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2‐Pyrones with a chiral branched allylic silyl ether substituent underwent intramolecular Diels–Alder reactions with remarkably high π‐facial‐ and endo‐selectivities. The resulting diastereomerically and enantiomerically pure cycloadducts were transformed into the natural products (+)‐lycopladine A and (−)‐lycoposerramine R. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: Although body weight variability has been associated with mortality, cardiovascular disease, and dementia, the relationship between body weight variability and Parkinson disease (PD) has rarely been studied. We aimed to investigate the longitudinal association between body weight variability and PD incidence. Methods: A nationwide population‐based, cohort study was conducted using the database from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service of the whole Korean population. We analyzed 2,815,135 participants (≥40 years old, mean age = 51.7 ± 8.6 years, 66.8% men) without a previous PD diagnosis. We determined individual body weight variability from baseline weight and follow‐up visits. We used Cox proportional hazards regression models. Results: The highest quartile group was associated with increased PD incidence compared with the lowest quartile group after adjustment for confounding factors (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.18, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.08–1.29). In contrast, baseline body mass index, baseline waist circumference, and waist circumference variability were not associated with increased PD incidence. In the body weight loss group, individuals within the quartile of the highest variation in body weight showed a higher HR of PD risk than those within other quartiles (HR = 1.41, 95% CI = 1.18–1.68). Conclusions: Body weight variability, especially weight loss, was associated with higher PD incidence. This finding has important implications for clinicians and supports the need for preventative measures and surveillance for PD in individuals with fluctuating body weight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is characterized by insulin resistance, high blood pressure/sugar, dyslipidemia, and obesity. Whether MetS and its components affect the development of Behçet's disease (BD) remains unclear. This study was performed to investigate the associations between metabolic syndrome and risk of BD using nationwide population data. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 10 505 818 Korean subjects who received health checkups in 2009–2012. Patients were classified into a MetS and its components group and were followed‐up until 2016 for new‐onset BD. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to assess the independent or synergistic effects of MetS and its components on the risk of incident BD. Compared to subjects without MetS components, the hazard ratio (HR) for development of BD in patients with MetS was 0.874 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.819–0.933) and this association was more prominent when all components of MetS were present (HR = 0.675, 95% CI = 0.571–0.798). Subjects with low high density lipoprotein (HDL) has a significantly increased risk of the development of BD (HR = 1.51, 95% CI = 1.4–1.594) compared to controls. This study showed that the incidence of Behçet's disease was reduced in subjects with MetS. Moreover, the presence of MetS components, with the exception of HDL, was negatively related to the development of BD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: We investigated the relationship of BMI and waist circumference with the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) using a population‐based cohort database and to explore the relationship of CRC with diabetes status. Methods: Retrospective data (age >20 years) on anthropometric variables, blood parameters of fasting sugar, lipid levels, and blood pressure were collected from the National Health Insurance Corporation database between 2009 and 2012. Cox regression models were used to estimate hazard ratio (HR) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Results: Of the 23 121 360 people studied, 120 579 were diagnosed with CRC after a median follow‐up period of 5.4 years. Both waist circumference and body mass index were positively associated with increased risk of CRC, regardless of age or sex. After mutual adjustment, only waist circumference was significantly associated with increased risk of CRC (HR = 1.275, 95% CI: 1.205–1.349). When the risk of CRC was compared according to diabetes status among people with the same waist circumference range, risk of CRC was higher for those with worse diabetes status. Conclusion: When waist circumference and body mass index were mutually adjusted, only waist circumference was associated with CRC risk. In addition, the risk of CRC is gradually higher in those with worsening diabetes, even if their waist circumferences are within the same range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims/Introduction: We investigated the risk of incident type 2 diabetes according to the cumulative exposure to obesity or metabolic syndrome (MetS) during annual or biennial health examinations. Materials and Methods: The Korean National Health Insurance Service datasets from 2002 to 2017 were used for this retrospective longitudinal study. The risk for type 2 diabetes was analyzed according to the cumulative exposure to obesity and MetS among individuals who underwent four health examinations from 2009 to 2012 or 2013 (n = 2,851,745). Results: During examinations, 28.56 and 17.86% of the total participants showed fluctuations in metabolic health state and obesity, respectively. During a mean 5.01 years of follow up, 98,950 new type 2 diabetes cases developed. The risk for type 2 diabetes increased with the increase in exposure to MetS (hazard ratio [HR] 2.92, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.86–2.99; HR 4.96, 95% CI 4.85–5.08; HR 7.46, 95% CI 7.30–7.63; HR 12.24, 95% CI 12.00–12.49 in groups with number of exposures one to four, respectively) and obesity (HR 1.60, 95% CI 1.56–1.65; HR 1.87, 95% CI 1.81–1.92; HR 2.25, 95% CI 2.19–2.31; HR 3.46, 95% CI 3.41–3.51 in groups with number of exposures one to four, respectively), showing a more detrimental effect of cumulative exposure to MetS, when compared with the exposure to obesity. Conclusions: Metabolic health and obesity fluctuated within a relatively short period of 4–5 years. Although the impact was much greater for MetS than for obesity, the cumulative duration of both obesity and MetS was associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes in a dose‐response manner. Therefore, continuously maintaining metabolic health and normal weight is crucial to prevent incident type 2 diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Variability in various biomarkers has emerged as a new clinical indicator for diseases including neurodegenerative disorders. Gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) has a potential to be involved in the pathogenesis of dementia due to its function as a marker of oxidative stress and atherosclerosis. We investigated the association between baseline GGT, GGT variability, and dementia risk for the first time in a large population.Methods: The Korean National Health Insurance Service datasets of claims and preventive health check-ups from 2004 to 2016 were used for this retrospective longitudinal study. The risk of incident dementia (all-cause dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and vascular dementia) was analyzed according to sex-specific quartiles of baseline GGT and GGT variability, and groups categorized by baseline GGT and GGT variability in ≥40-year-old individuals without baseline dementia (N = 6 046 442; mean follow-up 6.32 years).Results: During follow-up, 166 851 cases of new dementia developed. The fully adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for incident dementia increased in the higher quartiles of baseline GGT and GGT variability (HR [95% CI]: Q2, 1.034 [1.019-1.049]; Q3, 1.090 [1.075-1.105]; Q4, 1.212 [1.196-1.229]). The association between GGT variability quartiles and dementia risk remained significant even after adjusting for log-transformed baseline GGT level. The fully adjusted HRs for dementia was highest in the group with high baseline GGT concentration and the highest GGT variability quartile [HR (95% CI): 1.273 (1.250-1.296)].Conclusions: Not only baseline GGT level, but also GGT variability may be an independent predictor of dementia, and might be used for risk stratification for future dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the association between weight change and mortality in Korean older adults. Methods: We collected data pertaining to National Screening Program participants aged ≥65 years from the Korean National Health Insurance Corporation records during 2005–2011. To this data, we included mortality data, such as the date of death, of these patients (up to and including 2017) from Statistics Korea. We defined weight change as a difference in bodyweight measured in the National Screening Program over a period of 4 years. Cox proportional hazards models were used to evaluate the association between weight change and mortality. Results: The study population consisted of 1 100 256 participants, and a total of 46 415 deaths were observed during a mean follow‐up period of 3.2 ± 0.8 years (maximum 5.0 years). For 3 531 585 person‐year follow up, the mortality rate for stable weight was 10.79 per 1000 person‐years (PY). Weight loss increased the mortality rate by 68%, whereas weight gain increased the rate by 10% compared with stable weight (weight loss: mortality rate 20.28 per 1000 PY, adjusted hazard ratio 1.68, 95% confidence interval 1.65–1.72; weight gain: mortality rate 12.86 per 1000 PY, adjusted hazard ratio 1.10, 95% confidence interval 1.07–1.13). However, in subgroup analysis, for participants who were underweight at baseline, current cigarette smokers or heavy alcohol drinkers, weight gain did not increase the mortality rate. Conclusions: In Korean older adults, regardless of the risk factors, both weight loss and weight gain increased the mortality rate compared with stable weight. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2020; 20: 474–481. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of abdominal obesity and lack of physical activity are both risk factors for the development of hypertension. The aim of this study was to analyze the risk of developing hypertension according to baseline waist circumference (WC). In total, 16 312 476 non-hypertensive participants who were covered by the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) from 2009 to 2012 in Korea were included in the study. The participants were divided into six groups according to the level of baseline WC with a 5-cm interval starting from 80 cm in men and 75 cm in women. The risk for the future development of hypertension was assessed in 2015 using the claims data on the diagnosis of hypertension and prescription of anti-hypertensive medications. Approximately 7.8% of the participants developed hypertension over a median follow-up of 5.48 years. The proportion of participants who developed hypertension significantly increased from 4.2% in the WC level 1% to 17.5% in the WC level 6. After adjusting for confounding factors, level 6 of the baseline WC had a higher hazard ratio (HR) for the development of hypertension among the 6 levels of baseline with level 3 as the reference (1736; 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 1.72-1.753). The participants with abdominal obesity had a significantly higher HR than those without abdominal obesity regardless of whether they engage in high- or moderate-intensity physical intensity (1.741; 95% CI: 1.718-1.764). WC had a linear association with the development of hypertension based on this large nationwide population-based cohort study, which was not influenced by physical activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early detection of cancer provides effective treatment and saves lives. The objective of this study was to determine whether serum gastrokine 1 (GKN1) protein is a gastric cancer‐specific diagnostic biomarker. The serum concentration of GKN1 in healthy individuals (median: 6.34 ng/μL, interquartile range (IQR): 5.66‐7.54 ng/μL) was significantly higher compared with the levels in gastric cancer patients (median: 3.48 ng/μL, IQR: 2.90‐4.11 ng/μL; P < .0001). At the optimum cutoff (4.94 ng/μL) of serum GKN1 protein, the sensitivity and specificity were 91.2% and 96.0%, respectively, for gastric cancer. Using serum GKN1 protein as the diagnostic reference, the ROC curve showed a satisfactory diagnostic efficacy with an AUC value of 0.9954 (95% CI 0.9919‐0.9988) and Youden index of 0.8740. In addition, the diagnostic accuracy of the serum GKN1 protein at the optimum cutoff was 0.9675. Interestingly, serum GKN1 concentrations in patients with advanced gastric cancer (AGC; median: 3.11 ng/μL, IQR: 2.72‐3.72 ng/μL) were lower than in patients with early gastric cancer (EGC; median: 4.31 ng/μL, IQR: 3.88‐4.88 ng/μL). The diagnostic accuracies at the optimum serum GKN1 cutoff were 0.8912 and 0.9589 for EGC and AGC, respectively. Furthermore, the serum GKN1 concentrations robustly discriminated the patients with gastric cancer from the patients with colorectal, liver, lung, breast, pancreatic, ovary, and prostatic cancers with AUC values greater than 0.94. These data suggest that serum GKN1 is a promising and highly specific diagnostic biomarker for the prompt detection of early and advanced gastric cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The roles of chronic kidney disease and proteinuria in the development of Parkinson's disease have not been widely studied. The objective of this study was to examine the associations of chronic renal dysfunction and proteinuria with the risk of PD in older adults using cohort data of the whole South Korean population.Methods: We included 3,580,435 individuals aged ≥65 years who had undergone health checkups provided by the National Health Insurance Service of South Korea between 2009 and 2012 and were followed until 2015. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models were performed.Results: During a mean follow-up of 5.2 ± 1.3 years, 30,813 individuals (0.86% of the total population) developed PD. Lower estimated glomerular filtration rate and a higher degree of proteinuria on a dipstick test were associated with higher incidence probability of PD (log-rank P < 0.001). In Cox regression models, chronic renal dysfunction graded by estimated glomerular filtration rate (mL/min/1.73 m2 ) was associated with increased risk of PD after adjusting for potential confounding variables; hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) was 1.13 (1.10-1.17) for estimated glomerular filtration rate 60-90, 1.36 (1.31-1.42) for estimated glomerular filtration rate 30-60, and 1.47 (1.32-1.63) for estimated glomerular filtration rate <30 (P for trend <0.001). Proteinuria ≥1+ was also associated with increased risk of PD development (hazard ratio, 1.12; 95% confidence interval, 1.06-1.18). Coexistence of chronic kidney disease and proteinuria showed an increased hazard ratio of 1.33 (95% confidence interval, 1.23-1.45) for PD occurrence.Conclusions: Our findings suggest that chronic renal dysfunction and dipstick-positive proteinuria may be independent risk factors for the development of PD in older adults. © 2019 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between psoriasis and cancer has not yet been established. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of psoriasis with certain cancers using national statistics. All patients with psoriasis (n = 892 089; 51.7% male) and age‐ and sex‐matched control subjects (n = 4 460 445) at a 5:1 ratio were enrolled using data from the National Health Insurance Service between 2007 and 2014 in Korea. In psoriatic subjects, overall cancer risk was higher than for subjects without psoriasis after adjusting for income level, diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia and place of residence (hazard ratio, 1.065; 95% CI, 1.049–1.081). The risk of cancer increased in the following order: prostate, thyroid, liver, ovarian, lung, leukemia, skin, multiple myeloma, lymphoma and testicular. The severity and sex of psoriatic patients also had different cancer risks. In psoriatic patients, a slightly increased risk for specific malignant neoplasms was shown. Therefore, periodic screening for cancer risk is recommended in patients with psoriasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The epidemiology of pemphigus varies among racial populations worldwide. Trends in the incidence of pemphigus have not been investigated based on the Korean National Health Insurance database. This study investigated the incidence and death rate of pemphigus with age using nationwide population data in South Korea. A nationwide population‐based cohort study was performed using the Korean National Health Insurance Claims Database from 2006 to 2015. The incidence of pemphigus vulgaris (PV) per 1 000 000 person‐years was 2.059 (1.885 for males and 2.234 for females), and for pemphigus foliaceus (PF) 1.138 (1.205 males and 1.07 for females). The incidence of PV and PF increased with age. The incidence was not different between the habitat and household income. These incidence of PV and PF was significantly higher in subjects with comorbid metabolic conditions, such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension and dyslipidemia. The death rate per 1000 person‐years in PV and PF patients increased with age after adjustment for the presence of comorbidities compared with standard death rate. This study showed that age is an important factor in PV and PF patients in Korea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study investigated the association between allergic diseases and comorbid ophthalmologic diseases. We enrolled 14 776 participants who were at least 19 years of age. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the odds ratios for cataracts and glaucoma according to the presence of allergic diseases. Atopic dermatitis was not associated with the development of cataracts and glaucoma. However, asthma and allergic rhinitis were significantly associated with cataracts (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.511, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.120–2.039 and HR = 1.565, 95% CI = 1.192–2.054, respectively). This study examined a nationwide, population‐based survey, and concluded that cataracts were significantly associated with asthma and allergic rhinitis but not with atopic dermatitis. Efforts should be made to reduce the risk of ophthalmologic complications when treating patients with allergic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Aim: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between leg muscle mass measured by dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry (DEXA) and knee pain/stiffness in patients with radiographic knee osteoarthritis (OA). Methods: We performed a cross‐sectional study using data from the Fifth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. We included participants with radiographic knee OA (Kellgren–Lawrence grade ≥ 2) and obtained the degree of knee pain/stiffness and body composition of both legs and the whole body using DEXA. We calculated the ratios of legs to whole body in terms of muscle and fat mass. Analysis of covariance and multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine the associations of leg to whole body mass in patients with knee symptoms, adjusting for possible confounders. Results: We analyzed data for 1664 individuals. The ratio of leg to whole body muscle mass (LTWMM) was significantly lower in the group with knee pain or stiffness (30.27 ± 0.10 vs. 30.92 ± 0.08%, P < 0.0001). We found a significant inverse trend between the degree of knee pain and LTWMM (P for trend < 0.01). LTWMM was 14% lower in persons with severe pain (P = 0.012) when adjusted for age and sex. Leg to whole body fat mass was higher in the group with knee pain or stiffness (28.65 ± 0.22 vs. 27.95 ± 0.17%, P = 0.009). Conclusion: DEXA‐measured leg muscle mass was significantly associated with knee pain in people with radiographic knee OA. Low leg muscle mass is a useful clinical indicator for symptomatic knee OA, and DEXA is potentially an excellent tool to quickly assess leg mass in patients with knee OA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recently, a positive association has been reported between hypertension and periodontitis. The authors hypothesized that oral hygiene promotion activities could have an effect on hypertension prevention or the degree of hypertension control. Therefore, this study examines the relationship between oral hygiene behaviors and hypertension using data from a nationally representative survey, the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Methods: Using data from the KNHANES (2008 to 2010), 19,560 adults with complete data sets were included. The authors analyzed the relationship of the prevalence and control rate of hypertension and numerous variables, including oral hygiene behavior. Results: As the frequency of toothbrushing increased, the prevalence of hypertension decreased in multivariate analysis after adjusting for various factors, including the presence of periodontitis. In a subgroup analysis, this relationship was also observed in individuals without periodontitis. In particular, systolic blood pressure levels progressively decreased as the frequency of toothbrushing and the number of secondary oral products used increased. The adjusted odds ratio of hypertension prevalence was 1.195 (95% confidence interval 1.033 to 1.383) for individuals who brushed their teeth hardly ever or once daily compared with those who brushed after every meal. Conclusions: Individuals with poor oral hygiene behavior are more likely to have a higher prevalence of hypertension, even before periodontitis is shown. Oral hygiene behavior may be considered an independent risk indicator for hypertension, and maintaining good oral hygiene may help to prevent and control hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A positive association has been reported between alcohol and periodontal disease. Therefore, this study is conducted to assess the relationship between alcohol intake and severity of periodontal disease in a large probability sample of the Korean population using the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Methods: Data from KNHANES, conducted between 2008 and 2010 by the Division of Chronic Disease Surveillance under the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare, were used for this study. The presence of periodontal treatment needs according to demographic variables and anthropometric and hematologic characteristics of the participants are presented as means with their standard errors. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to assess the associations of periodontal treatment needs with the amount of alcohol intake and other variables including smoking and the number of times of toothbrushing per day. Results: An association between drinking alcohol and periodontal treatment needs could be seen in men after adjustment for variables. Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) in males were 1.271 (1.030 to 1.568) for heavy drinkers after controlling for age, smoking, body mass index, exercise, education, income, white blood cell count, diabetes, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, and number of toothbrushing episodes per day (model 3). Adjusted ORs and their 95% CIs in males were 1.569 (1.284 to 1.916) for alcohol use disorders identification test (AUDIT) level >20 in model 3. ORs increased with the increase in alcohol consumption levels and AUDIT levels. Statistically significant correlations between drinking and periodontal treatment needs could not be seen in female heavy drinkers or female drinkers with AUDIT levels >20. Conclusions: Men with higher alcohol intake were more likely to have a higher prevalence of treatment needs regardless of their age, socioeconomic factors, systemic conditions (including diabetes, hypertension, and metabolic syndrome), and number of times of toothbrushing per day in multivariable adjusted models. By contrast, in women, alcohol intake was not independently associated with periodontal treatment needs. Alcohol consumption was discovered to be a potential risk indicator for periodontal treatment needs in men in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Erythroid differentiation regulator 1 is decreased in malignant melanoma. However, the expression of erythroid differentiation regulator 1 has not been reported in normal epidermis, vessel, nerve, dermal adnexae, and various skin tumors. Methods To investigate the expression of erythroid differentiation regulator 1 in normal skin and various skin tumors, immunohistochemical analysis of normal skin, epidermal tumors, sebaceous tumors, and eccrine tumors was performed. The image analysis was quantitatively performed using HistoQuant™ software. Results Erythroid differentiation regulator 1 was strongly expressed in the nuclei of normal epidermis, sebaceous gland, eccrine gland, vessel, and nerve. Expression of erythroid differentiation regulator 1 was weak in seborrheic keratosis, sebaceous hyperplasia, and eccrine spiradenoma. Erythroid differentiation regulator 1 was rarely observed in malignant skin tumors, including squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, malignant melanoma, sebaceous carcinoma, and eccrine porocarcinoma. Conclusions The expression of erythroid differentiation regulator 1 was negatively correlated with the malignant potential in various skin tumors. The results support the role of erythroid differentiation regulator 1 in cutaneous carcinogenesis and indicate its potential as a novel marker of skin tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Recent studies have proposed an association between periodontitis and metabolic abnormalities. We investigated the association between insulin resistance and periodontitis among Korean adults. Methods A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2008-2010. A total of 16,720 non-diabetic subjects over 18 years old were evaluated (7060 men and 9660 women). Periodontal status was assessed by the Community Periodontal Index. Insulin resistance was measured using the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance ( HOMA- IR). Participants in the highest and lowest quartile of HOMA- IR were defined as insulin-resistant and insulin-sensitive respectively. Results The prevalence of periodontitis increased significantly with higher HOMA- IR quartiles in post-menopausal women ( p for linear association = 0.019). Among post-menopausal women, participants in the highest quartile of HOMA- IR were significantly more likely to have periodontitis compared to those in the lowest quartile [adjusted odds ratio ( OR), 1.47; 95% confidence interval ( CI), 1.07-2.01]. Moreover, obese post-menopausal women showed an increased association between insulin resistance and periodontitis (adjusted OR, 1.92; 95% CI,1.29-2.87). However, this association was not found in men or pre-menopausal women. Conclusions Our results suggest that insulin resistance may be associated with periodontitis, especially when combined with obesity, among post-menopausal women in Korea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxidative stress is accepted as one of the main factors involved in the development and progression of cancer. Superoxide dismutases ( SODs) are important in avoiding oxidative stress by eliminating reactive oxygen species ( ROS). To determine whether single nucleotide polymorphisms at G7958A within SOD1 and at T5482C within SOD2 are associated with an increased susceptibility to gastric cancer, we investigated the genotype and allele frequencies of the genes from 294 gastric cancer patients and 300 healthy individuals. A polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism assay was used to identify the SOD1 G7958A and the SOD2 T5482C genotypes. Statistically significant differences in the genotype and allele frequencies of SOD2 T5482C were found between the healthy controls and gastric cancer patients (p = 0.0001 and p < 0.0001, respectively). When the data were stratified according to gastric cancer histological subtypes, the risk of both diffuse- and intestinal-type gastric cancer was statistically higher for carriers of the C allele compared with carriers of the T allele. However, there were no statistically significant differences in genotype distribution (p = 0.5069) and allele frequencies (p = 0.3714) of SOD1 G7958A between gastric cancer patients and controls. Our findings suggest that polymorphism of the SOD2 T5482C may be closely associated with an increased susceptibility to the development and differentiation of gastric cancer in the Korean population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This cross-sectional, hospital-based study examined the distribution of human papillomavirus 16 E6 and E7 gene variants in Korean women with cervical lesions of varying degrees. Material & Methods: One hundred and forty-one Korean women (median age 43 years; range 22-65 years) with human papillomavirus 16 single infections were included. The human papillomavirus 16 E6/E7 sequences were amplified from cytology specimens. The distribution of human papillomavirus 16 variations with respect to cervical lesion was examined by the exact Mantel-Haenszel linear trend test ( Ptrend) and Fisher's exact test ( P). Results: Human papillomavirus 16 E6 and E7 gene variants were identified in a total of 100 women (70.9%). The most prevalent human papillomavirus 16 variants were E6 Thymine178Guanine (number = 70, 49.6%) and E7 Adenine647Guanine (number = 75, 53.2%). Human papillomavirus 16 E6 Thymine178Guanine and E7 Adenine647Guanine were significantly related to the degree of cervical neoplasia ( Ptrend = 0.0002, P < 0.0001; Ptrend < 0.0001, P < 0.0001, respectively). The odds ratio of human papillomavirus 16 E6 Thymine178Guanine to predict progression to cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 2-3 and invasive cancer was 2.37 (95% confidence interval 1.03-5.45) and 9.07 (95% confidence interval 2.86-28.72), respectively. The odds ratio of E7 Adenine647Guanine to predict progression to cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 2-3 and invasive cancer was 3.65 (95% confidence interval 1.16-8.51) and 9.07 (95% confidence interval 2.86-28.72), respectively. Conclusion: The distribution of HPV variants appears to be related to geographic difference. Human papillomavirus 16 E6 Thymine178Guanine and E7 Adenine647Guanine can be used as the candidate marker for the progression of the cervical neoplasia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose To evaluate the role of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in the detection of breast cancers, and to correlate the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value with prognostic factors. Materials and Methods Sixty-seven women with invasive cancer underwent breast MRI. Histological specimens were analyzed for tumor size and grade, and expression of estrogen receptors (ER), progesterone receptors, c-erbB-2, p53, Ki-67, and epidermal growth factor receptors. The computed mean ADC values of breast cancer and normal breast parenchyma were compared. Relationships between the ADC values and prognostic factors were determined using Wilcoxon signed rank test and Kruskal-Wallis test. Results DWI detected breast cancer as a hyperintense area in 62 patients (92.5 %). A statistically significant difference in the mean ADC values of breast cancer (1.09 ± 0.27 × 10−5 mm2/s) and normal parenchyma (1.59 ± 0.27 × 10−5 mm2/s) was detected ( P < 0.0001). There were no correlations between the ADC value and prognostic factors. However, the median ADC value was lower in the ER-positive group than the ER negative group, and this difference was marginally significant (1.09 × 10−5 mm2/s versus 1.15 × 10−5 mm2/s, P = 0.053). Conclusion The ADC value was a helpful parameter in detecting malignant breast tumors, but ADC value could not predict patient prognosis. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2009;30:615-620. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oncogene HCCR-1 functions as a negative regulator of the p53 and contributes to tumorigenesis of various human tissues. HCCR transgenic mice developed breast cancers but it is unknown how HCCR-1 contributes to human tumorigenesis. This study identified a HCCR-1-binding protein 1 ( HCCRBP-1) as an HCCR binding partner by performing yeast two hybrid screening. Their endogenous interaction was further confirmed by coimmunoprecipitation experiments. These two proteins colocalized in the mitochondria. HCCRBP-1 was overexpressed in various human tumors. In addition, HCCRBP-1 alone converted NIH/3T3 cells into tumor cells in combination with no other oncogenes. HCCRBP-1 induced tumorigenesis by markedly activating PKC activities but decreasing the pro-apoptotic PKCα and PKCδ isoform levels. We observed that p53 stabilization also occurred with functional impairment in HCCRBP-1-transfected 293 cells, as indicated by defective induction of p21, MDM2 and bax. Indeed, HCCRBP-1 decreased p21 promoter activity probably via p53 stabilization leading to the defective function. These results indicate that HCCRBP-1 oncogene induces p53 stabilization and thereby contributes to tumorigenesis. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article "Reliability of Partial-Mouth Recording Systems to Determine Periodontal Status: A Pilot Study in an Adult Portuguese Population" by Tomás Relvas et al. in a 2014 issue is presented.

A letter to the editor in response to the article "Incidence of total knee and hip replacement for osteoarthritis in relation to circulating sex steroid hormone concentrations in women," by S.M. Hussain and colleagues is presented.

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article "Primary aldosteronism in hypertensive patients: Clinical implications and target therapy" by L. Papanastasiou, T. Pappa, and A. Markou in the 2014 issue.

Background The aim of this study was to evaluate whether Fas (CD95) and Fas ligand (FasL) immunoreactivity in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) are correlated with grade of tumor differentiation. Methods A total of 31 cutaneous SCC specimens excised during 1997-2004 were collected from the four branch hospitals of the Catholic University of Korea. A tissue microarray technique was used for immunohistochemical staining. Expression of Fas and FasL was evaluated in correlation with the grade of tumor differentiation. Statistical analysis was performed using Fisher's exact test and exact trend test. Results Six of 31 SCCs exhibited strong (+++) intensity for Fas immunostaining, and all of these were well differentiated. Five of 31 SCCs exhibited strong (+++) intensity for FasL staining; all of these were moderately or poorly differentiated. Conclusions Fas was expressed more strongly in well-differentiated SCCs than in poorly differentiated tumors. FasL was expressed more strongly in moderately and poorly differentiated tumors. These findings indicate that Fas and FasL play important roles in immune surveillance and grade of differentiation in SCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mortality from cardiovascular diseases in Asian populations is considerable. Menopause is a risk-enhancing factor for cardiovascular disease, but it is unclear whether menopause is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease and mortality in Asian women., Methods and Results: A total of 1 159 405 postmenopausal women, who had participated in the health examinations of the Korean National Health Insurance Service in 2009, were analyzed, and their reproductive histories were taken. A multivariable Cox proportional hazard model assessed the hazard ratios (HRs) of myocardial infarction (MI), ischemic stroke, and all-cause mortality, according to the history of premature menopause and age at menopause. After an average 10-year follow-up, there were 31 606, 45 052, and 77 680 new cases of MI, ischemic stroke, and all-cause mortality, respectively. The women with premature menopause exhibited increased risks of MI (HR, 1.40 [95% CI, 1.31-1.50]), ischemic stroke (HR, 1.24 [95% CI, 1.17-1.31]), and all-cause mortality (HR, 1.19 [95% CI, 1.14-1.24]) when compared with women with menopause aged ≥50 years. The highest risk was evident with menopause between the ages of 30 and 34 years (HR for MI, 1.52 [95% CI, 1.30-1.78]; HR for ischemic stroke, 1.29 [95% CI, 1.12-1.48]; HR for all-cause mortality, 1.33 [95% CI, 1.20-1.47]) when compared with women with menopause aged ≥50 years., Conclusions: Earlier age at menopause was associated with increased risks for MI, ischemic stroke, and all-cause mortality. Future guidelines and risk assessment tools should consider menopause as an independent risk factor of cardiovascular disease in Korean women.

Obese women have an increased risk for post-menopausal breast cancer. The physiological mechanism by which obesity contributes to breast tumourigenesis is not understood. We previously showed that HCCR-1 oncogene contributes to breast tumourigenesis as a negative regulator of p53 and detection of HCCR-1 serological level was useful for the diagnosis of breast cancer(.) In this study, we found that the HCCR-1 level is elevated in breast cancer tissues and cell lines compared to normal breast tissues. We identified apolipoprotein E (ApoE) interacting with HCCR-1. Our data show that HCCR-1 inhibits anti-proliferative effect of ApoE, which was mediated by diminishing ApoE secretion of breast cancer cells. Finally, HCCR-1 induced the severe obesity in transgenic mice. Those obese mice showed severe hyperlipidaemia. In conclusion, our results suggest that HCCR-1 might play a role in the breast tumourigenesis while the overexpression of HCCR-1 induces the obesity probably by inhibiting the cholesterol-lowering effect of ApoE. Therefore, HCCR-1 seems to provide the molecular link between the obesity and the breast cancer risk.