Thickness Of Subcutaneous Fat Layer Research Articles

Sonographic comparison of subcutaneous fat layer thickness in the scalp area in patients with androgenetic alopecia compared to healthy individuals: Cross-sectional.

Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is one of the most common alopecia among men and women worldwide. It is a nonscarring alopecia that has a characterized pattern. In female pattern AGA, the hairline is stable but general thinning occurs most notably in the frontal region. In male-pattern AGA, the hairline is receding and the thinning is most notable in the frontotemporal region. AGA has a complex pathogenesis and relation of subcutaneous fat in the scalp region and the miniaturization of terminal hair follicles is vague. In this study, subcutaneous fat in the frontal scalp an important region for AGA is compared to the occipital scalp that is spared in AGA. Our study is a cross-sectional study that has four groups. Male patient, female patient, male control, female control. Every group has 15 individuals. All of the people in the study are those referred to Rasoul Akram's dermatology clinic. The severity of alopecia is classified by Norwood scaling for male pattern AGA and Ludwig scaling for female pattern AGA. Subcutaneous tissue in the frontal and occipital regions is measured by ultrasonography. For evaluating the effect of aging on subcutaneous fat thickness, we subdivided any group into more than 40 years old and between 20 and 40 years old and compared these two subgroups. The mean age of the three groups of male patient, female patient, and female control is 40 y/o and the mean age of male control is 41 y/o. The mean subcutaneous fat layer thickness in frontal region in male patients group is 6.0mm (more than 40 y/o=6.6mm, between 20 and 40 y/o=5.5mm), in female patients group 5.1mm (more than 40 y/o=5.7mm, between 20 and 40 y/o=4.6mm), in the male control group is 4.4mm (more than 40 y/o=4.7mm, between 20 and 40 y/o=4mm) and in the female control group is 4.1mm (more than 40 y/o=4.5mm, between 20 and 40 y/o=3.6mm). The mean subcutaneous fat layer thickness in the occipital region in the male patient's group is 6.4mm (more than 40 y/o=6.7mm, between 20 and 40 y/o=6mm), in the female patient's group 6.1mm (more than 40 y/o=6.5mm, between 20 and 40 y/o=5.7mm), in the male control group is 6.3mm (more than 40 y/o=6.8mm, between 20 and 40 y/o=5.7mm) and in the female control group is 6.2mm (more than 40 y/o=6.6mm, between 20 and 40 y/o=5.8mm). This study demonstrates that the subcutaneous fat layer in the frontal region in both males and females is thicker in AGA patients than healthy group and the more severe the AGA, the thicker is subcutaneous layer in the frontal region. In the male patients group, the subcutaneous fat layer in the frontal region is thicker than in the female patients group but in the male and female control groups is not so different. The subcutaneous fat layer in the occipital region is thicker in older individuals in both patients and control groups but is not different when compared to AGA patients and control individuals.

Rotational radiofrequency-based technology leads to adipose tissue reduction and contouring effect in the thighs, abdomen, and flanks.

Excess body adiposity and skin irregularities represent a major problem in today's society. Currently, radiofrequency-based devices constitute an increasingly popular medical-aesthetic application and a powerful non-invasive method to combat this problem. This study aims to determine the efficacy and safety of the high-frequency device Zionic™ (Termosalud, Inc., Gijón, Spain) in reducing body contouring and improving skin appearance in the abdomen/flanks or thighs. Thirty nine individuals were treated with the Zionic™ device in the abdomen/flanks or thighs. A total of 8 sessions of 40-50 min each, 72/96 h apart were performed. At baseline, body measurements were taken including photographs, body contours, and ultrasound scans to assess dermal thickness, dermal echogenicity, and subcutaneous fat thickness. The measurements were repeated after the eight sessions for comparison and analysis. Quantitative data was complemented with a customized survey to evaluate participants satisfaction level. At the follow-up visit, a significant average reduction of 3% in abdomen/flanks circumferences and 2% in thighs contours was noticed. Abdomen/flanks and thighs subcutaneous fat layer thickness was significantly reduced by 8% and 6%, respectively. Dermal echogenicity changes, related to skin collagen content and organization, showed non-significant increasing tendencies of 7% for abdomen/flanks and 8% for thighs. Thighs dermal thickness was significantly increased by 6%. Results were associated to a high satisfaction level (80%) and no severe adverse events. Zionic™ treatment is a safe, effective, and well-tolerated noninvasive procedure for body contouring and improvement of skin properties in abdomen, flanks, and thighs.

Evaluation of Non-invasive Fat Reduction Using a Resistive Electric Transfer-based Radiofrequency Device With Multi-channel Handpieces.

Various devices for non-invasive body shape correction are being developed along with the growth of the beauty industry. Radiofrequency (RF) can selectively reduce subcutaneous fat without causing skin damage. The efficacy of the procedure can be improved by applying RF to a large area simultaneously with multiple handpieces. This study evaluated the safety and efficacy of a new RF device with multi-channel handpieces. In ex vivo experiments, the RF device was used to treat porcine tissue comprising the skin, subcutaneous, and muscle layers. The device's safety was evaluated by temperature measurements of porcine tissue and histological analysis. In in vivo experiments, the dorsal skin of pigs was treated with the RF device. The safety and efficacy of the device were evaluated by measuring the skin temperature, subcutaneous fat layer thickness, and conducting histological analysis. The skin temperature did not exceed the set temperature during treatment, and skin damage was not observed in histologic analysis in both ex vivo and in vivo experiments. In in vivo experiments, the subcutaneous fat layer thickness and subcutaneous lipocyte size were decreased after treatment. In addition, the fibrous tissue between subcutaneous lipocytes was increased in the RF treatment group compared with the non-treatment group. The RF device used in this study effectively reduced the size of subcutaneous lipocytes and increased fibrous tissue without skin damage. Therefore, the safe and effective use of this device for non-invasive fat reduction may be possible in clinical settings.

Assessment of the Efficacy of Cryolipolysis on Abdominal Fat Deposits: A Prospective Study.

Cryolipolysis is a non-invasive and efficacious procedure for body contouring. The effectiveness of cryolipolysis has been demonstrated on multiple areas of the body, but on a limited number of subjects. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the effectiveness and the safety of cryolipolysis in the lower abdomen adipose tissue thickness reduction. A prospective study on 60 healthy women was carried out using CryoSlim Hybrid device. Each patient underwent two cryolipolysis sessions centered on the abdominal area. The primary endpoint was to decrease the thickness of the abdominal fat deposits. The change in the abdominal circumference and the thickness of the subcutaneous fat layer were assessed. Patient satisfaction and tolerance of the procedure were also taken into account. A significant reduction of the abdominal circumference and subcutaneous fat layer thickness was observed. The mean decrease in abdominal circumference was 2.10 cm (3.1%) 3 months after the procedure and 4.03 cm (5.8%) 6 months after the procedure. The mean decrease in fat layer thickness was 1.25 cm (43.81%) 3 months after the procedure and 1.61 cm (41.73%) 6 months after the procedure. No major adverse events were noted. All patients were very satisfied, and minimal pain was reported. Cryolipolysis is an effective technique to treat abdominal localized fat deposits. No major adverse events have been described for this procedure. Our promising results should encourage further studies aimed at optimizing the efficacy of the procedure without a considerable increase in the risks. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors http://www.springer.com/00266 .

Promotion of hair growth by Lactobacillus and fermented traditional Korean berry in C57BL/6 mice

Hair loss is the state of losing hair from the scalp or entire body when new hair does not replace the hair that has fallen out. Currently, remedies such as oral finasteride and topical minoxidil are commonly used. However, these drugs may have temporary effects and cause side effects such as depression, irregular heartbeat and weight gain when used long term. Therefore, an alternative hair growth promoting agent is needed. The hair follicle undergoes anagen, catagen, and telogen phase which affect hair growth, and this hair-growth cycle is regulated by growth factors, cytokines, and hormones. Some studies reported that the gut microbiome (GM) regulates the transition between the hair growth cycle by producing hair growth-related factors and nutrients. Also, inflammation by GM affects the cascade of the inflammation in the hair follicle, which may lead to hair growth arrest. Previous studies showed strains of Lactobacillus (LAB) have anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects in an HT-29 human colon epithelial cell model and an HaCaT human keratinocyte cell model. Also, traditional Korean berry has anti-inflammatory effects in an HT-29 model. Thus, LAB and fermented traditional Korean berry by LAB (FB) may promote hair growth by regulating gut microbiome. This study investigated the effect of LAB and FB on hair growth in vivo. Six-week-old male C57BL/6 mice were used for evaluating the hair growth-promoting effects of the LAB and FB. The dorsal hair of mice was depilated, and they were orally treated with LAB at 1010 CFU/kg and FB at 250mg/kg daily for 22 days. As a result, the hair re-growth rate was significantly increased in LAB and FB groups compared with the control group. In the histological analysis of skin, FB increased the number of hair follicle and subcutaneous fat layer thickness. The mRNA expression levels of hair growth-related growth factors such as VEGF and IGF-1 are significantly increased in colon and skin. Moreover, Treatment of LAB and FB changed the composition of the microbiome and short chain fatty acids in mice. Altogether, LAB and FB supplementation may promote hair growth by regulating growth factors and altering gut microbiota compositions. In conclusion, strain of LAB and FB are potential novel approaches for hair growth promotion. This work was supported by Korea Testing Laboratory This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2023 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.

Quantification of immobilization-induced changes in human calf muscle using speed-of-sound ultrasound: An observational pilot study.

Short-term immobilization leads to fatty muscular degeneration, which is associated with various negative health effects. Based on literature showing very high correlations between MRI Dixon fat fraction and Speed-of-Sound (SoS), we hypothesized that we can detect short-term-immobilization-induced differences in SoS.Both calves of 10 patients with a calf cast on one side for a mean duration of 41 ± 26 days were examined in relaxed position using a standard ultrasound machine. Calf perimeters were measured for both sides. A flat Plexiglas-reflector, placed vertically on the opposite side of the probe with the calf in-between, was used as a timing reference for SoS. SoS was both manually annotated by two readers and assessed by an automatic annotation algorithm. The thickness values of the subcutaneous fat and muscle layers were manually read from the B-mode images. Differences between the cast and non-cast calves were calculated with a paired t test. Correlation analysis of SoS and calf perimeter was performed using Pearson's correlation coefficient.Paired t test showed significant differences between the cast and non-cast side for both SoS (P < .01) and leg perimeter (P < .001). SoS was reduced with the number of days after cast installment (r = −0.553, P = .097). No significant differences were found for muscle layer thickness, subcutaneous fat layer thickness, mean fat echo intensity, or mean muscle echo intensity.Short-term-immobilization led to a significant reduction in SoS in the cast calf compared to the healthy calf, indicating a potential role of SoS as a biomarker in detecting immobilization-induced fatty muscular degeneration not visible on B-mode ultrasound.

Prediction of total body electrical resistance normal values based on limb muscle thickness assessed by ultrasound.

Recently, a new model has been proposed to assess hydration in patients by measurement of total body electrical resistance (TBER), with results expressed in ohm rather than in liter body water. According to this approach, hydration is considered to be normal if TBER is within the normal range. As TBER is inversely related to the size of the limb muscle compartment, this relationship can be used to calculate the patient-specific TBER normal value (TBERnorm). The present study investigates whether the prediction of TBERnorm can be improved by the use of ultrasound (US) instead of anthropometrically derived parameters of limb muscularity. In total, 129 healthy subjects (60 men and 69 women) ranging in age from 18 to 75 yr, and in BMI from 17.4 to 52.0 kg/m2 were included in the study. Arm muscle cross-sectional area assessed by anthropometry (AMAcaliper) was compared with mean muscle thickness (MMT) of arm and leg assessed by B-mode US. MMT correlated stronger with TBER than AMA, and reduced the standard error of the estimate (SEE) by 15% in men and by 26% in women. Muscularity was overestimated by AMAcaliper due to a systematic error directly proportional to subcutaneous fat layer thickness. The gender independent relation between MMT and TBERnorm is described by the equation: TBERnorm = 705-75.4⋅MMT (R2 = 0.85, SEE = 22.3 Ω/m, P < 0.001). US-based measurement of limb muscularity provides a more precise prediction of TBERnorm, in particular in obese subjects, and is recommended as the method of choice.

Reliability of body composition assessment using A-mode ultrasound in a heterogeneous sample

Background/ObjectivesSeveral studies have addressed the validity of ultrasound (US) for body composition assessment, but few have evaluated its reliability. This study aimed to determine the reliability of percent body fat (%BF) estimates using A-mode US in a heterogeneous sample.Subjects/MethodsA group of 144 healthy adults (81 men and 63 women), 30.4 (10.1) years (mean (SD)), BMI 24.6 (4.7) kg/m2, completed 6 consecutive measurements of the subcutaneous fat layer thickness at 8 anatomical sites. The measurements were done, alternatively, by two testers, using a BodyMetrix™ instrument. To compute %BF, 4 formulas from the BodyView™ software were applied: 7-sites Jackson and Pollock, 3-sites Jackson and Pollock, 3-sites Pollock, and 1-point biceps.ResultsThe formula with the most anatomic sites provided the best reliability quantified by the following measures: intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) = 0.979 for Tester 1 (T1) and 0.985 for T2, technical error of measurement (TEM) = 1.07% BF for T1 and 0.89% BF for T2, and minimal detectable change (MDC) = 2.95% BF for T1, and 2.47% BF for T2. The intertester bias was −0.5% BF, whereas the intertester ICC was 0.972. The intertester MDC was 3.43% BF for the entire sample, 3.24% BF for men, and 3.65% BF for women.ConclusionsA-mode US is highly reliable for %BF assessments, but it is more precise for men than for women. Examiner performance is a source of variability that needs to be mitigated to further improve the precision of this technique.

Preclinical evaluation for removal of bulging lower eyelid fat using ultrasound-assisted lipolysis on a Yorkshire pig.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of treating lower eyelid fat bulging with ultrasound-assisted lipolysis (UAL) by performing a preclinical evaluation of the procedure on a Yorkshire pig. Two white Yorkshire pigs had lower eyelid fat bulging treated with UAL using a probe with a diameter of 1.0mm or less. Fourteen days after treatment, we evaluated the changes in fat thickness from ultrasound, changes in skin contour (volume and height) from the Antera 3D™, and the disruption of fat cells and changes in collagen synthesis from histological evaluation. Fourteen days after treatment, the fat layer was significantly reduced with no damage to the skin surface. The mean change in the subcutaneous fat layer thickness was decreased 1.51-0.75mm in ultrasound analysis. The skin contour of the treated area also decreased with time from 202.5 to 163.5mm in mean volume and 0.8111 to 0.646mm in mean height. Masson's trichrome staining showed that the UAL treatment induced the regeneration and remodeling of collagen. The results of this study demonstrate that UAL successfully reduced the bulging lower eyelid fat of a Yorkshire pig and also increased collagen contraction to tighten skin. UAL may be a beneficial and well-tolerated treatment option for lower eyelid fat bulging.

Are We over Dissecting the Cord in Orchidopexy?

Background: Orchidopexy is a procedure of securing the testis inside the scrotum in patients with cryptorchidism. In the literature, various dissection techniques have been described to lengthen the spermatic cord to ensure a tension-free fixation of the testis to the lowest point of the scrotum.Objectives: The aim of this study is to determine if incorrect measurement of the spermatic cord’s length during open inguinal orchidopexy had led surgeons to over dissect the cord in a way that may pose an increased risk of testes, vas deferens and spermatic vessels.Materials and Methods: We prospectively studied the results of 40 orchidopexies performed in 40 patients with peeping or canalicular undescended testis , which was done at the Jordan university hospital in Amman from April 2018 to March 2019 , We compared the position of the testis before and after tunneling inside the inguinal canal. The difference in length is measured and analyzed.Conclusion: Failure to account for the subcutaneous fat layer thickness during orchidopexy increases the likelihood of over dissecting the spermatic cord which increases the risk of vas and vessels injury In this study we found that there is a difference between the cord length outside and inside the canal with excess length after passing the cord inside the canal ranges from 1-3 cm . This means that we do not need to dissect the cord to make the testis reaches the scrotum from outside. This decreases the risk of harming the cord and its contents.

Increase of fat-free mass and low percentage of body fat in Brazilian sport horses training under tropical climate

This study aimed to determine the subcutaneous fat layer thickness, percentage of body fat, fat mass, and fat-free mass of Brazilian sport horses at different levels of training for and competing in eventing and the effects of a tropical climate in the body composition of athletic horses. The study included 17 Brazilian sport horses aged between 4 and 10 years. Group 1 included young horses aged from 4 to 6 years training for Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) one-star events, and group 2 comprised adult horses aged from 7 to 10 years in training for FEI two-star events. The training protocol comprised exercise for 5 days a week for 60min, including flatwork, aerobic conditioning, and jumping, both track and natural obstacles. The equines were weighted, and rump fat layer was determined by measuring the thickness of subcutaneous adipose tissue at the region of the gluteus medius muscle using ultrasound. The ultrasound evaluation was performed at the end of the equestrian season, which lasted 9 months. An increase in the body weight, fat layer, percentage of body fat, fat mass, and fat-free mass was observed in group 2 compared with the overall group and group 1, although the difference was not statistically significant (p>0.05). Despite the important increase in the percentage of body fat between young and adult horses, 4.87±1.22% and 5.64±1.90% found in group 1 and 2, respectively, it did not differ statistically (p=0.3775). This fact may contribute to a decline in their performance because fat can be a key source of energy. Lower mean values of all parameters were observed in group 1 than in group 2. In conclusion, Brazilian sport horses training for and competing in eventing under tropical conditions have the body composition accustomed for this equestrian discipline. Brazilian sport horses training for and competing in eventing have high values of fat-free mass and low percentage of body fat and fat mass, demonstrating the athletic capability of these horses. There were no significant changes in the body condition of young and adult Brazilian sport horses. A hot, humid environment led to an increase of weight and body condition.

The Effect of Subcutaneous Fat on Electrical Impedance Myography: Electrode Configuration and Multi-Frequency Analyses.

This study investigates the impact of the subcutaneous fat layer (SFL) thickness on localized electrical impedance myography (EIM), as well as the effects of different current electrodes, varying in distance and direction, on EIM output. Twenty-three healthy subjects underwent localized multi-frequency EIM on their biceps brachii muscles with a hand-held electrode array. The EIM measurements were recorded under three different configurations: wide (or outer) longitudinal configuration 6.8 cm, narrow (or inner) longitudinal configuration 4.5 cm, and narrow transverse configuration 4.5 cm. Ultrasound was applied to measure the SFL thickness. Coefficients of determination (R2) of three EIM variables (resistance, reactance, and phase) and SFL thickness were calculated. For the longitudinal configuration, the wide distance could reduce the effects of the subcutaneous fat when compared with the narrow distance, but a significant correlation still remained for all three EIM parameters. However, there was no significant correlation between SFL thickness and reactance in the transverse configuration (R2 = 0.0294, p = 0.434). Utilizing a ratio of 50kHz/100kHz phase was found to be able to help reduce the correlation with SFL thickness for all the three configurations. The findings indicate that the appropriate selection of the current electrode distance, direction and the multi-frequency phase ratio can reduce the impact of subcutaneous fat on EIM. These settings should be evaluated for future clinical studies using hand-held localized arrays to perform EIM.

Sonographic assessment of abdominal fat distribution during the first year of infancy.

Longitudinal data regarding the fat distribution in the early postnatal period is sparse. We performed ultrasonography (US) as a noninvasive approach to investigate the development of abdominal subcutaneous (SC) and preperitoneal (PP) fat depots in infants ≤1 y and compared longitudinal US data with skinfold thickness (SFT) measurements and anthropometry in 162 healthy children at 6 wk, 4 mo, and 1 y postpartum. US was found to be a reproducible method for the quantification of abdominal SC and PP adipose tissue (AT) in this age group. Thickness of SC fat layers significantly increased from 6 wk to 4 mo and decreased at 1 y postpartum, whereas PP fat layers continuously increased. Girls had a significantly higher SC fat mass compared to boys, while there was no sex-specific difference in PP fat thickness. SC fat layer was strongly correlated with SFT measurements, while PP fat tissue was only weakly correlated with anthropometric measures. US is a feasible and reproducible method for the quantification of abdominal fat mass in infants ≤1 y of age. PP and SC fat depots develop differentially during the first year of life.

A randomized, controlled clinical study to investigate the safety and efficacy of acoustic wave therapy in body contouring.

There is an increased demand for the reduction of localized adipose tissue by noninvasive methods. The objective of this study was to determine the safety and efficacy of noninvasive lipolysis of excess adiposities overlying the lateral thigh region using acoustic wave therapy (AWT). This study incorporates 2 mechanical waves with varying properties in the same session: radial and planar AWT. The treatment was performed using AWT on the lateral thigh areas of 15 female patients. The study was performed using the planar and radial pulse handpieces, with 8 sessions performed within 4 weeks. Follow-up visits were performed 1, 4, and 12 weeks after the last treatment. Reduction in both thigh circumference and subcutaneous fat layer thickness, measured through ultrasound, was observed. This study demonstrates that AWT is safe and efficacious for the treatment of localized adiposities in the saddlebag area. However, the results obtained were not statistically significant. Larger studies will be needed to further access the effects of AWT on thigh circumference reduction. Furthermore, the authors also found an improvement in the appearance of both cellulite and skin firmness after the treatments.

A clinical and biological evaluation of a novel, noninvasive radiofrequency device for the long‐term reduction of adipose tissue

A novel, noninvasive technology, utilizing suction-coupled radiofrequency (RF) heating and ultra-short pulse duration, high-voltage electrical pulses was studied for its efficacy and safety on adipose tissue reduction. Twenty-one subjects underwent treatment of their abdominal fat once weekly for 6 weeks. Clinical outcomes including abdominal circumference, adipose tissue thickness (measured by ultrasound), adipose tissue weight, body weight, and clinical photographs were obtained at visits 1 and 3 months after last treatment. Adverse events were recorded. Three subjects, who were undergoing a future elective abdominoplasty, were treated with the same protocol, but on only one side of the abdomen before abdominoplasty. Biopsies from the RF-treated and untreated sides were harvested during abdominoplasty and cultured; measurements of adipocyte size and shape, rate of apoptosis, collagen production, and dermal thickness were determined. Significant clinical improvements (P < 0.05) were observed for the following clinical outcomes: reduction of abdominal circumference (113.4-110.7 cm), reduction of subcutaneous adipose tissue thickness (40.5-38.5 mm), and reduction in adipose tissue weight (32.2-30.7 kg) at 3-month follow-up visits. Overall patient weight also decreased, which was statistically significant at 1-month follow-up, but was not statistically significant at 3-month follow-up (73.9-73.3 kg, P = 0.609). Histologically, adipocytes were observed to have decreased size and withered shape, with increased levels of apoptosis; increased collagen synthesis, with compaction and reorganization of the dermis was also observed. Only minor, transient side effects were reported. This novel, noninvasive RF device was effective for improving subcutaneous fat, reducing abdominal circumference and reducing subcutaneous fat layer thickness. Histologically, these improvements appear to be partly related to increased adipocyte apoptosis.

Determination of abdominal fat thickness using dual electrode separation in the focused impedance method (FIM)

Subcutaneous fat layer thickness in the abdomen is a risk indicator of several diseases and disorders like diabetes and heart problems and could be used as a measure of fitness. Skinfold measurement using mechanical calipers is simple but prone to error. Ultrasound scanning techniques are yet to be established as accurate methods for this purpose. magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) scans can provide the answer but are expensive and not available widely. Some initiatives were made earlier to use electrical impedance to this end, but had inadequacies. In the first part of this paper, a 4-electrode focused impedance method (FIM) with different electrode separations has been studied for its possible use in the determination of abdominal fat thickness in a localized region. For this, a saline phantom was designed to provide different electrode separations and different layers of resistive materials adjacent to the electrodes. The background saline simulated the internal organs having low impedance while the resistive layers simulated the subcutaneous fat. The plot of the measured impedance with electrode separation had different ‘slopes’ for different thicknesses of resistive layers, which offered a method to obtain an unknown thickness of subcutaneous fat layer. In the second part, measurements were performed on seven human subjects using two electrode separations. Fat layer thickness was measured using mechanical calipers. A plot of the above ‘slope’ against fat thickness could be fitted using a straight line with an R2 of 0.93. Then this could be used as a calibration curve for the determination of unknown fat thickness. Further work using more accurate CT and MRI measurements would give a better calibration curve for practical use of this non-invasive and low-cost technique in abdominal fat thickness measurement.

DXA, bioelectrical impedance, ultrasonography and biometry for the estimation of fat and lean mass in cats during weight loss

BackgroundFew equations have been developed in veterinary medicine compared to human medicine to predict body composition. The present study was done to evaluate the influence of weight loss on biometry (BIO), bioimpedance analysis (BIA) and ultrasonography (US) in cats, proposing equations to estimate fat (FM) and lean (LM) body mass, as compared to dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) as the referenced method. For this were used 16 gonadectomized obese cats (8 males and 8 females) in a weight loss program. DXA, BIO, BIA and US were performed in the obese state (T0; obese animals), after 10% of weight loss (T1) and after 20% of weight loss (T2). Stepwise regression was used to analyze the relationship between the dependent variables (FM, LM) determined by DXA and the independent variables obtained by BIO, BIA and US. The better models chosen were evaluated by a simple regression analysis and means predicted vs. determined by DXA were compared to verify the accuracy of the equations.ResultsThe independent variables determined by BIO, BIA and US that best correlated (p < 0.005) with the dependent variables (FM and LM) were BW (body weight), TC (thoracic circumference), PC (pelvic circumference), R (resistance) and SFLT (subcutaneous fat layer thickness). Using Mallows’Cp statistics, p value and r2, 19 equations were selected (12 for FM, 7 for LM); however, only 7 equations accurately predicted FM and one LM of cats.ConclusionsThe equations with two variables are better to use because they are effective and will be an alternative method to estimate body composition in the clinical routine. For estimated lean mass the equations using body weight associated with biometrics measures can be proposed. For estimated fat mass the equations using body weight associated with bioimpedance analysis can be proposed.

Body shaping with acoustic wave therapy AWT®/EPAT®: Randomized, controlled study on 14 subjects

Introduction: Reduction of localised adiposities by non invasive means is a very frequent request among the female and male population. Objective: The objective of this study is to demonstrate the efficacy and safety of AWT®, combining two different mechanical waves, planar AWT and radial AWT during the same session, in volume reduction of saddle bags in women. Methods: Treatment was performed on the saddle bag areas of 14 female patients, with the CELLACTOR® SC1 (Storz Medical AG, Tägerwilen, Switzerland) using extracorporeal pulse activation technology, EPAT®. This device includes two handpieces, the C-ACTOR® and the D-ACTOR®. Within 4 weeks, eight AWT® treatment sessions have been performed with both applicators. Follow-up visits were performed 1, 4 and 12 weeks after the last treatment. Results: Measurements with the ultrasound system clearly demonstrate a significant diminution in the subcutaneous fat layer thickness and a reduction of the averaged circumference of thighs. Conclusions: This study, although performed on a small number of patients, tends to show the safety and efficacy of AWT® in treating localized fat areas in a non-invasive way. There is also an additional benefit for patients in reducing the cellulite appearance and improving the skin firmness at the same time by using AWT®.

Lipedematous alopecia with mucinosis: report of the first case in Taiwan

Lipedematous alopecia is an uncommon disease that mainly affects African American and Egyptian women. This report is of an 18-year-old Taiwanese woman who presented with asymptomatic boggy and thickened scalp for 10 years. In the last 6 months, there was diffuse hair loss on the affected scalp without scarring. Histopathologically, there were increased thickness of subcutaneous fat layer, mild perivascular lymphocytic infiltration, and separated collagen bundles in the dermis. Alcian blue stain demonstrated mucin deposition in the dermis and subcutis, whereas magnetic resonance imaging showed thickened scalp with expanded subcutaneous fat layer. The clinical findings and imaging study established the diagnosis of lipedematous alopecia. The pathogenesis and disease etiology remain unclear. The coexistence of mucin is extremely rare and its significance should be further investigated.

Nucleotide sequence polymorphisms of beta1‐, beta2‐, and beta3‐adrenergic receptor genes on Jinhua, Meishan, Duroc and Landrace pigs

ABSTRACTThe full amino acid coding sequences of adrenergic receptor genes beta1, beta2, and beta3 (ADRB1, ADRB2, and ADRB3)were determined for Jinhua, Meishan, Duroc and Landrace pigs. Non‐synonymous substitution of Arg458Pro was found in the porcine ADRB1 gene, resulting in a 469 amino acid sequence. Continuous substitutions of Asn29Asp and Glu30Gln were found in the porcine ADRB2 gene, resulting in a 418 amino acid sequence. Additionally, a Lys30 polymorphism of the ADRB2 gene was found in the Jinhua pigs. There were three non‐synonymous substitutions of Asn24Thr, Arg264Gln and Asn398Asp on the porcine ADRB3 gene. A thymine insertion in the ADRB3 gene, resulting in a protein with two fewer amino acids, was found in the Jinhua and Meishan pigs. To assess the effect of ADRB polymorphisms on porcine subcutaneous fat layer thickness, we calculated the genetic frequency of the variants in fatty and lean groups, each consisting of 24 pigs that were crossbreds of Duroc and Jinhua pigs. The effect of the ADRB3 gene polymorphism was not evaluated, because there was insufficient variation on the ADRB3 gene in the examined groups. Although Fisher's exact test showed no significant difference in the frequency of ADRB1 and ADBR2 variants between the two groups, the Arg458 variant of ADRB1 was higher (P = 0.11) in the lean group, and pigs in that group had a thinner fat layer than did those with the Pro458 variant. These results imply a possibility of ADRB1 polymorphism as a minor factor in porcine fat layer thickness. The Asp29 variant of ADRB2 was higher in the lean group (P = 0.11), and the Glu30 variant was higher in the fatty group (P = 0.15), but the Asp29 variant was found only in the Chinese pigs. Thus, the effect of ADRB2 polymorphisms was not clear in this study.