Objectives: Circadian misalignment may increase the risk of obesity and related obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Considerable young adults have social jetlag (SJL), which is defined as the time discrepancy between workdays and free days. We aim to evaluate the relationship between SJL and sleep and respiratory disturbance in patients with untreated OSA patients. Methods: A total of 180 OSA patients under the age of 50 [mean 38.3±8.0 y, 93.3% male, mean apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) 38.2±27.4 /h] were recruited from the university affiliated sleep clinic and fulfilled sleep-related questionnaires including Munich Chronotype Questionnaire (MCTQ). SJL was defined as the difference in sleep midpoints between work and free days. Patients were divided into three groups with SJL less than 1 hour, 1–2 hours, and 2 hours or more and the clinical and sleep data of each group were compared. Results: 51.6% (n=93) suffered from significant SJL (≥1 h). Patients with ≥2h of SJL (16.6%, n=30) had the largest neck circumference (NC). AHI and sleep parameters were not significantly different among groups except lowest oxygen saturation (LoS) was the lowest in the group of ≥2 h. SJL was positively correlated with body mass index and NC and negatively correlated with LoS after adjusting for age and sex. Conclusions About a half of young adults with OSA have significant SJL more than 1 h. This study suggests that SJL is associated with being overweight, while it seems not increase the severity of OSA nor deteriorate sleep quality in young adults.

Objectives: Circadian misalignment may increase the risk of obesity and related obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Considerable young adults have social jetlag (SJL), which is defined as the time discrepancy between workdays and free days. We aim to evaluate the relationship between SJL and sleep and respiratory disturbance in patients with untreated OSA patients. Methods: A total of 180 OSA patients under the age of 50 [mean 38.3±8.0 y, 93.3% male, mean apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) 38.2±27.4 /h] were recruited from the university affiliated sleep clinic and fulfilled sleep-related questionnaires including Munich Chronotype Questionnaire (MCTQ). SJL was defined as the difference in sleep midpoints between work and free days. Patients were divided into three groups with SJL less than 1 hour, 1–2 hours, and 2 hours or more and the clinical and sleep data of each group were compared. Results: 51.6% (n=93) suffered from significant SJL (≥1 h). Patients with ≥2h of SJL (16.6%, n=30) had the largest neck circumference (NC). AHI and sleep parameters were not significantly different among groups except lowest oxygen saturation (LoS) was the lowest in the group of ≥2 h. SJL was positively correlated with body mass index and NC and negatively correlated with LoS after adjusting for age and sex. Conclusions About a half of young adults with OSA have significant SJL more than 1 h. This study suggests that SJL is associated with being overweight, while it seems not increase the severity of OSA nor deteriorate sleep quality in young adults.

Background and Objectives: Ginsenoside Rb1 is the main metabolite of Panax ginseng. It is known to have many beneficial properties including anti-inflammatory, antitumoral and antioxidant effects. However, the therapeutic effects of ginenoside Rb1 on inflammatory airway diseases have not been elucidated. Therefore, we investigated the effects of ginsenoside Rb1 on the TGF-β1-induced mucin gene expression and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in human airway epithelial cells.Materials and Method We evaluated the effects of ginsenoside Rb1 on the changes of MUC4, MUC5AC, occludin, claudin 4, claudin 18, neural (N)-cadherin, and epithelial (E)-cadherin expression by TGF-β1 in NCI-H292 cells using reverse, real-time polymerase chain reaction, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and western blot. Results: TGF-β1 significantly increased MUC4/5AC expression. Rb1 inhibited TGF-β1- induced MUC4/5AC expression. In addition, TGF-β1 significantly attenuated occludin, claudin 18, and E-cadherin expressions but induced claudin 4 and N-cadherin expressions. On the other hand, Rb1 reversed changes in the TGF-β1- mediated expressions of cell junction molecules. Conclusion These results suggest that ginsenoside Rb1 attenuates TGF-β1-induced MUC4/5AC expressions and EMT in the human airway epithelial cells. These findings are important data demonstrating the potential of ginsenoside Rb1 as a therapeutic agent for inflammatory airway diseases.

Background and Objectives: Peroxiredoxin (Prx) is an antioxidant enzyme involved in signaling pathway. Prx2 is the most abundant in mammalian gray matter neurons and has protective role under oxidative stress. MUC5AC and MUC5B are typical mucin genes in human airway epithelial cells. Even if free radicals play a key role in chronic respiratory inflammatory diseases, the effects of the Prx2 on mucin expression and oxidative stress are not clearly known. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of Prx2 on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced MUC5AC/5B expression and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in human airway epithelial cells.Subjects and Method In NCI-H292 cells and human nasal epithelial cells, the effects of Prx2 on LPS-induced MUC5AC/5B expression and ROS production were investigated using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, real-time polymerase chain reaction, enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and flow cytometry analysis. Results: MUC5AC, MUC5B mRNA expression and protein production were increased by LPS. ROS production was also increased by LPS. Prx2 suppressed the LPS-induced MUC5AC mRNA expression and protein production as well as ROS production. However, Prx2 did not inhibit MUC5B mRNA expression and protein production. N-acetylcysteine, diphenyleneiodonium, and apocynin also inhibited LPS-induced ROS production. Conclusion These results may show that Prx2 suppresses LPS-induced MUC5AC expression via ROS in human airway epithelial cells.

In children, prolonged primary Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection or reactivation may lead to the development of T or natural killer cell lymphoproliferative disorders, classified as chronic active EBV infection (CAEBV). CAEBV is a prolonged systemic illness lasting beyond three months, with elevated EBV DNA levels in the serum or affected tissue and a lack of underlying immunodeficiency. Notably, EBV is the most common virus that induces secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), and Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been reported to trigger HLH. We present the case of a 20-year-old Korean male who was diagnosed with CAEBV and developed HLH after being infected with COVID-19. The patient met 7 out of 8 criteria for HLH. Following treatment with corticosteroids and intravenous immunoglobulin, the patient recovered from HLH without additional chemotherapy. HLH treatment should be tailored to each patient based on clinical presentation and disease severity.Prolonged and regular evaluation for developing HLH or lymphoma is necessary for patients with CAEBV.

Background: Occupational hazards in crop farms vary diversely based on different field operations as soil management, harvesting processes, pesticide, or fertilizer application. We aimed at evaluating the immunological status of crop farmers, as limited systematic investigations on immune alteration involved with crop farming have been reported yet. Methods: Immunological parameters including plasma immunoglobulin level, major peripheral immune cells distribution, and level of cytokine production from activated T cell were conducted. Nineteen grape orchard, 48 onion open-field, and 21 rose greenhouse farmers were participated. Results: Significantly low proportion of natural killer (NK) cell, a core cell for innate immunity, was revealed in the grape farmers (19.8 ± 3.3%) in comparison to the onion farmers (26.4 ± 3.1%) and the rose farmers (26.9 ± 2.5%), whereas cytotoxic T lymphocyte proportion was lower in the grape and the onion farmers than the rose farmers. The proportion of NKT cell, an immune cell implicated with allergic response, was significantly higher in the grape (2.3 ± 0.3%) and the onion (1.6 ± 0.8%) farmers compared with the rose farmers (1.0 ± 0.4%). A significantly decreased interferon-gamma:interleukin-13 ratio was observed from ex vivo stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells of grape farmers compared with the other two groups. The grape farmers revealed the lowest levels of plasma IgG1 and IgG4, and their plasma IgE level was not significantly different from that of the onion or the rose farmers. Conclusion Our finding suggests the high vulnerability of workplace-mediated allergic immunity in grape orchard farmers followed by open-field onion farmers and then the rose greenhouse farmers.