The clinical impact of these differences in slip measurement is unknown.

Methods. Radiographs of 130 subjects with developmental spondylolisthesis were reviewed. Two different techniques were used to assess the grade and percentage of slip. The technique 1 uses a line drawn from the L5 vertebra postero-inferior corner that is perpendicular to the S1

vertebra endplate. The technique 2 uses a line tangential to the L5 vertebra posterior wall that intersects the S1 vertebra endplate. The lumbosacral angle (LSA) was also measured to assess the orientation of L5 over S1. The slip percentage and grade obtained from the 2 techniques were compared. The influence of the LSA on the measurement of slip severity was also assessed.

Results. A significant difference (P < 10(-5)) was found between technique 1 (mean = 34.2% +/- 32.6%) and technique 2 (mean = 42.5% +/- 25.8%) with respect to the slip percentage. Eight subjects were found to switch click here classification from a low to a high-grade slip (or inversely) depending on the technique used. There was a significant relationship between the LSA and the difference in the measurement of slip percentage using either technique 1 or technique 2.

Conclusion. The 2 measurement techniques can have a significant impact on the interpretation of slip severity in spondylolisthesis. Emricasan ic50 The differences between the measurement techniques are influenced by the

orientation of L5 over S1 and could potentially affect the clinical decision making. It is important to standardize and specify

the technique used to plan and assess interventions in L5-S1 developmental spondylolisthesis.”
“The probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, first isolated from healthy human gut microbiota, has been reported to adhere very well to components of the intestinal mucosa, thereby enabling transient colonization of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). In a search for the genes responsible for the good adherence capacity of this strain, a genomic region encoding a protein with homology to putative adhesion proteins (LGG_01865) and its putative regulator (LGG_01866) was identified. The sequence of the A-1155463 nmr L. rhamnosus GG LGG_01865 encodes a polypeptide of 2419 amino acid residues containing 26 repetitive DUF1542 domains and a C-terminal LPxTG cell wall-anchoring motif. Phenotypic analyses of a dedicated LGG_01865 knockout mutant revealed a reduced biofilm formation capacity on abiotic surfaces and decreased adhesion to intestinal epithelial cells and tissues of the murine GIT. This suggests a modulating role for LGG_01865 in L. rhamnosus GG-host interactions. Therefore, we propose a new name for LGG_01865, i.e. MabA, modulator of adhesion and biofilm. Expression analysis indicated that LGG_01866 plays a conditional role in the regulation of LGG_01865 expression, i.e. when cells are grown under conditions of sugar starvation.