Urolithin A targets the PI3K/Akt/NF-κB pathways and prevents IL-1ß-induced inflammatory response in human osteoarthritis: in vitro and in vivo studies.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease, whose progression is closely related to the inflammatory environment. Urolithin A (UA), a natural metabolite of a class of compounds (ellagitannins and ellagic acid) found in pomegranates and other fruits and nuts, has been proved to exert anti-inflammatory effects in a variety of diseases. However, the exact role of UA in OA development is still unclear. In the present study, we examined the latent mechanism of UA and its protective role in the progression of OA by both in vitro and in vivo experiments. In vitro, UA inhibited the interleukin-1 beta (IL-1ß) induced over-production of nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in a concentration-dependent manner in human OA chondrocytes. Furthermore, by downregulating the expression of metalloproteinase 13 (MMP13) and thrombospondin motifs 5 (ADAMTS5), UA attenuated the degradation of the extracellular matrix (ECM) induced by IL-1ß. Mechanistically, UA was found to suppress the activation of PI3K/Akt/NF-κB pathways. In vivo, in a surgically induced mouse OA model, UA-induced protective effects in OA development could be detected. In summary, this research suggested that UA may be adopted as a new therapeutic agent for the treatment of OA.

[Comparison of different diameter hollow screw for the treatment of femoral neck fractures].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate and compare the outcome of two kinds of diameter hollow screws for the treatment of femoral neck fractures. METHODS: From June 2008 to June 2013, 117 patients with femoral neck fractures were treated by closed reduction and hollow screws fixation. Among them,48 patients were fixed by 6.5 mm screw including 30 males and 18 females with an average age of (45.61 ± 11.99) years old ranging from 19 to 60 years old, involving 17 cases in Garden I/II and 31 cases in Garden III/IV; 69 patients were fixed by 8.0 mm screw including 40 males and 29 females with an average age of (45.17 ± 9.95) years old ranging from 18 to 60 years old, involving 31 cases in Garden I/II and 38 cases in Garden III/IV. The general information, operative time, hospital stay time, reduction quality, diameter of femoral head and neck, fracture healing time, the rate of fracture healing, postoperative complications were recorded and evaluated. Harris scoring was used to evaluate the hip joint function. RESULTS: All patients were followed up for 19.6 months (18 to 24 months). The difference of operative time, duration of hospitalization, quality of reduction were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). There was no difference between two groups about the average diameter of the femoral head and neck, the fracture healing time, the rate of healing and the postoperative complications (P > 0.05). There were no difference between two groups about Harris scale. There were significant difference between Garden III/IV and I /II (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Closed reduction and internal fixation with hollow screw in treating the young adult patients with femoral neck fracture is the first choice, both different diameters hollow screws could meet the requirements of fixation of femoral neck fracture, and not affect on fracture healing time and postoperative complications.

Comparison of reconstruction plate screw fixation and percutaneous cannulated screw fixation in treatment of Tile B1 type pubic symphysis diastasis: a finite element analysis and 10-year clinical experience.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to compare the biomechanical properties and clinical outcomes of Tile B1 type pubic symphysis diastasis (PSD) treated by percutaneous cannulated screw fixation (PCSF) and reconstruction plate screw fixation (RPSF). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Finite element analysis (FEA) was used to compare the biomechanical properties between PCSF and RPSF. CT scan data of one PSD patient were used for three-dimensional reconstructions. After a validated pelvic finite element model was established, both PCSF and RPSF were simulated, and a vertical downward load of 600 N was loaded. The distance of pubic symphysis and stress were tested. Then, 51 Tile type B1 PSD patients (24 in the PCSF group; 27 in the RPSF group) were reviewed. Intra-operative blood loss, operative time, and the length of the skin scar were recorded. The distance of pubic symphysis was measured, and complications of infection, implant failure, and revision surgery were recorded. The Majeed scoring system was also evaluated. RESULTS: The maximum displacement of the pubic symphysis was 0.408 and 0.643 mm in the RPSF and PCSF models, respectively. The maximum stress of the plate in RPSF was 1846 MPa and that of the cannulated screw in PCSF was 30.92 MPa. All 51 patients received follow-up at least 18 months post-surgery (range 18-54 months). Intra-operative blood loss, operative time, and the length of the skin scar in the PCSF group were significantly different than those in the RPSF group. No significant differences were found in wound infection, implant failure, rate of revision surgery, distance of pubic symphysis, and Majeed score. CONCLUSION: PCSF can provide comparable biomechanical properties to RPSF in the treatment of Tile B1 type PSD. Meanwhile, PCSF and RPSF have similar clinical and radiographic outcomes. Furthermore, PCSF also has the advantages of being minimally invasive, has less blood loss, and has shorter operative time and skin scar.

[Comparison of three fixation methods for the treatment of tibial fractures in adolescents].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the fixation methods in treatment of tibial fracture in adolescents by comparing the results and complications of three fixation methods and to determine the factors related to those complications. METHODS: From January 2007 to January 2012, 83 diaphyseal tibial fractures in 79 adolescents were treated with elastic stable intramedullary nail fixation, plate fixation, or external fixation respectively. There were 55 males and 24 females with an average age of 13.9 years (ranging from 11 to 17.6 years). Outcomes were compared in terms of the hospital stay,time to union, complications, and reoperation rates. RESULTS: All patients were followed up for 15.8 months in average. The time to union was significant associated with the pattern of fixation, energy of the injury, multiple and open fracture. The time of bone union of external fixation group was longer than that of elastic stable intramedullary nail fixation and plate fixation groups. But complication rates of external fixation group were higher than that of elastic stable intramedullary nail fixation and plate fixation groups. Four patients were treated with elastic nail fixation underwent a reoperation (loss of reduction in 2 cases, delayed union and nonunion in each 1 case). Six patients were treated with external fixation required a reoperation (loss of reduction in 3 cases, malunion in 2 cases, and replacement of a pin canal infection in 1 case). Two fractures were treated with plate fixation required refixation following nonunion and malunion. A multivariate analysis with adjustment for baseline differences showed external fixation to be associated with a 7.56 times (95% confidence interval=3.74 to 29.87) greater risk of loss of reduction and (or) malunion than elastic stable intramedullary nail fixation. At the final follow-up,there were agreeable results among three groups and no significant differences among them in final therapeutic effect (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: External fixation for treatment of tibial fracture in adolescents has the highest rate of complications than the other two fixation methods. Elastic stable intramedullary nail fixation can achieve the same effect of other fixed system and avoid most of the complications. Operation method choice depends on the experience of doctors and patients' basic situation and the fracture types.