Yes-Associated Protein 1: Role and Treatment Prospects in Orthopedic Degenerative Diseases.

The Hippo/yes-associated protein 1 signaling pathway is an evolutionarily conserved signaling pathway. This signaling pathway is primarily involved in the regulation of stem cell self-renewal, organ size and tissue regeneration by regulating cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. It plays an important role in embryonic development and tissue organ formation.

Effects of TOF Resolution Models on Edge Artifacts in PET Reconstruction from Limited-Angle Data.

Limited-angle data, such as data obtained from a dual-panel Breast-PET scanner, result in substantial image blur in directions coinciding with the missing cone of the image spectrum. On systems with time-of-flight (TOF) capabilities, this blur is reduced as given by the TOF uncertainty, with the image spectrum being correspondingly expanded into the missing spectral cone. Modeling of the TOF uncertainty in the reconstruction is expected to deconvolve this residual TOF blurring.

OPN Deficiency Increases the Severity of Osteoarthritis Associated with Aberrant Chondrocyte Senescence and Apoptosis and Upregulates the Expression of Osteoarthritis-Associated Genes.

Objectives: A recent work has reported that the elevated osteopontin (OPN) levels in the articular cartilage and synovial fluid are correlated with the progressive osteoarthritis (OA) joint damage, and OPN has a protective effect against OA by suppressing the expressions of OA-associated genes. The present study examined whether the OPN deficiency was susceptible to OA through the regulation of chondrocyte senescence and apoptosis and the expressions of OA-associated genes.

Methods: The mRNA levels of COL2A1 and OPN were compared between human OA chondrocytes and normal chondrocytes.

Elevated Serum Homocysteine Associated with Distal Type of Single Small Subcortical Infarction.

Objective: The aim of this investigation was to examine the association between the serum homocysteine (Hcy) level and the distal single small subcortical infarction (dSSSI).

Methods: Consecutive patients were prospectively recruited in a registered hospital-based ischemic stroke database. Baseline characteristics and risk factors of single small subcortical infarction (SSSI), including the serum Hcy level, were assessed.

Extracorporeal shockwave treatment in knee osteoarthritis: therapeutic effects and possible mechanism.

Osteoarthritis (OA), the most common degenerative joint disease, is characterized by the cardinal symptoms of chronic pain and restricted joint activity. The complicated pathological changes associated with OA and unclear mechanistic etiology have rendered existing non-surgical OA management options unsatisfactory. Increasing clinical and experimental evidence suggests that extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) is beneficial in OA treatment.

Pyroptosis Plays a Role in Osteoarthritis.

Recent studies have revealed novel forms of cell death beyond the canonical types of cellular apoptosis and necrosis, and these novel forms of cell death are induced by extreme microenvironmental factors. Pyroptosis, a type of regulated cell death, occurs when pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) induce the activation of cysteine-aspartic protease 1 (caspase-1) or caspase-11, which can trigger the release of the pyrogenic cytokines interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and IL-18. Osteoarthritis (OA), the most common joint disease worldwide, is characterized by low-grade inflammation and increased levels of cytokines, including IL-1β and IL-18.

Remnant-Preserving Posterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Over Remnant Fibers Using a Figure-of-Four Position and a Posterior Trans-Septal Portal.

Anatomic tunnel formation and remnant preservation are the recent trends in posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) reconstruction. However, it is difficult to observe the anatomical PCL footprint and perform the operation in the process of remnant-preserving PCL reconstruction. This study describes a single-bundle, transtibial PCL reconstruction technique with anatomic graft passage over the remnant PCL fibers.

Clinical Outcome of Remnant-Preserving and I.D.E.A.L. Femoral Tunnel Technique for Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.

Objective: To assess the clinical results of the remnant-preserving and I.D.E.

Ultrastrong low-carbon nanosteel produced by heterostructure and interstitial mediated warm rolling.

Ultrastrong materials can notably help with improving the energy efficiency of transportation vehicles by reducing their weight. Grain refinement by severe plastic deformation is, so far, the most effective approach to produce bulk strong nanostructured metals, but its scaling up for industrial production has been a challenge. Here, we report an ultrastrong (2.

Oriented inner fabrication of bi-layer biomimetic tendon sheath for anti-adhesion and tendon healing.

Introduction: Synthetic fibrous membranes unveil a promising field in anti-adhesion of tendons. Meanwhile, oriented nanofiber structures have been widely studied and used in the application of biomedical engineering, particularly in repairing and strengthening effects.

Methods: In this study, a bi-layer poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) electrospun membrane was fabricated, in which the inner oriented fibrous layer was designed to promote tendon healing while outer random aligned layer was designed to prevent peritendinous adhesion.

The β-catenin/TCF-4 pathway regulates the expression of OPN in human osteoarthritic chondrocytes.

Background: Cartilage destruction is the main characteristic of osteoarthritis (OA), and osteopontin (OPN) is elevated in OA articular cartilage; however, the reason for the increased OPN level is not determined. In addition, Wnt/β-catenin signaling participates in the progression of OA. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether canonical Wnt signaling could regulate the expression of OPN in human chondrocytes in vitro.

Phosphorus Recovery from Wastewater Prominently through a Fe(II)-P Oxidizing Pathway in the Autotrophic Iron-Dependent Denitrification Process.

Phosphorus (P) recovery from wastewater can be completed by iron-involved autotrophic denitrification via forming Fe(III)-P precipitates and/or adsorbing P onto Fe(III) oxyhydroxides. However, so far, most studies focused on the final P-containing products, while the P-capturing pathways in such a process remain unclear. In this work, autotrophic iron-dependent denitrification (AIDD) was used as a typical anoxic iron-involved P-capturing biosystem to investigate the main P recovery pathways.

A novel reduction device for the minimally invasive treatment of femoral shaft fractures.

Objective: In this study, a new type of reduction device for femoral shaft fractures was developed and designed. The reduction procedure was also standardized and is expected to be useful in clinical practice.

Methods: A bone traction retractor that consisted of a special traction needle, a resistant sleeve, a crossbar and an arc-adjusting bar was designed.

Low muscle mass impairs fat utilization during light-intensity exercise in Chinese men.

Background: Age-related loss of the muscle mass is linked to obesity and diabetes because the muscle is the major site for fat oxidation which is influenced by exercise. We aimed to explore the association between fat oxidation rates (FORs) and exercise intensity during age-related muscle loss.

Methods: A total of 224 healthy Chinese men aged 23-92 years were recruited.

Surgery simulation teaching based on real reconstruction aid versus traditional surgical live teaching in the acquisition of an adult total hip arthroplasty surgical technique for developmental dysplasia of the hip: a randomized comparative study.

Background: A simulation and model (SM) teaching aid using 3D printing was developed to improve a training course for total hip arthroplasty of adult developmental dysplasia of the hip (adult DDH-THA). We named this new method Surgery Simulation Teaching based on a Real Reconstruction Aid (RRA-SST). A prospective randomized comparison was performed with the traditional surgical live teaching method to evaluate the training effectiveness of RRA-SST for adult DDH-THA.

Clinical outcome of arthroscopic internal drainage of popliteal cysts with or without cyst wall resection.

Background: This study aimed to compare the arthroscopic internal drainage of popliteal cysts alone or in combination with cyst wall resection in terms of clinical outcomes.

Methods: Forty-two consecutive patients with symptomatic popliteal cysts received arthroscopic treatment. Specifically, 20 of them received arthroscopic internal drainage (AI group) alone and 22 received arthroscopic internal drainage combined with cyst wall resection (AICR group) through double posteromedial portals.

Cow manure application effectively regulates the soil bacterial community in tea plantation.

Background: Cow manure is not only an agricultural waste, but also an organic fertilizer resource. The application of organic fertilizer is a feasible practice to mitigate the soil degradation caused by overuse of chemical fertilizers, which can affect the bacterial diversity and community composition in soils. However, to our knowledge, the information about the soil bacterial diversity and composition in tea plantation applied with cow manure fertilization was limited.

S-doped reduced graphene oxide: a novel peroxidase mimetic and its application in sensitive detection of hydrogen peroxide and glucose.

This article presents a novel peroxidase mimetic by doping S atoms into reduced graphene oxide (rGO), which was synthesized through a facile hydrothermal reaction without any templates or surfactants. The peroxidase-like activity of S-doped rGO (S-rGO) is greatly boosted compared with the pristine rGO, demonstrating the peroxidase-like active sites are dominantly originated in sulfur-containing groups. The steady-state kinetic studies further indicate that S-rGO obeys the typical Michaelis-Menten curves and has a much smaller Michaelis constant (K) for hydrogen peroxide (HO) and 3, 3', 5, 5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB).

Identification of a potential gene target for osteoarthritis based on bioinformatics analyses.

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common chronic joint disease worldwide. It is characterized by pain and limited mobility in the affected joints and may even cause disability. Effective clinical options for its prevention and treatment are still unavailable.

An Integrative Dual-Layer Poly-L-Lactic Acid Fibrous Membrane Prevents Peritendinous Adhesions.

Anti-adhesion membranes are prospective scaffolds for preventing peritendinous adhesion after injury. However, currently available scaffolds have some limitations, such as low efficacy for anti-adhesion, low quality of tendon healing, and unknown drug interactions. Thus, in this study, we designed an innovative structure involving an integrated dual-layer poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) electrospun membrane for preventing peritendonous adhesion by promoting tendon gliding.

Enhanced Perovskite Solar Cell Efficiency Via the Electric-Field-Induced Approach.

The stability issue hinders the commercialization of the perovskite solar cells (PSCs), which is widely recognized. The efficiency generally decreases over time during the working condition. Here, we report an efficiency enhancement phenomenon of PSCs in the stability test at the maximum power point, which is speculated to be related to the electric-field-induced ion migration.

Aberrant subchondral osteoblastic metabolism modifies Na1.8 for osteoarthritis.

Pain is the most prominent symptom of osteoarthritis (OA) progression. However, the relationship between pain and OA progression remains largely unknown. Here we report osteoblast secret prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) during aberrant subchondral bone remodeling induces pain and OA progression in mice.

Longer persistence of quorum quenching bacteria over quorum sensing bacteria in aerobic granules.

Involvements of quorum sensing (QS) in the formation of aerobic granules for wastewater treatment have been well recognized. In previous studies the evolution of the QS-related activities and communities during bioreactor start-up period has been extensively studied, while the variation of QS in long-term reactor operation remains unrevealed. Furthermore, information about the roles of quorum quenching (QQ) in bioreactors is very limited.

Coordination engineering of Cu-Zn-Sn-S aqueous precursor for efficient kesterite solar cells.

Aqueous precursors provide an alluring approach for low-cost and environmentally friendly production of earth-abundant CuZnSn(S, Se) (CZTSSe) solar cells. The key is to find an appropriate molecular agent to prepare a stable solution and optimize the coordination structure to facilitate the subsequent crystallization process. Herein, we introduce thioglycolic acid (TGA), which possesses strong coordination (SH) and hydrophilic (COOH) groups, as the agent and use deprotonation to regulate the coordination competition within the aqueous solution.

Instability and excessive mechanical loading mediate subchondral bone changes to induce osteoarthritis.

Background: To assess the diversified effects of mechanical instability, excessive mechanical loading on subchondral bone remodeling. And to investigate the underlying cartilage degeneration and osteoarthritis (OA) progression in ipsilateral and contralateral knees, given that OA progression always affects joints bilaterally.

Methods: Anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT) of the left knee was used to induce OA in C57/B6 mice for 1, 3 and 6 months.