• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.132-141
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• 2023

Background: The purpose of this study was to identify the connection between handwashing and toothbrushing, focusing on eating habits, and to verify whether eating habits can be used as an action cue for forming health habits. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study using secondary data from the 2019 community health survey. The participants included 229,099 adults aged 19 years or older, representative of the South Korean people. We employed two dependent variables: one was washing hands, and the other was brushing teeth. Eating habits was a major independent variable. Socioeconomic variables, such as age, gender, income, occupation, economic activity, education, and residence were adjusted as confounders. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to calculate adjusted odds ratio and 95% confidence intervals. Results: Most of the participants had good health behaviors: those who wash their hands and brush their teeth were each approximately 80%. Our finding indicated that brushing teeth and washing hands can be connected with eating habits. After adjusting for confounders, it was found that people who wash their hands before meals (compared to those who did not wash their hands before meals) had a higher toothbrushing rate after meals (i.e., socioeconomic status) (Adjusted Odds Ratio: 2.0, Confidence Intervals: 1.9 to 2.1). Conclusion: Those who practice either washing hands before meals or brushing teeth after meals were found to have a connection between washing hands and brushing teeth based on the results of practicing other health behaviors. This implies that eating habits can be connected as a behavior cue to promote health habits, such as washing hands before meals and brushing teeth after meals.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2023

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a pathogen with a high burden of disease and social cost among infants worldwide, but the development of a vaccine has been delayed. The recent understanding of the pathogenesis of RSV, progress in reverse genetics, and successful implementation of other maternal immunizations have prompted the recent rapid development of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and vaccines for RSV prevention. Phase 3 clinical trials for two next-generation mAbs (nirsevimab and clesrovimab) and two maternal RSV pre-F vaccines are currently underway or have been recently completed. Soon, we might be able to protect young infants through long-acting mAbs and/or maternal immunization. Additionally, the development of live-attenuated vaccine candidates that are capable of avoiding enhanced RSV disease is ongoing. We need to gain familiarity with these newly developed strategies and collect epidemiological data on domestic RSV to adequately prepare for a new era of RSV prevention.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.30.1-30.12
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• 2021

High expression of mitofusin-2 (MFN2), a mitochondrial fusion protein, has been frequently associated with poor prognosis of patients with cervical cancer. Here, we aimed to identify the function of MFN2 in cervical cancer to understand its influence on disease prognosis. To this end, from cervical adenocarcinoma, we performed an MTT assay and quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis to assess the effects of MFN2 on the proliferation and of HeLa cells. Then, colony-formation ability and tumorigenesis were evaluated using a tumor xenograft mouse model. The migration ability related to MFN2 was also measured using a wound healing assay. Consequently, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of MFN2-knockdowned HeLa cells originating from adenocarcinoma. markers related to MFN2 were assessed by qRT-PCR. Clinical data were analyzed using cBioPortal and The Cancer Genome Atlas. We found that MFN2 knockdown reduced the proliferation, colony formation ability, migration, and in vivo tumorigenesis of HeLa cells. Primarily, migration of MFN2-knockdowned HeLa cells decreased through the suppression of EMT. Thus, we concluded that MFN2 facilitates cancer progression and in vivo tumorigenesis in HeLa cells. These findings suggest that MFN2 could be a novel target to regulate the EMT program and tumorigenic potential in HeLa cells and might serve as a therapeutic target for cervical cancer. Taken together, this study is expected to contribute to the treatment of patients with cervical cancer.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.7.1-7.11
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• 2019

Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disorder that affects mainly salivary and lacrimal glands, but its cause remains largely unknown. Clinical data indicating that SS occurs in a substantial proportion of patients with lupus points to common pathogenic mechanisms underlying the two diseases. To address this idea, we asked whether SS develops in the lupus-prone mouse strain sanroque (SAN). Owing to hyper-activation of follicular helper T (Tfh) cells, female SAN mice developed lupus-like symptoms at approximately 20 wk of age but there were no signs of SS at that time. However, symptoms typical of SS were evident at approximately 40 wk of age, as judged by reduced saliva flow rate, sialadenitis, and IgG deposits in the salivary glands. Increases in serum titers of SS-related autoantibodies and numbers of autoantibody-secreting cells in cervical lymph nodes (LNs) preceded the pathologic manifestations of SS and were accompanied by expansion of Tfh cells and their downstream effector cells. Thus, our results suggest that chronic dysregulation of Tfh cells in salivary gland-draining LNs is sufficient to drive the development of SS in lupus-prone mice.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.185-198
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• 2024

Purpose: Peritoneal washing cytology (PWC) is a widely used diagnostic tool for detecting peritoneal metastasis of advanced gastric cancer. However, the prognosis of patients with positive PWC remains poor even after gastrectomy, and treatments vary among institutions and eras. In this study, we identified the clinical factors that can help predict cytology-positive (CY(+)) gastric cancer. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the national data of patients with gastric cancer from 2019, as provided by the Information Committee of the Korean Gastric Cancer Association. Of the 13,447 patients with gastric cancer, 3,672 underwent PWC. Based on cytology results, we analyzed the clinicopathological characteristics and assessed the possibility of CY(+) outcomes in relation to T and N stages. Results: Of the 3,270 patients who underwent PWC without preoperative chemotherapy, 325 were CY(+), whereas 2,945 were negative. CY(+) was more commonly observed in patients with Borrmann type IV gastric cancer, an undifferentiated histological type, and advanced pathological stages. Multivariate analysis revealed Borrmann type IV (odds ratio [OR], 1.821), tumor invasion to T3-4 (OR, 2.041), and lymph node metastasis (OR, 3.155) as independent predictors of CY(+). Furthermore, for circular tumor location, the N stage emerged as a significant risk factor for CY(+), particularly when the tumor was located on the posterior wall (PW) side. Conclusions: Lymph node metastasis significantly affects CY(+) outcomes, particularly when the tumor is located on the PW side. Therefore, PWC should be considered not only in suspected serosal exposure cases but also in cases of lymph node metastasis.

• Journal of Cerebrovascular and Endovascular Neurosurgery
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.28-35
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• 2023

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of middle meningeal artery embolization (MMAE) in elderly high-risk patients with symptomatic chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) in terms of reduction in hematoma volume and recurrence rate. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed data prospectively collected from nine patients who underwent 13 MMAE for CSDH between June 2017 and May 2022. The volume of the subdural hematoma was measured using a computer-aided volumetric analysis program. Hematoma volume changes during the follow-up period were analyzed and clinical outcomes were evaluated. Results: The mean follow-up period was 160 days (range, 46-311 days). All procedures were technically successful and there were no procedure-related complications. Of the 13 MMAE, 84% (11 out of 13 hemispheres) showed mean 88% of reduction on follow-up volumetric study with eight cases of complete resolution. There was one refractory case with MMAE which had been performed multiple burr-hole trephinations, for which treatment was completed by craniotomy and meticulous resection of multiple pseudomembranes. There was no recurrent case during the follow-up period, except for refractory case. Conclusions: MMAE for CSDH in selected high-risk elderly patients and relapsed patients might be effective. Despite the small cohort, our findings showed a high rate of complete resolution with no complications. Further prospective randomized trials are warranted to evaluate its usefulness as a primary treatment option for CSDH.

• Journal of Cerebrovascular and Endovascular Neurosurgery
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.150-159
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• 2023

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of intraoperative indocyanine green videoangiography (ICG-VA) and intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) to prevent postoperative ischemic complications during microsurgical clipping of unruptured anterior choroidal artery (AChA) aneurysms. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical and radiological records of all patients who had undergone microsurgical clipping for unruptured AChA aneurysms at our institution between April 2001 and December 2019. We compared the postoperative complication rate of the group for which intraoperative ICG-VA and IONM were utilized (group B; n=324) with that of the group for which intraoperative ICG-VA and IONM were not utilized (group A; n=72). Results: There were no statistically significant differences in demographic data between the two groups. Statistically significant differences were observed in the rate of overall complications (p=0.014) and postoperative ischemic complications related to AChA territory (p=0.039). All the cases (n=4) in group B who had postoperative infarctions related to AChA territory showed false-negative results of intraoperative ICG-VA and IONM. Conclusions: Preserving the patency of the AChA is essential to minimize postoperative complications. Intraoperative monitoring tools including ICG-VA and IONM can greatly contribute to lowering complication rates. However, their pitfalls and false-negative results should always be considered.

• Journal of Cerebrovascular and Endovascular Neurosurgery
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.23-29
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• 2024

Objective: Flow diverting stents (FDS) are increasingly used for the treatment of intracranial aneurysms. While FDS can provide flow diversion of parent vessels, their high metal surface coverage can cause thromboembolism. Transcranial Doppler (TCD) emboli monitoring can be used to identify subclinical embolic phenomena after neurovascular procedures. Limited data exists regarding the use of TCDs for emboli monitoring in the periprocedural period after FDS placement. We evaluated the rate of positive TCDs microembolic signals and stroke after FDS deployment at our institution. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 105 patients who underwent FDS treatment between 2012 and 2016 using the Pipeline stent (Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN, USA). Patients were pretreated with aspirin and clopidogrel. All patients were therapeutic on clopidogrel pre-operatively. TCD emboli monitoring was performed immediately after the procedure. Microembolic signals (mES) were classified as "positive" (<15 mES/hour) and "strongly positive" (>15 mES/hour). Clinical stroke rates were determined at 2-week and 6-month post-operatively. Results: A total of 132 intracranial aneurysms were treated in 105 patients. TCD emboli monitoring was "positive" in 11.4% (n=12) post-operatively and "strongly positive" in 4.8% (n=5). These positive cases were treated with heparin drips or modification of the antiplatelet regimen, and TCDs were repeated. Following medical management modifications, normalization of mES was achieved in 92% of cases. The overall stroke rates at 2-week and 6-months were 3.8% and 4.8%, respectively. Conclusions: TCD emboli monitoring may help early in the identification of thromboembolic events after flow diversion stenting. This allows for modification of medical therapy and, potentially, preventionf of escalation into post-operative strokes.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.29.1-29.11
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• 2024

This study aimed to identify and analyze articles on enamel microabrasion for the treatment of white spot lesions. A search was conducted on the Web of Science. The following parameters were recorded and analyzed: number of citations, year, journal, impact factor, study design, theme, country and continent, institution, authors, and keywords. Data was analyzed using VOSviewer software. The initial search resulted in 1,126 documents, of which 94 articles were included. The highest number of citations an article received was 65. The oldest article was published in 1975, and the most recent in 2023. The most frequent study design was case report (n = 42). Regarding the themes, it was observed that the main objective of the studies was to evaluate the clinical performance of enamel microabrasion (n = 75), primarily using Opalustre (Ultradent Products Inc., South Jordan, UT, USA) (n = 37) for treating white stains caused by dental fluorosis (n = 41). Most articles originated from Latin America (n = 31), mainly from Brazil (n = 26). The most frequent author was Sundfeld RH (n = 10). This study reveals research trends in the field of enamel microabrasion. The publications were mainly case reports/series using Opalustre for the removal of fluorosis stains.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.31.1-31.11
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• 2024

Objectives: The present study investigated the prevalence of mechanical allodynia (MA) in healthy teeth adjacent and contralateral to endodontically diseased teeth. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study included 114 patients with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis and apical periodontitis in permanent mandibular first molars who possessed healthy teeth adjacent and contralateral to the endodontically diseased tooth. The mechanical sensitivity of the teeth was determined by percussion testing. The presence or absence of pain on percussion in the teeth adjacent and contralateral to the endodontically diseased tooth and the tooth distal to the contralateral symmetrical tooth was recorded according to coding criteria. The prevalence of MA was computed as a percentage, and binary logistic regression analysis was done. The Fisher exact test and Mann-Whitney U test were used for binary and ordinal data. Results: Age and sex did not influence the prevalence of MA. An increased prevalence of MA was found in patients with higher levels of spontaneous pain (p < 0.001). The prevalence of allodynia was 57% in teeth adjacent to endodontically diseased teeth and 10.5% in teeth contralateral to endodontically diseased teeth. In addition, on the ipsilateral side, there were more painful sensations distal to the diseased tooth than mesially. Conclusions: Despite being disease-free, teeth adjacent and contralateral to endodontically diseased teeth exhibited pain on percussion. There was a direct association between the severity of the patient's pain and the presence of MA.