Larger hip circumference independently contributed to reduced metabolic risks in Tehranian adult women

BACKGROUND: It has been suggested that health professionals may discard measurement of hip circumference from public health screening efforts. Before discarding the hip circumference in epidemiological surveys, it is important to consider whether any important information is likely to be lost. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relationship between hip circumference and metabolic risk factors in an urban adult population of Tehranian women. DESIGN: In this population-based cross-sectional study, a representative sample of 5720 women aged 18-74 years, were included. Demographic data was collected; anthropometric indices and blood pressure were measured according to standard protocol. Hypertension was defined based on Joint National Committee VI (JNC VI). Biochemical analysis was conducted on fasting blood samples. Diabetes was defined as fasting plasma glucose (FPG) > or =126 mg/dl or 2-h plasma glucose (2hPG) > or =200 mg/dl. Lipid disorders and components of metabolic syndrome were considered based on Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III). RESULTS: Mean age of women was 39.9+/-14.6 years. Mean body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, waist and hip circumferences for subjects were 27.1+/-5.1 kg/m2, 0.83+/-0.08, 86.5+/-13.1 cm and 103.5+/-9.8 cm, respectively. Higher hip circumference was associated with lower levels of serum total- and LDL-cholesterol, serum triglyceride, fasting plasma glucose, 2-h plasma glucose, systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Subjects in the top quintile of hip circumference had higher values of serum HDL-cholesterol concentration compared to those in the lower category. After adjustment for potential confounding variables and anthropometric measures associated with higher hip circumference, a significant decreasing trend was observed for odds of having high LDL-cholesterol (odds ratios among quintiles: 1.00, 0.98, 0.97, 0.95, 0.84, respectively, P for trend=0.04), diabetes (1.00, 0.68, 0.58, 0.45, 0.42, P for trend=0.01), hypertension (1.00, 0.96, 0.82, 0.78, 0.70, P for trend 0.02), low serum HDL-cholesterol (1.00, 1.03, 0.86, 0.82, 0.56, P for trend=0.04), elevated blood pressure (1.00, 0.99, 0.82, 0.70, 0.61, P for trend=0.01) and abnormal glucose homeostasis (1.00, 0.69, 0.66, 0.54, 0.48, P for trend=0.01) among hip circumference quintile categories. Individuals in the upper category of hip circumference had lower odds of having hypercholestrolemia (0.86 vs. 1.00) and high serum triglyceride levels (0.74 vs. 1.00) compared to those in the lowest category. CONCLUSION: Hip circumference is independently and inversely associated with metabolic risk factors. This study underscores the importance of continuing to measure hip circumference in epidemiologic surveys in Tehranian adult women.     

Regional specificity of age effects on the neural correlates of episodic retrieval

We investigated age-related differences in episodic retrieval using a source memory procedure. Age-related differences in retrieval-related activity were analyzed in conditions where source recollection performance was statistically equivalent in young and older subjects. Analyses of BOLD activity revealed a network of regions where recollection effects were equivalent in magnitude in the two age groups. There were no regions where these effects were of greater magnitude in young than in older subjects. In some regions, however, there was a crossover interaction, such that retrieval-related effects reversed in direction between the two age groups. Further analyses of these interactions revealed a dissociation between a posterior hippocampal region where recollection-related activity was confined to the older group, and right fusiform and occipital regions where, in the young group only, activity elicited by studied items was of lower magnitude than activity to new items. We interpret the first of these age-related effects as an example of ‘over-recruitment’ in response to decline in neural efficiency, and discuss whether the second effect indexes an age-related decline in repetition priming.     

NOD2 exonic variations in Iranian Crohn's disease patients

Purpose

The NOD2 gene is known to have a strong association with Crohn??s disease, but different trends were reported in occurrence of NOD2 variants in distinct ethnicities. The aim of this study was to assess all exonic sequences of the NOD2 gene in Iranian Crohn's disease patients and healthy controls to identify any existing variation and evaluate their association with Crohn's disease.

Methods

A total of 90 non-related Crohn's disease patients and 120 sex- and age-matched healthy controls of Iranian origin were enrolled in this study. The participants were referred to a tertiary center in a 2-year period (2006?C2008). The exonic regions of the NOD2 gene were amplified by polymerase chain reaction and evaluated by direct sequencing.

Results

A total of 21 sequence variations were identified among all exonic regions of the NOD2 gene, of which eight had an allele frequency of more than 5%. Eight new mutations (one in exon 2 and seven in exon 4) were observed. The three main variants (R702W, G908R, and 1007fs) showed allele frequencies of 13.3%, 2.2%, and 1.7%, respectively. Three new variations (P371T, A794P, and Q908H) and R702W mutation were significantly more frequent in Crohn's disease patients compared to controls.

Conclusions

Eight novel mutations were identified in the NOD2 exons, but the pathophysiological importance of these variants remains unclear. Iranian patients with their different genetic reservoirs may demonstrate some novel characteristics for disease susceptibility.     

Issue Information

Most sickle cell disease (SCD) patients rely on blood transfusion as their main treatment strategy. However, frequent blood transfusion poses the risk of alloimmunization. On average, 30% of SCD patients will alloimmunize while other patient groups form antibodies less frequently. Identification of genetic markers may help to predict which patients are at risk to form alloantibodies. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether genetic variations in the Toll-like receptor pathway or in genes previously associated with antibody-mediated conditions are associated with red blood cell (RBC) alloimmunization in a cohort of SCD patients. In this case-control study, cases had a documented history of alloimmunization while controls had received ≥20 RBC units without alloantibody formation. We used a customized single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) panel to genotype 690 SNPs in 275 (130 controls, 145 cases) patients. Frequencies were compared using multiple logistic regression analysis. In our primary analysis, no SNPs were found to be significantly associated with alloimmunization after correction for multiple testing. However, in a secondary analysis with a less stringent threshold for significance we found 19 moderately associated SNPs. Among others, SNPs in TLR1/TANK and MALT1 were associated with a higher alloimmunization risk, while SNPs in STAM/IFNAR1 and STAT4 conferred a lower alloimmunization risk.     

MicroRNA-based regulatory circuit involved in sperm infertility

miRNAs (MicroRNAs), known as noncoding and important endogenous factors regulating the expression protein-coding genes, are vital regulators in each biological process. Thus, this study aims to explore the key role of four microRNAs in regulating the spermatogenesis. To conduct this experiment, 55 infertile and fertile men provided the study with the sperm and testicular tissue samples. To study the spermatozoa in terms of the morphology, Diff-Quick was applied. Then, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was conducted on samples. Our data indicated that in contrast to the miR-15b, significant increasing of miR-383 and miR-122 occurred in both severe oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (SOAT) and moderate oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (MOAT) compared to normal sperm group (N). In addition, it was observed that miR-15b and miR-122 increased in patients with nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA) compared with obstructive azoospermia (OA) group. Expression levels of target genes including P53, CASPASE-9 and CYCLIN D1 underwent principle changes according to miRNAs expression level. Our finding indicated that miRNAs had essential role in the regulation of spermatogenesis, and their expression altering was associated with sperm abnormalities. Thus, microRNAs can be introduced as useful biomarkers to determine male infertility reasons to choose the effective treatment.     

COVID-19 infection in children: A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical features and laboratory findings

ObjectiveWe aimed to provide a meta-analysis of previously published papers on the COVID-19-related clinical features and laboratory findings in children.MethodThis meta-analysis was conducted by using Medline/PubMed, Scopus, Web of Sciences and Google Scholar. Finally, 32 articles were selected for full-text assessment.ResultsThe most frequent symptoms were fever, cough, vomiting, diarrhea, sore throat, and dyspnea. Regarding the combined results of the meta-analysis, fever (46%, 95% CI 40–53%), cough (37%, 95% CI 29–46%), diarrhea (19%, 95% CI 9–28%), and pharyngalgia (13%, 95% CI 5–20%) were the most widely reported symptom. Besides, positive RT-PCR test results (43%, 95% CI 33–53%), low oxygen saturation (38%, 95% CI 25–51%), and elevated D-dimer levels (36%, 95% CI 16–56%) were the most common laboratory findings.ConclusionThis review found that clinical presentations were milder, the prognosis was better, and the mortality rate was lower in children with COVID-19 compared with adult patients; however, children are potential carriers, like adults, and can transmit the infection among the population. Therefore, early identification and intervention in pediatric patients with COVID-19 are essential in order to control the pandemic. Moreover, gastrointestinal symptoms were more common symptoms among children.