Assessment of the Postoperative Appearance of the Rotator Cuff Tendon Using Serial Sonography After Arthroscopic Repair of a Rotator Cuff Tear.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate serial changes in sonographic findings of a rotator cuff tendon after rotator cuff repair.

Methods: Sixty-five arthroscopically repaired rotator cuff tears (43 full-thickness tears and 22 partial-thickness tears) were retrospectively included in this study. Serial sonographic examinations were performed at 5 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months after surgery.

BAIBA attenuates insulin resistance and inflammation induced by palmitate or a high fat diet via an AMPK-PPARδ-dependent pathway in mice.

Aims/hypothesis: We explored the effects of β-aminoisobutyric acid (BAIBA) on hyperlipidaemic-condition-induced insulin resistance and inflammation as mediated through a signalling pathway involving AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor δ (PPARδ).

Methods: Mouse skeletal muscle C2C12 cells and C57BL/6J mice were treated with palmitate or a high-fat diet (HFD) and BAIBA. Inflammation and the expression of genes associated with insulin signalling were determined by western blot and quantitative real-time PCR.

Evening chronotype is associated with metabolic disorders and body composition in middle-aged adults.

Context: Chronotype is a trait determining individual circadian preference in behavioral and biological rhythm relative to external light-dark cycle. However, little is known about the relationship between chronotype and metabolic disorders.

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine whether late chronotype is related to metabolic abnormalities and body composition in middle-aged adults, independent of sleep duration and lifestyle.

Hepatokines as a Link between Obesity and Cardiovascular Diseases.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, which is considered a hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome, independently increases the risks of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Recent emerging evidence suggests that a group of predominantly liver-derived proteins called hepatokines directly affect the progression of atherosclerosis by modulating endothelial dysfunction and infiltration of inflammatory cells into vessel walls. Here, we summarize the role of the representative hepatokines fibroblast growth factor 21, fetuin-A, and selenoprotein P in the progression of CVD.

MRI findings of new uptake in the femoral head detected on follow-up bone scans.

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this article is to suggest clinical indications for MRI in patients with breast cancer who have new uptake lesions in the femoral head on follow-up bone scans, by evaluating the incidence and causes of new uptake lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS.

The dipeptidyl peptidase-IV inhibitor inhibits the expression of vascular adhesion molecules and inflammatory cytokines in HUVECs via Akt- and AMPK-dependent mechanisms.

Recently, dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-IV) inhibitor, a major anti-hyperglycemic agent, has received substantial attention as a possible therapeutic target for inflammatory diseases such as atherosclerosis. However, the direct molecular mechanisms through which DPP-IV inhibitor mediates anti-inflammatory effects in vascular endothelial cells have not been clarified. The effects of the DPP-IV inhibitor, gemigliptin, were analyzed in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and THP-1 cells.

Waist-to-hip ratio is better at predicting subclinical atherosclerosis than body mass index and waist circumference in postmenopausal women.

Objective: Body fat distribution becomes more central after menopause. Although some studies have identified the superiority of various anthropometric indices to assess general health outcomes, very limited studies have compared the efficacy of body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) to predict subclinical atherosclerosis according to menopausal status.

Methods: In total, 442 participants (209 premenopausal women and 233 postmenopausal women) were prospectively enrolled from the Health Promotion Center of Korea University Guro Hospital.

Integrated whole body MR/PET: where are we?

Whole body integrated magnetic resonance imaging (MR)/positron emission tomography (PET) imaging systems have recently become available for clinical use and are currently being used to explore whether the combined anatomic and functional capabilities of MR imaging and the metabolic information of PET provide new insight into disease phenotypes and biology, and provide a better assessment of oncologic diseases at a lower radiation dose than a CT. This review provides an overview of the technical background of combined MR/PET systems, a discussion of the potential advantages and technical challenges of hybrid MR/PET instrumentation, as well as collection of possible solutions. Various early clinical applications of integrated MR/PET are also addressed.

Association between body size phenotype and sleep duration: Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey V (KNHANES V).

Objective: Recent studies reported the presence of unique subsets of body size phenotypes that are more susceptible or more resistant to the development of obesity-associated metabolic disorders, although the underlying mechanism is not yet fully elucidated. We investigated the association between body size phenotypes and sleep duration after adjusting potential confounding factors.

Materials And Methods: We analyzed data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey V (KNHANES V), a nation-wide, population-based health survey including 9077 Korean adults.

Vascular inflammation in metabolically abnormal but normal-weight and metabolically healthy obese individuals analyzed with ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography.

Recent studies have suggested that body size phenotype may contribute to atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography is a useful imaging technique for detecting vascular inflammation that may reflect plaque vulnerability. Therefore, we analyzed which body size phenotypes cause the increased vascular inflammation using FDG positron emission tomography.

Impact of visceral fat on skeletal muscle mass and vice versa in a prospective cohort study: the Korean Sarcopenic Obesity Study (KSOS).

Objectives: Sarcopenia and visceral obesity have been suggested to aggravate each other, resulting in a vicious cycle. However, evidence based on prospective study is very limited. Our purpose was to investigate whether visceral fat promotes a decrease in skeletal muscle mass and vice versa.

Mutiple Spontaneous Rib Fractures in Patient with Cushing's Syndrome.

Glucocorticoid (GC) excess, including Cushing's syndrome, is a common cause of secondary osteoporosis. Thirty to fifty percent of Cushing's syndrome patients experience non-traumatic fractures, which is often the presenting manifestation of Cushing's syndrome. However, there have been rare cases of Cushing's syndrome diagnosed only based upon bone manifestations.

Comparison of image quality of shoulder CT arthrography conducted using 120 kVp and 140 kVp protocols.

Objective: To compare the image quality of shoulder CT arthrography performed using 120 kVp and 140 kVp protocols.

Materials And Methods: Fifty-four CT examinations were prospectively included. CT scans were performed on each patient at 120 kVp and 140 kVp; other scanning parameters were kept constant.

Soft tissue sarcoma misdiagnosed as benign peripheral neurogenic tumor.

Background: Because of the distinctive clinical and MR findings associated with benign peripheral neurogenic tumors (BPNTs), they are commonly diagnosed without histological confirmation. As such, they are one of the most frequently misdiagnosed entities among the soft tissue sarcomas (STSs) that undergo initial unplanned excision. In this study, we investigate the characteristics of STSs misdiagnosed as BPNTs.

Adipose gene expression profiles related to metabolic syndrome using microarray analyses in two different models.

Background: Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ) agonist has a wide-ranging influence on multiple components of metabolic syndrome. The Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rat is a useful animal model of metabolic syndrome. To determine genes related to metabolic syndrome, we examined overlapping genes that are simultaneously decreased by PPAR-γ agonists and increased in OLETF rats using microarrays in two different models.

External rotation and active supination CT arthrography for the postoperative evaluation of type II superior labral anterior to posterior lesions.

Purpose: To evaluate the effectiveness of external rotation and active supination CT arthrography in postoperative evaluation by comparing it with neutral CT arthrography and analyzing its agreement with postoperative clinical results after the repair of type II superior labral anterior to posterior (SLAP) lesions.

Materials And Methods: A total of 25 patients who had undergone CT arthrography in neutral, external rotation and active supination position at least 1 year after the arthroscopic repair of SLAP lesions were enrolled. Two radiologists independently evaluated the status of the repaired SLAP lesions with neutral CT arthrography and then with external rotation and active supination CT arthrography.

The synergistic effect of the combined thin multi-walled carbon nanotubes and reduced graphene oxides on photothermally actuated shape memory polyurethane composites.

We evaluated the synergistic effect of the hybrid-type nanocarbon, consisting of 1D thin-walled carbon nanotubes (TWNTs) and 2D reduced graphene oxide (RGO), on the shape memory performance of hyperbranched polyurethane composites. The shape recovery of the resulting composites was activated via a photothermal process using a near-infrared laser. The best laser-induced shape recovery performance was achieved for the composites with a 7/3 of TWNT/RGO ratio and a 1wt.

Visual MRI grading system to evaluate atrophy of the supraspinatus muscle.

Objective: To investigate the interobserver reproducibility and diagnostic feasibility of a visual grading system for assessing atrophy of the supraspinatus muscle on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Materials And Methods: Three independent radiologists retrospectively evaluated the occupying ratio of the supraspinatus muscle in the supraspinatus fossa on 192 shoulder MRI examinations in 188 patients using a 3-point visual grading system (1, ≥ 60%; 2, 30-59%; 3, < 30%) on oblique sagittal T1-weighted images. The inter-reader agreement and the agreement with the reference standard (3-point grades according to absolute occupying ratio values quantitatively measured by directly contouring the muscles on MRI) were analyzed using weighted kappa.

Adipokines as a novel link between obesity and atherosclerosis.

The traditional perception of adipose tissue as a storage organ of fatty acids has been replaced by the notion that adipose tissue is an active endocrine organ, releasing various adipokines that are involved in the pathogenesis of obesity-related metabolic disturbances. Obesity is a well-known risk factor for atherosclerosis, and accelerates atherosclerosis by many mechanisms such as increase in blood pressure and glucose level, abnormal lipid profiles, and systemic inflammation. Furthermore, growing evidence suggests that some adipokines directly mediate the process of atherosclerosis by influencing the function of endothelial cells, arterial smooth muscle cells, and macrophages in vessel walls.

MR imaging of myxofibrosarcoma and undifferentiated sarcoma with emphasis on tail sign; diagnostic and prognostic value.

Objectives: To assess the prevalence of the tail sign in soft tissue sarcomas and determine whether the local recurrence rate differed based on the presence of the tail sign.

Methods: In our retrospective study, myxofibrosarcoma (MFS, n = 25) and undifferentiated sarcoma (US, n = 38) comprised group 1, and the remaining tumours (n = 115) were assigned to group 2. Location, size, and imaging features of the tumours were assessed on MRI.

Dipeptidyl petidase-IV inhibitor (gemigliptin) inhibits tunicamycin-induced endoplasmic reticulum stress, apoptosis and inflammation in H9c2 cardiomyocytes.

The direct effects of dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-IV) inhibitors on endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-induced apoptosis and inflammation in cardiomyocytes have not been elucidated. H9c2 cell viability, which was reduced by tunicamycin, was increased after DPP-IV inhibitor gemigliptin treatment. Gemigliptin significantly decreased the tunicamycin-mediated increase in glucose regulated protein 78 (GRP78) expression and ER stress-mediated signaling molecules such as protein kinase RNA-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK)/C-EBP homologous protein (CHOP) and inositol-requiring enzyme 1α (IRE1α)/c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK)-p38.

Resolvin D1 reduces ER stress-induced apoptosis and triglyceride accumulation through JNK pathway in HepG2 cells.

Research has indicated that stress on the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of a cell affects the pathogenesis of metabolic disorders such as obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Resolvins, a novel family derived from ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, have anti-inflammatory and insulin sensitizing properties, and it has been suggested that they play a role in the amelioration of obesity-related metabolic dysfunctions. This study showed that pretreatment with resolvin D1 (RvD1) attenuated ER stress-induced apoptosis and also decreased caspase 3 activity in HepG2 cells.

Implication of circulating irisin levels with brown adipose tissue and sarcopenia in humans.

Context: Irisin is an exercise-induced novel myokine that drives brown-fat-like conversion of white adipose tissue and has been suggested to be a promising target for the treatment of obesity-related metabolic disorders.

Objective: To assess the association of circulating irisin concentrations with brown adipose tissue (BAT) and/or sarcopenia in humans.

Setting And Design: We examined irisin levels in 40 BAT-positive and 40 BAT-negative women detected by (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography ((18)FDG-PET).

Quantifying rotator cuff atrophy and fatty degeneration at the supraspinatus origin in the scapular fossa.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the location difference (distance) between the conventional Y-view (CYV) and the bony origin of the supraspinatus, and therefore, to suggest hypotrophy measurement in the CYV could be highly influenced by retraction of a torn tendon.

Methods: Ninety five arthroscopically repaired rotator cuff tears were retrospectively enrolled in this study. The most lateral portion of the osseous origin of the supraspinatus muscle [the Y-view at the level was newly defined as the supraspinatus origin-view (SOV)] and the CYV were determined on the MRI, and location discrepancy between the two levels was measured.

High prevalence of abnormal MR findings of the distal semimembranosus tendon: contributing factors based on demographic, radiographic, and MR features.

Objective: The objective of our study was to determine the prevalence of thickening and signal alteration of the distal semimembranosus (SM) tendon on knee MRI and analyze the patient factors associated with abnormal MR findings of the distal SM tendon.

Materials And Methods: Knee MRI scans of 116 subjects (58 men, 58 women; mean age, 48.5 years; range, 18-79 years) who underwent knee surgery were evaluated to assess the distal SM tendons in terms of signal alteration and thickness.