Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine whether levator ani deficiency (LAD) scores and minimal levator hiatus (MLH) areas affect Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification (POP-Q) stage. Methods: This study was a retrospective chart review of patients with pelvic organ prolapse (POP) at Seoul Songdo Hospital between August 2019 and August 2020. Three-dimensional (3D) pelvic floor ultrasound, preoperative anal manometry, and other physiological tests were performed in 78 patients with POP symptoms. We divided the patients into mild prolapse and severe prolapse groups based on the POP-Q. We examined the LAD and MLH areas. LAD scores were categorized as mild, moderate, or severe. Results: There were 32 patients (41.0%) in the mild prolapse group (POP-Q stage I and II) and 46 (59.0%) in the severe prolapse group (POP-Q stage III and IV). The mean LAD score was significantly higher in severe prolapse group (13.33±2.49 vs. 8.19±2.92, P<0.001), and the rate of severe deficiency was also significantly higher in the severe prolapse group (29 [63.0%] vs. 2 [6.3%], P<0.001). The mean MLH was also significantly larger in the severe prolapse group (17.91±2.74 cm2 vs. 14.95±2.60 cm2, P<0.001). In addition, both MLH and LAD scores tended to increase at each stage. Conclusion There is a strong positive correlation between the POP-Q stage and the MLH and LAD scores that can be seen on 3D pelvic floor ultrasound. The findings of this study, by objectively demonstrating LAD and MLH in women with POP, are an important contribution to POP.

As the elderly population is increasing, Alzheimer's disease (AD) has become a global issue and many clinical trials have been conducted to evaluate treatments for AD. As these clinical trials have been conducted and have failed, the development of new theraphies for AD with fewer adverse effects remains a challenge. In this study, we examined the effects of Theracurmin on cognitive decline using 5XFAD mice, an AD mouse model. Theracurmin is more bioavailable form of curcumin, generated with submicron colloidal dispersion. Mice were treated with Theracurmin (100, 300 and 1,000 mg/kg) for 12 weeks and were subjected to the novel object recognition test and the Barnes maze test. Theracurmin-treated mice showed significant amelioration in recognition and spatial memories compared those of the vehicle-treated controls. In addition, the antioxidant activities of Theracurmin were investigated by measuring the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) levels. The increased MDA level and decreased SOD and GSH levels in the vehicle-treated 5XFAD mice were significantly reversed by the administration of Theracurmin. Moreover, we observed that Theracurmin administration elevated the expression levels of synaptic components, including synaptophysin and post synaptic density protein 95, and decreased the expression levels of ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1 (Iba-1), a marker of activated microglia. These results suggest that Theracurmin ameliorates cognitive function by increasing the expression of synaptic components and by preventing neuronal cell damage from oxidative stress or from the activation of microglia. Thus, Theracurmin would be useful for treating the cognitive dysfunctions observed in AD.
Aged ; Alzheimer Disease ; Animals ; Cognition ; Colloids ; Curcumin ; Glutathione ; Humans ; Malondialdehyde ; Mice ; Microglia ; Neurons ; Oxidative Stress ; Post-Synaptic Density ; Spatial Memory ; Superoxide Dismutase ; Synaptophysin