The Relation between Visceral and Subcutaneous Fat to Bone Mass among Egyptian Children and Adolescents

BACKGROUND: The relation between fat distribution and bone mass is still being debated in children and adolescents.AIM: To verify the influence of both visceral and subcutaneous fat on bone mass among Egyptian children and adolescents.SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The study involved 78 (38 boys and 40 girls) individuals from children (42) and adolescents (36), aged 8-17 years. They were divided into 2 age groups: children group (20 boys and 22 girls) aged 8-12 years and adolescent group (18 boys and 18 girls) aged 13-17 years. Anthropometric measurements, visceral and subcutaneous fat (measured by ultrasound), body composition, BMD and BMC (Measured by DXA), were attempted.RESULTS: Among children, significant positive correlations between visceral fat; in males; and subcutaneous fat; in females; with total BMC, BMD and its Z-score were revealed. After exclusion of age effect, the association between visceral fat in females with total BMD and its Z-score and lumbar BMD-Z-score became significant.  For adolescents, no correlation was observed between either visceral or subcutaneous fat with any parameter of bone mass.CONCLUSIONS: Visceral and subcutaneous fat had significant positive association with bone mass in children; males and females respectively. On the contrary such association disappeared during adolescence

Different Tools for the Assessment of Bone Mass among Egyptian Adults

BACKGROUND: Several tools such as, dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), quantitative computed tomography (QCT) and self-assessment tool (OST), are being used for diagnosis of osteoporosis.OBJECTIVE: to compare the sensitivity and specify detection rate of bone mineral density (BMD) changes for DXA versus QCT and OST among a sample of Egyptian adults of both sexes.SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This study is a cross sectional one, which included 62 Egyptians, aged 20-65 years.  Each individual was assessed for BMD using DXA at femur and spine sites; QCT and OST which take into account body weight and age. Accordingly they were diagnosed as either osteoporotic/osteopenic or normal.RESULTS: The highest prevalence of osteopenia or osteoporosis was diagnosed among menopause women. DXA at femur has diagnosed more cases of osteoporosis (both osteopenic and osteoporotic) as compared to spine DXA or QCT, but OST is out of rang; as it failed to diagnose any case.CONCLUSION: DXA has been found to be more efficacious than QCT scan in the diagnosis of osteoporosis. DXA in femur is better than DXA-spine and QCT. Generally, DXA is the "gold standard" when assessing osteoporosis. Further studies are needed to modify the equation of OST and confirm its efficiency in Egyptians population

Body Composition Changes after Weight-Loss Interventions among Obese Females: A Comparison of Three Protocols

AIM: To evaluate body composition changes after use of three different types of obesity management protocols: dietary measures and physical activity; acupuncture or laser acupuncture with healthy diet; aiming at achieving stable weight loss among obese Egyptian females.METHODS:  A randomized longitudinal prospective study included 76 obese adult females; aged 26 up to 55 years. Anthropometric, body composition, ultrasonographic and biochemical assessments were done.RESULTS: The three types of obesity management protocols showed significant improvement in body composition (decrease in fat% and increases in FFM and TBW) and visceral fat by US. However, nutritional intervention showed highly significant improvement in the skin fold thickness at triceps and biceps sites and peripheral adiposity index.  Acupuncture intervention showed highly significant improvement in fasting blood glucose (decreased) and lipid profile (decreased triglycerides, total cholesterol and LDL, and increased HDL). Laser intervention showed highly significant improvement in all the skin fold thickness and some parameters of lipid profile (decreased total cholesterol and LDL). CONCLUSIONS: The three obesity management protocols have significant effect on body composition, but acupuncture has the best effect in improving the lipid profile and fasting blood sugar. In addition, Laser intervention was recommended to improve skin fold thickness and subcutaneous fat

Comparison of Three Protocols: Dietary Therapy and Physical Activity, Acupuncture, or Laser Acupuncture in Management of Obese Females

AIM: The aim of this study was to compare efficiency of three types of obesity management protocols: dietary measures and physical activity; acupuncture or laser acupuncture with   healthy diet among obese females.SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Randomized longitudinal prospective study, carried out on 76 adult females. Blood pressure, anthropometric, ultrasonographic and biochemical assessments were done.RESULTS: Females undergo nutritional intervention showed highly significant improvement in the anthropometric measurements, visceral fat at umbilicus by US and diastolic blood pressure (decreased), and insignificant differences in fasting blood sugar and lipid profile. Female undergo acupuncture intervention showed highly significant improvement in visceral fat by US, lipid profile (decreased triglycerides, total cholesterol and LDL, and increased HDL), and decreased fasting blood sugar, and insignificant differences in the anthropometric measurements. Those undergo laser intervention showed highly significant improvement in all anthropometric measurements under study, visceral fat at umbilicus by US, blood pressure and some parameters of lipid profile (decreased total cholesterol and LDL). CONCLUSIONS: Nutritional intervention alone could be used to reduce weight if the lipid profile within normal range, but if it is impaired, acupuncture should be used beside. To strength the reduction in body anthropometry, laser intervention was recommended beside the nutritional intervention

Thermal and optical properties of electron beam irradiated cellulose triacetate

Samples from Cellulose triacetate (CTA) sheets were irradiated with electron beam in the dose range 10–200 kGy. Non-isothermal studies were carried out using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) to obtain the activation energy of thermal decomposition for CTA polymer. The CTA samples decompose in one main break down stage. The results indicate that the irradiation by electron beam in the dose range 80–200 kGy increases the thermal stability of the polymer samples. Also, the variation of melting temperatures with the electron dose has been determined using differential thermal analysis (DTA). The CTA polymer is characterized by the appearance of one endothermic peak due to melting. It is found that the irradiation in the dose range 10–80 kGy causes defects generation that splits the crystals depressing the melting temperature, while at higher doses (80–200 kGy), the thickness of crystalline structure (lamellae) is increased, thus the melting temperature increases. In addition, the transmission of these samples in the wavelength range 200–2500 nm, as well as any color changes, were studied. The color intensity .E* was greatly increased on increasing the electron beam dose, and accompanied by a significant increase in the blue color component.Thermal and optical properties of electron beam irradiated cellulose triacetate S A Nouh1*, Amal Mohamed2 and H M El Hussieny1 1Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt 2Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Zagazig University, Cairo, Egypt E-mail : [email protected] of Physics, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt 2Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Zagazig University, Cairo, Egyp