Social Movements and Nationalism: Comfort Women Movement and Narratives of Nation in Post-Democratization Korea, 1988-2007.

Ph.D. Thesis. University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa 2017

Coronary Artery Calcification (CAC) and Post-Trial Cardiovascular Events and Mortality Within the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) Estrogen-Alone Trial.

BackgroundAmong women aged 50 to 59 years at baseline in the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) Estrogen-Alone (E-Alone) trial, randomization to conjugated equine estrogen-alone versus placebo was associated with lower risk of myocardial infarction and mortality, and, in an ancillary study, the WHI-CACS (WHI Coronary Artery Calcification Study) with lower CAC, measured by cardiac computed tomography ≈8.7 years after baseline randomization. We hypothesized that higher CAC would be related to post-trial coronary heart disease (CHD), cardiovascular disease (CVD), and total mortality, independent of baseline randomization or risk factors.Methods and resultsWHI-CACS participants (n=1020) were followed ≈8 years from computed tomography scan in 2005 (mean age=64.4) through 2013 for incident CHD (myocardial infarction and fatal CHD, n=17), CVD (n=69), and total mortality (n=55). Incident CHD and CVD analyses excluded women with CVD before scan (n=89). Women with CAC=0 (n=54%) had very low age-adjusted rates/1000 person-years of CHD (0.91), CVD (5.56), and mortality (3.45). In comparison, rates were ≈2-fold higher for women with any CAC (>0). Associations were not modified by baseline randomization to conjugated equine estrogen-alone versus placebo. Adjusted for baseline randomization and risk factors, the hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) for CAC >100 (19%) was 4.06 (2.11, 7.80) for CVD and 2.70 (1.26, 5.79) for mortality.ConclusionsAmong a subset of postmenopausal women aged 50 to 59 years at baseline in the WHI E-Alone Trial, CAC at mean age of 64 years was strongly related to incident CHD, CVD, and to total mortality over ≈8 years, independent of baseline randomization to conjugated equine estrogen-alone versus placebo or CVD risk factors.Clinical trial registrationURL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00000611

KINEMATIC COMPARISONS OF KETTLEBELL TWO-ARM SWINGS BETWEEN EXPERTS AND BEGINNERS

The purpose of this study was to investigate kinematic comparisons of kettlebell two-arm swings between experts and beginners in order to find out biomechanical key points for preventing sports injuries and enhancing kettlebell performance. Four experts and three beginners performed kettlebell two-arm swings fifteen times with a 16 kg kettlebell. Experts demonstrated larger ranges of motions (ROM) of pelvic segment and hip joint than beginners, while beginners revealed larger ROM of shoulder joint than experts. Magnitudes and sequential orders of peak angular velocities of major joints were significantly different between two groups. Conclusively, the mobility of pelvic segment and hip joint are required, while the stability of the other joint are needed to produce appropriate kettlebell two-arm swings. The activation and strength of gluteus muscles would be key contributors

Coronary Artery Calcification (CAC) and Post-Trial Cardiovascular Events and Mortality Within the Women\u27s Health Initiative (WHI) Estrogen-Alone Trial

BACKGROUND: Among women aged 50 to 59 years at baseline in the Women\u27s Health Initiative (WHI) Estrogen-Alone (E-Alone) trial, randomization to conjugated equine estrogen-alone versus placebo was associated with lower risk of myocardial infarction and mortality, and, in an ancillary study, the WHI-CACS (WHI Coronary Artery Calcification Study) with lower CAC, measured by cardiac computed tomography approximately 8.7 years after baseline randomization. We hypothesized that higher CAC would be related to post-trial coronary heart disease (CHD), cardiovascular disease (CVD), and total mortality, independent of baseline randomization or risk factors. METHODS AND RESULTS: WHI-CACS participants (n=1020) were followed approximately 8 years from computed tomography scan in 2005 (mean age=64.4) through 2013 for incident CHD (myocardial infarction and fatal CHD, n=17), CVD (n=69), and total mortality (n=55). Incident CHD and CVD analyses excluded women with CVD before scan (n=89). Women with CAC=0 (n=54%) had very low age-adjusted rates/1000 person-years of CHD (0.91), CVD (5.56), and mortality (3.45). In comparison, rates were approximately 2-fold higher for women with any CAC ( \u3e 0). Associations were not modified by baseline randomization to conjugated equine estrogen-alone versus placebo. Adjusted for baseline randomization and risk factors, the hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) for CAC \u3e 100 (19%) was 4.06 (2.11, 7.80) for CVD and 2.70 (1.26, 5.79) for mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Among a subset of postmenopausal women aged 50 to 59 years at baseline in the WHI E-Alone Trial, CAC at mean age of 64 years was strongly related to incident CHD, CVD, and to total mortality over approximately 8 years, independent of baseline randomization to conjugated equine estrogen-alone versus placebo or CVD risk factors. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00000611

The role of 99mTc-DPD bone SPECT/CT in the management of growth disturbance of the long bones in pediatric patients: a retrospective observational study

Backgrounds Determining the precise localization of diseased physes is crucial for guiding the treatment of growth disturbances. Conventional radiography, computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging only provide information on physeal anatomy. Planar bone scintigraphy and bone single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) resolutions are suboptimal for clinically managing growth disturbances. Bone SPECT/CT, which provides high-resolution functional information, can be a useful tool for evaluating growth disturbances. The purposes of this study were to identify the conditions in which bone SPECT/CT outperforms planar scintigraphy or SPECT for evaluating the location and activity of diseased physes and to assess surgical outcomes using bone SPECT/CT findings in pediatric patients experiencing long bone growth disturbances. Methods Fifty-nine patients who underwent bone SPECT/CT between January 2018 and January 2021 to evaluate physeal activity using technetium-99 m-labeled 2,3-dicarboxypropane-1,1-diphosphonate (99mTc-DPD) were included. The proportions of patients for whom certain modalities provided sufficient data for selecting treatment plans for growth disturbances were compared based on the site of the diseased physis, growth disturbance cause, and shape of deformity (i.e., SPECT/CT vs. planar scintigraphy and SPECT/CT vs. SPECT). For assessing surgical outcomes, progression of post-surgical deformity was investigated by measuring the angles reflecting the degree of deformity, iliac crest height difference, or ulnar variance on radiographs. Results Bone SPECT/CT was sufficient for selecting a treatment plan, but planar scintigraphy or SPECT alone was insufficient in every 10 patients with diseased physes inside the femoral head (p = 0.002) and in every six with physes that were severely deformed or whose locations were unclear on conventional radiography (p = 0.03). In the proximal or distal tibia, where the tibial and fibular physes often overlapped on planar scintigraphy due to leg rotation, bone SPECT/CT was sufficient in 33/34 patients (97%), but planar scintigraphy and SPECT were sufficient in 10/34 (29%) (p < 0.001) and 24/34 (71%) patients, respectively (p = 0.004). No progression or deformity recurrence occurred. Conclusions Bone SPECT/CT may be indicated in proximal femoral growth disturbance, when the physis is unclear on conventional radiography or severely deformed, the leg exhibits rotational deformity, or the patient is noncompliant

Subunit Oligomerization and Substrate Recognition of the Escherichia coli ClpYQ (HslUV) Protease Implicated by In Vivo Protein-Protein Interactions in the Yeast Two-Hybrid System

The Escherichia coli ClpYQ (HslUV) is an ATP-dependent protease that consists of an ATPase large subunit with homology to other Clp family ATPases and a peptidase small subunit related to the proteasomal β-subunits of eukaryotes. Six identical subunits of both ClpY and ClpQ self-assemble into an oligomeric ring, and two rings of each subunit, two ClpQ rings surrounded by single ClpY rings, form a dumbbell shape complex. The ClpYQ protease degrades the cell division inhibitor, SulA, and a positive regulator of capsule transcription, RcsA, as well as RpoH, a heat shock sigma transcription factor. Using the yeast-two hybrid system, we explored the in vivo protein-protein interactions of the individual subunits of the ClpYQ protease involved in self-oligomerization, as well as in recognition of specific substrates. Interactions were detected with ClpQ/ClpQ, ClpQ/ClpY, and ClpY/SulA. No interactions were observed in experiments with ClpY/ClpY, ClpQ/RcsA, and ClpQ/SulA. However, ClpY, lacking domain I (ClpY(ΔI)) was able to interact with itself and with intact ClpY. The C-terminal region of ClpY is important for interaction with other ClpY subunits. The previously defined PDZ-like domains at the C terminus of ClpY, including both D1 and D2, were determined to be indispensable for substrate binding. Various deletion and random point mutants of SulA were also made to verify significant interactions with ClpY. Thus, we demonstrated in vivo hetero- and homointeractions of ClpQ and ClpY molecules, as well as a direct association between ClpY and substrate SulA, thereby supporting previous in vitro biochemical findings

Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumor Presenting as Acute Pancreatitis

We report a case of acute pancreatitis secondary to pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor. A 46-year old man presented with upper abdominal pain. The serum amylase and lipase were elevated. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography revealed a 1.7 cm sized mass at the pancreas body with a dilatation of the upstream pancreatic duct and mild infiltrations of peripancreatic fat. An endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle biopsy was performed for the pancreatic mass, but only necrotic tissue was observed on the pathologic examination. A chest and neck CT scan revealed anterior mediastinal, paratracheal, and cervical lymph node enlargement, which were indicative of metastasis. An ultrasound-guided core needle biopsy was performed for the enlarged neck lymph node, and pathologic examination revealed a metastatic poorly differentiated carcinoma. Immunohistochemical analysis showed positive staining for synaptophysin, chromogranin A, and CD 56, indicative of a neuroendocrine carcinoma