Health-Related Quality of Life Following Concussion in Collegiate Student-Athletes With and Without Concussion History.

The purpose of this study was to compare global and specific health-related quality of life (HRQOL) throughout concussion recovery between those with and without concussion history. Student-athletes diagnosed with concussion completed global (Short Form-12v2; SF-12) and specific (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale: HADS) HRQOL assessments at baseline, 24-48 h, asymptomatic, return-to-play, and 6-months post-injury. Baseline scores were compared to post-injury time points for SF-12 subscores (physical and mental; PCS-12, MCS-12) and HADS subscores (depression and anxiety; HADS-D, HADS-A). We conducted a 2 × 5 mixed model ANOVA for group (with and without concussion history) and time (four post-injury assessments compared to baseline). We did not observe interaction or main effects for group, except those with concussion history had worse HADS-D subscores than those without concussion history. PCS-12 subscores were worse at 24-48 h, asymptomatic, and return-to-play compared to baseline, but returned to baseline 6-months post-injury. MCS-12 subscores did not differ at any time points. HADS-D subscores worsened 24-48 h post-injury, but improved for additional assessments compared to baseline. HADS-A improved post-injury compared to baseline at asymptomatic, return-to-play, and 6-month assessments, but was similar to baseline 24-48 h post-injury. HRQOL physical aspects slightly worsened post-injury and restored to baseline after returning to play.

Development of a plant transformation selection system based on expression of genes encoding gentamicin acetyltransferases.

The development of selectable markers for transformation has been a major factor in the successful genetic manipulation of plants. A new selectable marker system has been developed based on bacterial gentamicin-3-N-acetyltransferases [AAC(3)]. These enzymes inactivate aminoglycoside antibiotics by acetylation. Two examples of AAC(3) enzymes have been manipulated to be expressed in plants. Chimeric AAC(3)-III and AAC(3)-IV genes were assembled using the constitutively expressed cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter and the nopaline synthase 3' nontranslated region. These chimeric genes were engineered into vectors for Agrobacterium-mediated plant transformation. Petunia hybrida and Arabidopsis thaliana tissue transformed with these vectors grew in the presence of normally lethal levels of gentamicin. The transformed nature of regenerated Arabidopsis plants was confirmed by DNA hybridization analysis and inheritance of the selectable phenotype in progeny. The chimeric AAC(3)-IV gene has also been used to select transformants in several additional plant species. These results show that the bacterial AAC(3) genes will serve as useful selectable markers in plant tissue culture.

Reproducible in vitro preparation of intermediate C3d coated red blood cells.

As a standardizing reagent and/or as a positive control for the anti-C3d reactivity of antiglobulin reagents, test red blood cells (RBC) reproducibly coated with "C3d only" (i.e. lacking other complement components and immunoglobulins) are essential. We have prepared RBC coated by intermediate amounts of C3d. Two approaches to varying the amount of C3d bound to RBC were studied: a) variation in Mg++ concentration and b) dilution of donor plasma. The amount of C3d bound to RBC was assessed both by agglutination reactions with serial dilutions of a standard anti-C3d serum and by quantitation of bound anti-C3d with 125I-labeled anti-antiglobulin serum. Marked individual donor differences were encountered in response to varying Mg++ concentration and to dilution of donor plasma; no single set of conditions could be employed to produce a desired intermediate C3d-coated RBC from all donors. Examples of variations to be expected with both manipulations are illustrated, along with studies of conditions under which the standard deviation for bound C3d on intermediate C3d-coated RBC made from 5-donor pools was less than 10%.