Analysis of the Status and Future Direction for Digital Therapeutics in Children and Adolescent Psychiatry

Digital therapeutics based on software, such as artificial intelligence, virtual reality, games, and smartphone applications, are in the spotlight as new therapeutic alternatives in child and adolescent psychiatry. It draws attention to overcoming conventional therapeutics’ limitations, such as toxicity, cost, and accessibility, and encourages patients to participate in the treatment attractively. The growth potential of the digital therapeutics market for psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents in Korea and abroad has been highlighted. Clinical studies and Food and Drug Administration approvals for digital therapeutics have increased, and cases approved by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety have emerged in Korea. As seen above, digital transformation in child and adolescent psychiatry will change treatment paradigms significantly. Therefore, as this new field has just begun to emerge, it is necessary to verify the effectiveness and scope of the application of digital therapeutics and consider preparing a compensation system and institutional arrangements. Accordingly, this study analyzed the development trends and application status of digital therapeutics in children and adolescents and presented limitations and development directions from the perspective of application in healthcare. Further, the study is expected to identify the utility and limitations of digital therapeutics for children and adolescents and establish effective application measures.

Vitamin D-Cathelicidin Axis: at the Crossroads between Protective Immunity and Pathological Inflammation during Infection

Vitamin D signaling plays an essential role in innate defense against intracellular microorganisms via the generation of the antimicrobial protein cathelicidin. In addition to directly binding to and killing a range of pathogens, cathelicidin acts as a secondary messenger driving vitamin D-mediated inflammation during infection. Recent studies have elucidated the biological and clinical functions of cathelicidin in the context of vitamin D signaling. The vitamin D-cathelicidin axis is involved in the activation of autophagy, which enhances antimicrobial effects against diverse pathogens. Vitamin D studies have also revealed positive and negative regulatory effects of cathelicidin on inflammatory responses to pathogenic stimuli. Diverse innate and adaptive immune signals crosstalk with functional vitamin D receptor signals to enhance the role of cathelicidin action in cell-autonomous effector systems. In this review, we discuss recent findings that demonstrate how the vitamin D-cathelicidin pathway regulates autophagy machinery, protective immune defenses, and inflammation, and contributes to immune cooperation between innate and adaptive immunity. Understanding how the vitamin D-cathelicidin axis operates in the host response to infection will create opportunities for the development of new therapeutic approaches against a variety of infectious diseases.

Assessment of stem cell viability in the initial healing period in rabbits with a cranial bone defect according to the type and form of scaffold

PURPOSE: Increased bone regeneration has been achieved through the use of stem cells in combination with graft material. However, the survival of transplanted stem cells remains a major concern. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the viability of transplanted mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) at an early time point (24 hours) based on the type and form of the scaffold used, including type I collagen membrane and synthetic bone. METHODS: The stem cells were obtained from the periosteum of the otherwise healthy dental patients. Four symmetrical circular defects measuring 6 mm in diameter were made in New Zealand white rabbits using a trephine drill. The defects were grafted with 1) synthetic bone (β-tricalcium phosphate/hydroxyapatite [β-TCP/HA]) and 1×105 MSCs, 2) collagen membrane and 1×105 MSCs, 3) β-TCP/HA+collagen membrane and 1×105 MSCs, or 4) β-TCP/HA, a chipped collagen membrane and 1×105 MSCs. Cellular viability and the cell migration rate were analyzed. RESULTS: Cells were easily separated from the collagen membrane, but not from synthetic bone. The number of stem cells attached to synthetic bone in groups 1, 3, and 4 seemed to be similar. Cellular viability in group 2 was significantly higher than in the other groups (P0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that stem cells can be applied when a membrane is used as a scaffold under no or minimal pressure. When space maintenance is needed, stem cells can be loaded onto synthetic bone with a chipped membrane to enhance the survival rate.

A Case of Pylephlebitis with Pseudomonas aeruginosa Sepsis and Liver Abscess Secondary to Diverticulitis / 대한소화기학회지

Pylephlebitis, or suppurative thrombophlebitis of the portal venous system, is a rare condition occurring secondary to abdominal infections such as diverticulitis. Pylephlebitis can be diagnosed via ultrasonography or CT scan, and is characterized by the presence of a thrombus in the portal vein and bacteremia. However, the diagnosis may be delayed due to the vague nature of the clinical symptoms, causing morbidity and mortality due to pylephlebitis to remain high. Early diagnosis and immediate antibiotic therapy are important for favorable prognosis. Therefore, pylephlebitis should be considered in the differential diagnosis for cases of nonspecific abdominal pain and fever. We report a case of pylephlebitis secondary to diverticulitis, associated with Pseudomonas aeruginosa sepsis. Such cases have not been widely reported.

A brief overview of cell therapy and its product

No abstract available.

Importance of Clinical Evaluations Related to Secondary Hypertension in Patients with Resistant Hypertension

Resistant hypertension is defined as poorly controlled status of blood pressure despite of optimal use of three or more antihypertensive drugs of different classes, including diuretics. Although exact prevalence of resistant hypertension is not known, it has been reported to be 12.8% among patients treated with antihypertensive drugs. It is important to evaluate a possible secondary cause in patients with resistant hypertension. We report a case of resistant hypertension with renal artery segmental stenosis that was not revealed in renal Doppler study. Blood pressure of the patient was well controlled after renal balloon angioplasty.

The Diagnostic Assessment of Hand Elevation Test in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to establish the value of hand elevation test as a reproducible provocative test for the diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). METHODS: We had a prospective study of 45 hands of 38 patients diagnosed with CTS between April 2005 and February 2009. The diagnosis of CTS was based on the American Academy of Neurology clinical diagnostic criteria. Experimental and control group patients underwent Tinel's test, Phalen's test, carpal compression test and hand elevation test as provocative tests for CTS. RESULTS: We used chi-square analysis to compare Tinel's test and Phalen's test, carpal compression test with hand elevation test. The sensitivity and specificity of the hand elevation test is 86.7% and 88.9% each. Tinel's test had 82.2% sensitivity and 88.9% specificity. Phalen's test had 84.4% sensitivity and 86.7% specificity. Carpal compression test had 84.4% sensitivity 82.2% specificity. Comparisons of sensitivity and specificity between hand elevation test and Tinel's test, Phalen's test, and carpal compression test had no statistically significant differences. To compare the diagnostic accuracies of four tests, the area under the non-parametric receiver operating character curve was applied. CONCLUSION: The hand elevation test has higher sensitivity and specificity than Tinel's test, Phalen's test, and carpal compression test. Chi-square statistical analysis confirms the hand elevation test is not ineffective campared with Tinel's test, Phalen's test, and carpal compression test.

Horner Syndrome associated with a Herniated Cervical Disc: A Case Report

Horner syndrome (HS) occurs when there is interruption of the oculosympathetic pathway. The causes of HS are various, but HS originated from herniated cervical disc is very few. HS attributable to the lesion of the first-order neuron of cervical spinal cord is extremely rare. A 41-year old male was admitted for sudden onset of left ptosis and right side numbness. Neurological examination revealed ptosis, miosis and facial anhidrosis on the left side. MRI and CT scans demonstrated large left paramedian disc herniation with cord compression at the C4-5 level. The herniated disc was removed through anterior approach and his symptoms were improved after the operation.

Horner Syndrome associated with a Herniated Cervical Disc: A Case Report

Horner syndrome (HS) occurs when there is interruption of the oculosympathetic pathway. The causes of HS are various, but HS originated from herniated cervical disc is very few. HS attributable to the lesion of the first-order neuron of cervical spinal cord is extremely rare. A 41-year old male was admitted for sudden onset of left ptosis and right side numbness. Neurological examination revealed ptosis, miosis and facial anhidrosis on the left side. MRI and CT scans demonstrated large left paramedian disc herniation with cord compression at the C4-5 level. The herniated disc was removed through anterior approach and his symptoms were improved after the operation.

Protective Role of Intercoronary Communication between Right Coronary Artery with Chronic Total Occlusion and Normal Left Circumflex Artery against Recurrent Myocardial Ischemia

Intercoronary communication is a very rare congenital malformation, which differs from coronary collaterals in variable aspects. It is larger in diameter, extramural in location and more resembles normal mature arterial features histologically. There are no consensus for the definition of intercoronary communiations, but some reports have suggested their protective role against myocardial ischemia due to its dual blood supply system. We report the case of a 72 year-old male smoker who had chronic total occlusion at the proximal portion of right coronary artery, which was communicated with a normal left circumflex artery. Although the patient had chronic total occlusion and subsequent in stent restenosis, there were no presentations of acute coronary syndrome or myocardial infarction.

Idiopathic Lumbosacral Spinal Chronic Subdural Hematoma

Reports of spontaneous spinal chronic subdural hematoma (SDH) are extremely rare. In the limited cases reported, the origin, symptoms and treatments are diversely revealed. Therefore accurate diagnoses and proper treatments are difficult to determine. We report a 74-year-old male presented with severe low back pain and both buttocks pain. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a diffuse subdural infiltrating mass compress nerve roots at the level of L2-S2. Emergency operation for decompression and excision of mass revealed spinal chronic SDH. His pain was subsided after the operation. We report a rare case of idiopathic lumbosacral spinal chronic SDH and discuss various causes and treatments.

Idiopathic Lumbosacral Spinal Chronic Subdural Hematoma

Reports of spontaneous spinal chronic subdural hematoma (SDH) are extremely rare. In the limited cases reported, the origin, symptoms and treatments are diversely revealed. Therefore accurate diagnoses and proper treatments are difficult to determine. We report a 74-year-old male presented with severe low back pain and both buttocks pain. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a diffuse subdural infiltrating mass compress nerve roots at the level of L2-S2. Emergency operation for decompression and excision of mass revealed spinal chronic SDH. His pain was subsided after the operation. We report a rare case of idiopathic lumbosacral spinal chronic SDH and discuss various causes and treatments.

Clinical Outcomes of Spinal Epidural Abscess

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to elucidate the clinical characteristics of patients with spinal epidural abscess (SEA) and demonstrate the risk factors, treatments and neurologic outcomes. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records and radiologic images of 35 patients admitted to our department with SEA between March 1987 and April 2011. While we performed decompressive laminectomy and abscess drainage on 19 patients (54.3%), and 16 patients (45.7%) initially received conservative therapy with antibiotics alone. Medical Research Council (MRC) scale was applied to estimate results objectively. RESULTS: The neurological outcome data showed improved MRC scale from 14 (40%) patients. 13 (37.1%) patients showed unchanged MRC scale and 8 (22.9%) patients revealed worsened MRC scale at the time of discharge. The patients with surgical treatment showed more improved MRC scale than the patients with conservative treatment and this was statistically significant (p=0.001) on univariate analysis. Initially, patients with decreased MRC scale and rapidly progressing neurological deficit underwent emergency surgery within 24 hours. Patients with intact MRC scale and minor neurological deficit received delayed surgery or conservative management with antibiotics. Among 19 patients those who experienced emergent operations within 24 hours showed better prognosis than those who underwent delayed operations after 24 hours. CONCLUSION: Surgical treatment is the modality of choice in patients with SEA and urgent surgery especially is indicated in patients with neurological deficits. And early surgery is more effective in neurological improvements than delayed surgery and conservative management.

Lymphomatoid Granulomatosis with Spinal Involvement after Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Lymphomatoid granulomatosis (LYG) is a lymphoproliferative disease involving the lungs most frequently; however, it may also involve the kidneys, skin and especially the central nervous system. Unique initial presentation of spinal involvement is extremely rare and epidural lesion of thoracic spine has not been reported. The prognosis for LYG has been reported to be poor, and there currently exists no satisfactory established treatment protocol. The purpose of this study is to report a case of successful treatment with surgery and rituximab combination therapy in thoracic spinal LYG.

Acute Traumatic Central Cord Syndrome: Early Decompression or Not?

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to compare the clinical outcomes of the patients with acute traumatic central cord syndrome (ATCCS) who were managed between early surgical treatment and conservative treatment. METHODS: Between March 2004 and May 2007, 45 patients with ATCCS were treated. 27 patients were treated surgically and 18 patients were treated conservatively. Early decompressive surgery was performed within 24 hours after the trauma in all surgical patients. All patients were admitted within 8 hours of injury and high-dose methylprednisolone was administered. The clinical and radiological data were collected for each patient. RESULTS: The significant improvement of American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) score was achieved within the first 6 months of the surgery. There were statistically significant differences (p<0.05) between the surgical and conservatively treated patients at 1, 3 and 6 months follow-ups. However, there were no statistically significant differences of the improvements between two groups at 1 year. The ASIA score improvement had a positive correlation with the age at injury. The patients who were older than 65 years at injury showed statistically lower motor improvement than the patients who were younger than 65 years. The lengths of hospital stay were significantly shorter in patients with surgical treatments (p<0.05) than those in patients without surgery. CONCLUSION: Comparing with conservative treatment, early surgical decompression may be associated with rapid neurologic improvement, early mobilization, and shorter periods of hospitalization.