PURPOSE: This study was conducted in order to investigate the effect of Sargassum confusum extracts on the reduction of body fat for eight weeks in overweight women (BMI > or = 23 kg/m2). METHODS: Subjects were classified by double-blind randomized trial as the control group (C group, n = 14) and the Sargassum confusum extract supplementation group (SC group, n = 16), which consumed 12 tablets per day. Questionnaires related to their health status were assessed twice (week 0 and week 8). Their dietary intake status was evaluated by 24-recall method and body compositions were measured using a bioelectrical impedance analyzer. In addition, we assessed the anti-obesity effect and the occurrence possibility of health risk factors during the supplementation periods by hematological and clinical analysis of blood. RESULTS: Waist circumference and body fat (%) were significantly decreased in the SC group. Serum leptin level was also significantly decreased in the SC group. Defecation frequency was significantly increased in the SC group. The above results indicate that Sargassum confusum extract supplementation improves overweight on visceral fat and blood leptin level by increasing bowel movement. These results imply a decrease of health risk factors in overweight women. Seven subjects withdrew from the study due to adverse events; however, no differences regarding adverse events were observed between the control and treatment group. CONCLUSION: Therefore, Sargassum confusum extract is a plausible effective agent for body fat reduction in humans.
Adipose Tissue* ; Body Composition ; Defecation ; Electric Impedance ; Female ; Humans ; Intra-Abdominal Fat ; Leptin ; Overweight ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Risk Factors ; Sargassum* ; Tablets ; Waist Circumference

Antidiabetic and beta cell-protection activities of purple corn anthocyanins (PCA) were examined in pancreatic beta cell culture and db/db mice. Only PCA among several plant anthocyanins and polyphenols showed insulin secretion activity in culture of HIT-T15 cells. PCA had excellent antihyperglycemic activity (in terms of blood glucose level and OGTT) and HbA1c-decreasing activity when compared with glimepiride, a sulfonylurea in db/db mice. In addition, PCA showed efficient protection activity of pancreatic beta cell from cell death in HIT-T15 cell culture and db/db mice. The result showed that PCA had antidiabetic and beta cell-protection activities in pancreatic beta cell culture and db/db mice.
Animals ; Anthocyanins* ; Blood Glucose ; Cell Culture Techniques ; Cell Death ; Insulin ; Insulin-Secreting Cells ; Mice ; Passive Cutaneous Anaphylaxis ; Plants ; Polyphenols ; Zea mays*

BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study was performed to compare the mucosal findings after esophagogastroduodenoscopy in two groups before and after the use of alendronate only and following administration of the enteric-coated alendronate (5 mg) and calcitriol (0.5 microg) combined drug (Maxmarvil, Yuyu Co.). METHODS: The study population consisted of 33 postmenopausal healthy female volunteers, aged 50 to 70 years (mean age, 58 +/- 5) without gastrointestinal symptoms and with normal baseline endoscopic findings. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy was performed at baseline and was repeated 2 weeks later after daily intake of Maxmarvil (n = 17 subjects) or alendronate only (n = 16 subjects). Mucosal injury scores were reported by an endoscopist after 2 weeks of treatment with each medication schedule. RESULTS: Esophageal mucosal injuries developed in two of 16 subjects in the alendronate only group and 0 of 17 in the Maxmarvil group. Gastric mucosal injuries developed in eight subjects in the alendronate group and four subjects in the Maxmarvil group; this difference was statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: The mucosal damage scores for the alendronate group (total score 24) were significantly higher than those for the Maxmarvil group (total score 9) in the esophagus and stomach. Therefore, this study suggested that enteric-coated Maxmarvil is less harmful to gastrointestinal mucosa than alendronate, and may improve the tolerability of osteoporosis medication in clinical practice.
Administration, Oral ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Alendronate/administration & dosage/*adverse effects ; Bone Density Conservation Agents/administration & dosage/*adverse effects ; Calcitriol/administration & dosage/*adverse effects ; Drug Combinations ; *Endoscopy, Digestive System ; Esophagus/*drug effects/pathology ; Female ; Gastric Mucosa/*drug effects/pathology ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; *Postmenopause ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Republic of Korea ; Sex Factors ; Tablets, Enteric-Coated ; Time Factors ; Treatment Outcome ; Vitamins/administration & dosage/*adverse effects

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The relationship between Runt-related transcription factor 3 (RUNX3) gene inactivation and various solid tumors has been reported; however, little information is available about RUNX3 in thyroid cancers. METHODS: We evaluated the DNA methylation of RUNX3 in 13 papillary thyroid cancer tissues and four thyroid cancer cell lines. Additionally, using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, we analyzed RUNX3 gene expression in several thyroid cancer cell lines after treating with the demethylating agent 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (DAC). RESULTS: RUNX3 was hypermethylated in many thyroid cancer cell lines and in 10 of the 12 papillary thyroid cancer tissues. Treatment with DAC increased the expression of RUNX3 in some thyroid cancer cell lines. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that RUNX3 is associated with thyroid carcinogenesis, and RUNX3 methylation is a potentially useful diagnostic marker for papillary thyroid cancer.
Azacitidine/analogs & derivatives/pharmacology ; Carcinoma/*genetics ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Core Binding Factor Alpha 3 Subunit/*genetics ; DNA Methylation/drug effects ; Gene Expression/drug effects ; Humans ; Thyroid Neoplasms/*genetics ; Tumor Markers, Biological/genetics

PURPOSE: Hospitalization as a measure of morbidity in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients is mainly related to peritonitis. And the hospitalization rate is expected to decrease as the peritonitis rate has decreased substantially with development of connectology. Yet there is no internal study on hospitalization. We evaluated hospitalization rates, causes and duration of admission of PD patients, and their prognosis. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 414 patients who started and followed up at least three months at the Keimyung University Dongsan Hospital from January 2003 to December 2008. RESULTS: There were 1,036 admissions in 328 patients during a mean follow-up of 29.9 months. The admission rate was 1.0 per patients-year and hospital days were 17.1 per patients-year. The number of patients admitted once was 102 (31.1%), and more than 5 was 71 (21.7%). The most common cause of hospital admission was peritonitis (36.5%), followed by volume imbalance (13.8%), gastrointestinal disease (6.9%), other infection (6.2%), neurologic disease (5.5%), surgery (5.4%) and cardiac disease (4.3%). Catheter-related problems, including catheter related infection (1.8%) and catheter dysfunction (1.4%) were uncommon. Duration of admission was longest in neurologic disease (18.0+/-19.0) and shortest in catheter-related problems (9.3+/-3). Duration of admission of peritonitis (16.1+/-8.0) was similar to mean duration. Hospitalization was significantly greater in patients with prior history of peritonitis (p<0.000), and longer duration on PD (p<0.000). There were no significant differences in one and five year patient and catheter survival between hospitalized and non-hospitalized PD patients. CONCLUSION: Peritonitis remains a major cause of hospitalization in PD patients. To decrease admissions of PD patients, patient education and attention needs to be focused on preventing peritonitis. Also we should pay more attention to prevent multiple admissions due to recurrent peritonitis.
Catheters ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastrointestinal Diseases ; Heart Diseases ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Patient Education as Topic ; Peritoneal Dialysis ; Peritonitis ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND: Medical skin care is essential for the treatment of skin diseases all over the world. Medical skin care is also part of medical practice and this must be differentiated from the simple skin care that is given for normal healthy skin. OBJECTIVE: We wanted to discuss medical skin care and the related medical devices and legal issues. METHODS: We reviewed the related laws and regulations, we consulted experts and associations and we analyzed the result of the survey. RESULTS: Legally, medical skin care and simple skin care are well classified. However, many illegal procedures are still performed by non-medical personnel and many adverse effects have been reported as a result. Furthermore, there are no legal restrictions for the performer based on the grade of each medical skin care procedure. CONCLUSION: For the best results and safe procedures, medical skin care must be performed by approved medical equipment under the supervision of a physician or medical personnel. Continuous control and guidance by the government is strongly needed.
Jurisprudence ; Organization and Administration ; Skin ; Skin Care ; Skin Diseases ; Social Control, Formal

PURPOSE: To evaluate the mechanism of the humeral fractures induced by arm wrestling and the clinical results of its treatment. MATERIALS AND METHOD: We reviewed 7 humeral fractures induced by arm wrestling; 3 humeral shaft fractures, 4 humeral medial epicondyle fractures. The mechanism of the fractures and the clinical results were assessed by history and radiographs. RESULTS: Shaft fractures were produced by twist and axial compression force. Humeral medial epicondyle fractures were the avulsion fractures by excessive contraction of flexor muscles and developed in young age. We operated 6 of them and in all cases, we could obtain fracture healings without complication. CONCLUSION: The humeral fractures induced by arm wrestling have the differences in the ages and mechanisms as to the locations of the fractures and if the proper treatment is performed, the clinical results are satisfactory.
Arm* ; Fracture Healing ; Humeral Fractures ; Humerus* ; Muscles ; Wrestling*

Metastasis to the thyroid from distant cancer is rarely diagnosed clinically and renal cell carcinoma is the most common group of neoplasm to metastasize to the thyroid. Papillary thyroid carcinoma is known as the most frequent primary thyroid cancer. But coexistence with metastatic renal cell carcinoma to thyroid and papillary thyroid carcinoma is very rare. We are reporting this highly unusual case of metastatic renal cell carcinoma to thyroid, which harbored papillary thyroid cancer. To our knowledge, this is the first case reported in Korea. A 57-year-old woman presented with hoarseness and palpable anterior neck mass. She had a history of renal cell carcinoma of right kidney, which had been resected 10 years previously and had undergone lower anterior resection due to sigmoid colon cancer 2 months before. Fine needle aspiration cytology suggested follicular neoplasm, and total thyroidectomy was performed. The pathology from the thyroid nodules showed papillary thyroid cancer combined metastatic renal cell carcinoma.
Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell* ; Female ; Hoarseness ; Humans ; Kidney ; Korea ; Middle Aged ; Neck ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Pathology ; Sigmoid Neoplasms ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Neoplasms* ; Thyroid Nodule ; Thyroidectomy

Cubitus varus deformity of the elbow may not only cause cosmetic problems, but delayed functional deficiencies also. This case report demonstrated delayed posterolateral rotatory instability due to lateral collateral ligament complex avulsion long after posttraumatic cubitus varus. Satisfactory results were obtained using cubitus varus correction and reattachment of the lateral collateral ligament complex to the lateral epicondyle of the humerus.
Congenital Abnormalities ; Elbow* ; Humerus ; Lateral Ligament, Ankle

Kallmann's syndrome is defined as the combination of hypogonadotropic hypogonadism and anosmia/hyposmia. The syndrome is a result of defect in the embryonic migratory pathway of gonadotropin-releasing hormone, which synthesizes neurons and olfactory axons. The hypogonadotropic hypogonadism results due to absence of or incomplete pubertal development and may be associated with anosmia, hyposmia, midline defect(color blindness, cleft-lip, cleft-palate, unilateral renal agenesis, sensorineural deafness), cryptorchidism and skeletal anomaly. Till date in Korea, few cases of Kallmann's syndrome have been reported but there are no available reports on cases of Kallmann's syndrome with unilateral renal aplasia and diabetes mellitus. We handled a case of Kallmann's syndrome associated with unilateral renal agenesis and diabetes mellitus. In the current work, we present a peculiar case as afore mentioned with the review of related literature.
Axons ; Blindness ; Cryptorchidism ; Diabetes Mellitus* ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone ; Hypogonadism ; Kallmann Syndrome* ; Korea ; Male ; Neurons ; Olfaction Disorders