OBJECTIVE: Antidepressants Modulate Neuronal Plasticity. Tianeptine, An Atypical Antidepressant, Might Be Involved In The Restoration Of Neuronal Plasticity; It Primarily Enhances The Synaptic Reuptake Of Serotonin. Ncam140 Is Involved In Neuronal Development Processes, Synaptogenesis And Synaptic Plasticity. We Investigated The Effect Of Tianeptine On The Expression Of Ncam140 And Its Downstream Signaling Molecule In The Human Neuroblastoma Cell Line Sh-sy5y. METHODS: NCAM protein expression was measured in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells that were cultivated in serum-free media and treated with 0, 10, or 20 microM tianeptine for 6, 24, or 72 hours. NCAM140 expression in the tianeptine treatment group was confirmed by Western blot, and quantified through measurement of band intensity by absorbance. CREB and pCREB expression was identified after treatment with 20 microM tianeptine for 6, 24, and 72 hours by Western blot. RESULTS: Compared to cells treated for 6 hours, cells treated with 0 or 10 microM tianeptine for 72 hours showed a significant increase in NCAM140 expression and cells treated with 20 microM tianeptine showed a significant increase after 24 and 72 hours. The pCREB level in cells treated with 20 microM tianeptine increased in time-dependent manner. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicated that the tianeptine antidepressant effect may occur by induction of NCAM140 expression and CREB phosphorylation.
Antidepressive Agents ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Line ; Culture Media, Serum-Free ; Humans ; Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules ; Neuroblastoma ; Neuronal Plasticity ; Neurons ; Phosphorylation ; Plastics ; Serotonin

This study was carried out to investigate the body weight controls and eating disorders of university students in Gunsan. The subject of the present study included 229 male students (53.8%) and 197 female students (46.2%), totalling 426 students from Kunsan University. The subjects consisted of 56 underweight (13.1%), 265 with normal weight (62.2%), and 105 overweight (24.6%). Especially, in females, 20.8% of them were underweight, which is 6.6% higher than males, showing a significant difference (p < 0.001). Regarding body image, 21.8% of the males thought they were fat, while 40.6% of the females thought they were fat. Regarding the perceived body type, shown in the difference between their own size and the ideal size, males recorded 0.03, while females recorded 1.75, showing a major significant difference (p < 0.001). Regarding body satisfaction, 33.2% of the males were unsatisfied, while 52.8% of the females were unsatisfied (p < 0.001). The social expectations of the male subjects' sizes and weights recorded 2.04, while that of females recorded .2.51, showing that people's opinions expected the female subjects' bodies to be thinner (p < 0.001). Additionally, the social expectation of the subjects' weight control recorded an average of 15.22 (13.92 for males, 16.73 for females), showing that the female subjects' felt that people's opinions wished them to lose their weight (p < 0.001). Regarding the recognition on weight control, interested males were 49.4%, while interested females were 86.8%, showing the females superior rate (p < 0.001). The beliefs in relation to weight control recorded an average of 62.01, with the score of females of 67.89 being significantly higher than that of males which was 56.96. The subjects showed a relatively positive response towards weight control (p < 0.001). EAT-26 score was employed to determine the eating attitudes in relation to gender. Here, the final score of males was 15.46, which was significantly lower than that of females, which was 22.21 (p < 0.001). Furthermore, regarding the score of eating attitudes in relation to obesity index, the eating disorder scale scores on the questions related to bulimia and diets to lose weight as weight increases were high. However, the eating disorder scale score on oral control, which actually controls food, was low. To control the expansion of excessive weight control attempts and their side effects, the recognition of the students' body types needs to be corrected, and nutrition education programs on eating habits and eating disorders to foster proper weight loss are deemed necessary.
Body Image ; Body Weight* ; Bulimia ; Diet ; Feeding and Eating Disorders* ; Eating* ; Education ; Female ; Humans ; Jeollabuk-do* ; Male ; Obesity ; Overweight ; Somatotypes ; Thinness ; Weight Loss ; Weights and Measures

We investigated the association between hand grip strength (HGS) and health-related quality of life (HRQOL). A total number of 9,211 participants from the sixth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2014– 2015) were included. HRQOL was measured by EuroQol-5 dimension (EQ-5D) and EQ-5D index score. Participants were classified as normal HRQOL group or impaired HRQOL group according to the EQ-5D responses and the EQ-5D index scores. HGS was measured using Takei dynamometer. Impaired HRQOL group represented lower mean HGS than that of normal HRQOL group. According to the quintile groups of HGS, group with the lowest HGS showed the lowest mean EQ-5D index score in both sexes. And the more HGS increases, the more EQ-5D index score increases also (p-value for trend <0.001). Men and women with lower grip strength were more likely to report ‘some’ or ‘extreme problem’ in EQ-5D domains (except anxiety/depression and pain/discomfort domain in men), and also more likely to belong to the lowest 20% level group in EQ-5D index score according to logistic analyses. Our findings suggest that HGS is associated HRQOL. Low HGS is associated with impaired status of HRQOL by EQ-5D and EQ-5D index score in Korean men and women. More research is needed to evaluate the specific plausibility between HGS and HRQOL.
Adult* ; Female ; Hand Strength* ; Hand* ; Humans ; Male ; Nutrition Surveys ; Quality of Life*

BACKGROUND: Although obesity and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in elderly are well known to be associated with obesity and sitting time, it is unclear whether effect of sedentary lifestyle on HRQOL is affected by body mass index (BMI) or not. So we analyzed the relationship between sitting time and HRQOL according to BMI groups in elderly Korean. METHODS: Participants aged over 60 from the 6th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2014 and 2015) were included. Participants were classified as normal weight and overweight/obese groups. Mean sitting times were compared between groups according to the EuroQol 5 dimension (EQ-5D) And logistic regression analyses were performed. RESULTS: Men with mobility, usual activity, or pain/discomfort domain problem had longer sitting time. Women with a problem in every domain had longer sitting time. Overweight/obese women with problem showed longer sitting time. Odds ratios (ORs) of mobility, usual activity, pain or discomfort, and low EQ-5D score domain were increased regardless of BMI groups in men. But, ORs of all domains were increased only in overweight/obese group in women. CONCLUSIONS: In elderly Korean, prolonged sitting time associated with decreased HRQOL. Impaired HRQOL is associated with increased sitting time regardless of BMI in men. But only overweight/obese group showed association between prolonged sitting time and impaired HRQOL in women. These results represents that decrease in quality of life according to the increase of the sitting time differs according to the BMI in elderly Korean women.
Aged* ; Body Mass Index* ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Nutrition Surveys ; Obesity ; Odds Ratio ; Quality of Life* ; Sedentary Lifestyle

High-resolution imaging techniques have increased the detection rate of adrenal incidentaloma. We developed a method of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for detection of plasma free metanephrine (MN) and normetanephrine (NMN) and evaluated its analytical performance and clinical efficacy in differential diagnosis of adrenal incidentaloma. After solid-phase extraction, chromatographic isolation of the analytes and internal standard was achieved by column elution in the LC-MS/MS system. The analytes were detected in multiple-reaction monitoring mode by using positive electrospray ionization: MN, transition m/z 180.1-->165.1; NMN, m/z 166.1-->134.1. This method was validated for linearity, precision, accuracy, lower limits of quantification and detection, extraction recovery, and the matrix effect. Plasma concentrations of MN and NMN of 14 patients with pheochromocytoma were compared with those of 17 healthy volunteers, 10 patients with essential hypertension, and 60 patients with adrenal adenoma. The assay's linear range was 0.04-50.0 and 0.08-100.0 nmol/L for MN and NMN, respectively. Assay imprecision was 1.86-7.50%. The accuracy ranged from -7.50% to 2.00%, and the mean recovery of MN and NMN was within the range 71.5-95.2%. Our LC-MS/MS method is rapid, accurate, and reliable and useful for differential diagnosis of adrenal incidentaloma.
Adenoma ; Diagnosis, Differential* ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Mass Spectrometry* ; Metanephrine ; Normetanephrine ; Pheochromocytoma ; Plasma*

BACKGROUND: Intra-operative hypothermia adversely affects hemodynamics and post-operative recovery in cardiac surgery patients. This study evaluated the efficacy of active warming during the preanesthetic period on the prevention of intraoperative hypothermia in cardiac surgery patients. METHODS: After gaining the approval of Institutional Review Board and informed consent from the patients, sixty patients undergoing cardiac surgery were divided into control and prewarming group. The control group (n = 30) were managed with warm mattresses and cotton blankets, whereas the prewarming group (n = 30) were actively warmed with a forced-air warming device before anesthesia. Hemodynamic variables and temperature were recorded before anesthesia (Tpre) and at 30 min intervals after anesthesia (T30, T60, and T90). RESULTS: Before anesthesia, skin temperature was significantly higher in the prewarming group than in the control group. At T90, core temperature was significantly higher in the prewarming group than in the control group. Intraoperative hypothermia (core temperature < 35.5oC) developed by T90 in 78% of patients in the control group and 44% of patients in the prewarming group. Moreover, temperatures below 35oC developed in 58% of the conrol group and 17% of the prearming group. CONCLUSIONS: Active warming just before anesthesia reduced the incidence and degree of hypothermia in patients undergoing cardiac surgery, with no delay of anesthesia.
Anesthesia* ; Beds ; Ethics Committees, Research ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Hypothermia* ; Incidence ; Informed Consent ; Skin Temperature ; Thoracic Surgery*

Ambient air monitoring(environmental monitoring) and biological monitoring of mixed organic solvents exposure have been used in exposure assessment of these compounds in the work environment. Environmental monitoring is more useful when assessing low level exposure to these compounds. The specific objectives of this study were to measure air organic solvent levels in the work environment, to test the agreement of items measured in this study with items which have been reported to the administrative agency, and finally to evaluate the appropriateness of environmental monitoring items. The study subjects were 13 small companies in which less than 300 employees were working and presumably exposed to mixed organic solvents(e.g. automotive repair and painting, 6; textile dyeing, 2; printing, 2; electronics, etc, 3). Personal air samplings were performed by the flow-lite sampling pump(MSA) and the 600mg charcoal tube with air velocity of 100ml/min for qualitative analysis and 2l/min for quantitative analysis. Samples were analysed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry(Hewlett-Packard 5890/5970). High levels of toluene, n-hexane, and MIBK were detected in most study companies and low levels of ethylbenzene, xylene, n-butylacetate were also detected. When these measured items were compared with those of reported items, only 6 of 13 companies showed relatively good agreement between them. Two companies failed to report items exceeding the limit value. In conclusion, qualitative analysis of ambient air organic solvents seemed to be as important as quantitative analysis of these compounds and a periodic evaluation of monitoring items reported to the administrative agency should be required.
Charcoal ; Environmental Monitoring* ; Humans ; Mass Spectrometry ; Paint ; Paintings ; Solvents* ; Textiles ; Toluene ; Workplace* ; Xylenes

OBJECTIVES: A positive association between serum albumin levels and metabolic syndrome has been reported in observation studies, but it has not been established in the Korean population. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between serum albumin levels and the presence of metabolic syndrome among a sample of apparently healthy Korean adults. METHODS: This cross-sectional study analyzed data of 3189 community-dwelling people (1189 men and 2000 women) who were aged 40 to 87 years and were living in a rural area in Korea. Serum albumin levels were classified into quartile groups for each sex. Metabolic syndrome was defined according to the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III guidelines with an adjusted waist circumference cut-off value (> or =90 cm for men and > or =85 cm for women). An independent association between serum albumin levels and metabolic syndrome was assessed by multiple logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Higher serum albumin levels were associated with increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome. The odds ratio (95% confidence interval) of the prevalence of metabolic syndrome for the highest versus the lowest serum albumin quartiles was 2.81 (1.91 to 4.14) in men and 1.96 (1.52 to 2.52) in women, after adjusting for age, smoking status, alcohol consumption, and physical activity. When each metabolic abnormality was analyzed separately, higher serum albumin levels were significantly associated with hypertriglyceridemia and hyperglycemia in both sexes, and with abdominal obesity in men. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that higher serum albumin levels are positively associated with an increased risk of metabolic syndrome in Korean adults.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Biological Markers/blood ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Metabolic Syndrome X/*blood/epidemiology ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Risk Assessment/methods ; *Rural Health ; Serum Albumin/*analysis

OBJECTIVES: In this study we evaluated heat generation during the low-speed drilling procedure without irrigation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten artificial bone blocks that were similar to human D1 bone were used in this study. The baseline temperature was 37.0degrees C. We drilled into 5 artificial bone blocks 60 times at the speed of 50 rpm without irrigation. As a control group, we drilled into an additional 5 artificial bone blocks 60 times at the speed of 1,500 rpm with irrigation. The temperature changes during diameter 2 mm drilling were measured using thermocouples. RESULTS: The mean maximum temperatures during drilling were 40.9degrees C in the test group and 39.7degrees C in the control group. Even though a statistically significant difference existed between the two groups, the low-speed drilling did not produce overheating. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that low-speed drilling without irrigation may not lead to overheating during drilling.
Dental Implants ; Hot Temperature* ; Humans

PURPOSE: A low serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] level in the blood has been correlated with an increased risk of diabetes mellitus; however, the association between serum 25(OH)D level and insulin resistance has not been established in a Korean rural population. The aim of this study was to investigate the independent association between serum 25(OH)D level and insulin resistance in rural Korean adults. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study used data from the Korean Genome Epidemiology Study-Kangwha Study. In the 2011 study, 1200 adults completed health examinations. In an ancillary study, serum 25(OH)D level was measured in a subsample (n=813). After excluding those taking vitamin D supplements, a cross-sectional analysis was carried out on 807 participants (324 men and 483 women) aged 40 to 89 years old. Measured from overnight fasting blood samples, glucose and insulin levels were used to calculate the homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). Measures of glucose, insulin, and HOMA-IR were log-transformed for parametric tests. RESULTS: Serum 25(OH)D level was inversely associated with HOMA-IR (beta=-0.003, p=0.039) in a univariate analysis. However, the association was not significant after adjustment for sex and age (beta=-0.002, p=0.123) or after adjustment for sex, age, body mass index, smoking status, alcohol intake, and regular exercise (beta=-0.003, p=0.247). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that vitamin D is not independently associated with insulin resistance in Korean men and women.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Insulin Resistance/*physiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Rural Population ; Vitamin D/*analogs & derivatives/blood ; Vitamin D Deficiency/blood/epidemiology