Stress habituation,body shape and cardiovascular mortality

High cardiovascular mortality is well documented in lean phenotypes exhibiting visceral fat accumulation. In contrast, corpulent phenotypes with predominantly subcutaneous fat accumulation display a surprisingly low mortality. The term ‘obesity paradox’ reflects the difficulty in understanding the biological mechanisms underlying these clinical observations. The allostatic load model of chronic stress focuses on glucocorticoid dysregulation as part of a ‘network of allostasis’ involving autonomic, endocrine, metabolic, and immune mediators. Here, we expand upon the energetic demands of the brain and show that ‘habituators’ and ‘non-habituators’ develop divergent patterns of fat distribution. Central to this process is the recurrent rise in the cerebral energy need (arousal) that non-habituators experience during chronic stress. These neuroenergetic alterations promote visceral fat accumulation, subcutaneous fat loss, and atherogenesis with subsequent cardiovascular events. Habituators are more or less protected against such cardiovascular complications, but there is a metabolic trade-off that we shall discuss in the present paper.     

Congenital Lipedematous Alopecia: Adding to the Differential Diagnosis of Congenital Alopecia

Lipedematous alopecia is a rare condition of unknown etiology characterized by a thick boggy scalp with varying degrees of hair loss. It is usually seen in adult African-American females, and a case in a 9-year-old was the youngest patient reported thus far. We report on the appearance of this condition in two children, a 6-year-old child and a 10-year-old child. Each presented with congenital patchy hair loss on the occipital area and the left temple. A boggy hairless scalp with soft swelling was detected in both patients. Histological examination showed increased thickness of the subcutaneous fat tissue with a decrease in hair follicles. These features were consistent with a diagnosis of lipedematous alopecia. We report two cases of congenital lipedematous alopecia, which has not been reported previously. Although congenital, these distinct clinical features should be kept in mind in the diagnosis of alopecic hair loss.     

三种膳食结构对去卵巢大鼠骨量和骨结构的影响

目的 比较不同膳食结构对去卵巢大鼠（OVX）骨量和骨结构的影响。方法 30只去卵巢大鼠随机分为3组，分别以基础、高脂和黄豆饲料喂养3个月。每周称体重一次，结算各组大鼠每天的摄食量。3个月后，采血测血清血脂水平、血钙、血磷和雌二醇；双能X线骨密度仪测定实验前、后大鼠全身、脊柱和股骨骨密度；取一侧股骨制备脱钙骨切片，进行骨形态学观察和骨计量学测定。结果 1、各组大鼠每天食物摄入量、血钙和血磷无统计学差异。2、黄豆饲料组大鼠体重最小(P<0.05)；血清E2水平最高(P<0.05)；全身、股骨和脊柱BMD均最高(P<0.05)；骨小梁数量最多、骨小梁面积和厚度均最大(P<0.05)。而高脂饲料组大鼠体重最大(P<0.05)；TG和LDL水平最高，HDL最低 (P<0.05)；全身、股骨和脊柱BMD均最低(P<0.05)，高脂饲料与基础饲料相比，骨小梁数量无差异，但骨小梁面积和厚度较大(P<0.05)。结论 从绝经后骨质疏松预防角度来说，富含黄豆的饮食较高脂饮食是一种较好的膳食结构；后者可能加速了女性的骨丢失。     

Heel fat pad syndrome beyond acute plantar fascitis

Heel pain is a frequent cause of pain and disability in adult active population. In patients with this clinical presentation, several causes must be ruled out, among them plantar fasciitis the most common. Other etiologies of plantar heel pain are the entrapment of muscular branch of the lateral plantar nerve (Baxter nerve) or fat pad atrophy, being the last one the second cause of heel pain after plantar fasciitis.A case series of patients with pathological findings of the heel fat pad area using MRI and US to provide a differential diagnosis of heel pain.Observational case series study. Nine patients visited presented with pain in the plantar aspect of the heel.The plantar aspect of the heel was evaluated in detail with US and MRI. Main inclusion criteria were to present acute or chronic pain on the plantar aspect.In five cases the right heel was affected, in three cases the left heel. One case presented bilateral complaints. All patients presented mechanical pain. Specifically, four of them also described a constant clunk during footstep. Heel fat pad lesion was confirmed with MRI and US in the medial aspect, observed in five patients. In four patients, the heel fat pad was globally affected respectively.This case series tries to put some light on other heel conflicts beside plantar fasciitis that should be ruled out, being one of those, heel fat pad atrophy. Our presentation highlight the role that bed side ultrasound can play in the definition of a specific pattern confirmed with MRI after the US.     

高甘油三酯腰围表型与急性胰腺炎病情程度及预后的相关性分析

目的探讨高甘油三酯腰围表型(HTGW)与急性胰腺炎(AP)病情程度及预后的相关性。方法选取西南医科大学附属医院2018年9月-2019年8月收治的356例AP患者为研究对象,将患者分为甘油三酯和腰围正常组(NWNT)、单纯高甘油三酯组(NWET)、单纯腹型肥胖组(EWNT)、高甘油三酯腰围表型组(HTGW)4个组,对比4组患者的临床特点,包括年龄、性别、实验室指标、病情分级、并发症等。符合正态分布的计量资料组间比较采用one-way ANOVA检验,组内两两比较采用LSD-t检验;不符合正态分布的计量资料组间及组内两两比较均采用Kruskal-Wallis H检验。计数资料二分类变量组间及组内两两比较均采用χ2检验,有序多分类变量组间比较采用Kruskal-Wallis H检验,组内两两比较采用Mann-Whitney U检验。患者发生器官衰竭和胰腺感染坏死的影响因素采用单因素及多因素logistic回归分析。结果HTGW组中性粒细胞计数水平高于NWNT组,CRP水平高于NWNT、NWET组,肌酐水平高于NWNT组,总胆固醇、TG、低密度脂蛋白水平高于NWNT、EWNT组,高密度脂蛋白水平低于NWNT、EWNT组,血糖水平高于NWNT组,差异均有统计学意义(P值均<0.05)。HTGW组重型急性胰腺炎发生率高于其他3组,差异有统计学意义(χ2=189.519,P<0.001)。HTGW组感染性胰腺坏死和器官衰竭并发症比例均高于其他3组,差异均有统计学意义(χ2值分别为11.770、19.457,P值分别为0.008、<0.001)。单因素logistic回归分析显示性别、复发史是感染性胰腺坏死的危险因素,校正危险因素后,HTGW组发生感染性胰腺坏死的风险为NWNT的3.347倍[95%可信区间(95%CI):1.538~7.283,P=0.002];BMI、腰围甘油三酯指数、吸烟、糖尿病、HTGW是器官衰竭的危险因素(P<0.05),校正危险因素后,HTGW组发生器官衰竭的风险为NWNT的4.143倍(95%CI:1.299~13.219,P=0.016)。结论HTGW是重型急性胰腺炎发生的独立危险因素,影响患者的病情程度及并发症的发生,应早期识别和诊断此型患者,积极改善脂代谢紊乱,改善患者的病情及预后。