Treatment of Complex Central Talar Fractures with Lateral Plate Combination with Medial Screw Fixation.

OBJECTIVE: The treatment of talar neck and/or body fractures is known to be difficult and challenging, with significant impact on the long-term functional outcome for the patient. The optimal management, including the choice of surgical approaches and implants, are still under constant discussion. The purpose of the study was to investigate the clinical effects of lateral mini-plate combined with medial lag screws for the treatment of complicated central talar fractures. METHODS: The data of eight patients with complex central talus fractures treated between June 2019 and January 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. There were six males and two females, ranging in age from 15 to 66 years, with an average age of 37.4 years. There were three cases on the left and five cases on the right. All fractures were comminuted, including talar neck with talar body fracture in seven cases and talar body comminuted with subluxation of subtalar joint in one case. All patients were treated with the anteromedial combined anterolateral approach, lateral talar mini-plate fixation and medial lag screw fixation. Fracture reduction quality, union time, and complications were recorded, and functional outcomes were evaluated using the American Orthopedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) scoring system. RESULTS: The time from injury to surgery was 1-6 days, with an average of 3.38 days. The follow-up period was 34-53 months (mean 44.88 months). All fractures healed with a mean healing time of 16.75 weeks (13-23 weeks). Anatomical reduction was observed in six cases and near in two cases. After operation, there was no loosening or breakage of implant, loss of fracture reduction, and irritation of skin and soft tissue by internal fixation. The average AOFAS score was 87.38 (48-100), with excellent five cases, good two cases and poor one case, and the excellent and good rate was 87.5%. Superficial skin necrosis in one surgical incision healed after dressing exchange. No deep infection occurred. One case (1/8, 12.5%) developed avascular necrosis of the talus without collapse. Posttraumatic arthritis was found in four cases (4/8, 50%). CONCLUSION: The utilization of lateral mini-plates in combination with medial screws for treating complex central talar fractures results in satisfactory reduction and stable fixation, mitigating complications associated with poor reduction. However, due to the absence of an anatomical mini-plate, pre-contouring is necessary when applying the lateral plate. This demands a surgeon's thorough familiarity with the anatomical morphology of the talus and proficiency in surgical techniques. Posttraumatic arthritis is the most common complication of complex central talar fractures.

Comparison of different internal fixation implants in the treatment of talar neck fractures: A finite element analysis.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to analyze the biomechanics of cannulated screws (CS) with or without a lateral locking plate (LLP) in talar neck fractures through a finite element analysis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The computed tomography image of the talus from a healthy volunteer (adult male) was used to reconstruct a three-dimensional talar model. The method for fixing talar neck fractures with CS and an LLP was planned using computer-aided design software. Afterward, the three-dimensional models of comminuted talar neck fractures were used to simulate fixation with anteroposterior parallel dual CS, single CS+LLP, and dual CS+LLP. Finally, finite element analysis was carried out to compare the outcomes of dual CS+LLP to those of single CS+LLP and to those of using dual CS alone. The displacement and von Mises stress values of the three groups with different internal fixation were analyzed. RESULTS: For a simple talar neck fracture, the lowest amount of displacement was obtained with CS+LLP (0.407 mm), while dual CS (0.459 mm) showed the highest amount of total displacement; the lowest amount of peak stresses was obtained with CS+LLP (5.38 MPa), while dual CS (8.749 MPa) showed the highest amount of total peak stresses. For a comminuted talar neck fracture, the lowest amount of displacement was obtained with CS+LLP (0.398 mm), while dual CS (0.408 mm) showed the highest amount of total displacement; the lowest amount of peak stresses was obtained with CS+LLP (129.9 MPa), while dual CS (205.9 MPa) showed the highest amount of peak stresses. CONCLUSION: Compared to the other two groups, the dual CS+LLP group had better biomechanics properties in the displacement and stress peak of the talus and implant. Thus, the use of dual CS+LLP fixation is recommended for the surgical treatment of comminuted talar neck fractures.

Investigation of the Characteristics and Mechanism of Interosseous Membrane Injuries in Typical Maisonneuve Fracture.

OBJECTIVES: Previous studies on the mechanism and scope of interosseous membrane injury in Maisonneuve fractures have been inconsistent. In order to better guide clinical treatment, the characteristics and mechanism of interosseous membrane injuries and proximal 1/3 fibular fracture in typical Maisonneuve fracture were investigated. METHODS: The study comprised 15 patients between January 2019 and June 2021 with Maisonneuve fracture. All patients received X-ray and MRI examination of the calf and ankle joint, and CT scanning of the ankle joint. The injuries of medial structure, inferior tibiofibular syndesmosis, fibula, posterior malleolus, and interosseous membrane were evaluated. RESULTS: MR images of the calf showed that the injury of interosseous membrane (IOM) was from the syndesmosis to the proximal fibular fracture site in two patients, with a range of 32.3 and 29.8 cm, respectively. In the other 13 patients, the IOM rupture was not only confined to the distal third of the calf, but also close to the fibula fracture, and the IOM was intact between the two fracture sites. The range of distal IOM rupture was 3.7-12.2 cm, with an average of 8.06 ± 2.35 cm. The proximal IOM was completely ruptured from the fibular side at the site of the fibular fracture and the range was 4.1-9.1 (average: 6.75 ± 1.64) cm. The average length of the integrate middle segment of the IOM was 14.55 ± 4.11 (5.6-20.3) cm. MR images of the calf also showed partial rupture of the posterior tibial muscle at the ending point on the fibula in 15 cases, partial rupture of soleus muscle and flexor hallucis longus in seven cases. CONCLUSIONS: The rupture of the IOM was caused by a combination of abduction and external rotation violence. It was manifested in two forms, most of which was not only distal end but also near fibular fracture site ruptures with the middle part intact, and a few were ruptures of the IOM from the ankle to the near fibular fracture site. The tibialis posterior muscle may be related to the location of the fibular fracture.

Molecular characterization and expression analysis of TRIF, TRAF6, and TBK1 of golden pompano (Trachinotus ovatus).

Toll/IL-1R domain-containing adaptor-inducing IFN-ß (TRIF), tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6) and TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1) are critical signal transducers in toll-like receptors (TLRs) signaling pathway. In the present study, TRIF, TRAF6 and TBK1 were characterized from golden pompano (Trachinotus ovatus), named as TroTRIF, TroTRAF6 and TroTBK1, respectively. The full cDNA length of TroTRIF, TroTRAF6 and TroTBK1 was 2297 bp, 2293 bp, and 2482 bp, which respectively encoded 589, 573 and 723 amino acids. The deduced amino acids sequences of TroTRIF, TroTRAF6 and TroTBK1 contained conserved motifs, similar to their counterparts in other vertebrates. Phylogenetic tree analysis revealed that TroTRIF, TroTRAF6 and TroTBK1 were well clustered with their counterparts in other fish species. Quantitative Real-Time PCR (qPCR) analysis showed that TroTRIF, TroTBK1 and TroTRAF6 were detected in all examined tissues of healthy fish, but shared distinct transcript levels. Moreover, the expressions of TroTRIF, TroTBK1 and TroTRAF6 were generally induced by polyriboinosinic-polyribocytidylic acid (polyI:C), lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and Vibrio alginolyticus stimulation in vivo, indicating their critical roles in the immune defense of golden pompano against pathogen invasion. Our results provide valuable information for understanding the functions of these genes in golden pompano.

Molecular Surveillance of Artemisinin-Based Combination Therapies Resistance in Plasmodium falciparum Parasites from Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea.

Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) resistance has emerged and could be diffusing in Africa. As an offshore island on the African continent, the island of Bioko in Equatorial Guinea is considered severely affected and resistant to drug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum malaria. However, the spatial and temporal distribution remain unclear. Molecular monitoring targeting the Pfcrt, Pfk13, Pfpm2, and Pfmdr1 genes was conducted to provide insight into the impact of current antimalarial drug resistance on the island. Furthermore, polymorphic characteristics, haplotype network, and the effect of natural selection of the Pfk13 gene were evaluated. A total of 152 Plasmodium falciparum samples (collected from 2017 to 2019) were analyzed for copy number variation of the Pfpm2 gene and Pfk13, Pfcrt, and Pfmdr1 mutations. Statistical analysis of Pfk13 sequences was performed following different evolutionary models using 96 Bioko sequences and 1322 global sequences. The results showed that the prevalence of Pfk13, Pfcrt, and Pfmdr1 mutations was 73.68%, 78.29%, and 75.66%, respectively. Large proportions of isolates with multiple copies of Pfpm2 were observed (67.86%). In Bioko parasites, the genetic diversity of Pfk13 was low, and purifying selection was suggested by Tajima's D test (-1.644, P > 0.05) and the dN/dS test (-0.0004438, P > 0.05). The extended haplotype homozygosity analysis revealed that Pfk13_K189T, although most frequent in Africa, has not yet conferred a selective advantage for parasitic survival. The results suggested that the implementation of continuous drug monitoring on Bioko Island is an essential measure. IMPORTANCE Malaria, one of the tropical parasitic diseases with a high transmission rate in Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea, especially caused by P. falciparum is highly prevalent in this region and is commonly treated locally with ACTs. The declining antimalarial susceptibility of artemisinin-based drugs suggested that resistance to artemisinin and its derivatives is developing in P. falciparum. Copy number variants in Pfpm2 and genetic polymorphisms in Pfk13, Pfcrt, and Pfmdr1 can be used as risk assessment indicators to track the development and spread of drug resistance. This study reported for the first time the molecular surveillance of Pfpm2, Pfcrt, Pfk13, and Pfmdr1 genes in Bioko Island from 2017 to 2019 to assess the possible risk of local drug-resistant P. falciparum.

Rare pattern of Maisonneuve fracture: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Maisonneuve fracture is a special type of ankle fracture that consists of proximal fibular fracture, a lesion of the inferior tibiofibular syndesmotic complex (interosseous ligament, anterior inferior tibiofibular ligament and posterior inferior tibiofibular ligament), and injury of the medial structure of the ankle (deltoid ligament tear or medial malleolar fracture). The accepted mechanism of Maisonneuve fracture is pronation external rotation according to the Lauge-Hansen classification. In this paper, we report a rare pattern of Maisonneuve fracture, which has the characteristics of both pronation external rotation ankle fracture and supination adduction ankle fracture. CASE SUMMARY: A 31-year-old female patient accidentally sprained her right ankle while walking 5 d before hospitalization in our hospital. The patient was initially missed in other hospitals and later rediagnosed in our outpatient department. Full-length radiographs of the lower leg revealed proximal fibula fracture, inferior tibiofibular joint separation, and medial malleolar fracture involving the posterior malleolus, which was also revealed on computed tomography scans. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed rupture of the anterior inferior tibiofibular ligament and anterior talofibular ligament. We diagnosed a rare pattern of Maisonneuve fracture with proximal fibular fracture, inferior tibiofibular joint separation, medial malleolar fracture and ruptures of the anterior inferior tibiofibular ligament and anterior talofibular ligament. The patient underwent open reduction and internal fixation in our hospital. A 6-mo postoperative follow-up confirmed a good clinical outcome. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this rare pattern of Maisonneuve fracture has not been previously described. The possible mechanism of injury is supination adduction combined with pronation external rotation. Careful analysis of the injury mechanism of Maisonneuve fracture is of great clinical significance and can better guide clinical treatment.

Effect of micro-strain stress on in vitro proliferation and functional expression of human osteoarthritic chondrocytes.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to analyze the in vitro effect of micro-strain stress on the proliferation and functional marker expression in chondrocytes isolated from human osteoarthritis cartilage samples. METHODS: Chondrocytes isolated from human osteoarthritis cartilage samples were subjected to loading with different types of micro-strain stress. The proliferation activity was assessed by flow cytometry, and the functional expression of chondrocyte markers was detected by qRT-PCR and western blot. RESULTS: Flow cytometry results showed stimulation of proliferation of human osteoarthritic chondrocytes when an adequate micro-strain stress was applied. qRT-PCR and western blot results showed that micro-strain stress promotes human osteoarthritic chondrocyte functional marker expression. These features coincide with the upregulation of multiple proteins and genes affecting cell proliferation and functional chondrocyte marker expression, including cyclin D1, collagen II, and Rock. CONCLUSION: Adequate micro-strain stress could activate the Rho/Rock signaling pathway in osteoarthritic chondrocytes, thus transmitting mechanical signals to the cytoskeleton. This process leads to cytoskeleton reorganization, and transmission of the mechanical signals to the downstream effectors to promote proliferation and functional marker expression of osteoarthritic chondrocytes.

Therapy strategies of fifth metatarsal base fracture with lateral collateral ligament injury.

BACKGROUND: Fifth metatarsal base fracture (fifth MBF) and lateral collateral ankle ligament (LCAL) injury are mainly caused by plantar flexion and inversion of the foot. However, there is no relevant report on the incidence, injury type and treatment principle of the fifth MBF combined with an LCAL injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 61 patients with fifth MBF. After admission, patients were given the symptomatic treatment and underwent standard anteroposterior (AP), 30-degree oblique foot radiographs, ankle MR and/or ultrasonic examination. The type of surgery varied base on the individual patients (type of fracture with/without lateral collateral ankle ligament injury). RESULTS: In 61 patients, there were 39 patients with LCAL injury. Among the 39 patients with LCAL injury, 24 patients with Grade I-II injury, 6 patients with Grade III injury, and 9 patients with avulsion fractures. There was no significant difference between the patients without LCAL injury and the patients with LCAL injury in terms of age (p = 0.67) and gender (p = 0.575). The incidence of fifth MBF with LCAL injury accounted for 63.93% of fifth metatarsal base fracture; the most common causes of injury included sprains and falls. The average fracture healing time was 8.3 (range, 6-12) weeks. For fifth MBF with displaced more than 2 mm, hook plate or lag screw was used for fixation; for complete rupture of LCAL, suture anchor was used to repairing the ligament; for partial LCAL injury, plaster was used for fixation after surgery; for avulsion fractures, cannulated screw or suture anchor was used for repair. None of the patients had complications such as delayed union, nonunion, and incision infection. CONCLUSION: Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment can obtain good therapeutic results in fifth MBF patients combined with LCAL injury. Moreover, defining a treatment plan for ligament injury is essential for reducing postoperative complications. This study provides a basis for epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment of fifth MBF with LCAL injury.

Correlation of CT Values and Bone Mineral Density in Elderly Chinese Patients with Proximal Humeral Fractures.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the correlation between computed tomography (CT) values and bone mineral density (BMD) in elderly Chinese patients with proximal humeral fractures. METHODS: This was a single-center retrospective study involving 166 elderly patients with proximal humeral fractures between January and June 2015 in our hospital. Following the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 89 patients were finally enrolled in this study. The spiral CT scanning was performed on these patients, and the CT images were obtained by using MIMICS software. The CT values in axial, coronal, and sagittal images of healthy proximal humeri were measured using a circular region of interest (ROI) by Image J. The bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumbar spine and femoral neck was measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Spearman rank correlation methods were used for analysis of the association between the proximal humerus average CT value (CTMean ) and the lumbar spine as well as femoral neck BMD in patients with proximal humeral fractures, or osteoporotic patients. RESULTS: Among the included 89 patients, there were 26 males and 63 females, 69% and 84% of whom were diagnosed with osteoporosis, respectively. The lumbar spine and femoral neck BMD and the CTMean of the proximal humerus were higher in males than females with proximal humeral fractures (P < 0.05). This gender difference was also found in the osteoporotic patient population (P < 0.05). The Spearman rank correlation method showed that the lumbar spine and femoral neck BMD was closely related to the proximal humeral CTMean in males (r = 0.877, P = 0.000; r = 0.832, P = 0.000; respectively) and females (r = 0.806, P = 0.000; r = 0.616, P = 0.000; respectively) with proximal humeral fractures, as well as osteoporotic male (r = 0.745, P = 0.000; r = 0.575, P = 0.000; respectively) and female (r = 0.613, P = 0.000; r = 0.629, P = 0.000; respectively) patients. CONCLUSIONS: The CT value of the proximal humerus is a rapid and accurate method by which bone quality can be assessed in elderly patients with proximal humeral fractures. Moreover, the CT value of the proximal humerus is an alternative measurement of BMD that can guide surgeons in selecting the appropriate internal fixation material.

Population genetic analysis of the Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte binding antigen-175 (EBA-175) gene in Equatorial Guinea.

BACKGROUND: Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte binding antigen-175 (PfEBA-175) is a candidate antigen for a blood-stage malaria vaccine, while various polymorphisms and dimorphism have prevented to development of effective vaccines based on this gene. This study aimed to investigate the dimorphism of PfEBA-175 on both the Bioko Island and continent of Equatorial Guinea, as well as the genetic polymorphism and natural selection of global PfEBA-175. METHODS: The allelic dimorphism of PfEBA-175 region II of 297 bloods samples from Equatorial Guinea in 2018 and 2019 were investigated by nested polymerase chain reaction and sequencing. Polymorphic characteristics and the effect of natural selection were analyzed using MEGA 7.0, DnaSP 6.0 and PopART programs. Protein function prediction of new amino acid mutation sites was performed using PolyPhen-2 and Foldx program. RESULTS: Both Bioko Island and Bata district populations, the frequency of the F-fragment was higher than that of the C-fragment of PfEBA-175 gene. The PfEBA-175 of Bioko Island and Bata district isolates showed a high degree of genetic variability and heterogeneity, with π values of 0.00407 & 0.00411 and Hd values of 0.958 & 0.976 for nucleotide diversity, respectively. The values of Tajima's D of PfEBA-175 on Bata district and Bioko Island were 0.56395 and - 0.27018, respectively. Globally, PfEBA-175 isolates from Asia were more diverse than those from Africa and South America, and genetic differentiation quantified by the fixation index between Asian and South American countries populations was significant (FST > 0.15, P < 0.05). A total of 310 global isolates clustered in 92 haplotypes, and only one cluster contained isolates from three continents. The mutations A34T, K109E, D278Y, K301N, L305V and D329N were predicted as probably damaging. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that the dimorphism of F-fragment PfEBA-175 was remarkably predominant in the study area. The distribution patterns and genetic diversity of PfEBA-175 in Equatorial Guinea isolates were similar another region isolates. And the levels of recombination events suggested that natural selection and intragenic recombination might be the main drivers of genetic diversity in global PfEBA-175. These results have important reference value for the development of blood-stage malaria vaccine based on this antigen.

A novel classification for medial malleolar fracture based on the 3-D reconstruction CT.

BACKGROUND: Fracture of the medial malleolus is one of the most frequent injuries treated surgically; however, the classification of the fracture has not attracted much attention and a good classification system is still lacking. METHODS: Consecutive cases of medial malleolus fractures were prospectively enrolled. Based on the 3-D reconstruction CT morphology and centered on the posterior colliculus of the medial malleolus, we classified the fractures into 4 types: type 1 with no involvement of the posterior colliculus, type 2 with partial involvement of posterior colliculus, type 3 with the entire involvement of posterior colliculus, and type 4 with the fracture line 4 vertically extended from the intercollicular groove to the comminuted fracture of the posterior malleolus. Statistical analyses were performed to evaluate the clinical significance of the classification. RESULTS: There were 273 cases prospectively enrolled. The distribution of the cases was type 1 of 12.1%, type 2 of 41.0%, type 3 of 30.0%, and type 4 of 16.8%. Statistics showed that the new classification had significant associations but did not totally depend on the classical ankle fracture classifications. Results showed that the new classification had implications in the severity of ankle fractures. From type 1 to type 4, the ankle joint was more and more unstable. Furthermore, comminuted medial malleolar fractures could be subdivided, and the new classification could provide useful information for surgical decision-making. CONCLUSIONS: The novel classification was a useful system to describe the 3-D geometry of the fractured medial malleolus.

Pathoanatomy and Injury Mechanism of Typical Maisonneuve Fracture.

OBJECTIVE: Maisonneuve fracture is a special type of injury which are rare in clinic. The manifestation of such fractures is variable. The aim of this study is to describe the pathoanatomical features of typical Maisonneuve fracture on the basis of radiographs, computed tomography (CT) scans, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and intraoperative exploration findings, and to investigate the injury mechanism of this variety. METHODS: The data of 41 patients with Maisonneuve fracture from April 2014 to September 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 32 males and nine females, the average age was 37.9 years (range, 18 to 61 years), the fractures occurred on the left side in 20 patients and on the right side in 21 patients. The cause of injuries were traffic accident in five patients, sprain injury in 20 patients, and falling injury from height in 16 patients. All patients underwent posteroanterior and lateral X-ray examinations of the ankle and calf. CT scan of the ankle was performed in 38 patients, including three-dimensional reconstruction in 33 patients. MRI examination of the ankle and calf was performed in 28 and five patients, respectively. Forty patients were treated with open reduction and internal fixation. The features of proximal fibular fracture, injuries of the medial and posterior structures of the ankle, injuries of the anterior inferior tibiofibular ligament and the interosseous membrane were recorded and analyzed. RESULTS: Forty-one patients had proximal one-third fractures of the fibula including six patients with fracture involving the fibular neck, 30 with proximal one-third fractures of the fibular shaft, and five with proximal-medial one-third junction fracture of the fibular shaft. Thirty-five patients (35/41, 85.37%) with injury of posterior structures, 34 patients had posterior malleolar fracture (34/41, 82.93%), and one patient had posterior inferior tibiofibular ligament rupture (1/41, 2.44%). There were 20 patients with type I fracture, four patients with type II fracture, and 10 patients with type III fracture according to the Haraguchi classification of posterior malleolus fracture. The fracture of the medial malleolus was in 30 patients (30/41, 73.17%), rupture of the deltoid ligament was in 10 patients (10/41, 24.39%), and medial structures intact were in one patient (1/41, 2.44%). All 41 patients had injury of the anterior inferior tibiofibular ligament. CONCLUSIONS: Maisonneuve fracture is characterized by fractures of the proximal fibula and the complete rupture of the anterior inferior tibiofibular ligament. Pronation-external rotation is the main injury mechanism. The manifestations of typical Maisonneuve fracture including that the fibular fracture located in proximal one-third diaphysis and the fracture line was from anterosuperior to posteroinferior.

Genetic polymorphism of Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein on Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea and global comparative analysis.

BACKGROUND: Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein (PfCSP) is a potential malaria vaccine candidate, but various polymorphisms of the pfcsp gene among global P. falciparum population become the major barrier to the effectiveness of vaccines. This study aimed to investigate the genetic polymorphisms and natural selection of pfcsp in Bioko and the comparison among global P. falciparum population. METHODS: From January 2011 to December 2018, 148 blood samples were collected from P. falciparum infected Bioko patients and 96 monoclonal sequences of them were successfully acquired and analysed with 2200 global pfcsp sequences mined from MalariaGEN Pf3k Database and NCBI. RESULTS: In Bioko, the N-terminus of pfcsp showed limited genetic variations and the numbers of repetitive sequences (NANP/NVDP) were mainly found as 40 (35%) and 41 (34%) in central region. Most polymorphic characters were found in Th2R/Th3R region, where natural selection (p > 0.05) and recombination occurred. The overall pattern of Bioko pfcsp gene had no obvious deviation from African mainland pfcsp (Fst = 0.00878, p < 0.05). The comparative analysis of Bioko and global pfcsp displayed the various mutation patterns and obvious geographic differentiation among populations from four continents (p < 0.05). The global pfcsp C-terminal sequences were clustered into 138 different haplotypes (H_1 to H_138). Only 3.35% of sequences matched 3D7 strain haplotype (H_1). CONCLUSIONS: The genetic polymorphism phenomena of pfcsp were found universal in Bioko and global isolates and the majority mutations located at T cell epitopes. Global genetic polymorphism and geographical characteristics were recommended to be considered for future improvement of malaria vaccine design.

Clinical Outcomes of the Central Third Patellar Tendon Versus Four-strand Hamstring Tendon Autograft Used for Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Systematic Review and Subgroup Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

BACKGROUND: The most frequently used auto-grafts for ACL reconstruction (ACLR) are bone-patellar tendon-bone (BPTB) and four-strand hamstring tendon (4S-HT), but significant controversy exists about which graft is better. This study aimed to compare the knee outcomes following ACLR with BPTB and 4S-HT autografts. METHODS: Subgroup meta-analyses were performed basing on available randomised controlled trials (RCTs) according to different follow-up intervals. 23 RCTs were eligible for inclusion, involving 933 participants in each treatment group. RESULTS: Only short-term (≤2 years) knee anteroposterior and rotational stability were significantly poorer with 4S-HT when compared to BPTB autograft, as judged by side-to-side difference on knee laxity (WMD=-0.50, 95%CI -0.81~-0.18, p=0.002) and pivot-shift test (OR=0.58, 95%CI 0.39~0.88, p=0.010), respectively. The IKDC objective grade was evident to be in favour of 4S-HT group in mid-term (3-5 years) follow-up (OR=0.63, 95%CI 0.43~0.92, p=0.017). Several donor-site related complications, including anterior knee pain, pain with kneeling and extension deficit, were more frequent in BPTB autograft group, while lower short-term iskinetic peak flexion torques both at 60°/S (WMD=8.93, 95%CI 7.88~9.99, p<0.001) and 240°/S (WMD=11.63, 95%CI 9.92~13.34, p<0.001) were caused by HT harvesting. CONCLUSION: BPTB was associated with inferior mid- to long-term (>5 years) knee functional outcomes, and increased frequency of donor-site complications. In contrast, only short-term knee laxity was increased for 4S-HT autograft, which is expected to be improved by providing more conservative rehabilitation protocol and aperture fixation methods.

Comparison of the Efficiency and Safety of Total Ankle Replacement and Ankle Arthrodesis in the Treatment of Osteoarthritis: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

While osteoarthritis is a common degenerative disease, ankle osteoarthritis is a subdivision that has received little attention. Two effective ways to treat osteoarthritis of the ankle are total ankle replacement (TAR) and ankle arthrodesis (AAD). Whether TAR or AAD is more beneficial for treatment is controversial. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to compare the efficiency (clinical outcome and patient satisfaction) and safety (complications and survival) of these two procedures. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement was performed as a guideline for this study. Three electronic databases, PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library, were searched up to May 2019, with no language restrictions. Prospective or retrospective comparative studies were identified. The outcomes included clinical outcome, patient satisfaction, complications, and survival. Review Manager (Revman) 5.3 software was used to conduct the data analysis. We only selected literature from the past 5 years (no earlier than 2015). Seven comparative studies were included. There were six cohort studies and one cross-sectional study. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) was used to assess the quality of cohort studies, and The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) checklist was chosen to assess the quality of cross-sectional studies. No significant difference was observed for efficiency and safety. Clinical outcome was included in five studies with four different scoring systems. Two of them used the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) questionnaire scores to assess the two procedures (mean difference, -4.26; 95% confidence interval [CI], -11.37-2.85; P = 0.24; I2 = 1%). Patient satisfaction (risk ratio [RR], 0.96; 95% CI, 0.65-1.40; P = 0.82; I2 = 54%), complications (RR, 1.15; 95% CI, 0.16-8.21; P = 0.89; I2 = 84%), and survival (RR, 1.91; 95% CI, 0.33-11.08; P = 0.47; I2 = 90%) showed no significant difference between the TAR group and the AAD group. This meta-analysis showed no statistically significant difference between TAR and AAD in clinical outcome, patient satisfaction, complications, and survival. This revealed that TAR and AAD could appear to have similar results in these aspects. Therefore, the present results are not sufficient to conclude which of these two methods is better. Further studies are needed to obtain more clues.

Mandibular Vertical Growth Deficiency After Botulinum-Induced Hypotrophy of Masticatory Closing Muscles in Juvenile Nonhuman Primates.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between masticatory muscular hypotrophy and mandibular growth in juvenile nonhuman primates (cynolmolgus monkeys, Macaca fasicularis). We hypothesized that botulinum toxin (BTX)-induced neuro-muscular junctional block and its resultant hypotrophy of masticatory muscles would produce mandibular growth disturbances in size and shape. Ten male cynomolgus monkeys were divided into three groups: group I (control; n = 3), group II (unilateral BTX; n = 4), and group III (bilateral BTX; n = 3). The unilateral or bilateral muscular hypotrophy of major masticatory closing muscles was induced by synchronous BTX application to masseter, medial pterygoid, and temporal muscle. Mandibular growth was tracked by linear, angular, area and volume measurements using three-dimensional (3D) computed tomography imaging before BTX treatment and after 3 and 6 months. After unilateral hypotrophy of masticatory muscles in group II, vertical growth deficiency was prominent on the BTX side, with compensatory overgrowth on the control side. The bilateral muscular hypotrophy in group III also showed smaller ramal height and width than that of control (group I) and control side (group II). Moreover, ramal sagittal angles (posterior tilt) increased on the BTX side of both groups II and III, but coronal angles (lateral tilt) did so on the BTX side of group II, resulting in asymmetry. The results confirmed our hypothesis that functional activity of masticatory closing muscles is closely related to mandibular growth in size and shape of juvenile nonhuman primates. In addition, the focused growth disturbances on the ramal height and posterior-lateral tilt suggested the possible role of masticatory closing muscles for ramal vertical and angular growth vector of the mandible.

Comparing osteogenic effects between concentrated growth factors and the acellular dermal matrix.

Concentrated growth factor (CGF) is an autogenuous product that contains highly concentrated number of platelets and can be derived from venous blood by selective centrifugation. It has been speculated that local growth factors in human platelets (insulinlike growth factor, IGF; transforming growth factor, TGF-b; platelet derived growth factor, PDGF) would enhance healing of grafts and also counteract resorption. The osteogensis effect of CGF and acellular dermal matrix (ADM) for alveolar cleft defects was evaluated in this study. Twenty alveolar cleft patients were divided randomly into two groups. One group underwent guided bone regeneration (GBR) using acellular dermal matrix film combined with alveolar bone grafting using iliac crest bone grafts (GBR group), while the other group underwent alveolar bone grafting combined with CGF (CGF group). Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images were obtained at 1 week and 6 months following the procedure. Using Mimics 17.0 software, the bone resorption rate and bone density improvement rate were calculated and compared between the two groups. Although not significant between ADM and CGF in bone resorption rate, the bone density improvement in cases with CGF(61.62 ± 4.728%) was much better than in cases with ADM (27.05 ± 5.607%) (p = 0.0002). Thus, CGF could be recommended to patients with alveolar cleft as a better choice.

Comparing osteogenic effects between concentrated growth factors and the acellular dermal matrix

Abstract Concentrated growth factor (CGF) is an autogenuous product that contains highly concentrated number of platelets and can be derived from venous blood by selective centrifugation. It has been speculated that local growth factors in human platelets (insulinlike growth factor, IGF; transforming growth factor, TGF-b; platelet derived growth factor, PDGF) would enhance healing of grafts and also counteract resorption. The osteogensis effect of CGF and acellular dermal matrix (ADM) for alveolar cleft defects was evaluated in this study. Twenty alveolar cleft patients were divided randomly into two groups. One group underwent guided bone regeneration (GBR) using acellular dermal matrix film combined with alveolar bone grafting using iliac crest bone grafts (GBR group), while the other group underwent alveolar bone grafting combined with CGF (CGF group). Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images were obtained at 1 week and 6 months following the procedure. Using Mimics 17.0 software, the bone resorption rate and bone density improvement rate were calculated and compared between the two groups. Although not significant between ADM and CGF in bone resorption rate, the bone density improvement in cases with CGF(61.62 ± 4.728%) was much better than in cases with ADM (27.05 ± 5.607%) (p = 0.0002). Thus, CGF could be recommended to patients with alveolar cleft as a better choice.

Overexpression of suppressors of cytokine signaling 1 regulate the proliferation and differentiation of rat-derived neural stem cells.

Neural stem cells are a reliable resource in various neural tissue repair and neurodegenerative diseases. Increasing evidence has demonstrated that Suppressor of cytokine signaling proteins (SOCS) was involved in the nervous system development. The universality and diversity of SOCS also suggested their important roles in neurogenesis and nerve regeneration. In this study, we employed a lentiviral vector to investigate the impacts of overexpression SOCS1 on the proliferation and differentiation of rat-derived NSCs. Cells infected with LV-EGFP-SOCS1 showed a prominent increased cell number, diameter, and metabolic activity compared with other groups. Immunofluorescence analysis revealed the proportion of cells positive for microtubule associated protein-2 (MAP2) or myelin basic protein (MBP) was significantly increased in LV-EGFP-SOCS1 group while the proportion of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-positive cells in LV-EGFP-SOCS1 group was significantly decreased compare to LV-EGFP and PBS group. Moreover, Western blot results were consistent with immunofluorescence results which indicated that overexpression of SOCS1 could promote neuronal and oligodendrocyte differentiations of NSCs but inhibit astrocyte differentiation of NSCs. In conclusion, our findings provided evidence that SOCS1 could promote the proliferation of NSCs and affect the differentiation of NSCs, providing a potential target for NSCs transplantation strategies.

Effects of STAT3 inhibitors on neural functional recovery after spinal cord injury in rats.

Spinal cord injuries (SCIs) can induce primary and secondary injury, resulting in severe neurological damage and dysfunction in patients. Studies have reported that signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) plays an important role in the inflammatory immune response and neural stem cell differentiation. In order to examine whether a STAT3 inhibitor can prevent worsening of an SCI and promote neural stem cell differentiation, a rat model of surgically induced SCI was created and rats were treated with the STAT3 inhibitor S31-201. Tissue from the injured region was harvested and fixed in formalin and paraffin. H&E staining was used to look for morphological changes. The Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan locomotor scale (BBB score), somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP), and motor evoked potentials (MEP) were examined. Western blotting was used to detect the expression of ß-tubulin ш, vimentin, GFAP, NF-200, and OX-42 protein. Results indicated that the STAT3 inhibitor S31-201 reduces the extent of SCI and it promotes neural stem cell differentiation.