Shear wave elastography based analysis of changes in fascial and muscle stiffness in patients with chronic non-specific low back pain.

Background: The quantitative assessment of individual muscle and fascial stiffness in patients with low back pain remains a challenge. This study aimed to compare the stiffness of the thoracolumbar fascia (TLF), erector spinae (ES), and multifidus (MF) in patients with and without chronic non-specific low back pain (CNLBP) using shear wave elastography (SWE). It also sought to explore the relationship between muscle and fascial stiffness and the levels of pain and dysfunction in patients with CNLBP.

Elevated level of circulating calprotectin correlates with severity and high mortality in patients with COVID-19.

Background: Patients with coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) are characterized by hyperinflammation. Calprotectin (S100A8/S100A9) is a calcium- and zinc-binding protein mainly secreted by neutrophilic granulocytes or macrophages and has been suggested to be correlated with the severity and prognosis of COVID-19.

Aim: To thoroughly evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic utility of calprotectin in patients with COVID-19 by analyzing relevant studies.

Efficacy and safety of extracorporeal shockwave therapy in chronic low back pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 632 patients.

Background: Extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) has been widely used for pain control in musculoskeletal disorders. Whether ESWT can relieve chronic low back pain (CLBP) and improve lumbar function is still unclear. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis of relevant studies to comprehensively analyse and determine the efficacy and safety of ESWT for chronic low back pain.

Non-coding RNAs in ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament.

Ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) is a kind of disease that involves a variety of factors leading to ectopic bone deposition of the spinal ligament. Although the detailed mechanism is not clear, genetic factors play important roles in the development of this disease. Noncoding RNA (ncRNA) refers to an RNA molecule that is not translated into a protein but participates in the regulation of gene expression.

The NF-κB pathway is critically implicated in the oncogenic phenotype of human osteosarcoma cells.

NF-κB is activated in a variety of human cancers. However, its role in osteosarcoma (OS) remains unknown. Here, we have elucidated the implication of NF-κB in the oncogenic phenotype of OS tumor cells.

The tumor suppressive role of TIMP3 in the human osteosarcoma cells.

Background: Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 3 (TIMP3) regulates a variety of cellular activities such as proliferation, viability, apoptosis, and motility. Functional loss of TIMP3 is reported in several human cancers. However, its role in osteosarcoma (OS) remains largely unclear.

Critical implication of the PTEN/PI3K/AKT pathway during BMP2-induced heterotopic ossification.

Heterotopic ossification (HO) is characterized by extraskeletal ossification in soft tissue. Thus far, there is a lack of effective drug therapy against HO. Loss of PTEN in osteoblasts has been reported to accumulate bone mass in skeletal development and promote fracture healing in association with the activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway.

The yield of sonication fluid culture for presumed aseptic loosening of orthopedic devices: a meta-analysis.

Background: Sonication fluid culture is routinely conducted in patients with suspected orthopedic devicerelated infection (ORI). However, its value in the assessment of orthopedic devices that have explanted because of presumed aseptic loosening is still debatable. A meta-analysis was conducted to estimate the yield of sonication fluid culture in detecting the presence of microorganisms in orthopedic devices with presumed aseptic loosening, and to summarize the clinical characteristics and outcomes of these patients.

Dkk1 acts as a negative regulator in the osteogenic differentiation of the posterior longitudinal ligament cells.

Ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) is a spinal disorder characterized by progressive ectopic bone formation in the PLL of the spine. Dickkopf-1 (Dkk1) is a secreted inhibitor of the Wnt pathway that negatively regulates bone formation during skeletal development. However, whether Dkk1 impacts the pathogenesis of OPLL has not been reported.

Circular RNA circ_0011269 sponges miR-122 to regulate RUNX2 expression and promotes osteoporosis progression.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a novel class of noncoding RNAs that are widely expressed in human disease. However, circRNAs expression profile and potential mechanism in osteoporosis pathogenesis remain to be further studied. In the present study, a total of 69 circRNAs were identified to be abnormally expressed in osteoporosis patient samples by microarray and bioinformatics analyses.

The utility of F-FDG PET and PET/CT in the diagnosis and staging of chondrosarcoma: a meta-analysis.

Objective: Chondrosarcoma is the second most common primary bone sarcoma; however, unlike other tumors, the biopsy cannot easily make a definite diagnosis or predict the histological grade. This meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the utility of F-FDG PET and PET/CT to differentiate chondrosarcoma from benign cartilaginous lesions and to predict the histopathological grade of chondrosarcoma.

Material And Methods: A comprehensive search was performed in three electronic databases including Medline/PubMed, the Cochrane Library and Embase to retrieve diagnostic studies evaluating the role of F-FDG PET or PET/CT for appraising the status of chondrosarcoma.

The PI3K/AKT pathway promotes fracture healing through its crosstalk with Wnt/β-catenin.

PI3K/AKT is one of the key pathways that regulate cell behaviors including apoptosis, proliferation, and differentiation. Although previous studies have demonstrated that this pathway is a crucial regulator of osteoblasts, the role of PI3K/AKT in fracture healing remains unclear. It is well known that the Wnt/β-catenin pathway plays an essential role in bone regeneration.

Targeting the SH3 domain of human osteoclast-stimulating factor with rationally designed peptoid inhibitors.

Human osteoclast-stimulating factor (hOSF) is an intracellular protein produced by osteoclasts that induces osteoclast formation and bone resorption. The protein contains a modular Src homology 3 (SH3) domain that mediates the intermolecular recognition and interaction of hOSF with its biological partners. Here, we proposed targeting the hOSF SH3 domain to disrupt hOSF-partner interactions for bone disease therapy by using SH3 inhibitors.

Genetic analysis of TNFST15 variants in ankylosing spondylitis.

Aims: The purpose of this study was to explore the role of TNF-like ligand 1A (TL1A) gene (TNFST15) polymorphisms (rs3810936, rs7848647, and rs6478109) in the generation of ankylosing spondylitis (AS).

Methods: Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing were used to conduct the genotyping of TNFSF15 polymorphisms in 113 AS patients and 120 healthy persons as the case and control groups. The frequencies comparison was performed by chi-square or t test between the two groups.

TNF-α and IL10 polymorphisms interaction increases the risk of ankylosing spondylitis in Chinese Han population.

Aims: The target of this article was to reveal the role of tumor necrosis factors α (TNF-α) and Interleukin-10 (IL10) gene polymorphisms in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) development and explore the interaction between these two gene polymorphisms.

Methods: The genotyping of gene polymorphims was conducted using ABI Taqman assay method in 84 AS patients and 92 healthy people. Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) was checked in the control group and the genotypes and alleles difference were compared with χ(2) test.

Evaluation of Degenerative Lumbar Scoliosis After Short Segment Decompression and Fusion.

The objective of this study was to investigate short segment decompression of degenerative lumbar scoliosis (DLS) and the efficiency of fusion treatment.After DLS surgery, the patients were retrospectively reviewed using the VAS (visual analog scale) and ODI (Oswestry Disability Index) to assess clinical outcomes. All patients underwent posterior lumbar decompressive laminectomy, pedicle screw internal fixation, and posterolateral bone graft fusion surgery.

Comparison of rhBMP-2 versus Autogenous Iliac Crest Bone Graft for 2-Level Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion for Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy.

Background: Few studies have examined the efficacy of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) in 2-level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). The purpose of this study was to compare the outcomes in a series of patients with CSM treated with 2-level ACDF with or without rhBMP-2.

Material And Methods: The retrospective study included a total of 146 patients with CSM.

Down-regulation of microRNA152 is associated with the diagnosis and prognosis of patients with osteosarcoma.

Potential values of microRNA152 (miR-152) as a serum diagnostic and prognostic biomarker have not been determined in human osteosarcoma. By detecting the expression of miR-152 among 80 osteosarcoma patients, 20 periostitis patients and 20 healthy individuals using qRT-PCR, we aimed to explore the clinical significance of miR-152 in osteosarcoma patients. The expression of miR-152 was significantly decreased in patients with osteosarcoma compared to patients with periostitis (P<0.

Comparative Study of Modified Posterior Operation to Treat Kümmell's Disease.

The present study aimed at examining the curative effect of modified posterior operation on treatment of Kümmell's disease. About 30 patients of Kümmell's disease with complete image and clinical data treated during June 2004 to July 2013 were conducted with anterior and posterior approaches, respectively. Kyphotic Cobb angle, fractured vertebra wedge angle, and the anterior and posterior heights of fractured vertebra were all measured through x-ray before and after operation, and the pain visual analog scale (VAS) was determined for evaluating the effect of operations.

Association between CTLA-4 gene polymorphism and ankylosing spondylitis: a case-control study.

Aims: The aim of our study was to evaluate the association between CTLA-4 polymorphisms (+49A/G, -318C/T and CT60A/G) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) susceptibility.

Methods: A total of 120 AS cases and healthy controls, matched on the age and gender, were enrolled in the study. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphisms (PCR-RFLP) were used to determine the gentypes of +49A/G, -318C/T and CT60A/G polymorphisms.

Runx2 induces bone osteolysis by transcriptional suppression of TSSC1.

Advanced breast cancers frequently metastasize to bone, resulting in osteolytic lesions, however, the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Runx2, a bone-specific transcriptional factor, is abnormally expressed in highly metastatic breast cancer cells. Here, we found that TSSC1 inhibits breast cancer cell invasion.

Icariin protects against glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis in vitro and prevents glucocorticoid-induced osteocyte apoptosis in vivo.

Icariin is the major active ingredient in Herba epimedii which is a commonly used Chinese herbal medicine for the treatment of osteoporosis. The present study aims to evaluate the osteoprotective effect of Icariin in glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis in vivo and investigate the effect of Icariin on glucocorticoid-induced osteocyte apoptosis in vitro. A total of 48 female Sprague-Dawley rats were used.