Bone Quality Assessment in Individuals of Different Age, Gender and Body Constitution

The concept of bone quality describes the sets of the characteristics of the osseous tissue that influence bone strength. The aim was to explore the influence of anthropometric parameters and age on the parameters of the bone architecture and bone mineral properties in the lumbar vertebral bone of men and women. Vertebral bone samples underwent bone histomorphometry, bone densitometry and atomic absorption spectrometry. Men have greater values of the bone volume and thicker bone trabeculae in relation to women, which indicates that vertebral bone architecture is better preserved in men than in women. Age is the best predictor of changes that affect bone architecture and bone mineral properties. Bone mineral density value and calcium concentration are both negatively predicted by age, but positively predicted by boda mass index. Such result supports the opinion that low body mass index is associated with conditions of bone deficit such are osteopenia and osteoporosis

Muscle Loss in Elderly

Aging is associated with loss of skeletal muscle mass, strength and endurance. The aim of this study was to determinate age related changes in human muscles with different function and location in the body (vastus lateralis muscle and intercostal internus muscle). Our results suggest that age related muscle atrophy affect both human skeletal muscles. Also, the results showed the increase in percentage of muscle fibers with high oxidative activity during aging

Immunohistochemical Analysis of the Human Psoas Major Muscle with Regards to the Body Side and Aging

The aim of our study was to explore the age related changes of the fibre type composition of the human psoas major muscle. Moreover, we wanted to compare the fibre type composition of the left and right muscle. Muscle samples were collected from 15 young and 15 old males. Type I, IIA and IIX muscle fibres were typed using myosin heavy chain identification. The serial transverse sections were analysed using a light microscope. Results of our study showed that the age-related atrophy affected all three fibre types. Type IIA fibres were affected most profoundly while type I fibres were affected most weakly. The percentage of the different fibre types did not change during aging. There were no differences in the fibre type composition between the left and right muscle. Human psoas major muscle undergoes normal aging changes with the atrophy of all three fibre types, whereas atrophy most profoundly affects type IIA fibres. No differences in the fibre type composition between the left and right muscle point to the equal engagement of both legs in normal everyday activities of human

The Effect of Nutrition Knowledge on Dietary Intake among Croatian University Students

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between nutrition knowledge and dietary intakes among university students. The students (264 males and 741 females) were asked to answer a validated General Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire and to fulfil a Food Frequency Questionnaire. Gender, university status (freshmen, juniors, seniors) and eating arrangements (home, restaurants, self-cooking) were used as predictors of the relationship between nutrition knowledge and dietary intake. The findings indicated that women (p=0.008), senior students (p<0.001) and those who prepare food for themselves (p=0.038) have higher nutrition knowledge scores. The assessment of nutrition knowledge had parallels in dietary intake, and adherence to the dietary recommendations was significantly associated with nutrition knowledge scores (p<0.001). Regression analysis showed differences in daily intakes of grains (p<0.001), meat and beans group (p<0.001), vegetables (p<0.001), fruits (p=0.002) and oils (p<0.001) in relation to all predictors. However, nutrition knowledge acted as a modifier of the influence of eating arrangements. Logistic regression has shown that students with the highest nutrition knowledge are twelve times more likely to have a diet in accordance to recommendations compared to students with the lowest level of knowledge ([OR]=12.03, 95% [CI]=6.64–21.79, p<0.001). The results support the value of including nutrition knowledge in health education campaigns targeting the student population with the aim of improving their dietary intake

Age-Related and Gender-Related Differences between Human Vertebral and Iliac Crest Bone – A Histomorphometric Study on the Population of the Mediterranean Coast of Croatia

In this study, osseous tissue was examined in normal adult population that has inhabited areas by the Croatian Adriatic Sea. The most of such studies have shown that women are prone to lose bone connectedness, while men are predisposed to be a stronger constitution and they start with greater bone mass, though. Bone samples from two different anatomic sites were analyzed. The crista iliaca and the lumbar vertebra represent functionally different organs too. We wanted to consider weather the same age- and gender-related changes affect these two organs due to normal aging. Static histomorphometry was used to quantify involution changes in the trabecular bone. Results showed that involution process more severely affects women than men. Age-related structural changes were more prominent in lumbar vertebra than in iliac crest bone. Severe structural changes in lumbar vertebra could subsequently lead to a dysfunctional and deformed vertebral column. Therefore, iliac crest bone biopsies could hardly explain involution process that affects lumbar spine

Influence of Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment on Myogenic Transcriptional Factors of Denervated Rat Muscle

The aim of this study was to determine whether hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2) treatment influences the expression of transcriptional myogenic factors in denervated rat’s extensor digitorum longus muscle. Thus, expressing regulatory myogenic factors MyoD and myogenin were analyzed in denervated muscles (up to 30 days). Second group of denervated rats were afterwards treated with HBO2. Normal, innervated muscles were used as controls. Western blot analysis showed a significant upregulation of MyoD and myogenin proteins in denervated muscle during this period. Denervated muscles of rats exposed to HBO2 treatment had also significant upregulation of both transcriptional factors but the treatment had not altered their expression. The immunohistochemical analysis showed MyoD and myogenin protein expression through this period in the denervated, untreated muscles and in denervated muscles of rats treated with HBO2, too. One month denervation caused a reduction in muscle fiber cross-sectional area. The treatment with HBO2 had not reduced the degree of atrophy. The protocol of hyperbaric oxygenation (HBO) applied in this study had no beneficial effect either on transcriptional myogenic factors or on atrophy of denervated rat muscle

The Influence of Clinical and Anthropometric Parameters on the Serum Levels of the Endothelin-1 in Pregnant Women and their Newborns

Pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH) is major contributor to maternal death in developing countries. Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is the most potent vasoconstriction agent known and its serum levels are increased in PIH. Therefore it is important to elucidate maternal and neonatal factors which influence endothelin-1 serum levels. 100 pathological pregnancies and 88 controls were analyzed for blood endothelin-1 and their anthropometric and clinical data were collected. In maternal blood ET-1 levels were strongly predicted by diagnosis, therapy and BMI, while umbilical cord ET-1 levels were strongly predicted by gestational age, therapy and delivery termination. Positive correlation between BMI and ET-1 levels suggest that obese pregnant women have increased risk for cardiovascular diseases. Inverse relationship between Apgar and umbilical ET-1 indicates that ET-1 could be considered as a prognostic marker in cases of neonatal asphyxia

Uticaj pulsirajućeg elektromagnetnog polja na sadržaj proteina u semenu soje

Many studies show that in the last 20 years, the increase in production per hectare has been achieved mainly due to the creation of new varieties and the development of plant breeding. Innovations in plant breeding are the main way to find new traits, values and tolerances, which are the only ones that can respond to the increased demand for yield and more efficient production. In addition to high and stable yields, it is very important that the soybean seed has a satisfactory technological quality. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine how the application of pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMFs) affected the protein yield of soybean seed depending on the year, exposure time and frequency. The field trials were conducted in the experimental field of the Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops in Novi Sad, Serbia in 2010-2013. For this research, the seeds of a medium-sized variety Valjevka exposed to a pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) using a pulse generator and a strip applicator were used. A low frequency pulsed electromagnetic field (16, 24, 30, 72 Hz) was used at the exposure times of 0, 30, 60, and 90 minutes. The results of the research show that the application of this method can increase the yield of protein in soybean seed for more than 20%, which is a significant increase, especially in organic production, where the use of seed treatment agents is very restricted. However, this measure can also have an inhibitory effect if an adverse combination of exposure time and frequency strength is selected.Mnoga istraživanja pokazuju da se u poslednjih 20 godina povećanje proizvodnje po hektaru ostvaruje uglavnom zahvaljujući stvaranju novih sorti i razvoju oplemenjivanja biljaka. Inovacije u oplemenjivanju biljaka su glavni put za iznalaženje novih osobina, vrednosti i tolerantnosti, koje jedine mogu da odgovore povećanom zahtevu za prinosom i efikasnijom proizvodnjom. Osim visokih i stabilnih prinosa, veoma je važno da seme soje poseduje i zadovoljavajući tehnološki kvalitet. Zbog toga je cilj ovog istraživanja bio da se ispita kako primena pulsirajućeg elektromagnetnog polja (PEMP) deluje na sadržaj proteina u semenu soje u zavisnosti od godine, vremena trajanja ekspozicije i jačine frekvencije. Poljski ogled je izveden na eksperimentalnom polju Instituta za ratarstvo i povrtarstvo u Novom Sadu u periodu od 2010. do 2013. godine. Za ovo istraživanje korišćeno je seme srednjerane sorte Valjevka koje je izlagano pulsirajućem elektromagnetnom polju (PEMP) pomoću generatora impulsa i trakastog aplikatora. Korišćeno je pulsirajuće elektromagnetno polje niskih frekvencija (16, 24, 30, 72 Hz) u vremenu ekspozicije od 0, 30, 60 i 90 minuta. Rezultati istraživanja pokazuju da primena ove metode može povećati prinos proteina u semenu soje do 20%, što predstavlja značajno povećanje i dobru osnovu da se ova mera počne koristiti, pre svega u organskoj proizvodnji, gde je primena sredstava za tretiranje semena veoma ograničena međutim, ova mera može imati i inhibitorni efekat ako se izabere nepovoljna kombinacija vremena ekspozicije i jačine frekvencije

Effect of Statin Therapy Duration on Bone Turnover Markers in Dyslipidemic Patients

Background and Purpose: Statins are cholesterol-lowering drugs decreasing bone resorption by inhibition of the farnesyl diphosphate synthase step in the mevalonic acid pathway and therefore are believed to have beneficial effects on bone status. The objective was to examine the relationship between statin therapy duration and bone turnover markers in dyslipidemic patients. Patients and Methods: Two hundred and eighty subjects were divided into five groups depending on duration of statin therapy: (controls 0 yrs); (0.1-1.5 yrs); (2-5 yrs); (6-10 yrs); (11-30 yrs). ELISA method was applied on fasting serums using bone formation markers: Osteoprotegerin (pmol/l) and Osteocalcin (ng/ml) and bone resorption markers: sRANKL (pmol/l) and CrossLaps (ng/ml). In statistical analysis, multiple regressions were used. Results: A common influence of studied predictor variables was statistically significant for sRANKL, Serum CrossLaps and osteocalcin (P<0.001), while statistical significance was not found for osteoprotegerin. The largest shares of contributions were recorded in Model 2 for the statin group (40%) and BMI (36%) and in Model 1 for statin group (35%) and total cholesterol (28%). Conclusions: Statins showed favorable influence on osteocalcin and sRANKL, indicating improved bone metabolism in patients with longer duration of statin therapy

Immunohistochemical study of the BMPs and their extracellular antagonists in osteoarthritic human knee joint

The osteophytes are bone spurs overgrowing the edge of the articular cartilage during the course of osteoarthritis (OA). The cellular mechanism of their development and growth resembles the intramembranous and endochondral bone development during embrional and postnatal normal bone development, growth, modeling, remodeling and repair. The role of BMPs in bone development and metabolism is well documented and the members of the BMPs molecular network were recognized as important factors which could modulate new bone development and growth of osteophytes. The purpose of this study is to analyze the cooexpression of the most potent osteoinductive members of the BMP family (BMP-2, -4 and -7) and their extracellular antagonists gremlin, noggin, chordin, follistatin in order to establish their role during degenerative process of the synovial joints and growth of osteophyte. In this study, the BMP-2, BMP-4, BMP-7, gremlin, noggin, chordin, follistatin expressions were analyzed in joint tissues from OA patients and from healthy individuals by immunohistochemistry and Western blot. The immunohistochemistry showed different localization pattern of BMPs and BMP extracellular antagonists expressions in OA vs. normal joint tissues. In osteophyte, BMP-2 was not detected, while BMP-4 and BMP-7 were positive in hypertrophyc chondrocytes and osteocytes at the sites of endochondral bone development. BMP-7 was strongly positive, while BMP-4 was negative in synovial membrane of OA joints. Gremlin, chordin and noggin were found in chondrocytes, osteoblasts of the osteophytic bone and synovial epithelium, while follistatin was found in chondrocytes, blood vessels and synovial epithelium. Our result demonstrate the significant differences in BMPs and their antagonists expression in normal tissues compare to joint tissue affected by OA and revealed how molecular balance of the local growth factors such as BMPs and their antagonists could be disturbed during degenerative processes. Also, these findings suggest the potent role of these molecular factors in pathogenesis of the OA and/or during growth and development of the human knee joint osteophytes