Search Results (691)

Background: Anthropometric body-composition assessment in youth soccer commonly relies on equations developed in different source populations and based on distinct body-composition models, potentially altering nutritional and sport-related interpretation. This study compared body-fat estimates from equations intended to report the same outcome, body fat percentage, but based on different operational models, and quantified muscle-mass outputs from anthropometric approaches targeting total-body skeletal, whole-body, and tissue-level muscle compartments in a cohort of Chilean male U-15 and U-16 players. Methods: This secondary cross-sectional method-comparison study analyzed anonymized anthropometric records collected in 2018 from 50 male players. Slaughter, Faulkner, Carter, Deurenberg, and Sloan–Siri estimates of body fat were compared, together with Poortmans, Lee, Doupe, and Kerr muscle-mass approaches. Absolute agreement among adiposity equations was evaluated using a two-way random-effects, absolute-agreement, single-measure ICC [ICC(A,1)] and Bland–Altman analyses. Muscle-mass approaches were compared with repeated-measures analysis; pairwise difference-versus-mean summaries across different muscle constructs were interpreted descriptively rather than as formal agreement tests. Sensitivity analyses excluded Deurenberg and examined a maturation-related Slaughter scenario. Results: Deurenberg yielded the highest body-fat estimate (18.97 ± 3.07%), followed by Slaughter (13.32 ± 3.35%), Faulkner (10.84 ± 1.40%), Sloan-Siri (8.01 ± 2.80%), and Carter (7.91 ± 1.49%). Global differences were large (χ²(4) = 182.96; p < 0.001; Kendall’s W = 0.915), and individual absolute agreement was low [ICC(A,1) = 0.157; bootstrap 95% CI 0.102–0.212]. Excluding Deurenberg did not remove the between-method differences (χ²(3) = 124.44; p < 0.001; W = 0.830). For muscle mass, mean estimates ranged from 25.11 ± 3.07 kg with Poortmans to 31.26 ± 4.94 kg with Doupe, with a significant method effect after Greenhouse–Geisser correction (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The adiposity equations yielded substantially different numerical estimates of the same reported outcome, body fat percentage, and showed low individual-level absolute agreement. Muscle-mass approaches also produced large numerical differences, partly expected because they target different compartments. Outputs from different equations or constructs should not be treated as numerically interchangeable. Because no criterion reference method was included, this study quantifies method dependence rather than validity and cannot identify the most accurate equation. Full article

To compare the fatty acid composition in different tissues of Anguilla japonica before and after sea entry, we analyzed the muscle, liver, and ovary of eels from the Yangtze Estuary and offshore waters, and describe the distribution patterns of various fatty acids in different tissues. Comparing different tissues, in eels from the estuary, the muscle had the highest content of EPA, the liver had the highest content of DHA, and the ovary had the highest contents of ARA. In offshore eels, the muscle had the highest contents of C16:1 and C18:1n9c; the liver had the highest content of C16:0; and the ovary had the highest contents of C18:0 and DPA3. Comparing eels before and after sea entry, the contents of C14:0, C16:0, C20:1n9 and C20:2 in the ovary of estuary eels were significantly higher than those in the offshore eels. Conversely, the contents of C18:0, C20:0, DPA3, HUFA, total n3-PUFA and n3/n6 ratio in the ovary of offshore eels were significantly higher than those in estuary eels. Ovaries of estuarine eels showed higher proportions of saturated fatty acids, whereas ovaries of offshore eels showed higher proportions of n3-PUFA. The observed differences in ovarian fatty acid profiles may reflect the nutritional demands associated with gonadal development stages, which were determined by histological oocyte staging. Full article

Background: Computed tomography (CT)-derived body composition has emerged as a promising prognostic biomarker in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). However, most previous studies have relied on baseline measurements and evaluated either resected or metastatic disease separately. We aimed to investigate the prognostic significance of both baseline and longitudinal CT-derived body composition changes in clinically distinct but therapeutically homogeneous cohorts of patients with PDAC receiving FOLFIRINOX. Methods: This retrospective single-center study included 98 consecutive patients with histologically confirmed PDAC treated with FOLFIRINOX between 2018 and 2025. Forty-seven patients underwent curative-intent resection followed by adjuvant modified FOLFIRINOX, whereas 51 patients with unresectable metastatic disease received first-line FOLFIRINOX. Skeletal muscle index (SMI) and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) were quantified on serial CT scans obtained at the third lumbar vertebral level before treatment and during therapy. Follow-up CT scans suitable for longitudinal body composition analysis were available for 46 of 51 patients (90.2%) in the metastatic cohort. Overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), and progression-free survival (PFS) were estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method. Univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were performed to identify independent prognostic factors. Results: Baseline CT-derived body composition parameters were not independently associated with survival in either cohort. In the resected cohort, preservation of visceral adiposity during treatment (follow-up VAT > 100 cm²) independently predicted improved OS in a multivariable model including three covariates (HR 0.460, 95% CI 0.220–0.960; p = 0.039). Median DFS and OS were 11.7 months (95% CI 6.5–16.9) and 20.9 months (95% CI 12.1–29.7), respectively. In the metastatic cohort, treatment-related skeletal muscle loss (ΔSMI) independently predicted inferior OS in a multivariable model including four covariates (HR 0.949, 95% CI 0.913–0.986; p = 0.008), while lung metastasis was also independently associated with worse survival (HR 5.792, 95% CI 1.880–17.841; p = 0.002). Median PFS and OS were 9.7 months (95% CI 8.0–11.4) and 12.7 months (95% CI 9.9–15.5), respectively. Conclusions: Longitudinal CT-derived body composition changes may provide additional prognostic information beyond baseline measurements in patients with PDAC receiving FOLFIRINOX. Preservation of visceral adiposity was associated with improved survival following curative-intent resection, whereas greater treatment-related skeletal muscle loss was associated with poorer survival in metastatic disease. These findings suggest that the prognostic relevance of body composition may vary according to disease stage and should be considered hypothesis-generating pending validation in larger prospective multicenter studies. Full article

The lipid and fatty acid composition of the little Baikal oilfish (Comephorus dybowskii Korotneff, 1905) was studied to identify the features of its biochemical adaptation to the environmental conditions of Lake Baikal. Multivariate analysis of lipid classes and FA profiles revealed reproducible clustering patterns in both muscle tissue and whole-body samples, indicating the presence of distinct physiological states differing in membrane organization and lipid metabolism. Lipid-class variability was primarily associated with sphingomyelin, cholesterol esters, phosphatidylinositol, and lysophosphatidylcholine, suggesting the coordinated regulation of membrane structure. The fatty-acid profiles were mainly presented by variations in saturated, monounsaturated, and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, with muscle tissues characterized by a relatively longer carbon chain (ACL = 19 vs. 18 I whole body) and unsaturation (UI = 1.98–2.76 vs. 1.64–2.53 in whole body). At the same time, comparative analysis demonstrated low correspondence between lipid and FA profiles, indicating partially independent adaptive mechanisms. The experimental transfer of fish from their natural habitat to controlled conditions resulted in the significant remodeling of both lipid and FA compositions, including increases in acylglycerols, membrane phospholipids, and monounsaturated fatty acids, together with a decline in long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. The results suggest that lipid classes and fatty acids represent complementary but functionally distinct levels of biochemical adaptation contributing to the maintenance of membrane organization and metabolic homeostasis in C. dybowskii, revealing a previously undescribed multi-level organization of lipid-related adaptive responses in this endemic deep-water fish. Full article

Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) is an established treatment for complications of portal hypertension, but hepatic encephalopathy (HE), liver dysfunction, rebleeding, and mortality remain difficult to predict in otherwise eligible candidates. However, predicting post-TIPS outcomes remains challenging using conventional risk scores such as MELD 3.0 and Child–Turcotte–Pugh. This narrative review critically evaluates how clinical, biochemical, procedural, conventional imaging, handcrafted radiomics, and deep-learning features can be integrated for personalized post-TIPS risk prediction, supplemented by backward and forward reference checking. Thirty-two original post-TIPS studies met the core inclusion criteria: 18 focused primarily on clinical, biochemical, hemodynamic, microbiome, or procedural predictors and 14 on imaging, body composition, radiomics, or multimodal models. AI, ML, and radiomics models, by the aim of logistic regression, tree-based ensembles, support vector machines, artificial neural networks, and hybrid deep-learning models, able to capture non-linear interactions, have consistently demonstrated improved predictive performance compared with conventional scores, particularly for HE, with reported incidences of approximately 20–47%, mortality, and liver dysfunction. Their advantage lies in the ability to model complex, non-linear relationships and integrate heterogeneous data sources, including laboratory parameters, ammonia levels, hemodynamic variables, and imaging-derived features. Radiomics and deep learning approaches further enhance predictive accuracy. CT is currently the principal imaging substrate, while direct post-TIPS radiomics evidence for MRI and ultrasound remains sparse. Studies of liver and spleen morphology, portal-vein geometry, muscle and adipose tissue, and radiomic texture suggest incremental information beyond conventional scores, particularly when clinical and imaging features are combined; however, negative volumetric findings show that additional image features do not automatically improve prediction. However, most studies are retrospective, single-center, and lack external validation and no validated transformer-based or other sequence model has yet been established for post-TIPS outcomes. Standardization issues in radiomics and limited model interpretability remain significant barriers. Future directions should lead to prospective multicenter cohort validation, increasing sample sizes, harmonized imaging and endpoint definitions, locked external validation with recalibration, and the development of clinically interpretable tools to make it easier to identify those patients suitable for TIPS and their post-procedural management. Full article

Resveratrol is a plant-derived stilbene polyphenol that has attracted interest as a potential dietary additive for improving edible fish muscle quality. This review summarizes current evidence on pre-harvest dietary resveratrol supplementation and its possible effects on nutritional composition, flavor-related biochemical traits, and physicochemical quality of fish muscle or fillets. We distinguish nutritional quality, including proximate composition, amino-acid profiles, and fatty-acid composition, from flavor-related and sensory-relevant proxies, such as free amino acids, inosine monophosphate, volatile precursors, color, pH, water-holding capacity, and texture. Direct evidence from edible fish muscle remains limited and fragmented, and most available studies rely on biochemical or instrumental endpoints rather than trained-panel sensory evaluation or consumer acceptance testing. Reported effects suggest species- and dose-dependent changes in muscle protein deposition, amino-acid accumulation, fatty-acid composition, pH, cooking or drip loss, and texture-related traits. Putative mechanisms may involve antioxidant protection, muscle fiber remodeling, lipid metabolism, endoplasmic-reticulum stress, and delivery-dependent bioavailability; however, many mechanistic links are still inferred from hepatic tissues, mammalian models, or in vitro systems. Future studies should combine standardized dose–response feeding trials with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS)-based volatile profiling, lipid and protein oxidation indices, instrumental texture analysis, sensory evaluation, and shelf-life testing before resveratrol can be recommended as a robust feed-based strategy for improving edible fish muscle quality. Full article

Alterations in body composition are clinically relevant features occurring in patients with breast cancer (BC), but the mechanism remains poorly defined. We investigated whether circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) involved in skeletal muscle (SM) and adipose tissue (AT) metabolism are associated with body composition alterations in BC. We analyzed by RT-qPCR circulating levels of SM- and AT-related miRNAs in a cohort of breast cancer patients (BCPs) (n = 46) and controls (n = 16). Associations between miRNA profiles and body composition parameters were evaluated. miR-21, miR-29a, and miR-29b were upregulated in BCPs compared with controls (all p < 0.05). miR-133a was downregulated in patients with low muscle mass (p = 0.040), independently of adiposity. miR-133a was found to be lower in BCP subgroups with LUM-B and low levels of muscularity compared to those with LUM-A or LUM-B with high muscularity levels (all p < 0.05). Correlation analyses supported a closer association of miR-133a with SM-related parameters than with fat mass. miR-21, miR-29a and miR-29b appeared to reflect tumor-related systemic signaling. miR-133a was associated with reduced SM mass and influenced by tumor molecular subtype. These results suggest that miR-133a might represent a potential mediator of cancer-associated SM alterations and warrant validation in larger longitudinal studies. Full article

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have emerged as fundamental pillars of intercellular communication, acting as primary mediators of the bidirectional biochemical crosstalk within the integrated bone–muscle unit. This review provides a comprehensive synthesis of EV-mediated signaling across the bone–muscle axis, offering a side-by-side mapping of vesicular biogenesis, cargo composition, and functional roles in both tissues. Under physiological conditions, skeletal muscle- and bone-derived EVs orchestrate tissue homeostasis, adaptations to physical exercise, myogenesis, and bone remodeling by transferring unique molecular cargos of proteins and specific microRNAs. However, aging induces a profound remodeling of the EV secretome toward a senescent profile characterized by harmful vesicular factors. This dysfunctional vesicular signaling impairs both muscle regeneration and osteogenesis, directly contributing to the pathogenesis of interconnected age-related disorders like sarcopenia, osteoporosis, and osteosarcopenia. Concurrently, circulating EVs represent valuable, minimally invasive biomarkers for early diagnosis. On the therapeutic front, this review critically evaluates emerging EV-based approaches, utilizing mesenchymal stem cell-derived, bioengineered, or biomaterial-incorporated EVs, offering promising, low-immunogenic alternatives to cell transplantation to enhance musculoskeletal tissue repair and restore bone–muscle homeostasis. Despite persisting technical challenges regarding large-scale production and standardization, targeting or leveraging EV-mediated communication represents one of the most innovative and revolutionary strategies to counteract age-related musculoskeletal decline. By unifying physiological mechanisms, age-related molecular reprogramming, and therapeutic engineering across both muscle and bone into a single narrative, this review provides a comprehensive framework to guide future research and clinical translation in musculoskeletal health. Full article

Electrical impedance myography (EIM) is a noninvasive bioimpedance technique used to assess the structural and compositional properties of muscle tissue. It involves passing a low-intensity probing current between current electrodes and recording the resulting potential difference across measuring electrodes positioned over the muscle of interest. The complexity of signal interpretation lies in the mechanisms of its generation, which are based on dynamic morphofunctional changes in muscle tissue and the skin-fat layer during contraction, which remain incompletely understood. The aim of this review is to summarize current knowledge on the application of EIM in assessing morphofunctional changes in biological tissues for diagnostic, rehabilitation, and biofeedback purposes, taking into account the EIM signal generation mechanisms. Building upon current knowledge, the paper outlines promising avenues for future research in this area. This review includes research papers, review articles published in English from 2016 to 2025, in which EIM was used for diagnostic, rehabilitation, or biofeedback purposes. The selection criteria were experimental or clinical design involving humans or animals, the presence of quantitative data linking impedance parameters to physiological tissue properties, and the use of standard measurement techniques. The review included 51 papers selected from a search of the Scopus database covering 2016–2025 and conducted in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR criteria; a total of 458 records were identified, of which 51 studies were included in the final analysis after screening and full-text assessment. A small number of publications from 2026 are cited as supplementary background and were not part of the formal screening count. The conducted scoping review showed that EIM is a promising and informative tool for non-invasive assessment of the morphofunctional conditions of skeletal muscles, demonstrates a correlation with the muscle contraction force, and can be used as an independent or additional method for diagnostic and rehabilitation purposes. Despite the promise of the method, further detailed research signal generation mechanisms is needed. This includes the assessment and isolation of the contribution of various biological tissues to the recorded EIM signal, taking into account the determination of the electrode system location over the target muscle. Full article

Women are particularly vulnerable to sarcopenia- a progressive, age-related condition characterized by the loss of skeletal muscle mass, strength, and physical performance- due to sex-specific hormonal and physiological changes, most notably the decline in estrogen levels after menopause. This increased risk highlights the critical importance of developing tailored, sex-specific strategies for prevention, diagnosis, and management. Among nutritional factors, vitamin D is increasingly recognized as a key regulator of skeletal muscle physiology, exerting direct effects on muscle tissue via vitamin D receptors and modulating the gene expression involved in muscle cell proliferation, protein synthesis, and mitochondrial function. This review aims to evaluate the synergistic roles of vitamin D, nutrition, and exercise in improving skeletal muscle function in women, with a specific focus on the prevention and management of sarcopenia. Vitamin D can contribute to skeletal muscle integrity by influencing fiber composition, preserving type II fibers, and preventing mass loss. Additionally, it promotes satellite cell activation, thereby supporting muscle repair and regeneration. Consequently, vitamin D supplementation can improve muscle strength, balance, and physical performance, while reducing the risk of falls, frailty, osteoporosis and sarcopenia. Recent studies suggest that vitamin D acts synergistically with diets enriched with whey protein and leucine, as well as with structured exercise programs, predominantly resistance training, to further enhance muscle function and bone health. This review critically examines the current evidence regarding these combined interventions in preserving and optimizing skeletal muscle function in older women, while also addressing the major limitations and inconsistencies in available studies. Understanding the collective impact of these strategies is crucial for developing personalized and effective strategies aimed at maintaining musculoskeletal health, physical performance, and functional independence throughout the female aging process. Full article

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is clinically heterogeneous. Patients with similar body mass index, waist circumference, or noninvasive fibrosis stratum may differ markedly in histologic activity, fibrosis trajectory, and progression risk. Adipose tissue dysfunction helps explain this variation. Adipose dysfunction has been characterized by direct depot quantification, measurement of subcutaneous adipose tissue fibrogenesis, adipose tissue insulin resistance, and circulating adipokine profiles. These measures capture different features of adipose biology and have each been linked to liver injury or fibrosis severity. Clinically recognizable body-composition phenotypes—lean MASLD, sarcopenic visceral obesity, myosteatosis, and the hypertriglyceridemic waist—differ in accessibility, mechanistic specificity, and prognostic value. Recent therapeutic developments in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), including resmetirom, semaglutide, tirzepatide, fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) analogs, and older adipose-directed agents such as pioglitazone, illustrate the importance of distinguishing adipose-mediated, weight-mediated, and liver-directed mechanisms. This review summarizes the literature on adipose tissue dysfunction in MASLD, the body-composition phenotypes associated with it, and recent therapeutic data in the context of adipose–liver–muscle biology. Full article

Volumetric muscle loss (VML) constitutes a significant clinical challenge, defined by the irreversible loss of skeletal muscle tissue and resulting in persistent functional deficits due to fibrosis, chronic inflammation, and insufficient endogenous regeneration. Existing clinical interventions, such as autologous grafting and free functional muscle transfer, are constrained by donor-site morbidity including infection, pain, suboptimal vascularization, and limited functional integration. Although tissue engineering has advanced considerably, no FDA-approved regenerative therapies currently exist for VML, underscoring a substantial translational gap. This review provides a systems-level synthesis of skeletal muscle repair through integrating fundamental biological processes, such as inflammation, satellite-cell activation, myogenesis, angiogenesis, and neuromuscular junction formation, with recent advances in biomaterials, scaffold engineering, and biofabrication technologies. The analysis addresses how critical scaffold design parameters, including alignment, porosity, stiffness, degradation kinetics, and bioactivity, influence cellular responses and tissue integration. Additionally, emerging strategies such as 3D bioprinting, nanofiber-based architectures, stem cell and exosome therapies, and bio-functional stimulation are evaluated inside a unified mechanobiological framework. This analysis is further extended to the regulatory setting, with emphasis on how scaffold composition, mechanism of action, and degree of biological integration affect classification pathways governed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Most advanced VML therapies are anticipated to be regulated as combination products, which will require rigorous preclinical validation, standardized manufacturing processes, and carefully designed clinical studies. By integrating biological principles, engineering design, and regulatory considerations, this review highlights key opportunities, remaining challenges, and future priorities for the clinical translation of next-generation regenerative strategies for VML. Full article

Background: Shear wave elastography (SWE) and myotonometry are commonly used to assess muscle stiffness, but they reflect different aspects of tissue mechanics. SWE allows layer-specific evaluation, whereas myotonometry captures the response of a broader tissue complex. The contribution of individual layers to MyotonPRO-derived stiffness remains unclear. This study examined the relationship between MyotonPRO stiffness and layer-specific SWE measurements in the tibialis anterior muscle. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 56 healthy adults were evaluated. Muscle stiffness was assessed using MyotonPRO and SWE across three regions of interest: superficial tissues including skin, subcutaneous tissue, and deep fascia (ROI 1); muscle tissue excluding fascia (ROI 2); and a composite region including all tissues from the skin surface to a depth of 2 cm (ROI 3). Relationships were analyzed using Spearman correlation, multiple linear regression, and Bland–Altman analysis. Results: Moderate but consistent correlations were observed between MyotonPRO stiffness and SWE values in ROI 2 (ρ = 0.516, p < 0.001) and ROI 3 (ρ = 0.550, p < 0.001), whereas no significant association was found in ROI 1. SWE values in ROI 2 and ROI 3 were significant predictors of MyotonPRO stiffness, explaining 38% of the variance. Bland–Altman analysis demonstrated moderate agreement with a systematic bias toward higher MyotonPRO values. Conclusions: MyotonPRO-derived stiffness reflects a composite mechanical response of muscle and surrounding tissues, with the strongest associations observed in regions encompassing both muscle and fascia. These findings highlight the importance of tissue composition and ROI selection in stiffness assessment and may facilitate more accurate interpretation of MyotonPRO measurements in musculoskeletal diagnostics and rehabilitation. Full article

Background: Relative energy deficiency in sport (REDs) is a multi-system syndrome precipitated by sustained low energy availability (LEA) and known to perturb bone, muscle, adipose, endocrine, and fluid–electrolyte homeostasis in athletic populations. Research question: How does chronic exercise-induced LEA modify the four principal compartments of body composition—bone mineral density, skeletal muscle mass, adipose (total and visceral) tissue, and hydration status—and to what extent do these modifications differ across endurance, strength, and aesthetic sporting disciplines? Objective: The objective of this narrative review was to synthesise the post-2000 peer-reviewed literature addressing this question, to delineate sex- and sport-specific patterns of compositional change, and to appraise the evidence base underpinning current nutritional and screening recommendations. Methods: A structured search of PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar (January 2000–June 2026) was performed; 85 sources specific to REDs, body composition, and athletes met the pre-specified inclusion criteria and informed the synthesis (104 references are cited in total, including background and methodological sources), the reporting of which was guided by the SANRA framework. Scope: The review integrates physiological, endocrine, and nutritional evidence across both sexes, contrasts REDs risk across endurance, ultra-endurance, weight-category/aesthetic, speed–power, and team disciplines and addresses practical implications for screening, interdisciplinary care, and future research. Full article

Cultured meat aims to manufacture genuine animal tissue from cells in vitro, displacing the environmental and ethical liabilities of livestock slaughter. Because the final product must reproduce the fibre architecture, fat marbling, and nutrition of conventional meat, the cell—its identity, proliferative ceiling, and differentiation fidelity—is the central determinant of feasibility. This review consolidates the stem cell biology of cultured meat from a tissue engineering perspective. We first compare the principal cell sources: muscle satellite cells, which offer authentic myogenicity but limited expansion; pluripotent stem cells, which are effectively immortal but require directed differentiation; and mesenchymal, adipogenic, and fibro-adipogenic progenitors that supply fat and connective tissue. We then examine how myogenic and adipogenic commitment is controlled through growth-factor and small-molecule signalling, serum-free medium design, and co-culture strategies that recreate the multicellular composition of meat. We next survey biomaterial scaffolds—edible microcarriers, hydrogels, and decellularized plant matrices—that organize stem cells into anisotropic, perfusable, macroscale constructs, drawing on scaffold-design principles from regenerative medicine. Finally, we address bioreactor scale-up, medium cost, cell-line stability, and regulatory translation. We argue that cultured meat will advance fastest when cell source, differentiation protocol, and scaffold architecture are co-designed rather than optimized in isolation. Full article