Scintigraphic assessment of bone status at one year following hip resurfacing : comparison of two surgical approaches using SPECT-CT scan

Objectives: To study the vascularity and bone metabolism of the femoral head/neck following hip resurfacing arthroplasty, and to use these results to compare the posterior and the trochanteric-flip approaches. Methods: In our previous work, we reported changes to intra-operative blood flow during hip resurfacing arthroplasty comparing two surgical approaches. In this study, we report the vascularity and the metabolic bone function in the proximal femur in these same patients at one year after the surgery. Vascularity and bone function was assessed using scintigraphic techniques. Of the 13 patients who agreed to take part, eight had their arthroplasty through a posterior approach and five through a trochanteric-flip approach. Results: One year after surgery, we found no difference in the vascularity (vascular phase) and metabolic bone function (delayed phase) at the junction of the femoral head/neck between the two groups of patients. Higher radiopharmaceutical uptake was found in the region of the greater trochanter in the trochanteric-flip group, related to the healing osteotomy. Conclusions: Our findings using scintigraphic techniques suggest that the greater intra-operative reduction in blood flow to the junction of the femoral head/neck, which is seen with the posterior approach compared with trochanteric flip, does not result in any difference in vascularity or metabolic bone function one year after surgery

Evaluacija efekata različitih rezima ishrane na inflamatorni odgovor kod mladih fudbalera

Considering the limited knowledge regarding the effects of n-3 and n-6 PUFAs on the inflammatory response during physical activity, we aimed to evaluate the level of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in young soccer players before and after a maximal physical load test at the beginning and end of a two-month training process. The study included 75 young footballers from Football School 'Kragujevac,' who were followed during the two-month training programme. The subjects were divided into the following groups: 1) control group (consumed a standard diet); 2) group that consumed fish oil (2500 mg of n-3 PUFAs per day); 3) group that consumed nutritional sunflower oil (2500 mg of n-6 PUFAs daily). The maximal progressive exercise test was performed using a treadmill belt. Venous blood samples were drawn 4 times for the determination of cytokine levels (IL-6 and TNF-α): before and after the exercise load test before the two-month training programme (initial measurement) and immediately before and after the exercise load test after the two-month training programme (control measurement). Supplementation with fish oil (n-3) has been associated with reduced levels of IL-6 compared with the initial values. After an acute bout of exercise, n-3 PUFAs did not show a significant effect on inflammatory marker dynamics, whereas n-6 PUFAs slightly stimulated the production of TNF-α.S'obzirom na ograničeno znanje o efektima polinezasićenih masnih kiselina (n-3 i n-6 PUFA-Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids), cilj ovog istraživanja bio je da se procene vrednosti pro- i antiinflamatornih medijatora u miru i nakon maksimalnog testa opterećenja pre i nakon dvomesečnog trenažnog programa. U studiji je učestvovalo 75 mladih fudbalera omladinske fudbalske škole 'Kragujevac', starosti od 18 - 19 godina, koji su bili praćeni tokom dva meseca. Oni su bili podeljeni u tri grupe: 1. kontrolna grupa (standardna ishrana), 2. grupa koja je konzumirala riblje ulje (2500mg n-3 PUFA dnevno), 3. grupa koja je konzumirala suncokretovo ulje (2500mg n-6 PUFA dnevno). Venski uzorci krvi za određivanje nivoa citokina (IL-6, TNF- α) uzimani su 4 puta: u miru i nakon testa opterećenja, pre i posle dvomesečnog trenažnog programa. Svakodnevna suplementacija ribljim uljem povezana je sa smanjenim vrednostima IL-6 u odnosu na njegove početne vrednosti. Upotreba različitih vrsta polinezasiđenih masnih kiselina nije bitnije uticala na proizvodnju citokina, neposredno nakon akutnog nastupa sportske aktivnosti (testa opterećenja)

Restriction of meat, fish, and poultry in omnivores improves mood: A pilot randomized controlled trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Omnivorous diets are high in arachidonic acid (AA) compared to vegetarian diets. Research shows that high intakes of AA promote changes in brain that can disturb mood. Omnivores who eat fish regularly increase their intakes of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), fats that oppose the negative effects of AA in vivo. In a recent cross-sectional study, omnivores reported significantly worse mood than vegetarians despite higher intakes of EPA and DHA. This study investigated the impact of restricting meat, fish, and poultry on mood.</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>Thirty-nine omnivores were randomly assigned to a control group consuming meat, fish, and poultry daily (OMN); a group consuming fish 3-4 times weekly but avoiding meat and poultry (FISH), or a vegetarian group avoiding meat, fish, and poultry (VEG). At baseline and after two weeks, participants completed a food frequency questionnaire, the Profile of Mood States questionnaire and the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales. After the diet intervention, VEG participants reduced their EPA, DHA, and AA intakes, while FISH participants increased their EPA and DHA intakes. Mood scores were unchanged for OMN or FISH participants, but several mood scores for VEG participants improved significantly after two weeks.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Restricting meat, fish, and poultry improved some domains of short-term mood state in modern omnivores. To our knowledge, this is the first trial to examine the impact of restricting meat, fish, and poultry on mood state in omnivores.</p

Nutrition, diet and immunosenescence

Ageing is characterized by immunosenescence and the progressive decline in immunity in association with an increased frequency of infections and chronic disease. This complex process affects both the innate and adaptive immune systems with a progressive decline in most immune cell populations and defects in activation resulting in loss of function. Although host genetics and environmental factors, such as stress, exercise and diet can impact on the onset or course of immunosenescence, the mechanisms involved are largely unknown. This review focusses on identifying the most significant aspects of immunosenescence and on the evidence that nutritional intervention might delay this process, and consequently improve the quality of life of the elderly

Molecular rearrangements in extrusion processes for the production of amaranth-enriched, gluten-free rice pasta

Gluten-free pasta represents a challenge for food technologists and nutritionists since gluten-free materials used in conventional formulations have poor functional and nutritional properties. A novel extrusion-cooking process was set up to improve the textural characteristics of rice-based pasta, and to enrich it with amaranth. Mineral and fiber content, and protein digestibility were improved by amaranth enrichment. Extrusion-cooking of a 75/25 mixture of rice flour and amaranth prior to pasta-making gave the best results as for the textural characteristics of the final product. The firmness of cooked pasta increased due to the extrusion-cooking process, that also decreased protein solubility in the amaranth-enriched pasta. The content in accessible thiols also decreased in amaranth-enriched pastas, indicating that amaranth proteins may be involved in forming disulphide bonds during the pasta-making process. Our results suggest that starch in rice flour interacts best with amaranth proteins when starch gelatinization occurs simultaneously to protein denaturation in the extrusion-cooking proces

Fly-FUCCI: A Versatile Tool for Studying Cell Proliferation in Complex Tissues

One promising approach for in vivo studies of cell proliferation is the FUCCI system (fluorescent ubiquitination-based cell cycle indicator). Here, we report the development of a Drosophila-specific FUCCI system (Fly-FUCCI) that allows one to distinguish G1, S, and G2 phases of interphase. Fly-FUCCI relies on fluorochrome-tagged degrons from the Cyclin B and E2F1 proteins, which are degraded by the ubiquitin E3-ligases APC/C and CRL4Cdt2, during mitosis or the onset of S phase, respectively. These probes can track cell-cycle patterns in cultured Drosophila cells, eye and wing imaginal discs, salivary glands, the adult midgut, and probably other tissues. To support a broad range of experimental applications, we have generated a toolkit of transgenic Drosophila lines that express the Fly-FUCCI probes under control of the UASt, UASp, QUAS, and ubiquitin promoters. The Fly-FUCCI system should be a valuable tool for visualizing cell-cycle activity during development, tissue homeostasis, and neoplastic growth. Note: Graphical abstract on articl

Paedomorphic facial expressions give dogs a selective advantage

How wolves were first domesticated is unknown. One hypothesis suggests that wolves underwent a process of self-domestication by tolerating human presence and taking advantage of scavenging possibilities. The puppy-like physical and behavioural traits seen in dogs are thought to have evolved later, as a byproduct of selection against aggression. Using speed of selection from rehoming shelters as a proxy for artificial selection, we tested whether paedomorphic features give dogs a selective advantage in their current environment. Dogs who exhibited facial expressions that enhance their neonatal appearance were preferentially selected by humans. Thus, early domestication of wolves may have occurred not only as wolf populations became tamer, but also as they exploited human preferences for paedomorphic characteristics. These findings, therefore, add to our understanding of early dog domestication as a complex co-evolutionary process

Impacts of climate change on plant diseases – opinions and trends

There has been a remarkable scientific output on the topic of how climate change is likely to affect plant diseases in the coming decades. This review addresses the need for review of this burgeoning literature by summarizing opinions of previous reviews and trends in recent studies on the impacts of climate change on plant health. Sudden Oak Death is used as an introductory case study: Californian forests could become even more susceptible to this emerging plant disease, if spring precipitations will be accompanied by warmer temperatures, although climate shifts may also affect the current synchronicity between host cambium activity and pathogen colonization rate. A summary of observed and predicted climate changes, as well as of direct effects of climate change on pathosystems, is provided. Prediction and management of climate change effects on plant health are complicated by indirect effects and the interactions with global change drivers. Uncertainty in models of plant disease development under climate change calls for a diversity of management strategies, from more participatory approaches to interdisciplinary science. Involvement of stakeholders and scientists from outside plant pathology shows the importance of trade-offs, for example in the land-sharing vs. sparing debate. Further research is needed on climate change and plant health in mountain, boreal, Mediterranean and tropical regions, with multiple climate change factors and scenarios (including our responses to it, e.g. the assisted migration of plants), in relation to endophytes, viruses and mycorrhiza, using long-term and large-scale datasets and considering various plant disease control methods