Association of parental depression with adolescent children's psychological well-being and health behaviors.

BACKGROUND: Parental depression is a significant problem that negatively affects parents' welfare and influences family dynamics, children's academic and health behaviors, and mental health. However, there is limited evidence regarding the impact of the parental depression into the children's' psychological and physical wellbeing on Asian cultures. This study examined the psychological burdens and health behaviors of adolescent children with parents with depression in the Republic of Korea. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study using data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) spanning 2013 to 2021 to compare health behaviors and mental health outcomes between 203 adolescent children with parents diagnosed with depression and 3,856 control adolescents aged 12-19 years. RESULTS: Following multivariate adjustments, the risk of depressive mood for more than two weeks was significantly increased in boys with parental depression (adjusted Odds Ratio [aOR] = 2.05, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] = 1.91-3.52) and adolescents with parents with moderate-to-severe depression (aOR = 2.60, 95% CI = 1.17-5.77). Adolescents with parental depression reported significantly worse subjective health status (aOR = 1.88, 95% CI = 1.05-3.36) and higher stress levels (aOR = 1.91, 95% CI = 1.33-2.76). Additionally, when parental depression was present and the time since depression diagnosis was more than five years, adolescents with parental depression exhibited even poorer subjective health status and higher stress levels. CONCLUSIONS: The study found that adolescents whose parents experienced depression had poorer mental health than those whose parents did not have mental health issues. These findings emphasize the importance of providing support for the mental health of adolescents in families affected by parental depression.

Association between body composition and subsequent cardiovascular diseases among 5-year breast cancer survivors.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remain one of the leading causes of mortality in breast cancer survivors. This study aimed to investigate the association between body composition and subsequent CVD in breast cancer survivors. METHODS AND RESULTS: A retrospective cohort study of more than 70 thousand 5-year breast cancer survivors aged 40 years or older was conducted using data from the National Health Insurance Service of South Korea. Based on the percentage of predicted lean body mass (pLBMP), appendicular skeletal muscle mass (pASMP), and body fat mass (pBFMP), which were calculated using prediction equations with anthropometric data and health habits, groups were equally divided into quartiles. The risk of CVD was evaluated using multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression. Compared to those with the lowest pLBMP and pASMP, those with the highest pLBMP and pASMP had a 38% and 42% lower risk of CVD, respectively. In contrast, those with the highest pBFMP had a 57% higher risk of CVD compared to those with the lowest pBFMP. Each 1 % increase in pLBMP and pASMP was associated with a decreased risk of CVD [pLBMP, adjusted hazard ratio (aHR): 0.96, 95% CI 0.94-0.98, p < 0.05; pASMP, aHR: 0.91, 95% CI 0.87-0.95, p < 0.05] while each 1 % increase in pBFMP was associated with the increased risk of CVD (aHR: 1.05, 95% CI 1.03-1.07, p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: In this cohort study, a high pLBMP, a high pASMP, and a low pBFMP were associated with a lower risk of CVD.

Epidemiology and treatment outcome of ANCA-associated vasculitis in South Korea: a nationwide, population-based cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the epidemiological features of granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) and microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) in South Korea. METHODS: We identified the index cases of GPA and MPA using the 2010-2018 Korean National Health Insurance Service database and the Rare Intractable Disease registry for the entire Korean population. Each disease's incidence and prevalence rates and trends over time were analysed. To assess the impact of disease on morbidity and mortality, a comparator group comprising the general population was established using nearest-neighbour matching by age, sex, income, and comorbidity index, at a 5:1 ratio. Morbidity outcomes included the initiation of renal replacement therapy and admission to the intensive care unit. RESULTS: We identified 546 and 795 patients with GPA and MPA, respectively. The incidence rates of both diseases increased with age, with peak incidence rates observed among patients aged ≥70 years. The incidence of MPA increased continuously over time, whereas that of GPA showed no significant changes. During the observation period, 132 (28.7%) and 277 (41.1%) patients in the GPA and MPA groups, respectively, died, which were significantly higher than that in the general population (standardised mortality ratio: 3.53 and 5.58, respectively) and comparator group (hazard ratio: 4.02 and 5.64, respectively). Higher mortality and morbidity rates were observed among patients with MPA than among those with GPA. CONCLUSIONS: In South Korea, the incidence of MPA has increased over time. Although both GPA and MPA had high rates of mortality and morbidity, MPA has a poorer prognosis than GPA.

Associations of cholecystectomy with metabolic health changes and incident cardiovascular disease: a retrospective cohort study.

Although some studies conducted about the risk of cholecystectomy and cardiovascular disease, there was a limit to explaining the relationship. We investigated the short-term and long-term relationship between cholecystectomy and cardiovascular disease, and evidence using the elements of the metabolic index as an intermediate step. It was a retrospective cohort study and we used the National Health Insurance Service database of South Korea between 2002 and 2015. Finally, 5,210 patients who underwent cholecystectomy and 49,457 at 1:10 age and gender-matched controls of subjects were collected. The main results was estimated by Multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression to calculate the hazard ratio (HR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) for risk of cardiovascular disease after cholecystectomy. Regarding short-term effects of cholecystectomy, increased risk of cardiovascular disease (aHR 1.35, 95% CI 1.15-1.58) and coronary heart disease (aHR 1.77, 95% CI 1.44-2.16) were similarly seen within 2 years of surgery. When analyzing the change in metabolic risk factors, cholecystectomy was associated with a change in systolic blood pressure (adjusted mean [aMean]: 1.51, 95% CI: [- 1.50 to - 4.51]), total cholesterol (aMean - 14.14, [- 20.33 to 7.95]) and body mass index (aMean - 0.13, [- 0.37 to 0.11]). Cholecystectomy patients had elevated risk of cardiovascular disease in the short-term, possibly due to the characteristics of the patient before surgery. The association of cholecystectomy and cardiovascular disease has decreased after 2 years in patients who underwent cholecystectomy, suggesting that because of improvement of metabolic health, cholecystectomy-associated elevation of cardiovascular disease risk may be ameliorated 2 years after cholecystectomy.

Changes in body composition and subsequent cardiovascular disease risk among 5-year breast cancer survivors.

Introduction: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a leading cause of death in breast cancer survivors, a growing population. The aim of this study was to determine whether changes in body composition, commonly observed in breast cancer survivors, is associated with subsequent CVD risk. Methods: This cohort study used the Korean National Health Insurance Service database. The study population included 73,271 5-year breast cancer survivors aged 40 years or above. To assess changes in body composition and its effect on the risk of CVD, validated prediction equations and multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression were used. Changes in metabolic markers (blood pressure, total cholesterol, and fasting serum glucose) according to changes in body composition were calculated by multiple linear regression. Results: Having persistently high predicted lean body and appendicular skeletal muscle mass percentages (LBMP and ASMP, respectively) among breast cancer survivors was associated with 32% and 40% lower CVD risks than a persistently low predicted LBMP or ASMP, respectively. Conversely, persistently high predicted body fat mass percentage (BFMP) was associated with a higher CVD risk than persistently low predicted BFMP. Additionally, those with a low to high change in predicted BFMP had a higher risk of CVD than those with persistently low predicted BFMP. Changes in body composition were accompanied by changes in metabolic markers. Discussion: Maintaining high percentages of lean body and appendicular skeletal muscle mass and preventing an increase in fat mass may be beneficial in preventing CVD in breast cancer survivors.

Suppressing cancer by damaging cancer cell DNA using LED irradiation.

BACKGROUND: High-energy irradiation eliminates cancer cells by destroying their genetic components. However, there are several side effects from doing this, such as fatigue, dermatitis, and hair loss, which remain obstacles to this treatment. Here, we propose a moderate method that uses low-energy white light from a light-emitting diode (LED) to selectively inhibit cancer cell proliferation without affecting normal cells. METHODS: The association between LED irradiation and cancer cell growth arrest was evaluated based on cell proliferation, viability, and apoptotic activity. Immunofluorescence, polymerase chain reaction, and western blotting were performed in vitro and in vivo to identify the metabolism related to the inhibition of HeLa cell proliferation. RESULTS: LED irradiation aggravated the defective p53 signaling pathway and induced cell growth arrest in cancer cells. Consequently, cancer cell apoptosis was induced by the increased DNA damage. Additionally, LED irradiation inhibited the proliferation of cancer cells by suppressing the MAPK pathway. Furthermore, the suppression of cancer growth by the regulation of p53 and MAPK was observed in cancer-bearing mice irradiated with LED. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that LED irradiation can suppress cancer cell activity and may contribute to preventing the proliferation of cancer cells after medical surgery without causing side effects.

Association between the dual use of electronic and conventional cigarettes and NAFLD status in Korean men.

INTRODUCTION: This study investigated the association between smoking types, including dual use (usage of both combustible cigarettes and e-cigarettes), and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) status in Korean men. METHODS: Data from the 7th and 8th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 2016-2020 were used. The presence of NAFLD was defined by the respective cut-off values for the Hepatic Steatosis Index (HSI), NAFLD Ridge Score (NRS), and Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey NAFLD score (KNS). Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to determine the associations between smoking types and NAFLD as determined by HSI, NRS, and KNS. RESULTS: After adjustment for confounders, an independent association was observed between dual use and NAFLD (HSI: AOR=1.47; 95% CI: 1.08-1.99, p=0.014; NRS: AOR=2.21; 95% CI: 1.70-2.86, p=0.000; KNS: AOR=1.35; 95% CI: 1.01-1.81, p=0.045). Cigarette only smokers also had significantly higher odds of NAFLD compared to never smokers for all of the NAFLD indices (HSI: AOR=1.22; 95% CI: 1.05-1.42, p=0.008; NRS: AOR=2.13; 95% CI: 1.87-2.42, p=0.000; KNS: AOR=1.33; 95% CI: 1.14-1.55, p=0.000). In subgroup analyses, no significant interaction effects were found for age, BMI, alcohol consumption, income, physical activity, and the diagnosis of T2DM. Moreover, cigarette only smokers and dual users differed significantly in terms of log-transformed urine cotinine and pack-years. The relationship between smoking type and pack-years was attenuated after stratification by age. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that the dual use of e-cigarettes and combustible cigarettes is associated with NAFLD. Age differences may explain why dual users, with a greater proportion of young people, appear to have fewer pack-years than cigarette only smokers. Further research should be conducted to investigate the adverse effects of dual use on hepatic steatosis.

Increasing angiogenic efficacy of conditioned medium using light stimulation of human adipose-derived stem cells.

Conditioned medium (CM) contains various therapeutic molecules produced by cells. However, the low concentration of therapeutic molecules in CM is a major challenge for successful tissue regeneration. Here, we aim to develop a CM enriched in angiogenic paracrine factors for the treatment of ischemic diseases. Combining spheroidal culture and light irradiation significantly upregulates the angiogenic factor expression in human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSCs). Spheroids of light-irradiated hADSCs (SR group) show significantly enhanced expression of angiogenic paracrine factors compared with spheroids without light stimulation. Enhanced viability, migration, and angiogenesis are observed in cells treated with CM derived from the SR group. Furthermore, we performed in vivo experiments using a mouse hindlimb ischemia model; the results demonstrate that CM derived from densely cultured spheroids of light-irradiated hADSCs induced increased angiogenesis in vivo. In conclusion, our proposed approach of using light to stimulate stem cells may overcome the major drawbacks of CM-based therapies.

Health Effects Associated With Humidifier Disinfectant Use: A Systematic Review for Exploration.

BACKGROUND: It has been 10 years since the outbreak of lung disease caused by humidifier disinfectants in Korea, but the health effects have not yet been summarized. Therefore, this study aims to systematically examine the health effects of humidifier disinfectants that have been discovered so far. METHODS: All literature with humidifier disinfectants and their representative components as the main words were collected based on the web, including PubMed, Research Information Sharing Service, and government publication reports. A total of 902 studies were searched, of which 196 were selected. They were divided into four groups: published human studies (group 1), published animal and cytotoxicology studies (group 2), technical reports (group 3), and gray literature (group 4). RESULTS: Out of the 196 studies, 97 (49.5%) were published in peer-reviewed journals as original research. Group 1 consisted of 49 articles (50.5%), while group 2 consisted of 48 articles (49.5%). Overall, respiratory diseases such as humidifier disinfectant associated lung injury, interstitial lung disease, and asthma have a clear correlation, but other effects such as liver, heart, thymus, thyroid, fetal growth, metabolic abnormalities, and eyes are observed in toxicological experimental studies, but have not yet been identified in epidemiologic studies. CONCLUSION: The current level of evidence does not completely rule out the effects of humidifier disinfectants on extrapulmonary disease. Based on the toxicological evidence so far, it is required to monitor the population of humidifier disinfectant exposure continuously to see if similar damage occurs.

Development of pH-Responsive Polymer Coating as an Alternative to Enzyme-Based Stem Cell Dissociation for Cell Therapy.

Cell therapy usually accompanies cell detachment as an essential process in cell culture and cell collection for transplantation. However, conventional methods based on enzymatic cell detachment can cause cellular damage including cell death and senescence during the routine cell detaching step due to an inappropriate handing. The aim of the current study is to apply the pH-responsive degradation property of poly (amino ester) to the surface of a cell culture dish to provide a simple and easy alternative method for cell detachment that can substitute the conventional enzyme treatment. In this study, poly (amino ester) was modified (cell detachable polymer, CDP) to show appropriate pH-responsive degradation under mild acidic conditions (0.05% (w/v) CDP, pH 6.0) to detach stem cells (human adipose tissue-derived stem cells (hADSCs)) perfectly within a short period (less than 10 min). Compared to conventional enzymatic cell detachment, hADSCs cultured on and detached from a CDP-coated cell culture dish showed similar cellular properties. We further performed in vivo experiments on a mouse hindlimb ischemia model (1.0 × 106 cells per limb). The in vivo results indicated that hADSCs retrieved from normal cell culture dishes and CDP-coated cell culture dishes showed analogous therapeutic angiogenesis. In conclusion, CDP could be applied to a pH-responsive cell detachment system as a simple and easy nonenzymatic method for stem cell culture and various cell therapies.

The effect of knee flexion angles and ground conditions on the muscle activation of the lower extremity in the squat position.

[Purpose] The purpose of this study is to research the most effective knee flexion angle and ground condition in the squat position. [Subjects and Methods] The subjects of this study were 15 female college students who were able to perform squat movements and who had never previously experienced surgery, orthopedic disease, or musculoskeletal impairment. This study was conducted to examine changes of muscle activation of low-extremity muscles at different knee flexion angles of 70°, 90°, and 100°. Balance Pad (Aero Step, TOGU, Germany) was used as unstable ground. Surface electromyogram (4D-MT & EMD-11, Relive, Korea) was used for measuring muscle activation. Measured muscles were vastus medialis, biceps femoris, tibialis anterior, and gastrocnemius. Muscle activation was determined by the root mean square (RMS). [Results] There was a difference in muscle activation of the vastus medialis and tibialis anterior according to the change of the knee flexion angle with the stable ground. However, there was no difference in muscle activation of the lower extremity muscles according to the change of the knee flexion angle with the unstable ground. [Conclusion] These results suggest that changes in the angle of the knee flexion with the stable ground affect the muscle activation of the vastus medialis and tibialis anterior. It was found that as the joint angle increases, muscle activation also increases. However, ground condition does not affect muscle activation.

Usefulness of polyetheretherketone (PEEK) cage with plate augmentation for anterior arthrodesis in traumatic cervical spine injury.

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Even though many clinical reports about cages have been documented in patients with degenerative disorders, reports were scarce for traumatic injury cases, and those cases using metal cages were restricted to only one-level injury. PURPOSE: To evaluate the usefulness of polyetheretherketone (PEEK) cage and plate construction in anterior interbody fusions (AIF) for traumatic cervical spine injuries by analyzing radiographic changes and clinical outcomes. STUDY DESIGN/SETTING: Retrospective study. PATIENT SAMPLE: Fifty-eight patients (91 levels) underwent cage and plate construction for treatment of traumatic cervical spine injury. OUTCOME MEASURES: The fusion rate, fusion time, changes of Cobb angle, subsidence rate, and adjacent level changes were assessed as a radiographic outcome. Clinical analysis includes the recovery rate on the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) impairment scale and the presence of the complications. METHODS: We evaluated 58 patients (91 levels) who underwent surgery and had at least 24 months in follow-up study. Radiographic evaluation included the assessment of interbody fusion rate, fusion time, changes of Cobb angle, subsidence rate, and adjacent level changes. Clinical assessment was done by analyzing recovery state of ASIA impairment scale from preoperative period to the last follow-up and by evaluating complications. RESULTS: Fifty-four cases showed bony fusion within 3 months after the surgery. The mean Cobb angle between the vertebral bodies was 2.54 degrees before operation, 9.13 degrees after operation, and 8.39 degrees at the latest follow-up. The mean intervertebral disc height was increased by 3.01 mm after the operation, but the mean height was 2.17 mm shorter at the last follow-up than after postoperation. In terms of clinical results, five Grade A cases and one Grade B case as assessed by the ASIA impairment scale were unchanged until the last follow-up. Twenty-three cases of Grade C, 16 cases of Grade D, and 13 cases of Grade E improved to seven cases, 26 cases, and 19 cases, respectively. Three cases went through additional surgery, two posterior fusions for delayed union and posterior instability and one AIF for adjacent level disease. CONCLUSION: The PEEK cage and additional plate fixation is a surgical procedure that decreases donor site morbidity, obtains high fusion rate with rigid fixation, and provides satisfactory clinical outcome for traumatic cervical spine injuries, regardless of the numbers of the involved levels.

The relationship between spinal stenosis and neurological outcome in traumatic cervical spine injury: an analysis using Pavlov's ratio, spinal cord area, and spinal canal area.

BACKGROUND: This study examined the relationship between four radiological parameters (Pavlov's ratio, sagittal diameter, spinal cord area, and spinal canal area) in patients with a traumatic cervical spine injury, as well as the correlation between these parameters and the neurological outcome. METHODS: A total of 212 cervical spinal levels in 53 patients with a distractive-extension injury were examined. The following four parameters were measured: Pavlov's ratio on the plain lateral radiographs, the sagittal diameter, the spinal cord area, and the spinal canal area on the MRI scans. The Pearson correlation coefficients between the parameters at each level and between the levels of each parameter were evaluated. The correlation between the radiological parameters and the spinal cord injury status classified into four categories, A (complete), B (incomplete), C (radiculopathy), and D (normal) was assessed. RESULTS: The mean Pavlov's ratio, sagittal diameter, spinal cord area and spinal canal area was 0.84, 12.9 mm, 82.8 mm(2) and 236.8 mm(2), respectively. An examination of the correlation between the radiological spinal stenosis and clinical spinal cord injury revealed an increase in the values of the four radiological parameters from cohorts A to D. Pavlov's ratio was the only parameter showing statistically significant correlation with the clinical status (p = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: There was a correlation between the underlying spinal stenosis and the development of neurological impairment after a traumatic cervical spine injury. In addition, it is believed that Pavlov's ratio can be used to help determine and predict the neurological outcome.