Supplementation with Lactobacillus rhamnosus SP1 normalises skin expression of genes implicated in insulin signalling and improves adult acne.

Systemic supplementation with probiotics is increasingly being explored as a potential treatment strategy for skin disorders. Because both the gut-skin axis and dysregulation of insulin signalling have been implicated in the pathogenesis of adult acne, we designed the current study to evaluate the effect of supplementation with the probiotic strain Lactobacillus rhamnosus SP1 (LSP1) on skin expression of genes involved in insulin signalling and acne improvement in adult subjects. A pilot, randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study was conducted with 20 adult subjects (14 females and 6 males; mean age: 33.7±3.3 years) with acne. Over a 12-week period, the probiotic group (n=10) consumed a liquid supplement containing LSP1 at a dose of 3×109 cfu/day (75 mg/day), whereas the placebo group (n=10) received a liquid lacking probiotics. Paired skin biopsies - one obtained before treatment initiation and one obtained at the end of the 12-week treatment period - were analysed for insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) and forkhead box protein O1 (FOXO1) gene expression. The clinical criterion for efficacy was the investigator's global improvement rating on a five-point scale. Compared with baseline, the probiotic group showed a 32% (P<0.001) reduction, as well as a 65% increase (P<0.001) in IGF1 and FOXO1 gene expression in the skin, respectively. No such differences were observed in the placebo group. Patients in the probiotic group had an adjusted odds ratio of 28.4 (95% confidence interval = 2.2-411.1, P<0.05) to be rated by physicians as improved/markedly improved (versus worsened or unchanged) compared with the placebo group. We conclude that supplementation with the probiotic strain LSP1 normalises skin expression of genes involved in insulin signalling and improves the appearance of adult acne.

A multilocus candidate approach identifies ACE and HIF1A as susceptibility genes for cellulite.

BACKGROUND: Cellulite is a common complex cosmetic problem for many post-adolescent women characterised by relief alterations of the skin surface, which give the skin an orange-peel appearance. Although genetic factors have been suggested to play a role in the development of cellulite, the genetic background of this condition remains unclear. We therefore conducted a multi-locus genetic study examining the potential associations of candidate gene variants in oestrogen receptors, endothelial function/adipose tissue hypoxia, lipid metabolism, extracellular matrix homeostasis, inflammation and adipose tissue biology, with the risk of cellulite. METHODS: Using a case-control study of 200 lean women with cellulite and 200 age- and BMI-matched controls (grade 0 according to Nurnberger-Muller scale), we examined the association of cellulite with 25 polymorphisms in 15 candidate genes. RESULTS: Two of the 25 polymorphisms were significantly associated with cellulite at the P < 0.01 level. After allowance for age, body mass index, the prevalence of contraceptive use and smoking in logistic regression analysis, the multivariable-adjusted odds ratios for cellulite were 1.19 (95% CI: 1.10-1.51; P < 0.01) for ACE rs1799752 and 0.61 (95% CI: 0.45-0.88, P < 0.01) for HIF1A rs11549465. CONCLUSIONS: This study, which demonstrates an independent role of ACE and HIF1A in predisposing to cellulite, may provide novel information on the pathophysiology of this common cosmetic problem, and offer a topic for research for novel beautification interventions.

Administración de la alimentación enteral en salas generales de internación / Nutrition delivery in general wards

La interrupción de la alimentación enteral conduce a un aporte calórico inadecuado, circunstancia que se agrava debido al estado catabólico que presentan los pacientes, contribuyendo ambos al deterioro de su estado nutricional. La malnutrición calóricoproteica se asocia a mayor número de complicaciones, aumento de la estancia hospitalaria, y por lo tanto mayores costos. Los objetivos del presente trabajo fueron establecer en qué porcentaje se administran inadecuadamente las alimentaciones enterales por sonda nasogástrica prescriptas y cuales son las causas de administración inadecuada en los pacientes internados. Se realizó un estudio descriptivo, observacional, transversal y prospectivo entre julio de 2008 y febrero de 2009. Se estudiaron 43 pacientes internados en el Hospital Argerich en las salas de Clínica Médica, Cirugía General y Neurocirugía que recibieron alimentación enteral por sonda nasogástrica como vía de alimentación exclusiva. La administración global de la alimentación enteral por sonda nasogástrica tuvo una inadecuación del 79.10% (IC 95%: 64-90%). Las causas más comunes de interrupción de la alimentación enteral fueron las relacionadas con el personal de enfermería (35.85%) y con el paciente (30.19%). Estas últimas incluyeron intolerancia gastrointestinal y extracción de la sonda nasogástrica. De acuerdo a los resultados obtenidos a través de la presente investigación se considera que se debería promover la implementación de protocolos específicos en cada sala de internación ya que la utilización de los mismos está claramente asociada con una mejoría en la administración de alimentación enteral en los pacientes internados y son un método simple y efectivo.

Administración de la alimentación enteral en salas generales de internación / Nutrition delivery in general wards

La interrupción de la alimentación enteral conduce a un aporte calórico inadecuado, circunstancia que se agrava debido al estado catabólico que presentan los pacientes, contribuyendo ambos al deterioro de su estado nutricional. La malnutrición calóricoproteica se asocia a mayor número de complicaciones, aumento de la estancia hospitalaria, y por lo tanto mayores costos. Los objetivos del presente trabajo fueron establecer en qué porcentaje se administran inadecuadamente las alimentaciones enterales por sonda nasogástrica prescriptas y cuales son las causas de administración inadecuada en los pacientes internados. Se realizó un estudio descriptivo, observacional, transversal y prospectivo entre julio de 2008 y febrero de 2009. Se estudiaron 43 pacientes internados en el Hospital Argerich en las salas de Clínica Médica, Cirugía General y Neurocirugía que recibieron alimentación enteral por sonda nasogástrica como vía de alimentación exclusiva. La administración global de la alimentación enteral por sonda nasogástrica tuvo una inadecuación del 79.10% (IC 95%: 64-90%). Las causas más comunes de interrupción de la alimentación enteral fueron las relacionadas con el personal de enfermería (35.85%) y con el paciente (30.19%). Estas últimas incluyeron intolerancia gastrointestinal y extracción de la sonda nasogástrica. De acuerdo a los resultados obtenidos a través de la presente investigación se considera que se debería promover la implementación de protocolos específicos en cada sala de internación ya que la utilización de los mismos está claramente asociada con una mejoría en la administración de alimentación enteral en los pacientes internados y son un método simple y efectivo.(AU)

Sperm motility parameters to evaluate the seminal quality of Boa constrictor occidentalis, a threatened snake species.

Semen quality analysis constitutes a powerful tool to evaluate the fertility potential of males in threatened species. The Argentine boa constrictor or lampalagua (Boa constrictor occidentalis) is a threatened snake species and has been included in Appendix I of CITES. The objective of this work is to characterize the sperm of B. c. occidentalis on the bases of dynamic parameters to improve this species conservation. Dynamic parameters were measured in sperm samples using videomicroscopy and image analysis software. The sperm population showed a high degree of heterogeneity in velocity parameter values and 95% of the cells showed a linear pattern of movement. Studies in other species indicate that the number of motile spermatozoa and their movement speed is directly correlated with fertilization success. This work will help to establish basic parameter values for the evaluation of the reproductive potential of populations of B. c. occidentalis and to resolve questions referred to its reproductive strategies.

Accuracy of cholesterol measurements in Italian clinical laboratories. Joint project GISSI prevention--Italian Society of Clinical Biochemistry. SIBioC GISSI Prevenzione Group.

We report the results of an external quality assessment scheme for serum total cholesterol measurement involving about 100 Italian laboratories participating in an epidemiological study of post myocardial infarction. Two frozen human serum pools with Abell-Kendall assigned values are distributed quarterly at the laboratories (up to now seven events occurred); the obtained results are evaluated and discussed. In one exercise (# 5) duplicated measurements were repeated on three different days. Eighty-five to 98% of the laboratories obtained results within the total error limits (+/- 8.9%). But, while precision (calculated on the six replicates of exercise # 5) is good (90% of the laboratories obtained CV < 3%), inaccuracy problems are evident in every event. Indeed the mean bias from the reference method value ranged from 1.54 and 3.49% in the various events.