Changes in blood lipids and their associations with changes in measures of height, weight and body mass index from age 8 to 18 years: Project Heartbeat!

A variety of studies indicate that the process of athrosclerosis begins in childhood. There was limited information on the association of the changes in anthropometric variables to blood lipids in school age children and adolescents. Previous longitudinal studies of children typically with insufficient frequency of observation could not provide sound inference on the dynamics of change in blood lipids. The aims of this analysis are (1) to document the sex- and ethnic-specific trajectory and velocity curves of blood lipids (TC, LDL-C, HDL-C and TG); (2) to evaluate the relationship of changes in anthropometric variables, such as height, weight and BMI, to blood lipids from age 8 to 18 years. ^ Project HeartBeat! is a longitudinal study designed to examine the patterns of serial change in major cardiovascular risk factors. Cohort of three different age levels, 8, 11 and 14 years at baseline, with a total of 678 participants were enrolled. Each member of these cohorts was examined three times per year for up to four years. ^ Sex- and ethnic-specific trajectory and velocity curves of blood lipids; demonstrated the complex and polyphasic changes in TC, LDL-C, HDL-C and TG longitudinally. The trajectory curves of TC, LDL-C and HDL-C with age showed curvilinear patterns of change. The velocity change in TC, HDL-C and LDL-C showed U-shaped curves for non-Blacks, and nearly linear lines in velocity of TG for both Blacks and non-Blacks. ^ The relationship of changes in anthropometric variables to blood lipids was evaulated by adding height, weight, or BMI and associated interaction terms separately to the basic age-sex models. Height or height gain had a significant negative association with changes in TC, LDL-C and HDL-C. Weight or BMI gain showed positive associations with TC, LDL-C and TC, and a negative relationship with HDL-C. ^ Dynamic changes of blood lipids in school age children and adolescents observed from this analysis suggested that using fixed screening criteria under the current NCEP guidelines for all ages 2–19 may not be appropriate for this age group. The association of increasing BMI or weight to an adverse blood lipid profile found in this analysis also indicated that weight or BMI monitoring could be a future intervention to be implemented in the pediatric population. ^

The relationship of anthropometric measures of Hispanic children up to the age 5, to economic status and parental stature

Using data from the Hispanic Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1982-1984 (HHANES) of the Nutritional Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), the heights, weights and arm circumferences of 217 Mexican-American children ranging in age from six to sixty months were examined to assess whether birth weight, parental stature, and economic status greatly influenced growth patterns of Mexican-American children living with both parents.^ Heights, weights, and arm circumferences were converted to standardized values of height-for-age, weight-for-age, and arm circumference-for-age using norms developed for Anglo-American children (NCHS, 1977).^ Correlation and contingency table analysis were performed to test hypotheses concerning factors found associated with the stature of children in earlier studies.^ While relationships among childhood stature and birth weight, parental stature, and economic status were in the expected direction, few were statistically significant due to the small number of cases in the analyses. Reliable conclusions concerning these relationships require a much longer sample of families. ^

Convergent etiology of Eker rat and human uterine leiomyoma

The Eker rat model has allowed researchers the unique opportunity to study the tumorigenesis of spontaneously occurring uterine leiomyoma. Animals in this line harbor a germline mutation in the tuberous sclerosis complex-2 (Tsc-2) tumor suppressor gene and develop uterine leiomyomas at a rate of ∼65%. Primary leiomyomas obtained from humans and Eker rats along with Eker-derived leiomyoma cell lines were used in studies described herein to determine the effect of PPARγ ligand treatment on the proliferation of this cell type and to determine the role of tuberin and p27Kip1 in the etiology of this tumor type. Treatment of leiomyoma cells of human and rat origin with PPARγ-activating compounds resulted in decreased proliferation. Additionally, PPARγ ligands inhibited estrogen-dependent gene transactivation in Eker-derived leiomyoma cells suggesting that nuclear receptor cross-talk may exist between PPAR and the ER and may be responsible for the inhibition of proliferation in this cell type. Loss of tuberin, the product of the TSC-2 gene, is associated with Eker rat leiomyoma development while the role of this tumor suppressor in human leiomyoma development is unknown. Data herein show that tuberin expression is diminished in 25% of human leiomyomas tested. Additionally, we observed diminished p27 Kip1 expression in 80% of human uterine leiomyomas compared to normal myometrium. Interestingly, the loss of tuberin expression in human leiomyoma was associated with cytoplasmic p27Kip1 accumulation in this cell type. Furthermore, tuberin-null Eker rat leiomyomas and derived cell lines had predominantly cytoplasmic p27Kip1 compared to tuberin-expressing normal myometrium. Taken together, our data show that human and Eker rat leiomyoma proliferation is inhibited upon PPARγ treatment and that the etiology of human and Eker rat leiomyoma converge at loss of p27Kip1 function. Furthermore, our data indicate that the loss of p27 Kip1 function is mediated by loss of expression (in 80% of human leiomyoma) or cytoplasmic localization potentially resulting from the loss of tuberin. ^

Relationship between dietary patterns and body mass index in Hispanic children ages 4--19 years of age

Background. In over 30 years, the prevalence of overweight for children and adolescents has increased across the United States (Barlow et al., 2007; Ogden, Flegal, Carroll, & Johnson, 2002). Childhood obesity is linked with adverse physiological and psychological issues in youth and affects ethnic/minority populations in disproportionate rates (Barlow et al., 2007; Butte et al., 2006; Butte, Cai, Cole, Wilson, Fisher, Zakeri, Ellis, & Comuzzie, 2007). More importantly, overweight in children and youth tends to track into adulthood (McNaughton, Ball, Mishra, & Crawford, 2008; Ogden et al., 2002). Childhood obesity affects body functions such as the cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and endocrine systems, including emotional health (Barlow et al., 2007, Ogden et al., 2002). Several dietary factors have been associated with the development of obesity in children; however, these factors have not been fully elucidated, especially in ethnic/minority children. In particular, few studies have been done to determine the effects of different meal patterns on the development of obesity in children. Purpose. The purpose of the study is to examine the relationships between daily proportions of energy consumed and energy derived from fat across breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack, and obesity among Hispanic children and adolescents. Methods. A cross-sectional design was used to evaluate the relationship between dietary patterns and overweight status in Hispanic children and adolescents 4-19 years of age who participated in the Viva La Familia Study. The goal of the Viva La Familia Study was to evaluate genetic and environmental factors affecting childhood obesity and its co-morbidities in the Hispanic population (Butte et al., 2006, 2007). The study enrolled 1030 Hispanic children and adolescents from 319 families and examined factors related to increased body weight by focusing on a multilevel analysis of extensive sociodemographic, genetic, metabolic, and behavioral data. Baseline dietary intakes of the children were collected using 24-hour recalls, and body mass index was calculated from measured height and weight, and classified using the CDC standards. Dietary data were analyzed using a GEE population-averaged panel-data model with a cluster variable family identifier to include possible correlations within related data sets. A linear regression model was used to analyze associations of dietary patterns using possible covariates, and to examine the percentage of daily energy coming from breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack while adjusting for age, sex, and BMI z-score. Random-effects logistic regression models were used to determine the relationship of the dietary variables with obesity status and to understand if the percent energy intake (%EI) derived from fat from all meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks) affected obesity. Results. Older children (age 4-19 years) consumed a higher percent of energy at lunch and dinner and less percent energy from snacks compared to younger children. Age was significantly associated with percentage of total energy intake (%TEI) for lunch, as well as dinner, while no association was found by gender. Percent of energy consumed from dinner significantly differed by obesity status, with obese children consuming more energy at dinner (p = 0.03), but no associations were found between percent energy from fat and obesity across all meals. Conclusions. Information from this study can be used to develop interventions that target dietary intake patterns in obesity prevention programs for Hispanic children and adolescents. In particular, intervention programs for children should target dietary patterns with energy intake that is spread throughout the day and earlier in the day. These results indicate that a longitudinal study should be used to further explore the relationship of dietary patterns and BMI in this and other populations (Dubois et al., 2008; Rodriquez & Moreno, 2006; Thompson et al., 2005; Wilson et al., in review, 2008). ^

A systematic review of the animal and human literature on the use of vaccines to prevent dental caries

Streptococcus mutans has been identified as the primary etiological agent of human dental caries. Since its identification, there has been research focused on the development of a vaccine to prevent this disease. Preliminary research has been conducted to test both active and passive vaccines for Streptococcus mutans in animals and humans. Although a vaccine for dental caries caused by Streptococcus mutans would most likely be administered to children, no testing of any type of dental caries vaccines has been conducted on children as of yet. The public health imperative for the development of a vaccine is great. Not only will a vaccine reduce the various consequences, but it would also improve quality of life for many individuals. Among the many possible vaccine antigen candidates, researchers have also been focusing on protein antigens, GTFs, and Gbps as possible candidates for a vaccine. There are also many routes of administration under research, with topical, oral, and intranasal showing a lot of promise. This review will provide an overview on the current state of research, present key factors influencing prevalence of caries, and summarize and discuss the results of animal and human studies on caries vaccines against Streptococcus mutans. The progress and obstacles facing the development of a vaccine to fight dental caries will also be discussed. ^

The Relationship of Provincial Economic Level and Child Injury Mortality in Thailand: A Cross-Sectional Analysis in a Middle Income Country

The objective of this cross-sectional study was to examine the relationship of provincial economic development indices with incidences of child injury mortality in Thailand from 1999 - 2001. All injury deaths among children age 1-14 years were included. The independent variables included gross provincial product per capita (GPP/c), poverty and inequality indices, material and social deprivation indices, population in rural/ urban areas, and migration. Due to multicollinearity of such variables, the 76 provinces were categorized by GPP/c quartile, and means of overall injury, drowning, and transport-related mortality rates were compared among quartile groups. Spearman’s rho correlation between GPP/c and injury mortality rates was also performed. Finally, factor analysis was employed to create a set of factors to be treated as uncorrelated variables and stepwise multiple regression was carried out for the effects of the factors on injury mortality rates. A significant direct relationship was observed between GPP/c and overall injury mortality among children age 1-4 years, and 10-14 year-olds of both genders. Drowning was the main cause of this relationship among children age 1-4 years, and transport-related injury was the principle cause among children age 10-14 years. Conversely, provinces with lower GPP/c experienced higher injury mortality rates among school-age children 5-9 years old for both genders, mostly due to drowning. Factor analysis, and multiple regression results confirmed the relationships between economic development and injury mortality rates. These findings revealed that economic development had an adverse impact on injury-related mortality among children 1 to 4 and 10 to14 in Thailand.

Characterization of the interaction between local cerebral metabolic rate for glucose and acid -base index in ischemic rat brain employing a double-isotope methodology

The association between increases in cerebral glucose metabolism and the development of acidosis is largely inferential, based on reports linking hyperglycemia with poor neurological outcome, lactate accumulation, and the severity of acidosis. We measured local cerebral metabolic rate for glucose (lCMRglc) and an index of brain pH--the acid-base index (ABI)--concurrently and characterized their interaction in a model of focal cerebral ischemia in rats in a double-label autoradiographic study, using ($\sp{14}$C) 2-deoxyglucose and ($\sp{14}$C) dimethyloxazolidinedione. Computer-assisted digitization and analysis permitted the simultaneous quantification of the two variables on a pixel-by-pixel basis in the same brain slices. Hemispheres ipsilateral to tamponade-induced middle cerebral occlusion showed areas of normal, depressed and elevated glucose metabolic rate (as defined by an interhemispheric asymmetry index) after two hours of ischemia. Regions of normal glucose metabolic rate showed normal ABI (pH $\pm$ SD = 6.97 $\pm$ 0.09), regions of depressed lCMRglc showed severe acidosis (6.69 $\pm$ 0.14), and regions of elevated lCMRglc showed moderate acidosis (6.88 $\pm$ 0.10), all significantly different at the.00125 level as shown by analysis of variance. Moderate acidosis in regions of increased lCMRglc suggests that anaerobic glycolysis causes excess protons to be generated by the uncoupling of ATP synthesis and hydrolysis. ^

Correlation of tuberculosis and human immunodeficiency virus in Harris County, Texas from 2009 through 2010 using Geographic Information Systems

A population based ecological study was conducted to identify areas with a high number of TB and HIV new diagnoses in Harris County, Texas from 2009 through 2010 by applying Geographic Information Systems to determine whether distinguished spatial patterns exist at the census tract level through the use of exploratory mapping. As of 2010, Texas has the fourth highest occurrence of new diagnoses of HIV/AIDS and TB.[31] The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) has identified HIV infected persons as a high risk population for TB in Harris County.[29] In order to explore this relationship further, GIS was utilized to identify spatial trends. ^ The specific aims were to map TB and HIV new diagnoses rates and spatially identify hotspots and high value clusters at the census tract level. The potential association between HIV and TB was analyzed using spatial autocorrelation and linear regression analysis. The spatial statistics used were ArcGIS 9.3 Hotspot Analysis and Cluster and Outlier Analysis. Spatial autocorrelation was determined through Global Moran's I and linear regression analysis. ^ Hotspots and clusters of TB and HIV are located within the same spatial areas of Harris County. The areas with high value clusters and hotspots for each infection are located within the central downtown area of the city of Houston. There is an additional hotspot area of TB located directly north of I-10 and a hotspot area of HIV northeast of Interstate 610. ^ The Moran's I Index of 0.17 (Z score = 3.6 standard deviations, p-value = 0.01) suggests that TB is statistically clustered with a less than 1% chance that this pattern is due to random chance. However, there were a high number of features with no neighbors which may invalidate the statistical properties of the test. Linear regression analysis indicated that HIV new diagnoses rates (β=−0.006, SE=0.147, p=0.970) and census tracts (β=0.000, SE=0.000, p=0.866) were not significant predictors of TB new diagnoses rates. ^ Mapping products indicate that census tracts with overlapping hotspots and high value clusters of TB and HIV should be a targeted focus for prevention efforts, most particularly within central Harris County. While the statistical association was not confirmed, evidence suggests that there is a relationship between HIV and TB within this two year period.^