Psychosocial outcomes of children born via embryo donation.

STUDY QUESTION: What are parents' perceptions of their relationships with and the psychosocial adjustments of their children who are born via embryo donation? SUMMARY ANSWER: Families created through embryo donation have well-adjusted parent-child relationships and reassuring child psychosocial outcomes. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: Embryo donation is an effective and growing form of third-party reproduction, but there is limited research in this field. Prior studies suggest that families created through gamete donation function well regarding parent-child relationship quality and child behavioral and socioemotional adjustment. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: This is a cross-sectional survey study with 187 total participants. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: Parents of children born via embryo donation were recruited nationally by contacting all embryo donation programs registered with the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology Clinic Outcome Reporting System (SART CORS) as well as medically directed embryo donation or 'embryo adoption' centers. Participants completed three online Qualtrics questionnaires. The first was a survey including 33 questions on demographics, the procurement process, and self-reported obstetric outcomes. Participants also completed two standardized measures assessing children's behavior and parents' adjustment to parenthood: the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and the Parental Acceptance-Rejection Questionnaire (PARQ). Scoring of the SDQ and PARQ was totaled and compared to standardized values (SDQ) or previously published results on other forms of gamete donation (PARQ), such as oocyte donation and sperm donation. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: On the SDQ (n = 46), the average total difficulties scores by age were: 8.2 ± 0.98 for ages 2-4, 7.6 ± 0.93 for ages 5-10, and 3.5 ± 0.77 for ages 11-17; this is compared to the normal reported range of 0-13, which indicates that clinically significant psychosocial problems are unlikely. Across all ages and individual categories (emotional symptoms, conduct problem, hyperactivity, peer problem, prosocial), scores on the SDQ were within the normal ranges. The average PARQ score (n = 70) for all respondents was 27.5 ± 1.18 (range: 24-96), suggesting perceived parental acceptance. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: Because this study was cross-sectional, it could not capture familial relationships over time. This survey-based study design allows for potential selection bias (parents of well-adjusted children may be more likely to participate). Additionally, the overall sample size is relatively small; however, it remains one of the largest published to date. Another significant limitation to this study is the lack of generalizability: most participants were recruited from private, faith-based, embryo donation programs who are demographically similar. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: Though embryo donation is an established form of third-party reproduction, it is significantly less robustly studied compared to other forms of gamete donation (oocyte or sperm donation). This study provides a larger data set with a more expanded age range of children compared to the limited number of previously published studies. Furthermore, these findings indicate a high parental disclosure rate with respect to the use of embryo donation which contrasts previous findings. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S): No external funding source was utilized for the completion of this study. No conflicts are disclosed. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: N/A.

High all-cause mortality and increasing proportion of older adults with tuberculosis in Texas, 2008-2020.

Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) elimination efforts must consider the global growth of the ageing population. Here we used TB surveillance data from Texas, United States (2008-2020; total n = 10656) to identify unique characteristics and outcomes in older adults (OA, ≥65 years) with PTB, compared to young adults (YA, 18-39 years) or middle-aged adults (40-64 years). We found that the proportion of OA with PTB increased from 15% in 2008 to 24% in 2020 (trend p < 0.05). Diabetes was highly prevalent in OA (32%) but not associated with adverse outcomes. Death was 13-fold higher in OA compared to YA and was 7% at the time of diagnosis which suggests diagnostic delays. However, once TB was suspected, we found no differences in culture, smear, or nucleic acid detection of mycobacteria (although less lung cavitations) in OA. During treatment, OA had less drug-resistant TB, few adverse reactions and adhered with TB treatment. We recommend training healthcare workers to 'think TB' in OA, for prompt treatment initiation to diminish deaths. Furthermore, OA should be added as a priority group to the latent TB treatment guidelines by the World Health Organization, to prevent TB disease in this highly vulnerable group.

Genetic correlations between liver fat content, metabolic health, and adiposity distribution in the Fels Longitudinal Study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Hepatic steatosis is known to be heritable, but its genetic basis is mostly uncharacterized. Steatosis is associated with metabolic and adiposity features; recent studies hypothesize that shared genetic effects between these traits could account for some of the unexplained heritability. This study aimed to quantify these genetic associations in a family-based sample of non-Hispanic white adults. METHODS AND RESULTS: 704 participants (18-95 years, 55.8% female) from the Fels Longitudinal Study with an MRI assessment of liver fat were included. Quantitative genetic analyses estimated the age- and sex-adjusted heritability of individual traits and the genetic correlations within trait pairs. Mean liver fat was 5.95% (SE = 0.23) and steatosis (liver fat >5.56%) was present in 29.8% of participants. Heritability (h2± SE) of steatosis was 0.72 ± 0.17 (p = 6.80e-6). All other traits including liver enzymes, fasting glucose, HOMA-IR, visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue (VAT, SAT), body mass index, body fat percent, waist circumference, lipids and blood pressure were also heritable. Significant genetic correlations were found between liver fat and all traits except aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and among most trait pairs. Highest genetic correlations were between liver fat and HOMA-IR (0.85 ± 0.08, p = 1.73e-8), fasting glucose and ALT (0.89 ± 0.26, p = 6.68e-5), and HOMA-IR with: waist circumference (0.81 ± 0.12, p = 3.76e-6), body fat percent (0.78 ± 0.12 p = 2.42e-5) and VAT (0.73 ± 0.07, p = 6.37e-8). CONCLUSIONS: Common genes may exist between liver fat accumulation, metabolic features and adiposity phenotypes.

Sex-specific associations between adipokine profiles and carotid-intima media thickness in the Cameron County Hispanic Cohort (CCHC).

BACKGROUND: Adipokines are hormones secreted from adipose tissue and are associated with cardiometabolic diseases (CMD). Functional differences between adipokines (leptin, adiponectin, and resistin) are known, but inconsistently reported associations with CMD and lack of studies in Hispanic populations are research gaps. We investigated the relationship between subclinical atherosclerosis and multiple adipokine measures. METHODS: Cross-sectional data from the Cameron County Hispanic Cohort (N = 624; mean age = 50; Female = 70.8%) were utilized to assess associations between adipokines [continuous measures of adiponectin, leptin, resistin, leptin-to-adiponectin ratio (LAR), and adiponectin-resistin index (ARI)] and early atherosclerosis [carotid-intima media thickness (cIMT)]. We adjusted for sex, age, body mass index (BMI), smoking status, cytokines, fasting blood glucose levels, blood pressure, lipid levels, and medication usage in the fully adjusted linear regression model. We conducted sexes-combined and sex-stratified analyses to account for sex-specificity and additionally tested whether stratification of participants by their metabolic status (metabolically elevated risk for CMD as defined by having two or more of the following conditions: hypertension, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, and inflammation vs. not) influenced the relationship between adipokines and cIMT. RESULTS: In the fully adjusted analyses, adiponectin, leptin, and LAR displayed significant interaction by sex (p < 0.1). Male-specific associations were between cIMT and LAR [ß(SE) = 0.060 (0.016), p = 2.52 × 10-4], and female-specific associations were between cIMT and adiponectin [ß(SE) = 0.010 (0.005), p = 0.043] and ARI [ß(SE) = - 0.011 (0.005), p = 0.036]. When stratified by metabolic health status, the male-specific positive association between LAR and cIMT was more evident among the metabolically healthy group [ß(SE) = 0.127 (0.015), p = 4.70 × 10-10] (p for interaction by metabolic health < 0.1). However, the female-specific associations between adiponectin and cIMT and ARI and cIMT were observed only among the metabolically elevated risk group [ß(SE) = 0.014 (0.005), p = 0.012 for adiponectin; ß(SE) = - 0.015 (0.006), p = 0.013 for ARI; p for interaction by metabolic health < 0.1]. CONCLUSION: Associations between adipokines and cIMT were sex-specific, and metabolic health status influenced the relationships between adipokines and cIMT. These heterogeneities by sex and metabolic health affirm the complex relationships between adipokines and atherosclerosis.

A Novel Bayesian Spatial-Temporal Approach to Quantify SARS-CoV-2 Testing Disparities for Small Area Estimation.

Objectives. To propose a novel Bayesian spatial-temporal approach to identify and quantify severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) testing disparities for small area estimation. Methods. In step 1, we used a Bayesian inseparable space-time model framework to estimate the testing positivity rate (TPR) at geographically granular areas of the census block groups (CBGs). In step 2, we adopted a rank-based approach to compare the estimated TPR and the testing rate to identify areas with testing deficiency and quantify the number of needed tests. We used weekly SARS-CoV-2 infection and testing surveillance data from Cameron County, Texas, between March 2020 and February 2022 to demonstrate the usefulness of our proposed approach. Results. We identified the CBGs that had experienced substantial testing deficiency, quantified the number of tests that should have been conducted in these areas, and evaluated the short- and long-term testing disparities. Conclusions. Our proposed analytical framework offers policymakers and public health practitioners a tool for understanding SARS-CoV-2 testing disparities in geographically small communities. It could also aid COVID-19 response planning and inform intervention programs to improve goal setting and strategy implementation in SARS-CoV-2 testing uptake. (Am J Public Health. 2023;113(1):40-48. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2022.307127).

Sleep disturbance as a precursor to anxiety, depression, and PTSD among rural Kenyans: A cross-lagged panel analysis from a rural Kenyan interventional cohort.

Sleep quality is essential to biopsychosocial functioning, yet there remains limited longitudinal research on sleep and mental or social well-being within low- or middle-income countries. This study utilised longitudinal cohort data from a community-based empowerment programme in Meru County, Kenya to assess cross-lagged correlations between sleep disturbance, social support, symptoms of depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress. Participants (n = 373; 92% women; age range 18-86 years) who reported more sleep disturbance at T1 reported significantly more symptoms of depression, anxiety, and PTSD, and significantly less social support at T2 (average 11 weeks later), controlling for all within-time correlations across measures, within-measure correlations across time, and sociodemographic background characteristics. The findings are consistent with research across high-income countries, underscoring the need for more contextualised research into sleep behaviours across low- and middle-income countries. The findings may inform interventions to increase mental and social well-being within Kenya.

Resistin levels decrease as insulin resistance increases in a Mexican-American cohort.

AIMS: Links between resistin, insulin resistance (IR), and resistin-stimulated cytokine signaling remain unknown in Mexican-Americans. A Mexican-American cohort was examined to determine (1) relationships between circulating resistin and IR, (2) resistin's associations with cytokines and demographic and anthropometric variables, and (3) similar measurements with other adipokines. METHODS: For cross sectional analyses, 953 adults (367 males and 586 females) in the Cameron County Hispanic Cohort (CCHC) were stratified into three groups: normal glucose tolerance, prediabetes, and diabetes mellitus. Differences in resistin and other adipokine levels were examined using linear regression via unadjusted model (Model 1), model adjusted for cytokines (Model 2), and model further adjusted for demographic and anthropometric variables (Model 3). RESULTS: HOMA-IR increased with worsening glucose tolerance (p < 0.0001). In all models, resistin significantly decreased as glucose tolerance deteriorated. Model 3 resistin was positively associated with IL-1ß (p = 0.0252) and IL-8 (p < 0.0001), inversely associated with TNF-α (p = 0.0352), but nonsignificantly associated with IL-6 (p = 0.8671). Model 3 leptin was significantly lower in diabetes mellitus compared to other groups (p < 0.005) and positively associated with female sex (p < 0.0001), age (p = 0.024), and BMI (p < 0.0001), without significant cytokine associations. Adiponectin displayed no significant associations with glucose tolerance, but was significantly associated with sex, BMI, and lipids (Model 3). CONCLUSIONS: Resistin unexpectedly decreased as IR increased while supporting evidence of a resistin-stimulated cytokine pathway in this Mexican-American cohort. Leptin fell with elevated IR after adjusting for cytokines, demographic and anthropometric variables. Adiponectin nonsignificantly decreased as IR increased while showing significant associations with sex, BMI, and lipids.

The impact of metabolic syndrome on mental health-related quality of life and depressive symptoms.

PURPOSE: Results examining associations between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and depression, as well as on quality of life (QoL), are inconsistent. We aimed to determine whether individuals with MetS had decreased mental health-related QoL (MH-QoL) and higher frequency of depressive symptoms. METHODS: Data from 1,015 participants from the Fels Longitudinal Study were analyzed (mean age ± SD: 49.6 ± 18.7 years, 29.3% MetS, 51% females). MetS was determined using American Heart Association/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute criteria. Depressive symptoms (yes vs. no) were assessed with The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). MH-QoL (low (≤ 42) vs. high) was assessed with The Medical Outcomes 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36). Sex- and age-stratified mixed effects logistic regressions were used to examine the longitudinal relationship between MetS and MH-QoL while adjusting for covariates such as age, smoking status, and drinking status. RESULTS: In cross-sectional analysis, MetS was significantly associated with elevated depressive symptoms in women (OR 2.14, 95% CI 1.22-3.78, p < 0.01), but not in men. In the longitudinal analysis, MetS was observed to have a protective effect among men in the older age group as it approached significance (OR 0.34, 95% CI 0.11-1.05, p = 0.06). CONCLUSION: MetS was adversely associated with depressive symptoms and poor MH-QoL. Our cross-sectional results suggest that depressive symptoms are higher among women with MetS. Interestingly, our longitudinal results suggest that MH-QoL in men with MetS may improve with age.

High Prevalence of Hepatic Fibrosis, Measured by Elastography, in a Population-Based Study of Mexican Americans.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Hepatic fibrosis is a primary risk factor for cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, which affect a disproportionate number of Hispanics in the United States. We aimed to determine the prevalence of significant fibrosis, measured by point shear-wave elastography (pSWE), and determine characteristics of hepatic fibrosis and simple steatosis in a population-based study of Mexican American Hispanics in south Texas. METHODS: Liver stiffness was measured by pSWE, performed by 2 separate operators, for 406 participants in the Cameron County Hispanic Cohort from 2015 through 2017. Significant fibrosis (F2-F4) was defined as median stiffness > 1.34 m/s. Steatosis was determined by ultrasound. All participants underwent a clinical examination that included a comprehensive laboratory analysis and standardized interview about their medical and social history. We calculated weighted prevalence of fibrosis and determined clinical and demographic associations with significant fibrosis (with or without steatosis) and simple steatosis with no/minimal fibrosis using multinomial logistic regression. RESULTS: Fifty-nine participants were excluded due to unreliable pSWE findings or inconclusive ultrasound results, for a final analysis of 347 participants. The prevalence of significant fibrosis was 13.8%; most of these participants (37/42, 88.1%) had no evidence of viral hepatitis or heavy drinking. Levels of liver enzymes were associated with fibrosis and simple steatosis. Indicators of metabolic health (insulin resistance, triglycerides, and cholesterol) were significantly associated with simple steatosis. Fibrosis, but not simple steatosis, was significantly associated with of antibodies against HCV in plasma (odds ratio, 18.9; P = .0138) and non-significantly associated with reduced platelet count (odds ratio, 0.8 per 50x103/µL; 95% CI, 0.5-1.1). Multivariable analyses, as well as sensitivity analyses removing F4 fibrosis and viral or alcoholic etiologies, confirmed our results. CONCLUSION: We estimated the prevalence of fibrosis in a large population of Mexican American Hispanics using pSWE measurements. We found Mexican American Hispanics to have a higher prevalence of fibrosis compared to European and Asian populations, primarily attributable to metabolic disease.

Fruit and Vegetable Intake is Inversely Associated with Cancer Risk in Mexican-Americans.

Objective: There is inconsistent evidence and limited data in the Hispanic population concerning fruit and vegetable intake and cancer risk. This study explored the effect of fruit and vegetable intake on cancer risk in Mexican-Americans. Methods: Participants in this cross-sectional study were drawn from the Cameron County Hispanic Cohort. Consumption of fruits and vegetables were assessed using a validated questionnaire. Cancer was self-reported by the participants based on being told by a health care provider that they had cancer. Results: Among 2,381 participants with available dietary data, 82 reported a diagnosis of cancer. Participants who met recommendations of five or more servings of fruit and vegetable per day had a significantly 86% lower risk for reported cancer compared with those who did not meet recommendations, after adjusting for other covariates. Every portion increment of total fruit and vegetable intake was significantly associated with the reduced cancer risk by 11% with the adjustment of other covariates. Conclusions: Fruit and vegetable intake was inversely associated with cancer risk in Mexican-Americans. Improving the consumption of fruit and vegetable might be an effective area for further research as part of a strategy for cancer prevention and control among Mexican-Americans independent of other factors.

Children's Age, Family Conflict, and Children's HbA1c: Are Girls and Boys Different?

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the relation between children's sex, age, family conflict, and children's glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). METHODS: Parents of children with type 1 diabetes mellitus were recruited from the diabetes clinic of a midwestern children's hospital. The survey included demographics and the Diabetes Family Conflict Scale (DFCS). The index child's HbA1c was obtained. RESULTS: DFCS was significantly associated with HbA1c for both boys and girls (rs = 0.3, P < 0.001); however, girls had significantly higher median HbA1c levels (8.8) than boys (8.4, P = 0.003). Median HbA1c levels in boys younger than 12 years (8.2) were significantly lower compared with girls younger than 12 years (8.7, P = 0.025) or older girls (9.0, P < 0.001). Median DFCS scores were similar for all boys-approximately 25-but families with older girls had significantly higher scores compared with younger girls (27.0 vs 24.0, P = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: DFCS scores were significantly related to HbA1c levels. Psychosocial factors are related to HbA1c in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Perfluoroalkyl substances, bone density, and cardio-metabolic risk factors in obese 8-12 year old children: A pilot study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), have been associated with adverse bone, and metabolic changes in adults. However association of PFASs with bone health in children is understudied. Considering their role as endocrine disruptors, we examined relationships of four PFASs with bone health in children. METHODS: In a cross sectional pilot study, 48 obese children aged 8-12 years were enrolled from Dayton's Children Hospital, Ohio. Anthropometric, clinical and biochemical assessments of serum were completed. Serum PFASs were measured by UPLC-ESI-MS/MS. In a subset of 23 children, bone health parameters were measured using calcaneal quantitative ultrasound (QUS). RESULTS: While PFASs exposure was associated with a consistent negative relationship with bone health parameters, among four PFASs tested, only PFNA showed a significant negative relationship with bone parameter (ß [95% CI], = - 72.7 [- 126.0, - 19.6], p = .010). PFNA was also associated with raised systolic blood pressure (p = .008), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C; p < .001), and total cholesterol (TC; p = .014). In addition, both PFOA and PFOS predicted elevation in LDL-C, and PFOA predicted increased TC, as well. In this analysis, PFASs were not strongly related to thyroid hormones, 25-hydroxy vitamin D, liver enzymes, or glucose homeostasis. CONCLUSION: PFASs exposure in obese children may play a role in adverse skeletal and cardiovascular risk profiles.

Trabecular Bone Score Is a Valuable Addition to Bone Mineral Density for Bone Quality Assessment in Older Mexican American Women With Type 2 Diabetes.

Altered bone quality due to the underlying metabolic changes of type 2 diabetes (T2D) has been hypothesized to affect bone strength, leading to increased fracture risk in patients with T2D. Lumbar spine trabecular bone score (LS-TBS), an indirect measure of trabecular microarchitecture, provides information on bone quality and has been associated with T2D. However, trabecular bone score (TBS) is also affected by demographic patterns and body size, and is expected to be different in people from various ethnic or racial backgrounds. Therefore, it is important to understand associations between T2D and TBS for each ethnic or racial group separately. Although the relationship between TBS and age has been reported to be similar between non-Hispanic Caucasians and Mexican Americans (MAs), data on associations of LS-TBS with T2D in older MAs are lacking. Here, we report associations between TBS and T2D in 149 older MA men and women. Participants are part of a cohort known as the Cameron County Hispanic Cohort in Texas who have high prevalence of obesity and poor glycemic control. Bone mineral density was not altered for MA women with T2D, but was significantly higher in MA men with T2D compared with MA men without diabetes. Low LS-TBS was associated with T2D in women in our study. Although low TBS was associated with older age in men, TBS did not show any significant association with T2D for men. These results are similar to those found in other studies of non-Hispanic whites with diabetes. LS-TBS may add value in diagnosing poor bone quality in older MA women with T2D regardless of bone mineral density scoring.

Reading, Mathematics and Fine Motor Skills at 5 Years of Age in US Children who were Extremely Premature at Birth.

Objectives The prevalence of extreme prematurity at birth has increased, but little research has examined its impact on developmental outcomes in large representative samples within the United States. This study examined the association of extreme prematurity with kindergarteners' reading skills, mathematics skills and fine motor skills. Methods The early childhood longitudinal study-birth cohort, a representative sample of the US children born in 2001 was analyzed for this study. Early reading and mathematics skills and fine motor skills were compared among 200 extremely premature children (EPC) (gestational age <28 wks or birthweight <1000 g), 500 premature children (PC), and 4300 term children (TC) (≥37wks or ≥2500 g). Generalized linear regression analyses included sampling weights, children's age, race, sex, and general health status, and parental marital status and education among singleton children. Results At age 5 years, EPC were 2.6(95 % CI 1.7-3.8) times more likely to fail build a gate and were 3.1(95 % CI 1.6-5.8) times more likely to fail all four drawing tasks compared to TC (p values <0.001). Fine motor performance of PC (failed to build a gate, 1.3[95 % CI 1.0-1.7]; failed to draw all four shapes, 1.1[95 % CI 0.8-1.6]) was not significantly different from TC. Mean early reading scale score (36.8[SE:1.3]) of EPC was 4.0 points lower than TC (p value < 0.0001) while mean reading score (39.9[SE:1.4]) of PC was not significantly different from TC (40.8[SE:1.1]). Mean mathematics scale score were significantly lower for both EPC (35.5[SE:1.0], p value < 0.001) and PC (39.8[SE:0.8], p value = 0.023) compared to TC (41.0[SE:0.6]). Conclusions for Practice Extreme prematurity at birth was associated with cognitive and fine motor delays at age 5 years. This suggests that based on a nationally representative sample of infants, the biological risk of extreme prematurity persists after adjusting for other factors related to development.

Inverse associations between cardiometabolic risk factors and 25-hydroxyvitamin D in obese American children and adolescents.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the association between 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations and cardiometabolic risk factors in obese American children. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 209 obese children (55% females, 25.8% black) aged between 6 and 19 years old. Study measurements included plasma 25(OH)D concentrations, blood pressure, lipids and oxidized LDL levels, insulin resistance (IR) indices from glucose, insulin and 5 hour oral glucose tolerance test. RESULTS: Fifty-one percent of the children had vitamin D deficiency. Older age [OR (95% CI) = 1.16 (1.00, 1.35)], black race/ethnicity [15.39 (5.79, 40.92)], winter/spring season [3.46 (1.69, 7.02)] and higher body mass index (BMI) [1.05 (0.99, 1.11)] were associated with increased odds of having vitamin D deficiency. None of cardiometabolic risk factors examined were significantly associated with vitamin D deficiency in age, race/ethnicity, season, and BMI adjusted models. In age, race/ethnicity, season and BMI adjusted models, total cholesterol (ß = -0.001, P = 0.013), non-HDL-C (ß = -0.001, P = 0.014), and oxidized LDL (ß = -0.087, P = 0.045) were inversely associated with log-transformed 25(OH)D. An approximate 10 mg/dl increase in total cholesterol or in non-HDL-C was associated with an approximate 1.3% decrease in the geometric mean of 25(OH)D concentration. Further a 10% increase in ox-LDL levels was associated with an approximate 0.8% decrease in the geometric mean of 25(OH)D. CONCLUSION: Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent in obese American children. There was evidence that some cardiometabolic risk factors including lipid levels and oxidized LDL levels were significantly inversely associated with 25(OH)D concentration in our sample. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:736-742, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The positive association of obesity variants with adulthood adiposity strengthens over an 80-year period: a gene-by-birth year interaction.

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that the statistical effect of obesity-related genetic variants on adulthood adiposity traits depends on birth year. METHODS: The study sample included 907 related, non-Hispanic White participants in the Fels Longitudinal Study, born between 1901 and 1986, and aged 25-64.99 years (474 females; 433 males) at the time of measurement. All had both genotype data from which a genetic risk score (GRS) composed of 32 well-replicated obesity-related common single nucleotide polymorphisms was created, and phenotype data [including body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and the sum of four subcutaneous skinfolds]. Maximum likelihood-based variance components analysis was used to estimate trait heritabilities, main effects of GRS and birth year, GRS-by-birth year interaction, sex, and age. RESULTS: Positive GRS-by-birth year interaction effects were found for BMI (p < 0.001), waist circumference (p = 0.007), and skinfold thickness (p < 0.007). For example, each one-allele increase in GRS was estimated to result in a 0.16 increase in BMI among males born in 1930 compared to a 0.47 increase among those born in 1970. CONCLUSIONS: These novel findings suggest the influence of common obesity susceptibility variants has increased during the obesity epidemic.

Changes in the Perceptions of the Neighborhood Environment and Physical Activity Patterns Among Mexican Americans on the Texas-Mexico Border.

INTRODUCTION: Little research on the association of neighborhood environment with physical activity in resource-poor communities has been done. This study assessed changes in perceptions of the neighborhood environment and the association between those perceptions and physical activity in Mexican Americans on the Texas-Mexico border in an area where there would be community efforts to enhance pedestrian and cycling infrastructure and programming. METHODS: We analyzed data from a population-based cohort of Mexican American individuals on the Texas-Mexico border. From 2008 to 2018, interviewer-administered questionnaires were used to collect perceptions of neighborhood environment and physical activity at baseline, 5- and 10-year follow-ups, and at other ancillary study visits, with an average of 3 data points per participant. We conducted multivariable longitudinal logistic regression analyses to assess if the changes in odds of positive perceptions of the neighborhood environment over the study years differed by physical activity patterns. RESULTS: The sample (n = 1036) was mostly female (71%), born in Mexico (70%), and had no health insurance (69%). We saw improvements in the perceptions of several neighborhood environment attributes from 2008 to 2018, though we saw different longitudinal trajectories in these perceptions based on an individual's longitudinal physical activity patterns. By 2014-2018, we saw significantly higher positive perceptions of the neighborhood environment for those who consistently met physical activity guidelines compared with those who did not (adjusted rate ratio = 1.12, P = .049). DISCUSSION: We found that perceptions of many neighborhood environment attributes improved between 2008 and 2018, and that overall positive perceptions were associated with consistently meeting physical activity guidelines over time.

A high burden of diabetes and ankle brachial index abnormalities exists in Mexican Americans in South Texas.

Ethnic differences exist in the United States in the interrelated problems of diabetes (DM), peripheral arterial disease (PAD), and leg amputations. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and risk factor associations for subclinical PAD in a population sample of Mexican Americans using the ankle brachial (ABI) index. The ABI-High (higher of the two ankle pressures/highest brachial pressure) and ABI-Low (lower of the two ankle pressures/highest brachial pressure) were calculated to define PAD. Toe brachial index (TBI) was also calculated. 746 participants were included with an age of 53.4 ± 0.9 years, 28.3 % had diabetes mellitus (DM), 12.6 % were smokers, and 51.2 % had hypertension (HTN). Using ABI-High ≤ 0.9, the prevalence of PAD was 2.7 %. This rose to 12.7 % when an ABI-Low ≤ 0.9 was used; 4.0 % of the population had an ABI-High > 1.4. The prevalence of TBI < 0.7 was 3.9 %. DM was a significant risk factor for ABI-High ≤ 0.9 and ABI-High > 1.4, and TBI < 0.7. Increased age, HTN, smoking was associated with ABI-High ≤ 0.9, while being male was associated with ABI-High > 1.4. Increased age, smoking, and lower education were all associated with abnormal TBI. Despite relatively younger mean age than other studied Hispanic cohorts, the present population has a high burden of ABI abnormalities. DM was a consistent risk factor for PAD. These abnormalities indicate an important underlying substrate of vascular and metabolic disease that may predispose this population to the development of symptomatic PAD and incident amputations.

Interaction between type 2 diabetes and past COVID-19 on active tuberculosis.

BACKGROUND: The global setback in tuberculosis (TB) prevalence and mortality in the post-COVID-19 era have been partially attributed to pandemic-related disruptions in healthcare systems. The additional biological contribution of COVID-19 to TB is less clear. The goal of this study was to determine if there is an association between COVID-19 in the past 18 months and a new TB episode, and the role played by type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) comorbidity in this relationship. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 112 new active TB patients and 373 non-TB controls, identified between June 2020 and November 2021 in communities along the Mexican border with Texas. Past COVID-19 was based on self-report or positive serology. Bivariable/multivariable analysis were used to evaluate the odds of new TB in hosts with past COVID-19 and/or DM status. RESULTS: The odds of new TB were higher among past COVID-19 cases vs. controls, but only significant among DM patients (aOR 2.3). The odds of TB given DM was 2.7-fold among participants without past COVID-19 and increased to 7.9-fold among those with past COVID-19. CONCLUSION: DM interacts with past COVID-19 synergistically to magnify the risk of TB. Latent TB screening and prophylactic treatment, if positive, is recommended in this COVID-19/DM/latent TB high-risk group.

Wrist breadth and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance in youth: the Fels Longitudinal Study.

OBJECTIVES: There is biological crosstalk between insulin signaling and bone remodeling pathways, and wrist circumference and bone area were recently found to associate with insulin resistance independent of body mass index (BMI) in overweight/obese children. We aimed to expand on this work by using more specific measures of adiposity for adjustment and examining children with broader range of BMI. METHODS: We used serial data (1,051 total measures) on 313 non-Hispanic white youth (ages 8-18 y) from the Fels Longitudinal Study with homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) as the outcome. Internal standard deviation score (SDS) for wrist breadth was evaluated as a predictor of HOMA-IR (log-transformed) before and after adjusting for internal-sample SDSs for BMI, waist circumference (WC), and total body fat (TBF) from dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, in addition to age, sex, Tanner stage, and birth year, using generalized estimating equations. RESULTS: Before additional adiposity adjustment, we found a significant positive association between wrist breadth SDS and log-transformed HOMA-IR (ß = 0.13; 95%CI: 0.09-0.17), which remained significant after adjusting for TBF SDS (ß = 0.09; 95%CI: 0.05-0.13; P < 0.001), BMI SDS (ß = 0.06; 95%CI: 0.02-0.10; P = 0.007), and WC SDS (ß = 0.06; 95%CI: 0.02-0.09; P = 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Further work is needed to determine whether simple frame size measures such as wrist breadth may be useful markers of metabolic risk.