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PURPOSE Glioma is often refractory. Histopathologic examination is essential to establish an initial diagnosis, and multiple imaging studies are conducted to assess the treatment response. However, these conventional approaches are usually accompanied by high risks and costs during treatment. The purpose of this study was to identify a novel, noninvasive, candidate biomarker for the histological prediction and prognostic assessment of glioma. METHODS Serum was prepared from blood samples collected preoperatively from 65 patients with WHO grade II–IV glioma between October 2004 and December 2017 in a single tertiary-level institution. The concentration of amyloid beta-42 (Aβ42) was measured by SMCxPRO (Merck) immunoassay. The clinical characteristics and histologic features of the patients, including the molecular subtype, were reviewed. Progression-free survival was evaluated as the primary outcome. RESULTS The mean age of the patients was 53.7 ± 12.2 years. Thirty-seven (56.9%) patients were male, and 21 (32.3%) patients had primary tumors. In Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, the group with higher serum Aβ42 (> 5.7 pg/ml) showed a poorer outcome (p = 0.014). In multivariate regression analysis, the serum Aβ42 concentration showed a significant association with EGFR expression and the Ki-67 labeling index. A higher serum Aβ42 concentration was associated with wild-type EGFR expression (odds ratio 0.237, p = 0.022), increased cell proliferation (β = 0.339, p = 0.007) and a poor outcome (hazard ratio 0.339, p = 0.046). CONCLUSION The serum Aβ42 level would be a good, noninvasive, candidate biomarker for the prediction of histological features and prognosis in glioma patients. Further studies with large cohorts might be required for its clinical use.

The ischial pressure wound usually comprises a large, extensive defect and involves the repair of more than a small opening. Most surgeons have used a musculocutaneous flap to fill the large dead space of an ischial pressure wound. However, sacrificing muscle tissue has a potential risk of postoperative bleeding. The transferred muscle ultimately loses function as a cushion to absorb pressure. Conservation of muscle structures may be beneficial for use in future recurrence, which is common with ischial pressure wound. We compared the difference in outcome between musculocutaneous and fasciocutaneous flaps and analyzed factors affecting complications with the flaps in ischial pressure wound reconstruction. This study reviewed the results of 64 flaps in 44 patients with ischial wounds. The wounds were reconstructed with 34 musculocutaneous flaps (53%) and 30 fasciocutaneous flaps (47%). Twenty-three cases (36%) had complete healing, and 41 (64%) had complications. There was no significant difference in outcomes between fasciocutaneous and musculocutaneous flap groups. Crude logistic regression analysis showed no significant risk factors for occurrence of major complications. When fasciocutaneous flaps were used, the neighboring perforators and muscle tissues could be conserved. With a perforator-based fasciocutaneous flap, a de-epithelized distal portion of the flap could be used to fill the dead space. Therefore, the fasciocutaneous flap may have priority over the musculocutaneous flap as a first-line option for ischial pressure wound reconstruction.

Self-talk can improve cognitive performance, but the underlying mechanism of such improvement has not been investigated. This study aimed to elucidate the effects of self-talks on functional connectivity associated with cognitive performance. We used the short form of Progressive Matrices Test (sRPM) to measure differences in performance improvements between self-respect and self-criticism. Participants were scanned using functional magnetic resonance imaging in the following order: baseline, during-sRPM1, post-sRPM1, self-respect or self-criticism, during-sRPM2, and post-sRPM2. Analysis was conducted to identify the self-talks' modulatory effects on the reward-motivation, default mode, and central-executive networks. Increase in sRPM2 score compared to sRPM1 score was observed only after self-criticism. The self-talk-by-repetition interaction effect was not found for during-sRPM, but found for post-sRPM; decreased nucleus accumbens-based connectivity was shown after self-criticism compared with self-respect. However, the significant correlations between the connectivity change and performance change appeared only in the self-respect group. Our findings showed that positive self-talk and negative self-talk differently modulate brain states concerning cognitive performance. Self-respect may have both positive and negative effects due to enhanced executive functions and inaccurate confidence, respectively, whereas self-criticism may positively affect cognitive performance by inducing a less confident state that increases internal motivation and attention.

A long stride can enable a humanoid robot achieve fast and stable walking. For a long stride, the kinematics of the robot should be fully utilized, and walking with pelvic rotation can be a solution. A rotational trajectory of pelvis considering kinematic limitations is needed for pelvis-rotation walking. When the robot walks with a long stride while rotating the pelvis, the yaw momentum may be larger than that when walks with the pelvis fixed. This is caused by the rotation of the pelvis and leg motion, and hence, walking with pelvic rotation may become unstable. In this paper, we propose to control the lower body of a robot as a redundant system with leg joints and a waist joint for walking with pelvic rotation. The position of the base frame to implement the redundant system for the lower body of the robot is also proposed. In addition, the a quadratic programming (QP) controller is formulated to enable arm swing for yaw momentum compensation while controlling the lower body. The feasibility of the proposed control method was verified using a simulation and an experiment of walking with a long stride while rotating the pelvis using a QP controller and compensating the yaw momentum by means of arm swing.

The linear inverted pendulum model (LIPM) has been widely used to generate the walking patterns of humanoids. However, because LIPM is a simplified model of the humanoid, the position error between the real zero-moment point (ZMP) and the desired ZMP occurs. The task level of trajectory such as the center of mass (COM) trajectory is modified to reduce the ZMP error, but it reacts slowly. Therefore, it is more effective to use the torque of the humanoid ankle joint to respond to sudden disturbances. To minimize the error between the real ZMP and the desired ZMP, we propose the ankle hybrid position/torque controller. The proposed hybrid ankle controller consists of the joint position controller to follow the walking patterns and the joint torque controller to minimize the error of the ZMP. In particular, the momentum-based disturbance observer (MOB) is used to estimate the joint torque that is used for feedback in the torque controller. Therefore, the proposed ankle hybrid controller can be used without using the joint torque sensor. The proposed hybrid control reduced the ZMP error while following the walking patterns, even in the presence of an external force. The performance of the proposed hybrid ankle controller was verified in the MuJoCo simulator using the humanoid robot TOCABI.

Min-Seo Choi,1,* Seongsung Kwak,1,2,* Junhyung Kim,1 Mi-Sun Park,1 Soo Min Ko,2 Taehee Kim,2 Da Som Jeong,2 Chang-Hoon Rhee,3 Gi-Hyeok Yang,1,3 Woo-Chan Son,2 Won-Ho Kang1 1Gwanggyo R&D Center, Medytox Inc, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea; 2Department of Medical Science, Asan Medical Institute of Convergence Science and Technology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Songpa-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea; 3Osong R&D Center, Medytox Inc, Cheongju-si, Chungcheongbuk-do, Republic of Korea*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Won-Ho KangNon-Clinical Development Department, Gwanggyo R&D Center, Medytox Inc, 114 Central Town-Ro, Yeongtong-Gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, 16506, Republic of KoreaTel +82 31 8065 8243Fax +82 31 8065 8232Email whkang@medytox.comWoo-Chan SonDepartment of Medical Science, Asan Medical Institute of Convergence Science and Technology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, 88 Olympic-Ro 43-Gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, 05505, Republic of KoreaTel +82 2 3010 4051Fax +82 2 3010 4099Email wcson@amc.seoul.krPurpose: Hyaluronic acid (HA)-based dermal fillers have been approved for various clinical indications, both cosmetic and medical. Previous studies that have assessed the performance of HA dermal fillers have primarily focused on evaluating filler durability, and only a few have studied their distribution within the tissues. The present study aimed to compare tissue integration of various types of HA dermal fillers having different clinical indications and varying injection depths.Methods: To examine the local inflammatory response and distribution pattern of 14 HA dermal fillers (six Neuramis [NEU], one Belotero [BEL], three Juvéderm [JUV], and four Restylane [RES]), each product was injected intradermally and subcutaneously at the backs of two male miniature pigs. Histopathological evaluation and visual examination of the tissue sections were conducted 1 and 4 weeks after injection.Results: Mean inflammatory cell infiltration scores tended to be lower in response to fillers from the NEU and BEL series than to those from the JUV and RES series after intradermal and subcutaneous injection. Furthermore, the inflammatory response to fillers with higher physicochemical properties specifically designed for injection into deeper layers of the skin tended to be slightly higher than those designated for injection into more superficial layers. There was no significant difference in tissue integration according to clinical indication and injection depth, although fillers from the NEU and BEL series exhibited better tissue integration than those from the JUV and RES series.Conclusion: Our findings not only suggest that the local inflammatory response and tissue integration differ across HA dermal filler products, but also that these parameters could vary according to the recommended clinical indication and injection depth of the products.Keywords: histopathology, inflammatory response, HA filler, soft tissue augmentation, tissue integration

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Ventriculostomy-associated infection (VAI) is a serious complication of external ventricular drainage (EVD). Infection rates and risk factors are variable in the literature due to heterogeneity of EVD procedures and management. This study aimed to investigate the incidence of VAI and its associated factors in two institutions with identical EVD procedural and management protocols.METHODS: The authors reviewed the medical records of patients older than 18 years who received EVD placements between January 2015 and December 2020 in two institutions under a single healthcare system. RESULTS: A total of 216 patients with 328 catheters was included for analysis. Twenty-three VAIs were identified, a 10.6% VAI rate. VAI was associated with a shorter duration of first EVD (9.7 days vs. 11.8 days, P = 0.018), a longer total EVD duration (28.0 days vs. 16.1 days, P < 0.001), a longer procedural time (72 minutes vs. 40 minutes, P < 0.001), catheterization at non-Kocher’s points (34.7% vs. 12.5%, P = 0.010), cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak (8.7% vs. 1.6%, P = 0.030), craniotomy (87.0% vs. 61.7%, P = 0.020), and other systemic infections (30.4% vs. 9.3%, P = 0.012). On multivariate analysis, the first EVD duration (OR = 0.095, P < 0.001), total EVD duration (OR 1.128, P < 0.001), EVD placement at non-Kocher’s point (OR 4.545, P = 0.012), and other systemic infections (OR = 5.117, P = 0.024) were associated independently with VAI. There was no statistical difference in VAI rate between patients with or without prophylactic EVD exchange at 14 days (6.8% vs. 12.6%, P = 0.247).CONCLUSIONS: Concomitant systemic infection and placement of an EVD catheter at a non-Kocher’s point were independently associated with VAI. Prophylactic EVD exchange at 14 days did not lower VAI rate.

It is demonstrated that the electric dipole layer due to the overlapping of electron wave functions at the metal/graphene contact results in a negative Fermi-level pinning effect on the region of the GaAs surface with low interface-trap density in the metal/graphene/n-GaAs(001) junction. The graphene interlayer plays the role of a diffusion barrier, preventing the atomic intermixing at the interface and preserving the low interface-trap density region. The negative Fermi-level pinning effect is supported by the decrease of the Schottky barrier with the increase of the metal work function. Our work shows that the graphene interlayer can invert the effective work function of the metal between high and low, making it possible to form both Schottky and Ohmic-like contacts with identical (particularly high work function) metal electrodes on a semiconductor substrate possessing low surface-state density.

Most proteins are specifically localized in membrane-encapsulated organelles or non-membrane-bound compartments. The subcellular localization of proteins facilitates their functions and integration into functional networks; therefore, protein localization is tightly regulated in diverse biological contexts. However, protein localization has been mainly analyzed through immunohistochemistry or the fractionation of subcellular compartments, each of which has major drawbacks. Immunohistochemistry can examine only a handful of proteins at a time, and fractionation inevitably relies on the lysis of cells, which disrupts native cellular conditions. Recently, an engineered ascorbate peroxidase (APEX)-based proximity labeling technique combined with mass spectrometry was developed, which allows for temporally and spatially resolved proteomic mapping. In the presence of H2O2, engineered APEX oxidizes biotin-phenols into biotin-phenoxyl radicals, and these short-lived radicals biotinylate electron-rich amino acids within a radius of several nanometers. Biotinylated proteins are subsequently enriched by streptavidin and identified by mass spectrometry. This permits the sensitive and efficient labeling of proximal proteins around locally expressed APEX. Through the targeted expression of APEX in the subcellular region of interest, proteomic profiling of submitochondrial spaces, the outer mitochondrial membrane, the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-mitochondrial contact, and the ER membrane has been performed. Furthermore, this method has been modified to define interaction networks in the vicinity of target proteins and has also been applied to analyze the spatial transcriptome. In this Perspective, we provide an outline of this newly developed technique and discuss its potential applications to address diverse biological questions.

In this study, we developed aptamer-conjugated hydroxyapatite (Apt-HA) that promotes bone regeneration and angiogenesis. The 3R02 bivalent aptamer specific to vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was grafted to the hydroxyapatite (HA) surface. Apt-HA was tested for its VEGF protein capture ability to determine the optimal aptamer concentration immobilized on the HA. Apt-HA showed higher VEGF protein capture ability, and faster growth of human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) compared to a neat HA with no cytotoxic effects on human osteoblasts. To examine in vivo angiogenesis and bone regeneration, Apt-HA and HA were bilaterally implanted into rabbit tibial metaphyseal defects and analyzed after eight weeks using micro-CT, histology, and histomorphometry. Apt-HA showed significantly increased the volume of new bones, the percentage of bone, and the density of bone mineral in cortical bone. Apt-HA also exhibited the enhanced bone formation at the cortical region in a histomorphometric analysis. Finally, Apt-HA showed significantly increased blood vessel number compared to a neat HA. In summary, the engineered Apt-HA has potential as a bone graft material that may simultaneously promote bone regeneration and angiogenesis. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: This work presents a functional hydroxyapatite bone graft using a DNA-based aptamer which overcomes the limitations of existing bone graft materials, which use bound signaling peptides. DNA aptamer immobilized hydroxyapatite enhances the in vitro proliferation of human umbilical vascular endothelial cells as well as in vivo angiogenesis and bone regeneration. DNA aptamer immobilized hydroxyapatite shows no cytotoxic effect on human osteoblasts.

BACKGROUND The authors hypothesize that ischemic preconditioning of the recipient site with deferoxamine will increase fat graft survival by enhancing angiogenesis in a rat model. METHODS Cell viability, tube formation, and mRNA expression were measured in human umbilical vein endothelial cells treated with deferoxamine. A total of 36 rats were then used for an in vivo study. A dose of 100 mg/kg of deferoxamine was injected subcutaneously into the rat scalp every other day for five treatments. On the day after the final injection, the scalp skin was harvested from half the animals to evaluate the effects of deferoxamine on the recipient site. In the remaining animals, inguinal fat tissue was transplanted to the scalp. Eight weeks after transplantation, the grafts were harvested to evaluate the effects of deferoxamine preconditioning on fat graft survival. RESULTS In human umbilical vein endothelial cells, treatment with a deferoxamine concentration higher than 400 μM decreased cell viability compared with the control (p = 0.002). Treatment with 100 and 200 μM deferoxamine increased endothelial tube formation (p = 0.001) and mRNA levels of angiogenesis-related factors (p = 0.02). Rat scalps treated with deferoxamine exhibited increased capillary neoformation (p = 0.001) and vascular endothelial growth factor protein expression (p = 0.024) compared with controls. Fat graft volume retention, capillary density (p < 0.001), and adipocyte viability (p < 0.001) in the grafted fat increased when the recipient site was preconditioned with deferoxamine. CONCLUSION This study demonstrated that recipient site preconditioning with deferoxamine increases fat graft survival by inducing vascular endothelial growth factor and neovascularization.

We experimentally demonstrate that metal/oxide/floating-Schottky junction has multiple effective capacitances depending on the amount of electrons stored in the floating metal electrode. The oxide thin film covering the Schottky junction is used to trap electrons in the floating metal. The electron flow into and out of the floating metal is controlled by applying voltage pulses of opposite polarities onto the semiconductor substrate. With the amount of excess charges in the floating metal, the depletion capacitance of Schottky junction varies synchronously, which dominantly affects the effective capacitance of the whole junction. Interestingly, the capacitance of metal/oxide/floating-Schottky junction measured as a function of applied voltage pulse shows a hysteretic behavior, which supports its capacitive memory effect. It is expected that our metal/oxide/floating-Schottky junction can work as a memcapacitor capable of recording multiple switchable capacitance values and it can be readily fabricated with the current Si CMOS technology.

Background Originating from poultry, particularly chickens, Campylobacter jejuni is the leading foodborne pathogen worldwide and a major cause of campylobacteriosis. Isolating C. jejuni is difficult due to its specific growth requirements, the presence of viable but non-culturable bacteria, and because it is often masked by competing flora. Currently, there is no optimized method for isolating C. jejuni from chicken feces. Here, we evaluated the method for isolating C. jejuni from chicken feces using culture-independent sequence-based metagenomics and culture-dependent tools. Further, we assessed changes in microbial communities during microbe isolation to determine how the process can be improved. Results Fourteen different variations of C. jejuni isolation procedures were applied to all 35 chicken fecal samples. These variations included using different enrichment broths (without enrichment or enrichment in Bolton or Preston broth), different ratios of sample-to-enrichment broth (1:101, 1:102, and 1:103), and different selective agars (modified charcoal-cefoperazone-deoxycholate agar (mCCDA) or Preston agar). Enrichment during isolation of C. jejuni was evaluated on the basis of microbial diversity and taxonomic composition using metagenomics tools. The effect of selective media was evaluated using a combination of metagenomics and culture-dependent tools. Microbial diversity significantly decreased during the enrichment process, regardless of the type of enrichment broth, with the most significant decrease observed at a feces-to-broth ratio of 1:103. Particularly, in 103-Preston broth, the relative abundance of Campylobacter increased, while extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli, which interfere with Campylobacter isolation, decreased. Metagenomics results were validated by quantitative PCR and culture-dependent analysis. Additionally, selective media affected the isolation results, although microbes with high relative abundance during enrichment were also frequently isolated using culture-dependent methods. Significantly more C. jejuni was isolated from mCCDA than from Preston agar enriched in 103 Preston broth. Conclusions Enrichment in Preston broth at a ratio of 1:103 followed by spreading onto mCCDA was the most effective method for isolating C. jejuni. This is the first study to apply metagenomics to evaluate a method for isolating a targeted microbe, C. jejuni, from chicken feces, a source with high microbial contamination. Thus, metagenomics can be applied to improve methods for isolating bacteria that are difficult to separate.

BACKGROUND There is little research available that describes the natural progression of split-thickness skin graft (STSG) donor site wounds after re-epithelialization. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the longitudinal clinical progress of transepidermal water loss (TEWL), color, and sensory elements in STSG donor sites in East Asians. METHODS Eighteen patients participated in this study. The TEWL, color, pressure threshold, and static two-point discrimination were evaluated from the center and upper lateral corner of the wounds and adjacent normal skin preoperatively and at 1, 2, 7, and 12 months postoperatively. RESULTS The age was negatively correlated with preoperative values of TEWL (r = -0.49, P = 0.039). The elevated TEWL level from the STSG donor sites did not return to normal until 12 months after surgery. In the measurement of skin color, the elevated L* value normalized after 12 months following surgery, while the elevated a* and b* values persisted. In the sensory testing, there were no significant changes during the observation period except at 2 months postoperatively, representing a significant increase of pressure threshold in the periphery. CONCLUSIONS In East Asians, elevated skin lightness level in STSG donor sites returned to normal at 12 months postoperatively, while the elevated TEWL and skin redness levels were improved but were not normalized at 12 months after surgery.

Objective Silent corticotroph adenomas (SCA) are endocrine-inactive pituitary adenomas with positive immunohistochemistry staining for adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). We investigated whether SCA-associated clinical profiles were more aggressive than hormonally negative adenomas (HNA). Methods Among 627 patients with pathologically proven endocrine-inactive pituitary adenomas between 2004 and 2013, positive immunohistochemistry revealed 55 SCAs and 411 HNAs. Surgical outcomes and radiological and endocrinological characteristics were compared. Results Strong female predominance was observed in the SCA group (p

To evaluate the outcomes of flow-diverting device (FDD) treatment for large vertebral artery dissecting aneurysms (VADAs).This retrospective study evaluated 12 patients with 12 VADAs who were treated using FDD between 2013 and 2020. Clinical and radiographic data, including procedure-related complications and clinical outcomes assessed using the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at the time of the last follow-up, were collected and reviewed.All 12 patients had unruptured aneurysms. There were 3 (25%) female and 9 (75%) male patients, and the mean patient age was 54.6 years. The mean size of the aneurysm was 15.9 ± 4.8 mm. The mean follow-up duration was 15.8 months. Single FDD without additional coils was used in all patients. One patient underwent second-line treatment with FDD for recurrence of large VADA after stent-assisted coiling. Immediate follow-up angiography after placement of the FDD demonstrated intra-aneurysmal contrast stasis. There were 2 (17%) patients who had peri-procedural stroke. Angiography at the 6-month follow-up in 10 patients showed favorable occlusion (OKM grade C3 + D). A total of 11 (92%) patients had good clinical outcome (modified Rankin Scale ≤ 2) at the last follow-up. No re-treatment or delayed aneurysm rupture occurred during the follow-up period.Reconstructive technique with FDD is a feasible and effective modality for the treatment of large VADAs, showing favorable occlusion rate and clinical outcome.

Oxidative stress has been implicated in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Mitochondrial dysfunction is linked to oxidative stress and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in neurotoxicity during AD. Impaired mitochondrial metabolism has been associated with mitochondrial dysfunction in brain damage of AD. While the role of NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4), a major source of ROS, has been identified in brain damage, the mechanism by which NOX4 regulates ferroptosis of astrocytes in AD remains unclear. Here, we show that the protein levels of NOX4 were significantly elevated in impaired astrocytes of cerebral cortex from patients with AD and APP/PS1 double-transgenic mouse model of AD. The levels of 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) and malondialdehyde (MDA), a marker of oxidative stress-induced lipid peroxidation, were significantly also elevated in impaired astrocytes of patients with AD and mouse AD. We demonstrate that the over-expression of NOX4 significantly increases the impairment of mitochondrial metabolism by inhibition of mitochondrial respiration and ATP production via the reduction of five protein complexes in the mitochondrial ETC in human astrocytes. Moreover, the elevation of NOX4 induces oxidative stress by mitochondrial ROS (mtROS) production, mitochondrial fragmentation, and inhibition of cellular antioxidant process in human astrocytes. Furthermore, the elevation of NOX4 increased ferroptosis-dependent cytotoxicity by the activation of oxidative stress-induced lipid peroxidation in human astrocytes. These results suggest that NOX4 promotes ferroptosis of astrocytes by oxidative stress-induced lipid peroxidation via the impairment of mitochondrial metabolism in AD., Highlights • The levels of NOX4 were elevated in impaired astrocytes of human and mouse AD. • The levels of 4-HNE and MDA were elevated in impaired astrocytes of human and mouse AD. • NOX4 induces oxidative stress by the impairment of mitochondria in human astrocytes. • NOX4 promotes ferroptosis by oxidative stress in human astrocytes.

(1) Background: The elevation of glucose metabolism is linked to high-grade gliomas such as glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). The high glycolytic phenotype is associated with cellular proliferation and resistance to treatment with chemotherapeutic agents in GBM. MicroRNA-542-3p (miR-542-3p) has been implicated in several tumors including gliomas. However, the role of miR-542-3p in glucose metabolism in human gliomas remains unclear, (2) Methods: We measured the levels of cellular proliferation in human glioma cells. We measured the glycolytic activity in miR-542-3p knockdown and over-expressed human glioma cells. We measured the levels of miR-542-3p and HK2 in glioma tissues from patients with low- and high-grade gliomas using imaging analysis, (3) Results: We show that knockdown of miR-542-3p significantly suppressed cellular proliferation in human glioma cells. Knockdown of miR-542-3p suppressed HK2-induced glycolytic activity in human glioma cells. Consistently, over-expression of miR-542-3p increased HK2-induced glycolytic activity in human glioma cells. The levels of miR-542-3p and HK2 were significantly elevated in glioma tissues of patients with high-grade gliomas relative to that in low-grade gliomas. The elevation of HK2 levels in patients with high-grade gliomas were positively correlated with the high levels of miR-542-3p in GBM and low-grade gliomas (LGG) based on the datasets from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Moreover, the high levels of miR-542-3p were associated with poor survival rate in the TCGA database, (4) Conclusions: miR-542-3p contributes to the HK2-mediated high glycolytic phenotype in human glioma cells.

PURPOSE: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic disrupted the emergency medical care system worldwide. We analyzed the changes in the management of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and compared the pre-COVID-19 and COVID-19 eras. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From March to October of the COVID-19 era (2020), 83 consecutive patients with ICH were admitted to four comprehensive stroke centers. We retrospectively reviewed the data of patients and compared the treatment workflow metrics, treatment modalities, and clinical outcomes with the patients admitted during the same period of pre-COVID-19 era (2017-2019). RESULTS: Three hundred thirty-eight patients (83 in COVID-19 era and 255 in pre-COVID-19 era) were included in this study. Symptom onset/detection-to-door time [COVID-19; 56.0 min (34.0-106.0), pre-COVID-19; 40.0 min (27.0-98.0), p=0.016] and median door to-intensive treatment time differed between the two groups [COVID-19; 349.0 min (177.0-560.0), pre-COVID-19; 184.0 min (134.0-271.0), p

Campylobacter, the most common etiologic agent of zoonotic gastroenteritis in humans, is present in many reservoirs including livestock animals, wildlife, soil, and water. Previously, we reported a novel Campylobacter jejuni strain SCJK02 (MLST ST-8388) from the gut of wild mice (Micromys minutus) using culture-dependent methods. However, due to fastidious growth conditions and the presence of viable but non-culturable Campylobacter spp., it is unclear whether M. minutus is a Campylobacter reservoir. This study aimed to: 1) determine the distribution and proportion of Campylobacter spp. in the gut microbiota of wild mice using culture-independent methods and 2) investigate the gut microbiota of wild mice and the relationship of Campylobacter spp. with other gut microbes. The gut microbiota of 38 wild mice captured from perilla fields in Korea and without any clinical symptoms (18 M. minutus and 20 Mus musculus) were analyzed. Metagenomic analysis showed that 77.8% (14 of 18) of the captured M. minutus harbored Campylobacter spp. (0.24–32.92%) in the gut metagenome, whereas none of the captured M. musculus carried Campylobacter spp. in their guts. Notably, 75% (6 of 8) of M. minutus determined to be Campylobacter-negative using culture-dependent methods showed a high proportion of Campylobacter through metagenome analysis. The results of metagenome analysis and the absence of clinical symptoms suggest that Campylobacter may be a component of the normal gut flora of wild M. minutus. Furthermore, linear discriminant analysis (LDA) showed that Campylobacter was the most enriched genus in the gut microbiota of M. minutus (LDA score, 5.37), whereas Lactobacillus was the most enriched genus in M. musculus (LDA score, −5.96). The differences in the presence of Campylobacter between the two species of wild mice may be attributed to the differential abundance of Campylobacter and Lactobacillus in their respective gut microbiota. In conclusion, the results indicate that wild M. minutus may serve as a potential Campylobacter reservoir. This study presents the first metagenomics analysis of the M. minutus gut microbiota to explore its possible role as an environmental Campylobacter reservoir and provides a basis for future studies using culture-independent methods to determine the role of environmental reservoirs in Campylobacter transmission.

We performed an animal study to identify the techniques associated with the best muscle healing outcomes in cleft lip/palate surgery. The right triceps of thirty adult male Sprague–Dawley rats were cut and repaired by three different suture techniques: simple (n = 10), overlapping (n = 10), and splitting sutures (n = 10). Muscle tissues were isolated from 5 rats per group 1 and 8 weeks postoperation. The inflammatory response and muscle fiber healing were evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin (H&amp, E) staining, Western blotting, immunohistochemistry for TNF-α and IL-1β, and immunofluorescence for laminin and MyoD. Grip strength (N/100 g) and spatial gait symmetry were evaluated before surgery and 1, 2, 4 and 8 weeks postoperation. Eight weeks postoperation, grip force per weight was significantly higher in the simple suture (median, 3.49, IQR, 3.28–3.66) and overlapping groups (median, 3.3, IQR, 3.17–3.47) than the splitting group (median, 2.91, IQR, 2.76–3.05). There was no significant difference in range of motion between groups. The simple group exhibited significant remission of inflammation by H&amp, E staining and lower expression of TNF-α and IL-1β than the other groups by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. Immunofluorescence revealed stronger expression of MyoD and weaker expression of laminin in the splitting group than in the other groups at week 8, indicating prolonged inflammation and healing followed by poor muscle fiber remodeling. Simple and overlapping sutures demonstrated similar functional healing, although greater inflammation and failure to maintain a thicker muscle belly were observed in the overlapping suture group compared with the simple suture group. Therefore, reconstruction of the philtral column with overlapping sutures alone may result in limited long-term fullness, and additional procedures may be needed.

Three-dimensional structures of Ni nanoparticles undergoing significant morphological changes on oxidation were observed non-destructively using coherent X-ray diffraction imaging. The Ni particles were oxidized into Ni1O1 while forming pores of various sizes internally. For each Ni nanoparticle, one large void was identified at a lower corner near the interface with the substrate. The porosity of the internal region of the agglomerated Ni oxide was about 38.4%. Regions of high NiO density were mostly observed at the outer crust of the oxide or at the boundary with the large voids. This research expands our understanding of general catalytic reactions with direct observation of oxidation-induced nanoscale morphological changes.

Purpose: Fillet flap is a “spare part” concept. This technique allows the defect to be covered without donor site morbidity. Over the past 5 years, there were 107 diabetic foot cases of one-toe fillet flap in our hospital. After the operation, in some patients, there was necrosis of the adjacent toe that required additional amputation. The aim of our study was to determine the cause of necrosis of the adjacent toe after fillet flap. Methods: The patients were divided into two groups. One group had no necrosis of the adjacent toe (group A) after the operation, and the other group had necrosis of the adjacent toe that required additional amputation after the operation (group B). Then, to confirm the cause of the additional necrosis of the adjacent toe, χ 2 tests, Fisher’s tests, and logistic regression tests were performed. Results: A total of 107 patients were included, and 48 patients needed additional amputation. The logistic regression test revealed that a fillet flap at the metatarsophalangeal joint (MTPJ), horizontal sutures, and a fillet flap at the second toe were significant risk factors for developing necrosis. Conclusions: If a fillet flap with a second toe, fillet flap on MTPJ level and horizontal closure after fillet flap is needed, the chance of developing necrosis of the adjacent toe and additional revisional surgery must be communicated preoperatively.

Campylobacter, the most common etiologic agent of zoonotic gastroenteritis in humans, is present in many reservoirs including livestock animals, wildlife, soil, and water. Previously, we reported a novel Campylobacter jejuni strain SCJK02 (MLST ST-8388) from the gut of wild mice (Micromys minutus) using culture-dependent methods. However, due to fastidious growth conditions and the presence of viable but non-culturable Campylobacter spp., it is unclear whether M. minutus is a Campylobacter reservoir. This study aimed to: 1) determine the distribution and proportion of Campylobacter spp. in the gut microbiota of wild mice using culture-independent methods and 2) investigate the gut microbiota of wild mice and the relationship of Campylobacter spp. with other gut microbes. The gut microbiota of 38 wild mice captured from perilla fields in Korea and without any clinical symptoms (18 M. minutus and 20 Mus musculus) were analyzed. Metagenomic analysis showed that 77.8% (14 of 18) of the captured M. minutus harbored Campylobacter spp. (0.24–32.92%) in the gut metagenome, whereas none of the captured M. musculus carried Campylobacter spp. in their guts. Notably, 75% (6 of 8) of M. minutus determined to be Campylobacter-negative using culture-dependent methods showed a high proportion of Campylobacter through metagenome analysis. The results of metagenome analysis and the absence of clinical symptoms suggest that Campylobacter may be a component of the normal gut flora of wild M. minutus. Furthermore, linear discriminant analysis (LDA) showed that Campylobacter was the most enriched genus in the gut microbiota of M. minutus (LDA score, 5.37), whereas Lactobacillus was the most enriched genus in M. musculus (LDA score, −5.96). The differences in the presence of Campylobacter between the two species of wild mice may be attributed to the differential abundance of Campylobacter and Lactobacillus in their respective gut microbiota. In conclusion, the results indicate that wild M. minutus may serve as a potential Campylobacter reservoir. This study presents the first metagenomics analysis of the M. minutus gut microbiota to explore its possible role as an environmental Campylobacter reservoir and provides a basis for future studies using culture-independent methods to determine the role of environmental reservoirs in Campylobacter transmission.

Background We evaluated changes in lip height and length by position in cleft lip nasal deformity patients who underwent treatment with Millard technique. Methods A retrospective review of the medical records and an anthropometric analysis of photographs were performed in 209 cases of cleft lip nasal deformity. In the photogrammetric analysis, the lip height and length were calculated with respect to the intercanthal width. To evaluate the change in the difference between the cleft- and noncleft-side measurements between the standing and supine positions, the difference between the cleft- and noncleft-side measurements (Δnc-c) was calculated. We identified which patients and surgical factors affected the difference between the cleft- and noncleft-side measurements between the standing and supine positions (Δst-sp). Results From a total of 120 cases, cases with missing medical charts and clinical photographs were excluded, and 89 cases were included in this study. The discrepancy between the cleft-side lip height and noncleft-side lip height was significantly different between the standing and supine positions (P = 0.007). According to the univariate regression analysis, Δst-sp (sbal-cphi) had a significant positive correlation with body mass index (P = 0.044). In the final multiple linear regression analysis, body mass index had a significant positive correlation with Δst-sp (sbal-cphi, P = 0.044). Conclusion In our results, the difference in vertical lip height is easy to underestimate in the supine position during surgery. Therefore, surgeons should verify lip height with the patient in the sitting or standing position during the operation to avoid undercorrecting lips with short heights.

It is demonstrated that the heart-rate can be sensed capacitively on a touch screen panel (TSP) together with touch signals. The existing heart-rate sensing systems measure blood pulses by tracing the amount of light reflected from blood vessels during a number of cardiac cycles. This type of sensing system requires a considerable amount of power and space to be implemented in multi-functional mobile devices such as smart phones. It is found that the variation of the effective dielectric constant of finger stemming from the difference of systolic and diastolic blood flows can be measured with laterally interspaced top electrodes of TSP. The spacing between a pair of non-adjacent top electrodes turns out to be wide enough to distinguish heart-rate signals from noises. With the aid of fast Fourier transform, the heart-rate can be extracted reliably, which matches with the one obtained by actually counting heart beats on the wrist.

A stretchable printed circuit board (PCB), which is an essential component of next-generation electronic devices, should be highly stretchable even at high levels of integration, as well as durable under repetitive stretching and patternable. Herein, an island-structured stretchable PCB composed of materials with controlled Young&rsquo, s modulus and viscosity by adding a reinforcing agent or controlling the degree of crosslinking is reported. Each material was fabricated with the most effective structures through a 3D printer. The PCB was able to stretch 71.3% even when highly integrated and was patterned so that various components could be mounted. When fully integrated, the stress applied to the mounted components was reduced by 99.9% even when stretched by over 70%. Consequently, a 4 &times, 4 array of capacitance sensors in a stretchable keypad demonstration using our PCB was shown to work, even at 50% stretching of the PCB.

An Al13 ε-Keggin cluster, AlO4Al12(OH)24(H2O)127+, is a predominant intermediate during the hydrolysis and polymerization of aluminum as well as a highly toxic substance to plants and fishes. However, no one could clearly explain why and how a cage-like Al13 ε-Keggin cluster is formed even though it could be readily synthesized by the forced hydrolysis of Al3+. We found that the Al13 ε-Keggin cluster was spontaneously formed not in monocrystalline octosilicate but in polycrystalline magadiite by the cation-exchange reaction with unhydrolyzed Al3+. Furthermore, the Al13 ε-Keggin cluster was hardly detected in disaggregated magadiite crystals whose morphology was changed into monocrystalline crystals like octosilicate. Our findings prove that Al13 formation is necessary to relieve localized inhomogeneity and rationalize that Al13 is formed by the simultaneous co-assembly of four planar trimers and one octahedral monomer. In addition, the spontaneous formation of Al13 in heterogeneous systems could be a vital clue to its evaluation in soils and sediments.

A 5-month old Shih Tzu was diagnosed with congenital elbow luxation and uniapical complex angular deformity of the radius. Single radial oblique and dynamic ulnar osteotomies were performed, using patient-specific 3D-printed osteotomy guide. External skeletal fixation was maintained for three weeks to prevent re-luxation of elbow joint. Three months after the surgery, objective gait analysis indicated markedly improved limb function. In addition, radiograph showed improved congruity of elbow joint and appropriate bone healing. In dogs with congenital radial head luxation and concurrent complex angular deformity, a single oblique osteotomy might be a viable option to preserve bone length and correct the luxation of elbow joint.

Auricular cartilage reconstruction represents one of the greatest challenges for otolaryngology-head and neck surgery. The native structure and composition of the auricular cartilage can be achieved by combining a suitable chondrogenic cell source with an appropriate scaffold. In reconstructive surgery for cartilage tissue, autogenous cartilage is considered to be the best chondrogenic cell source. Polycaprolactone is mainly used as a tissue-engineered scaffold owing to its mechanical properties, miscibility with a large range of other polymers, and biodegradability. In this study, scaffolds with or without autogenous minced auricular cartilage were implanted bilaterally in rabbits for auricular regeneration. Six weeks (n = 4) and 16 weeks (n = 4) after implantation, real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and histology were used to assess the regeneration of the auricular cartilage. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed that the messenger RNA expression of aggrecan, collagen I, and collagen II was higher in scaffolds with 50% minced cartilage than the scaffold-only groups or scaffolds with 30% minced cartilage (P < 0.05). Furthermore, histological analysis demonstrated significantly superior cartilage regeneration in scaffolds with the minced cartilage group compared with the scaffold-only and control groups (P < 0.05). Autogenous cartilage can be easily obtained and loaded onto a scaffold to promote the presence of chondrogenic cells, allowing for an improvement of the reconstruction of auricular cartilage. Here, the regeneration of auricular cartilage was also successful in the 50% minced cartilage group. The results presented in this study could have clinical implications, as they demonstrate the potential of a 1-stage process for auricular reconstruction.

BackgroundFunctional communication is vital in many areas of daily life, and modifying dysfunctional communication has been emphasized in various social areas, including family and school. The present preliminary study addressed the feasibility of a virtual reality (VR)-based interactive feedback program for the modification of dysfunctional communication.MethodsThirty-seven healthy young males completed psychological assessments associated with functional communication and participated in the VR-based program, consisting of the three tasks of ‘exploring the communication style,’ ‘practicing functional communication,’ and ‘expressing empathy.’ Behavioral parameters were recorded based on the participants’ choices among available options and the visual analog scale scores that resulted in responses to questions in the tasks.ResultsParticipants completed the program without dropping-out and reported 10.76 (SD, 9.66) in the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire and 106.97 (SD, 16.66) in the Presence Questionnaire. In exploring the communication style, there was no difference between the dysfunction level-with family and dysfunction level-with a friend, but only the dysfunction level-with family showed significant correlations with the level of communication with parents. In practicing functional communication, the communication scores with the placating, blaming, and computing styles significantly increased according to the repetition of trials. In expressing empathy, the empathetic feeling score was negatively correlated with the perspective-taking score, whereas the emotional intensity score was positively correlated with the level of differentiation of the self.ConclusionThese results suggest that the program may have a tolerable level of cybersickness, an adequate level of presence, an improvement in the behavioral parameters that may reflect the important aspects of communication, and a proper reflection of psychological states or interpersonal characteristics. The use of this program can be an important starting point for the development of a more convenient method for delivering VR programs designed to modify dysfunctional communication, which can further increase computerized dissemination.

Background Enhancing subjective well-being is an effective way to improve mental health and virtual reality is useful as an intervention tool for cultivating well-being. This preliminary study aimed to probe the usefulness of a virtual reality-based interactive feedback program as an intervention tool for promoting subjective well-being. Methods In the experiment, 36 males participated in this program, consisting of three tasks constructed based on the theories of positive psychology: ‘Experience-based problem recognition task’, ‘Future self-based success story expression task’, and ‘Strength expression task’. Participants rated visual analog scores associated with each of the tasks' contents. The concurrent validity of task scores was evaluated by correlations with scores of the psychological scales, such as the Mental Health Continuum-Short Form, Rosenberg’s Self-Esteem Scale, Dispositional Hope Scale, and Life Orientation Test Revised. Results The total task score was positively correlated with the scores of Mental Health Continuum-Short Form emotional well-being ( r = 0.492, p < 0.001) and psychological well-being ( r = 0.501, p < 0.001), Rosenberg’s Self-Esteem Scale ( r = 0.435, p < 0.001), Dispositional Hope Scale agency dimension ( r = 0.601, p < 0.001) and pathways dimension ( r = 0.451, p < 0.001), and Life Orientation Test Revised ( r = 0.378, p < 0.05), but not with the MHC-SF social well-being scores. After controlling the effects of the other task scores, the task scores had linear relationships with certain psychological assessments. Conclusion The results showed that the total task score was significantly correlated with indicators of well-being, self-esteem, hope, and optimism. The task scores obtained from the individual tasks were closely related to the indicators, depending on the nature of the task. These findings suggest that the program contents are well associated with certain aspects of subjective well-being and thus may be available for training that improves subjective well-being through interactive feedback.

Campylobacter jejuni is one of the most common zoonotic pathogens worldwide. Although the main sources of human C. jejuni infection are livestock, wildlife can also affect C. jejuni transmission in humans. However, it remains unclear whether wild mice harbor C. jejuni and are involved in the ‘environment–wildlife–livestock–human’ transmission cycle of C. jejuni in humans. Here, we characterized C. jejuni from wild mice and identified genetic traces of wild mouse-derived C. jejuni in other hosts using a traditional approach, along with comparative genomics. We captured 115 wild mice (49 Mus musculus and 66 Micromys minutus) without any clinical symptoms from 22 sesame fields in Korea over 2 years. Among them, Micromys minutus were typically caught in remote areas of human houses and C. jejuni was solely isolated from Micromys minutus (42/66, 63.6%). We identified a single clone (MLST ST-8388) in all 42 C. jejuni isolates, which had not been previously reported, and all isolates had the same virulence/survival-factor profile, except for the plasmid-mediated virB11 gene. No isolates exhibited antibiotic resistance, either in phenotypic and genetic terms. Comparative-genomic analysis and MST revealed that C. jejuni derived from Micromys minutus (strain SCJK2) was not genetically related to those derived from other sources (registered in the NCBI genome database and PubMLST database). Therefore, we hypothesize that C. jejuni from Micromys minutus is a normal component of the gut flora following adaptation to the gastro-intestinal tract. Furthermore, Micromys minutus-derived C. jejuni had different ancestral lineages from those derived from other sources, and there was a low chance of C. jejuni transmission from Micromys minutus to humans/livestock because of their habitat. In conclusion, Micromys minutus may be a potential reservoir for a novel C. jejuni, which is genetically different from those of other sources, but may not be involved in the transmission of C. jejuni to other hosts, including humans and livestock. This study could form the basis for further studies focused on understanding the transmission cycle of C. jejuni, as well as other zoonotic pathogens originating from wild mice.

Life-threatening hemorrhage following maxillofacial injury (MFI) is rare but can be fatal. Conventional measures for hemostasis including nasal packing, balloon tamponade, and surgical ligation of bleeding points may not be effective or efficient in patients at risk of hypovolemic shock. Advantages of transarterial embolization (TAE) include rapid identification of the bleeding focus and its access, direct obstruction of the culprit vessels, ability to control multiple bleeding sites, and no requirement of general anesthesia. The internal maxillary artery is the most frequently targeted vessel for embolization. Several studies have demonstrated that TAE was technically successful at rates between 79.4% and 100% and was associated with good clinical outcomes. However, major complications such as tongue necrosis or facial nerve palsy have rarely been reported (0%-7%), probably because of rich collaterals in the maxillofacial region, and failure to diagnose complications in patients who are severely disabled or died. Traditionally, Gelfoam and coils have been widely used as embolic materials. Polyvinyl alcohol particles and n-butyl-cyanoacrylate are also favored, and newer embolic materials, such as Onyx or precipitating hydrophobic injectable liquid, are available for use. Operators should be familiar with the distinctive characteristics of each embolic material. Early treatment with TAE for intractable hemorrhage may improve outcomes in patients with MFI, and further studies are necessary to develop a treatment algorithm to define when to initiate TAE in cases of severe oronasal hemorrhage following MFI.

Direct administration of bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) for bone regeneration could cause various clinical side effects such as osteoclast activation, inflammation, adipogenesis, and bone cyst formation. In this study, thiolated gelatin/poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) interpenetrating (IPN) composite hydrogels were developed for guided skull bone regeneration. To promote bone regeneration, either polycation-based coacervates (Coa) or gelatin microparticles (GMPs) were incorporated within IPN gels as BMP-2 carriers. Both BMP-2 loaded Coa and BMP-2 loaded GMPs showed significantly enhanced in vitro alkaline phosphate (ALP) activity of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) than non-BMP-2 treated control. Moreover, BMP-2 loaded GMPs group exhibited statistically increased ALP activity compared to both bolus BMP-2 administration and BMP-2 loaded Coa group, indicating that our carriers could protect and maintain biological activity of cargo BMP-2. Sustained release kinetics of BMP-2 from IPN composite hydrogels could be controlled by different formulations. For in vivo bone regeneration, various IPN gel formulations (i.e., (1) control, (2) only hydrogel, (3) hydrogel with bolus BMP-2, (4) hydrogel with BMP-2-loaded Coa, and (5) hydrogel with BMP-2-loaded GMPs) were bilaterally implanted into 5 mm-sized rat calvarial defects. After 4 weeks, micro-CT and histological analysis were performed to evaluate new bone formation. Significantly higher scores for bony bridging and union were observed in BMP-2-loaded Coa and BMP-2-loaded GMP groups as compared to other formulations. In addition, rats treated with BMP-2-loaded GMPs showed a significantly higher ratio of bone volume/total volume and lower trabecular separation scores than others. Finally, rats treated with either Coa or GMP groups exhibited a significant increase in bone formation area, as assessed via histomorphometric analysis. Taken together, it could be concluded that Coa and GMPs were effective carriers to maintain the bioactivity of cargo BMP-2 during its sustained release. Consequently, our IPN composite hydrogel system that combines such BMP-2 carriers could effectively promote skull bone regeneration.

Summary We assessed whether nicorandil, an adenosine triphosphate–sensitive K + channel opener, reduces burn wound progression in a rat comb burn model. A total of 24 rats were used. Following thermal injury, one dose of nicorandil (10 or 30 mg/kg) was administered intragastrically twice daily for 3 days. At days 1 and 3 after injury, skin was harvested for histopathological examination and protein isolation. Rats treated with the 10-mg/kg and 30-mg/kg doses of nicorandil exhibited significantly increased tissue survival in the zone of stasis at days 1 and 3 after injury. The 10-mg/kg and 30-mg/kg nicorandil doses also significantly increased skin perfusion in the zone of stasis at days 1 and 3 after injury. At 30 mg/kg, nicorandil significantly reduced hypoxia-inducible factor-1α expression in the zone of stasis at day 1 after injury and reduced inflammatory responses in the zone of stasis. The latter effect included decreased polymorphonuclear neutrophil leukocyte infiltration and interleukin-1β release at day 1 after injury. At 30 mg/kg, nicorandil also significantly reduced expression of nuclear factor-κB p65, akey transcriptional factor in the regulation of inflammatory mediators, in the zone of stasis at day 1 after injury. Our study demonstrates that a 30 mg/kg dosing schedule of nicorandil increases tissue survival in the zone of stasis by attenuating ischemia–reperfusion injury. This effect is mediated by the enhancement of skin blood flow and reduction in the inflammatory response. Therefore, our findings suggest that nicorandil has potential clinical applications for patients with burns.

Summary In this study, details of the infraorbital nerve's (ION's) anatomical course variants were compared using computed tomography (CT), and relationships between the variants and fracture patterns in the orbital floor were investigated. Fifty-two normal individuals and 50 patients with unilateral isolated orbital floor fractures were enrolled in this study. Four measurements in normal individuals and five measurements in fracture patients were obtained in parasagittal sections. The anatomical variations of the ION were categorized into three types according to the classification by Ferences et al. Among the normal individuals, 42 orbits were classified as type 1 ION, 48 orbits as type 2, and 14 orbits as type 3. The distance from the inferior orbital rim to the upper border of the inferior orbital foramen and the length of descension portion of the ION in type 1 ION were significantly shorter than in type 2 and type 3 IONs. In patients with orbital floor fractures, the distance from the inferior orbital rim to the upper border of the inferior orbital foramen was positively correlated with herniation level of bone and soft tissue. The ION had three anatomical variants according to the degree of descension in the anterior portion of the orbit. When fracture of the orbital floor occurs in patients with type 1 ION, inferior displacement of the fractured orbital bone and orbital soft tissue may be less severe than in patients with other ION types.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the protective effects of anthocyanins from the black soybean seed coat against radiation injury in dermal fibroblasts and mouse skin. Dermal fibroblasts treated with 50 and 100 µg/mL anthocyanins were irradiated with single doses of 20 Gy. Cell viability, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and mRNA expression were measured. A total of 60 mice were used for an in vivo study. A dose of 100 µg/mL anthocyanins was administered daily for 5 days before or after radiation therapy. Following irradiation (45 Gy), mice were inspected for gross pathology twice per wk for 8 weeks. At 4 and 8 weeks post-irradiation, dorsal skin was harvested for histopathologic examination and protein isolation. In dermal fibroblasts, treatment with 50 and 100 µg/mL anthocyanins significantly reduced radiation-induced apoptosis at 72 h and intracellular reactive oxygen species generation at 48 h. Furthermore, 100 µg/mL anthocyanins markedly decreased Smad3 mRNA expression and increased Smad7 mRNA expression at 72 h post-irradiation. In mice, treatment with 100 µg/mL anthocyanins resulted in a significant reduction in the level of skin injury, epidermal thickness, and collagen deposition after irradiation. Treatment with 100 µg/mL anthocyanins significantly decreased the number of α-SMA-, TGF-β-, and Smad3-positive cells after irradiation. Our study demonstrated that black soybean anthocyanins inhibited radiation-induced fibrosis by downregulating TGF-β and Smad3 expression. Therefore, anthocyanins may be a safe and effective candidate for the prevention of radiation-induced skin fibrosis.

It is demonstrated experimentally that graphene can form on the surface of an amorphous SiC film by irradiating electron beam (e-beam) at low acceleration voltage. As the electron irradiation fluency increases, the crystallinity and uniformity of graphene improve, which is confirmed by the changes of the measured Raman spectra and secondary electron microscopy images. Due to the shallow penetration depth of e-beam with low acceleration voltage, only the region near the surface of SiC film will be heated by the thermalization of irradiated electrons with multiple scattering processes. The thermalized electrons are expected to weaken the bond strength between Si and C atoms so that the thermal agitation required for triggering the sublimation of Si atoms decreases. With these assistances of irradiated electrons, it is considered that graphene can grow on the surface of SiC film at temperature reduced substantially in comparison with the conventional vacuum annealing process.

Nanoparticles (NPs) have been recognized as both useful tools and potentially toxic materials in various industrial and medicinal fields. Previously, we found that zinc oxide (ZnO) NPs that are neurotoxic to human dopaminergic neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells are mediated by lipoxygenase (LOX), not cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). Here, we examined whether human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which are different from neuroblastoma cells, might exhibit COX-2- and/or LOX-dependent cytotoxicity of ZnO NPs. Additionally, changes in annexin V expression, caspase-3/7 activity, and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) induced by ZnO NPs and ZnO were compared at 12 hr and 24 hr after exposure using flow cytometry. Cytotoxicity was measured based on lactate dehydrogenase activity and confirmed by trypan blue staining. Rescue studies were executed using zinc or iron chelators. ZnO NPs and ZnO showed similar dose-dependent and significant cytotoxic effects at concentrations ≥ 15 μg/mL, in accordance with annexin V expression, caspase-3/7 activity, and MMP results. Human MSCs exhibited both COX-2 and LOX-mediated cytotoxicity after exposure to ZnO NPs, which was different from human neuroblastoma cells. Zinc and iron chelators significantly attenuated ZnO NPs-induced toxicity. Conclusively, these results suggest that ZnO NPs exhibit both COX-2- and LOX-mediated apoptosis by the participation of mitochondrial dysfunction in human MSC cultures.

Correction for ‘An elastomer for epidermal electronics with adjustable adhesion force and stretchability obtained via a reverse-micelle-induced process’ by Junhyung Kim et al., J. Mater. Chem. C, 2018, 6, 2210–2215.

Sulfides encapsulated in zeolite 4A have been known to be stabilized by protection of the inorganic framework in spite of the possibility that they could be decomposed and eventually released into environment. This study focused on their release properties along with identification of the chemical species and location. At an optimized treatment condition, zeolite 4A encapsulated sulfides to be the total sulfur content up to a weight % of 10.61. Major encapsulated sulfides were identified to be S62− in α-cage and S3•− in β-cage, respectively. Extraction with deionized water revealed that 77% of the encapsulated sulfides was rapidly released within 3 days while the rest was gradually and completely released within 3 weeks. It was suggested in zeolite 4A that S62− in α-cage was released rapidly whereas S3•− in β-cage slowly. This release behavior of encapsulated sulfides provides a new strategy to explore their potentials for advanced applications.

AIM The aim was to study whether oral glucosamine hydrochloride (GlcN.HCl) or mucopolysaccharide protein (MucoP) has a structure-modifying effect on an anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT) rabbit model of osteoarthritis (OA). METHODS OA was surgically induced in the right knees of rabbits by transection of the ACLT. The left knees served as a sham-operated control. The animals were divided into four groups (n = 6 each): negative control (phosphate buffered saline, orally), positive control (oral celecoxib 10 mg/kg body weight/day), GlcN.HCl (oral 100 mg/kg/day) and MucoP (oral 100 mg/kg/day). Experimental animals were sacrificed after 8 weeks of treatment and the distal femur was removed for macroscopic examination, histological assessment, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay of the OA rabbits. RESULTS On gross morphology, severe lesions were observed in articular cartilage in the negative control group. In the GlcN.HCl and MucoP treatment groups, fibrillations and cartilaginous lesions were significantly (P < 0.05) decreased compared to the negative control group. In particular, degenerative changes in cartilage and chondrocyte cellularity were significantly reduced (P < 0.05) in the positive control (celecoxib) group, GlcN.HCl treatment group and MucoP treatment group compared with the negative control group. TUNEL assay showed that apoptotic chondrocytes were significantly suppressed in the celecoxib group. Similar significant (P < 0.05) results were seen in the GlcN.HCl group and MucoP group but apoptosis of chondrocytes were high in the negative control group. CONCLUSION These data suggest that the protective effects of GlcN.HCl and MucoP may play a useful role in the clinical treatment of OA.

BACKGROUND The elevation of glucose metabolism is linked to high-grade gliomas such as glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). The high glycolytic phenotype is associated with cellular proliferation and resistance to treatment with chemotherapeutic agents in GBM. MicroRNA-542-3p (miR-542-3p) has been implicated in several tumors including gliomas. However, the role of miR-542-3p in glucose metabolism in human gliomas remains unclear. METHODS We measured the levels of cellular proliferation in human glioma cells. We measured the glycolytic activity in miR-542-3p knockdown and over-expressed human glioma cells. We measured the levels of miR-542-3p and HK2 in glioma tissues from patients with low- and high-grade gliomas using imaging analysis. RESULTS We show that knockdown of miR-542-3p significantly suppressed cellular proliferation in human glioma cells. Knockdown of miR-542-3p suppressed HK2-induced glycolytic activity in human glioma cells. Consistently, over-expression of miR-542-3p increased HK2-induced glycolytic activity in human glioma cells. The levels of miR-542-3p and HK2 were significantly elevated in glioma tissues of patients with high-grade gliomas relative to that in low-grade gliomas. The elevation of HK2 levels in patients with high-grade gliomas were positively correlated with the high levels of miR-542-3p in GBM and low-grade gliomas (LGG) based on the datasets from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Moreover, the high levels of miR-542-3p were associated with poor survival rate in the TCGA database. CONCLUSIONS miR-542-3p contributes to the HK2-mediated high glycolytic phenotype in human glioma cells.