BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Energy production and the rebuilding and repair of muscle tissue by physical activity require folate and vitamin B12 as a cofactor. Thus, this study investigated the effects of regular moderate exercise training and durations of acute aerobic exercise on plasma folate and vitamin B12 concentrations in moderate exercise trained rats. MATERIALS/METHODS: Fifty rats underwent non-exercise training (NT, n = 25) and regular exercise training (ET, n = 25) for 5 weeks. The ET group performed moderate exercise on a treadmill for 30 min/day, 5 days/week. At the end of week 5, each group was subdivided into 4 groups: non-exercise and 3 exercise groups. The non-exercise group (E0) was sacrificed without exercising and the 3 exercise groups were sacrificed immediately after exercising on a treadmill for 0.5 h (E0.5), 1 h (E1), and 2 h (E2). Blood samples were collected and plasma folate and vitamin B12 were analyzed. RESULTS: After exercise training, plasma folate level was significantly lower and vitamin B12 concentration was significantly higher in the ET group compared with the NT group (P < 0.05). No significant associations were observed between plasma folate and vitamin B12 concentrations. In both the NT and ET groups, plasma folate and vitamin B12 were not significantly changed by increasing duration of aerobic exercise. Plasma folate concentration of E0.5 was significantly lower in the ET group compared with that in the NT group. Significantly higher vitamin B12 concentrations were observed in the E0 and E0.5 groups of the ET group compared to those of the NT group. CONCLUSION: Regular moderate exercise training decreased plasma folate and increased plasma vitamin B12 levels. However, no significant changes in plasma folate and vitamin B12 concentrations were observed by increasing duration of acute aerobic exercise.
Animals ; Exercise ; Folic Acid* ; Motor Activity ; Plasma* ; Rats ; Rodentia ; Vitamin B 12* ; Vitamins*

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Physical exercise promotes energy producing pathways requiring thiamin and riboflavin as a coenzyme. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of regular exercise training on urinary excretion of thiamin and riboflavin. MATERIALS/METHODS: Fifty rats were randomly assigned to one of two groups: non-exercise training (NT, n = 25) and regular exercise training (ET, n = 25) for 5 weeks. The rats performed moderate exercise on a treadmill (0.5-0.8 km/hour) for 30 min/day, 5 days/week. Twenty-four hour urine samples were collected at the end of the 0 week, 3rd week, and 5th week of training and thiamin and riboflavin were analyzed. RESULTS: No significant differences in thiamin and riboflavin intakes for each week were observed between the NT and ET groups. Urinary thiamin excretion of each group was the highest at the 5th week compared to the levels at 0 and 3rd week. Urinary thiamin at the 5th week was significantly lower in the ET group than in the NT group. Urinary riboflavin excretion was increased by training duration, however, no difference was observed between NT and ET for each week. At 0 and 3rd week, no significant relationships were observed between dietary intake and urinary excretion of thiamin and riboflavin, however, at the 5th week, urinary excretion was significantly increased by dietary intake only in the NT group (P < 0.05). Thiamin excretion of both NT and ET groups was significantly increased with riboflavin excretion at the 5th week (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Regular moderate exercise training increased urinary excretion of thiamin. Dietary intakes and urinary excretions of thiamin and riboflavin showed positive correlation in both the exercise training and non-exercise training groups as the exercise training period went by, while the correlations in the exercise training group were weaker than those in the non-exercise training group. Therefore, regular exercise training can alter the urinary excretion of thiamin and riboflavin in rats.
Animals ; Exercise ; Rats ; Riboflavin* ; Vitamin B Complex

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is involved in not only cancer development and metastasis but also non-cancerous conditions. Hypoxia is one of the proposed critical factors contributing to formation of chronic rhinosinusitis or nasal polyposis. Wheatgrass (Triticum aestivum) has antioxidant, anti-aging, and anti-inflammatory effects. In this study, we analyzed whether wheatgrass has an inhibitory effect on the EMT process in airway epithelial cells. MATERIALS/METHODS: A549 human lung adenocarcinoma cells were incubated in hypoxic conditions (CO₂ 5%/O₂ 1%) for 24 h in the presence of different concentrations of wheatgrass extract (50, 75, 100, and 150 µg/mL) and changes in expression of epithelial or mesenchymal markers were evaluated by immunoblotting and immunofluorescence. Accordingly, associated EMT-related transcriptional factors, Snail and Smad, were also evaluated. RESULTS: Hypoxia increased expression of N-cadherin and reduced expression of E-cadherin. Mechanistically, E-cadherin levels were recovered during hypoxia by silencing hypoxia inducible factor (HIF)-1α or administering wheatgrass extract. Wheatgrass inhibited the hypoxia-mediated EMT by reducing the expression of phosphorylated Smad3 (pSmad3) and Snail. It suppressed the hypoxia-mediated EMT processes of airway epithelial cells via HIF-1α and the pSmad3 signaling pathway. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that wheatgrass has potential as a therapeutic or supplementary agent for HIF-1-related diseases.
Adenocarcinoma ; Anoxia ; Cadherins ; Epithelial Cells ; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition* ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1 ; Immunoblotting ; Lung ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Sinusitis ; Snails ; Triticum

The editors of Nutrition Research and Practice (NRP) received a letter from a corresponding author who raised concerns regarding this paper. NRP's special committee on research ethics launched an investigation and identified that some of the paper's data is a duplicate of data in another article published by Parmacogn Mag and that these two articles were simultaneously published. The entire article has been retracted from NRP in accordance with NRP policy and editorial decision. This article has been retracted by agreement between the authors and YoonJu Song/Sang-Jin Chung (Editors-in-Chief).

PURPOSE: The objective of our study was to compare preoperative "Monitor Templating" with postoperative results for total hip replacement and to investigate the accuracy of "Monitor Templating" that was carried out by monitoring with picture archiving communication system (PACS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty five patients underwent primary cementless total hip replacements. For setting parameters, we located the 10cm rod placed in the medial thigh on anteroposterior view of both hips and in the anterior thigh on Lowenstein lateral view. We measured implant sizes and the predictive value of corrective change in leg length and horizontal offset, by using radiographs magnified 120% of the anteroposterior views of both hips and Lowenstein lateral view of PACS on 27 inch monitor. We examined the correlation between preoperative monitor templating and the actual implant size, postoperative leg length and horizontal offset difference. RESULTS: The preoperative monitor templating showed a high rate of coincidence with the actual implant size, the postoperative leg length, and the horizontal offset difference. The averages in accurate prediction were 98% in the acetabular cup, 98% in the femoral stem, 97% in the postoperative actual difference of leg length, and 97% in the horizontal offset. With regard to leg length discrepancy, the sick limb was on average 4.7 mm shorter and 0.5 mm longer postoperatively than the contralateral limb. The average ratio of horizontal offset of the sick limb to the contralateral limb was 94.6% preoperatively and increased to 97.8% postoperatively. CONCLUSION: Preoperative "Monitor Templating" using PACS images on 26 inch monitor is an easy and effective method for predicting implant size, correcting leg length discrepancy and restoring horizontal offset.
Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip ; Extremities ; Hip ; Humans ; Leg ; Organothiophosphorus Compounds ; Thigh

OBJECTIVES: Pregnant women in rural areas do not have access to sufficient obstetric services in their own communities due to the shortage of obstetricians. Therefore, most of these women must seek obstetrician outside of their communities. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between obstetric complications and accessibility to local obstetric care in Korea. METHODS: This study was an ecological study in which the unit of analysis was an administrative district. Using Korea National Health Insurance Corporation data, the total number of deliveries and the delivery proportion within and outside of the community from 2001 to 2008 were calculated for 232 administrative districts nationwide. Three outflow levels were categorized based on each district's out-of-community delivery proportion: high outflow (upper one third), moderate outflow (middle one third), and low outflow (lower one third). In addition, three obstetric complication rates (the rate of complications following abortion, ectopic and molar pregnancy, the abortion rate, and the eclampsia rate) were calculated for the 232 districts. One-way ANOVA and multivariate linear regression were used to evaluate obstetric complications among the three outflow levels. RESULTS: The high outflow districts had higher rates of eclampsia and complications following abortion, ectopic, and molar pregnancy compared to the other districts (ANOVA, p<0.05). However, there was no significant difference in the abortion rate among the three groups. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that high outflow districts were statistically significant in the rate of complications following abortion, ectopic and molar pregnancy and eclampsia rate after adjusting for local tax per capita (p<0.01). CONCLUSION: These results indicate that poor access to local obstetric care correlate with poor obstetric outcomes (delayed or excessive bleeding, embolism, genital tract or pelvic infection, shock or other complications following abortion and ectopic or molar pregnancy, or eclampsia).
Abortion, Induced ; Eclampsia ; Embolism ; Female ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hydatidiform Mole ; Korea ; Linear Models ; National Health Programs ; Pelvic Infection ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women ; Shock ; Taxes

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to identify whether stress experienced by those working in the local civil service was related to their oral health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A survey was conducted on 431 civil servants from eight districts, currently working in the Daegu City Hall had COVID-19 related work duties during the pandemic. Results: Several factors associated with oral health related quality of life were explored. Demographic details revealed that men had significantly better oral health related life quality as compared to women; further, being younger, being unmarried, and having a lower position had better outcomes for oral health related quality of life. Regarding the relationship between oral health behavior and oral health related quality of life, it was found that the better the subjective oral health, the higher the rate of not visiting the dentist in the past year. The COVID-19 pandemic has been a particularly important time to explore in order to understand how the stress experienced by local government officials is related to their oral health. It has been especially noted that the higher the work stress, the worse the oral health related quality of life amongst individuals. Conclusions Results of this study emphasize that at a time when fatigue among civil servants is increasing due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, oral conditions caused by stress should be identified and greater awareness should be created about oral health care.

Numerous electronic devices have been introduced into the operating room. Although little is known about the relationship between exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF) and health hazards, some authors reported its association with cancer or other diseases. We measured the amount of EMF exposure that an anesthesiologist gets in the operating room. The density of the magnetic field was checked by an extremely low frequency (ELF) field strength measurement system in the 19 operating rooms of our hospital. We measured the magnetic field intensity at a distance of 30 cm, 50 cm, and at the place where the anesthesiologist usually stands from the center of the main monitor. The average exposure quantities of magnetic fields in 19 operating rooms were 2.22 +/- 1.13 mG at 30 cm, 1.29 +/- 0.84 mG at 50 cm and 1.00 +/- 0.78 mG at the anesthesiologist's standing points respectively. Because quantities over 2 or 3 mG were accepted to be high radiation levels of EMF by many reports describing the hazards of EMF, we set 2 mG to be the cutoff value. In some of the 19 operating rooms, the measured EMF density exceeded our cutoff value. Although the health hazards related to EMF exposure are still equivocal, anesthesiologists should consider making an effort to improve their environment and reduce their exposure to EMF.
*Anesthesiology ; *Electromagnetic Fields ; Human ; *Occupational Exposure ; *Operating Rooms ; *Physicians ; *Radiometry

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Recently many studies have confirmed positive identification of patients with posterior infarction through ST segment elevation in the electrocardiogram of posterior chest leads V7 through V9. However, the ECG patterns from posterior chest leads in normal adults have not been investigated, so this study was designed to examine such patterns. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We studied 100 patients with normal conventional 12-lead ECG, normal physical examination and without any history of cardiovascular disease. Leads V7, V8 and V9 were recorded immediately after routine 12-lead ECG at the same horizontal level as that of V6 on the posterior axillary line (lead V7), the posterior scapular line (lead V8), and the left border of the spine (ead V9). RESULTS: The upright P waves in leads V7, V8 and V9 were 99%, 99% and 95% upright, respectively, while the other P waves were isoelectric and none were inverted. The T waves were all upright in leads V7 and V8, while in lead V9, 98% were upright, 2% were isoelectric and none were inverted. None of the subjects had a Q wave duration greater than 0.04 second in any of the 3 leads. At 0.08 second after the J point, only 2 subjects (2%) showed 0.5 to 1.0 mm ST segment elevation, but ST segment elevation was not greater than 1.0 mm in any of the subjects. CONCLUSION: P wave and T wave inversion were absent in all 3 leads. Q wave duration of greater than 0.04 second was also absent in all 3 leads. ST segment elevation was not greater than 1.0 mm in any of the subjects.
Adult* ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Electrocardiography* ; Humans ; Infarction ; Physical Examination ; Spine ; Thorax*

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is the most common malignancy of the thyroid gland. It involves several molecular mechanisms. The BRAF V600E mutation has been identified as the most common genetic abnormality in PTC. Moreover, it is known to be more prevalent in Korean PTC patients than in patients from other countries. We investigated distinct genetic profiles in Korean PTC through cDNA microarray analysis. METHODS: Transcriptional profiles of five PTC samples and five paired normal thyroid tissue samples were generated using cDNA microarrays. The tumors were genotyped for BRAF mutations. The results of the cDNA microarray gene expression analysis were confirmed by real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry analysis of 35 PTC patients. RESULTS: Four of the five patients whose PTC tissues were subjected to microarray analysis were found to carry the BRAF V600E mutation. Microarrays analysis of the five PTC tissue samples showed the expression of 96 genes to be increased and that of 16 genes decreased. Real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) confirmed increased expression of SLC34A2, TM7SF4, COMP, KLK7, and KCNJ2 and decreased expression of FOXA2, SLC4A4, LYVE-1, and TFCP2L1 in PTC compared with normal tissue. Of these genes, TFCP2L1, LYVE-1, and KLK7 were previously unidentified in PTC microarray analysis. Notably, Foxa2 activity in PTC was reduced, as shown by its cytoplasmic localization, in immunohistochemical analyses. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate both similarities and differences between our results and previous reports. In Korean cases of PTC, Foxa2 activity was reduced with its cytoplasmic accumulation. Further studies are needed to confirm the relationship between FOXA2 and BRAF mutations in Korean cases of PTC.
Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Papillary/*genetics ; Female ; *Gene Expression Profiling ; Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 3-beta/analysis/genetics ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Kallikreins/analysis/genetics ; Korea ; Male ; Middle Aged ; *Mutation ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis/*methods ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf/*genetics ; Thyroid Neoplasms/*genetics ; Vesicular Transport Proteins/analysis/genetics