Keeping Athletes Healthy at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Games: Considerations and Illness Prevention Strategies

Keeping athletes healthy will be important for optimal athletic performance at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games. Athletes will be exposed to several stressors during the preparatory and competition phases of the Summer Games that have the potential to depress immunity and increase illness risk. This mini-review provides an overview on effective and practical stressor-specific illness prevention strategies that can be implemented to maintain and protect the health of Olympic and Paralympic athletes

Arbitrarily primed PCR to type Vibrio spp. pathogenic for shrimp.

International audienceA molecular typing study on Vibrio strains implicated in shrimp disease outbreaks in New Caledonia and Japan was conducted by using AP-PCR (arbitrarily primed PCR). It allowed rapid identification of isolates at the genospecies level and studies of infraspecific population structures of epidemiological interest. Clusters identified within the species Vibrio penaeicida were related to their area of origin, allowing discrimination between Japanese and New Caledonian isolates, as well as between those from two different bays in New Caledonia separated by only 50 km. Other subclusters of New Caledonian V. penaeicida isolates could be identified, but it was not possible to link those differences to accurate epidemiological features. This contribution of AP-PCR to the study of vibriosis in penaeid shrimps demonstrates its high discriminating power and the relevance of the epidemiological information provided. This approach would contribute to better knowledge of the ecology of Vibrio spp. and their implication in shrimp disease in aquaculture

Repeatability characteristics of insulin response patterns and measures of insulin resistance

Background: Hyperinsulinaemia is emerging as an independent risk factor for metabolic disease, but diagnostic measures are limited. It is plausible that insulin resistance measures, such as homeostatic model assessment (HOMA) type 2 variants, may model hyperinsulinaemia, but repeatability data are limited. Kraft and Hayashi insulin response patterns may not only add value in diagnosing hyperinsulinaemia, but also lack suitable repeatability data. Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the repeatability of insulin response patterns, and fasting and dynamic measures of insulin resistance, and to determine whether these latter measures can predict the insulin response pattern. Setting: This study was conducted at Auckland University of Technology Millennium Institute’s sports performance laboratories. Methods: Oral glucose (100 g) tolerance tests were conducted weekly on eight people. Six people completed four tests, while two completed at least two tests. Each test assessed insulin resistance and response patterns. Insulin resistance measures included fasting tests (HOMA2, McAuley Index) and a dynamic test (oral glucose insulin sensitivity [OGIS]). The insulin response patterns were assessed with both Kraft and Hayashi methodologies. Repeatability characteristics of ordinal variables were assessed by Bland and Altman methods, while Fleiss’ κ was applied to categorical variables. Results: Fasting measures of insulin resistance recorded poor repeatability (HOMA2) or poor sensitivity (McAuley Index) compared to the dynamic measure (OGIS). Kraft insulin response patterns were more repeatable compared to Hayashi patterns, based on a combination of Fleiss’ κ (0.290 vs. 0.186,) p-value (0.15 vs. 0.798) and 95% confidence intervals. Conclusions: Both hyperinsulinaemia and insulin resistance should be dynamically assessed with a multi-sampled oral glucose tolerance test. Further investigations are required to confirm a preferred methodology

Correlation between antibiotic susceptibilities and genotypes in Neisseria gonorrhoeae from different geographical origins: determinants monitoring by real- time PCR as a complementary tool for surveillance

ABSTRACT Objective To determine in Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) isolates from different geographical areas whether monitoring of major determinants involved in chromosomal antimicrobial resistance correlated with phenotypes and could constitute complementary tools for surveillance. Methods Real-time multiplex PCR assays targeting penA, mtrR, penB, ponA, gyrA and parC determinants were applied to 169 NG extracts. Minimum inhibitory concentrations for penicillin and ciprofloxacin were determined by E tests, and b-lactamase production was analysed using nitrocefin discs

Low-carbohydrate diets differing in carbohydrate restriction improve cardiometabolic and anthropometric markers in healthy adults: A randomised clinical trial

Background Low-carbohydrate, high-fat (LCHF) diets are useful for treating a range of health conditions, but there is little research evaluating the degree of carbohydrate restriction on outcome measures. This study compares anthropometric and cardiometabolic outcomes between differing carbohydrate-restricted diets. Objective Our hypothesis was that moderate carbohydrate restriction is easier to maintain and more effective for improving cardiometabolic health markers than greater restriction. Design A total of 77 healthy participants were randomised to a very low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet (VLCKD), low-carbohydrate diet (LCD), or moderate-low carbohydrate diet (MCD), containing 5%, 15% and 25% total energy from carbohydrate, respectively, for 12-weeks. Anthropometric and metabolic health measures were taken at baseline and at 12 weeks. Using ANOVA, both within and between-group outcomes were analysed. Results Of 77 participants, 39 (51%) completed the study. In these completers overall, significant reductions in weight and body mass index occurred ((mean change) 3.7 kg/m2; 95% confidence limits (CL): 3.8, 1.8), along with increases in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, (0.49 mmol/L; 95% CL; 0.06, 0.92; p = 0.03), and total cholesterol concentrations (0.11 mmol/L; 95% CL; 0.00, 0.23; p = 0.05). Triglyceride (TG) levels were reduced by 0.12 mmol/L (95% CL; −0.20, 0.02; p = 0.02). No significant changes occurred between groups. The largest improvements in high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) and TG and anthropometric changes occurred for the VLCKD group. Conclusions Low-carbohydrate, high-fat diets have a positive effect on markers of health. Adherence to the allocation of carbohydrate was more easily achieved in MCD, and LCD groups compared to VLCKD and there were comparable improvements in weight loss and waist circumference and greater improvements in HDL-c and TG with greater carbohydrate restriction

A Journey with Elie Metchnikoff: From Innate Cell Mechanisms in Infectious Diseases to Quantum Biology

Many reviews of Elie Metchnikoff's work have been published, all unanimously acknowledging the significant contributions of his cellular theory to the fields of immunology and infectious diseases. In 1883, he published a key paper describing phagocytic cells in frogs. His descriptions were not just about phagocytes involved in host defense, he also described how these specialized cells eliminated degenerating or dying cells of the host. This perspective focuses on key concepts developed by Metchnikoff by presenting relevant excerpts of his 1883 paper and matching these concepts with challenges of modern immunology. A new approach to macrophage polarization is included to introduce some creative thinking about the exciting emerging area of quantum biology

INTERACTIONS ENTRE LES LEPTOSPIRA PATHOGENES ET LES CELLULES EUCARYOTES (DOCTORAT (MICROBIOLOGIE))

CHATENAY M.-PARIS 11-BU Pharma. (920192101) / SudocPARIS-BIUP (751062107) / SudocSudocFranceF