A haplotype-resolved chromosome-scale genome for Quercus rubra L. provides insights into the genetics of adaptive traits for red oak species

Northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.) is an ecologically and economically important forest tree native to North America. We present a chromosome-scale genome of Q. rubra generated by the combination of PacBio sequences and chromatin conformation capture (Hi-C) scaffolding. This is the first reference genome from the red oak clade (section Lobatae). The Q. rubra assembly spans 739 Mb with 95.27% of the genome in 12 chromosomes and 33,333 protein-coding genes. Comparisons to the genomes of Quercus lobata and Quercus mongolica revealed high collinearity, with intrachromosomal structural variants present. Orthologous gene family analysis with other tree species revealed that gene families associated with defense response were expanding and contracting simultaneously across the Q. rubra genome. Quercus rubra had the most CC-NBS-LRR and TIR-NBS-LRR resistance genes out of the 9 species analyzed. Terpene synthase gene family comparisons further reveal tandem gene duplications in TPS-b subfamily, similar to Quercus robur. Phylogenetic analysis also identified 4 subfamilies of the IGT/LAZY gene family in Q. rubra important for plant structure. Single major QTL regions were identified for vegetative bud break and marcescence, which contain candidate genes for further research, including a putative ortholog of the circadian clock constituent cryptochrome (CRY2) and 8 tandemly duplicated genes for serine protease inhibitors, respectively. Genome-environment associations across natural populations identified candidate abiotic stress tolerance genes and predicted performance in a common garden. This high-quality red oak genome represents an essential resource to the oak genomic community, which will expedite comparative genomics and biological studies in Quercus species.

Signatures of prescribed fire in the microbial communities of Cornus florida are largely undetectable five months post-fire

Prescribed burn is a management tool that influences the physical structure and composition of forest plant communities and their associated microorganisms. Plant-associated microorganisms aid in host plant disease tolerance and increase nutrient availability. The effects of prescribed burn on microorganisms associated with native ecologically and economically important tree species, such as Cornus florida L. (flowering dogwood), are not well understood, particularly in aboveground plant tissues (e.g., leaf, stem, and bark tissues). The objective of this study was to use 16S rRNA gene and ITS2 region sequencing to evaluate changes in bacterial and fungal communities of five different flowering dogwood-associated niches (soil, roots, bark, stem, and leaves) five months following a prescribed burn treatment. The alpha- and beta-diversity of root bacterial/archaeal communities differed significantly between prescribed burn and unburned control-treated trees. In these bacterial/archaeal root communities, we also detected a significantly higher relative abundance of sequences identified as Acidothermaceae, a family of thermophilic bacteria. No significant differences were detected between prescribed burn-treated and unburned control trees in bulk soils or bark, stem, or leaf tissues. The findings of our study suggest that prescribed burn does not significantly alter the aboveground plant-associated microbial communities of flowering dogwood trees five months following the prescribed burn application. Further studies are required to better understand the short- and long-term effects of prescribed burns on the microbial communities of forest trees.

Is a single dose of preoperative antibiotic therapy effective for patients treated with megaendoprosthesis after metastatic bone tumour resection?

Purpose The timing and number of doses of antibiotics required for megaendoprosthetic replacement (MPR) in metastatic bone disease (MBD) is a matter of debate. The aim of our study is to present the results of a prospective cohort of MPR for MBD receiving a single dose of antibiotic at induction of anaesthesia.

METHODS

All patients who underwent primary MPR in MBD were included in this prospective study. All penicillin-sensitive patients received one dose of cefuroxime 1.5gm intravenous at induction. In penicillin-allergic patients, teicoplanin 1.2gm and ciprofloxacin 500 mg intravenous was administered. The patients were followed up in the wound clinic and the specialist MBD clinic at 2 weeks, 3 months, 6 months and then annually. Data collected included demographics, primary tumours, surgical procedures, complications and duration of follow-up. All calculations were performed using SPSS^® 25(IBM, USA). A p value ≤ 0.05 was considered to be significant.

RESULTS

There were 51 patients with a mean age of 65.4 years. Procedures included proximal femoral replacement (35), distal femoral replacement (7), proximal humeral replacement (4), distal humeral replacement (3) and total femoral replacement (2). Thirty-seven patients received cefuroxime, and fourteen patients received teicoplanin and ciprofloxacin at induction of anaesthesia. The deep infection rate was 1.9%. Thirty-seven patients died with a median survival of 10 months (1 to 51 months). Mean follow-up was 18.9 months (1 to 70 months).

CONCLUSION

Single dose of preoperative antibiotics at anaesthetic induction seems to be safe and effective for preoperative prophylaxis in orthopaedic oncology.

Diagnostic utility of fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography in prosthetic joint infection based on MSIS criteria

AIMS

Prosthetic joint infection (PJI) and aseptic loosening in total hip arthroplasty (THA) can present with pain and osteolysis. The Musculoskeletal Infection Society (MSIS) has provided criteria for the diagnosis of PJI. The aim of our study was to analyze the utility of F18-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) CT scan in the preoperative diagnosis of septic loosening in THA, based on the current MSIS definition of prosthetic joint infection.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 130 painful unilateral cemented THAs with a mean follow-up of 5.17 years (sd 1.12) were included in this prospective study. The mean patient age was 67.5 years (sd 4.85). Preoperative evaluation with inflammatory markers, aspiration, and an F18 FDG PET scan were performed. Diagnostic utility tests were also performed, based on the MSIS criteria for PJI and three samples positive on culture alone.

RESULTS

The mean erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, and white cell count were 47.83 mm/hr, 25.21 mg/l, and 11.05 × 10⁹/l, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, negative predictive value, and false-positive rate of FDG PET compared with MSIS criteria were 94.87%, 38.46 %, 56.38%, 94.59 %, and 60.21%, respectively. The false-positive rate of FDG PET compared with culture alone was 77.4%.

CONCLUSION

FDG PET has a definitive role in the preoperative evaluation of suspected PJI. This the first study to evaluate its utility based on MSIS criteria and compare it with microbiology results alone. However, FDG PET has a high false-positive rate. Therefore, we suggest that F18 FDG PET is useful in confirming the absence of infection, but if positive, may not be confirmatory of PJI. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2019;101-B:910-914.

Multiple vortex vein ampulla varicosities

Vortex vein ampulla varicosities are asymptomatic, harmless, findings in the retina. They are incidentally picked up on routine eye examination or when presenting for unrelated ocular symptoms. Clinicians and other eye care professionals unaware of this condition may be alarmed and may subject patients to unnecessary anxiety and expensive investigations. We present a rare case of varicosity of two vortex veins involving one quadrant of the retina. We have also shown simple clinical methods of establishing the diagnosis of vortex vein varicosity.

Pyrazinamide induced hyperuricaemia presenting as severe bilateral leg cramps

Pyrazinamide is one of the first line drugs used for the treatment of tuberculosis. Hepatotoxicity and hyperuricaemia are important and common untoward effects seen after administration of pyrazinamide. The drug inhibits elimination of urates resulting in hyperuricaemia, the presenting features of which are arthralgia, arthritis or even gout. A-case of bilateral leg cramps due to hyperuricaemia following pyrazinamide therapy is reported here.

Comparative effects of conventional B-blockers and nebivolol on psychomotor performances in healthy volunteers: a preliminary report

The present study was under taken to assess the comparative effects of nebivolol with propranolol and atenolol on psychomotor performances. Thirty healthy volunteers were randomized into three groups with n=10 in each group. Each subject received single dose of one of the three medications (nebivolol 5 mg, atenolol 50 mg and propranolol 40 mg) in morning (9:00 AM). Just before administering the drug, the pre-drug scores were taken, followed by post drug score obtained for consecutive six hours. Psychomotor assessment was carried out by three tests Simple Reaction Timer (SRT), Critical Flicker Fusion Frequent Threshold (CFFT) and Digit Cancellation Test (DCT). The results of present study indicate that single doses of atenolol and propranolol produced significant impairment of psychomotor performance. Nebivolol also impaired psychomotor performance tests in the similar fashion to atenolol and propranolol. Hence, the findings of the present study correlate with the lipophilic nature of the nebivolol.

Effects of tamoxifen therapy on plasma lipid profile in patients of breast cancer

AIM

To evaluate the effects of tamoxifen therapy on plasma lipid profile in patients of breast cancer.

METHOD

A total of 55 postoperative patients of breast cancer were given tablet tamoxifen 20mg orally daily for 6 months. Estimation of plasma lipid by standard method was carried out in both pre-menopausal and postmenopausal new patients of early stage breast cancer at 0 day, 3rd month and 6th months of therapy.

RESULTS

Suggested that in pre-menopausal and postmenopausal patient's TC and LDL-c levels were reduced significantly, whereas, TG, VLDL-c and HDL-c were not altered. Comparison of the effects of tamoxifen in pre-menopausal and postmenopausal patients on lipid profile revealed that fall in TC and LDL-c was significantly higher at both 3 and 6 months in postmenopausal patients.

CONCLUSION

The study demonstrates that tamoxifen to favorably alter the markers of cardiovascular risk in both pre-menopausal and postmenopausal patients of breast cancer.

Current practice in the management of anterior cruciate ligament injuries in the United Kingdom

OBJECTIVE

To outline the current practice in the management of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in the United Kingdom.

METHODS

A postal questionnaire designed to include various clinical scenarios was sent out to the 321 orthopaedic surgeons in the United Kingdom who, being affiliated to one of the specialist societies of the British Orthopaedic Association, namely the British Association for Surgery of the Knee (BASK) or the British Orthopaedic Sports Trauma Association (BOSTA), have a manifested interest in treating such injuries.

RESULTS

The response rate was 60% (192/321). Most surgeons diagnose and operate on less than 50 ACL injuries a year. The following results were obtained: 58% (76/132) use bone-patellar tendon-bone autografts, whereas 33% (44/132) use semitendinosis/gracilis autografts; 84% (108/129) would not incorporate the ACL remnant in the reconstruction; 14% (19/135) would perform an ACL reconstruction in an 8 year child with an acute rupture; 30% (42/141) would perform an ACL reconstruction in a 14 year old with an acute ACL rupture.

CONCLUSIONS

There is wide variation in the management of acute and chronic ACL injuries among orthopaedic surgeons in the British Isles. Future research and randomised controlled trials should address the issues that this investigation has raised.

Diffusion tensor imaging in early relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis

Diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DTI) indices are abnormal in patients with established multiple sclerosis (MS). The objective of this study was to examine the diffusion characteristics of MS lesions, normal appearing white matter (NAWM) and normal appearing grey matter (NAGM) in MS patients with early relapsing-remitting disease. A further objective was to investigate the relationship between three DTI parameters (fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD) and volume ratio (VR)) and clinical outcome measures (Kurtzke expanded disability status scale (EDSS) and MS Functional Composite Measure) in early disease. DTI was performed in 28 patients and 27 controls. Analysis was carried out using a region of interest (ROI) approach. ROIs were placed in 12 NAWM and nine NAGM regions. Significant differences were found in FA, MD and VR between lesions and NAWM (P< 0.001 for all three DTI parameters). No significant differences were found between patients and controls when examining NAWM or NAGM, although there was a trend for abnormal NAWM FA and VR in some regions. No correlation was found between DTI parameters in lesions, NAWM or NAGM and the clinical outcome measures. The lack of significant DTI abnormality in the NAWM and NAGM may reflect a lack of pathological change or a limited sensitivity of DTI using ROI methodology. Previous studies have shown abnormalities in TI relaxation time, magnetisation transfer ratio (MTR) and N-Acetyl aspartate (NM) in this cohort of patients, and as such, DTI using a region of interest (ROI) approach may not be as sensitive as other MR techniques in detecting subtle changes in normal appearing brain

Avascular necrosis of head of femur in a patient with acute promyelocytic leukemia

Avascular necrosis (AVN) of head of the femur is associated with various pathological conditions and treatment modalities. We present a case of acute promyelocytic leukemia who was treated with all-transretinoic acid (ATRA), daunomycin, cytarabine and a short course of dexamethasone. He developed AVN of bone after 2 years of treatment. Whether this is related to ATRA is dealt with in the discussion.

Studies on psychomotor performance in healthy volunteers after diazepam, propranolol and alcohol given alone or in combination

The effects of diazepam, propranolol or alcohol alone or in combination with each other were examined in ten normal healthy volunteers on tests of psychomotor function. Results showed impaired psychomotor performance persisting upto 4-5 h when the aforementioned agents given singly were tested on simple reaction time (SRT), multiple choice reaction time (MCRT) and critical flicker fusion frequency (CFFF) tasks. Digit cancellation task (DCT) was similarly affected by diazepam and alcohol only. No summation of adverse effects on psychomotor performance was noted when a combination of diazepam and alcohol, diazepam-propranol or alcohol plus propranolol were tested on SRT and MCRT. An additive impairment of CFFF was observed with alcohol - propranolol combination only. No summation of pharmacodynamic effects on DCT were noted when different combinations were used.

Pattern of cancer in Jammu region (hospital based study 1978-'87)

2681 histologically confirmed cases of cancer (1402 males and 1279 females) were seen during the ten year period 1978 to 1987 in Pathology Department, Government Medical College, Jammu. The relative frequencies of cancer at various primary sites have been determined with respect to age, sex and religion. The majority of cancers were seen between 31-60 years (67.7%) with a peak in 41-50 years age group. Out of the total cancer patients 2,437 were Hindus (90.8%) and 244 were Muslims (9.2%). The most common cancer sites among males were lung, skin, larynx, prostate and lymphnodes. Cancer cervix was the most common tumor in females, followed by cancer breast, gall bladder and uterus. Among Muslims, cancer cervix and penis were infrequent. Cancer lung and larynx were also relatively less frequent in Muslims.