Search

Aims: To identify the components and characteristics of disaster risk reduction education for people with disabilities and to explore the contents and results of disaster risk reduction education., Design: A systematic review and narrative synthesis., Review Methods: The review was conducted in accordance with Tawfik's guidelines and followed the reporting standards outlined in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis. The quality appraisal was guided by the mixed methods appraisal tool. The contents of each type of education were narratively synthesised., Data Sources: The literature search was conducted in December 2023 using several electronic databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane library and PsycINFO., Results: Eight quantitative studies were selected for this study. Disaster risk reduction education for people with disabilities has focused mainly on fires and earthquakes, and drills were the most used teaching method. Some of the education was conducted by designating a 1:1 ratio of educators and participants or modifying the ratio according to the type of disability. The staff mainly conducted the education, and after education, the effect of disaster risk reduction education was confirmed in terms of the knowledge and response of people with disabilities during drills., Conclusion: This review provides insights for developing disaster risk reduction education for people with disabilities. However, only a few randomised controlled trial (RCT) studies and quasi-experimental studies have been conducted, and several studies have bias risks. Thus, practical, continuous, quality interventions are needed for effective disaster risk reduction education for people with disabilities., Impact: This systematic review analysed the research trends of disaster risk reduction education for people with disabilities. The results provide the basis for quality evaluations of the operation, methods and achievements of educational programmes. Efforts are needed to promote collaboration between researcher and the practitioners to conduct further quality research., Patient or Public Contribution: No Patient or Public Contribution: Systematic review., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Aims: To identify the use of telehealth for people with disabilities in community or primary care settings and to explore effective telehealth interventions for this group., Design: Systematic literature review and narrative synthesis., Data Sources: The literature search was conducted in January 2024 using five electronic databases including PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane library and PsycINFO., Methods: The review followed the Tawfik's guideline and adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses guidelines for reporting. Out of 7363 retrieved articles, 1871 duplicates were removed, 5389 were excluded after title and abstract review, and 4 were excluded due to unavailable full text. One additional article was obtained through citation and hand searching. Thirteen studies were quality assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Quantitative data were narratively synthesised., Results: Thirteen quantitative studies were selected including three quasi-experimental studies and ten randomised controlled trials. The types of telehealth included telemonitoring, computerised intervention, virtual reality, telephone care, mHealth tools, decision support tools, digital storytelling and technology-assisted language interventions. The most common type of disability was intellectual disability, and the most common telehealth provider was the digital device itself. Most studies used surveys as the data collection method and the interventions were mostly conducted individually. Computer-based telehealth interventions demonstrated significant improvement in attention, health knowledge and psychological well-being. Telephone, virtual reality and tablet interventions also had positive impacts on body weight, motor coordination and pragmatic language skills. Telemonitoring was also beneficial., Conclusions: This systematic review examined the current state and effectiveness of telehealth interventions for people with disabilities. However, few intervention studies were found, and some studies were of poor quality. Continued interest and efforts from the government and researchers are needed targeting people with disabilities., Impact: Results provide valuable insights for healthcare providers, policymakers and researchers. They raise awareness about the potential of telehealth to address healthcare disparities and improve access to care for people with disabilities., Patient or Public Contribution: No patient or public contribution: Systematic review., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Understanding the self-rated health of industrially disabled individuals is an important variable that significantly affects their quality of life, satisfaction, and return to work after an industrial accident. Since the health of people with industrial disabilities is affected by various environments and variables, interventions and policies that are suitable for their characteristics are needed., Objectives: This study aimed to identify changes in self-rated health among industrially disabled individuals, distinguish between different latent classes, and verify predictive factors for each latent class., Methods: Four time-point datasets from the 2018-2021 panel study of Korean workers' compensation insurance were used. Using the latent growth curve model, an overall trajectory of self-rated health of industrially disabled individuals was confirmed, and the number and characteristics of different trajectories were identified using the latent class growth model. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to identify the predictive factors for each class., Results: Four classes of self-rated health trajectories were identified: low-decreasing (21.7%), moderate-increasing (15.7%), high-decreasing (56.1%), and low-stable (6.5%) classes. A multinomial logistic regression analysis revealed that significant determinants (age, capacity, type of industrial accident, grade of disability, mental activity, outdoor activity, and social relationships) were different for each latent class. Capacity level affected all potential class classifications., Conclusions: To improve the self-rated health of industrially disabled individuals, it is necessary to develop an appropriate strategy that considers the characteristics of the latent class., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Choosing a suitable job and leading a fulfilling professional life is vital for individuals, regardless of disability. Governments provide rehabilitation services to promote employment for individuals with disabilities, but research on their effects is limited. This study aimed to examine the impact of rehabilitation services on employment among people with physical disabilities in South Korea using propensity score matching., Methods: This study utilized an observational research design. Data were obtained from the 2020 National Survey of Disabled Persons, including 1,757 individuals aged 20 or older with physical disabilities. Descriptive statistics, chi-square and independent t-tests, logistic regression, and propensity score matching were employed., Results: The results for employment of individuals with physical disabilities showed no difference between the with rehabilitation services and the without rehabilitation services group. Based on subgroup analysis, when individuals with physical disabilities who rated their subjective health status low received rehabilitation services, it had a positive effect on employment., Conclusions: The results of this study could serve as foundational data for future policies and educational directions concerning rehabilitation services for persons with disabilities., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Purpose: Recent studies have focused on policies aimed at supporting the independence of individuals with disabilities in communities. As part of this initiative, supportive housing, integrated care, and residential spaces offer tailored services based on individual needs and autonomy. The attitudes and knowledge of the administrators supporting supportive housing residents regarding health management can influence the well-being of individuals with disabilities. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the challenges faced by supporting housing workers in enhancing the self-management skills of individuals with disabilities., Methods: In this qualitative study, focus group interviews were conducted in August 2023 with nine administrators working to support housing in Seoul. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyze the interview data., Results: The needs and challenges in enhancing the self-management skills of individuals with disabilities were as follows: (1) the complexity of health management challenges, (2) bidirectional strategies for strengthening health management capabilities, and (3) support for systematic health management. Additionally, eight subthemes were derived., Conclusion: By investigating the difficulties experienced and identifying the necessary support requirements for supportive housing workers, this study seeks to uncover insights and identifies areas for improvement and strategies for health management. This study acknowledges the educational and institutional support necessary to improve the health and quality of life of individuals with disabilities residing in supportive housing., Competing Interests: The authors declared no conflict of interest., (© 2024 Korean Society of Nursing Science.)

Background: People with disabilities, who require numerous healthcare services, are vulnerable to unmet healthcare needs. This study aimed to investigate and identify the factors that influence unmet healthcare needs among people with disabilities and to compare these factors before and after the COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea., Methods: A propensity score matching analysis was conducted using two datasets from the National Survey of Disabled Persons collected in 2017 and 2020. The participants were matched based on variables known to influence healthcare utilization. Based on the Andersen model, logistic regression was performed to analyze the key characteristics of the factors associated with unmet healthcare needs, including predisposing, enabling, and need factors., Results: Propensity score matching resulted in the inclusion of 1,884 participants in each group: an experimental group and control group. Before COVID-19, factors associated with unmet healthcare needs included sex, age, marital status, and education level (predisposing factors), instrumental activities of daily living dependency, satisfaction with medical staff's understanding of disability, satisfaction with medical institutional facilities and equipment (enabling factors), subjective health status, and depressive symptoms (need factors). After COVID-19, factors included physical disability, instrumental activities of daily living dependency, and discrimination (enabling factors), and subjective health status, chronic diseases, depressive symptoms, and regular medical care (need factors). No significant predisposing factors affecting unmet healthcare needs were identified after COVID-19., Conclusions: This study compared the factors affecting unmet healthcare needs among people with disabilities before and after COVID-19. Recognizing the different factors associated with unmet healthcare needs before and after COVID-19, (e.g., sex, type of disability, satisfaction with medical staff's understanding of disabilities, medical institutional facilities and equipment considering the disabled, discrimination, chronic diseases, and regular medical care) may help governments and policymakers establish strategies to reduce and prevent unmet healthcare needs during and a future crisis., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness and safety of combining psychostimulants and nonstimulants for patients under treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)., Methods: The study included 96 patients aged 6-12 years who were diagnosed with ADHD, among whom 34 received combination pharmacotherapy, 32 received methylphenidate monotherapy, and 30 received atomoxetine monotherapy. Statistical analysis was conducted to compare treatment and adverse effects among groups and to analyze changes before and after combination pharmacotherapy. The difference between combination pharmacotherapy and monotherapy was investigated. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the predictors of combination pharmacotherapy., Results: No significant differences were observed between the groups in terms of age or pretreatment scores. The most common adverse effect experienced by 32% of patients in the combination pharmacotherapy group was decreased appetite. Clinical global impression- severity score decreased significantly after combination pharmacotherapy. All three groups showed significant clinical global impression- severity score improvements over time, with no significant differences among them. The predictive factors for combination pharmacotherapy included the Child Behavior Checklist total score internalizing subscale., Conclusion: Combination pharmacotherapy with methylphenidate and atomoxetine is a relatively effective and safe option for patients with ADHD who do not respond to monotherapy., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest The authors have no potential conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.)

Aims: To identify the components and characteristics of health literacy interventions for people with disabilities and to explore the outcomes in terms of health literacy competencies., Design: A mixed-method systematic literature review., Review Methods: The search results were reported based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis. The quality appraisal was guided by the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. The contents of each intervention were mapped to the health literacy intervention model and the outcomes were annotated using the integrated model of health literacy., Data Sources: The literature search was conducted using several electronic databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane library and PsycINFO in December 2022., Results: Ten studies were selected for this systematic literature review. Seven studies were quantitative, two were qualitative and one was a mixed-methods study. The four components of the health literacy interventions included empowering individuals with low-health literacy (n = 10), strengthening individuals' social support system (n = 3), improving communication with health professionals (n = 1) and reducing barriers to access health systems (n = 3). No intervention addressed improving health professionals' health literacy competencies. Health literacy competencies identified as outcomes in the studies included access (n = 1), understand (n = 7), appraise (n = 1) and apply (n = 9) the health information., Conclusions: The significant findings of this systematic literature review provide baseline data and evidence for developing health literacy interventions for people with disabilities. However, this review demonstrates that only a handful of intervention studies have addressed the low-health literacy of people with disabilities. Further and more rigorous interventions addressing health literacy for people with diverse disabilities are warranted., Impact: This review provides insights into how health literacy interventions can be tailored to the type of disability. Further, efforts should be expanded to comprehensively promote all the four core competencies of health literacy to reduce health disparities for individuals living with disabilities., No Patient or Public Contribution: Systematic literature review., (© 2023 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

With the upsurge in the use of disposable masks during the coronavirus disease pandemic, improper disposal of discarded masks and their negative impact on the environment have emerged as major issues. Improperly disposed of masks release various pollutants, particularly microplastic (MP) fibers, which can harm both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems by interfering with the nutrient cycling, plant growth, and the health and reproductive success of organisms. This study assesses the environmental distribution of polypropylene (PP)-containing MPs, generated from disposable masks, using material flow analysis (MFA). The system flowchart is designed based on the processing efficiency of various compartments in the MFA model. The highest amount of MPs (99.7 %) is found in the landfill and soil compartments. A scenario analysis reveals that waste incineration significantly reduces the amount of MP transferred to landfills. Therefore, considering cogeneration and gradually increasing the incineration treatment rate are crucial to manage the processing load of waste incineration plants and minimize the negative impact of MPs on the environment. The findings provide insights into the potential environmental exposure associated with the improper disposal of waste masks and indicate strategies for sustainable mask disposal and management., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no competing financial interests or personal relationships that may have influenced the work reported in this study., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Leucine-rich alpha-2-glycoprotein 1 (LRG1) mediates skin repair and fibrosis by stimulating the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) signaling pathway. In the present study, we investigated the effect of LRG1 on extracellular matrix (ECM) integrity in fibroblasts, as well as on skin aging. The treatment of dermal fibroblasts with purified recombinant human LRG1 increased type I collagen secretion and decreased matrix metalloproteinase-1 secretion. Additionally, LRG1 promoted SMAD2/SMAD3 phosphorylation in a pattern similar to that of TGF-β1 treatment. An inhibitor of TGF-β receptor 1 abolished LRG1-induced SMAD2 phosphorylation. RNA sequencing identified "extracellular region", "extracellular space", and "extracellular matrix" as the main Gene Ontology terms in the differentially expressed genes of fibroblasts treated with or without LRG1. LRG1 increased TGF-β1 mRNA levels, suggesting that LRG1 partially transactivates the expression of TGF-β1. Furthermore, an increased expression of type I collagen was also observed in fibroblasts grown in three-dimensional cultures on a collagen gel mimicking the dermis. LRG1 mRNA and protein levels were significantly reduced in elderly human skin tissues with weakened ECM integrity compared to in young human skin tissues. Taken together, our results suggest that LRG1 could retard skin aging by activating the TGF-β signaling pathway, increasing ECM deposition while decreasing its degradation.

Protein tyrosine kinase 7 (PTK7), a catalytically defective receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK), is often upregulated in various cancers. This study aimed to validate PTK7 as a target for breast cancer (BC) and investigate its oncogenic signaling mechanism. BC tissue analysis showed significantly elevated PTK7 mRNA levels, especially in refractory triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) tissues, compared with normal controls. Similarly, BC cell lines exhibited increased PTK7 expression. Knockdown of PTK7 inhibited the proliferation of T-47D and MCF-7 hormone-receptor-positive BC cell-lines and of HCC1187, MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-436, and MDA-MB-453 TNBC cells. PTK7 knockdown also inhibited the adhesion, migration, and invasion of MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-436, and MDA-MB-453 cells, and reduced the phosphorylation levels of crucial oncogenic regulators including extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), Akt, and focal adhesion kinase (FAK). Furthermore, PTK7 interacts with fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expressed in MDA-MB-231 cells. Knockdown of PTK7 decreased the growth-factor-induced phosphorylation of FGFR1 and EGFR in MDA-MB-231 cells, indicating its association with RTK activation. In conclusion, PTK7 plays a significant role in oncogenic signal transduction by enhancing FGFR1 and EGFR activation, influencing BC tumorigenesis and metastasis. Hence, PTK7 represents a potential candidate for targeted BC therapy, including TNBC.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to apply the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to understand physical activity intentions and behaviors among Korean breast cancer survivors., Methods: A total of 286 Korean breast cancer survivors (M age 52.3 ± 8.3) completed a self-reported survey administered face to face by a trained interviewer. The survey assessed the physical activity frequency and intensity in a typical week after breast cancer diagnosis, demographic factors, and theory of planned behavior variables including attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control (PBC), planning, and intentions to participate in physical activity. We used structural equation modeling to examine the direct and indirect effects of the TPB variables on physical activity intentions and behavior. Covariates included age, cancer stage, and clinical treatment., Results: Confirmatory factor analyses indicated a satisfactory model fit. We observed direct effects for instrumental attitude (ß = 0.34, p < 0.001), subjective norm (ß = 0.12, p < 0.05), and PBC (ß = 0.57, p < 0.001) on physical activity intentions. PBC (ß = .17, p < 0.01) and physical activity intentions (ß = 0.46, p < 0.01) had direct effects on planning. PBC (ß = 0.28, p < 0.01) and planning (ß = 0.22, p < 0.01) had direct effects on physical activity behavior., Conclusion: The TPB was a useful model for understanding Korean breast cancer survivors' physical activity intentions and behavior. Interventions that can enhance attitudes, subjective norm, PBC, intention, and planning may facilitate physical activity intentions and behaviors in this population., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background and Aims: As high-quality health care encompasses patient-centered care, this study used the perceived quality-satisfaction-behavioral intention and structure-process-outcome models to (1) investigate the relationships among patient experience, patient satisfaction, and the willingness to recommend a hospital and (2) estimate the indirect effects of patient satisfaction on the relationship between patient experience and the willingness to recommend a hospital., Methods: A cross-sectional survey design was adopted to investigate data obtained from the Seoul National University Hospital Patient Experience survey administered in 2020. Responses were analyzed from 1555 patients, who had been admitted to the inpatient ward of a tertiary hospital for a period lasting more than 1 day., Results: The path model demonstrated a good fit to the relationships between patient experience, patient satisfaction, and the willingness to recommend the hospital. Patient experience directly influenced patient satisfaction ( β  = 0.659, p  < 0.001) and the willingness to recommend the hospital ( β  = 0.168, p  < 0.001), whereas patient satisfaction had an indirect effect ( β  = 0.418, p  < 0.001) on the relationship between patient experience and the willingness to recommend the hospital., Conclusion: Patient experience is a critical factor that health care systems need to consider for enhancing patient-centeredness, patient satisfaction, and the willingness to recommend a hospital., (© 2022 The Authors. Health Science Reports published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Aim: This study aimed to examine the relationship between oral health and social activity, and explore the mediating effect of depressive symptoms on the relationship between oral health and social activity among community-dwelling older adults in Korea., Methods: A total of 5033 community-dwelling older adults aged ≥65 years were included in the analysis. Data were obtained from the seventh wave (2018) of the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging. Descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation analysis and path analysis for mediation analysis were used., Results: Path analysis showed that older adults with better oral health had more social activities (β = 0.177, P < 0.001) and fewer depressive symptoms (β = -0.174, P < 0.001). Depressive symptoms had a mediating role partially in the relationship between oral health and social activity (β = 0.014, P < 0.001). The results of in-depth exploration using oral health subdomains showed that physical oral function and oral pain or discomfort were directly related to the social activity (β = 0.083 and β = 0.149, respectively) and indirectly mediated by depressive symptoms (β = 0.006 and β = 0.004, respectively). However, psychosocial oral function only had an indirect effect on social activity mediated by depressive symptoms (β = 0.006, P = 0.005)., Conclusions: Better oral health had a significant association with higher levels of social activities, which was partially mediated by decreased depressive symptoms. It is necessary to pay more attention to oral health promotion for older adults to decrease depressive symptoms and increase participation in social activities. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2022; 22: 766-772., (© 2022 Japan Geriatrics Society.)

Bacterial infections (BIs) need to be differentiated from non-BIs (NBIs) to enable prompt administration of antibiotics. Therefore, inflammatory biomarkers are needed as they can accurately identify BIs. This study evaluated the usefulness of procalcitonin (PCT) in the diagnosis of BI in immunocompetent children. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients <18 years who underwent PCT measurements between July 2012 and June 2019. In total, 474 patients were enrolled and divided into the BI (n = 205) and NBI groups (n = 269). The BI group was subcategorized into the invasive BI (IBI; n = 94), mucosal BI (MBI; n = 31), toxigenic BI (TBI; n = 23), and localized BI (LBI; n = 57) subgroups. The NBI group was further subcategorized into the viral infection (VI; n = 118) and inflammatory disease groups (ID; n = 151). PCT was compared with the levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), white blood cell (WBC), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). Between the BI and NBI groups, PCT (4.2 ± 16.9 vs. 1.1 ± 2.5 ng/mL; p = 0.008) and ESR (39.1 ± 32.4 vs. 54.8 ± 28.2 mm/h; p < 0.001) were significantly different. Between the IBI and other groups, WBC (14,797 ± 7148 vs. 12,622 ± 5770 × 106/L; p = 0.007), ESR (35.3 ± 30.3 vs. 51.5 ± 30.3 mm/h; p < 0.001), and PCT (8.1 ± 23.8 vs. 1.0 ± 3.4 ng/mL; p = 0.005) were significantly different. However, none of the biomarkers were useful in differentiating BI from NBI. While WBC (area under curve (AUC) = 0.615, p = 0.003) and PCT (AUC = 0.640, p < 0.001) were useful, they fared poorly in differentiating IBI from other groups. Thus, additional studies are needed to identify more accurate biomarkers capable of differentiating BIs, especially IBIs.

The visual system uses ON and OFF pathways to signal luminance increments and decrements. Increasing evidence suggests that ON and OFF pathways have different signaling properties and serve specialized visual functions. However, it is still unclear the contribution of ON and OFF pathways to visual behavior. Therefore, we examined the effects on optomotor response and the retinal dopamine system in nob mice with ON pathway dysfunction and Vsx1 -/- mice with partial OFF pathway dysfunction. Spatial frequency and contrast sensitivity thresholds were determined, and values were compared to age-matched wild-type controls. Retinas were collected immediately after visual testing to measure levels of dopamine and its metabolite, DOPAC. At 4 weeks of age, we found that nob mice had significantly reduced spatial frequency (19%) and contrast sensitivity (60%) thresholds compared to wild-type mice. Vsx1 -/- mice also exhibited reductions in optomotor responses (3% in spatial frequency; 18% in contrast sensitivity) at 4 weeks, although these changes were significantly smaller than those found in nob mice. Furthermore, nob mice had significantly lower DOPAC levels (53%) and dopamine turnover (41%) compared to controls while Vsx1 -/- mice displayed a transient increase in DOPAC levels at 4 weeks of age (55%). Our results show that dysfunction of ON pathways leads to reductions in contrast sensitivity, spatial frequency threshold, and retinal dopamine turnover whereas partial loss of the OFF pathway has minimal effect. We conclude that ON pathways play a critical role in visual reflexes and retinal dopamine signaling, highlighting a potential association for future investigations., (Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Cryopreservation provides a secure long-term conservation option for rare and endangered plant species with non-orthodox or limitedly available seeds. Wide application of cryopreservation to biobank wild flora is hampered by the need to re-optimize nearly all protocol steps for every new species. We applied a systematic approach to simplify optimization of a multi-stage droplet-vitrification method for the endangered wetland Korean species, Pogostemon yatabeanus . This approach consisted of a standard procedure pre-selected based on material type and size, which was complemented with 11 additional treatments to reveal the most impactful conditions. Effect of ammonium nitrate at various protocol steps was also tested. The highest shoot tip survival (92%) and plant regeneration (90%) after cryopreservation were achieved using preculture with 10% sucrose followed by 40 min osmoprotection and 60 min treatment with vitrification solution A3-80% (33.3% glycerol + 13.3% dimethyl sulfoxide + 13.3% ethylene glycol + 20.1% sucrose) on ice. A three-step regrowth procedure starting with ammonium-free medium with 1 mg/L GA 3 and 1 mg/L BA followed by ammonium-containing medium with and without growth regulators was essential for the development of healthy plants from cryopreserved shoot tips. This approach enables fast optimization of the cryopreservation procedure for new osmotic stress-sensitive plant species.

In this study, the optimal conditions for the fabrication of polyethylenimine/polyvinyl chloride cross-linked fiber (PEI/PVC-CF) were determined by comparing the adsorption capacity of synthesized PEI/PVC-CFs for Reactive Yellow 2 (RY2). The PEI/PVC-CF prepared through the optimal conditions was characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analyses. Several batch adsorption and desorption experiments were carried out to evaluate the sorption performance and reusability of PEI/PVC-CF for RY2. As a result, the adsorption of RY2 by PEI/PVC-CF was most effective at pH 2.0. A pseudo-second-order model fit better with the kinetics adsorption data. The adsorption isotherm process was described well by the Langmuir model, and the maximum dye uptake was predicted to be 820.6 mg/g at pH 2.0 and 25 °C. Thermodynamic analysis showed that the adsorption process was spontaneous and endothermic. In addition, 1.0 M NaHCO 3 was an efficient eluent for the regeneration of RY2-loaded PEI/PVC-CF. Finally, the repeated adsorption-desorption experiments showed that the PEI/PVC-CF remained at high adsorption and desorption efficiencies for RY2, even in 17 cycles.

Purpose: Exposure to high-intensity or outdoor lighting has been shown to decrease the severity of myopia in both human epidemiological studies and animal models. Currently, it is not fully understood how light interacts with visual signaling to impact myopia. Previous work performed in the mouse retina has demonstrated that functional rod photoreceptors are needed to develop experimentally-induced myopia, alluding to an essential role for rod signaling in refractive development., Methods: To determine whether dim rod-dominated illuminance levels influence myopia susceptibility, we housed male C57BL/6J mice under 12:12 light/dark cycles with scotopic (1.6 × 10-3 candela/m2), mesopic (1.6 × 101 cd/m2), or photopic (4.7 × 103 cd/m2) lighting from post-natal day 23 (P23) to P38. Half the mice received monocular exposure to -10 diopter (D) lens defocus from P28-38. Molecular assays to measure expression and content of DA-related genes and protein were conducted to determine how illuminance and lens defocus alter dopamine (DA) synthesis, storage, uptake, and degradation and affect myopia susceptibility in mice., Results: We found that mice exposed to either scotopic or photopic lighting developed significantly less severe myopic refractive shifts (lens treated eye minus contralateral eye; -1.62 ± 0.37D and -1.74 ± 0.44D, respectively) than mice exposed to mesopic lighting (-3.61 ± 0.50D; P < 0.005). The 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid /DA ratio, indicating DA activity, was highest under photopic light regardless of lens defocus treatment (controls: 0.09 ± 0.011 pg/mg, lens defocus: 0.08 ± 0.008 pg/mg)., Conclusions: Lens defocus interacted with ambient conditions to differentially alter myopia susceptibility and DA-related genes and proteins. Collectively, these results show that scotopic and photopic lighting protect against lens-induced myopia, potentially indicating that a broad range of light levels are important in refractive development.

Background/aims: The controlled attenuation parameter (CAP), based on transient elastography, is widely used for noninvasive assessment of the degree of hepatic steatosis (HS). We investigated the correlation of the degree HS between CAP and ultrasound (US) in patients with HS., Methods: In total, 986 patients with US-based HS who underwent transient elastography within 1 month were evaluated. The US-based grade of HS was categorized as mild (grade 1), moderate (grade 2), or severe (grade 3)., Results: The CAP was significantly correlated with the US-based grade of HS (r = 0.458, p < 0.001). The median CAP value of each US-based HS grade showed a positive correlation with grade (271.1, 303.7, and 326.7 dB/m for grades 1, 2, and 3). In a multivariate analysis, the US-based HS grade, body mass index, serum albumin, alanine aminotransferase, and total cholesterol, and liver stiffness were all significantly correlated with the CAP value (all p < 0.05). The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves for grade 2 to 3 and grade 3 HS were 0.749 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.714 to 0.784) and 0.738 (95% CI, 0.704 to 0.772). The optimal cut-off CAP values to maximize the sum of the sensitivity and specificity for grade 2 to 3 and grade 3 HS were 284.5 dB/m (sensitivity 78.6%, specificity 61.7%) and 298.5 dB/m (sensitivity 84.6%, specificity 55.6%)., Conclusion: The correlation of the degree of HS between CAP and US was significantly high in patients with HS, and the optimal cut-off CAP values for grade 2 to 3 and grade 3 HS were 284.5 and 298.5 dB/m.

This study investigated the effects of brine injection and high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) on the quality characteristics of pork loin. Brine with ionic strength conditions (0.7% vs 1.5% NaCl, w/v) were injected into pork loins, and the meat was pressurized up to 500 MPa for 3 min. As a quality indicator, moisture content, color, cooking loss and texture profile analysis (TPA) of pork loins were estimated. Based on the results, brine with low ionic strength (0.7% NaCl) resulted in low injection efficiency and high cooking loss, although, it improved tenderness of pork loin at moderate pressure level (~200 MPa). While high ionic strength condition (1.5% NaCl injection) lowered the hardness of pork loins at relatively high HHP level (400-500 MPa), it also caused high cooking loss. To commercialize the brine injected pork loins, it was necessary to regulate brine compositions, which was not evaluated in this study. Nevertheless, the present study demonstrated that brine injection followed by moderate pressure (200 MPa) could improve the tenderness of pork loins without causing other major quality losses., Competing Interests: The authors declare no potential conflicts of interest., (© Korean Society for Food Science of Animal Resources.)

Over the past decade, illicit drugs have been founded in marketed products, which pose a risk to public health. In particular, newly designed analogues synthesized by chemical modification of parent compounds to avoid detection by authorities are frequently detected worldwide. Although many analytical methods for determination of drugs have been reported, analytical methods using high-resolution mass spectrometry, which has the advantage of rapid screening and accurate identification of new substances, are necessary to control illicit drugs in marketed products. In this study, a rapid analytical method using an Orbitrap™ mass spectrometer for identification of illicit drugs in marketed products was developed. The 32 drugs were classified as benzodiazepine-, synthetic cannabinoid-, amphetamine- and benzylpiperazine-type drugs according to their chemical structures, and from their fragmentation patterns in tandem mass spectrometry spectra of an established method. The method validation gave a limit of detection of 0.06-5.30 ng/mL and a limit of quantification of 0.18-16.50 ng/mL, high linearity (R 2  > 0.994) and mean recoveries of spiked matrix-blank samples ranging from 83.7% to 117.1%. Approximately 71% of 21 samples collected over 3 years were found to individually contain one of four types of benzodiazepines or two different synthetic cannabinoids. In one case, levels as high as 827.2 mg/g were measured suggesting adulteration at high levels, which suggests that potential illicit products containing drugs should be regularly screened to protect public health., (Copyright © 2019 The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

With the increasing prevalence of obesity, the use of counterfeit drugs for weight loss is widespread owing to their easy and rapid availability. Since counterfeit weight-loss drugs are not prepared under the rigorous standard of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), they pose a risk to public health and cause significant side effects. To counteract the risk posed by counterfeit drugs, we investigated counterfeit weight-loss drugs seized by the Incheon Customs Services using UHPLC-PDA. Five of 23 confiscated samples with distinctive pink-coloured coating contained levothyroxine, sennoside A and B, and phenolphthalein in amounts ranging from 0.03-132.40 mg/g. In addition, three unknown compounds in one of the adulterated samples containing phenolphthalein were structurally elucidated by several analytical techniques. Their accurate masses corresponded to molecular formula of C 34 H 22 O 7 , C 34 H 20 O 6 , and C 20 H 12 O 3 , respectively. These compounds were identified as impurities, possibly produced during the synthesis of phenolphthalein or by improper removal during purification. These impurities were detected for the first time in counterfeit drugs., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Recently, adulterated supplements with phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors (PDE-5i) have frequently observed. New synthetic analogues obtained from the chemical modification of parent compounds are frequently found in illicit products despite continuous efforts to inspect for these adulterants. A rapid and accurate method based on quadrupole-Orbitrap mass spectrometry was developed for simultaneously confirming and quantifying 85 PDE-5i and derived analogues present in illicit products for erectile dysfunction (ED). Common ions of PDE-5i according to their similar structures were proposed based on MS/MS fragmentations. These common ions could be an important diagnosis of their presence targets or new emerging analogues in supplements. Several validation parameters were employed, resulting in a limit of detection and quantification of 0.09-8.55 ng/mL and 0.24-17.10 ng/mL, respectively. The linear correlation coefficient (r 2 ) was higher than 0.995, and mean recoveries of target compounds were in the range of 82-118%. A total of 187 illicit products, obtained from on/offline markets over a period of 3 years (2015-2017), were screened by the established method. Approximately 53% of them were adulterated with PDE-5i or derived analogues at concentrations of 0.1-726.0 mg/g in the illicit products. In the interests of public health, this study describes a rapid and accurate method to determine PDE-5i and new emerging analogues in adulterated products., (Copyright © 2019 The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

ZnO nanorods (NRs) decorated with Ni nanoparticles were synthesized using a template-free electrochemical deposition in an ultra-dilute aqueous electrolyte and a subsequent galvanic reaction. The electrochemical properties of the ZnO NRs as an anode material for rechargeable Li-ion batteries were evaluated for different binder morphologies (film and close-packed spherical particles) of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF). Results showed that the close-packed spherical PVDF simultaneously improved electrochemical capacity and cyclability because the free-volume between the spherical PVDF helped to accommodate the volume change in the anode caused by the Li ions discharge and charge processes. Furthermore, the Ni nanoparticles decorated on the surface of ZnO NRs enhanced the electrical conductivity of the ZnO NR anode, which enabled faster electronic and ionic transport at the interface between the electrolyte and the electrode, resulting in improved electrochemical capacity. The free-volume formed by the close-packed spherical PVDF, and the decoration of metal nanoparticles are expected to provide insight on the simultaneous improvement of electrochemical capacity and cyclability in other metal oxide anode nanostructures.

Purpose: This study was performed to investigate the effect of exposure parameters on image quality obtained using a cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scanner and the relationship between physical factors and clinical image quality depending on the diagnostic task., Materials and Methods: CBCT images of a SedentexCT IQ phantom and a real skull phantom were obtained under different combinations of tube voltage and tube current (Alphard 3030 CBCT scanner, 78-90 kVp and 2-8 mA). The images obtained using a SedentexCT IQ phantom were analyzed technically, and the physical factors of image noise, contrast resolution, spatial resolution, and metal artifacts were measured. The images obtained using a real skull phantom were evaluated for each diagnostic task by 6 oral and maxillofacial radiologists, and each setting was classified as acceptable or unacceptable based on those evaluations. A statistical analysis of the relationships of exposure parameters and physical factors with observer scores was conducted., Results: For periapical diagnosis and implant planning, the tube current of the acceptable images was significantly higher than that of the unacceptable images. Image noise, the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), the line pair chart on the Z axis, and modulation transfer function (MTF) values showed statistically significant differences between the acceptable and unacceptable image groups. The cut-off values obtained using receiver operating characteristic curves for CNR and MTF 10 were useful for determining acceptability., Conclusion: Tube current had a major influence on clinical image quality. CNR and MTF 10 were useful physical factors that showed significantly associations with clinical image quality.

The worldwide spread of illegal sexual enhancement products is posing a threat to public health. The aim of this study was to investigate illegal products claiming to be effective in improving sexual performance through the online or offline markets between 2014 and 2017; these products include foods, dietary supplements, counterfeit drugs, and herbal medicines. These samples were analysed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for the presence of 80 PDE-5 inhibitors (PDE-5i) and analogues. The developed method was validated as follows: LODs and LOQs spiked in solid- and liquid-type negative samples (0.03-3.33 ng/mL and 0.08-10.00 ng/mL), linearities (R 2  > 0.997), recoveries spiked negative samples (82.2-109.3 %), accuracies (81.6-118.9 %), precisions (≥ 6.5%, RSD) of intra-day and inter-day, and stability (≥10.0%, RSD). Out of 362 measured samples, 145 were adulterated samples mostly detected in food (51%). Sildenafil group (50%) was frequently observed, followed by tadalafil group (41%). Although sildenafil and tadalafil were mainly detected in adulterated samples, their analogues were also found. In particular, new analogues have appeared steadily on illicit erectile dysfunction (ED) products even after they were first discovered. The concentration of detected samples ranged from 0.1 to 826.0 mg/g, and sildenafil of them contained a considerable amount in illicit ED products in 2014, posing a potential toxicology risk of public health. The testing method is fast and reliable making it suitable for both routine screening and up-to-date quantitative analysis of PDE-5i and their analogues in suspicious foods, dietary supplements, and counterfeit drugs., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Retinal photoreceptors are important in visual signaling for normal eye growth in animals. We used Gnat2 cplf3/cplf3 (Gnat2 -/- ) mice, a genetic mouse model of cone dysfunction to investigate the influence of cone signaling in ocular refractive development and myopia susceptibility in mice. Refractive development under normal visual conditions was measured for Gnat2 -/- and age-matched Gnat2 +/+ mice, every 2 weeks from 4 to 14 weeks of age. Weekly measurements were performed on a separate cohort of mice that underwent monocular form-deprivation (FD) in the right eye from 4 weeks of age using head-mounted diffusers. Refraction, corneal curvature, and ocular biometrics were obtained using photorefraction, keratometry and optical coherence tomography, respectively. Retinas from FD mice were harvested, and analyzed for dopamine (DA) and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetate (DOPAC) using high-performance liquid chromatography. Under normal visual conditions, Gnat2 +/+ and Gnat2 -/- mice showed similar refractive error, axial length, and corneal radii across development (p > 0.05), indicating no significant effects of the Gnat2 mutation on normal ocular refractive development in mice. Three weeks of FD produced a significantly greater myopic shift in Gnat2 -/- mice compared to Gnat2 +/+ controls (-5.40 ± 1.33 D vs -2.28 ± 0.28 D, p = 0.042). Neither the Gnat2 mutation nor FD altered retinal levels of DA or DOPAC. Our results indicate that cone pathways needed for high acuity vision in primates are not as critical for normal refractive development in mice, and that both rods and cones contribute to visual signalling pathways needed to respond to FD in mammalian eyes., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

A new sildenafil analogue was detected during routine screening of dietary supplements suspected to be adulterated with an erectile dysfunction drug(s) using HPLC-DAD. The UV spectrum of this compound was highly similar to that of sildenafil and almost identical to that of desmethylpiperazinyl sildenafil. The analogue was purified by using semi-preparative HPLC and structurally elucidated by performing mass spectrometric and NMR spectroscopic experiments. The spectral data revealed that this sildenafil analogue bears an n-propoxy group instead of an ethoxy group and possesses no methylpiperazinyl moiety. The isolated compound, structure of which was further confirmed by spectral comparison with synthetic one, was thus named as desmethylpiperazinyl propoxysildenafil., (Copyright © 2018 The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Illicit psychoactive substances have threatened public health worldwide. An active metabolite of ADB-CHMINACA and MDMB-CHMINACA was identified for the first time in a powder-type product found in an airmail package. The structure of compound 1 was elucidated by a combination of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS), infrared (IR) spectroscopy, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Compound 1 was proven to be an analogue of MDMB-CHMINACA, an indazole-based synthetic cannabinoid. The methyl ester group in MDMB-CHMINACA was replaced with a carboxylic acid group in compound 1. Compound 1 was determined as 2-[1-(cyclohexylmethyl)-1H-indazole-3-carboxamido]-3,3-dimethylbutanoic acid and named as DMBA-CHMINACA., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Synthetic hair-growth compounds have been illegally used in diverse products to enhance the short-term efficacy of these products. In this study, a rapid and simultaneous method for the determination of hair-growth compounds in adulterated products based on ultra high pressure liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) was developed and validated. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantitation (LOQs) of the method were 0.08-43.6ng/mL and 0.27-145ng/mL for the solid-, liquid-, and cream-type samples, respectively. Good calibration linearity for all compounds was demonstrated with a correlation coefficient (r 2 ) higher than 0.997. The intra- and inter-assay precisions were within 11%. The corresponding accuracies were 86-117% and 81-113%, respectively. The mean recoveries obtained for the solid-, liquid, and cream-type samples ranged from 87 to 114%, with a relative standard deviation (RSD) within 6%. The RSD of the stability evaluated at 4°C for 48h was less than 6%. The established method was used to screen 76 samples advertised as hair-growth treatments, from online and offline markets, over the course of two years. In 10% of the samples, four compounds, including triaminodil, minoxidil, finasteride, methyltestosterone, and testosterone-propionate were detected. The concentrations were in the range of 0.5-16.4mg/g. This technique provides a reliable platform for technical analysis for continuous monitoring of adulterated products to protect public health., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The purpose of this study was to validate a rapid, simple and accurate method using ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) for the simultaneous determination of 26 anti-diabetic compounds in illegally adulterated dietary supplements. The method was validated for specificity, linearity, limit of detection, limit of quantitation, precision, accuracy, recovery and stability. All compounds were separated with a resolution of over 1.5. The limits of detection and quantitation were 0.10-1.70 and 0.30-5.10 µg g -1 in a solid sample, respectively; the corresponding values were 0.10-1.25 and 0.30-3.75 µg ml -1 in a liquid sample. The correlation coefficient was > 0.99, precisions were 0.11-3.30% (intra-day) and 0.05-6.15% (inter-day), and accuracies were 83-108% (intra-day) and 85-109% (inter-day). The recoveries were measured with six dosage forms, and the results were acceptable as 87-117% with relative standard deviations ≤ 6.44%. The relative standard deviations of stability were ≤ 3.40% and the standard solution was stable for 48 h. Ninety-six samples were obtained from on/off-line markets and were analysed using the developed method. Among these samples, pioglitazone and glibenclamide were found in seven samples and the concentrations of each compound were 0.15% and 0.26-0.51%, respectively. With the increasing adulteration of dietary supplements with anti-diabetic drugs, this method may be helpful to protect public health and safety.

Visual experience during the critical period modulates visual development such that deprivation causes visual impairments while stimulation induces enhancements. This study aimed to determine whether visual stimulation in the form of daily optomotor response (OMR) testing during the mouse critical period (1) improves aspects of visual function, (2) involves retinal mechanisms and (3) is mediated by brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and dopamine (DA) signaling pathways. We tested spatial frequency thresholds in C57BL/6J mice daily from postnatal days 16 to 23 (P16 to P23) using OMR testing. Daily OMR-treated mice were compared to littermate controls that were placed in the OMR chamber without moving gratings. Contrast sensitivity thresholds, electroretinograms (ERGs), visual evoked potentials, and pattern ERGs were acquired at P21. To determine the role of BDNF signaling, a TrkB receptor antagonist (ANA-12) was systemically injected 2 hours prior to OMR testing in another cohort of mice. BDNF immunohistochemistry was performed on retina and brain sections. Retinal DA levels were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography. Daily OMR testing enhanced spatial frequency thresholds and contrast sensitivity compared to controls. OMR-treated mice also had improved rod-driven ERG oscillatory potential response times, greater BDNF immunoreactivity in the retinal ganglion cell layer, and increased retinal DA content compared to controls. VEPs and pattern ERGs were unchanged. Systemic delivery of ANA-12 attenuated OMR-induced visual enhancements. Daily OMR testing during the critical period leads to general visual function improvements accompanied by increased DA and BDNF in the retina, with this process being requisitely mediated by TrkB activation. These results suggest that novel combination therapies involving visual stimulation and using both behavioral and molecular approaches may benefit degenerative retinal diseases or amblyopia.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to design an intraoral environment simulator and to assess the accuracy of two intraoral scanners using the simulator., Materials and Methods: A box-shaped intraoral environment simulator was designed to simulate two specific intraoral environments. The cast was scanned 10 times by Identica Blue (MEDIT, Seoul, South Korea), TRIOS (3Shape, Copenhagen, Denmark), and CS3500 (Carestream Dental, Georgia, USA) scanners in the two simulated groups. The distances between the left and right canines (D3), first molars (D6), second molars (D7), and the left canine and left second molar (D37) were measured. The distance data were analyzed by the Kruskal-Wallis test., Results: The differences in intraoral environments were not statistically significant ( P >.05). Between intraoral scanners, statistically significant differences ( P <.05) were revealed by the Kruskal-Wallis test with regard to D3 and D6., Conclusion: No difference due to the intraoral environment was revealed. The simulator will contribute to the higher accuracy of intraoral scanners in the future.

In this study, we developed a UPLC-PDA and LC-Q-TOF/MS method to identify and measure the following prohibited substances that may be found in dietary supplements:triaminodil, minoxidil, bimatoprost, alimemazine, diphenylcyclopropenone, α-tradiol, finasteride, methyltestosterone, spironolatone, flutamide, cyproterone, dutasteride, and testosterone 17-propionate.The method was validated according to International Conference on Harmonization guidelines in terms of specificity, linearity, accuracy, precision, LOD, LOQ, recovery, and stability. The method was completely validated showing satisfactory data for all method validation parameters. The linearity was good (R 2  > 0.999) with intra- and inter-day precision values of 0.2-3.4% and 0.3-2.9%, respectively. Moreover, the intra- and inter-day accuracies were 87-102% and 86-103%, respectively, and the precision was better than 9.4% (relative standard deviation).Hence, the proposed method is precise and has high quality,and can be utilised to comprehensively and continually monitor illegal drug adulteration in various forms of dietary supplements. Furthermore, to evaluate the applicability of the proposed method, we analysed 13 hair-growth compounds in 78 samples including food and dietary supplements. Minoxidil and triaminodil were detected in capsules at concentrations of 4.69 mg/g and 6.54 mg/g. In addition, finasteride was detected in a tablet at 13.45 mg/g. In addition, the major characteristic fragment ions were confirmed once again using LC-Q-TOF/MS for higher accuracy.

A new minoxidil analogue was detected in an illegal dietary supplement advertised as a hair-growth treatment. The analogue was identified using ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC), high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HR-MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The compound was structurally elucidated as a minoxidil analogue in which the piperidinyl group of minoxidil was replaced with a pyrrolidinyl group corresponding to a molecular formula of C 8 H 13 N 5 O. The new analogue has been named triaminodil. As this is the first report of the compound, there are no chemical, toxicology or pharmacological data available.

In this study, a mixture of polyethylenimine (PEI) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) was reacted at 80 °C for 6 h to synthesize crosslinked PEI/PVC polymer solution, which was injected to produce the PEI/PVC-crosslinked fiber (PEI/PVC-CF). PEI/PVC-CF was investigated as an adsorbent to remove and recover Pd(II) from acidic solutions. In order to examine the adsorption characteristics and usability of PEI/PVC-CF for Pd(II) recycling, several experiments such as isotherm, kinetics, desorption and reuse were conducted. The adsorption isotherms were fitted using the Langmuir and Freundlich models, respectively. The maximum adsorption capacity was estimated as 146.03 mg/g according to the Langmuir model. The kinetic experiments demonstrated that adsorbent reaches adsorption equilibrium within 60 min for initial Pd(II) concentrations of 25-100 mg/L. After adsorption, Pd(II) on PEI/PVC-CF was easily desorbed using acidified thiourea solution, and the desorption efficiency increased with the thiourea concentration. It was also demonstrated that PEI/PVC-CF can be used repeatedly for at least five cycles without reduction in adsorption capacity., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Adulterated products are continuously detected in society and cause problems. In this study, we developed and validated a method for determining synthetic sedative-hypnotics and sleep inducers, including barbital, benzodiazepam, zolpidem, and first-generation antihistamines, in adulterated products using Quadrupole-Orbitrap mass spectrometry and ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. In Quadrupole-Orbitrap mass spectrometry analysis, target compounds were confirmed using a combination of retention time, mass tolerance, mass accuracy, and fragment ions. For quantification, several validation parameters were employed using ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. The limit of detection and limit of quantitation was 0.05-53 and 0.17-177 ng/mL, respectively. The correlation coefficient for linearity was more than 0.995. The intra- and interassay accuracies were 86-110 and 84-111%, respectively. Their precision values were evaluated as within 4.0 (intraday) and 10.7% (interday). Mean recoveries of target compounds in adulterated products ranged from 85 to 116%. The relative standard deviation of stability was less than 10.7% at 4°C for 48 h. The 144 adulterated products obtained over 3 years (2014-2016) from online and in-person vendors were tested using established methods. After rapidly screening with Quadrupole-Orbitrap mass spectrometry, the detected samples were quantified using ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. Two of them were adulterated with phenobarbital., (© 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Purpose: This study investigated the relationship between pain and internal derangement in temporomandibular disorder (TMD) patients using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)., Materials and Methods: This study analyzed 356 TMD patients (712 temporomandibular joints [TMJs]). The inclusion criteria were the presence of spontaneous or provoked pain on one or both TMJs and having undergone MRI. The patients with provoked pain were divided into 3 groups: pain on palpation, pain on mouth opening, and pain on mastication. MRI was performed using a 1.5-T scanner. T1- and T2-weighted parasagittal and paracoronal images were obtained. According to the findings on the T1-weighted images, another 3 groups were created based on internal derangement: normal, disc displacement with reduction, and disc displacement without reduction. The MRI findings were independently interpreted by 2 experienced oral and maxillofacial radiologists at 2 different times. Statistical analysis was performed by the chi-square test using SPSS (version 12.0; SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA)., Results: Provoked pain on mouth opening was found to be correlated with internal derangement in TMD patients ( P <.05). However, spontaneous pain and provoked pain on palpation or mastication were not associated with internal derangement ( P >.05)., Conclusion: These results suggest that internal derangement was a significant predictor of provoked pain on mouth opening.

Purpose: To determine the association between changes in body length with ocular refraction, corneal radii, axial length, and lens thickness in two different mouse strains., Methods: Body length, ocular refraction, corneal radii, axial length, and lens thickness were measured for two inbred mouse strains: 129S1/SvJ (n = 7) and C57BL/6 J (n = 10) from 4 to 12 weeks of age. Body length, from tip of nose to base of tail, was obtained using a digital camera. Biometric parameters, corneal radii, and refractions were measured using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography, automated keratometry, and infrared photorefraction, respectively. A mixed-model ANOVA was performed to examine the changes in ocular parameters as a function of body length and strain in mice controlling for age, gender, and weight over time., Results: C57BL/6J mice had significantly longer body length (average body length at 10 weeks, 8.60 ± 0.06 cm) compared to 129S1/SvJ mice (8.31 ± 0.05 cm) during development (P < .001). C57BL/6J mice had significantly hyperopic refractions compared to 129S1/SvJ mice across age (mean refraction at 10 weeks, 129S1/SvJ: +0.99 ± 0.44D vs. C57BL/6J: +6.24 ± 0.38D, P < .001). Corneal radius of curvature, axial length, and lens thickness (except 10 weeks lens thickness) were similar between the two strains throughout the measurement. In the mixed-model ANOVA, changes in body length showed an independent and significant association with the changes in refraction (P = .002) and corneal radii (P = .016) for each mouse strain. No significant association was found between the changes in axial length (P = .925) or lens thickness (P = .973) as a function of body length and strain., Conclusions: Changes in body length are significantly associated with the changes in ocular refraction and corneal radii in different mouse strains. Future studies are needed to determine if the association between body length and ocular refraction are related to changes in corneal curvature in mice.

This regulatory post-marketing surveillance study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy and safety of drospirenone (DRSP) 2 mg/estradiol (E 2 ) 1 mg tablet in Korean postmenopausal women. A total of 4,149 patients were enrolled and the study was conducted at 207 clinical research centers. The patients' source data was collected between November 2006 and November 2012. More than 85% of patients experienced improvement of menopausal symptoms. The most frequently reported adverse events were vaginal bleeding and breast pain; most of the women suffering from these symptoms fully recovered. The incidence of adverse event was higher in patients of younger age (20 to 39 years), in patients with concomitant diseases, previous hormone replacement therapy in medical history, those treated with DRSP 2 mg/E 2 1 mg for shorter duration (3 years or less) and in patients using concomitant medication. In conclusion, the results from this large post-marketing surveillance study confirm the efficacy and safety of DRSP 2 mg/E 2 1 mg tablet in Korean postmenopausal women., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest: This article has been written based on the results of a postmarketing survey by Bayer HealthCare, but all authors did not receive any financial support for writing this manuscript from the company.

A new tadalafil analogue was found in a commercial dietary supplement for enhancing sexual performance. The compound was detected by a high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector (HPLC-DAD). The analogue was isolated using semi-preparative HPLC, and its accurate mass was established by two LC-high-resolution-mass spectrometers (LC-HRMS). The structure was determined by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The accurate mass of the compound corresponded to a molecular formula of C 24 H 23 N 3 O 4 . The compound was identified as a structural analogue of tadalafil in which the N-methyl group of tadalafil was replaced with an N-isopropyl group. We have named the new analogue isopropylnortadalafil and it is first reported herein.

Gardner syndrome is known as a variant of familial adenomatous polyposis. This syndrome is characterized by multiple intestinal polyposes, osteomas, and epidermoid cysts. In addition, dental abnormalities include an increased frequency of multiple odontomas, as well as supernumerary and impacted teeth. The authors report the case of a 7-year-old male patient with Gardner syndrome. Radiographic findings revealed multiple osteomas in both sides of the maxilla, multiple diffuse enostoses in both jaws, and a complex odontoma in the left mandibular body. Two years later, multiple epidermoid cysts on the scalp were found. Since this patient was suspected to have Gardner syndrome, the authors recommended gastrointestinal endoscopy to check for intestinal polyposis. Gastrointestinal endoscopic examination revealed multiple polyposes in the upper gastrointestinal tract and fundus of the stomach. As a result, the final diagnosis was Gardner syndrome.

Purpose: MicroRNA (miRNAs) have been previously implicated in scleral remodeling in normal eye growth. They have the potential to be therapeutic targets for prevention/retardation of exaggerated eye growth in myopia by modulating scleral matrix remodeling. To explore this potential, genome-wide miRNA and messenger RNA (mRNA) scleral profiles in myopic and control eyes from mice were studied., Methods: C57BL/6J mice (n = 7; P28) reared under a 12L:12D cycle were form-deprived (FD) unilaterally for 2 weeks. Refractive error and axial length changes were measured using photorefraction and 1310-nm spectral-domain optical coherence tomography, respectively. Scleral RNA samples from FD and fellow control eyes were processed for microarray assay. Statistical analyses were performed using National Institute of Aging array analysis tool; group comparisons were made using ANOVA, and gene ontologies were identified using software available on the Web. Findings were confirmed using quantitative PCR in a separate group of mice (n = 7)., Results: Form-deprived eyes showed myopic shifts in refractive error (-2.02 ± 0.47 D; P < 0.01). Comparison of the scleral RNA profiles of test eyes with those of control eyes revealed 54 differentially expressed miRNAs and 261 mRNAs fold-change >1.25 (maximum fold change = 1.63 and 2.7 for miRNAs and mRNAs, respectively) (P < 0.05; minimum, P = 0.0001). Significant ontologies showing gene over-representation (P < 0.05) included intermediate filament organization, scaffold protein binding, detection of stimuli, calcium ion, G protein, and phototransduction. Significant differential expression of Let-7a and miR-16-2, and Smok4a, Prph2, and Gnat1 were confirmed., Conclusions: Scleral mi- and mRNAs showed differential expression linked to myopia, supporting the involvement of miRNAs in eye growth regulation. The observed general trend of relatively small fold-changes suggests a tightly controlled, regulatory mechanism for scleral gene expression.

Purpose: The neuromodulator dopamine (DA) has been implicated in the prevention of excessive ocular elongation and myopia in various animal models. This study used retina-specific DA knockout mice to investigate the role of retinal DA in refractive development and susceptibility to experimental myopia., Methods: Measurements of refractive error, corneal curvature, and ocular biometrics were obtained as a function of age for both untreated and form-deprived (FD) groups of retina-specific tyrosine hydroxylase knockout (rTHKO) and control (Ctrl) mice. Retinas from each group were analyzed by HPLC for levels of DA and its primary metabolite (DOPAC)., Results: Under normal visual conditions, rTHKO mice showed significantly myopic refractions (F(1,188) = 7.602, P < 0.001) and steeper corneas (main effect of genotype F(1,180) = 5.1, P < 0.01) at 4 and 6 weeks of age compared with Ctrl mice. Retina-specific THKO mice also had thinner corneas (main effect of genotype F(1,181) = 37.17, P < 0.001), thinner retinas (F(6,181) = 6.07, P < 0.001), and shorter axial lengths (F(6,181) = 3.78, P < 0.01) than Ctrl mice. Retina-specific THKO retinas contained less than 15% of DA and DOPAC compared with Ctrl retinas, and the remaining DA had a significantly higher turnover, as indicated by DOPAC/DA ratios (Student's t-test, P < 0.05). Retina-specific THKO mice showed similar, yet more variable, responses to 6 weeks of FD compared with Ctrl mice., Conclusions: Diminished retinal DA induced spontaneous myopia in mice raised under laboratory conditions without form deprivation. The relative myopic shift in rTHKO mice may be explained by steeper corneas, an unexpected finding. The chronic loss of DA did not significantly alter the FD myopia response in rTHKO mice.