Search

Despite considerable development in the field of single-atom catalysts (SACs) on carbon-based materials, the reported strategies for synthesizing SACs generally rely on top-down approaches, which hinder achieving both simple and universal synthesis routes that are simultaneously applicable to various metals and nanocarbons. Here, a universal strategy for fabricating nanocarbon based-SACs using a flash bottom-up arc discharge method to mitigate these issues is reported. The ionization of elements and their recombination process during arc discharge allows the simultaneous incorporation of single metal atoms (Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, and Pt) into the crystalline carbon lattice during the formation of carbon nanohorns (CNHs) and N-doped arc graphene. The coordination environment around the Co atoms of Co 1 /CNH can be modulated by a mild post-treatment with NH 3 . As a result, Co 1 /CNH exhibits good oxygen reduction reaction activity, showing a 1.92 times higher kinetic current density value than the commercial Pt/C catalyst in alkaline media. In a single cell experiment, Co 1 /CNH exhibits the highest maximum power density of 472 mW cm -2 compared to previously reported nonprecious metal-based SACs., (© 2021 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Proliferation and survival of prostate cancer cells are driven by the androgen receptor (AR) upon binding to androgen steroid hormones. Manipulating the AR signalling axis is the focus for prostate cancer therapy; thus, it is crucial to understand the role of androgens and AR on extracellular vesicle (EV) secretion and cargo. In this study, we report that plasma-derived circulating vesicles consisting of CD9 and double-positive for CD9 and Prostate Specific Membrane Antigen (PSMA) are increased in patients with advanced metastatic prostate cancer, whereas double positives for CD9 and CD63 small extracellular vesicles (S-EVs) are significantly higher in patients with localised prostate cancer. Androgen manipulation by dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and the clinical antagonist enzalutamide (ENZ) altered the heterogeneity and size of CD9 positive S-EVs in AR expressing prostate cancer cells, while assessment of the total number and protein cargo of total S-EVs was unaltered across different treatment groups. Furthermore, hormone stimulation caused strong and specific effects on the small RNA cargo of S-EVs. A total of 543 small RNAs were found to be regulated by androgens including miR-19-3p and miR-361-5p. Analysis of S-EVs heterogeneity and small RNA cargo may provide clinical utility for prostate cancer and be informative to understand further the mechanism of resistance to androgen targeted therapy in castration-resistant prostate cancer., Competing Interests: The authors have declared no conflict of interest., (© 2021 The Authors. Journal of Extracellular Vesicles published by Wiley Periodicals, LLC on behalf of the International Society for Extracellular Vesicles.)

dnd is a germline-specific maternal RNA expressed in various vertebrate classes, which encodes an RNA-binding protein that is essential for PGC migration. The purpose of this study is fundamental research about starry flounder dnd gene for germ cell marker development. In this study, we cloned and analyzed the expression levels of Platichthys stellatus dead end ( psdnd ) in various tissues and embryonic stages. The psdnd gene was isolated from starry flounder ovaries, cloned into a pGEM-t vector, and sequenced. Full-length of psdnd cDNA was 1495 bp long, encoding 395 amino acids. psdnd expression levels were investigated by real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) in various tissues and embryo developmental stages. psdnd transcripts were detected in the testes and ovaries, but not in somatic tissues. Embryonic psdnd expression levels were higher during early embryo development stages than during late embryogenesis; psdnd expression was highest at the 1 cell stage, then gradually decreased throughout the subsequent developmental stages. The spatial expression pattern was analyzed by whole-mount in situ hybridization (WISH). The psdnd transcripts migration pattern was similar with zebrafish ( Danio rerio ). Our results suggest that psdnd may function as a germ cell-specific marker.

This prospective study was undertaken to evaluate the clinical usefulness of a newly developed one-piece, screw-free, and micro-locking implant system, which was designed to overcome the shortcomings of the existing implant systems. Thirty-eight patients were recruited and randomly and equally assigned to an experimental group (micro-locking one-piece fixture, MLF; n = 19) or a control group (micro-locking abutment, MLA). Cumulative implant survival rates, marginal bone resorptions, probing depths, plaque indices, bleeding indices, and complications were obtained by using clinical and radiographic findings at 6 months and 12 months after prosthesis placement. Complications that occurred multiple times for single implants were counted. During the 12 month observation period, survival rates were 100% in both groups. No significant intergroup differences were observed for marginal bone resorption, probe depth, or bleeding index. However, mean plaque index was significantly lower in the MLF group at 12 months ( p < 0.05). During the 12-month observation period, food impaction (26.3%) was the main complication in the MLF group and screw loosening (5.3%), prosthesis detachment (5.3%), and food impaction (5.3%) were observed in the MLA group. The results of this study suggest that the one-piece micro-locking implant system offers a predictable treatment method.

Objective: Late-life depression and subjective cognitive decline (SCD) are significant risk factors for dementia. However, studies with a large sample size are needed to clarify their independent and combined risks for subsequent dementia., Methods: This nationwide population-based cohort study included all individuals aged 66 years who participated in the National Screening Program between 2009 and 2013 (N = 939,099). Subjects were followed from the day they underwent screening to the diagnosis of dementia, death, or the last follow-up day (December 31, 2017)., Results: Depressive symptom presentation, recent depressive disorder, and SCD independently increased dementia incidence with adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) of 1.286 (95% CI:1.255-1.318), 1.697 (95% CI:1.621-1.776), and 1.748 (95% CI: 689-1.808) respectively. Subjects having both SCD and depression had a higher risk (aHR = 2.466, 95% CI:2.383-2.551) of dementia than having depression (aHR = 1.402, 95% CI:1.364-1.441) or SCD (aHR = 1.748, 95% CI:1.689-1.808) alone., Conclusions: Depressive symptoms, depressive disorder, and SCD are independent risk factors for dementia. Co-occurring depression and SCD have an additive effect on the risk of dementia; thus, early intervention and close follow up are necessary for patients with co-occurring SCD and depression., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Background: Stem cell transplantation is a fascinating therapeutic approach for the treatment of many neurodegenerative disorders; however, clinical trials using stem cells have not been as effective as expected based on preclinical studies. The aim of this study is to validate the hypothesis that human neural crest-derived nasal turbinate stem cells (hNTSCs) are a clinically promising therapeutic source of adult stem cells for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD)., Methods: hNTSCs were evaluated in comparison with human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBM-MSCs) according to the effect of transplantation on AD pathology, including PET/CT neuroimaging, immune status indicated by microglial numbers and autophagic capacity, neuronal survival, and cognition, in a 5 × FAD transgenic mouse model of AD., Results: We demonstrated that hNTSCs showed a high proliferative capacity and great neurogenic properties in vitro. Compared with hBM-MSC transplantation, hNTSC transplantation markedly reduced Aβ42 levels and plaque formation in the brains of the 5 × FAD transgenic AD mice on neuroimaging, concomitant with increased survival of hippocampal and cortex neurons. Moreover, hNTSCs strongly modulated immune status by reducing the number of microglia and the expression of the inflammatory cytokine IL-6 and upregulating autophagic capacity at 7 weeks after transplantation in AD models. Notably, compared with transplantation of hBM-MSCs, transplantation of hNTSCs significantly enhanced performance on the Morris water maze, with an increased level of TIMP2, which is necessary for spatial memory in young mice and neurons; this difference could be explained by the high engraftment of hNTSCs after transplantation., Conclusion: The reliable evidence provided by these findings reveals a promising therapeutic effect of hNTSCs and indicates a step forward the clinical application of hNTSCs in patients with AD., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

In porous titanium scaffolds manufactured via 3D printing, the differences in bone formation according to pore design and implantation period were studied. Titanium scaffolds with three types of different pore structures (Octadense, Gyroid, and Dode) were fabricated via 3D printing using the selective laser melting method. Mechanical properties of scaffolds were investigated. Prepared specimens were inserted into both femurs of nine rabbits and their clinical characteristics were observed. Three animals were sacrificed at the 2nd, 4th, and 6th weeks, and the differences in bone formation were radiologically and histologically analyzed. The percentage of new bone and surface density in the pore structure were observed to be approximately 25% and 8 mm 2 /mm 3 , respectively. There was no difference in the amount of newly formed bone according to the pore design at 2, 4, and 6 weeks. In addition, no differences in the amount of newly formed bone were observed with increasing time within the same pore design for all three designs. During the 6-week observation period, the proportion of new bones in the 3D-printed titanium scaffold was approximately 25%. Differences in bone formation according to the pore design or implantation period were not observed.

Background: Attempts have been made to explore the biological basis of neurodegeneration in the amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI) stage, subdivided by memory performance. However, few studies have evaluated the differential impact of functional connectivity (FC) on memory performances in early- and late-MCI patients., Objective: This study aims to explore the difference in FC of the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) among healthy controls (HC) ( n = 37), early-MCI patients ( n = 30), and late-MCI patients ( n = 35) and to evaluate a group-memory performance interaction against the FC of PCC., Methods: The subjects underwent resting-state functional MRI scanning and a battery of neuropsychological tests., Results: A significant difference among the three groups was found in FC between the PCC (seed region) and bilateral crus cerebellum, right superior medial frontal gyrus, superior temporal gyrus, and left middle cingulate gyrus (Monte Carlo simulation-corrected p < 0.01; cluster p < 0.05). Additionally, the early-MCI patients displayed higher FC values than the HC and late-MCI patients in the right superior medial frontal gyrus, cerebellum crus 1, and left cerebellum crus 2 (Bonferroni-corrected p < 0.05). Furthermore, there was a significant group-memory performance interaction (HC vs . early MCI vs . late MCI) for the FC between PCC and bilateral crus cerebellum, right superior medial frontal gyrus, superior temporal gyrus, and left middle cingulate gyrus (Bonferroni-corrected p < 0.05)., Conclusion: These findings contribute to the biological implications of early- and late-MCI stages, categorized by evaluating the impairment of memory performance. Additionally, comprehensively analyzing the structural differences in the subdivided amnestic MCI (aMCI) stages could deepen our understanding of these biological meanings., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Kang, Wang, Um, Na, Kim, Lee and Lim.)

Androgen receptor (AR) transcriptional reactivation plays a key role in the development and progression of lethal castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Recurrent alterations in the AR enable persistent AR pathway signaling and drive resistance to the treatment of second-generation antiandrogens. AR F877L, a point mutation in the ligand binding domain of the AR, was identified in patients who acquired resistance to enzalutamide or apalutamide. In parallel to our previous structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies of compound 4 (JNJ-pan-AR) and clinical stage compound 5 (JNJ-63576253), we discovered additional AR antagonists that provide opportunities for future development. Here we report a highly potent series of spirocyclic thiohydantoins as AR antagonists for the treatment of the F877L mutant and wild-type CRPC., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2021 American Chemical Society.)

Rationale: Idiopathic ventricular tachycardia (VT) occurs in individuals without structural abnormalities in the heart, accounts for approximately 10% of total VTs. Furthermore, approximately 70% of idiopathic VTs originate from Right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT). However, among perioperative arrhythmias, incidence of VT after surgery is extremely rare and most arrhythmias are atrial origin., Patient Concerns: A 69-year-old man with permanent pacemaker underwent colon surgery., Diagnoses: Patient suffered from low blood pressure and dizziness, sweating at post anesthetic care unit (PACU) and heart rate (HR) increased suddenly to 200 beats/min with monomorphic VT after bolus ephedrine administration and continuous dopamine infusion., Interventions: Pacemaker interrogation followed by DC cardioversion was done., Outcomes: Patient's vital signs became normal and symptoms are subsided., Lessons: RVOT VT can be caused by triggering activities, such as ephedrine, dopamine, and inadequate fluid management. These triggering activities are initiated by acceleration of HR from ventricles with infusion of catecholamine which lead monomorphic VT originating from RVOT.RVOT origin PVCs can be precipitated into monomorphic VT by administrating catecholamines such as ephedrine and dopamine even in patient with pacemaker. The mechanism of these VTs includes catecholamine induced acceleration of HR. Since RVOT PVCs can be recognize by 12 EKGs, we should be pay more attentions to the pre-operation EKG and be cautious using catecholamines., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interests to disclose., (Copyright © 2021 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

In this work, the microstructure and corrosion behavior of a novel Al-6Mg alloy were investigated. The alloy was prepared by casting from pure Al and Mg+Al 2 Ca master alloy. The ingots were homogenized at 420 °C for 8 h, hot-extruded and cold-rolled with 20% reduction (CR20 alloy) and 50% reduction (CR50 alloy). The CR50 alloy exhibited a higher value of intergranular misorientation due to a higher cold rolling reduction ratio. The average grain sizes were 19 ± 7 μm and 17 ± 9 μm for the CR20 and CR50 alloys, respectively. An intergranular corrosion (IGC) behavior was investigated after sensitization by a nitric acid mass-loss test (ASTM G67). The mass losses of both the CR20 and CR50 alloys were similar at early periods of sensitization, however, the CR20 alloy became more susceptible to IGC as the sensitization time increased. Grain size and β phase precipitation were two critical factors influencing the IGC behavior of this alloy system.

Objective: Diverse resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) studies showed that rs-fMRI might be able to reflect the earliest detrimental effect of cerebral beta-amyloid (Aβ) pathology. However, no previous studies specifically compared the predictive value of different rs-fMRI parameters in preclinical AD. Methods: A total of 106 cognitively normal adults (Aβ+ group = 66 and Aβ- group = 40) were included. Three different rs-fMRI parameter maps including functional connectivity (FC), fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF), and regional homogeneity (ReHo) were calculated. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were utilized to compare classification performance of the three rs-fMRI parameters. Results: FC maps showed the best classifying performance in ROC curve analysis (AUC, 0.915, p < 0.001). Good but weaker performance was achieved by using ReHo maps (AUC, 0.836, p < 0.001) and fALFF maps (AUC, 0.804, p < 0.001). The brain regions showing the greatest discriminative power included the left angular gyrus for FC, left anterior cingulate for ReHo, and left middle frontal gyrus for fALFF. However, among the three measurements, ROI-based FC was the only measure showing group difference in voxel-wise analysis. Conclusion: Our results strengthen the idea that rs-fMRI might be sensitive to earlier changes in spontaneous brain activity and FC in response to cerebral Aβ retention. However, further longitudinal studies with larger sample sizes are needed to confirm their utility in predicting the risk of AD., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Wang, Kim, Kang, Um, Na, Woo, Lee, Bahk and Lim.)

Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (anodal-tDCS) is known to improve cognition and normalize abnormal network configuration during resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). We aimed to evaluate the impact of sequential anodal-tDCS on cognitive functions, functional segregation, and integration parameters in patients with MCI, according to high-risk factors for Alzheimer's disease (AD): amyloid-beta (Aβ) deposition and APOE ε4-allele status. In 32 patients with MCI ([ 18 F] flutemetamol-: n = 10, [ 18 F] flutemetamol+: n = 22; APOE ε4-: n = 13, APOE ε4+: n = 19), we delivered anodal-tDCS (2 mA/day, five times/week, for 2 weeks) over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and assessed the neuropsychological test battery and resting-state fMRI measurements before and after 2 weeks stimulation. We observed a non-significant impact of an anodal-tDCS on changes in neuropsychological battery scores between MCI patients with and without high-risk factors of AD, Aβ retention and APOE ε4-allele. However, there was a significant difference in brain functional segregation and integration parameters between MCI patients with and without AD high-risk factors. We also found a significant effect of tDCS-by- APOE ε4-allele interaction on changes in the functional segregation parameter of the temporal pole. In addition, baseline Aβ deposition significantly associated negatively with change in global functional integrity of hippocampal formation. Anodal-tDCS might help to enhance restorative and compensatory intrinsic functional changes in MCI patients, modulated by the presence of Aβ retention and the APOE ε4-allele.

The spread and application of computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technology have contributed to the rapid development of digitalization in dentistry. The accuracy of scan results is closely related to the devising subsequent treatment plans and outcomes. Professional standards for evaluating scanners are specified in the American National Standard/American Dental Association Standard 132 (ANSI/ADA No. 132). The aims of this study were to use the three samples mentioned in ANSI/ADA No. 132 and evaluate the accuracy and reproducibility of two extraoral scanners and an intraoral scanner based on the inspection standards recommended by ANSI/ADA No. 132. In this study, two trained operators used two extraoral scanners (E4, 3Shape, Denmark & SHINING DS100+, Shining, China) and an intraoral scanner (TRIOS SERIES3, 3Shape, Denmark) to perform 30 scans of each of the three samples at a temperature of 25 ± 2°C and export standard tessellation language files and used reverse engineering software to perform measurements and iterative nearest point matching experiments. The measured values obtained were compared with the reference values measured by a coordinate measuring machine (NC8107, Leader Metrology, USA). We performed a normal distribution test (Shapiro-Wilk test), the nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis test, and an independent-samples t -test to analyze the reproducibility of each scan for different models. The experimental results indicate that the trueness and precision of the two extraoral scanners and the intraoral scanner had a slight mean deviation. The trueness and precision of the three scanners on the curved surface and groove areas are poor. The accuracy and reproducibility of E4 outperformed SHINING and TRIOS. The iterative closest point matching experiment also showed good matching results. The two extraoral scanners and the intraoral scanner in this study can meet the basic clinical requirements in terms of accuracy, and we hope that digital technology will be more widely used in dentistry in the future., Competing Interests: We declare that we have no financial or personal relationships with other people or organizations that can inappropriately influence our work., (Copyright © 2021 Naiyu Cui et al.)

This study evaluated the bone regeneration capacity and mechanical properties of block-type hydroxyapatite (HA)/tricalcium phosphate (TCP) scaffolds in response to different concentrations of polydeoxyribonucleotide (PDRN) and recombinant human bone morphogenic protein 2 (rhBMP-2). Thirty-two male white rabbits were used as a model of calvarial bone defect and classified into eight groups according to type and concentration of growth factor administered, viz., control group (only HA/TCP scaffold), scaffold + PDRN (0.1, 1, 5, and 10 mg/mL each) and scaffold + rhBMP-2 (0.01, 0.05, and 0.1 mg/mL each). The specimens were evaluated using histomorphometric and radiological analyses. Histomorphometric analyses indicated that the administration of PDRN did not increase bone formation. However, significant increases in bone formation were observed with the administration of rhBMP-2 at 0.05 and 0.10 mg/mL on week 8 compared to the control (p < 0.05). Radiological analyses revealed a significant increase in bone formation at week 8 with the administration of PDRN at 5 mg/mL and 10 mg/mL, and rhBMP-2 at 0.05 or 0.10 mg/mL compared to the control (p < 0.05). Our findings show that block-type HA/TCP scaffolds possess sufficient mechanical strength and bone regeneration capacity when used with optimal concentrations of growth factors.

Objective: Despite a high prevalence of dementia in older adults hospitalized with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection (SARS-CoV-2), or so called COVID-19, research investigating association between preexisting diagnoses of dementia and prognosis of COVID-19 is scarce. We aimed to investigate treatment outcome of patients with dementia after COVID-19., Methods: We explored a nationwide cohort with a total of 2,800 subjects older than 50 years who were diagnosed with COVID-19 between January and April 2020. Among them, 223 patients had underlying dementia (dementia group). We matched 1:1 for each dementia- non-dementia group pair yielding 223 patients without dementia (no dementia group) using propensity score matching., Results: Mortality rate after COVID-19 was higher in dementia group than in no dementia group (33.6% vs. 20.2%, p=0.002). Dementia group had higher proportion of patients requiring invasive ventilatory support than no dementia group (34.1% vs. 22.0%, p=0.006). Multivariable analysis showed that dementia group had a higher risk of mortality than no dementia group (odds ratio=3.05, p<0.001). We also found that patients in dementia group had a higher risk of needing invasive ventilatory support than those in no dementia group., Conclusion: Our results suggest that system including strengthen quarantines are required for patients with dementia during the COVID- 19 pandemic.

Objective: We performed a meta-analysis of randomized double-blinded placebo controlled trials (DB-RCTs) to investigate efficacy and safety of intranasal esketamine in treating major depressive disorder (MDD) including treatment resistant depression (TRD) and major depression with suicide ideation (MDSI)., Methods: Mean change in total scores on Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) from baseline to different time-points were our primary outcome measure. Secondary efficacy measures included rate of remission of depression and resolution of suicidality., Results: Eight DB-RCTs (seven published and one un-published) covering 1,488 patients with MDD were included. Esketamine more significantly improved MADRS total scores than placebo starting from 2-4 hours after the first administration (standardized mean difference, -0.41 [95% CI, -0.58 to -0.25], p < 0.00001), and this superiority maintained until end of double-blinded period (28 days). Sub-group analysis showed that superior antidepressant effects of esketamine over placebo in TRD and MDSI was observed from 2-4 hours, which was maintained until 28 days. Resolution of suicide in MDSI was also greater for esketamine than for placebo at 2-4 hours (OR of 2.04, 95% CIs, 1.37 to 3.05, p = 0.0005), but two groups did not statistically differ at 24 hours and day 28. Total adverse events (AEs), and other common AEs including dissociation, blood pressure increment, nausea, vertigo, dysgeusia, dizziness, and somnolence were more frequent in esketamine than in placebo group., Conclusion: Esketamine showed rapid antidepressant effects in patients with MDD, including TRD and MDSI. The study also suggested that esketamine might be associated with rapid anti-suicidal effects for patients with MDSI.

Objective: No previous study examined impact of dementia in the outcome of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). We aimed to investigate overall survival (OS) of patients with dementia after receiving HSCT., Methods: Among 8,230 patients who underwent HSCT between 2002 and 2018, 5,533 patients younger than 50 years were first excluded. Remaining patients were divided into those who were and were not diagnosed with dementia before HSCT (dementia group: n = 31; no dementia: n = 2,666). Thereafter, among 2,666 participants without dementia, 93 patients were selected via propensity-matched score as non-dementia group. Patients were followed from the day they received HSCT to the occurrence of death or the last follow-up day (December 31, 2018), whichever came first., Results: With median follow-up of 621 days for dementia group and 654 days for non-dementia group, 2 year-OS of dementia group was lower than that of non-dementia group (53.3% [95% confidence interval, 95% CI, 59.0-80.2%] vs. 68.8% [95% CI, 38.0-68.2%], p = 0.076). In multivariate analysis, dementia had significant impacts on OS (hazard risk = 2.539, 95% CI, 1.166-4.771, p = 0.017)., Conclusion: Our results indicated that patients diagnosed with dementia before HSCT have 2.539 times higher risk of mortality after transplantation than those not having dementia. With number of elderly needing HSCT is increasing, further work to establish treatment guidelines for the management of HSCT in people with dementia is needed.

White-matter hyperintensity (WMH) is a primary biomarker for small-vessel cerebrovascular disease, Alzheimer's disease (AD), and others. The association of WMH with brain structural changes has also recently been reported. Although fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provide valuable information about WMH, FLAIR does not provide other normal tissue information. The multi-modal analysis of FLAIR and T1-weighted (T1w) MRI is thus desirable for WMH-related brain aging studies. In clinical settings, however, FLAIR is often the only available modality. In this study, we thus propose a semi-supervised learning method for full brain segmentation using FLAIR. The results of our proposed method were compared with the reference labels, which were obtained by FreeSurfer segmentation on T1w MRI. The relative volume difference between the two sets of results shows that our proposed method has high reliability. We further evaluated our proposed WMH segmentation by comparing the Dice similarity coefficients of the reference and the results of our proposed method. We believe our semi-supervised learning method has a great potential for use for other MRI sequences and will encourage others to perform brain tissue segmentation using MRI modalities other than T1w.

This study is aimed at assessing the dimensional alterations occurring in the alveolar bone after premolar extraction in dogs with histomorphometric and histological analysis. After atraumatic premolar extraction, tooth-derived bone graft material was grafted in the extraction socket of the premolar region in the lower jaws of six dogs in two experimental groups. In the second experimental group, BM-MSCs were added together with the graft. The control was left untreated on the opposite side. After twelve weeks, all six animals were sacrificed. Differences in alveolar bone height crests lingually and buccally, and alveolar bone width at 1, 3, and 5 mm infracrestally, were examined. Histologic study revealed osteoconductive properties of tooth biomaterial. A statistically significant difference was detected between the test and control groups. In the test groups, a reduced loss of vertical and horizontal alveolar bone dimensions compared with the control group was observed. Tooth bone graft material may be considered useful for alveolar ridge preservation after tooth extraction, as it could limit the natural bone resorption process., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Jin-Hyun Kim et al.)

Understanding the neurovascular coupling (NVC) underlying hemodynamic changes in epilepsy is crucial to properly interpreting functional brain imaging signals associated with epileptic events. However, how excitatory and inhibitory neurons affect vascular responses in different epileptic states remains unknown. We conducted real-time in vivo measurements of cerebral blood flow (CBF), vessel diameter, and excitatory and inhibitory neuronal calcium signals during recurrent focal seizures. During preictal states, decreases in CBF and arteriole diameter were closely related to decreased γ-band local field potential (LFP) power, which was linked to relatively elevated excitatory and reduced inhibitory neuronal activity levels. Notably, this preictal condition was followed by a strengthened ictal event. In particular, the preictal inhibitory activity level was positively correlated with coherent oscillating activity specific to inhibitory neurons. In contrast, ictal states were characterized by elevated synchrony in excitatory neurons. Given these findings, we suggest that excitatory and inhibitory neurons differentially contribute to shaping the ictal and preictal neural states, respectively. Moreover, the preictal vascular activity, alongside with the γ-band, may reflect the relative levels of excitatory and inhibitory neuronal activity, and upcoming ictal activity. Our findings provide useful insights into how perfusion signals of different epileptic states are related in terms of NVC.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive type of breast cancer with a poor prognosis for which no effective therapeutic measures are currently available. The present study aimed to investigate whether interactions with endothelial colony-forming cells (ECFCs) promote aggressive progression of TNBC cells. Herein, using an indirect co-culture system, we showed that co-culture increased the invasive and migratory phenotypes of both MDA-MB-231 TNBC cells and ECFCs. Through a cytokine antibody array and RT-PCR analysis, we revealed that co-culture markedly induced secretion of the chemokine C-C motif ligand (CCL)8 from ECFCs and that of interleukin (IL)-8 from MDA-MB-231 cells. CCL8 was crucial for ECFC-induced IL-8 secretion and invasion of MDA-MB-231 cells as well as for MDA-MB-231-enhanced MMP-2 secretion and angiogenesis of ECFCs. We suggest c-Jun as a transcription factor for CCL8-induced IL-8 expression in MDA-MB-231 cells. IL-8 was important for co-culture-induced CCL8 and MMP-2 upregulation and invasion of ECFCs. Notably, our findings reveal a positive feedback loop between CCL8 and IL-8, which contributes to the aggressive phenotypes of both ECFC and TNBC cells. Using an MDA-MB-231 cell-based xenograft model, we show that tumor growth and metastasis are increased by co-injected ECFCs in vivo. Increased expression of IL-8 was observed in tissues with bone metastases in mice injected with conditioned media from co-cultured cells. High IL-8 levels are correlated with poor recurrence-free survival in TNBC patients. Together, these results suggest that CCL8 and IL-8 mediate the crosstalk between ECFCs and TNBC, leading to aggravation of tumorigenicity in TNBC.

Background: Autogenous tooth transplantation is a reliable method for repairing missing teeth. Although it recently became a recognized and feasible treatment method in dentistry, the long-term efficacy of root canal therapy (RCT) has not been well confirmed. This study is aimed at determining whether RCT has a good effect on the success rate of teeth with complete roots in autogenous tooth transplantation., Materials and Methods: Data were collected from the Korea University Guro Hospital. Data of patients who underwent autogenous tooth transplantation within 9 years were collected. We selected 29 teeth with complete roots as the research subjects in our study. None of the patients had any systemic diseases. All cases in this study were obtained with patient permission., Results: According to the tooth vitality test, the autogenous teeth tested negative in dental pulp test and function. Nine of the 29 teeth with autogenous tooth transplantation were treated with RCT and survived throughout the observation period. However, 20 autogenous teeth were not treated with RCT, and eight of them did not survive. All statistical analyses were performed using IBM SPSS 20.0. The null hypothesis was rejected ( p < 0.05)., Conclusion: For complete root teeth, the success rate after autogenous tooth transplantation after RCT is higher than that of teeth not treated with RCT., Competing Interests: We declare no financial or personal relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence our work., (Copyright © 2021 Xuanyou Cui et al.)

The aim of this study was to segment the maxillary sinus into the maxillary bone, air, and lesion, and to evaluate its accuracy by comparing and analyzing the results performed by the experts. We randomly selected 83 cases of deep active learning. Our active learning framework consists of three steps. This framework adds new volumes per step to improve the performance of the model with limited training datasets, while inferring automatically using the model trained in the previous step. We determined the effect of active learning on cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) volumes of dental with our customized 3D nnU-Net in all three steps. The dice similarity coefficients (DSCs) at each stage of air were 0.920 ± 0.17, 0.925 ± 0.16, and 0.930 ± 0.16, respectively. The DSCs at each stage of the lesion were 0.770 ± 0.18, 0.750 ± 0.19, and 0.760 ± 0.18, respectively. The time consumed by the convolutional neural network (CNN) assisted and manually modified segmentation decreased by approximately 493.2 s for 30 scans in the second step, and by approximately 362.7 s for 76 scans in the last step. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that a deep active learning framework can alleviate annotation efforts and costs by efficiently training on limited CBCT datasets.

Purpose: This study investigated which body position is more useful for visualizing subphrenic hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) during ultrasonography (US) examinations., Methods: This prospective study was approved by the institutional review board and written informed consent was obtained from all patients. Twenty consecutive patients with a single subphrenic HCC (treatment-naïve, 1 to 3 cm) underwent a US examination for planning radiofrequency ablation. The examinations were done by one of three radiologists and the patients were examined in four different body positions-supine, right posterior oblique (RPO), left lateral decubitus (LLD), and semi-erect-by being positioned on a tilted table. The visibility of the index tumor was prospectively assessed using a 4-point scale. Needle insertion was considered to be technically feasible if the visibility score was lower than 2. The visibility score and technical feasibility were compared using the Wilcoxon signed rank test and the McNemar test, respectively, for pairwise comparisons between different body positions., Results: The visibility score was significantly lower in the semi-erect position (median, 2; interquartile range, 1 to 2.75) than in the supine (3, 2 to 4), RPO (3, 2 to 4), and LLD (4, 3.25 to 4) positions (P=0.007, P=0.005, and P=0.001, respectively). The technical feasibility of needle insertion was also significantly higher in the semi-erect position (75%, 15/20) than in the supine (45%, 9/45), RPO (35%, 7/20), and LLD (20%, 4/20) positions (P=0.031, P=0.021, and P=0.001, respectively)., Conclusion: The semi-erect position is more useful for the visualization of subphrenic HCCs than the supine, RPO, or LLD positions.

A 53-year-old woman presented in the early hours of the morning with generalised abdominal pain and features of hypovolaemic shock, following a dilatation of an enterostomy stricture 12 hours prior. Dilatation of this stricture was indicated by ongoing dysphagia, which had been successfully dilated twice before without incident. Standard resuscitative measures and confirmation of the endoscopically-caused splenic injury by CT scan were followed promptly by a splenectomy to control ongoing blood loss. The strictured enterostomy was revised to mitigate further need for endoscopic dilatation. The patient recovered well and was discharged shortly after on a soft diet., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2021. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Intraoral scanners have been widely used in the application of dentistry. Accuracy includes trueness and precision; they have an important position in the assessment of intraoral scanners. The existing standard models are divided into the inlay and the crown, but the operation is relatively complicated. In this study, in order to simplify the current standard model, we designed a new integration model to compare the accuracy of two intraoral scanners (CEREC and TRIOS) and an extraoral scanner (SHINING). The coordinate measuring machine measured value is the gold standard. Values of the length and angle were analyzed by converting the scanned digital impressions into an STL (standard triangulation language) format to evaluate the accuracy of the intraoral scanner and to verify the feasibility of the designed model. The result shows that the integration model can be successfully scanned and imaged. In the case of the powder-free integration model, intraoral scanner precision, trueness, 3D fitting, and imaging are better than the extraoral scanner. It can be seen straightly from the measurement result and the 3D fitting result that the intraoral scanner can acquire the shape of the standard model integrally with good repeatability. Therefore, it can be concluded that TRIOS is superior to CEREC and SHINING in accuracy, and the integration model is feasible as a reference in the examination of intraoral scanners. The performance of the newly designed integration model that can be scanned is clinically significant, suggesting that this model can be used as a standard reference model., Competing Interests: We declare that we have no financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that can inappropriately influence our work., (Copyright © 2021 HongXin Cai et al.)

Background: The effect of educational status on brain structural measurements depends on demographic and clinical factors in cognitively healthy older adults. Objectives: The current study aimed to evaluate the impact of interaction between years of education and sex on gray matter volume and to investigate whether cortical volume has a differential impact on cognitive function according to sex. Methods: One hundred twenty-one subjects between 60 and 85 years old were included in this study. Gray matter volume was evaluated by whole brain surface-based morphometry. Multiple regression analysis was used to analyze the effects of sex-cortical volume interactions on cognitive functions. Results: There was a significant interaction between years of education and sex on the cortical volume of the left inferior temporal gyrus after adjusting for age, APOE ε4 allele prevalence, and total intracranial volume. In addition, we found a significant impact of the interaction between adjusted left inferior temporal volume and sex on CERAD-K total scores. Conclusion: These findings have significant implications for the understanding of how sex could affect the role of cognitive reserve for cortical atrophy in cognitively intact older adults., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Kang, Wang, Na, Kim, Lim and Lee.)

Background: Osteoporosis has increased and developed into a serious public health concern worldwide. Despite the high prevalence, osteoporosis is silent before major fragility fracture and the osteoporosis screening rate is low. Abdomen-pelvic CT (APCT) is one of the most widely conducted medical tests. Artificial intelligence and radiomics analysis have recently been spotlighted. This is the first study to evaluate the prediction performance of femoral osteoporosis using machine-learning analysis with radiomics features and APCT., Materials and Methods: 500 patients (M: F = 70:430; mean age, 66.5 ± 11.8yrs; range, 50-96 years) underwent both dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and APCT within 1 month. The volume of interest of the left proximal femur was extracted and 41 radiomics features were calculated using 3D volume of interest analysis. Top 10 importance radiomic features were selected by the intraclass correlation coefficient and random forest feature selection. Study cohort was randomly divided into 70% of the samples as the training cohort and the remaining 30% of the sample as the validation cohort. Prediction performance of machine-learning analysis was calculated using diagnostic test and comparison of area under the curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed between training and validation cohorts., Results: The osteoporosis prevalence of this study cohort was 20.8%. The prediction performance of the machine-learning analysis to diagnose osteoporosis in the training and validation cohorts were as follows; accuracy, 92.9% vs. 92.7%; sensitivity, 86.6% vs. 80.0%; specificity, 94.5% vs. 95.8%; positive predictive value, 78.4% vs. 82.8%; and negative predictive value, 96.7% vs. 95.0%. The AUC to predict osteoporosis in the training and validation cohorts were 95.9% [95% confidence interval (CI), 93.7%-98.1%] and 96.0% [95% CI, 93.2%-98.8%], respectively, without significant differences (P = 0.962)., Conclusion: Prediction performance of femoral osteoporosis using machine-learning analysis with radiomics features and APCT showed high validity with more than 93% accuracy, specificity, and negative predictive value., Competing Interests: The authors have no competing interests to declare related to the DongKook Life Science. Co., Ltd. This does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials.

Purpose: This study was to develop a convolutional neural network (CNN) model with a residual learning framework to predict the full-time 18F-florbetaben (18F-FBB) PET/CT images from corresponding short-time scans., Methods: In this retrospective study, we enrolled 22 cognitively normal subjects, 20 patients with mild cognitive impairment, and 42 patients with Alzheimer disease. Twenty minutes of list-mode PET/CT data were acquired and reconstructed as the ground-truth images. The short-time scans were made in either 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 minutes. The CNN with a residual learning framework was implemented to predict the ground-truth images of 18F-FBB PET/CT using short-time scans with either a single-slice or a 3-slice input layer. Model performance was evaluated by quantitative and qualitative analyses. Additionally, we quantified the amyloid load in the ground-truth and predicted images using the SUV ratio., Results: On quantitative analyses, with increasing scan time, the normalized root-mean-squared error and the SUV ratio differences between predicted and ground-truth images gradually decreased, and the peak signal-to-noise ratio increased. On qualitative analysis, the predicted images from the 3-slice CNN model showed better image quality than those from the single-slice model. The 3-slice CNN model with a short-time scan of at least 2 minutes achieved comparable, quantitative prediction of full-time 18F-FBB PET/CT images, with adequate to excellent image quality., Conclusions: The 3-slice CNN model with a residual learning framework is promising for the prediction of full-time 18F-FBB PET/CT images from short-time scans., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest and sources of funding: This research was supported by the Brain Research Program (NRF-2018M3C7A1056898) and Basic Science Research Program (no. 2017R1E1A1A01073826) through the National Research Foundation of Korea funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT & Future Planning. None declared to all authors., (Copyright © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

In this study, the combined effect of Mg and Ca on the high temperature oxidation behaviors of Zn-Mg based alloys containing trace Ca was investigated. Phase diagrams for the oxygen partial pressure versus contents of constituent elements were conducted on the basis of thermodynamic calculations to predict oxide scale behavior. Observation of Zn-1/3/5 mass%Mg alloys showed the distribution of a Zn-Zn 11 Mg₂ eutectic phase after primary formation. As-cast microstructures of the Ca-containing alloys included the formation of a Ca-based intermetallic phase. The change in oxidation resistance with variation of the Mg and Ca contents was experimentally examined via thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The addition of trace Ca led to the formation of Zn 13 Ca and a CaO/MgO mixed oxide layer on the surface at 460 °C. After TGA at 460 °C under air atmosphere for 1 h, the Ca-free alloys showed rapid weight gain by oxidation, whereas the oxidation resistance of the Ca-added alloys was substantially increased.

This study investigated the heat treatment response and tensile properties of Al-6 mass%Mg- x Si ( x = 1, 3, 5, and 7 mass%) ternary alloys. Further, the fracture behavior of these alloys in response to heat treatment for different temper conditions was also examined. Scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM-EDS) analysis of the as-cast alloys revealed, in all of them, the presence of iron-bearing phases (in a size range of 10˜60 μm) that did not dissolve or become refined upon heat treatment. Additionally, eutectic Mg₂Si and Al₃Mg₂ phases were found in Alloy I (Al-6Mg-1Si), while eutectic Mg₂Si and Si phases were found in the rest of the alloys. In the as-cast condition, the tensile properties of the examined alloys decreased in relation to increasing Si content. Nonetheless, after heat treatment, the yield strength of the alloys with high Si content (>3 mass%) increased significantly compared with that in the as-cast condition. A yield strength greater than 300 MPa was achieved in both Alloy III (Al-6Mg-5Si) and Alloy IV (Al-6Mg-7Si), although this was achieved at the expense of ductility. According to the fractography of the tensile-fractured surfaces undertaken using optical and scanning electron microscopy, fractures of the iron-bearing phases were found to be the source of cracking in alloys with high Si content. In the case of those with low Si content (≤3 mass%), cracks were believed to have been caused by the debonding of iron-bearing phases from the aluminum matrix.

In this study, the oxidation behavior of Cu alloys containing two alkaline earth metals (i.e., Mg and Ca) at 500 °C was investigated. The Mg+Mg₂Ca master alloy was used for the simultaneous addition of Mg and Ca into Cu. As a result of the oxidation test, all examined samples showed weight gains that followed parabolic laws. Mg addition in Cu considerably slowed down the oxidation rate, while the use of the Mg+Mg₂Ca master alloy as an alloying element for Mg led to an even further reduction in the oxidation rates at the testing temperature. The phase diagrams with the oxygen partial pressure showed that the Ca and Mg-containing alloy resulted in the formation of CaO as the primary oxide and MgO as the secondary oxide. The improved oxidation resistance can be attributed to the mixed surface layer of CaO and MgO, which control the growth rate of Cu₂O.

This study examines the formation of different phases of Al-6 mass% Mg- x Cu ( x = 1 and 3 mass%) alloys in as-cast condition. Further, it investigates the dissolution of these phases upon solution heat treatment (SHT) and studies the precipitation behavior of these ternary alloys. Scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectrometry and high resolution X-ray diffraction analyses show the presence of the second phases of Al₃Mg₂ (β), Al 6 CuMg₄ (T), and Al₂CuMg (S) in Alloy I (Al-6Mg-1Cu), whereas Alloy II (Al-6Mg-3Cu) had only T and S second phases (with a much higher number of S phases). Upon SHT, a significant number of eutectic phases were dissolved in Alloy I, whereas in Alloy II, the number of undissolved S phases was relatively high. A differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis of experimental alloys in as-quenched states reveals two exothermic peaks related to the formation of nanoclusters and S″ or S' metastable phases. Both alloys undergo a rapid hardening stage during the aging process, in which approximately 50%-60% of total hardness was achieved. This is attributed to the formation of nanoclusters. The maximum yield strength achieved at the peak hardness condition was approximately 200 MPa for Alloy I, whereas it was approximately 160 MPa for alloy II. Alloy I took a long time to reach peak hardness, which is correlated with the stability of nanoclusters for a longer time. Earlier peak hardness in Alloy II, despite having nanoclusters, is correlated with undissolved eutectic phases acting as heterogeneous nucleation sites for the formation of S″ or S' metastable phases.

In this study, the effects of constituent phases on the oxidation kinetics of an Al-7 mass%Mg alloy containing a trace of Ca were investigated. A Mg+Al₂Ca master alloy was used to add Mg and Ca simultaneously. Scheil-Gulliver cooling by thermodynamic calculation showed that the addition of Ca led to the formation of Ca-based intermetallic compounds, such as Al₄Ca and Laves C36, after solidification. Based on weight increase indicated by the oxidation test and surface analysis, it was found that the presence of Ca-based phases significantly improved the oxidation resistance and slowed down the oxidation rates. Based on the review of phase diagrams with oxygen partial pressure by thermodynamic calculation, it was thought that in the initial oxidation, MgO and MgAl₂O₄ were formed on the surfaces of the Al-Mg alloys, leading to further oxidation. The Ca-based intermetallic compounds formed Ca-Mg-Al based oxides, which possibly contributed to the formation of a relatively dense oxide layer.

Objective: We compared surgical resection (SR) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) as first-line treatment in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) based on the risk of microvascular invasion (MVI)., Background: The best curative treatment modality between SR and RFA in patients with HCC with MVI remains unclear., Methods: Data from 2 academic cancer center-based cohorts of patients with a single, small (≤3 cm) HCC who underwent SR were used to derive (n = 276) and validate (n = 101) prediction models for MVI using clinical and imaging variables. The MVI prediction model was developed using multivariable logistic regression analysis and externally validated. Early recurrence (<2 years) based on risk stratification between SR (n = 276) and RFA (n = 240) was evaluated via propensity score matching., Results: In the multivariable analysis, alpha-fetoprotein (≥15 ng/mL), protein induced by vitamin K absence-II (≥48 mAU/mL), arterial peritumoral enhancement, and hepatobiliary peritumoral hypointensity on magnetic resonance imaging were associated with MVI. Incorporating these factors, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the predictive model was 0.87 (95% confidence interval: 0.82-0.92) and 0.82 (95% confidence interval: 0.74-0.90) in the derivation and validation cohorts, respectively. SR was associated with a lower rate of early recurrence than RFA based on the risk of MVI after propensity score matching (P < 0.05)., Conclusions: Our model predicted the risk of MVI in patients with a small (≤ 3 cm) HCC with high accuracy. Patients with MVI who had undergone RFA were more vulnerable to recurrence than those who had undergone SR., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2019 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

In this study, the correlation of surface oxidation and Mg-based intermetallic phases in the grain boundary in Al-Mg alloys containing third elements was investigated. The experimental results were examined by phase diagrams plotted as a function of oxygen partial pressure determined by thermodynamic calculation. The addition of Si and Cu as third elements into the Al-7 mass%Mg alloy formed Mg-based secondary phases during solidification. The 1 mass% Cu addition formed three different types of Mg-based intermetallic compounds. From weight gains by oxidation, all samples exhibited their weight gains depending on time. The Si-added alloy showed a considerably lower weight gain and maintained a nearly constant weight, while the weight gain of the Al-7 mass%Mg-1 mass%Cu alloy was significantly greater than those of other alloys. MgO and MgAl₂O 4 - spinel were the main oxides that formed the oxide scale in all examined alloys. Si addition formed the multi-element oxide including Mg and Si.

To identify low anterior resection syndrome (LARS) patterns and their associations with risk factors and quality of life (QOL). This cross-sectional study analyzed patients who underwent restorative anterior resection for left-sided colorectal cancer at Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea. We administered LARS questionnaires to assess bowel dysfunction and quality of life between April 2017 and November 2019. LARS patterns were classified based on factor analyses. Variable effects on LARS patterns were estimated using logistic regression analysis. The risk factors and quality of life associated with dominant LARS patterns were analyzed. Data of 283 patients with a median follow-up duration of 24 months were analyzed. Major LARS was observed in 123 (43.3%) patients. Radiotherapy (odds ratio [OR]: 2.851, 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 2.504-43.958, p = 0.002), low anastomosis (OR: 10.492, 95% CI: 2.504-43.958, p = 0.001), and complications (OR: 2.163, 95% CI: 1.100-4.255, p = 0.025) were independently associated with major LARS. LARS was classified into incontinence- or frequency-dominant types. Risk factors for incontinence-dominant LARS were radiotherapy and complications, whereas those for frequency-dominant LARS included low tumor location. Patients with incontinence-dominant patterns showed lower emotional function, whereas those with frequency-dominant patterns showed lower global health QOL, lower emotional, cognitive, and social functions, and higher incidence of pain and diarrhea. Frequency-dominant LARS had a greater negative effect on QOL than incontinence-dominant LARS. These patterns could be used for preoperative prediction and postoperative treatment of LARS.

Growth rates of Pacific abalone Haliotis discus hannai are an important trait affecting the economic value in the abalone aquaculture industry. A reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analyses of tissues from H. discus hannai was conducted for sexually mature gonads to determine male- and female-specific target gene expression, including genes encoding zona pellucida domain 4 (zp4), sperm protein (sp) and lysin (lys), respectively. Sex-specific expression patterns of these gene expression, even in sexually immature abalone, indicate these genes can be used as sensitive and robust sex-specific molecular markers. The RT-PCR procedure was also performed to analyze tissues collected at various developmental stages (50-day intervals) beginning at fertilization to determine when sex differentiation and expression of sex-specific genes was initiated. Detection of zp4 transcript in tissues collected at 200 days post-fertilization (dpf) indicated egg-specific development starts at 150-200 dpf. To evaluate possible sex-specific differences in growth rate, there was conducting of a molecular marker-based sex identification of abalone from a population selected for rapid growth rate. In a group of large H. discus hannai, females were more prevalent than males. To assess the correlation between growth and sex, there was comparison of weights of 3-year-old Pacific abalone in specimens where there had been sex determinations by visual examination and molecular methods. The results indicated females weighed more (55.92 ± 9.38 g, n = 15) than males (43.64 ± 15.55 g, n = 6, P =  0.037), indicating females had a more rapid growth rate than males., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To investigate the anatomical characteristics of the biceps femoris short head (BS) and determine the optimal needle placement for BS examination., Methods: Twenty-one lower limbs were dissected. The distances from the medial and lateral margins of the biceps femoris long head (BL) tendon to the common fibular nerve (CFN) (M&#95;CFN&#95;VD and L&#95;CFN&#95;VD, respectively) and the distance from the lateral margin of the BL tendon to the lateral margin of the BS (L&#95;BS&#95;HD) were measured 5 cm proximal to the tip of the fibular head (P1), four fingerbreadths proximal to the tip of the fibular head (P2), and at the upper apex of the popliteal fossa (P3)., Results: The BS was located lateral to the BL tendon. The CFN was located along the medial margin of the BL tendon. The median values were 2.0 (P1), 3.0 (P2), and 0 mm (P3) for M&#95;CFN&#95;VD; and 17.4 (P1), 20.2 (P2), and 21.8 mm (P3) for L&#95;CFN&#95;VD; and 8.1 (P1), 8.8 (P2), and 13.0 mm (P3) for L&#95;BS&#95;VD., Conclusion: The lateral approach to the BL tendon was safer than the medial approach for examining the BS. Amore proximal insertion site around the upper apex of the popliteal fossa was more accurate than the distal insertion site. In this study, we propose a safer and more accurate approach for electromyography of the BS.

Persistent androgen receptor (AR) activation drives therapeutic resistance to second-generation AR pathway inhibitors and contributes to the progression of advanced prostate cancer. One resistance mechanism is point mutations in the ligand binding domain of AR that can transform antagonists into agonists. The AR F877L mutation, identified in patients treated with enzalutamide or apalutamide, confers resistance to both enzalutamide and apalutamide. Compound 4 (JNJ-pan-AR) was identified as a pan-AR antagonist with potent activity against wild-type and clinically relevant AR mutations including F877L. Metabolite identification studies revealed a latent bioactivation pathway associated with 4 . Subsequent lead optimization of 4 led to amelioration of this pathway and nomination of 5 (JNJ-63576253) as a clinical stage, next-generation AR antagonist for the treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC).

No reliable quantitative and objective measurement method for virtual reality (VR) sickness has been firmly established to date. Electroencephalography (EEG) may be a strong candidate to evaluate VR sickness objectively. However, no test-retest evaluation has been made for VR sickness using EEG. To recruit VR sickness-sensitive participants, we tested 858 participants (age = 20's-50's) using the Motion Sickness Susceptibility Questionnaire (MSSQ). Among them, we recruited 21 males (average age = 25.0) who obtained the 75th percentile of scores on the MSSQ (32.9 ± 5.7). VR sickness was evaluated twice (one week apart) using EEG with VR video content designed to cause VR sickness. A Simulation Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ) was also used to evaluate VR sickness. In terms of the reliability of EEG, ICC and Cronbach's alpha analyses showed that three waves (delta, theta, and alpha) were consistent in two areas (frontal and central). A significant difference in EEG was also found repeatedly between the baseline and VR sickness (delta, theta, and alpha) in two areas (frontal and central). We evaluated EEG for its reliability and found specific waves and areas that showed good consistency and significant changes associated with VR sickness. These findings may support further research of VR sickness evaluation., (Copyright © 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Health indicators, such as mortality rates or life expectancy, need to be presented at the local level to improve the health of local residents and to reduce health inequality across geographic areas. The aim of this study was to estimate life expectancy at the district level in Korea through a spatio-temporal analysis., Methods: Spatio-temporal models were applied to the National Health Information Database of the National Health Insurance Service to estimate the mortality rates for 19 age groups in 250 districts from 2004 to 2017 by gender in Korea. Annual district-level life tables by gender were constructed using the estimated mortality rates, and then annual district-level life expectancy by gender was estimated using the life table method and the Kannisto-Thatcher method. The annual district-level life expectancies based on the spatio-temporal models were compared to the life expectancies calculated under the assumption that the mortality rates in these 250 districts are independent from one another., Results: In 2017, district-level life expectancy at birth ranged from 75.5 years (95% credible interval [CI], 74.0-77.0 years) to 84.2 years (95% CI, 83.4-85.0 years) for men and from 83.9 years (95% CI, 83.2-84.6 years) to 88.2 years (95% CI, 87.3-89.1 years) for women. Between 2004 and 2017, district-level life expectancy at birth increased by 4.57 years (95% CI, 4.49-4.65 years) for men and by 4.06 years (95% CI, 3.99-4.12 years) for women. To obtain stable annual life expectancy estimates at the district level, it is recommended to use the life expectancy based on spatio-temporal models instead of calculating life expectancy using observed mortality., Conclusion: In this study, we estimated the annual district-level life expectancy from 2004 to 2017 in Korea by gender using a spatio-temporal model. Local governments could use annual district-level life expectancy estimates as a performance indicator of health policies to improve the health of local residents. The approach to district-level analysis with spatio-temporal modeling employed in this study could be used in future analyses to produce district-level health-related indicators in Korea., Competing Interests: The authors have no potential conflicts of interest to disclose., (© 2021 The Korean Academy of Medical Sciences.)

Background & Aims: A common genetic variant near MBOAT7 (rs641738C>T) has been previously associated with hepatic fat and advanced histology in NAFLD; however, these findings have not been consistently replicated in the literature. We aimed to establish whether rs641738C>T is a risk factor across the spectrum of NAFLD and to characterise its role in the regulation of related metabolic phenotypes through a meta-analysis., Methods: We performed a meta-analysis of studies with data on the association between rs641738C>T genotype and liver fat, NAFLD histology, and serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), lipids or insulin. These included directly genotyped studies and population-level data from genome-wide association studies (GWAS). We performed a random effects meta-analysis using recessive, additive and dominant genetic models., Results: Data from 1,066,175 participants (9,688 with liver biopsies) across 42 studies were included in the meta-analysis. rs641738C>T was associated with higher liver fat on CT/MRI (+0.03 standard deviations [95% CI 0.02-0.05], p z  = 4.8×10 -5 ) and diagnosis of NAFLD (odds ratio [OR] 1.17 [95% CI 1.05-1.3], p z  = 0.003) in Caucasian adults. The variant was also positively associated with presence of advanced fibrosis (OR 1.22 [95% CI 1.03-1.45], p z  = 0.021) in Caucasian adults using a recessive model of inheritance (CC + CT vs. TT). Meta-analysis of data from previous GWAS found the variant to be associated with higher ALT (p z  = 0.002) and lower serum triglycerides (p z  = 1.5×10 -4 ). rs641738C>T was not associated with fasting insulin and no effect was observed in children with NAFLD., Conclusions: Our study validates rs641738C>T near MBOAT7 as a risk factor for the presence and severity of NAFLD in individuals of European descent., Lay Summary: Fatty liver disease is a common condition where fat builds up in the liver, which can cause liver inflammation and scarring (including 'cirrhosis'). It is closely linked to obesity and diabetes, but some genes are also thought to be important. We did this study to see whether one specific change ('variant') in one gene ('MBOAT7') was linked to fatty liver disease. We took data from over 40 published studies and found that this variant near MBOAT7 is linked to more severe fatty liver disease. This means that drugs designed to work on MBOAT7 could be useful for treating fatty liver disease., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest C.E. reports receiving personal fees from Navitor Pharma and Novartis. The other authors declare no conflicts of interest that pertain to this work. Please refer to the accompanying ICMJE disclosure forms for further details., (Copyright © 2020 European Association for the Study of the Liver. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia and the prevalence rapidly increased as the elderly population increased worldwide. In the contemporary model of AD, it is regarded as a disease continuum involving preclinical stage to severe dementia. For accurate diagnosis and disease monitoring, objective index reflecting structural change of brain is needed to correctly assess a patient's severity of neurodegeneration independent from the patient's clinical symptoms. The main aim of this paper is to develop a random forest (RF) algorithm-based prediction model of AD using structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)., Methods: We evaluated diagnostic accuracy and performance of our RF based prediction model using newly developed brain segmentation method compared with the Freesurfer's which is a commonly used segmentation software., Results: Our RF model showed high diagnostic accuracy for differentiating healthy controls from AD and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) using structural MRI, patient characteristics, and cognitive function (HC vs. AD 93.5%, AUC 0.99; HC vs. MCI 80.8%, AUC 0.88). Moreover, segmentation processing time of our algorithm (<5 minutes) was much shorter than of Freesurfer's (6-8 hours)., Conclusion: Our RF model might be an effective automatic brain segmentation tool which can be easily applied in real clinical practice.

Objective: To evaluate the performance of dual internally cooled wet tip (ICWT) radiofrequency electrodes in comparison to dual internally cooled tip (ICT) electrodes., Methods: Twenty ablation zones were created for each type of electrodes. Planned procedure time was 6 min. Diameters of the ablation zone along the x-, y-, and z-axes (Dx, Dy, and Dz), ablation zone sphericity, quantitative sphericity measurement, and ablation volume were measured and compared between the two electrode types. Circularity of the ablation zone on the surface with x- and z- axes (zx plane) and amount of energy applied were also compared., Results: Dx and Dz were significantly longer with ICWT than those with ICT (Dx: 3.0 vs. 2.8 cm, p = .018; and Dz: 2.7 vs. 2.3 cm, p  < .001, respectively). Dy was not significantly different (3.0 vs. 2.9 cm, p = .220). Moreover, 85% (17/20) and 30% (6/20) of ablation zones from ICWT and ICT were spherical ( p = .001), respectively. Quantitative measurement showed that ICWT was more spherical compared to ICT (0.962 vs. 0.881, p = .001). The ablation volume was also significantly higher with ICWT (11.55 vs. 9.45 cm3, p = .003). The ablation zone on the zx plane was more circular with ICWT (0.907 vs. 0.883, p = .028). The amount of energy applied was significantly bigger with ICWT (18508 vs. 16998 WS, p = .003)., Conclusion: Dual ICWT electrodes were better able to create more spherical and larger ablation zones than dual ICT electrodes.

Normative brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is essential to interpret the state of an individual's brain health. However, a normative study is often expensive for small research groups. Although several attempts have been made to establish brain MRI norms, the focus has been limited to certain age ranges. This study aimed to establish East Asian normative brain data using multi-site MRI and determine the robustness of these data for clinical research. Normative MRI was gathered covering a wide range of cognitively normal East Asian populations (age: 18-96 years) from two open sources and three research sites. Eight sub-regional volumes were extracted in the left and right hemispheres using an in-house deep learning-based tool. Repeated measure consistency and multicenter reliability were determined using intraclass correlation coefficients and compared to a widely used tool, FreeSurfer. Our results showed highly consistent outcomes with high reliability across sites. Our method outperformed FreeSurfer in repeated measure consistency for most structures and multicenter reliability for all structures. The normative MRI we constructed was able to identify sub-regional differences in mild cognitive impairments and dementia after covariate adjustments. Our investigation suggests it is possible to provide a sound normative reference for neurodegenerative or aging research.

According to the most recent annual report released by Korea Statistics, the life expectancy at birth (for both sexes) in 2018 was 82.7 years, an increase of 0.0 years over 2017, reflecting the first stagnation in life expectancy since 1960. In this study, a time-series analysis was conducted of trends in life expectancy from 2003 to 2018, and causes of death were analyzed using the Kannisto-Thatcher method and the Arriaga decomposition method. The time trend analysis of yearly life expectancy changes indicated that, in Korea, there was a tendency for the yearly increase in life expectancy between 2003 and 2018 to decrease by 0.0211 years per calendar year. The contribution of cardiovascular diseases, the most important contributor to the life expectancy increase in Korea, gradually decreased over this period. The contribution of cardiovascular diseases to the life expectancy increase was 0.506 years in 2003-2006, but this contribution decreased to 0.218 years in 2015-2018. The positive contributions of ill-defined causes and external causes to life expectancy increase detected in previous periods were not evident in 2015-2018. Diseases of the respiratory system made the largest negative contribution both between 2015 and 2018 and between 2017-2018. The life expectancy stagnation in 2018 could be understood as the combined effect of (a) decreasing momentum in the increase of life expectancy and (b) a chance event in 2018 involving life expectancy. Currently, it is difficult to judge whether the stagnation of life expectancy in 2018 is temporary, and further analyses of life expectancy and contributing causes of death in the future are needed., Competing Interests: NO. The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Purpose: Endoscopic tattooing is used to mark colorectal lesions for subsequent surgery. As a tattooing agent, India ink has been widely used but is not currently available in Korea. Indocyanine green (ICG) can be applied as an alternative agent. However, studies on colonoscopic tattooing by the direct injection of indocyanine green are lacking. This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety between an ICG direct injection method and an India ink saline test injection method., Methods: A total of 227 patients who underwent preoperative endoscopic tattooing for colorectal neoplasm (149 patients in the ICG direct injection group and 78 patients in the India ink saline test injection group) were included in the study. The efficacy of the two methods was compared by visualization and safety was compared by evaluating the perioperative tattooing complications., Results: The visualization of lesions in the ICG group was not different from that of the India ink group (p=0.42, 96.0% vs 98.7%, respectively). Only one patient in the ICG group had abdominal pain related to tattooing, but no complications developed in the India ink group., Conclusion: Considering the good visualization and low complication rate, the direct injection of ICG can be used as an alternative tattooing method., Competing Interests: CONFLICT OF INTEREST None., (Copyright © 2020 The Journal of Minimally Invasive Surgery. All rights reserved.)