Recent evidence has suggested that the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist ketamine shows significant therapeutic effects in major depression and bipolar disorder. This effect is especially important in treatment-resistant depression and depression with suicidal ideation. In this review we explain the mechanism of action, drug efficacy, and the side effects of ketamine; the antidepressive effects of ketamine; the individual effects of ketamine isomers, R(–) ketamine and S(+) ketamine; the effects of the combination of ketamine with electroconvulsive therapy; and the possible use of ketamine in treating depression.

As the most common noncutaneous malignancy in American men, prostate cancer currently accounts for 29% of all diagnosed cancers, and ranks second as the cause of cancer fatality in American men. Prostatic cancer is rarely symptomatic early in its course and therefore disease presentation often implies local extension or even metastatic disease. Thus, it is extremely critical to detect and diagnose prostate cancer in its earliest stages, often prior to the presentation of symptoms. Three of the most common techniques used to detect prostate cancer are the digital rectal exam, the transrectal ultrasound, and the use of biomarkers. This review presents an update regarding the field of prostate cancer biomarkers and comments on future biomarkers. Although there is not a lack of research in the field of prostate cancer biomarkers, the discovery of a novel biomarker that may have the advantage of being more specific and effective warrants future scientific inquiry.

As the field of medicine grows and expands, new scientific developments hold great promise for improving quality of care, clinical research, and the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. Quantum physics is a promising field that intersects with medicine much more than originally understood. In terms of diagnosing different diseases, incorporating quantum mechanics into the study of medicine can allow for efficient diagnosis before symptoms even arise in a patient. Applying theory-based mathematical structures that describe neuron transmission throughout the brain and mind on a quantum scale can help us to better understand neurological diseases in patients. Quantum theory can even give plausible explanations for subtle DNA changes and even telomere reduction in patients who develop cancer. Utilizing quantum theory in the field of medicine can help in understanding and applying treatments for a multitude of different diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease or diverse types of cancer, and even expand upon efficient and reliable diagnosis in clinical settings. Quantum physics is a pertinent advancing field that may have a significant impact on expanding medical care and treatment in the near future. In this review, the application of quantum physics in medicine is discussed.

AJA publishes new findings in basic and clinical (including modern, traditional and epidemiological) research on Andrology.

One of the major challenges in orthopedics is to develop implants that overcome current postoperative problems such as osteointegration, proper load bearing, and stress shielding. Current implant techniques such as allografts or endoprostheses never reach full bone integration, and the risk of fracture due to stress shielding is a major concern. To overcome this, a novel technique of reverse engineering to create artificial scaffolds was designed and tested. The purpose of the study is to create a new generation of implants that are both biocompatible and biomimetic. 3D-printed scaffolds based on physiological trabecular bone patterning were printed. MC3T3 cells were cultured on these scaffolds in osteogenic media, with and without the addition of Calcitonin Receptor Fragment Peptide (CRFP) in order to assess bone formation on the surfaces of the scaffolds. Integrity of these cell-seeded bone-coated scaffolds was tested for their mechanical strength. The results show that cellular proliferation and bone matrix formation are both supported by our 3D-printed scaffolds. The mechanical strength of the scaffolds was enhanced by trabecular patterning in the order of 20% for compression strength and 60% for compressive modulus. Furthermore, cell-seeded trabecular scaffolds modulus increased fourfold when treated with CRFP. Upon mineralization, the cell-seeded trabecular implants treated with osteo-inductive agents and pretreated with CRFP showed a significant increase in the compressive modulus. This work will lead to creating 3D structures that can be used in the replacement of not only bone segments, but entire bones.

Background: Currently used synthetic bone graft substitutes (BGS) are either too weak to bear the principal load or if metallic, they can support loading, but can lead to stress shielding and are unable to integrate fully. In this study, we developed biocompatible, 3D printed scaffolds derived from µCT images of the bone that can overcome these issues and support the growth of osteoblasts. Methods: Cylindrical scaffolds were fabricated with acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and Stratasys^® MED 610 (MED610) materials. The 3D-printed scaffolds were seeded with Mus musculus calvaria cells (MC3T3). After the cells attained confluence, osteogenesis was induced with and without the addition of calcitonin receptor fragment peptide (CRFP) and the bone matrix production was analyzed. Mechanical compression testing was carried out to measure compressive strength, stiffness, and elastic modulus. Results: For the ABS scaffolds, there was a 9.8% increase in compressive strength (p < 0.05) in the scaffolds with no pre-coating and the treatment with CRFP, compared to non-treated scaffolds. Similarly, MED610 scaffolds treated with CRFP showed an 11.9% (polylysine pre-coating) and a 20% (no pre-coating) increase (p < 0.01) in compressive strength compared to non-treated scaffolds. Conclusions: MED610 scaffolds are excellent BGS as they support osteoblast growth and show enhanced bone growth with enhanced compressive strength when augmented with CRFP.