Trophic importance of microphytobenthos and bacteria to meiofauna in soft-bottom intertidal habitats: A combined trophic marker approach.

Meiofauna can play an important role in the carbon fluxes of soft-bottom coastal habitats. Investigation of their feeding behavior and trophic position remains challenging due to their small size. In this study, we determine and compare the food sources used by nematodes and benthic copepods by using stable isotope compositions, fatty acid profiles and compound specific isotope analyses of fatty acids in the mudflats, seagrass beds and a sandflat of the Marennes-Oléron Bay, France, and the Sylt-Rømø Bight, Germany. Suspended particulate organic matter was much more 13C-depleted than other food sources and meiofauna, highlighting its poor role in the different studied habitats. The very low proportions of vascular plant fatty acid markers in meiofauna demonstrated that these consumers did not rely on this food source, either fresh or detrital, even in seagrass beds. The combined use of stable isotopes and fatty acids emphasized microphytobenthos and benthic bacteria as the major food sources of nematodes and benthic copepods. Compound specific analyses of a bacteria marker confirmed that bacteria mostly used microphytobenthos as a substrate.

Spatial variability of metallic and organic contamination of anguilliform fish in New Caledonia.

New Caledonia is one of the main hot spots of biodiversity on the planet. Large amounts of contaminants are discharged into the lagoon as a result of increasing anthropogenic activities such as intense mining, urbanization, and industrialization. Concentrations of 14 trace elements and 26 persistent organic pollutants (POPs: PCBs and pesticides) were measured in the muscles of two anguilliform fish species, over a coast to barrier reef gradient in two lagoon areas differently exposed to anthropic disturbances. This study emphasizes the high trace element contamination status of anguilliform fish and also highlights slight but perceptible organic pollution. The contamination extends throughout the lagoon, from coast to barrier reef, even in areas remote from emission points. High levels of trace elements, especially those linked to mining activities (i.e., Co, Cr, Fe, Mn, and Ni), were detected in coastal sites. Furthermore, the large dispersion of most POPs throughout the entire lagoon poses the question of their potential toxicity on marine organisms from numerous habitats. Our results underline the need for long-term monitoring of various contaminants over large spatial and time scales.

Trophic shift in young-of-the-year Mugilidae during salt-marsh colonization.

This study investigated the trophic shift of young-of-the-year (YOY) thinlip grey mullet Liza ramada and golden grey mullet Liza aurata during their recruitment in a salt marsh located on the European Atlantic Ocean coast. Stable-isotope signatures (δ(13) C and δ(15) N) of the fishes followed a pattern, having enrichments in (13) C and (15) N with increasing fork length (LF ): δ(13) C in fishes < 30 mm ranged from -19.5 to -15.0‰, whereas in fishes > 30 mm δ(13) C ranged from -15.8 to -12.7‰, closer to the level in salt-marsh food resources. Large differences between the δ(15) N values of mugilids and those of food sources (6·0‰ on average) showed that YOY are secondary consumers, similar to older individuals, when feeding in the salt marsh. YOY mugilids shift from browsing on pelagic prey to grazing on benthic resources from the salt marsh before reaching 30 mm LF. The results highlight the role of European salt marshes as nurseries for juvenile mugilids.

Health claims assessment in the field of joint and cartilage: a consensus viewpoint of the Group for the Respect of Ethics and Excellence in Science.

INTRODUCTION: In 2006, the European Parliament and Council issued a regulation (No. 1924/2006) for the nutrition and health claims made on foods, including food supplements. According to the regulation, the use of nutrition and health claims shall only be permitted if the substance in respect of which the claim is made has been shown to have a beneficial nutritional or physiological effect. In the field of joint and cartilage health, there is no clear scientific-based definition of the nature of such a beneficial nutritional or physiological effect. The objective of this paper is to scientifically define the possible content of health claims related to joint and cartilage health and to provide scientific guidelines for the design of clinical studies which need to be adopted to substantiate such health claims. METHODS: Literature review up to September 2011 followed by a consensus expert discussion organized by the Group for the Respect of Ethics and Excellence in Science (GREES). RESULTS: In line with the general principles of the PASSCLAIM and the Codex recommendations, the GREES identified four acceptable health claims related to joint and cartilage health based on the effects on discomfort, joint and cartilage structural integrity or risk factors for joint and cartilage diseases. The GREES considers that randomized controlled trials on a relevant outcome is the best design to assess health claims. Moreover, animal studies could also be of interest to substantiate some health claims, to assess the clinical relevance of endpoints used in human studies or to extrapolate data obtained in patients to the target (apparently) healthy population. CONCLUSION: According to the methodology and biomarkers used in the study and whether or not additional animal studies are provided to support the claim, various health claims can be acceptable in the field of joint and cartilage health.

Sensitivity to change of the functional index for hand osteoarthritis.

BACKGROUND: The functional index for hand osteoarthritis (FIHOA), a 10-item investigator-administered questionnaire, was validated in 1995. It is relevant, reliable and has good external and internal validities. OBJECTIVE: To assess the sensitivity to change over time of the FIHOA. PATIENTS: symptomatic [visual analog scale (VAS) > or = 30 mm, FIHOA > or = 5] hand OA patients [American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria, > or = 2 radiologically affected joints] were included in a 6-month randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Recorded parameters: Pain on VAS, FIHOA score, morning stiffness duration, grip strength. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: mean standardized response (MSR = delta DO-M6/S.D. of delta) was calculated for each parameter in an intention-to-treat (ITT) population before breaking the randomization code. RESULTS: 239 women, 22 men, mean age 61 +/- 7.5 years were recruited. Characteristics of HOA: 88% of patients were right-handed, 48% had a family history of hand OA. The location of OA was the first trapezo-metacarpal (TMC) joint (62%), proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint (47.5%), distal interphalangeal (DIP) joint (67.6%). The mean number of painful flares (previous 12 months) was 4.4, that of painful joints was 3.7, that of nodal joints in the right hand 3.1, and that of radiologically affected joints was 4.4. Baseline symptomatic severity assessment gave pain on VAS=54.4 +/- 14 mm, FIHOA score=10.4 +/- 3.7, morning stiffness duration=20 +/- 27.6 min and grip strength=59.3 +/- 21.2 mm Hg. The MSR value was 0.58 for the FIHOA and 0.87 for pain on VAS. CONCLUSION: The sensitivity to change of the FIHOA over 6 months is high, but inferior to that of pain on VAS in this trial.

Hand osteoarthritis patients characteristics according to the existence of a hormone replacement therapy.

BACKGROUND: Hand osteoarthritis (hand OA) mostly occurs in women around the time of menopause, but its relationship with sexual hormones remains a controversial issue. The eventual influence of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on the incidence and progression of hand OA is still debated. OBJECTIVE: To assess whether HRT influences the occurrence and disease activity of hand OA. METHODS/PATIENTS: Epidemiological prospective cross-sectional study. PATIENTS: Menopausal women, aged 50-75, consulting for painful hand OA, for another rheumatic condition with hand OA or controls (no disease of the upper limbs). ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: hand OA [American College Rheumatology (ACR) criteria] with X-ray evidence. PATIENTS with 'painful' hand OA defined by a Dreiser's functional index score > or = 6 and pain on VAS > or = 35 mm. Study parameters: Demographics, personal histories and gynaecologic data for patients and controls including the administration of HRT (+) or not (-). For patients, description and symptom activity of hand OA. STATISTICS: Descriptive analysis in the studied population and in subsets taking into account treatment and disease activity factors. RESULTS: 711 women were studied: 238 with 'painful' hand OA, 240 with 'quiescent' and 233 controls. Baseline characteristics were similar for patients and controls except for age (patients were older). HRT+ patients were younger (-5 years) (P < 0.0001), slightly taller (P < 0.0045) and more often cigarettes smokers (P < 0.012) than HRT- patients. They did not differ in gynecologic characteristics with the exception that the women in the HRT+ group had been menopausal for a shorter period of time, probably because of their younger age. There were no differences between HRT+ and HRT- patients, whatever the symptom activity, on the characteristics of hand OA: Dreiser's index scores were, respectively, 11.3 +/- 3.8 vs 12.3 +/- 4.5 in 'painful' patients, 3.6 +/- 2.5 vs 3.7 +/- 2.7 in 'quiescent' patients. Pain on VAS showed no difference between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Few differences were found between hand OA patients receiving HRT or not. HRT did not seem to influence the severity or the symptom activity of hand OA. Further prospective studies are required in order to evaluate the exact effect of HRT on hand OA.

Avocado/soya unsaponifiables enhance the expression of transforming growth factor beta1 and beta2 in cultured articular chondrocytes.

OBJECTIVE: Avocado and soya unsaponifiables (ASU) have been reported to exert beneficial effects in the treatment of periodontal and osteoarticular diseases. They are supposed to stimulate deposition and repair of extracellular matrix components, but the mechanisms underlying their action are not well understood. In view of the repair potential of osteoarthritic (OA) cartilage and the role that the transforming growth factor beta (TGFbeta) system could play in that process, we carried out in vitro studies to determine the mechanism of action of ASU on articular chondrocytes that may account for the beneficial effects on cartilage metabolism. METHODS: Cultured bovine articular chondrocytes were treated with various concentrations of ASU, and the expression of both TGFbeta isoforms, 1 and 2, and their receptors (TGFbetaRI and TGFbetaRII) was determined by Northern blot and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Cell transfection with TGFbeta1 promoter constructs was also used to delineate the cis-acting sequences mediating ASU responsiveness in chondrocytes. The level of plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) was also evaluated by Northern blotting and protein radiolabeling. RESULTS: The data indicated that ASU stimulate the expression of TGFbeta1, TGFbeta2, and PAI-1 by articular chondrocytes. In contrast, the levels of TGFbetaRI and TGFbetaRII were not significantly affected by the compound. Treatment of bovine articular chondrocytes transiently transfected with TGFbeta1 promoter constructs suggested that the effect on TGFbeta1 expression is mediated by the region located between -732 and -1132 bp. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that the ASU-induced stimulation of matrix synthesis previously reported in cultured articular chondrocytes could be explained by the ability to enhance TGFbeta expression in these cells. Further, ASU increase the production of PAI-1, an effect that could help in blocking the plasmin cascade that leads to metalloprotease activation. These data suggest that the compound has properties that might promote TGFbeta-induced matrix repair mechanisms in articular cartilage.

Morphometric analysis of human gingival elastic fibres degradation by human leukocyte elastase protective effect of avocado and soybean unsaponifiables (ASU).

Degradation of preelastic fibres (oxytalan and elaunin) and mature elastic fibres by human leukocyte elastase (HLE) was investigated using automated image analysis. Specimens from two young healthy adults were used. Although HLE hydrolyzed both fibre types, mature elastic fibres exhibited greater susceptibility to this effect than preelastic fibres. Avocado and soybean unsaponifiables are widely prescribed in rheumatology and parodontology and have also been the focus of ex vivo experiments aimed at determining whether they protect elastic fibres against degradation by HLE. Findings from the present study indicate that avocado and soybean unsaponifiables protect all types of gingival elastic fibres from degradation by HLE. Avocado and soybean unsaponifiables may be beneficial in patients with gingival inflammation and parodontitis, since HLE plays a major role in these disease states.

Effects of three avocado/soybean unsaponifiable mixtures on metalloproteinases, cytokines and prostaglandin E2 production by human articular chondrocytes.

The in-vitro effects of avocado and soybean unsaponifiable residues on neutral metalloproteinase activity, cytokines and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production by human articular chondrocytes were investigated. Avocado and soybean unsaponifiable residues were mixed in three ratios: 1:2 (A1S2), 2:1 (A2S1) or 1:1 (A2S2). Freshly isolated human chondrocytes were cultured for 72 h in the absence or presence of interleukin-1beta, (IL-1beta) (17 ng/ml), with or without unsaponifiable residue mixtures at a concentration of 10 microg/ml. A/S unsaponifiable residues were also tested separately at concentrations of 3.3, 6.6 and 10 microg/ml. All A/S unsaponifiable mixtures reduced the spontaneous production of stromelysin, interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) by chrondrocytes. At concentrations of 3.3 and 6.6 microg/ml, A/S residues, tested separately, were potent inhibitors of the production of IL-8 and PGE2. Nevertheless, only avocado residue inhibited IL-6 production at these concentrations. A/S unsaponifiable mixtures had a more pronounced inhibitory effect on cytokine production than avocado or soybean residues added alone. As anticipated, IL-1beta induced a marked release of collagenase, stromelysin, IL-6, IL-8 and PGE2. A/S unsaponifiable mixtures partially reversed the IL-1 effects on chrondrocytes. These findings suggest a potential role for A/S unsaponifiable extracts in mitigating the deleterious effects of IL-1beta: on cartilage.

Role of the GLUT 2 glucose transporter in the response of the L-type pyruvate kinase gene to glucose in liver-derived cells.

Twenty-six different hepatoma cell lines established from cancer-prone transgenic mice exhibited a close correlation between expression of the GLUT 2 glucose transporter and activation of the L-type pyruvate kinase (L-PK) gene by glucose, as judged by Northern blot analyses and transient transfection assays. The L-PK gene and a transfected L-PK construct were silent in GLUT 2(+) cells and active in GLUT 2(-) cells cultured in glucose-free medium. Transfection of GLUT 2(-) cells with a GLUT 2 expression vector restored the inducibility of the L-PK promoter by glucose, mainly by suppressing the glucose-independent activity of this promoter. Culture of GLUT 2(-) cells, in which the L-PK gene is constitutively expressed, in a culture medium using fructose as fuel selected GLUT 2(+) clones in which the L-PK gene responded to glucose. The expression of the L-PK gene in GLUT 2(-) cells cultured in the absence of glucose was correlated with a high intracellular glucose 6-phosphate (Glu-6-P) concentration while under similar culture conditions Glu-6-P concentration was very low in GLUT 2(+) cells. Consequently, a role of GLUT 2 in the glucose responsiveness of glucose-sensitive genes in cultured hepatoma cells could be to allow for Glu-6-P depletion under gluconeogenic culture conditions. In the absence of GLUT 2, glucose endogeneously produced might be unable to be exported from the cells and would be phosphorylated again to Glu-6-P by constitutively expressed hexokinase isoforms, continuously generating the glycolytic intermediates active on the L-PK gene transcription.

Validation of an algofunctional index for osteoarthritis of the hand.

Although hand osteoarthritis is common, it has been the focus of few therapeutic trials. In addition to the problems raised by clinical trials in osteoarthritis in general and to the difficulties due to the unforeseeable course of osteoarthritis of the trapezometacarpal and finger joints, the lack of a clinical tool for assessing pain and function over time is an additional obstacle. We propose an algofunctional index designed for evaluation and symptomatic follow-up of patients with digital osteoarthritis. The index is based on a physician-administered questionnaire on 10 daily activities involving the hands. The patient is asked to answer each item using a 4-point verbal scale, from "possible without difficulty" (0) to "impossible" (3 points); thus, total scores range from 0 to 30. This index has been used in a few clinical placebo-controlled trials and was found sensitive to change. The aim of this study was to assess the metrological qualities of this index, including consistency (internal and external), sensitivity and specificity (by scoring the index in different groups of subjects), intra-observer reproducibility, and ease of use. Three hundred patients were recruited by 25 rheumatologists: 100 had a painful attack of digital and/or trapezometacarpal osteoarthritis (mean age: 64.9 years) with a score of more than 40 mm on a visual analog scale for overall pain severity (mean: 57.3 +/- 14 mm), 100 had "inactive" hand osteoarthritis (mean age 67.0 years), and 100 had no diseases of the upper limbs. Specificity/sensitivity: the mean index score was 12.41 +/- 5.41 in patients with painful OA, 4.28 +/- 3.87 in "inactive" cases, and 0.59 +/- 1.23 in controls. External consistency: the overall mean score was well correlated with pain severity: r = 0.49 (p < 0.001). Internal consistency: principal component analysis identified a primary axis responsible for 44.2% of the variance and two secondary axes each responsible for slightly more than 9% of the variance. None of the questions seemed redundant. Intra-observer reproducibility: two evaluations done one hour apart in symptomatic patients yielded the following scores: 12.32 +/- 5.41 and 12.5 +/- 5.51 (correlation: 0.95; mean difference: 0.17 +/- 1.64; coefficient of variation: 9.32%). Kappa values for both measurements of each item ranged from 0.68 to 0.87. Ease of use: mean time needed to determine the score 2.5 +/- 2 min. The scoring process was considered simple by 100% of investigators and easy/very easy by 98% of patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

[Calculation of optimized and individualized hip prosthesis. A study of feasibility]. / Calcul d'une prothèse de hanche optimisée et individualisée. Etude de faisabilité.

As logical consequence of a series of basic research studies on human femoral bones with unipodal support and under static stress, performed with physicomathematic modelling methods (finite-elements method) then confirmed by direct visualization of deformations resulting from such stress using holographic interferometry, the authors have worked on the definition of an optimized and individualized hip prosthesis. Thick CT sections digitized with a table and entered into a specially programmed computer allowed three-dimensional modelling of the femur as a volume, i.e. with its external contour and its medullary canal, and therefore of the implantable space. The prosthesis was then defined taking a number of hypotheses into account: necessity to regularize cortical bone spicules inside spongious bone, which are so often present opposite the rough line, partial machining at the level of the calcar, reduced tail length, presence or absence of collar. Thus an optimized and individualized prosthesis was defined. A prototype corresponding to a given femoral bone could then have been produced. However, the authors found it preferable to use simulation with computer synthetic images to check easy insertion and removal.