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The objectives were to analyze one-year survival and mortality predictors in patients with fracture of the proximal femur (low/moderate trauma). A prospective cohort was formed by inviting all patients hospitalized in the Orthopedic Ward of the second largest hospital in Portugal (May 2008-April 2009). Survival was assessed at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after fracture and related to demographic factors, lifestyle, and clinical history, as well as to data from medical records (fracture type, surgery date, surgical treatment, and preoperative risk). Of the 340 patients hospitalized, 252 were included (78.9% women). Mortality at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months was 21.2%, 25%, 28.8%, and 34.6% for men and 7.8%, 13.5%, 19.2%, and 21.4% for women, respectively. Predictors of death were male gender (HR = 2.54; 95%CI: 1.40-4.58), ASA score III/IV vs. I/II (HR = 1.95; 95%CI: 1.10-3.47), age (HR = 1.06; 95%CI: 1.03-1.10), and delay in days to surgery (HR = 1.07; 95%CI: 1.03-1.12). Factors related to death were mainly related to patients' characteristics at admission.

Mycobacterium bovis isolates from the Iberian Peninsula are dominated by strains with spoligotype patterns deleted for spacer 21. Whole-genome sequencing of three Spanish strains with spacer 21 missing in their spoligotype pattern revealed a series of SNPs and subsequent screening of a selection of these SNPs identified one in gene guaA that is specific to these strains. This group of strains from the Iberian Peninsula missing spoligotype spacer 21 represents a new clonal complex of M. bovis, defined by the SNP profile with a distinct spoligotype signature. We have named this clonal complex European 2 (Eu2) and found that it was present at low frequency in both France and Italy and absent from the British Isles., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)