Increased pore size of scaffolds improves coating efficiency with sulfated hyaluronan and mineralization capacity of osteoblasts.

Background: Delayed bone regeneration of fractures in osteoporosis patients or of critical-size bone defects after tumor resection are a major medical and socio-economic challenge. Therefore, the development of more effective and osteoinductive biomaterials is crucial.

Methods: We examined the osteogenic potential of macroporous scaffolds with varying pore sizes after biofunctionalization with a collagen/high-sulfated hyaluronan (sHA3) coating in vitro The three-dimensional scaffolds were made up from a biodegradable three-armed lactic acid-based macromer (TriLA) by cross-polymerization.

Stimulation of bone formation by monocyte-activator functionalized graphene oxide in vivo.

Nanosystems are able to enhance bone regeneration, a complex process requiring the mutual interplay between immune and skeletal cells. Activated monocytes can communicate pro-osteogenic signals to mesenchymal stem cells and promote osteogenesis. Thus, the activation of monocytes is a promising strategy to improve bone regeneration.

Plasma levels of Semaphorin 4D are decreased by adjuvant tamoxifen but not aromatase inhibitor therapy in breast cancer patients.

Background: Semaphorin 4D (Sema4D) is a glycoprotein that inhibits bone formation and has been associated with cancer progression and the occurrence of bone metastases. Recently, Sema4D expression has been linked to estrogen signaling in breast cancer. Endocrine therapies like tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors (AI) are a standard therapeutic approach in hormone receptor positive breast cancers.

Management of bloodstream infections by infection specialists in France and Germany: a cross-sectional survey.

Introduction: Bloodstream infections (BSI) are frequent infections worldwide. Our objective was to explore variation in the management of patients with BSI by infection specialists in France and Germany.

Methods: This work is part of an international ESCMID cross-sectional internet-based questionnaire survey that was opened from December 2016 to February 2017.

Prediction of Fractures and Major Cardiovascular Events in Men Using Serum Osteoprotegerin Levels: The Prospective STRAMBO Study.

Fragility fractures and cardiovascular diseases often coincide. However, data on shared risk factors and markers are scarce. Our aim was to assess the independent associations of serum osteoprotegerin (OPG) levels with the risk of fracture and cardiovascular outcomes (acute coronary syndrome, cardiac death) in older men.

Adjuvant tamoxifen but not aromatase inhibitor therapy decreases serum levels of the Wnt inhibitor dickkopf-1 while not affecting sclerostin in breast cancer patients.

Purpose: Endocrine therapies, including tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors, are indispensable for the treatment of patients with estrogen receptor (ER)- and/or progesterone-positive breast cancer. Whereas tamoxifen displays partial ER agonistic effects in bone, aromatase inhibitors increase bone resorption and fracture risk. The Wnt inhibitors dickkopf-1 (DKK-1) and sclerostin negatively impact bone formation and are considered targets for the treatment of bone disorders.

WNT5A and Its Receptors in the Bone-Cancer Dialogue.

Wnt signaling is critical for tumorigenesis and skeletal remodeling. However, its contribution to the formation of metastatic bone lesions remains poorly defined. One major challenge of unraveling its role in cancer progression is the high complexity of Wnt signaling, which includes numerous ligands, receptors, and inhibitors, with intricate biological effects and specific signaling pathways depending on the cellular context.

GRAND-4: the German retrospective analysis of long-term persistence in women with osteoporosis treated with bisphosphonates or denosumab.

Unlabelled: This retrospective database study assessed 2-year persistence with bisphosphonates or denosumab in a large German cohort of women with a first-time prescription for osteoporosis treatment. Compared with intravenous or oral bisphosphonates, 2-year persistence was 1.5-2 times higher and risk of discontinuation was significantly lower (P < 0.

Sulfated hyaluronan improves bone regeneration of diabetic rats by binding sclerostin and enhancing osteoblast function.

Bone fractures in patients with diabetes mellitus heal poorly and require innovative therapies to support bone regeneration. Here, we assessed whether sulfated hyaluronan included in collagen-based scaffold coatings can improve fracture healing in diabetic rats. Macroporous thermopolymerized lactide-based scaffolds were coated with collagen including non-sulfated or sulfated hyaluronan (HA/sHA3) and inserted into 3 mm femoral defects of non-diabetic and diabetic ZDF rats.

Glycosaminoglycan derivatives: promising candidates for the design of functional biomaterials.

Numerous biological processes (tissue formation, remodelling and healing) are strongly influenced by the cellular microenvironment. Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are important components of the native extracellular matrix (ECM) able to interact with biological mediator proteins. They can be chemically functionalized and thereby modified in their interaction profiles.

Ebf factors and MyoD cooperate to regulate muscle relaxation via Atp2a1.

Myogenic regulatory factors such as MyoD and Myf5 lie at the core of vertebrate muscle differentiation. However, E-boxes, the cognate binding sites for these transcription factors, are not restricted to the promoters/enhancers of muscle cell-specific genes. Thus, the specificity in myogenic transcription is poorly defined.