Dual FGFR-targeting and pH-activatable ruthenium-peptide conjugates for targeted therapy of breast cancer.

Dysregulation of Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptors (FGFRs) signaling has been associated with breast cancer, yet employing FGFR-targeted delivery systems to improve the efficacy of cytotoxic agents is still sparsely exploited. Herein, we report four new bi-functional ruthenium-peptide conjugates (RuPCs) with FGFR-targeting and pH-dependent releasing abilities, envisioning the selective delivery of cytotoxic Ru complexes to FGFR(+)-breast cancer cells, and controlled activation at the acidic tumoral microenvironment. The antiproliferative potential of the RuPCs and free Ru complexes was evaluated in four breast cancer cell lines with different FGFR expression levels (SKBR-3, MDA-MB-134-VI, MCF-7, and MDA-MB-231) and in human dermal fibroblasts (HDF), at pH 6.

Intraoperative Angle Measurement of Anatomical Structures: A Systematic Review.

Ensuring precise angle measurement during surgical correction of orientation-related deformities is crucial for optimal postoperative outcomes, yet there is a lack of an ideal commercial solution. Current measurement sensors and instrumentation have limitations that make their use context-specific, demanding a methodical evaluation of the field. A systematic review was carried out in March 2023.

Human-Robot Joint Misalignment, Physical Interaction, and Gait Kinematic Assessment in Ankle-Foot Orthoses.

Lower limb exoskeletons and orthoses have been increasingly used to assist the user during gait rehabilitation through torque transmission and motor stability. However, the physical human-robot interface (HRi) has not been properly addressed. Current orthoses lead to spurious forces at the HRi that cause adverse effects and high abandonment rates.

Three decades of gait index development: A comparative review of clinical and research gait indices.

Background: A wide variety of indices have been developed to quantify gait performance markers and associate them with their respective pathologies. Indices scores have enabled better decisions regarding patient treatments and allowed for optimized monitoring of the evolution of their condition. The extensive range of human gait indices presented over the last 30 years is evaluated and summarized in this narrative literature review exploring their application in clinical and research environments.

Motion envelopes: unfolding longitudinal rotation data from walking stick-figures.

This work presents Motion Envelopes (ME), a simple method to estimate the missing longitudinal rotations of minimal stick figures, which is based on the spatial-temporal surface traced by line segments that connect contiguous pairs of joints. We validate ME by analyzing the gait patterns of 6 healthy subjects, comprising a total of 18 gait cycles. A strong correlation between experimental and estimated data was obtained for lower limbs and upper arms, indicating that ME can predict their longitudinal orientation in normal gait, hence, ME can be used to complement the kinematic information of stick figures whenever it is incomplete.

On a "Columbus' Egg": Modeling the shape of asymptomatic, dysplastic and impinged hip joints.

Understanding morphological features that characterize normal hip joint is critical and necessary for a more comprehensive definition of pathological presentations, such as femoroacetabular impingement and hip dysplasia. Based on anatomical observations that articular surfaces of synovial joints are better represented by ovoidal shapes than by spheres, the aim of this study is to computationally test this morphological classification for the femoral head and acetabular cavity of asymptomatic, dysplastic and impinged hips by comparing spherical, ellipsoidal and ovoidal shapes. An image-based surface fitting framework was used to assess the goodness-of-fit of spherical, ellipsoidal and tapered ellipsoidal (i.

Shape Analysis of the Femoral Head: A Comparative Study Between Spherical, (Super)Ellipsoidal, and (Super)Ovoidal Shapes.

In this work, MacConaill's classification that the articular surface of the femoral head is better represented by ovoidal shapes rather than purely spherical shapes is computationally tested. To test MacConaill's classification, a surface fitting framework was developed to fit spheres, ellipsoids, superellipsoids, ovoids, and superovoids to computed tomography (CT) data of the femoral proximal epiphysis. The framework includes several image processing and computational geometry techniques, such as active contour segmentation and mesh smoothing, where implicit surface fitting is performed with genetic algorithms.

A microcontroller platform for the rapid prototyping of functional electrical stimulation-based gait neuroprostheses.

Functional electrical stimulation (FES) has been used over the last decades as a method to rehabilitate lost motor functions of individuals with spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, and post-stroke hemiparesis. Within this field, researchers in need of developing FES-based control solutions for specific disabilities often have to choose between either the acquisition and integration of high-performance industry-level systems, which are rather expensive and hardly portable, or develop custom-made portable solutions, which despite their lower cost, usually require expert-level electronic skills. Here, a flexible low-cost microcontroller-based platform for rapid prototyping of FES neuroprostheses is presented, designed for reduced execution complexity, development time, and production cost.