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The clinical significance of the muscular branch of the circumflex scapular artery (CSA) has been underestimated during surgery involving the scapular osteocutaneous free flap, while the suprascapular artery (SSA) is vulnerable to damage during internal fixation of a scapular fracture. This study aimed to provide navigational guidelines for the positions of the suprascapular and circumflex scapular arteries at the infraspinous fossa and to identify the anastomotic pattern. Scapulae were carefully dissected following injection of liquid silicone into the suprascapular and circumflex scapular arteries. The artery diameters and the distances between landmarks were measured. Scapulae were classified according to the anastomotic morphology of the arteries. The suprascapular and circumflex scapular arteries had mean diameters of 1.7 and 2.1 mm, respectively. The mean horizontal distance from the root of the spine to the suprascapular artery was 90.3 mm, and the mean distance between the suprascapular and circumflex scapular arteries was 45.5 mm. The circumflex scapular artery was positioned along the lateral border at 68.7% from the inferior angle. Practical navigational guidelines for the positions of the suprascapular and circumflex scapular arteries have been provided, with the anastomotic pattern classified into two types and two subtypes. The results of the present study will help reduce donor-site morbidity and damage to these arteries during surgery in the scapular region., (Copyright © 2016 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This paper uses original survey data of the Great East Japan earthquake disaster victims to examine their decision to apply for the temporary housing as well as the timing of application. We assess the effects of victims' attachment to their locality as well as variation in victims' information seeking behavior. We additionally consider various factors such as income, age, employment and family structure that are generally considered to affect the decision to choose temporary housing as victims' solution for their displacement. Empirical results indicate that, ceteris paribus, as the degree of attachment increases, victims are more likely to apply for the temporary housing but attachment does not affect the timing of application. On the other hand, the victims who actively seek information and are able to collect higher quality information are less likely to apply for the temporary housing and if they do apply then they apply relatively later.

The AmpFℓSTR Yfiler PCR Amplification (Yfiler) kit continues to be improved for a better analytical efficiency in cases of highly degraded DNA. The authors endeavored to determine whether coupling of the Yfiler kit with supplemental multiplex amplification of some Y-STR loci is a more efficient analytical mode for poorly preserved human femurs (n = 15) discovered at Korean archeological sites. To reveal locus profiles not easily obtained by Yfiler analysis, custom-designed primers were adopted for the DYS390, DYS391, DYS392, DYS438, DYS439, and DYS635 loci. The success rate for 16 Y-STR locus profiles obtained from the 15 femurs was improved from 18.33% (in the use of Yfiler kit only) to 49.17% (the coupled use of Yfiler and custom-designed primers). In this study, the authors established that the custom-designed primers offer a markedly improved success rate for obtainment of Y-STR profiles from degraded aDNA not easily identified by sole use of the Yfiler assay., (© 2015 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.)

To provide anatomical and morphological data regarding the coccyx using three-dimensional images, with a view to aiding the diagnosis of idiopathic coccydynia, one hundred and thirty-six normal adult pelvises were investigated. Three-dimensional models of the pelvis were reconstructed using software from computed tomography images of whole specimens. The following six coccyx parameters were measured: (1) width, (2) straight length, (3) thickness, (4) sacrococcygeal angle, (5) intercoccygeal angle, and (6) angle of lateral deviation of the coccyx. The presence of fusion between the sacral and coccygeal cornua, and between the sacrum and the transverse process of the coccyx was also investigated, and lateral deviations of the coccyx were classified and analyzed. Most of the measured coccyx parameters were larger in males than in females, with the exception of the sacrococcygeal and intercoccygeal angles. Unilateral or bilateral fusion of the sacral cornu and the coccygeal cornu was not a rare finding. With respect to the sacrum and the transverse process of coccyx, the separated type was more common than the fused type. The incidence and angle of lateral deviation of the coccyx varied widely between individuals. The present detailed description of the gross anatomy of the coccyx obtained using three-dimensional modeling will help toward understanding the mechanism underlying the development of idiopathic coccydynia. Fusion of the sacrum and coccyx or lateral deviation of the coccyx may cause coccydynia by compressing the coccygeal nerves., (© 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Objective: To categorize a syndrome manifesting as prominent acute bulbar palsy (ABP) without limb motor weakness as a variant form of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and differentiate it from Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS) and pharyngeal-cervical-brachial (PCB) variants., Methods: We analyzed cases of ABP without limb motor weakness based on a dataset containing clinical information and the results of antiganglioside antibodies assays for acute immune-mediated neuropathies., Results: Eleven cases with an age at onset ranging from 18 to 65 years (mean 33.8 years) were identified as ABP-plus syndrome. All of the enrolled cases manifested with ABP as the predominant symptom, and with no limb weakness. The following features accompanied ABP in order of decreasing frequency: ophthalmoplegia (n = 9, 82%), ataxia (n = 9, 82%), and facial palsy (n = 6, 55%). An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay study disclosed that immunoglobulin G (IgG) anti-GT1a antibodies were the most frequent (n = 11), followed by IgG anti-GQ1b antibodies (n = 6)., Conclusions: We propose that ABP-plus syndrome without neck or limb weakness is a variant of GBS that is distinct from the MFS and PCB variants. The presence of IgG anti-GT1a antibodies can explain the relationships between the distinct clinical characteristics and the underlying pathomechanisms., (© 2015 American Academy of Neurology.)

We have previously reported the identification of a rhodanine compound (1) with well-balanced inhibitory activity against IKKβ and collagen-induced TNFα activated cells. However, we need more optimized compounds because of its instability over plasma and microsome. As part of a program directed toward the optimization of IKKβ inhibitor, we modified a substituent of parent compound to a series of functional groups. Among substituted compounds, fluorine substituent (12) on the para position of phenyl ring restored the stability toward plasma and microsome while retaining inhibitory potency and selectivity against IKKβ over other kinases. Also, we have demonstrated that compound 12 is an ATP non-competitive inhibitor and safe enough to apply to animal experiment from an acute toxicity test., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To identify the location of the inferior oblique muscle (IOM) origin with reference to the lacrimal caruncle in order to facilitate safer oculofacial surgery by preventing morbidity associated with IOM injury., Methods: Thirty-seven intact orbits of 20 embalmed Asian cadavers were dissected. The location of the medial border of the IOM origin was determined with respect to the apex of the lacrimal caruncle. In addition, the size of the IOM origin and the anteroposterior distance from the inferior orbital rim to the anterior border of the IOM origin were measured., Results: The IOM origin was located at a mean distance of 1.2 mm lateral and 11.2 mm inferior to the apex of the lacrimal caruncle. In half of the orbits, the IOM origin was situated just on the vertical line through the apex of the lacrimal caruncle. The mean length and width of the IOM origin were 4.3 and 2.7 mm, respectively. The mean anteroposterior distance from the inferior orbital rim to the IOM origin was 1.9 mm., Conclusions: The lacrimal caruncle is easily identifiable and a reliable external landmark for prediction of the IOM origin. The IOM origin is located approximately where the vertical line through the apex of the lacrimal caruncle intersects the inferior orbital rim. The findings of this anatomical study of the exact location of the IOM origin can help to improve the safety of oculofacial surgery., (Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/)

Objective: We evaluated the differences in brain morphology among patients with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy according to the occurrence of absence seizures., Materials and Methods: Twenty-one juvenile myoclonic epilepsy patients with (n = 6) and without (n = 15) absence seizures were enrolled. We analyzed whole-brain T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging using FreeSurfer 5.1. Measures of cortical morphology, such as thickness, surface area, volume, and curvature, and the volumes of subcortical structures, the cerebellum, and cerebrum, were compared between the groups. Moreover, we quantified correlations between clinical variables and each measures of abnormal brain morphology., Results: Compared to normal controls, patients without absence seizures demonstrated thinning of the cortical thickness in the right hemisphere, including the post-central, lingual, orbitofrontal, and lateral occipital cortex. Compared to normal controls, patients with absence seizures had more widespread thinning of the cortical thickness, including the right post-central, lingual, orbitofrontal, and lateral occipital cortexes as well as the right inferior temporal cortex. Additionally, the volume of cerebellar white matter in patients without absence seizures was significantly smaller than that in normal controls. Patients with absence seizures had a much smaller cerebellar white matter volume than normal controls or patients without absence seizures. Moreover, there was significantly positive correlation between the age of seizure onset and the volume of cerebellar white matter in patients with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy., Conclusions: We demonstrated that there were significant brain morphology differences in patients with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy according to the presence of absence seizures. These findings support the hypothesis that juvenile myoclonic epilepsy may be a heterogeneous syndrome., (© 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Psychological stress is an emotion experienced when people are under mental pressure or encounter unexpected problems. Extreme or repetitive stress increases the risk of developing human disease, including cardiovascular disease (CVD), immune diseases, mental disorders, and cancer. Several studies have shown an association between psychological stress and cancer growth and metastasis in animal models and case studies of cancer patients. Stress induces the secretion of stress-related mediators, such as catecholamine, cortisol, and oxytocin, via the activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis or the sympathetic nervous system (SNS). These stress-related hormones and neurotransmitters adversely affect stress-induced tumor progression and cancer therapy. Catecholamine is the primary factor that influences tumor progression. It can regulate diverse cellular signaling pathways through adrenergic receptors (ADRs), which are expressed by several types of cancer cells. Activated ADRs enhance the proliferation and invasion abilities of cancer cells, alter cell activity in the tumor microenvironment, and regulate the interaction between cancer and its microenvironment to promote tumor progression. Additionally, other stress mediators, such as glucocorticoids and oxytocin, and their cognate receptors are involved in stress-induced cancer growth and metastasis. Here, we will review how each receptor-mediated signal cascade contributes to tumor initiation and progression and discuss how we can use these molecular mechanisms for cancer therapy.

Liver X receptor (LXR) is a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily, and it regulates various biologic processes, including de novo lipogenesis, cholesterol metabolism, and inflammation. Selective inhibition of LXR may aid the treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver diseases. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of three cinnamamide derivatives on ligand-induced LXRα activation and explored whether these derivatives could attenuate steatosis in mice. N-(4-trifluoromethylphenyl) 3,4-dimethoxycinnamamide (TFCA) decreased the luciferase activity in LXRE-tk-Luc-transfected cells and also suppressed ligand-induced lipid accumulation and expression of the lipogenic genes in murine hepatocytes. Furthermore, it significantly attenuated hepatic neutral lipid accumulation in a ligand-induced fatty liver mouse system. Modeling study indicated that TFCA inhibited activation of the LXRα ligand-binding domain by hydrogen bonding to Arg305 in the H5 region of that domain. It regulated the transcriptional control exerted by LXRα by influencing coregulator exchange; this process involves dissociation of the thyroid hormone receptor-associated proteins (TRAP)/DRIP coactivator and recruitment of the nuclear receptor corepressor. These results show that TFCA has the potential to attenuate ligand-induced lipogenesis and fatty liver by selectively inhibiting LXRα in the liver., (Copyright © 2016 by The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.)

The purposes of this study were therefore to characterize the degeneration and regeneration of nerves to the calf muscles after selective neurectomy, both macroscopically and microscopically, and to determine the incidence of such regeneration in a rabbit model. Seventy four New Zealand white rabbits were used. Selective neurectomy to the triceps surae muscles was performed, and the muscles were subsequently harvested and weighed 1-4 months postneurectomy. The gastrocnemius muscles were stained with Sihler's solution to enable the macroscopic observation of any nerve regeneration that may have occurred subsequent to neurectomy. The change in triceps surae muscle weight was measured along the time course of the experiment. After neurectomy, nerve degeneration was followed by regeneration in all cases. The weight of the triceps surae muscle decreased dramatically between completion of the neurectomy and 1 month postneurectomy, but increased thereafter. The nerve branches were weakly stained with Sihler's solution until 2 months postneurectomy, and then strongly stained after 3 months. The number of myelinated axons was decreased at 2 month after neurectomy compared to nonneurectomized controls, but then gradually increased thereafter. Although there are currently no reports on the incidence of recovery after calf reduction, it may be a very common occurrence in the clinical field based on our findings. The findings of this study provide fundamental anatomical and surgical information to aid planning and practice in calf-reduction surgery.

The current model of compact bone is that of a system of Haversian (longitudinal) canals connected by Volkmann's (transverse) canals. Models based on either histology or microcomputed tomography do not accurately represent the morphologic detail and microstructure of this system, especially that of the canal networks and their spatial relationships. The aim of the present study was to demonstrate the morphologic pattern and network of the Haversian system and to compare endosteal and periosteal sides in rats using three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction. Ten Sprague-Dawley rats aged 8-10 weeks were used. The femurs were harvested from each rat and fixed, decalcified with 10% EDTA-2Na, serially sectioned at a thickness of 5 µm, and then stained with hematoxylin and eosin. The serial sections were reconstructed three-dimensionally using Reconstruct software. The Haversian canals in the endosteal region were found to be large, highly interconnected, irregular, and close to neighboring canals. In contrast, the canals in the periosteal region were straight and small. This combined application of 3D reconstruction and histology examinations to the Haversian system has confirmed its microstructure, showing a branched network pattern on the endosteal side but not on the periosteal side.

Y chromosome single nucleotide polymorphisms (Y-SNPs) are useful markers for reconstructing male lineages through hierarchically arranged allelic sets known as haplogroups, and are thereby widely used in the fields such as human evolution, anthropology and forensic genetics. The Y haplogroup tree was recently revised with newly suggested Y-SNP markers for designation of several subgroups of haplogroups C2, O2b and O3a, which are predominant in Koreans. Therefore, herein we analyzed these newly suggested Y-SNPs in 545 unrelated Korean males who belong to the haplogroups C2, O2b or O3a, and investigated the reconstructed topology of the Y haplogroup tree. We were able to confirm that markers L1373, Z1338/JST002613-27, Z1300, CTS2657, Z8440 and F845 define the C2 subhaplogroups, C2b, C2e, C2e1, C2e1a, C2e1b and C2e2, respectively, and that markers F3356, L682, F11, F238/F449 and F444 define the O subhaplogroups O2b1, O2b1b, O3a1c1, O3a1c2 and O3a2c1c, respectively. Among six C2 subhaplogroups (C2b, C2e, C2e1*, C2e1a, C2e1b and C2e2), the C2e haplogroup and its subhaplogroups were found to be predominant, and among the four O2b subhaplogroups (O2b*, O2b1*, O2b1a and O2b1b), O2b1b was most frequently observed. Among the O3a subhaplogroups, O3a2c1 was predominant and it was further divided into the subhaplogroups O3a2c1a and O3a2c1c with a newly suggested marker. However, the JST002613-27 marker, which had been known to define the haplogroup C2f, was found to be an ancestral marker of the C2e haplogroup, as is the Z1338 marker. Also, the M312 marker for the O2b1 haplogroup designation was replaced by F3356, because all of the O2b1 haplotypes showed a nucleotide change at F3356, but not at M312. In addition, the F238 marker was always observed to be phylogenetically equivalent to F449, while both of the markers were assigned to the O3a1c2 haplogroup. The confirmed phylogenetic tree of this study with the newly suggested Y-SNPs could be valuable for anthropological and forensic investigations of East Asians including Koreans., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

To date, DNA methylation has been regarded as the most promising age-predictive biomarker. In support of this, several researchers have reported age predictive models based on the use of blood or even across a broad spectrum of tissues. However, there have been no publications that report epigenetic age signatures from semen, one of the most forensically relevant body fluids. In genome-wide DNA methylation profiles of 36 body fluids including blood, saliva, and semen, the previous age predictive models showed considerable prediction accuracy in blood and saliva but not in semen. Therefore, we selected CpG sites, whose methylation levels are strongly correlated with age in 12 semen profiles obtained from individuals of different ages, and investigated DNA methylation changes at these CpGs in 68 additional semen samples obtained from individuals aged 20 to 73 years using methylation SNaPshot reaction. Among the selected age-related CpG candidates, outstanding age correlation was obtained at cg06304190 in the TTC7B gene. Interestingly, the region around the TTC7B gene has been reported to show age-related DNA methylation alteration in the sperm methylome of 2 samples collected from individuals at certain time intervals. The age-predictive linear regression model trained with 3 CpGs (cg06304190 in the TTC7B gene, cg06979108 in the NOX4 gene and cg12837463) showed a high correlation between the predicted age and the chronological age, with an average absolute difference of approximately 5 years. These selected epigenetic age signatures are expected to be useful for considerably accurate age estimation in the forensically relevant body fluid of semen. However, because the findings were limited by small sample size, it will be necessary to further evaluate the age correlation of the selected CpGs and to encourage further investigation., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: We hypothesize that pre-existing susceptible structures in the brain may be associated with the development of newly diagnosed partial epilepsy of unknown etiology., Methods: Twenty-two patients with newly diagnosed partial epilepsy of unknown etiology and 36 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. In addition, we included 24 patients with chronic partial epilepsy of unknown etiology as a disease control group. We analyzed whole-brain T1-weighted MRIs using FreeSurfer 5.1. The volumes of the hippocampus, amygdala, thalamus, caudate, putamen, pallidum, brainstem, cerebellar gray and white matter, as well as cerebral gray and white matter were compared between the groups. We also analyzed the changes in brain volumes associated with the chronicity of epilepsy in the patients with chronic epilepsy compared to newly diagnosed epilepsy., Results: The volume of cerebellar white matter in patients with newly diagnosed epilepsy was significantly smaller than that which was observed in the healthy controls (p=0.0001). This finding was also observed in patients with chronic epilepsy (p<0.0001). Cerebral white matter volume was negatively correlated with the duration of epilepsy (r=-0.4, p=0.04)., Conclusion: These findings support our hypothesis that cerebellar white matter changes may constitute a pre-existing susceptible structure in the brain that is associated with the development of partial epilepsy of unknown etiology. In addition, cerebral white matter was the structure that was the most vulnerable to the progression of epilepsy., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

We report the discovery, synthesis, and biological activities of phenoxy-4-pyrone and phenoxy-4-pyridone derivatives as novel inhibitors of enoyl-acyl carrier protein reductase (FabI). Pyridone derivatives showed better activities than pyrone derivatives against FabI and Staphylococcus aureus strains, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Among the pyridone derivatives, compound 16l especially exhibited promising activities against the MRSA strain and good pharmacokinetic profiles., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The growth factors derived from the microenvironment create an environment conducive to tumor growth and survival. HGF deprivation using neutralizing antibody enhanced chemosensitivity in colorectal cancer cells (CRC). We determined secreted HGF in fibroblast conditioned medium (CM). Combination treatment of anti-HGF antibody and irinotecan (CPT-11) directly enhanced CPT-11 sensitivity in CRC. We generated xenograft in NOD/SCID mice inoculating HCT-116 human colorectal cancer cells subcutaneously with or without fibroblast. We found that the combination of CPT-11 and anti-HGF antibody induced marked suppression of tumor development. These results suggest that HGF produced by fibroblast induce CPT-11 resistance, and that anti-HGF antibody abrogate such resistance in vivo. fibroblast-derived HGF is important determinant of chemoresistance. Anti-HGF monoclonal antibody treatment confirmed the importance of this growth factor for chemoresistance in CRC. These results present new options toward the early diagnosis of chemoresistance and suggest novel combinations of chemotherapy and anti-HGF agents to prevent or significantly delay the onset of therapy resistance.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to clarify the definition of the anterior wall of the ulnar tunnel and to reveal the topographical characteristics of the various components of the ulnar tunnel., Materials and Methods: Twenty-two forearms from 11 embalmed cadavers (7 males, 4 females; mean age, 67.8 years) were carefully dissected., Results: In all cases, the anterior wall of the ulnar tunnel comprised the hypothenar fascia, which originated from the tendon of the flexor carpi ulnaris muscle. The palmar carpal ligament, the distal extent of the antebrachial fascia, was located deep to the anterior wall and formed only the anterior boundary of the proximal hiatus of the ulnar tunnel. The hypothenar fascia was attached to the flexor retinaculum at 15.2 mm lateral to the pisiform bone. However, the palmar carpal ligament was attached to the flexor retinaculum just lateral to the ulnar artery; the distance between the attachment of the palmar carpal ligament and the pisiform bone was 8.7 mm. Anatomical variations potentially associated with ulnar nerve compression were observed. The accessory abductor digiti minimi muscle and the fibrous band crossing the ulnar nerve in the ulnar tunnel were found in 27 and 23 % of forearms, respectively., Conclusion: A more detailed description of the anterior wall of the ulnar tunnel than was previously available is presented herein, and topographic and metric data regarding each structure of the tunnel are reported.

3-(Diarylmethylene)oxindoles have been synthesized from propiolamidoaryl triflate utilizing a palladium-catalyzed one-pot reaction consisting of three successive reactions: Sonogashira, Heck, and Suzuki-Miyaura. This method allows for the production of a complex skeleton of 3-(diarylmethylene)oxindole from propiolamidoaryl triflate using a commercially available aryl iodide and arylboronic acid in a simple and efficient way with moderate yield and stereoselectivity.

Objective: Delayed facial palsy (DFP) has often been described during the recovery stage of Fisher syndrome (FS), but the implications of DFP in FS pathophysiology have not been reported previously. The aim of this study was to identify the incidence and clinical course of DFP in FS, and to determine its clinical/pathophysiological implications in FS., Methods: About 71 FS patients were enrolled from seven university-based hospitals in Korea. DFP was defined with respect to new development of unilateral or bilateral facial palsies with delayed onset after either the nadir or improvement of initial neurological signs of FS., Results: Eleven of the 71 patients (16%) satisfied the definition of DFP. No other cranial palsies developed as a delayed pattern. With the exception of two patients with bulbar involvement, DFP developed after a latent period of upper-cranial neuropathies. Comparison of FS patients without and with DFP revealed no significant clinical, serological, or electrophysiological differences. All except one patient with DFP exhibited a good outcome within 1 month of follow-up., Conclusion: DFP was identified as a common and specific phenomenon in FS. Nearly all cases of DFP were developed in a descending manner and were associated with a good outcome, while other cranial neuropathies developed or followed as a sequential pattern. These findings suggest the involvement of so-called "descending reversible paralysis" in the pathophysiology of FS., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The identification of body fluids found at crime scenes can contribute to solving crimes by providing important insights into crime scene reconstruction. In the present study, body fluid-specific epigenetic marker candidates were identified from genome-wide DNA methylation profiling of 42 body fluid samples including blood, saliva, semen, vaginal fluid and menstrual blood using the Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip array. A total of 64 CpG sites were selected as body fluid-specific marker candidates by having more than 20% discrepancy in DNA methylation status between a certain type of body fluid and other types of body fluids and to have methylation or unmethylation pattern only in a particular type of body fluid. From further locus-specific methylation analysis in additional samples, 1 to 3 CpG sites were selected for each body fluid. Then, a multiplex methylation SNaPshot reaction was constructed to analyze methylation status of 8 body fluid-specific CpG sites. The developed multiplex reaction positively identifies blood, saliva, semen and the body fluid which originates from female reproductive organ in one reaction, and produces successful DNA methylation profiles in aged or mixed samples. Although it remains to be investigated whether this approach is more sensitive, more practical than RNA- or peptide-based assays and whether it can be successfully applied to forensic casework, the results of the present study will be useful for the forensic investigators dealing with body fluid samples., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder associated with a selective loss of the neurons containing dopamine (DA) in the substantia nigra pars compacta. Lines of evidence suggest that oxidative stress is a major factor contributing to the vulnerability of DA cells and that the enzyme NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1) provides protection in these cells. In the present study, we report the synthesis of a novel compound KMS04014 and show that it induces NQO1 gene expression and protects DAergic neuronal cells in both cell culture and animal models of PD. In vitro, KMS04014 increased both mRNA and protein levels of NQO1 and induced nuclear translocation of Nrf2 in the DAergic neuronal cell line CATH.a. It also protected the cells against oxidative stress generated by tetrahydrobiopterin, 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP(+)), and H2O2. In vivo, KMS04014 attenuated the loss of tyrosine hydroxylase-immunopositive DAergic neurons in the substantia nigra and reduced degeneration of the nigral neurons and striatal fibers in 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-treated mice, an animal model of PD. Taken together, KMS04014 may be utilized toward development of neuroprotective therapy for PD.

This study aimed to investigate the clinical and radiological findings in patients with transient global amnesia and to evaluate structural abnormalities using voxel-based morphometry. The subjects were diagnosed with transient global amnesia. For the voxel-based morphometry analyses, Statistical Parametric Mapping, running on the MATLAB platform (MathWorks, Natick, MA, USA), was employed to analyze the structural differences between patients with transient global amnesia and control subjects. Eighty patients met the inclusion criteria. Twenty-three patients (29%) were men, and 57 patients (71%) were women. There were significantly more women among the transient global amnesia patients compared with the general Korean population. MRI revealed hippocampal cavities in 41 patients (51%), and the incidence of such cavities was significantly different from that of the control subjects (24%). There were no differences in the clinical factors between the patients with and without hippocampal cavities. Diffusion-weighted imaging was performed in 54 patients, and 13 patients (24%) exhibited high signal intensity in the hippocampus. There were also no differences in the clinical factors between the patients with and without high signal intensities in the hippocampus on diffusion-weighted imaging. Twenty-six patients underwent three-dimensional volumetric T1-weighted imaging that produced results suitable for voxel-based morphometry, and these patients presented with gray matter volume reductions in the hippocampus, cingulum, and cerebellum. There were significant structural differences in the limbic structures between patients with transient global amnesia and the control subjects that might have contributed to vulnerability of the memory pathways of the patients with transient global amnesia., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In this paper, the flexural behavior of High-performance Fiber-Reinforced Cementitious Composite (HPFRCC) has been investigated, especially focusing on the localization of cracks, which significantly governs the flexural behavior of HPFRCC members. From four points bending tests with HPFRCC members, it was observed that almost evenly distributed cracks formed gradually, followed by a localized crack that determined the failure of the members. In order to investigate the effect of a localized crack on the flexural behavior of HPFRCC members, an analytical procedure has been developed with the consideration of intrinsic inhomogeneous material properties of HPFRCC such as cracking and ultimate tensile strengths. From the comparison, while the predictions with homogeneous material properties overestimated flexural strength and ductility of HPFRCC members, it was found that the analysis results considering localization effect with inhomogeneous material properties showed good agreement with the test results, not only the flexural strength and ductility but also the crack widths. The test results and the developed analysis procedure presented in this paper can be usefully applied for the prediction of flexural behaviors of HPFRCC members by considering the effect of localized cracking behavior.

In this study, 363 Korean father-son haplotype transfers in 351 families were analyzed using an in-house multiplex PCR system for 14 Y-STRs (DYS385a/b, DYF387S1, DYS391, DYS449, DYS460, DYS481, DYS518, DYS533, DYS549, DYS570, DYS576, DYS627 and DYS643), that included 11 loci newly added to the PowerPlex Y23 system or the Yfiler Plus system. The Y-STRs showed gene diversity values ranging from 0.2499 to 0.9612; the multicopy Y-STR loci DYS385 and DYF387S1 had high gene diversity of 0.9612 and 0.9457, respectively. In addition, DYF387S1, which has two copies, showed three alleles in seven individuals, and micro-variant alleles were observed in 14 individuals at four loci (DYS448, DYS518, DYS570 and DYS627). Among 351 haplotypes for the 11 newly added Y-STRs, 350 different haplotypes were observed, with an overall haplotype diversity of 0.9999 and discrimination capacity of 99.72%. In 363 haplotype transfers from 351 pedigrees, 29 single-step mutations were observed at 11 Y-STRs. Locus-specific mutation rate estimates varied from 0.0 to 1.93×10(-2), with an average estimated mutation rate of 6.66×10(-3). Two father-son pairs had mutations at two different loci in 11 Y-STRs. The number of pairs with mutations at multiple loci increased to five when the mutation event was investigated for haplotype transfer at 28 Y-STRs including 17 Yfiler loci and 11 Y-STRs examined in this study: four father-son pairs had mutations at two loci, and one pair had mutations at three loci. Overall, mutations were frequently observed at DYS449, DYS576 and DYS627 loci, which are known to be rapidly mutating Y-STRs. Mutation rate estimates at most loci were not significantly different from rates in other populations, but estimates for DYF387S1, DYS518 and DYS570 were considerably lower in the Korean population than in other populations., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the location of the trochlea in order to prevent injury during orbitofacial surgery and to determine the reliability of the lacrimal caruncle as a visible external landmark for the trochlea at the superomedial orbital rim., Methods: Fifty-one orbits from 27 embalmed cadavers were dissected. The lacrimal caruncle and supraorbital notch/foramen were used as external and bony landmarks, respectively. The location of the trochlea was determined with respect to these structures, and the size of trochlea was measured., Results: The trochlea was 3.6 mm wide and 5.6 mm long, with a flange breadth of 5.4 mm. The vertical distance from the apex of the lacrimal caruncle to the superolateral tip of the trochlea was 15.8 mm, and that from the top of the supraorbital notch/foramen to the bottom of the trochlea was 11.4 mm. As the coefficient of variation and standard deviation were smaller for DCT (11.5 and 1.8, respectively) than for DST (17.0 and 1.9, respectively), it appears that the lacrimal caruncle is a reliable landmark., Conclusions: In contrast to the supraorbital notch, the lacrimal caruncle allows easy identification and serves as a reliable and visible external landmark for the prediction of the location of trochlea. The trochlea was located directly at 15.8 mm (i.e., approximately 1.5 cm) superior to the lacrimal caruncle. This anatomical study has yielded accurate measurements of the location of the trochlea, which may facilitate a safer orbitofacial surgery by preventing morbidity associated with trochlea injury., (Copyright © 2014 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The objective of this study was to determine whether the adverse effects of antiepileptic-drugs could be assessed by the eye movements of epilepsy patients., Methods: This study was performed prospectively in a single tertiary hospital. The inclusion criteria for this study were as follows: (1) consecutive patients with epilepsy taking antiepileptic-drugs regularly for at least 1 year, (2) the absence of structural lesions on MRI, (3) an age ≥16 years old, (4) not using medications that could influence eye movement, and (5) a normal neurological examination. The latency, peak velocity and accuracy of the saccades and the gain of the pursuits were recorded by video-based electro-oculography. We analyzed the differences in the parameters of the eye movements for 75 patients with epilepsy and 20 normal controls matched for age and sex., Results: The total latency (1017.7 ± 148.9 ms vs. 1150.7 ± 106.6 ms, p=0.0003) and accuracy [370.7% (95% CI 364.1-376.4%, range 306-408.2%), 92.7% as total accuracy normalized value vs. 383.6% (95% CI 378.8-398%, range 322.9-417.4%), 95.9% as total accuracy normalized value, p=0.0005] were significantly different between the patients with epilepsy and normal controls. For the detection of nystagmus with video-based electro-oculography, the clear cutoff values of total accuracy (≤388.7%, 97.2% as total accuracy normalized value) revealed 93.4% sensitivity and 28.6% specificity, and the clear cutoff values of total latency (≤1005.5 ms) showed 49.2% sensitivity and 78.6% specificity., Conclusions: The total latency and accuracy of video-based electro-oculography may be screened to identify patients with a high risk of adverse effects with antiepileptic-drugs., (Copyright © 2014 British Epilepsy Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) or adult stem cells, especially mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), have been intensively studied for skeletal tissue regeneration including bone and cartilage. Epigenetic mechanisms play essential roles in stem cell maintenance and differentiation. However, little is known about the epigenetic regulation of osteogenesis and chondrogenesis of stem cells., Areas Covered: In this review, features of ESCs and adult stem cells, epigenetics and chromatin structure, as well as epigenetic mechanisms, such as chromatin remodeling, DNA methylation and histone modifications, polycomb group (PcG) proteins and microRNAs are described. Epigenetic researches of stem cell are introduced., Expert Opinion: Epigenetic alterations of stem cell during the in vitro differentiation can be controlled for clinical applications. MSCs are effective resources for skeletal tissue regeneration in both undifferentiated and differentiated states. Understanding epigenetic signatures of MSC is crucial to maintain the stemness. In addition, investigation of epigenetic changes in the differentiation of MSCs is very important to develop methods or chemicals to promote efficient differentiation of MSCs. Inhibition of PcG protein enhancer of zeste (Ezh2) a chromatin modifier, could be a promising candidate to improve MSC differentiation by decreasing Ezh2-mediated H3K27me3.

Background: Aging is associated with changes in coagulation status and progression of arterial insufficiency. The purpose of this study was to identify interrelationships among aging, coagulation status, and leg necrosis in patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI)., Methods: Between March 2010 and February 2013, 103 consecutive patients with CLI were enrolled in this study. Retrospective analyses were performed on patient characteristics including age, gender, the presence or the absence of leg necrosis, diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension, and smoking, and preoperatively measured baseline coagulability factors, which included measurements of coagulation factors anticardiolipin antibodies IgG and IgM, lupus anticoagulant and factor 8, the fibrinolytic factor tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA), and natural anticoagulants proteins C and S and antithrombin III., Results: Among 103 patients with CLI, a total of 49 legs from 41 patients presented varying degrees of necrosis. CLI patients with DM and hypertension showed significantly increased incidences of leg necrosis compared with those without (P = 0.000, 0.039, respectively). Patients with CLI and leg necrosis were significantly older compared with the age of those without necrosis (P = 0.007). Blood levels of anticardiolipin antibodies IgG and IgM, factor 8, lupus anticoagulant, and t-PA tended to increase with age. However, blood levels of proteins C and S and antithrombin III decreased with patient age. Patients with CLI and leg necrosis showed significantly increased levels of lupus anticoagulant (P = 0.049) and significantly decreased levels of proteins C and S (P = 0.009 and 0.018, respectively) compared with patients without leg necrosis., Conclusions: Patients with CLI and leg necrosis were significantly older compared with those without necrosis; similarly, our results revealed age-related hypercoagulability, with significantly elevated coagulation factor lupus anticoagulant and decreased natural anticoagulants protein C and S levels. From these observations, we conclude that age-related hypercoagulability may be an important mechanism that may facilitate leg necrosis in patients with CLI., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: We evaluated the cortical morphology in patients with orthostatic intolerance., Methods: Thirty patients with orthostatic intolerance, as well as age- and sex-matched normal controls, were enrolled in this study. We divided the patients into orthostatic hypotension (n = 22) and postural tachycardia syndrome (n = 8) groups based on their response to a head-up tilt table test. We analyzed whole-brain T1-weighted MRI images using FreeSurfer 5.1. The measures of cortical morphology were compared between the groups., Results: The cortical thickness in the right hemisphere, including the medial orbitofrontal, peri-calcarine, post-central, inferior temporal, and lateral occipital cortex, and in the peri-calcarine cortex of the left hemisphere was thinned in patients with orthostatic hypotension compared to normal controls. The other measures of cortical morphology, including the surface area, volume, and curvatures, did not differ between patients with orthostatic hypotension and normal controls. However, none of the measures of cortical morphology differed between patients with postural tachycardia syndrome and normal controls., Conclusions: We demonstrated that the cortical morphology significantly changed in patients with orthostatic hypotension but not in patients with postural tachycardia syndrome compared to normal controls. These findings support the hypothesis that orthostatic intolerance is a heterogeneous syndrome., (© 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Purpose: Recently, mitochondrial DNA 4977bp deletion (mtDNA4977-mut), a somatic mutation related to oxidative stress, has been shown to be associated with atrial fibrillation (AF). We hypothesized that patient age, as well as electroanatomical characteristics of fibrillating left atrial (LA), vary depending on the presence of mtDNA4977-mut in peripheral blood among patients with non-valvular AF., Materials and Methods: Analyzing clinical and electroanatomical characteristics, we investigated the presence of the mtDNA4977-mut in peripheral blood of 212 patients (51.1±13.2 years old, 83.5% male) undergoing catheter ablation for non-valvular AF, as well as 212 age-matched control subjects., Results: The overall frequency of peripheral blood mtDNA4977-mut in patients with AF and controls was not significantly different (24.5% vs. 19.3%, p=0.197). When the AF patient group was stratified according to age, mtDNA4977-mut was more common (47.4% vs. 20.0%, p=0.019) in AF patients older than 65 years than their age-matched controls. Among AF patients, those with mtDNA4977-mut were older (58.1±11.9 years old vs. 48.8±11.9 years old, p<0.001). AF patients positive for the mtDNA mutation had greater LA dimension (p=0.014), higher mitral inflow peak velocity (E)/diastolic mitral annular velocity (Em) ratio (p<0.001), as well as lower endocardial voltage (p=0.035), and slower conduction velocity (p=0.048) in the posterior LA than those without the mutation. In multivariate analysis, E/Em ratio was found to be significantly associated with the presence of mtDNA4977-mut in peripheral blood., Conclusion: mtDNA4977-mut, an age-related somatic mutation detected in the peripheral blood, is associated with advanced age and electro-anatomical remodeling of the atrium in non-valvular AF.

In this study, adiabatic temperature rise tests depending on binder type and adiabatic specimen volume were performed, and the maximum adiabatic temperature rises and the reaction factors for each mix proportion were analyzed and suggested. The results indicated that the early strength low heat blended cement mixture had the lowest maximum adiabatic temperature rise ( Q ∞ ) and the ternary blended cement mixture had the lowest reaction factor ( r ). Also, Q and r varied depending on the adiabatic specimen volume even when the tests were conducted with a calorimeter, which satisfies the recommendations for adiabatic conditions. Test results show a correlation: the measurements from the 50 L specimens were consistently higher than those from the 6 L specimens. However, the Q ∞ and r values of the 30 L specimen were similar to those of the 50 L specimen. Based on the above correlation, the adiabatic temperature rise of the 50 L specimen could be predicted using the results of the 6 L and 30 L specimens. Therefore, it is thought that this correlation can be used for on-site concrete quality control and basic research.

Background: Liver X receptor (LXR) is an oxysterol-activated nuclear receptor involved in the control of major metabolic pathways for cholesterol homeostasis and lipogenesis. Although the role of LXR in hepatic steatosis is well known, its correlation with intrahepatic inflammation and fibrosis has not been thoroughly studied. We investigated the association between LXRα, hepatic inflammation, and fibrosis, as well as its correlation with other intrahepatic lipid transporters in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)., Methods: We evaluated clinical characteristics including sex, age, body mass index, and laboratory findings from 40 NAFLD and 16 control patients. Immunohistochemical staining was carried out on liver biopsy samples from all patients., Results: The positive rate of LXRα expression was 30 % in the control group, 50 % in the NAFLD group, and 97 % in NASH groups. LXRα expression was positively correlated with not only the amount of intrahepatic fat, but also with intrahepatic inflammation and hepatic fibrosis. LXRα expression showed positive correlation with intrahepatic expression of ABCG5/8, CD36, and SREBP-1c. The expression of ABCA1, ABCG5/8, SREBP-1c, and CD36 was higher in NAFLD than in controls and there was no further increase in the NASH group. NPC1L1 was abundant in human liver. Expression of NPC1L1 was negatively correlated with intrahepatic inflammation and LXRα intensity., Conclusion: LXR expression correlated with the degree of hepatic fat deposition, as well as with hepatic inflammation and fibrosis in NAFLD patients. Our research suggests that LXR is an attractive target for treatment and regulation of hepatic inflammation and fibrosis.

The aims of this study were to determine the various dimensions of the normal facial canal and to identify the spatial relationships between the facial canal and its adjacent structures using microcomputed tomography (micro-CT) imaging and three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction. The petrous parts of 54 temporal bones were scanned using micro-CT with a slice thickness of 35 μm. The serial micro-CT images were used to reconstruct 3D volumes of the facial canal and the bony labyrinth with the aid of computer software. These volumes were used to measure 31 dimensions of the facial canal and its spatial relationships with adjacent structures. The length of the meatal segment, the tympanic segment, and the mastoid segment were significantly larger in males than in females (p < 0.05). The narrowest portions of the facial canal were immediately lateral to the meatal foramen in the labyrinthine segment and the midpoint of the tympanic segment. The distance between the origin of the canal for the chorda tympani nerve and midpoint of the stylomastoid foramen was 35.3% of the length of the mastoid segment, and the angle between the tympanic segment and the lateral semicircular canal was 16.3°. The angle between the mastoid segment and the canal for the chorda tympani nerve could be classified into two groups: <180° and >180°. These findings represent supplemental data for improving the detailed understanding of the facial canal anatomy., (© 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

The aims of this study were to provide the various dimensions of the philtrum and upper red lip in Korean young adults and to identify morphological characteristics of these structures in Koreans. A total of 10 dimensions of the philtrum and upper red lip were measured in 251 healthy young adults. Various indices were calculated among the measured features. The philtrum could be classified into three types according to its shape and index data. The mean height of the philtrum was 15.6 mm and the mean width of the mouth was 45.5 mm. The width of the superior and inferior philtrum, the height of philtrum, the width of the mouth, and the height of the upper red lip were significantly larger in males than in females (p < 0.05). A subtle morphological difference in Cupid bow was observed between the genders. There was a negative correlation between the length of the philtral column and the height of the upper red lip (p < 0.05). Furthermore, differences were identified in the dimensions of the philtrum and the upper red lip between Koreans and Caucasians. The results of this study could be a useful morphological basis for correction and reconstruction of the upper lip., (Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.)

Background: Ischemic monomelic neuropathy is not an uncommon complication of peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD). However, many investigators have used revascularization, limb salvage, and complete wound healing rates instead of neurologic and electrophysiological parameters as outcome measurements of PAOD. The aim of the study is to investigate the neurologic and electrophysiological parameters associated with PAOD and to find the ideal tools for assessing PAOD., Methods: A total of 38 PAOD patients (68.5 ± 8.1 years old, male:female = 32:6) with a total of 76 lower limbs were enrolled in the study. Primary outcomes were neurological symptoms scores (NSSs) and neurological impairment scores (NISs) for the lower extremities. Secondary outcomes were taken from nerve conduction studies (NCSs) and included the following: sensory nerve action potential (SNAP) amplitudes of the sural, superficial peroneal, and medial plantar nerves and the compound muscle action potential (CMAP) amplitudes of the posterior tibial and common peroneal nerves., Results: Female patients with old age, hypertension, low body weights, low body mass indices (BMIs), decreased ankle-brachial indices (ABIs), and poorer Fontaine classifications exhibited worse NSSs and NISs indices. Patients with old age, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, histories of social alcohol consumption, low body weights, low BMIs, and poorer Fontaine classifications exhibited decreased SNAP and CMAP amplitudes in the sensory and motor NCSs. Decreased ABI was associated with decreased SNAP amplitudes in the sensory NCSs., Conclusions: Neurologic and electrophysiological parameters can be good tools for the assessment of PAOD. NSSs and NISs are particularly good candidates for outcome measures of PAOD., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The aims of the present study were to clarify the topographic relationships between various structures in the lateral midface and to provide important anatomical information pertinent to face lifting or treatment of damage to the midface structure., Methods: Thirty-two fixed cadavers were dissected (23 males and 9 females; mean age, 66.8 years) and 55 sides of midface were used. The transverse facial artery (TFA), zygomatic branch (Zb) and buccal branch (Bb) of the facial nerve, and the parotid duct (PD) were identified. The structures of the lateral midface were measured relative to the zygion and tragion. The vertical average distances from the zygion to each structure increased in the following order: ZB of the facial nerve, TFA, first Bb of the facial nerve, and PD. The horizontal average distance from the tragion to the point of emergence from anterior border of the parotid gland was also measured., Results: The TFA was the closest and the third Bb of the facial nerve was the farthest away. The angles between the horizontal line and ZB of the facial nerve, TFA, PD, and first Bb of the facial nerve were +10.4, -2.3, -18.5, and -27.1 degrees, respectively., Conclusions: These results may be used to establish the precise locations and the courses of the important midface structures, and represent valuable data that may help to prevent complications during surgery for face lifting and reconstruction of the facial nerve and PD.

This study investigated the cycle of rat vibrissae by counting their number relative to their topographic arrangement. The average duration of maintaining single or double vibrissal shafts was analyzed. The ratio of the lifetime of the single and double shafts was around 3:2 weeks. The rostral and caudal vibrissae had relatively short and long cyclic durations, respectively; this difference may be related to their length and function.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to identify the patient-related risk factors for post-dural puncture headache with same standardized procedures., Materials and Methods: The inclusion criteria were patients (i) who underwent lumbar puncture for diagnostic purposes, (ii) with ≥10 years of age, and (iii) with no structural lesions that could cause headache from brain-computed tomography or magnetic resonance images. The primary endpoint for this study was post-dural-puncture headache as a dependent variable. The differences were analyzed with demographic and cerebrospinal fluid profiles as independent variables., Results: Four hundred and thirteen patients met the inclusion criteria for this study, and 36 patients developed post-dural puncture headache. Patients with post-dural puncture headache were younger, had lower body mass index, and had less diabetes and hypertension. In cerebrospinal fluid profile, the counts of white blood cell and protein, and cerebrospinal fluid pressure were lower in patients with post-dural puncture headache than those without post-dural puncture headache, but glucose ratio was higher. Interestingly, patients who underwent puncture at daytime developed more post-dural puncture headache than those who were performed puncture at nighttime. After adjusting the clinical variables, multiple logistic regression analysis showed that younger age, lower cerebrospinal fluid pressure, and puncture at daytime were independently significant variables for predicting post-dural puncture headache., Conclusions: We confirmed the risk factor for post-dural puncture headache such as young age, and newly found that patients who underwent puncture at daytime developed more post-dural puncture headache than those who were performed puncture at nighttime., (© 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

In a worldwide collaborative effort, 19,630 Y-chromosomes were sampled from 129 different populations in 51 countries. These chromosomes were typed for 23 short-tandem repeat (STR) loci (DYS19, DYS389I, DYS389II, DYS390, DYS391, DYS392, DYS393, DYS385ab, DYS437, DYS438, DYS439, DYS448, DYS456, DYS458, DYS635, GATAH4, DYS481, DYS533, DYS549, DYS570, DYS576, and DYS643) and using the PowerPlex Y23 System (PPY23, Promega Corporation, Madison, WI). Locus-specific allelic spectra of these markers were determined and a consistently high level of allelic diversity was observed. A considerable number of null, duplicate and off-ladder alleles were revealed. Standard single-locus and haplotype-based parameters were calculated and compared between subsets of Y-STR markers established for forensic casework. The PPY23 marker set provides substantially stronger discriminatory power than other available kits but at the same time reveals the same general patterns of population structure as other marker sets. A strong correlation was observed between the number of Y-STRs included in a marker set and some of the forensic parameters under study. Interestingly a weak but consistent trend toward smaller genetic distances resulting from larger numbers of markers became apparent., (Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Collaborative regulation of liver X receptor (LXR) and sterol regulatory element binding protein (SREBP)-1 are main determinants in hepatic steatosis, as shown in both animal models and human patients. Recent studies indicate that selective intervention of overly functional LXRα in the liver shows promise in treatment of fatty liver disease. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of meso-dihydroguaiaretic acid (MDGA) on LXRα activation and its ability to attenuate fatty liver in mice. MDGA inhibited activation of the LXRα ligand-binding domain by competitively binding to the pocket for agonist T0901317 and decreased the luciferase activity in LXRE-tk-Luc-transfected cells. MDGA significantly attenuated hepatic neutral lipid accumulation in T0901317- and high fat diet (HFD)-induced fatty liver. The effect of MDGA was so potent that treatment with 1mg/kg for 2 weeks completely reversed the lipid accumulation induced by HFD feeding. MDGA reduced the expression of LXRα co-activator protein RIP140 and LXRα target gene products associated with lipogenesis in HFD-fed mice. These results demonstrate that MDGA has the potential to attenuate nonalcoholic steatosis mediated by selective inhibition of LXRα in the liver in mice., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The development of cracking in concrete structures leads to significant permeability and to durability problems as a result. Approaches to controlling crack development and crack width in concrete structures have been widely debated. Recently, it was recognized that a high-performance fiber-reinforced cement composite (HPFRCC) provides a possible solution to this inherent problem of cracking by smearing one or several dominant cracks into many distributed microcracks under tensile loading conditions. However, the chloride permeability of HPFRCC under compressive loading conditions is not yet fully understood. Therefore, the goal of the present study is to explore the chloride diffusion characteristics of HPFRCC damaged by compressive loads. The chloride diffusivity of HPFRCC is measured after being subjected to various repeated loads. The results show that the residual axial strain, lateral strain and specific crack area of HPFRCC specimens increase with an increase in the damage induced by repeated loads. However, the chloride diffusion coefficient increases only up to 1.5-times, whereas the specific crack area increases up to 3-times with an increase in damage. Although HPFRCC shows smeared distributed cracks in tensile loads, a significant reduction in the diffusion coefficient of HPFRCC is not obtained compared to plain concrete when the cyclic compressive load is applied below 85% of the strength.

Objective: Although partial epilepsy with structural lesions on MRI (lesional epilepsy) is less favorably responsive to antiepileptics than those without structural lesions on MRI, the response to antiepileptics in lesional epilepsy is a heterogeneous condition. There is growing evidence that the extent of epileptic network beyond the visible lesion on MRI may be related with the response to antiepileptics. The aims of this study are to clarify whether (1) the epilepsy network beyond the visible lesion on MRI, or (2) duration of lesional epilepsy on MRI are related with the response to antiepileptics or not., Methods: The inclusion criteria for this study were (1) having structural lesions on MRI, (2) taking antiepileptics for at least 1 year, and (3) age ≥13 years old. The definition for drug-resistance epilepsy was a failure of adequate trials of two tolerated, appropriately chosen and used antiepileptics to achieve sustained seizure freedom. The duration was defined as the interval between the start of antiepileptics and the last follow-up. We defined the lesion-plus group as the structural lesions on MRI that has wider spread of epileptic network beyond the visible lesions on MRI, such as hippocampal sclerosis and malformation of cortical development. Lesion-restriction group was defined as the epileptic network being believed to be limited on the structural lesions., Results: We found 234 patients with lesional epilepsy, who met the inclusion criteria. Of these 234 patients, 115 patients were male (49%) and 119 patients were female (51%). The median age was 22 years old (range 13-78 years old) and the median duration was 131 months (range 12-516 months). Forty percent (90/234 patients) were intractable to antiepileptics. Of the structural lesions on MRI, hippocampal sclerosis was most frequent (N=90). Other structural lesions were malformation of cortical development (N=38), cerebromalatic lesions related with trauma (N=34), tumor (N=19), cystic lesion (N=15), cerebral infarction (N=11), vascular malformation (N=10), and other miscellaneous lesion (N=24). Lesion-plus group had significantly higher drug-resistance epilepsy than cystic lesions on MRI (60/128 vs. 2/15, p=0.013 by Fisher's exact test). There was a tendency of having more drug-resistance epilepsy in the lesion-plus group than the lesion-restriction group (56/121 vs. 30/89, p=0.09 by Chi-square test). The median duration in drug-resistance epilepsy was significantly longer than that of medically controlled epilepsy (178 months (range 23-516 months) vs 102 months (range 12-479 months), p<0.0001 by Mann-Whitney test). In addition, duration was only the significant variable associated with drug-resistance epilepsy in lesional epilepsy by multiple logistic regression analysis (p=0.02 for overall model fit)., Conclusion: In lesional epilepsy, hippocampal sclerosis and malformation of cortical development are more intractable to antiepileptics, reflecting wider epileptic network beyond the visible lesion. In addition, the response to antiepileptics may be expected to decrease when the duration is prolonged., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background & Aims: It is unclear whether sarcopenia contributes to the prediction of metabolic dysregulations in addition to that predicted by waist circumference., Methods: Subjects consisted of 6832 adult participants in the 2009 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, grouped into categories of waist circumference (normal vs. high). Sarcopenia was assessed by appendicular skeletal muscle mass divided by weight., Results: In the normal waist circumference category, the risk of metabolic syndrome was nearly 3.5-fold higher in sarcopenic men (OR, 3.39; 95% CI, 1.67-6.90) than in those without sarcopenia. For the high waist circumference category, the risk of metabolic syndrome was 2.5-fold higher in sarcopenic women (OR, 2.37; 95% CI, 1.66-3.40) than in those without sarcopenia. The corresponding risk was also higher in sarcopenic men (OR, 1.81; 95% CI, 1.11-2.94) than in those without sarcopenia. With the exception in men with high waist circumference category, adjustments for other potential confounders did not substantially affect the results. Appendicular skeletal muscle mass divided by weight as a continuous variable was also associated with metabolic syndrome in men (OR, 0.39; 95% CI, 0.35-0.44) and women (OR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.48-0.60)., Conclusions: Sarcopenia is associated with metabolic syndrome in men with normal waist circumference and women with high waist circumference. Our results emphasize that sarcopenia may contribute additionally to the risk of metabolic abnormalities beyond what is predicted by the abdominal obesity category., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved.)

Relevant for various areas of human genetics, Y-chromosomal short tandem repeats (Y-STRs) are commonly used for testing close paternal relationships among individuals and populations, and for male lineage identification. However, even the widely used 17-loci Yfiler set cannot resolve individuals and populations completely. Here, 52 centers generated quality-controlled data of 13 rapidly mutating (RM) Y-STRs in 14,644 related and unrelated males from 111 worldwide populations. Strikingly, >99% of the 12,272 unrelated males were completely individualized. Haplotype diversity was extremely high (global: 0.9999985, regional: 0.99836-0.9999988). Haplotype sharing between populations was almost absent except for six (0.05%) of the 12,156 haplotypes. Haplotype sharing within populations was generally rare (0.8% nonunique haplotypes), significantly lower in urban (0.9%) than rural (2.1%) and highest in endogamous groups (14.3%). Analysis of molecular variance revealed 99.98% of variation within populations, 0.018% among populations within groups, and 0.002% among groups. Of the 2,372 newly and 156 previously typed male relative pairs, 29% were differentiated including 27% of the 2,378 father-son pairs. Relative to Yfiler, haplotype diversity was increased in 86% of the populations tested and overall male relative differentiation was raised by 23.5%. Our study demonstrates the value of RM Y-STRs in identifying and separating unrelated and related males and provides a reference database., (© 2014 The Authors. **Human Mutation published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Backgrounds: The aims of the present study were to determine the exact level of separation of the upper lateral cartilage from the septal cartilage, and to classify the patterns of connection between the upper lateral cartilage and the lower lateral cartilage., Methods: We dissected and photographed 60 sides of noses; 18 specimens were sectioned and stained with Masson's trichrome., Results: The mean length of the connection between the upper lateral cartilage and septal cartilage was 16.1 mm. The mean level for separation of the upper lateral cartilage was 7.5 mm from the nasal bone. The pattern of connection between the upper lateral cartilage and lower lateral cartilage could be classified into five types: disconnection, end-to-end, overlap, scroll, and reverse scroll., Conclusions: The results of the present study will be helpful for surgical procedures such as nasal hump reduction and nasal cartilage work and also provide information for the anthropometric study of the nose.

We analyzed haplotypes for 22 Y chromosomal STRs (Y-STRs), including 17 Yfiler loci (DYS19, DYS385a/b, DYS389I/II, DYS390, DYS391, DYS392, DYS393, DYS437, DY438, DYS439, DYS448, DYS456, DYS458, DYS635 and Y-GATA-H4) and five additional STRs (DYS388, DYS446, DYS447, DYS449 and DYS464), and Y chromosomal haplogroup distribution in 270 unrelated individuals from the Pathans residing in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas and the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan using in-house multiplex PCR systems. Each Y-STR showed diversities ranging from 0.2506 to 0.8538, and the discriminatory capacity (DC) was 73.7% with 199 observed haplotypes using 17 Yfiler loci. By the addition of 5 Y-STRs to the Yfiler system, the DC was increased to 85.2% while showing 230 observed haplotypes. Among the additional 5 Y-STRs, DYS446, DYS447 and DYS449 were major contributors to enhancing discrimination. In the analysis of molecular variance, the Pathans of this study showed significant differences from other Pathan populations as well as neighboring population sets. In Y-SNP analysis, a total of 12 Y chromosomal haplogroups were observed and the most frequent haplogroup was R1a1a with 49.3% frequency. To obtain insights on the origin of Pathans, the network analysis was performed for the haplogroups G and Q observed from the Pathans and the Jewish population groups including Ashkenazim and Sephardim, but little support for a Jewish origin could be found. In the present study, we report Y-STR population data in Pathans of Pakistan, and we emphasize the need for adding additional markers to the commonly used 17 Yfiler loci to achieve more improved discriminatory capacity in a population with low genetic diversity., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Androgenetic (male-type) alopecia (AGA) is caused by genetic and androgenetic effects. The progression of baldness results in smaller hair papillae, thinner hair and a shortened hair cycle. Alopecia occurs mainly in the frontal region and, to a lesser extent, in the occipital region., Objectives: The morphological differences in the hair follicular units between the alopecic frontal scalp and the vertex and occipital regions were compared using cross-sectional histology and three-dimensional reconstruction., Methods: Skin specimens were obtained from the frontal, vertex and occipital regions of 24 male human cadavers with fully progressed AGA, and from the frontal region of 32 normal cadaveric scalps. These specimens were fixed, processed using routine histological methods, serially sectioned at a thickness of 10 μm and then stained with Masson's trichrome. The serial sections were reconstructed three-dimensionally using 'Reconstruct' software., Results: The ratios between the numbers of terminal and vellus hairs in the frontal and occipital regions in the AGA scalps were 0·2 : 1 and 3·5 : 1, respectively. Almost all of the hair follicles in the frontal region were vellus hair follicles. The sebaceous gland and arrector pili muscle were larger in the frontal region than in the occipital region., Conclusions: The morphology of the AGA scalp has been characterized. The terminal-to-vellus hair ratio in the occipital (normal) region was different from that in the frontal (alopecic) region. Moreover, sebaceous glands were larger in the frontal alopecic region than in the occipital region. These larger glands may be associated with other dermatological pathologies, such as seborrhoeic dermatitis., (© 2014 British Association of Dermatologists.)