Admixture With Cultivated Sunflower Likely Facilitated Establishment and Spread of Wild Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) in Argentina.

A better understanding of the genetic and ecological factors underlying successful invasions is critical to mitigate the negative impacts of invasive species. Here, we study the invasion history of Helianthus annuus populations from Argentina, with particular emphasis on the role of post-introduction admixture with cultivated sunflower (also H. annuus) and climate adaptation driven by large haploblocks. We conducted genotyping-by-sequencing of samples of wild populations as well as Argentinian cultivars and compared them with wild (including related annual Helianthus species) and cultivated samples from the native range. We also characterised samples for 11 known haploblocks associated with environmental variation in native populations to test whether haploblocks contributed to invasion success. Population genomics analyses supported two independent geographic sources for Argentinian populations, the central United States and Texas, but no significant contribution of related annual Helianthus species. We found pervasive admixture with cultivated sunflower, likely as result of post-introduction hybridization. Genomic scans between invasive populations and their native sources identified multiple genomic regions of divergence, possibly indicative of selection, in the invaded range. These regions significantly overlapped between the two native-invasive comparisons and showed disproportionally high crop ancestry, suggesting that crop alleles contributed to invasion success. We did not find evidence of climate adaptation mediated by haploblocks, yet outliers of genome scans were enriched in haploblock regions and, for at least two haploblocks, the cultivar haplotype was favoured in Argentina. Our results show that admixture with cultivated sunflower played a major role in the establishment and spread of H. annuus populations in Argentina.

Introgression from local cultivars is a driver of agricultural adaptation in Argentinian weedy rice.

Weedy rice, a pervasive and troublesome weed found across the globe, has often evolved through fertilization of rice cultivars with little importance of crop-weed gene flow. In Argentina, weedy rice has been reported as an important constraint since the early 1970s, and, in the last few years, strains with herbicide-resistance are suspected to evolve. Despite their importance, the origin and genetic composition of Argentinian weedy rice as well its adaptation to agricultural environments has not been explored so far. To study this, we conducted genotyping-by-sequencing on samples of Argentinian weedy and cultivated rice and compared them with published data from weedy, cultivated and wild rice accessions distributed worldwide. In addition, we conducted a phenotypic characterization for weedy-related traits, a herbicide resistance screening and genotyped accessions for known mutations in the acetolactate synthase (ALS) gene, which confers herbicide resistance. Our results revealed large phenotypic variability in Argentinian weedy rice. Most strains were resistant to ALS-inhibiting herbicides with a high frequency of the ALS mutation (A122T) present in Argentinian rice cultivars. Argentinian cultivars belonged to the three major genetic groups of rice: japonica, indica and aus while weeds were mostly aus or aus-indica admixed, resembling weedy rice strains from the Southern Cone region. Phylogenetic analysis supports a single origin for aus-like South American weeds, likely as seed contaminants from the United States, and then admixture with local indica cultivars. Our findings demonstrate that crop to weed introgression can facilitate rapid adaptation to agriculture environments.

EIN2-directed histone acetylation requires EIN3-mediated positive feedback regulation in response to ethylene.

Ethylene is an important phytohormone with pleotropic roles in plant growth, development, and stress responses. ETHYLENE INSENSITIVE2 (EIN2) mediates the transduction of the ethylene signal from the endoplasmic reticulum membrane to the nucleus, where its C-terminus (EIN2-C) regulates histone acetylation to mediate transcriptional regulation by EIN3. However, no direct interaction between EIN2-C and EIN3 has been detected. To determine how EIN2-C and EIN3 act together, we followed a synthetic approach and engineered a chimeric EIN2-C with EIN3 DNA-binding activity but lacking its transactivation activity (EIN2C-EIN3DB). The overexpression of EIN2C-EIN3DB in either wild-type or in the ethylene-insensitive mutant ein3-1 eil1-1 led to a partial constitutive ethylene response. Chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing showed that EIN2C-EIN3DB has DNA-binding activity, indicating that EIN3DB is functional in EIN2C-EIN3DB. Furthermore, native EIN3 protein levels determine EIN2C-EIN3DB binding activity and binding targets in a positive feedback loop by interacting with EIN2C-EIN3DB to form a heterodimer. Additionally, although EIN3 does not direct affect histone acetylation levels in the absence of EIN2, it is required for the ethylene-induced elevation of H3K14Ac and H3K23Ac in the presence of EIN2. Together, we reveal efficient and specific DNA-binding by dimerized EIN3 in the presence of ethylene to mediate positive feedback regulation, which is required for EIN2-directed elevation of histone acetylation to integrate into an EIN3-dependent transcriptional activation.

Exploration of carvacrol aggregation by laser spectroscopy.

Carvacrol is an aromatic monoterpenoid found in thyme oil. Due to its implications for human health, it is important to elucidate its structure and its intramolecular interactions. We have characterised the carvacrol monomer, its complex with water, its dimer, and even its trimer in a supersonic expansion using mass-resolved laser spectroscopy techniques complemented by quantum-chemical computations. The resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionisation spectrum of the monomer features several transitions, which were assigned to the same conformer, confirmed by ion-dip infrared spectroscopy. However, a conclusive assignment of the infrared bands to one of the four conformations of carvacrol remains elusive. The experimental spectra for the monohydrated, the homodimer, and the homotrimer point to the detection of the lowest energy isomer in each case. Their structures are governed by a balance of intramolecular interactions, specifically hydrogen bonding and dispersion forces. Comparison with other similar systems demonstrates that dispersion interactions are key to the stabilisation of the aggregates, being present in all the structures. However, the hydrogen bonding is the dominant force as observed in the lowest-energy conformations.

Aspartame and Its Microhydrated Aggregates Revealed by Laser Spectroscopy: Water-Sweetener Interactions in the Gas Phase.

The popular sweetener, aspartame, is an agonist of the tongue's sweet taste receptor. How water molecules affect its conformation or which aspartame atoms are more prone to interact with solvent are helpful questions to understand its activity in different environments. Here, the combination of IR-UV spectroscopic techniques with computational simulations has been successfully applied to characterize aspartame·water0-2 clusters, showing that the addition of water molecules simplifies the conformational panorama of aspartame, favoring the formation of folded structures by interaction with the polar part of the molecule.

Tropicoporus tropicalis: A Newly Recognised Pathogen in Eumycetoma and Refractory Mycoses in Humans.

Tropicoporus tropicalis (formerly Phellinus tropicalis) is a saprophytic basidiomycete that has been implicated in refractory mycoses in humans, particularly in patients with chronic granulomatous disease. Despite its clinical significance, T. tropicalis is an under-recognised cause of eumycetoma, with no prior reports available. We present a case of white grain eumycetoma with associated osteomyelitis of the left foot, caused by T. tropicalis, confirmed through 18S-ITS1-5.8S-ITS2-28S rRNA gene amplification and sequencing. The patient was treated with itraconazole 200 mg daily, leading to gradual improvement. A review of the literature on T. tropicalis infections in humans reveals its characteristic manifestations, which include osteomyelitis, soft tissue abscesses, pulmonary nodules and keratitis. These infections are locally destructive but have the potential to disseminate. Diagnosis is often delayed and relies on molecular techniques. Amphotericin B combined with an azole appears to be the most effective treatment, often necessitating concurrent surgical drainage. In conclusion, T. tropicalis is a newly recognised pathogen associated with eumycetoma and poses an increased risk of osteomyelitis. Molecular identification, such as sequencing the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region from cultures or tissue specimens, is crucial for accurate identification of this pathogen.

Autograft and Allograft Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction in Patients Older Than 40 Years Have Similar Short-Term Patient-Reported Outcomes With Greater Rates of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Graft Failure in Patients Who Receive Allograft.

PURPOSE: To evaluate short-term patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in patients aged 40 years and older after primary anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) between patients who received allograft or autograft. Secondary aims included assessing the effect of preexisting osteoarthritis on short-term PROs. METHODS: A retrospective review of an ambulatory surgery center's electronic medical record was conducted for patients who underwent primary ACLR between 2009 and 2022. Patients aged younger than 40 years, those who underwent index revision procedures and/or concomitant ligament repair/reconstructions, and those with incomplete baseline or short-term (1- or 2-year) Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcomes Score (KOOS) scores were excluded. Patients who received allograft or autograft were matched according to sex and body mass index in a 2:1 fashion. PROs used included KOOS and Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (SANE) at baseline and short-term follow-up (minimum of 1 year). Minimum clinically important difference was calculated in a distribution-based fashion. Osteoarthritis severity was determined on the basis of Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) grading of perioperative knee radiographs. Preexisting osteoarthritis was defined as KL grade 1 or more. RESULTS: A total of 331 patients were included after matching (215 allograft and 116 autograft patients). The average age was 47.7 ± 6.0 years (range 40-66 years). Age differed significantly between the 2 groups, with the allograft cohort having an average age of 48.6 ± 6.0 years and the autograft cohort having an average age of 46.1 ± 5.7 years (P < .001). Short-term change in KOOS and SANE scores did not differ by graft type (P = .154, P = .556, respectively). Sixty-seven percent of all patients met minimum clinically important difference for KOOS and 82% of patients with complete baseline and short-term SANE scores met minimum clinically important difference for SANE. There was a statistically significant difference in rupture rates between the allograft and autograft cohorts (n = 9 allograft vs n = 0 autograft; P = .030). There was no difference in reoperation rates between the autograft and allograft cohorts (P = .453). Perioperative KL grading did not affect outcomes for either graft type (allograft: P = .905 vs autograft: P = .522). CONCLUSIONS: Middle-aged patients undergoing ACLR with allograft or autograft demonstrate similar short-term PROs. Preexisting osteoarthritis similarly did not significantly affect short-term outcomes. However, rerupture rates were significantly greater in the allograft cohort than the autograft cohort. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, therapeutic, retrospective, case control study.

Analysis of Changing Practice Trends in Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Multicenter, Single-Institution Database Analysis.

PURPOSE: To identify trends in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR), including graft choice, femoral tunnel drilling techniques, and augmentation techniques, and to assess how various surgeon factors impact these trends. METHODS: A retrospective review of primary ACLRs performed between 2014 and 2022 was completed using a multicenter institutional database. Patient demographic characteristics, graft type, femoral drilling technique, use of extra-articular tenodesis, and use of suture augmentation were recorded from the medical record. Surgeon fellowship training (sports trained vs non-sports trained), experience (high [minimum of 15 years in practice] vs low), and volume (high [minimum of 15 ACLRs/year] vs low) were used to stratify technique utilization. The z test for proportions was used to compare categorical variables. Pearson correlation analyses identified trends and assessed statistical significance, defined as P < .05. RESULTS: Our cohort consisted of 2,032 ACLRs performed in 2,006 patients. The average patient age was 28.3 ± 11.6 years, with more procedures performed in male patients (67.3%). The average length of surgeon experience was 19.7 ± 11.4 years, with an average annual procedural volume of 4.0 ± 5.4 ACLRs. Most surgeons were sports trained (n = 55, 64.7%), high experience (n = 44, 57.1%), and low volume (n = 80, 94.1%). There was an increasing annual proportion of ACLRs performed by sports-trained surgeons (R = 0.748, P = .020) and low-experience surgeons (R = 0.940, P < .001). Autograft reconstructions were most often performed by sports-trained (71.2%), low-experience (66.1%), and high-volume (76.9%) surgeons. There was an increasing proportion of autograft ACLRs that used quadriceps tendon among sports-trained (R = 0.739, P = .023), high-experience (R = 0.768, P = .016), and low-volume (R = 0.785, P = .012) surgeons. Independent drilling techniques were used in an increasing proportion of ACLRs performed by non-sports-trained (R = 0.860, P = .003) and high-volume (R = 0.864, P = .003) surgeons. Augmentation of ACLR with concomitant suture augmentation (n = 24, 1.2%) or extra-articular tenodesis (n = 6, 0.3%) was rarely performed. CONCLUSIONS: In our multicenter institution, the quadriceps tendon autograft has been increasingly used in ACLR by sports-trained, low-volume, and high-experience surgeons. Independent drilling techniques have been increasingly used by non-sports-trained and high-volume surgeons. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Surgeons must stay current with the literature that affects their procedures to ensure that evidence-based medicine is being practiced.

Similar two-year improvement in patient-reported outcomes in patients 40 years and older with outerbridge grade III and IV lesions following ACL reconstruction.

PURPOSE: This study aims to evaluate clinical and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) of patients 40 years and older that underwent anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) and determine the influence of preexisting arthritis and chondral wear on ACLR outcomes. We hypothesized that patients aged 40+ with ACLR would have excellent clinical outcomes and PROMs regardless of preexisting arthritic changes. METHODS: A total of 118 patients were included. Patients aged 40 years and older who underwent ACLR in a single healthcare system between 2009 and 2016 were eligible. Outcomes assessed include Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Scores (KOOS), Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (SANE) scores, intraoperative Outerbridge grading, preoperative Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) grading and postoperative complication rates over a 2-year period. RESULTS: Average increase in KOOS and SANE scores were 21.2 ± $\pm $ 19.9 and 23.5 ± $\pm $ 31.3, respectively. Patients with Outerbridge grade III and IV lesions in weight-bearing compartments had lower baseline SANE and KOOS scores than those without (47.1 ± 22.0 vs. 64.5 ± 23.6 baseline SANE and 43.1 ± 18.1 vs. 63.5 ± 15.9 baseline KOOS; p = 0.002 and p < 0.001, respectively) with no significant difference in the amount of change in SANE or KOOS scores (p = 0.111 and p = 0.165 respectively). Patients with KL-grade 2+ osteoarthritis experienced similar changes in KOOS and SANE over the 2-year period to their counterparts (p = 0.598 and p = 0.643, respectively). CONCLUSION: There is no correlation between preexisting osteoarthritic changes or chondral defects and PROs. KOOS and SANE scores both increased postoperatively. When treating older patients with an ACL tear, surgeons should consider the activity level and desires of the patient as they determine appropriate treatment. Preexisting osteoarthritis does not correlate with patient-reported outcomes for ACLR. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV.

Improved Patient-reported Outcomes in Patients Aged 16 and Younger at Two Years After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Despite Relatively High Rates of Reinjury and Repeat Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) in adolescent patients, particularly those aged 16 and under, are increasingly common procedure that lacks robust clinical and patient-reported outcome (PRO) data. The purpose of this study was to report 2-year PROs of patients receiving ACLR aged 16 or younger using the single assessment numerical evaluation (SANE) and knee injury and osteoarthritis outcome score (KOOS). Secondary aims included characterizing treatment characteristics, return to sport (RTS), and clinical outcomes. METHODS: The institutional PRO database was queried for patients receiving ACLR from 2009 to 2020. Patients aged older than 16, revision procedures, concomitant ligament repairs/reconstructions, and patients without full outcome data at 2 years were excluded. Outcomes over 2 years after ACLR included SANE, KOOS, reinjuries, reoperations, and time to RTS. RESULTS: A total of 98 patients were included with an average age of 15.0 years. Most patients were females (77.6%). Bone-tendon-bone autograft (69.4%) was the most used. Average RTS was 8.7 months (range: 4.8 to 24.0 mo), with 90% of patients eventually returning to sport. A total of 23 patients (23.5%) experienced a reinjury and 24.5% (n = 24) underwent reoperation. Timing to RTS was not associated with reinjury, but patients who returned between 9.5 and 13.7 months did not sustain reinjuries. Mean KOOS and SANE scores at 2 years were 87.1 and 89.1, respectively, with an average improvement of +18.4 and +22.9, respectively. Change in KOOS was negatively impacted by reinjury to the anterior cruciate ligament graft and reoperation (anterior cruciate ligament failure: +10.0 vs 19.3, P = 0.081, respectively; reoperation: +13.2 vs +20.1, P = 0.051, respectively), though these did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSION: Patients experienced improved SANE and KOOS scores after ACLR. Rates of reinjury and reoperation were relatively high and negatively impacted PRO scores but were not associated with the timing of RTS. Adolescent patients should be counseled regarding the risk of subsequent ipsilateral and contralateral knee injury after ACLR. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV-case series.

Non-C19MC-altered embryonal tumor with multilayered rosettes in a young woman with DICER1 syndrome: case report and review of the literature.

Embryonal tumors with multilayered rosettes (ETMR) are highly aggressive and therapy-resistant pediatric central nervous system (CNS) tumors that have three histological patters: embryonal tumor with abundant neuropil and true rosettes, ependymoblastoma, and medulloepithelioma. We present a case of ETMR in an 18-year-old woman with DICER1 syndrome. This report confirms the important role of DNA-methylation analysis in the classification of CNS embryonal tumors and the importance of investigating somatic and germline DICER1 mutations in all CNS embryonal tumors.

Presence of human adenovirus 36 in visceral fat tissue, viral load, and analysis of its genetic variability.

It has been proposed that infection by adipogenic viruses constitutes a "low risk" factor for obesity. Here, we report the presence of adenovirus 36 (Ad36) and its viral load copy number in fat tissue of participants with obesity and normal weight; phylogenetic analysis was performed to describe their relationship and genetic variability among viral haplotypes. Adipose tissue obtained from 105 adult patients with obesity (cases) and 26 normal-weight adult participants as controls were analyzed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) amplifying the partial Ad36 E1a gene. The amplicons were examined by melting curves and submitted to sequencing. Then, genetic diversity and phylogenetic inferences were performed. Ad36 was identified at rates of 82% and 46% in the case and control groups, respectively (p = 1.1 × 10-4 , odds ratio = 5.28); viral load copies were also significantly different between both groups, being 25% higher in the case group. Melting curve analysis showed clear amplification among positive samples. Phylogenetic inferences and genetic diversity analyses showed that the Ad36 E1a gene exhibits low genetic variability and differentiation with strong gene flow due to an expanding process. Our results suggest that the phenomenon of infectobesity by Ad36 might not be a low-risk factor, as has been previously argued by other authors.

Temporal collections to study invasion biology.

Biological invasions represent an extraordinary opportunity to study evolution. This is because accidental or deliberate species introductions have taken place for centuries across large geographical scales, frequently prompting rapid evolutionary transitions in invasive populations. Until recently, however, the utility of invasions as evolutionary experiments has been hampered by limited information on the makeup of populations that were part of earlier invasion stages. Now, developments in ancient and historical DNA technologies, as well as the quickening pace of digitization for millions of specimens that are housed in herbaria and museums globally, promise to help overcome this obstacle. In this review, we first introduce the types of temporal data that can be used to study invasions, highlighting the timescale captured by each approach and their respective limitations. We then discuss how ancient and historical specimens as well as data available from prior invasion studies can be used to answer questions on mechanisms of (mal)adaptation, rates of evolution, or community-level changes during invasions. By bridging the gap between contemporary and historical invasive populations, temporal data can help us connect pattern to process in invasion science. These data will become increasingly important if invasions are to achieve their full potential as experiments of evolution in nature.

Introgression and persistence of cultivar alleles in wild carrot (Daucus carota) populations in the United States.

PREMISE: Cultivated species and their wild relatives often hybridize in the wild, and the hybrids can survive and reproduce in some environments. However, it is unclear whether cultivar alleles are permanently incorporated into the wild genomes or whether they are purged by natural selection. This question is key to accurately assessing the risk of escape and spread of cultivar genes into wild populations. METHODS: We used genomic data and population genomic methods to study hybridization and introgression between cultivated and wild carrot (Daucus carota) in the United States. We used single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) obtained via genotyping by sequencing for 450 wild individuals from 29 wild georeferenced populations in seven states and 144 cultivars from the United States, Europe, and Asia. RESULTS: Cultivated and wild carrot formed two genetically differentiated groups, and evidence of crop-wild admixture was detected in several but not all wild carrot populations in the United States. Two regions were identified where cultivar alleles were present in wild carrots: California and Nantucket Island (Massachusetts). Surprisingly, there was no evidence of introgression in some populations with a long-known history of sympatry with the crop, suggesting that post-hybridization barriers might prevent introgression in some areas. CONCLUSIONS: Our results provide support for the introgression and long-term persistence of cultivar alleles in wild carrots populations. We thus anticipate that the release of genetically engineered (GE) cultivars would lead to the introduction and spread of GE alleles in wild carrot populations.

The role of intraspecific crop-weed hybridization in the evolution of weediness and invasiveness: Cultivated and weedy radish (Raphanus sativus) as a case study.

PREMISE: The phenotype of hybrids between a crop and its wild or weed counterpart is usually intermediate and maladapted compared to that of their parents; however, hybridization has sometimes been associated with increased fitness, potentially leading to enhanced weediness and invasiveness. Since the ecological context and maternal genetic effects may affect hybrid fitness, they could influence the evolutionary outcomes of hybridization. Here, we evaluated the performance of first-generation crop-weed hybrids of Raphanus sativus and their parents in two contrasting ecological conditions. METHODS: Using experimental hybridization and outdoor common garden experiments, we assessed differences in time to flowering, survival to maturity, plant biomass, and reproductive components between bidirectional crop-weed hybrids and their parents in agrestal (wheat cultivation, fertilization, weeding) and ruderal (human-disturbed, uncultivated area) conditions over 2 years. RESULTS: Crop, weeds, and bidirectional hybrids overlapped at least partially during the flowering period, indicating a high probability of gene flow. Hybrids survived to maturity at rates at least as successful as their parents and had higher plant biomass and fecundity, which resulted in higher fitness compared to their parents in both environments, without any differences associated with the direction of the hybridization. CONCLUSIONS: Intraspecific crop-weed hybridization, regardless of the cross direction, has the potential to promote weediness in weedy R. sativus in agrestal and ruderal environments, increasing the chances for introgression of crop alleles into weed populations. This is the first report of intraspecific crop-weed hybridization in R. sativus.

Exploring the interaction sites in glucose and galactose using phenol as a probe.

Sugars, together with amino acids and nucleobases, are the fundamental building blocks of a cell. They are involved in many fundamental processes and they especially play relevant roles as part of the immune system. The latter is connected to their ability to establish a collection of intermolecular interactions, depending on the position of their hydroxyl groups. Here we explore how the position of the OH in C4, the anomeric conformation and the nature substituent affect the interaction with phenol, which serves as a probe of the preferred site for the interaction. Using mass-resolved excitation spectroscopy and density functional calculations, we unravel the structure of the dimers and compare their conformation with those found for similar systems. The main conclusion is that the hydroxymethyl group has a very strong influence, guiding the whole aggregation process and that the position of the substituent in C4 has a stronger influence on the final structure of the dimer than the anomeric conformation.

Identification of Blastocystis sp. in school children from a rural Mexican village: subtypes and risk factors analysis.

Blastocystis sp. is a common eukaryotic microorganism that colonizes the intestinal tract of several animals, including humans, although its role as a pathogen is still unclear. In the present study, we report the prevalence and risk factors associated with Blastocystis infection in scholars from a rural community in Mexico. A cross-sectional observational study was carried out on schoolchildren aged 3 to 15 years old; fecal samples were analyzed by culture, Faust technique, and molecular analysis. In addition, a structured questionnaire was applied to identify possible risk factors. Of the 177 samples obtained, Blastocystis sp. was the microorganism that presented the highest frequency (n=78, 44%), and included the following subtypes (STs): ST1 (n=43, 56.5%), ST2 (n=18, 23.6%), and ST3 (n=15, 19.7%); Blastocystis STs were not identified in two cases. No associating factors were found between Blastocystis infection or among STs vs. symptoms. During bivariate analysis, no statistically significant risk factors were found, except for the variable of "eating sweets, snacks, and handmade food on the way home" (p=0.04). Therefore, it is plausible to conclude that schoolchildren become infected with Blastocystis sp. mainly outside their homes, perhaps by eating contaminated handmade food on their way to or from school; however, this variable should be evaluated in detail in future studies.

Clodronate disodium is neither cytotoxic nor cytoprotective to normal and recombinant equine interleukin-1ß-treated joint tissues in vitro.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of clodronate disodium (CLO) on control and recombinant equine interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß)-treated equine joint tissues. STUDY DESIGN: In vitro experimental study. SAMPLE POPULATION: Cartilage explants, chondrocytes, and synoviocytes (n = 3 horses). METHODS: Monolayer cultures of chondrocytes and synoviocytes from three horses were subjected to: control media (CON), 5 ng/ml CLO (C/low), 50 ng/ml CLO (C/med), 100 ng/ml CLO (C/high), with and without IL-1ß, and 10 ng/ml IL-1ß (IL) alone for 72 hours. Cartilage explants from three horses were subjected to CON, IL, C/low, and C/med with and without IL-1ß for 72 hours. Culture media was analyzed for prostaglandin-E2 (PGE2 ), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and nitric oxide (NO). Explant media was analyzed for glycosaminoglycan (GAG) content and NO. At 72 hours, explant and monolayer culture viability were assessed, and explant GAG content was measured. RESULTS: IL-1ß treatment resulted in higher media concentrations of GAG, NO, PGE2 , and IL-6 compared to the CON treatment (p < .05), demonstrating a catabolic effect of IL-1ß on explants and monolayer cultures. CLO treatments did not increase media concentrations of GAG, NO, PGE2 , or IL-6 compared to CON, indicating no cytotoxic effect. Nevertheless, CLO treatments administered to IL-1ß-treated monolayer cultures and explants did not significantly reduce the inflammatory response regardless of concentration. CONCLUSION: CLO did not demonstrate cytotoxic nor cytoprotective effects in normal and IL-1ß-stimulated chondrocytes, synoviocytes or explants in culture. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: This study does not support the use of CLO as an anti-inflammatory treatment. Further research is necessary to confirm any anti-inflammatory effects of CLO on joint tissues.

CT and Functional Outcomes of Primarily Ligamentous and Combined Ligamentous-Bony Lisfranc Injuries: A Retrospective Review.

Lisfranc injuries have been rising in incidence and can cause significant and lasting morbidity. There is no consensus on the optimal surgical treatment for these injuries, be they primarily ligamentous or combined (bony and ligamentous). No study has ever followed Lisfranc injury patients postoperatively using advanced imaging. The purpose of this study was to compare the functional and radiographic outcomes of primarily ligamentous and combined osseous and ligamentous Lisfranc injuries treated operatively with reduction and fixation. We performed a retrospective review of all Lisfranc injuries treated operatively in a single institution over a 6-year period. Injuries were classified as primarily ligamentous or combined by independent evaluation of available computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging. Outcomes were measured using the Short Musculoskeletal Function Assessment (SMFA). CT of 29 patients was performed at last follow-up to evaluate reduction and degenerative changes. Of the 56 patients identified, 38 were available for follow-up. The average follow-up was 3.8 years. There were 26 combined injuries and 12 primarily ligamentous injuries. Outcomes were excellent in all patients and there was no statistical difference in SMFA scores in any category between the groups. On follow-up CT, all injuries were anatomically reduced, and 26 of 29 patients had degenerative changes. Our results support that reduction and stable fixation of Lisfranc injuries may be suitable treatment regardless of classification as combined or primarily ligamentous. Future larger-scale prospective studies should be pursued to supplement existing data.

Comparing fixed-array and functionally-defined channel of interest approaches to infant functional near-infrared spectroscopy data.

Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is increasingly used to study brain function in infants, but the development and standardization of analysis techniques for use with infant fNIRS data have not paced other technical advances. Here we quantify and compare the effects of different methods of analysis of infant fNIRS data on two independent fNIRS datasets involving 6-9-month-old infants and a third simulated infant fNIRS dataset. With each, we contrast results from a traditional, fixed-array analysis with several functional channel of interest (fCOI) analysis approaches. In addition, we tested the effects of varying the number and anatomical location of potential data channels to be included in the fCOI definition. Over three studies we find that fCOI approaches are more sensitive than fixed-array analyses, especially when channels of interests were defined within-subjects. Applying anatomical restriction and/or including multiple channels in the fCOI definition does not decrease and in some cases increases sensitivity of fCOI methods. Based on these results, we recommend that researchers consider employing fCOI approaches to the analysis of infant fNIRS data and provide some guidelines for choosing between particular fCOI approaches and settings for the study of infant brain function and development.