New DXA Diagnostic Indexes of Abdominal Obesity.

Aim: Cushing's syndrome (CS) is associated with weight gain and extreme central, visceral, abdominal obesity which is confirmed with dual-energy X-rays absorptiometric (DXA) diagnostic cut-off point (CP) values of central obesity indexes (COI), determined as an android to gynoid tissue and fat mass ratios. These best differentiate CS from non-CS obese women matched with CS according to their age and BMI. The aim of this study was to determine the CP values of new DXA indexes of central, abdominal obesity as a ratio of android and trunk to legs as well as trunk and legs to total tissue and fat mass that best differentiate CS and matched non-CS obese women in order to confirm central abdominal obesity, and to determine their normal CP values that best differentiate healthy non-obese women from CS and non-CS obese women, and to exclude abdominal obesity completely. Material and Methods: DXA indexes of abdominal obesity, calculated as а ratio of regional body fat and tissue mass compartments android to legs (A/L), trunk to legs (Tr/L), trunk to total (Tr/To) and legs to total (L/To) values were determined among 4 groups. Each group consisted of 18 women: 1st group of CS, 2nd group of obese women (O1) not different according to their age and BMI from CS, 3rd group of obese women (O2) with higher BMI of 35 ± 1.2 kg and a 4th group of non-obese, healthy women (C) with a normal BMI. Diagnostic accuracy (DG) of CP values of DXA indexes of abdominal obesity and indexes of normal body fat distribution (BFD) were determined. Results: A/L, Tr/L, Tr/To, and L/To DXA indexes were significantly different between CS and O1 as well as between non-CS women O2 compared to O1 and C. These indexes had a highly significant correlation among each other and also in relation to their BMI (p < 0.0001). A/L-Tm CP value of 0.3 best differentiated the CS from group O1, with the highest DG of 100 % and an A/L-Fm CP value of 0.26 differentiated them with a DG of 94.44% and sensitivity of 100 %. An A/L-Tn CP value of 0.23 and an A/L-Fn CP value of 0.25 best differentiated CS and C as well as O2 and C for the highest DG of 100 %. Conclusions: DXA indexes A/L, Tr/L, Tr/To and L/To values were significantly different among the four groups. These values correlated significantly among them and with their BMI in non-CS groups, thus confirming a BMI increase association with a more pronounced abdominal BFD. An A/L-Tm CP value of 0.3 and an A/L-Fm CP value of 0.26 were discovered as the best DXA diagnostic indexes of extreme abdominal obesity in CS and these could also be used in discovering abdominal BFD in non-CS obese women with metabolic syndrome (MS). An A/L-Tn CP value of 0.23 and an A/L-Fn CP value of 0.25 were discovered as the best DXA diagnostic indexes of normal BFD which completely excluded abdominal obesity.

Population genetics of 15 AmpflSTR Identifiler loci in Macedonians and Macedonian Romani (Gypsy).

Allele frequencies of 15 AmpFlSTR Identifiler STR loci (D8S1179, D21S11, D7S820, CSF1PO, D3S1358, TH01, D13S317, D16S539, D2S1338, D19S433, vWA, TPOX, D18S51, D5S818 and FGA) were analysed in a sample of 100 unrelated autochthonous Macedonian and 102 Macedonian Romani individuals, representing different ethnic groups residing within the same country of Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. The interpopulation comparisons between Macedonians and Macedonian Romani with four south eastern European populations, Kosovo Albanians, Serbians from Vojvodina Province, western Romanians and northern Greeks were performed as well as comparison between Macedonian Romani and Assam population from Asia (India). Reported data point that Macedonian Romani, as an example of an endogamous population of Asian (Indian) origin, show significant allelic differences when compared to neighbouring south eastern European populations.

Population genetics of 8 Y chromosome STR loci in Macedonians and Macedonian Romani (Gypsy).

Eight Y chromosome short tandem repeat (STR) polymorphisms (DYS19, DYS385, DYS389I, DYS389II, DYS390, DYS391, DYS392, DYS393) were analyzed in Macedonians (n = 84) and Macedonian Romani ethnic group (n = 68). Observed allelic frequency distribution and locus diversity values in Macedonians correspond closer to neighboring southeastern European populations than (mostly) western European populations, whereas observed allelic frequency distribution and locus diversity values in Macedonian Romani, as expected based on their Asian (Indian) origin, differ from both neighboring southeastern and (mostly) western European populations. Sixty-six (78.57%) haplotypes appeared in single copies in Macedonians and 15 (22.06%) in Macedonian Romani. The most frequent Macedonian haplotypes (DYS19-DYS385-DYS389I-DYS389II-DYS390-DYS391-DYS392-DYS393) 16-14/15-13-31-24-11-11-13 and 13-16/18-13-30-24-10-11-13 were found in 7 and 6 copies, respectively. The most frequent Macedonian Romani haplotype 15-15/17-14-29-22-10-11-12 was found in 18 males. Total haplotype diversity was 0.9885 +/- 0.0058 (Macedonians) and 0.9008 +/- 0.0242 (Macedonian Romani).

High-resolution phylogenetic analysis of southeastern Europe traces major episodes of paternal gene flow among Slavic populations.

The extent and nature of southeastern Europe (SEE) paternal genetic contribution to the European genetic landscape were explored based on a high-resolution Y chromosome analysis involving 681 males from seven populations in the region. Paternal lineages present in SEE were compared with previously published data from 81 western Eurasian populations and 5,017 Y chromosome samples. The finding that five major haplogroups (E3b1, I1b* (xM26), J2, R1a, and R1b) comprise more than 70% of SEE total genetic variation is consistent with the typical European Y chromosome gene pool. However, distribution of major Y chromosomal lineages and estimated expansion signals clarify the specific role of this region in structuring of European, and particularly Slavic, paternal genetic heritage. Contemporary Slavic paternal gene pool, mostly characterized by the predominance of R1a and I1b* (xM26) and scarcity of E3b1 lineages, is a result of two major prehistoric gene flows with opposite directions: the post-Last Glacial Maximum R1a expansion from east to west, the Younger Dryas-Holocene I1b* (xM26) diffusion out of SEE in addition to subsequent R1a and I1b* (xM26) putative gene flows between eastern Europe and SEE, and a rather weak extent of E3b1 diffusion toward regions nowadays occupied by Slavic-speaking populations.

Frequencies of mtDNA haplogroups in southeastern Europe--Croatians, Bosnians and Herzegovinians, Serbians, Macedonians and Macedonian Romani.

Mitochondrial DNA polymorphisms were analyzed in of 1,610 randomly chosen adult men from 11 different regions from southeastern Europe (Croatians, Bosnians and Herzegovinians, Serbians, Macedonians and Macedonian Romani). MtDNA HVS-I region together with RFLP sites diagnostic for main Euroasian and African mtDNA haplogroups were typed to determine haplogroup frequency distribution. The most frequent haplogroup in studied populations was H with the exception of Macedonian Romani among whom the most frequent were South Asian (Indian) specific variants of haplogroup M. The multidimensional scaling plot showed two clusters of populations and two outliers (Macedonian Romani and the most distant from mainland Croatian island of Korcula). The first cluster was formed by populations from three Croatian islands (Hvar, Krk and Brac) and the second cluster was formed by Macedonians, Serbians, Croatians from mainland and coast, Herzegovinians, Bosnians, Slovenians, Poles and Russians. The present analysis does not address a precise evaluation of phylogenetic relations of studied populations although some conclusions about historical migrations could be noticed. More extended conclusions will be possible after deeper phylogenetic and statistical analyses.

Genetic studies in south Balkan populations.

Within a study of the genetics of Balkan populations, four DNA-STR systems and 19 classical markers were examined in seven samples: Romanians (two groups), Albanians, Greeks and Aromuns (three groups). The results for the DNA-STR systems have been compared with data from the literature. The results show four clear separated groups: sub-Saharan black populations, North-African, Japanese and European populations. The large Balkan populations, except the Greek sample, are genetically more homogenous than the Aromun populations. A second Neighbor-joining tree based on all 23 analyzed systems, show a particular trend of the Aromun groups, which indicates a particular genetic structure.