Sarcopenia and Associated Factors According to the EWGSOP2 Criteria in Older People Living in Nursing Homes: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: In 2018, the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP2) updated the original definition of sarcopenia, establishing new criteria to be used globally. To our knowledge, this is the first study considering it for the diagnosis of sarcopenia in older people living in Nursing Homes.Aim: Verify the prevalence and the degree of severity of sarcopenia according to the new EWSGOP2 criteria and to analyse its associated factors in residents living in nursing homes from Central Catalonia (Spain).Design: A cross-sectional multicenter study was conducted in 4 nursing homes. SARC-F test was applied as the initial screening, muscle strength was measured by a dynamometer, skeletal muscle mass by bioimpedance analysis and physical performance by Gait Speed. Four categories were used: total probable sarcopenia, probable sarcopenia, confirmed sarcopenia and severe sarcopenia.Results: Among the total sample of 104 nursing home residents (mean age 84.6, ± 7.8), and 84.6% women), 85 (81.7%) (95% confidence interval [CI], 73.0-88.0) had total probable sarcopenia, 63 (60.5%) had probable sarcopenia, 19 (18.3%) confirmed sarcopenia and 7 (6.7%) severe sarcopenia. In the bivariate analysis, obesity was negatively associated and total time in sedentary behavior positively associated with all sarcopenia categories. In addition, malnutrition was positively associated with total and probable sarcopenia. Urinary incontinence was a positive associated factor of total and probable sarcopenia. In the multivariate analysis, obesity represented a negative associate factor: OR=0.13 (0.03 - 0.57), p=0.007 and OR=0.14 (0.03 - 0.60), p=0.008 with total and probable sarcopenia, respectively, adjusted by urinary incontinence. For confirmed sarcopenia, obesity also represented a negative associate factor OR=0.06 (0.01 - 0.99), p=0.049 and the total time in sedentary behavior a positive associate factor OR=1.10 (1.00- 1.20), p=0.040. Conclusions: According the EWGSOP2 criteria, high prevalence of sarcopenia was found in institutionalized older people, ranging from 6.7% to 81.7% depending on the category. Malnutrition, urinary incontinence and total time in sedentary behavior were associated with sarcopenia whilst obesity represented a protective factor in this population.

The atypical RNA-binding protein Taf15 regulates dorsoanterior neural development through diverse mechanisms in Xenopus tropicalis

ABSTRACT The FET family of atypical RNA-binding proteins includes Fused in sarcoma (FUS), Ewing's sarcoma (EWS) and the TATA-binding protein-associate factor 15 (TAF15). FET proteins are highly conserved, suggesting specialized requirements for each protein. Fus regulates splicing of transcripts required for mesoderm differentiation and cell adhesion in Xenopus, but the roles of Ews and Taf15 remain unknown. Here, we analyze the roles of maternally deposited and zygotically transcribed Taf15, which is essential for the correct development of dorsoanterior neural tissues. By measuring changes in exon usage and transcript abundance from Taf15-depleted embryos, we found that Taf15 may regulate dorsoanterior neural development through fgfr4 and ventx2.1. Taf15 uses distinct mechanisms to downregulate Fgfr4 expression, namely retention of a single intron within fgfr4 when maternal and zygotic Taf15 is depleted, and reduction in the total fgfr4 transcript when zygotic Taf15 alone is depleted. The two mechanisms of gene regulation (post-transcriptional versus transcriptional) suggest that Taf15-mediated gene regulation is target and co-factor dependent, contingent on the milieu of factors that are present at different stages of development.