Acupuncture for Tinnitus: A Scoping Review of Clinical Studies.

Background: Acupuncture treatment for tinnitus has received attention owing to its potential as an alternative to conventional treatment modalities. We conducted a scoping review to identify detailed information on acupuncture treatment methods used in clinical studies and to provide useful information for practitioners, patients, and researchers.

Methods: MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Embase, Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System (OASIS), Korean Research Information Sharing Service (RISS), DataBase Periodical Information Academic (DBPIA), and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) were searched from their inception to December 2023.

A repeated cross-sectional and longitudinal study of mental health and wellbeing during COVID-19 lockdowns in Victoria, Australia.

Background: Population surveys across the world have examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health. However, few have simultaneously examined independent cross-sectional data with longitudinal data, each of which have different strengths and weaknesses and facilitate the investigation of distinct research questions. This study aimed to investigate psychological distress and life satisfaction during the first and second lockdowns in the state of Victoria, Australia, and the social factors that may be affected by lockdowns and could affect mental health.

Minimal Lateral Internal Sphincterotomy (LIS): Is It Enough to Cut Less Than the Conventional Tailored LIS?

Purpose: Anal fissure is a common anorectal condition, yet its pathogenesis remains unclear. Lateral internal sphincterotomy (LIS) is the gold standard treatment for chronic anal fissures that do not respond to conservative treatment; however, it has a risk of anal incontinence. We believe that fibrosis of the internal anal sphincter is an important factor in the pathogenesis of chronic anal fissure.

Association between TP53 genetic polymorphisms and the methylation and expression of miR-34a, 34b/c in colorectal cancer tissues.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common types of cancers, as evidenced by the >1.2 million patient diagnoses and 600,000 mortalities globally each year. Recently, the microRNA (miR/miRNA)-34 miRNA precursor family was revealed to participate in the tumor protein (TP)-53 pathway, which is frequently involved in CRC.

Effects of Local Muscle Vibration on the Displacement of Center of Pressure during Quiet Standing.

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of local vibration stimuli on body balance (trace area, trace length, and velocity) in healthy adults during double-leg standing. [Subjects and Methods] Thirty-nine subjects (10 male, 29 female) participated in this study. They were asked to keep their balance while holding four positions: standing with their eyes open, with and without vibration stimuli, and standing with their eyes closed, with and without vibration stimuli.

Inhibition of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced intestinal inflammation via enhanced IL-10 and TGF-beta production by galectin-9 homologues isolated from intestinal parasites.

We isolated a galectin-9 (Gal-9) homologue gene (Tl-gal) from an adult worm of the canine gastrointestinal nematode parasite, Toxascaris leonina, via random cDNA library sequencing. The deduced amino acid sequence of the Tl-gal genes evidenced an identity of 89% with the galectin of Dirofilaria immitis, 87% identity with the galectin of Brugia malayi, and 35% identity with the human GAL-9 gene. To evaluate immune modulate function of Tl-GAL in host inflammatory response, we constructed recombinant Tl-GAL (rTl-GAL) using an Escherichia coli expression vector system and treated to intestinal inflammation mice.

Identification of host immune regulation candidate genes of Toxascaris leonina by expression sequenced tags (ESTs) analysis.

Toxascaris leonina adult worms live in the gastrointestinal tract of dog, cat, and fox, releasing eggs which enter the environment by the fecal route. Previously, we reported that T. leonina adult worm derived protein was able to inhibit OVA-specific Th2 responses, and in particular, immunization with parasite proteins exerts a more profound protective effect than allergen treatment.

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor homologs of anisakis simplex suppress Th2 response in allergic airway inflammation model via CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ T cell recruitment.

We have cloned the macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF)-like protein (Anisakis simplex (As)-MIF) from larvae of the whale worm (Anisakis simplex third-stage larvae). Asthma was induced in the mice using OVA/alum, with or without various concentrations of rAs-MIF treatment before OVA/alum challenge. Treatment with rAs-MIF coupled with OVA/alum during the challenge period induced a complete inhibition of eosinophilia and goblet cell hyperplasia within the lung and profoundly ameliorated the development of lung hyperreactivity.

Immunization of proteins from Toxascaris leonina adult worm inhibits allergic specific Th2 response.

Recently, the influence of parasitic infections on the incidence of allergic diseases has become the focus of increased attention. In order to ascertain whether parasite-derived proteins could inhibit the allergic specific Th2 response, we applied excretory-secretory protein (Tl-ES) or total protein (Tl-TP) of the adult worm Toxascaris leonina to asthma model mice prior to or simultaneously with OVA challenge, after which we assessed the OVA-specific Th2 responses. The group subjected to immunization with Tl-ES and Tl-TP (immunized group) evidenced a thinning of the bronchial epithelial and muscle layer, a disruption and shedding of epithelial cells, a reduction in the number of goblet cells, and a reduction in mucus production as compared to the group treated with Tl-ES coupled with OVA challenge (challenge with OVA groups) and the OVA-induced asthma group.

Acanthamoeba: keratopathogenicity of isolates from domestic tap water in Korea.

In a previous study, we reported on the contamination rate of free living amoeba, including Acanthamoeba, isolated from contact lens storage cases (CLSC) and domestic tap water in Korea. In an effort to evaluate the potential kerato-pathogenicity of 5 isolates from CLSC and 17 isolates from domestic tap water, we have conducted an investigation into the morphological features, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) phenotypes, 18S rDNA sequences, and drug sensitivities of these isolates, and have compared the results with those of 20 amoebic keratitis (AK) isolates from Korea, as well as 14 reference strains. Cysts from 22 isolates obtained from CLSC and domestic tap water showed typical characteristics of morphological group 2.

Anisakis simplex: analysis of expressed sequence tags (ESTs) of third-stage larva.

This study analyzed the expressed sequence tags (ESTs) of the third-stage larvae of Anisakis simplex, in an attempt to gain further insight into its genomic expression patterns. An A. simplex cDNA library was constructed using the Uni-ZAP XR expression vector.

Acanthamoeba: could it be an environmental host of Shigella?

Shigellosis is a serious public health problem in Korea, because large outbreaks of Shigella sonnei infections were recorded in many parts of the country during the period 1998-2000. However, the epidemiological features of shigellosis are not well known. In this study, we devised conditions suitable for the growth and replication of Shigella in an amoebic intracellular environment, and investigate whether medium conditions affect the survival and replication of Shigella within Acanthamoeba.