Worldwide trends in underweight and obesity from 1990 to 2022: a pooled analysis of 3663 population-representative studies with 222 million children, adolescents, and adults

Background Underweight and obesity are associated with adverse health outcomes throughout the life course. We estimated the individual and combined prevalence of underweight or thinness and obesity, and their changes, from 1990 to 2022 for adults and school-aged children and adolescents in 200 countries and territories. Methods We used data from 3663 population-based studies with 222 million participants that measured height and weight in representative samples of the general population. We used a Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate trends in the prevalence of different BMI categories, separately for adults (age ≥20 years) and school-aged children and adolescents (age 5–19 years), from 1990 to 2022 for 200 countries and territories. For adults, we report the individual and combined prevalence of underweight (BMI <18·5 kg/m2) and obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m2). For schoolaged children and adolescents, we report thinness (BMI <2 SD below the median of the WHO growth reference) and obesity (BMI >2 SD above the median). Findings From 1990 to 2022, the combined prevalence of underweight and obesity in adults decreased in 11 countries (6%) for women and 17 (9%) for men with a posterior probability of at least 0·80 that the observed changes were true decreases. The combined prevalence increased in 162 countries (81%) for women and 140 countries (70%) for men with a posterior probability of at least 0·80. In 2022, the combined prevalence of underweight and obesity was highest in island nations in the Caribbean and Polynesia and Micronesia, and countries in the Middle East and north Africa. Obesity prevalence was higher than underweight with posterior probability of at least 0·80 in 177 countries (89%) for women and 145 (73%) for men in 2022, whereas the converse was true in 16 countries (8%) for women, and 39 (20%) for men. From 1990 to 2022, the combined prevalence of thinness and obesity decreased among girls in five countries (3%) and among boys in 15 countries (8%) with a posterior probability of at least 0·80, and increased among girls in 140 countries (70%) and boys in 137 countries (69%) with a posterior probability of at least 0·80. The countries with highest combined prevalence of thinness and obesity in school-aged children and adolescents in 2022 were in Polynesia and Micronesia and the Caribbean for both sexes, and Chile and Qatar for boys. Combined prevalence was also high in some countries in south Asia, such as India and Pakistan, where thinness remained prevalent despite having declined. In 2022, obesity in school-aged children and adolescents was more prevalent than thinness with a posterior probability of at least 0·80 among girls in 133 countries (67%) and boys in 125 countries (63%), whereas the converse was true in 35 countries (18%) and 42 countries (21%), respectively. In almost all countries for both adults and school-aged children and adolescents, the increases in double burden were driven by increases in obesity, and decreases in double burden by declining underweight or thinness. Interpretation The combined burden of underweight and obesity has increased in most countries, driven by an increase in obesity, while underweight and thinness remain prevalent in south Asia and parts of Africa. A healthy nutrition transition that enhances access to nutritious foods is needed to address the remaining burden of underweight while curbing and reversing the increase in obesit

The role of the cephalic neural crest cells in the development of the limbal stem cell niche of the chicken cornea

Ziel dieser Dissertation ist die Erforschung der Migration der Kopfneuralleistenzellen zur Cornea und ihr Zusammenhang zur Stammzellnische der Cornea am Modell des Huhns. Mittels Elektroporation wurden frühe Neuralleistenzellen von Hühnerembryonen markiert und während der Entwicklung über ihre EGFP-Expression bis zum Limbus corneae verfolgt. Immunhistochemische Färbungen zeigten eine Koexpression der EGFP-exprimierenden Zellen mit Stammzellmarkern der limbalen Stammzellen, wie p63, N-Cadherin und Vimentin. Mithilfe der Elektronenmikroskopie konnte die Ultrastruktur der Neuralleistenzellen untersucht werden. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die Neuralleiste eine Quelle der limbalen Stammzellen darstellt

Projects management

This article describes the emergence of Project Management as a discipline and its transformation into a methodology. The article describes as a project its mechanisms of implementing changes in a structured and controlled manner, and the Project Manager the agent who performs the transformation in the Organizations. This article, relates the foundation in 1969, of the PMI - Project Management Institute, an entity that gets together professionals and organizations in activities of the Project Management area. It also describes the nine areas of knowledge used in the Project Management, inserted within the guide book dubbed PMBoK (Project Management Body of Knowledge)

Gerencia de proyectos

El artículo describe el surgimiento de la Gerencia de Proyectos como una disciplina y su transformación en metodología. Presenta cómo Proyectos los mecanismos de implementar cambios de forma estructurada y controlada, y de qué manera el Gerente de Proyectos es el Agente de cambio en las organizaciones. Analiza los constituyentes y relata la creación en 1969 del PMI - Project Management Institute, una entidad que congrega a los profesionales y organizaciones en actividad en el área de Gerenciamiento de Proyectos. Describe las 9 áreas del conocimiento utilizadas en la gerencia de proyectos, contenidas en el guía intitulado PMBok (Project Management Body of Knowledge)

Feasibility and safety of intrathecal treatment with nusinersen in adult patients with spinal muscular atrophy

Background: Nusinersen is an intrathecally administered antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) and the first approved drug for the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). However, progressive neuromyopathic scoliosis and the presence of spondylodesis can impede lumbar punctures in SMA patients. Our aim was to assess the feasibility and safety of the treatment in adults with SMA. Methods: For the intrathecal administration of nusinersen, we performed conventional, fluoroscopy-assisted and computer tomography (CT)-guided lumbar punctures in adult patients with type 2 and type 3 SMA. We documented any reported adverse events and performed blood tests. Results: We treated a total of 28 adult SMA patients (9 patients with SMA type 2 and 19 patients with SMA type 3) aged between 18–61   years with nusinersen. The mean Revised Upper Limb Module (RULM) score at baseline in SMA type 2 and SMA type 3 patients was 9.9 ± 4.6 and 29.5 ± 8.5, respectively. The mean Hammersmith Functional Motor Scale Expanded (HFMSE) score at baseline was 3.1 ± 2.5 and 31.2 ± 18.1, respectively. Half of the SMA type 3 patients were ambulatory at treatment onset. In total, we performed 122 lumbar punctures with 120 successful intrathecal administrations of nusinersen. Lumbar punctures were well tolerated, and no serious adverse events occurred. Conclusions: Our data demonstrate the feasibility and tolerability of intrathecal treatment with nusinersen in adults with SMA type 2 and type 3. However, treatment can be medically and logistically challenging, particularly in patients with SMA type 2 and in patients with spondylodesis

"Stress" and coronary heart disease: Psychosocial risk factors: National Heart Foundation of Australia position statement update

An Expert Working Group of the National Heart Foundation of Australia undertook a review of systematic reviews of the evidence relating to major psychosocial risk factors to assess whether there are independent associations between any of the factors and the development and progression of coronary heart disease (CHD), or the occurrence of acute cardiac events. The expert group concluded that (i) there is strong and consistent evidence of an independent causal association between depression, social isolation and lack of quality social support and the causes and prognosis of CHD; and (ii) there is no strong or consistent evidence for a causal association between chronic life events, work-related stressors (job control, demands and strain), Type A behaviour patterns, hostility, anxiety disorders or panic disorders and CHD. The increased risk contributed by these psychosocial factors is of similar order to the more conventional CHD risk factors such as smoking, dyslipidaemia and hypertension. The identified psychosocial risk factors should be taken into account during individual CHD risk assessment and management, and have implications for public health policy and research

Aggressive Cardiovascular Phenotype of Aneurysms-Osteoarthritis Syndrome Caused by Pathogenic SMAD3 Variants

Objectives The purpose of this study was describe the cardiovascular phenotype of the aneurysms-osteoarthritis syndrome (AOS) and to provide clinical recommendations. Background AOS, caused by pathogenic SMAD3 variants, is a recently described autosomal dominant syndrome characterized by aneurysms and arterial tortuosity in combination with osteoarthritis. Methods AOS patients in participating centers underwent extensive cardiovascular evaluation, including imaging, arterial stiffness measurements, and biochemical studies. Results We included 44 AOS patients from 7 families with pathogenic SMAD3 variants (mean age: 42 +/- 17 years). In 71%, an aortic root aneurysm was found. In 33%, aneurysms in other arteries in the thorax and abdomen were diagnosed, and in 48%, arterial tortuosity was diagnosed. In 16 patients, cerebrovascular imaging was performed, and cerebrovascular abnormalities were detected in 56% of them. Fifteen deaths occurred at a mean age of 54 +/- 15 years. The main cause of death was aortic dissecti Conclusions AOS predisposes patients to aggressive and widespread cardiovascular disease and is associated with high mortality. Dissections can occur at relatively mildly increased aortic diameters; therefore, early elective repair of the ascending aorta should be considered. Moreover, cerebrovascular abnormalities were encountered in most patients. (J Am Coll Cardiol 2012;60:397-403) (C) 2012 by the American College of Cardiology Foundatio

Survival after bilateral risk-reducing mastectomy in healthy <i>BRCA1</i> and <i>BRCA2</i> mutation carriers

Background In healthy BRCA1/2 mutation carriers, bilateral risk-reducing mastectomy (BRRM) strongly reduces the risk of developing breast cancer (BC); however, no clear survival benefit of BRRM over BC surveillance has been reported yet. Methods In this Dutch multicenter cohort study, we used multivariable Cox models with BRRM as a time-dependent covariable to estimate the associations between BRRM and the overall and BC-specific mortality rates, separately for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers. Results During a mean follow-up of 10.3 years, 722 out of 1712 BRCA1 (42%) and 406 out of 1145 BRCA2 (35%) mutation carriers underwent BRRM. For BRCA1 mutation carriers, we observed 52 deaths (20 from BC) in the surveillance group, and 10 deaths (one from BC) after BRRM. The hazard ratios were 0.40 (95% CI 0.20-0.90) for overall mortality and 0.06 (95% CI 0.01-0.46) for BC-specific mortality. BC-specific survival at age 65 was 93% for surveillance and 99.7% for BRRM. For BRCA2 mutation carriers, we observed 29 deaths (7 from BC) in the surveillance group, and 4 deaths (no BC) after BRRM. The hazard ratio for overall mortality was 0.45 (95% CI 0.15-1.36). BC-specific survival at age 65 was 98% for surveillance and 100% for BRRM. Conclusion BRRM was associated with lower mortality than surveillance for BRCA1 mutation carriers, but for BRCA2 mutation carriers, BRRM may lead to similar BC-specific survival as surveillance. Our findings support a more individualized counseling based on BRCA mutation type.</p