Background: Dental plaque biofilms play a key role in the development of oral diseases such as dental caries. Streptococcus mutans is the primary contributor to oral biofilm formation and leads to the formation of other microbial communities. Artemisia princeps (AP) is a traditional herbal medicine with various pharmacological activities, including analgesic, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory. This study investigated the inhibitory effects of AP extract on the growth and biofilm formation of S. mutans. Methods: AP extract was obtained via methanol extraction. The antimicrobial activity of the AP extract against S. mutans was measured using the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) test. Antibiofilm activity of the AP extract was investigated using a human saliva-coated biofilm formation assay, and the biofilms were confirmed using crystal violet. Results: AP extract reduced the growth of S. mutans in a dose-dependent manner, with an MBC of 1,250 ppm. Additionally, at 1,000 ppm of AP extract, biofilm formation was inhibited by approximately 70% compared to the negative control group, which is a higher anti-biofilm activity than chlorhexidine solution as positive control. Conclusion AP extract, which showed high antibacterial and antibiofilm activities against S. mutans, has potential as a preventive and therapeutic agent against oral diseases.

Background: Dental plaque biofilms play a key role in the development of oral diseases such as dental caries. Streptococcus mutans is the primary contributor to oral biofilm formation and leads to the formation of other microbial communities. Artemisia princeps (AP) is a traditional herbal medicine with various pharmacological activities, including analgesic, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory. This study investigated the inhibitory effects of AP extract on the growth and biofilm formation of S. mutans. Methods: AP extract was obtained via methanol extraction. The antimicrobial activity of the AP extract against S. mutans was measured using the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) test. Antibiofilm activity of the AP extract was investigated using a human saliva-coated biofilm formation assay, and the biofilms were confirmed using crystal violet. Results: AP extract reduced the growth of S. mutans in a dose-dependent manner, with an MBC of 1,250 ppm. Additionally, at 1,000 ppm of AP extract, biofilm formation was inhibited by approximately 70% compared to the negative control group, which is a higher anti-biofilm activity than chlorhexidine solution as positive control. Conclusion AP extract, which showed high antibacterial and antibiofilm activities against S. mutans, has potential as a preventive and therapeutic agent against oral diseases.

Background: Dental plaque biofilms play a key role in the development of oral diseases such as dental caries. Streptococcus mutans is the primary contributor to oral biofilm formation and leads to the formation of other microbial communities. Artemisia princeps (AP) is a traditional herbal medicine with various pharmacological activities, including analgesic, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory. This study investigated the inhibitory effects of AP extract on the growth and biofilm formation of S. mutans. Methods: AP extract was obtained via methanol extraction. The antimicrobial activity of the AP extract against S. mutans was measured using the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) test. Antibiofilm activity of the AP extract was investigated using a human saliva-coated biofilm formation assay, and the biofilms were confirmed using crystal violet. Results: AP extract reduced the growth of S. mutans in a dose-dependent manner, with an MBC of 1,250 ppm. Additionally, at 1,000 ppm of AP extract, biofilm formation was inhibited by approximately 70% compared to the negative control group, which is a higher anti-biofilm activity than chlorhexidine solution as positive control. Conclusion AP extract, which showed high antibacterial and antibiofilm activities against S. mutans, has potential as a preventive and therapeutic agent against oral diseases.

Objectives: Children and adolescents have a high prevalence of dental caries, primarily due to negligent oral care, frequent snack intake, and inadequate attention to oral disease prevention.Therefore, ensuring oral care and preventing dental caries during this period is essential. Economic barriers, particularly in low- and middle-income countries like the Philippines, limit access to dental care, highlighting the need for national oral health programs. Methods: This study aimed to investigate the oral health status of children in selected areas of the Philippines and to generate basic data for effective oral health promotion programs. We compared the oral health statuses of enrolled and newly enrolled students in schools with school-based dental clinics. Results: The results indicated that the prevalence of caries and the average number of carious permanent teeth were lower in enrolled students than in new students. Conclusions This finding suggests that school-based oral healthcare programs effectively improve children’s oral health and that introducing school-based dental clinics and establishing efficient systems are essential for improving oral health in low- and middle-income countries.

Paroxysmal kinesigenic dyskinesia (PKD) is a diagnostic term for transient, involuntary abnormal movements triggered by sudden motions. The treatment for PKD differs from other paroxysmal dyskinesias, as it notably responds well to sodium channel blockers. We report a case of atypical PKD, coupled with paroxysmal exercise-induced dyskinesia (PED). Both PKD and PED in this patient showed a good response to oxcarbazepine. This case could be clinical evidence that paroxysmal dyskinesias could potentially be regarded as a spectrum disorder with overlapping features.

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated whether Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKis) raise the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), venous thromboembolism (VTE), and cancer in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: We conducted a real-world retrospective observational study using data obtained from the Korean National Health Insurance Service database. Two data sets were analyzed: tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi)/JAKi-naive RA patients (set 1) and all RA patients who used TNFis or JAKis (set 2). The incidence rate ratios (IRRs) and hazard ratios (HRs) for acute myocardial infarction (AMI), stroke, cardiovascular (CV)-related mortality, major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), VTE, arterial thromboembolism (ATE), cancer, and all-cause mortality were compared between the JAKi and TNFi groups. RESULTS: Set 1 included 1,596 RA patients (JAKi group: 645; TNFi group: 951), and set 2 included 11,765 RA patients (JAKi group: 2,498; TNFi group: 9,267). No adverse events (AEs) showed significantly higher IRRs in the JAKi groups than in the TNFi groups of sets 1 and 2. The HRs for MACE in the JAKi groups of sets 1 and 2 were 0.59 (95% confidence [CI], 0.35 to 0.99) and 0.80 (95% CI, 0.67 to 0.97), respectively. The JAKi group of set 2 showed a significantly higher risk of all-cause mortality (HR, 1.71; 95% CI, 1.32 to 2.20), but the other AEs did not demonstrate increased risks in the JAKi groups. CONCLUSIONS In this study, JAKis did not increase the risk of AMI, stroke, CV-related mortality, MACE, VTE, ATE, or cancer in Korean RA patients relative to TNFis.

Background: Digital panoramic dental X-ray equipment (PDX) is frequently used by patients and dental workers for diagnosis andexamination in dental institutions; however, infection control has not been properly implemented. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to systematically review the potential risk of cross-infection in the dental environment by investigating the contamination level of general aerobic bacteria and Staphylococcus aureus, which are important in hospital infections, in PDX areas that people mainly contact. Methods: This survey was conducted from March to May 2023 and covered one general hospital, three dental hospitals, and ninedental clinics equipped with PDX. Bacteria samples were collected from the left-handle, right-handle, forehead support, and head side support as the patient’s contact areas, as well as the X-ray exposure switch and left-click mouse button as the dental hygienist’s contact areas of the PDX. The collected bacteria were spread on Petrifilm, and colonies formed after 48 hours of culture were counted. Results: General aerobic bacteria and S. aureus were detected in all areas investigated. Significant differences in bacterial counts between different regions of the PDX were observed in both groups (p＜0.001). The detection rates of general aerobic bacteria (p＜0.001) and S. aureus (p＜0.001) were significantly higher in the contact areas of patients than those of dental hygienists. A positive correlation was observed between the forehead and the temple region in terms of general aerobic bacteria and S. aureus detection (r=1) (p＜0.01). Conclusion Taken together, the presence of many bacteria, including S. aureus, detected in PDX indicates that PDX has a potential cross-infection risk. Our results therefore highlight the need for the development of appropriate disinfection protocols for reusable medical devices such as PDX and periodic infection prevention training for hospital-related workers, including dental hygienists.

Background: Periodontal disease is a major cause of tooth loss in adults and is a representative oral disease commonly sufferedby most people around the world. Mainly the proliferation of Gram-negative bacteria and secreted virulence factors cause an inflammatory response and destroy periodontal tissue. Gossypetin, isolated from Hibiscus sabdariffa L, is known to have various pharmacological effects, including antibacterial and anticancer activities. We aimed to confirm the anti-inflammatory effect of gossypetin through interleukin-6 (IL-6) regulation in human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs) stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of Porphyromonas gingivalis, a major cause of adult periodontitis. Methods: CCK-8 assay was performed to confirm the concentration-dependent cytotoxicity of gossypetin against HGFs. Thesecretion level and mRNA expression of IL-6, an inflammation-related cytokine, and the effect of gossypetin on these in HGFs stimulated with P. gingivalis LPS were confirmed by ELISA and qRT-PCR analysis, respectively. Results: Up to a concentration of 100 μM gossypetin with or without P. gingivalis LPS, the survival rate for HGFs was maintained at over 95% and showed no toxicity. ELISA and qRT-PCR analysis results showed that P. gingivalis LPS increased IL-6 secretion and mRNA levels in HGFs compared to the control group. However, this increase in IL-6 was significantly down-regulated by gossypetin treatment in a dose-dependent manner. In particular, 80 μM gossypetin inhibited IL-6 production to the level of the control group. Conclusion These results indicated that gossypetin attenuated IL-6 production in HGFs stimulated by P. gingivalis LPS, which may ultimately suppress the inflammatory response in periodontal tissue. Therefore, gossypetin may have potential as a natural ingredient for the prevention and treatment of periodontal disease.

Background/Aims: We aimed to compare the effectiveness and safety of Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKi) vs. biologic disease- modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARD) in Korean patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who had an inadequate response to conventional synthetic DMARDs. Methods: A quasi-experimental, multi-center, prospective, non-randomized study was conducted to compare response rates between JAKi and bDMARDs in patients with RA naïve to targeted therapy. An interim analysis was performed to estimate the proportion of patients achieving low disease activity (LDA) based on disease activity score (DAS)–28– erythroid sedimentation rate (ESR) (DAS28-ESR) at 24 weeks after treatment initiation and to evaluate the development of adverse events (AEs). Results: Among 506 patients enrolled from 17 institutions between April 2020 and August 2022, 346 (196 JAKi group and 150 bDMARD group) were included in the analysis. After 24 weeks of treatment, 49.0% of JAKi users and 48.7% of bDMARD users achieved LDA (p = 0.954). DAS28-ESR remission rates were also comparable between JAKi and bDMARD users (30.1% and 31.3%, respectively; p = 0.806). The frequency of AEs reported in the JAKi group was numerically higher than that in the bDMARDs group, but the frequencies of serious and severe AEs were comparable between the groups. Conclusions Our interim findings reveal JAKi have comparable effectiveness and safety to bDMARDs at 24 weeks after treatment initiation.

Plastic cannulae have attracted increasing interest as an alternative to traditional metal needles with the aim of reducing cannulation-related complications. We investigated whether the substitution volumes during hemodiafiltration differ using these two types of needles in dialysis patients. Methods: An intervention study involving 26 hemodialysis patients was conducted in Korea between March and September in 2021. Patients first received online hemodiafiltration using traditional metal needles, and thereafter plastic cannulae were used in a stepwise protocol. Repeated-measures design and linear mixed-effect models were used to compare substitution volumes between the two needle types with the same inner diameter. Results: The mean patient age was 62.7 years, and their mean dialysis vintage was 95.2 months. Most patients (92.3%) had an arteriovenous fistula as the vascular access. The substitution volume increased as blood flow and needle size increased for both plastic cannulae and metal needles. The substitution volume was significantly higher with 17-gauge (G) plastic cannulae than with 16-G metal needles at blood flow rates of 280, 300, and 330 mL/min. Similar results were obtained for 15-G metal needles and 16-G plastic cannulae at a blood flow rate of 330 mL/min. However, the patient ratings of pain on a visual analogue scale were higher for plastic cannulae. Conclusion: Higher substitution volumes were obtained at the same prescribed blood flow rate with plastic cannulae than with metal needles during online hemodiafiltration. Plastic cannulae are an option for achieving high-volume hemodiafiltration for patients with low blood flow rates.