Impact of Vitamin D Receptor Genotypes on Taiwan Hallux Valgus.

Background/aim: Hallux valgus (HV) is the most prevalent deformity affecting the forefoot; however, its genetic etiology remains unclear. In the literature, vitamin D receptor (VDR) genotypes have been reported to be associated with the risk of skeletal malformations accompanied by inflammation. This study aimed to examine the hypothesis that VDR genotypes are associated with the risk of HV.

Comparison of the Radiographic and Clinical Outcomes between the Sinus Tarsi and Extended Lateral Approaches for Intra-Articular Calcaneal Fractures: A Retrospective Study.

The aim of this study was to compare the radiological and functional outcomes of the extended lateral and sinus tarsi approaches for managing displaced intraarticular calcaneal fractures. This retrospective study involved 44 patients with displaced intra-articular calcaneal fractures. The patients were treated with either the extended lateral or sinus tarsi approach and followed up for at least a year.

Non-homologous End-joining Genotype, mRNA Expression, and DNA Repair Capacity in Childhood Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia.

Background/aim: The capacity for non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) repair plays a pivotal role in maintaining genome stability and in carcinogenesis. However, there is little literature on the involvement of NHEJ-related genes in childhood acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). Our study aimed to elucidate the impact of polymorphisms of X-ray repair cross-complementing group 4 (XRCC4) (rs6869366, rs2075685, rs2075686, rs28360071, rs3734091, rs28360317, rs1805377), XRCC5 (rs828907, rs11685387, rs9288518), XRCC6 (rs5751129, rs2267437, rs132770, rs132774), XRCC7 rs7003908, and DNA ligase IV (LIG4) rs1805388, on the odds of childhood ALL.

Rs4073 Genotypes as Prognostic Predictors for Childhood Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia.

Background/aim: Interleukin 8 (IL-8) is highly expressed in refractory acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) cells. This study aimed to investigate the contribution of IL-8 polymorphisms to the risk of childhood ALL.

Materials And Methods: The genotypes of IL-8 rs4073, rs2227306, rs2227543, and rs1126647 were determined in 266 childhood ALL cases and 266 controls using the PCR-RFLP method.

Significant Contribution of Interleukin-18 Genotypes to Childhood Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia Risk in Taiwanese.

Background/aim: Evidence has shown that interleukin-18 (IL-18) has both antitumor and pro-tumor effects in various types of leukemia. The current study aimed at investigating the contribution of IL-18 polymorphisms to the risk of childhood acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) in Taiwan.

Materials And Methods: IL-18 promoter -656 (rs1946519), -607 (rs1946518), and -137 (rs187238) genotypes of 266 childhood ALL cases and 266 controls were determined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism methodology.

Synergistic multi-joint kinematic strategies to reduce tripping risks during obstacle-crossing in older long-term Tai-Chi Chuan practitioners.

Introduction: Losing balance or tripping over obstacles is considered one of the most common causes of falls in the elderly. Tai-Chi Chuan (TCC) has been shown to improve muscle strength, inter-joint coordination and balance control in the elderly. This study aimed to determine whether older long-term TCC practitioners would show multi-joint kinematic strategies that would reduce the risk of tripping during obstacle-crossing compared to peers without TCC experience.

Resection with limb salvage in an Asian male adolescent with Ewing's sarcoma: A case report.

Background: Ewing's sarcoma is a highly malignant primary bone tumor that commonly affects children. For young patients, multidisciplinary treatment and limb salvage are recommended, and surgical plans considering the growth potential and bone activity after tumor resection are essential.

Case Summary: An 11-year-old Asian boy had a 1-mo history of a right-sided limping gait.

Effects of lateral instability on ankle coupled motions in vivo using 3D fluoroscopy.

Lateral ankle instability (LAI) compromises the normal kinematics of the ankle, affecting activities of daily living. In vitro kinematics of ankles with LAI during single-plane motions are available, but the active control stability of these motions remains unclear. The current study measured the 3D ankle kinematics during unresisted single-plane motion tests using a bi-plane fluoroscope with a CT model-based 2D/3D registration method in 12 patients with LAI and 14 healthy peers.

Effects of long-term Tai-Chi Chuan practice on whole-body balance control during obstacle-crossing in the elderly.

Older people are subject to an increased risk of falling compared to the young, especially during obstacle negotiation. This study aimed to quantify the effects of long-term Tai-Chi Chuan (TCC) practice on the balance control during obstacle-crossing in older people in terms of the inclination angles (IA) of the body's centre of mass (COM) relative to the centre of pressure (COP), and the rate of change of IA (RCIA). Fifteen healthy older adults who had practised TCC for at least 13 years and 15 healthy controls without any experience in TCC performed obstacle-crossing in a gait laboratory.

Best-Compromise Control Strategy Between Mechanical Energy Expenditure and Foot Clearance for Obstacle-Crossing in Older Adults: Effects of Tai-Chi Chuan Practice.

Obstacle-crossing increases the risk of falls in older people. This study aimed to identify the effects of long-term Tai-Chi Chuan (TCC) practice on the control strategies for obstacle-crossing in older people. A multi-objective optimal control technique with measured gait data was used to identify the control strategies adopted by 15 long-term TCC practitioners and 15 healthy controls when crossing obstacles of different heights, in terms of the best-compromise weighting sets for the conflicting objectives of minimizing energy expenditure and maximizing the toe-obstacle and heel-obstacle clearances.

Makoplasty medial unicondylar knee replacement: Correction or postoperative angle matters?

Introduction: Various considerations prevail around optimal postoperative varus deformity, correction angle and physiological constitutional varus deformity. The goal of our present study was to understand correlation between these parameters and their influence over Western Ontario McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index scale (WOMAC).

Materials And Methods: Consecutive robotic-arm-assisted medial onlay fixed bearing unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) in 143 knees studied.

Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) osteomyelitis among children: Experience in a single tertiary center in central Taiwan.

Background: The insidious nature of BCG-osteomyelitis makes it challenging for clinicians to detect it early on.

Methods: This 12-year retrospective analysis was conducted at a single tertiary hospital in central Taiwan. Electronic medical records of pediatric patients treated for BCG-osteomyelitis were reviewed.

Tendon release reduced joint stiffness with unaltered leg stiffness during gait in spastic diplegic cerebral palsy.

Biomechanical deviations at individual joints are often identified by gait analysis of patients with cerebral palsy (CP). Analysis of the control of joint and leg stiffness of the locomotor system during gait in children with spastic diplegic CP has been used to reveal their control strategy, but the differences between before and after surgery remain unknown. The current study aimed to bridge the gap by comparing the leg stiffness-both skeletal and muscular components-and associated joint stiffness during gait in 12 healthy controls and 12 children with spastic diplegic CP before and after tendon release surgery (TRS).

Contribution of Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 rs3918242 Genotypes to Childhood Leukemia Risk.

Background/aim: A single study has shown positive association and genotype-phenotype correlation between metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) promoter genotypes and adult acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). However, there is no report about childhood ALL. Thus, this study aimed at examining the role of MMP-9 rs3918242 genotypes in childhood ALL risk.

Clinical characteristics and outcomes of culture-negative versus culture-positive osteomyelitis in children treated at a tertiary hospital in central Taiwan.

Background: The causative pathogen of pediatric osteomyelitis is often unidentified despite culturing attempts. This study evaluated and compared the clinical characteristics, therapeutic approach, and outcomes of osteomyelitis caused by unknown pathogens and identified microorganisms.

Method: This 17-year retrospective study was conducted at a tertiary hospital in central Taiwan.

MiR-196a-2 Genotypes Determine the Susceptibility and Early Onset of Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

Background/aim: The roles of microRNAs (miRNAs) in tumorigenesis have attracted a lot of attention. The current study aimed at examining the association of the miR-196a-2 rs11614913 genotypes with susceptibility to childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in Taiwan.

Materials And Methods: This case-control investigation recruited 266 patients with childhood ALL and 266 healthy controls, and the miR-196a-2 rs11614913 genotypes of each participant were examined via the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism methodology.

Interaction of Interleukin-16 Genotypes With Betel Quid Chewing Behavior on Oral Cancer in Taiwan.

Background/aim: Interleukin-16 (IL-16) is reported to play an important role in inflammation, carcinogenesis and tumoricidal processes, however, the contribution of IL-16 genotype to oral carcinogenesis is still largely unrevealed. Thus, the study aimed to investigate the contribution of IL-16 genotypes to Taiwan oral cancer risk.

Materials And Methods: The genotypes of IL-16 rs4778889, rs11556218, and rs4072111 were revealed among 958 oral cancer cases and 958 control subjects by polymerase chain reaction-based restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP).

Significant Association Between the MiR146a Genotypes and Susceptibility to Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in Taiwan.

Background/aim: Mounting evidence has shown that miRNAs play a critical role in the regulation of hematopoiesis of cell proliferation and apoptosis as well as in tumorigenesis. The miR146a rs2910164 polymorphism, which is closely responsive for its expression, has been reported to associate with the risk of several solid cancers. The study aimed at examining the association of the it with susceptibility to childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in Taiwan.

Bilateral symmetry in leg and joint stiffness in children with spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy during gait.

Deviations are often identified at individual joints in the gait analysis of patients with cerebral palsy. Previous gait studies on hemiplegic cerebral palsy (HCP) have focused mainly on deviations of the affected side. The current study aimed to quantify and compare the joint and leg stiffness, the contributions of skeletal and muscular components, and the associated joint angles and moments of the affected and nonaffected lower limbs during level walking in children with spastic HCP.

rs1052133 Genotypes and Risk of Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in a Taiwanese Population.

Background/aim: Cells suffer from oxidative DNA damage which leads to the accumulation of 8-oxoguanine (8-oxoG) adducts in our genome that can become carcinogenic. The human 8-oxoG DNA glycosylase 1 (hOGG1) plays a central role in repairing these 8-oxoGs via the base excision repair pathway. Mounting evidence has suggested that hOGG1 polymorphisms may affect the activity of hOGG1 and serve as genomic markers for the prediction of personal susceptibility to several cancers.

Association of Promoter Polymorphisms With the Risk of Childhood Leukemia.

Background/aim: The association of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) genotypes with adult leukemia has been reported only once, but never for childhood leukemia. This study aimed to determine the role of MMP-2 promoter -1306 (rs243865) and -735 (rs2285053) genotypes in childhood leukemia risk.

Materials And Methods: This case-control study included 266 patients and 266 age- and gender-matched healthy controls.

A model-based tracking method for measuring 3D dynamic joint motion using an alternating biplane x-ray imaging system.

Purposes: To propose a new model-based tracking method for measuring three-dimensional (3D) dynamic joint kinematics using a clinical alternating biplane x-ray imaging system; and to quantify in vitro its errors in measuring ankle and knee motions at different motion speeds.

Methods: A new model-based tracking method based on motion component partition and interpolation (MCPI) was developed for measuring 3D dynamic joint kinematics based on a clinical alternating biplane x-ray imaging system. Two detectors of the biplane imaging system placed perpendicular to each other were operated to collect alternating fluoroscopic images of the targeted joint during tasks.

Kinematic strategies for obstacle-crossing in patients with isolated posterior cruciate ligament deficiency.

The posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) plays an important role in the structural stability and sensory feedback at the knee. Altered structural and proprioceptive function at the PCL-deficient knee may affect the joint motions and the end-point control during functional activities. The current study identified the effects of unilateral PCL deficiency (PCLD) on the end-point control and joint kinematics of the lower limbs during obstacle-crossing.