Beneficial Effects of a Mixture of Algae and Extra Virgin Olive Oils on the Age-Induced Alterations of Rodent Skeletal Muscle: Role of HDAC-4

Aging is associated with a progressive decline in skeletal muscle mass, strength and function (sarcopenia). We have investigated whether a mixture of algae oil (25%) and extra virgin olive oil (75%) could exert beneficial effects on sarcopenia. Young (3 months) and old (24 months) male Wistar rats were treated with vehicle or with the oil mixture (OM) (2.5 mL/kg) for 21 days. Aging decreased gastrocnemius weight, total protein, and myosin heavy chain mRNA. Treatment with the OM prevented these effects. Concomitantly, OM administration decreased the inflammatory state in muscle; it prevented the increase of pro-inflammatory interleukin-6 (IL-6) and the decrease in anti-inflammatory interleukin-10 (IL-10) in aged rats. The OM was not able to prevent aging-induced alterations in either the insulin-like growth factor I/protein kinase B (IGF-I/Akt) pathway or in the increased expression of atrogenes in the gastrocnemius. However, the OM prevented decreased autophagy activity (ratio protein 1A/1B-light chain 3 (LC3b) II/I) induced by aging and increased expression of factors related with muscle senescence such as histone deacetylase 4 (HDAC-4), myogenin, and IGF-I binding protein 5 (IGFBP-5). These data suggest that the beneficial effects of the OM on muscle can be secondary to its anti-inflammatory effect and to the normalization of HDAC-4 and myogenin levels, making this treatment an alternative therapeutic tool for sarcopenia.     

Outcomes of patients older than 55 years undergoing abdominoplasty after bariatric surgery

BackgroundBariatric surgery has become widely performed for treating patients with morbid obesity, and the age limits are being pushed further and further as the procedure proves safe. After massive weight loss, many of those patients seek body-contouring surgery for excess skin and fat.ObjectivesTo analyze the feasibility and the safety of abdominoplasty in patients older than 55 years old after bariatric surgery.SettingUniversity hospital medical center.MethodsWe performed a retrospective review of prospectively collected data from patients aged older than 55 years who had undergone abdominoplasty following massive weight loss due to a bariatric surgery at a single institution from 2004 to 2017. The data analyzed included age, gender, preoperative body mass index, associated interventions, co-morbidities, and postoperative complications.ResultsWe retrieved records for 104 patients; 85.6% percent of them were female, and the mean age was 60.1 ± 3.9 years old. Of the 104 patients, 21 (20.2%) underwent a sleeve gastrectomy and 77 (74%) underwent a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. The mean interval between the bariatric surgery and the abdominoplasty was 33.6 ± 26.9 months. The mean preoperative weight and body mass index were 76.1 ± 14.5 kg and 28.9 ± 4.5 kg/m², respectively. A total complication rate of 20% was observed. The only factor significantly associated with postoperative morbidity was the associated procedure (P = .03), when we performed another procedure at the same time as the abdominoplasty. Complications included postoperative bleeding in 5 patients (4.8%), seromas in 5 patients (4.8%), surgical site infections in 12 patients (11.5%), and wound dehiscence or ischemia in 2 patients (1.9%). No mortality occurred.ConclusionAbdominoplasty can be safely performed in carefully selected patients older than 55 years old after weight loss surgery, and does not present increased morbidity or mortality. We recommend that surgeons avoid adding concomitant procedures when possible, to decrease the risk of complications. It is also important to look at the patient’s previous maximum BMI levels, as a higher maximum BMI can predict higher postoperative risks and longer hospital stays.     

FGFR3 and Tp53 mutations in T1G3 transitional bladder carcinomas: independent distribution and lack of association with prognosis.

FGFR3 and Tp53 mutations have been proposed as defining two alternative pathways in the pathogenesis of transitional bladder cancer. FGFR3 mutations are associated with low-grade tumors and a favorable prognosis. Tp53 alterations are associated with advanced tumors and, possibly, with a poor prognosis. We focus here on the subgroup of T1G3 superficial tumors because they are a major clinical challenge. Patients (n = 119) were identified from a prospective study of 1,356 cases. Mutations in FGFR3 (exons 7, 10, and 15) and Tp53 (exons 4-9) were analyzed using PCR and direct sequencing. All cases were followed for recurrence and death. Survival was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier curves and multivariable Cox regression. FGFR3 mutations were detected in 20 (16.8%) tumors; 100 mutations in Tp53 were found in tumors from 78 (65.5%) cases. Multiple alterations in Tp53 were present in 19 tumors (16%). Inactivating mutations were present in 58% of tumors. The combined mutation distribution (FGFR3/Tp53) was: wt/wt (34.5%), mut/wt (7.6%), wt/mut (48.7%), and mut/mut (9.2%), indicating that the presence of either mutation did not depend on the other (P value = 0.767). FGFR3 and Tp53 mutations were not associated with clinicopathologic characteristics of patients and did not predict, alone or in combination, recurrence or survival. Taking the risk of the wt/wt group as reference, the mutation-associated risks of cancer-specific mortality were: mut/wt 1.42 (0.15-13.75), wt/mut 0.67 (0.19-2.31), mut/mut 1.62 (0.27-9.59). These molecular features support the notion that T1G3 tumors are at the crossroads of the two main molecular pathways proposed for bladder cancer development and progression.     

First Molecular Identification and Genetic Characterization of Theileria lestoquardi in Sheep of the Maghreb Region

Theileria lestoquardi is the most prominent Theileria species in small ruminants that causes malignant theileriosis of sheep in Africa and Asia. In the present survey, blood samples and ticks were collected in Kebili (southern Tunisia) from 166 Queue Fine de l'Ouest sheep. Giemsa‐stained blood smears, immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT) and PCR were performed. The DNA was extracted from blood and analysed by PCR targeting 18S rRNA gene of Theileria spp. and then sequenced. A total number of 140 ticks were collected from a total number of 166 sheep during the four seasons. The ticks belonged to two genera and 4 species; the most frequent tick was Hyalomma excavatum 84.3% (118/140) and then Rhipicephalus spp. 15.7% (22/140). Only two animals had positive Giemsa‐stained blood smears, and they were also positive by IFAT. The amplicons had 99.3 and 99.6% homology with the BLAST published T. lestoquardi amplicons. To our knowledge, this is the first report of T. lestoquardi in small ruminants within the Maghreb region.     

Early treatment of secondary hyperparathyroidism in moderate renal insufficiency: low-phosphorus diet versus calcium carbonate

Calcitriol deficiency and phosphorus retention are mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of renal hyperparathyroidism. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of dietary phosphorus restriction versus calcium carbonate treatment for one month on PTH and calcitriol levels in patients with mild renal failure. We studied two groups of patients: Group I: 21 patients (14M/7F); mean age 61 years old; mean glomerular filtration rate 51 ml/min. Their diet contained phosphorus 700 mg/day. Group II: 30 patients (21M/9F); mean age 58; mean glomerular rate 56 ml/min. They were divided in two subgroups: 18 patients treated with calcium carbonate 2.5 g/day and 12 patients with 5 g/day. Serum PTH, calcitriol, 25(OH)D3, calcium, phosphorus and urinary excretion of calcium and phosphorus were measured before and after a 30 day period. The low phosphorus diet (Group I) resulted in a significant decrease in PTH levels (81.3 +/- 35 vs 71 +/- 39 pg/ml, p < 0.05) and significant increase in calcitriol levels (22.4 +/- 4.4 vs 33.4 +/- 7.5 pg/ml, p < 0.05). In our study calcium carbonate treatment (Group II) had no effect on PTH and calcitriol levels.     

Clinical significance of antibodies to soluble extractable nuclear antigens (anti-ENA).

Clinical and biological manifestations have been studied in 134 patients whose serum had antibodies to soluble extractable nuclear antigens (ENA). 85 of the patients had anti-RNP antibodies, 18 had anti-Sm antibodies, and 31 had antibodies to one or more soluble nuclear antigen. In all groups, the predominant clinical manifestations were polyarthritis, Raynaud's phenomenon, fever, and skin involvement. Renal disease was less common in those patients with anti-RNP antibodies than in the other patients. Most patients with definite renal disease (13 out of 15) also had circulating anti-DNA antibodies. The final diagnoses in these 134 patients were well defined connective tissue disease in 59; overlap syndromes in 34; a limited clinical syndrome made up of polyarthritis Raynaud's phenomenon--often with swollen fingers--and/or hypergammaglobulin-aemia in 31, and various other clinical conditions in 10.