Regional Variability in Compressive Strength of the Cartilaginous Nasal Septum: Implications for Fracture Patterns.

Introduction: Septal trauma is caused by compressive forces. Defining regional variability in compressive strength (CS) may reveal areas of weakness in the septum that are more prone to fracture. The objective of this study is to determine the CS at multiple locations within the cartilaginous septum and assess if variations in strength correlate with known patterns of septal fracture.

The epidemiology of alcohol involved facial injuries.

Purpose: Alcohol use has been shown to affect injury patterns and risk of trauma. This study aims to characterize the epidemiologic characteristics of alcohol involved facial injuries presenting to US emergency departments.

Methods: This study reports a cross-sectional analysis of patients with facial injuries within the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS).

Protocol for effective surface passivation for single-molecule studies of chromatin and topoisomerase II.

For single-molecule studies requiring surface anchoring of biomolecules, poorly passivated surfaces can result in alterations of biomolecule structure and function that lead to artifacts. Here, we present a surface passivation assay for single-molecule studies of chromatin and topoisomerase II. We detail steps for preparing a nucleosome array and hydrophobic nitrocellulose-coated flow cell.

Tunable elliptical cylinders for rotational mechanical studies of single DNA molecules.

The angular optical trap (AOT) is a powerful technique for measuring the DNA topology and rotational mechanics of fundamental biological processes. Realizing the full potential of the AOT requires rapid torsional control of these processes. However, existing AOT quartz cylinders are limited in their ability to meet the high rotation rate requirement while minimizing laser-induced photodamage.

Orbital Trauma Epidemiologic Characteristics by Life Stage.

Study Design: Retrospective database review.

Objective: This study aims to characterize and compare the epidemiological factors of orbital trauma between life stages by utilizing the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS), a nationally representative database.

Methods: The NEISS was queried for orbital injuries from 2013 to 2022.

Chromatin Buffers Torsional Stress During Transcription.

Transcription through chromatin under torsion represents a fundamental problem in biology. Pol II must overcome nucleosome obstacles and, because of the DNA helical structure, must also rotate relative to the DNA, generating torsional stress. However, there is a limited understanding of how Pol II transcribes through nucleosomes while supercoiling DNA.

Human Topoisomerase IIα Promotes Chromatin Condensation Via a Phase Transition.

Topoisomerase II (topo II) enzymes are essential enzymes known to resolve topological entanglements during DNA processing. Curiously, while yeast expresses a single topo II, humans express two topo II isozymes, topo IIα and topo IIβ, which share a similar catalytic domain but differ in their intrinsically disordered C-terminal domains (CTDs). During mitosis, topo IIα and condensin I constitute the most abundant chromosome scaffolding proteins essential for chromosome condensation.

Torsion is a Dynamic Regulator of DNA Replication Stalling and Reactivation.

The inherent helical structure of DNA dictates that a replisome must rotate relative to DNA during replication, presenting inevitable topological challenges to replication. However, little is known about how the replisome progresses against torsional stress. Here, we developed a label-free, high-resolution, real-time assay to monitor replisome movement under torsion.

Torsional Mechanics of Circular DNA.

Circular DNA found in the cell is actively regulated to an underwound state, with their superhelical density close to . While this underwound state is essential to life, how it impacts the torsional mechanical properties of DNA is not fully understood. In this work, we performed simulations to understand the torsional mechanics of circular DNA and validated our results with single-molecule measurements and analytical theory.

DNA Polymerase Locks Replication Fork Under Stress.

Replication of DNA requires the parental DNA to be unwound to allow the genetic information to be faithfully duplicated by the replisome. While this function is usually shared by a host of proteins in the replisome, notably DNA polymerase (DNAP) and helicase, the consequence of DNAP synthesizing DNA while decoupled from helicase remains not well understood. The unwinding of downstream DNA poses significant stress to DNAP, and the interaction between DNAP and the replication fork may affect replication restart.

An Effective Surface Passivation Assay for Single-Molecule Studies of Chromatin and Topoisomerase II.

Unlabelled: For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Le et al. (2019).

Summary: A.

Tunable Elliptical Cylinders for Rotational Mechanical Studies of Single DNA Molecules.

The angular optical trap (AOT) is a powerful technique for measuring the DNA topology and rotational mechanics of fundamental biological processes. Realizing the full potential of the AOT requires rapid torsional control of these processes. However, existing AOT quartz cylinders are limited in their ability to meet the high rotation rate requirement while minimizing laser-induced photodamage.

Thirdhand smoke exposure promotes gastric tumor development in mouse and human.

The pollution of indoor environments and the consequent health risks associated with thirdhand smoke (THS) are increasingly recognized in recent years. However, the carcinogenic potential of THS and its underlying mechanisms have yet to be thoroughly explored. In this study, we examined the effects of short-term THS exposure on the development of gastric cancer (GC) in vitro and in vivo.

The Impact of Living in a Low Food Access/Low Income Area on Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

Objective: To assess differences in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)-related health parameters between residents of low income/low access (LILA) census tracts-food deserts-and non-LILA residents STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective review.

Setting: Single institution serving a large region in Southern California from 2017 to 2023.

Methods: Census tracts are defined as LILA if a significant proportion of residents live below the poverty threshold and far from healthy food vendors.

Histopathologic predictors of recurrence and survival in early T stage oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma.

Objectives: Recurrence and survival in early T-stage oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC) may be impacted by histopathologic risk factors. This study aims to examine which of these factors predict long-term outcomes of T1 and T2 OTSCC.

Methods: A retrospective review of T1 and T2 OTSCC patients treated with surgery at a single tertiary care center was conducted.

The SEMA3F-NRP1/NRP2 axis is a key factor in the acquisition of invasive traits in in situ breast ductal carcinoma.

Background: A better understanding of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is urgently needed to identify these preinvasive lesions as distinct clinical entities. Semaphorin 3F (SEMA3F) is a soluble axonal guidance molecule, and its coreceptors Neuropilin 1 (NRP1) and NRP2 are strongly expressed in invasive epithelial BC cells.

Methods: We utilized two cell line models to represent the progression from a healthy state to the mild-aggressive or ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) stage and, ultimately, to invasive cell lines.

A Systematic Review of Occult Contralateral Neck Metastasis in Tonsillar Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of occult contralateral nodal metastasis in tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) in patients who have undergone bilateral neck dissection.

Data Source: A systematic review of English articles identified from PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases.

Review Methods: Search terms included "oropharynx," "carcinoma," "lymph node," and "neck dissection.

A susceptibility gene signature for ERBB2-driven mammary tumour development and metastasis in collaborative cross mice.

Background: Deeper insights into ERBB2-driven cancers are essential to develop new treatment approaches for ERBB2+ breast cancers (BCs). We employed the Collaborative Cross (CC) mouse model to unearth genetic factors underpinning Erbb2-driven mammary tumour development and metastasis.

Methods: 732 F1 hybrid female mice between FVB/N MMTV-Erbb2 and 30 CC strains were monitored for mammary tumour phenotypes.

Smoking Pack Years and Eustachian Tube Dysfunction.

Objective: To determine the effect of smoking history on the risk of developing obstructive eustachian tube dysfunction (OETD).

Study Design: Cross-sectional review.

Setting: National database.

Optical torque calculations and measurements for DNA torsional studies.

The angular optical trap (AOT) is a powerful instrument for measuring the torsional and rotational properties of a biological molecule. Thus far, AOT studies of DNA torsional mechanics have been carried out using a high numerical aperture oil-immersion objective, which permits strong trapping but inevitably introduces spherical aberrations due to the glass-aqueous interface. However, the impact of these aberrations on torque measurements is not fully understood experimentally, partly due to a lack of theoretical guidance.

Patient Satisfaction with Nonopioid Postoperative Analgesia in Head and Neck Surgery: A Prospective Randomized Trial.

Objective: To evaluate patients' satisfaction with opioid versus opioid-sparing postoperative analgesia in patients undergoing outpatient head and neck surgery.

Study Design: Prospective randomized trial.

Setting: Tertiary care academic hospital.