Subcutaneous adipose tissue pattern in lean and obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome

The new optical device, Lipometer, permits the noninvasive, quick, safe, and precise measurement of the thickness of subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) layers at any given site of the human body. Fifteen anatomically well-defined body sites from neck to calf describe the SAT topography (SAT-Top) like an individual "fingerprint." SAT-Top was examined in 33 women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), in 87 age-matched healthy controls and in 20 Type-II diabetic women. SAT-Top differences of these three groups were described, and, based on a hierarchical cluster analysis, two distinctly different groups of PCOS women, a lean (PCOS(L)) and an obese (PCOS(O)) cluster, were found. For visual comparison of the different types of body fat distribution, the 15-dimensional body fat information was condensed to a two-dimensional factor plot by factor analysis. For comparison of the PCOS like body fat distribution with the "healthy" fat pattern, the (previously published) SAT-Top results of 590 healthy women and men (20-70 years old) and 162 healthy girls and boys (7-11 years old) were added to the factor plot. PCOS(O) women showed a SAT-Top pattern very similar to that of women with Type-II diabetes, even though the diabetic women were on average 30 years older. Compared with their healthy controls, SAT-Top of these PCOS(O) patients was strongly skewed into the android direction, providing significantly decreased leg SAT development and significantly higher upper body obesity. Compared with healthy women, PCOS(L) patients had significantly lower total SAT development (even though height, weight, and body mass index did not deviate significantly), showing a slightly lowered amount of body fat in the upper region and a highly significant leg SAT reduction. This type of fat pattern is the same as found in girls and boys before developing their sex specific body fat distribution. We conclude that women with PCOS develop an android SAT-Top, but compared in more detail, we found two typical types of body fat distribution: the "childlike" SAT pattern in lean PCOS patients, and the "diabetic" body fat distribution in obese PCOS women.     

Android subcutaneous adipose tissue topography in lean and obese women suffering from PCOS: comparison with type 2 diabetic women

The new optical device, the lipometer, enables the noninvasive, quick, safe, and precise determination of the thickness of subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) layers at any given site of the human body. Fifteen anatomically well-defined body sites from neck to calf describe a SAT topography (SAT-Top) like an individual "fingerprint" of a subject. This SAT-Top was examined in 16 women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and compared to the body fat distribution of 87 age-matched healthy controls and 20 type-2 diabetic women. SAT-Top differences of these three groups were described and, to render the possibility of visual comparison, the 15-dimensional body fat information was condensed to a two-dimensional factor plot by factor analysis. All PCOS patients had an android body fat distribution with significantly thinner SAT layers on the legs as compared to healthy controls. Moreover, a hierarchical cluster analysis resulted in two distinctly different groups of PCOS women, a lean (PCOSL) and an obese (PCOSO) cluster: compared to healthy women, lean PCOS patients had significantly lower total SAT development, even though height, weight, and body mass index did not deviate significantly. Especially on the legs, their SAT layers were significantly lowered, indicating a more "apple-like" fat distribution type. Obese PCOS women showed a SAT-Top pattern very similar to that of women with type-2 diabetes, although the mean age difference between these groups was more than 30 years. Compared to healthy controls, the SAT-Top of these obese PCOS patients was strongly shifted into the android direction, appearing as "super-apples" with a significantly increased upper trunk obesity to 237.8% and a significantly decreased leg SAT development to 79.8%.     

Relationships between body fat measured by DXA and subcutaneous adipose tissue thickness measured by Lipometer in adults

The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between body fat measured by DXA and subcutaneous adipose tissue layers (SAT-layers) measured by LIPOMETER in adult males (n=28) and females (n=53). Body height and mass were measured and BMI was calculated (kg/m2). Measurements of the thicknesses of SAT-layers by LIPOMETER were performed at 15 original body sites. Body composition was measured using DXA. Total body fat % measured by DXA was highly dependent on the SAT-layers in the upper back and inner thigh in males (87.1%, R(2)x100) and the lateral chest, biceps, and calf in females (78.5%, R(2)x100). There were gender differences in trunk fat mass and right hand and leg fat mass calculation using specific SAT-layers. In conclusion, our results indicate that there are close relationships between SAT-layers and body fat measured by DXA. However, there are big differences between genders.     

Differences of subcutaneous adipose tissue topography between type-2 diabetic men and healthy controls

Men with noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (type 2 DM) provide a different subcutaneous body fat distribution and a concentration of fatness on the upper trunk compared with healthy subjects. However, subcutaneous fat distribution is always measured in an inaccurate and/or very simplified way (e.g., by caliper), and to date, there exists no study reporting on the exact and complete subcutaneous adipose tissue distribution of type 2 DM men. A new optical device, the LIPOMETER, enables the nonivasive, quick, and safe determination of the thickness of subcutaneous adipose tissue layers at any given site of the human body. The specification of 15 evenly distributed body sites allows the precise measurement of subcutaneous body fat distribution, so-called subcutaneous adipose tissue topography (SAT-Top). SAT-Tops of 21 men with clinically proven type 2 DM (mean age of 57.5 +/- 6.7 years) and 111 healthy controls of similar age (mean age 59.0 +/- 5.4 years) were measured. In this paper, we describe the precise SAT-Top differences of these two groups and we present the multidimensional SAT-Top information condensed in a two-dimensional factor value plot. In type 2 DM men, especially in the upper trunk, SAT-Top is significantly increased (up to +50.7% at the neck) compared with their healthy controls. One hundred eleven of the 132 individuals (84.1%) are correctly classified (healthy or type 2 DM) by their subcutaneous fat pattern by stepwise discriminant analysis.     

Orthogonal factor coefficient development of subcutaneous adipose tissue topography (SAT-Top) in girls and boys

The new optical device Lipometer allows noninvasive, quick, and safe determination of the thickness of subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) layers (in mm) at any site of the human body. The specification of 15 evenly distributed body sites enables the precise measurement of subcutaneous body fat distribution, so-called subcutaneous adipose tissue topography (SAT-Top). SAT-Top was measured in 980 children aged 7-19 years. In this paper we describe the degree to which SAT-Top body sites are intercorrelated. We consider whether a meaningful reduction of data is possible using factor analysis, which factors can be extracted, and how SAT-Top data of children can be added to a factor value plot, depicting the essential results of age-dependent subcutaneous fat development. SAT layers situated on the same body area provide correlation coefficients up to +r = 0.91. Two factors are extracted: factor 1, containing all upper body sites (from neck to hip); and factor 2, consisting of all leg body sites. When all 980 children are divided into three age groups in a factor value plot, the first age group (7-11 years) shows almost equal SAT-Top development in boys and girls. Afterwards, for the consecutive age groups 2 (11-15 years) and 3 (15-19 years), the age-dependent subcutaneous fat development of boys and girls progresses into nearly orthogonal directions.     

Differences of subcutaneous adipose tissue topography in type-2 diabetic (NIDDM) women and healthy controls

Women suffering from type-2 diabetes mellitus (non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus [NIDDM]) have more total body fat and upper body obesity compared with healthy controls. However, the standard measurement methods have disadvantages such as radiological burden, lack of precision, or high time consumption. A new optical device, the Lipometer, enables the noninvasive, quick, and save determination of the thickness of subcutaneous adipose tissue layers at any given site of the human body. The specification of 15 evenly distributed body sites allows the precise measurement of subcutaneous body fat distribution, so-called subcutaneous adipose tissue topography (SAT-Top). SAT-Tops of 20 women with clinically proven NIDDM and 122 healthy controls matched by age group were measured. In this paper, we describe the precise SAT-Top differences of these two groups and present the multidimensional SAT-Top information condensed in a two-dimensional factor plot and in a response plot of an artificial neural network. NIDDM women provide significantly lower leg SAT-Top and significantly higher upper trunk SAT-Top development ("apple"-type) compared with their healthy controls.     

Evaluation of risk profiles by subcutaneous adipose tissue topography in obese juveniles

Objective: To compare subcutaneous adipose tissue topography (SAT‐top) in obese juveniles with age‐matched normal‐weight controls. Research Methods and Procedures: The optical device LIPOMETER (European Patent EP 0516251) enables the non‐invasive, rapid, safe, and precise measurement of the thickness of subcutaneous adipose tissue. Fifteen defined body sites (1 = neck to 15 = calf) characterize the individual SAT‐top like an individual fingerprint. SAT‐top of 1351 juveniles (obese: 42 boys, 59 girls, normal weight: 680 boys, 570 girls) from 7 to 19 years of age were measured. For visual comparison, the 15‐dimensional SAT‐top information was condensed by factor analysis into a two‐dimensional factor plot. Results: Both female and male obese juveniles had markedly increased adipose tissue layers at 7 = upper abdomen, 8 = lower abdomen, 5 = front chest, and 6 = lateral chest. The pubertal changes of body shape and fat distribution of the normal‐weight boys and girls (boys show thinner adipose tissue layers on their legs, whereas girls had thicker adipose tissue layers at the extremities) were not seen in the obese group. Independently of age and sex, all of the obese juveniles showed a similar, more android body fat distribution with increased trunk fat. Discussion: SAT‐top of the obese juveniles is similar to that of patients with type 2 diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome, and coronary heart disease. Patients with these metabolic disorders and obese juveniles are located in the factor plot in the same area. This body shape may indicate a risk profile for developing polycystic ovary syndrome (women), type 2 diabetes, and early atherosclerosis (both sexes).     

Effects of a hyperbaric environment on subcutaneous adipose tissue topography (SAT-top)

The physiological reactions of the body in scuba diving situation can be simulated in a pressure chamber by increasing the ambient pressure. In this study the influence of a hyperbaric environment of 6 bar on the changes of the subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) thicknesses on different body sites in 68 voluntary men with undersea diving experience was investigated. Measurements of SAT-topography (SAT-Top) were performed with the optical device Lipometer before and after hyperbaric exposure. We observed a significant increase of the SAT-layers of the upper body zones, upper abdomen (+24.5%), lower abdomen (+21%) and front chest (+19%) after hyperbaric exposure. This increase of volume can be assumed to the nitrogen accumulation in fat cells at increased ambient pressures. In conclusion we describe for the first time in detail the influence of a hyperbaric environment on quantitative and topographic changes of SAT.     

Serum miR-518e-5p is a potential biomarker for secondary imatinib-resistant gastrointestinal stromal tumor

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most common mesenchymal tumor of the intestinal tract. Imatinib is used as first-line therapy for GIST patients; however, secondary imatinib resistance poses a significant clinical challenge. Here, we analyzed serum miRNA expression profiles to identify specific serum miRNAs that could be used as early diagnostic markers. Candidate miRNAs were validated using Taqman quantitative PCR with serum samples from secondary imatinib-resistant GIST patients (n?=?39), imatinib-sensitive GIST patients (n?=?37), and healthy controls (n?=?28). Serum miR-518e-5p and miR-548e levels were higher in secondary imatinib-resistant GIST than imatinib-sensitive GIST patients or healthy controls (P?<?0.0001). However, ROC analysis indicated that only miR-518e-5p could distinguish imatinib-resistant GIST. To discriminate imatinib-resistant from imatinib-sensitive GIST patients, the AUC for serum miR-518e-5p was 0.9938, with 99.8% sensitivity and 82.1% specificity. Serum miR-518e-5p could also discriminate imatinib-resistant GIST patients from healthy controls with 99.9% sensitivity and 97.4% specificity. These data indicate that serum miR-518e-5p is a potentially promising non-invasive biomarker for early detection and diagnosis of secondary imatinib-resistant GIST.     

Neuropsychological and behavioural correlates of CSF biomarkers in dementia

To improve clinical, neuropsychological and behavioural characterisation of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers beta-amyloid((1-42)) protein (Abeta42), protein tau (tau) and tau phosphorylated at threonine 181 (P-tau181) across diagnostic dementia categories, a prospective study was set up. Patients with probable Alzheimer's disease (AD) (n=201), AD with cerebrovascular disease (CVD) (AD+CVD) (n=33), frontotemporal dementia (FTD) (n=27), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) (n=22) and healthy controls (n=148) were included. All patients underwent neuropsychological examination and behavioural assessment by means of a battery of behavioural assessment scales. CSF was obtained by lumbar puncture and levels of Abeta42, tau and P-tau181 were determined with commercially available ELISA kits. Negative correlations between CSF Abeta42 levels and aggressiveness (Spearman: r=-0.223; p=0.002) and positive correlations with age at inclusion (r=0.195; p=0.006), age at onset (r=0.205; p=0.003) and MMSE scores (r=0.198; p=0.005) were found in AD. In AD+CVD, CSF Abeta42 levels were correlated with MMSE (r=0.482; p=0.006), Hierarchic Dementia Scale (r=0.503; p=0.017) and Boston Naming Test (r=0.516; p=0.012) scores. In controls, age was positively correlated with CSF tau (r=0.465; p<0.001) and P-tau181 levels (r=0.312; p<0.001). CSF tau and P-tau181 levels correlated significantly in all groups, whereas CSF Abeta42 correlated with tau and P-tau181 levels in healthy controls only. Negative correlations between CSF Abeta42 levels and aggressiveness were found in AD patients. CSF Abeta42 seems to be a stage marker for AD (+/-CVD) given the positive correlations with neuropsychological test results suggesting that CSF Abeta42 might be of help for monitoring disease progression. Different correlations between age and CSF biomarker levels were obtained in healthy controls compared to AD patients, indicating that AD-induced pathophysiological processes change age-dependent regulation of CSF biomarker levels.     

The relative body fat and anthropometric prediction of body density of South Australian females aged 17-35 years

One hundred and thirty-five females were tested in order to: produce some normative percentage body fat (% BF) data on an Australian sample which represented a cross-section of physical activity patterns, cross-validate existing multiple regression equations which predict body density (BD) from anthropometric measurements, and if necessary develop population specific equations. Measurements were taken of 10 girths, 3 widths and 7 skinfolds. Body density was measured by underwater weighing with the residual volume (RV) being determined by helium dilution. The Siri equation was then used to convert BD to % BF. The % BF scores had an overall mean of 23.4 (range 10.8-49.2). The very active group (n = 45) had a significantly lower (p less than 0.05) relative body fat (X = 20.6% BF) than either the active (n = 45; 23.5% BF) or sedentary groups (n = 45; 26.2% BF). Previously published equations were found to have limited applicability to Australian subjects. A stepwise multiple regression was therefore used to develop the following equation (R = 0.893): BD(g X cm-3) = 1.16957-0.06447 (log10 sigma triceps, subscapular, supraspinale, front thigh, abdominal and calf skinfolds in mm)-0.00081 (gluteal girth in cm) + 0.0017 (forearm girth in cm) + 0.00606 (biepicondylar humerus breadth in cm). Only those predictors which resulted in a statistically significant increase in r (p less than or equal to 0.05) were included. The standard error of estimate of 0.00568 g X cm-3 was equivalent to 2.6% BF at the mean.     

Are adult physiques geometrically similar? The dangers of allometric scaling using body mass power laws

Human physique classification by somatotype assumes that adult humans are geometric similar to each other. However, this assumption has yet to be adequately tested in athletic and nonexercising human populations. In this study, we assessed this assumption by comparing the mass exponents associated with girth measurements taken at 13 different sites throughout the body in 478 subjects (279 athletic subjects, and 199 nonexercising controls). Corrected girths which account for subcutaneous adipose tissue at the upper arm, thigh, and calf sites, and which simulate muscle circumference, were also calculated. If subjects are geometrically similar to each other, girth exponents should be approximately proportional to M(1/3), where M is the subjects' body mass. This study confirms that human adult physiques are not geometrically similar to each other. In both athletic subjects and nonexercising controls, body circumferences/limb girths develop at a greater rate than that anticipated by geometric similarity in fleshy sites containing both muscle and fat (upper arms and legs), and less than anticipated in bony sites (head, wrists, and ankles). Interestingly, head girths appear to remain almost constant, irrespective of subjects' body size/mass. The results also suggest that thigh muscle girths of athletes and controls increase at a greater rate than that predicted by geometric similarity, proportional to body mass (M(0.439) and M(0.377), respectively). These systematic deviations from geometric similarity have serious implications for the allometric scaling of variables such as energy expenditure, oxygen uptake, anaerobic power, and thermodynamic or anthropometric studies involving individuals of differing size.     

Protein microarray signature of autoantibody biomarkers for the early detection of breast cancer

Cancer patients spontaneously generate autoantibodies (AAb) to tumor-derived proteins. To detect AAb, we have probed novel high-density custom protein microarrays (NAPPA) expressing 4988 candidate tumor antigens with sera from patients with early stage breast cancer (IBC), and bound IgG was measured. We used a three-phase serial screening approach. First, a prescreen was performed to eliminate uninformative antigens. Sera from stage I-III IBC (n = 53) and healthy women (n = 53) were screened for AAb to all 4988 protein antigens. Antigens were selected if the 95th percentile of signal of cases and controls were significantly different (p < 0.05) and if the number of cases with signals above the 95th percentile of controls was significant (p < 0.05). These 761 antigens were screened using an independent set of IBC sera (n = 51) and sera from women with benign breast disease (BBD) (n = 39). From these, 119 antigens had a partial area under the ROC curve (p < 0.05), with sensitivities ranging from 9-40% at >91% specificity. Twenty-eight of these antigens were confirmed using an independent serum cohort (n = 51 cases/38 controls, p < 0.05). Using all 28 AAb, a classifier was identified with a sensitivity of 80.8% and a specificity of 61.6% (AUC = 0.756). These are potential biomarkers for the early detection of breast cancer.     

Slow volume changes in calf and thigh during cycle ergometer exercise

To study the transcapillary fluid movements in the human lower limb in the upright body position and during muscle exercise, the slow changes in thigh and calf volumes were measured by mercury-in-rubber-strain gauge plethysmography. Measurements were carried out on 20 healthy volunteers while sitting, standing and doing cycle ergometer exercise at intensities of 50 and 100-W. A plethysmographic recording of slow extravascular volume changes during muscle exercise was possible because movement artefacts were eliminated by low-pass filtering. While standing and sitting the volumes of both thigh and calf increased due to enhanced transcapillary filtration. While standing the mean rate of increase was 0.13%.min-1 in the calf and 0.09%.min-1 in the thigh. During cycle ergometer exercise at 50 and 100 W, the calf volume decreased with a mean rate of -0.09.min-1. In contrast, the thigh volume did not change significantly during exercise at 50 W and increased at 100 W. Most of the increase occurred during the first half of the experimental period i.e. between min 2 and 12, amounting to +0.6%. Thus, simultaneous measurements revealed opposite changes in the thigh and calf. This demonstrates that the conflicting findings reported in the literature may have occurred because opposite changes can occur in different muscle groups of the working limb at the same time. Lowered venous pressure, increased lymph flow and increased tissue pressure in the contracting muscle are considered to have caused the reduction in calf volume during exercise.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

HCY、CRP、Fib、WBC 水平在冠心病诊断中的临床价值

目的:探讨血清同型半胱氨酸(HCY)、C反应蛋白、纤维蛋白原(Fib)、白细胞(WBC)与冠心病(CHD)病变程度的相关性和作为检测指标的敏感性;检测BMI是否为CHD的独立风险因子。方法:测定102例不同类型冠心病患者和33例健康的HCY、CRP、Fib、WBC的水平,比较AMI.UAP.SAP组和对照组间各项指标的差异。结果:BMI24和BMI24两组中AMI、UAP、SPA和Control的构成比的差别,结果显示男性患者中两组构成有明显差异(P=0.011);女性患者中两组构成没有明显差异(P=0.28)。各组的HCY、CRP、Fib和WBC的水平为:AMI组大于UAP组大于SAP组大于对照组,AMI组与UAP组相比,差异有统计学意义(均为P0.01),UAP组与SAP组相比,差异有统计学意义(P0.05,P0.01)。CRP和WBC的诊断价值较好,HCY和Fib的诊断价值中等。结论:同型半胱氨酸、C反应蛋白、纤维蛋白原和白细胞水平变化与冠心病的发生、发展密切相关,它们的四个指标可作为区别冠心病类型和评价其病变严重程度的辅助性指标。     

Thigh–calf contact: Does it affect the loading of the knee in the high-flexion range?

Recently, high-flexion knee implants have been developed to provide for a large range of motion (ROM>120°) after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Since knee forces typically increase with larger flexion angles, it is commonly assumed that high-flexion knee implants are subjected to larger loads than conventional knee implants. However, most high-flexion studies do not consider thigh–calf contact which occurs during high-flexion activities such as squatting and kneeling. In this study, we hypothesized that thigh–calf contact reduces the knee forces during deep knee flexion as the tibio-femoral load shifts from occurring inside the knee towards the thigh–calf contact interface. Hence, the effect of thigh–calf contact on the knee loading was evaluated using a free body diagram and a finite element model and both the knee forces and polyethylene stresses were analyzed. Thigh–calf contact force characteristics from an earlier study were included and a squatting movement was simulated. In general, we found thigh–calf contact considerably reduced both the knee forces and polyethylene stresses during deep knee flexion. At maximal flexion (155°), the compressive knee force decreased from 4.89 to 2.90 times the bodyweight (BW) in case thigh–calf contact was included and the polyethylene contact stress at the tibial post decreased from 49.3 to 28.1 MPa. Additionally, there was a clear correlation between a subject's thigh and calf circumference and the force reduction at maximal flexion due to thigh–calf contact (R=0.89). The findings presented in this study can be used to optimize the mechanical behavior of high-flexion total knee arthroplasty designs.     

Effect of fatigue on single-leg hop landing biomechanics

The objective of this study was to measure adaptations in landing strategy during single-leg hops following thigh muscle fatigue. Kinetic, kinematic, and electromyographic data were recorded as thirteen healthy male subjects performed a single-leg hop in both the unfatigued and fatigued states. To sufficiently fatigue the thigh muscles, subjects performed at least two sets of 50 step-ups. Fatigue was assessed by measuring horizontal hopping ability following the protocol. Joint motion and loading, as well as muscle activation patterns, were compared between fatigued and unfatigued conditions. Fatigue significantly increased knee motion (p = 0.012) and shifted the ankle into a more dorsiflexed position (p = 0.029). Hip flexion was also reduced following fatigue (p = 0.042). Peak extension moment tended to decrease at the knee and increase at the ankle and hip (p = 0.014). Ankle plantar flexion moment at the time of peak total support moment increased from 0.8 (N x m)/kg (SD, 0.6 [N x m]/kg) to 1.5 (N x m)/kg (SD, 0.8 [N x m]/kg) (p = 0.006). Decreased knee moment and increased knee flexion during landings following fatigue indicated that the control of knee motion was compromised despite increased activation of the vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, and rectus femoris (p = 0.014, p = 0.014, and p = 0.017, respectively). Performance at the ankle increased to compensate for weakness in the knee musculature and to maintain lower extremity stability during landing. Investigating the biomechanical adaptations that occur in healthy subjects as a result of muscle fatigue may give insight into the compensatory mechanisms and loading patterns occurring in patients with knee pathology. Changes in single-leg hop landing performance could be used to demonstrate functional improvement in patients due to training or physical therapy.