| 1. |
- Mishra, A, et al.
(author)
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Diminishing benefits of urban living for children and adolescents' growth and development
- 2023
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In: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1476-4687 .- 0028-0836. ; 615:7954, s. 874-883
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Optimal growth and development in childhood and adolescence is crucial for lifelong health and well-being1–6. Here we used data from 2,325 population-based studies, with measurements of height and weight from 71 million participants, to report the height and body-mass index (BMI) of children and adolescents aged 5–19 years on the basis of rural and urban place of residence in 200 countries and territories from 1990 to 2020. In 1990, children and adolescents residing in cities were taller than their rural counterparts in all but a few high-income countries. By 2020, the urban height advantage became smaller in most countries, and in many high-income western countries it reversed into a small urban-based disadvantage. The exception was for boys in most countries in sub-Saharan Africa and in some countries in Oceania, south Asia and the region of central Asia, Middle East and north Africa. In these countries, successive cohorts of boys from rural places either did not gain height or possibly became shorter, and hence fell further behind their urban peers. The difference between the age-standardized mean BMI of children in urban and rural areas was <1.1 kg m–2 in the vast majority of countries. Within this small range, BMI increased slightly more in cities than in rural areas, except in south Asia, sub-Saharan Africa and some countries in central and eastern Europe. Our results show that in much of the world, the growth and developmental advantages of living in cities have diminished in the twenty-first century, whereas in much of sub-Saharan Africa they have amplified.
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| 2. |
- Baldanzi, Gabriel, et al.
(author)
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OSA Is Associated With the Human Gut Microbiota Composition and Functional Potential in the Population-Based Swedish CardioPulmonary bioImage Study
- 2023
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In: Chest. - : Elsevier. - 0012-3692 .- 1931-3543. ; 164:2, s. 503-516
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common sleep-breathing disorder linked to increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Intermittent hypoxia and intermittent airway obstruction, hallmarks of OSA, have been shown in animal models to induce substantial changes to the gut microbiota composition and subsequent transplantation of fecal matter to other animals induced changes in blood pressure and glucose metabolism.RESEARCH QUESTION: Does obstructive sleep apnea in adults associate with the composition and metabolic potential of the human gut microbiota?STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: We used respiratory polygraphy data from up to 3,570 individuals aged 50-64 from the population-based Swedish CardioPulmonary bioImage Study combined with deep shotgun metagenomics of fecal samples to identify cross-sectional associations between three OSA parameters covering apneas and hypopneas, cumulative sleep time in hypoxia and number of oxygen desaturation events with gut microbiota composition. Data collection about potential confounders was based on questionnaires, on-site anthropometric measurements, plasma metabolomics, and linkage with the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register.RESULTS: We found that all three OSA parameters were associated with lower diversity of species in the gut. Further, the OSA-related hypoxia parameters were in multivariable-adjusted analysis associated with the relative abundance of 128 gut bacterial species, including higher abundance of Blautia obeum and Collinsela aerofaciens. The latter species was also independently associated with increased systolic blood pressure. Further, the cumulative time in hypoxia during sleep was associated with the abundance of genes involved in nine gut microbiota metabolic pathways, including propionate production from lactate. Lastly, we observed two heterogeneous sets of plasma metabolites with opposite association with species positively and negatively associated with hypoxia parameters, respectively.INTERPRETATION: OSA-related hypoxia, but not the number of apneas/hypopneas, is associated with specific gut microbiota species and functions. Our findings lay the foundation for future research on the gut microbiota-mediated health effects of OSA.
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| 3. |
- Sayols-Baixeras, Sergi, et al.
(author)
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Streptococcus Species Abundance in the Gut Is Linked to Subclinical Coronary Atherosclerosis in 8973 Participants From the SCAPIS Cohort
- 2023
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In: Circulation. - : Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. - 0009-7322 .- 1524-4539. ; 148:6, s. 459-472
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Gut microbiota have been implicated in atherosclerotic disease, but their relation with subclinical coronary atherosclerosis is unclear. This study aimed to identify associations between the gut microbiome and computed tomography-based measures of coronary atherosclerosis and to explore relevant clinical correlates.Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 8973 participants (50 to 65 years of age) without overt atherosclerotic disease from the population-based SCAPIS (Swedish Cardiopulmonary Bioimage Study). Coronary atherosclerosis was measured using coronary artery calcium score and coronary computed tomography angiography. Gut microbiota species abundance and functional potential were assessed with shotgun metagenomics sequencing of stool, and associations with coronary atherosclerosis were evaluated with multivariable regression models adjusted for cardiovascular risk factors. Associated species were evaluated for association with inflammatory markers, metabolites, and corresponding species in saliva.Results: The mean age of the study sample was 57.4 years, and 53.7% were female. Coronary artery calcification was detected in 40.3%, and 5.4% had at least 1 stenosis with >50% occlusion. Sixty-four species were associated with coronary artery calcium score independent of cardiovascular risk factors, with the strongest associations observed for Streptococcus anginosus and Streptococcus oralis subsp oralis (P<1×10-5). Associations were largely similar across coronary computed tomography angiography-based measurements. Out of the 64 species, 19 species, including streptococci and other species commonly found in the oral cavity, were associated with high-sensitivity C-reactive protein plasma concentrations, and 16 with neutrophil counts. Gut microbial species that are commonly found in the oral cavity were negatively associated with plasma indole propionate and positively associated with plasma secondary bile acids and imidazole propionate. Five species, including 3 streptococci, correlated with the same species in saliva and were associated with worse dental health in the Malmö Offspring Dental Study. Microbial functional potential of dissimilatory nitrate reduction, anaerobic fatty acid β-oxidation, and amino acid degradation were associated with coronary artery calcium score.Conclusions: This study provides evidence of an association of a gut microbiota composition characterized by increased abundance of Streptococcus spp and other species commonly found in the oral cavity with coronary atherosclerosis and systemic inflammation markers. Further longitudinal and experimental studies are warranted to explore the potential implications of a bacterial component in atherogenesis.
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