The study on bacterial cellulose (BC) nanofibers used as templates for hydroxylapatite (HAp) deposition has been investigated by our group and many other researchers. However, BC is only microscopically similar to natural collagen but not molecular structure. If protein could be introduced to the surfaces of BC nanofibers, the BC nanofibers could mimic the natural collagen fibers in terms of both shape and molecular structure. In this work, our latest results concerning the preparation of polylysine (PLL) coated BC nanofibers are reported. It is found that the e-polylysine (PLL), a natural coming peptide, was introduced to the surfaces of BC nanofibers via crosslinking method by using procyanidins as crosslinker. The bioactivity of PLL coated BC nanofibers was demonstrated by the bone-like HAp deposition throughout the scaffold in a simulated body fluid (SBF). To initiate mineralization the PLL coated BC nanofibers were immersed in 1.5 times simulated body fluids (1.5 SBF) at 37°C for 7 days. The deposited minerals on the nanofiber surfaces were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). These PLL coated BC nanofibers were proved to act as nano templates to induce the formation of nano-sized platelet-like, calcium-deficient, B-type carbonated HAp of which the features was closed to those of biological apatite.

Apparent diffusion coefficient can be used in differentiating between synovitis and joint effusion and between bone erosion and cysts.

Facet tropism and orientation are thought to be associated with lumbar disc herniation (LDH), but the relationship is not well established. Moreover, the effect of facet joint on LDH has not been outlined in young patients. The objective of this study was to investigate the associations of facet joint tropism and orientation with LDH in young patients (18-35 years) by computed tomography (CT). Fifty-three patients with LDH and 129 with neither LDH nor low back pain (18-35 years) were included in this study. The facet joint angles were measured for each facet joint by CT as per the method described by Noren et al. We defined facet tropism as a bilateral angle difference > 5°. Young cases with neither LDH nor low back pain were used as the control group. The results showed that LDH was significantly associated with more coronal facet joint orientation at L1-2 (p = 0.009), L2-3 (p = 0.004), and L3-4 (p = 0.004). No association was established between facet tropism and LDH. This study revealed that facet joint orientation was associated with LDH in young patients (18-35 years); they were more of coronal facing at upper levels. Also, the facet tropism was not associated with LDH.

No abstract

To the Editor: Enthesitis is an inflammation of the iliac attachment of ligaments or tendons, which may be among the first symptoms of spondyloarthritis (SpA) and is a unique characteristic of SpA which can differentiate it from rheumatoid arthritis. In spondyloarthropathies, peripheral enthesitis precedes joint symptoms and is associated with a higher degree of erosive disease. Four methods are available for evaluation of enthesitis, including tenderness, conventional radiography, ultrasonography, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). However, over 100 entheses are found in the human body. The aforementioned four methods can detect only local enthesitis. Whole-body MRI (WB-MRI) is a novel approach that allows visualization of the entire body in one examination, but has lower image resolution than conventional MRI. [1] Recent studies have explored the application of WB-MRI. However, realworld data are lacking, and most of them are limited to psoriatic arthritis (PsA). In the present study, the distribution pattern of enthesitis was explored in patients with SpA using WB-MRI in real world set. The result was compared with that of other clinical instruments used to evaluate enthesitis.