Avoidance of Total Knee Replacement in a Population Health Setting: Introducing a Noninvasive Biomechanical Intervention for Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis.

The observed increase in osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee as a result of an aging population and the obesity epidemic has led to a concomitant increase in the rates of total knee replacement (TKR), placing an additional financial and social burden on the ability of health care systems to control medical costs. Our study shows how a home-based, noninvasive biomechanical intervention reduced the rate of progression to surgery for a cohort of 237 patients with knee OA deemed eligible for TKR based on pre-established clinical selection criteria. Over the 24-month study period, 204 patients (86%) avoided surgery, with only 33 patients (14%, 95% confidence interval 82%-91%) progressing to a TKR with an average length of time to TKR of 324 days (ranging from 31 to 671 days).

Cerebellar Purkinje cell activity modulates aggressive behavior.

Although the cerebellum is traditionally associated with balance and motor function, it also plays wider roles in affective and cognitive behaviors. Evidence suggests that the cerebellar vermis may regulate aggressive behavior, though the cerebellar circuits and patterns of activity that influence aggression remain unclear. We used optogenetic methods to bidirectionally modulate the activity of spatially-delineated cerebellar Purkinje cells to evaluate the impact on aggression in mice.

Silk Fibroin Films Facilitate Single-Step Targeted Expression of Optogenetic Proteins.

Optical methods of interrogating neural circuits have emerged as powerful tools for understanding how the brain drives behaviors. Optogenetic proteins are widely used to control neuronal activity, while genetically encoded fluorescent reporters are used to monitor activity. These proteins are often expressed by injecting viruses, which frequently leads to inconsistent experiments due to misalignment of expression and optical components.

No Impact of Calorie or Unit Information on Ad Libitum Alcohol Consumption.

Aims: To investigate the impact of unit and calorie information on drinking behaviour in an ad libitum taste test paradigm.

Methods: In this experimental human laboratory study, participants were randomized to one of four conditions, balanced by gender, using a 2 (unit information: present vs. absent) × 2 (calorie information: present vs.