HILIC-NMR: toward the identification of individual molecular components in dissolved organic matter.

This article presents research targeted toward the isolation and detection of unique molecular structures from what is believed to be the world's most complex organic mixture: dissolved organic matter (DOM). Hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC) was used to separate Suwannee River DOM (SRDOM) into 80 fractions, simplified to the extent that detection with nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) results in many sharp signals that are indicative of individual compounds, some of which are identifiable with multidimensional NMR. Parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) of fluorescence excitation-emission matrices (EEMs) was additionally employed on HILIC-simplified fractions to further confirm the effectiveness of the HILIC separations as well as draw insight into how structural characteristics relate to DOM fluorescence signals.

The effects of lentiviral gene therapy with bone morphogenetic protein-2-producing bone marrow cells on spinal fusion in rats.

Study Design: Rat spinal fusion model.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the ability of rat bone marrow cells (RBMCs) transfected with bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-2-containing lentivirus to induce a posterolateral spinal fusion in a rat model.

Summary Of Background Data: Spinal arthrodesis is a commonly performed spinal procedure and autograft remains the standard for achieving spinal fusion.

The adjunctive effect of a binding peptide on bone morphogenetic protein enhanced bone healing in a rodent model of spinal fusion.

Study Design: A prospective 8-week interventional trial employing a rat model of spinal fusion to test the effect on bone morphogenetic protein binding peptide (BBP) on rhBMP-2 induced bone healing.

Objectives: To determine if the addition of BBP to the collagen sponges used as a carrier for rhBMP-2 reduces the amount of rhBMP-2 required to achieve a satisfactory clinical outcome.

Summary Of Background Data: Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) although effective in promoting osseous growth and spinal fusion have limitations in their extensive use because of higher costs and possible adverse effects including ectopic bone formation and local inflammatory reaction, particularly in the cervical spine.

A novel application of high-dose (50kGy) gamma irradiation for demineralized bone matrix: effects on fusion rate in a rat spinal fusion model.

Background Context: The safety of allograft material has come under scrutiny because of recent reports of allograft-associated bacterial and viral infections in tissue recipients. Gamma irradiation, although being one of the most effective ways of terminal sterilization, has been shown to affect the biomechanical properties of allograft bone. It may also have detrimental effects on the osteoinductivity of allograft material such as demineralized bone matrix (DBM) by the denaturation of proteins because of heat generated by irradiation.

The osteoinductive properties of Nell-1 in a rat spinal fusion model.

Background Context: Recombinant growth factors bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) and BMP-7 are currently approved for human use but are associated with various adverse effects including ectopic bone formation and local inflammatory reaction. The development of alternative growth factors may help minimize the adverse effects of current osteoinductive therapeutics. Nell-1 (Nel-like molecule-1; Nel [a protein strongly expressed in neural tissue encoding epidermal growth factor like domain]) is a novel secretory molecule that appears to act more specifically on osteoblasts than the BMPs, which can act on multiple cell types.