Management of FSHD symptoms: current assistive technologies and pharmacological approaches.

Background: Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy (FSHD) is a genetically linked disorder characterized by the progressive deterioration of muscles controlling facial and scapular movement. The severity and distribution of affected muscle groups vary significantly across patient demographics, necessitating diverse assistive approaches.

Objective: This review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of assistive devices and therapeutic options, including medications and rehabilitative therapies, tailored to specific manifestations of FSHD.

Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields Disrupt Staphylococcus epidermidis Biofilms and Enhance the Antibiofilm Efficacy of Antibiotics.

Staphylococcus epidermidis is implicated in a multitude of human infections and is one of the major causes of clinical infections in hospitals, especially at surgical sites and on indwelling medical devices, such as orthopedic implants. These infections are especially dangerous because of the S. epidermidis propensity to form biofilms, which increases resistance to antibiotics and the natural immune response.

Multiple Copies of in Paraburkholderia unamae Regulate Flagellar Gene Expression, Motility, and Biofilm Formation.

FlhDC is a heterohexameric complex that acts as a master regulator of flagellar biosynthesis genes in numerous bacteria. Previous studies have identified a single operon encoding this complex. However, we found that two loci are present throughout , and two additional copies are also present in Paraburkholderia unamae.

Multimaterial bioprinting and combination of processing techniques towards the fabrication of biomimetic tissues and organs.

Tissue reconstruction requires the utilization of multiple biomaterials and cell types to replicate the delicate and complex structure of native tissues. Various three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting techniques have been developed to fabricate customized tissue structures; however, there are still significant challenges, such as vascularization, mechanical stability of printed constructs, and fabrication of gradient structures to be addressed for the creation of biomimetic and complex tissue constructs. One approach to address these challenges is to develop multimaterial 3D bioprinting techniques that can integrate various types of biomaterials and bioprinting capabilities towards the fabrication of more complex structures.

Pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) transiently stimulates the rate of mineralization in a 3-dimensional ring culture model of osteogenesis.

Pulsed Electromagnetic Field (PEMF) has shown efficacy in bone repair and yet the optimum characteristics of this modality and its molecular mechanism remain unclear. To determine the effects of timing of PEMF treatment, we present a novel three-dimensional culture model of osteogenesis that demonstrates strong de novo generation of collagen and mineral matrix and exhibits stimulation by PEMF in multiple stages over 62 days of culture. Mouse postnatal day 2 calvarial pre-osteoblasts were cast within and around Teflon rings by polymerization of fibrinogen and cultured suspended without contact with tissue culture plastic.

Mini-review: advances in 3D bioprinting of vascularized constructs.

3D in vitro constructs have gained more and more relevance in tissue engineering and in cancer-modeling. In recent years, with the development of thicker and more physiologically relevant tissue patches, the integration of a vascular network has become pivotal, both for sustaining the construct in vitro and to help the integration with the host tissue once implanted. Since 3D bioprinting is rising to be one of the most versatile methods to create vascularized constructs, we here briefly review the most promising advances in bioprinting techniques.

Three Dimensional Printed Bone Implants in the Clinic.

Implants are being continuously developed to achieve personalized therapy. With the advent of 3-dimensional (3D) printing, it is becoming possible to produce customized precisely fitting implants that can be derived from 3D images fed into 3D printers. In addition, it is possible to combine various materials, such as ceramics, to render these constructs osteoconductive or growth factors to make them osteoinductive.

Macrophage Biocompatibility of CoCr Wear Particles Produced under Polarization in Hyaluronic Acid Aqueous Solution.

Macrophages are the main cells involved in inflammatory processes and in the primary response to debris derived from wear of implanted CoCr alloys. The biocompatibility of wear particles from a high carbon CoCr alloy produced under polarization in hyaluronic acid (HA) aqueous solution was evaluated in J774A.1 mouse macrophages cultures.

Combination prophylactic therapy with rifampin increases efficacy against an experimental Staphylococcus epidermidis subcutaneous implant-related infection.

The incidence of infections related to cardiac devices (such as permanent pacemakers) has been increasing out of proportion to implantation rates. As management of device infections typically requires explantation of the device, optimal prophylactic strategies are needed. Cefazolin and vancomycin are widely used as single agents for surgical prophylaxis against cardiac device-related infections.

Understanding infection: a primer on animal models of periprosthetic joint infection.

Periprosthetic joint infections are devastating complications for patients and for our health system. With growing demand for arthroplasty, the incidence of these infections is projected to increase exponentially. This paper is a review of existing animal models to study periprosthetic infection aimed at providing scientists with a succinct presentation of strengths and weaknesses of available in vivo systems.

Arthroscopic surgical tools: a source of metal particles and possible joint damage.

Purpose: Our goals were (1) to characterize metal microparticles created by standard arthroscopic instruments and (2) to examine the in vitro cellular responses induced by those particles, including possible synergistic effects with local anesthetic.

Methods: We applied standard surgical tools to 16 foam bone blocks immersed in saline solution (plus 3 non-instrumented controls). Eight specimens underwent 4 minutes of exposure to a 4.

A new method for shape and texture classification of orthopedic wear nanoparticles.

Purpose: Detailed morphologic analysis of particles produced during wear of orthopedic implants is important in determining a correlation among material, wear, and biological effects. However, the use of simple shape descriptors is insufficient to categorize the data and to compare the nature of wear particles generated by different implants. An approach based on Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) is presented for describing particle shape and surface texture.

Daptomycin and tigecycline have broader effective dose ranges than vancomycin as prophylaxis against a Staphylococcus aureus surgical implant infection in mice.

Vancomycin is widely used for intravenous prophylaxis against surgical implant infections. However, it is unclear whether alternative antibiotics used to treat methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections are effective as prophylactic agents. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacies of vancomycin, daptomycin, and tigecycline as prophylactic therapy against a methicillin-sensitive S.

Parathyroid hormone treatment improves the cortical bone microstructure by improving the distribution of type I collagen in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis.

Although an important index, the level of bone mineral density (BMD) does not completely describe fracture risk. Another bone structural parameter, the orientation of type I collagen, is known to add to risk determination, independently of BMD, ex vivo. We investigated the Haversian system of transiliac crest biopsies from postmenopausal women before and after treatment with parathyroid hormone (PTH).

The John Charnley Award: an accurate and sensitive method to separate, display, and characterize wear debris: part 1: polyethylene particles.

Background: Numerous studies indicate highly crosslinked polyethylenes reduce the wear debris volume generated by hip arthroplasty acetabular liners. This, in turns, requires new methods to isolate and characterize them.

Questions/purposes: We describe a method for extracting polyethylene wear particles from bovine serum typically used in wear tests and for characterizing their size, distribution, and morphology.

The John Charnley Award: an accurate and extremely sensitive method to separate, display, and characterize wear debris: part 2: metal and ceramic particles.

Background: Metal-on-metal and ceramic-on-ceramic bearings were introduced as alternatives to conventional polyethylene in hip arthroplasties to reduce wear. Characterization of wear particles has been particularly challenging due to the low amount and small size of wear particles. Current methods of analysis of such particles have shortcomings, including particle loss, clumping, and inaccurate morphologic and chemical characterization.

Mouse model of chronic post-arthroplasty infection: noninvasive in vivo bioluminescence imaging to monitor bacterial burden for long-term study.

Post-arthroplasty infections are a devastating problem in orthopaedic surgery. While acute infections can be treated with a single stage washout and liner exchange, chronic infections lead to multiple reoperations, prolonged antibiotic courses, extended disability, and worse clinical outcomes. Unlike previous mouse models that studied an acute infection, this work aimed to develop a model of a chronic post-arthroplasty infection.

Protective role of IL-1β against post-arthroplasty Staphylococcus aureus infection.

MyD88 is an adapter molecule that is used by both IL-1R and TLR family members to initiate downstream signaling and promote immune responses. Given that IL-1β is induced after Staphylococcus aureus infections and TLR2 is activated by S. aureus lipopeptides, we hypothesized that IL-1β and TLR2 contribute to MyD88-dependent protective immune responses against post-arthroplasty S.

Fracture of a cross-linked polyethylene liner: a multifactorial issue.

A limited number of reports have detailed the cause of fracture of a highly cross-linked polyethylene liner. Typically, the fractures have occurred in a region of thin and/or unsupported polyethylene, in association with superiorly directed edge loading conditions secondary to an excessively inclinated acetabular component. This case report details an unusual fracture mechanism of a 5-mrad cross-linked liner caused by horizontal loading conditions.

A mouse model of post-arthroplasty Staphylococcus aureus joint infection to evaluate in vivo the efficacy of antimicrobial implant coatings.

Background: Post-arthroplasty infections represent a devastating complication of total joint replacement surgery, resulting in multiple reoperations, prolonged antibiotic use, extended disability and worse clinical outcomes. As the number of arthroplasties in the U.S.

Nanotoxicology of metal wear particles in total joint arthroplasty: a review of current concepts.

Metal-on-metal (M-M) joint replacement has raised concerns about the long-term effects of metal wear debris and corrosion products. This review summarizes the current concepts in biological reactivity to metal wear particles, ions, and corrosion products. Attention is focused on Co-Cr-Mo alloy since it is the most diffused and discussed material in arthroplasty.

Material and surface factors influencing backside fretting wear in total knee replacement tibial components.

Retrieval studies have shown that the interface between the ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene insert and metal tibial tray of fixed-bearing total knee replacement components can be a source of substantial amounts of wear debris due to fretting micromotion. We assessed fretting wear of polyethylene against metal as a function of metal surface finish, alloy, and micromotion amplitude, using a three-station pin-on-disc fretting wear simulator. Overall, the greatest reduction in polyethylene wear was achieved by highly polishing the metal surface.

Metal wear particles: What we know, what we do not know, and why.

The importance of wear particle characterization for orthopaedic implants has long been established in the hip and knee arthroplasty literature. With the increasing use of motion preservation implants in the spine, the characterization of wear debris, particularly metallic nature, is gaining importance. An accurate morphological analysis of wear particles provides for both a complete characterization of the biocompatibility of the implant material and its wear products, and an in-depth understanding of the wear mechanisms, ion release, and associated corrosive activity related to the wear particles.

Wear of an experimental metal-on-metal artificial disc for the lumbar spine.

Study Design: In vitro wear simulation.

Objective: To determine the type and amount of wear produced by experimental metal-on-metal artificial discs for the lumbar spine. To minimize the amount of wear by changing the carbon content, clearance, and presence of a keel and notch.