Screening Olive Leaves from Unexploited Traditional Greek Cultivars for Their Phenolic Antioxidant Dynamic.

Quality characteristics of olive products significantly depend on cultivar (cv), among other factors. In this study, seven traditional, noncommercial Greek cultivars, along with the commercial Spanish Arbequina cv., were examined for the phenolic antioxidant dynamic of their leaves. Polar extracts (aqueous, methanol, and ethanol) were analyzed for Total Phenol (TP), Flavonoid (TFL), Hydroxycinnamic Acid Derivatives (THAD), Flavonol (TFLVN) contents, DPPH radical scavenging ability, and Ferric Reducing Capacity (FRAP). Selective characteristics of olive leaf methanol extracts for all cultivars were re-examined on a second sampling period. Olive leaf is considered a rich source of phenolic antioxidants total phenol content reaching 29.3 ± 1.3, 30.6 ± 0.4, and 27.0 ± 1.1 mg caffeic acid/g dry leaf for aqueous, methanol, and ethanol extracts, respectively) and all cultivars were considered of equal bioactive dynamic. TP data derived from Folin⁻Ciocalteu and another spectrophotometric assay employed presented a high correlation for all examined cases (R² = 71.5⁻86.9%). High correlation (R² = 0.92) was also found between TP and FRAP findings of aqueous extracts. Olive leaf is considered a promising source of phenolic antioxidants irrelevant to cultivar and therefore even cultivars less effective for oil or table olive production could be efficiently exploited for the bioactive dynamic of their leaves.

Cruciate-retaining total knee arthroplasty: How much of the PCL is really retained?

PURPOSE: It is questionable how much of the PCL is really preserved following a complete transverse tibial cut during a cruciate-retaining (CR) total knee arthroplasty (TKA). It is hypothesized that a complete transverse tibial cut jeopardizes the PCL tibial insertion during a common CR TKA. Thus, the aim of the present study was to assess intraoperatively the amount of PCL tibial attachment damage following a standard complete tibial cut technique. METHODS: Thirty consecutive female patients suffering from degenerative knee osteoarthritis were included. Two measurements were performed on preoperative MRI images. On sagittal plane, the PCL facet of tibia and the PCL tibial attachment were measured. All 30 patients underwent a TKA using a common CR prosthesis. Postoperatively, the amount of PCL facet resection was measured on the resected tibial plateau using a digital sliding caliper. RESULTS: In preoperative MRI images, the length of the PCL facet of tibia was found 25.5 ± 2.1 mm and the length of the PCL tibial attachment was 14.5 ± 1.3 mm. The amount of PCL facet resection following TKA was 20.6 ± 2.2 mm on average. This result corresponds to an average resection of 65.1 ± 15.9 % of the PCL tibial attachment following TKA. CONCLUSION: The hypothesis that a complete transverse tibial cut during a conventional CR TKA jeopardizes the PCL tibial insertion was confirmed. According to measurements performed on preoperative knee MRI scans and surgical specimens of resected tibial plateaus, a significant amount of the PCL insertion on the tibia is actually removed in the majority of cases. Surgeons should be aware that when resecting the tibial plateau without using a technique that spares the PCL tibial attachment, there is a high risk of considerable damage to the PCL that may, in turn, increase the likelihood of potential complications due to PCL deficiency. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.

Walking ability before and after a hip fracture in elderly predict greater long-term survivorship.

AIM: The morbidity and mortality after a hip fracture in the elderly population are multifactorial. The aim of this study is to determine the long-term impact of specific factors to mortality rate and mobility after a hip fracture in the elderly. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Elderly suffering a hip fracture after a low-energy trauma was included in the study, whereas moribund patients with severe comorbid conditions and high-energy trauma were excluded. All the patients were treated operatively during 2003. Data for survivorship and mobilization was collected six months, one and ten years after the operation. Kaplan-Meier log rang test was used for the survival analysis and cox regression for multivariate analysis of prediction factors such as age, gender, time to surgery after trauma, type of fracture, ambulation status before injury and early walking ability after the surgery. RESULTS: Two hundred and thirty three patients were finally included to the study. Gender (p = 0.64) and type of fracture (p = 0.92) seem to have no statistically significant impact on survivorship. Age (p < 0.001), time of surgery after the trauma (p = 0.001), ambulation status (p < 0.001) and early walking ability after the surgery (p < 0.001) seem to have statistically significant impact on mortality, as independent factors. The significance is present one year and ten years after the surgery. However, according to the multivariate analysis, time to surgery after trauma and age lose significance, while early walking ability remain significant one and ten years after surgery (p < 0.001). Ambulation status seem to lose significance early after surgery, but reach significance ten years postoperatively (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: In summary, it could be stated that early walking ability after an operation for a hip fracture in elderly is the most significant prediction factor of survivorship one and ten years postoperatively. Ambulation status before injury is a significant long-term predictor factor for survivorship.