Search

There is evidence to suggest that restoration of major/rare biominerals by supplementation can produce osteogenic and anti-resorptive effects in humans. LithoLexal® is a natural extract harvested from a marine alga, Lithothamnion sp., with a porous microstructure and multimolecular composition rich in calcium (32% w/w) and magnesium (2.2% w/w) together with ~72 trace bioelements. In vitro, LithoLexal® demonstrated cellular-level osteogenic efficacy through enhancing the maturation and activity of pre-osteoblasts. This extract also expressed the ability to suppress osteoclastogenesis by downregulating the pro-resorptive cytokines TNF-α and IL-1β and the master regulator of inflammation NF-κB. Parathyroid hormone inhibition of parathyroid hormone secretion is another bioactivity of LithoLexal® Bone reported with both short- and long-term administration at a longer duration and higher magnitude than what calcium carbonate could induce. Due to these bioactivities that affect pathogenetic factors of osteoporosis, LithoLexal® Bone is referred to as a disease-modifying adjunctive therapy (DMAT). In postmenopausal animal models, LithoLexal® monotherapy preserved bone mineral density, microarchitecture, and biomechanical properties, while calcium carbonate failed to produce significant outcomes. The pro-resorptive effect of a high-fat diet was also efficiently counteracted in vivo by supplementary LithoLexal®. A large clinical trial on postmenopausal women verified the mitigating effects of LithoLexal® Bone on bone resorption and turnover rate. The characteristic composition of LithoLexal® together with its lattice microstructure are suggested to underlie its in vivo bioactivities. In conclusion, adjunctive therapy with LithoLexal® Bone is an attractive option for clinical prevention and treatment of osteopenia/osteoporosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the recent years, considerable attention has been drawn to intelligent driving technologies and particularly to automated vehicles (AVs). The deployment of AVs would provide the opportunity to have more control over the dynamics of the vehicle, including its lateral movement, which can affect the pavement's long-term rutting performance. The controlled lateral movement of the AVs may also imply a reduced lane width. This paper evaluates the impacts of dedicating a reduced lane width to AVs on pavement rutting performance, considering two lateral movement modes for AVs; zero-wander and uniform-wander. A finite element model was developed using ABAQUS software. The rutting simulation results of this study showed that the abrupt changes in the loading schemes of the zero- and uniform-wander modes cause considerable accumulated rutting in the edges of the loading areas. This is significantly greater than the total rutting induced by the human-driven vehicles (HDVs) following the normal-wander mode, which causes a compensated rutting behaviour by a gradual increase in loading time. Furthermore, the comparison between rutting depths in different lane widths reveals that when dedicating the narrower lane for AVs with a uniform-wander distribution, the pavement's total rutting depth would remarkably increase compared to the wider lanes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The prevalence of atypical femoral fractures in the elderly population is increasing worldwide, including in Iran. Left untreated, these fractures can lead to disability and reduced quality of life for such patients. Methods: This case-series study was conducted on one-hospital experience on patients with atypical femoral fractures who underwent surgery from 2013 to 2020. Demographic and clinical information, complications, and postoperative walking ability, as well as modified Harris Hip Score (HHS) and Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) scores, were collected at one month and one year after surgery. Results: Among the 30 participants in this study, 24 (80%) were female. The mean age of the patients was 68.66 ± 11.03 years. Of the patients, 14 (46.6%) underwent plate fixation, 8 (26.7%) intramedullary nailing, and 26.7% underwent PFNA surgery. Atier surgery, 6 patients (20%) regained full ability to walk, 20 were able to walk with a cane or walker, and 4 could not walk. The NRS score of patients decreased by 2.80 ± 1.20 points after surgery, while the modified HHS score increased by 9.13 ± 22.56 (P value >0.05). Atier surgery, 4 (13.3%) of patients developed an infection. The type of surgery did not significantly affect patients' hip function or pain atier surgery (P value> 0.05). Conclusion: The rate of complications and postoperative infections in atypical femoral fractures is higher than typical femoral fractures, and the postoperative mobility and patients' satisfaction are lower. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Acquired local hypertrichosis occurs unilaterally in the same organ, causing asymmetry and beauty-related issues. This study investigates the prevalence of hypertrichosis after the casting of limb fractures, addressing patient concerns, preventive measures, and timely treatment. Methods: In this prospective cohort study, 82 patients who were hospitalized in the orthopedic department of Hazrat Rasul Akram educational, research and treatment complex in 2019 and required limb casting due to fractures or trauma were included. Demographic and clinical information of the patients were collected through interviews or by consulting the patient’s clinical file. The severity of the trauma and the presence of hypertrichosis were also determined by clinical examination. Results: Out of a total of 82 participants in the study, 41(50%) were male and 41(50%) were female. The mean age was 41.04±22.14 years. The mean duration of casting was 4.65±1.02 weeks. Meanwhile, 80(97.6%) people had undergone plaster casting once; however, 43 people (52.4%) had minor fractures. The most commonly injured site was the distal tibia, accounting for 30.48% of cases. The patients with hypertrichosis and patients without hypertrichosis were the two study groups, and the mean age in each group was significantly different from the other (P=0.0001); however, no other significant relationships or differences were discovered (P>0.05). Conclusion: The incidence of hypertrichosis in Iranian society is 8.5%, which is slightly lower compared to other societies. Younger patients in Iran are more susceptible to developing hypertrichosis after limb casting of broken limbs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low back pain is a major health issue affecting the lumbopelvic muscles. Morphological changes in hip muscles, such as alterations in the muscle cross‐sectional area and muscle volume, may occur in patients with low back pain. This systematic review was conducted to investigate whether patients with low back pain have macroscopic changes in their hip muscle morphology compared with asymptomatic, healthy individuals, based on current evidence. The electronic databases of PubMed/Medline, Ovid, Scopus, Embase®, and Google Scholar were searched from the inception to August 31, 2018. We only included full texts of original studies regarding macroscopic morphological alterations, including atrophy and fat infiltration, in hip muscles of patients with low back pain compared with asymptomatic controls. The quality of the included studies was determined using an assessment tool based on the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale. The scale was modified for the purposes of this study. Sixteen comparative observational studies were found eligible to be included in this review. Eleven were classified as high quality and four as moderate quality. The morphological changes in the psoas major, gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, and piriformis muscles were assessed in the primary studies. All selected studies were considered B level of evidence studies. The strength of conclusions for the psoas major, gluteal, and piriformis muscles was moderate. The results revealed that there is substantial controversy about the morphological changes in hip muscles in patients with low back pain; however, the majority of high‐quality studies concluded that atrophy of hip muscles is evident in patients with low back pain. The psoas major muscle was the most commonly investigated hip muscle for morphological changes. Major methodological limitations of the included studies were identified and discussed. The present systematic review does not include a formal meta‐analysis because of very significant differences in the primary studies in terms of study populations and methodologies. Finally, in clinical practice, it is recommended that physical therapists develop exercise programs to improve hip muscle function in patients with low back pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]