Effects of Melatonin, GM-CSF, IGF-1, and LIF in Culture Media on Embryonic Development: Potential Benefits of Individualization.

The implantation of good-quality embryos to the receptive endometrium is essential for successful live birth through in vitro fertilization (IVF). The higher the quality of embryos, the higher the live birth rate per cycle, and so efforts have been made to obtain as many high-quality embryos as possible after fertilization. In addition to an effective controlled ovarian stimulation process to obtain high-quality embryos, the composition of the embryo culture medium in direct contact with embryos in vitro is also important. During embryonic development, under the control of female sex hormones, the fallopian tubes and endometrium create a microenvironment that supplies the nutrients and substances necessary for embryos at each stage. During this process, the development of the embryo is finely regulated by signaling molecules, such as growth factors and cytokines secreted from the epithelial cells of the fallopian tube and uterine endometrium. The development of embryo culture media has continued since the first successful human birth through IVF in 1978. However, there are still limitations to mimicking a microenvironment similar to the reproductive organs of women suitable for embryo development in vitro. Efforts have been made to overcome the harsh in vitro culture environment and obtain high-quality embryos by adding various supplements, such as antioxidants and growth factors, to the embryo culture medium. Recently, there has been an increase in the number of studies on the effect of supplementation in different clinical situations such as old age, recurrent implantation failure (RIF), and unexplained infertility; in addition, anticipation of the potential benefits from individuation is rising. This article reviews the effects of representative supplements in culture media on embryo development.

Prediction of disease comorbidity using explainable artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques: A systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: Disease comorbidity is a major challenge in healthcare affecting the patient's quality of life and costs. AI-based prediction of comorbidities can overcome this issue by improving precision medicine and providing holistic care. The objective of this systematic literature review was to identify and summarise existing machine learning (ML) methods for comorbidity prediction and evaluate the interpretability and explainability of the models. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework was used to identify articles in three databases: Ovid Medline, Web of Science and PubMed. The literature search covered a broad range of terms for the prediction of disease comorbidity and ML, including traditional predictive modelling. RESULTS: Of 829 unique articles, 58 full-text papers were assessed for eligibility. A final set of 22 articles with 61 ML models was included in this review. Of the identified ML models, 33 models achieved relatively high accuracy (80-95%) and AUC (0.80-0.89). Overall, 72% of studies had high or unclear concerns regarding the risk of bias. DISCUSSION: This systematic review is the first to examine the use of ML and explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) methods for comorbidity prediction. The chosen studies focused on a limited scope of comorbidities ranging from 1 to 34 (mean = 6), and no novel comorbidities were found due to limited phenotypic and genetic data. The lack of standard evaluation for XAI hinders fair comparisons. CONCLUSION: A broad range of ML methods has been used to predict the comorbidities of various disorders. With further development of explainable ML capacity in the field of comorbidity prediction, there is a significant possibility of identifying unmet health needs by highlighting comorbidities in patient groups that were not previously recognised to be at risk for particular comorbidities.

Recovery from tanning induced by narrow-band UVB phototherapy in brown-skinned individuals with psoriasis: twelve-month follow-up.

BACKGROUND: Pigmentation induced by narrow-band UVB (NBUVB) phototherapy can cause complaints by psoriasis patients, especially those with brown skin. Nevertheless, the recovery process from tanning after the completion of NBUVB treatment is not known. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the extent of tanning recovery after the end of NBUVB treatment and determine the time required to recover from the fully tanned state. METHOD: Sixteen psoriasis patients with brown skin were observed. The skin color changes on the lower back were measured before beginning phototherapy, upon completion of NBUVB treatment, and subsequently every month for the first one-half year, then bimonthly for the second one-half year, using two different reflectance spectrophotometers. The results are presented as the erythema index (EI) and melanin index (MI), L*a*b* values as recommended by the Commission Internationale de l'Eclairge, and the individual typology angle (ITA degrees). RESULTS: The mean L* value reached 64.4 by the 10th month after the end of NBUVB treatment, with no significant difference from the value before beginning phototherapy. The mean ITA degrees approximated the initial angle at the 8th month after completing NBUVB treatment with no significant difference, thus representing recovery to the original intermediate skin color. The MI recovered to the initial values earlier than the L* value and ITA degrees. The EI appeared the earliest recovery value. CONCLUSION: Understanding the recovery process from tanning induced by NBUVB treatment will improve the patient's compliance for treatment and bring higher efficacy and safety to the retrial of phototherapy in brown-skinned individuals with psoriasis.

A retrospective review of 20% vs. 10% incremental narrowband UVB regimens to treat psoriasis in skin phototypes III-V Koreans.

BACKGROUND: The optimal incremental dose regimen of narrowband UVB (NBUVB) phototherapy that will provide maximal efficacy and safety has not been determined for patients with brown skin and psoriasis. OBJECTIVE: To compare 20% and 10% incremental dose regimens of NBUVB phototherapy with respect to efficacy and safety in Korean patients with brown skin and psoriasis whose Fitzpatrick skin phototypes (SPT) are III-V. METHOD: A retrospective study was designed to compare the 20% and 10% incremental dose groups with respect to the number of sessions, duration of treatment, maximum dose, cumulative dose until response, and adverse effects. RESULTS: The mean number of sessions was significantly lower, the duration of treatment was significantly shorter, and the maximum dose was significantly higher in the 20% incremental dose group. The cumulative dose was not significantly different between the two groups, and there was no statistically significant difference between the groups with respect to the percentage of total adverse effects. CONCLUSION: Use of a 20% incremental dose regimen could be advantageous over a 10% incremental dose regimen in patients with brown skin and psoriasis because of a faster treatment response and higher efficacy without a significant increase in the risk of adverse effects.

Classification of facial psoriasis based on the distributions of facial lesions.

BACKGROUND: Psoriasis is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease that may involve any skin site. In particular, psoriasis on the face gives rise to considerable concern because of associated cosmetic problems and psychosocial distress. Some authors have reported that a significant proportion of patients with psoriasis have facial involvement, and several reports have suggested that facial involvement is a marker of severe psoriasis. However, patients with facial psoriasis seem to have clinical characteristics that depend on the distributions of their facial lesions. OBJECTIVE: We sought to classify facial psoriasis and evaluate clinical characteristics according to the distribution of facial psoriatic lesions, and to compare the severities of body and scalp psoriasis in patients with central or peripheral facial lesions. METHODS: A total of 194 patients with psoriasis with facial involvement who presented at our psoriasis clinic were enrolled in this study. Onset of psoriasis, family history, history of phototherapy or systemic therapy, and admission history were recorded. Severity of psoriasis on whole body, face, and scalp were rated using Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) scores. Patients were categorized into 3 types according to facial lesion distribution: peripherofacial type (PF) (upper forehead and/or periauricular lesions), centrofacial type, and mixed type. RESULTS: The PF and mixed type were more common than the centrofacial type. Peripherofacial involvement was related to a high scalp PASI score, whereas centrofacial involvement was associated with a high whole body PASI score. Disease duration before facial lesion development was less for the PF. Early onset of disease and extensive treatment were more frequent for centrofacial type than PF. The relationship between facial and body psoriasis progression was less strong for PF. LIMITATIONS: This was a retrospective study conducted at a single location, and the severity and extent of psoriasis were evaluated only once, at first visits. CONCLUSION: Facial psoriasis can be categorized into 3 different types. Peripherofacial involvement might be a consequence of severe scalp psoriasis, whereas centrofacial involvement might be a marker of severe body psoriasis. Thus, it would help during the treatment of patients with psoriasis to consider that different lesion distributions may reflect different clinical characteristics.

Efficacy of a traditional Korean medicine, Chung-Sang-Bo-Ha-Tang, in a murine model of chronic asthma.

Traditional herbal medicines may be viable alternatives to corticosteroid therapy for treatment of asthma. However, the therapeutic mechanisms of herbal compounds remain a matter of considerable debate. This study was performed to evaluate the effects of Chung-Sang-Bo-Ha-Tang (CSBHT), a herbal compound administrated therapeutically to asthma patients for centuries, on airway inflammation and remodeling in a murine model of chronic asthma. BALB/c mice sensitized to ovalbumin (OVA) were chronically challenged with aerosolized OVA for 6 weeks. During the last 2 weeks, some mice were treated daily with CSBHT by intragastric feeding. Dexamethasone (Dex)-treated, phosphate-buffered saline (PBS)-treated, and naive mice served as controls. The effects of CSBHT on airway inflammation, lung pathology, and cytokine production were evaluated. Mice exposed to recurrent airway challenge with OVA had chronic inflammation and characteristics of airway remodeling, including subepithelial fibrosis, epithelial hypertrophy, and goblet cell hyperplasia. CSBHT was as effective as Dex at moderately reducing these changes compared to the PBS-treated mice. In addition, IL-5 and IFN-gamma levels in supernatants of Concanavalin A (Con A)-activated splenocyte cultures were reduced in mice treated with CSBHT. Treatment with CSBHT during the last 2 weeks of challenge modulated airway inflammation and remodeling in a murine model of chronic asthma. Thus, CSBHT may effectively delay the progression of airway inflammation and remodeling.