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Background: The polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is associated with insulin resistance, obesity and cardiometabolic comorbidities. We here challenged the hypothesis, using state-of-the art proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy metabolomics profiling, that androgen excess in women induces also a certain masculinization of intermediate metabolism that is modulated by obesity. Methods: Participants were 53 Caucasian young adults, including 17 women with classic PCOS consisting of hyperandrogenism and ovulatory dysfunction, 17 non-hyperandrogenic women presenting with regular menses, and 19 healthy men, selected in order to be similar in terms of age and body mass index (BMI). Half of the subjects had obesity defined by a body mass index ≥ 30 kg/m2. Subjects maintained the same diet unrestricted in carbohydrates for 3 days before sampling and maintained their lifestyle and exercise patterns prior and during the study. Plasma samples were submitted to proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy metabolomics profiling. Results: Obesity associated a metabolomics profile mainly characterized by increased branched chain and aromatic aminoacids. Regardless of obesity, this unfavorable profile also characterized men as compared with control women, and was shared by women with PCOS. Notably, the negative impact of obesity on metabolomics profile was restricted to women, with obese men showing no further deterioration when compared with their non-obese counterparts. Conclusions: Serum metabolomics profiling by proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy reveals sexual dimorphism, and masculinization of intermediate metabolism in women with PCOS, further suggesting a role for sex and sex hormones in the regulation of intermediate metabolism.

Background: The associations of abdominal skeletal muscle mass index (SMI), visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue (VAT and SAT, respectively), and mortality among patients with stage I-III colorectal cancer may differ for men and women, but only few studies stratified their data into men and women. We investigated associations of abdominal SMI, VAT, and SAT with overall mortality among men and among women with stage I-III colorectal cancer.Methods: SMI, VAT, and SAT were assessed from abdominal CT images for 1,998 patients with stage I-III colorectal cancer diagnosed between 2006 and 2015. Restricted cubic splines (RCS) were used to investigate associations of SMI, VAT, and SAT with overall mortality.Results: Average age of the participants was 67.9 +/- 10.6 years and 58% were men. During a median follow-up of 4.3 years, 546 (27%) patients died. Among men, the association of SMI and mortality was statistically significant in a nonlinear way in the RCS analyses, with lower SMI levels associated with higher mortality. SMI was not associated with mortality among women. SAT was associated with mortality in a nonlinear way for men and for women, with lower SAT levels being associated with higher mortality. VAT was not significantly associated with mortality in men or women.Conclusion: Associations of abdominal skeletal muscle mass with mortality among patients with colorectal cancer were not the same for men and for women.Impact: This study stresses the importance for more attention on sex-related differences in body composition and cancer outcomes.

Background: The associations of abdominal skeletal muscle mass index (SMI), visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue (VAT and SAT, respectively), and mortality among patients with stage I-III colorectal cancer may differ for men and women, but only few studies stratified their data into men and women. We investigated associations of abdominal SMI, VAT, and SAT with overall mortality among men and among women with stage I-III colorectal cancer.Methods: SMI, VAT, and SAT were assessed from abdominal CT images for 1,998 patients with stage I-III colorectal cancer diagnosed between 2006 and 2015. Restricted cubic splines (RCS) were used to investigate associations of SMI, VAT, and SAT with overall mortality.Results: Average age of the participants was 67.9 +/- 10.6 years and 58% were men. During a median follow-up of 4.3 years, 546 (27%) patients died. Among men, the association of SMI and mortality was statistically significant in a nonlinear way in the RCS analyses, with lower SMI levels associated with higher mortality. SMI was not associated with mortality among women. SAT was associated with mortality in a nonlinear way for men and for women, with lower SAT levels being associated with higher mortality. VAT was not significantly associated with mortality in men or women.Conclusion: Associations of abdominal skeletal muscle mass with mortality among patients with colorectal cancer were not the same for men and for women.Impact: This study stresses the importance for more attention on sex-related differences in body composition and cancer outcomes.

This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Advances in Meat Nutritional, Sensory and Physical Quality Improvement., The objective was to compare the quality of beef from bulls reared in typical Irish indoor systems or in novel grass-based systems. Bulls were assigned to one of the following systems: (a) grass silage plus barley-based concentrate ad libitum(CON); (b) grass silage ad libitum plus 5 kg of concentrate (SC); (c) grazed grass without supplementation (G0); (d) grazed grass plus 0.5 kg of the dietary dry matter intake as concentrate (GC) for (100 days) until slaughter (14.99 months). Carcass characteristics and pH decline were recorded. Longissimus thoracis was collected for analytical and sensory analysis. Lower carcass weight, conformation and fatness scores were found for grazing compared to CON and SC groups. CON bulls had highest intramuscular fat and lighter meat colour compared with grazing bulls. The SC meat (14 days aged) was rated higher for tenderness, texture, flavour and acceptability compared with grazing groups. CON saturated and monounsaturated fatty acid (FA) concentration was highest, conversely, omega-3 FA concentration was higher for GC compared with CON, while no differences were found in polyunsaturated FA. In conclusion, while market fatness specification was not reached by grazed grass treatments, beef eating quality was not detrimentally affected and nutritional quality was improved.

This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Advances in Meat Nutritional, Sensory and Physical Quality Improvement., The objective was to compare the quality of beef from bulls reared in typical Irish indoor systems or in novel grass-based systems. Bulls were assigned to one of the following systems: (a) grass silage plus barley-based concentrate ad libitum(CON); (b) grass silage ad libitum plus 5 kg of concentrate (SC); (c) grazed grass without supplementation (G0); (d) grazed grass plus 0.5 kg of the dietary dry matter intake as concentrate (GC) for (100 days) until slaughter (14.99 months). Carcass characteristics and pH decline were recorded. Longissimus thoracis was collected for analytical and sensory analysis. Lower carcass weight, conformation and fatness scores were found for grazing compared to CON and SC groups. CON bulls had highest intramuscular fat and lighter meat colour compared with grazing bulls. The SC meat (14 days aged) was rated higher for tenderness, texture, flavour and acceptability compared with grazing groups. CON saturated and monounsaturated fatty acid (FA) concentration was highest, conversely, omega-3 FA concentration was higher for GC compared with CON, while no differences were found in polyunsaturated FA. In conclusion, while market fatness specification was not reached by grazed grass treatments, beef eating quality was not detrimentally affected and nutritional quality was improved.

This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Advances in Meat Nutritional, Sensory and Physical Quality Improvement., The objective was to compare the quality of beef from bulls reared in typical Irish indoor systems or in novel grass-based systems. Bulls were assigned to one of the following systems: (a) grass silage plus barley-based concentrate ad libitum(CON); (b) grass silage ad libitum plus 5 kg of concentrate (SC); (c) grazed grass without supplementation (G0); (d) grazed grass plus 0.5 kg of the dietary dry matter intake as concentrate (GC) for (100 days) until slaughter (14.99 months). Carcass characteristics and pH decline were recorded. Longissimus thoracis was collected for analytical and sensory analysis. Lower carcass weight, conformation and fatness scores were found for grazing compared to CON and SC groups. CON bulls had highest intramuscular fat and lighter meat colour compared with grazing bulls. The SC meat (14 days aged) was rated higher for tenderness, texture, flavour and acceptability compared with grazing groups. CON saturated and monounsaturated fatty acid (FA) concentration was highest, conversely, omega-3 FA concentration was higher for GC compared with CON, while no differences were found in polyunsaturated FA. In conclusion, while market fatness specification was not reached by grazed grass treatments, beef eating quality was not detrimentally affected and nutritional quality was improved.

Background and aims: The double-blind randomized European Childhood Obesity Project (CHOP) demonstrated that reduced protein content in infant formula leads to a lower body mass index (BMI) up to six years of age. Here we aimed at assessing pre-peritoneal fat, a marker of visceral fat, in children participating in the CHOP trial. Methods and results: Healthy term formula-fed infants in five European countries were randomized either to higher (n = 550) or lower (n = 540) protein formulas in the first year of life. Infants who were exclusively breastfed for at least three months (n = 588) were enrolled as an observational (non randomized) group. At age 5 years, subcutaneous fat (SC) and pre-peritoneal fat (PP) were measured by ultrasound in a subgroup of 275 children. The PP fat layer was thicker in the higher compared to the lower protein group (adjusted estimated difference: 0.058 cm, 95% CI 0.002; 0.115; p = 0.043), while SC fat was not different. Girls showed a thicker SC fat layer than boys. Conclusions: Higher protein intake in formula-fed infants appears to enhance pre-peritoneal fat tissue accumulation at the age of 5 years, but not of subcutaneous fat, which may trigger adverse metabolic and health consequences. (C) 2016 The Italian Society of Diabetology, the Italian Society for the Study of Atherosclerosis, the Italian Society of Human Nutrition, and the Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Thirty-six Merino lambs (8-9 weeks of age and 15.3 +/- 0.13 kg of initial liveweight) were used to evaluate the effects of the inclusion of 120 g sugar beet pulp (replacing barley) and the addition of 20 g sodium bicarbonate per kg concentrate on feed intake, digestibility, animal performance and carcass characteristics in fattening lambs. Animals were housed individually and fed barley straw and the corresponding experimental concentrate feed ad libitum [ basal diet composed of (g/kg) barley (500), maize (230), soybean meal (190), molasses (50) and vitamin premix (30)]. Faeces were collected for 5 days to estimate digestibility. Lambs were slaughtered when they reached 25 kg liveweight. Carcasses were chilled at 4 degrees C for 24 h, some carcass dimensions were calculated, the left carcass was jointed into commercial cuts and shoulder tissue composition determined. Sugar beet pulp decreased DM intake (P < 0.05) and average daily gain (P < 0.001), increasing feed : gain ratio (P < 0.001), whereas sodium bicarbonate increased neutral detergent fibre digestibility (P < 0.05) and average daily gain, reducing the feed : gain ratio (P < 0.05). Carcass characteristics were not affected (P > 0.05) by either sodium bicarbonate or sugar beet pulp. Replacing barley with 120 g sugar beet pulp/kg concentrate caused a decrease in DM intake and average daily gain, resulting in an increase in feed : gain ratio, with no detrimental effect on carcass characteristics. The addition of 20 g sodium bicarbonate/kg concentrate improved intake and animal performance without affecting carcass characteristics. Inclusion of sugar beet pulp as a replacement for barley in high-concentrate diets for fattening lambs did not produce performance responses similar to those observed by adding a buffering salt.

There is a higher prevalence of ischemic heart disease (IHD) in South African white than black women. The objective of this study was to determine biochemical explanations for this prevalence. The study group contained 15 obese black women (OBW) and 14 obese white women (OWW), ah premenopausal, who were examined after an overnight fast. Anthropometric measurements and blood concentrations of glucose, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAs), catecholamines, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, C-peptide, proinsulin, lipograms, cortisol, growth hormone, and post-heparin Lipoprotein Lipase activity were measured during an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), Body composition was measured using bioelectrical impedance analysis, and subcutaneous and visceral fat mass were assessed with CT-scans. Visceral fat area was higher in OWW (139.7 +/- 10.7 cm(2)) than in OBW (72.3 +/- 3.9 cm(2)) (P < 0.01), as were fasting and 3 h triglyceride concentrations (P < 0.05 for all). OWW also had higher NEFA levels than OBW at 3 and 4 h compared, with OBW (P < 0.05 for both). Fasting cortisol (266 +/- 24 vs. 197 +/- 19 nmol/l; P < 0.05) was higher in OWW than in OBW. These data demonstrate that OWW have higher visceral fat mass than OBW, which may lead to a more atherogenic fasting and postprandial Lipid profile. The higher cortisol levels of the OWW may promote visceral fat deposition. - Punyadeera, C., M-T. van der Merwe, N.J. Crowther, M. Toman, C. P. Schlaphoff, and I. P. Gray. Ethnic differences in lipid metabolism in two groups of obese South African women.

OBJECTIVE The effects of free fatty acids (FFA), leptin, tumour necrosis factor (TNF) alpha and body fat distribution on in vivo oxidation of a glucose load were studied in two South African ethnic groups. DESIGN AND MEASUREMENTS Anthropometric and various metabolic indices were measured at fasting and during a 7h oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Body composition was measured using bioelectrical impedance analysis and subcutaneous and visceral fat mass was assessed using a five- and two-level CT-scan respectively. Glucose oxidation was evaluated by measuring the ratio of (13)CO(2) to (12)CO(2) in breath following ingestion of 1-(13)C-labelled glucose. SUBJECTS Ten lean black women (LBW), ten obese black women (OBW), nine lean white women (LWW) and nine obese white women (OWW) were investigated after an overnight fast. RESULTS Visceral fat levels were significantly higher (P < 0.01) in obese white than black women, despite similar body mass indexes (BMIs). There were no ethnic differences in glucose oxidation however; in the lean subjects of both ethnic groups the area under the curve (AUC) was higher than in obese subjects (P < 0.05 for both) and was found to correlate negatively with weight (r = -0.69, P < 0.01) after correcting for age. Basal TNF alpha concentrations were similar in all groups. Percentage suppression of FFAs at 30 min of the OCTT was 24 +/- 12% in OWW and - 38 +/- 23% (P < 0.05) in OBW, ie the 30 min FFA level was higher than the fasting level in the latter group. AUC for FFAs during the late postprandial period (120 - 420 min) was significantly higher in OWW than OBW (P < 0.01) and LWW (P < 0.01) and correlated positively with visceral fat mass independent of age (r = 0.78, P < 0.05) in the OWW only. Leptin levels were higher (P < 0.01) both at fasting and during the course of the OCTT in obese women from both ethnic groups compared to the lean women. CONCLUSIONS Glucose oxidation is reduced in obese subjects of both ethnic groups; inter- and