Comparison of the Goutallier Classification of Fatty Infiltration for the Subscapularis With a Novel Modified Classification.

Background: Fatty infiltration in the subscapularis muscle extends to the upper portion of the muscle first and then to the lower portion only after some degree of fatty change has taken place in the upper region. Although the Goutallier classification is the most widely used method to categorize fatty infiltration, how to accurately and reliably determine the extent of infiltration is controversial. Purpose: To examine a modified classification that is more reliable in (1) assessing fatty infiltration of the subscapularis muscle and (2) predicting the structural integrity of the repaired tendon by identifying cutoff points for retear. Study Design: Cohort study (diagnosis); Level of evidence, 3. Methods: This study retrospectively examined the records of 545 patients who underwent arthroscopic repair for a subscapularis tear. Two shoulder surgeons reviewed the preoperative magnetic resonance imaging scans of all enrolled patients and evaluated the fatty infiltration of the subscapularis muscle based on the original Goutallier classification, as well as a novel modified Goutallier classification designed to measure the proportion of fat and muscle in the upper and lower portions of the muscle separately. Intra- and interobserver agreement of the reviewers was calculated using κ statistics. Using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, we determined the cutoff point for the particular fatty infiltration grade related to the occurrence of retear for each classification scheme. Results: The κ values for interobserver reliability were 0.743 and 0.856 for the original and modified Goutallier classifications, respectively, with the modified classification having significantly higher reliability (Z = 4.064; P < .001). Cutoff points for the fatty infiltration grade associated with retear were 2.5 for the original Goutallier classification (sensitivity, 65.3%; specificity, 95.6%; accuracy, 87.8%) and 3.5 for the modified classification (sensitivity, 52.5%; specificity, 97.8%; accuracy, 89.7%). Conclusion: In assessing fatty infiltration of the subscapularis muscle, the modified Goutallier classification showed higher reliability than the original Goutallier classification. The cutoff point for potential retear (grade 3.5) was at a point where the fatty infiltration extended to the lower portion of the subscapularis muscle.

3D printed membranes of polylactic acid and graphene oxide for guided bone regeneration.

We fabricated graphene oxide (GO)-incorporated polylactic acid (PLA) (GO-PLA) films by using three-dimensional (3D) printing to explore their potential benefits as barrier membranes for guided bone regeneration (GBR). Our results showed that the 3D printed GO-PLA films provided highly favorable matrices for preosteoblasts and accelerated new bone formation in rat calvarial bone defect models.

Understanding Nasal Valve Compromise in Nasal Airway Obstruction: A New Classification System.

OBJECTIVES: A key aspect of rhinoplasty is integrity of nasal valves area because of its fundamental role in patent nasal airway. furthermore, nasal obstruction is a dominant feature in patient with nasal valves dysfunction (NVD) which can be devastating outcome after rhinoplasty. METHODS: Nonetheless, NVD has been widely investigated regarding their etiologies and management. However, it has been assumed that the anatomical complexity and interplay between its structures causing a confusion for a beginner surgeon to diagnose and treat NVD. This study was approved by the institutional review board of Chosun University Hospital, Gwangju, Korea (2022-11-005). RESULTS: To date, the lack of consensus on nasal valve pathologies and corrective procedures has led to its underestimations during analysis and management. As result, we proposed a classification system based on its affected anatomical part, location, and their management. Thus, implementing a classification system for NVD will help guide the practice of rhinoplasty and introduce a more structured approach. CONCLUSION: This approach will prove useful in expanding our understanding of how important to locate the pathology of NVD and apply the most relevant management options, particularly for a beginner surgeons. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: V.

Spin Swapping Effect of Band Structure Origin in Centrosymmetric Ferromagnets.

We theoretically demonstrate the spin swapping effect of band structure origin in centrosymmetric ferromagnets. It is mediated by an orbital degree of freedom but does not require inversion asymmetry or impurity spin-orbit scattering. Analytic and tight-binding models reveal that it originates mainly from k points where bands with different spins and different orbitals are nearly degenerate, and thus it has no counterpart in normal metals. First-principle calculations for centrosymmetric 3d transition-metal ferromagnets show that the spin swapping conductivity of band structure origin can be comparable in magnitude to the intrinsic spin Hall conductivity of Pt. Our theory generalizes transverse spin currents generated by ferromagnets and emphasizes the important role of the orbital degree of freedom in describing spin-orbit-coupled transport in centrosymmetric materials.

Does the Suprascapular Nerve Move within the Suprascapular Notch? Biomechanical Perspective Using the Finite Element Method.

PURPOSE: We aimed to analyze changes in suprascapular nerve (SSN) position within the suprascapular notch during in vivo shoulder abduction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three-dimensional models of the shoulder complex were constructed based on magnetic resonance imaging of the brachial plexus (BP-MR) in a patient diagnosed with SSN dysfunction but normal scapular movement. Using BP-MR in neutral position and computed tomography data on shoulder abduction, shoulder abduction was simulated as the transition between two positions of the shoulder complex with overlapping of a neutral and abducted scapula. SSN movement during abduction was evaluated using the finite element method. Contact stress on the SSN was measured in the presence and absence of the transverse scapular ligament (TSL). RESULTS: In the neutral position, the SSN ran almost parallel to the front of the TSL until entering the suprascapular notch and slightly contacted the anterior-inferior border of the TSL. As shoulder abduction progressed, contact stress decreased due to gradual loss of contact with the TSL. In the TSL-free scapula, there was no contact stress on the SSN in the neutral position. Towards the end of shoulder abduction, contact stress increased again as the SSN began to contact the base of the suprascapular notch in both TSL conditions. CONCLUSION: We identified changes in the position of the SSN path within the suprascapular notch during shoulder abduction. The SSN starts in contact with the TSL and moves toward the base of the suprascapular notch with secondary contact. These findings may provide rationale for TSL release in SSN entrapment.

Electric-field control of field-free spin-orbit torque switching via laterally modulated Rashba effect in Pt/Co/AlOx structures.

Spin-orbit coupling effect in structures with broken inversion symmetry, known as the Rashba effect, facilitates spin-orbit torques (SOTs) in heavy metal/ferromagnet/oxide structures, along with the spin Hall effect. Electric-field control of the Rashba effect is established for semiconductor interfaces, but it is challenging in structures involving metals owing to the screening effect. Here, we report that the Rashba effect in Pt/Co/AlOx structures is laterally modulated by electric voltages, generating out-of-plane SOTs. This enables field-free switching of the perpendicular magnetization and electrical control of the switching polarity. Changing the gate oxide reverses the sign of out-of-plane SOT while maintaining the same sign of voltage-controlled magnetic anisotropy, which confirms the Rashba effect at the Co/oxide interface is a key ingredient of the electric-field modulation. The electrical control of SOT switching polarity in a reversible and non-volatile manner can be utilized for programmable logic operations in spintronic logic-in-memory devices.

Orbital torque in magnetic bilayers.

The orbital Hall effect describes the generation of the orbital current flowing in a perpendicular direction to an external electric field, analogous to the spin Hall effect. As the orbital current carries the angular momentum as the spin current does, injection of the orbital current into a ferromagnet can result in torque on the magnetization, which provides a way to detect the orbital Hall effect. With this motivation, we examine the current-induced spin-orbit torques in various ferromagnet/heavy metal bilayers by theory and experiment. Analysis of the magnetic torque reveals the presence of the contribution from the orbital Hall effect in the heavy metal, which competes with the contribution from the spin Hall effect. In particular, we find that the net torque in Ni/Ta bilayers is opposite in sign to the spin Hall theory prediction but instead consistent with the orbital Hall theory, which unambiguously confirms the orbital torque generated by the orbital Hall effect. Our finding opens a possibility of utilizing the orbital current for spintronic device applications, and it will invigorate researches on spin-orbit-coupled phenomena based on orbital engineering.

Reoperations after fusion surgeries for degenerative spinal diseases depending on cervical and lumbar regions: a national database study.

BACKGROUND: Reoperation is one of the key factors affecting postoperative clinical outcomes. The reoperation rates of cervical surgeries might be different from those of lumbar surgeries due to the anatomical and biomechanical differences. However, there has been no study to compare the reoperation rate between them. The purpose is to compare reoperation rates after fusion surgeries for degenerative spinal diseases depending on the anatomic region of cervical and lumbar spines. METHOD: We used the Korean Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service national database. Subjects were included if they had any of the primary procedures of fusion combined with the procedure of decompression procedures under the diagnosis of degenerative diseases (n = 42,060). We assigned the patients into two groups based on anatomical regions: cervical and lumbar fusion group (n = 11,784 vs 30,276). The primary endpoint of reoperation was the repeat of any aforementioned fusion procedures. Age, gender, presence of diabetes, associated comorbidities, and hospital types were considered potential confounding factors. RESULTS: The reoperation rate was higher in the patients who underwent lumbar fusion surgery than in the patients who underwent cervical fusion surgery during the entire follow up period (p = 0.0275). A similar pattern was found during the late period (p = 0.0468). However, in the early period, there was no difference in reoperation rates between the two groups. Associated comorbidities and hospital type were noted to be risk factors for reoperation. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of reoperation was higher in the patients who underwent lumbar fusion surgery than those who underwent cervical fusion surgery for degenerative spinal diseases.

Rashba Effect in Functional Spintronic Devices.

Exploiting spin transport increases the functionality of electronic devices and enables such devices to overcome physical limitations related to speed and power. Utilizing the Rashba effect at the interface of heterostructures provides promising opportunities toward the development of high-performance devices because it enables electrical control of the spin information. Herein, the focus is mainly on progress related to the two most compelling devices that exploit the Rashba effect: spin transistors and spin-orbit torque devices. For spin field-effect transistors, the gate-voltage manipulation of the Rashba effect and subsequent control of the spin precession are discussed, including for all-electric spin field-effect transistors. For spin-orbit torque devices, recent theories and experiments on interface-generated spin current are discussed. The future directions of manipulating the Rashba effect to realize fully integrated spin logic and memory devices are also discussed.

Optical spin-orbit torque in heavy metal-ferromagnet heterostructures.

Spin current generation through the spin-orbit interaction in non-magnetic materials lies at the heart of spintronics. When the generated spin current is injected to a ferromagnet, it produces spin-orbit torque and manipulates magnetization efficiently. Optically generated spin currents are expected to be superior to their electrical counterparts in terms of the manipulation speed. Here we report optical spin-orbit torques in heavy metal/ferromagnet heterostructures. The strong spin-orbit coupling of heavy metals induces photo-excited carriers to be spin-polarized, and their transport from heavy metals to ferromagnets induces a torque on magnetization. Our results demonstrate that heavy metals can generate spin-orbit torque not only electrically but also optically.

Long spin coherence length and bulk-like spin-orbit torque in ferrimagnetic multilayers.

Spintronics relies on magnetization switching through current-induced spin torques. However, because spin transfer torque for ferromagnets is a surface torque, a large switching current is required for a thick, thermally stable ferromagnetic cell, and this remains a fundamental obstacle for high-density non-volatile applications with ferromagnets. Here, we report a long spin coherence length and associated bulk-like torque characteristics in an antiferromagnetically coupled ferrimagnetic multilayer. We find that a transverse spin current can pass through >10-nm-thick ferrimagnetic Co/Tb multilayers, whereas it is entirely absorbed by a 1-nm-thick ferromagnetic Co/Ni multilayer. We also find that the switching efficiency of Co/Tb multilayers partially reflects a bulk-like torque characteristic, as it increases with ferrimagnet thickness up to 8 nm and then decreases, in clear contrast to the 1/thickness dependence of ferromagnetic Co/Ni multilayers. Our results on antiferromagnetically coupled systems will invigorate research towards the development of energy-efficient spintronics.

Author Correction: Critical Shear Stress is Associated with Diabetic Kidney Disease in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes.

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML version of this paper. The error has not been fixed in the paper.

Critical Shear Stress is Associated with Diabetic Kidney Disease in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes.

Critical shear stress (CSS, mPa) is an index of red blood cell (RBC) aggregability, defined as the minimal shear stress required to disperse RBC aggregates. This study aimed to investigate the association between CSS and the risk of diabetic kidney disease (DKD). A total of 421 (mean age, 58.1 ± 11.5 years; male, 250) individuals with T2DM were enrolled and divided into three groups according to CSS level. CSS was measured using a transient microfluidic technique. DKD was defined as a glomerular filtration rate (GFR) <60 ml/min/1.73 m2 or a urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (uACR) ≥30 mg/g. CSS was significantly higher in patients with DKD than in those without (317.43 ± 125.11 vs 385.22 ± 182.89, p < 0.001). Compared to the lowest CSS tertile, the highest CSS tertile was independently associated with the risk of DKD after adjusting for age, sex, duration of diabetes, presence of hypertension and haemoglobin. The cut-off value of CSS for DKD was approximately 310 mPa. These results suggest that haemorheologic changes may contribute to DKD, and further prospective studies are warranted to determine the role of CSS as a DKD screening tool.

Nonorthogonal [Formula: see text] tight-binding parameterization of single-layer phosphorene under biaxial strain and application to FETs.

This paper presents a new set of [Formula: see text] tight-binding (TB) parameters for single-layer phosphorene within the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) scheme. For this, we develop the numerical algorithm to find the NRL TB parameters fitted to ab initio results. It is shown that the proposed NRL TB parameters successfully reproduce the band structure of a single-layer phosphorene, and even under biaxial or uniaxial strain, they appropriately describe the effects, such as modification of anisotropic effective masses and band gap. Via the top-of-the-barrier model, we also investigate the performance of single-layer phosphorene FETs under biaxial strain with the NRL TB Hamiltonian and find that the results are well in accordance with those of previous studies.

Prevalence of Dirofilaria immitis infection in stray cats by nested PCR in Korea.

The purpose of this study was to conduct a survey of Dirofilaria immitis infection among stray cats in Korea using nested PCR. We included 235 stray cats (121 females and 114 males) and evaluated each for the presence of feline heartworm infection. Blood samples were collected from 135 cats in Daejeon, 50 cats in Seoul, and 50 cats from Gyeonggi-do (Province). Of the 235 DNA samples, 14 (6.0%) were positive for D. immitis. The prevalence of infection in male cats (8/114, 7.0%) tended to be higher than that in female cats (6/121, 5.0%), but the difference was not statistically significant. In each location, 8, 2, and 4 cats were positive for infection, respectively, based on DNA testing. No significant differences in the prevalence were observed among the geographic regions, although the rate of infection was higher in Gyeonggi-do (8.0%) than Daejeon (5.9%) and Seoul (4.0%). We submitted 7 of the 14 D. immitis DNA-positive samples for sequencing analysis. All samples corresponded to partial D. immitis cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene sequences with 99% homology to the D. immitis sequence deposited in GenBank (accession no. FN391553). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first survey using nested PCR to analyze the prevalence of D. immitis in stray cats in Korea.

Leptin, adiponectin and serotonin levels in lean and obese dogs.

BACKGROUND: Serotonin (5-hydroytryptamine or 5HT) is associated with numerous behavioral and psychological factors and is a biochemical marker of mood. 5HT is involved in the hypothalamic regulation of energy consumption. 5HT controls appetite in the central nerve system (CNS) and stimulates intestinal mobility. There are few studies looking at the role of 5HT and the relationship between peripheral circulating serotonin and obesity. The aim of this study was to find any differences in leptin, adiponectin, and 5HT between lean and obese dogs and to identify correlations among these factors. RESULTS: Leptin, triglyceride (TG) and cholesterol levels were higher in the obese group (all p < 0.01). Adiponectin and 5HT levels were higher in the lean group compared to the obese group (p < 0.01). Leptin (r = 0.628, p < 0.01), TG (r = 0.491, p < 0.01) and cholesterol (r = 0.419, p < 0.01) were positively correlated with body condition score (BCS), and adiponectin (r = -0.446, p < 0.01) and 5HT (r = -0.490, p < 0.01) were negatively correlated with BCS. Leptin was negatively correlated with adiponectin (r = -0.294, p < 0.01) and 5HT (r = -0.343, p < 0.01). 5HT was negatively correlated with leptin (r = -0.343, p < 0.01), TG (r = -0.268, p < 0.05) and cholesterol (r = -0.357, p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: 5HT is an important appetite control neurotransmitter, but there are limited studies for 5HT levels related to obesity in dogs. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate peripheral 5HT levels in obese dogs. From this research, we can assume that 5HT may be correlated with canine obesity. Further studies will be needed to further elucidate the role of low serum 5HT levels in canine obesity.

Antimicrobial activities against periodontopathic bacteria of Pittosporum tobira and its active compound.

The study of medicinal plants for treatment of periodontitis is of great value to establish their efficacy as sources of new antimicrobial drugs. Five hundred and fifty eight Korean local plant extracts were screened for antibacterial activity against representative periodontopathic bacteria such as Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, and Fusobacterium nucleatum. Among the various medicinal plants, the alcohol extract of Pittosporum tobira, which significantly exhibited antibacterial effect for all tested strains, showed the highest activity in the antimicrobial assays. NMR analyses revealed that R1-barrigenol, a triterpene sapogenin, was the most effective compound in P. tobira. These results demonstrated that P. tobira possesses antimicrobial properties and would be beneficial for the prevention and treatment of periodontitis.

The influence of ionized impurity scattering on the thermopower of Si nanowires.

The thermopower of Si nanowires was investigated on the basis of electronic transport theory, taking into account ionized impurity scattering as well as electron-phonon scattering. It was found that the enhancement of the Seebeck coefficient in nanowires arising from quantum confinement is unimportant due to the ionized impurity scattering associated with donor deactivation. Furthermore, because the electrical conductivity is degraded significantly as the nanowire size becomes smaller, despite the accompanying slightly enhanced Seebeck coefficient, the reduction of the nanowire size is not beneficial, at least for the thermopower of devices.

Cloning and characterization of heavy and light chain genes encoding the FimA-specific monoclonal antibodies that inhibit Porphyromonas gingivalis adhesion.

FimA of Porphyromonas gingivalis, a major pathogen in periodontitis, is known to be closely related to the virulence of these bacteria and has been suggested as a candidate for development of a vaccine against periodontal disease. In order to develop a passive immunization method for inhibiting the establishment of periodontal disease, B hybridoma clones 123-123-10 and 256-265-9, which produce monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) specific to purified fimbriae, were established. Both mAbs reacted with the conformational epitopes displayed by partially dissociated oligomers of FimA, but not with the 43 kDa FimA monomer. Gene sequence analyses of full-length cDNAs encoding heavy and light chain immunoglobulins enabled classification of the genes of mAb 123-123-10 as members of the mVh II (A) and mVκ I subgroups, and those of mAb 256-265-9 as members of the mVh III (D) and mVκ I subgroups. More importantly, 50 ng/mL of antibodies purified from the culture supernatant of antibody gene-transfected CHO cells inhibited, by approximately 50%, binding of P. gingivalis to saliva-coated hydroxyapatite bead surfaces. It is expected that these mAbs could be used as a basis for passive immunization against P. gingivalis-mediated periodontitis.

Explicit continuous current-voltage (I-V) models for fully-depleted surrounding-gate MOSFETs (SGMOSFETs) with a finite doping body.

An analytical and continuous dc model for cylindrical doped surrounding-gate MOSFETs (SGMOSFETs) in the fully-depleted regime is presented. Starting from Poisson's equation, an implicit charge equation is derived approximately by a superposition principle with the exact channel potential and the charge equations in the depletion approximation. Also, a new explicit charge equation is derived from the implicit charge equation. The current equations without any charge-sheet approximation are based on the implicit and explicit charge control models, and both of them are valid for all the operation regions (linear, saturation, and subthreshold) and traces the transition between them without any fitting parameters. In the case of the SGMOSFETs with the fully-depleted condition, both of results simulated from the SGMOSFET models reproduce various 3D simulation results within 5% errors.