups compared with the HFD group. In addition, leptin concentration in plasma was lower in the groups fed HFD + SS and HFD + FSS compared with the HFD group. The accumulation of hepatic TG and TC was significantly inhibited in the HFD + SS and HFD + FSS groups. Furthermore, SS and FSS attenuated lipid peroxidation and nitric oxide formation in the liver induced by the high-fat diet. These results suggest that soybeans, especially FSS, may be useful in preventing obesity-induced abnormalities in lipid metabolism.
Alanine Transaminase ; Animals ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; Body Weight ; Cholesterol ; Diet ; Diet, High-Fat ; Leptin ; Lipid Metabolism ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Liver ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR* ; Mice, Obese ; Nitric Oxide ; Obesity ; Oxidative Stress ; Plasma ; Soybeans* ; Steam* ; Triglycerides

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and clinical significance of abnormal values of cardiac markers, high sensitivity CRP (hsCRP) and homocysteine occurring in hemodialysis patients without clinical evidence of acute coronary ischemia. METHODS: We determined the concentrations of cardiac troponin T (cTnT), troponin I (cTnI), creatine kinase MB (CK-MB), myoglobin, hsCRP, homocysteine and other biochemical parameters 35 patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) and 22 healthy controls. All CRF patients were followed in for 3 years. RESULTS: All of the measured parameters except cholesterol were significantly elevated in the patients, comparing with controls (P<0.01). The numbers with elevated values above cutoff levels in CK-MB, cTnT, cTnI and hsCRP did not show any significant differences between the two groups (P>0.05). A good association was present between cTnT and CK-MB, cTnT and myoglobin, myoglobin and creatinine, and BUN and creatinine. Inquiries about underlying diseases of CRF revealed that diabetes mellitus group showed significantly higher cTnT values than in hypertension group or inflammation group. cTnT was elevated above cutoff value in about 17% of patients, while cTnI was in none of them. During one-year follow-up period, 6 patients (18.2%) died and 3 of them had initially elevated cTnT values. Four patients had cardiac events, but none of them had any increase in the values of the cardiac markers. The patients with increased cTnT values above cutoff value (> or =0.1 ng/ mL) showed a significantly higher mortality rate than the patients with cTnT values below the cutoff value in 3-year follow-up (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Mildly elevated cardiac markers, hsCRP and homocysteine are common in CRF patients undergoing hemodialysis. It is recommended that cTnI values be used for diagnosis of ischemic heart disease in CRF patients. The three-year follow-up outcome suggests that cTnT is a potential prognostic marker of mortality in CRF patients.
Cholesterol ; Creatine Kinase ; Creatinine ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Homocysteine ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Inflammation ; Ischemia ; Kidney Failure, Chronic* ; Mortality ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Myoglobin ; Prevalence ; Renal Dialysis* ; Troponin I ; Troponin T*

BACKGROUND: The 'hygiene hypothesis', the apparent inverse relationship between certain childhood infections and the subsequent development of asthma and atopy, has been gaining attention and is currently now considered one of the most plausible explanations for the cause of asthma and atopy currently. OBJECTIVE: We tried to evaluate the relationship between Epstein Barr virus infection in infancy and early childhood with total IgE, the hallmark of atopy. with these results, we observed the changing pattern of total IgE levels according to the ages that EBV infection occured. METHODS: The study population, a total of 75 patients were divided by age: under 2 years of age, under 3 years of age, under 4 years of age and then they were divided into the two groups : EBNA negative and EBNA positive groups. EBNA and IgE were measured by ELISA and CLA respectively. We analyzed the relationships between age, sex, family history, atopic predisposition, total eosinophils, log IgE, and positivity of EBNA stastically. RESULTS: Prevalence of EBNA positivity was 26% in children 1-3 years of age. Among the six variables, log IgE showed statistically significant difference in the two groups under 2 years of age and under 3 years of age. In the group of under 2 years of age, mean log IgE in EBNA positive group was 0.7 IU/mL and EBNA negative group was 1.3 IU/mL, these differences were significant statistically (p<0.05). In the group of under 3 years of age , mean log IgE in EBNA positive group was 0.8 IU/mL and EBNA negative group was 1.5 IU/mL, these differences were statistically significant(p<0.05). CONCLUSION: This study showed that Ebstein Barr virus infection before 3 years of age is associated with lower log IgE. This means that there is a possibility of a negative influence in the prevalence of allergic disease by EBV infection in children before 3 years of age.
Asthma ; Child ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Eosinophils ; Epstein-Barr Virus Infections ; Herpesvirus 4, Human* ; Humans ; Hygiene Hypothesis ; Immunoglobulin E* ; Prevalence

BACKGROUND: Vascular lesions are the major cause of morbidity and mortality in hypertensive patients. However, the pathologic characteristics of gradually evolving, chronic hypertension have not been adequately studied and the mechanism by which hypertension accelerates atherosclerosis is still uncertain. This study was undertaken to invertigate the ultrastructural changes of the aorta and the effect of high cholesterol diet in spontaneously hypertensive rats(SHR). METHODS: Spontaneously hypertensive rats (n=80, male, 5 weeks old) and Wistar rats (n=40, male, 5 week old) were used. Forty SHR were fed with 2% cholestrol diete, while the remainder with control diet. Systolic blood pressure was measured weekly until 16 weeks after birth, and then biweekly until 40 weeks after birth. Transmission and scanning electron microscopy were used to evaluate ultrastrucural changes of the aorta. RESULTS: 1) The blood pressure of SHR rose stedily and progressively from the 5 weeks after birth and reached nearly 190mmHG at the 16 weeks after birth. 2) In SHR, the subendothelial component contained finely granular substances, abundant fibrillar collagen and elastin. Infiltration of the mononuclear blood leukocytes into the intima was frequently seen. 3) Endothelium from cholestrol-fed SHR did exhibit numerous pinocytotic vesicles and contained many cytoplasmic filaments. There were a number of large mononuclear lipid-filled cells in the intimal lesions. Blistering of the endothelial plasma membrane was also observed in high cholesterol diet-fed SHR. Later on, adhesion of platelets, febrin, and white blood cells as well as damage of intima shown as multiple small holes were more marked. 4) There was no significant difference in systoloic blood pressure between high cholesterol diet-fed and control diet-fed SHR. CONCLUSION: In the aorta of SHR, the most prominent change was an expansion of the subendothelial space and infiltration of the mononuclear leukocytes into the intima. The present study showed that the SHR was indeed a reliable model for the essential hypertension. In some SHR, high cholesterol diet could induce more pronounced vascular lesions, which were enhanced by hypertension.
Aorta* ; Atherosclerosis ; Blister ; Blood Pressure ; Cell Membrane ; Cholesterol* ; Cytoskeleton ; Diet* ; Elastin ; Endothelium ; Fibrillar Collagens ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Leukocytes ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Mortality ; Parturition ; Rats, Inbred SHR* ; Rats, Wistar

BACKGROUND: Atherosclerotic plaques in the carotid artery have been considered a potential source of cerebrovas- cular events. Carotid plaques are associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke. We performed this study to evaluate the relationship between atherosclerotic carotid plaques and cardiac function measured by echocardiography in elderly patients with ischemic stroke. METHODS: A total of 415 patients aged >60 yrs with acute ischemic stroke were divided into two groups according to the presence(groups I, n=195, 140 males) or absence(group II, n=220, 112 males) of carotid plaques. We evaluated the asso ciation of the presence of plaques with age, sex, potential vascular risk factors, other carotid images, and cardiac function by echocardiography. RESULTS: Of the 415 patients, carotid plaques were found in 195 cases. Mean plaque size was 2.44+/-0.7mm on the right side and 2.32+/-0.75mm on the left. Plaques were located more frequently in the carotid bulb(68%) than in the common carotid artery(32%). 57% were calcified plaques and 72%, multiple plaques. Group I(with carotid plaques) had a significantly higher percentage of males(73.6%, p<0.001), hypertension(68.5%, p=0.043), diabetes(28.7%, p=0.029), and dyslipidemia(60.1%, p=0.008). In addition, group I had thicker carotid IMT than group II(Right: 0.86 vs. 0.70mm, p<0.001, Left: 0.90 vs. 0.73mm, p<0.001), lower common carotid artery end diastolic flow velocity(Right: 13.37 vs. 15.73m/s, p=0.002, Left: 14.46 vs.17.24m/s, p=0.004), and higher E/E'level(11.57 vs. 9.36, p=0.001). Old age, dyslipidemia, and diastolic dysfunction were independently associated with carotid plaques. CONCLUSION: Our results indicated that old age, male gender, diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia are more com- mon in patients with carotid plaques than in those without. Old age, male gender, dyslipidemia, and diastolic dysfunc- tion are independent risk factors of carotid plaques in elderly patients with ischemic stroke. We further concluded that though left ventricle systolic function is not associated with carotid plaques in elderly patients with ischemic stroke, left ventricle diastolic dysfunction is.
Aged ; Carotid Arteries ; Carotid Artery, Common ; Dyslipidemias ; Echocardiography ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Male ; Plaque, Atherosclerotic ; Risk Factors ; Stroke

Transglutaminase 4 is a member of enzyme family that catalyzes calcium-dependent posttranslational modification of proteins. Although transglutaminase 4 has been shown to have prostate-restricted expression pattern, little is known about the biological function of transglutaminase 4 in human. To gain insight into its role in prostate, we analyzed the expression status of human transglutaminase 4 in benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) and prostate cancer (PCa). Unexpectedly, RT-PCR and nucleotide sequence analysis showed four alternative splicing variants of transglutaminase 4: transglutaminase 4-L, -M (-M1 and -M2) and -S. The difference between transglutaminase 4-M1 and -M2 is attributed to splicing sites, but not nucleotide size. The deduced amino acid sequences showed that transglutaminase 4-L, -M1 and -M2 have correct open reading frames, whereas transglutaminase 4-S has a truncated reading frame. RT-PCR analysis of clinical samples revealed that transglutaminase 4-M and -S were detected in all tested prostate tissue (80 BPH and 48 PCa). Interestingly, transglutaminase 4-L was found in 56% of BPH (45 out of 80) and only in 15% of PCa (7 out of 48). However, transglutaminase 4-L expression did not correlate with serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level, prostate volumes or PSA densities. These results will provide a clue to future investigation aiming at delineating physiological and pathological roles of human transglutaminase 4.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular risk remains increased despite optimal low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level induced by intensive statin therapy. Therefore, recent guidelines recommend non-high density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) as a secondary target for preventing cardiovascular events. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and tolerability of omega-3 fatty acids (OM3-FAs) in combination with atorvastatin compared to atorvastatin alone in patients with mixed dyslipidemia. METHODS: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, and phase III multicenter study included adults with fasting triglyceride (TG) levels ≥200 and <500 mg/dL and LDL-C levels <110 mg/dL. Eligible subjects were randomized to ATOMEGA (OM3-FAs 4,000 mg plus atorvastatin calcium 20 mg) or atorvastatin 20 mg plus placebo groups. The primary efficacy endpoints were the percent changes in TG and non-HDL-C levels from baseline at the end of treatment. RESULTS: After 8 weeks of treatment, the percent changes from baseline in TG (−29.8% vs. 3.6%, P<0.001) and non-HDL-C (−10.1% vs. 4.9%, P<0.001) levels were significantly greater in the ATOMEGA group (n=97) than in the atorvastatin group (n=103). Moreover, the proportion of total subjects reaching TG target of <200 mg/dL in the ATOMEGA group was significantly higher than that in the atorvastatin group (62.9% vs. 22.3%, P<0.001). The incidence of adverse events did not differ between the two groups. CONCLUSION The addition of OM3-FAs to atorvastatin improved TG and non-HDL-C levels to a significant extent compared to atorvastatin alone in subjects with residual hypertriglyceridemia.