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Buthidae family includes scorpions with highly potent venom such as Compsobuthus matthiesseni is important due to the prevalence of scorpion stings in Khuzestan Province, Iran. Morphometric comparison of males and females (n=5 each) showed that the body and carapas of the females were longer and wider (32.57±0.23 mm and 3.75±0.22 mm, respectively) than those of males (28.89±0.25 mm and 3.55±0.12 mm, respectively). From the seven specimens of C. matthiesseni scorpion, 410-bp gene fragments of ribosomal internal transcribed spacer 2 were amplified by polymerase chain reaction. The specimens of CM1 and CM2 (isolated from Baghmalek, Khuzestan) were in the same group with bootstrap values of 87%. Nevertheless, CM4 and CM3 (isolated from Shushtar and Bidroobe, Khuzestan) with bootstrap values of 73% and 62% were separated from the two specimens of Baghmalek, respectively. The two specimens CF3 and CM5 (isolated from Masjed Soleiman, Khuzestan) with bootstrap values of 88% were placed next to each other in a separate group. CF2 was separated from the rest of the specimens with a bootstrap value of 54%. Out of the seven scorpions that were examined, six specimens (CM1, CM2, CM3, CM4, CM5, and CF3) showed the greatest similarity between 1.1% and 4%. However, the genetic distance between CF2 and the rest of the specimens was at the range of 10.8-14.2%. It can be concluded that all C. matthiesseni scorpions from Khuzestan Province belonged to one species; nonetheless, differences were observed within the species, especially in the case of CF2, which might be intraspecies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper presents a hierarchical modeling approach for estimating cardiomyocyte major and minor diameters and intracellular volume fraction (ICV) using diffusion-weighted MRI (DWI) data in ex vivo mouse hearts., Methods: DWI data were acquired on two healthy controls and two hearts 3 weeks post transverse aortic constriction (TAC) using a bespoke diffusion scheme with multiple diffusion times ( Δ $$ \Delta $$ ), q-shells and diffusion encoding directions. Firstly, a bi-exponential tensor model was fitted separately at each diffusion time to disentangle the dependence on diffusion times from diffusion weightings, that is, b-values. The slow-diffusing component was attributed to the restricted diffusion inside cardiomyocytes. ICV was then extrapolated at Δ = 0 $$ \Delta =0 $$ using linear regression. Secondly, given the secondary and the tertiary diffusion eigenvalue measurements for the slow-diffusing component obtained at different diffusion times, major and minor diameters were estimated assuming a cylinder model with an elliptical cross-section (ECS). High-resolution three-dimensional synchrotron X-ray imaging (SRI) data from the same specimen was utilized to evaluate the biophysical parameters., Results: Estimated parameters using DWI data were (control 1/control 2 vs. TAC 1/TAC 2): major diameter-17.4 μ $$ \mu $$ m/18.0 μ $$ \mu $$ m versus 19.2 μ $$ \mu $$ m/19.0 μ $$ \mu $$ m; minor diameter-10.2 μ $$ \mu $$ m/9.4 μ $$ \mu $$ m versus 12.8 μ $$ \mu $$ m/13.4 μ $$ \mu $$ m; and ICV-62%/62% versus 68%/47%. These findings were consistent with SRI measurements., Conclusion: The proposed method allowed for accurate estimation of biophysical parameters suggesting cardiomyocyte diameters as sensitive biomarkers of hypertrophy in the heart., (© 2023 The Authors. Magnetic Resonance in Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.)

The risk of osteoporotic fracture is inversely related to bone mineral density (BMD), but how spatial BMD pattern influences fracture risk remains incompletely understood. This study used a pixel-level spatiotemporal atlas of proximal femoral BMD in 13,338 white European women (age 20-97 years) to quantitate age-related texture variation in BMD maps and generate a "reference" map of bone aging. We introduce a new index, called Densitometric Bone Age (DBA), as the age at which an individual site-specific BMD map (the proximal femur is studied here) best matches the median aging trajectory at that site in terms of the root mean squared error (RMSE). The ability of DBA to predict incident hip fracture and hip fracture pattern over 5 years following baseline BMD was compared against conventional region-based BMD analysis in a subset of 11,899 women (age 45-97 years), for which follow-up fracture records exist. There were 208 subsequent incident hip fractures in the study populations (138 femoral necks [FNs], 52 trochanteric [TR], 18 sites unspecified). DBA had modestly better performance compared to the conventional FN-BMD, TR-BMD, and total hip (TOT)-BMD in identifying hip fractures measured as the area under the curve (AUC) using receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve analysis by 2% (95% confidence interval [CI], -0.5% to 3.5%), 3% (95% CI, 1.0% to 4.0%), and 1% (95% CI, 0.4% to 1.6%), respectively. Compared to FN-BMD T-score, DBA improved the ROC-AUC for predicting TR fractures by ~5% (95% CI, 1.1% to 9.8%) with similar performance in identifying FN fractures. Compared to TR-BMD T-score, DBA improved the ROC-AUC for the prediction of FN fractures by ~3% (95% CI, 1.1% to 4.9%), with similar performance in identifying TR fractures. Our findings suggest that DBA may provide a spatially sensitive measure of proximal femoral fragility that is not captured by FN-BMD or TR-BMD alone. © 2022 The Authors. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR)., (© 2022 The Authors. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR).)

Purpose: To evaluate varied aspects of binocular function in multiple gaze positions., Methods: In 2018, this cross-sectional study was conducted on 21 participants (male = 11) with an age range of 19-25 years. Having emmetropia and 10/10 visual acuity in both eyes were conditions of the inclusion criteria for the cross-sectional study. The following aspects of binocular function including amplitude of accommodation (AA), near point of convergence, near phoria, and monocular accommodative facility were evaluated in five gazes (primary, upward, downward, left, and right) for all subjects., Results: Near point of convergence values showed significant differences in all gaze positions ( P < 0.001). The lowest near point of convergence value was seen in the primary gaze (2.69 cm) and the downward gaze (3.47 cm) and the highest near point of convergence value was seen in the left gaze (7.5 cm). There was also a significant difference in the amplitude of accommodation among the upward, downward, and the primary gaze ( P < 0.001) positions but no difference was observed among the temporal, nasal, and the primary gaze positions. There was a significant difference in near phoria between the upward gaze and the primary gaze ( P = 0.008) while no significant differences were observed among the other gazes. There was no significant variance in the monocular accommodative facility among the different gaze positions ( P = 0.175)., Conclusion: The results of this study indicated variations that exist in the convergence and accommodation reflex functions in multiple gaze positions, which proved to be more prominent in the convergence system. Although the accommodative sufficiency evaluation was inconsistent among the multiple gaze positions, the accommodative facility evaluation was consistent in all gazes., Competing Interests: No conflicting relationship exists for any author., (Copyright © 2022 Asharlous et al.)

Background: Ceramic-on-ceramic bearings permit the use of large femoral head size while maintaining a favorable effect on wear rates. However, because of increased device rigidity, periprosthetic bone quality could be negatively affected due to stress shielding. The purpose of this study is to assess pelvic periprosthetic bone remodeling around a monoblock ceramic-on-ceramic acetabular component compared to that around a conventional modular metal-on-polyethylene device., Methods: Participants were randomized to receive hip replacement using either a porous-coated, modular metal-on-polyethylene acetabular component (n = 46) or a hydroxyapatite and titanium-coated monoblock shell with an integrated ceramic-on-ceramic bearing (n = 40). Radiographic assessments were completed preoperatively and postoperatively, and measurements of bone mineral density (BMD) using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry with region free analysis were performed postoperatively and over 2-years of follow-up., Results: There was no significant difference in BMD between the 2 groups at baseline or over the following 2 years. At follow-up, complete shell-to-bone contact without a radiolucent line was observed in 26 (67%) of the modular devices and in 37 (93%) of monoblock (P < .001). The modular device was an independent predictor of radiolucent lines (odds ratio 19.1, P = .007). No cases underwent revision surgery for acetabular loosening., Conclusion: Both the porous-coated modular and hydroxyapatite-coated monoblock acetabular components showed successful clinical results at short-term follow-up with no difference in pixel-level BMD. Using a large head monoblock device does not appear to be associated with an adverse effect on the local bone environment when compared to a modular device. NCT: NCT01558752., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Biophysical models are a promising means for interpreting diffusion weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) data, as they can provide estimates of physiologically relevant parameters of microstructure including cell size, volume fraction, or dispersion. However, their application in cardiac microstructure mapping (CMM) has been limited. This study proposes seven new two-compartment models with combination of restricted cylinder models and a diffusion tensor to represent intra- and extracellular spaces, respectively. Three extended versions of the cylinder model are studied here: cylinder with elliptical cross section (ECS), cylinder with Gamma distributed radii (GDR), and cylinder with Bingham distributed axes (BDA). The proposed models were applied to data in two fixed mouse hearts, acquired with multiple diffusion times, q-shells and diffusion encoding directions. The cylinderGDR-pancake model provided the best performance in terms of root mean squared error (RMSE) reducing it by 25% compared to diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). The cylinderBDA-pancake model represented anatomical findings closest as it also allows for modelling dispersion. High-resolution 3D synchrotron X-ray imaging (SRI) data from the same specimen was utilized to evaluate the biophysical models. A novel tensor-based registration method is proposed to align SRI structure tensors to the MR diffusion tensors. The consistency between SRI and DW-MRI parameters demonstrates the potential of compartment models in assessing physiologically relevant parameters.

Background: In this randomized controlled trial (RCT), we compared bone remodeling and bone turnover between 2 total hip arthroplasty implants-the short, proximally porous-coated Tri-Lock Bone-Preservation Stem and a conventional, fully-coated Corail prosthesis-over a 2-year postoperative period., Methods: Forty-six participants received the Tri-Lock prosthesis and 40 received the Corail prosthesis. At baseline, the 2 groups had similar demographics, proximal femoral bone mineral density (BMD), bone turnover markers, radiographic canal flare index, and patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) scores. Outcomes were measured at weeks 26, 52, and 104., Results: Loss of periprosthetic bone, measured by high-sensitivity dual x-ray absorptiometry region-free analysis (DXA-RFA), was identified at the calcar and proximal-lateral aspect of the femur in both prosthesis groups (p < 0.05). However, the conventional prosthesis was associated with a smaller reduction in BMD compared with the bone-preservation prosthesis (p < 0.001). This effect was most prominent in the region of the femoral calcar and greater trochanter. A small gain in BMD was also identified in some areas, and this gain was greater with the conventional than the bone-preservation prosthesis (p < 0.001). The 2 groups had similar changes in bone turnover markers and improvement in PROM scores over the study period (p > 0.05). The adverse-event rate was also similar between the groups (p > 0.05)., Conclusions: This RCT shows that prostheses intended to preserve proximal femoral bone do not necessarily perform better in this regard than conventional cementless designs. DXA-RFA is a sensitive tool for detecting spatially complex patterns of periprosthetic bone remodeling., Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level I. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence., Competing Interests: Disclosure: This project was funded by DePuy Synthes, a part of Johnson & Johnson Medical Products, a division of Johnson & Johnson Inc. The funder, which manufactures all the prostheses studied in this work, took no part in the design or conduct of the trial, the analysis or interpretation of the results, or the preparation of the manuscript. On the Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest forms, which are provided with the online version of the article, one or more of the authors checked “yes” to indicate that the author had a relevant financial relationship in the biomedical arena outside the submitted work (http://links.lww.com/JBJS/G170)., (Copyright © 2020 by The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Incorporated.)

Osteoporosis is an age-associated disease characterised by low bone mineral density (BMD) and micro-architectural deterioration leading to enhanced fracture risk. Conventional dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) analysis has facilitated our understanding of BMD reduction in specific regions of interest (ROIs) within the femur, but cannot resolve spatial BMD patterns nor reflect age-related changes in bone microarchitecture due to its inherent averaging of pixel BMD values into large ROIs. To address these limitations and develop a comprehensive model of involutional bone loss, this paper presents a fully automatic pipeline to build a spatio-temporal atlas of ageing bone in the proximal femur. A new technique, termed DXA region free analysis (DXA RFA), is proposed to eliminate morphological variation between DXA scans by warping each image into a reference template. To construct the atlas, we use unprocessed DXA data from Caucasian women aged 20-97 years participating in three cohort studies in Western Europe ( ,000). A novel calibration procedure, termed quantile matching regression, is proposed to integrate data from different DXA manufacturers. Pixel-wise BMD evolution with ageing was modelled using smooth quantile curves. This technique enables characterisation of spatially-complex BMD change patterns with ageing, visualised using heat-maps. Furthermore, quantile curves plotted at different pixel coordinates showed consistently different rates of bone loss at different regions within the femoral neck. Given the close relationship between spatio-temporal bone loss and osteoporotic fracture, improved understanding of the bone ageing process could lead to enhanced prognostic, preventive and therapeutic strategies for the disease.

Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is the reference standard method used to study bone mineral density (BMD) after total hip arthroplasty (THA). However, the subtle, spatially complex changes in bone mass due to strain-adaptive bone remodeling relevant to different prosthesis designs are not readily resolved using conventional DXA analysis. DXA region free analysis (DXA RFA) is a novel computational image analysis technique that provides a high-resolution quantitation of periprosthetic BMD. Here, we applied the technique to quantitate the magnitude and areal size of periprosthetic BMD changes using scans acquired during two previous randomized clinical trials (2004 to 2009); one comparing three cemented prosthesis design geometries, and the other comparing a hip resurfacing versus a conventional cementless prosthesis. DXA RFA resolved subtle differences in magnitude and area of bone remodeling between prosthesis designs not previously identified in conventional DXA analyses. A mean bone loss of 10.3%, 12.1%, and 11.1% occurred for the three cemented prostheses within a bone area fraction of 14.8%, 14.4%, and 6.2%, mostly within the lesser trochanter (p < 0.001). For the cementless prosthesis, a diffuse pattern of bone loss (-14.3%) was observed at the shaft of femur in a small area fraction of 0.6% versus no significant bone loss for the hip resurfacing prosthesis (p < 0.001). BMD increases were observed consistently at the greater trochanter for all prostheses except the hip-resurfacing prosthesis, where BMD increase was widespread across the metaphysis (p < 0.001). DXA RFA provides high-resolution insights into the effect of prosthesis design on the local strain environment in bone. © 2017 The Authors Journal of Orthopaedic Research published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Orthopaedic Research Society. J Orthop Res 35:2203-2210, 2017., (© 2017 The Authors Journal of Orthopaedic Research published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Orthopaedic Research Society.)

The gold standard tool for measuring periprosthetic bone mineral density (BMD) is dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). However, resolution of the method is limited due to the aggregation of pixel data into large regions of interest for clinical and statistical analysis. We have previously validated a region-free analysis method (DXA-RFA) for quantitating BMD change at the pixel level around femoral prostheses. Here, we applied the DXA-RFA method to the pelvis, and quantitated its precision in this setting using repeated DXA scans taken on the same day after repositioning in 29 patients after total hip arthroplasty. Scans were semiautomatically segmented using edge detection, intensity thresholding, and morphologic operations, and elastically registered to a common template generated through generalized Procrustes analysis. Pixel-wise BMD precision between repeated scans was expressed as a coefficient of variation %. Longitudinal BMD change was assessed in an independent group of 24 patients followed up for 260 wk. DXA-RFA spatial resolution of 0.31 mm 2 provided approximately 12,500 data points per scan. The median data-point precision was 17.8% (interquartile range 14.3%-22.7%). The anatomic distribution of the precision errors showed poorer precision at the bone borders and superior precision to the obturator foramen. Evaluation of longitudinal BMD showed focal BMD change at 260 wk of -26.8% adjacent to the prosthesis-bone interface (1% of bone map area). In contrast, BMD change of +39.0% was observed at the outer aspect of the ischium (3% of bone map area). Pelvic DXA-RFA is less precise than conventional DXA analysis. However, it is sensitive for detecting local BMD change events in groups of patients, and provides a novel tool for quantitating local bone mass after joint replacement. Using this method, we were able to resolve BMD change over small areas adjacent to the implant-bone interface and in the ischial region over 260 wk after total hip arthroplasty., (Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background. Intravenous tissue plasminogen activator, a time dependent therapy, can reduce the morbidity and mortality of acute ischemic stroke. This study was designed to assess the effect of simple in-hospital interventions on reducing door-to-CT (DTC) time and reaching door-to-needle (DTN) time of less than 60 minutes. Methods. Before any intervention, DTC time was recorded for 213 patients over a one-year period at our center. Five simple quality-improvement interventions were implemented, namely, call notification, prioritizing patients for CT scan, prioritizing patients for lab analysis, specifying a bed for acute stroke patients, and staff education. After intervention, over a course of 44 months, DTC time was recorded for 276 patients with the stroke code. Furthermore DTN time was recorded for 106 patients who were treated with IV thrombolytic therapy. Results. The median DTC time significantly decreased in the postintervention period comparing to the preintervention period [median (IQR); 20 (12-30) versus 75 (52.5-105), P < 0.001]. At the postintervention period, the median (IQR) DTN time was 55 (40-73) minutes and proportion of patients with DTN time less than 60 minutes was 62.4% (P < 0.001). Conclusion. Our interventions significantly reduced DTC time and resulted in an acceptable DTN time. These interventions are feasible in most hospitals and should be considered.

Objectives: In an attempt α-amylase gene from Pyrococcus woesei was amplified and cloned into a pTYB2 vector to generate the recombinant plasmid pTY- α-amylase., Methods: Escherichia coli BL21 used as a host and protein expression was applied using IPTG. SDS-PAGE assay demonstrated the 100 kDa protein. Amylolytic activity of proteins produced by transformed E. coli cells was detected by zymography, and the rate of active α-amylase with and without the intein tag in both soluble conditions and as inclusion bodies solubilized by 4M urea were measured., Results: Amylolytic activity of ∼185,000 U/L of bacterial culture was observed from the soluble form of the protein using this system., Conclusion: These results indicate that this expression system was appropriate for the production of thermostable α-amylase.

The effect of high-shear homogenization on the rheological and particle size characteristics of three species of gum tragacanth (GT) was detected. Dispersions were subjected to 0-20 min treatment. Static light scattering techniques and rheological tests were used to study the effect of treatment. The results showed that the process caused a decrease in particle size parameters for all three species, but interestingly, the apparent viscosities increased. The highest increase of apparent viscosity was found for solutions containing Astragalus gossypinus, which possessed the highest insoluble fraction. The viscoelastic behaviors of dispersions were also significantly influenced by the process. Homogenization caused an increase in both G' and G″, in all three species. The alterations seem to be highly dependent on GT species and structure. The results could be of high importance in the industry, since the process will lead to textural modifications of food products containing GT., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Our preliminary data on the protein expression of SORT1 in ovarian carcinoma tissues showed that sortilin was overexpressed in ovarian carcinoma patients and cell lines, while non-malignant ovaries expressed comparably lower amount of this protein. In spite of diverse ligands and also different putative functions of sortilin (NTR3), the function of overexpressed sortilin in ovarian carcinoma cells is an intriguing subject of inquiry. The aim of this study was, therefore, to investigate the functional role of sortilin in survival of ovarian carcinoma cell line., Methods: Expression of sortilin was knocked down using RNAi technology in the ovarian carcinoma cell line, Caov-4. Silencing of SORT1 expression was assessed using real-time qPCR and Western blot analyses. Apoptosis induction was evaluated using flow cytometry by considering annexin-V FITC binding. [(3)H]-thymidine incorporation assay was also used to evaluate cell proliferation capacity., Results: Real-time qPCR and Western blot analyses showed that expression of sortilin was reduced by nearly 70-80% in the siRNA transfected cells. Knocking down of sortilin expression resulted in increased apoptosis (27.5±0.48%) in siRNA-treated ovarian carcinoma cell line. Sortilin silencing led to significant inhibition of proliferation (40.1%) in siRNA-transfected Caov-4 cells as compared to mock control-transfected counterpart (p < 0.05)., Conclusion: As it was suspected from overexpression of sortilin in ovarian tumor cells, a cell survival role for sortilin can be deduced from these results. In conclusion, the potency of apoptosis induction via silencing of sortilin expression in tumor cells may introduce sortilin as a potential candidate for developing a novel targeted therapy in patients with ovarian carcinoma.

Background: Heel clearance and ankle status (free or locked) are of major determinants affecting peak plantar pressures and contact area in patellar tendon bearing brace and have been separately studied by many researchers. This study investigated the combined effect of ankle status and heel clearance on contact area and peak plantar pressure in different areas of foot (hindfoot, midfoot, and forefoot)., Study Design: Before-after repeated measurement trial., Methods: Nine healthy male volunteers walked 8 m with normal shoe and four conditions of patellar tendon bearing brace wear. Repeated-measure analysis of variance test was used to compare contact area and plantar pressure changes in three areas of the foot., Results: Application of patellar tendon bearing brace significantly reduced overall plantar pressure and contact area (p < 0.01). Although both contact area and plantar pressure significantly decreased in hindfoot and midfoot, plantar pressure increased in forefoot area (p < 0.05)., Conclusions: Application of the patellar tendon bearing brace can reduce the overall peak plantar pressure in the foot but increases focal plantar pressure in forefoot. Excessive lifting of the heel seems to minimize the contact area, thus increase focal pressure in forefoot. Overall, plantar pressure seems to be more effectively off-loaded by combining maximum heel clearance and restriction of the ankle joint., Clinical Relevance: Although effective parameters of patellar tendon bearing brace have been separately addressed in previous studies, no study was found that investigated the combined effect of ankle status and heel clearance. This study investigates the combined effect of these parameters and provides detailed information on clinical application of the patellar tendon bearing brace.

Emulsification activities of three different species of gum tragacanth containing Astragalus gossypinus, A. compactus and A. rahensis were investigated. Emulsion stability indexes, particle size distributions, steady and unsteady rheological properties and some other physicochemical attributes including the surface tensions and uronic acid contents were taken into consideration. It was revealed that A. gossypinus created the most stable emulsions although having lower viscosity than A. compactus. It is believed that higher insoluble fraction and higher uronic content made this species a good steric and electrostatic emulsifier., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The effects of adding one of the species of Iranian gum tragacanth, Astragalus compactus, to maltodextrin solutions used for microencapsulation of 2-methylbutyl acetate (water-soluble flavoring compound of strawberry) were studied. Initial emulsions were evaluated regarding rheological behavior and particle size distribution. The resulted microcapsules were also analyzed for particle size distributions, glass transition temperature T g , the morphology of the capsules and the rate of release from them. The results showed that addition of 0.5% w/w A. compactus gum to maltodextrin solutions (14.5% w/w) can increase the viscosity and T g to an optimum level and can prevent stickiness. Also this species of gum tragacanth had an interesting effect in reducing physical defects of microcapsules and eliminated ruptures significantly. It was also showed that the rate of release of 2-methylbutyl acetate decreased by incorporating gum tragacanth in the wall material. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Microencapsulation is of great interest in preservation of flavoring compounds. One of the most important wall materials is maltodextrin, which has several defects to protect flavorings. This study proposes the use of a new material, Iranian gum tragacanth from Astragalus compactus, to overcome these defects. It was found that new microcapsules did not undergo rupture and could retain the flavoring well., (© 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)