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Purpose This study aims to investigate the association between domain-specific physical activity (PA), sedentary behavior, subjective health perception, and health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) in Korean adults aged ≥ 65 years. Methods This cross-sectional study analyzed 6,004 older adults from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2017–2020. PA and sedentary behavior were measured using a global PA questionnaire, and HR-QoL was assessed using the EuroQol-5 Dimension (EQ-5D, three-level version). Multiple logistic regression was used to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) after adjusting for confounding parameters. Results Older adults who were physically active at work showed a negative association with subjectively good health and HR-QoL, whereas those physically active in transport or leisure time showed a positive association with subjectively good health and HR-QoL. Older adults highly engaged in sedentary behavior showed a worse perception of health and HR-QoL. Compared to high sedentary behavior and physical activity during leisure time or transport, the EQ-5D index was higher than that of their counterparts. Conclusion Both domain-specific PA and sedentary behavior were significantly associated with older adults’ perception of health and HR-QoL. Interventions are needed to improve HR-QoL by reducing sedentary behavior and encouraging physical activity in transportation or leisure time among adults aged 65 years and above.

To investigate the association of orthostatic hypotension (OH) with health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in older people living in the community. A cross-sectional design was used. A total of 217 participants aged 65 and older were classified as having OH if their systolic or diastolic blood pressure showed a drop of ≥ 20 mmHg systolic blood pressure or ≥ 10 mmHg diastolic blood pressure, respectively, within 3 min of standing. Participants provided demographic and medical information and responded to questionnaires about their HRQoL (EuroQoL-5D-3L), as well as depression, anxiety, cognitive function, and recent physical activities. The number of participants with OH was 117, and those without OH numbered 100. The mean HRQoL levels were 0.56 (SD 0.29) in the OH group and 0.74 (SD 0.25) in the non-OH group (p

Insulin resistance is associated with increased risk for and recurrence of breast cancer. Recently, Wnt1-inducible signaling pathway protein-1 (WISP-1) was reported to impair glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity. In various cancer tissues, Wnt signaling is upregulated and induces further oncogenic and metastatic activity. However, the effects of exercise on serum levels of WISP-1 and its upstream β-catenin have not been studied in cancer patients. We investigated the effects of exercise training on Wnt signaling and insulin sensitivity in breast cancer survivors (BCS). This single-center trial randomized 46 BCS into either 12-week exercise or control groups (1:1), and included an additional 12 age-matched healthy women. Kinanthropometric parameters, serum Wnt signaling markers, and gluco-lipid profiles were evaluated before and after the intervention. Serum β-catenin and WISP-1 concentrations were significantly higher in BCS than in healthy subjects. There was a positive correlation between β-catenin and WISP-1 levels. Exercise training in BCS significantly reduced body fat and waist circumference and enhanced aerobic and muscular fitness. Exercise decreased β-catenin and WISP-1 levels and improved gluco-lipid profiles. There was a notable correlation between changes in HOMA-IR indexes and serum WISP-1, but not with β-catenin during the exercise intervention. In conclusion, a 12-week community-based exercise intervention resulted in significant reductions in serum β-catenin and WISP-1 levels, accompanied by favorable improvements in body composition, physical fitness, and biochemical parameters in BCS. We also highlight that this is the first report concerning effects of exercise on circulating β-catenin and WISP-1 levels and correlations between WISP-1 and insulin sensitivity, which could be important for determining prognoses for BCS.

The objective of this study was to assess relationships between adiponectin and the status of glucose metabolism and to investigate whether low adiponectin levels were independently associated with the risk of impaired glucose metabolism and type 2 diabetes in Korean population. A total of 3,508 participants (mean age 56.3±8.0 years; BMI 24.7±3.2 kg/ m2; 41.0% male) were enrolled. Participants with normal glucose metabolism (NGM), impaired glucose metabolism (IGM), and type 2 diabetes were 58.0%, 28.9%, and 13.1%. Adiponectin levels in both men and women were significantly lower in participants with IGM and type 2 diabetes than participants with NGM. Low adiponectin levels in both men and women were strongly associated with the risk of IGM and type 2 diabetes in large population-based cohort of rural adult Koreans.

Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) affect millions of people of all ages, regardless of race or gender, but little information related to FGIDs is available and no diagnostic methods exist. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the alterations to gastrointestinal tracts induced by FGIDs, and to identify the feasibility of developing an ultrasonic diagnostic system to detect these alterations. Palpation/percussion examinations and in vitro microindentation tests were performed on 40 participants with or without FGIDs and 20 Sprague-Dawley rats with or without simulated FGIDs to identify any alterations to the mechanical response of the gastrointestinal tract. A finite difference analysis was performed for three simple models with or without assumed FGIDs to identify the feasibility of developing an ultrasonic diagnostic system. The results obtained from the palpation/percussion examinations and in vitro micro-indentation tests showed that a gastrointestinal tract with an FGID became more rigid than a healthy tract (p < 0.05). The results obtained from the finite difference analysis showed that an ultrasonic diagnostic system for FGIDs effectively detects alterations to the rigidity of the gastrointestinal tract, indicating that the development of an ultrasonic diagnostic system is reasonable and will aid in the diagnosis and treatment of FGIDs.

We identified major subunits of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) involved in excitatory postsynaptic potential and intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+] i ) increase in the major pelvic ganglion (MPG) neurons of the male rat. ACh elicited fast inward currents in both sympathetic and parasympathetic MPG neurons. Mecamylamine, a selective antagonist for α3β4 nAChR, potently inhibited the ACh-induced currents in sympathetic and parasympathetic neurons (IC50; 0.53 and 0.22 μM, respectively). Furthermore, α-conotoxin AuIB (10 μM), a new selective antagonist for α3β4 nAChR, blocked more than 80% of the ACh-induced currents in MPG neurons. Conversely, α-bungarotoxin, α-methyllycaconitine, and dihydro-β-erythroidine, known as blockers of the α7 or α4β2, did not show selective blocking effects on MPG neurons. ACh transiently increased [Ca2+] i which was subsequently abolished in the extracellular Ca2+-free environment. Simultaneous recording of [Ca2+] i and ionic currents revealed that ACh increased [Ca2+] i under the conditions of the voltage-clamped (at −80 mV) state, and this resulted from the influx through nAChR itself. ACh-induced [Ca2+] i increase was blocked by mecamylamine (10 μM), but was not affected by atropine (1 μM). RT-PCR analysis showed that, among subunits of nAChR, α3 and β4 were predominantly expressed in MPG. We suggest that activation of α3 and β4 nAChR subunits in MPG neurons induce fast inward currents and [Ca2+] i increase, possibly mediating a major role in pelvic autonomic synaptic transmission.

BackgroundEpstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection immortalizes primary B cells in vitro and generates lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs), which are used for several purposes in immunological and genetic studies. Purinergic receptors, consisting of P2X and P2Y, are activated by extracellular nucleotides in most tissues and exert various physiological effects. In B cells, especially EBV-induced LCLs, their expression and function have not been well studied. We investigated the expression of P2 receptors on primary human B cells and LCLs using the quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method for revealing the gene expression profile of the P2 receptor subtypes and their changes during transformation.ResultsThe mRNA transcripts of most P2 receptors were detected in primary B cells; the expression of P2X3and P2X7receptors was the lowest of all the P2 receptors. By contrast, LCLs expressed several dominant P2 receptors – P2X4, P2X5, and P2Y11– in amounts similar to those seen in B cells infected with EBV for 2 weeks. The amount of most P2 subtypes in LCLs or EBV-infected B cells was lower than in normal B cells. However, the amount of P2X7receptor expressed in LCLs was higher. Protein expression was studied using Western blotting to confirm the mRNA findings for P2X1, P2X4, P2X7, P2Y1, and P2Y11receptors. ATP increased the intracellular free Ca2+concentration ([Ca2+]i) by enhancing the Ca2+influx in both B cells and LCLs in a dose-dependent manner.ConclusionThese findings describe P2 receptor expression profiles and the effects of purinergic stimuli on B cells and suggest some plasticity in the expression of the P2 receptor phenotype. This may help explain the nature and effect of P2 receptors on B cells and their role in altering the characteristics of LCLs.