BMI Development of Normal Weight and Overweight Children in the PIAMA Study

Background: There is evidence that rapid weight gain during the first year of life is associated with overweight later in life. However, results from studies exploring other critical periods for the development of overweight are inconsistent. Objective: The objective was to investigate BMI development to assess at what ages essential differences between normal weight and overweight children occur, and to assess which age intervals the most strongly influence the risk of overweight at 8 years of age. Methods: Longitudinal weight and height data

A randomised controlled trial of a community-based healthy lifestyle program for overweight and obese adolescents: the Loozit® study protocol

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>There is a need to develop sustainable and clinically effective weight management interventions that are suitable for delivery in community settings where the vast majority of overweight and obese adolescents should be treated. This study aims to evaluate the effect of additional therapeutic contact as an adjunct to the Loozit^®group program – a community-based, lifestyle intervention for overweight and lower grade obesity in adolescents. The additional therapeutic contact is provided via telephone coaching and either mobile phone Short Message Service or electronic mail, or both.</p> <p>Methods and design</p> <p>The study design is a two-arm randomised controlled trial that aims to recruit 168 overweight and obese 13–16 year olds (Body Mass Index z-score 1.0 to 2.5) in Sydney, Australia. Adolescents with secondary causes of obesity or significant medical illness are excluded. Participants are recruited via schools, media coverage, health professionals and several community organisations. Study arm one receives the Loozit^®group weight management program (G). Study arm two receives the same Loozit^®group weight management program plus additional therapeutic contact (G+ATC). The 'G' intervention consists of two phases. Phase 1 involves seven weekly group sessions held separately for adolescents and their parents. This is followed by phase 2 that involves a further seven group sessions held regularly, for adolescents only, until two years follow-up. Additional therapeutic contact is provided to adolescents in the 'G+ATC' study arm approximately once per fortnight during phase 2 only. Outcome measurements are assessed at 2, 12 and 24 months post-baseline and include: BMI z-score, waist z-score, metabolic profile indicators, physical activity, sedentary behaviour, eating patterns, and psychosocial well-being.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>The Loozit^®study is the first randomised controlled trial of a community-based adolescent weight management intervention to incorporate additional therapeutic contact via a combination of telephone coaching, mobile phone Short Message Service, and electronic mail. If shown to be successful, the Loozit^®group weight management program with additional therapeutic contact has the potential to be readily translatable to a range of health care settings.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>The protocol for this study is registered with the Australian Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRNO12606000175572).</p

High activity redox catalysts synthesized by chemical vapor impregnation

The use of precious metals in heterogeneous catalysis relies on the preparation of small nanoparticles that are stable under reaction conditions. To date, most conventional routes used to prepare noble metal nanoparticles have drawbacks related to surface contamination, particle agglomeration, and reproducibility restraints. We have prepared titania-supported palladium (Pd) and platinum (Pt) catalysts using a simplified vapor deposition technique termed chemical vapor impregnation (CVI) that can be performed in any standard chemical laboratory. These materials, composed of nanoparticles typically below 3 nm in size, show remarkable activity under mild conditions for oxidation and hydrogenation reactions of industrial importance. We demonstrate the preparation of bimetallic Pd–Pt homogeneous alloy nanoparticles by this new CVI method, which show synergistic effects in toluene oxidation. The versatility of our CVI methodology to be able to tailor the composition and morphology of supported nanoparticles in an easily accessible and scalable manner is further demonstrated by the synthesis of Pdshell–Aucore nanoparticles using CVI deposition of Pd onto preformed Au nanoparticles supported on titania (prepared by sol immobilization) in addition to the presence of monometallic Au and Pd nanoparticles

Variation des corrélations entre l’attirance sensorielle déclarée et l’attirance sensorielle mesurée pour le gras, le salé et le sucré selon le niveau de désirabilité sociale

Poster 330 présenté à:13. Journées Francophones de Nutrition (JFN) ; Marseille (France) - (2015-12-09 - 2015-12-11) / CongrèsL’attirance sensorielle influence les consommations alimentaires et est associée au statut pondéral (pour les sensations de gras et de sucré). Identifier les déterminants sensoriels du comportement alimentaire à l’échelle populationnelle est utile pour apprécier la généralisation de ces résultats. Dans une précédente étude, un questionnaire développé pour être applicable à des études épidémiologiques (PrefQuest n = 40 000) a été couplé à des tests sensoriels (PrefSens n = 557) permettant de mesurer objectivement l’attirance sensorielle pour le gras, le sucré et le salé. Afin de confirmer que la mesure épidémiologique issue du PrefQuest peut être considérée comme un marqueur fiable de l’attirance réelle grâce aux résultats issus du PrefSens, il est utile de comparer les deux outils. La désirabilité sociale (DS) se définissant comme le fait d’être plus ou moins sensible à la norme sociale, peut être considérée comme un biais dans la mesure de l’attirance par questionnaire. L’hypothèse de ce travail était que les sujets ayant un fort niveau de DS auraient de faibles corrélations entre les deux outils, alors que les sujets ayant un faible niveau de DS auraient de meilleures corrélations. Ainsi, l’objectif de cette étude était d’estimer les corrélations entre l’attirance sensorielle déclarée et l’attirance sensorielle mesurée pour le gras, le salé et le sucré, selon le niveau de DS

TOWNSCOPE II - A computer system to support solar access decision-making

TOWNSCOPE II is a computer system devoted to support solar access decision-making in a sustainable urban design perspective. The software consists of a three-dimensional urban information system coupled with solar evaluation tools. We’ve paid particular attention to the fact that numerical results interpretation proves to be all but trivial in complex built environments. It is nevertheless a crucial aspect in decision-making, especially for current negotiated urban design practices. Which is why developing visual instruments in order to unveil the geometrical mechanisms lying behind the final results. Various spherical projections were thereby developed, each of them presenting specific advantages and disadvantages for solar access visualisation and/or evaluation purposes.POLI

Severe Acquired Toxoplasmosis in Immunocompetent Adult Patients in French Guiana

The most common presentation of symptomatic postnatally acquired toxoplasmosis in immunocompetent patients is painless cervical adenopathy. Acute visceral manifestations are associated in rare cases. We report 16 cases of severe primary toxoplasmosis diagnosed in French Guiana during a 6.5-year period. All of the subjects were immunocompetent adults hospitalized with clinical presentations consisting of a marked, nonspecific infectious syndrome accompanied by an altered general status with at least one visceral localization, mainly pulmonary involvement (14 cases). Acute toxoplasmosis was diagnosed according to the results of serological tests suggestive of recent primary infection and the absence of an alternative etiology. Recovery was rapid following specific antitoxoplasmosis treatment. Thirteen of the 16 patients had consumed game in the 2 weeks before the onset of the symptoms, and in eight cases the game was considered to have been undercooked. Toxoplasma strains, which were virulent in mice, were isolated from three patients. Microsatellite analysis showed that all of these isolates exhibited an atypical multilocus genotype, with one allele found only for isolates of this region

Age at adiposity rebound in childhood is associated with PCOS diagnosis and obesity in adulthood-longitudinal analysis of BMI data from birth to age 46 in cases of PCOS

Background: Adiposity rebound (AR), the second BMI rise in childhood at around the age of 6 years, is associated with obesity and metabolic alteration in later life. Given that polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has a strong metabolic component, early life growth patterns could reveal a risk of PCOS. Thus, we aimed to investigate the associations between age at AR and PCOS diagnosis and BMI later in life. Materials and methods: This study is part of a prospective, population-based longitudinal study, where women with PCOS diagnosis by age 46 (n = 280) were compared with asymptomatic women (CTRLs, n = 1573). Weight and height data from birth to age 13 years, at age at menarche, and at ages 31 and 46 years were analyzed Results: Women with PCOS had lower birth weight (3357 +/- 477 vs. 3 445 +/- 505 g, p <0.001), earlier age at AR (5.2 +/- 1.0 vs. 5.6 +/- 0.90 years, p <0.001) and higher BMI from AR onwards compared with controls. Early timing of AR was associated with PCOS diagnosis independently of BMI (OR 1.62, 95% CI 1.37-1.92). Women with PCOS and early AR had higher BMI at 31 and 46 years when compared to controls with early AR. The age at AR did not associate with T levels at ages 31 or 46 years. Conclusions: Early AR was associated with PCOS diagnosis and high BMI in adulthood. Adolescent girls with early AR and persisting obesity should be screened for PCOS symptoms, such as persistent irregular cycles and hirsutism.Peer reviewe