Thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP) has been involved in oxidative stress and activation of the NOD-like receptor protein-3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, directly linking it to the pyroptosis pathway. Furthermore, pyroptosis may contribute to the inflammatory process in osteoarthritis (OA). The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of TXNIP in activating the NLRP3 inflammasome through the pyroptosis pathway in an OA rat model. Destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM) was induced in the OA model with intra-articular injections of adeno-associated virus (AAV) overexpressing (OE) or knocking down (KD) TXNIP. A total of 48 healthy rats were randomly divided into six groups (N = 8 each). During the experiment, the rats’ weights, mechanical pain thresholds, and thermal pain thresholds were measured weekly. Morphology staining, micro-CT, 3D imaging, and immunofluorescence (IF) staining were used to measure the expression level of TXNIP, and ELISA techniques were employed. OE-TXNIP-AAV in DMM rats aggravated cartilage destruction and subchondral bone loss, whereas KD-TXNIP slowed the progression of OA. The histological results showed that DMM modeling and OE-TXNIP-AAV intra-articular injection caused joint structure destruction, decreased anabolic protein expression, and increased catabolic protein expression and pyroptosis markers. Conversely, KD-TXNIP-AAV slowed joint degeneration. OE-TXNIP-AVV worsened OA by accelerating joint degeneration and damage, while KD-TXNIP-AAV treatment had a protective effect.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is characterized by the activation of nucleotide-binding and oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) by thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP), which promotes inflammation and pyroptosis. This study investigates whether treadmill exercise (TE) enhances melatonin-mediated regulation of the TXNIP/NLRP3 pathway and attenuates OA progression by modulating pyroptosis in a destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM) rat model. A total of 32 male Sprague–Dawley rats (6 weeks old; 220 ± 20 g) were randomly assigned to four groups: Sham, DMM, DMM + melatonin, and DMM + melatonin + TE. The intervention lasted for 8 weeks. Morphological staining, immunofluorescence (IF), microcomputed tomography with three-dimensional reconstruction, Western blot, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were used to assess protein and gene expression. Compared with the DMM + melatonin group, the DMM + melatonin + TE group showed greater reductions in cartilage–subchondral bone damage and OA progression through modulation of the pyroptosis pathway. IF staining revealed that TXNIP protein expression was significantly reduced in the DMM + melatonin + TE group. Both the DMM + melatonin and combination treatment groups significantly regulated TXNIP/NLRP3 signaling and inhibited OA progression through pyroptosis. Furthermore, combining TE with melatonin significantly reduced the expression of pyroptotic cytokines compared with the DMM + melatonin group. This study suggests a potential therapeutic approach for managing OA by combining melatonin treatment with moderate TE.

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Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a growing global health concern, yet physical therapists’ (PTs) knowledge and attitudes toward AD in Syria remain understudied. This study assessed these factors to identify gaps and inform interventions. A cross-sectional study of 279 Syrian PTs used validated scales (ADKS, DAS). Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze knowledge, attitudes, and associated factors. PTs showed moderate knowledge (72.6% accuracy in AD-assessment/diagnosis and 59.5% in AD caregiving) but significant gaps (55.9% incorrectly linked tremors to AD). Attitudes toward AD patients were mixed: 72.4% recognized individualized care needs for AD patients, yet 70.9% expressed fear of working with AD patients. Both higher education (p = 0.044) and prior dementia experience (p = 0.018) correlated with better AD knowledge and more positive attitudes. Syrian PTs need targeted education on AD symptoms, risk factors, and AD-specific caregiving. Thus, integrating AD-specific training into curricula and AD-focused clinical rotations is critical to improving care for AD patients.

Background and Aims: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease characterized. The Mini‐Osteoarthritis Knee and Hip Quality of Life (Mini‐OAKHQoL) scale is used to evaluate the impact of knee/hip osteoarthritis (KOA/HOA) on patients' quality of life (QoL). This study aims to ascertain the consistency and accuracy of the Mini‐OAKHQoL Syrian Arabic version. Method: This cross‐sectional study translated the original version of the Mini‐OAKHQoL into Syrian Arabic using a standard method for language adjustment. The patients completed the Syrian Arabic version and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) and the Short Form‐36 (SF‐36) scales. The psychometric properties of the Syrian Arabic Mini‐OAKHQoL were evaluated using Cronbach's α for internal consistency, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for test‐retest reliability, and Spearman's correlation coefficient for convergent validity. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: This study included 87 persons with KOA/HOA. The Mini‐OAKHQoL demonstrated satisfactory face and content validity. The intraclass correlation coefficient, confidence intervals (ICC = 0.844, 95% CI: 0.76–0.90). for the overall score with a cut‐off > 0.5. The Cronbach's α for the categories was satisfactory internal consistency (α > 0.7). Regarding the assessment of convergent validity, physical activities, mental health, pain, and independent items of the Mini‐OAKHQoL Arabic version demonstrated moderate to high correlations with the WOMAC and SF‐36. Conclusion: The Mini‐OAKHQoL is a well‐validated and reliable scale for evaluating QoL in patients with KOA/HOA, demonstrating strong utility in both clinical practice and research settings among Arabic‐speaking populations.