Follistatin-like 1 is a myokine regulating lipid mobilization during endurance exercise and recovery.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the role of the follistatin-like 1 (Fstl1) and disco-interacting protein 2 homolog A (DIP2a) axis in relation to lipid metabolism during and after endurance exercise and to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the metabolic effects of Fstl1 on adipocytes, considering its regulation by exercise and muscle mass and its link to obesity.

Methods: Twenty-nine sedentary males participated in endurance exercise, and blood samples were collected during and after the exercise. Body composition, Fstl1, glycerol, epinephrine, growth hormone, and atrial natriuretic peptide were measured.

The Effects of on Insulin Resistance in Type 2 Diabetes Patients.

Background: Several experimental studies have suggested beneficial effects of on glucose metabolism. However, there has been no human study assessing the effects of on glucose metabolism. Therefore, we investigated whether improves glucose control and insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes patients.

Antioxidant-Rich Dietary Intervention Improves Cardiometabolic Profiles and Arterial Stiffness in Elderly Koreans with Metabolic Syndrome.

Purpose: Oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis of chronic metabolic diseases. This study investigated the effect of the antioxidant-rich dietary intervention on oxidative stress, metabolic parameters, and arterial stiffness in elderly Koreans with metabolic syndrome (MetS).

Materials And Methods: Thirty-one subjects with MetS were enrolled and randomly divided into dietary intervention group and control group.

The Plasma Atherogenic Index is an Independent Predictor of Arterial Stiffness in Healthy Koreans.

The plasma atherogenic index (AIP) has been suggested as a useful independent predictor of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in high CV risk patients. We investigated the association between AIP and arterial stiffness measured by brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) in healthy adults. A total of 3468 healthy subjects without any metabolic or CV diseases were enrolled.

Non-Laboratory-Based Simple Screening Model for Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Developed Using Multi-Center Cohorts.

Background: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most prevalent cause of chronic liver disease worldwide. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a risk factor that accelerates NAFLD progression, leading to fibrosis and cirrhosis. Thus, here we aimed to develop a simple model to predict the presence of NAFLD based on clinical parameters of patients with T2DM.

Association between Polymorphism and Depressive Symptoms in Patients Newly Diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Purpose: Little is known about the relationship between brain-derived neurotrophic factor () gene polymorphisms and psychiatric symptoms in diabetes patients. We investigated the effects of Val/66/Met polymorphism, glucose status, psychological susceptibility, and resilience on anxiety and depression symptoms in patients newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Materials And Methods: We examined biochemical factors and polymorphism in 89 patients who were newly diagnosed with T2DM.

The increased amount of coffee consumption lowers the incidence of fatty liver disease in Korean men.

Background And Aims: Coffee is known to have a beneficial effect on various liver diseases. The aim of this retrospective longitudinal study was to investigate an association between the amount of coffee consumption and the incidence of fatty liver disease in Korean adults.

Methods And Results: Data from a total of 91,436 male and female subjects with the mean follow-up period of 2.

Association between atherogenic index of plasma and coronary artery calcification progression in Korean adults.

Background: Dyslipidemia is a well-known risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Recently, atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) has been proposed as a novel predictive marker for CVD, and few cross sectional studies have demonstrated a relationship between AIP and coronary artery disease. The present study investigated the association between AIP and the progression of coronary artery calcification (CAC) in Korean adults without CVD.

Semaphorin 3 C is a Novel Adipokine Representing Exercise-Induced Improvements of Metabolism in Metabolically Healthy Obese Young Males.

This study investigated the endurance exercise-induced changes in lesser known adipokines (visfatin, chemerin, apelin, semaphorin 3 C) related to obesity and metabolism, and their correlations with the changes in the parameters of obesity and glucose homeostasis. Forty metabolically healthy obese young males were randomly assigned to control group (C, n = 12) or exercise group (Ex, n = 28). The subjects in Ex participated in a 8-week supervised endurance exercise training program, comprised of four sessions of treadmill running at 65-70% of VO per week.

The effect of Korean Red Ginseng on sarcopenia biomarkers in type 2 diabetes patients.

Background: The elderly population is growing rapidly worldwide and sarcopenia, which is considered as a new geriatric syndrome has become an important issue. In particular, diabetes is known to be an important risk factor for sarcopenia. In this study, we investigated the effects of Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) on biomarkers of sarcopenia in middle and old age diabetes patients.

No effect of vitamin D supplementation on metabolic parameters but on lipids in patients with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease.

Trials on the effects of cholecalciferol supplementation in type 2 diabetes with chronic kidney disease patients were underexplored. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of two different doses of vitamin D supplementation on serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations and metabolic parameters in vitamin D-deficient Korean diabetes patients with chronic kidney disease. 92 patients completed this study: the placebo group (A, n = 33), the oral cholecalciferol 1,000 IU/day group (B, n = 34), or the single 200,000 IU injection group (C, n = 25, equivalent to 2,000 IU/day).

Circulating myokine levels in different stages of glucose intolerance.

Type 2 diabetes is the fastest growing metabolic disease in the world. Recently, muscle is considered an endocrine organ which secretes various peptides that play an important role in insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. We assessed 4 different myokines, irisin, interleukin-13 (IL-13), follistatin-related protein-1 (FSTL-1), and fractalkine, in normal, prediabetes, and diabetes patients.

Supplementation with Korean Red Ginseng Improves Current Perception Threshold in Korean Type 2 Diabetes Patients: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial.

Background: Many Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) patients in Korea take Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) for various reasons. In this study, we investigated the effects of KRG administration on diabetic peripheral neuropathy in T2DM patients.

Methods: This study was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Triglyceride Glucose Index Is Superior to the Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance for Predicting Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Korean Adults.

Background: Recently, the triglyceride glucose (TyG) index has been considered a surrogate marker of insulin resistance which is a well-known pathogenic factor in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, few studies have investigated the relationship between the TyG index and NAFLD. Thus, we investigated the relationship between the TyG index and NAFLD and the effectiveness of the TyG index compared with the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) in identifying NAFLD in Korean adults.

Elevated TyG Index Predicts Progression of Coronary Artery Calcification.

Objective: To investigate the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index association with coronary artery calcification (CAC) progression in adult Koreans.

Research Design And Methods: Various cardiovascular risk factors and anthropometric profiles were assessed in 1,175 subjects who previously had a CAC evaluation at least twice by multidetector computed tomography in a health care center. The TyG index was determined using ln(fasting triglycerides [mg/dL] × fasting glucose [mg/dL]/2).

Relationship between natural killer cell activity and glucose control in patients with type 2 diabetes and prediabetes.

Aims/introduction: Natural killer (NK) cells are cytotoxic lymphocytes critical to human immunity. Previous studies showed correlations between NK cell function and blood glucose concentrations. The purpose of the present study was to assess the NK cell activity and various metabolic parameters in people with type 2 diabetes, prediabetes and normal glucose tolerance.

Use of RBC deformability index as an early marker of diabetic nephropathy.

Background And Objective: Hemorheologic alterations have been suggested to play a role in the pathogenesis of diabetic microvascular complications. We measured various hemorheologic parameters and assessed their possible role as a diagnostic tool for diabetic nephropathy (DN).

Methods: 248 subjects with type 2 diabetes and 222 subjects with prediabetes were included in this study.

Calpain-10 and Adiponectin Gene Polymorphisms in Korean Type 2 Diabetes Patients.

Background: Genetic variations in calpain-10 and adiponectin gene are known to influence insulin secretion and resistance in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Recently, several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in calpain-10 and adiponectin gene have been reported to be associated with type 2 diabetes and various metabolic derangements. We investigated the associations between specific calpain-10 and adiponectin gene polymorphisms and Korean type 2 diabetes patients.

Association between triglyceride glucose index and arterial stiffness in Korean adults.

Background: The triglyceride glucose (TyG) index has been suggested as a simple surrogate marker of insulin resistance. However, there are limited data regarding the association between the TyG index and arterial stiffness in adults. Therefore, we evaluated the relationship between the TyG index and arterial stiffness as measured based on brachial ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) in Korean adults.

Fetal bovine serum-free cryopreservation methods for clinical banking of human adipose-derived stem cells.

The use of fetal bovine serum (FBS) as a cryopreservation supplement is not suitable for the banking of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) due to the risk of transmission of disease as well as xenogeneic immune reactions in the transplanted host. Here, we investigated if human serum albumin (HSA), human serum (HS), or knockout serum replacement (KSR) can replace FBS for the cryopreservation of MSCs. In addition, we examined the characteristics of MSCs after multiple rounds of cryopreservation.

Plasma MicroRNA-21, 26a, and 29a-3p as Predictive Markers for Treatment Response Following Transarterial Chemoembolization in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Background: We investigated an association between the levels of plasma microRNA (miRNA)-21, -26a, and -29a-3p and treatment outcomes following transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: A total of 198 patients with TACE-treated HCC were followed up for TACE refractoriness and liver transplantation (LT)-free survival. Pretreatment plasma miRNA-21, -26a, and -29a-3p levels were measured using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction.

Relationship between the triglyceride glucose index and coronary artery calcification in Korean adults.

Background: The triglyceride glucose (TyG) index has been considered a simple surrogate marker of insulin resistance. However, few studies have investigated the relationship between the TyG index and coronary artery calcification (CAC). Thus, we investigated the relationship between the TyG index and CAC in healthy Korean adults.

Higher serum interleukin-17A levels as a potential biomarker for predicting early disease progression in patients with hepatitis B virus-associated advanced hepatocellular carcinoma treated with sorafenib.

Background: Although sorafenib is the only available drug with proven efficacy for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the clinical efficacy of sorafenib is variable and unpredictable. The aim of the current study was to identify potential serum biomarkers predicting cancer progression and overall survival (OS) in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related advanced HCC treated with sorafenib.

Methods: Thirty-four patients with HBV-related advanced HCC (modified Union for International Cancer Control [UICC] stage IVa or IVb) treated with sorafenib for more than 4weeks were retrospectively enrolled.