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Marine Takifugu pufferfish, which naturally possess tetrodotoxins (TTXs), selectively take up and accumulate TTXs, whereas freshwater Pao pufferfish, which naturally possess saxitoxins (STXs), selectively take up and accumulate STXs. To further clarify the TTXs/STXs selectivity in pufferfish, we conducted a TTX/STX administration experiment using Chelonodontops patoca, a euryhaline marine pufferfish possessing both TTXs and STXs. Forty nontoxic cultured individuals of C. patoca were divided into a seawater group (SW, acclimated/reared at 33‰ salinity; n = 20) and a brackish water group (BW, acclimated/reared at 8‰ salinity; n = 20). An aqueous TTX/STX mixture was intrarectally administered (both at 7.5 nmol/fish), and five individuals/group were analyzed after 1–48 h. Instrumental toxin analyses revealed that both TTX and STX were taken up, transferred, and retained, but more STX than TTX was retained in both groups. TTX gradually decreased and eventually became almost undetectable in the intestinal tissue, while STX was retained at ~5–10% of the dose level, and only STX showed transient transfer in the liver. The BW group showed a faster decrease/disappearance of TTX, greater STX retention in the intestine, and greater STX transient transfer to the liver. Thus, C. patoca appears to more easily accumulate STXs than TTXs, especially under hypoosmotic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A unilateral absence of the pulmonary artery (UAPA) is a rare congenital anomaly, which in most patients is associated with congenital cardiovascular abnormalities. Some patients with UAPAs do not have associated cardiovascular abnormalities, called isolated UAPA. Patients with isolated UAPA generally have a mild clinical course and may not be diagnosed until adulthood, but repeated complications such as infections may make surgery difficult. Case presentation: A 34-year-old female patient with isolated right UAPA was referred to our hospital with a complaint of fever. Chest radiography and computed tomography showed an infectious cavity in the right upper lung. Surgery was scheduled for the patient; however, her preoperative condition needed to be optimized. She was evaluated for pulmonary hypertension and the collateral arteries were mapped out, and a waiting period after treatment of infection was set to avoid perioperative intrathoracic infections. Resection of the infected bulla was performed without any complications. No recurrence of infection was observed two years post-operatively. The residual lung expanded enough to fill the dead intrathoracic space. Conclusions: This report suggests the importance of adequate preoperative evaluation and perioperative management for patients with isolated UAPA who require surgical resection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines Tennessee Williams's kabuki-inspired plays, which were written after his first trip to Japan in 1959. I focus on And Tell Sad Stories of the Deaths of Queens... (1957–70), which Williams began writing in 1957 but completed after his trip to Japan, and the 1964 version of The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore, a play that Williams rewrote several times from 1962 to 1964. In so doing, I demonstrate how Williams used and modified kabuki traditions under the guidance of his Japanese friend, the acclaimed novelist and playwright Yukio Mishima. In And Tell Sad Stories of the Deaths of Queens... the art of acting by the onnagata (male actors who play female roles in kabuki), especially those who live as "women" even off stage, underlies the male protagonist's exploration of transgender identity as well as his female gender presentation. In The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore, Williams seeks to transform the perceived grotesqueries of aging into allure by using kabuki's aesthetic principles of "grotesque beauty" and "necrophilic" nostalgia, which had also been expressed in Hollywood films featuring older movie actresses. He deliberately wrote the role of the female protagonist for Tallulah Bankhead, who starred in the 1964 production, with the intention of celebrating her aging body through kabuki aesthetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study investigated the prognostic factors of thymic epithelial tumors (TETs) to identify patients who require multidisciplinary treatment and improve the TET prognosis. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the data of 268 TET patients. Prognostic variables for the overall survival (OS) were analyzed in all TET stages (n = 268), and the recurrence-free survival (RFS) was analyzed in patients who achieved complete resection (n = 164). Results: The median follow-up period was 7 years; thymic carcinomas (TCs) and advanced stages of tumor, node, and metastasis (TNM) classification had the worse prognosis according to a Kaplan–Meier analysis. The cut-off value of the tumor size to predict the OS and RFS was determined using modified Harrell's c-index calculated by a Cox regression analysis of the OS. Regarding the OS, a multivariate analysis revealed that age > 70 years old (p = 0.011), tumor size > 5 cm (p < 0.001), and TCs (p = 0.002) were significant prognostic factors aside from the TNM stage (p < 0.001). Regarding the RFS, tumor size > 5 cm was the only significant prognostic factor in the multivariate analysis (p = 0.002) aside from the TNM stage (p = 0.008). Conclusions: Tumor size > 5 cm was shown to be a prognostic predictor in addition to the WHO and TNM classifications. Therefore, multidisciplinary treatment should be developed for TET patients with poor prognostic factors, specifically tumor size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevention and early detection of venous thromboembolism (VTE), including pulmonary embolism (PE), is essential in daily medical practice. We previously reported the risk of VTE in patients with autoimmune blistering disease (AIBD). We have also experienced multiple cases of pemphigus or pemphigoid that developed severe complications related to abnormal blood coagulation other than VTE. This study summarizes and discusses those cases. Nine patients with AIBD developed thromboembolism and/or bleeding; these included (some patients overlapped) six patients with VTE, including five patients with PE; three patients with severe bleeding; one patient with sudden critical limb ischaemia resulting in thigh amputation; and one patient with cerebral infarction. Although five patients developed PE, only one had apparent respiratory symptoms with PE, and a second developed severe bleeding during the treatment for PE. Clinicians should be aware of the systemic complications related to abnormal blood coagulation when treating patients with AIBD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our objectives were to clarify morphology of the hip as well as infinitesimal femoral head movement in specific positions in young and elderly volunteers without joint degeneration. Both hips of 20 young and 20 elderly healthy volunteers were examined. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed at four different positions for each hip: neutral, 45° flexion, 15° extension, and the Patrick position. Femoral and pelvic bone images were separately extracted when in the neutral position and superimposed over the images of each different position by using voxel‐based registration. The distance between the acetabular center and the femoral head center (FHC) at the neutral position was defined as 3D‐migration. The distance between FHCs at neutral position and that at each different position was defined as 3D‐translation. The x‐, y‐, and z‐axes pointed in the anterior, cranial, and lateral directions, respectively. 3D‐migration‐y in the elderly was more caudal than that in the young (P <.001). 3D‐translation of 45° flexion in the elderly was larger than that in the young with statistical significance (P =.001), while 3D‐translation of the Patrick position in the elderly was smaller than that in the young (P =.012). Age was significantly correlated with 3D‐translation in 45° flexion (r =.431; P <.001) and that in Patrick (r = −.296; P =.008). These results can be used as a basis for the natural course with aging of morphometry and kinematics of the hip, as well as for potential disease progression in osteoarthritis of the hip. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1972, three years after the Stonewall Riots, Tennessee Williams's "first openly gay" play Small Craft Warnings was staged at the Off-Broadway Truck and Warehouse Theatre. This ambitious effort relied on the queer presence of Candy Darling, a trans actress who played the role of Violet, and on meta-theatricality. Opposing the triumphalist and confrontationist view of gay liberation in the early 1970s, the play attempts to rescue stigmatized queer subjects and represent their love lives as a rich source of alternative human relationships. Williams seeks to broaden the scope of gay partnership by positively describing the cross-generational relationship between homosexuals, and by challenging the view that such relationship is pederasty or pedophilia. The queer world depicted in the play is not outmoded; it emerges, without getting entangled in official discourse on gay pride in the post-Stonewall era, and without irony, as a brave new world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

However, the clinical phenotypes in AD with high serum RANKL or RANKL/OPG ratio might represent the characteristics of severe AD, since those AD subgroups showed high severity. The differences of serum RANKL levels (A, C) and RANKL/OPG ratio (B, D) were analyzed between the adults' subgroups: healthy controls, AD (EASI < 16), and AD (EASI >= 16). Serum receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa- ligand/osteoprotegerin ratio correlates with severity and suggests fracture's risk in older women with atopic dermatitis. [Extracted from the article]

The severity scores for AD and serum concentrations of TARC and interleukin-22 in high-S1P-AD group were higher compared with the normal-S1P-AD subgroup (Table 1). To investigate possible distinguishing phenotypic characteristics of AD in patients with very high serum S1P levels, two subgroups of AD were defined based on serum S1P levels: a normal-S1P-AD group, in which serum S1P levels fell within the 25th-75th percentiles (513.7-675.7 nM), and a high-S1P-AD group, in which serum S1P levels fell within the 90th-100th percentiles (757.3-956.2 nM). Next, we evaluated the AD severity (EASI, BSA) and serum protein biomarkers (TARC, IL-22) in AD subgroups stratified by serum S1P levels every 10th percentile (E-H). [Extracted from the article]

Purpose: To clarify the safety and effectiveness of continuing aspirin during the perioperative period of lung resection. Methods: We analyzed, retrospectively, consecutive patients who underwent lung resection between 2008 and 2017. To investigate the safety of aspirin continuation, patients who continued taking aspirin perioperatively (Group C) were matched to other patients (Group O), using a propensity score, and bleeding outcomes were compared. To assess the effect of aspirin interruption, Group C was matched to a group of patients whose aspirin regimen was interrupted (Group I), and the postoperative complications related to thromboembolism were compared. Results: Among 3393 patients, 52 continued on aspirin (Group C) perioperatively, whereas 184 had their aspirin discontinued (Group I). Comparing the matched cohorts extracted from Group C and Group O (n = 45), there were no significant differences in bleeding outcomes. Comparing the matched cohorts extracted from Group C and Group I (n = 40), group C had fewer postoperative complications related to thromboembolism (0% vs. 7.5%, p = 0.039). Conclusion: Bleeding complications did not increase by continuing aspirin, but thromboembolic complications increased when the aspirin regimen was interrupted during the perioperative period of lung resection. Thus, in the absence of a prohibitive bleeding risk, the continuation of aspirin during the perioperative period of lung resection appears to be desirable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the importance of conversion surgery has increased with the development of systemic chemotherapy for gastric cancer (GC), reports of conversion surgery for patients with GC with distant metastasis and tumor thrombus are extremely scarce, and a definitive surgical strategy has yet to be established. Herein, we report a 67-year-old man with left abdominal pain referred to our hospital following a diagnosis of unresectable GC. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy and contrast-enhanced abdominal computed tomography (CT) revealed advanced GC with splenic metastasis. A splenic vein tumor thrombus (SVTT) and a continuous thrombus to the main trunk of the portal vein were detected. The patient was treated with anticoagulation therapy and systemic chemotherapy comprising S-1 and oxaliplatin. One year following chemotherapy initiation, a CT scan revealed progressive disease (PD); therefore, the chemotherapy regimen was switched to ramucirumab with paclitaxel. After 10 courses of chemotherapy resulting in primary tumor and SVTT shrinkage, the patient underwent laparoscopic total gastrectomy (LTG) and distal pancreaticosplenectomy (DPS). He was discharged without complications and remained alive 6 months postoperatively without recurrence. In summary, the wait-and-see approach was effective in a patient with GC with splenic metastasis and SVTT, ultimately leading to an R0 resection performed via LTG and DPS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The Clinical Practice Guidelines for Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head (ONFH) 2019 Edition, written by the working group for ONFH guidelines of the Japanese Investigation Committee (JIC) for ONFH under the auspices of the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare and endorsed by the Japanese Orthopaedic Association, were published in Japanese in October 2019. The objective of this guideline is to provide a support tool for decision-making between doctors and patients.Methods: Procedures for developing this guideline were based on the Medical Information Network Distribution Service Handbook for Clinical Practice Guideline Development 2014, which proposed an appropriate method for preparing clinical guidelines in Japan.Results: This clinical practice guideline consists of 7 chapters: epidemiology; pathology; diagnosis; conservative therapy; surgical treatment: bone transplantation/cell therapy; surgical treatment: osteotomy; and surgical treatment: hip replacement. Twelve background questions and 13 clinical questions were determined to define the basic features of the disease and to be addressed when deciding treatment in daily practice, respectively.Conclusions: The clinical practice guidelines for the ONFH 2019 edition will be useful for physicians, investigators, and medical staff in clinical practice, as well as for patients, during the decision-making process when defining how to treat ONFH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We classify R -spaces that admit a certain natural Γ-symmetric structure. These Γ-symmetric R -spaces generalize the famous compact extrinsically symmetric spaces. We further determine the maximal antipodal sets of these structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Presence of PDPN (+) CAFs was a prognostic factor in lung adenocarcinoma (LA). • PDPN (+) CAFs cases displayed a high number of CD204 (+) TAMs in cancer stroma. • PDPN (+) CAFs cases displayed a low ratio of CD8/FOXP3 T cells in cancer stroma. • PDPN-high LA had higher gene expression levels of immunosuppressive cytokines. • LA with PDPN (+) CAFs is typified by the immunosuppressive microenvironment. Abstract Objectives Podoplanin-positive cancer-associated fibroblasts [PDPN (+) CAFs] play an important role in cancer progression in non-small-cell lung cancer. The aim of this study was to clarify the correlation between a fibrous microenvironment containing PDPN (+) CAFs and an immune microenvironment. Materials and methods A total of 174 patients with pathological stage I lung adenocarcinoma were analyzed. We evaluated PDPN (+) CAFs and immune-related cells, CD 204-positive tumor-associated macrophages [CD204 (+) TAMs], CD8-positive T cells, and FOXP3-positive T cells, in cancer stroma by using immunohistochemical staining. We compared the expression levels of immune-regulatory cytokines between the PDPN high and low expression groups by analyzing the gene expression profiles of lung adenocarcinoma (n = 442). Results Presence of PDPN (+) CAFs was a risk factor for recurrence (P = 0.042). The number of CD204 (+) TAMs was significantly higher (P < 0.001) and the CD8/FOXP3 T cell ratio was significantly lower in PDPN (+) CAFs cases than in PDPN (-) CAFs cases (P = 0.027). Within the same tumor, the number of CD 204 (+) TAMs was significantly higher (P < 0.001) and CD8/FOXP3 T cell ratio tended to be lower (P = 0.062) in PDPN (+) CAF areas. Microarray analysis revealed that the PDPN expression-high group had significantly higher gene expression levels of cytokines that inducing M2 macrophage polarization and suppressing immune-related lymphocytes. Conclusion The current results show that lung adenocarcinoma with PDPN (+) CAFs is typified by the immunosuppressive microenvironment, suggesting a close link between the tumor-promoting fibrous microenvironment and the immunosuppressive microenvironment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Th2 cytokines exhibit a variety of inhibitory effects on permeability barrier function via signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (STAT6). However, the role of STAT6 signaling on the construction and/or homeostasis of permeability barrier function in the physiological state has not been fully assessed. Objective We compared permeability barrier function between Stat6-deficient and wild-type C57BL/6 mice at steady state. Methods and results Measurement of transepidermal water loss and quantitative penetration assay revealed that permeability barrier function was superior in Stat6-deficient mice. Accordingly, expressions of loricrin, acidic sphingomyelinase (aSMase) and β-glucocerebrosidase (β-GlcCer'ase) in epidermis and ceramide levels in stratum corneum were elevated in STAT6-deficient mice. On the other hands, up-regulations of loricrin, aSMase and β-GlcCer'ase were not observed in 3-dimensionally cultured human keratinocytes transfected with siRNA for STAT6. Meanwhile, number of mast cells in the dermis was decreased in Stat6-deficient mice. Conclusions These results suggest that STAT6 signaling negatively affects permeability barrier function in vivo, even in the physiological state. However, the superior permeability barrier function in Stat6-deficient mice may be a secondary effect exerted via cells other than keratinocytes, such as mast cells, since mast cells are known to influence permeability barrier function in vivo. Blockade of STAT6 signaling might be a strategy to augment the permeability barrier function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Quality-of-life (QOL) assessments in patients with osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) have rarely been reported. This multicentre study aimed to elucidate the relationship between disease severity, including necrotic lesion type and radiological staging, and QOL, as well as between patients' characteristics and QOL.Methods: Two hundred seventy-four patients with ONFH (108 females, 166 males; median age, 46 years) were asked to complete self-assessment QOL questionnaires including the Japanese Orthopaedic Association Hip Disease Evaluation Questionnaire, Oxford Hip Score, and SF-12v2.Results: Patients with large necrotic lesion type or collapsed ONFH had low QOL scores. Among patients with non-collapsed lesions, patients with alcohol-associated ONFH had lower QOL scores than those with steroid-associated ONFH, those with bilateral ONFH had lower mental scores, and male patients had worse social condition scores. Among patients with collapsed lesions, middle-aged patients exhibited lower mental QOL, and a strong correlation was observed between social activity and mental health.Conclusion: Collapsed ONFH was associated with low QOL scores. Among patients with non-collapsed lesions, alcohol-associated ONFH, bilateral disease, and male sex were linked to low QOL scores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Many studies have confirmed that the size and location of necrotic lesions are major factors that affect the prevalence of collapse and prognosis in patients with osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH). Although several classification systems categorize and quantify ONFH, there is no agreement on which one is most useful for the purpose.Questions/purposes: We compared the Steinberg, modified Kerboul, and Japanese Investigation Committee (JIC) classifications of ONFH in terms of (1) the correlation among the three different classification systems. We further examined (2) the inter- and intraobserver reliability of the three classification systems and (3) the association of higher grades within each classification and the risk of subsequent collapse.Methods: Between January 2000 and December 2014, we treated 101 hips in 74 patients for precollapse ONFH, diagnosed either on plain radiographs or MRI. Of those, one patient (1%) died, six patients (8%) were lost to followup, and two patients (3%) underwent osteotomy before 2 years, leaving 86 hips in 65 patients (88%) for analysis here. Three-dimensional spoiled gradient-echo sequence (3D-SPGR) MRI was performed for all hips, and the presence of ONFH was determined by finding the area surrounded by the outer margin of the low-signal-intensity band on 3D-SPGR MRI. Patients with ONFH were categorized using the Steinberg, modified Kerboul, and JIC classification systems, and correlations among these three classification systems were investigated. Inter- and intraobserver reliability was assessed by 10 orthopaedic surgeons using 40 sets of 3D-SPGR MR images. The reliability of each system was evaluated using the kappa coefficient. The cumulative survival rate with collapse and undergoing hip arthroplasty as the endpoints was evaluated for each of the three classification systems (mean followup, 9 years; range, 2-16 years), and the association of higher grades within each classification and the risk of subsequent collapse were also evaluated.Results: We found strong correlations between the Steinberg and modified Kerboul classifications (ρ = 0.83, p < 0.001), the Steinberg and JIC classifications (ρ = 0.77, p < 0.001), and the modified Kerboul and JIC classifications (ρ = 0.80, p < 0.001). Interobserver reliability in the JIC classification (0.72; range, 0.30-0.90) was higher than that in the Steinberg classification (0.56; range, 0.24-0.84; p < 0.001) and the modified Kerboul classification (0.57; range, 0.35-0.80; p < 0.001). The cumulative survival rate with collapse as the endpoint after a minimum of 2 years of followup in the Steinberg classification differed between Grades A (82%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 66%-97%) and B (43%; 95% CI, 21.9%-64.8%; p = 0.007), Grades A and C (20%; 95% CI, 4.3%-35.7%; p < 0.001), and Grades B and C (p = 0.029). Survival was lower for modified Kerboul Grade 4 hips (12%; 95% CI, 0%-27.1%) than for Steinberg Grade C hips (20%; 95% CI, 4.3%-35.7%) and JIC Type C2 hips (18%; 95% CI, 2.8%-34.0%). The JIC classification was best able to identify hips at low risk of collapse because no JIC Type A hips collapsed.Conclusions: The JIC classification was more reliable and effective, at least for early-stage ONFH, than the Steinberg or modified Kerboul classifications. Further investigation might be useful to identify whether each classification system emphasizes specific risk factors for collapse.Level Of Evidence: Level III, diagnostic study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four Thai native steers were used to determine the adequate levels of supplementary desalted mother liquor ( DML) for energy and nitrogen balances and ruminal fermentation. The crude protein and sodium chloride contents of DML were 25.5% and 60.3% on a dry matter (DM) basis, respectively. A 4 × 4 Latin square design experiment was conducted by adding different amounts of DML to three experimental diets (T1: 1.1%, T2: 2.2%, T3: 3.4% sodium chloride concentration with supplementary DML on a DM basis) and comparing their effects with those of a control diet (C) containing 1.0% commercial salt on a DM basis. The animals were given the experimental diets and rice straw daily at 1.2% and 0.8% of body weight, respectively, on a DM basis. No significant differences in the apparent digestibility of nutrients were observed among treatments. T3 achieved the lowest nitrogen retention ( P < 0.05), followed by C, T2 and T1. The ratios of energy retention to gross energy were higher in T1 and T3 than T2, and that in C was lowest ( P < 0.05). Supplementary NaCl concentration at 1% and 2% can be replaced with DML without an adverse effect on the digestibility of nutrients or on the nitrogen and energy retention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to clarify bone turnover marker levels in rapidly destructive coxopathy (RDC). Twenty patients with RDC (mean age, 72 ± 11 years; 3 men, 17 postmenopausal women), 111 with osteoarthritis (OA) (age, 60 ± 10 years; 15 men, 13 premenopausal women, 83 postmenopausal women), and 18 with osteonecrosis of femoral head (ON) (55 ± 14 years; 11 men, 3 premenopausal women, 4 postmenopausal women), and 100 patients with femoral neck fracture (FNF) (81 ± 10 years; 27 men, 73 postmenopausal women) were included. Serum tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase 5b (TRACP-5b), bone alkaline phosphatase (BAP), matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) levels, and bone mineral density (BMD) of proximal femur and lumbar spine were investigated. TRACP-5b levels were significantly higher in RDC than in OA and ON, whereas BAP levels were higher in RDC than in OA (P < 0.05). MMP-3 levels were higher in RDC and ON than in OA (P < 0.05). TRACP-5b were higher in RDC than OA (P < 0.05) and FNF (P < 0.05) in performing propensity score matching; there were no differences in BMD between RDC and OA. TRACP-5b showed the largest area under the curve (AUC, 0.82) according to receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis for diagnosing RDC against OA and ON. AUCs of BAP and MMP-3 were 0.78 and 0.74. The respective sensitivities and specificities were 70.0 % and 85.3 % for TRACP-5b (cutoff, 623 mU/dl), 95.0 % and 57.1 % for BAP (13.8 U/l), and 70.0 % and 76.4 % for MMP-3 (52.7 ng/ml). The lack of differences in BMD suggested that high bone turnover marker levels may reflect osteoclast cell activation in RDC hips. Serum TRACP-5b and BAP could be RDC markers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Correction to: Surgery Today https://doi.org/10.1007/s00595-022-02530-7 In the original publication the following affiliation is incorrect: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Medical Director of Division of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center Hospital East, 6-5-1, Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8577, Japan and that should read as: Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center Hospital East, 6-5-1, Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8577, Japan The original publication has been corrected. Publisher's Note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Correction to: Tumor size exceeding 5 cm as a valid prognostic factor in all stages of thymic epithelial tumors. [Extracted from the article]

Endograft placement is a minimally invasive procedure used to repair thoracic aortic aneurysms. This technique is used for treating aneurysms and aortic dissections or ruptures, but it can also be applied for the resection of malignant tumours with vascular invasion. We describe the successful use of the thoracic endovascular aortic repair technique to remove a malignant tumour infiltrating the left subclavian artery in a 50-year-old man. The resection of the left subclavian artery infiltrated by thoracic malignant tumours may require temporary cardiopulmonary bypass, direct clamping of the aorta or extracorporeal circulation techniques. However, the off-label use of thoracic endovascular aortic repair avoids the need for these high-risk surgical techniques. After the surgical removal of the mass and combined aortic resection without complications, the patient was eligible to undergo chemotherapy/radiotherapy, thus improving his prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foreign bodies, such as a fragmented catheter or metallic objects from industrial accidents, that have accidentally entered a major cardiac vessel or pulmonary artery have been successfully removed non-surgically via intravenous catheterization. We report the rare case of a cracked iron hammer fragment that had entered the femoral vein and migrated to the pulmonary artery through major blood vessels without causing hemorrhage, which eventually required surgical removal. A 19-year-old man accidentally smashed an iron hammer that broke into small pieces, one of which entered his femoral vein and eventually lodged in the pulmonary artery. After non-surgical intravenous catheterization to remove this foreign body was unsuccessful, it was removed surgically under video-assisted thoracoscopy. Foreign body residue over the long term can cause hemorrhage, pulmonary infarction, infection, and/or abscess. Transvenous recovery is the primary non-surgical means of removing a foreign body from the pulmonary artery. It is less harmful than surgical removal and causes fewer complications. Nevertheless, it is essential to be ready to execute a surgical approach for foreign body removal when other interventions have failed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adverse local tissue reactions (ALTRs) are attributed to both wear generation at the metal-on-metal (MoM) articulations and corrosion at the head/neck junctions of THA implants [[1], [3], [6], [8]]. CORR Insights®: Adverse Local Tissue Reactions are Common in Asymptomatic Individuals After Hip Resurfacing Arthroplasty: Interim Report from a Prospective Longitudinal Study Concerningly, patient-reported outcomes scores among those patients with ALTRs looked fine - no worse, certainly, than patients without ALTRs or than patients with THAs in this series. [Extracted from the article]

In this paper, we study biharmonic hypersurfaces in Einstein manifolds. Then, we determine all the biharmonic hypersurfaces in irreducible symmetric spaces of compact type which are regular orbits of commutative Hermann actions of cohomogeneity one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the effects of total mixed ration ( TMR) silage, which contained brewers grain and rice straw as a substitute for conventional concentrate on feed intake and milk production in middle-to-late lactation buffaloes, four multiparous Murrah buffaloes were assigned to a 3 × 3 Latin square design experiment. The TMR silage, which had higher neutral and acid detergent fiber contents and digestibility than concentrate ( P < 0.05) and similar crude protein ( CP) and total digestible nutrient ( TDN) contents with concentrate were used for the lactation experiment. The treatments were control ( CTL) fed concentrate at 0.6% of body weight ( BW), and T1 and T2 fed the TMR silage at 0.6 and 1.2% of BW on a dry matter ( DM) basis, respectively, with rice straw ad libitum. Daily intakes of DM, CP and TDN, and BW change were higher in T2 than in CTL and T1 ( P < 0.05). Although milk composition did not differ among the treatments, milk yield ( MY) was higher in T2 ( P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in MY/ DM intake and MY/ TDN intake among the treatments. The increase of BW and MY in middle-to-late lactation buffaloes might have been due to high TDN intake from supplementary TMR silage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beneficial effects of Wy14643, an agonist for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ( PPAR)α, on permeability barrier homeostasis-related functions of keratinocytes such as up-regulation of epidermal differentiation-related molecules and lipid synthesis, have been demonstrated. The present study demonstrated that Wy14643 reduced the expression of thymus and activation-related chemokine ( TARC) and regulated on activation normal T cell expressed ( RANTES) in both single- and 3D-cultured human keratinocytes. The combined data of the present and previous studies support the notion that Wy14643 could be a therapeutic agent that might simultaneously and directly modulate permeability barrier dysfunction and allergic inflammation in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis. As for the anti-microbial barrier function, the present study demonstrated that Wy14643 up-regulated expression of the anti-microbial peptide, human β defensin 3, in cultured human keratinocytes only in mRNA levels but not in protein ones, suggesting that Wy14643 might not directly account for the up-regulation of the anti-microbial peptide which has been reported in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Neutralization of stratum corneum (SC) pH, which is induced by a variety of stimuli, such as scratching, use of soap and inflammation, can stimulate activity of serine protease (SPase). Activation of SPase induces production of thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) through protease-activated receptor-2. Both reduced expression of natural moisturizing factors, which are required for maintenance of SC pH, and the preferential development of atopic dermatitis (AD)-like dermatitis are found in flaky-tail mice (FTM) with a loss-of-function mutation in filaggrin. Objective: We examined possible correlations between disturbance of responses to an exogenous stimulus of SC neutralization and the preferential emergence of AD-like dermatitis in FTM. Methods: FTM and wild-type mice (C57BL/6) were subjected to an SC-neutralization stimulus via application of 1,1,3,3-tetramethylguanidine (TMG). TMG was applied to young mice at a time when FTM had not yet developed significant dermatitis, and we examined their ability to maintain SC acidity and several parameters associated with AD-like dermatitis. Results: The recovery of SC pH after the application of TMG was delayed in FTM, presumably because of unchanged expression of Na+/H+ antiporter 1, which is involved in maintenance of SC acidity. Cutaneous inflammation with elevated SPase activity and serum levels of TSLP, thymus and activation-regulated chemokine and IgE were induced only in TMG-treated FTM. Conclusion: Our results suggest that defective maintenance of pH of SC is correlated with emergence and exacerbation of AD-like dermatitis in FTM. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective. The purpose of this study was to evaluate cytokine level characteristics in the hip joint fluid, including rapidly destructive coxopathy (RDC), OA, osteonecrosis (ON) of the femoral head and RA.Methods. Thirty-three hips with RDC, 57 with OA, 36 with ON and 10 with RA were included in the study. OA hips were divided into two groups: 20 hips with early OA without joint space narrowing and 37 hips with terminal OA. ON hips were divided into three groups: 13 hips with <3 mm collapse, 14 hips with >3 mm collapse and 9 hips with terminal ON. Joint fluid was collected during surgery. Cytokine levels including IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α were measured using homogeneous time-resolved fluorescence.Results. All measured cytokine levels in RDC were significantly higher than those in OA (P < 0.05). Terminal OA showed higher cytokine levels than those in early OA (P < 0.05). IL-6 and TNF-α levels in the ON group with >3 mm collapse were higher than those found in the ON group with <3 mm collapse. In comparing cytokine levels between RDC, terminal OA, RA and terminal ON, RDC showed significantly higher IL-8 levels than terminal OA and RA (P < 0.05).Conclusion. IL-8 levels in RDC were higher than in the other hip diseases. The IL-8 level may reflect the aggressiveness of joint destruction in RDC, and IL-6 and TNF-α levels may also reflect ongoing destruction in OA and ON. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article investigates the participation rate for postoperative jogging as well as the influence of jogging on implant stability and bearing wear. It examines total hip arthroplasty (THA) patients who participated in postoperative jogging, with short-term follow-up showing that it did not have any impact on implant survival. An overview of the classified sports activities after THA is presented. A discussion on the factors related to postoperative jogging is also provided.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease. Although hematological anomalies are commonly found in SLE, severe polymorphonuclear leukocyte depletion is rare. Most episodes of severe granulocytopenia in SLE patients tend to occur as part of drug toxicity-induced medullar hypoplasia, and recombinant human (rh) granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) has been shown to be effective for treating neutropenia associated with SLE. However, flares of some autoimmune diseases, including flares in six SLE patients, have been reported after G-CSF therapy. This report presents the case of a patient with SLE who experienced exacerbation of skin symptoms after G-CSF therapy. There is sufficient evidence to suggest that G-CSF can exacerbate inflammatory disease. Furthermore, the possibility that several factors other than rhG-CSF may affect the disease activity of SLE should be considered when SLE patients with neutropenia require the administration of rhG-CSF. Therefore rhG-CSF should be used with considerable caution in neutropenic patients with SLE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Our objectives were to clarify the 3D articular contact areas of the in vivo normal hip joint and acetabular dysplasia during specific positions using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), voxel-based registration, and proximity mapping. Forty-two normal and 24 dysplastic hips were examined. MRI was performed at four positions: neutral; 45° flexion; 15° extension; and the Patrick position. Femur and pelvis bone models were reconstructed at the neutral position and superimposed over the images of each different position using voxel-based registration. The inferred cartilage contact and bony impingement were investigated using proximity mapping. The femoral head translated in the anterior or posteroinferior, anterosuperior, and posteroinferior direction from neutral to 45° flexion, 15° extension, and the Patrick position, respectively. Multiple regression analyses showed age, femoral head sphericity, and acetabular sphericity to be associated with higher hip instability. The present technique using subject-specific models revealed the in vivo hip joint contact area in a population of healthy individuals and dysplastic patients without radioactive exposure. These results can be used for analyzing disease progression in the dysplastic hip and pathogenesis of acetabular labral tear. © 2013 Orthopaedic Research Society Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 31:1611-1619, 2013 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Modular acetabular reconstructive cups have been introduced in an attempt to offer initial rigid fixation by iliac lag screws and ischial pegs, to support bone grafts with a flanged metal socket, and to restore original hip center in acetabular revision. The purpose of this study was to clarify minimum ten year follow-up results of this cup system with morsellised allografts in revision cases. Methods: We retrospectively investigated 54 acetabular revisions at a mean of 11 years (range, ten to 14 years). The indications were Paprosky's type 2B (eight hip), 2C (eight hips), 3A (23 hips), 3B (nine hips), and 4 (six hips). Results: Using aseptic loosening as the endpoints, the survival rate was 89.3 % (95 % CI 81-98). Radiographically, one type 3A hip, three type 3B hips and one type 4 hip showed aseptic loosening while no type 2 hips or no cemented cups showed loosening. Conclusions: The modular reconstructive cups for acetabular revision showed bone stock restoration and stable implantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nucling is a proapoptotic protein that regulates the apoptosome and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signalling pathways. Strong stimuli, such as Gram-negative bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS), induce the simultaneous secretion of cytokines following the activation of NF-κB. Proinflammatory cytokines can induce liver damage through several mechanisms such as increases in oxidative stress and apoptotic reactions leading to tissue necrosis. Herein, we show that Nucling-knockout (KO) mice are resistant to LPS that consistently caused mortality in wild-type (WT) counterparts. Although serum levels of cytokines such as tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6 did not differ significantly between WT and Nucling-KO mice after the LPS challenge, hepatocytes of Nucling-KO mice were refractory to LPS- or TNF-α-induced cell death. These results were consistent with the decreased expression of proapoptotic proteins including apoptosis-inducing factor and cleaved form of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end-labelling positive cells in the liver of Nucling-KO mice after the administration of a lethal dose of LPS. Moreover, the upregulation of NF-κB-regulated anti-apoptotic molecules including cellular inhibitor of apoptosis (cIAP) 1 and cIAP2 was observed in the liver of Nucling-KO mice after LPS treatment. These findings indicate that the Nucling deficiency leads to resistance to apoptosis in liver. We propose that Nucling is important for the induction of apoptosis in cells damaged by cytotoxic stressors through the NF-κB signalling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose It is controversial whether the transverse acetabular ligament (TAL) is a reliable guide for determining the cup orientation during total hip arthroplasty (THA). We investigated the variations in TAL anatomy and the TAL-guided cup orientation. Methods 80 hips with osteoarthritis secondary to hip dysplasia (OA) and 80 hips with osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ON) were examined. We compared the anatomical anteversion of TAL and the TAL-guided cup orientation in relation to both disease and gender using 3D reconstruction of computed tomography (CT) images. Results Mean TAL anteversion was 11° (SD 10, range -12 to 35). The OA group (least-square mean 16°, 95% confidence interval (CI): 14-18) had larger anteversion than the ON group (least-square mean 6.2°, CI: 3.8 - 7.5). Females (least-square mean 20°, CI: 17-23) had larger anteversion than males (least-square mean 7.0°, CI: 4.6-9.3) in the OA group, while there were no differences between the sexes in the ON group. When TAL was used for anteversion guidance with the radiographic cup inclination fixed at 40°, 39% of OA hips and 9% of ON hips had more than 10° variance from the target anteversion, which was 15°. Interpretation In ON hips, TAL is a good guide for determining cup orientation during THA, although it is not a reliable guide in hips with OA secondary to dysplasia. This is because TAL orientation has large individual variation and is influenced by disease and gender. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Chiari osteotomy reportedly has a 60% to 91% survival rate at a minimum 20 years followup. The dome pelvic osteotomy (DPO) has the advantage of allowing a larger weightbearing surface, and congruity in the sagittal plane presumably would reduce the joint contact stress and perhaps increase longevity. Questions/purposes: We determined: (1) the survival after DPO at a minimum 25-year followup, (2) patient function, (3) acetabular coverage, and (4) factors influencing conversion to THA. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 50 patients (59 hips) with developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) treated with DPO. The preoperative radiographic stages were graded as prearthritis (18 hips), early osteoarthritis (25 hips), and advanced osteoarthritis (16 hips). We performed a Kaplan-Meier survival analysis with THA conversion as the end point. We determined various radiographic parameters reflecting coverage, and compared demographic information for hips without and with THA conversion using multivariate logistic regression analysis. The minimum followup was 25 years (mean, 27.5 years; range, 25-32 years). Results: Survival for all hips was 63.6% (95% CI, 51-76) at 27.5 years and that for hips with prearthritis and early osteoarthritis before the surgery was 79.1% (95% CI, 63-91). Twenty-one hips (36%) had undergone THAs at a mean 18.3 years (range, 2.5-25 years). At the last followup, pain, walking ability, and acetabular coverage improved. We identified four factors predicting THA conversion: greater age, presence of a preoperative Trendelenburg sign, higher preoperative radiographic osteoarthritis grade, and smaller postoperative acetabular head index (AHI) predicted conversion to THA. Conclusions: DPO is a reasonable treatment option for patients with DDH and prearthritis or early osteoarthritis, with high survival at greater than 25 years. Level of Evidence: Level IV, prognostic study. See the Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim We evaluated the validity of the Robin and Graham classification system of hip disease in cerebral palsy (CP) using three-dimensional computed tomography in young people with CP. Method A total of 91 hips in 91 consecutive children with bilateral spastic CP (57 males, 34 females; nine classified at Gross Motor Function Classification System level II, 42 at level III, 32 at level IV, and eight at level V; mean age 5y 2mo, SD 11mo; range 2-6y) were investigated retrospectively using anteroposterior plain radiographs and three-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT) of the hip. The migration percentage was calculated on plain radiographs and all participants were classified into four groups according to migration percentage: grade II, migration percentage ≥10% but ≤ 15%, (four hips), grade III, migration percentage >15% but ≤30%, (20 hips); grade IV, migration percentage >30% but <100%, (63 hips); and grade V, migration percentage ≥100%, (four hips). The lateral opening angle and the sagittal inclination angle of the acetabulum, the neck-shaft angle, and the femoral anteversion of the femur were measured on 3D-CT. Results The three-dimensional quantitative evaluation indicated that there were significant differences in the lateral opening angle and the neck-shaft angle between the four groups (Kruskal-Wallis test, p≤0.001). Interpretation This three-dimensional evaluation supports the validation of the Robin and Graham classification system for hip disease in 2- to 7-year-olds with CP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Percutaneous absorption enhancers affect not only the permeability of skin but also the thermodynamic properties of active ingredients in the vehicle. The present study examined the effect of J-1216, a sucrose laurate with hydrophilic-lipophilic balance = 16, on the percutaneous permeation of lidocaine (LC) from this point of view. The percutaneous permeation of LC from aqueous vehicles (pH 6.0, 7.0, 8.0, and 10.0) with or without 1.5% J-1216 was examined with excised hairless mouse skin mounted on flow-through-type diffusion cell. The permeation of LC without J-1216 increased with an increase in the vehicle pH and could be basically explained by pH-partition theory. J-1216 increased the LC permeation at pH 6.0 and 7.0 but decreased it at pH 8.0 and 10.0. The interaction between LC and J-1216 was examined using an ultrafiltration technique. J-1216 micelles interacted predominantly with unionized LC. A theoretical calculation suggested that J-1216 enhances the permeability coefficient of ionized LC, whereas it has almost no effect on that of unionized free LC. J-1216 directly affects the skin to increase the permeation of ionized LC, whereas J-1216 micelles interact with unionized LC to decrease the permeation. The effect of J-1216 is therefore a function of vehicle pH and LC concentration. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 100:4482-4490, 2011 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: The in vivo kinematics of squatting after total hip arthroplasty is unclear. The purpose of the present study was to determine the range of motion of the hip joint during squatting after total hip arthroplasty. Methods: Using fluoroscopy, we investigated 15 primary cementless total hip arthroplasties performed using a computed tomography-based navigation system. An acetabular component with concavities around the rim and a femoral component with reduced neck geometry were used. The motion of the acetabular and femoral components based on the neutral standing position was analyzed using a two-dimensional to three-dimensional registration technique. Findings: No prosthetic impingement occurred in any hips. The mean maximum hip flexion range of motion was 86.2° (range, 55.1°–117.4°) and was not always consistent with maximum squatting. The mean maximum pelvic posterior tilting angle was 25.7° (range, 5.5°–43.5°). The pelvis began to tilt posteriorly at 50°–70° of the hip flexion range of motion. At maximum squatting, the mean ratio of the pelvic posterior tilting angle to the femoral flexion angle was 23.2% (range, 3.8%–45.7%). The mean minimum angle up to the theoretical prosthetic impingement was 26.2° (range, 11.8°–39.8°). Interpretation: Although this is a preliminary study, three-dimensional assessment of dynamic squatting motion after total hip arthroplasty using the two-dimensional to three-dimensional registration technique appears to enable elucidation of the range of motion of the hip joint, the contribution of pelvic posterior tilting, and the minimum angle up to theoretical prosthetic impingement during squatting. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of osteonecrosis of the hip and knee among renal allograft recipients treated with cyclosporin- or tacrolimus-based immunosuppressive regimens and its predictors focusing on the first 8 weeks after transplantation. The subjects were 232 renal allograft recipients who had MRI for osteonecrosis of the hip and knee 3 months or longer after transplant. The following potential predictors of osteonecrosis were tested using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses: age, gender, body weight, body mass index, duration on dialysis before transplant, number of human leukocyte antigen mismatches, ABO mismatches, type of transplanted kidney, immunosuppressive regimen, cumulative steroid dose and steroid pulses, incidence of acute rejection, and delayed graft function, defined as requiring dialyses in the first week. Evidence of osteonecrosis was visible on the MRI of 11 recipients (4.7%, 95% confidence interval 2.4-8.3). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses indicated that delayed graft function was the most important predictor of osteonecrosis. In conclusion, we found a lower incidence of osteonecrosis of the hip and knee in renal allograft recipients treated with cyclosporin or tacrolimus. In the patients treated with improved immunosuppressive regimens, delayed graft function was a significant early predictor of osteonecrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nucling is identified as a novel regulator of apoptosis. In this study, we investigated the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB)-dependent mechanism of Nucling expression, as well as the degradation pathways mediated by proteasome system and caspase activation. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation assay in wild-type mouse embryonic fibroblasts (WT MEFs), we found that NF-κB p65 could bind to the κB motifs in the promoter regions of Nucling gene at four putative-binding sites. By real-time PCR and immunoblot, we confirmed that Nucling expression was up-regulated by tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) stimulation in WT MEFs, but not in NF-κB p50 knockout MEFs. On the other hand, we investigated the degradation of Nucling in connection with proteasome and caspase by using cycloheximide chase. The results showed that Nucling is a short-lived protein, and its degradation was recovered by proteasome inhibitor MG132. Moreover, under TNF-α stimulation, degradation of Nucling was recovered by pan-caspase inhibitor zVAD-fmk. Taken together, we propose a mechanism of Nucling intracellular metabolism. Nucling expression is induced by canonical NF-κB signalling pathway, whereas Nucling is undergoing proteasome degradation, as well as being cleaved by caspase system under stress conditions. This opens a new perspective for studying the NF-κB dependent regulation mechanism of cell death and survival. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: In this paper we study tangential degeneracy of the orbits of s-representations in the sphere. We show that the orbit of an s-representation is tangentially degenerate if and only if it is through a long root, or a short root of restricted root system of type . Moreover these orbits provide many new examples of tangentially degenerate submanifolds which satisfy the Ferus equality. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Osteogenesis and angiogenesis are closely associated with the reparative process in bone. In osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH), although the progression of bone resorption by osteoclasts is considered to be followed by femoral head collapse, the reparative reaction remains unknown. In order to investigate the reparative reaction in patients with ONFH, the distribution of TRAP- positive cells and expression of HIF-1α, VEGF, and FGF-2 were observed in 51 hips in 42 patients. TRAP-positive cells were detected around the teres insertion and retinaculum in the early radiologic stage, and increased around the new trabecular bone throughout the reparative interface zone in the late collapsed stage. HIF-1α expression was detected at the fibrosis area and the transitional area, which included the proximal area of the reparative interface zone adjacent to the necrotic zone. VEGF was expressed at the edematous area of the reparative interface zone, while FGF-2 was detected widely in the reparative interface zone and the normal zone. In the late radiologic stages, HIF-1α, VEGF, and FGF-2 were not detected in the necrotic zone, and they acted in angiogenesis in the reparative interface zone, while TRAP-positive cells increased around the new bone formation in response to remodeling after the collapse. © 2008 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 27: 694-700, 2009 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nucling is an Apaf1-binding proapoptotic protein involved in apoptosome-mediated apoptosis. Luciferase assays have revealed that the activation of nuclear factor-κB induced by tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β and lipopolysaccharide is downregulated by the overexpression of Nucling in HEK293 cells. Moreover, the expression of endogenous cyclooxygenase 2, tumor necrosis factor-α and galectin-3, the end-point molecules in the pathway for the activation of nuclear factor-κB, as well as nuclear factor-κB (p65) itself, is upregulated in Nucling gene-deficient mouse embryonic fibroblasts, suggesting that nuclear factor-κB is a target of Nucling. Subsequent study has revealed that Nucling physically interacts with nuclear factor-κB (p65 and p50) and that the binding domain of Nucling is its amino-terminal region (amino acids 1–466) containing ankyrin repeats. Overexpression of Nucling prevents the translocation of nuclear factor-κB into the nucleus. In addition, the cytoplasmic retention of endogenous nuclear factor-κB in resting cells is not observed in Nucling gene-deficient mouse embryonic fibroblasts. These results reveal a novel function of Nucling as a suppressor of nuclear factor-κB, mediated by its cytoplasmic retention through physical interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Distribution of the secondary reaction zone (SRZ) on the (100) plane was investigated in the aluminized Ni-based single-crystal superalloy TMS-75. Preferential formation of the SRZ was observed along the {001}〈110〉 directions, whereas the SRZ was not formed along the {001}〈100〉 directions. This result can be explained by the anisotropy of recrystallization in the single-crystalline substrate. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Synthetically useful cyanohydrin acetates, ArCH(OAc)CN (Ar=C6H5, 3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl, 4-Me–C6H4, 4-Cl–C6H4, 4-F–C6H4, 4-CF3–C6H4), were successfully synthesized in high enantiomeric purities (79–93% ee) via the lipase-catalyzed dynamic kinetic resolution (DKR) of cyanohydrins synthesized in situ from the corresponding aldehydes and acetone cyanohydrin. The combined use of silica-supported BTAH (benzyltrimethylammonium hydroxide) and porous ceramic-immobilized lipase under the optimized reaction conditions enabled the remarkable acceleration of the enantioselective DKR reactions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In reliability assessment of mechanical structures in the long period, it is important to clarify the fatigue characteristics in such a long sequence of cyclic loading. Thus, ultra-long life fatigue properties of SCM435 steel were experimentally examined in rotating bending. In addition, high cycle fatigue data of the same kind of steels were extracted from the database on fatigue strength of metallic materials published by JSMS (The Society of Materials Science, Japan). These results and original data obtained by the authors were put together, and the statistical fatigue properties of these kinds of steels were analyzed as duplex P–S–N characteristics. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced neurotoxicity is one of the experimental models most commonly used to study the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD). Although the biochemical mechanisms underlying the cell death induced by MPTP remain to be clarified, it has been found that the mitochondrial apoptotic signaling pathway plays an important role in the neurotoxicity of MPTP. Nucling is a novel type of apoptosis-associated molecule, essential for cytochrome c, apoptosis protease activating factor 1 (Apaf-1), pro-caspase-9 apoptosome induction and caspase-9 activation following pro-apoptotic stress. Here we found that Nucling-deficient mice treated with MPTP did not exhibit locomotor dysfunction in an open-field test. The substantia nigra dopaminergic neurons of Nucling-deficient mice were resistant to the damaging effects of the neurotoxin MPTP. Up-regulated expression of apoptosome was attenuated in Nucling-deficient mice treated with MPTP. These results indicate an important role for Nucling in MPTP-induced neuronal degeneration and suggest that the suppression of Nucling would be of therapeutic benefit for the treatment of neurodegeneration in PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]