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Objective The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of tofacitinib vs TNF inhibitors (TNFis) in Korean patients with RA. Methods The study used data from a single academic referral hospital's registries of biologic DMARDs (bDMARDs) and tofacitinib and examined remission rates based on the DAS28-ESR after 12 months. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the odds ratio (OR) for achieving remission with tofacitinib compared with TNFi, adjusting for potential confounders. Results This analysis included 665 patients (200 on tofacitinib and 455 on TNFis) who were followed up for at least 12 months. Of these, 96 patients in the tofacitinib group (48.0%) and 409 patients in the TNFi group (89.9%) were treatment-naïve to bDMARDs. Intention-to-treat analysis revealed no significant difference in the remission rates between the two groups (18.0% vs 19.6%, P  = 0.640). Multivariable analysis demonstrated comparable remission rates with tofacitinib and TNFi (OR 1.204, 95% CI 0.720–2.013). In the subpopulation naïve to Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKis) and bDMARDs, tofacitinib showed better remission rates than TNFis (OR 1.867, 95% CI 1.033–3.377). Tofacitinib had more adverse events but similar rates of serious adverse events to TNFis. Conclusion In real-world settings, there was no significant difference in remission rates at 12 months between the tofacitinib and TNFi groups. In terms of safety, tofacitinib exhibited a higher incidence of adverse events compared with TNFis, while the occurrence of serious adverse events was comparable between the groups. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, https://clinicaltrials.gov , NCT02602704. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To compare the long-term efficacy and safety of intense pulsed light (IPL) treatments using a 590-nm and an acne filter. Methods: In this prospective, randomized, paired-eye trial study, 30 patients with moderate and severe meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) were followed up for at least one month after their last treatment. Group A received IPL treatment with an acne filter, a type of notch filter that blocks wavelengths between 600 and 800 nm, allowing IPL to emit wavelengths between 400–600 nm and 800–1200 nm. Group B received treatment with a 590 nm filter, a type of cut-off filter that blocks wavelengths below 590 nm. Clinical parameters, including tear osmolarity, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 expression, tear break-up time, ocular surface staining scores, Schirmer's test I, lid margin telangiectasia scores, MG expressibility/secretion scores, and Ocular Surface Disease Index scores, were measured at baseline, 1, 6, and 12 months after their last treatment. Results: In the linear mixed model, significant time effects on all clinical parameters, except for MMP-9 grades and Schirmer's test I results, were observed within each group. However, interactions between time points (baseline, 6 months, 12 months) and groups (Group A, B) were not significant. The generalized estimating equation model showed no significant interaction between time points and groups for MMP-9 positivity; however, a significant time effect on MMP-9 positivity was observed in Group A, with a decrease at 12 months after their last treatment when compared to baseline and 6 months. Conclusions: The IPL treatment modality for moderate to severe MGD demonstrated a significant therapeutic effect for one year under strictly controlled self-administration of other treatments. IPL treatment using acne filter is a promising treatment option for reducing MMP-9 positivity in MGD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study compared the visual outcomes and optical quality of two monofocal, aspheric intraocular lenses (IOLs; CT LUCIA 621P, Carl Zeiss Meditec; Eyhance ICB00, Johnson & Johnson Vision) by evaluating visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, and higher-order aberrations 1 month post-cataract surgery. Methods: In this retrospective, comparative study, 120 eyes (72 patients) that underwent cataract surgery with either CT LUCIA 621P (Lucia group) or Eyhance ICB00 (Eyhance group) implantation (60 eyes/group) were retrospectively investigated. Visual acuity at various distances and defocus curves were measured 1 month postoperatively. Optical quality was assessed by comparing contrast sensitivity and internal coma, spherical, and total aberrations by using iTrace (Tracey Technology), a ray-tracing-type aberrometer. Results: The visual acuity and defocus curves were similar between the two IOLs 1 month postoperatively. The Lucia group showed better contrast sensitivity at higher spatial frequencies: 12 cpd (p < 0.001, 1.32 LogCS vs. 1.02 LogCS) and 18 cpd (p = 0.009, 0.74 LogCS vs. 0.47 LogCS) unilaterally and 18 cpd (p = 0.044, 0.94 LogCS vs. 0.60 LogCS) bilaterally. Postoperative internal spherical aberration was significantly lower in the Lucia group (p < 0.001, −0.04 µm vs. −0.003 µm). Internal coma and total aberrations were similar. Conclusions: The visual acuity and defocus curves of the Lucia and Eyhance groups were comparable 1 month post-cataract surgery. The Lucia group's superior contrast sensitivity and lower postoperative internal spherical aberration were due to differences in IOL designs, particularly the power variation patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unlike other microbothriid monogenean infections in elasmobranchs, limited information is available on the biology and treatment of Dermophthirius melanopteri. As parasitic infection with D. melanopteri was found in 21 juvenile blacktip reef sharks (Carcharhinus melanopterus) at the Lotteworld aquarium in Seoul, South Korea, we aimed to investigate the anatomical features and treatment protocols for D. melanopteri in this study. The parasites were sampled and fixed in 10% neutral-buffered formalin, and examined using light and scanning electron microscopy. The treatments included short-term praziquantel baths, freshwater immersion, and long-term trichlorfon baths. Manual removal of parasites was also attempted. Examination and manual removal revealed that, similar to other microbothriids, D. melanopteri attaches to the placoid scale using opisthaptoral secretion in the posterior region. The effectiveness of the treatments varied, with trichlorfon proving the most effective and safe option for complete parasite eradication. Praziquantel facilitated parasite removal by weakening their attachment, suggesting the potential for higher doses and prolonged exposure times for enhanced antiparasitic effects. To our knowledge, this is the first study providing the microscopic details of D. melanopteri infection and its treatment outcomes in captive blacktip reef sharks, thereby providing valuable insights for future research and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prostaglandin D2 (PGD2) levels are high in the balding areas of human scalps, and PGD2 has been found to inhibit hair growth. It is known that the inhibition of the PGD2 receptor can promote hair growth by preventing hair follicles from entering the catagen phase. Thus, we identified an antagonist of DP2, the receptor for PGD2, as a potential treatment for hair loss using an AI-based DeepZema® drug development program. In this study, we identified that the DP2 antagonist (DP2A) could ameliorate alopecia in human follicle dermal papilla cells (HFDPCs) that were stimulated by dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a known molecule related to hair loss. We observed that the DP2A promoted wound healing efficiency and increased alkaline phosphatase levels in the HFDPCs that were damaged with DHT. In addition, we found that the DP2A diminished the reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels generated in the DHT-damaged HFDPCs. We confirmed that the DP2A effectively recovered the membrane potential of mitochondria in these cells. We also demonstrated that the DP2A enhanced the phosphorylation levels of both Akt and ERK in the HFDPCs that were damaged with DHT. Notably, we revealed that the DP2A slightly enlarged the three-dimensional spheroid size in these cells and confirmed that the DP2A improved hair growth in the organ culture of human hair follicles. Taken together, we suggest that DP2A has therapeutic effects on HFDPCs that are damaged by DHT and holds promise as a potential treatment for treating hair loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effect of mobile-based forest therapy programs on relieving depression to advance non-pharmaceutical treatments for patients with depression. The effects of depression, sleep quality, and physical symptoms were analyzed as measurement indicators to determine the effectiveness of symptom relief in patients with depression. This study used a randomized controlled experiment design. Participants were randomly assigned, and a total of 44 people participated, including 23 in the experimental group and 21 in the control group. The experimental group participated in a mobile-based forest therapy program (participating once a week) for six sessions. As a result of this study, depression patients who participated in the mobile-based forest therapy program conducted in urban forests showed a significant reduction in MADRS (from 21.48 ± 4.05 to 7.13 ± 7.00). In addition, PSQI (from 19.78 ± 7.69 to 14.48 ± 8.11) and PHQ-15 (from 9.87 ± 5.08 to 7.57 ± 5.03) were also found to significantly improve symptoms. This suggests that forest-therapy programs using mobile applications can be applied as non-pharmaceutical interventions to relieve symptoms in patients with depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transarterial radioembolization (TARE) is one of the therapeutic options for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study aimed to investigate the predictors and prognostic values of achieving curative treatments after TARE. Overall, 143 patients with intrahepatic HCC treated with TARE between 2011 and 2017 were recruited from two Korean tertiary institutes. Twenty-seven patients received curative treatments after TARE. Younger age than 65 years and AFP of ≤200 ng/mL independently predicted the increased probability of achieving curative treatment after TARE, and the curative treatment after TARE provided a survival benefit in patients with intrahepatic HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) improves the survival of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); however, TACE treatment outcomes of patients with treatment-naïve HCC (TN-HCC) and those with recurrent HCC after curative resection (R-HCC) have not yet been compared.Methods: We recruited 448 patients with TN-HCC, and 275 patients with R-HCC treated with TACE as first-line anti-cancer treatment.Results: At first TACE, patients with TN-HCC showed a significantly lower proportion of male gender (74.9% vs. 84.3%), higher proportion of liver cirrhosis (61.9% vs. 49.3%), higher aspartate aminotransferase (median 48 vs. 31 IU/L), alanine aminotransferase (median 38 vs. 26 IU/L), alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) (median 96.6 vs. 7.7 ng/mL), and total bilirubin (mean 1.0 vs. 0.8 mg/dL) levels, longer prothrombin time (median 1.05 vs. 1.01 international normalized ratio), higher tumor number (mean 2.1 vs. 1.7), larger tumor size (median 3.1 vs. 1.6 cm), and lower proportion of Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage 0-A (55.6% vs. 71.9%) than patients with R-HCC (all P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that TACE for TN-HCC (vs. R-HCC) was an independent predictor of mortality (hazard ratio, 1.328; P = 0.024) with AFP level and tumor number (all P < 0.05). However, treatment outcomes between TN-HCC and R-HCC became statistically similar after propensity score-matched (PSM) analysis using liver cirrhosis, tumor size, and multiple tumors (P < 0.05).Conclusions: Based on the similar TACE treatment outcomes observed with the PSM analysis, the current TACE treatment guideline for patients with TN-HCC might similarly be applied for patients with R-HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background & Aims: The European Association for the Study of the Liver criteria and the modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors are used for assessing the treatment outcomes of hepatocellular carcinoma. We investigated the inter‐ and intra‐observer reproducibility of the European Association for the Study of the Liver criteria and modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma treated with sorafenib. Methods: A total of 99 patients with treatment‐naive advanced hepatocellular carcinoma receiving sorafenib were included. The κ‐values for the inter‐ and intra‐observer agreement of the treatment response were calculated. Results: Inter‐observer agreement for baseline tumour number was excellent, as reflected by the high κ‐value. The κ‐statistics showed “excellent” concordance between the 2 sets of measurements by observer A regarding the overall responses using the European Association for the Study of the Liver criteria (κ = .948, agreement rate = 84.8%) and modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (κ = .944, agreement rate = 83.8%; all P < .001). In addition, high κ‐values indicated concordance between the first sets of measurements by observers A and B (κ = .991 by the European Association for the Study of the Liver criteria and .988 by modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors, all P < .001). When agreements in radiological overall responses between the 2 sets of measurements by observer B and between the second sets of measurements by observers A and B were calculated, similar results regarding high κ‐values (>.8) were obtained. Conclusions: The reproducibility of the European Association for the Study of the Liver criteria and modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors in assessing treatment outcomes was high in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma treated with sorafenib. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose While performing respiratory training, an elastic chest band has great benefits for clinical use due to its safety and easy application. However, to our knowledge, there is no published data on the clinical use of an elastic chest band into inspiratory training for people with limited rib mobility. This study aimed to investigate the effects of an elastic chest band integrated into inspiratory exercise for people with decreased chest function. Method Sixteen subjects with limited rib mobility were randomly assigned to either experimental group (EG) or control group (CG), with eight subjects in each group. All subjects received an inspiratory exercise using incentive spirometer for 30 minutes. For the subjects of the EG, an elastic chest band was incorporated into the inspiratory exercises to provide compressive resistance to the chest. The chest function was measured using an electronic spirometer to determine the vital capacity (VC), tidal volume (TV), inspiratory reserve volume (IRV), expiratory reserve volume, forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume (FEV), FEV in 1-second (FEV1) and the ratio of FEV1 to FVC (FEV1%). Results Significant differences were found for the VC, TV, IRV, FVC and FEV1 between pre-test and post-test in the two groups ( p < 0.05). Further, the changes in the values of VC (0.47 L vs. 0.22 L), FVC (0.55 L vs. 0.25 L) and FEV1 (0.65% vs. 0.21%) in the EG subjects were significantly greater than those in the CG subjects ( p < 0.05). Conclusions These findings suggest that an elastic chest band combined with inspiratory exercise produces additional positive effect on improving chest function in people with limited rib mobility. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Ethnopharmacological relevance Korean Red ginseng extract (RG) is one of the most widely used traditional health functional food in Asia, which invigorates immunity and vital energy. RG have been suggested to inhibit proliferation, invasion, and inflammation in several cancer cell lines. Correspondingly, clinical studies have raised the possibility that RG could augment therapeutic efficacy in cancer patients. However, little is known about the anti-cancer effects of RG in glioblastoma (GBM), the most common and aggressive brain tumor for which effective therapeutic regimens need to be developed. Aim of this study: Here, we assessed the in vivo and in vitro anti-cancer properties of RG in a patient-derived xenograft mouse model and GBM stem cell (GSC) line. Materials and methods We evaluated the anti-cancer effects of RG in patient-derived GBM xenograft mice with and without combined concurrent chemo- and radiation therapy (CCRT). Furthermore, we verified the in vitro effects of RG on the proliferation, cell death, and stem cell-like self-renewal capacity of cancer cells. Finally, we investigated the signaling pathway affected by RG, via which its anti-cancer effects were mediated. Results When combined with CCRT, RG impeded GBM progression by reducing cancer cell proliferation and ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1 (IBA1)-positive immune cell recruitment. The anti-cancer effects of RG were mediated by Rg3 and Rh2 ginsenosides. Rg3 promoted cell death while Rh2 did not. Furthermore, both Rg3 and Rh2 reduced cell viability and self-renewal capacity of GSCs by inhibiting Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Conclusion Therefore, our observations imply that RG could be applied to the GBM patients in parallel with CCRT to enhance therapeutic efficacy. Graphical abstract Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sojadodamgangki-tang (SDG) is a traditional East-Asian herbal medicine mainly composed of Pinellia ternate (Thunb.) Makino, Perilla frutescens (L.) Britt and 10 kinds of medicinal herbs. It has been used to treat asthma and mucus secretion including lung and bronchi. The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of Sojadodamgangki-tang (SDG) on allergic lung inflammation in vitro and in vivo as well as the underlying mechanisms. We used an ovalbumin (OVA)-induced murine allergic airway inflammation model. Five groups of 8-week-old female BALB/C mice were divided into the following groups: saline control group, the vehicle (allergic) group that received OVA only, groups that received OVA and SDG (200 mg/kg or 400 mg/kg), and a positive control group that received OVA and Dexamethasone (5 mg/kg). In vitro experiments include T helper 2 (TH2) polarization system, murine macrophage cell culture, and human bronchial epithelial cell line (BEAS-2B) culture. SDG administration reduced allergic airway inflammatory cell infiltration, especially of eosinophils, mucus production, Th2 cell activation, OVA-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE), and total IgE production. Moreover, the activation of alveolar macrophages, which leads to immune tolerance in the steady state, was promoted by SDG treatment. Interestingly, SDG treatment also reduced the production of alarmin cytokines by the human bronchial epithelial cell line BEAS-2B stimulated with urban particulate matter. Our findings indicate that SDG has potential as a therapeutic drug to inhibit Th2 cell activation and promote alveolar macrophage activation. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, fine-dust particulate matter (FM) has become a potential health hazard, causing various pathological respiratory disorders around the world. Inflammation induced by FM is regarded as a major cause of respiratory disorder in humans. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of Shibashin Misena®, a functional food composed of various bioactive ingredients, on FM-induced respiratory disorders in mice. Briefly, 40 mice were divided equally into four groups: normal controls (NC); FM-induced control group (FC); FM group treated with Shibashin Misena® 0.1 mL/head/day (FM0.1); FM group treated with Shibashin Misena® 0.2 mL/head/day (FM0.2). FM significantly induced TNF-α, IL-17A, IL-1β, and TGF-β in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) collected from the FM mice. Compared with FC, Shibashin Misena® decreased TNF-α, IL-17A, and IL-1β levels in BALF, and histopathologic evaluations revealed that Shibashin Misena® treatment significantly reduced inflammatory-cell infiltration and fibrosis related collagen deposition in lung tissue. This study demonstrated that Shibashin Misena® decreased FM-induced inflammation and fibrosis in lung tissue. Thus, Shibashin Misena® could be an effective supplement to prevent or improve FM-induced pulmonary disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]