Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in the General Population: A Cross-Sectional Study Using Nationally Representative Data

(1) Background: To evaluate the association between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in the general population using a nationally representative sample from South Korea; (2) Methods: This study included 4275 adults aged ≥40 years who completed the snoring, tiredness, observed apnea, high blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), age, neck circumference, and gender (STOP-Bang) questionnaire. The risk of OSA was stratified into low, intermediate, and high grades according to the STOP-Bang score. The prevalence of NAFLD according to the STOP-Bang score was calculated, and the increasing trend was measured. A complex sample multivariable regression analysis with adjustments for possible confounding variables was used to calculate the odds ratio of NAFLD and advanced fibrosis. Subgroup analysis was conducted with stratification based on sex and obesity status; (3) Results: We identified 1021 adults with NAFLD and 3254 adults without NAFLD. The prevalence of NAFLD increased significantly with higher STOP-Bang scores in both men and women. Participants of both sexes with high STOP-Bang scores were more likely to have NAFLD. Compared to non-obese individuals, the risk of NAFLD according to the STOP-Bang score was more intense in obese individuals. With respect to hepatic steatosis, there was no significant association between advanced fibrosis and STOP-Bang score; (4) Conclusions: OSA, the risk of which was measured using the STOP-Bang model, was closely associated with NAFLD in both Korean men and women. Clinicians should consider screening for NAFLD in individuals with a high STOP-Bang score

Association between electronic cigarette use and metabolic syndrome in the Korean general population: A nationwide population-based study.

ObjectivesAlthough smoking is known to have a negative impact in patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS), only a few studies have examined the association between electronic cigarette (e-cig) use and MetS.MethodsAmong 22,948 participants in the 6th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 14,738 (13,459 [91.3%] never, 954 [6.5%] ever, and 325 [2.2%] current e-cig users) were selected. The relationship between e-cig exposure and MetS (based on the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel [NCEP-ATP] III criteria) was evaluated using a multivariable logistic regression analysis. An unweighted analysis was performed to evaluate this association without a sampling weight. A subgroup analysis was performed among active smokers to compare dual users with never e-cig users.ResultsAmong current e-cig users, 85.0% were dual users, 12.7% were former cigarette users, and 2.2% were only e-cig users. After adjustment for covariates, abdominal obesity and hypertriglyceridemia were significantly associated with current e-cig exposure (odds ratio [OR]: 1.88, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.41-2.50 and OR: 1.32, 95% CI: 1.00-1.74 respectively [compared with the never e-cig users group]). Compared with never e-cig users, current e-cig users showed an OR of 1.27 (95% CI: 0.96-1.70, Ptrend = 0.01) for MetS. In the unweighted analysis, the OR for MetS in current e-cig users was 1.40 (95% CI: 1.08-1.81, Ptrend ConclusionsCurrent e-cig exposure was associated with an increased risk of MetS. Dual use of e-cigs and cigarettes was associated with abdominal obesity. Further longitudinal studies and better assessment of e-cig use and type are needed to clarify this relationship

Transrenal DNA detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis

Background: Multiple attempts have been made to use biological samples other than sputum to diagnose tuberculosis (TB). Sputum acid-fast bacillus (AFB) microscopy is the fastest, most straightforward, and most inexpensive method for diagnosing pulmonary TB. However, urine can be used in place of sputum owing to its various advantages, such as a noninvasive method of collection, convenient handling and storage, and minimal risk of infection in health-care workers involved in sample collection. In this study, we aimed to assess the suitability of urine as a sample to obtain transrenal DNA (trDNA) to diagnose TB. This study involved several patients with TB undergoing inpatient treatment, whose AFB microscopy showed negative inversion. Methods: Here, 51 urine samples were collected from 40 patients with TB and examined to confirm the presence of trDNA. First, we compared the efficiency of two trDNA extraction methods: An automated magnetic bead-based method and a more efficient anchoring extraction method. Statistical analyses were performed using Excel software (Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2019). Results: Although molecular diagnosis using GeneXpert yielded negative results, a peculiarity was observed. There was no significant difference between GeneXpert findings and our results nor was there any difference in the sequential trDNA samples obtained. However, even when GeneXpert results were negative, trDNA was detected in seven out of ten samples using the anchor extraction method. Conclusions: Further studies are needed to establish biomarkers for the progression of TB treatment

Adverse Events Following Immunization Associated with the First and Second Doses of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 Vaccine among Healthcare Workers in Korea

As worldwide large-scale inoculation of novel vaccines is on the way, the importance of real-world data on safety cannot be overemphasized. We aimed to investigate the adverse events following immunization (AEFIs) associated with the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine among healthcare workers (HCWs). We investigated the systemic and local adverse events reported within seven days following the first and second doses of vaccination, using the mobile vaccine adverse events reporting system (MVAERS) developed by our hospital. The response rates were 71.8% (994/1384) and 52.9% (727/1375) after the first and second doses, respectively. The most commonly reported AEFIs were tenderness and pain at the injection site and fatigue after the first and second doses. In comparison to the first dose, the incidence and severity of AEFIs were lower following the second dose. Since the Korean government does not recommend the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccination for those under 30 years of age, with greater risk than benefit, we additionally compared the AEFIs of age groups under and above 30 years of age. The overall incidence of AEFIs was similar in both the under and over 30 age groups. In conclusion, AEFIs associated with the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine were found to be tolerable, and AEFIs associated with the second dose were less common and severe compared to the first dose. Further safety surveillance studies on COVID-19 vaccines are required to validate our findings

High Serum Folate Concentration Is Associated with Better Lung Function in Male Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients Who Are Current Smokers: Analysis of Nationwide Population-Based Survey

Folate, folic acid, has a role in mitigating inflammatory reactions in the human body. This study aimed to evaluate the association of serum folate levels with lung function in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. Of the 8149 participants of the 2016 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES), 311 subjects (192 males and 119 females) having COPD defined by the lower fifth percentile of the reference population were selected. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used to investigate the relationship between serum folate level and lung function measurements. The association between the serum folate level and lung function in patients with COPD was evaluated using multivariable linear regression analysis after adjustment for age, sex, height, high sensitivity C-reactive protein, total calorie intake, residence, smoking status and smoking pack–years, education, and household income. The serum folate level showed a positive correlation with the predicted percentage of forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1%). In males, a trend for a positive correlation with serum folate level was observed in predicted FEV1%, FEV1 value, predicted percentage of forced vital capacity (FVC%), FVC value, and peak expiratory flow (PEF). No significant correlation between the serum folate level and lung function in females was observed. In the multivariable linear regression model, the serum folate level was associated with an increase in predicted FEV1%, FEV1 value, predicted FVC%, FVC value, and PEF; however, the significance was only observed in males, especially among current smokers. High serum folate level was positively associated with lung function measurements in male COPD patients who were current smokers. Further longitudinal studies are needed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms

Effect of Substitutional Pb Doping on Bipolar and Lattice Thermal Conductivity in p-Type Bi0.48Sb1.52Te3

Cation substitutional doping is an effective approach to modifying the electronic and thermal transports in Bi2Te3-based thermoelectric alloys. Here we present a comprehensive analysis of the electrical and thermal conductivities of polycrystalline Pb-doped p-type bulk Bi0.48Sb1.52Te3. Pb doping significantly increased the electrical conductivity up to ~2700 S/cm at x = 0.02 in Bi0.48-xPbxSb1.52Te3 due to the increase in hole carrier concentration. Even though the total thermal conductivity increased as Pb was added, due to the increased hole carrier concentration, the thermal conductivity was reduced by 14–22% if the contribution of the increased hole carrier concentration was excluded. To further understand the origin of reduction in the thermal conductivity, we first estimated the contribution of bipolar conduction to thermal conductivity from a two-parabolic band model, which is an extension of the single parabolic band model. Thereafter, the contribution of additional point defect scattering caused by Pb substitution (Pb in the cation site) was analyzed using the Debye–Callaway model. We found that Pb doping significantly suppressed both the bipolar thermal conduction and lattice thermal conductivity simultaneously, while the bipolar contribution to the total thermal conductivity reduction increased at high temperatures. At Pb doping of x = 0.02, the bipolar thermal conductivity decreased by ~30% from 0.47 W/mK to 0.33 W/mK at 480 K, which accounts for 70% of the total reduction

Memory-Improving Activity of the Flower Extract from <i>Chrysanthemum boreale</i> (Makino) Maskino in Scopolamine-Treated Rodents

One of the factors related to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease, a disease characterized by gradual cognitive and memory impairment, is an inflammatory process induced by the amyloid-β-mediated activation of microglia. In the present study, an extract of the Chrysanthemum boreale (Makino) Makino (CB) flower, which has inhibitory effects on inflammation and the production of phosphorylated tau in cells, was investigated for its ameliorative effect on memory dysfunction in scopolamine-treated Alzheimer’s disease models. The CB-extract-diet-administered groups, which were treated chronically with scopolamine (intraperitoneal), showed increased spontaneous alterations (12.5–15.5% increase) in the Y-maze test and latency to escape (3.7–6.7-fold increase) in the passive avoidance test, compared to the negative control (NC) group. Rats administered the CB extract also showed a higher tendency (66–86% increase) of hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression than NC rats. Moreover, the ratio of phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase in the CB-extract-administered group was lower (48.0–52.2%) than that (100%) in the NC group. In the Morris water maze test conducted on the fifth day, the free-swimming times of the CB-extract-administered mice that were also treated with scopolamine for a short time (5 d) increased (51.7–56.1%) significantly compared to those of the NC mice. Finally, high-performance liquid chromatography analysis confirmed that isochlorogenic acid A, linarin, and chlorogenic acid are the major phenolic components of the CB extract. These results suggest that the extract of CB flowers might be useful as a functional material with memory-enhancing effects

UPLC-MS/MS-Based Profiling of Eicosanoids in RAW264.7 Cells Treated with Lipopolysaccharide

While both the pro- and anti-inflammatory effects of several eicosanoids have been widely studied, the degree of inflammation in cells that results from various eicosanoids has yet to be comprehensively studied. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment on eicosanoid content in RAW264.7 cells. An Ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS)-based profiling method was used to analyze the eicosanoid contents of RAW264.7 cells treated with different LPS concentrations. The profiling data were subjected to statistical analyses, such as principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical clustering analysis. LPS treatment increased nitric oxide production and secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6, in a concentration-dependent manner. In total, 79 eicosanoids were identified in the cells. RAW264.7 cells treated with different LPS concentrations were well differentiated in the PCA score plot. A heatmap was used to identify the eicosanoids that were up- or down-regulated according to the degree of inflammation and LPS concentration. Thirty-nine eicosanoids were upregulated and seven were down-regulated by LPS treatment in a concentration-dependent manner. Our novel UPLC-MS/MS technique can profile eicosanoids, and can evaluate the correlations between inflammation and eicosanoid metabolism

Anti-Inflammatory Cycloartane-Type Saponins of Astragalus membranaceus

A new cycloartane-type triterpene glycoside, agroastragaloside V (1) was isolated from the roots of Astragalus membranaceus. The structure was identified as 3-O-β-(2&#039;-O-acetyl)-D-xylopyranosyl-6-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(24S)-3β,6α,24α,25-tetrahydroxy- 9,19-cyclolanostane, by means of spectroscopic methods, including HR-FAB/MS, 1D NMR (1H, 13C, DEPT), 2D NMR (gCOSY, gHSQC, gHMBC, NOESY), and IR spectroscopy. Four known cycloartane glycosides, namely, agroastragaloside I (2), agroastragaloside II (3), isoastragaloside II (4) and astragaloside IV (5) were also isolated. All isolated compounds were tested for the ability to inhibit LPS-induced nitric oxide production in RAW264.7 macrophages