Associations of maternal prenatal smoking with umbilical cord blood hormones: the Project Viva cohort

BackgroundMaternal smoking during pregnancy is associated with low fetal growth and adverse cardiometabolic health in offspring. However, hormonal pathways underlying these associations are unclear. Therefore, we examined maternal smoking habits and umbilical cord blood hormone profiles in a large, prospective cohort.MethodsWe studied 978 mother/infant pairs in Project Viva, a Boston-area cohort recruited 1999–2002. We categorized mothers as early pregnancy smokers, former smokers, or never smokers. Outcomes were cord blood concentrations of IGF-1, IGF-2, IGFBP-3, leptin, adiponectin, insulin, and C-peptide. We used linear regression models adjusted for maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), race/ethnicity, parity, education, and infant sex. We conducted analyses in the full cohort and stratified by infant sex.ResultsThirteen percent of women were early pregnancy smokers, 20% former smokers, and 68% never smokers. Infants of early pregnancy smokers had lower IGF-1 adjusted for IGFBP-3 [− 5.2 ng/mL (95% CI: − 8.6, − 1.7)], with more pronounced associations in girls [− 10.7 ng/mL (95% CI: − 18.5, − 2.9) vs. − 4.0 ng/mL (95% CI: − 8.4, 0.4) for boys]. Early pregnancy smoking was not associated with cord blood hormones other than IGF-1. Infants of former smokers had a cord blood hormone profile similar to infants of never smokers.ConclusionsAs compared to mothers who never smoked, early pregnancy smokers had infants with lower cord blood IGF-1 which could prime adverse metabolic outcomes. This provides further reason to support smoking cessation programs in women of reproductive age.     

Relationships between personality disorders and anthropometry, hormones and metabolism in women

This study sought to examine the potential influence of personality disorders (PD) on anthropometry, hormones and metabolism in women. In a population sample of women born in 1956 (no.=270), estimates of PD:s by Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R, Axis II, were correlated with anthropometric, endocrine, and metabolic factors. The PD:s were grouped into three thematic clusters: cluster A (characterized by oddness or eccentricity), cluster B (characterized by self-centeredness, emotionality, and erratic behavior) and cluster C (characterized by anxiety and fear). Subjects with cluster A PD:s had significantly increased body mass index (BMI, kg/m2) and abdominal sagittal diameter (cm) as well as lower salivary cortisol after dexamethasone (DEX) compared to controls. Subjects with cluster B also had a significantly higher abdominal sagittal diameter and significantly lower salivary cortisol levels after DEX than controls. In addition, subjects with cluster B PD:s had decreased levels of ACTH, and significantly higher concentrations of lactate and triglycerides, while high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol was significantly lower compared to controls. A significantly higher waist/hip ratio was seen among subjects with cluster C PD:s. In addition, these subjects had higher levels of insulin, glucose, lactate, triglycerides, total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol than controls. Moreover, IGF-I and HDL cholesterol were significantly decreased in the former group. These results suggest that PD:s are involved in the development of obesity and abdominal fat accumulation in women, with different endocrine and metabolic profiles depending on the type of PD.     

围产新生儿QRS向量环特点及其临床意义

对334例出生到6天围产新生儿心电向量图QRS环进行了研究。大部分F面及H面QRS环呈顺钟向运行。出生最初6小时内H面最大QRS向量48.3％指向右后方,19.0％指向右前方,32.7％指向左前方,平均方位角159.8°±77.6°。其中70.7％的新生儿.H面QRS环初始向量指向左前方,终末向量偏向右后方,平均方位角-123.5°±12.6°。在F、LS、H各平面中,都是在出生后最初1小时内的最大QRS向量振幅最高。随日龄增长,QRS环初始向量逐渐偏向右前方,终末向量逐渐偏向后而略偏左方,最大QRS向量逐渐向左前方偏移,同时伴振幅减小。与此同时,X导联R_x波振幅增大,S/R比值降低;Z导联S_z波振幅及S/R比值降低。上述变化与围产新生儿因肺动脉高压引起的右室过荷随增龄逐渐变小的过程相一致。     

新生儿体重、性别与脐血造血细胞含量的关系

目的:探讨新生儿体重、性别与脐血造血细胞含量的关系,最优化脐血采集前供体的选择标准。方法:回顾性分析2941例脐血的新生儿性别和体重与总有核细胞数(TNC)、CD34+细胞数和总集落数(CFUs)的关系,明确新生儿性别和体重对脐血造血细胞含量的影响。结果:新生儿体重与TNC、采集体积有相关关系(均P<0.01),与总CD34+细胞数、CFUs相关性均差异无统计学意义(均P>0.05)。采集体积、TNC、总CD34+细胞数、CFUs数在不同体重组中差异有统计学意义(P<0.01或P<0.05)。不同新生儿性别组采集体积、TNC、总CD34+细胞数、CFUs数均差异有统计学意义(均P<0.05),男性组的采集体积、总CD34+细胞数、CFUs均比女性组高,TNC低于女性组。结论:新生儿体重指标增加到标准化的脐血采集前供体选择标准中将有利于获得更好的采集质量,提高库存脐血的有效性。男性新生儿中脐血造血祖细胞含量较高,新生儿性别可能影响脐血移植的造血潜能。     

Transient cholestasis in newborn infants with perinatal asphyxia.

In asphyxiated newborn infants, cholestasis often leads to extensive investigations and a cause can rarely be found. OBJECTIVE: To assess the frequency of transient neonatal cholestasis in an unselected group of asphyxiated newborn infants in a mother-child centre. METHOD: Charts of 181 asphyxiated newborn infants born with appropriate birth weight for gestational age (AGA) or small weight for gestational age (SGA) at Sainte-Justine Hospital, Montreal, Quebec between 1989 and 1993 were reviewed. RESULTS: Transient neonatal cholestasis was found in 8.5% of asphyxiated AGA and 33% of SGA newborn infants, compared with 3.94% cholestasis of any etiology in nonasphyxiated SGA infants. Asphyxiated neonates born before the age of 35 weeks had an increased risk for transient neonatal cholestasis (odds ratio 2.84, CI 1.0-8.1) CONCLUSION: Transient neonatal cholestasis is associated with several contributing factors related to the severity of the neonatal distress. Asphyxia is frequently accompanied by cholestasis in this group of newborns and without symptoms other than uncomplicated cholestasis. Investigations should be focussed on conditions requiring immediate therapy.     

肢端肥大症患者血清骨钙素和脂质运转载蛋白2水平变化及与糖代谢的相关性

目的检测肢端肥大症患者血清骨源性激素骨钙素和脂质运转载蛋白2(LCN2)水平变化,及其在肢端肥大症糖代谢异常发生中的可能作用。方法南京鼓楼医院内分泌科2016年12月至2018年8月确诊的肢端肥大症患者50例(随访资料完整的术后患者41例),同期年龄、性别及体重指数匹配的正常对照者30名。分析骨钙素及LCN2水平变化及影响因素,进一步探讨肢端肥大症患者骨源性激素与糖代谢指标相关性,以及胰岛素抵抗及胰岛功能变化的影响因素。结果与对照者相比,肢端肥大症患者骨钙素水平明显升高[(55.45±34.02对19.46±6.69)ng/ml,P<0.01],LCN2水平显著下降[(34.15±9.95对57.50±29.75)ng/ml,P<0.01],稳态模型评估的胰岛素抵抗指数(HOMA-IR)增加(P<0.01),而稳态模型评估的胰岛β细胞功能指数(HOMA-β)及葡萄糖耐量试验0~120 min的胰岛素曲线下面积(AUCINS)无明显变化(均P>0.05)。手术治疗后,随着血清生长激素(GH)及胰岛素样生长因子1(IGF-1)水平下降,术后骨钙素水平显著下降[24.79(18.39,32.59)对43.51(26.73,65.66)ng/ml,P<0.01],LCN2显著升高[(45.15±15.33对37.03±9.73)ng/ml,P<0.05]。多元逐步回归显示,肌肉含量与血清LCN2呈独立正相关(β=0.44,P=0.015),血清IGF-1水平与骨钙素呈独立正相关(β=0.512,P<0.01)。骨钙素是HOMA-β独立影响因素(β=0.519,P=0.004)。LCN2(β=-0.398,P=0.017)和骨钙素(β=0.553,P=0.001)是AUCINS的独立影响因素,GH(β=0.294,P=0.029)和IGF-1(β=0.428,P=0.002)是HOMA-IR的独立影响因素。结论肢端肥大症患者血清骨源性激素骨钙素水平升高而LCN2水平下降,术后伴随生长激素水平下降上述异常一定程度恢复。血清骨钙素及LCN2水平与肢端肥大症患者胰岛功能变化密切相关。本研究为肢端肥大症中骨骼参与糖代谢调控增添新的证据。     

Leptin concentration in newborns' cord blood: relationship to gender and growth-regulating hormones.

AIMS:To verify if plasma leptin concentrations of newborns at birth differ significantly between sexes; and to investigate the potential interactions between plasma leptin and growth-regulating hormones at birth. SUBJECTS: 98 healthy newborns (48 male, 50 female) were studied. Leptin, insulin, cortisol, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), testosterone, and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) concentrations were measured from venous blood collected from the umbilical cord vein immediately after birth. RESULTS: The serum leptin concentration of newborns averaged 8.05(0.5) ng/ml. Females had significantly (P<0.005) higher serum leptin values than males [9. 6(0.8) vs 6.0(0.6) ng/ml]. IGF-1 was significantly (P<0.05) higher in females than in males [87(4) vs 74(5) microg/l], whereas SHBG was slightly lower [29(1) vs 33(2) nmol/l]. Insulin, cortisol, and testosterone serum concentrations were not statistically different between the sexes. Among the variables examined, birth weight (expressed as Z-score of weight) and insulin showed the highest degree of relationship with serum leptin in newborns (r=0.48 and r=0.31 respectively, P<0.001). Multiple regression analysis showed that Z-score of birth weight, gender and cortisol were able to account for approximately 44% of inter-individual variability of serum leptin concentrations in newborns. CONCLUSIONS: Female newborns have significantly higher serum leptin concentrations than males. Insulin, IGF-1, testosterone, and SHBG did not independently affect leptin inter-individual variability when gender, Z-score of body weight, and cortisol were taken into account. Other factors may be involved in the differences in circulating leptin concentrations between the sexes in newborns.     

Associations of obesity markers, insulin, and sex hormones with HDL-cholesterol levels in Turkish and German individuals.

Turkish men and women have about 20% lower mean levels of HDL-C and apoA-I than German individuals. To obtain some information on the metabolic basis of this difference, we compared anthropometric data as well as serum levels of leptin, insulin, testosterone (T), estradiol (E2), and sex hormone binding globuline (SHBG) in 289 German and 120 Turkish men as well as in 108 German and 182 Turkish women aged 20-60. Individuals who smoke, take hormones, have overt diabetes mellitus, BMI > 30 kg/m2, triglycerides > 400 mg/dl, or LDL-cholesterol > 200 mg/dl were excluded. In both sexes, Turks had significantly lower levels of HDL-C, apoA-I, Lp(a), and SHBG than Germans. Moreover, German men had a larger waist circumference, lower levels of E2 and a lower ratio of T/SHBG. German women also had a lower BMI, smaller waist circumference, lower insulin levels and higher T levels. Mean values of age, waist-hip-ratio (WHR), leptin, triglycerides, LDL-C, and apoB did not differ significantly among Germans and Turks. Upon univariate analysis HDL-C had inverse correlations with BMI, waist circumference, WHR, leptin, and insulin as well as positive correlations with SHBG in both sexes. Upon multivariate analysis, most of the different levels of HDL-C and apoA-I between Germans and Turks were explained by ethnicity, independently of obesity markers, insulin, and sex hormones.     

Associations between placental and cord blood malaria infection and fetal malnutrition in an area of malaria holoendemicity

The objective of this study was to determine the role of malaria in the etiology of fetal malnutrition in Nigeria. This study took place at the Neonatal and Maternity Units of the Wesley Guild Hospital, Ilesa, Nigeria. This is a prospective study of 304 consecutive, singleton, term live births delivered between January and August 2002. Anthropometric and clinical data were recorded. Fetal malnutrition (FM; failure to acquire adequate quantum of fat and muscle mass during intrauterine growth) was diagnosed using clinical assessment of fetal nutritional status (CANS) and the score (CANSCORE) adapted by Metcoff. The placenta tissues were examined for malaria pigments and parasites, and placental and cord blood smears were examined for parasites. Babies were followed up in the neonatal period for clinical malaria. Babies were grouped into those with malaria-infected placental and cord blood specimens and those without. The two groups were compared with regard to the proportions with FM and complications of FM. Three hundred four placental and cord blood specimens were examined for malaria. Of the 304, 101 (33.2%) of the placental and 67 (22.0%) of the cord blood specimens were positive for malaria. Sixty-six (21.7%) of the 304 babies had FM. Forty-four (66.7%) of the 66 placental blood specimens of babies with FM were positive for malaria, whereas 57 (24.0%) of the 238 placentae of babies without FM had placental malaria (chi(2) =42.5, P < 0.0001). Similarly, 27 (40.9%) of 66 babies with FM compared with 40 (16.8%) among 238 babies without FM had malaria parasites in the cord blood (chi(2) =17.5, P < 0.001). The means of birth weight, ponderal index, and placenta weight were significantly lower among the babies of mothers with malaria-infected placentae than those without (P < 0.05 in all cases). Lack of antenatal care, primiparity, and failure to have chemoprophylaxis against malaria were the maternal factors found to be associated with placental malaria infection. Placental malaria is a major factor in the etiology of FM in Nigeria.     

The effects of pancreatic hormones, catecholamines, and glucose loading on blood metabolites in the northern pike (Esox lucius L.)

A serial blood sampling technique involving heart cannulation was used to study the effects of bovine insulin and glucagon, codfish insulin, adrenalin, noradrenalin, and glucose loading on blood glucose, plasma amino acid nitrogen, and cholesterol in the northern pike, Esox lucius.Bovine insulin at 10, 25 and 50 IU/kg produced hypoglycaemia and death 24–72 hr after injection. At 2 IU/kg, however, a transient hypoglycaemia was observed with return to normal levels after 24 hr. Codfish insulin at 2 IU/kg produced hypoglycaemia which persisted for up to 7 days. Bovine and codfish insulin lowered plasma amino acid nitrogen significantly, although return to normality was observed only at 2 IU/kg. Neither codfish nor bovine insulin alone altered plasma cholesterol levels.Glucagon at 1 mg/kg and 2 mg/kg produced hyperglycaemia at 0.5 hr which persisted for 9 hr before return to normal levels. Glucagon had no effect on either plasma amino acid nitrogen or cholesterol.Adrenalin at 0.05 mg/kg, 1 mg/kg, and 5 mg/kg produced a significant hyperglycaemia at 0.5 hr, a return to normal levels after 6 hr, and a progressive hypoglycaemia thereafter. Adrenalin at the above dose rates was generally without effect on either plasma amino acid nitrogen or cholesterol, although at 5 mg/kg, a progressive lowering of cholesterol was observed. Noradrenalin at 1 mg/kg resulted in hyperglycaemia followed by a significant hypoglycaemia after 24 hr. It was without effect on either plasma amino acid nitrogen or cholesterol.A single glucose load of 0.5 g/kg resulted in an increase in blood glucose followed by a slow return to normal levels after 48 hr, whilst the levels of amino acid nitrogen and cholesterol were unaffected. Neither the shape of the glucose-loading curve nor the levels of metabolites were significantly altered by 4 weeks of starvation. Bovine insulin (10 IU/kg) and glucose (0.5 g/kg), when injected simultaneously, resulted in a greatly improved glucose tolerance with a reduction, and subsequent recovery, of plasma amino acid nitrogen. Levels of plasma cholesterol were significantly lowered 48 hr after a combined insulin and glucose injection.These results suggest that insulin and glucagon control the circulating levels of glucose in the blood. In addition to glucagon, the catecholamines are also able to effect a rapid glycogenolysis, possibly providing for increased glucose supplies during periods of predatory activity. The influence of insulin on amino acid nitrogen in the pike may reflect an important role in this and other wholly carnivorous forms.     

Associations between dietary pattern and lifestyle, anthropometry and other health indicators in the elderly participants of the EPIC-Italy cohort

INTRODUCTION: Epidemiological studies have shown that dietary behaviour is an important aetiological factor in various chronic diseases. We used principal component factor analysis to identify dietary patterns and to examine the associations of these patterns with health-related variables in a sample of elderly (> or =60 years) Italians participating in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). METHODS AND RESULTS: Exploratory factor analysis was applied to the intake of food groups as estimated by semi-quantitative food questionnaires. Individual participants were assigned factor scores, indicating the extent to which their diet conformed to each of the four dietary patterns identified: prudent (cooked vegetables, pulses, cabbage, seed oil and fish); pasta & meat (pasta, tomato sauce, red meat, processed meat, bread and wine); olive oil & salad (raw vegetables, olive oil, soup and chicken); and sweet & dairy (sugar, cakes, ice cream, coffee and dairy). Highly educated people had high scores on prudent and low scores on pasta & meat. The pasta & meat and prudent patterns were strongly positively associated with body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) in men and women. Hyperlipidaemic men and women consumed more of the prudent and olive oil & salad patterns and less of the sweet & dairy pattern than those with normal lipids. The olive oil & salad was significantly higher and the pasta & meat and sweet & dairy patterns significantly lower in men and women who had dieted over the previous year, suggesting awareness of the health consequences of these patterns. CONCLUSIONS: Dietary pattern analysis provides a characterization of recurrent dietary behaviour in elderly people, and can be used to provide tangible dietary advice to elderly people.     

Peptide YY kinetics and effects on blood pressure and circulating pancreatic and gastrointestinal hormones and metabolites in man

Peptide YY (PYY) is a 36 amino acid peptide produced by mucosal endocrine cells of the ileum and colon which inhibits acid secretion and intestinal transit in man. To assess its effects on metabolites and digestive hormones PYY was infused into 18 fasting normal subjects at three dose levels (0.06, 0.19, and 0.57 pmol kg-1 min-1), each for a period of 1 h. During the infusions mean plasma PYY levels increased by 8, 25, and 73 pmol/liter, respectively. The mean disappearance half-time on stopping the infusions was 9.2 +/- 0.4 (SEM) min. The mean MCR was 7.3 +/- 0.7 ml kg-1 min-1 and the apparent volume of distribution was calculated to be 94 +/- 9 ml kg-1. During the highest dose infusion there was a significant increase in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, of 8.6 +/- 3.7 mmHg (P less than 0.05) and 10.9 +/- 3.0 mmHg (P less than 0.01), respectively. PYY caused a significant 50% reduction in plasma pancreatic polypeptide concentrations (P less than 0.05) and a 55% reduction in circulating motilin levels (P less than 0.05). PYY had no significant effect on circulating concentrations of insulin, glucagon, gastrin, gastric inhibitory peptide, neurotensin, enteroglucagon, or vasoactive intestinal peptide. PYY also had no significant effect on circulating concentrations of glucose, lactate, glycerol, or nonesterified fatty acids. This recently discovered human intestinal hormonal peptide thus has significant effects both on gastrointestinal hormones (motilin and pancreatic polypeptide) and blood pressure in man, but appears not to influence glucose or lipid metabolism.     

Correlation of serum resistin level and other metabolic hormones and immune function in neonatal umbilical cord blood

The present study was conducted with an attempt to explore the correlation of serum resistin level and other metabolic hormones and immune function in neonatal umbilical cord blood.The levels of umbilical cord blood resistin, adiponectin, insulin, growth hormone, leptin, thyrotropin, thyroid hormone (T3, T4), lgM, lgA, lgG, CD4, and CD8 were measured in 180 full-term newborns delivered in hospital from October 2018 to November 2019. The delivery mode, weight, height, and gender at birth were recorded.The levels of resistin, insulin, and growth hormone in umbilical cord blood of newborns delivered vaginally were significantly higher than those born by cesarean section (P < .05), while the levels of adiponectin, leptin, TST, T3, T4, lgM, lgA, lgG, CD4, and CD8 were comparable between the 2 groups (P > .05). The levels of resistin, adiponectin, insulin, growth hormone, leptin, TST, T3, T4, lgM, lgA, lgG, CD4, and CD8 in cord blood of male and female newborns were comparable (P > .05). The newborns with birth weight ≥ 3501 g reported comparable results in the levels of resistin and growth hormone compared with those with birth weight of 3000 to 3500 g (P > .05), but were significantly higher than those with birth weight ≤ 2999 g (P < 0.05). In addition, the levels of adiponectin, insulin, leptin, TST, T3, T4, lgM, lgA, lgG, CD4, and CD8 were comparable among the 3 groups (P > .05). Based on Pearson correlation analysis, neonatal umbilical cord blood resistin was positively correlated with adiponectin, leptin, growth hormone, T3, and T4 (r = 0.281, 0.287, 0.321, 0.276, 0.269, P < .05). However, there was no significant correlation between neonatal umbilical cord blood resistin and insulin, TST, lgM, lgA, lgG, CD4, and CD8.The level of serum resistin in neonatal umbilical cord blood was associated with the delivery mode and birth weight, and positively correlated with adiponectin, leptin, growth hormone, T3, and T4. However, no correlation was observed between serum resistin in neonatal umbilical cord blood and insulin, TST, lgM, lgA, lgG, CD4, and CD8.     

Associations between physical activity, nutritional practices and health-related anthropometry in Flemish males: a 5-year follow-up study

OBJECTIVE: To examine the extent to which extent health-related anthropometric characteristics such as body mass index, waist-hip ratio, waist girth, percentage of body fat and weight gain are associated with physical activity and nutritional habits in a prospective follow-up study. DESIGN: A 5-y prospective follow-up study. SUBJECTS: 132 healthy men from The Leuven Longitudinal Study on Lifestyle, Physical Fitness, and Health. MEASUREMENTS: The main outcome measures in this study were body mass index, waist-hip ratio, waist girth, percentage of body fat and significant weight gain at the ages of 35 and 40y. An unhealthy body composition was defined as a body mass index above 26, a waist-hip ratio above 0.95, a waist girth and body fat percentage above percentile 75 at the end of the 5-y follow-up period and a significant weight gain of 5 kg or more between the two examination periods. Anthropometric characteristics were derived from clinical examination. Physical activity at the age of 35 and 40 and nutritional habits at the age of 40 were determined from questionnaires. RESULTS: Physical activity was the most important predictor for the waist-hip ratio in this sample. In contrast, nutritional habits show a stronger relationship with body mass index. The absolute amount of energy intake is not as important as the dietary factors in predicting subjects with overweight or an unhealthy body composition. The index of occupational activities appears to be the most important physical activity variable. CONCLUSION: The relative contribution of physical activity and nutritional habits in health-related anthropometry varies with the characteristic considered. It is important to include all components of physical activity, and occupational activities in particular, in determining these relationships in a general population sample.     

Cytokine-mediated expansion does not deplete cord blood cells with stem cell characteristics

Cord blood (CB) has been successfully used to regenerate the hematopoietic system after myeloablative therapy. We investigated whether cytokine mediated expansion depletes CB of cells with stem cell characteristics. CB mononuclear cells (MNC) were enriched for quiescent (primitive) stem cells by incubation with 25 μg/ml 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) and control CB MNC were incubated with media alone. Cells were then incubated for 7 days with Interleukin-1 (IL1)+IL3+ Stem Cell Factor (SCF) and progenitor content, cell cycle status, nucleated cell count, immunophenotype and resistance to 25 μg/ml 5-FU (primitive stem cells) were evaluated before and after cytokine exposure. Incubation with IL1+IL3+SCF caused an increase (fold expansion) in committed (28.6 ± 8.1), immature (5.8 ± 1.8), and primitive progenitors (4.1 ± 0.8) among control CB MNC compared to a decrease in committed progenitors (0 ± 0) but an increase in both immature (8.4 ± 4.8) and primitive progenitors (7 ± 2.9) among 5-FU resistant CB MNC. An increase in the proportion of CD34⁺ cells occurred in both fractions. Expanded control CB MNC showed a significant increase in numbers of 5-FU resistant committed (p = 0.024), immature (p = 0.014) and primitive progenitors (p = 0.01) as compared with fresh CB MNC. Re-exposure of 5-FU resistant expanded CB MNC to 5-FU shows growth of some immature and primitive progenitors. Cytokine-mediated expansion of untreated and quiescent CB cells is possible and cytokine-mediated expansion does not deplete CB cells with stem cell characteristics.