Obesity and body fat classification in the metabolic syndrome: Impact on cardiometabolic risk metabotype

Objective:

Obesity is a key factor in the development of the metabolic syndrome (MetS), which is associated with increased cardiometabolic risk. We investigated whether obesity classification by BMI and body fat percentage (BF%) influences cardiometabolic profile and dietary responsiveness in 486 MetS subjects (LIPGENE dietary intervention study).

Design and Methods:

Anthropometric measures, markers of inflammation and glucose metabolism, lipid profiles, adhesion molecules, and hemostatic factors were determined at baseline and after 12 weeks of four dietary interventions (high saturated fat (SFA), high monounsaturated fat (MUFA), and two low fat high complex carbohydrate (LFHCC) diets, one supplemented with long chain n‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC n‐3 PUFAs)).

Results:

About 39 and 87% of subjects classified as normal and overweight by BMI were obese according to their BF%. Individuals classified as obese by BMI (≥30 kg/m²) and BF% (≥25% (men) and ≥35% (women)) (OO, n = 284) had larger waist and hip measurements, higher BMI and were heavier (P < 0.001) than those classified as nonobese by BMI but obese by BF% (NOO, n = 92). OO individuals displayed a more proinflammatory (higher C reactive protein (CRP) and leptin), prothrombotic (higher plasminogen activator inhibitor‐1 (PAI‐1)), proatherogenic (higher leptin/adiponectin ratio) and more insulin resistant (higher HOMA‐IR) metabolic profile relative to the NOO group (P < 0.001). Interestingly, tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) concentrations were lower post‐intervention in NOO individuals compared with OO subjects (P < 0.001).

Conclusions:

In conclusion, assessing BF% and BMI as part of a metabotype may help to identify individuals at greater cardiometabolic risk than BMI alone.     

Objectively Measured Physical Activity in European Adults: Cross-Sectional Findings from the Food4Me Study

Background

Comparisons of objectively measured physical activity (PA) between residents of European countries measured concurrently with the same protocol are lacking. We aimed to compare PA between the seven European countries involved in the Food4Me Study, using accelerometer data collected remotely via the Internet.

Methods

Of the 1607 participants recruited, 1287 (539 men and 748 women) provided at least 3 weekdays and 2 weekend days of valid accelerometer data (TracmorD) at baseline and were included in the present analyses.

Results

Men were significantly more active than women (physical activity level = 1.74 vs. 1.70, p < 0.001). Time spent in light PA and moderate PA differed significantly between countries but only for women. Adherence to the World Health Organization recommendation to accumulate at least 150 min of moderate-equivalent PA weekly was similar between countries for men (range: 54–65%) but differed significantly between countries for women (range: 26–49%). Prevalence estimates decreased substantially for men and women in all seven countries when PA guidelines were defined as achieving 30 min of moderate and vigorous PA per day.

Conclusions

We were able to obtain valid accelerometer data in real time via the Internet from 80% of participants. Although our estimates are higher compared with data from Sweden, Norway, Portugal and the US, there is room for improvement in PA for all countries involved in the Food4Me Study.     

Distinguishing effects of juvenile mortality and dispersal on recruitment

Detailed data on juvenile survival are rare in the literature. Although many studies estimate recruitment, if you cannot distinguish between permanent dispersal and mortality, the management implications for a population may be unclear. We estimated juvenile survival in a reintroduced North Island robin (Petroica longipes) population in a protected sanctuary surrounded by an unprotected landscape where the species is extirpated. The population has had marginal population growth due to poor recruitment so we modeled 3 types of data (resighting of fledglings, radio-telemetry of independent juveniles, resighting of adults) in an integrated framework to determine the life stages where high mortality was occurring, and to distinguish mortality from dispersal. Approximately 16% of birds that fledged (n = 109) were present at the start of the next breeding season, consistent with recruitment rates from previous years. Low survival in the first 6 weeks after fledging was the primary cause of poor recruitment. Only 50% survived to independence (4 weeks after fledging), and 18% survived to the end of the radio-tracking period (14 weeks), after which juvenile survival matched adult survival. No dispersal from the sanctuary occurred during the radio-tracking period. Juveniles moved between adjacent forest fragments within the sanctuary, but did not leave the sanctuary. This information, which demonstrates the importance of distinguishing between natal mortality and dispersal, is important for ongoing management of the site and selection of future reintroduction sites for this species. © 2019 The Wildlife Society.     

The energetic cost of arousal from torpor in the marsupial Sminthopsis macroura : benefits of summer ambient temperature cycles

The costs of arousal from induced torpor were measured in the striped-faced dunnart (Sminthopsis macroura; ca. 25 g) under two experimental ambient temperature cycles. The sinusoidal-type temperature cycles were designed to evaluate the effects of passive, ambient temperature heating during arousal from torpor in these insectivorous marsupials. It was hypothesised that diel ambient temperature cycles may offer significant energy savings during arousal in animals that employ daily torpor in summer as a response to unpredictable food availability. The cost of arousal in animals in which passive, exogenous heating occurred was significantly lower than that in animals not exposed to an ambient temperature cycle. The total cost of all three phases of torpor (entry, maintenance and arousal) was almost halved when animals were exposed to an ambient heating cycle from 15 °C to 25 °C over a 24-h period. In all animals, irrespective of the experimental ambient temperature cycle employed, the minimum torpor body temperature was 17–18 °C. The body temperature (T_b) of animals exposed to exogenous heating increased from the torpor T_b minimum to a mean value of 22.59 °C before endogenous heat production commenced. This relatively small increase in T_b of ca. 5 °C through `free' passive heating was sufficient to account for the significant ca. three-fold decrease in the cost of arousal and may represent an important energetic aid to free-ranging animals. Accepted: 4 October 1998     

Confirmation of pleisiomorphic daily torpor in mammals: the round-eared elephant shrew Macroscelides proboscideus (Macroscelidea)

The characteristics of daily torpor were measured in the round-eared elephant shrew Macroscelides proboscideus (Macroscelidea) in response to ambient temperature and food deprivation. Elephant shrews are an ancient mammal order within a superordinal African clade including hyraxes, elephants, dugongs and the aardvark. M. proboscideus only employed torpor when deprived of food; torpor did not occur under an ad libitum diet at ambient temperatures of 10, 15 and 25?°C. Torpor bout duration ranged from <1?h to ca. 18?h. The times of entry into torpor were restricted to the scotophase, despite normothermic body temperature patterns indicating a rest phase coincident with the photophase. Full arousal was always achieved within the first 3?h of the photophase. When food deprived, the onset of the rest phase, and hence torpor, advanced with respect to the experimental photoperiod. The lowest torpor body temperature measured was 9.41?°C. Daily torpor in M. proboscideus confirms a pleisiomorphic origin of daily heterothermy. Torpor facilitates risk-averse foraging behaviour in these small omnivores by overcoming long-term energy shortfalls generated by the inherent variability of food availability in their semi-arid, El Niño-afflicted habitats.     

Daily torpor in free-ranging rock elephant shrews, Elephantulus myurus: a year-long study

Under laboratory conditions, rock elephant shrews, Elephantulus myurus, use daily torpor under both short and long photoperiod acclimation. However, use of heterothermy often differs under field and laboratory conditions. We investigated the use of torpor in free-ranging elephant shrews from May 2001 to May 2002. The elephant shrews were capable of daily torpor throughout the year, with torpor most prevalent during winter. We recorded two torpor bouts during early summer (November). We recorded a total of 467 torpor bouts during the year. The mean torpor minimum body temperature (Tbmin) for the whole year was 15.3 degrees +/-4.4 degrees C, and the mean bout length was 8.6+/-3.5 h. These values were in the range expected for daily heterotherms. However, there was some marginal overlap with hibernation characteristics; a few torpor bouts were longer than 24 h in duration, and Tbmin decreased below 10 degrees C. Torpor was highly correlated with low ambient temperature and photoperiod. Torpor was also correlated with invertebrate abundance after controlling for photoperiod effects. During the year in which this study was conducted, the rainfall was 14% below long-term average. Historical rainfall records show that summer rainfall during strong El Nino years is up to 40% below the long-term average. During these drought years, the frequency of summer torpor may be higher, highlighting the need for long-term physiological data in free-ranging animals.     

Echinoid facilitates Notch pathway signalling during Drosophila neurogenesis through functional interaction with Delta

The Notch intercellular signalling pathway is important throughout development, and its components are modulated by a variety of cellular and molecular mechanisms. Ligand and receptor trafficking are tightly controlled, although context-specific regulation of this is incompletely understood. We show that during sense organ precursor specification in Drosophila, the cell adhesion molecule Echinoid colocalises extensively with the Notch ligand, Delta, at the cell membrane and in early endosomes. Echinoid facilitates efficient Notch pathway signalling. Cultured cell experiments suggest that Echinoid is associated with the cis-endocytosis of Delta, and is therefore linked to the signalling events that have been shown to require such Delta trafficking. Consistent with this, overexpression of Echinoid protein causes a reduction in Delta level at the membrane and in endosomes. In vivo and cell culture studies suggest that homophilic interaction of Echinoid on adjacent cells is necessary for its function.     

Heterothermic responses in the speckled mousebird (Colius striatus)

We investigated normothermic thermoregulation and heterothermic responses to restricted food in the speckled mousebird Colius striatus, in the context of the widely accepted distinction between normothermia, rest-phase hypothermia, and torpor. Normothermic thermoregulation differed from typical endothermic patterns in that rest-phase body temperature (Tb) was not maintained with respect to a constant setpoint. Instead, Tb decreased during the course of the rest-phase, with the highest cooling rates observed at moderate ambient temperatures (Ta). Restricted food was associated with significant reductions in rest-phase Tb and metabolic rate. The lowest Tb recorded in a bird which was able to arouse spontaneously, was 18.2 degrees C. However, we were unable to clearly discern between normothermic, hypothermic and torpor Tb ranges. Furthermore, heterothermic responses did not accord with the patterns typically observed in birds and mammals. Metabolic suppression normally associated with entry into torpor and the defence of a torpor Tb setpoint was largely absent. The mousebirds significantly reduced their energy expenditure when heterothermic at moderate TaS only. We suggest that the observed patterns of thermoregulation in C. striatus, as well those previously reported in Colius colius, are associated with plesiomorphic clustering behaviour in the Coliiformes, and the tandem evolution of behavioural and metabolic thermoregulation.     

Emergency Department Presentations following Tropical Cyclone Yasi

Introduction

Emergency departments see an increase in cases during cyclones. The aim of this study is to describe patient presentations to the Emergency Department (ED) of a tertiary level hospital (Townsville) following a tropical cyclone (Yasi). Specific areas of focus include changes in: patient demographics (age and gender), triage categories, and classification of diseases.

Methods

Data were extracted from the Townsville Hospitals ED information system (EDIS) for three periods in 2009, 2010 and 2011 to coincide with formation of Cyclone Yasi (31 January 2011) to six days after Yasi crossed the coast line (8 February 2012). The analysis explored the changes in ICD10-AM 4-character classification and presented at the Chapter level.

Results

There was a marked increase in the number of patients attending the ED during Yasi, particularly those aged over 65 years with a maximum daily attendance of 372 patients on 4 Feb 2011. The most marked increases were in: Triage categories - 4 and 5; and ICD categories - diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue (L00-L99), and factors influencing health care status (Z00-Z99). The most common diagnostic presentation across all years was injury (S00-T98).

Discussion

There was an increase in presentations to the ED of TTH, which peaked in the first 24 – 48 hours following the cyclone and returned to normal over a five-day period. The changes in presentations were mostly an amplification of normal attendance patterns with some altered areas of activity. Injury patterns are similar to overseas experience.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Burkholderia</Emphasis> Hep_Hag autotransporter (BuHA) proteins elicit a strong antibody response during experimental glanders but not human melioidosis

Background  

The bacterial biothreat agents Burkholderia mallei and Burkholderia pseudomallei are the cause of glanders and melioidosis, respectively. Genomic and epidemiological studies have shown that B. mallei is a recently emerged, host restricted clone of B. pseudomallei.