Overweight trajectory and cardio metabolic risk factors in young adults.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is one of the conditions that increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. Studies about obesity trajectory and cardio metabolic outcomes at adulthood are still scarce. Therefore, we aimed to assess the association between patterns of overweight over the life-course and cardio metabolic risk factors in young adults. METHODS: In 1982, the maternity hospitals in Pelotas were visited daily and those newborns whose family lived in the urban area of the city were identified (n = 5914), and have prospectively followed for several occasions. Weight and height were measured at every visit. BMI-for-age z-score was calculated using the WHO Child Growth Standards. Overweight and obesity were defined as a BMI greater than or equal to 25 kg/m2 and 30 kg/m2 respectively. This was the definition adopted for evaluations overweight and obesity at 30 years. The participants were divided into eight groups according to the presence of overweight or obesity in childhood, adolescence and adulthood. Blood pressure, random blood glucose, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol triglycerides and fat mass were measured. RESULTS: From 2219 participants with anthropometric data in childhood, adolescence and adulthood, 25% never had been overweight, whereas 11.6% were overweight in the three periods. Random blood glucose, SBP and DBP were higher among those subjects who were always overweight/ obese or only overweight/obese during adolescence and adulthood. The participants who were never overweight/obese or only in childhood or adolescence had a lower cardiovascular risk profile (higher HDL cholesterol, lower blood pressure, lower random glucose, lower LDL cholesterol) at 30 years. Fat mass captured from 25 to 100% of the association of overweight and obesity trajectory with cardiometabolic risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: The tracking of overweight/obesity is associated with an adverse cardio metabolic profile and this association is largely mediated by fat mass in adulthood.

C-Peptide and cardiovascular risk factors among young adults in a southern Brazilian cohort.

BACKGROUND: Proinsulin connecting peptide (C-Peptide) is a marker of the beta-cell function and has been considered a marker of insulin resistance whose evidence suggests were associated with cardiovascular mortality. Our study aims to evaluate the association of C-Peptide with metabolic cardiovascular risk factors among young adults followed since birth in southern Brazil. METHODS: In 1982, maternity hospital in Pelotas, a southern Brazilian city, were visited daily and all births were identified. Live births whose family lived in the urban area of the city were identified, their mothers interviewed, and these subjects have been prospectively followed. Casual hyperglycemia patients were excluded from analysis. C-Peptide was assessed at 23 years, when transversely analyzed its association with cardiometabolic and hemodynamic risk factors, and longitudinally 30 years of age. RESULTS: At age 23, 4297 individuals were evaluated, and C-Peptide was measured in 3.807. In a cross-sectional analysis at 23 years of age, C-Peptide was positively associated with waist circumference, body mass index, glycaemia, triglycerides, and C-reactive protein. The association with HDL cholesterol was negative. In the longitudinal analysis at 30 years, C-Peptide remained associated with BMI, waist circumference, glycated hemoglobin, triglycerides, and C-reactive protein, whereas the association was negative for HDL. CONCLUSION: In the Pelotas birth cohort, the C-Peptide was associated with obesity indicators (waist circumference and BMI) cross-sectional (23 years) and longitudinal (30 years). We also observed cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of C-Peptide with cardiometabolic and inflammatory risk factors.

Conditions of gestation, childbirth and childhood associated with C-peptide in young adults in the 1982 Birth Cohort in Pelotas-RS; Brazil.

BACKGROUND: The connecting peptide in insulin has been associated with cardiovascular risk and overall mortality in the adult population. However, its early determinants are unknown. Assess the association of exposures during pregnancy, delivery, and childhood with C-peptide among 22-23 years old individuals prospectively followed since birth, in a southern Brazilian city. METHODS: In 1982, all hospital births in the city were identified and those livebirths whose families lived in the urban area were evaluated (n = 5914). The 1982 Pelotas Birth Cohort has prospectively followed these subjects at different moments. In this study, we evaluated the association of C-peptide with exposures occurring during pregnancy, delivery and childhood. In the 22-23 years follow-up visit, we tried to follow the whole cohort and the subjects were interviewed, examined and donated a blood sample. C-peptide was measured using the chemiluminescence immunoassay technique (Immulite®-Siemens, Germany). RESULTS: In the 22-23 years visit, 4297 subjects were interviewed and the C-peptide was measured in 3807. The geometric mean of C-peptide was 0.83 ng/mL and the mean was higher among women. In the adjusted analysis, C-peptide was positively associated with family income at birth, lower among children of non-white mothers (0.90; CI95% 0.84-0.96), higher among females (1.22; CI95% 1.16-1.28), and positively associated with rapid weight gain between two and four years of age (1.18; CI95% 1.05-1.32). CONCLUSION: Family income at birth, non-white maternal skin color, and rapid weight gain between two and four years of age were associated with high levels of C-peptide.

Stem cells: therapeutic potential in dentistry.

AIM: The aim of this paper is to present a review and discussion of the current status of stem cell research with regard to tooth generation. BACKGROUND: Stem cells have been isolated from the pulp tissue of both deciduous and permanent teeth as well as from the periodontal ligament. Dental pulp stem cells demonstrate the capacity to form a dentin pulp-like complex in immunocompromised mice. A tooth-like structure was successfully formed, using a heterogeneous mixture of dental enamel epithelium, pulp mesenchymal cells, and scaffolds. CONCLUSION: The scientific community understands the need for more investigations to completely understand the conditions that would best favor the creation of a tooth substitute. Recent gains in the understanding of the molecular regulation of tooth morphogenesis, stem cell biology, and biotechnology offers the opportunity to realize this goal. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: These findings, combined with the recent progress in stem cell research and tissue engineering, might allow the development of alternatives for current materials and therapies used to treat tooth tissue loss (e.g., enamel, dentin, pulp), reconstruct dentoalveolar and craniofacial bone defects, and eventually replace an entire tooth.

Buccal cells submitted to three different storage conditions before DNA extraction.

This study evaluated quantitatively and qualitatively the effect of the storage time of samples before the application of the cell lysis solution (CLS) for extracting DNA from buccal cells (BC). BC from the upper and lower gutter region were collected from 5 volunteers using special cytobrushes (Gentra), totaling 3 collections for each individual. In the control group (n=10), CLS was applied soon after BC collection. In the other two groups, samples were stored at room temperature (n=10) or at 4 degrees C (n=10). After CLS application, DNA was extracted according to the manufacturer's instructions (Puregene DNA Buccal Cell Kit; Gentra Systems, Inc.). The DNA obtained was evaluated by two calibrated blind examiners using spectrophotometry and analysis of DNA bands (0.8% agarose gel electrophoresis). The obtained data were submitted to one-way ANOVA. The means and standard deviations for DNA extracted under immediate, room temperature and cooling temperature conditions were 3.5+/-0.7, 3.0+/-0.6 and 4.1+/-1.8 microg, respectively (p=0.385). No significant differences were found in relation to the amount of DNA for the different storage conditions. However, in the visual analysis of the DNA bands, no trace of DNA degradation was detected when CSL was applied soon after DNA collection, while DNA bands with degradation could be observed in the other groups. Within the limitations of the study, it may be concluded that CLS should be applied soon after DNA collection in order to obtain high-quality DNA from BC.