Overhydration measured by bioimpedance analysis and the survival of patients on maintenance hemodialysis: a single-center study

AbstractBackgroundBioimpedance analysis (BIA) helps measuring the constituents of the body noninvasively. Prior studies suggest that BIA-guided fluid assessment helps to predict survival in dialysis patients. We aimed to evaluate the clinical usefulness of BIA for predicting the survival rate of hemodialysis patients in Korea.MethodsWe conducted a single-center retrospective study. All patients were diagnosed with end-stage renal disorder and started maintenance hemodialysis between June 2009 and April 2014. BIA was performed within the 1st week from the start of hemodialysis. The patients were classified into 2 groups based on volume status measured by the body composition monitor (BCM; Fresenius): an overhydrated group [OG; overhydration/extracellular water (OH/ECW) >15%] and a nonoverhydrated group (NOG; OH/ECW ≤15%).ResultsA total of 344 patients met the inclusion criteria. Of these, 252 patients (73.3%) were categorized into the OG and 92 patients (26.7%) into the NOG. Age- and sex-matching patients were selected with a rate of 2:1. Finally, 160 overhydrated patients and 80 nonoverhydrated patients were analyzed. Initial levels of hemoglobin and serum albumin were significantly lower in the OG. During follow-up, 43 patients from the OG and 7 patients from the NOG died (median follow-up duration, 24.0 months). The multivariate-adjusted all-cause mortality was significantly increased in the OG (odds ratio, 2.569; P = 0.033) and older patients (odds ratio, 1.072/y; P < 0.001). No significant difference of all-cause or disease-specific admission rate was observed between the 2 groups.ConclusionThe ratio of OH/ECW volume measured with body composition monitor is related to the overall survival of end-stage renal disorder patients who started maintenance hemodialysis

The corrected QT (QTc) prolongation in hyperthyroidism and the association of thyroid hormone with the QTc interval

PurposeVentricular repolarization is assessed using the QT interval corrected by the heart rate (QTc) via an electrocardiogram (ECG). Prolonged QTc is associated with an increased risk of arrhythmias and cardiac mortality. As there have been few reports regarding the effects of hyperthyroidism on ventricular repolarization, we studied the association between serum free thyroxine (free T4 [fT4]) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels and the QTc interval.MethodsThirty-eight patients with hyperthyroidism (<30 years old) were included, and we used their clinical records and available ECGs (between August 2003 and August 2011) to evaluate the association between their fT4 and TSH levels and their QTc interval. In addition, we studied the ECGs of 72 age-matched patients with no hyperthyroidism (control group) and compared their data with that from the patients group.ResultsThe QTc duration in patients with hyperthyroidism was significantly prolonged compared to that in the control subjects (P<0.001). In addition, the number of hyperthyroid patients with abnormal prolonged QTc was significantly higher than that in the control group (P<0.001). Among the patients with hyperthyroidism, patients with prolonged QTc and borderline QTc had higher fT4 levels and there was positive correlation between their fT4 levels and their QTc interval (P<0.05). However, no correlation was observed between their TSH levels and their QTc interval.ConclusionWe report that hyperthyroidism is associated with QTc prolongation. The correlation between the fT4 levels and the QTc interval suggests that thyroid status is associated with QTc values and the risk of cardiac mortality

Prevalence of Dental Caries on Permanent First Molars of 7-Year Old School-Aged Children: Basis for the use of Pit and Fissure Sealants

Dental caries is the leading cause of oral diseases in young children all throughout the world. It occurs as a result of the dissolution and destruction of the enamel surface by the microorganisms. The purpose of the study is to compare the prevalence of first permanent molar caries among sever year old school-aged children as a basis for the use of pit and fissure sealants. Specifically were to answer the following: 1) What is the number of 7 year old children with fully erupted first permanent molars?; 2) What is the prevalence and degree of existing caries on all the first permanent molars using ICDAS II method of caries assessment, in terms of: a)Sealable non-carious/ ICDAS II code 0, b)Sealable carious/ ICDAS II code 1 &amp; 2, and c)Non-sealable carious/ ICDAS II code 3-6 ; and 3) Is there a gender predilection in the development of dental caries. The descriptive research design was used to utilize the ICDAS II caries index to assess the prevalence of the caries on the permanent molars. A total of 36 respondents were examined in this study. Data was analyzed using frequency, distribution and Chi-square test. Initially, there were 47 participants or the proposed study ages 7 years old, but only 36 (76.60%) of them met the inclusion criteria of having their first permanent molars fully erupted. Results showed that out of 144 teeth of the respondents, there were 121 sealable non-carious, 14 sealable carious, and 9 non-sealable carious teeth. There was no gender predilection. The study showed that there is a high percentage of sealable non-carious permanent molar, which is the appropriate age to strongly implement the application of pit and fissure sealant. This would significantly benefit in preventing and/or inhibiting the occurrence of caries in 1st permanent molars

Effect of ankle taping on the ankle muscle strength in young healthy women

Of the various approaches to manage or prevent injuries on the ankle joint, Kinesio taping improves static posture stability, stimulating the neuromuscular control system. This study aims to investigate of ankle taping on the peak torque and average power of ankle muscle in young heathy women. Taping was applied to the extensor digitorum, tibialis anterior, gastrocnemius, soleus of the ankle in 16 healthy women. Isokinetic measurement of the dorsiflexion and plantarflexion patterns were recorded before and after taping. As a result of this study, the pre-post isokinetic parameters improved significantly for plantarflexion (p<0.05) while those for dorsiflexion did not. Through this study, it was found out that ankle taping improved the muscle power of the plantarflexor of young healthy women, and it is expected that applying ankle taping would help young healthy women

Inhibition of mTORC1 through ATF4-induced REDD1 and Sestrin2 expression by Metformin

Background Although the major anticancer effect of metformin involves AMPK-dependent or AMPK-independent mTORC1 inhibition, the mechanisms of action are still not fully understood. Methods To investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the effect of metformin on the mTORC1 inhibition, MTT assay, RT-PCR, and western blot analysis were performed. Results Metformin induced the expression of ATF4, REDD1, and Sestrin2 concomitant with its inhibition of mTORC1 activity. Treatment with REDD1 or Sestrin2 siRNA reversed the mTORC1 inhibition induced by metformin, indicating that REDD1 and Sestrin2 are important for the inhibition of mTORC1 triggered by metformin treatment. Moreover, REDD1- and Sestrin2-mediated mTORC1 inhibition in response to metformin was independent of AMPK activation. Additionally, lapatinib enhances cell sensitivity to metformin, and knockdown of REDD1 and Sestrin2 decreased cell sensitivity to metformin and lapatinib. Conclusions ATF4-induced REDD1 and Sestrin2 expression in response to metformin plays an important role in mTORC1 inhibition independent of AMPK activation, and this signalling pathway could have therapeutic value.This research was supported by grants from the Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences (KIRAMS), funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT), Republic of Korea (Nos. 50336–2021; 50531–2021; and 50544–2021)

국내 미기록인 흡혈성 산거머리 Haemadipsa rjukjuana Oka, 1910 보고

The terrestrial leeches from the peripheral island of the Korean Peninsula were identified as Haemadipsa rjukjuanaOka, 1910. The arhynchobdellid family Haemadipsidae and H. rjukjuana are newly added into the Korean leechfauna. This species is blood-feeding leech that attacks birds and medium or large sized mammals primarily,including human. The sequence of mitochondrial cytochrome c subunit I (COI), and the additional biology for thisspecies are presented. This is the first study of terrestrial blood-feeding leeches in Korea.OAIID:oai:osos.snu.ac.kr:snu2013-01/102/0000051105/10SEQ:10PERF_CD:SNU2013-01EVAL_ITEM_CD:102USER_ID:0000051105ADJUST_YN:NEMP_ID:A077262DEPT_CD:551FILENAME:haemadipsa rjukjuana (131204).pdfDEPT_NM:수의학과SCOPUS_YN:NCONFIRM:

Identification of a novel mutation in a patient with pseudohypoparathyroidism type Ia

Pseudohypoparathyroidism type Ia (PHP Ia) is a disorder characterized by multiform hormonal resistance including parathyroid hormone (PTH) resistance and Albright hereditary osteodystrophy (AHO). It is caused by heterozygous inactivating mutations within the Gs alpha-encoding GNAS exons. A 9-year-old boy presented with clinical and laboratory abnormalities including hypocalcemia, hyperphosphatemia, PTH resistance, multihormone resistance and AHO (round face, short stature, obesity, brachydactyly and osteoma cutis) which were typical of PHP Ia. He had a history of repeated convulsive episodes that started from the age of 2 months. A cranial computed tomography scan showed bilateral calcifications in the basal ganglia and his intelligence quotient testing indicated mild mental retardation. Family history revealed that the patient's maternal relatives, including his grandmother and 2 of his mother's siblings, had features suggestive of AHO. Sequencing of the GNAS gene of the patient identified a heterozygous nonsense mutation within exon 11 (c.637 C>T). The C>T transversion results in an amino acid substitution from Gln to stop codon at codon 213 (p.Gln213*). To our knowledge, this is a novel mutation in GNAS