Pregnancy loss and Income in the Republic of Korea using National Health Insurance Service Data, 2008-2014.

BACKGROUND: Although unintentional pregnancy loss is common, national representative statistics are lacking in high-income East Asian countries undergoing rapid demographic changes. It is necessary to confirm the income inequality of pregnancy loss even in universal national health insurance. METHOD: Using National Health Insurance Service data between 2008 and 2014, the annual prevalence of pregnancy loss was enumerated, and differences in pregnancy loss according to age and income levels were assessed by multivariable Poisson regression. Joint-point regression was used to examine the trend of pregnancy loss. RESULT: On average, there was a 15.0% annual pregnancy loss among 3,941,020 pregnancy cases from 2008 to 2014. Pregnancy loss inequality increased stepwise with income levels except for the highest income group. After adjusting for income levels, the annual percent change of age-standardized prevalence significantly increased by 2.6% every year since 2011. CONCLUSION: Even in high-income countries with universal national health insurance, income inequality in pregnancy loss is observed. Further appraisal is needed to explain the increasing trend of pregnancy loss between 2011 and 2014 even after adjusting income.

Versatile Nutraceutical Potentials of Watermelon-A Modest Fruit Loaded with Pharmaceutically Valuable Phytochemicals.

Watermelon (Citrulus lantus) is an important horticultural crop which belongs to the Curcubitaceae family. The nutraceutical potential of watermelon has been illustrated by several researchers, which makes it a better choice of functional food. Watermelon has been used to treat various ailments, such as cardio-vascular diseases, aging related ailments, obesity, diabetes, ulcers, and various types of cancers. The medicinal properties of watermelon are attributed by the presence of important phytochemicals with pharmaceutical values such as lycopene, citrulline, and other polyphenolic compounds. Watermelon acts as vital source of l-citrulline, a neutral-alpha amino acid which is the precursor of l-arginine, an essential amino acid necessary for protein synthesis. Supplementation of l-citrulline and lycopene displayed numerous health benefits in in vitro and in vivo studies. Similarly, the dietary intake of watermelon has proven benefits as functional food in humans for weight management. Apart from the fruits, the extracts prepared from the seeds, sprouts, and leaves also evidenced medicinal properties. The present review provides a comprehensive overview of benefits of watermelon for the treatment of various ailments.

Deciphering the Nutraceutical Potential of Raphanus sativus-A Comprehensive Overview.

Raphanus sativus (Radish) belongs to the Brassicaceae family and is a widely consumed root vegetable all around the world. The nutritional and medicinal values of radishes have been proven by several researches. Extracts prepared from the aerial and underground parts of radishes have been used in the treatment of stomach disorders, urinary infections, hepatic inflammation, cardiac disorders and ulcers in folk medicine since the ancient times. The pharmaceutical potential of radishes is attributed to the presence of its beneficial secondary metabolites, such as glucosinolates, polyphenols and isothiocyanates. The present review has focused on the impact of radish extract administration under pathological complications, such as cancer, diabetes, hepatic inflammation and oxidative stress. In addition, a comprehensive view of molecular mechanism behind the regulation of molecular drug targets associated with different types of cancers and diabetes by the bioactive compounds present in the radish extracts have been discussed in detail.

Licochalcone A attenuates acne symptoms mediated by suppression of NLRP3 inflammasome.

Activation of the NACHT, LRR and PYD domains-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome by Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) is critical for inducing inflammation and aggravating the development of acne lesions. We searched for available small-molecule inhibitors of the NLRP3 inflammasome that could be topically administered for the treatment of acne. We found that licochalcone A, a chalconoid isolated from the root of Glycyrrhiza inflate, was an effective inhibitor for P. acnes-induced NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Licochalcone A blocked P. acnes-induced production of caspase-1(p10) and IL-1ß in primary mouse macrophages and human SZ95 sebocytes, indicating the suppression of NLRP3 inflammasome. Licochalcone A suppressed P. acnes-induced ASC speck formation and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species. Topical application of licochalcone A to mouse ear skin attenuated P. acnes-induced skin inflammation as shown by histological assessment, ear thickness measurement, and inflammatory gene expression. Licochalcone A reduced caspase-1 activity and IL-1ß production in mouse ear injected with P. acnes. This study demonstrated that licochalcone A is effective in the control of P. acnes-induced skin inflammation as an efficient inhibitor for NLRP3 inflammasome. Our study provides a new paradigm for the development of anti-acne therapy via targeting NLRP3 inflammasome.

Anti-obesity potential of Glycyrrhiza uralensis and licochalcone A through induction of adipocyte browning.

The main function of brown adipose tissue is to dissipate surplus caloric intake into heat energy by thermogenesis, increasing energy expenditure. Inducible brown adipocytes can develop within white adipose tissue (WAT) through a process referred to as browning. Browning of white fat represents a promising strategy for treatment of obesity and the related complications. We investigated whether Glycyrrhiza uralensis and its ingredients modulated adipogenesis through adipocyte browning using 3T3-L1 adipocytes and a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity mice model. Amongst extracts and fractions of G. uralensis, methyl dichloride (MeCl2) fraction was the most effective to induce expression of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1), a fat browning marker, in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Ingredients of G. uralensis such as licochalcone A (LicoA), isoliquiritigenin, and liquiritigenin induced UCP1 expression in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. After inducing obesity in mice by 6-week HFD, MeCl2 fraction of G. uralensis or LicoA was intraperitoneally administered for additional 19 days. MeCl2 fraction or LicoA significantly reduced body weight gain and inguinal fat pad weights. Furthermore, MeCl2 fraction or LicoA improved metabolic disorders induced by HFD as the treatments decreased serum levels of glucose and cholesterol, and blocked insulin resistance. MeCl2 fraction or LicoA enhanced expression of brown fat markers such as UCP1, PRDM16, and PGC-1α and increased brown fat phenotype population in inguinal WAT of HFD-fed mice. Our results demonstrate that G. uralensis and LicoA are effective to reduce obesity and to recover metabolic homeostasis by inducing the brown fat phenotype.

Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Manassantin Analogues for Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1α Inhibition.

To cope with hypoxia, tumor cells have developed a number of adaptive mechanisms mediated by hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) to promote angiogenesis and cell survival. Due to significant roles of HIF-1 in the initiation, progression, metastasis, and resistance to treatment of most solid tumors, a considerable amount of effort has been made to identify HIF-1 inhibitors for treatment of cancer. Isolated from Saururus cernuus, manassantins A (1) and B (2) are potent inhibitors of HIF-1 activity. To define the structural requirements of manassantins for HIF-1 inhibition, we prepared and evaluated a series of manassantin analogues. Our SAR studies examined key regions of manassantin's structure in order to understand the impact of these regions on biological activity and to define modifications that can lead to improved performance and drug-like properties. Our efforts identified several manassantin analogues with reduced structural complexity as potential lead compounds for further development. Analogues MA04, MA07, and MA11 down-regulated hypoxia-induced expression of the HIF-1α protein and reduced the levels of HIF-1 target genes, including cyclin-dependent kinase 6 (Cdk6) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). These findings provide an important framework to design potent and selective HIF-1α inhibitors, which is necessary to aid translation of manassantin-derived natural products to the clinic as novel therapeutics for cancers.

Cancer incidence and mortality among temporary maintenance workers in a refinery/petrochemical complex in Korea.

BACKGROUND: Petrochemical plant maintenance workers are exposed to various carcinogens such as benzene and metal fumes. In Korea, maintenance operations in petrochemical plants are typically performed by temporary employees hired as contract workers. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate cancer risk in temporary maintenance workers in a refinery/petrochemical complex in Korea. METHODS: Subjects consisted of 14 698 male workers registered in a regional petrochemical plant maintenance workers union during 2002-2007. Cancer mortality and incidence were identified by linking with the nationwide death and cancer registries during 2002-2007 and 2002-2005, respectively. Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) and standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) were calculated for each cancer. RESULTS: Increased SMR 3·61 (six cases, 95% CI: 1·32-7·87) and SIR 3·18 (five cases, 95% CI: 1·03-7·42) were observed in oral and pharyngeal cancers. CONCLUSION: Our findings may suggest a potential association between oral and pharyngeal cancers and temporary maintenance jobs in the petrochemical industry. Future studies should include a longer follow-up period and a quantitative exposure assessment.

Expression of StMYB1R-1, a novel potato single MYB-like domain transcription factor, increases drought tolerance.

Potato (Solanum tuberosum) is relatively vulnerable to abiotic stress conditions such as drought, but the tolerance mechanisms for such stresses in potato are largely unknown. To identify stress-related factors in potato, we previously carried out a genetic screen of potato plants exposed to abiotic environmental stress conditions using reverse northern-blot analysis. A cDNA encoding a putative R1-type MYB-like transcription factor (StMYB1R-1) was identified as a putative stress-response gene. Here, the transcript levels of StMYB1R-1 were enhanced in response to several environmental stresses in addition to drought but were unaffected by biotic stresses. The results of intracellular targeting and quadruple 9-mer protein-binding microarray analysis indicated that StMYB1R-1 localizes to the nucleus and binds to the DNA sequence (G)/(A)GATAA. Overexpression of a StMYB1R-1 transgene in potato plants improved plant tolerance to drought stress while having no significant effects on other agricultural traits. Transgenic plants exhibited reduced rates of water loss and more rapid stomatal closing than wild-type plants under drought stress conditions. In addition, overexpression of StMYB1R-1 enhanced the expression of drought-regulated genes such as AtHB-7, RD28, ALDH22a1, and ERD1-like. Thus, the expression of StMYB1R-1 in potato enhanced drought tolerance via regulation of water loss. These results indicated that StMYB1R-1 functions as a transcription factor involved in the activation of drought-related genes.

Paternal work stress and prolonged time to pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore an association between psychosocial stress at work in married men and their spouses' prolonged time to pregnancy (TTP). METHODS: All married male workers of a large Korean petrochemical enterprise and their wives fulfilling the selection criteria were included. Main selection criteria were lack of use of contraceptives and experienced pregnancy in recent past. Data were available from 322 couples. Psychosocial stress at work was measured by the effort-reward imbalance questionnaire. Prolonged TTP was measured by the "TTP questionnaire". RESULTS: After adjustment for confounding effects of demographic and life-style characteristics and benzene exposure, delayed TTP, defined by frequency of first-cycle pregnancy, was associated with one standard deviation (SD) increase of the effort-reward ratio in the chronically stressed group of married men (OR = 0.47; 95% CI = 0.22-0.99) in logistic regression analysis. A similar, but somewhat weaker effect, was found for the overall group (OR = 0.67; 95% CI = 0.47-0.94). CONCLUSIONS: Paternal stress at work, as measured by effort-reward imbalance, seemed to be associated with a decreased number of conceptions in the first menstrual cycle.

Psychometric properties of the Korean version of the effort-reward imbalance questionnaire: a study in a petrochemical company.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the criterion validity, factorial validity, and internal consistency of Korean version of effort-reward imbalance (ERI) for the scales of effort, reward, and overcommitment as well as to examine the effect of psychosocial factors on physical and mental illness among petroleum refinery workers in South Korea. METHODS: The Korean version of ERI questionnaire was constructed using the translation and back-translation technique, and its psychometric properties were explored among 908 male workers in a large petroleum refinery in South Korea in 2002. Cronbach's alpha coefficient was used to test internal consistency. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted on all items of the instrument. Confirmatory factor analyses were conducted on each dimension of effort, reward and overcommitment. Physical and mental health was measured by self-rated health (SF-8). The lowest tertiles of the scores were defined as illness. Multiple logistic regression models were used to test the effect of job stress on the physical and mental health (criterion validity of ERI scales). RESULTS: The Cronbach's alpha coefficients for effort, reward, and overcommitment were 0.71, 0.86, and 0.75, respectively, indicating satisfactory internal consistency. Exploratory factor analysis found three latent factors, which closely corresponded to the theoretical structure of the ERI model. Acceptable construct validity was shown using confirmatory factor analysis. The highest tertile of effort-reward ratio was significantly associated with physical illness (OR 2.4, 95% CI 1.7-3.6) and mental illness (OR 2.9, 95% CI 2.0-4.2), compared to lower tertiles. Overcommitment was significantly associated with mental illness, but not with physical illness. CONCLUSIONS: These findings contribute to the validity and reliability of the Korean ERI questionnaire. Importantly, in the context of a rapid change in the labour market, the lack of reciprocity between efforts and rewards at work is strongly associated with self-rated physical and mental health.

Ethylene responsive element binding protein 1 (StEREBP1) from Solanum tuberosum increases tolerance to abiotic stress in transgenic potato plants.

To identify components of the plant stress signal transduction cascade and response mechanisms, we screened plant genes using reverse Northern blot analysis, and chose the ethylene responsive element binding protein 1 (StEREBP1) for further characterization. To investigate its biological function in the potato, we performed Northern blot analysis and observed enhanced levels of transcription in response to several environmental stresses including low temperature. In vivo targeting experiments using a green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter indicated that StEREBP1 localized to the nucleus of onion epidermal cells. StEREBP1 was found to bind to GCC and DRE/CRT cis-elements and both microarray and RT-PCR analyses indicated that overexpression of StEREBP1 induced expression of several GCC box-containing stress response genes. In addition, overexpression of StEREBP1 enhanced tolerance to cold and salt stress in transgenic potato plants. The results of this study suggest that StEREBP1 is a functional transcription factor that may be involved in abiotic stress responses in plants.