BACKGROUND: Many previous studies have shown that elevated homocysteine in the serum is a well known risk factor for cardiovascular disease and this is associated with other risk factors for cardiovascular disease, but any Korean data on this is limited. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to calculate the prevalence of hyperhomocysteinemia and to analyze the relation between elevated homocysteine and the lifestyle factors of Korean adults. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional survey that included 650 men and 743 women (age range, 20 to 79 years) who were residents of Gwangju City in Gyeonggi-do. These subjects participated in the health interview and examination survey from November to December 2005. The total homocysteine, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and triglyceride in the serum were measured. All the participants had their body composition measured such as height and weight, and we obtained health-related behavioral information through the self-entry questionnaire. RESULTS: Very right-handed skewed distributions of homocysteine were shown in men and women. The prevalence of hyperhomocysteinemia was 22.6% in men and 13.7% in women in Gwangju city. On the multiple logistic regression analysis, hyperhomocysteinemia was associated with age (OR=1.02, 95% CI=1.01-1.04), male gender (OR=1.60, 95% CI=1.02-2.52), severe general physical activity (OR=0.32, 95% CI=0.15-0.69) and nutrient consumption (OR=0.49, 95% CI=0.31-0.76). CONCLUSIONS: There is a great prevalence of hyperhomocysteinemia in adults of Gwangju City, Korea and it was associated with both genetic factors and lifestyle risk factors. This study can suggest that comprehensive lifestyle modification is needed in order to diminish the prevalence of hyperhomocysteinemia and to prevent CVD.
Adult ; Age Distribution ; Aged ; Cardiovascular Diseases/epidemiology/etiology ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Health Behavior ; Health Surveys ; Humans ; Hyperhomocysteinemia/complications/*epidemiology ; Korea/epidemiology ; Lipids/blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Sex Distribution

BACKGROUND: Pregnancy considerably alters cardiovascular dynamics, and thereby affects the transition of blood pressure after delivery in women. We aimed to analyze the association between parity and blood pressure in Korean adult women. METHODS: We included 8,890 women who participated in Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2010 and 2012. We divided the population according to the menopause status and analyzed the association between parity and blood pressure by using multiple regression analysis, and on hypertension, by using logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Systolic and diastolic blood pressures were significantly associated with parity in premenopausal women (beta=-0.091 [P<0.001] and beta=-0.069 [P<0.001], respectively). In the analysis that excluded women receiving antihypertensive medication, the systolic and diastolic blood pressure of postmenopausal women were significantly associated with parity (beta=-0.059 [P=0.022] and beta=-0.054 [P=0.044], respectively). Parity was found to prevent hypertension after adjustment for confounders in postmenopausal women (odds ratio, 0.55; 95% confidence interval, 0.310-0.985). CONCLUSION: We found that parity prevented hypertension in Korean women.
Adult ; Blood Pressure* ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Logistic Models ; Menopause ; Nutrition Surveys* ; Parity* ; Pregnancy

The vomeronasal organ (VNO) plays an important role in reproduction and social activities in ruminants including goats. A morphological study on the structure of VNO and its epithelial cells was carried out in Korean black goats. Grossly, the VNO of Korean goats opens into mouth through incisive ducts. Microscopically, the epithelium of VNO consisted of medial sensory epithelium and lateral non-sensory epithelium. Several blood vessels and nerve bundles were observed in the lamina propria encased by vomeronasal cartilage. Immunohistochemical staining showed that protein gene product (PGP) 9.5 was immunostained in the receptor cells of the sensory epithelium and in some cells of the non-sensory epithelium. Galectin-3 was mainly observed in the supporting cells of sensory and non-sensory epithelium. Lectins including wheat germ agglutinin, Ulex europaeus agglutinin, Bandeiraea simplicifolia lectin Isolectin B4, Dolichos biflorus agglutinin and soybean agglutinin used in this study were bound in VNO sensory, non-sensory epithelia as well as in the lamina propria with varying intensity. Collectively, this is a first descriptive morphological study of VNO of Korean black goat with special reference to lectin histochemistry.
Blood Vessels ; Cartilage ; Dolichos ; Epithelial Cells ; Epithelium ; Galectin 3 ; Goats ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lectins ; Mouth ; Mucous Membrane ; Plant Lectins ; Reproduction ; Ruminants ; Soybean Proteins ; Soybeans ; Triticum ; Ulex ; Vomeronasal Organ

The GlideScope® videolaryngoscope (GVL) is widely used in patients with difficult airways and provides a good glottic view. However, the acute angle of the blade can make insertion and advancement of an endotracheal tube (ETT) more difficult than direct laryngoscopy, and the use of a stylet is recommended. This randomized controlled trial compared Parker Flex-It™ stylet (PFS) with GlideRite® rigid stylet (GRS) to facilitate intubation with the GVL in simulated difficult intubations. Methods: Fifty-four patients were randomly allocated to undergo GVL intubation using either GRS (GRS group) or PFS (PFS group). The total intubation time (TIT), 100-mm visual analog scale (VAS) for ease of intubation, success rate at the first attempt, use of laryngeal manipulation, tube advancement rate by assistant, and complications were recorded. Results: There was no significant difference between the GRS and PFS groups regarding TIT (50.3 ± 12.0 s in the GRS group and 57.8 ± 18.8 s in the PFS group, P = 0.108). However, intubation was more difficult in the PFS group than in the GRS group according to VAS score (P = 0.011). Cases in which the ETT was advanced from the stylet by an assistant, were more frequent in the GRS group than in the PFS group (P = 0.002). The overall incidence of possible complications was not significantly different. Conclusions: In patients with a simulated difficult airway, there was no difference in TIT using either the PFS or GRS. However, endotracheal intubation with PFS is more difficult to perform than GRS.

Several compounds and extracts isolated from a brown alga, Ishige (I.) okamurae, exhibit anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. The present study investigated whether the ethyl acetate (EtOAc) fraction of I. okamurae (EFIO) could ameliorate carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Sprague-Dawley rats were intraperitoneally (i.p.) administered with EFIO at 10 or 50 mg/kg per day for 2 consecutive days before CCl4 injection (3.3 mL/kg, i.p.). Twenty four hours later, the rats were anesthesized with diethyl ether and dissected. Pretreatment with EFIO significantly reduced the increased serum levels of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase in CCl4-treated rats. Pretreatment with EFIO also significantly inhibited the reduced activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase in the CCl4-injured liver. Histopathological evaluations showed that hemorrhage, hepatocyte necrosis, inflammatory cell infiltration, and fatty degeneration induced by CCl4 treatment were ameliorated by the administration of EFIO. Additionally, liver immunohistochemical analyses revealed the marked reduction in ED1-positive monocyte-like macrophages in EFIO-pretreated rats given CCl4. These results suggest that EFIO ameliorates CCl4-induced liver injury, possibly through the inhibition of oxidative stress.
Acetates ; Alanine Transaminase ; Animals ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; Carbon ; Carbon Tetrachloride ; Catalase ; Ether, Ethyl ; Hemorrhage ; Hepatocytes ; Liver ; Macrophages ; Necrosis ; Oxidative Stress ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Superoxide Dismutase