Factors affecting healing of rotator cuff repairs: microfracture of the greater tuberosity.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the impact of microfractures generated within the footprint of the greater tuberosity (GT) on postoperative cuff healing following arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR).

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on patients who underwent ARCR for full-thickness rotator cuff tear (FTRCT) between April 2020 and October 2023 at our institution. A total of 73 patients was categorized into two groups based on the presence of microfractures: a microfracture group (group M, n=33) and a non-microfracture group (group N, n=40).

Risk factors for nonunion in patients with transcondylar fracture of the distal humerus after open reduction and internal fixation.

Background: Transcondylar fractures have been reported to rarely occur in the distal humerus, and stable fixation is difficult because of the unique fracture pattern. However, few studies have reported the risk factors for nonunion after open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF). This study aimed to evaluate the demographic and surgical risk factors for nonunion in patients who had undergone ORIF for transcondylar fractures.

Optimal concentration of mesenchymal stem cells for fracture healing in a rat model with long bone fracture.

Background: There is still no consensus on which concentration of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to use for promoting fracture healing in a rat model of long bone fracture.

Aim: To assess the optimal concentration of MSCs for promoting fracture healing in a rat model.

Methods: Wistar rats were divided into four groups according to MSC concentrations: Normal saline (C), 2.

Efficacy and safety of low-dose antihypertensive combination of amlodipine, telmisartan, and chlorthalidone: A randomized, double-blind, parallel, phase II trial.

The aim of this clinical trial was to assess the efficacy and safety of low-dose triple combinations of amlodipine, telmisartan, and chlorthalidone in patients with essential hypertension. After a 2-week placebo run-in period, 176 patients were randomized to seven treatment groups (placebo, quarter-dose combination, third-dose combination, half-dose combination, amlodipine 5 mg, amlodipine 10 mg, and telmisartan 80 mg) and administered the assigned study drug orally for 8 weeks. The primary efficacy endpoint was the change in the mean sitting systolic blood pressure (BP) (MSSBP) at Week 8.

Practical Considerations for Clinical Laboratories in Top-down Approach for Assessing the Measurement Uncertainty of Clinical Chemistry Analytes.

Background: The top-down (TD) approach using internal quality control (IQC) data is regarded a practical method for estimating measurement uncertainty (MU) in clinical laboratories. We estimated the MU of 14 clinical chemistry analytes using the TD approach and evaluated the effect of lot changes on the MU.

Methods: MU values were estimated using subgrouping by reagent lot changes or using the data as a whole, and both methods were compared.

Clinical Aspects of the Dense Fine Speckled Pattern in Indirect Immunofluorescence-Antinuclear Antibody Screening and Its Association with DFS70 Autoantibodies.

Goals: The existence of anti-dense fine speckled (DFS) 70 autoantibodies are considered an exclusionary biomarker for systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARDs). Several tests to confirm the presence of anti-DFS70 autoantibodies have been introduced, and the use of them in specimens with a DFS pattern in indirect immunofluorescence-antinuclear antibody (IIF-ANA) testing has been suggested. However, these additional tests have only been evaluated in a small number of samples; their clinical usefulness therefore requires further evaluation.

Diagnostic Utility of New Equation for Active Tuberculosis Based on Parameters of Interferon-γ Release Assay.

Background: We derived a new equation to include interferon-γ (IFN-γ) levels in the QuantiFERON-Gold In-Tube (QFT-GIT) assay to discriminate active tuberculosis (ATB) infection from latent TB, and compared the diagnostic performance of the QFT-GIT assay and the new equation.

Methods: From January 2013 through May 2015, we retrospectively enrolled 159 and 408 patients with and without ATB, respectively, in this study. Discriminant analysis was performed to derive an equation to distinguish the ATB group from the non-ATB group.

A Case of Sepsis in a 92-Year-Old Korean Woman Caused by Aerococcus urinae and Identified by Sequencing the 16S Ribosomal RNA Gene.

Aerococcus urinae is an uncommon pathogen that was first identified in 1992. Herein, we report a case of bloodstream infection caused by A. urinae, which occurred in a 92-year-old Korean female patient with an underlying urologic infection who had altered consciousness.

Crystalloid podocytopathy with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis in PCM: a case report.

Background: Crystalloid podocytopathy with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis in plasma cell myeloma (PCM) is rare.

Case Presentation: We present a case of crystalline deposition in the bone marrow (BM) and various renal cells with only proteinuria as a symptom. As workup for proteinuria, a renal biopsy sample was obtained.