This report describes the association between birth weight (BW) and obesity. Screening of 478 citations from five electronic databases resulted in the inclusion of 33 studies, most of medium quality. The meta-analysis included 20 of these published studies. The 13 remaining articles did not provide sufficient dichotomous data and were systematically reviewed, revealing results consistent with the meta-analysis. Our results revealed that high BW (>4000 g) was associated with increased risk of obesity (odds ratio [OR], 2.07; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.91-2.24) compared with subjects with BW ≤ 4000 g. Low BW (<2500 g) was associated with decreased risk of obesity (OR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.46-0.80) compared with subjects with BW ≥ 2500 g. However, when two studies exhibited selection bias were removed, the results indicated no significant association between low BW and obesity (OR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.58-1.04). Sensitivity analyses showed that differences in the study design, sample size and quality grade of the study had an effect on the low BW/obesity association, which low BW was not associated with the risk of obesity in cohort studies, studies with large sample sizes and studies with high quality grades. Pooled results were similar when normal birth weight (2500-4000 g) was used as the reference category. Subgroup analyses based on different growth and developmental stages (pre-school children, school children and adolescents) also revealed that high BW was associated with increased risk of obesity from childhood to early adulthood. No significant evidence of publication bias was present. These results suggest that high BW is associated with increased risk of obesity and may serve as a mediator between prenatal influences and later disease risk.

Birth weight and subsequent risk of obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis

The bacterium Anaplasma phagocytophilum has for decades been known to cause the disease tick-borne fever (TBF) in domestic ruminants in Ixodes ricinus-infested areas in northern Europe. In recent years, the bacterium has been found associated with Ixodes-tick species more or less worldwide on the northern hemisphere. A. phagocytophilum has a broad host range and may cause severe disease in several mammalian species, including humans. However, the clinical symptoms vary from subclinical to fatal conditions, and considerable underreporting of clinical incidents is suspected in both human and veterinary medicine. Several variants of A. phagocytophilum have been genetically characterized. Identification and stratification into phylogenetic subfamilies has been based on cell culturing, experimental infections, PCR and sequencing techniques. However, few genome sequences have been completed so far, thus observations on biological, ecological and pathological differences between genotypes of the bacterium, have yet to be elucidated by molecular and experimental infection studies. The natural transmission cycles of various A. phagocytophilum variants, the involvement of their respective hosts and vectors involved, in particular the zoonotic potential, have to be unravelled. A. phagocytophilum is able to persist between seasons of tick activity in several mammalian species and movement of hosts and infected ticks on migrating animals or birds may spread the bacterium. In the present review, we focus on the ecology and epidemiology of A. phagocytophilum, especially the role of wildlife in contribution to the spread and sustainability of the infection in domestic livestock and humans

/pdf/anaplasma-phagocytophilum-a-widespread-multi-host-pathogen-19expukcvj.pdf

Anaplasma phagocytophilum—a widespread multi-host pathogen with highly adaptive strategies

https://www.clevelandclinic.org/reproductiveresearchcenter/docs/agradoc301.pdf

Effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic waves (RF-EMW) from cellular phones on human ejaculated semen: an in vitro pilot study

Background 
Overweight is among the major challenging health risk factors. It has been claimed that birth weight, being a critical indicator of prenatal developmental conditions, is related to long-term overweight risk. In order to check this important assumption of developmental and preventive medicine, we performed a systematic review and comprehensive meta-analysis.


Methods and Findings 
Relevant studies published up to January 2011 that investigated the relation between birth weight and later risk of overweight were identified through literature searches using MEDLINE and EMBASE. For meta-analysis, 66 studies from 26 countries and five continents were identified to be eligible, including 643,902 persons aged 1 to 75 years. We constructed random-effects and fixed-effects models, performed subgroup-analyses, influence-analyses, assessed heterogeneity and publication bias, performed meta-regression analysis as well as analysis of confounder adjusted data. Meta-regression revealed a linear positive relationship between birth weight and later overweight risk (p 4,000 g) was associated with increased risk of overweight (OR = 1.66; 95% CI 1.55–1.77). Results did not change significantly by using normal birth weight (2,500–4,000 g) as reference category (OR = 0.73, 95% CI 0.63–0.84, and OR = 1.60, 95% CI 1.45–1.77, respectively). Subgroup- and influence-analyses revealed no indication for bias/confounding. Adjusted estimates indicate a doubling of long-term overweight risk in high as compared to normal birth weight subjects (OR = 1.96, 95% CI 1.43–2.67).


Conclusions 
Findings demonstrate that low birth weight is followed by a decreased long-term risk of overweight, while high birth weight predisposes for later overweight. Preventing in-utero overnutrition, e.g., by avoiding maternal overnutrition, overweight and/or diabetes during pregnancy, might therefore be a promising strategy of genuine overweight prevention, globally.

/pdf/birth-weight-and-long-term-overweight-risk-systematic-review-1cqsbu7lte.pdf

Birth Weight and Long-Term Overweight Risk: Systematic Review and a Meta-Analysis Including 643,902 Persons from 66 Studies and 26 Countries Globally

https://www.americanassociationforcellphonesafety.org/uploads/PATHOPHYSIOLOGY.pdf

Electromagnetic fields and DNA damage.

The problem of the lack of offspring is a phenomenon concerning approxi- mately 15% of married couples in Poland. Infertility is defi ned as inability to conceive after a year of sexual intercourses without the use of contraceptives. In half of the cases the causative factor is the male. Males are exposed to the effect of various environmental factors, which may decrease their reproductive capabilities. A decrease in male fertility is a phenomenon which occurs within years, which may suggest that one of the reasons for the decrease in semen parameters is the effect of the development of techniques in the surrounding environment. A hazardous effect on male fertility may be manifested by a decrease in the amount of sperm cells, disorders in their mobility, as well as structure. The causative agents may be chemical substances, ionizing radiation, stress, as well as elec- tromagnetic waves. The objective of the study was the determination of the effect of the usage of cellular phones on the fertility of males subjected to marital infertility therapy. The following groups were selected from among 304 males covered by the study: Group A: 99 patients who did not use mobile phones, Group B: 157 males who have used GSM equipment sporadically for the period of 1-2 years, and Group C: 48 people who have been regularly using mobile phone for more than 2 years. In the analysis of the effect of GSM equipment on the semen it was noted that an increase in the percentage of sperm cells of abnormal morphology is associated with the duration of exposure to the waves emitted by the GSM phone. It was also confi rmed that a decrease in the percentage of sperm cells in vital progressing motility in the semen is correlated with the frequency of using mobile phones.

/pdf/evaluation-of-the-effect-of-using-mobile-phones-on-male-35tggxws7z.pdf

Evaluation of the effect of using mobile phones on male fertility

Ticks are very important vectors of pathogenic microorganisms (viruses, bacteria, protozoans), which may induce serious contagious diseases in humans and in farm animals. The aim of the study was to determine the coincidence of 3 pathogens: Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Babesia microti in Ixodes ricinus ticks in south-eastern Poland and to estimate the degree of infection with each of the examined pathogens depending on the developmental stage of ticks (nymph, female, male). The study material were 1,620 Ixodes ricinus ticks collected at 5 sites in the Lublin macroregion, showing the presence of various forest biotopes. The PCR method was used to identify DNA for B. burgdorferi and A. phagocytophilum, and the nested-PCR - for B. microti. In 1,368 (84.44%) of the 1,620 examined ticks no infections were found. Single infections were noted in 217 ticks (13.4%) and coinfections were detected in 35 specimens (2.16%). The most common was the coincidence of A. phagocytophilum with B. microti (17 infected specimens, 1.05% of the total number). A similar result was obtained for the coincidence of B. burgdorferi s. l. with A. phagocytophilum (15 infected specimens, 0.93% of the total number). Only 2 cases of the coinfection of B. burgdorferi s. l. with B. microti, which equals 0.12% of the total number, were found. Infection with all 3 pathogens was identified in only 1 female tick (0.06% of the total number).

/pdf/coincidence-of-three-pathogens-borrelia-burgdorferi-sensu-1vh2rcss0s.pdf

Coincidence of three pathogens (Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Babesia microti) in Ixodes ricinus ticks in the Lublin macroregion.

The aim of the study was to determine socio-economic and parental factors affecting odds for development of obesity in school-age children from south-eastern Po- land (SEP). 2,182 boys and 2,066 girls from randomly selected elementary schools in SEP were involved in this study. The mean age of the girls was 10.4 years (SD 2.4, range 6.7-14.9). The mean age of the boys was 10.5 years (SD 2.3, range 6.9-14.9). 167 boys (7.7%, 95% CI: 6.6-8.8%) and 208 girls (10.1%, 95% CI: 8.8-11.4%) were obese. The difference in prevalence of obesity between genders was statistically signifi cant. Socio- economic risk factors (RF) were different from those in Western Europe or the United States. A small number of siblings was RF for obesity. Intact family had a protective effect. No correlation was found between child's obesity and parental education, income per capita or mother working outside the home. Parental obesity was RF for the obesity in children. High BMI at birth was an RF for obesity. A distinct pattern of socio-economic RF underlines the importance of population specifi c epidemiological studies. Defi ning RF in a specifi c region provides information to design specifi c preventive strategies.

/pdf/risk-factors-for-obesity-development-in-school-children-from-wlin69sfjo.pdf

Risk factors for obesity development in school children from south-eastern Poland.

The aim of this study was to determine the meaning of selected social-demographic factors, such as: gender, place of resident, education, level of knowledge about health and life orientation in modifying the behaviours related to health among university students.The study was conducted among 521 students of two major universities of the South-Eastern Region of Poland. The survey was conducted by means of a diagnostic survey with the use of the Inventory of Health-Related Behaviuor (Zygfryd Juczynski?s IZ ), A. Antonovsky?s Sense of Coherence Questionnaire SOC-29 and the original questionnaire, including socio-demographic variable, as well as a test of statements considering the assessment of the level of knowledge about health. Methods of descriptive statistics, such as: mean, standard deviation, median, upper and lower quartile, and highest and lowest value, methods of analysis of variance, the chi-square test, correlation and linear regression and Spearman?s rank correlation coefficient, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient, and backward stepwise regression were used for statistical analysis. The study showed that almost a half of respondents (48.9 percent) were characterized by a low intensity of pro-health behaviour, and among 38.4 percent it was on an average level. Gender was a factor that differentiated the intensity of health-related behaviour - women indicated a higher level of these behaviours. Almost half of the studied group (48.6 percent) was characterized by a low level of knowledge about health. The major meaning among studied factors influencing health-related behaviour in the regression model had the level of sense of coherence, gender and material status.

/pdf/psychosocial-factors-and-health-related-behavior-among-59m546nx0y.pdf

Psychosocial factors and health-related behavior among students from South-East Poland.

The objective of the study was the evaluation of effect of passive smoking among pregnant women on the health condition of their newborn babies. The study covered 150 healthy, non-smoking women from the Lublin Region. Among the total number of respondents, 45.34 % were not exposed during pregnancy to passive smoking at their workplace, while 13.33 % were passive smokers throughout the whole period of pregnancy. The state of their babies was assessed according to the APGAR Scale. A statistically significant correlation was noted between the maternal exposure to passive smoking during pregnancy and evaluation of the babies according to the APGAR Scale. No statistically significant relationship was noted between the date of delivery, the birth weight of babies, the onset of lactation, the problems with breastfeeding and maternal passive smoking during pregnancy.

/pdf/maternal-passive-smoking-during-pregnancy-and-neonatal-1ik1c4pdqa.pdf

Leszek Wdowiak

Papers

Evaluation of the effect of using mobile phones on male fertility

Coincidence of three pathogens (Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Babesia microti) in Ixodes ricinus ticks in the Lublin macroregion.

Risk factors for obesity development in school children from south-eastern Poland.

Psychosocial factors and health-related behavior among students from South-East Poland.

Maternal passive smoking during pregnancy and neonatal health.