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Heterogeneous-structured high-entropy alloys (HEAs) have successfully addressed the trade-off between strength and ductility, demonstrating significant potential across vehicle, aerospace and defense sectors. During service, these alloys are invariably subjected to loading at varying strain rates. This manuscript investigates the deformation behavior of the heterogeneous-structured CrMnFeCoNi samples across strain rates spanning from 10−4 s−1 to 5 × 103 s−1. The strain rate sensitivity of the heterogeneous HEA (0.018) shows similarities to its homogeneous counterpart (0.017). With increasing strain rate from 10−4 s−1 to 5 × 103 s−1, fine-grained regions exhibit higher geometrically necessary dislocation (GND) density (from 1.44 × 1014 m−2 to 1.63 × 1014 m−2), contrasting with the constant density in coarse-grained regions (1.40 × 1014 m−2). At 5 × 103 s−1, the strain gradient between coarse and fine grains is more pronounced compared to that under quasi-static loading, resulting in enhanced hetero-deformation-induced strengthening. Additionally, regardless of the deformation region or strain rate, the log–normal function accurately describes local misorientation distributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Bending Asymmetry Index (BAI) has been proposed to characterize the types of scoliotic curve in three-dimensional ultrasound imaging. Scolioscan has demonstrated its validity and reliability in scoliosis assessment with manual assessment-based X-ray imaging. The objective of this study is to investigate the ultrasound-derived BAI method to X-ray imaging of scoliosis, with supplementary information provided for the pre-surgery planning. Methods: About 30 pre-surgery scoliosis subjects (9 males and 21 females; Cobb: 50.9 ± 19.7°, range 18°–115°) were investigated retrospectively. Each subject underwent three-posture X-ray scanning supine on a plain mattress on the same day. BAI is an indicator to distinguish structural or non-structural curves through the spine flexibility information obtained from lateral bending spinal profiles. BAI was calculated semi-automatically with manual annotation of vertebral centroids and pelvis level inclination adjustment. BAI classification was validated with the scoliotic curve type and traditional Lenke classification using side-bending Cobb angle measurement (S-Cobb). Results: 82 curves from 30 pre-surgery scoliosis patients were included. The correlation coefficient was R2 = 0.730 (p < 0.05) between BAI and S-Cobb. In terms of scoliotic curve type classification, all curves were correctly classified; out of 30 subjects, 1 case was confirmed as misclassified when applying to Lenke classification earlier, thus has been adjusted. Conclusion: BAI method has demonstrated its inter-modality versatility in X-ray imaging application. The curve type classification and the pre-surgery Lenke classification both indicated promising performances upon the exploratory dataset. A fully-automated of BAI measurement is surely an interesting direction to continue our endeavor. Deep learning on the vertebral-level segmentation should be involved in further study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) patients have lower physical activities when compared with healthy controls, and are associated with lower bone mineral density (BMD), muscle strength and poorer quality of life (QoL). We aimed to assess the feasibility and effects of 6-month home-based digitally supported E-Fit comprised of high-intensity interval exercises for AIS patients. 40 AIS girls aged 11-14 were randomly assigned to E-Fit or control group. E-Fit group participated in an online 6-month home-based exercise program. At baseline, 6-months and 12- months follow-up, BMD using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, muscle functions, physical activity using Modified Baecke Questionnaire (MBQ), and QoL using Scoliosis Research Society-22 (SRS-22r) and feedback questionnaire were investigated. 14 in E-Fit and 16 in control group completed the study. Both groups had similar baseline characteristics. At 6-months, E-Fit group showed better improvement and significant interaction effect in left femoral neck bone mineral content (p=0.021) and isometric curl up test (p=0.04). Left arm lean mass showed better improvement between 6-months and 12-months follow-up (p=0.046) and whole-body areal BMD had significant interaction effect at 12-months follow-up (p=0.077). Improvement on self-image, work and sports participation were noted in E-Fit group across time. 70% of E-Fit participants were positive towards domestic application via online platform. E-Fit showed some benefits on bone health, muscle functions, physical activity and QoL measures. Current study indicated some potential physical and psychological benefits of E-Fit for AIS girls. E-Fit was feasible to conduct online at home and might have value of promoting exercise habits among relatively inactive AIS girls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite application of ultrasound for quantitative measurement of spinal curvatures has been reported with various studies, a systematic review for such is lacking. This systematic review aimed to evaluate (1) reliability of ultrasound; (2) validity of ultrasound using radiographic measurement as gold standard in idiopathic scoliosis patients; and (3) the use of various anatomical landmarks for measurement of spinal curvatures. MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and CENTRAL databases were searched. QUADAS-2 quality assessment tool was adopted. Reliability of ultrasound in terms of intra-class correlation coefficient was recorded. Pearson correlation coefficients between ultrasound and radiographic measurements were extracted for meta-analysis. Subgroup analyses based on ultrasound measurement protocols of spinous process (SP), transverse processes (TP) and center of lamina (COL) were conducted. Eleven articles reporting 18 correlation analyses on 766 subjects were eligible for meta-analysis. The mean inter-rater reliability of ultrasound measurement was 0.87±0.07. Pooled correlation for all studies was 0.918 (95% CI: 0.868-0.949), exhibiting substantial heterogeneity (I²=90.50%, p<0.001). Subgroup analyses showed that pooled correlations were 0.887 for COL method (comprising 356 subjects); 0.924 for SP method (255 subjects); and 0.941 for TP method (117 subjects); all with notable heterogeneity (I²>90%, p<0.001). The overall risk of bias was rated moderate; yet publication bias was noted. Evidences showed that ultrasound was a promising non-invasive method with satisfactory validity and reliability for measuring coronal curvatures utilizing the SP, TP or COL methods. Further development of three-dimensional ultrasound towards scoliosis assessment will facilitate its translational application for managing scoliosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To establish the age- and sex-related normative values of sagittal alignment in asymptomatic Chinese adults, and to investigate the changes and possible associated compensation mechanisms across age groups. 584 asymptomatic Chinese adults aged 20-89 years were recruited. Subjects were grouped according to age and gender. Whole-body standing radiographs were acquired for evaluating sagittal alignment from spine to lower limb. Sagittal parameters between gender in different age groups were compared via independent t test. Pearson correlation analysis was used to demonstrate relationships between parameters. Thoracic kyphosis (TK) increased steadily while lumbar lordosis decreased gradually in both genders. Pelvic tilt (PT) in male is greater than in female across all age groups with age related gradual increase. There were significant differences between male and female from 20s to 60s in terms of knee flexion angle (KA) and ankle dorsiflexion angle (AA), but the differences were not significant after 60s. T1 pelvic angle (TPA) was significantly correlated with spinal, pelvic and lower-limb alignment. The older group (≥50 years) had a stronger correlation of TPA with PT and KA, whereas the younger (<50 years) had stronger correlation with TK. This study comprehensively presented the normative sagittal alignment based on a large asymptomatic population, which could serve as an age- and genderspecific reference value for spine surgeons when planning for correction surgery. Age can influence the recruitment of compensation mechanism that involve more pelvic and lower limb mechanisms for elderly people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is associated with osteopenia which could persist into adulthood affecting attainment of Peak Bone Mass thus resulting in osteoporosis in late adulthood. We previously reported a randomized double-blinded placebo-controlled trial(the Cal study) showing significant bone health improvement with 2-year calcium(Ca)+Vit-D supplementation for AIS girls. This study addressed the important issue whether bone health improvement from the initial 2-year Ca+Vit-D supplementation could persist as subjects approached towards Peak Bone Mass at 6-year ie after 4-year of supplement discontinuation. This was an extension of the Cal study on AIS girls (11-14 years old, mean age=12.9 years, Tanner stage

Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) occurs during pubertal rapid growth period and is closely associated with low bone mass. The underlying mechanisms for systemic low bone mass in AIS remains unclear. Wnt signalling pathway is one of the important pathways regulating bone metabolism and influencing bone strength, its family member Wnt16 associates with lower bone mineral density (BMD) in late adulthood, and plays key regulatory role in determining cortical bone quality in adult mice. Our randomized control trial have reported vitamin D (VitD) supplementation significantly improved bone mass and reduced the risk of curve progression in AIS. A case-control study and animal study were employed to answer if WNT16 is associated with the abnormal bone quality in AIS and if the effect of VitD supplementation is associated with Wnt16, respectively. A cohort of 161 AIS and control female subjects were recruited for measurement of anthropometric parameters, bone qualities, and circulating Wnt16 level. In animal study, WT and Wnt16gKO mice were both subjected to special VitD diet from week 4 and terminated at week 7 and 10 for samples harvesting. AIS showed significantly lower BMD, circulating WNT16 level, and elevated serum level of type I procollagen N-terminal propeptide. Wnt16gKO mice demonstrated lower cortical bone density compared with WT mice from week 7 of age and Wnt16gKO were less prone to cortical bone loss induced by high dosage Vit D diet. Further study on the biological role of WNT16 and crosstalk with Vit D metabolism on bone qualities is warranted which might shed light on prognostic gene of osteopenia and new perspectives for potential target to prevent curve progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AIS is three-dimensional spinal deformity with unclear etiopathogenesis. LBX1 is so far the only multi-centers validated AIS predisposing gene. The imbalance of posterior paraspinal muscles is an important factor in AIS etiopathogenesis. It is poorly understood how LBX1 contributes to the abnormal paraspinal muscles and onset/progression of AIS. We aimed to evaluate the expression of LBX1 in paraspinal muscles at the concave and convex side in AIS, and whether alternation of LBX1 expression could affect myoblasts activities and potentially influence muscle-bone interaction via myokines expression. Paraspinal muscles from AIS and age- and curvature-matched congenital scoliosis (CS) patients were collected for fiber types analysis. Biopsies were also subjected to qPCR to validate expression of myogenic markers, selected myokines and LBX1. Human skeletal muscle myoblast (HSMM) was used for LBX1 loss-of-function study in vitro. Muscle fiber types analysis showed type I and type IIX/IIAX fibers proportion were significantly different between AIS concave and convex but not in two sides of CS. LBX1, myogenic markers and one myokine were significantly imbalanced in AIS but not in CS. Loss-of-function study showed knockdown of LBX1 could inhibit myogenic markers expression and myokines as well. This study provides new insight into the association between imbalanced paraspinal muscle and potential muscle-bone crosstalk in AIS patients and the biological function of predisposing gene LBX1. Further investigation with appropriate animal models is warranted to explore if asymmetric expression of LBX1 could result in distinct muscle phenotypes and bone qualities thus affect the progression of spine curvature in AIS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to develop a productive numerical technique to deal with a class of time partial ideal AI control issues. The classical fuzzy inference methods cannot work to their full potential in such circumstances, because the given knowledge does not cover the entire problem domain. In addition, the requirements of fuzzy systems may change over time. The use of a static rule base may affect the effectiveness of fuzzy rule interpolation due to the absence of the most concurrent (dynamic) rules. The experimental result indicates that evolved bat algorithm with our proposed fitness function presents a 93.77% success rate in average for finding the feasible solutions. The contribution of this study is that near outcomes likewise confirm that the partial administrator for a Mittag–Leffler circuit in the Caputo sense improves the execution of the AI controlled framework as far as the transient reaction, in contrast with the other fragmentary and whole number subordinate administrators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is demonstrated both theoretically and experimentally that unidirectional acoustic transmission can be achieved through a simple structure consisting of only a uniform stiff plate and periodic rectangular gratings. Essentially distinct from the previous related works based on the utilizing of nonlinear effect or the partial band of the sonic crystal, it is attributed to one-side pattern reconstruction of acoustic plane waves induced by the periodic gratings, which can be physically modeled by forced vibration of the plate under periodic loads. The current structure takes the advantages of high transmission efficiency, small size, and broad bandwidth, which should open more possibilities for the miniaturization and integration of the one-way acoustic devices as well as further improvement of their performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A two-dimensional (2D) theory of thermal wave reconstruction is presented. By using a pulse spectrum technique and a Newton-like iteration method, the 2D inverse problem is expressed by a 2D Fredholm integral equation of the first kind. Further, the integral equation is approximated by a set of ill-posed linear algebraic equations, and a regularization method is introduced to overcome the singularity of the ill-posed linear algebraic equations. Finally, an error function is defined to choose the regularization parameter automatically to converge the iteration rapidly. The important developments in 2D inverse problem, compared with the one-dimensional problem, are that a line source is used instead of the source with a large cross section, and a finite difference method is adopted for numerical solution of the 2D heat equation. Numerical simulations demonstrate that this approach is effective and stable even with 5% random noise disturbance in the signal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The EOS-imaging system is increasingly adopted for clinical follow-up in scoliosis with the advantages of simultaneous biplanar imaging of the spine in an erect position. Skeletal maturity assessment using a hand radiograph is an essential adjunct to spinal radiography in scoliosis follow-up. This study aims at testing the feasibility and validity of a newly proposed EOS workflow with sequential spine-hand radiography for skeletal maturity assessment and bracing recommendation. Methods EOS spine-hand radiographs from patients with diagnosis of idiopathic scoliosis, including both sexes and an age range of ten to 14 years, were scored using the Thumb Ossification Composite Index (TOCI), Sanders and Risser methods. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were calculated for inter/intraobserver agreement and were tested with Cronbach's alpha values. Results In all, 60 EOS-spine hand radiographs selected from subjects with diagnosis of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), including 32 male patients (mean age 11.53 years; 10 to 14) and 28 female patients (mean age 11.50 years; 10 to 13) who underwent sequential spine-hand low dose EOS imaging were generated for analysis. The overall interobserver (ICC = 0.997) and intraobserver agreement (α > 0.9) demonstrated excellent agreement for TOCI staging; ICC > 0.994 for both TOCI and Sanders staging comparing traditional digital versus EOS hand radiography; ICC ≥ 0.841 for agreement on bracing recommendation among TOCI versus the Risser and Sanders system. Conclusion With the proposed new EOS workflow it was feasible to produce high image quality for skeletal maturity assessment with excellent reliability and validity to inform consistent bracing recommendation in AIS. The workflow is applicable for busy daily clinic settings in tertiary scoliosis centres with reduced time cost, improved efficiency and throughput of the radiology department. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is a retraction note for an article titled "On the Algorithmic Stability of Optimal Control with Derivative Operators" published in the journal Circuits, Systems & Signal Processing. The article has been retracted by the Editor in Chief due to concerns over mathematical content, authorship, relevance of references, and overlaps with previously-published articles by the same authors. The authors did not respond to requests for an explanation or any correspondence about this retraction. The publisher, Springer Nature, remains neutral in regards to jurisdictional claims and institutional affiliations. [Extracted from the article]

Scoliosis screening is important for timely initiation of brace treatment to mitigate curve progression in skeletally immature children. Scoliosis screening programs frequently include the protocol of referring children screened positive with Scoliometer and Moiré Topography for confirmatory standard radiography. Despite being highly sensitive (88%) for detecting those who require specialist referral, the screening program was found to have more than 50% false positive rate that leads to unnecessary radiation exposure. Radiation-free ultrasound has been reported to be reliable for quantitative assessment of scoliosis curves. The aim of this prospective diagnostic accuracy study was to determine the accuracy of ultrasound in determining the referral status for children initially screened positive for scoliosis. 442 schoolchildren with a mean Cobb angle of 14.0 ± 6.6° were recruited. Using xray as the gold standard, the sensitivity and specificity of ultrasound in predicting the correct referral status were 92.3% and 51.6% respectively. ROC curve analysis revealed an area under curve of 0.735 for ultrasound alone and 0.832 for ultrasound plus scoliometer measurement. The finding provided strong evidences on the accuracy of ultrasound in determining the referral status that could result in more than 50% reduction of unnecessary radiation exposure for children undergoing scoliosis screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the morphological changes of intervertebral discs (IVD) and vertebral bodies (VB) in AIS girls according to the subgroups with different curve severity by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This study included 33 age-matched female controls and 76 AIS girls with a right-sided thoracic curvature. Wedge angle, height ratio and distance ratio of VB and IVD were measured on the best midline coronal and sagittal planes from reformatted MRI spine. Volumes of VB, IVD and nucleus pulposus (NP) were evaluated on volumetric images. One-way ANOVA with Bonferroni correction was used. There was significant difference in wedge angle and height ratio of VB and IVD between AIS and controls. In severe-AIS, the position of NP was significantly shifted to the convexity when compared with non-severe AIS and controls. Whereas, the volume of IVD and NP in severe-AIS was found to be significantly smaller. On top of coronal wedging of VB and IVD, there was significantly reduced volume of IVD and NP in severe-AIS patients, despite T2 signal of IVD was preserved. The current findings indicate that early mechanical effects on the discs and vertebrae in adolescent scoliotic spine is evident on quantitative imaging. Importantly, these patients may be vulnerable to disc degeneration if no operative treatment is prescribed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Prospective randomized controlled trials and longterm studies are essential future directions for building evidence- based practices in developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH), however, sufficient attrition in data (> 20%) can introduce bias deteriorating research quality. Pelvic radiography is synonymous with DDH assessment and so are Gonadal Shield (GS) recommendations with pelvic radiography. Nonetheless, losses to diagnostic information and inadequate protection have been increasingly implicated to GS usage, with significantly worse implications in female patients. Understandably for DDH, a disease with 80% female prevalence, the impact of GS usage on quality of radiographs and readability of radiological data may be drastic. This study aims to objectively define the implications of GS recommendations in DDH patients. Methods Pelvis radiographs of all DDH patients under the hip surveillance programme at a tertiary care hospital with a written protocol for GS usage were evaluated. Images were reviewed for gender, GS presence, adequate gonadal protection and obstruction of essential anatomical landmarks for pelvic indices. Results In all, 131 pelvis radiographs with DDH diagnoses (age: 1.25 to 6 years; 107 female, 24 male pelvises) were reviewed. Only 42.67% (56) of pelvis radiographs used GS despite the presence of a clear protocol. Useful anatomical landmarks were obstructed in 58.9% of radiographs with GS present. Lost diagnostic information was more common in female patients than male patients (68.1% versus 11.1%, p < 0.01). GS was ineffective at gonadal protection in 73.2% (41) of the pelvises with worse protection in female patients (78.7% vs 44.4%; p = 0.03). Conclusions Ironically, essential anatomy was obstructed in all the adequately protected female pelvises. Routine GS usage results in substantial attrition of radiographic data in DDH patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of the Multi-disciplinary Orthopaedics Rehabilitation Empowerment (MORE) Program on reducing chronic disability among injured workers and improving efficiency of work rehabilitation process. METHODS:A cohort of patients with workplace injuries in the lower back were recruited from orthopaedics clinics and assigned to either MORE group (n = 139) or control group (n = 106). Patients in MORE group received an early MRI screening and a coordinated multi-disciplinary management, while patients in the control group received conventional care. Outcome variables are time to return-to-work (RTW) from date of injury, waiting time for MRI screening and time to medical assessment board (MAB). RESULTS: Patients in the MORE Program had significantly shorter duration for RTW (MORE: 6.1 months, Control: 12.8 months, p < 0.01), and more RTW cases (n = 64, 46.0%) compared to Control group (n = 29, 27.4%). The MORE group also had much shorter waiting time for MRI scans (91.85 vs. 309.2 days, p <0.001) and MAB referral after MRI scans (97.2 vs. 178.9 days, p = 0.001) compared to Control group. CONCLUSIONS: The MORE Program which emphasizes early intervention and early MRI screening, is shown to be effective in shortening sick leave and improving RTW outcomes of injured workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dysregulation of γ-synuclein (SNCG) has been reported in many cancers; however, its role in cancer development is still controversial. Here, we examined the potential involvement of DNA methylation in regulating SNCG and its role in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). We used 8 OSCC cell lines to investigate SNCG methylation and expression. SNCG methylation was examination by methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction and bisulfate sequencing. Cells showing a high degree of SNCG methylation were treated with 5-aza (methylation inhibitor), and changes in their methylation and expression profiles were analyzed. Functional effects of SNCG in OSCC were examined by its overexpression and knockdown. Additionally, methylation and expression of SNCG in OSCC tissues were investigated and correlated with clinicopathologic features. All OSCC cells showed detectable SNCG expression at the mRNA and protein levels. Methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction and bisulfate sequencing revealed high SNCG expression in SCC25 cells with the unmethylated allele, and their 15 CpG islands were unmethylated. The methylated allele was detected only in OEC-M1 cells exhibiting low SNCG expression, and their CpG islands were partially methylated. 5-aza treatment in OEC-M1 cells attenuated methylation and restored SNCG expression. SNCG overexpression increased colony forming, migration, and invasion abilities in OEC-M1 cells. Silencing SNCG in SCC25 cells suppressed these behaviors. All 25 tumor-adjacent normal tissues were negative for SNCG immunostaining. SNCG upregulation was frequently observed in dysplastic and OSCC tissues. Positive SNCG expression was found in 45% (37 of 82) OSCC tissues. Positive SNCG expression in OSCC significantly correlated with cancer staging and lymph node metastasis. However, SNCG methylation did not correlate with its expression and clinicopathologic variables in OSCC tissues. DNA methylation may participate in regulating SNCG expression in some OSCC cells. SNCG upregulation could be involved in OSCC progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Membrane type 1 matrix metalloproteinase ( MT1- MMP) binds to and regulates the function of tetraspanin-enriched microdomains. It also physically interacts with claudin-1 and acireductone dioxygenase 1 ( ADI1), both associated with hepatitis C virus ( HCV) cell entry. Here, we examined hepatic expression of MT1- MMP, ADI1 and claudin-1 as well as their physical interaction in relation to serum or intrahepatic HCV- RNA levels. A total of 104 liver biopsies obtained from chronic hepatitis C patients and 84 liver tissues obtained from noncancerous parts of surgically removed HCV-related hepatocellular carcinoma were analysed. Positive cytoplasmic ADI1 in liver biopsies was associated with higher serum HCV- RNA levels ( P = 0.009). Positive MT1- MMP and ADI1 interaction assessed by co-immunoprecipitation was associated with lower tissue HCV- RNA levels ( P = 0.009). Hepatic HCV- RNA levels were positively associated with ADI1 levels in the MT1- MMP and ADI1 co-immunoprecipitates ( P = 0.030). Overexpression of MT1- MMP in Huh7.5 cells suppressed cell entry of HCV pseudoparticles as well as HCVcc infection. The suppression effect could be reversed by co-expression of ADI1 in a dose-dependent manner. In summary, clinical and cell-based experiments suggested that physical interaction between MT1- MMP and ADI1 led to suppression of HCV infection. This inhibitory effect could be reversed by ADI1 overexpression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The phenomenon of foot binding, also known as 'lotus feet', has an enduring and influential history in China. To achieve a man-made smaller foot size, lifelong foot binding may have had adverse effects on the skeleton. We investigated bone properties in postmenopausal women with bound feet, which may provide new information for developing countermeasures for prevention of fragility fractures. Design: Population-based cohort study. Participants: This study involved 254 postmenopausal women aged 65-80, including 172 with bound feet and 82 age- and gender-matched control subjects, living in a remote region of China. Outcomes: Anthropometric, SF-36 Lifestyle Questionnaire and heel quantitative ultrasound (QUS) data were collected for the whole study population. A small subset of two cases was also invited for assessment of bone mineral density and microarchitecture at the distal tibia using high-resolution peripheral quantitative CT (HR-pQCT) and gait and balance tests. Results: Women with bound feet had significantly lower QUS values than age-matched women with normal feet; this was supported by HR-pQCT data. However, SF-36 Questionnaire results did not reveal any statistically significant differences in any categorical responses, including physical functioning, general health vitality and physical component summary score, and number of previous fractures. No impairment of body balance was found in the small subset. Conclusions: The man-made changes caused by foot binding led to reduced physical activity, making the subjects prone to osteoporosis. Women with bound feet and osteoporosis did not have a higher incidence of fragility fractures than controls. This might be explained by compensation in physical activity to improve body balance, implying the importance of improving or maintaining body balance in overall prevention strategies against fragility fractures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unlabelled: We performed a 3-year longitudinal study of a group of 179 healthy Chinese adolescents (92 boys and 87 girls) aged from 12 to 16 years to determine the effects of puberty, physical activity, physical fitness, and calcium intake on the acquisition of bone mass. At yearly intervals for 3 consecutive years we recorded nutrition, calcium intake and anthropometric measurements, and assessed pubertal status according to Tanner. Bone mass of the lumbar spine was determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and radial bone mass by single-photon absorptiometry. Physical fitness and level of physical activity were assessed and muscle strength and power determined by isokinetic testing. Peripheral bone mass correlated with axial skeleton bone mass. Age, pubertal staging, physical fitness and muscle strength were significantly associated with bone mass increments on cross-sectional univariate and regression analysis. Longitudinal regression analysis showed that the most important factor affecting bone mass accretion in adolescents in both sexes was their pubertal stage. In boys, bone mass increment throughout the study was greater in children who were already in the advanced pubertal stages on entering the study than in those who started puberty in year 2 or 3 of the study. The percentage change in bone mineral content of the forearm and in bone mineral density of the lumbar spine was greater than 25% in the advanced pubertal group as compared to around 20% in the less mature group. For girls, the reverse was true. The increment of bone mass during the study period was significantly greater in those who presented in the earlier pubertal stages than in those who were at the more advanced stage of puberty on entry into the study. There was no significant effect of calcium intake and physical activities on the bone mass accretion.Conclusion: In Chinese adolescents, bone mineral accretion at adolescence is not influenced by exercise, level of physical fitness and calcium intake. In both sexes, and especially in girls, to optimally increase bone mass, regular physical exercise programmes should be instituted well before the onset of puberty rather than at or after it. Once puberty starts, these interventions may have no or only limited effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CFD was applied to demonstrate the effect of reactor configurations on the fluid flow pattern in submerged membrane reactors. A mixture model, a realizable k-ϵ model, and the multiple reference frame (MRF) technique were employed to simulate the solid-liquid turbulent flow. Influences of the introduction of a ceramic membrane, the relative position between ceramic membrane and impeller, and the types of impeller on velocity profiles and concentration distributions were systematically discussed. These simulation results were validated qualitatively with experimental data for various reactor configurations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Loss of the cell adhesion protein E-cadherin increases the invasive capability of ovarian cancer cells. We have previously shown that epidermal growth factor (EGF) downregulates E-cadherin and induces ovarian cancer cell invasion through the H2O2/p38 MAPK-mediated upregulation of the E-cadherin transcriptional repressor Snail. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the EGF-induced downregulation of E-cadherin are not fully understood. In the current study, we demonstrated that treatment of two ovarian cancer cell lines, SKOV3 and OVCAR5, with EGF induced the expression of the transcription factor Egr-1, and this induction was abolished by small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated depletion of the EGF receptor. EGF-induced Egr-1 expression required the activation of the ERK1/2 and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways and was unrelated to EGF-induced H2O2 production and activation of the p38 MAPK pathway. Moreover, depletion of Egr-1 with siRNA abolished the EGF-induced downregulation of E-cadherin and increased cell invasion. Interestingly, siRNA depletion of Egr-1 attenuated the EGF-induced expression of Slug, but not that of Snail. Moreover, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) analysis showed that Slug is a target gene of Egr-1. These results provide evidence that Egr-1 is a mediator that is involved in the EGF-induced downregulation of E-cadherin and increased cell invasion. Our results also demonstrate that EGF activates two independent signaling pathways, which are the H2O2/p38 MAPK-mediated upregulation of Snail expression and the Egr-1-mediated upregulation of Slug expression. These two signaling pathways contribute to the EGF-induced downregulation of E-cadherin, which subsequently increases the invasive capability of ovarian cancer cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents differential-fed patch antennas with excellent cross-polarization. This paper provides a detailed graphic illustration of factors that lead to deteriorated H-plane cross- polarization by the conventional single-ended feeding probes. A novel differential rat-race feeding structure was constructed to allow easy impedance matching. An experimental antenna was realized on low-temperature colored ceramic (LTCC) at 8GHz. An excellent cross-polarization of less than -22:5 dB was achieved. When the operation frequency is high, the parasitic inductance caused by feeding probes may degrade the performance of antennas. This paper further proposes the use of differential aperture-coupled structures at high frequencies. An aperture-coupled antenna realized at 40GHz with low cross-polarization < -15 dB has been achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose: In this study, the clinical outcome and prognostic factors of adult medulloblastoma patients receiving multimodal treatment were investigated.Patients and Methods: The clinical manifestations, treatment variables, and outcome of adult patients with medulloblastoma at our institution between 1983 and 2009 were retrospectively reviewed.Results: A total of 20 adult patients were included (median age 22 years). Craniospinal irradiation (CSI) was given postoperatively. The craniospinal axis received a median of 30 Gy (range 23.4-39.6 Gy) in fractions of 1.6-2 Gy/day, and the tumor was boosted to a total median dose of 50 Gy (range 50-55.25 Gy). The 3-year disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) rates for all patients were 45% and 50%, respectively. In univariate analysis, Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS) > 70, neurologic symptoms duration > 30 days, lateral tumor location, standard risk patients, no hydrocephalus, radiotherapy (RT) treatment field (CSI + brain boost), and CSI dose ≥ 30 Gy were associated with better DFS. Standard-risk patients, RT treatment field (CSI + brain boost), and CSI dose ≥ 30 Gy were also significantly associated with better OS.Conclusion: The combined modality treatment results in a favorable outcome for adult medulloblastoma patients. Further investigation of the prognostic factors, radiation-related factors, and systemic chemotherapy is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary. Antiviral effect of interferon is mediated by the expression of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs). However, because of the difficulty in obtaining paired liver biopsies before and after interferon treatment, the key ISGs expressed in human hepatocytes and responsible for interferon-based antiviral activities in chronic hepatitis C remain illusive. Prior to a standard course of peginterferon plus ribavirin therapy, 104 patients underwent a liver biopsy. A small piece of the liver biopsy sample from each patient was submitted for ex vivo tissue culture in the presence or absence of interferon. Hepatic expression of 8 ISGs was detected by RT-PCR. The ISG expression patterns and clinicopathological variables were correlated with subsequent treatment outcomes. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that hepatic MxA expression ( P = 0.008) and leucocyte count ( P = 0.040) independently predicted the end of therapeutic virological response, while hepatic OAS1 expression ( P = 0.003), genotype 1 ( P = 0.002), HCV-RNA level ( P = 0.007), AST/ALT ratio ( P = 0.004) and leucocyte count ( P = 0.034) independently predicted the sustained virological response. Immunohistochemistry analysis showed that interferon-induced OAS1 expression localized to the hepatocytes. In conclusion, hepatic MxA and OAS1 expression predicted, respectively, the end of therapeutic and sustained virological responses in interferon-based treatment of chronic hepatitis C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) associate with tumor progression and metastasis. We sought to investigate the role of MMP-9 from sublethally irradiated tumor in accelerated pulmonary metastasis of Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC-LM) and the corresponding anti-metastasis strategies in C57BL/6 mice. We used Matrigel-coated Boyden chamber assays and chicken chorioallantoic membrane assays to evaluate the invasion capability of irradiated LLC-LM cells (7.5 Gy), reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and the western blot assay to investigate the expression of MMPs by irradiated cells, and small interfering RNA duplexes to inhibit MMP-9 expression. LLC-LM cells differing in MMP-2 or -9 expression were subcutaneously injected into right thighs and the resulting tumors were irradiated (10 Gy × 5) to induce pulmonary metastasis. Radiation significantly enhanced MMP-9 at both the transcriptional and translational levels. MMP-9 siRNA significantly inhibited in vitro radiation-enhanced invasiveness. The number of radiation-accelerated pulmonary metastases was significantly reduced by MMP-9 knockdown and MMP-2/9 knockdown. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction of LLC-LM cells in the blood and lung tissue revealed MMP-9 involvement in radiation-enhanced intravasation. Either higher-dose irradiation (30 Gy × 2) or pretreatment with prototypical MMP-9 inhibitor, zoledronic acid, significantly reduced the number of pulmonary metastases. The viability of irradiated tumor was seen on both positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, and tumor/serum MMP-9 levels suggested the association of local control of primary tumor and inhibition of time-dependent MMP-9 activities. Our results demonstrate that MMP-9 is crucially involved in radiation-enhanced LLC-LM cell invasiveness in vitro and in pulmonary metastasis from inadequately irradiated primary tumor in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A method of moment technique is presented to model the frequency response of broadband cavity-coupled microstrip vertical transitions. The technique divides the original problem into two kinds of regions, and then calculates the electromagnetic field distributions in each region by Green's functions. However, the closed forms of Green's functions are not always available. For regions without the closed-form Green's functions, equivalent ones are derived by the finite-element methods. This gives maximum flexibility in the physical structures. Two designs proposed earlier for the broadband cavity-coupled microstrip vertical transitions are selected for the practical applications of this technique. The simulation results are compared with those obtained from other numerical techniques, and the accuracy and validity of this technique is assessed by measured data. Numerical convergence of the equivalent Green's function technique is examined and computational efficiency and required memory usage are also studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanisms underlying the progression of noninvasive serous borderline ovarian tumors (SBOT) to low-grade invasive carcinomas are poorly understood. We recently showed that inhibition of p53 induces SBOT invasion by activating the PI3K/Akt pathway and transcriptionally repressing E-cadherin. In human cancers, aberrant DNA methylation is a common phenomenon, and it is thought to be involved in the progression from noninvasive to invasive ovarian carcinomas. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that inhibition of p53 downregulates E-cadherin by regulating the methylation of its promoter in SBOT cells. Here, we show that DNA methyltransferase-1 (DNMT1), but not DNMT3a or DNMT3b, was increased in SV40 LT-infected SBOT4 cells, SBOT4-LT and the low-grade invasive serous ovarian carcinoma-derived cell line MPSC1. Treatment with 5-Aza-dC, a DNMT1 inhibitor, restored E-cadherin promoter methylation and expression, and inhibited cell invasion in both invasive SBOT4-LT and MPSC1 cells. Moreover, knockdown of endogenous p53 using siRNA in SBOT3.1 cells induced DNMT1 expression and led to an increase in E-cadherin promoter methylation. Additionally, activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway is required for p53 inhibition-induced DNMT1 expression. The increase in DNMT1 was associated with the inhibition of p53-induced downregulation of E-cadherin and cell invasion. Our findings show an important role for p53 in the progression of SBOT to an invasive carcinoma, and suggest that downregulation of E-cadherin by DNMT1-mediated promoter methylation contributes to this process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Serous borderline ovarian tumors (SBOTs) are slow-growing, non-invasive ovarian epithelial neoplasms. SBOTs are considered to be distinct entities that give rise to invasive low-grade serous carcinomas (LGCs), which have a relatively poor prognosis and are unrelated to high-grade serous carcinomas (HGCs). The mechanisms underlying the progression of non-invasive SBOTs to invasive epithelial ovarian carcinomas are not understood. We recently established short-term cultures of SBOT cells from tumor biopsies and showed that inactivation of p53, retinoblastoma (Rb) and/or PP2A by the simian virus 40 (SV40) large (LT) and small T antigens extends the life span of the cells and endows them with the ability to invade Matrigel-coated transwells. In this study, we show that concurrent inhibition of p53 and Rb by the SV40 LT produces cells (referred to as SBOT4-LT) with increased life span and cell invasion. To distinguish the roles of p53 and Rb in the progression from SBOTs to invasive ovarian carcinomas, we performed small interfering RNA-mediated knockdown of endogenous p53 in a spontaneously immortalized SBOT cell line, SBOT3.1, which increased cell invasion. This increased invasive activity was associated with the transcriptional downregulation of E-cadherin, correlated with an increase in PIK3CA levels and the increased activation of Akt. Conversely, in invasive LGC-derived MPSC1 cells, enhancing the levels of p53 decreased cell invasion and diminished the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt-mediated downregulation of E-cadherin. Inhibition of Rb also enhanced invasiveness, but did not affect the levels of PIK3CA and E-cadherin in SBOT3.1 cells, suggesting that it functions by a different pathway. To our knowledge, this study is the first to show that p53 has an important role in the progression from SBOTs to invasive carcinomas. In addition, our findings suggest that downregulation of E-cadherin by the PI3K/Akt pathway contributes to this progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acid ceramidase (AC) overexpression has been observed in prostate cancer cell lines and primary tumors, and contributes to resistance to chemotherapy and radiation. The consequence of AC overexpression is the ability to convert ceramide, which is often produced as a proapoptotic response to stress, to sphingosine, which can then be converted to the prosurvival molecule sphingosine-1-phosphate. In addition to their ability to metabolize ceramide produced in response to stress, we show here that prostate cancer cell lines overexpressing AC also have increased lysosomal density and increased levels of autophagy. Furthermore, pretreatment with 3-methyladenine restores sensitivity of these cells to treatment with C6 ceramide. We also observed increased expression of the lysosomal stabilizing protein KIF5B and increased sensitivity to the lysosomotropic agent LCL385. Thus, we conclude that AC overexpression increases autophagy in prostate cancer cells, and that increased autophagy enhances resistance to ceramide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study develops a 28-GHz patch antenna array using LTCC (Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramic) technology, for use in applications of LMDS (Local Multipoint Distribution Service). The design comprises 2 × 2 stacked patch elements and parallel-fed networks, yielding a wide bandwidth and superior gain performance. Broadband performance is achieved by varying the dimensions of the parasitic patch. The arrays are excited through using a novel opposite-side feeding structure to prevent any electrical effect on the parasitic patch. Measurements correlate closely with the simulation results: a gain of 10.35 dBi and a bandwidth of 2.85 GHz (26.75-29.6 GHz) are achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A dual-port antenna is proposed to operate in the two frequency bands of global positioning system (GPS) and ultrawideband (UWB). First, the shorted ring-slot antenna is etched on the top surface of the FR4 substrate to radiate circularly polarized (CP) waves in the GPS band. Second, a monopole antenna, which is responsible for operation in UWB, is constructed on the bottom surface. In order to reduce the coupling coefficient, the monopole antenna is located in the center region of the bottom surface and the microstip line is placed in the specific region, whose reverse side is grounded. The measured data for impedance and axial ratio (AR) bandwidths in the GPS band are 320 MHz (21.1%) and 80 MHz (5.0%), respectively. As for UWB, experimental results show that the reflection coefficient is below - 10 dB between 2.93 GHz and 10.7 GHz. The antenna gain in GPS is 4.74 dBic and those in UWB are between 4.4 and 5.8 dBi. Moreover, the measured coupling coefficient is below -14 dB between 1.5 GHz and 10 GHz, which implies that the proposed antenna can operate independently in the bands of GPS and UWB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The detection of acoustic signals is of relevance for a range of practical applications, for example in medical diagnostics. However, whereas rectification of electric current and other energy forms such as thermal flux has been demonstrated, acoustic rectification has not yet been achieved. Here, on the basis of the earlier theoretical proposal of an 'acoustic diode', we present the first experimental demonstration of a rectified energy flux of acoustic waves. A one-dimensional acoustic rectifier is fabricated by coupling a superlattice with a layer of ultrasound contrast agent microbubble suspension. A significant rectifying effect is observed within two frequency bands at locations that agree well with theoretical predictions. Following optimization of the concentration of the microbubble suspension, rectifying ratios can be as high as ∼104. This realization of an acoustic rectifier should have substantial practical significance, for example in the focusing of ultrasound in medical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the radio frequency (RF) demodulation technique, a novel dual-wavelength fiber laser sensor is proposed and demonstrated experimentally. A beat sensing signal, which is generated by the coherently mixing output of a dual-wavelength laser in a high frequency photodetector, has been obtained and demodulated by a radio-frequency spectrum analyzer (RFSA). By employing a LiNbO3 modulator, high-frequency beat signal can be tuned arbitrarily to tens or hundreds of megahertz without distortion and thus a lowfrequency RFSA can be used. When a strain is applied on the laser sensor, the detected beat signals will be shifted with a strain sensitivity of about -8.11 kHz/με. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It has been recognised that genetic or hereditary factors may contribute to the aetiology of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). Recently, two linkage analyses have identified 19p13.3 as the candidate region for AIS. The dipeptidyl peptidase 9 (DPP9) gene is located on chromosome 19p13.3. Objective: To investigate whether IJPP9 gene polymorphisms are associated with the occurrence or curve severity of AIS. Methods: 571 girls with AIS and 236 normal controls were recruited. Using the Chinese data from the HapMap project, a set of tagging single-nucleotide polymorphisms (tagSNPs) were defined for the DPP9 gene. Five SNPs were genotyped by PCR restriction fragment length polymorphism. Statistical analysis of genotype frequencies between cases and controls was performed by the χ test. One-way analysis of variance was used to compare mean maximum Cobb angles with different genotypes in case-only analysis. Results: Genotype frequencies were comparable between cases and controls for all five polymorphisms (p>0.05). The mean maximum Cobb angles of different genotypes were similar to each other for all five polymorphisms. Conclusions: The DPP9 gene is not associated with the occurrence or curve severity of AIS. It is neither a disease-predisposition nor a disease-modifying gene of AIS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcome and prognosticators for patients with resectable head and neck cancer (RHNC) undergoing definitive concurrent chemotherapy and radiotherapy (CCRT). In total, 110 RHNC patients receiving definitive CCRT to defer radical surgery were enrolled. Radiotherapy was given as either 2 Gy once daily with 70 Gy, or 1.2 Gy twice daily with 74.4 Gy. Chemotherapy involved the administration of 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin in two concomitant and two post-radiotherapy adjuvant cycles. 3 months after CCRT, MRI was performed to evaluate the response and determine further treatment plans. Survival outcome was calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method. Log-rank test and Cox regression analyses were used to estimate the significance of prognosticators. 4-year local-regional control, distant metastasis-free survival, disease-free survival and overall survival rates were 76.1%, 85.6%, 67.5% and 53.2%, respectively. Local recurrence (odds ratio = 4.09; p<0.0001) and T3/T4 stage (odds ratio = 2.34; p = 0.01) were the independent factors associated with poor survival. T stage (odds ratio = 3.29; p = 0.03) and/or remission status on post-CCRT MRI (odds ratio = 7.22; p<0.0001) were significantly associated with local control, distant metastasis-free survival and disease-free survival. 13 of 20 patients with imaging residuum had local recurrence, compared with 12 of 89 with complete remission (4-year local control rate of 27% vs 86%; p<0.0001). Post-CCRT MRI may thus be used to predict the chance of a successful non-surgical approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]