Eating patterns in Korean adults, 1998-2018: increased energy contribution of ultra-processed foods in main meals and snacks.

PURPOSE: Unfavorable changes in eating patterns over time may contribute to upward trends in chronic diseases, such as obesity. We examined 20-year trends in the percentage of energy from main meals and snacks and the food sources of each eating occasion among Korean adults. METHODS: This study used nationally representative data from the 1st, 4th, and 7th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (1998, 2007-2009, and 2016-2018) among adults aged 20-69 years (n = 29,389). Each eating occasion (breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks) was defined by respondents during a 24-h dietary recall interview. To identify the food sources of each eating occasion, we used the NOVA system. The percentage of energy at each eating occasion and that from each NOVA group across survey cycles were estimated, and tests for linear trends were conducted using orthogonal polynomial contrasts in linear regression models. All analyses accounted for the complex survey design. RESULTS: After adjusting for age and sex, the percentage of energy from breakfast decreased from 25.0% in 1998 to 16.7% in 2018 (difference, - 8.2%; standard error [SE], 0.3), whereas that from dinner and snacks increased from 31.1 to 33.8% (difference, + 2.7%; SE, 0.4) and from 14.0 to 19.0% (difference, + 5.0%; SE, 0.5), respectively (all P < 0.001). At all eating occasions, the percentage of energy from minimally processed foods declined (difference, - 18.6% for breakfast; - 13.1% for lunch; - 21.1% for dinner; - 20.7% for snacks), while that from ultra-processed foods increased (difference, + 17.0% for breakfast; + 11.3% for lunch; + 18.0% for dinner; + 30.7% for snacks). When stratified by age, the given trends were shown to a greater extent in younger adults (< 50 years old) than in older adults (≥ 50 years old). CONCLUSIONS: The eating patterns of Korean adults changed from 1998 to 2018, with the greatest decrease in energy intake from breakfast and the greatest increase from snacking. At all eating occasions, the contribution of minimally processed foods declined, while that of ultra-processed foods increased, especially among younger adults.

MRI-visible Perivascular Spaces in the Neonatal Brain.

Background Mounting evidence suggests that perivascular spaces (PVSs) visible at MRI reflect the function of the glymphatic system. Understanding PVS burden in neonates may guide research on early glymphatic-related pathologic abnormalities. Purpose To perform a visual and volumetric evaluation of PVSs that are visible at MRI in neonates and to evaluate potential associations with maturation, sex, and preterm birth. Materials and Methods In this retrospective study, T2-weighted brain MRI scans in neonates from the Developing Human Connectome Project were used for visual grading (grades 0-4) of PVSs in the basal ganglia (BG) and white matter (WM) and for volumetric analysis of BG PVSs. The BG PVS fraction was obtained by dividing the BG PVS volume by the deep gray matter volume. The association between postmenstrual age at MRI and BG PVS burden was evaluated using linear regression. PVS burden was compared according to sex and preterm birth using the Mann-Whitney test. Results A total of 244 neonates were evaluated (median gestational age at birth, 39 weeks; IQR, 6 weeks; 145 male neonates; 59%), including 88 preterm neonates (median gestational age at birth, 33 weeks; IQR, 6 weeks; 53 male neonates; 60%) and 156 term neonates (median gestational age at birth, 40 weeks; IQR, 2 weeks; 92 male neonates; 59%). For BG PVSs, all neonates showed either grade 0 (90 of 244; 37%) or grade 1 (154 of 244; 63%), and for WM PVSs, most neonates showed grade 0 (227 of 244; 93%). The BG PVS fraction demonstrated a negative relationship with postmenstrual age at MRI (r = -0.008; P < .001). No evidence of differences was found between the sexes for BG PVS volume (P = .07) or BG PVS fraction (P = .28). The BG PVS volume was smaller in preterm neonates than in term neonates (median, 45.3 mm3 [IQR, 15.2 mm3] vs 49.9 mm3 [IQR, 21.3 mm3], respectively; P = .04). Conclusion The fraction of perivascular spaces (PVSs) in the basal ganglia (BG) was lower with higher postmenstrual age at MRI. Preterm birth affected the volume of PVSs in the BG, but sex did not. © RSNA, 2023 Supplemental material is available for this article. See also the editorial by Huisman in this issue.

CT and MRI findings beyond the subchondral bone in osteonecrosis of the femoral head to distinguish between ARCO stages 2 and 3A.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the diagnostic values of deep changes beyond the subchondral bone in osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) to distinguish between Association Research Circulation Osseous (ARCO) stages 2 and 3A. METHODS: This retrospective study included 124 hips with ONFH of stages 2 (n = 49; 23 females; mean age, 50.7 years) and 3A (n = 75; 20 females; mean age, 53.2 years) from May 2017 to August 2022, who underwent CT (n = 124) and MRI (n = 85). Deep changes beyond subchondral bone were analyzed on CT (bone resorption area and cystic change) and on MRI (bone marrow edema [BME] and joint effusion). Diagnostic performance and multivariate analysis were evaluated for detecting stage 3A. RESULTS: Stage 3A showed more frequent bone resorption area (72.0% vs. 4.1%), cystic change (52.0% vs. 0.0%), BME (93.5% vs. 43.6%), and joint effusion (76.0% vs. 24.5%) than stage 2 (p < 0.001, all). Bone resorption area and cystic change showed low sensitivities (52.0~72.0%) but high specificities (96.0~100.0%), while BME and joint effusion showed high sensitivities (76.0~93.0%) but low specificities (56.0~76.0%) for stage 3A. Predictors were in the order of bone resorption area, cystic change, and joint effusion (odds ratio: 32.952, 26.281, 9.603, respectively), and combined bone resorption area and cystic change had the best predictive value (AUC, 0.900) for stage 3A. CONCLUSIONS: Among deep changes, bone resorption area and cystic changes were highly specific and BME and joint effusion were highly sensitive for stage 3A. Combined bone resorption area and cystic change had the best predictive value for predicting ARCO stage 3A. KEY POINTS: • The exact classification between ARCO stage 2 and 3A is essential but it is sometimes difficult to distinguish between ARCO stage 2 and 3A only by subchondral fracture, especially early post-collapse stage with preservation of femoral head contour. • The predictors of stage 3A were in the order of bone resorption area, cystic change, and joint effusion and combined bone resorption area and cystic change had the best predictive value for predicting stage 3A. • Analysis of deep changes beyond the subchondral bone may make it easier to distinguish between ARCO stage 2 and 3A.

Flexible Aliphatic Diammonioacetates as Zwitterionic Ligands in UO22+ Complexes: Diverse Topologies and Interpenetrated Structures.

N,N,N',N'-Tetramethylethane-1,2-diammonioacetate (L1) and N,N,N',N'-tetramethylpropane-1,3-diammonioacetate (L2) are two flexible zwitterionic dicarboxylates which have been used as ligands for the uranyl ion, 12 complexes having been obtained from their coupling to diverse anions, mostly anionic polycarboxylates, or oxo, hydroxo and chlorido donors. The protonated zwitterion is a simple counterion in [H2L1][UO2(2,6-pydc)2] (1), where 2,6-pydc2- is 2,6-pyridinedicarboxylate, but it is deprotonated and coordinated in all the other complexes. [(UO2)2(L2)(2,4-pydcH)4] (2), where 2,4-pydc2- is 2,4-pyridinedicarboxylate, is a discrete, binuclear complex due to the terminal nature of the partially deprotonated anionic ligands. [(UO2)2(L1)(ipht)2]·4H2O (3) and [(UO2)2(L1)(pda)2] (4), where ipht2- and pda2- are isophthalate and 1,4-phenylenediacetate, are monoperiodic coordination polymers in which central L1 bridges connect two lateral strands. Oxalate anions (ox2-) generated in situ give [(UO2)2(L1)(ox)2] (5) a diperiodic network with the hcb topology. [(UO2)2(L2)(ipht)2]·H2O (6) differs from 3 in being a diperiodic network with the V2O5 topological type. [(UO2)2(L1)(2,5-pydc)2]·4H2O (7), where 2,5-pydc2- is 2,5-pyridinedicarboxylate, is a hcb network with a square-wave profile, while [(UO2)2(L1)(dnhpa)2] (8), where dnhpa2- is 3,5-dinitro-2-hydroxyphenoxyacetate, formed in situ from 1,2-phenylenedioxydiacetic acid, has the same topology but a strongly corrugated shape leading to interdigitation of layers. (2R,3R,4S,5S)-Tetrahydrofurantetracarboxylic acid (thftcH4) is only partially deprotonated in [(UO2)3(L1)(thftcH)2(H2O)] (9), which crystallizes as a diperiodic polymer with the fes topology. [(UO2)2Cl2(L1)3][(UO2Cl3)2(L1)] (10) is an ionic compound in which discrete, binuclear anions cross the cells of the cationic hcb network. 2,5-Thiophenediacetate (tdc2-) is peculiar in promoting self-sorting of the ligands in the ionic complex [(UO2)5(L1)7(tdc)(H2O)][(UO2)2(tdc)3]4·CH3CN·12H2O (11), which is the first example of heterointerpenetration in uranyl chemistry, involving a triperiodic, cationic framework and diperiodic, anionic hcb networks. Finally, [(UO2)7(O)3(OH)4.3Cl2.7(L2)2]Cl·7H2O (12) crystallizes as a 2-fold interpenetrated, triperiodic framework in which chlorouranate undulating monoperiodic subunits are bridged by the L2 ligands. Complexes 1, 2, 3, and 7 are emissive with photoluminescence quantum yields in the range of 8-24%, and their solid-state emission spectra show the usual dependence on number and nature of donor atoms.

What Is New in Stage 3 of the 2019 Revised Association Research Circulation Osseous Staging System of Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head: A Relationship to Bone Resorption.

PURPOSE: The aim of the study is to evaluate the stage 3 findings of the 2019 revision of the Association Research Circulation Osseous (ARCO) staging system for osteonecrosis of the femoral head between 3A and 3B and the relationship with bone resorption area. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively enrolled 87 patients with ARCO stage 3 osteonecrosis of the femoral head, divided into stage 3A (n = 73) and 3B (n = 14). The revised stage 3 findings included subchondral fracture, fracture in necrotic portion, and flattening of the femoral head and were compared between stage 3A and 3B. The association between these findings and the causative features of bone resorption area was also evaluated. RESULTS: All stage 3 cases had subchondral fractures. In stage 3A, these fractures were generated by crescent sign (41.1%) and by fibrovascular reparative zone in 58.9%; however, in stage 3B, fibrovascular reparative zone generated 92.9% of these fractures and crescent sign only 7.1% with statistical significance ( P = 0.034). Necrotic portion fracture was noted in 36.7% and femoral head flattening was observed in 14.9% of all stage 3. Necrotic portion fracture (92.9% vs 26.0%) and femoral head flattening (71.4% vs 4.1%) were observed more frequently in stage 3B than 3A ( P < 0.001). Almost all subchondral fractures by fibrovascular reparative zone (96.4%) and necrotic portion fracture (96.9%), and all femoral head flattening was presented with bone resorption area with expanding areas. CONCLUSIONS: The ARCO stage 3 descriptions reflect severity in this order: subchondral fracture, necrotic portion fracture, and femoral head flattening. More severe findings are usually associated with expanding bone resorption areas.

Tenosynovial giant cell tumors of digits: MRI differentiation between localized types and diffuse types with pathology correlation.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the MRI findings between the localized- and diffuse-type tenosynovial giant cell tumors (TSGCTs) of digits with pathology correlation. METHODS: Twenty-eight patients with newly diagnosed TSGCTs of digits (22 localized and 6 diffuse types) who underwent preoperative MRI and surgical excision were included from Jan. 2015 to September 2021. MRI findings regarding nodularity, margins, morphology of hypointensity with pathology correlation, and disease extent (bone erosion, articular involvement, muscle involvement, tendon destruction, and neurovascular encasement) were assessed. RESULTS: Diffuse type was significantly larger (P = 0.006), more multinodular on both MRI and pathology (P = 0.038, both) with significant agreement, and infiltrative on both MRI and pathology (P < 0.001, both) with substantial agreement, and showed central granular on MRI and strong hemosiderin deposition on pathology (P = 0.022 and P = 0.021) with moderate agreement than localized type. Localized type showed significantly more frequent peripheral capsules on both MRI and pathology (P < 0.001, both) with moderate agreement than diffuse type. However, the septum on both MRI and pathology showed no statistically significant difference between the two groups (P = 0.529 and P = 0.372) without significant agreement. The disease extent was more severe in the diffuse type than the localized type regarding articular involvement (P < 0.001), muscle involvement (P < 0.001), and tendon destruction (P = 0.010). No statistically significant differences were found between the two groups regarding bone erosion (P = 0.196) or neurovascular bundle encasement (P = 0.165). CONCLUSIONS: Diffuse-type TSGCTs of digits presented as locally aggressive lesions with larger, multinodular, infiltrative masses exhibiting stronger hemosiderin deposition and more severe disease extents of articular, muscle, and tendon involvement than the localized type.

Acute left iliofemoral vein thrombosis: Comparison between simple and bony May-Thurner syndrome in CT venography.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the etiology of May-Thurner syndrome (MTS) with acute iliofemoral deep vein thrombosis (DVT) regarding imaging findings and clinical features. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 57 patients with acute left iliofemoral DVT from 2015 to 2020. The diameter of left common iliac vein (LCIV) at the maximal compression site and its percent compression regarding the average diameter of the uncompressed iliac vein were recorded in central and distal portions of the LCIV according to the location in the quadrant of lumbar vertebral body. Compression was categorized into simple and bony MTS; Simple MTS as LCIV compressed by the right common iliac artery (RCIA) versus Bony MTS as LCIV by lower lumbar degenerative changes regardless of RCIA compression. Initial computed tomographic venography (CTV) regarding chronic change of LCIV such as fibrotic atrophy or cordlike obliteration, extent of thrombus, and lumbar degenerative changes were evaluated. Therapeutic effect after initial therapy was assessed in follow-up CTVs after 3-6 months. RESULTS: All patients showed LCIV compression with 19 simple MTS (mean age, 42.8 ± 14.1 years [23-67 years]; 12 females; symptom for 4.4 ± 5.5 days) and 38 bony MTS (mean age, 73.0 ± 10.2 years [49-85 years]; 26 females; symptom for 5.5 ± 4.8 days). There was significant difference in age (p < .001) and no significant difference in sex or symptom duration between two groups (p = .691 and 0.415, respectively). All simple MTS showed compression only in the central LCIV and half of bony MTS showed compression in both central and distal LCIV (p < .001). Among the lumbar degenerative changes, symmetric anterolateral osteophyte (p < .001) and asymmetric osteophyte (p < .001) were significantly associated with bony MTS, but not scoliosis (p = .799), compared to simple MTS. Although there was no significant difference in chronic change of LCIV, thrombosis extent, and therapeutic effect between two groups (p > .05), chronic change of LCIV showed significant difference between single and dual compression (23.7% vs. 57.9%, p = .024) and residual thrombus after initial therapy was occurred in 21.1% of single compression and 47.4% in dual compression with non-significant trend (p = .082). CONCLUSION: Bony MTS related to lumbar degenerative changes with acute iliofemoral DVT occurs in older patients, presenting more than one stenosis at LCIV, inducing more chronic change with possibly weaker therapeutic effect than simple MTS.

Iliac vein compression syndrome by lumbar degenerative changes is associated with deep vein thrombosis after total knee arthroplasty.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to identify whether iliac vein compression syndrome(IVCS) is associated with deep vein thrombosis(DVT) after total knee arthroplasty(TKA) and whether lower lumbar degenerative changes were risk factors for IVCS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 259 consecutive patients who underwent TKA from January 2019 to March 2022 was retrospectively reviewed. Preoperative plain radiographs of lumbar spines and CT venography (CTV) for DVT diagnosis at postoperative 7 days were performed in all patients. Imaging findings of lower lumbar degenerative changes were analyzed on plain radiograph including lateral osteophytes, scoliosis, lateralolisthesis, retrolisthesis, anterolisthesis, and lower lumbar lordosis angle (LLLA). Percent compression at the left common iliac vein (LCIV) and right common iliac vein (RCIV) as well as DVT were evaluated on CTV. Moreover, IVCS was defined as greater than 50% of compression of the iliac vein on CTV. RESULTS: DVT occurred in 79 patients (30.5%) after TKA. The overall occurrence of DVT was significantly higher in patients with IVCS of LCIV (52.8%) than those without (18.8%, P < 0.001). When DVT was further subdivided, compared to non-IVCS, IVCS of LCIV was significantly associated with bilateral DVT (P < 0.001, both), especially distal DVT (P < 0.001, both), and IVCS of RCIV was significantly associated with right-side DVT (P = 0.031), especially popliteal (P = 0.008) and distal DVT(P = 0.011). Female patients (OR: 3.945, P = 0.039), presence of left osteophyte (OR: 2.348, P = 0.006), and higher LLLA (OR: 1.082, P < 0.001) were significantly associated with IVCS of LCIV, and presence of right osteophyte (OR: 3.494, P = 0.017) was significantly associated with IVCS of RCIV. CONCLUSION: IVCS was significantly associated with DVT after TKA and lumbar degenerative changes with lateral osteophytes and hyperlordosis were significant risk factors for IVCS.

Zwitterionic and Anionic Polycarboxylates as Coligands in Uranyl Ion Complexes, and Their Influence on Periodicity and Topology.

The three zwitterionic di- and tricarboxylate ligands 1,1'-[(2,3,5,6-tetramethylbenzene-1,4-diyl)bis(methylene)]bis(pyridin-1-ium-4-carboxylate) (pL1), 1,1'-[(2,3,5,6-tetramethylbenzene-1,4-diyl)bis(methylene)]bis(pyridin-1-ium-3-carboxylate) (mL1), and 1,1',1″-[(2,4,6-trimethylbenzene-1,3,5-triyl)tris(methylene)]tris(pyridin-1-ium-4-carboxylate) (L2) have been used as ligands to synthesize a series of 15 uranyl ion complexes involving various anionic coligands, in most cases polycarboxylates. [(UO2)2(pL1)2(cbtc)(H2O)2]·10H2O (1, cbtc4- = cis,trans,cis-1,2,3,4-cyclobutanetetracarboxylate) is a discrete, dinuclear ring-shaped complex with a central cbtc4- pillar. While [UO2(pL1)(NO3)2] (2), [UO2(pL1)(OAc)2] (3), and [UO2(pL1)(HCOO)2] (4) are simple chains, [(UO2)2(mL1)(1,3-pda)2] (5, 1,3-pda2- = 1,3-phenylenediacetate) is a daisy chain and [UO2(pL1)(pdda)]3·10H2O (6, pdda2- = 1,2-phenylenedioxydiacetate) is a double-stranded, ribbon-like chain. Both [UO2(pL1)(pht)]·5H2O (7, pht2- = phthalate) and [(UO2)3(mL1)(pht)2(OH)2] (8) crystallize as diperiodic networks with the sql topology, the latter involving hydroxo-bridged trinuclear nodes. [(UO2)2(pL1)(c/t-1,3-chdc)2] (9, c/t-1,3-chdc2- = cis/trans-1,3-cyclohexanedicarboxylate) and [UO2(pL1)(t-1,4-chdc)]·1.5H2O (10, t-1,4-chdc2- = trans-1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylate) are also diperiodic, with the V2O5 and sql topologies, respectively. Both [(UO2)2(mL1)(c/t-1,4-chdc)2] (11) and [(UO2)2(pL1)(1,2-pda)2] (12, 1,2-pda2- = 1,2-phenylenediacetate) crystallize as diperiodic networks with hcb topology, and they display threefold parallel interpenetration. [HL2][(UO2)3(L2)(adc)3]Br (13, adc2- = 1,3-adamantanedicarboxylate) contains a very corrugated hcb network with two different kinds of cells, and the uncoordinated HL2+ molecule associates with the coordinated L2 to form a capsule containing the bromide anion. [(UO2)2(pL1)(kpim)2] (14, kpim2- = 4-ketopimelate) is a three-periodic framework with pL1 molecules pillaring fes diperiodic subunits, whereas [(UO2)2(L2)2(t-1,4-chdc)](NO3)1.7Br0.3·6H2O (15), the only cationic complex in the series, is a triperiodic framework with dmc topology and t-1,4-chdc2- anions pillaring fes diperiodic subunits. Solid-state emission spectra and photoluminescence quantum yields are reported for all complexes.

Accelerated 3D T2-weighted images using compressed sensing for pediatric brain imaging.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare the image quality of the 3D T2-weighted images accelerated using conventional method (CAI-SPACE) with the images accelerated using compressed sensing (CS-SPACE) in pediatric brain imaging. METHODS: A total of 116 brain MRI (53 with CAI-SPACE and 63 with CS-SPACE) were obtained from children 16 years old or younger. Quantitative image quality was evaluated using the apparent signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR). The sequences were qualitatively evaluated for overall image quality, general artifact, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)-related artifact, and grey-white matter differentiation. The two sequences were compared for the total and two age groups (< 24 months vs. ≥ 24 months). RESULTS: Compressed sensing application in 3D T2-weighted imaging resulted in 8.5% reduction in scanning time. Quantitative image quality analysis showed higher apparent SNR (median [Interquartile range]; 29 [25] vs. 23 [14], P = 0.005) and CNR (0.231 [0.121] vs. 0.165 [0.120], P = 0.027) with CS-SPACE compared to CAI-SPACE. Qualitative image quality analysis showed better image quality with CS-SPACE for general (P = 0.024) and CSF-related artifact (P < 0.001). CSF-related artifacts reduction was prominent in the older age group (≥ 24 months). Overall image quality (P = 0.162) and grey-white matter differentiation (P = 0.397) were comparable between CAI-SPACE and CS-SPACE. CONCLUSION: Compressed sensing application in 3D T2-weighted images modestly reduced acquisition time and lowered CSF-related artifact compared to conventional images of the pediatric brain.

Comparison of dietary share of ultra-processed foods assessed with a FFQ against a 24-h dietary recall in adults: results from KNHANES 2016.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the performance of an FFQ for estimating dietary contributions of NOVA groups to individuals' diets with a specific focus on ultra-processed foods (UPF) compared with a single 24-h dietary recall (24HR). DESIGN: All consumed foods and beverages assess with both a 109-item FFQ and a single 24HR were classified into one of four NOVA groups: natural or minimally processed foods (MPF), processed culinary ingredients (PCI), processed foods (PF) and UPF. The contributions of each NOVA group to daily intakes of energy, protein, fat, saturated fat, carbohydrate, fibre and Na were expressed as crude intake, energy-adjusted intake and percentage intake. Mean differences, correlation coefficients and joint classification were calculated for intakes of energy and nutrients from each NOVA group between the FFQ and the 24HR. SETTING: The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2016. PARTICIPANTS: Adults aged 19-64 years (n 3189). RESULTS: The smallest group-mean differences between the two methods were observed in UPF (2-40 %). The greatest average Pearson's correlation coefficients between the FFQ and 24HR were shown in dietary contributions of UPF (r = 0·22-0·25 for MPF; r = 0·02-0·05 for PCI; r = 0·11-0·18 for PF; r = 0·26-0·30 for UPF). The greatest agreement in quartile classification between the FFQ and the 24HR was observed in dietary contributions of UPF (70·0-71·5 % for MPF; 64·2-68·8 % for PCI; 66·9-69·2 % for PF; 71·8-73·9 % for UPF). CONCLUSIONS: The use of the FFQ for estimating absolute intake of UPF may not be encouraged in its current form, but it still may be used for relative comparisons such as quantile categorisation.

Simultaneous probing of dual intracellular metabolites (ATP and paramylon) in live microalgae using graphene oxide/aptamer nanocomplex.

The development of an intracellular metabolite imaging platform for live microorganisms has been a challenge in the study of microbes. Herein, we performed metabolite imaging in live microalgal cells using a graphene oxide (GO)/aptamer complex. The properties of the GO were characterized using dynamic light scattering (DLS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM), which were determined to have 140 ± 3 nm in mean diameter. An ATP-specific aptamer was mixed with GO to form a GO/aptamer complex, and the feasibility of the complex was tested in vitro. The high correlation between the fluorescence intensity and concentration of ATP was observed in the range 0-10 mM. Next, the feasibility of the complex was confirmed in vivo. Under both phototrophic and heterotrophic culture conditions, Euglena gracilis internalized the complex, and bright fluorescence was observed as the aptamer was bound to the target metabolite (ATP). The fluorescence intensity of cells was correlated to the ATP concentration in the cells. Imaging of dual intracellular metabolites (ATP and paramylon) was achieved by simply using two different aptamers (ATP-specific aptamer and paramylon-specific aptamer) together, showing the great potential of the complex as a dual-sensing/imaging platform. In addition, the GO/aptamer complex exhibited low cytotoxicity; the proliferation and viability of E. gracilis cells were not significantly affected by the complex. Our results suggested that this new imaging platform can be efficiently used for detecting dual intracellular metabolites in live microalgal cells.

Editor's Choice - Development and Validation of a Multivariable Prediction Model of Peri-operative Mortality in Vascular Surgery: The New Zealand Vascular Surgical Risk Tool (NZRISK-VASC).

OBJECTIVE: Risk calculators and prediction models are available to assist clinicians and patients with peri-operative decision making to optimise outcomes. In a vascular surgical setting, the majority of these models is based on open AAA repair outcomes, and in general their clinical use is limited. The objective of this study was to develop and validate a simple and accurate vascular surgical risk prediction model. METHODS: A national administrative database was accessed to collect information on all adult patients undergoing vascular surgery between 1 July 2011 and 30 June 2016 in New Zealand. The primary outcomes were mortality at 30 days, one year, and two years. Previously established covariables including American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) physical status score, sex, surgical urgency, cancer status and ethnicity were tested, and other covariables such as smoking status, presence of renal failure, diabetes, anatomical site of operation, structure operated, and type of procedures (open or endovascular) were explored. LASSO regression was used to select variables for inclusion in the model. RESULTS: A total of 21 597 cases formed the final risk prediction models, with covariables including ASA score, gender, surgical urgency, cancer status, presence of renal failure, diabetes, anatomical site, structure operated, and endovascular procedure. The area under the receiver operating curve (AUROC) for 30 day, one year, and two year mortality using L-min model was 0.869, 0.833, and 0.824, respectively, demonstrating very good discrimination. Calibration with the validation dataset was also excellent, with slopes of 0.971, 1.129, and 1.011, respectively, and McFadden's pseudo-R2 statistics of 0.250, 0.227, and 0.227, respectively. CONCLUSION: A simple and accurate multivariable risk calculator for vascular surgical patients was developed and validated using the New Zealand national dataset, with excellent discrimination and calibration for 30 day, one year, and two year mortality.

Application of electrical treatment on Euglena gracilis for increasing paramylon production.

Paramylon also called ß-1,3-glucan is a value-added product produced from Euglena gracilis. Recently, researchers have developed various strategies for the enhanced paramylon production, among which electrical treatment for microbial stimulation can be an alternative owing to the applicability to large-scale cultivation. In this study, we applied the electrical treatment for enhanced paramylon production and found the proper treatment conditions. Under the treatment with platinum electrodes at 10 mA, the paramylon production of treated cells was significantly increased about 2.5-fold, compared to those of the untreated cells, although the density of cells was maintained due to considerable stress. The size of treated cells became larger, possibly due to the increased level of paramylon production within the cells. Accordingly, the contents of glucose uptake, glucose-6-phosphate (G6P), glucose-1-phosphate (G1P), and uridine diphosphoglucose (UDPG) were shifted to appropriate states for the process of paramylon synthesis under the treatment. The increased level of transcripts encoding glucan synthase-like 2 (EgGSL2) was also confirmed via droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) under the treatment. Overall, this study makes a major contribution to research on electrical stimulation and provides new insights into E. gracilis metabolism like paramylon synthesis. KEY POINTS: • Electrical treatment induced the paramylon production and morphological change of Euglena gracilis. • The glucose uptake of E. gracilis was increased during the electrical treatment, fueling the paramylon synthesis.

A strategic approach to apply bacterial substances for increasing metabolite productions of Euglena gracilis in the bioreactor.

Bacterial extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) are promising materials that have a role in enhancing growth, metabolite production, and harvesting efficiency. However, the validity of the EPS effectiveness in scale-up cultivation of microalgae is still unknown. Therefore, in order to verify whether the bacterial metabolites work in the scale-up fermentation of microalgae, we conducted a bioreactor fermentation following the addition of bacterial EPS derived from the marine bacterium, Pseudoalteromonas sp., to Euglena gracilis. Various culture strategies (i.e., batch, glucose fed-batch, and glucose and EPS fed-batch) were conducted to maximize metabolite production of E. gracilis in scale-up cultivation. Consequently, biomass and paramylon concentrations in the continuous glucose and EPS-treated culture were enhanced by 3.0-fold and 4.2-fold (36.1 ± 1.4 g L-1 and 25.6 ± 0.1 g L-1), respectively, compared to the non-treated control (12.0 ± 0.3 g L-1 and 6.1 ± 0.1 g L-1). Also, the supplementation led to the enhanced concentrations of α-tocopherols and total fatty acids by 3.7-fold and 2.8-fold, respectively. The harvesting efficiency was enhanced in EPS-supplemented cultivation due to the flocculation of E. gracilis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that verifies the effect of bacterial EPS in scale-up cultivation of microalgae. Also, our results showed the highest paramylon productivity than any other previous reports. The results obtained in this study showed that the scale-up cultivation of E. gracilis using bacterial EPS has the potential to be used as a platform to guide further increases in scale and in the industrial environment. KEY POINTS: Effect of EPS on Euglena gracilis fermentation was tested in bioreactor scale. EPS supplement was effective for the paramylon, α-tocopherol, and lipid production. EPS supplement induced the flocculation of E. gracilis.

Repeated Irradiation with γ-Ray Induces Cancer Stemness through TGF-ß-DLX2 Signaling in the A549 Human Lung Cancer Cell Line.

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) play an important role in cancer recurrence and metastasis. It is suggested that the CSC properties in heterogeneous cancer cells can be induced by ionizing radiation (IR). This study investigated the role of DLX2 in the radioresistance and CSC properties induced by IR in NSCLC cancer cells. Here, A549 cells were exposed to fractionated irradiation at a cumulative dose of 52 Gy (4 Gy × 13 times) for a generation of radioresistant cells. After fractionated irradiation, surviving A549 cells exhibited resistance to IR and enhanced expression of various cancer stem cell markers. They also showed upregulation of mesenchymal molecular markers and downregulation of epithelial molecular markers, correlating with an increase in the migration and invasion. Fractionated irradiation triggered the secretion of TGF-ß1 and DLX2 expression. Interestingly, the increased DLX2 following fractionated irradiation seemed to induce the expression of the gene for the EGFR-ligand betacellulin via Smad2/3 signaling. To contrast, DLX2 knockdown dramatically decreased the expression of CSC markers, migration, and proliferation. Moreover, A549 cells expressing DLX2 shRNA formed tumors with a significantly smaller volume compared to those expressing control shDNA in a mouse xenograft assay. These results suggest that DLX2 overexpression in surviving NSCLC cancer cells after fractionated IR exposure is involved in the cancer stemness, radioresistance, EMT, tumor survival, and tumorigenic capability.

Genetic basis of elite combat sports athletes: a systematic review.

Each athlete's innate talent is widely recognized as one of the important contributors to achievement in athletic performance, and genetic factors determine a significant portion of talent or traits. Advances in DNA sequencing technology allow us to discover specific genetic variants contributing to these traits in sports performance. The objective of this systematic review is to identify genes that may play a significant role in the performance of elite-level combat sports athletes. Through the review of 18 full-text articles, a total of 109 different polymorphisms were investigated in 14,313 participants (2,786 combat sports athletes, 8,969 non-athlete controls, 2,558 other sports athletes). Thirteen polymorphisms showed a significant difference between elite combat athletes and the control group, and consist of 8 (PPARA rs4253778, ACTN3 rs1815739, ACE rs4646994, CKM rs8111989, MCT1 rs1049434, FTO rs9939609, GABPß1 rs7181866 and rs8031031) oriented to athletic performance and 5 (COMT rs4680, FEV rs860573, SLC6A2 rs2242446, HTR1B rs11568817, ADRA2A rs521674) focused on psychological traits including emotional and mental traits in combat sports athletes. In addition, a recent whole genome sequencing study identified 4 polymorphisms (KIF27 rs10125715, APC rs518013, TMEM229A rs7783359, LRRN3 rs80054135) associated with reaction time in wrestlers. However, it is not clearly identified which genes are linked explicitly with elite combat sports athletes and how they affect the elite athlete's status or performance in combat sports. Hence, a greater number of candidate genes should be included in future studies to practically utilize the genetic information.

Igalan from Inula helenium (L.) suppresses the atopic dermatitis-like response in stimulated HaCaT keratinocytes via JAK/STAT3 signaling.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the protective effect of igalan, a sesquiterpene lactone isolated from Inula helenium (L.), on inhibiting inflammation, regulating the epidermal differentiation gene expression, and reactive oxygen species scavenging in atopic dermatitis (AD)-like inflammatory keratinocytes. METHODS: HaCaT human keratinocytes were treated with igalan at indicated concentrations before being activated by a combination of TNF-α and IFN-γ or IL-4 representative for T-helper 1 and T-helper 2 cell cytokines, which are associated with AD pathogenesis. RESULTS: By inhibiting the NF-κB pathway as well as the STAT activation, igalan could downregulate several marker inflammatory genes in AD, such as TARC/CCL17, MDC/CCL22, and RANTES/CCL5. In contrast, igalan, acting as JAK inhibitor, could promote the mRNA expression levels of the genes FLG, LOR, KRT10, and DSC1, which encode for essential proteins responsible for keratinocyte differentiation, by inhibiting STAT3 signaling. Furthermore, igalan exerts its antioxidant effect through activating the Nrf2 pathway, triggering the expression of some enzymes that contribute to preventing intracellular ROS generation during inflammation. CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that igalan, via suppressing JAK/STAT3 signaling, could impair the production of pro-inflammatory chemokines and enhance expression levels of several genes involved in keratinocyte differentiation in AD-like stimulated keratinocytes.

Intramuscular peripheral nerve sheath tumors: schwannoma, ancient schwannoma, and neurofibroma.

PURPOSE: To analyze the prevalence of classic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of intramuscular peripheral nerve sheath tumors (PNSTs), including schwannoma, ancient schwannoma, and neurofibroma. METHOD: Thirty pathologically confirmed benign intramuscular PNSTs (24 schwannomas, 3 ancient schwannomas, and 3 neurofibromas) were retrospectively reviewed. Classic MRI findings of PNSTs including split fat sign, fascicular sign, target sign, entering and exiting nerve, and thin hyperintense rim were assessed for each intramuscular PNST. Denervation change of the affected muscle was also assessed. In ancient schwannoma and neurofibroma, the signal intensity (SI) and enhancement pattern were analyzed. RESULTS: All intramuscular schwannomas revealed two more classic MRI findings. Eight of the 24 intramuscular schwannomas revealed affected muscle denervation change. All intramuscular ancient schwannomas showed only split fat sign. All intramuscular ancient schwannomas showed denervation change of the associated muscle. All intramuscular neurofibroma showed split fat sign and one case with target sign was detected. Ancient schwannomas were isointense SI on T1-weighted image (T1WI) and one case had hyperintense foci. They showed heterogeneously hyperintense SI on T2-weighted image (T2WI) with heterogeneous enhancement. Neurofibromas were isointense SI (2/3) and slight hyperintense SI (1/3) on T1WI and heterogeneously hyperintense SI on T2WI with heterogeneous enhancement. One ancient schwannoma showed conglomerated calcifications. CONCLUSIONS: Intramuscular schwannomas were easily diagnosed based on MRI. In the case of intramuscular ancient schwannoma and neurofibroma with only split fat sign among the classic MRI findings, they might be distinguished from other intramuscular soft tissue tumors based on muscle denervation change or typical crescent split fat sign.

Improvement of Euglena gracilis Paramylon Production through a Cocultivation Strategy with the Indole-3-Acetic Acid-Producing Bacterium Vibrio natriegens.

We investigated the putative effects on the growth and paramylon production of Euglena gracilis of cocultivation with Vibrio natriegensE. gracilis heterotrophically cocultivated with V. natriegens displayed significant increases in biomass productivity and paramylon content. In addition, the effects of the bacterial inoculum density and the timing of inoculation on the growth of E. gracilis were examined, to determine the optimal conditions for cocultivation. With the optimal deployment of V. natriegens, biomass productivity and paramylon content were increased by more than 20% and 35%, respectively, compared to those in axenic E. gracilis cultures. Interestingly, indole-3-acetic acid biosynthesized by V. natriegens was responsible for these enhancements of E. gracilis The morphology of cocultured E. gracilis cells was assessed. Paramylon granules extracted from the cocultivation were significantly larger than those from axenic culture. Our study showed that screening for appropriate bacteria and subsequent cocultivation with E. gracilis represented an effective way to enhance biomass and metabolite production.IMPORTANCEEuglena gracilis has attracted special interest due to its ability to excessively accumulate paramylon. Paramylon is a linear ß-1,3-glucan polysaccharide that is the principal polymer for energy storage in E. gracilis The polysaccharide features high bioactive functionality in the immune system. This study explored a new method to enhance the production of paramylon by E. gracilis, through cocultivation with the indole-3-acetic acid-producing bacterium Vibrio natriegens The enhanced production was achieved indirectly with the phytohormone-producing bacteria, instead of direct application of the hormone. The knowledge obtained in this study furthers the understanding of the effects of V. natriegens on the growth and physiology of E. gracilis.