Arthroscopic biceps augmentation does not improve clinical outcomes during incomplete repair of large to massive rotator cuff tears.

AIMS: This study compared patients who underwent arthroscopic repair of large to massive rotator cuff tears (LMRCTs) with isolated incomplete repair of the tear and patients with incomplete repair with biceps tendon augmentation. We aimed to evaluate the additional benefit on clinical outcomes and the capacity to lower the re-tear rate. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 1,115 patients who underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair for full-thickness tears between October 2011 and May 2019. From this series, we identified 77 patients (28 male, 49 female) with a mean age of 64.1 years (50 to 80). Patients were classified into groups A (n = 47 incomplete) and B (n = 30 with biceps augmentation) according to the nature of their reconstruction. Clinical scores were checked preoperatively and at six months, one year, and two years postoperatively. In preoperative MRI, we measured the tear size, the degree of fatty infiltration, and muscle volume ratio of the supraspinatus. In postoperative MRI, the integrity of the repaired rotator cuff tendon was assessed using the Sugaya classification. Tendon thickness at the footprint was evaluated on T2-weighted oblique coronal view. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the initial preoperative demographic characteristics. In both groups, there were significant improvements in postoperative clinical scores (p < 0.001). However, most clinical outcomes, including range of motion measurements (forward elevation, external rotation, internal rotation, and abduction), showed no differences between the pre- and postoperative values. Comparing the postoperative outcomes of both groups, no further improvement from biceps augmentation was found. Group B, although not reaching statistical significance, had more re-tears than group A (30% vs 15%; p = 0.117). CONCLUSION: In LMRCTs, biceps augmentation provided no significant improvement of an incomplete repair. Therefore, biceps augmentation is not recommended in the treatment of LMRCTs.Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2022;104-B(11):1234-1241.

Disruption of histamine/H3 receptor signal reduces collagen deposition in cultures scar myofibroblasts.

A suitable inflammatory signal influences extracellular matrix accumulation and determines the quality of the myocardial infarction scar. The aim of the present study was to determine the influence of mast cell sonicates or histamine on collagen accumulation in heart myofibroblast culture and on the deposition of collagen in the myocardial infarction scar. The histamine receptor involved in the process was investigated. Myocardial infarction was induced by ligation of the left coronary artery. Myofibroblasts were isolated from the scar of myocardial infarction. The effects of mast cell sonicates, histamine and its receptor antagonists, i.e. ketotifen (H1-receptor inhibitor), ranitidine (H2-receptor inhibitor), ciproxifan (H3-receptor inhibitor), JNJ7777120 (H4-receptor inhibitor), imetit (H3 receptor agonist), were investigated. The mast cell sonicates or histamine (10-10 - 10-5M) augmented collagen content in myofibroblast cultures; however, histamine-induced elevation was reduced by ciproxifan (10-5M, 10-6M). Imetit (10-9 - 10-5M) elevated collagen content in the culture. H3 receptor expression on myofibroblasts was confirmed. Our findings indicate that histamine increases the deposition of collagen in cultures of myofibroblasts isolated from the myocardial infarction scar. This effect is dependent on H3 receptor activation.

Influence of Feeding Type and Nosema ceranae Infection on the Gut Microbiota of Apis cerana Workers.

The gut microbiota plays an essential role in the health of bees. To elucidate the effect of feed and Nosema ceranae infection on the gut microbiota of honey bee (Apis cerana), we used 16S rRNA sequencing to survey the gut microbiota of honey bee workers fed with sugar water or beebread and inoculated with or without N. ceranae. The gut microbiota of A. cerana is dominated by Serratia, Snodgrassella, and Lactobacillus genera. The overall gut microbiota diversity was show to be significantly differential by feeding type. N. ceranae infection significantly affects the gut microbiota only in bees fed with sugar water. Higher abundances of Lactobacillus, Gluconacetobacter, and Snodgrassella and lower abundances of Serratia were found in bees fed with beebread than in those fed with sugar water. N. ceranae infection led to a higher abundance of Snodgrassella and a lower abundance of Serratia in sugar-fed bees. Imputed bacterial Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways showed the significant metagenomics functional differences by feeding and N. ceranae infections. Furthermore, A. cerana workers fed with sugar water showed lower N. ceranae spore loads but higher mortality than those fed with beebread. The cumulative mortality was strongly positive correlated (rho = 0.61) with the changes of overall microbiota dissimilarities by N. ceranae infection. Both feeding types and N. ceranae infection significantly affect the gut microbiota in A. cerana workers. Beebread not only provides better nutrition but also helps establish a more stable gut microbiota and therefore protects bees in response to N. ceranae infection. IMPORTANCE The gut microbiota plays an essential role in the health of bees. Scientific evidence suggests that diet and infection can affect the gut microbiota and modulate the health of the gut; however, the interplay between those two factors and the bee gut microbiota is not well known. In this study, we used a high-throughput sequencing method to monitor the changes of gut microbiota associated with both feeding types and Nosema ceranae infection. Our results showed that the gut microbiota composition and diversity of Asian honey bee were significantly associated with both feeding types and the N. ceranae infection. More interestingly, bees fed with beebread showed higher microbiota stability and lower mortality rates than those fed with sugar water when infected by N. ceranae. Those data suggest that beebread has the potential not only to provide better nutrition but also help to establish a more stable gut microbiota to protect bees against N. ceranae infection.

A mini-STR typing system for degraded equine DNA.

Degraded biological samples are a challenge for testing laboratories. Genotyping success can be improved through the use of mini-STRs, by which primers are placed adjacent to the repeat motifs to reduce amplicon size. Here, we present a genetic profiling system comprising 13 autosomal and one X-linked dinucleotide-repeat markers and the SRY gene based on the internationally accepted equine parentage panel. The markers are divided into two panels with all alleles falling at or below 182 bp. The application of this method significantly increases the ability to profile difficult samples and to provide discriminating results to clients.

A Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis relA deletion mutant and a 35 kDa major membrane protein elicit development of cytotoxic T lymphocytes with ability to kill intracellular bacteria.

Efforts to develop live attenuated vaccines against Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (Map), using indirect methods to screen Map deletion mutants for potential efficacy, have not been successful. A reduction in the capacity to survive in macrophages has not predicted the ability of mutants to survive in vivo. Previous studies for screening of three deletion mutants in cattle and goats revealed one mutant, with a deletion in relA (ΔMap/relA), could not establish a persistent infection. Further studies, using antigen presenting cells (APC), blood dendritic cells and monocyte derived DC, pulsed with ΔMap/relA or a 35 kDa Map membrane protein (MMP) revealed a component of the response to ΔMap/relA was directed towards MMP. As reported herein, we developed a bacterium viability assay and cell culture assays for analysis and evaluation of cytotoxic T cells generated against ΔMap/relA or MMP. Analysis of the effector activity of responding cells revealed the reason ΔMap/relA could not establish a persistent infection was that vaccination elicited development of cytotoxic CD8 T cells (CTL) with the capacity to kill intracellular bacteria. We demonstrated the same CTL response could be elicited with two rounds of antigenic stimulation of APC pulsed with ΔMap/relA or MMP ex vivo. Cytotoxicity was mediated through the perforin granzyme B pathway. Finally, cognate recognition of peptides presented in context of MHC I and II molecules to CD4 and CD8 T cells is required for development of CTL.

Feline non-repetitive mitochondrial DNA control region database for forensic evidence.

The domestic cat is the one of the most popular pets throughout the world. A by-product of owning, interacting with, or being in a household with a cat is the transfer of shed fur to clothing or personal objects. As trace evidence, transferred cat fur is a relatively untapped resource for forensic scientists. Both phenotypic and genotypic characteristics can be obtained from cat fur, but databases for neither aspect exist. Because cats incessantly groom, cat fur may have nucleated cells, not only in the hair bulb, but also as epithelial cells on the hair shaft deposited during the grooming process, thereby generally providing material for DNA profiling. To effectively exploit cat hair as a resource, representative databases must be established. The current study evaluates 402 bp of the mtDNA control region (CR) from 1394 cats, including cats from 25 distinct worldwide populations and 26 breeds. Eighty-three percent of the cats are represented by 12 major mitotypes. An additional 8.0% are clearly derived from the major mitotypes. Unique sequences are found in 7.5% of the cats. The overall genetic diversity for this data set is 0.8813±0.0046 with a random match probability of 11.8%. This region of the cat mtDNA has discriminatory power suitable for forensic application worldwide.

Association between hemodynamics in the common carotid artery and severity of carotid atherosclerosis in patients with essential hypertension.

BACKGROUND: Carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and plaque burden evaluated by B-mode ultrasound have been used as relevant indicators for carotid atherosclerosis. This study was aimed to investigate the relationship between hemodynamic parameters in the common carotid artery (CCA) and the severity of carotid atherosclerosis in untreated hypertensive patients. METHODS: Carotid IMT and plaque burden were evaluated in bilateral CCA, bifurcations, external and internal carotid arteries using duplex ultrasound in 80 untreated hypertensive patients. The patients were divided into four groups according to plaque burden. Hemodynamic parameters of CCA, including peak and mean circumferential wall tension (CWT), tensile stress (TS), wall shear stress (WSS), and Young's elastic modulus (YEM), were calculated after measurements of internal diameter (ID), IMT, and peak and mean flow velocities of CCA. Arterial stiffness was also assessed using the brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV). RESULTS: Age, pulse pressure, creatinine, carotid IMT, and mean TS were shown to have significant differences among the four plaque groups (P < 0.05). Peak CWT and peak TS were also shown to have marginal differences. In univariate analysis, the peak and mean CWT and TS were significantly correlated with plaque score. Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that carotid IMT, age, and peak CWT were independently associated with plaque score. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the CWT and TS of the CCA are associated with the severity of carotid atherosclerosis in untreated hypertensive patients. Hence, the hemodynamics of vessels may contribute to the plaque burden of low-resistance arteries.

Association of carotid hemodynamics with risk of coronary heart disease in a Taiwanese population with essential hypertension.

BACKGROUND: The resistive index (RI) of the carotid artery is a hemodynamic parameter that depends on the degree of vascular resistance in hypertensive patients. The pulsatility index (PI) of the carotid artery was shown to be associated with microangiopathy in diabetic patients. In contrast to carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), no study has yet applied the carotid RI and PI to estimate coronary heart disease (CHD) risk. METHODS: Framingham risk scores (FRS) were determined for 62 patients (32 women; mean age 65 years (range 35-83)) with essential hypertension. Duplex sonography of the common carotid artery (CCA) was performed, with determination of RI, PI, and IMT. RESULTS: The mean FRS of all patients was 14.3% (range 1-30%), the mean IMT value of CCA was 0.89 +/- 0.23 mm, the mean RI was 0.71 +/- 0.07, and the mean PI was 1.46 +/- 0.39. FRS was found to have highly significant correlations with RI and PI (r = 0.47, P < 0.001 and r = 0.45, P < 0.001, respectively). The correlation between FRS and IMT was also significant (r = 0.41, P = 0.001). Multiple stepwise regression analysis showed that RI was an independent determinant of the risk of CHD. CONCLUSIONS: Although RI indirectly reflected the atherosclerotic process, the correlation between RI and CHD risk was comparable to the well-known correlation between cardiovascular event and carotid IMT. Hence, carotid RI can be used as a tool for risk stratification in Taiwanese patients with essential hypertension.

Pyogenic brain abscess: findings from in vivo 1.5-T and 11.7-T in vitro proton MR spectroscopy.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Metabolites in pyogenic brain abscesses, as detected with in vivo proton MR spectroscopy, are different from those found in brain and can help differentiate pyogenic brain abscesses from necrotic neoplasms. We compared the findings of in vivo with those of in vitro MR spectroscopy and categorized the MR spectral patterns with respect to the causative organisms and abscess size. METHODS: Fifteen patients with pyogenic brain abscesses underwent in vivo 1.5-T (1)H MR spectroscopy and had findings of ring enhancement. The causative organisms were determined from cultures of aspirated pus. Single-voxel (1)H MR spectroscopy was performed with the point-resolved method (1600/270, 135 TR/TE). In six representative patients, in vitro 11.7-T (1)H MR spectra were obtained from the aspirated pus. RESULTS: Three in vivo MR spectral patterns were noted: A) presence of lactate at 1.3 ppm, cytosolic amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, and valine) at 0.9 ppm, alanine at 1.50 ppm, and acetate at 1.92 ppm, with the presence or absence of succinate at 2.4 ppm and lipids (0.8-1.3 ppm), representing mostly obligate anaerobes or a mixture of obligate and facultative anaerobes; B) presence of lactate at 1.3 ppm and cytosolic amino acids at 0.9 ppm, with the presence or absence of lipids but not acetate or alanine (0.8-1.3 ppm), representing mostly obligate aerobes or facultative anaerobes; and C) presence of lactate at 1.3 ppm alone, showing small abscess. Additional resonance peaks of lysine at 1.73 and 3.0 ppm, glutamate/glutamine at 2.09-2.36 ppm, taurine at 3.24 and 3.42 ppm, glycine at 3.55 ppm, and amino acids at 3.75 ppm could be observed in the in vitro MR spectra. CONCLUSION: Results from the in vivo observations were satisfactorily verified by the in vitro experiments. The in vitro measurements may offer complementary information that cannot be extracted from in vivo MR spectra. Determination of the three (1)H MR spectral patterns may be helpful in devising the best possible treatment plans for patients with pyogenic abscesses.

Solution structure of d-GAATTCGAATTC by 2D NMR. A new approach to determination of sugar geometries in DNA segments.

A new approach based on the correlated spectroscopy (COSY) in 2D NMR has been described for determination of sugar geometries in oligonucleotides. Under the usual low resolution conditions employed in COSY, the intensities of cross peaks depend on the magnitudes of coupling constants. There are five vicinal coupling constants in a deoxyribose ring which are sensitive to the sugar geometry. The presence, absence and rough comparison of relative intensities of COSY cross peaks arising from such coupling constants enable one to fix the sugar conformation to a fair degree of precision. The methodology has been applied to d-GAATTCGAATTC. It is observed that ten out of the twelve nucleotide units in this sequence exhibit a rare O1'-endo geometry. The EcoRI cleavage sites (between G and A) in the dodecanucleotide show an interesting variation in the conformation with the two sugars attached to the Gs acquiring a geometry between C2'-endo and C4'-endo.