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Purpose: To investigate if facial and dental satisfaction is related to body fat percentage and body weight satisfaction. Methods: A self-administered questionnaire was applied to adolescents from a Private School in Southern Brazil containing sociodemographic (sex and age) and self-perception variables. Adolescents were asked about their perceptions concerning dental problems. Body fat percentage was collected using bioelectrical impedance analysis. Results: A total of 372 adolescents were examined. Most adolescents were satisfied with their dental (81.7%) and facial appearance (87.6%), while 39% of adolescents were satisfied with their body weight. Poisson regression model showed that adolescents who expressed satisfaction with their body weight (PR = 1.12, 95%CI 1.06–1.19) and were satisfied with their dental appearance (PR = 1.24, 95% CI 1.08–1.41) exhibited a positive association with facial satisfaction. Adolescents dissatisfied with dental color (PR = 0.88, 95%CI 0.80–0.97), those reporting dental pain (PR = 0.88, 95%CI 0.80–0.97), and individuals with obesity (PR = 0.91, 95%CI 0.83–0.99) demonstrated a decrease in facial satisfaction. Adolescents aged 16 to 19 years (PR = 1.08, 95% CI 1.01–1.15) and those satisfied with their facial appearance (PR = 1.20, 95%CI 1.01–1.43) exhibited a higher prevalence of dental satisfaction. Conversely, adolescents dissatisfied with dental color (PR = 0.74, 95% CI 0.66–0.82) and those with misaligned teeth (PR = 0.63, 95%CI 0.55–0.73) reported lower levels of dental satisfaction. Parametric g-formula analysis found that the association between body fat and facial satisfaction was mediated by body weight satisfaction (p= 0.001). Conclusions: While dental satisfaction was not influenced by corporeal characteristics, facial satisfaction was influenced by dental and body weight satisfaction. Obese adolescents had low facial satisfaction.

The importance of taking into account ecosystems, plant communities and habitats for the development of biodiversity conservation strategies is increasingly acknowledged. Recently, the first ever European Red List of Habitats was produced, which provided an evaluation of the extinction risk of EUNIS-based natural and semi-natural habitats in Europe. As assessment unit, it used the habitat intended as a plant community, thus representing a landmark for the role of vegetation science in nature conservation. In the present paper, the results of the European Red List of Habitats are analyzed at the national scale with specific reference to the terrestrial and freshwater habitat types occurring in Italy. More than three-quarters of the assessed European habitat types were recognized for the Italian territory. The distribution of the threat categories reflects approximately the situation at the EU28 level. About 35% of the assessed habitat types are referred to a threat category; no critically endangered habitat is present in Italy. The most frequently used criteria are those related to a reduction in quantity. Some critical issues arising from the analyses are discussed. In particular, the presence of knowledge gaps is pointed out, with remarkable reference to the poor availability of spatial and quantitative data, severely affecting the application of the criteria adopted for the assessment. Descriptions of habitat types from Italy are reported, some of which are representative, emblematic or even exclusive to the Italian territory. The outcomes of the analysis represent the starting point for the future development of a national-scale Red List of Habitats. Results also emphasized how habitat types with a too broad definition pose a limit to a proper evaluation of the regional biogeographic variability, often very high in Italy, with local floristic and phytocoenotic peculiarities which do not find room in the adopted European typology. This is the reason why the development of national subtypes stands as a necessary step for the development of a realistic and effective assessment at the national scale.

Background/Objectives:Homocysteine (Hcy) is a key intermediate in methionine metabolism. A high plasma concentration of Hcy is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases among other determinants. In this study, we aimed to investigate the interactions between methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase enzyme gene (MTHFR) polymorphisms and lifestyle variables (smoking, alcohol intake and physical activity) on Hcy concentrations in a young Brazilian population.Subjects/Methods:The study population comprised 3803 individuals from the Pelotas Birth Cohort, aged 22–23 years. Allelic discrimination assays and chemiluminescence immunoassays were performed for genotyping and serum Hcy measurements, respectively. Linear regression models were used to explore the effect of gene–lifestyle interactions on Hcy concentrations.Results:Men carrying the MTHFR 677TT genotype, who were also smokers and drinkers (⩾15 g of alcohol per day), had the highest concentration of Hcy (P-value for the interaction <0.001 for smoking and 0.002 for alcohol intake). In contrast, high folate concentrations attenuated the effects of the MTHFR C677T genotype on serum Hcy concentrations (P-value for interaction <0.001). Also, among males, blood folate concentration was the only lifestyle variable able to modify the influence of MTHFR A1298C genotypes on Hcy concentrations (P-value for the interaction <0.001). There was no strong evidence of an interaction between the MTHFR genotypes and the lifestyle variables in women.Conclusions:In summary, our study demonstrates a sex difference in Hcy concentrations among Brazilian young adults regarding MTHFR C677T–lifestyle interactions that are worsened under conditions of low blood folate. Identification of potentially modifiable factors related to an increase in homocysteine in young adults, especially in those who are genetically susceptible, is important to prevent negative health consequences in the future.

Background/Objectives:The aim of this study was to investigate the association between stunting in the second year of life and metabolic syndrome components in early adulthood among subjects who have been prospectively followed-up since birth, in a city in Southern Brazil.Subjects/Methods:In 1984, we attempted to follow-up the entire cohort; the subjects were examined and their mothers interviewed. Stunting was defined by a length-for-age Z-score 2 s.d. or more below the mean, in accordance with the World Health Organization reference. Between 2004 and 2005, we again tried to follow the entire cohort; during this period the subjects were evaluated for the following metabolic syndrome components: high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, triglycerides, random blood glucose, waist circumference and systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Family income at the time of the baby’s birth, asset index, mother’s education, mother’s smoking during pregnancy and duration of breastfeeding were considered possible confounders. Linear regression was used in the unadjusted and adjusted analyses.Results:Among men, stunting was inversely associated with triglycerides (β=−11.90, confidence interval (CI)=−22.33 to −1.48) and waist circumference (β=−4.29, CI=−5.62 to −2.97), whereas for women stunting was negatively related to HDL-cholesterol (β=−4.50, CI=−6.47 to −2.52), triglycerides (β=−9.61, CI=−17.66 to −1.56) and waist circumference (β=−1.14, CI=−4.22 to −1.02). However, after controlling for confounding variables, these associations vanished.Conclusions:The findings suggest that stunting in childhood is not associated with metabolic syndrome components in young adults.

Background:Several studies have reported on associations of size at birth and early growth with general and central obesity; however, few have examined the potential effects of birth weight and postnatal growth on separate abdominal fat compartments. We investigated the effects of size at birth, linear growth and relative weight gain from birth to adulthood on visceral (VFT) and subcutaneous abdominal (SAFT) fat thicknesses at age 30 years.Methods:A total of 2663 participants from the 1982 Pelotas (Brazil) birth cohort study had complete information on ultrasound measures of abdominal fat at age 30 years, and anthropometric measurements for at least five visits (0/2/4/23/30 years). We estimated weight and height Z-score changes, conditional relative weight gain and conditional height at several ages.Results:In both men and women, VFT and SAFT showed positive associations with conditional relative weight gain during all age periods beyond 2 years and birth, respectively (all P⩽0.01). Women born with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) had greater VFT than other women (difference=0.15 s.d., 95% CI: 0.01–0.29), and they showed a stronger positive influence of infant weight gain 0–2 years on VFT (IUGR: β=0.17 s.d., 95% CI: 0.05–0.29; non-IUGR: β=0.01 s.d., 95% CI: −0.04 to 0.06; Pinteraction=0.02). Stunting at 2 years was associated with lower SAFT but not VFT, and it modified the influence of weight gain 2–4 years on SAFT in both sexes (both Pinteraction<0.05).Conclusions:Our findings reinforce the advantages of being born with an appropriate birth weight, and the hazards of rapid postnatal gains in weight relative to linear growth, particularly after the critical window of the first 1000 days.

Background:Haplotypes of adiponectin gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) might be related to metabolic disorders. Aim:To assess whether the prevalence of SNP 45T/G and 276G/T of the adiponectin gene and their haplotypes differ between polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and non-hirsute cycling controls and to investigate the relationship between these haplotypes and risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Subjects and methods:In this case-control study, 80 women with PCOS and 1500 non-hirsute controls with regular cycles underwent clinical and laboratory measurements. Genotype distribution was analyzed by conventional PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism. Results:Compared to controls, PCOS women had greater body mass index (BMI) (31.0±7.9 kg/m2vs23.4±4.6 kg/m2; p<0.001), waist circumference (92.2±18.8 cm vs74.5±10.2 cm; p<0.001), and systolic and diastolic blood pressure (124.6±19.9 vs111.5±13.0 mmHg and 79.2±12.5 vs71.8±10.6 mmHg; p<0.025), as well as a worse lipid profile (p<0.007), even after adjustment for age and BMI. Genotype distribution was similar in PCOS and controls (45T/G: p=0.399; 276G/T: p=0.135). Six haplotypes were inferred and their frequencies differed significantly between the groups (p=0.001). The TGTG haplotype was more frequent in PCOS than controls (41.3 vs18.9%). In PCOS, the GG genotype for SNP 276 (p=0.031) and the TGTG haplotype (p=0.023) were associated with higher systolic blood pressure vsother genotypes and haplotypes. Body composition, glucose, insulin, and lipid profile were similar across genotypes and haplotypes in both groups. Conclusions:Haplotype TGTG from adiponectin gene variants 45T/G and 276G/T is related to susceptibility to PCOS, and might be associated with increased blood pressure in PCOS.

The CH- and OH-stretching vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) spectra of methyl lactate and related molecules in CCl4 solution have been investigated to identify solution conformations and establish a correlation between OH- and methine-stretching VCD intensity and molecular structure. Deuterium substitution was used when possible to remove overlapping absorption features in the CH-stretching region. Anisotropy ratios between +2.1 × 10^-4 and +2.8 × 10^-4 were measured for the methine-stretching VCD of the molecules with both α-oxy and α-C&dbd;O substituents:  (S)-methyl-d3 lactate, (S)-methyl-d3 2-(methoxy-d3)-propionate, di(methyl-d3) d-tartrate, (S)-methyl-d3 mandelate, (S)-methyl-d3 O-(acetyl-d3)-mandelate, and (S)-benzoin. The methine-stretching VCD intensity serves as a marker for both absolute configuration and solution conformation in these molecules, as previously demonstrated for amino acids and peptides. In (S)-methyl 2-chloropropionate, (R)-methyl 3-hydroxy-2-methylpropionate, and (S)-methyl 3-hydroxybutyrate, the net CH-stretching VCD intensity is small relative to that in the other molecules studied. Ab initio calculations of geometries, vibrational frequencies, and unpolarized infrared absorption (IR) and VCD intensities were carried out to identify the most abundant solution conformers from the VCD spectra and to correlate OH- and methine-stretching VCD intensity with molecular conformations. Factors leading to large methine-stretching VCD anisotropy ratios are assessed.

The reaction of N,N-diethylpropargylamine with increasing amounts of the complex [Ni(NCS)2(PPh3)2] leads to π-conjugated organometallic polymers containing Ni(II). XPS measurements show the presence of paramagnetic metal centers, which coordinate two NCS ligands, one phosphine and NEt2pendant group of the polyenic chain. The number of Ni-bonded atoms increases by increasing the complex/monomer molar ratio. The organometallic polymers are promising materials for humidity sensors, giving reproducible results for various subsequent cycles of relative humidity variations in the range 60–90%.

The electrophoretic fractionation of protein extracts from human lymph nodes, spleen and liver, has been studied in normal subjects and in patients suffering from malignant lymphogranuloma, lymphosarcoma, acute leukemia and chronic leukemic lymphoadenosis. The electrophoretic pictures have been compared with those obtained from sera of the same patients. Results are briefly discussed.