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Cracks generated in sheet coating of water-based slurries are an increasingly important concern in the development of diverse material science, such as fine ceramics, Pt catalysts, and Li transition metal oxides, from an environmental safety perspective. However, a comprehensive understanding of crack formation remains elusive due to the intricately entangled interplay among various characteristics of slurries. Here, we systematically ascertain the causes at work in crack initiation by analyzing the physical parameters of a series of aqueous alumina slurries using machine learning. The analysis reveals a strong correlation between rheological hysteresis and sheet cracking. As a verification of the correlation, the crack suppression by controlling the rheological hysteresis is experimentally confirmed. Furthermore, we visualize the microstructure in the slurry that induces cracks with a liquid-phase scanning electron microscope, clarifying the rheological dynamics. These results disentangle that rheological hysteresis is a good indicator directly reflecting microstructural durability against drying stress. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adjacent segment degeneration (ASD) is a major postoperative complication associated with posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF). Early-onset ASD may differ pathologically from late-onset ASD. The aim of this study was to identify risk factors for early-onset ASD at the cranial segment occurring within 2 years after surgery. A retrospective study was performed for 170 patients with L4 degenerative spondylolisthesis who underwent one-segment PLIF. Of these patients, 20.6% had early-onset ASD at L3-4. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, preoperative larger % slip, vertebral bone marrow edema at the cranial segment on preoperative MRI (odds ratio 16.8), and surgical disc space distraction (cut-off 4.0 mm) were significant independent risk factors for early-onset ASD. Patients with preoperative imaging findings of bone marrow edema at the cranial segment had a 57.1% rate of early-onset ASD. A vacuum phenomenon and/or concomitant decompression at the cranial segment, the degree of surgical reduction of slippage, and lumbosacral spinal alignment were not risk factors for early-onset ASD. The need for fusion surgery requires careful consideration if vertebral bone marrow edema at the cranial segment adjacent to the fusion segment is detected on preoperative MRI, due to the negative impact of this edema on the incidence of early-onset ASD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-resolution observation and elemental analysis of various particles in solution are important in the fields of materials, analytical chemistry, and industrial applications. Analysis of slurries of raw materials is essential for the development of highly functional materials. Recently, we have developed an SEM-based scanning electron assisted dielectric microscope (SE-ADM), which can directly observe biological samples and organic materials in aqueous solutions. Here, we have developed an SE-ADM system with the addition of energy-dispersive x-ray spectrometry that enables direct observation and elemental analysis of nanoparticles in solution. Using this system, we were able to directly observe and conduct elemental analysis of ceramic slurries and to clarify the dispersion state of alumina particles in solution, the distribution of binder, and the bonding state of silica and magnesium particles. Furthermore, our system can be applied to diverse liquid samples across a broad range of scientific and industrial fields, for example, nanotubes, organic specimens, batteries, and catalytic materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incidence of cervical spinal cord injury (CSCI) without major bone injury is increasing, possibly because older people typically have pre-existing cervical spinal canal stenosis. The demographics, neurological injury, treatment, and prognosis of this type of CSCI differ from those of CSCI with bone or central cord injury. Spine surgeons worldwide are debating on the optimal management of CSCI without major bone injury. Therefore, this narrative review aimed to address unresolved clinical questions related to CSCI without major bone injury and discuss treatment strategies based on current findings. The greatest divide among spine surgeons worldwide hinges on whether surgery is necessary for patients with CSCI without major bone injury. Certain studies have recommended early surgery within 24 h after injury; however, evidence regarding its superiority over conservative treatment remains limited. Delayed MRI may be beneficial; nevertheless, reliable factors and imaging findings that predict functional prognosis during the acute phase and ascertain the necessity of surgery should be identified to determine whether surgery/early surgery is better than conservative therapy/delayed surgery. Quality-of-life assessments, including neuropathic pain, spasticity, manual dexterity, and motor function, should be performed to examine the superiority of surgery/early surgery to conservative therapy/delayed surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mesenchymal stromal cell transplantation alone is insufficient when motor dysfunction is severe; combination therapy with rehabilitation could improve motor function. Here, we aimed to analyze the characteristics of adipose-derived MSCs (AD-MSCs) and determine their effectiveness in severe spinal cord injury (SCI) treatment. A severe SCI model was created and motor function were compared. The rats were divided into AD-MSC-transplanted treadmill exercise-combined (AD-Ex), AD-MSC-transplanted non-exercise (AD-noEx), PBS-injected exercise (PBS-Ex), and no PBS-injected exercise (PBS-noEx) groups. In cultured cell experiments, AD-MSCs were subjected to oxidative stress, and the effects on the extracellular secretion of AD-MSCs were investigated using multiplex flow cytometry. We assessed angiogenesis and macrophage accumulation in the acute phase. Spinal cavity or scar size and axonal preservation were assessed histologically in the subacute phase. Significant motor function improvement was observed in the AD-Ex group. Vascular endothelial growth factor and C-C motif chemokine 2 expression in AD-MSC culture supernatants increased under oxidative stress. Enhanced angiogenesis and decreased macrophage accumulation were observed at 2 weeks post-transplantation, whereas spinal cord cavity or scar size and axonal preservation were observed at 4 weeks. Overall, AD-MSC transplantation combined with treadmill exercise training improved motor function in severe SCI. AD-MSC transplantation promoted angiogenesis and neuroprotection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key clinical message: Several animal experiment studies have shown that insufficient testicular descent to the scrotum can be caused by persistence of cranial suspensory ligament (CSL). We report a case of right cryptorchidism in a male toddler surgically treated with an orchidopexy possibly associated with CSL persistence based on intraoperative and pathological findings. This case would be a precious source to further investigate the etiopathogenesis of cryptorchidism. The CSL anchors embryonic gonads to the dorsal abdominal wall during antenatal mammalian development. Although its persistence appears to cause cryptorchidism in animal models, it has never been proven in humans. A 1‐year‐old boy with right cryptorchidism underwent right orchidopexy. Intraoperatively, a band‐like structure running from the right testis into the retroperitoneum and up to the right side of the liver was noticed and resected. The pathological findings of the specimen showed fibrous connective tissues, smooth muscles, and blood vessels but no tissues suggestive of a testis, a spermatic cord, an epididymis, or liver. Immunohistochemical analysis for an androgen receptor antibody did not detect any signal in the specimen. The right cryptorchidism in this case was possibly caused by CSL persistence, which is the first such human case, to our knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Activated microglia are involved in secondary injury after acute spinal cord injury (SCI) and in development of spinal cord-related neuropathic pain (NeP). The aim of the study was to assess expression of translocator protein 18 kDa (TSPO) as an indicator of microglial activation and to investigate visualization of the dynamics of activated microglia in the injured spinal cord using PET imaging with (R)-[11C]PK11195, a specific ligand for TSPO. In SCI chimeric animal models, TSPO was expressed mainly in activated microglia. Accumulation of (R)-[3H]PK11195 was confirmed in autoradiography and its dynamics in the injured spinal cord were visualized by (R)-[11C]PK11195 PET imaging in the acute phase after SCI. In clinical application of (R)-[11C]PK11195 PET/MRI of the cervical spinal cord in patients with NeP related to cervical disorders, uptake was found in cases up to 10 months after injury or surgery. No uptake could be visualized in the injured spinal cord in patients with chronic NeP at more than 1 year after injury or surgery, regardless of the degree of NeP. However, a positive correlation was found between standardized uptake value ratio and the severity of NeP, suggesting the potential of clinical application for objective evaluation of chronic NeP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extensive surgical spinopelvic fusion for patients with adult spinal deformity (ASD) to achieve optimal radiological parameters should be avoided. The aim of this study was to review clinical and imaging findings in patients with ASD with postural and radiological abnormalities who underwent a novel three-level limited lumbar fusion as two-stage surgery in an attempt to propose a better tolerated alternative to spinopelvic long fusion to the pelvis. The subjects were 26 patients with a minimum follow-up period of 2 years. Cobb angle, C7 sagittal vertical axis, and pelvic incidence (PI) minus lumbar lordosis (LL) were significantly improved after surgery and maintained at follow-up. Most radiological parameters were corrected with lateral interbody fusion (LIF) as the initial surgery, and few with posterior fusion. PI-LL remained high after limited lumbar fusion, but scores on patient-based questionnaires and sagittal and coronal tilt in gait analysis improved. In cases with postoperative progression of proximal junctional kyphosis (11.5%), residual L1–L2 local kyphosis after LIF was the most significant radiological feature. In some cases of ASD with postural abnormalities, short limited lumbar fusion gives sufficient postoperative clinical improvement with preservation of spinal mobility and activities of daily living. The range of fixation should be determined based on radiological parameters after LIF to avoid postoperative complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Symptom-based therapeutic management is required for neuropathic pain (NeP) to achieve higher treatment efficacy. In spinal disorders, which have a high prevalence of NeP, neurological symptoms are classified into myelopathy, radiculopathy, and cauda equina syndrome. The characteristics of pain and the treatment efficacy for each of these symptoms require clarification.Methods: A retrospective patient-based outcome study was conducted in 265 outpatients with chronic NeP (≥3 months) related to spinal disorders. The patients were classified into three groups according to their neurological symptoms: spinal cord-related pain, radicular pain, and cauda equina syndrome. Data were obtained from patient-based questionnaires using the Neuropathic Pain Symptom Inventory (NPSI) and the Brief Scale for Psychiatric Problems in Orthopaedic Patients (BS-POP), and from clinical information.Results: Most of the patients with NeP had a NPSI score >10 (moderate to severe pain) and 40% had psychiatric problems. The common subtype of NeP was spontaneous pain and paresthesia/dysesthesia in patients with radicular pain and cauda equina syndrome, whereas more severe paresthesia/dysesthesia was particularly prominent in patients with spinal cord-related pain. The pain reduction rate was significantly lower in these latter patients, especially in association with residual paresthesia/dysesthesia.Conclusions: The characteristics and treatment efficacy of NeP in patients with spinal disorders varied according to neurological symptoms. Effective treatment was difficult, especially for paresthesia/dysesthesia in patients with spinal cord-related pain. These findings enhance the understanding of the underlying mechanisms of pain and could help in design of symptom-based therapeutic management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Increased options for cancer treatment have made the prediction of prognosis an important factor in therapeutic decision making. The aim of this study was to assess the clinical significance of prognosis–scoring systems and to identify predictors for 6–month mortality after palliative surgery. The median actual survival period was longer than the predicted life expectancy based on the revised Tokuhashi score and new Katagiri score. However, 21.3% of patients died of cancers within 6 months after palliative surgery. A statistical analysis showed that a higher CRP/albumin ratio (odds ratio: 0.39; cut–off 0.409) and absence of postoperative adjuvant therapy (odds ratio: 7.15) were independent risk factors for poor survival. Our findings suggest the need for careful consideration to determine if palliative surgery is the best option for a patient with these negative prognostic factors, regardless of life expectancy predicted based on a prognosis score. Prediction of prognosis is a key factor in therapeutic decision making due to recent the development of therapeutic options for spinal metastases. The aim of the study was to examine predictive scoring systems and identify prognostic factors for 6–month mortality after palliative surgery. The participants were 75 patients with spinal metastases who underwent palliative surgery and had a minimum follow–up period of 1 year. Associations of actual survival with categories based on the revised Tokuhashi score and new Katagiri score were evaluated. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify prognostic factors for 6–month mortality after palliative surgery. The median actual survival period was longer than those predicted using the scoring systems. However, 21.3% of patients died of cancers within 6 months after surgery. A higher CRP/albumin ratio (odds ratio: 0.39; cut–off 0.409) and absence of postoperative adjuvant therapy (odds ratio: 7.15) were independent risk factors for 6–month mortality. There was no association of mortality with primary site, severity of sarcopenia, or other biomarkers. These results suggest that careful consideration is needed to determine whether palliative surgery is the best option for patients with a high preoperative CRP/albumin ratio and/or absence of postoperative adjuvant therapy, regardless of predictions made from scoring systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lumbar spinal canal stenosis (LSS) and diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) tend to develop in the elderly, resulting in an increased need for lumbar surgery. However, DISH may be a risk factor for poor clinical outcomes following lumbar decompression surgery, especially in patients with DISH extending to the lumbar segment (L-DISH). This study aimed to identify the prognostic factors of LSS with L-DISH and propose an optimal surgical management approach to improve clinical outcomes. Of 934 patients who underwent lumbar decompression surgery, 145 patients (15.5%) had L-DISH. In multivariate linear regression analysis of the JOA score improvement rate, the presence of vacuum phenomenon at affected segments (estimate: −15.14) and distance between the caudal end of L-DISH and decompressed/fused segments (estimate: 7.05) were independent prognostic factors. In logistic regression analysis of the surgical procedure with JOA improvement rate > 25% in L-DISH patients with both negative prognostic factors, the odds ratios of split laminotomy and short-segment fusion were 0.64 and 0.21, respectively, with conventional laminotomy as the reference. Therefore, to achieve better clinical outcomes in cases with decompression at the caudal end of L-DISH, decompression surgery without fusion sparing the osteoligamentous structures at midline should be considered as the standard surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing guidelines advocate an updated therapeutic algorithm for chronic neuropathic pain (NeP), but pharmacotherapeutic management should be individualized to pain phenotypes to achieve higher efficacy. This study was aimed to evaluate the efficacy of medications, based on NeP phenotypes, and to propose symptom-based pharmacotherapy. This retrospective study was enrolled 265 outpatients with chronic NeP related to spinal disorders. The patients were classified into three groups: spinal cord-related pain, radicular pain, and cauda equina syndrome. Data were obtained from patient-based questionnaires using Neuropathic Pain Symptom Inventory (NPSI) and the Brief Scale for Psychiatric Problems in Orthopaedic Patients, and from clinical information. The proportions of patients with ≥ 30% and ≥ 50% reduction in NPSI score for each pain subtype (spontaneous pain, paroxysmal pain, evoked pain, and paresthesia/dysesthesia) and drugs were evaluated. The pain reduction rate was significantly lower in patients with spinal cord-related pain, especially for paresthesia/dysesthesia. For spinal cord-related pain, duloxetine and neurotropin had insufficient analgesic effects, whereas mirogabalin was the most effective. Pregabalin or mirogabalin for radicular pain and duloxetine for cauda equina syndrome are recommended in cases of insufficient analgesic effects with neurotropin. The findings could contribute to better strategies for symptom-based pharmacotherapeutic management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Context: As no infiltrating macrophages exist in healthy discs, understanding the role of infiltrating macrophages including their polarity (M1 and M2 phenotypes) in intervertebral discs (IVDs) is important in the assessment of the pathomechanisms of disc degeneration.Purpose: To determine the relationship between infiltrating macrophage polarization and the progression of human cervical IVD degeneration.Study Design: Histopathological study using harvested human cervical IVDs.Methods: IVDs collected during anterior cervical decompression from 60 patients were subjected to immunostaining and immunoblotting. The samples were classified as type 0-3 according to the percentage of CD16- and CD206-positive cells to CD68-positive cells in the outer annulus fibrosus layer. The number of vessels and nerve fibers and the severity of chronic inflammation with a focus on inflammatory cell infiltration, fibrosis, and capillary proliferation were also assessed.Results: The number of CD16-positive cells was the highest in type 2 IVDs, and was suppressed following the infiltration of CD206-positive cells. The degree of chronic inflammation was significantly higher in type 2 and type 3 IVDs, and the number of nerve fibers was significantly higher in type 3 IVDs. The endothelial cells of small vessels were positive for nerve growth factor, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, and neurotrophin-3 expression. Staining for tropomyosin receptor kinase (Trk)-A, Trk-B, and Trk-C was positive in aberrant fibers. In immunoblot analysis, the expression levels of these neurotrophic factors and receptors were significantly higher in type 2 and 3 IVDs.Conclusions: The polarity of macrophages around newly developed microvasculature might be altered with cervical IVD degeneration. A higher number of infiltrating M1 macrophages around the vessels was associated with chronic inflammation; however, their number got suppressed following the infiltration of M2 macrophages. The expression of neurotrophins in the capillaries of small vessels might contribute to neural ingrowth into degenerated IVDs.Clinical Significance: Clarifying macrophages polarity change around new microvasculature associated with progression of IVD degeneration could enhance our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of neural ingrowth into degenerated IVDs and lead to development of a novel therapeutic target for prevention of IVD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current aging society, there has been a marked increase in the incidence of cervical spinal cord injury (CSCI) without major bone injury. This multi-center study aimed to identify predictors of neurological improvement in elderly patients with CSCI without major bone injury. The participants were 591 patients aged ≥65 years with CSCI without major bone injury and a minimum follow-up period of three months. Neurologic status was defined using the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) impairment scale (AIS). Univariate and multi-variate analyses were performed to identify prognostic factors for walking recovery in AIS A–C cases and full upper extremity motor recovery in AIS D cases. In AIS A–C cases, body mass index (odds ratio (OR): 1.112), magnetic resonance imaging signal change (OR: 0.240), AIS on admission (OR: 3.497), comorbidity of dementia/delirium (OR: 0.365), and post-injury pneumonia (OR: 0.194) were identified as independent prognostic factors for walking recovery. The prevalence of ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OR: 0.494) was also found to be an independent prognostic factor in AIS B and C cases only. In AIS D cases, age (OR: 0.937), upper extremity ASIA motor score on admission (OR: 1.230 [per 5 scores]), and operation (OR: 0.519) were independent prognostic factors for full motor recovery. The severity of AIS at admission was the strongest predictor of functional outcomes. Promoting rehabilitation, however, through measures to reduce cognitive changes, post-injury pneumonia, and unhealthy body weight changes can contribute to greater neurological improvement in AIS A–C cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study Design: A retrospective study.Objectives: The aim of this study was to review clinical and imaging features in patients with lumbar spinal canal stenosis (LSS) with and without postoperative early progression of intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) and to identify predictive factors.Summary Of Background Data: Progression of IDD after lumbar decompression surgery can induce low back pain and leg pain, and may require revision surgery. However, risk factors for postoperative radiological changes indicating IDD linked to development of symptoms have not been described.Methods: We included 564 patients with LSS without degenerative lumbar scoliosis who underwent lumbar decompression surgery without fusion. Clinical features and imaging findings were compared in cases with (group P) and without (group N) progression of IDD (intervertebral disc wedge or narrowing) at 1 year after surgery.Results: Of the 564 patients, 49 (8.7%) were in group P. On preoperative MRI, all patients in group P had findings of vertebral bone marrow edema (diffuse high intensity on T2-weighted images and low-intensity on T1-weighted images), compared to only 5.4% in group N. The rate of revision surgery was significantly higher in group P in 5 years' follow-up (12.2% vs. 1.4%, P < 0.01). In group P, 44.9% of patients developed postoperative symptoms associated with postoperative radiological changes, and the frequency was higher in narrowing-type than in wedge-type cases. Vertebral bone marrow edema area and IDD grade were not predictors for postoperative early IDD progression.Conclusion: Careful consideration is required to determine whether lumbar decompression surgery should be performed if vertebral bone marrow edema is detected on MRI, since this is a predictor for a negative clinical outcome. If surgery is symptomati-cally urgent, careful clinical and radiological follow-up is required.Level of Evidence: 4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have developed a procedure for retrieving atmospheric abundances of HFC-23 (CHF3) with a ground-based Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer and analyzed the spectra observed at Rikubetsu, Japan (43.5 ∘ N, 143.8 ∘ E), and at Syowa Station, Antarctica (69.0 ∘ S, 39.6 ∘ E). The FTIR retrievals were carried out with the SFIT4 retrieval program, and the two spectral windows of 1138.5–1148.0 cm-1 and 1154.0–1160.0 cm-1 in the overlapping ν2 and ν5 vibrational–rotational transition bands of HFC-23 were used to avoid strong H2O absorption features. We considered O3 , N2O , CH4 , H2O , HDO, CFC-12 (CCl2F2), HCFC-22 (CHClF2), peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) (CH3C(O)OONO2), HCFC-141b (CH3CCl2F), and HCFC-142b (CH3CClF2) to be interfering species. Vertical profiles of H2O , HDO, and CH4 are preliminarily retrieved with other independent spectral windows because these profiles may induce large uncertainties in the HFC-23 retrieval. Each HFC-23 retrieval has only one piece of vertical information with sensitivity to HFC-23 in the troposphere and the lower stratosphere. Retrieval errors mainly arise from the systematic uncertainties of the spectroscopic parameters used to obtain HFC-23 , H2O , HDO, and CH4 abundances. For comparison between FTIR-retrieved HFC-23 total columns and surface dry-air mole fractions provided by AGAGE (Advanced Global Atmospheric Gases Experiment), FTIR-retrieved HFC-23 dry-air column-averaged mole fractions (XHFC-23) were calculated. The FTIR-retrieved XHFC-23 values at Rikubetsu and Syowa Station have negative biases of - 15 % to - 20 % and - 25 % compared to the AGAGE datasets, respectively. These negative biases might mainly come from systematic uncertainties of HFC-23 spectroscopic parameters. The trend of the FTIR-retrieved XHFC-23 data at Rikubetsu was derived for December to February (DJF) observations, which are considered to represent the background values when an air mass reaching Rikubetsu has the least influence by transport of HFC-23 emissions from nearby countries. The DJF trend of Rikubetsu over the 1997–2009 period is 0.810 ± 0.093 ppt yr-1 (ppt: parts per trillion), which is in good agreement with the trend derived from the annual global mean datasets of the AGAGE 12-box model for the same period (0.820 ± 0.013 pptyr-1). The DJF trend of Rikubetsu over the 2008–2019 period is 0.928 ± 0.108 pptyr-1 , which is consistent with the trend in the AGAGE in situ measurements at Trinidad Head (41.1 ∘ N, 124.2 ∘ W) for the same period (0.994 ± 0.001 pptyr-1). The trend of the FTIR-retrieved XHFC-23 data at Syowa Station over the 2007–2016 period is 0.819 ± 0.071 pptyr-1 , which is consistent with that derived from the AGAGE in situ measurements at Cape Grim (40.7 ∘ S, 144.7 ∘ E) for the same period (0.874 ± 0.002 pptyr-1). Although there are systematic biases in the FTIR-retrieved XHFC-23 at both sites, these results indicate that ground-based FTIR observations have the capability to monitor the long-term trend of atmospheric HFC-23. If this FTIR measurement technique were extended to other Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change (NDACC) ground-based FTIR sites around world, the measurements reported from these sites would complement the global AGAGE observations by filling spatial and temporal gaps and may lead to improved insights about changes in regional and global emissions of HFC-23 and its role in global warming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• O -GlcNAcylation is an evolutionarily conserved, reversible protein modification regulated by OGT and OGA. • O -GlcNAcylation regulates fundamental biological processes in diverse cell types by sensing extracellular state. • O -GlcNAcylation is critical for proliferation, differentiation, and homeostatic maintenance of hematopoietic cells. • Aberrant O -GlcNAcylation is implicated in pathogenesis of hematologic malignancies through epigenetic dysregulation. Posttranslational protein modification through addition of the O ‐linked β- N -acetyl-D-glucosamine (O -GlcNAc) moiety to serine or threonine residues, termed O -GlcNAcylation, is a highly dynamic process conserved throughout eukaryotes. O -GlcNAcylation is reversibly catalyzed by a single pair of enzymes, O -GlcNAc transferase and O -GlcNAcase, and it acts as a fundamental regulator for a wide variety of biological processes including gene expression, cell cycle regulation, metabolism, stress response, cellular signaling, epigenetics, and proteostasis. O -GlcNAcylation is regulated by various intracellular or extracellular cues such as metabolic status, nutrient availability, and stress. Studies over decades have unveiled the profound biological significance of this unique protein modification in normal physiology and pathologic processes of diverse cell types or tissues. In hematopoiesis, recent studies have indicated the essential and pleiotropic roles of O -GlcNAcylation in differentiation, proliferation, and function of hematopoietic cells including T cells, B cells, myeloid progenitors, and hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. Moreover, aberrant O -GlcNAcylation is implicated in the development of hematologic malignancies with dysregulated epigenetics, metabolism, and gene transcription. Thus, it is now recognized that O -GlcNAcylation is one of the key regulators of normal and malignant hematopoiesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteoporosis and Parkinson's disease (PD) are age-related diseases, and surgery for osteoporotic vertebral collapse (OVC) in PD patients become more common. OVC commonly affects the thoracolumbar spine, but low lumbar OVC is frequent in patients with lower bone mineral density (BMD). The aim of this study was to identify differences in clinical and imaging features of low lumbar OVC with or without PD and to discuss the appropriate treatment. The subjects were 43 patients with low lumbar OVC below L3 who were treated surgically, including 11 patients with PD. The main clinical symptoms were radicular pain in non-PD cases and a cauda equina sign in PD cases. Rapid progression and destructive changes of OVC were seen in patients with PD. The morphological features of OVC were flat-type in non-PD cases with old compression fracture, and destruction-type in PD cases without old compression fracture. Progression of PD was associated with decreased lumbar lordosis, lower lumbar BMD, and severe sarcopenia. High postoperative complication rates were associated with vertebral fragility and longer fusion surgery. Progression of postural instability as a natural course of PD may lead to mechanical stress and instrumentation failure. Invasive long-fusion surgery should be avoided for single low lumbar OVC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Context: Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) is a risk factor for further surgery after posterior decompression without fusion for patients with lumbar spinal canal stenosis (LSS). However, a strategy to prevent revision surgery has not been described.Purpose: The aim of this study was to review clinical and imaging findings in LSS patients with DISH extending to the lumbar segment and to propose countermeasures for prevention of revision surgery.Study Design: A retrospective study.Patients Sample: A total of 613 consecutive patients with LSS underwent posterior decompression without fusion at our hospital and had a minimum follow-up period of 2 years. We defined patients with DISH bridging to the lumbar segment as L-DISH cases (group D, n=111), and those without as non-L-DISH cases (group N, n=502).Outcome Measure: Demographic data including the rate of revision surgery, neurological examination using Japanese Orthopaedic Association score, radiological studies comprised plain lumbar radiography, CT, and high-resolution MRI were assessed.Methods: Clinical features and imaging findings were compared in patients with and without L-DISH. Revision surgery and surgical procedures (conventional laminotomy or lumbar spinous process-splitting [split] laminotomy) were examined in the two groups. No funding was received for this study.Results: L-DISH from L2 to L4 was a risk factor for disc degeneration such as a vacuum phenomenon and for further surgical treatment. The rate of revision surgery was higher in group D than in group N (9.0% vs. 4.0%, p=.026). There was no significant difference in this rate for patients in groups D and N who underwent conventional laminotomy; however, for those who underwent split laminotomy, the rate was significantly higher in group D (16.7% vs. 2.1%, p=.0006). Furthermore, the rate of revision surgery after split laminotomy at a lower segment adjacent to L-DISH was significantly higher than that after conventional laminotomy (37.5% vs. 7.7%, p=.037).Conclusions: A negative impact of lumbar spinous process-splitting laminotomy was found, especially with decompression at a lower segment adjacent to L-DISH. In such cases, surgery sparing the osteoligamentous structures at midline, including the spinous process and supra- and interspinous ligaments, should be selected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Symptomatic thoracic disc herniation (TDH) is relatively rare, but patients with progressive myelopathy require surgical treatment without delay in diagnosis. The aim of this study was to review clinical and radiological features in patients with TDH presenting with myelopathy. Methods: A total of 28 consecutive patients with thoracic myelopathy (Frankel grade C or worse) due to TDH who underwent surgery were divided into 3 groups based on the time for development of myelopathy (acute (< 72 h), subacute (within a few weeks), and chronic [gradually over > 1 month)] and their data were analyzed. Results: The patients in the acute group were significantly younger and had a higher body mass index (BMI) compared to those in the subacute and chronic groups. Most cases of acute myelopathy were affected in the upper thoracic level, whereas all patients with subacute and chronic myelopathy had lesions in the lower thoracic level below T8–9. Interestingly, the affected thoracic level in patients with acute myelopathy matched the upper line of the sternum. The rate of acquired walking ability without assistance was only 50.0% in the acute group. Conclusions: This study suggests that TDH presenting with acute myelopathy may have different clinical and radiological features compared to those of TDH with subacute and chronic myelopathy. Upper TDH should be suspected in cases of acute myelopathy that develops with sudden-onset back pain after certain triggers in younger and higher BMI people. These affected thoracic level matched with the upper line of the sternum in each case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential of carbon nanotube (CNT)-based applications in diverse scientific fields has been demonstrated by achieving precise control of their surfaces through chemical functionalization. However, the formation of fatal defects like sidewall cleavage is an increasingly important concern as it significantly degrades the performance of CNTs. The presence of these structural disruptions has been ascertained by transmission electron microscopy, but a comprehensive understanding of their surface remains unclear due to its highly localized observation. Here, we demonstrate a framework for quantitative evaluation of the relationship between sp3 bonds and functional groups on CNT surface by combining μ-Raman and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy in scanning electron microscope imaging techniques. Nonuniform features of the degree of functionalization in strongly oxidized two types of single-walled CNTs are appropriately visualized in both measurements, allowing a systematic assessment of the surface states. Quantitative analysis reveals that the nm-scale sidewall openness during the chemical process is adequately explained by introducing a variable θ defined as the ratio of the degree of functionalization/defect density. These findings can be widely utilized as a novel evaluation technique to control the reactivity in the surface functionalization of various carbon nanomaterials. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have developed a procedure for retrieving atmospheric abundances of HFC-23 (CHF3) with a ground-based Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR) and analysed the spectra observed at Rikubetsu, Japan (43.5° N, 143.8° E), and at Syowa Station, Antarctica (69.0° S, 39.6° E). The FTIR retrievals were carried out with the SFIT4 retrieval program, and the two spectral windows of 1138.5-1148.0 cm−1 and 1154.0-1160.0 cm−1 in the overlapping ν2 and ν5 vibrational-rotational transition bands of HFC-23 were used to avoid strong H2O absorption features. We considered O3, N2O, CH4, H2O, HDO, CFC-12 (CCl2F2), HCFC-22 (CHClF2), PAN (CH3C(O)OONO2), HCFC-141b (CH3CCl2F), and HCFC-142b (CH3CClF2) as interfering species. Vertical profiles of H2O, HDO, and CH4 are preliminarily retrieved with other independent spectral windows because these profiles may induce large uncertainties in the HFC-23 retrieval. Each HFC-23 retrieval has only one piece of vertical information with sensitivity to HFC-23 in the troposphere and the lower stratosphere. The retrieval errors mainly arise from the systematic uncertainties of the spectroscopic parameters used to obtain the HFC-23, H2O, HDO, and CH4 abundances. For comparison between FTIR-retrieved HFC-23 total columns and surface dry-air mole fractions provided by AGAGE (Advanced Global Atmospheric Gases Experiment), the FTIR-retrieved HFC-23 dry-air column-averaged mole fractions (XHFC-23) were calculated. The FTIR-retrieved XHFC-23 at Rikubetsu and Syowa Station have negative biases compared to AGAGE datasets. The trend derived from the FTIR-retrieved XHFC-23 data at Rikubetsu for December to February (DJF) data over the 1997-2010 period is 0.817 ± 0.087 ppt (parts per trillion) year−1, which is in good agreement with the trend derived from the annual global mean datasets of the AGAGE 12-box model for the same period (0.820 ± 0.011 ppt year−1). The trend of the FTIR-retrieved XHFC-23 data at Rikubetsu for DJF data over the 2007-2020 period is 0.894 ± 0.099 ppt year−1, which is smaller than the trend in the AGAGE in-situ measurements at Trinidad Head (41.1° N, 124.2° W) for the 2007-2019 period (0.984 ± 0.002 ppt year−1). The trend computed from the XHFC-23 datasets at Syowa Station over the 2007-2016 period is 0.823 ± 0.075 ppt year−1, which is consistent with that derived from the AGAGE in-situ measurements at Cape Grim (40.7° S, 144.7° E) for the same period (0.874 ± 0.002 ppt year−1). Although there are systematic biases on the FTIR-retrieved XHFC-23 at both sites, these results indicate that ground-based FTIR observations have the capability to monitor the trend of atmospheric HFC-23. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tumors of the spinal cord and cauda equina show a wide spectrum of histology and require careful diagnosis and treatment. Primary intradural extramedullary Ewing sarcoma (IEES) is extremely rare, and initial imaging and clinical findings for this tumor mimic those of benign intradural spinal tumors. The present report describes a case of a 35-year-old woman who presented with IEES with meningeal seeding, and the literature on the management and clinical course of these tumors was reviewed. An examination revealed right-side leg dominant rapidly progressive hypoesthesia and motor deficits. MRI identified intradural tumors at the T12-L1 and L4-5 levels. Growth and an increase in the number of intradural tumors occurred over 3 weeks. Gadolinium-contrast T1-weighted MRI revealed diffusely enhanced signals for tumorous lesions with meningeal seeding in the cervical and thoracic spinal cord. Excision of a tumor at T12-L1 was performed to alleviate the symptoms and to make a histologic diagnosis. Microscopically, the tumor consisted of dense sheets of small round cells. Immunohistochemically, tumor cells showed intense and diffuse positive staining for CD99, ETS transcription factor ERG and Fli-1 proto-oncogene, ETS transcription factor (FLI1). The sequence analysis revealed the EWS RNA binding protein 1-FLI1 fusion transcript. The lesion was diagnosed as primary intradural ES. Adjuvant chemotherapy following radiotherapy for the whole spine was performed; however, multiple brain metastases were found at 10 months after diagnosis and the patient died of diffusely disseminated disease limited to the central nervous system without evidence of distant metastases at 16 months after the initial diagnosis. In a literature review of IEES cases, the 1- and 5-year overall survival rates were 79.8 and 26.6%, respectively, and the 1-, 2- and 5-year progression-free survival rates were 61.0, 52.3 and 10.9%, respectively. Therefore, primary IEES has a poor prognosis compared with ES of bone, and novel agents and treatment strategies are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Context: Although a few reports have shown a change in gait motion in cervical myelopathy (CM) patients using a three-dimensional (3D) gait analysis system, there has been no detailed quantitative investigation of their gait including musculoskeletal modeling parameters. Also, 3D gait analysis using a classification of severity has not been substantiated.Purpose: This study aimed to investigate kinematic, kinetic, and musculoskeletal modeling parameters of gait motion in CM patients using a severity classification.Study Design: Prospective cohort and cross-sectional study.Patient Sample: Forty-two patients with CM and 40 healthy, age-matched volunteers.Outcome Measures: Lower extremity spatiotemporal, kinematic, kinetic, and musculoskeletal modeling parameters.Methods: Subjects were classified as to its severity using the Japan Orthopaedic Association score excluding the upper extremity items: group 1 (>10 points); group 2 (7-9 points); and group 3 (<6 points). A 3D motion analysis system and musculoskeletal modeling software were used to obtain the spatiotemporal, kinematic (the lower extremity joints angles in the sagittal plane), kinetic (the lower extremity joints moment and power in the sagittal plane), and musculoskeletal modeling parameters (the muscle-tendon length and velocity).Results: Genu recurvatum, deteriorated lower-extremity joint motion, and muscle-tendon velocity were observed in severe CM patients (group 3). Muscle-tendon velocities of the long head of the biceps femoris in controls and mild CM patients (groups 1 and 2) showed a bimodal waveform in the negative direction during the initial contact and preswing phases, whereas these characteristics were not present in severe CM patients (group 3).Conclusions: The strategies of the knee joint moment during gait motion in severe CM patients were different from those of the normal gait pattern. The imbalance between agonist and antagonist muscle tissue during gait could be involved in the occurrence of genu recurvatum. It might be important for CM patients to consider improving the contraction or extension velocity of the biceps femoris muscle during each gait phase from the early stages of symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pathomechanisms of initiation and progression of ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) are unclear. Indian hedgehog (Ihh) and related signaling molecules are key factors in normal enchondral ossification. The purpose of this study is to investigate the contribution of mechanical strain to OPLL and the relationship of Ihh with OPLL. Sections of the posterior longitudinal ligament (PLL) were obtained from 49 patients with OPLL and from 7 patients without OPLL. Cultured PLL cells were subjected to 24 hours of cyclic tensile strain. To identify differentially expressed genes associated with cyclic tensile strain, microarray analysis was performed. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis identified upregulation of various genes, particularly of the Hedgehog signaling pathway; Ihh and related genes had increased expression compared with controls after 24-hour cyclic tensile strain. In immunoblotting analysis, Ihh, Runx2, Sox9, Gli2, Gli3, and smoothened (SMO) had significantly increased expression after 6- or 12-hour cyclic tensile strain. OPLL samples were strongly immunopositive for Ihh, Sox9, Runx2, Gli2, Gli3, and SMO in the ossification front of OPLL. These results suggest that cyclic tensile strain induces abnormal activation of Ihh and related signaling molecules, and this might be important in the ossification process in OPLL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We termed chronic neuropathic pain (NeP) in patients with diseases associated with spinal cord damage as "spinal cord-related pain syndrome". We conducted a survey of patients with the syndrome to assess the type and severity of NeP and its effect on QOL, and treatment modalities.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 185 patients recruited from 15 medical institutions. We analyzed the questionnaires sent to clinicians (basic information, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings, type and effectiveness of medications) and patients [modified Neuropathic Pain Symptom Inventory (NPSI) and short form (SF)-36 healthy survey].Results: The incidence of spinal cord-related pain syndrome was highest in patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy, ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) and spinal cord injury. The number of patients with at-level pain was higher than those with below-level pain; dysesthesia/paresthesia, spontaneous and evoked pain types were mainly seen in patients with at-level pain and dysesthesia/paresthesia was common among those with below-level pain. NPSI score was higher than 10 in the majority of patients, and the subscore for dysesthesia/paresthesia was significantly the highest. The NPSI score was the highest in patients with severe hyperintense signal increase on MRI. The scores of all SF-36 sub-items were significantly lower than the national average. The majority of patients used non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs and gabapentin/pregabalin; the latter was significantly effective for allodynia, compared with other medications, regardless of the pain level.Conclusions: The majority of patients with spinal cord-related pain syndrome suffered from severe NeP, which affected physical activity. The pain phenotype varied according to the level of the lesion and dysesthesia/paresthesia was the most intense. Compared with other medications, gabapentin/pregabalin was significantly effective especially for dysesthesia/paresthesia and evoked pain regardless of the pain level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Even though the number of patients with cervical spinal cord injury (CSCI) without major bone injury is increased, the treatment with either surgery or conservative measures remains controversial. The aim of this study was to assess its prognostic value in the prediction of useful motor recovery and to clarify whether the patients should be treated surgically are present.Methods: We reviewed 63 patients (conservative, n = 36; surgery, n = 27) with CSCI without major bone injury (Frankel A-C). Neurological examination using modified Frankel grade at admission and 6 months after injury and International Stoke Mandeville Games (ISMG) classification at subacute phase after injury, MRI findings including rate of spinal cord compression, extent of cord damage and type of signal intensity change were assessed.Results: Thirty-five of 63 patients were improved to walk at 6 months after injury. In multivariate analysis, rate of spinal cord compression, extent of cord damage and improvement of ISMG grade were associated with useful motor recovery. There was no difference in the neurological improvement between conservative and surgical groups. However, patients with spinal cord compression of ≥33.2% showed better motor recovery at 6 months post-injury after surgery than those treated conservatively. There was a positive correlation between the improvement of ISMG grade at subacute phase and Frankel grade at 6 months post-injury. It is difficult to obtain satisfactory surgical outcome for patients with Frankel A or B1 on admission and/or extensive spinal cord damage on T2-weighted image.Conclusions: Conservative treatment is recommended for patients with CSCI without major bone injury. However, we also recommend surgical treatment to acquire walking ability for patients with spinal cord compression of ≥33.2% and low ISMG grade at subacute phase. Among such patients, careful consideration should be given to patients with Frankel A or B1 and/or extensive spinal cord damage on MRI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blue rubber bleb nevus syndrome (BRBNS) is a rare disease in which venous malformations (VMs) involve any body organ, most commonly the skin and the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Treatment of BRBNS aims at preserving the GI tract as much as possible. Although there are several dozen case reports about BRBNS that describe short-term clinical courses, a few provide an account of long-term clinical course. Here, we report a case of BRBNS in a girl that required multiple abdominal surgeries due to the GI VMs and a recurrence at an interval of 14 years. The preferred approach for gastrointestinal VMs involves the complete resection of all lesions without residual VMs. It is important to bear in mind the possibility of delayed recurrence of GI VMs after surgical or endoscopic treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Step-by-step evaluation of the functional group coverage for PAMAM dendrons on carbon nanohorn (CNH) surface. • Highly sensitive SEM-EDS enables the precise evaluation of functional group coverage consistent with the chemical structure. • It is found that intermolecular hydrogen bonds among the particles mainly blocks growing PAMAM and triggers low reactivity. Polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers/dendrons chemically functionalized on carbon nanohorns (CNHs) have exhibited an excellent ability, especially for energy conversion and gene therapy applications. However, the main issue is its low functional group coverage, and the low reaction yield has been less understood. Here, we examine the surface state and functionalization efficiency of PAMAM dendrons on CNHs in each reaction step. The multifaceted measurements using Raman, ζ potential, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) demonstrate that PAMAM dendrons are successfully synthesized on CNH surfaces. In addition, highly sensitive energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy in the scanning electron microscope (SEM-EDS) enables precise evaluation of functional group coverage consistent with the chemical structure of each product. Furthermore, the detailed analysis of SEM-EDS imaging, morphology characterization, and FT-IR provides chemical information regarding the reactivity of PAMAM functionalization on CNHs. One important finding is that chemical interaction by hydrogen bonds among PAMAM/CNH molecules is a considerable possibility for low reactivity. Our results are widely beneficial for the realization of highly efficient grafting of PAMAM dendrons on various carbon nanomaterials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although vitamin D (VD; serum 25 hydroxyvitamin D) deficiency (< 20 ng/mL) is widespread among Japanese women, the VD status among pregnant women is unknown. This study aimed to determine the VD status of pregnant Japanese women during different meteorological seasons and to determine the factors controlling VD status. A total of 309 pregnant Japanese women were recruited at 28 weeks of gestation at the gynecology department of a university hospital in Tokyo between August 2018 and October 2019. Blood samples were collected to measure serum 25(OH)D levels. Two questionnaires were completed: a brief self-administered dietary history questionnaire (BDHQ) and an outdoor exposure history questionnaire to determine skin sunlight exposure and the use of sunscreen. Among the recruited subjects, 268 were included in the statistical analysis. The average VD intake from food was 9.0 μg/day, the average VD synthesis from UV-B was 15.2 μg/day, and the average sum of VD intake and nominal VD synthesis was 24.1 μg/day; this exceeded the recommended 2011 Dietary Reference Intake for the USA and Canada (15.0 μg/day). However, the average serum 25(OH)D level (11.4 ng/mL) was very low, indicating widespread VD deficiency. Serum 25(OH)D and VD synthesis by solar UV-B were significantly correlated only during the high UV-B season. The 25(OH)D level was weakly correlated with the VD intake from food in all seasons. We obtained a statistically significant correlation between serum 25(OH)D level and VD intake from food using the BDHQ. We also obtained a statistically significant correlation between the serum 25(OH)D level and VD synthesis from solar UV-B exposure, especially during the high UV-B season. Our logistic regression analysis model predicted VD deficiency in 88.0% of subjects. Our method might be possible to be used to predict the VD status of pregnant Japanese women, although another validation cohort is needed to verify the ability of the estimation equation. • Vitamin D deficiency is widespread among Japanese pregnant women. • Statistically significant correlation between serum 25(OH)D level and VD intake from food was found in all seasons. • Statistically significant correlation between serum 25(OH)D level and VD synthesis from solar UV-B was found only in summer season. • We succeeded to predict the VD status of pregnant Japanese women by a logistic regression analysis model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

UV radiation contains erythemally weighted UV, as well as UV that synthesizes vitamin D3. Here, we attempted to determine the relationship between these factors by numerical simulation of atmospheric parameters, such as total ozone, using a simplified ' SMART2' model for radiative transfer. Both forms of UV were almost linearly correlated with each other for a comparably large UV radiation exposure, larger than UV Index ~1.6. If erythemally weighted UV, which carries a risk of sunburn, is known, the amount of UV exposure needed for vitamin D synthesis in the epidermis can be estimated using this relationship. The production of 10 μg (400 IU) of vitamin D per day takes approximately 1/3 of the time needed to reach the minimal erythemal dose (MED) for an effective skin area of 600 cm2 for skin phototype III. For an area of 1200 cm2, 1/6 of that exposure time suffices. From a UV Index that is commonly used, the risks and benefits can be evaluated using this linear relationship, which will enable people to effectively manage their UV exposure and consider the risks and benefits to optimize health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background context Signal intensity on preoperative cervical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the spinal cord has been shown to be a potential predictor of outcome of surgery for cervical compressive myelopathy. However, the prognostic value of such signal remains controversial. One reason for the controversy is the lack of proper quantitative methods to assess MRI signal intensity. Purpose To quantify signal intensity and to correlate intramedullary signal changes on MRI T1- and T2-weighted images (WIs) with clinical outcome and prognosis. Study design Retrospective case study. Patient sample Patients (n=148; cervical spondylotic myelopathy, n=102 and ossified posterior longitudinal ligament, n=46) who underwent surgery for cervical compressive myelopathy and had high signal intensity change on sagittal T2-WI MRI before surgery between 2006 and 2010. Outcome measure Neurologic assessment was conducted with the Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) scoring system for cervical myelopathy. The rate of neurologic improvement was calculated with the use of preoperative and postoperative JOA scores. Methods Quantitative analysis of MRI signal on both T1- and T2-WIs via use of the signal intensity ratio (SIR; signal intensity of lesion relative to that at C7-T1 disc level) was performed. Correlations between SIR on T1- and T2-WIs and preoperative JOA score, JOA improvement rate, disease duration, and MRI morphologic classification (cystic or diffuse type) were analyzed. Multivariate regression analysis for JOA improvement rate was also analyzed. In a substudy, 25 patients underwent follow-up MRI starting from 6 months after surgery to analyze the relationship between changes in SIR on follow-up MRI and clinical outcome. Results SIR on T1-WIs, but not SIR on T2-WIs, correlated with postoperative neurologic improvement. The disease duration correlated negatively with SIR on T1-WIs and JOA improvement rate but not with SIR on T2-WIs. SIR on T2-WIs of "cystic type" was significantly greater than of "diffuse type," but SIR on T1-WI and JOA improvement rate were not different in the two types. Stepwise multivariate regression analysis indicated that SIR on T1-WIs and long disease duration were significant predictors of postoperative neurologic outcome. SIR on follow-up T1-WI and changes in SIR on T1-WI after surgery correlated positively with postoperative improvement rate. SIR on follow-up T2-WI and changes on T2-WI correlated negatively with postoperative neurologic improvement. Conclusions Our results suggest that low intensity signal on preoperative T1-WIs but not T2-WIs correlated with poor postoperative neurologic outcome. Furthermore, decreased signal intensity on postoperative T1-WIs and increased signal intensity on postoperative T2-WIs are predictors of poor neurologic outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have realized metal-coated semiconductor nanostructures for a stable and efficient single-photon source (SPS) and demonstrated improved single-photon extraction efficiency by the selection of metals and nanostructures. We demonstrate with finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulations that inclination of a pillar sidewall, which changes the structure to a nanocone, is effective in improving the photon extraction efficiency. We demonstrate how such nanocone structures with inclined sidewalls are fabricated with reactive ion etching. With the optimized design, a photon extraction efficiency to outer airside as high as ∼97% generated from a quantum dot in a nanocone structure is simulated, which is the important step in realizing SPS on-demand operations. We have also examined the direct contact of such a metal-embedded nanocone structure with a single-mode fiber facet as a simple and practical method for preparing fiber-coupled SPS and demonstrated practical coupling efficiencies of ∼16% with FDTD simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Properties of buckypapers can be seamlessly controlled by mixing. • Electrical conductivities and thermal diffusivities are correlated. • Crystallinity affects above properties only in higher ranges. Controlling the properties of materials such as electrical conductivities has become more important to satisfy the requirement for objective applications. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) exhibit high electrical conductivities thus are potential to fabricate high performance electrically conductive materials. However, controlling these electrical conductivities into a desired range is still challenging due to the difficulty of adjusting their dispersion state. In this study, we aimed to achieve the control on electrical conductivities of CNT buckypapers, by utilizing mixed dispersions of several kinds of CNTs. This simple mixing approach realized seamless transitions of electrical conductivity between those of two sole counterparts. Moreover, we have also investigated the thermal diffusivities of obtained buckypapers, revealing an intriguing correlation between electrical conductivities and thermal diffusivities. This finding would provide profound suggestions to the applications which both electrical and thermal conductions by CNTs are employed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study that examined neuroprotective effect of retrograde adenoviral vector (AdV)-mediated brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene transfection in chronically compressed spinal cord in terms of prevention of apoptosis of neurosis and oligodendrocytes. It found that mechanical compression of spinal cord can cause neural tissue damage and neuronal cell death by necrosis and apoptosis. Retrograde delivery of LacZ marker gene was identified in cervical spinal neurons.

Purpose: F-FDG PET is used to investigate the metabolic activity of neural tissue. MRI is used to visualize morphological changes, but the relationship between intramedullary signal changes and clinical outcome remains controversial. The present study was designed to evaluate the use of 3-D MRI/F-FDG PET fusion imaging for defining intramedullary signal changes on MRI scans and local glucose metabolic rate measured on F-FDG PET scans in relation to clinical outcome and prognosis. Methods: We studied 24 patients undergoing decompressive surgery for cervical compressive myelopathy. All patients underwent 3-D MRI and F-FDG PET before surgery. Quantitative analysis of intramedullary signal changes on MRI scans included calculation of the signal intensity ratio (SIR) as the ratio between the increased lesional signal intensity and the signal intensity at the level of the C7/T1 disc. Using an Advantage workstation, the same slices of cervical 3-D MRI and F-FDG PET images were fused. On the fused images, the maximal count of the lesion was adopted as the standardized uptake value (SUV). In a similar manner to SIR, the SUV ratio (SUVR) was also calculated. Neurological assessment was conducted using the Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) scoring system for cervical myelopathy. Results: The SIR on T1-weighted (T1-W) images, but not SIR on T2-W images, was significantly correlated with preoperative JOA score and postoperative neurological improvement. Lesion SUV was significantly correlated with SIR on T1-W images, but not with SIR on T2-W images, and also with postoperative neurological outcome. The SUVR correlated better than SIR on T1-W images and lesion SUV with neurological improvement. Longer symptom duration was correlated negatively with SIR on T1-W images, positively with SIR on T2-W images, and negatively with SUV. Conclusion: Our results suggest that low-intensity signal on T1-W images, but not on T2-W images, is correlated with a poor postoperative neurological outcome. SUV of lesions showing increased signal intensity and SUVR measured on fusion MRI/PET scans are more sensitive parameters for predicting clinical outcome than signal intensity on the MRI scan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Cervical compressive myelopathy is the most serious complication of cervical spondylosis or ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) and the most frequent cause of spinal cord dysfunction. There is little information on the exact pathophysiological mechanism responsible for the progressive loss of neural tissue in the spinal cord of such patients. In this study, we used the spinal hyperostotic mouse ( twy/twy) as a suitable model of human spondylosis, and OPLL to investigate the cellular and molecular changes in the spinal cord. Mutant twy/twy mouse developed ossification of the ligamentum flavum at C2-C3 and exhibited progressive paralysis. Materials and methods: The mutant twy/twy mice, aged 16 and 24 weeks, were used in the present study. The cervical spinal cord was analyzed histologically and immunohistochemically. Results: We observed that a significant correlation between the proportion of apoptotic oligodendrocytes in the compressed area of the spinal cord and the magnitude of cord compression. Immunohistochemical analysis indicated overexpression of TNFR1, CD95, and p75 in the twy/twy mice, which was localized by the immunofluorescence in the neurons and oligodendrocytes. Conclusion: The expression of such factors seems to play at least some role in the apoptotic process, which probably contributes to axonal degeneration and demyelination in the twy/twy mice spinal cords with severe compression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 58-year-old woman with an insignificant stage of diabetes mellitus presented with rapidly progressive osteoarthritis of her right knee exhibiting painless but significant antero-posterior and lateral instability. In association, she had a huge extruded left-sided cervical intervertebral disc at the C4–5 level. Neurological examination of the upper limbs was normal but, she had diminished pinprick sensation on the right leg. Radiographic findings were consistent with neuropathic arthropathy of the knee. Anterior decompression with fusion of C4–5 and total knee arthroplasty using a semi-constrained-type artificial implant were performed in one stage. The patient regained nearly normal living activity following surgical intervention. We stress the possibility of rapid progression of knee joint arthropathy, as neuropathic knee, even in a patient with less significant symptoms and signs of cervical myelopathy caused by a huge extruded intervertebral disc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which examines the effect of retrograde adenovirus-mediated brain-derived neurotropic factor (AdV-BDNF) gene delivery on neurons and glial cells' apoptosis after traumatic spinal cord injury in rats. Immunofluorescence staining and injured spinal cord-derived cell markers double staining were used to examine the localization of AdV-BDNF trasnfection-produced β-galactosidae expression. Results show that AdV-BDNF can inhibit neuron and glial cell's apoptosis.

Background: The application of mechanical insults to the spinal cord results in profound cellular and molecular changes, including the induction of neuronal cell death and altered gene expression profiles. Previous studies have described alterations in gene expression following spinal cord injury, but the specificity of this response to mechanical stimuli is difficult to investigate in vivo. Therefore, we have investigated the effect of cyclic tensile stresses on cultured spinal cord cells from E15 Sprague-Dawley rats, using the FX3000® Flexercell Strain Unit. We examined cell morphology and viability over a 72 hour time course. Microarray analysis of gene expression was performed using the Affymetrix GeneChip System®, where categorization of identified genes was performed using the Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) systems. Changes in expression of 12 genes were validated with quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results: The application of cyclic tensile stress reduced the viability of cultured spinal cord cells significantly in a doseand time-dependent manner. Increasing either the strain or the strain rate independently was associated with significant decreases in spinal cord cell survival. There was no clear evidence of additive effects of strain level with strain rate. GO analysis identified 44 candidate genes which were significantly related to "apoptosis" and 17 genes related to "response to stimulus". KEGG analysis identified changes in the expression levels of 12 genes of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway, which were confirmed to be upregulated by RT-PCR analysis. Conclusions: We have demonstrated that spinal cord cells undergo cell death in response to cyclic tensile stresses, which were dose- and time-dependent. In addition, we have identified the up regulation of various genes, in particular of the MAPK pathway, which may be involved in this cellular response. These data may prove useful, as the accurate knowledge of neuronal gene expression in response to cyclic tensile stress will help in the development of molecularbased therapies for spinal cord injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to review the patients with lumbar epidural abscess in terms of neurological morbidity, therapeutic outcome, and prognosis, while assessing the usefulness of a new MRI staging classification and specific imaging findings as indicators for surgical management. We reviewed 37 patients who sustained epidural abscess associated with pyogenic spondylodiscitis of the lumbar spine. Ten patients were treated conservatively, while 27 required urgent or elective surgical drainage. We studied patients with respect to symptomatology, Frankel-American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) scale evaluation and a new proposed system of MRI staging of pyogenic spondylodiscitis (stages I–V). Of the 37 patients with stage IV and V MRI lesions, 13 (35%) had septicemia and 8 (22%) presented with Frankel-ASIA scale C-D neurological status. All cases with ringlike enhancement on gadolinium-enhanced MRI in the epidural abscess lesions were treated surgically. Progression of local kyphosis and loss of intervertebral disk height were significantly prevented in the surgical group ( P < 0.05). Improvements of neurological status and laboratory data were better in the surgical group than the conservative group ( P < 0.05), with significantly short hospital stay ( P < 0.05). Epidural abscess associated with pyogenic spondylodiscitis presents with various neurological symptoms. In addition to assessment of progression by clinical symptomatology, modified neurological Frankel-ASIA scaling and the currently proposed MRI staging regimen may help to consider the timing of surgical intervention. In the acute, subacute or acute-on-chronic phase and the ringlike enhancement pattern of epidural abscess on gadolinium-enhanced MRI may be an indicator for surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Wnt signaling has been implicated in the self-renewal of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). Secreted frizzled-related proteins (SFRPs) are a family of soluble proteins containing a region homologous to a receptor for Wnt, Frizzled, and are thought to act as endogenous modulators for Wnt signaling. This study examined the role of SFRPs in HSC regulation. Among the four family members, SFRP-1 and SFRP-2 are specifically induced in the bone marrow in response to myelosuppression, and immunostaining revealed that both proteins were expressed in osteoblasts. Interestingly, SFRP-1 reduced the number of multipotent progenitors in in vitro culture of CD34−KSL cells, while SFRP-2 did not. Furthermore, SFRP-1 compromised the long-term repopulating activity of HSCs, whereas SFRP-2 did not affect or even enhanced it in the same setting. These results indicate that although both SFRP-1 and SFRP-2 act as inhibitors for Wnt signaling in vitro, they differentially affect the homeostasis of HSCs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article presents the study which aims to determine changes in cervical spinal cord (CSC) after decompression in patients with compressive myelopathy. The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and high-resolution (18F) fluoro-deoxyglucose (18FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) were used to evaluate the CSC. The results showed the correlation between postoperative neurologic improvement and increased transverse area of the spinal cord in patients involved in the study.

The article offers information on the use of gene expression in profiling the neurotrophic factors in rat cultured spinal cord cells. It is mentioned that exposure of cultured rat spinal cord to cyclic tensile stress resulted in upregulation of nerve growth factor brain-derived neurotrophic factor, as well as caspase-9 at early time after tensile stress application.

Abstract: Targeted retrograde gene delivery into the injured spinal cord is less invasive for the damaged tissue. One of the advantages of this approach is the possible selection of target organs according to the level of spinal cord injury. We evaluated nine candidate target organs for retrograde delivery of an adenovirus vector carrying β-galactosidase (AdV-LacZ) gene to cervical, thoracic and lumbar spinal cord segments. One week after vector injection into each muscle, we assessed the LacZ gene expression in the spinal cord by X-gal staining. The most appropriate target organs with high transduction efficacy were the sternomastoid and clavotrapezius muscles for cervical spinal cord, tibialis anterior and the gastrocnemius muscles for the lumbar spinal cord. Retrograde gene delivery to the thoracic spinal cord was inefficient probably due to the small number of anterior horn neurons in the region. Gene expression was mainly identified over the anatomical area of innervation and not into other body organs. Our results suggested that retrograde delivery of adenovirus genome to the cervical and lumbar spinal cord segments seems feasible by injection of an adenoviral vector into the appropriate target organ. Adenovirus vector is an efficient retrograde tracer since it can deliver the carried gene to a wide area of the spinal cord and not to other body organs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein ϵ (C/EBPϵ) plays a critical role in terminal myeloid differentiation. Differentiation is an integrated process of cell cycle arrest, morphological change, functional maturation, and apoptosis. However, the molecular networks underlying these events in C/EBPϵ-induced differentiation remain poorly understood. To reveal these mechanisms, we performed a detailed molecular analysis of C/EBPϵ-induced differentiation using an inducible form of C/EBPϵ. The activation of C/EBPϵ induced growth arrest, morphological differentiation, the expression of CD11b and secondary granule proteins, and apoptosis in myeloid cell lines. Unlike C/EBPα, C/EBPϵ dramatically up-regulated p27 with a concomitant down-regulation of cdk4/6 and cyclin D2/A/E. Moreover, the anti-apoptotic proteins Bcl-2 and Bcl-x were down-regulated, whereas pro-apoptotic protein Bax remained unchanged. Using a variety of mutants, we revealed that these events were all regulated by the N-terminal activation domain of C/EBPϵ. Interestingly, some of the differentiation processes such as the induction of secondary granule protein genes were clearly inhibited by c-Myc; however, inhibition of apoptosis by Bcl-x did not affect the entire differentiation processes. These data indicate the N terminus of C/EBPϵ to be solely responsible for most aspects of myeloid differentiation, and these events were differentially affected by c-Myc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Immune suppressor factor (ISF) is a subunit of the vacuolar ATPase proton pump. We earlier identified a short form of ISF (ShIF) as a stroma-derived factor that supports cytokine-independent growth of mutant Ba/F3 cells. Here, we report that ISF/ShIF supports self-renewal and expansion of primary hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). Co-culture of murine bone marrow cells with a stromal cell line overexpressing ISF or ShIF (MS10/ISF or MS10/ShIF) not only enhanced their colony-forming activity and the numbers of long-term culture initiating cells, but also maintained the competitive repopulating activity of HSC. This stem cell supporting activity depended on the proton-transfer function of ISF/ShIF. Gene expression analysis of ISF/ShIF-transfected cell lines revealed down-regulation of secreted frizzled-related protein-1 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-3, and the restoration of their expressions in MS10/ISF cells partially reversed its enhanced LTC-IC supporting activity to a normal level. These results suggest that ISF/ShIF confers stromal cells with enhanced supporting activities for HSCs by modulating Wnt-activity and the extracellular matrix. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article discusses the phylogenetic and morphological diversity of microbial community associated with the gut wall of termites. When 2 species were analyzed and compared with a previously identified species, their bacterial constituents were entirely different at the phylotype level. The bacteroidales were phylogenetically analyzed and were dispersed in a number of clusters formed by phylotypes from the guts of various termites.

Abstract: The bacterial community colonizing the gut wall of the termite Reticulitermes speratus was characterized without cultivation. Analysis of 16S rRNA genes after fractionation of the gut revealed that the bacterial composition on the gut wall was diverse and significantly different from that able to move unconfined in the gut fluid or physically associated with the gut protists. Actinobacteria, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes were dominant on the gut wall, but Spirochaetes and the Termite group 1 phylum, abundant in the gut lumen, were relatively rare. A sequence-specific probe enabled the in situ detection of a rod-shaped Actinobacteria member, abundantly colonizing the gut paunch epithelium. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Direct routes of gene administration (intrathecal, intracerebroventricular or intraparenchymal infusion) have been used for effective and sustained gene delivery, but serious concerns exist about possible traumatic injury as well as neural damage that may lead to further tissue necrosis, apoptosis and cell death. We evaluated targeted retrograde gene delivery through the sternomastoid muscle (innervated by the spinal accessory nerves) into the injured cervical spinal cord using a recombinant adenovirus vector. LacZ gene expression in the cervical spinal cord was noted from 3 days to 4 weeks after the injection of vector into the sternomastoid muscles of the rats. Recombinant adenovirus vector was transferred via a retrograde mechanism into the injured cervical spinal cord with high transduction efficacy (80.6–98.9%) over certain adenoviral titer and dosage. Transduction was less efficient when the vector was injected 1 and 2 weeks after spinal cord injury (44.2–56.8%). Our results indicate retrograde delivery of recombinant adenovirus vector is possible immediately after spinal cord injury, and that this method is promising for gene delivery because it is effective, selective, less invasive to the injured spinal cord, has long-lasting gene expression, and is potentially feasible treatment choice for spinal cord injury. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]