Search

Background: Demineralized bone matrix (DBM) is a commonly utilized allogenic bone graft substitute to promote osseous union. However, little is known regarding outcomes following DBM utilization in foot and ankle surgical procedures., Aim: To evaluate the clinical and radiographic outcomes following DBM as a biological adjunct in foot and ankle surgical procedures., Methods: During May 2023, the PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane library databases were systematically reviewed to identify clinical studies examining outcomes following DBM for the management of various foot and ankle pathologies. Data regarding study characteristics, patient demographics, subjective clinical outcomes, radiological outcomes, complications, and failure rates were extracted and analyzed. In addition, the level of evidence (LOE) and quality of evidence (QOE) for each individual study was also assessed. Thirteen studies were included in this review., Results: In total, 363 patients (397 ankles and feet) received DBM as part of their surgical procedure at a weighted mean follow-up time of 20.8 ± 9.2 months. The most common procedure performed was ankle arthrodesis in 94 patients (25.9%). Other procedures performed included hindfoot fusion, 1st metatarsophalangeal joint arthrodesis, 5th metatarsal intramedullary screw fixation, hallux valgus correction, osteochondral lesion of the talus repair and unicameral talar cyst resection. The osseous union rate in the ankle and hindfoot arthrodesis cohort, base of the 5 th metatarsal cohort, and calcaneal fracture cohort was 85.6%, 100%, and 100%, respectively. The weighted mean visual analog scale in the osteochondral lesions of the talus cohort improved from a pre-operative score of 7.6 ± 0.1 to a post-operative score of 0.4 ± 0.1. The overall complication rate was 27.2%, the most common of which was non-union (8.8%). There were 43 failures (10.8%) all of which warranted a further surgical procedure., Conclusion: This current systematic review demonstrated that the utilization of DBM in foot and ankle surgical procedures led to satisfactory osseous union rates with favorable wound complication rates. Excellent outcomes were observed in patients undergoing fracture fixation augmented with DBM, with mixed evidence supporting the routine use of DBM in fusion procedures of the ankle and hindfoot. However, the low LOE together with the low QOE and significant heterogeneity between the included studies reinforces the need for randomized control trials to be conducted to identify the optimal role of DBM in the setting of foot and ankle surgical procedures., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors deny any conflict of interest., (©The Author(s) 2025. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The purpose of this retrospective review was to determine the prevalence of osteochondral lesions (OCLs) of the lateral talar dome in patients with anterior ankle impingement with an associated hypertrophic distal fascicle of the anterior tibio-fibular ligament., Methods: Retrospective chart review identified 40 patients who underwent anterior ankle arthroscopy for the management of anterior ankle impingement. Clinical outcomes assessed included pre- and postoperative foot and ankle outcome score (FAOS), visual analogue scale (VAS), complications, failures, secondary surgical procedures, return-to-work data and return-to-sport data., Results: Thirty-two patients with a mean follow-up time of 29.3 ± 10.4 months were included. The hypertrophic distal fascicle of the anterior tibio-fibular ligament was hypertrophic in 29 patients (90.6%), with a mean thickness of 2.5 ± 0.4 mm on MRI. There were 22 OCLs of the lateral talar dome (75.9%) with an associated hypertrophic distal fascicle of the anterior tibio-fibular ligament visualized during arthroscopy. The international cartilage repair society gradings of the lesions included 3 (13.6%) grade I lesions, 15 (68.1%) grade II lesions, 3 (13.6%) grade III lesions, and 1 (4.6%) grade IV lesion. There was a statistically significant improvement in mean FAOS and VAS scores from preoperative to postoperative (p < 0.001). No cases of syndesmotic instability were observed following resection of hypertrophic distal fascicle of the anterior tibio-fibular ligament., Conclusion: This retrospective case series demonstrated that a hypertrophic distal fascicle of the anterior tibio-fibular ligament was associated with an OCL of the lateral talar dome identified during arthroscopic evaluation. In addition, preoperative MRI demonstrated poor sensitivity for the detection of these OCLs. Heightened awareness is warranted for potential lateral talar dome OCLs in patients presenting with anterolateral ankle impingement with a hypertrophic ATiFLdf identified on preoperative MRI in the absence of an associated OCLs., Level of Evidence: Level IV, Retrospective case series., (© 2024 European Society of Sports Traumatology, Knee Surgery and Arthroscopy.)

Background: The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate outcomes following intra-articular injection of hyaluronic acid (HA) for the treatment of hallux rigidus., Methods: During April 2024, a systematic review of the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases was performed based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Data collected and analyzed were number of patients, patient age, follow-up, subjective clinical outcomes, complications, and failures., Results: Five studies were included. In total, 218 patients (218 feet) underwent intra-articular injection of HA at a weighted mean follow-up time of 4.4 ± 1.4 months (range, 3-6). There was an improvement in postinjection visual analog scale (VAS) pain at rest scores, VAS pain during activity scores, American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) scores, and Foot Health Status Questionnaire (FHSQ) scores. In total, 21 complications (10.0%) were observed, the most common of which was transient postinjection pain in 20 patients (9.6%). There were 7 patients (3.2%) who underwent secondary procedures (3.2%). One randomized control trial (RCT) demonstrated no difference in outcomes between an intra-articular injection of HA compared to an intra-articular injection of saline. One RCT demonstrated superior FHSQ scores following between an intra-articular injection of HA compared to an intra-articular injection of triamcinolone acetonide., Conclusion: This systematic review suggests that intra-articular injection of HA for the treatment of hallux rigidus may lead to improved clinical outcomes with a low complication rate at short-term follow-up. However, the low level and quality of evidence underscores the need for further high-quality studies to be conducted to identify the precise role of HA in the treatment of hallux rigidus., Competing Interests: The author(s) declared the following potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: John G. Kennedy, MD, MCh, MMSc, FFSEM, FRCS(Orth), is a consultant for In2Bones and Arthrex and receives financial support from the Ohnell Family Foundation, Tatiana Rybak, and Mr Winston Fisher. Disclosure forms for all authors are available online., (© The Author(s) 2024.)

Purpose: To assess outcomes following Achilles in-office needle tendoscopy (IONT) for the treatment of chronic Achilles tendinopathy (cAT) at a minimum 12-month follow-up., Methods: A retrospective case series was conducted to evaluate patients who underwent Achilles IONT for cAT between January 2019 and December 2022. Inclusion criteria were patients ≥18 years of age and clinical history, physical history, and magnetic resonance imaging findings consistent with cAT who did not respond to a minimum of 3 months of conservative management for which each patient underwent Achilles IONT and had a minimum 12-month follow-up. Clinical outcomes were evaluated using the Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment-Achilles and visual analog scale scores. Patient satisfaction was measured at the final follow-up visit with a 5-point Likert scale., Results: Twelve patients (13 Achilles) with a mean age of 50.9 ± 14.6 years were included in the study. The mean follow-up time was 26.3 ± 6.3 months. The mean Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment-Achilles scores improved from a preoperative score of 35.6 ± 5.9 to a postoperative score of 83.6 ± 14.1 ( P < .001). The mean visual analog scale score improved from a preoperative score of 6.6 ± 1.0 to a postoperative score of 1.3 ± 1.7 ( P < .001). There were 10 patients (83.3%) who participated in sports activities before the IONT procedure. Within this group, 9 patients (90.0%) returned to play at a mean time of 5.9 ± 2.6 weeks. The mean time to return to work was 4.2 ± 1.2 days. Patients reported an overall positive IONT experience with a mean rating scale of 4.5 ± 0.9., Conclusions: This retrospective review demonstrated that Achilles IONT for the treatment of cAT results in significant improvements in subjective clinical outcomes and a low complication rate together with high patient satisfaction scores at short-term follow-up., Level of Evidence: Level IV, therapeutic case series., Competing Interests: The authors report the following potential conflicts of interest or sources of funding: J.G.K. is a consultant for Arteriocyte, In2Bones, and 10.13039/100007307Arthrex and receives financial support from the 10.13039/100014852Ohnell Family Foundation, Mr Winston Fischer, and Tatiana Rybak. All other authors (J.J.B, G.W.R. L.S, M.R., M.B.W., A.L.G.) declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper. Full ICMJE author disclosure forms are available for this article online, as supplementary material., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Over the past two decades, increased research has highlighted the connection between endosomal trafficking defects and neurodegeneration. The endo-lysosomal network is an important, complex cellular system specialized in the transport of proteins, lipids, and other metabolites, essential for cell homeostasis. Disruption of this pathway is linked to a wide range of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington's disease and frontotemporal dementia. Furthermore, there is strong evidence that defects in this pathway create opportunities for diagnostic and therapeutic intervention. In this Opinion piece, we concisely address the role of endo-lysosomal dysfunction in five neurodegenerative diseases and discuss how future research can investigate this intracellular pathway, including extracellular vesicles with a specific focus on exosomes for the identification of novel disease biomarkers. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Understanding the endo-lysosomal network in neurodegeneration'.

Purpose: To systematically review and evaluate the current meta-analyses for the treatment of acute Achilles tendon rupture (AATR). This study can provide clinicians with a clear overview of the current literature to aid clinical decision-making and the optimal formulation of treatment plans for AATR., Methods: Two independent reviewers searched PubMed and Embase on June 2, 2022 based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Assessment of evidence was twofold: level of evidence (LoE) and quality of evidence (QoE). LoE was evaluated using published criteria by The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery and the QoE by the Assessing the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) scale. Pooled complication rates were highlighted for significance in favour of one treatment arm or no significance., Results: There were 34 meta-analyses that met the eligibility criteria, with 28 studies of LoE 1, and the mean QoE was 9.8 ± 1.2. Significantly lower re-rupture rates were reported with surgical (2.3-5%) versus conservative treatment (3.9-13%), but conservative treatment was favoured in terms of lower complication rates. The re-rupture rates were not significantly different between percutaneous repair or minimally invasive surgery (MIS) compared to open repair, but MIS was favoured in terms of lower complication rates (7.5-10.4%). When comparing rehabilitation protocols following open repair (four studies), conservative treatment (nine studies), or combined (three studies), there was no significant difference in terms of re-rupture or obvious advantage in terms of lower complication rates between early versus later rehabilitation., Conclusion: This systematic review found that surgical treatment was significantly favoured over conservative treatment for re-rupture, but conservative treatment had lower complication rates other than re-rupture, notably for infections and sural nerve injury. Open repair had similar re-rupture rates to MIS, but lower complication rates; however, the rate of sural nerve injuries was lower in open repair. When comparing earlier versus later rehabilitation, there was no difference in re-rupture rates or obvious advantage in complications between open repair, conservative treatment, or when combined. The findings of this study will allow clinicians to effectively counsel their patients on the postoperative outcomes and complications associated with different treatment approaches for AATR., Level of Evidence: IV., (© 2023. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to European Society of Sports Traumatology, Knee Surgery, Arthroscopy (ESSKA).)

Successful N management practices for the US Midwest must optimize crop production and minimize NO-N losses from subsurface tile drainage. The objective of this study was to measure the effects of N rate, N application timing, and nitrapyrin [2-chloro-6-(trichlormethyl) pyridine] on corn ( L.) production and NO-N in tile drainage water in a corn-soybean [ (L.) Merr.] rotation in Minnesota. Anhydrous ammonia was applied at 90 and 179 kg ha with nitrapyrin in the fall and at 134 kg ha with and without nitrapyrin in fall and spring. However, drainage water monitoring was only conducted on fall treatments. Over a 5-yr period, 71% of drainage occurred in April through June and <1% occurred from November through March due to frozen soil. Averaged across N treatments and crops, annual drainage ranged from 69 to 380 mm among years. From 2001 through 2003, NO-N concentrations averaged 13.8, 15.6, and 20.0 mg L in corn and 7.3, 8.2, and 12.6 mg L in soybean when 90, 134, and 179 kg N ha was fall applied with nitrapyrin to corn, respectively. Corn grain yields were greater with spring-applied N at 134 kg ha (11.3 Mg ha) than with fall-applied N at 134 and 179 kg ha with nitrapyrin (10.5 and 10.8 Mg ha, respectively), and nitrapyrin did not affect corn production or water quality. Fall application of N is common on cold soils in Minnesota. These data showed that fall application required a greater rate of N to optimize yield than spring and that greater fall rate often increased NO-N concentration and load in tile drainage water., (© 2019 The Authors. Re-use requires permission from the publisher.)

Serum anti-endometrial antibodies (AEA) have been studied as a marker for endometriosis and implantation failure. We sought to determine if the presence of AEA in the serum of pregnant patients is associated with first trimester pregnancy loss including complete abortion. This is a prospective pilot case control study of 30 patients presenting with first trimester pregnancy loss compared to a control group of 30 first trimester pregnant patients with a normal course for the presence of serum AEA. The control group was selected using propensity matching of patient characteristics. AEA assays were performed by a single operator blinded to clinical status of patients. The mean maternal age in the study and control groups was not statistically significant (26.1 +/- 5.7 vs. 24.2 +/- 4.5 years, p < 0.155). A history of pregnancy loss was not significantly greater in the study group (12/30 = 40.0%) as compared to the control group (8/30 = 26.7%, p < 0.412). In both study and control groups, 40% of the samples tested positive for AEA; therefore, we found no evidence of an association between the presence of AEA and pregnancy loss. These findings in our pilot study suggest that presence of serum AEA does not appear to be a marker for early pregnancy loss.

Objective: To study the impact of surgically verified endometriosis and serum and peritoneal fluid antiendometrial antibodies (AEA) on pregnancy outcomes in gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT), zygote intrafallopian transfer (ZIFT) and in vitro fertilization (IVF) patients using assisted reproductive technologies (ART)., Study Design: Surgical evaluation of endometriosis and collection of serum and peritoneal fluid was performed at the time of laparoscopy. For patients who did not undergo laparoscopy, only serum samples were obtained. Sera and peritoneal fluid were tested by indirect immunofluorescence for AEA., Results: There was no correlation between surgically verified endometriosis, serum or peritoneal fluid AEA and clinical pregnancy in patients undergoing ART. There was no significant difference in surgically verified endometriosis in patients who delivered and those who miscarried (p < 0.0594), whereas serum (p < 0.0223) and peritoneal fluid (p < 0.0032) AEA showed differences. In the total group of 352 ART patients, positive serum AEA was statistically significant in those who miscarried vs. those who delivered (p < 0.0000)., Conclusion: Endometriosis does not significantly impair the pregnancy potential of ART patients, but it may be associated with miscarriage. The presence of serum and peritoneal fluid AEA correlate better with miscarriage than surgically verified endometriosis.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of offering double intrauterine insemination (IUI) to clients in our fertility program., Study Design: In this prospective, nonrandomized study, 595 couples with ovulatory dysfunction, endometriosis, male factor, unexplained, tubal factor and combined diagnoses utilizing clomiphene citrate-hCG (CC-hCG), CC-gonadotropin-hCG (CC-Gn-hCG), Gn-hCG, lupron-Gn-hCG (L-Gn-hCG) or luteinizing hormone (LH) surge monitoring of natural cycles were offered single or double IUI in a total of 1276 cycles. Single IUIs were performed at 36 hours following hCG or the day following LH surge; double IUIs were performed 18 and 36 hours following hCG or the day of and day following LH surge. Single versus double IUI clinical pregnancy outcomes were compared between ovarian stimulation protocols and diagnostic categories., Results: One hundred ten clinical pregnancies occurred for 508 couples in 999 single IUI cycles (fecundity, 11.0%); 45 clinical pregnancies for 174 couples occurred in 277 double IUI cycles (16.2%, p < 0.004). The single IUI group was younger than the double IUI group (32.8 vs. 33.7, p < 0.004). Differences for fecundity were noted regarding diagnostic categories between single and double IUI groups (ovulation dysfunction, 12.9% vs 19.5%, p < 0.048, and male factor, 7.9% vs. 17.5%, p < 0.030) and ovulation protocols (CC-Gn-hCG, 13.0% vs. 21.3%, p < 0.031, and L-Gn-hCG, 4.2% vs. 25.0%, p < 0.002)., Conclusion: Double IUI is superior to single IUI overall, especially when comparing Gn-containing ovarian stimulation protocols or within the ovulatory dysfunction and male factor diagnostic categories.

Problem: The purpose of the present prospective multi-center study is to investigate the relationship between laparoscopic diagnosis of endometriosis and results of a serum antiendometrial antibody (AEA) assay., Method of Study: Indirect immunofluorescence detection of AEA was performed on serum specimens from patients presenting with dysmenorrhea or chronic pelvic pain and infertility (n = 2609) utilizing frozen sections of endometrium acquired on cycle days 18-21 from normally cycling women without endometriosis. Diagnostic laparoscopy was performed within 1 year of AEA assay on 527 tested women., Results: The relationship between the serum AEA and laparoscopic verification was characterized by a positive predictive value = 88%, negative predictive value = 86%, sensitivity = 87% and specificity = 87%., Conclusion: The AEA assay is a very good screening test for patients suspected of having endometriosis and should be utilized prior to laparoscopy in diagnostic categories of dysmenorrhea or chronic pelvic pain and infertility.

Purpose: The purpose of the present study is to compare intrauterine insemination (IUI) pregnancy rates (PR) as a function of diagnosis and ovulation protocol utilizing an extended semen transport time. This allowed clients to conveniently collect IUI specimens in the comfort and privacy of their home. A single IUI per treatment cycle was performed., Basic Procedures: Three-hundred-ten consecutive infertilty couples having unexplained, male factor, ovulatory dysfunction, endometriosis, tubal factor or combined diagnostic factors receiving a total of 584 cycles of IUI were included. Ovulation protocols included LH surge, clomiphene citrate (CC)-hCG, CC-gonadotropins(Gn)-hCG, Gn-hCG or leuprolide acetate (L)-Gn-hCG followed 36-42 hours by a single IUI. Pregnancy rates per cycle (fecundity) and per couple (fertility) as a function of diagnosis, ovulation protocol and cycle number were evaluated. In each cycle the couples processed the specimen by adding sperm washing medium at room temperature to the specimen 30 min following collection and allowed it to incubate for two hours prior to IUI during transport., Main Findings: Overall, fecundity was 11.8% (69/584) and fertility was 22.3% (69/310); respectively by diagnosis was: unexplained 22.6%, 38.8%; male factor 18.8%, 42.9%; ovulatory dysfunction 12.4, 22.6%; endometriosis 5.3%, 11.1%; tubal factor 7.6%,13.3%; and combined factors 9.7%, 20.0%. Unexplained vs endometriosis (P < 0.0001, P < 0.005), tubal factor (fecundity P < 0.008) and ovulatory dysfunction (fecundity P < 0.027) was statistically different. Male factor vs endometriosis (P < 0.011, P < 0.036) was significantly different. Ovulatory dysfunction vs endometriosis was significantly different (fecundity P < 0.027). Pregnancies by ovulation protocol: LH surge 4.5%,10.5%; CC-hCG 9.4%,14.9%; CC-Gn-hCG 13.7%, 23.7%; Gn-hCG 17.5%, 45.3%; L-Gn-hCG 3.5%, 6.7%. For Gn-hCG vs L-Gn-hCG (P < 0.009, P < 0.030) and LH surge (fecundity P < 0.033). CC-Gn-hCG vs CC-hCG (fertility P < 0.050) and L-Gn-hCG (P < 0.033, P < 0.034). Gn-hCG vs CC-hCG (fecundity P < 0.043)., Conclusions: We conclude that IUI is effective when utilizing an extended transport time allowing most couples to collect the specimen at home and is most effective when utilizing Gn-hCG therapy. Based on our analysis, endometriosis, tubal factor and combined diagnostic categories should proceed earlier to higher level assisted reproductive technologies.

Substantial amounts of NO3 from agricultural crop production systems on poorly drained soils can be transported to surface water via subsurface drainage. A field study was conducted from the fall of 1993 through 2000 on a tile-drained Canisteo clay loam soil (fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, calcareous, mesic Typic Endoaquoll) to determine the influence of fall vs. spring application of N and nitrapyrin [NP; 2-chloro-6-(trichloromethyl) pyridine] on NO3 losses from a corn (Zea mays L.)-soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] rotation. Four anhydrous ammonia treatments (fall N, fall N + NP, spring preplant N, and spring N + NP) were replicated four times and applied at 135 kg N ha(-1) for corn on individual drainage plots. Drainage occurred in all seven years. Seventy-one percent of the annual drainage and 75% of the annual NO3 loss occurred in April, May, and June. Fifty-four percent of the NO3 lost in the drainage occurred during the corn phase and 46% during the soybean phase. Annual flow-weighted NO3-N concentrations for the fall, fall + NP, spring, and spring + NP treatments averaged 14.3, 11.5, 10.7, and 11.3 mg L(-1) during the corn phase but annual NO3-N concentrations were still > or =10 mg L(-1) in three of six years for the spring preplant treatment. Averaged across the six rotation cycles, flow-normalized NO3-N losses ranked in the order: fall N > spring N + NP > fall N + NP > spring N. Under these conditions, NO3 losses in subsurface drainage from a corn-soybean rotation can be reduced 14% by spring N and 10% by late fall N + NP compared with fall-applied N. Nitrate losses were not appreciably reduced by adding NP to spring preplant N.

Land application of animal manure is an important means of utilization of nitrogen and phosphorus. However, the presence of pathogens in manure and their occasional leaching into subsurface water has become a topic of concern during the past few years. This study was undertaken to determine the extent to which Salmonella anatum may leach through tile-drained clay loam soil on which swine manure has been applied. For this purpose, swine manure was experimentally contaminated with S. anatum and applied to three tile-drained plots in winter of 2001 while another three plots served as negative controls. Following rainfall events in the spring of 2002 the tiles started to flow and leachate samples of subsurface water were collected at various time intervals and tested for S. anatum. Salmonella anatum was not found to leach into the subsurface drainage water indicating that it was either retained in the upper layers of soil or did not survive over winter. The leaching of faecal coliforms and coliphages was also tested. Faecal coliforms and coliphages were detected in the subsurface water from both manure and control plots, indicating the ability of the tile drainage system to transport these organisms to groundwater as the water percolates through the soil. Additional temporal studies over a longer time period are needed to determine the survival and leaching of pathogens and indicators into subsurface water.

Subsurface drainage, a water management practice used to remove excess water from poorly drained soils, can transport substantial amounts of NO3 from agricultural crop production systems to surface waters. A field study was conducted from the fall of 1986 through 1994 on a tile-drained Canisteo clay loam soil (fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, calcareous, mesic Typic Endoaquoll) to determine the influence of time of N application and use of nitrapyrin [NP; 2-chloro-6-(trichloromethyl) pyridine] on NO3 losses from a corn (Zea mays L.)-soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] rotation. Four anhydrous ammonia treatments [fall N, fall N + NP, spring preplant N, and split N (40% preplant and 60% sidedress)] were replicated four times and applied at 150 kg N ha(-1) for corn on individual drainage plots. Sixty-two percent of the annual drainage and 69% of the annual NO3 loss occurred in April, May, and June. Flow-weighted NO3-N concentrations in the drainage water were two to three times greater in the two years following the three-year dry period compared with preceding and succeeding years. Nitrate N concentrations and losses in the drainage from corn were greatest for fall N with little difference among the other three N treatments. Nitrate losses from soybean were affected more by residual soil NO3 following corn than by the N treatments per se. Averaged across the four rotation cycles, flow-normalized NO3-N losses ranked in the order: fall N > split N > spring N = fall N + NP. Under these conditions NO3 losses from a corn-soybean rotation into subsurface drainage can be reduced by 13 to 18% by either applying N in the spring or using NP with late fall-applied ammonia.

Subsurface tile drains are a key source of nitrate N (NO3-N) losses to streams in parts of the north central USA. In this study, the Erosion Productivity Impact Calculator (EPIC) model was evaluated by comparing measured vs. predicted tile flow, tile NO3-N loss, soil profile residual NO3-N, crop N uptake, and yield, using 4 yr of data collected at a site near Lamberton, MN, for three crop rotations: continuous corn (Zea mays L.) or CC, corn-soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] or CS, and continuous alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) or CA. Initially, EPIC was run using standard Soil Conservation Service (SCS) runoff curve numbers (CN2) for CC and CS; monthly variations were accurately tracked for tile flow (r2 = 0.86 and 0.90) and NO3-N loss (r2 = 0.69 and 0.52). However, average annual CC and CS tile flows were underpredicted by -32 and -34%, and corresponding annual NO3-N losses were underpredicted by -11 and -52%. Predicted average annual tile flows and NO3-N losses generally improved following calibration of the CN2; tile flow underpredictions were -9 and - 12%, whereas NO3-N losses were 0.6 and -54%. Adjusting a N parameter further improved predicted CS NO3-N losses. Predicted monthly tile flows and NO3-N losses for the CA simulation compared poorly with observed values (r2 values of 0.27 and 0.19); the annual drainage volumes and N losses were of similar magnitude to those measured. Overall, EPIC replicated the relative impacts of the three cropping systems on N fate.

Subsurface tile drainage from row-crop agricultural production systems has been identified as a major source of nitrate entering surface waters in the Mississippi River basin. Noncontrollable factors such as precipitation and mineralization of soil organic matter have a tremendous effect on drainage losses, nitrate concentrations, and nitrate loadings in subsurface drainage water. Cropping system and nutrient management inputs are controllable factors that have a varying influence on nitrate losses. Row crops leak substantially greater amounts of nitrate compared with perennial crops; however, satisfactory economic return with many perennials is an obstacle at present. Improving N management by applying the correct rate of N at the optimum time and giving proper credits to previous legume crops and animal manure applications will also lead to reduced nitrate losses. Nitrate losses have been shown to be minimally affected by tillage systems compared with N management practices. Scientists and policymakers must understand these factors as they develop educational materials and environmental guidelines for reducing nitrate losses to surface waters.

The work reported indicates that there could be a potential of ground water pollution by NO3-N from turkey facilities built on both sandy and clay soils. At four different depths (30.54, 61.08, 91.62, and 122.16 cm), the NO3-N levels for the clay soil were 1572, 497, 66, and 28 ppm, and those for the sandy soil were 293, 425, 324, and 164 ppm, respectively. No significant P increases were observed but there did exist a significant increase of K in the topsoil for both clay and sandy turkey structures. The results show that swine hoop houses with less than three or four years of age may not pose a threat to groundwater pollution due to the leaching of nutrients. The only dairy feedlot sampled in this study, although it has been used for more than 20 years, did not show leaching of NO3-N and P. However, it did show a significantly elevated concentration of potassium in the topsoil, as compared to the background sample. More sites should be investigated to verify this.

The effect of inflammatory cytokines on the in-vitro synthesis of erythropoietin by HepG2 cells was evaluated. Monocyte-conditioned medium, and the cytokines interleukin-1 beta, interleukin-6 and tumour necrosis factor-alpha all reduced synthesis of erythropoietin. The steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, dexamethasone, did not affect cytokine-mediated erythropoietin inhibition. Dexamethasone did cause a reduction in the secretion of erythropoietin inhibitory cytokines from monocytes. These results point to a possible therapeutic approach in the treatment of anaemia caused by suppression of erythropoietin synthesis by monocytic cytokines.

Purpose: The effects of premature luteinization of ovarian follicles as detected by elevated progesterone values on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin induction of ovulation were evaluated in 38 consecutive gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT) retrieval cycles., Materials and Methods: All patients received leuprolide acetate beginning in the midluteal phase of their prior menstrual cycle, followed by gonadotropin stimulation of folliculogenesis. At least four oocytes were transferred in each cycle., Results: No significant differences in gonadotropin dosage, total number of days of gonadotropins, age, number of prior pregnancies, years of infertility since last pregnancy, total number of eggs retrieved, mature residual oocytes, fertilization of mature residual oocytes, or primary etiology of infertility were observed between groups; however, estradiol concentrations were significantly higher in the group with elevated progesterone values (2573 +/- 216 pg/ml) compared to the lower progesterone group (1925 +/- 202 pg/ml, P = 0.035) and the total number of oocytes transferred was greater in the high progesterone group (7.5 +/- 0.5) vs the low progesterone group (6.3 +/- 0.3, P < 0.038). P4 concentrations < or = 0.8 ng/ml were associated with significantly higher pregnancy rates (11/19; 57.9%) compared to progesterone concentrations > 0.8 ng/ml (5/19, 26.3%; P = 0.050)., Conclusions: Premature luteinization may occur in luteal leuprolide acetate-down-regulated patients and progesterone values > 0.8 ng/ml are associated with significantly lower pregnancy rates in GIFT cycles.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the individual and combined effects of low levels of endotoxin and physiological levels of tumor necrosis factor on in vitro fertilization and preimplantation embryo development. B6D2F1 mice were superovulated by utilizing pregnant mare serum gonadotropin and human chorionic gonadotropin. Oocyte-cumulus complexes (3221 oocytes) were collected, pooled, and randomized into control and treatment groups. Sperm were collected from the caudae epididymides of mature male mice and allowed to capacitate. Treatments included culture media supplemented with increasing amounts of endotoxin (0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 ng/ml; sp act, 3000 IU/ng) and/or tumor necrosis factor (1, 10, and 50 pg/ml; sp act, 0.01 IU/pg) throughout the fertilization and preimplantation development process. Percentage cleavage and percentage expanded blastocyst formation were evaluated. No significant effects were observed for percentage cleavage or percentage expanded blastocyst formation in either the endotoxin (E) or the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) groups. The combination of endotoxin and tumor necrosis factor at any of the levels tested did not significantly decrease cleavage; however, percentage blastocyst formation was decreased with any combination of TNF and E (P less than 0.05-P less than 0.001). We conclude that TNF and E exert significant synergistic effects which are detrimental to in vitro preimplantation embryonic development.

The effect of prolactin on uteroglobin production by immature rabbits was studied with neonatal (1 day old) and juvenile (14 days old) does. The animals were divided into 11 treatment groups for each age category and exposed to a 9-day injection protocol. Each day the animals received a subcutaneous injection of oestradiol-17 beta and/or ovine prolactin and/or progesterone, or were sham-injected. Juvenile animals, which received 100 micrograms oestradiol/kg 24 h-1, plus progesterone or plus prolactin and progesterone, produced detectable amounts of uteroglobin in the uterine secretions (0.034 +/- 0.010 mg uteroglobin/mg total protein and 0.098 +/- 0.03 l mg uteroglobin/mg total protein, respectively). None of the animals in the other juvenile treatment groups or any of the neonatal groups produced uteroglobin. From this survey it was apparent that uteroglobin secretion could be induced by exogenous oestradiol and progesterone in rabbits treated as early as 14 days of age, and that the added supplementation of prolactin enhanced the response to the ovarian steroids. As a result, additional juvenile animals were injected with 100 micrograms oestradiol +/- prolactin + progesterone and the effects of these two treatments were quantitated as follows: uteroglobin mRNA levels by slot-blot hybridization; endometrial surface area by computerized image analysis; and oestrogen, progesterone and prolactin receptors by immunocytochemistry. Prolactin modified the response of the juvenile rabbit uterus to oestradiol + progesterone for all parameters tested.

The purpose of this investigation was to attempt to develop a process, utilizing a murine model, which would allow more efficient harvesting from the intact ovary and maturation in vitro of germinal vesicle (GV) oocytes. The recovery process yielded 25.5 +/- 4.5 (mean +/- SE) cumulus-free GV oocytes per animal. Treatment groups included culture medium (CM) supplemented with either estradiol (E2), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), or prolactin (PRL). Among the hormone-free controls 83.2 +/- 1.6% of oocytes underwent GV breakdown, whereas 25.3 +/- 2.6% developed to the first polar body stage (PB-1) following 18 hr of incubation (n = 29 trials). Oocytes progressing to the PB-1 stage were inseminated in vitro. In vitro fertilization (IVF) of pooled in vitro matured (IVM) PB-1 oocytes (judged by two-cell formation) was 19.9%, which was significantly lower than in the group of in vivo matured oocytes (74.4%). E2 significantly increased the percentage of GV breakdown (control, 76.8 +/- 2.5%; E2 at 10 ng/ml, 92.9 +/- 2.5%, P less than 0.001; E2 at 100 ng/ml, 93.7 +/- 2.1%, P less than 0.001; and E2 at 1 micrograms/ml, 86.7 +/- 3.3%, P less than 0.05) but not PB-1 formation. Neither FSH nor hCG significantly increased GV breakdown or PB-1 formation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Bacterial endotoxins have been correlated with increased fragmentation of early cleavage-stage human embryos and decreased pregnancy rates in human in vitro fertilization programs. The purpose of the present study was to test the direct effects of increasing concentrations of endotoxins on in vitro fertilization and development of mouse embryos to the blastocyst stage. Sexually mature B6D2F1 female mice were superovulated and oocytecumulus complexes were collected from the oviducts and randomized into control and treatment groups. Oocytes (n = 867) were inseminated with capacitated sperm. Treatments included Ham's F-10 supplemented with 3 mg/ml bovine serum albumin and increasing amounts of endotoxin (0.35, 0.64, 0.92, 1.5, 2.08, 3.21, 6.07, and 11.79 ng/ml). Percentage cleavage, percentage fragmentation at the four-cell stage, and percentage expanded blastocyst formation (of cleaved embryos) were evaluated. Statistically significant decreases in cleavage at 6.07 ng/ml (P less than 0.05) and blastocyst formation at 11.79 ng/ml (P less than 0.05) of endotoxin were observed. Fragmentation at the four-cell stage was significantly increased at 3.21 ng/ml (P less than 0.05) of endotoxin. We conclude that the levels of endotoxin necessary to decrease murine preimplantation development significantly is higher than that reported for human embryos.

Conservation tillage systems facilitate the infiltration of greater amounts of precipitation into the soil profile by reducing surface runoff. Concern has developed among some scientists because higher infiltration and percolation rates are often linked to potentially higher leaching losses of agricultural chemicals. Soil samples were taken in 1 foot increments to a depth of 5 feet to ascertain the accumulation and distribution of nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N) in the soil profile as influenced by tillage. Two long-term tillage studies on fine-textured, clay loam soils were sampled in July and November 1977 following 2 years of limited rainfall. Nitrate-N accumulation in the 0 to 3 foot profile in late July was reduced by 75% (no tillage) to 38% (chisel plow) compared with the conventional moldboard tillage system in this 8-year-old study. Accumulation in the 0 to 5 foot profile after harvest was 751, 546, 345, and 198 lb NO3-N/A for the moldboard plow, chisel-plow, disk-, and no-tillage systems, respectively. Another 3 year study showed accumulations of 625, 619, 468, and 391 pounds NO3-N/A after harvest with the moldboard plow, ridge-plant, chisel-plow, and no-tillage systems, respectively. These data indicate that tillage can have substantial effects on the accumulation of NO3 in soils and that additional research is needed to determine the mechanisms responsible for these differences.

The purpose of this study was to examine the systolic blood pressure and plasma renin activity (PRA) responses to chronic stress in normotensive rats and in rats with one hypertensive parent. Twenty-four male Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) and 24 male F1 offspring of spontaneously hypertensive and WKY rats (BHR) were randomly assigned to 3 groups of 8 each. Experimental (E) animals were subjected to 2 hr daily of shock-shock conflict. Each response produced a 0.2 sec, 0.2-0.4 mA cutaneous electric shock. Failure to respond in 10 sec resulted in a train of 5 shocks (0.2 sec each sec). Yoked animals (Y) received the same shocks as E but had no control over their presentation. Finally, a control group (C) for maturation received no shocks. The E and Y animals were subjected to 14 weeks of conflict and were then monitored an additional 14 weeks in the absence of shock. All animals had their tail cuff blood pressures taken weekly except for 3 times when bloods were obtained for PRA assays. Analysis of blood pressure data revealed that:(1) BHR animals showed more of a blood pressure response to shock than WKY animals; (2) Y animals showed more of a response to conflict than E, especially for the BHR group; and (3) BHR shocked animals remained permanently elevated compared to BHR control animals even in the 14 week post-conflict period during which no shocks were given. Although PRAs for BHR animals were significantly higher than for WKY at the beginning of study, the stress-induced hypertension was associated with either normal or suppressed PRA values, suggesting that the hypertension in these animals is not a high renin hypertension.