Black and White Females' Perceptions of Ideal Body Size and Social Norms

Different cultural norms and standards for appropriate female body size might contribute to the disparity in obesity rates between black and white adult females (46.0% and 24.6% respectively). The purpose of this study was to measure adolescents' perceptions of ideal size and social norms regarding female body size as well as adolescents' perceptions of significant others' evaluation and expectations of the adolescents' body size. Subjects included 437 adolescent girls (247 white and 190 black) aged 13 to 19 (x=44.9, SD=.979) from six randomly selected public schools. The subjects, heights and weights were measured. Responses to a body image questionnaire and a series of nine female body drawings (arranged ordinally, 1 to 9, from thinnest to heaviest) were analyzed using the General Linear Model and Logistic Regression. The female body size considered ideal by black females was significantly larger than the size selected as ideal by white females (x= 3.47 and x= 3.13 respectively, p< 0.001). Black females were two times more likely than white females to describe themselves as thinner than other girls their age (O.R. = 2.01, 95% C.I.1.34, 3.01) and seven times as likely to say that they were not overweight (O.R. = 7.08, 95% C.I. 3.72, 13.45). White females wanted to be a smaller size than they currently were and felt encouraged by significant others to lose weight or reduce their size. Black females did not indicate as great a desire as whites to be smaller and they tended to feel that their size was considered satisfactory by significant others. Only subjects from the low SES group perceived that significant others wanted them to gain weight. The differences between black and white subjects' beliefs and perceptions about body size norms may explain, in part, why heavier body weights persist in some cultural groups.     

Growth Hormone Secretion after Testosterone Administration to Men with Visceral Obesity

Visceral obese men were characterized by a decreased total GH secretion and diminished peak amplitude, size, and number. T-substitution was followed by elevation of IGF-I levels. The IGF-I increase correlated with the elevation of T-concentration, and was most pronounced in men with the lowest concentrations of free T from the outset. There were no detectable changes in total quantity, amplitude, size or number of peaks of GH secretion. Glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides as well as diastolic blood pressure decreased. There were no changes in thyroid or hematology variables. Visceral obesity in men has been reported to be characterized by low testosterone (T) and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) concentrations, the latter suggesting a relative growth hormone (GH) deficiency. Since T and GH-secretions are interrelated, men with visceral obesity were substituted with T for 14 days, and diurnal secretion pattern of GH as well as IGF-I concentrations, and metabolic variables were followed. T-substitution of visceral obese men is followed by an elevation of IGF-I concentrations. It is suggested that this might be due either to minor, non-detectable increases in GH secretion, or to direct effects of T on IGF-I concentrations. The regulatory mechanisms by which T-administration are leading to metabolic and anthropometric improvements, might be direct effects of T, with or without mediation via GH secretion.     

冷锻炼和ABA诱导水稻幼苗提高抗冷性期间膜保护系统的变化

冷锻炼和ＡＢＡ处理提高了水稻幼苗叶绿体ＳＯＤ和ＧＲ活性及叶片抗氧化剂ＡｓＡ和ＧＳＨ的含量,降低了膜电解质泄漏,增强了幼苗的抗冷性．等电聚焦电泳分析表明,冷锻炼和ＡＢＡ处理苗叶绿体ＳＯＤ三条同工酶带和ＧＲ１、２、３和６同工酶带都有不同程度的增强．低温胁迫后,处理和未处理首的ＳＯＤ、ＧＲ活性和ＡＳＡ、ＧＳＨ含量均有所下降．但处理苗的水平仍维持在未处理苗之上．亚胺环已酮可抑制因冷锻炼和ＡＢＡ诱导增加的ＳＯＤ和ＧＲ活性,并使叶片电解质泄漏增大．本试验结果表明冷锻炼或ＡＢＡ诱导水稻幼苗抗冷性提高时,对防御活性氧的保护系统有类似的影响。     

急性脑出血综合治疗的几个问题探讨：附死亡80例分析

通过对８０例急性脑出血死亡组分析,发现死于脑疝的占６２．５％,脑疝与一种或二种以上合并症同存者占７７．５％,显著高于存活组（Ｐ＜０．０１）．它们互为因果,加速死亡。因此,应重视早期或超早期采用简易定向锥颅脑内血肿碎吸术吸除血肿,同时注意维持生命体征稳定,加强脱水降颅压,预防、控制合并症等综合治疗。且要全面分析,相互兼顾,正确处置。这是帮助机体渡过调控障碍难关,挽救生命的有效治疗措施。     

A new technique to reduce internal phosphorus loading by in-lake phosphate fixation in shallow lakes

A new, flexible, fast, robust and economic technique was developed to treat sediment in shallow lakes with phosphate binding chemicals. The upper 0.15 m of the sediment is thoroughly mixed with ferric chloride using a water-jet manifold coupled to a dosing pump and a navigation control system. Its logistics were tried out in a small, shallow and hypertrophic peat lake, Lake Groot Vogelenzang.     

Individual amino acid balances in young lean and obese Zucker rats fed a cafeteria diet

The amino acid composition of the diet ingested by reference and cafeteria diet-fed lean and obese Zucker rats has been analyzed from day 30 to 60 after birth. Their body protein amino acid composition was measured, as well as the urinary and faecal losses incurred during the period studied. The protein actually selected by the rats fed the cafeteria diet had essentially the same amino acid composition as the reference diet. The mean protein amino acid composition of the rat showed only small changes with breed, age or diet.Cafeteria-fed rats had a higher dietary protein digestion/absorption efficiency than reference diet-fed rats. Obese rats wasted a high proportion of dietary amino acids when given the reference diet, but not on the cafeteria diet. In all cases, the amino acids lost as such in the urine were a minimal portion of available amino acids.In addition to breed, the rates of protein accretion are deeply influenced by diet, but even more by the age — or size — of the animals: cafeteria-fed rats grew faster, to higher body protein settings, but later protein accrual decreased considerably; this is probably due to a limitation in the blueprint for growth which restricts net protein deposition when a certain body size is attained. Obese rats, however, kept accuring protein with high rates throughout.Diet composition — and not protein availability or quality-induced deep changes in amino acid metabolism. Since the differences in the absolute levels of dietary protein or carbohydrate energy ingested by rats fed the reference or cafeteria diets were small, it can be assumed that high (lipid) energy elicits the changes observed in amino acid metabolism by the cafeteria diet. The effects induced in the fate of the nitrogen ingested were more related to the fractional protein energy proportion than to its absolute values. Cafeteria-fed rats tended to absorb more amino acids and preserve them more efficiently; these effects were shown even under conditions of genetic obesity.There were deep differences in handling of dietary amino acids by dietary or genetically obese rats. The former manage to extract and accrue larger proportions of their dietary amino acids than the latter. The effects of both models of amino acid management were largely additive, suggesting that the mechanisms underlying the development of obesity did not run in parallel to those affecting the control of amino acid utilization. Obesity may be developed in both cases despite a completely different strategy of amino acid assimilation, accrual and utilization. (Mol Cell Biochem121: 45–58, 1993)     

Atypical lipomatous tumour/well-differentiated liposarcoma found in the buccal mucosa: A rare case report

Oral liposarcomas are uncommon diseases, the most predominant histopathological subtype being atypical lipomatous tumour/well-differentiated liposarcoma. In regard to its clinical aspects in the oral cavity, it is challenging to confirm a diagnosis and develop a treatment plan. In this case report, we present a rare case of atypical lipomatous tumour/well-differentiated liposarcoma in the right cheek of a 77-year-old male patient. Conservative surgery was performed considering the histopathological subtype of the neoplasm. Knowledge of the clinical and histopathological characteristics of this rare disease is essential to maintaining function and aesthetics through conservative treatment in older patients.     

Association between barium exposed,CYP19A1 and central obesity: A cross-sectional study in rural China

Backgroundobesity is a major risk factor for many metabolic diseases such as diabetes and cardiometabolic diseases. This study aimed to evaluate the association of plasma and urinary barium concentrations, CYP19A1 gene polymorphisms, and their interaction with central obesity in a rural Chinese population.Methodsrestricted cubic spline model was used to explore the dose-response relationship between barium and the risk of developing central obesity and waist circumference; logistic regression model was used to assess the association between barium, CYP19A1 gene polymorphisms and their interaction with central obesity.Resultsthe results of the restricted cubic spline model showed that plasma barium concentration was linearly associated with the risk of developing central obesity and non-linearly associated with waist circumference. Logistic regression analysis showed that participants with Q4 plasma barium concentration exhibited a higher risk of central obesity compared to participants with Q1 barium concentration; participants carrying the rs10046-AA gene exhibited a lower risk of central obesity than those carrying the rs10046-G(GG+GA) gene; participants carrying the rs10046-GA genotype showed 1.754 times higher risk of central obesity than those carrying rs10046-GG+AA genotype. There was a significant interaction between plasma barium and CYP19A1 gene polymorphism on central obesity.Conclusionthe development of central obesity was associated with plasma barium and CYP19A1.     

Estimating tree-based dynamic treatment regimes using observational data with restricted treatment sequences

A dynamic treatment regime (DTR) is a sequence of decision rules that provide guidance on how to treat individuals based on their static and time-varying status. Existing observational data are often used to generate hypotheses about effective DTRs. A common challenge with observational data, however, is the need for analysts to consider “restrictions” on the treatment sequences. Such restrictions may be necessary for settings where (1) one or more treatment sequences that were offered to individuals when the data were collected are no longer considered viable in practice, (2) specific treatment sequences are no longer available, or (3) the scientific focus of the analysis concerns a specific type of treatment sequences (eg, “stepped-up” treatments). To address this challenge, we propose a restricted tree–based reinforcement learning (RT-RL) method that searches for an interpretable DTR with the maximum expected outcome, given a (set of) user-specified restriction(s), which specifies treatment options (at each stage) that ought not to be considered as part of the estimated tree-based DTR. In simulations, we evaluate the performance of RT-RL versus the standard approach of ignoring the partial data for individuals not following the (set of) restriction(s). The method is illustrated using an observational data set to estimate a two-stage stepped-up DTR for guiding the level of care placement for adolescents with substance use disorder.     

Relationships between mutans streptococci and perceived treatment need of primary root-caries lesions.

A total of 447 primary root-caries lesions from 169 dental patients was studied to determine the relationships between mutans streptococci and the perceived treatment need of primary root-caries lesions. Samples of this altered dentine for microbiological culture were obtained. Lesions were classified into 5 treatment categories; soft and restore, leathery and restore, leathery and debride of caries, leathery and treat chemotherapeutically, and hard, to receive no treatment. The total numbers of mutans streptococci decreased significantly with decreased treatment need. The percentage of mutans streptococci from lesions requiring no treatment was significantly less than from lesions requiring treatment. The frequency of isolation of mutans streptococci was significantly greater from lesions requiring more treatment. Significantly more lesions containing > 10² mutans streptococci were distributed in the groups with a greater perceived treatment need or with larger dimensions occlusogingivally and/or mesio-distally or bucco-lingually or with a closer proximity to the gingival margin.