Physiological evidence of stress reduction during a summer Antarctic expedition with a significant influence of previous experience and vigor

Antarctica provides a unique environment for studying human adaptability, characterized by controlled conditions, limited sensory stimulation, and significant challenges in logistics and communication. This longitudinal study investigates the relationship between stress indicators, with a specific focus on mean sleep heart rate, during a COVID-19 quarantine and subsequent 83 days long summer Antarctic expedition at the J. G. Mendel Czech Antarctic Station. Our novel approach includes daily recordings of sleep heart rate and weekly assessments of emotions, stress, and sleep quality. Associations between variables were analyzed using the generalized least squares method, providing unique insights into nuances of adaptation. The results support previous findings by providing empirical evidence on the stress reducing effect of Antarctic summer expedition and highlight the importance of previous experience and positive emotions, with the novel contribution of utilizing physiological data in addition to psychological measures. High-frequency sampling and combination of psychological and physiological data addresses a crucial gap in the research of stress. This study contributes valuable knowledge to the field of psychophysiology and has implications for expedition planners, research organizations, teams in action settings, pandemic prevention protocols, global crises, and long-duration spaceflight missions. Comprehensive insights promote the well-being and success of individuals in extreme conditions.

Socioeconomic status and adiposity in childhood cancer survivors: A cross-sectional retrospective study

This is a retrospective cross-sectional study examining the association between unemployment, cancer type, treatment and total body fat percentage of childhood cancer survivors recruited at St. Anne's University Hospital in Brno, Czech Republic. A total of 55 survivors aged 18-49 who were in remission of cancer and fulfilled the criteria for body composition measurements by the BIA and completed questionnaires investigating their socioeconomic status, employment status, and history. There was a significant relationship between the employment status and central nervous system-directed treatment (c2(1) = 7.53, p = 0.006, Cramér's V = 0.38) and between the type of cancer and employment status (c2(3) = 7.83, p = 0.049, Cramér's V = 0.38), the highest unemployment rate was recorded for brain and spine survivors (72.7%) compared to survivors with other diagnosis (35.7%) (uLR(1) = 4.91, p = 0.027; OR = 4.80, 95% CI:1.10-20.86, p = 0.036); these survivors did not have a significantly different body fat percentage compared to survivors with other diagnoses (t(53) = 1.29, p = 0.202, Cohen's d = 0.41) Interestingly, the survivors reporting having a partner also had a significantly higher percentage of body fat (t(53) = 2.90, p = 0.005, Cohen's d = 0.81). A linear regression model was used to model the percentage of body fat in relation to a set of selected variables and the we observed a significant effect of sex (female vs male: b = 6.37, 95% CI: 1.82-10.93, p = 0.007), partnership status (yes vs no: b = 5.65, 95% CI: 0.67-10.62, p = 0.027) and category of diagnosis (Brain and spinal column tumors vs Other solid tumors: b = 12.40, 95% CI: 0.59-24.21, p = 0.040; Brain and spinal column tumors vs Lymphoma: b = 14.02, 95% CI: 2.06-25.97, p = 0.023). Employment status and risk of adiposity in childhood cancer survivors depends on the type of treatment and diagnosis group, which may significantly impact their lifestyle and overall quality of life after treatment. Trial registration: This study was registered on July 29, 2022, at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05481229).

Biological factors and self-perception of stress in relation to freeze-like response in humans

Many animals react to threatening stimuli such as a predator attacks by freezing. However, little experimental research investigated freeze response in humans. Here, we have employed practices commonly used in self-defense training to create two unique scenarios simulating armed physical threat. Sixty healthy men volunteers divided into three groups of twenty (untrained, trained but unexperienced, trained and experienced) underwent these scenarios accompanied by measurement of biochemical, physiological, and psychological markers of stress. Our results show that untrained individuals exhibit stronger freezing reactions, while highly skilled participants display the lowest propensity for freezing, especially in high-intensity scenarios. Moreover, the study shows variations in anxiety levels and selected biomarkers, with cortisol and osteocalcin showing different patterns in low and high-intensity scenarios, and suggests a complex interplay between these factors, electrodermal activity, and stress perception.

Polymorphism rs7079 in miR-31/-584 Binding Site in Angiotensinogen Gene Associates with Earlier Onset of Coronary Artery Disease in Central European Population

Angiotensinogen (AGT) represents a key component of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS). Polymorphisms in the 3' untranslated region (3'UTR) of the AGT gene may alter miRNA binding and cause disbalance in the RAAS. Within this study, we evaluated the possible association of AGT +11525C/A (rs7079) with the clinical characteristics of patients with coronary artery diseases (CAD). Selective coronarography was performed in 652 consecutive CAD patients. Clinical characteristics of the patients, together with peripheral blood samples for DNA isolation, were collected. The genotyping of rs7079 polymorphism was performed with TaqMan^® SNP Genotyping Assays. We observed that patients with the CC genotype were referred for coronarography at a younger age compared to those with the AA+CA genotypes (CC vs. AA+CA: 59.1 ± 9.64 vs. 60.91 ± 9.5 (years), p = 0.045). Moreover, according to the logistic regression model, patients with the CC genotype presented more often with restenosis than those with the CA genotype (p = 0.0081). In conclusion, CC homozygotes for rs7079 present with CAD symptoms at a younger age compared with those with the AA+CA genotype, and they are more prone to present with restenosis compared with heterozygotes.

Homeostatic model of human thermoregulation with bi-stability

All homoiothermic organisms are capable of maintaining a stable body temperature using various negative feedback mechanisms. However, current models cannot satisfactorily describe the thermal adaptation of homoiothermic living systems in a physiologically meaningful way. Previously, we introduced stress entropic load, a novel variable designed to quantify adaptation costs, i.e. the stress of the organism, using a thermodynamic approach. In this study, we use stress entropic load as a starting point for the construction of a novel dynamical model of human thermoregulation. This model exhibits bi-stable mechanisms, a physiologically plausible features which has thus far not been demonstrated using a mathematical model. This finding allows us to predict critical points at which a living system, in this case a human body, may proceed towards two stabilities, only one of which is compatible with being alive. In the future, this may allow us to quantify not only the direction but rather the extent of therapeutic intervention in critical care patients.

Identification of a Diagnostic Set of Endomyocardial Biopsy microRNAs for Acute Cellular Rejection Diagnostics in Patients after Heart Transplantation Using Next-Generation Sequencing

Introduction: Acute cellular rejection (ACR) of heart allografts represents the most common reason for graft failure. Endomyocardial biopsies (EMB) are still subject to substantial interobserver variability. Novel biomarkers enabling precise ACR diagnostics may decrease interobserver variability. We aimed to identify a specific subset of microRNAs reflecting the presence of ACR. Patients and Methods: Monocentric retrospective study. A total of 38 patients with the anamnesis of ACR were identified and for each patient three consecutive samples of EMB (with, prior and after ACR) were collected. Sixteen trios were used for next-generation sequencing (exploratory cohort); the resting 22 trios were used for validation with qRT-PCR (validation cohort). Statistical analysis was performed using R software. Results: The analysis of the exploration cohort provided the total of 11 miRNAs that were altered during ACR, the three of which (miR-144, miR-589 and miR-182) were further validated in the validation cohort. Using the levels of all 11 miRNAs and principal component analysis, an ACR score was created with the specificity of 91% and sensitivity of 68% for detecting the presence of ACR in the EMB sample. Conclusion: We identified a set of microRNAs altered in endomyocardial biopsies during ACR and using their relative levels we created a diagnostic score that can be used for ACR diagnosis.

Sibling relatedness rather than father absence predicts earlier age at menarche in ELSPAC cohort

Many studies during the past 50 years have found an association between father absence and earlier menarche. In connection with these findings, several evolutionary theories assume that father absence is a causal factor accelerating reproductive development. However, a recent study analysing data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) found that father absence does not predict age at menarche when adjusted for sibling relatedness. In this study, we have replicated these results in the Czech section of the European Longitudinal Study of Pregnancy and Childhood (ELSPAC), which used the same questionnaires as ALSPAC to study a geographically distinct population. Our results support the conclusion that sibling relatedness rather than father absence predicts age at menarche. Furthermore, our results show that age at menarche in 1990s UK and Czech cohorts is very similar despite socioeconomic differences between the two countries.

Correction to: HSPB7 gene polymorphism associated with anthropometric parameters of obesity and fat intake in a Central European population

We would like to submit the following correction to our recently published paper due to an error in the Table 2. The corrected table is given below.

HSPB7 gene polymorphism associated with anthropometric parameters of obesity and fat intake in a Central European population

OBJECTIVE

Heat shock proteins act as chaperones at the molecular level and therefore they have been investigated in numerous diseases associated with oxidative stress, including obesity. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible associations of genetic variability in the 3´-untranslated region of the HSPB7 gene (rs1048261) with anthropometric and dietary parameters in a cohort of lean and obese Central European subjects.

METHODS

A total of 708 Central European Caucasian individuals were enrolled in this study, 415 obese subjects and 293 non-obese subjects. The rs1048261 genotypes were established using a conventional PCR-based methodology.

RESULTS

Significant differences were observed in the total daily fat intake between subjects with AT and TT genotypes (82.6 ± 29.2 g vs. 74.1 ± 31.3 g, p = 0.023) and also borderline significance in daily proportion of fat in the diet between AA and TT genotypes (36.0 ± 4.4% vs. 33.3 ± 5.9%, p = 0.061). Based on the linear regression model we found association between rs1048261 genotype and body fat percentage.

CONCLUSIONS

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study which reports an association of defined genetic variability in the HSPB7 gene, rs1048261, with obesity and its associated anthropometric characteristics and dietary composition.

Stress entropic load: New stress measurement method?

While stress is a widely utilized concept, no direct methods facilitating its measurement are currently available. In our previous work we proposed stress entropic load (SEL) as a potential new marker of stress response in the human body. However, at that time no method for SEL measurement existed. In this pilot study we devised and then tested methodology for SEL measurement. Healthy male participants were monitored by indirect calorimetry and thermography while resting and subsequently while under prolonged mental effort. The acquired data was then used to calculate the temporal development of SEL for each participant. Our results show that SEL production increased significantly in participants subjected to prolonged mental effort. Furthermore, we observed that the calculated development of SEL over time may be used to accurately determine the time point at which participants started performing stressful tasks.

Sleeping habits of adolescents in relation to their physical activity and exercise output: results from the ELSPAC study

BACKGROUND

Little is known about the effects of physical activity and fitness on sleep timing parameters in adolescence.

METHODS

We investigated the development of sleep timing between age 8 and 15 and its association with physical fitness at age 15 in 787 adolescents (408 males, 379 females). Physical fitness was measured using the physical work capacity (PWC) protocol. Information on sport activity was collected at ages 11 and 15. Finally, the contribution of other covariates (sex, body mass index (BMI), parental education and occupational skill level) to the association between sleep parameters and physical fitness was evaluated. The correlation of BMI and physical fitness was assessed separately.

RESULTS

Mild correlation of sleep duration at ages 8 and 15 was observed (r=0.08-0.16). Higher sport activity participation and physical fitness were found to be mildly associated with delayed bedtime and reduced sleep duration; the association with bedtime was significant after adjustment for all covariates. Sport activity at age 11 was not associated with sleep timing at age 15. Interestingly, higher BMI was linked to delayed bedtime and higher physical fitness.

CONCLUSION

Our findings do not support existing hypotheses suggesting the association of low physical activity and fitness with shorter sleep duration and high BMI in a generally non-obese adolescent population without severe sleep restriction.

Estimated dietary iodine intake as a predictor of placental size: evidence from the ELSPAC study

Background

The relationship between low iodine status and pregnancy-associated comorbidities has been known for decades. The relationship between iodine intake and placental pathologies is, however, far less clear. This study was designed to examine the relationship between dietary iodine intake and placental size while also focusing on typical adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Method

The dietary iodine intake of 4711 pregnant women enrolled in the Czech part of the European Longitudinal Study of Pregnancy and Childhood (ELSPAC) in 1990–1991 was established using a 145-item food frequency questionnaire. Multivariate linear regression models were used to estimate the relationship between dietary iodine intake during pregnancy and placental weight. Additional models were constructed to investigate the relationship between estimated dietary iodine intake and adverse birth outcomes.

Results

The estimated average iodine intake in the ELSPAC cohort was 106.6 μg/day. In the fully adjusted model, estimated dietary iodine intake was found to be significantly negatively associated with placental weight (β = −0.025, 95% CI: -0.044; −0.006, p = 0.011). Moreover, estimated dietary iodine intake was found to be significantly positively associated with the birth weight / placental weight ratio in the fully adjusted model (β = −0.024, 95% CI: 0.004; 0.043, p = 0.016).

Conclusions

This study provides evidence of a relationship between estimated dietary iodine intake and placental weight and the birth weight / placental weight ratio. Additional research is warranted to provide more insight into the role of iodine in early as well as late placentation.

Higher Energy Intake Variability as Predisposition to Obesity: Novel Approach Using Interquartile Range

OBJECTIVE

It is known that total energy intake and its distribution during the day influences human anthropometric characteristics. However, possible association between variability in total energy intake and obesity has thus far remained unexamined. This study was designed to establish the influence of energy intake variability of each daily meal on the anthropometric characteristics of obesity.

METHODS

A total of 521 individuals of Czech Caucasian origin aged 16–73 years (390 women and 131 men) were included in the study, 7-day food records were completed by all study subjects and selected anthropometric characteristics were measured. The interquartile range (IQR) of energy intake was assessed individually for each meal of the day (as a marker of energy intake variability) and subsequently correlated with body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage (%BF), waist-hip ratio (WHR), and waist circumference (cW).

RESULTS

Four distinct models were created using multiple logistic regression analysis and backward stepwise logistic regression. The most precise results, based on the area under the curve (AUC), were observed in case of the %BF model (AUC=0.895) and cW model (AUC=0.839). According to the %BF model, age (p<0.001) and IQR-lunch (p<0.05) seem to play an important prediction role for obesity. Likewise, according to the cW model, age (p<0.001), IQR-breakfast (p<0.05) and IQR-dinner (p <0.05) predispose patients to the development of obesity. The results of our study show that higher variability in the energy intake of key daily meals may increase the likelihood of obesity development.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on the obtained results, it is necessary to emphasize the regularity in meals intake for maintaining proper body composition.

Association of Glutathione S-Transferase Polymorphisms with Dietary Composition but Not Anthropometry in Obese as Well as Nonobese Individuals

OBJECTIVES

Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are detoxifying enzymes for a number of substrates, including some food compounds. Selected GST polymorphisms have been proven to significantly affect enzymatic activity; however, it is unclear whether this altered metabolism influences dietary composition. The objective of this study was to locate the correlation between GST polymorphisms and selected nutritional parameters, namely, fiber and vitamin C intake.

METHODS

This study was conducted on a cohort of 472 individuals (mean age 45.26 years; mean body mass index [BMI] 32.36) from the South Moravian region of the Czech Republic. Basic anthropometrical parameters were measured and no association was found for the selected polymorphisms. Polymorphisms in GSTA1, GSTM1, and GSTT1 were genotyped using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based methodology. Food intake was monitored using a self-administered 7-day questionnaire that was subsequently analyzed with a special focus on vitamin C intake, fiber intake, and total energy intake.

RESULTS

For GSTA1 and GSTM1 polymorphisms, an association was observed with fiber intake. Though no association was found with vitamin C intake, mean vitamin C intake was found to be higher than recommended daily values. No association was found with either daily energy intake or anthropometric parameters.

CONCLUSION

Based on our results, GST polymorphisms seem to affect dietary composition; however, they have no effect on total energy intake or any association with obesity.

Increased age-adjusted hazard of death associated with a common single nucleotide polymorphism of the human RAD52 gene in a cardiovascular cohort

Aging may be characterized as the progressive increase of the risk of death caused by a decrease of almost all bodily functions. While a great number of model organism studies have established the role of DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) as one of the main causes of aging, few studies have examined whether common polymorphisms in human DSB repair genes influence aging and mortality. More importantly, to the best of our knowledge, no longitudinal study has thus far examined the link between polymorphisms in DSB repair and the risk of death. This longitudinal study thus analyses whether four common polymorphisms (rs2155209, rs7963551, rs17105278, rs2735383) in four selected DSB repair genes (MRE11A, RAD52, RAD51B, NBS1) influence the hazard of age-adjusted death in a cohort of patients with typical symptoms of ischemic heart disease. The results have shown that rs7963551 G/T heterozygotes exhibit a significantly increased hazard of death when compared with the combined GG and TT homozygotes (HR=1.42, 95% CI: 1.06-1.91, p=0.018). This study indicates that the SNP affecting efficiency of DSB repair may influence aging in humans.

Allelic variants in vitamin D receptor gene are associated with adiposity measures in the central-European population

Background

There is an increasing body of evidence suggesting that vitamin D is involved in ethiopathogenesis of obesity and therefore the aim of the study was to investigate whether 5 selected SNPs in VDR (vitamin D receptor) gene are associated also with anthropometry in the obese and non-obese Central-European population.

Methods

A total of 882 Central European Caucasian individuals of Czech origin were recruited (n = 882, 232 M/650 F) and weight, height, BMI, lean body mass, fat mass, body fat, waist and hip circumference, waist–hip ratio (WHR) and skinfold thickness were measured. Univariate and multivariate models were constructed in order to investigate the relationship between anthropometry and VDR polymorphisms.

Results

In the univariate modeling, the CC genotype of FokI SNP was associated with reduced waist circumference (β = −3.48; 95%CI:-7.11;0.15; p = 0.060), sum of skin fold thickness (β = −6.53, 95% CI: -12.96;-0.11; p = 0.046) as well as total % of body fat (β = −3.14, 95% CI: -5.18;-1.09; p = 0.003) compared to TT genotype. The AC genotype of ApaI SNP was associated with reduced waist circumference compared to AA genotype (β = −4.37, 95% CI: -7.54;-1.20; p = 0.007). GG genotype of EcoRV SNP was associated with reduced sum of skin fold thickness compared to AA genotype (β = −7.77, 95% CI: -14.34;-1.21; p = 0.020). In the multivariate modelling, multiple significant associations of VDR with investigated traits were observed, too.

Conclusion

Our study suggests that genetic variability in the VDR region may be an important factor influencing anthropometric characteristics associated with obesity.

Comparison of maternal omentin-1 levels and genetic variability between spontaneous term and preterm births

OBJECTIVE

To determine maternal omentin-1 levels and genetic variability in the omentin-1 gene in women with spontaneous term and preterm births (PTBs).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Maternal serum omentin-1 levels and the role of the omentin-1 Val109Asp (rs2274907) polymorphism were evaluated in 32 women with spontaneous term birth (sTB) and 30 women with spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB) including women with (n = 16) and without (n = 14) preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM).

RESULTS

Maternal omentin-1 levels were significantly lower in women with sPTBs compared to term births during the hospitalization period (p = .015). However, maternal omentin-1 levels were similar in women with sPTBs with and without PPROM (p = .990). Furthermore, the omentin-1 Val109Asp polymorphism was found to have no significant effect on omentin-1 serum levels. In addition, no significant differences in genotype distributions and allelic frequencies between sTB and sPTB were established.

CONCLUSIONS

High omentin-1 levels in normal sTBs compared to PTBs without significant differences between cases with and without PPROM suggest that omentin-1 plays a potential role in the pathophysiology of PTB but not in the PPROM mechanism itself.

Differences in food intake and genetic variability in taste receptors between Czech pregnant women with and without gestational diabetes mellitus

PURPOSE

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) represents the most frequent metabolic disorder in pregnancy. Since dietary intake plays an important role in obesity and type 2 diabetes development, it is likely to be for the susceptibility to GDM too. Food preferences, driving partly the diet composition, are changing during pregnancy. Taste and genetic variability in taste receptors is an important factor in determining food preferences. Aims of our study were (1) to characterize dietary habits of pregnant women and to find possible differences in food preferences between healthy pregnant women and those with GDM and (2) to ascertain possible association of several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in taste receptor (TR) genes with GDM.

METHODS

A total of 363 pregnant women (293 with GDM and 70 with physiologic pregnancy) were included in the study. Dietary pattern spanning the period of approx. 6 months preceding the time of GDM screening was assessed using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. A total of five SNPs in TR genes were selected for genotyping based on their functionality or previous associations.

RESULTS

Women with GDM exhibited significantly more frequent meat consumption (esp. poultry, pork and smoked meat), dairy products and sweet beverages consumption. The legumes consumption was found to be inversely correlated with fasting glycaemia (P = 0.007, Spearman). CC genotype in TAS2R9 gene (SNP rs3741845) was significantly associated with GDM (P = 0.0087, Chi-square test).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study showed differences in dietary intake of selected food items between healthy pregnant women and those with GDM and genetic association of bitter taste receptor allele with GDM.

Calculating Stress: From Entropy to a Thermodynamic Concept of Health and Disease

To date, contemporary science has lacked a satisfactory tool for the objective expression of stress. This text thus introduces a new-thermodynamically derived-approach to stress measurement, based on entropy production in time and independent of the quality or modality of a given stressor or a combination thereof. Hereto, we propose a novel model of stress response based on thermodynamic modelling of entropy production, both in the tissues/organs and in regulatory feedbacks. Stress response is expressed in our model on the basis of stress entropic load (SEL), a variable we introduced previously; the mathematical expression of SEL, provided here for the first time, now allows us to describe the various states of a living system, including differentiating between states of health and disease. The resulting calculation of stress response regardless of the type of stressor(s) in question is thus poised to become an entirely new tool for predicting the development of a living system.

Pre-treatment VD levels and VDR receptors as potential predictors of occurrence and overall survival in paediatric patients with solid tumours-a single institution pilot study

Recently, vitamin D has been recognized as an important player in the immune system, and multiple studies suggested its involvement in cancer, too. The aims of this study were to investigate selected single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the VDR gene, BsmI (rs1544410; A > G), FokI (rs 2228570; C > T), TaqI (rs731236; T > C), ApaI (rs 7975232; C > T) and Cdx-2 (rs11568820; A > G), and to evaluate their possible predictive role for outcomes in patients with paediatric solid tumours. A total of 111 children with paediatric solid tumours were enrolled at the Department of Paediatric Oncology, University Hospital Brno (Brno, Czech Republic) along with a control population of 787 adults; all study subjects were available for genotyping of selected SNPs, and the prediagnostic levels of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25(OH)D3) and 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol (1,25(OH)2D3) were measured in the cases, too. In FokI, the heterozygote CT genotype was weakly associated with a decreased risk of paediatric solid cancer occurrence 0.82 (0.53-1.28), while the CC genotype was associated with a decreased risk of 0.58 (0.30-1.09), p = 0.09. The 1,25(OH)2D3 prediagnostic levels were indicative of the overall survival in the cases (β = -0.012, HR 0.988, 95 % CI (0.978-0.998), while higher prediagnostic levels of 1,25(OH)2D3 were associated with a statistically significant increase in overall mortality. We observed multiple effects of the alleles of the investigated polymorphisms and of 1,25(OH)2D3 on overall survival, regardless of the underlying disease.

The prediction role of indexes of circulating adipokines for common anthropometric and nutritional characteristics of obesity in the obese Central European population

AIMS

This study was designed to investigate the relationship between 8 selected adipokines (leptin, leptin receptor, adiponectin, agouti-related peptide, omentin, visfatin, adipsin and resistin), dietary composition and anthropometric parameters found in the Central European obese population.

METHODS

A total of 65 unrelated obese Central European Caucasian individuals were recruited for the study. Phenotypic measurements included weight, height, BMI, lean body mass, fat mass, body fat, waist and hip circumference, waist-hip ratio (WHR) and skinfold thickness. Participants completed standardized self-reported 7-day food records. Plasma levels of leptin, leptin receptor, adiponectin, agouti-related peptide (AgRP), resistin, adipsin, omentin and visfatin were examined using ELISA.

RESULTS

Multiple associations (weight, height, percentage of body fat, waist circumference, hip circumference, WHR and sum of skinfold thickness) with the circulation levels of the investigated adipokines were identified. Leptin-Leptin receptor (L-LR) levels were found to correlate with total energy intake and macronutrients while adipsin was found to strongly correlate with multiple adipokines. Furthermore, the L-LR index was found to constitute a more accurate description of the relationship between BMI and body weight than individual measurements and the Ag-LR index was found to strongly correlate with both anthropometric and dietary characteristics.

CONCLUSION

Following confirmation on larger population samples and on samples of different ethnicities, the reported adipokine indexes could become a useful tool for estimating nutritional status and predicting the body composition of specific patient groups.

Matrix metalloproteinase 13 genotype in rs640198 polymorphism is associated with severe coronary artery disease

Atherosclerosis as a main etiopathogenetic source for coronary artery disease (CAD) development is intimately related to dynamic changes in the extracellular matrix (ECM). Elevated levels of MMP-13 have been observed in human atherosclerotic plaques which could also involve variability in MMP-13 gene. The aim of the study was to associate rs640198 polymorphism with CAD and/or with its severity.

The study comprised 1071 consecutive patients with suspected or known coronary artery disease (CAD), confirmed by coronary angiography.

Genotyping for the rs640198 polymorphism in MMP-13 gene was performed using Taqman® assay. The TT and TG genotypes of rs640198 polymorphism in MMP-13 gene confer the significantly increased risk of triple vessel disease compared to patients without atherosclerotic lesions in coronary arteries (odds ratio = 1.64, Pcorr = 0.05). Furthermore, an increased risk of having 5 and more stenoses (odds ratio = 1.90, Pcorr = 0.004) was observed in TT and TG carriers (sensitivity of 0.613 and a specificity of 0.544; power of the test is 0.87).

The T allele of MMP-13 intron polymorphism rs640198 is associated with the severity of coronary artery disease, represented by the number of affected arteries as well as by the number of stenoses confirmed by coronarography.

ACE2 gene polymorphisms and invasively measured central pulse pressure in cardiac patients indicated for coronarography

BACKGROUND AND AIM

The objective of this research was to determine whether invasively measured central pulse pressure (PP) in patients indicated for coronarography is associated with two common polymorphisms in the ACE2 region (rs4646156 and rs4646174).

METHODS

A total of 307 patients were enrolled in the study. The genotyping of both SNPs from peripheral blood samples was carried out using 5'exonuclease (Taqman®) chemistry on the ABI Prism® 7000 system (Applied Biosystems, Foster City, CA, USA).

RESULTS

In both polymorphisms, the associations with central PP were found to be highly significant when all five possible genotypes in the population had been compared (p = 0.0001). In men, there was a higher incidence of previous myocardial infarction in G0 genotype carriers of rs54646174 (OR ratio = 7; p = 0.005). The AA genotype of rs4646156 had a 7.81× higher risk of severe angina pectoris in women (OR = 7.81, p = 0.05). A significant difference in allelic frequency of ACE2rs4646174 was found between women with and without significant stenoses of the circumflex branch of the left coronary artery.

CONCLUSION

More research into the role of ACE2 genetic variability in PP regulations is necessary for more detailed physiological and pathophysiological comprehension of PP regulation.

Visfatin is secreted into the breast milk and is correlated with weight changes of the infant after the birth

INTRODUCTION

Visfatin is a recently identified adipokine with numerous metabolic and immunoregulatory properties that has been implicated in the regulation of the white adipose tissue (WAT) and significant changes in visfatin levels were reported during pregnancy. The aim of the study was to investigate dynamics of visfatin levels in maternal serum and human breast milk during a 180-d period after the delivery.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

: Breast milk and venous blood samples were obtained from 24 healthy lactating women with uncomplicated, physiological pregnancy and appropriate-for-gestational age neonates and serum-milk sample duos were collected at the time of birth, at the 1-3, 12-14, 28-30, 88-90 and 178-180 postpartum.

RESULTS

Our study demonstrates that (1) visfatin is abundantly secreted into breast milk in humans, reaching approx. 100× higher concentrations compared to maternal serum; (2) visfatin concentrations in maternal serum show significant variations after the delivery and (3) visfatin concentration in colostrum could be used for prediction of the subsequent weight development (less/more severe weight loss during first 3 days after the birth) of the infant.

DISCUSSION

Our data suggest that visfatin could play an important role in regulation of adiposity of the infant after the birth.