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Nature May 2016In many animal societies where hierarchies govern access to reproduction, the social rank of individuals is related to their age and weight and slow-growing animals may...
In many animal societies where hierarchies govern access to reproduction, the social rank of individuals is related to their age and weight and slow-growing animals may lose their place in breeding queues to younger 'challengers' that grow faster. The threat of being displaced might be expected to favour the evolution of competitive growth strategies, where individuals increase their own rate of growth in response to increases in the growth of potential rivals. Although growth rates have been shown to vary in relation to changes in the social environment in several vertebrates including fish and mammals, it is not yet known whether individuals increase their growth rates in response to increases in the growth of particular reproductive rivals. Here we show that, in wild Kalahari meerkats (Suricata suricatta), subordinates of both sexes respond to experimentally induced increases in the growth of same-sex rivals by raising their own growth rate and food intake. In addition, when individuals acquire dominant status, they show a secondary period of accelerated growth whose magnitude increases if the difference between their own weight and that of the heaviest subordinate of the same sex in their group is small. Our results show that individuals adjust their growth to the size of their closest competitor and raise the possibility that similar plastic responses to the risk of competition may occur in other social mammals, including domestic animals and primates.
Topics: Animals; Body Size; Body Weight; Competitive Behavior; Eating; Female; Herpestidae; Male; Reproduction; Sexual Behavior, Animal; Social Dominance
PubMed: 27225127
DOI: 10.1038/nature17986 -
European Journal of Epidemiology Oct 2010The hypothesis that a developmental component plays a role in subsequent disease initially arose from epidemiological studies relating birth size to both risk factors... (Review)
Review
The hypothesis that a developmental component plays a role in subsequent disease initially arose from epidemiological studies relating birth size to both risk factors for cardiovascular disease and actual cardiovascular disease prevalence in later life. The findings that small size at birth is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease have led to concerns about the effect size and the causality of the associations. However, recent studies have overcome most methodological flaws and suggested small effect sizes for these associations for the individual, but an potential important effect size on a population level. Various mechanisms underlying these associations have been hypothesized, including fetal undernutrition, genetic susceptibility and postnatal accelerated growth. The specific adverse exposures in fetal and early postnatal life leading to cardiovascular disease in adult life are not yet fully understood. Current studies suggest that both environmental and genetic factors in various periods of life may underlie the complex associations of fetal growth retardation and low birth weight with cardiovascular disease in later life. To estimate the population effect size and to identify the underlying mechanisms, well-designed epidemiological studies are needed. This review is focused on specific adverse fetal exposures, cardiovascular adaptations and perspectives for new studies.
Topics: Birth Weight; Cardiovascular Diseases; Epidemiologic Studies; Fetal Development; Humans; Kidney; Risk Assessment
PubMed: 20872047
DOI: 10.1007/s10654-010-9510-0 -
Radiation Oncology (London, England) Aug 2012To investigate the correlation between the expression of Epidermal Growth Factor receptor (EGFr) and the reduction of the effective doubling time (TD) during... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE
To investigate the correlation between the expression of Epidermal Growth Factor receptor (EGFr) and the reduction of the effective doubling time (TD) during radiotherapy treatment and also to determine the dose per fraction to be taken into account when the overall treatment time (OTT) is reduced in accelerated radiotherapy of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).
METHODS
A survey of the published papers comparing 3-years of local regional control rate (LCR) for a total of 2162 patients treated with conventional and accelerated radiotherapy and with a pretreatment assessment of EGFr expression, was made. Different values of TD were obtained by a model incorporating the overall time corrected biologically effective dose (BED) and a 3-year clinical LCR for high and low EGFr groups of patients (HEGFr and LEGFr), respectively. By obtaining the TD from the above analysis and the sub-sites' potential doubling time (Tpot) from flow cytometry and immunohistochemical methods, we were able to estimate the average TD for each sub-site included in the analysis. Moreover, the dose that would be required to offset the modified proliferation occurring in one day (Dprolif), was estimated.
RESULTS
The averages of TD were 77 (27-90)95% days in LEGFr and 8.8 (7.3-11.0)95% days in HEGFr, if an onset of accelerated proliferation TK at day 21 was assumed. The correspondent HEGFr sub-sites' TD were 5.9 (6.6), 5.9 (6.6), 4.6 (6.1), 14.3 (12.9) days, with respect to literature immunohistochemical (flow cytometry) data of Tpot for Oral-Cavity, Oro-pharynx, Hypo-pharynx, and Larynx respectively. The Dprolif for the HEGFr groups were 0.33 (0.29), 0.33 (0.29), 0.42 (0.31), 0.14 (0.15) Gy/day if α = 0.3 Gy-1 and α/β = 10 Gy were assumed.
CONCLUSIONS
A higher expression of the EGFr leads to enhanced proliferation. This study allowed to quantify the extent of the effect which EGFr expression has in terms of reduced TD and Dprolif for each head and neck sub-site.
Topics: Acceleration; Biomarkers, Tumor; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell; Cell Proliferation; Disease Progression; ErbB Receptors; Head and Neck Neoplasms; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Prognosis; Radiotherapy Dosage; Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 22920680
DOI: 10.1186/1748-717X-7-143 -
International Journal of Molecular... Aug 2022Temperature strongly modulates muscle development and growth in ectothermic teleosts; however, the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. In this study, primary...
Temperature strongly modulates muscle development and growth in ectothermic teleosts; however, the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. In this study, primary cultures of skeletal muscle cells of were conducted and reared at different temperatures (21, 25, and 28 °C) in both the proliferation and differentiation stages. CCK-8, EdU, wound scratch and nuclear fusion index assays revealed that the proliferation, myogenic differentiation, and migration processes of skeletal muscle cells were significantly accelerated as the temperature raises. Based on the GO, GSEA, and WGCNA, higher temperature (28 °C) induced genes involved in HSF1 activation, DNA replication, and ECM organization processes at the proliferation stage, as well as HSF1 activation, calcium activity regulation, myogenic differentiation, and myoblast fusion, and sarcomere assembly processes at the differentiation stage. In contrast, lower temperature (21 °C) increased the expression levels of genes associated with DNA damage, DNA repair and apoptosis processes at the proliferation stage, and cytokine signaling and neutrophil degranulation processes at the differentiation stage. Additionally, we screened several hub genes regulating myogenesis processes. Our results could facilitate the understanding of the regulatory mechanism of temperature on fish skeletal muscle growth and further contribute to utilizing rational management strategies and promoting organism growth and development.
Topics: Animals; Cell Differentiation; Cell Proliferation; Muscle Development; Muscle Fibers, Skeletal; Muscle, Skeletal; Temperature
PubMed: 36077203
DOI: 10.3390/ijms23179812 -
Pediatric Research Dec 2018Reduced prenatal growth followed by rapid postnatal weight gain are risk factors for developing metabolic and cardiovascular disease. Children reared in institutions...
BACKGROUND
Reduced prenatal growth followed by rapid postnatal weight gain are risk factors for developing metabolic and cardiovascular disease. Children reared in institutions experience a similar pattern of growth restriction followed by catch-up growth after removal. We explored whether patterns of catch-up growth affect metabolic and cardiovascular outcomes in previously institutionalized adolescents.
METHOD
A longitudinal study of institutionalized infants randomized to care as usual (n = 68) or foster care intervention (n = 68), and never institutionalized controls (n = 127). Body mass index (BMI) was measured at baseline (20 months), 30, 42 months, and ages 8, 12, 16. At age 16, metabolic and pro-inflammatory markers were derived from blood samples.
RESULTS
Four BMI trajectories were derived (i.e., average-stable, low-stable, elevated, and accelerated). The accelerated trajectory was comprised predominately of children randomized to foster care, who also exhibited higher levels of glycosylated hemoglobin and C-reactive protein than the other three trajectories. Also, children placed in foster care at younger ages were more likely to be on the accelerated rather than the average-stable trajectory.
CONCLUSIONS
Although catch-up growth is viewed as a positive improvement among post-institutionalized children, rapid/continuous increases in body size pose a health concern. Attention should be given to monitoring weight gain, diet, and physical activity.
Topics: Adolescent; Adolescent, Institutionalized; Body Mass Index; Body Size; Cardiovascular Diseases; Child; Child, Institutionalized; Child, Preschool; Exercise; Female; Foster Home Care; Growth Disorders; Humans; Infant; Inflammation; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Risk Factors; Romania; Weight Gain
PubMed: 30323348
DOI: 10.1038/s41390-018-0196-4 -
Oecologia Feb 2022In many migratory species, smaller migrants suffer higher mortality rates during the risky migration. To minimize the size-selective mortality, migrants with smaller...
In many migratory species, smaller migrants suffer higher mortality rates during the risky migration. To minimize the size-selective mortality, migrants with smaller body sizes would need to accelerate growth rates or delay migration timing to attain a large enough body size prior to migration. To test these predictions, we investigated size-dependent patterns of growth rates and migration timing of juvenile masu salmon (Oncorhynchus masou) before their oceanic migration. We tracked uniquely marked individuals in a study population consisted of oceanic migrants and river-dwelling residents using mark-recapture surveys and PIT-tag antenna-reader system. Data supported our predictions about size-dependent growth rates and migration timing. For approximately 6 months before outmigration (i.e., between the decision of migration and the start of migration), eventual migrants grew more than residents if their initial size was smaller, but such a difference in growth rate diminished for fish with larger initial sizes. In addition, smaller eventual migrants delayed the timing of outmigration compared to larger individuals, to attain a larger body size in the river prior to migration. These results suggest that size-selective mortality during migration has shaped size-dependent patterns of the pre-migration growth in migratory masu salmon. Size-conditional changes in growth rate and duration of pre-migration period may be an adaptive tactic for the migratory animals.
Topics: Animal Migration; Animals; Body Size; Oncorhynchus; Rivers
PubMed: 35064821
DOI: 10.1007/s00442-022-05111-0 -
BioMed Research International 2014The acceleration of pubertal development is an important medical and social problem, as it may result in increased morbidity and mortality in later life. This systematic... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
The acceleration of pubertal development is an important medical and social problem, as it may result in increased morbidity and mortality in later life. This systematic review summarizes relevant data about nongenetic factors, which contribute to age at menarche (AAM), and suggests those which may be the most important.
METHODS
The available literature from 1980 till July 2013 was searched using PubMed and Google Scholar databases. Finally, 154 papers were selected for the analysis.
RESULTS
Environmental factors, which may affect AAM, vary in populations of different ethnicity. The prenatal, infancy, and early childhood periods are the most susceptible to these factors. Body weight, high animal protein intake, family stressors (e.g., single parenting), and physical activity seem to influence AAM in most populations.
CONCLUSIONS
The data about influence of nongenetic factors on AAM are still inconsistent. The factors affecting prenatal and early childhood growth seem to have a larger effect on further sexual maturation. Further studies are needed in order to validate the association between other environmental determinants and AAM in different ethnical groups.
Topics: Adolescent; Age Factors; Birth Weight; Breast Feeding; Child; Ethnicity; Female; Humans; Menarche; Motor Activity; Pregnancy; Weight Gain
PubMed: 25050345
DOI: 10.1155/2014/371583 -
Molecular Pathology : MP Oct 2001To contribute to the debate about whether growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) act independently on the growth process. (Review)
Review
AIM
To contribute to the debate about whether growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) act independently on the growth process.
METHODS
To describe growth in human and animal models of isolated IGF-1 deficiency (IGHD), such as in Laron syndrome (LS; primary IGF-1 deficiency and GH resistance) and IGF-1 gene or GH receptor gene knockout (KO) mice.
RESULTS
Since the description of LS in 1966, 51 patients were followed, many since infancy. Newborns with LS are shorter (42-47 cm) than healthy babies (49-52 cm), suggesting that IGF-1 has some influence on intrauterine growth. Newborn mice with IGF-1 gene KO are 30% smaller. The postnatal growth rate of patients with LS is very slow, the distance from the lowest normal centile increasing progressively. If untreated, the final height is 100-136 cm for female and 109-138 cm for male patients. They have acromicia, organomicria including the brain, heart, gonads, genitalia, and retardation of skeletal maturation. The availability of biosynthetic IGF-1 since 1988 has enabled it to be administered to children with LS. It accelerated linear growth rates to 8-9 cm in the first year of treatment, compared with 10-12 cm/year during GH treatment of IGHD. The growth rate in following years was 5-6.5 cm/year.
CONCLUSION
IGF-1 is an important growth hormone, mediating the protein anabolic and linear growth promoting effect of pituitary GH. It has a GH independent growth stimulating effect, which with respect to cartilage cells is possibly optimised by the synergistic action with GH.
Topics: Animals; Embryonic and Fetal Development; Growth; Growth Disorders; Growth Hormone; Humans; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; Mice; Mice, Knockout; Rats
PubMed: 11577173
DOI: 10.1136/mp.54.5.311 -
Acta Bio-medica : Atenei Parmensis Jan 2022Early puberty (EP) in girls is defined as the onset of thelarche that begins after 6 years and before 8 years and/or acceleration in the tempo of pubertal development....
INTRODUCTION
Early puberty (EP) in girls is defined as the onset of thelarche that begins after 6 years and before 8 years and/or acceleration in the tempo of pubertal development. The stage of puberty and the ovarian volume at presentation and the effect of treatment with GnRH analogue (GnRHa) on final adult height are still debated.
PATIENTS AND METHODS
We analyzed the data of 22 girls, who presented early and fast puberty (FEP). The clinical stage of puberty, hormonal levels and the ovarian volume (OV) (measured by ovarian ultra-sonography) at presentation were studied. We recorded the effects of 3 years treatment with GnRHa on their growth in relation to their mid parental height, pubertal progression, and bone maturation.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION
GnRHa therapy decreased the fast progress of puberty, skeletal maturation, and GV/year. It was successful in increasing the predicted final adult height comparable to or surpassing their mid-parenteral height. A larger OV at presentation was associated with reduced Ht-SDS after 3 years of GnRHa treatment. Clearly, a definitive evaluation of the efficacy of GnRHa as treatment for EFP in girls will require expanded and concerted studies.
Topics: Body Height; Bone Development; Female; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; Humans; Puberty; Puberty, Precocious
PubMed: 35075088
DOI: 10.23750/abm.v92i6.10809 -
Proceedings. Biological Sciences Aug 2021There is a wealth of evidence for a lifespan penalty when environmental conditions influence an individual's growth trajectory, such that growth rate is accelerated to...
There is a wealth of evidence for a lifespan penalty when environmental conditions influence an individual's growth trajectory, such that growth rate is accelerated to attain a target size within a limited time period. Given this empirically demonstrated relationship between accelerated growth and lifespan, and the links between lifespan and telomere dynamics, increased telomere loss could underpin this growth-lifespan trade. We experimentally modified the growth trajectory of nestling zebra finches (), inducing a group of nestlings to accelerate their growth between 7 and 15 days of age, the main phase of body growth. We then sequentially measured their telomere length in red blood cells at various time points from 7 days to full adulthood (120 days). Accelerated growth between 7 and 15 days was not associated with a detectable increase in telomere shortening during this period compared with controls. However, only in the treatment group induced to show growth acceleration was the rate of growth during the experimental period positively related to the amount of telomere shortening between 15 and 120 days. Our findings provide evidence of a long-term influence of growth rate on later-life telomere shortening, but only when individuals have accelerated growth in response to environmental circumstances.
Topics: Acceleration; Animals; Longevity; Songbirds; Telomere; Telomere Shortening
PubMed: 34375555
DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.1118