Risk factors for trochanteric and femoral neck fracture. / Factores de riesgo en fracturas de cadera trocantéricas y de cuello femoral.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: The differences between the two main types of fracture of proximal end of the femur, trochanteric and cervical fractures, are still a subject of study, and could be the key to a better understanding of its pathophysiology and prevention. The aim of this study is to determine whether epidemiological differences in the distribution of risk factors associated with hip fracture exist between these two entities. PATIENTS AND METHOD: A descriptive cross-sectional study of 428 patients over the age of 65 admitted for trochanteric or cervical fractures in 2015, in which gender, age, previous diagnosis, external causes associated with fracture and place of the event were recorded. RESULTS: There were 220 patients with a cervical fracture (51.4%) and 208 patients with a trochanteric fracture (48.6%). The average age was higher in the trochanteric fracture, observing a constant increase with age only in women with trochanteric fractures. Cervical fracture showed a significant association with cerebrovascular disease (p=0.039) and trochanteric fracture with accidental falls (p=0.047) and presence of 5-9 previous diseases (p=0.014). A regression analysis maintained this association in the case of a cerebrovascular disease (OR 2.6, 95%CI 1.1-6.4) and the presence of 5-9 diseases (OR 1.5, 95%CI 1.1-2.3). CONCLUSIONS: Trochanteric fractures are associated with women patients of more advanced ages, 5-9 previous diseases and accidental falls. Cerebrovascular disease shows a higher prevalence in cervical fractures.

Low molecular weight oligochitosans for non-viral retinal gene therapy.

Ultrapure oligochitosans have recently been evaluated as a promising tool for corneal gene therapy; however, there are no reports regarding the potential use of this polymer in other ocular tissues. We have prepared and characterized at pH 7.1 oligochitosan/pCMS-EGFP polyplexes to evaluate the transfection efficiency in rat retinas after subretinal and intravitreal administration. Polyplexes were characterized in terms of shape, size, surface charge, DNA condensation, and transfection efficiency in HEK-293 and ARPE-19 culture cells. Polyplexes were positively charged, around 10 mV, and size oscillated between 256.5 ± 56 and 67.3 ± 0.44 nm, depending on the nitrogenous/phosphate ratio. Polyplexes efficiently protected the plasmid against enzymatic digestion. A drastic increase in transfection efficiency was observed when pH slightly decreased from 7.4 to 7.1 in both HEK-293 (from 19.1% to 51.5%) and ARPE-19 (from 2.0% to 36.5%) cells (data normalized to Lipofectamine™ 2000). In rat retinas, subretinal administrations transfected cells mainly in the RPE layer, whereas intravitreal injections transfected cells in the inner nuclear and plexiform layers of the retina and mainly in the ganglion cell layer. This study establishes the base for future treatments of genetic retinal disorders with low molecular weight oligochitosan polyplexes.

Decay of sperm obtained from epididymes of wild ruminants depending on postmortem time.

We have carried out a study on the effect of postmortem time (PT) in some characteristics of epididymal sperm salvaged from hunted Iberian red deer and roe deer. Testis were collected, identified, refrigerated down to 5 degrees C, and sent to our laboratory by the wardens of the hunting reserves. This way, samples were delivered at different times postmortem. Sperm were extracted from the cauda epididymis by means of cuts. Analyzed parameters were: osmolality, pH, motility-both subjectively and with CASA, HOS test reactivity, acrosomal status and viability (assessed with propidium iodide). Osmolality and pH rose with prolonged postmortem time, possibly due to tissue decomposition. Most sperm quality parameters negatively correlated with PT. Besides, when comparing PT classes (groups of 24 h for red deer and 30 h for roe deer), we could appreciate that motility was more affected by PT than other quality variables. Progressive motility was especially impaired. We also classified the samples in high, medium and low quality for each PT group (considering progressive motility, intact acrosomes and reactivity to the HOS test), and it was clear that after 2 days the number of high quality samples was testimonial, and after several days, we almost found only low quality samples. In conclusion, epididymal sperm from Iberian red deer and roe deer undergo a decrease of quality with PT, but it could stay acceptable within many hours postmortem. There are implications for wildlife conservation programs, as epididymal sperm is a good source of germplasm. If valuable animals die and it is not possible to process their sperm immediately, it may still be possible to obtain viable spermatozoa many hours later.

Furoplocamioids A-C, novel polyhalogenated furanoid monoterpenes from Plocamium cartilagineum.

Three new tetrahydrofuran derivatives, marine monoterpenes, with an unusual chlorobromo vinyl functional group, have been isolated from the red alga Plocamium cartilagineum. The structure and relative stereochemistry of these compounds were determined on the basis of spectroscopic evidence and molecular mechanics (MM2) calculations. These compounds are related to pantofuranoids isolated from the antarctic Pantoneura plocamioides, which strongly suggests a close relationship between these species.

Use of ribonuclease VI from Artemia for the determination of cytidine 2'-phosphate.

An enzymatic method has been developed for the quantitative measurement of cytidine 2'-phosphate. Concentrations in the micromolar range can be measured even in the presence of at least five times greater concentrations of a variety of related nucleotides. The method is also suitable for detection of the 2',3'-cyclic nucleotide 3'-phosphodiesterase (EC 3.1.4.37) and its discrimination from the 2',3'-cyclic nucleotide 2'-phosphodiesterase (EC 3.1.4.16).

Studies on the synthesis of oligonucleotides containing photoreactive nucleosides: 2-azido-2'-deoxyinosine and 8-azido-2'-deoxyadenosine.

Oligonucleotides containing the photoreactive nucleosides 2-azido-2'-deoxyinosine and 8-azido-2'-deoxyadenosine have been prepared using protected 2-fluoro-2'-deoxyinosine and 8-bromo-2'-deoxyadenosine phosphoramidites. After the assembly of the oligonucleotides, the nucleoside derivatives are converted to the corresponding azido derivatives by treatment with lithium azide in dry DMF. Deprotection of oligonucleotides carrying these azidonucleosides is performed with concentrated ammonia at room temperature.

Purification and characterization of Artemia 2',3'-cyclic nucleotide 3'-phosphodiesterase.

This paper describes the purification and properties of a 2',3'-cyclic nucleotide 3'-phosphodiesterase which hydrolyzes nucleoside 2',3'-cyclic monophosphates to nucleoside 2'-phosphates. The enzyme is present in encysted gastrulae of Artemia and its specific activity greatly increases during larval development. The purified enzyme has a molecular weight of around 55 000 as estimated by gel filtration, does not require metals for activity, is inhibited by Zn2+ and inactivated by Cu2+ and has a pH optimum at around neutrality. Based on the relative values of V(max)/Km, the specificity of the phosphodiesterase toward the four 2',3'-cyclic nucleotides is Guo-2',3'-P > Ado-2',3'-P > Cyd-2',3'-P > Urd-2',3'-P = 45:36:20:7. The enzyme from Artemia gastrulae is competitively inhibited by the four nucleosides 2'-phosphates (Ki values around 1 mM) while the enzyme from larvae is only inhibited by the purine nucleotides. The phosphodiesterase characterized in this work is more similar in substrate specificity to the 2',3'-cyclic nucleotide 3'-phosphodiesterase from the mammalian nervous system than to the plant enzyme. The functional relationship of this enzyme with the Artemia ribonuclease VI is discussed.

Measuring treatment outcome and client satisfaction among children and families.

As the delivery and reimbursement methods for mental health services change rapidly, measuring treatment outcome and client satisfaction has become critical. This article describes a case example of a treatment outcome and client satisfaction assessment program at the Children's Health Council, a private nonprofit agency affiliated with Stanford University that provides comprehensive mental health services to children and families in Palo Alto, California. Approximately 300 families receive mental health treatment per year at the agency. The simple and inexpensive program presented herein can be used and modified by other mental health professionals and agencies struggling to develop satisfactory treatment outcome and client satisfaction evaluation programs.