Sex-specific association of low-renin hypertension with metabolic and musculoskeletal health in Korean older adults.

Introduction: Low-renin hypertension (LRH) accounts for approximately one-third of patients with hypertension and are more prevalent in women and the older adult population. Previous study has found a link between the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) and sex hormones. However, there are insufficient data on the relationship between LRH and metabolic or musculoskeletal outcomes in older adults. Methods and materials: Among the 343 participants from a population-based cohort study conducted between May 2018 and August 2019, a total of 256 (86 men older than 50 years and 170 postmenopausal women) were included. The presence of LRH was defined as plasma renin activity (PRA) <1 ng/mL/h and systolic blood pressure (BP) ≥130 or diastolic BP ≥80 mmHg based on the 2017 ACC/AHA guidelines. Individuals with missing data, and those who had used medications that could affect PRA within the past six months were excluded. Bone mineral density (BMD), trabecular bone score (TBS), and appendicular lean mass (ALM) index were assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry; degraded TBS was defined as partially degraded to degraded levels (≤1.350). Muscle function was assessed according to the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia guidelines. PRA was measured using radioimmunoassay. Results: The median age was 66 [61-72] years, and the body mass index (BMI) was 24.7 [23.0-26.4] kg/m2. Individuals with LRH, accounting for 34.8%, had lower diabetes mellitus; more dyslipidemia; and poorer muscle function, BMD, and TBS than those in the non-LRH group. In addition, PRA was positively correlated with C-peptide, HOMA-IR, TBS, and ALM index. After adjusting for covariates including age and BMI, LRH was negatively associated with femur neck T-score (adjusted ß = -0.30, 95% CI [-0.55 to -0.05], p = 0.021) and the presence of LRH was significantly associated with degraded TBS in women (adjusted odds ratio = 3.00, 95% CI [1.36-6.58], p = 0.006). Conclusion: Our findings suggest that LRH can influence clinical features and metabolic risk in older adults. Notably, LRH in postmenopausal women was linked to lower femur neck T-scores and degraded TBS, indicating sex-specific effects of LRH on bone health. Larger prospective studies are required to elucidate how changes in the RAAS affect metabolic and musculoskeletal outcomes in older adults.

Digital mounting accuracy of 2 intraoral scanners with a single anterior or bilateral posterior occlusal scan: A three-dimensional analysis.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Although intraoral scanners (IOSs) are popular, few studies have evaluated the accuracy of digital mounting by using IOSs. PURPOSE: The purpose of this in vitro study was to compare the accuracy of digital mounting by using 2 IOSs and 2 occlusal scanning methods. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Fourteen Ø5-mm zirconia balls were attached approximately 5 mm apical to the free gingival margin of both second molars, second premolars, and canines and between the central incisors in maxillary and mandibular epoxy casts. A polyetheretherketone hexagonal cube with a 10-mm-long edge was attached to the buccal side of the missing mandibular right first molar area, and the cube was used to set a part coordinate system. Two IOSs (TRIOS 3, Primescan) were used to assess the intra-arch and interarch accuracies. For intra-arch assessment, each IOS was used to digitally scan the mandibular epoxy cast 15 times and fabricate 15 datasets. The deviation of each zirconia ball centroid was statistically compared between the IOSs. For interarch assessment, each IOS was used to digitally scan the maxillary and mandibular epoxy casts, and the data were digitally mounted by using a single anterior occlusal scan (A) or bilateral posterior occlusal scan (P). Both occlusal scans were performed 15 times; therefore, 4 groups (15 datasets per group) of mounted digital datasets were assigned. The deviation of each maxillary zirconia ball centroid, as well as the interarch distance between the corresponding maxillary and mandibular zirconia ball centroids, were compared among the 4 groups. For statistical analysis, the Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal-Wallis test with Bonferroni correction were used (α=.05). RESULTS: Primescan had less deviation than TRIOS 3 in the complete arch scan. When the zirconia balls were close to the origin, the bilateral posterior occlusal scan produced less deviation of their centroids. Primescan produced decreased interarch distance in the anterior and posterior dentition, while TRIOS 3 produced increased interarch distance in the anterior dentition and decreased interarch distance in the posterior dentition. CONCLUSIONS: A significant difference was noted in intra-arch accuracy between the IOSs, and the difference influenced the digital mounting accuracy. The type of occlusal scan and IOS significantly influenced the accuracy of digital mounting. Both IOSs produced decreased interarch distances in the second molar area.

Domain-specific physical activity, sedentary behavior, subjective health, and health-related quality of life among older adults.

PURPOSE: This study aims to investigate the association between domain-specific physical activity (PA), sedentary behavior, subjective health perception, and health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) in Korean adults aged ≥ 65 years. METHODS: This cross-sectional study analyzed 6,004 older adults from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2017-2020. PA and sedentary behavior were measured using a global PA questionnaire, and HR-QoL was assessed using the EuroQol-5 Dimension (EQ-5D, three-level version). Multiple logistic regression was used to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) after adjusting for confounding parameters. RESULTS: Older adults who were physically active at work showed a negative association with subjectively good health and HR-QoL, whereas those physically active in transport or leisure time showed a positive association with subjectively good health and HR-QoL. Older adults highly engaged in sedentary behavior showed a worse perception of health and HR-QoL. Compared to high sedentary behavior and physical activity during leisure time or transport, the EQ-5D index was higher than that of their counterparts. CONCLUSION: Both domain-specific PA and sedentary behavior were significantly associated with older adults' perception of health and HR-QoL. Interventions are needed to improve HR-QoL by reducing sedentary behavior and encouraging physical activity in transportation or leisure time among adults aged 65 years and above.

Up to a 15-Year Survival Rate and Marginal Bone Resorption of 1780 Implants with or without Microthreads: A Multi Center Retrospective Study.

The effect of microthreads at the implant neck on the amount of marginal bone resorption is controversial. This multicenter retrospective study compared the implant survival rate and amount of marginal bone resorption between two platform-switching internal connection implant systems with or without microthreads. Patient-related (age and sex), surgery-related (implant installation site, type, diameter, and length), and prosthesis-related (prosthesis type) data were collected from patient charts from the implant placement surgery to the final recall visit. A total of 1780 implants, including 1379 with microthreads and 401 without microthreads, were placed in 804 patients. For implants with and without microthreads, the longest follow-up period after prosthesis delivery was 15 and 6 years, respectively. Twenty implants failed during the 15-year follow-up period (98.8% survival rate) due to failed osseointegration, peri-implantitis, implant fractures, and non-functioning implants. The mean marginal bone loss was < 0.1 mm for both implant systems at the 1-year follow-up and 0.18 mm and 0.09 mm at the 4-year follow-up for implants with and without microthreads, respectively, without statistical significance. Microthreads did not significantly affect the amount of marginal bone loss or the implant survival rate for implants with an internal connection with a platform-switching design.

Implant-retained overdenture delivery in 2 visits with a digital workflow.

The conventional method of fabricating implant-retained overdentures involves multiple steps and patient visits. However, the duplication of existing complete dentures could decrease the number of visits and increase patient satisfaction. An existing maxillary implant-retained overdenture was replaced for a 78-year-old man; the existing implant-retained overdenture and his face were scanned at the first visit. The scanned intaglio image was inverted to obtain a virtual maxillary cast and used to fabricate the metal framework of the replacement implant-retained overdenture. Prefabricated artificial teeth were arranged on a 3-dimensional trial denture created from the scan data of the existing implant-retained overdenture. The replacement implant-retained overdenture was fabricated on the metal framework by using the injection molding technique. By using these digital techniques, a stable and esthetic implant-retained overdenture was delivered in 2 visits.

Advancements in Methods of Classification and Measurement Used to Assess Tooth Mobility: A Narrative Review.

Evaluating tooth mobility is clinically significant, not only for diagnosing periodontal tissues but also in determining the overall periodontal treatment plan. Numerous studies related to tooth mobility have been conducted over the years, including the proposal of various classifications as well as the development of electronic devices for objective measurement. However, there is still no consensus on the measurement methods and criteria for assessing tooth mobility. In this study, we provide a comprehensive review of past and current tooth mobility classification and measurement methods. In order to propose a new method to intuitively evaluate tooth mobility based on previous studies, a digital approach capable of recording tooth micromovements induced by dynamic load should be considered.

Accurate detection for dental implant and peri-implant tissue by transfer learning of faster R-CNN: a diagnostic accuracy study.

BACKGROUND: The diagnosis of dental implants and the periapical tissues using periapical radiographs is crucial. Recently, artificial intelligence has shown a rapid advancement in the field of radiographic imaging. PURPOSE: This study attempted to detect dental implants and peri-implant tissues by using a deep learning method known as object detection on the implant image of periapical radiographs. METHODS: After implant treatment, the periapical images were collected and data were processed by labeling the dental implant and peri-implant tissue together in the images. Next, 300 images of the periapical radiographs were split into 80:20 ratio (i.e. 80% of the data were used for training the model while 20% were used for testing the model). These were evaluated using an object detection model known as Faster R-CNN, which simultaneously performs classification and localization. This model was evaluated on the classification performance using metrics, including precision, recall, and F1 score. Additionally, in order to assess the localization performance, an evaluation through intersection over union (IoU) was utilized, and, Average Precision (AP) was used to assess both the classification and localization performance. RESULTS: Considering the classification performance, precision = 0.977, recall = 0.992, and F1 score = 0.984 were derived. The indicator of localization was derived as mean IoU = 0.907. On the other hand, considering the indicators of both classification and localization performance, AP showed an object detection level of AP@0.5 = 0.996 and AP@0.75 = 0.967. CONCLUSION: Thus, the implementation of Faster R-CNN model for object detection on 300 periapical radiographic images including dental implants, resulted in high-quality object detection for dental implants and peri-implant tissues.

Metabolic Stress Index Including Mitochondrial Biomarker for Noninvasive Diagnosis of Hepatic Steatosis.

Background: Mitochondrial dysfunction with oxidative stress contributes to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) progression. We investigated the steatosis predictive efficacy of a novel non-invasive diagnostic panel using metabolic stress biomarkers. Methods: Altogether, 343 subjects who underwent magnetic resonance imaging-based liver examinations from a population-based general cohort, and 41 patients enrolled in a biopsy-evaluated NAFLD cohort, participated in the development and validation groups, respectively. Serologic stress biomarkers were quantitated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: Multivariate regression showed that waist-to-hip ratio, fibroblast growth factor (FGF) 21, FGF19, adiponectin-to-leptin ratio, insulin, albumin, triglyceride, total-cholesterol, and alanine-aminotransferase were independent predictors of steatosis (rank-ordered by Wald). The area under receiver-operator characteristics curve [AUROC (95%CI)] of the metabolic stress index for steatosis (MSI-S) was 0.886 (0.85-0.92) and 0.825 (0.69-0.96) in development and validation groups, respectively. MSI-S had higher diagnostic accuracy (78.1%-81.1%) than other steatosis indices. MSI-S notably differentiated steatosis severities, while other indices showed less discrimination. Conclusion: MSI-S, as a novel non-invasive index, based on mitochondrial stress biomarker FGF21 effectively predicted steatosis. Furthermore, MSI-S may increase the population that could be excluded from further evaluation, reducing unnecessary invasive investigations more effectively than other indices.

Application of Mitochondrial and Oxidative Stress Biomarkers in the Evaluation of Neurocognitive Prognosis Following Acute Carbon Monoxide Poisoning.

Mitochondrial and oxidative stress play critical roles in the pathogenic mechanisms of carbon monoxide (CO)-induced toxicity. This study was designed to evaluate whether the serum levels of specific stress biomarkers might reflect brain injury and act as prognostic markers for the development of neurocognitive sequelae following CO poisoning. We analyzed the data from 51 adult patients admitted with acute CO poisoning and measured the serum level expression of growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) and fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21), indicators of mitochondrial stress, and 8-Oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and malondialdehyde (MDA), indicators of oxidative stress. Serum was collected upon arrival at the hospital, at 24 h post treatment, and within 7 days of HBO2 therapy. Global Deterioration Scale scores were measured 1 month post incident and used to place the patients in either favorable or poor outcome groups. Initial serum GDF15 and 8-OHdG concentrations were significantly increased in the poor-outcome group and all four biomarkers decreased at 24 h post HBO2 therapy, and were then maintained or further decreased at the 1-week mark. Notably, the degree of change in these biomarkers between baseline and 24 h post HBO2 were significantly larger in the poor-outcome group, reflecting greater CO-associated stress, confirming that post-CO poisoning serum biomarker levels and their response to HBO2 were proportional to the initial stress. We suggest that these biomarkers accurately reflect neuronal toxicity in response to CO poisoning, which is consistent with their activity in other pathologies.

The Neutral Zone Approach with CAD-CAM Record Bases.

Lack of adequate retention, support, and stability in the complete denture can be attributed to a poor fit or incorrect shape of the polished surfaces. This article presents a case using the neutral zone technique effectively with the fabrication of computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD-CAM) record bases in an edentulous patient with severely resorbed alveolar ridges and discusses the overall treatment steps and clinical implications of this technique. A stable neutral zone and an accurate jaw relation were recorded using CAD-CAM record bases and stability of complete denture was optimized by arranging denture teeth and reforming polishing surfaces in the neutral zone. A new complete denture was fabricated for a patient with atrophic alveolar ridges by a technique utilizing the neutral zone with CAD-CAM record bases.

Association Between Skeletal Muscle Mass, Physical Activity, and Metabolic Syndrome: the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2008-2011.

Background: Skeletal muscle mass (SM) and physical activity (PA) are major modifiable factors that can moderate and prevent the occurrence of metabolic syndrome (MetS). However, the joint association between SM and PA guidelines in MetS remains unclear. Therefore, we aimed to examine the relationship between SM and PA with MetS among Korean adults. Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed 18,090 adults from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2008-2011. We used the value of appendicular skeletal muscle mass divided by body mass index as SM. We decided on the PA guidelines using the American College of Sports Medicine guidelines. After adjusting for confounding factors, we performed logistic regression analysis to calculate the odds ratio and 95% confidence interval of MetS associated with SM and PA guidelines. Results: Participants from the highest SM quartile showed a decreased MetS risk of 58%-75%. Those who met both aerobic and resistance exercise guidelines were more likely to have lower MetS risk than those who neither. In addition, even with the same PA guideline status, participants with the highest muscle mass decreased MetS risk by 29%-81% compared with participants with the lowest muscle mass. Conclusions: Our results showed that increased SM and meeting PA guidelines are significantly associated with a decreased risk of MetS. To prevent MetS, customized strategies are needed for improving muscle mass and PA according to age and gender.

Multidimensional Biomarker Analysis Including Mitochondrial Stress Indicators for Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is accompanied by a complex and multifactorial pathogenesis with sequential progressions from inflammation to fibrosis and then to cancer. This heterogeneity interferes with the development of precise diagnostic and prognostic strategies for NAFLD. The current approach for the diagnosis of simple steatosis, steatohepatitis, and cirrhosis mainly consists of ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging, elastography, and various serological analyses. However, individual dry and wet biomarkers have limitations demanding an integrative approach for the assessment of disease progression. Here, we review diagnostic strategies for simple steatosis, steatohepatitis and hepatic fibrosis, followed by potential biomarkers associated with fat accumulation and mitochondrial stress. For mitochondrial stress indicators, we focused on fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21), growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15), angiopoietin-related growth factor and mitochondrial-derived peptides. Each biomarker may not strongly indicate the severity of steatosis or steatohepatitis. Instead, multidimensional analysis of different groups of biomarkers based on pathogenic mechanisms may provide decisive diagnostic/prognostic information to develop a therapeutic plan for patients with NAFLD. For this purpose, mitochondrial stress indicators, such as FGF21 or GDF15, could be an important component in the multiplexed and contextual interpretation of NAFLD. Further validation of the integrative evaluation of mitochondrial stress indicators combined with other biomarkers is needed in the diagnosis/prognosis of NAFLD.

Association Between Low Muscle Mass and Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Diagnosed Using Ultrasonography, Magnetic Resonance Imaging Derived Proton Density Fat Fraction, and Comprehensive NAFLD Score in Korea.

OBJECTIVES: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an increasingly prevalent metabolic disease. Muscle is known to influence NAFLD development. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the relationships among low muscle mass, NAFLD, and hepatic fibrosis using various definitions of low muscle mass and NAFLD diagnostic methods, including magnetic resonance imaging-based proton density fat fraction (MRI-PDFF). METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 320 participants (107 males, 213 females) from the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study on Atherosclerosis Risk of Rural Areas in the Korean General Population cohort. Muscle mass was assessed using whole-body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and adjusted for the height squared, body weight, and body mass index (BMI). NAFLD was diagnosed using ultrasonography (US), MRI-PDFF, and the comprehensive NAFLD score (CNS). Hepatic fibrosis was assessed using magnetic resonance elastography. Multivariable logistic and linear regression analyses were performed to determine the aforementioned associations. RESULTS: According to US, 183 participants (57.2%) had NAFLD. Muscle mass adjusted for body weight was associated with NAFLD diagnosed using US (odds ratio [OR], 3.00; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.70 to 5.31), MRI-PDFF (OR, 2.00; 95% CI, 1.13 to 3.53), and CNS (OR, 3.39; 95% CI, 1.73 to 6.65) and hepatic fibrosis (males: ß=-0.070, p<0.01; females: ß=-0.037, p<0.04). Muscle mass adjusted for BMI was associated with NAFLD diagnosed by US (OR, 1.71; 95% CI, 1.02 to 2.86) and CNS (OR, 1.95; 95% CI, 1.04 to 3.65), whereas muscle mass adjusted for height was not associated with NAFLD. CONCLUSIONS: Low muscle mass was associated with NAFLD and liver fibrosis; therefore, maintaining sufficient muscle mass is important to prevent NAFLD. A prospective study and additional consideration of muscle quality are needed to strengthen the findings regarding this association.

Effect of hepatic steatosis on native T1 mapping of 3T magnetic resonance imaging in the assessment of T1 values for patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

PURPOSE: This study investigated whether T1 values in native T1 mapping of 3T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the liver were affected by the fatty component. METHODS: This prospective study involved 340 participants from a population-based cohort study between May 8, 2018 and August 8, 2019. Data obtained included: (1) hepatic stiffness according to magnetic resonance elastography (MRE); (2) T1 value according to T1 mapping; (3) fat fraction and iron concentration from multi-echo Dixon; and (4) clinical indices of hepatic steatosis including body mass index, waist circumference, history of diabetes, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, and triglycerides. The correlations between T1 value and fat fraction, and between T1 value and liver stiffness were assessed using Pearson's correlation coefficient. The independent two-sample t-test was used to evaluate the differences in T1 values according to the presence or absence of hepatic steatosis, and the one-way analysis of variance was used to evaluate the difference in T1 value by grading of hepatic steatosis according to MRI-based proton density fat fraction (PDFF). In addition, univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses were performed to determine whether other variables influenced the T1 value. RESULTS: T1 value showed a positive correlation with the fat fraction obtained from PDFF (r = 0.615, P < 0.001) and with the liver stiffness obtained from MRE (r = 0.370, P < 0.001). Regardless of the evaluation method, the T1 value was significantly increased in subjects with hepatic steatosis (P < 0.001). When comparing hepatic steatosis grades based on MRI-PDFF, the mean T1 values were significantly different in all grades, and the T1 value tended to increase as the grade increased (P < 0.001, P for trend <0.001). On multiple linear regression analysis, the T1 value was influenced by MRI-PDFF, calculated liver iron concentration, liver stiffness, and serum aspartate aminotransferase level. CONCLUSION: The T1 value obtained by current T1 mapping of 3T MRI was affected by the liver fat component and several other factors such as liver stiffness, iron concentration, and inflammation.

Review of physiotherapy service for athletes of 2018 Olympic Winter games: Consideration of preparation for two polyclinics.

OBJECTIVE: This study will provide to better understand the needs for physiotherapy services during the 2018 PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games (POG) from two polyclinics. It is necessary to understand the needs and what physiotherapists do during the Olympic Winter games for first time. DESIGN: An observational study. SETTING: 2018 PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games. PARTICIPANTS: Athletes who visited the physiotherapy department of polyclinics. RESULTS: During 25 the days of the POG, a total of 125 athletes (n = 125, 83 males, 42 females) visited the two polyclinics. Of all visits, 69.6% were from the mountain polyclinic and 30.4% from the city. There were three reasons for visit, most of the reason for visit was injury and injury with recovery or injury prevention. Overall, the injury rate (per 1000 athletes) was 42.8 across 13 sports visited the physiotherapy department during the POG. Total numbers of treatments sessions were 823 provided and electrophysical modalities (36.2%) was the most utilized service in POG. And also there were significant differences in the physiotherapy services provided at the two polyclinics. CONCLUSION: As each polyclinic differed in location, they addressed different populations of athletes; hence, the study provides insights into the injury trends and different physiotherapy treatments.

Effects of Exercise Intervention on Mitochondrial Stress Biomarkers in Metabolic Syndrome Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) pathogenesis involves oxidative stress associated with mitochondrial dysfunction, which triggers integrated stress responses via various compensatory metabolic modulators like mitokines and hepatokines. However, the regulatory mechanisms underlying the exercise-derived benefits with respect to mitokines and hepatokines (potential MetS biomarkers) are unknown. Thus, we investigated the effects of exercise training on MetS biomarkers and their associations with clinical parameters. In this single-center trial, 30 women with MetS were randomly assigned to 12-week supervised exercise or control groups (1:1) and compared with 12 age-matched healthy volunteers. All participants completed the study except one subject in the control group. Expectedly, serum levels of the mitokines, fibroblast growth factor-21 (FGF21), growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF15), and the hepatokine, angiopoietin-like 6 (ANGPTL6), were higher in MetS patients than in healthy volunteers. Moreover, their levels were markedly attenuated in the exercise group. Further, exercise-mediated changes in serum FGF21 and GDF15 correlated with changes in the homeostasis model of assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and appendicular lean mass (ALM), respectively. Additionally, changes in serum triglycerides and ANGPTL6 were correlated with changes in leptin. Aberrant mitokine and hepatokine levels can be rectified by relieving metabolic stress burden. Therefore, exercise training may reduce the need for the compensatory upregulation of MetS metabolic modulators by improving gluco-lipid metabolism.

The efficacy of convenient cleaning methods applicable for customized abutments: an in vitro study.

BACKGROUND: The demand for implant dentistry, which includes customized abutments, is increasing. A lot of pollutions are generated on the customized abutment surface following milling procedure. This study evaluated the surface topography and cleanliness of customized abutments after cleaning procedures, which are simply applicable in the dental clinic. METHODS: Thirty computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing internal connection type titanium abutments were produced, milled, and randomly divided into 3 groups: steam cleaning (control group), chlorhexidine (CHX) scrubbing (test group 1), and ultrasonic cleaning with CHX solution, acetone, and ethyl alcohol (test group 2). Each group was evaluated using microscopic and microbial analysis. RESULTS: Foreign bodies were observed on the abutment surfaces in control group and test group 1, but not in test group 2. Bacteria were observed on 40% of the agar plates following steam cleaning; most of the colonies consisted of Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus warneri. Colony growth was absent following test group 1 and 2. CONCLUSION: For customized abutments, cleaning with steam is ineffective. CHX scrubbing effectively eliminates only bacteria. Ultrasonic cleaning with CHX solution, acetone, and ethyl alcohol successfully removes both foreign bodies and bacteria. Thus, the ultrasonic cleaning method is conveniently applicable in the dental clinic for eliminating contamination of the customized abutment surface.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Exposure Attenuates Circulating Stress Biomarkers: A Pilot Interventional Study.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) has been used to provide oxygen to underperfused organs following ischemia or carbon monoxide intoxication. Various beneficial consequences of HBOT have been reported, including wound healing, anti-inflammatory action, and cell survival; however, the molecular mechanisms underlying these effects have not been elucidated yet. We applied a single HBOT program consisting of administration of 2.8 atmospheres absolute (ATA) for 45 min, followed by 2.0 ATA for 55 min, to 10 male volunteers without any metabolic disease. Within 1 week of HBOT, there was no alteration in serum biochemical variables, except for an increase in triglyceride content. As a mitochondrial stress indicator, the serum concentration of growth differentiation factor 15 was reduced by HBOT. The circulating level of γ-glutamyltransferase was also decreased by HBOT, suggesting an attenuation of oxidative stress. HBOT increased adiponectin and reduced leptin levels in the serum, leading to an elevated adiponectin/leptin ratio. This is the first study to investigate the effect of HBOT on serum levels of metabolic stress-related biomarkers. We suggest that HBOT attenuates mitochondrial and oxidative stresses, and relieves metabolic burdens, indicating its potential for use in therapeutic applications to metabolic diseases.

Exercise intervention lowers aberrant serum WISP-1 levels with insulin resistance in breast cancer survivors: a randomized controlled trial.

Insulin resistance is associated with increased risk for and recurrence of breast cancer. Recently, Wnt1-inducible signaling pathway protein-1 (WISP-1) was reported to impair glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity. In various cancer tissues, Wnt signaling is upregulated and induces further oncogenic and metastatic activity. However, the effects of exercise on serum levels of WISP-1 and its upstream ß-catenin have not been studied in cancer patients. We investigated the effects of exercise training on Wnt signaling and insulin sensitivity in breast cancer survivors (BCS). This single-center trial randomized 46 BCS into either 12-week exercise or control groups (1:1), and included an additional 12 age-matched healthy women. Kinanthropometric parameters, serum Wnt signaling markers, and gluco-lipid profiles were evaluated before and after the intervention. Serum ß-catenin and WISP-1 concentrations were significantly higher in BCS than in healthy subjects. There was a positive correlation between ß-catenin and WISP-1 levels. Exercise training in BCS significantly reduced body fat and waist circumference and enhanced aerobic and muscular fitness. Exercise decreased ß-catenin and WISP-1 levels and improved gluco-lipid profiles. There was a notable correlation between changes in HOMA-IR indexes and serum WISP-1, but not with ß-catenin during the exercise intervention. In conclusion, a 12-week community-based exercise intervention resulted in significant reductions in serum ß-catenin and WISP-1 levels, accompanied by favorable improvements in body composition, physical fitness, and biochemical parameters in BCS. We also highlight that this is the first report concerning effects of exercise on circulating ß-catenin and WISP-1 levels and correlations between WISP-1 and insulin sensitivity, which could be important for determining prognoses for BCS.

The Association between Excessive Internet Gaming Behavior and Immersive Tendency, Mediated by Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms, in Korean Male University Students.

OBJECTIVE: Problematic online gaming (POG) and problematic Internet use (PIU) have become a serious public mental health problem, with Internet gaming disorder (IGD) included in "Conditions for further study" section of DSM-5. Although higher immersive tendency is observed in people affected by POG, little is known about the simultaneous effect of immersive tendency and its highly comorbid mental disorder, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This study aimed to assess the relationship between immersive tendency, ADHD, and IGD. METHODS: Cross-sectional interview study was conducted in Seoul, Korea with 51 male undergraduate students; 23 active gamers and 28 controls. RESULTS: Current ADHD symptoms showed partial mediation effect on the path of immersive tendency on POG and PIU. The mediation model with inattention explained variance in both POG and PIU better than other current ADHD symptom models (R2=69.2 in POG; 69.3 in PIU). Childhood ADHD symptoms models demonstrated mediation effect on both POG and PIU which explained less variance than current ADHD symptom models (R2=53.7 in POG; 52.1 in PIU). Current ADHD symptoms, especially inattention, appear to mediate the effect of immersive tendency on POG/PIU. CONCLUSION: Immersive tendencies may entail greater susceptibility to IGD, and comorbidity with ADHD may mediate the effect of immersive tendency on IGD.