Background: This study aimed to analyze the clinical outcome and complications of narrow-diameter dental implants (NDIs) (diameter ≤3.5 mm). Methods: The 274 NDIs that met the selection criteria from 2013 to 2018 were included in the retrospective study, and the survival rates (SVR) were compared. Mechanical complications included screw loosening and fractures of the implant components, such as the implant fixture, abutment, and prosthesis. In addition, marginal bone loss (MBL) was measured immediately after surgery and 1 year after loading. Results: The 3-year cumulative SVR was 92.4%. Nineteen fixtures failed during the follow-up. The failure rate was sig‑ nificantly higher (OR=4.573, p<0.05) in smokers and was significantly higher in osteoporosis patients (OR=3.420, p<0.05). The vertical and horizontal values of MBL were 0.33±0.32 mm and 0.18±0.17 mm, respectively. Mechanical complications included screw loosening (5.5%) and porcelain fracture (2.2%), but no fractures of the fixture or com‑ ponents were observed. The choice of titanium and zirconium (TiZr) alloy implant was significantly more frequent in the posterior region. Bone graft was significantly more frequently done in the anterior region. Conclusions According to the high SVR and stability of NDIs, the findings of the study suggest that NDIs may be a replacement for regular diameter dental implants (RDIs) and the use of TiZr alloy could extend the indication of NDIs. In the esthetic area, contour augmentation may be a reason for increasing the frequency of bone grafts

Objective: With many chronic inflammatory diseases, outcomes are determined by assessing both disease activity at presentation and cumulative activity over time. Here, we investigated whether cumulative activity better reflects the radiographic progression (RP) of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) than measurement of activity at a single time point. Methods: From a prospective cohort of RA patients, most of whom were treated with anti-rheumatic drugs, we selected 117 subjects for whom laboratory, clinical, and radiographic parameters potentially influencing RP were monitored serially for more than 1 year. X-ray images of both hands and both feet were scored using the van der Heijde modified total Sharp score (mTSS). In addition to cross-sectional values at baseline, longitudinal and cumulative values for each parameter were calculated in a timeintegrated and averaged manner. Results: Among the values measured at baseline, mTSS, but not the baseline erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) or C-reactive protein level, was associated with RP. By contrast, multivariate analyses identified cumulative values such as the cumulative ESR, cumulative tender joint count, cumulative swollen joint count (SJC), and cumulative Disease Activity Score 28-ESR as major determinants of RP. In particular, the cumulative SJC showed the best predictive performance for RP. Conclusion This study highlights the importance of cumulative indices for predicting progression of RA. Specifically, dynamic and cumulative values of RA activity-related factors, particularly the cumulative SJC, may be the major determinants of RP in the current practice.

Intravesical therapy is the gold standard in the treatment of nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). Despite the efficacy of intravesical therapies, the best treatment options are not determined yet. Development in research of bladder cancer shows several new intravesical drugs and its delivery systems. Additionally, the novel knowledge of bladder cancer immune reaction improves and provides ambitious treatment strategies. The future of NMIBC therapy will be changed by the development of immunotherapy and new technologies for device-assisted treatment. This review focuses on recent advances in the intravesical therapy of NMIBC, viral gene therapy, new technology of intravesical chemotherapy, and drug delivery system.

The heterogeneity of cancer makes it difficult to predict the prognosis of treatment. There is still a lack of preclinical model systems that reflect the clinical characteristics of patients who have heterogenetic tumors. Advances in 3-dimentional (3D) cell culture are leading to discoveries that occur in the development and progression of cancer that has not been known. There are many models including patient-derived xenograft, patient-derived organoid and spheroid, patient-derived explant, scaffold-based model, and system-based model. Each 3D model has its strengths and limitations. One model cannot answer every question, so it seems most reasonable to approach multiple models when studying cancer heterogeneity. Hopefully, 3D tumor modeling will make tremendous progress on this path by fusion of innovative biomaterials and advanced modeling techniques that can partially mimic the heterogeneous environment of real tumors.

This study was performed to clarify inf luences of anticentromere antibody (ACA) on clinical phenotypes of primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS) patients in Korea. Methods: We assessed 318 patients who met the 2016 American College of Rheumatology/ European League Against Rheumatism classification criteria for pSS. All patients were selected from the Korean Initiative of primary Sjögren’s Syndrome (KISS), a prospective cohort. Among them, 53 patients were positive for ACA, while another 265 patients were not. We compared various clinical data including demographic features, extra-glandular manifestations (EGMs), clinical indices, and laboratory values available from the KISS database between the two groups. Results: Patients in the ACA-positive pSS group were older (p = 0.042), and had higher xerostomia inventory scores (p = 0.040), whereas glandular dysfunction represented with Schirmer I test was more severe in the ACA-negative group. More frequent Raynaud’s phenomenon and liver involvement (both p < 0.001) and less articular involvement (p = 0.037) were observed among the EGMs in the ACA-positive group. Less frequency of leukopenia (p = 0.021), rheumatoid factor (p < 0.001), anti-Ro/SSA antibody positivity (p < 0.001), and hypergammaglobulinemia (p = 0.006), as well as higher positivity rates of anti-nuclear antibody and anti- topoisomerase antibody (p < 0.001 and p = 0.006, respectively) were found in the laboratory data in the ACA-positive pSS group. Conclusions: Considering distinct phenotypes in hematological and serological features and EGMs, we should monitor the occurrence of these clinical features among pSS patients with ACA in caution.

Background: The purpose of this study is to analyze whether there is a change in patterns of medical use among those likely to be converted their health insurance qualifications when the family support rule is alleviated. There is no empirical analysis that converting health insurance qualification will affect the increase in medical use. Methods: For analysis, data were extracted from the national health insurance eligibility and medical care database. To identify analysis targets similar to that of medical aids’ characteristics among health insurance coverage, we compared income, property level, and medical use patterns through basic statistical analysis and used a difference-in-difference (DID) analysis to estimate the net effect of changes in medical use following the change of qualifications. Results: The main results are as follows. The results show that those who are under the 5% income group (1st income group) of health insurance coverage are the most similar to the medical aids group. DID analysis shows that changes in the medical use of people who maintain their national insurance qualification and who are not. As a results, the number of hospitalized days of converting group was reduced by 3.5 days while outpatient days were increased by 1.8 days. Conclusion As a result, there was not much difference in the patterns of medical use for the under 5% income group who are likely to be eligible for expanded medical aids when the family support rule is alleviated. In addition, more than 30% of them are in arrears with their health insurance premiums, causing inconvenience in using medical services. These findings suggest the need of abolishing the criteria obligated to support family, and great efforts should be made to contribute to non-paid poor and remove their medical blind spot.

Background: This study aimed to assess the potential efficacy of purified porcine atelocollagen (PAC) for the management of refractory chronic pain due to suspected connective tissue damage. Methods: Patients treated with PAC were retrospectively evaluated. Patients with chronic refractory pain, suspected to have originated from musculoskeletal damage or defects with the evidence of imaging studies were included. Pain intensity, using the 11-point numerical rating scale (NRS), was assessed before the procedure, and 1 month after the last procedure. Results: Eighty-eight patients were finally included for investigation. The mean NRS score was decreased from 5.8 to 4.1 after 1 month of PAC injection (P < 0.001). No independent factor was reported to be directly related to the decrease in NRS score by more than half. Conclusions Application of PAC may have potential as a treatment option for refractory chronic musculoskeletal pain. PAC might promote tissue recovery, act as a scaffold for repair, or directly reduce inflammation.

The present study was performed to evaluate the hangover relieving effect of germinated buckwheat (GB) and Sanghwang mushroom mycelium cultured in GB (SGB). Both GB and SGB showed 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activities and significantly increased (p < 0.001) aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activities; up to 140% increase at concentrations of 16 µL/mL. Locomotor activity test results from alcohol-SGB and alcohol-GB groups showed improved motor activities over that of the alcohol-water group at 90 min post-administration. Both alcohol-GB and alcohol-SGB groups had significantly reduced (p < 0.001) alcohol (40.02 ± 33.38 µg/mL, 66.01 ± 22.04 µg/mL, respectively) and aldehyde (5.72 ± 0.47 µg/mL, 6.72 ± 1.70 µg/mL, respectively) concentrations in blood compared to those in the alcohol-water group (199.75 ± 33.83 µg/mL, 50.43 ± 13.88 µg/mL, respectively) at 90 min post-administration. Based on cDNA microarray analysis, expressions of ALDH genes ALDH1a7 and ALDH18a1 and cytochrome P450 (CY450) gene CYP4a30b were upregulated in the alcohol-GB and alcohol-SGB groups compared to levels in the control group. Overall, the results suggest that both GB and SGB have hangover relieving effects by reducing blood acetaldehyde levels. The molecular mechanisms may involve ALDH activation and upregulated expression of alcohol metabolism-related genes such as ALDH and CYP450.
Acetaldehyde ; Agaricales* ; Aldehyde Dehydrogenase ; Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System ; Fagopyrum* ; Motor Activity ; Mycelium* ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis

Common atrium is a rare congenital heart disease characterized by complete absence of the interatrial septum, and is commonly accompanied by malformation of the atrioventricular valve. Most patients with common atrium experience symptoms during childhood. Here, we describe a patient with common atrium who experienced his first obvious symptom at 48 years of age.
Adult ; Heart Atria ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; Humans