Investigation of cell-to-cell transfer of polystyrene microplastics through extracellular vesicle-mediated communication.

Plastics are an essential part of human life and their production is increasing every year. Plastics degrade into small particles (<5 mm, microplastics, MPs) in the environment due to various factors. MPs are widely distributed in the environment, and all living organisms are exposed to the effects of MPs. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are small membrane particles surrounded by a lipid bilayer that are released into the environment by various cell types and are highly involved in inter- and intra-cellular communication through the exchange of proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids between cells. There have been numerous reports of adverse effects associated with the accumulation of MPs in human and animal cells, with recent studies showing that plastic treatment increases the number of EVs released from cells, but the mechanisms by which MPs accumulate and move between cells remain unclear. In this study, we investigated whether polystyrene (PS)-MPs are transferred cell-to-cell via EVs. This study showed that cell-derived EVs can transport plastic particles. Furthermore, we confirmed the accumulation of PS-MPs transported by EVs within cells using a real-time imaging device. This study provides an understanding of potential EVs-mediated effects of PS-MPs on organisms and suggests directions for further research.

Risk factors for colorectal cancer in a fecal immunochemical test-positive group: The National Health Insurance Service-National Health Screening Cohort.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Colorectal cancer (CRC) was the fourth most common cancer in Republic of Korea in 2019. It has a gradually increasing mortality rate, indicating the importance of screening for CRC. Among the various CRC screening test, fecal immunochemical test (FIT) is a simple yet most commonly used. Neverthelss, there have been only few long-term studies on subjects with FIT-positive. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to investigate the risk factors for CRC in FIT-positive patients using the National Health Insurance Service Bigdata database. METHODS: Among 1 737 633 individuals with a FIT screening result for CRC in 2009, 101 143 (5.82%) were confirmed to be FIT positive. The CRC incidence over 10 years (up to 2018) of these participants was investigated using the National Cancer Registry. RESULTS: Out of the 101 143 FIT-positive participants, 4395 (4.35%) were diagnosed with CRC. The FIT-positive patients who underwent a second round of screening showed a 5-year cumulative CRC incidence of approximately 1.25%, whereas those who did not showed an incidence of approximately 3.75%. Among the FIT-positive patients, the CRC incidence in the non-compliance group for the second round of screening was 2.8 times higher than that in the compliance group. CONCLUSIONS: In FIT-positive participants, non-compliance with the second round of screening was identified as a major risk factor for CRC development. It is necessary to establish appropriate strategies for managing risk factors for CRC in FIT-positive patients to increase the rate of compliance with the second round of CRC screening.

Implementation of Head of Bed Elevation Using Adjustable Bed and Its Effects on Sleep: A Pilot Randomized Trial.

Background: Although mild head of bed elevation (HBE) is a proven method to reduce obstructive sleep apnea, there is no study to apply mild HBE in daily life using an adjustable bed. Objective: We aimed to explore the applicability of mild HBE using an adjustable bed in daily life by investigating adverse events and discomforts induced by mild HBE. This pilot randomized trial additionally investigated the objective effects of mild HBE on sleep using polysomnography (PSG). Methods: Pilot randomized controlled trial. With a two-tailed alpha of 0.05 and a power of 0.95, the minimum number of participants for each group; control group slept on flat bed and study group slept on bed with mild HBE on follow-up PSG; was calculated to be 12. Considering a 20% follow-up loss, we enrolled a total of 32 participants (16 participants for each group). Setting: Dongguk University, Ilsan hospital. Participants: A total of 37 individuals complained of subjective sleep disturbance in the Republic of Korea, 32 of whom met the inclusion criteria between September 2021 to July 2022. 23 participants completed the study and participants were randomly assigned into two groups. Intervention: A mild HBE of 7.5 degrees using an adjustable bed was implemented. PSG results and questionnaires were evaluated. Results: There was no difference in the proportion of adverse events between groups after post-intervention which was adjusting mild HBE on study group. Changes in sleep satisfaction from baseline to post-intervention showed no significant difference between groups either. However, changes in respiratory distress index (RDI) (F = 6.088, 95% CI, 17.0% to 26.4%; P = .023) and apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) (F = 5.542, 95% CI, 13.6% to 23.5%; P = .029) were significantly different. Conclusions: Mild HBE is an implementable method for changing sleep posture without definitely causing discomfort or worsening sleep satisfaction. Since an easily applicable way to implement mild HBE using an adjustable bed in daily life reduces RDI and AHI in both subjects complaining of sleep disturbance and obstructive sleep apnea, it can be an alternative treatment for obstructive sleep apnea.

Prevalence and risk factors of postoperative laryngeal edema in patients undergoing neck dissection.

PURPOSE: Postoperative laryngeal edema (PLE) is a common complication in patients undergoing head and neck surgery, leading to symptoms such as odynophagia, dysphagia, or potential airway obstruction. However, the prevalence and risk factors of PLE in patients undergoing neck dissection (ND) have not been well investigated. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted in three steps. Initially, a pilot study of 50 consecutive ND patients revealed a preliminary PLE prevalence of 0.34. Then, the medical records of an additional 295 ND patients were reviewed to estimate the prevalence of PLE with a total width of 95% confidence interval (CI) of ± 5%. Finally, multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors for PLE (n = 343). RESULTS: PLE occurred in 29.4% [95%CI 24.4-34.4%] of patients undergoing any type of ND, with the most common symptoms of odynophagia (75.0%) and dyspnea (11.1%). Hospital stay was just one day longer in PLE patients, responding well with short-term steroid treatment (p = 0.0057). In multivariable analyses, no significant association was found between PLE occurrence and airway management. However, body mass index and the American Society of Anesthesiologists classification correlated with PLE. More importantly, surgery for oro-hypopharynx or supraglottis tumors (odds ratio, OR = 3.019, [95%CI 1.166-7.815]) and lymph node level 2(3) ND (OR = 4.214 to 5.279, [95%CI 1.160-20.529]) were significant risk factors for PLE. CONCLUSIONS: PLE developed in approximately 30% of ND patients, causing uncomfortable symptoms. Early diagnosis and intervention of PLE in high-risk patients can improve patient care and outcomes.

Changes in Metabolic Syndrome Status are Associated With Altered Risk of Pancreatic Cancer: A Nationwide Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is reversible; however, the effect of changes in MetS status on pancreatic cancer risk is unknown. We aimed to investigate the effects of changes and persistence in MetS status on pancreatic cancer risk. METHODS: This nationwide cohort study included 8,203,492 adults without cancer who underwent 2 consecutive biennial health screenings provided by the Korean National Health Insurance System between 2009 and 2012 and were followed up until 2017. MetS was defined as the presence of 3 of its 5 components, which were evaluated at 2 consecutive biennial health screenings. Participants were categorized into the MetS-free, MetS-recovered, MetS-developed, or MetS-persistent group. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models were used. RESULTS: During the 40,464,586 person-years of follow-up (median, 5.1 years), 8010 individuals developed pancreatic cancer. Compared with the MetS-free group, the MetS-persistent group had the highest risk of pancreatic cancer (hazard ratio [HR], 1.30; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.23-1.37), followed by the MetS-developed group (HR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.09-1.25) and the MetS-recovered group (HR, 1.12; 95% CI, 1.04-1.21) after adjusting for potential confounders (P for trend <.001). The MetS-recovered group was associated with a lower risk of pancreatic cancer than that in the MetS-persistent group (P < .001). The association between changes in MetS status and pancreatic cancer risk did not differ according to sex or obesity (all P for interactions >.05). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, recovering from MetS was associated with a reduced risk of pancreatic cancer compared with persistent MetS, suggesting that pancreatic cancer risk can be altered by changes in MetS.

Smoking Cessation and Pancreatic Cancer Risk in Individuals With Prediabetes and Diabetes: A Nationwide Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Individuals with diabetes and prediabetes are at increased risk of pancreatic cancer. However, little is known about the effects of smoking or smoking cessation on pancreatic cancer risk in individuals with diabetes and prediabetes. We investigated the association between smoking status (particularly smoking cessation) and pancreatic cancer risk according to glycemic status. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This nationwide cohort study included 9,520,629 adults without cancer who underwent the Korean National Health Screening in 2009 and were followed until 2018. Hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals for pancreatic cancer were estimated after adjusting for potential confounders. RESULTS: During the 78.4 million person-years of follow-up, 15,245 patients were newly diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Among individuals with diabetes and prediabetes, current smoking synergistically increased pancreatic cancer risk (all P<.01). However, quitters with diabetes and prediabetes had a pancreatic cancer risk comparable to that of never-smokers (all P>.05). For pancreatic cancer in current smokers, quitters, and never-smokers, respectively, the hazard ratios were 1.48 (95% CI, 1.40-1.58), 1.11 (95% CI, 1.03-1.19), and 1.00 (reference) among individuals with normoglycemia; 1.83 (95% CI, 1.70-1.97), 1.28 (95% CI, 1.18-1.39), and 1.20 (95% CI, 1.14-1.26) among individuals with prediabetes; and 2.72 (95% CI, 2.52-2.94), 1.78 (95% CI, 1.63-1.95), and 1.63 (95% CI, 1.54-1.72) among individuals with diabetes. There were no differences in risk between quitters with a <20 pack-year smoking history and never-smokers in all glycemic status groups. CONCLUSIONS: Pancreatic cancer risk synergistically increased in current smokers with diabetes and prediabetes. However, smoking cessation reduced the synergistically increased risk of pancreatic cancer to the level of never-smokers, especially when smoking history was <20 pack-years. More individualized and intensive cancer prevention education should be underscored for individuals at an increased risk of pancreatic cancer beyond the one-size-fits-all approach.

Visual Development of Healthy Full-Term Infants under 24 Months of Age Using the Preverbal Visual Assessment Questionnaire.

As visual perception development proceeds rapidly after birth, early detection of developmental maturity is required. Healthy infants do not have many opportunities for visual perception evaluation, so a reliable evaluation method is necessary. This retrospective study included 276 healthy full-term infants <24 months of age using the Preverbal Visual Assessment (PreViAs) questionnaire, which measures scores of subdivided age-groups for the global scores and 4 domains: visual attention (VA), visual communication (VC), visual-motor coordination (VMC), and visual processing (VP). Through this study, reference values and cutoff scores of the PreViAs questionnaire were presented, reliability was secured, and potential influencing factors of the PreViAs scores were analyzed. Using Cronbach's α coefficient, the global scores were 0.938, 0.781 for VA, 0.660 for VC, 0.874 for VMC, and 0.942 for VP. The internal consistency of the questionnaire was high in the global scores and 3 domains (VA, VMC, and VP). In infants under 12 months, the global scores and the VA, VMC, and VP domains showed positive association with gestational age, whereas the VC domain correlated with sex: which was found to be greater for females (p < 0.05). In those 12 month and above, no clinical factors were significantly associated with the PreViAs scores in all domains. The PreViAs questionnaire is a useful tool for visual assessment of healthy full-term infants under 24 months of age, suggesting reference values and cutoff scores according to age, and estimating the maturation age for visual perception development of each domain.

Efficient production of retinol in Yarrowia lipolytica by increasing stability using antioxidant and detergent extraction.

The demand for bio-based retinol (vitamin A) is currently increasing, however its instability represents a major bottleneck in microbial production. Here, we developed an efficient method to selectively produce retinol in Yarrowia lipolytica. The ß-carotene 15,15'-dioxygenase (BCO) cleaves ß-carotene into retinal, which is reduced to retinol by retinol dehydrogenase (RDH). Therefore, to produce retinol, we first generated ß-carotene-producing strain based on a high-lipid-producer via overexpressing genes including heterologous ß-carotene biosynthetic genes, GGS1F43I mutant of endogenous geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate synthase isolated by directed evolution, and FAD1 encoding flavin adenine dinucleotide synthetase, while deleting several genes previously known to be beneficial for carotenoid production. To produce retinol, 11 copies of BCO gene from marine bacterium 66A03 (Mb.Blh) were integrated into the rDNA sites of the ß-carotene overproducer. The resulting strain produced more retinol than retinal, suggesting strong endogenous promiscuous RDH activity in Y. lipolytica. The introduction of Mb.Blh led to a considerable reduction in ß-carotene level, but less than 5% of the consumed ß-carotene could be detected in the form of retinal or retinol, implying severe degradation of the produced retinoids. However, addition of the antioxidant butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) led to a >20-fold increase in retinol production, suggesting oxidative damage is the main cause of intracellular retinol degradation. Overexpression of GSH2 encoding glutathione synthetase further improved retinol production. Raman imaging revealed co-localization of retinol with lipid droplets, and extraction of retinol using Tween 80 was effective in improving retinol production. By combining BHT treatment and extraction using Tween 80, the final strain CJ2104 produced 4.86 g/L retinol and 0.26 g/L retinal in fed-batch fermentation in a 5-L bioreactor, which is the highest retinol production titer ever reported. This study demonstrates that Y. lipolytica is a suitable host for the industrial production of bio-based retinol.

Allogeneic Dermal Fibroblasts Improve Tendon-to-Bone Healing in a Rabbit Model of Chronic Rotator Cuff Tear Compared With Platelet-Rich Plasma.

PURPOSE: To compare the effects of allogeneic dermal fibroblasts (ADFs) and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) on tendon-to-bone healing in a rabbit model of chronic rotator cuff tear. METHODS: Thirty-two rabbits were divided into 4 groups (8 per group). In 2 groups, the supraspinatus tendon was detached and was left as such for 6 weeks. At 6 weeks after creating the tear model, we performed transosseous repair with 5 × 106 ADFs plus fibrin injection in the left shoulder and PRP plus fibrin in the right shoulder. The relative expression of the COL1, COL3, BMP2, SCX, SOX9, and ACAN genes was assessed at 4 weeks (group A) and 12 weeks (group B) after repair. Histologic and biomechanical evaluations of tendon-to-bone healing at 12 weeks were performed with ADF injection in both shoulders in group C and PRP injection in group D. RESULTS: At 4 weeks, COL1 and BMP2 messenger RNA expression was higher in ADF-injected shoulders (1.6 ± 0.8 and 1.0 ± 0.3, respectively) than in PRP-injected shoulders (1.0 ± 0.3 and 0.6 ± 0.3, respectively) (P = .019 and P = .013, respectively); there were no differences in all genes in ADF- and PRP-injected shoulders at 12 weeks (P > .05). Collagen continuity, orientation, and maturation of the tendon-to-bone interface were better in group C than in group D (P = .024, P = .012, and P = .013, respectively) at 12 weeks, and mean load to failure was 37.4 ± 6.2 N/kg and 24.4 ± 5.2 N/kg in group C and group D, respectively (P = .015). CONCLUSIONS: ADFs caused higher COL1 and BMP2 expression than PRP at 4 weeks and showed better histologic and biomechanical findings at 12 weeks after rotator cuff repair of the rabbit model. ADFs enhanced healing better than PRP in the rabbit model. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This study could serve as a transitional study to show the effectiveness of ADFs in achieving tendon-to-bone healing after repair of chronic rotator cuff tears in humans.

Etiology and Secular Trends in Primary Amenorrhea in 856 Patients: A 17-Year Retrospective Multicenter Study in Korea.

BACKGROUND: This study was performed to evaluate etiologies and secular trends in primary amenorrhea in South Korea. METHODS: This retrospective multi-center study analyzed 856 women who were diagnosed with primary amenorrhea between 2000 and 2016. Clinical characteristics were compared according to categories of amenorrhea (hypergonadotropic/hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, eugonadism, disorders of sex development) or specific causes of primary amenorrhea. In addition, we assessed secular trends of etiology and developmental status based on the year of diagnosis. RESULTS: The most frequent etiology was eugonadism (39.8%). Among specific causes, Müllerian agenesis was most common (26.2%), followed by gonadal dysgenesis (22.4%). Women with hypergonadotropic hypogonadism were more likely to have lower height and weight, compared to other categories. In addition, the proportion of cases with iatrogenic or unknown causes increased significantly in hypergonadotropic hypogonadism category, but overall, no significant secular trends were detected according to etiology. The proportion of anovulation including polycystic ovarian syndrome increased with time, but the change did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSION: The results of this study provide useful clinical insight on the etiology and secular trends of primary amenorrhea. Further large-scale, prospective studies are necessary.

Quantitative magnetic resonance imaging assessment of the infraspinatus and teres minor in massive rotator cuff tear and its significance in clinical outcome after rotator cuff repair.

BACKGROUND: Teres minor (TM) muscle hypertrophy in large to massive rotator cuff tears (RCTs) has been considered a compensatory change to atrophy of the infraspinatus (ISP). However, few reports have assessed its relation to the prognosis after rotator cuff repair. METHODS: A total of 139 patients who underwent arthroscopic repair of large to massive RCTs involving the ISP between January 2013 and December 2015 were retrospectively investigated. Occupational ratios of the ISP (OR_ISP) and TM (OR_TM) were measured by sagittal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Rotator cuff healing was evaluated by MRI 1 year postoperatively, and functional outcomes using the Simple Shoulder Test (SST) and Constant score and external rotator (ER) strength by isokinetic muscle performance test (IMPT) were measured. RESULTS: A total of 116 patients completed the MRI and IMPT at 1 year postoperatively, and functional scores were measured at least 2 years postoperatively. Of these, the repaired tendon had not healed in 34 patients (29%). There was a highly negative correlation between OR_ISP and OR_TM both pre- and postoperatively (Pearson correlation = -0.52 and -0.54, respectively). Preoperative OR_ISP was significantly higher in the healed than in the healing failure group (0.47 ± 0.10 vs. 0.41 ± 0.12, P = .02); however, postoperative OR_ISP and pre- and postoperative OR_TM were not. The preoperative OR_ISP cutoff value for healing was 0.46. For functional outcomes, only postoperative OR_ISP showed a statistical correlation with SST, Constant score (P = .04 and .03, respectively), and ER strength (P = .02). CONCLUSION: TM muscle hypertrophy in large to massive RCT appears to be a compensatory change in the progression of atrophy of the ISP muscle and was not a significant indicator of either better healing of the repaired rotator cuff tendon or better function. Only preoperative OR_ISP was an independent prognostic factor affecting rotator cuff healing after repair of large to massive RCTs.

Cytokines in culture media of preimplantation embryos during in vitro fertilization: Impact on embryo quality.

Cytokine support of embryonic development includes promotion of implantation and protection of blastomeres from cell stress and apoptosis. Correlations between embryo quality and concentrations of specific cytokines in culture media of human embryos have been investigated for many years. The aim of this study was to assess the concentrations of cytokines in preimplantation embryo culture media and to investigate their relationships with embryo quality and in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes. Seventy-two samples were obtained from 39 infertile couples undergoing IVF or intracytoplasmic sperm injection treatment between October 2018 and May 2019. Each embryo was cultured separately, and the embryo culture medium was collected 72 h after fertilization. Before embryo transfer on day 3, a morphological evaluation of each embryo was performed. Cytokine concentrations of each culture medium were analyzed for 23 selected cytokines using the Multiplex Cytokine/Chemokine Panel II Assay (Merck Millipore®). The results were categorized into two groups (top-quality and non-top-quality embryos). The median age of the 39 patients was 34 years. Nine of 23 cytokines were quantified and compared between the top-quality embryo group and non-top-quality embryo group. Among the nine cytokines, CCL15, CCL27, and CXCL-12 were significantly elevated in the top-quality embryo group. These results suggested that specific cytokines measured in human embryo culture media can be used to predict embryo quality and IVF outcomes.

Association between body weight variability and incidence of Parkinson disease: A nationwide, population-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Although body weight variability has been associated with mortality, cardiovascular disease, and dementia, the relationship between body weight variability and Parkinson disease (PD) has rarely been studied. We aimed to investigate the longitudinal association between body weight variability and PD incidence. METHODS: A nationwide population-based, cohort study was conducted using the database from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service of the whole Korean population. We analyzed 2,815,135 participants (≥40 years old, mean age = 51.7 ± 8.6 years, 66.8% men) without a previous PD diagnosis. We determined individual body weight variability from baseline weight and follow-up visits. We used Cox proportional hazards regression models. RESULTS: The highest quartile group was associated with increased PD incidence compared with the lowest quartile group after adjustment for confounding factors (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.18, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.08-1.29). In contrast, baseline body mass index, baseline waist circumference, and waist circumference variability were not associated with increased PD incidence. In the body weight loss group, individuals within the quartile of the highest variation in body weight showed a higher HR of PD risk than those within other quartiles (HR = 1.41, 95% CI = 1.18-1.68). CONCLUSIONS: Body weight variability, especially weight loss, was associated with higher PD incidence. This finding has important implications for clinicians and supports the need for preventative measures and surveillance for PD in individuals with fluctuating body weight.

Relationship between blood pressure levels and ischemic stroke, myocardial infarction, and mortality in very elderly patients taking antihypertensives: a nationwide population-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND: In the very elderly, "the lower the better" hypothesis has constantly been contradicted by randomized control trials and various cohort studies, but inconsistency in results led to unclear blood pressure treatment targets. This study aimed to assess the relationship between baseline blood pressure (BP) and ischemic stroke, myocardial infarction, and all-cause mortality in very elderly people treated for hypertension. METHODS: This large population-based retrospective cohort study was based on the national claims database of the Korean National Health Insurance System, which covers the entire Korean population. 374,250 participants aged ≥ 75 years taking antihypertensive agents were recruited, excluding patients with a history of previous ischemic stroke or myocardial infarction. RESULTS: Systolic BP (SBP) followed a J curve for ischemic stroke and a U curve for all-cause mortality, with nadir ranges of 120 to 129 mmHg and 140 to 149 mmHg, respectively. While increasing diastolic BP (DBP) generally resulted in higher HRs for ischemic stroke, HRs for myocardial infarction and all-cause mortality significantly increased only when DBP was ≥ 80 mmHg and ≥ 90 mmHg, respectively. The SBP/DBP combination analysis showed that even with SBP < 130 mmHg, higher DBP ≥ 90 mmHg had higher HRs for all three outcomes compared to the reference group (130 to 149 / < 80 mmHg). CONCLUSIONS: There were no further benefits or even harm below certain BP levels for ischemic stroke, myocardial infarction, and all-cause mortality in very elderly hypertensive patients.

Prediction of Pleural Adhesions by Lung Ultrasonography: An Observational Study.

OBJECTIVE: Pleural adhesion makes video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) an arduous procedure and can increase postoperative pain from accompanying adhesiolysis. For the present study, the feasibility of lung ultrasonography for the prediction of pleural adhesions and postoperative pain in VATS was investigated. DESIGN: Blinded, prospective, observational study. SETTING: Tertiary teaching hospital, Seoul, South Korea. PARTICIPANTS: Sixty patients (American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I to III) scheduled to undergo VATS were assessed for eligibility. After exclusions, 53 patients were enrolled and followed-up. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Patients were evaluated with lung ultrasonography during deep spontaneous respiration before induction of anesthesia, and surgeons confirmed the presence of pleural adhesions during the surgery. Pain was evaluated using a numeric rating scale and by the amount of opioid consumption until 24 hours postoperatively. Lung ultrasonography showed acceptable predictability of pleural adhesions, with the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (0.75, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.67-0.83) and high specificity (0.97, 95% CI 0.91-0.99) but low sensitivity (0.53, 95% CI 0.38-0.68). The pain score was not different between sonographic adhesion (+) and (-) groups; however, the sonographic adhesion (+) group consumed more opioids until 24 hours postoperatively (fentanyl 675 [558-805] µg v 420 [356-476] µg; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Lung ultrasonography may help with planning postoperative pain management in VATS; however, it was a better tool for ruling out rather than detecting pleural adhesions.

Word Embedding Reveals Cyfra 21-1 as a Biomarker for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

BACKGROUND: Although patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) experience high morbidity and mortality worldwide, few biomarkers are available for COPD. Here, we analyzed potential biomarkers for the diagnosis of COPD by using word embedding. METHODS: To determine which biomarkers are likely to be associated with COPD, we selected respiratory disease-related biomarkers. Degrees of similarity between the 26 selected biomarkers and COPD were measured by word embedding. And we infer the similarity with COPD through the word embedding model trained in the large-capacity medical corpus, and search for biomarkers with high similarity among them. We used Word2Vec, Canonical Correlation Analysis, and Global Vector for word embedding. We evaluated the associations of selected biomarkers with COPD parameters in a cohort of patients with COPD. RESULTS: Cytokeratin 19 fragment (Cyfra 21-1) was selected because of its high similarity and its significant correlation with the COPD phenotype. Serum Cyfra 21-1 levels were determined in patients with COPD and controls (4.3 ± 5.9 vs. 3.9 ± 3.6 ng/mL, P = 0.611). The emphysema index was significantly correlated with the serum Cyfra 21-1 level (correlation coefficient = 0.219, P = 0.015). CONCLUSION: Word embedding may be used for the discovery of biomarkers for COPD and Cyfra 21-1 may be used as a biomarker for emphysema. Additional studies are needed to validate Cyfra 21-1 as a biomarker for COPD.

Robotic single-site versus multi-port myomectomy: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate the compatibility of robotic single-site (RSS) myomectomy in comparison with the conventional robotic multi-port (RMP) myomectomy to achieve successful surgical outcomes with reliability and reproducibility. METHODS: This retrospective case-control study was performed on 236 robotic myomectomies at a university medical center. After 1:1 propensity score matching for the total myoma number, total myoma diameter, and patient age, 90 patients in each group (RSS: n = 90; RMP: n = 90) were evaluated. Patient demographics, preoperative parameters, intraoperative characteristics, and postoperative outcome measures were analyzed. RESULTS: The body mass index, parity, preoperative hemoglobin levels, mean maximal myoma diameter, and anatomical type of myoma showed no mean differences between RSS and RMP myomectomies. The RSS group was younger, had lesser number of myomas removed, and had a smaller sum of the maximal diameter of total myomas removed than the RMP group. After propensity score matching, the total operative time (RSS: 150.9 ± 57.1 min vs. RMP: 170 ± 74.5 min, p = 0.0296) was significantly shorter in the RSS group. The RSS group tended to have a longer docking time (RSS: 9.8 ± 6.5 min vs. RMP: 8 ± 6.2 min, p = 0.0527), shorter console time (RSS: 111.1 ± 52.3 min vs. RMP: 125.8 ± 65.1 min, p = 0.0665), and shorter time required for in-bag morcellation (RSS: 30.1 ± 17.2 min vs. RMP: 36.2 ± 25.7 min, p = 0.0684). The visual analog scale pain score 1 day postoperatively was significantly lower in the RSS group (RSS: 2.4 ± 0.8 days vs. RMP: 2.7 ± 0.8 days, p = 0.0149), with similar consumption of analgesic drugs. The rate of transfusion, estimated blood loss during the operation, and length of hospital stay were not different between the two modalities. No other noticeable complications were observed in either group. CONCLUSIONS: Da Vinci RSS myomectomy is a compatible option with regard to reproducibility and safety, without significantly compromising the number and sum of the maximal diameter of myomas removed. The advantage of shorter total operative time and less pain with the same amount of analgesic drugs in RSS myomectomy will contribute to improving patient satisfaction.

Tin(II) Aminothiolate and Tin(IV) Aminothiolate Selenide Compounds as Single-Source Precursors for Tin Chalcogenide Materials.

Tin aminothiolate compounds SnII(dmampS)2 (1) and SnIV(dmampS)2Se (2), where dmampS = 1-(dimethylamino)-2-methylpropane-2-thiolate, were synthesized. The molecular structures of 1 and 2 reveal a seesaw and distorted trigonal-bipyramidal geometry, respectively. The 1H NMR spectrum of 1 shows two types of resonances for the methyl groups of the α-carbon, methyl groups of the amino groups, and methylene groups at room temperature. On the other hand, the 1H NMR spectrum of 2 exhibits a single resonance for each of these groups. According to variable-temperature 1H NMR analysis, each of these two types of resonances occurring at relatively low temperatures (under 223 K for 1 and under 333 K for 2) are merged as a single resonance with increasing temperature. By using thermogravimetric and thermal decomposition analyses, the residual materials of compounds 1 and 2 are confirmed to be SnS and SnSSe, respectively. Compound 1 was subjected to a metal-organic chemical vapor deposition process, which allowed for the deposition of a dense and well-faceted orthorhombic phase SnS thin film on a SiO2/Si substrate with ∼200 nm thickness.

Comparing proton pump inhibitors with histamin-2 receptor blockers regarding the risk of osteoporotic fractures: a nested case-control study of more than 350,000 Korean patients with GERD and peptic ulcer disease.

BACKGROUND: Patients with peptic ulcer disease (PUD) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) are more likely to receive long-term therapy with proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). This study aimed to investigate the risk of osteoporotic fractures in PPI users compared to histamine-2 receptor antagonist (H2RA) users and the association between fractures and the duration and regular use of PPI. METHODS: A population-based, nationwide nested case-control study from January 2006 to December 2015 was performed using Korean National Health Insurance Service claims data. We included patients ≥50 years of age, without previous fractures, newly prescribed with PPI or H2RA, and diagnosed with PUD or GERD from 2006 to 2015. Patients with osteoporotic fracture (n = 59,240) were matched with the non-fracture control group (n = 296,200) at a 1:5 ratio based on sex, age, cohort entry date, follow-up duration, and bisphosphonate use. The osteoporotic fractures were defined using the diagnostic codes of claims data (M80, M81, M82, M484, M485, S220, S221, S320, S327, S422, S423, S525, S526, S72). RESULTS: The higher the cumulative use of PPIs, the higher the osteoporotic fracture risk (P for trend < 0.001). The risk of osteoporotic fracture in the patients whose cumulative use of PPI was more than 1 year was higher than that of others (OR: 1.42, 95% CI: 1.32-1.52). Patients who regularly used PPI in the recent 1 year had a higher risk of osteoporotic fracture than exclusive H2RA users (OR: 1.37, 95% CI: 1.26-1.50). CONCLUSIONS: The risk of osteoporotic fracture increased with the duration of PPI use, especially when PPI was used for ≥1 year and regularly in the recent 1 year.

N95 filtering facepiece respirators do not reliably afford respiratory protection during chest compression: A simulation study.

BACKGROUND: N95 filtering facepiece respirators (N95 respirators) may not provide adequate protection against respiratory infections during chest compression due to inappropriate fitting. METHODS: This was a single-center simulation study performed from December 1, 2016, to December 31, 2016. Each participant underwent quantitative fit test (QNFT) of N95 respirators according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration protocol. Adequacy of respirator fit was represented by the fit factor (FF), which is calculated as the number of ambient particles divided by the number inside the respirator. We divided all participants into the group that passed the overall fit test but failed at least one individual exercise (partially passed group [PPG]) and the group that passed all exercises (all passed group [APG]). Then, the participants performed three sessions of continuous chest compressions, each with a duration of 2 min, while undergoing real-time fit testing. The primary outcome was any failure (FF < 100) of the fit test during the three bouts of chest compression. RESULTS: Forty-four participants passed the QNFT. Overall, 73% (n = 32) of the participants failed at least one of the three sessions of chest compression; the number of participants who failed was significantly higher in the PPG than in the APG (94% vs. 61%; p = 0.02). Approximately 18% (n = 8) of the participants experienced mask fit failures, such as strap slipping. CONCLUSIONS: Even if the participants passed the QNFT, the N95 respirator did not provide adequate protection against respiratory infections during chest compression.