Tendon, connective tissue between bone and muscle has unique component of the musculoskeletal system. It plays important role for transporting mechanical stress from muscle to bone and enabling locomotive motion of the body. There are some restoration capacities in the tendon tissue, but the injured tendons are not completely regenerated after acute and chronic tendon injury. At this point, the treatment options for tendon injuries are limited and not that successful. Therefore, biomedical engineering approaches are emerged to cope with this issue. Among them, three-dimensional cell culture platforms provided similarity to in vivo conditions and suggested opportunities for new therapeutic approaches for treatment of tendon injuries. In this review, we focus on the characteristics of tendon tissue and tendon pathologies which can be targets for tendon tissue engineering strategies. Then proof-of-concept and pre-clinical studies leveraging advanced 3-dimensional cell culture platforms for tendon tissue regeneration have been discussed.

Vaccines have become the mainstay of management against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection (coronavirus disease 2019; COVID-19) in the absence of effective antiviral therapy. Various adverse effects of COVID-19 vaccination have been reported, including cardiovascular complications such as myocarditis or pericarditis. Herein, we describe clinical records of a 63-year woman with fulminant myocarditis following ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccination that was salvaged by heart transplantation. She complained chest pain, nausea, vomiting, and fever after the second vaccination. After the heart transplantation, the patient died due to necrotizing pneumonia on the 54th day of onset. Fulminant myocarditis is very rare after ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccination but can be fatal.

Prophylactic surfactant is known to be effective to reduce chronic lung disease in preterm infants compared with rescue surfactant treatment. In Korea, early prophylactic surfactant therapy was introduced in 2011. However, recently, the increased utilization of antenatal steroids and early stabilization through continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) in the delivery room may have changed the risks and benefits of prophylactic surfactant therapy of infants at high risk of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). We compared the effects and safety of prophylactic surfactant therapy (within 30 minutes after birth) and early selective surfactant therapy (within 3 hours after birth) in preterm infants born at < 30 weeks gestation or with birth weight ≤ 1,250 g. The clinical data of 193 infants in period 1 (from 2008 to 2010, early selective surfactant therapy group) were collected retrospectively; those of 191 infants in period 2 (from 2012 to 2014, prophylactic surfactant therapy group) were collected prospectively. Compared to period 1, the rate of intubation and surfactant use were significantly increased in period 2. The use of multiple doses of surfactant in period 2 was significantly increased compared with period 1. Despite more invasive and aggressive management in period 2, there was no difference in the duration of mechanical ventilation, the incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) or death, and the risk of other adverse neonatal outcomes between the 2 groups. In conclusion, the benefit of prophylactic surfactant therapy in infants treated under current practices is no longer clear compared to early selective surfactant therapy.
Birth Weight* ; Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia ; Continuous Positive Airway Pressure ; Delivery Rooms ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature* ; Intubation ; Korea ; Lung Diseases ; Parturition* ; Pregnancy* ; Prospective Studies ; Respiration, Artificial ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Assessment ; Steroids

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) professional periodontal care program model for patients with hypertension and diabetes. METHODS: This descriptive case study included 151 participants of the professional periodontal care program. The CBPR-based professional periodontal care program consists of 5-steps: ‘Issue identification and prioritization’ (Step 1), ‘Strategy development’ (Step 2), ‘Entry into community’ (Step 3), ‘Implementation’ (Step 4), and ‘Transition’ (Step 5). Quantitative data were analyzed using frequency analysis, and descriptive data with PASW 23.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). The results of the Focus group interview (FGI) were classified as ‘general opinions regarding the program planning and operation receptiveness’, ‘sustainability’, ‘potential spread of the program’, and ‘improvement of program’. The interviews were qualitative research involving seven people. RESULTS: 1. Participants increased their interest in health and oral health by managing their hypertension, diabetes, and periodontal disease using community resources. Through this, healthy practices and improved awareness helped to prevent complications and manage periodontal diseases. 2. Community organizations actively cooperated, resulting in positive changes in oral health practices (increased registration of patients in education centers for hypertension and diabetes, and increased number of patients visiting the local dental clinic). In the future, it was positive to participate in the program continuously. CONCLUSIONS: The most important step is ‘Entry into community’, which has led to active participation and cooperation of community organizations and participants. Therefore, community organizations and strategy development should be discussed, and the role of community leaders should be emphasized to build cooperative relationships. In addition, participation in and collaboration with health-based projects should be achieved through a search of various community organizations.
Chronic Disease ; Community-Based Participatory Research ; Consumer Participation ; Cooperative Behavior ; Education ; Focus Groups ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Oral Health ; Periodontal Diseases ; Qualitative Research

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this 7-year study was to examine regional differences in scaling experience rate. METHODS: This study used data on scaling experience rate from the Community Health Survey (CHS) obtained between 2008 and 2014. The standardized frequency of scaling experience rate was analyzed using the SPSS 20.0 program, and shown as a Box Plot. Using the Map Wizard for Excel 10.0, the scaling experience rate in each region was illustrated using Geographic Information System (GIS). RESULTS: The scaling experience rate in 2008 was 18.6% and in 2014, was 34.9%. From 2008 to 2014, the annual rate of scaling experience increased approximately 1.8 times. The scaling experience appeared to form clustering on GIS, and there were differences in scaling experience rate between cities, towns, and districts. Although the scaling experience rate increased, the gap between regions seems consistent. CONCLUSIONS: The Scaling Experience rate increased annually, but regional differences did not decrease. Therefore, oral health care professionals in each community should strive to improve the scaling experience rate.
Geographic Information Systems ; Health Surveys ; Oral Health

PURPOSE: To understand the incidence of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in preterm infants with birth weights more than 1,500 g or gestational age 30 weeks, and/or unstable clinical course, we investigated the highest gestational age and birth weight of preterm infants who require ROP treatment and those who do not. METHODS: The subjects were preterm infants admitted in Samsung medical center between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2013. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 847 premature infants whose birth weights were more than 1,000 g. RESULTS: Of the 847 infants, 105 (12.4%) had stage 1 ROP, 54 (6.4%) had stage 2, 31 (3.7%) had stage 3, 0 had stage 4, and 2 (0.2%) had stage 5 ROP. Thirty-three (3.9%) of the 847 infants developed stage 3-5 ROP. Twenty (2.4%) of these 33 (3.9%) stage 3-5 ROP infants required treatment. Among the stage 1-3 ROP infants who did not require treatment, the highest gestational age was 37(+1) weeks (stage 1) and birth weight was 2,362 g (stage 1). Among the stage 3-5 ROP infants who needed treatment, the highest gestational age was 32 weeks and birth weight was 1,495 g. CONCLUSIONS: Newborn infants with gestational age more than 38 weeks or birth weight more than 2,400 g did not develop ROP even if they had an unstable clinical course. In our study, no preterm infants with gestational age more than 33 weeks or birth weight more than 1,500 g required ROP treatment.
Birth Weight* ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant* ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Medical Records ; Retinopathy of Prematurity* ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: Although discussion about active treatment of trisomy 18 is increasing, there are no previous articles regarding this subject in Korea. In order to provide objective data about the clinical characteristics and survival of patients with trisomy 18, based on the treatment policy, to medical teams and parents with trisomy 18, we reviewed the medical records of such patients at a single center in Korea. METHODS: This is a retrospective study of 22 patients diagnosed with trisomy 18 at the Samsung Medical Center between 1995 and 2013. We collected data about the clinical characteristics, including demographics, birth history, diagnosis method, and associated anomalies. We analyzed the survival in days, according to three broad categories of treatment policy: give-up, conservative management and active treatment. RESULTS: Of the 22 patients with confirmed trisomy 18, the majority were female (19, 86%). The median gestational age was 39 weeks (range, 31-41 weeks) and the median birth weight is 2,029 g (range, 1,130-2,990 g). Among the anomalies associated with trisomy 18, ventricular septal defect (86%) and patent ductus arteriosus (81%) were the most common cardiac anomalies; giant cisterna magna (59%) was the most common central nervous system anomaly; and clenched hands (73%) and low set ears (59%) were the most common structural anomalies. The survival based on the treatment policy was the highest in the active treatment group, followed by the conservative management group. The give-up group had the lowest survival. CONCLUSION: It is possible to achieve an improvement in both survival and symptom relief for patients with trisomy 18, despite poor neurological outcome and high mortality. Medical personnel need to provide objective data on trisomy 18 to the parents, and determine the treatment policy through careful discussion.
Birth Weight ; Central Nervous System ; Cisterna Magna ; Demography ; Diagnosis ; Ductus Arteriosus, Patent ; Ear ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Hand ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular ; Humans ; Korea ; Medical Records ; Mortality ; Parents ; Reproductive History ; Retrospective Studies ; Trisomy*

Aminophylline can elicit thermogenesis in rats or increase metabolic rate during cold stress in lambs. We tested the hypothesis that aminophylline would reduce the change in core body temperature during laparoscopic abdominal surgery requiring pneumoperitoneum. Fifty patients were randomly divided into an aminophylline group (n=25) and a saline control group (n=25). Esophageal temperature, index finger temperature, and hemodynamic variables, such as mean blood pressure and heart rate, were measured every 15 min during sevoflurane anesthesia. In the aminophylline group, esophageal temperatures at T45 (36.1+/-0.38 vs. 35.7+/-0.29, P=0.024), T60 (36.0+/-0.39 vs. 35.6+/-0.28, P=0.053), T75 (35.9+/-0.34 vs. 35.5+/-0.28, P=0.025), T90 (35.8+/-0.35 vs. 35.3+/-0.33, P=0.011), and T105 (35.8+/-0.36 vs. 35.1+/-0.53, P=0.017) and index finger temperatures at T15 (35.8+/-0.46 vs. 34.9+/-0.33, P<0.001), T30 (35.7+/-0.36 vs. 35.0+/-0.58, P=0.029), T45 (35.8+/-0.34 vs. 35.2+/-0.42, P=0.020), T60 (35.7+/-0.33 vs. 34.9+/-0.47, P=0.010), T75 (35.6+/-0.36 vs. 34.8+/-0.67, P=0.028), T90 (35.4+/-0.55 vs. 34.4+/-0.89, P=0.042), and T105 (34.9+/-0.53 vs. 33.9+/-0.85, P=0.024) were significantly higher than in the saline control group. Aminophylline is effective in maintaining the core temperature through a thermogenic effect, despite reduced peripheral thermoregulatory vasoconstriction.
Abdomen/surgery ; Aminophylline/*administration & dosage ; Body Temperature/*drug effects ; Female ; Humans ; Hypothermia/*etiology/physiopathology/*prevention & control ; Laparoscopy/*adverse effects ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pneumoperitoneum, Artificial/*adverse effects ; Single-Blind Method ; Treatment Outcome

Aminophylline can elicit thermogenesis in rats or increase metabolic rate during cold stress in lambs. We tested the hypothesis that aminophylline would reduce the change in core body temperature during laparoscopic abdominal surgery requiring pneumoperitoneum. Fifty patients were randomly divided into an aminophylline group (n=25) and a saline control group (n=25). Esophageal temperature, index finger temperature, and hemodynamic variables, such as mean blood pressure and heart rate, were measured every 15 min during sevoflurane anesthesia. In the aminophylline group, esophageal temperatures at T45 (36.1+/-0.38 vs. 35.7+/-0.29, P=0.024), T60 (36.0+/-0.39 vs. 35.6+/-0.28, P=0.053), T75 (35.9+/-0.34 vs. 35.5+/-0.28, P=0.025), T90 (35.8+/-0.35 vs. 35.3+/-0.33, P=0.011), and T105 (35.8+/-0.36 vs. 35.1+/-0.53, P=0.017) and index finger temperatures at T15 (35.8+/-0.46 vs. 34.9+/-0.33, P<0.001), T30 (35.7+/-0.36 vs. 35.0+/-0.58, P=0.029), T45 (35.8+/-0.34 vs. 35.2+/-0.42, P=0.020), T60 (35.7+/-0.33 vs. 34.9+/-0.47, P=0.010), T75 (35.6+/-0.36 vs. 34.8+/-0.67, P=0.028), T90 (35.4+/-0.55 vs. 34.4+/-0.89, P=0.042), and T105 (34.9+/-0.53 vs. 33.9+/-0.85, P=0.024) were significantly higher than in the saline control group. Aminophylline is effective in maintaining the core temperature through a thermogenic effect, despite reduced peripheral thermoregulatory vasoconstriction.
Abdomen/surgery ; Aminophylline/*administration & dosage ; Body Temperature/*drug effects ; Female ; Humans ; Hypothermia/*etiology/physiopathology/*prevention & control ; Laparoscopy/*adverse effects ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pneumoperitoneum, Artificial/*adverse effects ; Single-Blind Method ; Treatment Outcome