in Shoulder Surgery: Is It a Significant Risk Factor for Postoperative Infection?

, a commensal, lipophilic, anaerobic Gram-positive bacterium, is well known for its potential to cause infections, particularly in the field of orthopedics, notably in the shoulder. However, its indolent strain nature presents challenges in the diagnosis of the bacterium using clinical, laboratory, and culture-based methods. There are controversies surrounding its actual threat as an infection-causing agent, leading to an incomplete consensus on treatment strategies after the infection.

Temporal geometric mapping defines morphoelastic growth model of Type B aortic dissection evolution.

The human aorta undergoes complex morphologic changes that mirror the evolution of disease. Finite element analysis (FEA) enables the prediction of aortic pathologic states, but the absence of a biomechanical understanding hinders the applicability of this computational tool. We incorporate geometric information from computed tomography angiography (CTA) imaging scans into FEA to predict a trajectory of future geometries for four aortic disease patients.

A Patient-Specific Morphoelastic Growth Model of Aortic Dissection Evolution.

The human aorta undergoes complex morphologic changes that indicate the evolution of disease. Finite element analysis enables the prediction of aortic pathologic states, but the absence of a biomechanical understanding hinders the applicability of this computational tool. We incorporate geometric information from computed tomography angiography (CTA) imaging scans into finite element analysis (FEA) to predict a trajectory of future geometries for four aortic disease patients.

The geometric evolution of aortic dissections: Predicting surgical success using fluctuations in integrated Gaussian curvature.

Clinical imaging modalities are a mainstay of modern disease management, but the full utilization of imaging-based data remains elusive. Aortic disease is defined by anatomic scalars quantifying aortic size, even though aortic disease progression initiates complex shape changes. We present an imaging-based geometric descriptor, inspired by fundamental ideas from topology and soft-matter physics that captures dynamic shape evolution.

An experimental study on the performance of fire extinguishing system according to the agent charging condition and nozzle type.

In confined environments such as aircraft, an increase in mass impacts the overall system's performance, thus requiring sophisticated management. To verify whether the performance characteristics of fire extinguishing systems used in aircraft are satisfied, in this study was built a 1:1 scale test model. We examined the influence of the initial charge state and nozzles.

Metabarcoding of eDNA for tracking the floral and geographical origins of bee honey.

Authentic honey products have a high commercial value and are often falsified via adulteration. Metabarcoding of environmental DNA (eDNA) from bacterial, floral, and entomological sources has recently been proposed as a useful tool for identifying and authenticating floral and geographical origins of bee honey. In this study, eDNA metabarcoding was applied to reveal the bacterial, plant, and honey bee DNA signatures of 48 commercial honey products from six different geographical origins.

Combining Machine Learning, Patient-Reported Outcomes, and Value-Based Health Care: Protocol for Scoping Reviews.

Background: Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and patient-reported experience measures (PREMs) are self-reporting tools that can measure important information about patients, such as health priorities, experience, and perception of outcome. The use of traditional objective measures such as vital signs and lab values can be supplemented with these self-reported patient measures to provide a more complete picture of a patient's health status. Machine learning, the use of computer algorithms that improve automatically through experience, is a powerful tool in health care that often does not use subjective information shared by patients.

Influence of Ipsilateral Graft Inflow to Arteriovenous Fistula for Hemodialysis in Coronary Bypass Surgery.

In coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) for patients on hemodialysis, there has been concern about "coronary steal". This study aims to evaluate the influence of using an in situ internal thoracic artery (ITA) ipsilateral to a preexisting arteriovenous fistula (AVF) in dialysis-dependent patients undergoing CABG. Between 2004 and 2018, dialysis-dependent patients with AVFs who underwent CABG were enrolled.

Electrospinnable, Neutral Coacervates for Facile Preparation of Solid Phenolic Bioadhesives.

Liquid-liquid phase separation in an aqueous polymer solution is a unique physicochemical phenomenon, and the material present in the dense bottom layer is called a coacervate. A partial degree of water exclusion during coacervate formation often results in adhesive properties. The high viscosity makes coacervates incompatible with electrospinning processes.

Biochemical characterization and synthetic application of aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase from Bacillus atrophaeus.

Aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylases (AADCs) are ubiquitously found in higher organisms owing to their physiological role in the synthesis of neurotransmitters and alkaloids. However, bacterial AADC has not attracted much attention because of its rather limited availability and narrow substrate range. Here, we examined the biochemical properties of AADC from Bacillus atrophaeus (AADC-BA) and assessed the synthetic feasibility of the enzyme for the preparation of monoamine neurotransmitters.

VATA: A Poly(vinyl alcohol)- and Tannic Acid-Based Nontoxic Underwater Adhesive.

Few studies aiming to develop a glue with an underwater reusable adhesive property have been reported because combining the two properties of reusable adhesion and underwater adhesion into a single glue formulation is a challenging issue. Herein, preparation of a simple mixture of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and a well-known phenolic compound, namely, tannic acid (TA), results in an underwater glue exhibiting reusable adhesion. We named the adhesive VATA (PVA + TA).

Association of Plasma Marker of Oxidized Lipid with Histologic Plaque Instability in Patients with Peripheral Artery Disease.

Background: The association between oxidized low-density lipoprotein (OxLDL) and plaque instability in coronary and carotid artery disease is well established. However, the association between OxLDL and the histologic changes of plaque in peripheral artery disease has not been clearly elucidated. This study aims to investigate the association between plasma OxLDL and histologic plaque instability in patients with peripheral artery disease.

Reliable Identification of Group Species Using Low Mass Biomarkers by MALDI-TOF MS.

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS)-based pathogen identification relies on the ribosomal protein spectra provided in the proprietary database. Although these mass spectra can discern various pathogens at species level, the spectra-based method still has limitations in identifying closely-related microbial species. In this study, to overcome the limits of the current MALDI-TOF MS identification method using ribosomal protein spectra, we applied MALDI-TOF MS of low-mass profiling to the identification of two genetically related species, the food-borne pathogen , and the insect pathogen .

Selenocysteine modulates resistance to environmental stress and confers anti-aging effects in C. elegans.

Objective:: The free radical theory of aging suggests that cellular oxidative damage caused by free radicals is a leading cause of aging. In the present study, we examined the effects of a well-known anti-oxidant amino acid derivative, selenocysteine, in response to environmental stress and aging using Caenorhabditis elegans as a model system.

Method:: The response to oxidative stress induced by H2O2 or ultraviolet irradiation was compared between the untreated control and selenocysteine-treated groups.

Long-Term Prognostic Value of Late Gadolinium-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Patients With and Without Left Ventricular Dysfunction Undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting.

The value of late gadolinium-enhanced (LGE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the prediction of functional recovery after surgical revascularization has been previously established. However, the impact of LGE-MRI on the long-term prognosis after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) remains incompletely understood. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the long-term prognostic value of LGE-MRI, based on the presence or absence of left ventricular (LV) dysfunction, in patients with coronary artery disease undergoing CABG.

Inhalation of titanium dioxide induces endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated autophagy and inflammation in mice.

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles are widely used in cosmetics, sunscreen, electronics, drug delivery systems, and diverse bio-application fields. In the workplace, the primary exposure route for TiO2 nanoparticles is inhalation through the respiratory system. Because TiO2 nanoparticles have different physiological properties, in terms of size and bioactivity, their toxic effects in the respiratory system must be determined.

Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles Induce Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress-Mediated Autophagic Cell Death via Mitochondria-Associated Endoplasmic Reticulum Membrane Disruption in Normal Lung Cells.

Nanomaterials are used in diverse fields including food, cosmetic, and medical industries. Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2-NP) are widely used, but their effects on biological systems and mechanism of toxicity have not been elucidated fully. Here, we report the toxicological mechanism of TiO2-NP in cell organelles.

Disinfection byproduct formation from lignin precursors.

Lignin is the most abundant aromatic plant component in terrestrial ecosystems. This study was conducted to determine the contribution of lignin residues in natural water to the formation of disinfection byproducts (DBPs) in drinking water. We investigated the formation of different classes of DBPs from lignin model compounds, lignin polymers, and humic substances using two common disinfection techniques, chlorination and chloramination.

Mithramycin A induces apoptosis by regulating the mTOR/Mcl-1/tBid pathway in androgen-independent prostate cancer cells.

Mithramycin A (Mith) is an aureolic acid-type polyketide produced by various soil bacteria of the genus Streptomyces. Mith inhibits myeloid cell leukemia-1 (Mcl-1) to induce apoptosis in prostate cancer, but the molecular mechanism underlying this process has not been fully elucidated. The aim of this study was therefore to investigate the detailed molecular mechanism related to Mith-induced apoptosis in prostate cancer cells.

Apoptotic effect of hot water extract of L. in human oral cancer cells.

L. has been used in traditional Asian medicine to treat diseases including diarrhea, chronic intestinal infections, duodenal ulcers and bleeding. This study examined the antiproliferative effects and apoptotic activity of hot water extract of L.

An organic solvent-tolerant alkaline lipase from cold-adapted Pseudomonas mandelii: cloning, expression, and characterization.

A gene encoding a novel organic solvent-tolerant alkaline lipase, lipS (GenBank ID JQ071496), was cloned from cold-adapted Pseudomonas mandelii. Recombinant LipS was expressed in Escherichia coli as a 32-kDa soluble protein and was purified by standard procedures. It maintained more than 80% of its activity under alkaline conditions, pH 8-10.

Influence of bacterial extracellular polymeric substances on the formation of carbonaceous and nitrogenous disinfection byproducts.

Considering the regulatory presence of residual chlorine in water distribution systems, untreated organic matter may not be the sole contributor to disinfection byproduct (DBP) formation, given the presence of microbial biofilm with extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). This study investigated the influence of bacterial EPS on the formation of carbonaceous DBPs (C-DBPs) and nitrogenous DBPs (N-DBPs), reacting chlorine with Pseudomonas strains that produce different quantities and composition of EPS. When biomass is reacted in excess to chlorine, both C-DBPs and N-DBPs were produced without preference for speciation.

Methanol extract of Sanguisorba officinalis L. with cytotoxic activity against PC3 human prostate cancer cells.

Sanguisorba officinalis is a natural plant that has been traditionally used for the treatment of inflammatory and metabolic diseases. Several studies have reported that its extracts exhibit anticancer, antioxidative and anti-lipid peroxidation activities. However, the effects of this plant on human prostate cancer cells have not yet been investigated.

Genome sequence of cold-adapted Pseudomonas mandelii strain JR-1.

Pseudomonas mandelii is a cold-adapted bacterium that can grow at 4°C but not at 37°C. Here we report the draft genome sequence of P. mandelii strain JR-1.

A remnant mitral subvalvular apparatus mimicking aortic valve vegetation after mitral valve replacement.

Preservation of the subvalvular apparatus has the merits of postoperative outcomes during mitral valve replacement for mitral regurgitation. We performed mitral valve replacement with anterior and posterior leaflet chordal preservation in a 65-year-old woman. On the 2nd postoperative day, routine postoperative trans-thoracic echocardiography showed an unknown aortic subvalvular mobile mass.