Efficacy of ADIPOR1 and ADIPOR2 peptide-agonist AdipoRon in preventing contracture in a rabbit model of arthrofibrosis.

AdipoRon is an adiponectin receptor 1, 2 (ADIPOR1 and ADIPOR2) agonist with potential antifibrotic effects. Whether AdipoRon can mitigate joint stiffness in a rabbit model of arthrofibrosis is unknown. We examined the efficacy of intravenous (IV) AdipoRon at mitigating contracture in a rabbit model of knee arthrofibrosis.

AdipoRon reduces TGFβ1-mediated collagen deposition in vitro and alleviates knee stiffness in vivo.

Arthrofibrosis, which causes joint motion restrictions, is a common complication following total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Key features associated with arthrofibrosis include myofibroblast activation, knee stiffness, and excessive scar tissue formation. We previously demonstrated that adiponectin levels are suppressed within the knee tissues of patients affected by arthrofibrosis and showed that AdipoRon, an adiponectin receptor agonist, exhibited anti-fibrotic properties in human mesenchymal stem cells.

Meteorological drivers of resource adequacy failures in current and high renewable Western U.S. power systems.

Power system resource adequacy (RA), or its ability to continually balance energy supply and demand, underpins human and economic health. How meteorology affects RA and RA failures, particularly with increasing penetrations of renewables, is poorly understood. We characterize large-scale circulation patterns that drive RA failures in the Western U.

A Black feminist youth participatory action research photovoice exploration of Black girls and college women.

Utilizing a Black and Hip Hop feminist and Black girlhood studies theoretical lens, the purpose of this study is to explore how Black girls (14-17) and women (19-22), who are in a youth participatory action research (YPAR) mentoring program, BlackGirlsResearch (pseudonym) express their gendered racial identities and gendered racial experiences through their participation in a YPAR photovoice program. This study seeks to answer the following research question: (1) How do Black girls and college women conceptualize their gendered racial identities and gendered racial lived experiences in predominately white schools using a YPAR methodology and photovoice? Employing a qualitative thematic analysis to explore 36 photovoice narratives, results yielded 3 themes: (1) experiencing challenges at predominately white institutions (PWIs): false inclusivity, continued underrepresentation, and tokenism (2) identifying as "queens of culture": identity and empowerment through art, culture, and breaking conformity and (3) activism, inclusion, and accountability: solutions for PWIs. The results of this study indicate that Black girls and women can not only identify and critically discuss issues related to Black girls and women within PWIs, but through YPAR, they can push for positive youth development and community solutions related to those issues.

Molecular Mechanisms of the Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Epigallocatechin 3-Gallate (EGCG) in LPS-Activated BV-2 Microglia Cells.

Chronic neuroinflammation is associated with many neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's. Microglia are the brain's primary immune cells, and when activated, they release various proinflammatory cytokines. Several natural compounds with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, such as epigallocatechin 3-gallate (EGCG), may provide a promising strategy for inflammation-related neurodegenerative diseases involving activated microglia cells.

Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs and Oral Corticosteroids Mitigated the Risk of Arthrofibrosis After Total Knee Arthroplasty.

Background: The role of medications to prevent arthrofibrosis following total knee arthroplasty (TKA) remains unclear. We investigated the effect of common oral medications with reported antifibrotic properties on preventing arthrofibrosis and manipulation under anesthesia (MUA) following primary TKA.

Methods: Using our total joint registry, 9,771 patients (12,735 knees) who underwent TKA with cemented, posterior-stabilized, and metal-backed tibial components from 2000 to 2016 were identified.

The Safety of Adiponectin Receptor Agonist AdipoRon in a Rabbit Model of Arthrofibrosis.

AdipoRon is an adiponectin receptor 1, 2 (ADIPOR1 and ADIPOR2) agonist with numerous reported physiological benefits in murine models of human disease, including a proposed reduction in fibrosis. However, AdipoRon has never been investigated in rabbits, which provide a robust model for orthopedic conditions. We examined the safety of intravenous (IV) AdipoRon in New Zealand White (NZW) female rabbits surgically stressed by a procedure that mimics human arthrofibrosis.

A Sociobehavioral Model of Racism against the Black Community and Avenues for Anti-Racism Research.

Sociological researchers have made immense strides in understanding systemic racism, privilege, and bias against Black people. Relational frame theory provides a contemporary account of human language and cognition that intersects within complex external contingency systems that may provide a provisionally adequate model of racial bias and racism. We propose a reticulated model that includes nested relational frames and external contingency systems that operate at the level of the individual (implicit), communities (white privilege), and system policies (systemic racism).

Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate (EGCG): New Therapeutic Perspectives for Neuroprotection, Aging, and Neuroinflammation for the Modern Age.

Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases are the two most common forms of neurodegenerative diseases. The exact etiology of these disorders is not well known; however, environmental, molecular, and genetic influences play a major role in the pathogenesis of these diseases. Using Alzheimer's disease (AD) as the archetype, the pathological findings include the aggregation of Amyloid Beta (Aβ) peptides, mitochondrial dysfunction, synaptic degradation caused by inflammation, elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS), and cerebrovascular dysregulation.

Complete Genome Sequences of 18 Paenibacillus larvae Phages from the Western United States.

We present here the complete genomes of 18 phages that infect Paenibacillus larvae, the causative agent of American foulbrood in honeybees. The phages were isolated between 2014 and 2016 as part of an undergraduate phage discovery course at Brigham Young University. The phages were isolated primarily from bee debris and lysogens.

Complete Genome Sequences of Paenibacillus larvae Phages BN12, Dragolir, Kiel007, Leyra, Likha, Pagassa, PBL1c, and Tadhana.

We present here the complete genomes of eight phages that infect , the causative agent of American foulbrood in honeybees. Phage PBL1c was originally isolated in 1984 from a lysogen, while the remaining phages were isolated in 2014 from bee debris, honeycomb, and lysogens from three states in the USA.

Bacteriophages as an alternative to conventional antibiotic use for the prevention or treatment of Paenibacillus larvae in honeybee hives.

American Foulbrood (AFB) is an infectious disease caused by the bacteria, Paenibacillus larvae. P. larvae phages were isolated and tested to determine each phages' host range amongst 59 field isolate strains of P.

Impact of Social Support and Pain Coping Abilityon Length of Stay and Discharge Disposition following Hip and Knee Arthroplasty A Prospective Study.

Introduction: While there are many factors known to predict the outcomes of hip and knee arthroplasty procedures, there is a growing interest in predictors that take into consideration the social and psychological preparedness of patients prior to surgery. This study's aim was to determine whether patients' preoperative social support and pain catastrophizing characteristics are independently associated with the outcomes of postoperative length of stay or discharge disposition following primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA).

Methods: Data on a prospective sample of 189 THA and TKA adult patients using the pain catastrophizing scale and the medical outcomes study social support expectation score were analyzed.

What is the Best Strategy to Minimize After-Care Costs for Total Joint Arthroplasty in a Bundled Payment Environment?

Background: The post-acute care strategies after lower extremity total joint arthroplasty including the use of post-acute rehabilitation centers and home therapy services are associated with different costs. Providers in bundled payment programs are incentivized to use the most cost-effective strategies.

Methods: We used decision analysis to examine the impact of extending the inpatient hospital stay to avoid discharge of patients to a post-acute rehabilitation facility.

Orthopedic Implant Waste: Analysis and Quantification.

The steadily increasing demand for orthopedic surgeries and declining rates of reimbursement by Medicare and other insurance providers have led many hospitals to look for ways to control the cost of these surgeries. We reviewed administrative records for a 1-year period and recorded total number of surgical cases, number of cases in which an implant was wasted, and cost of each wasted implant. We determined cost incurred because of implant waste, percentage of cases that involved waste, percentage of total implant cost wasted, and average cost of waste per case.

Risk Factors for Infection Following Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Series of 3836 Cases from One Institution.

Higher PJI rates may be related to identifiable risk factors, which may or may not be modifiable. Identifying risk factors preoperatively provides opportunities for modification and potentially decreasing the incidence of PJI. The purposes of this study were to: (1) retrospectively identify and quantify risk factors for PJI following primary TKA, and (2) to classify those significant risk factors as either non-modifiable or modifiable for intervention prior to surgery.

Expression of Potential Regulatory Genes in Abdominal Adipose Tissue of Broiler Chickens during Early Development.

The identities of genes that underlie population variation in adipose tissue development in farm animals are poorly understood. Previous studies in our laboratory have suggested that increased fat tissue involves the expression modulation of an array of genes in broiler chickens. Of special interest are eight genes, FGFR3, EPHB2, IGFBP2, GREM1, TNC, COL3A1, ACBD7, and SCD.