Metabolites from intact phage-infected Synechococcus chemotactically attract heterotrophic marine bacteria.

Chemical cues mediate interactions between marine phytoplankton and bacteria, underpinning ecosystem-scale processes including nutrient cycling and carbon fixation. Phage infection alters host metabolism, stimulating the release of chemical cues from intact plankton, but how these dynamics impact ecology and biogeochemistry is poorly understood. Here we determine the impact of phage infection on dissolved metabolite pools from marine cyanobacteria and the subsequent chemotactic response of heterotrophic bacteria using time-resolved metabolomics and microfluidics.

Multiplexed Microfluidic Platform for Parallel Bacterial Chemotaxis Assays.

The sensing of and response to ambient chemical gradients by microorganisms via chemotaxis regulates many microbial processes fundamental to ecosystem function, human health, and disease. Microfluidics has emerged as an indispensable tool for the study of microbial chemotaxis, enabling precise, robust, and reproducible control of spatiotemporal chemical conditions. Previous techniques include combining laminar flow patterning and stop-flow diffusion to produce quasi-steady chemical gradients to directly probe single-cell responses or loading micro-wells to entice and ensnare chemotactic bacteria in quasi-steady chemical conditions.

Multiplexed microfluidic screening of bacterial chemotaxis.

Microorganism sensing of and responding to ambient chemical gradients regulates a myriad of microbial processes that are fundamental to ecosystem function and human health and disease. The development of efficient, high-throughput screening tools for microbial chemotaxis is essential to disentangling the roles of diverse chemical compounds and concentrations that control cell nutrient uptake, chemorepulsion from toxins, and microbial pathogenesis. Here, we present a novel microfluidic multiplexed chemotaxis device (MCD) which uses serial dilution to simultaneously perform six parallel bacterial chemotaxis assays that span five orders of magnitude in chemostimulant concentration on a single chip.

Skeletal Muscle Measurements in Pediatric Hematology and Oncology: Essential Components to a Comprehensive Assessment.

Children with hematologic and oncologic health conditions are at risk of impaired skeletal muscle strength, size, and neuromuscular activation that may limit gross motor performance. A comprehensive assessment of neuromuscular function of these children is essential to identify the trajectory of changes in skeletal muscle and to prescribe therapeutic exercise and monitor its impact. Therefore, this review aims to (a) define fundamental properties of skeletal muscle; (b) highlight methods to quantify muscle strength, size, and neuromuscular activation; (c) describe mechanisms that contribute to muscle strength and gross motor performance in children; (d) recommend clinical assessment measures; and (e) illustrate comprehensive muscle assessment in children using examples of sickle cell disease and musculoskeletal sarcoma.

Quantifying muscle strength, size, and neuromuscular activation in adolescent and young adult survivors of musculoskeletal sarcoma: Identifying correlates and responses to functional strengthening.

Background: Medical and surgical treatment for musculoskeletal sarcoma (MSS) place survivors at risk for impairments in muscle properties including muscle strength, muscle size, and neuromuscular activation. The purpose of this study was to explore muscle properties, gross motor performance, and quality of life (QoL) and the changes in response to a 6-week functional strengthening intervention (PT-STRONG) in MSS survivors of childhood cancer (CCS).

Methods: Eight lower extremity MSS CCS (13-23 years old) performed baseline testing and three completed PT-STRONG.

Can low-grade chondrosarcoma in flat bones be treated with intralesional curettage and cryotherapy?

Background And Objectives: Chondrosarcomas in flat bones are thought to be more aggressive in their behavior, and little is known about intralesional treatment outcomes of low-grade chondrosarcoma in these locations. We tried to find the differences between patients who had low-grade chondrosarcoma in their flat bones versus those with long bone involvement with regard to (1) disease outcome, (2) functional outcome, and (3) treatment complications.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 44 patients with primary low-grade chondrosarcoma who were treated with intralesional curettage and cryotherapy.

Early Experience in Pathologic Humerus Fracture Treated With the Photodynamic Bone Stabilization System Shows Limitations Related to Patient Selection.

Impending and complete pathologic fractures often necessitate surgical fixation. Traditional orthopedic implants are commonly used, achieving clinically acceptable outcomes, but their metallic composition can impair radiographic evaluation and affect radiation treatments. Recognition of these concerns led to the development of radiolucent implants such as the minimally invasive Photodynamic Bone Stabilization System (PBSS; IlluminOss Medical Inc), featuring a light cured polymer contained within an inflatable balloon catheter.

Denosumab Treatment for Giant Cell Tumor of the Spine Including the Sacrum.

Study Design: This was a subanalysis of an international, multicenter, open-label study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of denosumab in a subset of patients with giant cell tumors of bone (GCTB) of the spine including the sacrum from an international, open-label, single-arm, phase 2 study (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00680992).

Metastatic prostate carcinoma: A rare presentation initially misdiagnosed as a rib fracture.

Metastatic prostate carcinoma mainly occurs in bone as an osteoblastic lesion or lesions in the pelvis, spine, or chest wall. We present a unique case of a singular metastatic osteolytic lesion in the rib initially misdiagnosed as a fracture in a 61-year-old male. A single rib fracture in a patient with no history of trauma should raise suspicion for metastatic disease.

Alterations in Muscle Architecture: A Review of the Relevance to Individuals After Limb Salvage Surgery for Bone Sarcoma.

Osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma are the most common primary bone malignancies affecting children and adolescents. Optimal treatment requires a combination of chemotherapy and/or radiation along with surgical removal when feasible. Advances in multiple aspects of surgical management have allowed limb salvage surgery (LSS) to supplant amputation as the most common procedure for these tumors.

Imaging of spindle cell lipoma.

Aim: To review the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of spindle cell lipoma (SCL) with emphasis on the location of these tumours and the spectrum of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) appearances.

Materials And Methods: The MRI and CT findings of 27 histopathologically proven SCLs were evaluated retrospectively. Imaging features evaluated included margins, percentage visible fat, MRI signal characteristics, oedema, and contrast enhancement patterns.

Denosumab in patients with giant-cell tumour of bone: a multicentre, open-label, phase 2 study.

Background: Giant-cell tumour of bone (GCTB) is a rare, locally aggressive osteoclastogenic stromal tumour of the bone. This phase 2 study aimed to assess the safety and activity of denosumab in patients with surgically salvageable or unsalvageable GCTB.

Methods: In this multicentre, open-label, phase 2 study done at 30 sites in 12 countries we enrolled adults and skeletally mature adolescents (aged ≥12 years) weighing at least 45 kg with histologically confirmed and radiographically measurable GCTB, Karnofsky performance status 50% or higher (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group status 0, 1, or 2), and measurable active disease within 1 year of study enrolment.

A Queensland research support network in emergency healthcare.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe the structure and impact of a Queensland Research Support Network (RSN) in emergency medicine (EM).

Design/methodology/approach: This paper presents a descriptive summary of EM networks, network evaluations and the structure and development of the Emergency Medicine Foundation's (EMF) RSN in Queensland, including an observational pre- and post-study of research metrics.

Findings: In two years, the RSN supported 33 Queensland emergency departments (EDs), of which 14 developed research strategies.

Cytogenetic Single-Institution Analysis: 101 Consecutive Cases of Soft-Tissue Tumors of the Extremities.

We summarize the results and clinical usefulness of cytogenetic analysis that is routinely performed for musculoskeletal tumors. We performed cytogenetic analysis and traditional histologic evaluation on 101 (51 malignant/ 50 benign) consecutive tumors that were surgically excised. The successful culture rate for cytogenetic analysis was 86% (87/101).

Assessment of denosumab treatment effects and imaging response in patients with giant cell tumor of bone.

Background: Denosumab has been shown to reduce tumor size and progression, reform mineralized bone, and increase intralesional bone density in patients with giant cell tumor of bone (GCTB); however, radiologic assessment of tumors in bone is challenging. The study objective was to assess tumor response to denosumab using three different imaging parameters in a prespecified analysis in patients with GCTB from two phase 2 studies.

Methods: The studies enrolled adults and adolescents (skeletally mature and at least 12 years of age) with radiographically measurable GCTB that were given denosumab 120 mg every 4 weeks, with additional doses on days 8 and 15 of cycle 1.

Plantar Fibromatosis: Pathophysiology, Surgical and Nonsurgical Therapies: An Evidence-Based Review.

Unlabelled: Plantar fibromatosis (morbus Ledderhose), an extra-abdominal desmoid tumor of the plantar foot, is a rare benign hyperproliferative disorder of the plantar fascia with an unknown etiology. The main clinical characteristics include slow growing nodules on the medial and central bands of the plantar fascia, which may become painful and negatively affect ambulation. Most established conservative therapies today target symptomatic relief.

Long-term Results of Intercalary Endoprosthetic Short Segment Fixation Following Extended Diaphysectomy.

Intercalary endoprosthetic reconstruction following diaphyseal resection of osseous tumors offers functional advantages through preservation of native joints adjacent to the resected defect. Use of such implants is restricted by the amount of bone available for stem fixation adjacent to the defect. This study aimed to determine whether short osseous segment fixation with acceptable outcomes and complication rate can be reliably achieved with a customized intercalary endoprosthesis following extended diaphysectomy.

Glomus Tumor of the Sciatic Nerve: An Extraspinal Cause of Sciatica.

Glomus tumors are small, benign tumors that arise from glomus bodies, structures found normally within the dermis that assist in temperature regulation via their vasoconstrictive response to sympathetic stimuli. Glomus tumors are found typically in the hand and are classically a cause of focal pain and temperature sensitivity. They often present as a small blue lesion seen under the nail bed of a finger or a toe and cause point tenderness.

Exploring the use of drug trend data in the regional alcohol and other drug workforce.

Objective: Drug trend data can inform appropriate policies to minimise drug-related harm, as well as assist in early detection and prevention. While Australia has a number of monitoring systems, none operate in regional areas. The aim of this study was to explore how drug trend and other data are used by the regional alcohol and other drug workforce.

Near-complete Humerus Reconstruction in the Pediatric Patient with Vascularized Free Fibula Transfer.

Vascularized free fibula transfer remains the gold standard for reconstruction of large segmental diaphyseal defects of the upper extremity. In the pediatric patient, before skeletal maturity, free fibula transfer with the fibular head provides an active physis for growth and an articular interface for glenohumeral joint reconstruction. Clinical and cadaveric studies have demonstrated that the vascular supply to the fibular head originates, in most cases, from the anterior tibial system.

Unplanned Resection of Sarcoma.

Unplanned resection is a common problem in the management of sarcoma. Because sarcomas are so rare, they may be misdiagnosed initially as more common benign lesions. When the treating surgeon is unaware of or does not adhere to proper surgical principles of orthopaedic oncology, an intralesional procedure may be performed without the requisite preoperative imaging, staging, or wide resection margins for optimal management of sarcoma.