Can static optimization detect changes in peak medial knee contact forces induced by gait modifications?

Medial knee contact force (MCF) is related to the pathomechanics of medial knee osteoarthritis. However, MCF cannot be directly measured in the native knee, making it difficult for therapeutic gait modifications to target this metric. Static optimization, a musculoskeletal simulation technique, can estimate MCF, but there has been little work validating its ability to detect changes in MCF induced by gait modifications.

Utilising low-cost, easy-to-use microscopy techniques for early peritonitis infection screening in peritoneal dialysis patients.

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients are at high risk for peritonitis, an infection of the peritoneum that affects 13% of PD users annually. Relying on subjective peritonitis symptoms results in delayed treatment, leading to high hospitalisation costs, peritoneal scarring, and premature transition to haemodialysis. We have developed and tested a low-cost, easy-to-use technology that uses microscopy and image analysis to screen for peritonitis across the effluent drain tube.

Changes in foot progression angle during gait reduce the knee adduction moment and do not increase hip moments in individuals with knee osteoarthritis.

People with knee osteoarthritis who adopt a modified foot progression angle (FPA) during gait often benefit from a reduction in the knee adduction moment. It is unknown, however, whether changes in the FPA increase hip moments, a surrogate measure of hip loading, which will increase the mechanical demand on the joint. This study examined how altering the FPA affects hip moments.

The Influence of Electron Beam Sterilization on In Vivo Degradation of β-TCP/PCL of Different Composite Ratios for Bone Tissue Engineering.

We evaluated the effect of electron beam (E-beam) sterilization (25 kGy, ISO 11137) on the degradation of β-tricalcium phosphate/polycaprolactone (β-TCP/PCL) composite filaments of various ratios (0:100, 20:80, 40:60, and 60:40 TCP:PCL by mass) in a rat subcutaneous model for 24 weeks. Volumes of the samples before implantation and after explantation were measured using micro-computed tomography (micro-CT). The filament volume changes before sacrifice were also measured using a live micro-CT.