Obesity,dyslipidemia, and high blood pressure are associated with cardiovascular risk,determined using high-sensitivity C-reactive protein concentration,in young adults

ObjectiveFew studies have investigated the relationships between high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) concentration and conventional cardiometabolic markers in young adults. The aim of this study was to characterize the cardiometabolic profile of young adults who are at high cardiovascular risk, according to hs-CRP concentration.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted in 300 young adults (18 to 30 years old) from southern Mexico (n = 150 normal-weight and n = 150 obese). Their circulating lipid and glucose concentrations were measured using colorimetric enzymatic assays, and their hs-CRP, ApoA, and ApoB concentrations were measured using turbidimetric assays.ResultsThe most prevalent abnormalities in the participants with high cardiovascular risk, determined using an hs-CRP >28.57 nmol/L, were high waist circumference (85.7%), obesity (83.9%), high low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (64.3%), low high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (50%), Apo B in the highest tertile (39.3%), hypertriglyceridemia (35.7%), and high blood pressure (30.4%). In addition, there were strong associations between hs-CRP >28.57 nmol/L and obesity (odds ratio [OR] = 13.9), high waist circumference (OR = 8.0), hypertriglyceridemia (OR = 4.0), high blood pressure (OR = 3.4), hypercholesterolemia (OR = 2.8), and Apo B in the highest tertile (OR = 2.4).ConclusionThe principal cardiometabolic alterations associated with high cardiovascular risk, determined using hs-CRP, are obesity, dyslipidemia, and high blood pressure in young adults.     

Following the time course of face gender and expression processing: A task-dependent ERP study

The effects of task demands and the interaction between gender and expression in face perception were studied using event-related potentials (ERPs). Participants performed three different tasks with male and female faces that were emotionally inexpressive or that showed happy or angry expressions. In two of the tasks (gender and expression categorization) facial properties were task-relevant while in a third task (symbol discrimination) facial information was irrelevant. Effects of expression were observed on the visual P100 component under all task conditions, suggesting the operation of an automatic process that is not influenced by task demands. The earliest interaction between expression and gender was observed later in the face-sensitive N170 component. This component showed differential modulations by specific combinations of gender and expression (e.g., angry male vs. angry female faces). Main effects of expression and task were observed in a later occipito-temporal component peaking around 230 ms post-stimulus onset (EPN or early posterior negativity). Less positive amplitudes in the presence of angry faces and during performance of the gender and expression tasks were observed. Finally, task demands also modulated a positive component peaking around 400 ms (LPC, or late positive complex) that showed enhanced amplitude for the gender task. The pattern of results obtained here adds new evidence about the sequence of operations involved in face processing and the interaction of facial properties (gender and expression) in response to different task demands.     

p53 accumulation and mutation are prognostic indicators of poor survival in human gastric carcinoma

The aim of our study was to examine the prognostic significance of p53 protein accumulation and gene mutation in a series of 116 gastric carcinomas from a low incidence population. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumour sections were used to investigate p53 protein accumulation by immunostaining with monoclonal antibody (MAb) DO-7 and p53 gene mutation by single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis of exons 5-8. Nuclear p53 accumulation was detected in 23% of tumours and mutation in 28%. Concordance between the 2 alterations was observed in 73% of cases. p53 protein accumulation was more frequent in tumours with lymph node metastasis, while p53 mutations were more frequent in tumours from older patients. The histopathological parameters of depth of invasion, grade and histological type showed no significant associations with either p53 alteration. In univariate analysis, both alterations were associated with significantly shortened patient survival. The 5-year survival rate for patients with a p53 mutation was 9% compared to 42% for those without a mutation. In multivariate analysis adjusted for the other histopathological parameters, p53 gene mutation but not immunohistochemically-detected p53 protein accumulation was an independent prognostic indicator of poor survival in gastric carcinoma. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Effects of metformin on recognition memory and hippocampal neuroplasticity in rats with metabolic syndrome

Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a health problem that is characterized by body fat accumulation, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and hyperglycemia; recently, it has been demonstrated that MS also damages memory processes. The first-line drug in the treatment of MS and type 2 diabetes mellitus is metformin, which is an antihyperglycemic agent. This drug has been shown to produce neuroprotection and to improve memory processes. However, the mechanism involved in this neuroprotection is unknown. A 90-day administration of metformin improved the cognitive processes of rats with MS as evaluated by the novel object recognition test, and this finding could be explained by an increase in the neuronal spine density and spine length. We also found that metformin increased the immunoreactivity of synaptophysin, sirtuin-1, AMP-activated protein kinase, and brain-derived neuronal factor, which are important plasticity markers. We conclude that metformin is an important therapeutic agent that increases neural plasticity and protects cognitive processes. The use of this drug is important in the minimization of the damage caused by MS.     

Body adiposity but not insulin resistance is associated with -675 4G/5G polymorphism in the PAI-1 gene in a sample of Mexican children

ObjectiveTo assess whether the -675 4G/5G polymorphism in the plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 gene is associated with obesity and insulin resistance in Mexican children.MethodsA cross-sectional study was performed in 174 children, 89 with normal-weight and 85 with obesity, aged from 6 to 13 years. All children were from state of Guerrero, and recruited from three primary schools in the city of Chilpancingo, state of Guerrero, Mexico. Insulin levels were determined by immunoenzymatic assay. The homeostasis model assessment was used to determine insulin resistance. The -675 4G/5G polymorphism in PAI-1 gene was analyzed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism.ResultsThe prevalence of insulin resistance in the obese group was higher (49.41%) than in the normal-weight group (16.85%). The 4G/5G PAI-1 polymorphism was found in Hardy Weinberg equilibrium. The 4G/5G genotype contributed to a significant increase in waist-hip ratio (β = 0.02, p = 0.006), waist circumference (β = 4.42, p = 0.009), and subscapular skinfold thickness (β = 1.79, p = 0.04); however, it was not related with insulin resistance.ConclusionThe -675 4G/5G genotype of PAI-1 gene was associated with increase of body adiposity in Mexican children.     

Quality of life assessment septoplasty in patients with nasal obstruction

Naasal obstruction is a common complaint in the population. When caused by a deviated nasal septum, septoplasty is the procedure of choice for treating these patients. NOSE is a tool for assessing the disease-specific quality of life related to nasal obstruction.AimTo assess the impact of septoplasty on patients with nasal obstruction secondary to deviated nasal septum based on the disease-specific quality-of-life questionnaire. Design: Prospective.MethodsPatients undergoing septoplasty with/ without turbinectomy after no clinical improvement with medical treatment were assessed by the NOSE questionnaire before and 3 months after surgery. We evaluated the surgical improvement based on total score, the magnitude of the surgery in the disease-specific quality of life and the correlation between the preoperative score and postoperatively improvement.ResultsFourty-six patients were included in the study. There was a statistically significant improvement in the preoperative NOSE score (md = 75, IQR = 26) and after three months (md = 10, IQR = 20) (p < 0.001.T-Wilcoxon). The standardized response mean was 3.07. We found a strong correlation between the preoperative score in the NOSE questionnaire and improvements in the postoperative period (r = -0.789, p < 0.001, Spearman). No difference was found in improvement scores by gender. (p = 0.668, U-Mann-Whitney).ConclusionSeptoplasty resulted in a statistically significant improvement in the disease-specific QOL questionnaire.     

Dietary fat, ketosis, and seizure resistance in rats on the ketogenic diet

PURPOSE: Fat is the major component of the ketogenic diet (KD), yet no studies have examined whether the type of fat used in the diet can be optimized to provide additional benefits. The purpose of the present experiments was to compare the efficiency of different fats in inducing ketosis and affording seizure resistance. METHODS: The effects of KDs that incorporate lard, butter, medium-chain triglycerides (MCT), or flaxseed oil or a mixture of the latter three fats were examined in rats fed KD for up to 98 days. The maximal electroshock (MES) or pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) threshold tests were used to assess seizure susceptibility in two separate experiments. RESULTS: The rank order of induced ketosis was MCT > mixture > or = flaxseed oil > or = lard = butter > or = control. MES failed to reveal anticonvulsant effects, but the PTZ test indicated that up to 50% of rats fed the KD were seizure protected (p < 0.05). The measures of seizure protection, seizure incidence and score, did not correlate, however, with the level of ketosis in the range of 0. 7-5.2 mmol/L for beta-hydroxybutyrate. In the long-term study, flaxseed oil KD maintained stable ketosis throughout 98 days, whereas ketones declined with lard and butter KD to the control level. CONCLUSIONS: Seizure protection with the versions of the KD did not improve with the higher level of ketosis. The focus of the KD improvement, therefore, is not the achievement of higher ketosis per se but rather designing a diet that provides steady ketosis, exploits advantages of certain fats for neurological development or seizure protection via a nonketogenic mechanism, and is nutritionally balanced.