[Research progress on scleral perforating vessels in the formation of myopic choroidal neovascularization].

Myopic choroidal neovascularization (mCNV) is a severe complication of pathological myopia. Currently, the primary treatment involves anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy, which significantly improves visual acuity in mCNV patients. However, challenges such as high recurrence rates and inconsistent therapeutic outcomes persist. Previous studies attributed mCNV to choroidal thinning and ischemia. Recent research suggests that, in addition to choroidal factors, perforating scleral vessels (PSV) are closely associated with the occurrence and therapeutic efficacy of mCNV. This review comprehensively explores the definition of PSVs, their imaging classifications and features, as well as their intricate connections with the occurrence and clinical outcomes of mCNV. By delving into the role and potential mechanisms of PSVs in mCNV, this review aims to deepen our understanding of their involvement in this condition.

Pancreas fat quantification with quantitative CT: an MRI correlation analysis.

AIM: To assess the fat content of the pancreas using quantitative computed tomography (QCT) and to correlate the results with chemical-shift-encoded magnetic resonance imaging (CSE-MRI) measurements of proton density fat fraction (PDFF). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Institutional review board approval for this research was obtained and 52 participants (25 men, 27 women; mean age 35.1 years; age range 22-50 years), who were enrolled in the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE) Study, underwent QCT and CSE-MRI for quantification of fat content in the pancreas. Two observers placed regions of interest (area of 100-130 mm2) in the head, body, and tail of the pancreas as closely matched as possible on the two scans. Pearson correlation and Bland-Altman analysis were performed to evaluate the correlation between the QCT and CSE-MRI measurements and the systematic difference between the two techniques. RESULTS: The QCT and CSE-MRI measurements of pancreatic fat content were well correlated (r=0.805, p<0.0001), although Bland-Altman analysis showed that the QCT measurements were systematically lower by 6.3% compared to CSE-MRI PDFF. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the results of this study suggest good correlation between QCT and CSE-MRI measurements of pancreatic fat content. Further studies are required to improve the numerical agreement of QCT measurements with PDFF.

The impact of smoking on incident type 2 diabetes in a cohort with hepatitis B but not hepatitis C infection.

Smoking may be a risk factor for diabetes, and it has been suggested that viral hepatitis may predispose to diabetes. We studied diabetes and smoking histories in people with viral hepatitis. From 1997 to 2004, we studied the risk of incident diabetes in a community cohort with hyperendemic HBV and HCV infection in southern Taiwan. The cohort involved 3539 people (40-70 years old) without diabetes. Four hundred and twenty-three individuals developed diabetes. Those who were ≥65 years old, frequently consumed alcohol, had a BMI ≥25, had <9 years of education, were anti-HCV+ or smoked ≥1 pack per day were more likely to develop diabetes (P < 0.05). A cumulative hazard function test showed that the higher the smoking levels, the greater the cumulative incidence rate of diabetes in HBsAg+ participants only (P = 0.03 by log-rank test). A multiple Cox proportional hazards model analysis in different hepatitis statuses showed smoking levels were strong predictors of diabetes with a dose-response relationship for type 2 diabetes in those with HBsAg+ : hazard ratio (HR) = 3.8, (95% CI: 1.2, 12.3) for light smokers (<1 pack per day) and HR = 4.4 (95% CI: 1.5, 13.3) for heavy smokers (≥1 pack per day). Increasing BMI was a common predictor in all people. Smoking is a strong predictor for diabetes with a dose-response relationship in HBsAg+ individuals and a mild predictor for seronegative individuals but not significant in anti-HCV+ individuals.

The metabolome profiling and pathway analysis in metabolic healthy and abnormal obesity.

OBJECTIVES: Mechanisms of the development of abnormal metabolic phenotypes among obese population are not yet clear. In this study, we aimed to screen metabolomes of both healthy and subjects with abnormal obesity to identify potential metabolic pathways that may regulate the different metabolic characteristics of obesity. METHODS: We recruited subjects with body mass index (BMI) over 25 from the weight-loss clinic of a central hospital in Taiwan. Metabolic healthy obesity (MHO) is defined as without having any form of hyperglycemia, hypertension and dyslipidemia, while metabolic abnormal obesity (MAO) is defined as having one or more abnormal metabolic indexes. Serum-based metabolomic profiling using both liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of 34 MHO and MAO individuals with matching age, sex and BMI was performed. Conditional logistic regression and partial least squares discriminant analysis were applied to identify significant metabolites between the two groups. Pathway enrichment and topology analyses were conducted to evaluate the regulated pathways. RESULTS: A differential metabolite panel was identified to be significantly differed in MHO and MAO groups, including L-kynurenine, glycerophosphocholine (GPC), glycerol 1-phosphate, glycolic acid, tagatose, methyl palmitate and uric acid. Moreover, several metabolic pathways were relevant in distinguishing MHO from MAO groups, including fatty acid biosynthesis, phenylalanine metabolism, propanoate metabolism, and valine, leucine and isoleucine degradation. CONCLUSION: Different metabolomic profiles and metabolic pathways are important for distinguishing between MHO and MAO groups. We have identified and discussed the key metabolites and pathways that may prove important in the regulation of metabolic traits among the obese, which could provide useful clues to study the underlying mechanisms of the development of abnormal metabolic phenotypes.

Quantifying midbrain serotonin transporter in depression: a preliminary study of diagnosis and naturalistic treatment outcome.

INTRODUCTION: Serotonin may play an important role in the pathology of major depressive disorder (MDD). However, the relationship between serotonin transporter (SERT) availability and the medical outcome of antidepressant treatment is uncertain. METHODS: In this naturalistic study, SERT availability (expressed as the specific uptake ratio, SUR) in the midbrain of 17 drug-free patients with MDD and 17 controls matched for age and gender was measured using SPECT with [(123)I]ADAM. The severity of MDD was measured by the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale before, and after 6 weeks of non-standardized antidepressant treatment. RESULTS: A total of 12 patients completed the study. The SUR of the patients with MDD was significantly lower than that of the healthy controls. The SUR of SERT was not found to have a linear relationship with the treatment outcome; however, supplemental analysis found a curvilinear relationship between treatment outcome and the SUR of SERT. DISCUSSION: The findings indicate that the SUR of SERT is lower in patients with MDD; however it did not predict treatment outcome in a linear fashion. Studies with larger sample sizes are required.

Newly identified gene muscle segment homeobox C may play a role in intermuscular bone development of Hemibarbus labeo.

Intermuscular bones, ossified from tendons within the myosepta, occur only in teleost fish. Current understanding of the homology and origins of intermuscular bones in fishes is based mainly on morphological data. To date, there is no published data regarding molecular mechanisms of intermuscular bone formation. In this study, we cloned the gene muscle segment homeobox C (MsxC). MsxC potentially plays a role in intermuscular bone development of Hemibarbus labeo, an important species of cyprinid fish in the Chinese aquaculture industry. Sequence analysis of MsxC revealed motifs characteristic of the homeobox domain family. Whole-mount in situ hybridization showed that MsxC was primarily expressed in the myosepta and brain. MsxC was expressed in the myosepta from 26 to 41 days after hatching (DAH); this coincided with the onset of intermuscular bone ossification, which occurred between 35 and 62 DAH. Evidence for localization of MsxC expression by in situ hybridization correlated with its detection by quantitative real-time PCR. In vertebrates, MsxC plays a role in the regulation of mesenchymal cell differentiation during bone formation. We therefore conclude that MsxC may have a role in epithelium-mesenchyme interactions during intermuscular bone formation in H. labeo.

Associations of miRNA polymorphisms and expression levels with breast cancer risk in the Chinese population.

Single-nucleotide polymorphisms in microRNAs (miRNAs) may dramatically affect gene expression and subsequently alter individual susceptibility to cancer, and thus has become a research hotspot for many cancer types, including breast cancer. We recruited 321 breast cancer patients and 290 controls in our study. Four established miRNA single-nucleotide polymorphisms (mir-499 rs3746444 A>G; miR-27a rs895819 A>G; miR-196a2 rs11614913 T>C; miR-146a rs2910164 G/C) were detected using Taqman assays. Mature miRNA expression, allele distribution, and the association with clinical features were further analyzed. Our results showed that the miR146a rs2910164 G/C polymorphism was associated with an elevated risk of breast cancer (odds ratio = 1.85, 95% confidence interval = 1.03-3.32; P < 0.05). Compared with the ancestral T allele in miR-196a2 rs11614913, the variant C allele was consistently associated with an increased risk of breast cancer (odds ratio = 2.20, 95% confidence interval = 1.19-4.09, P < 0.01) and clinical pathological type (P < 0.01). miR-27a rs895819 A>G and miR-499 rs3746444 A>G were not associated with breast cancer risk. Analysis of mature miRNA expression confirmed that the variant C allele in miR146a rs2910164 and miR-196a2 rs11614913 dramatically inhibited production of their mature products. Our results suggested that miR-146a rs2910164 G>C and miR-196a2 rs11614913 T>C may be biomarkers for predicting breast cancer risk in the Chinese population.

Implications of microRNA-197 downregulated expression in esophageal cancer with poor prognosis.

The aim of this study was to investigate the significance of the microRNA miR-197 expression level in relation to clinicopathological factors and prognoses of esophageal cancer (EC). MicroRNA was extracted using the Taqman(®) MicroRNA Assay from 46 EC patients at the same tumor node metastasis (TNM) stage, but with different prognoses, who underwent surgery. Paracancerous normal tissues were used as controls. The correlation between miR-197 expression and clinicopathologic features was analyzed, and the significance of miR-197 as a prognostic factor and its relationship with survival was determined. miR-197 expression was lower in patients with poor prognosis than in those with good prognosis (P < 0.05). Kaplan-Meier analysis results showed that the miR-197 expression level is significantly correlated with survival time (P = 0.030), and that patients with higher expression of miR-197 had longer survival times. Cox multi-factor model analysis showed that patient prognosis (P = 0.001), tumor length (P = 0.010) and expression (P = 0.042), and survival time were significantly correlated, with corresponding risks of 9.183, 2.318, and 1.925, respectively. This study supports a role of miR-197 as an anti-oncogene and a biomarker for EC and its relationship with other prognostic factors and survival.

Overregulation of microRNA-212 in the poor prognosis of esophageal cancer patients.

There have been few reports evaluating the expression and function of the microRNA miR-212 in esophageal cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between miR-212 expression and clinicopathological factors and prognoses of esophageal cancer. MicroRNA was extracted from 46 esophageal cancer patients using the Taqman MicroRNA assay. All patients were at the same tumor node metastasis stage, but with different prognoses, and had all undergone surgery. The correlation between miR-212 expression and clinicopathological features was analyzed and the significance of miR-212 as a prognostic factor as well as its relationship with survival was determined. miR-212 expression was higher in patients with poor prognoses than in those with good prognoses (P < 0.0001). Kaplan-Meier analysis results showed that the miR-212 expression level was significantly correlated with survival time (P = 0.024). Patients with higher expression of miR-212 showed longer survival times. Cox multi-factor model analysis showed that miR-212 expression was significantly correlated with survival time (P = 0.026). mir-212 is related with prognostic factors and survival time and may be a biomarker for esophageal cancer.

The use of dual-phase 18F-FDG PET in characterizing thyroid incidentalomas.

AIM: To examine the usefulness of dual-phase 2-[18F]-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose (FDG) positron-emission tomography (PET) for the evaluation of thyroid incidentalomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective study, cases with focal thyroid lesions seen incidentally at FDG PET in which the histopathological diagnosis was available and in which dual-phase FDG PET imaging was performed at 1 and 2 h after FDG injection were reviewed. In the included cases, the 1 and 2 h maximal standard uptake value (1-hour maximal SUV and 2-hour maximal SUV, respectively) and retention index (RI) were calculated, and the differences between benign and malignant thyroid incidentalomas were analysed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed to evaluate the ability of 1-hour maximal SUV, 2-hour maximal SUV, and RI to discriminate benign from malignant lesions. RESULTS: A total of 39 patients (25 females, 14 males) with 45 lesions (17 malignant, 28 benign) were included. In malignant thyroid incidentalomas, the average 1-hour maximal SUV, 2-hour maximal SUV, and RI were 5.20, 5.72, and 7.67%, respectively, and in benign thyroid incidentalomas the values were 4.67, 4.97, and 7.38%, respectively. There were no significant differences in 1-hour maximal SUV, 2-hour maximal SUV, and RI between benign and malignant lesions. The area under the ROC curve did not differ from 0.5. CONCLUSION: Dual-phase FDG PET is not useful for differentiating benign from malignant thyroid incidentalomas.

Ig heavy chain genes and their locus in grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idella.

The cDNA and genomic sequences of IgD and IgZ were characterized in grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idella in the present study, and with the identification of a BAC clone covering zeta, mu, and delta genes, the IgH locus containing these Ig genes and other V, D, J genes was also illustrated in this fish. Secretory and membrane-bound IgZ were identified, with two transmembrane exons spliced within the CH4 exon, as reported in IgM of mammals and IgZ in other teleost fish. The first and second constant domains of IgZ shows more than 90% nucleotide identity with respective domains of grass carp IgM. The IgD has a structure of delta1-(delta2-delta3-delta4)(2)-delta5-delta6-delta7-TM-UTR, with the repeat of delta2-delta3-delta4; but intron was not found between the two repeat, i.e. between the first delta2-delta3-delta4 (delta2.1-delta3.1-delta4.1) and the second delta2-delta3-delta4 (delta2.2-delta3.2-delta4.2), and the intron between delta3.1 and delta4.1 was much shorter than the intron between delta3.2 and delta4.2. The genomic organization of the IgH locus has a pattern of Vn-Dn-Jn-Czeta-Dn-Jn-Cmu-Cdelta, as reported in other teleost fish. Thirteen V(H), fourteen D, and twelve J(H) genes were observed in this locus, with the similarity of three D segments and four J(H) segments being the same in the upstream of Czeta and Cmu. The transcriptional enhancer located at the mu-delta intergenic region was also analyzed and it seems possible that this enhancer is functional as verified in zebrafish and channel catfish.

[Analysis of neurobehavioral function of school-aged children with sleep disordered breathing].

Objective: To investigate the neurobehavioral function(attention, executive skills, behavior) of school-aged with varying degrees of SDB and control children with no history of SDB recruited from the community.Method: One hundred and sixty-three children aged from 7 to 12 were enrolled in the study. Children were devided into 4 groups through the data of Routine overnight polysomnography(PSG): PS(n=71) group, mild OSAHS (n=29) group, moderate/severe OSAHS(n=21) group, and controls(n=42) group. The Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function(BRIEF) and the Child Behavior Checklist(CBCL) were used to assess attention, executive function and behavioral function. Result: There was significant difference of AHI, OAI, RAI, SAI and SpO 2 nadir between the mild/MS groups and the control/PS groups(F=1174.3, 1178.0, 2348.3, 34.7, 377.7, P<0.05). Total sleep time(TST) of the MS OSAHS group was significantly less than that in the control group(F=178.8, P<0.05). Increased rates of behavioral executive dysfunction were found depending on the SDB spectrum(F=181.2, 274.2, 284.5, P<0.05). Children with all severities of SDB had signicantly higher rates of total, internalizing and externalizing behavioral problems compared to control group(F=361.7, 168.3, 564.0, P<0.05). Conclusion:Our study suggests that behavioral, attention, and executive function difficulties are present in children with PS as well as OSAHS. These results have implications for the treatment of milder forms of SDB, particularly PS, which is commonly viewed as benign.

Gene structure and transcription of IRF-1 and IRF-7 in the mandarin fish Siniperca chuatsi.

The genes of IRF-1 and IRF-7 have been cloned from the mandarin fish (Siniperca chuatsi). The IRF-1 gene has 4919 nucleotides (nt) and contains 10 exons and 9 introns, with an open reading frame (ORF) of 903nt encoding 301aa. The IRF-7 gene has 6057nt and also contains 10 exons and 9 introns, with an ORF of 1308nt encoding 436aa. The IRF-1 and IRF-7 genes have only one copy each in the genome. The transcription of IRF-1 and IRF-7 in different organs was analyzed by real-time PCR, and both molecules were constitutively expressed. The IRF-1 and IRF-7 mRNAs were abundant in gill, spleen, kidney and pronephros. The temporal transcriptional changes for IRF-1, IRF-7 and Mx were investigated within 48h after poly I: C stimulation in liver, gill, spleen and pronephros. An increased transcription was detected for IRF-1 and IRF-7 12h post-stimulation, being earlier than the transcription of Mx protein; however, IRF-1 and IRF-7 transcription decreased while the Mx protein was stable at 48h post-stimulation.

[Efficacy of intratympanic gentamicin and dexamethasone in the treatment of intractable Meniere's disease].

Objective:To investigate the efficacy and safety of low-dose intratympanic gentamicin (ITG) compared with intratympanic dexamethasone (ITD) in patients with intractable Meniere's disease (MD). Method:Seventy patients affected by definite unilateral MD were enrolled. 1 ml of gentamicin sulfate(40 g/L) was buffered with 0.5 ml of sodium bicarbonate to obtain a 6.4 pH solution with 26.7 g/L concentration. Thirty-five patients were treated with the buffered gentamicin solution on every week for 2 times. Thirty-five patients were treated with ITD (5 mg) in the first two days, and then every week for 4 weeks. At 2-year follow-up, mean outcome measurements consisted of control of vertigo attacks, pure tone average (PTA), dizziness handicap inventory and tinnitus handicap inventory.Result:Among 34 cases with complete follow-up data in the ITG group, complete control of vertigo (class A) was achieved in 27 patients and substantial control of vertigo (class B) in 5 patients. Among 32 cases with complete follow-up data in the ITD group, class A and B were achieved in 13 and 6 patients respectively (P< 0.05). There were no statistically significant variations between the two groups in PTA and THI (t= 1.737 and t=－0.197, P> 0.05).Conclusion:Low-dose ITG achieves better outcome than ITD in the control of vertigo attacks in patients suffering from unilateral intractable MD, with a very low incidence of hearing deterioration.

[Value of videonystagmography and electrocochleography in prognosis prediction of patients with acute low-tone sensorineural hearing loss].

Objective:To predict the prognosis of acute lowtone sensorineural hearing loss（ALHL）by using the videonystagmography(VNG) and electrocochleography(ECochG).Method:A retrospective study was done in 70 patients with ALHL after long-term follow-up. The recurrence rate and rate of progression to definite Meniere 's disease were determined according to the results of VNG and ECochG tests at the onset of the first episode of hearing loss.Result:Twentynine patients（41.4%）experienced recurrent hearing loss and 5 patients（7.1%）developed to Meniere's disease. In patients with an elevated SP/AP ratio and spontaneous nystagmus, the recurrence rate was 81.8%. However, in those with a normal SP/AP ratio and without spontaneous nystagmus, the recurrence rate was 23.3%.There was a statistically significant difference in the progression rate of Meniere's disease between the groups with(15.2%) and without spontaneous nystagmus.Conclusion:It has a certain reference value to predict prognosiswhen spontaneous nystagmus and an elevated SP/AP ratio are detected on initial examination in patients with ALHL.

Molecular cloning of TRAF2 binding protein gene and its promoter region from the grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idellus.

A tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 2 binding protein (T2BP) gene was isolated from the grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus) by utilizing suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) and rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). The grass carp T2BP (GT2BP) gene contains an open reading frame of 579 nucleotide(s) (nt), encoding 193 amino acids, with 23 nt 5'-untranslated region and a long 3'-untranslated region of 434 nt including poly (A), 1 AUUUA motif and 4 AUUUUA motifs. No signal peptide has been detected in the predicted GT2BP, but a characteristic forkhead associated domain is present. The GT2BP mRNA shares 83% identity with the zebrafish DNA sequence, and they both have no introns in the genomic DNA. The putative transcription factor binding sites of GT2BP include two C/EBP alpha binding sites, and one c-Jun binding, one AP-1 binding, and one nuclear factor kappaB (NF kappaB) binding sites. Southern blot analysis revealed that the GT2BP was a single-copy gene. Individual difference was observed in GT2BP expression in examined organs of healthy grass carp. However, the expression of GT2BP in all examined organs in a fish with the highest copepod infection level and the significantly higher expression level in spleen and liver in infected fish may indicate its up-regulation with the parasite infection.

Discriminating glucose tolerance status by regions of interest of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Clinical implications of body fat distribution.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether measuring body fat distribution by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) can be used to discriminate glucose tolerance status. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Using a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test, a total of 1,015 Chinese subjects (559 men and 456 women) were categorized as having normal glucose tolerance (NGT), impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), or diabetes. Blood pressure and lipid profiles of these subjects were measured. Waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and DEXA were used to evaluate the varying patterns of body fat distribution among the groups. RESULTS: Body fat distribution, as reflected by WHR and the centrality index, showed significant partial correlation coefficients with glycosylated hemoglobin, blood pressure, and lipid profiles in all subjects. After adjusting for age and BMI, there were significant differences among the three glycemic groups for all the cardiovascular risk factors except for total cholesterol level. The diabetic group had a significantly higher WHR and centrality index, but lower femoral fat percentage than the NGT and IGT groups. The diabetic group also showed higher abdominal fat percentage than the NGT group. Moreover, the IGT group had a higher centrality index than the NGT group. However, no significant differences were found in the percentage of lean tissue mass among the three groups. Using multiple stepwise logistic regression models, the centrality index remained a significant factor for discriminating different glucose tolerance status independent of the percentage total body fat. CONCLUSIONS: Central obesity has shown significant correlation with cardiovascular risk factors among the three different glycemic groups. Centrality index measured by DEXA appears to be the better predictor of glucose intolerance, compared with WHR, abdominal fat, and general obesity (reflected by percentage total body fat or BMI) in a large cohort of the Chinese population.

Rapid Solidification and Magnetic Properties of (Fe,Co)-(Fe,Co)17Gd2 Pseudo-Binary Eutectic Alloys.

The (Fe,Co)-(Fe,Co)17Gd2 pseudo-binary eutectic system has been determined by investigating phase compositions on the analysis of DSC, EDS and XRD. The rapid solidification of Gd7.3Fe30.56Co62.14, Gd9Fe30Co61 and Gd9.63Fe29.79Co60.58 ternary alloys is realized by single roller techniques. With a rising cooling rate, the equiaxed zone near the roller surface expands inwards. For Gd7.3Fe30.56Co62.14 hypoeutectic alloy ribbons, the feathery irregular eutectic zone shrinks and the grains (Fe,Co) near the free surface are refined. (Fe,Co) equiaxed dendrites plus the radial, irregular eutectic ultimately fill in the ribbon at the maximum cooling rate. For Gd9Fe30Co61 near-eutectic alloy ribbons, the growth direction of irregular eutectics near the free surface becomes more and more perpendicular to the surface, and finally the whole ribbons are occupied by the fine, irregular eutectic. The dendritic spacing of the (Fe,Co)17Gd2 phase which grows from the roller surface to the free surface in Gd9.63Fe29.79Co60.58 alloy ribbons becomes smaller. The grain size of the (Fe,Co)17Gd2 dendrite and the fraction of (Fe,Co) soft phase in alloy ribbons, which determine coercivity in the pseudo-binary eutectic system, vary with the increase of the cooling rate. Of the three alloys, the Gd9Fe30Co61 alloy has the best hard magnetic properties at Vr = 20 m/s; the maximum coercivity Hc is 431.34 Oe.

The correlation between mid-brain serotonin transporter availability and intelligence quotient in healthy volunteers.

PURPOSE: This study was performed to investigate the association between the mid-brain serotonin transporter (SERT) availability and intelligence quotient (IQ). METHODS: One hundred and thirteen healthy participants, including 52 male and 61 female subjects, were recruited. We used SPECT with [(123)I]ADAM images to determine the SERT availability in the mid-brain, and measured the subjects' IQ using the WAIS-R. RESULTS: We found a significant positive correlation between the mid-brain SERT availability and the IQ of the participants. Even when controlling for age and sex, the significant association still existed. CONCLUSION: This result implied that the higher the SERT binding in the mid-brain, the better the IQ in healthy participants.

Relationship between glycosylated hemoglobin, blood pressure, serum lipid profiles and body fat distribution in healthy Chinese.

Obesity-related metabolic disorders have not been adequately addressed due to a failure to distinguish the importance of general obesity or body fat distribution in relation to atherosclerotic risk factors, especially in the less obese populations. To assess the relationship between general obesity (reflected by BMI, total body fat percentage and total adiposity), body fat distribution (reflected by WHR, default regions and ROIs of DEXA) and atherosclerotic risk factors in the Chinese population, a total of 872 healthy subjects (477 male and 395 female) were enrolled in the study. The results indicated that the android pattern of fat distribution, independent of general obesity, was positively correlated with blood pressure, atherogenic indices, fasting and OGTT 2-h plasma glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), serum concentration of cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL cholesterol and negatively correlated with HDL cholesterol in both genders. The gender differences in patterns of body fat distribution and atherosclerotic risk factors remained significant after adjustments were made for age, BMI and total adiposity, although diminished after further adjustments for body fat distribution. In conclusion, body fat distribution, rather than general obesity, is more correlated with obesity-related atherosclerotic risk factors and sex-associated differences. ROIs measured by DEXA may be a useful method to evaluate sex-associated changes in body fat distribution and atherosclerotic risk factors in the healthy Chinese population.