Analysis of Tall Sized Women’s Figures Based on Sizeusa Data: An Assessment of Tall Sizing Systems Used in the U.S. Apparel Industry

The purpose of this study is to analyze tall women’s body size and figure and investigate whether current tall sizing charts accurately reflect actual tall size women’s bodies. This study also categorizes tall women’s body shapes and suggests primary body measurements as a base size for each shape. The ultimate goal is to suggest fundamental body measurements for apparel companies to modify and improve their sizing. This study used data from SizeUSA data to compare body measurements of 18-35 year old tall (\u3e5’8”) women (n=267) to regular women. We compared the results to measurement differences between tall and regular sizing charts of 10 apparel companies. Then, using the principal component analysis and cluster analysis, we classified tall women’s body shapes. Body measurements for each body type are contrasted with the current tall sizing charts, and then, we present differences as suggestions for modification and improvement of tall sizing. Industry sizing system do not generally represent average tall size women, especially crotch height, center back neck to wrist length. Within the tall women, three body types were identified (Top tall: 24.3%, Bottom tall: 58.1%, and Plus tall: 17.5%). It is the first to analyze the industry tall-sizing system utilizing population data and focus tall sizing for women aged 18-35. We believe this study could draw attention of the apparel industry, providing companies with ideas of how to improve their tall sizing for young women

Diagnosis of Overt Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation: A Comparative Study Using Criteria from the International Society Versus the Korean Society on Thrombosis and Hemostasis

PURPOSE: Since 1993, Koreans have used diagnostic criteria set by the Korean Society on Thrombosis and Hemostasis (KSTH) in the diagnosis of overt disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). In 2001, the Scientific and Standardization Committee (SCC) of the International Society on Thrombosis and Hemostasis (ISTH) proposed new diagnostic criteria for the diagnosis of overt DIC. We wanted to compare the use of the ISTH versus KSTH criteria in the diagnosis of overt DIC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We enrolled 131 patients over the age of 15 years, who had been admitted and diagnosed as having DIC from May 2000 to April 2005 at the Youngdong Severance Hospital, Seoul, Korea. Of the 131 patients, there were 71 males and 60 females, with a median age of 61 years. Hemostatic tests, including platelet counts, PT, aPTT, fibrinogen level and D-dimer, were evaluated based on the respective scoring systems. To assess the concordance between the two diagnostic systems, we used the Student's t-test and the K-coefficient. RESULTS: There were 79 patients compatible with the ISTH criteria and 63 patients with the KSTH criteria. Sixty-one patients were compatible with both diagnostic systems. The grade of agreement, or concordance rate, was 84.7% and the K-coefficient, or interrater reliability, was as low as 0.6 without significance. However, if we scored 1 point for a fibrinogen level of 100-150 mg/dL, and 2 points for a level below 100 mg/dL, for the ISTH criteria, then 63 patients were compatible with both diagnostic systems, and the concordance rate increased to 85.5% and the K-coefficient to 0.71 with significance. CONCLUSION: To achieve good agreement between the ISTH and KSTH diagnostic systems for overt DIC, we highly recommend changing the plasma fibrinogen cut-off value in the ISTH criteria from 100mg/dL to 150 mg/dL and scoring up to 2 points for a level below 100 mg/dL.ope

Categorization of lower body shapes of abdominal obese men using a script-based 3D body measurement software

The objectives of this study are to identify the principal components that represent distinctive shapes from the silhouette and profile views of the lower body shapes of abdominal obese Korean men and to categorize their body types. Using 3D scans of 625 men aged 35–64 in the 6th SizeKorea dataset, 173 scans (27.7%) of men in abdominal obese category (BMI value of 25, waist girth to height ratio of 0.53, and waist girth to hip girth ratio of 0.9 or higher) were utilized. We developed a script to measure 38 items such as front/back crotch length and front/back depths and angles using the SNU-BM program, which is a script-based automated 3D body scan measurement software. The measurements used for principal component (PC) analysis were 31 drops, 2 heights, 2 lengths and 4 angles. Ten PCs representing distinctive silhouettes and profiles of lower body shapes were extracted. The PCs were interpreted as follows: abdomen prominence, thigh to knee profile, upper buttocks prominence, waist to hip drop, thigh to knee silhouette, lower body tilt angle, waist to crotch length, vertical height, abdomen to crotch height, and lower buttocks slope. The three body shape groups were categorized using a K means cluster analysis with ten PC scores. Group 1 had a flat abdomen but prominent buttocks. Group 2 had a developed abdomen and buttocks with vertical thighs. Group 3 had drooped buttocks with tilted thighs.This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) Grant funded by the Korean Government (MSIP) (NRF-2017R1C1B5017733)

Staphylococcal enterotoxin sensitization in a community-based population : a potential role in adult-onset asthma

Background: Recent studies suggest that Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin sensitization is a risk factor for asthma. However, there is a paucity of epidemiologic evidence on adult-onset asthma in community-based populations. Objective: We sought to evaluate the epidemiology and the clinical significance of staphylococcal enterotoxin sensitization in community-based adult populations. Methods: The present analyses were performed using the baseline data set of Korean adult population surveys, consisting of 1080 adults (mean age=60.2years) recruited from an urban and a rural community. Questionnaires, methacholine challenge tests, and allergen skin tests were performed for defining clinical phenotypes. Sera were analysed for total IgE and enterotoxin-specific IgE using ImmunoCAP. Results: Staphylococcal enterotoxin sensitization (0.35kU/L) had a prevalence of 27.0%. Risk factors were identified as male sex, current smoking, advanced age (61years), and inhalant allergen sensitization. Current asthma was mostly adult onset (18years old) and showed independent associations with high enterotoxin-specific IgE levels in multivariate logistic regression tests. In multivariate linear regressions, staphylococcal enterotoxin-specific IgE level was identified as the major determinant factor for total IgE level. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: Staphylococcal enterotoxin sensitization was independently associated with adult-onset asthma in adult community populations. Strong correlations between the enterotoxin-specific IgE and total IgE levels support the clinical significance. The present findings warrant further studies for the precise roles of staphylococcal enterotoxin sensitization in the asthma pathogenesis

Evaluation of the pathogenicity of GJB3 and GJB6 variants associated with nonsyndromic hearing loss

AbstractA number of genes responsible for hearing loss are related to ion recycling and homeostasis in the inner ear. Connexins (Cx26 encoded by GJB2, Cx31 encoded by GJB3 and Cx30 encoded by GJB6) are core components of gap junctions in the inner ear. Gap junctions are intercellular communication channels and important factors that are associated with hearing loss. To date, a molecular genetics study of GJB3 and GJB6 as a causative gene for hearing loss has not been performed in Korea. This study was therefore performed to elucidate the genetic characteristics of Korean patients with nonsyndromic sensorineural hearing loss and to determine the pathological mechanism of hearing loss by analyzing the intercellular communication function of Cx30 and Cx31 variants. Sequencing analysis of the GJB3 and GJB6 genes in our population revealed a total of nine variants, including four novel variants in the two genes. Three of the novel variants (Cx31-p.V27M, Cx31-p.V43M and Cx-30-p.I248V) and two previously reported variants (Cx31-p.V84I and Cx30-p.A40V) were selected for functional studies using a pathogenicity prediction program and assessed for whether the mutations were located in a conserved region of the protein. The results of biochemical and ionic coupling tests showed that both the Cx31-p.V27M and Cx31-p.V84I variants did not function normally when each was expressed as a heterozygote with the wild-type Cx31. This study demonstrated that two variants of Cx31 were pathogenic mutations with deleterious effect. This information will be valuable in understanding the pathogenic role of GJB3 and GJB6 mutations associated with hearing loss

High Extracellular Calcium Increased Expression of Ank, PC-1 andOsteopontin in Mouse Calvarial Cells

In the process of bone remodeling, mineral phase of bone is dissolved by osteoclasts, resulting in elevation of calcium concentration in micro-environment. This study was performed to explore the effect of high extracellular calcium (Ca 2+ e) on mineralized nodule formation and on the expression of progressive ankylosis (Ank), plasma cell membrane glycoprotein-1 (PC-1) and osteopontin by primary cultured mouse calvarial cells. Osteoblastic differentiation and mineralized nodule formation was induced by culture of mouse calvarial cells in osteoblast differentiation medium containing ascorbic acid and β-glycerophosphate. Although Ank, PC-1 and osteopontin are well known inhibitors of mineralization, expression of these genes were induced at the later stage of osteoblast differentiation during when expression of osteocalcin, a late marker gene of osteoblast differentiation, was induced and mineralization was actively progressing. High Ca 2+ e (10 mM) treatment highly enhanced mRNA expression of Ank, PC-1 and osteopontin in the late stage of osteoblast differentiation but not in the early stage. Inhibition of p44/42 MAPK activation but not that of protein kinase C suppressed high Ca 2+ e-induced expression of Ank, PC-1 and osteopontin. When high Ca 2+ e (5 mM or 10 mM) was present in culture medium during when mineral deposition was actively progressing, matrix calcifiation was significantly increased by high Ca 2+ e. This stimulatory effect was abolished by pyrophosphate (5 mM) or levamisole (0.1-0.5 mM), an alkaline phosphatase inhibitor. In addition, probenecid (2mM), an inhibitor of Ank, suppressed matrix calcification in both control and high Ca 2+ e-treated group, suggesting the possible role of Ank in matrix calcification by osteoblasts. Taken together, these results showed that high Ca 2+ e stimulates expression of Ank, PC-1 and osteopontin as well as matrix calcification in late differentiation stage of osteoblasts and that p44/42 MAPK activation is involved in high Ca 2+ e- induced expression of Ank, PC-1 and osteopontin

A childhood case of spinal tuberculosis misdiagnosed as muscular dystrophy

Tuberculosis is primarily a pulmonary disease, but extra-pulmonary manifestations are not uncommon, especially in children and adolescents. Ten percent of extra pulmonary tuberculosis localizes to the bones and joints, and 56% of such cases affect the spine. We treated a childhood case of spinal tuberculosis misdiagnosed as muscular dystrophy in a patient without specific constitutional symptoms. We report this case because the patient had an unusual presentation of spinal tuberculosis

β-Lapachone Significantly Increases the Effect of Ionizing Radiation to Cause Mitochondrial Apoptosis via JNK Activation in Cancer Cells

β-lapachone (β-lap), has been known to cause NQO1-dependnet death in cancer cells and sensitize cancer cells to ionizing radiation (IR). We investigated the mechanisms underlying the radiosensitization caused by β-lap. cells induced ROS generation, triggered ER stress and stimulated activation of ERK and JNK. Inhibition of ROS generation by NAC effectively attenuated the activation of ERK and JNK, induction of ER stress, and subsequent apoptosis. Importantly, inhibition of ERK abolished ROS generation and ER stress, whereas inhibition of JNK did not, indicating that positive feedback regulation between ERK activation and ROS generation triggers ER stress in response to combined treatment. Furthermore, prevention of ER stress completely blocked combination treatment-induced JNK activation and subsequent apoptotic cell death. In addition, combined treatment efficiently induced the mitochondrial translocation of cleaved Bax, disrupted mitochondrial membrane potential, and the nuclear translocation of AIF, all of which were efficiently blocked by a JNK inhibitor. Caspases 3, 8 and 9 were activated by combined treatment but inhibition of these caspases did not abolish apoptosis indicating caspase activation played a minor role in the induction of apoptosis. cells are treated with combination of IR and β-lap, positive feedback regulation between ERK and ROS leads to ER stress causing JNK activation and mitochondrial translocation of cleaved Bax. The resultant decrease in mitochondrial membrane leads to translocation of AIF and apoptosis