Association of varicose veins with the risk of heart failure: A nationwide cohort study.

Background: Research investigating the association between varicose veins (VV) and heart failure has been limited. Here, we examine this association within a nationwide longitudinal cohort, hypothesizing an increased risk of heart failure associated with the presence of VV.

Methods: Our study included 390,436 participants based on health screening results conducted from 2005 to 2010 in the South Korean health screening cohort database.

Validation of the Korean version of the Sleep Hygiene Practice Scale in a Non-Clinical Population.

Objectives: This study aimed to validate the Korean version of the sleep hygiene practice scale (SHPS-K) and determine its effectiveness in screening poor sleepers with insomnia.

Methods: Online survey was conducted using translated SHPS in Korean, the Korean versions of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI-K), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI-K), and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (KESS) in a non-clinical population. The internal consistency and test-retest reliability of the SHPS-K were assessed using Cronbach's alpha and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), respectively.

Difference in formation of a dental multi-species biofilm according to substratum direction.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the difference in dental biofilm formation according to substratum direction, using an artificial biofilm model.

Methods: A three-species biofilm, consisting of Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus oralis, and Actinomyces naeslundii, was formed on saliva-coated hydroxyapatite (sHA) discs oriented in three directions: downward (the discs placed in the direction of gravity), vertical (the discs placed parallel to the direction of gravity), and upward (the discs placed in opposite direction of gravity). The biofilms at 22 h and 46 h of age were analyzed using microbiological and biochemical methods, fluorescence-based assays, and scanning electron microscopy to investigate difference in bacterial adhesion, early and mature biofilm formation.

Association of body composition indices with cardiovascular outcomes: a nationwide cohort study.

Background: Previous studies regarding BMI (kg/m) and associated cardiovascular outcomes yield inconsistent results.

Objectives: We aimed to investigate the association between body composition and cardiovascular outcomes according to BMI categories in the Korean general population.

Methods: A total of 2,604,401 participants were enrolled in this nationwide cohort study using the National Health Insurance Service-Health Checkup data set.

Deep learning of sleep apnea-hypopnea events for accurate classification of obstructive sleep apnea and determination of clinical severity.

Background: /Objective: Automatic apnea/hypopnea events classification, crucial for clinical applications, often faces challenges, particularly in hypopnea detection. This study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of a combined approach using nasal respiration flow (RF), peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2), and ECG signals during polysomnography (PSG) for improved sleep apnea/hypopnea detection and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) severity screening.

Methods: An Xception network was trained using main features from RF, SpO2, and ECG signals obtained during PSG.

Validating a Consumer Smartwatch for Nocturnal Respiratory Rate Measurements in Sleep Monitoring.

Wrist-based respiratory rate (RR) measurement during sleep faces accuracy limitations. This study aimed to assess the accuracy of the RR estimation function during sleep based on the severity of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) using the Samsung Galaxy Watch (GW) series. These watches are equipped with accelerometers and photoplethysmography sensors for RR estimation.

CU06-1004 as a promising strategy to improve anti-cancer drug efficacy by preventing vascular leaky syndrome.

Interleukin-2 (IL-2) is the first cancer therapeutic agent with an immunomodulatory function. Although it has been experimentally proven to be effective against metastatic renal cell carcinoma and metastatic melanoma, the clinical application of high-dose IL-2 (HDIL-2) has been limited because of its short half-life and severe side effects, such as vascular leakage syndrome (VLS) or capillary leaky syndrome (CLS). However, methods for overcoming this issue have not yet been identified.

Combinatorial Herbal Extracts Alleviate Alcohol-Induced Hepatic Disorders.

Plant-derived compounds can be useful for the management of liver disease. Traditionally, hepatic disorders have been treated with herbal extracts. Although many herbal extracts in Eastern medicine have been shown to possess hepatoprotective activities, single-origin herbal extracts primarily demonstrate either antioxidant or anti-inflammatory activities.

Association of gamma-glutamyl transferase variability with risk of osteoporotic fractures: A nationwide cohort study.

Objectives: Gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) is related to inflammation, osteoporosis, and vascular diseases. Recently, changes in metabolic parameters have been proposed as osteoporosis biomarkers. We aimed to assess longitudinally the association of GGT variability with osteoporotic fractures.

Biofilm ecology associated with dental caries: understanding of microbial interactions in oral communities leads to development of therapeutic strategies targeting cariogenic biofilms.

A biofilm is a sessile community characterized by cells attached to the surface and organized into a complex structural arrangement. Dental caries is a biofilm-dependent oral disease caused by infection with cariogenic pathogens, such as Streptococcus mutans, and associated with frequent exposure to a sugar-rich diet and poor oral hygiene. The virulence of cariogenic biofilms is often associated with the spatial organization of S.

Efficacy of CU06-1004 via regulation of inflammation and endothelial permeability in LPS-induced acute lung injury.

Background: Acute lung injury (ALI) is a life-threatening condition that fundamentally results from inflammation and edema in the lung. There are no effective treatments available for clinical use. Previously, we found that as a leakage blocker CU06-1004 prevents endothelial barrier disruption and enhances endothelial cell survival under inflammatory conditions.

Total Cholesterol Variability and the Risk of Osteoporotic Fractures: A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study.

Several risk factors for osteoporotic fractures have been identified but reports of the association of lipid parameters with the occurrence of osteoporotic fractures have been limited. We aimed to examine whether serum total cholesterol (TC) variability is associated with osteoporotic fractures. The study included 3,00,326 subjects who had undergone three or more health examinations between 2003 and 2008.

Human Tooth as a Fungal Niche: Candida albicans Traits in Dental Plaque Isolates.

Candida albicans, a fungus typically found in the mucosal niche, is frequently detected in biofilms formed on teeth (dental plaque) of toddlers with severe childhood caries, a global public health problem that causes rampant tooth decay. However, knowledge about fungal traits on the tooth surface remains limited. Here, we assess the phylogeny, phenotype, and interkingdom interactions of C.

Dietary sugars modulate bacterial-fungal interactions in saliva and inter-kingdom biofilm formation on apatitic surface.

Bacteria and fungi can interact to form inter-kingdom biofilms in the oral cavity. and are frequently detected in saliva and in dental biofilms associated with early childhood caries (tooth-decay), a prevalent oral disease induced by dietary sugars. However, how different sugars influence this bacterial-fungal interaction remains unclear.

Antagonistic interactions by a high H O -producing commensal streptococcus modulate caries development by Streptococcus mutans.

Dental caries (tooth-decay) is caused by biofilms harboring polymicrobial communities on teeth that leads to the onset of localized areas of enamel demineralization. Streptococcus mutans has been clinically associated with severe caries in childhood. Although commensal bacteria can combat S.

Performance evaluation of a wrist-worn reflectance pulse oximeter during sleep.

Objectives: To characterize and evaluate the estimation of oxygen saturation measured by a wrist-worn reflectance pulse oximeter during sleep.

Methods: Ninety-seven adults with sleep disturbances were enrolled. Oxygen saturation was simultaneously measured using a reflectance pulse oximeter (Galaxy Watch 4 [GW4], Samsung, South Korea) and a transmittance pulse oximeter (polysomnography) as a reference.

Prediction of the Responsiveness to Vagus-Nerve Stimulation in Patients with Drug-Resistant Epilepsy via Directed-Transfer-Function Analysis of Their Perioperative Scalp EEGs.

This study aims to compare directed transfer function (DTF), which is an effective connectivity analysis, derived from scalp EEGs between responder and nonresponder groups implanted with vagus-nerve stimulation (VNS). Twelve patients with drug-resistant epilepsy (six responders and six nonresponders) and ten controls were recruited. A good response to VNS was defined as a reduction of ≥50% in seizure frequency compared with the presurgical baseline.

A Disproportionality Analysis for Association of Systemic Capillary Leak Syndrome with COVID-19 Vaccination Using the World Health Organization Pharmacovigilance Database.

Systemic capillary leak syndrome (SCLS) is a rare and potentially life-threatening disorder characterized by reversible plasma extravasation and vascular collapse. This study aimed to investigate the association between different types of COVID-19 vaccine and SCLS in a real-world setting. We used individual case safety reports of SCLS after COVID-19 vaccination from the WHO pharmacovigilance database, VigiBase.

Effects of Obstructive Sleep Apnea on Epilepsy, and Continuous Positive Airway Pressure as a Treatment Option.

Purpose: To compare the characteristics of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) between patients with epilepsy and patients without epilepsy and to investigate CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) effect on seizures. Methods: Medical and polysomnography (PSG) data from 235 adult OSA patients with epilepsy (OE; 183 males; mean age, 49.8 years) and 268 age- and sex-matched OSA patients without epilepsy (OSE; 216 males; mean age, 51.

Collagen Peptide in a Combinatorial Treatment with Inhibits the Cariogenic Properties of : An In Vitro Study.

Dental caries is caused by the formation of cariogenic biofilm, leading to localized areas of enamel demineralization. , a cariogenic pathogen, has long been considered as a microbial etiology of dental caries. We hypothesized that an antagonistic approach using a prebiotic collagen peptide in combination with probiotic would modulate the virulence of this cariogenic biofilm.