Molecular characterization of Trypanosoma evansi isolates from water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) in the Philippines

Trypanosoma evansi infection in the Philippines is frequently reported to affect the country’s livestock, particularly, the buffaloes. To assess the prevalence and intraspecific diversity of T. evansi in the country, blood samples from water buffaloes in different geographical regions were collected during an outbreak. T. evansi was detected in all 79 animals tested using PCR targeting the RoTat 1.2 VSG gene. Sequencing of the rDNA complete internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region including the 5.8S subunit showed high similarity (99–100%) between Philippine isolates and known T. evansi isolates in Genbank. Tree construction based on the same region confirmed the close relationship between Philippine and reported Thai isolates as compared to Egyptian isolates separated by relatively small genetic distances, 47 polymorphisms, despite the clustering in four branches. Overall, the results of this study prove genetic diversity within T. evansi species despite previous reports on limited heterogeneity among isolates worldwide.     

Changes in thigh muscle volume predict bone mineral density response to lifestyle therapy in frail,obese older adults

Summary

We studied the relationships among strength, muscle mass, and bone mineral density (BMD) with lifestyle change. Lifestyle therapy consisted of exercise, diet, and diet plus exercise. Diet was by caloric restriction to induce and maintain a weight loss of 10 % from baseline body weight. Exercise attenuated weight loss-induced muscle and bone losses. Exercise improved strength despite muscle loss in patients on diet and exercise. Changes in strength did not correlate with changes in BMD. However, changes in thigh muscle volume correlated with, and predicted changes in hip BMD.

Introduction

Losses of hip BMD and lean body mass are major complications of lifestyle therapy in frail, obese older adults; however, the contribution of mechanical strain loss from muscle loss is poorly defined. We determined the effect of changes in thigh muscle volume and muscle strength on BMD in frail, obese older adults undergoing lifestyle therapy aimed at intentional weight loss with or without exercise.

Methods

One hundred seven obese older adults were randomized to control, diet, exercise, and diet–exercise groups for 1 year. Thigh muscle volume was measured by magnetic resonance imaging, BMD by DXA, knee strength by dynamometry, total strength by one-repetition maximum (1-RM), and bone markers by immunoassay.

Results

Thigh muscle volume decreased in the diet group (?6.2?±?4.8 %) and increased in the exercise group (2.7?±?3.1 %), while it was not significantly different from the control in the diet–exercise group. Changes in hip BMD followed similar pattern as those in thigh muscle volume. Knee extension and flexion increased in the exercise group (23?±?20 %; 25?±?19 %) and diet–exercise group (20?±?19 %; 20.6?±?27 %) but were unchanged in the control and diet groups. Changes in thigh muscle volume correlated with changes in hip BMD (r?=?0.55, P?=?<0.001) and were an independent predictor of changes in hip BMD (β?=?0.12, P?=?0.03) in the multiple regression analyses after accounting for demographic factors and changes in weight and physical activity. There were no correlations between BMD changes and knee strength, 1-RM, and sclerostin changes.

Conclusions

Changes in thigh muscle volume predict hip BMD changes in obese older patients undergoing lifestyle therapy. The effect of exercise in attenuating thigh muscle loss when added to diet may in part account for the reduction in weight loss-induced bone loss in the diet–exercise group.     

Food label reading and understanding in parts of rural and urban Zimbabwe

Background

Overweight and obesity prevalence is rapidly rising in developing countries. The reading and understanding of nutrition information on food packages has been shown to improve food choices and instill healthy eating habits in individuals.

Objective

The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of food label usage and understanding among urban and rural adults in Zimbabwe and its association with demographic and socio economic factors.

Methods

A cross sectional study was conducted on 320 adults (147 urban and 173 rural) using a validated questionnaire adapted from previous similar studies. Data were analysed using SPSS-17 statistical software.

Results

A high proportion (77.2%) of the respondents read food labels. Food label reading differed significantly by educational status (p<0.05), employment status (p<0.05) and locality (p<0.05). Only 40.9% of food label readers mostly understood the information on the food labels. More urban shoppers (86.1%) read food labels than their rural counterparts (66.7%). A significant number of participants (80.6%) indicated they would like to be educated on the meaning of food labels and 80.3% preferred the nutrition information on food labels to be simplified.

Conclusion

The study found above average reported reading of nutrition information on food labels with partial understanding. Efforts should be made to determine how all consumers could be made to understand the nutrition information on food labels and use it effectively in decision making.     

The string phenomenon: an important cause of internal mammary artery graft failure

Internal mammary arteries are the grafts of choice for coronary artery bypass because they are generally free of atherosclerosis and they have high patency rates as grafts. There are, however, increasing reports of graft failure due to diffuse or distal narrowing, known as the string phenomenon. From June 1999 to October 1999, we prospectively reviewed all cases of internal mammary artery angiography at our institution. Twenty-eight cases of internal mammary artery graft failure were identified (M:F, 15:13; mean age, 62 years) out of 261 patients who had undergone internal mammary artery grafting at any institution, including ours. The mean interval between coronary artery bypass and re-angiography was 35 months. There was evidence of competitive flow in 81% (22 of 27) of patients whose internal mammary grafts had developed the string sign. This observational study supports the hypothesis that competitive flow predisposes internal mammary grafts to the string phenomenon. Given the high frequency of competitive flow situations amongst patients with internal mammary artery graft failure, caution should be exercised in the anastomosis of the internal mammary artery to recipient vessels that are less than severely stenosed.     

Effects of Dehydroepiandrosterone on Bone Mineral Density

Because dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) levels decline dramatically with aging and low DHEA levels correlate with age-related diseases, it has been suggested that old age may represent a condition of DHEA deficiency. Accordingly, there have been some studies of the effects of restoring the DHEA levels of older individuals back to the normal range in the young. Emerging evidence from these studies shows that prasterone (DHEA replacement) may significantly enhance bone mineral density (BMD). In fact, the improvements of BMD in response to prasterone are accompanied not only by suppression of bone resorption but more importantly, stimulation of bone formation. Thus, prasterone appears to have additional anabolic effects on the skeleton, which represents an advantage over current pharmacologic agents that only inhibit bone loss. The osteogenic effects in elderly people are consistent with DHEA serving primarily as a precursor to active androgens and estrogens in local tissues such as bone. DHEA replacement may also increase levels of insulin-like growth factor-1, which may contribute to its anabolic effects. Although prasterone may be an effective therapy for improving BMD in both sexes, there appears to be gender differences in responses with more osteogenic effects in older women compared with older men. More studies, particularly randomized, placebo-controlled trials which include fractures as an outcome, are needed to fully define the potential utility of DHEA replacement as an anabolic intervention for age-related osteoporosis. These studies would also be important to gain information on risks associated with long-term DHEA replacement therapy. Further investigations are particularly warranted because prasterone is available over-the-counter in many countries and many older individuals are taking this hormone, without medical supervision, for its purported anti-aging properties.     

Transepithelial paracellular leakiness induced by chronic phorbol ester exposure correlates with polyp-like foci and redistribution of protein kinase C-alpha

Although exposure of LLC-PK1 epithelial cell sheets to phorbol esters (TPA) causes a near immediate and total decrease of transepithelial electrical resistance (TER), continuation of exposure for 3 to 4 days results in a tachyphylactic response as TER begins to return to control levels. Recovery of TER is maximal by 5 to 6 days, but reaches only 70 to 80% of control level. A reciprocal change in the transepithelial flux of D-mannitol indicates that the TER decrease is indicative of an increase in tight junction permeability. Exposure of cell sheets to TPA for several days also results in the appearance of multilayered polyp- like foci (PLFs) across the otherwise one cell layer thick cell sheets. The pattern of penetration of the electron dense dye, ruthenium red, from the apical surface, across the tight junction and into the lateral intercellular space indicates that the tight junctions of the cell sheet become uniformly leaky after acute exposure to TPA. However, when exposure is continued for several days, only the junctions of cells in the PLFs manifest leakiness. The decrease in TER following acute TPA exposure correlates with the translocation of protein kinase C-alpha (PKC alpha) into a membrane-associated compartment. With exposure of several days, only a trace of PKC alpha is visible by Western immunoblot, and this is in the membrane-associated compartment. Immunofluorescent microscopy indicates that the trace of PKC alpha seen in the Western immunoblots is ascribable distinctly to cells of the PLFs. Monolayer areas between PLFs show no discernible immunofluorescent signal. The data therefore indicate that tight junction barrier function may be restored in certain areas by the down regulation of PKC alpha from the membrane-associated compartment. Failure to down regulate may result in the paracellular leakiness and abnormal cell architecture of the PLFs. Possible implications of this model for in vivo epithelial tumor promotion are discussed.      

Molecular analysis of PKU in Ireland

Classical phenylketonuria (PKU: McKusick No. 261600) is caused by mutations occurring at the phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) locus on chromosome 12 and has a prevalence in Ireland of 1 in 4500. We examined 304 independent alleles from 350 patients for the presence of six mutations and have characterized VNTR alleles within the minisatellite region 3' to the PAH gene in patients carrying the most prevalent mutation. R408W was the most common mutation found, with a relative frequency of 42%. All other mutations had relative frequencies of <10%. VNTR analysis showed that the R408W mutation is associated with the VNTR-8 allele in the Irish population, indicating that R408W is associated with RFLP haplotype 1. This differs from that reported from eastern Europe where R408W is associated with RFLP haplotype 2/VNTR-3; an observation which has led several groups to propose a Balto-Slavic origin for this mutation. These results support the hypothesis of a second, independent founding event for the R408W mutation on an RFLP haplotype 1 VNTR-8 chromsome background in the Irish/Celtic population.     

Parotid metastasis of liposarcoma of the lower limbs

Distant metastasis affecting the parotid gland are a rare entity, with origin in most cases from cutaneous tumors of the head and neck, mainly melanoma and epidermoid carcinoma. Other histological types of metastasis and tumors originated from distant organs or sites are very rare and may be a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge, for this reason, we consider it interesting for discussion. In this paper, we present the case of a patient with a metastatic tumor of the parotid gland secondary to a liposarcoma of the leg, extremely rare case, about which we have no found previous references in the literature.     

Obesity in older adults: technical review and position statement of the American Society for Nutrition and NAASO, The Obesity Society

Obesity causes serious medical complications and impairs quality of life. Moreover, in older persons, obesity can exacerbate the age-related decline in physical function and lead to frailty. However, appropriate treatment for obesity in older persons is controversial because of the reduction in relative health risks associated with increasing body mass index and the concern that weight loss could have potential harmful effects in the older population. This joint position statement from the American Society for Nutrition and the NAASO, The Obesity Society reviews the clinical issues related to obesity in older persons and provides health professionals with appropriate weight-management guidelines for obese older patients. The current data show that weight-loss therapy improves physical function, quality of life, and the medical complications associated with obesity in older persons. Therefore, weight-loss therapy that minimizes muscle and bone losses is recommended for older persons who are obese and who have functional impairments or medical complications that can benefit from weight loss.