Reliability of Hallux Rigidus Radiographic Grading System

Introduction. The purpose of this study was to determine the inter- and intra-observer reliability of a clinical radiographic scale for hallux rigidus. Methods. A total of 80 patients were retrospectively selected from the patient population of two foot and ankle orthopaedic surgeons. Each corresponding series of radiographic images (weight-bearing anteroposterior, weight-bearing lateral, and oblique of the foot) was randomized and evaluated. Re-randomization was performed and the corresponding radiograph images re-numbered. Four orthopaedic foot and ankle surgeons graded each patient, and each rater reclassified the re-randomized radiographic images three weeks later. Results. Sixty-one out of 80 patients (76%) were included in this study. For intra-observer reliability, most of the raters showed “excellent” agreement except one rater had a “substantial” agreement. For inter-observer reliability, only 14 out of 61 cases (23%) showed total agreement between the eight readings from the four surgeons, and 11 out of the 14 cases (79%) were grade 3 hallux rigidus. One of the raters had a tendency to grade at a higher grade resulting in poorer agreement. If this rater was excluded, the results demonstrated a “substantial” agreement by using this classification. Conclusion. The hallux rigidus radiographic grading system should be used with caution. Although there is an “excellent” level of intra-observer agreement, there is only “moderate” to “substantial” level of inter-observer reliability

Proterozoic crustal evolution of central East Antarctica: Age and isotopic evidence from glacial igneous clasts, and links with Australia and Laurentia

Rock clasts entrained in glacial deposits sourced from the continental interior of Antarctica provide an innovative means to determine the age and composition of ice-covered crust. Zircon U-Pb ages from a suite of granitoid clasts collected in glacial catchments draining central East Antarctica through the Transantarctic Mountains show that crust in this region was formed by a series of magmatic events at ∼2.01, 1.88–1.85, ∼1.79, ∼1.57, 1.50–1.41, and 1.20–1.06 Ga. The dominant granitoid populations are ca. 1.85, 1.45 and 1.20–1.06 Ga. None of these igneous ages are known from limited outcrop in the region. In addition to defining a previously unrecognized geologic history, zircon O and Hf isotopic compositions from this suite have: (1) mantle-like δ18O signatures (4.0–4.5‰) and near-chondritic Hf-isotope compositions (εHf ∼ +1.5) for granitoids of ∼2.0 Ga age; (2) mostly crustal δ18O (6.0–8.5‰) and variable Hf-isotope compositions (εHf = −6 to +5) in rocks with ages of ∼1.88–1.85, ∼1.79 and ∼1.57 Ga, in which the ∼1.88–1.79 Ga granitoids require involvement of older crust; (3) mostly juvenile isotopic signatures with low, mantle-like δ18O (∼4–5‰) and radiogenic Hf-isotope signatures (εHf = +6 to +10) in rocks of 1.50–1.41 Ga age, with some showing crustal sources or evidence of alteration; and (4) mixed crustal and mantle δ18O signatures (6.0–7.5‰) and radiogenic Hf isotopes (εHf = +3 to +4) in rocks of ∼1.2 Ga age. Together, these age and isotopic data indicate the presence in cratonic East Antarctica of a large, composite igneous province that formed through a punctuated sequence of relatively juvenile Proterozoic magmatic events. Further, they provide direct support for geological correlation of crust in East Antarctica with both the Gawler Craton of present-day Australia and Proterozoic provinces in western Laurentia. Prominent clast ages of ∼2.0, 1.85, 1.57 and 1.45 Ga, together with sediment source linkages, provide evidence for the temporal and spatial association of these cratonic elements in the Columbia supercontinent. Abundant ∼1.2–1.1 Ga igneous and metamorphic clasts may sample crust underlying the Gamburtsev Subglacial Mountains, indicating the presence of a Mesoproterozoic orogenic belt in the interior of East Antarctica that formed during final assembly of Rodinia.Field and analytical portions of this project were supported by the National Science Foundation (award 0944645)

Particulate Matter (PM) Research Centers (1999–2005) and the Role of Interdisciplinary Center-Based Research

Objective: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency funded five academic centers in 1999 to address the uncertainties in exposure, toxicity, and health effects of airborne particulate matter (PM) identified in the “Research Priorities for Airborne Particulate Matter” of the National Research Council (NRC). The centers were structured to promote interdisciplinary approaches to address research priorities of the NRC. In this report, we present selected accomplishments from the first 6 years of the PM Centers, with a focus on the advantages afforded by the interdisciplinary, center-based research approach. The review highlights advances in the area of ultrafine particles and traffic-related health effects as well as cardiovascular and respiratory effects, mechanisms, susceptibility, and PM exposure and characterization issues. Data sources and synthesis: The collective publications of the centers served as the data source. To provide a concise synthesis of overall findings, authors representing each of the five centers identified a limited number of topic areas that serve to illustrate the key accomplishments of the PM Centers program, and a consensus statement was developed. Conclusions: The PM Centers program has effectively applied interdisciplinary research approaches to advance PM science

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Terrisporobacter hibernicus sp. nov., isolated from bovine faeces in Northern Ireland

A new species of Terrisporobacter, a Gram-positive, spore-forming anaerobic group, proposed name Terrisporobacter hiberni-cus sp. nov., was isolated in Northern Ireland from bovine faeces collected in 2016. Designated as MCA3T, cells of T. hibernicus sp. nov. are rod shaped and motile. Cells tolerate NaCl from 0.5 to 5.5 % (w/v), with a pH tolerance between pH 6 and 9. The optimal temperature for growth is 35–40 °C, and temperatures from 20 to 30 °C are tolerated. The polar lipid profile displays diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, two aminoglycolipids, one glycophospholipid, one aminolipid, three glycolipids, five phospholipids and one lipid. No respiratory quinones are detected. The predominant fatty acid profile includes C16: 0 at 22.8 %. Strain MCA3T is positive for glucose and maltose acidification, as well as glycerol and sorbitol. The biochemical results from a VITEK2 assay of strain MCA3T, Terrisporobacter petrolearius LAM0A37T and Terrisporobacter mayombei DSM 6539T are also included for the first time. The closed and complete genome of strain MCA3T from a hybrid Oxford Nanopore Technology MinION/Illumina assembly reveals no evidence for known virulence genes. Draft genome sequencing of T. mayombei DSM 6539T and T. petrolearius LAM0A37T, as performed by Illumina MiSeq, provides reference genomes for these respective species of Terrisporobacter for the first time. DNA–DNA hybridization values (d4) of MCA3T to Terrisporobacter glycolicus ATCC 14880T, T. petrolearius LAM0A37T and T. mayombei DSM 6539T are 48.8, 67.4 and 46.3 %, with cutoff value at 70 %. The type strain for T. hibernicus sp. nov. is MCA3T (=NCTC 14625T=LMG 32430T)

Quantitation of Pretreatment Serum IP-10 Improves the Predictive Value of an IL28B Gene Polymorphism for Hepatitis C Treatment Response

Polymorphisms of IL28B gene are highly associated with sustained virological response (SVR) in patients with chronic hepatitis C treated with peginterferon and ribavirin. Quantitation of Interferon-γ Inducible Protein-10 (IP-10) may also differentiate antiviral response. We evaluated IP-10 levels in pretreatment serum from 115 non-responders and 157 sustained responders in the VIRAHEP-C cohort, including African Americans (AA) and Caucasian Americans (CA). Mean IP-10 was lower in sustained responders compared to non-responders (460 ± 37 pg/ml vs 697 ± 49 pg/ml, p600 pg/ml) was 67%. We assessed the combination of pretreatment IP-10 levels with IL28B genotype as predictors of treatment response. The IL28B polymorphism rs12979860 was tested in 210 participants. CC, CT, or TT genotypes were found in 30%, 49%, and 21%, respectively, with corresponding SVR rates of 87%, 50%, and 39% (p<0.0001). Serum IP-10 levels within the IL28B genotype groups provided additional information regarding the likelihood of SVR (p< 0.0001). CT carriers with low IP-10 had 64% SVR versus 24% with high IP-10. Similarly, a higher SVR rate was identified for TT and CC carriers with low versus high IP-10 (TT: 48% versus 20%, CC: 89% versus 79%). IL28B genotype and baseline IP-10 levels were additive but independent when predicting SVR in both AA and CA

Sex differences in post-acute neurological sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 and symptom resolution in adults after COVID-19 hospitalization: an international multicenter prospective observational study

Although it is known that coronavirus disease 2019 can present with a range of neurological manifestations and in-hospital complications, sparse data exist on whether these initial neurological symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 are closely associated with post-acute neurological sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; PANSC) and whether female versus male sex impacts symptom resolution. In this international, multi-centre, prospective, observational study across 407 sites from 15 countries (30 January 2020 to 30 April 2022), we report the prevalence and risk factors of PANSC among hospitalized adults and investigate the differences between males and females on neurological symptom resolution over time. PANSC symptoms included altered consciousness/confusion, fatigue/malaise, anosmia, dysgeusia and muscle ache/joint pain, on which information was collected at index hospitalization and during follow-up assessments. The analysis considered a time to the resolution of individual and all neurological symptoms. The resulting times were modelled by Weibull regression, assuming mixed-case interval censoring, with sex and age included as covariates. The model results were summarized as cumulative probability functions and age-adjusted and sex-adjusted median times to resolution. We included 6862 hospitalized adults with coronavirus disease 2019, who had follow-up assessments. The median age of the participants was 57 years (39.2% females). Males and females had similar baseline characteristics, except that more males (versus females) were admitted to the intensive care unit (30.5 versus 20.3%) and received mechanical ventilation (17.2 versus 11.8%). Approximately 70% of patients had multiple neurological symptoms at the first follow-up (median = 102 days). Fatigue (49.9%) and myalgia/arthralgia (45.2%) were the most prevalent symptoms of PANSC at the initial follow-up. The reported prevalence in females was generally higher (versus males) for all symptoms. At 12 months, anosmia and dysgeusia were resolved in most patients, although fatigue, altered consciousness and myalgia remained unresolved in >10% of the cohort. Females had a longer time to the resolution (5.2 versus 3.4 months) of neurological symptoms at follow-up for those with more than one neurological symptom. In the multivariable analysis, males were associated with a shorter time to the resolution of symptoms (hazard ratio = 1.53; 95% confidence interval = 1.39–1.69). Intensive care unit admission was associated with a longer time to the resolution of symptoms (hazard ratio = 0.68; 95% confidence interval = 0.60–0.77). Post-discharge stroke was uncommon (0.3% in females and 0.5% in males). Despite the methodological challenges involved in the collection of survey data, this international multi-centre prospective cohort study demonstrated that PANSC following index hospitalization was high. Symptom prevalence was higher and took longer to resolve in females than in males. This supported the fact that while males were sicker during acute illness, females were disproportionately affected by PANSC

IL-1α Mediated Chorioamnionitis Induces Depletion of FoxP3+ Cells and Ileal Inflammation in the Ovine Fetal Gut

Endotoxin induced chorioamnionitis increases IL-1 and provokes an inflammatory response in the fetal ileum that interferes with intestinal maturation. In the present study, we tested in an ovine chorioamnionitis model whether IL-1 is a major cytokine driving the inflammatory response in the fetal ileum.Sheep bearing singleton fetuses received a single intraamniotic injection of recombinant ovine IL-1α at 7, 3 or 1 d before caesarian delivery at 125 days gestational age (term = 150 days).3 and 7 d after IL-1α administration, intestinal mRNA levels for IL-4, IL-10, IFN-γ and TNF-α were strongly elevated. Numbers of CD3+ and CD4+ T-lymphocytes and myeloidperoxidase+ cells were increased whereas FoxP3+ T-cells were detected at low frequency. This increased proinflammatory state was associated with ileal mucosal barrier loss as demonstrated by decreased levels of the intestinal fatty acid binding protein and disruption of the tight junctional protein ZO-1.Intraamniotic IL-1α causes an acute detrimental inflammatory response in the ileum, suggesting that induction of IL-1 is a critical element in the pathophysiological effects of endotoxin induced chorioamnionitis. A disturbed balance between T-effector and FoxP3+ cells may contribute to this process