Three-dimensional gait analysis of the effect of directional steering on gait in patients with Parkinson's disease.

INTRODUCTION: Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) is an option to treat advanced Parkinson's Disease (PD), but can cause gait disturbance due to stimulation side efffects. This study aims to evaluate the objective effect of directional current steering by DBS on gait performance in PD, utilizing a three-dimensional gait analysis system. METHODS: Eleven patients diagnosed with PD and were implanted with directional lead were recruited. The direction of the pyramidal tract (identified by the directional mode screening) was set as 0°. Patients performed the six-meter-walk test and the time up-and-go (TUG) test while an analysis system recorded gait parameters utilizing a three-dimensional motion capture camera. The gait parameters were measured for the baseline, the directional steering at eight angles (0°, 45°, 90°, 135°, 180°, 225°, 270°, and 315°), and the conventional ring mode with 1, 2, and 3 mA. Pulse width and frequency were fixed. Placebo stimulation (0 mA) was used for a control. RESULTS: Eleven patients completed the study. No significant difference were observed between gait parameters during the directional, baseline, placebo, or ring modes during the six-meter-walk test (p > 0.05). During the TUG test, stride length was significantly different between 0° and other directions (p < 0.001), but no significant differences were observed for the other gait parameters. Stride width was non-significantly narrower in the direction of 0°. CONCLUSION: Controlling stimulation using directional steering may improve gait in patients with PD, while avoiding pyramidal side effects.

Thin mini-LED backlight using reflective mirror dots with high luminance uniformity for mobile LCDs.

A new mini light-emitting diode (mini-LED) backlight with reflective dots is proposed for high luminance uniformity, high contrast ratio, and low power consumption for use in mobile liquid crystal displays. The proposed backlight, comprising a small number of mini-LEDs, was verified as having high luminance uniformity and high light use efficiency, due to the optimized reflective dots, backlight thickness and light distribution of the mini-LEDs. Moreover, the light leakage to adjacent segments was reduced by cutting a slit between each segment, improving the light use efficiency per segment and suppressing halo artifacts.

Evaluation of subclinical chronic sun damage in the skin via the detection of long-lasting ultraweak photon emission.

BACKGROUND: It is well known that solar radiation accelerates skin photoaging. To evaluate subclinical photodamage in the skin especially from the early phase of ultraviolet (UV)-induced damage, we have focused on ultraweak photon emission (UPE), also called biophotons. Our previous study reported that the amount of long-lasting UPE induced by UV, predominantly from lipid peroxidation, is a valuable indicator to assess cutaneous photodamage even at a suberythemal dose, although it was only applied to evaluate acute UV damage. The aim of this study was to further investigate whether long-lasting UPE could also be a useful marker to assess subclinical chronic sun damage in the course of skin photoaging. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-three Japanese females in their 20s were recruited and were divided into two groups according to their history of sun exposure based on a questionnaire (high- and low-sun-exposure groups). Several skin properties on the cheek and outer forearm were measured in addition to UV-induced UPE. RESULTS: Among the skin properties measured, water content, average skin roughness, and the lateral packing of lipids in the stratum corneum were significantly deteriorated in the high-sun-exposure group as were changes in some skin photoaging scores such as pigmented spots and wrinkles. In addition, those skin properties were correlated with the UPE signals, suggesting the possible impact of oxidative stress on chronic skin damage. CONCLUSION: Subtle oxidative stress detected by long-lasting UPE may contribute to subclinical cutaneous damage at the beginning phase of chronic sun exposure, which potentially enhances skin photoaging over a lifetime.

Three-dimensional computed tomography confirmed that the meniscal root attachments and meniscofemoral ligaments are morphologically consistent.

PURPOSE: To clarify the characteristic features of the meniscal root attachments, meniscofemoral ligaments (MFLs), and related osseous landmarks on three-dimensional images using computed tomography. METHODS: Twenty-eight non-paired, formalin-fixed human cadaveric knees were evaluated in this study. The meniscal root attachments were identified and marked. Three-dimensional images were obtained after applying a contrast agent to the entire meniscal surfaces and MFLs, then the morphology of the meniscal root attachments and MFLs, and their positional relationships with osseous landmarks, were analyzed. RESULTS: Parsons' knob divided the medial meniscal anterior root attachment and lateral meniscal anterior root attachment on the anterior portion of the tibial plateau. The medial meniscal posterior root attachment was near the medial intercondylar tubercle. The lateral meniscal posterior root attachment (LMPRA) was closer to the lateral intercondylar tubercle. Both root attachments were near the posterior intercondylar fossa. The positional relationships between the meniscal root attachments and related osseous landmarks were consistent in all specimens. The MFLs originated from the lateral meniscus posterior horn, and the anterior MFL was closer to the LMPRA than the posterior MFL. The posterior MFL originated at approximately the midpoint between the LMPRA and the most posterior margin of the lateral meniscus. CONCLUSION: This study showed that the relationships between the characteristic features of the meniscal root attachments, MFLs, and related osseous landmarks were consistent. The clinical relevance of this study is that it improved understanding of the anatomy of the meniscal root attachments and MFLs.

Characteristic features of the insertions of the distal tibiofibular ligaments on three-dimensional computed tomography- cadaveric study.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to clarify the insertion sites of the anterior inferior tibiofibular ligament (AITFL) and posterior inferior tibiofibular ligament (PITFL) and related osseous landmarks on three-dimensional computed tomography images. METHODS: Twenty-nine non-paired, formalin-fixed human cadaveric ankles were evaluated. The tibial and fibular insertion sites of the AITFL and PITFL were identified. The morphology and location of the insertion sites and their positional relationships with osseous structures were analyzed on three-dimensional computed tomography images. RESULTS: The AITFL had a trapezoidal shape, with fibers that ran obliquely lateral from a wider insertion at the lateral distal tibia to the medial distal fibula. The PITFL had a similar shape to the AITFL; however, it ran more horizontally, with fibers running in the same direction. In the tibia, the anterior capsular ridge and the Chaput's and Volkmann's tubercles were useful osseous landmarks for the insertion sites. In the fibula, the centers of the insertion sites of the AITFL and PITFL were located on the edges of the distal anterior and posterior fibula, which were useful osseous landmarks. The mean distances between the center points of the tibial and fibular insertion sites of the AITFL and PITFL were 10.1 ± 2.4 mm and 11.7 ± 2.6 mm, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The relationships between the characteristic features of the distal tibia and fibula and the insertions of the AITFL and PITFL were consistent. The present findings improve the understanding of the anatomy of the insertions of the distal tibiofibular syndesmotic joint.

Temperature dependences of the distribution coefficients of hydrophobic solutes onto porous styrene divinylbenzene resin for the eluent with a low methanol content.

The distribution coefficients of four hydrophobic solutes onto a porous styrene divinylbenzene resin were measured using methanol-water mixtures with a low methanol content as the eluent at various temperatures. The temperature dependence of the distribution coefficients indicated that the elution times of the solutes were controllable by elevating the temperature even for the eluent with a low methanol content.

A novel, antimicrobially active analog of gramicidin S without amphiphilic conformation.

A novel gramicidin S analog, cyclo(-Val-Leu-Leu-Orn-Leu-D-Phe-Pro-)2, was synthesized, its antibiotic activity compared with gramicidin S and shown to be as potent as gramicidin S when compared with the susceptibility toward five Gram-positive microorganisms. It exceeded the activity of gramicidin S against Bacillus megaterium ATCC 19213 by a factor of two. Circular dichroism and NMR data suggested this analog to adopt an antiparallel beta-sheet conformation without amphiphilic character.

A novel active analogue of gramicidin S with smaller ring size.

A novel active gramicidin S analogue with smaller ring size, cyclo[-delta-Orn(-Val-Pro-D-Phe-H)-Leu-]2, was synthesized and examined the structure-activity relationship. Its analogue showed antibiotic activity against all Gram-positive microorganisms tested, and its activity was 1/2-1/8 of that of gramicidin S. The present results indicated that both structures of cyclo(-delta-Orn-Leu-)2 and H-D-Phe-Pro-Val sequence play the important role for showing the antibiotic activity.