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Hallux valgus is a progressive angular deformity of the big toe, the degree of which is aggravated in weightbearing stance. Hallux valgus and intermetatarsal angles on postoperative weightbearing images are usually larger than those of intraoperative fluoroscopic and immediate postoperative non-weightbearing images. Here, we hypothesized that various angular parameters of hallux valgus would increase postoperatively with weightbearing. A total of 66 feet (58 patients) of moderate to severe hallux valgus were reviewed on consecutive plain foot anteroposterior radiographs. The changes of hallux valgus, intermetatarsal, hallux valgus interphalangeal, and distal metatarsal articular angles were compared. Hallux valgus and intermetatarsal angles were significantly increased with weightbearing postoperatively (p <.001). Hallux valgus interphalangeal and distal metatarsal articular angles did not show significant changes with weightbearing (p >.5). Hallux valgus and intermetatarsal angles were increased with weightbearing after hallux valgus surgery. Mean angular changes were 5.3 and 2.7 degrees, respectively. These values should be considered in the preoperative planning and intraoperative correction processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Previous studies have reported an inconsistent relationship between alcohol consumption and bone health. A growing body of research has shown that chronic alcoholism leads to osteopenia and increased incidence of skeletal fractures, but some studies have concluded that alcohol consumption may be associated with higher bone mineral density in elderly populations. However, most studies showing a significant relationship between alcohol consumption and bone status have been in Western countries; and subjects have usually been postmenopausal women. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the association of alcohol consumption with bone strength in Korean adults. Data were from the Korean Genomic Rural Cohort Study, which is an ongoing population-based study of adults aged 40 to 70 years from 5 regions. A total of 7713 participants (3368 men, 4345 women) were surveyed about their annual consumption of alcohol such as soju, beer, makkolli, wine, and whisky. Bone strength was measured by stiffness index using the calcaneal quantitative ultrasound method. Overall, the annual age-specific decrease rate in the stiffness index of women was 2.7 times higher than that of men (0.463% for women, 0.169% for men).After adjustment for eligible covariates, the association between alcohol consumption and risk of reduced bone strength showed a J-shaped curve for both men and women. Compared with nondrinkers, the relative risk of reduced bone strength was 0.52 (95% confidence interval, 0.33-0.83) in men who drank 4 to 5 cups of soju for an amount of 29.626 to 49.375 g of alcohol per day and 0.61 (95% confidence interval, 0.38-0.86) in men who drank 6 to 7 cups of soju for an amount of 49.376 to 69.125 g of alcohol per day. We found no significant relationship between alcohol consumption and bone strength in any other group of men. For women, results suggested that the risk of reduced bone strength was lower in the moderate-consumption group; but no significant relationship was found between alcohol consumption at any level and bone strength. Among Korean adults, alcohol consumption has a J-shaped relationship with risk of reduced bone strength. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Purpose: To evaluate the influence of the extent of myopia on the progression rate of normal-tension glaucoma (NTG). Design: Retrospective, observational case series. Methods: One hundred forty-three eyes of 143 patients with NTG who were treated from 1994 through 2006 and followed up with standard automated perimetry were evaluated in this study. The participants were divided into 4 groups: mild myopia (−0.76 to −2.99 diopters [D]), moderate myopia (−3 to −5.99 D), severe myopia (−6 D or less), and nonmyopia (emmetropia and hyperopia, −0.75 D or more) groups. The change in mean deviation, corrected pattern standard deviation, mean thresholds of 10 zones corresponding to the glaucoma hemifield test, and thresholds of 52 points of the nonmyopia group were compared with those of the other myopia groups. Additionally, we controlled each analysis for age and posttherapeutic intraocular pressure to preclude the possibility of these covariates influencing the analysis of the effect of myopia on the progression of glaucoma. Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the nonmyopia group and each of the myopia groups in terms of mean deviation, corrected pattern standard deviation, mean thresholds of 10 zones corresponding to the glaucoma hemifield test, and the thresholds of 52 point changes against refraction. Moreover, with the control of the other covariates (age and posttherapeutic intraocular pressure), no statistically significant differences were noted (multivariate analysis using mixed model, P > .1). Conclusions: Although a high incidence of open-angle glaucoma among myopic patients has been reported previously, myopia did not influence the progression rate of NTG after treatment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Among the 51 clinical isolates collected from a university hospital in Korea, nine isolates were resistant to cephamycins. Nine isolates were shown to produce CMY-11 and these also included three isolates producing TEM-1. The results from ERIC-PCR revealed that dissemination of CMY-11 was due to outbreaks of resistant species and to the intra-species spread of resistance to cephamycins in Korea. CMY-11 β-lactamase genes from nine clinical isolates that were responsible for resistance to cephamycins (cefoxitin and cefotetan), amoxicillin, cephalothin and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, were cloned and characterised. A sequence identical to the common regions in In6, In7 and a novel integron from pSAL-1 was found upstream from blaCMY-11 gene at nucleotide 1–71. Eighteen nucleotides between position 71 and 72 were inserted into the blaCMY-11 gene. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The present study evaluated the possible role of interleukin (IL)-10 promoter polymorphisms in children with atopic dermatitis (AD). IL-10 promoter polymorphisms are associated with the phenotype of AD in children. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Some promising new antiresorptive agents of potential utility for treating osteoporosis were uncovered in a curcumin mimics library possessing a substituted triazole moiety, which is synthesized by the Cu(I)-catalyzed Huisgen 1,3-cycloaddition reaction between two azido intermediates (9 and 10) and various alkynes (a–k). A tartarate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) activity assay was carried out with RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis of mouse monocyte/macrophage RAW264.7 cells; the results indicated that the curcumin mimics derived from intermediate 10 exhibited stronger inhibitory activity than 9. In particular, curcumin mimics 12h, 13c, and 13e strongly inhibited osteoclast differentiation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]