Search

BackgroundEven though radiologic diagnosis of bone tumors and tumor-like lesions is usually based on radiographs, radiographically faint imaging features sometimes remain challenging due to overlapping anatomical structures.PurposeTo compare tomosynthesis with radiography for the evaluation of bone tumors and tumor-like lesions.Material and MethodsForty-seven bone tumors and tumor-like lesions were assessed with radiographs and tomosynthesis images. Two radiologists independently analyzed imaging features of lesions, including margin, periosteal reaction, cortical thinning, matrix mineralization, cortical destruction (such as pathologic fracture), and extraosseous soft-tissue extension. Computed tomography (CT) imaging was used as a reference method. Diagnostic performances of radiography and tomosynthesis were analyzed and compared based on sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value. Effective radiation dose was compared among the three imaging modalities by phantom studies.ResultsInter-observer variability (kappa value) for imaging features was slight to moderate on radiography (0.167–0.588), whereas it was nearly perfect on tomosynthesis (0.898–1.000) except for extraosseous soft-tissue extension (0.647 vs. 0.647). Tomosynthesis showed significantly higher sensitivity than radiography in evaluating the margin for bone tumors or tumor-like lesions (1.00 vs. 0.85; P = 0.016), and significantly higher accuracy than radiography in evaluating the margin and matrix mineralization for those (1.00 vs. 0.85; P = 0.016 and 0.91 vs.0.77; P = 0.023, respectively). In phantom studies, mean effective radiation doses were highest in order of CT, tomography, and radiography.ConclusionTomosynthesis increases sensitivity and accuracy of the margin as well as accuracy of the matrix mineralization of bone tumors and tumor-like lesions compared to radiography.

The control of exosome release is associated with numerous physiological and pathological activities, and that release is often indicative of health, disease, and environmental nutrient stress. Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) regulates the cell viability via the negative regulation of the mammalian target of rapamycin complex (mTORC1) during glucose deprivation. However, the mechanism by which viability of TSC-null cells is regulated by mTORC1 inhibition under glucose deprivation remains unclear. Here, we demonstrated that exosome release regulates cell death induced by glucose deprivation in TSC-null cells. The mTORC1 inhibition by rapamycin significantly increased the exosome biogenesis, exosome secretion, and cell viability in TSC-null cells. In addition, the increase in cell viability by mTORC1 inhibition was attenuated by two different types of inhibitors of exosome release under glucose deprivation. Taken together, we suggest that exosome release inhibition might be a novel way for regression of cell growth in TSC-null cells showing lack of cell death by mTORC1 inhibition.

Summary Background & aims Trials investigating the efficacy of different interventions for overweight children are limited and controversial. Therefore, the aim of this study is to perform a network meta-analysis on the efficacy of various interventions for children with obesity (an average age of 6–12 years old). Methods We obtained the data of trials reporting pre-post obesity relevant outcomes (e.g. BMI, BMI z-score, percent body fat, or percent overweight) from the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE (Ovid), PubMed, and Web of Science databases (completed before February 25, 2019) and included at least one pair of direct comparison groups. The mean difference of outcomes and their associated 95% CI were used to determine the efficacy. The P-score was calculated to illustrate the rank probability of various treatments for different outcomes using a network meta-analysis. Our meta-analysis included 24 studies that evaluated the interventions for childhood obesity. Results All 24 trials had no high risk of bias. Interventions such as exercise without parents (E w/o P); diet with parents (D w/P); and diet, exercise, and lifestyle with parents (D+E+L w/P) were significantly effective for children with obesity when compared with no intervention. Conclusions E w/o P exhibited the highest P-score, with the D w/P and D+E+L w/P ranks having P-scores of 0.7486 and 0.5464, respectively. Moreover, the results indicate that E w/o P, D w/P, and D+E+L w/P were significantly effective treatments for children with obesity when compared with no intervention.

To evaluate the intervention effect of omega-3 fatty acids on changes in periodontal parameters.This meta-analysis included studies published in English language between 2010 and 2020, which were extracted from the Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and PubMed databases. The effects of omega-3 fatty acid intervention were investigated using the amount of omega-3 intake, periodontal pocket depth (PPD), clinical attachment loss (CAL), and bleeding on probing (BOP). The random-effects model was generated for data analysis. To obtain robustness of the model, sensitivity analysis was implemented. Subgroup analyses were performed based on the intervention period for each parameter.All 13 studies included in the meta-analysis were interventional, randomized controlled trials. Two studies implemented omega-3 fatty acid-rich diets, while 11 studies used supplements. Risk of bias was low, and publication bias was not shown. Meta-analysis showed a statistically significant PPD reduction (standardized mean difference [SMD] = -0.81, absolute mean difference [MD] = -0.44 mm), CAL gain (SMD = -0.77, MD = -0.51 mm), and BOP reduction (SMD = -0.65, MD = -9.45%) for the omega-3 fatty acid intervention overall.This study suggests that supplemental or dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids for the treatment of periodontitis may have a positive impact on the disease.

Osteoporosis is the most common bone disease and is characterized by low bone mineral density (BMD) and a high risk of fracture. Despite advances in our understanding of the pathogenesis of osteoporosis, complex gene-environment interactions that influence osteoporosis development remain largely unexplored. In this study, we aimed to identify genetic loci associated with low BMD and to evaluate these genetic variants under individual and environmental factors.A genome-wide association analysis was conducted using 500,568 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 8842 individuals aged 40-69 years using clinical, demographic, and dietary data (260 traits) established by the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study. The gPLINK program was used to detect SNPs associated with osteoporosis at a genome-wide significance level (P 1.0 × 10Of the seven SNPs that were associated with osteoporosis, both rs10977574 and rs4390000 lay in the PTPRD locus encoding a protein tyrosine phosphatase-receptor type D, which has been implicated in bone metabolism. Haplotype analysis identified two minor alleles, C and G, at the rs10977574 and rs4390000 loci, respectively, forming a linkage disequilibrium block. The subsequent gender-stratified analysis using dietary calcium intake revealed an increased correlation between the CG haplotype and osteoporosis (OR = 2.069) in the low-calcium-intake-female group but not in the high-calcium-intake-female or any male group.This study revealed novel evidence of the sex-specific association of the CG haplotype in the PTPRD locus with osteoporosis and indicated that the association can be influenced by dietary calcium intake.

Objectives Childhood obesity is a critical health issue. The etiology of childhood obesity is multifactorial, with age, gender, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status interacting to affect risk. Food insecurity is known to be associated with risk of childhood obesity, but the body of evidence regarding Koreans is lacking. This study investigated the association between childhood obesity and household food insecurity in Koreans. Other lifestyle and nutritional factors associated with obesity were also examined. Methods Using data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a cross-sectional study was conducted with 1527 boys and 1366 girls. A comparison of general characteristics and nutritional intake between the groups was made using Student's t tests, χ2 tests, and general linear models. The association between childhood obesity and food insecurity was estimated with logistic regression models, and presented with odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals either with or without covariates. Results Boys who were obese dined out less frequently and engaged less in regular exercise, but no differences in nutrition intake were observed between children who were and were not obese. Girls who were obese were less likely to have a caregiver and consumed a higher percentage of energy from protein. Boys experiencing household food insecurity were less likely to be obese (adjusted odds ratio, 0.25; 95% confidence interval, 0.06–0.99), but girls with food insecurity were at three times higher risk of obesity (adjusted odds ratio, 3.00; 95% confidence interval, 1.23–7.31). Conclusions Differential lifestyle factors are associated with obesity phenotypes in boys and girls. Food insecurity also showed a contrasting association with obesity risk by gender in young Koreans.

Herein, we hypothesized that ZIP11 variants would be important risk factors for chronic gastritis and that there would be an interaction effect of the relationship between their variants and spicy food intake on the development of chronic gastritis. Participants in this cross-sectional study (n = 3882 + 252) were recruited from a cohort of the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study in 2001. Age, sex, education, smoking and drinking status, exercise, stress, and income level of all participants were determined by a questionnaire. Demographic and anthropometric data were collected. Fasting blood samples were collected to determine the serum levels of glucose, insulin, total bilirubin, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides. The presence of chronic gastritis was defined as a confirmed diagnosis by a physician. Food consumption was determined using a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. We found 8 different single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that are significantly different between subjects without gastritis and those with gastritis. Of these 8 SNPs, 3 SNP (rs17183225 [C/T], rs17780814 [A/C], and rs17780820 [A/G]) are closely located in the intronic region of zinc transporter SLC39A11, commonly known as ZIP11, and show linkage disequilibrium (D′ = 1.0). We also found that participants with (TCA + TCG) haplotype of ZIP11 at high levels of dietary intake of spicy foods show a significantly increasing tendency in the odds of having chronic gastritis when compared with those with CAA haplotype (odds ratio, 2.620; 95% confidence interval, 1.207-5.689). The data indicate positive associations between higher meal frequency and lower spicy food preference and gastritis. In conclusion, we found that zinc transporter gene ZIP11 is associated with chronic gastritis in the Korean population and it may interact with spicy food, which suggests ZIP11 as a therapeutic target for precision nutrition.

One of the typical symptoms of a psychological crisis is depression, an increasing concern in the elderly population. Although omega-3-polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are reported to be promising nutrients for treating depression, currently, there are no systematic reviews or meta-analyses of randomized control trials that provide critical evidence regarding the potential benefits of omega-3 fatty acids in elderly patients with depression. This analysis was conducted to provide evidence for the clinical application of omega-3 fatty acids in the treatment of depressive symptoms of elderly subjects older than 65 years. Seven databases were searched from their inception date until September 2016. Following this search, 6 studies were selected, which included 4605 patients (mean age, 76.97 years; male-female ratio=3752:853; mean dose of omega 3 intake, 1.3 g/d). These results were divided into 2 categories: well-being mental health group and depressive group. In the well-being mental health group, the Hedges g was 0.12 (95% confidence interval, -0.05 to 0.29), which indicated no significant effect of n-3 PUFA supplementation on depressed mood compared with placebo. In the depressive group, the pooled Hedges g was -0.94 (95% CI, -1.37 to -0.50]) for the random-effects model, which indicated a large effect of n-3 PUFA supplementation on those with depressed mood compared with placebo. Although this review shows that omega-3 fatty acids are effective in the treatment of elderly depressed patients, the benefits of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation were significant only in the elderly patients with mild to moderate depression.

Objectives Despite the evidence supporting the use of vitamin D supplements for managing atopic dermatitis (AD), no meta-analysis providing definite conclusions in this field has been reported. The purpose of the present study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of all controlled studies of vitamin D for treating AD to elucidate the efficacy of vitamin D for alleviating the symptoms of AD. Methods Literature searches were conducted using Ovid-MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Korean and Chinese databases. Search terms used were “vitamin D”, “atopic dermatitis”, “randomized”, “controlled trial”, and “clinical trial”. Random effects models were used to calculate the mean difference, with 95% confidence intervals to analyze the effects of vitamin D supplementation for severity of AD. Results Initial searches yielded 266 citations. Of these original results, nine met specific selection criteria. Four of the randomized controlled trials compared the efficacy of vitamin D with a placebo on severity of AD and were included in the meta-analysis. The vitamin D supplementation interventions showed a higher mean difference in severity of AD symptoms (mean difference = −5.81, 95% CI: −9.03 to −2.59, P = 0.0004, I2 = 50%). Conclusions Vitamin D has a potentially significant role for improving the symptoms of AD. The results from this study suggest that vitamin D supplementation may help ameliorate the severity of AD, and can be considered as a safe and tolerable therapy. However, larger-scale studies over a longer duration of treatment are needed to confirm this conclusion.

The prevalence of atopic dermatitis (AD) has continuously increased throughout the world in every age group, and the recent increase in AD in Korean adults may be related to changes in nutrient intakes due to westernization of dietary patterns. We hypothesized that the prevalence of AD is associated with the different dietary patterns and fermented food intakes of the Korean adult population. We examined the hypothesis using 9763 adults 19 years or older using the 2012-2013 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. We identified 4 dietary patterns in addition to that including fermented foods using principal component analysis on data obtained from a 116-item validated semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire: meat and processed foods; vegetables, fruits, legumes, seafood, and seaweed; rice and grains; and coffee, chocolate, and ice cream. Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for AD were calculated according to dietary patterns after adjusting for potential confounders. High levels of consumption (>92 times/month) of fermented foods such as doenjang, chungkookjang, kimchi, fermented seafood, makgeolli, and beer were associated with a lower prevalence of AD (OR, 0.56; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.37-0.84). In contrast, high levels of consumption of meat and processed foods were strongly associated with the prevalence of AD (OR, 2.42; 95% CI, 1.48-3.94). Interestingly, the consumption of coffee, chocolate, and ice cream was significantly negatively associated with the prevalence of AD (OR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.34-0.82). In conclusion, the hypothesis was accepted. The results can be applied to nutrition education programs for the general population to decrease risk factors for AD.

This study prospectively evaluated the clinical prognoses of short implants (7-mm long) in the mandible. We investigated the clinical prognosis of short implants in 20 patients (46 implants) according to the installation technique (submerged or nonsubmerged), installation depth (5.5-mm depth, 7-mm depth), and crown/implant ratio. We investigated the marginal bone loss and peri-implant soft-tissue index 12 months after the final prosthetic delivery. Twelve months after prosthetic delivery, no statistically significant differences were observed in bone loss in relation to the type of installation technique, installation depth, or crown/implant ratio. The plaque index and pocket depth indexes were not influenced by the installation technique, installation depth, or crown/implant ratio. We observed marginal bone loss of 3.3 mm in 1 implant from the nonsubmerged group. The total 1-year success rate was 97.83%. Based on this 1-year success rate, short implants had a good clinical prognosis, regardless of the installation technique, installation depth, or crown/implant ratio.

Necroptosis is an active and well-orchestrated necrosis, distinctive from apoptosis in microscopic structure, and biochemical and molecular features. Unlike apoptosis-undergoing cells, which are removed by macrophage or neighboring cells, necrotic cell death releases danger signals and provokes inflammation, and further a severe damage to neighbor tissue. A regulated necrosis, termed as necroptosis or programmed necrosis, is emerging as a new paradigm of cell death that can be activated when apoptotic machinery is genetically or pathogenically defective. It plays biological significances in pathogenesis of a variety of inflammatory diseases as well as in a beneficial innate immune defense mechanism. This review highlights the identification of hits against necroptosis, and comprehensive approaches to discovery of small molecules that regulate necroptotic cell death. Also, the signaling molecular mechanism of necroptosis and future clinical uses of necroptosis inhibitor will be described in brief.

Recently, techniques have been reported that involve the preparation of extracted teeth from patients used as particulated bone graft materials for bone graft purposes. For implant placement and bone graft, autogenous teeth bone graft materials were used in 15 patients, and clinically excellent results were obtained. In histological examination, favorable bony healing by osteoconduction was observed.

The incidence of atopic dermatitis (AD) is continuously increasing in industrialized countries, possibly due to dietary and lifestyle changes. However, the association between processed food intake and AD has not been studied in a large adult population.We investigated the association between dietary habits and AD in 17,497 adults in the 2009-2011 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES).We identified 4 dietary patterns using principal components analysis of a 63-item food frequency questionnaire: the "traditional dietary pattern", rich in rice and kimchi; the "processed food pattern", with more meat, instant noodles, soda, and processed foods; the "healthy dietary pattern", high in grains, vegetables, fruits, and seaweeds; and the "drinking dietary pattern", mainly drinking coffee and alcohol. Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for AD were calculated according to dietary patterns after adjusting for potential confounders with incorporation of sample weights for the complex sample design. The "meat and processed food" pattern was associated with a significant 1.57 fold higher OR for atopic dermatitis than the low consumption group. Further analysis revealed that the increased atopic dermatitis was most closely associated with instant noodles. In contrast, the groups with high intake of rice and kimchi exhibited lower ORs, 0.38 and 0.43 folds, compared to the low intake group.Consuming instant noodles, meat and processed foods was associated with increased prevalence of atopic dermatitis, whereas consuming rice and kimchi, and coffee was associated with decreased prevalence of atopic dermatitis.背景与目的：特应性皮炎的发生率在工业化国家持续增加，可能是由于饮食 和生活方式的改变。然而，加工食品与特应性皮炎的关系还没有在大人群中研 究过。方法与研究设计：我们研究了2009-2011 年韩国全国健康和营养调查中 17,497 名成年人饮食习惯与特应性皮炎的关系。结果：我们采用主成分法分析 了含有63 个条目的食物频率问卷，确定了4 个膳食模式：“传统膳食模式”： 富含大米和泡菜；“加工食品模式”：更多的肉、方便面、饮料、加工食品； “健康膳食模式”：高谷物、蔬菜、水果和海藻；“饮用膳食模式”：主要饮用咖 啡和酒精。校正掺入复杂样本设计的样本权重等潜在混杂因素，根据膳食模式 计算校正的比值比（ORs）。“肉和加工食品”模式高摄入组比低摄入组特应性 皮炎的OR 值高1.57 倍。进一步分析显示：特应性皮炎的增加与方便面关系 最密切。相反，大米和泡菜高摄入组与低摄入组相比，OR 值较低，分别为 0.38 和0.43。结论：方便面、肉类和加工食品的摄入与特应性皮炎的患病率增 加有关，而大米、泡菜和咖啡的摄入与特应性皮炎的患病率降低有关。.

This meta-analysis investigates the effects of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) on the sinus bone graft.PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and EMBASE were searched in January 2010.Of 61 articles searched, eight controlled clinical trials, which included a total of 352 sinus bone graft cases in 191 patients, were included in the final analysis. In the fixed-effects meta-analysis, the implant survival was not significantly different between two groups in the patient-based data of four studies (relative risk [RR]: 1.02; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.97 to 1.08) and in the implant-based data of three studies (RR: 1.02; 95% CI: 0.99 to 1.04). The bone formation was significantly greater in the intervention group in the random-effects model (standardized mean difference [SMD]: 1.30; 95% CI: 0.21 to 2.39) in five studies with significant heterogeneity (I(2) = 76.2%). The bone-to-implant contact was not significantly different between two groups in the random-effects model (SMD: 1.02; 95% CI: -1.65 to 3.70) in two studies with significant heterogeneity (I(2) = 82.4%).The present study indicates that there was sufficient evidence to support the use of PRP for bone formation on a sinus bone graft, whereas there was no significant effect on the implant survival and bone-to-implant contact.

Objectives The aim of this study was to compare the survival rate and surrounding tissue condition of sinus bone grafts with simultaneous implant placement between 4-month and 6-month occlusal loading after implantation. Study design Twenty-seven patients (61 implants) who were treated with sinus bone grafts (sinus lateral approach) and simultaneous Osstem GS II implant placement from July 2007 to June 2008 were included in this study. Of these patients, 14 (31 implants) were in the 4-month loading group, and 13 (30 implants) were in the 6-month loading group. We investigated the implantation type (submerged or nonsubmerged), sinus membrane perforation, type of prosthesis, opposed tooth type, primary and secondary stability of implants, and crestal bone loss around implant and surrounding tissue conditions. Results The amounts of crestal bone-loss at the final recall time (12.56 ± 5.95 mo after loading) of the 4-month and 6-month loading groups were 0.19 ± 0.33 mm and 0.39 ± 0.86 mm, respectively. However, the difference between groups was not statistically significant ( P = .211). The width of keratinized mucosa, gingival index, plaque index, and pocket depth of the 4-month and 6-month loading groups were 2.50 ± 1.69 mm and 1.73 ± 1.40 mm ( P = .081), 0.72 ± 0.83 and 0.59 ± 0.69 ( P = .671), 1.11 ± 0.96 and 0.76 ± 0.79 ( P = .226), 3.56 ± 0.98 mm and 3.65 ± 1.06 mm ( P = .758), respectively. The primary stabilities of implants in the 4-month and 6-month loading groups were 61.96 ± 12.84 and 56.06 ± 15.55 ( P = .120), and the secondary stabilities were 71.85 ± 6.80 and 66.51 ± 11.28 ( P = .026), respectively. The secondary stability of the 4-month group was significantly higher than that of the 6-month group. There was no statistical difference ( P > .05) between the 4-month and 6-month loading groups regarding the implantation type (submerged or nonsubmerged), sinus membrane perforation, type of prosthesis, or opposed tooth type. In the 4-month and 6-month groups, all of the implants survived until the final recall time. Conclusions For the cases in which the residual bone was >3 mm and primary implant stability could be obtained, we conclude that loading is possible 4 months after the sinus bone graft and simultaneous implant placement.

The activation of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) response element-binding protein (CREB) via phosphorylation in the hippocampus is an important signaling mechanism for enhancing memory processing. Although melatonin is known to increase CREB expression in various animal models, the signaling mechanism between melatonin and CREB has been unknown in vitro. Thus, we confirmed the signaling pathway between the melatonin receptor 1 (MT1) and CREB using melatonin in HT-22 cells. Melatonin increased MT1 and gradually induced signals associated with long-term memory processing through phosphorylation of Raf, ERK, p90RSK, CREB, and BDNF expression. We also confirmed that the calcium, JNK, and AKT pathways were not involved in this signaling pathway by melatonin in HT-22 cells. Furthermore, we investigated whether melatonin regulated the expressions of CREB-BDNF associated with long-term memory processing in aged HT-22 cells. In conclusion, melatonin mediated the MT1-ERK-p90RSK-CREB-BDNF signaling pathway in the in vitro long-term memory processing model and increased the levels of p-CREB and BDNF expression in melatonin-treated cells compared to untreated HT-22 cells in the cellular aged state. Therefore, this paper suggests that melatonin induces CREB signaling pathways associated with long-term memory processing in vitro.

Objectives The objective of this study was to clinically evaluate the use of Osteon as a sinus bone graft material and to measure the loss of sinus bone graft volume and marginal bone loss around the implants. Study design Thirty-two implants were placed in 16 patients after maxillary sinus bone grafting. In 7 patients, maxillary sinus bone graft was performed first and 15 implants were placed after 4 months; in 9 patients, 17 implants were placed simultaneously with maxillary sinus bone grafting. Based on medical records and radiographs, intraoperative and postoperative complications were examined, and at 1 year after the placement of the upper fixture, the success rate of implants, peri-implant soft tissue condition, and the marginal bone loss were evaluated. Additionally, the sinus bone graft volume loss was evaluated by comparing the residual alveolar bone height of the preoperative maxillary sinus floor with that immediately after the operation and after 1 year. Results Regarding intraoperative complications, perforation of the maxillary sinus membrane occurred in 6 cases (37.5%), and after surgery maxillary sinusitis developed in 2 cases. During the healing period, 1 implant failed in osseointegration. At the last follow-up observation, none of cases showed marginal bone loss of >1 mm and a 96.9% success rate was seen. The follow-up observation period after placement of the superstructure was 12-30 months (average 15). Between the simultaneous placement group and the delayed placement group, marginal bone loss showed no statistically significant difference ( P = .455). In the entire patient group, the volume of sinus bone graft loss did not correlate with marginal bone loss ( P = .568). Preoperative alveolar bone height was 0.8-8.8 mm (mean 4.64), postoperative alveolar bone height was 12-21.8 mm (mean 17.67), and the alveolar bone height 1 year after the operation was 11.2-20.8 mm (mean 16.78). Between the group with perforation of the maxillary sinus membrane and the group without, no difference in marginal bone loss was observed ( P = .628). Additionally, no difference in the volume of sinus bone graft resorption between the two groups was observed ( P = .970). Conclusion It was concluded that Osteon is suitable for use in sinus graft application.

Aims: To report the beneficial effect of intravitreal bevacizumab (Avastin) injection in patients with acute central serous chorioretinopathy. Methods: Ten eyes of 10 patients with acute central serous chorioretinopathy received an intravitreal bevacizumab (1.25 mg/0.05 ml) injection. At baseline and follow-up visits patients had best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), IOP assessment, dilated fundus examination and OCT imaging. Main outcome measures were the resolution of neurosensory detachment, improvement in visual symptoms and visual acuity. Results: All patients showed resolution of neurosensory detachment promptly, and improvement in visual acuity and symptoms within 1 month. In 1 case, fluorescein leakage resolved and neurosensory detachment nearly resolved at 2 weeks after treatment. At 6 months the mean BCVA (LogMAR) had improved from 0.32 to 0.04, which was statistically significant (p = 0.007, Wilcoxon signed ranks test). No recurrence was observed during a 6-month follow-up. Conclusions: Intravitreal bevacizumab injection for acute central serous chorioretinopathy may result in prompt resolution of neurosensory detachment and reduction of angiographic leakage. These short-term results suggest that intravitreal bevacizumab injection may constitute a promising therapeutic option in acute central serous chorioretinopathy.

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) devices can estimate apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) using respiratory event detection algorithms. In 2012, rules for manually scoring respiratory events during sleep were updated to version 2.0. The purpose of the present study was to compare residual AHI determined using the Sleepstyle HC608 CPAP device (HC) with those determined by the new manual scoring (NM) rules during CPAP titration in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Fifty-seven patients underwent CPAP titration with HC. Correlations were assessed between AHI determined by NM and HC. The AHI, the apnea index (AI), and the hypopnea index (HI) were evaluated separately. The mean AHI as assessed using diagnostic polysomnography (PSG) was 53.9 ± 22.4. During CPAP titration, respiratory events were effectively suppressed (HC-AHI, 4.2 ± 6.0; NM-AHI, 6.0 ± 5.8). Lower HI and AHI were obtained using HC compared to NM (HC-HI, 2.9 ± 3.6 and NM-HI, 5.2 ± 4.2, p

The intestinal microbiota has been reported to be one of the potential determinants of obesity in recent human and animal studies. Probiotics may affect the gut microbiota to modulate obesity. This systematic review aims to summarize and critically evaluate the evidence from clinical trials that have tested the effectiveness of probiotics or foods containing probiotics as a treatment for weight loss. Literature searches of electronic databases such as PubMed, Cochrane Library, and EMBASE were conducted. Methodological quality was assessed using body weight and body mass index (BMI). Initial searches yielded 368 articles. Of these, only 9 met the selection criteria. Because of insufficient data, only 4 of the studies were randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared the therapeutic efficacy of probiotics with placebo. The meta-analysis of these data showed no significant effect of probiotics on body weight and BMI (body weight, n = 196; mean difference, -1.77; 95% confidence interval, -4.84 to 1.29; P = .26; BMI, n = 154; mean difference, 0.77; 95% confidence interval, -0.24 to 1.78; P = .14). However, the total number of RCTs included in the analysis, the total sample size, and the methodological quality of the primary studies were too low to draw definitive conclusions. Thus, more rigorously designed RCTs are necessary to examine the effect of probiotics on body weight in greater detail. Collectively, the RCTs examined in this meta-analysis indicated that probiotics have limited efficacy in terms of decreasing body weight and BMI and were not effective for weight loss.

Objective Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) is a member of the nuclear hormone receptor superfamily. Treatment of PPARγ ligands has been shown to inhibit the growth of various human cancer cells. However, it has not been reported whether human cervical carcinoma cells express PPARγ. In this study, we investigated the expression of PPARγ in human normal cervix and cervical carcinoma tissues, and as well as the effect of PPARγ ligands on cervical cancer cells survival. Methods Fresh cervical tissues from a study group of 10 study patients diagnosed with cervical carcinoma were analyzed for the expression of PPARγ using real-time RT-PCR and Western blot analysis. Immunohistochemical staining for PPARγ was also performed on the serial sections of 40 cervical carcinomas. In addition, we evaluated the feasibility of PPARγ ligands, as a potential therapeutic drug against cervical cancer cells using MTT assay and FACS analysis. Results We found that there were lower expression levels of PPARγ mRNA and protein in cervical carcinoma tissues than in normal cervical tissues. The extent and intensity of immunoreactive PPARγ in normal cervix tissues were statistically much greater than those of carcinoma tissues. In order to study effects of PPAR ligand on cell proliferation, we chose ciglitizone that showed very potent growth inhibitory effects on the proliferation of two human cervical cancer cell lines (C-33-A and C-4II). C-4II cells express high expression of PPARγ, while C-33A cells express low level of PPARγ. Treatment with ciglitizone inhibited the growth of C-4II cells in a dose-dependent manner, while the growth inhibitory effect of ciglitizone was much less in C-33A cells. In order to test whether ciglitizone-induced growth suppressive effects on cervical cancer cell lines is PPAR-dependent, we treated cervical cancer cells with ciglitizone and/or GW9662 (a PPARγ antagonist). No significant difference in cell survival was found in cells treated with ciglitizone alone vs. co-treated with ciglitizone and GW9662. GW9662 alone did not induce any cell growth arrest in the cells that we used (data not shown). Thus, we concluded that growth suppressive effects by ciglitizone may not be dependent upon status of PPAR expression. To clarify the mechanism by which ciglitizone inhibits the growth of cervical carcinoma cells, flow cytometry and Western blotting assay were performed. As results, we demonstrated that a large portion of C-4II cells (but not in C-33A) after ciglitizone treatment were arrest at G1 phase with the induction of p21 Cip1/Waf1 and p27 kip1 protein. Conclusions These results suggest that PPARγ is down-regulated in multiple human cervical cancer tissues and cell lines. Ciglitizone may suppress human cervical cancer cells in PPAR-independent manner.

Aim The aim is to assess the effect of desensitizing toothpaste on dentin hypersensitivity. Methods We searched PubMed, CENTRAL, and Embase on December 20, 2013. Results Out of the 626 articles searched, a total of 31 randomized controlled clinical trials were included. The Standardized mean differences (SMD) for potassium-containing toothpaste (n = 8) was -1.28 (95% Confidence interval (CI) -2.05 to -0.51; I(2) = 93%); Stannous fluoride- (n = 6) was -1.37 (95% CI, -2.30 to -0.44; I(2) = 95%); Potassium and stannous fluoride- (n = 3) was -2.50 (95% CI, -4.10 to -0.91; I(2) = 95%); Calcium sodium phosphosilicate- (n = 4) was -2.36 (95% CI, -3.72 to -1.00; I(2) = 92%); Arginine- (n = 8) was -3.25 (95% CI, -3.87 to -2.63; I(2) = 86%). The desensitizing effect was favoured in the intervention group treated with potassium-, stannous fluoride-, potassium and stannous fluoride-, calcium sodium phosphosilicate-, and arginine-containing toothpaste compared to placebo. Whereas, strontium-containing toothpaste (SMD, 0.05; 95% CI, -0.34 to 0.44; I(2) = 64%) was found to have no statistically significant desensitizing effect in the meta-analysis of four studies. Conclusions The study reports that there is sufficient evidence to support the use of potassium-, stannous fluoride-, potassium and stannous fluoride-, calcium sodium phosphosilicate-, and arginine-containing desensitizing toothpastes for dentin hypersensitivity, but not the use of strontium-containing desensitizing toothpaste.

The enzyme 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 1 (11β-HSD1) is known to catalyse inactive glucocorticoids into active forms, and its dysregulation in adipose and muscle tissues has been implicated in the development of metabolic syndrome. To delineate the molecular mechanism by which active cortisol has an antagonizing effect against insulin, we optimized the metabolic production of cortisol and its biological functions in myotubes (C2C12). Myotubes supplemented with cortisone actively catalysed its conversion into cortisol, which in turn abolished phosphorylation of Akt in response to insulin treatment. This led to diminished uptake of insulin-induced glucose. This was corroborated by the application of 11β-HSD1 inhibitor glycyrrhetinic acid and a glucocorticoid receptor antagonist RU-486, which reversed completely the antagonizing effects of cortisol on insulin action. Therefore, development of specific inhibitors targeting 11β-HSD1 might be a promising way to improve impaired insulin-stimulated glucose uptake.

Background Postmenopausal women experience estrogen deficiency-related menopausal symptoms (e.g., hot flashes and mood swings) and a dramatic increase in the incidence of chronic diseases. Although estrogen-replacement therapy (ERT) can reduce mortality from cardiovascular disease and improve osteoporosis and menopausal symptoms, its side effects have limited recent use. This study investigated the estrogen-like activity of aqueous extract from Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb. Methods The estrogenic activity of A. pilosa was investigated by using several in vitro assays. The binding activity of A. pilosa on estrogen receptors was examined using a fluorescence polarization-based competitive binding assay. The proliferative activity of A. pilosa was also examined using MCF-7 cells. Furthermore, the effect of A. pilosa on the expression of 3 estrogen-dependent genes was assessed. Results Using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, the 3 major peaks of A. pilosa aqueous extract were identified as apigenin-hexose, luteolin-glucuronide, and apigenin-glucuronide. The aqueous extract induced the proliferation of estrogen receptor-positive MCF-7 cells (p A. pilosa-stimulated proliferation was blocked on adding the estrogen antagonist ICI 182,780. Moreover, A. pilosa treatment increased the mRNA expression of the estrogen-responsive genes pS2 and PR (p Conclusions These results suggest A. pilosa can be used to improve estrogen deficiency-related menopausal symptoms or to treat diseases in postmenopausal women.

The purpose of this study was to compare the cytokine profiles of the synovial fluid from the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) spaces of normal individuals and temporomandibular disorder (TMD) patients. Thirty-four patients with planned orthognathic surgery did not present abnormalities of the TMJ on magnetic resonance images and radiographs and did not show the symptoms identified by the Research Diagnostic Criteria for TMD (RDC-TMD); as a result, they were assigned to the control group. Twenty-two patients who sought treatment for TMD during the same period were assigned to the TMD group. Synovial fluid was collected from superior TMJ spaces, and cytokine expression was analysed by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Significant differences were tested using Fisher's exact test (p

The aim of this study was to examine the clinical characteristics of dental emergency patients who visited a university hospital emergency center and to evaluate the incidence of dental trauma.A retrospective chart review of patients with dental complaints and who visited the Seoul National University Bundang Hospital (SNUBH) emergency center in Gyeonggi-do, Korea, from January 2009 to December 2009 was conducted. Information regarding age, gender, the time, day, and month of presentation, diagnosis, treatment, and follow up was collected and analyzed.One thousand four hundred twenty-five patients with dental problems visited the SNUBH emergency center. Dental patients accounted for 1.47% of the total 96,708 patients at the emergency center. The male-to-female ratio was 1.68:1, with a considerably larger number of male patients (62.7%). The age distribution peak was at 0-9 years (27.5%), followed by patients in their forties (14.1%). The number of patients visiting the dental emergency center peaked in May (14.2%), on Sundays (22.4%), and between 2100 and 2400 h (20.8%). The patients' chief complaints were as follows: dental trauma, dental infection, oral bleeding, and temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD). The prevalence of dental trauma was 66%.The reasons for dental emergency visits included the following: dental trauma, dental infection, oral bleeding, and TMD, with 66% of the patients requiring management of dental trauma. It is important that dentists make a prompt, accurate diagnosis and initiate effective treatment in case of dental emergencies, especially dental trauma.

Purpose The aim of this study is to identify any association between variants of the polymorphic estrogen receptor gene and various symptoms of temporomandibular disorder (TMD) including pain in the temporomandibular joint and masticatory muscles, joint crepitus, limited range of jaw movement, and bone changes in the condylar head. Patients and Methods Seventy-four patients with TMD were selected according to the Research Diagnostic Criteria for TMD for the study group. Sixty-four patients without TMD were selected as the control group. Genomic DNA was extracted from the epithelial layer of buccal mucosa. After amplification by polymerase chain reaction, direct haplotyping was undertaken to study the restriction fragment length polymorphism of Pvu II and Xba I for the α estrogen receptor. Genomic prevalences in each of the symptom categories were analyzed by use of the χ 2 test. Results The haplotypes PX, Px, and px constituted 23.0%, 18.9%, and 58.1%, respectively, of the total α estrogen receptor alleles in the study group. The haplotype Px was found to be relatively more prevalent in subjects who had mouth opening limitation, and the haplotype PX was more prevalent in those patients with condylar head bone changes. However, neither of these observations carried statistical significance. Conclusion Although certain symptoms of TMD were found to have a relatively higher prevalence of one form or another of the estrogen receptor allele, no haplotype was confirmed to be a significant marker of TMD risk.

The goal of this study is to evaluate the hypothesis that the properties of the resin adhesive might affect the microtensile bond strength (MTBS) of multibottle dental adhesive system. In order to alter the properties, the experimental resin adhesives containing 2,2-bis (4-2-hydroxy-3-methacryloyloxypropoxyphenyl)propane (Bis-GMA) and triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA) at various ratios were prepared. Degree of conversion immediately after curing (DC-immed), degree of conversion at 48 h after curing (DC-48h) of a thin coat of the experimental adhesives, the flexural strength (FS) of the bulk specimens made of the experimental adhesives, pH, viscosity at shear rate of 1 S−1, and the microtensile bond strength (MTBS) values of the adhesives to dentin were investigated. The maximum MTBS and FS values of the resin adhesives were observed when the ratio of Bis-GMA/TEGDMA was 60/40. However, pH and viscosity values increased with increasing Bis-GMA content in the adhesives. When Bis-GMA content was more than 60 wt %, the viscosity increased exponentially and restricted the DC and FS, and accordingly decreased the bond strength. The stronger the resin adhesives were, the higher the bond strength to dentin could be obtained. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 2005

Shrinkage in light curing resin composites is assumed to be directed toward the light source. However, the strong bond at the dentin-resin interface achieved by newer generation dentin bonding systems may affect the direction of polymerization shrinkage. In this study, various curing modes of adhesive resin simulating different bond qualities were applied to determine the extent of interfacial gap formation with a scanning electron microscope. We also measured the free surface depression with a profilometer. The direction of polymerization shrinkage was inferred from the ratio of the interfacial gap measurement at the floor to the free surface depression. Various curing modes used in this study include Group 1: light curing of resin composite without the bonding agent as the negative control; Group 2: simultaneous light curing of the bonding agent and resin composite; Group 3: start of the chemical cure of the dual-cured bonding agent before light curing the resin composite; Group 4: curing the light-initiated bonding agent before insertion and light curing of the resin composite. When the bonding agent was light cured prior to inserting the resin composite (Group 4), the free surface depression was the greatest and the interfacial gap smallest among those in all groups. Therefore, if a good bond between dentin and resin composite can be established, the shrinkage flow will be directed toward a center located near the bonded interface rather than toward the incident light, thus reducing detrimental shrinkage stress.