Associations between estimated fatty acid desaturase activities in serum lipids and adipose tissue in humans: links to obesity and insulin resistance

Fatty acid composition of serum lipids and adipose tissue triacylglycerols (AT-TAG) partly reflect dietary fatty acid intake. The fatty acid composition is, besides the diet, also influenced by desaturating enzymes that can be estimated using product-to-precursor fatty acid ratios. The interrelationships between desaturase indices derived from different serum lipid fractions and adipose tissue are unclear, as well as their associations with obesity and insulin resistance. We aimed to investigate cross-sectional correlations between desaturase indices as measured in serum lipid fractions (phospholipids; PL and free fatty acids; FFA) and in adipose tissue (AT-TAG). In a population-based sample of 301 healthy 60-year-old men various desaturase indices were assessed: stearoyl-CoA-desaturase (16:1n-7/16:0; SCD-16 and 18:1n-9/18:0; SCD-18, respectively), delta-6-desaturase (20:3n-6/18:2n-6; D6D) and delta-5-desaturase (20:4n-6/20:3n-6; D5D). Correlations with BMI and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were also examined. SCD-16 and D5D were significantly correlated between fractions and tissues (all r > 0.30), whereas SCD-18 and D6D were not. Desaturase indices in serum FFA and AT-TAG were significantly correlated; SCD-16 (r = 0.63), SCD-18 (r = 0.37), and D5D (r = 0.43). In phospholipids, SCD-16 was positively correlated to BMI (r = 0.15), while D5D negatively to both BMI (r = -0.30) and HOMA-IR (r = -0.31), all p < 0.01. D6D in both phospholipids and AT-TAG was positively correlated to HOMA-IR and BMI (all p < 0.01). In conclusion, SCD-1 and D5D activity indices showed overall strong correlations between lipid pools. SCD-1 activity index in adipose tissue is best reflected by 16:1/16:0-ratio in serum FFA, but associations with obesity and insulin resistance differ between these pools. D5D in PL was inversely related to obesity and insulin resistance, whereas D6D index showed positive associations

Malignant asbestos‐related disease in a population exposed to asbestos

Abstract Objectives: The first asbestos fiber cement plant in Spain operated in Cerdanyola, in the Barcelona metropolitan area, between 1907 and 1997. We describe clinical and epidemiological characteristics of patients diagnosed with the malignant asbestosrelated disease (ARD) in the area of the plant between 2007 and 2016. Methods: A prospective, descriptive study was undertaken in the 12 municipalities of the county of Barcelona most proximate to the plant. We describe malignant ARD cases by time of diagnosis, source of exposure, periods of exposure and latency, and distribution by sex. Cumulative incidence and age‐standardized incidence rates (ASIR) are calculated. Results: Of 477 patients diagnosed with ARD between 2007 and 2016, 128 (26%) presented with asbestos‐associated malignancy. Pleural mesothelioma was noted in 105 patients (82.0%) with a linear trend Z‐score of −0.2 (NS) in men and 2.7 (P < .01) in women. The highest ASIRs for malignant ARD (6.1/100 000 residents/year; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.2‐13.3) and pleural mesothelioma (4.8/100 000 residents/ year; 95% CI, 1.5‐11.6) occurred in municipalities closest to the focal point of contamination. The origin of malignant ARD was nonoccupational in 32.2% of men and 81.6% of women (P < .001). Conclusions: More than 20 years after the closure of the fiber cement plant, the grave consequences of exposure to asbestos remain. The detection of cases of pleural mesothelioma in men seems to have plateaued whereas in women an ascending trend continues, which principally has its origin in nonoccupational exposures

Construction and validation of a scoring system for the selection of high-quality data in a Spanish population primary care database (SIDIAP).

BACKGROUND: Computerised databases of primary care clinical records are widely used for epidemiological research. In Catalonia, the Information System for the Development of Research in Primary Care (SIDIAP) aims to promote the development of research based on high-quality validated data from primary care electronic medical records. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to create and validate a scoring system (Registry Quality Score, RQS) that will enable all primary care practices (PCPs) to be selected as providers of researchusable data based on the completeness of their registers. METHODS: Diseases that were likely to be representative of common diagnoses seen in primary care were selected for RQS calculations. The observed/expected cases ratio was calculated for each disease. Once we had obtained an estimated value for this ratio for each of the selected conditions we added up the ratios calculated for each condition to obtain a final RQS. Rate comparisons between observed and published prevalences of diseases not included in the RQS calculations (atrial fibrillation, diabetes, obesity, schizophrenia, stroke, urinary incontinence and Crohn's disease) were used to set the RQS cutoff which will enable researchers to select PCPs with research-usable data. RESULTS: Apart from Crohn's disease, all prevalences were the same as those published from the RQS fourth quintile (60th percentile) onwards. This RQS cut-off provided a total population of 1 936 443 (39.6% of the total SIDIAP population). CONCLUSIONS: SIDIAP is highly representative of the population of Catalonia in terms of geographical, age and sex distributions. We report the usefulness of rate comparison as a valid method to establish research-usable data within primary care electronic medical records

Risk factors of mortality from all asbestos-related diseases: A competing risk analysis.

Background. The mortality from all malignant and nonmalignant asbestos-related diseases remains unknown. The authors assessed the incidence and risk factors for all asbestos-related deaths. Methods. The sample included 544 patients from an asbestos-exposed community in the area of Barcelona (Spain), between Jan 1, 1970, and Dec 31, 2006. Competing risk regression through a subdistribution hazard analysis was used to estimate risk factors for the outcomes. Results. Asbestos-related deaths were observed in 167 (30.7%) patients and 57.5% of these deaths were caused by some type of mesothelioma. The incidence rate after diagnosis was 3,600 per 100,000 person-years. In 7.5% of patients death was non-asbestos-related, while pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma were identified in 87 (16.0%) and 18 (3.3%) patients, respectively. Conclusions. Age, sex, household exposure, cumulative nonmalignant asbestos-related disease, and single malignant pathology were identified as risk factors for asbestos-related death. These findings suggest the need to develop a preventive approach to the community and to improve the clinical follow-up process of these patients

GABAergic deficits in absence of LPA1 receptor, associated anxiety-like and coping behaviors, and amelioration by interneuron precursor transplants into the dorsal hippocampus

Defects in GABAergic function can cause anxiety- and depression-like behaviors among other neuropsychiatric disorders. Therapeutic strategies using the transplantation of GABAergic interneuron progenitors derived from the medial ganglionic eminence (MGE) into the adult hippocampus reversed the symptomatology in multiple rodent models of interneuron-related pathologies. In turn, the lysophosphatidic acid receptor LPA has been reported to be essential for hippocampal function. Converging evidence suggests that deficits in LPA receptor signaling represent a core feature underlying comparable hippocampal dysfunction and behaviors manifested in common neuropsychiatric conditions. Here, we first analyzed the GABAergic interneurons in the hippocampus of wild-type and maLPA-null mice, lacking the LPA receptor. Our data revealed a reduction in the number of neurons expressing GABA, calcium-binding proteins, and neuropeptides such as somatostatin and neuropeptide Y in the hippocampus of maLPA-null mice. Then, we used interneuron precursor transplants to test links between hippocampal GABAergic interneuron deficit, cell-based therapy, and LPA receptor-dependent psychiatric disease-like phenotypes. For this purpose, we transplanted MGE-derived interneuron precursors into the adult hippocampus of maLPA-null mice, to test their effects on GABAergic deficit and behavioral symptoms associated with the absence of the LPA receptor. Transplant studies in maLPA-null mice showed that grafted cells were able to restore the hippocampal host environment, decrease the anxiety-like behaviors and neutralize passive coping, with no abnormal effects on motor activity. Furthermore, grafted MGE-derived cells maintained their normal differentiation program. These findings reinforce the use of cell-based strategies for brain disorders and suggest that the LPA receptor represents a potential target for interneuron-related neuropsychiatric disorders.This work was supported by grants from the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF, EU), (PSI2017-82604R, to LJS; PSI2017-83408-P to CP; SAF09-07746, to MAD; PI16/01510, to GET) and Andalusian Regional Ministries of Economy, Knowledge, Business and University (SEJ-4515 -to LJS; SEJ1863 to CP) and of Health and Families (Nicolas Monardes Programme to GET)

Risk factors associated with asbestos-related diseases: a community-based case-control study

Abstract Background: Asbestos is a first level carcinogen. However, few epidemiological studies analyse the risk and protective factors associated with asbestos-related diseases and follow up these conditions in the general population. Pleural mesothelioma, caused by inhalation of asbestos fibres at work, at home or in the environment, is the most representative asbestos-related disease. The objectives of this study are to analyse the risk and protective factors associated with asbestos-related diseases and to investigate the incidence of new clinical manifestations in patients already diagnosed with some form of ARD. Methods/Design: We have designed a matched case-control study with follow up of both cohorts from a population of a health district of the Barcelona province that has been exposed to asbestos for a period of 90 years. Discussion: A better understanding of asbestos-related diseases should improve i) the clinical and epidemiological follow up of patients with this condition; ii) the design of new treatment strategies; iii) and the development of preventive activities. At the end of the study, the two cohorts created in this study (affected cases and healthy controls) will constitute the basis for future research

Risk Factors of Mortality from All Asbestos-Related Diseases: A Competing Risk Analysis

Background. The mortality from all malignant and nonmalignant asbestos-related diseases remains unknown. The authors assessed the incidence and risk factors for all asbestos-related deaths. Methods. The sample included 544 patients from an asbestos-exposed community in the area of Barcelona (Spain), between Jan 1, 1970, and Dec 31, 2006. Competing risk regression through a subdistribution hazard analysis was used to estimate risk factors for the outcomes. Results. Asbestos-related deaths were observed in 167 (30.7%) patients and 57.5% of these deaths were caused by some type of mesothelioma. The incidence rate after diagnosis was 3,600 per 100,000 person-years. In 7.5% of patients death was non-asbestos-related, while pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma were identified in 87 (16.0%) and 18 (3.3%) patients, respectively. Conclusions. Age, sex, household exposure, cumulative nonmalignant asbestos-related disease, and single malignant pathology were identified as risk factors for asbestos-related death. These findings suggest the need to develop a preventive approach to the community and to improve the clinical follow-up process of these patients

Risk Factors of Mortality from All Asbestos-Related Diseases: A Competing Risk Analysis

Amiant; Mortalitat; Factors de riscAsbestos; Mortality; Risk factorsAmianto; Mortalidad; Factores de riesgoBackground. Themortality fromallmalignant and nonmalignant asbestos-related diseases remains unknown. The authors assessed the incidence and risk factors for all asbestos-related deaths. Methods.Thesampleincluded544patientsfrom anasbestos- exposed community in the area of Barcelona (Spain), between Jan 1, 1970, and Dec 31, 2006. Competing risk regression through a subdistribution hazard analysis was used to estimate risk factors for the outcomes. Results. Asbestos-related deaths were observed in 167 (30.7%) patients and 57.5% of these deathswere caused by some type ofmesothelioma. The incidence rate aſter diagnosis was 3,600 per 100,000 person-years. In 7.5%of patients deathwas non-asbestos-related,while pleural and peritonealmesotheliomawere identified in 87 (16.0%) and 18 (3.3%) patients, respectively. Conclusions. Age, sex, household exposure, cumulative nonmalignant asbestos-related disease, and single malignant pathology were identified as risk factors for asbestos-related death. These findings suggest the need to develop a preventive approach to the community and to improve the clinical follow-up process of these patients. 1

Prospective study of asbestos-related diseases incidence cases in primary health care in an area of Barcelona province

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Asbestos related diseases include a number of conditions due to inhalation of asbestos fibres at work, at home or in the environment, such as pleural mesothelioma, asbestosis and calcified pleural plaques. Few epidemiological studies have established the incidence of asbestos related diseases in our area. The present proposal is based on a retrospective study externally funded in 2005 that is currently taking place in the same area and largely carried out by the same research team.</p> <p>The aim of the study is to achieve a comprehensive and coordinated detection of all new cases of Asbestos Related Diseases presenting to primary care practitioners.</p> <p>Methods/design</p> <p>This is a multicentre, multidisciplinary and pluri-institutional prospective study.</p> <p><b>Setting</b></p> <p>12 municipalities in the Barcelona province within the catchment area of the health facilities that participate in the study.</p> <p><b>Sample</b></p> <p>This is a population based study, of all patients presenting with diseases caused by asbestos in the study area.</p> <p><b>Measurements</b></p> <p>A clinical and epidemiological questionnaire will be filled in by the trained researchers after interviewing the patients and examining their clinical reports.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>Data on the incidence of the different Asbestos Related Diseases in this area will be obtained and the most plausible exposure source and space-time-patient profile will be described. The study will also improve the standardization of patient management, the coordination between health care institutions and the development of preventive activities related with asbestos exposure and disease.</p