Dietary supplementation with green tea extract improves the antioxidant status and oocyte developmental competence in Italian Mediterranean buffaloes.

The aim of this work was to assess the antioxidant status and the developmental competence of oocytes recovered by ovum pick-up (OPU) in Italian Mediterranean buffaloes supplemented with green tea extracts (GTE) for 90 days. Buffalo cows (n = 16) were randomly assigned to a control group receiving no supplement and a treatment group, receiving GTE starting 90 days before OPU, carried out for five consecutive sessions. Blood samples were collected before the start of supplementation with GTE (T0) and at day 45 (T1) and day 90 (T2) of supplementation, to measure ferric reducing activity (FRAP), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). The antioxidant status of follicles was measured as TAC on the follicular fluid collected from the dominant follicle just prior OPU, coinciding with T2, and at the end of five repeated OPU sessions (T3). Another objective was to assess in vitro the protective effects of green tea extracts on hepatic cells exposed to methanol insult. Different concentrations of GTE (0.5 µM and 1 µM) were tested on cultured hepatic cells and viability, morphology and SOD activity were assessed at 24, 48 and 72 h. Supplementation with GTE increased (P < 0.05) the number of total follicles (8.7 ± 0.5 vs 6.9 ± 0.5), the number and the percentage of Grade A + B cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) compared with the control (3.7 ± 0.4 vs 2.3 ± 0.3 and 57.5 ± 4.2 vs 40.4 ± 4.9 %, respectively). Oocyte developmental competence was improved in the GTE group as indicated by the higher (P < 0.05) percentages of Grade 1,2 blastocysts (44.8 vs 29.1 %). In the GTE group, plasma TAC was higher both at T1 and T2, while FRAP increased only at T2, with no differences in SOD and CAT. The TAC of follicular fluid was higher (P < 0.05) in the GTE compared to the control both at T2 and at T3 The in vitro experiment showed that co-treatment with methanol and 1 µM GTE increased (p < 0.01) cell viability at 24 h (P < 0.01), 48 h (P < 0.05) and 72 h (P < 0.01) compared with the methanol treatment co-treatment with 1 µM GTE prevented the decrease in SOD activity observed with methanol at 24 and 48 h of culture. In conclusion, the results of in vivo and in vitro experiments suggest that supplementation with GTE increases buffalo oocyte developmental competence, by improving oxidative status and liver function.

Severe bone microarchitecture deterioration in a family with hereditary neuropathy: evidence of the key role of the mechanostat.

In this report, we present three cases of individuals from the same family with a diagnosis of CMT with severe tibia bone microarchitecture deterioration assessed by HR-pQCT. Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) or hereditary neuropathy involves both motor and sensory nerves. Falls are often the first manifestation in these patients and represent an important risk factor for fracture. The reduction of mechanical input on bone inhibits bone formation by osteoblasts and accelerates bone resorption by osteoclasts, leading to disuse osteoporosis. We report three cases of individuals from the same family with a diagnosis of CMT with severe tibia bone microarchitecture deterioration assessed by high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT). This affectation was exclusive to the tibia; the radius remained undamaged, showing the consequences of the lack of mobility and mechanical stimulation. Physical activity and rehabilitation, in addition to adequate calcium and vitamin D supplementation, may play an essential role in the management of this disease.

Impact of 3-Monthly Vitamin D Supplementation Plus Exercise on Survival after Surgery for Osteoporotic Hip Fracture in Adult Patients over 50 Years: A Pragmatic Randomized, Partially Blinded, Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether 3-monthly supplementation of an oral vitamin D widely used in Spain (calcifediol) plus daily exercise could influence survival at one and four years after surgery for osteoporotic hip fracture. DESIGN: A pragmatic, randomized, partially single-blind placebo-controlled study. SETTING: Patients admitted to a tertiary university hospital for acute hip fracture. PARTICIPANTS: 675 healthy adult patients undergoing surgery for osteoporotic hip fracture were recruited from January 2004 to December 2007. INTERVENTION: Patients were randomized to receive either 3-monthly oral doses of 3 mg calcifediol (Hidroferol Choque®) or placebo in the 12 months postsurgery. Patients who received calcifediol were also given an exercise programme. The placebo group received standard health recommendations only. MEASUREMENTS: The primary endpoint was survival at 1 year and at 4 year follow-up. We also recorded new fractures, medical complications and anti-osteoporotic treatment compliance. RESULTS: We included a total of 88 patients, aged 62 to 99 years. Mean age was 82 years and 88.6% were women. At 12 months, 10 (11.3%) patients had died, 9 of them, from the non-intervention group. At 4 years after surgery, 20 (22.7%) had died, 3 (3.4%) from the intervention group and 17 (19.3%) from the non-intervention group. At this time, survival curve analysis showed 93% survival in the intervention group and 62% in the non-intervention group (p=0.001). At 12-month follow up, there were 18 new fractures, 9 in each group. The non-intervention group had more medical complications, with significant differences at visit 2 (p = 0.04) and 3 (p = 0.02) but not at visit 4 (p = 0.18). No significant differences between groups were found regarding treatment compliance. CONCLUSION: 3-monthly, oral supplements of 3 mg calcifediol plus daily exercise improved survival at one-year and four-year follow up after surgery for an osteoporotic hip fracture.