Jin Ho Kang

Serum uric acid concentration was found to be independently correlated with hypertension, insulin resistance and the risk factors of metabolic syndrome. In addition, even those with a serum uric acid concentration in the normal range showed an increased risk of metabolic syndrome as serum uric acid concentration increased.

BACKGROUND: Thyroid abnormalities affect a considerable portion of the population, and overt hypothyroidism is associated with an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease and adverse changes in blood lipids. Subclinical hypothyroidism is also associated with an increase risk of cardiovascular disease. So, we undertook this study to investigate the prevalence of overt and subclinical thyroid disorders and their associations with cardiovascular risk factors. METHODS: This study involved 66,260 subj

OBJECTIVE: To quantify autonomic dysfunction in fibromyalgia patients compared to healthy controls using heart rate variability (HRV). METHODS: Sixteen patients with fibromyalgia and 16 healthy controls were recruited in this case control study. HRV was measured using the time-domain method incorporating the following parameters: total heartbeats, the mean of intervals between consecutive heartbeats (R-R intervals), the standard deviation of normal to normal R-R intervals (SDNN), the square root

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the incidence of the metabolic syndrome and assessed the effect of smoking status and weight change on incident metabolic syndrome. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: This study included 4,542 men without metabolic syndrome at baseline who were followed for an average of 3 years. Subjects were divided into four categories according to smoking status at baseline and at the 3-year follow-up. RESULTS: The overall incidence of metabolic syndrome was 10.6%: 8.0% in nonsmokers, 7.

Our study provides evidence for a profound and dose-dependent association of NAFLD with central adiposity, insulin resistance in overweight men lacking complications of metabolic syndrome. Overweight subjects with insulin resistance or central adiposity were at more risk of NAFLD than were those subjects with less insulin resistance or central adiposity, even those with a similar degree of obesity.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the relationship between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and arterial stiffness in nondiabetic, nonhypertensive individuals with and without metabolic syndrome (MetS). METHODS: Hepatic ultrasound and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) were investigated in 4,467 individuals. The subjects were classified into normal PWV and increased PWV (≥ 1,366 cm/s) groups, and divided into 2 groups (non-NAFLD vs. NAFLD groups) and 3 groups (non-, mild and moderate-to-seve

The changes of phospholipase D (PLD) activity were investigated during the courses of apoptotic process induced by tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha or anti-Fas/Apo1 antibody in human premyelocyte HL-60 and murine B cell lymphoma A20 cells. The treatment of recombinant TNF-alpha to HL-60 cells resulted in the increased PLD activity as determined by the phosphatidylethanol formation in the presence of 1% ethanol. The enhancement of PLD activity was also observed in the anti-Fas/Apo1 monoclonal an

Seeds of burcucumber were treated with accelerated aging, cold-stratification, and light quality illuminated during desiccation to enhance their germination and seedling emergence. The germination was increased by aging and cold-stratification although the latter treatment showed greater effectiveness than the former one. In the combined treatment of aging 6 days at and cold-stratification, the germination was promoted under longer period of cold-stratification to reach nearly 100% in 3 week col

Serotransferrin-related molecular mechanism may be a new direction to study refractory RA.

This study indicates that the NCEP-ATP III guideline underestimates cardiovascular risk in about 10% of asymptomatic nondiabetic Korean individuals in the lower to moderate risk group, and the discrepancy in risk stratification between NCEP-ATP III and CACS is particularly prominent in older individuals. This suggests that an image-based risk assessment such as a coronary calcium scan should be considered for more accurate risk stratification.

We describe a case of situational syncope induced by belching. The patient showed severe syncope with a high-degree atrioventricular block just after belching, but has not experienced syncope or dizziness over a 3-month follow-up after permanent pacemaker implantation.