Heritability of Thoracic Spine Curvature and Genetic Correlations With Other Spine Traits: The Framingham Study

Hyperkyphosis is a common spinal disorder in older adults, characterized by excessive forward curvature of the thoracic spine and adverse health outcomes. The etiology of hyperkyphosis has not been firmly established, but may be related to changes that occur with aging in the vertebrae, discs, joints, and muscles, which function as a unit to support the spine. Determining the contribution of genetics to thoracic spine curvature and the degree of genetic sharing among co-occurring measures of spine health may provide insight into the etiology of hyperkyphosis. The purpose of our study was to estimate heritability of thoracic spine curvature using T4–T12 kyphosis (Cobb) angle and genetic correlations between thoracic spine curvature and vertebral fracture, intervertebral disc height narrowing, facet joint osteoarthritis (OA), lumbar spine volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD), and paraspinal muscle area and density, which were all assessed from computed tomography (CT) images. Participants included 2063 women and men in the second and third generation offspring of the original cohort of the Framingham Study. Heritability of kyphosis angle, adjusted for age, sex, and weight, was 54% (95% confidence interval [CI], 43% to 64%). We found moderate genetic correlations between kyphosis angle and paraspinal muscle area (math formulaG, –0.46; 95% CI, –0.67 to –0.26), vertebral fracture (math formulaG, 0.39; 95% CI, 0.18 to 0.61), vBMD (math formulaG, –0.23; 95% CI, –0.41 to –0.04), and paraspinal muscle density (math formulaG, –0.22; 95% CI, –0.48 to 0.03). Genetic correlations between kyphosis angle and disc height narrowing (math formulaG, 0.17; 95% CI, –0.05 to 0.38) and facet joint OA (math formulaG, 0.05; 95% CI, –0.15 to 0.24) were low. Thoracic spine curvature may be heritable and share genetic factors with other age-related spine traits including trunk muscle size, vertebral fracture, and bone mineral density

Complete Genome Sequence of Staphylococcus capitis CCSM0123, Isolated from Healthy Facial Skin

Staphylococcus capitis strain CCSM0123 was isolated from healthy facial skin. The complete genome of CCSM0123 was sequenced using a combination of Pacific Biosciences (PacBio) RS II single-molecule real-time (SMRT) and Illumina sequencing. The assembled 2.5-Mbp genome consisted of one chromosome and four plasmids. </jats:p

Complete Genome Sequence of Staphylococcus epidermidis CCSM0287, Isolated from Healthy Facial Skin

Staphylococcus epidermidis strain CCSM0287 was isolated from healthy facial skin. The complete genome of CCSM0287 was sequenced using a combination of Pacific Biosciences (PacBio) RS II single-molecule real-time (SMRT) and Illumina sequencing. The assembled 2.5-Mbp genome consisted of one chromosome and three plasmids. </jats:p

Association Between Long-Term Aspirin Use and Frailty in Men: The Physicians’ Health Study

Abstract Background Chronic inflammation may lead to frailty, however the potential for anti-inflammatory medications such as aspirin to prevent frailty is unknown. We sought to examine the association between long-term aspirin use and prevalent frailty. Methods We included 12 101 men ≥60 years who participated in the Physicians’ Health Study I, a completed aspirin randomized controlled trial (1982–1989). Annual questionnaires collected self-reported data on daily aspirin use, lifestyle, and clinical variables. Average aspirin use was summed into 2 categories: ≤60 days/year and &amp;gt;60 days/year. Frailty was assessed using a 33-item index 11 years after trial completion. A score of ≥0.21 was considered frail. Propensity score inverse probability of treatment weighting was used for statistical control of confounding. Logistic regression models estimated odds of frailty as a function of categories of average aspirin use. Results Mean age was 70.5 years (range 60–101). Following an average of 11 ± 0.6 years of follow-up, aspirin use was reported as ≤60 days/year for 15%; 2413 participants (20%) were frail. Frequency of aspirin use was associated with smoking, alcohol consumption, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease, but negatively associated with bleeding and Coumadin use. The odds ratio (95% confidence intervals) for frailty was 0.85 (0.76–0.96) for average aspirin use &amp;gt;60 days/year versus aspirin use ≤60 days/year. Results were similar using an alternate definition of frailty. Conclusions Long-term regular aspirin use is inversely associated with frailty among older men, even after consideration of multimorbidity and health behaviors. Work is needed to understand the role of medications with anti-inflammatory properties on aging. </jats:sec

The content of hyaluronan of fibroblasts in the CCE 50, 100 μg/mL treated and non-treatment group.

* P P < 0.01 compared with the control group.</p

Antioxidant activities of <i>C</i>. <i>cicadae</i> extract estimated by different methods.

(A) ABTS [2,2-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazo-line-6-sulphonic acid)] radical scavenging; (B) DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazil) radical scavenging assay; (C) ferric reducing antioxidant power assay.</p

Chromatograph profile of <i>C</i>. <i>cicadae</i> extract alditols and saccharides.

Chromatograph profile of C. cicadae extract alditols and saccharides.</p

Distribution of enriched KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) pathways of differentially expressed genes between <i>C</i>. <i>cicadae</i> extract-treated (50 μg/mL) and non-treated fibroblasts.

Distribution of enriched KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) pathways of differentially expressed genes between C. cicadae extract-treated (50 μg/mL) and non-treated fibroblasts.</p