The treatment of an above knee amputee who has sustained a fracture of the femoral neck is a chal- lenging situation for both the orthopedic surgeon and the rehabilitation team. These fractures may be managed acutely either by reduction and internal fixation or by endoprosthetic replacement based on the same criteria as in any other patient with otherwise intact limbs.We present a neglected case treated successfully with valgus osteotomy. We conclude that these fractures should be treated with the same urgency and expertise as similar fractures in non-amputees as long-term survival and good quality of life can be expected.
Adult ; Amputation ; Femoral Neck Fractures ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; methods ; Humans ; Leg ; surgery ; Male

OBJECTIVETo Isolate, purify, characterize, and evaluate the bioactive compounds from the sponge-derived fungus Penicillium sp. FF001 and to elucidate its structure.

METHODSThe fungal strain FF001 with an interesting bioactivity profile was isolated from a marine Fijian sponge Melophlus sp. Based on conidiophores aggregation, conidia development and mycelia morphological characteristics, the isolate FF001 was classically identified as a Penicillium sp. The bioactive compound was identified using various spectral analysis of UV, high resolution electrospray ionization mass spectra, 1H and 13C NMR spectral data. Further minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) assay and brine shrimp cytotoxicity assay were also carried out to evaluate the biological properties of the purified compound.

RESULTSBioassay guided fractionation of the EtOAc extract of a static culture of this Penicillium sp. by different chromatographic methods led the isolation of an antibacterial, anticryptococcal and cytotoxic active compound, which was identified as citrinin (1). Further, citrinin (1) is reported for its potent antibacterial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), rifampicin-resistant S. aureus, wild type S. aureus and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium showed MICs of 3.90, 0.97, 1.95 and 7.81 µg/mL, respectively. Further citrinin (1) displayed significant activity against the pathogenic yeast Cryptococcus neoformans (MIC 3.90 µg/mL), and exhibited cytotoxicity against brine shrimp larvae LD50 of 96 µg/mL.

CONCLUSIONSCitrinin (1) is reported from sponge associated Penicillium sp. from this study and for its strong antibacterial activity against multi-drug resistant human pathogens including cytotoxicity against brine shrimp larvae, which indicated that sponge associated Penicillium spp. are promising sources of natural bioactive metabolites.

Animals ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Artemia ; drug effects ; Citrinin ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial ; drug effects ; Lethal Dose 50 ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus ; drug effects ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Penicillium ; chemistry ; cytology ; Porifera ; microbiology ; Toxicity Tests

INTRODUCTIONIntraosseous access is an alternative to conventional intravenous access when access is difficult or impossible in the adult population. The EZ-IO is a novel intraosseous access device designed for use in adults, utilising a powered driver.

MATERIALS AND METHODSA prospective, observational study involving a convenience sample of 25 medical students, physicians and nursing staff recruited as study subjects to secure intraosseous access using the EZIO powered drill device, on a bone model.

RESULTSTwenty-three (92%) of the 25 study subjects required only 1 attempt at placing the EZ-IO. There were 24 (96%) successful placements of the EZ-IO. The average time taken to place the EZ-IO was 13.9 seconds. Twenty (87%) of 23 participants reported easier placement with the EZ-IO than an intravenous cannula. The average time taken for the physicians, nursing staff and medical students was 3.71 (+/- SD 1.70) seconds, 7.88 (+/- SD 4.02) seconds and 33.7 (24.5), respectively. Overall mean difficulty of insertion score (VAS) was 3.1 (+/- SD 1.9).

CONCLUSIONThe intraosseous access device evaluated in this study appears to be easy to use with high success rates of insertion with inexperienced participants. There is potential for use in the Emergency Department.

Adult ; Catheterization, Peripheral ; instrumentation ; Catheters, Indwelling ; Equipment Design ; Humans ; Infusions, Intraosseous ; instrumentation ; Professional Competence ; standards ; Prospective Studies ; Resuscitation ; methods ; Shock ; therapy

OBJECTIVEToxic metal ions have been implicated in the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO). Metallothionines (MT) and plant flavonoids have been reported in the intervention against oxidative damage. We investigated the effect of zinc induced MT and green tea polyphenol (GTP) in reducing the oxidative responses induced by nickel and platinum.

METHODSZinc (10 mg/kg b. wt, sc) was administered to rats twice at a gap of 24 hrs and GTP (10 mg/100 mL in drinking water) was fed ad libitum for 8 days. Nickel chloride (150 umol/kgb.wt, ip) and cisplatin (50 mumol/kg b.wt, sc) was administered to rats 24 h after Zn or GTP pre-treatment. Animals of all the groups were sacrificed 16 hrs after treatment and biochemical markers for toxicity were monitored.

RESULTSZinc or GTP pre-treatment caused significant protection against nickel or cisplatin enhanced mortality in rats, and reduction in lipid peroxidation and NO.

CONCLUSIONIt is proposed that inhibition of ROS and NO by GTP and zinc may prove useful as a selective pharmacological agent in the amelioration of metal toxicity.

Animals ; Antioxidants ; pharmacology ; Biomarkers ; Cisplatin ; administration & dosage ; toxicity ; Flavonoids ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Free Radical Scavengers ; pharmacology ; Lipid Peroxidation ; drug effects ; Metallothionein ; metabolism ; Mortality ; Nickel ; administration & dosage ; toxicity ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Phenols ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Polyphenols ; Rats ; Tea ; chemistry ; Time Factors ; Zinc ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology

AIMTo estimate the frequency of microdeletions in the long arm of Y-chromosome of 20 infertile males from South India.

METHODSPolymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification using Y-specific STS of azoospermia factor (AZF) regions i.e., SY 84 for AZFa, SY 127 for AZFb and SY 254 for AZFc.

RESULTSOf the 20 infertile subjects 3 (15 %), one azoospermic and two oligozoospermic, showed microdeletions in the AZF region of Y-chromosome.

CONCLUSIONThe frequency of deletions involving AZF region of the Y-chromosome is 15 % in azoospermic and severely oligozoospermic infertile men. PCR amplification of AZF locus is useful for the diagnosis of microdeletions in the Y-chromosome.

Base Sequence ; Chromosome Deletion ; Chromosome Mapping ; Chromosomes, Human, Y ; DNA Primers ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genetic Loci ; Humans ; India ; Infertility, Male ; genetics ; Male ; Oligospermia ; genetics ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Reference Values ; Seminal Plasma Proteins ; genetics