Factors In Healthy Individuals Research Articles

Analysis of the level of serum-neutralizing antibodies against Coxsackievirus A6 in a healthy population in Tianjin City from 2014 to 2020

Objective: To investigate the level of serum-neutralizing antibodies against Coxsackievirus A6 (CVA6) in a healthy population in Tianjin City from 2014 to 2020. Methods: From March 2014 to March 2020, 5 492 healthy volunteers were recruited in Tianjin City. The demographic information, personal hygiene habits, living environment hygiene, contact history with hand, foot and mouth disease cases within 6 months before the survey, history of upper respiratory tract infection, and medical history of the subjects were investigated using a self-designed questionnaire. Venous blood was collected from the volunteers, and the level of serum anti-CVA6 IgG neutralizing antibodies was determined by the micro-neutralization assay. The level of CVA6-neutralizing antibodies was compared in different years, regions, and age groups, and the influencing factors in healthy individuals were analyzed by an ordered logistic regression model. Results: The age of 5 492 healthy volunteers ranged from 0 to 77, with M (Q1, Q3) of age being 21 (7, 32) years old, and a male-to-female ratio of 1∶1.09. The high, medium and low levels of CVA6-neutralizing antibodies among the volunteers were 5.39% (296), 30.35% (1 667) and 64.26% (3 529). The proportion of volunteers with high levels of CVA6-neutralizing antibodies decreased from 54.63% (437/800) in 2014 to 30.01% (229/763) in 2020, and it also decreased with age (all P values <0.001). The results of the ordered logistic regression model analysis showed that compared with those aged >35 years, volunteers aged 0-5 years had higher levels of CVA6-neutralizing antibodies [OR (95%CI): 1.39 (1.16-1.67)]. Compared with those who did not wash their hands after going out and had poor living environments, volunteers who washed their hands after going out, had good and general living environments and had lower levels of CVA6-neutralizing antibodies [OR (95%CI): 0.80 (0.70-0.91), 0.52 (028-0.88) and 0.54 (0.31-0.96), respectively]. Conclusion: The level of CVA6-neutralizing antibodies in Tianjin City remains at a relatively high level from 2014 to 2020 and shows a decreasing trend over the years.

Impact of daily fasting duration on body composition and cardiometabolic risk factors during a time-restricted eating protocol: a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundTime-restricted eating (TRE) is a dietary regimen that limits food intake for at least 12 h daily. Unlike other fasting protocols, TRE does not dictate what or how much to eat but rather focuses on the timing of meals. This approach has been previously demonstrated to improve body composition in individuals with obesity or metabolic impairments. However, its impact on body composition and cardiometabolic factors in healthy individuals remains unclear. Furthermore, the optimal fasting duration is still debated. Thus, we aimed to compare the effects of 8 weeks of different fasting durations on body composition and biochemical parameters in metabolically healthy, non-trained individuals using a parallel randomized controlled trial.MethodsForty-one volunteers were randomly assigned to one of the four experimental groups: TRE 16:8 (16 h of fasting,8 h of eating), TRE 14:10 (14 h of fasting,10 h of eating), TRE 12:12 (12 h of fasting,12 h of eating) or a normal diet group (ND; no dietary restriction). Participants underwent body composition measurements and blood tests for lipid profiles (i.e., total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and triglycerides), fasting glucose, leptin, and anabolic hormones (i.e., insulin and testosterone) levels. Data were analyzed using both intention-to-treat (ITT) and per-protocol (PP) analysis to account for compliance. A two-way ANOVA for repeated measures was employed to assess interactions between time and group.ResultsIn the ITT analysis, TRE 16:8 reduced body mass (-2.46%, p = 0.003) and absolute fat mass (-8.65%, p = 0.001) with no changes in lean soft tissue and in calorie intake. These results were consistent with the PP analysis which included 8 participants in TRE 16:8, 5 in TRE 14:10, 9 in TRE 12:12, and the entire ND group. Participants in the TRE 16:8 group spontaneously reduced their total caloric intake, although this reduction was not statistically significant. None of the other measurements significantly changed after 8 weeks.ConclusionsOur results suggest that a 16-hour fasting window, even without caloric restriction, may be a viable strategy for improving body composition in healthy and non-trained individuals, whereas a shorter fasting period may be insufficient to produce significant changes in a healthy population.Trial registrationNCT, NCT04503005. Registered 4 August 2020, https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04503005.

Characteristics of pulse wave velocity and its correlation with cardiovascular disease risk factors in healthy individuals.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major cause of human mortality and has become the leading cause of death worldwide. Existing studies indicate that structural and functional damage to the main arteries represents a significant risk factor for early vascular lesions and many CVDs. This study aimed to explore characteristics of carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) and its correlation with cardiovascular disease risk factors in healthy individuals. Convenience sampling was used to collect demographics, risk factors, and laboratory examinations from 501 healthy individuals who underwent health checkups at our healthcare center from August 2020 to January 2021. Pearson correlation coefficients were used to examine the correlations between cfPWV and various parameters in both sexes. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to investigate the factors potentially influencing cfPWV. A statistically significant difference in cfPWV between sexes was observed only in the age group of subjects 38-47 years old. The results of the univariate analysis showed that in males, cfPWV was positively correlated with age, blood pressure, heart rate, and alcohol consumption and was negatively correlated with tehe resistive index. In females, cfPWV was positively correlated with age, blood pressure, heart rate, alanine aminotransferase, urea, creatine, uric acid, fasting blood glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol, and heart rate. The results of multivariable analysis indicated that age, systolic blood pressure, heart rate, and alcohol consumption were influencing factors for cfPWV in males, while age, systolic blood pressure, heart rate, and creatinine were influencing factors for cfPWV in females (P <0.05 for all). In healthy individuals, the distribution patterns of cfPWV values vary by sex and age. In the elderly population, especially elderly women, enhanced monitoring and regular follow-ups are recommended to prevent the development and progression of CVDs in high-risk individuals at an early stage.

Comparison of the impact of saturated fat from full-fat yogurt or low-fat yogurt and butter on cardiometabolic factors: a randomized cross-over trial.

Dairy foods are often a major contributor to dietary saturated fatty acids (SFA) intake. However, different SFA-rich foods may not have the same effects on cardiovascular risk factors. We compared full-fat yogurt with low-fat yogurt and butter for their effects on cardiometabolic risk factors in healthy individuals. Randomized, two-period crossover trial conducted from October 2022 to April 2023 among 30 healthy men and women (15 to receive full-fat yogurt first, and 15 to receive low-fat yogurt and butter first). Participants consumed a diet with 1.5-2 servings of full-fat (4%) yogurt or low-fat (< 1.5) yogurt and 10-15g of butter per day for 4 weeks, with 4 weeks wash-out when they consumed 1.5-2 servings of low-fat milk. At baseline, and the end of each 4 weeks, fasting blood samples were drawn and plasma lipids, glycemic and inflammatory markers as well as expression of some genes in the blood buffy coats fraction were determined. All 30 participants completed the two periods of the study. Apolipoprotein B was higher for the low-fat yogurt and butter [changes from baseline, + 10.06 (95%CI 4.64 to 15.47)] compared with the full-fat yogurt [-4.27 (95%CI, -11.78 to 3.23)] and the difference between two treatment periods was statistically significant (p = 0.004). Non-high-density lipoprotein increased for the low-fat yogurt and butter [change, + 5.06 (95%CI (-1.56 to 11.69) compared with the full-fat yogurt [change, - 4.90 (95%CI, -11.61 to 1.81), with no significant difference between two periods (p = 0.056). There were no between-period differences in other plasma lipid, insulin, and inflammatory biomarkers or leukocyte gene expression of ATP-binding cassette transporter 1 and CD36. This study suggests that short-term intake of SFAs from full-fat yogurt compared to intake from butter and low-fat yogurt has fewer adverse effects on plasma lipid profile. GOV: NCT05589350, 10/15/2022.

Association of microRNA-155 gene polymorphism and the incidence of systemic lupus erythematosus in Iraqi patients

An intricate, multisystemic autoimmune disease that affects multiple organs is known as systemic lupus erythematosus, or SLE. Alterations in genetic material contribute to the development of SLE. The present work aims to investigate the association of genetic variants of microRNA-155 (miR-155) that are essential in the pathogenesis of SLE. A case-control study was conducted with40 female patients and 40 healthy individuals as control group who were from the Medical City/Baghdad Teaching Hospital. The molecular study of miR-155 was performed by polymerase chain reaction using uniquely designed primers followed by sanger sequencing the results showed that wild type was present in all 80 samples. This study also detected two SNPs (rs190708267 and rs1547354) under the control group. According to NCBI, the SNPs detected are not related to any disease, but may be protective factors in healthy individuals.

Platelet Microvesicles, Inflammation, and Coagulation Markers: A Pilot Study.

Platelet "Microvesicles" (MVs) are studied for their role in blood coagulation and inflammation. The study aimed to establish if MVs are related to age, plasma levels of inflammation, coagulation, and fibrinolysis markers in healthy individuals. We prospectively enrolled volunteers aged over 18 years. MVs, plasma levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), Interleukin 6 (IL-6), Interleukin 10 (IL-10), Interleukin 17 (IL-17), and transforming growth factor β (TGF-β), fibrinogen, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), von Willebrand factor (VWF), homocysteine, factor VII (FVII), thrombin activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI), and Protein S were tested. A total of 246 individuals (median age 65 years ("IQR"54-72)) were evaluated. Both univariate analysis and logistic regression models showed that MVs positively correlate with age, CRP, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17, TGF-β, fibrinogen, PAI-1, VWF, FVII, and homocysteine, while inversely correlating with TAFI and Protein S. The ROC curve analysis performed to identify a cut off for MV values (700 kMP) showed a good accuracy with over-range cytokines fibrinolysis factor and coagulation markers. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to correlate MVs with an entire panel of cardiovascular risk factors in healthy individuals. A future possible role of MVs in screening exams is suggested.

Sex differences in serum pigment epithelium-derived factor in healthy individuals.

To investigate sexual dimorphism of serum pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) and its influencing factors in healthy individuals. A total of 162 healthy people (69 males, 93 females) who underwent health examinations in our department were selected. Serum PEDF, estradiol and other metabolic indices were measured, and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and homeostasis model assessment of β-cell function (HOMA-β) were calculated to evaluate insulin resistance and β-cell function, respectively. Subjects were divided into < 50 years and ≥ 50 years groups to explore the sexual dimorphism of serum PEDF in different age groups. We found no statistically significant difference in serum PEDF levels between men and women in total. However, in the group of subjects under 50 years old, men had significantly higher PEDF levels than women (9.32 ± 2.07 μg/mL vs 8.24 ± 2.29 μg/mL, P < .05), and no sex difference was found in the ≥ 50 years group. In women, serum PEDF levels were significantly higher in subjects aged 50 years and over than in those younger than 50 years of age (9.56 ± 3.05 μg/mL vs 8.25 ± 2.30 μg/mL, P < .05). In men, there was no significant difference in serum PEDF levels between the 2 age groups. In women, correlation analysis showed that serum PEDF levels were significantly correlated with body mass index, waist circumference, diastolic blood pressure (DBP), 2-h postprandial glucose, fasting and 2-h postprandial insulin, HOMA-β, HOMA-IR, aminotransferase, triacylglycerol, and estradiol. Elevated triacylglycerol and aminotransferase and decreased estradiol were significant predictors of increased PEDF concentrations in women. There is sexual dimorphism in circulating PEDF levels, which may be related to estrogen status.

The high cross-transmission in methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus between healthy and patient communities.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one of the main causes of high mortality and morbidity in hospitals. This study was aimed to examine virulence factors, molecular typing, and the antibiotic resistance pattern of MRSA isolates in hemodialysis patients and healthy communities. Total of 231 and 400 nasal samples were obtained from hemodialysis patients and healthy communities, respectively. Virulence factors profile was examined in two groups by PCR reaction. Enterobacterial Repetitive Intergenic Consensus (ERIC-PCR) was used as a molecular typing approach. Overall, 35.49% (82/231) of hemodialysis patients were positive for S. aureus, and 47.56% (39/82) of isolates were positive for mecA. In a healthy community, 15% (60/400) of samples were positive for S. aureus, and 36.66% (22/60) were positive for mecA. The frequency of MDR was significantly higher in patients group (p-value < 0.00001). The frequency of pvl (p.value = 0.003932, P<0.05) and tsst-1 (p.value = 0.003173, p < .05) were significantly higher in patients group. The highest frequency virulence factors in healthy individuals were related to hla (68.33%, 41/60), hlb (53.33%, 32/60), and Acme/arcA (46.66%) genes. Two groups were clustered by the ERIC-PCR method into 7 clusters and 2 single isolate with a 0.74 similarity index. Based on the results, each cluster was combination with healthy and patient isolates. Our findings indicate a notable variation in the frequency of virulence factors between S. aureus isolates obtained from dialysis patients and the healthy community.

Evaluation of anticoagulant and inflammatory effects of Tanacetum parthenium (L.) in a randomized controlled clinical trial

IntroductionThe use of aspirin in the primary prevention of diseases is debatable. Herbal products might be considered potential substitutes for synthetic chemicals in many situations. Tanacetum parthenium or feverfew is widely used to treat various inflammatory diseases, fever, and headaches. But could it be considered a herbal alternative to aspirin? This double-blind randomized clinical trial was designed to evaluate the effects of feverfew on various immunological and coagulation factors in healthy individuals and to assess its potential adverse effects. MethodsAmong healthy and non-smoking adult men of Fasa (IRAN), 60 individuals were randomly recruited into control and intervention groups. Participants consumed one capsule (250 mg) of Tanacetum parthenium or placebo every day for 2 weeks. Blood samples were taken from everyone and inflammatory cytokines, prothrombin time (PT), partial thromboplastin time (PTT), and liver function tests were assessed. T-test, Chi-square (X2) distribution, and linear regression analyses were done. ResultsThe increased serum level of PT was shown in the intervention group (12.2 ± 0.7 s) compared to the control group (11.6 ± 0.6 s) in the t-test (p = 0.003) and the regression model (p = 0.04). PTT (41.8 ± 5.7 s compared to 33.0 ± 5.1 s), IL-17A (28.0 ± 28.6 compared to 18.9 ± 15.9 pg/ml) and Chemokine MCP-1 (1061.3 ± 705.3 compared to 714.2 ± 273.0 pg/ml) also showed a significant increase in the intervention group after consumption of feverfew (P values= 0.001, 0.048 and 0.017 respectively). ConclusionThe data suggested that Tanacetum parthenium (L.) may have anticoagulant properties. It is recommended that more studies with greater sample sizes and longer follow-ups be done in this regard.

Genome Reporting for Healthy Populations-Pipeline for Genomic Screening from the GENCOV COVID-19 Study.

Genome sequencing holds the promise for great public health benefits. It is currently being used in the context of rare disease diagnosis and novel gene identification, but also has the potential to identify genetic disease risk factors in healthy individuals. Genome sequencing technologies are currently being used to identify genetic factors that may influence variability in symptom severity and immune response among patients infected by SARS-CoV-2. The GENCOV study aims to look at the relationship between genetic, serological, and biochemical factors and variability of SARS-CoV-2 symptom severity, and to evaluate the utility of returning genome screening results to study participants. Study participants select which results they wish to receive with a decision aid. Medically actionable information for diagnosis, disease risk estimation, disease prevention, and patient management are provided in a comprehensive genome report. Using a combination of bioinformatics software and custom tools, this article describes a pipeline for the analysis and reporting of genetic results to individuals with COVID-19, including HLA genotyping, large-scale continental ancestry estimation, and pharmacogenomic analysis to determine metabolizer status and drug response. In addition, this pipeline includes reporting of medically actionable conditions from comprehensive gene panels for Cardiology, Neurology, Metabolism, Hereditary Cancer, and Hereditary Kidney, and carrier screening for reproductive planning. Incorporated into the genome report are polygenic risk scores for six diseases-coronary artery disease; atrial fibrillation; type-2 diabetes; and breast, prostate, and colon cancer-as well as blood group genotyping analysis for ABO and Rh blood types and genotyping for other antigens of clinical relevance. The genome report summarizes the findings of these analyses in a way that extensively communicates clinically relevant results to patients and their physicians. © 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol 1: HLA genotyping and disease association Basic Protocol 2: Large-scale continental ancestry estimation Basic Protocol 3: Dosage recommendations for pharmacogenomic gene variants associated with drug response Support Protocol: System setup.

Entry angle during jump landing changes biomechanical risk factors for ACL injury

ABSTRACT ACL injuries are common among athletes. The injury usually occurs during sport movements involving sudden direction changes when landing and cutting. Twenty-one healthy females performed a series of jump-land-jump movements. They jumped from a 28 cm box onto two in-ground force platforms, followed by a maximal vertical jump. The direction of the first jump was tested with seven entry angles, jumping to the right (90 R, 60 R and 30 R), straight forward (0), and jumping to the left (90 L, 60 L and 30 L). Kinematic and kinetic data were recorded for data analysis. During the first 100 ms of landing, participants had significantly smaller peak knee flexion angles, larger initial knee valgus angles and larger peak knee joint external valgus moments when jumping to the right (90 R, 60 R and 30 R) compared to straight forward (0), and jumping to the left (90 L, 60 L and 30 L). Thus, entry angles to the right may increase the risk of ACL injury in the right knee. We suggest that these types of jumps should be used with caution during ACL rehabilitation, but may be useful for testing ACL risk factors in healthy individuals.

Visualizing mental health: co-design for innovative mental health promotion prototypes through interdisciplinary collaboration between psychology professionals, communication design students and tertiary design educators

Approaches to improving people’s mental health fall across a spectrum from those targeting risk and protective factors in healthy individuals to those targeting individuals with mental illness. Common to all approaches is a focus on mental health literacy, improving people’s knowledge about mental health and how it is fostered. Communication designers are not typically involved early in the development of mental health literacy campaigns or products, reflecting a prioritization of the mental health content. This article reports on the benefits of an interdisciplinary collaboration between mental health clinicians, undergraduate communication design students and tertiary design educators, called Visualizing Mental Health, which takes a different approach. Mental health concepts are used to inspire designers to create unique prototypes including games, apps, toys, and books. The development of these prototypes emerges from design thinking and creative idea generation methods. A key to the development of these outcomes is a focus on deliberately open-ended briefing, through which the creative skills of participating communication designers are expressed prior to finalization of client parameters. This approach in a mental health intervention context over a six-year period has attracted attention from mental health sector funding and led to the development of pilotable interventions into mental health literacy.

1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D and cardiometabolic risk in healthy sedentary adults: The FIT-AGEING study

BackgroundA growing body of scientific works investigating the physio-pathological mechanisms behind cardiovascular disease has suggested that vitamin D deficiency could play a key role on its development. However, it remains unclear whether its active form (1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [1,25(OH)2D] is associated with cardiometabolic risk factors in healthy individuals. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationships of 1,25(OH)2D plasma levels with cardiometabolic risk factors in a sample of healthy sedentary adults. MethodsA total of 73 adults (~53% women; 54 ± 5 years old) were included in the current cross-sectional study. A sex-specific cardiometabolic risk score (MetScore) was calculated for each subject based on clinical parameters (i.e., waist circumference, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, plasma glucose, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides) according to the International Diabetes Federation's clinical criteria. Plasma levels of 1,25(OH)2D were measured using a DiaSorin Liaison® immunochemiluminometric analyzer. ResultsNo significant association was detected between 1,25(OH)2D and MetScore (β = 0.037, R2 = 0.001, p = 0.77), independently of age, sex and fat body mass index. A significant inverse association were observed between 1,25(OH)2D and waist circumference (β = −0,303, R2 = 0.092, p = 0.01). These results were consistent after controlling by potential confounders. ConclusionIn summary, the present results suggest that 1,25(OH)2D plasma levels are not associated with either cardiometabolic risk factors or insulin resistance in healthy sedentary adults. However, an inverse association of 1,25(OH)2D plasma levels with central adiposity was observed in our study sample.

Vitamin K2 (Menaquinone-7) supplementation does not affect vitamin K-dependent coagulation factors activity in healthy individuals.

Background:Vitamin K has long been regarded as a procoagulant drug by physicians, and concerns have been raised with regard to its effects on hemostasis. Although many studies have shown that vitamin K supplementation is safe for thrombotic events, the effect of vitamin K supplementation on the activities of vitamin K dependent procoagulation factors in healthy individuals is not available.Objectives:This study aimed to investigate whether vitamin K2 supplementation at recommended doses affects the activity of vitamin K dependent procoagulation factors in healthy individuals without any anticoagulation treatment.Design:Forty healthy volunteers between 25 and 40 years of age were recruited. Menaquinone-7 (MK-7) was administrated at 90 μg for 30 days. Prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), thrombin time (TT), and blood coagulation factors II, VII, IX, and X activities and Protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist-II (PIVKA-II) were measured on days 0 and 30 after MK-7 administration.Results:PT, APTT, and TT showed no significant differences on day 30 when compared with baseline. The activities of coagulation factors II, VII, IX, and X on day 30 showed no significant differences with those at baseline. PIVKA-II levels were unchanged after 30 days of MK-7 supplementation.Conclusions:MK-7 supplementation at recommended dosage does not affect vitamin K-dependent coagulation factors’ coagulation activity, and does not enhance the carboxylation of prothrombin in healthy individuals. This indicated that MK-7 administration does not alter hemostatic balance in healthy populations without anticoagulation treatment.

Circulating Levels of the Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycan Syndecan-4 Positively Associate with Blood Pressure in Healthy Premenopausal Women.

Syndecans (SDCs) are transmembrane proteins that are present on most cell types where they play a role in multiple physiological processes, including cell–matrix adhesion and inflammation. Growing evidence suggests that elevated levels of both shed SDC1 and SDC4 are associated with hypertension and cardiovascular diseases, but their relationships with cardiovascular risk factors in healthy individuals are unknown. The primary objective of this study was to investigate whether serum levels of SDC4 and SDC1 were associated with body composition, hemodynamic parameters, pro-inflammatory cytokine concentrations, and urinary noradrenaline and dopamine levels in healthy women (17 African American and 20 European American) between the ages of 20 and 40 years old. Univariate analyses revealed only a significant (p < 0.05) inverse correlation between serum SDC1 and body fat percentage. On the other hand, serum SDC4 was positively correlated with systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and urinary levels of noradrenaline and dopamine. Serum SDC4 was also a significant predictor of systolic blood pressure in a multivariate regression model that included fat-free mass and urinary dopamine levels as significant independent variables. The result did not change even adjusting for race. Our findings indicate that SDC4 has an important role in the physiological regulation of blood pressure.

Prognostic significance of changes in the level physical capacity to assess the favorable dynamics of metabolic syndrome in patients with abdominal obesity

Background . Abdominal obesity (AO) is a key factor of metabolic syndrome (MS) and risk factor of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The level of physical capacity (PC) is an important diagnostic and prognostic criteria and a risk stratification factor in healthy individuals and patients with CVD. Objective . To evaluate the effect of changes in the level of PC on the course of MS in patients with AO on the background of non-drug correction of body weight. Design and methods . A 3-year prospective study was conducted on weight loss by non-drug methods in 153 patients with AO and MS and /or CVD risk factors. The dynamics of MS, indicators of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, and blood pressure levels were evaluated depending on changes in the level of PC. Results . The favorable course of the MS was more common in patients with an increase in the level of PC than in patients with a decrease in this indicator (82.3 and 37.5 %, respectively; p = 0.0001). When increasing VO 2peak &gt; the 5 % to 15 % chance of a favorable course of MS increases by 5.8 (1.5–22.3) and 15.1 (5.7–39.9) times, respectively. Conclusion . An increase in the level of PC is associated with a favorable MS dynamic.

Impacto del consumo de carne magra de cerdo sobre el riesgo cardiovascular

IntroductionThe nutritional value of proteins derived from lean pork meat has essentially changed with the introduction of technology in the production and the possibility of obtaining products that retain a high nutritional value. However, its consumption has been stigmatised in this country due to a possible increase in cardiovascular risk. ObjectiveTo evaluate the impact of consuming lean pork meat on some anthropometric and biochemical parameters of cardiovascular risk. MethodsA follow-up study was conducted on a population of 47 healthy subjects that consumed 200 grammes of lean pork meat for a period of 8 weeks. An evaluation was made of some biochemical, anthropometric, nutritional and cardiovascular risk parameters. ResultsNo changes were observed in the LDL-cholesterol or triglyceride levels. However, the plasma levels of HDL-cholesterol, as well as those of micronutrients such as zinc, iron and vitamin B12, increased after 8 weeks of consuming lean pork meat. Furthermore, metabolic markers, like adiponectin and IGF-1, also increased after eight weeks of consumption. ConclusionsAccording to these observations, lean pork meat may improve the supply of some micronutrients, as well as some metabolic parameters, with no evidence of any adverse effects on certain cardiovascular risk factors in healthy individuals.

Vitamin K2 Supplementation Does Not Affect Vitamin K-Dependent Coagulation Factors Activity in Healthy Subjects: A Pilot Study

Abstract Objectives Vitamin K is generally regarded as a procoagulant drug with physicians, concerns have been raised about its effects on hemostasis in the healthy population. We aimed to investigate whether vitamin K2 affects activities of individual vitamin K dependent coagulation factors in healthy individuals without anticoagulation treatment. Methods Forty healthy volunteers between 25 and 40 years old were recruited. They received 90 μg of vitamin K2 every day for 30 days. Prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), thrombin time (TT), international normalized ratio (INR), fibrinogen (FIB) levels and blood coagulation factors II, VII, IX, and X activity levels (F II : C, FⅦ : C, FⅨ : C,FⅩ : C), protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist-II (PIVKA-II), which is uncarboxylated prothrombin were measured at day 0, and day 30 after vitamin K2 administration. Plasma diluted 1:10 from vitamin K2 group and healthy control group were assayed for the activity of factors II, VII, IX, and X. Results PT, APTT, TT, and FIB did not show significant difference at day 30 when compared with baseline. The activities of coagulation factors II, VII, IX, and X was not significantly different with baseline (97.28 ± 12.42% vs. 99.96 ± 10.24%, P = 0.24 for F II: C; 76.12 ± 15.82% vs. 76.40 ± 12.33%, P = 0.92 for FⅦ: C; 97.65 ± 13.98% vs. 99.65 ± 13.30%, P = 0.47 for FⅨ: C; 89.18 ± 10.76% vs. 92.01 ± 10.46%, P = 0.1 for FⅩ: C) . PIVKA-II levels were not changed with 30 days vitamin K2 supplementation (21.62 ± 3.21 vs. 23.87 ± 2.65 mAU/ml, P = 0.16). After 30 days vitamin K2 administration, factor II, Ⅶ, Ⅸ, and Ⅹ activity of plasma diluted up to 10 times were proportionally decreased, and did not show significant difference with the healthy control without vitamin K2 exposure (10.32 ± 1.24% vs. 10.97 ± 1.55%, P = 0.38 for F II: C; 9.52 ± 2.94% vs. 9.14 ± 1.79%, P = 0.68 for FⅦ: C; 11.78 ± 2.12% vs.11.65 ± 1.54%, P = 0.87 for FⅨ: C; 8.22 ± 1.28% vs. 8.92 ± 1.13%, P = 0.21 for FⅩ: C). Conclusions Vitamin K2 supplementation at recommended dosage does not affect vitamin K-dependent coagulation factors activity in healthy subjects. Uncarboxylated prothrombin (PIVKA-II) in healthy individuals is not decreased with vitamin K supplementation. Funding Sources None.

The association of genetic variants in the cholesteryl ester transfer protein gene with hemostatic factors and a first venous thrombosis

BackgroundCholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) plays an important role in lipoprotein metabolism. Previous studies have suggested that the CETP TaqI B1/B2 allele is associated with the risk of venous thrombosis (VT). AimTo investigate the associations between genetically determined CETP concentrations and 22 hemostatic factors in healthy individuals, and the risk of a first VT event, in a large VT case‐control study. MethodsAnalyses were performed in the Multiple Environmental and Genetic Assessment of Risk Factors for Venous Thrombosis (MEGA) case‐control study. CETP unweighted/weighted genetic risk scores (GRSs) were derived from three single‐nucleotide polymorphisms that were identified from a recent genome‐wide association study on serum CETP concentrations. The associations between CETP GRSs and 22 hemostatic factors (procoagulant/anticoagulant and fibrinolytic factors) were assessed by linear regression from an additive model in controls (n = 2813). The associations between CETP GRSs and the risk of a first VT were assessed by logistic regression analyses in 3950 VT cases and 4765 controls. ResultsIn the controls (median age, 49 years; 53% women), both unweighted and weighted GRSs showed that factor VII activity was negatively associated with the genetically determined CETP concentration (weighted GRS β –3.08 IU/dL per μg/mL genetically determined CETP, 95% confidence interval −5.73 to −0.42). No association was observed with the risk of a first VT. ConclusionsGenetically determined CETP concentrations only showed a weak negative association with factor VII activity. However, this did not lead to an association with the risk of a first VT.

Plasma Concentrations of Myeloid-Derived Growth Factor in Healthy Individuals and Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction as Assessed by Multiple Reaction Monitoring-Mass Spectrometry

Myeloid-derived growth factor (MYDGF in humans, Mydgf in mice) is a secreted protein with previously unknown biological functions. In a recent study, Mydgf was shown to mediate cardiac repair after acute myocardial infarction (MI) in mice. Lack of a sensitive assay to measure MYDGF in the circulation has hampered its further investigation. Here, we developed a liquid chromatography/multiple reaction monitoring-mass spectrometry MYDGF assay, employing SDS-PAGE-based protein fractionation to deplete high-abundant proteins and a stable isotope-labeled synthetic standard peptide for quantification. The assay had a lower limit of quantification of 0.8 ng/mL and a linear range up to 190 ng/mL. Within-run and total imprecision ranged from 8 to 17% and 11 to 20%, respectively. MYDGF plasma concentrations were not affected by either storage at room temperature for 4 h or up to three freeze-thaw cycles. Apparently healthy adults presented with a median (range) MYDGF concentration of 3.3 (1.3-6.7) ng/mL ( n = 120). MYDGF concentrations were elevated 2.7-fold ( P < 0.001) in patients with acute MI ( n = 101) and were associated with inflammatory biomarkers, renal dysfunction, and long-term cardiovascular mortality. The new assay and the favorable preanalytic characteristics of the analyte will facilitate studies into the pathophysiology of MYDGF and its potential use as a biomarker or protein therapeutic in patients with acute MI or other disease states.