Summary
Effects of anti-osteoporosis medications such as anti-resorptive and anabolic agents on healing of osteoporotic spinal fracture were retrospectively investigated. The use of anabolic agent ...significantly enhanced fracture healing, reduced progressive collapse, and presented good pain relief. These findings suggest that proper selection of medication could improve initial management of acute osteoporotic spinal fractures (OSFs).
Introduction
Although anti-osteoporosis medications have beneficial effects on prevention of osteoporotic spinal fractures (OSFs), few studies have compared effects of medications on fracture healing following OSFs. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to elucidate the effects of different anti-osteoporosis medications on radiological and clinical outcomes after acute OSFs.
Methods
A total of 132 patients diagnosed with acute OSFs were enrolled and allocated into three groups group I (
n
= 39, no anti-osteoporosis medication), group II (
n
= 66, bisphosphonate), and group III (
n
= 27, parathyroid hormone (PTH). Radiological parameters including magnetic resonance (MR) classification, occurrence of intravertebral cleft (IVC), and clinical outcomes such as numerical rating scale (NRS) and Oswestry disability index were assessed. Risk analyses for IVC and progressive collapse were done along the related factors and medication type.
Results
IVC sign was observed in 30 patients. The rate of IVC sign was lower in group III (7.4%) than that in group I (20.5%) or group II (30.3%), although the difference was not statistically significant. Moreover, the degree of NRS improvement was better in group III than that in group I or group II (5.7 vs. 3.1 vs. 3.5,
p
< 0.001). On multiple regression analysis, mid-portion type fracture in MR classification was a significant risk factor for progressive OSFs. The use of PTH showed significant lower incidences of occurrence of IVC (odds ratio (OR) = 0.160) and increase in height loss (OR = 0.325).
Conclusions
Different anti-osteoporosis medications presented different clinical and radiological results after acute OSFs. The use of anabolic agent significantly enhanced fracture healing, reduced progressive collapse, and presented better clinical outcomes. Proper selection of medication might improve initial management of acute OSFs.
Background
Although transarterial chemoembolization is recommended as the standard treatment for Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage B hepatocellular carcinoma (BCLC‐B HCC), other treatments ...including liver resection have been used. This study aimed to determine the survival benefit of treatment strategies including resection for BCLC‐B HCC compared with non‐surgical treatments.
Methods
The nationwide multicentre database of the Korean Liver Cancer Association was reviewed. Patients with BCLC‐B HCC who underwent liver resection as a first or second treatment within 2 years of diagnosis and patients who received non‐surgical treatment were selected randomly. Survival outcomes of propensity score‐matched groups were compared.
Results
Among 887 randomly selected patients with BCLC‐B HCC, 83 underwent liver resection as first or second treatment and 597 had non‐surgical treatment. After propensity score matching, the two groups were well balanced (80 patients in each group). Overall median survival in the resection group was better than that for patients receiving non‐surgical treatment (50·9 versus 22·1 months respectively; P < 0·001). The 1‐, 2‐, 3‐ and 5‐year overall survival rates in the resection group were 90, 88, 75 and 63 per cent, compared with 79, 48, 35 and 22 per cent in the no‐surgery group (P < 0·001). In multivariable analysis, non‐surgical treatment only (hazard ratio (HR) 3·35, 95 per cent c.i. 2·16 to 5·19; P < 0·001), albumin level below 3·5 g/dl (HR 1·96, 1·22 to 3·15; P = 0·005) and largest tumour size greater than 5·0 cm (HR 1·81, 1·20 to 2·75; P = 0·005) were independent predictors of worse overall survival.
Conclusion
Treatment strategies that include liver resection offer a survival benefit compared with non‐surgical treatments for potentially resectable BCLC‐B HCC.
Selected patients benefit
As an alternative strategy for phosphate removal, biochar (black carbon) has characteristics superior to those of widely used adsorptive media, from both economic and environmental points of view. In ...this study, various types of biochar derived from oak wood, bamboo wood, maize residue, soybean stover, and peanut shell were tested for evaluation of phosphate removal. After 24 h of reaction time, the phosphate removal was limited (2.0–9.4 %) in case of general adsorptive media. However, interestingly, among various biochars, peanut shell-derived biochar (PSB) exhibited the best performance, showing the highest phosphate removal rate, 61.3 % (3.8 mg PO
4−
P g PSB
−1
). We attribute this high value to the proper structural properties of PSB, such as BET-specific surface area of 348.96 m
2
g
−1
and mineral/phosphorus ratio (Mg/P = 3.46 and Ca/P = 47.6). Adsorption equilibrium and kinetics of phosphate at different temperature (10, 20, and 30 °C) were well explained in the whole experimental region by Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetic models, respectively. The maximum adsorption capacity of PSB was 6.79 mg g
−1
for phosphate at 30 °C. These findings suggest that PSB has great potential as an alternative and renewable adsorptive media for phosphate removal.
Galactic cosmic rays consist of protons, electrons and ions, most of which are believed to be accelerated to relativistic speeds in supernova remnants. All components of the cosmic rays show an ...intensity that decreases as a power law with increasing energy (for example as E-2.7). Electrons in particular lose energy rapidly through synchrotron and inverse Compton processes, resulting in a relatively short lifetime (about 105 years) and a rapidly falling intensity, which raises the possibility of seeing the contribution from individual nearby sources (less than one kiloparsec away). Here we report an excess of galactic cosmic-ray electrons at energies of ∼300-800 GeV, which indicates a nearby source of energetic electrons. Such a source could be an unseen astrophysical object (such as a pulsar or micro-quasar) that accelerates electrons to those energies, or the electrons could arise from the annihilation of dark matter particles (such as a Kaluza-Klein particle with a mass of about 620 GeV).
Although laparoscopic donor hepatectomy is increasingly common, few centers with substantial experience have reported the results of pure laparoscopic donor right hepatectomy (PLDRH). Here, we report ...the experiences of 60 consecutive liver donors undergoing pure laparoscopic donor hepatectomy (PLDH), with most undergoing right hepatectomy. None of the 60 donors who underwent PLDH had intraoperative complications and none required transfusions, reoperation, or conversion to open hepatectomy. Forty‐five donors who underwent PLDRH between November 2015 and December 2016 were compared with 42 who underwent conventional donor right hepatectomy (CDRH) between May 2013 and February 2014. The total operation time was longer (330.7 vs 280.0 minutes; P < .001) and the percentage with multiple bile duct openings was higher (53.3% vs 26.2%; P = .010) in the PLDRH group. However, the length of postoperative hospital stay (8.4 vs 8.2 days; P = .495) and rate of complications (11.9% vs 8.9%; P = .733) and re‐hospitalizations (4.8% vs 4.4%; P = 1.000) were similar in both groups. PLDH, including PLDRH, is feasible when performed by a highly experienced surgeon and transplant team. Further evaluation, including long‐term results, may support these preliminary findings of comparative outcomes for donors undergoing PLDRH and CDRH.
Compared with the open approach, pure laparoscopic donor hepatectomy, primarily right hepatectomy, is a feasible procedure when performed by a highly experienced surgeon and transplantation team.
Microorganisms such as fungi and bacteria cause many human diseases and therefore rapid and accurate identification of these substances is essential for effective treatment and prevention of further ...infections. In particular, contemporary microbial detection technique is limited by the low detection speed which usually extends over a couple of days. Here we demonstrate that metamaterials operating in the terahertz frequency range shows promising potential for use in fabricating the highly sensitive and selective microbial sensors that are capable of high-speed on-site detection of microorganisms in both ambient and aqueous environments. We were able to detect extremely small amounts of the microorganisms, because their sizes are on the same scale as the micro-gaps of the terahertz metamaterials. The resonant frequency shift of the metamaterials was investigated in terms of the number density and the dielectric constants of the microorganisms, which was successfully interpreted by the change in the effective dielectric constant of a gap area.
The self-discharge behaviour of Li–S cell, is investigated through changes in the open-circuit voltage (OCV) and discharge capacity with storage time. A fresh Li–S cell experiences 72% sulfur ...utilization during the first discharge, as based on the theoretical capacity for the formation of Li
2S. After 30 days of storage, the OCV has fallen from 2.48 to 2.16
V and the discharge capacity has decreased from 1206 to 924
mAh
g
−1 (based on sulfur). Analysis of the self-discharged sample by a variety of techniques shows the formation of lithium polysulfides, such as Li
2S
n
(
n ≥ 1) from the reaction of lithium and sulfur, which is related to the corrosion of the stainless current-collector. Stainless steel is not the most appropriate current-collector material for Li–S cells. The extent of self-discharge can be decreased by using a gold-coated current-collector that offers protection against corrosion.
Mitochondrial function in retinal pigmented epithelial (RPE) cells and extracellular vesicle (EV) formation/release are related through the lysosomal and exocytotic pathways that process and ...eliminate intracellular material, including mitochondrial fragments. We propose that RPE cells with impaired mitochondria will release EVs containing mitochondrial miRNAs that reflect the diminished capacity of mitochondria within these cells.
We screened ARPE-19 cells for miRNAs that localize to the mitochondria, exhibit biological activity, and are present in EVs released by both untreated cells and cells treated with rotenone to induce mitochondrial injury. EVs were characterized by vesicle size, size distribution, presence of EV biomarkers: CD81, CD63, and syntenin-1, miRNA cargo, and number concentration of EVs released per cell.
We found that miR-494-3p was enriched in ARPE-19 mitochondria. Knockdown of miR-494-3p in ARPE-19 cells decreased ATP production and mitochondrial membrane potential in a dose-dependent manner, and decreased basal oxygen consumption rate and maximal respiratory capacity. Increased number of EVs released per cell and elevated levels of miR-494-3p in EVs released from ARPE-19 cells treated with rotenone were also measured.
ARPE-19 mitochondrial function is regulated by miR-494-3p. Elevated levels of miR-494-3p in EVs released by ARPE-19 cells indicate diminished capacity of the mitochondria within these cells.
EV miR-494-3p is a potential biomarker for RPE mitochondrial dysfunction, which plays a central role in non-neovascular age-related macular degeneration, and may be a diagnostic biomarker for monitoring the spread of degeneration to neighboring RPE cells in the retina.
•miR-494-3p is enriched in the mitochondria of ARPE-19 cells.•miR-494-3p regulates mitochondrial function in ARPE-19 cells.•EV miR-494-3p released by ARPE-19 cells indicates mitochondrial dysfunction.
We investigated self-discharge characteristics of Li/S batteries using tetra ethylene glycol dimethylether (TEGDME) electrolyte. The open circuit voltages (OCV) and discharge curves were measured as ...a function of storage time. The self-discharge of the Li/S battery depended on current collectors. Li/TEGDME/S batteries with stainless steel (SUS) current collector showed the highest self-discharge rate of 59% per month. The self-discharge rate of Li/TEGDME/S battery using Al current collector is 34% during initial 80 days, but only 36% after 360 days storage. The discharge capacity decreases only 2% from 80 to 360 days. The self-discharge of Li/S battery using Al current collector is severe during initial 80 days, but is not an important factor after 80 days. Average self-discharge rate of Li/TEGDME/S battery using Al current collector is 3% per month for 1 year.
In the current practice, an essential element of safety management systems, Job Hazard Analysis (JHA), is performed manually, relying on the safety personnel's experiential knowledge and ...observations. This research was conducted to create a new ontology that comprehensively represents the JHA knowledge domain, including the implicit knowledge. Specifically, 115 actual JHA documents and interviews with 18 JHA domain experts were analyzed and used as the source of knowledge for creating a new JHA knowledge base, namely the Job Hazard Analysis Knowledge Graph (JHAKG). To ensure the quality of the developed ontology, a systematic approach to ontology development called METHONTOLOGY was used in this process. The case study performed for validation purposes demonstrates that a JHAKG can operate as a knowledge base that answers queries regarding hazards, external factors, level of risks, and appropriate control measures to mitigate risks. As the JHAKG is a database of knowledge representing a large number of actual JHA cases previously developed and also implicit knowledge that has not been formalized in any explicit forms yet, the quality of JHA documents produced from queries to the database is expectedly higher than the ones produced by an individual safety manager in terms of completeness and comprehensiveness.
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