Ursolic acid (UA) is a natural triterpene compound found in various fruits and vegetables. There is a growing interest in UA because of its beneficial effects, which include anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-apoptotic, and anti-carcinogenic effects. It exerts these effects in various tissues and organs: by suppressing nuclear factor-kappa B signaling in cancer cells, improving insulin signaling in adipose tissues, reducing the expression of markers of cardiac damage in the heart, decreasing inflammation and increasing the level of anti-oxidants in the brain, reducing apoptotic signaling and the level of oxidants in the liver, and reducing atrophy and increasing the expression levels of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase and irisin in skeletal muscles. Moreover, UA can be used as an alternative medicine for the treatment and prevention of cancer, obesity/diabetes, cardiovascular disease, brain disease, liver disease, and muscle wasting (sarcopenia). In this review, we have summarized recent data on the beneficial effects and possible uses of UA in health and disease managements.
Adenosine ; Anticarcinogenic Agents ; Atrophy ; Brain ; Brain Diseases ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Complementary Therapies ; Disease Management ; Fruit ; Heart ; Inflammation ; Insulin ; Liver ; Liver Diseases ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Oxidants ; Protein Kinases ; Vegetables

PURPOSE: In Korea, registration of paraquat-containing herbicides was canceled in November 2011, and sales thereof were completely banned in November 2012. We evaluated the effect of the paraquat ban on the epidemiology and mortality of herbicide-induced poisoning. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study analyzed patients treated for herbicide poisoning at 17 emergency departments in South Korea between January 2010 and December 2014. The overall and paraquat mortality rates were compared pre- and post-ban. Factors associated with herbicide mortality were evaluated using logistic analysis. To determine if there were any changes in the mortality rates before and after the paraquat sales ban and the time point of any such significant changes in mortality, R software, version 3.0.3 (package, bcp) was used to perform a Bayesian change point analysis. RESULTS: We enrolled 2257 patients treated for herbicide poisoning (paraquat=46.8%). The overall and paraquat poisoning mortality rates were 40.6% and 73.0%, respectively. The decreased paraquat poisoning mortality rate (before, 75% vs. after, 67%, p=0.014) might be associated with increased intentionality. The multivariable logistic analysis revealed the paraquat ban as an independent predictor that decreased herbicide poisoning mortality (p=0.035). There were two major change points in herbicide mortality rates, approximately 3 months after the initial paraquat ban and 1 year after complete sales ban. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that the paraquat ban decreased intentional herbicide ingestion and contributed to lowering herbicide poisoning-associated mortality. The change point analysis suggests a certain timeframe was required for the manifestation of regulatory measures outcomes.
Commerce ; Eating ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Epidemiology ; Herbicides ; Humans ; Intention ; Korea ; Mortality* ; Paraquat* ; Poisoning ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical efficacy of an optimized prolate ablation procedure for correcting residual refractive errors following laser surgery. METHODS: We analyzed 24 eyes of 15 patients who underwent an optimized prolate ablation procedure for the correction of residual refractive errors following laser in situ keratomileusis, laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy, or photorefractive keratectomy surgeries. Preoperative ophthalmic examinations were performed, and uncorrected distance visual acuity, corrected distance visual acuity, manifest refraction values (sphere, cylinder, and spherical equivalent), point spread function, modulation transfer function, corneal asphericity (Q value), ocular aberrations, and corneal haze measurements were obtained postoperatively at 1, 3, and 6 months. RESULTS: Uncorrected distance visual acuity improved and refractive errors decreased significantly at 1, 3, and 6 months postoperatively. Total coma aberration increased at 3 and 6 months postoperatively, while changes in all other aberrations were not statistically significant. Similarly, no significant changes in point spread function were detected, but modulation transfer function increased significantly at the postoperative time points measured. CONCLUSIONS: The optimized prolate ablation procedure was effective in terms of improving visual acuity and objective visual performance for the correction of persistent refractive errors following laser surgery.
Coma ; Humans ; Keratectomy, Subepithelial, Laser-Assisted ; Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ ; Laser Therapy* ; Phosmet* ; Photorefractive Keratectomy ; Refractive Errors* ; Refractive Surgical Procedures ; Treatment Outcome ; Visual Acuity

Involuntary physical activity induced by the avoidance of electrical shock leads to improved endurance exercise capacity in animals. However, it remains unknown whether voluntary stand-up physical activity (SPA) without forced simulating factors improves endurance exercise capacity in animals. We examined the eff ects of SPA on body weight, cardiac function, and endurance exercise capacity for 12 weeks. Twelve male Sprague-Dawley rats (aged 8 weeks, n=6 per group) were randomly assigned to a control group (CON) or a voluntary SPA group. The rats were induced to perform voluntary SPA (lifting a load equal to their body weight), while the food height (18.0 cm) in cages was increased progressively by 3.5 every 4 weeks until it reached 28.5 cm for 12 weeks. The SPA group showed a lower body weight compared to the CON group, but voluntary SPA did not affect the skeletal muscle and heart weights, food intake, and echocardiography results. Although the SPA group showed higher grip strength, running time, and distance compared to the CON group, the level of irisin, corticosterone, genetic expression of mitochondrial biogenesis, and nuclei numbers were not affected. These findings show that voluntary SPA without any forced stimuli in rats can eff ectively reduce body weight and enhance endurance exercise capacity, suggesting that it may be an important alternative strategy to enhance endurance exercise capacity.
Animals ; Body Weight ; Corticosterone ; Eating ; Echocardiography ; Hand Strength ; Heart ; Humans ; Male ; Organelle Biogenesis ; Motor Activity* ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Running ; Shock ; Weights and Measures

PURPOSE: Low serum concentrations of drugs used to treat multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) have occasionally been associated with treatment failure. We determined the frequencies of low serum concentrations of anti-MDR-TB drugs, and assessed the effects of these concentrations on 2-month sputum conversion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The serum levels of moxifloxacin (MF), prothionamide (PTH), and cycloserine (CS) were determined for 89 serum samples by high-pressure liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. RESULTS: Low serum concentrations of MF, PTH, and CS below the minimal levels of the normal ranges were 83.3% (20/24), 59.2% (29/49), and 71.2% (47/66), respectively. There were no significant differences between the 2-month sputum conversion group (n=25) and the 2-month sputum non-conversion group (n=4) in median drug concentrations (microg/mL) of MF (1.46 vs. 1.60), PTH (0.91 vs. 0.70), and CS (14.90 vs. 14.90). However, a poor compliance rate was significantly greater in the 2-month sputum non-conversion group (75.0%, 3/4) than in the 2-month sputum conversion group (0%, 0/25) (p=0.001). CONCLUSION: The frequency of low serum concentrations of anti-MDR-TB drugs was substantial and might not affect the 2-month sputum conversion rate. Larger prospective studies with timely sampling are needed to investigate the role of therapeutic drug monitoring in MDR-TB.
Adult ; Aged ; Antitubercular Agents/blood/*pharmacokinetics/therapeutic use ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Cycloserine/blood/*pharmacokinetics/therapeutic use ; Fluoroquinolones/blood/*pharmacokinetics/therapeutic use ; Humans ; Medication Adherence ; Middle Aged ; Prothionamide/blood/*pharmacokinetics/therapeutic use ; Retrospective Studies ; Sputum/*microbiology ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry ; Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant/blood/*drug therapy ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Irisin, a newly identified hormone, is associated with energy homeostasis. We investigated whether aged garlic extract (AGE) and exercise training intervention could improve body weight, insulin sensitivity, skeletal muscle fibronectin domain containing protein 5 (FNDC-5) levels, and plasma irisin in high-fat diet (HFD). MATERIALS/METHODS: Male Sprague Dawley rats were fed a ND (normal diet, n = 5) or HFD (n = 28) for 6 weeks. After 6 weeks, all rats were divided into 5 groups for the next 4 weeks: ND, (normal diet, n = 5), HFD (high-fat diet, n = 7), HFDA (high-fat diet + aged garlic extract, n = 7), HFDE (high-fat diet + exercise, n = 7), and HFDEA (high-fat diet + exercise + aged garlic extract, n = 7). Exercise groups performed treadmill exercises for 15-60 min, 5 days/week, and AGE groups received AGE (2.86 g/kg, orally injected) for 4 weeks. RESULTS: Significant decreases in body weight were observed in the ND, HFDE, and HFDEA groups, as compared with the HFD group. Neither intervention affected the masses of the gastrocnemius muscle or liver. There were no significant differences in glucose levels across the groups. The homeostatic model assessments of insulin resistance were significantly higher in the HFD group, as compared with the ND, HFDA, HFDE, and HFDEA groups. However, skeletal muscle FNDC-5 levels and plasma irisin concentrations were unaffected by AGE or exercise in obese rats. AGE supplementation and exercise training did not affect skeletal muscle FNDC-5 or plasma irisin, which are associated with insulin sensitivity in obese rats. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the protection against HFD-induced increases in body fat/weight and insulin resistance that are provided by AGE supplementation and exercise training may not be mediated by the regulation of FNDC-5 or irisin.
Animals ; Body Weight ; Diet ; Diet, High-Fat ; Exercise ; Fibronectins ; Garlic* ; Glucose ; Homeostasis ; Humans ; Insulin Resistance ; Liver ; Male ; Models, Animal* ; Muscle, Skeletal* ; Plasma ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

PURPOSE: To compare and analyze the clinical outcomes after the traditional mini-flap technique and a new modified mini-flap technique for pterygium surgery. METHODS: This is a retrospective, clinical outcome study of 39 eyes that received the existing mini-flap technique from January, 2004 to August, 2005, and 142 eyes that received the modified mini-flap technique from September, 2008 to December, 2010. We analyzed the recurrence rate of each mini-flap technique and the difference between the group that experienced recurrence and the group that did not. We also analyzed the difference between the group that received the mini-flap technique and the group that received the modified mini-flap technique. RESULTS: The recurrence rate of pterygium patients who received the mini-flap technique was 10.3% (4/39). The rate of those who received the modified mini-flap technique was 2.1% (3/142), which is statistically lower (p = 0.040). However, compared from the recurrence rate of 6.1% (3/49) that was reported in 2008, the recurrence rate of the modified mini-flap technique did not show any statistical significance (p = 0.165). From the comparison of demographic factors of the patients in each surgical technique group, in both recurred and not recurred group, the patient group in the modified mini-flap technique group whose pterygium was recurrd was the youngest (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The newly applied modified mini-flap technique is not only a safe method with low recurrence rate compared to the traditional mini-flap technique, but also a reliable surgical technique in both primary and recurred pterygium.
Demography ; Eye ; Humans ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) ; Pterygium ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies

The quality control for genetic tests would be of great importance as the test volume and clinical demands increase dramatically. Diagnostic genetics subcommitee of KSQACP performed two trials for cytogenetic study in 2008. A total of 41 laboratories participated in the cytogenetic surveys, and most of them showed acceptable results. However, some laboratories showed unacceptable results for the karyotype nomenclature and detection of complex cytogenetic abnormalities in hematologic neoplasias. The molecular genetics surveys included various tests: M. tuberculosis detection, hepatitis B (HBV) and C virus (HCV) detection and quantification, human papilloma virus (HPV) genotyping, gene rearrangement tests for leukemias and lymphomas, apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotyping, methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) genotyping, hereditary breast and ovarian cancer genes (BRCA1 and BRCA2), and genetic tests for hereditary disorders such as spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), Huntington disease (HD), spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA), Prader-Willi/Angelman syndrome (PWS/AS), mitochondrial encephalopathy with lactic acidosis and strokelike episodes (MELAS), myoclonic epilepsy ragged red fiber (MERRF), wilson disease (ATP7B) and cancer-associated genes (KRAS). Molecular genetic surveys showed excellent results in most of the participants. External quality assessment program for genetic analysis in 2008 was proved to be helpful in continuous education and evaluation of quality improvement.
Acidosis, Lactic ; Apolipoproteins ; Breast ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Cytogenetics ; Epilepsies, Myoclonic ; Gene Rearrangement ; Hepatitis B ; Hepatolenticular Degeneration ; Humans ; Huntington Disease ; Karyotype ; Korea ; Leukemia ; Lymphoma ; Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2) ; Mitochondrial Encephalomyopathies ; Molecular Biology ; Muscular Atrophy, Spinal ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; Papilloma ; Quality Control ; Quality Improvement ; Spinocerebellar Ataxias ; Tuberculosis ; Viruses

PURPOSE: To compare corneal sensitivity and recovery of corneal innervations after a temporal clear corneal incision in cataract surgery. METHODS: We measured changes to corneal sensitivity using Cochet-Bonnet esthesiometer in 25 eyes of 20 patients and analyzed corneal nerve density with confocal microscopy in 20 eyes of 20 patients who had undergone cataract surgery. The parameters were measured before, and at 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months after cataract surgery. RESULTS: The mean preoperative corneal sensitivity was 56.40+/-3.39 mm at the temporal corneal incision site, and there was a significantly decreased sensitivity of 29.80+/-2.69 mm and 42.40+/-4.36 mm postoperatively at 1 week and 1 month, respectively. Nonetheless, by three months, corneal sensitivity had returned to 56.00+/-2.89 mm and was not significantly different from measurements prior to the cataract surgery. The mean preoperative subbasal nerve density was 5296+/-1642 micrometer/mm2. After cataract surgery, the subbasal nerve density was significantly reduced to 4113+/-1421, 3555+/-1448, 4198+/-1239 micrometer/mm2 at 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Corneal sensitivity after cataract surgery returned to near preoperative levels within 3 months before complete restoration of normal corneal innervations. Therefore, regeneration of subbasal nerve fibers (, as determined by confocal microscopy,) requires more time than the return of corneal sensation after cataract surgery.
Cataract* ; Humans ; Microscopy, Confocal ; Nerve Fibers ; Regeneration ; Sensation

PURPOSE: To compare corneal sensitivity and recovery of corneal innervations after a temporal clear corneal incision in cataract surgery. METHODS: We measured changes to corneal sensitivity using Cochet-Bonnet esthesiometer in 25 eyes of 20 patients and analyzed corneal nerve density with confocal microscopy in 20 eyes of 20 patients who had undergone cataract surgery. The parameters were measured before, and at 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months after cataract surgery. RESULTS: The mean preoperative corneal sensitivity was 56.40+/-3.39 mm at the temporal corneal incision site, and there was a significantly decreased sensitivity of 29.80+/-2.69 mm and 42.40+/-4.36 mm postoperatively at 1 week and 1 month, respectively. Nonetheless, by three months, corneal sensitivity had returned to 56.00+/-2.89 mm and was not significantly different from measurements prior to the cataract surgery. The mean preoperative subbasal nerve density was 5296+/-1642 micrometer/mm2. After cataract surgery, the subbasal nerve density was significantly reduced to 4113+/-1421, 3555+/-1448, 4198+/-1239 micrometer/mm2 at 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Corneal sensitivity after cataract surgery returned to near preoperative levels within 3 months before complete restoration of normal corneal innervations. Therefore, regeneration of subbasal nerve fibers (, as determined by confocal microscopy,) requires more time than the return of corneal sensation after cataract surgery.
Cataract* ; Humans ; Microscopy, Confocal ; Nerve Fibers ; Regeneration ; Sensation