Search

Purpose: Firstly, to investigate the prevalence of frailty and impact on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in a Korean community-dwelling elderly population using the Fried frailty criteria; secondly, to investigate the associations among frailty, socioeconomic status (SES), and HRQOL of the Korean community-based population; and thirdly, to analyze the relationship between education, income, and frailty.Methods: Nine hundred and sixty-four apparently heathy subjects from the Korean community-based population were enrolled in this prospective cross-sectional study. Using self-reported questionnaires, demographic data, SES, and HRQOL were evaluated. Frailty status was determined according to the Fried frailty criteria. After adjustment of covariates including age, sex, and BMI, multivariate linear regression analyses were conducted to assess each component of the proposed mediation models, and mediation was also verified by the bootstrapping technique.Results: Among the 964 participants, 530 (55.0%), 399 (41.4%), and 35 (3.6%) participants were classified into the robust, pre-frailty, and frailty group, respectively. The frail group demonstrated significantly lower HRQOL. Participants with lower income or education level had significantly higher chances of being frail. Frailty acted as a mediator in this association between low SES (education and income) and low HRQOL. Furthermore, income contributed most to the explanation of educational differences in frailty, suggesting full mediation.Conclusion: Frailty has a significant negative influence on HRQOL in the community-based elderly population, and acts as a mediator between SES and HRQOL. As a mediator, income can explain educational difference related with the frailty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mutations in the gap junction protein beta 1 gene ( GJB1) cause X-linked Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 1 (CMTX1). CMTX1 is representative of the intermediate type of CMT, having both demyelinating and axonal neuropathic features. We analyzed the clinical and genetic characterization of 128 patients with CMTX1 from 63 unrelated families. Genetic analysis revealed a total of 43 mutations including 6 novel mutations. Ten mutations were found from two or more unrelated families. p.V95M was most frequently observed. The frequency of CMTX1 was 9.6% of total Korean CMT family and was 14.8% when calculated within genetically identified cases. Among 67 male and 61 female patients, 22 females were asymptomatic. A high-arched foot, ataxia, and tremor were observed in 87%, 41%, and 35% of the patients, respectively. In the male patients, functional disability scale, CMT neuropathy score, and compound muscle action potential of the median/ulnar nerves were more severely affected than in the female patients. This study provides a comprehensive summary of the clinical features and spectrum of GJB1 gene mutations in Korean CMTX1 patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shank skin color of Korean native chicken (KNC) shows large color variations. It varies from white, yellow, green, bluish or grey to black, whilst in the majority of European breeds the shanks are typically yellow-colored. Three shank skin color-related traits (i.e., lightness [L*], redness [a*], and yellowness [b*]) were measured by a spectrophotometer in 585 progeny from 68 nuclear families in the KNC resource population. We performed genome scan linkage analysis to identify loci that affect quantitatively measured shank skin color traits in KNC. All these birds were genotyped with 167 DNA markers located throughout the 26 autosomes. The SOLAR program was used to conduct multipoint variance-component quantitative trait locus (QTL) analyses. We detected a major QTL that affects b* value (logarithm of odds [LOD] = 47.5, p = 1.60×10-49) on GGA24 (GGA for Gallus gallus). At the same location, we also detected a QTL that influences a* value (LOD = 14.2, p = 6.14×10-16). Additionally, beta-carotene dioxygenase 2 (BCDO2), the obvious positional candidate gene under the linkage peaks on GGA24, was investigated by the two association tests: i.e., measured genotype association (MGA) and quantitative transmission disequilibrium test (QTDT). Significant associations were detected between BCDO2 g.9367 A>C and a* (PMGA = 1.69×10-28; PQTDT = 2.40×10-25). The strongest associations were between BCDO2 g.9367 A>C and b* (PMGA = 3.56×10-66; PQTDT = 1.68×10-65). However, linkage analyses conditional on the single nucleotide polymorphism indicated that other functional variants should exist. Taken together, we demonstrate for the first time the linkage and association between the BCDO2 locus on GGA24 and quantitatively measured shank skin color traits in KNC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Puberty is a period characterized by growth spurt and rapid change in body composition. The effect of Gn RH agonist therapy for central precocious puberty on bone mineral density is unclear. We demonstrated changes in bone mineral density in subjects with central precocious puberty, who were treated with Gn RH agonist for more than 3 years. Design The changes in bone mineral density and body compositions were tested with analysis of variance with repeated measures to identify statistical significance over the treatment period. Patients One hundred ninety-five Korean girls with central precocious puberty were treated with Gn RH agonist, and among these subjects, 39 patients were treated for more than 3 years. Measurements Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was performed on the subjects at the initial evaluation and once yearly thereafter while on the treatment. Results The bone mineral density parameters for chronological age tended to decrease near the mean for the treatment period; however, they increased significantly for bone age excluding bone mineral apparent density. An increment of the BMI was not significant for the chronological age. Conclusions Three-year treatment with Gn RH agonist in central precocious puberty patients did not impair bone maturation. Gn RH agonist could be effectively commenced in girls with precocious puberty from an early age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary. Recurring land price inflation in Korea is one of the most worrisome policy issues. It frustrates people's aspirations of home-ownership, aggravates income/wealth disparities, raises business costs and requires higher costs for government of land acquisition for infrastructure. Any effort to combat this problem must consider whether this land price inflation reflects a change in fundamentals or is led by speculative bubbles. An econometric test concludes that land markets in Korea have partly been driven by speculative bubbles. Then this paper argues that bubbles are cyclically formed and are persistent due to structural differences in the rate of return between land and financial assets, which are enforced by the centrally administered economic order. Thus, to reduce the bubble element in Korean land prices, fundamental reform is necessary towards a genuine market economy. This includes financial liberalisation and land tax reform to decrease speculative demand, and reform of land-use control to increase the supply of urban land. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simultaneous measurements of gaseous species and fine-mode, particulate inorganic components were performed at the University of Seoul, Seoul in Korea. In the simultaneous measurements, a certain level of nitrous acid (HONO) was observed in the gas-phase, indicating possible heterogeneous HONO production on the surface of the ambient aerosols. On the other hand, high particulate nitrite (NO2−) concentrations of 1.41(±2.26)μg/m3 were also measured, which sometimes reached 18.54μg/m3. In contrast, low HONO-to-NO2 ratios of 0.007(±0.006) were observed in Seoul. This indicates that a significant fraction of HONO is dissolved in atmospheric aerosols. Around the Seoul site, sufficient alkalinity may have been provided to the atmospheric aerosols from the excessive presence of NH3 in the gas-phase. Due to the alkaline particulate conditions (defined in this study as a particle pH >∼3.29), the HONO molecules produced at the surface of the atmospheric aerosols appeared to have been converted into particulate nitrite, thereby preventing their further participation in the atmospheric O3/NOy/HOx photochemical cycles. It was estimated that a minimum average of 65% of HONO was captured by alkaline, anthropogenic, urban particles in the Seoul measurements. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Recently, the consumption of duck meat has increased; therefore, we need to reveal the origin and gene flow of domestic ducks in Korea. In order to discriminate between duck species, D-loop variations in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) have been investigated. In this study, 45 individuals from seven species of wild and domestic ducks in Korea were considered for the D-loop region sequences. With the participation of all the sequences, a phylogenetic neighbor-joining tree was constructed to differentiate between the wild and domestic duck species. In consideration of these sequences, a total 66 haplotypes were obtained (indel included) with an average haplotype of 76.9%, and a haplotype and nucleotide diversity of 0.91 and 0.01, respectively. Also, an estimation of the sequence divergence within and between species was measured in 0.045 and 0.013-0.095, respectively. Meanwhile, the lowest distances of 0.024, 0.013 and 0.018 were observed in three species, including the Mallard, Spot-billed and domestic duck, respectively, which have relatively close genetic relationships. All haplotypes were used for the median-joining network analysis to differentiate all duck species, while three duck species were closely related. Moreover, 26 indel polymorphisms were identified which could be used for the discrimination among the duck species. Based on our results, duck species were effectively discriminated in a D-loop region, which could then be used for an appropriate genetic conservation program for the wild duck and domestic duck breeds in Korea.

Chronic gastritis is a disease that occurs in one in every 10 persons in Korea. Endoscopic examination is needed to diagnose chronic gastritis in western medicine, but it causes patients pain, long period of examinations and financial burden. In KM (Korean Medicine), on the other hand, it can be known whether stomach is abnormal or not through a pulse diagnosis. The 'Guan' position of the right wrist is related to a stomach in KM. Thus, the pulse wave of the right-hand "Guan" of patients with chronic gastritis and the healthy were measured. Then, the diagnostic parameter and features to distinguish between the patients with chronic gastritis and the healthy were discovered. Through P-H curve, consequently, it can be concluded that the pulse waves of patients with chronic gastritis appear as a floating pulse, whereas the pulse waves of the healthy appear as a normal pulse.

Background and Purpose: In order to prevent unexpected events such as aspiration pneumonia, cerebral angiography has been performed under fasting in most cases. We investigated prospectively the necessity of fasting before elective cerebral angiography., Materials and Methods: The study is an open-labeled clinical trial without random allocation. In total, 2554 patients who underwent elective cerebral angiography were evaluated on development of nausea, vomiting, and pulmonary aspiration during and after angiography. Potential risks and benefits associated with fasting were provided in written documents and through personal counseling to patients before the procedure. The patients chose their fasting or nonfasting option. No restriction in diet was given after angiography. The patients were observed for 24 hours. Nausea and vomiting during and within 1 hour after angiography was considered as a positive event associated with cerebral angiography., Results: The overall incidence of nausea and vomiting during and within 1 hour after angiography was 1.05% (27/2554 patients). There was no patient with pulmonary aspiration. No statistical difference in nausea and vomiting development between the fasting and the diet groups was found., Conclusions: The incidence of nausea and vomiting associated with cerebral angiography is low and not affected by diet or fasting. Pulmonary aspiration had no difference between the diet and the fasting group. Our study suggests that fasting may not be necessary for patients who undergo elective cerebral angiography.

Background and Objective: CYP2C19 is clinically important in Korea because of the relatively high incidence of poor metabolizers in the population. To fully understand the genetic mechanism of the CYP2C19 defect in poor metabolizers, all variants need to be studied simultaneously. The aim of this study was to investigate the usefulness of CYP2C19 haplotypes as a marker of CYP2C19 enzyme activity in Koreans., Methods: We analysed the single nucleotide polymorphisms and haplotypes of the CYP2C19 gene in 150 healthy Koreans and found three major (frequency > 0.1) haplotypes (H1, H2 and H3). One oral dose of 40 mg omeprazole (Losec) was administered to 30 subjects grouped as H1/H1, H2/H2, H1/H2, H1/H3 and H2/H3. The pharmacokinetics of omeprazole and its metabolites, 5-hydroxyomeprazole and omeprazole sulphone, in those groups was analysed., Results and Discussion: The area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC(0-->infinity)) and elimination half-life (T(1/2)) of omeprazole were significantly greater in the H2/H2 and H2/H3 groups than in the H1/H1 group (P < 0.05), whereas the metabolic ratios of omeprazole to 5-hydroxyomeprazole were also markedly higher., Conclusion: Although a specific SNP of CYP2C19 may be predictive of enzyme activity, haplotyping is more reliable for identifying poor metabolizers in populations with variant alleles other than CYP2C19*2 and *3 alleles.

Background/aims: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of performing laparoscopic cholecystectomy on patients undergoing laparoscopic-assisted gastrectomy for gastric cancer., Methods: This single center study involved a retrospective review of a database of 400 patients who underwent consecutive laparoscopic-assisted gastrectomy for early gastric cancer from June 2003 to July 2007. Outcomes in 26 patients who underwent both laparoscopic-assisted gastrectomy and laparoscopic cholecystectomy were compared with outcomes from 364 patients who underwent laparoscopic-assisted gastrectomy without laparoscopic cholecystectomy., Results: There were no postoperative 30-day mortalities in the combined cholecystectomy group. The mean surgery duration, time to first flatus and postoperative hospital stay for the laparoscopic gastric resection without combined operation were 181.7 min, 2.7 days and 9.7 days, respectively, and 196.7 min, 2.6 days and 8.8 days, respectively, for the combined cholecystectomy group. None of the postoperative complications was related to combined cholecystectomy., Conclusion: Performing a combined cholecystectomy prolonged the mean surgery duration by approximately 15 min, but had no effect on surgical outcomes. It appears that performing a cholecystectomy at the same time as laparoscopic gastric resection is safe and feasible in patients with both early gastric cancer and gallbladder disease., (Copyright 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Background and Objective: Genetic polymorphism of CYP2D6 leads to differences in pharmacokinetics of CYP2D6 substrates. The CYP2D6*10 allele is clinically important in Koreans because of its high frequency in Asians. We investigated whether the pharmacokinetics of metoprolol was altered by the presence of the CYP2D6*10 allele in Korean subjects., Methods: One hundred and seven volunteers were recruited and grouped as CYP2D6*1/*1, CYP2D6*1/*10 and CYP2D6*10/*10 according to their genotypes. Metoprolol tartrate 100 mg (Betaloc) was administered orally once to each subject in these three groups (n = 6, 7 and 5, respectively). The pharmacokinetic parameters of metoprolol and its metabolite, alpha-hydroxymetoprolol, and the metabolic ratio for the three groups were estimated and compared., Results and Discussion: The area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC(0-->infinity)), the maximum plasma concentration (C(max)) and the elimination half-life (T(1/2)) of metoprolol and alpha-hydroxymetoprolol for the CYP2D6*10/*10 group were all significantly different from those of the CYP2D6*1/*1 group (P < 0.05). The AUC(0-->infinity)s of metoprolol were 443.7 +/- 168.1, 995.6 +/- 321.4 and 2545.3 +/- 632.0 ng.h/mL, and the AUC(0-->infinity)s of alpha-hydroxymetoprolol were 1232.0 +/- 311.2, 1344.0 +/- 288.1 and 877.4 +/- 103.4 ng.h/mL for groups CYP2D6*1/*1, *1/*10 and *10/*10, respectively. The corresponding T(1/2) values of metoprolol were 2.7 +/- 0.5, 3.2 +/- 1.3 and 5.0 +/- 1.1 h, while those of alpha-hydroxymetoprolol were 5.4+/-1.5, 6.0 +/- 1.4 and 10.5 +/- 4.2 h, respectively. The metabolic ratios of the three groups were significantly different (P < 0.05)., Conclusion: The CYP2D6*10 allele altered the pharmacokinetics of metoprolol in Korean subjects and is likely to affect other drugs metabolized by the CYP2D6 enzyme, similarly.

Although the Kidney Disease Quality of Life instrument (KDQOL-SF), which was designed to measure the comprehensive quality of life in patients with end stage renal disease, has been tested and widely administered in many other counties, it has not yet been translated, validated and reported for Korea. The primary purpose of this study was to validate a Korean version of KDQOL-SF and to evaluate its psychometric properties. The study subjects were 164 patients with hemodialysis or continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis in university dialysis centers in Korea. In order to investigate the reliability, test-retest reliability and internal consistency reliability were assessed. Both test-retest reliability and internal consistency reliability were found to be high. In order to investigate the construct validation, all the items of the SF-36 scales, an established generic QOL measures, were compared with an overall health rating scale in kidney disease-targeted scale. They found to be highly correlated with each other. Moreover, overall health rating scale was significantly correlated with symptoms/problems, effects of kidney disease, burden of kidney disease, cognitive function (p < 0.001), and quality of social interaction (p < 0.05). These results suggest that the Korean version of KDQOL-SF satisfies its reliability and validity in Korean patients with hemodialysis or continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis. This questionnaire provides important and clinically valuable information for understanding the health related quality of life in the Korean patients with dialysis.

The aim of this study is to elucidate the anatomic location and histologic nature of the retro-orbicularis oculus fat (ROOF) and suborbicularis oculi fat (SOOF) around the orbital area. Seventeen hemifaces of 12 Korean adult cadavers were used. ROOF and SOOF were observed in all specimens. ROOF was located in a supraorbital area within a range of between a medial +41 and a lateral -39 degrees to a vertical midpupillary line. The shape is crescent and almost symmetric when folded in half. The horizontal length of ROOF was approximately two thirds of a transverse orbital dimension. The height was approximately one third of a vertical orbital dimension. SOOF was located in the inferolateral side of the orbit within a range between a medial +15 and a lateral -89 degrees to a vertical midpupillary line. The SOOF looks like a hockey stick head. The SOOF is divided into two parts, horizontal and vertical. The length of the SOOF horizontal part is almost equal to a transverse orbital dimension (a). The height of the SOOF vertical part was approximately three fourths (bx3/4) of the vertical orbital dimension (b), and the width of vertical part was one fourth (a/4) of a transverse orbital dimension (a). Most of the SOOF vertical part was outside the lateral orbital rim, and the horizontal part was below the infraorbital rim. Histologically, ROOF and SOOF were situated deep to the orbicularis oculi muscle and superficial to the orbital septum and periosteum. ROOF and SOOF consisted more of fibrofatty tissue than the pure fatty nature of orbital fat. The findings in this study might be conducive to the practice of blepharoplasty and midface lift.

A novel multiplex reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (multiplex RT-PCR) that can detect porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV), and porcine group A rotavirus (GAR) was developed. The 3 viruses (PEDV, TGEV, and porcine GAR) are major agents in viral enteric diseases of piglets. As the clinical signs of these diseases are similar, including watery diarrhea, differential detection is required for etiologic diagnosis. A mixture of 3 pairs of published primers was used for amplification of viral nucleic acids, yielding 3 different amplicons with sizes of 859 bp, 651 bp, and 309 bp for TGEV, PEDV, and porcine GAR, respectively. A total of 157 specimens (78 fecal and 79 intestinal samples) from piglets with acute gastroenteritis were collected in Korea between January 2004 and May 2005. They were tested for the presence of 3 viruses by multiplex RT-PCR. Coinfections with PEDV and porcine GAR were identified in 16 farms (43.2%). PEDV, porcine GAR, and TGEV infection were 26.3%, 13.2%, and 2.7% respectively. The relative sensitivity and specificity of multiplex RT-PCR were evaluated, with results suggesting that this assay is equal in quality to conventional single-agent RT-PCR assays (sensitivity:100%, 92.9%, 100% for TGEV, PEDV, GARs; specificity: 100% for all 3 viruses). This multiplex RT-PCR is a simple assay and may be a potentially useful for rapid, sensitive, and cost-effective etiological diagnostic tool for acute viral gastroenteritis in piglets.

Purpose: This study was designed to identify the degree of self-image and social support among Korean-Chinese adolescents and investigate the relationship between these variables., Method: A total of 621 Korean-Chinese adolescents in five middle schools in YanBian, China were recruited from March 1st to the 9th, 2005. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficient, t-test, and ANOVA with the SPSS 11.5 program., Result: In Korean-Chinese adolescents, the total self-image score was statistically different for age, parents' education status, parents' job and living with parents. In the 12 subscales, scores of emotional tone, impulse control, sexuality, social functioning, vocational attitudes and self-reliance had significant differences between groups regarding gender. The total self-image was in the average range. However, areas of mental health and family function were lower than average and the scale of idealism was higher than average. The adolescents perceived parent's support was higher then friend's support. There was a positive correlation between self-image and social support., Conclusion: The findings suggest there is a need to examine self-image and social support of Korean-Chinese adolescents according to their parents' marital status and a need to develop a program to help these broken family's adolescents.

Objectives: Variable levels of cytokines were observed in patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, and an especially high level of interleukin-1 (IL-1) was detected in schizophrenia patients. It is known that IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA) binds to IL-1 receptors and inhibits the receptor binding of IL-1alpha and IL-1beta., Methods: In this study, the association between the variable number of tandem repeats polymorphism of the IL-1RA gene and schizophrenia (n=269) and bipolar disorder (n=83) was investigated., Results: The genotype distribution and allele frequency were significantly different between schizophrenic patients and the control group (P<0.05); however, there were no prominent differences between bipolar patients and the control group. The carriage rate for the IL1RN*2 allele was associated with higher risk of schizophrenia (odds ratio=2.24)., Conclusions: This study indicates that IL-1RA could be a candidate gene for susceptibility to schizophrenia.

Swine influenza is a significant respiratory disease causing occasional reproductive problems in naïve swine herds. Although different subtypes of swine influenza virus (SIV) have been implicated in clinical outbreaks of swine influenza in Asian countries, no virus isolation has been made to identify SIV of subtypes other than the H1N1 subtype in the Korean swine population. In December 1998, an outbreak of acute respiratory disease was identified in a commercial swine farm located in the Kyunggi province of South Korea. A causative agent, which agglutinated rooster red blood cells, was detected from the lungs of 3 piglets from the index herd and was determined to be type A influenza virus using a commercial influenza virus typing kit. Hemagglutination activity (HA) of the isolates was completely inhibited by a swine antiserum against a recent US H3N2 SIV isolate (A/Sw/IA/41305/1998) but not by H1N1 swine antiserum (A/Sw/IA/1979). Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) revealed all 3 isolates were H3 SIV subtypes. Sequence analysis of hemagglutinin gene PCR products supported the belief that the Korean H3 SIV isolates were genetically similar to the known mammalian H3 influenza viruses. This is the first report on a clinical outbreak of swine influenza caused by the H3N2 virus in Korea.

A 58-year-old man described a short history of dyspnea and a preceding flu like illness with roentgenographic features of an interstitial lung disease. An open lung biopsy specimen from him showed bronchiolitis obliterans with organizing pneumonia (BOOP). Adenovirus was isolated from a throat swab. There was both clinical and radiographic improvement with supportive care. We herein report a first case of BOOP associated with adenovirus in Korea.