Correlation between thigh skinfold thickness and physical fitness factors in Korean adults and older individuals

Background: This cross-sectional epidemiological study aimed to compare the differences in physical fitness variables according to the skinfold thickness in the thigh area in adults and Korean older individuals. Methods: We analyzed data from the 2015 National Fitness Survey. A total of 4034 healthy adults (2442 men, 1592 women) with an average age of 38.19 ± 12.41 years and 880 healthy older subjects (369 men, 511 women) with an average age of 72.32 ± 5.49 years participated in this study. The skinfold thickness of the thigh was measured using a skinfold caliper (Dynatron, Dynatronics, USA). The participants underwent physical fitness tests, including the hand squeeze strength test, abdominal curl ups, standing double-leg long jump, 50 m shuttle run, sit and reach, and 20 m shuttle run for adult men and women. Older men and women performed the following tests: hand squeeze strength, abdominal curl ups, sit to stand test, single leg balance (open eyes), sit and reach, Apley scratch test for shoulder mobility, and 6-minute walk test. Independent t-tests and Pearson correlation analyses were used for the analysis. Results: Among the older men, significant differences were found in thigh skinfold thickness (t = –21.122, p < 0.001), abdominal curl ups (t = 2.165, p = 0.031), and sit and reach in men (t = 2.609, p = 0.009), and thigh skinfold (t = –29.611, p < 0.001), and Apley scratch test for shoulder mobility in women (t = –2.120, p = 0.034). There was a significant correlation between thigh skinfold thickness and physical activity (thigh skinfold thickness) in adult men (t = –54.202, p < 0.001), nondominant hand squeeze strength (t = 2.632, p = 0.009), abdominal curl ups (t = 4.292, p < 0.001), sit and reach (t = 3.063, p = 0.002), twenty meters shuttle run (t = 4.657, p < 0.001). However, no significant differences were found in dominant hand squeeze strength, standing double leg long jump, or 50 m shuttle run in men (p < 0.05). In adult women, there was a significant correlation between thigh skinfold thickness and physical activity (thigh skinfold thickness (t = –49.405, p < 0.001), dominant hand squeeze strength (t = 7.789, p < 0.001), nondominant hand squeeze strength (t = 6.944, p < 0.001), abdominal curl ups (t = 5.347, p < 0.001), standing double leg long jump (t = 5.890, p < 0.001), sit and reach (t = 5.384, p < 0.001), twenty meter shuttle run (t = 5.223, p < 0.001). However, no significant differences were found in fifty meter shuttle run in women (p < 0.05). Among older men, only single leg balance and sit and reach were correlated with thigh skinfold (single leg balance r = 0.169, p = 0.01; sit and reach r = –0.201, p = 0.001). In women, only abdominal curl ups, sit and reach, and Apley scratch test correlated with thigh skinfold (abdominal curl ups r = –0.088, p = 0.002; sit and reach r = –0.137, p = 0.002; Apley scratch test r = 0.090, p = 0.041). Conclusions: The effect of thigh skinfold thickness on the level of physical activity was more pronounced in adults than in older subjects. Our findings show that muscle strength and body fat in the lower extremities can affect overall muscle strength, endurance, and balance

Complete Binocular Blindness as the First Manifestation of HIV-Related Cryptococcal Meningitis

Ocular complications of HIV-related cryptococcal meningitis are reasonably common, but complete binocular blindness as the first manifestation of HIV is extremely rare. A 58-year-old man presented with binocular blindness. He experienced blurred vision for 3 days before the blindness. Mild pleocytosis was present in the cerebrospinal fluid, from which Cryptococcus neoformans was cultured. Serology revealed positivity for HIV antibody. He was treated with antifungal and antiretroviral therapy. This case indicates that HIV-related cryptococcal meningitis should be taken into consideration when determining the cause of unexpected sudden binocular blindness

Suicide associated with COVID-19 infection: an immunological point of view

OBJECTIVE: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a pandemic and leading cause of death. Beyond the deaths directly caused by the virus and the suicides related to the psychological response to the dramatic changes as socioeconomic related to the pandemic, there might also be suicides related to the inflammatory responses of the infection. Infection induces inflammation as a cytokine storm, and there is an increasing number of studies that report a relationship between infection and suicide. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We searched the World Health Organization status report and the PubMed database for keywords (COVID-19, suicide, infection, inflammation, cytokines), and reviewed five cytokine pathways between suicide and inflammation using two meta-analyses and two observational studies starting from November 31, 2020, focusing on the relationship between suicide and inflammation by infection. First, we discussed existing evidence explaining the relationship between suicidal behaviors and inflammation. Second, we summarized the inflammatory features found in COVID-19 patients. Finally, we highlight the potential for these factors to affect the risk of suicide in COVID-19 patients. RESULTS: Patients infected with COVID-19 have high amounts of IL-1β, IFN-γ, IP10, and MCP1, which may lead to Th1 cell response activation. Also, Th2 cytokines (e.g., IL-4 and IL-10) were increased in COVID-19 infection. In COVID-19 patients, neurological conditions, like headache, dizziness, ataxia, seizures, and others have been observed. CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 pandemic can serve as a significant environmental factor contributing directly to increased suicide risk; the role of inflammation by an infection should not be overlooked

Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (3rd edition)

In 2008 we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, research on this topic has continued to accelerate, and many new scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Accordingly, it is important to update these guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Various reviews have described the range of assays that have been used for this purpose. Nevertheless, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to measure autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes. For example, a key point that needs to be emphasized is that there is a difference between measurements that monitor the numbers or volume of autophagic elements (e.g., autophagosomes or autolysosomes) at any stage of the autophagic process versus those that measure fl ux through the autophagy pathway (i.e., the complete process including the amount and rate of cargo sequestered and degraded). In particular, a block in macroautophagy that results in autophagosome accumulation must be differentiated from stimuli that increase autophagic activity, defi ned as increased autophagy induction coupled with increased delivery to, and degradation within, lysosomes (inmost higher eukaryotes and some protists such as Dictyostelium ) or the vacuole (in plants and fungi). In other words, it is especially important that investigators new to the fi eld understand that the appearance of more autophagosomes does not necessarily equate with more autophagy. In fact, in many cases, autophagosomes accumulate because of a block in trafficking to lysosomes without a concomitant change in autophagosome biogenesis, whereas an increase in autolysosomes may reflect a reduction in degradative activity. It is worth emphasizing here that lysosomal digestion is a stage of autophagy and evaluating its competence is a crucial part of the evaluation of autophagic flux, or complete autophagy. Here, we present a set of guidelines for the selection and interpretation of methods for use by investigators who aim to examine macroautophagy and related processes, as well as for reviewers who need to provide realistic and reasonable critiques of papers that are focused on these processes. These guidelines are not meant to be a formulaic set of rules, because the appropriate assays depend in part on the question being asked and the system being used. In addition, we emphasize that no individual assay is guaranteed to be the most appropriate one in every situation, and we strongly recommend the use of multiple assays to monitor autophagy. Along these lines, because of the potential for pleiotropic effects due to blocking autophagy through genetic manipulation it is imperative to delete or knock down more than one autophagy-related gene. In addition, some individual Atg proteins, or groups of proteins, are involved in other cellular pathways so not all Atg proteins can be used as a specific marker for an autophagic process. In these guidelines, we consider these various methods of assessing autophagy and what information can, or cannot, be obtained from them. Finally, by discussing the merits and limits of particular autophagy assays, we hope to encourage technical innovation in the field

Huge Intracranial Meningioma Mimicking Alzheimer Dementia

Secondary dementia can present as a slow progression of clinical symptoms that mimic Alzheimer dementia. We report on a 73-year-old female presenting with slow, progressive memory impairment, caused by intracranial tumors, which mimicked Alzheimer dementia. A neurological examination revealed no focal deficit, but an extensive neuropsychological evaluation showed a decrease in attention and language, as well as in visuospatial, memory and executive functions, which typically present in Alzheimer dementia. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed 2 large brain tumors: a midline meningioma on the anterior frontal fossa and a right latero-temporal bone tumor. Investigative imaging was essential for diagnosis

Fabrication and Characterization of Aluminum-Carbon Nanotube Powder and Polycarbonate/Aluminum-Carbon Nanotube Composites

Carbon nanotube reinforced aluminum powders (Al-CNT) were fabricated by ball milling. The morphology observed by a scanning electron microscope showed impregnation of CNTs on the surface of aluminum flakes (Al-flakes). Polycarbonate (PC)/Al-CNT nanocomposites were prepared by a twin-screw extruder. The electrical resistivity of PC/Al-flake composites did not change with Al-flake content, while that of PC/CNT nanocomposites decreased with increasing CNT content, and the percolation threshold was obtained at 2wt% CNT loading. The electrical resistivity of PC/Al-CNT nanocomposites showed a behavior similar to PC/CNT nanocomposites. The thermal conductivity of the composites increased with increasing filler contents. The PC/Al-CNT composites showed a viscosity trend that is similar to PC/CNT composites; however, it showed higher viscosities (G*, G '') than PC/Al-flake composites in the low frequency range (up to similar to 10 Hz) and lower viscosities in the higher frequency range (>10 Hz). The tensile modulus of PC/Al-CNT composite increased while the strength decreased with increasing filler content. The modulus of PC/Al-CNT composite was higher than PC/CNT and PC/Al-flake composites.open

A Study on Relative Importance of Economic Incentive and Partner's Trust under Different Type of Strategic Alliances-An Example of Taiwan Soft Drinks Industry

[[abstract]]本研究旨在探討廠商決定採行策略聯盟，在既定聯盟形態下，考量策略聰明決策因素時，經濟誘因與信任的相對重要性是否有差異？本文採用兩種研究方法，每一部份採用個案研究法，發現台灣清涼飲料産業的策略聯盟可分爲生産契約型Ⅰ、生産契約型 Ⅱ、配銷協定型 、産品線延伸型 、品牌授權型等五種形態。第二部份採用郵寄問卷訪問法，研究發現，採用生産契約型Ⅰ與生産契約型Ⅱ策略聯盟的廠商，在考量策略聯盟決策因素的重要性時，經濟誘因的重要性高於聯盟夥伴的信任；採用配銷協定型與品牌授權型策略聯盟的廠商，在考量策略聯盟決策因素的重要性時，聯盟夥伴信任的重要性高於經濟誘因。採用産品線延伸型型與品牌授權型策略聯盟的廠商，在考量策略聯盟決策因素的重要性時,聯盟夥伴社會關係的重要性高於經濟誘因。[[abstract]]This essay explore whether the difference exist between relative importance of economic incentive and partner’s trust under different types of strategic alliance. This essay can be divided into two parts. The first part is the case study, the result was that there are five types of strategic alliances existing in the Taiwan soft drinks industry, hereinafter referred to as “Production Contract I”, “Production Contract II”, “Distribution Agreement”, “Product Extension” and “Brand Authorization”. A mail survey approach was used in the second part, resulting in the following findings: Companies, which chose “Production Contract I” and “Production Contract II” considered economic incentive more important than alliance partners’ trust. Companies, which chose “Distribution Agreement”, determined alliance partners’ trust more important than economic incentive. Companies, which chose “Product Extension” and “Brand Authorization”, considered alliance partners’ social relationship more important than economic incentive