Can epigenetic expression contribute to the development of an obese phenotype?

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 98-101
Author(s):  
Orien L Tulp ◽  
Aftab A Awan ◽  
Nasheria Lewis ◽  
George P Einstein

Human obesity results from prolonged caloric imbalance, where energy intake exceeds energy expenditure over a period of months to years. It is presumed to occur as a consequence of complex interactions between environmental and heritable factors, although the search for which specific metabolic factors or genes persist has been challenging and remains incomplete. Despite a relatively high heritability of common forms of obesity which represents between 40 to 70 % of the obese population, the identification and conformation of definitive genetic or epigenetic obesogenic variants that when activated may contribute to a susceptibility for excess weight gain have been difficult to confirm. The incidence of obesity, overweight conditions, and their close association with hypertension in the US is increasing at alarming if not epidemic proportions throughout much of Western culture and society in recent history. Despite marked advances in nutrition knowledge and practice, pharmacotherapeutic management, and life-style modifications, approximately one third of the US population is now overweight, and the resulting predicted increases in the cost of medical management of overweight and obese conditions and their commonly associated pathophysiologic sequalae are becoming burdensome to public health and to the medical community. The development of obesity in most humans typically develops gradually over a duration of months to years but occurs more rapidly in onset in most commonly studied genetic models of obesity, where it usually follows the expression of an autosomal recessive genetic trait. In humans garden variety obesity is typically attributed to a combination of incompletely defined genetically linked traits and environmental factors.

2009 ◽  
Vol 36 (S 02) ◽  
Author(s):  
A Brennan ◽  
B Nagy ◽  
A Brandtmüller ◽  
SK Thomas ◽  
M Gallagher ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Darlene Ana Souza Duarte ◽  
Martine Schroyen ◽  
Rodrigo Reis Mota ◽  
Sylvie Vanderick ◽  
Nicolas Gengler

AbstractBoar taint is an unpleasant odor in male pig meat, mainly caused by androstenone, skatole, and indole, which are deposited in the fat tissue. Piglet castration is the most common practice to prevent boar taint. However, castration is likely to be banished in a few years due to animal welfare concerns. Alternatives to castration, such as genetic selection, have been assessed. Androstenone and skatole have moderate to high heritability, which makes it feasible to select against these compounds. This review presents the latest results obtained on genetic selection against boar taint, on correlation with other traits, on differences in breeds, and on candidate genes related to boar taint. QTLs for androstenone and skatole have been reported mainly on chromosomes 6, 7, and 14. These chromosomes were reported to contain genes responsible for synthesis and degradation of androstenone and skatole. A myriad of work has been done to find markers or genes that can be used to select animals with lower boar taint. The selection against boar taint could decrease performance of some reproduction traits. However, a favorable response on production traits has been observed by selecting against boar taint. Selection results have shown that it is possible to reduce boar taint in few generations. In addition, modifications in diet and environment conditions could be associated with genetic selection to reduce boar taint. Nevertheless, costs to measure and select against boar taint should be rewarded with incentives from the market; otherwise, it would be difficult to implement genetic selection.


Author(s):  
J. Xu ◽  
C. Miller ◽  
C. Hofmayer ◽  
H. Graves

Motivated by many design considerations, several conceptual designs for advanced reactors have proposed that the entire reactor building and a significant portion of the steam generator building will be either partially or completely embedded below grade. For the analysis of seismic events, the soil-structure interaction (SSI) effect and passive earth pressure for these types of deeply embedded structures will have a significant influence on the predicted seismic response. Sponsored by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) is carrying out a research program to assess the significance of these proposed design features for advanced reactors, and to evaluate the existing analytical methods to determine their applicability and adequacy in capturing the seismic behavior of the proposed designs. This paper summarizes a literature review performed by BNL to determine the state of knowledge and practice for seismic analyses of deeply embedded and/or buried (DEB) nuclear containment type structures. Included in the paper is BNL’s review of the open literature of existing standards, tests, and practices that have been used in the design and analysis of DEB structures. The paper also provides BNL’s evaluation of available codes and guidelines with respect to seismic design practice of DEB structures. Based on BNL’s review, a discussion is provided to highlight the applicability of the existing technologies for seismic analyses of DEB structures and to identify gaps that may exist in knowledge and potential issues that may require better understanding and further research.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcie Richardson

Breastfeeding is endorsed by the medical community as the optimal nutrition for infants during the first 6-12 months of life.1,2,3  Breastfeeding rates in the US and worldwide have varied over time and still vary geographically.4 There is robust literature addressing the physiology of lactation, composition of breast milk, and health advantages of breastfeeding for both the mother and infant as well as strategies for clinicians to promote and support breastfeeding. This chapter reviews breastfeeding history, how milk is made, why breastfeeding matters, and the somewhat controversial the World Health Organization’s Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI)5 for successful initiation of lactation as well as some special situations.    Key words:  breastfeeding, infant nutrition, human milk composition, breastfeeding advantages, lactation, lactation support, Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative, skin to skin contact


2000 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 23-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashok Banerjee

Maximizing shareholder value has become the new corporate paradigm. Corporations in the US have started disclosing EVA information from the beginning of 90s as a measure of corporate performance. It is believed that market value of a firm (hence shareholder wealth) would increase with the increase in EVA. Various studies done in the US also confirm this belief. EVA (a term coined and registered by Stern Stewart & Co. New York) is a residual income that subtracts the cost of capital from the operating profits generated by a business. The present study makes an at tempt to find the relevance of Stewart's claim that market value of the firm is largely driven by its EVA generating capacity in the Indian context. Based on a sample of 200 firms over a period of five years, the study shows that market value of a firm can be well predicted by estimated future EVA streams. The study has also found that market value of most of the firms in the sample is explained more by current operational value than future growth value of firms.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Taoran Liu ◽  
Zonglin He ◽  
Jian Huang ◽  
Ni Yan ◽  
Qian Chen ◽  
...  

AbstractObjectivesTo investigate the differences in vaccine hesitancy and preference of the currently available COVID-19 vaccines between two countries, viz. China and the United States (US).MethodA cross-national survey was conducted in both China and the US, and discrete choice experiments as well as Likert scales were utilized to assess vaccine preference and the underlying factors contributing to the vaccination acceptance. A propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to enable a direct comparison between the two countries.ResultsA total of 9,077 (5,375 and 3,702, respectively, from China and the US) respondents have completed the survey. After propensity score matching, over 82.0% respondents from China positively accept the COVID-19 vaccination, while 72.2% respondents form the US positively accept it. Specifically, only 31.9% of Chinese respondents were recommended by a doctor to have COVID-19 vaccination, while more than half of the US respondents were recommended by a doctor (50.2%), local health board (59.4%), or friends and families (64.8%). The discrete choice experiments revealed that respondents from the US attached the greatest importance to the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines (44.41%), followed by the cost of vaccination (29.57%), whereas those from China held a different viewpoint that the cost of vaccination covers the largest proportion in their trade-off (30.66%), and efficacy ranked as the second most important attribute (26.34%). Also, respondents from China tend to concerned much more about the adverse effect of vaccination (19.68% vs 6.12%) and have lower perceived severity of being infected with COVID-19.ConclusionWhile the overall acceptance and hesitancy of COVID-19 vaccination in both countries are high, underpinned distinctions between countries are observed. Owing to the differences in COVID-19 incidence rates, cultural backgrounds, and the availability of specific COVID-19 vaccines in two countries, the vaccine rollout strategies should be nation-dependent.


1981 ◽  
Vol 62 (5) ◽  
pp. 80-83
Author(s):  
S. Ya. Chikin

In 1977, the US Congress published statistics on the operation of surgical clinics in many cities in the country. These materials cannot be read without a shudder. They once again proved that American doctors are no different from businessmen in their passion for profit. The report's conclusion was very sad. He testified that up to three million unjustified surgeries are performed annually in the United States. Naturally, they are not undertaken for the sake of the patient's health, but in order to present a more weighty bill to the patient, because the cost of the simplest surgical intervention is now estimated at at least $ 1000.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 3.1-3.12
Author(s):  
N. Mahina Tuteur

This article examines the environmental impacts of the US military presence in Hawaii, looking specifically at the federal government’s power to condemn land for a ‘public purpose’ under the US Constitution. In 2018, the Hawaii Supreme Court ruled that the State of Hawaii failed its duty to properly manage 23,000 acres of lands leased to the military at Pōhakuloa and must take an active role in preserving trust property. With the expiration of this lease (and several others) approaching in 2029, controversy is stirring as to whether the military will simply condemn these lands if the cost of clean-up is greater than the land’s fair-market value at the expiration of the lease. In other words, as long as it remains cheaper for the military to pollute and condemn than it is for it to restore, what options do we have for legal and political recourse? Considering grassroots movements’ strategic use of media and legal action through an environmental justice lens, this article provides a starting point to consider avenues for ensuring proper clean-up of these lands, and ultimately, negotiating for their return to Kānaka Maoli.


2018 ◽  
Vol 146 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 351-355
Author(s):  
Gordana Teofilovski-Parapid ◽  
Maria Miglino

Liberato J. A. DiDio (1920?2004) was one of the most prominent figures of anatomy belonging to the 20th century?s second half and an open-minded man. In 1984, during the era of communism in Yugoslavia, he opened the doors of the Medical College of Ohio (MCO) in Toledo, OH, USA, to a Serbian doctor. During the troubled times for people and anatomists in Serbia in 1994, he saved their association from being expelled from the International Federation of Anatomical Associations. In 1999, only a few months after the bombing of Yugoslavia, he helped them to get the organization of the XVIII International Symposium on Morphological Sciences in 2005, the meeting of the leaders in the field. Serbian anatomists and clinicians proved that he was right when considering them on a par with their peers in the international anatomical and medical community. Professor DiDio first showed talent with Gold Medal ? top graduate at his high school, and La Royale Award (Graduation Golden Ring) ? top graduate MD. He was trained in Brazil, Italy, and the US. He was the Founding Chairman ? Department of Topographical Anatomy, Faculdade de Ciencias Medicas, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil; Head of Gross and Surgical Anatomy, Northwestern University Medical, Dental, and Graduate Schools; Founding Chairman, Department of Anatomy, MCO; Professor Emeritus at the age of 70 (1990), Assistant to the President of the MCO, Consultant to the President and the Emeritus Dean (1992?2004). He was a member of editorial boards of 34 journals, academic adviser in 92 M.S. and Ph.D. theses.


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