This study is designed to check whether everyday-life stair climbing, which is a low-cost and readily accessible form of exercise, is effective for reducing overweight of sedentary people in various health indicators. We selected four overweight people and measured body weight, body fat percentage, muscle quantity, pulmonary function, lower-extremity strength and volume of thigh muscle and fat. After 3-week exercise of climbing stairs in more than 5 minutes twice a day, same procedures were taken. Body weight was reduced by 3.35 kg on average (standard deviation [SD], 0.79), and body fat mass by 2.53 kg (SD, 1.36). Lower extremity strength improved about 5%, and slight loss of thigh fat (right 3.2%; left 13.4%) was observed. However, pulmonary function and muscle quantity did not grow significantly. Although only four people may not be representative as targets, but it is suggested that stair climbing has sufficient utility as an easily accessible exercise.
Adipose Tissue ; Body Weight ; Lower Extremity ; Overweight ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Sedentary Lifestyle ; Thigh

OBJECTIVES: The positive effects of nap on cognitive function and memory have been researched intensively among children and adults. However, the relationship between afternoon nap and executive function among sleep deprived late adolescents has not been studied as much. METHODS: Ten sleep deprived, otherwise healthy Korean high school students were recruited, and asked to fill out Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index questionnaire. They were put to nap for 5 min on three days during the first week, then for 10, 20, and 30 min in the same protocol during the consecutive weeks. After a 1-h class, both the students themselves and their corresponding teachers evaluated the participation level of the participants. They were then divided into two groups, and were instructed to play iPad game ‘Free Flow’. One group took a nap while the other group was prohibited from taking a nap. Both groups were instructed to play the game again. This was repeated once every afternoon for three days. RESULTS: The experiment showed that 20-min nap was superior in subjective evaluations to the other nap duration, and the mean game score differences before and after were significantly higher in the nap taking group after the 20-min nap when analyzed using non-parametric statistical method (p-value 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Therefore, 20-min nap is likely to boost planning domain of executive function on sleep deprived late adolescents.
Adolescent* ; Adult ; Child ; Cognition ; Executive Function* ; Humans ; Memory ; Methods ; Sleep Deprivation

The risk of asthma has been increasing in parallel with use of acetaminophen, which is a potential source of oxidative stress. Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) plays a critical role not only in innate immunity, but also in mediating reactive oxygen species induced inflammation. Therefore, we investigated associations between acetaminophen usage and TLR4 polymorphism on asthma and bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR). The number of 2,428 elementary school children in Seoul and Jeongeup cities was recruited. Subjects who used acetaminophen with a family history of asthma had an increased risk of both asthma diagnosis ever and current asthma. Individuals with CT+TT genotypes at the TLR4 polymorphism, in combination with acetaminophen usage, also demonstrated an increased risk of asthma diagnosis ever (aOR, 2.08; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.10-3.92). Family history of asthma and acetaminophen usage were risk factors for BHR. Although TLR4 was not an independent risk factor for BHR, individuals with CT+TT genotypes at the TLR4 polymorphism had an increased risk of BHR when combined with acetaminophen usage (aOR, 1.74; 95% CI, 1.03-2.94). In conclusion, acetaminophen usage may be associated with asthma and BHR in genetically susceptible subjects. This effect may be modified by polymorphism at TLR4.
Acetaminophen/*adverse effects/therapeutic use ; Adolescent ; Asthma/chemically induced/epidemiology/*genetics ; Bronchial Hyperreactivity/chemically induced/epidemiology/*genetics ; Child ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Eosinophils/immunology ; Female ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E/blood/immunology ; Inflammation/immunology ; Male ; Oxidative Stress/drug effects ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Questionnaires ; Reactive Oxygen Species/immunology ; Risk ; Risk Factors ; Toll-Like Receptor 4/*genetics

PURPOSE: Genetic factors and environmental exposures are recognized as important risk factors for atopic dermatitis (AD) in children. Inflammatory responses by molds can be mediated via Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4). The aims of this study were to investigate mold as risk factor of AD and gene-environment interaction on AD in preschool children. METHODS: We undertook a cross-sectional survey with 986 preschool children. We investigated five mold exposure measures (dampness stain, dampness damage, visible mold, mold odor, and house repair). The TLR4 polymorphism (rs1927911) was genotyped by TaqMan assay. RESULTS: The prevalence of AD was as follows: AD diagnosis by questionnaire, 35.1%; current AD (lifetime diagnosis together with symptoms in the last 12 months), 21.5%. When children with parental history of AD were exposed to mold odor during infancy and house repair during the last 12 months, the risk for current AD (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 6.826; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.511 to 18.554 vs. aOR, 6.143; 95% CI, 2.348 to 16.074) was further increased than only with parental history of AD. In children with the CC genotype of TLR4 polymorphism, the risk of AD was increased by mold exposure. CONCLUSION: This investigation identified that mold exposure is potential risk factor for AD in preschool children. Parental history of AD and mold exposure during infancy and the last 12 months had synergistic effect on high prevalence of AD. We identified that mold exposure and TLR4 polymorphism have an effect on the development of atopic dermatitis.
Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Environmental Exposure ; Fungi ; Gene-Environment Interaction ; Genotype ; Humans ; Odds Ratio ; Odors ; Parents ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Toll-Like Receptor 4 ; Toll-Like Receptors ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: The complex interplay between environmental and genetic factors plays an important role in the development of asthma. Several studies have yielded conflicting results regarding the 2 asthma-related risk factors: antibiotic usage during infancy and/or a history of bronchiolitis during early life and the development of asthma. In addition to these risk factors, we also explored the effects of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) polymorphism on the development of childhood asthma. METHODS: This cross-sectional study involved 7,389 middle school students who were from 8 areas of Seoul, Korea, and completed the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questionnaire. The TLR4 polymorphism rs1927911 was genotyped in 1,395 middle school students from two areas using the TaqMan assay. RESULTS: Bronchiolitis in the first 2 years of life, antibiotic exposure during the first year of life, and parental history of asthma were independent risk factors for the development of asthma. When combined, antibiotic use and a history of bronchiolitis increased the risk of asthma (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 4.64, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.09-6.97, P value for interaction=0.02). In subjects with CC genotype of TLR4, antibiotic exposure and a history of bronchiolitis during infancy, the risk of asthma was increased, compared to subjects without these risk factors (aOR: 5.72, 95% CI: 1.74-18.87). CONCLUSIONS: Early-life antibiotic exposures and a history of bronchiolitis are risk factors for asthma in young adolescents. Polymorphisms of TLR4 modified the influence of these environmental factors. Reducing antibiotic exposure and preventing bronchiolitis during infancy may prevent the development of asthma, especially in genetically susceptible subjects.
Adolescent ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Asthma* ; Bronchiolitis* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Genotype ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Korea ; Odds Ratio ; Parents ; Risk Factors ; Seoul ; Toll-Like Receptor 4 ; Surveys and Questionnaires