Determinants of Weight Status and Body, Health and Life Satisfaction in Young Adults.

Health behaviors include behavioral patterns and habits that relate to health maintenance, restoration and improvement. They do not only affect the physical condition; they are also associated with life satisfaction. In our study, we focused on young adulthood, a specific lifespan period for establishing long-term health behavior patterns. The aim of the present study was to investigate depressive symptoms, lifestyle and eating behaviors and delineate their associations with overweight/obesity and body, health and life satisfaction in young adults in Poland. We enrolled 800 students (81.4% females and 18.6% males). Diet, physical activity, depressive symptoms, eating behaviors and body, health and life satisfaction were assessed. Multivariate logistic regression models were employed. Almost half of the participants in our study had at least mild symptoms of depression. Symptoms of depression significantly reduced the odds of satisfaction with body, health and life, whereas physical activity increased them. Overweight/obesity significantly reduced the odds of body and health satisfaction. In women, a history of depression and emotional eating increased the odds of being overweight/obese. The results of our study may contribute to the development of educational programs and intervention strategies for young adults.

Insight into age-related changes of the human facial skeleton based on medieval European osteological collection.

Aging changes in the facial skeleton are concentrated mostly in orbits, maxilla and mandible. The aim of this study was to analyze metric traits of the adult viscerocranium in a medieval sample from Cedynia (Poland, Central Europe) and confront the results with literature data for modern populations. It was assumed that diet-related greater biomechanical forces generated during mastication in medieval versus modern times led to slower rate of bone resorption with age. 3D models of the facial skeleton are created for 230 individuals, categorized into young, middle and old adults, and a subgroup of edentulous middle adults is distinguished. Orbits, piriform aperture, maxilla and mandible are measured using Geomagic Studio 12 and analyzed among age categories as well as dentate and edentulous subgroups. The values of the orbital and piriform aperture measurements tend to increase with age and reached statistical significance in males (right orbit height, left orbit width, piriform aperture surface area). In females, maxillary height significantly decrease at right first premolar and first molar, together with height of the right mandibular ramus. In edentulous individuals of both sexes the orbits are wider, and maxillary and mandibular heights are lower than in dentate individuals. This study reveals similar character and direction of the aging process of the facial skeleton in medieval and modern adults, however slower rate of resorptive changes is found in the former sample, which suggests, that diet-related biomechanical forces can influence intensification of the aging processes in the facial skeleton.

Morphometry of auditory ossicles in medieval human remains from Central Europe.

Human auditory ossicles, the malleus, the incus, and the stapes, are located in the tympanic cavity in the temporal bone and through forming a chain for the sound transmission from the tympanic membrane to the cochlea, they play an important role in the hearing process. Despite their clinical, phylogenetic, and evolutionary significance, the morphometry of the human ear bones has not been examined systematically. The ear ossicles are the smallest bones of the human skeleton, attaining their final size and morphology already at birth. Initially, they have been found to exhibit minimal morphometric variation, but further studies brought the opposite results. The aim of this study was to examine the morphometric variation of human auditory ossicles recovered from medieval and postmedieval subadult skeletons from Poland, Central Europe. The analysis involved in a total of 166 ear bones. Their measurements were performed on microscopic images using CorelDraw x4, according to a protocol of Quam and Rak with modification of Flohr et al. and Wadhwa et al. Our study showed a significant metric variation in the measurements taken at areas of the greatest morphological variability of the ossicles. We found that greater linear dimensions were associated with lower values of angular measurements. These results reveal the inherent variation found in these supposed functionally constrained structures. Representation of even greater number of populations, time periods, and developmental stages are needed. Further study will expand our understanding of the global scope of variation found in ear ossicular morphology and its functional implications for paleoanthropology.

Paleodemographic analysis of age at death for a population of Black Sea Scythians: An exploration by using Bayesian methods.

OBJECTIVES: Studies of the demography of past populations involving deterministic life tables can be criticized for ignoring the errors of estimation. Bayesian methods offer an alternative, by focusing on the uncertainty of the estimates, although their results are often sensitive to the choice of prior distributions. The aim of this study is to explore a range of Bayesian methods for estimating age at death for a population of nomadic warriors-Scythians from the Black Sea region. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In total, skeletons of 312 individuals (93 children and 219 adults) from Glinoe (Moldova), dated to the 5th-2nd century BCE, were examined. We unified the age categories corresponding to different aging methods, allowing an application of a probabilistic assessment of the age categorization. A hierarchical Bayesian multinomial-Dirichlet-Dirichlet model was applied, with a hypothetical, subjective reference population, a real reference population, and no reference. RESULTS: Stationary-population life expectancy was estimated as 27.7 years (95% CI: 25.1-30.3) for a newborn (e0 ), and 16.4 years (14.0-19.0) for 20-year-olds (e20 ), although with high uncertainty, and sensitive to the model specification. Slight differences in longevity between different social strata and between the Classical and Late chronological periods were found, although with high estimation errors. A more robust finding, confirming earlier studies, was a high probability of death in young adulthood, which could depend on Scythian lifestyle (conflicts, wars). DISCUSSION: Our study shows a way to overcome some limitations of broad age categorization by using the Bayesian approach with alternative model specifications, allowing to assess the impact of reference populations.

THE DIFFICULTIES IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF PULMONARY HYPERTENSION ASSOCIATED WITH CHRONIC LUNG DISEASE.

OBJECTIVE: Introduction: Chronic lung disease (WHO group 3) is the second leading cause of pulmonary hypertension (PH). In turn, the development of PH influences the course of lung disease, worsening the clinical symptoms and prognosis. The aim: To analyse the difficulties in the diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension due to chronic lung disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Review and Discussion: According to recent literature, PH in the course of lung diseases develops as a result of both "parenchymal" and vascular pathology in patients with a genetic predisposition. Prolonged infection (especially viral) may be an additional promoting factor. Elevation of pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) is usually moderate and correlates with severity of lung disease. In a small minority, PAP may reach that seen in WHO group 1 pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). CONCLUSION: Conclusions: Echocardiography and right heart catheterization are the principal tools for the diagnosis of PH in chronic lung diseases. Unfortunately, current medications for treating PAH have not shown benefit in controlled trials of group 3 PH, hence their routine use is not recommended. Patients with severe group 3 PH should be considered for referral to expert centres or entry into clinical trials.

IMAGING TECHNIQUES IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF PULMONARY HYPERTENSION.

OBJECTIVE: Introduction: Pulmonary hypertension is defined as being a haemodynamic state, wherein the mean pulmonary artery pressure measured during right heart catheterization is equal or greater than 25 mmHg. As a result, right ventricular heart failure develops and clinical symptoms such as dyspnea, fatigue, weakness, angina and fainting occur. The aim: To highlight the role of imaging techniques in diagnostic process for pulmonary hypertension. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Review and Disscusion: The diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension is multistage and often requires a number of studies. Currently, imaging techniques play a significant role in the diagnostic algorithm for pulmonary hypertension due to the fact that they are non-invasive and readily available, and many of their parameters are closely related to pulmonary hemodynamics. CONCLUSION: Conclusions: The diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension requires a multistep approach and a number of imaging studies. The suspicion of the disease is based on medical history, clinical symptoms and chest radiogram. Echocardiography plays a crucial role in pulmonary hypertension detection. A computed tomography and cardiac magnetic resonance are valuable methods in determining the cause of suspected or confirmed pulmonary hypertension.

ECHOCARDIOGRAPHIC EVALUATION OF THE RIGHT HEART IN THE PULMONARY HYPERTENSION.

OBJECTIVE: Introduction: A comprehensive assessment of right ventricular size and function, as well as evaluation of pulmonary artery pressures is an integral part of every echocardiographic examination. It is important to know the relevant guidelines but also the pitfalls of echocardiography. The aim: To determine the significance of echocardiography in the diagnostic process, prognosis and evaluation of treatment effectiveness in pulmonary hypertension. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Review and Discussion: The gold standard for evaluation of size, ejection fraction, and stroke volume of the right ventricle is cardiac magnetic resonance. Whereas, the gold standard for the assessments of pulmonary artery pressures is right heart catheterization. However, echocardiography is the first diagnostic modality in the assessment of size and function of the right heart. CONCLUSION: Conclusions: Echocardiographic evaluation of the right heart plays a fundamental role in the diagnostic process of pulmonary hypertension. Echocardiography is essential to predict the course of the disease and assess the treatment efficiency.

Role of Assistive Robots in the Care of Older People: Survey Study Among Medical and Nursing Students.

BACKGROUND: Populations are aging at an alarming rate in many countries around the world. There has been not only a decrease in the number of births and an increase in the percentage of older people, but also an increase in the number of people living alone. There is growing demand for specialist medical care and daily care with the number of people who can act as caregivers reducing. The use of assistive robots can, at least partially, solve these problems. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the opinions of future health care professionals (medical and nursing students) regarding the use of assistive robots in the care of older people. METHODS: The study was conducted with a group of 178 students from Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland (110 nursing students and 68 medical students), using the Users' Needs, Requirements, and Abilities Questionnaire. RESULTS: The participants of this study believed that assistive robots should, first of all, remind older people to take medication regularly, ensure their safety, monitor their health status and environment, provide cognitive training, and encourage them to maintain physical activity. In the students' opinion, the robot should not be an older person's companion but only act as an assistant. Nursing students had significantly higher scores than medical students in several statements concerning everyday use of robots, including reminding about meals (P=.03), monitoring the environment (P=.001), providing advice about a healthy diet (P=.04), monitoring the intake of food and fluids (P=.02), and automatic "switch on" function (P=.02). Nursing students were more focused on the social functions of robots, including encouraging contact with friends (P=.003) and reducing the sense of loneliness and improving mood (P=.008). Medical students were more aware of privacy issues in the statement concerning the possibility of switching off the robot in specific situations (P=.01). CONCLUSIONS: Our study revealed a generally positive attitude of future doctors and nurses toward assistive robots, which can have an impact on their acceptance by older adults. In the future, medical professionals could help their patients to choose the right robots (and necessary functions) that are best suited to their needs. However, this would require expanding the curriculum to include the issues of gerontechnology.

Treatment of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension in a multidisciplinary team.

BACKGROUND: Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) may be treated with pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA), balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) and medical therapy (MT). Assessment in a multidisciplinary team of experts (CTEPH team) is currently recommended for treatment decision making. The aim of the present study was to report the effects of such an interdisciplinary concept. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 160 patients were consulted by the CTEPH team between December 2015 and September 2018. Patient baseline characteristics, CTEPH team decisions and implementation rates of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures were analysed. Change in World Health Organization (WHO) functional class and survival rates were evaluated by treatment strategy. A total of 51 (32%) patients were assessed as operable and 109 (68%) were deemed inoperable. Thirty-one (61% of operable patients) underwent PEA. Patients treated with PEA, BPA(+MT) and MT alone were 50.9 ± 14.7, 62.9 ± 15.1 and 68.9 ± 12.7 years old, respectively. At the follow-up, PEA patients had the highest WHO functional class improvement. Patients treated with BPA(+MT) had significantly better survival than PEA (p = 0.04) and MT patients (p = 0.04; 2-year survival of 92%, 79% and 79%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The CTEPH team ensures that necessary diagnostic procedures are performed. A relatively low proportion of patients was assessed by the CTEPH team as operable and underwent surgery, which in survivors resulted in the best functional improvement. Although patients undergoing BPA(+MT) were older than patients treated with PEA, their survival was better than patients subjected to PEA or MT alone. The reviews of this paper are available via the supplemental material section.

Ancient genomes suggest the eastern Pontic-Caspian steppe as the source of western Iron Age nomads.

For millennia, the Pontic-Caspian steppe was a connector between the Eurasian steppe and Europe. In this scene, multidirectional and sequential movements of different populations may have occurred, including those of the Eurasian steppe nomads. We sequenced 35 genomes (low to medium coverage) of Bronze Age individuals (Srubnaya-Alakulskaya) and Iron Age nomads (Cimmerians, Scythians, and Sarmatians) that represent four distinct cultural entities corresponding to the chronological sequence of cultural complexes in the region. Our results suggest that, despite genetic links among these peoples, no group can be considered a direct ancestor of the subsequent group. The nomadic populations were heterogeneous and carried genetic affinities with populations from several other regions including the Far East and the southern Urals. We found evidence of a stable shared genetic signature, making the eastern Pontic-Caspian steppe a likely source of western nomadic groups.

Could Robots Help Older People with Age-Related Nutritional Problems? Opinions of Potential Users.

Background: The rapid development of new technologies has recently raised interest in the use of assistive robots in the care of older people. The success or failure of robots' implementation is mediated by their acceptance by users. The aim of the study was to answer the question of how both older people and caregivers perceive the possibility of using an assistive robot for nutritional support. Methods: Opinions of 252 respondents (126 older-aged 65 and above; 126 younger ones-aged below 65) from five European countries were collected using the Users' Needs, Requirements, and Abilities Questionnaire. Results: The majority of participants positively assessed the possibility of using a robot to improve the diet of older people by giving advice on healthy eating or monitoring the amount of food consumed by the owner. An age-related difference was observed, as older people less frequently accepted the reminding of meal times or drinking liquids than younger participants. Four key categories related to the robot's role in the diet of older people were identified: matching the needs, robot's characteristics, ethical issues and technical/financial issues. Conclusions: Our preliminary research has shown a positive approach to robots in the context of their nutrition-related aspects. An indication has been made of the need to include older people and other stakeholders in the process of designing these functionalities and modeling human⁻robot interactions based on communication theories.

Diverse origin of mitochondrial lineages in Iron Age Black Sea Scythians.

Scythians were nomadic and semi-nomadic people that ruled the Eurasian steppe during much of the first millennium BCE. While having been extensively studied by archaeology, very little is known about their genetic identity. To fill this gap, we analyzed ancient mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from Scythians of the North Pontic Region (NPR) and successfully retrieved 19 whole mtDNA genomes. We have identified three potential mtDNA lineage ancestries of the NPR Scythians tracing back to hunter-gatherer and nomadic populations of east and west Eurasia as well as the Neolithic farming expansion into Europe. One third of all mt lineages in our dataset belonged to subdivisions of mt haplogroup U5. A comparison of NPR Scythian mtDNA linages with other contemporaneous Scythian groups, the Saka and the Pazyryks, reveals a common mtDNA package comprised of haplogroups H/H5, U5a, A, D/D4, and F1/F2. Of these, west Eurasian lineages show a downward cline in the west-east direction while east Eurasian haplogroups display the opposite trajectory. An overall similarity in mtDNA lineages of the NPR Scythians was found with the late Bronze Age Srubnaya population of the Northern Black Sea region which supports the archaeological hypothesis suggesting Srubnaya people as ancestors of the NPR Scythians.

Investigating kinship of Neolithic post-LBK human remains from Krusza Zamkowa, Poland using ancient DNA.

We applied an interdisciplinary approach to investigate kinship patterns and funerary practices during the middle Neolithic. Genetic studies, radiocarbon dating, and taphonomic analyses were used to examine two grave clusters from Krusza Zamkowa, Poland. To reconstruct kinship and determine biological sex, we extracted DNA from bones and teeth, analyzed mitochondrial genomes and nuclear SNPs using the HID-Ion AmpliSeq™ Identity panel generated on Illumina and Ion Torrent platforms, respectively. We further dated the material (AMS 14C) and to exclude aquatic radiocarbon reservoir effects, measures of carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes for diet reconstruction were used. We found distinct mitochondrial genomes belonging to haplogroups U5b2a1a, K1c and H3d in the first grave cluster, and excluded maternal kin patterns among the three analyzed individuals. In the second grave cluster one individual belonged to K1a4. However, we could not affiliate the second individual to a certain haplogroup due to the fragmented state of the mitochondrial genome. Although the individuals from the second grave cluster differ at position 6643, we believe that more data is needed to fully resolve this issue. We retrieved between 26 and 77 autosomal SNPs from three of the individuals. Based on kinship estimations, taking into account the allelic dropout distribution, we could not exclude first degree kin relation between the two individuals from the second grave cluster. We could, however, exclude a first degree kinship between these two individuals and an individual from the first grave cluster. Presumably, not only biological kinship, but also social relations played an important role in the funerary practice during this time period. We further conclude that the HID-Ion AmpliSeq™ Identity Panel may prove useful for first degree kin relation studies for samples with good DNA preservation, and that mitochondrial genome capture enrichment is a powerful tool for excluding direct maternal relationship in ancient individuals.

Prevalence of chronic maxillary sinusitis in children from rural and urban skeletal populations in Poland.

Maxillary sinuses of 100 subadults from Cedynia, an early-urban site (stronghold), dated to the 10th-14th centuries AD, and of 28 subadults from Slaboszewo, a rural site, dated to the 14th-17th centuries AD, were examined for bone formation indicative of chronic sinusitis in order to explore the effect of urban and rural environments on the occurrence of upper respiratory tract infections in the past. We expected a higher prevalence of sinusitis in subadults from a stronghold than from a village, because of such factors as crowding, rapid spread of infections, and pollution from workshops located in the streets. We found a statistically non-significant tendency toward a higher prevalence of the condition in Cedynia compared to Slaboszewo (18.0% and 7.1%, respectively). The majority of maxillary lesions were classified as spicules. Changes to bone morphology suggestive of sinusitis of dental origin were not found. The development of observed osseous lesions may be attributed to culturally determined risk factors such as low quality of housing, air pollution caused by smoke from the household hearth and street workshops, poor levels of hygiene, and water contamination.

CIDE-A gene expression in patients with obesity qualified for endovascular treatment of abdominal aorta aneurysm.

UNLABELLED: CIDE-A gene and the genes of LRP group play a key role in the regulation of the body weight and lipid metabolism in mammals. CIDE-A is defined as a potential human obesity gene and the LRP1 gene is associated with the development of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). The aim of the study was to define the role of CIDE-A gene in patients with dyslipidemia and asymptomatic AAA. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study group consisted of 38 subjects, including 27 men and 11 women qualified for endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR). The subjects with abdominal aortic aneurysm were enrolled in the study group, depending on the body mass index (BMI); in obese patients (BMI > 30). The control group (n = 16) included subjects without lipid disorders. One-step isolation of RNA from lymphocytes and adipose tissue cells was performed using the modified TRI method by Chomc-zynski and Sacchi, and then the gene expression was tested by real-time PCR. RESULTS: The highest mean relative of the gene expression for CIDE-A was reported in subjects with the normal body weight. The lowest mean relative of the gene expression for CIDE-A was observed in the group of obese patients with aortic aneurysm and lipid disorders. A high negative correlation (r = -0.7101) in the gene expression for CIDE-A was observed in the group of obese patients with aortic aneurysm, depending on the BMI. CONCLUSIONS: Due to the important role of the CIDE-A gene and Cide-A protein in the development of metabolic syndrome, obesity and the accompanying vascular lesions such as abdominal aortic an-eurysm, seen in this context, the tested gene and protein Cide-A represent a potential therapeutic target in these diseases.

CIDE--A gene expression in patients with abdominal obesity and LDL hyperlipoproteinemia qualified for surgical revascularization in chronic limb ischemia.

UNLABELLED: According to the latest data, CIDE -A gene plays a key role in the regulation of body weight in both humans and mice, and therefore it is regarded a potential candidate gene for human obesity. The aim of the study was to define the role of CIDEA gene in patients with dyslipidemia and symptomatic limb ischemia. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study group contained 28 patients, including 17 men and 11 women. Patients were enrolled in the study group, depending on the value of body mass index (BMI); there was BMI>30 for obese patients. The group included untreated patients (n=14) and patients (n=14) receiving atorvastatin 20 mg/day for at least three months prior to the initiation of the study. The control group (n=16) contained patients with no lipid disorders. A one-step isolation of RNA from lymphocytes and adipose tissue cells was carried out using the TRI method modified by Chomczynski and Sacchi. Next, gene expression was tested using real-time PCR. RESULTS: The highest mean relative expression of CIDE -A gene occurred in patients with normal body weight. The lowest mean relative expression of CIDE-A gene was observed in obese patients with lipid disorders. A high negative correlation (r=-0.7919) of CIDE -A gene expression, depending on BMI, was reported in the group of obese patients with lipid disorders. CONCLUSIONS: Due to an important role of Cide-A protein demonstrated in the development of metabolic diseases such as obesity, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes and their vascular complications, CIDE -A gene and protein are potential therapeutic targets in the case of these diseases.