The fate of transplanted xenogeneic bone marrow-derived stem cells in rat intervertebral discs.

Intervertebral disc degeneration is a major cause and a risk factor for chronic low back pain. The potential of using stem cells to treat disc degeneration has been raised. The aims of our study were to assess whether xenogeneic bone-marrow derived stem cells could survive in a rat disc degeneration model and to determine which cell types, if any, survived and differentiated into disc-like cells.

The effectiveness of arthroscopic stabilisation for failed open shoulder instability surgery.

We identified ten patients who underwent arthroscopic revision of anterior shoulder stabilisation between 1999 and 2005. Their results were compared with 15 patients, matched for age and gender, who had a primary arthroscopic stabilisation during the same period. At a mean follow-up of 37 and 36 months, respectively, the scores for pain and shoulder function improved significantly between the pre-operative and follow-up visits in both groups (p = 0.

Heat shock protein and apoptosis in supraspinatus tendinopathy.

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are often upregulated following oxidative and other forms of stress. Based on reports of excessive apoptosis in torn supraspinatus tendon and mechanically loaded tendon cells, we hypothesized heat shock proteins may be present in rodent and human models of tendinopathy due to their central role in caspase dependent apoptotic cell signaling. We used a running rat supraspinatus tendinopathy overuse model with custom microarrays to investigate the process at a genetic level.

Posterolateral intertransverse spinal fusion possible in osteoporotic rats with BMP-7 in a higher dose delivered on a composite carrier.

Study Design: Posterolateral intertransverse process spinal fusion (PLF) was performed in ovariectomized female rats using recombinant human BMP-7 (OP-1) delivered on a composite carrier.

Objective: To investigate whether BMP-7 collagen on a composite carrier in a higher dose will enhance posterolateral spinal fusion in an estrogen deficiency rat model.

Summary Of Background Data: Osteoporosis is a systemic disease characterized by bone remodeling skewed in favor of excess bone resorption.

Bone morphogenetic protein-7 protects human intervertebral disc cells in vitro from apoptosis.

Background Context: Disc degeneration includes dysfunction and loss of disc cells leading to a decrease in extracellular matrix (ECM) components. Apoptosis has been identified in degenerated discs. Bone morphogenetic protein-7 (BMP-7) has been reported to stimulate ECM synthesis in the intervertebral disc (IVD), but its effect on disc cell viability is unknown.

Primary hyperparathyroidism and familial hyperparathyroid syndromes.

Background: Ninety percent of cases of hypercalcaemia are due to primary hyperparathyroidism or hypercalcaemia of malignancy.

Objective: This article outlines the diagnostic features of primary hyperparathyroidism and determines who would benefit from parathyroidectomy. It also aims to raise awareness of familial hyperparathyroid syndromes.

Reliability of a new shoulder laxometer to assess inferior glenohumeral joint translation.

Objective: This study tested the reliability of the ORI laxometer, a newly developed non-invasive device for testing inferior translation of the humeral head in humans.

Design: The instrument was designed to measure displacement between the top of the acromion and the head of the humerus when loaded in a similar fashion to the sulcus sign.

Participants And Interventions: Sixteen healthy subjects (32 shoulders) were measured for inferior glenohumeral joint laxity.

A sensitive stain for aluminum in undecalcified cancellous bone.

Aluminum is known to accumulate with age in bone and other tissues of humans, even in the absence of renal disease. Our study aimed to develop a histological staining method sufficiently sensitive to detect aluminum in plastic sections of undecalcified bone biopsies from healthy volunteers as well as from patients with renal and non-renal bone diseases. We used quantitative histomorphometry to measure the percentage of trabecular surface stained by aluminum and found that our new method was approximately 50% more sensitive for detecting aluminum than the Acid Solochrome Azurine (ASA) method which in turn was significantly more sensitive than the Aluminon method.

Oxygen free radicals and tendon healing.

Nitric oxide is a small free radical generated by a family of enzymes, the nitric oxide synthases (NOSs). In a series of experiments performed over the last 15 years, we showed that nitric oxide is induced by all 3 isoforms of NOS during tendon healing and that it plays a crucial beneficial role in restoring tendon function. In normal tendons, very little NOS activity was found, whereas in injured rat and human tendons, NOS activity was expressed in healing fibroblasts in a temporal fashion.

Nucleus pulposus cellular longevity by telomerase gene therapy.

Study Design: Nonviral transfection of nucleus pulposus cells with a telomerase expression construct to assess the effects on cellular lifespan, function, karyotypic stability, and transformation properties.

Objectives: To investigate whether telomerase gene therapy can extend the cellular lifespan while retaining functionality of nucleus pulposus cells in a safe manner.

Summary Of Background Data: Degeneration of the intervertebral disc is an age-related condition in which cells responsible for the maintenance and health of the disc deteriorate with age.

Histomorphometric analysis of fracture healing cascade in acute osteoporotic vertebral body fractures.

Background: While fracture healing has been well characterised in long bones, there is scant data relating to this process in acute vertebral body fractures.

Aim: To characterise the histological process of fracture healing in acute osteoporotic vertebral body fractures using qualitative and quantitative bone histomorphometry.

Subjects And Methods: Transpedicular bone biopsy was performed in patients undergoing percutaneous vertebroplasty.

Microarray analysis of the tendinopathic rat supraspinatus tendon: glutamate signaling and its potential role in tendon degeneration.

Degenerative tendon injury or "tendinopathy" is one of the most common disorders of the musculoskeletal system. We used a rat model (Soslowsky LJ, Thomopoulos S, Tun S, Flanagan CL, Keefer CC, Mastaw J, and Carpenter JE. J Shoulder Elbow Surg 9: 79-84, 2000) to identify novel gene expression in the exercised-induced degenerated supraspinatus tendon by microarray and real-time PCR analyses.

Arthroscopic stabilization of superior labral (SLAP) tears with biodegradable tack: outcomes to 2 years.

Purpose: This prospective study aimed to document the pain and functional outcomes, over time, of patients whose SLAP lesions had been repaired with biodegradable tacks.

Methods: Superior labral tears were identified in 24 patients from a cohort of 500 patients who had shoulder problems sufficiently disabling to warrant arthroscopic evaluation and management. These labral tears were arthroscopically repaired with 1 to 3 biodegradable tacks (mean, 1.

Prosthetic lumbar disc replacement for degenerative disc disease.

Mechanical articulated device to replace intervertebral disc as a treatment for low back pain secondary to disc degeneration has emerged as a promising tool for selected patients. The potential advantages are prevention of adjacent segment degeneration, maintenance of mobility as well as avoidance of all the complications associated with fusion. The short-term results have been comparable to that of fusion, a few mid-term results have shown mixed outcome, but information on long-term results and performance are not available at present.

Microarray analysis of healing rat Achilles tendon: evidence for glutamate signaling mechanisms and embryonic gene expression in healing tendon tissue.

Tendon healing is a complex process consisting of a large number of intricate pathways roughly divided into the phases of inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. Although these processes have been extensively studied at a variety of levels in recent years, there is still much that remains unknown. This study used microarray analyses to investigate the process at a genetic level in healing rat Achilles tendon at 1, 7, and 21 days postinjury, roughly representing the inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling phases.

The rotator cuff functional index.

Background: Despite improvements in the clinical assessment of rotator cuff injuries, shortcomings exist in diagnosing rotator cuff tears.

Purpose: To formulate a clinical rotator cuff functional index for predicting rotator cuff tears based on handheld dynamometer measurements for shoulder strength testing and to assess its ability to diagnose a rotator cuff tear.

Study Design: Cohort study (diagnosis); Level of evidence, 2.

Nitric oxide enhances collagen synthesis in cultured human tendon cells.

Collagen deposition is an important process that occurs during wound healing. We and others have shown that nitric oxide (NO) is important in tendon healing. The mechanisms whereby healing is enhanced are, however, undetermined.

Spontaneous recovery of injured Achilles tendon in inducible nitric oxide synthase gene knockout mice.

Objective And Design: To determine if inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) gene could affect Achilles tendon healing using iNOS gene knockout mice.

Methods: 21 iNOS knockout (iNOS(-/-)) mice and 8 of the wild type (iNOS(+/+)) mice were utilized in this study. Group 1: iNOS(+/+) mice (n = 8), group 2: iNOS(-/-) mice (n = 11) and group 3: iNOS(-/-) with a NOS inhibitor, (aminoguanidine, 500 mg/kg/day, via an intraperitoneal mini-osmotic pump for 7 days, n = 10).

Overexpression of nitric oxide synthases in tendon overuse.

Tendon disorders with a chronic nature, including the rotator cuff, are extremely common, and represent a major clinical problem. Mechanical overload has been proposed as an important etiologic factor in tendinopathies. Nitric oxide (NO), a free radical produced by nitric oxide synthases (NOSs), is a potent regulator and stimulator of biological processes including tendon degeneration and healing.

An evaluation of the effects of the extent of capsular release and of postoperative therapy on the temporal outcomes of adhesive capsulitis.

Purpose: To evaluate effects of the extent of surgical release and of postoperative physiotherapy on the outcomes of this procedure.

Type Of Study: Case-controlled cohort study.

Methods: Pain and range of motion scores were compared preoperatively, operatively, and at 1, 6, 12, 24, 52, and 104 weeks postoperatively, in 2 temporal cohorts of patients with adhesive capsulitis.

Motor vehicle accidents during episodes of hypoglycaemia--case reports and lessons to be learnt.

Background: Hypoglycaemia is a common adverse effect of insulin treatment in individuals with diabetes, potentially leading to cognitive impairment, altered levels of consciousness and delayed reactions. If this happens while driving a motor vehicle, a disastrous accident may ensue.

Objective: This article describes the clinical scenarios of five men with type 1 diabetes who were involved in motor vehicle accidents due to severe hypoglycaemia and discusses the potential risk factors for hypoglycaemia.

Pharmacotherapy of osteoporosis in men.

Osteofragility fractures occur in men due to a compromise in bone strength, coupled with either trauma or a fall. In men >or= 65years of age, osteoporosis can be defined as bone mineral density (at the proximal femur, spine or distal forearm) of 2.5 standard deviations or less below the mean for a normal young adult man, using a male reference database (i.

Prevention of shoulder stiffness after rotator cuff repair.

Unlabelled: Predisposing factors for shoulder stiffness after rotator cuff repair have yet to be determined. The potential for recovery of range of motion and amelioration of pain in patients with this complication also remains unclear. Accordingly, data collected prospectively for 209 patients with a primary rotator cuff repair were retrospectively reviewed.

Overexpression of antioxidant enzyme peroxiredoxin 5 protects human tendon cells against apoptosis and loss of cellular function during oxidative stress.

Oxidative stress and apoptosis are implicated in tendon degeneration. Peroxiredoxin 5 (PRDX5) is a novel thioredoxin peroxidase recently identified in mammals, participating directly in eliminating hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) and neutralizing other reactive oxygen species (ROS). We have previously reported that PRDX5 is upregulated in degenerative human tendon.

Osteoporosis and spinal fractures in men with prostate cancer: risk factors and effects of androgen deprivation therapy.

Purpose: We determined the risk factors for osteoporosis and spinal fractures in men with prostate cancer receiving androgen deprivation therapy.

Materials And Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of 87 consecutive men with prostate cancer receiving androgen deprivation therapy referred for evaluation of osteoporosis. Data were comprised of lateral thoracolumbar radiographs, bone densitometry, serum biochemistry and a detailed assessment of osteoporotic risk factors.