Comparison of the smiley face rod method versus intervertebral fusion for the treatment of L5 spondylolysis in adults.

Purpose: For patients who suffered from L5 spondylolysis and fail to improve using conservative treatment, the best surgical strategy remains controversial. This study compares the efficacy of the treatment of L5 spondylolysis using the smiley face rod (SFR) method versus intervertebral fusion (IF).

Methods: We analyzed 38 patients with L5 spondylolysis who underwent surgery in our department between January 2017 and June 2019.

Searching for the optimal precondition procedure for mesenchymal stem/stromal cell treatment: Facts and perspectives.

Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells are potential optimal cell sources for stem cell therapies, and pretreatment has proven to enhance cell vitality and function. In a recent publication, Li explored a new combination of pretreatment conditions. Here, we present an editorial to comment on their work and provide our view on mesenchymal stem/stromal cell precondition.

Single-cell sequencing technology in diabetic wound healing: New insights into the progenitors-based repair strategies.

Diabetes mellitus (DM), an increasingly prevalent chronic metabolic disease, is characterised by prolonged hyperglycaemia, which leads to long-term health consequences. Although much effort has been put into understanding the pathogenesis of diabetic wounds, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. The advent of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) has revolutionised biological research by enabling the identification of novel cell types, the discovery of cellular markers, the analysis of gene expression patterns and the prediction of developmental trajectories.

Evaluation of genetic response of mesenchymal stem cells to nanosecond pulsed electric fields by whole transcriptome sequencing.

Background: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) modulated by various exogenous signals have been applied extensively in regenerative medicine research. Notably, nanosecond pulsed electric fields (nsPEFs), characterized by short duration and high strength, significantly influence cell phenotypes and regulate MSCs differentiation multiple pathways. Consequently, we used transcriptomics to study changes in messenger RNA (mRNA), long noncoding RNA (lncRNA), microRNA (miRNA), and circular RNA expression during nsPEFs application.

Using a 3D Navigation Template to Increase the Accuracy of Thoracic Pedicle Screws in Patients with Scoliosis.

This study compares the accuracy and safety of pedicle screw placement using a 3D navigation template with the free-hand fluoroscopy technique in scoliotic patients. Fifteen scoliotic patients were recruited and divided into a template group (eight cases) and a free-hand group (seven cases). All patients received posterior corrective surgeries, and the pedicle screw was placed using a 3D navigation template or a free-hand technique.

Intervertebral Disc Progenitors: Lessons Learned from Single-Cell RNA Sequencing and the Role in Intervertebral Disc Regeneration.

The tremendous personal and economic burden worldwide caused by low back pain (LBP) has been surging in recent years. While intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) is the leading cause of LBP and vast efforts have been made to develop effective therapies, this problem is far from being resolved, as most treatments, such as painkillers and surgeries, mainly focus on relieving the symptoms rather than reversing the cause of IVDD. However, as stem/progenitor cells possess the potential to regenerate IVD, a deeper understanding of the early development and role of these cells could help to improve the effectiveness of stem/progenitor cell therapy in treating LBP.

Tumor necrosis factor-α inhibition restores matrix formation by human adipose-derived stem cells in the late stage of chondrogenic differentiation.

Background: Cartilage tissue engineering is a promising strategy for treating cartilage damage. Matrix formation by adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs), which are one type of seed cell used for cartilage tissue engineering, decreases in the late stage of induced chondrogenic differentiation , which seriously limits research on ADSCs and their application.

Aim: To improve the chondrogenic differentiation efficiency of ADSCs , and optimize the existing chondrogenic induction protocol.

Species variation in the cartilaginous endplate of the lumbar intervertebral disc.

Backgrounds: Cartilaginous endplate (CEP) plays an essential role in intervertebral disc (IVD) health and disease. The aim was to compare the CEP structure of lumbar IVD and to reveal the detailed pattern of integration between the CEP and bony endplate (BEP) from different species.

Methods: A total of 34 IVDs (5 human, 5 goat, 8 pig, 8 rabbit, and 8 rat IVDs) were collected, fixed and midsagittally cut; in each IVD, one-half was used for histological staining to observe the CEP morphology, and the other half was used for scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis to measure the diameters and distributions of collagen fibers in the central and peripheral CEP areas and to observe the pattern of CEP-BEP integration from different species.

Identification of injury type using somatosensory and motor evoked potentials in a rat spinal cord injury model.

The spinal cord is at risk of injury during spinal surgery. If intraoperative spinal cord injury is identified early, irreversible impairment or loss of neurological function can be prevented. Different types of spinal cord injury result in damage to different spinal cord regions, which may cause different somatosensory and motor evoked potential signal responses.

Amelioration of ligamentum flavum hypertrophy using umbilical cord mesenchymal stromal cell-derived extracellular vesicles.

Ligamentum flavum (LF) hypertrophy (LFH) has been recognised as one of the key contributors to lumbar spinal stenosis. Currently, no effective methods are available to ameliorate this hypertrophy. In this study, human umbilical cord mesenchymal stromal cell-derived extracellular vesicles (hUCMSC-EVs) were introduced for the first time as promising vehicles for drug delivery to treat LFH.

Membranous Extracellular Matrix-Based Scaffolds for Skin Wound Healing.

Membranous extracellular matrix (ECM)-based scaffolds are one of the most promising biomaterials for skin wound healing, some of which, such as acellular dermal matrix, small intestinal submucosa, and amniotic membrane, have been clinically applied to treat chronic wounds with acceptable outcomes. Nevertheless, the wide clinical applications are always hindered by the poor mechanical properties, the uncontrollable degradation, and other factors after implantation. To highlight the feasible strategies to overcome the limitations, in this review, we first outline the current clinical use of traditional membranous ECM scaffolds for skin wound healing and briefly introduce the possible repair mechanisms; then, we discuss their potential limitations and further summarize recent advances in the scaffold modification and fabrication technologies that have been applied to engineer new ECM-based membranes.

Role of the miR-133a-5p/FBXO6 axis in the regulation of intervertebral disc degeneration.

Objective: Low back pain is a leading cause of disabilities worldwide, and intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD)-related disorders have been recognised as one of the main contributors. Nevertheless, the underlying mechanism has not yet been fully understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of the miR-133a-5p/FBXO6 axis in the regulation of IVDD.

Annular Defects Impair the Mechanical Stability of the Intervertebral Disc.

Study Design: A biomechanical study.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of cruciform and square incisions of annulus fibrosus (AF) on the mechanical stability of bovine intervertebral disc (IVD) in multiple degrees of freedom.

Methods: Eight bovine caudal IVD motion segments (bone-disc-bone) were obtained from the local abattoir.

Perinatal Derivatives: Where Do We Stand? A Roadmap of the Human Placenta and Consensus for Tissue and Cell Nomenclature.

Progress in the understanding of the biology of perinatal tissues has contributed to the breakthrough revelation of the therapeutic effects of perinatal derivatives (PnD), namely birth-associated tissues, cells, and secreted factors. The significant knowledge acquired in the past two decades, along with the increasing interest in perinatal derivatives, fuels an urgent need for the precise identification of PnD and the establishment of updated consensus criteria policies for their characterization. The aim of this review is not to go into detail on preclinical or clinical trials, but rather we address specific issues that are relevant for the definition/characterization of perinatal cells, starting from an understanding of the development of the human placenta, its structure, and the different cell populations that can be isolated from the different perinatal tissues.

Fabrication of Silk-Hyaluronan Composite as a Potential Scaffold for Tissue Repair.

Interest is rapidly growing in the design and preparation of bioactive scaffolds, mimicking the biochemical composition and physical microstructure for tissue repair. In this study, a biomimetic biomaterial with nanofibrous architecture composed of silk fibroin and hyaluronic acid (HA) was prepared. Silk fibroin nanofiber was firstly assembled in water and then used as the nanostructural cue; after blending with hyaluronan (silk:HA = 10:1) and the process of freeze-drying, the resulting composite scaffolds exhibited a desirable 3D porous structure and specific nanofiber features.

Modified surgical treatment for a patient with neurofibromatosis scoliosis: A case report.

Background: The correction surgery for severely multidimensional spinal deformity in neurofibromatosis type I is very difficult and it is still a very big challenge for spine surgeons.

Case Summary: A 44-year-old woman presented with progressive kyphosis for more than 10 years and low back pain for 2 years. She had been diagnosed with neurofibromatosis at a local hospital many years ago.

Mechanotransduction of stem cells for tendon repair.

Tendon is a mechanosensitive tissue that transmits force from muscle to bone. Physiological loading contributes to maintaining the homeostasis and adaptation of tendon, but aberrant loading may lead to injury or failed repair. It is shown that stem cells respond to mechanical loading and play an essential role in both acute and chronic injuries, as well as in tendon repair.

Hydrogen inhibits the osteoclastogenesis of mouse bone marrow mononuclear cells.

Hydrogen (H) is one of the major biodegradation products of magnesium (Mg) alloys implanted for bony fracture healing and reconstruction; H thus plays a significant role in the regulation of local microenvironment and the biology of resident cells. The interactions between the H and the local cells are of great interest, and a full understanding of the effect of H on bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMCs) would accelerate the development of effective strategies for successful bony healing. This study investigates how H, with different concentrations and durations, regulates the osteoclastogenesis of mouse BMMCs.

Strontium Promotes the Proliferation and Osteogenic Differentiation of Human Placental Decidual Basalis- and Bone Marrow-Derived MSCs in a Dose-Dependent Manner.

The osteogenic potential of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) varies among different tissue sources. Strontium enhances the osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow-derived MSCs (BM-MSCs), but whether it exerts similar effects on placental decidual basalis-derived MSCs (PDB-MSCs) remains unknown. Here, we compared the influence of strontium on the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of human PDB- and BM-MSCs .

Mechanoresponse of stem cells for vascular repair.

Stem cells have shown great potential in vascular repair. Numerous evidence indicates that mechanical forces such as shear stress and cyclic strain can regulate the adhesion, proliferation, migration, and differentiation of stem cells serious signaling pathways. The enrichment and differentiation of stem cells play an important role in the angiogenesis and maintenance of vascular homeostasis.

The Treatment of Oesophageal Perforation after Anterior Cervical Spinal Surgery.

Oesophageal perforation is a rare complication occurring during or after cervical spine surgery, and the risk factors are not well understood. This study presents a case of a 25-year-old man with oesophageal perforation after anterior cervical spine surgery. It is suggested that four factors (anatomical structure, mechanism of trauma, implant dislodgment, and the operation) could induce postoperative oesophageal perforation after cervical spine surgery performed using the anterior surgical approach.

Plant-Derived Alkaloids: The Promising Disease-Modifying Agents for Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) represents a group of intestinal disorders with self-destructive and chronic inflammation in the digestive tract, requiring long-term medications. However, as many side effects and drug resistance are frequently encountered, safer and more effective agents for IBD treatment are urgently needed. Over the past few decades, a variety of natural alkaloids made of plants or medicinal herbs have attracted considerable interest because of the excellent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties; additionally, these alkaloids have been reported to reduce the colonic inflammation and damage in a range of colitic models.

Human acellular amniotic membrane implantation for lower third nasal reconstruction: a promising therapy to promote wound healing.

Background: The lower third of the nose is one of the most important cosmetic units of the face, and its reconstructive techniques remain a big challenge. As an alternative approach to repair or regenerate the nasal tissue, the biomaterial-based strategy has been extensively investigated. The aim of this study is to determine the safety and efficacy of human acellular amniotic membrane (HAAM) to repair the full-thickness defects in the lower third of the nose in humans.

Biomaterials for intervertebral disc regeneration: Current status and looming challenges.

A biomaterial-based strategy is employed to regenerate the degenerated intervertebral disc, which is considered a major generator of neck and back pain. Although encouraging enhancements in the anatomy and kinematics of the degenerative disc have been gained by biomaterials with various formulations in animals, the number of biomaterials tested in humans is rare. At present, most studies that involve the use of newly developed biomaterials focus on regeneration of the degenerative disc, but not pain relief.