Prevalence of vertebral fractures in an urban population in Croatia aged fifty and older

Summary AIM OF THE STUDY: To establish the prevalence of vertebral fractures according to age groups, sex and vertebral level in a sample of a Croatian urban population aged 50. We also tried to establish how many people had been diagnosed with osteoporosis by their family physician. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: Lateral thoracic and lumbar spinal radiographs were obtained in 425 ambulatory people (156 men and 269 women) aged 50 and living in the community as a random sample of the City of Zagreb (Croatia) population. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to obtain information on prior traumatic vertebral fractures and whether the person had been diagnosed with osteoporosis. Vertebral fractures in the population sample were defined using the morphometric method proposed by McCloskey et al., and normal values of the ratios of dimensions in non-fractured vertebrae with the iterative algorithm described by Melton et al. RESULTS: The prevalence of individuals with vertebral fractures was 11.8% (15.8% of men and 9.7% of women), ranking Zagreb mid-scale among other European cities. The prevalence of individuals with vertebral fractures rose with age. Sixty-nine (1.24%) of 5525 analysed vertebrae had been fractured. The most common fractures were those of lower thoracic and upper lumbar vertebrae. The elderly tend to sustain multiple fractures. Forty-one (9.6%) people had been previously diagnosed as having osteoporosis. Extrapolation to the Croatian population implies that approximately 90,000 men and 77,000 women aged 50 have vertebral fractures. CONCLUSION: Vertebral osteoporotic fractures are common in the Croatian population aged 50; however, awareness of osteoporosis appears to be low.     

Cellular uptake and efflux of azithromycin, erythromycin, clarithromycin, telithromycin, and cethromycin

Macrolide antibiotics have an outstanding ability to concentrate within host cells, particularly phagocytes. In the study described in this paper five different macrolide antibiotics were compared regarding the uptake and release kinetics in human peripheral blood polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) and three different cell lines, two phagocytic cell lines (RAW 264.7 and THP-1) and an epithelial cell line (MDCK). Based on the results obtained, the substances tested could be clustered into different groups. Azithromycin constituted the first group, characterized by rapid and nonsaturable uptake into phagocytic cells and a high degree of retention in the preloaded cells. The second group included erythromycin and clarithromycin. These two substances do not exhibit cell specificity; consequently, they are taken up to a similar extent and are released by all cell types studied. Ketolides constituted the last group. Their uptake was saturable in cells of monocytic lineage as well as in nondifferentiated cells of myeloid lineage, and they were rapidly released from all the cell lines studied. However, in PMNs, ketolide uptake was not saturable; and unlike telithromycin, cethromycin rapidly egressed from the loaded cells.     

Infection of small mammals with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in Slovenia as determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)

Thirty-four small mammals collected in the vicinity of Ljubljana were tested for the presence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of urinary bladder tissues, using universal flagellin primers and species specific rRNA primers. Seventeen small mammals (50%) were found to be positive, and 7 small mammals were infected with two species of B. burgdorferi sensu lato simultaneously. The most commonly found species was B. afzelii (n = 14), followed by B. burgdorferi sensu stricto (n = 7) and B. garinii (n = 3), as determined by species-specific primers. We conclude that PCR is a rapid and reliable method to detect infection with B. burgdorferi sensu lato in small mammals.     

Vitamin D deficiency in children with recurrent respiratory infections,with or without immunoglobulin deficiency

Purpose

The objective of this study was to evaluate thevitamin D concentration in patients with recurrent respiratory infections with or without immunoglobulin G, A or M (IgG, IgA, IgM) deficiency, and to find a correlation between the vitamin D concentration and the response to hepatitis B vaccination.

Effect of formalin fixation on pcr amplification of DNA isolated from healthy autopsy tissues

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of formalin fixation on the degradation of DNA molecules in five different healthy tissues exempted during the autopsy, as well as the selection of the method that is most suitable for the DNA isolation. Heart muscle, liver, brain, lung and kidney tissue obtained from the healthy people who suddenly died from a violent death were used. The parts of tissue were fixed in 10% phosphate-buffered formalin as well as in 4% unbuffered formalin at room temperature. Morphology of tissue was studied using H&E staining. The DNA was isolated 6?h, 1–7 days (every 24?h), 10, 14, 28 days and 2 months after fixation using two different methods: extraction with phenol-chloroform-isoamyl alcohol as well as with PureLink Genomic DNA Kit. Yield and purity of the DNA samples were measured spectrophotometrically at 260?nm and 280?nm. The PCR amplifications of the glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase 1 (GPD1, 150 bp), ß actin (ACTB, 262 bp) and ribosomal protein L4 (RPL4, 407 bp) genes were performed to evaluate the degree of DNA fragmentation. The RPL4 gene was amplified up to 72?h, ACTB gene up to 14 days and GPD1 gene up to 28 days from tissue fixed in phosphate-buffered formalin using phenol-chloroform-isoamylalcohol protocol for DNA isolation. Liver and kidney gave better results of PCR amplification, but statistical significance between tissues was not found. Preserving period, fixative and DNA extracting method are important factors for successful PCR amplification. The healthy tissue, fixed in phosphate-formalin up to 28 days, can be useful source in molecular studies. Tissues fixed in unbuffered formalin are suitable for molecular analysis up to 7 days.     

The phytoestrogen genistein prevents trabecular bone loss and affects thyroid follicular cells in a male rat model of osteoporosis

As a major phytoestrogen of soy, genistein effectively prevents bone loss in both humans and rat models of osteoporosis. However, although the bone‐sparing effects of genistein are achieved directly through estrogen receptors, its mode of action on bone by modulation of other endocrine functions is not entirely clear. Thus, thyroid hormones and calcitonin (CT ) have an essential influence on bone metabolism. Besides its action on bones, in this study we examined the effect of genistein on the activity of two different endocrine cell populations, thyroid follicular and C‐cells. Fifteen‐month‐old Wistar rats were either bilaterally orchidectomized (Orx) or sham‐operated (SO ). Two weeks after surgery, half of the Orx rats were treated chronically with 30 mg kg^?1 b.w. genistein (Orx + G) subcutaneously (s.c.) every day for 3 weeks, while the remaining Orx rats and the SO rats were given the same volume of sterile olive oil to serve as controls. For histomorphometrical analysis of the trabecular bone microarchitecture an ImageJ public domain image processing programme was used. Thyroid sections were analysed histologically and stereologically after visualization of follicular and C‐cells by immunohistochemical staining for thyroglobulin and CT . Thyroid follicular epithelium, interstitium, colloid and CT ‐immunopositive C‐cells were examined morphometrically. Serum concentrations of osteocalcin (OC ), triiodothyronine (T₃), thyroxine (T₄) and CT were determined as well as urinary calcium (Ca²⁺) concentrations. Genistein treatment significantly increased cancellous bone area (B.Ar), trabecular thickness (TbTh) and trabecular number (TbN) (P  < 0.05), but trabecular separation (Tb.Sp) was decreased (P  < 0.05) compared with control Orx rats. In the thyroid, genistein treatment significantly elevated the relative volume density (Vv) of the follicular cells (P  < 0.05) compared with Orx, whereas Vv of the colloid was lower (P  < 0.05) than in the Orx. Evaluation of the biochemical parameters showed significant reductions in serum OC , T₃, T₄ and urinary Ca²⁺ concentrations (P  < 0.05), compared with Orx rats. These data indicate that genistein treatment improves the trabecular microarchitecture of proximal tibia, induces histomorphometrical changes in thyroid glands, and decreases circulating thyroid hormone levels in orchidectomized rat model of male osteoporosis.     

Comparison of five different defibrillators using recommended energy protocols

Biphasic defibrillators represent a great step ahead in defibrillation. The manufacturers claim that biphasic defibrillators are able to compensate for differences in transthoracic impedance. That should mean that all patients should be defibrillated with approximately the same amount of current, regardless of their transthoracic impedance. We assessed one monophasic and four biphasic defibrillators. The defibrillators were discharged into resistive loads of 50, 90 and 130 Omega, simulating transthoracic impedance. For each waveform we used energy protocols recommended by the manufacturers and guidelines 2005. Waveforms were observed with on a digitising oscilloscope on a current sensing resistor. We compared the electrical properties of different waveforms and two defibrillators with the same type of waveform. The influence of different impedance on shape, duration and amplitude of current flow were also observed for each waveform. Measurements showed a significant difference in current flow at different impedance loads. At low impedance the mean current is well above expectations for all the defibrillators studied and at high impedance load we observed a big reduction of current amplitude. We can conclude that the compensating mechanisms of biphasic defibrillators are, from electrical point of view, negligible. From the laws of physics it is practically impossible to keep same level of current at given time with same energy at higher impedance. That is why we should reconsider the use of different energy equivalents between patients with different transthoracic impedance and not between different defibrillation impulses.     

Efficacy of atovaquone combined with clindamycin against murine infection with a cystogenic (Me49) strain of Toxoplasma gondii

The aim of this study was to identify retrospectively trends in species distribution and susceptibility patterns of Candida species causing bloodstream infections in 99 medical centres (55 in Spain and 44 in Argentina) from 1996 to 1999. A total of 744 Candida isolates were sent to the mycology reference laboratories during the study period (514 to the Spanish laboratory and 230 to the Argentinian laboratory). Candida non-albicans strains caused more episodes of fungaemia than Candida albicans isolates in both Spain and Argentina. C. albicans was isolated in 30.2% (155/514) and 40.9% (94/230) of episodes in Spain and in Argentina, respectively. In addition, Candida parapsilosis was the second most commonly isolated pathogen (36.4%). Candida tropicalis caused 13.7% of infections and Candida glabrata 7.4%. The amphotericin B MIC was 相似文献   

Fucosylation of IgG heavy chains is increased in rheumatoid arthritis

Objectives: Glycosylation of IgG was suggested to be important in the etiology of rheumatoid diseases. Most studies addressed the amount of galactose, but recently we showed that fucose is highly increased in the juvenile chronic arthritis. The objective of this study was to determine fucosylation of IgG heavy chains in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Design and methods: IgG was purified from sera of 29 RA patients and 17 matching controls using ammonium sulfate precipitation and ion exchange. Heavy chains were separated by denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and their fucosylation analysed using fucose-specific UEA I lectin.

Results: Fucose was found to be approximately 40% increased in RA patients with very high statistical significance (p = 0.00095).

Conclusions: Fucose on IgG heavy chains is significantly increased in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.     

Comparative analysis of national regulations concerning blood safety across Europe

In October 2001, representatives of 17 European countries (Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Macedonia, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey and UK) met in Sarajevo at a course organized by the European School of Transfusion Medicine to discuss their countries' regulations concerning different aspects of the safety of blood transfusion. Results are summarized in tables to facilitate comparisons. Most countries (13/17) have specific transfusion laws and 9/17 have hospital-based systems as opposed to national organizations. Quality assurance is common among investigated countries (14/17). Voluntary associations are responsible for donor promotion in the majority of countries (13/17). Exclusively, voluntary non-remunerated donors are found in 5/17 countries, whereas in the remaining ones, incentives, family replacement and remuneration are mechanisms stimulating blood donation. Medical doctors using official selection criteria are checking donor suitability in virtually all countries, which also perform main microbiological testing. Regulations on good clinical use of blood and derivatives are present in most countries but applied only in some. Although the data presented need to be interpreted with some caution, this preliminary analysis shows that, although some significant differences still exist, the majority of countries studied are moving in the same direction to ensure safety of their blood supply.