Widespread cryptic viral infections in lotic biofilms.

Viruses have important impacts on aquatic microbial ecology and have been studied at length in the global ocean. However, the roles of bacteriophages in lotic ecosystems, particularly in benthic biofilms, have been largely under-studied. The main goals of this work were to determine whether viruses are consistent members of natural benthic biofilm communities of freshwater streams; whether temperate phages are present and active in such biofilms; and whether community profiling approaches like RAPD-PCR can be adapted to characterize biofilm virus communities.

Biomechanical properties of the repaired and non-repaired rat supraspinatus tendon in the acute postoperative period.

Purpose: The rat rotator cuff (RC) model is used to study RC pathology and potential treatment; however, native scar-mediated healing allows the rat RC to recover at 4-6 weeks but little is known about acute healing. This study characterized the properties of the repaired and non-repaired rat RC following surgical detachment.

Materials And Methods: Forty-eight rats underwent surgical RC detachment and received surgical repair (Repair) or left unrepaired (Defect) to either 12 or 19 days.

The influence of testing angle on the biomechanical properties of the rat supraspinatus tendon.

Rotator cuff tears are a common shoulder pathology. The rat supraspinatus tendon model is commonly employed for preclinical assessment of rotator cuff pathology or regeneration. However, there is a lack of a standardized biomechanical testing protocol; previous studies have tested the tendon at abduction angles ranging from -15° to 90°.

Retropharyngeal Steroids and Dysphagia Following Multilevel Anterior Cervical Surgery.

Study Design: A retrospective case-control study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of retropharyngeal steroids on postoperative dysphagia scores and clinical outcomes following multilevel anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF).

Summary Of Background Data: Dysphagia is a well-known complication following ACDF surgery and increased rates of dysphagia are seen with increased levels of surgery.

The impact of rotator cuff deficiency on structure, mechanical properties, and gene expression profiles of the long head of the biceps tendon (LHBT): Implications for management of the LHBT during primary shoulder arthroplasty.

The long head of the biceps tendon (LHBT) occupies a unique proximal intra-articular and distal extra-articular position within the human shoulder. In the presence of a rotator cuff (RC) tear, the LHBT is recruited into an accelerated role undergoing potential mechanical and biochemical degeneration. Intra-articular sections of the LHBT were harvested during primary shoulder arthroplasty from patients with an intact or deficient RC.

Biomechanical Characterization of a Model of Noninvasive, Traumatic Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury in the Rat.

The onset of post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) remains prevalent following traumatic joint injury such as anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture, and animal models are important for studying the pathomechanisms of PTOA. Noninvasive ACL injury using the tibial compression model in the rat has not been characterized, and it may represent a more clinically relevant model than the common surgical ACL transection model. This study employed four loading profiles to induce ACL injury, in which motion capture analysis was performed, followed by quantitative joint laxity testing.

The GraftLink ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction: biomechanical comparison with the docking technique in both kinematics and failure tests.

Background: Ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) reconstruction aims to restore valgus stability, and numerous techniques have been described in the literature. HYPOTHESIS/ PURPOSE: To biomechanically compare the GraftLink (GL) technique with traditional bone tunnels used in the docking (DO) technique. It is hypothesized that the GL method will offer a stiffer, less lax construct compared with the DO.

Biomechanical evaluation of the TightRope versus traditional docking ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction technique: kinematic and failure testing.

Background: Numerous variations of ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) reconstruction have been described since the original technique by Jobe et al. Purpose/

Hypothesis: To biomechanically compare the new TightRope technique and the traditional ulnar bone tunnels as used in the docking technique. The hypothesis was that the TightRope technique would exhibit improved kinematics and comparable failure properties.

Investigation of RNA interference to suppress expression of full-length and fragment human huntingtin.

The use of RNA interference (RNAi) to suppress the expression of genes has drastically improved the ability to examine gene function and is now being considered as a therapeutic approach for many diseases including genetic forms of neurodegenerative disease. Recently, research has focused on RNAi for the treatment of Huntington's and other polyglutamine diseases. In this work we explored the efficacy and specificity of short hairpin RNAs to target human huntingtin mRNA.

Early deprivation alters the vocalization behavior of neonates directing maternal attention in a rat model of child neglect.

Animal models of child neglect (known as maternal separation or early deprivation) have suggested a causal link to subsequent depression and/or anxiety in children. In this experiment, the acoustical features of the ultrasonic calls emitted by a rat pup when separated from its dam were analyzed as well as the maternal behavior when the dam was allowed to retrieve the pup. Bout structure and harmonic double shifts did differ between controls and "neglected" pups, as did maternal attention.