Purpose
No standard strategy exists for managing cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM). The efficacy of spinous process-splitting laminoplasty, its impact on cervical alignment change and the ...incidence of postoperative neck pain remain unclear. We analyzed the parameters of cervical alignment and cord morphology in CSM.
Methods
The radiographic parameters investigated were pre- and postoperative C2–C7 lordosis (CL), C2–C7 sagittal vertical axis (CSVA), T1 slope (TS), TS minus CL (TS − CL) and cervical spinal cord morphology. Myelopathy severity was measured using two different functional scores. Statistical analysis was performed to determine significant differences between preoperative and follow-up radiological findings and change in functional scores.
Results
This retrospective study comprised 85 CSM patients from a single institute, with a minimum follow-up of 24 months. Overall, 63.5% (
n
= 54) of patients had improvement in their postoperative cervical lordotic alignment; 36.5% (
n
= 31) developed progressive aggravation of the cervical kyphotic alignment. Pearson correlation analysis showed that CSVA, TS and T1–CL were independent predictors of CL curve change. Based on the receiver operating characteristic curve, the cutoff value for CSVA was 2.89 cm with a postoperative visual analog scale (VAS) > 4. The cutoff value of the TS − CL was 20 degrees with a postoperative VAS > 4. CSVA, TS and TS − CL had a significant association with variation in CL. CSVA and TS − CL had a significant association with postoperative neck pain.
Conclusions
CSVA, T1 slope and T1–CL are good predictors of postoperative degenerative kyphotic change and neck pain. Careful consideration of their preoperative cutoff values can improve postoperative outcomes.
Level of evidence
IV.
Graphic abstract
These slides can be retrieved under Electronic Supplementary Material.
This is a retrospective cohort study by analyzing a multi‐institutional electronic medical records database in Taiwan to compare long‐term effectiveness and risk of major adverse cardiac events ...(MACE) in chemotherapy‐naïve metastatic castration‐resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) patients treated with enzalutamide (ENZ) or abiraterone (AA). Patients aged 20 years and older and newly receiving androgen receptor targeted therapies ENZ or AA from September 2016 to December 2019 were included. We followed patients from initiation of therapies to the occurrence of outcomes (prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) response rate, PSA progression free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and MACE), death, the last clinical visit, or December 31, 2020. We performed multivariable Cox proportional hazard models to compare ENZ and AA groups for the measured outcomes. A total of 363 patients treated with either ENZ (n = 157) or AA (n = 206) were identified. The analysis found a significantly higher proportion of patients with a PSA response rate higher than 50% among those receiving ENZ than among those receiving AA (ENZ vs AA: 75.80% vs 63.59%, P = .01). However, there was no significant difference in PSA PFS (adjusted hazard ratio: 0.86; 95% CI 0.63‐1.17) and OS (0.68: 0.41‐1.14) between the use of ENZ and AA in chemotherapy‐naïve mCRPC patients. Regarding the cardiovascular (CV) safety outcome, there was a significantly lower risk of MACE in patients receiving ENZ, compared to patients receiving AA (0.20: 0.07‐0.55). The findings suggest that enzalutamide may be more efficacious for PSA response and suitable for chemotherapy‐naïve mCRPC patients with high CV risk profile.
What's new?
While second generation androgen receptor (AR)‐targeted therapies are promising for the treatment of chemotherapy‐naïve metastatic castration‐resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), data on survival benefit and cardiovascular safety are lacking. Here, using a multi‐institutional electronic health records database, the authors investigated the effectiveness, long‐term outcome, and cardiovascular safety of the AR‐targeted mCRPC therapies enzalutamide and abiraterone. Compared to abiraterone, enzalutamide is more efficacious in terms of prostate‐specific antigen response and carries a lower risk of major adverse cardiac events. The findings are relevant for treatment decisions regarding AR‐targeted therapies for chemotherapy‐naïve mCRPC patients with high risk of adverse cardiovascular events.
Mitochondrial aging, which results in mitochondrial dysfunction, is strongly linked to many age-related diseases. Aging is associated with mitochondrial enlargement and transport of cytosolic ...proteins into mitochondria. The underlying homeostatic mechanisms that regulate mitochondrial morphology and function, and their breakdown during aging, remain unclear. Here, we identify a mitochondrial protein trafficking pathway in Drosophila melanogaster involving the mitochondria-associated protein Dosmit. Dosmit induces mitochondrial enlargement and the formation of double-membraned vesicles containing cytosolic protein within mitochondria. The rate of vesicle formation increases with age. Vesicles originate from the outer mitochondrial membrane as observed by tracking Tom20 localization, and the process is mediated by the mitochondria-associated Rab32 protein. Dosmit expression level is closely linked to the rate of ubiquitinated protein aggregation, which are themselves associated with age-related diseases. The mitochondrial protein trafficking route mediated by Dosmit offers a promising target for future age-related mitochondrial disease therapies.
Parkinson's disease (PD) is known as a mitochondrial disease. Some even regarded it specifically as a disorder of the complex I of the electron transport chain (ETC). The ETC is fundamental for ...mitochondrial energy production which is essential for neuronal health. In the past two decades, more than 20 PD-associated genes have been identified. Some are directly involved in mitochondrial functions, such as
, and
. While other PD-associate genes, such as
,
, and
, regulate lysosomal functions, lipid metabolism, or protein aggregation, some have been shown to indirectly affect the electron transport chain. The recent identification of
and
that are critical for functions of complex IV and complex III, respectively, provide direct evidence that PD is more than just a complex I disorder. Like UQCRC1 in preventing cytochrome
from release, functions of ETC proteins beyond oxidative phosphorylation might also contribute to the pathogenesis of PD.
Objectives
This study investigated the association between the decline of the decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) index and several family‐level and individual‐level factors among 6‐ to ...18‐year‐old Taiwanese children from 2012 to 2020.
Methods
This study used data from the 2012 and 2020 Taiwan National Oral Health Survey of Children and Adolescents. Both surveys used similar methods and were performed in the same study age group. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data on parents' sociodemographic background; the number of children in the family; oral health‐related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours; and children's dietary habits. Dental caries was recorded through standardized oral examinations. Multivariable multilevel zero‐inflated negative binomial regression models were used to determine the association between family‐level and individual‐level factors and the DMFT index from 2012 to 2020.
Results
A total of 10 217 and 10 436 schoolchildren completed the oral examinations and questionnaires in the 2012 and 2020 surveys, respectively. The adjusted mean DMFT index of 12‐year‐old Taiwanese schoolchildren in 2020 was 2.01, denoting a significant decline from 2.50 in 2012 (adjusted mean ratio = 0.20, 95% confidence interval CI = 0.17, 0.23, p < .0001). Furthermore, children who often consumed sugar‐rich drinks had a significantly higher risk (mean ratio = 1.05, 95% CI = 1.01, 1.10) of having DMFT than those who seldom consumed such drinks (p = .017).
Conclusions
In the period of 2012–2020, the DMFT index among Taiwanese children significantly declined. Children who often consumed sugar‐rich drinks had a higher DMFT index than those who seldom consumed such drinks. Our findings are valuable to paediatricians, dentists, nutritionists, and public health policymakers.
For circular ultra-high voltage (UHV) 300-V power nLDMOS devices, a novel device architecture of high voltage p-well (HVPW) zones is embedded into a high voltage n-well (HVNW) drift region to form ...superjunction (SJ) structures (radial-type). And, by the HVPW/HVNW SJ of the radial-type, eight types of area ratios are fabricated. However, the human-body model (HBM) capacity of this UHV nLDMOS reference group is only 2500 V. For equal partition radial-type SJ, due to more even HVPW distribution in the equal 32-partitions, the HBM level (6750 V) was the highest. Meanwhile, it can maintain a fairly high breakdown voltage as with the reference sample. Finally, for the radial-type 30 equal partitions with different HVPW/HVNW area ratios, because the HVPW area was large in the HVPW/HVNW ratio(≈2:1), more conduction current flowed into the BNW layer under these new inserted HVPWs and dispersed the conduction current; thus, the HBM (7000 V) was the best. Thus, the more even partition and higher proportion of HVPW/HVNW area ratio in drain-side SJ architecture, the stronger its electrostatic discharge reliability performance.
Crosstalk of a tumor with its microenvironment is a critical factor contributing to cancer development. This study investigates the soluble factors released by tumor-associated dendritic cells ...(TADCs) responsible for increasing cancer stem cell (CSC) properties, cell mobility, and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Dendritic cells (DCs) of colon cancer patients were collected for phenotype and CXCL1 expression by flow cytometry and Luminex assays. The transcriptome of CXCL1-treated cancer cells was established by next generation sequencing. Inflammatory chemokine CXCL1, present in large amounts in DCs isolated from colon cancer patients, and SW620-conditioned TADCs, enhance CSC characteristics in cancer, supported by enhanced anchorage-independent growth, CD133 expression and aldehyde dehydrogenase activity. Additionally, CXCL1 increases the metastatic ability of a cancer by enhancing cell migration, matrix metalloproteinase-7 expression and EMT. The enhanced CXCL1 expression in DCs is also noted in mice transplanted with colon cancer cells. Transcriptome analysis of CXCL1-treated SW620 cells indicates that CXCL1 increases potential oncogene expression in colon cancer, including
,
,
,
and
. Concurrently, CXCL1 displays a specific microRNA (miR) upregulated by the prototypical colon cancer onco-miR miR-105. Analysis of publicly available data reveals CXCL1-driven oncogenes and miR-105 have a negative prognostic impact on the outcome of colon cancer. This study indicates a new mechanism by which the colon cancer milieu exploits DC plasticity to support cancer progression.
To apply high-entropy alloys (HEAs) for extensive advanced structural uses, their welding properties should be well understood. In this study, Al0.3CoCrCu0.3FeNi HEA was butt welded by friction stir ...welding (FSW). The fine-grained partially recrystallized microstructure in the stir zone gave rise to a high tensile yield strength of 920 MPa with an elongation of 37%. By microstructural observation, the excellent mechanical properties of the stir zone material were attributed to the partially recrystallized heterogeneous structure, with which the synergetic strengthening improved the strength of the HEA with considerably less trade-off in its ductility. This unique phenomenon was unprecedented in any other friction-stir welded conventional alloys and was credited to the low stacking-fault energy and the high grain growth activation energy of the HEA. This work suggests that FSW can not only produce good HEA welds but serve as a special processing technique to enhance mechanical properties of HEAs.
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•The partially recrystallized heterogeneous microstructure produced by friction stir welding leads to strong and ductile high-entropy alloys.•Friction stir welding can serve as a novel processing technique for high-entropy alloys provided their conduciveness to heterogeneities.•Low stacking fault energy and high grain growth activation energy facilitate the formation of heterogeneous structures during friction stir welding.
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