Association between Combustible Cigarettes and Noncombustible Nicotine or Tobacco Products and Generalized Anxiety Disorder Based on Data from the 8th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2021

Background

Despite the increasing prevalence of anxiety disorders in Korea, there have been no nationwide studies on the association between tobacco status and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Furthermore, despite the increasing number of people using noncombustible nicotine or tobacco products (NNTPs), the association between NNTP use and GAD remains unclear. Therefore, this study investigated the association between tobacco use and GAD.

Methods

This nationwide study used data from the 8th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2021) and included 5,454 adults aged ≥19 years who self-reported on the tobacco use and mental health sections. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate the odds ratios (ORs) of GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 score ≥10) according to tobacco status among Korean adults. The severity of anxiety was assessed using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 scale.

Results

Compared to never tobacco users, the ORs of GAD for combustible cigarette smokers and NNTP users were 2.74 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.66-4.50) and 2.11 (95% CI, 1.16-3.83), respectively. The OR of GAD for former tobacco users was 1.63 (95% CI, 0.98-2.72).

Conclusion

Tobacco use (combustible cigarettes and NNTP) was positively associated with GAD. However, in former tobacco users, there was no significant association with GAD when compared with never tobacco users. Given the OR of GAD among tobacco users, it is crucial to pay attention to screening for GAD and implement appropriate early interventions.

Effectiveness of urethral catheterization under ultrasound guidance for semen collection from Asiatic black bears (Ursus thibetanus)

The Asiatic black bear (ABB; Ursus thibetanus ussuricus) is a globally endangered species, and measures to help increase their population are necessary. For the successful restoration of this species, artificial breeding as well as conservation translocation are considered important. The aims of the present study were to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of urethral catheterization (UC), which is effectively used in feline species, for semen collection from ABBs and establish the optimal protocol for semen collection via this technique. Seven clinically healthy, adult male ABBs (age, 6-13 years; weight, 130-180 kg) housed at the Species Restoration Technology Institute, Korea were included in this study. All study procedures were performed during the breeding season (June to August) over 3 consecutive years. Semen samples were collected once or three times from all bears by ultrasound-guided UC or electroejaculation (EE) under general anesthesia, and their characteristics, including sperm motility, were evaluated. The day of semen collection was defined as Day 0. The semen collected by the UC method was stored at 4 °C, and sperm motility was evaluated at the same time every day for 16 days. The successful collection rates for the UC and EE methods were 92.3% and 53.8%, respectively. The sperm concentration (4718.9 ± 1526.1 vs. 185.0 ± 34.2 × 10⁶/ml), total sperm count (1196.6 ± 955.5 vs. 100.9 ± 70.0 × 10⁶), sperm motility score (4.39 ± 0.78 vs. 3.00 ± 1.73), viability (98.2 ± 2.3 vs. 82.7 ± 19.6), and the proportion of spermatozoa with intact acrosomes (92.2% ± 9.3% vs. 75.6% ± 10.6%) were higher with the UC method than with the EE method, whereas the proportion of spermatozoa with an abnormal morphology (23.1% ± 4.6% vs. 45.6% ± 19.5%) was lower with the former than with the latter. Over the course of cool storage, there was an overall decrease in the total motility, progressive motility, and viability, although viability was >50% until Day 10. These findings suggest that ultrasound-guided UC is a useful and feasible tool for the collection of high-quality semen from ABBs. The collected semen remains viable for up to 10 days, with high sperm motility maintained for up to 7 days, when stored at 4 °C.

Evaluation of an immunochromatographic assay for the detection of anti-hepatitis A virus IgM

Background

Hepatitis A virus (HAV) is a causative agent of acute hepatitis, which is transmitted by person-to-person contact and via the faecal-oral route. Acute HAV infection is usually confirmed by anti-HAV IgM detection. In order to detect anti-HAV IgM in the serum of patients infected with HAV, we developed a rapid assay based on immunochromatography (ICA) and evaluated the sensitivity of this assay by comparing it with a commercial microparticle enzyme immunoassay (MEIA) that is widely used for serological diagnosis.

Results

The newly developed ICA showed 100% sensitivity and specificity when used to test 150 anti-HAV IgM-positive sera collected from infected patients and 75 negative sera from healthy subjects. Also, the sensitivity of ICA is about 10 times higher than MEIA used in this study by determining end point to detect independent on infected genotype of HAV. In addition, the ICA was able to detect 1 positive sample from among 50 sera from acute hepatitis patients that had tested negative for anti-HAV IgM using the MEIA.

Conclusion

Conclusively, ICA for the detection of anti-HAV IgM will be very effective for rapid assay to apply clinical diagnosis and epidemiological investigation on epidemics due to the simplicity, rapidity and specificity.

Contact immunotherapy with squaric acid dibutylester for the treatment of recalcitrant warts

BACKGROUND

Contact immunotherapy has been shown to be effective for warts. Two previous studies on the use of squaric acid dibutylester (SADBE) for warts have reported widely divergent cure rates (10% and 60%).

OBJECTIVE

Our purpose was to determine the efficacy of SADBE in the treatment of recalcitrant warts.

METHODS

We treated 29 patients with SADBE for warts that were resistant to other therapies. The patient population had warts for a mean duration of 2.1 years. Patients were sensitized with 1% or 2% SADBE in acetone under occlusion, then treated with 0.5% to 5% SADBE applied to their warts every 2 to 4 weeks in the office.

RESULTS

Clearing of all warts was seen in 20 of 29 patients (69%), improvement in 3 patients (10%), and no change in 6 patients (21%). For the cured patients, mean duration of treatment was 4.2 months (range, 1 to 12 months) and mean number of treatments was 5.7 (range, 2 to 15). Adverse effects included acute contact dermatitis with 6 patients experiencing blisters and one experiencing hypopigmentation.

CONCLUSION

SADBE treatment is worth considering in patients with recalcitrant warts, especially in those who tolerate painful procedures poorly.

A case of nephrotic syndrome associated with protein S deficiency and cerebral thrombosis

Protein S is found in two forms in plasma; as free and functionally active protein S, and complexed to C4b-binding protein. Patients with nephrotic syndrome are at risk for arterial and venous thrombosis at various localizations, and acquired protein S deficiency due to the selective urinary loss of the free form may be a risk factor for the development of thromboembolic complications. We report a case of cerebral arterial thrombosis associated with decreased level of free protein S antigen (44%) in a 39-year-old female patient with nephrotic syndrome.