Human bone marrow (BM) is a kind of source of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) as well as growth factors and cytokines that may aid anti-inflammation and regeneration for various tissues, including cartilage and bone. However, since MSCs in BM usually occupy only a small fraction (0.001%) of nucleated cells, bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC) for cartilage pathologies, such as cartilage degeneration, defect, and osteoarthritis, have gained considerable recognition in the last few years due to its potential benefits including disease modifying and regenerative capacity. Although further research with well-designed, randomized, controlled clinical trials is needed to elucidate the exact mechanism of BMAC, this may have the most noteworthy effect in patients with osteoarthritis. The purpose of this article is to review the general characteristics of BMAC, including its constituent, action mechanisms, and related issues. Moreover, this article aims to summarize the clinical outcomes of BMAC reported to date.

Exosomes are nano-sized vesicles (50–150 nm in diameter) that contain nucleic acids (e.g., microRNA and messenger RNA), functional proteins, and bioactive lipids. They are secreted by various types of cells, including B cells, T cells, reticulocytes, dendritic cells, mast cells, epithelial cells, and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). They perform a wide variety of functions, including the repair of damaged tissues, regulation of immune responses, and reduction in inflammation. When considering the limitations of MSCs, including issues in standardization and immunogenicity, MSC-derived exosomes have advantages such as small dimensions, low immunogenicity, and lack of requirement for additional procedures for culture expansion or delivery. MSC-derived exosomes have shown outstanding therapeutic effects through chondro-protective and anti-inflammatory properties. MSC-derived exosomes may enable a new therapeutic paradigm for the treatment of osteoarthritis. However, further research is needed to prove their clinical effectiveness and feasibility.

Diagnostic techniques for spinal pathologies have been developed in accordance with advances in technology. Accurate diagnosis of spinal pathology is essential for appropriate management of spinal diseases. Since the development of X-rays in 1895 and computed tomography (CT) in 1967, several diagnostic imaging modalities have been utilized for detecting spinal pathologies, including radiography, CT, magnetic resonance imaging, and radionuclide imaging. In addition to diagnostic imaging technologies, electrodiagnostic tests, including electromyography and nerve conduction studies, play a significant role as diagnostic tools, as spinal diseases are mostly profoundly associated with pathologies of the neural structures, such as the spinal cord and nerve root, and extent of injury at the structure cannot be adequately detected by conventional imaging techniques. In patient-specific treatment strategies, usage of diagnostic modalities is of great importance; thus, we should be aware of the basic details and approaches of the different diagnostic modalities. In this review, the authors discuss the details of the technologies that aid in the diagnosis of spinal pathologies.

Sarcopenia is a condition in which muscle mass and strength are decreased and muscle function is impaired. It is an indicator of frailty and loss of independence in older adults. It is also associated with increased physical disability, which increases the risk of falls. As a multifactorial disease, sarcopenia is caused by a combination of factors including aging, hormonal changes, nutritional deficiencies, and physical inactivity. Understanding the underlying pathophysiology of sarcopenia and identifying its different causes is critical to developing effective prevention and treatment strategies. This review summarizes the pathophysiology, consequences, diagnostic methods, and multidisciplinary approaches to sarcopenia.

Background: Cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) is a critical condition that results in significant neurologic deterioration. An accurate diagnosis is essential for determining its outcome and prognosis. The pathology is strongly associated with dynamic factors; therefore, dynamic magnetic resonance (MR) image could be crucial to accurately detect CSM. However, very few studies have evaluated the reliability and accuracy of dynamic MR in CSM. In this study, we aimed to compare intra- and interobserver reliabilities and accuracy of dynamic MR in detecting CSM using sagittal MR scans of the neck in the flexed, neutral, and extended position. Methods: Out of 131 patients who underwent surgical treatments for CSM, 107 were enrolled in this study. The patient underwent three-types of sagittal MR scans that were obtained separately in different neck positions (neutral, flexion, and extension postures). The MR scans of the cervical spine were evaluated independently by three spine professionals, on the basis of tabled questionnaires. For accuracy, we performed a receiver operator characteristic analysis, and the overall discriminating ability of each method was measured by calculating the area under the ROC curve. The Cohen’s kappa coefficient and the Fleiss-generalized kappa coefficient was used to the inter- and intra-observer reliabilities. Results: The intraobserver reliability (using the Cohen’s kappa coefficient) and interobserver reliability (using the Fless kappa coefficient) were respectively 0.64 and 0.52 for the neutral sagittal MR. The accuracy of neutral sagittal MR in detecting CSM was 0.735 (95% CI, 0.720 to 0.741) while that of extension sagittal MRI was 0.932 (96% CI, 0.921 to 0.948). Conclusions: Dynamic MR significantly showed better diagnostic reliability and accuracy in detecting CSM compared to conventional MR. In particular, extension MR scans could provide a more accurate diagnosis than other images.

Monitoring health status at home has garnered increasing interest. Therefore, this study investigated the potential feasibility of using noncontact sensors in actual home settings. We searched PubMed for relevant studies published until February 19, 2024, using the keywords “home-based,” “home,” “monitoring,” “sensor,” and “noncontact.” The studies included in this review involved the installation of noncontact sensors in actual home settings and the evaluation of their performance for health status monitoring. Among the 3 included studies, 2 monitored respiratory status during sleep and 1 monitored body weight and cardiopulmonary physiology. Measurements such as heart rate, respiratory rate, and body weight obtained with noncontact sensors were compared with the results obtained from polysomnography, polygraphy, and commercial scales. All included studies demonstrated that noncontact sensors produced results comparable to those of standard measurement tools, confirming their excellent capability for biometric measurements. Overall, noncontact sensors have sufficient potential for monitoring health status at home.