Bone Abstracts

Introduction: Currently, the only available method to reliably predict osteoporotic fractures is represented by bone mineral density (BMD) measurements on proximal femur or spine, which require the use of X-rays. Aim of this study is to illustrate working principles and feasibility of a new ultrasound (US) method for bone densitometry and osteoporosis diagnosis applicable on both proximal femur and spine.Methods: A new fully automatic algorithm was devel...

Biological calcification is a regulated process in which different types of tissues, cells and biomolecules participate in the coordination and regulation of the metabolic events involved in accumulating large amounts of calcium phosphate. This process could be speeded up using carbon nanotubes (CNTs) systems. The objective of our study was to compare cell growth and formation of mineralized matrix nodules by osteoblasts grown in plastic and in titanium (Ti) discs surfaces. Th...

Introduction: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common sleep-related respiratory disorder characterized by repeated episodes of apnea and hypopnea resulting in sleep fragmentation, nocturnal hypoxia and hypercapnia, and excessive daytime sleepiness. OSA has recently become a well-recognized problem in view of its high prevalence in the general population. OSA is associated with many endocrine disorders (hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, hypercortisolism, glucose intolerance). Th...

Acute phase reaction (APR) is the most frequent side effect following i.v. nitrogen-containing bisphosphonates (N-BPs) infusion. A recent observation in osteoporotic women treated with N-BPs evidenced a negative association between 25(OH)D levels and APR, likely due to the immuno-modulatory effects of vitamin D on γδTcells. However, this association remains to be demonstrated in patients with Paget’s disease of bone (PDB). Moreover whether vitamin D supplementat...

A mixture of Galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) and Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) are added to commercial infant formula to promote an intestinal microbiota similar to that prevalent in breast-fed infants to improve Ca bioavailability and general health, but their mechanisms are under debate.Our objective was to evaluate the beneficial effects of the mixture of GOS/FOS added to infant formulae, on the absorption of Ca, Mg and P of a low Ca diet. Changes in in...

During early life undernutrition impairs normal weight and height gain that affects bone health. During recovering it is required an extra-amount of Ca to ensure the high demands of bone mineralization. A mixture of galactooligosaccharides (GOS) and fructooligosaccharides (FOS) would be a useful tool to increase mineral intestinal absorption to enhancing the amount of Ca to be retained into bone. Our objective was to evaluate, in an experimental model of protein restriction (P...

We previously evidenced a reduced response to i.v. pamidronate in Q15STM1 mutation carriers (Q15STM1+) with Paget’s disease of bone (PDB). In order to confirm and extend this observation, we investigated the effect of Q15STM1 mutation and polymorphisms in three genes associated with PDB (TNFRSF11A; OPTN; TNFRSF11B) on the response to bisphosphonates. First, a retrospective study was performed in 335 patients treated wi...

YB-1 (Y-box binding protein 1) is a multifunctional cold-shock protein that has been implicated in all hallmarks of cancer. Elevated YB-1 protein levels were correlated with poor prognosis in several types of cancers, including breast cancer (BC). In BC, high YB-1 expression is a marker of decreased overall survival (OS) and distant metastasis-free survival across all subtypes. YB-1 is also secreted by different cell types and may act as an extracellular mitogen. Therefore, ou...

Conventional Giant Cell Tumor of Bone (GCT) is an aggressive bone tumor characterized by malignant mesenchymal stromal cells, responsible for its unusually high population of multinucleated osteoclast-like giant cells. GCT could arise in bones affected by Paget’s disease of bone (GCT/PDB) with a different clinical profile regarding the age-onset of the neoplasm (30 years vs 50 years) and the skeletal localization (appendicular skeleton vs cranio-facial bones), let hyphote...

Background: Current extension in the usage of growth hormone therapy (GHT) has increased the prevalence of bone complications. Legg Calvé Perthes disease (LCPD) is characterized by idiopathic avascular necrosis of the proximal femoral epiphysis. More frequently in boys between 4 and 8 years, LCPD is of unknown ethology. An increased incidence has been stated in case of GH deficiency. There is increasing data that children with LCPD may have a more widespread skeletal diso...