Osteoarthritis: Novel Molecular Mechanisms Increase Our Understanding of the Disease Pathology

Although osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common musculoskeletal condition that causes significant health and social problems worldwide, its exact etiology is still unclear. With an aging and increasingly obese population, OA is becoming even more prevalent than in previous decades. Up to 35% of the world’s population over 60 years of age suffers from symptomatic (painful, disabling) OA. The disease poses a tremendous economic burden on the health-care system and society for diagnosis, treatment, sick leave, rehabilitation, and early retirement. Most patients also experience sleep disturbances, reduced capability for exercising, lifting, and walking and are less capable of working, and maintaining an independent lifestyle. For patients, the major problem is disability, resulting from joint tissue destruction and pain. So far, there is no therapy available that effectively arrests structural deterioration of cartilage and bone or is able to successfully reverse any of the existing structural defects. Here, we elucidate novel concepts and hypotheses regarding disease progression and pathology, which are relevant for understanding underlying the molecular mechanisms as a prerequisite for future therapeutic approaches. Emphasis is placed on topographical modeling of the disease, the role of proteases and cytokines in OA, and the impact of the peripheral nervous system and its neuropeptides

Turmeric and black pepper spices decrease lipid peroxidation in meat patties during cooking.

Spices are rich in natural antioxidants and have been shown to be potent inhibitors of lipid peroxidation during cooking of meat. Turmeric contains unique conjugated curcuminoids with strong antioxidant activity. Piperine, one of the main constituents of black pepper, is known to increase the bioavailability of curcuminoids in mouse and human studies when consumed with turmeric. We investigated whether adding black pepper to turmeric powder may further inhibit lipid peroxidation when added to meat patties prior to cooking. The addition of black pepper to turmeric significantly decreased the lipid peroxidation in hamburger meat. When investigating the antioxidant activity of the main chemical markers, we determined that piperine did not exhibit any antioxidant activity. Therefore, we conclude that other black pepper ingredients are responsible for the increased antioxidant activity of combining black pepper with turmeric powder

Cost-effectiveness and budget impact of the microprocessor-controlled knee C-Leg in transfemoral amputees with and without diabetes mellitus

Background: The safe use of a prosthesis in activities of daily living is key for transfemoral amputees. However, the number of falls varies significantly between different prosthetic device types. This study aims to compare medical and economic consequences of falls in transfemoral amputees who use the microprocessor-controlled knee joint C-Leg with patients who use non-microprocessor-controlled (mechanical) knee joints (NMPK). The main objectives of the analysis are to investigate the cost-effectiveness and budget impact of C-Legs in transfemoral amputees with diabetes mellitus (DM) and without DM in Germany. Methods: A decision-analytic model was developed that took into account the effects of prosthesis type on the risk of falling and fall-related medical events. Cost-effectiveness and budget impact analyses were performed separately for transfemoral amputees with and without DM. The study took the perspective of the statutory health insurance (SHI). Input parameters were derived from the published literature. Univariate and probabilistic sensitivity analyses (PSA) were performed to investigate the impact of changes in individual input parameter values on model outcomes and to explore parameter uncertainty. Results: C-Legs reduced the rate of fall-related hospitalizations from 134 to 20 per 1000 person years (PY) in amputees without DM and from 146 to 23 per 1000 PY in amputees with DM. In addition, the C-Leg prevented 15 or 14 fall-related death per 1000 PY. Over a time horizon of 25 years, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was 16,123 Euro per quality-adjusted life years gained (QALY) for amputees without DM and 20,332 Euro per QALY gained for amputees with DM. For the period of 2020–2024, the model predicted an increase in SHI expenditures of 98 Mio Euro (53 Mio Euro in prosthesis users without DM and 45 Mio Euro in prosthesis users with DM) when all new prosthesis users received C-Legs instead of NMPKs and 50% of NMPK user whose prosthesis wore out switched to C-Legs. Results of the PSA showed moderate uncertainty and a probability of 97–99% that C-Legs are cost-effective at an ICER threshold of 40,000 Euro (˜ German GDP per capita in 2018) per QALY gained. Conclusion: Results of the study suggest that the C-Leg provides substantial additional health benefits compared with NMPKs and is likely to be cost-effective in transfemoral amputees with DM as well as in amputees without DM at an ICER threshold of 40,000 Euro per QALY gained. © 2020, The Author(s)

Limitations of MTT and MTS-Based Assays for Measurement of Antiproliferative Activity of Green Tea Polyphenols

The chemopreventive effect of green tea polyphenols, such as (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), has been well demonstrated in cell culture studies. However, a wide range of IC(50) concentrations has been observed in published studies of the anti-proliferative activity of EGCG from different laboratories. Although the susceptibility to EGCG treatment is largely dependent on cancer cell type, the particular cell viability and proliferation assays utilized may significantly influence quantitative results reported in the literature.We compared five widely used methods to measure cell proliferation and viability after EGCG treatment using LNCaP prostate cancer cells and MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Both methods using dyes to quantify adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and deoxynucleic acid (DNA) showed accuracy in the measurement of viable cells when compared to trypan blue assay and results showed good linear correlation (r = 0.95). However, the use of MTT (3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) and MTS (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium) as indicators of metabolically active mitochondria overestimated the number of viable cells by comparison with the ATP, DNA, or trypan blue determinations. As a result, the observed IC(50) concentration of EGCG was 2-fold higher using MTT and MTS compared to dyes quantifying ATP and DNA. In contrast, when cells were treated with apigenin MTT and MTS assays showed consistent results with ATP, DNA, or trypan blue assays.These results demonstrate that MTT and MTS -based assays will provide an underestimation of the anti-proliferative effect of EGCG, and suggest the importance of careful evaluation of the method for in vitro assessment of cell viability and proliferation depending on the chemical nature of botanical supplements

Importance of co-captured gases in the underground storage of CO2 : Quantification of mineral alterations in chemical experiments

AbstractCarbon dioxide capture and geological storage (CCS) is being developed to reduce the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from anthropogenic point sources, e.g. fossil-fuel power plants, to the atmosphere. To establish CCS technology, it is indispensable to develop a reliable database and geochemical models concerning the geological storage of CO2, e.g. in saline aquifers, which are to be filled with “overwhelmingly CO2” (Directive 2009/31/EC). To establish reliable models it is essential to have applicable thermodynamic properties, kinetic data, and a good understanding of the occurring chemical reactions. So far most experiments and existing data apply to pure CO2 gas instead of the captured CO2 waste gas that will contain minor amounts of co-captured gases, e.g. O2, N2, NOx, SOx, CO, H2, H2S. Quantitative measures of the chemical alterations due to these accessory gases are scarce.In the national COORAL project “ CO2 Purity for Separation and Storage”, a number of institutions work towards a better understanding of environmentally and economically feasible concentrations of the accessory gases during capture, transport, injection and storage. The sub-project at BGR focuses on high-pressure and high-temperature (HPHT) experiments to elucidate mineral and fluid alterations and quantify kinetic rates for the mineral-fluid- CO2-co-injected gas system. An unstirred batch-reactor system allows for four contemporaneous experiments at precisely defined p-T conditions of up to p≤590 bar T≤350 °C. Runs are conducted using three components: (1) natural mono-minerals, (2) salt solutions representing brines of deep saline aquifers in Northern Germany and (3) binary gas mixtures of CO2 plus one accessory gas. All experiments take place in an inert environment, using gold reaction cells with volumes of up to 130 ml, which allow the addition or removal of fluids throughout the experiment without altering the experimental conditions. Further experiments comprise experiments using (1) multi-mineral set-ups in a batch experiment and (2) up to 45-cm-long sedimentary rock cores in flow-through reactors. The latter system is currently under construction, while batch - and capsular - experiments run successfully.To further optimize the experimental design and to evaluate the experiments the project combines laboratory experiments and numerical simulations, applying the geochemical simulators PHREEQC and ChemApp which will be coupled to OpenGeoSys (OGS) for thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical (THMC) process simulations

Free-range grazing by large herbivores in degraded large-scale dry sandy grassland-heathland ecosystems

Free-range grazing by large herbivores combined with one-time mowing of over-aged heathlands offers an excellent management tool to maintain and enhance biodiversity in degraded large scale, low productive, semi-open dry sandy grassland-heathland ecosystems. Grazing improves habitat quality, supports typical species communities and represses invasive species

Levels and change in autonomous and controlled work motivation in older workers—The role of proximity to retirement and sense of community at work

Previous studies suggest a preretirement disengagement process from work, which includes reduced work motivation. In this study, we investigated changes in autonomous and controlled work motivation over two years among participants of the Health, Aging and Retirement Transition in Sweden (HEARTS) study. We found stability in both types of motivation; however, those who retired after the study period showed more distinct declines in autonomous motivation. A stronger sense of community at work was related to level, but not change in autonomous motivation. Intra-individual fluctuations in the expected retirement age did not predict work motivation or vice versa. Future studies are needed to better understand the antecedents and consequences of preretirement declines in autonomous work motivation.publishedVersio

Laser-welded interconnection of screen-printed Si solar cells

We demonstrate the laser welding of Al interconnects to the BSF rear-side of screen-printed two-side-contacted solar cells. The Al paste on the rear side of solar cell is laser-welded to an Al foil. This reduces the silver consumption of the solar cells by making silver pads on the rear side obsolete. Our proof-of-concept modules are free of laser damage. A 3-cell-module from 6" solar cells shows no change in fill factor within the statistical measurement uncertainty after artificial aging in 500 humidityfreeze cycles.German Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, and Reactor Safety/0325192State of Lower Saxon