Does the pregnancy-related adaptation of gait biomechanics after childbirth recover to its pre-pregnancy state?: A systematic review.

Background: Although changes in the gait biomechanics during pregnancy are known to occur, it is unclear whether they return to their original state after childbirth.

Research Question: The objective of the current systematic review is to summarize existing literature reporting the biomechanical characteristics of gait in postpartum women and to identify knowledge gaps that calls for future investigations in this population.

Methods: Relevant articles were selected using MEDLINE (PubMed), Scopus (Elsevier), Embase (Elsevier), and Web of Science (Clarivate Analytics).

Profiling the Epigenetic Landscape of the Tumor Microenvironment Using Chromatin Immunoprecipitation Sequencing.

Cancer cells within a tumor exhibit phenotypic plasticity that allows adaptation and survival in hostile tumor microenvironments. Reprogramming of epigenetic landscapes can support tumor progression within a specific microenvironment by influencing chromatin accessibility and modulating cell identity. The profiling of epigenetic landscapes within various tumor cell populations has significantly improved our understanding of tumor progression and plasticity.

Characteristics of Fecal Incontinence in Male Patients in Japan.

Objectives: Although community studies have shown no difference between the sexes in the prevalence of fecal incontinence (FI), few direct comparisons of disease characteristics between male and female patients have been reported. The aim of this study was to determine whether characteristics of FI differ between male and female patients in Japan.

Methods: Included in the study were 408 (149 men, 259 women) patients with FI who visited the Matsushima Hospital Coloproctology Center between October 2016 and September 2017.

Progressive Changes in Lumbopelvic Alignment during the Three Month-Postpartum Recovery Period.

Pregnancy-related lumbopelvic pain is a common musculoskeletal problem, and postural changes are believed to be involved in these disorders. However, the lumbopelvic alignment changes in postpartum women remain unclear. This study aimed to determine whether there are changes in lumbopelvic alignment following vaginal or cesarean delivery and when these alignment changes occur after delivery.

PHGDH heterogeneity potentiates cancer cell dissemination and metastasis.

Cancer metastasis requires the transient activation of cellular programs enabling dissemination and seeding in distant organs. Genetic, transcriptional and translational heterogeneity contributes to this dynamic process. Metabolic heterogeneity has also been observed, yet its role in cancer progression is less explored.

Metabolic Flexibility Is a Determinant of Breast Cancer Heterogeneity and Progression.

Breast cancer progression is characterized by changes in cellular metabolism that contribute to enhanced tumour growth and adaptation to microenvironmental stresses. Metabolic changes within breast tumours are still poorly understood and are not as yet exploited for therapeutic intervention, in part due to a high level of metabolic heterogeneity within tumours. The metabolic profiles of breast cancer cells are flexible, providing dynamic switches in metabolic states to accommodate nutrient and energy demands and further aggravating the challenges of targeting metabolic dependencies in cancer.

Recovery of Abdominal Muscle Thickness and Contractile Function in Women after Childbirth.

Abdominal muscles may be both morphologically and functionally affected by pregnancy. Dysfunction of the muscles can lead to persistent postpartum low back pain. The recovery process of the abdominal muscles following childbirth is not well understood.

A Novel Surgical Technique for Anal Fistula Surgery Designed to Preserve the Anal Sphincter Function and Anoderm.

Objectives: We reviewed surgical outcomes after introducing a novel surgical technique for anal fistula surgery designed to preserve anal sphincter function and the anoderm.

Methods: We studied 200 male patients who underwent a functional preservative operative technique (FPOT group) for anal fistulas and 200 patients who underwent resection of trans-sphincteric anal fistulas (fistulectomy group) between February 2014 and September 2015. We compared complications, such as those affecting anal sphincter function, recurrence, and incontinence.

Evaluation of Mucopexy-Recto Anal Lifting (MuRAL): A New Method for Treating Hemorrhoids.

Objectives: Ligation and excision remain the commonly recognized standard surgical modality for treating hemorrhoids. Further, impediments to surgical treatment owing to social factors and the need for minimally invasive procedures and other confounders have resulted in the adoption of the mucopexy-recto anal lifting (MuRAL) method which is associated with favorable outcomes. The objective of this study was to describe the procedure and report the outcomes in patients who underwent MuRAL.

In vivo talocrural and subtalar kinematics during the stance phase of walking in individuals with repetitive ankle sprains.

Ankle sprains may lead to chronic ankle instability and can progress to ankle osteoarthritis due to the abnormal kinematics after an ankle sprain. However, the characteristics of talocrural and subtalar joint kinematics in individuals with repetitive ankle sprains during locomotion is unclear. The purpose of this study was to quantify the differences of talocrural and subtalar joint kinematics between individuals with and without history of ankle sprains during the walking stance phase.

Fear Avoidance Beliefs in College Athletes with a History of Ankle Sprain.

Ankle sprains are the most prevalent injuries, and elevated fear avoidance beliefs after ankle sprain episodes could inhibit athletic performance and contribute to residual symptoms, such as functional and/or mechanical instability. However, it remains unclear how fear avoidance beliefs differ according to conditions of posttraumatic sequelae. The purpose of this study was to determine whether fear of movement/reinjury differed between individuals with and without functional ankle instability (FI, NFI) and healthy controls (CON) and to examine the relationship between fear and ankle joint laxity by sex.

Targeted ablation of the cellular inhibitor of apoptosis 1 (cIAP1) attenuates denervation-induced skeletal muscle atrophy.

Background: Skeletal muscle atrophy is a pathological condition that contributes to morbidity in a variety of conditions including denervation, cachexia, and aging. Muscle atrophy is characterized as decreased muscle fiber cross-sectional area and protein content due, in part, to the proteolytic activities of two muscle-specific E3 ubiquitin ligases: muscle RING-finger 1 (MuRF1) and muscle atrophy F-box (MAFbx or Atrogin-1). The nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) pathway has emerged as a critical signaling network in skeletal muscle atrophy and has become a prime therapeutic target for the treatment of muscle diseases.

The reliability, and discriminative ability of the identification of functional ankle instability questionnaire, Japanese version.

Objective: To assess the discriminability as well as the reliability, and internal consistency of the Identification of Functional Ankle Instability questionnaire translated into Japanese (IdFAI-J).

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: Collegiate athletic training/sports medicine clinic.

Sex differences in three-dimensional talocrural and subtalar joint kinematics during stance phase in healthy young adults.

The ankle joint, including the talocrural and subtalar joints, plays an important role in human locomotion. Sex differences in walking patterns among young and old adults have been studied; however, little information exists on sex-based variations in talocrural and subtalar joint kinematics during walking. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate sex-based differences in the talocrural and subtalar joint kinematics during walking.

Foot posture alteration and recovery following a full marathon run.

Prolonged running results in lowering of the foot arch and a low arch is associated with subsequent chronic injuries. Foot posture alteration and recovery following a marathon run remain unknown. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate foot posture alteration following a full marathon run.

Tracking of Time-Dependent Changes in Muscle Hardness After a Full Marathon.

Inami, T, Nakagawa, K, Yonezu, T, Fukano, M, Higashihara, A, Iizuka, S, Abe, T, and Narita, T. Tracking of time-dependent changes in muscle hardness after a full marathon. J Strength Cond Res 33(12): 3431-3437, 2019-We sought to identify changes in individual muscle hardness after a full marathon and to track time-dependent changes using ultrasound strain elastography (SE).

A novel entecavir analogue constructing with a spiro[2.4]heptane core structure in the aglycon moiety: Its synthesis and evaluation for anti-hepatitis B virus activity.

Synthesis of a novel 2'-deoxy-guanine carbocyclic nucleoside 4 constructed with spiro[2.4]heptane core structure in the aglycon moiety was carried out. Radical-mediated 5-exo-dig mode cyclization and following cyclopropanation proceeded efficiently to furnish the spiro alcohol 10.

Diastereoselective Synthesis of 6″-(Z)- and 6″-(E)-Fluoro Analogues of Anti-hepatitis B Virus Agent Entecavir and Its Evaluation of the Activity and Toxicity Profile of the Diastereomers.

A method for the diastereoselective synthesis of 6″-(Z)- and 6″-(E)-fluorinated analogues of the anti-HBV agent entecavir has been developed. Construction of the methylenecyclopentane skeleton of the target molecules has been accomplished by radical-mediated 5-exo-dig cyclization of the selenides 6 and 15 having the phenylsulfanylethynyl structure as a radical accepting moiety. In the radical reaction of the TBS-protected precursor 6, (Z)-anti-12 was formed as a major product.

Analysis of the talocrural and subtalar joint motions in patients with medial tibial stress syndrome.

Background: The rearfoot motion during sports activities in patients with the medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS) is unknown. This study aimed to investigate the difference in kinematics of the rearfoot in MTSS patients (eight male soccer players) and control participants (eight male soccer players) during a forward step.

Methods: Sixteen male soccer players, including eight players with MTSS, participated.