The Matrilin-3 T298M mutation predisposes for post-traumatic osteoarthritis in a knock-in mouse model.

Objective: The human matrilin-3 T303M (in mouse T298M) mutation has been proposed to predispose for osteoarthritis, but due to the lack of an appropriate animal model this hypothesis could not be tested. This study was carried out to identify pathogenic mechanisms in a transgenic mouse line by which the mutation might contribute to disease development.

Methods: A mouse line carrying the T298M point mutation in the Matn3 locus was generated and features of skeletal development in ageing animals were characterized by immunohistology, micro computed tomography, transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy.

Early Detection of Cartilage Degeneration: A Comparison of Histology, Fiber Bragg Grating-Based Micro-Indentation, and Atomic Force Microscopy-Based Nano-Indentation.

We have determined the sensitivity and detection limit of a new fiber Bragg grating (FBG)-based optoelectronic micro-indenter for biomechanical testing of cartilage and compared the results to indentation-type atomic force microscopy (IT-AFM) and histological staining. As test samples, we used bovine articular cartilage, which was enzymatically degraded ex vivo for five minutes using different concentrations of collagenase (5, 50, 100 and 500 µg/mL) to mimic moderate extracellular matrix deterioration seen in early-stage osteoarthritis (OA). Picrosirius Red staining and polarization microscopy demonstrated gradual, concentration-dependent disorganization of the collagen fibrillar network in the superficial zone of the explants.

Influence of common lighting conditions and time-of-day on the effort-related cardiac response.

Melanopic stimuli trigger diverse non-image-forming effects. However, evidence of a melanopic contribution to acute effects on alertness and performance is inconclusive, especially under common lighting situations. Effects on cognitive performance are likely mediated by effort-related physiological changes.

Precision 3D-Printed Cell Scaffolds Mimicking Native Tissue Composition and Mechanics.

Cellular dynamics are modeled by the 3D architecture and mechanics of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and vice versa. These bidirectional cell-ECM interactions are the basis for all vital tissues, many of which have been investigated in 2D environments over the last decades. Experimental approaches to mimic in vivo cell niches in 3D with the highest biological conformity and resolution can enable new insights into these cell-ECM interactions including proliferation, differentiation, migration, and invasion assays.

Agent-based simulation of collective cooperation: from experiment to model.

Simulation models of pedestrian dynamics have become an invaluable tool for evacuation planning. Typically, crowds are assumed to stream unidirectionally towards a safe area. Simulated agents avoid collisions through mechanisms that belong to each individual, such as being repelled from each other by imaginary forces.

Inadequate tissue mineralization promotes cancer cell attachment.

Bone metastases are a frequent complication in prostate cancer, and several studies have shown that vitamin D deficiency promotes bone metastases. However, while many studies focus on vitamin D's role in cell metabolism, the effect of chronically low vitamin D levels on bone tissue, i.e.

Ozone exposure and health effects: a protocol for an umbrella review and effect-specific systematic maps.

Introduction: Ambient ozone exposure may be adverse to health. Since the reported associations between ozone and health effects are heterogeneous and the underlying pathways are indistinct, the overall relationship remains unclear. Only a few overall syntheses of the evidence regarding ozone and health effects are available to date.

Effects of Topology Optimization in Multimaterial 3D Bioprinting of Soft Actuators.

Recently, there has been a proliferation of soft robots and actuators that exhibit improved capabilities and adaptability through three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting. Flexibility and shape recovery attributes of stimuli-responsive polymers as the main components in the production of these dynamic structures enable soft manipulations in fragile environments, with potential applications in biomedical and food sectors. Topology optimization (TO), when used in conjunction with 3D bioprinting with optimal design features, offers new capabilities for efficient performance in compliant mechanisms.

Author Correction: Heterogeneity-diversity relationships differ between and within trophic levels in temperate forests.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

Investigation of the Effect of End Mill-Geometry on Roughness and Surface Strain-Hardening of Aluminum Alloy AA6082.

Micro-milling is a promising technology for micro-manufacturing of high-tech components. A deep understanding of the micro-milling process is necessary since a simple downscaling from conventional milling is impossible. In this study, the effect of the mill geometry and feed per tooth on roughness and indentation hardness of micro-machined AA6082 surfaces is analyzed.

Optimizing the Piezoelectric Strain in ZrO- and HfO-Based Incipient Ferroelectrics for Thin-Film Applications: An Ab Initio Dopant Screening Study.

HfO and ZrO have increasingly drawn the interest of researchers as lead-free and silicon technology-compatible materials for ferroelectric, pyroelectric, and piezoelectric applications in thin films such as ferroelectric field-effect transistors, ferroelectric random access memories, nanoscale sensors, and energy harvesters. Owing to the environmental regulations against lead-containing electronic components, HfO and ZrO offer, along with AlN, (K,Na)NbO- and (BiNa)TiO-based materials, an alternative to Pb(ZrTi)O-based materials, which are the overwhelmingly used ceramics in industry. HfO and ZrO thin films may show field-induced phase transformation from the paraelectric tetragonal to the ferroelectric orthorhombic phase, leading to a change in crystal volume and thus strain.

Scanning Conditions in Functional Connectivity Magnetic Resonance Imaging: How to Standardise Resting-State for Optimal Data Acquisition and Visualisation?

Functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging (fcMRI), performed during resting wakefulness without tasks or stimulation, is a non-invasive technique to assess and visualise functional brain networks in vivo. Acquisition of resting-state imaging data has become increasingly common in longitudinal studies to investigate brain health and disease. However, the scanning protocols vary considerably across different institutions creating challenges for comparability especially for the interpretation of findings in patient cohorts and establishment of diagnostic or prognostic imaging biomarkers.

Adhesive Properties of the Hyaluronan Pericellular Coat in Hyaluronan Synthases Overexpressing Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

Hyaluronan (HA), a natural component of the extracellular matrix, is supposed to have a regulatory function in the stem cell niche. Bone marrow-derived human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) are known to express all three hyaluronan synthases (HASes), which are responsible for HA production. HA is extruded into the extracellular matrix, but also stays bound to the plasma membrane forming a pericellular coat, which plays a key role during early cell adhesion.

Depression and anxiety with exposure to ozone and particulate matter: An epidemiological claims data analysis.

Background: Depression and anxiety have complex etiologies and are associated with a significant burden of disease. Although air pollution has been hypothesized as a possible risk factor of these disorders, the associations are still under-investigated. We aimed to analyze associations between long-term exposure to ambient ozone and particulate matter with diameter <10 μm (PM) and diagnoses of depression and anxiety in a general population.

Osteoidosis leads to altered differentiation and function of osteoclasts.

In patients with osteomalacia, a defect in bone mineralization leads to changed characteristics of the bone surface. Considering that the properties of the surrounding matrix influence function and differentiation of cells, we aimed to investigate the effect of osteoidosis on differentiation and function of osteoclasts. Based on osteomalacic bone biopsies, a model for osteoidosis in vitro (OIV) was established.

Loss of tenomodulin expression is a risk factor for age-related intervertebral disc degeneration.

The intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration is thought to be closely related to ingrowth of new blood vessels. However, the impact of anti-angiogenic factors in the maintenance of IVD avascularity remains unknown. Tenomodulin (Tnmd) is a tendon/ligament-specific marker and anti-angiogenic factor with abundant expression in the IVD.

Three-dimensional self-assembling nanofiber matrix rejuvenates aged/degenerative human tendon stem/progenitor cells.

The poor healing capacity of tendons is known to worsen in the elderly. During tendon aging and degeneration, endogenous human tendon stem/progenitor cells (hTSPCs) experience profound pathological changes. Here, we explored a rejuvenation strategy for hTSPCs derived from aged/degenerated Achilles tendons (A-TSPCs) by providing three-dimensional (3D) nanofiber hydrogels and comparing them to young/healthy TSPCs (Y-TSPCs).

Brain hyperintensities in magnetic resonance imaging of patients with mild acute focal neurology.

Purpose: Hyperintensities are common in neuroimaging scans of patients with mild acute focal neurology. However, their pathogenic role and clinical significance is not well understood. We assessed whether there was an association between hyperintensity score with diagnostic category and clinical assessments/measures.

Mice Lacking the Matrilin Family of Extracellular Matrix Proteins Develop Mild Skeletal Abnormalities and Are Susceptible to Age-Associated Osteoarthritis.

Matrilins (MATN1, MATN2, MATN3 and MATN4) are adaptor proteins of the cartilage extracellular matrix (ECM), which bridge the collagen II and proteoglycan networks. In humans, dominant-negative mutations in MATN3 lead to various forms of mild chondrodysplasias. However, single or double matrilin knockout mice generated previously in our laboratory do not show an overt skeletal phenotype, suggesting compensation among the matrilin family members.

The effects of thin film homogeneity on the performance of ferroelectric tunnel junctions.

The compelling physical properties of the recently discovered ferroelectric phase in thin film Hf Zr O have opened a window for applications such as non-volatile resistive switching memory devices with high retention known as ferroelectric tunnel junctions. In this article, we investigate the stability of these two-terminal, polarization induced resistance-switching devices with respect to the statistical reproducibility of constitutive electrical parameters based on surface thickness inhomogeneities. We provide a straightforward, quantitative model to estimate tunneling currents dependent on thickness variations, and the resulting tunneling electroresistance (TER) ratios and breakdown probability.

Fiber-Optic Multipoint Sensor System with Low Drift for the Long-Term Monitoring of High-Temperature Distributions in Chemical Reactors.

A low-drift fiber-optic sensor system, consisting of 24 regenerated fiber Bragg gratings (RFBG), equally distributed over a length of 2.3 m, is presented here. The sensor system can monitor spatially extended temperature profiles with a time resolution of 1 Hz at temperatures of up to 500 °C.

Nanoindentation of Aluminum Single Crystals: Experimental Study on Influencing Factors.

Results from nanoindentation of aluminum single crystals deliver valuable information as model systems for understanding technical aluminum alloys. The effect of the crystal orientation and the azimuthal indenter orientation on indentation hardness and modulus was studied by Vickers indentation (max. load 10 mN) on single crystal surfaces with (100), (110), and (111) orientations.

Exploring the use of smartphones and tablets among people with visual impairments: Are mainstream devices replacing the use of traditional visual aids?

Smartphones and tablets incorporate built-in accessibility features, but little is known about their impact within the visually impaired population. This study explored the use of smartphones and tablets, the degree to which they replace traditional visual aids, and factors influencing these decisions. Data were collected through an anonymous online survey targeted toward visually impaired participants above the age of 18, whom had been using a smartphone or tablet for at least three months.