Does aging affect the immune status? A comparative analysis in 300 healthy volunteers from France, Austria and Spain

Background: As the European population is getting older, there is growing need in scientific data on how to achieve healthy and successful aging. A decline in immune function with age is unanimously supported by many epidemiological and clinical observations, with a decrease in T-cell mediated function encompassing a large part of this alteration. In the EU-funded VITAGE project, the effects of aging on biomarkers of immune status are being studied in three European countries. According to strict inclusion/exclusion criteria, a cohort of 300 healthy male non-smoking 20-75 years old volunteers were enrolled in France (n = 99), Spain (n = 100) and Austria (n = 101). In each country, the volunteers were classified as a function of age (one age group per decade). Biomarkers of immune status were determined including delayed-type hypersensitivity tests, measurement of lymphocyte surface markers, and serum determinations of interleukin-2, complement fractions and immunoglobulins. [br/] Results: There were moderate differences in the biomarkers of immune status of the VITAGE study volunteers among the three European centres. The percentage of Natural Killer (NK) cells was 156% and 142% higher in Spain as compared to France and Austria, respectively (p < 0.0001), and this increase was observed at any age group above 30 years. Comparison between age-groups showed that in Spain, but not in France or Austria, older individuals had significantly a lower B lymphocyte distribution and conversely, a higher NK cell distribution. Moreover, the CD4/CD8 ratio was positively correlated with age in Austrian subjects (p < 0.0001). [br/] Conclusion: Our results provide evidence of an increased NK cell distribution in the elderly, especially in the Spanish population. NK cell status may predict morbidity and mortality in the elderly, emphasizing the importance of innate as well as adaptive immunity in ensuring healthy longevity and cancer resistance, possibly in link with the Mediterranean diet

Precipitated sdLDL: An easy method to estimate LDL particle size

Background: LDL-C lowering is the main measure in cardiovascular disease prevention but a residual risk of ischemic events still remains. Alterations of lipoproteins, specially, increase in small dense LDL (sdLDL) particles are related to this risk. Objective: To investigate the potential use of sdLDL cholesterol concentration (sdLDL-C) isolated by an easy precipitation method and to assess the impact of a set of clinical and biochemical variables determined by NMR on sdLDL concentration. Methods: sdLDL-C and NMR lipid profile were performed in 85 men samples. Association among them was evaluated using Pearson coefficients (rxy ). A multivariate regression was performed to identify the influence of NMR variables on sdLDL-C. Results: A strong association between sdLDL-C and LDLLDL-P (rxy = 0.687) and with LDL-Z (rxy = -0.603) was found. The multivariate regression explained a 56.8% in sdLDL-C variation (P = 8.77.10-12). BMI, ApoB, triglycerides, FFA, and LDL-Z showed a significant contribution. The most important ones were ApoB and LDL-Z; a 1nm increase (LDL-Z) leads to decrease 126 nmol/L in sdLDL-C. Conclusion: The association between sdLDL-C, LDL-Z, and LDL-P is clear. From a large number of variables, especially LDL-Z and apoB influence on sdLDL-C. Results show that the smaller the LDL size, the higher their cholesterol concentration. Therefore, sdLDL-C determination by using this easy method would be useful to risk stratification and to uncover cardiovascular residual risk

Dr. Ahmed Ouali, 1948–2020

International audienceAhmed Ouali was born on October 4, 1948 in Tigzirt, Tizi-Ouzou, Algeria. In 1952, he moved with his parents to Montluçon, France. In 1974, he was trained and graduated with a bachelor's degree in Biochemistry at the University of Lyon. He then, in 1976, earned a joint Ph.D. in Animal Science at the University of Blaise Pascal (Clermont-Ferrand) where he studied at the National Institute of Agricultural Research (INRA, Theix). The title of his doctorate thesis was “The role of muscle proteases on meat tenderization”. Subsequently, he was employed in a private laboratory for medical analysis from 1976 to 1978 and thereafter at the Meat Research Laboratory group at INRA, Theix as a permanent researcher. In 1990, he was appointed as a research director and led the “Biochemistry and Functions of Muscle Proteins” unit for 8 years. The Meat Research Station focused their research on many topics including colour and protein oxidation; enzymology and tenderness; and muscle protein functionalities. During his entire scientific career at INRA, but before his retirement on October 2013, Ahmed was living in Clermont-Ferrand, the city of the famous volcanic chain of the Puy-de-Dôme, with his wife Anne-Marie with whom he had two lovely children: Armelle (41 years) and Gäel (38 years). In 2019, they moved to their new house in Montpellier in the South of France

Global patient outcomes after elective surgery: prospective cohort study in 27 low-, middle- and high-income countries.

BACKGROUND: As global initiatives increase patient access to surgical treatments, there remains a need to understand the adverse effects of surgery and define appropriate levels of perioperative care. METHODS: We designed a prospective international 7-day cohort study of outcomes following elective adult inpatient surgery in 27 countries. The primary outcome was in-hospital complications. Secondary outcomes were death following a complication (failure to rescue) and death in hospital. Process measures were admission to critical care immediately after surgery or to treat a complication and duration of hospital stay. A single definition of critical care was used for all countries. RESULTS: A total of 474 hospitals in 19 high-, 7 middle- and 1 low-income country were included in the primary analysis. Data included 44 814 patients with a median hospital stay of 4 (range 2-7) days. A total of 7508 patients (16.8%) developed one or more postoperative complication and 207 died (0.5%). The overall mortality among patients who developed complications was 2.8%. Mortality following complications ranged from 2.4% for pulmonary embolism to 43.9% for cardiac arrest. A total of 4360 (9.7%) patients were admitted to a critical care unit as routine immediately after surgery, of whom 2198 (50.4%) developed a complication, with 105 (2.4%) deaths. A total of 1233 patients (16.4%) were admitted to a critical care unit to treat complications, with 119 (9.7%) deaths. Despite lower baseline risk, outcomes were similar in low- and middle-income compared with high-income countries. CONCLUSIONS: Poor patient outcomes are common after inpatient surgery. Global initiatives to increase access to surgical treatments should also address the need for safe perioperative care. STUDY REGISTRATION: ISRCTN5181700

Holistic Approaches for Agriculture and Food Industry Cooperation

AFST(I) is organizing its 8th International Food Convention [IFCoN 2018] during December 12-15 , 2018 at Mysore with the focal theme "Holistic Approaches for Start up, Food Innovation and Human Resource Training for Agriculture and Food Industry Gemmation" (HASHTAG). The 8th IFCoN is planned to have about 25 technical sessions spread over the 4 days of the conference and involve about I 00 Internationally recognized speakers from research and academic institutes, industry, government and autonomous bodies, and students from food science and technology institutes across the globe.Holistic Approaches for Agriculture and Food Industry Cooperation. 8th International Food Convention - #IFCoN201

InnovationS in Agriculture : from lab to land project in a Living Lab concept

InnovationS in Agriculture : from lab to land project in a Living Lab concept. 21st edition of Bengaluru Tech Summi

Place de la nutrition dans les changements globaux

Université d'été de nutrition:Depuis 1999 se déroule en septembre sur 2 jours, à Clermont-Ferrand, l'Université d'Eté de Nutrition destinée à un large public : médecins, diététiciens, formateurs, chercheurs, professionnels de l'agroalimentaire et étudiantsComité d’organisation et scientifiqueY. Boirie, L. Bruchet, F. Carvalho, V. Coxam, G. Garrait, C. Malpuech-Brugère, N. Meunier, M. Meynier,R. Richard, E. Rock, A. Rossary.La science de la Nutrition a fortement contribué et contribuera à la connaissance de l’impact des nutriments sur la physiologie et la pathophysiologie de l’organisme. Il apparaît de plus en plus évident que les nutriments comme les organes font partie de système complexe tel que les aliments et l’alimentation d’une part, et l’organisme et les relations établies entre les organes. L’alimentation et l’organisme sont eux-mêmes inclus dans un environnement complexe avec là aussi une interaction beaucoup moins étudiée dans son intégralité. Dans ce contexte, la session se propose de réfléchir et d’échanger sur une vision holistique de cette complexité allant de l’agriculture à la santé, le premier considéré comme le premier maillon de la chaîne alimentaire et le second pouvant être perçu comme étant l’impact final sur la physiologie de l’organisme. Cette chaîne est celle décrite, entre autre, comme le Système Alimentaire. L’indicateur initial de ce Système était principalement focalisé sur la Sécurité Alimentaire et auquel ont été rajoutées successivement la sécurité sanitaire, puis la sécurité nutritionnelle et aujourd’hui la sécurité environnementale. Les présentations proposées apporteront un éclairage pour nous, public évoluant dans le domaine de la nutrition humaine. Le débat qui en suivra est supposé éclairer la place potentielle de nos recherches en Nutrition Humaine, voire d’apporter des réflexions communes sur la transition à faire pour donner une place entière de notre domaine comme un maillon de cette chaine alimentaire