Incidence of Retinal Artery Occlusion and Related Mortality in Korea, 2005 to 2018.

Importance: It remains unclear whether comorbidities in patients with retinal artery occlusion (RAO), a rare retinal vascular disorder, differ by subtype and whether mortality is higher.

Objective: To examine the nationwide incidence of clinically diagnosed, nonarteritic RAO, causes of death, and mortality rate in patients with RAO compared with that in the general population in Korea.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This retrospective, population-based cohort study examined National Health Insurance Service claims data from 2002 to 2018.

Effects of probiotic bacterium Weissella cibaria CMU on periodontal health and microbiota: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Background: Weissella cibaria CMU (oraCMU) has been commercially available in the market for several years as oral care probiotics. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of oraCMU-containing tablets on periodontal health and oral microbiota.

Methods: A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted in 92 adults without periodontitis (20-39 years of age).

Relationship of Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Asthma, Myocardial Infarction, Stroke, Anxiety, and Depression.

Background: Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a common chronic inflammatory disease of the nose and paranasal sinuses. It often has a high burden and is difficult to treat because of comorbidities. However, no population-based, long-term longitudinal study has investigated the relationship between CRS and its comorbidities.

Association of Chronic Rhinosinusitis With Depression and Anxiety in a Nationwide Insurance Population.

Importance: Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is associated with a decreased quality of life, affecting physical and emotional aspects of daily function, the latter of which could manifest as depression and anxiety.

Objective: To evaluate the risk of depression and anxiety in CRS, depending on the CRS phenotype (CRS without nasal polyps [CRSsNP] and CRS with nasal polyps [CRSwNP]).

Design, Setting, And Participants: This retrospective nationwide cohort study used population-based insurance data (consisting of data from approximately 1 million patients).

Bell Palsy and the Risk of Cardio-Cerebrovascular Disease: A Population-Based Follow-Up Study.

Objective: To evaluate the risk of cardio-cerebrovascular disease (CCVD), such as ischemic stroke and acute myocardial infarction (AMI), in patients diagnosed with Bell palsy STUDY DESIGN: Population-based follow-up study.

Methods: We used the National Sample Cohort 2002 to 2013 data from the Korea National Health Insurance Service. The Bell palsy group comprised all patients diagnosed with Bell palsy (n = 730).

Intranasal immunization with recombinant PspA fused with a flagellin enhances cross-protective immunity against Streptococcus pneumoniae infection in mice.

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a major respiratory pathogen that causes high levels of mortality and morbidity in infants and the elderly. Despite the use of antibiotics and vaccines, fatal pneumococcal disease remains prevalent. Pneumococcal surface protein A (PspA), a highly immunogenic surface protein produced by all strains of S.

Pegylated poly-l-arginine derivatives of chitosan for effective delivery of siRNA.

For delivery of siRNA, chitosan (CS) was derivatized with poly-l-arginine (PLR) and polyethylene glycol (PEG). The formation of polyplexes with siRNA was confirmed by gel retardation. The PLR-grafted CS formed nanosized particles with siRNA.