DNA methylation and body mass index from birth to adolescence : meta-analyses of epigenome-wide association studies

Background DNA methylation has been shown to be associated with adiposity in adulthood. However, whether similar DNA methylation patterns are associated with childhood and adolescent body mass index (BMI) is largely unknown. More insight into this relationship at younger ages may have implications for future prevention of obesity and its related traits. Methods We examined whether DNA methylation in cord blood and whole blood in childhood and adolescence was associated with BMI in the age range from 2 to 18 years using both cross-sectional and longitudinal models. We performed meta-analyses of epigenome-wide association studies including up to 4133 children from 23 studies. We examined the overlap of findings reported in previous studies in children and adults with those in our analyses and calculated enrichment. Results DNA methylation at three CpGs (cg05937453, cg25212453, and cg10040131), each in a different age range, was associated with BMI at Bonferroni significance, P <1.06 x 10(-7), with a 0.96 standard deviation score (SDS) (standard error (SE) 0.17), 0.32 SDS (SE 0.06), and 0.32 BMI SDS (SE 0.06) higher BMI per 10% increase in methylation, respectively. DNA methylation at nine additional CpGs in the cross-sectional childhood model was associated with BMI at false discovery rate significance. The strength of the associations of DNA methylation at the 187 CpGs previously identified to be associated with adult BMI, increased with advancing age across childhood and adolescence in our analyses. In addition, correlation coefficients between effect estimates for those CpGs in adults and in children and adolescents also increased. Among the top findings for each age range, we observed increasing enrichment for the CpGs that were previously identified in adults (birth P-enrichment = 1; childhood P-enrichment = 2.00 x 10(-4); adolescence P-enrichment = 2.10 x 10(-7)). Conclusions There were only minimal associations of DNA methylation with childhood and adolescent BMI. With the advancing age of the participants across childhood and adolescence, we observed increasing overlap with altered DNA methylation loci reported in association with adult BMI. These findings may be compatible with the hypothesis that DNA methylation differences are mostly a consequence rather than a cause of obesity.Peer reviewe

Epigenome-wide meta-analysis of blood DNA methylation in newborns and children identifies numerous loci related to gestational age

Background Preterm birth and shorter duration of pregnancy are associated with increased morbidity in neonatal and later life. As the epigenome is known to have an important role during fetal development, we investigated associations between gestational age and blood DNA methylation in children. Methods We performed meta-analysis of Illumina's HumanMethylation450-array associations between gestational age and cord blood DNA methylation in 3648 newborns from 17 cohorts without common pregnancy complications, induced delivery or caesarean section. We also explored associations of gestational age with DNA methylation measured at 4-18 years in additional pediatric cohorts. Follow-up analyses of DNA methylation and gene expression correlations were performed in cord blood. DNA methylation profiles were also explored in tissues relevant for gestational age health effects: fetal brain and lung. Results We identified 8899 CpGs in cord blood that were associated with gestational age (range 27-42 weeks), at Bonferroni significance, P <1.06 x 10(- 7), of which 3343 were novel. These were annotated to 4966 genes. After restricting findings to at least three significant adjacent CpGs, we identified 1276 CpGs annotated to 325 genes. Results were generally consistent when analyses were restricted to term births. Cord blood findings tended not to persist into childhood and adolescence. Pathway analyses identified enrichment for biological processes critical to embryonic development. Follow-up of identified genes showed correlations between gestational age and DNA methylation levels in fetal brain and lung tissue, as well as correlation with expression levels. Conclusions We identified numerous CpGs differentially methylated in relation to gestational age at birth that appear to reflect fetal developmental processes across tissues. These findings may contribute to understanding mechanisms linking gestational age to health effects.Peer reviewe

Study of the doubly charmed tetraquark T+cc

Quantum chromodynamics, the theory of the strong force, describes interactions of coloured quarks and gluons and the formation of hadronic matter. Conventional hadronic matter consists of baryons and mesons made of three quarks and quark-antiquark pairs, respectively. Particles with an alternative quark content are known as exotic states. Here a study is reported of an exotic narrow state in the D0D0π+ mass spectrum just below the D*+D0 mass threshold produced in proton-proton collisions collected with the LHCb detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The state is consistent with the ground isoscalar T+cc tetraquark with a quark content of ccu⎯⎯⎯d⎯⎯⎯ and spin-parity quantum numbers JP = 1+. Study of the DD mass spectra disfavours interpretation of the resonance as the isovector state. The decay structure via intermediate off-shell D*+ mesons is consistent with the observed D0π+ mass distribution. To analyse the mass of the resonance and its coupling to the D*D system, a dedicated model is developed under the assumption of an isoscalar axial-vector T+cc state decaying to the D*D channel. Using this model, resonance parameters including the pole position, scattering length, effective range and compositeness are determined to reveal important information about the nature of the T+cc state. In addition, an unexpected dependence of the production rate on track multiplicity is observed

Archived Website - Related Resources: Curricula, Degree Requirements, Policies, etc., 2007

To access this archived Website, download the .ZIP file and extract the contents with the utility of your choice. Using a Web browser, open the 'BHL-start-here.html' file found within to review additional information from the Bentley Historical Library and follow a link to view the archived homepage. PLEASE NOTE: navigation/menu links on internal pages may inaccurately report 'file was not retrieved' for items that were actually captured; navigation works best from the main page of the Med Students section.Archived version of the Med Students section of the Medical School website as it appeared on April 17, 2007, with an emphasis on the curriculum resources and school policies. Content includes publications such as a M1/M2 (first and second year Medical School student) Survival Guide and information about curriculum, courses, policies, and student resources.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/99112/1/Medical School 2007.zi

Archived Website - Medical School, 2002

To access this archived Website, download the .ZIP file and extract the contents with the utility of your choice. Using a Web browser, open the 'BHL-start-here.html' file found within to review additional information from the Bentley Historical Library and follow a link to view the archived homepage.Archived version of the Medical School website as it appeared on May 16, 2002. Documents the academic programs, accomplishments, resources, and people at the Medical School. Content includes information about admissions, curriculum, degree requirements, faculty, and the Medical School as a whole.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/99108/1/Medical2002.zi

Archived Website - Medical School, 2008

To access this archived Website, download the .ZIP file and extract the contents with the utility of your choice. Using a Web browser, open the 'BHL-start-here.html' file found within to review additional information from the Bentley Historical Library and follow a link to view the archived homepage.Archived version of the Medical School website as it appeared on May 19-20, 2008. Documents the academic programs, accomplishments, resources, events, and people at the Medical School. Content includes important news and announcements, publications such as newsletters and faculty or staff handbooks, and information about admissions, curriculum, degree requirements, student programs, faculty, policies, research, conferences and symposia, and the overall mission of the School.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/99113/1/2008Med.zi

Dean's Files - Allen Lichter, Dean 1998-2006 - State of the School Address, 2004

Allen S. Lichter, M.D., was appointed Interim Dean of the University of Michigan Medical School in 1998 and served as Dean from 1999-2006.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/90847/1/presentation-slides.ziphttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/90847/2/original-presentation.ziphttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/90847/3/State.wmvhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/90847/4/State_bhl-05397e21.mp4b18b62103d77f7c3c0b36a5f14880384; 4ff6c9e1fe93e2f7af6f350d1d02db95; ece3309fd1670bd572573ed2b137260a; cbc94b1ef36fb32d0be61a280a75d43

Announcement.

Mode of access: Internet

Aequanimitas.

Vol. for 1978 never published.Mode of access: Internet.Published by the U. of M. Medical School

Annual announcement.

Mode of access: Internet.Forms part of the University of Michigan. Homoeopathic Medical School. Publications, [1874-1922]