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Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate and compare the clinico-radiographic outcomes between two techniques for acute Lisfranc fracture-dislocation with a large, displaced second metatarsal base plantar fracture: isolated Lisfranc screw fixation versus Lisfranc joint fixation with dorsoplantar miniscrew fixation of the second metatarsal base. Methods: We retrospectively compared the clinico-radiographic outcome between patients who underwent isolated Lisfranc screw fixation (Group 1, 26 patients) and those who underwent Lisfranc joint fixation with dorsoplantar miniscrew fixation of the second metatarsal base (Group 2, 23 patients). The main outcome measurements were the postoperative distance between the medial cuneiform and second metatarsal base on standing anteroposterior foot radiographs, known as the C1-M2 distance. Residual diastasis was defined as C1-M2 distance ≥ 2 mm on the affected side compared with that on the contralateral side. We also assessed the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM)-activities of daily living (ADL) and sports subscale scores at three, six and ≥ 18 months postoperatively. Results: At the final follow-up, the mean C1-M2 distance on the affected side compared with that on the contralateral side was significantly greater in Group 1 than in Group 2 (3.9 versus 0.7 mm, P = 0.027). Furthermore, Group 1 showed a higher incidence of residual diastases at the final follow-up (69.2%) than the Group 2 (13.0%, P < 0.001). The FAAM-ADL scores at the final follow-up did not differ significantly between the groups (P = 0.518), but the FAAM Sports score was significantly higher in Group 2 than in Group 1 (P = 0.001). Conclusions: The postoperative C1-M2 distance was better maintained with Lisfranc joint fixation with dorsoplantar miniscrew fixation of the second metatarsal base than with isolated Lisfranc screw fixation. We recommend that surgeons exercise caution when dealing with a second metatarsal plantar fracture and consider performing secure fixation using the dorsoplantar miniscrew technique for improved clinical outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Methods Results Conclusion Level of Evidence Anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL) insufficiency encompasses situations in which (i) frequent sprains cause ATFL loss, as evidenced by ATFL non‐visualization on preoperative magnetic resonance imaging; or (ii) minimal healthy ATFL tissue for repair is left after the removal of the large os subfibulare. Suture tape implantation can be indicated for these cases rather than conventional ligament repair. This study was designed to investigate the incidence of post‐operative re‐sprain in patients who underwent suture tape implantation for ATFL insufficiency, and risk factors influencing the occurrence of post‐operative re‐sprain were identified.A total of 68 patients who underwent suture tape implantation for ATFL insufficiency from January 2016 to December 2021 were retrospectively evaluated. The minimum follow‐up duration for inclusion was 2 years after surgery. All included patients were divided into two groups according to the presence of post‐operative re‐sprain during the follow‐up period. Multiple clinico‐radiographic parameters were measured, and binary logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the factors influencing post‐operative re‐sprain.Post‐operative re‐sprain occurred in 19 of the 68 patients (27.9%), and multiple re‐sprains persisted in 7 patients (10.3%). Post‐operative re‐sprain was more likely to occur in patients who smoked after surgery (odds ratio [OR], 3.510), had generalized ligament laxity (OR, 4.364) and engaged in occupations requiring high physical activity levels (OR, 4.421), including soldiers, professional athletes, student‐athletes and mailmen.The incidence of multiple post‐operative re‐sprains was high after suture tape implantation for ATFL insufficiency. Caution is particularly warranted in patients with risk factors, necessitating meticulous attention to their care. Careful consideration of strategies to mitigate risks when performing the surgery is also recommended.Level III. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the presence of peripheral spondyloarthritis and investigate the clinical characteristics of patients with concurrent peripheral spondyloarthritis in those presenting with refractory plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendinopathy by conducting human leukocyte antigen B-27 (HLA-B27) testing. Methods: This retrospective study aimed to investigate patients who complained of persistent pain and significant limitations in daily activities due to their respective foot pain, despite receiving conservative treatment for over one year under the diagnosis of plantar fasciitis or insertional Achilles tendinopathy. The study included 63 patients who underwent HLA-B27 testing. The patients were classified into two groups based on the presence or absence of HLA-B27 positivity. The Mann–Whitney U test assessed significant relationships between continuous variables, and the chi-square test was used to compare categorical variables. Results: Among the 63 included patients, HLA-B27 positivity was confirmed in 11 patients (17.5%), which was significantly associated with a lower average age (22.8 years versus 31.7 years, P = 0.01) and a substantially lower proportion of females compared to HLA-B27-negative patients (9.1% vs. 25.0%, P = 0.001). Ten of the 11 patients initiated treatment with conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) combined with oral steroids as the first-line medication after being diagnosed as HLA-B27 positive. Six patients experienced pain relief with the first-line medication (60%). Four patients who did not achieve pain control with the first-line medication received tumour necrosis factor-alpha inhibitors as the second-line medication. Two patients experienced pain relief, while two experienced reduced but persistent pain. Conclusions: Among the patients with "refractory" plantar fasciitis and insertional Achilles tendinopathy, 17.5% were diagnosed with peripheral spondyloarthritis. Patients diagnosed with peripheral spondyloarthritis had a higher proportion of men and relatively younger mean age compared to those without the diagnosis. Approximately 70% of these patients achieved symptom improvement in foot and ankle joints by taking conventional synthetic DMARDs, TNF-α inhibitors, or both appropriate for spondyloarthritis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to characterize the molecular features and virulence profiles of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) isolates. Clinical CRAB isolates were obtained from blood cultures of adult patients with CRAB bacteremia, collected between July 2015 and July 2021 at a Korean hospital. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to detect 13 virulence genes, genotyping was conducted via multilocus sequence typing (MLST), and a Tenebrio molitor infection model was selected for survival analysis. Herein, 170 patients, from whom CRAB isolates were collected, showed the in-hospital mortality rate of 57.6%. All 170 clinical CRAB isolates harbored blaOXA-23 and blaOXA-51. MLST genotyping identified 11 CRAB sequence types (STs), of which ST191 was predominant (25.7%). Virulence genes were distributed as follows: basD, 58.9%; espA, 15.9%; bap, 92.4%; and ompA, 77.1%. In the T. molitor model, ST195 showed a significantly higher mortality rate (73.3% vs. 66.7%, p = 0.015) than the other groups. Our findings provide insights into the microbiological features of CRAB blood isolates associated with high mortality. We suggest a potential framework for using a T. molitor infection model to characterize CRAB virulence. Further research is warranted to elucidate the mechanisms by which virulence improves clinical outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: In a study analyzing 61 patients under the age of 39 diagnosed with malignant ovarian germ cell tumors (MOGCTs) between 2006 and 2022, the 5-year overall survival (OS) rate was 98.3%, and the event-free survival (EFS) rate was 84.9%. In total, 57 patients received bleomycin, etoposide, and cisplatin combined chemotherapy, with 44 having a reduced dose of bleomycin and 13 having the standard dose of bleomycin. The reduced bleomycin dose did not negatively impact survival. Histology and stage did not significantly impact EFS, whereas the rapid normalization of all tumor markers after surgery was associated with better EFS. Dose reduction of bleomycin did not adversely influence survival, and the overall chemotherapy-related toxicity was manageable, with no therapy-related toxic deaths. To investigate the outcomes of children, adolescents, and young adults (AYAs) with malignant ovarian germ cell tumors (MOGCTs), we analyzed the data of 61 patients aged ≤39 years diagnosed with MOGCT between 2006 and 2022. Among 59 patients who received chemotherapy after initial diagnosis, 57 received BEP (standard dose of bleomycin with 30 units per week, n = 13) or bEP (reduced dose of bleomycin with 15 units/m2 on day 1, n = 44). The 5-year overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS) rates were 98.3% and 84.9%, respectively. Reduced bleomycin dose did not adversely affect survival. Normalization of tumor markers within 3 months after surgery was significantly associated with better EFS (p < 0.01). Of the 59 surviving patients, 8 experienced surgery-related menopause, while 49 demonstrated menstrual recovery. After completion of chemotherapy, there was no significant difference in pulmonary function regarding bleomycin dose, and no overt nephrotoxicity. Approximately 60% and 25% of survivors experienced peripheral neuropathy at the end of chemotherapy and after 1 year, respectively (p < 0.01). Children and AYAs with MOGCT have favorable survival rates with minimal long-term toxicity, which are not influenced by a reduced bleomycin dose. Rapid normalization of tumor markers is associated with improved outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of fluconazole and echinocandins in the treatment of candidemia caused by both fluconazole- and echinocandin-susceptible common Candida species. A retrospective study which enrolled adult candidemia patients ≥19 years diagnosed at a tertiary care hospital in the Republic of Korea from 2013 to 2018 was conducted. Common Candida species were defined as C. albicans, C. tropicalis, and C. parapsilosis. Cases of candidemia were excluded based on the following exclusion criteria: (1) candidemia showed resistance to either fluconazole or echinocandins, or (2) candidemia was caused by other Candida species than common Candida species. In order to compare the mortality rates between patients who receive fluconazole or echinocandins, the propensity scores on variables of baseline characteristics using the multivariate logistic regression analysis were employed to balance the antifungal treatment groups, and a Kaplan–Meier survival analysis was performed. Fluconazole and echinocandins were used in 40 patients and in 87 patients, respectively. The propensity score matching included 40 patients in each treatment group. After matching, the rates of 60-day mortality after candidemia were 30% in the fluconazole group and 42.5% in the echinocandins group, and a Kaplan–Meier survival analysis showed no significant difference between antifungal treatment groups, p = 0.187. A multivariable analysis demonstrated that septic shock was significantly associated with the 60-day mortality, whereas fluconazole antifungal treatment was not associated with an excess 60-day mortality. In conclusion, our study results suggest that fluconazole use in the treatment of candidemia caused by susceptible common Candida species may be not associated with increased 60-day mortality compared to echinocandins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To date, minimally invasive surgery (MIS) involving calcaneal osteotomy for Haglund deformity associated with intractable insertional Achilles tendinopathy has not been reported. This study presents the radiographic and clinical outcomes of our novel MIS-dorsal closing wedge calcaneal osteotomy (DCWCO) technique compared to open Haglund resection. We hypothesized that earlier clinical improvement after MIS-DCWCO could be achieved by leaving the Achilles tendon insertion site untouched.Methods: We retrospectively reviewed and compared the clinical and radiographic parameters of patients who underwent MIS-DCWCO (11 cases) or open Haglund resection (14 cases) between January 2012 and June 2019. The minimum duration of follow-up for inclusion was 18 months. We measured the calcaneal pitch, Meary's, Fowler-Philip, and Böhler's angles. Clinical outcomes were evaluated using the visual analogue scale (VAS) and Victorian Institute of Sports Assessment-Achilles (VISA-A) scores measured preoperatively and at 3, 6, 9, 12, and ≥18 months, postoperatively.Results: In both groups, the Meary's and calcaneal pitch angles did not change significantly, whereas the Fowler-Philip and Böhler's angles were significantly changed postoperatively. Significant improvements in VAS and VISA-A scores were observed in both groups (P < 0.001). The extent of correction of the four radiographic and two clinical parameters were not significantly different between the two groups. However, VAS and VISA-A scores at postoperative 6 months were significantly different, whereas these parameters were not significantly different at all other time points.Conclusion: Both techniques provided similar postoperative clinical and radiographic improvement. However, MIS-DCWCO achieved earlier clinical improvement than open Haglund resection.Level Of Evidence: Level III, comparative series. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children with diabetes, and particularly those with obesity, have poor glycemic control. They are thus at higher risk of early microvascular complications. Renal tubulointerstitial markers are integral to evaluating diabetic nephropathy. Various biomarkers have been proposed, but their role in the obese pediatric population is uncertain. We investigated renal injury markers in children with diabetes, according to obesity, and determined their role as early predictors of diabetic nephropathy. Fifty-three children and adolescents, diagnosed with either type 1 or 2 diabetes mellitus, and 43 control children, aged 7–18 years, were included. Clinical and laboratory characteristics, including six renal injury markers, were compared among subjects according to body mass index and presence of diabetes mellitus. Urine neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, kidney injury molecule-1, and N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) showed significant difference between controls and diabetic children, whereas urine NAG was the only biomarker that was significantly lower either in non-obese or obese controls as compared to diabetic children. Urine NGAL, KIM-1, and NAG showed significant correlations with both HbA1c and urine ACR, whereas only urine NAG was significantly correlated with HbA1c even when groups were subdivided based on the presence of either obesity or diabetes. After adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, duration of known diabetes, and urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio, HbA1c remained a significant risk factor for elevated urine NAG. Urine NAG could be a useful indicator of tubulointerstitial damage in children with diabetes in the pre-albuminuric state. Tighter glycemic control appears to be crucial for avoiding early progression to diabetic nephropathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous cases of lung injury caused by viral infection were reported during the coronavirus disease-19 pandemic. While there have been significant efforts to develop drugs that block viral infection and spread, the development of drugs to reduce or reverse lung injury has been a lower priority. This study aimed to identify compounds from a library of compounds that prevent viral infection that could reduce and prevent lung epithelial cell damage. We investigated the cytotoxicity of the compounds, their activity in inhibiting viral spike protein binding to cells, and their activity in reducing IL-8 production in lung epithelial cells damaged by amodiaquine (AQ). We identified N -(4-(4-methoxyphenoxy)-3-methylphenyl)- N -methylacetamide (MPoMA) as a non-cytotoxic inhibitor against viral infection and AQ-induced cell damage. MPoMA inhibited the expression of IL-8, IL-6, IL-1β, and fibronectin induced by AQ and protected against AQ-induced morphological changes. However, MPoMA did not affect basal IL-8 expression in lung epithelial cells in the absence of AQ. Further mechanistic analysis confirmed that MPoMA selectively promoted the proteasomal degradation of inflammatory mediator p65, thereby reducing intracellular p65 expression and p65-mediated inflammatory responses. MPoMA exerted potent anti-inflammatory and protective functions in epithelial cells against LPS-induced acute lung injury in vivo. These findings suggest that MPoMA may have beneficial effects in suppressing viral infection and preventing lung epithelial cell damage through the degradation of p65 and inhibition of the production of inflammatory cytokines. [Display omitted] • 50 μM of AQ induces lung epithelial cell damage and increases IL-8 production. • MPoMA effectively inhibits AQ-induced IL-8 production in lung epithelial cells. • MPoMA reduces p65-induced IL-8 production by inducing proteasomal degradation of p65. • MPoMA attenuates lung inflammation and prevents epithelial cell destruction in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To correct hallux valgus deformities in patients with a greater pronation of the first metatarsal, we designed a novel proximal triple derotational metatarsal osteotomy (PTDMO), which could be used to achieve three-dimensional correction of hallux valgus deformities at the proximal metatarsal level. Methods: We prospectively evaluated the radiographic and clinical outcomes of 13 consecutive cases underwent PTDMO between November 2018 and May 2020. The minimum follow-up for inclusion was 12 months. The hallux valgus angle (HVA), first-to-second intermetatarsal angle (IMA), distal metatarsal articular angle (DMAA), relative length of the second metatarsal, and medial sesamoid position on the weight bearing foot anteroposterior radiographs, and the degree of the first metatarsal pronation on forefoot axial radiographs were measured pre-operatively, at six weeks post-operatively, and at the final follow-up. The American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score and Foot Ankle Outcome Scores (FAOS) were measured. Results: In the comparison of pre-operative and final follow-up parameters, HVA, IMA, and DMAA were significantly improved post-operatively (all, P < 0.001). The relative length of the second metatarsal did not differ significantly post-operatively (P = 0.724). The medial sesamoid was significantly reduced (P = 0.01), and the first metatarsal pronation decreased by 10.16° (P = 0.034). Regarding clinical parameters, the AOFAS score and FAOS in all categories significantly improved post-operatively (all, P < 0.001). Conclusion: PTDMO resulted in satisfactory radiographic and clinical outcomes with respect to deformity correction and pain relief, with significant post-operative reduced pronation of the first metatarsal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate factors associated with septic shock development and 30-day mortality outcome with a prediction model among adult candidemia patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). A retrospective study was conducted among patients admitted to the ICU from 2009 to 2018 at a tertiary care medical centre. The study subjects included adult patients ≥ 19 years with candidemia treated with antifungal agent for ≥ 3 days. Clinical variables were collected and analysed. A total of 126 patients were included in the study. Of these patients, 32 patients (25.4%) had septic shock. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that chronic liver disease was associated with septic shock (odds ratio [OR] 3.372, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.057 − 10.057). The rate of 30-day mortality was 35.7% and the associated mortality risk factors were malignancy (OR 8.251, 95% CI 2.227 − 30.573), chronic liver disease (OR 3.605, 95% CI 0.913 − 14.227), haemodialysis (OR 8.479, 95% CI 1.801 − 39.924), mycological failure (OR 29.675, 95% CI 7.012 − 125.578), and septic shock (OR 3.980, 95% CI 1.238 − 12.796). A predictive model for 30-day mortality was created based on the mortality risk factor scores, which had an area of 0.862 under the receiver operating characteristic curve. Adult candidemia patients in the ICU who have chronic liver disease may be at higher risk of developing septic shock. Furthermore, our predictive model for 30-day mortality based on the mortality risk factors may be useful for clinical assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Critically ill patients in intensive care units (ICUs) often acquire opportunistic infections or are colonized by vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), which limits therapeutic options and results in high case-fatality rates. In clinical practice, the beneficial effects of universal chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) bathing on the control of VRE remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate whether 2% CHG daily bathing reduced the acquisition of VRE in the setting of a medical ICU (MICU) with VRE endemicity. Methods: This quasi-experimental intervention study was conducted in a 23-bed MICU of a tertiary care hospital in Korea from September 2016 to December 2017. In a prospective, interrupted time-series analysis (ITS) with a 6-month CHG bathing intervention, we compared the acquisition and incidence of VRE and the incidence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) between the pre-intervention and intervention periods. The primary and secondary outcomes were a change in the acquisition of VRE and incidence of VRE, MRSA, or CRAB between the two periods, respectively. Results: All the adult patients admitted to the MICU were enrolled in the pre-intervention (n = 259) and intervention (n = 242). The overall CHG daily bathing compliance rate was 72.5%. In the ITS, there was a significant intervention effect with a 58% decrease in VRE acquisition (95% CI 7.1–82.1%, p = 0.038) following the intervention. However, there was no significant intervention effects on the incidence trend of VRE, MRSA, and CRAB determined by clinical culture between the pre-intervention and intervention periods. Conclusion: In this real-world study, we concluded that daily bathing with CHG may be an effective measure to reduce VRE cross-transmission among patients in MICU with a high VRE endemicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zirconium has been used as an alloying element to mitigate the difficulty in the initial hydrogenation of pristine TiFe, a room-temperature hydrogen storage material. The addition of zirconium induces the formation of AB 2 -type ternary phases such as τ1 and τ3. In this study, these ternary phases were produced individually and their activation kinetics and hydrogen storage properties were assessed. Ultimately, both τ1 and τ3 can be activated at room temperature under hydrogen at a pressure of 3 MPa. The result validates the presumption that Zr-added TiFe is easily activated with the help of the Ti–Fe–Zr ternary phases. In addition, they can store 1.8–1.9 wt% of hydrogen, which proves their own use as a hydrogen storage material. The easy activation may be caused by the compositional inhomogeneity of mixed metal oxide at the alloy surface, as revealed by depth-profiling X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy; this provides new reaction pathways for hydrogenation. Image 1 • First study on single-phase C14 TiFeZr-based ternary alloys for hydrogen storage. • Room-temperature first cycle activation. • XPS surface study for understanding the activation mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Periodontitis is a local and systemic inflammatory condition and a risk factor of atherosclerosis, but no studies investigated the effect of a statin on atherogenesis affected by severe periodontitis. In this study, we investigated the effect of rosuvastatin (RSV) on atherogenesis in Apolipoprotein E-deficient mice receiving silk ligature placement around the maxillary second molars. Mice with the ligature placement developed severe periodontitis and vascular inflammation. RSV significantly inhibited the development of periodontitis and vascular inflammation and remarkably blocked the increased lipid deposition and the atherogenic gene expression in the arterial wall and aortic sinus induced by severe periodontitis. To understand the mechanistic effect of RSV on periodontitis-associated atherogenesis, we investigated the in vitro effect of RSV on various effect of TNF-α, a major proinflammatory cytokine for periodontitis and atherogenesis. We found that RSV notably inhibited the TNF-α-induced osteoclast formation, endothelial cell phenotypic changes, foam cell formation, and the expression of CD47 and other oncogenes in arterial smooth muscle cells. Taken together, our study indicates that RSV prevents the exacerbation of atherosclerosis induced periodontitis by inhibiting local, systemic and vascular inflammation, as well as the expression of CD47 from arterial smooth muscle cells in mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was performed to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of tandem HDCT/ASCT combined with targeted radiotherapy using 131I‐MIBG for high‐risk neuroblastoma. Patients with high‐risk neuroblastoma were treated with 8 to 10 cycles of induction chemotherapy before tandem HDCT/ASCT. Patients received 131I‐MIBG treatment before the second HDCT/ASCT. Local radiotherapy and maintenance therapy were performed after tandem HDCT/ASCT. Between 2012 and 2016, 19 patients were diagnosed with high‐risk neuroblastoma in our institution and 18 of them received tandem HDCT/ASCT combined with 131I‐MIBG therapy. For the first HDCT/ASCT regimen, 12 patients received busulfan/melphalan and six patients received melphalan/etoposide/carboplatin. The second HDCT included ThioCy. The median dose of 131I‐MIBG was 17.2 mCi/kg for the first eight patients, while 12 patients in the latter period of the study received reduced dose of 10.7 mCi/kg. The 5‐year OS and EFS rates were 79% and 61%, respectively, for all 19 patients with high‐risk neuroblastoma, and 83% and 64%, respectively, for 18 patients who completed tandem HDCT/ASCT combined with 131I‐MIBG therapy. Six patients experienced disease relapse and five patients died. Treatment‐related mortality was not observed. Among 15 evaluable patients, 11 patients (73%) developed hypothyroidism, six patients (40%) had CKD, and six patients (40%) had growth failure. Hypothyroidism and growth failure were less frequent in patients who received reduced doses of 131I‐MIBG therapy. Tandem HDCT/ASCT combined with HD 131I‐MIBG therapy could be feasible for patients with high‐risk neuroblastoma with acceptable toxicity profiles and favorable outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To date, the surgical treatment of severe hallux valgus deformity remains challenging despite the various methods presented. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of minimally invasive distal chevron Akin osteotomies (d-MICA) and minimally invasive proximal chevron Akin osteotomies (p-MICA) in correcting severe hallux valgus deformities. Methods: This prospective follow-up study included patients randomly assigned to undergo p-MICA or d-MICA for hallux valgus deformities with a preoperative hallux valgus angle (HVA) ≥ 40° and/or a first to second intermetatarsal angle (IMA) ≥ 16°. After a minimum follow-up period of two years, we compared various clinico-radiographic parameters of patients whose HVA exceeded 15° at the final follow-up. Results: In the p-MICA and d-MICA groups, seven of 40 cases (17.5%) and 16 of 41 cases (39.0%), respectively, exhibited HVA > 15° at the final follow-up (P = 0.048). The preoperative parameters showed no significant differences. However, at the first weight-bearing assessment, the HVA, IMA, and relative second metatarsal length were significantly smaller, and the distal metatarsal articular angle (DMAA) was greater in the p-MICA group (all P < 0.05) compared with the d-MICA group. Postoperatively, both groups exhibited significant decreases in HVA and IMA at the final follow-up (P < 0.001 for all parameters). The p-MICA group showed no significant changes in DMAA and the relative length of the second metatarsal (P = 0.253 and 0.185, respectively). However, the d-MICA group showed a significant decrease in DMAA (P < 0.001) and an increase in the relative length of the second metatarsal at the final follow-up (P = 0.01). Conclusions: p-MICA and d-MICA procedures demonstrated effective correction potential for severe hallux valgus deformities; however, the d-MICA procedure exhibited a notably higher incidence of unsatisfactory correction at the final follow-up than p-MICA. Therefore, d-MICA may be less predictable in achieving successful outcomes than p-MICA in treating severe hallux valgus deformities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The viscous thermal flow behavior and mechanical property of [Fe 0.6 Co 0.15 B 0.2 Si 0.05 ] (100−x) Ta x (x = 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5) soft magnetic amorphous ribbons were studied. The characteristics of melt-spun amorphous ribbons were measured by using vibration sample magnetometer (VSM), nanoindentation, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermo-mechanical analysis (TMA) to study the effects of Ta content variation on the thermal stability, mechanical, and soft magnetic properties. We observed that the nanoindentation hardness, Young's modulus, and glass transition and crystallization temperatures were improved by the addition of Ta. Using dilatometry measurement, TMA, by heating at a constant rate under tension mode, we examined not only the glass transition and crystallization behaviors but also the possibility of coexistence of multiple amorphous phases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intensified chemotherapy, HSCT, and supportive care improve the survival of pediatric patients with AML. However, no consensus has been reached regarding the role of HSCT in patients without favorable cytogenetics. We evaluated OS and EFS according to prognostic factors that affect clinical outcomes, including cytogenetics risk group, conditioning regimen, donor type, disease status at the time of HSCT, and number of chemotherapy cycles prior to HSCT in 65 pediatric patients with AML without favorable cytogenetics who underwent HSCT. Fifteen of the 65 patients died: three of TRM and 12 of disease-related mortality. The 5-year OS and EFS were 78.0% and 72.0%, respectively, and the 5-year cumulative relapse and TRM rates were 26.9% and 5.1%, respectively. Survival rates were not influenced by cytogenetic group (intermediated vs. poor), donor type (related vs. unrelated), transplant type (myeloablative vs. reduced-intensity conditioning), or number of pretransplant chemotherapy cycles (≤3 vs. >3 cycles). The low TRM rate and encouraging outcomes suggest that HSCT may be a feasible treatment for pediatric patients with AML without favorable cytogenetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different Cu-Zr alloys were hydrogenated under 100 bars of hydrogen pressure at different temperatures. The hydrogenation induced transformation of the initially amorphous phase into a polycrystalline structure characterized by its nanoscale (<5 nm), mostly composed of metallic Cu and ZrH 2 . Calorimetry measurements after hydrogenation showed a low temperature exothermic transformation occurring in the alloys hydrogenated at temperatures below 473 K, followed by multiple endothermic peaks at higher temperature attributed to dehydrogenation of different hydride phases. Activation barrier energies of the phase transformation were derived from Kissinger's method, and further characterization involving transmission electron microscopy revealed the existence of delta ZrH 2 with cubic structure contrasting with the typical epsilon ZrH 2 with tetragonal structure. This study evidences the effect of hydrogen pressure, temperature, and the alloy chemistry on the nature of the hydride formation in Cu-Zr binary amorphous alloys during the hydrogenation procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a subpopulation of cancer cells and have been known to create cancer reoccurrence during cancer therapy due to their stem cell-like characteristics. However, exact target to control the CSC has not been fully established. Here, we enriched CD44 High population of MDA-MB-231 cells by CD44 antibody as a CSC marker. By Phospho Antibody Array, CD44 High population of MDA-MB-231 cells reveals Feline sarcoma-related tyrosine kinase (FER) protein was highly activated. When FER siRNA and low molecular weight protamine (LMWP) as cell penetrating peptides are applied to this population, cancer migration and colony forming ability are inhibited. Moreover, silencing FER using FER siRNA and LMWP conjugates enhances anti-metastasis related factors including E-cadherin, p75 and p63. Taken together, FER is a new marker for targeting breast CSCs and peptide-mediated siRNA method could be an effective and safe way of delivery and be a new therapeutic strategy for targeting breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of a urinary tubular marker, liver-type fatty acid binding protein (L-FABP) and an inflammatory marker, serum/urinary YKL-40, with albuminuria in patients with childhood-onset type 1 diabetes (T1D). Methods: Twenty-nine patients with childhood-onset T1D and 32 controls were enrolled. Serum and urinary concentrations of YKL-40 and urinary concentrations of L-FABP were measured. Results: The serum levels of YKL-40 were not significantly different between the control group and the patient groups. However, the levels of urinary YKL-40/creatinine (Cr) were higher in the patients, even those with normoalbuminuria than in the controls ( p < 0.001). The levels of urinary L-FABP/Cr were not different between the control group and the patient groups. However, the level of urinary L-FABP/Cr in the microalbuminuria group was higher than that in the normoalbuminuria group ( p = 0.03). There were no associations between the levels of urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio and urinary L-FABP/Cr or YKL-40/Cr. However, the urinary L-FABP/Cr level was significantly correlated with the hemoglobin A1C level ( p = 0.005) and the urinary YKL-40/Cr level ( p = 0.043). Conclusions: Urinary L-FABP/Cr and YKL-40/Cr may reflect renal injury in early stages of nephropathy in patients with childhood-onset T1D, even in the normoalbuminuric state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hydrogen-induced phase separation of Cu–Zr binary amorphous alloys during hydrogen gas charging at elevated temperature was demonstrated; the homogeneous binary alloy was decomposed into pure Cu and Zr-hydride by absorbing hydrogen into the structure. The decomposition, which is attributed to the opposed affinity to hydrogen of Cu and Zr, took place in nanometer scale. The hydrogen absorption kinetics was compared for the alloys with different compositions. The structure after hydrogen absorption was analyzed using x-ray diffraction, ultra-small and small angle neutron scattering, and electron microscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purposes of this study were to (1) correlate the ultrashort echo time (TE) signal intensity of the pointwise encoding time reduction with radial acquisition (PETRA) sequence with that of the ultrashort echo (UTE) sequence using in vivo meniscal ultrashort TE imaging of the knee with a 3-Tesla (3 T) clinical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner and (2) compare the two ultrashort TE sequences in three groups of patients with normal, degenerated, and torn knee menisci. Materials and methods Following institutional review board approval, we analyzed 47 knee MRIs of 46 patients who presented with knee pain and underwent knee MRIs, including both the prototype 3D PETRA sequence knee MRI (TE: 70 μs) and the prototype 3D UTE sequence (TE: 70 μs) using a 3 T MRI scanner (MAGNETOM Trio, Siemens, Erlangen, Germany). The study group was classified into three subgroups: (1) normal meniscus on conventional MRI, with no positive meniscus-related physical examination on medical records; (2) meniscal degeneration; and (3) meniscal tear. For quantitative assessment, the mean signal intensities inside user-drawn regions of interest (ROIs) for each image set were drawn on the medical menisci as well as on the bone marrow of medical femoral condyle. For statistical analyses, the Pearson correlation test was used for correlation of the ultrashort TE signal intensity on the UTE and the PETRA sequences, and one-way ANOVA with post-hoc analysis using the Scheffe test was conducted to compare groups. Results The correlation test showed moderate correlation between the mean signal intensity values of the two ultrashort TE sequences (Pearson's coefficient: 0.4817; P < 0.05; 95% CI: 0.3113–0.6221). The normalized mean signal intensity values were lower for patients with meniscal degeneration and tear on both the PETRA and the UTE images. The PETRA images showed the significantly difference between normal and tear groups and between degeneration and normal groups (P < 0.05) whereas the UTE images showed significantly difference between normal and tear groups (P < 0.05). Conclusion Both the PETRA sequence and the UTE sequence can visualize the short T2 tissue. We demonstrated that there was significantly lower signal intensity on the ultrashort TE UTE and the PETRA images of patients with meniscal tear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is a meridian-based psychological therapy. The present clinical trial investigates the effectiveness of EFT as a new treatment option for Hwabyung (HB) patients experiencing anger and compares the efficacy to the Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR), the conventional meditation technique. Methods. The EFT and progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) methods were performed on 27 HB patients, and their capacities to alleviate anxiety, anger, and emotional status were compared. After a 4-week program, a survey was conducted; patients then completed a self-training program for 4 weeks, followed by a second survey. Results. During the initial 4 weeks, the EFT group experienced a significant decrease in the HB symptom scale, anger state, and paranoia ideation (p<0.05). Over the entire 9-week interval, there were significant decreases in the HB symptom scale, anxiety state, anger state, anger trait, somatization, anxiety, hostility, and so on in EFT group (p<0.05). Conclusion. The EFT group showed improved psychological symptoms and physical symptoms greater than those observed in the PMR group. EFT more effectively alleviated HB symptoms compared to PMR. EFT group showed better maintenance during self-training, suggesting good model of self-control treatment in HB patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The creep behavior of high-Cr martensitic heat-resistant steels was investigated to discuss the dominant factors determining the creep-rupture life in the temperature range from 839 to 894 K. Variation in the content of Nb, a carbide former, induced a difference in creep-degradation at the long-term creep condition, which was attributed to the formation of a Z-phase at the expense of M 2 N precipitates. Due to the continuous evolution of the microstructure during creep service, a simple form of the Monkman–Grant equation could not properly describe the creep-rupture life of the alloys; however, the modified Monkman–Grant equation, which incorporates the creep rate at the tertiary creep region, resulted in a reasonable estimation of creep-rupture life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purposes of this study were (1) to compare single-echo PETRA with dual-echo PETRA using in vivo MR imaging, (2) to compare non-fat-saturated PETRA with fat-saturated PETRA using a 3-T clinical MR scanner, and (3) to determine the effect of the adequate sequence and post-processing method. Materials and methods Twenty-two patients underwent dual-echo 3D PETRA sequence knee MR imagining (TE of 70 μs and 2.3 ms) with and without fat-saturation using a 3 T clinical MR scanner (Magnetom Trio, Siemens, Erlangen, Germany). The study population was classified into two groups: (1) normal meniscus on conventional MR images with no related physical examination on medical records and (2) meniscal degeneration or tear. We reformatted four image sets: (1) ultrashort TE signal without fat-saturation, (2) ultrashort TE signal with fat-saturation, (3) weighted-subtraction image of dual-echo PETRA images without fat-saturation, and (4) weighted-subtraction image with fat-saturation. For the weighted-subtraction images, the ultrashort TE image was rescaled relative to the second echo image with weighting factors from 0.6 based on SNR and CNR analyses. For quantitative assessment, the mean signal intensities inside user-drawn regions of interest (ROIs) were drawn and recorded. For statistical analyses, the t -test was used to compare the two groups and effect size was used for comparison of the discrimination power. Results In all image sets, the mean signal intensity values were lower in patients with meniscal degeneration/tear compared to controls on both fat-saturated and non-fat-saturated MR images. The single-echo ultrashort TE images showed higher effect sizes than the weighted-subtraction image of dual-echo images. Conclusion We demonstrated that there was significantly lower signal intensity on ultrashort TE PETRA images in the patients with meniscal pathologies. In addition, the single-echo of the ultrashort TE PETRA images echo time could be a more sensitive indicator between normal and pathologic meniscus conditions in patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hyperlipidemia is a major risk of atherosclerosis; however, systemic inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, systemic lupus erythematosus and systemic sclerosis are also known risks for the development of atherosclerosis. Periodontitis, a local and systemic inflammatory condition, has also been reported as a risk for atherosclerosis, but the specific link between periodontitis and atherosclerosis remains somewhat controversial. We previously reported that ligature-induced periodontitis exacerbates atherosclerosis in hyperlipidemic Apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE−/−) mice. To understand whether hyperlipidemia is necessary for the development and exacerbation of atherosclerosis associated with periodontitis, the present study created ligature-induced periodontitis in both wild-type (WT) and ApoE−/− mice. Subsequently, the status of local, systemic and vascular inflammation, serum lipid contents and arterial lipid deposition were examined with histological analysis, µCT, en face analysis, serum lipid and cytokine measurements, reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and immunohistochemical analysis. Ligature placement induced severe periodontitis in both WT and ApoE−/− mice at the local level as demonstrated by gingival inflammation, alveolar bone loss, increased osteoclastic activities and inflammation in alveolar bone. Systemic inflammation was also induced by ligature placement in both WT and ApoE−/− mice, albeit more so in ApoE−/− mice. The serum cholesterol levels were not altered by the ligature in both WT and ApoE−/− mice. However, the vascular inflammation and arterial lipid deposition were induced by ligature-induced periodontitis only in ApoE−/− mice, but not in WT mice. The present study indicated that the coupling of systemic inflammation and hyperlipidemia was necessary for the development and exacerbation of atherosclerosis induced by ligature-induced periodontitis in mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Targeting tissues/cells using probing materials to detect diseases such as cancer and inflammatory disease has been attempted with some success. Most of the molecular targets used in diagnosis and therapy were identified through the discovery of intracellular signaling pathways. Among intracellular signaling processes, the ubiquitination of proteins, and thereby their proteasomal degradation, is important because it plays a role in most diseases involving alterations to a component of the ubiquitination system, particularly E3 ligases, which have selective target-binding affinity and are key to the success of regulating the disorder. The regulation and monitoring of E3 ligases can be achieved using peptides containing protein–protein binding motifs. We generated a human protein-derived peptide that could target Smurf1, a member of the E3 ligase family, by competitively binding to osteo-Smads. To effectively deliver it into cells, the peptide was further modified with a cell-penetrating peptide. The peptide contains two fluorescent dyes: fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC; absorbance/emission wavelengths: 495/519 nm) as a fluorophore and black hole quencher-1 (BHQ-1) as a fluorescence quencher. When the target Smurf1 combined with complementary sequences in the peptide probe, the distance between the fluorophore and BHQ-1 increased via a conformational change, resulting in the recovery of the fluorescence signal. Simultaneously, the degradation of Smad1/5/8 was blocked by the binding of the peptide probe to Smurf1, leading to the potentiation of the osteogenic pathway, which was reflected by an increase in the expression of osteoinductive genes, such as alkaline phosphatase and osteocalcin. Possible future applications of the peptide probe include its integration into imaging tools for the diagnosis of Smurf1-overexpressing diseases. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

High temperature tensile and creep properties of face-centered cubic (FCC) high-entropy alloys (HEAs), CrMnFeCoNi and CrFeCoNi, were evaluated at 500–700 and 650–725 °C, respectively, to evaluate high temperature structural integrity of the most well-known FCC HEAs with special attention on (i) sigma phase formation in CrMnFeCoNi and (ii) difference in solid solution strengthening between the two alloys in the temperature range where commercial heat-resistant wrought alloys including austenitic heat-resistant steels and Ni-based superalloys are used. No remarkable difference was detected in tensile behavior measured both at room and high temperatures between the two alloys. However, creep rupture life turned out to be significantly longer for the CrFeCoNi quaternary alloy. On top of the longer creep rupture life, CrFeCoNi alloy is characterized by lower minimum creep rate and larger creep activation barrier energy which could be attributed to higher level of lattice distortion of CrFeCoNi than CrMnFeCoNi resulting in higher solid solution strengthening. Also, grain boundary strength of CrMnFeCoNi was compromised by the formation of sigma phase during creep deformation which led to lower elongation especially for long-term creep conditions. Therefore, the longer creep life of CrFeCoNi is mainly attributed to the combination of enhanced solid solution strengthening and stronger grain boundary which is free from the deleterious sigma phase due to the reduced thermodynamic driving force for formation of intermetallic phase. [Display omitted] • Creep behavior of CrMnFeCoNi and CrFeCoNi high-entropy alloys were investigated. • CrFeCoNi had significantly longer creep rupture life than CrMnFeCoNi. • CrFeCoNi turned out to have higher creep activation energy than CrMnFeCoNi. • Sigma phase precipitation during creep in CrMnFeCoNi degraded the creep strain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies suggest that dysregulated innate immunity plays an important role in the pathogenesis of immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN). The interleukin-20 subfamily and its receptor, interleukin-22 receptor alpha-1 (IL-22R1), were recently identified as immunomodulators in human diseases, acting as mediators of mucosal host defense. However, the potential role of IL-22R1 in the pathogenesis of IgAN has not been explored. In the current study, 194 patients with IgAN and 287 normal controls were genotyped for coding polymorphisms of the IL-22R1 gene and the association between the polymorphisms and IgAN was investigated. Local expression of IL-22R1 was examined in patients with IgAN and healthy controls using immunohistochemistry. Our case-control analysis showed that genotypes of rs3795299 were associated with childhood IgAN. Individuals with the CC genotype of rs3795299 had about 3-fold reduced risk of IgAN compared with those with the GG genotype in the codominant model ( P=0.0028) and those with the genotypes containing the G allele (GG or GC) in the recessive model ( P=0.002). After Bonferroni correction, the association between the rs3795299 CC genotype and reduced risk of developing IgAN remained significant. Furthermore, the renal expression of IL-22R1 was significantly higher in healthy controls compared with subjects with IgAN. Our data suggest that the CC genotype of rs3795299 polymorphism in the IL-22R1 gene is associated with the reduced risk of IgAN, and this genetic association was supported by the higher renal expression of IL-22R1 in healthy controls compared with patients with IgAN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The effect of Nb and Cu addition on the creep properties of a high Mn–N austenitic stainless steel was investigated at 600 and 650°C. In the original high Mn–N steel, which was initially precipitate-free, the precipitation of M23C6 (M=Cr, Fe) and Cr2N took place mostly on grain boudaries during creep deformation. On the other hand, the minor addition of Nb resulted in high number density of Z-phases (CrNbN) and MX (M=Nb; X=C, N) carbonitrides inside grains by combining with a high content of N, while suppressing the formation of Cr2N. The addition of Cu gave rise to the independent precipitation of nanometer-sized metallic Cu particles. The combination of the different precipitate-forming mechanisms associated with Z-phase, MX and Cu-rich precipitates turned out to improve the creep-resistance significantly. The thermodynamics and kinetics of the precipitation were discussed using thermo-kinetic simulations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A time-lag technique was employed to evaluate the chemical diffusivity and permeability of hydrogen through amorphous metallic alloys. As a reference, similar measurements were taken on pure palladium. While hydrogen diffusivity for the amorphous structures was smaller than that for a palladium membrane, the amorphous membranes exhibited higher hydrogen solubility, resulting in comparable hydrogen permeability. An increase in zirconium content increased permeability by enhancing hydrogen diffusivity, although the amount of hydrogen contributing to the hydrogen flux was not affected. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Stem cell differentiation is modulated by several key molecules, including cytokines, hormones, and engineered peptides. Emerging evidence suggests that microRNA has potential applications in stem cell engineering, such as in osteoblastic differentiation. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) bind to the 3′-untranslated region (UTR) sequence of target mRNA, thereby attenuating protein synthesis. Our goal was to evaluate the delivery of miRNA, i.e., miRNA-29b, to stem cells to promote osteoblastic differentiation because this miRNA is known to target anti-osteogenic factors gene expression. Despite the important role of miRNAs, their application has been limited due to poor cell/tissue penetration. The authors attempted to overcome this limitation by using a cell-penetrating peptide (CPP) carrier. Herein, the arginine-rich CPP, called the lowmolecular weight protamine (LMWP), is the sequence from natural protamine. We worked out the difficult problem to transfect into hMSCs by the complex with LMWP, and then we investigated synthetic double-stranded miR-29b could be induced osteoblast differentiation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Persons with HIV (PWH) have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared with those without HIV. Despite the increased risk, PWH are less likely to be prescribed statin therapy compared with the general population. The purpose of this study is to describe the statin prescribing practices of an outpatient HIV clinic and identify potential predictors of statin underutilization. Methods: This study was a retrospective, single-center chart review of PWH ages 40–79 years receiving care at an HIV clinic. Statin eligibility, statin prescribing practices, and appropriateness of statin therapy were evaluated. Logistical regression analyses were conducted to assess for predictors of underutilization of statin therapy. Results: Of the 606 patients, statin therapy was indicated in 362 patients (60%). Among those with a statin indication, 60.2% were prescribed appropriate statin therapy, 11.6% were prescribed statin therapy but not at the indicated intensity, and 28.2% were not prescribed statin therapy. Tobacco use (P = 0.0023) was identified as a predictor of statin underutilization. The odds of statin prescribing were higher for those with clinical atherosclerotic CVD (P = 0.004) and hypertension (P = 0.017). Conclusion: Statin underutilization was significantly higher in PWH smoking tobacco and PWH without atherosclerotic CVD or low-density lipoprotein–cholesterol 190 mg/dL or higher. In addition, this study highlights the need for more robust CVD prevention efforts in PWH. Identifying predictors of statin underutilization may aid in elucidating where gaps in cardiovascular prevention care may exist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Thin sheets of V85Al10Co5 alloy were produced by a thermo-mechanical treatment consisting in successive hot rolling, cold rolling steps and annealing treatment at high temperature followed by either air cooling or water quenching. Though the values of hydrogen permeability measured for these sheets were significantly reduced as a consequence of the rolling process, the annealing treatment restored almost the hydrogen permeation properties to those of the alloy in the cast condition. EBSD analyses suggested that the post-annealing treatment performed at 1100 °C for 3 min after cold rolling induced a recrystallization of the grains resulting in a preferred orientation along the {002} planes. For the sample annealed and water quenched, the value of the hydrogen flux reached about 45 ml/cm2.min, which is more than twice the value of the flux obtained for thin foils of Pd alloys tested under identical conditions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A methodology is proposed for predicting the elastic properties of precipitation-hardened alloys by combining different modeling techniques: the CALPHAD method, first-principles calculation, and elasticity models. The proposed procedure was applied to conventional aluminum cast alloys to predict their elastic moduli. The predicted Young’s moduli are in reasonable agreement with values reported in the literature, which verifies the potential applicability of the methodology to the development of high-stiffness aluminum cast alloys. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Previous studies have suggested that insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) signaling might play an important role in renal fibrosis and regulation of the proliferation of mesangial cells and podocytes. We conducted the present study to investigate association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of IGF-1 ( IGF-1) and IGF-1 receptor ( IGF-1R) genes and childhood immunoglobulin (Ig) A nephropathy (IgAN). We analyzed five SNPs of IGF-1 and IGF-1R in 188 pediatric IgAN patients and in 263 healthy controls. We compared variations in SNPs in several sets of IgAN subgroups that were designated based on the presence of nephrotic range proteinuria (>40 mg/m2 per h), podocyte foot process effacement, and pathological progression. Genotyping of IgAN patients and controls revealed differences in IGF-1R rs2229765. Moreover, the rs2195239, rs978458, and rs1520220 SNPs of IGF-1 showed significant association with pathological progression. Thus, in the present study, we observed associations between the IGF-1/1R pathway, susceptibility to IgAN, and the pathologic progression of IgAN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE-5) gene is highly specific to cyclic GMP (cGMP) and several experimental studies have shown that the nitric oxide/cGMP pathway plays an important role in the pathogenesis of glomerulonephritis, including IgA nephropathy (IgAN). The present study was conducted to investigate the association among 16 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of PDE5A and childhood IgAN. The genotyping data from 160 patients with childhood IgAN and 454 controls showed a significant difference in rs13124532 (codominant, P = 0.005; dominant, P = 0.005). Furthermore, patient subgroup analysis revealed an association between the development of proteinuria (>4 and ≤4 mg/m2/h) and rs13124532 (codominant, P = 0.008; dominant, P = 0.011), and between the nephrotic range proteinuria (> 40 mg/m2/h) and rs11734241 (dominant, P = 0.035), rs12510138 (dominant, P = 0.028), rs13134665 (dominant, P = 0.025), rs3822192 (dominant, P = 0.027), rs10013305 (dominant, P = 0.020), rs1480940 (dominant, P = 0.020), rs1480936 (dominant, P = 0.019), rs11947234 (dominant, P = 0.019), and rs2127823 (dominant, P = 0.026). The pathological findings showed that rs13124532 had an association with podocyte foot process effacement (codominant, P = 0.035; dominant, P = 0.044) and with pathological progression (codominant, P = 0.046). Our results suggest that PDE5A is associated with increased disease susceptibility, pathological progression, and development of proteinuria in childhood IgAN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Several experimental studies have suggested that signal transducers and activators of transcription 1 and 4 (STAT1 and STAT4) play important roles in the regulation of mesangial proliferation and renal fibrosis, and in the development of inflammation in several types of glomerulonephritis. Methods: The present study was conducted to investigate the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the STAT1 and STAT4 genes and childhood IgA nephropathy (IgAN). Results: Genotyping of 170 childhood IgAN patients and 442 controls showed no significant differences in allele frequency. However, patient subgroup analysis revealed that development of proteinuria (⩽ and >4mg/m2/h) was associated with STAT1 rs10199181 (dominant model, P =0.035) and high serum level of IgA with STAT1 rs6718902 (dominant model, P =0.035) and STAT1 rs2280232 (codominant model, P =0.014; dominant model, P =0.022). Furthermore, some SNP frequencies were significantly different between patients with pathologically mild and advanced disease; STAT1 rs6718902 (overdominant model, P =0.030), STAT1 rs10199181 (codominant model, P =0.023; dominant model, P =0.012; overdominant model, P =0.018), and STAT4 rs7561832 (dominant model, P =0.026; overdominant model, P =0.029). Conclusions: Our results suggest that polymorphisms of STAT1 and STAT4 are associated with increased susceptibility, pathological advancement, and development of proteinuria in childhood IgAN. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We evaluated the effectiveness of multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) as a diagnostic tool for nutcracker syndrome (NS) and its association with proteinuria. The angle and distance between the aorta and the superior mesenteric artery (SMA), the degree of difference in corticomedullary enhancement (DCE) between kidneys in the nephrographic phase of computed tomography, peak velocity ratio (PVR), and anteroposterior diameter ratio (APDR) in the sonogram were measured. The MDCT results, sonogram results, and the ratio of protein:creatinine were significantly different between NS patients and the controls. The area under the curve for angle, distance, and DCE were 0.895 ± 0.058, 0.876 ± 0.063, and 0.942 ± 0.036, respectively. The cutoff values for angle and distance had sensitivity and specificity values of 96.2 and 80% for <22.4° and 84.6 and 80% for <4.9 mm, respectively. The DCE had a sensitivity of 88.5% and a specificity of 100% for the positive scores. There were significant correlations between the degree of DCE and the ratio of protein:creatinine ( r = 0.337, p = 0.031), and between distance and the ratio of protein:creatinine ( r = −0.419, p = 0.006). We conclude that MDCT has diagnostic value for NS in children and that MDCT findings are correlated with proteinuria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: For the purpose of successfully monitoring labeled cells, optimum labeling efficiency without any side effect is a prerequisite. Magnetic cellular imaging is a new and growing field that allows the visualization of implanted cells in vivo. Herein, superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) nanoparticles were conjugated with a non-toxic protein transduction domain (PTD), identified by the authors and termed low molecular weight protamine (LMWP), to generate efficient and non-toxic cell labeling tools. The cells labeled with LMWP–SPIO presented the highest iron content compared to those labeled with naked SPIO and the complex of SPIO with poly-l-lysine, which is currently used as a transfection agent. In addition to the iron content assay, Prussian staining and confocal observation demonstrated the highest intracellular LMWP–SPIO presence, and the labeling procedure did not alter the cell differentiation capacity of mesenchymal stem cells. Taken together, cell permeable magnetic nanoparticles conjugated with LMWP can be suggested as labeling tools for efficient magnetic imaging of transplanted cells. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Three new compositional variants of the Zr–Ti–Be–LTM (late transition metal) family of metallic glasses are discussed. Thermal stability, ΔT = T x−T g, was increased from 82°C for Zr41.2Ti13.8Cu12.5Ni10Be22.5 (Viterloy 1) to 141°C for Zr44Ti11Cu20Be25. It is found that fracture toughness is the most distinguishing parameter characterizing the alloys in contrast to other mechanical properties. Quaternary alloys consistently had fracture toughness values exceeding 80MPam1/2, while for Vitreloy 1 K Q =48.5MPam1/2 with a large amount of scatter. Adding iron reduced the fracture toughness to 25MPam1/2. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A novel thermoplastic bonding concept is demonstrated based on the unique rheological behavior and pattern-replicating ability of bulk metallic glass (BMG)-forming liquids. In this approach, the BMG is heated above T g to the “supercooled liquid” region while a small normal force is applied to the joint. This results in liquid reflow, wetting and a strong bond. Complete wetting between copper substrates and a layer of platinum-based BMG leads to an atomistically intimate void-free interface. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

New processing possibilities are explored for a semi-solidly-processed bulk metallic glass matrix composite based on the ZrTiNbCuBe system. Thermoplastic processing in the supercooled liquid region, extensive room temperature cold-rolling, and tensile ductility with work-hardening are all achieved. This research demonstrates that bulk metallic glass matrix composites have potential that far exceeds high tensile ductility and ultra-high toughness. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The shear forming of 1050 aluminum alloys was conducted repeatedly via a shear deforming process termed dissimilar channel angular pressing (DCAP), in order to study the effect of the accumulative strain on the formability and planar anisotropy of aluminum alloy sheets. Very high plastic strains (ɛ eff ∼19) were imparted to the alloys by repeated DCAP (N =32). The finite element method (FEM) was used to analyze the deformation history during the DCAP. The corresponding texture evolution due to DCAP was simulated using the deformation history extracted from the FEM analysis. Experimental verification of the analytical results was also made. The r-value (Lankford parameter) was calculated from the measured textures using the rate sensitivity model. The effects of the texture evolution due to the multiple passages of DCAP on the formability and planar anisotropy were analyzed based on the measured - and Δr-values. Herein, we report on the possible production of aluminum alloy sheets having good formability and low planar anisotropy by repeated DCAP. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Bulk metallic glasses are adequate for micro-forming because of the viscous flow in the supercooled liquid state. The deformation behavior of Zr41Ti14Cu12.5Ni10Be22.5 alloy under compression in the supercooled liquid state were investigated by using DSC and TMA. Based on the deformation behavior, micro-forming process of Zr41Ti14Cu12.5Ni10Be22.5 alloy was designed and carried out. The surface of the deformed specimens were analyzed by SEM, XRD, and AFM. The roughness of the specimen surface exhibited a correlation with the total deformation and a new parameter reflecting roughness evolution of the deformed surface was suggested as the relative comparison among different forming conditions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Experiments were conducted on an aluminum alloy having different initial textures to investigate the effect of initial texture on the texture evolution during dissimilar channel angular pressing (DCAP). Both finite element analyses and full constraint Taylor analyses based on the rate sensitive formulation were performed to analyze the deformation history and corresponding texture evolution during DCAP. Rotation behaviors of individual orientations due to DCAP were studied both to predict the stable orientations under DCAP and to provide a detailed explanation for the experimental results. It was observed that texture evolutions in the specimens processed by DCAP are strongly dependent on both the deformation history and the initial texture. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Finite element analyses and full constraint Taylor analyses based on the rate sensitivity model were performed to analyze deformation history and corresponding texture evolution during equal- and dissimilar-channel angular pressing, respectively. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]