The role of social support and social networks in smoking behavior among middle and older aged people in rural areas of South Korea: A cross-sectional study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Although the number of studies on anti-smoking interventions has increased, studies focused on identifying social contextual factors in rural areas are scarce. The purpose of this study was to explore the role of social support and social networks in smoking behavior among middle and older aged people living in rural areas of South Korea.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The study employed a cross-sectional design. Participants included 1,057 adults, with a mean age of 60.7 years, residing in rural areas. Information on participants' tobacco use, stress, social support, and social networks was collected using structured questionnaires. The chi-square test, the t-test, ANOVA, and logistic regression were used for data analysis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The overall smoking prevalence in the study was 17.4% (men, 38.8%; women, 5.1%). Overall, stress was high among women, and social support was high among men. Smokers had high levels of social support (t = -2.90, p = .0038) and social networks (t = -2.22, p = .0271), as compared to non- and former smokers. Those in the high social support group were likely to be smokers (AOR = 2.21, 95% CI 1.15-4.26). Women with moderate social ties were less likely to smoke (AOR = 0.18, 95% CI 0.05-0.61).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>There was a protective role of a moderate social network level among women, and a high level of social support was associated with smoking behaviors in rural areas. Findings suggest the need for a comprehensive understanding of the functions and characteristics of social contextual factors including social support and social networks in order to conduct more effective anti-smoking interventions in rural areas.</p

Adenoviral Pneumonia During Etanercept Treatment in a Patient with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Inhibitors of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) have been approved for treating rheumatoid arthritis. As one of the biological response modifiers, etanercept has also been used in the treatment of psoriatic arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease. While etanercept is effective, certain infectious complications, such as tuberculosis, fungus, and cytomegalovirus, have been reported. We report the first Korean case of adenoviral pneumonia in a 55-year-old female who developed disseminated adenoviral infection following etanercept treatment, which resolved after anti-TNF-α discontinuation

Cytoprotective Effect of Phloroglucinol on Oxidative Stress Induced Cell Damage via Catalase Activation

Abstract We investigated the cytoprotective effect of phloroglucinol, which was isolated from Ecklonia cava (brown alga), against oxidative stress induced cell damage in Chinese hamster lung fibroblast (V79-4) cells. Phloroglucinol was found to scavenge 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical, hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), hydroxy radical, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), and thus prevented lipid peroxidation. As a result, phloroglucinol reduced H 2 O 2 induced apoptotic cells formation in V79-4 cells. In addition, phloroglucinol inhibited cell damage induced by serum starvation and radiation through scavenging ROS. Phloroglucinol increased the catalase activity and its protein expression. In addition, catalase inhibitor abolished the protective effect of phloroglucinol from H 2 O 2 induced cell damage. Furthermore, phloroglucinol increased phosphorylation of extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK). Taken together, the results suggest that phloroglucinol protects V79-4 cells against oxidative damage by enhancing the cellular catalase activity and modulating ERK signal pathway

Android Fat Depot Is More Closely Associated with Metabolic Syndrome than Abdominal Visceral Fat in Elderly People

BACKGROUND: Fat accumulation in android compartments may confer increased metabolic risk. The incremental utility of measuring regional fat deposition in association with metabolic syndrome (MS) has not been well described particularly in an elderly population. METHODS AND FINDINGS: As part of the Korean Longitudinal Study on Health and Aging, which is a community-based cohort study of people aged more than 65 years, subjects (287 male, 75.9±8.6 years and 278 female, 76.0±8.8 years) with regional body composition data using Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry for android/gynoid area, computed tomography for visceral/subcutaneous adipose tissue (VAT/SAT), and cardiometabolic markers including adiponectin and high-sensitivity CRP were enrolled. We investigated the relationship between regional body composition and MS in multivariate regression models. Mean VAT and SAT area was 131.4±65.5 cm(2) and 126.9±55.2 cm(2) in men (P = 0.045) and 120.0±46.7 cm(2) and 211.8±65.9 cm(2) in women (P<0.01). Mean android and gynoid fat amount was 1.8±0.8 kg and 2.5±0.8 kg in men and 2.0±0.6 kg and 3.3±0.8 kg in women, respectively (both P<0.01). VAT area and android fat amount was strongly correlated with most metabolic risk factors compared to SAT or gynoid fat. Furthermore, android fat amount was significantly associated with clustering of MS components after adjustment for multiple parameters including age, gender, adiponectin, hsCRP, a surrogate marker of insulin resistance, whole body fat mass and VAT area. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings are consistent with the hypothesized role of android fat as a pathogenic fat depot in the MS. Measurement of android fat may provide a more complete understanding of metabolic risk associated with variations in fat distribution

Inappropriate elevation of bispectral index values in robot assisted thyroidectomy with electromyographic endotracheal tube -A case report-

We report a case of an erroneously elevated bispectral index (BIS) during robot assisted thyroidectomy using an electromyographic endotracheal tube (EMG tube), which is safe and useful for laryngeal electromyographic monitoring. Ten minutes after start of the operation, a sudden increase of BIS value up to 98 was noticed. The BIS values were not decreased to < 65 with supplemental anesthetics. The anesthetic method was changed from total intravenous anesthesia to balanced anesthesia. The BIS sensor and monitor were changed and other models were used. These interventions did not alter BIS values. BIS levels remained between 60 and 70 throughout the main procedure and intermittently increased to the mid-90s without any trace of poor signal quality. At the end of the surgery, the BIS values returned to normal range. The patient did not complain of intraoperative recall. Knowledge of potential interference from the use of an EMG tube must be considered when interpreting BIS

A Case of Hyperglycemic Hyperosmolar State Associated with Graves' Hyperthyroidism: A Case Report

Hyperglycemic hyperosmolar state (HHS) is an acute complication mostly occurring in elderly type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). Thyrotoxicosis causes dramatic increase of glycogen degradation and/or gluconeogenesis and enhances breakdown of triglycerides. Thus, in general, it augments glucose intolerance in diabetic patients. A 23-yr-old female patient with Graves' disease and type 2 DM, complying with methimazole and insulin injection, had symptoms of nausea, polyuria and generalized weakness. Her serum glucose and osmolarity were 32.7 mM/L, and 321 mosm/kg, respectively. Thyroid function tests revealed that she had more aggravated hyperthyroid status; 0.01 mU/L TSH and 2.78 pM/L free T3 (reference range, 0.17-4.05, 0.31-0.62, respectively) than when she was discharged two weeks before (0.12 mU/L TSH and 1.41 pM/L free T3). Being diagnosed as HHS and refractory Graves' hyperthyroidism, she was treated successfully with intravenous fluids, insulin and high doses of methimazole (90 mg daily). Here, we described the case of a woman with Graves' disease and type 2 DM developing to HHS