Aging (Albany NY) 2017 Jul 19. Epub 2017 Jul 19.

Department of Clinical Cell Biology and Medicine, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba 260-8670, Japan.

Werner syndrome (WS) is a rare inheritable progeroid syndrome caused by a mutation in the WRN gene. Although WS has been described as a characteristic appearance of very slender extremities with a stocky trunk, few studies have investigated the loss of muscle mass, fat mass distribution (body composition), and mobility according to age and sex. Therefore, the aim of this study was to precisely describe the body composition in WS. Read More

Int J Mol Sci 2017 Jul 18;18(7). Epub 2017 Jul 18.

Department of Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, 90-236 Lodz, Poland.

The human DNA2 (DNA replication helicase/nuclease 2) protein is expressed in both the nucleus and mitochondria, where it displays ATPase-dependent nuclease and helicase activities. DNA2 plays an important role in the removing of long flaps in DNA replication and long-patch base excision repair (LP-BER), interacting with the replication protein A (RPA) and the flap endonuclease 1 (FEN1). DNA2 can promote the restart of arrested replication fork along with Werner syndrome ATP-dependent helicase (WRN) and Bloom syndrome protein (BLM). Read More

Case Rep Otolaryngol 2017 22;2017:9361612. Epub 2017 Jun 22.

Department of Otolaryngology, Oita University Faculty of Medicine, 1-1 Idaigaoka, Hazama-cho, Yufu City, Oita 879-5593, Japan.

Werner syndrome (WS) is an autosomal recessive disease characterized by premature aging. Malignant tumors such as thyroid carcinoma and malignant melanoma occur frequently in WS patients. We describe 2 siblings with WS who suffered from sinonasal malignant melanoma (MM). Read More

Trends Genet 2017 Jul 8. Epub 2017 Jul 8.

Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, IMRIC, The Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem 91120, Israel. Electronic address:

Recent studies show that nuclear RNase P is linked to chromatin structure and function. Thus, variants of this ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complex bind to chromatin of small noncoding RNA genes; integrate into initiation complexes of RNA polymerase (Pol) III; repress histone H3.3 nucleosome deposition; control tRNA and PIWI-interacting RNA (piRNA) gene clusters for genome defense; and respond to Werner syndrome helicase (WRN)-related replication stress and DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). Read More

Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol 2017 Jul 5. Epub 2017 Jul 5.

Justus Liebig University, Universities of Giessen and Marburg Lung Center, Member of the German Center for Lung Research, Department of Internal Medicine, Giessen, Germany ;

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) constitutes a significant disease burden with regard to both morbidity and mortality. Current therapies are mostly supportive and do not address the underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms. Removal of protein-rich alveolar edema - a clinical hallmark of ARDS - is critical for survival. Read More

Annu Rev Biochem 2017 Jun;86:461-484

Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544; email: ,

Self-catalyzed DNA depurination is a sequence-specific physiological mechanism mediated by spontaneous extrusion of a stem-loop catalytic intermediate. Hydrolysis of the 5'G residue of the 5'GA/TGG loop and of the first 5'A residue of the 5'GAGA loop, together with particular first stem base pairs, specifies their hydrolysis without involving protein, cofactor, or cation. As such, this mechanism is the only known DNA catalytic activity exploited by nature. Read More

Front Pediatr 2017 9;5:135. Epub 2017 Jun 9.

Department of Translational Medical Sciences, Federico II University, Naples, Italy.

Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is an orphan disease (MIM 244400), autosomal recessive inherited, characterized by motile ciliary dysfunction. The estimated prevalence of PCD is 1:10,000 to 1:20,000 live-born children, but true prevalence could be even higher. PCD is characterized by chronic upper and lower respiratory tract disease, infertility/ectopic pregnancy, and situs anomalies, that occur in ≈50% of PCD patients (Kartagener syndrome), and these may be associated with congenital heart abnormalities. Read More

FEBS Lett 2017 Jul 4;591(14):2155-2166. Epub 2017 Jul 4.

Department of Biochemistry, College of Life Science & Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea.

The protein associated with Werner syndrome (WRN), is involved in DNA repair, checkpoint activation, and telomere maintenance. To better understand the involvement of WRN in double-strand DNA break (DSB) repair, we analyzed the combinatorial role of WRN-1, the Caenorhabditis elegans WRN helicase, in conjunction with EXO-1 and DNA-2 nucleases. We found that WRN-1 cooperates with DNA-2 to resect DSB ends in a pathway acting in parallel to EXO-1. Read More

Semin Hematol 2017 Apr 7;54(2):115-122. Epub 2017 Apr 7.

Department of Oncology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN. Electronic address:

The majority of myeloid malignancies are caused by sporadic somatic events rather than cancer predisposition. Nonetheless, the identification of hereditary cancer predisposition syndromes is critical when caring for patients with myeloid malignancies since detection may direct decisions related to cancer treatment and surveillance. A positive genetic test result also has important implications for other family members who can use this information to undergo their own testing to determine their cancer risk. Read More

J Card Surg 2017 Jul 20;32(7):414-415. Epub 2017 Jun 20.

Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan.

Gynecol Endocrinol 2017 May 31:1-3. Epub 2017 May 31.

a Pediatric Surgery Unit , Salesi Children's Hospital, Università Politecnica delle Marche , Ancona , Italy.

Objective: The authors present their experience in the management of pediatric patients with Herlyn-Werner-Wunderlich syndrome (HWWS) considering clinical classification and anatomical characteristics of the malformation.

Methods: All the data of the patient presented at our Pediatric Surgery Unit from February 2010 to August 2015 were collected. According to the type of malformations, patients were divided in 3 groups: A (completely obstructed hemivagina), B (incompletely obstructed hemivagina), and C (communication between the duplicated cervices). Read More

An Bras Dermatol 2017 Mar-Apr;92(2):271-272

School of Medicine, Selcuk University - Konya, Turkey.

Werner syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive disorder, caused by mutations in the WRN gene. Clinical findings include: senile appearance, short stature, grey hair, alopecia, bird-like face, scleroderma-like skin changes, skin ulcers, voice abnormalities, cataracts, osteoporosis, type 2 diabetes mellitus, ischemic heart disease and hypogonadism. The syndrome begins to become apparent in adolescence but it is usually diagnosed in the third or fourth decade of life. Read More

Theranostics 2017 8;7(6):1589-1597. Epub 2017 Apr 8.

Department of Internal Medicine II, Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.

C-X-C-motif chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) is a key factor for tumor growth and metastasis in several types of human cancer. We have recently reported promising first-in-man experience with CXCR4-directed endoradiotherapy (ERT) in multiple myeloma (MM). Eight heavily pretreated MM patients underwent a total of 10 ERT cycles (7 patients with 1 cycle and a single patient with 3 cycles). Read More

Mutat Res 2017 Apr - Jun;772:123-133. Epub 2016 Aug 5.

Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel.

Laron syndrome (LS) is a unique model of congenital IGF-I deficiency. It is characterized by dwarfism and obesity, and is caused by deletion or mutations of the growth hormone receptor (GH-R) gene. It is hypothesized that LS is an old disease originating in Indonesia and that the mutated gene spread to South Asia, the Middle East, the Mediterranean region and South America. Read More

Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017 May;17(5):854-856

Department of Clinical Cell Biology and Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.

Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017 May 10. Epub 2017 May 10.

Division of Gene Therapy Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.

Aim: In patients with diabetes or ischemia, angiogenesis and infection control are required for chronic leg ulcers, which substantially impair patients' quality of life. We developed a novel functional peptide, named AG30/5C, with angiogenic and anti-microbial properties. Treatment with AG30/5C significantly accelerated the wound healing of full-thickness defects in mice. Read More

J Obstet Gynaecol Can 2017 May 5. Epub 2017 May 5.

Department of Obstetrics, Paulista School of Medicine, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address:

Background: Down syndrome is a chromosomal abnormality characterized by an additional acrocentric chromosome, resulting in an aneuploid number of 47 chromosomes (trisomy 21). Fetal face phenotype of Down syndrome is typical in the second trimester and characterized by plane face and a big and protruding tongue.

Case: We present a case of Down syndrome at 29 weeks of gestation in which the fetal face was created using 3-D virtual reality model from 3-D ultrasound scan data. Read More

Pol J Radiol 2017 16;82:216-219. Epub 2017 Apr 16.

Department of Paediatric Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey.

Background: Herlyn-Werner-Wunderlich syndrome is a rare congenital urogenital anomaly characterised by uterus didelphys with blind hemivagina and ipsilateral renal agenesis. Children usually have progressive pelvic pain after menarche, palpable mass due to hemihaemato(metro)colpos or pelvic inflammatory disease. The diagnosis usually requires a suspicion of this rare genitourinary syndrome. Read More

Vasc Med 2017 Jun 17;22(3):246-247. Epub 2017 Mar 17.

Division of Rheumatology, ASST Gaetano Pini, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy.

Isr Med Assoc J 2017 Jan;19(1):6-7

Endocrine and Diabetes Research Unit, Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, Petah Tikva, Israel.

Jpn J Radiol 2017 Jul 26;35(7):341-349. Epub 2017 Apr 26.

Department of Radiology, CDPI/DASA, Américas Medical City, Rio De Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-borne arbovirus from the Flaviviridae family, first discovered in 1947. There has been no report of severe complications caused by this virus in humans until recently. However, it is confirmed now that prenatally acquired ZIKV infection may cause severe congenital brain abnormalities in the infected fetuses. Read More

Mol Med Rep 2017 Jun 12;15(6):3735-3738. Epub 2017 Apr 12.

Department of Orthopedics, Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410078, P.R. China.

Werner Syndrome (WS) is a rare, adult‑onset progeroid syndrome that is associated with multiple age‑associated complications and relatively short life expectancy. The characteristics of WS include a 'bird‑like' appearance, canities, cataracts and ulcerations around the ankles. In addition, certain patients develop hypogonadism with atrophic genitalia and infertility. Read More

Oman Med J 2017 Mar;32(2):157-160

Department of General Surgery, Universidade Federal do Piauí, Piauí, Brazil.

Herlyn-Werner-Wunderlich (HWW) syndrome is part of a spectrum of Müllerian duct anomalies that occur during embryonic development. The syndrome is characterized by uterus didelphys, obstructed hemivagina, and ipsilateral renal agenesis. Only few cases of this disease were reported worldwide. Read More

Oncotarget 2017 May;8(21):34045-34056

Department of Cardiovascular Biology and Medicine, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Japan.

Mutations of the lamin A gene cause various premature aging syndromes, including Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) and atypical Werner syndrome. In HGPS (but not atypical Werner syndrome), extensive loss of vascular smooth muscle cells leads to myocardial infarction with premature death. The underlying mechanisms how single gene mutations can cause various phenotypes are largely unknown. Read More

Pathologe 2017 May;38(3):179-185

Institut für Pathologie, Knochentumor-Referenzzentrum, Universitätsspital Basel, Schönbeinstrasse 40, 4031, Basel, Schweiz.

Hereditary bone tumors are rare and result from mutations affecting cell cycle regulation (e.g. retinoblastoma syndrome/RB1 and Li-Fraumeni syndrome/TP53, Gardner syndrome/APC), energy metabolism (enchondromatosis/IDH1/2), complex signaling cascades (multiple hereditary exostoses/EXT1/2) and DNA integrity (Rothmund-Thomson/RECQL4, Werner/WRN and Bloom syndromes/BLM). Read More

Epilepsia 2017 May 12;58(5):872-881. Epub 2017 Apr 12.

Young Epilepsy, Surrey, United Kingdom.

Objectives: To investigate acoustic auditory processing in patients with recent infantile spasms (IS).

Methods: Patients (n = 22; 12 female; median age 8 months; range 5-11 months) had normal preceding development, brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and neurometabolic testing (West syndrome of unknown cause, uWS). Controls were healthy babies (n = 22; 11 female; median age 6 months; range 3-12 months). Read More

Birth Defects Res 2017 Mar 13;109(4):271-295. Epub 2017 Feb 13.

Division of Cardiology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Background: Previous studies using different cardiac phenotypes, technologies and designs suggest a burden of large, rare or de novo copy number variants (CNVs) in subjects with congenital heart defects. We sought to identify disease-related CNVs, candidate genes, and functional pathways in a large number of cases with conotruncal and related defects that carried no known genetic syndrome.

Methods: Cases and control samples were divided into two cohorts and genotyped to assess each subject's CNV content. Read More

J Am Geriatr Soc 2017 Apr 10. Epub 2017 Apr 10.

Department of Clinical Cell Biology and Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.

Objectives: To determine recent trends in mutation patterns in the WRN gene, which cause Werner syndrome (WS), a rare, inheritable progeroid syndrome in Japan.

Design: Retrospective cohort.

Setting: Longitudinal survey of WS and literature search for case reports. Read More

Rev Med Liege 2016 Dec;71(12):557-561

Service d'Endocrinologie, CHU de Liège, Site du Sart Tilman, Liège, Belgique.

The syndrome of Familial Non Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma (FNMTC) includes two or more patients with an isolated non-medullary thyroid cancer (papillary, follicular, anaplastic) within the same family. To diagnose FNMTC, the clinician must exclude a syndromic presentation such as the syndromes of Cowden, Gardner or Werner, and the Carney Complex. Up to now, a hundred families with FNMTC have been genetically studied, including forms with (Ch19p13. Read More

Aging (Albany NY) 2017 Apr;9(4):1143-1152

Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.

Individuals suffering from Werner syndrome (WS) exhibit many clinical signs of accelerated aging. While the underlying constitutional mutation leads to accelerated rates of DNA damage, it is not yet known whether WS is also associated with an increased epigenetic age according to a DNA methylation based biomarker of aging (the "Epigenetic Clock"). Using whole blood methylation data from 18 WS cases and 18 age matched controls, we find that WS is associated with increased extrinsic epigenetic age acceleration (p=0. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2017 Mar;96(13):e6410

aDepartment of Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital bNanshan Maternity & Child Healthcare Hospital of Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.

Gluteal muscle contracture (GMC) is a clinical syndrome characterized by gait abnormality and limb dysfunction, as well as secondary deformities of pelvis and femur. Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) typically could be diagnosed on the basis of computed tomography (CT) such as the equatorial-edge angle (EE angle), but it did not work well in GMC patients. In this study, we retrospected all image data and found small EE angles in GMCs, which meant retroverted acetabulum; however, none of them showed no symptoms and signs of FAI. Read More

J Contemp Brachytherapy 2017 Feb 31;9(1):71-76. Epub 2017 Jan 31.

Department of Radiotherapy, Oscar Lambret Comprehensive Cancer Center, Lille, France.

In November 2013, a woman with Herlyn-Werner-Wunderlich (HWW) syndrome was diagnosed with a locally advanced left cervical adenocarcinoma. The patient's malformation consisted of two uteri with two cervixes, a obstructed vagina, and a left renal agenesis. Classification FIGO: stage IIIa because of infiltration of the inferior third of the vagina wall. Read More

Retin Cases Brief Rep 2017 Mar 22. Epub 2017 Mar 22.

*Department of Ophthalmology, Tufts New England Eye Center, Boston, Massachusetts; †Neuro-Ophthalmology Service, Department of Ophthalmology, Tufts New England Eye Center, Boston, Massachusetts; and ‡Retina Service, Department of Ophthalmology, Tufts New England Eye Center, Boston, Massachusetts.

Purpose: To report an human immunodeficiency virus-positive patient undergoing therapy for cryptococcal meningitis who developed progressive optic disc edema that was steroid responsive.

Methods: Observational case report.

Results: One month after commencing antifungal treatment for cryptococcal meningitis, the patient developed bilateral, progressive, recurrent optic disc edema with subretinal fluid that coincided with initiation of highly active antiretroviral therapy and recovery of CD4 cell counts. Read More

Parkinsonism Relat Disord 2017 May 6;38:102-103. Epub 2017 Mar 6.

Department of Neurology, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria. Electronic address:

Clin Radiol 2017 Jul 7;72(7):612.e7-612.e15. Epub 2017 Mar 7.

Department of Radiology, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Sichuan, China.

Aim: To outline the anatomical variations of obstructive reproductive tract anomalies (ORTA) using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and its role in preoperative evaluation.

Materials And Methods: MRI and treatment of 21 paediatric patients with ORTA were reviewed and analysed. MRI findings were correlated with ultrasound and surgical findings. Read More

Sci Rep 2017 Mar 9;7:44081. Epub 2017 Mar 9.

INMEGEN, National Institute of Genomic Medicine, Periferico Sur No.4809, Col. Arenal Tepepan, Del. Tlalpan Mèxico, D.F, C.P. 14610, Mexico.

Loss-of-function mutations in the WRN helicase gene cause Werner syndrome- a progeroid syndrome with an elevated risk of cancer and other age-associated diseases. Large numbers of single nucleotide polymorphisms have been identified in WRN. We report here the organismal, cellular, and molecular phenotypes of variant rs3087425 (c. Read More

Sci Rep 2017 Mar 7;7:43954. Epub 2017 Mar 7.

College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China.

Werner syndrome is caused by mutations in the WRN gene encoding WRN helicase. A knowledge of WRN helicase's DNA unwinding mechanism in vitro is helpful for predicting its behaviors in vivo, and then understanding their biological functions. In the present study, for deeply understanding the DNA unwinding mechanism of WRN, we comprehensively characterized the DNA unwinding properties of chicken WRN helicase core in details, by taking advantages of single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer (smFRET) method. Read More

Infection 2017 Mar 1. Epub 2017 Mar 1.

Allgemeinmedizin und Sportmedizin Nymphenburg, Nymphenburger Str. 108a, 80636, Munich, Germany.

Pyogenic arthritis, pyoderma gangrenosum and acne syndrome was diagnosed in a 42-year-old patient, after an unusual persistency of high synovial cell counts had been noticed. Clinical peculiarities and problems with diagnosing septic versus non-septic arthritis are discussed. Read More

Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017 Feb;17(2):346-347

Department of Clinical Cell Biology and Medicine, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba, Japan.

J Biol Chem 2017 Apr 22;292(14):5909-5920. Epub 2017 Feb 22.

From the College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China,

Helicases play a critical role in processes such as replication or recombination by unwinding double-stranded DNA; mutations of these genes can therefore have devastating biological consequences. In humans, mutations in genes of three members of the RecQ family helicases (blm, wrn, and recq4) give rise to three strikingly distinctive clinical phenotypes: Bloom syndrome, Werner syndrome, and Rothmund-Thomson syndrome, respectively. However, the molecular basis for these varying phenotypic outcomes is unclear, in part because a full mechanistic description of helicase activity is lacking. Read More

Iran Red Crescent Med J 2016 Nov 30;18(11):e40267. Epub 2016 Oct 30.

MD, Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan; School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; Department of Life Science, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan.

Introduction: Urinary tract infection is a common disease in the general population. However, in patients with frequent urinary tract infection, it is important to determine any treatable cause to avoid recurrence.

Case Presentation: Herlyn-Werner-Wunderlich syndrome or OHVIRA syndrome is a very rare congenital anomaly with uterus didelphys, obstructed hemivagina, and ipsilateral renal agenesis. Read More

Nucleic Acids Res 2017 02;45(3):1566

Laboratory of Molecular Gerontology, National Institute on Aging, NIH, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA

Humans have five RecQ helicases, whereas simpler organisms have only one. Little is known about whether and how these RecQ helicases co-operate and/or complement each other in response to cellular stress. Here we show that RECQL5 associates longer at laser-induced DNA double-strand breaks in the absence of Werner syndrome (WRN) protein, and that it interacts physically and functionally with WRN both in vivo and in vitro. Read More

Nucleic Acids Res 2017 Apr;45(7):3844-3859

University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 5117 Centre Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.

Werner syndrome (WS) is a progeroid-like syndrome caused by WRN gene mutations. WS cells exhibit shorter telomere length compared to normal cells, but it is not fully understood how WRN deficiency leads directly to telomere dysfunction. By generating localized telomere-specific DNA damage in a real-time fashion and a dose-dependent manner, we found that the damage response of WRN at telomeres relies on its RQC domain, which is different from the canonical damage response at genomic sites via its HRDC domain. Read More

Behav Brain Res 2017 Apr 21;323:68-77. Epub 2017 Jan 21.

Université de Toulouse, France; Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale (CRCA), Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), CNRS, UPS,118 route de Narbonne, F-31062 Toulouse, Cedex 9, France. Electronic address:

Mammalian aging is often characterized by metabolic disturbances, cognitive declines and DNA repairs deficiency, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are still not well understood. Alterations in DNA repair can significantly exacerbate aging. Mammalian neuronal cells which accumulate unrepaired DNA damage over time could potentially lead to brain functions disorders. Read More

Cell Cycle 2017 Mar 24;16(6):515-521. Epub 2017 Jan 24.

a Molecular Cell Biology Laboratory , Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Musashino University , Nishitokyo-shi Tokyo , Japan.

WRNIP1 interacts with WRN helicase, which is defective in the premature aging disease Werner syndrome. WRNIP1 belongs to the AAA+ ATPase family and is conserved from Escherichia coli to human. The protein contains an ubiquitin-binding zinc finger (UBZ) domain at the N terminus and an ATPase domain in the middle region. Read More

Clin Orthop Relat Res 2017 Jun 23;475(6):1642-1649. Epub 2017 Jan 23.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Virginia Health System, PO Box 800159 HSC, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA.

Background: Despite substantial research into the use of glycemic markers to stratify infection risk in patients with diabetes mellitus, there is little evidence to support a perioperative hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) level associated with an increased risk of deep postoperative infection after TKA.

Questions/purposes: (1) Is there an association between perioperative HbA1c level in patients with diabetes and deep postoperative infection after primary TKA? (2) Is the perioperative HbA1c level in patients with diabetes a useful test as an independent predictor for postoperative infection after TKA?

Methods: We queried the PearlDiver Patient Records Database Humana dataset for patients who underwent primary TKA. This is a for-fee insurance patient-records database that contains records for more than 20 million patients with orthopaedic diagnoses from 2007 to the second quarter of 2015. Read More

J Shoulder Elbow Surg 2017 Apr 13;26(4):710-715. Epub 2017 Jan 13.

Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA. Electronic address:

Background: The literature investigating risk factors for failure after decompression of the ulnar nerve at the elbow (cubital tunnel release [CuTR]) is limited. The purpose of this study was to identify risk factors for failure of isolated CuTR, defined as progression to subsequent ipsilateral revision surgery.

Methods: The 100% Medicare Standard Analytic Files from 2005 to 2012 were queried for patients undergoing CuTR. Read More

Thromb Res 2017 Mar 7;151:23-28. Epub 2017 Jan 7.

Med. Klinik und Poliklinik II, Universitätsklinikum Bonn, Bonn, Germany. Electronic address:

Background: In this study, we sought to analyze the incidence and relevance of von Willebrand factor (VWF) abnormalities in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), especially on perioperative bleeding. Furthermore, we hypothesized that, similar to aortic valve surgery, TAVI results in a restoration of VWF abnormalities.

Methods And Results: We performed a prospective analysis of periinterventional VWF parameters in 74 patients (80±7years, female in 37. Read More

Jpn J Radiol 2017 Mar 10;35(3):89-94. Epub 2017 Jan 10.

Department of Obstetrics, Paulista School of Medicine, Federal University of São Paulo (EPM-UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-borne arbovirus from the Flaviviridae family. It had caused several epidemics since its discovery in 1947, but there was no significant attention to this virus until the recent outbreak in Brazil in 2015. The main concern is the causal relationship between prenatal ZIKV infection and congenital microcephaly, which has been confirmed recently. Read More

J Biol Chem 2017 Feb 9;292(8):3154-3163. Epub 2017 Jan 9.

From the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas 72205-7199 and

The structural and biophysical properties typically associated with G-quadruplex (G4) structures render them a significant block for DNA replication, which must be overcome for cell division to occur. The Werner syndrome protein (WRN) is a RecQ family helicase that has been implicated in the efficient processing of G4 DNA structures. The aim of this study was to identify the residues of WRN involved in the binding and ATPase-driven unwinding of G4 DNA. Read More