Prevalence and tracking of weight disorders in Italian primary school students: a three-year follow-up.

Obesity has been widely described as the latest epidemic, and in some areas obesity co-exists with undernutrition. The purpose of this study was to assess the variability of weight status of a cohort of 279 Italian primary school students followed longitudinally for three years. Overweight was the most common weight status disorder in both sexes and generally prevailed in females. Underweight was also more frequent in females than males, while males generally showed a higher incidence of obesity. Overweight showed the highest stability in females. In males, tracking of overweight was 62.5%, while that of normal weight was 89.36%. Overweight tracks through the three consecutive years in a high percentage of both sexes. In the whole sample (regardless of sex and weight category), overweight shows the highest increase over the three-year period. This study provides public health professionals with useful data for policy planning in regard to childhood obesity.

Molecular identification and functional characterization of Arabidopsis thaliana mitochondrial and chloroplastic NAD+ carrier proteins.

The Arabidopsis thaliana L. genome contains 58 membrane proteins belonging to the mitochondrial carrier family. Two mitochondrial carrier family members, here named AtNDT1 and AtNDT2, exhibit high structural similarities to the mitochondrial nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD(+)) carrier ScNDT1 from bakers' yeast. Expression of AtNDT1 or AtNDT2 restores mitochondrial NAD(+) transport activity in a yeast mutant lacking ScNDT. Localization studies with green fluorescent protein fusion proteins provided evidence that AtNDT1 resides in chloroplasts, whereas only AtNDT2 locates to mitochondria. Heterologous expression in Escherichia coli followed by purification, reconstitution in proteoliposomes, and uptake experiments revealed that both carriers exhibit a submillimolar affinity for NAD(+) and transport this compound in a counter-exchange mode. Among various substrates ADP and AMP are the most efficient counter-exchange substrates for NAD(+). Atndt1- and Atndt2-promoter-GUS plants demonstrate that both genes are strongly expressed in developing tissues and in particular in highly metabolically active cells. The presence of both carriers is discussed with respect to the subcellular localization of de novo NAD(+) biosynthesis in plants and with respect to both the NAD(+)-dependent metabolic pathways and the redox balance of chloroplasts and mitochondria.

The influence of anthropometric characteristics to the handgrip and pinch strength in 6-10-year old children.

The aim of the study was to investigate the relationships between handgrip and pinch strength values with basic body (body height, body mass, BMI) and with specific hand anthropometric parameters (fingers spans, lengths and perimeters) in prepubertal children. Body height, body mass and five fingers spans, lengths and perimeters were measured in 461 6-10 year old Estonian children according to Visnapuu & Jürimäe (2007). BMI was calculated (kg/m2). The maximal handgrip strength of the right and left hand was measured with hand dynamometer. The right and left key and tip pinch were measured with a pinch gauge. Body height, as a rule, in combination with BMI, was the strongest predictor of handgrip strength, especially in older children (about 40-60 % of the total variance, R2 x 100). From the hand anthropometry, the most important span parameter was FS2 (see explanations in the methods), which explained about 10-50% (R2 x 100) of the total variance. In older groups, the FS1 and FS3 were added to the models. From the length parameters, the most important was IFL, which in younger groups together with MFL explained 10-30% of the total variance, and in older groups the addition of RFL increased the influence to 45% (R2 x 100). From the perimeters, the most important one was P2 which explained the variability of the handgrip strength in younger groups by 15-30% (R2 x 100) and in older groups together with P3 and P4 even 30-40%. In children, the basic anthropometric parameters (body height and BMI) contribute more to the prediction of handgrip strength than the specific anthropometric parameters. With increasing age the contribution of basic and specific hand anthropometry increases and the relation between anthropometry and handgrip strength is stronger in boys compared with girls. The relation of basic and hand anthropometry to the tip and key pinch strength is relatively low.

Growth and secular trend in school-children from Cento, Ferrara, Italy.

Growth parameters were surveyed in a sample of 296 Italian children, 6-9 years old, from Cento (Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna). The comparison with children from the same town measured in 1974-75 show changes in some parameters, suggesting an ongoing secular trend. To better understand the observed weight increase and the sex difference, we also evaluated body composition and motricity. The analysis of the present sample is a preliminary part of a longitudinal study dealing with modifications of body composition and motor capacity induced by growth. In our sample the children are growing according to the Italian reference standard. The females present weight, height and Body Mass Index (BMI) values comparable to the 50th centile, while the males present higher values of weight, skinfold thicknesses and BMI. Sex differences in the motor performance were noted. A methodological comparison of obesity assessments based on BMI and percentage of body fat (%F) shows similar conclusions but somewhat different results.

Traumatic events and life-style in ancient Italian populations.

Traumatic lesions are commonly found in archaeological skeletal samples and provide useful information about various behavioral and cultural aspects of the populations. Our aim was to evaluate the relationship between the distribution and types of skeletal traumatic lesions and the different life-styles of past populations. We examined three necropolises in central Italy. Pozzilli (VI-IV century BC) and Quadrella (I-IV century AD) are from the same geographical area (Molise) but belong to different periods; Novilara (IX-VI century BC) is located in Marche but belongs to the Iron Age like Pozzilli. The lesions observed at Pozzilli seem not to be accidental, whereas the traumas observed at Quadrella can be attributed to occasional, unintentional events. Cranial injuries observed at Novilara strengthen the hypothesis that the population was composed, at least in part, of warriors. Our results suggest the presence of a relationship between skeletal traumatic lesions and life-styles of populations.