Study circles improve the precision in nutritional care in special accommodations

Background: Disease-related malnutrition is a major health problem in the elderly population, but it has until recently received very little attention, especially are management issues under-explored. By identifying residents at the risk of undernutrition, appropriate nutritional care can be provided. Objectives: Do study circles and policy documents improve the precision in nutritional care and decrease the prevalence of low or high BMI? Design: Pre and post intervention study. Setting: Special accommodations (nursing homes) within six municipalities were involved. Participants: In 2005, 1726 (90.4%) out of 1910 residents agreed to participate and in 2007, 1526 (81.8%) out of 1866 residents participated. Intervention: Study circles in one municipality, having a policy document in one municipality and no intervention in four municipalities. Measurements: Risk of undernutrition was defined as involving any of: involuntary weight loss, low BMI, and/or eating difficulties. Overweight was defined as high BMI. Results: In 2005 and 2007, 64% of 1726 and 66% of 1526 residents respectively were at the risk of undernutrition. In 2007 significantly more patients in the study circle municipality were accurately provided protein and energy enriched food compared to in the no intervention municipalities. There was a decrease in the prevalence of low BMI in the study circle municipality and the prevalence of overweight increased in the policy document municipality between 2005 and 2007

Spatial division multiplexing for optical data center networks

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Altered fibroblast proteoglycan production in COPD

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Airway remodeling in COPD includes reorganization of the extracellular matrix. Proteoglycans play a crucial role in this process as regulators of the integrity of the extracellular matrix. Altered proteoglycan immunostaining has been demonstrated in COPD lungs and this has been suggested to contribute to the pathogenesis. The major cell type responsible for production and maintenance of ECM constituents, such as proteoglycans, are fibroblasts. Interestingly, it has been proposed that central airways and alveolar lung parenchyma contain distinct fibroblast populations. This study explores the hypothesis that altered depositions of proteoglycans in COPD lungs, and in particular versican and perlecan, is a result of dysregulated fibroblast proteoglycan production.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Proliferation, proteoglycan production and the response to TGF-β₁were examined <it>in vitro </it>in centrally and distally derived fibroblasts isolated from COPD patients (GOLD stage IV) and from control subjects.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Phenotypically different fibroblast populations were identified in central airways and in the lung parenchyma. Versican production was higher in distal fibroblasts from COPD patients than from control subjects (p < 0.01). In addition, perlecan production was lower in centrally derived fibroblasts from COPD patients than from control subjects (p < 0.01). TGF-β₁triggered similar increases in proteoglycan production in distally derived fibroblasts from COPD patients and control subjects. In contrast, centrally derived fibroblasts from COPD patients were less responsive to TGF-β₁than those from control subjects.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The results show that fibroblasts from COPD patients have alterations in proteoglycan production that may contribute to disease development. Distally derived fibroblasts from COPD patients have enhanced production of versican that may have a negative influence on the elastic recoil. In addition, a lower perlecan production in centrally derived fibroblasts from COPD patients may indicate alterations in bronchial basement membrane integrity in severe COPD.</p

Two centuries of masting data for European beech and Norway spruce across the European continent

Tree masting is one of the most intensively studied ecological processes. It affects nutrient fluxes of trees, regeneration dynamics in forests, animal population densities, and ultimately influences ecosystem services. Despite a large volume of research focused on masting, its evolutionary ecology, spatial and temporal variability and environmental drivers are still matter of debate. Understanding the proximate and ultimate causes of masting at broad spatial and temporal scales will enable us to predict tree reproductive strategies and their response to changing environment. Here we provide broad spatial (distribution range-wide) and temporal (century) masting data for the two main masting tree species in Europe, European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) and Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst.). We collected masting data from a total of 359 sources through an extensive literature review and from unpublished surveys. The dataset has a total of 1747 series and 18348 yearly observations from 28 countries and covering a time span of years 1677-2016 and 1791-2016 for beech and spruce, respectively. For each record, the following information is available: identification code; species; year of observation; proxy of masting (flower, pollen, fruit, seed, dendrochronological reconstructions); statistical data type (ordinal, continuous); data value; unit of measurement (only in case of continuous data); geographical location (country, Nomenclature of Units for Territorial Statistics NUTS-1 level, municipality, coordinates); first and last record year and related length; type of data source (field survey, peer reviewed scientific literature, grey literature, personal observation); source identification code; date when data were added to the database; comments. To provide a ready-to-use masting index we harmonized ordinal data into five classes. Furthermore, we computed an additional field where continuous series with length >4 years where converted into a five classes ordinal index. To our knowledge, this is the most comprehensive published database on species-specific masting behaviour. It is useful to study spatial and temporal patterns of masting and its proximate and ultimate causes, to refine studies based on tree-ring chronologies, to understand dynamics of animal species and pests vectored by these animals affecting human health, and it may serve as calibration-validation data for dynamic forest models.The paper was partly funded by the “Fondo di Ricerca Locale 2015-2016” of the University of Torino and by the Stiftelsen Stina Werners fond (grant SSWF 10-1/29-3 to I.D.)

Functional and phenotypical comparison of myofibroblasts derived from biopsies and bronchoalveolar lavage in mild asthma and scleroderma

BACKGROUND: Activated fibroblasts, which have previously been obtained from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), are proposed to be important cells in the fibrotic processes of asthma and scleroderma (SSc). We have studied the motility for BALF derived fibroblasts in patients with SSc that may explain the presence of these cells in the airway lumen. Furthermore, we have compared phenotypic alterations in activated fibroblasts from BALF and bronchial biopsies from patients with mild asthma and SSc that may account for the distinct fibrotic responses. METHODS: Fibroblasts were cultured from BALF and bronchial biopsies from patients with mild asthma and SSc. The motility was studied using a cell migration assay. Western Blotting was used to study the expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), ED-A fibronectin, and serine arginine splicing factor 20 (SRp20). The protein expression pattern was analyzed to reveal potential biomarkers using two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) and sequencing dual matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-TOF). The Mann-Whitney method was used to calculate statistical significance. RESULTS: Increased migration and levels of ED-A fibronectin were observed in BALF fibroblasts from both groups of patients, supported by increased expression of RhoA, Rac1, and the splicing factor SRp20. However, these observations were exclusively accompanied by increased expression of α-SMA in patients with mild asthma. Compared to BALF fibroblasts in mild asthma, fibroblasts in SSc displayed a differential protein expression pattern of cytoskeletal- and scavenger proteins. These identified proteins facilitate cell migration, oxidative stress, and the excessive deposition of extracellular matrix observed in patients with SSc. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates a possible origin for fibroblasts in the airway lumen in patients with SSc and important differences between fibroblast phenotypes in mild asthma and SSc. The findings may explain the distinct fibrotic processes and highlight the motile BALF fibroblast as a potential target cell in these disorders

The Forkhead Transcription Factor Foxi1 Is a Master Regulator of Vacuolar H+-ATPase Proton Pump Subunits in the Inner Ear, Kidney and Epididymis

The vacuolar H+-ATPase dependent transport of protons across cytoplasmic membranes in FORE (forkhead related) cells of endolymphatic epithelium in the inner ear, intercalated cells of collecting ducts in the kidney and in narrow and clear cells of epididymis require expression of several subunits that assemble into a functional multimeric proton pump. We demonstrate that expression of four such subunits A1, B1, E2 and a4 all co-localize with the forkhead transcription factor Foxi1 in a subset of epithelial cells at these three locations. In cells, of such epithelia, that lack Foxi1 we fail to identify any expression of A1, B1, E2 and a4 demonstrating an important role for the transcription factor Foxi1 in regulating subunit availability. Promoter reporter experiments, electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA) and site directed mutagenesis demonstrate that a Foxi1 expression vector can trans-activate an a4-promoter reporter construct in a dose dependent manner. Furthermore, we demonstrate using chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays that Foxi1-dependent activation to a large extent depends on cis-elements at position −561/−547 in the a4 promoter. Thus, we provide evidence that Foxi1 is necessary for expression of at least four subunits in three different epithelia and most likely is a major determinant for proper assembly of a functional vacuolar H+-ATPase complex at these locations

Global guidelines for the sustainable use of non-native trees to prevent tree invasions and mitigate their negative impacts

Sustainably managed non-native trees deliver economic and societal benefits with limited risk of spread to adjoining areas. However, some plantations have launched invasions that cause substantial damage to biodiversity and ecosystem services, while others pose substantial threats of causing such impacts. The challenge is to maximise the benefits of non-native trees, while minimising negative impacts and preserving future benefits and options. A workshop was held in 2019 to develop global guidelines for the sustainable use of non-native trees, using the Council of Europe – Bern Convention Code of Conduct on Invasive Alien Trees as a starting point. The global guidelines consist of eight recommendations: 1) Use native trees, or non-invasive non-native trees, in preference to invasive non-native trees; 2) Be aware of and comply with international, national, and regional regulations concerning non-native trees; 3) Be aware of the risk of invasion and consider global change trends; 4) Design and adopt tailored practices for plantation site selection and silvicultural management; 5) Promote and implement early detection and rapid response programmes; 6) Design and adopt tailored practices for invasive non-native tree control, habitat restoration, and for dealing with highly modified ecosystems; 7) Engage with stakeholders on the risks posed by invasive non-native trees, the impacts caused, and the options for management; and 8) Develop and support global networks, collaborative research, and information sharing on native and non-native trees. The global guidelines are a first step towards building global consensus on the precautions that should be taken when introducing and planting non-native trees. They are voluntary and are intended to complement statutory requirements under international and national legislation. The application of the global guidelines and the achievement of their goals will help to conserve forest biodiversity, ensure sustainable forestry, and contribute to the achievement of several Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations linked with forest biodiversity