Muscle Percentage Research Articles

Use of 3D Anorectal Ultrasonography in the Preoperative Assessment of Complex Anal Fistulas and Patterns of Healing, Failure, and Recurrence After Ligation of the Intersphincteric Fistula Tract (LIFT).

To use three-dimensional anorectal ultrasonography (3D-US) to evaluate the outcome of ligation of the intersphincteric fistula tract (LIFT) in patients with crypto-glandular transsphincteric fistula and describing the patterns of healing, failure, and recurrence rate. After classifying the fistula and determining the length of the sphincter muscle to be transected, the patients were submitted to LIFT. The accuracy of pre- and postoperative 3D-US with 360° endoprobe (16 MHz) with automatic scanning and clinical findings was evaluated against surgical findings. Three outcomes were considered: healing, failure (persistent anal fistula through the original external opening or intersphincteric), and recurrence (reappearance of the anal fistula). Sixty-three patients of both sexes were evaluated. The 3D-US assessment revealed primary healing in 50 (79.3%) patients, although in 6 (9.5%) cases healing was delayed and the cavity was without communication with the anal canal. The procedure failed in 9 (15.9%) and fistula recurred in 4 (6.3%), all of whom underwent a second surgery based on a new 3D-US, resulting in a 92.3% (12/13) healing rate on 3D-US. A 3D-US was found to be useful in the preoperative assessment of fistulas by quantifying the percentage of muscle to be transected, and in the postoperative assessment by identifying healing, types of failure, and recurrence. The 3D-US was accurate and consistent with surgical findings.

Anthropometrics and Mental Health Among People with and Without Type 2 Diabetes

Objectives: To investigate the relationships between anthropometric variables and the mental health of older people with type 2 diabetes compared to those without diabetes. Design: A case-control study. Setting(s): The study was conducted in Yazd, the capital city of the Yazd province in Iran. Participants: This study comprised 501 diabetic and 555 non-diabetic individuals recruited from the Yazd Health Study (YaHS). Outcome measures: The Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21) questionnaire was used to assess mental health. The scale measured anthropometric indicators, including blood pressure, waist circumference, hip circumference, neck circumference, body fat, body muscle percentage, visceral fat, and body mass index (BMI). Results: The non-diabetic group exhibited better mental health (P≤0.01) compared to the diabetic group. Linear regression analysis indicated that, among demographic variables, gender in diabetic elderly was associated with mental health (P≤0.01), while gender, level of education, and marital status (P≤0.01) in non-diabetics were associated with mental health. Furthermore, among anthropometric factors, BMI and visceral fat (P≤0.01) in diabetics and visceral fat (P≤0.01) in non-diabetics were associated with mental health. The model obtained from liner regression based on demographic and anthropometric variables explained 6 to 13.3% and 8.8 to 15.4% of variance in mental health among diabetic (R2=0.086, P≤0.01) and non-diabetic (R2=0.162, P≤0.01) individuals, respectively. Conclusions: Gender, higher BMI, and visceral fat were associated with poor mental health among diabetic patients. The results of the present study can be used for designing appropriate interventions through different programs such as physical fitness programs.

Glucose metabolism and radiodensity of abdominal adipose tissue: A 5-year longitudinal study in a large PET cohort.

18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) allows noninvasive assessment of glucose metabolism and radiodensity in visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT). We aimed to address the effects of ageing and metabolic factors on abdominal adipose tissue. We retrospectively analyzed data from 435 healthy men (mean 42.8 years) who underwent a health check-up programme twice, at baseline and the 5-year follow-up. The mean standardized uptake value (SUV) was measured using SAT and VAT and divided by the liver SUV. The mean Hounsfield units (HU) of the SAT and VAT were measured from the CT scans. The effects of clinical variable clusters on SUVR were investigated using Bayesian hierarchical modelling; metabolic cluster (BMI, waist-to-hip ratio, fat percentage, muscle percentage*-1, HOMA-IR), blood pressure (systolic, diastolic), glucose (fasting plasma glucose level, HbA1c)and C-reactive protein. All the clinical variables changed during the 5-year follow-up period. The SUVR and HU of the VAT increased during follow-up; however, those of the SAT did not change. SUVR and HU were positively correlated with both VAT and SAT. SAT and VAT SUVR were negatively associated with metabolic clusters. Ageing led to increased glucose metabolism and radiodensity in VAT, but not in SAT. VAT may reflect the ageing process more directly than SAT. Glucose metabolism was higher and radiodensity was lower in VAT than in SAT, probably owing to differences in gene expression and lipid density. Both glucose metabolism and radiodensity of VAT and SAT reflect metabolic status.

A new human metabolic rate sensing model optimization and wearable sensor realization

Accurate assessment of metabolic rate is crucial for predicting human thermal comfort. However, many existing instruments are bulky, invasive, and inconvenient. Additionally, wearable metabolic rate measurements have faced long-standing challenges due to a lack of a comprehensive theoretical model with easy-to-measure parameters. This paper optimizes our previously proposed theoretical approach for wearable metabolic rate measurement that incorporates heart rate, whole-body unit heat loss, skin resistance, and body muscle percentage. We have improved the evaluation approach for whole-body unit heat loss by introducing a newly designed convective heat loss coefficient from various body segments. Regarding the wearable sensor design, a heat loss measuring system with serpentine channel was verified as the most suitable design following calibration experiments. We also integrated a modified square-wave-based skin resistance design, resulting in an upgraded integrated metabolic sensor. To validate our sensor and model performance, we conducted experiments with ten subjects of both genders at three temperature conditions (22, 25 and 28 °C) and four levels of activities (rest, tiptoe heel, slight walk, and moderate walk). First, our results demonstrate a strong positive relationship between the metabolic rate obtained by our optimized sensor and Quark CPET instrument, with high coefficients of determination (highest:0.97 from the male group, 0.98 from the female group). Our approach achieved at least 96 % accuracy and less than 2.5 % uncertainty for both groups. Second and increasingly, we found that only one metabolic rate model was required across combined temperature conditions when the person was fixed. Third, the positive relationship was further improved by incorporating whole-body unit heat loss. Finally, we obtained information from different segments on skin temperatures. In summary, our study provides a powerful methodology for predicting and evaluating human metabolic rate through an innovative wearable approach. Our approach and sensor have the potential to substantially contribute to energy-saving efforts in smart buildings.

Associations between tinnitus and body composition: a cross-sectional study

The relationship between tinnitus and body composition in specific regions has not been extensively investigated. This study aimed to identify associations between tinnitus and body composition. Individuals with data on physical and otological examination findings, and bioelectrical impedance analysis were included from the ninth Korea National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey. They were divided into a tinnitus group and a non-tinnitus group. Participants with tinnitus were further classified into acute or chronic tinnitus group. The tinnitus group showed significantly higher body fat percentages in each region (arms: P = 0.014; legs: P = 0.029; trunk: P = 0.008; whole body: P = 0.010) and waist circumference (P = 0.007) than the non-tinnitus group, and exhibited lower leg muscle percentage (P = 0.038), total body fluid percentage (P = 0.010), and intracellular fluid percentage (P = 0.009) than the non-tinnitus group in men. Furthermore, men with chronic tinnitus showed a significantly higher trunk fat percentage (P = 0.015) and waist circumference (P = 0.043), and lower intracellular fluid percentage (P = 0.042) than their counterparts without tinnitus. No significant differences in body composition were observed among the groups in the female population. In men, body composition may be associated with tinnitus.

Levator palpebralis superioris histopathologic findings in congenital ptosis and surgical outcome after its resection: Is there any association?

To evaluate the histopathologic findings of Levator palpebralis superioris (LPS) muscle biopsy after LPS resection for treatment of congenital ptosis and its possible relation with surgical outcomes.Please confirm if the author names are presented accurately and in the correct sequence (given name, middle name/initial, family name). Author 4 Given name: [Seyed Mohsen] Last name [Rafizadeh]. Author 6 Given name: [Seyed Ali] Last name [Sonbolestan].Also, kindly confirm the details in the metadata are correct.The author names and the sequence are correct. Congenital ptosis patients were enrolled in this retrospective study. All of them underwent full ophthalmologic examination included of Margin-reflex distance 1 (MRD-1) and LPS function measurement preoperatively. The patients were followed for 3months for the postoperative period and after that the measurements were repeated. Histologic parameters including percentages of fat, striated and smooth muscle, and fibrous tissue. The histopathologic findings and their possible correlation with the measurements are analyzed. Sixty-seven patients with unilateral congenital ptosis were enrolled. 45 patients (67.2%) were males. The mean age of patients was 16.10 ± 11.18years. The patients' MRD-1 was improved significantly from 0.82 ± 1.26mm to 3.85 ± 1.25mm after LPS resection (P = 0.000). The success rate was 80.3%. There were no correlations between MRD change and histopathologic tissue percentages but significant correlation was found between success of surgery and fibrous tissue percentage of resected sample (P = 0.033). The histopathology of the LPS may be useful in prediction of surgical outcome after LPS resection in congenital ptosis patients. The percentage of fibrous tissue play an important role.

Overexpression of PRDM16 improves muscle function after rotator cuff tears

Muscle atrophy, fibrosis, and fatty infiltration are commonly seen in rotator cuff tears (RCTs), which are critical factors that directly determine the clinical outcomes for patients with this injury. Therefore, improving muscle quality after RCT is crucial in improving the clinical outcome of tendon repair. In recent years, it has been discovered that adults have functional beige/brown adipose tissue (BAT) that can secrete batokines to promote muscle growth. PRDM16, a PR-domain-containing protein, was discovered with the ability to determine the brown fat cell fate and stimulate its development. Thus, the goal of this study was to discover the role of PRDM16 in improving muscle function after massive tendon tears using a transgenic mouse model with an elevated level of PRDM16 expression. Transgenic aP2-driven PRDM16-overexpressing mice and C57BL/6J mice underwent unilateral supraspinatus (SS) tendon transection and suprascapular nerve transection (TTDN) as described previously (n=8 in each group). DigiGait was performed to evaluate forelimb function at 6 weeks post the TTDN injury. Bilateral SS muscles, interscapular brown fat, epididymal white fat, and inguinal beige fat were harvested for analysis. The expression of PRDM16 in adipose tissue was detected by Western blot. Masson Trichrome staining was conducted to evaluate the muscle fibrosis, and Oil Red O staining was used to determine the fat infiltration. Muscle fiber type was determined by major histocompatibility complex (MHC) expression via immunostaining. All data were presented in the form of mean±standard deviation. t test and 2-way analysis of variance was performed to determine a statistically significant difference between groups. Significance was considered when P<.05. Western blot data showed an increased expression of PRDM16 protein in both white and brown fat in PRDM16-overexpressing mice compared with wild-type (WT) mice. Even though PRDM16 overexpression had no effect on increasing muscle weight, it significantly improved the forelimbs function with longer brake, stance, and stride time and larger stride length and paw area in mice after RCT. Additionally, PRDM16-overexpressing mice showed no difference in the amount of fibrosis when compared to WT mice; however, they had a significantly reduced area of fatty infiltration. These mice also exhibited abundant MHC-IIx fiber percentage in the supraspinatus muscle after TTDN. Overexpression of PRDM16 significantly improved muscle function and reduced fatty infiltration after rotator cuff tears. Promoting BAT activity is beneficial in improving rotator cuff muscle quality and shoulder function after RCT.

Effects of Micellar Quercetin Supplementation on Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestibility, Fecal Microbiota, Meat Quality, and Physiological Status in Broiler Chickens.

This study investigated the impacts of micellar quercetin (MQ) supplementation on growth performance, meat stability, excreta gas emissions, and physiological status. During a 35-day trial, 640 Ross 308 broilers were utilized. These birds were one day old, with an average initial body weight of 43.34 ± 1.43 g. They were randomly distributed across four experimental diets, each consisting of 10 replicate pens with 16 chicks per pen. The diets included the following: control (CON) with 0% micellar quercetin (MQ), TRT1 with 0.025% MQ, TRT2 with 0.050% MQ, and TRT3 with 0.100% MQ. The results indicate that broilers fed diets with increasing levels of MQ exhibited significantly higher body weight gains (BWGs) compared to the control group (p < 0.05). There was a clear linear increase in the breast muscle percentage with higher levels of quercetin supplementation (p < 0.05), while the breast color remained consistent across all groups (p > 0.05). Both cooking loss and drip loss exhibited a linear decrease as MQ levels in the diet increased (p < 0.05). The level of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) tended to decrease with higher MQ levels. Thyroxine (T4) and lymphocyte levels also showed a linear increase with increasing MQ dosage in the diet (p < 0.05). However, no significant effects were observed on nutrient digestibility, gas emissions, or fecal microbial components (Lactobacillus, E. coli, and Salmonella) with higher levels of MQ supplementation (p > 0.05). In conclusion, augmenting quercetin levels in the diet positively influenced the BWG, breast muscle development, and meat quality parameters such as cooking loss and drip loss, with beneficial effects on blood profiles.

Differences in anthropometric and vertical jump force-time characteristics between U16 and U18 female basketball players.

Considering the importance of body composition and lower-body strength and power for basketball players' on-court performance, as well as a lack of sports science research focused on female athletes, the purpose of the present investigation was to record the anthropometric and countermovement vertical jump (CMJ) characteristics of top-tier U16 and U18 female basketball players and examine between-group differences in the aforementioned tests. Thirty-two athletes who were a part of the national basketball academy volunteered to participate in the present investigation. Following the body composition assessment conducted via a segmental multifrequency bioimpedance analyzer, athletes performed three CMJs while standing on a force plate system sampling at 1000 Hz. Independent t-test and Mann-Whitney U-test were used to examine between-group differences. The findings reveal significant differences in body composition and lower-body neuromuscular performance characteristics between female basketball players ages 16 and 18. Although no differences were observed in muscle and body fat percentages, the U18 group had significantly greater height, overall body mass (both muscle and fat mass), as well as greater segmental fat-free mass (trunk, both legs and arms), intracellular and extracellular water, and body mass index when compared to their U16 counterparts. On the other hand, the U18 group demonstrated longer eccentric, concentric, and braking phase duration, as well as overall contraction time when compared to the U16 players. In addition, the U18 athletes exhibited higher eccentric mean force and power, concentric impulse, peak power, and mean and peak force.

Pengukuran Komposisi Tubuh dalam Upaya Deteksi Obesitas pada Laki-laki dan Perempuan Usia Produktif di SMA Kalam Kudus II, Kelurahan Duri Kosambi, Jakarta

This community service evaluated body composition in men and women of productive age at Kalam Kudus II Senior High School, Duri Kosambi, Jakarta. This community service study included 68 respondents. Measurements were carried out using a body composition scae to assess percentage of total fat, visceral fat, subcutaneous fat and total muscle. The results showed that the 51-64 year age group had the highest percentage of total and visceral fat, while the 18-35 year age group had the highest percentage of total muscle. These findings emphasize the importance of routine body composition monitoring for early detection and appropriate intervention to prevent obesity and metabolic disease. Recommended interventions include a balanced diet, increased physical activity, and health education focused on weight management and healthy body composition. The use of body composition analysis technology can provide more accurate data to support effective and measurable health programs among the productive age group.

Thigh muscle composition changes in knee osteoarthritis patients during weight loss: Sex-specific analysis using data from osteoarthritis initiative

ObjectivesSex of patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) may impact changes in thigh muscle composition during weight loss, the most well-known disease-modifying intervention. We investigated longitudinal sex-based changes in thigh muscle quality during weight loss in participants with KOA. MethodsUsing Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI) cohort data, we included females and males with baseline radiographic KOA who experienced >5% reduction in BMI over four years. Using a previously validated deep-learning algorithm, we measured MRI-derived biomarkers of thigh muscles at baseline and year-4. Outcomes were the intra- and inter-muscular adipose tissue (Intra-MAT and Inter-MAT) and contractile percentage of thigh muscles between females and males. The analysis adjusted for potential confounders, such as demographics, risk factors, BMI change, physical activity, diet, and KOA status. ResultsA retrospective selection of available thigh MRIs from KOA participants who also had a 4-year weight loss (>5% of BMI) yielded a sample comprising 313 thighs (192 females and 121 males). Female and male participants exhibited a comparable degree of weight loss (females: -9.72±4.38, males: -8.83±3.64, P-value=0.060). However, the changes in thigh muscle quality were less beneficial for females compared to males, as shown by a less degree of longitudinal decrease in Intra-MAT (change difference,95%CI: 783.44 mm2/4-year, 505.70 to 1061.19, P-value<0.001) and longitudinal increase in contractile percentage (change difference,95%CI: -3.9%/4-year, -6.5 to -1.4, P-value=0.019). ConclusionsIn participants with KOA and 4-year weight loss, the longitudinal changes in thigh muscle quality were overall beneficial but to a less degree in females compared to males. Further research is warranted to investigate the underlying mechanisms and develop sex-specific interventions to optimize muscle quality during weight loss.

3D quantitative CT study to assess rotator cuff muscle fatty infiltration.

Fatty infiltration is a degenerative condition of the tendon-muscle unit of rotator cuff muscles, characterized by fatty accumulation within and around the muscles. This study compares a 3D method to the Goutallier classification for evaluating fatty infiltration of the rotator cuff muscles. Employing a retrospective study design, four researchers performed 3D segmentation of the rotator cuff muscles on 65 CT scans of patients with rotator cuff arthropathy. The Goutallier classification was graded on screenshots of the Y view and two axial slices. Measurements, including HU, volume, cross-sectional area, and Goutallier grade, were performed on the 3D segmentations and the respective 2D slices. The inter- and intra-rater variability for 2D and 3D methods were calculated using the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC). The ICC for 2D and 3D methods was excellent (ICC: 0.90-0.95 and 0.81-0.99, respectively) and good for the Goutallier classification (ICC: 0.62-0.81). Overall, the relative 3D fatty infiltration was 0% for Goutallier grade 0 muscles, 7% for grade 1, 19% for grade 2, 33% for grade 3, and 37% for grade 4. The relative 2D fatty infiltration was 0%, 8%, 25%, 37%, and 43%, respectively. We conclude that 3D segmentation on CT scans is better reproducible and evaluates the muscle entirely. However, the time-intensive nature of the 3D method currently limits its clinical practicality. Quantitive 2D evaluation is excellently reproducible but may overestimate the actual fatty infiltration percentage of the whole muscle.

Comparison of methods for diagnosing sarcopenia in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Background. Sarcopenia in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) occurs in connection with the chronic inflammatory process, hormonal therapy, and limitation of physical activity due to pain syndrome. For RA patients, it is important to preserve muscle mass and function to reduce the risk of disability and improve quality of life. The research purposed to assess muscle mass and function in RA patients with a comparison of me­thods for determining skeletal muscle mass recommended by ­EWCSOP2. ­Materials and methods. A total of 44 persons were exa­mined, 32 were patients with RA, and 12 ones were healthy persons (the control group). The following methods were used in the study: the SARC-F questionnaire, the determination of the appendicular mass of skeletal muscles using dual-photon X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), the percentage of muscle and fat tissue using bioimpe­dancemetry, the determination of the cross-sectional area of the lumbar muscle using computer tomography (CT), physical performance tests. Patients with RA were divided into 3 groups: group A (11 persons) — questionnaire (SARC-F), assessment of skeletal muscle strength and determination of muscle mass using DXA was performed; group B (11 patients) — questionnaire (SARC-F), assessment of skeletal muscle strength and determination of muscle mass using bioimpedancemetry; group C (10 persons) — questionnaire (SARC-F), assessment of skeletal muscle strength and determination of muscle mass using CT. Results. All indices of physical performance tests and instrumental methods of assessing muscle mass were significantly worse in patients with RA compared to the control group. Sarcopenia was diagnosed in 50 % of patients with RA, 6 cases in group A (the average value of appendicular lean mass was 15.7 kg in them, in the control group — 21 kg), 5 in group B (the average values of the proportion of muscle mass were 21.2 compared to 29.3 % in the control group) and 5 in group C (the average percentage of muscle mass was 49.46 %, in the control group 58.32 %). ­Conclusions. Each of the methods of assessing the mass of skeletal muscles has proven its ability in the diagnosis of sarcopenia. Improving the efficiency of diagnosing sarcopenia in patients with RA will improve the response to the treatment of the underlying disease and improve the quality of life of patients.

Essential and toxic elements analysis of wild boar tissues from north-eastern Romania and health risk implications

IntroductionThe level of essential minerals in meat is an important factor in human nutrition and health. Meat from responsibly managed wildlife is an alternative raw material with considerable nutritional benefits. Meat from hunted animals has essential and non-essential elements for the human body. It is important to carefully monitor the levels of heavy metals accumulated in the tissues of hunted animals in polluted areas to ensure food safety and environmental contamination. High levels of heavy metals in food and the environment can pose a danger to human health.MethodsThe study aims to investigate the levels of essential mineral elements and heavy metals in the muscle tissue and organs of wild boar harvested through the herd density control plan over the last decade in north-eastern Romania.Results and discussionThe statistical analysis indicates that the age of the animals had a significant impact on Fe, Cu, and Zn levels in Longissimus lumborum. In the kidney a highly significant difference in Fe content by sex, with males showing higher values than females. The sex was shown to significantly influence the Mg levels. However, there are concerns about the accumulation of heavy metals such as Lead (Pb) and Cadmium (Cd), which may hurt the health of game meat consumers in the study area. Cd level it shows significant differences according to both age and sex, with higher concentrations in adults and males. Statistical analysis shows a negative correlation between Fe and Zn concentrations in muscle samples, while a positive correlation was found between Fe and Mn in kidney samples. There was also a positive association between Zn and Cu in muscle samples, but a negative association in kidney samples. Principal component analysis shows significant variation in essential element and heavy metals data between muscle and kidney samples. The loading plot shows a direct correlation between Pb and Cu and between Pb and Cd. However, an opposite correlation also is observed between Cu and Mg, Cd and Mg, and Pb and Mg. HQ (Hazard Quotient) for children compared to adults indicates a potentially higher risk associated with meat consumption among children because children are more vulnerable than adults. We report for the first time, to the best authors’ knowledge, various levels of essential minerals and exceeded maximum admitted level of heavy metals in the muscle tissues and kidneys of Sus scrofa ferus from Romania intended for human consumption, moreover, our findings highlight the need for strict monitoring and implementation of appropriate corrective measures, given the significant percentages of muscle and kidney samples exceeding the allowable limits for two of the most common toxic metals in the environment.

Linking growth performance and carcass traits with enterotypes in Muscovy ducks.

Enterotypes (ETs) are the clustering of gut microbial community structures, which could serve as indicators of growth performance and carcass traits. However, ETs have been sparsely investigated in waterfowl. The objective of this study was to identify the ileal ETs and explore the correlation of the ETs with growth performance and carcass traits in Muscovy ducks. A total of 200 Muscovy ducks were randomly selected from a population of 5,000 ducks at 70-day old, weighed and slaughtered. The growth performance and carcass traits, including body weight, dressed weight and evidenced weight, dressed percentage, percentage of apparent yield, breast muscle weight, leg muscle weight, percentage of leg muscle and percentage of breast muscle, were determined. The contents of ileum were collected for the isolation of DNA and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The ETs were identified based on the 16S rRNA gene sequencing data and the correlation of the ETs with growth performance and carcass traits was performed by Spearman correlation analysis. Three ETs (ET1, ET2, and ET3) were observed in the ileal microbiota of Muscovy ducks with significant differences in number of features and α-diversity among these ETs (p<0.05). Streptococcus, Candida Arthritis, and Bacteroidetes were the presentative genus in ET1 to ET3, respectively. Correlation analysis revealed that Lactococcus and Bradyrhizobium were significantly correlated with percentage of eviscerated yield and leg muscle weight (p<0.05) while ETs were found to have a close association with percentage of eviscerated yield, leg muscle weight, and percentage of leg muscle in Muscovy ducks. However, the growth performance of ducks with different ETs did not show significant difference (p>0.05). Lactococcus were found to be significantly correlated with leg muscle weight, dressed weight, and percentage of eviscerated yield. Our findings revealed a substantial variation in carcass traits associated with ETs in Muscovy ducks. It is implied that ETs might have the potential to serve as a valuable biomarker for assessing duck carcass traits. It would provide novel insights into the interaction of gut microbiota with growth performance and carcass traits of ducks.

Body composition and motor abilities in 8-year-old children: a pilot study

The aim of this study was to determine the correlation between body composition and motor abilities in 8-yearold children. The sample of participants consisted of 15 children (8 boys and 7 girls) with a mean chronological age of 8.31±0.24 years. The children attended the second grade of the elementary school “Čegar” in the city of Niš and were participating in some form of sports activities. The following measures were taken to assess body composition: body height, body mass, body mass index, percentage of fat and muscle and daily metabolism. On the other hand, the following tests were used to assess motor abilities: sprint at 5, 10, and 20 m (speed), standing long jump (explosive power), push-ups, sit-ups (repetitive strength) and Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery (IR) Test Level 1 (endurance). Pearson’s correlation analysis was used to determine the correlation between body composition and motor abilities in 8-year-old children. The results of this study indicated a statistically significant correlation between body composition and motor abilities in 8-year-old children. Statistically significant negative correlations were found between the following variables of body composition and motor abilities in 8-year-old children: body mass with sit-ups (p=0.047), body mass index with sit-ups (p=0.007) and the Yo–Yo IR1 (p= 0.014), and between body fat percentage and the 10 m sprint (p=0.05), sit-ups (p=0.012) and the Yo–Yo IR1 (p=0.010). Namely, it could be concluded that increased body mass, body mass index and body fat percentage values were associated with reduced motor performance in 8-year-old children.

Gender-specific link between sleep quality and body composition components: a cross-sectional study on the elderly

Sleep duration has been associated with overweight/obesity. Since sleep quality and body composition alter during aging, we conducted this study to determine if sleep quality is linked to body composition components in elderly people. This is a cross-sectional study conducted on 305 Iranian community-dwelling elderly aged ≥ 65 years. Sleep quality and body composition components were evaluated using Pittsburgh sleep quality index and bioelectric impedance analysis, respectively. The association of sleep quality and body composition components was examined using linear regression analysis. The prevalence of poor sleep quality and overweight/obesity was 48.9% and 54.4% in men and 77.0% and 79.3% in women, respectively. Women had significantly higher scores in most PSQI items than men, indicating their worse sleep quality compared to men. Women also had significantly higher body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage, and visceral adipose tissue and lower skeletal muscle and fat-free mass percentages than men. In the adjusted regression model, men showed positive associations between the third tertile of poor sleep quality and BMI (B = 1.35; 95% CI 0.08–2.61) and waist circumference (B = 4.14; 95% CI 0.39–7.89), but they did not demonstrate an association between sleep quality and body composition components. In the adjusted regression model for women, there were positive associations for BMI (B = 1.21; 95% CI 0.34–2.07), waist circumference (B = 2.95; 95% CI 0.99–4.91), body fat percentage (B = 2.75; 95% CI 1.06–4.45), and visceral adipose tissue (B = 7.80; 95% CI 1.73–13.87); also there were negative associations for skeletal muscle (B = − 1.40; 95% CI − 2.39 – – 0.41) and fat-free mass (B = − 2.76; 95% CI − 4.46 – –1.07) percentages. Except for waist circumference, other variables differed between men and women (P < 0.001). Weight management, prevention of muscle wasting, and improvement of sleep quality should be considered in a consortium when designing healthcare strategies for the elderly.

Factors Affecting Balance Performance in Adolescents.

(1) Background: The influence of different factors on balance in adolescence is assessed by conducting functional balance tests that examine its different components. (2) Materials and methods: The study sample comprised 110 healthy adolescents of both sexes, aged 12-18 years. Single Leg Stance with Eyes Open (SLS-EO) and Eyes Closed (SLS-EC) tests were conducted to evaluate static balance, whereas the Functional Reach Test (FRT) and Lateral Reach Test (LRT) were performed to establish functional stability limits. The influence of sex, age, demographic factors, anthropometric characteristics, participation in sports activities, and trunk extensor muscle endurance (Biering-Sorensen test) on balance performance was determined through correlational and univariate linear regression analyses. (3) Results: Older age (Beta [β] = 0.247; 95% CI [0.75, 5.20]; p < 0.01) and better trunk extensor muscle endurance (β = 0.224; 95% CI [0.015, 0.13]; p < 0.05) were significant predictors of the SLS-EO results, while younger age (β = -0.219; 95% CI [-1.32, -0.11]; p < 0.05) and higher muscle percentage (β = 0.237; 95% CI [0.06, 0.48]; p < 0.05) emerged as significant predictors of LRT performance, and greater bone mass was a significant predictor of FRT results (β = 0.444; 95% CI [3.62, 8.17]; p < 0.01). However, none of the independent variables was a statistically significant predictor of the SLS-EC results. (4) Conclusions: The current study found that age, trunk extensor muscle endurance, muscle percentage, and bone mass are significant predictors of different balance components, suggesting that balance is task-specific.

Cardiovascular autonomic evaluation and body fat analysis in COVID-19-recovered patients in Dakshina Kannada, India.

The pandemic, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has led to a heavy toll on the human health. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of body fat distribution, evolving long-term effect on autonomic function, and its correlation with Chalder Fatigue Severity Score in post-COVID-19-recovered individuals of Indian ethnicity. A case-control study was conducted in the Department of Physiology on 31 cases and 29 age- and gender-matched controls. Cardiovascular evaluation including heart rate variability (HRV), galvanic skin response (GSR), body fat analysis, and Chalder Fatigue Severity Score was performed on the study participants. The continuous variables of basal anthropometric parameters, GSR values, HRV indices, and body fat parameters are expressed as mean and standard deviation (SD). Diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was significantly increased among cases (P = 0.04). GSR (average) for cases is higher when compared to controls and was borderline significant (P = 0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in the HRV parameters. Cases showed significantly higher body fat distribution as compared to the control group indicating increased susceptibility of the obese population to COVID-19. Chalder's post-COVID-19 Fatigue Severity Score of cases showed a negative correlation with LF:HF and RMSSD but it was not statistically significant. In our study, we conclude that there was a significant increase in DBP and GSR (average) with significantly higher visceral fat percentage, body fat percentage, subcutaneous fat percentage, skeletal muscle percentage, and trunk fat percentage in cases as compared to the control group suggestive of higher propensity of obese individuals suffering from COVID-19 and resulting in dysautonomia as compared to the controls.

Efficacy of a Comprehensive Weight Reduction Intervention in Male Adolescents With Different FTO Genotypes.

The FTO gene polymorphisms may influence the effects of lifestyle interventions on obesity. The present study aimed to assess the influence of the rs9930506 FTO gene polymorphism on the success of a comprehensive weight loss intervention in male adolescents with overweight and obesity. This study was carried out on 96 adolescent boys with overweight and obesity who were randomly assigned to the intervention (n = 53) and control (n = 43) groups. The blood samples of the participants were collected, and the FTO gene was genotyped for the rs9930506 polymorphism. A comprehensive lifestyle intervention including changes in diet and physical activity was performed for 8 weeks in the intervention group. Following the lifestyle intervention, BMI and fat mass decreased significantly in the intervention group compared with the control group (both p < 0.05), while no change was found in weight, height or body muscle percentage between the groups. The participants in the intervention group with the AA/AG genotype and not in carriers of the GG genotype had a significantly higher reduction in BMI (-1.21 vs. 1.87 kg/m2, F = 4.07, p < 0.05) compared with the control group. The intervention in individuals with the AA/AG genotype has been significantly effective in weight loss compared with the control group. The intervention had no association effect on anthropometric indices in adolescents with the GG genotype of the FTO rs9930506 polymorphism. Name of the registry: National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute; Trial registration number: IRCT2016020925699N2; Date of registration: 24/04/2016; URL of trial registry record: https://www.irct.ir/trial/21447.