Role of high normal gamma-glutamyltransferase level in identifying heavy alcohol use in young men.

The objective of the current study was to determine the predictive value of high normal gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) level as an indication of heavy drinking in young men. In a sample of 577 men attending a one-day army recruitment process mandatory for all Swiss men at age 19 years, GGT level was evaluated as the dependent variable for each of eight dichotomous classifications of individuals on the basis of meeting cut-off criteria for five indexes of alcohol use, two indexes of alcohol-related problems, and one index of body mass. The sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values of GGT level in identifying subjects as either heavy drinkers or being overweight were determined. Compared with findings for their counterparts, GGT level was higher in subjects reporting consumption of more than 14 drinks per week (20.5 +/- 7.81 vs. 18.9 +/- 7.60, P <.05), in those reporting being drunk at least once during the past 30 days (20.3 +/- 7.80 vs. 18.3 +/- 7.43, P <.001), and in individuals with body mass indexes >or=25 kg/m(2) (25.8 +/- 10.84 vs. 18.3 +/- 6.59, P <.001). At a GGT level cut-off of 20 U/l, the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of either being a heavy drinker or overweight were 48.2%, 70.2%, 67.7%, and 51.2%, respectively. Exclusion of subjects with body mass indexes of >or=25 kg/m(2) revealed similar results. High normal GGT level in young men is indicative of heavy alcohol use or being overweight; when present, subjects should be screened further for potential concomitant drinking problems.

A Dose-Response Strategy Reveals Differences between Normal-Weight and Obese Men in Their Metabolic and Inflammatory Responses to a High-Fat Meal.

A dose-response strategy may not only allow investigation of the impact of foods and nutrients on human health but may also reveal differences in the response of individuals to food ingestion based on their metabolic health status. In a randomized crossover study, we challenged 19 normal-weight (BMI: 20-25 kg/m(2)) and 18 obese (BMI: >30 kg/m(2)) men with 500, 1000, and 1500 kcal of a high-fat (HF) meal (60.5% energy from fat). Blood was taken at baseline and up to 6 h postprandially and analyzed for a range of metabolic, inflammatory, and hormonal variables, including plasma glucose, lipids, and C-reactive protein and serum insulin, glucagon-like peptide-1, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and endotoxin. Insulin was the only variable that could differentiate the postprandial response of normal-weight and obese participants at each of the 3 caloric doses. A significant response of the inflammatory marker IL-6 was only observed in the obese group after ingestion of the HF meal containing 1500 kcal [net incremental AUC (iAUC) = 22.9 ± 6.8 pg/mL × 6 h, P = 0.002]. Furthermore, the net iAUC for triglycerides significantly increased from the 1000 to the 1500 kcal meal in the obese group (5.0 ± 0.5 mmol/L × 6 h vs. 6.0 ± 0.5 mmol/L × 6 h; P = 0.015) but not in the normal-weight group (4.3 ± 0.5 mmol/L × 6 h vs. 4.8 ± 0.5 mmol/L × 6 h; P = 0.31). We propose that caloric dose-response studies may contribute to a better understanding of the metabolic impact of food on the human organism. This study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01446068.

Quels nouveaux médicaments a l'horizon pour te traitement du cancer avancé de la prostate [New drugs at the horizon for men with prostate cancer]

Despite major progress in the understanding of biological mechanisms underlying metastatic prostate cancer, the treatment of men with advanced prostate cancer remains challenging. Several randomized controlled trials with promising or positive results are underway or just released. Here we discuss new treatments which might be used in clinic in the near future: hormonal treatments (Abiraterone and MDV3100), a new chemotherapy (Cabazitaxel), a cellular vaccine (Sipuleucel-T), anti-angiogenic drugs (Bevacizumab, Aflibercept), a new radioactive treatment (Alpharadin) and a new bone-protective agent (Deno-sumab).

Hommes et femmes: la même organisation cérébrale ? [Men and women: the same cerebral organisation ?]

Des différences entre les hommes et les femmes en ce qui concerne la taille du cerveau, les compétences dans des domaines particuliers et la récupération suite aux lésions cérébrales ont soulevé la question des dissimilitudes d'organisation cérébrale entre les deux sexes. Interprétée tout d'abord comme touchant à la latéralisation des fonctions cognitives, cette différence se révèle aujourd'hui davantage liée au fonctionnement des réseaux neuronaux.

Treatment-Naive Individuals Are the Major Source of Transmitted HIV-1 Drug Resistance in Men Who Have Sex With Men in the Swiss HIV Cohort Study.

Background. Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) transmitted drug resistance (TDR) can compromise antiretroviral therapy (ART) and thus represents an important public health concern. Typically, sources of TDR remain unknown, but they can be characterized with molecular epidemiologic approaches. We used the highly representative Swiss HIV Cohort Study (SHCS) and linked drug resistance database (SHCS-DRDB) to analyze sources of TDR. Methods. ART-naive men who have sex with men with infection date estimates between 1996 and 2009 were chosen for surveillance of TDR in HIV-1 subtype B (N = 1674), as the SHCS-DRDB contains pre-ART genotypic resistance tests for >69% of this surveillance population. A phylogeny was inferred using pol sequences from surveillance patients and all subtype B sequences from the SHCS-DRDB (6934 additional patients). Potential sources of TDR were identified based on phylogenetic clustering, shared resistance mutations, genetic distance, and estimated infection dates. Results. One hundred forty of 1674 (8.4%) surveillance patients carried virus with TDR; 86 of 140 (61.4%) were assigned to clusters. Potential sources of TDR were found for 50 of 86 (58.1%) of these patients. ART-naive patients constitute 56 of 66 (84.8%) potential sources and were significantly overrepresented among sources (odds ratio, 6.43 [95% confidence interval, 3.22-12.82]; P < .001). Particularly large transmission clusters were observed for the L90M mutation, and the spread of L90M continued even after the near cessation of antiretroviral use selecting for that mutation. Three clusters showed evidence of reversion of K103N or T215Y/F. Conclusions. Many individuals harboring viral TDR belonged to transmission clusters with other Swiss patients, indicating substantial domestic transmission of TDR in Switzerland. Most TDR in clusters could be linked to sources, indicating good surveillance of TDR in the SHCS-DRDB. Most TDR sources were ART naive. This, and the presence of long TDR transmission chains, suggests that resistance mutations are frequently transmitted among untreated individuals, highlighting the importance of early diagnosis and treatment.

The work of Spanish men. A quantitative analysis based on census data, 1900-1970

This paper presents a historical examination of employment in old age in Spain, in order to characterize this labour segment and identify and analyse its specific problems. One of these problems is the life-cycle deskilling process, already shown for certain national cases. This study explores whether this hypothesis also holds in Spain. The perspective used is essentially quantitative, as our analysis is based on the age-profession tables in Spanish population censuses from 1900 to 1970.

Efficacy of brief motivational intervention in reducing binge drinking in young men: A randomized controlled trial.

Background: Brief motivational intervention (BMI) is one of the few effective strategies targeting alcohol consumption, but has not been tested in young men in the community. We evaluated the efficacy of BMI in reducing alcohol use and related problems among binge drinkers and in maintaining low-risk drinking among non-bingers. Methods: A random sample of a census of men included during army conscription (which is mandatory for 20-year-old males in Switzerland) was randomized to receive a single face-to-face BMI session (N = 199) or no intervention (N = 219). A six-month follow-up rate was obtained for 88.7% of the subjects. Results: Among binge drinkers, there was 20% less drinking in the BMI group versus the control group (incidence rate ratio = 0.80, confidence interval 0.66-0.98, p = 0.03): the BMI group showed a weekly reduction of 1.5 drinks compared to an increase of 0.8 drinks weekly in the control group. Among subjects who experienced one or more alcohol-related consequences over the last 12 months, there was 19% less drinking in the BMI group compared to the control group (incidence rate ratio = 0.81; confidence interval 0.67-0.97, p = 0.04). Among non-bingers, BMI did not contribute to the maintenance of low-risk drinking. Conclusion: BMI reduced the alcohol use of binge drinkers, particularly among those who experienced certain alcohol-related adverse consequences. No preventive effect of BMI was observed among non-bingers. BMI is a plausible secondary preventive option for young binge drinkers. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

DSM-IV and DSM-5 alcohol use disorder among young Swiss men.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Previous studies suggest that the new DSM-5 criteria for alcohol use disorder (AUD) will increase the apparent prevalence of AUD. This study estimates the 12-month prevalence of AUD using both DSM-IV and DSM-5 criteria and compares the characteristics of men in a high risk sample who meet both, only one and neither sets of diagnostic criteria. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: 5943 Swiss men aged 18-25 years who participated in the Cohort Study on Substance Use Risk Factors (C-SURF), a population-based cohort study recruited from three of the six military recruitment centres in Switzerland (response rate = 79.2%). MEASUREMENTS: DSM-IV and DSM-5 criteria, alcohol use patterns, and other substance use were assessed. FINDINGS: Approximately 31.7% (30.5-32.8) of individuals met DSM-5 AUD criteria [21.2% mild (20.1-22.2); 10.5% moderate/severe (9.7-11.3)], which was less than the total rate when DSM-IV criteria for alcohol abuse (AA) and alcohol dependence (AD) were combined [36.8% overall (35.5-37.9); 26.6% AA (25.4-27.7); 10.2% AD (9.4-10.9)]. Of 2479 respondents meeting criteria for either diagnoses, 1585 (63.9%) met criteria for both. For those meeting DSM-IV criteria only (n = 598, 24.1%), hazardous use was most prevalent, whereas the criteria larger/longer use than intended and tolerance to alcohol were most prevalent for respondents meeting DSM-5 criteria only (n = 296, 11.9%). Two in five DSM-IV alcohol abuse cases and one-third of DSM-5 mild AUD individuals fulfilled the diagnostic criteria due to the hazardous use criterion. The addition of the craving and excluding of legal criterion, respectively, did not affect estimated AUD prevalence. CONCLUSIONS: In a high-risk sample of young Swiss males, prevalence of alcohol use disorder as diagnosed by DSM-5 was slightly lower than prevalence of DSM-IV diagnosis of dependence plus abuse; 63.9% of those who met either criterion met criteria for both.

Hospitalized women experiencing an episode of excessive oral anticoagulation had a higher bleeding risk than men.

OBJECTIVE: Overanticoagulated medical inpatients may be particularly prone to bleeding complications. Among medical inpatients with excessive oral anticoagulation (AC), we sought to identify patient and treatment factors associated with bleeding. METHODS: We prospectively identified consecutive patients receiving oral AC admitted to the medical ward of a university hospital (February-July 2006) who had at least one international normalized ratio (INR) value >3.0 during the hospital stay. We recorded patient characteristics, AC-related factors, and concomitant treatments (e.g., platelet inhibitors) that increase the bleeding risk. The outcome was overall bleeding, defined as the occurrence of major or minor bleeding during the hospital stay. We used logistic regression to explore patient and treatment factors associated with bleeding. RESULTS: Overall, 145 inpatients with excessive oral AC comprised our study sample. Atrial fibrillation (59%) and venous thromboembolism (28%) were the most common indications for AC. Twelve patients (8.3%) experienced a bleeding event. Of these, 8 had major bleeding. Women had a somewhat higher risk of major bleeding than men (12.5% vs 4.1%, p = 0.08). Multivariable analysis demonstrated that female gender was independently associated with bleeding (odds ratio [OR] 4.3, 95% confidence interval [95% C1] 1.1-17.8). Age, history of major bleeding, value of the index INR, and concomitant treatment with platelet inhibitors were not independent predictors of bleeding. CONCLUSIONS: We found that hospitalized women experiencing an episode of excessive oral AC have a 4-fold increased risk of bleeding compared with men. Whether overanticoagulated women require more aggressive measures of AC reversal must be examined in further studies.

Long maximal incremental tests accurately assess aerobic fitness in class II and III obese men.

This study aimed to compare two different maximal incremental tests with different time durations [a maximal incremental ramp test with a short time duration (8-12 min) (STest) and a maximal incremental test with a longer time duration (20-25 min) (LTest)] to investigate whether an LTest accurately assesses aerobic fitness in class II and III obese men. Twenty obese men (BMI≥35 kg.m-2) without secondary pathologies (mean±SE; 36.7±1.9 yr; 41.8±0.7 kg*m-2) completed an STest (warm-up: 40 W; increment: 20 W*min-1) and an LTest [warm-up: 20% of the peak power output (PPO) reached during the STest; increment: 10% PPO every 5 min until 70% PPO was reached or until the respiratory exchange ratio reached 1.0, followed by 15 W.min-1 until exhaustion] on a cycle-ergometer to assess the peak oxygen uptake [Formula: see text] and peak heart rate (HRpeak) of each test. There were no significant differences in [Formula: see text] (STest: 3.1±0.1 L*min-1; LTest: 3.0±0.1 L*min-1) and HRpeak (STest: 174±4 bpm; LTest: 173±4 bpm) between the two tests. Bland-Altman plot analyses showed good agreement and Pearson product-moment and intra-class correlation coefficients showed a strong correlation between [Formula: see text] (r=0.81 for both; p≤0.001) and HRpeak (r=0.95 for both; p≤0.001) during both tests. [Formula: see text] and HRpeak assessments were not compromised by test duration in class II and III obese men. Therefore, we suggest that the LTest is a feasible test that accurately assesses aerobic fitness and may allow for the exercise intensity prescription and individualization that will lead to improved therapeutic approaches in treating obesity and severe obesity.

Metabolic syndrome is associated with colorectal cancer in men.

AIM OF THE STUDY: We assessed the relation between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components and colorectal cancer. METHODS: We analysed data from a multicentre case-control study conducted in Italy and Switzerland, including 1378 cases of colon cancer, 878 cases of rectal cancer and 4661 controls. All cases were incident and histologically confirmed. Controls were subjects admitted to the same hospitals as cases with acute non-malignant conditions. MetS was defined according to the International Diabetes Federation criteria. Odds ratios (ORs) and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated by multiple logistic regression models, including terms for major identified confounding factors for colorectal cancer. RESULTS: With reference to each component of the MetS, the ORs of colorectal cancer in men were 1.27 (95% CI, 0.95-1.69) for diabetes, 1.24 (95% CI, 1.03-1.48) for hypertension, 1.14 (95% CI, 0.93-1.40) for hypercholesterolaemia and 1.26 (95% CI, 1.08-1.48) for overweight at age 30. The corresponding ORs in women were 1.20 (95% CI, 0.82-1.75), 0.87 (95% CI, 0.71-1.06), 0.83 (95% CI, 0.66-1.03) and 1.06 (95% CI, 0.86-1.30). Colorectal cancer risk was increased in men (OR=1.86; 95% CI, 1.21-2.86), but not in women (OR=1.13; 95% CI, 0.66-1.93), with MetS. The ORs were 2.09 (95% CI, 1.38-3.18) in men and 1.15 (95% CI, 0.68-1.94) in women with > or =3 components of the MetS, as compared to no component. Results were similar for colon and rectal cancers. CONCLUSION: This study supports a direct association between MetS and both colon and rectal cancers in men, but not in women.

Associations of physical activity and sport and exercise with at-risk substance use in young men: a longitudinal study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to measure the associations of physical activity and one of its components, sport and exercise, with at-risk substance use in a population of young men. METHOD: Baseline (2010-2012) and follow-up (2012-2013) data of 4748 young Swiss men from the Cohort Study on Substance Use Risk Factors (C-SURF) were used. Cross-sectional and prospective associations between at-risk substance use and both sport and exercise and physical activities were measured using Chi-squared tests and logistic regression models adjusting for covariates. RESULTS: At baseline, logistic regression indicated that sport and exercise is negatively associated with at-risk use of cigarettes and cannabis. A positive association was obtained between physical activity and at-risk alcohol use. At baseline, sport and exercise was negatively associated with at-risk use of cigarettes and cannabis at follow-up. Adjusted for sport and exercise, physical activity was positively associated with at-risk use of cigarettes and cannabis. CONCLUSION: Sport and exercise is cross-sectionally and longitudinally associated with a low prevalence of at-risk use of cigarettes and cannabis. This protective effect was not observed for physical activity broadly defined. Taking a substance use prevention perspective, the promotion of sport and exercise among young adults should be encouraged.

Protein turnover and thermogenesis in response to high-protein and high-carbohydrate feeding in men.

The rates of energy expenditure and wholebody protein turnover were determined during a 9-h period in a group of seven men while they received hourly isocaloric meals of high-protein (HP) or high-carbohydrate (HC) content. Their responses to feeding were compared with those to a short period of fasting (15-24 h). The 9-h thermic response to the repeated feeding of HP meals was found to be greater than that to the HC meals (9.6 +/- 0.6% vs 5.7 +/- 0.4% of the energy intake, respectively, means +/- SEM, p less than 0.01). The rate of whole-body nitrogen turnover over 9 h increased from 17.6 +/- 2.2 g on the fasting day to 27.4 +/- 1.4 g during HC feeding (NS) and there was a further increase to 58.2 +/- 5.3 g resulting from HP feeding (p less than 0.001). By using theoretical estimates (based upon ATP requirements) of the metabolic cost of protein synthesis, 36 +/- 9% of the thermic response to HC feeding and 68 +/- 3% of the response to HP feeding could be accounted for by the increases in protein synthesis compared with the fasting state.