Objective: To investigate the relationship between total homocysteine (tHcy) levels and sarcopenia among the elderly, so as to provide insights into the prevention and treatment of sarcopenia. Methods: The elderly aged 65 years and older who participated in the physical examination of Shibantan Township Health Center in Xindu District, Chengdu City from April to June 2021 was selected as the study subjects. The elderly with sarcopenia (diagnosed according to the diagnostic criteria of the Asian Sarcopenia Working Group in 2019) and non-sarcopenia were matched 1︰1 by gender and age (±2 years). Demographic information, skeletal muscle mass, skeletal muscle strength and tHcy were collected through questionnaire surveys, physical examination and laboratory testing. Multivariable conditional logistic regression model was used to explore the relationship between tHcy and sarcopenia. Results: A total of 320 individuals, including 160 sarcopenia patients and 160 non-sarcopenia individuals, were investigated. There were 138 males (43.13%) and 182 females (56.87%), with a median age of 71.00 (interquartile range, 6.00) years. There were 57 drinkers (17.81%), 78 smokers (24.37%), 173 cases of hypertension (54.06%) and 124 cases of hyperhomocysteinemia (38.80%). Multivariable conditional logistic regression analysis showed that elevated tHcy was associated with an increased risk of sarcopenia (OR=1.107, 95%CI: 1.024-1.197), after adjusting for smoking, alcohol consumption, hypertension, waist circumference, neck circumference, body mass index, platelet count and high density lipoprotein cholesterol. Conclusion Elevated tHcy is associated with sarcopenia, and intervention should be carried out for the elderly with higher tHcy.

The effects of black rice anthocyanidins (BRACs) on retinal damage induced by photochemical stress are not well known. In the present study, Sprague-Dawley rats were fed AIN-93M for 1 week, after which 80 rats were randomly divided into two groups and treated with (n = 40) or without BRACs (n = 40) for 15 days, respectively. After treatment, both groups were exposed to fluorescent light (3,000 +/- 200 lux; 25degrees C), and the protective effect of dietary BRACs were evaluated afterwards. Our results showed that dietary BRACs effectively prevented retinal photochemical damage and inhibited the retinal cells apoptosis induced by fluorescent light (p < 0.05). Moreover, dietary BRACs inhibited expression of AP-1 (c-fos/c-jun subunits), up-regulated NF-kappaB (p65) expression and phosphorylation of IkappaB-alpha, and decreased Caspase-1 expression (p < 0.05). These results suggest that BRACs improve retinal damage produced by photochemical stress in rats via AP-1/NF-kappaB/Caspase-1 apoptotic mechanisms.
Animal Feed/analysis ; Animals ; Anthocyanins/administration & dosage/*pharmacology ; Antioxidants/administration & dosage/*physiology ; Blotting, Western ; Caspase 1/*genetics/metabolism ; Diet ; Dietary Supplements/analysis ; I-kappa B Proteins/genetics/metabolism ; NF-kappa B/*genetics/metabolism ; Neoplasm Proteins/genetics/metabolism ; Nucleocytoplasmic Transport Proteins/genetics/metabolism ; Oryza sativa/chemistry ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos/genetics/metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun/genetics/metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Retinal Diseases/etiology/*prevention & control ; Signal Transduction/*drug effects/radiation effects ; Transcription Factor AP-1/*genetics/metabolism