Nutritional interventions to improve muscle mass, muscle strength, and physical performance in older people: an umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses

peer reviewedContext: Sarcopenia is a progressive and generalized skeletal muscle disorder associated with an increased risk of adverse outcomes such as falls, disability, and death. The Belgian Society of Gerontology and Geriatrics has developed evidencebased guidelines for the prevention and treatment of sarcopenia. This umbrella review presents the results of the Working Group on Nutritional Interventions. Objective: The aim of this umbrella review was to provide an evidence-based overview of nutritional interventions targeting sarcopenia or at least 1 of the 3 sarcopenia criteria (ie, muscle mass, muscle strength, or physical performance) in persons aged 65 years. Data sources: Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, the PubMed and Web of Science databases were searched for systematic reviews and meta-analyses reporting the effect of nutritional supplementation on sarcopenia or muscle mass, strength, or physical performance. Data extraction: Two authors extracted data on the key characteristics of the reviews, including participants, treatment, and outcomes. Methodological quality of the reviews was assessed using the product A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews. Three authors synthesized the extracted data and generated recommendations on the basis of an overall synthesis of the effects of each intervention. Quality of evidence was rated with the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach. Data analysis: A total of 15 systematic reviews were included. The following supplements were examined: proteins, essential amino acids, leucine, b-hydroxy-b-methylbutyrate, creatine, and multinutrient supplementation (with or without physical exercise). Because of both the low amount and the low to moderate quality of the reviews, the level of evidence supporting most recommendations was low to moderate. Conclusions: Best evidence is available to recommend leucine, because it has a significant effect on muscle mass in elderly people with sarcopenia. Protein supplementation on top of resistance training is recommended to increase muscle mass and strength, in particular for obese persons and for >=24weeks. Effects on sarcopenia as a construct were not reported in the included reviews

Expression of Tas1 Taste Receptors in Mammalian Spermatozoa: Functional Role of Tas1r1 in Regulating Basal Ca2+ and cAMP Concentrations in Spermatozoa

Background: During their transit through the female genital tract, sperm have to recognize and discriminate numerous chemical compounds. However, our current knowledge of the molecular identity of appropriate chemosensory receptor proteins in sperm is still rudimentary. Considering that members of the Tas1r family of taste receptors are able to discriminate between a broad diversity of hydrophilic chemosensory substances, the expression of taste receptors in mammalian spermatozoa was examined. Methodology/Principal Findings: The present manuscript documents that Tas1r1 and Tas1r3, which form the functional receptor for monosodium glutamate (umami) in taste buds on the tongue, are expressed in murine and human spermatozoa, where their localization is restricted to distinct segments of the flagellum and the acrosomal cap of the sperm head. Employing a Tas1r1-deficient mCherry reporter mouse strain, we found that Tas1r1 gene deletion resulted in spermatogenic abnormalities. In addition, a significant increase in spontaneous acrosomal reaction was observed in Tas1r1 null mutant sperm whereas acrosomal secretion triggered by isolated zona pellucida or the Ca2+ ionophore A23187 was not different from wild-type spermatozoa. Remarkably, cytosolic Ca2+ levels in freshly isolated Tas1r1-deficient sperm were significantly higher compared to wild-type cells. Moreover, a significantly higher basal cAMP concentration was detected in freshly isolated Tas1r1-deficient epididymal spermatozoa, whereas upon inhibition of phosphodiesterase or sperm capacitation, the amount of cAMP was not different between both genotypes. Conclusions/Significance: Since Ca2+ and cAMP control fundamental processes during the sequential process of fertilization, we propose that the identified taste receptors and coupled signaling cascades keep sperm in a chronically quiescent state until they arrive in the vicinity of the egg - either by constitutive receptor activity and/or by tonic receptor activation by gradients of diverse chemical compounds in different compartments of the female reproductive tract

Antigenic diversity in Haemophilus ducreyi as shown by western blot (immunoblot) analysis.

The antigenic diversity within a panel of 63 Haemophilus ducreyi isolates was examined by Western blot (immunoblot) analysis with a pool of 238 well-characterized human antisera. When a serum pool adsorbed on a mixture of Haemophilus influenzae, H. parainfluenzae, and H. parahaemolyticus was used, the immunoprofiles suggested that prominent antigenic proteins involved in the human immune response have apparent molecular masses of 63, 42, 34 to 30, and 28.5 to 28 kDa. Preliminary subcellular localization revealed that these antigens are associated with the cellular membrane. Two subsets of antigens were discriminated by detergent extraction. There was no evidence that the antigen composition is altered by changing the growth conditions. With a serum pool adsorbed on the Haemophilus spp. mixture supplemented with Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Pasteurella ureae, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Escherichia coli, antigenic determinants more specific for H. ducreyi were identified. An immunodominant 28.5- to 28-kDa protein was expressed by all H. ducreyi isolates. In the range from 34 to 30 kDa, 56 isolates revealed a dominant protein with variable molecular mass. By using both proteins (28.5 to 28 kDa and 34 to 30 kDa) as immunotypic markers, seven different immunopatterns were identified. Antigenic diversity among isolates from different geographical origins as well as from a single area was observed

Profile and needs of primary informal caregivers of older patients in Belgian geriatric day hospitals: a multicentric cross-sectional study.

With the improvement of life expectancy, the world faces increasing demands for care of older persons. In this manuscript, we define the characteristics of primary informal caregivers (PIC) of patients aged 75 years and older admitted to geriatric day hospitals (GDH) in Belgium. A PIC is defined as the person who most often provides care and assistance to persons who need to be cared for. We describe PIC socio-demographic characteristics, satisfaction, burden and wishes about caring; the type of assistance provided and received, their self-rated health, socio-demographic and medical characteristics of proxies, in particular the presence of behavioural disorders. We conducted a cross-sectional study in 25 GDH. Four hundred seventy-five PIC of patients ≥75 years and their proxies. PIC completed a questionnaire at the GDH assessing burden by Zarit Burden Index-12 (ZBI-12), self-rated health, social restriction due to caregiving and financial participation. We compared the characteristics of PIC with high and low burden, and the characteristics of spouses and adult children PIC. We also analyzed factors associated with a high burden in a multivariable logistic regression model. PIC were mainly women (72%), adult children (53.8%) and spouses (30.6%). The mean age was 64 ± 14 years for PIC and 84 ± 5 years for care recipients. PIC helped for most of Activities in Daily Living (ADL) and Instrumental ADL (iADL). The median ZBI-12 score was 10 [IQR 5-18]. In multivariable regression analysis, a high burden was positively associated in the total group with living with the relative (p = 0.045), the difficulty to take leisure time or vacation (p <  0.001), behavioral and mood disorders (p <  0.001;p = 0.005), and was negatively associated with bathing the relative (p = 0.017) and a better subjective health status estimation (p <  0.001). Primary informal caregivers, who were predominantly women, were involved in care for ADL and iADL. A high burden was associated with living with the relative, the difficulty to take leisure time or vacation and the relative's behavioral and mood disorders. Bathing the relative and a subjective health status estimated as good as or better than people the same age, were protective factors against a high burden

Ex vivo decontamination of yeast-colonized dentures by iodine&ndash;thiocyanate complexes

Sarra Sebaa,1,2 Maxime Faltot,1 Sandra De Breucker,3 Zahia Boucherit-Otmani,2 Fran&ccedil;oise Bafort,4 Jean-Paul Perraudin,5 Philippe Courtois1 1Laboratory of Physiology and Pharmacology, Universit&eacute; Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium; 2Laboratory of Antibiotics and Antifungals: Physico-Chemistry, Synthesis and Biological Activity, University of Tlemcen, Tlemcen, Algeria; 3Department of Geriatrics, CUB &ndash; H&ocirc;pital Erasme, Brussels, Belgium; 4Integrated and Urban Plant Pathology Laboratory, Li&egrave;ge University, Gembloux, Belgium; 5Taradon Laboratory, Tubize, Belgium Introduction: Under well-defined experimental conditions, and in the presence of hydrogen peroxide, lactoperoxidase produces stable iodine&ndash;thiocyanate complexes that have antimicrobial properties. A novel process was developed to short circuit the consumption of hydrogen peroxide by microbial catalases by producing iodine&ndash;thiocyanate complexes prior to contact with microorganisms, with the aim of being able to decontaminate the ex vivo dentures colonized by yeasts. Materials and methods: Teabags containing lactoperoxidase adsorbed on inert clay beads were immersed for 1 minute in phosphate buffer solution (0.1 M pH 7.4) containing 5.2 mM potassium iodide, 1.2 mM potassium thiocyanate, and 5.5 mM hydrogen peroxide. After removing the adsorbed lactoperoxidase, the stability and efficacy of iodine&ndash;thiocyanate complexes for Candida-colonized denture decontamination were verified. Investigations were performed in vitro on Candida albicans ATCC 10231 and on clinical isolates from 46 dentures. A Candida plate count was performed after a 24-hour incubation at 37&deg;C on Sabouraud&ndash;chloramphenicol or CHROMagar solid media; then, the yeast growth was evaluated in Sabouraud broth by turbidimetry and biofilm biomass by crystal violet staining. Results: In vitro tests demonstrated the effectiveness of the oxidant solution in sterilizing a suspension of 106 Candida cells per milliliter after a 5-minute incubation. A single ex vivo immersion of contaminated dentures in a solution of iodine&ndash;thiocyanate complexes led to a decrease of at least 1 log unit in the number of colony-forming units in 58.3% of the tested dentures, while immersing in water alone had no effect on denture colonization (significant X2: p = 0.0006). Conclusion: These data suggest a promising new strategy for decontamination of dentures. Keywords: biofilm, Candida, hygiene, lactoperoxidase, oral cavit

Profil et besoins des principaux aidants informels de patients âgés dans les hôpitaux gériatriques de jour belges: une étude transversale multicentrique

peer reviewe

Case-study of an Educational Engineering Project: a Series Hybrid Electric Kart

The students enrolled in the Energy Master's program at the K.U.Leuven are expected to study and develop a series hybrid electric go-kart during their first Master year. Their main goal is to develop control algorithms in Matlab/Simulink for the different power electronic modules present on the kart. This allows students to work in small sub-groups, each group focusing on their own specific problem. At the end of the project, the solutions found by the separate groups are combined, and integrated on the kart's single board computer which governs the power electronic modules. If they succeed, students can drive the kart around, while using the wireless link to gather and study real-time current, voltage and speed measurements of the kart in motion

Six mois de gériatrie de liaison à l’hôpital Erasme: compte rendu

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishe