OBJECTIVES: Fast-setting pozzolan cement (Endocem, Maruchi) was recently developed. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of various root canal irrigants on the washout of Endocem in comparison to the previously marketed mineral trioxide aggregate (ProRoot; Dentsply) in a furcal perforation model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: ProRoot and Endocem were placed into acrylic molds on moist Oasis. Each mold was then immediately exposed to either physiologic saline, 2.5% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), or 2% chlorhexidine (CHX) under gentle shaking for five minutes. Washout testing was performed by scoring scanning electron microscope (SEM) images. RESULTS: Endocem exhibited higher washout resistance compared to ProRoot, especially in the NaOCl group. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that Endocem can be considered a useful repair material for furcal perforation, especially in a single-visit scenario.
Acrylic Resins ; Aluminum Compounds ; Calcium Compounds ; Chlorhexidine ; Dental Pulp Cavity* ; Drug Combinations ; Fungi ; Oxides ; Pyrroles ; Root Canal Irrigants* ; Silicates ; Sodium Hypochlorite ; Vinyl Compounds

PURPOSE: Arachidonic acid is known to have effects on cell growth as a controller of cell proliferation and a stimulator of platelet derived growth factor. We investigated the correlations among birth weight, placental weight and free arachidonic acid level in cord blood. METHODS: Twenty full-term well babies were included in this study. Those who had sepsis, IUGR, twin that may affect the level of arachidonic acid, birth weight, and/or placental weight were excluded. Free arachidonic acid level were measured by gas chromatographic-mass spectrometry. (GC-MS) Correlation Pearson Coefficients were used for statistical analyses. RESULTS: The correlation coefficients between birth weight and placental weight, birth weight and arachidonic acid level, and placental weight and arachidonic acid level were 0.727 (P<0.001), 0.440 (P>0.05), 0.407 (P>0.05) respectively. CONCLUSION: There was statistically significant positive correlation between birth weight and placental weight. But since cord blood free arachidonic acid levels were not correlated with placental weight and birth weight, we conclude that cord blood free arachidonic acid level has no effects on fetal growth and placental growth.
Arachidonic Acid* ; Birth Weight* ; Cell Proliferation ; Fetal Blood* ; Fetal Development ; Fetal Growth Retardation ; Humans ; Parturition* ; Platelet-Derived Growth Factor ; Sepsis ; Spectrum Analysis

PURPOSE: Arachidonic acid is known to have effects on cell growth as a controller of cell proliferation and a stimulator of platelet derived growth factor. We investigated the correlations among birth weight, placental weight and free arachidonic acid level in cord blood. METHODS: Twenty full-term well babies were included in this study. Those who had sepsis, IUGR, twin that may affect the level of arachidonic acid, birth weight, and/or placental weight were excluded. Free arachidonic acid level were measured by gas chromatographic-mass spectrometry. (GC-MS) Correlation Pearson Coefficients were used for statistical analyses. RESULTS: The correlation coefficients between birth weight and placental weight, birth weight and arachidonic acid level, and placental weight and arachidonic acid level were 0.727 (P<0.001), 0.440 (P>0.05), 0.407 (P>0.05) respectively. CONCLUSION: There was statistically significant positive correlation between birth weight and placental weight. But since cord blood free arachidonic acid levels were not correlated with placental weight and birth weight, we conclude that cord blood free arachidonic acid level has no effects on fetal growth and placental growth.
Arachidonic Acid* ; Birth Weight* ; Cell Proliferation ; Fetal Blood* ; Fetal Development ; Fetal Growth Retardation ; Humans ; Parturition* ; Platelet-Derived Growth Factor ; Sepsis ; Spectrum Analysis

There is still no effective treatment for retinal degenerative diseases, in which the loss of photoreceptor cells causes visual loss and eventually blindness. Despite the current studies show that intraocular injection of basic fibrobalst growth factor rescues damaged and dystrophic rat photoreceptor in transgenic animal, there is a few evidence that endogenous neurotrophic factor promotes photorecptor cell survival in retina. In the present study, retinal degeneration (rd)neonate mice were exposed to hyperoixa for 5 days, and then were returned to room air, which was presumed to cause relative hypoxia of nonperfused retina, producing a neovascular response. Using this model, we investigated the effect of relative hypoxia on degenerative process in rd mice. As a control, rd neonate mice were remained at room air from birth. At the postnatal 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 and 21 days, the ratio of total retinal thickness and outer nuclear layer (ONL)thickness, and neovascularization of experimental right eyes were compared with those of control. Extent of vascularization of experimental left eyes was compared with that of left eyes in control group. In rd mice, extraretinal neovascularization was observed in 62%of 93 eyes of the experimental group exposed to hyperoxia. Extent of vascularization in experimental group was smaller than that of in control. There was an oxygen-induced modulation of rates of death in experimental group, where-as the death of photoreceptor progressed in control group. In experimental group, the ratio of total retinal thickness and ONL thickness was higher than that of in control group at 18 and 21 days of age. These results suggest that the relative hypoxia in the rd mice may have rescue effect on photoreceptor in rd mice.
Animals ; Animals, Genetically Modified ; Anoxia ; Blindness ; Cell Survival ; Humans ; Hyperoxia ; Infant, Newborn ; Injections, Intraocular ; Mice* ; Oxygen* ; Parturition ; Photoreceptor Cells ; Rats ; Retina ; Retinal Degeneration* ; Retinaldehyde*

Background: Early-onset and severe atopic dermatitis (AD) in patients increase the probability of the development of allergic rhinitis or asthma. Treatment and prevention strategies in infants and young children with AD are targeted toward treating the symptoms, restoring skin barrier functions, and reducing the absorption of environmental allergens in an attempt to attenuate or block the onset of asthma and food allergy. Objective: Given that the initiating events in AD remain poorly understood, identifying those at risk and implementing strategies to prevent AD is necessary. Methods: Whole-exome sequencing (WES) was performed in a 43 control group and a disease group with 20 AD patients without atopic march (AM) and 20 with AM. Sanger sequencing was carried out to validate found variants in cohorts. Results: DOCK8, IL17RA, and KLK12 single-nucleotide polymorphisms were identified by WES as missense mutations: c.1289C＞ A, p.P97T (rs529208); c.1685C＞A, p.P562G (rs12484684); and c.457+27＞C, rs3745540, respectively. A case-control study show that total immunoglobulin E (IgE) level was significantly increased in the AA genotype of DOCK8 compared to the CA genotype in allergic patients. The rs12484684 of IL17RA increased risk of adult-onset AD (odds ratio: 1.63) compared to the control for (A) allele frequency. AD and AM Patients with the IL17RA CA genotype also had elevated IgE levels. rs3745540 of KLK12 was associated with AD in dominant model (odds ratio: 2.86). Conclusion DOCK8 (rs529208), IL17RA (rs12484684), and KLK12 (rs3745540), were identified using a new WES filtering method. the result suggests that polymorphism of DOCK8 and IL17RA might be related to increase the total IgE level.

Objectives: This study was conducted to explore recent trends in the prevalence of pediatric elevated blood pressure and hypertension (HTN) in Korea and the United States, applying the new HTN reference values for adolescents. Methods: This study analyzed 17 339 (8755 Korean and 8584 American) adolescents aged 10 to 17 who participated in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, respectively, between 2005 and 2016. HTN was defined using percentile-based reference values for non-overweight adolescents from 7 nations, and obesity was defined by body mass index (BMI) based on country-specific growth charts. All analyses were stratified by sex and year-over-year changes were evaluated by calculating the p for trend. Results: Systolic blood pressure showed a statistically meaningful upward trend in Korean boys and girls, while diastolic blood pressure did not show any significant changes. Both systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels declined among United States boys and girls. The prevalence of elevated blood pressure and HTN remained similar in Korean adolescents, but declined in both sexes among United States adolescents. BMI increased in both sexes among Korean adolescents, although the overweight and obesity rates stayed the same. No significant trends were found in any obesity indices among United States adolescents. The prevalence of elevated blood pressure and HTN by obesity level was higher among Korean adolescents than among their United States peers in both sexes, and the gap became higher at more severe levels of obesity. Conclusions Despite the strong correlation between obesity and HTN, recent trends in the prevalence of HTN and obesity among Korean and United States adolescents were strikingly different. Follow-up studies are necessary to determine why the prevalence of HTN was more than twice as high among Korean adolescents than among their United States counterparts.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Green Citrus junos (yuja) peel extract has higher naringin and hesperidin contents and antioxidant activity than yellow yuja peel extract, but its anti-obesity effects are unclear. This study examined the anti-obesity properties of green yuja peel ethanol extract (GYE) in 3T3-L1 cells and high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice.MATERIALS/METHODS: The effects of GYE on adipocyte differentiation were assessed by measuring Oil red O staining, mRNA and protein expression. The beneficial effects of GYE on HFD-induced obese mice were evaluated using the body weight, body composition, visceral fat size, and biochemical analysis. RESULTS: GYE inhibited adipocyte differentiation and lipid accumulation compared to the control cells, as evidenced by Oil red O staining and the triglyceride level, respectively.GYE down-regulated the adipogenic genes CCAAT/enhancer binding protein α (C/EBPα) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), and lipogenic gene diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase 2 (DGAT2). GYE at 100 μg/mL downregulated the phosphorylation levels of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) and protein kinase B (Akt), and their downstream targets PPARγ and sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1 (SREBP-1c) compared to the control group. In obese mice, GYE (100 mg/kg/day) reduced the body weight, body weight gain, and serum lipid level compared to the control group. Analysis using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry showed that GYE decreased the fat percentage, fat in tissue, and abdominal circumference, while it increased the lean percentage compared to control group.Furthermore, GYE significantly reduced the visceral fat weight and size compared to the control group. CONCLUSION GYE suppressed adipocyte differentiation by inhibiting the PI3K-Akt pathway in vitro and reduced the body fat mass and visceral adiposity in HFD-induced obese mice.These findings suggest that GYE is a viable natural option for combating obesity.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Green Citrus junos (yuja) peel extract has higher naringin and hesperidin contents and antioxidant activity than yellow yuja peel extract, but its anti-obesity effects are unclear. This study examined the anti-obesity properties of green yuja peel ethanol extract (GYE) in 3T3-L1 cells and high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice.MATERIALS/METHODS: The effects of GYE on adipocyte differentiation were assessed by measuring Oil red O staining, mRNA and protein expression. The beneficial effects of GYE on HFD-induced obese mice were evaluated using the body weight, body composition, visceral fat size, and biochemical analysis. RESULTS: GYE inhibited adipocyte differentiation and lipid accumulation compared to the control cells, as evidenced by Oil red O staining and the triglyceride level, respectively.GYE down-regulated the adipogenic genes CCAAT/enhancer binding protein α (C/EBPα) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), and lipogenic gene diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase 2 (DGAT2). GYE at 100 μg/mL downregulated the phosphorylation levels of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) and protein kinase B (Akt), and their downstream targets PPARγ and sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1 (SREBP-1c) compared to the control group. In obese mice, GYE (100 mg/kg/day) reduced the body weight, body weight gain, and serum lipid level compared to the control group. Analysis using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry showed that GYE decreased the fat percentage, fat in tissue, and abdominal circumference, while it increased the lean percentage compared to control group.Furthermore, GYE significantly reduced the visceral fat weight and size compared to the control group. CONCLUSION GYE suppressed adipocyte differentiation by inhibiting the PI3K-Akt pathway in vitro and reduced the body fat mass and visceral adiposity in HFD-induced obese mice.These findings suggest that GYE is a viable natural option for combating obesity.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Green Citrus junos (yuja) peel extract has higher naringin and hesperidin contents and antioxidant activity than yellow yuja peel extract, but its anti-obesity effects are unclear. This study examined the anti-obesity properties of green yuja peel ethanol extract (GYE) in 3T3-L1 cells and high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice.MATERIALS/METHODS: The effects of GYE on adipocyte differentiation were assessed by measuring Oil red O staining, mRNA and protein expression. The beneficial effects of GYE on HFD-induced obese mice were evaluated using the body weight, body composition, visceral fat size, and biochemical analysis. RESULTS: GYE inhibited adipocyte differentiation and lipid accumulation compared to the control cells, as evidenced by Oil red O staining and the triglyceride level, respectively.GYE down-regulated the adipogenic genes CCAAT/enhancer binding protein α (C/EBPα) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), and lipogenic gene diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase 2 (DGAT2). GYE at 100 μg/mL downregulated the phosphorylation levels of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) and protein kinase B (Akt), and their downstream targets PPARγ and sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1 (SREBP-1c) compared to the control group. In obese mice, GYE (100 mg/kg/day) reduced the body weight, body weight gain, and serum lipid level compared to the control group. Analysis using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry showed that GYE decreased the fat percentage, fat in tissue, and abdominal circumference, while it increased the lean percentage compared to control group.Furthermore, GYE significantly reduced the visceral fat weight and size compared to the control group. CONCLUSION GYE suppressed adipocyte differentiation by inhibiting the PI3K-Akt pathway in vitro and reduced the body fat mass and visceral adiposity in HFD-induced obese mice.These findings suggest that GYE is a viable natural option for combating obesity.