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Objective To evaluate the accuracy of simple anthropometric parameters in diagnosing obesity in children in Guangzhou. Methods A cross-sectional study, including 465 children aged 6-9 years, was carried out in Guangzhou. Their body height and weight, waist circumference (WC) and hip circumference were measured according to standard procedure. Body mass index (BMI), waist to hip ratio (WHR) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) were calculated. Body fat percentage (BF%)was determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Multiple regression analysis was applied to evaluate the correlations between age-adjusted physical indicators and BF%, after the adjustment for age. Obesity was defined by BF%. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of the indicators for childhood obesity. Area under-ROC curves (AUCs) were calculated and the best cut-off point that maximizing'sensitivity+specificity-1'was determined. Results BMI showed the strongest association with BF% through multiple regression analysis. For'per-standard deviation increase' of BMI, BF%increased by 5.3%(t=23.1, P<0.01) in boys and 4.6%(t=17.5, P<0.01) in girls, respectively. The ROC curve analysis indicated that BMI exhibited the largest AUC in both boys (AUC=0.908) and girls (AUC=0.895). The sensitivity was 80.8% in boys and 81.8% in girls, and the specificity was 88.2%in boys and 87.1%in girls. Both the AUCs for WHtR and WC were less than 0.8 in boys and girls. WHR had the smallest AUCs (<0.8) in both boys and girls. Conclusion BMI appeared to be a good predicator for BF%in children aged 6-9 years in Guangzhou.
ABSTRACT
Objective To evaluate the accuracy of simple anthropometric parameters in diagnosing obesity in children in Guangzhou. Methods A cross-sectional study, including 465 children aged 6-9 years, was carried out in Guangzhou. Their body height and weight, waist circumference (WC) and hip circumference were measured according to standard procedure. Body mass index (BMI), waist to hip ratio (WHR) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) were calculated. Body fat percentage (BF%)was determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Multiple regression analysis was applied to evaluate the correlations between age-adjusted physical indicators and BF%, after the adjustment for age. Obesity was defined by BF%. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of the indicators for childhood obesity. Area under-ROC curves (AUCs) were calculated and the best cut-off point that maximizing'sensitivity+specificity-1'was determined. Results BMI showed the strongest association with BF% through multiple regression analysis. For'per-standard deviation increase' of BMI, BF%increased by 5.3%(t=23.1, P<0.01) in boys and 4.6%(t=17.5, P<0.01) in girls, respectively. The ROC curve analysis indicated that BMI exhibited the largest AUC in both boys (AUC=0.908) and girls (AUC=0.895). The sensitivity was 80.8% in boys and 81.8% in girls, and the specificity was 88.2%in boys and 87.1%in girls. Both the AUCs for WHtR and WC were less than 0.8 in boys and girls. WHR had the smallest AUCs (<0.8) in both boys and girls. Conclusion BMI appeared to be a good predicator for BF%in children aged 6-9 years in Guangzhou.
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This study was aimed to explore the combined effects of Exendin-4 with dipeptidyl peptidase-IV [DPP-4] silencing on vascular endothelial growth factor [VEGF]-induced cell proliferation and angiogenesis in Human Coronary Artery Endothelial Cells [HCAECs], as well as the underlying molecular mechanisms which were involved in this process. HCAECs were treated by exendin-4, small interfering RNA [siRNA] targeting DPP-4 [DPP-4-siRNA] or exendin-4 plus DPP-4-siRNA, respectively. Cell migration, proliferation and angiogenesis in vitro were assessed by scratch-wound assay, MTT, tran swell assay, and matrigel tube formation, respectively. Cell apoptosis was investigated by TUNEL assay. Expression of apoptosis and PI3K/Akt related proteins were assessed by Western blotting. Incubation of HCAECs with exendin-4 and silencing of DPP-4 both caused an increase in cell proliferation, migration and tube formation, while a significant decrease in apoptosis [all p<0.05]. Furthermore, the combination of the exendin-4 and silencing of DPP-4 had additional effects on HCAECs. Protein levels of p-Akt and p-PI3K were markedly increased by exendin-4 incubation, silencing of DPP-4 in HCAECs. These results suggest that combination of exendin-4 and silencing of DPP-4 had additional promoted effects on angiogenesis of HCAECs via activation of PI3K/Akt pathway. Our study indicated an alternative therapeutic strategy for atherosclerotic neovascularization
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Objective To explore the effect and mechanism of atorvastatin on pulmonary hypertension (PAH) in chronic pulmonary heart disease.Methods Seventy eight patients with chronic pulmonary heart disease were randomly signed into treating group and observing group.Forty healthy people were picked up from people taking physical examination at the same stage as control group.Patients in observing group were given routine treatment,and patients in treating group were given atorvastatin (20 mg/d) supplement beside routine treatment.Pulmonary function,ultrasound cardiogram,plasma interleukin 6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) were measured before and after 24 weeks of treatment.Results There were no difference in terms of forced expiratory volume in one second(FEV1),FEV1/forced vital capacity(FVC),pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) and the levels of IL-6 and TNF-α between the observing group and treating group before treatment(P ＞ 0.05).While there were significant difference in terms of the serum levels of IL-6,TNF-α and PAP of treating group,observing group and normal control group at before treatment (IL-6:(106.61 ± 31.34) ng/L,(105.33 ± 30.16) ng/L,(73.81 ± 31.12) ng/L,F =67.17 ; TNF-α:(19.41 ± 10.21) ng/L,(18.25 ± 11.37) ng/L,(14.82 ± 4.33) ng/L,F =15.43 ; PAP:(58.33 ± 8.95) mmHg,(56.04 ± 8.57) mmHg,(15.88 ±7.01) mmHg,F =88.78;P =0.00),and these levels in observing and treating group were higher than those in normal control group(P ＜0.01).After 24 weeks treatment,the IL-6,TNF-α,PAP in the treating group were (73.90 ± 27.12) ng/L,(14.91 ± 5.35) ng/L and (45.96 ± 5.61) mmHg respectively,significantly lower than those in observing group ((103.00 ± 28.12) ng/L,(17.22 ± 7.17) ng/L and (53.11 ± 9.21) mmHg respectively; P =0.025,0.045 and 0.031 respectively).The pulmonary function indexes including FEV1 and FEV1/FVC in treating group were much better than those in observing group at 24 weeks treatment (FEV1:(57.85±10.31)％ vs.(43.9±31.33)％;FEV1/FVC:(57.83±10.38)％ vs.(47.97± 14.79) ％ ;P =0.001,0.024 respectively).Conclusion Atorvastatin can effectively improve the life quality and pulmonary function,decrease PAP of patients with chronic pulmonary heart disease,and the mechanism may be related to the inhibition of inflammation in pulmonary vessels.
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Summary: The interaction of high-fat diet and the peptide YY (PYY) gene expression in diet-induced obesity and the mechanisms which predisposed some individuals to become obese on high-fat diet were explored. Thirty-six male SD rats were randomly divided into high-fat diet group (n=27) and chow fed control group (n=9). After 15 weeks of either a high-fat diet or chew fed diet, the high-fat diet group was subdivided into dietary induced obesity (DIO) and dietary induced obesity resistant (DIR) group according to the final body weight. Then the DIO rats were subdivided into two groups for a 8-week secondary dietary intervention. One of the group was switched to chew fed diet, whereas the other DIO and DIR rats continued on the initial high-fat diet. Weight gain and food intake were measured, food efficiency was calculated, and the concentrations of plasma neuropeptide Y (NPY) and PYY were assayed. Hypothalamic NPY mRNA expression and PYY mRNA expression in ileum and colon was detected by RT-PCR. The results showed that at the end of 15th week, the levels of body weight and caloric intake were significantly higher in DIO group than in DIR or control group (P<0.01), while no significant difference was found between DIR and control group (P>0.05). The concentration of plasma PYY was significantly higher in DIR group than in DIO and CF group, while no significant difference was found between DIO and CF group (P<0.01). After switching the DIO rats to chow fed diet, their body weight gains were significantly lower than that of the DIO-HF group. The expression of PYY mRNA was increased in DIO-HF/CF rats than in DIO-HF rats, and the expression of hypothalamic NPY mRNA was decreased in DIO-HF/CF rats than in DIO-HF group. It was concluded that both dietary composition and PYY gene expression could potently alter the hypothalamic NPY expression and result in different susceptibility to obese and overeating. The decreased PYY was associated with the increased NPY expression and their predisposal to obese and overeating in rats.