Accessibility of osteochondral lesion at the capitellum during elbow arthroscopy: an anatomical study

INTRODUCTION

Osteochondrosis dissecans (OCD) at the capitellum is a common pathology in young patients. Although arthroscopic interventions are commonly used, there is a lack of information about the accessibility of the defects during elbow arthroscopy by using standard portals.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

An elbow arthroscopy using the standard portals was performed in seven fresh frozen specimens. At the capitellum, the most posterior and anterior cartilage surface reachable was marked with K-wires. Using a newly described measuring method, we constructed a circular sector around the rotational center of the capitellum. The intersection of K-wire "A" and "B" with the circular sector was marked, and the angles between the K-wires and the Rogers line, alpha angle for K-Wire "A" and beta angle for K-wire "B", and the corridor not accessible during arthroscopy was digitally measured.

RESULTS

On average, we found an alpha angle of 53° and a beta angle of 104°. Leaving a sector of 51° which was not accessible via the standard portals during elbow arthroscopy.

CONCLUSION

Non-accessible capitellar lesions during elbow arthroscopy should be considered preoperatively, and the informed consent discussion should always include the possibility of open procedures or the use of flexible instruments.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4

Ubiquiton-An inducible, linkage-specific polyubiquitylation tool

The posttranslational modifier ubiquitin regulates most cellular processes. Its ability to form polymeric chains of distinct linkages is key to its diverse functionality. Yet, we still lack the experimental tools to induce linkage-specific polyubiquitylation of a protein of interest in cells. Here, we introduce a set of engineered ubiquitin protein ligases and matching ubiquitin acceptor tags for the rapid, inducible linear (M1-), K48-, or K63-linked polyubiquitylation of proteins in yeast and mammalian cells. By applying the so-called "Ubiquiton" system to proteasomal targeting and the endocytic pathway, we validate this tool for soluble cytoplasmic and nuclear as well as chromatin-associated and integral membrane proteins and demonstrate how it can be used to control the localization and stability of its targets. We expect that the Ubiquiton system will serve as a versatile, broadly applicable research tool to explore the signaling functions of polyubiquitin chains in many biological contexts.

Linkage reprogramming by tailor-made E3s reveals polyubiquitin chain requirements in DNA-damage bypass

A polyubiquitin chain can adopt a variety of shapes, depending on how the ubiquitin monomers are joined. However, the relevance of linkage for the signaling functions of polyubiquitin chains is often poorly understood because of our inability to control or manipulate this parameter in vivo. Here, we present a strategy for reprogramming polyubiquitin chain linkage by means of tailor-made, linkage- and substrate-selective ubiquitin ligases. Using the polyubiquitylation of the budding yeast replication factor PCNA in response to DNA damage as a model case, we show that altering the features of a polyubiquitin chain in vivo can change the fate of the modified substrate. We also provide evidence for redundancy between distinct but structurally similar linkages, and we demonstrate by proof-of-principle experiments that the method can be generalized to targets beyond PCNA. Our study illustrates a promising approach toward the in vivo analysis of polyubiquitin signaling.

Efficacy of minute virus of mice (MVM) inactivation utilizing high temperature short time (HTST) pasteurization and suitability assessment of pasteurized, concentrated glucose feeds in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell expression systems

There is a growing need to provide effective adventitious agent mitigation for high risk upstream cell culture raw materials used for the production of biologics. It is also highly important in the growing fields of cell and gene therapies. Glucose is a critical raw material necessary for effective cell growth and productivity; however, glucose is the highest risk animal-origin-free raw material for viral contamination, and often the highest risk raw material in the upstream process as more companies move to chemically defined media. This study examines the efficacy of utilizing High Temperature Short Time (HTST) pasteurization for inactivation of physiochemically resistant, worst-case parvovirus using a bench-scale HTST system. We demonstrated approximately six log inactivation of Minute Virus of Mice (MVM) in concentrated glucose feeds without impacting the subsequent performance of the glucose in a Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) expression system.

Breeding for reduced methane emission and feed-efficient Holstein cows: An international response

Selecting for lower methane (CH₄) emitting animals is one of the best approaches to reduce CH₄ given that genetic progress is permanent and cumulative over generations. As genetic selection requires a large number of animals with records and few countries actively record CH₄, combining data from different countries could help to expedite accurate genetic parameters for CH₄ traits and build a future genomic reference population. Additionally, if we want to include CH₄ in the breeding goal, it is important to know the genetic correlations of CH₄ traits with other economically important traits. Therefore, the aim of this study was first to estimate genetic parameters of 7 suggested methane traits, as well as genetic correlations between methane traits and production, maintenance, and efficiency traits using a multicountry database. The second aim was to estimate genetic correlations within parities and stages of lactation for CH₄. The third aim was to evaluate the expected response of economically important traits by including CH₄ traits in the breeding goal. A total of 15,320 methane production (MeP, g/d) records from 2,990 cows belonging to 4 countries (Canada, Australia, Switzerland, and Denmark) were analyzed. Records on dry matter intake (DMI), body weight (BW), body condition score, and milk yield (MY) were also available. Additional traits such as methane yield (MeY; g/kg DMI), methane intensity (MeI; g/kg energy-corrected milk), a genetic standardized methane production, and 3 definitions of residual methane production (g/d), residual feed intake, metabolic BW (MBW), BW change, and energy-corrected milk were calculated. The estimated heritability of MeP was 0.21, whereas heritability estimates for MeY and MeI were 0.30 and 0.38, and for the residual methane traits heritability ranged from 0.13 to 0.16. Genetic correlations between different methane traits were moderate to high (0.41 to 0.97). Genetic correlations between MeP and economically important traits ranged from 0.29 (MY) to 0.65 (BW and MBW), being 0.41 for DMI. Selection index calculations showed that residual methane had the most potential for inclusion in the breeding goal when compared with MeP, MeY, and MeI, as residual methane allows for selection of low methane emitting animals without compromising other economically important traits. Inclusion of residual feed intake in the breeding goal could further reduce methane, as the correlation with residual methane is moderate and elicits a favorable correlated response. Adding a negative economic value for methane could facilitate a substantial reduction in methane emissions while maintaining an increase in milk production.

Accuracy of methane emissions predicted from milk mid-infrared spectra and measured by laser methane detectors in Brown Swiss dairy cows

Since heritability of CH₄ emissions in ruminants was demonstrated, various attempts to generate large individual animal CH₄ data sets have been initiated. Predicting individual CH₄ emissions based on equations using milk mid-infrared (MIR) spectra is currently considered promising as a low-cost proxy. However, the CH₄ emission predicted by MIR in individuals still has to be confirmed by measurements. In addition, it remains unclear how low CH₄ emitting cows differ in intake, digestion, and efficiency from high CH₄ emitters. In the current study, putatively low and putatively high CH₄ emitting Brown Swiss cows were selected from the entire Swiss herdbook population (176,611 cows), using an MIR-based prediction equation. Eventually, 15 low and 15 high CH₄ emitters from 29 different farms were chosen for a respiration chamber (RC) experiment in which all cows were fed the same forage-based diet. Several traits related to intake, digestion, and efficiency were quantified over 8 d, and CH₄ emission was measured in 4 open circuit RC. Daily CH₄ emissions were also estimated using data from 2 laser CH₄ detectors (LMD). The MIR-predicted CH₄ production (g/d) was quite constant in low and high emission categories, in individuals across sites (home farm, experimental station), and within equations (first available and refined versions). The variation of the MIR-predicted values was substantially lower using the refined equation. However, the predicted low and high emitting cows (n = 28) did not differ on average in daily CH₄ emissions measured either with RC or estimated using LMD, and no correlation was found between CH₄ predictions (MIR) and CH₄ emissions measured in RC. When individuals were recategorized based on CH₄ yield measured in RC, differences between categories of 10 low and 10 high CH₄ emitters were about 20%. Low CH₄ emitting cows had a higher feed intake, milk yield, and residual feed intake, but they differed only weakly in eating pattern and digesta mean retention times. Low CH₄ emitters were characterized by lower acetate and higher propionate proportions of total ruminal volatile fatty acids. We concluded that the current MIR-based CH₄ predictions are not accurate enough to be implemented in breeding programs for cows fed forage-based diets. In addition, low CH₄ emitting cows have to be characterized in more detail using mechanistic studies to clarify in more detail the properties that explain the functional differences found in comparison with other cows.

Genetics of parity-dependant production increase and its relationship with health, fertility, longevity, and conformation in swiss holsteins

Genetic analysis of production increase (ProdI), defined as an increase in production from early to later lactations, was conducted using data from the Holstein Association of Switzerland. This production increase describes the maturity rate of the cow. The data set contained 42,807 cows with a ProdI value. All cows had completed the first 3 lactations. Different formulas were derived for the computation of ProdI using 1) milk yields or energy-corrected milk yields and 2) yields from all 3 lactations or only 2 of them (first and second, first and third, second and third). Heritabilities of ProdI and genetic and phenotypic correlations of ProdI with somatic cell score, days to first service, nonreturn rate, longevity, and 27 conformation traits were estimated by univariate and bivariate sire models that included relationship among sires. Heritabilities for ProdI were low (0.06 to 0.08), but genetic variation among sires existed. For nonreturn rate and longevity, regressions on the sire estimated breeding values were estimated. Additive genetic correlations of ProdI were moderately favorable with somatic cell score (-0.22 to -0.33) and chest width (0.21 to 0.30), i.e., with traits often associated with long-lasting cows. Unfavorable correlations were found with angularity (-0.18 to -0.26). Regression coefficients from regressing ProdI on sire estimated breeding values for longevity tend to show favorable relationships between these 2 traits (0.10 to 0.20). Results show that animals can be selected for ProdI, as there is good genetic variation between bulls. ProdI is a potential trait to be included in selection indices, as it has favorable genetic relationships with economically important functional traits such as health, conformation, and longevity.

Genetic Parameters for Body Condition Score and its Relationship with Type and Production Traits in Swiss Holsteins

The objectives of this study were to estimate the genetic and environmental parameters between body condition score (BCS) and 27 conformation and 3 production traits in Swiss Holstein cattle. The dataset consisted of 31,500 first-lactation cows, which were daughters of 545 sires in 1867 herds. Bivariate sire models with relationships among sires were used to estimate parameters. Least squares means for BCS by lactation stage show that cows lose BCS up to 5 mo after calving and gain BCS prior to the next calving. Regression models showed that an increase in age and percentage of Holstein genes results in an increase and decrease in BCS, respectively. Heritability (h2) was 0.24 for BCS score, which indicates good potential for selection. Sire estimated breeding values for BCS ranged from -0.46 to +0.51 units. Heritabilities ranged from 0.08 (heel depth) to 0.46 (rump width) for type traits and 0.23 to 0.29 for yield traits. Genetic correlations of BCS with 8 conformation traits were significant; stature (0.28), heart girth (0.21), strength (0.17), loin (-0.39), body capacity (0.19), dairy character (-0.35), udder quality (-0.42), and teat position rear (-0.33). Milk production and body condition have an unfavorable genetic correlation (-0.12 to -0.17). These results show that selection for good body condition, body conformation, and optimal milk production is possible and their genetic associations reported here will be useful for designing Swiss breeding goals.