Tracing the fine-scale demographic history and recent admixture in Hmong-Mien speakers.

The linguistic, historical, and subsistent uniqueness of Hmong-Mien (HM) speakers offers a wonderful opportunity to investigate how these factors impact the genetic structure. The genetic differentiation among HM speakers and their population history are not well characterized. Here, we generate genome-wide data from 65 Yao ethnicity samples and analyze them with published data, particularly by leveraging haplotype-based methods. We determined that the fine-scale genetic substructure of HM speakers corresponds better with linguistic classification than with geography. Particularly, parallels between serial founder events and language differentiations can be observed in West Hmongic speakers. Multiple lines of evidence indicate that ~500-year-old GaoHuaHua individuals are most closely related to West Hmongic-speaking Bunu. The strong genetic bottleneck of some HM-speaking groups, especially Bunu, could potentially be associated with their long-term practice of swidden agriculture to some degree. The inferred admixture dates for most of the HM speakers overlap with the reign of the Ming dynasty (1368-1644 CE). Besides a common genetic origin for HM speakers, their genetic ancestry is shared primarily with neighboring Han Chinese and Tai-Kadai speakers in south China. In conclusion, our analyses reveal that recent isolation and admixture events have contributed to the genetic population history of present-day HM speakers.

[Comparison of different obesity indicators with dyslipidemia and hypertension in adults of Guangxi Yao ethnic group].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between obesity indicators and dyslipidemia and hypertension in the Yao population of Guangxi. METHODS: In 2015, we examined the body composition data of 784 Yao residents aged 18 years or older in Guangxi using a multi-stage whole-group random sampling method, analyzed the association between 10 indicators responding to the degree of obesity and dyslipidemia and hypertension, and analyzed the predictive value of each obesity indicator for dyslipidemia and hypertension by receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curves. RESULTS: There were 58.80% of Yao adults with dyslipidemia, with no difference between men and women(χ~2=0.24, P>0.05); 15.94% of Yao adults had hypertension, with a higher prevalence in men than in women(χ~2=4.76, P<0.05). ROC curves plotted with dyslipidemia as the dependent variable showed that the best predictor of risk of dyslipidemia prevalence in the Yao adult population was waist-to-hip ratio(WHR)(AUC=0.62, 95% CI 0.56-0.68) with a cut point of 0.86 in men and waist circumference(AUC=0.64, 95% CI 0.59-0.69) with a cut point of 75.50 cm in women. The ROC curves were plotted with hypertension as the dependent variable, and the result showed that the best predictor of risk of hypertension in the Yao adult population was: visceral fat content(AUC=0.62, 95% CI 0.56-0.68) with a cut point of 0.65 kg in men and WHR(AUC=0.67, 95% CI 0.62-0.72) with a cut point of 0.82 in women. CONCLUSION: Compared with indicators reflecting general obesity such as body mass index and percentage of body fat, indicators reflecting abdominal obesity such as waist circumference, WHR and visceral fat content are more closely related to two metabolic diseases such as dyslipidemia and hypertension in the Yao population.

Body mass index and waist-to-hip ratio misclassification of overweight and obesity in Chinese military personnel.

BACKGROUND: The rising prevalence of obesity in military personnel has raised great concerns. Previous studies suggest that body mass index (BMI)- and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR)-based obesity classifications in US military personnel and firefighters have high false negative and subsequently cause obesity misclassification. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether BMI and WHR could reflect the fat mass of Chinese military personnel. METHODS: Three hundred fifty-three male Chinese military personnel and 380 age-matched male adults were recruited. Obesity classification was defined by BMI, WHR, and body fat percentage (BFP). RESULTS: Chinese military personnel had extremely low obesity rate determined by either BFP (0.3%) or BMI (0.6%). By combining overweight and obese individuals, BMI- and WHR-determined prevalence of overweight/obesity was 22.4% and 17.0% compared to BFP-based standard (4.0%) (P < 0.05). In reference to BFP, BMI and WHR have high false-positive rate compared to the control group. Further analysis showed that Chinese military personnel consisted of high percentage of BFPlowBMIhigh and/or BFPlowWHRhigh subpopulations. Eighty-one percent of BMIhigh and 78.3% of WHRhigh of them were BFP low. CONCLUSIONS: Chinese military personnel has extremely low obesity rate. BMI and WHR have high false-positive rates in reference to BFP, which cannot accurately reflect the mass of adipose tissue and leads to obesity misclassification.

Association between osteosarcopenic obesity and hypertension among four minority populations in China: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: Osteosarcopenic obesity (OSO) may be associated with an increased prevalence of hypertension. The aim of this study was to examine the difference in the prevalence of OSO and hypertension among four minority populations in China and explore the relationship between OSO and hypertension by sex. DESIGN: This study adopted a cross-sectional design. PARTICIPANTS: In total, 1939 participants aged ≥50 years, including 459 Jing, 514 Maonan, 535 Hmong and 431 Yao participants from Guangxi Province, China, were included using stratified cluster random sampling. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The body composition, bone mineral density and blood pressure were measured by an MC-180 body composition analyser, Achilles Express ultrasound bone densitometer and OMRON HEM-1000 electronic sphygmomanometer, respectively. RESULTS: The results showed that 65.77% of Hmong men, 58.79% of Hmong women, 54.82% of Maonan men, 50.00% of Maonan women, 41.92% of Jing men, 45.21% of Jing women, 53.66% of Yao men and 42.32% of Yao women suffered from hypertension. Compared with those among the normal group, the adjusted OR and 95% CI of age among the women with OSO was 3.15 (1.13 to 8.78). After adjusting for age, ethnicity, smoking status, alcohol consumption, physical activity and menopausal status, the women with OSO also had a higher OR (OR=3.18, 95% CI 1.14 to 8.88) for hypertension than those in the normal group. However, the ORs (95% CI) for hypertension in men with one or more components were not significant after adjusting for age and ethnicity. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that OSO is a risk factor for hypertension, especially in women. Furthermore, the prevalence of OSO and hypertension in the present study displayed sex-specific and ethnic-specific differences among the four minority populations.

Effects of fat distribution on lung function in young adults.

AIMS: To study the associations between fat distribution and lung functions in healthy subjects of young adults and to explore potential gender difference in these correlations. METHODS: A total of 2101 adult participants were recruited. Height, weight, and vital capacity index (VCI) were measured and recorded according to the national physical fitness test standard. Body compositions, including body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage (BFP), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), fat-free mass (FFM), trunk muscle mass (TMM), fat mass (FM), visceral fat area (VFA), visceral adipose tissue (VAT), and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), were conducted using body composition analyzer. Data were analyzed by SPSS 20.0 software. RESULTS: We found that male participants showed significantly higher BMI, WHR, FFM, TMM, VFA, and VCI, but lower FM, BFP, and SAT in comparison with women. However, there was no significant difference in VAT between the male and female. Lung functions represented by VCI were negatively correlated with FM, VAT, SAT, and VFA for both men and women (r < 0; P < 0.05). Among these negative correlations, VCI was more inversely correlated with VFA for men but with SAT for women, respectively. After dividing the whole populations by BMI, BFP, and WHR, further correlation analysis showed VCI was still more negatively correlated with VFA for all male subgroups (r < 0; P < 0.05). On the contrary, VCI was more negatively correlated with SAT in BMI-underweight, BMI-normal, BFP-low fat, BFP-normal fat, WHR-normal, and WHR-obese subgroups (r < 0; P < 0.05), while VFA and VAT was more inversely correlated with VCI in BMI- and BFP-overweight+obese subgroups (r < 0; P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Fat accumulation is highly associated with the vital capacity index in young adults. In general, VCI was more negatively correlated with VFA for men but with SAT for women, respectively, in comparison with other tested indices.

The massive assimilation of indigenous East Asian populations in the origin of Muslim Hui people inferred from paternal Y chromosome.

OBJECTIVES: The Hui people are the adherents of Muslim faith and distributing throughout China. There are two contrasting hypotheses about the origin and diversification of the Hui people, namely, the demic diffusion involving the mass movement of people or simple cultural diffusion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We collected 621 unrelated male individuals from 23 Hui populations all over China. We comprehensively genotyped more than 100 informative Y-chromosomal single nucleotide polymorphisms and 17 Y-chromosomal short tandem repeats (STRs) on those samples. RESULTS: Co-analyzed with published worldwide populations, our results suggest the origin of Hui people has involved massive assimilation of indigenous East Asians with about 70% in total of the paternal ancestry could be traced back to East Asia and the left 30% to various regions in West Eurasia. DISCUSSION: The genetic structure of the extant Hui populations was primarily shaped by the indigenous East Asian populations as they contribute the majority part of the paternal lineages of Hui people. The West Eurasian admixture was probably a sex-biased male-driven process since we have not found such a high proportion of West Eurasian gene flow on autosomal STRs and maternal mtDNA.

Osteosarcopenic obesity and its relationship with dyslipidemia in women from different ethnic groups of China.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the prevalence and ethnic differences of osteosarcopenic obesity (OSO) and dyslipidemia and their relationship among Maonan, Mulam, Hmong, and Yao minorities in China. METHODS: A total of 2315 Maonan, Mulam, Hmong, and Yao women aged 20-95 from Guangxi were included in this study. Questionnaire survey was carried out and their blood lipids were tested. Body compositions were measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis, and T-score was assessed by ultrasonic examination, respectively. RESULTS: Our study showed ethnic-specific prevalence of OSO. In older women, the incidence rates of OSO in Mulam were 4.9, 12.6, and 11.5% in Maonan, Mulam, and Hmong ethnicity, respectively. In younger group, the incidence rates of OSO were 0.4, 0.4, and 0.6%, respectively. However, there is no prevalence of OSO in Yao women in two groups. The prevalence of dyslipidemia in younger women was 22.86, 29.89, 43.35, and 80.00% in group numbering one, two, and three, respectively. In older women, it was 29.13, 39.02, 41.37, and 52.38%, respectively. Based on logistic regression analysis, after controlling for covariates, dyslipidemia in younger group was positively associated with a higher number of adverse body composition, especially for OSO (OR = 12.53, 95%CI 1.34-116.99). Compared with normal women, OSO women in older group were also more likely to have dyslipidemia (OR = 6.75, 95%CI 3.19-14.31). CONCLUSION: OSO may be a risk factor for dyslipidemia in the ethnic groups. Thus, efforts to promote healthy aging should be focused on preventing obesity and maintaining bone health and muscle mass.

Association between body mass index (BMI) and vital capacity of college students of Zhuang nationality in China: a cross-section study.

OBJECTIVE: Our study is to evaluate the association between body mass index (BMI) and vital capacity of college students of Zhuang Nationality in China. METHODS: 463 college students of Zhuang Nationality from Guangxi Medical University were selected. Basic information, body composition and vital capacity of college students were measured. According to the level of BMI, college students were divided into four groups (BMI<18.5, 18.5≤BMI<23.9, 23.9≤BMI<27.9 and BMI≥27.9). Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the association between BMI and vital capacity. RESULTS: In male college students, there was no significant difference in vital capacity between the four groups (3029.54±869.25, 3347.06±784.54, 3540.00±805.35 and 3966.50±350.2, P=0.0727, respectively). Multivariate regression analysis showed that after adjusting for confounding factors, no significant association was observed between BMI and vital capacity (OR=115.02, 95% CI: -555.58∼785.63; OR=-166.58, 95% CI: -1684.56∼1351.41; OR=-484.01, 95% CI:-3504.53, 2536.51, respectively. BMI<18.5 group served as reference group). In female college students, there was also no significant difference in vital capacity between the four groups (2455.15±574.4, 2555.06±637.03, 2750.33±1224.05 and 2473.00±159.06, P=0.4011, respectively). Multivariate regression analysis showed that after adjusting for confounding factors, no significant association was observed between BMI and vital capacity (OR=-88.88, 95% CI: -333.59∼155.84; OR=20.00, 95% CI: -694.39∼734.39; OR=2.86, 95% CI: -1830.58, 1836.3, respectively. BMI<18.5 group served as reference group). CONCLUSION: There was no evidence that BMI is associated with vital capacity in college students of Zhuang Nationality.

Genetic structure of Tibetan populations in Gansu revealed by forensic STR loci.

The origin and diversification of Sino-Tibetan speaking populations have been long-standing hot debates. However, the limited genetic information of Tibetan populations keeps this topic far from clear. In the present study, we genotyped 15 forensic autosomal short tandem repeats (STRs) from 803 unrelated Tibetan individuals from Gansu Province (635 from Gannan and 168 from Tianzhu) in northwest China. We combined these data with published dataset to infer a detailed population affinities and genetic substructure of Sino-Tibetan populations. Our results revealed Tibetan populations in Gannan and Tianzhu are genetically very similar with Tibetans from other regions. The Tibetans in Tianzhu have received more genetic influence from surrounding lowland populations. The genetic structure of Sino-Tibetan populations was strongly correlated with linguistic affiliations. Although the among-population variances are relatively small, the genetic components for Tibetan, Lolo-Burmese, and Han Chinese were quite distinctive, especially for the Deng, Nu, and Derung of Lolo-Burmese. Han Chinese but not Tibetans are suggested to share substantial genetic component with southern natives, such as Tai-Kadai and Hmong-Mien speaking populations, and with other lowland East Asian populations, which implies there might be extensive gene flow between those lowland groups and Han Chinese after Han Chinese were separated from Tibetans. The dataset generated in present study is also valuable for forensic identification and paternity tests in China.

The relationship between osteoporosis and body composition in pre- and postmenopausal women from different ethnic groups in China.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the ethnic differences in osteoporosis (OP) and body composition (BC) and their relationship in the Maonan, Mulam, Hmong, and Yao minorities in China. DESIGN: A total of 860 Maonan, Mulam, Hmong, and Yao women were included in this cross-sectional study. Demographic, health history, and lifestyle information was collected using questionnaires. BC was measured through bioelectrical impedance analysis, and bone mineral density (BMD) was assessed via calcaneal quantitative ultrasound. RESULTS: Compared with premenopausal women, postmenopausal women exhibited a lower fat-free mass (FFM), muscle mass (MM), limb muscle mass, and T-score but a higher waist-to-hip ratio and prevalence of OP in each minority (p < .05). After adjustment for age, Hmong women displayed the highest body mass index, fat mass, percentage of body fat, visceral fat, and subcutaneous fat contents, while Yao women presented the highest T-scores and lowest prevalence of OP among the four minorities (p < .05). Having a greater number of children and an older age were significant risk factors for OP in all ethnic groups (p < .05, OR > 1). In addition, our results revealed that FFM and MM exhibited exactly the same weak positive relationship with the T-score (r = 0.081, p < .05) after adjusting for menopausal status and age in all of the participants. Furthermore, significant ethnic differences in the relationship between BC and the T-score existed in the four minorities studied here. CONCLUSIONS: BC and OP prevalence varied by menopausal status and ethnic group, and ethnic-specific relationships between BC and BMD were present in the four minorities. More research is needed to further investigate the ethnic differences in BC, OP, and risk factors for lower BMD to develop targeted prevention strategies to reduce the burden of OP across different ethnic groups in China.

[Genetic analysis of Y chromosome and mitochondrial DNA poly-morphism of Mulam ethnic group in Guangxi, China].

In order to study the molecular genetic structure of Mulam ethnic group in Guangxi, China, Y chromosome and mitochondrial DNA(mtDNA)polymorphisms were genotyped. High frequencies of the Y chromosome haplogroups O1a1-P203 and O2a1*-M95 were found in Mulam, exhibiting a pattern similar to the neighboring indigenous populations, especially the Daic populations. MtDNA lineages F1a, M*, B4a, B5a, M7b, and N9a were found in Mulam, which always present at high frequencies among the populations of East Asia. Mulam exhibits genetic characteristics of southern Chinese in both paternal and maternal lineages. Multiplex detection of the 17 Y-STR loci and mtDNA HVS-I revealed the distribu-tion of highly genetic diversity in Mulam, which would have potential application in population genetics and forensic practice.

[Genetic analysis of Mulao nationality using 15 short tandem repeats].

OBJECTIVE: To study the genetic polymorphism of 15 short tandem repeats (STR)(D2S1338, D3S1358, D5S818, D7S820, D8S1179, D13S317, D16S539, D18S51, D19S433, D21S11, CSF1PO, TPOX, TH01, vWA, FGA) in Mulao nationality of Guangxi province, and to explore genetic relationship between Mulao nationality and other 10 nationalities. METHODS: The allelic frequencies and the genotype of 15 STR loci were generated from 183 unrelated individuals in Mulao nationality and other 10 nationalities of Guangxi by PCR-STR and genescan. Phylogenetic tree were constracted neighbor-Joining method. RESULTS: There were 136 STR alleles and 422 genotypes in the 15 STR of Mulao nationality, with its allele frequencies ranging from 0.0027 to 0.5243. The average heterozygosity was 0.7632, the accumulative discrimination power was more than 0.999 999 999 9, and the probability of paternity exclusion was more than 0.999 998 469 8. The genetic distances between Mulao nationality and other minority of Guangxi were much closer than those between Mulao nationality and Han nationality and Uighur nationlity. CONCLUSION: The 15 STR loci of Mulao nationality in Guangxi possesses the characteristics of high genetic diversity, except the TPOX locus. They can be employed in group genetic investigation, individual and paternity test in forensic medicine. The genetic distances between Mulao nationality and other minority of Guangxi are more closer than those between Mulao nationality and Han nationality and Uighur nationality.

Genetic relationships among four minorities in Guangxi revealed by analysis of 15 STRs.

The aim of this study is to investigate the genetic diversity in 15 STRs (short tandem repeats) loci of four minorities in Guangxi Province and to probe into the genetic variation and relationships among these ethnic groups. Allele frequencies of 15 STR loci were collected from 766 unrelated Mulao, Maonan, Miao, and Yao ethnic individuals by PCR-STR and sequencing, and their allele-frequency distribution were compared with each other. The genetic parameters and genetic distances were calculated, and the phylogenetic tree was constructed. Based on the results from this study, 135, 134, 148, and 145 alleles and 424, 432, 445, and 436 genotypes for 15 STR loci were observed in the Mulao, Maonan, Miao, and Yao minorities, respectively. The average heterozygosity of all ethnic groups analyzed was above 0.7; the cumulative power of discrimination (DP), the probabilities of paternity exclusion (EPP), and the polymorphic information content (PIC) were greater than 0.99999. Comparison of the allele-frequency distribution indicated that there were significant differences at most loci between Maonan vs. Miao, Yao vs. other groups, but no distinct differences between Mulao vs. Maonan, and Mulao vs. Miao minorities. The NJ tree based on the genetic distance showed that the four minorities were separated into two groups. Mulao and Maonan were clustered into one group, whereas Miao and Yao into the other. Our results revealed that 15 STR loci of the four minorities possessed high genetic diversities. Therefore, the combination of these 15 STRs is a powerful tool for forensic individual identification and paternity investigation, as well as anthropologic and genetic researches. The genetic variation and relationships among the 4 populations revealed by 15 STRs are basically consistent with their linguistic culture and ethical history.

[Polymorphism of fifteen short tandem repeat loci in Maonan minority of Guangxi].

OBJECTIVE: To study the genetic polymorphism of 15 short tandem repeat (STR) (D2S1338ì D3S1358ì D5S818ì D7S820, D8S1179, D13S317, D16S539, D18S51, D19S433, D21S11, CSF1PO, TPOX, TH01, vWA, FGA) in Maonan minority of Guangxi province. METHODS: The allele frequencies and the genotype of 15 STR loci were analyzed in 143 unrelated individuals in Maonan minority of Guangxi by PCR-STR and genescan. RESULTS: There were 130 STR alleles and 390 genotypes in the 15 STR of Maonan minority, with allele frequencies ranging from 0.0035 to 0.5385. The average heterozygosity was 0.7697, the discrimination power was higher than 0.8 except for that of TPOX, the accumulative discrimination power was more than 0.999999999, and the probability of paternity exclusion was more than 0.99999918. CONCLUSION: The 15 STR loci of Maonan minority in Guangxi possesses the characteristics of high genetic diversity, except for the TPOX locus. They can be employed in minority genetics investigation, individual and paternity test in forensic medicine.

[Genetic polymorphism of 6 short-tandem repeat loci in Miao minority group of Rongshui county in Guangxi province].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the distributions of six short-tandem repeat (STR) loci, namely D7S820, D13S317, D16S539, HUMCSF1PO, HUMTPOX and HUMTH01, in Miao minority group at Rongshui county in Guangxi province and construct the relevant genetic database. METHODS: Sodium-citrated blood specimens were collected from 208 healthy unrelated Miao individuals in Rongshui county. The DNAs from the specimens were extracted with phenol-chloroform method; AmplFSTR Identifier PCR Amplification Kit was used to amplify the extracted DNAs, and 3100 Genetic Analyzer was used to analyze and screen the amplified products. RESULTS: In this study, 7, 8, 6, 7, 5, 7 alleles were observed at the 6 STR loci respectively. The expected distribution of genotype accorded with Hardy-Weinbery equilibrium. The total discrimination power, cumulative paternity exclusion power and total polymorphism information were 0.999995, 0.9959 and 0.9987 respectively. CONCLUSION: The results demonstrate that these 6 STR loci are of high polymorphism and hereditary stability and are in accord with Mendel's law. The data obtained are valuable in population genetics research, forensic application, and individual identifications.