Purpose: The study aimed to identify the effects of sleep hygiene (use of caffeine, alcohol, night eating syndrome, stress, and coping styles), social network, and smartphone-related factors on quality of sleep in young adults. Methods: This was a descriptive research design. Participants completed a questionnaire on evidence-based variables including caffeine intake, alcohol consumption, social network, night eating syndrome, stress, coping styles, and smartphone-related factors. Stepwise multiple regression was used for data analysis to identify factors that influenced the participants’ quality of sleep. This study included 288 young adults in South Korea. Results: This study identified the factors affecting quality of sleep in young adults. Their average weekly sleep duration was 6.86 hours with low sleep quality, indicated by a score of 59.34 points (range 17-100). The predictors of sleep quality were sleep mood, sub-items of night eating syndrome, effects of pain over the last four weeks, and social networks, which explained 33% of the variance. Conclusion Sleep-induced diseases in young adults could be prevented by identifying sleep mood, pain, and social networks, which is important for health and using them as a basis for intervention.

BACKGROUND: The decidua has been implicated in the “terminal pathway” of human term parturition, which is characterized by the activation of pro-inflammatory pathways in gestational tissues. However, the transcriptomic changes in the decidua leading to terminal pathway activation have not been systematically explored. This study aimed to compare the decidual expression of developmental signaling and inflammation-related genes before and after spontaneous term labor in order to reveal their involvement in this process. METHODS: Chorioamniotic membranes were obtained from normal pregnant women who delivered at term with spontaneous labor (TIL, n = 14) or without labor (TNL, n = 15). Decidual cells were isolated from snap-frozen chorioamniotic membranes with laser microdissection. The expression of 46 genes involved in decidual development, sex steroid and prostaglandin signaling, as well as pro- and anti-inflammatory pathways, was analyzed using high-throughput quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Chorioamniotic membrane sections were immunostained and then semi-quantified for five proteins, and immunoassays for three chemokines were performed on maternal plasma samples. RESULTS: The genes with the highest expression in the decidua at term gestation included insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 1 (IGFBP1), galectin-1 (LGALS1), and progestogen-associated endometrial protein (PAEP); the expression of estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1), homeobox A11 (HOXA11), interleukin 1β (IL1B), IL8, progesterone receptor membrane component 2 (PGRMC2), and prostaglandin E synthase (PTGES) was higher in TIL than in TNL cases; the expression of chemokine C-C motif ligand 2 (CCL2), CCL5, LGALS1, LGALS3, and PAEP was lower in TIL than in TNL cases; immunostaining confirmed qRT-PCR data for IL-8, CCL2, galectin-1, galectin-3, and PAEP; and no correlations between the decidual gene expression and the maternal plasma protein concentrations of CCL2, CCL5, and IL-8 were found. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggests that with the initiation of parturition, the decidual expression of anti-inflammatory mediators decreases, while the expression of pro-inflammatory mediators and steroid receptors increases. This shift may affect downstream signaling pathways that can lead to parturition.
Chemokines ; Cytokines ; Decidua ; Estrogen Receptor alpha ; Estrogens ; Female ; Galectin 1 ; Galectin 3 ; Galectins ; Gene Expression* ; Genes, Homeobox ; Humans ; Immunoassay ; Interleukin-8 ; Interleukins ; Leukocytes ; Membranes ; Microdissection ; Parturition* ; Plasma ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women ; Progesterone ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Receptors, Progesterone ; Receptors, Steroid ; Sexual Development ; Transcriptome*

PURPOSE: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis in elementary school students according to thebody mass index. METHODS: This study was conducted as cross-sectional descriptive research using a structured questionnaire. Data were collected from 6,398 students at 15 elementary schools located in Y City in Korea. The cross-sectional survey used the Korean version of International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questionnaire. Logistic regression analysis was performed to estimate the odds ratios of body mass index. RESULTS: The symptom prevalence of asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis in the last 12 months was 12.4%, 49.5%, and 24.5%, respectively. The symptom prevalence of asthma was significantly higher in the obesity group. The number of those without any asthma symptom in lifetime was significantly smaller in the overweight (OR=0.70, p=.004) and obesity (OR=0.57, p=.005) groups than in the healthy weight group. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis prevention programs for elementary school students should include weight control intervention.
Asthma* ; Body Mass Index* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Dermatitis ; Dermatitis, Atopic* ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Obesity ; Odds Ratio ; Overweight ; Prevalence* ; Rhinitis*

OBJECTIVETo study the changes in cardiopulmonary function induced by mid/long-term simulated microgravity with 6° head down bed rest (HDBR), and the effects of Taikong Yangxin Prescription (, TYP) as a countermeasure.

METHODSFourteen healthy male volunteers were randomly divided into a control group and a Chinese medicine (CM) group (7 in each group) by a random digital table based on their body weight. Both groups underwent 6° HDBR for 60 days. Subjects in the CM group received daily TYP pills and subjects in the control group received daily placebo pills. Cardiac systolic and pumping functions were measured by echocardiography before HDBR; on days 20, 42, and 57 of HDBR; and on day 3 of recovery after HDBR (R+3). Cardiopulmonary functional reserve and exercise capacity were evaluated before HDBR, on day 29, and on day R+3 by exercise testing.

RESULTSThe heart rate (HR) increased gradually during HDBR. The HR was significantly higher on day 57 than before HDBR in the control group (P<0.05), but did not increase significantly in the CM group. The stroke volume/stroke volume index, ejection fraction, and left ventricular fractional shortening tended to decrease over time in the control group, but not in the CM group. These parameters were significantly higher in the CM group than in the control group on day 42 (P<0.05 or <0.01). Exercise testing showed that maximum O2 consumption (VO2max), metabolic equivalents, relative O2 consumption (VO2), O2 pulse, and exercise duration were significantly lower on day 29 than before HDBR in the control group, but not in the CM group.

CONCLUSIONSSixty days of 6° HDBR induced a reduction in cardiac systolic and pumping functions, and reduced cardiopulmonary functional reserve and exercise capacity. Administration of TYP significantly improved cardiac systolic and pumping functions, and maintained cardiopulmonary functional reserve and exercise capacity.

Adult ; Bed Rest ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Exercise Test ; Heart ; physiology ; Humans ; Lung ; physiology ; Male

OBJECTIVETo explore the awareness, treatment and control rates of dyslipidemia among Chinese adults aged over 18 in 2010, and to analyze the prevalent features.

METHODS97 409 subjects aged over 18 were recruited from 162 monitoring sites around 31 provinces in China mainland in 2010, applying multi-stage stratified cluster random sampling method. Information about subjects' history of dyslipidemia, treatment and control were collected by face-to-face interview; and each subject's fasting venous blood was drawn in the morning before having food, to test total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C). In total, 51 818 cases of dyslipidemia ever or now, including 2235 subjects who once suffered from dyslipidemia but had their blood lipid controlled to normal, were screened out. And the awareness, treatment and control rates were calculated by complex weighting.

RESULTSThe awareness rate of dyslipidemia among Chinese adults was 10.93%, while the stratified rates were 6.00%, 16.75% and 18.74% in the groups of subjects aged 18 - 44, 45 - 59 and over 60 years old, respectively (χ² = 1293.02, P < 0.01); 10.32% and 11.71% among males and females, respectively (χ² = 18.67, P < 0.01); 16.59% and 8.17% in groups from urban and rural areas, respectively (χ² = 618.38, P < 0.01); and 12.22%, 11.75% and 8.26% in groups from eastern, central and western China, respectively (χ² = 117.04, P < 0.01). The treatment rate of dyslipidemia was 6.84% among Chinese adults, while the stratified rates were 3.55%, 10.73% and 12.05% in the groups of subjects aged 18 - 44, 45 - 59 and over 60 years old, respectively (χ² = 858.72, P < 0.01); 6.37% and 7.43% among males and females, respectively (χ² = 16.69, P < 0.01); 10.17% and 5.21% in groups from urban and rural areas, respectively (χ² = 327.51, P < 0.01); and 7.33%, 7.52% and 5.41% in groups from eastern, central and western China, respectively (χ² = 50.71, P < 0.01). The control rate of dyslipidemia was 3.53% among total subjects, while whose stratified rates were 1.64%, 5.49% and 6.94% in the groups of subjects aged 18 - 44, 45 - 59 and over 60 years old, respectively (χ² = 554.12, P < 0.01); 2.57% and 4.75% among males and females, respectively (χ² = 131.04, P < 0.01); 5.23% and 2.70% in groups from urban and rural areas, respectively (χ² = 165.13, P < 0.01) ; and 4.21%, 3.89% and 2.17% in groups from eastern, central and western China, respectively (χ² = 91.45, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe awareness, treatment and control rates of dyslipidemia have been comparatively low among Chinese adults, especially among the population who were young, or who were from rural area or western China.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; China ; epidemiology ; Dyslipidemias ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; therapy ; Female ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Rural Population ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo study the levels of blood lipid among Chinese adults in 2010 and analyze the epidemiological features.

METHODSFasting serum levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) were determined for 90 395 subjects aged 18 and over who were selected by multi stage cluster random sampling method from 162 surveillance sites of 31 provinces of China mainland in 2010. After complex weighting, the differences of levels of serum total TC, TG, HDL-C and LDL-C were analyzed in different age, gender and geographic regions.

RESULTSAfter complex weighting, the levels of serum TC in Chinese adults was (4.04 ± 1.08) mmol/L, with (3.86 ± 1.03), (4.29 ± 1.11) and (4.33 ± 1.09) mmol/L in the groups of 18 - 44, 45 - 59 and over 60 years old (F = 177.56, P < 0.01), respectively. The level of serum TC was (4.06 ± 1.09) mmol/L and (4.03 ± 1.07) mmol/L in males and females (F = 2.38, P > 0.05), respectively; (4.08 ± 1.13) mmol/L and (4.03 ± 1.06) mmol/L in urban and rural areas (F = 0.51, P > 0.05), respectively, and (4.13 ± 1.11), (4.03 ± 1.01) and (3.93 ± 1.11) mmol/L in areas of east, middle and west respectively (F = 2.56, P > 0.05). The levels of serum TG was (1.33 ± 1.28) mmol/L, with(1.26 ± 1.24), (1.48 ± 1.46) and (1.35 ± 1.05) mmol/L in the groups of 18 - 44, 45 - 59 and over 60 years old (F = 85.98, P < 0.01), respectively. The level of serum TG was (1.45 ± 1.48) mmol/L and (1.21 ± 1.01) mmol/L in males and females (F = 172.01, P < 0.01), respectively, (1.34 ± 1.26) mmol/L and (1.33 ± 1.28) mmol/L in urban and rural areas (F = 0.16, P > 0.05), respectively, and(1.30 ± 1.25), (1.35 ± 1.23) and (1.35 ± 1.36) mmol/L in areas of east, middle and west (F = 0.69, P > 0.05) respectively. The levels of serum HDL-C was (1.11 ± 0.31) mmol/L, with (1.09 ± 0.30), (1.13 ± 0.33) and (1.14 ± 0.33) mmol/L in the groups of 18 - 44, 45 - 59 and over 60 years old (F = 27.81, P < 0.01), respectively. The level of serum HDL-C was (1.08 ± 0.32) mmol/L and (1.14 ± 0.30) mmol/L in males and females (F = 178.66, P < 0.01), respectively, (1.11 ± 0.31) mmol/L and (1.11 ± 0.32) mmol/L in urban and rural areas (F = 0.09, P > 0.05), respectively, and (1.12 ± 0.32), (1.12 ± 0.31) and (1.09 ± 0.32) mmol/L in areas of east, middle and west (F = 1.06, P > 0.05) respectively. The levels of serum LDL-C was (2.27 ± 0.78) mmol/L, with (2.15 ± 0.74), (2.42 ± 0.80) and (2.46 ± 0.81) mmol/L in the groups of 18 - 44, 45 - 59 and over 60 years old (F = 129.84, P < 0.01), respectively. The level of serum LDL-C was (2.30 ± 0.78) mmol/L and (2.24 ± 0.78) mmol/L in males and females (F = 25.06, P < 0.01), respectively, (2.33 ± 0.82) mmol/L and (2.24 ± 0.76) mmol/L in urban and rural areas (F = 3.48, P > 0.05), respectively, and (2.35 ± 0.80), (2.25 ± 0.74) and (2.17 ± 0.77) mmol/L in areas of east, middle and west (F = 4.58, P < 0.05) respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe levels of serum lipid of middle aged male, female after menopause and people living in eastern region were higher than other Chinese adults. Effective measures should be taken earlier to control serum lipid levels.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Distribution ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; China ; epidemiology ; Cholesterol ; blood ; Cholesterol, HDL ; blood ; Cholesterol, LDL ; blood ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Dyslipidemias ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Lipids ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Sex Distribution ; Triglycerides ; blood ; Young Adult

The processus vaginalis within the inguinal canal forms the canal of Nuck, which is a homolog of the processus vaginalis in women. Incomplete obliteration of the processus vaginalis causes indirect inguinal hernia or hydrocele of the canal of Nuck, a very rare condition in women. Here, we report 2 cases of hydrocele of the canal of Nuck that were diagnosed with ultrasonography in both cases and magnetic resonance imaging in 1 case to confirm the sonographic diagnosis. High ligation and hydrocelectomy were conducted in both patients. In 1 patient, 14 months later, the occurrence of contralateral inguinal hernia was suspected, but did not require surgery. The other patient had a history of surgery for left inguinal hernia 11 months before the occurrence of right hydrocele of the canal of Nuck. In both cases, the occurrence of an inguinal hernia on the contralateral side was noted.
Female ; Hernia, Inguinal ; Humans ; Inguinal Canal ; Ligation ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Here we report the cytogenetic and clinical manifestations observed in a patient with a rec(20)dup(20p)inv(20)(p11.2q13.3)mat. The patient was a full-term newborn girl with asymmetric intrauterine growth restriction and multiple congenital malformations, including a ventricular septal defect, pulmonary atresia, ambiguous genitalia, clinodactyly, and sacral dimpling. To our knowledge, this is the 4th report in the world and the 1st one in Korea of a patient with rec(20)dup(20p).
Abnormalities, Multiple/genetics ; Adult ; *Chromosome Inversion ; *Chromosomes, Human, Pair 20 ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Phenotype ; *Recombination, Genetic ; *Trisomy

BACKGROUND: Multiple-locus variable-number tandem-repeat fingerprinting (MLVF) is based on multiplex PCR, utilizing variable number tandem repeat. Our goal was to compare the performance of MLVF in distinguishing clinical Staphylococcus aureus isolates with that of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), which has traditionally been the gold standard. METHODS: Sixty-three clinically significant S. aureus isolates were tested using both PFGE and MLVF. Multiplex PCR for MLVF was performed using PCR primers for clfA, clfB, sdrCDE, sspA, and spa. PFGE was performed with genomic DNA fragments generated by SmaI endonuclease digestion. Banding patterns of MLVF or PFGE were analyzed using InfoQuestFP software. RESULTS: The hands-on time of our modified method was about 3 h, on average, for each of 18 isolates. PFGE (80% cutoff) or MLVF (75% cutoff) separated all of the 63 isolates into 13 and 12 types, respectively. Three types generated by PFGE were identical to those generated by MLVF. PFGE and MLVF yielded similar Simpson's diversity indices, indicating similar discriminatory power. The overall concordance between PFGE and MLVF was low, as represented by adjusted Rand indices (0.266-0.278). PFGE predicted MLVF type better than MLVF predicted PFGE type, as reflected by Wallace coefficients (PFGE cutoff 80% vs. MLVF cutoff 75%, 0.389 vs. 0.233). Analysis of the relationship between a pair of isolates showed 91.0% concordance between the PFGE (80% cutoff) and MLVF (75% cutoff). CONCLUSIONS: Our simple, low-cost, modified MLVF protocol can effectively discriminate between S. aureus clinical isolates. MLVF can replace PFGE for the hospital infection control of S. aureus.
Bacterial Typing Techniques/*methods ; *DNA Fingerprinting ; DNA, Bacterial/analysis ; *Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field ; Genotype ; Humans ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus/classification/genetics/isolation & purification ; Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Staphylococcal Infections/*microbiology ; Staphylococcus aureus/*classification/*genetics/isolation & purification