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Disorders related to the intervertebral disc (IVD) are common causes of morbidity and of severe life quality deterioration. IVD degeneration, although in many cases asymptomatic, is often the origin of painful neck and back diseases. In Western societies IVD related pain and disability account for enormous health care costs as a result of work absenteeism and thus lost production, disability benefits, medical and insurance expenses. Although only a small percentage of patients with disc disorders finally will undergo surgery, spinal surgery has been one of the fastest growing disciplines in the musculoskeletal field in recent years. Nevertheless, current treatment options are still a matter ...
The intervertebral disc is a complex structure that separates opposing vertebrae, permits a wide range of motion, and accommodates high biomechanical forces. Disc degeneration leads to a loss of function and is often associated with excruciating pain. Written by leading scientists and clinicians, the first part of the book provides a review of the basic biology of the disc in health and disease. The second part considers strategies to mitigate the effects of disc degeneration and discusses the possibility of engineering replacement tissues. The final section is devoted to approaches to model normal development and elucidate the pathogenesis of degenerative disc disease using animal, organ and cell culture techniques. The book bridges the gap between the basic and clinical sciences; the target audience includes basic scientists, orthopaedists and neurologists, while at the same time appealing to the needs of graduate students, medical students, interns and fellows.
Combating neural degeneration from injury or disease is extremely difficult in the brain and spinal cord, i.e. central nervous system (CNS). Unlike the peripheral nerves, CNS neurons are bombarded by physical and chemical restrictions that prevent proper healing and restoration of function. The CNS is vital to bodily function, and loss of any part of it can severely and permanently alter a person's quality of life. Tissue engineering could offer much needed solutions to regenerate or replace damaged CNS tissue. This review will discuss current CNS tissue engineering approaches integrating scaffolds, cells and stimulation techniques. Hydrogels are commonly used CNS tissue engineering scaffold...
Metabolic pathways and their metabolites are gaining recognition as both sensitive biomarkers for pathological conditions and key modulators of cell fate. In the past, metabolic changes were considered a consequence of gene expression, metabolite control, or environmental changes such as starvation. However, extensive research in the last decade has demonstrated that metabolic changes respond to and influence cellular signaling. This crosstalk between metabolism and cellular signaling is mainly enabled by novel metabolite-mediated modulation of enzymatic activity of rate-limiting steps and post-translational and epigenetic modifications, for which metabolites serve as substrates.
Contemporary art, entertainment, and architecture cultures offer a growing amount of digitally mediated spatial experiences, situated either in the metaverse (e.g. VR) or location-based in physical realms (e.g. AR), increasingly powered by generative systems (e.g. AI). Are such spatially “immersive experiences” a new phenomenon and dependent on digital innovation? The Art of Spatial Illusion: Immersive Encounters between People, Media, and Place is an insightful exploration of the evolving relationship between humans, media, and spatial environments, tracing their progression from the Renaissance, via Modernity and Postmodernity, to today’s digital age. The author offers a compelling r...
Adding an important new dimension to the history of U.S.-Japan relations, this book reveals that an unofficial movement to promote good feeling between the United States and Japan in the 1920s and 1930s only narrowly failed to achieve its goal: to modify the so-called anti-Japanese exclusion clause of the 1924 U.S. immigration law. It is well known that this clause caused great indignation among the Japanese, and scholars have long regarded it as a major contributing factor in the final collapse of U.S.-Japan relations in 1941. Not generally known, however, is that beginning immediately after the enactment of the law, private individuals sought to modify the exclusion clause in an effort to ...
A martial arts biography of the legednary founder of judo, Jigoro Kano, and the colorful coterie of disciples who wanted to carry on his legacy Kodokan judo, one of the most well-known martial arts in the world today, was originated by Jigoro Kano (1860–1938), a martial artist and career educator who developed the art after studying several types of jujutsu, sumo, and Western wrestling. Openness and refinement were hallmarks of his personal and professional style, and he relentlessly searched for the best way to practice, teach, and perform techniques. This biography shows how Kano saw judo as a vehicle not just for self-defense, but for physical, spiritual, and moral development as well. ...