Deterioration of Mental Health in Children and Adolescents During the COVID-19 Pandemic

This paper reviews the global effect of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the mental health of children and adolescents in South Korea, the U.S., Japan, and China. We reviewed research on deteriorated mental health, including increased suicide, suicidal thoughts, and self-harm. Various studies have shown that students’ mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety, have worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, the number of students who committed suicide has significantly increased in the U.S. and Japan. Factors such as prior mental health status, change in daily routine, reduced physical activity, excessive screen time, overuse of electronic devices, and reduced social support have been reported to have a significant effect. The chain of deteriorating mental health among the youth began at the onset of COVID-19, social distancing, and school closure. As youths began to stay at home instead of going to school, they lost opportunities to connect with their friends or teachers, who could provide support outside of their homes. Young people spent less time on physical activity and more time online, which damaged their sleeping schedule and daily routine. In preparing for the post-pandemic phase, we should thoroughly analyze the long-term effects of the pandemic on youth mental health, while simultaneously tackling current imminent issues.

Tiotropium Bromide Improves Neutrophilic Asthma by Recovering Histone Deacetylase 2 Activity

Background@#The value of tiotropium bromide (TIO) in neutrophilic asthma was meaningful in previous study. We hypothesized that TIO’s mechanism of action is associated with histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2) activity, which is key for controlling the transcription of inflammatory cytokines and usually downregulated in neutrophilic asthma. @*Methods@#The effects of TIO and dexamethasone (DEX) on HDAC2 activity, nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), and C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 1 (CXCL1) were evaluated in neutrophilic asthma mouse model (C57BL, 6-week-old). An in-vitro study was conducted using primary human bronchial/tracheal epithelial (HBE) cells from asthma patients.Western blot analyses were performed for phospho-phospholipase Cγ-1 (PLCγ-1) and inositol trisphosphate (IP3 ) receptors (IP3 R) with treating lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and TIO. @*Results@#Ovalbumin was used to induce eosinophilic inflammation in this study. After neutrophilic asthma was induced by LPS (O+L group), HDAC2 activity was diminished with increased NF-κB activity and CXCL1 compared to the control group. TIO significantly improved NF-κB activity, CXCL1, and HDAC2 activity compared with the O+L group in in-vivo study (P < 0.05, each). Western blot analyses showed that LPS treated HBE cells from asthma patients increased PLCγ-1 and diminished IP3 receptor levels. After TIO treatment, recovery of IP3 R and improved PLCγ-1 levels were observed. @*Conclusion@#These results support the hypothesis that TIO modulates inflammation by recovering HDAC2 activity from the acetylcholine-stimulated inflammation cascade in neutrophilic asthma. The detailed inflammation cascade of recovering HDAC2 activity by TIO might be associated with PLCγ-1-IP3-IP3R mediated intracellular calcium ion pathway.

Clinical, Electrophysiological, and Sonographic Findings in Patients With Nerve Injury After Vessel Puncture

Background@#and Purpose This study aimed to describe the clinical, electrophysiological, and ultrasonographic findings of patients with nerve injury after vessel puncture. @*Methods@#Data on ten patients (three males and seven females) with nerve injury after vessel puncture were reviewed. Demographic and clinical data were analyzed retrospectively. Bilateral electrophysiological studies were performed based on clinical findings. Ultrasonographic examinations were performed on both the affected and unaffected sides of the injured nerve. @*Results@#The nerves of nine patients were injured following vein puncture, and injury occurred following arterial sampling in one patient. Seven patients had superficial radial sensory nerve injury: five medial, one lateral, and one at both branches. One patient had injury to the dorsal ulnar cutaneous nerve, one to the lateral antebrachial cutaneous nerve, and one to the median nerve. Nerve conduction studies produced abnormal findings in 80% of patients, whereas ultrasonographic examinations produced abnormal findings in all of the patients. Spearman’s coefficient for the correlation between the amplitude ratio and nerve cross-sectional area ratio was not significant, at -0.127 (95% confidence interval=-0.701 to 0.546, p=0.721). @*Conclusions@#Ultrasonography supported by electrodiagnosis was found to be a useful method for identifying the lesion location and structural abnormalities of vessel-puncture-related neuropathy.

Clinical Course of Small Subepithelial Tumors of the Small Bowel Detected on CT

Purpose@#This study aimed to evaluate the natural growth of subepithelial tumors of the small bowel detected on CT. @*Materials and Methods@#Consecutive patients who were suspected of having subepithelial tumors of the small bowel between January 2005 and December 2020 were reviewed. Eligible patients with suspected small (< 30 mm) subepithelial tumors on at least two CT evaluations were included in the analysis. The patients’ data on demographic characteristics, tumoral characteristics, and tumoral size changes during the follow-up were collected. @*Results@#This study included 64 patients with suspected small subepithelial tumors (n = 64) of the small bowel. After a median follow-up of 15.8 months, the diameter and volume growth rates were 0.02 mm/month and 1.5 mm3/month, respectively. A significant correlation was observed between the initial size and the growth rate of the small bowel subepithelial tumors. The group of large-sized tumors (initial diameter ≥ 10 mm) tended to show lobulated contours, heterogeneous enhancement, and necrotic changes more frequently than the group of small-sized tumors (initial diameter < 10 mm). @*Conclusion@#Small bowel subepithelial tumors measuring less than 10 mm grew more slowly than those measuring 10–30 mm.