Nonoperative management of anterior shoulder instability can result in high rates of recurrent instability and pain at long-term follow-up.

Background: Data on the long-term outcomes of nonoperative treatment of anterior shoulder instability are lacking, particularly for the US population. The purpose was to (1) describe the characteristics of patients with anterior shoulder instability treated nonoperatively, (2) assess the long-term outcomes of nonoperative management in a US population, and (3) identify risk factors for poor outcomes following nonoperative management.

Methods: A geographic cohort of >500,000 subjects was used to identify patients treated nonoperatively for anterior shoulder instability.

Hospitalized patients' and family members' preferences for real-time, transparent access to their hospital records.

Objectives: To better understand patient satisfaction and perceived engagement with traditional hospital-based communication and to elicit patient preferences for health information technologies that would lead to improved satisfaction and engagement.

Study Design: We performed a mixed-methods study involving qualitative interviews followed by a survey of hospitalized patients and their family members at a single large academic medical center.

Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews with 41 patients and surveyed 267 patients or family members to elicit their perspectives on satisfaction with traditional hospital communication methods, information needed to more fully engage in the patients' medical care, and potential solutions for improved hospital-based communication.

Telomerase Activity in Articular Chondrocytes Is Lost after Puberty.

Objective: Telomere length and telomerase activity are important indicators of cellular senescence and replicative ability. Loss of telomerase is associated with ageing and the development of osteoarthritis. Implantation of telomerase-positive cells, chondrocytes, or stem cells expressing a normal chondrocyte phenotype is desired for cartilage repair procedures.

Interleukin-1α, -6, and -8 decrease Cdc42 activity resulting in loss of articular chondrocyte phenotype.

Small GTPase proteins mediate changes in cellular morphology and other cellular functions. The aim of this study was to examine signaling of the small GTPase Cdc42 by stimulating chondrocytes grown in monolayer with long- (96 h) or short- (2 and 30 min) term exposure to interleukin-1α (IL-1α), IL-6, or IL-8. Quantitative PCR was used to determine changes in collagen type IIB (COL2A1), aggrecan (AGG), and matrix metalloproteinase-13 (MMP-13) gene expression after prolonged cytokine exposure.

The small GTPase Rho mediates articular chondrocyte phenotype and morphology in response to interleukin-1alpha and insulin-like growth factor-I.

Small GTPases regulate the cytoskeleton and numerous other cellular functions. In this study, the role of Rho GTPase was examined in articular chondrocytes. Chondrocytes grown in monolayer were treated with interleukin-1alpha (IL-1alpha), insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), C3 Transferase, Y27632, or transfected with Rho wild type or two constitutively active mutants of Rho (Q63L and G14V).