Discovery of megapolipeptins by genome mining of a bacteria collection.

bacteria have emerged as a promising source of structurally diverse natural products that are expected to play important ecological and industrial roles. This order ranks in the top three in terms of predicted natural product diversity from available genomes, warranting further genome sequencing efforts. However, a major hurdle in obtaining the predicted products is that biosynthetic genes are often 'silent' or poorly expressed.

Discovery of a lagriamide polyketide by integrated genome mining, isotopic labeling, and untargeted metabolomics.

Microorganisms from the order Burkholderiales have been the source of a number of important classes of natural products in recent years. For example, study of the beetle-associated symbiont led to the discovery of the antifungal polyketide lagriamide; an important molecule from the perspectives of both biotechnology and chemical ecology. As part of a wider project to sequence Burkholderiales genomes from our in-house Burkholderiales library we identified a strain containing a biosynthetic gene cluster (BGC) similar to the original lagriamide BGC.

The Natural Products Atlas 2.0: a database of microbially-derived natural products.

Within the natural products field there is an increasing emphasis on the study of compounds from microbial sources. This has been fuelled by interest in the central role that microorganisms play in mediating both interspecies interactions and host-microbe relationships. To support the study of natural products chemistry produced by microorganisms we released the Natural Products Atlas, a database of known microbial natural products structures, in 2019.

Custom Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometric Database for Identification of Environmental Isolates of the Genus and Related Genera.

Success of discovery programs for microbial natural products is dependent on quick and concise discrimination between isolates from diverse environments. However, laboratory isolation and identification of priority genera using current 16S rRNA PCR-based methods are both challenging and time-consuming. An emerging strategy for rapid isolate discrimination is protein fingerprinting via matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry.

Measurement of Regional Nasal Drug Delivery with Flonase, Flonase Sensimist,™ and MAD Nasal™ in Anatomically Correct Nasal Airway Replicas of Pediatric and Adult Human Subjects.

The majority of current nasal delivery devices, commercialized for children, are developed for adults. Differences in the dose reaching the target are expected due to significant differences between the pediatric and adult nasal airway geometries and their inhalation patterns. This study aims to compare the efficacy of most common nasal drug delivery devices in terms of regional delivery of suspension and solution formulations in pediatric and adult subjects.

Candidate long-range regulatory sites acting on the IL17 pathway genes TRAF3IP2 and IL17RA are associated with psoriasis.

Background: Drug-mediated disruption of IL17A, IL17F and IL17RA proteins is effective in psoriasis. However, disruption of the IL17 pathway by functional mutations has so far only been shown to affect risk in IL23R and TRAF3IP2. It is unclear whether this is due to rarity of disruptive mutations.

Long term results of the Corin C-Fit uncemented total hip arthroplasty in young patients.

Introduction: We conducted a prospective study to evaluate the long-term results after Corin C-Fit uncemented total hip arthroplasty in young patients with hydroxyapatite or porous coated components.

Materials And Methods: We prospectively followed 36 patients (38 hips) who had Corin C-Fit uncemented total hip arthroplasties by eight experienced consultant surgeons at two centres. The acetabular and femoral components were hydroxyapatite or porous coated.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection following arthroscopy of the knee joint.

Arthroscopic surgery of the knee is considered to be a safe procedure. We had a microbiologically confirmed infection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Although various rare infective cases are reported following arthroscopy of the knee joint, to the best of our knowledge there is no previous report of MRSA infection following arthroscopy of the knee joint.

Patellofemoral disorders presenting as bilateral locked knees in achondroplasia.

Patellofemoral disorders in achondroplasia, to our knowledge, have not been reported in the literature. We describe an unusual case of bilateral locked knees in an achondroplastic patient secondary to intra-articular subluxating patellae and symmetrical chondral flap lesions of the femoral trochlea which were treated by arthroscopic resection. We suggest that abnormal kinematics may cause patellofemoral complications in achondroplasia.

Preoperative computerized radiograph measurement of Blumensaat's line as an aid to correct placement of the femoral tunnel in ACL reconstruction.

Numerous studies have shown that the improper placement of the graft in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction is a major cause of graft failure, capturing of the knee, and notch roof impingement. The ideal femoral position is located in the posterior one quarter of Blumensaat's line as seen on a true lateral knee radiograph. We present a simple method that relies on the use of preoperative radiographic measurement and a calibrated guide to ensure that the femoral tunnel is sufficiently far back along the roof of the notch, using the easily identifiable anterior end of the notch as a reference point.

Spontaneous non-traumatic dislocation of the knee.

Ligamentous injuries of the knee occur during sports and where there is extensive injury associated with subluxation or dislocation. We present a case of an obese female who sustained spontaneous non-traumatic posterior knee dislocation when she caught her foot while rising from the sitting down position. There was associated peroneal nerve injury but an angiogram confirmed no vascular compromise.

Cytomegalovirus causing acute colonic pseudo-obstruction in a renal transplant recipient.

A female patient presented with pyrexia and features of large intestinal obstruction, 10 weeks posttransplantation, with biopsy-proven colitis caused by cytomegalovirus (CMV) and positive CMV antigenaemia and IgM tests. The symptoms resolved after treatment with ganciclovir, nasogastric aspiration and intravenous fluid replacement.

Sibling pair analysis shows no linkage of generalized osteoarthritis to the loci encoding type II collagen, cartilage link protein or cartilage matrix protein.

Generalized OA (GOA) is a well-characterized subset of primary OA which is strongly associated with the occurrence of Heberden's nodes. Using gene-specific highly polymorphic markers and affected sib pair (ASP) analyses, we have investigated genetic linkage between GOA and three cartilage matrix genes: COL2A1 which encodes type II collagen; CRTL1 which encodes the cartilage link protein and CRTM which encodes the cartilage matrix protein. The analyses showed no linkage between GOA and the three genes in the 38 sib pairs examined.

Reflex hamstring contraction latency in anterior cruciate ligament deficiency.

Decreased dynamic stability of the knee joint associated with functional disability is a feature of anterior cruciate ligament deficiency (ACLD). The purposes of this study were to examine the between-limbs difference in reflex contraction latency of the hamstring muscles in patients with unilateral ACLD and to investigate its relationship with instability and function. Fifty patients with arthroscopically diagnosed unilateral ACLD were measured bilaterally for reflex hamstring contraction latency (RHCL), and 20 normal volunteers were similarly tested.

Proprioception after rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament. An objective indication of the need for surgery?

Failure of conservative treatment is the usual indication for the reconstruction of a knee with deficiency of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and this depends on subjective judgement. The ability of muscles to protect the subluxing joint by reflex contraction could provide an objective measurement. We have studied 30 patients with unilateral ACL deficiency by measuring the latency of reflex hamstring contraction.

Value of radiograph audit in an accident service department.

In our accident service department all trauma radiographs are reported acutely and those misinterpreted by the casualty officers are presented at the daily clinicoradiological conference. We have reviewed this practice over a 6-month period. From over 25,000 patients attending the accident service, 16,246 radiographs were requested and reported.

A limited association of generalized osteoarthritis with alleles at the type II collagen locus: COL2A1.

A significant genetic influence in osteoarthritis has been observed in the combination of Heberden's nodes and generalized osteoarthritis. We examined whether mutation in the gene encoding the major cartilage matrix protein type II collagen was responsible by comparing allele frequencies at the locus (COL2A1) in a group of 61 patients with nodal GOA with a control population and by analysing the COL2A1 genotypes of 21 affected sibling pairs. There were no significant allele differences but a slightly increased tendency over chance alone for affected siblings to have inherited the same COL2A1 alleles from their parents.

Allograft versus autograft bone in scoliosis surgery.

The results of a study of the use of autograft versus allograft bone in the surgery of idiopathic adolescent scoliosis are presented. Two groups of patients, matched for age, sex, level and angle of curve, received bone grafts, 20 patients having autogenous bone from the iliac crest and the other 20 having donor bone from a bone bank. Both groups had otherwise identical posterior fusions and Harrington instrumentation.

Early experience with closed interlocking medullary nailing of the femur.

We report on the first 14 patients treated with the Grosse Kempf femoral locking nail in our hospital. As with simple closed nailing of the femur attention to detail in the operating theatre is important. To date there have been only a few minor complications with the procedure, apart from one non-union.

Leg-length inequality in children treated by Syme's amputation.

We have reviewed the results of amputation through the ankle in the management of 37 children with congenital leg-length discrepancy, followed up for a mean of 7.6 years after operation. In general good function was achieved and 18 patients considered their activities to be unrestricted.

Early diagnosis of atlanto-axial rotatory fixation.

Atlanto-axial rotatory fixation is one of a spectrum of rotatory abnormalities of the atlanto-axial joint. Rotatory fixation without anterior displacement of the atlas (Type I) has been reported in only a few cases in which there has been a prolonged interval between injury and diagnosis. The majority of these cases eventually required cervical fusion for persistent deformity or instability.

Vertebral motion measured using biplanar radiography before and after Harrington rod removal for unstable thoracolumbar fractures of the spine.

The use of Harrington distraction rods for stabilization of fracture dislocation of the thoracolumbar spine is well established. For better initial stabilization and later return of flexibility we routinely use a long rod but fuse over a short segment and then remove the rods at 1 year. A biplanar radiographic technique was used to assess vertebral motion both before and after removal of Harrington rods in five patients.

An unusual loose body in the knee.

In a 30-year-old man, the movement of a loose body between the knee joint and a popliteal cyst caused difficulty in locating the loose body. The first roentgenogram showed a posteromedial opacity, which was thought to be a sesamoid. On a subsequent film, a loose body appeared in the intercondylar notch and the posteromedial opacity was absent.