Increased risk of reoperation and failure to attain clinically relevant improvement following autologous chondrocyte implantation of the knee in female patients and individuals with previous surgeries: a time-to-event analysis based on the German cartilage registry (KnorpelRegister DGOU).

Purpose: This study aimed to analyze the risk of reoperation following autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) of the knee utilizing third-generation ACI products in a time-to-event analysis and report on the associated patient-reported outcome measures (PROM) in case of reoperation.

Methods: Patients undergoing ACI were included from a longitudinal database. Patient age, sex, body mass index (BMI), number of previous surgeries, lesion localization, lesion size, symptom duration, as well as time and type of reoperation was extracted.

Reduced Absorption Due to Defect-Localized Interlayer Excitons in Transition-Metal Dichalcogenide-Graphene Heterostructures.

Associating atomic vacancies to excited-state transport phenomena in two-dimensional semiconductors demands a detailed understanding of the exciton transitions involved. We study the effect of such defects on the electronic and optical properties of WS-graphene and MoS-graphene van der Waals heterobilayers, employing many-body perturbation theory. We find that chalcogen defects and the graphene interface radically alter the optical properties of the transition-metal dichalcogenide in the heterobilayer, due to a combination of dielectric screening and the many-body nature of defect-induced intralayer and interlayer optical transitions.

2022 American College of Rheumatology Guideline for Exercise, Rehabilitation, Diet, and Additional Integrative Interventions for Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Objective: To develop initial American College of Rheumatology (ACR) guidelines on the use of exercise, rehabilitation, diet, and additional interventions in conjunction with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) as part of an integrative management approach for people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: An interprofessional guideline development group constructed clinically relevant Population, Intervention, Comparator, and Outcome (PICO) questions. A literature review team then completed a systematic literature review and applied the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach to rate the certainty of evidence.

2022 American College of Rheumatology Guideline for Exercise, Rehabilitation, Diet, and Additional Integrative Interventions for Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Objective: To develop initial American College of Rheumatology (ACR) guidelines on the use of exercise, rehabilitation, diet, and additional interventions in conjunction with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) as part of an integrative management approach for people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: An interprofessional guideline development group constructed clinically relevant Population, Intervention, Comparator, and Outcome (PICO) questions. A literature review team then completed a systematic literature review and applied the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach to rate the certainty of evidence.

Long-term Assessment of Subchondral Bone Changes and Intralesional Bony Overgrowth After Third-Generation Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation: A Retrospective Study.

Background: There is an increasing interest in subchondral bone changes and intralesional bony overgrowth (ILBO) after cartilage repair. Their clinical and predictive relevance is unclear and debated.

Purpose: To evaluate the long-term development of ILBO and bone marrow edema-like signals (BMELSs) after autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) treatment of cartilage defects to find any predictive factors for their appearance.

Insulin-induced vasoconstriction is prevalent in muscle microvasculature of otherwise healthy persons with type 1 diabetes.

Insulin's microvascular actions and their relationship to insulin's metabolic actions have not been well studied in adults with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). We compared the metabolic and selected micro- and macrovascular responses to insulin by healthy adult control ( = 16) and subjects with T1DM ( = 15) without clinical microvascular disease. We measured insulin's effect on ) skeletal muscle microvascular perfusion using contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEU), ) arterial stiffness using carotid-femoral pulse-wave velocity (cfPWV) and radial artery pulse wave analysis (PWA), and ) metabolic insulin sensitivity by the glucose infusion rate (GIR) during a 2-h, 1 mU/min/kg euglycemic-insulin clamp.

Immune dysregulation.

The understanding of immune dysregulation in many different diseases continues to grow. There is increasing evidence that altered microbiome and gut barrier dysfunction contribute to systemic inflammation in patients with primary immunodeficiency and in patients with rheumatic disease. Recent research provides insight into the process of induction and maturation of pathogenic age-associated B cells and highlights the role of age-associated B cells in creating tissue inflammation.

Distal locking technique affects the rate of iatrogenic radial nerve palsy in intramedullary nailing of humeral shaft fractures.

Background: Intramedullary humeral nailing is a common and reliable procedure for the treatment of humeral shaft fractures. Radial nerve palsy is a common complication encountered in the treatment of this pathology. The radial nerve runs from posterior to anterior at the lateral aspect of the distal humerus.

Safety and Efficacy of Eucaloric Very Low-Carb Diet (EVLCD) in Type 1 Diabetes: A One-Year Real-Life Retrospective Experience.

A eucaloric very low carbohydrate diet (EVLCD) is a diet with a daily caloric intake equal to the total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) with a carbohydrate content of <50 g/day. The literature on very low carbohydrate diets (VLCD) in type 1 diabetes (DM 1) is limited, although recently published scientific studies have highlighted their safety and efficacy in managing DM 1. In this retrospective analysis, we report the clinical data of 33 patients affected by DM 1 carrying out insulin therapy who switched voluntarily from their usual diet (high carb, low fat) to an EVLCD.

Active Videogame Training Combined with Conventional Therapy Alters Body Oscillation in Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Assess the effect of nonimmersive virtual reality (VR) training as complementary rehabilitation on body oscillation in children with cerebral palsy (CP) while standing on different bases of support and surfaces. Twenty-three children with unilateral CP randomly allocated to an intervention group (IG,  = 12) or control group (CG,  = 11). The IG underwent two weekly 50-minute sessions of VR training over 8 weeks, associated with conventional therapy, while the CG was submitted to two 45-minute sessions of conventional neurodevelopmental-based physiotherapy a week over the same time period.

Gelatin methacryloyl as environment for chondrocytes and cell delivery to superficial cartilage defects.

Cartilage damage typically starts at its surface, either due to wear or trauma. Treatment of these superficial defects is important in preventing degradation and osteoarthritis. Biomaterials currently used for deep cartilage defects lack appropriate properties for this application.

Nonimmersive Virtual Reality as Complementary Rehabilitation on Functional Mobility and Gait in Cerebral Palsy: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of nonimmersive virtual reality (VR) as complementary rehabilitation on functional mobility and gait in children with mild unilateral cerebral palsy (CP). Prospective, randomized, controlled, clinical trial. Twenty-two children with unilateral CP were randomized into two groups: intervention group (IG) ( = 11) and control group ( = 11).

Changes in plantar load distribution in legally blind subjects.

We investigated the impact of visual impairment on balance control. We measured the center of pressure (COP) between the two feet and plantar surface pressures on each foot in 18 normal-sighted participants and compared their data with measures from 18 legally blind participants, either acquired or congenital. Pressures were measured in open- and closed-eye conditions using a baropodometric resistive plate.

Postural adjustments impairments in elderly people with chronic low back pain.

Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is associated with postural control impairments and is highly prevalent in elderly people. The objective of this study is to verify whether anticipatory postural adjustments (APAs) and compensatory postural adjustments (CPAs) are affected by CLBP in elderly people by assessing their postural control during a self-initiated perturbation paradigm induced by rapid upper arm movement when pointing to a target. The participants' lower limb muscle onset and center of pressure (COP) displacements were assessed prior to perturbation and throughout the entire movement.

Third-Generation Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation at the Knee Joint Using the Igor Scaffold: A Case Series With 2-Year Follow-up.

Background: For large, locally restricted cartilage defects in young patients, third-generation matrix-supported autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) with a variety of scaffolds has shown good mid- to long-term results.

Purpose/hypothesis: This study aimed to monitor the clinical and radiological outcomes of patients who received ACI at the knee joint using the Igor scaffold (IGOR-Institute for Tissue and Organ Reconstruction) at 2-year follow-up. Our hypothesis was that there would be improvements in postoperative subjective scores and cartilage repair tissue quality.

The evolution of fruit scent: phylogenetic and developmental constraints.

Background: Fruit scent is increasingly recognized as an evolved signal whose function is to attract animal seed dispersers and facilitate plant reproduction. However, like all traits, fruit scent is likely to evolve in response to conflicting selective pressures and various constraints. Two major constraints are (i) phylogenetic constraints, in which traits are inherited from ancestors rather than adapted to current conditions and (ii) developmental constraints, if phenotypes are limited by the expression of other traits within the individual.

Assessing Interlimb Jump Asymmetry in Young Soccer Players: The My Jump 2 App.

Background: Jumps are important evaluation tools for muscle strength and power and for interlimb asymmetries. Different jump tests are well related to athletic performance, prediction of injury risk, and common motor gestures of several sports such as soccer. Low-cost mobile applications (apps) have gained popularity for this measure.

Hand Resting Tremor Assessment of Healthy and Patients With Parkinson's Disease: An Exploratory Machine Learning Study.

The aim of this study is comparing the accuracies of machine learning algorithms to classify data concerning healthy subjects and patients with Parkinson's Disease (PD), toward different time window lengths and a number of features. Thirty-two healthy subjects and eighteen patients with PD took part on this study. The study obtained inertial recordings by using an accelerometer and a gyroscope assessing both hands of the subjects during hand resting state.

Plantar stimulation alters brain connectivity in idiopathic Parkinson's disease.

Objective: Individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) and freezing of gait (FOG) present peripheral and central sensitivity disturbances that impair motor performance. This study aimed to investigate long-term effects of plantar sensory stimulation on brain activity, brain connectivity, and gait velocity of individuals with PD and FOG.

Methods: Twenty-five participants were enrolled in this clinical trial (NCT02594540).

Movement smoothness during a functional mobility task in subjects with Parkinson's disease and freezing of gait - an analysis using inertial measurement units.

Background: Impairments of functional mobility may affect locomotion and quality of life in subjects with Parkinson's disease (PD). Movement smoothness measurements, such as the spectral arc length (SPARC), are novel approaches to quantify movement quality. Previous studies analyzed SPARC in simple walking conditions.

The Importance of Sex Differences on Outcome after Major Trauma: Clinical Outcome in Women Versus Men.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate epidemiological and clinically relevant sex-related differences in polytraumatized patients at a Level 1 Trauma Center.

Methods: 646 adult patients (210 females and 436 males) who were classified as polytraumatized (at the point of admission) and treated at our Level I Trauma Center were reviewed and included in this study. Demographic data as well as mechanism of injury, injury severity, injury pattern, frequency of preclinical intubation, hemodynamic variables on admission, time of mechanical ventilation and of intensive care unit (ICU) treatment, as well as the incidence of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), multi organ failure (MOF), and mortality were extracted and analyzed.

Automated mechanical peripheral stimulation and postural control in subjects with Parkinson's disease and freezing of gait: a randomized controlled trial.

Individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) and freezing of gait (FOG) have impaired postural control. Recent studies using foot sensory stimulation delivered by means of automated mechanical peripheral stimulation (AMPS) have demonstrated improvements of gait in individuals with PD. This study aimed to investigate the effects of AMPS on postural control in individuals with PD and FOG.

Automated Mechanical Peripheral Stimulation Effects on Gait Variability in Individuals With Parkinson Disease and Freezing of Gait: A Double-Blind, Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective: To assess the effects of automated peripheral stimulation (AMPS) in reducing gait variability of subjects with Parkinson disease (PD) and freezing of gait (FOG) treated with AMPS and to explore the effects of this treatment on gait during a single task (walking) and a dual task (walking while attending the word-color Stroop test).

Design: Interventional, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, randomized trial.

Setting: Clinical rehabilitation.