Alternate Graft Options for Staged Flexor Tendon Reconstruction: A Cadaveric Study of Hamstring Autografts Compared to Conventional Autografts.

PURPOSE: To compare the semitendinosus and gracilis tendon lengths and diameters to the palmaris longus, plantaris, flexor digitorum profundus, and flexor pollicis longus (FPL) tendons in a cadaveric model to evaluate the feasibility of hamstring autograft use for staged flexor tendon reconstruction. METHODS: Fifteen fresh cadavers were evaluated for surgical incisions about the knee, forearm, and hand. All flexor digitorum profundus (FDP), FPL, palmaris longus, plantaris, semitendinosus, and gracilis tendons were harvested from each specimen. Diameter and length were recorded and means with SDs were calculated. The mean diameters of the gracilis and semitendinosus were compared to the mean diameters of the FDP and FPL tendons. The hamstring tendon lengths were then compared in terms of percentage of the palmaris longus and plantaris tendon lengths. RESULTS: The gracilis (18.0 cm) and semitendinosus (19.9 cm) means were notably longer than the palmaris longus (16.0 cm) and shorter than the plantaris (30.0 cm). The average gracilis tendon diameter (3.8 mm) was smaller than the flexor tendon diameters except for the little finger FDP (3.8 mm). The semitendinosus tendon diameter (4.8 mm) was larger than all flexor tendons with the exception of the middle finger FDP (4.6 mm). Average gracilis and semitendinosus tendon diameters were 3.7 mm and 4.5 mm in males, and 3.8 mm and 4.8 mm in females. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed the gracilis tendon to have adequate length and diameter for potential autograft use in staged flexor tendon reconstruction in all digits but the little finger. The semitendinosus is larger in diameter than the native flexor tendons, making it a poor autograft option in cases with an intact pulley system. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Common tendon autograft options for flexor tendon reconstruction are variably present, and the use of gracilis and semitendinosus autograft present potential graft options.

UVR8-mediated induction of flavonoid biosynthesis for UVB tolerance is conserved between the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha and flowering plants.

Damaging UVB radiation is a major abiotic stress facing land plants. In angiosperms the UV RESISTANCE LOCUS8 (UVR8) photoreceptor coordinates UVB responses, including inducing biosynthesis of protective flavonoids. We characterised the UVB responses of Marchantia polymorpha (marchantia), the model species for the liverwort group of basal plants. Physiological, chemical and transcriptomic analyses were conducted on wild-type marchantia exposed to three different UVB regimes. CRISPR/Cas9 was used to obtain plant lines with mutations for components of the UVB signal pathway or the flavonoid biosynthetic pathway, and transgenics overexpressing the marchantia UVR8 sequence were generated. The mutant and transgenic lines were analysed for changes in flavonoid content, their response to UVB exposure, and transcript abundance of a set of 48 genes that included components of the UVB response pathway characterised for angiosperms. The marchantia UVB response included many components in common with Arabidopsis, including production of UVB-absorbing flavonoids, the central activator role of ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL5 (HY5), and negative feedback regulation by REPRESSOR OF UV-B PHOTOMORPHOGENESIS1 (RUP1). Notable differences included the greater importance of CHALCONE ISOMERASE-LIKE (CHIL). Mutants disrupted in the response pathway (hy5) or flavonoid production (chalcone isomerase, chil) were more easily damaged by UVB. Mutants (rup1) or transgenics (35S:MpMYB14) with increased flavonoid content had increased UVB tolerance. The results suggest that UVR8-mediated flavonoid induction is a UVB tolerance character conserved across land plants and may have been an early adaptation to life on land.

Genetic analysis of the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha reveals that R2R3MYB activation of flavonoid production in response to abiotic stress is an ancient character in land plants.

The flavonoid pathway is hypothesized to have evolved during land colonization by plants c. 450 Myr ago for protection against abiotic stresses. In angiosperms, R2R3MYB transcription factors are key for environmental regulation of flavonoid production. However, angiosperm R2R3MYB gene families are larger than those of basal plants, and it is not known whether the regulatory system is conserved across land plants. We examined whether R2R3MYBs regulate the flavonoid pathway in liverworts, one of the earliest diverging land plant lineages. We characterized MpMyb14 from the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha using genetic mutagenesis, transgenic overexpression, gene promoter analysis, and transcriptomic and chemical analysis. MpMyb14 is phylogenetically basal to characterized angiosperm R2R3MYB flavonoid regulators. Mpmyb14 knockout lines lost all red pigmentation from the flavonoid riccionidin A, whereas overexpression conferred production of large amounts of flavones and riccionidin A, activation of associated biosynthetic genes, and constitutive red pigmentation. MpMyb14 expression and flavonoid pigmentation were induced by light- and nutrient-deprivation stress in M. polymorpha as for anthocyanins in angiosperms. MpMyb14 regulates stress-induced flavonoid production in M. polymorpha, and is essential for red pigmentation. This suggests that R2R3MYB regulated flavonoid production is a conserved character across land plants which arose early during land colonization.

Analysis of simple sequence repeat (SSR) structure and sequence within Epichloë endophyte genomes reveals impacts on gene structure and insights into ancestral hybridization events.

Epichloë grass endophytes comprise a group of filamentous fungi of both sexual and asexual species. Known for the beneficial characteristics they endow upon their grass hosts, the identification of these endophyte species has been of great interest agronomically and scientifically. The use of simple sequence repeat loci and the variation in repeat elements has been used to rapidly identify endophyte species and strains, however, little is known of how the structure of repeat elements changes between species and strains, and where these repeat elements are located in the fungal genome. We report on an in-depth analysis of the structure and genomic location of the simple sequence repeat locus B10, commonly used for Epichloë endophyte species identification. The B10 repeat was found to be located within an exon of a putative bZIP transcription factor, suggesting possible impacts on polypeptide sequence and thus protein function. Analysis of this repeat in the asexual endophyte hybrid Epichloë uncinata revealed that the structure of B10 alleles reflects the ancestral species that hybridized to give rise to this species. Understanding the structure and sequence of these simple sequence repeats provides a useful set of tools for readily distinguishing strains and for gaining insights into the ancestral species that have undergone hybridization events.

A Core Gene Set Describes the Molecular Basis of Mutualism and Antagonism in Epichloë spp.

Beneficial plant-fungal interactions play an important role in the ability of plants to survive changing environmental conditions. In contrast, phytopathogenic fungi fall at the opposite end of the symbiotic spectrum, causing reduced host growth or even death. In order to exploit beneficial interactions and prevent pathogenic ones, it is essential to understand the molecular differences underlying these alternative states. The association between the endophyte Epichloë festucae and Lolium perenne (perennial ryegrass) is an excellent system for studying these molecular patterns due to the existence of several fungal mutants that have an antagonistic rather than a mutualistic interaction with the host plant. By comparing gene expression in a wild-type beneficial association with three mutant antagonistic associations disrupted in key signaling genes, we identified a core set of 182 genes that show common differential expression patterns between these two states. These gene expression changes are indicative of a nutrient-starvation response, as supported by the upregulation of genes encoding degradative enzymes, transporters, and primary metabolism, and downregulation of genes encoding putative small-secreted proteins and secondary metabolism. These results suggest that disruption of a mutualistic symbiotic interaction may lead to an elevated uptake and degradation of host-derived nutrients and cell-wall components, reminiscent of phytopathogenic interactions.

Women living with facial hair: the psychological and behavioral burden.

OBJECTIVE: While unwanted facial hair is clearly distressing for women, relatively little is known about its psychological impact. This study reports on the psychological and behavioral burden of facial hair in women with suspected polycystic ovary syndrome. METHODS: Eighty-eight women (90% participation rate) completed a self-administered questionnaire concerning hair removal practices; the impact of facial hair on social and emotional domains; relationships and daily life; anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale); self-esteem (Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale); and quality of life (WHOQOL-BREF). RESULTS: Women spent considerable time on the management of their facial hair (mean, 104 min/week). Two thirds (67%) reported continually checking in mirrors and 76% by touch. Forty percent felt uncomfortable in social situations. High levels of emotional distress and psychological morbidity were detected; 30% had levels of depression above the clinical cut off point, while 75% reported clinical levels of anxiety; 29% reported both. Although overall quality of life was good, scores were low in social and relationship domains--reflecting the impact of unwanted facial hair. CONCLUSION: Unwanted facial hair carries a high psychological burden for women and represents a significant intrusion into their daily lives. Psychological support is a neglected element of care for these women.

Organic pollutants in wild ducks from New York state: I. Interspecies differences in concentrations and congener profiles of PCBs and PCDDs/PCDFs.

Wild ducks of three species, common mergansers (Mergus merganser americanus), gadwalls (Anas streptera), and mallards (Anas platyrhynchos), were collected near industrial sites in the Massena, NY area of the St. Lawrence River (SLR) in 1988/89 and 1994. Additional samples were collected in 1994 near a former polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) capacitor plant at Fort Edward, NY (a mallard and two wood ducks (Aix sponsa)), and at control sites (common mergansers, mallards and wood ducks). On a lipid basis, PCB concentrations in liver tissue from the 1994 collection ranged from 0.1 mug/g in a control wood duck to 676 mug/g in a common merganser from the SLR area. However, the highest total polychlorinated dibenzofuran (PCDF) concentrations were found in liver and fat tissues of gadwalls and mallards collected near the SLR industrial sites (2.8-12 ng/g lipid). These two species bioaccumulated non-2,3,7,8-substituted PCDFs in addition to 2,3,7,8-PCDF isomers, whereas common mergansers preferentially bioaccumulated 2,3,7,8-substituted PCDFs. The mergansers from the SLR sites were the only specimens contaminated with polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), which were all 2,3,7,8-substituted. The PCB and PCDF congener patterns in the duck tissues appear to have been influenced by both sampling location and species trophic level.

Tools for managing image flow in the modality to clinical-image-review chain.

Web-based clinical-image viewing is commonplace in large medical centers. As demands for product and performance escalate, physicians, sold on the concept of "any image, anytime, anywhere," fret when image studies cannot be viewed in a time frame to which they are accustomed. Image delivery pathways in large medical centers are oftentimes complicated by multiple networks, multiple picture archiving and communication systems (PACS), and multiple groups responsible for image acquisition and delivery to multiple destinations. When studies are delayed, it may be difficult to rapidly pinpoint bottlenecks. Described here are the tools used to monitor likely failure points in our modality to clinical-image-viewing chain and tools for reporting volume and throughput trends. Though perhaps unique to our environment, we believe that tools of this type are essential for understanding and monitoring image-study flow, re-configuring resources to achieve better throughput, and planning for anticipated growth. Without such tools, quality clinical-image delivery may not be what it should.

HOST FEEDING REGIME AND ZOOXANTHELLAL PHOTOSYNTHESIS IN THE ANEMONE, AIPTASIA PALLIDA (VERRILL).

Oxygen production was measured in the anemone Aiptasia pallida (Verrill) maintained at varying feeding regimes in the laboratory. Host feeding regime had no significant effect on: (1) zooxanthellal gross photosynthesis (GPPmax) expressed as µg O2 · µg chl a-1 · h-1 or µg O2 · 106 zooxanthellae-1 · h-1; (2) the light intensity at which ½ GPPmax occurs (Km); or (3) the chlorophyll a content of the zooxanthellae. Starvation significantly reduced GPPmax expressed as µg O2 · mg host protein-1 · h-1 and zooxanthellal density within the host. Zooxanthellal translocation efficiency was measured by short term incubations of anemones in NaH14CO3. Host feeding regime had no effect on the percentage of 14C translocated to the host. These results suggest that, under these conditions, starvation did not alter the photosynthetic capability of the zooxanthellae but decreased total photosynthate translocated to the host by decreasing zooxanthellal density within the host.