Evaluation of Droplet Digital PCR for the Detection of V600E in Fine-Needle Aspiration Specimens of Thyroid Nodules.

Background: Droplet digital (dd)PCR is a new-generation PCR technique with high precision and sensitivity; however, the positive and negative droplets are not always effectively separated because of the "rain" phenomenon. We aimed to develop a practical optimization and evaluation process for the ddPCR assay and to apply it to the detection of V600E in fine-needle aspiration (FNA) specimens of thyroid nodules, as an example.

Methods: We optimized seven ddPCR parameters that can affect "rain.

Rearrangements in Leukemia Patients: A Case Series From a Single Institution.

Background: The three best-known rearrangements found in leukemia (, and ) are associated with treatment resistance and poor prognosis. Mouse experiments have shown that rearrangements alone are insufficient for leukemogenesis; therefore, the identification of concurrent mutations is important for accurate assessment and tailored patient management. Here, we characterized the demographic characteristics and concurrent mutations in patients harboring rearrangements.

Computed Tomography-Based Morphologic Analysis of Osteoarthritis of the Distal Radioulnar Joint Associated with Extensor Tendon Ruptures.

Backgroud: Although the scallop sign is considered the most important risk factor for extensor tendon ruptures (ETRs) in patients with osteoarthritis of the distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ), previous reports provide a limited understanding of the changes at DRUJ, as risk factors were examined in plain radiographs of the wrist. The aim of this study was to assess the changes of DRUJ using axial images of computed tomography (CT) in patients with DRUJ osteoarthritis and associated ETRs and to evaluate the relationship between the changes of DRUJ and ETRs.

Methods: Twelve patients with ETRs due to osteoarthritis of the DRUJ were enrolled.

Quantitative and Qualitative QC of Next-Generation Sequencing for Detecting Somatic Variants: An Example of Detecting Clonal Hematopoiesis of Indeterminate Potential.

Background: Because next-generation sequencing (NGS) for detecting somatic mutations has been adopted in clinical fields, both qualitative and quantitative QC of the somatic variants through whole coding regions detected by NGS is crucial. However, specific applications or guidelines, especially for quantitative QC, are currently insufficient. Our goal was to devise a practical approach for both quantitative and qualitative QC using an example of detecting clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP).

Extensor Tendon Rupture Due to Advanced Kienböck's Disease: Two Case Reports and a Review of Literature.

Extensor tendon rupture of the finger is a very rare complication of Kienböck's disease. However, advanced Kienböck's disease can cause an attritional rupture of extensor tendons due to displaced lunate fragment. An extensor tendon of the thumb is frequently damaged in the distal radial fracture, and an extensor tendon of the fifth finger is mainly ruptured in arthritis of distal radio-ulnar joint.

Preoperative latent medial laxity and correction angle are crucial factors for overcorrection in medial open-wedge high tibial osteotomy.

Purpose: This study aimed to determine which preoperative factors affect the postoperative change in the joint line convergence angle (JLCA) by preoperatively quantifying soft tissue laxity.

Methods: Thirty-four patients who underwent medial open-wedge high tibial osteotomy (HTO) with a navigation were analysed. The JLCA change after HTO was calculated using standing long-bone anteroposterior radiographs taken preoperatively and 6 months postoperatively.

Reliability of the EOS Imaging System for Assessment of the Spinal and Pelvic Alignment in the Sagittal Plane.

Background: The sagittal alignment of the spine and pelvis is not only closely related to the overall posture of the body but also to the evaluation and treatment of spine disease. In the last few years, the EOS imaging system, a new low-dose radiation X-ray device, became available for sagittal alignment assessment. However, there has been little research on the reliability of EOS.

HAp granules encapsulated oxidized alginate-gelatin-biphasic calcium phosphate hydrogel for bone regeneration.

Bone repair in the critical size defect zone using 3D hydrogel scaffold is still a challenge in tissue engineering field. A novel type of hydrogel scaffold combining ceramic and polymer materials, therefore, was fabricated to meet this challenge. In this study, oxidized alginate-gelatin-biphasic calcium phosphate (OxAlg-Gel-BCP) and spherical hydroxyapatite (HAp) granules encapsulated OxAlg-Gel-BCP hydrogel complex were fabricated using freeze-drying method.

Bone formation of a porous Gelatin-Pectin-biphasic calcium phosphate composite in presence of BMP-2 and VEGF.

A composite scaffold of gelatin (Gel)-pectin (Pec)-biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) was fabricated for the successful delivery of growth factors. Bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were coated on the Gel-Pec-BCP surface to investigate of effect of them on bone healing. Surface morphology was investigated by scanning electron microscopy, and BCP dispersion in the hydrogel scaffolds was measured by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy.

Nanoparticle biphasic calcium phosphate loading on gelatin-pectin scaffold for improved bone regeneration.

Biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) nanoparticles were loaded with porous gelatin-pectin (GE-P) scaffolds. The biodegradable gelatin-pectin-BCP scaffolds were produced as miscible mixtures with well-defined interconnected pores to facilitate osteoconductivity and enhance bone formation. It was observed that the compressive strength increased with the loading of BCP nanoparticles.

Surface modification of porous polycaprolactone/biphasic calcium phosphate scaffolds for bone regeneration in rat calvaria defect.

In this study, polycaprolactone scaffolds fabricated by a salt-leaching process were loaded with biphasic calcium phosphate successfully to improve the osteoconductivity in bone regeneration. The surface of polycaprolactone/biphasic calcium phosphate scaffolds was aminolyzed by 1,6-hexamethylenediamine to introduce amino groups onto the surface, which was verified qualitatively by ninhyrin staining. Collagen was further immobilized on the aminolyzed porous polycaprolactone via N-ethyl-N'-(3-dimethylaminopropy) carbodiimide hydrochloride/hydroxy-2,5-dioxopyrolidine-3-sulfonic acid sodium cross-linking.

Age- and sex-related differences in sudomotor function evaluated by the quantitative sudomotor axon reflex test (QSART) in healthy humans.

The aim of the present study was to quantitatively investigate the age and sex-related differences in sudomotor function in healthy humans. The quantitative sudomotor axon reflex test (QSART) with iontophoresis (2 mA for 5 min) and 10% acetylcholine (ACh) was performed to determine axon reflex-mediated (AXR), with and without iotophoresis (AXR(1) and AXR(2), respectively), and directly activated (DIR) sweating. All experiments were conducted under thermoneutral conditions (temperature 24.

Oligonol supplementation attenuates body temperature and the circulating levels of prostaglandin E2 and cyclooxygenase-2 after heat stress in humans.

Oligonol, a phenolic production from lychee, has been reported to exhibit anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects. This study investigated the effect of Oligonol supplementation on circulating levels of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, as well as body temperature, after heat stress in 17 healthy human male volunteers (age, 21.6±2.

Hybrid hydroxyapatite nanoparticles-loaded PCL/GE blend fibers for bone tissue engineering.

In order to augment bone formation, a new biodegradable scaffold system was fabricated using different ratios of hydroxyapatite (HAp) blended with synthetic polymer polycaprolactone (PCL) and natural polymer gelatin (GE) followed by electrospinning method. Three different concentrations of HAp were used in PCL/GE to obtain a blend of 10, 30, and 50% (w/v) HAp-PCL/GE. These HAp-loaded PCL/GE blends were then compared with PCL/GE blends by different mechanical and biological in vitro and in vivo studies to understand the applicability of the system.

Heat acclimation affects circulating levels of prostaglandin E2, COX-2 and orexin in humans.

We examined serum levels of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 and orexin before and after heat acclimation (HA) to test the hypothesis that decreased basal body temperature due to HA correlate with circulating levels of these key thermoregulatory molecules. Nine healthy human male volunteers were recruited (age, 21.9±2.

Clinical results associated with changes of posterior tibial slope in total knee arthroplasty.

Purpose: The purpose of this retrospective study is to investigate the effect of posterior tibial slope (PTS) on clinical results in total knee replacement arthroplasty (TKA).

Materials And Methods: We analyzed 801 knees in 768 patients who underwent TKA using a cruciate-retaining prosthesis for osteoarthritis from July 2003 to July 2009. PTS was measured on simple X-ray films and patients were divided into 5 groups, according to the change in PTS that was calculated by subtracting the preoperative from the postoperative PTS: group 1, >3°; group 2, 3° to 1°; group 3, 1° to -1°; group 4, -1° to -3°; and group 5, <-3°.

Bioactive glass incorporation in calcium phosphate cement-based injectable bone substitute for improved in vitro biocompatibility and in vivo bone regeneration.

In this work, we fabricated injectable bone substitutes modified with the addition of bioactive glass powders synthesized via ultrasonic energy-assisted hydrothermal method to the calcium phosphate-based bone cement to improve its biocompatibility. The injectable bone substitutes was initially composed of a powder component (tetracalcium phosphate, dicalcium phosphate dihydrate and calcium sulfate dehydrate) and a liquid component (citric acid, chitosan and hydroxyl-propyl-methyl-cellulose) upon which various concentrations of bioactive glass were added: 0%, 10%, 20% and 30%. Setting time and compressive strength of the injectable bone substitutes were evaluated and observed to improve with the increase of bioactive glass content.

Preparation and characterization of PLGA microspheres by the electrospraying method for delivering simvastatin for bone regeneration.

Microparticles formulated from poly (D,L-lactic-co-glycolide) (PLGA), a biodegradable polymer, have been investigated extensively as a drug delivery system. In this study, solid tiny PLGA microspheres were fabricated using the electrospraying method. PLGA polymer was dissolved in dichloromethane (DCM), and the solution was electrosprayed.

Fabrication of multilayer ZrO₂-biphasic calcium phosphate-poly-caprolactone unidirectional channeled scaffold for bone tissue formation.

We developed a continuously porous scaffold with laminated matrix and bone-like microstructure by a multi-pass extrusion process. In this scaffold, tetragonal ZrO₂, biphasic calcium phosphate and poly-caprolactone layers were arranged in a co-axially laminated unit cell with a channel in the center. The entire matrix phase had a laminated microstructure of alternate lamina of tetragonal ZrO₂, biphasic calcium phosphate and poly-caprolactone--biphasic calcium phosphate with optimized designed thickness and channeled porosity.

The in vitro and in vivo anti-tumor effect of KO-202125, a sauristolactam derivative, as a novel epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor in human breast cancer.

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is one of the most promising targets for cancer therapy. Here, we show the in vitro and in vivo anticancer effects and associated mechanisms of KO-202125, one of the synthesized aristolactam analogs, as a novel EGFR inhibitor, in EGFR-overexpressing cancer cell lines. KO-202125 showed more effective growth inhibition and apoptosis induction than gefitinib, a representative EGFR inhibitor, in various EGFR-overexpressing human cancers including estrogen receptor (ER)-negative MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells.

Fabrication of polyvinyl alcohol/gelatin nanofiber composites and evaluation of their material properties.

Electrospinning of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), gelatin (GE), and a PVA/GE blend was conducted with the aim of fabricating biodegradable scaffolds for tissue engineering. The process parameters including the concentration of GE in PVA/GE blends, electrical field, and tip-to-collector distance (TCD) were investigated. Electrospinning processes were conducted at three different GE concentrations (PVA/GE = 2/8, 6/4, and 8/2), and the voltage and TCD were varied from 18 to 24 kV and 7 to 20 cm, respectively.

Fabrication of bioglass infiltrated Al(2)O (3)-(m-ZrO (2)) composites.

Using 80 vol.% of poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA) as a pore-forming agent to obtain interconnected porous bodies, porous Al(2)O(3)-(m-ZrO(2)) bodies were successfully fabricated. The pores were about 200 microm in diameter and were homogeneously dispersed in the Al(2)O(3)-25 vol.

Zinc induces cell death in immortalized embryonic hippocampal cells via activation of Akt-GSK-3beta signaling.

Zinc is an essential catalytic and structural element of many proteins and a signaling messenger that is released by neuronal activity at many central excitatory synapses. Excessive synaptic release of zinc followed by entry into vulnerable neurons contributes severe neuronal cell death. We have previously observed that zinc-induced neuronal cell death is accompanied by Akt activation in embryonic hippocampal progenitor (H19-7) cells.

Resistance to reinfection in rats induced by irradiated metacercariae of Clonorchis sinensis.

A study was made to observe the association between the resistance to reinfection induced by irradiated metacercariae (MC) of Clonorchis sinensis and antigen specific Th1- and Th2-type cytokine productions in rats. Rats were infected with 20 MC of C. sinensis, previously exposed to a single dose of gamma irradiation, which varied from 0 to 100 Gy.

Pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate-induced neuronal cell death is mediated by Akt, casein kinase 2, c-Jun N-terminal kinase, and IkappaB kinase in embryonic hippocampal progenitor cells.

Pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) is known to induce cell death by the stimulation of intracellular zinc transport and subsequent modulation of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) activity. Zinc is a signaling messenger that is released by neuronal activity at many central excitatory synapses. Excessive synaptic release of zinc followed by entry into vulnerable neurons contributes to severe neuronal cell death.