Endrin potentiates early-stage adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 cells by activating the mammalian target of rapamycin.

Obesogens are a type of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) that disrupt the human endocrine system, resulting in obesity and metabolic disease. Several obesogens, including bisphenol A, tolylfluanid, and some pesticides, have been identified and studied previously; however, the underlying molecular mechanisms by which obesogens interfere with adipogenesis and induce insulin resistance in adipocyte remain unknown. This study aims to determine which type of chemical is the most potent obesogen and to investigate its effect on adipogenesis-related gene expressions.

Effect of Ezetimibe on Glucose Metabolism and Inflammatory Markers in Adipose Tissue.

Despite numerous studies, the effects of ezetimibe on glucose metabolism are poorly understood. Here, we aimed to investigate the effects of ezetimibe on glucose metabolism and the expression of inflammatory markers. Thirteen rats were randomly assigned to an ezetimibe ( = 6) or control group ( = 7).

Differential Diabetogenic Effect of Pitavastatin and Rosuvastatin, in vitro and in vivo.

Aim: Most statins increase the risk of new-onset diabetes. Unlike other statins, pitavastatin is reported to exert neutral effects on serum glucose level, but the precise mechanism is unknown.

Methods: Eight-week-old male C57BL/6J mice (n=26) were fed high-fat diet (HFD, 45% fat) with 0.

Visceral adiposity and expression of clock genes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells: A pilot study.

Increasing evidence suggests a close interrelationship between disrupted circadian rhythms and obesity and metabolic disturbances. In particular, abdominal obesity, which contributes to the pathogenesis of metabolic disease, is associated with disrupted clock gene expression. However, little is known about the relationship between clock gene expression and accurate computed tomography (CT)-based measurements of visceral adiposity.

Caregiving Immediately After Stroke: A Study of Uncertainty in Caregivers of Older Adults.

Background: Caregivers of stroke survivors experience high rates of mental and physical morbidity. Stroke has sudden onset, and the outcome is not immediately known. Uncertainties surrounding the new caregiving role may not only necessitate major changes in the lives of family caregivers but also contribute to negative health outcomes for the caregiver.

Clinical and socio-demographic determinants of self-care behaviours in patients with heart failure and diabetes mellitus: A multicentre cross-sectional study.

Background: Self-care is vital for patients with heart failure to maintain health and quality of life, and it is even more vital for those who are also affected by diabetes mellitus, since they are at higher risk of worse outcomes. The literature is unclear on the influence of diabetes on heart failure self-care as well as on the influence of socio-demographic and clinical factors on self-care.

Objectives: (1) To compare self-care maintenance, self-care management and self-care confidence of patients with heart failure and diabetes versus those heart failure patients without diabetes; (2) to estimate if the presence of diabetes influences self-care maintenance, self-care management and self-care confidence of heart failure patients; (3) to identify socio-demographic and clinical determinants of self-care maintenance, self-care management and self-care confidence in patients with heart failure and diabetes.

Factors affecting the trajectory of health-related quality of life in COPD patients.

Background: Health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) is an important issue in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), as in other chronic illness groups. However, there is limited information on longitudinal changes in HR-QoL over time with the illness trajectory model.

Objective: To identify different patterns of HR-QoL changes in longitudinal data, and reveal potential predictors affecting these trajectories.

Relationship between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance in Korean adults: A cross-sectional study.

Background: We investigated the independent and combined impact of obesity and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) on components and prevalence of metabolic syndrome in Korean adults.

Methods: This study included 1695 adults (500 males and 1,195 females), who took part in a regular health check-up at the community-based health promotion center. Participants were divided according to degree of adiposity and the presence of NAFLD.

Cardiopulmonary fitness, adiponectin, chemerin associated fasting insulin level in colorectal cancer patients.

Purpose: Since circulating level of insulin is associated with colorectal cancer prognosis, it is important to identify factors contributing to fasting insulin level in colorectal cancer patients. The purpose of the current study is to investigate the association of physical fitness, adiponectin, and chemerin levels with circulating level of insulin in colorectal cancer patients.

Methods: A total of 123 stage II-III colorectal cancer patients who completed standard cancer treatment were recruited.

Chronic HMGCR/HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor treatment contributes to dysglycemia by upregulating hepatic gluconeogenesis through autophagy induction.

Statins (HMGCR/HMG-CoA reductase [3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase] inhibitors) are widely used to lower blood cholesterol levels but have been shown to increase the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus. However, the molecular mechanism underlying diabetogenic effects remains to be elucidated. Here we show that statins significantly increase the expression of key gluconeogenic enzymes (such as G6PC [glucose-6-phosphatase] and PCK1 (phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase 1 [soluble]) in vitro and in vivo and promote hepatic glucose output.

Oligonol suppresses lipid accumulation and improves insulin resistance in a palmitate-induced in HepG2 hepatocytes as a cellular steatosis model.

Background: Oligonol is a low molecular weight form of polyphenol polymers derived from lychee fruits. Several studies suggest that Oligonol has an anti-obesity effect. Since obesity is tightly associated with insulin resistance, we investigated a possible remission effect of Oligonol on lipid accumulation and insulin resistance in human hepatic HepG2 cells.

The Impact of Relationship Quality on Health-Related Outcomes in Heart Failure Patients and Informal Family Caregivers: An Integrative Review.

Background: Relationships can have positive and negative impacts on health and well-being. Dyadic relationships between heart failure (HF) patients and their informal family caregivers may affect both patient and caregiver outcomes.

Objective: The aim of this study is to synthesize the literature to date on the associations between HF patient-caregiver relationship quality and communication and patient and caregiver health outcomes.

Factors associated with willingness to participate in clinical trials: a nationwide survey study.

Background: This study was conducted to investigate awareness of clinical trials (CTs) including perceptions of favorable feelings about, necessity for, and safety of CTs, the ultimate beneficiary of CTs and the factors associated with willingness to participate in CTs among the general population in South Korea.

Methods: A cross sectional survey study was conducted in a randomly selected national sample of 1,515 Korean.

Results: Perception toward CTs was measured using a scale from 0 (strongly disagree) to 10 (strongly agree).

An "Intention-Focused" paradigm for improving bystander CPR performance.

Despite public education campaigns and a chest compression-only initiative, bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is provided in approximately 30-40% of out of hospital cardiac arrests in the United States. Bystander CPR rates may not improve without addressing factors influencing bystanders' probability of performing CPR. We propose an "intention-focused" model for the bystander CPR performance utilizing validated behavioral theory.

Inhibition of Adipogenesis by Oligonol through Akt-mTOR Inhibition in 3T3-L1 Adipocytes.

Polyphenols have recently become an important focus of study in obesity research. Oligonol is an oligomerized polyphenol, typically comprised of catechin-type polyphenols from a variety of fruits, which has been found to exhibit better bioavailability and bioreactivity than natural polyphenol compounds. Here, we demonstrated that Oligonol inhibits 3T3-L1 adipocyte differentiation by reducing adipogenic gene expression.

Current use of drugs affecting the central nervous system for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy in cancer patients: a systematic review.

Purpose: Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is common among cancer patients who undergo chemotherapy with platinum analogues, taxanes, vinca alkaloids, epothilone, bortezomib, and thalidomide. The purpose of this study was to investigate the evidence of using drugs affecting the central nervous system (CNS) to alleviate CIPN in cancer patients.

Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted using the CINAHL, EMBASE, and Medline databases to identify randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) reported in English up to 2013.

Adhesion molecule increases in sleep apnea: beneficial effect of positive airway pressure and moderation by obesity.

Background: Elevated levels of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1) may contribute to cardiovascular disease and are associated with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and obesity. The relationship between OSA and obesity in determining ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 levels, and the effect of treatment, is unclear.

Objective: Our aim was to study whether positive airway pressure (PAP) usage resulted in changes in ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 after 2 years within 309 OSA patients from the Icelandic Sleep Apnea Cohort, and determine how obesity affected such changes.

Reduced serum total osteocalcin is associated with central obesity in Korean children.

Background: Recently, osteocalcin (OC), an osteoblast-derived hormone, has been suggested as a new link between obesity and insulin resistance in humans. However, few studies regarding the relationship between OC and obesity in Asian children have been published. We investigated the association of OC with adiposity, insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in Korean children.

Factors affecting quality of life in Korean patients with chronic heart failure.

Aim: Poor health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) may be one of the most common predictors of mortality and rehospitalization. This study was conducted to identify factors affecting HRQOL in Korean patients with CHF using two HRQOL measurements.

Methods: The study included a sample of 114 patients.

Predominance of small dense LDL differentiates metabolically unhealthy from metabolically healthy overweight adults in Korea.

Objective: The purposes of this study were (1) to determine the association between lipoprotein subfraction profiles and metabolically healthy overweight (MHO) phenotype, as defined by visceral adiposity; and (2) to identify the strongest predictor of metabolic health among the lipoprotein measurements.

Materials/methods: This cross-sectional study was comprised of 462 overweight patients, who were classified as MHO or non-MHO based on their visceral adipose tissue (VAT) area to subcutaneous adipose tissue area (SAT) ratio (VAT/SAT ratio). Serum lipoprotein subfraction analyses and other metabolic parameters were measured.

Using brief motivational interviewing to address the complex needs of a challenging patient with heart failure.

Background: Hospitals and healthcare providers are looking for methods to reduce hospitalization rates and improve patient outcomes for patients with heart failure (HF). Using behavioral approaches to increase patients' confidence in their abilities to perform self-care is 1 such approach. Motivational interviewing is an empirically validated modality that has shown promise in improving motivation to change and confidence in the ability to do so.

Visceral adiposity is associated with SIRT1 expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells: a pilot study.

Sirtuin1 (SIRT1) is activated during calorie restriction and appears to be related to energy balance through glucose or lipid metabolism and insulin signaling. These findings suggest that SIRT1 may play a role in the pathophysiology of visceral obesity. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between SIRT1 gene expression in circulating peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and abdominal visceral adiposity as measured by computed tomography.

The association between pentraxin 3 and insulin resistance in obese children at baseline and after physical activity intervention.

Background: The role of pentraxin-3 (PTX3) in the development of insulin resistance is still not clear. We aimed to test 1) whether circulating PTX3 levels are associated with insulin resistance and 2) whether changes in PTX3 levels after the physical activity are associated with changes in insulin resistance.

Methods: Fifty-seven overweight or obese children (39 boys, 18 girls; age: 12.