Effect of Heart Rate on Stroke Recurrence and Mortality in Acute Ischemic Stroke With Atrial Fibrillation.

Background and Purpose- There is a paucity of information about the role of resting heart rate in the prediction of outcome events in patients with ischemic stroke with atrial fibrillation. We aimed to investigate the relationships between the level and variability of heart rate in the acute stroke period and stroke recurrence and mortality after acute ischemic stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation. Methods- Acute patients with ischemic stroke who had atrial fibrillation and were hospitalized within 48 hours of stroke onset were identified from a multicenter prospective stroke registry database.

Investigation of the Relationship between Compressive Strength and Hydrate Formation Behavior of Low-Temperature Cured Cement upon Addition of a Nitrite-Based Accelerator.

When concrete is used for construction in cold-temperature regions, cold-resistant accelerators based on calcium nitrite (Ca(NO)) and calcium nitrate (Ca(NO)) are added to prevent early freezing damage. Although cold-resistant accelerators increase the early compressive strength and prevent early freezing damage by promoting cement hydration, the strength enhancement effect owing to the formation of such hydrates has not been evaluated quantitatively thus far. This study covers various types of analysis to understand the relationship between cement hydrate formation behavior and strength development upon the addition of varying amounts of nitrite-based accelerator.

Effect of Digital Mammography for Breast Cancer Screening: A Comparative Study of More than 8 Million Korean Women.

Background Full-field digital mammography (FFDM) has been accepted as a superior modality for breast cancer screening compared with conventional screen-film mammography (SFM), especially in women younger than 50 years or with dense breasts. Purpose To evaluate the accuracy of FFDM for breast cancer screening. Materials and Methods Data from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2013 in the database from a nationwide breast cancer screening program linked with the national cancer registry were retrospectively analyzed.

Prognostic Predictions for Patients with Glioblastoma after Standard Treatment: Application of Contrast Leakage Information from DSC-MRI within Nonenhancing FLAIR High-Signal-Intensity Lesions.

Background And Purpose: Attempts have been made to quantify the microvascular leakiness of glioblastomas and use it as an imaging biomarker to predict the prognosis of the tumor. The purpose of our study was to evaluate whether the extraction fraction value from DSC-MR imaging within nonenhancing FLAIR hyperintense lesions was a better prognostic imaging biomarker than dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging parameters for patients with glioblastoma.

Materials And Methods: A total of 102 patients with glioblastoma who received a preoperative dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging and DSC-MR imaging were included in this retrospective study.

Monogenic and Polygenic Contributions to Atrial Fibrillation Risk: Results From a National Biobank.

Rationale: Genome-wide association studies have identified over 100 genetic loci for atrial fibrillation (AF); recent work described an association between loss-of-function (LOF) variants in and early-onset AF.

Objective: We sought to determine the contribution of rare and common genetic variation to AF risk in the general population.

Methods: The UK Biobank is a population-based study of 500 000 individuals including a subset with genome-wide genotyping and exome sequencing.

Training for Walking Efficiency With a Wearable Hip-Assist Robot in Patients With Stroke: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background and Purpose- The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of gait training with a newly developed wearable hip-assist robot on locomotor function and efficiency in patients with chronic stroke. Methods- Twenty-eight patients with stroke with hemiparesis were initially enrolled, and 26 patients completed the randomized controlled trial (14 in the experimental and 12 in the control groups). The experimental group participated in a gait training program over a total of 10 sessions, including 5 treadmill sessions and 5 over-ground gait training sessions while wearing a hip-assist robot, the Gait Enhancing and Motivating System (GEMS, Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology, Suwon, Republic of Korea).

N-Terminal Modification of the Tetrapeptide Arg-Leu-Tyr-Glu, a Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) Antagonist, Improves Antitumor Activity by Increasing its Stability against Serum Peptidases.

The tetrapeptide Arg-Leu-Tyr-Glu (RLYE), a vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor-2 antagonist, has been used previously either alone or in combination with chemotherapeutic drugs for treating colorectal cancer in a mouse model. We analyzed the half-life of the peptide and found that because of degradation by aminopeptidases B and N, it had a short half-life of 1.2 hours in the serum.

Comparative Effectiveness of Dual Antiplatelet Therapy With Aspirin and Clopidogrel Versus Aspirin Monotherapy in Acute, Nonminor Stroke: A Nationwide, Multicenter Registry-Based Study.

Background and Purpose- This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of dual antiplatelet therapy with clopidogrel plus aspirin (DAPT) with that of aspirin monotherapy (AM) in patients with acute, nonminor, and noncardioembolic stroke. Methods- Using a prospective, nationwide, multicenter stroke registry database, acute (within 24 hours of onset), nonminor (baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score, 4-15), and noncardioembolic stroke patients were identified. Propensity scores using inverse probability of treatment weighting were used to adjust baseline imbalances between the DAPT and AM groups.

Adaptive Ground Control System of Multiple-UAV Operators in a Simulated Environment.

In the present study, an Adaptive Ground Control System for Multiple-UAV Operator Workload Decrement (AGCS) has been developed and the effectiveness of the system has been analyzed using eye-tracking and task performance data. The AGCS contained four more functions than the conventional GCS (CGCS) functions. The functions were based on real-time operator gaze information, multiple UAV operational state, and mission state information to help safe and efficient multiple UAV operation.

Extracellular RNAs in periodontopathogenic outer membrane vesicles promote TNF-α production in human macrophages and cross the blood-brain barrier in mice.

Among the main bacteria implicated in the pathology of periodontal disease, () is well known for causing loss of periodontal attachment and systemic disease. Recent studies have suggested that secreted extracellular RNAs (exRNAs) from several bacteria may be important in periodontitis, although their role is unclear. Emerging evidence indicates that exRNAs circulate in nanosized bilayered and membranous extracellular vesicles (EVs) known as outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) in gram-negative bacteria.

Selection and Characterization of Monoclonal Antibodies Targeting Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus through a Human Synthetic Fab Phage Display Library Panning.

Since its first report in the Middle East in 2012, the Middle East respiratory syndrome-coronavirus (MERS-CoV) has become a global concern due to the high morbidity and mortality of individuals infected with the virus. Although the majority of MERS-CoV cases have been reported in Saudi Arabia, the overall risk in areas outside the Middle East remains significant as inside Saudi Arabia. Additional pandemics of MERS-CoV are expected, and thus novel tools and reagents for therapy and diagnosis are urgently needed.

Superior Trunk Block Provides Noninferior Analgesia Compared with Interscalene Brachial Plexus Block in Arthroscopic Shoulder Surgery.

Background: Interscalene brachial plexus block of the C5-C6 roots provides highly effective postoperative analgesia after shoulder surgery but usually results in hemidiaphragmatic paresis. Injection around the superior trunk of the brachial plexus is an alternative technique that may reduce this risk. The authors hypothesized that the superior trunk block would provide noninferior postoperative analgesia compared with the interscalene block and reduce hemidiaphragmatic paresis.

Hypersensitivity Reactions to Iodinated Contrast Media: A Multicenter Study of 196 081 Patients.

Background Multicenter studies may be required for establishing guidelines for safe usage of iodinated contrast media (ICM). Purpose To identify the prevalence, patterns, risk factors, and preventive measures for ICM-related hypersensitivity reactions (HSRs). Materials and Methods Between March 2017 and October 2017, a total of 196 081 patients who underwent ICM administration were enrolled from seven participating institutions.

Physicochemical Study on the Strength Development Characteristics of Cold Weather Concrete Using a Nitrite-Nitrate Based Accelerator.

There has recently been an increased use of anti-freezing agents that are primarily composed of salt- and alkali-free calcium nitrite (Ca(NO)) and calcium nitrate (Ca(NO)) to promote the hydration reaction of concrete in cold weather concreting. Nitrite-nitrate based accelerators accelerate the hydration of CA and CS in cement more quickly when their quantities are increased, thereby boosting the concrete's early strength and effectively preventing early frost damage. However, the connection between the hydrate formation behavior and the strength development characteristic over time has yet to be clearly identified.

Greater Efficacy of Black Ginseng (CJ EnerG) over Red Ginseng against Lethal Influenza A Virus Infection.

Black ginseng (BG, CJ EnerG), prepared via nine repeated cycles of steaming and drying of fresh ginseng, contains more accessible acid polysaccharides and smaller and less polar ginsenosides than red ginseng (RG) processed only once. Because RG exhibits the ability to increase host protection against viral respiratory infections, we investigated the antiviral effects of BG. Mice were orally administered either BG or RG extract at 10 mg/kg bw daily for two weeks.

Innovative flat-plate solar collector (FPC) with coloured water flowing through a transparent tube.

Of all types of solar collector, the flat-plate collector (FPC) has the lowest performance, but is the most widely used because of its low cost and easy maintenance. To effectively collect solar light in the conventional FPCs, metal tubes with a high thermal conductivity are installed under an absorption plate. However, in this study, in order to take advantage of the sunlight absorption capacity of coloured water flowing through a tube, a transparent tube was installed on the absorbing plate.

Left Atrial Fibrosis Assessed with Cardiac MRI in Patients with Paroxysmal and Those with Persistent Atrial Fibrillation.

Background Electrophysiology studies have demonstrated that left atrial late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) is associated with the chronicity of atrial fibrillation (AF). To date, cardiac MRI has been used to assess the extent of atrial LGE but not the distribution pattern of LGE in the left atrium. Purpose To determine whether the MRI pattern of left atrial fibrosis is associated with the chronicity of AF.

White matter hyperintensity load on stroke recurrence and mortality at 1 year after ischemic stroke.

Objective: To define the role and risks associated with white matter hyperintensity (WMH) load in a stroke population with respect to recurrent stroke and mortality after ischemic stroke.

Methods: A total of 7,101 patients at a network of university hospitals presenting with ischemic strokes were followed up for 1 year. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards model and competing risk analysis were used to examine the independent association between quartiles of WMH load and stroke recurrence and mortality at 1 year.

Pdlim4 is essential for CCR7-JNK-mediated dendritic cell migration and F-actin-related dendrite formation.

Dendritic cells (DCs) are the most potent professional antigen (Ag)-presenting cells and inducers of T cell-mediated immunity. A previous microarray analysis identified PDZ and LIM domain protein 4 (Pdlim4) as a candidate marker for DC maturation. The aim of this study was to investigate whether Pdlim4 influences DC migration and maturation.

Altered Vascular Permeability in Migraine-associated Brain Regions: Evaluation with Dynamic Contrast-enhanced MRI.

Background Recent studies showed the possible association between inflammation-induced blood-brain barrier (BBB) structural changes followed by greater permeability of the BBB and chronic pain. Thus, measurement of BBB breakdown would be a valuable aid in the diagnosis in migraine. Dynamic contrast material-enhanced (DCE) MRI can determine perfusion and permeability properties related to the BBB.

Validation of US Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System Version 2017 in Patients at High Risk for Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Background The 2017 version of the Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) recently included standardized interpretation, reporting, and management guidelines for US (US LI-RADS); however, this system has not yet been validated. Purpose To evaluate the diagnostic performance of US LI-RADS version 2017 for detecting hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in participants at high risk and to determine the clinical factors associated with a poor visualization score. Materials and Methods This study included 407 prospectively recruited participants (mean age, 56 years; age range, 28-76 years) with cirrhosis at high risk for HCC who underwent US surveillance from November 2011 to August 2012.

Does Knee Flexion Influence the Relationship between the Femoral Tunnel and the Lateral Anatomic Structures During ACL Reconstruction?

Background: In ACL reconstruction, the relationship of the femoral tunnel outlet to the anatomy of the lateral knee is clinically important, but whether that relationship is influenced by knee flexion using a transportal technique is unclear.

Questions/purposes: The purposes of this study were to (1) to describe the relationship between the outlet of the femoral tunnel and the lateral anatomic structures of the femur, including the lateral epicondyle, lateral collateral ligament, popliteus tendon, and lateral head of the gastrocnemius, as a function of knee flexion angle when the tunnel was created; and (2) to determine the knee flexion range of angles that best limits the risk of damage to these structures as the femoral tunnel is created during anatomic single-bundle ACL reconstruction using the transportal technique.

Methods: Between January 2017 and June 2018, 113 patients underwent ACL reconstruction, of which 62 (55%) who had a primary single-bundle ACL reconstruction with transportal technique using autogenous quadruple hamstring graft were included.