PURPOSE: This study was to examine the effects of foot reflexology on pain and depression of middle-aged women with Osteoarthritis. METHOD: The subjects were 41 osteoarthritis patients resided in the Jinju city from March to May, 2005. The foot reflexology was applied to the experimental group 3 times a week for 4 weeks, 30 minutes eachs. For the data analysis, chi-square-test was conducted to verify the homogeneity of general characteristics, and t-test was done to verify the homogeneity of pain and depression. To examine the relative efficacy of the intervention, t-test, paired t-test and repeated measures ANOVA were conducted. RESULTS: After foot reflexology, the subjects in experimental group showed significant improvement in pain (F=155.77, p=.000) and depression (F=20.00, p=.000). CONCLUSION: The results suggest that the foot reflexology is effective in relieving of pain and depression. Therefore, it is necessary to develop foot reflexology as an independent nursing intervention.
Depression* ; Female ; Foot* ; Gyeongsangnam-do ; Humans ; Massage* ; Nursing ; Osteoarthritis* ; Statistics as Topic

Fungal contamination of built-in furniture is a frequent problem in Korea when new apartment is built. However, domestic information on the contaminating fungi is very limited. This study was conducted to isolate, identify and characterize the fungi of the problem in one of the apartment houses where the fungi were claimed in the built-in furniture before the house owner moves in. Fungi present in the furniture installed in a main room, dress room, and kitchen side were visually and microscopically confirmed and purely isolated on PDA. The isolated fungi were identified by analyzing the morphological characteristics and nucleotide sequence of the ITS, calmodulin gene, and TEF-1α gene. Aspergillus creber, A. niger, A. pseudoglacus, A. ruber, Cladosporium perangustum and Penicillium commune were identified. Four out of the six fungal species were positive for at least one enzyme in six kinds of extracellular enzyme assays. When these four species (A. creber, A. niger, C. perangustum and P. commune) were inoculated onto four kinds of wood chips of furniture materials, they were able to colonize all of the wood chips. Their settlement was better at 95% humidity condition than at 30% humidity condition. Among the four species, C. perangustum caused the darkest discoloration and secreted the most number of extracellular enzymes. The four species were re-isolated from the colonized wood chips and confirmed as the problematic fungi in the built-in furniture.

BACKGROUND: Hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV) is unique to pulmonary circulation. Recent hypotheses have emerged indicating that O2 levels per se can regulate ion channel activity. The modulation of both cation channels differs according to the conduit or resistance pulmonary vessel type. However, it is not yet studied that the cation channel blocker has the same effect in an animal experimental model, which can exclude several factors that may influence on HPV. The purpose of the present study was, therefore, to determine the effect of nonspecific cation blocker, Gadolinium, on HPV in a rabbit model of isolated lung perfusion. METHODS: In adult white rabbits (n = 6), lungs were isolated and perfused with the constant pulmonary perfusate flow. Acid-base status and electrolytes of perfusate also constantly maintained. Thirty minutes after, baseline hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV) was measured as the difference of pulmonary artery pressure between a period of 21% normoxic gas inhalation and that of 3% hypoxic gas inhalation. After another thirty minutes, Gadolinium 50microgram were mixed to the perfusate, and then HPV were measured three times. After then Gadolinium 100, 200, 400microgram were mixed to the perfusate and HPV were measured. RESULTS: Gadolinium decreased the HPV response according to the dose. The ED50 of the response was 143microgram/100 ml. CONCLUSIONS: The regulation of HPV is based on the cation channel in the isolated rabbit lung.
Adult ; Animal Experimentation ; Electrolytes ; Gadolinium* ; Humans ; Inhalation ; Ion Channels ; Lung* ; Perfusion ; Pulmonary Artery ; Pulmonary Circulation ; Rabbits ; Vasoconstriction*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine trends in dietary vitamin E intakes and contributing food groups among Korean adults. METHODS: This study included 66,695 subjects aged ≥ 19 years who completed a nutrition survey as part of the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1998, 2001, 2005, 2007~2009, 2010~2012, 2013~2015). We estimated individual daily intakes of α-, β-, γ-, δ-tocopherol, and total vitamin E by linking food consumption data with a vitamin E database of commonly consumed foods. RESULTS: Daily vitamin E intake significantly increased from 6.4 mg α-TE/d in 1998 to 7.7 mg α-TE/d in 2013~2015 (p for trend < 0.0001) among men as well as from 5.4 mg α-TE/d in 1998 to 6.5 mg α-TE/d in 2013~2015 among women (p for trend < 0.0001). However, the intake of vitamin E was lower than the adequate intake (AI) of Dietary Reference Intakes for Koreans 2015 (2015 KDRI). In 2013~2015, men consumed 6.5 mg/d of α-tocopherol, 0.5 mg/d of β-tocopherol, 6.0 mg/d of γ-tocopherol, and 3.9 mg/d of δ-tocopherol, whereas women consumed 5.7 mg/d of α-tocopherol, 0.4 mg/d of β-tocopherol, 4.8 mg/d of γ-tocopherol, and 2.8 mg/d of δ-tocopherol. The major food groups contributing to vitamin E intake were vegetables (men: 23.3%, women: 22.7%), grains (men: 14.5%, women: 13.9%), and eggs (men: 13.0%, women: 12.5%). CONCLUSION: This study provides scientific evidence for vitamin E intake in Korean adults. Since the current intake of vitamin E was lower than the reference intakes set by 2015 KDRI, dietary vitamin E intake should be monitored regularly among Korean adults.
Adult* ; Eggs ; Female ; Humans ; Korea* ; Male ; Nutrition Surveys* ; Ovum ; Recommended Dietary Allowances ; Tocopherols ; Vegetables ; Vitamin E* ; Vitamins*

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Hyper-responsiveness to nonspecific stimuli is a characteristic finding of all allergic diseases. It is probably due to eosinophil infiltration, release of cytotoxic proteins, and epithelial damage in the airway mucosa. However, the whole mechanism has not been clearly established. We aimed to understand the role of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression in nasal hyper-responsiveness of rhinosinusitis. MATERIALS AND METHOD: 1) To develop a platelet activating factor (PAF)-induced rhinosinusitis rat model, 50 micro liter of 16 micro gram/ml PAF was applied into the nose of rats. At days 1, 3 and 5, the rats were killed. 2) To demonstrate the hyper-responsiveness to topically applied capsaicin, 30 micro liter of 10 micro M capsaicin was applied intranasally and the amount of microvascular leakage in the nasal mucosa was measured with Evans blue assay at days 1, 3 and 5 in the rhinosinusitis model and the control rats. 3) To examine the effect of iNOS, 75 mg/kg of aminoguanidine was pretreated systemically 1 hour before the application of capsaicin. 4) To localize the expression of iNOS, immunohistochemical staining was performed using the avidin-biotin-peroxidase method with an anti-iNOS antibody. RESULTS: Induction of rhinosinusitis by application of PAF was confirmed with histology. A significant infiltration of eosinophils and loss of the epithelium, varied according to the time interval, were observed. A significant enhancement of microvascular leakage was clearly demonstrated by topically applied capsaicin, which was completely blocked by aminoguanidine, the iNOS inhibitor in the PAF-induced rhinosinusitis. The expression of iNOS was localized in the inflammatory cells infiltrated in the mucosa. CONCLUSION: The expression of iNOS in the inflammatory cells as well as epithelial damage related to eosinophil infiltration may cause nasal hyper-responsiveness.
Animals ; Capsaicin ; Eosinophils ; Epithelium ; Evans Blue ; Models, Animal* ; Mucous Membrane ; Nasal Mucosa ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II* ; Nose ; Platelet Activating Factor ; Rats* ; Sinusitis

PURPOSE: We tried to select and validate the candidate gene for the prognostic marker of breast cancer by comparing the analysis of copy number variation (CNV) between normal breast tissues and breast cancer tissues by performing array comparative genomic hybridization (CGH). METHODS: Array CGH was performed with using the fresh frozen tissues of 77 breast cancer patients. We selected the clones with more than a 20% frequency of gain or loss, and the clones with gain or loss in more than 2 consecutive clones. We finally selected the clones that were statistically significant on the survival analysis. We searched for the candidate gene that belonged to the candidate clones and we selected the final candidate gene that is assumed to be most related to the carcinogenesis of breast cancer by searching for information of the individual gene. We performed RT-PCR to validate the RNA expression of the final candidate gene with using the breast tissues of another 20 breast cancer patients. RESULTS: Eleven (10 in the gain group and 1 in the loss group) clones were finally selected as candidate clones. The significant CNVs with gain were found in the regions of 1q23.1, 1q41, 1q44, 5p15.33, 8q21.3, 15q26.3, 17q12 and 21q22.3 and the significant CNV with loss was found in 14q32.33. COL18A1 (21q22.3) was selected as the final candidate gene and the RT-PCR results revealed that the expression of COL18A1 was up-regulated in the cancer tissues of 18 of the other 20 (90%) breast cancer patients. CONCLUSION: We selected COL18A1 (21q22.3) as the candidate gene for the prognostic marker of breast cancer by comparing the analysis of CNVs from the array CGH. The RNA of COL18A1 was over-expressed in breast cancer tissue, as determined by RT-PCR.
Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Clone Cells ; Coat Protein Complex I ; Collagen Type XVIII ; Comparative Genomic Hybridization ; DNA ; DNA Copy Number Variations ; Gene Amplification ; Humans ; Microarray Analysis ; RNA

PURPOSE: We tried to select and validate the candidate gene for the prognostic marker of breast cancer by comparing the analysis of copy number variation (CNV) between normal breast tissues and breast cancer tissues by performing array comparative genomic hybridization (CGH). METHODS: Array CGH was performed with using the fresh frozen tissues of 77 breast cancer patients. We selected the clones with more than a 20% frequency of gain or loss, and the clones with gain or loss in more than 2 consecutive clones. We finally selected the clones that were statistically significant on the survival analysis. We searched for the candidate gene that belonged to the candidate clones and we selected the final candidate gene that is assumed to be most related to the carcinogenesis of breast cancer by searching for information of the individual gene. We performed RT-PCR to validate the RNA expression of the final candidate gene with using the breast tissues of another 20 breast cancer patients. RESULTS: Eleven (10 in the gain group and 1 in the loss group) clones were finally selected as candidate clones. The significant CNVs with gain were found in the regions of 1q23.1, 1q41, 1q44, 5p15.33, 8q21.3, 15q26.3, 17q12 and 21q22.3 and the significant CNV with loss was found in 14q32.33. COL18A1 (21q22.3) was selected as the final candidate gene and the RT-PCR results revealed that the expression of COL18A1 was up-regulated in the cancer tissues of 18 of the other 20 (90%) breast cancer patients. CONCLUSION: We selected COL18A1 (21q22.3) as the candidate gene for the prognostic marker of breast cancer by comparing the analysis of CNVs from the array CGH. The RNA of COL18A1 was over-expressed in breast cancer tissue, as determined by RT-PCR.
Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Clone Cells ; Coat Protein Complex I ; Collagen Type XVIII ; Comparative Genomic Hybridization ; DNA ; DNA Copy Number Variations ; Gene Amplification ; Humans ; Microarray Analysis ; RNA

No abstract available.
Occupational Diseases*

Background/Aims: This study aimed to investigate whether urinary angiotensinogen (UAGT) excretion was associated with elevated blood pressure in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and to evaluate the relationship among blood pressure, intra-renal renin-angiotensin system (RAS) activity, and dietary sodium in patients with CKD. Methods: Participants from the Korean Cohort Study for Outcome in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease (KNOW-CKD) were included. Of the total cohort of 2,238 individuals with CKD, we included 1,955 participants who underwent complete 24-hour urinary sodium (24-hour UNa) analysis. They were categorized into three groups according to three tertiles of their 24-hour UNa, reflecting daily salt intake. To measure intra-renal RAS activity, the UAGT excretion was assayed with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: Elevated 24-hour UNa levels, logarithm of UAGT-to-creatinine ratio (UAGT/Cr), increased waist-to-hip ratio, and decreased estimated glomerular filtration rate were the risk factors for increased systolic blood pressure. Systolic blood pressure showed a positive correlation with 24-hour UNa levels and logarithm of UAGT/Cr. Conclusions UAGT and urinary sodium excretion are independent determinants of systolic blood pressure in patients with CKD. These findings suggest that increased systolic blood pressure in CKD patients is associated with both increased dietary sodium levels and intra-renal RAS activity. The risk of elevated systolic blood pressure in the 3rd tertile of both the UAGT/Cr and 24-hour UNa groups was about 2.3 times higher than that in the reference group.

Background/Aims: This study aimed to investigate whether urinary angiotensinogen (UAGT) excretion was associated with elevated blood pressure in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and to evaluate the relationship among blood pressure, intra-renal renin-angiotensin system (RAS) activity, and dietary sodium in patients with CKD. Methods: Participants from the Korean Cohort Study for Outcome in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease (KNOW-CKD) were included. Of the total cohort of 2,238 individuals with CKD, we included 1,955 participants who underwent complete 24-hour urinary sodium (24-hour UNa) analysis. They were categorized into three groups according to three tertiles of their 24-hour UNa, reflecting daily salt intake. To measure intra-renal RAS activity, the UAGT excretion was assayed with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: Elevated 24-hour UNa levels, logarithm of UAGT-to-creatinine ratio (UAGT/Cr), increased waist-to-hip ratio, and decreased estimated glomerular filtration rate were the risk factors for increased systolic blood pressure. Systolic blood pressure showed a positive correlation with 24-hour UNa levels and logarithm of UAGT/Cr. Conclusions UAGT and urinary sodium excretion are independent determinants of systolic blood pressure in patients with CKD. These findings suggest that increased systolic blood pressure in CKD patients is associated with both increased dietary sodium levels and intra-renal RAS activity. The risk of elevated systolic blood pressure in the 3rd tertile of both the UAGT/Cr and 24-hour UNa groups was about 2.3 times higher than that in the reference group.