Association between the number of remaining teeth and pseudarthrosis after lumbar interbody fusion: A retrospective cohort study.

Background: Pseudarthrosis is a major complication after posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) and transforaminal interbody fusion (TLIF), and its risk factors need to be identified. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the number of remaining teeth (NRT) and pseudarthrosis.

Methods: NRT, preoperative bone density of the proximal femur (percentages of young adult mean; % YAM), and preoperative procollagen type 1 N-terminal propeptide (P1NP) (μg/L) were retrospectively investigated in 63 patients (24 male and 39 female, mean age: 71.

Signal profiles and spatial regulation of β-arrestin recruitment through Gβ and GRK3 at the μ-opioid receptor.

The μ-opioid receptor (MOR) is a G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) that mediates both analgesic effects and adverse effects of opioid drugs. Despite extensive efforts to develop a signal-biased drug, drugs with sufficiently reduced side effects have not been established, in part owing to lack of comprehensive signal transducer profiles of MOR. In this study, by profiling the activity of signal transducers including G proteins and GPCR kinases (GRKs), we revealed an unprecedented mechanism of selective GRK3 activation by Gβ, leading to β-arrestin recruitment.

A molecular mechanism to diversify Ca signaling downstream of Gs protein-coupled receptors.

A long-held tenet in inositol-lipid signaling is that cleavage of membrane phosphoinositides by phospholipase Cβ (PLCβ) isozymes to increase cytosolic Ca in living cells is exclusive to Gq- and Gi-sensitive G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Here we extend this central tenet and show that Gs-GPCRs also partake in inositol-lipid signaling and thereby increase cytosolic Ca. By combining CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing to delete Gα, the adenylyl cyclase isoforms 3 and 6, or the PLCβ1-4 isozymes, with pharmacological and genetic inhibition of Gq and G11, we pin down Gs-derived Gβγ as driver of a PLCβ2/3-mediated cytosolic Ca release module.

Differences in abductor hallucis activity during running in individuals with chronic ankle instability and copers.

Background: Assessment of neuromuscular dysfunction following a lateral ankle sprain during running typically focuses on the activities of the extrinsic foot muscles. Although the interaction between intrinsic and extrinsic foot muscles has been reported, there are no studies on the activities of intrinsic foot muscles in individuals with chronic ankle instability and ankle sprain copers.

Research Question: Do copers and individuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI) have different abductor hallucis activity?

Methods: This study included 11 controls, 11 copers, and 16 CAI participants.

Chronic shoulder injury related to vaccine administration following coronavirus disease 2019 vaccination: a case report.

Background: Shoulder injury related to vaccine administration, defined as shoulder pain and limited range of motion occurring after administration in the upper arm, has been previously reported. The symptom resolved completely after treatment with oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or an intraarticular steroid injection, however there have been few reports of long-term symptoms following coronavirus disease 2019 vaccination. This case report describes a healthy, middle-aged, healthcare worker who developed post-vaccination subacromial-subdeltoid bursitis that lasted for more than 6 months after Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus disease 2019 vaccination.

Citrullinated fibrinogen-SAAs complex causes vascular metastagenesis.

Primary tumor cells metastasize to a distant preferred organ. However, the most decisive host factors that determine the precise locations of metastases in cancer patients remain unknown. We have demonstrated that post-translational citrullination of fibrinogen creates a metastatic niche in the vulnerable spots.

Class B1 GPCR activation by an intracellular agonist.

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) generally accommodate specific ligands in the orthosteric-binding pockets. Ligand binding triggers a receptor allosteric conformational change that leads to the activation of intracellular transducers, G proteins and β-arrestins. Because these signals often induce adverse effects, the selective activation mechanism for each transducer must be elucidated.

Usefulness of intravoxel incoherent motion MRI for visualizing slow cerebrospinal fluid motion.

Background: In the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) dynamics, the pulsations of cerebral arteries and brain is considered the main driving force for the reciprocating bidirectional CSF movements. However, measuring these complex CSF movements on conventional flow-related MRI methods is difficult. We tried to visualize and quantify the CSF motion by using intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) MRI with low multi-b diffusion-weighted imaging.

Suppression of CEBPδ recovers exhaustion in anti-metastatic immune cells.

The pre-metastatic microenvironment consists of pro-metastatic and anti-metastatic immune cells in the early stages of cancer, when the primary tumor begins to proliferate. Redundantly, pro-inflammatory immune cells predominated during tumor growth. Although it is well known that pre-metastatic innate immune cells and immune cells fighting primary tumor cells become exhausted, the mechanism by which this occurs is unknown.

Immune-related aseptic meningitis diagnosed by Cube FLAIR on enhanced magnetic resonance imaging for a lung cancer patient administered atezolizumab: A case report.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) can cause immune-related adverse events (irAEs), such as neurological toxicity. A 46-year-old man was diagnosed with squamous cell lung cancer. Lung cancer recurred 3 years after he experienced left segmental lung rejection.

Endoscopic Grading of Gastric Intestinal Metaplasia Using Magnifying and Nonmagnifying Narrow-Band Imaging Endoscopy.

Several endoscopic findings obtained by magnifying image-enhanced endoscopy (IEE) are reportedly correlated with gastric intestinal metaplasia (IM); however, the differences between magnifying and nonmagnifying IEE for the diagnosis of gastric IM remain unknown. This study included 100 consecutive patients who underwent narrow-band imaging endoscopy. Four areas of the stomach were evaluated using nonmagnifying and magnifying IEE.

Validation of laser doppler flowmetry to measure dermal blood flow of the pinnae in dogs with pinnal alopecia.

Background: Laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) is a noninvasive method of measuring regional blood flow in humans. However, this method has not been widely applied to measure blood flow in dogs.

Hypothesis/objectives: We hypothesised that LDF can measure changes in blood flow in canine pinnae accurately.

Effect of Arch Height Flexibility in Individuals With Flatfoot on Abductor Hallucis Muscle Activity and Medial Longitudinal Arch Angle During Short Foot Exercises.

Flatfoot presents decreased medial longitudinal arch (MLA), and such foot deformity involves intrinsic foot muscles dysfunction. Flatfoot can be classified into flexible and stiff types according to arch height flexibility (AHF). Short foot exercise (SFE) is an intrinsic foot muscle strengthening exercise, which is reportedly effective against flatfoot.

Heterotrimeric Gq proteins act as a switch for GRK5/6 selectivity underlying β-arrestin transducer bias.

Signaling-biased ligands acting on G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) differentially activate heterotrimeric G proteins and β-arrestins. Although a wealth of structural knowledge about signaling bias at the GPCR level exists (preferential engagement of a specific transducer), little is known about the bias at the transducer level (different functions mediated by a single transducer), partly due to a poor understanding of GPCR kinase (GRK)-mediated GPCR phosphorylation. Here, we reveal a unique role of the Gq heterotrimer as a determinant for GRK-subtype selectivity that regulates subsequent β-arrestin conformation and function.

Unintentional Fusion in Preserved Facet Joints without Bone Grafting after Percutaneous Endoscopic Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion.

Introduction: A percutaneous endoscopic transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (PETLIF) procedure has been previously developed. During postoperative follow-up, in some patients, bone fusion occurred between opened facet joints, despite not having bone grafting in the facet joints. Here, we investigated facet fusion's frequency and tendencies following PETLIF.

Utility of thermal image scanning in screening for febrile patients in cold climates.

Background: Infrared thermography (IRT) for fever screening systems was introduced in not only general hospitals, but also orthopedic hospitals as a countermeasure against the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Despite the widespread use of IRT, various results have shown low and high efficacies, so the utility of IRT is controversial, especially in cold climates. The aims of this study were to investigate the utility of IRT in screening for fever in a cold climate and to devise suitable fever screening in orthopedic surgery for COVID-19.

Extracellular mRNA transported to the nucleus exerts translation-independent function.

RNA in extracellular vesicles (EVs) are uptaken by cells, where they regulate fundamental cellular functions. EV-derived mRNA in recipient cells can be translated. However, it is still elusive whether "naked nonvesicular extracellular mRNA" (nex-mRNA) that are not packed in EVs can be uptaken by cells and, if so, whether they have any functions in recipient cells.

Differential effects of anti-RANKL monoclonal antibody and zoledronic acid on necrotic bone in a murine model of Staphylococcus aureus-induced osteomyelitis.

Osteomyelitis is characterized by progressive inflammatory bone destruction accompanied by severe pain and disability. However, with the exception of antibiotic therapies, there is no established therapy to protect the bone from infectious osteolysis. The anti-receptor activator of nuclear factor-kB ligand (RANKL) monoclonal antibody (anti-RANKL Ab) is a potential drug based on its proven effectiveness in preventing joint bone erosion in rheumatoid arthritis; however, the efficacy and adverse effects of anti-RANKL Ab in osteomyelitis remain to be investigated.

Regulation of vascular permeability in cancer metastasis.

Enhancement of vascular permeability is indispensable for cancer metastasis. Weakened endothelial barrier function enhances vascular permeability. Circulating tumor cells moving in the microvasculature tend to invade into stromal tissue at the location where vascular permeability is enhanced.

Effects after starting or switching from bisphosphonate to romosozumab or denosumab in Japanese postmenopausal patients.

Purpose: We aimed to investigate the longitudinal changes in bone metabolic markers and bone mineral density (BMD) after starting or switching from bisphosphonate (BP) to romosozumab (ROMO) or denosumab (DENO) therapies over 12 months and to determine predictors that establish associations with changes in BMD among the patients received the ROMO therapy.

Methods: Postmenopausal osteoporosis patients with a high risk of fracture-154 in total-were recruited; their therapies were switched to ROMO or DENO from BP/naïve or vitamin D (ND) (ND-ROMO: 43, BP-ROMO: 38, ND-DENO: 38, and BP-DENO: 35). Longitudinal changes in bone metabolic markers and BMD were evaluated.

N-methyladenosine (mA) is an endogenous A3 adenosine receptor ligand.

About 150 post-transcriptional RNA modifications have been identified in all kingdoms of life. During RNA catabolism, most modified nucleosides are resistant to degradation and are released into the extracellular space. In this study, we explored the physiological role of these extracellular modified nucleosides and found that N-methyladenosine (mA), widely recognized as an epigenetic mark in RNA, acts as a ligand for the human adenosine A3 receptor, for which it has greater affinity than unmodified adenosine.

Heterotrimeric G Protein Subunit Gαq Is a Master Switch for Gβγ-Mediated Calcium Mobilization by Gi-Coupled GPCRs.

Mechanisms that control mobilization of cytosolic calcium [Ca] are key for regulation of numerous eukaryotic cell functions. One such paradigmatic mechanism involves activation of phospholipase Cβ (PLCβ) enzymes by G protein βγ subunits from activated Gα-Gβγ heterotrimers. Here, we report identification of a master switch to enable this control for PLCβ enzymes in living cells.

Impairment of nuclear F-actin formation and its relevance to cellular phenotypes in Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome.

Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) is a premature aging disorder caused by a mutation of lamin A, which contributes to nuclear architecture and the spatial organization of chromatin in the nucleus. The expression of a lamin A mutant, named progerin, leads to functional and structural disruption of nuclear organization. Since progerin lacks a part of the actin-binding site of lamin A, we hypothesized that nuclear actin dynamics and function are altered in HGPS cells.