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The range of motion increased significantly in all patients. Flexion improved from a mean of 51° preoperation to a mean of 100° at discharge, and the average extension loss improved from 10° to 3° (p < 0.000). The average knee score, according to the Hospital for Special Surgery system, improved from 62 points preoperatively to 77 points at discharge, and 91 points at final follow-up (p < 0.000). All the patients were satisfied with the final ROM gain.

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The Hongtoushan Archean Cu-Zn volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) deposit, which was metamorphosed (3.0-2.8 Ga) to upper amphibolite facies at temperatures between 600 and 650°C, occurs in the Hunbei granite-greenstone terrane, Liaoning Province of NE China. Stratiform cordierite-anthophyllite gneiss (CAG) that occurs hundreds of meters below the ore horizon in the Hongtoushan district corresponds to the metamorphosed semi-conformable alteration zone of the VMS hydrothermal system, whereas the CAG that contains abundant deformed sulfide-bearing quartz veins immediately below the main ore layer represents the metamorphosed discordant alteration zone. Whole-rock geochemistry indicates that stratiform CAG was derived ultimately from five lithologies (basalt, basaltic andesite, andesite, dacite, and rhyolite), while discordant CAG derived from a single lithology (rhyolite). Amphibolite and biotite-rich gneiss are identified as a metamorphosed least-altered precursor for these CAGs. Mass change calculation indicates that, compared to the least-altered rocks, stratiform CAG is enriched in Fe and Mg, and depleted in Na, K, Ca, Cu, Pb and Zn, while discordant CAG is enriched in Fe, Mg, Si, Na, Pb, Cu and Zn, and depleted in K. HREE and HFSE (Zr, Ti, Nb and Ta) behaved inertly during submarine alteration, whereas Rb, Sr, Ba and LREE (especially Eu) were leached off.Both stratiform and discordant CAGs are depleted in 18 O, with values up to 7‰ lower than their corresponding least-altered precursors. Addition of Fe, Mg, and depletion of Ca, K, Sr, and 18 O, indicate that hydrothermal alteration for both types of CAGs was characterized by chloritization prior to metamorphism. Stratiform CAG could be used to evaluate the mineralization potential of VMS in metamorphic terranes, while discordant CAG containing sulfide-bearing quartz veins could be a good indication for overlying stratiform massive sulfide ores as well as an exploration target itself.

Stem cell-derived islet organoids constitute a promising treatment of type 1 diabetes. A major hurdle in the field is the lack of appropriate in vivo method to determine graft outcome. Here, we investigate the feasibility of in vivo tracking of transplanted stem cell-derived islet organoids using magnetic particle imaging (MPI) in a mouse model. Human induced pluripotent stem cells-L1 were differentiated to islet organoids and labeled with superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles. The phantoms comprising of different numbers of labeled islet organoids were imaged using an MPI system. Labeled islet organoids were transplanted into NOD/scid mice under the left kidney capsule and were then scanned using 3D MPI at 1, 7, and 28 days post transplantation. Quantitative assessment of the islet organoids was performed using the K-means++ algorithm analysis of 3D MPI. The left kidney was collected and processed for immunofluorescence staining of C-peptide and dextran. Islet organoids expressed islet cell markers including insulin and glucagon. Image analysis of labeled islet organoids phantoms revealed a direct linear correlation between the iron content and the number of islet organoids. The K-means++ algorithm showed that during the course of the study the signal from labeled islet organoids under the left kidney capsule decreased. Immunofluorescence staining of the kidney sections showed the presence of islet organoid grafts as confirmed by double staining for dextran and C-peptide. This study demonstrates that MPI with machine learning algorithm analysis can monitor islet organoids grafts labeled with super-paramagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles and provide quantitative information of their presence in vivo.

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In this case–control study, we evaluated the association between osteoporosis and pulmonary fibrosis in the elderly. Participants were divided into a test group and a control group depending on bone mineral density and grid pattern changes of pulmonary fibrosis. We measured general conditions, related risk factors, serum biochemical index, grid pattern changes of double lungs, pulmonary function, arterial oxygen pressure (PO2), and bone mineral density of participates, and investigated the data through statistical analysis on SPSS 17.0 (SPSS Inc, Chicago, Illinois, USA). Significant differences were observed between groups in all collected indices except PO4. The ratio of pulmonary function disorder was higher in the test group versus the control group (12.0% vs 4.3%). Logistic regression shows that pulmonary fibrosis is a risk factor of osteoporosis, independent of age, sex, body mass index, smoking status, diabetes mellitus, alkaline phosphatase, glycosylated hemoglobin, Ca, PO4, tumor necrosis factor-α, vitamin D total, ventilation disorder, diffusive dysfunction, and hypoxemia. Senile osteoporosis is closely associated with pulmonary fibrosis, diabetes mellitus, smoking, sexuality, age, and body mass index. Pulmonary fibrosis modestly affects the incidence of osteoporosis and thus is a more promising predictor of osteoporosis.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is associated with the presence of inflammation. Sialic acid (SA), an acetylated derivative of neuraminic acid, is reported to be a useful biomarker of inflammation. The aim of the present study was to investigate the correlation between SA levels in the serum and synovial fluid (SF) and radiographic severity in patients with knee OA. A total of 234 patients with knee OA were recruited for the study, as well as 20 patients that had suffered a knee injury or fracture (without knee OA) and 160 healthy controls. Radiological grading of OA in the knee was conducted according to the Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) grading system. SA levels in the serum and SF were measured using Warren’s thiobarbituric acid assay. The results demonstrated that knee OA patients exhibited significantly elevated levels of serum SA when compared with the healthy controls, and also significantly elevated levels of SF SA when compared with the knee fracture patients. Higher SA levels in the SF were identified in knee OA patients with KL grade 4 as compared with patients with KL grade 2 or 3. In addition, OA patients of KL grade 3 had significantly higher SA levels in the SF as compared with patients with KL grade 2 (P<0.01). The SA levels in the SF of the knee OA patients positively correlated with the KL grades (r=0.353; P<0.01). However, there was no significant correlation identified between serum SA levels and KL grade. Therefore, SA levels in the SF positively correlated with the radiographic severity of OA, thus, SA levels in the SF may serve as a biomarker for the progression of OA.