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Biomedical subjects

I M Lee

Publications and source records attributed to I M Lee.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

An epidemiological study of food poisoning in Korea and Japan.

The purpose of this study was to make a comparative epidemiological observation on outbreaks of food poisoning between Korea and Japan, during the period from 1971 to 1990. The mean morbidity rate by fiscal year from 1971 to 1990 was 3.0 per 100,000 population in Korea, and 29.2 in Japan. The mean mortality rate, in Korea was 2.48%, and in Japan, 0.07%. When both morbidity and mortality rates in Korea and Japan were compared during same period, the morbidity rate in Japan was much higher than that in Korea. However, the mortality rate of patients in Korea was much higher than that in Japan. Comparison of food poisoning rates according to food preparation facilities in Korea and Japan was also performed; outbreaks in Korea most frequently involved home-made foods (48% of the total cases), while in Japan, restaurants accorded for 32.7%. Foods most commonly incriminated in Korea were seafood, meat and animal products, grains and vegetables, including mushrooms. In Japan, however, unknown causes, followed by seafood, vegetables, and meat and animal products were the most common. Food poisoning of bacterial origin in Korea was 58.6% of the total case, including Vibrio spp. (37.6%), Salmonella spp. (23.1%), Staphylococcus spp. (14.9%), pathogenic E. coli (6.8%) Clostridium spp. (0.5%) and other species (17.1%). In Japan, the majority of bacterial causes were Vibrio spp. (47.3%), Staphylococcus spp. (24.6%), Salmonella spp. (14.8%), E. coli (3.5%), Clostridium spp. (0.2%) and other species (9.6%). In conclusion, the outbreaks of food poisoning in Korea and Japan may be mainly caused by food handling, and their occurrence may be different according to food sources.

Disease Outbreaks↗
PubMed1996

Physical activity, nutrition, and chronic disease.

Epidemiologic, animal, clinical, and metabolic studies demonstrate the independent roles of physical activity and nutrition in the prevention and treatment of several chronic diseases. Fewer data are available to describe the synergistic effects of exercise and diet, and questions remain as to whether and how these two lifestyle factors work together to promote health and prevent disease. This paper briefly reviews many of the known effects of physical activity and nutrition on the prevention and treatment of coronary heart disease, non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, obesity, and osteoporosis as well as how exercise and diet may work together. A discussion of how to increase physical activity levels and how to improve dietary intake also is included. Finally, current exercise and dietary recommendations are summarized, as are directions for future research.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Genomic diversity and differentiation among phytoplasma strains in 16S rRNA groups I (aster yellows and related phytoplasmas) and III (X-disease and related phytoplasmas).

Conserved gene sequences, including 16S rRNA and ribosomal protein gene sequences, were used to evaluate genetic variations in phytoplasma strains belonging to 16S rRNA groups I (aster yellows and related phytoplasmas) and III (X-disease and related phytoplasmas). We used PCR to amplify the sequences of the 16S ribosomal DNA and a segment of the ribosomal protein gene operon (encoding the 3' region of rps19, all of rp122, and rps3) from diverse phytoplasma group I and III strains. Additional chromosomal gene sequences of group I strains were also amplified. The PCR products amplified from members of each group of phytoplasmas were compared by performing restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analyses. On the basis of the RFLP patterns observed and similarity coefficients derived from combined RFLP analyses, the phytoplasma strains belonging to groups I and III were placed in distinct 16S rRNA, ribosomal protein, and 16S rRNA-ribosomal protein subgroups. Analyses of two or more conserved gene sequences revealed that members of the two groups were more diverse than previously thought. Subgroup differentiation on the basis of our combined analyses of 16S rRNA and ribosomal protein gene sequences seemed to adequately reflect the levels of chromosomal homology determined by DNA-DNA hybridization assays. On the basis of unique RFLP profiles, we identified new, previously unclassified group I phytoplasma strains, including the organisms that are associated with Ipomoea obscura witches'-broom [subgroup 16SrI-F(rr-rp)], maize bushy stunt [subgroup 16SrI-I(rr-rp)], and Mexican periwinkle virescence [subgroup 16SrI-J(rr-rp)], and new, previously unclassified group III phytoplasma strains, including the organism that is associated with pecan bunch [subgroup 16SrIII-H(rr-rp)]. On the basis of the results of our analyses of 16S rRNA and ribosomal protein conserved gene sequences, we recognized 9 group I subgroups and eight group III subgroups. We propose that phytoplasma strains belonging to each group I and III subgroup should be distinguished taxonomically at a level equivalent to the subspecies level.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1996

[Comparison of percutaneous manual and endoscopic laser diskectomy with chemonucleolysis and automated nucleotomy].

The combination of percutaneous manual and endoscopic Ho:YAG laser discectomy (PELD) is a new minimal intervention technique in treating patients with herniated lumbar discs that do not penetrate the posterior longitudinal ligament. The results in 100 patients treated with PELD were compared randomly with those in 100 patients treated by chemonucleolysis with chymopapain (CN) and 100 patients treated by automated percutaneous lumbar discectomy (APLD) at the same hospital. We followed the 300 patients postoperatively for 1 year, with physical examination, postoperative plain lumbosacral radiography, CT, MRI and a self-assessment questionnaire. Some 68% of the patients in the PELD group considered the outcome as excellent or good and 23% as fair; the corresponding figures were 55% and 27% in the CN group, and 48% and 32% in the APLD group. Nine percent of the patients in the PELD group underwent open microdiscectomy or were suffering from back pain with sciatica, compared with 18% in the CN group and 20% in the APLD group. PELD showed better extraction of the hernia mass than APLD and a lower rate of low back pain and less decrease in disc height than CN.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Physical exercise and reduced risk of nonfatal myocardial infarction.

While the inverse association between physical activity and coronary heart disease risk is well documented, questions remain regarding the intensity of exercise, the potential for confounding by other risk factors for coronary heart disease, and the role of blood lipids and apolipoproteins. The authors examined these issues in the Boston Area Health Study, a case-control study of 340 patients (266 men, 74 women) who survived a first myocardial infarction between January 1, 1982, and December 31, 1983, and 340 controls matched on sex, age, and residence. The relative risk of myocardial infarction for those in the highest quartile of physical activity, compared with the lowest, was 0.50 (95 percent confidence interval (CI) 0.31-0.80) for men and 1.00 (95 percent CI 0.41-2.43) for women. When subjects were categorized by level of energy expenditure on moderate to vigorous sports alone, men in the most active category had 0.39 (95 percent CI 0.23-0.69) times the risk of those in the least active category, and women, 0.43 (95 percent CI 0.15-1.26) times the risk. Adjustment for body mass index, smoking, alcohol intake, diet, personal and family medical history, and personality type did not substantially change results nor did further adjustment for blood lipids. This was not surprising as total energy expenditure was uncorrelated with blood lipids or apolipoproteins. Moderate to vigorous sporting activity, however, appeared to be directly related to high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (p = 0.06), especially the HDL2 subfraction (p = 0.10). In these data, findings suggest that physical activity is inversely related to myocardial infarction risk, independently of other risk factors for coronary heart disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Exercise intensity and longevity in men. The Harvard Alumni Health Study.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the independent associations of vigorous (> or = 6 resting metabolic rate [MET] score) and nonvigorous (< 6 MET score) physical activity with longevity. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study, following up men from 1962 or 1966 through 1988. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: Subjects were Harvard University alumni, without self-reported, physician-diagnosed cardiovascular disease, cancer, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (n = 17,321). Men with a mean age of 46 years reported their physical activities on questionnaires at baseline. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: All-cause mortality (3728 deaths). RESULTS: Total energy expenditure and energy expenditure from vigorous activities, but not energy expenditure from nonvigorous activities, related inversely to mortality. After adjustment for potential confounders, the relative risks of dying associated with increasing quintiles of total energy expenditure were 1.00 (referent), 0.94, 0.95, 0.91 and 0.91, respectively (P [trend] < .05). The relative risks of dying associated with less than 630, 630 to less than 1680, 1680 to less than 3150, 3150 to less than 6300, and 6300 or more kJ/wk expended on vigorous activities were 1.00 (referent), 0.88, 0.92, 0.87, and 0.87, respectively (P [trend] = .007). Corresponding relative risks for energy expended on nonvigorous activities were 1.00 (referent), 0.89, 1.00, 0.98, and 0.92, respectively (P [trend] = .36). Analyses of vigorous and nonvigorous activities were mutually adjusted. Among men who reported only vigorous activities (259 deaths), we observed decreasing age-standardized mortality rates with increasing activity (P = .05); among men who reported only nonvigorous activities (380 deaths), no trend was apparent (P = .99). CONCLUSIONS: These data demonstrate a graded inverse relationship between total physical activity and mortality. Furthermore, vigorous activities but not nonvigorous activities were associated with longevity. These findings pertain only to all-cause mortality; nonvigorous exercise has been shown to benefit other aspects of health.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Exercise and physical health: cancer and immune function.

Over the last decade, there has been accumulating epidemiological data suggesting that exercise may decrease the risk of cancer, particularly colon cancer. However, exercise appears unrelated to rectal cancer risk. With regard to other cancers, because physical activity can alter levels of reproductive hormones, investigators have hypothesized that active individuals should experience decreased incidence of breast or prostate cancer. The better conducted studies suggest that exercise may reduce the risk of developing breast cancer. However, the epidemiological data on prostate cancer have been inconsistent. Meanwhile, data on other site-specific cancers have been sparse. An exciting and emerging body of research has suggested that exercise, at least in moderate amounts, can enhance the human immune system. Theoretically, then, this provides a further biological basis for expecting an inverse relationship between physical activity and cancer risk. However, the changes seen in immune function tend to be transient in nature; thus, the physiological significance with respect to cancer development is uncertain. Preliminary data also suggest that exercise may be beneficial for cancer patients by improving the quality of life and enhancing immune function. Although promising, this needs more careful research. Again, it is unclear whether the enhanced immune function is of any clinical significance in retarding the spread of cancer that has already developed. Finally, with regard to URTIs, moderate exercise appears to decrease the risk of this infection, although high-endurance exercise may increase the risk. This finding parallels the changes seen in the immune system in response to exercise and comes as no surprise, as the immune system also regulates susceptibility to infections.

Breast Neoplasms↗
PubMed1995

Man-made vitreous fibers and risk of respiratory system cancer: a review of the epidemiologic evidence.

Because asbestos has been demonstrated to cause lung cancer, the issue regarding safety of other fibers, including man-made vitreous fibers (MMVF), has been raised. We reviewed the available evidence, in particular the epidemiologic data, on MMVF and the risk of respiratory system cancer. Glass fibers (especially glass wool) have been studied most extensively. Taken together, the data indicate that among those occupationally exposed, glass fibers do not appear to increase risk of respiratory system cancer. Of six studies that specifically examined rock and slag wool workers, three reported excesses in respiratory system cancer among such workers. Two of these three studies, however, did not control for cigarette smoking, a powerful predictor of such cancers. There are no published studies, in humans, of refractory ceramic fibers. Future studies evaluating the potential of MMVF to increase risk of respiratory system cancer will not add to existing knowledge if investigators do not address potential confounding by cigarette smoking and other workplace carcinogens.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Cigarette smoking and stroke in a cohort of U.S. male physicians.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between cigarette smoking and the risk for stroke in men. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Participants in the Physicians' Health Study, a randomized trial of aspirin and beta-carotene among U.S. male physicians. PATIENTS: 22,071 men, 40 to 84 years of age at entry, free from self-reported myocardial infarction, stroke, and transient ischemic attack; followed for an average of 9.7 years; and classified as never-smokers, current smokers, and former smokers based on self-report. MEASUREMENTS: Incidence rates of total, ischemic, and hemorrhagic stroke. RESULTS: With never-smokers as the reference group (relative risk, 1.00), relative risks (adjusted for age and treatment assignment) for total nonfatal stroke (n = 312) were as follows: former smoking, 1.20 (95% CI, 0.94 to 1.53); currently smoking fewer than 20 cigarettes daily, 2.02 (CI, 1.23 to 3.31); and currently smoking 20 or more cigarettes daily, 2.52 (CI, 1.75 to 3.61) (P for trend, < 0.0001). For participants who had total fatal stroke (n = 28), the risk for stroke was not increased with smoking (P > 0.2). In proportional-hazards models that controlled simultaneously for other risk factors, these associations were not materially altered. CONCLUSIONS: Current but not former cigarette smoking was significantly associated with an increased risk for stroke in men. Smoking may account for a substantial amount of stroke-associated morbidity and mortality.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Simple and rapid preparation of infected plant tissue extracts for PCR amplification of virus, viroid, and MLO nucleic acids.

A rapid, simple method for preparing plant tissues infected with viruses, viroids, or MLOs using a commercial product known as Gene Releaser is described. The Gene Releaser polymeric matrix method produced plant extracts suitable for PCR amplification without the use of organic solvents, ethanol precipitation, or additional nucleic acid purification techniques. Modification of maceration methods and/or extraction buffers resulted in the PCR amplification of potato spindle tuber, apple scar skin, and dapple apple viroids, as well as, genomic segments of plum pox potyvirus, grapevine virus B, grapevine leafroll-associated virus III, and elm yellows MLO. These pathogens were amplified from tissue of woody and herbaceous hosts such as peach, apricot, apple, grapevine, elm, periwinkle and potato. The application of this product for use with intractable tissue avoids lengthy and laborious extraction procedures. In our hands, about 20 samples could be prepared for PCR or RT-PCR in 1-2 h versus 1-3 days.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Physical activity and personal characteristics associated with depression and suicide in American college men.

Among Harvard alumni aged 35-74 in 1962 or 1966, incidence rates of physician-diagnosed depression, together with suicide rates, were examined during a 23-27-year follow-up period, by antecedent physical activity habits and other personal characteristics. A total of 387 first attacks of depression developed among 10,201 alumni who survived through 1988; 129 suicides occurred among 21,569 alumni during follow-up through 1988. Depression rates were lower among the physically active and sports players, higher among cigarette smokers, unrelated to alcohol consumption, and higher among alumni reporting such personality traits as insomnia, exhaustion, cyclothymia, and self-consciousness. Suicide rates were largely unrelated to antecedent physical activity and alcohol consumption, higher among smokers, and substantially higher among men reporting the personality traits that predicted increased rates of depression.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Phylogeny of mycoplasmalike organisms (phytoplasmas): a basis for their classification.

A global phylogenetic analysis using parsimony of 16S rRNA gene sequences from 46 mollicutes, 19 mycoplasmalike organisms (MLOs) (new trivial name, phytoplasmas), and several related bacteria placed the MLOs definitively among the members of the class Mollicutes and revealed that MLOs form a large discrete monophyletic clade, paraphyletic to the Acholeplasma species, within the Anaeroplasma clade. Within the MLO clade resolved in the global mollicutes phylogeny and a comprehensive MLO phylogeny derived by parsimony analyses of 16S rRNA gene sequences from 30 diverse MLOs representative of nearly all known distinct MLO groups, five major phylogenetic groups with a total of 11 distinct subclades (monophyletic groups or taxa) could be recognized. These MLO subclades (roman numerals) and designated type strains were as follows: i, Maryland aster yellows AY1; ii, apple proliferation AP-A; iii, peanut witches'-broom PnWB; iv, Canada peach X CX; v, rice yellow dwarf RYD; vi, pigeon pea witches'-broom PPWB; vii, palm lethal yellowing LY; viii, ash yellows AshY; ix, clover proliferation CP; x, elm yellows EY; and xi, loofah witches'-broom LfWB. The designations of subclades and their phylogenetic positions within the MLO clade were supported by a congruent phylogeny derived by parsimony analyses of ribosomal protein L22 gene sequences from most representative MLOs. On the basis of the phylogenies inferred in the present study, we propose that MLOs should be represented taxonomically at the minimal level of genus and that each phylogenetically distinct MLO subclade identified should represent at least a distinct species under this new genus.

Acholeplasma↗