Impact of visceral fat on skeletal muscle mass and vice versa in a prospective cohort study: The Korean Sarcopenic Obesity Study (KSOS)

Objectives: Sarcopenia and visceral obesity have been suggested to aggravate each other, resulting in a vicious cycle. However, evidence based on prospective study is very limited. Our purpose was to investigate whether visceral fat promotes a decrease in skeletal muscle mass and vice versa. Methods: We observed changes in anthropometric and body composition data during a follow-up period of 27.6±2.8 months in 379 Korean men and women (mean age 51.9±14.6 years) from the Korean Sarcopenic Obesity Study (KSOS). Appendicular lean soft tissue (ALST) mass was calculated using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and visceral fat area (VFA) was measured using computed tomography at baseline and follow-up examination. Results: ALST mass significantly decreased, whereas trunk and total fat mass increased in both men and women despite no significant change in weight and body mass index. In particular, women with visceral obesity at baseline had a greater decrease in ALST mass than those without visceral obesity (P=0.001). In multiple linear regression analysis, baseline VFA was an independent negative predictor of the changes in ALST after adjusting for confounding factors including age, gender, life style and body composition parameters, insulin resistance, high sensitivity C-reactive protein and vitamin D levels (P=0.001), whereas the association between baseline ALST mass and changes in VFA was not statistically significant (P=0.555). Conclusions: This longitudinal study showed that visceral obesity was associated with future loss of skeletal muscle mass in Korean adults. These results may provide novel insight into sarcopenic obesity in an aging society

Three-dimensional photographic analysis of the face in European adults from southern Spain with normal occlusion: reference anthropometric measurements

Background: Recent non-invasive 3D photography method has been applied to facial analysis, offering numerous advantages in orthodontic. The purpose of this study was to analyze the faces of a sample of healthy European adults from southern Spain with normal occlusion in order to establish reference facial soft tissue anthropometric parameters in this specific geographic-ethnic population, as well as to analyze sexual dimorphism. Methods: A sample of 100 healthy adult volunteers consisting of 50 women (mean age, 22.92 ± 1.56 years) and 50 men (mean age, 22.37 ± 2.12 years) were enrolled in this study. All participants had normal occlusion, skeletal Class I, mesofacial pattern, and healthy body mass index. Three-dimensional photographs of the faces were captured noninvasively using Planmeca ProMax 3D ProFace®. Thirty landmarks related to the face, eyes, nose, and orolabial and chin areas were identified. Results: Male displayed higher values in all vertical and transversal dimensions, with the exception of the lower lip height. Larger differences between sexes were observed in face, mandible, and nose. Male also had higher values in the angular measurements which referred to the nose. No sex differences were found in transverse upper lip prominence or transverse mandibular prominence. No differences were found in the ratio measurements, with the exception of intercantal width/nasal width, which was higher in women than in men. Conclusions: Reference anthropometric measurements of facial soft tissues have been established in European adults from southern Spain with normal occlusion. Significant sexual dimorphism was found, with remarkable differences in size between sexe

Functional Myogenic Engraftment from Mouse iPS Cells

Direct reprogramming of adult fibroblasts to a pluripotent state has opened new possibilities for the generation of patient- and disease-specific stem cells. However the ability of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells to generate tissue that mediates functional repair has been demonstrated in very few animal models of disease to date. Here we present the proof of principle that iPS cells may be used effectively for the treatment of muscle disorders. We combine the generation of iPS cells with conditional expression of Pax7, a robust approach to derive myogenic progenitors. Transplantation of Pax7-induced iPS-derived myogenic progenitors into dystrophic mice results in extensive engraftment, which is accompanied by improved contractility of treated muscles. These findings demonstrate the myogenic regenerative potential of iPS cells and provide rationale for their future therapeutic application for muscular dystrophies

Type I Interferon Signaling Regulates Ly6Chi Monocytes and Neutrophils during Acute Viral Pneumonia in Mice

Type I interferon (IFN-I) plays a critical role in the homeostasis of hematopoietic stem cells and influences neutrophil influx to the site of inflammation. IFN-I receptor knockout (Ifnar1−/−) mice develop significant defects in the infiltration of Ly6Chi monocytes in the lung after influenza infection (A/PR/8/34, H1N1). Ly6Chi monocytes of wild-type (WT) mice are the main producers of MCP-1 while the alternatively generated Ly6Cint monocytes of Ifnar1−/− mice mainly produce KC for neutrophil influx. As a consequence, Ifnar1−/− mice recruit more neutrophils after influenza infection than do WT mice. Treatment of IFNAR1 blocking antibody on the WT bone marrow (BM) cells in vitro failed to differentiate into Ly6Chi monocytes. By using BM chimeric mice (WT BM into Ifnar1−/− and vice versa), we confirmed that IFN-I signaling in hematopoietic cells is required for the generation of Ly6Chi monocytes. Of note, WT BM reconstituted Ifnar1−/− chimeric mice with increased numbers of Ly6Chi monocytes survived longer than influenza-infected Ifnar1−/− mice. In contrast, WT mice that received Ifnar1−/− BM cells with alternative Ly6Cint monocytes and increased numbers of neutrophils exhibited higher mortality rates than WT mice given WT BM cells. Collectively, these data suggest that IFN-I contributes to resistance of influenza infection by control of monocytes and neutrophils in the lung

Microbial shifts in the aging mouse gut

YesBackground: The changes that occur in the microbiome of aging individuals are unclear, especially in light of the imperfect correlation of frailty with age. Studies in older human subjects have reported subtle effects, but these results may be confounded by other variables that often change with age such as diet and place of residence. To test these associations in a more controlled model system, we examined the relationship between age, frailty, and the gut microbiome of female C57BL/6 J mice. Results: The frailty index, which is based on the evaluation of 31 clinical signs of deterioration in mice, showed a near-perfect correlation with age. We observed a statistically significant relationship between age and the taxonomic composition of the corresponding microbiome. Consistent with previous human studies, the Rikenellaceae family, which includes the Alistipes genus, was the most significantly overrepresented taxon within middle-aged and older mice. The functional profile of the mouse gut microbiome also varied with host age and frailty. Bacterial-encoded functions that were underrepresented in older mice included cobalamin (B12) and biotin (B7) biosynthesis, and bacterial SOS genes associated with DNA repair. Conversely, creatine degradation, associated with muscle wasting, was overrepresented within the gut microbiomes of the older mice, as were bacterial-encoded β-glucuronidases, which can influence drug-induced epithelial cell toxicity. Older mice also showed an overabundance of monosaccharide utilization genes relative to di-, oligo-, and polysaccharide utilization genes, which may have a substantial impact on gut homeostasis. Conclusion: We have identified taxonomic and functional patterns that correlate with age and frailty in the mouse microbiome. Differences in functions related to host nutrition and drug pharmacology vary in an age-dependent manner, suggesting that the availability and timing of essential functions may differ significantly with age and frailty. Future work with larger cohorts of mice will aim to separate the effects of age and frailty, and other factors.This work was supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) through an Emerging Team Grant to RGB, CIHR Operating Grants to Langille et al. Microbiome 2014, 2:50 Page 10 of 12 http://www.microbiomejournal.com/content/2/1/50 SEH (MOP 126018) and RAR (MOP 93718), and a CIHR Fellowship to MGIL. Infrastructure was supported by the Canada Foundation for Innovation through a grant to RGB. RGB also acknowledges the support of the Canada Research Chairs program

Co-doped La0.8Sr0.2Ga0.8Mg0.2O3 Thin Films Grown by Pulse Laser Deposition

Co-doped La0.8Sr0.2Ga0.8Mg0.2O3 (LSGMC) thin films were deposited on Pt(200) substrates by pulsed laser deposition, and the crystal phases and microstructure properties of the films were examined using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope. Depending on the deposition conditions of substrate temperature and oxygen partial pressure, the LSGMC thin films exhibited different phases and microstructures. Especially, the oxygen partial pressure strongly influenced the formation of secondary phases. The single phase of the LSGMC thin film with high density and no cracks was obtained at the optimum condition of substrate temperature of 750 degrees C and at the oxygen pressure of 150 mTorr. (C) 2010 The Electrochemical Society. [DOI: 10.1149/1.3479543] All rights reserved.open1122sciescopu