0000000000302891
AUTHOR
Manuela Dittmar
A Cross-sectional Growth Study of Forearm Length and Tibial Length in an Indigenous Andean Population of 6 to 19 Years of Age.
Patterns of growth in forearm length and tibial length were studied in 149 school-children of Aymara ancestry (73 boys and 76 girls), aged 6 to 19 years. The investigation was based on a cross-sectional survey performed in 1987 in the rural community of Putre (3, 530 m), northern Chile. The results show that there is little sexual dimorphism over the age period of 6 to 13 years, while sex differences are more pronounced between the ages of 14 and 17 years, both for forearm length and tibial length, with boys having higher means. Correspondingly, the maximum values achieved for both measurements are greater in boys than in girls. The growth spurt begins about two years earlier in girls than …
Bioimpedance phase angle indicates catabolism in Type 2 diabetes
Aims Body cell mass is directly proportional to the bioimpedance phase-angle which is an indicator of the amount of electrical charge that cell membranes can hold and is an index of cellular health and function. To evaluate whether the bioimpedance phase angle is relevant for indicating catabolism in people with diabetes and whether it discriminates between people with diabetes receiving different types of therapy. Methods A cross-sectional study was performed in 182 people with Type 2 diabetes and 107 age- and BMI-matched control subjects. The phase angle was measured at 5, 50 and 100 kHz using multifrequency bioimpedance analysis. The phase angles were compared among different diabetes th…
Exposure to toxic agents alters organic elemental composition in human fingernails.
Abstract Background and objective: The human fingernail plate is highly keratinized. The keratin structure is held together by disulfide bonds. The organic elements sulfur and nitrogen occur almost exclusively in amino acids of the nail plate. This study analyzed whether occupational exposure to harmful chemical agents alters the organic elemental composition in fingernails. Subjects and methods: Participants were 71 occupationally exposed workers (49 hairdressers, 22 painters) and 49 unexposed controls. Aspects of exposure were assessed by questionnaire. Nail clippings of index and little fingers were analyzed for sulfur (S), nitrogen (N), carbon (C), and hydrogen (H) contents, using an au…
Early onset of polyglandular failure is associated with HLA-DRB1*03.
ObjectivesPolyglandular failure or autoimmunity (PGA) involves at least two endocrine diseases. Several genes may play a role in its etiology. This study analyzed 1) whether HLA-DRB1, HLA-DQB1, and MHC class I chain-related gene A (MICA) polymorphisms are associated in PGA and 2) whether PGA patients display stronger associations with these immune genes than patients with monoglandular autoimmunity (MGA).DesignAssociation study.MethodsHLA-DRB1, HLA-DQB1, and MICA alleles were analyzed in 73 patients with PGA, 283 with MGA, and 206 healthy controls. The HLA-DRB1 and HLA-DQB1 polymorphisms were determined with PCR-amplified DNA being hybridized with PCR-sequence-specific oligonucleotide probe…
Comparison of soft tissue body composition in postmenopausal women with or without hormone replacement therapy considering the influence of reproductive history and lifestyle.
To examine long-term effects of at least 5 years' conventional hormone replacement therapy (HRT), reproductive history and lifestyle on fat mass and muscle mass in postmenopausal women.A cross-sectional retrospective approach was used, including 64 healthy women (56-69 years, mean age 63.4 years). Hormone users were compared with age-matched non-users with respect to (a) type of HRT used (oestrogen vs oestrogen plus gestagen vs no hormones), (b) categories of oestrogens used (oestradiol-based oestrogens vs conjugated equine oestrogens vs no oestrogens) and (c) categories of gestagens used (testosterone derivatives vs progesterone derivatives vs no gestagens). Data on hormone use, reproducti…
Comparison of bipolar and tetrapolar impedance techniques for assessing fat mass.
Whole body fat mass (BF) can be predicted by different bioimpedance (BIA) techniques measuring the whole body (tetrapolar hand-to-foot technique, HF), lower body (bipolar foot-to-foot technique, FF), or upper body (bipolar hand-to-hand technique, HH). This study analyzed 146 healthy volunteers (age 18-84 years) for whether these three techniques differ in their estimates of BF, and whether sex and age of the subjects influence estimates of BF. Reproducibility of the techniques was tested by calculating the technical error (TE). Effects of BIA technique, sex, and age on predicted BF were analyzed with ANOVA for repeated measurements in a mixed effect design. Results showed high reproducibili…
Contribution of genetic and environmental factors to variation in body compartments--a twin study in adults.
This study aimed at analyzing the contribution of genetic and environmental factors on phenotypic variation of various traits of body composition. Subjects were 30 same-sexed pairs of twins including 20 monozygous (MZ) and 10 dizygous (DZ) pairs, aged 19-62 years. Zygosity was determined by DNA typing and morphological diagnosis. Body composition parameters (fat mass FM, lean body mass LBM, body cell mass BCM, extracellular mass ECM, total body water TBW, extracellular water ECW, and intracellular water ICW) were estimated by tetrapolar bioelectrical impedance analysis. Potential environmental factors influencing body composition (number of children, sporting activity and smoking behaviour)…
Secular growth changes in the stature and weight of Amerindian schoolchildren and adults in the Chilean Andes, 1972-1987.
A positive secular trend for stature and weight is evident in rural Aymara-speaking Indians of the Parinacota Province (>3,000 m) in the northern Chilean Andes. The study is based on two cross-sectional growth surveys carried out in 1972 and 1987. In the survey of 1972, which was undertaken by other authors, a sample of 190 individuals was considered. The 1987 survey, performed by the present author, comprises a sample of 170 Indians. Both children and adults of each sex, ages 6-29 years, are included. Secular comparisons of age-grouped means indicate a secular increase in stature and weight in Aymara children, adolescents, and adults in the Parinacota Province between 1972 and 1987. The Ay…
Review of studies of polymorphic blood systems in the Aymara indigenous population from Bolivia, Peru, and Chile.
A review was made of all studies available from the literature referring to polymorphic blood systems of South American Aymara Indians. 33 original papers published up to 1990 covering a period of 45 years were summarized. Aymara samples were considered from a total of 55 localities in Bolivia, Peru, and Chile. Gene frequencies were tabulated for 21 polymorphic genetic systems comprising blood groups (AB0, MNSs, P, Rh, Lu, K, Le, Fy, Jk, Di), erythrocyte enzyme groups (AcP, 6PGD, PGM1, AK, ADA, EsD), and plasma protein groups (Hp, Tf, Gc, Gm, Km). Weighted average and range over all Aymara samples were computed for each blood system and compared with corresponding mean value and range in So…
Finger ridge-count asymmetry and diversity in Andean Indians and interpopulation comparisons
A separate analysis of ulnar and radial finger ridge-counts, obtained from 115 Aymara Indians (55 males and 60 females) of northern Chile, was performed. From these variables, directional asymmetry, fluctuating asymmetry, indices of bilateral asymmetry (square root of A2), and intraindividual diversity (s/square root of 5) were calculated for each sex. The results show that most bimanual differences for the ridge-counts are not statistically significant in the Aymara, except for radial counts in female first and second fingers (right hand means are larger), while most ulnar-radial differences are highly significant in both sexes (radial values exceed ulnar ones). Most sex differences do not…
Reliability and variability of bioimpedance measures in normal adults: Effects of age, gender, and body mass
This study aimed to analyze the reliability and evaluate the causes of variability of bioimpedance parameters. Direct measures were analyzed because they are not affected by inappropriate prediction models. Resistance (R), reactance (Xc), and phase angle (PA) were determined at three fixed frequencies (5, 50, and 100 kHz) in 653 normal Germans (244 males and 409 females), aged 20-90 years, using a phase-sensitive whole-body tetrapolar bioimpedance analyzer (BIA 2000-M, Data Input, Germany). From these values, six bioimpedance ratios were calculated (R(5)/R(50), R(5)/R(100), Xc(5)/Xc(50), Xc(5)/Xc(100), PA(5)/PA(50), and PA(5)/PA(100)). Reliability of duplicate measurements, as determined by…
Functional and Postural Lateral Preferences in Humans: Interrelations and Life-Span Age Differences
This study aimed to provide data on lateral preferences among older subjects, to analyze age differences, and to determine interrelations between lateral preferences. Four functional preferences (handedness, footedness, eyedness, earedness) and three postural lateral preferences (hand-clasping, arm-folding, leg-crossing) were assessed in 628 Germans (252 men, 376 women) aged between 19 and 90 years. Sex differences, age differences, and associations between lateralities were analyzed applying chi-square tests. Logistic regression analyses considering age, sex, and interactions between variables were applied to analyze combined effects on laterality measures. Right-sided preference for hande…
Gerontology - anthropology in gerontological research
Topics on gerontology are grossly under-represented in the German anthropological field of research. Nevertheless, new establishments of distinct research centres in the gerontological area indicate a trend towards innovative and interdisciplinary research. Up to now, anthropology has contributed relatively few studies to gerontological questions. Considering the increasing social importance of gerontological issues, the present paper attempts to present research fields and perspectives that are relevant to anthropological studies in gerontology. Three subject areas are addressed: (1) current involvement of anthropology in gerontological research, (2) evaluation of prospects for future anth…
Age-related decline in body cell mass in elderly men and women, determined by a noninvasive nuclear technique: Effects of physical activity and dietary potassium intake
The body cell mass (BCM) represents the actively metabolizing cellular components of the human body. In this study, the hypothesis was tested that physical activity and a sufficient dietary intake of potassium attenuate the age-related decline in BCM in the elderly. Cross-sectional data were collected in 82 male and 79 female non-institutionalized elderly (60–90 years) from Mainz, Germany, and were analyzed by age groups. BCM was calculated from total body potassium, measured by whole-body counting of naturally occurring 40K. Physical activity level (PAL) was assessed by a standardized questionnaire. Dietary intake of potassium (DIP) was estimated from a 7-day food diary. The results showed…
Metabolic and psychosocial effects of minimal invasive gastric banding for morbid obesity
Obesity is considered a primary risk factor for cardiovascular disease and related mortality. The current study aimed to investigate the efficacy of minimal invasive gastric banding (GB) surgery for reducing caloric intake in morbid obesity, and to analyze the effects of weight loss on body composition and metabolic and psychosocial outcomes. Twenty-six adult severely obese patients (mean body mass index [BMI], 48.1 kg/m(2); range, 42 to 56) underwent adjustable silicone laparoscopic GB. Nine additional obese patients who declined surgery were treated with metformin (2 g daily) and served as a small additional group (BMI, 50.5 kg/m(2); range, 41 to 68). Presurgery and 17 +/- 2.2 months post…
Randomisierte, doppelblinde Crossover-Studie zur Bioverfügbarkeit von Levothyroxin
Fragestellung: Synthetische Schilddrusenhormonpraparate mit der Wirkstoffgruppe Levotyroxin-Natrium (LT4) gelten als Mittel der Wahl be der Substitutionstherapie jeder Form der Hypothyreose sowie bei der Mitbehandlung des euthyreoten Kropfes. Fallbeschreibungen aus der Literatur zufolge fuhrte wahrend der Therapie mit LT4-Praparaten ein Praparatwechsel zur Stoffwechselentgleisung. Zwei gangige LT4-Praparate, L-Thyroxin Henning®100 und Eferox®100, wurden deshalb in dieser Studie an euthyreoten Probanden auf Unterschiede in ihrer Bioverfugbarkeit analysiert. Probanden und Methodik: In einer randomisierten Doppelblindstudie nahmen 60 freiwillige euthyreote Probanden 2 Wochen lang taglich 1 Tbl…
Genetics of Polyglandular Failure
Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the genetic aspects of polyglandular failure syndromes (APS).The polyglandular failure syndromes comprise of a wide spectrum of autoimmune disorders and encompass a rare juvenile type (APS1) and more frequent adult types (APS2 and APS3). The juvenile type APS1 is also known as autoimmune polyendocrinopathy candidiasis ectodermal dystrophy because it consists of three main disorders, namely chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis, autoimmune hypoparathyroidism and autoimmune Addison's disease. APS2 is defined as the association between Addison's disease and either autoimmune thyroid disease or type 1 diabetes mellitus and APS3 is characterized by the presen…