Cigarette Smoking, Birthweight and Osteoporosis in Adulthood: Results from the Hertfordshire Cohort Study

We looked for interaction between early environment and adult lifestyle in determination of bone mineral content (BMC) and bone mineral density (BMD) among 498 men and 468 women for whom birth records were available. Participants completed a health questionnaire, and bone densitometry (DXA) of the lumbar spine and femoral neck performed

Entanglement Sharing in the Two-Atom Tavis-Cummings Model

Individual members of an ensemble of identical systems coupled to a common probe can become entangled with one another, even when they do not interact directly. We investigate how this type of multipartite entanglement is generated in the context of a system consisting of two two-level atoms resonantly coupled to a single mode of the electromagnetic field. The dynamical evolution is studied in terms of the entanglements in the different bipartite partitions of the system, as quantified by the I-tangle. We also propose a generalization of the so-called residual tangle that quantifies the inherent three-body correlations in our tripartite system. This enables us to completely characterize the phenomenon of entanglement sharing in the case of the two-atom Tavis-Cummings model, a system of both theoretical and experimental interest.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures, submitted to PRA, v3 contains corrections to small error

Greater pQCT calf muscle density is associated with lower fracture risk, independent of FRAX, falls and BMD: a meta-analysis in the osteoporotic fractures in men (MrOS) study

We investigated the predictive performance of peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) measures of both calf muscle density (an established surrogate for muscle adiposity, with higher values indicating lower muscle adiposity and higher muscle quality) and size (cross-sectional area [CSA]) for incident fracture. pQCT (Stratec XCT2000/3000) measurements at the tibia were undertaken in Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) United States (US), Hong Kong (HK), and Swedish (SW) cohorts. Analyses were by cohort and synthesized by meta-analysis. The predictive value for incident fracture outcomes, illustrated here for hip fracture (HF), using an extension of Poisson regression adjusted for age and follow-up time, was expressed as hazard ratio (HR) per standard deviation (SD) increase in exposure (HR/SD). Further analyses adjusted for femoral neck (fn) bone mineral density (BMD) T-score, Fracture Risk Assessment Tool (FRAX) 10-year fracture probability (major osteoporotic fracture) and prior falls. We studied 991 (US), 1662 (HK), and 1521 (SW) men, mean ± SD age 77.0 ± 5.1, 73.9 ± 4.9, 80 ± 3.4 years, followed for a mean ± SD 7.8 ± 2.2, 8.1 ± 2.3, 5.3 ± 2.0 years, with 31, 47, and 78 incident HFs, respectively. Both greater muscle CSA and greater muscle density were associated with a lower risk of incident HF [HR/SD: 0.84; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.72–1.0 and 0.78; 95% CI, 0.66–0.91, respectively]. The pattern of associations was not materially changed by adjustment for prior falls or FRAX probability. In contrast, after inclusion of fn BMD T-score, the association for muscle CSA was no longer apparent (1.04; 95% CI, 0.88–1.24), whereas that for muscle density was not materially changed (0.69; 95% CI, 0.59–0.82). Findings were similar for osteoporotic fractures. pQCT measures of greater calf muscle density and CSA were both associated with lower incidence of fractures in older men, but only muscle density remained an independent risk factor for fracture after accounting for fn BMD. These findings demonstrate a complex interplay between measures of bone, muscle size, and quality, in determining fracture risk. © 2022 The Authors. JBMR Plus published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research

Participation of intracellular cysteine proteinases, in particular cathepsin B, in degradation of collagen in periosteal tissue explants

The involvement of cysteine proteinases in the degradation of soft connective tissue collagen was studied in cultured periosteal explants. Using cysteine proteinase inhibitors that were active intracellularly or extracellularly (Ep453 and Ep475, respectively), it was shown that over-all collagen degradation, as measured by the release of hydroxyproline, decreased significantly on inhibition of the intracellular pool of cysteine proteinases by Ep453. This inhibitor also induced an accumulation of intracellular fibrillar collagen in fibroblasts, indicating a decreased degradation of phagocytosed collagen. The extracellular inhibitor, Ep475, had minor or no effects. Histochemical analysis using a substrate for the cysteine proteinases cathepsins B and L revealed a high level of enzyme activity, which was completely blocked in explants preincubated with a selective intracellular inhibitor of cathepsin B, Ca074-Me. Moreover, the cathepsin B inhibitor strongly affected collagen degradation, decreasing the release of hydroxyproline and increasing the accumulation of phagocytosed collagen. These effects were comparable or slightly stronger than those found with the general intracellular inhibitor (Ep453). Taken together, these data strongly suggest that intracellular cysteine proteinases, in particular cathepsin B, play an important role in the digestion of soft connective tissue collage

The Cholecystectomy As A Day Case (CAAD) Score: A Validated Score of Preoperative Predictors of Successful Day-Case Cholecystectomy Using the CholeS Data Set

Background Day-case surgery is associated with significant patient and cost benefits. However, only 43% of cholecystectomy patients are discharged home the same day. One hypothesis is day-case cholecystectomy rates, defined as patients discharged the same day as their operation, may be improved by better assessment of patients using standard preoperative variables. Methods Data were extracted from a prospectively collected data set of cholecystectomy patients from 166 UK and Irish hospitals (CholeS). Cholecystectomies performed as elective procedures were divided into main (75%) and validation (25%) data sets. Preoperative predictors were identified, and a risk score of failed day case was devised using multivariate logistic regression. Receiver operating curve analysis was used to validate the score in the validation data set. Results Of the 7426 elective cholecystectomies performed, 49% of these were discharged home the same day. Same-day discharge following cholecystectomy was less likely with older patients (OR 0.18, 95% CI 0.15–0.23), higher ASA scores (OR 0.19, 95% CI 0.15–0.23), complicated cholelithiasis (OR 0.38, 95% CI 0.31 to 0.48), male gender (OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.58–0.74), previous acute gallstone-related admissions (OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.48–0.60) and preoperative endoscopic intervention (OR 0.40, 95% CI 0.34–0.47). The CAAD score was developed using these variables. When applied to the validation subgroup, a CAAD score of ≤5 was associated with 80.8% successful day-case cholecystectomy compared with 19.2% associated with a CAAD score >5 (p < 0.001). Conclusions The CAAD score which utilises data readily available from clinic letters and electronic sources can predict same-day discharges following cholecystectomy

Photosynthetic responses of eelgrass (Zostera marina L.) to light and sediment sulfide in a shallow barrier island lagoon

Highly reducing sediments are prevalent in seagrass environments. Under anoxic conditions, hydrogen sulfide can accumulate as an end product of anaerobic respiration at levels which may be toxic to halophytes. The photosynthetic response of Zostera marina L. (eelgrass) to manipulations in sediment sulfide concentration and light regimes was examined in Chincoteague Bay in June 1991. Neutral density screens were used in a mesocosm experiment to decrease downwelling irradiance to 50 and 15% of insolation. Sediment sulfide levels were enriched using NaS and lowered using FeSO. Photosynthesis vs. irradiance (PI) relationships were determined experimentally at ten light levels throughout the 21 day experiment. Photoadaptation was detected in response to the previous 4 day light history of the plants, as maximum photosynthesis (P) decreased in response to lower daily light levels. Negative impacts of sulfide on eelgrass in this study were observed through reductions in P, increases in the light intensity at which gross photosynthesis equals respiration, and decreases in the initial slope of the PI curve. The effects of eutrophication through reduced light and increased sediment sulfide on P were additive. Elevated sediment sulfide levels may contribute to seagrass loss in stressed areas as the potential for utilization of available light is reduced

Bone microarchitecture in men and women with diabetes: The importance of cortical porosity

High-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT) captures novel aspects of bone geometry, volumetric bone mineral density and offers the ability to measure bone microarchitecture, but data relating measures obtained from this technique to diabetic status are inconsistent in women and lacking in men. Here, we report an analysis from the Hertfordshire Cohort Study, where we were able to study associations between bone microarchitecture from HR-pQCT of distal radius and distal tibia in 332 participants (177 men and 155 women) aged 72.1–81.4 years with or without diabetes mellitus (DM); n = 29 (18 men and 11 women) and n = 303, respectively. Statistical analyses were performed separately for women and men. The mean (SD) age of participants was 76.4 (2.6) and 76.1 (2.5) years in women and men, respectively. Participants with DM differed significantly in terms of weight in both women (70.4 ± 12.3 vs. 80.3 ± 18.3 kg; p = 0.015) and men (81.7 ± 11.4 vs. 92.8 ± 16.3 kg; p &lt; 0.001) but no differences were found in height, smoking status, alcohol intake, social class and physical activity among women or men. Analyses in women revealed that cortical pore volume (Ct.Po.V) was higher in participants with DM and close to statistical significance for cortical porosity (Ct.Po) (? = 0.76 [0.12, 1.41] z-score, p = 0.020 and ? = 0.62 [?0.02, 1.27] z-score, p = 0.059, respectively) at the distal radius. Adjustment for weight did not materially affect the relationship described for Ct.Po.V (? = 0.74 [0.09, 1.39], p = 0.027) and Ct.Po (? = 0.65 [?0.01, 1.30], p = 0.053) at the distal radius. After adjustment for weight, analyses in men revealed that Ct.Po and Ct.Po.V were higher in participants with DM (? = 0.57 [0.09, 1.06] z-score, p = 0.021 and ? = 0.48 [0.01, 0.95] z-score, p = 0.044, respectively) at the distal tibia. Analyses of distal radial and tibial trabecular bone parameters according to diabetic status revealed no significant differences among men or women after adjustment for weight. We found higher cortical porosity and cortical pore volume at the distal tibia in men with DM and higher cortical pore volume at the distal radius in women with a non-significant tendency for higher cortical porosity. The results of our study suggest that deficits in cortical bone exist both in older men and women with DM

Non-invasive assessment of lower limb geometry and strength using hip structural analysis and peripheral quantitative computed tomography: a population-based comparison

Hip fracture is the most significant complication of osteoporosis in terms of mortality, long-term disability and decreased quality of life. In the recent years, different techniques have been developed to assess lower limb strength and ultimately fracture risk. Here we examine relationships between two measures of lower limb bone geometry and strength; proximal femoral geometry and tibial peripheral quantitative computed tomography. We studied a sample of 431 women and 488 men aged in the range 59–71 years. The hip structural analysis (HSA) programme was employed to measure the structural geometry of the left hip for each DXA scan obtained using a Hologic QDR 4500 instrument while pQCT measurements of the tibia were obtained using a Stratec 2000 instrument in the same population. We observed strong sex differences in proximal femoral geometry at the narrow neck, intertrochanteric and femoral shaft regions. There were significant (p &lt; 0.001) associations between pQCT-derived measures of bone geometry (tibial width; endocortical diameter and cortical thickness) and bone strength (strength strain index) with each corresponding HSA variable (all p &lt; 0.001) in both men and women. These results demonstrate strong correlations between two different methods of assessment of lower limb bone strength: HSA and pQCT. Validation in prospective cohorts to study associations of each with incident fracture is now indicated

Ischemic heart disease is associated with lower cortical volumetric bone mineral density of distal radius

Summary: In this study, high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT) was used to investigate geometric, volumetric and microstructural parameters at the distal radius and at the distal tibia in participants with ischaemic heart disease. We found that, compared with participants without ischaemic heart disease, they had substantially lower cortical volumetric bone mineral density (BMD) at the distal radius.Introduction:HR-pQCT captures novel aspects of bone geometry and volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) and offers the ability to measure bone microarchitecture, but data relating measures obtained from this technique in patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD) are lacking.Methods: Here, we report an analysis from the Hertfordshire Cohort Study, where we were able to study associations between measures obtained from HR-pQCT of distal radius and distal tibia in 350 participants (184 men and 166 women) aged 71.5–80.5 years with or without IHD (e.g. heart attack, angina or heart failure; n?=?75 and n?=?275, respectively).Results:Analyses for all participants (men and women together) revealed that cortical vBMD (Ct.vBMD) was lower (p?&lt;?0.001) and cortical thickness (Ct.th) was not different (p?=?0.519), whereas cortical porosity (Ct.Po) was higher (p?=?0.016) in participants with IHD at the distal radius. Moreover, trabecular microarchitectural parameters were not significantly different in patients with IHD (p?&gt;?0.05 for all). Adjustment for a priori confounders (age, gender, body mass index, smoking status, alcohol consumption, high blood pressure and diabetes mellitus) did not materially affect the relationship described for Ct.vBMD (p?=?0.002), but differences in Ct.Po were attenuated. Analyses in men alone revealed that only Ct.vBMD was lower at the distal radius in participants with IHD with and without adjustment for a priori confounders (p?=?0.0002 and p?=?0.004, respectively), whereas no statistical differences were found in women, although patterns of differences were similar in both sexes. Moreover, no association was found between IHD and bone parameters at the distal tibia either in men or women.Conclusions:We have demonstrated that IHD is associated with lower Ct.vBMD of the distal radius.<br/