Investigation of a strategy for improving the Size Korea anthropometric database.

Background: It is important for the designers and manufacturers to produce products with good usability and fit. The Korean anthropometric database is important as Korean industries focus on developing products with better usability.

Objective: To investigate how well the present national Size Korea anthropometric database adopted by companies and industries in Korea, in particular how well the dynamic anthropometric data are adopted.

Chlamydophila pneumoniae enhances secretion of VEGF, TGF-beta and TIMP-1 from human bronchial epithelial cells under Th2 dominant microenvironment.

Purpose: Chlamydophila pneumoniae infection in the airways is thought to be associated with the pathogenesis of asthma, especially in non-atopic severe asthma with irreversible airway obstruction that may be related to airway remodeling. Here, we investigated whether C. pneumoniae infection enhances the secretion of critical chemical mediators for airway remodeling, such as VEGF, TGF-beta, and TIMP-1, in human bronchial epithelial cells (BECs) in a Th2-dominant microenvironment.

A high concentration of MMP-2/gelatinase A and MMP-9/gelatinase B reduce NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity against an oral squamous cell carcinoma cell line.

Background: Recent studies have shown that matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) from tumors influence the host immune system to reduce antitumor activity. The aim of this study was to examine the influence of MMP-2 and MMP-9 on the natural killer (NK) cell.

Materials And Methods: NK cells were pretreated with either MMP-2 or MMP-9 in the experimental group but not in the control group.

Alpha-lipoic acid suppresses the development of collagen-induced arthritis and protects against bone destruction in mice.

Objective: To test the ability of alpha-lipoic acid (LA) to attenuate the development of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in mice.

Methods: Mice were divided into three groups and treated with intraperitoneal administration of LA (10 or 100 mg/kg) or placebo. Clinical, histologic, and biochemical parameters were assessed.