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Objective: We evaluated the efficacy of endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) on the functional outcome of patients with acute basilar artery occlusion and low posterior circulation acute stroke prognosis early computed tomography score (PC‐ASPECTS). Methods: We identified patients with acute ischemic stroke due to basilar artery occlusion and PC‐ASPECTS of 6 or less, presenting within 24 h between August 2008 and April 2022. The primary outcome was a favorable functional outcome, defined as a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of 0–3 at 90 days. The secondary outcomes included an mRS score of 0–2, a favorable shift in the ordinal mRS scale, the occurrence of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH), and mortality at 90 days. We compared the outcome of patients treated with EVT and those without EVT, using the inverse probability of treatment weighting methods. Results: Out of 566 patients, 55.5% received EVT. In the EVT group, 106 (33.8%) achieved favorable outcomes, compared to 56 patients (22.2%) in the conservative group. EVT significantly increased the likelihood of achieving a favorable outcome compared to conservative treatment (relative risk [RR] 1.39, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.11–1.74, p = 0.004). EVT was associated with a favorable shift in the mRS (RR 1.85, 95% CI, 1.49–2.29, p < 0.001) and reduced mortality without an increase in the risk of sICH. It did not have an impact on achieving an mRS score of 0–2. Interpretation: Patients with acute basilar artery occlusion and a PC‐ASPECTS of 6 or less might benefit from EVT without an increasing sICH. ANN NEUROL 2024;95:788–799 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies in patients with brain lesions play a fundamental role in unraveling the brain's functional anatomy. Lesion‐symptom mapping (LSM) techniques can relate lesion location to cognitive performance. However, a limitation of current LSM approaches is that they can only evaluate one cognitive outcome at a time, without considering interdependencies between different cognitive tests. To overcome this challenge, we implemented canonical correlation analysis (CCA) as combined multivariable and multioutcome LSM approach. We performed a proof‐of‐concept study on 1075 patients with acute ischemic stroke to explore whether addition of CCA to a multivariable single‐outcome LSM approach (support vector regression) could identify infarct locations associated with deficits in three well‐defined verbal memory functions (encoding, consolidation, retrieval) based on four verbal memory subscores derived from the Seoul Verbal Learning Test (immediate recall, delayed recall, recognition, learning ability). We evaluated whether CCA could extract cognitive score patterns that matched prior knowledge of these verbal memory functions, and if these patterns could be linked to more specific infarct locations than through single‐outcome LSM alone. Two of the canonical modes identified with CCA showed distinct cognitive patterns that matched prior knowledge on encoding and consolidation. In addition, CCA revealed that each canonical mode was linked to a distinct infarct pattern, while with multivariable single‐outcome LSM individual verbal memory subscores were associated with largely overlapping patterns. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that CCA can complement single‐outcome LSM techniques to help disentangle cognitive functions and their neuroanatomical correlates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Heritability of stroke is assumed not to be low, especially in the young stroke population. However, most genetic studies have been performed in highly selected patients with typical clinical or neuroimaging characteristics. We investigated the prevalence of 15 Mendelian stroke genes and explored the relationships between variants and the clinical and neuroimaging characteristics in a large, unselected, young stroke population. Methods: We enrolled patients aged ≤55 years with stroke or transient ischemic attack from a prospective, nationwide, multicenter stroke registry. We identified clinically relevant genetic variants (CRGVs) in 15 Mendelian stroke genes (GLA, NOTCH3, HTRA1, RNF213, ACVRL1, ENG, CBS, TREX1, ABCC6, COL4A1, FBN1, NF1, COL3A1, MT‐TL1, and APP) using a customized, targeted next generation sequencing panel. Results: Among 1,033 patients, 131 (12.7%) had 28 CRGVs, most frequently in RNF213 (n = 59), followed by ABCC6 (n = 53) and NOTCH3 (n = 15). The frequency of CRGVs differed by ischemic stroke subtypes (p < 0.01): the highest in other determined etiology (20.1%), followed by large artery atherosclerosis (13.6%). It also differed between patients aged ≤35 years and those aged 51 to 55 years (17.1% vs 9.3%, p = 0.02). Only 27.1% and 26.7% of patients with RNF213 and NOTCH3 variants had typical neuroimaging features of the corresponding disorders, respectively. Variants of uncertain significance (VUSs) were found in 15.4% patients. Interpretation: CRGVs in 15 Mendelian stroke genes may not be uncommon in the young stroke population. The majority of patients with CRGVs did not have typical features of the corresponding monogenic disorders. Clinical implications of having CRGVs or VUSs should be explored. ANN NEUROL 2023;93:768–782 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transcranial focused ultrasound stimulation (tFUS) is an effective noninvasive treatment modality for brain disorders with high clinical potential. However, the therapeutic effects of ultrasound neuromodulation are not widely explored due to limitations in preclinical systems. The current preclinical studies are head‐fixed, anesthesia‐dependent, and acute, limiting clinical translatability. Here, this work reports a general‐purpose ultrasound neuromodulation system for chronic, closed‐loop preclinical studies in freely behaving rodents. This work uses microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology to design and fabricate a small and lightweight transducer capable of artifact‐free stimulation and simultaneous neural recording. Using the general‐purpose system, it can be observed that state‐dependent ultrasound neuromodulation of the prefrontal cortex increases rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and protects spatial working memory to REM sleep deprivation. The system will allow explorative studies in brain disease therapeutics and neuromodulation using ultrasound stimulation for widespread clinical adoption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Negative differential resistance (NDR) is an exotic quantum tunneling phenomenon that is exhibited in narrow p‐n junctions with heavy doping concentrations. However, the presence of multiple heterojunctions in a conventional tunneling device often hampers the observance of NDR and a deep understanding of its origin, particularly in 2D van der Waals heterojunctions. Herein, the emergence of quantum tunneling at the charge neutrality point (VCNP) in ambipolar multilayered black phosphorus (BP) transistors without heterojunctions is reported. The nearly identical electron and hole carrier densities at VCNP in the presence of a drain bias (VD) result in a lateral p‐i‐n configuration inside the BP multilayers similar to that in a tunneling field‐effect transistor. The variation of the local carrier density profile and tunneling barrier with VD at VCNP drives a sharp enhancement of the activation energy and local resistance, which consequently allows to observe band‐to‐band tunneling at up to 340 K. The enhancement of the local doping profile along the BP channel and the NDR behavior in the fabricated reconfigurable top‐gate BP device with an h‐BN top‐dielectric provide further evidence for the origin of NDR in 2D ambipolar materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We investigated (1) the associations of pre‐stroke aspirin use with thrombus burden, infarct volume, hemorrhagic transformation, early neurological deterioration (END), and functional outcome, and (2) whether stroke subtypes modify these associations in first‐ever ischemic stroke. Methods: This multicenter magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)‐based study included 5,700 consecutive patients with acute first‐ever ischemic stroke, who did not undergo intravenous thrombolysis or endovascular thrombectomy, from May 2011 through February 2014. Propensity score‐based augmented inverse probability weighting was performed to estimate adjusted effects of pre‐stroke aspirin use. Results: The mean age was 67 years (41% women), and 15.9% (n = 907) were taking aspirin before stroke. Pre‐stroke aspirin use (vs nonuse) was significantly related to a reduced infarct volume (by 30%), particularly in large artery atherosclerosis stroke (by 45%). In cardioembolic stroke, pre‐stroke aspirin use was associated with a ~50% lower incidence of END (adjusted difference = −5.4%, 95% confidence interval [CI] = −8.9 to −1.9). Thus, pre‐stroke aspirin use was associated with ~30% higher likelihood of favorable outcome (3‐month modified Rankin Scale score < 3), particularly in large artery atherosclerosis stroke and cardioembolic stroke (adjusted difference = 7.2%, 95% CI = 1.8 to 12.5 and adjusted difference = 6.4%, 95% CI = 1.7 to 11.1, respectively). Pre‐stroke aspirin use (vs nonuse) was associated with 85% less frequent cerebral thrombus‐related susceptibility vessel sign (SVS) in large artery atherosclerosis stroke (adjusted difference = −1.4%, 95% CI = −2.1 to −0.8, p < 0.001) and was associated with ~40% lower SVS volumes, particularly in cardioembolic stroke (adjusted difference = −0.16 cm3, 95% CI = −0.29 to −0.02, p = 0.03). Moreover, pre‐stroke aspirin use was not significantly associated with hemorrhagic transformation (adjusted difference = −1.1%, p = 0.09). Interpretation: Pre‐stroke aspirin use associates with improved functional independence in patients with first‐ever ischemic large arterial stroke by reducing infarct volume and/or END, likely by decreasing thrombus burden, without increased risk of hemorrhagic transformation. ANN NEUROL 2021;90:763–776 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to determine the pathogenesis of gastric mixed adenoneuroendocrine carcinoma (MANEC) and pure neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC), which is largely unknown. Targeted DNA sequencing was performed on 34 tumor samples from 21 patients – 13 adenocarcinoma (ADC)/NEC components from MANECs and eight pure NECs – and 21 matched non‐neoplastic gastric tissues. Mutational profiles of MANECs/NECs were compared with those of other tumors using public databases. The majority (64.1%; 59/92) of mutations in MANEC were shared by both ADC and NEC components. TP53 was the most commonly mutated gene in MANEC (69.2%, 9/13) and pure NEC (87.5%, 8/9). All TP53 mutations in MANEC were pathogenic mutations and were shared by both ADC and NEC components. A subset of TP53WT MANECs had a microsatellite‐unstable phenotype or amplifications in various oncogenes including ERBB2 and NMYC, and the only TP53WT pure NEC harbored MYC amplification. Compared to NEC in other organs, NECs arising from the stomach had unique features including less frequent RB1 mutations. Differentially altered genes of MANEC ADC components were significantly associated with receptor tyrosine kinase signaling pathways, while differentially altered genes of MANEC NEC components were significantly associated with the NOTCH signaling pathway. Our data provide evidence suggesting a possible clonal origin of ADC and NEC components of MANEC, and we found that gastric MANECs and pure NECs are distinct entities with unique mutational profiles and underlying protein networks. © 2020 The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple membrane filtration is suitable as a terminal sterilization method for radiopharmaceuticals due to their short half‐life and radiation exposure of process operator. However, it often adheres to the filter membrane and causes a considerable loss of radioactivity. We herein describe the investigation of sterile filtration performance varying individual sterile filters in order to identify the optimal sterile filter on demand for lipophilic radiopharmaceuticals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is a tremendous demand for dermal rejuvenation with minimal invasiveness and patient downtime. Aims: In this study, we evaluated the performance of nonfractional monopolar radiofrequency for the improvement of photoaged skin texture and wrinkles. Methods: In total, 32 6‐week‐old female hairless mice were randomized into four groups of eight mice each: (a) healthy control, (b) UVB‐exposed, (c) UVB + microneedling, and (d) UVB + microneedle RF. After applying each treatment modality, skin surface was globally investigated and histologically evaluated senile skin change. Immunohistochemistry was tested with the primary antibody to collagen type I and III. Results: After UVB exposure, the Ra value was significantly increased, leading to clinical development of wrinkles with xerotic scales. Depth and number of wrinkles showed gradual improvement in RF‐treated mice. The mean Ra value of the RF‐treated group decreased significantly. The RF‐treated group showed decreased epidermal thickness, suppression of dermal inflammatory cell infiltration, and increased density of collagen fibers and amount of elastic fibers. Conclusions: Microneedle RF treatment alleviates photoaged skin texture and wrinkles in this mouse model. To the best of our knowledge, our results provide the first evidence that a nonfractional monopolar microneedle radiofrequency device may contribute to the treatment of UV‐damaged skin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hair growth, a complex process, has long been the subject of intense research. Recent developments in material technology have revealed boehmite as a new therapeutic modality for use in wound healing and scar reduction, indicating its beneficial effects. Nonetheless, the biological bases of the beneficial effects of boehmite remain unknown. We investigated the hair growth properties of boehmite in vitro and in vivo and observed dose‐dependent proliferation of human dermal papilla cells (hDPCs) in vitro and hair regrowth in a mouse model. To investigate the effects of boehmite on the promotion of cell transition to the anagen phase, we evaluated hDPC viability, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, protein expression and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) secretion in vitro and assessed the anagen‐promoting effects of boehmite via gross observation and histological analysis in a mouse model. Boehmite increased hDPC viability, ALP activity, AKT/GSK3ß/ß‐catenin pathway activity, anagen‐related gene expression and VEGF secretion; moreover, it accelerated hair regrowth in a catagen‐anagen transition model via upregulation of β‐catenin signalling and follicular cell proliferation. Collectively, our results indicate that boehmite accelerates hair growth, partly via its effects on critical events in the active phase of the hair follicle cycle, including the promotion of the proliferation of hDPCs and their immediate progeny to the follicle base. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantum chemical analysis is presented to elucidate the origin of difference in the reactivity of aliphatic vs. aromatic guanidine‐containing pharmaceuticals toward [18F]fluorination. We focus on the position (near to or far away from the site of reaction) of F− nucleophile in pre‐reaction complexes, as determined by intricate interplay of the Coulombic forces between the ionic species and hydrogen bonding with the –Boc protected guanidine. In [18F]fluorination of aliphatic guanidine compounds, the freely moving nucleophile F− is positioned close to the site of fluorination irrespective of the length of side chain, in agreement with the observed similar reaction yields for –CH2OMs and –CH2CH2CH2OMs side chains. As for the effects of positions of –Boc protection, we predict that the effects would to be contrary to the corresponding aromatic case, with the N, N″‐bis‐Boc protected guanidine compound being much more reactive than the N, N′‐bis‐Boc protected guanidine compound. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Background: Numerous fillers are increasingly used for augmentation of volume loss and relaxation of facial wrinkles. Collagen stimulators are the latest next‐generation dermal fillers that can induce neocollagenesis. To investigate biophysical characteristics, safety, and efficacy of newly developed polydioxanone (PDO) filler in comparison with poly‐l lactic acid (PLLA) and polycaprolactone (PCL) fillers. Methods: In vitro assay, morphology of particles, and rheological property of fillers were measured. A total of 24 female hairless mice (SKH1‐Hrhr) were randomly divided into three groups and injected with PDO, PLLA, or PCL fillers. Durability of fillers was assessed at 0, 3 days, and 1, 4, 8, 12 weeks after injection using folliscope and PRIMOS. To determine biocompatibility and neocollagenesis, histologic evaluation was performed at 1, 4, 8, and 12 weeks after injection. Efficacy was also evaluated based on skin surface roughness changes using PRIMOS in a hairless mouse photoaging model. Results: In the particle morphology test, PDO microspheres had an irregular surface and were spherical and uniformly sized. PDO filler demonstrated similar neocollagenesis and inflammatory response to other collagen stimulators. PDO filler showed better biodegradability than PLLA and PCL fillers. In the hairless mouse photoaging model, there was a statistically significant decrease in skin surface roughness after PDO filler injection. Conclusions: Our data suggest that newly developed collagen stimulating PDO filler might be a safe and effective option for correction of volume loss and rejuvenation of photoaging skin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Boehmite (γ‐AlOOH) has a wide range of applications in a variety of industrial and biological fields. However, little is known about its potential roles in skin diseases. The current study investigated its effect on atopic dermatitis (AD). Following characterization, cytotoxicity, pro‐inflammatory response and oxidative stress associated with boehmite were assessed, using TNF‐α‐induced keratinocytes and mast cells. In addition, therapeutic effects of boehmite, topically administered to Balb/c mice induced by 2,4‐dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB), were evaluated. Expression of cytokines (TLSP, IL‐25 and IL‐33) and the generation of ROS from keratinocytes induced by TNF‐α were significantly inhibited by boehmite without affecting cell viability. MAPKs (ERK, JNK and p38) required for cytokine expression were suppressed by boehmite treatment. Up‐regulation of cytokines (TSLP, IL‐4, IL‐5, IL‐13, RANTES) in human mast cells treated with phorbol 12‐myristate 13‐acetate and calcium ionophore was also suppressed by boehmite. Boehmite improved the AD severity score, epidermal hyperplasia and transepidermal water loss in DNCB‐induced AD‐like lesions. Moreover, Th2‐mediated cytokine expression, mast cell hyperplasia and destruction of the skin barrier were improved by boehmite treatment. Overall, we demonstrated that boehmite may potentially protect against AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phase-behavior data are presented for three kinds of commercial polymer-bonded explosive (PBX) elastomers in dimethyl ether (DME). Ethylene- co-vinyl acetate (with vinyl acetate contents of 40 % (EVA40) and 60 % by mass (EVA60)) and alkyl acrylate (ACM) copolymers were used as the PBX elastomers. For each elastomer/DME system, the cloud- and/or bubble-point (phase-boundary) pressures were measured as a function of temperature and elastomer composition using a high-pressure phase-equilibrium apparatus equipped with a variable-volume view cell. For the EVA60/DME system, the cloud-point pressure increased as the EVA60 composition increased. The ACM elastomer was readily soluble in saturated liquid-state DME at most temperature and elastomer composition ranges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, Korean society has claimed its multicultural identity in which diversity is celebrated. Numerous changes have been made at societal level, and policies and services promoting multiculturalism have been implemented. However, one particular ethnic group excluded from multiculturalism discourse is the Hwa-Gyo, descendants of Chinese immigrants. This study aims to gain an understanding of the Hwa-Gyo and their lives, as little is known about them. In-depth interviews were conducted with third and fourth-generation Hwa-Gyo residents in Korea, and qualitative descriptive analyses were conducted. Two main themes were extracted from the narratives: 'being the forgotten people,' and the 'ambiguity of being Hwa-Gyo.' Related subthemes were also identified. The Hwa-Gyo perceives themselves as forgotten people abandoned by both their country of birth and their country of citizenship (Taiwan), and are marginalized from new immigrants. They define themselves as hopeless wanderers, and expressed ambiguity over their identity and their place in Korea. Their narratives also showed that they attempt to stay hidden from the rest of Korean society as a way to protect themselves from discrimination they have encountered for generations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To develop a novel β1-adrenoceptor selective radiotracer, 99mTc-labeld N-(2-aminoethyl)-3-(4-(2-hydroxy-3-(isopropylaminopropoxy)phenyl)propanamide ([ 99mTc] 1) was prepared by incorporating [ 99mTcO4 ]− into the precursor 3. Radiotracer [ 99mTc] 1 was optimized in several reaction conditions for kit-type preparation of 99mTc-radiopharmaceuticals. The radiochemical yield was around 95% (non-decay corrected) within 30 s labeling time and radiochemical purity showed over 98%. In image studies, [ 99mTc] 1 provided a good heart accumulation, whereas liver and lung uptakes showed relatively low at initial time. Furthermore, [ 99mTc] 1 images at 25 min post-injection provided a clearly visible cardiac image with high contrast. To confirm the β1-adrenoceptor-binding specificity of [ 99mTc] 1, a blocking experiment was performed. In vivo blocking with excess esmolol (18 mg/kg) or atenolol (2 mg/kg) resulted in significantly reduced radioactivity uptake in the heart around 92 and 76%, respectively. The results suggested that [ 99mTc] 1 might be of worth applying to the assessment of β1-adrenoceptor expression in the heart diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study describes the design and analysis of an anti‐phase pendulum motion‐based electromagnetic energy harvester. The proposed energy harvester consists of a magnet‐based pendulum, a coil‐based pendulum, shaft, connecting rod, and housing. Two pendulums were connected in parallel, which can move in anti‐phase motion, using a rotatable connecting rod. Mechanical, electrical, and magnetic behaviours were investigated through the simulations (MATLAB, ANSYS Maxwell) and experiments. The anti‐phase pendulum motion can reduce the induction time. This phenomenon has the effect of improving the output voltage of the electromagnetic induction, which is experimentally verified. Experimental results demonstrated that the induction time is shortened by 21%, and the output power showed a 37% increase compared with the single‐phase pendulum motion. The dependence of the output on the input conditions was also investigated extensively in terms of the frequency, displacement, mass, and electrical load resistance. The maximum output power of 247 μW was obtained at anti‐phase pendulum motion. In addition, the proposed anti‐phase motion phenomenon can be used effectively to improve the output voltage of an electromagnetic induction‐based energy harvester. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study on the synthesis and design of phenoxypyridyl acetamide and aryl-oxodihydropurine derivatives for the development of positron emission tomography (PET) ligands targeting translocator protein 18 kDa (TSPO). Topics include the medical and clinical uses of PET ligands, the binding affinity of the derivatives and their chemical and biological properties.

Objective: The effect of prestroke aspirin use on initial severity, hemorrhagic transformation, and functional outcome of ischemic stroke is uncertain.Methods: Using a multicenter stroke registry database, patients with acute ischemic stroke of three subtypes (large artery atherosclerosis [LAA], small vessel occlusion [SVO], or cardioembolism [CE]) were identified. NIH stroke scale (NIHSS) and hemorrhagic transformation at presentation and discharge modified Rankin Scale (mRS) were compared between prestroke aspirin users and nonusers.Results: Among the 10,433 patients, 1,914 (18.3%) reported prestroke aspirin use. On crude analysis, initial NIHSS scores of aspirin users were higher than nonusers (mean difference: 0.35; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.04-0.66). However, a multivariable analysis with an application of inverse probability of treatment weighting based on a propensity score of prestroke aspirin, having an interaction effect of prestroke aspirin use and stroke subtype in the model, showed less stroke severity for aspirin users in LAA, but not in SVO and CE than for nonusers; mean difference in NIHSS scores in LAA was -0.97 (95% CI: -1.45 to -0.49). With respect to hemorrhagic transformation and mRS, no significant interaction effects were found. Prestroke aspirin use increased the risk of hemorrhagic transformation (adjusted odd ratio: 1.34; 95% CI: 1.05-1.73), but decreased the odds of the higher discharge mRS (0.86; 0.76-0.96).Interpretation: Prestroke aspirin use may reduce initial stroke severity in atherothrombotic stroke and can improve functional outcome at discharge despite an increase of hemorrhagic transformation irrespective of stroke subtype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The common resonant‐based vibration energy harvester effectively converts mechanical vibration to electrical power when an ambient excitation frequency matches the specific resonant frequency of the device. The resonant frequencies of energy harvesters are generally fixed during the design process and cannot be changed after fabrication. Therefore frequency tuning technology that allows for operation in a wide frequency range is desirable for a vibration energy harvester. In this study, the authors proposed a novel frequency tuning design of vibration‐driven energy harvester, which used electromagnetic conversion. The proposed frequency tuning method uses a rotatable spring in order to adjust the spring constant. Through this tuning method, the resonant frequency of the harvester can be manipulated simply by rotating the spring. The proposed tuning‐based energy harvester has been successfully tuned to have a resonant frequency from 23 to 32 Hz. These test results agree with the ANSYS analysis presented. The experimental results demonstrated that the proposed energy harvester can generate a maximum power output of 60 μW with an acceleration of 0.5 g (1 g = 9.81 m/s2). When the proposed harvester was attached to an automobile engine, a maximum open‐circuit voltage of 1.78 Vpp was produced at 700 RPM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Urinary incontinence ( UI) and Alzheimer's disease ( AD) are common in the elderly population and have increased rapidly in recent decades. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of UI and determine the neuropsychological characteristics of patients with AD and UI. Methods A total of 464 patients with probable AD were recruited, and the prevalence and type of UI were evaluated. Neuropsychological evaluation was assessed using the Mini- Mental Status Examination, Clinical Dementia Rating, Clinical Dementia Rating- Sum of Boxes, Global Deterioration Scale, Barthel Activities of Daily Living and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living. Results The prevalence of UI in patients with AD was 24.8% (men 29.6%, women 23.0%). The two most common types of UI were urge incontinence (44.3%) and functional incontinence (25.3%). UI in patients with Alzheimer's disease was statistically significantly associated with Clinical Dementia Rating- Sum of Boxes ( OR 1.56, 95% CI 1.21-2.01) and Barthel Activities of Daily Living ( OR 1.34, 95% CI 1.22-1.47) after adjustment for different covariates. Discussion UI commonly occurred in patients with AD. The Clinical Dementia Rating- Sum of Boxes and Barthel Activities of Daily Living could be potential predictors for UI in patients with AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a nano-W dispersed polymer composite whose gamma attenuation is greatly enhanced. In situ pulverization and simultaneous encapsulation of polyethylene (PE) onto the nano-W particles was successfully performed by ball milling. Adhesive encapsulation of PE was observed by means of interstitial diffusion of atomic W at the boundary using transmission electron microscope. Prepared nano-W/PE particles were dispersed into ethylene-propylene-based polymer mixture using melt mixing. Attenuation of gammas for the nano-W composites was enhanced up to ∼75% for Ba-133 (∼0.3 MeV) compared to the micro-W composites, while it decreases as the photon energy increases. MCNP simulation also shows similar gamma attenuation behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to examine the patterns of use and perceived helpfulness of self-help interventions for depressive symptoms and sub-threshold depression in Korean samples drawn from the general population, patients with depression, and psychiatrists. A total of 1000 adults from the community, 114 patients with sub-threshold or mild depression, and 201 psychiatrists were asked to complete questionnaires about the use and helpfulness of 20 self-help interventions for depression chosen via the Delphi method. Psychiatrists (82.6%) and the general population (67.2%) were more likely to prefer self-help methods than were patients with depressive disorders (28.4%). Lifestyle change and psychological approaches were the preferred interventions among those with depressive disorders. Although the general population was more likely to prefer to use health supplements and dietary interventions, the perceived helpfulness of these approaches was generally lower than that of the other interventions. Although self-help strategies have been widely used, psychiatrists, patients with depression, and the general population differ with respect to their preferred intervention. Members of the general population were more likely than were psychiatrists and patients to use not consensually accepted interventions. The evidence-based use of self-help strategies for depression should be promoted by providing information about their effectiveness. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The aim of this study was to estimate the effects of zirconia implants and recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rh BMP-2) gel on the acceleration of local bone formation and osseointegration in the canine mandible. Materials and Methods Four groups of 48 implants with identical geometry were installed in the mandibles of beagle dogs: alumina-blasted zirconia implants applied with rh BMP-2, alumina-blasted zirconia implants applied with demineralized bone matrix ( DBM), alumina-blasted zirconia implants, and resorbable blast media-treated titanium ( Ti) implants. For the first two groups, zirconia implants were inserted after the surgical sites were filled with rh BMP-2 or DBM gel. For the other two groups, zirconia or Ti implants were installed with no adjunctive treatment. Fluorescent bone markers were administered to monitor bone remodeling at weeks 2, 4, and 5 postimplantation. After healing periods of 3 weeks and 6 weeks, the animals were sacrificed, and fluorescent microscopy, histology, and histomorphometric analyses were performed. Results Fluorescent microscopy showed that bone formation around the zirconia implants installed with rh BMP-2 gel was the most prominent at 2 weeks postimplantation, while the Ti implants acquired bone apposition mainly at week 5. No significant differences were found in bone area among the groups ( P > 0.05). The zirconia implants showed similar bone-to-implant contact to the Ti implants. There were no significant differences in bone-to-implant contact between the zirconia implants with rh BMP-2 gel and those with DBM ( P > 0.05). Conclusions The zirconia implants with alumina-blasted surfaces may achieve osseointegration in much the same manner as the well-established Ti implants. The area influenced by rh BMP-2 gel, including the alveolar crest, may cause active remodeling and early bone formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Invasiveness of endoscopic thyroidectomy has been in debate. The purpose of this study was to introduce new endoscopic thyroidectomy via a unilateral axillo-breast approach (UABA) with gas insufflation to lessen invasiveness. Methods We performed 68 cases of hemithyroidectomy via a UABA with gas insufflation from January to July 2011. The following variables were studied: operation time, pain score, drainage amount, drainage day, perioperative complications, pathological outcomes, and cosmetic satisfaction. Results Mean postoperative pain visual analogue scale (VAS) scores were 2.75 ± 0.93 and 2.07 ± 0.79 at 1 and 3 days after surgery. The mean amount of drainage over the first 3 postoperative days was 144.35 ± 51.64 mL, and the mean time to drain removal was 3.75 ± 0.81 days. Two cases (2.9%) of transient vocal cord palsy and 2 cases (2.9%) of seroma were identified. All patients were satisfied with the cosmetic results. Conclusion Endoscopic thyroidectomy via a UABA with gas insufflation is a feasible and less invasive option for selected patients. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2013 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is a common belief that some residues of a protein are more important than others. In some cases, point mutations of some residues make butterfly effect on the protein structure and function, but in other cases they do not. In addition, the residues important for the protein function tend to be not only conserved but also coevolved with other interacting residues in a protein. Motivated by these observations, the authors propose that there is a network composed of the residues, the residue-residue coevolution network (RRCN), where nodes are residues and links are set when the coevolutionary interaction strengths between residues are sufficiently large. The authors build the RRCN for the 44 diverse protein families. The interaction strengths are calculated by using McBASC algorithm. After constructing the RRCN, the authors identify residues that have high degree of connectivity (hub nodes), and residues that play a central role in network flow of information (C I nodes). The authors show that these residues are likely to be functionally important residues. Moreover, the C I nodes appear to be more relevant to the function than the hub nodes. Unlike other similar methods, the method described in this study is solely based on sequences. Therefore, the method can be applied to the function annotation of a wider range of proteins. Proteins 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowing protein structure and inferring its function from the structure are one of the main issues of computational structural biology, and often the first step is studying protein secondary structure. There have been many attempts to predict protein secondary structure contents. Previous attempts assumed that the content of protein secondary structure can be predicted successfully using the information on the amino acid composition of a protein. Recent methods achieved remarkable prediction accuracy by using the expanded composition information. The overall average error of the most successful method is 3.4%. Here, we demonstrate that even if we only use the simple amino acid composition information alone, it is possible to improve the prediction accuracy significantly if the evolutionary information is included. The idea is motivated by the observation that evolutionarily related proteins share the similar structure. After calculating the homolog-averaged amino acid composition of a protein, which can be easily obtained from the multiple sequence alignment by running PSI-BLAST, those 20 numbers are learned by a multiple linear regression, an artificial neural network and a support vector regression. The overall average error of method by a support vector regression is 3.3%. It is remarkable that we obtain the comparable accuracy without utilizing the expanded composition information such as pair-coupled amino acid composition. This work again demonstrates that the amino acid composition is a fundamental characteristic of a protein. It is anticipated that our novel idea can be applied to many areas of protein bioinformatics where the amino acid composition information is utilized, such as subcellular localization prediction, enzyme subclass prediction, domain boundary prediction, signal sequence prediction, and prediction of unfolded segment in a protein sequence, to name a few. Proteins 2006. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recent clinical trials established the benefit of dual antiplatelet therapy with aspirin and clopidogrel (DAPT-AC) in early-presenting patients with minor ischemic stroke. However, the impact of these trials over time on the use and outcomes of DAPT-AC among the patients with nonminor or late-presenting stroke who do not meet the eligibility criteria of these trials has not been delineated., Methods and Results: In a multicenter stroke registry, this study examined yearly changes from April 2008 to August 2022 in DAPT-AC use for stroke patients ineligible for CHANCE/POINT (Clopidogrel in High-Risk Patients with Acute Nondisabling Cerebrovascular Events/Platelet-Oriented Inhibition in New TIA and Minor Ischemic Stroke) clinical trials due to National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale >4 or late arrival beyond 24 hours of onset. A total of 32 118 patients (age, 68.1±13.1 years; male, 58.5%) with National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale of 4 (interquartile range, 1-7) were analyzed. In 2008, DAPT-AC was used in 33.0%, other antiplatelets in 62.7%, and no antiplatelet in 4.3%. The frequency of DAPT-AC was relatively unchanged through 2013, when the CHANCE trial was published, and then increased steadily, reaching 78% in 2022, while other antiplatelets decreased to 17.8% in 2022 ( P trend <0.001). From 2011 to 2022, clinical outcomes nonsignificantly improved, with an average relative risk reduction of 2%/y for the composite of stroke, myocardial infarction, and all-cause mortality, both among patients treated with DAPT-AC and patients treated with other antiplatelets., Conclusions: Use of DAPT-AC in stroke patients with stroke ineligible for recent DAPT clinical trials increased markedly and steadily after CHANCE publication in 2013, reaching deployment in nearly 4 of every 5 patients by 2022. The secondary prevention in patients with ischemic stroke seems to be gradually improving, possibly due to the enhancement of risk factor control.

Background It is unclear whether statin treatment could reduce the risk of early vascular events when baseline low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels are already low, at <70 mg/dL, at the time of the index stroke. Methods and Results This study was an analysis of a prospective, multicenter, nationwide registry of consecutive patients with first-ever acute ischemic stroke with baseline low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels <70 mg/dL and without statin pretreatment. An inverse probabilities of treatment weights method was applied to control for imbalances in baseline characteristics. The primary outcome was a composite of stroke (either hemorrhagic or ischemic), myocardial infarction, and all-cause death within 3 months. A total of 2850 patients (age, 69.5±13.4 years; men, 63.5%) were analyzed for this study. In-hospital statin treatment was used for 74.2% of patients. The primary composite outcome within 3 months occurred in 21.5% of patients in the nonstatin group and 6.7% of patients in the statin group ( P <0.001), but the rates of stroke (2.65% versus 2.33%), hemorrhagic stroke (0.16% versus 0.10%), and myocardial infarction (0.73% versus 0.19%) were not significantly different between the 2 groups. After inverse probability of treatment weighting analysis, the primary composite outcome was significantly reduced in patients with statin therapy (weighted hazard ratio [HR], 0.54 [95% CI, 0.42-0.69]). However, statin treatment did not increase the risk of hemorrhagic stroke (weighted HR, 1.11 [95% CI, 0.10-12.28]). Conclusions Approximately three-quarters of the patients with first-ever ischemic stroke with baseline low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels <70 mg/dL received in-hospital statin treatment. Statin treatment, compared with no statin treatment, was significantly associated with a reduced risk of the 3-month primary composite outcomes and all-cause death but did not alter the rate of stroke recurrence.

Background Previous literature about the effect of heart rate on poststroke outcomes is limited. We attempted to elucidate (1) whether heart rate during the acute period of ischemic stroke predicts subsequent major clinical events, (2) which heart rate parameter is best for prediction, and (3) what is the estimated heart rate cutoff point for the primary outcome. Methods and Results Eight thousand thirty-one patients with acute ischemic stroke who were hospitalized within 48 hours of onset were analyzed retrospectively. Heart rates between the 4th and 7th day after onset were collected and heart rate parameters including mean, time-weighted average, maximum, and minimum heart rate were evaluated. The primary outcome was the composite of recurrent stroke, myocardial infarction, and mortality up to 1 year after stroke onset. All heart rate parameters were associated with the primary outcome ( P 's<0.001). Maximum heart rate had the highest predictive power. The estimated cutoff point for the primary outcome was 81 beats per minute for mean heart rate and 100 beats per minute for maximum heart rate. Patients with heart rates above these cutoff points had a higher risk of the primary outcome (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.80 [95% CI, 1.57-2.06] for maximum heart rate and 1.65 [95% CI, 1.45-1.89] for mean heart rate). The associations were replicated in a separate validation dataset (N=10 000). Conclusions These findings suggest that heart rate during the acute period of ischemic stroke is a predictor of major clinical events, and optimal heart rate control might be a target for preventing subsequent cardiovascular events.

Background Although the effect of blood pressure on poststroke outcome is well recognized, the long-term trajectory of blood pressure after acute ischemic stroke and its influence on outcomes have not been studied well. Methods and Results We analyzed systolic blood pressure (SBP) measurements in 5514 patients with acute ischemic stroke at ≥2 of 7 prespecified time points during the first year after stroke among those enrolled in a multicenter prospective registry. Longitudinal SBPs were categorized using a group-based trajectory model. The primary outcome was a composite of stroke recurrence, myocardial infarction, and all-cause mortality up to 1 year after stroke. The study subjects were categorized into 4 SBP trajectory groups: low (27.0%), moderate (59.5%), persistently high (1.2%), and slowly dropping (12.4%). In the first 3 groups, SBP decreased during the first 3 to 7 days and remained steady thereafter. In the slowly dropping SBP group , SBPs decreased from 182 to 135 mm Hg during the first 30 days, then paralleled the trajectory of the moderate SBP group . Compared with the reference, the moderate SBP group , the slowly dropping SBP group was at higher risk for the primary outcome (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 1.32; 95% CI, 1.05‒1.65) and mortality (adjusted HR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.03‒1.78). Primary outcome rates were similarly high in the persistently high SBP group . Conclusions Four 1-year longitudinal SBP trajectories were identified in patients with acute ischemic stroke. Patients in the slowly dropping SBP and persistently high SBP trajectory groups were prone to adverse cardiovascular outcomes after stroke.