No abstract available.
Animals ; Astrocytes* ; Nitric Oxide* ; Rats*

This study examined the customers' perception on Home Meal Replacement (HMR) products. Specifically, there were three research objectives: 1. to identify the customers' HMR purchase patterns and preference of HMR product development; 2. to identify the attributes of the HMR products that the customers perceive; and 3. to examine the customers' level of expectation-confirmation toward HMR product attributes according to the demographic characteristics. This study employed a self-administered survey that was distributed online from November 21~24, 2017. The sample of the study was the customers who had purchased HMR products in the six months prior to taking the survey. A total of 553 respondents completed the survey, which was used for data analysis. The results revealed the customers' HMR purchase patterns. The major HMR product type of purchase was ready to heat (52.6%), while the main reason for purchasing HMR products was convenience (83.2%). For the differences in the level of expectation-confirmation toward HMR products in accordance with the demographic characteristics of customers, the results indicated that there was a difference in the expectation-confirmation level according to age, whereas the respondents aged 29 and under showed a significantly higher level of time-saving for the preparation and ease of cooking (P < 0.05) than the other age groups. In addition, there was a significant difference in the expectation-confirmation level for saving meal preparation time (P < 0.05) and convenience (P < 0.01) among the customer's occupation. These findings can provide the basis for a strategy for developing HMR products reflecting the rapidly changing customers' needs. HMR products should be developed according to the specific target market, as the study indicated that the respective customer segmentation resulted in a difference in their expectation toward HMR products.
Cooking ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Meals ; Occupations ; Statistics as Topic ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: We evaluated changes in and factors affecting second-hand smoke (SHS) exposure in a panel study of nonsmokers. METHODS: This study was based on data from a larger study of tobacco use among a representative sample of adults of Korean descent residing in California. Participants included 846 males and 1,399 females who were nonsmokers at baseline (2005-2006) and at follow-up (2007-2009). Participants were selected by probability sampling and were interviewed by telephone. RESULTS: At baseline, 50.0% were exposed to any SHS, and at follow-up 2 years later, 60.4% were exposed to any SHS (p < .001). SHS exposure at baseline was associated with acculturation, employment, spousal smoking, and having a friend who smoked (p < .001). Employment, spousal smoking, and other family members smoking were associated with SHS at follow-up (p < .001). The odds ratio of SHS in the employed group declined from 2.01 at baseline to 1.53 at follow-up, that of the group having a smoking spouse increased from 1.88 to 2.36, and that of the group having other family members smoking increased from 1.20 to 1.69. CONCLUSIONS: We showed that SHS exposure increased among Korean American nonsmokers in California, and the most important variables explaining the change in SHS exposure involved smoking among others with whom the subject is associated. These findings could be used as objective evidence for developing public health policies to reduce SHS exposure.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Asian Americans/*statistics & numerical data ; California/epidemiology ; Environmental Exposure/*statistics & numerical data ; Family ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Republic of Korea/ethnology ; Residence Characteristics ; Risk Factors ; Social Environment ; Tobacco Smoke Pollution/*statistics & numerical data ; Workplace ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: Astrocytes, representing a major non-neuronal cell population in the central nervous system (CNS), contain opioid receptors and are actively involved in several brain functions. This study is designed to evaluate the effects by which morphine contributes to cytotoxicity of nitric oxide (NO) species including NO and peroxynitrite (ONOO(-)) in primary astrocytes isolated from the cerebral cortexes of 1 - 2 day Sprague-Dawley rats. METHODS: The cultured cells were pretreated with morphine and exposed to 3-morpholinosydnonimine (SIN-1) which simultaneously generates NO and superoxide, thus possibly forming peroxynitrite. The cell damage was assessed by using an MTT (methylthizol-2-yl-2, 5-diphenyl, tetrazolium bromide) assay. Morphological nuclear changes of the cells after exposure to SIN-1 for 24 hours was evaluated by using 4', 6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining. RESULTS: Morphine significantly protected primary rat astrocytes in a dose-dependent manner from the death mediated by sodium nitroprusside (SNP), a donor of nitric oxide, and SIN-1. Moreover, it was found that naloxone antagonized the protective effect of morphine on SIN-1-induced cell death, revealed as apoptosis by the occurrence of morphological nuclear changes characteristic of apoptosis. Morphine also inhibited the nuclear condensation of SIN-1-treated cells, however the action of morphine was antagonized by pretreatment of naloxone. The protective role of morphine on SIN-1-induced cytotoxicity was inhibited by DL-Buthionine-[S, R]-sulfoximine (BSO). Furthermore, the effects of morphine on SIN-1-induced cytotoxicity were blocked by pretreatment of Gi protein inhibitor, pertussis toxin, and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3 kinase) inhibitors, Wortmannin and LY294002. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that morphine may protect primary rat astrocytes from NO species via the signaling cascades involving G-protein and PI3-kinase, and possibly regulates the anti-oxidant, glutathione (GSH).
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Astrocytes* ; Brain ; Cell Death* ; Cells, Cultured ; Central Nervous System ; Cerebral Cortex ; Glutathione ; GTP-Binding Proteins ; Humans ; Morphine* ; Naloxone ; Nitric Oxide ; Nitroprusside ; Peroxynitrous Acid ; Pertussis Toxin ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Opioid ; Superoxides ; Tissue Donors

Purpose: We investigated the clinical role of F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography-computed tomography(PET-CT) in the identification of the primary site and the selection of the optimal biopsy site in patients with suspectedbone metastasis of unknown primary site. Methods: The patients with suspected bone metastasis who underwent PET-CT for evaluation of primary site were enrolled inthis study. The primary sites were identified by the histopathologic or imaging studies and were classified according to the FDGuptake positivity of the primary site. To evaluate the guiding capability of PET-CT in biopsy site selection, we statisticallyanalyzed whether the biopsy site could be affected according to the presence of extra-skeletal FDG uptake. Results: Among 74 enrolled patients, 51 patients had a metastatic bone disease. The primary site was identified in 48 of 51patients (94.1%). Forty-six patients were eligible to test the association of clinical choice of biopsy site with PET positivity ofextra-skeletal lesion. The extra-skeletal biopsies were done in 42 out of 43 patients with positive extra-skeletal uptake lesions.Bone biopsies were inevitably performed in the other three patients without extra-skeletal uptake lesions. The association cameout to be significant (Fisher’s exact test, P< 0.001). Conclusion F-18 FDG PET-CT significantly contributed not only to identify the primary site but also to suggest optimal biopsysites in patients with suspected bone metastasis.