No abstract available.
Female ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Ectopic*

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The measurement of body composition, including muscle and fat mass, remains challenging in large epidemiological studies due to time constraint and cost when using accurate modalities. Therefore, this study aimed to develop and validate prediction equations according to sex to measure lean body mass (LBM), appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM), and body fat mass (BFM) using anthropometric measurement, serum creatinine level, and lifestyle factors as independent variables and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry as the reference method. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A sample of the Korean general adult population (men:7,599; women:10,009) from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2008–2011 was included in this study. The participants were divided into the derivation and validation groups via a random number generator (with a ratio of 70:30). The prediction equations were developed using a series of multivariable linear regressions and validated using the Bland– Altman plot and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). RESULTS: The initial and practical equations that included age, height, weight, and waist circumference had a different predictive ability for LBM (men: R2 = 0.85, standard error of estimate [SEE] = 2.7 kg; women: R2 = 0.78, SEE = 2.2 kg), ASM (men: R2= 0.81, SEE = 1.6 kg; women: R2 = 0.71, SEE = 1.2 kg), and BFM (men: R2 = 0.74, SEE = 2.7 kg; women: R2 = 0.83, SEE = 2.2 kg) according to sex. Compared with the first prediction equation, the addition of other factors, including serum creatinine level, physical activity, smoking status, and alcohol use, resulted in an R2 that is higher by 0.01 and SEE that is lower by 0.1. CONCLUSIONS All equations had low bias, moderate agreement based on the Bland–Altman plot, and high ICC, and this result showed that these equations can be further applied to other epidemiologic studies.

No abstract available.
Meningioma* ; Radiosurgery*

BACKGROUND: Recently, in our ageing society, the change in dietary pattern and increase in obesity have caused the metabolic syndrome to increase in Korea. Because of the association of the risk of cardiovascular diseases, the metabolic syndrome must be prevented and well managed. We examined the association between the metabolic syndrome and the serum testosterone and DHEA-S concentration. METHODS: The subject of this study included 231 men aged more than 40 years old who visited the health promotion center of a university hospital from March 2004 to March 2006. We excluded the subjects who were currently on medications except for antihypertensive and hypoglycemic agents. We defined the metabolic syndrome according to the ATP III with Asia-Pacific waist circumference. To examine the association between the metabolic syndrome and the serum testosterone concentration, we used the method of multiple logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The prevalence of the metabolic syndrome in our subjects was 32.9%. Decreased serum testosterone concentration was significantly associated with large waist circumference and high fasting blood sugar. Men with testosterone values in the upper tertile had a significantly lower risk of metabolic syndrome (OR=0.34, P=0.018). CONCLUSION: After statistical adjustment for age, smoking, income, exercise, alcohol intake, and body mass index, the serum testosterone concentration was negatively associated with the metabolic syndrome.
Adenosine Triphosphate ; Adult ; Blood Glucose ; Body Mass Index ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Fasting ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Obesity ; Prevalence ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Testosterone* ; Waist Circumference

BACKGROUND: The opportunistic imperfect fungus Candida albicans causing life-threatening infections in immunocompromised patients is recognized to be one of important nosocomial pathogens. Recently, an outbreak of septicemia caused by C. albicans was occured in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of Chungbuk university hospital. To investigate the molecular epidemiology of these infections, we analyzed genotypes of C. albicans isolates from NICU and non-NICU. METHODS: Fourteen isolates of C. albicans were used for intraspecies genotyping, which were composed of 9 isolates from NICU and 5 isolates from non-NICU from January to April 1998. Each three isolates of C. albicans, C. parapsilosis and C. tropicalis were used for interspecies genotyping. The genotyping were analyzed by RAPD with four random primers. RESULTS: The genotypes of C. albicans isolates from immature neonates in NICU were identical with those from medical persons in NICU but different with those from patients in non-NICU. Interspecies RAPD profiles were more distinctive than intraspecies RAPD profiles. The reproducibility of RAPD showed good result. CONCLUSION: These results show that C. albicans isolated from NICU disclose the same RAPD genotype, which suggests the clonal origin, and RAPD can be the useful method for the epidemiological study of nosocomial infection caused by C.albicans.
Candida albicans* ; Candida* ; Chungcheongbuk-do ; Cross Infection ; DNA* ; Epidemiologic Studies* ; Fungi ; Genotype ; Humans ; Immunocompromised Host ; Infant, Newborn ; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal* ; Intensive Care, Neonatal* ; Molecular Epidemiology ; Sepsis*

The systematic study of products from bacteria and fungi has led to the development of two immunosuppressive drugs, cyclosporin A and FK 506 (tacrolimus) which are useful to suppress adaptive immune responses to the grafted tissue. However, they affect all immune responses indiscriminately and are both toxic to kidneys and other organs. To facilitate the development of immunosuppressor to block the T cell receptor (TcR)-mediated signaling cascade specifically, a novel Jurkat T cell transfectants, JK NFAT-SEAP were generated in which the expression of the secreted alkaline phosphatase (SEAP) is driven by the multiple NFAT binding sites plus minimal IL-2 promoter. Upon stimulation with ionomycin or anti-TcR mAb OKT3 in the presence of PMA, these transfectants secreted high level of SEAP into the medium, which was conveniently analyzed by SEAP analysis. The secretion of SEAP was effectively inhibited by cyclosporin A or FK 506 at the concentration of [10 ' ug/ml], [10 ug/ml] respectively. JK NFAT-SEAP transfectants will provide two major advantages for the development of a novel immunosuppressor. First, analysis of SEAP secreted into the culture medium by SEAP analysis enables us to test a large number of samples within a short period of time. Second, Usage of IL-2 promoter for the expression of SEAP makes us identify bioproducts to target specifically on TcR-mediated signaling pathway.
Alkaline Phosphatase ; Bacteria ; Binding Sites ; Cell Line* ; Cyclosporine ; Fungi ; Interleukin-2 ; Ionomycin ; Kidney ; Mass Screening* ; Muromonab-CD3 ; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell ; T-Lymphocytes* ; Tacrolimus ; Transplants

No abstract available.
Vulva*

Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) is an intraovarian cytokine that may play a role in ovarian development and function. Identification of ovarian TNFalpha receptors provides support for establishing a role of TNFalpha in ovarian development and function. TNFalpha exerts its effects by binding to either TNF receptor 1 or 2 (TNFR1 or TNFR2). When TNFalpha binds with TNFR2, expression of survival genes is up-regulated, resulting in proliferation of granulosa cells. In the present study, the authors identified the changes in localization of TNFalpha and the expression of TNFR2 in granulosa cells during follicular atresia in rat ovaries. In healthy follicles, intense signals for TNFalpha and TNFR2 were found in the outer surface of the granulosa layer, where many proliferating cells and no apoptotic cells were observed. In atretic follicles, decreased expression of TNFalpha and TNFR2 was observed in the granulosa layer, where many apoptotic cells were seen. These findings suggested that TNFalpha acts as a survival factor in granulosa cells during follicular atresia in rat ovaries.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Female ; Follicular Atresia ; Granulosa Cells ; Immunohistochemistry* ; Ovarian Follicle ; Ovary ; Rats* ; Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor ; Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type II* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha*

BACKGROUND: Myroides species are widely distributed in nature, but clinical infection by these organisms are extremely rare. We report herein prolonged outbreak of urinary tract infection by Myroides species. METHODS: Forty-four Myroides spp. were isolated from urine samples from 25 patients over a period of nine months, and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) method was performed to characterize the genotype of these isolates. RESULTS: All of the subjects were hospitalized patients with indwelling urinary catheter. Five of the patients showed concomitant pyuria, which could be considered as evidence of urinary tract infection, and isolation of these organisms in the remainder of the patients could be considered as simple colonization. All the isolates were resistant to antimicrobial agents tested. RAPD analysis showed identical DNA fingerprinting patterns in all the isolates. CONCLUSION: This study revealed that all the Myroides spp. isolated from urinary specimens of prolonged outbreak were genotypically the same. Because of its resistance to multiple antimicrobial agents, prevention of dissemination of this strain is clinically important.
Anti-Infective Agents ; Colon ; DNA ; DNA Fingerprinting ; Epidemiologic Studies* ; Genotype ; Humans ; Pyuria ; Urinary Catheters ; Urinary Tract Infections* ; Urinary Tract*

BACKGROUND: Myroides species are widely distributed in nature, but clinical infection by these organisms are extremely rare. We report herein prolonged outbreak of urinary tract infection by Myroides species. METHODS: Forty-four Myroides spp. were isolated from urine samples from 25 patients over a period of nine months, and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) method was performed to characterize the genotype of these isolates. RESULTS: All of the subjects were hospitalized patients with indwelling urinary catheter. Five of the patients showed concomitant pyuria, which could be considered as evidence of urinary tract infection, and isolation of these organisms in the remainder of the patients could be considered as simple colonization. All the isolates were resistant to antimicrobial agents tested. RAPD analysis showed identical DNA fingerprinting patterns in all the isolates. CONCLUSION: This study revealed that all the Myroides spp. isolated from urinary specimens of prolonged outbreak were genotypically the same. Because of its resistance to multiple antimicrobial agents, prevention of dissemination of this strain is clinically important.
Anti-Infective Agents ; Colon ; DNA ; DNA Fingerprinting ; Epidemiologic Studies* ; Genotype ; Humans ; Pyuria ; Urinary Catheters ; Urinary Tract Infections* ; Urinary Tract*