Erratum for Lumbar Fusion including Sacroiliac Joint Fixation Increases the Stress and Angular Motion at the Hip Joint: A Finite Element Study.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.22603/ssrr.2021-0231.].

Lumbar Fusion including Sacroiliac Joint Fixation Increases the Stress and Angular Motion at the Hip Joint: A Finite Element Study.

Introduction: Adult spinal fusion surgery improves lumbar alignment and patient satisfaction. Adult spinal deformity surgery improves saggital balance not only lumbar lesion, but also at hip joint coverage. It was expected that hip joint coverage rate was improved and joint stress decreased. However, it was reported that adjacent joint disease at hip joint was induced by adult spinal fusion surgery including sacroiliac joint fixation on an X-ray study. The mechanism is still unclear. We aimed to investigate the association between lumbosacral fusion including sacroiliac joint fixation and contact stress of the hip joint. Methods: A 40-year-old woman with intact lumbar vertebrae underwent computed tomography. A three-dimensional nonlinear finite element model was constructed from the L4 vertebra to the femoral bone with triangular shell elements (thickness, 2 mm; size, 3 mm) for the cortical bone's outer surface and 2-mm (lumbar spine) or 3-mm (femoral bone) tetrahedral solid elements for the remaining bone. We constructed the following four models: a non-fusion model (NF), a L4-5 fusion model (L5F), a L4-S1 fusion model (S1F), and a L4-S2 alar iliac screw fixation model (S2F). A compressive load of 400 N was applied vertically to the L4 vertebra and a 10-Nm bending moment was additionally applied to the L4 vertebra to stimulate flexion, extension, left lateral bending, and axial rotation. Each model's hip joint's von Mises stress and angular motion were analyzed. Results: The hip joint's angular motion in NF, L5F, S1F, and S2F gradually increased; the S2F model presented the greatest angular motion. Conclusions: The average and maximum contact stress of the hip joint was the highest in the S2F model. Thus, lumbosacral fusion surgery with sacroiliac joint fixation placed added stress on the hip joint. We propose that this was a consequence of adjacent joint spinopelvic fixation. Lumbar-to-pelvic fixation increases the angular motion and stress at the hip joint.

Identification of Rice Koji Extract Components that Increase ß-Glucocerebrosidase Levels in Human Epidermal Keratinocytes.

Rice miso contains many ingredients derived from rice koji and has been a valuable source of nutrition since ancient times. We found that the consumption of rice miso led to improvements in the moisture content of cheek stratum corneum, skin viscoelasticity, and skin texture. Further, rice miso extract was found to increase the mRNA expression and activity of β-glucocerebrosidase (β-GCase), an enzyme involved in ceramide synthesis in the stratum corneum, in cultures. In this study, we identified the lipid-derived components of rice koji that increase the β-GCase activity in cultured human epidermal keratinocytes. The methanol fraction of rice koji extract induced an increase in the mRNA expression and activity of β-GCase in keratinocytes. The active fraction of rice koji was found to contain phosphatidic acid (PA) and lysophosphatidic acid (LPA). The total PA concentration in rice koji was 973.9 ng/mg dry weight, which was 17.5 times higher than that in steamed rice. Among the molecular species, PA_18:2/18:2 was the most frequently found. The total LPA concentration in rice koji was 29.6 ng/mg dry weight, and 2-LPA_18:2 was the most frequently found LPA. Since PA and LPA increase the mRNA expression and activity of β-GCase in keratinocytes, they are thought to be the active ingredients in rice koji that increase the β-GCase levels in human epidermal keratinocytes.

Rice Koji Extract Enhances Lipid Metabolism through Proliferator-Activated Receptor Alpha (PPARα) Activation in Mouse Liver.

Koji is made from grains fermented with Aspergillus oryzae and is essential for the production of many traditional Japanese foods. Many previous studies have shown that koji contributes to the improvement of dyslipidemia. However, little is known regarding the underlying mechanism of this effect. Furthermore, the compound contributing to the activation of lipid metabolism is unknown. We demonstrated that rice koji extract (RKE) induces the mRNA expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) target genes, which promotes lipid metabolism in murine hepatocytes. This effect was not observed in PPARα-KO hepatocytes. We also demonstrated that RKE contained linolenic acid (LIA), oleic acid (OA), and hydroxyoctadecadienoic acids (HODEs), which activate PPARα, using LC-MS analysis. Our findings suggest that RKE, containing LIA, OA, and HODEs, could be valuable in improving dyslipidemia via PPARα activation.

Pattern recognition analysis of proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of extracts of intestinal epithelial cells under oxidative stress.

BACKGROUND: Mesenteric ischemia-reperfusion induces gut mucosal damage. Intestinal mucosal wounds are repaired by epithelial restitution. Although many different molecular mechanisms have been shown to affect cell metabolism under oxidative conditions, these molecular mechanisms and metabolic phenotypes are not well understood. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopic data can be used to study metabolic phenotypes in biological systems. Pattern recognition with multivariate analysis is one chemometric technique. The purpose of this study was to visualize, using a chemometric technique to interpret NMR data, different degrees of oxidant injury in rat small intestine (IEC-6) cells exposed to H2O2. METHODS: Oxidant stress was induced by H2O2 in IEC-6 cells. Cell restitution and viability were assessed at different H2O2 concentrations and time points. Cells were harvested for pattern recognition analysis of (1)H-NMR data. RESULTS: Cell viability and restitution were significantly suppressed by H2O2 in a dose-dependent manner compared with control. Each class was clearly separated into clusters by partial least squares discriminant analysis, and class variance was greater than 90% from 2 factors. CONCLUSION: Pattern recognition of NMR spectral data using a chemometric technique clearly visualized the differences of oxidant injury in IEC-6 cells under oxidant stress.

Impact of post-traumatic stress disorder and job-related stress on burnout: a study of fire service workers.

Burnout and stress are common, related problems in service professionals, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a major concern among fire service workers. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of PTSD and job-related stressors on burnout. A total of 243 fire service workers completed questionnaires, including the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), and Japan Brief Job Stress Questionnaire. Relationships were found between PTSD and burnout, and between job stressors and burnout. Social support reduced the impact on burnout. Stressors that impacted on burnout in fire service personnel were PTSD-related acute stress and general job-related chronic stress. Countermeasures, not only against job stress, but also against PTSD-related stress, are essential to prevent burnout. Social support and the development of human relationships in the work place are crucial in mitigating burnout.