Ausência de associação entre indicadores de anemia ao nascimento e crescimento de prematuros

OBJECTIVE: To assess the association between iron status at birth and growth of preterm infants. METHODS: Ninety-five premature babies (26 to 36 weeks of gestational age) born from July 2000 to May 2001 in a public hospital in Rio de Janeiro, Southeastern Brazil, were followed up for six months, corrected by gestational age. Iron measurements at birth were available for 82 mothers and 78 children: hemoglobin, hematocrit, mean corpuscular volume and plasma iron. All children received free doses of iron supplement (2 mg/kg/day) during the follow-up period and up to two years of age. Multivariate linear regression analyses with repeated measurements were performed to assess factors associated to linear growth. RESULTS: Growth was more pronounced up to 40 weeks of gestational age, increasing about 1.0 cm/week and then slowing down to 0.75 cm/week. The multivariate analysis showed growth was positively associated with birth weight (0.4 cm/100 g; pOBJETIVO: Avaliar a associação entre indicadores de anemia no nascimento e o crescimento de prematuros. MÉTODOS: Crianças prematuras (26-36 semanas de idade gestacional) (n=95), nascidas de julho de 2000 a maio de 2001, em hospital público do Rio de Janeiro, foram seguidas por seis meses, corrigidos pela idade gestacional. Foram obtidos em 82 mães e 78 crianças os indicadores de anemia: hemoglobina, hematócrito, volume corpuscular médio e ferro plasmático. Os prematuros receberam suplemento de ferro (2 mg/kg/dia) durante o seguimento. Análises de regressão linear multivariadas, com medidas repetidas, avaliaram os fatores associados ao crescimento linear. RESULTADOS: O crescimento dos prematuros foi mais acentuado até as 40 semanas de idade gestacional, com aumento de aproximadamente 1,0cm/semana. Após essa fase, o crescimento foi de 0,75 cm/semana. Na análise multivariada o crescimento associou-se positivamente com o peso ao nascer (0,4 cm/100 g de peso ao nascer;

Exploratory analysis of genomic segmentations with Segtools

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>As genome-wide experiments and annotations become more prevalent, researchers increasingly require tools to help interpret data at this scale. Many functional genomics experiments involve partitioning the genome into labeled segments, such that segments sharing the same label exhibit one or more biochemical or functional traits. For example, a collection of ChlP-seq experiments yields a compendium of peaks, each labeled with one or more associated DNA-binding proteins. Similarly, manually or automatically generated annotations of functional genomic elements, including <it>cis</it>-regulatory modules and protein-coding or RNA genes, can also be summarized as genomic segmentations.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We present a software toolkit called <it>Segtools </it>that simplifies and automates the exploration of genomic segmentations. The software operates as a series of interacting tools, each of which provides one mode of summarization. These various tools can be pipelined and summarized in a single HTML page. We describe the Segtools toolkit and demonstrate its use in interpreting a collection of human histone modification data sets and <it>Plasmodium falciparum </it>local chromatin structure data sets.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Segtools provides a convenient, powerful means of interpreting a genomic segmentation.</p

Efficacy of phosphatidic acid ingestion on lean body mass, muscle thickness and strength gains in resistance-trained men

Background: Phosphatidic acid (PA) has been reported to activate the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway and is thought to enhance the anabolic effects of resistance training. The purpose of this pilot study was to examine if oral phosphatidic acid administration can enhance strength, muscle thickness and lean tissue accruement during an 8-week resistance training program. Methods: Sixteen resistance-trained men were randomly assigned to a group that either consumed 750 mg of PA (n = 7, 23.1 +/- 4.4 y; 176.7 +/- 6.7 cm; 86.5 +/- 21.2 kg) or a placebo (PL, n = 9, 22.5 +/- 2.0 y; 179.8 +/- 5.4 cm; 89.4 +/- 13.6 kg) group. During each testing session subjects were assessed for strength (one repetition maximum [1-RM] bench press and squat) and body composition. Muscle thickness and pennation angle were also measured in the vastus lateralis of the subject\u27s dominant leg. Results: Subjects ingesting PA demonstrated a 12.7% increase in squat strength and a 2.6% increase in LBM, while subjects consuming PL showed a 9.3% improvement in squat strength and a 0.1% change in LBM. Although parametric analysis was unable to demonstrate significant differences, magnitude based inferences indicated that the Delta change in 1-RM squat showed a likely benefit from PA on increasing lower body strength and a very likely benefit for increasing lean body mass (LBM). Conclusions: Results of this study suggest that a combination of a daily 750 mg PA ingestion, combined with a 4-day per week resistance training program for 8-weeks appears to have a likely benefit on strength improvement, and a very likely benefit on lean tissue accruement in young, resistance trained individuals

Maternal emotional and physical intimate partner violence and early child development: investigating mediators in a cross-sectional study in a South African birth cohort

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated associations between recent maternal intimate partner violence (IPV) (emotional, physical and sexual) and child development at 2 years as well as whether maternal depression or alcohol use mediated these relationships. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study nested in a South African birth cohort. SETTING: Two primary care clinics in Paarl, South Africa. PARTICIPANTS: 626 mother-child pairs; inclusion criteria for maternal antenatal enrolment were clinic attendance and remaining in the study area for at least 1 year; women were excluded if a minor. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Child cognitive, language and motor development composite scores. These were assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, third edition. RESULTS: Emotional IPV was associated with lower cognitive (β=-0.32; 95% CI -0.60 to -0.04), language (β=-0.36; 95% CI -0.69 to -0.01) or motor composite scores (β=-0.58; 95% CI -0.95 to -0.20) in children at 2 years of age. Physical IPV was associated with lower motor scores (β=-0.42; 95% CI -0.75 to -0.09) at 2 years. Sexual IPV was unrelated to developmental outcomes, possibly due to low prevalence. Neither recent maternal depression nor alcohol use were shown to mediate the relationship between IPV and developmental outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Interventions to reduce maternal physical and emotional IPV and early-life interventions for infants and toddlers are needed to promote optimal child development

Clinical Significance of Bronchodilator Responsiveness Evaluated by Forced Vital Capacity in COPD: SPIROMICS Cohort Analysis.

ObjectiveBronchodilator responsiveness (BDR) is prevalent in COPD, but its clinical implications remain unclear. We explored the significance of BDR, defined by post-bronchodilator change in FEV1 (BDRFEV1) as a measure reflecting the change in flow and in FVC (BDRFVC) reflecting the change in volume.MethodsWe analyzed 2974 participants from a multicenter observational study designed to identify varying COPD phenotypes (SPIROMICS). We evaluated the association of BDR with baseline clinical characteristics, rate of prospective exacerbations and mortality using negative binomial regression and Cox proportional hazards models.ResultsA majority of COPD participants exhibited BDR (52.7%). BDRFEV1 occurred more often in earlier stages of COPD, while BDRFVC occurred more frequently in more advanced disease. When defined by increases in either FEV1 or FVC, BDR was associated with a self-reported history of asthma, but not with blood eosinophil counts. BDRFVC was more prevalent in subjects with greater emphysema and small airway disease on CT. In a univariate analysis, BDRFVC was associated with increased exacerbations and mortality, although no significance was found in a model adjusted for post-bronchodilator FEV1.ConclusionWith advanced airflow obstruction in COPD, BDRFVC is more prevalent in comparison to BDRFEV1 and correlates with the extent of emphysema and degree of small airway disease. Since these associations appear to be related to the impairment of FEV1, BDRFVC itself does not define a distinct phenotype nor can it be more predictive of outcomes, but it can offer additional insights into the pathophysiologic mechanism in advanced COPD.Clinical trials registrationClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01969344T4

Subcortical Brain Volumes and Neurocognitive Function in Children With Perinatal HIV Exposure: A Population-Based Cohort Study in South Africa

BACKGROUND: Children who are HIV-exposed and uninfected (HEU) are at risk for early neurodevelopmental impairment. Smaller basal ganglia nuclei have been reported in neonates who are HEU compared to HIV-unexposed (HU); however, neuroimaging studies outside infancy are scarce. We examined subcortical brain structures and associations with neurocognition in children who are HEU. METHODS: This neuroimaging study was nested within the Drakenstein Child Health Study birth cohort in South Africa. We compared (T1-weighted) magnetic resonance imaging–derived subcortical brain volumes between children who were HEU (n = 70) and HU (n = 92) at age 2–3 years using linear regression. Brain volumes were correlated with neurodevelopmental outcomes measured with the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development III. RESULTS: Compared to HU children, on average children who were HEU had 3% lower subcortical grey matter volumes. Analyses of individual structures found smaller volume of the putamen nucleus in the basal ganglia (−5% difference, P = .016) and the hippocampus (−3% difference, P = .044), which held on adjustment for potential confounders (P < .05). Maternal viremia and lower CD4 count in pregnancy were associated with smaller child putamen volumes. Children who were HEU had lower language scores than HU; putamen and hippocampus volumes were positively correlated with language outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, children who are HEU had a pattern of smaller subcortical volumes in the basal ganglia and hippocampal regions compared to HU children, which correlated with language function. Findings suggest that optimizing maternal perinatal HIV care is important for child brain development. Further studies are needed to investigate underlying mechanisms and long-term outcomes

Thyroid Function in Pregnant Women With Moderate to Severe Alcohol Consumption Is Related to Infant Developmental Outcomes.

INTRODUCTION: Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) have an estimated global prevalence of 2-5% of births, but prevalence is reported to be as high as 15.5% for FASD in certain high-risk communities in South Africa. Preclinical studies demonstrate that alcohol consumption during pregnancy interferes with thyroid hormone availability and function and negatively impacts exposed offspring. Very little is currently reported on this phenomenon in humans. METHODS: This pilot study was embedded in the Drakenstein Child Health Study, a multi-disciplinary longitudinal birth cohort study investigating the early biological and psychosocial determinants of child health in South Africa. Twenty one mothers and their children with moderate-severe prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) and 19 mothers and their children with no alcohol exposure were investigated. Maternal exposure history and blood samples were collected in mid-pregnancy and analyzed for serum-free thyroxin (FT4), free triiodothyronine (FT3), and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). Children were assessed with formally measured growth parameters and development was evaluated using the Bayley III Scales of Infant and Toddler Development (BSID III) at 6 and 24?months of age. RESULTS: While there were no significant differences in serum TSH and FT4 between groups, FT3 levels were significantly higher in mothers with moderate-severe prenatal alcohol use. In abstinent pregnant women, levels of FT4 were significantly correlated with infants' scores on cognitive measures at 6 and 24?months of age and with levels of gross motor skills at 24?months. However, in mothers with alcohol use, FT4 levels were not correlated with any cognitive or motor skills, but FT3 levels were significantly associated with scores on children's social-emotional development at 24?months of age. DISCUSSION: Thyroid function in PAE is sufficiently disrupted to lead to alterations in serum FT3 levels. The contrast in findings between PAE and abstinent dyads in their association of maternal thyroid function and infant development further suggests that such disruption is present and may contribute to adverse neurodevelopment. Further work is needed to determine the relationship between peripheral thyroid indices during pregnancy and neurodevelopmental outcomes in the context of PAE

Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption (Epoc) Following Multiple Effort Sprint and Moderate Aerobic Exercise

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of 30-second all-out sprint interval exercise (SIE) vs. moderate aerobic exercise (MA) on excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). Six recreationally-trained males (age=23.3 +/- 1.4 yrs, weight=81.8 +/- 9.9 kg, height=180.8 +/- 6.3 cm) completed a sprint interval exercise session consisting of three repeated 30-second Wingate cycling tests separated by four minutes (duration similar to 11minutes) as well as a moderate aerobic exercise session consisting of 30-minute cycling at 60% heart rate reserve (HRR) in a random counterbalanced design. Baseline oxygen consumption (VO2) was determined by an average VO2 from the final five minutes of a 30-minute supine rest period prior to each trial. Following each protocol, VO2 was measured for 30 minutes or until baseline measures were reached. EPOC was determined by subtracting baseline VO2 from post-exercise VO2 measurements. Energy expenditure (kJ) was determined by multiplying kJ per liter of oxygen by the average VO2 during recovery. EPOC values were significantly higher in SIE (7.5 +/- 1.3 L) than MA (1.8 +/- 0.7 L). SIE produced a higher recovery caloric expenditure (156.9 kJ) compared to MA (41.0 kJ) and remained significantly elevated (p=.024) over resting levels during the entire recovery period (30 minutes) compared to MA (6 minutes, p=.003). The energy required to recover from three repeated maximal effort 30-second Wingate cycling tests was greater than 30 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise. Future studies should examine the chronic effects of maximal effort sprint training protocol on cardiovascular fitness and body composition