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Purpose: The microstructural characteristics of trabecular bone were identified using micro-computed tomography (micro-CT), in order to develop a potential strategy for implant surface improvement to facilitate osseointegration., Methods: Alveolar bone specimens from the cadavers of 30 humans were scanned by high-resolution micro-CT and reconstructed. Volumes of interest chosen within the jaw were classified according to Hounsfield units into 4 bone quality categories. Several structural parameters were measured and statistically analyzed., Results: Alveolar bone specimens with D1 bone quality had significantly higher values for all structural parameters than the other bone quality categories, except for trabecular thickness (Tb.Th). The percentage of bone volume, trabecular separation (Tb.Sp), and trabecular number (Tb.N) varied significantly among bone quality categories. Tb.Sp varied markedly across the bone quality categories (D1: 0.59±0.22 mm, D4: 1.20±0.48 mm), whereas Tb.Th had similar values (D1: 0.30±0.08 mm, D4: 0.22±0.05 mm)., Conclusions: Bone quality depended on Tb.Sp and number-that is, endosteal space architecture-rather than bone surface and Tb.Th. Regardless of bone quality, Tb.Th showed little variation. These factors should be taken into account when developing individualized implant surface topographies., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.

Background: Deproteinized porcine bone mineral (DPBM) was recently developed and commercially available in maxillary sinus grafting, in which demineralized bovine bone mineral (DBBM) was widely used., Objectives: The present randomized controlled clinical trial aimed to compare histological bone quality and radiographic volume stability in maxillary sinuses grafted with DPBM and DBBM., Materials and Methods: Twenty sinuses in 16 participants were enrolled and randomly allocated to control and test groups using sequentially numbered, sealed envelopes; laterally approached sinus grafting with DBBM and DPBM, respectively. All participants were blinded to the group assignment during the entire experiment. After standardized osteotomy at the lateral wall of the maxillary sinus, the sinus membrane was elevated, and the control or test biomaterial was grafted. Computed tomography (CT) images were taken immediately after surgery, and another CT and trephine biopsy was taken for radiographic and histological analyses after 6 months. The histological bone quality was measured as a primary outcome, and changes in the height and volume of the graft were evaluated in the reconstructed CT images as secondary outcomes., Results: Fifteen sites (7 and 8 sites for control and test group) in 11 participants were finally included in the per protocol (PP) analysis, and 16 sites (7 and 9 sites, respectively) in 12 participants were included in the intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis; there were four drop-outs and one minor protocol violation. In both statistical analyses, the test groups showed comparable new bone formation and residual biomaterials in histology, and both groups exhibited minimal volume/height changes in radiographies. However, smaller sizes of residual biomaterials were observed in the histological samples from the test compared to control sites, despite the use of the same sizes of both biomaterials., Conclusions: The results suggested that DPBM might produce comparable bone formation and volumetric stability with DBBM in maxillary sinus grafting, however, further clinical study with longer-term periods and larger sample sizes should be needed for confirming this suggestion., (© 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Purpose: The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate the influences of height or area ratio of residual alveolar bone to graft material on marginal bone loss around implants in the augmented maxillary sinuses with delayed implant placement., Materials and Methods: In this study, 42 patients with Astra implants in sinuses that had been augmented with alloplasts and allografts or xenografts (alveolar bone height ≤ 5 mm) were selected. Marginal bone level surrounding 1 implant per sinus was assessed by radiographic imaging at the time of final restoration delivery and 12 months after functional loading. To evaluate the marginal bone level alterations using clinical and radiographic data, Pearson's correlation analysis and Mann-Whitney test were performed., Results: Forty-six implants were included in this study. The residual bone/implant length ratio and the residual bone/implant area ratio were not associated with marginal bone loss at 1 year after functional loading (P > 0.05). And, marginal bone loss did not differ significantly between 2 types of graft materials during the observation period (P > 0.05)., Conclusion: The residual bone/implant length ratio and residual bone/implant area ratio were not associated with marginal bone loss around implants placed in augmented sinuses during 1 year of functional loading.

This study was undertaken to investigate the reduction of the hydraulic retention time (HRT) to decrease methane generation and recover hydrogen production during the long-term operation of biohydrogen production in a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) using molasses wastewater. Reduction of HRT can be a simple and economic method to immediately control unfavorable methane generated during continuous operation of a hydrogen production system. The steady-state performance of the CSTR showed a hydrogen content of 41.3 ± 3.30% and a hydrogen production rate (HPR) of 63.7 ± 10.01 mmol-H 2 L -1 d -1 under an organic loading rate (OLR) of 29.7 g CODL -1 at an HRT of 24 h. Increase in the methane level above 40% during long-term operation caused decrease in the hydrogen content and HPR to 5.9 ± 1.6% and 2.1 ± 1.1 mmoL-H 2 L -1 d -1 , respectively. When methane increased to a high level over 40%, the CSTR at the HRT of 24 h was operated at the HRT of 12 h. Reduction of the HRT from 24 to 12 h led to decrease in the methane content of 12.1 ± 4.44% and recovery of the HPR value to 48.9 ± 15.37 mmol-H 2 L -1 d -1 over a duration of 13-22 d. When methane is generated in a continuously operated reactor, reduction of the HRT can be an easy way to suppress methanogens and recover hydrogen production without any additives or extra treatments.

Purpose: To identify incidence and risk factors of recurrence after discontinuation of successful antimuscarinic therapy in patients with overactive bladder (OAB)., Materials and Methods: This was a prospective, multicenter trial. Patients who had antimuscarinic agents for more than 12 weeks and showed successful response were enrolled. Successful response was defined as answering 'benefit' for patient perception of treatment benefit and answer lesser than 3 points in patient's perception of bladder condition (PPBC). The enrolled patients discontinued the antimuscarinics, and we evaluated their recurrence with PPBC and OAB symptom score (OABSS) at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months. Primary purpose was to identify the recurrence rate and secondary purpose was to reveal risk factors., Results: Four hundred forty-one patients enrolled and 371 patients completed 6-month follow-up. The enrolled patients showed 1.6 points in PPBC, 2.9 points in OABSS and 1.4 points in IPSS (quality of life) which represented successful response after using antimuscarinics. The cumulative rates of recurrence were 25.6%, 42.3%, and 52.2% at 1, 3, 6 months, respectively. Among 177 patients who did not show recurrence at 6 months, 41 patients were followed up and 4 patients of the 41 patients (9.7%) showed recurrence at 12 months. On univariate and multivariate analyses of recurrence, OAB wet was the risk factor for recurrence after 6 months of discontinuation., Conclusions: Discontinuation of antimuscarinic therapy after successful treatment resulted in high recurrence rate with time and OAB wet was the independent risk factor for recurrence., Competing Interests: This study was supported by a research grant from Astellas Pharma Korea Inc. (Seoul, Korea). The funding source had no role in the design or conduct of the study; data collection, management, analysis, or interpretation; manuscript preparation, review, or approval; or the decision to submit the manuscript for publication. All authors have completed and submitted the ICMJE form for the disclosure of potential conflicts of interest.

Background: Blunt traumatic cardiac rupture is rare. However, such cardiac ruptures carry a high mortality rate. This study reviews our experience treating blunt traumatic cardiac rupture., Methods: This retrospective study included 21 patients who experienced blunt traumatic cardiac rupture from 1999 to 2015. Every patient underwent surgery. Several variables were compared between survivors and fatalities., Results: Sixteen of the 21 patients survived, and 5 (24%) died. No instances of intraoperative mortality occurred. The most common cause of injury was a traffic accident (81%). The right atrium was the most common location of injury (43%). Ten of the 21 patients were suspected to have cardiac tamponade. Significant differences were found in preoperative creatine kinase-myocardial band (CK-MB) levels (p=0.042) and platelet counts (p= 0.004) between the survivors and fatalities. The patients who died had higher preoperative Glasgow Coma Scale scores (p=0.007), worse Trauma and Injury Severity Scores (p=0.007), and higher Injury Severity Scores (p=0.004) than those who survived., Conclusion: We found that elevated CK-MB levels, a low platelet count, and multi-organ traumatic injury were prognostic factors predicting poor outcomes of blunt cardiac rupture. If a patient with blunt traumatic cardiac rupture has these factors, clinicians should be especially attentive and respond promptly in order to save the patient's life.

The PDZ domain-containing scaffold protein, syntenin-1, binds to the transmembrane proteoglycan, syndecan-4, but the molecular mechanism/function of this interaction are unknown. Crystal structure analysis of syntenin-1/syndecan-4 cytoplasmic domains revealed that syntenin-1 forms a symmetrical pair of dimers anchored by a syndecan-4 dimer. The syndecan-4 cytoplasmic domain is a compact intertwined dimer with a symmetrical clamp shape and two antiparallel strands forming a cavity within the dimeric twist. The PDZ2 domain of syntenin-1 forms a direct antiparallel interaction with the syndecan-4 cytoplasmic domain, inhibiting the functions of syndecan-4 such as focal adhesion formation. Moreover, C-terminal region of syntenin-1 reveals an essential role for enhancing the molecular homodimerization. Mutation of key syntenin-1 residues involved in the syndecan-4 interaction or homodimer formation abolishes the inhibitory function of syntenin-1, as does deletion of the homodimerization-related syntenin-1 C-terminal domain. Syntenin-1, but not dimer-formation-incompetent mutants, rescued the syndecan-4-mediated inhibition of migration and pulmonary metastasis by B16F10 cells. Therefore, we conclude that syntenin-1 negatively regulates syndecan-4 function via oligomerization and/or syndecan-4 interaction, impacting cytoskeletal organization and cell migration.

Background: Implants with deep thread depth have been developed for the purpose of increasing total implant surface area. However, effects of implant thread depth remain controversial. The aim of this study is to examine effects of thread depth on peri-implant tissues in terms of bone-implant contact (BIC), bone-implant volume (BIV), and hard and soft tissue dimensions using comprehensive analyses, including microcomputed tomography (micro-CT)., Methods: Five beagle dogs received experimental intramandibular implants 3 months after removal of their premolars and first molars (P 2 , P 3 , P 4 , and M 1 ). Two different types of implants were installed in each animal: deep threaded (DT) and shallow threaded (ST). Resonance frequency testing was performed on the day of implantation as well as 4 and 8 weeks after implantation. Intraoral radiography, micro-CT, and histomorphometry were used to evaluate peri-implant tissues 4 and 8 weeks after implantation., Results: There were no significant differences in resonance frequency test results between the two groups. Although radiographic analysis showed no group differences, micro-CT (P = 0.01) and histomorphometry (P = 0.003) revealed the DT group had significantly lower BIC values than the ST group at 4 weeks. However, by 8 weeks, BIC values of the two groups did not differ significantly. No significant differences in BIV or soft tissue height were observed between the two groups at either time point., Conclusion: DT implants showed no benefits over ST implants when inserted in dog mandibles.

We prepared a series of small molecules based on 7,7'-(4,4-bis(2-ethylhexyl)-4 H -silolo[3,2- b :4,5- b ']dithiophene-2,6-diyl)bis(4-(5'-hexyl-[2,2'-bithiophene]-5-yl)benzo[ c ][1,2,5]thiadiazole) with different fluorine substitution patterns ( 0F-4F ). Depending on symmetricity and numbers of fluorine atoms incorporated in the benzo[ c ][1,2,5]thiadiazole unit, they show very different optical and morphological properties in a film. 2F and 4F , which featured symmetric and even-numbered fluorine substitution patterns, display improved molecular packing structures and higher crystalline properties in a film compared with 1F and 3F and thus, 2F achieved the highest OTFT mobility, which is followed by 4F . In the bulk heterojunction solar cell fabricated with PC 71 BM, 2F achieves the highest photovoltaic performance with an 8.14% efficiency and 0F shows the lowest efficiency of 1.28%. Moreover, the planar-type perovskite solar cell (PSC) prepared with 2F as a dopant-free hole transport material shows a high power conversion efficiency of 14.5% due to its high charge transporting properties, which were significantly improved compared with the corresponding PSC device obtained from 0F (8.5%). From the studies, it is demonstrated that low variation in the local dipole moment and the narrow distribution of 2F conformers make intermolecular interactions favorable, which may effectively drive crystal formations in the solid state and thus, higher charge transport properties compared with 1F and 3F .

Lead-free piezoelectric 0.5(Ba 0.7 Ca 0.3 )TiO 3 -0.5Ba(Zr 0.2 Ti 0.8 )O 3 (BCTZ) nanoparticles (NPs) composed of earth-abundant elements were adopted for use in a flexible composite-based piezoelectric energy harvester (PEH) that can convert mechanical deformation into electrical energy. The solid-state synthesized BCTZ NPs and silver nanowires (Ag NWs) chosen to reduce the toxicity of the filler materials were blended with a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) matrix to produce a piezoelectric nanocomposite (p-NC). The naturally flexible polymer-based p-NC layers were sandwiched between two conductive polyethylene terephthalate plastic substrates to achieve a flexible energy harvester. The BCTZ NP-based PEH effectively generated an output voltage peak of ∼15 V and a current signal of ∼0.8 μA without time-dependent degradation. This output was adequate to operate a liquid crystal display (LCD) and to turn on six blue light emitting diodes (LEDs).

The purposes of this study were to compare the perceived and actual 10-year risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and to evaluate the influence of cardiovascular risk factors on perceived CVD risk in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Korea. Additionally, the attainment of CVD prevention guideline goals by 3 levels of CVD risk (low, moderate, and high) was presented.For this cross-sectional study, data were collected from 208 patients with RA. Actual CVD risk was estimated with the Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE), and goal attainment was assessed based on the European League Against Rheumatism guidelines. Actual CVD risk and perceived risk were compared with cross-tabulation. Chi-square tests were used to evaluate differences in cardiovascular risk factors by perceived risk. Levels of goal attainment were presented in percentages.Among patients with RA, 13.9% were identified as being at high risk for CVD, whereas 39.9% were at moderate risk, and 46.2% were at low risk. The majority of those at high risk (96.6%) underestimated their risk for CVD. The use of antihypertensive or lipid-lowering medications and having a parental history of CVD significantly increased the likelihood that subjects with RA would perceive themselves as being at high risk for CVD. Diabetes, smoking, physical inactivity, and obesity did not affect perceived risk. A substantial proportion of the subjects with RA did not meet the prevention guideline goals.Patients with RA who are at increased risk of developing CVD must be managed as soon as possible to attain the guideline goals and, accordingly, lower their risk of future CVD., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

We investigated the optical and thermal actuation behavior of densely cross-linked photoresponsive polymer (PRP) and polymer nanocomposites containing gold nanoparticles (PRP/Au) using all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The modeled molecular structures contain a large number of photoreactive mesogens with linear orientation. Flexible side chains are interconnected through covalent bonds under periodic boundary conditions. A switchable dihedral potential was applied on a diazene moiety to describe the photochemical trans-to-cis isomerization. To quantify the photoinduced molecular reorientation and its effect on the macroscopic actuation of the neat PRP and PRP/Au materials, we characterized the photostrain and other material properties including elastic stiffness and thermal stability according to the photoisomerization ratio of the reactive groups. We particularly examined the effect of nanoparticle size on the photothermal actuation by varying the diameter of the nanofiller (10-20 Å) under the same volume fraction of 1.62%. The results indicated that the insertion of the gold nanoparticles enlarges the photostrain of the material while enhancing its mechanical stiffness and thermal stability. When the diameter of the nanoparticle reaches a size similar to or smaller than the length of the mesogen, the interfacial energy between the nanofiller and the surrounding polymer matrix does not significantly affect the alignment of the mesogens, but rather the adsorption energy at the interface generates a stable interphase layer. Hence, these improvements were more effective as the size of the gold nanoparticle decreased. The present findings suggest a wider analysis of the nanofiller-reinforced PRP composites and could be a guide for the mechanical design of the PRP actuator system.

Objectives: The aim of this animal study was to examine the effects of thread size in the implant neck area on peri-implant tissues in terms of BIC and hard- and soft-tissue dimensions., Materials and Methods: Six Beagle dogs received experimental implants in the mandible 3 month after the removal of premolars and first molars (P2, P3, P4, and M1). Two different types of implants were installed in each animal: Anyone microthread(®) as Group 1 and Anyone(®) as Group 2. Resonance frequency test, intraoral radiography, micro-CT, and histomorphometry were used to evaluate peri-implant tissue after implantation periods of 4 and 8 weeks., Results: No remarkable complication was observed during the healing period in either group. Resonance frequency testing revealed no significant difference between groups. In radiographic evaluation, Group 2 showed more bone loss than Group 1. However, this difference was not statistically significant. In the micro-CT analysis, BIC and BIV values and soft-tissue height were not significant in both groups. Histological analysis revealed no significant difference in BIC ratio, bone density, or bone loss between groups. However, soft-tissue height was significantly greater in Group 2 than in Group 1 (P = 0.0004)., Conclusion: No difference in peri-implant hard or soft tissues was observed according to thread size in the implant neck area., (© 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Xylitol has numerous applications in food and pharmaceutical industry, and it can be biosynthesized by microorganisms. In the present study, xdh gene, encoding xylitol dehydrogenase (XDH), was cloned from the genome of Gluconobacter oxydans CGMCC 1.49 and overexpressed in Escherichia coli BL21. Sequence analysis revealed that XDH has a TGXXGXXG NAD(H)-binding motif and a YXXXK active site motif, and belongs to the short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase family. And then, the enzymatic properties and kinetic parameter of purified recombinant XDH were investigated. Subsequently, transformations of xylitol from d-xylulose and d-arabitol, respectively, were studied through mixed culture of resting cells of G. oxydans wild-type strain and recombinant strain BL21-xdh. We obtained 28.80 g/L xylitol by mixed culture from 30 g/L d-xylulose in 28 h. The production was increased by more than three times as compared with that of wild-type strain. Furthermore, 25.10 g/L xylitol was produced by the mixed culture from 30 g/L d-arabitol in 30 h with a yield of 0.837 g/g, and the max volumetric productivity of 0.990 g/L h was obtained at 22 h. These contrast to the fact that wild-type strain G. oxydans only produced 8.10 g/L xylitol in 30 h with a yield of 0.270 g/g. To our knowledge, these values are the highest among the reported yields and productivity efficiencies of xylitol from d-arabitol with engineering strains., (Copyright © 2016 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The prognosis of pancreatic cancer has not improved despite considerable and continuous effort. Dual-specificity phosphatase 28 (DUSP28) is highly expressed in human pancreatic cancers and exerts critical effects. However, knowledge of its function in pancreatic cancers is extremely limited. Here, we demonstrate the peculiar role of DUSP28 in pancreatic cancers. Analysis using the Gene Expression Omnibus public microarray database indicated higher DUSP28, MUC1, MUC4, MUC5B, MUC16 and MUC20 messenger RNA (mRNA) levels in pancreatic cancers compared with normal pancreas tissues. DUSP28 expression in human pancreatic cancer correlated positively with those of MUC1, MUC4, MUC5B, MUC16 and MUC20. In contrast, there were no significant correlations between DUSP28 and mucins in normal pancreas tissues. Decreased DUSP28 expression resulted in down-regulation of MUC5B and MUC16 at both the mRNA and protein levels; furthermore, transfection with small interfering RNA (siRNA) for MUC5B and MUC16 inhibited the migration and survival of AsPC-1 cells. In addition, transfection of siRNA for MUC5B and MUC16 resulted in a significant decrease in phosphorylation of FAK and ERK1/2 compared with transfection with scrambled-siRNA. These results collectively indicate unique links between DUSP28 and MUC5B/MUC16 and their roles in pancreatic cancer; moreover, they strongly support a rationale for targeting DUSP28 to inhibit development of malignant pancreatic cancer.

Under native conditions, proteins can undergo transient partial unfolding, which may cause proteins to misfold or aggregate. A change in sequence connectivity by circular permutation may affect the energetics of transient partial unfolding in proteins without altering the three-dimensional structures. Using Escherichia coli dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) as a model system, we investigated how circular permutation affects transient partial unfolding in proteins. We constructed three circular permutants, CP18, CP37, and CP87, with the new N-termini at residue 18, 37, and 87, respectively, and probed transient partial unfolding by native-state proteolysis. The new termini in CP18, CP37, and CP87 are within, near, and distal to the Met20 loop, which is known to be dynamic and also part of the region that undergoes transient unfolding in wild-type DHFR. The stabilities of both native and partially unfolded forms of CP18 are similar to those of wild-type DHFR, suggesting that the influence of introducing new termini in a dynamic region to the protein is minimal. CP37 has a significantly more accessible partially unfolded form than wild-type DHFR, demonstrating that introducing new termini near a dynamic region may promote transient partial unfolding. CP87 has significantly destabilized native and partially unfolded forms, confirming that modification of the folded region in a partially unfolded form destabilizes the partially unfolded form similar to the native form. Our findings provide valuable guidelines to control transient partial unfolding in designing circular permutants in proteins., (© 2016 The Protein Society.)

A vertically grown hematite nanosheet film modified with Ag nanoparticles (NPs) and Co-Pi cocatalyst exhibits a remarkably high photocurrent density of 4.68 mA cm(-2) at 1.23 V versus RHE. The Ag NPs leads to significantly improved light harvesting and better charge transfer, while the Co-Pi facilitates a highly stable oxygen evolution process. This photoelectrode design provides more efficient photoelectrochemical systems for solar-energy conversion., (© 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

The Dishevelled (Dvl) protein, which conveys signals from receptors to the downstream effectors, is a critical constituent of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Because the PDZ domain of Dvl protein functions through associations with a wide range of protein partners, Dvl protein involved in the Wnt signaling pathway has been considered to be therapeutic targets in cancers. In this study, we performed structure-based pharmacophore model of the Dvl PDZ domain to discover novel small-molecule binders and identified eight compounds with micromolar affinity. The most potent compound identified, BMD4702, efficiently bound to the Dvl PDZ domain with 11.2μM affinity and had a 0.186μM KD value according to surface plasmon resonance and fluorescence spectroscopy, respectively. Combining both structural-kinetic relationship analyses and docking studies, we fourmulated that the ligand-binding site is composed of three H-bonds and three hydrophobic features. Thus, our approach led to the identification of potent binders of the Dvl PDZ domain and the findings provide novel insights into structure-based approaches to design high-affinity binders for the Dvl PDZ domain., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Both the Wnt/β-catenin and Ras pathways are aberrantly activated in most human colorectal cancers (CRCs) and interact cooperatively in tumor promotion. Inhibition of these signaling may therefore be an ideal strategy for treating CRC. We identified KY1220, a compound that destabilizes both β-catenin and Ras, via targeting the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, and synthesized its derivative KYA1797K. KYA1797K bound directly to the regulators of G-protein signaling domain of axin, initiating β-catenin and Ras degradation through enhancement of the β-catenin destruction complex activating GSK3β. KYA1797K effectively suppressed the growth of CRCs harboring APC and KRAS mutations, as shown by various in vitro studies and by in vivo studies using xenograft and transgenic mouse models of tumors induced by APC and KRAS mutations. Destabilization of both β-catenin and Ras via targeting axin is a potential therapeutic strategy for treatment of CRC and other type cancers activated Wnt/β-catenin and Ras pathways.

In this study, human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) are examined as a cellular source for bone tissue engineering using an in vivo-forming hydrogel. The hDPSCs are easily harvested in large quantities from extracted teeth. The stemness of harvested hDPSCs indicates their relative tolerance to ex vivo manipulation in culture. The in vitro osteogenic differentiation of hDPSCs is characterized using Alizarin Red S (ARS), von Kossa (VK), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining. The solution of hDPSCs and a methoxy polyethylene glycol-polycaprolactone block copolymer (PC) is easily prepared by simple mixing at room temperature and in no more than 10 s it forms in vivo hydrogels after subcutaneous injection into rats. In vivo osteogenic differentiation of hDPSCs in the in vivo-forming hydrogel is confirmed by micro-computed tomography (CT), histological staining, and gene expression. Micro-CT analysis shows evidence of significant tissue-engineered bone formation in hDPSCs-loaded hydrogel in the presence of osteogenic factors. Differentiated osteoblasts in in vivo-forming hydrogel are identified by ARS and VK staining and are found to exhibit characteristic expression of genes like osteonectin, osteopontin, and osteocalcin. In conclusion, hDPSCs embedded in an in vivo-forming hydrogel may provide benefits as a noninvasive formulation for bone tissue engineering applications., (© 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

A series of hole-transporting materials (HTMs) based on [2,2]paracyclophane and triphenyl-amine (TPA) was synthesized. We studied the effect of the chemical structure of the HTM on the photovoltaic performance of perovskite solar cells by varying the number of TPA charge transporting components in the HTM. Tetra-TPA, in which four TPAs are incorporated into the [2,2]paracyclophane core, exhibited better hole transport properties than di-TPA and tri-TPA, which contain two and three TPAs, respectively. In particular, incorporation of the TPA group with a multi-armed structure effectively enhanced the conductivity of the HTM layer in the out-of-plane direction in the solar cell device. Due to the improved charge transport and appropriate molecular energy levels of tetra-TPA, the perovskite solar cell based on the tetra-TPA HTM achieved higher J sc and FF values than the devices based on di-TPA and tri-TPA HTMs, with a high solar cell efficiency (17.9%).

Alterations in the gut microbiota play a crucial role in host physiology and metabolism; however, the molecular pathways underlying these changes in diet-induced obesity are unclear. Mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway is associated with metabolic disorders such as obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Therefore, we examined whether changes in the regulation of mTOR signaling induced by diet (a high-fat diet [HFD] or normal-chow diet) and/or therapeutics (resveratrol [a specific inhibitor of mTOR complex 1] or rapamycin [an inhibitor of both mTOR complex 1 and 2]) altered the composition of the gut microbiota in mice. Oral administration of resveratrol prevented glucose intolerance and fat accumulation in HFD-fed mice, whereas rapamycin significantly impaired glucose tolerance and exacerbated intestinal inflammation. The abundance of Lactococcus, Clostridium XI, Oscillibacter, and Hydrogenoanaerobacterium increased under the HFD condition; however, the abundance of these species declined after resveratrol treatment. Conversely, the abundance of unclassified Marinilabiliaceae and Turicibacter decreased in response to a HFD or rapamycin. Taken together, these results demonstrated that changes in the composition of intestinal microbiota induced by changes in mTOR activity correlate with obese and diabetic phenotypes.

Background: Human periodontal ligament stem cells (hPDLSCs) are readily accessible and represent a promising source of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) for therapies. For expected clinical applications of stem cell therapies, prolonged maintenance of stemness of hPDLSCs after storage is crucial. Likewise, optimization of cell quality and standardization of manufacturing protocols require evaluation of hPDLSC characteristics after storage. The aim of this study is to evaluate maintenance of stemness of hPDLSCs isolated after prolonged storage of the periodontal ligament (PDL), by studying: 1) growth and proliferation; 2) immunophenotypes; and 3) differentiation capabilities of hPDLSCs., Methods: After extraction of premolars (N = 10), hPDLSCs were isolated immediately (n = 5) or after 1 week of tooth storage in growth medium (n = 5). Both groups were evaluated for: 1) colony formation; 2) proliferation; and 3) immunophenotypes. Osteogenic, adipogenic, and chondrogenic differentiation capabilities of hPDLSCs were evaluated at different times and by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR)., Results: Storing PDLs attached to teeth did not affect stemness of hPDLSCs. Colony formation and proliferation properties of hPDLSCs from PDLs harvested immediately after extraction or after storage for 1 week were comparable, and there were no significant differences in immunophenotypic markers between the two groups. Osteogenic, adipogenic, and chondrogenic differentiation capabilities of hPDLSCs were unaltered after PDL storage. Real-time PCR analyses indicated that the expression of: 1) osteogenic (runt-related transcription factor 2, alkaline phosphatase, and osteocalcin); 2) adipogenic (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ and lipoprotein lipase); and 3) chondrogenic (aggrecan, collagen Type 2, and collagen Type 10) differentiation markers were similar for both groups., Conclusion: Within the limitations of the study, hPDLSCs stored for 1 week maintain the important characteristics of MSCs.

We encountered an unfamiliar ascomycete fruiting body, fitting characteristics of the genus Kretzschmaria, which features in a stipitate ascigerous stroma with carbonaceous interior and disintegrating perithecia. In this study, we report and characterize a new species of the decaying fungus. Compared to other species, one of the notable features of this specimen (TPML150908-046) is its stromatal size (up to 15 cm). Although TPML150908-046 is morphologically similar to K. milleri and K. sandvicensis, it differs sharply from both species in apical ring size (TPML150908-046, 6.5~10.5 µm; K. milleri, 11~16 µm) and ascospore width (TPML150908-046, 10.5~17 µm; K. sandvicensis, 8.5~11.5 µm). Phylogenetic trees based on β-tubulin, ITS, and RPB2 sequences showed that our collection clustered with K. sandvicensis, with the respective similarities for these sequences being 95.6%, 91.3%, and 97.7%, signifying it as another species. With these results, we report it as a new species, which we call Kretzschmaria quercicola sp. nov.

The single nucleotide polymorphism rs9939609 of the gene FTO, which encodes fat mass and obesity-associated protein, is strongly associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D) in multiple populations; however, the underlying mechanism of this association is unclear. The present study aimed to investigate FTO genotype-dependent metabolic changes in obesity and T2D. To elucidate metabolic dysregulation associated with disease risk genotype, genomic and metabolomic datasets were recruited from 2,577 participants of the Korean Association REsource (KARE) cohort, including 40 homozygous carriers of the FTO risk allele (AA), 570 heterozygous carriers (AT), and 1,967 participants carrying no risk allele (TT). A total of 134 serum metabolites were quantified using a targeted metabolomics approach. Through comparison of various statistical methods, seven metabolites were identified that are significantly altered in obesity and T2D based on the FTO risk allele (adjusted p < 0.05). These identified metabolites are relevant to phosphatidylcholine metabolic pathway, and previously reported to be metabolic markers of obesity and T2D. In conclusion, using metabolomics with the information from genome-wide association studies revealed significantly altered metabolites depending on the FTO genotype in complex disorders. This study may contribute to a better understanding of the biological mechanisms linking obesity and T2D.

Citrus unshiu peel has been used empirically as a traditional medicine to improve bronchial asthma and blood circulation in northeast Asian nations, including Korea, Japan, and China. In this study, we report the proangiogenic effects of the aqueous extract of Citrus unshiu peel (AECUP). In human umbilical vein endothelial cells, AECUP significantly induced cellular migration and capillary tube formation. We also demonstrated that AECUP markedly increased the phosphorylation of FAK and ERK1/2 through the integrin signaling pathway. Additionally, we identified that narirutin and hesperidin were major constituents of AECUP and both showed proangiogenic effects, but at different levels. Collectively, these results suggest that the AECUP may have potential as a therapeutic agent for improving angiogenic functions with reduced harmful side effects.

Silver nanowire (AgNW) film has been demonstrated as excellent and low cost transparent electrode in organic solar cells as an alternative to replace scarce and expensive indium tin oxide (ITO). However, the low contact area and weak adhesion with low-lying surface as well as junction resistance between nanowires have limited the applications of AgNW film to thin film solar cells. To resolve this problem, we fabricated AgNW film as transparent conductive electrode (TCE) by binding with a thin layer of sputtered ZnO (40 nm) which not only increased contact area with low-lying surface in thin film solar cell but also improved conductivity by connecting AgNWs at the junction. The TCE thus fabricated exhibited transparency and sheet resistance of 92% and 20Ω/□, respectively. Conductive atomic force microscopy (C-AFM) study revealed the enhancement of current collection vertically and laterally through AgNWs after coating with ZnO thin film. The CuInGaSe2 solar cell with TCE of our AgNW(ZnO) demonstrated the maximum power conversion efficiency of 13.5% with improved parameters in comparison to solar cell fabricated with conventional ITO as TCE.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate a reverse-tapered design on the osseointegration of narrow-diameter implants in comparison with a conventional tapered design in beagle dogs., Materials and Methods: All mandibular premolars and first molars were extracted bilaterally in four beagle dogs. Three months later, three kinds of implants were placed in both quadrants of the mandible: tapered narrow-diameter implants processed by cold working (TNC; n = 8), reverse-tapered narrow-diameter implants (RTN; n = 8), and reverse-tapered narrow-diameter implants processed by cold working (RTNC; n = 8). The animals were sacrificed at 4 weeks. Implant stability quotient (ISQ) values were measured at the time of implant placement and sacrifice. Histomorphometric analysis was performed., Results: The baseline ISQ values were significantly lower in the RTN (56.0 ± 11.6) and RTNC (57.2 ± 9.8) than in the TNC (68.0 ± 5.4; P = .021). At 4 weeks, the TNC (69.9 ± 5.1) exhibited significantly higher ISQ values compared with the RTNC (61.6 ± 4.1; P = .024). Histologic analysis in the RTN and RTNC revealed osseointegration without any signs of inflammation; however, unresolved coronal gap or dehiscence was also observed. The total bone-to-implant contact ratios (BIC) in TNC, RTN, and RTNC were 55.1% ± 11.5%, 47.8% ± 19.1%, and 60.2% ± 15.3%, respectively, and no significant differences were shown among them. The BIC for the coronal part in each group was 51.1% ± 29.4%, 28.8% ± 33.8%, and 23.9% ± 23.3%, respectively, and the differences were not significant. In the threaded part, TNC, RTN, and RTNC showed a BIC of 56.3% ± 9.6%, 50.7% ± 18.3%, and 65.3% ± 15.6%, respectively. There was no significant difference among them., Conclusion: The reverse-tapered design on narrow-diameter implants showed a lower initial stability than the conventional tapered design; however, there was equivalent osseointegration in an early healing phase.

Synthetic diamond-like carbon (DLC) is a carbon-based material used mainly in cutting tool coatings and as an abrasive material. The market for DLC has expanded into electronics, optics, and acoustics because of its distinct electrical and optical properties. In this work, n-doped DLC (N:DLC) films were deposited on p-type silicon substrates using an unbalanced magnetron sputtering (UBMS) method. We investigated the effect of the working pressure on the microstructure and electrical properties of n-doped DLC films. The structural properties of N:DLC films were investigated by Raman spectroscopy and SEM-EDX, and the electrical properties of films were investigated by observing the changes in the resistivity and current-voltage (I-V) properties. The N:DLC films prepared by UBMS in this study demonstrated good conducting and physical properties with n-doping.

This paper focuses on nano-morphology-controlled small-molecule organic solar cells without solvent treatment for high power-conversion efficiencies (PCEs). The maximum high PCE reaches up to 7.22% with a bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) thickness of 320 nm. This high efficiency was obtained by eliminating solvent additives such as 1,8-diiodooctane (DIO) to find an alternative way to control the domain sizes in the BHJ layer. Furthermore, the generalized transfer matrix method (GTMM) analysis has been applied to confirm the effects of applying a different thickness of BHJs for organic solar cells from 100 to 320 nm, respectively. Finally, the study showed an alternative way to achieve high PCE organic solar cells without additive solvent treatments to control the morphology of the bulk-heterojunction.

Purpose: To evaluate the technical feasibility and clinical efficacy of placement of a newly designed Y-shaped branched covered stent for palliative treatment of malignant hilar biliary obstruction., Methods: From June 2011 to September 2014, 34 consecutive patients with malignant hilar biliary obstruction underwent percutaneous placement of a Y-shaped branched covered stent for palliative treatment. Technical and clinical success, complications, cumulative patient survival, and stent patency were evaluated., Results: Stent placement was technically successful in all patients. All patients showed adequate biliary drainage on the follow-up cholangiogram. Mean serum bilirubin level (10.9 mg/dl) decreased significantly 1 week (5.7 mg/dl) and 1 month (2.6 mg/dl) after stent placement (p < 0.01). Complications associated with the procedure included hemobilia (n = 3) and biloma (n = 1). During the mean follow-up period of 225 (range 12-820) days, nine patients (26.5%) developed stent occlusion caused by tumor overgrowth (n = 8) and sludge (n = 1). Two of them underwent coaxial placement of a second stent with good results. The median survival time was 281 days and median primary stent patency was 337 days. There were no significant differences in the patient survival and stent patency rates in relation to age, sex, or Bismuth type., Conclusion: Percutaneous placement of the Y-shaped branched covered stent seems to be technically feasible and clinically effective for palliative treatment of malignant hilar biliary obstruction.

Postpartum aortic intramural hematoma (IMH) is a rare but potentially lethal condition. We report a case of aortic IMH with massive hemothorax in a postpartum woman. The patient was a 31-year-old woman who had delivered twins by cesarean section. Two days after delivery, she complained of sudden-onset dyspnea. Chest computed tomography revealed a massive left hemothorax. Exploratory thoracotomy was performed, and we found a defect measuring approximately 6 mm in the adventitial layer of the thoracic aorta and an IMH. We repaired the defect primarily, and no more bleeding was observed. The patient was discharged on the 19th postoperative day without any complications.

A novel strain, designated AM23T, was isolated from the gut of a purple sea urchin Heliocidaris crassispina collected from the coastal waters of the Korean island Dokdo. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that strain AM23T belonged to the genus Arthrobacter in the family Micrococcaceae and shared highest sequence similarity with Arthrobacter agilis DSM 20550T (98.77%). Strain AM23T was catalase-positive, oxidase-negative and grew optimally at 20 °C, in the presence of 1% (w/v) NaCl and at pH 7. The isolate was a Gram-stain-positive, non-motile, strictly aerobic and coccus-shaped bacterium. The major cellular fatty acids were anteiso-C15:0 and iso-C15:0. The polar lipids of strain AM23T were phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, one unidentified glycolipid and four unidentified lipids. The components of the cell-wall peptidoglycan were lysine, glutamic acid and alanine and the predominant cell-wall sugars were galactose, mannose, rhamnose and ribose. The major respiratory quinone was identified as menaquinone MK-9(H2). The genomic DNA G+C content was 67.3 mol% and the DNA-DNA hybridization values showed the strain shared less than 29% genomic relatedness with A. agilis DSM 20550T. The results of the phylogenetic, phenotypic and genotypic analysis indicate that strain AM23T represents a novel species in the genus Arthrobacter, for which the name Arthrobacter echini sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is AM23T (=KACC 18260T=DSM 29493T).

A common feature of the inorganic thin films including Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2 fabricated by nonvacuum solution-based approaches is the doubled-layered structure, with a top dense inorganic film and a bottom carbon-containing residual layer. Although the latter has been considered to be the main efficiency limiting factor, (as a source of high series resistance), the exact influence of this layer is still not clear, and contradictory views are present. In this study, using a CISe as a model system, we report experimental evidence indicating that the carbon residual layer itself is electrically benign to the device performance. Conversely, carbon was found to play a significant role in determining the depth elemental distribution of final film, in which carbon selectively hinders the diffusion of Cu during selenization, resulting in significantly Cu-deficient top CISe layer while improving the film morphology. This carbon-affected compositional and morphological impact on the top CISe films is a determining factor for the device efficiency, which was supported by the finding that CISe solar cells processed from the precursor film containing intermediate amount of carbon demonstrated high efficiencies of up to 9.15% whereas the performances of the devices prepared from the precursor films with very high and very low carbon were notably poor.

Human periodontal ligament stem cells (hPDLSCs) are considered potential cellular carriers for gene delivery in the field of tissue regeneration. This study tested the osseoregenerative potential of hPDLSCs transduced with replication-deficient recombinant adenovirus (rAd) containing the gene encoding bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP2; hPDLSCs/rAd-BMP2) in both in vivo and in vitro osteogenic environments. After the optimal condition for rAd-mediated transduction was determined, hPDLSCs were transduced to express BMP2. In vivo bone formation was evaluated in a critical-size rat calvarial bone defect model that more closely mimics the harsher in vivo milieu for bone regeneration than subcutaneous transplantation model. As support materials for bone regeneration, block-type biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) scaffolds were combined with hPDLSCs and/or BMP2 and transplanted into critical-size bone defects in rats. Experimental groups were as follows: BCP scaffold control (group 1 [Gr1]), scaffold containing recombinant human BMP2 (rhBMP2; group 2 [Gr2]), scaffold loaded with normal hPDLSCs (group 3 [Gr3]), scaffold combined with both normal hPDLSCs and rhBMP2 (group 4 [Gr4]), and scaffold loaded with hPDLSCs transduced with rAd-BMP2 (hPDLSCs/rAd-BMP2; group 5 [Gr5]). Our data showed that new bone formation was highest in Gr2. Less mineralization was observed in Gr3, Gr4, and Gr5 in which hPDLSCs were transplanted. In vitro transwell assay demonstrated that hPDLSCs exert an inhibitory activity on BMP2-induced osteogenic differentiation. Our findings suggest that the in vivo bone regenerative potential of BMP2-overexpressing hPDLSCs could be compromised in a critical-size rat calvarial bone defect model. Thus, further investigations are required to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and to develop efficient techniques for improved tissue regeneration.

A balance between production and degradation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is critical for maintaining cellular homeostasis. Increased levels of ROS during oxidative stress are associated with disease conditions. Antioxidant enzymes, such as extracellular superoxide dismutase (EC-SOD), in the extracellular matrix (ECM) neutralize the toxicity of superoxide. Recent studies have emphasized the importance of EC-SOD in protecting the brain, lungs, and other tissues from oxidative stress. Therefore, EC-SOD would be an excellent therapeutic drug for treatment of diseases caused by oxidative stress. We cloned both the full length (residues 1-240) and truncated (residues 19-240) forms of human EC-SOD (hEC-SOD) into the donor plasmid pFastBacHTb. After transposition, the bacmid was transfected into the Sf9-baculovirus expression system and the expressed hEC-SOD purified using FLAG-tag. Western blot analysis revealed that hEC-SOD is present both as a monomer (33 kDa) and a dimer (66 kDa), as detected by the FLAG antibody. A water-soluble tetrazolium (WST-1) assay showed that both full length and truncated hEC-SOD proteins were enzymatically active. We showed that a potent superoxide dismutase inhibitor, diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC), inhibits hEC-SOD activity.

The vascular leakage in diabetic retinopathy leads to macular edema and vision loss. Although astrocyte play an important role in regulating blood-brain barrier integrity in the brain, the precise role of astrocyte in blood-retinal barrier was yet to be elucidated. This study aimed to investigate the role of angiopoietin 2 (Ang2) in astrocyte loss and vascular leakage in the early streptozotocin-induced diabetic retinopathy. We demonstrated that vascular leakage occurred with astrocyte loss in early diabetic mice retina as Ang2 increased. The astrocyte loss and vascular leakage were inhibited by intravitreal injection of Ang2-neutralizing antibody. In vitro, Ang2 aggravated high glucose-induced astrocyte apoptosis via GSK-3β activation. Ang2 directly bound to αvβ5 integrin, which was abundant in astrocyte, and the blockade of αvβ5 integrin, in vitro, effectively attenuated Ang2-induced astrocyte apoptosis. In vivo, intravitreal injection of anti-αvβ5-integrin antibody inhibited astrocyte loss in early diabetic retinopathy. Taken together, Ang2 induced astrocyte apoptosis under high glucose via αvβ5-integrin/GSK-3β/β-catenin pathway. Therefore, we suggest that Ang2/integrin signaling could be a potential therapeutic target to prevent the vascular leakage by astrocyte loss in early diabetic retinopathy.

A liquid crystal network whose chromophores are functionalized by photochromic dye exhibits light-induced mechanical behaviour. As a result, the micro-scaled thermotropic traits of the network and the macroscopic phase behaviour are both influenced as light alternates the shape of the dyes. In this paper, we present an analysis of this photomechanical behaviour based on the proposed multiscale framework, which incorporates the molecular details of microstate evolution into a continuum-based understanding. The effects of trans-to-cis photoisomerization driven by actinic light irradiation are first examined using molecular dynamics simulations, and are compared against the predictions of the classical dilution model; this reveals certain characteristics of mesogenic interaction upon isomerization, followed by changes in the polymeric structure. We then upscale the thermotropic phase-related information with the aid of a nonlinear finite element analysis; macroscopic deflection with respect to the wide ranges of temperature and actinic light intensity are thereby examined, which reveals that the classical model underestimates the true deformation. This work therefore provides measures for analysing photomechanics in general by bridging the gap between the micro- and macro-scales.

The folding mechanism of typical proteins has been studied widely, while our understanding of the origin of the high stability of thermophilic proteins is still elusive. Of particular interest is how an atypical thermophilic protein with a novel fold maintains its structure and stability under extreme conditions. Folding-unfolding transitions of MTH1880, a thermophilic protein from Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum, induced by heat, urea, and GdnHCl, were investigated using spectroscopic techniques including circular dichorism, fluorescence, NMR combined with molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Our results suggest that MTH1880 undergoes a two-state N to D transition and it is extremely stable against temperature and denaturants. The reversibility of refolding was confirmed by spectroscopic methods and size exclusion chromatography. We found that the hyper-stability of the thermophilic MTH1880 protein originates from an extensive network of both electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions coordinated by the central β-sheet. Spectroscopic measurements, in combination with computational simulations, have helped to clarify the thermodynamic and structural basis for hyper-stability of the novel thermophilic protein MTH1880.

Direct coupling of electronic excitations of optical energy via plasmon resonances opens the door to improving gain and selectivity in various optoelectronic applications. We report a new device structure and working mechanisms for plasmon resonance energy detection and electric conversion based on a thin film transistor device with a metal nanostructure incorporated in it. This plasmon field effect transistor collects the plasmonically induced hot electrons from the physically isolated metal nanostructures. These hot electrons contribute to the amplification of the drain current. The internal electric field and quantum tunneling effect at the metal-semiconductor junction enable highly efficient hot electron collection and amplification. Combined with the versatility of plasmonic nanostructures in wavelength tunability, this device architecture offers an ultrawide spectral range that can be used in various applications.

In the present case report, the authors describe radiographic and histologic observations of a bone void that formed after a sinus augmentation using a graft material that contained recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) and discuss clinical and histologic implications of their findings. Sinus augmentation was performed using a graft material comprising 1 g of hydroxyapatite/β-tricalcium phosphate, which contained 1 mg of rhBMP-2. Radiographic evaluation was conducted with panoramic radiographs and computed tomography images of the augmented maxillary sinus, which were analyzed using a three-dimensional image-reconstruction program. Histologic evaluation was also performed on a biopsy specimen obtained 6 months after the sinus augmentation. The total augmented volume increased from 1,582.2 mm(3) immediately after the sinus augmentation to 3,344.9 mm3 at 6 months after the augmentation because of the formation of a bone void. Twenty-six months after the sinus augmentation, the bone void remained but had reduced in volume, with the total augmented volume reduced to 2,551.7 mm(3). Histologically, new bone was observed to be in contact with the grafted particles, and a fatty marrow-like tissue was present in the area of the bone void. This case report shows that the bone void that had formed after sinus augmentation resolved over time and seemed to be partially replaced with new bone. Furthermore, none of the implants failed, and clinical adverse events were not observed during the follow-up period.

In this study, the effectiveness of a corticocancellous block allograft for restoring alveolar ridge defects in preparation for the placement of dental implants was assessed. Significant ridge defects in four partially edentulous patients were reconstructed using an irradiated corticocancellous allogeneic block soaked in platelet-rich plasma, which was also covered with a resorbable collagen membrane. After 5 or 6 months, the sites were reentered and a trephine bone core specimen was obtained from each augmented site for histologic, histomorphometric, and immunohistochemical assessment. In all four cases, histologic evaluation of the augmented site showed areas of new vital bone formation around the graft material (mean newly formed bone fraction, 23.7%; mean total mineralized tissue fraction, 40.1%), in which osteocytes were frequently observed within the lacunae. Immunohistochemical analysis showed the presence of biomarkers commonly related to active bone formation (alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin, and bone morphogenetic protein-2), confirming that the biochemical environment was conducive to new bone formation. The findings of this study demonstrate that the use of allogeneic block grafts for restoring alveolar ridge defects prior to the placement of dental implants may be an effective and advantageous alternative to autograft procedures.

Aim: This study compared the effects of Escherichia-coli-produced recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein 2 (ErhBMP-2) with a biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) carrier to those of deproteinized bovine bone in human maxillary sinus floor augmentation., Material and Methods: Screening for this clinical trial selected 56 sites that provided informed consent to participate, of which 46 were ultimately enrolled and 41 were finally included in the study. The sites were divided into two groups using a random-number table, and the material was applied. A trephine biopsy was performed after 24 weeks, and implants wider than the biopsy site were inserted. Computed tomography and plain panoramic images were obtained immediately and then again at 24 weeks after the surgery. Radiographic images were reconstructed to allow measurement of the linear and volumetric changes. The biopsy samples were processed for histologic and histometric analyzes., Results: All sites healed uneventfully with no complications. Radiographic analysis revealed a tendency for the volume to increase, but the difference was not statistically significant in either group. Comparison of volumetric changes between the two groups also revealed no significant difference. Moreover, none of the histometric parameters differed significantly between the groups, although different healing patterns were observed on histologic analysis., Conclusions and Clinical Implications: It can be concluded that sinus augmentation with ErhBMP-2 carrying BCP carrier did not enhance bone regeneration compared to the conventional treatment using deproteinized bovine bone at 24 weeks after the surgery., (© 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most dangerous cancers and is associated with a grave prognosis. Despite increased knowledge of the complex signaling networks responsible for progression of pancreatic cancer, many challenging therapies have fallen short of expectations. In this study, we examined the anti-migratory effect of quercetin 3-O-glucoside in epidermal growth factor-induced cell migration by inhibiting EGF receptor (EGFR) signaling in several human pancreatic cancer cell lines. Treatment with quercetin, quercetin 3-O-glucoside, and quercetin 7-O-glucoside differentially suppressed epidermal growth factor-induced migration activity of human pancreatic cancer cells. In particular, quercetin 3-O-glucoside strongly inhibited the infiltration activity of pancreatic cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, quercetin 3-O-glucoside exerted the anti-migratory effect even at a relatively low dose compared with other forms of quercetin. The anti-tumor effects of quercetin 3-O-glucoside were mediated by selectively inhibiting the EGFR-mediated FAK, AKT, MEK1/2, and ERK1/2 signaling pathway. Combinatorial treatment with quercetin 3-O-glucoside plus gemcitabine showed the synergistic anti-migratory effect on epidermal growth factor-induced cell migration in human pancreatic cancer cell lines. These results suggest that quercetin 3-O-glucoside has potential for anti-metastatic therapy in human pancreatic cancer.

The role of chlorine in the superior electronic property and photovoltaic performance of CH3NH3PbI(3-x)Clx perovskite has attracted recent research attention. Here, we study the impact of chlorine in the perspective of the crystal structure of the perovskite layer, which can provide important understanding of its excellent charge mobility and extended lifetimes. In particular, we find that in the presence of chlorine (PbCl2 or CH3NH3Cl), when CH3NH3PbI3 films are deposited on a TiO2 mesoporous layer instead of a planar TiO2 substrate, a stable cubic phase rather than the commonly observed tetragonal phase is formed in CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite at room temperature. The relative peak intensity of two major facets of cubic CH3NH3PbI3 crystals, (100)C and (200)C facets, can also be easily tuned, depending on the film thickness. Furthermore, compared with pristine CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite films, in the presence of chlorine, CH3NH3PbI3 crystals grown on planar substrates exhibit strong preferred orientations on (110)T and (220)T facets.

Background: Several flow-arrest techniques have been introduced for the treatment of complex aneurysms that cannot be treated with conventional clipping or endovascular coil embolization. Adenosine-induced transient asystole is an alternative method of flow arrest. However, given the limited number of studies that have reported on this topic, there is no consensus regarding the dose, regimen, efficacy, and potential risks of adenosine., Method: A total of 22 aneurysms in 22 different patients that underwent adenosine-induced transient asystole during aneurismal neck clipping within the past 4 years were retrospectively reviewed. Adenosine was administrated intravenously in a test-incremental manner (starting with 6-12 mg and then giving additional doses as needed) in 11 patients and in an estimated manner (pre-calculated as 0.3-0.4 mg/kg) in 11 patients., Results: Overall, the study consisted of 18 unruptured saccular aneurysms, three ruptured saccular aneurysms, and a ruptured pseudoaneurysm. Adenosine-induced transient asystole was used in cases of temporary clipping inability, wide necked aneurysm, deep-seated aneurysm, or a thin aneurysm wall. The number of administrations, dose (mg/kg in ideal body weight) and duration of asystole were 1-4 (mean, 2.3) times, 0.08-1.27 (mean, 0.36) mg/kg and 0-30 (mean 13) seconds in the test-incremental manner and 1-2 (mean, 1.09) times, 0.24-0.42 (mean, 0.34) mg/kg and 13-41 (mean, 24) seconds in the estimated manner, respectively. There was a linear relationship between the dose and the duration of asystole. Twenty out of 22 aneurysms were clipped successfully with adenosine-induced transient asystole. However, in the other two cases, additional suction decompression was required for the final clipping. Adenosine-related cardiologic complications occurred in two cases of self-limited atrial fibrillation during restoration of the cardiac rhythm., Conclusions: In our experience, adenosine-induced transient asystole was safe and helpful for satisfactory clipping of a complicated aneurysm. An estimated dose injection of adenosine was more convenient than the test-incremental method and did not result in serious cardiologic problems.

The CH3 NH3 PbI3- x Clx organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite material demonstrates remarkable resistive switching behavior, which can be applicable in resistive random access memory devices. The simply designed Au/CH3 NH3 PbI3- x Clx /FTO structure is fabricated by a low-temperature, solution-processable method, which exhibits remarkable bipolar resistive switching and nonvolatile properties., (© 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Background: It is hypothesized that patient position, supine or recline, and bladder filling status, empty or full, could change the Q-tip test result. This study evaluated the effect of the patient position and bladder filling status on the Q-tip angle for urethral hypermobility (UH)., Methods: There was a measurement of the Q-tip angle in the supine position and at a 45° angle in a reclining position during bladder emptying; and then the measurements were repeated while filling the bladder. We defined urethral hypermobility as the urethral angle straining or coughing minus that at rest ≥ 30°., Results: All 63 female patients (mean age: 61.6 years, range: 36-81) who complained of urinary incontinence were assessed using the Q-tip angle test. The pelvic organ prolapse quantification stages of all patients were ≤ stage 1. The mean Q-tip angle with an empty bladder was 14.1 ± 9.1° in the supine position and 16.4 ± 11.1° in the reclining position (p = 0.001). Then mean Q-tip angle during the filling bladder state was 15.4 ± 9.7° in the supine position and 15.9 ± 11.0° in the reclining position (p = 0.771). The UH rate during the bladder emptying state was 11.1 % (7/63) in the supine position and 19.1 % (12/63) in the reclining position. The UH rate during the bladder filling state was 15.0 % (9/60) in the supine position and 15.3 % (9/59) in the 45° reclining position. The odds ratio (OR) was 7.03 in the reclining position for a positive Q-tip angle. The positive rate was higher in the 45° reclining position during bladder emptying than that in the other position during bladder filling., Conclusion: The outcome of the Q-tip angle and the rate of UH changed in relation to patient position. The reclining position during bladder emptying increased the Q-tip angle, thereby resulting in a positive UH.

Copy number variation is a well-known genetic variation. microRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) are non-coding RNAs that mediate gene expression by regulating target mRNAs. In the present study, copy number deletions encompassing miRNA coding regions were investigated to determine the association between the deletion of miRNA and its phenotypic effects. A total of 38 human miRNAs in copy number variants were identified and miR-650, which is functional in the human osteosarcoma MG-63 cell line, was selected. Overexpression of miR-650 decreased the expression of inhibitor of growth family member 4 (ING4) in the MG-63 cells and increased interleukin (IL)6 transcription, as well as IL6 secretion in IL1B-stimulated cells. Furthermore, miR-650 downregulated the amount of nuclear factor of κ light polypeptide gene enhancer in B cells inhibitor α and increased the transcriptional activity of nuclear factor (NF)κB. Downregulation of ING4 also increased the production of IL6, similar to miR-650 overexpression. Taken together, these data indicate that miR-650 plays a significant role in the production of IL6 by regulating ING4 expression and NFκB signaling in IL1B-stimulated MG-63 osteosarcoma cells.

Haloarcula sp. CBA1115, isolated from non-purified solar salts from South Korea, is a halophilic archaeon belonging to the family Halobacteriaceae. Here, we present the complete genome sequence of the strain Haloarcula sp. CBA1115 (4,225,046bp, with a G+C content of 61.98%), which is distributed over one chromosome and five plasmids. A comparison of the genome sequence of Haloarcula sp. CBA1115 with those of members of its closely related taxa showed that the closest neighbor is Haloarcula hispanica Y27, a popular model organism for archaeal studies. The strain was found to possess a number of genes predicted to be involved in osmo-regulatory strategies and metal regulation, suggesting that it might be useful for bioremediation in extreme environments., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)