Relationship between sonography of sternocleidomastoid muscle and cervical passive range of motion in infants with congenital muscular torticollis.

BACKGROUND: An abnormal sternocleidomastoid muscle in congenital muscular torticollis can be classified into one of the four types via sonography. However, this categorization lacks quantitative measurements. The purpose of the study was to determine quantitative measurements of the sonograms via image analysis. METHODS: Infants younger than 12 months of age suspected of having congenital muscular torticollis were included. Intraclass correlation coefficient estimates for interobserver reliability and a simple regression analysis for criterion validity were calculated. Spearman correlation analysis was then performed. The analyzed parameters included cervical passive range of motion for lateral flexion and rotation, area, brightness, max/min Feret's diameters, and muscular width/thickness. RESULTS: Of the 29 (4.0 ± 2.6 months) screened infants, 13 (1.9 ± 1.7 months) were included. Nine were male, and 4 were female. Seven infants with mass were ultrasonographically classified into type I, and the other six infants were classified into type II. The affected/unaffected side ratios of cervical passive range of motion for lateral flexion and rotation were 0.92 ± 0.13 and 0.88 ± 0.16, respectively. The parameters measured on the sonograms were reliable, and the max/min Feret's diameters were valid measurements. The affected/unaffected side ratio of cervical passive range of motion for rotation significantly correlated with the affected/unaffected side ratios of the sternocleidomastoid muscle sonogram on area (r = -0.62, p = 0.03) and min Feret's diameter (r = -0.69, p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The area and min Feret's diameter were efficacious parameters for image analysis on sternocleidomastoid sonograms, and the min Feret's diameter would be more suitable than thickness for measuring the thickening SCM in transverse view. A healthy control group, more data and follow-up would be needed to confirm the changes on the SCM sonograms for clinical decision.

Folate Deficiency Triggered Apoptosis of Synoviocytes: Role of Overproduction of Reactive Oxygen Species Generated via NADPH Oxidase/Mitochondrial Complex II and Calcium Perturbation.

Despite a plethora of literature has documented that osteoarthritis (OA) is veritably associated with oxidative stress-mediated chondrocyte death and matrix degradation, yet the possible involvement of synoviocyte abnormality as causative factor of OA has not been thoroughly investigated. For this reason, we conduct the current studies to insight into how synoviocytes could respond to an episode of folate-deprived (FD) condition. First, when HIG-82 synoviocytes were cultivated under FD condition, a time-dependent growth impediment was observed and the demise of these cells was demonstrated to be apoptotic in nature mediated through FD-evoked overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and drastically released of cytosolic calcium (Ca2+) concentrations. Next, we uncovered that FD-evoked ROS overproduction could only be strongly suppressed by either mitochondrial complex II inhibitors (TTFA and carboxin) or NADPH oxidase (NOX) inhibitors (AEBSF and apocynin), but not by mitochondrial complex I inhibitor (rotenone) and mitochondrial complex III inhibitor (antimycin A). Interestingly, this selective inhibition of FD-evoked ROS by mitochondrial complex II and NOX inhibitors was found to correlate excellently with the suppression of cytosolic Ca2+ release and reduced the magnitude of the apoptotic TUNEL-positive cells. Taken together, we present the first evidence here that FD-triggered ROS overproduction in synoviocytes is originated from mitochondrial complex II and NOX. Both elevated ROS in tandem with cytosolic Ca2+ overload serve as final arbitrators for apoptotic lethality of synoviocytes cultivated under FD condition. Thus, folate supplementation may be beneficial to patients with OA.

Dependencies of the emission behavior and quantum well structure of a regularly-patterned, InGaN/GaN quantum-well nanorod array on growth condition.

To achieve green emission from the sidewall non-polar quantum wells (QWs) of a GaN nanorod (NR) light-emitting diode, regularly patterned InGaN/GaN QW NR arrays are grown under various growth conditions of indium supply rate, QW growth temperature, and QW growth time for comparing their emission wavelength variations of the top-face c-plane and sidewall m-plane QWs based on photoluminescence and cathodoluminescence (CL) measurements. Although the variation trends of QW emission wavelength by changing those growth conditions in the NR structure are similar to those in the planar structure, the emission wavelength range of the QWs on an NR is significantly shorter than that in a planar structure under the same growth conditions. Under the growth conditions for a longer NR QW emission wavelength, the difference of emission wavelength between the top-face and sidewall QWs is smaller. Also, the variation range of the emission wavelength from the sidewall QWs over different heights on the sidewall becomes larger. On the other hand, strain state analysis based on transmission electron microscopy is undertaken to calibrate the average QW widths and average indium contents in the two groups of QW of an NR. The variation trends of the calibrated QW widths and indium contents are consistent with those of the CL emission wavelengths from various portions of NR QWs.

Lysophosphatidic acid enhanced the angiogenic capability of human chondrocytes by regulating Gi/NF-kB-dependent angiogenic factor expression.

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) has been found to mediate myeloid differentiation, stimulate osteogenesis, alter cell proliferation and migration, and inhibit apoptosis in chondrocytes. The effect of LPA on the angiogenic capability of chondrocytes is not clear. This study aimed to investigate its effect on the angiogenic capability of human chondrocytes and the underlying mechanism of these effects. Human chondrocyte cell line, CHON-001, commercialized human chondrocytes (HC) derived from normal human articular cartilage, and human vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs) were used as cell models in this study. The angiogenic capability of chondrocytes was determined by capillary tube formation, monolayer permeability, cell migration, and cell proliferation. An angiogenesis protein array kit was used to evaluate the secretion of angiogenic factors in conditioned medium. Angiogenin, insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 1 (IGFBP-1), interleukin (IL)-8, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) mRNA and protein expressions were evaluated by Q-RT-PCR and EIA, respectively. LPA receptor (LPAR) expression was determined by RT-PCR. Signaling pathways were clarified using inhibitors, Western blot analysis, and reporter assays. The LPA treatment promoted the angiogenic capability of CHON-001 cells and HC, resulting in enhanced HUVEC capillary tube formation, monolayer permeability, migration, and cell growth. Angiogenin, IGFBP-1, IL-8, MCP-1, MMP-9, and VEGF mRNA and protein expressions were significantly enhanced in LPA-treated chondrocytes. LPA2, 3, 4 and 6 were expressed in CHON-001 and HC cells. Pretreatment with the Gi/o type G protein inhibitor, pertussis toxin (PTX), and the NF-kB inhibitor, PDTC, significantly inhibited LPA-induced angiogenin, IGFBP-1, IL-8, MCP-1, MMP-9, and VEGF expressions in chondrocytes. The PTX pretreatment also inhibited LPA-mediated NF-kB activation, suggesting the presence of active Gi/NF-kB signaling in CHON-001 and HC cells. The effect of LPA on the angiogenesis-inducing capacity of chondrocytes may be due to the increased angiogenesis factor expression via the Gi/NF-kB signaling pathway.

Age-based prediction of incidence of complications during inpatient stroke rehabilitation: a retrospective longitudinal cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Stroke complications can occur not only in the acute ward but also during the subsequent rehabilitation period. However, existing studies have not adequately addressed the incidence of various complications among stroke in patients undergoing rehabilitation using a longitudinal method. We aimed to investigate the longitudinal impact of age on complication rates in patients undergoing inpatient stroke rehabilitation at different disease stages. METHODS: Five hundred and sixty-eight first-time stroke patients transferred to the rehabilitation ward between July 2002 and June 2012 were included in the study. Patients were stratified into age groups for comparison: <65 years (young), 65 years to <75 years (younger old), and ≥75 years (older old). In total, 30 different complication types were recorded for analysis. RESULTS: Constipation, shoulder pain, symptomatic urinary tract infection (UTI), and fever were common complications during initial stay in the rehabilitation ward, and incidence was >10% in all three age groups. The frequency of incidence of upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) was higher in the younger old (17.9%) and older old (20.6%) groups than in the young group (4.1%) during initial stay in the rehabilitation ward (p < 0.001). The incidence of UGIB was higher in the younger old (8.04%) and older old (8.33%) groups than in the young group (0.19%) during subsequent stay in the rehabilitation ward (p = 0.011). The incidence of symptomatic UTI was higher in the younger old (21.0%) and older old (20.0%) groups than in the young group (11.5%) during initial stay in the rehabilitation ward (p = 0.019). The incidence of symptomatic UTI was higher in the older old group (29.17%) than in the younger old (9.21%) and young (3.14%) groups during subsequent stay in the rehabilitation ward (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Age does not affect every complication type. UGIB and symptomatic UTI occurred more frequently in stroke patients aged ≥65 years during their stay in the rehabilitation ward.

Light-emitting device with regularly patterned growth of an InGaN/GaN quantum-well nanorod light-emitting diode array.

A light-emitting device consisting of a two-dimensional regularly patterned InGaN/GaN quantum well (QW) nanorod (NR) light-emitting diode (LED) array is implemented and characterized. The NR p-i-n structure includes n-GaN NR core and essentially conformal p-GaN shell. The active regions include nonpolar sidewall QWs and polar top-face QWs. A conformal layer of transparent GaZnO of low resistivity is deposited onto the NR LED structure for spreading the injection current over the sidewalls. It is found that the blue-shift range of the output spectral peak in increasing injection current is smaller than that of a planar LED of about the same operation wavelength in a similar variation range of injection current density although it is nonzero. The small blue-shift range is attributed to the mixed emission contributions from the nonpolar sidewall QWs and polar top-face QWs.

Remote effect of lower limb acupuncture on latent myofascial trigger point of upper trapezius muscle: a pilot study.

Objectives. To demonstrate the use of acupuncture in the lower limbs to treat myofascial pain of the upper trapezius muscles via a remote effect. Methods. Five adults with latent myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) of bilateral upper trapezius muscles received acupuncture at Weizhong (UB40) and Yanglingquan (GB34) points in the lower limbs. Modified acupuncture was applied at these points on a randomly selected ipsilateral lower limb (experimental side) versus sham needling on the contralateral lower limb (control side) in each subject. Each subject received two treatments within a one-week interval. To evaluate the remote effect of acupuncture, the range of motion (ROM) upon bending the contralateral side of the cervical spine was assessed before and after each treatment. Results. There was significant improvement in cervical ROM after the second treatment (P = 0.03) in the experimental group, and the increased ROM on the modified acupuncture side was greater compared to the sham needling side (P = 0.036). Conclusions. A remote effect of acupuncture was demonstrated in this pilot study. Using modified acupuncture needling at remote acupuncture points in the ipsilateral lower limb, our treatments released tightness due to latent MTrPs of the upper trapezius muscle.

Comparison of emission characteristics between the CdZnO/ZnO quantum wells on ZnO and GaN templates.

CdZnO/ZnO quantum well (QW) samples are grown on GaN and ZnO templates with plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy under different conditions of substrate temperature, Cd effusion cell temperature, and O(2) flow rate for emission characteristics comparison. It is found that the Cd incorporation on the ZnO template is generally lower, when compared with that on the GaN template, such that the O(2) flow rate needs to be reduced for stoichiometric CdZnO/ZnO QW growth on the ZnO template. Besides the wurtzite (wt) CdZnO structure, the rock-salt (rs) CdZnO structure exists in the CdZnO well layers when the total Cd content is high. The rs structure may dominate over the wt structure in photoluminescence intensity when the total Cd content is high. In either group of samples on the GaN and ZnO templates, the emission efficiency first increases and then decreases with increasing total Cd content. The low emission efficiency at low (high) Cd content is attributed to the weaker quantum confinement (the poorer crystal quality) of the QWs. The emission efficiencies of the QW samples on the GaN template are generally higher than those on the ZnO template. The carrier localization behavior in a CdZnO/ZnO QW, grown on either GaN or ZnO template, is significantly weaker than that in an InGaN/GaN QW. The strength of the quantum-confined Stark effect generally increases with increasing Cd content in either group of samples on the GaN and ZnO templates.

Geometry and composition comparisons between c-plane disc-like and m-plane core-shell InGaN/GaN quantum wells in a nitride nanorod.

With the nano-imprint lithography and the pulsed growth mode of metalorganic chemical vapor deposition, a regularly-patterned, c-axis nitride nanorod (NR) array of quite uniform geometry with simultaneous depositions of top-face, c-plane disc-like and sidewall, m-plane core-shell InGaN/GaN quantum well (QW) structures is formed. The differences of geometry and composition between these two groups of QW are studied with scanning electron microscopy, cathodoluminescence, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In particular, the strain state analysis results in TEM observations provide us with the information about the QW width and composition. It is found that the QW widths are narrower and the indium contents are higher in the sidewall m-plane QWs, when compared with the top-face c-plane QWs. Also, in the sidewall m-plane QWs, the QW width (indium content) decreases (increases) with the height on the sidewall. The observed results can be interpreted with the migration behaviors of the constituent atoms along the NR sidewall from the bottom.

Effects of overgrown p-layer on the emission characteristics of the InGaN/GaN quantum wells in a high-indium light-emitting diode.

The counteraction between the increased carrier localization effect due to the change of composition nanostructure in the quantum wells (QWs), which is caused by the thermal annealing process, and the enhanced quantum-confined Stark effect in the QWs due to the increased piezoelectric field, which is caused by the increased p-type layer thickness, when the p-type layer is grown at a high temperature on the InGaN/GaN QWs of a high-indium light-emitting diode (LED) is demonstrated. Temperature- and excitation power-dependent photoluminescence (PL) measurements are performed on three groups of sample, including 1) the samples with both effects of thermal annealing and increased p-type thickness, 2) those only with the similar thermal annealing process, and 3) those with increased overgrowth thickness and minimized thermal annealing effect. From the comparisons of emission wavelength, internal quantum efficiency (IQE), spectral shift with increasing PL excitation level, and calibrated activation energy of carrier localization between various samples in the three groups, one can clearly see the individual effects of thermal annealing and increased p-type layer thickness. The counteraction leads to increased IQE and blue-shifted emission spectrum with increasing p-type thickness when the thickness is below a certain value (20-nm p-AlGaN plus 60-nm p-GaN under our growth conditions). Beyond this thickness, the IQE value decreases and the emission spectrum red shifts with increasing p-type thickness.