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Objectives. This study investigated age-related differences in nasal morphometry and the degree of changes within an individual over at least a 10-year period by pairing previous and recent three-dimensional reconstructed computed tomography (CT) images. Methods. Forty-eight adult Korean patients who underwent at least two CT scans of the nasal region with an interval of at least 10 years were selected. Patients were categorized into six subgroups according to sex and age (20–39 years, 40–49 years, and ≥50 years) at the time of initial imaging. Eight nasal parameters were measured on the initial and recent images, and paired comparisons between the two images were performed based on the data. The differences in the degree of change by age were also analyzed. Results. Over an average image interval of 12 years, men exhibited an increase in the nasofrontal angle (3.2°±5.4°, P=0.041), profile nasal length (1.7±1.7 mm, P=0.002), and nasal bridge height (1.2±1.6 mm, P=0.002). Conversely, they showed a decrease in the nasofacial angle (–2.3°±2.9°, P=0.010). Women also demonstrated an increase in the nasofrontal angle (2.5°±5.2°, P=0.010), profile nasal length (1.4±1.9 mm, P

Digital twins were initially introduced in the aerospace industry, but they have been applied to the medical field in the 2020s. The development of the Internet of Things, sensor technology, cloud computing, big data analysis, and simulation technology has made this idea feasible. Essentially, digital twins are virtual representations of real-world data that can generate virtual outcomes related to a patient based on their actual data. With this technology, doctors can predict treatment outcomes, plan surgery, and monitor patients’ medical conditions in real time. While digital twins have endless potential, challenges include the need to deal with vast amounts of data and ensure the security of personal information. In the field of rhinology, which deals with complex anatomy from the sinus to the skull base, the adoption of digital twins is just beginning. Digital twins have begun to be incorporated into surgical navigation and the management of chronic diseases such as chronic rhinosinusitis. Despite the limitless potential of digital twins, challenges related to dealing with vast amounts of data and enhancing the security of personal data need to be surmounted for this method to be more widely applied.

Various chronic inflammatory airway diseases can be treated with low-dose, long-term (LDLT) macrolide therapy. LDLT macrolides can be one of the therapeutic options for chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) due to their immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory actions. Currently, various immunomodulatory mechanisms of the LDLT macrolide treatment have been reported, as well as their antimicrobial properties. Several mechanisms have already been identified in CRS, including reduced cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-8, IL-6, IL-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α, transforming growth factor-β, inhibition of neutrophil recruitment, decreased mucus secretion, and increased mucociliary transport. Although some evidence of effectiveness for CRS has been published, the efficacy of this therapy has been inconsistent across clinical studies. LDLT macrolides are generally believed to act on the non-type 2 inflammatory endotype of CRS. However, the effectiveness of LDLT macrolide treatment in CRS is still controversial. Here, we reviewed the immunological mechanisms related to CRS in LDLT macrolide therapy and the treatment effects according to the clinical situation of CRS.

Abstract Background Globally, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are identified as one of the leading causes of mortality. NCDs have several modifiable risk factors including unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, tobacco use and alcohol abuse. Schools provide ideal settings for health promotion, but the effectiveness of school policies in the reduction of risk factors for NCD is not clear. This study reviewed the literature on the impact of school policies on major NCD risk factors. Methods A systematic review was conducted to identify, collate and synthesize evidence on the effectiveness of school policies on reduction of NCD risk factors. A search strategy was developed to identify the relevant studies on effectiveness of NCD policies in schools for children between the age of 6 to 18 years in Ovid Medline, EMBASE, and Web of Science. Data extraction was conducted using pre-piloted forms. Studies included in the review were assessed for methodological quality using the Effective Public Health Practice Project (EPHPP) quality assessment tool. A narrative synthesis according to the types of outcomes was conducted to present the evidence on the effectiveness of school policies. Results Overall, 27 out of 2633 identified studies were included in the review. School policies were comparatively more effective in reducing unhealthy diet, tobacco use, physical inactivity and inflammatory biomarkers as opposed to anthropometric measures, overweight/obesity, and alcohol use. In total, for 103 outcomes independently evaluated within these studies, 48 outcomes (46%) had significant desirable changes when exposed to the school policies. Based on the quality assessment, 18 studies were categorized as weak, six as moderate and three as having strong methodological quality. Conclusion Mixed findings were observed concerning effectiveness of school policies in reducing NCD risk factors. The findings demonstrate that schools can be a good setting for initiating positive changes in reducing NCD risk factors, but more research is required with long-term follow up to study the sustainability of such changes.

ObjectiveTo assess school policies, built environment and practices for prevention and control of non-communicable diseases in schools of Delhi, India.MethodsSchool built environments and policies were assessed using a structured observation checklist in 10 private and 9 government schools which were randomly selected from all 184 co-educational schools with primary to senior secondary level education in Delhi, India. A self-administered questionnaire was also completed by teachers from each school (n = 19) to capture information specific to school policies. Surveys were also conducted with parent of students in class II (aged 6-7 years; n = 574) and student in class XI (aged 15-16 years, n = 755) to understand school practices.ResultsThe majority of government (88.9%; n = 8) and private (80%; n = 8) schools reported having comprehensive school health policy. In terms of specific health behaviours, policies related to diet and nutrition in government schools were mostly restricted to primary levels with provision of the mid-day meal programme. All schools had two physical education periods per week of about 45-50 minutes. Most schools were compliant with tobacco-free school guidelines (n = 15 out of 19) and had alcohol control policies (n = 13 out of 19). Parent and student reports of practices indicated that school policies were not consistently implemented.ConclusionMost schools in Delhi have policies that address health behaviours in students, but there was considerable variation in the types and number of policies and school environments. Government schools are more likely to have policies in place than private schools. Further work is needed to evaluate how these policies are implemented and to assess their impact on health outcomes.