Heritability and Environmental Correlation of Phase Angle with Anthropometric Measurements: A Twin Study

Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA)-derived phase angle (PhA) is a valuable parameter to assess physical health. However, the genetic and environmental aspects of PhA are not yet well understood. The present study aimed to estimate the heritability of PhA and investigate the relationships between PhA and anthropometric measurements. PhA and skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) were examined using multi-frequency BIA in 168 Japanese twin volunteers (54 males and 114 females; mean age = 61.0 ± 16.5 years). We estimated the narrow-sense heritability of these parameters and the genetic and environmental relationships between them using a genetic twin modeling. For the PhA, 51% (95% confidence interval: 0.33, 0.64) of the variance was explained by additive genetic effects, and 49% (95% confidence interval: 0.36, 0.67) was explained by unique environmental effects. The heritability of PhA was lower than the height, body weight, and body mass index. PhA shared almost no genetic variation with anthropometric measurements and SMI but shared an environmental variation (14%) with SMI. These findings suggest that the genes affecting PhA are different than those affecting anthropometric measurements and SMI. The correlation between PhA and SMI is caused by common environmental factors

Heritability and Environmental Correlation of Phase Angle with Anthropometric Measurements: A Twin Study

Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA)-derived phase angle (PhA) is a valuable parameter to assess physical health. However, the genetic and environmental aspects of PhA are not yet well understood. The present study aimed to estimate the heritability of PhA and investigate the relationships between PhA and anthropometric measurements. PhA and skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) were examined using multi-frequency BIA in 168 Japanese twin volunteers (54 males and 114 females; mean age = 61.0 ± 16.5 years). We estimated the narrow-sense heritability of these parameters and the genetic and environmental relationships between them using a genetic twin modeling. For the PhA, 51% (95% confidence interval: 0.33, 0.64) of the variance was explained by additive genetic effects, and 49% (95% confidence interval: 0.36, 0.67) was explained by unique environmental effects. The heritability of PhA was lower than the height, body weight, and body mass index. PhA shared almost no genetic variation with anthropometric measurements and SMI but shared an environmental variation (14%) with SMI. These findings suggest that the genes affecting PhA are different than those affecting anthropometric measurements and SMI. The correlation between PhA and SMI is caused by common environmental factors

Selective cytotoxicity of dihydroorotate dehydrogenase inhibitors to human cancer cells under hypoxia and nutrient-deprived conditions

Human dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (HsDHODH) is a key enzyme of pyrimidine de novo biosynthesis pathway. It is located on the mitochondrial inner membrane and contributes to the respiratory chain by shuttling electrons to the ubiquinone pool. We have discovered ascofuranone (1), a natural compound produced by Acremonium sclerotigenum, and its derivatives are a potent class of HsDHODH inhibitors. We conducted a structure–activity relationship study and have identified functional groups of 1 that are essential for the inhibition of HsDHODH enzymatic activity. Furthermore, the binding mode of 1 and its derivatives to HsDHODH was demonstrated by co-crystallographic analysis and we show that these inhibitors bind at the ubiquinone binding site. In addition, the cytotoxicities of 1 and its potent derivatives 7, 8, and 9were studied using human cultured cancer cells. Interestingly, they showed selective and strong cytotoxicity to cancer cells cultured under microenvironment (hypoxia and nutrient-deprived) conditions. The selectivity ratio of 8 under this microenvironment show the most potent inhibition which was over 1000-fold higher compared to that under normal culture condition. Our studies suggest that under microenvironment conditions, cancer cells heavily depend on the pyrimidine de novo biosynthesis pathway. We also provide the first evidence that 1 and its derivatives are potential lead candidates for drug development which target the HsDHODH of cancer cells living under a tumor microenvironment

Effects of a Self-efficacy Theory-Based Training Program for Peers of Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

[Background] Training peer leaders to deliver patient education is expected to be a low-cost approach to providing healthcare in urban-poor areas affected by a shortage of healthcare professionals. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a training program on the self-efficacy and knowledge of peer leaders with type 2 diabetes. [Methods] A single-group longitudinal survey with baseline, intervention, and follow-up periods was conducted at a diabetes clinic in a small municipality in Metro Manila, Philippines. The intervention, a self-efficacy theory-based training program for peer-leaders of diabetic patients conducted in August 2017, comprised hands-on learning, demonstrations, quizzes, role-playing, group sharing, physical exercise, and a buffet lunch. The primary outcome was participants’ self-efficacy for management of their diabetes. Secondary outcomes were participants’ knowledge of diabetes and levels of emotional distress, motivation, and confidence for guiding their peers, satisfaction with the training program, hemoglobin A1c, and quality of life. [Results] At 12 and 18 months after the intervention, participants’ knowledge of diabetes was significantly increased compared with baseline (both P < 0.05). At earlier time points, an increasing, but not significant, trend was observed. The change in knowledge of diabetes from baseline to 18 months after intervention tended to be positively correlated with the change in self-efficacy (r = 0.594, P = 0.054). No significant differences were observed for any of the other outcomes, although the descriptive statistics showed an increasing trend for all of the outcomes except motivation. [Conclusion] The training program significantly improved participants’ knowledge of diabetes at 12 and 18 months after the training programs compared with baseline. A positive correlation between the changes in the levels of knowledge and self-efficacy suggested that the observed improvement of self-efficacy was facilitated by the improvement of knowledge of diabetes

自発的ドック受診者群と企業健診受診者群の脳MRIにおけるT2高信号域個数の比較

he purpose of this study was to evaluate the difference in T2-elongated spots (T2ES) between self-referred and third party-referred subjects.The brain MRI studies of 814 healthy adults were assessed. The subjects were categorized into two groups. Group A included 312 self-referred subjects ranging in age from 49 to 65 years (mean age, 56.5 years). Group B included 502 third party-referred subjects same ranging in age (mean age, 54.3 years). All subjects were asked to complete an interview sheet dealing with current and past diseases. To compare the two groups, an ‘Age-related Grading System\u27 was created.Grade 4 was defined as including patients who had 10 to 14 more T2ESs than their age minus 49; 20.027771275620f Group B and 13.51111400240f Group A (P<0.05) were classified as Grade 4. Diabetes mellitus was present in 15.016010062550f Group A and 9.615734071165f Group B (P<0.05). Hyperlipidemia was present in 18.015710062563f Group A and 9.015035020146f Group B (P<0.01).Although diabetes mellitus and hyperlipidemia were more common in Group A, these diseases were considered to be well controlled. It would appear that the patients in Group A were more health conscious than those in Group B

An association between systolic blood pressure and stroke among patients with impaired consciousness in out-of-hospital emergency settings

Background: Stroke is difficult to diagnose when consciousness is disturbed. However few reports have discussed the clinical predictors of stroke in out-of-hospital emergency settings. This study aims to evaluate the association between initial systolic blood pressure (SBP) value measured by emergency medical service (EMS) and diagnosis of stroke among impaired consciousness patients. Methods: We included all patients aged 18 years or older who were treated and transported by EMS, and had impaired consciousness (Japan Coma Scale ≧ 1) in Osaka City (2.7 million), Japan from January 1, 1998 through December 31, 2007. Data were prospectively collected by EMS personnel using a study-specific case report form. Multiple logistic regressions assessed the relationship between initial SBP and stroke and its subtypes adjusted for possible confounding factors. Results: During these 10 years, a total of 1,840,784 emergency patients who were treated and transported by EMS were documented during the study period in Osaka City. Out of 128,678 with impaired consciousness, 106,706 who had prehospital SBP measurements in the field were eligible for our analyses. The proportion of patients with severe impaired consciousness significantly increased from 14.5% in the =200 mmHg SBP group (P for trend =200 mmHg group versus the SBP 101-120 mmHg group was 5.26 (95% CI 4.93 to 5.60). The AOR of the SBP > =200 mmHg group versus the SBP 101-120 mmHg group was 9.76 in subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), 16.16 in intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), and 1.52 in ischemic stroke (IS), and the AOR of SAH and ICH was greater than that of IS. Conclusions: Elevated SBP among emergency patients with impaired consciousness in the field was associated with increased diagnosis of stroke

Effectiveness of prehospital Magill forceps use for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest due to foreign body airway obstruction in Osaka City

Background: Although foreign body airway obstruction (FBAO) accounts for many preventable unintentional accidents, little is known about the epidemiology of FBAO patients and the effect of forceps use on those patients. This study aimed to assess characteristics of FBAO patients transported to hospitals by emergency medical service (EMS) personnel, and to verify the relationship between prehospital Magill forceps use and outcomes among out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA) patients with FBAO. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed ambulance records of all patients who suffered FBAO, and were treated by EMS in Osaka City from 2000 through 2007, and assessed the characteristics of those patients. We also performed a multivariate logistic-regression analysis to assess factors associated with neurologically favorable survival among bystander-witnessed OHCA patients with FBAO in larynx or pharynx. Results: A total of 2,354 patients suffered from FBAO during the study period. There was a bimodal distribution by age among infants and old adults. Among them, 466 (19.8%) had an OHCA when EMS arrived at the scene, and 344 were witnessed by bystanders. In the multivariate analysis, Magill forceps use for OHCA with FBAO in larynx or pharynx was an independent predictor of neurologically favorable survival (16.4% [24/146] in the Magill forceps use group versus 4.3% [4/94] in the non-use group; adjusted odds ratio, 3.96 [95% confidence interval, 1.21-13.00], p = 0.023).Conclusions: From this large registry in Osaka, we revealed that prehospital Magill forceps use was associated with the improved outcome of bystander-witnessed OHCA patients with FBAO

日本産ミヤマワレモコウ Sanguisorba longifolia の形態, 分布, 及び染色体数

[論文

Smoking remains associated with education after controlling for social background and genetic factors in a study of 18 twin cohorts

We tested the causality between education and smoking using the natural experiment of discordant twin pairs allowing to optimally control for background genetic and childhood social factors. Data from 18 cohorts including 10,527 monozygotic (MZ) and same-sex dizygotic (DZ) twin pairs discordant for education and smoking were analyzed by linear fixed effects regression models. Within twin pairs, education levels were lower among the currently smoking than among the never smoking co-twins and this education difference was larger within DZ than MZ pairs. Similarly, education levels were higher among former smoking than among currently smoking co-twins, and this difference was larger within DZ pairs. Our results support the hypothesis of a causal effect of education on both current smoking status and smoking cessation. However, the even greater intra-pair differences within DZ pairs, who share only 50% of their segregating genes, provide evidence that shared genetic factors also contribute to these associations.Peer reviewe