A Case Study of Stress-Induced Alopecia Areata Treated with Hominis Placenta Pharmacopunture.

The purpose of this study is to report the clinical application of Hominis Placenta Pharmacopunture for Alopecia areata. Patient was diagnosed as stress-induced Alopecia areata 1 years ago. To reduce symptom, we treated a patient 8 times using Hominis Placenta Pharmacopunture. Hominis Placenta was injected subcutaneously into the lesion of head scalp alopecia. According to photographs, the lesion had been replaced with new terminal hair and the size of the lesion had decreased. This case has shown that stress-induced Alopecia areata patient could be treated by Hominis Placenta Pharmacopunture.

Malignant potential of neuroendocrine microtumor of the pancreas harboring high-grade transformation: lesson learned from a patient with von Hippel-Lindau syndrome.

Pancreatic neuroendocrine microtumor (PNEMT) is a neuroendocrine tumor (NET) < 0.5 cm in diameter, and it is considered benign. We report a PNEMT with high-grade transformation (HGT). A man in his 60s with von Hippel-Lindau syndrome underwent surgical resection of a NET. A second sub-centimeter nodule with a nodule-in-nodule pattern was discovered. The 0.4 cm outer nodule contained clear columnar cells with round nuclei and indistinct nucleoli, while the 0.1 cm inner nodule had eosinophilic cells with an increased nuclear to cytoplasmic ratio, vesicular nuclei, and prominent nucleoli. Tumor cells in the outer and inner nodules were synaptophysin and chromogranin positive. Only the inner nodule was p53 positive, while the outer nodule was exclusively positive for carbonic anhydrase 9 and vimentin. The Ki-67 labeling indices for the outer and inner nodules were 2.1% (grade 1) and 44.3% (grade 3), respectively. This nodule was determined to be a PNEMT with HGT. Our findings suggest that a PNEMT may not always be benign and can undergo HGT.

Serious Complications of the Percutaneous A1 Pulley Release: Case Reports and Literature Review.

Percutaneous first annular pulley (A1 pulley) release, which has been increasingly used to treat trigger fingers, has been widely established as a safe and simple procedure. Multiple studies have reported positive results of percutaneous A1 pulley release. In this study, however, we report cases of patients who developed complications after undergoing percutaneous A1 pulley release at local clinics. A total of six patients visited our hospital for infectious complications after percutaneous A1 pulley release. Various sequelae such as damage to normal structures, insufficient procedure, and tissue necrosis were observed during the exploration. A retrospective study was conducted to identify the cause and trend of the observed complications by instruments (HAKI knife or needle). In the HAKI knife group, there was a tendency for damage to normal structures, while in the needle group, an insufficient release or serious soft tissue necrosis was observed. Based on these cases, our findings confirm the existence and characteristics of infectious complications following the percutaneous A1 pulley release. We further identify that the type of instrument used predicts the nature of complications. Thus, reliable and skilled performance of the procedure by experts is essential for safe treatment.

Hand Reconstruction Using Anterolateral Thigh Free Flap by Terminal Perforator-to-Digital Artery Anastomosis: Retrospective Analysis.

This study aimed to analyze cases of anterolateral thigh (ALT) free flap used for hand reconstruction with terminal perforator-to-digital artery anastomosis. Patients who underwent ALT free flap placement with terminal perforator-to-digital artery anastomosis for hand reconstruction between January 2011 and August 2021 were included. The number, length, and diameter of the perforators and veins, flap size, and operative time were investigated through a retrospective review of charts and photographs. The occurrences of arterial thrombosis, venous thrombosis, arterial spasm, and flap necrosis were analyzed. In total, 50 patients were included in this study. The mean diameter and length of the perforators were 0.68 mm and 3.25 cm, respectively, and the mean number of veins anastomosed was 1.88, with a mean diameter of 0.54 mm. Complications included four cases of arterial thrombosis, one case of venous thrombosis, seven cases of partial necrosis, and one case of total flap failure. Regression analysis showed that a longer perforator was associated with arterial thrombosis whereas larger flap size and number of anastomosed veins were associated with partial necrosis ( p < 0.05). The terminal perforator-to-digital artery anastomosis offers advantages in using compact free flaps with short pedicle lengths to cover small hand defects.

The "Swing-Door" Regrafting of Donor Site: An Alternative Method for Split-Thickness Skin Graft in the Hand.

Background Skin defects in the hands are common injuries, and autologous skin grafting is the ideal treatment. However, complications can occur at the donor and recipient sites. This study compares the "Swing-door" technique with conventional skin grafting. Methods From August 2019 to February 2023, 19 patients with skin defects of hand underwent the "Swing-door" split-thickness skin graft (STSG) technique. The thin epithelial layer was elevated with proximal part attached. Skin graft was harvested beneath. Donor site was then closed with epithelial flap like a "Swing-door". The outcomes were evaluated in terms of healing time, scar formation, and pain at the donor and recipient sites. The data were compared with the conventional STSG. Results The "Swing-door" group had lower graft take percentages, but complications did not significantly differ between the two groups. The "Swing-door" technique resulted in better cosmetic outcomes, as evidenced by lower Vancouver Scar Scale scores, faster donor site epithelialization, and reduced pain and discomfort during the early postoperative period, as measured by Visual Analog Scale. Conclusion The "Swing-door" STSG is a useful alternative for treating hand skin defects.

Field-free spin-orbit torque switching in ferromagnetic trilayers at sub-ns timescales.

Current-induced spin torques enable the electrical control of the magnetization with low energy consumption. Conventional magnetic random access memory (MRAM) devices rely on spin-transfer torque (STT), this however limits MRAM applications because of the nanoseconds incubation delay and associated endurance issues. A potential alternative to STT is spin-orbit torque (SOT). However, for practical, high-speed SOT devices, it must satisfy three conditions simultaneously, i.e., field-free switching at short current pulses, short incubation delay, and low switching current. Here, we demonstrate field-free SOT switching at sub-ns timescales in a CoFeB/Ti/CoFeB ferromagnetic trilayer, which satisfies all three conditions. In this trilayer, the bottom magnetic layer or its interface generates spin currents with polarizations in both in-plane and out-of-plane components. The in-plane component reduces the incubation time, while the out-of-plane component realizes field-free switching at a low current. Our results offer a field-free SOT solution for energy-efficient scalable MRAM applications.

Fabrication of Zigzag Parylene Nanofibers in Liquid Crystals with Electric Field-Induced Defect Structures.

Liquid crystals (LCs) have been adopted to induce tunable physical properties that dynamically originated from their unique intrinsic properties responding to external stimuli, such as surface anchoring condition and applied electric field, which enables them to be the template for aligning functional guest materials. We fabricate the fiber array from the electrically modulated (in-plain) nematic LC template using the chemical vapor polymerization (CVP) method. Under an electric field, an induced defect structure with a winding number of -1/2 contains a periodic zigzag disclination line. It is known that LC defect structures can trap the guest materials, such as particles and chemicals. However, the resulting fibers grow along the LC directors, not trapped in the defects. To show the versatility of our platform, nanofibers are fabricated on patterned electrodes representing the alphabets 'CVP.' In addition, the semifluorinated moieties are added to fibers to provide a hydrophobic surface. The resultant orientation-controlled fibers will be used in controllable smart surfaces that can be used in sensors, electronics, photonics, and biomimetic surfaces.

Field-free switching of perpendicular magnetization by two-dimensional PtTe2/WTe2 van der Waals heterostructures with high spin Hall conductivity.

The key challenge of spin-orbit torque applications lies in exploring an excellent spin source capable of generating out-of-plane spins while exhibiting high spin Hall conductivity. Here we combine PtTe2 for high spin conductivity and WTe2 for low crystal symmetry to satisfy the above requirements. The PtTe2/WTe2 bilayers exhibit a high in-plane spin Hall conductivity σs,y ≈ 2.32 × 105 × h/2e Ω-1 m-1 and out-of-plane spin Hall conductivity σs,z ≈ 0.25 × 105 × h/2e Ω-1 m-1, where h is the reduced Planck's constant and e is the value of the elementary charge. The out-of-plane spins in PtTe2/WTe2 bilayers enable the deterministic switching of perpendicular magnetization at room temperature without magnetic fields, and the power consumption is 67 times smaller than that of the Pt control case. The high out-of-plane spin Hall conductivity is attributed to the conversion from in-plane spin to out-of-plane spin, induced by the crystal asymmetry of WTe2. Our work establishes a low-power perpendicular magnetization manipulation based on wafer-scale two-dimensional van der Waals heterostructures.

Combination therapy of niclosamide with gemcitabine inhibited cell proliferation and apoptosis via Wnt/ß-catenin/c-Myc signaling pathway by inducing ß-catenin ubiquitination in pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a type of cancer with high morbidity and mortality rates worldwide. Owing to a lack of therapeutic options, the overall survival rate of patients with pancreatic cancer is low. Gemcitabine has been mainly used to treat patients with pancreatic cancer, but its efficacy is limited by chemoresistance. Therefore, a novel therapeutic agent for PDAC therapy is urgently needed. An anthelminthic drug, niclosamide, has already been researched in breast, lung, colon, and pancreatic cancer as an anti-cancer purpose by re-positioning its original purpose. However, combination therapy of gemcitabine and niclosamide was not informed yet. Here, we found that niclosamide co-administered with gemcitabine significantly inhibited tumorigenesis of pancreatic cancer compared to gemcitabine alone. Further, combining niclosamide and gemcitabine inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis. Niclosamide induced cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase, and the levels of CDK4/6 and cyclin D1 were lowered after gemcitabine treatment. In addition, the combination of these chemical compounds more effectively increased the binding level of activated ß-catenin destruction complex and ß-catenin to enable phosphorylation, compared to gemcitabine alone. After phosphorylation, niclosamide - gemcitabine upregulated the ubiquitin level, which caused phosphorylated ß-catenin to undergo proteasomal degradation; the combination was more potent than gemcitabine alone. Finally, the combination more effectively suppressed tumor growth in vivo, compared to gemcitabine alone. Altogether, our results indicate that niclosamide synergistically enhances the antitumor effect of gemcitabine in pancreatic cancer, by inducing the degradation of ß-catenin with ubiquitination. Therefore, this drug combination can potentially be used in PDAC therapy.

Evaluating the Efficacy of Tension Band Wiring Fixation for Chaput Tubercle Fractures.

BACKGROUND: Chaput tubercle fractures, located at the attachment site of the anterior inferior tibiofibular ligament (AITFL) on the distal tibia, have the potential to destabilize the syndesmosis joint. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of tension band wiring (TBW) as a surgical intervention for managing Chaput fractures and the consequent syndesmosis instability. METHODS: A retrospective review of patient charts was undertaken for those who had undergone ankle fracture surgery from April 2019 through May 2022. The surgical procedure involved direct fixation of the Chaput fractures using the TBW method. Radiological assessments were performed using postoperative simple radiographs and computed tomography (CT) scans, while clinical outcomes were evaluated using the Olerud-Molander Ankle Score (OMAS) and the visual analog scale (VAS). RESULTS: The study included 21 patients. The average OMAS improved significantly, rising from 5.95 preoperatively to 83.57 postoperatively. Similarly, the average VAS score dropped from 7.95 before the surgery to 0.19 thereafter. Minor wound complications were reported by three patients, and one case of superficial infection was resolved with antibiotic therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the TBW technique is an effective surgical approach for treating Chaput fractures and associated syndesmosis instability. It provides reliable fixation strength and leads to improved long-term functional outcomes. Further research is needed to compare the TBW technique with alternative methods and optimize the treatment strategies for these complex ankle fractures.

Single or double Kirschner wire fixation: which provides better outcomes for pediatric proximal phalanx base fractures?

PURPOSE: The most common hand fracture in children is seen at the base of the proximal phalanx. This study aims to compare clinical outcomes of single versus double Kirschner wire pinning for pediatric proximal phalanx base fractures. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The retrospective study enrolled patients who underwent closed K-wire pinning for proximal phalanx base fractures from January 2016 to February 2022. We divided patients into two groups based on the number of K-wire inserted (single versus double). Demographics, removal of implant, complication rate were analyzed. Patients were asked to answer the Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire (MHQ) by telephone. Data including fracture type, diaphyseal axis-metacarpal head angle (DHA) and Total Active Flexion Scale (TAFS) were analyzed. RESULTS: This study included 37 pediatric patients with proximal phalanx base fractures, treated with either single (n = 10) or double K-wire (n = 27) fixation. The mean operation time was significantly shorter for the single K-wire group. No significant differences were observed in complication rates, TAFS, implant removal times, MHQ, or pre- and post-operative DHA between the two groups. CONCLUSION: The single K-wire technique demonstrates similar effectiveness to the double K-wire technique in treating pediatric proximal phalanx base fractures, with the added benefit of shorter operation time. Therefore, the choice between using one or two K-wires should be determined based on the surgeon's proficiency and preference.

Enhanced spin Seebeck effect via oxygen manipulation.

Spin Seebeck effect (SSE) refers to the generation of an electric voltage transverse to a temperature gradient via a magnon current. SSE offers the potential for efficient thermoelectric devices because the transverse geometry of SSE enables to utilize waste heat from a large-area source by greatly simplifying the device structure. However, SSE suffers from a low thermoelectric conversion efficiency that must be improved for widespread application. Here we show that the SSE substantially enhances by oxidizing a ferromagnet in normal metal/ferromagnet/oxide structures. In W/CoFeB/AlOx structures, voltage-induced interfacial oxidation of CoFeB modifies the SSE, resulting in the enhancement of thermoelectric signal by an order of magnitude. We describe a mechanism for the enhancement that results from a reduced exchange interaction of the oxidized region of ferromagnet, which in turn increases a temperature difference between magnons in the ferromagnet and electrons in the normal metal and/or a gradient of magnon chemical potential in the ferromagnet. Our result will invigorate research for thermoelectric conversion by suggesting a promising way of improving the SSE efficiency.

Spin current driven by ultrafast magnetization of FeRh.

Laser-induced ultrafast demagnetization is an important phenomenon that probes arguably the ultimate limits of the angular momentum dynamics in solid. Unfortunately, many aspects of the dynamics remain unclear except that the demagnetization transfers the angular momentum eventually to the lattice. In particular, the role and origin of electron-carried spin currents in the demagnetization process are debated. Here we experimentally probe the spin current in the opposite phenomenon, i.e., laser-induced ultrafast magnetization of FeRh, where the laser pump pulse initiates the angular momentum build-up rather than its dissipation. Using the time-resolved magneto-optical Kerr effect, we directly measure the ultrafast-magnetization-driven spin current in a FeRh/Cu heterostructure. A strong correlation between the spin current and the magnetization dynamics of FeRh is found even though the spin filter effect is negligible in this opposite process. This result implies that the angular momentum build-up is achieved by an angular momentum transfer from the electron bath (supplier) to the magnon bath (receiver) and followed by the spatial transport of angular momentum (spin current) and dissipation of angular momentum to the phonon bath (spin relaxation).

Toward Highly Matching the Dura Mater: A Polyurethane Integrating Biocompatible, Leak-Proof, and Self-Healing Properties.

The dura mater is the final barrier against cerebrospinal fluid leakage and plays a crucial role in protecting and supporting the brain and spinal cord. Head trauma, tumor resection and other traumas damage it, requiring artificial dura mater for repair.  However, surgical tears are often unavoidable. To address these issues, the ideal artificial dura mater should have biocompatibility, anti-leakage, and self-healing properties. Herein, this work has used biocompatible polycaprolactone diol as the soft segment and introduced dynamic disulfide bonds into the hard segment, achieving a multifunctional polyurethane (LSPU-2), which integrated the above mentioned properties required in surgery. In particular, LSPU-2 matches the mechanical properties of the dura mater and the biocompatibility tests with neuronal cells demonstrate extremely low cytotoxicity and do not cause any negative skin lesions. In addition, the anti-leakage properties of the LSPU-2 are confirmed by the water permeability tester and the 900 mm H2 O static pressure test with artificial cerebrospinal fluid. Due to the disulfide bond exchange and molecular chain mobility, LSPU-2 could be completely self-healed within 115 min at human body temperature. Thus, LSPU-2 comprises one of the most promising potential artificial dura materials, which is essential for the advancement of artificial dura mater and brain surgery.

Case Study of a Patient with Trigger Finger after Conducting Pharmacopuncture according to the Progress.

Our study purpose was to report the clinical application of five different pharmacopunctures (Sweet BV, Scolopendrae Corpus, Chukyu, Cervi Parvum Cornu, and Hominis Placenta) for trigger finger. A patient was admitted to Ba-reun-mom S Korean Medicine Clinic and diagnosed with trigger finger. Because the effects of each pharmacopuncture have been confirmed in various acute to chronic cases, we treated a patient diagnosed with trigger finger using pharmacopunctures Sweet BV and Scolopendrae Corpus at the acute phase, Chukyu pharmacopuncture at the acute to chronic phase, and pharmacopunctures Cervi Parvum Cornu and Hominis Placenta at the chronic phase. This case was measured and assessed by Quinnell's classification of triggering and visual analogue scale (VAS) scores. After treatment, the patient's fifth finger pain and function were improved. The VAS score decreased from 5 to 0. The Quinnell's classification of triggering score decreased from 2 to 0. This case indicated that a patient with trigger finger could be treated by five pharmacopuncture treatments according to the treatment regimen and disease progress.

Enhanced removal of cesium from hydrobiotite using polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based nickel ferrocyanide beads.

The desorption of cesium (Cs) from contaminated clay minerals remains challenging because of the restricted efficiency of the removal process. Therefore, in the present study, a bead-type adsorbent was added during the conventional acid washing process to improve the removal of Cs+ from a clay mineral. As the Cs+ adsorbent, polyacrylonitrile-based nickel potassium hexacyanoferrate (NiFC-PAN) was used to selectively adsorb Cs+ in a strongly acidic solution containing competing ions. To prevent erosion of the adsorbent under harsh environmental conditions and to facilitate the separation of clay particles, PAN was deliberately constructed as large beads. The synthesized adsorbent (NiFC/PAN in a 2:1 ratio) showed high selectivity for Cs+, with a maximum capacity for Cs+ adsorption of 162.78 mg/g in 0.5 M HNO3 solution. Because the NiFC-PAN demonstrated greater Cs+ selectivity than the clay mineral (hydrobiotite, HBT), the addition of NiFC-PAN during the acid washing significantly increased Cs+ desorption (73.3%) by inhibiting the re-adsorption of Cs+ on the HBT. The radioactivity of 137Cs-HBT was substantially decreased from 209 to 27 Bq/g by the acid treatment in the presence of NiFC-PAN, corresponding to a desorption efficiency of 87.1%. Therefore, these results suggest that the proposed technique is a potentially useful and effective method for decontamination of radioactive clay.

Solvent-Free Processed Cathode Slurry with Carbon Nanotube Conductors for Li-Ion Batteries.

The increase in demand for energy storage devices, including portable electronic devices, electronic mobile devices, and energy storage systems, has led to substantial growth in the market for Li-ion batteries (LiB). However, the resulting environmental concerns from the waste of LiB and pollutants from the manufacturing process have attracted considerable attention. In particular, N-methylpyrrolidone, which is utilized during the manufacturing process for preparing cathode or anode slurries, is a toxic organic pollutant. Therefore, the dry-based process for electrodes is of special interest nowadays. Herein, we report the fabrication of a cathode by a mortar-based dry process using NCM811, a carbon conductor, and poly(tetrafluoroethylene)binder. The electrochemical performance of the cathode was compared in terms of the types of conductors: carbon nanotubes and carbon black. The electrodes with carbon nanotubes showed an ameliorated performance in terms of cycle testing, capacity retention, and mechanical properties.

Organic/Inorganic Hybrid Top-Gate Transistors with Ultrahigh Electron Mobility via Enhanced Electron Pathways.

The top-gate structure is currently adopted in various flat-panel displays because of its diverse advantages such as passivation from the external environment and process compatibility with industries. However, the mobility of the currently commercialized top-gate oxide thin-film transistors (TFTs) is insufficient to drive ultrahigh-resolution displays. Accordingly, this work suggests metal-capped Zn-Ba-Sn-O transistors with top-gate structures for inducing mobility-enhancing effects. The fabricated top-gate device contains para-xylylene (PPx), which is deposited by a low-temperature chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process, as a dielectric layer and exhibits excellent interfacial and dielectric properties. A technology computer-aided design (TCAD) device simulation reveals that the mobility enhancement in the Al-capped (Zn,Ba)SnO3 (ZBTO) TFT is attributed not only to the increase in the electron concentration, which is induced by band engineering due to the Al work function but also to the increased electron velocity due to the redistribution of the lateral electric field. As a result, the mobility of the Al-capped top-gate ZBTO device is 5 times higher (∼110 cm2/Vs) than that of the reference device. These results demonstrate the applicability of top-gate oxide TFTs with ultrahigh mobility in a wide range of applications, such as for high-resolution, large-area, and flexible displays.

Azo-Functionalized Thermoplastic Polyurethane for Light-Driven Shape Memory Materials.

Shape memory polymers have great potential in the fields of soft robotics, injectable medical devices, and as essential materials for advanced electronic devices. Herein, light-triggered shape-memory thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) is reported using azido TPU grafted by the photoswitchable azo compound. The trans-cis transitions of the azobenzene on the side chain of the TPU induce the recoiling of the main chain, leading to shaping memory behavior. Under UV irradiation, cis-azo allows the oriented main chain to recoil to release residual stress and realize light-triggered shape memory behavior. The facile method proposed here for the preparation of azo-functionalized TPU can provide viable opportunities for soft robotics and smart TPU applications.

Ultrafast, autonomous self-healable iontronic skin exhibiting piezo-ionic dynamics.

The self-healing properties and ionic sensing capabilities of the human skin offer inspiring groundwork for the designs of stretchable iontronic skins. However, from electronic to ionic mechanosensitive skins, simultaneously achieving autonomously superior self-healing properties, superior elasticity, and effective control of ion dynamics in a homogeneous system is rarely feasible. Here, we report a Cl-functionalized iontronic pressure sensitive material (CLiPS), designed via the introduction of Cl-functionalized groups into a polyurethane matrix, which realizes an ultrafast, autonomous self-healing speed (4.3 µm/min), high self-healing efficiency (91% within 60 min), and mechanosensitive piezo-ionic dynamics. This strategy promotes both an excellent elastic recovery (100%) and effective control of ion dynamics because the Cl groups trap the ions in the system via ion-dipole interactions, resulting in excellent pressure sensitivity (7.36 kPa-1) for tactile sensors. The skin-like sensor responds to pressure variations, demonstrating its potential for touch modulation in future wearable electronics and human-machine interfaces.