Fractures in older people - incidence, predictors and consequences

In older populations, fractures are common and the consequences of fractures may be serious both for an individual and for society. However, information is scarce about the incidence, predictors and consequences of fractures in population-based unselected cohorts including both men and women and a long follow-up. The objective of this study was to analyse the incidence and predictors of fractures as well as functional decline and excess mortality due to fractures, among 482 men and 695 women aged 65 or older in the municipality of Lieto, Finland from 1991 until 2002. In analyses, Poisson’s, Cox proportional Hazards and Cumulative Logistic regression models were used for the control of several confounding variables. During the 12-year follow-up with a total of 10 040 person-years (PY), 307 (26%) persons sustained altogether 425 fractures of which 77% were sustained by women. The total incidence of fractures was 53.4 per 1000 PY (95% confidence intervals [95% CI]: 47.9 - 59.5) in women and 24.9 per 1000 PY (95% CI: 20.4 - 30.4) in men. The incidence rates of fractures at any sites and hip fractures were associated with increasing age. No significant changes in the ageadjusted incidence rates of fractures were found in either gender during the 12-year follow-up. The predictors of fractures varied by gender. In multivariate analyses, reduced handgrip strength and body mass index (BMI) lower than 30 in women and a large number of depressive symptoms in men were independent predictors of fractures. A compression fracture in one or more thoracic or upper lumbar vertebras on chest radiography at baseline was associated with subsequent fractures in both genders. Lower body fractures independently predicted both short- (0-2 years) and long-term (up to 8 years) functional decline in mobility and activities of daily living (ADL) performance during the 8-year follow-up. Upper body fractures predicted decline in ADL performance during longterm follow-up. In the 12-year follow-up, hip fractures in men (Hazard Ratio [HR] 8.1, 95% CI: 4.4-14.9) and in women (HR 3.0, 95% CI: 1.9-4.9), and fractures at the proximal humerus in men (HR 5.4, 95% CI: 1.6-17.7) were independently associated with excess mortality. In addition, leisure time inactivity in physical exercise predicted independently both functional decline and excess mortality. Fractures are common among older people posing serious individual consequences. Further studies about the effectiveness of preventing falls and fractures as well as improving care and rehabilitation after fractures are needed.

Characterization of novel genes predominantly expressed in the epididymis – from genome analyses to genetically modified mice

In mammals, post-testicular sperm maturation taking place in the epididymis is required for the spermatozoa to acquire the abilities required to fertilize the egg in vivo. The epididymal epithelial cells secrete proteins and other small molecules into the lumen, where they interact with the spermatozoa and enable necessary maturational changes. In this study different in silico, in vitro and in vivo approaches were utilized in order to find novel genes responsible for the function of the epididymis and post-testicular sperm maturation in the mouse. Available online genomic databases were analyzed to identify genes potentially expressed in the epididymis, gene expression profiling was performed by studying their expression in different mouse tissues, and significance of certain genes to fertility was assessed by generating genetically modified mouse models. A recently discovered Pate (prostate and testis expression) gene family was found to be predominantly expressed in the epididymis. It represents one of the largest known gene families expressed in the epididymis, and the members code for proteins potentially involved in defense against microorganisms. Through genetically modified mouse models CRISP4 (cysteine-rich secretory protein 4) was identified to regulate sperm acrosome reaction, and BMYC to inhibit the expression of the Myc proto-oncogene in the developing testis. A mouse line expressing iCre recombinase specifically in the epididymis was also generated. This model can be used to generate conditional, epididymis-specific knock-out models, and will be a valuable tool in fertility studies.

18F-Labeled Presynaptic Dopaminergic Tracers. Synthesis, Radiochemical Analyses, and Preclinical Evaluation of [18F]FDOPA and [18F]CFT

Dysfunction of the dopaminergic system in brain is involved in several pathological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and depression. 2β-Carbomethoxy-3β-(4-[18F] fluorophenyl)tropane ([18F]CFT) and 6-[18F]fluoro-L-dopa ([18F]FDOPA) are tracers for imaging the dopaminergic function with positron emission tomography (PET). Peripheral uptake of [18F]FDOPA is also used in the localization and diagnosis of neuroendocrine tumors. [18F]FDOPA and [18F]CFT can be synthesized by electrophilic fluorodestannylation. However, the specific radioactivity (SA) in the electrophilic fluorination is low with traditional synthetic methods. In this study, [18F]FDOPA and [18F]CFT were synthesized using post-target-produced [18F]F2 as an electrophilic fluorination agent. With this method, tracers are produced with sufficient SA for neuroreceptor studies. Specific aims in this study were to replace Freon-11 in the production of [18F]FDOPA due to the ozone depleting properties of this solvent, to determine pharmacological specificity and selectivity of [18F]CFT with respect to monoamine transporters, and to compare the ability of these tracers to reflect the degree of nigral neuronal loss in rats in which the dopaminergic system in the brain had been unilaterally destroyed by 6- OHDA. Post-target-produced [18F]F2 was successfully used in the production of [18F]FDOPA and [18F]CFT. The SA achieved was substantially higher than in previous synthetic methods. Deuterated compounds, CD2Cl2, CDCl3 and C3D6O, were found to be suitable solvents for replacing Freon-11. Both [18F]FDOPA and [18F]CFT demonstrated nigrostriatal dopaminergic hypofunction and correlated with the number of nigral dopaminergic neurons in the 6-OHDA lesioned rat. However, the dopamine transporter (DAT) tracer [18F]CFT was more sensitive than the dopamine synthesis tracer [18F]FDOPA in detecting these defects because of the higher non-specific uptake of [18F]FDOPA. [18F]CFT can also be used for imaging the norepinephrine transporter (NET) because of the specific uptake into the locus coeruleus. The observation that [18F]CFT exhibits specific uptake in the pancreas warrants further studies in humans with respect to potential utility in pancreatic imaging

Bone Health, Osteoporosis and Fracture Risk in Neurofibromatosis 1 - An Emphasis on Osteoclasts

Neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1) is an autosomal dominant hereditary syndrome, affecting skin, neural tissues and skeleton. Hallmarks of NF1 include benign cutaneous neurofibroma tumors, pigmentation lesions on the skin and in the iris, learning disabilities and predisposition to selected malignancies. Low bone mineral density (BMD) and osteopenia/osteoporosis are common in NF1. Osteoporosis is a systemic disorder characterized by low bone mineral density and increased fracture risk. Treatment of osteoporosis aims to prevent falls and decrease fracture risk. Osteoporosis is diagnosed in adults by measuring BMD and evaluating clinical risk factors of the patient. Bone turnover is a process of old bone resorbed by osteoclasts and new bone formed by osteoblasts. Multinuclear osteoclasts are derived from osteoclast progenitors, which can be isolated from peripheral blood. Osteoclast progenitors were isolated from 17 NF1 patients and healthy controls, and cultured in vitro to osteoclasts. NF1 osteoclasts are hyperactive, displaying increased differentiation and resorption capacity, abnormal morphology and tolerance to serum deprivation compared to control osteoclasts. These findings expanded the study to evaluate the effects of bisphosphonates, drugs designed to treat osteoporosis, in osteoclasts derived from blood samples of 20 NF1 and control persons. The number of control osteoclasts was expectedly reduced after bisphosphonate treatment. However, NF1 osteoclasts tolerated the apoptotic effect of alendronate, zoledronic acid and clodronate in vitro compared to controls. NF1-related osteoporosis was found in ~20 % of the patients, and selected laboratory parameters were measured. Patients with NF1 have increased levels of serum CTX and PINP, reflecting increased bone turnover in vivo. BMD decreases progressively in NF1 as evaluated in 19 NF1 patients 12 years after their initial BMD measurement. Patients with NF1-related osteopenia often progress to osteoporosis. This was found in patients aged 37-76.

Importance of bone assessment and prevention of osteoporotic fracture in patients with prostate cancer in the gonadotropic hormone analogues use

The antiandrogenic therapy (ADT) for prostate cancer represents an additional risk factor for the development of osteoporosis and fragility fractures. Still, bone health of patients on ADT is often not evaluated. After literature research we found that simple preventive measures can prevent bone loss in these patients, resulting in more cost-effective solutions to the public health system and family when compared to the treatment of fractures.

Analyses of the development and glycoproteins present in the ovarian follicles of Poecilia vivipara (Cyprinodontiformes, Poeciliidae)

The morphofunctional aspects of oogenesis of Poecilia vivipara were studied aiming to understand the reproductive biology and development of species with internal fertilization, particularly those belonging to the family Poeciliidae. The stages of gonadal maturation and follicular development were characterized using mesoscopic, histological, histochemical, and lectin cytochemical analyses. Through mesoscopic evaluation the ovarian development was classified in six phases of development: immature, in maturation I, in maturation II, mature I, mature II, and post-spawn. Based on microscopic examination of the ovaries, we identified the presence of oocytes types I and II during the previtellogenic phase and types III, IV, and V during the vitellogenic phase. As oogenesis proceeded the oocyte cytosol increased in volume and presented increased cytoplasmic granule accumulation, characterizing vitellogenesis. The zona radiata (ZR) increased in thickness and complexity, and the follicular epithelium, which was initially thin and consisting of pavimentous cells, in type III oocytes exhibited cubic simple cells. The histochemical and cytochemical analyses revealed alterations in the composition of the molecular structures that form the ovarian follicle throughout the gonadal development. Our study demonstrated differences in the female reproductive system among fish species with internal and external fertilization and we suggest P. vivipara can be used as experimental model to test environmental toxicity.

In silico phylogenetic and virulence gene profile analyses of avian pathogenic Escherichia coli genome sequences

Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) infections are responsible for significant losses in the poultry industry worldwide. A zoonotic risk has been attributed to APEC strains because they present similarities to extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC) associated with illness in humans, mainly urinary tract infections and neonatal meningitis. Here, we present in silico analyses with pathogenic E. coli genome sequences, including recently available APEC genomes. The phylogenetic tree, based on multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) of seven housekeeping genes, revealed high diversity in the allelic composition. Nevertheless, despite this diversity, the phylogenetic tree was able to cluster the different pathotypes together. An in silico virulence gene profile was also determined for each of these strains, through the presence or absence of 83 well-known virulence genes/traits described in pathogenic E. coli strains. The MLST phylogeny and the virulence gene profiles demonstrated a certain genetic similarity between Brazilian APEC strains, APEC isolated in the United States, UPEC (uropathogenic E. coli) and diarrheagenic strains isolated from humans. This correlation corroborates and reinforces the zoonotic potential hypothesis proposed to APEC.

Kinematic gait analyses in healthy Golden Retrievers

Kinematic analysis relates to the relative movement between rigid bodies and finds application in gait analysis and other body movements, interpretation of their data when there is change, determines the choice of treatment to be instituted. The objective of this study was to standardize the march of Dog Golden Retriever Healthy to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal disorders. We used a kinematic analysis system to analyse the gait of seven dogs Golden Retriever, female, aged between 2 and 4 years, weighing 21.5 to 28 kg, clinically normal. Flexion and extension were described for shoulder, elbow, carpal, hip, femorotibialis and tarsal joints. The gait was characterized lateral and had accepted hypothesis of normality for all variables, except for the stance of hip and elbow, considering a confidence level of 95%, significance level α = 0.05. Variations have been attributed to displacement of the stripes during movement and the duplicated number of reviews. The kinematic analysis proved to be a consistent method of evaluation of the movement during canine gait and the data can be used in the diagnosis and evaluation of canine gait in comparison to other studies and treatment of dogs with musculoskeletal disorders.

Fracture modes and acoustic emission characteristics of hydrogen-assisted cracking in high-strength low-alloy steel weldment

The aim of the present paper is to study the relationship between the fracture modes in hydrogen-assisted cracking (HAC) in microalloied steel and the emission of acoustic signals during the fracturing process. For this reason, a flux-cored arc weld (FCAW) was used in a high-strength low-alloy steel. The consumable used were the commercially available AWS E120T5-K4 and had a diameter of 1.6 mm. Two different shielding gases were used (CO2 and CO2+5% H2) to obtain complete phenomenon characterization. The implant test was applied with three levels of restriction stresses. An acoustic emission measurement system (AEMS) was coupled to the implant test apparatus. The output signal from the acoustic emission sensor was passed through an electronic amplifier and processed by a root mean square (RMS) voltage converter. Fracture surfaces were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and image analysis. Fracture modes were related with the intensity, the energy and the number of the peaks of the acoustic emission signal. The shielding gas CO2+5% H2 proved to be very useful in the experiments. Basically, three different fracture modes were identified in terms of fracture appearance: microvoid coalescence (MVC), intergranular (IG) and quasi-cleavage (QC). The results show that each mode of fracture presents a characteristic acoustic signal.

Experimental Analysis of Fracture Processes in Concrete

This paper draws on the basic problems related to the determination of parameters to characterize the structural behavior of concretes using Fracture Mechanics concepts. Experimental procedures and results are discussed.

Analyses of the usefulness of Software Defined Storage Solutions for Web-based Digital Preservation Applications

Presentation at Open Repositories 2014, Helsinki, Finland, June 9-13, 2014

Network connectance and autonomy analyses of the photosynthetic apparatus in tropical tree species from different successional groups under contrasting irradiance conditions

Biological systems are complex dynamical systems whose relationships with environment have strong implications on their regulation and survival. From the interactions between plant and environment can emerge a quite complex network of plant responses rarely observed through classical analytical approaches. The objective of this current study was to test the hypothesis that photosynthetic responses of different tree species to increasing irradiance are related to changes in network connectances of gas exchange and photochemical apparatus, and alterations in plant autonomy in relation to the environment. The heat dissipative capacity through daily changes in leaf temperature was also evaluated. It indicated that the early successional species (Citharexylum myrianthum Cham. and Rhamnidium elaeocarpum Reiss.) were more efficient as dissipative structures than the late successional one (Cariniana legalis (Mart.) Kuntze), suggesting that the parameter deltaT (T ºCair - T ºCleaf) could be a simple tool in order to help the classification of successional classes of tropical trees. Our results indicated a pattern of network responses and autonomy changes under high irradiance. Considering the maintenance of daily CO2 assimilation, the tolerant species (C. myrianthum and R. elaeocarpum) to high irradiance trended to maintain stable the level of gas exchange network connectance and to increase the autonomy in relation to the environment. On the other hand, the late successional species (C. legalis) trended to lose autonomy, decreasing the network connectance of gas exchange. All species showed lower autonomy and higher network connectance of the photochemical apparatus under high irradiance.

Reproductive phenology, pollination and seed dispersal syndromes on sandstone outcrop vegetation in the "Chapada Diamantina", northeastern Brazil: population and community analyses

Vegetation on rock outcrops in the "Chapada Diamantina" (soil islands) is often aggregated and surrounded by nude rock surfaces, thus creating natural units with well defined limits. The flowering and fruiting cycles of plants on 58 soil islands at altitudes between 1,100 and 1,140 meters above sea leavel were analyzed at Mãe Inácia Peak (12°27' S and 41°28' W) in the "Chapada Diamantina", Bahia, Brazil. The presence/absence of flowering and fruiting species on each soil island, and their respective cover areas were analyzed at both the population and community levels, and the phenophases of flowering and fruiting were observed during 24 successive months. The analyses of pollination and seed dispersal syndromes indicated that animals are more important in pollination than in seed dispersal (which is predominantly by anemochory and autochory). The flowering and fruiting of plants with animal pollination syndromes were correlated with rainfall and temperature. The flowering season varied during the year according to the pollination syndrome involved: entomophily was predominant from summer through autumn, ornithophily was predominant during winter, and anemophily in the spring. The staggered timing of flowering and fruiting among different species provides a nearly continuous supply of resources for the local fauna.

Phylogenetic analyses of Cladophora vagabunda (L.) C. Hoek (Cladophorales, Chlorophyta) from Brazil based on SSU rDNA sequences

The complete SSU rDNA was sequenced for 10 individuals of Cladophora vagabunda collected along the coast of Brazil. For C. rupestris (L.) Kütz. a partial SSU rDNA sequence (1634 bp) was obtained. Phylogenetic trees indicate that Cladophora is paraphyletic, but the section Glomeratae sensu lato including C. vagabunda from Brazil, Japan and France, C. albida (Nees) Kütz., C. sericea (Hudson) Kütz., and C. glomerata (L.) Kütz. is monophyletic. Within this group C. vagabunda is paraphyletic. The sequence identity for the SSU rDNA varied from 98.9% to 100% for the Brazilian C. vagabunda, and from 98.3% to 99.7% comparing the Brazilian individuals to the ones from France and Japan. Sequence identity of the Brazilian C. vagabunda to C. albida and C. sericea vary from 98.0% to 98.6%. The SSU rDNA phylogeny support partially the morphological characteristics presented by Brazilian populations of C. vagabunda. On the other hand, C. rupestris from Brazil does not group with C. rupestris from France, both sequences presenting only 96.9% of identity. The inclusion of sequences of individuals from Brazil reinforces the need of taxonomical revision for the genus Cladophora and for the complex C. vagabunda.