Long-term follow-up study of Kudo Type-5 elbow prosthesis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: minimum 10-year clinical outcomes.

Objectives: Rheumatoid arthritis often leads to debilitating damage in the elbow joint, which may require total elbow arthroplasty (TEA). The Kudo TEA is one of the unlinked type prostheses with reportedly favorable outcomes. However, there is limited information available regarding its long-term performance.

Automatic estimation of hallux valgus angle using deep neural network with axis-based annotation.

Objectives: We developed the deep neural network (DNN) model to automatically measure hallux valgus angle (HVA) and intermetatarsal angle (IMA) on foot radiographs. The objective is to assess the accuracy of the model by comparing to the manual measurement of foot and ankle surgeons.

Materials And Methods: A DNN was developed to predict the bone axes of the first proximal phalanx and all metatarsals from the first to the fifth in foot radiographs.

Neural activity related to productive vocabulary knowledge effects during second language comprehension.

Second language learners and educators often believe that improving one's listening ability hinges on acquiring an extensive vocabulary and engaging in thorough listening practice. Our previous study suggested that listening comprehension is also impacted by the ability to produce vocabulary. Nevertheless, it remained uncertain whether quick comprehension could be attributed to a simple acceleration of processing or to changes in neural activity.

The effect of productive vocabulary knowledge on second language comprehension.

Second language learners tend to focus more on learning the meaning of vocabulary than on how to use it in their speech and writing. Although comprehensive vocabulary knowledge is necessary for understanding sentences, productive vocabulary knowledge may also have a positive impact on sentence comprehension. Most studies examining the relationship between production and comprehension have compared these abilities between participants or evaluated unrelated criteria between tasks, which may be insufficient for examining the direct effects of productive knowledge on sentence comprehension.

Associated correction of forefoot alignment with hindfoot fusion for pes planovalgus deformity.

Background: The present study aimed to investigate changes in hallux alignment after corrective surgery for adult-acquired flatfoot deformity (AAFD).

Patients And Methods: The present study retrospectively investigated the changes of hallux alignment in 37 feet (33 patients) which were treated with double or triple arthrodesis of the hindfoot for AAFD between 2015 and 2021 and could be followed up to one year postoperatively.

Results: Hallux valgus (HV) angle significantly decreased by a mean 4.

Frequency-Dependent Cortical Interactions during Semantic Processing: An Electrocorticogram Cross-spectrum Analysis Using a Semantic Space Model.

Convergent evidence has demonstrated that semantics are represented by the interaction between a multimodal semantic hub at the anterior temporal lobe (ATL) and other modality-specific association cortical areas. Electrocorticogram (ECoG) recording with high spatiotemporal resolutions is efficient in evaluating such cortical interactions; however, this has not been a focus of preceding studies. The present study evaluated cortical interactions during picture naming using a novel ECoG cross-spectrum analysis, which was formulated from a computational simulation of neuronal networks and combined with a vector space model of semantics.

The Role of Temporal Contingency and Integrity of Visual Inputs in the Sense of Agency: A Psychophysical Study.

The sense of agency is a subjective feeling that one's own actions drive action outcomes. Previous studies have focused primarily on the temporal contingency between actions and sensory inputs as a possible mechanism for the sense of agency. However, the contribution of the integrity of visual inputs has not been systematically addressed.

Successful Encoding during Natural Reading Is Associated with Fixation-Related Potentials and Large-Scale Network Deactivation.

Reading literature (e.g., an entire book) is an enriching experience that qualitatively differs from reading a single sentence; however, the brain dynamics of such context-dependent memory remains unclear.

Open monitoring meditation reduces the involvement of brain regions related to memory function.

Mindfulness meditation consists of focused attention meditation (FAM) and open monitoring meditation (OMM), both of which reduce activation of the default mode network (DMN) and mind-wandering. Although it is known that FAM requires intentional focused attention, the mechanisms of OMM remain largely unknown. To investigate this, we examined striatal functional connectivity in 17 experienced meditators (mean total practice hours = 920.

Effect of the Health Tourism weight loss programme on body composition and health outcomes in healthy and excess-weight adults.

Excess weight loss while minimising fat-free mass (FFM) loss is important for health. Travel is a particular period at risk for weight gain and for which the effects of a short-term intensive weight loss programme have not been studied. Therefore, we studied the effect of a novel, 1-week supervised health travel programme combining high volume, low-to-moderate intensity exercise and energy intake restriction on weight, body composition and health outcomes in adults.

A dynamical systems approach for estimating phase interactions between rhythms of different frequencies from experimental data.

Synchronization of neural oscillations as a mechanism of brain function is attracting increasing attention. Neural oscillation is a rhythmic neural activity that can be easily observed by noninvasive electroencephalography (EEG). Neural oscillations show the same frequency and cross-frequency synchronization for various cognitive and perceptual functions.

Ongoing slow oscillatory phase modulates speech intelligibility in cooperation with motor cortical activity.

Neural oscillation is attracting attention as an underlying mechanism for speech recognition. Speech intelligibility is enhanced by the synchronization of speech rhythms and slow neural oscillation, which is typically observed as human scalp electroencephalography (EEG). In addition to the effect of neural oscillation, it has been proposed that speech recognition is enhanced by the identification of a speaker's motor signals, which are used for speech production.

Increased BOLD Signals Elicited by High Gamma Auditory Stimulation of the Left Auditory Cortex in Acute State Schizophrenia.

Recent MRI studies have shown that schizophrenia is characterized by reductions in brain gray matter, which progress in the acute state of the disease. Cortical circuitry abnormalities in gamma oscillations, such as deficits in the auditory steady state response (ASSR) to gamma frequency (>30-Hz) stimulation, have also been reported in schizophrenia patients. In the current study, we investigated neural responses during click stimulation by BOLD signals.

Immunosuppressive effect of ASP2408, a novel CD86-selective variant of CTLA4-Ig, in rats and cynomolgus monkeys.

The CTLA4-Ig fusion proteins abatacept and belatacept inhibit CD28-mediated T cell activation by binding CD80 (B7-1) and CD86 (B7-2) costimulatory ligands and are clinically proven immunosuppressants used for rheumatoid arthritis and renal transplantation, respectively. Abatacept and belatacept preferentially bind CD80, yet CD86 has been implicated as the dominant ligand for CD28-mediated costimulation of T cells. We investigated the immunosuppressive effects of ASP2408, a novel CTLA4-Ig with CD86 selectivity and high potency created by directed evolution methods.

Top-down and bottom-up attention cause the ventriloquism effect with distinct electroencephalography modulations.

The ventriloquism effect is a critical phenomenon for understanding the underlying mechanisms of multisensory integration. Cross-modal spatial attention causes a distortion of sound localization, although the neural basis of the effect remains an unanswered question. We hypothesized that top-down and bottom-up visual-spatial attention causes the ventriloquism effect with different modulations of ongoing neural oscillation.

Inhibition of c-Rel DNA binding is critical for the anti-inflammatory effects of novel PIKfyve inhibitor.

Aberrant production of proinflammatory cytokines is linked to many autoimmune diseases, and their inhibition by small molecule compounds is considered beneficial. Here, we performed phenotypic screening in IFNγ/LPS-activated RAW264.7, mouse macrophage cells, and discovered AS2677131 and AS2795440 as novel and potent inhibitors of IL-12p40, a subunit of IL-23.

Cortical networks dynamically emerge with the interplay of slow and fast oscillations for memory of a natural scene.

Neural oscillations are crucial for revealing dynamic cortical networks and for serving as a possible mechanism of inter-cortical communication, especially in association with mnemonic function. The interplay of the slow and fast oscillations might dynamically coordinate the mnemonic cortical circuits to rehearse stored items during working memory retention. We recorded simultaneous EEG-fMRI during a working memory task involving a natural scene to verify whether the cortical networks emerge with the neural oscillations for memory of the natural scene.

Dynamic parieto-premotor network for mental image transformation revealed by simultaneous EEG and fMRI measurement.

Previous studies have suggested that the posterior parietal cortices and premotor areas are involved in mental image transformation. However, it remains unknown whether these regions really cooperate to realize mental image transformation. In this study, simultaneous EEG and fMRI were performed to clarify the spatio-temporal properties of neural networks engaged in mental image transformation.

Anti-inflammatory effect and selectivity profile of AS1940477, a novel and potent p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitor.

Given the key role p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) plays in inflammatory responses through the production of cytokines and inflammatory mediators, its inhibition is considered a promising therapeutic strategy for chronic inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, inflammatory bowel disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Here, we evaluated the anti-inflammatory effect and selectivity profile of the novel p38 MAPK inhibitor AS1940477. AS1940477 inhibited the enzymatic activity of recombinant p38α and β isoforms but showed no effect against other 100 protein kinases including p38γ and δ isoforms.

Identification, synthesis, and biological evaluation of 6-[(6R)-2-(4-fluorophenyl)-6-(hydroxymethyl)-4,5,6,7-tetrahydropyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-3-yl]-2-(2-methylphenyl)pyridazin-3(2H)-one (AS1940477), a potent p38 MAP kinase inhibitor.

Several p38 MAPK inhibitors have been shown to effectively block the production of cytokines such as IL-1β, TNFα, and IL-6. Inhibitors of p38 MAP kinase therefore have significant therapeutic potential for the treatment of autoimmune disease. Compound 2a was identified as a potent TNFα production inhibitor in vitro but suffered from poor oral bioavailability.

Cortical dynamics of human scalp EEG origins in a visually guided motor execution.

The EEG mu rhythm is often used as an index of activation in the sensorimotor cortex. However, the blur caused by volume conduction makes it difficult to identify the exact origin of the EEG rhythm in the brain using only the human scalp EEG. In this study, simultaneous fMRI and EEG measurements were performed during a visually guided motor execution task in order to investigate whether the mu rhythm in the scalp EEG is an indication of the activity in the sensorimotor cortex.

Traveling EEG slow oscillation along the dorsal attention network initiates spontaneous perceptual switching.

An ambiguous figure such as the Necker cube causes spontaneous perceptual switching (SPS). The mechanism of SPS in multistable perception has not yet been determined. Although early psychological studies suggested that SPS may be caused by fatigue or satiation of orientation, the neural mechanism of SPS is still unknown.

Neuronal ensemble for visual working memory via interplay of slow and fast oscillations.

The current focus of studies on neural entities for memory maintenance is on the interplay between fast neuronal oscillations in the gamma band and slow oscillations in the theta or delta band. The hierarchical coupling of slow and fast oscillations is crucial for the rehearsal of sensory inputs for short-term storage, as well as for binding sensory inputs that are represented in spatially segregated cortical areas. However, no experimental evidence for the binding of spatially segregated information has yet been presented for memory maintenance in humans.

Nonimmersive virtual reality mirror visual feedback therapy and its application for the treatment of complex regional pain syndrome: an open-label pilot study.

Objective: Chronic pain conditions such as phantom limb pain and complex regional pain syndrome are difficult to treat, and traditional pharmacological treatment and invasive neural block are not always effective. Plasticity in the central nervous system occurs in these conditions and may be associated with pain. Mirror visual feedback therapy aims to restore normal cortical organization and is applied in the treatment of chronic pain conditions.