Bone biomarkers included formation, resorption and regulator are released during the bone remodeling processes. These bone biomarkers have attracted much attention in the clinical assessment of osteoporosis treatment in the past decade. Combination with the measurement of bone mineral density, the clinical applications of bone biomarkers have provided comprehensive information for diagnosis of osteoporosis. However, the analytical approaches of the bone biomarkers are still the challenge for further clinical trials. In this mini-review, we have introduced the functions of bone biomarkers and then recently developed techniques for bone biomarker measurements have been systematically integrated to discuss the possibility for osteoporosis assessment in the early stage.

Biceps long-head tendon lesion is commonly associated with rotator cuff tendon pathology. This study is to determine the pathologic spectrum of biceps long-head tendon in surgical cases with complete full-thickness rotator cuff tear. Between 1993 and 2002, 122 complete rotator cuff tears with surgery were included for the analysis. During surgery, biceps long-head tendon was grossly examined or evaluated via arthroscopy. A simplified classification was used to describe the biceps lesion. Fifty patients (41%) had type 1 lesion (tendinitis), 10 (8%) had type 2 (subluxation), 12 (10%) had type 3 (dislocation), 15 (12%) had type 4 (partial tear), and 6 (5%) had type 5 (complete rupture). The remaining 29 patients (24%) did not have obvious pathology. All chronic (> 3 months) rotator cuff tears were associated with biceps tendon pathology. A rotator cuff tear greater than 5 cm2, as determined at surgery, was strongly associated with an advanced biceps lesion. Biceps tendon injuries are associated with complete rotator cuff tears, and there may be a causal relationship due to the impingement that occurs. Early identification and repair of rotator cuff lesions may prevent further deterioration of the biceps tendon.

The introduction and designing of functional thermoresponsive hydrogels have been recommended as recent potential therapeutic approaches for biomedical applications. The development of bioactive materials such as thermosensitive gelatin-incorporated nano-organic materials with a porous structure and photothermally triggerable and cell adhesion properties may potentially achieve this goal. This novel class of photothermal hydrogels can provide an advantage of hyperthermia together with a reversibly transformable hydrogel for tissue engineering. Polypyrrole (Ppy) is a bioorganic conducting polymeric substance and has long been used in biomedical applications owing to its brilliant stability, electrically conductive features, and excellent absorbance around the near-infrared (NIR) region. In this study, a cationic photothermal triggerable/guidable gelatin hydrogel containing a polyethylenimine (PEI)–Ppy nanocomplex with a porous microstructure was established, and its physicochemical characteristics were studied through dynamic light scattering, scanning electronic microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, an FTIR; and cellular interaction behaviors towards fibroblasts incubated with a test sample were examined via MTT assay and fluorescence microscopy. Photothermal performance was evaluated. Furthermore, the in vivo study was performed on male Wistar rat full thickness excisions model for checking the safety and efficacy of the designed gelatin–PEI–Ppy nanohydrogel system in wound healing and for other biomedical uses in future. This photothermally sensitive hydrogel system has an NIR-triggerable property that provides local hyperthermic temperature by PEI–Ppy nanoparticles for tissue engineering applications. Features of the designed hydrogel may fill other niches, such as being an antibacterial agent, generation of free radicals to further improve wound healing, and remodeling of the promising photothermal therapy for future tissue engineering applications.