Electrostatic Fermi level tuning in large-scale self-assembled monolayers of oligo(phenylene-ethynylene) derivatives.

Understanding and controlling the orbital alignment of molecules placed between electrodes is essential in the design of practically-applicable molecular and nanoscale electronic devices. The orbital alignment is highly determined by the molecule-electrode interface. Dependence of orbital alignment on the molecular anchor group for single molecular junctions has been intensively studied; however, when scaling-up single molecules to large parallel molecular arrays (like self-assembled monolayers (SAMs)), two challenges need to be addressed: 1.

Genetic differences in osteogenic differentiation potency in the thoracic ossification of the ligamentum flavum under cyclic mechanical stress.

Mechanical stress and genetic factors play important roles in the occurrence of thoracic ossification of ligament flavum (TOLF), which can occur at one, two, or multiple levels of the spine. It is unclear whether single- and multiple-level TOLF differ in terms of osteogenic differentiation potency and osteogenesis-related gene expression under cyclic mechanical stress. This was addressed in the present study using patients with non‑TOLF and single‑ and multiple‑level TOLF (n=8 per group).

Notch signaling pathways in human thoracic ossification of the ligamentum flavum.

This study investigated the pathological process of Notch signaling in the osteogenesis of ligamentum flavum tissues and cells, and the associated regulatory mechanisms. Notch receptors, ligands, and target genes were identified by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) in ligamentum flavum cells and immunohistochemistry in ligamentum flavum sections from ossification of the ligamentum flavum (OLF) patients and controls. The temporospatial expression patterns of JAG1/Notch2/HES1 in human ligamentum flavum cells during osteogenic differentiation were determined by qPCR.

Transient paralysis shortly after anterior cervical corpectomy and fusion.

Objective: To report three cases of transient paralysis shortly after (within 4 hours) anterior cervical corpectomy and fusion (ACCF), and investigate the possible causes.

Methods: Clinical and radiological data of three cases (two men and one woman, aged 41-61 years) were analyzed retrospectively. All three patients underwent ACCF for cervical spondylotic myelopathy.

[Effect of intervertebral position on range of motion after artificial lumbar total disc replacement and clinical management].

Objective: To discuss the effect of SB Charité lumbar artificial disc position on intervertebral range of motion (ROM) and clinical management.

Methods: Between 2004 and 2007, 30 discogenic low back pain patients confirmed by discography underwent 1/2-level total disc replacement (TDR) implantation with 32 prostheses. There were 12 males and 18 females with a mean age of 44 years old (range: 28-55).