Dendrimer-Based Platform for Effective Capture of Tumor Cells after TGFβ-Induced Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition.

Detection of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) relying on their expression of epithelial cell markers, such as epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM), has been commonly used. However, this approach unlikely captures CTCs that have undergone the process of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). In this study, we have induced EMT of in vitro prostate (PCa) and breast cancer (BCa) cell lines by treatment of transforming growth factor β 1 (TGFβ), a pleiotropic cytokine with transition-regulating activities.

Needle tip tracking for ultrasound-guided peripheral nerve block procedures-An observer blinded, randomised, controlled, crossover study on a phantom model.

Background: The Onvision needle tip tracking (NTT) is a new technology consisting of a needle with an ultrasound sensor close to the needle tip and a console for computerised signal processing. The aim of the study was to evaluate NTT technology during ultrasound-guided simulated peripheral nerve block procedures in a porcine phantom model.

Methods: Forty anaesthesiologists performed in-plane and out-of-plane simulated nerve blocks with and without NTT guidance.

MRI texture analysis for differentiation of malignant and benign hepatocellular tumors in the non-cirrhotic liver.

Purpose: To find potentially diagnostic texture analysis (TA) features and to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of two-dimensional (2D) magnetic resonance (MR) TA for differentiation between hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and benign hepatocellular tumors in the non-cirrhotic liver in an exploratory MR-study.

Materials And Methods: 108 non-cirrhotic patients (62 female; 41.5 ± 18.

Fluoroscopy-guided versus CT-guided Lumbar Steroid Injections: Comparison of Radiation Exposure and Outcomes.

Purpose To compare the radiation exposure for participants and interventionalists as well as participant outcomes between fluoroscopy-guided versus CT-guided lumbar spinal injections. Materials and Methods This prospective, nonrandomized observational study included 1446 participants (mean age, 60.6 years; range, 18-91 years) who received transforaminal epidural injections or facet joint injections under fluoroscopic or CT guidance between October 2009 and April 2016.

A Promising New Approach for the Treatment of Inflammatory Pain: Transfer of Stem Cell-Derived Tyrosine Hydroxylase-Positive Cells.

Objectives: The appearance of endogenous tyrosine hydroxylase-positive cells (TH+ cells) in collagen-induced arthritis was associated with an anti-inflammatory effect. Here we investigated putative anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects of the transfer of induced, bone marrow stem cell-derived TH+ cells (iTH+ cells) on murine antigen-induced arthritis (AIA).

Methods: Bone marrow-derived stem cells were differentiated into iTH+ cells.

Long-term muscle changes after hamstring lengthening in children with bilateral cerebral palsy.

Aim: To evaluate short-term (1y postoperatively; E1) and long-term (at least 4y postoperatively; E2) changes in hamstring muscle-tendon length (MTL) and lengthening velocity after hamstring lengthening in children with bilateral cerebral palsy (CP).

Method: Three-dimensional gait analysis was performed in 19 children (16 males, 3 females; 36 limbs; mean age at surgery 9y [SD 3y]; range 6-10y) with flexed knee gait, preoperative ankle dorsiflexion lower than 20 degrees, and CP before bilateral hamstring lengthening (E0), at E1 and E2. Hamstring MTL (normalized by leg length) and velocity were assessed via OpenSim software.

COMP and TSP-4 interact specifically with the novel GXKGHR motif only found in fibrillar collagens.

COMP (cartilage oligomeric matrix protein) is a member of the thrombospondin family and forms homopentamers as well as mixed heterooligomers with its closely related family member TSP-4. COMP is long known to bind to collagens and to influence collagen fibril formation. Recent work indicates that already intracellular interaction with collagen is important for collagen secretion.

New local anesthetics.

Local anesthetics are used for performing various regional anesthesia techniques to provide intraoperative anesthesia and analgesia, as well as for the treatment of acute and chronic pain. Older medications such as lidocaine and bupivacaine as well as newer ones such as mepivacaine and ropivacaine are being used successfully for decades. Routes of administration include neuraxial, perineural, intravenous, various infiltrative approaches, topical, and transdermal.

Pincer-type MRI morphology seen in over a third of asymptomatic healthy volunteers without femoroacetabular impingement.

Background: In daily routine, pincer femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) findings are often seen without a clinical diagnosis of pincer FAI.

Purpose: To assess the presence of pincer FAI MRI findings in asymptomatic volunteers with negative impingement test versus patients with clinically confirmed FAI.

Study Type: Case-control study.

Do Patients With Skin Psoriasis Show Subclinical Axial Inflammation on Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Sacroiliac Joints and Entire Spine?

Objective: To explore potential subclinical involvement of the axial skeleton by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the sacroiliac (SI) joints and the entire spine in patients with skin psoriasis without clinical evidence of peripheral or axial inflammation.

Methods: Twenty patients with skin psoriasis but no clinical evidence of peripheral or axial inflammation and 22 healthy controls underwent standardized dermatologic and rheumatologic clinical examination and unenhanced 1.5T MRI of the SI joint and the entire spine.

TNF inhibits catecholamine production from induced sympathetic neuron-like cells in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis in vitro.

Synovial adipose stem cells (sASC) can be differentiated into catecholamine-expressing sympathetic neuron-like cells to treat experimental arthritis. However, the pro-inflammatory tumor necrosis factor (TNF) is known to be toxic to catecholaminergic cells (see Parkinson disease), and this may prevent anti-inflammatory effects in inflamed tissue. We hypothesized that TNF exhibits inhibitory effects on human differentiated sympathetic tyrosine hydroxylase-positive (TH+) neuron-like cells.

Myeloid Cell-Restricted STAT3 Signaling Controls a Cell-Autonomous Antifibrotic Repair Program.

Myeloid cells can be beneficial as well as harmful in tissue regenerative responses. The molecular mechanisms by which myeloid cells control this critical decision of the immune system are not well understood. Using two different models of physiological acute or pathological chronic skin damage, in this study we identified myeloid cell-restricted STAT3 signaling as important and an injury context-dependent regulator of skin fibrosis.

Risks and Benefits of Ultrasound, Nerve Stimulation, and Their Combination for Guiding Peripheral Nerve Blocks: A Retrospective Registry Analysis.

Background: Ultrasound, nerve stimulation, and their combination are all considered acceptable ways to guide peripheral nerve blocks. Which approach is most effective and associated with the fewest complications is unknown. We therefore used a large registry to analyze whether there are differences in vascular punctures, multiple skin punctures, and unintended paresthesia.

Using the Oxford Foot Model to determine the association between objective measures of foot function and results of the AOFAS Ankle-Hindfoot Scale and the Foot Function Index: a prospective gait analysis study in Germany.

Objective: After cross-cultural adaption for the German translation of the Ankle-Hindfoot Scale of the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS-AHS) and agreement analysis with the Foot Function Index (FFI-D), the following gait analysis study using the Oxford Foot Model (OFM) was carried out to show which of the two scores better correlates with objective gait dysfunction.

Design And Participants: Results of the AOFAS-AHS and FFI-D, as well as data from three-dimensional gait analysis were collected from 20 patients with mild to severe ankle and hindfoot pathologies.Kinematic and kinetic gait data were correlated with the results of the total AOFAS scale and FFI-D as well as the results of those items representing hindfoot function in the AOFAS-AHS assessment.

Marbostat-100 Defines a New Class of Potent and Selective Antiinflammatory and Antirheumatic Histone Deacetylase 6 Inhibitors.

Epigenetic modifiers of the histone deacetylase (HDAC) family contribute to autoimmunity, cancer, HIV infection, inflammation, and neurodegeneration. Hence, histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi), which alter protein acetylation, gene expression patterns, and cell fate decisions, represent promising new drugs for the therapy of these diseases. Whereas pan-HDACi inhibit all 11 Zn-dependent histone deacetylases (HDACs) and cause a broad spectrum of side effects, specific inhibitors of histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6i) are supposed to have less side effects.

Abnormal loading of the hip and knee joints in unilateral hip osteoarthritis persists two years after total hip replacement.

A total hip replacement (THR) is a common and routine procedure to reduce pain and restore normal activity. Gait analysis can provide insights into functional characteristics and dynamic joint loading situation not identifiable by clinical examination or static radiographic measures. The present prospective longitudinal study tested whether 2 years after surgery a THR would restore dynamic loading of the knee and hip joints in the frontal plane to normal.

Mid-term development of hamstring tendon length and velocity after distal femoral extension osteotomy in children with bilateral cerebral palsy: a retrospective cohort study.

Aim: Flexed knee gait can be treated with distal femoral extension osteotomy (DFEO) and additional patellar tendon advancement (PTA) in children with cerebral palsy (CP). This study assesses changes in hamstring muscle tendon length (MTL) and velocity after DFEO (+PTA).

Method: Nineteen children (mean age 13y [standard deviation 3y] at surgery) with CP and flexed knee gait who were treated with DFEO (15 limbs) or DFEO+PTA (10 limbs) were retrospectively included in this study.

Impact of Arginine to Cysteine Mutations in Collagen II on Protein Secretion and Cell Survival.

Inherited point mutations in collagen II in humans affecting mainly cartilage are broadly classified as chondrodysplasias. Most mutations occur in the glycine (Gly) of the Gly-X-Y repeats leading to destabilization of the triple helix. Arginine to cysteine substitutions that occur at either the X or Y position within the Gly-X-Y cause different phenotypes like Stickler syndrome and congenital spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia (SEDC).

Prolonged Catheter Use and Infection in Regional Anesthesia: A Retrospective Registry Analysis.

Background: Prolonged catheter use is controversial because of the risk of catheter-related infection, but the extent to which the risk increases over time remains unknown. We thus assessed the time-dependence of catheter-related infection risk up to 15 days.

Methods: Our analysis was based on the German Network for Regional Anesthesia, which includes 25 centers.

Effect of increased mechanical knee joint loading during running on the serum concentration of cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP).

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of an increase in mechanical knee joint loading during running on the serum COMP level. On two different test days, 20 healthy men ran with knee orthoses for 30 min on a treadmill (v = 2.2 m/s).

Effect of lumbar spinal fusion surgery on the association of self-report measures with objective measures of physical function.

Background: Self-report measures are used to evaluate surgery outcome but are not necessarily indicative of actual disabilities.

Research Question: The aim of the present study was to determine the association between self-report assessments of quality of life and objective measures of function in patients with symptomatic lumbar degenerative disease. Additionally, we evaluated the effect of lumbar spinal fusion surgery on this relationship.

A Survey of the Scope of Chiropractic Practice in South Africa: 2015.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to identify characteristics specific to the chiropractic profession in South Africa and compare them with those of other countries where similar surveys have been conducted.

Methods: This survey utilized a structured questionnaire designed to reflect chiropractic practice in South Africa. The questionnaire was made available online for completion by 714 chiropractic practitioners who were registered with the Allied Health Professions Council of South Africa in 2015.

Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Receptor 5 Modulates Early-Stage Processes during Fibrogenesis in a Mouse Model of Systemic Sclerosis: A Pilot Study.

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a rare multi-organ autoimmune disease characterized by progressive skin fibrosis. Inflammation, type 2 immunity, and fibrogenic processes are involved in disease development and may be affected by sphingolipids. However, details about early-stage pathophysiological mechanisms and implicated mediators remain elusive.