We aimed to describe and characterize the gut microbiota composition and diversity in children with obesity according to their metabolic health status.
Anthropometry, Triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, ...HOMA-IR, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP) were evaluated (and z-score calculated) and faecal samples were collected from 191 children with obesity aged from 8 to 14. All children were classified depending on their cardiometabolic status in either a “metabolically healthy” (MHO; n = 106) or “metabolically unhealthy” (MUO; n = 85) group. Differences in gut microbiota taxonomies and diversity between groups (MUO vs MHO) were analysed. Alpha diversity index was calculated as Chao1 and Simpson’s index, and β-diversity was calculated as Adonis Bray–Curtis index. Spearman’s correlations and logistic regressions were performed to study the association between cardiometabolic health and the microbiota.
Children in the MUO presented significantly lower alpha diversity and richness than those in the MHO group (Chao1 index p = 0.021, Simpson’s index p = 0.045, respectively), whereas microbiota β-diversity did not differ by the cardiometabolic health status (Adonis Bray–Curtis, R2 = 0.006; p = 0.155). The MUO group was characterized by lower relative abundances of the genera Christensenellaceae R7 group (MHO:1.42% 0.21–2.94; MUO:0.47% 0.02–1.60, p < 0.004), and Akkermansia (MHO:0.26% 0.01–2.19; MUO:0.01% 0.00–0.36, p < 0.001) and higher relative abundances of Bacteroides (MHO:10.6% 4.64–18.5; MUO:17.0% 7.18–27.4, p = 0.012) genus. After the adjustment by sex, age, and BMI, higher Akkermansia (OR: 0.86, CI: 0.75–0.97; p = 0.033), Christensenellaceae R7 group (OR: 0.86, 95% CI: 075–0.98; p = 0.031) and Chao1 index (OR: 0.86, CI: 0.96–1.00; p = 0.023) represented a lower risk of the presence of one or more altered cardiovascular risk factors.
Lower proportions of Christensenellaceae and Akkermansia and lower diversity and richness seem to be indicators of a metabolic unhealthy status in children with obesity.
This study uses an option-implied distribution as the input in asset allocation. The computation of risk-neutral densities (RND) are based on the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) index option and ...its constituents. Since the RNDs estimation does not incorporate risk premium, the conversion of RND into risk-world density (RWD) is required. The RWD is obtained through parametric calibration using the beta distributions. The mean, volatility, and covariance are then calculated to construct the portfolio. The performance of the portfolio is evaluated by using portfolio volatility and Sharpe ratio.
Waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) predicts abdominal fat and cardiometabolic risk. In children with obesity, the most adequate cut-off to predict cardiometabolic risk as well as its ability to predict ...risk changes over time has not been tested. Our aim was to define an appropriate WHtR cut-off to predict cardiometabolic risk in children with obesity, and to analyze its ability to predict changes in cardiometabolic risk over time.
This is an observational prospective study secondary to the OBEMAT2.0 trial. We included data from 218 participants (8-15 years) who attended baseline and final visits (12 months later). The main outcome measure was a cardiometabolic risk score derived from blood pressure, lipoproteins, and HOMA index of insulin resistance.
The optimal cut-off to predict the cardiometabolic risk score was WHtR ≥0.55 with an area under the curve of 0.675 (95% CI: 0.589-0.760) at baseline and 0.682 (95% CI: 0.585-0.779) at the final visit. Multivariate models for repeated measures showed that changes in cardiometabolic risk were significantly associated with changes in WHtR.
This study confirms the clinical utility of WHtR to predict changes in cardiometabolic risk over time in children with obesity. The most accurate cut-off to predict cardiometabolic risk in children with obesity was WHtR ≥0.55.
In children, there is no consensus on a unique WHtR cut-off to predict cardiometabolic risk. The present work provides sufficient evidence to support the use of the 0.55 boundary. We have a large sample of children with obesity, with whom we compared the previously proposed boundaries according to cardiometabolic risk, and we found the optimal WHtR cut-off to predict it. We also analyzed if a reduction in the WHtR was associated with an improvement in their cardiometabolic profile.
A common method of handling the problem of missing variances in meta-analysis of continuous response is through imputation. However, the performance of imputation techniques may be influenced by the ...type of model utilised. In this article, we examine through a simulation study the effects of the techniques of imputation of the missing SDs and type of models used on the overall meta-analysis estimates. The results suggest that imputation should be adopted to estimate the overall effect size, irrespective of the model used. However, the accuracy of the estimates of the corresponding standard error (SE) is influenced by the imputation techniques. For estimates based on the fixed effects model, mean imputation provides better estimates than multiple imputations, while those based on the random effects model responds more robustly to the type of imputation techniques. The results showed that although imputation is good in reducing the bias in point estimates, it is more likely to produce coverage probability which is higher than the nominal value.
Teacher evaluation is the regular process of rating and evaluating the teaching effectiveness of educators. Teacher performance evaluations aim to help promote a better learning experience for ...students and foster professional growth for educators. The purpose of the current research was to determine the dimensions and components of the teacher performance evaluation model in Qom province. This research is applied in terms of purpose, which was conducted using exploratory-qualitative method and Grounded Theory (GT). The studied population includes specialists, experts, evaluators and primary teachers of Qom province in 2021. Participants were 21 people who were selected by purposeful sampling using the snowball technique. A semi-structured interview method was used to collect data. Data analysis was done using content analysis of interviews and open, axial and selective coding. The results of the research revealed that the teachers' performance evaluation model has six components, including: classroom management, innovation and creativity, ability development, communication, commitment and information technology. The findings were discussed according to the discovered components and practical implications were presented for planning and implementing policies to improve teachers' performance.
With the institutionalization of tolerance in the health system, the level of intimacy increases, and the possibility of benefiting more than the company of patients and their companions are ...provided. Tolerance reduces the number of damages by improving the level of security and improves the health level by facilitating the achievement of goals. To achieve the above positive points, it seems necessary to have a written program in this field, especially considering the cultural and religious characteristics of Iran.
The purpose of this research is to provide a model of excellence in the quality of educational-cultural services for families covered by the Imam Khomeini Relief Committee. The present study is ...applied research in terms of purpose and qualitative research in terms of method. The strategy used was grounded theory and classification of information collected from experts. The intended statistical population consisted of experts familiar with the research topic (politicians and cultural educational managers of the Imam Khomeini Relief Committee). Sampling method was purposive and interview method was used to collect information. After interviewing 12 interviewees, theoretical saturation was achieved. Three types of open, axial, and selective coding were used in MAXQDA software for data analysis. The results revealed that the model of excellence in the quality of educational-cultural services for families covered by the Imam Khomeini Relief Committee has the main categories include executive policies, executive solutions, management departments, supervisory and control activities, educational and cultural quality improvement, employees related factors, equipment and educational environment and educational and cultural processes. At the end of the article, the findings were discussed and practical implications based on it were presented.
Sand play training is one of the most common interventions to help address social deficits in individuals with autism spectrum disorder. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of sand play ...training on social skills, multiple problem behaviors and peer relationship in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In a semi-experimental pretest-posttest-follow-up with a control group design, 30 children were selected by convenience sampling method and assigned to experimental and control groups randomly. The Matson Evaluation of Social Skills with Youngsters (MESSY) and Gilliam Autism Rating Scale (GARS-2) were used to collect data. The experimental group underwent 8 sessions of sand play training, but the control group did not receive any training. Repeated measures analysis of variance in SPSS-24 software was used to analyze the data. The results indicated that intervention was effective on social skills, multiple problem behaviors and peer relationship in children with ASD (p <0.01). Furthermore, Results revealed that intervention effects continued at 2-month follow-up (p <0.01). According to our results, sand play training improved the social skills and peer relationship and decreased the multiple problem behaviors in children with ASD. Therefore, this treatment along with other therapeutic interventions can be used as an effective intervention method in the rehabilitation program for children with ASD.
We study D and Ds mesons at finite temperature using an effective field theory based on chiral and heavy-quark spin-flavor symmetries within the imaginary-time formalism. Interactions with the light ...degrees of freedom are unitarized via a Bethe-Salpeter approach, and the D and Ds self-energies are calculated self-consistently. We generate dynamically the D0⁎(2300) and Ds(2317) states, and study their possible identification as the chiral partners of the D and Ds ground states, respectively. We show the evolution of their masses and decay widths as functions of temperature, and provide an analysis of the chiral-symmetry restoration in the heavy-flavor sector below the transition temperature. In particular, we analyse the very special case of the D-meson, for which the chiral partner is associated to the double-pole structure of the D0⁎(2300).
If a phase transition is allowed to take place in the core of a compact star, a new stable branch of equilibrium configurations can appear, providing solutions with the same mass as the purely ...hadronic branch and hence giving rise to "twin-star" configurations. We perform an extensive analysis of the features of the phase transition leading to twin-star configurations and, at the same time, fulfilling the constraints coming from the maximum mass of 2 M⊙ and the information following gravitational-wave event GW170817. In particular, we use a general equation of state for the neutron-star matter that parametrizes the hadron-quark phase transition between the model describing the hadronic phase and a constant speed of sound for the quark phase. We find that the largest number of twin-star solutions has masses in the neutron-star branch that are in the range 1–2 M⊙ and maximum masses ≳2 M⊙ in the twin-star branch. The analysis of the masses, radii, and tidal deformabilities also reveals that when twin stars appear, the tidal deformability shows two distinct branches with the same mass, thus differing considerably from the behavior expected for normal neutron stars. In addition, we find that the data from GW170817 is compatible with the existence of hybrid stars and could also be interpreted as being produced by the merger of a binary system of hybrid stars or of a hybrid star with a neutron star. Indeed, with the use of a well-established hadronic equation of state, the presence of a hybrid star in the inspiral phase could be revealed if future gravitational-wave detections measure chirp masses M≲1.2 M⊙ and tidal deformabilities of Λ1.4≲400 for 1.4 M⊙ stars. Finally, combining all observational information available so far, we set constraints on the parameters that characterize the phase transition, the maximum masses, and the radii of 1.4 M⊙ stars described by equations of state leading to twin-star configurations.
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