Differences of Upper Airway Morphology According to Obesity: Study with Cephalometry and Dynamic MD-CT

ObjectivesWe investigated difference of parameters of polysomnography, cephalometry and dynamic multi-detector computerized tomography (MD-CT) in wake and sleep states according to obesity.MethodsWe evaluated 93 patients who underwent polysomnography and cephalometry. MD-CT was performed in 68 of these 93 patients. Fifty-nine and 34 patients were classified as obese and non-obese, with obesity defined as BMI ≥25. Cephalometry results were analyzed for 12 variables. Using the MD-CT, we evaluated dynamic upper airway morphology in wake and sleep states and divided the upper airway into four parts named as high retropalatal (HRP), low retropalatal (LRP), high retroglossal (HRG), and low retroglossal (LRG). A minimal cross sectional area (mCSA) and collapsibility index (CI) were calculated for each airway level.ResultsDiastolic blood pressure (P=0.0005), neck circumference (P<0.0001), and apnea-hypopnea index (P<0.0001) were statistically significantly different between the obese and non-obese group. Among 12 cephalometric variables, there was a significant difference in only the distance from mandibular plane to hyoid bone (P=0.003). There was statistical difference in CI of HRG and LRG in sleep state (P=0.0449, 0.0281) but no difference in mCSA in wake and sleep states.ConclusionThe obese group had more severe sleep apnea than the non-obese group. We believe that the increased severity of apnea in the obese group may be have been due to increased collapsibility of the upper airway rather than decreased size of the upper airway

Factors Associated with HIV-1 Proviral DNA Loads in Patients with Undetectable Plasma RNA Load

To evaluate factors associated with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) proviral DNA load, we conducted a cross-sectional study of 36 chronically HIV-1-infected individuals with undetectable plasma viral RNA. We used real-time polymerase chain reaction to determine the number of HIV-1 proviral DNA copies per 106 peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The mean level of plasma viral RNA when the CD4+ T cell count was above 500 cells/µL without highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) was significantly associated with proviral DNA load at the time of undetectable plasma HIV RNA with HAART. Strategies to reduce the level of plasma viral RNA when patients' CD4+ T cell counts are above 500 cells/µL without HAART could help reduce HIV-1 proviral DNA load

Apoptotic Effects of Genistein, Biochanin-A and Apigenin on LNCaP and PC-3 Cells by p21 through Transcriptional Inhibition of Polo-like Kinase-1

Natural isoflavones and flavones are important dietary factors for prostate cancer prevention. We investigated the molecular mechanism of these compounds (genistein, biochanin-A and apigenin) in PC-3 (hormone-independent/p53 mutant type) and LNCaP (hormone-dependent/p53 wild type) prostate cancer cells. A cell growth rate and apoptotic activities were analyzed in different concentrations and exposure time to evaluate the antitumor activities of genistein, biochanin-A and apigenin. The real time PCR and Western blot analysis were performed to investigate whether the molecular mechanism of these compounds are involving the p21 and PLK-1 pathway. Apoptosis of prostate cancer cells was associated with p21 up-regulation and PLK-1 suppression. Exposure of genistein, biochanin-A and apigenin on LNCaP and PC-3 prostate cancer cells resulted in same pattern of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. The inhibition effect for cell proliferation was slightly greater in LNCaP than PC-3 cells. In conclusion, flavonoids treatment induces up-regulation of p21 expression, and p21 inhibits transcription of PLK-1, which promotes apoptosis of cancer cells

Urinary adiponectin and albuminuria in non-diabetic hypertensive patients: an analysis of the ESPECIAL trial

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly credited.Abstract Background Although adiponectin levels have been reported to be correlated with albuminuria, this issue remains unresolved in non-diabetic hypertensive subjects, particularly when urinary adiponectin is considered. Methods Urinary adiponectin levels were examined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 229 participants. who used olmesartan as a hypertensive agent. Their albuminuria levels were measured for 16 weeks after randomization and initiation of conventional or intensive diet education. Linear or logistic regression models were applied, as appropriate, to explore the relationship with albuminuria itself or its response after the intervention. Results Urinary adiponectin levels were positively related to baseline albuminuria level (r = 0.529). After adjusting for several covariates, the adiponectin level was associated with the albuminuria level (β = 0.446). Among the 159 subjects with baseline macroalbuminuria, the risk of consistent macroalbuminuria (> 300 mg/day) at 16 weeks was higher in the 3rd tertile of adiponectin than in the 1st tertile (odds ratio = 6.9), despite diet education. In contrast, among all subjects, the frequency of the normoalbuminuria achievement (< 30 mg/day) at 16 weeks was higher in the 1st tertile than in the 3rd tertile (odds ratio = 13.0). Conclusions Urinary adiponectin may be a useful biomarker for albuminuria or its response after treatment in non-diabetic hypertensive patients