Titanium Debris From Artificial Joints May Trigger Painful Inflammation
Many people with painful, creaky knees and hips find relief after replacing their bad joints with new artificial joints made from titanium. But some of these people develop painful inflammation that can lead to bone destruction and loosening of the new joint. A new study led by researchers at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and published by the Journal of Immunology suggests that tiny titanium particles that flake away from the artificial joints through normal wear and tear may play a direct role in that inflammation.
One Molecule For Muscle Growth And Insulin Sensitivity
Two independent studies in the Nov. 11 issue of the journal Cell, a Cell Press publication, suggest a common way to pump up muscles and prevent diabetes. The key is a molecule required for fine-tuning metabolism by selectively and subtly modifying core metabolic programs. Researchers show that loss of this molecule specifically in muscle produces mice with more fat-burning muscle and greater exercise capacity. "We turned mice into super-marathon mice, " said Johan Auwerx of Ecole Polytechnique FГ dГ rale de Lausanne.
Hip Implants - Traditional Ones As Good As New Ones
According to new evidence published on bmj.com, new hip implants appear to have no advantage over traditional implants. Some evidence even suggests that new implants may be linked to higher rates of revision surgery. Although hip replacement surgery is commonly successful, there are nevertheless a significant number of patients who require revision surgery within 10 years to replace implants due to dislocation, infection, wear, loosening, instability or other mechanical failures. Traditional hip implants consist of metal on polyethylene or ceramic on polyethylene bearing surfaces and are linked to low revision rates, whereas newer alternatives are made from metal on metal or ceramic on ceramic bearings, however their benefits compared with traditional implants is still unclear.