A Highly Sensitive and Robust Method for Hepatitis B Virus Covalently Closed Circular DNA Detection in Single Cells and Serum.

Despite implications of persistence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), little is known about serum cccDNA in HBV-infected diseases. We developed a cccDNA-selective droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) to assess cccDNA content and dynamics across different stages of HCC development. One hundred forty-seven serum samples and 35 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor tissues were derived from patients with HCC or HBV hepatitis/cirrhosis.

Targeted In Situ Biosynthetic Transcriptional Activation in Native Surface-Level Human Articular Chondrocytes during Lesion Stabilization.

Objective: Safe articular cartilage lesion stabilization is an important early surgical intervention advance toward mitigating articular cartilage disease burden. While short-term chondrocyte viability and chondrosupportive matrix modification have been demonstrated within tissue contiguous to targeted removal of damaged articular cartilage, longer term tissue responses require evaluation to further clarify treatment efficacy. The purpose of this study was to examine surface chondrocyte responses within contiguous tissue after lesion stabilization.

Native Chondrocyte Viability during Cartilage Lesion Progression: Normal to Surface Fibrillation.

Objective: Early surgical intervention for articular cartilage disease is desirable before full-thickness lesions develop. As early intervention treatments are designed, native chondrocyte viability at the treatment site before intervention becomes an important parameter to consider. The purpose of this study is to evaluate native chondrocyte viability in a series of specimens demonstrating the progression of articular cartilage lesions to determine if the chondrocyte viability profile changes during the evolution of articular cartilage disease to the level of surface fibrillation.

Histopomorphic evaluation of radiofrequency mediated débridement chondroplasty.

The use of radiofrequency devices has become widespread for surgical ablation procedures. When ablation devices have been deployed in treatment settings requiring tissue preservation like débridement chondroplasty, adoption has been limited due to the collateral damage caused by these devices in healthy tissue surrounding the treatment site. Ex vivo radiofrequency mediated débridement chondroplasty was performed on osteochondral specimens demonstrating surface fibrillation obtained from patients undergoing knee total joint replacement.