Search

Owing to the different biological properties of articular cartilage and subchondral bone, it remains significant challenge to construct a bi-lineage constructive scaffold. In this study, manganese (Mn)-doped β-TCP (Mn-TCP) scaffolds with varied Mn contents are prepared by a 3D-printing technology. The effects of Mn on the physicochemical properties, bioactivity, and corresponding mechanism for stimulating osteochondral regeneration are systematically investigated. The incorporation of Mn into β-TCP lowers the lattices parameters and crystallization temperatures, but improves the scaffold density and compressive strength. The ionic products from Mn-TCP significantly improve the proliferation of both rabbit chondrocytes and mesenchymal stem cells (rBMSCs), as well as promote the differentiation of chondrocytes and rBMSCs. The in vivo study shows that Mn-TCP scaffolds distinctly improve the regeneration of subchondral bone and cartilage tissues as compared to TCP scaffolds, upon transplantation in rabbit osteochondral defects for 8 and 12 weeks. The mechanism is closely related to the Mn2+ ions significantly stimulated the proliferation and differentiation of chondrocytes through activating HIF pathway and protected chondrocytes from the inflammatory osteoarthritis environment by activating autophagy. These findings suggest that 3D-printing of Mn-containing scaffolds with improved physicochemical properties and bilineage bioactivities represents an intelligent strategy for regenerating osteochondral defects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to the different biological properties of articular cartilage and subchondral bone, it remains significant challenge to construct a bi-lineage constructive scaffold. In this study, manganese (Mn)-doped β-TCP (Mn-TCP) scaffolds with varied Mn contents are prepared by a 3D-printing technology. The effects of Mn on the physicochemical properties, bioactivity, and corresponding mechanism for stimulating osteochondral regeneration are systematically investigated. The incorporation of Mn into β-TCP lowers the lattices parameters and crystallization temperatures, but improves the scaffold density and compressive strength. The ionic products from Mn-TCP significantly improve the proliferation of both rabbit chondrocytes and mesenchymal stem cells (rBMSCs), as well as promote the differentiation of chondrocytes and rBMSCs. The in vivo study shows that Mn-TCP scaffolds distinctly improve the regeneration of subchondral bone and cartilage tissues as compared to TCP scaffolds, upon transplantation in rabbit osteochondral defects for 8 and 12 weeks. The mechanism is closely related to the Mn2+ ions significantly stimulated the proliferation and differentiation of chondrocytes through activating HIF pathway and protected chondrocytes from the inflammatory osteoarthritis environment by activating autophagy. These findings suggest that 3D-printing of Mn-containing scaffolds with improved physicochemical properties and bilineage bioactivities represents an intelligent strategy for regenerating osteochondral defects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this study was to investigate the chondrogenic potential of three-dimensional polycaprolactone-hydroxyapatite (PCL-HA) scaffolds loaded with bone marrow cells in vitro and the effect of PCL-HA scaffolds on osteochondral repair in vivo. Here, bone marrow was added to the prepared PCL-HA scaffolds and cultured in chondrogenic medium for 10 weeks. Osteochondral defects were created in the trochlear groove of 29 knees in 17 New Zealand white rabbits, which were then divided into four groups that underwent: implantation of PCL-HA scaffolds (left knee, n = 17; Group 1), microfracture (right knee, n = 6; Group 2), autologous osteochondral transplantation (right knee, n = 6; Group 3), and no treatment (right knee, n = 5; Control). Extracellular matrix produced by bone marrow cells covered the surface and filled the pores of PCL-HA scaffolds after 10 weeks in culture. Moreover, many cell-laden cartilage lacunae were observed, and cartilage matrix was concentrated in the PCL-HA scaffolds. After a 12-week repair period, Group 1 showed excellent vertical and lateral integration with host bone, but incomplete cartilage regeneration and matrix accumulation. An uneven surface of regenerated cartilage and reduced distribution of cartilage matrix were observed in Group 2. In addition, abnormal bone growth and unstable integration between repaired and host tissues were detected. For Group 3, the integration between transplanted and host cartilage was interrupted. Our findings indicate that the PCL-HA scaffolds loaded with bone marrow cells improved chondrogenesis in vitro and implantation of PCL-HA scaffolds for osteochondral repairenhanced integration with host bone. However, cartilage regeneration remained unsatisfactory. The addition of trophic factors or the use of precultured cell-PCL-HA constructs for accelerated osteochondral repair requires further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Given the current limitation of therapeutic approach for ischemic stroke, a leading cause of disability and mortality in the developed countries, to develop new therapeutic strategies for this devastating disease is urgently necessary. As a serine/threonine kinase, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) activation can mediate broad biological activities that include protein synthesis, cytoskeleton organization, and cell survival. mTOR functions through mTORC1 and mTORC2 complexes and their multiple downstream substrates, such as eukaryotic initiation factor 4E-binding protein 1, p70 ribosomal S6 kinase, sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1, hypoxia inducible factor-1, and signal transducer and activator transcription 3, Yin Ying 1, Akt, protein kinase c-alpha, Rho GTPase, serum-and gucocorticoid-induced protein kinase 1, etc. Specially, the role of mTOR in the central nervous system has been attracting considerable attention. Based on the ability of mTOR to prevent neuronal apoptosis, inhibit autophagic cell death, promote neurogenesis, and improve angiogenesis, mTOR may acquire the capability of limiting the ischemic neuronal death and promoting the neurological recovery. Consequently, to regulate the activity of mTOR holds a potential as a novel therapeutic strategy for ischemic stroke. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This study was designed to measure the pressure distribution of the intervertebral disc under different degrees of distraction of the interspinous process, because of a suspicion that the degree of distraction of the spinous process may have a close relationship with the disc load share. Six human cadaver lumbar spine L2-L5 segments were loaded in flexion, neutral position, and extension. The L3-L4 disc load was measured at each position using pressure measuring films. Shape-memory interspinous process implants (SMID) with different spacer heights, ranging in size from 10 to 20 mm at 2 mm increments, were used. It was found that a SMID with a spacer height equal to the distance of the interspinous process in the neutral position can share the biomechanical disc load without a significant change of load in the anterior annulus. An interspinous process stabilizing device (IPD) would not be appropriate to use in those cases with serious spinal stenosis because the over-distraction of the interspinous process by the SMID would lead to overloading the anterior annulus which is a recognized cause of disc degeneration. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: NMR spectroscopy combined with principal component analysis was applied to Arabidopsis thaliana treated with methyl jasmonate in order to obtain macroscopic metabolic changes caused by the treatment. As the first step several chromatographic and NMR spectroscopic techniques were utilized to identify metabolites of Arabidopsis. Sephadex LH-20 showed a high efficiency in the separation of phenolic metabolites in the plant. For identification of minor metabolites two-dimensional J-resolved NMR technique was directly applied to the plant extract and results in a number of elucidation of the metabolites of which signals overlap in 1H NMR spectra. The chemical structure of the identified metabolites were confirmed by various two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy including correlated spectroscopy, heteronuclear single quantum coherence, and heternuclear multiple bond correlation. As next step, a statistical approach, principal component analysis based on projected J-resolved NMR spectra was performed for metabolic alteration of methyl jasmonate-treated Arabidopsis. The results show that methyl jasmonate caused an increase of flavonoids, fumaric acid, sinapoyl malate, sinigrin, tryptophan, valine, threonine, and alanine and a decrease of malic acid, feruloyl malate, glutamine, and carbohydrates after 24h treatment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Implantable flexible electronic has attracted significant research interest in various fields. However, it still faces the challenge of simultaneously achieving tight adhesion to tissues in a mildly wet environment and possessing excellent biocompatibility to reduce immune rejection reactions after implantation. Here, a degradable wet‐adhesive flexible electronic device based on liquid metal and ultrathin gelatin film is developed. The ultrathin gelatin film forms numerous hydrogen bonds with tissue in a slightly humid environment, rapidly constructing a wet‐adhesive interface without damaging tissue structure. Inkjet printing is utilized to pattern the mixture of liquid metal and PVP on the surface of the ultrathin gelatin to create flexible patch. With the excellent conductivity of liquid metal, low toxicity, and similarity to natural tissue components of gelatin, flexible patch exhibits outstanding biocompatibility and fatigue resistance. It can be implanted in the body for up to 6 weeks, retaining monitoring capabilities and resisting 1 000 000 cycles of bending fatigue. This study provides a novel strategy for the future development of implantable flexible electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adv. Funct. Mater.2017, 27, 1703117 DOI: 10.1002/adfm.201703117 The above article, first published online on 31 July 2017 in Wiley Online Library (https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201703117) and corrected on 19 March 2019 (https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201900376) has been retracted by agreement with the authors, the journal Editor‐in‐Chief, and Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA. The retraction has been agreed upon due to several flawed figures as published in the article, containing duplicate images, which calls the validity of these data into question. Reference C. Deng, Q. Yao, C. Feng, J. Li, L. Wang, G. Cheng, M. Shi, L. Chen, J. Chang, C. Wu, Adv. Funct. Mater.2017, 27, 1703117. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The purpose of this study was to assess the clinical outcome of percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) assisted with mixed reality (MR) technology in treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture (OVCF) with intravertebral vacuum cleft (IVC). Method: Forty cases of OVCF with IVC undergoing PKP were randomized into a MR technology-assisted group (group A) and a traditional C-arm fluoroscopy group (group B). Both groups were performed PKP and evaluated by VAS scores, ODI scores, radiological evidence of vertebral body height, and kyphotic angle (KA) at pre-operation and post-operation. The volume of injected cement, fluoroscopy times, and operation time were recorded. And cases of non-PMMA-endplates-contact(NPEC) in radiological evidence was also recorded postoperatively. The clinical outcomes and complications were evaluated afterwards. All patients received 10 to 14 months follow-up, with an average of 12 months. Result: This MR-assisted group (group A) acquired more about the amount of the polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) injection and postoperative vertebral height and less about postoperative KA, fluoroscopy times, and operation time compared with the control group (group B) (P < 0.05). The VAS scores and ODI scores in both groups have improved, but more significantly in group A (P < 0.05). Also, more cases achieve both-endplates-touching of cement in group A (P < 0.05). And there are less of the loss of vertebral height, KA, and occurrence of re-collapse of the vertebra in group A during the follow-up (P < 0.05). Conclusion: PKP assisted with MR technology can accurately orientate the position of IVC area, which can be augmented by the balloon leading to more satisfied vertebral height improvement, cement diffusion, and pain relief. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03959059. Registered 25 September 2016. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lack of traditional bioactivity in zirconia (ZrO 2) and limitations in the personalization capabilities of conventional manufacturing processes pose significant challenges for alveolar bone defect repair. This study aims to investigate whether ZrO 2 /CSi-Mgx scaffolds, produced by combining magnesium-doped calcium silicate (CSi–Mg) as a doping phase with ZrO 2 as the matrix, using projection-based 3D printing (3DPP) technology, exhibit favorable biocompatibility and mechanical properties at low sintering temperatures. The effect of CSi–Mg content (x%), pore structure and heating temperature on the strength of scaffolds were investigated systematically. Incorporation of CSi–Mg could readily adjust the sintering properties of the ZrO 2 scaffolds and the scaffolds with low (10–20 %) CSi–Mg possess much higher strength (74–92 MPa) after 1150 °C. Meanwhile, the ZrO 2 /CSi–Mg10 scaffolds with Triply periodic minimum surfaces (TPMS) pore structure had a compression strength of over 92 MPa and maintained a respectable strength (63 MPa) even after immersion in Tris buffer for 6 weeks. Concurrently, cellular experiments showed that incorporation of CSi–Mg could enhance cellular adhesion, proliferation, and migration of the ZrO 2 scaffolds and also promote the osteogenic property of the scaffolds. In conclusion, the ZrO 2 /CSi–Mg10 scaffold with TPMS pore structure showcases remarkable mechanical performance and bioactivity, holding the potential to facilitate in-situ bone regeneration within the alveolar bone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses a study on the synthesis of (2-Nitro-1-AfAlemphenylethyl)malononitriles through a reaction called Michael addition. The researchers optimized the reaction conditions and demonstrated its feasibility using different substances. They also explored the possibility of achieving asymmetric induction in the reaction by using a specific catalyst. The results show promise for the synthesis of (2-Nitro-1-AfAlemphenylethyl)malononitriles as precursors for various compounds with potential biological activities. The authors also mention ongoing research to explore the potential applications of these adducts in the synthesis of chiral β-amino acids. [Extracted from the article]

In bone fracture preoperative surgical planning, 3D fracture reduction is of great significance. However, segmenting 3D fracture bones into fragments and assembling the bone fragments to restore their original morphology are labor intensive and time consuming. Current works, however, omit their synergistic effects between reduction and segmentation, which, we envision, can significantly benefit the fracture reduction. To this end, a method is proposed to alternatively segment and assemble the fragments by incorporating the contralateral bone as template and leveraging the synergistic effect on segmentation and reduction. The 3D fracture model is initially segmented into separated outer surface of fragments. The reduction is then conducted by template matching, specifically, a whole-to-whole matching strategy through deep learning of dense features is employed. Thereafter, the segmentation is further refined with the assistance of the template. The process of reduction and segmentation is iterated until the algorithm converges. Experiments were conducted on simulated data and clinical data, the mean segmentation accuracy is 95.26%, the assembling translation error is 3.28 ± 3.01 mm, and the assembling rotation error is 1.62 ± 1.71°. Results demonstrated the superiority of our method over state-of-the-art methods, and it can be used as a feasible scheme for fracture reduction planning. Moreover, it is also proved that segmentation and reduction can promote each other. [Display omitted] • Synergistic effect is exploited between segmentation and reduction. • A novel whole-to-whole matching tactics is proposed for template-matching. • The SSM is leveraged to generate and label the training data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study was to assess the clinical efficacy of epidural injections with tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) inhibitor in patients with chronic radicular pain caused by lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). Methods: In a randomized controlled trial (RCT), patients diagnosed with mild-to-moderate LSS underwent epidural intervention with three different drugs and were allocated to TNF-α inhibitor group (Group A), steroid group (Group B) and lidocaine-only group (Group C). All patients were evaluated by visual analog scale (VAS) for leg pain and Oswestry disability index (ODI) to assess function. They all received a 6-month follow-up. Results: Ninety patients were randomly assigned to three groups, for 30 cases in each group. A total of 82 participants (91.1%) completed the follow-up. Pain relief and improvement of movement function after epidural administration in Group A were more significant than those of groups B and C (p <.05) during the 6-month follow-up, while it showed no significant difference between groups B and C (p >.05). Conclusions: Our results indicated that epidural administration with TNF-α inhibitor may be a useful conservative method for the treatment of radicular pain caused by LSS. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04062474. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A carbon nanotube-doped octapeptide self-assembled hydrogel (FEK/C) and a hydrogel-based polycaprolactone PCL composite scaffold (FEK/C3-S) were developed for cartilage and subchondral bone repair. The composite scaffold demonstrated modulated microstructure, mechanical properties, and conductivity by adjusting CNT concentration. In vitro evaluations showed enhanced cell proliferation, adhesion, and migration of articular cartilage cells, osteoblasts, and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. The composite scaffold exhibited good biocompatibility, low haemolysis rate, and high protein absorption capacity. It also promoted osteogenesis and chondrogenesis, with increased mineralization, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, and glycosaminoglycan (GAG) secretion. The composite scaffold facilitated accelerated cartilage and subchondral bone regeneration in a rabbit knee joint defect model. Histological analysis revealed improved cartilage tissue formation and increased subchondral bone density. Notably, the FEK/C3-S composite scaffold exhibited the most significant cartilage and subchondral bone formation. The FEK/C3-S composite scaffold holds great promise for cartilage and subchondral bone repair. It offers enhanced mechanical support, conductivity, and bioactivity, leading to improved tissue regeneration. These findings contribute to the advancement of regenerative strategies for challenging musculoskeletal tissue defects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tough hydrogel has attracted considerable interest in various fields, however, due to poor biocompatibility, nondegradation, and pronounced compositional differences from natural tissues, it is difficult to be used for tissue regeneration. Here, a gelatin‐based tough hydrogel (GBTH) is proposed to fill this gap. Inspired by human exercise to improve muscle strength, the synergistic effect is utilized to generate highly functional crystalline domains for resisting crack propagation. The GBTH exhibits excellent tensile strength of 6.67 MPa (145‐fold that after untreated gelation). Furthermore, it is directly sutured to a ruptured tendon of adult rabbits due to its pronounced toughness and biocompatibility, self‐degradability in vivo, and similarity to natural tissue components. Ruptured tendons can compensate for mechanotransduction by GBTH and stimulate tendon differentiation to quickly return to the initial state, that is, within eight weeks. This strategy provides a new avenue for preparation of highly biocompatible tough hydrogel for tissue regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, cancer immunotherapy has emerged as an exciting cancer treatment. Immune checkpoint blockade brings new opportunities for more researchers and clinicians. Programmed cell death receptor-1 (PD-1) is a widely studied immune checkpoint, and PD-1 blockade therapy has shown promising results in a variety of tumors, including melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer and renal cell carcinoma, which greatly improves patient overall survival and becomes a promising tool for the eradication of metastatic or inoperable tumors. However, low responsiveness and immune-related adverse effects currently limit its clinical application. Overcoming these difficulties is a major challenge to improve PD-1 blockade therapies. Nanomaterials have unique properties that enable targeted drug delivery, combination therapy through multidrug co-delivery strategies, and controlled drug release through sensitive bonds construction. In recent years, combining nanomaterials with PD-1 blockade therapy to construct novel single-drug-based or combination therapy-based nano-delivery systems has become an effective mean to address the limitations of PD-1 blockade therapy. In this study, the application of nanomaterial carriers in individual delivery of PD-1 inhibitors, combined delivery of PD-1 inhibitors and other immunomodulators, chemotherapeutic drugs, photothermal reagents were reviewed, which provides effective references for designing new PD-1 blockade therapeutic strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fractured object assembly is a fundamental problem across many disciplines such as digital archaeology, accident recovery, paleontology, cranio-facial and orthopaedic surgical repair, and many more. With advances in 3D acquisition devices and improved fidelity models of fractured pieces, a flurry of semi-automatic and automatic computational assembly solutions have been developed. These methods have the potential to reduce human labor in assembling fractured objects. The challenge is to balance the time efficiency with the fidelity of the reconstructed assembly. This paper introduces TAssembly , a data-driven approach to fractured object assembly. TAssembly leverages learned feature descriptors of the underlying objects. Its assembly pipeline seamlessly integrates multiple objective terms, including feature matching, rigid matching, and regularization for matching and stitching adjacent pieces. Many experimental results show that TAssembly significantly outperforms previous fractured object assembly methods. [Display omitted] • A data-driven method for 3D fracture bone assembly is proposed. • A latent shape descriptor space for matching features on fractured objects. • Using Stitching constraints to discourage self-penetration. • Feature extraction, feature matching, pairwise matching, consistent matching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Panax notoginseng@Ag core/shell electrospun fiber membrane was prepared by coaxial electrospinning combined with the UV reduction method (254 nm). The prepared Panax notoginseng@Ag core/shell nanofiber membrane has a three-dimensional structure, and its swelling ratio could reach as high as 199.87%. Traditional Chinese medicine Panax notoginseng can reduce inflammation, and the silver nanoparticles have antibacterial effects, which synergistically promote rapid wound healing. The developed Panax notoginseng@Ag core/shell nanofiber membrane can effectively inhibit the growth of the Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli and the Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus. The wound healing experiments in Sprague Dawley mice showed that the wound residual area rate of the Panax notoginseng@Ag core/shell electrospun nanofiber membrane group was only 1.52% on day 9, and the wound of this group basically healed on day 12, while the wound residual area rate of the gauze treatment group (control group) was 16.3% and 10.80% on day 9 and day 12, respectively. The wound of the Panax notoginseng@Ag core/shell electrospun nanofiber membrane group healed faster, which contributed to the application of the nanofiber as Chinese medicine rapid wound healing dressings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

STUDY DESIGN: Measurement of zygapophyseal joint pressure and displacement was performed after placement of a semiconstrained integrated artificial disc (SIAD) in a cadaver model. OBJECTIVE: To understand the likelihood of accelerated zygapophyseal joints degeneration as a result of the implant. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: A SIAD has been developed to treat lumbar spondylosis secondary to segmental disc degeneration and spinal stenosis. The SIAD replaces the stenotic segment's disc. Previous studies have demonstrated that nonconstrained artificial disc (NAD) replacements fail to achieve their optimal long-term outcomes likely because of significantly increased zygapophyseal joint pressure and displacement at the implanted level. Moreover, clinical studies have reported an increased incidence of zygapophyseal joint degeneration after lumbar disc replacement. METHODS: Eight cadaver lumbar specimens (L2-L5) were loaded in flexion, neutral, extension, left bend, and right rotation. Zygapophyseal joint pressure and displacement were measured during each of the 5 positions at each of the 3 levels with the ratio of deformation calculated under the different loads. An artificial disc was placed at the L3-L4 level, and the measurements were repeated. RESULTS: After L3-L4 segment implantation, the pressure in the zygapophyseal joint at operative segment was not significantly changed by SIAD and NAD implantation in axial compression and flexion, compared with physiological disc. Notable differences in zygapophyseal joint pressure between the SIAD and NAD were identified at the operative level in extension, left bend, and right rotation. The adjacent-level effect of NAD was significantly greater than that of SIAD. The ratio of deformation difference between the 2 discs was increased by load experienced in extension, flexion, left bend, and right rotation. CONCLUSION: The SIAD provided a superior biomechanical milieu for zygapophyseal joints at the implanted and adjacent levels compared with NAD, which may avoid the acceleration of postoperative zygapophyseal joint degeneration. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid bioactive ion exchange is a form of communication that regulates a wide range of biological processes. Despite advances in super‐resolution optical microscopy, visualizing ion exchange remains challenging due to the extremely fast nature of these events. Here, a "converting a dynamic event into a static image construction" (CDtSC) strategy is developed that uses the color transformation of a single dichromatic molecular probe to visualize bioactive ion inter‐organelle exchange in live cells. As a proof of concept, a reactive sulfur species (RSS) is analyzed at the mitochondria‐lysosome contact sites (MLCs). A non‐toxic and sensitive probe based on coumarin‐hemicyanine structure is designed that responds to RSS localized in both mitochondria and lysosomes while fluorescing different colors. Using this probe, RSS give‐and‐take at MLCs is visualized, thus providing the first evidence that RSS is involved in inter‐organelle contacts and communication. Taken together, the CDtSC provides a strategy to visualize and analyze rapid inter‐organelle ion exchange events in live cells at nanometer resolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With an increasing understanding of the mechanisms of fracture healing, it has been found that nerve injury plays a crucial role in the process, but the specific mechanism is yet to be completely revealed. To address this issue and provide novel insights for fracture treatment, we compiled this review. This review aims to study the impact of nerve injury on fracture healing, exploring the role of neurotrophic factors in the healing process. We first revisited the effects of the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS) on the skeletal system, and further explained the phenomenon of significantly accelerated fracture healing under nerve injury conditions. Then, from the perspective of neurotrophic factors, we delved into the physiological functions and mechanisms of neurotrophic factors, such as nerve growth factor (NGF), Neuropeptides (NPs), and Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), in bone metabolism. These effects include direct actions on bone cells, improvement of local blood supply, regulation of bone growth factors, control of cellular signaling pathways, promotion of callus formation and bone regeneration, and synergistic or antagonistic effects with other endocrine factors, such as Sema3A and Transforming Growth Factor β (TGF-β). Finally, we discussed the treatments of fractures with nerve injuries and the future research directions in this review, suggesting that the relationship between nerve injury and fracture healing, as well as the role of nerve injury in other skeletal diseases. • It summarized the impact of nerve injury on fracture healing and bone metabolism. • It introduced different ways in which nerve injury affects bone metabolism. • It revealed multiple signaling pathways regulated by neurotrophic factors. • It presented therapeutic approaches for nerve injury combined with fractures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetic wounds are complications of diabetes which are caused by skin dystrophy because of local ischemia and hypoxia. Diabetes causes wounds in a pathological state of inflammation, resulting in delayed wound healing. The structure of electrospun nanofibers is similar to that of the extracellular matrix (ECM), which is conducive to the attachment, growth, and migration of fibroblasts, thus favoring the formation of new skin tissue at the wound. The composition and size of electrospun nanofiber membranes can be easily adjusted, and the controlled release of loaded drugs can be realized by regulating the fiber structure. The porous structure of the fiber membrane is beneficial to gas exchange and exudate absorption at the wound, and the fiber surface can be easily modified to give it function. Electrospun fibers can be used as wound dressing and have great application potential in the treatment of diabetic wounds. In this study, the applications of polymer electrospun fibers, nanoparticle-loaded electrospun fibers, drug-loaded electrospun fibers, and cell-loaded electrospun fibers, in the treatment of diabetic wounds were reviewed, and provide new ideas for the effective treatment of diabetic wounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our team discovered a moderate SphK1 inhibitor, SAMS10 (IC50 = 9.8 μM), which was screened by computer-assisted screening. In this study, we developed a series of novel diaryl derivatives with improved antiproliferative activities by modifying the structure of the lead compound SAMS10. A total of 50 new compounds were synthesized. Among these compounds, the most potent compound, named CHJ04022Rb, has significant anticancer activity in melanoma A375 cell line (IC50 = 2.95 μM). Further underlying mechanism studies indicated that CHJ04022R exhibited inhibition effect against PI3K/NF-κB signaling pathways, inhibited the migration of A375 cells, promoted apoptosis and exerted antiproliferative effect by inducing G2/M phase arrest in A375 cells. Furthermore, acute toxicity experiment indicated CHJ04022R exhibited good safety in vivo. Additionally, it showed a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on the growth of xenograft tumor in nude mice. Therefore, CHJ04022R may be a potential candidate for the treatment of melanoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sphingosine kinase is a lipid kinase that catalyzes the phosphorylation of sphingosine to sphingosine-1-phosphate. Sphingosine-1-phosphate is a bioactive lipid that regulates biological processes. The overexpression of sphingosine kinases is related to a variety of pathophysiological conditions. For example, SphK1 has been shown to be highly expressed in various cancer cells including ovarian, cervical, colon, stomach, lung, and brain cancer. Inhibition of sphingosine kinases is a promising way to treat diseases such as cancer. Through computer-aided drug design, we have discovered a new SphK1 inhibitor named Amb30572637 (SAMS10). In this report, we describe the discovery process and biological characteristics. In biochemical experiments, SAMS10 shows a prominent inhibitory effect on SphK1, with an IC50 value of 9.8 μM. Subsequent MTT experiments show that SAMS10 has anticancer effects toward A549, SKVO3, A375, and LOVO cell lines and has essentially no cytotoxicity against the healthy cell L929. SAMS10 has significant inhibitory activity against the A549 and LOVO cell lines, with IC50 values of 14.64 and 14.48 μM, respectively. It belongs to a moderately active SphK1 inhibitor with lower anticancer activity than the control compound cisplatin, but the effect of SAMS10 toward SphK1 and its anticancer activity indicate that it is a promising lead compound for the development of effective SphK1 anticancer inhibitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing incidence of osteoarthritis (OA) in elderly patients and the challenges posed by its multifaceted pathogenesis in developing effective treatments, this study explores the effective protein loading mode of Progranulin (PGRN) and its therapeutic potential for treating OA. GelMA hydrogels prepared with different concentrations of PGRN, employing AC-PEG-NHS as a crosslinking agent for drug encapsulation, were used to test the sustained release effect of the composite hydrogel drug delivery system. Additionally, we conducted in vitro assays to investigate the regulatory effects on rat bone marrow mesenchymal atromal cells (BMSCs), chondrocytes, and mouse macrophages - focusing on cell proliferation, and differentiation. For in vivo studies, histological staining techniques were utilized to assess inflammatory cell polarization and cartilage repair in a rat knee injury model. The results demonstrated that PGRN-loaded hydrogels significantly accelerated cell proliferation, enhance differentiation of BMSCs into chondrocytes, maintained a healthy chondrocyte phenotype, and induce M2-type polarization while inhibiting M1-type polarization in macrophages. Histological analyses also showed markedly improved tissue repair in the group treated with GelMA–NHS–PGRN hydrogels. As a result, these GelMA–NHS–PGRN hydrogels present a promising therapeutic approach for OA, potentially mitigating chronic inflammation and facilitating cartilage repair through controlled release of PGRN. PGRN, Osteoarthritis, Anti-inflammatory hydrogels, Cartilage regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] NACE of flavonoids (quercetin, luteolin, kaempferol) in ACN using three different ionic liquids. [•] Selection of ionic liquid type and concentration influences migration and alters selectivity. [•] High concentrations of ionic liquid can be used in combination with MeOH to improve solubility of the flavonoids. [ • ] The NACE IL method is suitable for the detection of flavonoids in Semen Plantaginis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• This retrospective study analysed the use of three-dimensional (3D)-printed antibiotic-loaded bone cement (ALBC) spacers when treating infection after hip replacement surgery. • Compared with traditional ALBC spacers (conventional group), the use of 3D-printed spacers improved functional mobility of the hip joint after surgery. • The health status was better for patients in the 3D-printing group compared with the conventional group after surgery. • Pain was less for patients in the 3D-printing group compared with the conventional group after surgery. To explore the effect of three-dimensional (3D) printing to create personalized antibiotic-loaded bone cement (ALBC) spacers to assist in treatment of periprosthetic infection after total hip arthroplasty (THA). The data of 40 patients with postoperative infection after THA were analysed retrospectively. The patients were divided into two groups: the 3D-printing group (age 47–78 years, n = 20) and the conventional group (age 57–78 years, n = 20). In stage I surgery, 3D-printed silicone moulds were used to create ALBC spacers for the 3D-printing group, while traditional manual methods were used to create spacers for the conventional group. After the infection was controlled, both groups underwent conventional hip revision surgery (stage II surgery). All patients were evaluated using the Harris Hip Score (HHS) (primary outcome) for hip function. All 40 patients had follow-up data from 3 months after stage I surgery and 12 months after stage II surgery. The intergroup difference in HHS was 11.25 points [97.5% confidence interval (CI) 7.92–14.58; P < 0.01] at 3 months after stage I surgery, and 9.15 points (97.5% CI 4.82–13.48; P < 0.01) at 12 months after stage II surgery. The overall difference between the two groups was 9.55 points (97.5% CI 5.83–13.27; P < 0.01), which was significant (P < 0.05). During the follow-up period, the hip function of the 3D-printing group was superior to that of the conventional group following the treatment of infections after THA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many metal-based complex drugs or nanomedicines are currently being utilized for therapeutic and diagnostic purposes in diseases. To better understand the metabolism, distribution, and transformation mechanism of drugs, studying the in situ distribution of the metallodrugs in organelles and the dynamic metabolism process in vivo is crucial. Due to the high spatial resolution, in situ, non-destructive, high penetration depth and element-specific imaging characteristics, synchrotron radiation technology has become a powerful tool for the distribution and form transformation of metallodrugs at the single-cell level. This review article provides a comprehensive overview of recent advancements in utilizing synchrotron radiation technology to analyze metallodrugs at the single-cell level. The development of synchrotron radiation technology in single-cell analysis areas undoubtedly provides a promising and good prospect for understanding the fate of metallodrugs and will help the future design of metal-based drugs for disease therapy. • The development of synchrotron radiation technology in single-cell analysis. • Metallodrugs analysis at the single-cell level with synchrotron radiation technology. • Assessing and summarizing the advantages of synchrotron radiation technology in single-cell analysis. • Summary of prospects and challenges of synchrotron radiation technology in biological analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: With the development of tissue engineering, enhanced tendon regeneration could be achieved by exploiting suitable cell types and biomaterials. The accessibility, robust cell amplification ability, superior tendon differentiation potential, and immunomodulatory effects of human periodontal ligament stem cells (hPDLSCs) indicate their potential as ideal seed cells for tendon tissue engineering. Nevertheless, there are currently no reports of using PDLSCs as seed cells. Previous studies have confirmed the potential of silk scaffold for tendon tissue engineering. However, the biomimetic silk scaffold with tendon extracellular matrix (ECM)-like structure has not been systematically studied for in situ tendon regeneration. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the effects of hPDLSCs and biomimetic silk scaffold on in situ tendon regeneration. Methods: Human PDLSCs were isolated from extracted wisdom teeth. The differentiation potential of hPDLSCs towards osteo-, chondro-, and adipo-lineage was examined by cultured in different inducing media. Aligned and random silk scaffolds were fabricated by the controlled directional freezing technique. Scaffolds were characterized including surface structure, water contact angle, swelling ratio, degradation speed and mechanical properties. The biocompatibility of silk scaffolds was evaluated by live/dead staining, SEM observation, cell proliferation determination and immunofluorescent staining of deposited collagen type I. Subsequently, hPDLSCs were seeded on the aligned silk scaffold and transplanted into the ruptured rat Achilles tendon. Scaffolds without cells served as control groups. After 4 weeks, histology evaluation was carried out and macrophage polarization was examined to check the repair effects and immunomodulatory effects. Results: Human PDLSCs were successfully isolated, and their multi-differentiation potential was confirmed. Compared with random scaffold, aligned silk scaffold had more elongated and aligned pores and promoted the proliferation and ordered arrangement of hPDLSCs. After implantation into rat Achilles tendon defect, hPDLSCs seeded aligned silk scaffold enhanced tendon repair with more tendon-like tissue formation after 4 weeks, as compared to the scaffold-only groups. Higher expression of CD206 and lower expression of iNOS, IL-1β and TNF-α were found in the hPDLSCs seeded aligned silk scaffold group, which revealed its modulation effect of macrophage polarization from M1 to M2 phenotype. Conclusions: In summary, this study demonstrates the efficacy of hPDLSCs as seed cells and aligned silk scaffold as a tendon-mimetic scaffold for enhanced tendon tissue engineering, which may have broad implications for future tendon tissue engineering and regenerative medicine researches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols were rapidly adopted in many surgeries such as fast-track arthroplasty. The study aimed to investigate the impact of ERAS protocols on the clinical effect of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) via the midvastus approach.Methods: A total of 69 patients who underwent primary unilateral TKA via the midvastus approach from October 2018 to June 2019 were enrolled and randomly divided into two groups: ERAS group and Control group. The ERAS protocols were adopted for the ERAS group and consisted of pure juice drinking 2 h before the surgery, optimization of the preoperative anesthesia plan, phased use of tourniquets, and the use of tranexamic acid as well as a drug cocktail. The operative time, first postoperative walking time, first straight leg elevation time, postoperative hospitalization time, visual analogue scale score (VAS score), Hospital for Special Surgery score (HSS score), conventional Knee Society score (KSS), and knee range of motion (ROM) were used to assess the clinical effects in the two groups. All the included patients were followed up for 12 months.Results: There were no significant differences in the basic demographic information and operation time between the ERAS and Control groups (P > 0.05). The first postoperative walking time (2.11 ± 0.11 h) and first postoperative straight leg elevation time (6.14 ± 1.73 h) in the ERAS group were significantly earlier than those in the Control group (P < 0.001) and the postoperative hospitalization time was significantly shorter (3.11 ± 0.32 days). The postoperative mean VAS scores in both groups were significantly reduced compared with those before surgery (P < 0.001). The VAS scores for the ERAS group were significantly lower than those for the Control group at 1, 2, and 7 days after surgery (P < 0.001). The mean HSS scores, KSS, and knee ROM were significantly increased in both the ERAS and Control groups at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery (P < 0.001). In addition, the HSS scores, KSS, and knee ROM in the ERAS group were significantly higher than those in the Control group at 1 month after surgery (P < 0.001).Conclusions: ERAS protocols improved the clinical effects of TKA via the midvastus approach, facilitating early out-of-bed activity and comfortable postoperative rehabilitation exercise, and further increasing patient satisfaction.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04873544 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sphingosine kinases (SphKs) are a class of lipid kinases, that have received extensive attention as important rate-limiting enzyme in tumor. Inhibition of the activity of SphK1 can lead to an anticancer effect. Herein, we describe the discovery process and biological characteristics of a new SphK1 inhibitor, ascorbyl palmitate, discovered through computer-aided drug design. Biochemical experiments show that ascorbyl palmitate has a strong inhibitory effect on SphK1, with an IC50 value of 6.4 μM. The MTT experiment showed that ascorbyl palmitate had anti-cancer effects toward the U87, A549, 22RV1, and A375 cell lines. Among them, ascorbyl palmitate has prominent inhibitory activity against the 22RV1 cell line, with an IC50 value of 41.57 μM. To explore the structure–activity relationship, four ascorbyl palmitate derivatives were synthesized and tested for kinase activity. The outstanding effect of ascorbyl palmitate toward SphK1 and its known non-toxicity suggest that ascorbyl palmitate may be a lead compound for the development of effective SphK1 anti-cancer inhibitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. For unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA), accurate alignment of the limb is crucial. This study is aimed at investigating the efficacy and safety of a three-dimensional printed patient-customized guiding template (3DGT) for UKA. Methods. A total of 22 patients receiving UKA were randomly divided into the 3DGT-UKA group (n = 11) and traditional UKA group (T-UKA group; n = 11). In the 3DGT-UKA group, the line and angle of osteotomy were decided on a 3D image of the limb reconstructed from imaging data; a guiding template was then designed and printed out. The patients in the T-UKA group underwent conventional UKA. Prosthesis size, operation time, postoperative drainage, hip–knee angle (HKA), pain, and Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) scores were recorded at day 1, week 1, month 1, and month 3 after surgery. Results. There was no significant difference in the size of prostheses between the preoperatively designed and actually used in the 3DGT-UKA group (p > 0.05). HKA was comparable in 3DGT-UKA and T-UKA patients. Operation time was shorter (53.6 ± 6.4 minutes vs. 75.8 ± 7.1 minutes) and wound drainage was less (93.2 ± 3.9 mL vs. 85.2 ± 3.0 mL) in 3DGT-UKA than in T-UKA (p < 0.05). Hospital stay was shorter in the 3DGT-UKA group. The 3DGT-UKA group had a lower VAS score on day 1, week 1, and month 1 and a higher HSS score on week 1 and month 1 after surgery. No varus/valgus deformity or prosthesis loosening was observed in either group at the final follow-up. Conclusion. The 3D-printed patient-customized guiding template may help decrease operation time, decrease blood loss, and improve short-term clinical outcomes in patients undergoing UKA surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to fabricate and test a 3D-printed PCL scaffold incorporating IGF-1-releasing PLGA nanoparticles for cartilage tissue engineering. IGF-1 loaded PLGA nanoparticles were produced by the double-emulsion method, and were incorporated onto 3D printed PCL scaffolds via PDA. Particle size, loading effciency (LE) and encapsulation effciency (EE) of the nanoparticles were examined. SEM, pore size, porosity, compression testing, contact angle, IGF-1 release kinetics of the composite scaffolds were also determined. For cell culture studies, CCK-8, Live/dead, MTT, GAG content and expression level of chondrocytes specific proteins and genes and HIF-1α were also tested. There was no difference of the nanoparticle size. And the LE and EE of IGF-1 in PLGA nanoparticles was about 5.53 ± 0.12% and 61.26 ± 2.71%, respectively. There was a slower, sustained release for all drug-loaded nanoparticles PLGA/PDA/PCL scaffolds. There was no difference of pore size, porosity, compressive strength of each scaffold. The contact angles PCL scaffolds were significant decreased when coated with PDA and PLGA nanoparticales. (p <.05) Live/dead staining showed more cells attached to the IGF-1 PLGA/PDA/PCL scaffolds. The CCK-8 and MTT assay showed higher cell proliferation and better biocompatibility of the IGF-1 PLGA/PDA/PCL scaffolds. (p <.05) GAG content, chondrogenic protein and gene expression level of SOX-9, COL-II, ACAN, and HIF pathway related gene (HIF-1α) were significantly higher in IGF-1 PLGA/PDA/PCL scaffolds group compared to other groups. (p <.05) IGF-1 PLGA/PDA/PCL scaffolds may be a better method for sustained IGF-1 administration and a promising scaffold for cartilage tissue engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of conservative treatment (CST), internal fixation (IF), and hemiarthroplasty (HA) in treating patients older than 75 years with impacted femoral neck fracture (IFNF). DESIGN A randomized clinical trial to compare clinical outcomes of CST, IF, and HA in IFNF patients older than 75 years with a 1:1:1 ratio. SETTING Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China. PARTICIPANTS A total of 154 patients with IFNF aged between 75 and 97 years. INTERVENTION Patients with IFNF were allocated to CST, IF, and HA. They all received a 36‐month follow‐up. MEASUREMENTS All patients were evaluated by Harris hip score (HHS) (primary outcome) for hip function, European Quality of Life‐5 Dimensions (EQ‐5D) index scores for health‐related quality of life, and visual analogue scale score for hip pain. Operation duration, blood loss, mortality, union rate, complications, and reoperation were also recorded. Assessors were blind to the type of treatment. RESULTS: The baseline parameters of the three groups were similar. IF group had much lower blood loss than HA group (P <.05), while no significant difference in operative duration was found between the two groups (P >.05). HHS in HA group was significantly higher at 1, 3, and 6 months (P <.05), but no significant difference in HHS was found between CST and IF groups at any of the time points during the overall follow‐up (P >.05). EQ‐5D index score was higher in HA group at each follow‐up within 1 year (P <.05), but the difference was not significant at 2‐ and 3‐year follow‐up (P >.05). There was no significant difference in mortality among the three groups at each follow‐up point (P >.05). The nonunion rate was 11.76% (6/51) in CST group and 9.80% (5/51) in IF group and showed no significant difference (P >.05). CONCLUSION: CST may be a feasible way for IFNF in the older patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04219943. J Am Geriatr Soc 68:2214–2221, 2020. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of an individual navigation template for the deep pin position on the iliac crest, based on digital design and 3D printing technology.Methods: The preoperative CT images of 8 patients with pelvic fractures were collected. The data were reconstructed using a 3D imaging reconstruction workstation. An individual navigation template for the deep pin position on the iliac crest was designed on a virtual 3D model. The individual drill template and the solid pelvic model were produced using the 3D printing technology. The individual drill template was used for intraoperative deep pin position on the iliac crest after the preoperative simulation was completed.Results: Thirty-two external fixator pins were inserted using the individual drill template. The average depth of pins was 84.82 mm. The trajectories were appropriate based on the postoperative X-ray and CT scan. No significant difference in the entry point, convergence angle, and caudal angle of the pins were noted before and after the operation (all P > 0.05). Finite element analysis indicated that the deep external fixator pin position could more reasonably distribute the stress in the cortical and spongy bones in the pelvis. All patients could perform partial weight-bearing activity 6 weeks postoperatively. No loosening and rupture of the pin, infection, and no damage of blood vessels and nervous tissue were found during the entire follow-up period.Conclusions: The individual drill template technique is an improvement of the traditional technique, which could increase precision and the depth of pin position. In addition, good mechanical stability and low risk of pin-related complications occurred due to the individual drill template, which makes the external fixation technique a potential alternative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hemslecin C, a compound with a novel skeleton, is synthesized by refluxing hemslecin A with KOH in alcohol. Hemslecin C was structurally characterized by specific optical rotation measurement, high-resolution mass spectroscopy, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic analysis. In addition, the molecular structure of hemslecin C was unambiguously determined by X-ray single-crystal determination. We found that its structure was different from that reported in the literature. The acetyl group of hemslecin A is transferred to the carbonyl α carbon of the side chain and is attacked by the 22-hydroxyl group to give a hemi-acetal that is dehydrated to give hemslecin C. The anticancer activity of this new skeleton is determined by sulforhodamine B assay method, and demonstrates excellent activity, thus providing a new framework for the development of anticancer drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long-wavelength fluorescent sensors with large Stokes shifts show useful applications in chemical biology and clinical laboratory diagnosis. We have recently reported [4-(4-{[3-(4-boronobenzamido)propyl]carbamoyl}quinolin-2-yl)phenyl]boronic acid that can selectively recognize d -ribose in a buffer solution of pH 7.4. However, the short emission wavelength (395 nm) and aggregation-caused quenching effect are not conducive to applications as a sensor. Novel diboronic acid compounds are synthesized using 2-(4-boronophenyl)quinoline-4-carboxylic acid as the building block and p -phenylenediamine as the linker. These compounds show aggregation-induced emission and fluorescence emission at about 500 nm. In addition, after binding to most carbohydrates, the aggregated state of the boronic acid–containing compounds is dissociated, resulting in fluorescence quenching. Using [4-(4-{[4-(3-borono-5-methoxybenzamido)phenyl]carbamoyl}quinoline-2-yl)phenyl]boronic acid as an example, addition of 55 mM of d -ribose resulted in the strongest quenching of 83% for all the tested carbohydrates, indicating selectively recognizing d -ribose. The reciprocal of the fluorescence intensity change showed a good linear relationship with the reciprocal of d -ribose concentration (R 2 ⩾ 0.99), indicating sensor binding to d -ribose in a ratio of 1:1 to form an inclusion complex. The fluorescence emission is red-shifted compared to 2-(4-boronophenyl)quinoline-4-carboxylic acid and its common derivatives, which provides a new method for the development of long-wavelength fluorescent sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Boronic acids reversibly and covalently bind to Lewis bases and polyols, which facilitated the development of a large number of chemical sensors to recognize carbohydrates, catecholamines, ions, hydrogen peroxide, and so on. However, as the binding mechanism of boronic acids and analytes is not very clear, it is still a challenge to discover sensors with high affinity and selectivity. In this review, boronic acid sensors with two recognition sites, including diboronic acid sensors, and monoboronic acid sensors having another group or binding moiety, are summarized. Owing to double recognition sites working synergistically, the binding affinity and selectivity of sensors can be improved significantly. This review may help researchers to sort out the binding rules and develop ideal boronic acid-based sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the first time, g-C 3 N 4 @α-Fe 2 O 3 /Co-Pi heterojunctional hollow spheres were successfully fabricated via thermal condensation method followed by solvothermal and photo-deposition treatment, which showed excellent photocatalytical property. Except for the Z-scheme charge transfer between α-Fe 2 O 3 and g-C 3 N 4 , the Co-Pi could further reduce the combination of photogenerated electrons and holes as a hole storage agent, resulting in remarkably enhanced visible-light photocatalytic water splitting activity with the H 2 production rate of 450 μmol h−1g−1, which is 15.7 times higher than that of g-C 3 N 4. Moreover, the photocatalytic activity of the prepared ternary hollow photocatalysts showed almost no significant weakness after five cycles, which indicated their good performance stability. The as-prepared g-C 3 N 4 @α-Fe 2 O 3 /Co-Pi also possessed good activity for overall water splitting with the hydrogen production rate reaching 9.8 μmol h−1g−1. This synthesized g-C 3 N 4 @α-Fe 2 O 3 /Co-Pi composite is expected to be a promising candidate for water splitting. Image 1 • Hollow g-C 3 N 4 @α-Fe 2 O 3 /Co-Pi (CFP) heterojunction spheres are fabricated. • CFP enhances visible-light photocatalytic activity for water splitting. • H 2 production rate of CFP is 15.7 times higher than that of g-C 3 N 4. • The ternary hollow photocatalysts have good performance stability. • Z-Scheme system forms between g-C 3 N 4 and α-Fe 2 O 3 , Co-Pi acts as hole storage agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To reduce the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data acquisition time and improve the MR image reconstruction performance, reconstruction algorithms based on the iterative shrinkage thresholding algorithm (ISTA) are widely used. However, these traditional algorithms use global threshold shrinkage, which is not efficient. In this paper, a novel algorithm based on local threshold shrinkage, which is called the local shrinkage thresholding algorithm (LSTA), was proposed. The LSTA can shrink differently for different elements from the residual matrix to adjust the shrinkage speed for each element of the image during the iterative process. Then, by taking advantage of the sparser characteristics of the curvelet transform, the LSTA combined with the curvelet transform (CLSTA) can make the construction process more efficient. Finally, compared with ISTA, the generalized thresholding iterative algorithm (GTIA) and the fast iterative shrinkage threshold algorithm (FISTA), when analysing human (brain and cervical) MR images, a conclusion can be drawn that the proposed method has better reconstruction performance in terms of the mean square error (MSE), the peak signal to noise ratio (PNSR), the structural similarity index measure (SSIM), the normalized mutual information (NMI), the transferred edge information (TEI) and the number of iterations. The proposed method can better maintain the detailed information of the reconstructed images and effectively decrease the blurring of the images edges. Graphical abstract. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, several boronic acid-based sensors were reported selectively recognizing D -sorbitol in aqueous solution. The fluorescence of sensor 15c was enhanced by 1.5-fold when combined with a low concentration of D -sorbitol (8.88 μM), and the fluorescence enhanced by 0.6-fold after binding to D -fructose, while it did not change obviously when combined with other carbohydrates, including D -arabinose, D -galactose, D -mannose, D -ribose, D -maltose, D -xylose, D -glucose and D -glucosamine. Fluorescence tests were carried out in DMSO/PBS (pH 9, 0.1 M) solution (1 : 99, v/v), at room temperature, which indicated that the sensors are water-soluble. In addition, competition studies showed that sensor 15c works well as a D -sorbitol-specific fluorescence sensor in both the absence and presence of carbohydrate interferents. And sensor 15c has a high binding constant (10 922 ± 776 M−1) and a low limit of detection (6.91 × 10−7 M) at pH 9 among the investigated sensors toward D -sorbitol. Furthermore, sensor 15c was applied to the analysis of real samples (D -sorbitol for oral administration). These studies indicated that sensor 15c may serve as a potential tool to detect the content of D -sorbitol in drugs and food products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The selective identification of dopamine is a significant issue because this compound is an important neurotransmitter closely related to Parkinson's disease and other mental disorders. 2-(4-Boronophenyl)quinoline-4-carboxylic acid (PBAQA) has been previously reported as a water-soluble fluorescent probe for catechol. However, there are no significant differences in the binding constants between catechol and catecholamines, such as dopamine or levodopa. Here a series of bis-boronic acid compounds based on PBAQA were synthesized and the binding activities were characterized. As a representative compound, the binding constant of 4-(4-((3-(3-borono-4-chlorobenzamido)propyl)carbamoyl)quinolin-2-yl)boronic acid to dopamine is up to 104 L⋅mol−1 and much higher than previously reported boronic acid probes. Dopamine selectivity may be achieved by the variation of the substituents in the probe molecules. 4-(4-((3-(3-Borono-4-methoxybenzamido)propyl)carbamoyl)quinolin-2-yl)boronic acid has a stronger binding affinity to dopamine (Ka=5204 ± 106 L⋅mol−1) than catechol (Ka=2588 ± 273 L⋅mol−1) or levodopa (Ka=2383 ± 273 L⋅mol−1). This fluorescence response was used for determining dopamine in a range from 5 × 10−5 mol⋅L−1 to 5 × 10−4 mol⋅L−1 with a detection limit of 7.7 × 10−6 mol⋅L−1. This compound has been successfully used for the assay of dopamine in rabbit plasma, exhibiting excellent specificity. It is believed that synthesized compounds hold great promise as practical platforms to monitor dopamine levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Boronic acids have been widely developed as fluorescent sensors for recognition of carbohydrates, especially d-glucose, ions, catechol compounds and so on. However, few d-ribose selective boronic acid sensors have been reported, and their poor water solubility brings a lot of inconvenience to their applications. Herein we report a novel water-soluble sensor, (4-(4-((3-boronobenzamido)propyl)carbamoyl)quinolin-2-yl)boronic acid (sensor 6). The fluorescence of sensor 6 decreased by 50% when combined with 0.0146 M of d-ribose, while it increased when combined with d-mannose, d-galactose, d-fructose, d-glucosamine, sialic acid, d-sorbitol and d-arabinose, and fluorescence change was not obvious after binding to d-glucose. Therefore, this sensor may serve as a fluorescence quenching sensor for d-ribose. By processing the fluorescence binding data using the Benesi–Hildebrand equation, we found that the reciprocal of fluorescence intensity quenching showed a good linear relationship with the reciprocal of d-ribose concentration, indicating that the binding ratio of sensor 6 to d-ribose is 1 : 1. In pH titration experiments, the quenched fluorescence was most pronounced at pH 7.4, indicating that the sensor may serve to recognize d-ribose at physiological pH 7.4. Subsequently, d-ribose can also cause sensor fluorescence quenching in rabbit plasma and the rabbit plasma fluorescence interference can be excluded. These studies indicate that sensor 6 is a promising tool for detecting d-ribose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract It is difficult to achieve self-healing outcoming for the osteochondral defects caused by degenerative diseases. The simultaneous regeneration of both cartilage and subchondral bone tissues is an effective therapeutic strategy for osteochondral defects. However, it is challenging to design a single type of bioscaffold with suitable ionic components and beneficial osteo/chondral-stimulation ability for regeneration of osteochondral defects. In this study, we successfully synthesized a pure-phase lithium calcium silicate (Li 2 Ca 4 Si 4 O 13 , L 2 C 4 S 4) bioceramic by a sol-gel method, and further prepared L 2 C 4 S 4 scaffolds by using a 3D-printing method. The compressive strength of L 2 C 4 S 4 scaffolds could be well controlled in the range of 15–40 MPa when pore size varied from 170 to 400 μm. L 2 C 4 S 4 scaffolds have been demonstrated to possess controlled biodegradability and good apatite-mineralization ability. At a certain concentration range, the ionic products from L 2 C 4 S 4 significantly stimulated the proliferation and maturation of chondrocytes, as well as promoted the osteogenic differentiation of rBMSCs. L 2 C 4 S 4 scaffolds simultaneously promoted the regeneration of both cartilage and subchondral bone as compared to pure β-TCP scaffolds in rabbit osteochondral defects. These findings suggest that 3D-printed L 2 C 4 S 4 scaffolds with such specific ionic combination, high mechanical strength and good degradability as well as dual bioactivities, represent a promising biomaterial for osteochondral interface reconstruction. Graphical abstract 3D-printed Li 2 Ca 4 Si 4 O 13 scaffolds possess dual bioactivities and can biologically fulfill the requirements of both cartilage and subchondral bone interface reconstruction, which represents a feasible strategy for osteochondral reconstruction. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a powerful diagnostic technique that can penetrate deep into tissue providing excellent spatial resolution without the need for ionizing radiation or harmful radionuclides. However, diagnosing bacterial infections in vivo with clinical MRI is severely hampered by the lack of contrast agents with high relaxivity, targeting capabilities, and bacterial penetration and specificity. Here, we report the development of the first gadolinium (Gd)-based bacteria-specific targeting MRI contrast agent, probe 1, by conjugating neomycin, an aminoglycoside antibiotic, with Dotarem (Gd-DOTA, an FDA approved T1-weighted MRI contrast agent). The T1 relaxivity of probe 1 was found to be comparable to that of Gd-DOTA; additionally, probe 1-treated bacteria generated a significantly brighter T1-weighted MR signal than Gd-DOTA-treated bacteria. More importantly, in vitro cellular studies and preliminary in vivo MRI demonstrated probe 1 exhibits the ability to efficiently target bacteria over macrophage-like cells, indicating its great potential for high-resolution imaging of bacterial infections in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Customized magnesium-doped wollastonite/nano-hydroxyapatite bioceramic scaffolds with precise porous structures were fabricated by 3D printing and coating technique. • Composite bioceramic scaffold with 15 μm coating thickness exhibited the highest mechanical properties. • Nano-hydroxyapatite coating can effectively inhibite the proliferation of human osteosarcoma cells. • Composite bioceramic scaffold had significantly enhanced osteogenic induction on Rat bone marrow stem cells. It is still a major challenge to remove tumor cells and fill bone defects after tumor resection. Combined with the 3D printing technology, the composite bioceramics scaffolds were fabricated with interconnected porous magnesium-doped wollastonite (CSi-Mg) scaffolds as the architecture and nano-hydroxyapatite (n -HA) as the surface. The influence of manufacturing process on the n -HA layer thickness and degradation performance, biological performance and anti-tumor performance of the composite scaffolds were investigated. The n -HA surface layer could effectively retard the degradation rate of CSi-Mg scaffolds and maintain high mechanical strength (over 90 MPa) after immersion in simulated body fluid for 3 weeks. Meanwhile, CSi-Mg/n-HA3 scaffold induced about 50 % of cell death for human osteosarcoma cells (MG-63) in vitro. CSi-Mg/ n -HAx (x = 1, 3) scaffolds could improve the osteogenic performance of Rat BMSC. These findings demonstrate that the bioceramic composite scaffold with high strength, good osteogenic performance and anti-tumor performance is promising for the treatment of tissue injury after resection of osteosarcoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the feasibility of 3D-printed navigation template in proximal femoral varus rotation and shortening osteotomy for older children with developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH). Between June 2014 and May 2015, navigation templates were designed and used for 12 DDH patients. Surgical information and outcomes were compared to 13 patients undergoing the same surgery but without navigation template. In template-guided patient group, operation time (21.08 min vs. 46.92 min), number of X-ray exposures (3.92 vs. 6.69), and occurrence of femoral epiphysis damage (0 vs. 0.92) were significantly decreased (P < 0.05). Furthermore, after 12-18 months follow-up, 66.7% and 16.7% of the hips in template-guided group were rated as excellent or good, respectively, according to the McKay criteria; 83.3% and 16.7% by using the Severin criteria respectively. By contrast, 46.2% and 23.1% of the hips in traditional operation group were classed as excellent or good, respectively, using the McKay criteria; 46.2% and 30.8% by using the Severin criteria respectively. The template-guided group achieved a better outcome; however, there was no significant difference. Application of the navigation template for older DDH children can reduce the operation time, radiation exposure, and epiphysis damage, which also simplifies surgery and improves precision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The goal of this study was to detect early changes in the cartilage matrix caused by immobilization in a rabbit model of immobilization-induced osteoarthritis (OA) by T2 mapping with 7.0 T MRI. Materials and methods Left knee joints of 28 mature rabbits were immobilized at 180° of extension with orthopedic casting tape for 1, 2, or 3 weeks ( n = 7 rabbits each). No immobilization was performed in the control group ( n = 7 rabbits). T2 mapping was performed after 1, 2, and 3 weeks. Osteochondral specimens harvested from the trochlea groove (TG) and medial femoral condyle (MFC) were subjected to histologic, immunohistochemical, and microscopic evaluation, followed by biochemical assays for water, glycosaminoglycan (GAG), and collagen. The ability of T2 mapping to reveal changes in the cartilage matrix was further assessed. Results Rabbits demonstrated elevated T2 values (9.9% in TG, 10.6% in MFC), a dulled cartilage surface, reduced Safranin-O staining, and decreased GAG content (14.2% in TG and MFC) after 2 weeks, with cartilage surface softening, irregularity, and markedly reduced GAG content by 3 weeks. T2 values were correlated positively with water (r = 0.836 in TG, r = 0.821 in MFC) and negatively with GAG content (r = − 0.945 in TG, r = − 0.957 in MFC), but had no discernible relationship with collagen content (r = − 0.196 in TG, r = − 0.213 in MFC). Conclusions 7.0 T MRI T2 mapping can be used to detect early changes of the cartilage matrix caused by immobilization in an immobilization-induced OA model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Many researches have investigated the changes associated with immobilization-induced osteoarthritis (OA). However, there are only few studies focusing on the effect of unilateral knee immobilization on cartilage matrix changes in the contralateral mobile knee. The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of immobilization on the cartilage matrix in the contralateral mobile knees in a rabbit model of OA induced by immobilization.Methods: Right knees (experimental knees) of eighteen mature female rabbits were immobilized at an extension of 180° with orthopedic casting tape for 2, 4, or 8 weeks. Left knees (contralateral knees) of the immobilized rabbits were not subjected to immobilization. The knees of six non-immobilized rabbits were designated as control knees. Following immobilization, cartilage specimens from the medial femoral condyle underwent macroscopic, histological, immunohistochemical, and biochemical evaluations.Results: Roughness of cartilage surface was detected in the experimental knees at 2 weeks, and cartilage degeneration was further developed. In the contralateral knee, cartilage showed degenerative changes after 4 weeks. Safranin-O staining and glycosaminoglycan (GAG) contents were reduced in the experimental knees following immobilization and in the contralateral intact knees after 4 and 8 weeks. Type II collagen staining was gradually reduced, type I collagen accumulation was obviously detected in the upper and middle layers of cartilage in experimental knees after 8 weeks, and the collagen orientation was gradually disorganized in both knees at 4 and 8 weeks. For both experimental and contralateral knees, collagen contents were significantly decreased at 8 weeks, and Mankin and Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) scores increased over time.Conclusion: OA developed in the contralateral intact knee with the progress of OA in the immobilized knee in a rabbit model of immobilization-induced OA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]