Effect of E670G Polymorphism in PCSK9 Gene on the Risk and Severity of Coronary Heart Disease and Ischemic Stroke in a Tunisian Cohort

The association of E670G (rs505151) polymorphism in PCSK9 gene with an increased risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) and ischemic stroke (IS) was reported in previous studies. We investigated the effect of the E670G (rs505151) on the risk of CAD and IS in a Tunisian cohort. Genotyping of the PCSK9 E670G was performed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and then confirmed by direct sequencing. The frequency of the 670G allele was significantly higher in the CAD than in the no-CAD subgroup (0.132 vs. 0.068, p?=?0.030). As expected, the incidence of E670G was significantly important in IS subgroup than control group (0.122 vs. 0.073, p?=?0.032). Furthermore in CAD patients, the 670G carriers showed significantly increased plasma total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol levels compared to E670 carriers (6.78 [6.47–7.00] vs. 4.92 [4.02–5.46] mmol/l, p?<?0.0001 and 4.60 [4.00–5.04] vs. 3.00 [2.22–3.70] mmol/l p?=?0.001, respectively). The risk and severity of CAD were significantly increased in 670G carriers between no-CAD subgroup and CAD patients presenting a stenosis ≥50 % in two or three major coronary arteries (0.068 vs. 0.198, p?=?0.001, OR?=?3.39 [1.55–7.37]). The E670G polymorphism of the PCSK9 gene is mainly associated with a increased risk and severity of CAD and IS in Tunisian cohort.     

Variations in plasma phytoestrogen concentrations in European adults

Dietary phytoestrogens may play a role in chronic disease occurrence. The aim of our study was to assess the variability of plasma concentrations in European populations. We included 15 geographical regions in 9 European countries (Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain, Sweden, The Netherlands, and UK) and a 16th region, Oxford, UK, where participants were recruited from among vegans and vegetarians. All subjects were participants of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). Plasma concentrations of 3 isoflavones (daidzein, genistein, and glycitein), 2 metabolites of daidzein [O-desmethylangolensin (O-DMA) and equol] and 2 mammalian lignans (enterodiol and enterolactone) were measured in 1414 participants. We computed geometric means for each region and used multivariate regression analysis to assess the influence of region, adjusted for gender, age, BMI, alcohol intake, smoking status, and laboratory batch. Many subjects had concentrations below the detection limit [0.1 microg/L (0.4 nmol/L)] for glycitein (80%), O-DMA (73%) and equol (62%). Excluding subjects from Oxford, UK, the highest concentrations of isoflavones were in subjects from the Netherlands and Cambridge, UK [2-6 microg/L (7-24 nmol/L); P < 0.05], whereas concentrations for lignans were highest in Denmark [8 microg/L (27 nmol/L); P < 0.05]. Isoflavones varied 8- to 13-fold, whereas lignans varied 4-fold. In the vegetarian/vegan cohort of Oxford, concentrations of isoflavones were 5-50 times higher than in nonvegetarian regions. Region was the most important determinant of plasma concentrations for all 7 phytoestrogens. Despite the fact that plasma concentrations of phytoestrogens in Europe were low compared with Asian populations, they varied substantially among subjects from the 16 different regions.     

Enhanced monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 production in aging mice exaggerates cardiac depression during endotoxemia

Introduction

Endotoxemia and the systemic inflammatory response syndrome have a significant impact on post-surgery outcome, particularly in the elderly. The cytokine response to endotoxin is altered by aging. We tested the hypothesis that vulnerability to endotoxemic cardiac depression increases with aging due to age-related augmentation of myocardial inflammatory responses.

Methods

Adult (4 to 6 months) and old (20 to 22 months) C57/BL6 mice were treated with endotoxin (0.5 mg/kg, iv). Left ventricle (LV) function was assessed using a microcatheter system. Chemokines and cytokines in plasma and myocardium were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Mononuclear cells in the myocardium were examined using immunofluorescence staining.

Results

Old mice displayed worse LV function (cardiac output: 3.0 ± 0.2 mL/min versus 4.4 ± 0.3 mL/min in adult mice) following endotoxin treatment. The exaggerated cardiac depression in old mice was associated with higher levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and keratinocyte chemoattractant (KC) in plasma and myocardium, greater myocardial accumulation of mononuclear cells, and greater levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin 1β (IL-1β) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) in plasma and myocardium. Neutralization of MCP-1 resulted in greater reductions in myocardial mononuclear cell accumulation and cytokine production, and greater improvement in LV function in old mice while neutralization of KC had a minimal effect on LV function.

Conclusion

Old mice have enhanced inflammatory responses to endotoxemia that lead to exaggerated cardiac functional depression. MCP-1 promotes myocardial mononuclear cell accumulation and cardiodepressant cytokines production, and plays an important role in the endotoxemic cardiomyopathy in old mice. The findings suggest that special attention is needed to protect the heart in the elderly with endotoxemia.     

Dietary reporting errors on 24 h recalls and dietary questionnaires are associated with BMI across six European countries as evaluated with recovery biomarkers for protein and potassium intake

Whether there are differences between countries in the validity of self-reported diet in relation to BMI, as evaluated using recovery biomarkers, is not well understood. We aimed to evaluate BMI-related reporting errors on 24 h dietary recalls (24-HDR) and on dietary questionnaires (DQ) using biomarkers for protein and K intake and whether the BMI effect differs between six European countries. Between 1995 and 1999, 1086 men and women participating in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition completed a single 24-HDR, a DQ and one 24 h urine collection. In regression analysis, controlling for age, sex, education and country, each unit (1 kg/m2) increase in BMI predicted an approximately 1·7 and 1·3 % increase in protein under-reporting on 24-HDR and DQ, respectively (both P < 0·0001). Exclusion of individuals who probably misreported energy intake attenuated BMI-related bias on both instruments. The BMI effect on protein under-reporting did not differ for men and women and neither between countries on both instruments as tested by interaction (all P>0·15). In women, but not in men, the DQ yielded higher mean intakes of protein that were closer to the biomarker-based measurements across BMI groups when compared with 24-HDR. Results for K were similar to those of protein, although BMI-related under-reporting of K was of a smaller magnitude, suggesting differential misreporting of foods. Under-reporting of protein and K appears to be predicted by BMI, but this effect may be driven by 'low-energy reporters'. The BMI effect on under-reporting seems to be the same across countries.     

SISMES VIII NATIONAL CONGRESS

The aim of the present review paper was to identify the potential mediator and moderator variables involved in the recommendation of which types (functions) of imagery are the greatest use to the performer. The current review has proven that the efficacy in using imagery as a mediator of the relationship between imagery ability and cognitive imagery use. Particularly, it has been consistently found that athletes who use motivational general-mastery (MG-M) imagery report higher levels of both self-confidence and self-efficacy. As moderator variables, the reviewed studies have revealed that the stage of skill learning has a differential effect on the type of imagery used by athletes. Firstly, in the early stages of skill acquisition, novices may use imagery primarily for its cognitive specific (CS) function to assist in the organization of information (about the skill or strategy to be learnt). Secondly, in the autonomous stage of learning, athletes reported their use of imagery for MG-M function. Typically, MG-M imagery is mostly used in competition and CS imagery is mostly in practice, with motivational specific (MS) and motivational general-arousal (MG-A) imagery the least used in both these settings. However, the present review also showed that athletes at higher competitive levels used all five functions of imagery to a greater extent in both training and competition than do athletes at lower levels. In addition, this review indicated that athletes in closed-skill sports use more cognitive imagery functions [CS and cognitive general (CG)] than athletes in open-skill sports. While, athletes in open-skilled sports used significantly more MG-A imagery than those in closed-skill sports. It has also been shown that CG imagery is used more in such team sports (i.e., soccer) to build or maintain confidence and self-efficacy, and the CS imagery is used to improve sport performance (i.e., passing, dribbling). In conclusion, the data obtained in the present review have shown that self-efficacy as factors that may facilitate the effectiveness of imagery use by athletes. Thus, athletes report using imagery for all five functions (CG, CS, MG-A, MG-M, and MS imagery), MG-M and CS imagery are typically the most frequently employed. Whereas, MG-M and CG functions used to build or maintain confidence and self-efficacy, and CS function used to improve skill learning and sport performance. From an applied perspective, sport psychologists and fitness trainers can be implemented mental imagery training according to their athlete levels, types of skills, the intended outcome for the imagery use, phase of learning, and sport situations.