Chronic allergic asthma induces T-cell exhaustion and impairs virus clearance in mice.

BACKGROUND: Allergic asthma, one of the most common types of asthma, is thought to be highly susceptible to respiratory viral infections; however, its pathological mechanism needs to be elucidated. Recent studies have found impaired T-cell function in asthmatic mice. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the way by which asthma induction affects T-cell exhaustion in the lungs and assess the relationship between T-cell exhaustion and influenza viral infection. METHODS: Chronic allergic asthma mice were induced by intranasal injection of ovalbumin for 6 weeks and asthmatic features and T cell populations in lung or airway were assessed. To determine the influenza virus susceptibility, control and asthma mice were challenged with the human influenza virus strain A/Puerto Rico/8/1934 H1N1 and evaluated the survival rate, lung damage, and virus titer. RESULTS: Six weeks of OVA sensitization and challenge successfully induced chronic allergic asthma in a mouse model showing significant increase of sera IgE level and broncho-pathological features. A significant decrease in interferon-γ-producing T-cell populations and an increase in exhausted T-cell populations in the lungs of OVA-induced asthmatic mice were observed. Asthmatic mice were more susceptible to influenza virus infection than control mice showing lower survival rate and higher virus titer in lung, and a positive correlation existed between T-cell exhaustion in the lung and virus titer. CONCLUSIONS: Asthma induction in mice results in the exhaustion of T-cell immunity, which may contribute to the defective capacity of viral protection. This study demonstrates a correlation between asthma conditions and viral susceptibility by investigating the functional characteristics of T-cells in asthma. Our results provide insights into the development of strategies to overcome the dangers of respiratory viral disease in patients with asthma.

Self-assembly of globular proteins with intrinsically disordered protein polyelectrolytes and block copolymers.

Intrinsically disordered polypeptides are a versatile class of materials, combining the biocompatibility of peptides with the disordered structure and diverse phase behaviors of synthetic polymers. Synthetic polyelectrolytes are capable of complex phase behavior when mixed with oppositely charged polyelectrolytes, facilitating nanoparticle formation and bulk phase separation. However, there has been limited exploration of intrinsically disordered protein polyelectrolytes as potential bio-based replacements for synthetic polyelectrolytes. Here, we produce negatively charged, intrinsically disordered polypeptides, capable of high-yield expression in E. coli and use this intrinsically disordered peptide to produce entirely protein-based polyelectrolyte complexes. The complexes display rich phase behavior, showing sensitivity to charge density, salt concentration, temperature, and charge fraction. We characterize this behavior through a combination of turbidity assays, dynamic light scattering, and transmission electron microscopy. The robust expression profile and stimuli-responsive phase behavior of the intrinsically disordered peptides demonstrates their potential as easily producible, biocompatible substitutes for synthetic polyelectrolytes.

Evaluation of the synergistic impact of needle and forceps biopsy with electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy: the CONFIDENT-ENB trial design.

BACKGROUND: Electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy (ENB) is an emerging advanced imaging-guided bronchoscopy technique for diagnosing peripheral lung lesions. However, the selection strategy for the optimal biopsy device and whether adopting a multi-tool strategy increases the diagnostic yield remains undetermined. The CONFIDENT-ENB trial (NCT05110131) is a prospective randomized study on ENB, performed in a least-invasive setting. The primary aim is to evaluate whether a combination of needle aspiration and forceps biopsy improves the diagnostic performance, and assess the comparative diagnostic value and discordance of the two devices. METHODS: The trial will recruit 142 participants with lung lesions suspected of malignancy who are eligible for an elective ENB procedure under moderate sedation. Participants will undergo ENB-guided needle aspiration and forceps biopsy in a randomized order without the use of any complementary techniques. All participants will be followed up subsequently for up to 12 months to conclude the final diagnosis of the biopsied lesions. Primary outcomes include the diagnostic yield and sensitivity of each biopsy modality and the diagnostic yield of the combined modalities. DISCUSSION: The CONFIDENT-ENB trial will prospectively evaluate the synergistic effectiveness and comparative accuracy of ENB-guided needle aspiration and forceps biopsy in a least-invasive setting. The results are expected to improve our understanding of the optimal tool-selection strategy for ENB. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05110131). Prospectively registered on 5 November 2021.

Does Post-Warming Extended Culture Duration Affect the Clinical and Obstetric Outcomes of Patients of Advanced Maternal Age? A Single-Center Study.

BACKGROUND: The single vitrified-warmed blastocyst transfer (SVBT) cycle has been increasingly utilized for assisted reproductive technology. Women of advanced maternal age (AMA) comprise a significant portion of patients who have undergone 'freeze-all' cycles. This study investigated the association between the post-warming extended culture duration and pregnancy outcomes in patients of AMA. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study analyzed the outcomes of 697 SVBT cycles between January 2016 and December 2017. The cycles were divided into 3 groups based on the age of the female partners: group I: < 35 years (n = 407), group II: 35-37 years (n = 176); and group III, 38-40 years (n = 114). Data are shown as the mean ± standard error of the mean. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA followed by Duncan's multiple range test. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.001. RESULTS: The blastocyst rate, clinical pregnancy rate, and live birth rate (LBR) was significantly lower in the AMA groups. However, there were no significant differences in LBR in the transfer between the AMA and younger groups according to blastocyst morphology and post-warming extended culture duration. CONCLUSION: Post-warming extended culture of blastocysts is not harmful to patients of AMA. It could be a useful parameter in clinical counseling and decision making for fertility treatments.

DNA Transformations for Diagnosis and Therapy.

Due to its unique physical and chemical characteristics, DNA, which is known only as genetic information, has been identified and utilized as a new material at an astonishing rate. The role of DNA has increased dramatically with the advent of various DNA derivatives such as DNA-RNA, DNA-metal hybrids, and PNA, which can be organized into 2D or 3D structures by exploiting their complementary recognition. Due to its intrinsic biocompatibility, self-assembly, tunable immunogenicity, structural programmability, long stability, and electron-rich nature, DNA has generated major interest in electronic and catalytic applications. Based on its advantages, DNA and its derivatives are utilized in several fields where the traditional methodologies are ineffective. Here, the present challenges and opportunities of DNA transformations are demonstrated, especially in biomedical applications that include diagnosis and therapy. Natural DNAs previously utilized and transformed into patterns are not found in nature due to lack of multiplexing, resulting in low sensitivity and high error frequency in multi-targeted therapeutics. More recently, new platforms have advanced the diagnostic ability and therapeutic efficacy of DNA in biomedicine. There is confidence that DNA will play a strong role in next-generation clinical technology and can be used in multifaceted applications.

Carrier transport of all carbonized ß-glucosic eco-materials.

Attempts have been made to bring eco-friendly biomaterials into high-end electronic devices that require both high performance and durability. Polysaccharides, glycosidically linked monosaccharide units, are of particular interest because they serve as a promising material, owing to their environmentally friendly and adaptable features. We used a carbonized polysaccharide eco-material encompassing nanoparticles and chitosan to study the carrier-transport behavior of ß-glucosic materials. Chitosan composites incorporating nanoparticles were prepared and then carbonized to control the crystal structure of the material. Three kinds of metal-insulator-metal devices were fabricated using carbonized materials, and their carrier-transport properties were analyzed. The results showed that the addition of cellulose nano-whiskers (CNWs) into chitosan leads to a more ordered carbon structure, increasing the charge transport in the carbonized material. We anticipate that carbonizing nanoparticle dispersed green composites provides a new pathway for the development of sustainable and environmentally benign material systems.

Improved Sensitivity of Intramolecular Strand Displacement Based on Localization of Probes.

Effective intermolecular interaction is required between probe and target molecules for successful detection of biomarkers. Here, we demonstrate that localization of probes on DNA nanostructures improves detection sensitivity and reaction rate. The structural flexibility of DNA nanostructures enabled frequent intramolecular interactions among the localized probes. The Smoluchowski coagulation method and the coarse-grained molecular dynamic software oxDNA were used for theoretical estimation of inter- and intramolecular behaviors of the DNA nanostructures as well as adequate experiments verifying the improvements in sensitivity with probe localization. Remarkably, the probe-localized DNA nanostructure had an increased sensitivity up to 274 times higher than that of the same probes without localization. We believe this achievement represents a wide applicability as a potential design strategy for robust, reliable, and sensitive biosensors.

Revealing the Presence of a Symbolic Sequence Representing Multiple Nucleotides Based on K-Means Clustering of Oligonucleotides.

In biological systems, a few sequence differences diversify the hybridization profile of nucleotides and enable the quantitative control of cellular metabolism in a cooperative manner. In this respect, the information required for a better understanding may not be in each nucleotide sequence, but representative information contained among them. Existing methodologies for nucleotide sequence design have been optimized to track the function of the genetic molecule and predict interaction with others. However, there has been no attempt to extract new sequence information to represent their inheritance function. Here, we tried to conceptually reveal the presence of a representative sequence from groups of nucleotides. The combined application of the K-means clustering algorithm and the social network analysis theorem enabled the effective calculation of the representative sequence. First, a "common sequence" is made that has the highest hybridization property to analog sequences. Next, the sequence complementary to the common sequence is designated as a 'representative sequence'. Based on this, we obtained a representative sequence from multiple analog sequences that are 8⁻10-bases long. Their hybridization was empirically tested, which confirmed that the common sequence had the highest hybridization tendency, and the representative sequence better alignment with the analogs compared to a mere complementary.

Polymeric Nanocomplex Encapsulating Iron Oxide Nanoparticles in Constant Size for Controllable Magnetic Field Reactivity.

The magnetic properties of nanoparticles make them ideal for using in various applications, especially in biomedical applications. However, the magnetic force generated by a single nanoparticle is low. Herein, we describe the development of nanocomplexes (size of 100 nm) of many iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) encapsulated in poly(lactic- co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) using the simple method of emulsion solvent evaporation. The response of the IONP-encapsulated PLGA nanocomplexes (IPNs) to an external magnetic field could be controlled by modifying the amount of IONPs loaded into each nanocomplex. In a constant size of IPNs, larger loading numbers of IONPs resulted in more rapid responses to a magnetic field. In addition, nanocomplexes were coated with a silica layer to facilitate the addition of fluorescent dyes. This allowed visualization of the responses of the IPNs to an applied magnetic field corresponding to the IONP loading amount. We envision that these versatile, easy-to-fabricate IPNs with controllable magnetism will have important potential applications in diverse fields.

Differences in DNA Probe-Mediated Aggregation Behavior of Gold Nanomaterials Based on Their Geometric Appearance.

Nanoparticles are used extensively to detect nucleic acid biomarkers due to their analytical applicability and sensitivity. Systems employing the surface plasmon resonance of gold nanomaterials are overwhelmingly considered to be candidates. The aggregation of gold nanomaterials mediated by the hybridization of target DNA at the interface causes a change in the surface plasmon resonance inherent in gold nanomaterials. Such changes can be measured by spectroscopy or even visualized by the naked eye, enabling effective and positive detection. The optical properties of gold nanoparticles are affected by their shape. The geometric appearance of the nanoparticles also affects their colloidal stability and aggregation behavior. In this study, we examined the effect of the geometric appearance of gold nanomaterials on DNA-mediated aggregation behavior through comparative experiments. Experimental and theoretical methods were used concurrently to derive accurate results and to support the hypotheses. Coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations were performed with a large-scale atomic/molecular massively parallel simulator to understand the aggregation of nanoparticles with the same surface area and various aspect ratios. As a result, we confirmed that the aggregation sensitivity of nanoparticles was affected by the shape of the contact point with the gold nanomaterials. This study demonstrates that the design of a detection system should be accompanied by an in-depth review of the morphology of the nanoparticle.

Does routine colonoscopy help diagnose familial adenomatous polyposis in patients presenting with desmoid tumors but no gastrointestinal symptoms?

PURPOSE: Desmoid tumor (DT) is a rare myofibroblastic proliferative neoplasm, but can occur in up to 26% of patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP). Therefore, DT may be an extraintestinal manifestation of FAP that precedes the development of advanced malignancies. The aim of this study was to identify the incidence of polyps in DT patients and investigate value of colonoscopy for diagnosis of FAP in DT patients without gastrointestinal symptoms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The records of patients diagnosed with DT were retrospectively reviewed using the clinical data warehouse (CDW) system. Clinical data, including location of tumor, type(s) of treatment, and colonoscopic findings, were collected. RESULTS: Sixty-five patients were diagnosed with DT during the study period; 10 patients received colonoscopies before diagnosis of DT, and 20 patients received colonoscopies after diagnosis of DT. The mean age at diagnosis of DT was 41.9 ± 16.7 years old (range 17-74). Most tumors were extra-abdominal (n = 24, 80.0%), and fewer were intra-abdominal (n = 4, 13.3%) or in an abdominal wall (n = 2, 6.7%). The colonoscopy results revealed one or two tubular adenomas in 11 patients (36.6%), although none of the patients had colorectal polyposis or colorectal cancer. CONCLUSION: None of the patients in our study population had colorectal polyposis. Routine colonoscopy of DT patients without gastrointestinal symptoms seems to have low diagnostic yield for detection of FAP.

Interrater and intrarater reliability of FDI criteria applied to photographs of posterior tooth-colored restorations.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Since 2007, the FDI World Dental Federation (FDI) criteria have been used for the clinical evaluation of dental restorations. However, the reliability of the FDI criteria has not been sufficiently addressed. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess and compare the interrater and intrarater reliability of the FDI criteria by evaluating posterior tooth-colored restorations photographically. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 160 clinical photographs of posterior tooth-colored restorations were evaluated independently by 5 raters with 9 of the FDI criteria suitable for photographic evaluation. The raters recorded the score of each restoration by using 5 grades, and the score was dichotomized into the clinical evaluation scores. After 1 month, 2 of the raters reevaluated the same set of 160 photographs in random order. To estimate the interrater reliability among the 5 raters, the proportion of agreement was calculated, and the Fleiss multirater kappa statistic was used. For the intrarater reliability, the proportion of agreement was calculated, and the Cohen standard kappa statistic was used for each of the 2 raters. RESULTS: The interrater proportion of agreement was 0.41 to 0.57, and the kappa value was 0.09 to 0.39. Overall, the intrarater reliability was higher than the interrater reliability, and rater 1 demonstrated higher intrarater reliability than rater 2. The proportion of agreement and kappa values increased when the 5 scores were dichotomized. The reliability was relatively lower for the esthetic properties compared with the functional or biological properties. CONCLUSIONS: Within the limitations of this study, the FDI criteria presented slight to fair interrater reliability and fair to excellent intrarater reliability in the photographic evaluation of posterior tooth-colored restorations. The reliability was improved by simplifying the evaluation scores.

Disrupted cell cycle arrest and reduced proliferation in corneal fibroblasts from GCD2 patients: a potential role for altered autophagy flux.

This study investigates the role of impaired proliferation, altered cell cycle arrest, and defective autophagy flux of corneal fibroblasts in granular corneal dystrophy type 2 (GCD2) pathogenesis. The proliferation rates of homozygous (HO) GCD2 corneal fibroblasts at 72 h, 96 h, and 120 h were significantly lower (1.102 ± 0.027, 1.397 ± 0.039, and 1.527 ± 0.056, respectively) than those observed for the wild-type (WT) controls (1.441±0.029, 1.758 ± 0.043, and 2.003 ± 0.046, respectively). Flow cytometry indicated a decreased G1 cell cycle progression and the accumulation of cells in the S and G2/M phases in GCD2 cells. These accumulations were associated with decreased levels of Cyclin A1, B1, and E1, and increased expression of p16 and p27. p21 and p53 expression was also significantly lower in GCD2 cells compared to the WT. Interestingly, treatment with the autophagy flux inhibitor, bafilomycin A1, resulted in similarly decreased Cyclin A1, B1, D1, and p53 expression in WT fibroblasts. Furthermore, similar findings, including a decrease in Cyclin A1, B1, and D1 and an increase in p16 and p27 expression were observed in autophagy-related 7 (Atg7; known to be essential for autophagy) gene knockout cells. These data provide new insight concerning the role of autophagy in cell cycle arrest and cellular proliferation, uncovering a number of novel therapeutic possibilities for GCD2 treatment.

An efficacy study on improving balance and gait in subacute stroke patients by balance training with additional motor imagery: a pilot study.

[Purpose] The few studies conducted on subacute stroke patients have focused only on gait function improvement. This study therefore aimed to confirm the effect of balance training with additional motor imagery on balance and gait improvement in subacute stroke patients. [Subjects and Methods] Participants were divided into an experimental or control group. The experimental group received balance training for 20 minutes/day with mental imagery for 10 minutes/day, three days/week, for four weeks. The control group received only balance training for 30 minutes. Before and after the 12 sessions, balance and gait ability were assessed by the researcher and a physical therapist. [Results] After completion of the 4-week intervention, Berg Balance Scale, Timed Up and Go test, Functional Reach Test, and Four Square Step test scores significantly increased in the experimental group. In the control group, Berg Balance Scale and Functional Reach Test scores significantly improved. Changes in the Timed Up and Go test, Functional Reach Test, and Four Square Step Test scores after intervention were significantly higher in the experimental than in the control group. [Conclusion] Specific balance training with additional motor imagery may result in better rehabilitation outcomes of gait and balance ability than balance training alone.

Enhanced Dichroism of Polarizing Composite Films by Embedding Sepiolite.

The present study investigated the use of fibrous nanoparticle-filled polarizing films. Sepiolites were selected as nanoparticles and incorporated into a PVA-iodine complex. The resulting nanocomposite film was elongated and dyed with iodine. Various properties of the nanocomposite polarizing films, including thermal, morphological, optical, and rheological features, were experimentally analyzed. The study demonstrated that an increase in sepiolite loading was accompanied by an enhancement in both the mechanical and viscoelastic properties. In particular, the incorporation of nanoparticles led to an increase in birefringence and the degree of polarization. This was attributed to the alteration of the internal structure of the PVA film caused by the embedded sepiolites. The thermal analysis showed that the composite film with a higher content of sepiolites exhibited higher crystallinity and a higher melting temperature.

Selectivity of Complex Coacervation in Multi-Protein Mixtures.

Liquid-liquid phase separation of biomolecules is increasingly recognized as relevant to various cellular functions, and complex coacervation of biomacromolecules, particularly proteins, is emerging as a key mechanism for this phenomenon. Complex coacervation is also being explored as a potential protein purification method due to its potential scalability, aqueous operation, and ability to produce a highly concentrated product. However, to date most studies of complex coacervation have evaluated the phase behavior of a binary mixture of two oppositely charged macromolecules. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of the phase behavior of complex biological mixtures has yet to be established. To address this, a panel of engineered proteins was designed to allow for quantitative analysis of the complex coacervation of individual proteins within a multi-component mixture. The behavior of individual proteins was evaluated using a defined mixture of proteins that mimics the charge profile of the E. coli proteome. To allow for direct quantification of proteins in each phase, spectrally separated fluorescent proteins were used to construct the protein mixture. From this quantitative analysis, we observed that the coacervation behavior of individual proteins in the mixture was consistent with each other, which was distinctive from the behavior when each protein was evaluated in a single-protein system. Subtle differences in biophysical properties between the proteins became noticeable in the mixture, which allowed us to elucidate parameters for protein complex coacervation. With this understanding, we successfully designed methods to enrich a range of proteins of interest from a mixture of proteins.

Monophosphoryl lipid A and poly I:C combination enhances immune responses of equine influenza virus vaccine.

Equine influenza is a contagious respiratory disease caused by H3N8 type A influenza virus. Vaccination against equine influenza is conducted regularly; however, infection still occurs globally because of the short immunity duration and suboptimal efficacy of current vaccines. Hence the objective of this study was to investigate whether an adjuvant combination can improve immune responses to equine influenza virus (EIV) vaccines. Seventy-two mice were immunized with an EIV vaccine only or with monophosphoryl lipid A (MPL), polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (Poly I:C), or MPL + Poly I:C. Prime immunization was followed by boost immunization after 2 weeks. Mice were euthanized at 4, 8, and 32 weeks post-prime immunization, respectively. Sera were collected to determine humoral response. Bone marrow, spleen, and lung samples were harvested to determine memory cell responses, antigen-specific T-cell proliferation, and lung viral titers. MPL + Poly I:C resulted in the highest IgG, IgG1, and IgG2a antibodies and hemagglutination inhibition titers among the groups and sustained their levels until 32 weeks post-prime immunization. The combination enhanced memory B cell responses in the bone marrow and spleen. At 8 weeks post-prime immunization, the combination induced higher CD8+ central memory T cell frequencies in the lungs and CD8+ central memory T cells in the spleen. In addition, the combination group exhibited enhanced antigen-specific T cell proliferation, except for CD4+ T cells in the lungs. Our results demonstrated improved immune responses when using MPL + Poly I:C in EIV vaccines by inducing enhanced humoral responses, memory cell responses, and antigen-specific T cell proliferation.

The effect of coffee consumption on the development of hepatocellular carcinoma in hepatitis B virus endemic area.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Coffee consumption is inversely related to the risk of cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the protective effect of coffee drinking against the risk of HCC was not established in HBV-prevalent region. To elucidate the relationship between lifetime coffee consumption and the risk of HCC development under the consideration of replication status of HBV. METHODS: A hospital-based case-control study was performed in 1364 subjects. A total of 258 HCC patients, 480 health-check examinees (control 1, HCE) and 626 patients with chronic liver disease other than HCC (control 2, CLD) were interviewed on smoking, alcohol and coffee drinking using a standardized questionnaire. HBV e-antigen (HBeAg) status and serum HBV DNA levels were measured in patients infected with HBV. RESULTS: After adjustment for age, gender, obesity, DM, presence of hepatitis virus (except for HCE) and lifetime alcohol drinking/smoking, a high lifetime coffee consumption (≥20 000 cups) was an independent protective factor against HCC, in each analyses using healthy and risky control groups respectively (HCE group, OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.33-0.95; CLD group, OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.36-0.85). However, the high coffee consumption did not affect the HCC risk in patients with HBV (OR 0.64, 95% CI 0.36-1.14) after adjustment for HBeAg status, serum HBV DNA level and antiviral therapy. CONCLUSIONS: A high lifetime coffee consumption was negatively associated with a HCC development. However, this difference of coffee exposure with the HCC group was reduced in chronic hepatitis B patients by the dominant role of viral replication.

Cellulose Nanocrystal Embedded Composite Foam and Its Carbonization for Energy Application.

In this study, we fabricated a cellulose nanocrystal (CNC)-embedded aerogel-like chitosan foam and carbonized the 3D foam for electrical energy harvesting. The nanocrystal-supported cellulose foam can demonstrate a high surface area and porosity, homogeneous size ranging from various microscales, and a high quality of absorbing external additives. In order to prepare CNC, microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) was chemically treated with sulfuric acid. The CNC incorporates into chitosan, enhancing mechanical properties, crystallization, and generation of the aerogel-like porous structure. The weight percentage of the CNC was 2 wt% in the chitosan composite. The CNC/chitosan foam is produced using the freeze-drying method, and the CNC-embedded CNC/chitosan foam has been carbonized. We found that the degree of crystallization of carbon structure increased, including the CNCs. Both CNC and chitosan are degradable materials when CNC includes chitosan, which can form a high surface area with some typical surface-related morphology. The electrical cyclic voltammetric result shows that the vertical composite specimen had superior electrochemical properties compared to the horizontal composite specimen. In addition, the BET measurement indicated that the CNC/chitosan foam possessed a high porosity, especially mesopores with layer structures. At the same time, the carbonized CNC led to a significant increase in the portion of micropore.

Significance of cytomegalovirus tests after three weeks of life in children with hearing loss.

BACKGROUND: To determine the diagnostic role of viral markers for cytomegalovirus (CMV) when tested after the diagnostically critical period (postnatal 3 weeks) in children with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). METHODS: A retrospective review of 104 subjects who underwent CMV diagnostic tests after the critical period of 3 postnatal three weeks but before 24 months of age. Infants included had not passed universal newborn hearing screening tests in at least one ear and thus underwent obligatory follow up audiology testing as well as either exome sequencing or magnetic resonance imaging in cases of SNHL. Our cohort was classified into four subgroups depending on the results from audiological and etiologic diagnostic tests (genetic and radiological tests): congenital CMV (cCMV)-related SNHL (Group 1, n = 9), SNHL with another clear etiology (Group 2, n = 34), and SNHL classified as neither Group 1 nor 2 (Group 3, n = 18). We added age-matched, normal-hearing children (Group 4, n = 43) as a control group. CMV related viral metrics were compared among these four groups. RESULTS: CMV PCR positivity, PCR titers, and culture positivity successfully differentiated Group 1 from Groups 2 and 4. Group 3 showed values of these parameters that were significantly different from Groups 2 and 4, while being more similar to those in Group 1, suggesting that a substantial portion of Group 3 truly had cCMV deafness. A hypothetical formula was developed to predict cCMV infections using logistic regression analysis. CONCLUSION: This is the first study to propose the clinical significance of CMV test results obtained after 3 weeks post-birth in children with SNHL and to suggest how we can utilize them.