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PloS One 2024Body mass index (BMI) is inversely proportional with adiponectin levels among adults, while insulin, C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin 6 (IL-6), resistin and tumor...
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
Body mass index (BMI) is inversely proportional with adiponectin levels among adults, while insulin, C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin 6 (IL-6), resistin and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) have been linked with elevated BMI. The role and relation of these biomarkers with BMI among a Hispanic pediatric population are less known. Thus, the objective of this study was to examine the association of inflammatory markers with the odds of overweight/obesity while controlling for several sociodemographic factors among a Hispanic youth population in Northeast Tennessee.
METHODS
Height, weight, demographic information, and blood samples were collected from 107 Hispanic children aged 2 to 10 years recruited at a large community health center in 2015-2016 in Northeast Tennessee. Data for this research were accessed and analyzed in 2022. Multivariable logistic regression was conducted to assess the relations between adiponectin, insulin, resistin, CRP, TNF-α, and IL-6, and overweight/obesity vs. having a healthy (normal) weight.
RESULTS
Adiponectin levels were significantly lower among overweight/obese Hispanic children (p = 0.0144) compared to healthy weight children. The odds of overweight/obesity decreased by 4% for every one-unit increase in serum adiponectin. Insulin levels were significantly higher among overweight/obese Hispanic children compared to healthy weight children (p = 0.0048). The odds of overweight/obesity increased by 7% for every one-unit increase in serum insulin. Resistin, IL-6, TNF-α, and CRP were not significantly associated with overweight/obesity in this population.
CONCLUSION
Adiponectin behaves similarly in Hispanic youth as it does in other pediatric populations, possibly making it a valuable marker when examining metabolic health status in this population.
Topics: Humans; Child; Body Mass Index; Male; Female; Hispanic or Latino; Child, Preschool; Biomarkers; Adiponectin; C-Reactive Protein; Interleukin-6; Resistin; Insulin; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; Inflammation; Pediatric Obesity; Overweight; Tennessee
PubMed: 38941300
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0289523 -
JAMA Network Open Jun 2024Studies on the familial effects of body mass index (BMI) status have yielded a wide range of data on its heritability.
IMPORTANCE
Studies on the familial effects of body mass index (BMI) status have yielded a wide range of data on its heritability.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the heritability of obesity by measuring the association between the BMIs of fathers, mothers, and their offspring at the same age.
DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS
This cohort study used data from population-wide mandatory medical screening before compulsory military service in Israel. The study included participants examined between January 1, 1986, and December 31, 2018, whose both parents had their BMI measurement taken at their own prerecruitment evaluation in the past. Data analysis was performed from May to December 2023.
MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES
Spearman correlation coefficients were calculated for offsprings' BMI and their mothers', fathers', and midparental BMI percentile (the mean of the mothers' and fathers' BMI cohort- and sex-specific BMI percentile) to estimate heritability. Logistic regression models were applied to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs of obesity compared with healthy BMI, according to parental BMI status.
RESULTS
A total of 447 883 offspring (235 105 male [52.5%]; mean [SD] age, 17.09 [0.34] years) with both parents enrolled and measured for BMI at 17 years of age were enrolled in the study, yielding a total study population of 1 343 649 individuals. Overall, the correlation between midparental BMI percentile at 17 years of age and the offspring's BMI at 17 years of age was moderate (ρ = 0.386). Among female offspring, maternal-offspring BMI correlation (ρ = 0.329) was somewhat higher than the paternal-offspring BMI correlation (ρ = 0.266). Among trios in which both parents had a healthy BMI, the prevalence of overweight or obesity in offspring was 15.4%; this proportion increased to 76.6% when both parents had obesity and decreased to 3.3% when both parents had severe underweight. Compared with healthy weight, maternal (OR, 4.96; 95% CI, 4.63-5.32), paternal (OR, 4.48; 95% CI, 4.26-4.72), and parental (OR, 6.44; 95% CI, 6.22-6.67) obesity (midparent BMI in the ≥95th percentile) at 17 years of age were associated with increased odds of obesity among offspring.
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
In this cohort study of military enrollees whose parents also underwent prerecruitment evaluations, the observed correlation between midparental and offspring BMI, coupled with a calculated narrow-sense heritability of 39%, suggested a substantive contribution of genetic factors to BMI variation at 17 years of age.
Topics: Humans; Body Mass Index; Male; Female; Israel; Adolescent; Obesity; Cohort Studies; Adult; Fathers
PubMed: 38941093
DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.19029 -
Alternative Therapies in Health and... Jun 2024This study aims to investigate the correlation between breast cancer and autoimmune thyroid diseases.
OBJECTIVE
This study aims to investigate the correlation between breast cancer and autoimmune thyroid diseases.
METHODS
A cross-sectional observational study enrolled 100 breast cancer patients at Zhongshan Hospital of Xiamen University from March 2020 to October 2021. Patients were categorized into benign and malignant groups based on tumor pathology. Additionally, 100 healthy female participants underwent physical examinations at the hospital's outpatient center during the same period as controls. The incidence of autoimmune thyroid diseases was assessed via B-type ultrasound, thyroxine level examination, and biopsy. Statistical analyses explored the relationship between autoimmune thyroid diseases and breast cancer.
RESULTS
The pathological type of the malignant group was more severe than that of the healthy group. Although the levels of triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), and free thyroxine (FT4) in the malignant group fell within the normal range, the concentrations of T3 and T4 in the malignant group were significantly lower than those in the benign and healthy groups. Additionally, the levels of FT4 and antibodies (anti-thyroid peroxidase [anti-TPO] and anti-thyroglobulin [anti-TG]) were significantly higher in the malignant group compared to the benign and healthy groups, demonstrating statistical significance (P < .05). Conversely, the concentrations of free triiodothyronine (FT3) and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) in the malignant group showed no statistical significance (P > .05). Furthermore, the levels of T3 and T4 did not correlate with the expression of estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) in the study group (P > .05). However, both hormone levels were lower in patients with negative HER-2 expression and those with lymph node metastasis (P > .05).
CONCLUSION
Autoimmune thyroid disease correlates with breast cancer occurrence. Thyroid hormone and autoantibody levels aid clinical monitoring and prognosis. Positive anti-TG and anti-TPO expressions, along with T3, T4, and FT4 alterations, impact patients.
PubMed: 38940788
DOI: No ID Found -
Polski Przeglad Chirurgiczny Feb 2024<b><br>Introduction:</b> Intragastric balloon (IGB) insertion is used as a bridging therapy in patients with body mass index (BMI) ≥ 50 kg/m2 . We...
<b><br>Introduction:</b> Intragastric balloon (IGB) insertion is used as a bridging therapy in patients with body mass index (BMI) ≥ 50 kg/m2 . We arranged a retrospective study to evaluate whether pre-operative IGB treatment influences perioperative and postoperative weight loss outcomes after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (SG), and especially to evaluate the impact of post - IGB percentage of excessive weight loss (%EWL) on postoperative %EWL.</br> <b><br>Materials and methods:</b> Patients who underwent IGB placement followed by laparoscopic SG were divided into the following groups considering %EWL after IGB: Group 1 <=10.38%; Group 2 >10.38% and <=17.27%; Group 3 >17.27% and <=24.86%; Group 4 >24.86%. 1 year after SG data were collected. The following parameters were compared between groups: operative time, total blood loss, length of stay and weight, BMI, percentage of total weight loss (%TWL), %EWL.</br> <b><br>Results:</b> There were no statistically significant differences between groups in perioperative results. Post-SG %EWL was the highest in intermediate groups: 2 and 3. Post-treatment results were observed: body weight and BMI were the lowest in Group 4 and the highest in Group 1. Post-treatment %EWL was the highest in Group 4, the lowest in Group 1 and grew gradually in subsequent groups.</br> <b><br>Discussion:</b> The study confirmed the impact of weight loss on IGB on postoperative results. The study showed that %EWL after the IGB treatment influences %EWL after SG and most of all affects definitive %EWL after two-stage treatment and it could be a foreshadowing factor of these outcomes.</br> <b><br>Importance:</b> The importance of research for the development of the field %EWL after IGB influences the final BMI and final weight, which means that patients with the greatest %EWL after IGB are more likely to have the greatest postoperative weight loss and overall weight loss.</br>.
Topics: Humans; Retrospective Studies; Female; Male; Gastrectomy; Adult; Gastric Balloon; Weight Loss; Laparoscopy; Obesity, Morbid; Treatment Outcome; Middle Aged; Body Mass Index; Preoperative Care
PubMed: 38940249
DOI: 10.5604/01.3001.0054.2675 -
Bioinformatics (Oxford, England) Jun 2024Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly used in genomics research and practice, and generative AI has garnered significant recent attention. In clinical...
Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly used in genomics research and practice, and generative AI has garnered significant recent attention. In clinical applications of generative AI, aspects of the underlying datasets can impact results, and confounders should be studied and mitigated. One example involves the facial expressions of people with genetic conditions. Stereotypically, Williams (WS) and Angelman (AS) syndromes are associated with a "happy" demeanor, including a smiling expression. Clinical geneticists may be more likely to identify these conditions in images of smiling individuals. To study the impact of facial expression, we analyzed publicly available facial images of approximately 3500 individuals with genetic conditions. Using a deep learning (DL) image classifier, we found that WS and AS images with non-smiling expressions had significantly lower prediction probabilities for the correct syndrome labels than those with smiling expressions. This was not seen for 22q11.2 deletion and Noonan syndromes, which are not associated with a smiling expression. To further explore the effect of facial expressions, we computationally altered the facial expressions for these images. We trained HyperStyle, a GAN-inversion technique compatible with StyleGAN2, to determine the vector representations of our images. Then, following the concept of InterfaceGAN, we edited these vectors to recreate the original images in a phenotypically accurate way but with a different facial expression. Through online surveys and an eye-tracking experiment, we examined how altered facial expressions affect the performance of human experts. We overall found that facial expression is associated with diagnostic accuracy variably in different genetic conditions.
Topics: Humans; Facial Expression; Deep Learning; Artificial Intelligence; Genetics, Medical; Williams Syndrome
PubMed: 38940144
DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btae239 -
Annals of Agricultural and... Jun 2024Obesity is considered a major public health concern. The aim of the study is to compare anthropometric indicators related to overweight and obesity by place of residence... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study
Comparison of anthropometric indicators related to overweight and obesity by place of residence in a local community with a high social deprivation rate - a cross-sectional study.
INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE
Obesity is considered a major public health concern. The aim of the study is to compare anthropometric indicators related to overweight and obesity by place of residence in a local community with a high social deprivation rate, based on the example of residents of the Janów District in eastern Poland, taking into account gender strata differences.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
The cross-sectional epidemiological study was carried out in a study group of 3,752 individuals. The following anthropometric measurements and laboratory tests were performed to identify the anthropometric indicators related to overweight and obesity: body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) and body adiposity index (BAI).
RESULTS
Mean age of the study group was 51.92 ± 8.15. Overweight and obesity-related indicators were more prevalent in rural than urban areas among women, and were as follows: BMI (28.77 ± 5.37 vs. 27.62 ± 5.09; p < 0.001), WHR (0.87 ± 0.07 vs. 0.85 ± 0.07; p < 0.001), WHtR (0.57 ± 0.09 vs. 0.57 ± 0.08; p < 0.001) and BAI (33.58 ± 5.48 vs. 32.82 ± 5.4; p = 0.002). Men's mean WHR was higher in rural than in urban areas (0.96 ± 0.07 vs. 0.95 ± 0.62; p < 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS
The study shows that women living in rural areas had a mean BMI that was 1.1 higher than that of women living in urban areas, as well as 0.02 higher WHR and WHtR and 0.8 higher BAI. In contrast, men living in rural areas had a 0.001 higher WHtR and WHR than men living in urban areas. In the multivariable models, after having considered potential confounding variables, women living in rural areas had approximately a 60% higher probability of being obese, while men had approximately a 30% higher probability of being obese.
Topics: Humans; Male; Poland; Obesity; Female; Cross-Sectional Studies; Middle Aged; Adult; Overweight; Body Mass Index; Waist-Hip Ratio; Rural Population; Anthropometry; Urban Population; Aged; Waist-Height Ratio; Residence Characteristics; Socioeconomic Factors
PubMed: 38940109
DOI: 10.26444/aaem/178180 -
Annals of Agricultural and... Jun 2024Body weight can be one of the health effects affecting people's well-being in its many aspects. The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between body weight...
INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE
Body weight can be one of the health effects affecting people's well-being in its many aspects. The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between body weight and sexual life.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
In June 2020 a survey was conducted online on a nationwide representative group of 3,000 Poles. A year later, in June 2021thje survey was repeated on a nationwide representative group of 2,500 Poles. The data obtained from 4,266 respondents were then analyzed. Four proprietary questions were used to assess sexual life, based on which a 3-point scale was developed (2020 - α = 0.80, homogeneity 61%; 2021 - α = 0.77, homogeneity 64%).
RESULTS
Excess body weight as measured by BMI was more common in 2021 than in 2020, which confirms the upward trend in body weight in society (55.5% vs. 52.7%). In 2020, more respondents indicated a good assessment of their sexual life than in 2021 (27.3% vs 23.5%, p=0.007). People with excessive body weight rated their sexual life as poorer on the scale (2020 p=0.003; 2021 p=0.009). Multinomial logistic regression showed that people with obesity (BMI>30) had a 1.7 higher increased risk of poor assessment of sexual life than those with normal weight (OR: 1.728; 95% CI: 1.396-2.138; p<0.001). In addition, multinomial logistic regression showed significance for the poor assessment of sexual life for the following factors: age 50-65; female. On the other hand, the following factors were associated with the good assessment of sexual life: age 18-29, being in a relationship, and the year of the study.
CONCLUSIONS
Body weight may be one of the most important aspects affecting the assessment of a person's sexual life. Educating patients about the correct body weight is extremely important in order to improve their health and sexual life.
Topics: Humans; Female; Male; Cross-Sectional Studies; Body Weight; Adult; Middle Aged; Sexual Behavior; Young Adult; Surveys and Questionnaires; Obesity; Body Mass Index; Poland; Adolescent; Aged
PubMed: 38940105
DOI: 10.26444/aaem/173221 -
Frontiers in Bioscience (Landmark... Jun 2024Existing animal models for testing therapeutics in the skin are limited. Mouse and rat models lack similarity to human skin in structure and wound healing mechanism....
BACKGROUND
Existing animal models for testing therapeutics in the skin are limited. Mouse and rat models lack similarity to human skin in structure and wound healing mechanism. Pigs are regarded as the best model with regards to similarity to human skin; however, these studies are expensive, time-consuming, and only small numbers of biologic replicates can be obtained. In addition, local-regional effects of treating wounds that are closely adjacent to one-another with different treatments make assessment of treatment effectiveness difficult in pig models. Therefore, here, a novel nude mouse model of xenografted porcine hypertrophic scar (HTS) cells was developed. This model system was developed to test if supplying hypo-pigmented cells with exogenous alpha melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH) will reverse pigment loss .
METHODS
Dyschromic HTSs were created in red Duroc pigs. Epidermal scar cells (keratinocytes and melanocytes) were derived from regions of hyper-, hypo-, or normally pigmented scar or skin and were cryopreserved. Dermal fibroblasts (DFs) were isolated separately. Excisional wounds were created on nude mice and a grafting dome was placed. DFs were seeded on day 0 and formed a dermis. On day 3, epidermal cells were seeded onto the dermis. The grafting dome was removed on day 7 and hypo-pigmented xenografts were treated with synthetic α-MSH delivered with microneedling. On day 10, the xenografts were excised and saved. Sections were stained using hematoxylin and eosin hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) to assess xenograft structure. RNA was isolated and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was performed for melanogenesis-related genes , , and .
RESULTS
The seeding of HTSDFs formed a dermis that is similar in structure and cellularity to HTS dermis from the porcine model. When hyper-, hypo-, and normally-pigmented epidermal cells were seeded, a fully stratified epithelium was formed by day 14. H&E staining and measurement of the epidermis showed the average thickness to be 0.11 ± 0.07 µm 0.06 ± 0.03 µm in normal pig skin. Hypo-pigmented xenografts that were treated with synthetic α-MSH showed increases in pigmentation and had increased gene expression of , , and compared to untreated controls (TYR: 2.7 ± 1.1 0.3 ± 1.1; TYRP1: 2.6 ± 0.6 0.3 ± 0.7; DCT 0.7 ± 0.9 0.3 ± 1-fold change from control; n = 3).
CONCLUSIONS
The developed nude mouse skin xenograft model can be used to study treatments for the skin. The cells that can be xenografted can be derived from patient samples or from pig samples and form a robust dual-skin layer containing epidermis and dermis that is responsive to treatment. Specifically, we found that hypo-pigmented regions of scar can be stimulated to make melanin by synthetic α-MSH .
Topics: Animals; Mice, Nude; Cicatrix, Hypertrophic; Mice; Disease Models, Animal; Swine; alpha-MSH; Humans; Skin; Fibroblasts; Melanocytes; Keratinocytes; Transplantation, Heterologous; Wound Healing; Skin Pigmentation
PubMed: 38940034
DOI: 10.31083/j.fbl2906230 -
Annals of Ibadan Postgraduate Medicine Apr 2024Soft tissue masses are commonly encountered in surgical and general medical practice. The graduating medical student should therefore be competent in the physical...
INTRODUCTION
Soft tissue masses are commonly encountered in surgical and general medical practice. The graduating medical student should therefore be competent in the physical examination of a lump. Paucity of real patients makes it paramount that models be used for teaching and evaluation. This study purposed to describe the perception of graduating medical students to the use of a low-cost lump model for Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE).
METHODS
This was a cross-sectional survey of final year medical students who participated in a surgery OSCE utilizing an innovative low-cost lump model.
RESULTS
One hundred and sixty students undertook the OSCE examination while 130 (81.3%) students completed the survey questionnaire. One hundred and forty students (87.5%) passed (score 5) the skills assessment using the lump model. The median age of the students who completed the questionnaire was 25 (range 24-27) years. There were more males N=84 (65.6%) than females N= 44 (34.4%). Two thirds (67.2%; n=84) of the students said the model simulated a true lump. Nearly all the students agreed that the signs of site (97.6%; n=127), size (97.6%; n=127), shape (95.4%; n=124) and transillumination (95.4%; n=124) were clearly demonstrable with the model. A lower proportion of agreements were seen with signs such as tenderness (64.6%; n=82), attachment (77.7%; n=80) and warmth (58.6%; n=75) while more students disagreed with pulsatility (51.5%; n=67).
CONCLUSION
The medical students had a positive perception to the use of the model. However, further refinements would be needed for more signs to be demonstrable.
PubMed: 38939885
DOI: No ID Found -
Annals of Ibadan Postgraduate Medicine Apr 2024The white cerebellum sign (WCS) is a classical but rare radiological finding usually associated with irreversible diffuse hypoxic-ischemic cerebral injury. Very few...
INTRODUCTION
The white cerebellum sign (WCS) is a classical but rare radiological finding usually associated with irreversible diffuse hypoxic-ischemic cerebral injury. Very few cases exist in the literature globally, especially from the West African region, as a potential hallmark of poor prognostic outcome. We describe the white cerebellum sign in a Nigerian pediatric patient, managed for severe head injury.
CASE PRESENTATION
A fourteen-year old boy presented to our emergency department with loss of consciousness following a pedestrian road traffic accident. Physical examination revealed a critically ill boy with fever, hypotension, tachycardia, gasping respiration, GCS 3, bilateral dilated unreactive pupils, absent corneal, gag and oculocephalic reflexes. He was thus diagnosed of severe traumatic brain injury and brainstem dysfunction. He had endotracheal intubation, ventilatory and inotropic support. Cranial computerized tomography scan of the patient showed radiological features in keeping with the WCS. His clinical status remained poor until he suffered a cardiac arrest about twelve hours after admission.
CONCLUSION
WCS has been reported in relation to child abuse, anoxic-ischemic brain injury, inflammatory and metabolic brain disorders and trauma. It is a classical radiological description of diffuse cerebral edema alongside relatively normal cerebellar hemispheres and brainstem. Management of this pathology is symptomatic, and aims to ameliorate the associated raised intracranial pressure, control seizures and prevent cerebral infarction. The index patient, who presented 24 hours after severe head injury with associated early post-traumatic seizures, respiratory failure and brainstem dysfunction, had an unfavourable outcome consistent with previous reports of WCS. We have reported the rare but classical white cerebellum sign. It remains a grave prognosticator of cerebral injury and should be sought for in the neuroimaging of patients with acute brain insults.
PubMed: 38939880
DOI: No ID Found