Long-Term Effects of Diesel Exhaust Particles on Airway Inflammation and Remodeling in a Mouse Model

PURPOSE: Diesel exhaust particles (DEPs) can induce and trigger airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) and inflammation. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of long-term DEP exposure on AHR, inflammation, lung fibrosis, and goblet cell hyperplasia in a mouse model. METHODS: BALB/c mice were exposed to DEPs 1 hour a day for 5 days a week for 3 months in a closed-system chamber attached to a ultrasonic nebulizer (low dose: 100 microg/m3 DEPs, high dose: 3 mg/m3 DEPs). The control group was exposed to saline. Enhanced pause was measured as an indicator of AHR. Animals were subjected to whole-body plethysmography and then sacrificed to determine the performance of bronchoalveolar lavage and histology. RESULTS: AHR was higher in the DEP group than in the control group, and higher in the high-dose DEP than in the low-dose DEP groups at 4, 8, and 12 weeks. The numbers of neutrophils and lymphocytes were higher in the high-dose DEP group than in the low-dose DEP group and control group at 4, 8, and 12 weeks. The levels of interleukin (IL)-5, IL-13, and interferon-gamma were higher in the low-dose DEP group than in the control group at 12 weeks. The level of IL-10 was higher in the high-dose DEP group than in the control group at 12 weeks. The level of vascular endothelial growth factor was higher in the low-dose and high-dose DEP groups than in the control group at 12 weeks. The level of IL-6 was higher in the low-dose DEP group than in the control group at 12 weeks. The level of transforming growth factor-beta was higher in the high-dose DEP group than in the control group at 4, 8, and 12 weeks. The collagen content and lung fibrosis in lung tissue was higher in the high-dose DEP group at 8 and 12 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that long-term DEP exposure may increase AHR, inflammation, lung fibrosis, and goblet cell hyperplasia in a mouse model.

Mothers' Parenting Experience of Premature Infants: Q Methodological Approach

PURPOSE: This study was done to identify the parenting experience of mothers of premature infants in order to provide basic data for educational solutions and desirable directions. METHODS: Q-methodology was used as it provides a method of analyzing the subjectivity of each item. The participants were 33 mothers of premature infants who sorted 34 selected Q-statements which were then classified into the shape of a normal distribution using a 9-point scale. Subjectivity on parenting experience among the mothers was analyzed using the pc-QUANAL program. RESULTS: Four types of parenting experience were identified. Type I was named 'struggling', type II, 'self blame', type III, 'information collecting', and type IV, 'self-introspection'. CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicate that different approaches to educational programs are needed for mothers of premature infants based on the four types of parenting experience.

A Study on the Professional Self-concept, Self Efficacy and Job Satisfaction of Hemodialysis Unit Nurses / 재활간호학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore the level of professional self-concept, self-efficacy and job satisfaction among nurses who work at hemodialysis units. METHODS: With convenience sampling, 128 nurses working at hemodialysis settings in Chungcheong Province were participated in this study. Data were analyzed using SPSS/WIN 14.0 with descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, and Pearson correlation coefficient. RESULTS: The mean scores were 2.68 for professional self-concept, 3.65 for self efficacy and 3.14 for job satisfaction. There were significant differences in professional self-concept according to age, religion, position and clinical experience. There was statistically significant difference in self-efficacy according to age. Also, there was statistically significant difference in job satisfaction according to age, marital status, hospital type, position, clinical experience, and the number of patients per nurse. Job satisfaction was positively correlated with professional self-concept and self-efficacy. CONCLUSION: These findings provided that interventions to enhance professional self-concept as well as the strategies to improve self-efficacy are very important.

Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transfer Suppresses Airway Remodeling in a Toluene Diisocyanate-Induced Murine Asthma Model

PURPOSE: Severe asthma is characterized by high medication requirements to maintain good disease control or by persistent symptoms despite high medication use. The transfer of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMDMSCs) to the injured lungs is a possible treatment for severe asthma. This study investigated the therapeutic effects of BMDMSCs in airway remodeling and inflammation in an experimental toluene diisocyanate (TDI)-induced asthma animal model of severe asthma. METHODS: BMDMSCs were transferred into rats after TDI inhalation. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cell profiles, histological changes including an inflammatory index and goblet cell hyperplasia, and the airway response to methacholine using plethysmography were analyzed. Smooth muscle actin (SMA) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) protein expression were observed in lung tissue using immunohistochemical staining. The collagen content was measured in lung tissue sections and lung extracts using Masson's trichrome staining and an immunoassay kit. RESULTS: The numbers of inflammatory cells in BAL fluid, histological inflammatory index, airway response to methacholine, number of goblet cells, and amount of collagen were increased in TDI-treated rats compared with sham rats (P=0.05-0.002). BMDMSC transfer significantly reduced the TDI-induced increase in the inflammatory index and numbers of eosinophils and neutrophils in BAL fluid to levels seen in sham-treated rats (P<0.05). BMDMSC transfer significantly reduced the number of goblet cells, collagen deposition, and immune staining for SMA and PCNA with concomitant normalization of the airway response to methacholine. CONCLUSIONS: The systemic transfer of BMDMSCs effectively reduced experimental TDI-induced airway inflammation and remodeling and airway hyperreactivity.

The Search for Genetic Variants and Epigenetics Related to Asthma

For the past two decades, a huge number of genetic studies have been conducted to identify the genetic variants responsible for asthma risk. Several types of genetic and genomic approaches, including linkage analysis, candidate gene single nucleotide polymorphism studies, and whole genome-wide association studies have been applied. In this review article, the results of these approaches are summarized, and their limitations are discussed. Additionally, perspectives for applying upcoming new epigenetic or genomic technologies, such as copy number variation, are introduced to increase our understanding of new omic approaches to asthma genetics.

The clinical effects of modified full-mouth disinfection in the treatment of moderate to severe chronic periodontitis patients / 대한치주과학회지

PURPOSE: Full-mouth disinfection enables to reduce the probability of cross contamination from untreated pockets to treated ones, for completing the entire SRP under local anesthesia with chlorhexidine as a mouth wash in two visits within 24 hours. This study aimed to compare the clinical effects of modified full-mouth disinfection (Fdis) after 6 months with those of conventional SRP (cSRP). METHODS: Thirty non-smoking chronic periodontitis subjects were randomly allocated two groups. The Fdis group underwent the entire SRP under local anesthesia in two visits within 24 hours, a week after receiving supragingival scaling. A chlorhexidine (0.1%) solution was used for rinsing and subgingival irrigation for Fdis. The cSRP group received SRP per quadrant under local anesthesia at one-week intervals, one week after they had received scaling. Clinical parameters were recorded at baseline, after 1, 3 and 6 months. RESULTS: There are significant (P< 0.05) decreases in the sulcus bleeding index, and plaque index, and the increases in gingival recession were significantly smaller with Fdis after six months compared with cSRP. There was significant improvement in the probing depth and clinical attachment level for initially medium-deep pockets (4-6mm) after Fdis compared with cSRP. Multi-rooted teeth showed significantly larger attachment gain up to six months after Fdis. Single-rooted teeth showed significantly more attachment gain, 1 and 6 months after Fdis. CONCLUSIONS: Fdis has more beneficial effects on reducing gingival inflammation, plaque level, probing depth, gingival recession and improving clinical attachment level over cSRP.

Clinical short-term effects of full-mouth disinfection / 대한치주과학회지

Full-mouth disinfection (Fdis) completes the entire scaling and root planing (SRP) in one stage within 24 hours for the prevention of microbial recolonization from untreated sites and ecological niches. The aim of this study is to compare the clinical short-term effects of modified Fdis with those of the conventional SRP in the therapy of moderate and severe chronic periodontitis. Modified Fdis group (5 patients) received the entire SRP within 24 hours using chlorhexidine solution (0.1%) and conventional SRP group (5 patients) received SRP per quadrant at one-week intervals. Clinical parameters were measured at baseline, one month and three months after both therapies. The results of this case report were as follows: 1. There were considerable decreases in sulcus bleeding index and plaque index one month after Fdis. 2. The mean probing depth of single-rooted teeth decreased more in Fdis group than conventional SRP group after therapy and, that of multi-rooted teeth decreased similarly in both groups. 3. The mean probing depth decreased 1.77mm in case of initial probing depth of 4-6mm and it decreased 4.13mm in case of initial probing depth of > or = 7mm three months after Fdis. 4. There were the smaller increases in gingival recession together with the larger gains in attachment in Fdis group than conventional SRP group after three months. Within the limitations of this study, one could conclude that Fdis has beneficial clinical effects in the treatment of moderate and severe chronic periodontitis and further research would be helpful including more subjects during a longer period to confirm the beneficial long-term effects of Fdis.

Undergraduate Students' Sexual Behavior and Influencing Factors: An Analysis based on the Theory of Planned Behavior / 성인간호학회지

PURPOSE: This study was conducted, on the basis of the Theory of Planned Behavior to analyze factors influencing on undergraduate students' sexual behavior and to provide basic guidelines for the intervention of promoting sex education in school. METHOD: The participants of this study consisted of 284 under-graduate students at 3 colleges and 3 universities in Seoul. SPSS 10.0 win program was used and descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation, multiple regression and logistic regression were used to evaluate the influencing factors on undergraduate students' sexual behavior. RESULTS: The results of this study can be summarized as follows; For undergraduate students, perceived behavioral control, and attitude of sexual behavior could explain 43% of the variance in intention of sexual behavior. However, subjective norm didn't influence sexual behavioral intention. For undergraduate students, perceived behavioral control, sexual behavioral intention were factors influencing sexual behavior, and these factors could explain 43% of the variance in sexual behavior. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the interventive sex education that is upright and healthy will be needed to strengthen perceived behavioral control and sexual behavioral intention as influencing factors on sexual behavior in adolescent and young adults.