Confined Ionic Environments Tailoring the Reactivity of Molecules in the Micropores of BEA-Type Zeolite.

In the presence of water, hydronium ions formed within the micropores of zeolite H-BEA significantly influence the surrounding environment and the reactivity of organic substrates. The positive charge of these ions, coupled with the zeolite's negatively charged framework, results in an ionic environment that causes a strongly nonideal solvation behavior of cyclohexanol. This leads to a significantly higher excess chemical potential in the initial state and stabilizes at the same time the charged transition state in the dehydration of cyclohexanol. As a result, the free-energy barrier of the reaction is lowered, leading to a marked increase in the reaction rates. Nonetheless, there is a limit to the reaction rate enhancement by the hydronium ion concentration. Experiments conducted with low concentrations of reactants show that beyond an optimal concentration, the required spatial rearrangement between hydronium ions and cyclohexanols inhibits further increases in the reaction rate, leading to a peak in the intrinsic activity of hydronium ions. The quantification of excess chemical potential in both initial and transition states for zeolites H-BEA, along with findings from HMFI, provides a basis to generalize and predict rates for hydronium-ion-catalyzed dehydration reactions in Brønsted zeolites.

Discovery of new acetamide derivatives of 5-indole-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-thiol as inhibitors of HIV-1 Tat-mediated viral transcription.

Human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) encodes a transcriptional factor called Tat, which is critical for viral transcription. Tat-mediated transcription is highly ordered apart from the cellular manner; therefore, it is considered a target for developing anti-HIV-1 drugs. However, drugs targeting Tat-mediated viral transcription are not yet available. Our high-throughput screen of a compound library employing a dual-reporter assay identified a 1,3,4-oxadiazole scaffold against Tat and HIV-1 infection. Furthermore, a serial structure-activity relation (SAR) study performed with biological assays found 1,3,4-oxadiazole derivatives (9 and 13) containing indole and acetamide that exhibited potent inhibitory effects on HIV-1 infectivity, with half-maximal effective concentrations (EC50) of 0.17 (9) and 0.24 µM (13), respectively. The prominent derivatives specifically interfered with the viral transcriptional step without targeting other infection step(s) and efficiently inhibited the HIV-1 replication cycle in the T cell lines and peripheral blood mononuclear cells infected with HIV-1. Additionally, compared to the wild type, the compounds exhibited similar potency against anti-retroviral drug-resistant HIV-1 strains. In a series of mode-of-action studies, the compounds inhibited the ejection of histone H3 for facilitating viral transcription on the long-terminal repeat (LTR) promoter. Furthermore, SAHA (a histone deacetylase inhibitor) treatment abolished the compound potency, revealing that the compounds can possibly target Tat-regulated epigenetic modulation of LTR to inhibit viral transcription. Overall, our screening identified novel 1,3,4-oxadiazole compounds that inhibited HIV-1 Tat, and subsequent SAR-based optimization led to the derivatives 9 and 13 development that could be a promising scaffold for developing a new class of therapeutic agents for HIV-1 infection.

Reconstruction of all hepatic arteries in right lobe grafts with 2 hepatic arteries and zero percent hepatic artery thrombosis.

Hepatic artery thrombosis (HAT) is a common cause of graft loss in living-donor liver transplantation, occurring in ~2.5%-8% of patients. Some right lobe grafts have 2 hepatic arteries (HAs), and the optimal reconstruction technique remains controversial. This study aimed to identify risk factors for HAT and to evaluate the efficacy of reconstructing 2 HAs in right lobe grafts. This retrospective, single-center study analyzed 1601 living-donor liver transplantation recipients with a right liver graft and divided them into 1 HA (n = 1524) and 2 HA (n = 77) groups. The reconstruction of all HAs was performed using a microscope with an interrupted suture. The primary outcome was any HAT event. Of the 1601 patients, 37.8% had a history of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization, and 130 underwent pretransplant hepatectomy. Extra-anatomical arterial reconstruction was performed in 38 cases (2.4%). HAT occurred in 1.2% of patients (20/1601) who underwent surgical revascularization. In the multivariate analysis, undergoing pretransplant hepatectomy ( p = 0.008), having a female donor ( p = 0.02), having a smaller graft-to-recipient weight ratio ( p = 0.002), and undergoing extra-anatomical reconstruction ( p = 0.001) were identified as risk factors for HAT. However, having 2 HA openings in right liver grafts was not a risk factor for HAT in our series. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed no significant difference in graft survival and patient survival rates between the 1 HA and 2 HA groups ( p = 0.09, p = 0.97). In our series, although the smaller HA in the 2 HA group should increase the risk of HAT, HAT did not occur in this group. Therefore, reconstructing both HAs when possible may be a reasonable approach in living-donor liver transplantation using a right liver graft with 2 HA openings.

Immunosuppressive therapy in elderly patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder: a retrospective multicentre study.

BACKGROUND: The risk-benefit relationship of immunosuppressive therapies (ISTs) for elderly patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is not well established. This study aimed to investigate the safety and efficacy of IST in elderly patients with NMOSD. METHODS: This retrospective study analysed IST efficacy and safety in 101 patients with aquaporin-4 antibody-positive NMOSD aged over 65 years, treated for at least 6 months at five Korean referral centres, focusing on relapse rates, infection events and discontinuation due to adverse outcomes. RESULTS: The mean age at disease onset was 59.8 years, and female-to-male ratio was 4:1. Concomitant comorbidities at NMOSD diagnosis were found in 87 patients (86%). The median Expanded Disability Status Scale score at the initiation of IST was 3.5. The administered ISTs included azathioprine (n=61, 60%), mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) (n=48, 48%) and rituximab (n=41, 41%). Over a median of 5.8 years of IST, 58% of patients were relapse-free. The median annualised relapse rate decreased from 0.76 to 0 (p<0.001), and 81% experienced improved or stabilised disability. Patients treated with rituximab had a higher relapse-free rate than those treated with azathioprine or MMF (p=0.022). During IST, 21 patients experienced 25 severe infection events (SIEs) over the age of 65 years, and 3 died from pneumonia. 14 patients (14%) experienced 17 adverse events that led to switching or discontinuation of IST. When comparing the incidence rates of SIEs and adverse events, no differences were observed among patients receiving azathioprine, MMF and rituximab. CONCLUSION: In elderly patients with NMOSD, IST offers potential benefits in reducing relapse rates alongside a tolerable risk of adverse events.

Prognostic factors of first-onset optic neuritis based on diagnostic criteria and antibody status: a multicentre analysis of 427 eyes.

BACKGROUND: Optic neuritis (ON) prognosis is influenced by various factors including attack severity, underlying aetiologies, treatments and consequences of previous episodes. This study, conducted on a large cohort of first ON episodes, aimed to identify unique prognostic factors for each ON subtype, while excluding any potential influence from pre-existing sequelae. METHODS: Patients experiencing their first ON episodes, with complete aquaporin-4 (AQP4) and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) antibody testing, and clinical data for applying multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnostic criteria, were enrolled. 427 eyes from 355 patients from 10 hospitals were categorised into four subgroups: neuromyelitis optica with AQP4 IgG (NMOSD-ON), MOG antibody-associated disease (MOGAD-ON), ON in MS (MS-ON) or idiopathic ON (ION). Prognostic factors linked to complete recovery (regaining 20/20 visual acuity (VA)) or moderate recovery (regaining 20/40 VA) were assessed through multivariable Cox regression analysis. RESULTS: VA at nadir emerged as a robust prognostic factor for both complete and moderate recovery, spanning all ON subtypes. Early intravenous methylprednisolone (IVMP) was associated with enhanced complete recovery in NMOSD-ON and MOGAD-ON, but not in MS-ON or ION. Interestingly, in NMOSD-ON, even a slight IVMP delay in IVMP by >3 days had a significant negative impact, whereas a moderate delay up to 7-9 days was permissible in MOGAD-ON. Female sex predicted poor recovery in MOGAD-ON, while older age hindered moderate recovery in NMOSD-ON and ION. CONCLUSION: This comprehensive multicentre analysis on first-onset ON unveils subtype-specific prognostic factors. These insights will assist tailored treatment strategies and patient counselling for ON.

Analysis of clinical and genomic profiles of therapy-related myeloid neoplasm in Korea.

BACKGROUND: Therapy-related myeloid neoplasm (T-MN) rarely occurs among cancer survivors, and was characterized by poor prognosis. T-MN has germline predisposition in a considerable proportion. Here, clinical characteristics and germline/somatic variant profiles in T-MN patients were investigated, and the findings were compared with those of previous studies. METHODS: A review of medical records, cytogenetic study, targeted sequencing by next-generation sequencing, and survival analysis were performed on 53 patients with T-MN at a single institution in Korea. RESULTS: The patients were relatively younger compared to T-MN patients in other studies. Our T-MN patients showed a high frequency of complex karyotypes, -5/del(5q), and -7/del(7q), which was similar to the Japanese study group but higher than the Australian study group. The most common primary disease was non-Hodgkin lymphoma, followed by breast cancer. The detailed distributions of primary diseases were different across study groups. Seven patients (13.2%) harbored deleterious presumed/potential germline variants in cancer predisposition genes (CPG) such as BRIP1, CEBPA, DDX41, FANCM, NBN, NF1, and RUNX1. In the somatic variant profile, TP53 was the most frequently mutated gene, which was consistent with the previous studies about T-MN. However, the somatic variant frequency in our study group was lower than in other studies. Adverse factors for overall survival were male sex, older age, history of previous radiotherapy, previous longer cytotoxic therapy, and -5/del(5q). CONCLUSION: The findings of our study corroborate important information about T-MN patients. As well as a considerable predisposition to CPG, the clinical characteristics and somatic variant profile showed distinctive patterns. Germline variant testing should be recommended for T-MN patients. If the T-MN patients harbor pathogenic germline variants, the family members for stem cell donation should be screened for carrier status through germline variant testing to avoid donor-derived myeloid neoplasm. For the prediction of the prognosis in T-MN patients, sex, age, past treatment history, and cytogenetic findings can be considered.

Investigation of the Relationship between Quantum Yield, Charge-Transfer State, and Structure of the Ligands in Red-Emitting Heteroleptic Iridium(III) Complexes.

Iridium(III) organometallic complexes have been a key component in commercialization of organic light-emitting diodes, but the direct relationship between their structural features and photophysical properties has not yet been fully established. Here, combined experimental and theoretical studies are carried out to elucidate the main factors governing the quantum efficiency of red phosphorescent emitters by using two heteroleptic iridium(III) complexes with high geometrical similarity. It is found that two red-emitting heteroleptic iridium complexes differing only in the steric direction of phenylquinoline (pq) and phenylisoquinoline (piq) ligands, annotated Red-pq and Red-piq, show clearly different degrees of distortion of the ligand geometry in the excited state, which leads to the higher quantum yield of Red-piq than that of Red-pq. This larger distortion of the piq ligand causes more suppressed nonradiative decay of Red-piq than that of Red-pq which is the important factor governing the higher quantum yield of Red-piq.

Recurrence-Independent Progressive Inner-Retinal Thinning After Optic Neuritis: A Longitudinal Study.

BACKGROUND: Longitudinal changes in the inner retina in patients with optic neuritis (ON) may be helpful in monitoring patients and determining maintenance treatment. The aim of this study was to investigate longitudinal changes in the inner retina after subsiding of acute demyelinating ON and to identify the factors associated with such changes. METHODS: In this multicenter retrospective observational study, we reviewed the medical records of 77 patients with ON, including 23 with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder with aquaporin 4 (AQP4)-immunoglobulin G (IgG) (AQP4 group), 23 with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG)-antibody-associated disease (MOG group), 18 with multiple sclerosis (MS group), and 13 with idiopathic ON (iON group). We measured the thickness of the peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) and the macular ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (mGCIPL) using optical coherence tomography (OCT) at baseline and at follow-up examinations (mean follow-up duration, 29.6 ± 8.6 months; mean number of OCT, 4.2 ± 1.2) in the absence of ON recurrence. RESULTS: The estimated rate of pRNFL thinning in the AQP4, MOG, MS, and iON groups was 0.66 (95% confidence interval, 0.35-0.97), 0.35 (0.04-0.66), 0.53 (0.16-0.90), and 0.25 (-0.18 to 0.68) µm/year, respectively, indicating that, in the iON group in contrast to the other groups, there was no significant decrease of pRNFL thickness. Among the AQP4, MOG, and MS groups, there was no significant difference in the rate of pRNFL thinning (P = 0.560). The rate of mGCIPL thinning in the AQP4 and MOG groups was 0.25 (0.04-0.46) µm/year and 0.38 (0.23-0.53) µm/year, respectively. Meanwhile, the rate of mGCIPL change in the MS and iON groups was 0.04 (-0.12 to 0.19) and 0.00 (-0.17 to 0.16) µm/year, respectively, which indicates that there was no significant mGCIPL thinning in the latter 2 groups. Between the AQP4 and MOG groups, meanwhile, the rate of mGCIPL change did not significantly differ (P = 0.295). Age older than 40 years was associated with significant progression of mGCIPL thinning (P = 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: We noted inner retina thinning progression independent of relapse activity in AQP4-ON, MOG-ON, and MS-ON. Because subclinical neuroaxonal damage continues to be incurred after an acute attack of ON subsides despite suppression of new attacks, long-term follow-up and neuroprotection should be considered to be integral to the treatment of patients with ON.

Effect of changes in motor skill induced by educational video program to decrease lower-limb joint load during cutting maneuvers: based on musculoskeletal modeling.

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the effects of changes in motor skills from an educational video program on the kinematic and kinetic variables of the lower extremity joints and knee ligament load. METHODS: Twenty male participants (age: 22.2 ± 2.60 y; height: 1.70 ± 6.2 m; weight: 65.4 ± 7.01 kg; BMI: 23.32 ± 2.49 [Formula: see text]) were instructed to run at 4.5 ± 0.2 m/s from a 5 m distance posterior to the force plate, land their foot on the force plate, and perform the cutting maneuver on the left. The educational video program for cutting maneuvers consisted of preparatory posture, foot landing orientation, gaze and trunk directions, soft landing, and eversion angle. The measured variables were the angle, angular velocity of lower extremity joints, ground reaction force (GRF), moment, and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and medial collateral ligament (MCL) forces through musculoskeletal modeling. RESULTS: After the video feedback, the hip joint angles increased in flexion, abduction, and external rotation (p < 0.05), and the angular velocity increased in extension (p < 0.05). The ankle joint angles increased in dorsiflexion (p < 0.05), and the angular velocity decreased in dorsiflexion (p < 0.05) but increased in abduction (p < 0.05). The GRF increased in the anterior-posterior and medial-lateral directions and decreased vertically (p < 0.05). The hip joint moments decreased in extension and external rotation (p < 0.05) but increased in adduction (p < 0.05). The knee joint moments were decreased in extension, adduction, and external rotation (p < 0.05). The abduction moment of the ankle joint decreased (p < 0.001). There were differences in the support zone corresponding to 64‒87% of the hip frontal moment (p < 0.001) and 32‒100% of the hip horizontal moment (p < 0.001) and differences corresponding to 32‒100% of the knee frontal moment and 21‒100% of the knee horizontal moment (p < 0.001). The GRF varied in the support zone at 44‒95% in the medial-lateral direction and at 17‒43% and 73‒100% in the vertical direction (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Injury prevention feedback reduced the load on the lower extremity joints during cutting maneuvers, which reduced the knee ligament load, mainly on the MCL.

Clinical and radiographic results of locking plate with medial support screw in Proximal Humerus fracture - the more, the better?

BACKGROUND: The calcar of the proximal humerus is a fundamental structure for medial humeral column support. This study aimed to assess the outcome of osteosynthesis across cases of unstable proximal humerus fractures (PHFs) with medial calcar comminution, following treatment with a PHILOS locking plate and medial support screw (MSS). METHODS: Between January 2010 and December 2018, we retrospectively analyzed the outcomes of 121 cases of osteosynthesis for PHFs with medial column disruption. For the medial support, at least one oblique screw was inserted within 5 mm of the subchondral bone in the inferomedial quadrant of the humeral head. All patients were categorized into two groups: 26 patients in the single MSS group, and 95 in the multiple MSS group. Follow-up after at least an year involved clinical and radiographic outcome evaluations, and correspondingly measuring the Constant-Murley score, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) shoulder scale, pain visual analogue scale (VAS), major complications, neck-shaft angle (NSA), humeral head height (HHH), and the eventual time to bone union. Risk factors for the major complications were assessed by multivariate logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: The cohort's mean age was 64.4 ± 15.4 years, and the mean follow-up duration was 19.5 ± 7.6 months. At the final follow-up, between the single MSS and multiple MSS groups, no significant differences in the Constant-Murley score (p = 0.367), UCLA score (p = 0.558), VAS (p = 0.571), time to bone union (p = 0.621), NSA loss (p = 0.424), and HHH loss (p = 0.364) were observed. The incidence of complications (p = 0.446) based on the number of MSS were not significantly different. The initial insufficient reduction after surgery (of NSA < 125°) was found to be a significant risk factor for post-surgical complications. CONCLUSIONS: To treat unstable PHFs, the use of at least one MSS along with a locking plate system is sufficient to achieve satisfactory outcomes. Successful operative treatment using a locking plate for PHF treatment is inherent in anatomical fracture reduction, coupled with medial column support.

Characteristics and standards of severe sagittal imbalance in adult patients with spinal deformities: a retrospective analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the characteristics of "severe" dynamic sagittal imbalance (DSI) in patients with adult spinal deformity (ASD) and establish criteria for them. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 102 patients with ASD presenting four cardinal signs of lumbar degenerative kyphosis. All patients underwent deformity corrective surgery and were divided into three groups according to the diagnostic criteria based on the Oswestry disability index and dynamic features (△Timewalk: time until C7 sagittal vertical axis [C7SVA] reaches ≥ 20 cm after the start of walking) of sagittal imbalance. The paravertebral back muscles were analyzed and compared using T2-weighted axial imaging. We performed a statistically time-dependent spinopelvic sagittal parameter analysis of full standing lateral lumbar radiographs. Lumbar flexibility was analyzed using dynamic lateral lumbar radiography. RESULTS: The patients were classified into the mild (△Timewalk ≥ 180 s, 35 patients), moderate (180 s > △Timewalk ≥ 30 s, 38 patients), and severe (△Timewalk < 30 s, 29 patients) groups. The back muscles in the severe group exhibited a significantly higher signal intensity (533.4 ± 237.5, p < 0.05) and larger area of fat infiltration (35.2 ± 5.4, p < 0.05) than those in the mild (223.8 ± 67.6/22.9 ± 11.9) and moderate groups (294.4 ± 214.7/21.6 ± 10.6). The analysis of lumbar flexibility revealed significantly lower values in the severe group (5.8° ± 2.5°, p < 0.05) than in the mild and moderate groups (14.2° ± 12.4° and 11.4° ± 8.7°, respectively). The severe group had significantly lower lumbar lordosis (LL, 25.1° ± 22.7°, p < 0.05) and Pelvic incidence-LL mismatch (PI-LL, 81.5° ± 26.6°, p < 0.001) than those of the mild (8.2° ± 16.3°/58.7° ± 18.8°) and moderate (14.3° ± 28.6°/66.8° ± 13.4°) groups. On receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, PI-LL was statistically significant, with an area under the curve of 0.810 (95% confidence interval) when the baseline was set at 75.3°. The severe group had more postoperative complications than the other groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest the following criteria for severe DSI: C7SVA > 20 cm within 30 s of walking or standing, a rigid lumbar curve < 10° on dynamic lateral radiographs, and a PI-LL mismatch > 75.3°.

Recipient blood group does not affect hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence after living donor liver transplantation in Korea.

PURPOSE: This study assessed whether or not the ABO blood type affects the incidence of HCC recurrence after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). METHODS: This retrospective observational study included 856 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who underwent LDLT between January 2006 and December 2016 at the Asan Medical Center. RESULTS: This study included 324 patients (37.9%) with blood type A, 215 (25.1%) with blood type B, 210 (24.5%) with blood type O, and 107 (12.5%) with blood type AB. ABO-incompatible LT was performed in 136 (15.9%) patients. The independent risk factors for the disease-free survival (DFS) were maximal tumor diameter, microvascular invasion, and Milan criteria. The only independent risk factor for the overall survival (OS) was microvascular invasion. The ABO blood group did not affect the DFS (P = 0.978) or OS (P = 0.261). The DFS according to the ABO blood group did not differ significantly between the ABO-compatible (p = 0.701) and ABO-incompatible LDLT recipients (p = 0.147). The DFS according to the ABO blood group did not differ significantly between patients within the Milan criteria (p = 0.934) and beyond the Milan criteria (p = 0.525). The DFS did not differ significantly between recipients with and without type A blood (p = 0.941). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that the ABO blood group system had no prognostic impact on the oncological outcomes of patients undergoing LT for HCC.

Does the coronoid fracture in terrible triad injury always need to be fixed?

BACKGROUND: The ideal treatment of terrble triad injuries and whether fixation of coronoid process fractures is needed or not are still debated. Therefore, we aimed to investigate if terrible triad injuries necessitate coronoid fracture fixation and evaluate if non-fixation treatments have similar efficacies and outcomes as fixation-treatments in cases of terrible triad injuries. METHODS: From August 2011 to July 2020, 23 patients with acute terrible triad injuries without involvement of the anteromedial facet of the coronoid process were included to evaluate the postoperative clinical and radiological outcomes (minimum follow-up of 20 months). According to the preoperative height loss evaluation of the coronoid process and an intraoperative elbow stability test, seven patients underwent coronoid fracture fixation, and the other eight patients were treated conservatively. The elbow range of motion (ROM), Mayo Elbow Performance Score (MEPS), and modified Broberg-Morrey score were evaluated at the last follow-up. In addition, plain radiographs were reviewed to evaluate joint congruency, fracture union, heterotopic ossification, and the development of arthritic changes. RESULTS: At the last follow-up, the mean arcs of flexion-extension and supination-pronation values were 118.2° and 146.8° in the fixation group and 122.5° and 151.3° in the non-fixation group, respectively. The mean MEPSs were 96.4 in the fixation group (excellent, nine cases; good, tow cases) and 96.7 in the non-fixation group (excellent, ten cases; good, two cases). The mean modified Broberg-Morrey scores were 94.0 in the fixation group (excellent, sevev cases; good, four cases) and 94.0 in the non-fixation group (excellent, ten cases; good, tow cases). No statistically significant differences in clinical scores and ROM were identified between the two groups. However, the non-fixation group showed a significantly lower height loss of the coronoid process than the fixation group (36.3% versus 54.5%). CONCLUSIONS: There were no significant differences in clinical outcomes between the fixation and non-fixation groups in terrible triad injuries.

Shoulder Traction as a Possible Risk Factor for C5 Palsy in Anterior Cervical Surgery: A Cadaveric Study.

Background and Objectives: Many risk factors for postoperative C5 palsy (PC5P) have been reported regarding a "cord shift" after a posterior approach. However, there are few reports about shoulder traction as a possible risk factor of anterior cervical surgery. Therefore, we assessed the stretched nerve roots when shoulder traction was applied on cadavers. Materials and Methods: Eight cadavers were employed in this study, available based on age and the presence of foramen stenosis. After dissecting the sternocleidomastoid muscle of the cadaver, the shoulder joint was pulled with a force of 2, 5, 8, 10, 15, and 20 kg. Then, the stretched length of the fifth nerve root was measured in the extra-foraminal zone. In addition, the same measurement was performed after cutting the carotid artery to accurately identify the nerve root's origin. After an additional dissection was performed so that the superior trunk of the brachial plexus could be seen, the stretched length of the fifth and sixth nerve roots was measured again. Results: Throughout the entire experiment, the fifth nerve root stretched out for an average of 1.94 mm at 8 kg and an average of 5.03 mm at a maximum force of 20 kg. In three experiments, the elongated lengths of the C5 nerve root at 8 kg and 20 kg were 1.69/4.38 mm, 2.13/5.00 mm, and 0.75/5.31 mm, respectively, and in the third experiment, the elongated length of the C6 nerve root was 1.88/5.44 mm. Conclusions: Although this was a cadaveric experiment, it suggests that shoulder traction could be the risk factors for PC5P after anterior cervical surgery. In addition, for patients with foraminal stenosis and central stenosis, the risk would be higher. Therefore, the surgeon should be aware of this, and the patient would need sufficient explanation.

Analysis of Risk Factors Associated with Proximal Junctional Kyphosis Following Long Instrumented Fusion from L1 to Sacrum: Age Itself Does Not Independently Increase the Risk.

Background and Objectives: This study is a retrospective analysis aimed at understanding the incidence and risk factors of proximal junctional kyphosis (PJK) following long-instrumented spinal fusion from L1 to the sacrum in patients with mild to moderate sagittal imbalance. Materials and Methods: It recruited consecutive patients undergoing instrumented fusion from L1 to the sacrum for degenerative lumbar disease between June 2006 and November 2019 in a single institution. The patients' preoperative clinical data, muscle status at T12-L1 on magnetic resonance images, and sagittal spinopelvic parameters were analyzed. Univariate analysis was used to compare clinical and radiographic data between PJK and non-PJK patients. Logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the independent risk factors for PJK. Results: A total of 56 patients were included in this study. The mean age at surgery was 67.3 years and mean follow-up period was 37.3 months. In total, 10 were male and 46 were female. PJK developed in 23 (41.1%) out of 56; of these patients, 20 (87.0%) developed PJK within 1 year postoperatively. In the univariate analysis between PJK and non-PJK patients, the PJK group showed more frequent osteoporosis, lower body mass index, smaller cross-sectional area (CSA) and more fat infiltration (FI) in erector spinae muscle at T12-L1 and larger preoperative TLK and PT with statistical significance (p < 0.05). In the logistic regression analysis, severe (>50%) FI in erector spinae muscle (OR = 43.60, CI 4.10-463.06, R2N = 0.730, p = 0.002) and osteoporosis (OR = 20.49, CI 1.58-264.99, R2N = 0.730, p = 0.021) were statistically significant. Conclusions: Preexisting severe (>50%) fat infiltration in the erector spinae muscle and osteoporosis were independent risk factors associated with PJK following instrumented fusion from L1 to the sacrum, but age was not a risk factor.

Chloride and Hydride Transfer as Keys to Catalytic Upcycling of Polyethylene into Liquid Alkanes.

Transforming polyolefin waste into liquid alkanes through tandem cracking-alkylation reactions catalyzed by Lewis-acid chlorides offers an efficient route for single-step plastic upcycling. Lewis acids in dichloromethane establish a polar environment that stabilizes carbenium ion intermediates and catalyzes hydride transfer, enabling breaking of polyethylene C-C bonds and forming C-C bonds in alkylation. Here, we show that efficient and selective deconstruction of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) to liquid alkanes is achieved with anhydrous aluminum chloride (AlCl3) and gallium chloride (GaCl3). Already at 60 °C, complete LDPE conversion was achieved, while maintaining the selectivity for gasoline-range liquid alkanes over 70 %. AlCl3 showed an exceptional conversion rate of 5000 g L D P E m o l c a t - 1 h - 1 ${{{\rm g}}_{{\rm L}{\rm D}{\rm P}{\rm E}}{{\rm \ }{\rm m}{\rm o}{\rm l}}_{{\rm c}{\rm a}{\rm t}}^{-1}{{\rm \ }{\rm h}}^{-1}}$ , surpassing other Lewis acid catalysts by two orders of magnitude. Through kinetic and mechanistic studies, we show that the rates of LDPE conversion do not correlate directly with the intrinsic strength of the Lewis acids or steric constraints that may limit the polymer to access the Lewis acid sites. Instead, the rates for the tandem processes of cracking and alkylation are primarily governed by the rates of initiation of carbenium ions and the subsequent intermolecular hydride transfer. Both jointly control the relative rates of cracking and alkylation, thereby determining the overall conversion and selectivity.

Safety and efficacy of a novel anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor T cell product targeting a membrane-proximal domain of CD19 with fast on- and off-rates against non-Hodgkin lymphoma: a first-in-human study.

BACKGROUND: Commercial anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapies (CART19) are efficacious against advanced B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL); however, most patients ultimately relapse. Several mechanisms contribute to this failure, including CD19-negative escape and CAR T dysfunction. All four commercial CART19 products utilize the FMC63 single-chain variable fragment (scFv) specific to a CD19 membrane-distal epitope and characterized by slow association (on) and dissociation (off) rates. We hypothesized that a novel anti-CD19 scFv that engages an alternative CD19 membrane-proximal epitope independent of FMC63 and that is characterized by faster on- and off-rates could mitigate CART19 failure and improve clinical efficacy. METHODS: We developed an autologous CART19 product with 4-1BB co-stimulation using a novel humanized chicken antibody (h1218). This antibody is specific to a membrane-proximal CD19 epitope and harbors faster on/off rates compared to FMC63. We tested h1218-CART19 in vitro and in vivo using FMC63-CART19-resistant models. We conducted a first-in-human multi-center phase I clinical trial to test AT101 (clinical-grade h1218-CART19) in patients with relapsed or refractory (r/r) NHL. RESULTS: Preclinically, h1218- but not FMC63-CART19 were able to effectively eradicate lymphomas expressing CD19 point mutations (L174V and R163L) or co-expressing FMC63-CAR19 as found in patients relapsing after FMC63-CART19. Furthermore, h1218-CART19 exhibited enhanced killing of B-cell malignancies in vitro and in vivo compared with FMC63-CART19. Mechanistically, we found that h1218-CART19 had reduced activation-induced cell death (AICD) and enhanced expansion compared to FMC63-CART19 owing to faster on- and off-rates. Based on these preclinical results, we performed a phase I dose-escalation trial, testing three dose levels (DL) of AT101 (the GMP version of h1218) using a 3 + 3 design. In 12 treated patients (7 DLBCL, 3 FL, 1 MCL, and 1 MZL), AT101 showed a promising safety profile with 8.3% grade 3 CRS (n = 1) and 8.3% grade 4 ICANS (n = 1). In the whole cohort, the overall response rate was 91.7%, with a complete response rate of 75.0%, which improved to 100% in DL-2 and -3. AT101 expansion correlates with CR and B-cell aplasia. CONCLUSIONS: We developed a novel, safe, and potent CART19 product that recognizes a membrane-proximal domain of CD19 with fast on- and off-rates and showed significant efficacy and promising safety in patients with relapsed B-cell NHL. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT05338931; Date: 2022-04-01.

AXL+SIGLEC6+ dendritic cells in cerebrospinal fluid and brain tissues of patients with autoimmune inflammatory demyelinating disease of CNS.

Inflammatory demyelinating disease of the CNS (IDD) is a heterogeneous group of autoimmune diseases, and multiple sclerosis is the most common type. Dendritic cells (DCs), major antigen-presenting cells, have been proposed to play a central role in the pathogenesis of IDD. The AXL+SIGLEC6+ DC (ASDC) has been only recently identified in humans and has a high capability of T cell activation. Nevertheless, its contribution to CNS autoimmunity remains still obscure. Here, we aimed to identify the ASDC in diverse sample types from IDD patients and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). A detailed analysis of DC subpopulations using single-cell transcriptomics for the paired cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood samples of IDD patients (total n = 9) revealed that three subtypes of DCs (ASDCs, ACY3+ DCs, and LAMP3+ DCs) were overrepresented in CSF compared with their paired blood. Among these DCs, ASDCs were also more abundant in CSF of IDD patients than in controls, manifesting poly-adhesional and stimulatory characteristics. In the brain biopsied tissues of IDD patients, obtained at the acute attack of disease, ASDC were also frequently found in close contact with T cells. Lastly, the frequency of ASDC was found to be temporally more abundant in acute attack of disease both in CSF samples of IDD patients and in tissues of EAE, an animal model for CNS autoimmunity. Our analysis suggests that the ASDC might be involved in the pathogenesis of CNS autoimmunity.

Efficacy and safety of adhesion barrier in living-donor liver transplantation with right liver graft to prevent delayed gastric emptying.

Delayed gastric emptying (DGE) is a common complication of liver transplantation. This study aimed to clarify the efficacy and safety of the application of an adhesion barrier for preventing DGE in living-donor liver transplantation. This retrospective study included 453 patients who underwent living-donor liver transplantation using a right lobe graft between January 2018 and August 2019, and the incidence of postoperative DGE and complications was compared between patients in whom adhesion barrier was used (n=179 patients) and those in whom adhesion barrier was not used (n=274 patients). We performed 1:1 propensity score matching between the 2 groups, and 179 patients were included in each group. DGE was defined according to the International Study Group for Pancreatic Surgery classification. The use of adhesion barrier was significantly associated with a lower overall incidence of postoperative DGE in liver transplantation (30.7 vs. 17.9%; p =0.002), including grades A (16.8 vs. 9.5%; p =0.03), B (7.3 vs. 3.4%; p =0.08), and C (6.6 vs. 5.5%; p =0.50). After propensity score matching, similar results were observed for the overall incidence of DGE (29.6 vs. 17.9%; p =0.009), including grades A (16.8 vs. 9.5%; p =0.04), B (6.7 vs. 3.4%; p =0.15), and C (6.1 vs. 5.0%; p =0.65). Univariate and multivariate analyses showed a significant correlation between the use of adhesion barrier and a low incidence of DGE. There were no statistically significant differences in postoperative complications between the 2 groups. The application of an adhesion barrier could be a safe and feasible method to reduce the incidence of postoperative DGE in living-donor liver transplantation.

MOG antibody-associated encephalitis in adult: clinical phenotypes and outcomes.

BACKGROUND: We investigated the clinical characteristics and outcomes of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) antibody-associated autoimmune encephalitis (MOGAE) in adult patients. METHODS: From an institutional cohort, we analysed adult patients with MOGAE followed-up for more than 1 year. Disease severity was assessed using the modified Rankin scale (mRS) and Clinical Assessment Scale in Autoimmune Encephalitis scores. Immunotherapy profiles, outcomes and disease relapses were evaluated along with serial brain MRI data. RESULTS: A total of 40 patients were enrolled and categorised into cortical encephalitis (18 patients), limbic encephalitis (LE, 5 patients) and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM, 17 patients). 80.0% of patients achieved good clinical outcomes (mRS 0‒2) and 40.0% relapsed. The LE subtype was associated with an older onset age (p=0.004) and poor clinical outcomes (p=0.014) than the other subtypes but with a low rate of relapse (0.0%). 21/25 (84.0%) relapse attacks were associated with an absence or short (≤6 months) immunotherapy maintenance. On MRI, the development of either diffuse cerebral or medial temporal atrophy within the first 6 month was correlated with poor outcomes. MOG-antibody (MOG-Ab) was copresent with anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR)-antibody in 13 patients, in whom atypical clinical presentation (cortical encephalitis or ADEM, p<0.001) and disease relapse (46.2% vs 0.0%, p<0.001) were more frequent compared with conventional NMDAR encephalitis without MOG-Ab. CONCLUSIONS: Outcomes are different according to the three phenotypes in MOGAE. Short immunotherapy maintenance is associated with relapse, and brain atrophy was associated with poor outcomes. Patients with dual antibodies of NMDAR and MOG have a high relapse rate.