Yonsei medical journal
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Yonsei medical journal · Jul 2017
ReviewAlcohol Consumption, Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 2 Gene Polymorphisms, and Cardiovascular Health in Korea.
Alcohol consumption is a serious health issue in Korea in terms of the amount consumed and the behavior related to its consumption. Aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) is a key enzyme in alcohol metabolism that degrades acetaldehyde to nontoxic acetic acid. The enzyme is coded by the ALDH2 gene, which is commonly polymorphic in East Asian populations. ⋯ Moreover, recent MR studies suggest that the ALDH2 variant has mechanistic effects on some disease outcomes or mortality through increased blood levels of acetaldehyde, showing differences therein between heterozygotes (ALDH2*2*2) and homozygotes (ALDH2*1*2) in those who consume alcohol. Accordingly, consideration of ALDH2 genotype in alcohol prevention programs is warranted. In conclusion, strategies that incorporate genetic information and provide an evidential basis from which to help people make informed decisions on alcohol consumption are urgently required.
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Yonsei medical journal · Jul 2017
Do Cerclage Cables Delay the Time to Bone Union in Patients with an Unstable Humeral Shaft Fracture Treated with Intramedullary Nails?
To evaluate the time to bone union after open reduction and internal fixation with cerclage cables followed by intramedullary nailing (IMN) for unstable humeral shaft fractures. ⋯ In unstable humeral shaft fractures treated by IMN, open reduction and internal fixation with additional cerclage cables do not delay the length of time to bone union or increase the rate of other complications.
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Yonsei medical journal · Jul 2017
Comparative StudyComparison of the ImmunoCAP Assay and AdvanSure™ AlloScreen Advanced Multiplex Specific IgE Detection Assay.
The AdvanSure™ AlloScreen assay is an advanced multiplex test that allows for simultaneous detection of specific IgE (sIgE) against multiple allergens. For precise identification of causative allergens in allergic patients, we compared this new multiplex sIgE assay with the ImmunoCAP assay, which is currently the gold-standard method for sIgE detection. ⋯ The AlloScreen and ImmunoCAP assays exhibited similar diagnostic performance. However, due to methodological differences between the two systems, careful interpretation of their results is needed in clinical applications.
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In Korea, registration of paraquat-containing herbicides was canceled in November 2011, and sales thereof were completely banned in November 2012. We evaluated the effect of the paraquat ban on the epidemiology and mortality of herbicide-induced poisoning. ⋯ This study suggests that the paraquat ban decreased intentional herbicide ingestion and contributed to lowering herbicide poisoning-associated mortality. The change point analysis suggests a certain timeframe was required for the manifestation of regulatory measures outcomes.