Healthy versus Unhealthy Adipose Tissue Expansion: the Role of Exercise

Benjamin M. Meister,Soon-Gook Hong,Junchul Shin,Meghan Rath,Jacqueline Sayoc,박준영 대한비만학회 2022 The Korean journal of obesity Vol.31 No.1

Although the hallmark of obesity is the expansion of adipose tissue, not all adipose tissue expansion is the same. Expansion of healthy adipose tissue is accompanied by adequate capillary angiogenesis and mitochondria-centered metabolic integrity, whereas expansion of unhealthy adipose tissue is associated with capillary and mitochondrial derangement, resulting in deposition of immune cells (M1-stage macrophages) and excess production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Accumulation of these dysfunctional adipose tissues has been linked to the development of obesity comorbidities, such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and cardiovascular disease, which are leading causes of human mortality and morbidity in modern society. Mechanistically, vascular rarefaction and mitochondrial incompetency (for example, low mitochondrial content, fragmented mitochondria, defective mitochondrial respiratory function, and excess production of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species) are frequently observed in adipose tissue of obese patients. Recent studies have demonstrated that exercise is a potent behavioral intervention for preventing and reducing obesity and other metabolic diseases. However, our understanding of potential cellular mechanisms of exercise, which promote healthy adipose tissue expansion, is at the beginning stage. In this review, we hypothesize that exercise can induce unique physiological stimuli that can alter angiogenesis and mitochondrial remodeling in adipose tissues and ultimately promote the development and progression of healthy adipogenesis. We summarize recent reports on how regular exercise can impose differential processes that lead to the formation of either healthy or unhealthy adipose tissue and discuss key knowledge gaps that warrant future research.

THE EVOLUTION OF STAR FORMATION HISTORIES OF QUIESCENT GALAXIES

Pacifici, Camilla,Kassin, Susan A.,Weiner, Benjamin J.,Holden, Bradford,Gardner, Jonathan P.,Faber, Sandra M.,Ferguson, Henry C.,Koo, David C.,Primack, Joel R.,Bell, Eric F.,Dekel, Avishai,Gawiser, Er American Astronomical Society 2016 The Astrophysical Journal Vol.832 No.1

<P>Although there has been much progress in understanding how galaxies evolve, we still do not understand how and when they stop forming stars and become quiescent. We address this by applying our galaxy spectral energy distribution models, which incorporate physically motivated star formation histories (SFHs) from cosmological simulations, to a sample of quiescent galaxies at 0.2 < z < 2.1. A total of 845 quiescent galaxies with multi-band photometry spanning rest-frame ultraviolet through near-infrared wavelengths are selected from the Cosmic Assembly Near-IR Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey (CANDELS) data set. We compute median SFHs of these galaxies in bins of stellar mass and redshift. At all redshifts and stellar masses, the median SFHs rise, reach a peak, and then decline to reach quiescence. At high redshift, we find that the rise and decline are fast, as expected, because the universe is young. At low redshift, the duration of these phases depends strongly on stellar mass. Low-mass galaxies (log(M*/M-circle dot) similar to 9.5) grow on average slowly, take a long time to reach their peak of star formation (greater than or similar to 4 Gyr), and then the declining phase is fast (less than or similar to 2 Gyr). Conversely, high-mass galaxies (log(M*/M-circle dot) similar to 11) grow on average fast (less than or similar to 2 Gyr), and, after reaching their peak, decrease the star formation slowly (greater than or similar to 3). These findings are consistent with galaxy stellar mass being a driving factor in determining how evolved galaxies are, with high-mass galaxies being the most evolved at any time (i.e., downsizing). The different durations we observe in the declining phases also suggest that low- and high-mass galaxies experience different quenching mechanisms, which operate on different timescales.</P>

Intravenous Thrombolysis in Patients with Stroke Taking Rivaroxaban Using Drug Specific Plasma Levels: Experience with a Standard Operation Procedure in Clinical Practice

David J. Seiffge,Christopher Traenka,Alexandros A. Polymeris,Sebastian Thilemann,Benjamin Wagner,Lisa Hert,Mandy D. Müller,Henrik Gensicke,Nils Peters,Christian H. Nickel,Christoph Stippich,Raoul Sutt 대한뇌졸중학회 2017 Journal of stroke Vol.19 No.3

Background and Purpose Standard operating procedures (SOP) incorporating plasma levels of rivaroxaban might be helpful in selecting patients with acute ischemic stroke taking rivaroxaban suitable for IVthrombolysis(IVT) or endovascular treatment (EVT). Methods This was a single-center explorative analysis using data from the Novel-Oral-Anticoagulants-in-Stroke-Patients-registry (clinicaltrials.gov:NCT02353585) including acute stroke patients taking rivaroxaban(September 2012 to November 2016). The SOP included recommendation, consideration, and avoidance of IVT if rivaroxaban plasma levels were <20 ng/mL, 20‒100 ng/mL, and >100 ng/mL, respectively, measured with a calibrated anti-factor Xa assay. Patients with intracranial artery occlusion were recommended IVT+EVT or EVT alone if plasma levels were ≤100 ng/mL or >100 ng/mL, respectively. We evaluated the frequency of IVT/EVT, door-to-needle-time (DNT), and symptomatic intracranial or major extracranial hemorrhage. Results Among 114 acute stroke patients taking rivaroxaban, 68 were otherwise eligible for IVT/EVT of whom 63 had plasma levels measured (median age 81 years, median baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale 6). Median rivaroxaban plasma level was 96 ng/mL (inter quartile range [IQR] 18‒259 ng/mL) and time since last intake 11 hours (IQR 4.5‒18.5 hours). Twenty-two patients (35%) received IVT/EVT (IVT n=15, IVT+EVT n=3, EVT n=4) based on SOP. Median DNT was 37 (IQR 30‒60) minutes. None of the 31 patients with plasma levels >100ng/mL received IVT. Among 14 patients with plasma levels ≤100 ng/mL, the main reason to withhold IVT was minor stroke (n=10). No symptomatic intracranial or major extracranial bleeding occurred after treatment. Conclusions Determination of rivaroxaban plasma levels enabled IVT or EVT in one-third of patients taking rivaroxaban who would otherwise be ineligible for acute treatment. The absence of major bleeding in our pilot series justifies future studies of this approach.

Interaction between surface waters and the Quaternary shallow alluvial aquifer of Lake Maga downstream: influence of ponds, streams, irrigation canals, and geological features (Far North, Cameroon)

Edmond M. Iwoudam,Tchouta D. Kemgang,Valentin Y.E. Mvondo,Roger A. Tamonkem,Benjamin N. Ngounou 한국지질과학협의회 2024 Geosciences Journal Vol.28 No.2

The valorization of Lake Maga for agricultural purposes has not only contributed to the socio-economic development of the study area, but has also modified the surface water (SW) and groundwater (GW) flow regimes. Understanding the interaction between the SW and the shallow Quaternary aquifer, under land use change and soil structure modification, is still a challenge, especially in the semi-arid area. In this study, GW level, hydrogeochemical characterization, and geological features are used to understand, locally, the influence of Lake Maga, its associated hydraulic components, and the other SW bodies on the GW behaviour. GW levels were measured in 51 wells in December 2012 and monitored in February 2013, and in 15 wells (beyond the 51) in June 2017 and December 2018. Physicochemical parameters of SWs and GWs were measured in the field, and 15 water samples were collected for major ion characterization. The GW levels were close (mean value ≈5 m) to the land surface, with zero to very low (< 1 m) water levelfluctuations near SW bodies. The GW levels (< 2 m) are influenced more by their proximity to irrigation canals, ponds, and streams than Lake Maga (mean ≈3.5 m). The analysis of electrical conductivity (EC) values and GW levels showed that the weakly mineralized (< 200 μS.cm−1) GW were associated with the shallower GW table level. The moderate GW mineralization (200 < EC < 700 μS.cm−1) were more influenced by the geological texture of the shallow aquifer. The analysis of the geological characteristics of the sub-shallow aquifer structure in the locality of Pouss is mainly sandy, while in the localities of Maga and Guirvidig, clay, clayey-sand and sandyclay materials dominate. There are no trends in GW chemical evolution from Lake Maga waters towards the shallow groundwater table (SGWT). The mixing-ratios values showed that the SW contributed for more than 65% (mean) to the sub-shallow aquifer in the study area, and the highest SWs (80%) contribution occurred in the locality of Pouss, close to Lake Maga, pond, Logone River, irrigation canal, and seasonal stream, associated with the shallowest GW levels (< 1.5 m). The proximity to SW bodies and the texture of the fluvio-lacustrine deposit of the shallow aquifer strongly influenced GW table levels and their hydrogeochemical characteristics. This work could be a prerequisite to understand how the physicochemical and chemical properties of GW in the shallow aquifer evolve and respond under the influence of SW bodies.

Application of the Sleep C.A.L.M. Tool for Assessing Nocturia in a Large Nationally Representative Cohort

Joseph U. Boroda,Benjamin De Leon,Lakshay Khosla,Muchi D. Chobufo,Syed N. Rahman,Jason M. Lazar,Jeffrey P. Weiss,Thomas F. Monaghan 대한배뇨장애요실금학회 2024 International Neurourology Journal Vol.28 No.-

Purpose: Nocturia significantly impacts patients’ quality of life but remains insufficiently evaluated and treated. The “Sleep C.A.L.M.” system categorizes the factors thought to collectively reflect most underlying causes of nocturia (Sleep disorders, Comorbidities, Actions [i.e., modifiable patient behaviors such as excess fluid intake], Lower urinary tract dysfunction, and Medications). The purpose of this study was to assess the association of nocturia with the Sleep C.A.L.M. categories using a nationally representative dataset. Methods: Retrospective analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2013/14–2017/18 cycles was conducted. Pertinent questionnaire, laboratory, dietary, and physical examination data were used to ascertain the presence of Sleep C.A.L.M. categories in adults ≥20 years of age. Nocturia was defined as ≥2 nighttime voids. Results: A total of 12,274 included subjects were included (51.6% female; median age, 49.0 years [interquartile range, 34.0–62.0 years]; 27.6% nocturia). Among subjects with nocturia, the prevalence of 0, ≥1, and ≥2 Sleep C.A.L.M. categories was 3.5% (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.8%–4.4%), 96.5% (95% CI, 95.6%–97.2%), and 81.2% (95% CI, 78.9%–83.3%), respectively. Compared to those with 0–1 Sleep C.A.L.M. categories, the adjusted odds of nocturia in subjects with 2, 3, and 4–5 Sleep C. A.L.M. categories were 1.77 (95% CI, 1.43–2.21), 2.33 (1.89–2.87), and 3.49 (2.81–4.35), respectively (P<0.001). Similar trends were observed for most age and sex subgroups. When assessed individually, each of the 5 Sleep C.A.L.M. categories were independently associated with greater odds of nocturia, which likewise persisted across multiple age and sex subgroups. Conclusions: Sleep C.A.L.M. burden is associated with increased odds of nocturia in a dose-dependent fashion, and potentially a relevant means by which to organize the underlying etiologies for nocturia among community-dwelling adults.

Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine Needle Biopsy Needles Provide Higher Diagnostic Yield Compared to Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine Needle Aspiration Needles When Sampling Solid Pancreatic Lesions: A Meta-Analysis

Benjamin D. Renelus,Daniel S. Jamorabo,Iman Boston,William M. Briggs,John M. Poneros 대한소화기내시경학회 2021 Clinical Endoscopy Vol.54 No.2

Background/Aims: Studies comparing the utility of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) andendoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle biopsy (EUS-FNB) for solid pancreatic lesions have been inconclusive with no clearsuperiority. The aim of this meta-analysis was to compare the diagnostic accuracy and safety between the two sampling techniques. Methods: We performed a systematic search of randomized controlled trials published between 2012 and 2019. The primaryoutcome was overall diagnostic accuracy. Secondary outcomes included adverse event rates, cytopathologic and histopathologicaccuracy, and the mean number of passes required to obtain adequate tissue between FNA and FNB needles. Fixed and randomeffect models with pooled estimates of target outcomes were developed. Results: Eleven studies involving 1,365 participants were included for analysis. When compared to FNB, FNA had a significantreduction in diagnostic accuracy (81% and 87%, p=0.005). In addition, FNA provided reduced cytopathologic accuracy (82% and89%, p=0.04) and an increased number of mean passes required compared to FNB (2.3 and 1.6, respectively, p<0.0001). There wasno difference in adverse event rate between FNA and FNB needles (1.8% and 2.3% respectively, p=0.64). Conclusions: FNB provides superior diagnostic accuracy without compromising safety when compared to FNA. FNB should bereadily considered by endosonographers when evaluating solid pancreatic masses.

Jin, D. Y., Yoon, K. Y., & Min, W. (2021). Transnational Hallyu: The Globalization of Korean Digital and Popular Culture. Rowman & Littlefield

Benjamin M. Han(서평자) 한국언론학회 2021 Asian Communication Research Vol.18 No.2

Reckoning with the World: Infrastructural Imaginaries of Cuba in Contemporary Korean Television

( Benjamin M. Han ) 서울대학교 규장각한국학연구원 2022 Seoul journal of Korean studies Vol.35 No.1

Since the 2000s, there has been a growing visibility of Cuba in South Korean television programs, such as 2 Days & 1 Night (KBS, 2007-present), Encounter (tvN, 2018-2019), and Traveler (JTBC, 2019-2020). While these TV shows employ the tropes of travel and tourism to introduce Cuba as an alluring geographical region, they also illustrate how television formulates and exploits a monolithic imaginary of the Caribbean and Latin America for the audience. This article examines how television’s infrastructural imaginaries of Cuba not only illuminate the intertwinement between modernity and interculturality but also contribute to Korea’s reckoning with the world in which it comes to understand the self in new ways through different forms of encounters with Cuba, including its peoples, spaces, and infrastructures. I analyze the travel documentary Traveler to explore how popular television’s imaginary of Cuba operates as a discursive space in which the production of knowledge about the island is mediated through the lens of modernity. More specifically, the infrastructural imaginaries of Cuba call forth the lens of peripheral modernity that renders the island both as primitive and anachronistic. While Korea’s participation in the reckoning process offers an illusory, pretentious, and staged engagement with the Caribbean and Latin America, it is also incomplete and problematic as it continues to exploit the region as the Other despite its vast historical and cultural heterogeneity.

Antibiotic Spacers in Shoulder Arthroplasty: Comparison of Stemmed and Stemless Implants

Eric M Padegimas,Alexia Narzikul,Cassandra Lawrence,Benjamin A Hendy,Joseph A Abboud,Matthew L Ramsey,Gerald R Williams,Surena Namdari 대한정형외과학회 2017 Clinics in Orthopedic Surgery Vol.9 No.4

Background: Antibiotic spacers in shoulder periprosthetic joint infection deliver antibiotics locally and provide temporary stability. The purpose of this study was to evaluate differences between stemmed and stemless spacers. Methods: All spacers placed from 2011 to 2013 were identified. Stemless spacers were made by creating a spherical ball of cement placed in the joint space. Stemmed spacers had some portion in the humeral canal. Operative time, complications, reimplantation, reinfection, and range of motion were analyzed. Results: There were 37 spacers placed: 22 were stemless and 15 were stemmed. The stemless spacer population was older (70.9 ± 7.8 years vs. 62.8 ± 8.4 years, p = 0.006). The groups had a similar percentage of each gender (stemless group, 45% male vs. stemmed group, 40% male; p = 0.742), body mass index (stemless group, 29.1 ± 6.4 kg/m2 vs. stemmed group, 31.5 ± 8.3 kg/m2; p = 0.354) and Charlson Comorbidity Index (stemless group, 4.2 ± 1.2 vs. stemmed group, 4.2 ± 1.7; p = 0.958). Operative time was similar (stemless group, 127.5 ± 37.1 minutes vs. stemmed group, 130.5 ± 39.4 minutes). Two stemless group patients had self-resolving radial nerve palsies. Within the stemless group, 15 of 22 (68.2%) underwent reimplantation with 14 of 15 having forward elevation of 109º ± 23º. Within the stemmed group, 12 of 15 (80.0%, p = 0.427) underwent reimplantation with 8 of 12 having forward elevation of 94º ± 43º (range, 30º to 150º; p = 0.300). Two stemmed group patients had axillary nerve palsies, one of which self-resolved but the other did not. One patient sustained dislocation of reverse shoulder arthroplasty after reimplantation. One stemless group patient required an open reduction and glenosphere exchange of dislocated reverse shoulder arthroplasty at 6 weeks after reimplantation. Conclusions: Stemmed and stemless spacers had similar clinical outcomes. When analyzing all antibiotic spacers, over 70% were converted to revision arthroplasties. The results of this study do not suggest superiority of either stemmed or stemless antibiotic spacers.

Comparison of sequential versus concurrent chemoradiation regimens in non-metastatic muscle-invasive bladder cancer

Heidi M. Vieira,David P. Kasper,Runqiu Wang,Lynette M. Smith,Charles A. Enke,Raymond C. Bergan,Benjamin A. Teply,Michael J. Baine 대한방사선종양학회 2023 Radiation Oncology Journal Vol.41 No.3

Purpose: The treatment approach for non-metastatic bladder cancer is guided by an invasion of the muscular layer of the bladder wall. Radical cystectomy is the recommended treatment for muscle-invasive disease. However, it has considerable morbidity and mortality and is not suited for many patients. Trimodality therapy consisting of chemoradiation after transurethral resection of bladder tumor offers a definitive approach with bladder-sparing potential. However, there is a lack of research defining the optimal combination of chemotherapy and radiation in this setting. Materials and Methods: We extracted patient data from the National Cancer Database to compare survival outcomes and demographic factors in 2,227 non-metastatic bladder cancer patients who were treated with chemotherapy sequential to or concurrently with radiation. Sequential treatment was defined as chemotherapy beginning >14 days before radiation, and concurrent was defined as beginning within 14 days of the first radiation. Results: The sequential treatment group patients were younger (mean age, 74 vs. 78 years; p < 0.001) with more advanced disease. We found no difference in overall survival between patients who received chemotherapy sequential to radiation and those who received concurrent chemoradiation only (p = 0.533). Conclusion: Our data are concordant with a previous prospective study, and support that chemotherapy prior to radiation does not decrease survival outcomes relative to patients receiving only concurrent chemoradiation. Given that the sequential group had an overall higher stage but no difference in survival, downstaging chemotherapy prior to radiation may be helpful in these patients. Further studies including a larger, multi-institutional clinical trial are indicated to support clinical decision-making.