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Two recent studies in the adult and pediatric Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis-Clinical Research Network (NASH-CRN) cohorts have shown that soluble interleukin-2 receptor alpha (IL2RA) levels increased with fibrosis severity. However, no hepatic study has been conducted in Asian morbidly obese patients who underwent bariatric surgery. In this study, we proposed IL2RA as a biomarker for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) diagnosis and performed immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining of IL2RA.

This prospective cohort study enrolled 123 morbidly obese patients who underwent bariatric surgery at Taipei Medical University Hospital from October 2016 to June 2018. During bariatric surgery, all patients underwent a wedge liver biopsy under laparoscopic guidance. The diagnoses of NASH and liver fibrosis were made histologically. In IHC of IL2RA, the number of lymphocytes with IL2RA immunoreactivity was counted in five high-power fields (×400, total 1.19 mm2).

Among the 123 patients, the mean age was 35.5 years, mean body mass index (BMI) was 40.6 kg/m2, 87 (70.7%) were female, 25 (20.7%) had diabetes mellitus, and 57 (46.3%; 11 with non-NAFLD and 46 with steatosis) and 66 (53.7%) were included in the non-NASH and NASH groups, respectively. The NASH group had higher IHC of IL2RA than the non-NASH group. In multivariate analysis, IHC of IL2RA (odds ratio, 1.025; 95% confidence interval, 1.006-1.045; p = 0.011) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT; odds ratio, 1.045; 95% confidence interval, 1.018-1.073; p = 0.001) were the independent factors associated with NASH. The area under the receiver operating curve of IL2RA IHC for NASH was 0.627 at the cutoff value of 82 (p = 0.0113).

IL2RA is significantly associated with NASH in morbidly obese patients and would be a useful biomarker for NASH diagnosis.

IL2RA is significantly associated with NASH in morbidly obese patients and would be a useful biomarker for NASH diagnosis.Taiwan transitioned to an aged society in 2018. Appropriate dental treatment is important for elderly individuals. Degrasyn Previously, reconstruction of the dentition was thought to help regain chewing function. However, concerns of the elderly population, such as decline in learning ability and saliva secretion, complicate dental reconstruction. Overlooking the special needs of elderly individuals may lead to impaired chewing function, resulting in nutritional imbalances and increased burden on the digestive tract, causing more health disorders. For the elderly population, treatment must be aimed at restoring as much chewing function as possible with minimal changes. Additionally, regular oral hygiene care, proper design of fixed partial dentures, and implant placement greatly reduce the difficulty in adapting to a new prosthesis. These measures allow us to provide better quality of life for elderly individuals.

Prescribing opioids for patients with chronic noncancer pain (CNCP) remains controversial. This study surveyed Taiwanese physicians who were clinically treating CNCP outpatients with long-term opioids.

Anonymous questionnaires investigating the clinical practices, opioid knowledge, attitude, and barriers regarding the prescription of long-term opioids were delivered to 66 physicians treating CNCP outpatients who were officially registered and monitored by the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration in 2011.

All 66 (100%) physicians responded to the survey, comprising 41 (62%) board-certified pain specialists and 25 (38%) nonpain board-certified physicians. Pain specialists treated a greater number of CNCP outpatients and attended more CNCP training courses than nonpain board-certified physicians (97.6% vs. 56.0%, p < 0.001). Most of pain specialists stated that they were familiar with the Taiwan’s narcotic regulations for CNCP patients (92.7% vs. 68.0%, p = 0.015). In addition, pain specialists were lessimprovement of clinical practice.

Elsworthy, N, Callaghan, DE, Scanlan, AT, Kertesz, AHM, Kean, CO, Dascombe, BJ, and Guy, JH. Validity and reliability of using load-velocity relationship profiles to establish back squat 1 m·s-1 load. J Strength Cond Res 35(2) 340-346, 2021-Although measuring movement velocity during resistance exercise is being increasingly used to monitor player readiness for competition in team sports, the validity and reliability of using set target velocities has not been examined. This study examined test-retest reliability of the load-velocity relationship during the back squat to predict loads corresponding to a mean velocity of 1 m·s-1 (V1Load), test-retest reliability of mean concentric velocity at V1Load, and criterion validity of mean concentric velocity at V1Load. Twenty-seven resistance-trained male rugby league players completed 2 testing sessions on separate days to establish individualized back squat load-velocity relationship profiles (30, 40, 60, and 80% estimated 1 repetition maximum). Velocity during thpplication in measuring changes in strength and power or readiness to train.

0.05, intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] ≥0.75, coefficient of variation [CV] ≤5.7%, effect size [ES] ≤0.27), and for predicting V1Load (p = 0.11, ICC = 0.95, CV = 3.9%, ES = 0.11). The mean concentric velocity at V1Load was reliable (ICC = 0.77; CV = 2.6%; ES = 0.39) and not significantly different (p = 0.21) to the target velocity, supporting criterion validity. Individualized load-velocity profiles for the back squat can accurately predict V1Load, and subsequent use of V1Load to assess back squat velocity is valid and reliable. Using V1Load to assess changes in back squat velocity may have application in measuring changes in strength and power or readiness to train.

Barker, L, Siedlik, J, and Mercer, J. The influence of countermovement strategy and external load on amortization forces during jump squats. J Strength Cond Res 35(2) 332-339, 2021-The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of countermovement strategy on amortization forces when performing jump squats. To gather a range of deceleration demands, jump squats were performed across a range of external loads (0, 15, 30, 45, and 60% of repetition maximum [1RM]) and verbally cued countermovement depths (preferred PREF; quarter QTR; and full FULL). Dual force platform ground reaction force data were collected from 12 subjects. Amortization Fz, amortization time, and countermovement depth were analyzed using a 3 × 5 (technique × load) repeated measures analysis of variance. To assess countermovement strategy and amortization Fz, correlations and regression analysis were used to assess relationships among system mass, countermovement kinetic energy and depth, and amortization Fz. Amortization Fz was greater with QTR than PREF (p < 0.