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Introduction: The Mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS) are a group of inherited metabolic disorders caused by a deficiency or malfunctioning of lysosomal enzymes which are needed to break down complex carbohydrates known as mucopolysaccharides or glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). Accumulation of GAGs causes a cascade of events leading to the progressive damage of cells, tissue and organs. Morquio disease or Mucopolysaccharidosis Type IV (MPS IV) belongs to this group and has two sub-types, A and B. Type A is also known as Morquio A, GALNS deficiency, N-acetylgalactosamine-6-sulfate sulfatase deficiency or more simply MPS IVA. This lysosomal enzyme involved in the catabolism of keratan and chondroitin sulfate. Patients who inherit two mutated GALNS gene alleles have a decreased ability to degrade the glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) keratan sulfate and chondroitin 6-sulfate, thereby causing GAG accumulation within lysosomes and consequently pleiotropic disease. The objective was to report the results of clinical characteristics, enzyme activity determination and mutation analysis of GALNS gene in an Iranian patient with mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) type IVA (Morquio A disease). Materials and Methods: The 10 years old Iranian boy with MPSIV was firstly diagnosed by urin GALNS determination who was charactraised by multiple skeletal abnormalities and dwarfism, kyphosis, hypermobility joints, difficultly in walking to 8 years old and now he can't walk. But his intelligence was normal. We investigated for all coding exons and adjacent intron regions of GALNS gene by PCR sequencing method. Results: We performed urin test (MS/MS) from patient. In this test total GAGS was high and MPS was likely. So lysosomal enzymes in dried blood were checked and MPS IVA was diagnosed. Two heterozygous missens mutation as c. 135 G>T (S>I) and c.510 C>A (P>H), and a homozygous mutation as c.181 A>G (y>C) in GALNS gene were detected in this patient. The mutation c. 181 (y>C) is a novel variant which is not reported yet.With the method of gene analysis of new variant, the mutation c. 181 (y>C) was considered to be a pathogenic mutation. Conclusion: The MPS IVA patient showed severe multiple skeletal deformities, normal intelligence, muscle weakness, short stature, who carries homozygous mutations c. 181 A>G (y>C). The bioinformatics analysis in POLYPHEN predicted this mutation as being probably pathogenic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although several genetic biomarkers have been reported in the tocilizumab (TCZ) response in rheumatoid arthritis, no studies have addressed the pharmacogenomics effect of TCZ in COVID-19., Methods: In this prospective longitudinal study, 95 individuals with severe COVID-19 were selected between 2020-2022. The recovery process was measured at 24 h, 48 h, and 10 days before and after taking TCZ. All participants were genotyped using RFLP-PCR. Different genotypes of FCGR2A rs1801274 and IL-6R rs2228145 were compared in terms of the recovery process., Results: 43.2% of patients were male and 56.8% were female with an average age of 58.20(± 16.214) years. The GA genotype for FCGR2A rs1801274 increased the risk of death (OR = 2.83, P = 0.038) and ventilation (OR = 2.71, P = 0.047) in TCZ-treated individuals. However, there was no risk of death and ventilation with IL-6R rs2228145 (P > 0.05). Additionally, docking analysis showed that not only IL6R but also FCGR2A can be a ligand for TCZ., Conclusion: This study provides valuable insights into the impact of genetic variations on the response rate of TCZ in COVID-19 patients. The GA genotype for FCGR2A rs1801274 was associated with poor treatment outcomes., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

To improve embryo transfer success and increase the chances of live birth in assisted reproductive methods, there is a growing demand for the use of pre-implantation genetic testing (PGT). However, the invasive approaches used in PGT have led to in vitrofertilization failure and abortions, increasing anxiety levels for parents. To address this, non-invasive PGT methods have been introduced, such as the detection of DNA in blastocoel fluid of blastocysts and spent culture media (SCM). These methods have proven to be minimally invasive and effective in detecting aneuploidy in the chromosomes of human embryos. This review aims to explore the different approaches to pre-implantation diagnosis, including invasive and non-invasive methods, with a particular focus on non-invasive PGT (niPGT). The search strategy involved gathering data from scientific databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, and Science Direct using relevant keywords. The search was conducted until January 2023. In total, 22 studies have successfully reported the detection and amplification of cell-free DNA in the embryonic SCM. It is important to note that niPGT has some limitations, which include differences in indicators such as cell-free DNA amplification rate, concordance, level of maternal DNA contamination, sensitivity, and specificity between SCM samples and biopsied cells. Therefore, more extensive and detailed research is needed to fully understand niPGT's potential for clinical applications., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Karami et al.)

Purpose: This retrospective clinical study aimed to evaluate the implants placed in fresh sockets and investigate the effect of varied oral health conditions and treatment plan details on the clinical and radiographic outcomes., Materials and Methods: Fifty-nine participants (102 implants) were included in this study. Four variables, including mean probing depth (PD), mean marginal bone loss (MBL), pink esthetic score (PES), and patient satisfaction, were significant dependent variables, and the effects of independent variables on these four items were studied. The data were analyzed by the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) using a statistical software., Results: The mean follow-up period was 4.75 ± 1.74 years, and the mean MBL was 1.21 ± 0.81 mm. The survival rate was 97 %. There were significant effects of the finish line site, keratinized gingival width, and attached gingival width on PD after adjusting the factors. Also, the implant brand, plaque index, and uncemented prosthesis affected MBL significantly. In addition, significant effects of the surgeon, implant brand, and proximal contact on PES were found., Conclusion: More PD was found around restorations with a finish line site > 1.5 mm subgingival. Sufficient attached gingiva was a more effective factor on PD than keratinized gingiva. Implants with more plaque scores showed more MBL., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2023 THE AUTHORS.)

Background: Psychological distress (PD) is a significant issue during pregnancy and postpartum, adversely affecting both children and mothers. This study aims to determine PD's prevalence and risk factors in a large Iranian population sample during pregnancy and postpartum., Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using data from the Babol Pregnancy Mental Health Registry (located in the north of Iran) between June 2020 and March 2021. A total of 2305 women were included, with 1639 during pregnancy and 666 during postpartum. Psychological distress was assessed using the Brief Symptoms Inventory (BSI-18), and data were analyzed using independent t-tests and multiple logistic regressions., Results: The prevalence of psychological distress, defined by a cut-off score of BSI ≥ 13, was 19% during pregnancy and 15% during postpartum. Multivariate logistic analysis revealed that high-risk pregnancy was the leading risk factor for psychological distress during the antenatal period (β = 1.776, P < 0.001), as well as its three subscales: somatization (β = 1.355, P = 0.019), anxiety symptoms (β = 2.249, P < 0.001), and depressive symptoms (β = 1.381, P = 0.028). Additionally, women with a gestational age < 20 weeks had a higher risk of psychological distress (β = 1.344, P = 0.038) and the somatization subscale (β = 1.641, P < 0.001). During the postpartum period, women residing in urban areas were at higher risk of psychological distress (β = 1.949, P = 0.012), as well as two subscales: anxiety symptoms (β = 1.998, P = 0.012) and depressive symptoms (β = 1.949, P = 0.020)., Conclusion: The high prevalence of psychological distress emphasizes detecting and treating PD during pregnancy and postpartum, particularly in women with high-risk pregnancies. This study suggests that obstetricians and midwives should implement programs to identify women experiencing psychological distress during early pregnancy through postpartum visits., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

In this work, to evaluate solute-solute, solute-solvent and phase separation in aqueous systems containing {betaine + poly ethylene glycol dimethyl ether with molar mass 250 g mol -1 (PEGDME 250 )}, {betaine + K 3 PO 4 } and {betaine + K 2 HPO 4 }, first water activity measurements were made at 298.15 K and atmospheric pressure using the isopiestic technique. The water iso-activity lines of these three systems were obtained which have positive deviations from the semi-ideal solutions. This suggests that betaine-polymer and betaine-K 3 PO 4 or betaine-K 2 HPO 4 interactions are unfavorable; and these mixtures may form aqueous two-phase systems (ATPSs) at certain concentrations. Indeed the formation of ATPSs was observed experimentally. Then, osmotic coefficient values were calculated using the obtained water activity data; and, using the polynomial method the solute activity coefficients were determined. Using these activity coefficients, the transfer Gibbs energy ([Formula: see text]) values were calculated for the transfer of betaine from aqueous binary to ternary systems consisting polymer (PEGDME250) or salts (K 3 PO 4 and K 2 HPO 4 ). The obtained positive [Formula: see text] values again indicated that there is unfavorable interaction between betaine and these solutes. Finally, the volumetric and ultrasonic studies were made on these systems to examine the evidence for the nature of interactions between betaine and the studied salts or polymer., (© 2023. Springer Nature Limited.)

Background: Cervical annular fissures (AFs) have not been studied specifically as to their prevalence, imaging features, and persistence over time. We sought to determine the prevalence and natural history of cervical AFs. We hypothesized that these are static lesions that are not prevalent in the population., Methods: This was a cross-sectional retrospective study of cervical MRI examinations performed between 2011-2021. We retrospectively reviewed the studies of 115 consecutive patients (63 female, 52 male) who had 2 or more MRI studies of the cervical spine to identify (1) imaging features of cervical AFs on various pulse sequences, (2) the concurrence of disc bulges/herniations, (3) changes in those imaging findings over time (mean follow-up 39.3 months) and (4) rate at which cervical AFs were mentioned in radiology reports. 620 initial and follow-up studies were reviewed., Results: 50/115 (43.5%) patients had cervical AFs; 21 patients had a single AF and 29 patients had multi-level AFs (total 109 AFs). The most common levels affected were C4-C5 (28%, n = 31) and C5-C6 (27%, n = 30). All cervical AFs were hyperintense on T2WI and, over time, 95% (n = 104/109) of the AFs remained hyperintense; 22% (n = 25) showed less hyperintensity, 10% (n = 11) more hyperintensity, and 60% (n = 66) the same hyperintensity. 5 AFs (4%) resolved completely. Only 2 (8%) of 25 cervical AFs enhanced with gadolinium. The rate of concomitant disc bulges and herniations was 71% (n = 78) and 22% (n = 24) respectively. The presence of cervical AFs did not increase the risk of progression to bulges or herniations. None of the cervical AFs were mentioned in the radiology reports., Conclusions: Cervical AFs occurred in 43.5% of patients but were rarely reported. They usually remained bright on T2W but their brightness could vary over time. Cervical AFs were often associated with disc bulges/herniations and enhanced less frequently (8%) than lumbar disk AFs., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest. Unrelated, Dr. Yousem reports royalties from Elsevier, personal fees from Medicolegal consultant, speaking and consulting fees from MRIOnline.com, outside the submitted work., (© 2023 The Author(s).)

Aims: Currently, diabetic nephropathy (DN) is considered the leading cause of the end-stage renal disease (ESRD). However, its specific molecular mechanism is still unclear, and there is still a lack of effective diagnostic and therapeutic methods., Method: A pathway was assumed after bioinformatics analysis of GEO datasets related to individuals with various levels of DN, LINC01410, MAFB, and FOSL1. Then, 46 patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and different levels of albuminuria, and 12 individuals without diabetes, were selected. qPCR was performed to evaluate gene expression. One-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's -and linear trend tests were performed to analyze gene expression in different stages of the disease. Moreover, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and the correlation between LINC01410, FOSL1, and MAFB were analyzed., Results: LINC01410, MAFB, and FOSL1 were selected based on bioinformatics analyses. The qPCR results showed that the expression of LINC01410 decreased, and FOSL1 and MAFB increased in micro-and macroalbuminuria groups compared to normoalbuminuria groups (P < 0.05). ROC curves demonstrated a significant diagnostic accuracy of LINC01410, MAFB, and FOSL1 between DN and participants with normoalbuminuria (P < 0.05). Pearson's correlation analysis revealed a positive association between the expressions of FOSL1 and MAFB (p = 0.01, r = 0.39). However, there was no correlation between LINC01410 with MAFB and FOSL1 (p = 0.23 and p = 0.21, respectively)., Conclusion: Dysregulation of LINC01410, MAFB, and FOSL1 is related to DN. These results may provide new insights into the role of LINC01410, MAFB, and FOSL1 as potential biomarkers in DN., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Isolated lateral compartment knee arthritis is less prevalent than medial. While the reported results of medial unicompartmental knee replacement (UKR) have been good and comparable to total knee replacement, the results of lateral UKR have been mixed. We present the short-term results and survivorship of a fixed-bearing UKR designed specifically for the lateral compartment., Methods: We report the result of 130 primary fixed-bearing lateral Oxford (FLO) UKRs (123 patients) performed between 2015 and 2019 with a minimum follow-up of 1 year. The indications for lateral UKR were: isolated lateral osteoarthritis (n = 122), post-trauma (n = 5) and osteonecrosis (n = 3). The mean age was 69.1 (± 11.6), mean BMI 28.4 (± 4.9), 66.9% female, 60% right-sided, and mean follow-up 3 (range 1-4.8 years, standard deviation ± 1) years. The primary outcome measure was the Oxford knee score (OKS). Survival analysis was performed with "revision for any reason", "reoperation", and "implant failure" as the endpoints., Results: Six patients died from unrelated reasons. None of the implants failed. One required the addition of a medial UKR for medial arthritis. There were no other reoperations. At 4 years, the survival for implant failure was 100% and for both revision and all reoperations was 99.5% (95% CI 96.7-99.9%). At the last review, at a mean of 3 years, the mean Oxford knee score was 41., Conclusion: The good survivorship and outcome scores suggest that UKR designed for the lateral compartment is an excellent alternative to total knee replacement in selected patients with isolated lateral tibiofemoral arthritis at short-term follow-up., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is a parasitic infection caused by Cysticercus cellulosae , the metacestode of pork tapeworm ( Taenia solium ). NCC is one of the most common public health problems worldwide. We present a patient harboring a bilobed ring-enhancing lesion with a presumed diagnosis of brain metastasis, who returned to the USA after traveling to an endemic region. The diagnosis of NCC was established based on a characteristic resonance of succinate on proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Also, higher mean diffusivity and lower fractional anisotropy along with relative cerebral blood volume were observed from the lesion compared to contralateral normal brain regions. Multiparametric analysis may improve the differential diagnosis of ring-enhancing intracranial lesions such as NCC.

Atherosclerosis is the most common cause of peripheral artery disease (PAD). We compared the atherosclerotic burden in non-lower extremity arteries in patients with and without PAD using 18 F-sodium fluoride (NaF)-PET/CT. We identified five individuals (61.8±6.6 years, one male, four females) with PAD and matched to five individuals without PAD based on age and gender from the unfavorable cardiovascular risk profile group of the CAMONA trial (60±7.2 years, one male, four females). Individuals underwent PET/CT imaging 90 minutes after the injection of NaF (2.2 Mbq/Kg). CT imaging was conducted to account for attenuation correction and anatomic referencing. The NaF uptake was measured by manually defining regions of interest on each axial slice on the following arteries: coronary artery (CA), carotid artery (CR), ascending aorta (AS), arch of aorta (AR), descending aorta (DA), and abdominal aorta (AA). Average SUVmean (aSUVmean) was calculated for each segment. Wilcoxon's signed rank test was used for statistical analysis. The total aSUVmean was higher in the PAD group compared to the non-PAD group (6.54±0.9 vs. 5.03±0.45, P=0.043). Comparison revealed higher NaF uptake in CR, AS, AR, and DA in the PAD group compared to the non-PAD group (0.93±0.25 vs. 0.54±0.14, P=0.01; 1.28±0.20 vs. 0.86±1.19, P<0.01; 1.18±0.17 vs. 0.90±0.19, P=0.03; 1.32±0.24 vs. 0.91±0.15, P=0.01). The NaF uptake in CA and AA was similar between the two groups (0.77±0.04 vs. 0.71±0.05, P=0.11; 1.07±0.28 vs. 1.12±0.30, P=0.82). We found individuals with PAD had higher atherosclerotic burden in the carotid arteries and thoracic aorta compared to non-PAD subjects., Competing Interests: None., (AJNMMI Copyright © 2020.)

Background: We used 18 F-sodium fluoride (NaF) to assess early atherosclerosis in the global heart in asymptomatic individuals with a coronary calcium score of zero and without a formal diagnosis of hypertension. We hypothesized that these individuals might present with subclinical atherosclerosis that correlates with systolic, diastolic and mean arterial pressure (SBP, DBP, and MAP)., Methods: We identified 20 asymptomatic individuals (41.6 ± 13.8 years, 8 females) from the CAMONA trial with C-reactive protein ≥3 mg/L, no smoking history, diabetes (fasting blood glucose <126 mg/dl) and dyslipidemia per the Adult Treatment Panel III Guidelines: untreated LDL <160 mg/dL, total cholesterol <240 mg/dL, HDL >40 mg/dL. All underwent PET/CT imaging 90 minutes after NaF injection (2.2 Mbq/Kg). The global cardiac average SUVmean (aSUVmean) was calculated for each individual. Correlation coefficients and linear regression models were employed for statistical analysis., Results: Significant positive correlation was revealed between global cardiac NaF uptake and all blood pressures: SBP (r=0.44, P=0.05), DBP (r=0.64, P=0.002), and MAP (r=0.59, P=0.007). After adjusting for age and gender, DBP and MAP were independent predictors of higher global cardiac NaF uptake., Conclusion: NaF-PET/CT for detecting and quantifying subclinical atherosclerosis in asymptomatic individuals revealed that cardiac NaF uptake correlated independently with DBP and MAP., Competing Interests: None., (AJCD Copyright © 2020.)

Background: Multi-drug resistant (MDR) Acinetobacter baumannii is one of the most important causes of nosocomial infections. The purpose of this study was to identify antibiotic resistance patterns, biofilm formation and the clonal relationship of clinical and environmental isolates of A. baumannii by Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis method. Forty-three clinical and 26 environmental isolates of the MDR A. baumannii were collected and recognized via API 20NE. Antibiotic resistance of the isolates was assessed by the disk diffusion method, and the biofilm formation test was done by the microtiter plate method. Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) was used to assess the genomic features of the bacterial isolates., Results: The resistance rate of clinical and environmental isolates against antibiotics were from 95 to 100%. The difference in antibiotic resistance rates between clinical and environmental isolates was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Biofilm production capabilities revealed that 31 (44.9%), and 30 (43.5%) isolates had strong and moderate biofilm producer activity, respectively. PFGE typing exhibited eight different clusters (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and H) with two significant clusters included A and G with 21 (30.4%) and 16 (23.2%) members respectively, which comprises up to 53.6% of all isolates. There was no relationship between biofilm formation and antibiotic resistance patterns with PFGE pulsotypes., Conclusions: The results show that there is a close relationship between environmental and clinical isolates of A. baumannii. Cross-contamination is also very important that occurs through daily clinical activities between environmental and clinical isolates. Therefore, in order to reduce the clonal contamination of MDR A. baumannii environmental and clinical isolates, it is necessary to use strict infection control strategies.

Introduction: Life-threatening hemorrhage associated with low-energy pelvic fracture has been described in single cases in the literature. However, there is limited evidence available on the bleeding risk associated with hemodynamically stable osteoporotic pelvic fractures. The objective of this study was to estimate the bleeding risk associated with low-energy osteoporotic pelvic fractures in the elderly population., Materials and Methods: A retrospective review of patients aged > 65 years old with pelvic fractures admitted between 2015 and 2018 was performed. Eighty-two patients were identified: 12 males and 70 females with a median age of 86 years. The median Charlson comorbidity index was 6 (interquartile range = 5-7). Eighty-one fractures were classified as lateral compression I or Tile A2, and 1 fracture was classified as lateral compression II or Tile B2. Forty patients were on concurrent anticoagulation treatment. In 4 patients on warfarin, this treatment was reversed on admission., Results: The mean hemoglobin (Hb) level on arrival was 12.36 g/dL (±1.67 g/dL). There were significant drops in Hb levels on day 1 (Hb = 11.22 ± 1.86 g/dL, P < .001) and day 4 (Hb = 10.97 ± 1.6 g/dL, P < .001). Nine percent of patients required a blood transfusion. The mean baseline Hb level pre-transfusion was 8.33 g/dL (±1.15). Preexisting anticoagulation treatment did not predispose patients to greater decreases in Hb levels on day 1 (mean difference = 0.16 g/dL, P = .62) or day 4 (mean difference = 0.29 g/dL, P = .48) post-admission., Discussion: An observed mean decrease in Hb level of up to 1.4 g/dL can occur in hemodynamically stable elderly patients with osteoporotic pelvic fractures, reflecting an approximate loss of 1.4 units of packed red blood cells., Conclusion: This degree of decrease in Hb may be clinically significant in geriatric patients with chronic anemia and a history of cardiovascular disease., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting Interests: The author(s) declare no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article., (© The Author(s) 2020.)

Background: Several factors have been evaluated for their competency as applied bio-markers regarding dia-gnosis and therapy of ovarian cancer as one of the most cause of death due to the gynecologic malignancies. However, some Fox-factors have been shown to modulate cancer progression primarily by their impacts on the proliferation of the cells, the expression and potential function of FOXR2 (Forkhead Box R2), newly identified as a probable oncogene in a few human cancers, remains undecided in ovarian cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the FOXR2 and some epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) -related gene expression profiles in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) tissues and their healthy samples as well as an ovarian cancer cell line (SKOV-3)., Methods: In this observational study, 20 epithelial ovarian adenocarcinoma and their marginal samples, obtained from 20 women with EOC, as well as SKOV-3, were investigated for the relative gene expression levels of FOXR2, CDH1 (encoding E-cadherin) and FN1 (encoding fibronectin-1) in 2 groups using qualitative real-time polymerase chain reaction technique (qRT-PCR)., Results: The findings demonstrated a significant up-regulation of FOXR2 and FN1 despite the CDH1 down-regulation in case samples compared to controls (P &lt; 0.05). There was a significant correlation between FOXR2 gene expression profile and EMT-related markers in high-grade tumors. Furthermore, the bio-marker index of 0.772 was obtained for FOXR2 gene expression levels., Conclusions: The findings indicated that the expression levels of FOXR2 have a significant association with ovarian cancer as far as it can be used as a dia-gnostic and therapeutic molecular bio-marker in ovarian cancer.

Background: Medial third clavicle fractures are rare injuries, with limited information available on their characteristics or treatment results., Materials and Methods: We performed a systematic review according to PRISMA guidelines to evaluate the demographics, clinical profile, management and treatment outcome. Electronic searches of the MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane databases were performed., Results: Seventeen studies were included, consisting of 7 case series and 10 case reports. Two hundred twenty fractures were identified. Seventy-eight percent of fractures occurred in men with mean age of 48 years (16-94 years). Road traffic accident was the most common mechanism of injury (64%). Associated injuries occurred in 81% of patients, with thoracic trauma being the most common (47%). The most common fracture type was extra-articular, with no or minimal displacement (60%). In 9% of patients the fracture was segmental. One hundred ninety-one patients received nonoperative treatment. Twenty-nine patients were treated operatively. The overall nonunion rate was 5% (7/137). The nonunion rate following nonoperative management was 4.6% (5/108). The functional result following nonoperative treatment indicated overall "good" functional outcome. There was no report of catastrophic intraoperative complication amongst patients undergoing surgical fixation., Conclusion: Medial third clavicle fractures represent a distinct subgroup of clavicle fractures. Nonoperative treatment of these fracture seems to result in high union rate and overall favourable functional outcome. Further high-quality research in this area is warranted to investigate the outcomes and indication for nonoperative versus operative management of these fractures., Level of Evidence: IV.

Using the dispersion-corrected DFT calculations, the catalytic reduction of NO molecules to N 2 O is investigated over Al- and P-doped hexagonal boron nitride nanosheets (h-BNNS). It is found that NO dissociation over both these surfaces needs a very large energy barrier, which indicates it cannot proceed at normal temperature. In contrast, the results show that NO molecules can be easily reduced into N 2 O via a dimer mechanism. The obtained activation energies reveal that the catalytic activity of Al-doped h-BNNS is better than that of P-doped one, mainly due to the moderate coadsorption energies of NO molecules over this surface., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Water-repellent surfaces, often referred to as superhydrophobic surfaces, have found numerous potential applications in several industries. However, the synthesis of stable superhydrophobic surfaces through economical and practical processes remains a challenge. In the present work, we report on the development of an organosilicon-based superhydrophobic coating using an atmospheric-pressure plasma jet with an emphasis on precursor fragmentation dynamics as a function of power and precursor flow rate. The plasma jet is initially modified with a quartz tube to limit the diffusion of oxygen from the ambient air into the discharge zone. Then, superhydrophobic coatings are developed on a pre-treated microporous aluminum-6061 substrate through plasma polymerization of HMDSO in the confined atmospheric pressure plasma jet operating in nitrogen plasma. All surfaces presented here are superhydrophobic with a static contact angle higher than 150° and contact angle hysteresis lower than 6°. It is shown that increasing the plasma power leads to a higher oxide content in the coating, which can be correlated to higher precursor fragmentation, thus reducing the hydrophobic behavior of the surface. Furthermore, increasing the precursor flow rate led to higher deposition and lower precursor fragmentation, leading to a more organic coating compared to other cases.

Density functional theory calculations are performed to compare catalytic oxidation of CO molecule over Al- and P-embedded hexagonal boron nitride nanosheet (h-BN). It is found that the Al and P adatom can be stably anchored on the boron-vacancy site of h-BN, as evidenced by a relatively large adsorption energy and charge-transfer value. According to our findings, the oxidation of CO over these surfaces proceeds via the Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanism, followed by the elimination of the remaining atomic O by another CO molecule. Meanwhile, the stronger adsorption of O 2 than CO avoids poisoning of the active site of both surfaces. The results of the present study indicate that Al-doped h-BN exhibits higher catalytic activity for CO oxidation than P-doped one, which may provide a valuable guidance on design metal-free catalysts to remove toxic CO molecules., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

In this work, we investigate the effect of a cation-π interaction on the cooperativity of X⋯N halogen bonds in PhX⋯NCX⋯NH 3 complexes, where Ph=phenyl and X=Cl, Br, I. Molecular geometries and interaction energies of the resulting complexes are studied at the MP2/aug-cc-pVDZ(-PP) computational level. The mechanism of the cooperativity between halogen bonds is analyzed using parameters derived from the noncovalent index, quantum theory of atoms in molecules and natural bond orbital methodologies. It is found that the divalent cations (Be 2+ , Mg 2+ ) have a larger influence on the cooperativity of halogen bonds than monovalent ones (Li + , Na + ). The formation of a cation-π interaction leads to strengthening of the halogen bonds, hence increases their cooperativity., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background and purpose - Manipulation and cast immobilization is the primary management for diaphyseal forearm fractures in children, and re-displacement is the most common complication. We wanted (1) to analyze the incidence of re-displacement in a group of children treated with close reduction and casting; (2) to determine predictive factors such as demographics, mechanism of injury, affected bone, fracture pattern, degree of initial displacement and angulation, and reduction accuracy; and (3) to determine the prognostic effect of previously defined radiographic indices. Patients and methods - We prospectively studied 269 consecutive children with closed and complete middle-third diaphyseal fractures treated with close reduction and casting from October 2014 to April 2015. Factors analyzed included demographics, initial fracture features, having a non-anatomical reduction, and the radiographic indices of cast quality. Results - There were 189 fractures of both bones (70%) and 80 solitary fractures (30%). The overall re-displacement rate was 11%. According to multivariable analysis, independent predictors of re-displacement were initial angulation >10° (RR =5) and failure to achieve an anatomical reduction (RR =2). Statistically significant radiographic indices regarding increased rate of re-displacement included cast index ≥0.7 (RR =5), Canterbury index ≥1.1 (RR =3), and 3-point index ≥0.8 (RR =6). Interpretation - Our results suggested that fractures with a higher degree of initial angulation and non-anatomical reduction more often result in re-displacement. Moreover, the casting quality examined with the radiographic indices played an important role in the success of a non-operative management.

Background: The management of distal radial fractures is guided by the interpretation of radiographic findings. The aim of this investigation was to determine the intra- and inter-observer reliability of eight traditionally reported anatomic radiographic parameters in adults with an acute distal radius fracture., Methods: Five observers participated. All were routinely involved in making treatment decisions based on distal radius fracture radiographs. Observers performed independent repeated measurements on 30 radiographs for eight anatomical parameters: dorsal shift (mm), intra-articular gap (mm), intra-articular step (mm), palmar tilt (degrees), radial angle (degrees), radial height (mm), radial shift (mm), ulnar variance (mm). Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and the magnitude of retest errors were calculated., Results: Measurement reliability was summarised as high (ICC > 0.80), moderate (0.60-0.80) or low (<0.60). Intra-observer reliability was high for dorsal shift and palmar tilt; moderate for radial angle, radial height, ulnar variance and radial shift; and low for intra-articular gap and step. Inter-observer reliability was high for palmar tilt; moderate for dorsal shift, ulnar variance, radial angle and radial height; and low for radial shift, intra-articular gap and step. Error magnitude (95 % confidence interval) was within 1-2 mm for intra-articular gap and step, 2-4 mm for ulnar variance, 4-6 mm for radial shift, dorsal shift and radial height, and 6-8° for radial angle and palmar tilt., Conclusions: Based on previous reports of critical values for palmar tilt, ulnar variance and radial angle, error margins appear small enough for measurements to be useful in guiding treatment decisions. Our findings indicate that clinicians cannot reliably measure values ≤1 mm for intra-articular gap and step when interpreting radiographic parameters using the standardised methods investigated in this study. As a guide for treatment selection, palmar tilt, ulnar variance and radial angle measurements may be useful, but intra-articular gap and step appear unreliable.

The geometries, interaction energies and bonding properties of cationic pnicogen bond (CPB) interactions are studied in binary XH3P(+)⋯NCY (X=H, F, CN, NH2, OH; Y=H, Li, F, Cl) complexes by means of MP2/aug-cc-pVTZ calculations. Interaction energies of these binary complexes span a large range, from -16.36kcal/mol in (NH2)H3P(+)⋯NCF to -71.36kcal/mol in FH3P(+)⋯NCLi complex. The spin-spin coupling constant across P⋯N interaction depends considerably on the nature of X and Y substituents. The characteristic of CPB interactions is analyzed in terms of parameters derived from quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) and natural bond orbital (NBO) analyses. The charge transfer from the nitrogen base to the cationic acid stabilizes these pnicogen-bonded complexes. For a given XH3P(+), the net charge transfer value increases as the interaction energy of the complex becomes more negative, i.e., NCLi>NCCl>NCH>NCF. Moreover, mutual influence between the CPB and hydrogen/halogen/lithium bond is studied in the ternary XH3P(+)⋯NCY⋯NCH complexes. The results indicate that the formation of a Y⋯N interaction tends to strengthen CPB in the ternary systems., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Vertigo, the hallucination of movement of oneself or one's surroundings, can have substantial adverse effects on the quality of life of affected patients. It is essential to decrease the frequency, severity, and duration of vertigo attacks using effective medications with minimal debilitating adverse effects. We performed a meta-analysis of available clinical trials to evaluate the efficacy of histamine antagonists in the treatment of vertigo compared to the rate of resolution in untreated control groups., Materials and Methods: A systematic search of articles in any language from January 1970 to March 2015 was performed through the following databases: the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online, the Excerpta Medica Database, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature, Allied and Complementary Medicine Database, Web of Science, ClinicalTrials.gov, and Google. Randomized controlled trials comparing each kind of antihistamine to untreated control participants in the treatment of vertigo (blinded/unblinded) were screened for inclusion. Three reviewers separately performed data extraction from the included trials using a standard data abstraction form. Three other researchers read the final list of all articles retained. Discrepancies were settled by mutual consensus between the authors. Random effects models were applied to estimate the pooled odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) using the Review Manager software. The evaluation of publication bias was performed by Egger's test and Begg's funnel plot., Results: We identified 13 eligible citations. The pooled OR was 5.370, 95% CI (3.263-8.839), and I2=56.0%, with no obvious evidence of publication bias., Conclusion: Our results provide clarification of the effectiveness of several categories of histamine antagonists compared with placebos in controlling peripheral vertigo.

Background: Flexor tendon rupture is a rare but major complication associated with volar plate fixation of distal radius fractures., Materials and Methods: We performed a systematic review to evaluate the demographics, clinical profile, treatment and outcome of flexor tendon rupture following volar plate fixation of distal radius fracture. Electronic searches of the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases for systematic reviews and conference proceedings were performed. Studies were included if they reported flexor tendon rupture (partial or complete) as a complication of distal radius fracture plating (all levels of evidence)., Result: Our search yielded 21 studies. There were 12 case reports and 9 clinical studies. A total of 47 cases were reported. There were 11 males and 23 females (n = 16 studies). The mean age was 61 years old (range 30-85). The median interval between the surgery and flexor tendon rupture was 9 months (interquartile range, 6-26 months). Twenty-nine plates were locking and 15 were nonlocking (n = 20 studies). FPL was the most commonly ruptured tendon (n = 27 cases, 57 %), with FDP to index finger being the second most common (n = 7 cases, 15 %). Palmaris longus tendon graft and primary end-to-end repair were the most common surgical methods used in cases of FPL tendon rupture., Conclusion: Flexor tendon rupture is a recognised complication of volar plating of distal radius fracture. Positioning of the plate proximal to the "watershed" line and early removal of the plate in cases with plate prominence or warning symptoms can reduce the risk of this complication.

Background: Considering the need for a better understanding of smoking among the student population and its impact on their mental health and their success, this study was conducted in Kerman Medical Sciences University., Methods: This cross-sectional study on 772 students, chosen by random sampling, was conducted in 2007. Subjects were assessed with 28-question questionnaires that included demographic questions, questions about smoking, fagerstrom nicotine dependence test, and a general health questionnaire (GHQ)., Findings: The prevalence of smoking was 15. 8%. Records of failing in high school and conditional failures of a university semester in smokers were significantly higher than non-smokers. The average scores of the mental health questionnaires showed a significant difference between smokers and non-smokers (P < 0.001). Based on the results, 35.2% of smokers and 5.9% of non-smokers had mental illnesses., Conclusion: Since cigarette dependence in teens and youth are significantly high and failures in education and mental health disorders are more common among them, it is necessary that the authorities pay more attention to the social skill training and timely diagnosis of mental disorders.

Purpose: A new and simple operative technique has been developed to provide internal fixation for midshaft clavicle fractures. This involves the use of a large fragment Herbert Screw that is entirely embedded within the bone. Screw fixation is combined with bone grafting from intramedullary reamings of the fracture fragments. The purpose of this report is to assess the outcomes following treatment of midshaft clavicular fracture using this method., Materials and Methods: One hundred and fourteen patients with acute displaced midshaft fracture were identified between 2002 and 2007. All patients were followed until fracture union. Patients' medical records were reviewed. Disability of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand questionnaire (DASH), and American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Elbow form (ASES) were posted to all patients. Outcome measures included union rate, time to union, implant removal rate, DASH, and ASES scores., Results: Patients' median age was 29.5 years (interquartile range, 19-44 years). The most common injury mechanism was sports injury (28%). The median time from injury to surgery was 5 days (interquartile range, 2-9 days). Union occurred in an average of 8.8 weeks. Non-union occurred in three cases (2.6%). The re-operation rate for symptomatic hardware prominence screw was 1.7%. The median DASH score was 0.83 and the median ASES was 100 (n = 35)., Conclusions: Intramedullary fixation using cannulated Herbert screw can be used as an effective approach for operative management of midshaft clavicular fractures. Using this method, an appropriate outcome could be achieved and a second intervention for implant removal could be avoided in great majority of cases., Level of Evidence: Level III.

Objectives: It is unknown whether continuous renal replacement therapy or furosemide therapy is superior in heart transplant recipients who are in postoperative kidney insufficiency and volume overload. This prospective non-randomized, controlled trial investigated the efficacy of the two methods after transplantation., Methods: We assigned heart transplant recipients 18 years of age or older who were oliguric (urine output < 400 ml/day); had volume overload and estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 ml/min/1.73 m(2) of body surface area calculated with the use of the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease equation, to designed initiation of intervention. We followed 30 patients for up to 30 days. The primary outcome was estimated glomerular filtration rate status after intervention., Results: Between January 2010 and April 2012, a total of 30 adults (mean age: 37 years; 18 men and 12 women) were assessed for entry in this trial. Continuous renal replacement therapy, when compared with furosemide, was associated with a significant increase in estimated glomerular filtration rate of patients after intervention 61 ± 4.5 vs 55 ± 8.5l ml/min/1.73 m(2) (P = 0.02). Moreover, the mean glomerular filtration rate at discharge time for the continuous renal replacement therapy group was 72 ± 7.3 and 58 ± 7.4 ml/min/1.73 m(2) for the furosemide group (P < 0.001). During the follow-up period, 6 of 15 patients in the continuous renal replacement therapy group (40%) and 4 of 15 in the furosemide group (26.6%) died (P = 0.43)., Conclusions: In this study, continuous renal replacement therapy in heart transplant recipients with reduced kidney function was associated with an improvement in estimated glomerular filtration rate status in comparison with furosemide.

Introduction: Galeazzi fracture associated with ipsilateral posterior elbow dislocation and radial head fracture is a rare pattern of injury. Few reports exist that describes this injury pattern and its treatment. We describe a case report of simultaneous occurrence of Galeazzi fracture and ipsilateral dislocation of elbow., Presentation of Case: A 58 year-old female presented with Galeazzi fracture and posterior elbow dislocation associated with radial head fracture of left upper extremity. This was managed with closed reduction of the elbow, open reduction and internal fixation of the radial shaft fracture and K-wire stabilisation of the unstable distal radioulnar joint. Prophylactic fasciotomy was performed. At 10 months follow-up, the outcome was favourable with the American shoulder and elbow surgeon score of 92 and the disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand score of 18., Discussion: The presumed mechanism of the injury was a forceful axial loading of a hyperpronated forearm and extended elbow. Our literature review shows that this pattern of injury occurs as a result of high energy trauma in young individuals, and successful outcome can be achieved by addressing each component of this complex injury individually., Conclusion: Simultaneous occurrence of elbow dislocation and Galeazzi fracture seems to be the result of extreme axial force and unique position of upper extremity at the time of impact. Individualised approach to each component of this injury can result in favourable outcome., (Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Serum fibrinogen level (SFL) is thought to be one of the risk factors for coronary artery disease (CAD). The purpose of this study was to measure the SFL in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS)., Methods: This study was performed in patients with ACS, admitted in Shahid Beheshti Hospital, Babol, Iran, from February 2005 to June 2006. Two hundred patients with ACS were divided into 4 groups: Group I - ST elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI); Group II - non-ST elevated myocardial infarction (NSTEMI); Group III - unstable angina (U/A) with ST-T change; and Group IV - U/A without ST-T change. Each group includes 50 patients. Twenty-four hours after admission, the SFL was measured using chromatography methods. The data were collected and analyzed., Results: The mean SFL per mg/dl in each group are: Group I - 377.8 +/- 28, Group II - 417.2 +/- 26.8, Group III - 335.4 +/- 19.8, and Group IV - 305.1 +/- 13.8. The SFL in Group II was significantly higher than the other groups (p=0.002). The SFL in Group II was higher than in Group III (p=0.02), and much higher than in Group IV (p=0.000). The SFL in Group III was more than in Group IV (p=0.018)., Conclusion: The results show that SFL is an important marker in patients with ACS, with ST-T change.