Association between kimchi intake and asthma in Korean adults: the fourth and fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2007-2011).

This study was performed to investigate the relationship between dietary factors and asthma in a representative population-based sample of 19,659 men and women, aged 19-64 years, using data from the fourth and fifth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES), 2007-2011. The presence of asthma was based on self-reported physician diagnosis of asthma in the Health Interview Surveys. Food intake was estimated by trained interviewers using a 24-h recall method. The prevalence of asthma in Korean adults was 2.4%. Adults with asthma consumed fewer amounts of kimchi (P=.0444) and fish (P=.0175) but had a higher cereal intake than those without asthma (P=.0056). Multiple logistic regression analysis after controlling for confounding factors showed a significant inverse relationship between kimchi consumption and the prevalence of asthma [odds ratio (95% confidence interval) for subjects consuming 1 to <2 servings (40-79.9 g), 2 to <3 servings (80-119.9 g), and ≥3 servings (≥120 g), relative to those consuming <1 serving (<40 g): 0.726 (0.534-0.987), 0.506 (0.348-0.736), and 0.678 (0.502-0.916), respectively; P for trend=0.0131]. These results warrant future studies to explore the mechanisms responsible for the association between kimchi consumption and asthma.

Comparison of dietary food and nutrient intakes by supplement use in pregnant and lactating women in Seoul.

This study was performed to compare the dietary food and nutrient intakes according to supplement use in pregnant and lactating women in Seoul. The subjects were composed of 201 pregnant and 104 lactating women, and their dietary food intake was assessed using the 24-h recall method. General information on demographic and socioeconomic factors, as well as health-related behaviors, including the use of dietary supplements, were collected. About 88% and 60% of the pregnant and lactating women took dietary supplements, respectively. The proportion of dietary supplements used was higher in pregnant women with a higher level of education. After adjusting for potential confounders, among the pregnant women, supplement users were found to consume 45% more vegetables, and those among the lactating women were found to consume 96% more beans and 58% more vegetables. The intakes of dietary fiber and ß-carotene among supplement users were higher than those of non-users, by 23% and 39%, respectively. Among pregnant women, the proportion of women with an intake of vitamin C (from diet alone) below the estimated average requirements (EAR) was lower among supplement users [users (44%) vs. non-users (68%)], and the proportion of lactating women with intakes of iron (from diet alone) below the EAR was lower among supplement users [usesr (17%) vs. non-users (38%)]. These results suggest that among pregnant and lactating women, those who do not use dietary supplements tend to have a lower intake of healthy foods, such as beans and vegetables, as well as a lower intake of dietary fiber and ß-carotene, which are abundant in these foods, and non-users are more likely than users to have inadequate intake of micro-nutrient such as vitamin C and iron.

Maternal iron intake at mid-pregnancy is associated with reduced fetal growth: results from Mothers and Children's Environmental Health (MOCEH) study.

BACKGROUND: Iron supplementation is a common recommendation for pregnant women to prevent iron deficiency during pregnancy. There is an increasing concern about excessive iron consumption as a general iron prophylaxis by pregnant women without any due consideration about their dietary iron intake or iron status. Our present study investigated the association between total iron intake from diet and supplements and fetal growth in 337 pregnant women at mid-pregnancy in South Korea. METHODS: Iron intake from diet and supplements was examined by a 24-hour recall method. Subjects were divided into three groups based on tertiles of total iron intake levels. Fetal biometry was assessed by ultrasonography at mid-pregnancy. RESULTS: About 99% of the non-supplement users had iron intake below the recommended nutrient intake (RNI) for pregnant women (24 mg), whereas 64.9% of supplement users had iron intake above the upper level (UL) (45 mg). In the babies of mothers in the third tertile of iron intake (>17.04 mg), biparietal diameter, abdominal circumference, and femur length were lower by 0.41 cm (P =0.019), 0.41 cm (P = 0.027), and 0.07 cm (P = 0.051), respectively, than the babies of mothers in the second tertile of iron intake (11.49 ~ 17.04 mg). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that excessive maternal iron intake at mid-pregnancy is associated with reduced fetal growth. Iron supplementation for pregnant women should be individualized according to their iron status. Appropriate diet education is needed for pregnant women so that they can consume adequate amounts of iron from food and supplements.

Graphene barristor, a triode device with a gate-controlled Schottky barrier.

Despite several years of research into graphene electronics, sufficient on/off current ratio I(on)/I(off) in graphene transistors with conventional device structures has been impossible to obtain. We report on a three-terminal active device, a graphene variable-barrier "barristor" (GB), in which the key is an atomically sharp interface between graphene and hydrogenated silicon. Large modulation on the device current (on/off ratio of 10(5)) is achieved by adjusting the gate voltage to control the graphene-silicon Schottky barrier. The absence of Fermi-level pinning at the interface allows the barrier's height to be tuned to 0.2 electron volt by adjusting graphene's work function, which results in large shifts of diode threshold voltages. Fabricating GBs on respective 150-mm wafers and combining complementary p- and n-type GBs, we demonstrate inverter and half-adder logic circuits.

Full surface embedding of gold clusters on silicon nanowires for efficient capture and photothermal therapy of circulating tumor cells.

We report on rapid thermal chemical vapor deposition growth of silicon nanowires (Si NWs) that contain a high density of gold nanoclusters (Au NCs) with a uniform coverage over the entire length of the nanowire sidewalls. The Au NC-coated Si NWs with an antibody-coated surface obtain the unique capability to capture breast cancer cells at twice the highest efficiency currently achievable (~88% at 40 min cell incubation time) from a nanostructured substrate. We also found that irradiation of breast cancer cells captured on Au NC-coated Si NWs with a near-infrared light resulted in a high mortality rate of these cancer cells, raising a fine prospect for simultaneous capture and plasmonic photothermal therapy for circulating tumor cells.

Antiplatelet and antithrombotic activities of Korean Red Ginseng.

The antiplatelet and antithrombotic activities of Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) were examined on rat carotid artery thrombosis in vivo, and platelet aggregation in vitro and ex vivo. Administration of KRG to rats not only prevented carotid artery thrombosis in vivo in a dose-dependent manner, but also significantly inhibited ADP- and collagen-induced platelet aggregation ex vivo, while failed to prolong coagulation times such as activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and prothrombin time (PT), indicating the antithrombotic effect of KRG might be due to its antiplatelet aggregation rather than anticoagulation effect. In line with the above observations, KRG inhibited U46619-, arachidonic acid-, collagen- and thrombin-induced rabbit platelet aggregation in vitro in a concentration-dependent manner, with IC50 values of 620 +/- 12, 823 +/- 22, 722 + 21 and 650 +/- 14 microg/mL, respectively. Accordingly, KRG also inhibited various agonists-induced platelet serotonin secretions as it suppressed platelet aggregation. These results suggest that KRG has a potent antithrombotic effect in vivo, which may be due to antiplatelet rather than anticoagulation activity, and KRG intake may be beneficial to the individuals with high risks of thrombotic and cardiovascular diseases.

Effect of genistein on the expression of bone metabolism genes in ovariectomized mice using a cDNA microarray.

Osteoporosis associated with estrogen deficiency is defined as an abnormal decrease in bone mass leading to an increased fracture risk. Genistein (GEN), as a phytoestrogen, is a type of soybean-derived isoflavone that possesses structural similarity to estrogen. In this study, we assessed the effect of GEN in ovariectomized (OVX) mice. To determine the effect of GEN on bone metabolism, we investigated gene expression profiles using a radioactive cDNA microarray. Eight-week-old female mice were either sham operated (SHAM) or OVX. From 1 week after the operation, OVX mice were injected daily with intraperitoneal GEN (0.1, 0.5, 1.5 and 3.0 mg/day) or 17beta-estradiol (E2, 0.03 microg/day) for 4 weeks. A cDNA microarray was used to evaluate changes in the expression of 1,152 genes. OVX mice showed bone mineral density (BMD) loss versus SHAM mice (5.8+/-0.4 vs. 6.9+/-0.6 mg/cm2). However, femur BMDs were completely restored by GEN and by E2 administration in OVX mice. Serum osteocalcin in OVX mice treated with 0.5 mg/day of GEN was 1.6-fold (44.30+/-5.73 ng/ml) higher than that in untreated mice. GEN treatment up-regulated 38 genes (e.g., mitogen-activated protein kinase 10) and down-regulated 18 (e.g., matrix metalloproteinase 13). Moreover, GEN was found to have a protective effect on bone loss caused by estrogen deficiency in OVX mice. The present study suggests that GEN modulates bone metabolism-related gene expression, including calciotropic receptor, cytokines, growth factors and bone matrix proteins.

Inhibitors of 5alpha -reductase type I in LNCaP cells from the roots of Angelica koreana.

A prenylated coumarin, osthenol (1) and a sesquiterpene, bisabolangelone (2) have been isolated as active principles with 5alpha-reductase type I inhibitory effects in LNCaP cells from the roots of Angelica koreana Max. by bioassay-guided chromatographic fractionation. Osthenol exhibited a highly potent inhibitory activity on 5alpha-reductase type I in LNCaP cells with an IC50 value of 0.1 microg/ml, which is about 200 times more potent than the positive control, finasteride (IC50 = 19.8 microg/ml). Bisabolangelone also inhibited the activity of 5alpha-reductase type I in LNCaP cells (IC50 = 11.6 microg/ml), indicating that these compounds are possible candidates for the development of new drugs to treat human endocrine disorders associated with overproduction of DHT by 5 alpha-reductase type I. In addition, four compounds isooxypeucedanin, oxypeucedanin hydrate, oxypeucedanin and isoimperatorin were also isolated and found to be inactive in the 5alpha-reductase assay systems used in the present study.