BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Isoflavones are estrogen-like compounds found in plants and their health effects remain equivocal. We investigated dietary isoflavone intake and its associated factors in Korean breast cancer survivors, with a comparison to cancer-free women. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The usual dietary intake of breast cancer survivors (n = 981, mean age 52 yrs) in 9 hospitals between 2012 and 2019 was assessed using 3-day food records or food frequency questionnaires (FFQs). They were age-matched to 2,943 cancer-free women who completed FFQs as part of a nationwide study conducted between 2012 and 2016. We used the flavonoid database of common Korean foods and the Phenol-Explorer database to estimate isoflavone intake. The contribution of each food or food group to the total isoflavone intake was calculated. The adjusted least-squares means of dietary isoflavone intake according to lifestyle and clinical factors were calculated using generalized linear models. RESULTS: Breast cancer survivors had a higher mean dietary isoflavone intake (23.59 mg/day) than cancer-free women (17.81 mg/day). Major food sources, including tofu, soybeans, and doenjang, contributed to over 70% of the isoflavone intake in both groups. When we estimated dietary isoflavone intake according to lifestyle characteristics, isoflavone intake increased with higher scores of adherence to the American Cancer Society dietary guidelines but decreased with increasing body mass index in both groups. Among cancer-free women, dietary isoflavone intake was higher among those who had never smoked and among dietary supplement users. Among breast cancer survivors, dietary isoflavone intakes did not vary with clinical characteristics, including time since surgery and estrogen receptor status. CONCLUSION Breast cancer survivors were more likely to consume isoflavones than agematched cancer-free women. Dietary isoflavone intake was associated with healthy lifestyle characteristics in women both with and without breast cancer. Further research is needed to understand the role of the higher isoflavone intake among breast cancer survivors compared to cancer-free women on their prognosis.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Isoflavones are estrogen-like compounds found in plants and their health effects remain equivocal. We investigated dietary isoflavone intake and its associated factors in Korean breast cancer survivors, with a comparison to cancer-free women. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The usual dietary intake of breast cancer survivors (n = 981, mean age 52 yrs) in 9 hospitals between 2012 and 2019 was assessed using 3-day food records or food frequency questionnaires (FFQs). They were age-matched to 2,943 cancer-free women who completed FFQs as part of a nationwide study conducted between 2012 and 2016. We used the flavonoid database of common Korean foods and the Phenol-Explorer database to estimate isoflavone intake. The contribution of each food or food group to the total isoflavone intake was calculated. The adjusted least-squares means of dietary isoflavone intake according to lifestyle and clinical factors were calculated using generalized linear models. RESULTS: Breast cancer survivors had a higher mean dietary isoflavone intake (23.59 mg/day) than cancer-free women (17.81 mg/day). Major food sources, including tofu, soybeans, and doenjang, contributed to over 70% of the isoflavone intake in both groups. When we estimated dietary isoflavone intake according to lifestyle characteristics, isoflavone intake increased with higher scores of adherence to the American Cancer Society dietary guidelines but decreased with increasing body mass index in both groups. Among cancer-free women, dietary isoflavone intake was higher among those who had never smoked and among dietary supplement users. Among breast cancer survivors, dietary isoflavone intakes did not vary with clinical characteristics, including time since surgery and estrogen receptor status. CONCLUSION Breast cancer survivors were more likely to consume isoflavones than agematched cancer-free women. Dietary isoflavone intake was associated with healthy lifestyle characteristics in women both with and without breast cancer. Further research is needed to understand the role of the higher isoflavone intake among breast cancer survivors compared to cancer-free women on their prognosis.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Isoflavones are estrogen-like compounds found in plants and their health effects remain equivocal. We investigated dietary isoflavone intake and its associated factors in Korean breast cancer survivors, with a comparison to cancer-free women. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The usual dietary intake of breast cancer survivors (n = 981, mean age 52 yrs) in 9 hospitals between 2012 and 2019 was assessed using 3-day food records or food frequency questionnaires (FFQs). They were age-matched to 2,943 cancer-free women who completed FFQs as part of a nationwide study conducted between 2012 and 2016. We used the flavonoid database of common Korean foods and the Phenol-Explorer database to estimate isoflavone intake. The contribution of each food or food group to the total isoflavone intake was calculated. The adjusted least-squares means of dietary isoflavone intake according to lifestyle and clinical factors were calculated using generalized linear models. RESULTS: Breast cancer survivors had a higher mean dietary isoflavone intake (23.59 mg/day) than cancer-free women (17.81 mg/day). Major food sources, including tofu, soybeans, and doenjang, contributed to over 70% of the isoflavone intake in both groups. When we estimated dietary isoflavone intake according to lifestyle characteristics, isoflavone intake increased with higher scores of adherence to the American Cancer Society dietary guidelines but decreased with increasing body mass index in both groups. Among cancer-free women, dietary isoflavone intake was higher among those who had never smoked and among dietary supplement users. Among breast cancer survivors, dietary isoflavone intakes did not vary with clinical characteristics, including time since surgery and estrogen receptor status. CONCLUSION Breast cancer survivors were more likely to consume isoflavones than agematched cancer-free women. Dietary isoflavone intake was associated with healthy lifestyle characteristics in women both with and without breast cancer. Further research is needed to understand the role of the higher isoflavone intake among breast cancer survivors compared to cancer-free women on their prognosis.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Isoflavones are estrogen-like compounds found in plants and their health effects remain equivocal. We investigated dietary isoflavone intake and its associated factors in Korean breast cancer survivors, with a comparison to cancer-free women. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The usual dietary intake of breast cancer survivors (n = 981, mean age 52 yrs) in 9 hospitals between 2012 and 2019 was assessed using 3-day food records or food frequency questionnaires (FFQs). They were age-matched to 2,943 cancer-free women who completed FFQs as part of a nationwide study conducted between 2012 and 2016. We used the flavonoid database of common Korean foods and the Phenol-Explorer database to estimate isoflavone intake. The contribution of each food or food group to the total isoflavone intake was calculated. The adjusted least-squares means of dietary isoflavone intake according to lifestyle and clinical factors were calculated using generalized linear models. RESULTS: Breast cancer survivors had a higher mean dietary isoflavone intake (23.59 mg/day) than cancer-free women (17.81 mg/day). Major food sources, including tofu, soybeans, and doenjang, contributed to over 70% of the isoflavone intake in both groups. When we estimated dietary isoflavone intake according to lifestyle characteristics, isoflavone intake increased with higher scores of adherence to the American Cancer Society dietary guidelines but decreased with increasing body mass index in both groups. Among cancer-free women, dietary isoflavone intake was higher among those who had never smoked and among dietary supplement users. Among breast cancer survivors, dietary isoflavone intakes did not vary with clinical characteristics, including time since surgery and estrogen receptor status. CONCLUSION Breast cancer survivors were more likely to consume isoflavones than agematched cancer-free women. Dietary isoflavone intake was associated with healthy lifestyle characteristics in women both with and without breast cancer. Further research is needed to understand the role of the higher isoflavone intake among breast cancer survivors compared to cancer-free women on their prognosis.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Isoflavones are estrogen-like compounds found in plants and their health effects remain equivocal. We investigated dietary isoflavone intake and its associated factors in Korean breast cancer survivors, with a comparison to cancer-free women. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The usual dietary intake of breast cancer survivors (n = 981, mean age 52 yrs) in 9 hospitals between 2012 and 2019 was assessed using 3-day food records or food frequency questionnaires (FFQs). They were age-matched to 2,943 cancer-free women who completed FFQs as part of a nationwide study conducted between 2012 and 2016. We used the flavonoid database of common Korean foods and the Phenol-Explorer database to estimate isoflavone intake. The contribution of each food or food group to the total isoflavone intake was calculated. The adjusted least-squares means of dietary isoflavone intake according to lifestyle and clinical factors were calculated using generalized linear models. RESULTS: Breast cancer survivors had a higher mean dietary isoflavone intake (23.59 mg/day) than cancer-free women (17.81 mg/day). Major food sources, including tofu, soybeans, and doenjang, contributed to over 70% of the isoflavone intake in both groups. When we estimated dietary isoflavone intake according to lifestyle characteristics, isoflavone intake increased with higher scores of adherence to the American Cancer Society dietary guidelines but decreased with increasing body mass index in both groups. Among cancer-free women, dietary isoflavone intake was higher among those who had never smoked and among dietary supplement users. Among breast cancer survivors, dietary isoflavone intakes did not vary with clinical characteristics, including time since surgery and estrogen receptor status. CONCLUSION Breast cancer survivors were more likely to consume isoflavones than agematched cancer-free women. Dietary isoflavone intake was associated with healthy lifestyle characteristics in women both with and without breast cancer. Further research is needed to understand the role of the higher isoflavone intake among breast cancer survivors compared to cancer-free women on their prognosis.

Background: This study evaluated the difference in brain metabolite profiles between normothermia and hypothermia reaching 25°C in humans in vivo. Methods: Thirteen patients who underwent thoracic aorta surgery under moderate hypothermia were prospectively enrolled. Plasma samples were collected simultaneously from the arteries and veins to estimate metabolite uptake or release. Targeted metabolomics based on liquid chromatographic mass spectrometry and direct flow injection were performed, and changes in the profiles of respective metabolites from normothermia to hypothermia were compared. The ratios of metabolite concentrations in venous blood samples to those in arterial blood samples (V/A ratios) were calculated, and log 2 transformation of the ratios [log2 (V/A)] was performed for comparison between the temperature groups. Results: Targeted metabolomics were performed for 140 metabolites, including 20 amino acids, 13 biogenic amines, 10 acylcarnitines, 82 glycerophospholipids, 14 sphingomyelins, and 1 hexose. Of the 140 metabolites analyzed, 137 metabolites were released from the brain in normothermia, and the release of 132 of these 137 metabolites was decreased in hypothermia. Two metabolites (dopamine and hexose) showed constant release from the brain in hypothermia, and 3 metabolites (2 glycophospholipids and 1 sphingomyelin) showed conversion from release to uptake in hypothermia. Glutamic acid demonstrated a distinct brain metabolism in that it was taken up by the brain in normothermia, and the uptake was increased in hypothermia. Conclusion Targeted metabolomics demonstrated various degrees of changes in the release of metabolites by the hypothermic brain. The release of most metabolites was decreased in hypothermia, whereas glutamic acid showed a distinct brain metabolism.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the leading cause of chronic liver disease worldwide. It is characterized by the accumulation of lipids without alcohol intake and often progresses to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), liver fibrosis, and end-stage liver diseases such as cirrhosis or cancer. Although animal models have greatly contributed to the understanding of NAFLD, studies on the disease progression in humans are still limited. In this study, we used the recently reported high-fat L-methionine-defined and choline-deficient (HFMCD) diet to rapidly induce NASH and compared the responses to HFMCD in ICR mice from three different countries: Korea (supplied by the National Institute of Food and Drug Safety Evaluation), USA, and Japan during 6 weeks. Feeding HFMCD did not cause significant differences in weight gain in comparison with mice fed control diet. Relative weight of the liver increased gradually, while the relative weight of the kidneys remained unchanged. The parameters of liver injury (serum activities of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and lactate dehydrogenase) increased rapidly from 1 week and remained elevated for as long as 6 weeks. Histopathological analysis showed that the accumulation of hepatic lipids induced by HFMCD was prominent at 1 week after diet supplementation and increased further at 6 weeks. Inflammatory markers were significantly increased in a time-dependent manner by HFMCD. The mRNA levels of TNF-α and IL-6 were elevated approximately 15-fold relative to control diet and that of IL-1β was increased more than 20-folds at 6 week after the onset of HFMCD intake. In addition, mRNA expression of fibrosis markers such as α-SMA, TGFβ1, and Col1a1 were also significantly increased at 6 week. In summary, the responses of Korl:ICR mice by intake of HFMCD diet were similar to those of ICR mice from other sources, which suggests that Korl:ICR mice is also a useful resource to study the pathogenesis of diet-induced NAFLD.

Acetaminophen (APAP) is the most common antipyretic analgesic worldwide. However, APAP overdose causes severe liver injury, especially centrilobular necrosis, in humans and experimental animals. At therapeutic dosage, APAP is mainly metabolized by sulfation and glucuronidation, and partly by cytochrome P450–mediated oxidation. However, APAP overdose results in production of excess reactive metabolite, N-acetyl-p-benzoquinone imine (NAPQI), by cytochromes P450; NAPQI overwhelms the level of glutathione (GSH), which could otherwise detoxify it. NAPQI binds covalently to proteins, leading to cell death. A number of studies aimed at the prevention and treatment of APAP-induced toxicity are underway. Rats are more resistant than mice to APAP hepatotoxicity, and thus mouse models are mainly used. In the present study, we compared the toxic responses induced by APAP overdose in the liver of ICR mice obtained from three different sources and evaluated the usability of the Korl:ICR stock established by the National Institute of Food and Drug Safety Evaluation in Korea. Administration of APAP (300 mg/kg) by intraperitoneal injection into male ICR mice enhanced CYP2E1 protein expression and depleted hepatic GSH level 2 h after treatment accompanied with significantly increased level of hepatic malondialdehyde, a product of lipid peroxidation. Regardless of the source of the mice, hepatotoxicity, as evidenced by activity of serum alanine aminotransferase, increased from 8 h and peaked at 24 h after APAP treatment. In summary, hepatotoxicity was induced after the onset of oxidative stress by overdose of APAP, and the response was the same over time among mice of different origins.
Acetaminophen ; Alanine Transaminase ; Animals ; Cell Death ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP2E1 ; Cytochromes ; Glutathione ; Humans ; Injections, Intraperitoneal ; Korea ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Liver ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Necrosis ; Oxidative Stress ; Rats

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to examine the efficacies of susceptibility weighted images (SWI) for predicting the clinical prognosis of comatose patients following cardiac arrest. METHODS: Thirty-two patients who were resuscitated from cardiac arrest and underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were retrospectively investigated and compared to 32 subjects with normal brain MRI findings who served as controls. The SWI readings were divided into three categories: prominent, diminished, and normal. Comatose patients were divided into two groups: those with a Glasgow-Pittsburgh cerebral performance category (CPC) of 1-2 (good outcome group) and those with a CPC of 3-5 (poor outcome group). RESULTS: Of the 32 patients, 17 (53.1%) showed good neurological outcomes upon hospital discharge. Normal patterns on SWI were mainly seen in the good outcome group (15 patients, 88.2%), while diminished patterns and prominent patterns were frequently found in the poor outcome group (13 patients, 88.7%). The combination of diminished pattern and prominent pattern predicted poor outcome with 86.7% sensitivity (95% confidence interval, 69.5%-100%) and 88.2% specificity (95% confidence interval, 72.9%-100%). CONCLUSION: The SWI findings correlate with the outcome of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy and may be a useful adjunct of vegetative state or death in comatose patients after cardiac arrest.
Brain ; Coma* ; Heart Arrest* ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Persistent Vegetative State ; Prognosis ; Reading ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity

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