Comparing the efficacy of combined versus single immune cell adaptive therapy targeting colorectal cancer

Purpose@#Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the most frequent cancer with limited therapeutic achievements. Recently, adoptive cellular immunotherapy has been developed as an antitumor therapy. However, its efficacy has not been tested in CRC. This study investigated the ability of an immune cell cocktail of dendritic cells (DCs), T cells, and natural killer (NK) cells to overcome immunological hurdles and improve the therapeutic efficacy of cell therapy for CRC. @*Methods@#CRC lysate-pulsed monocyte-derived DCs (Mo-DCs), CRC antigen-specifically expanded T cells (CTL), and in vitro-expanded NK cells were cultured from patient peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). The ability of the combined immune cells to kill autologous tumor cells was investigated by co-culturing the combined immune cells with patient-derived tumor cells. @*Results@#The Mo-DCs produced expressed T cell co-stimulating molecules like CD80, CD86, human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DR and HLA-ABC, at high levels and were capable of activating naive T cells. The expanded T cells were predominantly CD8 T cells with high levels of CD8 effector memory cells and low levels of regulatory T cells. The NK cells expressed high levels of activating receptors and were capable of killing other cancer cell lines (K562 and HT29). The immune cell cocktail demonstrated a higher ability to kill autologous tumor cells than single types. An in vivo preclinical study confirmed the safety of the combined immune cell adaptive therapy showing no therapy-related death or general toxicity symptoms. @*Conclusion@#The results suggested that combined immune cell adaptive therapy could overcome the limited efficacy of cell immunotherapy.

Comparative Interrupted Time Series Analysis of Direct Medical Expense and Length of Stay in Elderly Patients with Femoral Neck Fractures Who Underwent Total Hip Arthroplasty and Hemiarthroplasty: A Real World Nationwide Database Study

Background@#The objective of our study was to analyze the postoperative direct medical expenses and hospital lengths of stay (LOS) of elderly patients who had undergone either hemiarthroplasty (HA) or total hip arthroplasty (THA) for femoral neck fractures and to determine the indication of THA by comparing those variables between the 2 groups by time. @*Methods@#In this comparative large-sample cohort study, we analyzed data from the 2011 to 2018 Korean National Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service database. The included patients were defined as elderly individuals aged 60 years or older who underwent HA or THA for a femoral neck fracture. A 1:1 risk-set matching was performed on the propensity score, using a nearest-neighbor matching algorithm with a maximum caliper of 0.01 of the hazard components. In comparative interrupted time series analysis, time series were constructed using the time unit of one-quarter before and after 3 years from time zero. For the segmented regression analysis, we utilized a generalized linear model with a gamma distribution and logarithmic link function. @*Results@#A total of 4,246 patients who received THA were matched and included with 4,246 control patients who underwent HA. Although there was no statistically significant difference in direct medical expense and hospital LOS for the first 6 months after surgery, direct medical expenses and hospital LOS in THA were relatively reduced compared to the HA up to 24 months after surgery (p < 0.05). In the subgroup analysis, the THA group’s hospital LOS decreased significantly compared to that of the HA group during the 7 to 36 months postoperative period in the 65 ≤ age < 80 age group (p < 0.05). Direct medical expenses of the THA group significantly decreased compared to those of the HA group during the period from 7 to 24 months after surgery in the men group (p < 0.05). @*Conclusions@#When performing THA in elderly patients with femoral neck fractures, the possibility of survival for at least 2 years should be considered from the perspective of medical expense and medical utilization. Additionally, in healthy and active male femoral neck fracture patients under the age of 80 years, THA may be more recommended than HA.

Immune Cells Are DifferentiallyAffected by SARS-CoV-2 Viral Loads in K18-hACE2 Mice

Viral load and the duration of viral shedding of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are important determinants of the transmission of coronavirus disease 2019.In this study, we examined the effects of viral doses on the lung and spleen of K18-hACE2 transgenic mice by temporal histological and transcriptional analyses. Approximately, 1×105 plaque-forming units (PFU) of SARS-CoV-2 induced strong host responses in the lungs from 2 days post inoculation (dpi) which did not recover until the mice died, whereas responses to the virus were obvious at 5 days, recovering to the basal state by 14 dpi at 1×102 PFU. Further, flow cytometry showed that number of CD8+ T cells continuously increased in 1×102 PFU-virusinfected lungs from 2 dpi, but not in 1×105 PFU-virus-infected lungs. In spleens, responses to the virus were prominent from 2 dpi, and number of B cells was significantly decreased at 1×105PFU; however, 1×102 PFU of virus induced very weak responses from 2 dpi which recovered by 10 dpi. Although the defense responses returned to normal and the mice survived, lung histology showed evidence of fibrosis, suggesting sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Our findings indicate that specific effectors of the immune response in the lung and spleen were either increased or depleted in response to doses of SARS-CoV-2. This study demonstrated that the response of local and systemic immune effectors to a viral infection varies with viral dose, which either exacerbates the severity of the infection or accelerates its elimination.

Impact of Physical Activity on the Association Between Unhealthy Adolescent Behaviors and Anxiety Among Korean Adolescents: A Cross-sectional Study / 예방의학회지

Objectives@#Adolescents who engage in unhealthy behaviors are particularly vulnerable to anxiety. We hypothesized that participation in physical activity could influence the relationship between anxiety and unhealthy behaviors in adolescents. These behaviors include smoking, alcohol consumption, and unsafe sexual activity. @*Methods@#This study included 50 301 students from the first year of middle school to the third year of high school, all from Korea. The unhealthy adolescent behaviors examined included current alcohol consumption, current smoking, and unsafe sexual behavior. Anxiety levels were assessed using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 questionnaire (GAD-7). @*Results@#The participants had a mean age of 15.19 years and an average GAD-7 score of 4.23. No significant differences were observed in GAD-7 score among exercising participants when categorized by smoking status (p=0.835) or unsafe sexual behavior (p=0.489). In contrast, participants in the non-exercise group who engaged in these behaviors demonstrated significantly higher GAD-7 scores (p<0.001 and 0.016, respectively). The only significant interaction was found between unsafe sexual behavior and exercise (p=0.009). Based on logistic regression analysis, within the non-exercise group, significant positive associations were observed between current smoking and anxiety (odds ratio [OR], 1.36; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.18 to 1.57), as well as between unsafe sexual behavior and anxiety (OR, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.73). However, within the exercise group, no significant association was found between anxiety and either smoking or unsafe sexual behavior. Furthermore, no significant interaction was observed between unhealthy behaviors and exercise. @*Conclusions@#These findings are insufficient to conclude that physical activity influences the relationship between unhealthy behaviors and anxiety.

How Does Medical Policy on the Use of Prophylactic Antibiotics Affect Medical Costs, Length of Hospital Stay, and Antibiotic Use in Orthopedics?

Purpose@#The purpose of this study was to compare patients who had undergone spine surgery (SS) and hip arthroplasty surgery (HAS) and to analyze how medical policies drawn from “The Evaluation of the Appropriate Use of Prophylactic Antibiotics” have affected length of hospital stay (LOS), direct medical costs (DMC), and the duration of antibiotics use in Korea. @*Materials and Methods@#This retrospective nationwide study identified subjects from the Korean National Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service database from January, 2011 to December, 2018. Evaluation of HAS (control group) was implemented in 2007, and that for SS (case group) was conducted for the first time in 2014 (intervention time). In our comparative interrupted time series analysis, we compared DMC, LOS, and use of antibiotics between both groups. @*Results@#177468 patients who underwent SS and 89372 patients who underwent HAS were included in the study. In 2016, DMC increased for HAS, compared to SS, by 1.03 times (p=0.041). However, cost changes during other observational periods for SS were not higher than those for HAS (p>0.05). SS incurred a reduced LOS of 3% in the first 2 years (p<0.05). Thereafter, LOS changes in SS were not smaller than those in HAS. A decrease in the usage of total antibiotics and broad spectrum antibiotics was observed for 5 years. @*Conclusion@#This medical policy was effective in terms of reducing usage and duration of antibiotics use, especially in the first 2 years after the implementation of the policy.

Laboratory information management system for COVID-19 non-clinical efficacy trial data / 한국실험동물학회지

Background@#As the number of large-scale studies involving multiple organizations producing data has steadily increased, an integrated system for a common interoperable format is needed. In response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, a number of global efforts are underway to develop vaccines and therapeutics. We are therefore observing an explosion in the proliferation of COVID-19 data, and interoperability is highly requested in multiple institutions participating simultaneously in COVID-19 pandemic research. @*Results@#In this study, a laboratory information management system (LIMS) approach has been adopted to systemically manage various COVID-19 non-clinical trial data, including mortality, clinical signs, body weight, body temperature, organ weights, viral titer (viral replication and viral RNA), and multiorgan histopathology, from multiple institutions based on a web interface. The main aim of the implemented system is to integrate, standardize, and organize data collected from laboratories in multiple institutes for COVID-19 non-clinical efficacy testings. Six animal biosafety level 3 institutions proved the feasibility of our system. Substantial benefits were shown by maximizing collaborative high-quality non-clinical research. @*Conclusions@#This LIMS platform can be used for future outbreaks, leading to accelerated medical product development through the systematic management of extensive data from non-clinical animal studies.

Efficacy of local hyaluronidase administration in guided bone regeneration surgery: a randomized controlled trial

Objectives@#Hyaluronoglucosaminidase (hyaluronidase) increases the local intercellular permeability of the peripheral lymphatic channel and capillaries, which may help reduce edema. In the present study, the effects of hyaluronidase on postoperative edema and pain reduction were evaluated. @*Materials and Methods@#The study included 38 patients who underwent guided bone regeneration (GBR) surgery before implantation. Patients were randomly assigned to either the control group (n=20) or the test group (n=18). Hyaluronidase was injected into the GBR site of subjects in the test group. Postoperative edema was evaluated by measuring the distance between specific facial landmarks immediately after surgery (T1) and 2-4 days after surgery (T2). The degree of pain at T2 and at 10-14 days after surgery (T3) was assessed. @*Results@#In the test group, the degree of swelling was lower than in the control group, however, only two measurements, from the tragus to the mouth corner and from the outer canthus to the mouth corner, showed statistically significant differences (P=0.012 and P=0.001, respectively). The antiedema effect of hyaluronidase was more effective in the maxilla than in the mandible. In the maxilla, the percentage of facial swelling was significant for three measurements. However, in the mandible, the percentage of facial swelling was significant for only one measurement. Low levels of pain that were similar at T2 and T3 were reported in both groups. @*Conclusion@#The results indicate the degree of swelling was lower in the test group and hyaluronidase appeared to be more effective in the maxilla. The degree of pain reduction was similar between groups. Further in vivo and randomized controlled trials with larger sample sizes are warranted.

Efficacy of local hyaluronidase administration in guided bone regeneration surgery: a randomized controlled trial

Objectives@#Hyaluronoglucosaminidase (hyaluronidase) increases the local intercellular permeability of the peripheral lymphatic channel and capillaries, which may help reduce edema. In the present study, the effects of hyaluronidase on postoperative edema and pain reduction were evaluated. @*Materials and Methods@#The study included 38 patients who underwent guided bone regeneration (GBR) surgery before implantation. Patients were randomly assigned to either the control group (n=20) or the test group (n=18). Hyaluronidase was injected into the GBR site of subjects in the test group. Postoperative edema was evaluated by measuring the distance between specific facial landmarks immediately after surgery (T1) and 2-4 days after surgery (T2). The degree of pain at T2 and at 10-14 days after surgery (T3) was assessed. @*Results@#In the test group, the degree of swelling was lower than in the control group, however, only two measurements, from the tragus to the mouth corner and from the outer canthus to the mouth corner, showed statistically significant differences (P=0.012 and P=0.001, respectively). The antiedema effect of hyaluronidase was more effective in the maxilla than in the mandible. In the maxilla, the percentage of facial swelling was significant for three measurements. However, in the mandible, the percentage of facial swelling was significant for only one measurement. Low levels of pain that were similar at T2 and T3 were reported in both groups. @*Conclusion@#The results indicate the degree of swelling was lower in the test group and hyaluronidase appeared to be more effective in the maxilla. The degree of pain reduction was similar between groups. Further in vivo and randomized controlled trials with larger sample sizes are warranted.

Association between soluble forms of the receptor for advanced glycation end products and periodontal disease: a retrospective study

Objectives@#Periodontitis is the most common chronic disease that causes tooth loss and is related to systemic diseases such as cardiovascular dis-ease and diabetes. An objective indicator of the current activity of periodontitis is necessary. Soluble forms of the receptor for advanced glycation endproducts (sRAGE) are markers that reflect the status of inflammatory diseases. In this study, the relationship between sRAGE and periodontitis was analyzed to determine whether it can be used to diagnose the current state of periodontitis. @*Patients and Methods@#Eighty-four patients without any systemic diseases were diagnosed with periodontitis using three classifications of periodontitis. Demographics and oral examination data such as plaque index (PI), bleeding on probing (BOP) index, and probing pocket depth (PPD) were analyzed according to each classification. In addition, correlation and partial correlation between sRAGE and the values indicating periodontitis were analyzed. @*Results@#In each classification, the level of sRAGE tended to decrease if periodontitis was present or severe, but this change was not statistically significant. sRAGE and periodontitis-related variables exhibited a weak correlation, among which the BOP index showed a relatively strong negative cor-relation (ρ=–0.20). Based on this, on analyzing the correlation between the BOP index and sRAGE in the group with more severe periodontitis (PPD≥5 mm group, severe group of AAP/CDC [American Academy of Periodontology/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention], periodontitis group of López), the correlation further increased (ρ=–0.23, –0.40, –0.50). Partial correlation analysis of the sRAGE and BOP index showed a stronger negative correlation (ρ=–0.36, –0.55, –0.45). @*Conclusion@#sRAGE demonstrated a tendency to decrease upon increased severity of periodontitis according to the classifications used. Above all, the correlation with the BOP index, which reflects the current state of periodontitis, was higher in the group with severe periodontitis. This indicates that the current status of periodontitis can be diagnosed through sRAGE.

Clinical Perspectives of Parkinson's Disease for Ophthalmologists, Otorhinolaryngologists, Cardiologists, Dentists, Gastroenterologists, Urologists, Physiatrists, and Psychiatrists

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a multisystemic disorder characterized by various non-motor symptoms (NMS) in addition to motor dysfunction. NMS include sleep, ocular, olfactory, throat, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, or musculoskeletal disorders. A range of NMS, particularly hyposmia, sleep disturbances, constipation, and depression, can even appear prior to the motor symptoms of PD. Because NMS can affect multiple organs and result in major disabilities, the recognition and multidisciplinary and collaborative management of NMS by physicians is essential for patients with PD. Therefore, the aim of this review article is to provide an overview of the organs that are affected by NMS in PD together with a brief review of pathophysiology and treatment options.

Erratum: Text in Figure 1A. Factors affecting treatment outcomes in patients with oral lichen planus lesions: a retrospective study of 113 cases

In the original publication of this article, there was a typo error in Figure 1A.

Surgical extrusion of a maxillary premolar after orthodontic extrusion: a retrospective study

OBJECTIVES@#Crown-root fracture and cervical caries in maxillary premolars constitute a challenge in cases of subgingival placement of restoration margins. Surgical extrusion has been practiced successfully in permanent anterior teeth. The aim of the present retrospective study was to assess the clinical outcome of surgical extrusion after orthodontic extrusion in maxillary premolars.@*MATERIALS AND METHODS@#Twenty-one single, tapered root maxillary premolars with subgingival crown-root fracture or caries were included. Presurgical orthodontic extrusion was performed on all teeth to prevent root resorption. Extent of extrusion and rotation was determined based on crown/root ratio. The postoperative splinting period was 7 to 14 days. Clinical and radiographic examination was performed at an interval of 1, 2, and 3 months.@*RESULTS@#After the mean follow-up of 41.9±15.2 months, failure was observed as increased mobility in 3 of 21 cases. No significant difference was observed in the outcome of surgical extrusion based on tooth type, age, sex, 180° rotation, or time for extraction. Furthermore, marginal bone loss was not observed.@*CONCLUSION@#Surgical extrusion of maxillary premolars can be a possible therapeutic option in cases of subgingival crown-root fracture.

Classification of Common Relationships Based on Short Tandem Repeat Profiles Using Data Mining / 대한법의학회지

We reviewed past studies on the identification of familial relationships using 22 short tandem repeat markers. As a result, we can obtain a high discrimination power and a relatively accurate cut-off value in parent-child and full sibling relationships. However, in the case of pairs of uncle-nephew or cousin, we found a limit of low discrimination power of the likelihood ratio (LR) method. Therefore, we compare the LR ranking method and data mining techniques (e.g., logistic regression, linear discriminant analysis, diagonal linear discriminant analysis, diagonal quadratic discriminant analysis, K-nearest neighbor, classification and regression trees, support vector machines, random forest [RF], and penalized multivariate analysis) that can be applied to identify familial relationships, and provide a guideline for choosing the most appropriate model under a given situation. RF, one of the data mining techniques, was found to be more accurate than other methods. The accuracy of RF is 99.99% for parent-child, 99.44% for full siblings, 90.34% for uncle-nephew, and 79.69% for first cousins.

Impact of sleep quality on clinical features of primary Sjögren's syndrome

BACKGROUND/AIMS@#This study aimed to investigate the inf luence of poor sleep quality on clinical features of primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS).@*METHODS@#Sleep quality was cross-sectionally assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were collected from 115 Korean patients with pSS. The patients completed questionnaires on the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) SS Patient Reported Index (ESSPRI), quality of life (EuroQOL five dimensions questionnaire [EQ-5D]), fatigue (fatigue severity score [FSS]), and depression (Beck Depression Inventory [BDI] II]). Symptoms and patient global assessment (PGA) were evaluated with a 100-mm visual analogue scale (VAS). The EULAR sicca score (ESS), ESSPRI, and EULAR SS Disease Activity Index (ESSDAI) were calculated at study enrollment.@*RESULTS@#Fifty-three patients (46.1%) had poor sleep quality and 32.4% of 71 patients without depression were poor sleepers. Poor sleepers had a significantly lower EQ-5D or ESSDAI and a significantly higher FSS, BDI-II, PGA, ESS, ESSPRI, or VAS scores for extra-glandular symptoms than good sleepers. Neutrophil and lymphocyte counts were significantly higher and immunoglobulin G levels tended to decrease in poor sleepers. Additionally, PSQI was negatively correlated with EQ-5D and ESSDAI and positively with ESS, FSS, BDI-II, PGA, VAS scores for their symptoms, and ESSPRI. Multivariate analysis revealed that poor sleep quality remained the independent determinants of the unsatisfactory symptom state (ESSPRI ≥ 5).@*CONCLUSIONS@#Our results showed that poor sleep quality could significantly affect the patient-oriented outcomes and physician-reported activity index of pSS patients through the various effects of sleep quality on the psychological or somatic symptoms and the immune system.

Classification of Common Relationships Based on Short Tandem Repeat Profiles Using Data Mining / 대한법의학회지

We reviewed past studies on the identification of familial relationships using 22 short tandem repeat markers. As a result, we can obtain a high discrimination power and a relatively accurate cut-off value in parent-child and full sibling relationships. However, in the case of pairs of uncle-nephew or cousin, we found a limit of low discrimination power of the likelihood ratio (LR) method. Therefore, we compare the LR ranking method and data mining techniques (e.g., logistic regression, linear discriminant analysis, diagonal linear discriminant analysis, diagonal quadratic discriminant analysis, K-nearest neighbor, classification and regression trees, support vector machines, random forest [RF], and penalized multivariate analysis) that can be applied to identify familial relationships, and provide a guideline for choosing the most appropriate model under a given situation. RF, one of the data mining techniques, was found to be more accurate than other methods. The accuracy of RF is 99.99% for parent-child, 99.44% for full siblings, 90.34% for uncle-nephew, and 79.69% for first cousins.

Surgical extrusion of a maxillary premolar after orthodontic extrusion: a retrospective study

OBJECTIVES: Crown-root fracture and cervical caries in maxillary premolars constitute a challenge in cases of subgingival placement of restoration margins. Surgical extrusion has been practiced successfully in permanent anterior teeth. The aim of the present retrospective study was to assess the clinical outcome of surgical extrusion after orthodontic extrusion in maxillary premolars. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-one single, tapered root maxillary premolars with subgingival crown-root fracture or caries were included. Presurgical orthodontic extrusion was performed on all teeth to prevent root resorption. Extent of extrusion and rotation was determined based on crown/root ratio. The postoperative splinting period was 7 to 14 days. Clinical and radiographic examination was performed at an interval of 1, 2, and 3 months. RESULTS: After the mean follow-up of 41.9±15.2 months, failure was observed as increased mobility in 3 of 21 cases. No significant difference was observed in the outcome of surgical extrusion based on tooth type, age, sex, 180° rotation, or time for extraction. Furthermore, marginal bone loss was not observed. CONCLUSION: Surgical extrusion of maxillary premolars can be a possible therapeutic option in cases of subgingival crown-root fracture.

Factors affecting treatment outcomes in patients with oral lichen planus lesions: a retrospective study of 113 cases

PURPOSE: Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic oral mucosal disease that has been recognized as an immune condition. The purpose of this study was to evaluate factors affecting the clinical outcomes of topical corticosteroid application on OLP lesions using dexamethasone gargle and ointment. METHODS: The charts of patients who were clinically diagnosed with OLP and treated with dexamethasone from July 2003 to August 2017 at the Section of Dentistry of Seoul National University Bundang Hospital were thoroughly evaluated to identify subjects who were suitable for this retrospective study. For each patient, age at the index date, gender, medical history, and dental records related to OLP lesions and dexamethasone treatment were reviewed. RESULTS: In total, 113 of the 225 patients were included in the present study. Among them, 79 patients were female (69.9%) and 34 were male (30.1%), with a mean age of 57.6 years. The average duration of dexamethasone treatment was 4.7 months and the mean follow-up period was 2.24 years. Improvements were observed within 1 year after dexamethasone treatment in most cases, and 17.7% of patients had a new OLP lesion after treatment. New OLP lesions were more frequently gingival than mucosal, although mucosal OLP lesions were more common than gingival OLP lesions in all age groups. In age- and gender-adjusted multivariate logistic regression, a history of malignant disease was found to be a significant factor affecting the formation of new lesions. Gingival OLP lesions and intermittent use of dexamethasone showed near-significant associations. In Kaplan-Meier failure analysis, history of malignancy, menopausal status, age, and the site of the OLP lesion were significant factors affecting clinical outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: The treatment outcomes of OLP were significantly influenced by age, history of malignancy, menopausal status, and the site of the OLP lesion, but not by factors related to dexamethasone treatment.

Periodontal inflamed surface area as a novel numerical variable describing periodontal conditions

PURPOSE: A novel index, the periodontal inflamed surface area (PISA), represents the sum of the periodontal pocket depth of bleeding on probing (BOP)-positive sites. In the present study, we evaluated correlations between PISA and periodontal classifications, and examined PISA as an index integrating the discrete conventional periodontal indexes. METHODS: This study was a cross-sectional subgroup analysis of data from a prospective cohort study investigating the association between chronic periodontitis and the clinical features of ankylosing spondylitis. Data from 84 patients without systemic diseases (the control group in the previous study) were analyzed in the present study. RESULTS: PISA values were positively correlated with conventional periodontal classifications (Spearman correlation coefficient=0.52; P<0.01) and with periodontal indexes, such as BOP and the plaque index (PI) (r=0.94; P<0.01 and r=0.60; P<0.01, respectively; Pearson correlation test). Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) expression and the presence of serum P. gingivalis antibodies were significant factors affecting PISA values in a simple linear regression analysis, together with periodontal classification, PI, bleeding index, and smoking, but not in the multivariate analysis. In the multivariate linear regression analysis, PISA values were positively correlated with the quantity of current smoking, PI, and severity of periodontal disease. CONCLUSIONS: PISA integrates multiple periodontal indexes, such as probing pocket depth, BOP, and PI into a numerical variable. PISA is advantageous for quantifying periodontal inflammation and plaque accumulation.

Comparison of 5 Different Rat Models to Establish a Standard Animal Model for Research Into Interstitial Cystitis / 대한배뇨장애요실금학회지

PURPOSE: We evaluated 5 different rat models using different agents in order to establish a standard animal model for interstitial cystitis (IC) in terms of the functional and pathologic characteristics of the bladder. METHODS: Five IC models were generated in 8-week-old female Sprague-Dawley rats via transurethral instillation of 0.1M hydrogen chloride (HCl) or 3% acetic acid (AA), intraperitoneal injection of cyclophosphamide (CYP) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS), or subcutaneous injection of uroplakin II (UPK2). After generating the IC models, conscious cystometry was performed on days 3, 7, and 14. All rats were euthanized on day 14 and their bladders were obtained for histological and pro-inflammatory-related gene expression analysis. RESULTS: In the cystometric analysis, all experimental groups showed significantly decreased intercontraction intervals compared with the control group on day 3, but only the LPS and UPK groups maintained significantly shorter intercontraction intervals than the control group on day 14. The histological analysis revealed that areas with severe urothelial erosion (HCl, AA, and UPK) and hyperplasia (CYP and LPS), particularly in the UPK-treated bladders, showed a markedly increased infiltration of toluidine blue-stained mast cells and increased tissue fibrosis. In addition, significantly elevated expression of interleukin-1b, interleukin-6, myeloperoxidase, monocyte chemotactic protein 1, and Toll-like receptors 2 and 4 was observed in the UPK group compared to the other groups. CONCLUSIONS: Among the 5 different agents, the injection of UPK generated the most effective IC animal model, showing consequent urothelial barrier loss, inflammatory reaction, tissue fibrosis stimulation, and persistent hyperactive bladder.

Relationship between Mobile Phone Addiction and the Incidence of Poor and Short Sleep among Korean Adolescents: a Longitudinal Study of the Korean Children & Youth Panel Survey

Three of ten teenagers in Korea are addicted to mobile phones. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between mobile phone addiction and the incidence of poor sleep quality and short sleep duration in adolescents. We used longitudinal data from the Korean Children & Youth Panel Survey conducted by the National Youth Policy Institute in Korea (2011–2013). A total of 1,125 students at baseline were included in this study after excluding those who already had poor sleep quality or short sleep duration in the previous year. A generalized estimating equation was used to analyze the data. High mobile phone addiction (mobile phone addiction score > 20) increased the risk of poor sleep quality but not short sleep duration. We suggest that consistent monitoring and effective intervention programs are required to prevent mobile phone addiction and improve adolescents' sleep quality.