OBJECTIVE -We reported strong relations between serum concentrations of persistent organic pollutants (POPs), especially organochlorine (OC) pesticides or nondioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and prevalence of diabetes in a U.S population with background exposure to POPs. Here, we investigated POPs and insulin resistance, a frequent pathogenic precursor of type 2 diabetes.RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS -Serum POPs and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were investigated cross-sectionally in 749 nondiabetic participants aged Ն20 years. Nineteen POPs in five subclasses were selected, detectable in Ն60% of participants.RESULTS -Among subclasses, OC pesticides were most strongly associated with HOMA-IR. Adjusted geometric means of HOMA were 3.27, 3.36, 3.48, and 3.85 (P for trend Ͻ0.01) across quartiles of OC pesticides. The relationship strengthened with increasing HOMA-IR percentile: adjusted odds ratios comparing the highest versus lowest POPs quartile were 1.8 for being Ն50th percentile of HOMA-IR, 4.4 for being Ն75th percentile, and 7.5 for being Ն90th percentile. Associations with elevated HOMA-IR appeared to be specific to oxychlordane and trans-nonachlor but also were found for two nondioxin-like PCBs. No HOMA-IR associations were seen in the other three POP subclasses. The association between OC pesticides and HOMA-IR tended to strengthen as waist circumference increased, with no apparent association in the lowest quartile of OC pesticide concentrations.CONCLUSIONS -These findings, coupled with those concerning diabetes prevalence, suggest that OC pesticides and nondioxin-like PCBs may be associated with type 2 diabetes risk by increasing insulin resistance, and POPs may interact with obesity to increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care 30:622-628, 2007

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder believed to be associated with heavy metal exposure, especially mercury (Hg), and is characterized by disturbances in metal elimination. Various studies correlated elevated heavy metal body burden with ASD diagnoses as evidenced by increased urinary porphyrin levels in patients. Urinary porphyrins were also determined in Korean patients diagnosed with ASD (n = 65) who visited AK Eastern Medicinal Clinic in Kangnam-gu, Seoul, from June 2007 to September 2008, compared to controls (n = 9) residing in the same area, by means of Metametrix (CLIA-approved) laboratory testing. Further, urinary organic acids as indicators of hepatic detoxification/oxidative stress were also analyzed among patients diagnosed with ASD. Significant increases were found in patients diagnosed with ASD for proporphyrins, pentacarboxyporphyrin, precoproporphyrin, coproporphyrins, and total porphyrins. Significant correlations were observed between hepatic detoxification/oxidative stress markers and urinary porphyrins. In agreement with published data, the present results demonstrated that measurement of porphyrins serves as a reliable tool for diagnosis of heavy metal involvement in ASD.

Objectives: We investigated relation between HDL-cholesterol and the incidence of impaired fasting glucose in obese and normal body weight by gender in Korean adults. Methods: 6,438 subjects aged 40-59 years (2,197 impaired fasting glucose, 4,241 normoglycemia) were selected except the patients with cardiovascular disease and pregnant women using 2016 KNHANES data. We analyzed the relation of impaired fasting glucose and HDLcholesterol by BMI. Results: In both men and women regardless of BMI, who with low HDL-cholesterol significantly higher risk of impaired fasting glucose than who with normal HDL-cholesterol in unadjusted model. In except men with obesity, who with low HDL-cholesterol significantly higher risk of impaired fasting glucose than who with normal HDL-cholesterol when age, smoke, drink, exercise adjusted. In addition, women with normal BMI (OR, 1.82; 95% CI, 1.42-2.33) higher risk of impaired fasting glucose than women with obesity (OR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.14-2.17). Conclusions: It is necessary to management of HDL-cholesterol to control impaired fasting glucose, except for obese men.

No abstract

No abstract

A-type K channels (I channels) contribute to learning and memory mechanisms by regulating neuronal excitabilities in the CNS, and their expression level is targeted by Ca influx via synaptic NMDA receptors (NMDARs) during long-term potentiation (LTP). However, it is not clear how local synaptic Ca changes induce I downregulation throughout the neuron, extending from the active synapse to the soma. In this study, we tested if two major receptors of endoplasmic reticulum (ER), ryanodine (RyRs), and IP (IP R) receptors, are involved in Ca -mediated I downregulation in cultured hippocampal neurons of rats. The downregulation of I channels was induced by doubling the Ca concentration in culture media (3.6 mM for 24 hrs) or treating with glycine (200 μM for 3 min) to induce chemical LTP (cLTP), and the changes in I peaks were measured electrophysiologically by a whole-cell patch. We confirmed that Ca or glycine treatment significantly reduced I peaks and that their effects were abolished by blocking NMDARs or voltage-dependent Ca channels (VDCCs). In this cellular processing, blocking RyRs (by ryanodine, 10 μM) but not IP Rs (by 2APB, 100 μM) completely abolished I downregulation, and the LTP observed in hippocampal slices was more diminished by ryanodine rather than 2APB. Furthermore, blocking RyRs also reduced Ca -mediated PKA activation, indicating that sequential signaling cascades, including the ER and PKA, are involved in regulating I downregulation. These results strongly suggest a possibility that RyR contribution and mediated I downregulation are required to regulate membrane excitability as well as synaptic plasticity in CA3-CA1 connections of the hippocampus. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Objectives: We investigated relation between changes in physical activity during the COVID-19 pandemic and its related factors in Daegu Metropolitan City.Methods: 6,910 subjects were selected from 2020 Community Health Survey in Daegu. We analyzed the relation of changes in physical activity and general characteristics, health behavior, health status, health anxiety, mental health, chronic disease.Results: 49.7% of the total survey subjects, 47.8% of hypertensive patients, 46.7% of diabetic, and 54.3% of obesity patient showed a decrease in physical activity during the COVID-19 outbreak. Results by multiple logistic regression analysis, in female (odds ratio, OR = 1.37; 95% confidence interval, CI = 1.18-1.59), 19-29y (OR = 1.49; 95% CI = 1.18-1.88), 30s (OR = 1.52; 95% CI = 1.18-1.96), 40s (OR = 1.55; 95% CI = 1.20-2.00), residents in the urban area (OR = 1.41; 95% CI = 1.18-1.69), non-practice of moderate to vigorous physical activity (OR = 1.49; 95% CI = 1.26-1.76), high health anxiety from COVID-19 infection (OR = 1.41; 95% CI = 1.21-1.65), perceived depression (OR = 1.90; 95% CI = 1.50-2.40), and obesity (OR = 1.23; 95% CI = 1.07-1.41) more decreased than before COVID-19 pandemic in physical activity.Conclusions: The prolonged reduction in physical activity due to COVID-19 may increase the burden of disease on infectious and chronic diseases. Therefore, a public health intervention is essential to increase physical activity for the group with a high decrease in physical activity and then interventions are needed involving the entire population.