Transcultural reliability and validity of an Italian language version of the Constant–Murley Score

Purpose: The present study was designed to carry out an Italian translation of the Constant–Murley Score (CMS-IT) and,subsequently, evaluate its reliability and validity.Methods: This study included adults diagnosed with any type of clinicalshoulder dysfunction who could read and respond to the questionnaires. Those individuals who underwent surgeries ofany kind on the affected shoulder during the previous 12 months and individuals with shoulder instabilities were excluded.All of the participants were evaluated by two operators, and the CMS-IT, Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand(DASH) questionnaire, and visual analog scale (VAS) were administered. The internal consistency was evaluated usingCronbach’sa, whereas the intra-rater and inter-rater reliabilities were evaluated using the intraclass correlation coef-ficient (ICC). The validity of the construction was evaluated using Pearson’s correlation coefficient between the scores ofthe administered scales.Results: A population of 72 individuals participated in this study. The internal consistency of theCMS-IT showed a value of 0.81. The ICC values showed that inter- and intra-rater reliability were 0.994 and 0.963,respectively. CMS-IT is inversely correlated with the VAS (0.55) and DASH (0.47) scales.Conclusions: This studyrevealed that the CMS-IT contained good internal consistency and good reliability. The results suggested that the CMS-ITquestionnaire is a reliable and valid tool for assessing the shoulder dysfunctions of the Italian population, and it deservesbroad applications in both clinical practice and research contexts. The scale can also be used as an alternative to thecurrent “gold standard” VAS and DASH. (PDF) Transcultural reliability and validity of an Italian language version of the Constant–Murley Score. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/343919669_Transcultural_reliability_and_validity_of_an_Italian_language_version_of_the_Constant-Murley_Score [accessed Nov 02 2020]

Drosophila dyskerin is required for somatic stem cell homeostasis

Drosophila represents an excellent model to dissect the roles played by the evolutionary conserved family of eukaryotic dyskerins. These multifunctional proteins are involved in the formation of H/ ACA snoRNP and telomerase complexes, both involved in essential cellular tasks. Since fly telomere integrity is guaranteed by a different mechanism, we used this organism to investigate the specific role played by dyskerin in somatic stem cell maintenance. To this aim, we focussed on Drosophila midgut, a hierarchically organized and well characterized model for stemness analysis. Surprisingly, the ubiquitous loss of the protein uniquely affects the formation of the larval stem cell niches, without altering other midgut cell types. The number of adult midgut precursor stem cells is dramatically reduced, and this effect is not caused by premature differentiation and is cell-autonomous. Moreover, a few dispersed precursors found in the depleted midguts can maintain stem identity and the ability to divide asymmetrically, nor show cell-growth defects or undergo apoptosis. Instead, their loss is mainly specifically dependent on defective amplification. These studies establish a strict link between dyskerin and somatic stem cell maintenance in a telomerase-lacking organism, indicating that loss of stemness can be regarded as a conserved, telomerase-independent effect of dyskerin dysfunction

Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet and Circulating Levels of Sirtuin 4 in Obese Patients: A Novel Association

PURPOSE: This study was aimed at evaluating sirtuin 4 (Sirt4) levels in obese individuals, in relation to their adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD), a healthy dietary pattern characterized by high antioxidant capacity, and markers of visceral fat storage. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Forty-three obese patients (44% males; BMI: 36.7-58.8 kg/m2) were consecutively included. PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea (PREDIMED) and the 7-day food records were used to assess the adherence to MD and dietary pattern, respectively. Visceral adiposity index (VAI) was calculated. Sirt4 levels were detected by ELISA method. RESULTS: The majority of the obese participants (62.8%) had an average adherence to MD. Compared with average adherers, low adherers had higher BMI, energy intake, and percentage of energy from lipids, mainly saturated fat and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), and lower Sirt4 levels. After adjusting for BMI, Sirt4 levels remained negatively correlated with VAI. After adjusting for total energy intake, Sirt4 levels remained negatively associated with PREDIMED and consumption of n-3 PUFA, vitamins C and E. The threshold value of PREDIMED predicting the lowest decrease in Sirt4 levels was found at a score of 6. CONCLUSIONS: Less reduced Sirt4 levels in obese patients adhering to MD suggest a further aspect of the antioxidant advantage of MD

Nutrition, inflammation and liver-spleen axis

Chronic low-grade systemic inflammation represents a mechanism common to many diseases linked to atherosclerosis-related pathways. There is a growing body of evidence indicating that the combination of food quantity and quality along with genetic susceptibility are able to induce the aberrant activation of innate immune signalling, which initially contributes to chronic low-grade inflammation. Liver represents the central player to inflammatory response. Dietary/metabolic factors contribute to the pathogenesis of Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD), the main causes of liver disease in the Western world. Enlargement of the spleen, central organ in regulating the inflammation-related immune response, is commonly seen in patients with of NAFLD, depicting the so called "liver-spleen axis." The aim of this review was to provide an at-a-glance overview of the possible bi-directional mechanisms linking nutrition and inflammation, particularly pinpointing the inflammatory effects stemmed by nutrition on "liver-spleen axis." In particular, the role of unhealthy diet, healthy dietary patterns, such as the Mediterranean diet style, dietary vitamins and micronutrients, such as vitamin D or Magnesium, and Glucagon-Like Peptide-1, a well-known incretin released in response to meal intake, will be discussed. The highly variability of the inflammatory response highlights the role of expert nutritionists in refining methodologies apt to assess nutritional epidemiology and to apply appropriate dietary intervention to counteract diet-induced inflammation mechanisms

Association between Mediterranean diet and hand grip strength in older adult women

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Mediterranean Diet (MD) is an eating pattern associated with multiple healthy benefits, including the conservation of skeletal muscle. Frailty is a major geriatric syndrome characterized by low muscle strength. The Hand Grip Strength (HGS) is the most frequently used indicator of muscle functional capacity for clinical purposes. The association between the adherence to the MD and HGS in elderly has not yet fully investigated. The goal of this study was to examine the association between the adherence to the MD and HGS in a not hospitalized elderly who participated in the project PERsonalised ict Supported Services for Independent Living and Active Ageing (PERSSILAA). METHODS: Eighty-four elderly women were consecutively enrolled (aged 60-85 years) in this cross-sectional observational study. Anthropometric measures were evaluated. A validated 14-item questionnaire PREDIMED (PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea) was used for the assessment of adherence to the MD. Dietary data were collected by a 7-day food records. Muscle strength was measured by HGS using a grip strength dynamometer (KERN & SOHN GmbH). RESULTS: The majority of participants were overweight (46.4%). An average adherence to the MD was found in 52.4% of participants, while the minority of them showed a low adherence (21.4%). HGS > cut-point of 20 kg were found in 43 subjects (51.2%). According to the adherence to MD, 39% participants with HGS values higher than cut-point presented a high adherence score compared with 14% of those with lower values of HGS (p = 0.018). The participants with HGS > cut-point presented significantly higher PREDIMED score than those with HGS < cut-point (p < 0.001). Based on ROC curves, the most sensitive and specific cut-point for the PREDIMED score to predict HGS categories was ≥8. No evident correlations were observed between HGS and age, while HGS was negatively correlated with hip circumference (r = -0.233, p = 0.033) and BMI (r = -0.219, p = 0.045), and positively correlated with PREDIMED score (r = 0.598, p < 0.001). At binomial logistic regression analysis almost all 14-items of PREDIMED questionnaire were significantly associated with HGS adjusted for BMI. At multinomial logistic regression analysis to assess the association of the three classes of adherence to the MD with the HGS, after adjusting for BMI the lowest adherence to MD was associated with the lowest Odds Ratio of HGS (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study evidenced a positive association between the adherence to the MD and muscle strength in a sample of active elderly women, stratified according to the HGS > cut-point of 20 kg. Our study highlights the usefulness of the developing health services to detect and prevent age-associated decline in physical performance in elderly subjects by addressing nutritional and physical intervention

MSCs and inflammation: not only a guardian role

  The literature on the relation between mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and inflammation is continuing to expand at a rapid rate with over 600 entries in PubMed under “MSCs and inflammation” starting from 2002. Inflammation is an essential part of the malignant microenvironment. Chemokines, leukocyte infiltration and cytokines are crucial elements, which contribute to cancer-related inflammation. Attracted by chemokines, MSCs are recruited at injury sites. After exposure to inflammatory factors in the local microenvironment, MSCs secrete several cytokines and vascular endothelial growth factor, which promote immunosuppression, angiogenesis and tumor growth. Here we compare by RT-PCR the expression of selected genes, related to inflammation, on MSCs derived from control (C-MSCs) and inflamed tissues (I-MSCs). First of all, an immunohistochemistry using anti-CD43 antibody was performed to better test the status of inflammation at the moment of tissues’ collection. CD43 is known as marker of inflammation, since it is expressed by most T cells, activated B cells, basophils, macrophages, monocytes and NK cells. Its expression was absent in “control” tissues, while it was strong in the “inflamed”. Subsequently, RNA was extracted, retro-transcribed and used for quantitative PCR. The genes were selected according to their role in inflammation: IL6 and IL8 (known as pro-inflammatory interleukins), TNFα (involved in systemic inflammation), CXCL2 (secreted by monocytes and macrophages and is chemotactic for polymorphonuclear leukocytes), CCL20 (strongly chemotactic for lymphocytes, its expression is induced by inflammatory cytokines), IFNγ (an important activator of macrophages) and TGFβ1 (promoting immunosuppression). Quantification of mRNA expression was calculated with the 2−ΔΔCt method, where ΔCt = Ct (gene of interest) − Ct (control gene) and Δ(ΔCt) = ΔCt (I-MSCs) − ΔCt (C-MSCs). The results revealed that the expression of all tested genes was higher in MSCs derived from inflamed tissues than in MSCs from control tissues (expressed as 1). This study underlines how MSCs are not inert guardians on inflammation, but as they play an active role

Preliminary data on the relationship between circulating levels of Sirtuin 4, anthropometric and metabolic parameters in obese subjects according to growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor-1 status

Background: The main components of GH/insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 axis and Sirtuin 4 (Sirt4), highly expressed in liver and skeletal muscle mitochondria, serve as active regulators of mitochondrial oxidative capacity with opposite functions. In obesity both GH/IGF-1 status and serum Sirt4 levels, likely mirroring its reduced mitochondrial expression, might be altered. Objective: To evaluate the association between circulating levels of Sirt4, body composition, metabolic parameters and cardio-metabolic risk profile in obese patients according to their different GH/IGF-1 status. Design: Cross-sectional study with measurement of serum Sirt4, GH after GH releasing hormone (GHRH)+Arginine test, IGF-1 and assessment of body composition, glucose and lipid metabolism in 50 class II-III obese subjects (BMI 35.6 to 62.1kg/m2) and 15 normal weight subjects. Low GH secretion and IGF-1 were defined using pre-determined cutoff-points. The Homeostatic Metabolic Assessment of insulin resistance index and Visceral adiposity index were also calculated. The association of Sirt4 with peak stimulated GH and IGF-1, body composition, metabolic parameters and cardio-metabolic risk profile was assessed. Results: Serum Sirt4 was inversely related to anthropometric and metabolic parameters and positively related to peak GH and IGF-1. After adjusting for peak GH and IGF-1, the relationships between Sirt4 and BMI became not significant. At multiple regression analysis IGF-1 (p < 0.001) was the independent predictor for Sirt4. Conclusion: There was a close relationship between low IGF-1 and low serum Sirt4. This observation suggested that in obese patients, low GH/IGF-1 status was likely associated with a major compensatory decrease in circulating levels of Sirt4 to oppose to its negative regulator effect on mitochondrial oxidative capacity

Septal Nasal Extramedullary Plasmacytoma: A Rare Tumor in an Unusual Area

We present an extreme rare case of extramedullary nasal plasmacitoma that arise from nasal septum. The mass surgically removed was analyzed by a pathologist who diagnosed an extramedullary nasal plasmacytoma. The patient did not present systemic involvement. A short cycle of radiotherapy was performed after the surgery. At 9-month follow-up, the patient is recurrence free

Nutrition: a key environmental dietary factor in clinical severity and cardio-metabolic risk in psoriatic male patients evaluated by 7-day food-frequency questionnaire

Western dietary pattern is included among the environmental dietary factors involved in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. Nutritional data collection methods and gender differences might affect the association between diet and psoriasis. The 7-day food records is considered the "gold standard" of self-administered food frequency questionnaires. In this study, we evaluated the differences in the dietary intake, anthropometric measurements and cardio-metabolic risk profile in a group of psoriatic patients compared with an age and Body Mass Index (BMI)-matched control group. In addition, in the group of psoriatic patients we investigated the association between the dietary intake and clinical severity of psoriasis

Prevalence and prognostic impact of non-cardiac co-morbidities in heart failure outpatients with preserved and reduced ejection fraction: a community-based study

Aim: To assess adverse outcomes attributable to non-cardiac co-morbidities and to compare their effects by left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) group [LVEF <50% (heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, HFrEF), LVEF 6550% (heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, HFpEF)] in a contemporary, unselected chronic heart failure population. Methods and results: This community-based cohort enrolled patients from October 2009 to December 2013. Adjusted hazard ratio (HR) and the population attributable fraction (PAF) were used to compare the contribution of 15 non-cardiac co-morbidities to adverse outcome. Overall, 2314 patients (mean age 77 \ub110 years, 57% men) were recruited [n = 941 (41%) HFrEF, n = 1373 (59%) HFpEF]. Non-cardiac co-morbidity rates were similarly high, except for obesity and hypertension which were more prevalent in HFpEF. At a median follow-up of 31 (interquartile range 16\u201341) months, 472 (20%) patients died. Adjusted mortality rates were not significantly different between the HFrEF and HFpEF groups. After adjustment, an increasing number of non-cardiac co-morbidities was associated with a higher risk for all-cause mortality [HR 1.25; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.10\u20131.26; P < 0.001], all-cause hospitalization (HR 1.17; 95% CI 1.12\u20131.23; P < 0.001), heart failure hospitalization (HR 1.28; 95% CI 1.19\u20131.38; P < 0.001), non-cardiovascular hospitalization (HR 1.16; 95% CI 1.11\u20131.22; P < 0.001). The co-morbidities contributing to high PAF were: anaemia, chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes mellitus, and peripheral artery disease. These findings were similar for HFrEF and HFpEF. Interaction analysis yielded similar results. Conclusions: In a contemporary community population with chronic heart failure, non-cardiac co-morbidities confer a similar contribution to outcomes in HFrEF and HFpEF. These observations suggest that quality improvement initiatives aimed at optimizing co-morbidities may be similarly effective in HFrEF and HFpEF