Ankle kinematics during a drop-vertical jump in patients with chronic ankle instability and healthy controls: A bivariate confidence interval comparison.

BACKGROUND: Chronic ankle instability (CAI) has been associated with frontal and sagittal plane kinematic differences compared to patients with no history of ankle sprain during landing tasks. Single plane kinematics are often statistically compared to identify group differences, however, the complex, multi-planar motions of the ankle allow for unique kinematic adaptations at the joint and univariate waveform analysis may be limited in the assessment of joint motion. Bivariate confidence interval analysis allows for statistical comparisons to be made when considering the simultaneous frontal and sagittal plane kinematics of the ankle. RESEARCH QUESTION: Can the bivariate confidence interval analysis identify unique joint coupling differences during a drop-vertical jump in patients with CAI? METHODS: Subjects with CAI and matched healthy controls performed 15 drop-vertical jump maneuvers while kinematics were collected using an electromagnetic motion capture system. An imbedded forceplate was used to determine ground contact timing. Kinematics were analyzed using a bivariate confidence interval from 100 ms pre-ground contact to 200 ms post-ground contact. Any region where group confidence intervals did not overlap was considered statistically different. RESULTS: Prior to initial contact participants with CAI had greater plantar flexion from 6 ms to 21 ms and 36-63 ms prior to landing. After making ground contact differences were found from 92 ms to 101 ms and 113-122 ms. Greater plantar-flexion and eversion was identified in the patients with CAI prior to ground contact and following landing patients with CAI had greater inversion and plantarflexion compared to healthy controls. SIGNIFICANCE: The bivariate analysis identified unique group differences compared to univariate analysis including group differences prior to landing. These unique findings indicate that comparing groups using a bivariate analysis may provide important information on the kinematic differences of patients with CAI and how multiple planes of motion compensate during dynamic landing tasks.

Dnmt3a regulates myeloproliferation and liver-specific expansion of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells.

DNA methyltransferase 3A (DNMT3A) mutations are observed in myeloid malignancies, including myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN), myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Transplantation studies have elucidated an important role for Dnmt3a in stem cell self-renewal and in myeloid differentiation. Here, we investigated the impact of conditional hematopoietic Dnmt3a loss on disease phenotype in primary mice. Mx1-Cre-mediated Dnmt3a ablation led to the development of a lethal, fully penetrant MPN with myelodysplasia (MDS/MPN) characterized by peripheral cytopenias and by marked, progressive hepatomegaly. We detected expanded stem/progenitor populations in the liver of Dnmt3a-ablated mice. The MDS/MPN induced by Dnmt3a ablation was transplantable, including the marked hepatomegaly. Homing studies showed that Dnmt3a-deleted bone marrow cells preferentially migrated to the liver. Gene expression and DNA methylation analyses of progenitor cell populations identified differential regulation of hematopoietic regulatory pathways, including fetal liver hematopoiesis transcriptional programs. These data demonstrate that Dnmt3a ablation in the hematopoietic system leads to myeloid transformation in vivo, with cell-autonomous aberrant tissue tropism and marked extramedullary hematopoiesis (EMH) with liver involvement. Hence, in addition to the established role of Dnmt3a in regulating self-renewal, Dnmt3a regulates tissue tropism and limits myeloid progenitor expansion in vivo.

Induction of lipid metabolic enzymes during the endoplasmic reticulum stress response in plants.

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response is a signal transduction pathway activated by the perturbation of normal ER metabolism. We used the maize (Zea mays) floury-2 (fl2) mutant and soybean (Glycine max) suspension cultures treated with tunicamycin (Tm) to investigate the ER stress response as it relates to phospholipid metabolism in plants. Four key phospholipid biosynthetic enzymes, including DG kinase and phosphatidylinositol (PI) 4-phosphate 5-kinase were up-regulated in the fl2 mutant, specifically in protein body fractions where the mutation has its greatest effect. The third up-regulated enzyme, choline-phosphate cytidylyltransferase, was regulated by fl2 gene dosage and developmental signals. Elevated accumulation of the fourth enzyme, PI 4-kinase, was observed in the fl2 endosperm and soybean cells treated with Tm. The activation of these phospholipid biosynthetic enzymes was accompanied by alterations in membrane lipid synthesis and accumulation. The fl2 mutant exhibited increased PI content in protein body membranes at 18 d after pollination and more than 3-fold higher triacylglycerol accumulation in the endosperm by 36 d after pollination. Incorporation of radiolabeled acetate into phospholipids in soybean culture cells increased by about 30% with Tm treatment. The coordinated regulation of ER stress related proteins and multiple components of phospholipid biosynthesis is consistent with signaling through a common pathway. We postulate that the plant ER stress response has an important role in general plant metabolism, and more specifically in integrating the synthesis of protein and lipid reserves to allow proper seed formation.

Descriptive epidemiology of captive cervid herds in Michigan, USA.

A study was designed to determine the species composition, disease period prevalence, and utilization of preventive practices in captive cervid herds in Michigan. This is the first description of cervid farming in the United States. Data for the 12 months preceding the study were collected by means of a mail questionnaire conducted from March 3 through June 28, 1993. Completed questionnaires were returned by 228 of 362 (63%) farms. Study respondents reported ownership of a total of 4972 (80.9%) white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), 766 (12.5%) elk (Cervus elaphus canadensis), 284 (4.6%) fallow deer (Dama dama), 114 (1.9%) sika deer (Cervus nippon), 6 (0.1%) red deer (Cervus elaphus), 4 (< 0.1%) axis deer (Axis axis), and 2 (< 0.1%) caribou (Rangifer tarandus). The respondents provided disease data for 5493 captive cervids. The most frequent categories of illness in captive cervids (as determined by the period prevalence rates for the 12 months preceding the study) were injuries (1.9%), respiratory disorders (1.1%), foot and leg problems (1.0%), stress due to handling or transport (0.8%), and dystocia (0.8%). The most frequent causes of death were injuries (1.0%), respiratory disorders (0.8%), stress due to handling or transport (0.7%), and unknown causes (0.7%). Use of anthelmintics was reported by 173 of 219 (79%) farms. Only 13% [28/215] vaccinated their cervids. One hundred and fifty-nine of 219 farms reported having a veterinarian who provides cervid consultation. Services provided by these veterinarians include general consultation (58.5% [93/159]), treatment of injuries (27.7% [44/159]), anthelmintic administration (25.2% [40/159]), issuance of health certificates (19.5% [31/159]), diagnosis and treatment of illnesses (17.6% [28/159]), vaccination (13.8% [22/159]), disease diagnosis (treatment provided by farmer) (8.8% [14/159]), foot care (3.8% [6/159]), and other purposes (ie, necropsy, dystocia, antler removal) (11.3% [18/159]).

Treatment of tumor-bearing dogs with actinomycin D.

Fifty dogs with advanced malignancies were treated with actinomycin D at doses ranging from 0.5 to 1.1 mg/m2 every 3 weeks. The greatest number of responses was noted in dogs with lymphoma, including dogs that had received prior chemotherapy. Other responding tumor types included anal sac adenocarcinoma, perianal adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, thyroid carcinoma, and transitional cell carcinoma. The median time to maximum response for dogs with lymphoma was 7 days, with a median duration of 42 days. Gastrointestinal toxicity was the most frequently observed side effect. A dose of 0.6 to 0.7 mg/m2 appears to be appropriate for treating various malignancies in dogs.

Unexpected neurotoxicity in dogs receiving a cyclophosphamide, dactinomycin, and 5-fluorouracil chemotherapy protocol.

An inexpensive combination chemotherapy protocol containing cyclophosphamide, dactinomycin, and 5-fluorouracil was evaluated in dogs with carcinomas. Fifteen dogs were entered in this study, and there were 1 complete response and 2 partial responses among 12 evaluable dogs. However, 6 of 15 dogs (40%) developed neurotoxicity. The neurotoxicity of this protocol was compared with a previous 5-fluorouracil-containing protocol and found to be significantly higher. Due to the unacceptably high rate of neurotoxicity, this protocol cannot be recommended for use in dogs with cancer.

Goodwin House, a place for healing.

The following report is excerpted from a senior thesis project prepared by Kirstin Shank. For her thesis, Shank produced an exceptionally thorough and thoughtful proposal for a home for people living with AIDS and HIV. The specifics of her plan may not be easily translated for all such centers, but her holistic approach to designing a therapeutic environment can indeed serve as a models for designers across the country grappling with similar challenges.

Efficacy and toxicity of VAC chemotherapy (vincristine, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide) in dogs with hemangiosarcoma.

Fifteen dogs with hemangiosarcoma were treated with a combination of vincristine, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide after incisional or excisional biopsy. The median survival for all fifteen dogs was 172 days (mean survival = 316 days). The median survival for those dogs with splenic hemangiosarcoma was 145 days (mean survival = 271 days) as compared with previously published median survival times in dogs with splenic hemangiosarcoma treated with surgery alone of 19 to 65 days. Toxicities included neutropenia (11/15), severe gastroenteritis (4/15), cardiotoxicity (3/15), and sepsis (2/15). The authors conclude that vincristine, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide chemotherapy may be an efficacious treatment modality in dogs with hemangiosarcoma and is associated with acceptable toxicity.

A comparison of the effects of two supervisory styles, conventional and teaching clinic, in the training of speech and language pathologists.

This study compared the teaching clinic, a group form of supervision, to the conventional one-to-one method of supervision. The purpose was to determine if the conventional or teaching clinic method was more conducive to the development of self-supervisory behaviors in student speech pathologists as measured by the talk behaviors that occurred during the supervisory conference. Two matched groups of five clinicians participated in conventional supervision for 4 wk and in teaching-clinic supervision for 4 wk. Two supervisors alternately supervised both groups. The supervisory conferences were videotaped at 2-wk intervals. Segments of the conferences were coded using the Calutta/Seltzer supervisory observation system. The results indicated that the conventional and teaching clinic methods of supervision are viable supervisory methodologies which cannot be differentiated on the basis of talk behaviors occurring during the supervisory conference. Self-supervisory talk behaviors were generated with both methods.

Uptake and distribution of cadmium in mice following repeated administrations.

The research was undertaken to analyze the uptake and distribution of cadmium-109 in mice following repeated injections and to observe how the simultaneous administrations of zinc affected the cadmium retention. Mice were given one, two, or three intravenous administrations at 48-hr intervals. Animals were sacrificed 2 min to 48 hr after each injection. Zinc had little effect on the retention of cadmium in the samples analyzed, and injections behaved independently of each other.