Kinanthropometric differences between 1997 World championship junior elite and 2011 national junior elite triathletes

ObjectivesIn 1997, anthropometry measures were made to determine the body size and shapes of both senior and junior elite triathletes. Since then, the junior event distance has changed and the optimal morphology of participants may have evolved. Thus the objective of this study was to compare the morphology of 1997 World championship junior elite triathlon competitors with junior elite competitors in 2011.DesignComparative study of junior elite triathlete kinanthropometry.MethodsTwenty-nine males and 20 females junior elite competitors in the 1997 Triathlon World Championships underwent 26 anthropometric measurements. Results were compared with 28 male and 14 female junior elite triathletes who competed in the 2011 Australian National Junior Series, as qualifying for 2011 Triathlon World Championships. Comparisons were made on the raw scores, as well as somatotype, and body proportional scores.ResultsBoth male and female junior elite triathletes in the 2011 group were significantly more ectomorphic than their 1997 counterparts. The 2011 triathletes were also proportionally lighter, with significantly smaller flexed arm and thigh girths, and femur breadths. The 2011 males recorded significantly longer segmental lengths and lower endomorphy values than the 1997 junior males.ConclusionsJunior elite triathlete morphology has evolved during the past 14 years possibly as a result of changing race distance and race tactics, highlighting the importance of continually monitoring and updating such anthropometric data.     

Proteins as T cell antigens: Methods for high-throughput identification

Vaccines are the most cost-effective means of preventing infectious diseases and have the potential to be used in a therapeutic capacity for the treatment of numerous chronic diseases and cancer. The majority of available vaccines function by eliciting antibodies that can neutralize toxins or opsonize the pathogen leading to elimination by professional phagocytes. However, there are many infectious and non-infectious diseases for which there are no available vaccines or the current antibody-mediated vaccines offer insufficient protection. There is emerging evidence that successful protection for these conditions requires the stimulation of T cell responses in addition to antibody. Genome/proteome-wide screening of pathogens to identify appropriate antibody targets for inclusion in vaccines has become widely used in recent years. However, the application of high-throughput proteomic screening approaches to identify T cell antigens has substantially lagged behind, primarily due to the lack of methods to identify full protein targets of T cell immunity across a broad human population. In this review, we will discuss some of the significant advances that have been made in high-throughput identification of T cell antigens for the development of novel efficacious vaccines.     

Somatic mosaicism in B cells of a patient with autosomal dominant hyper IgE syndrome

Hyper IgE syndrome (HIES) is characterized by recurrent skin abscesses, eczema, pneumonia, and high levels of serum IgE. Nonimmunologic manifestations of HIES include a characteristic face, pathologic dentition, scoliosis, bone alterations, hyperextensible joints, and vascular abnormalities. Somatic mosaicism is defined by the presence of two or more populations of cells with different genotypes in one individual. In this report, we describe one patient with classical HIES and another patient with a mild phenotype, both harboring the same genetic mutation. The patient with a mild phenotype did not present the characteristic face, had normal production of IL‐17A by T CD4⁺ cells, but had low phosphorylation of STAT‐3 in B cells. Interestingly, the mutation found in B cells was absent in other cell types analyzed, in agreement with the presence of a somatic mosaic genotype. The clinical and functional differences observed between these patients justify the use of complementary tools for a better definition of the cases. These approaches allow for a better understanding of complex phenotypes associated with somatic mosaicisms, and present the possibility to analyze the role of B lymphocytes in the pathophysiology of this disease. This knowledge has an impact on not only the treatment but also the provision of appropriate genetic counseling.     

Macrophage response to oncolytic paramyxoviruses potentiates virus‐mediated tumor cell killing

Tumor‐associated macrophages (TAMs) are known to regulate tumor response to many anti‐cancer therapies, including oncolytic virotherapy. Oncolytic virotherapy employing oncolytic paramyxoviruses, such as attenuated measles (MeV) and mumps (MuV) viruses, has demonstrated therapeutic potential against various malignancies. However, the response of TAMs to oncolytic paramyxoviruses and the consequent effect on virotherapeutic efficacy remains to be characterized. Here, we demonstrate that the presence of human monocyte‐derived macrophages (MDMs), irrespective of initial polarization state, enhances the virotherapeutic effect of MeV and MuV on breast cancer cells. Notably, our finding contrasts those of several studies involving other oncolytic viruses, which suggest that TAMs negatively impact virotherapeutic efficacy by impeding virus replication and dissemination. We found that the enhanced virotherapeutic effect in the presence of MDMs was due to slightly delayed proliferation and significantly elevated cell death that was not a result of increased virus replication. Instead, we found that the enhanced virotherapeutic effect involved several macrophage‐associated anti‐tumor mediators, and was associated with the modulation of MDMs towards an anti‐tumor phenotype. Our findings present an alternative view on the role of TAMs in oncolytic virotherapy, and highlight the immunotherapeutic potential of oncolytic paramyxoviruses; possibly contributing towards the overall efficacy of oncolytic virotherapy.     

Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy at a new bariatric surgery centre in Canada: 30-day complication rates using the Clavien–Dindo classification

Background

Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) has the highest rate of obesity in Canada, prompting the establishment of a bariatric surgery program at the Health Sciences Centre in NL. This retrospective study examined 30-day complication rates in more than 200 consecutive patients who underwent laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) between May 2011 and February 2014.

Methods

We performed a chart review and collected data on 30-day postoperative complications. Complications were graded and reported using the Clavien–Dindo classification. Grades I and II were defined as minor and grades III and higher were defined as major complications.

Results

We reviewed the charts of the first 209 patients to undergo LSG. The mean body mass index was 49.2, 81% were women and the average age was 43 years. Comorbidities included hypertension (55.0%), obstructive sleep apnea (46.4%), dyslipidemia (42.1%), diabetes (37.3%), osteoarthritis (36.4%) and cardiovascular disease with previous cardiac stents (5.3%). Furthermore, 38.3% of patients reported psychiatric diagnoses, such as depression and anxiety. The overall 30-day complication rate was 15.3%. The complication rate for minor complications was 13.4% and for major complications was 1.9% (2 leaks, 1 stricture and 1 fistula).

Conclusion

Our results support the feasibility of safely performing LSG surgery at bariatric centres completing fewer than 125 procedures annually.     

Pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics in psoriasis treatment: current challenges and future prospects

Introduction: Topical, systemic, oral disease modifying, and biologic agents are part of the armamentarium to manage psoriatic disease. The choice of therapy depends upon disease severity, relevant co-morbidities and patient preference. There is great variability in patient response with these agents, and there is still no clear method of selecting the preferred therapeutic agent for efficacy or lack of adverse events.

Areas covered: This article will review the pharmacogenetic and pharmacogenomic targets that are currently known with respect to psoriasis vulgaris, and the most frequent co-morbidity of psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis.

Expert opinion: Presently, no clinically actionable biomarker exists for any therapeutic agent used to treat psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis. The lack of validated outcome measures and conflicting results of open-label studies conducted may be attributed to a multitude of issues that confound discovery. Consequently, studies have been underpowered to identify genes or genetic variants worth translating to clinical practice. In order to achieve a pharmacogenetic/pharmacogenomic signature, improvements in study design of future investigations are required, including carefully designed prospective studies. It is imperative to combine known clinical, serological, and molecular markers with consistent outcomes and an adequate health economic evaluation before they can be adopted widely in clinical practice.     

Temperature variations within and between incubators—a prospective,observational study

Purpose

To determine if there is a temperature variation within and between incubators.

Methods

This prospective, experimental trial with external controls was performed at an Assisted Reproductive Technology laboratory in a tertiary-care, university hospital. Temperature values were taken at various locations within and between incubators.

Results

Even though they were both set to 37.0 °C, the same make and model incubators had significantly different internal temperatures. Temperatures differed significantly among top, middle and bottom shelves and between fronts and backs of shelves.

Conclusion(s)

We found temperatures differed within and between our front-loading incubators. Thus, laboratory personnel should evaluate their incubators for temperature variations within and between incubators and, if temperatures differ significantly, develop a plan to deal with discrepancies.