A new nail-plate for treatment of fracture of the neck of the femur

Operative treatment of fractures of the neck and trochanter of the femur does not always produce a satisfactory result. This is usually due to biomechanical problems with the available internal fixation methods. We studied the anatomy of the neck of the femur by roentgenograms and sectional specimens from 70 cadavers. In addition, various nail-plates were subjected to buckling tests and, by simultaneously attaching a strain-gauge, stress distribution was calculated. The results of these preliminary studies were then used to design a new nail-plate better than those available at present. Testing of this new nail-plate confirmed that it had a strength equal to that of the Holt nail-plate (the strongest of the available nail-plates).</p

A method for designing flow-through chromatography processes

Continuous manufacturing is expected to increase the productivity of the production of biologics such as protein drugs. However, it is not easy to build the continuous process especially for downstream processing as many unit operations (chromatography and membrane filtration) are involved. An operation method known as flow-through chromatography (FTC) is considered to be an efficient method for separating two components as the flow is continuous. In FTC, a target protein is eluted from the chromatography column without adsorption whereas contaminants are strongly bound. Since at least two different modes of chromatography are needed in order to remove contaminants, two FTC columns have to be connected in order to build the continuous process. This is not an easy task since the mobile phase properties (pH, salt, buffer ions) are different for the two columns. In this paper, we developed a method for designing FTC processes based on the mechanistic models that we have developed for linear gradient elution (LGE) of proteins. The distribution coefficient K as a function of salt concentration, I determined from LGE data were used for the simulation. It was found that the process is quite sensitive to a small change in I. This indicates that FTC processes are carefully monitored and controlled for the stable operation

Pollination and dispersal syndromes in semideciduous montane forest fragments, São Paulo State, Brazil

We aimed to analyze pollination and dispersal syndrome distribution among strata and between edge and interior of semideciduous montane forest fragments at Fazenda Bela Vista (46º52'W; 22º47'S, 750-850 m a.s.l.), Pedreira municipality, São Paulo state, SE Brazil. During weekly visits from August/1997 to October/1998 we classified the pollination and dispersal syndromes of 151 tree and shrub species with dbh > 3 cm in the upper (height > 9 m), intermediate and lower (height 3 cm, considerando os estratos superior (altura >9 m), intermediário e inferior (altura < 4,5 m), a borda (faixa de 50 m) e o interior de três fragmentos (100 ha). Predominou a síndrome de melitofilia, seguida de síndromes não especializadas, falenofilia, miiofilia, psicofilia, quiropterofilia, ornitofilia, cantarofilia e anemofilia. As espécies com síndromes de ornitofilia, quiropterofilia e anemofilia mostraram preferência por ambientes abertos, e as espécies com síndromes de melitofilia tenderam a ocorrer nos estratos superiores. Predominaram síndromes zoocóricas, seguindo-se as anemocóricas e autocóricas. As espécies zoocóricas predominaram nos estratos inferiores. As espécies anemocóricas e autocóricas mostraram preferência por ambientes mais abertos e predominaram nos estratos mais altos no interior da mata. Diferentes síndromes de polinização e dispersão estão associadas a diferentes ambientes e estratos da floresta.553573Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES

Increasing vegetable intake 400 g/day can control body weight and lipid profile in overweight hyperlipidemia menopausal women

Background: Indonesia suffers growing health problems like obesity, diabetes, and other metabolic syndromes with dietary habit as one of risk factors. To control the lipid and glycaemic profile, high fibre intake has been recommended. This study administered 400g/day vegetable intake with its fiber contents and observed the effects in lipid profile and glycaemic control.Design: A parallel study of 30 pairs of menopausal women match paired in overweight, menopause, hyperlipidaemia, age, etc randomly divided into two groups (vegetable and control). The baseline data obtained from questionnaire and preliminary blood-withdrawn of consented participants, then matched the characteristics included the results of lipid profile and glycated albumin. The administration was conducted for 21days by providing 400g/day of vegetable to the vegetable group subjects. Nutrition assessments were conducted at the baseline, middle, and final period. The data were analysed by using the unpaired and paired t-test.Results: Significant results (p&lt;0.05) were seen in biochemical variables in the lipid profile of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and HDL cholesterol and body weight and BMI within the vegetable group. Significant results for the same variables were shown between vegetable and control group at the final data (p&lt;0.05). The nutrition assessments result showed significances (p&lt;0.05) within vegetable group and between two groups on the final data. After 21 days, significant decreases were found on the intakes of energy, lipids, carbohydrates (p&lt;0.05), while vegetable intake and fiber intake showed significant increases (p&lt;0.05).Conclusion: These data suggest that maintaining a healthy diet of 400 g/d vegetable can be effective in weight management and lipid profile control

Dynapenia and sarcopenia diabetes

Aims/Introduction: The present study aimed to clarify the prevalence and clinical characteristics of sarcopenia and dynapenia, which are muscle weakness with and without low muscle mass, respectively, in Japanese patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled 1,328 participants with type 1 diabetes (n = 177), type 2 diabetes (n = 645) and without diabetes (n = 506). Sarcopenia was defined as a low grip strength and slow gait speed with low skeletal muscle mass index, whereas dynapenia was defined as low strengths of grip and knee extension with a normal skeletal muscle mass index. Participants without sarcopenia and dynapenia were defined as robust. Results: Among participants aged ≥65 years, sarcopenia and dynapenia were observed in 12.2% and 0.5% of individuals without diabetes, 42.9% and 11.4% of type 1 diabetes patients, and 20.9% and 13.9% of type 2 diabetes patients. In both type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes patients, sarcopenic patients were significantly older and thinner, and showed a significantly higher rate of diabetic neuropathy than robust patients. In patients with type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes, dynapenic patients were older, and showed a higher rate of diabetic neuropathy and lower estimated glomerular filtration rate than robust patients. Patients complicated with sarcopenia and dynapenia showed a significantly lower physical quality of life and higher rate of incidental falls than robust patients. Conclusions: Sarcopenia and dynapenia were more frequent in patients with type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes than in individuals without diabetes, which might contribute to their impaired quality of life and incidental falls

Increased Interleukin-8 in Epithelial Lining Fluid of Collapsed Lungs During One-Lung Ventilation for Thoracotomy

The present study was designed to evaluate inflammatory changes in collapsed lungs during one-lung ventilation using the assistance of a bronchoscopic microsampling probe. Serial albumin and interleukin (IL)-8 concentrations in epithelial lining fluid (ELF) were measured in seven patients undergoing resection of lung tumors. The samples were taken after induction of anesthesia (baseline), 30 min after one-lung ventilation was started (point 2), just before resuming two-lung ventilation (point 3), and 30 min after two-lung ventilation was restarted (point 4). The albumin and IL-8 concentrations in ELF were significantly increased at point 2 and point 3, respectively, and remained to be high, compared to the baseline. The increase in IL-8 at point 3 was correlated with the interval of one-lung ventilation; however, none developed specific acute lung injury. These findings suggest that inflammatory changes can occur on the epithelium of a collapsed lung even in patients who underwent successful and standard thoracic surgery.ArticleINFLAMMATION. 35(6):1844-1850 (2012)journal articl