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Prevalence and determinants of sarcopenia in community-dwelling older adults in Ireland
No full textBackground
Data on the prevalence of sarcopenia among older adults in Ireland are lacking.
Aims
To assess the prevalence and determinants of sarcopenia among community-dwelling older adults in Ireland.
Methods
This cross-sectional analysis involved n = 308 community-dwelling adults aged ≥ 65 y living in Ireland. Participants were recruited via recreational clubs and primary healthcare services. Sarcopenia was defined according to the 2019 European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP2) criteria. Skeletal muscle mass was estimated using bioelectrical impedance analysis, strength was measured via handgrip dynamometry, and physical performance was assessed using the Short Physical Performance Battery. Detailed information was collected on demographics, health, and lifestyle. Dietary macronutrient intake was measured via a single 24 h recall. Binary logistic regression was used to examine potential demographic, health, lifestyle, and dietary determinants of sarcopenia (where both probable and confirmed sarcopenia were combined).
Results
The prevalence of EWGSOP2-defined probable sarcopenia was 20.8% and confirmed sarcopenia was 8.1% (5.8% had severe sarcopenia). Polypharmacy (OR 2.60, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.3, 5.23), height (OR 0.95, 95% CI 0.91, 0.98), and Instrumental Activities Of Daily Living (IADL) score (OR 0.71, 95% CI 0.59, 0.86) were independently associated with sarcopenia (probable and confirmed combined). There were no independent associations between energy-adjusted macronutrient intakes, as determined by 24 h recall, and sarcopenia.
Conclusion
Sarcopenia prevalence within this sample of community-dwelling older adults in Ireland is broadly similar to other European cohorts. Polypharmacy, lower height, and lower IADL score were independently associated with EWGSOP2-defined sarcopenia
Variation in the proportion of the segregating genome shared between full-sibling cattle and sheep
Get PDFpeer-reviewedThe construction of covariance matrices that account for the genetic relationships among individuals, using pedigree or genotype data, is integral to genetic evaluations, which are now routinely used in the field of animal breeding. The objective of the present study was to estimate the standard deviation in the proportion of the segregating genome that is shared between pairs of full-sibling cattle and sheep independently. Post edits, genotype data comprising 46,069 autosomal single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were available for 4532 unique full-sibling sheep pairs, as well as for their respective parents. Post edits, genotypes from 50,493 autosomal SNPs were also available for 10,000 unique full-sibling cattle pairs, as well as their respective parents. Genomic relationship matrices were constructed for the sheep and cattle populations, separately. After accounting for both parental genomic inbreeding and the genomic relationship between both parents, the standard deviation in full-sibling cattle and sheep genomic relationships was 0.040 and 0.037 units, respectively. In addition, the intercept value from a linear regression model which regressed each full-sibling genomic relationship on both sire and dam inbreeding, as well as the genomic relationship between the parents, was 0.499 (0.001) for sheep and 0.500 (0.001) for cattle, conforming to the expectation that full-siblings, on average, share 50% of their segregating genome
Alteration of Physicochemical Properties and Heating Stability of Reconstituted Acid Whey Powder by Calcium Chelating Salts
Get PDFpeer-reviewedThis version of the article has been accepted for publication, after peer review and is subject to Springer Nature’s AM terms of use, but is not the Version of Record and does not reflect post-acceptance improvements, or any corrections. The Version of Record is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11947-023-03198-8Trisodium citrate (TSC) and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid disodium salt (Na2-EDTA) were applied in reconstituted acid whey powder (AWP) at 20% w/w, which mimicked acid whey concentration during industrial whey processing. Physicochemical properties and heat stability of the AWP suspensions with 0–50 mM TSC and Na2-EDTA at pH 6.2 were investigated. TSC-containing suspensions prior to heating had decreasing Ca2+ activity, levels of sedimentation, and subtle reduction of aggregate size with increasing TSC concentrations (0–50 mM). Unheated Na2-EDTA-containing suspensions had lower levels of sedimentation and smaller aggregate sizes than unheated TSC-containing suspensions; however, reduction of Ca2+ activity was only observed up to 20 mM Na2-EDTA. Stronger effects of Na2-EDTA than TSC on levels of sediment, viscosity, and aggregate size of AWP suspensions were observed after heating, except for 50 mM Na2-EDTA. A remarkable difference between TSC and Na2-EDTA addition was the nature of aggregates formed in heated suspensions. TSC-containing suspensions contained larger aggregates than corresponding Na2-EDTA-containing suspensions, which exhibited increasing shear thinning behavior as a function of concentration. In contrast, the smaller aggregates in the corresponding Na2-EDTA-containing suspension showed shear thickening. The inverse relationship between aggregate size and levels of sediment for TSC-containing suspensions post-heat treatment may indicate the formation of loose aggregates that resist sedimentation.Enterprise Irelan
Plasma lutein and zeaxanthin concentrations associated with musculoskeletal health and incident frailty in The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA)
Get PDFpeer-reviewedIntroduction
Lutein and zeaxanthin are diet-derived carotenoids that are proposed to help mitigate frailty risk and age-related declines in musculoskeletal health via their anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the association between lutein and zeaxanthin status and indices of musculoskeletal health and incident frailty among community-dwelling adults aged ≥50 years in the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA).
Methods
Cross-sectional analyses (n = 4513) of plasma lutein and zeaxanthin concentrations and grip strength, usual gait speed, timed up-and-go (TUG), probable sarcopenia (defined as grip strength <27 kg in men, <16 kg in women), and bone mass (assessed using calcaneal broadband ultrasound stiffness index) were performed at Wave 1 (2009–2011; baseline). In the longitudinal analyses (n = 1425–3100), changes in usual gait speed (at Wave 3, 2014–2015), grip strength (Wave 4, 2016) and TUG (at Wave 5, 2018), incident probable sarcopenia (at Wave 4) and incident frailty (Fried's phenotype, Frailty Index, FRAIL Scale, Clinical Frailty Scale-classification tree, at Wave 5) were determined. Data were analysed using linear and ordinal logistic regression, adjusted for confounders.
Results
Cross-sectionally, plasma lutein and zeaxanthin concentrations were positively associated with usual gait speed (B [95 % CI] per 100-nmol/L higher concentration: Lutein 0.59 [0.18, 1.00], Zeaxanthin 1.46 [0.37, 2.55] cm/s) and inversely associated with TUG time (Lutein −0.07 [−0.11, −0.03], Zeaxanthin −0.14 [−0.25, −0.04] s; all p 0.05). Plasma lutein concentration was positively associated with bone stiffness index (0.54 [0.15, 0.93], p 0.05).
Conclusion
Higher plasma lutein and zeaxanthin concentrations at baseline were associated with a reduced likelihood of incident frailty after ~8 years of follow up. Baseline plasma lutein and zeaxanthin concentrations were also positively associated with several indices of musculoskeletal health cross-sectionally but were not predictive of longitudinal changes in these outcomes over 4–8 years.Horizon 2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action
Long-term mineral fertilizer application influences soil bacterial community structure, diversity and functioning.
No full textAim:
How does the long-term (46 years) application of mineral fertilizer to a production grassland influence bacterial community structure, diversity and functioning?
Method:
In 1972, a split-plot experiment was established in the Jura region (Switzerland), with four treatments (n = 6). These included a non-fertilized control (Cont), 80 and 240 kg ha yr-1 of mineral P and K, respectively (PK) and PK plus 75 (NPK) or 150 kg N ha yr-1 (NNPK). Soil DNA was extracted, with the bacterial 16S rRNA gene being PCR amplified and an amplicon-based Illumina Miseq sequence analysis conducted. Genes involved in soil nitrogen (chiA) and phosphorus mineralization (phoD) were also quantified.
Results:
There was a significant difference between Cont and all three fertilized treatments in terms of soil bacterial community structure (all P ≤ 0.05). There were also significant (P ≤ 0.05) differences between the fertilized treatments, with the exception of PK~NPK. The Shannon diversity index was significantly higher in PK (6.76) compared to Cont (6.56, P = 0.02), though this response was not seen in NPK or NNPK. Lastly, there was significantly higher abundance of the mineralization genes chiA and phoD in NNPK (4.75 x 104 and 1.27 x 105 gene copies g-1 dw, respectively) compared to Cont (2.10 x 104 and 6.91 x 104 gene copies g-1 dw, respectively).
Conclusions:
Long-term mineral fertilizer application strongly influenced soil bacterial community structure, with significant differences even being seen between different fertilized treatments. Soil bacterial diversity and potential activity for soil nutrient turnover also significantly increased
The prebiotic effect of a red seaweed on bacterial abundance and short chain fatty acid production in a simulated gut model.
No full textThe community of bacteria that reside in the human gut and their production of short chain fatty acids
(SCFA) impacts the overall health and immune status of the host. The ingestion of prebiotic components
by the host can enhance the abundance of bacterial species and increase their SCFA production. A South
Australian red seaweed was assessed for its potential use as a novel prebiotic. The whole, dried seaweed
thallus (WH), polysaccharide (PS) and polyphenol (PP) extracts were digested with gastric enzymes and
fermented in a simulated anaerobic gut model with human faecal inoculum. SCFA produced were quantified
by gas chromatography, and the relative abundance of bacteria by 16S rRNA sequencing. Inulin (INU) and
epigallocatechingallate (EGCG) were used as positive polysaccharide and polyphenol controls.
After 24 hr, total SCFA (predominantly butyric, acetic and propionic acids) produced by samples fermented
with red seaweed PS (213.20 µmol/mL), WH (183.94 µmol/mL), and PP (156.17 µmol/mL) were significantly greater
than samples fermented with INU (71.05 µmol/mL) and EGCG (7.76 µmol/mL). WH, PS and PP significantly
improved the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio compared to INU and EGCG, and the abundance of Barnesiella
species, which are positively associated with regulation of the microbiota composition. WH and PS extracts
(but not PP) increased species diversity, richness, and the abundance of Lactobacillales, Faecalibacteria,
Roseburia, Butyricicoccus, and Blautia which are associated with butyric and lactic acid production, and
immune function. We conclude that extracts from this red species may have potential as prebiotic
functional foods to maintain a healthy gut bacterial composition
Nutrition strategies to counteract sarcopenia: a focus on protein, LC n-3 PUFA and precision nutrition
No full textDiminished skeletal muscle strength and size, termed sarcopenia, contributes substantially to physical disability, falls, dependence and reduced quality of life among older people. Physical activity and nutrition are the cornerstones of sarcopenia prevention and treatment. The optimal daily protein intake required to preserve muscle mass and function among older adults is a topic of intense scientific debate. Older adults require protein intakes about 67 % higher than their younger counterparts to maximally stimulate postprandial muscle protein synthesis rates. In addition, evidence suggests a possible benefit of increasing protein intake above the population reference intake (0⋅83 g/kg/d) on lean mass and, when combined with exercise training, muscle strength. In addition to protein quantity, protein quality, the pattern of protein intake over the day and specific amino acids (i.e. leucine) represent key considerations. Long-chain n-3 PUFA (LC n-3 PUFA) supplementation has been shown to enhance muscle protein synthesis rates, increase muscle mass and function and augment adaptations to resistance training in older adults. Yet, these effects are not consistent across all studies. Emerging evidence indicates that an older person's dietary, phenotypic and behavioural characteristics may modulate the efficacy of protein and LC n-3 PUFA interventions for promoting improvements in muscle mass and function, highlighting the potential inadequacy of a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach. The application of personalised or precision nutrition to sarcopenia represents an exciting and highly novel field of research with the potential to help resolve inconsistencies in the literature and improve the efficacy of dietary interventions for sarcopenia
No rest for resting spores: Can predators mitigate clubroot disease?
No full textThe clubroot pathogen Plasmodiophora brassicae is a major and growing problem for the cultivation of Brassica crops. As conventional control disease management methods are ineffective or prohibited due to their ecological impact, and crop resistance is frequently broken, biological control of the pathogen has become a key focus for the development of sustainable agricultural systems. Here we provide a perspective review on the unexplored impact of soil microbiome predators, and their potential use as biocontrol agents, using clubroot disease as an example. We highlight several pathways by which microbiome predators can reduce clubroot in soils, including directly through predation and indirectly by inducing a clubroot-suppressive microbiome. We further discuss how some microbiome predators might, in contrast, benefit clubroot disease spread through mechanisms such as phoresy toward hosts. We highlight that gaps in knowledge need to be filled that hinder wider application of microbiome predators against P. brassicae alone, and in combination with known biocontrol agents
RNASEQ VS ENRICHMENT SEQUENCING TECHNIQUES: LIFTING THE LID ON THE POTATO-P. INFESTANS INTERACTIONS
No full textLate blight, caused by an oomycete; Phytophthora infestans continues to be the primary
disease of concern for potato farmers. The pathogen virulence is attributed to the presence
of effectors (pathogenicity factors), which if recognised by plant resistance (R) genes,
triggers the immune response. Not surprisingly P. infestans has evolved accordingly, which
has driven effector diversity in P. infestans populations. Yet, our understanding of this
adaptive evolution remains poor. Therefore, tracking effector diversity in light of disease
resistance gene deployment is critically important if robust IPM strategies are to be
developed in support of Farm to Fork (F2F) goals.
Enrichment sequencing techniques enable cost effective, high-confidence identification of
functional R genes and effectors. Although merits of enrichment sequencing over WGS has
been previously demonstrated, but its comparison with gene expression remains elusive. In
this regard, P. infestans infected potato plants were subjected to RNAseq, PenSeq and
RenSeq at different time points. The analysis reveals the presence of some unknown
effectors (PITG_08949, PITG_14932, PITG_02900, etc.) with 100% gene coverage at very
early stages of infection which was otherwise not possible with RNAseq.
This information combined with R gene expression during infection have potential to widen
our current knowledge of potato-P. infestans interactions, and can be used as a platform for
introducing informed phase of potato breeding
Across-breeds systems biology analysis reveals key genes contributing to feed efficiency in beef cattle
No full textProvision of feed in beef production systems is a major determinant of overall profitability as it
typically accounts for over 75% of the variable cost. Thus, improving cattle feed efficiency by way
of determining the underlying molecular control and subsequently selecting for feed efficient cattle
through genomic selection provides a method through which feed costs may be reduced. The
objective of this study was to undertake gene co-expression network analysis on RNAseq data
generated from Longissimus dorsi tissue samples collected from steers divergent for residual feed
intake (RFI) within two contrasting breed types (Charolais and Holstein-Friesian). Several gene
categories, including differentially expressed genes (DEG) based on the contrasts of both breed and
RFI phenotype as well as key transcription factors and proteins secreted in plasma were utilised as
nodes of the gene co-expression networks. Significant network connections were identified using an
algorithm that exploits the dual concepts of partial correlation and information theory (PCIT).
Results revealed 530 and 531 DEG for the RFI and breed contrasts, respectively. PCIT network
analysis resulted in the formation of one RFI specific cluster which included genes related to
metabolic processes and cell cycle. A second cluster which included genes related to both RFI and
breed was enriched for immune-related pathways such as coagulation system and the complement
cascade. This latter network was of particular interest due to the potential identification of genes
contributing to RFI that are sufficiently robust across breed type. Moreover, genes included within
this network also encode proteins secreted in plasma, highlighting the potential use of these genes
as blood-based biomarkers for RFI in beef cattle