Tian Y

Comparison of adiponectin, leptin and leptin to adiponectin ratio as diagnostic marker for metabolic syndrome in older adults of Chinese major cities

The aim of this study was to compare the strength of association between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and adiponectin, leptin and leptin to adiponectin ratio (L/A) in older Chinese. This study included 950 males (220 with MetS) and 1096 females (452 with MetS), aged 60-96 years from 18 major cities of the 2002 China National Nutrition and Health Survey. The associations of adiponectin, leptin and L/A with components of MetS and MetS were examined using logistic regression and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. The correlation coefficients of MetS components except fasting glucose with leptin were similar to those with L/A and higher than those with adiponectin. After adjusting for age and BMI, the odds ratio for MetS corresponding to 1 SD change in L/A was higher than those for leptin and adiponectin. L/A had highest area under the curve (AUC) for MetS. However, there was no statistically significant difference in AUC between leptin and L/A, and both indices produced a significantly higher AUC than adiponectin. In conclusion, L/A and leptin may be better diagnostic markers for MetS than adiponectin. After adjusting for BMI, L/A has better ability for correctly classifying subjects with and without MetS than adiponectin or leptin alone.

Postprandial glycaemic and insulinaemic responses to GM-resistant starch-enriched rice and the production of fermentation-related H2 in healthy Chinese adults.

Consumption of resistant starch (RS)-enriched foods is associated with decrease in the postprandial glycaemic and insulinaemic responses, accompanied by the production of fermentation-related gases in the large bowel. The present study aimed to determine the postprandial glycaemic and insulinaemic responses to the GM RS-enriched rice and the fermentation-related production of H2 in young and healthy Chinese adults. A total of sixteen young adults (nine men and seven women) were recruited and divided into three groups. Their postprandial glycaemic and insulinaemic responses to 40 g glucose, carbohydrates of RS or wild-type (WT) rice were tested by a crossover model with a washout period of 7 d. The concentrations of blood glucose and insulin as well as breath H2 were measured before and after food intake. Although the mean concentrations of fasting blood glucose, insulin and breath H2 were similar, consumption of the RS rice significantly decreased the values of glycaemic index (GI) and insulin index (II), as compared with the intake of WT rice (48.4 (sem 21.8) v. 77.4 (sem 34.9) for GI, 34.2 (sem 18.9) v. 54.4 (sem 22.4) for II, P < 0.05), respectively. Conversely, intake of the RS rice meal significantly elevated the concentrations of breath H2, as compared with WT rice (38.9 (sem 17.6) v. 10.5 (sem 3.7) parts per million for peak levels of breath H2, P < 0.05) through a period of 16-h tests. Consumption of the GM RS-enriched rice meal decreased the postprandial glycaemic and insulinaemic responses and promoted RS fermentation-related production of H2 in the large bowel of young and healthy Chinese adults.

Long-term toxicity study on transgenic rice with Cry1Ac and sck genes

In the present work, we evaluated the chronic effects of the transgenic insect-resistant rice carrying Cry1Ac and sck genes on Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats through a 78-week feeding study. Based on the gender and weight, 180 SD rats were randomly and evenly assigned into three groups. GM rice and non-GM rice were separately formulated into diets at high levels. AIN-93 diet was used as a nutritional control. Body weight, food consumption, hematology and serum chemistry were monitored regularly. Rats were sacrificed for organ weight measurement and pathological examination at 52 weeks and 78 weeks. Body weight, food consumption, mortality rates, tumor incidences and pathological findings showed no significant difference among the three groups. Although certain differences in some hematology, serum chemistry parameters and relative organ weights were observed between GM rice group and control groups, they were not considered as treatment-related. Taken together, long-term intake of transgenic rice carrying Cry1Ac and sck genes at a high level exerts no unintended adverse effects on rats.

Association between adiponectin and metabolic syndrome in older adults from major cities of China

OBJECTIVE To investigate the association between adiponectin and metabolic syndrome (MetS) and related diseases in older adults from major cities of China. METHODS A total of 2 049 adults at the age of 60-96 years from 18 major cities of China were enrolled in the study. Plasma adiponectin and insulin concentrations were measured. Insulin resistance was assessed by homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). The definitions proposed by International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and American Heart Association/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (AHA/NLHBI) were used to identify MetS. RESULTS The adiponectin concentration increased with the advance of age and was higher in women than in men. The sex specific adiponectin concentration was inversely correlated with body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, diastolic blood pressure, triglycerides, glucose and fasting blood insulin, and positively correlated with HDL-C (P < 0.001). The adiponectin concentration decreased with increasing MetS components. Compared with the 4th sex-specific adiponectin quartile, the odds ratio (OR) for prevalent MetS-IDF and MetS-AHA/NLHBI in subjects of the 1st quartile group was 3.25 (95% CI: 2.24, 4.71) and 3.21 (95% CI: 2.26, 4.55), respectively. The association was independent of age, sex, life-style factors, medication, family history of chronic diseases, BMI, and HOMA-IR. The OR for MetS was much higher than those of MetS components and its related diseases. CONCLUSION Adiponectin is strongly associated with MetS independent of insulin resistance and obesity in older adults from major cities in China. The adiponectin concentration is a useful predictor for the risk of MetS.

Are the associations of plasma leptin and adiponectin with type 2 diabetes independent of obesity in older Chinese adults

China has experienced a rapid increase in diabetes. In this study, we assessed whether the associations of two adipocyte‐derived hormones, leptin and adiponectin, with type 2 diabetes are independent of obesity in older Chinese adults.

Determination of 16 selected trace elements in children plasma from china economical developed rural areas using high resolution magnetic sector inductively coupled mass spectrometry.

A rapid, accurate, and high performance method of high resolution sector field inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HR-ICP-MS) combined with a small-size sample (0.1 mL) preparation was established. The method was validated and applied for the determination of 16 selected plasma trace elements (Fe, Cu, Zn, Rb, B, Al, Se, Sr, V, Cr, Mn, Co, As, Mo, Cd, and Pb). The linear working ranges were over three intervals, 0-1 μg/L, 0–10 μg/L and 0–100 μg/L. Correlation coefficients (R 2) ranged from 0.9957 to 0.9999 and the limits of quantification (LOQ) ranged from 0.02 μg/L (Rb) to 1.89 μg/L (Se). The trueness (or recovery) spanned from 89.82% (Al) to 119.15% (Se) and precision expressed by the relative standard deviation (RSD %) for intra-day ranging from 1.1% (Zn) to 9.0% (Se), while ranged from 3.7% (Fe) to 12.7% (Al) for interday. A total of 440 plasma samples were collected from Chinese National Nutrition and Health Survey Project 2002 (CNNHS 2002), which represented the status of plasma trace elements for the children aged 3–12 years from China economical developed rural areas. The concentrations of 16 trace elements were summarized and compared by age groups and gender, which can be used as one of the basic components for the formulation of the baseline reference values of trace elements for the children in 2002.

Large-scale Purification and Acute Toxicity of Hygromycin B Phosphotransferase

OBJECTIVE To provide the acute toxicity data of hygromycin B phosphotransferase (HPT) using recombinant protein purified from E. coli. METHODS Recombinant HPT protein was expressed and purified from E. coli. To exclude the potential adverse effect of bacteria protein in recombinant HPT protein, bacterial control plasmid was constructed, and bacteria control protein was extracted and prepared as recombinant HPT protein. One hundred mice, randomly assigned to 5 groups, were administrated 10 g/kg, 5 g/kg, or 1 g/kg body weight of HPT or 5 g/kg body weight of bacterial control protein or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) respectively by oral gavage. RESULTS All animals survived with no significant change in body weight gain throughout the study. Macroscopic necropsy examination on day 15 revealed no gross pathological lesions in any of the animals. The maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of HPT was 10 g/kg body weight in mice and could be regarded as nontoxic. CONCLUSION HPT protein does not have any safety problems to human health.

Total energy expenditure of 16 Chinese young men measured by the doubly labeled water method.

OBJECTIVE Doubly labeled water (DLW) method is the gold standard for measuring total energy expenditure (TEE). We used this method to measure TEE in Chinese young men. METHODS Sixteen healthy young men age 23±1 years with body mass index 22.0±1.4 kg/m2 were recruited. TEE was measured by the DLW method, and basal energy expenditure (BEE) was determined by indirect calorimetry. We also conducted 24-h activity, energy balance and factorial approach to estimate energy requirements of the subjects. RESULTS TEE of subjects by DLW method was 9.45±0.57 MJ/day (2258±180 kcal/day). The 24-h activity was 10.80±0.33 MJ/day (2582±136 kcal/day). The energy requirement, derived from energy balance observations, was 9.93±1.32 MJ/day (2373±315 kcal/day). The BEE of 6.65±0.28 MJ/day (1589±67 kcal/day), calculated by the adjusted Schofield equation, was significantly higher (P<0.001) than that measured by indirect calorimetry, 5.99±0.66 MJ/day (1433±158 kcal/day). The TEE derived from the factorial approach was 10.31±0.43 MJ/day (2463±104 kcal/day). CONCLUSION The TEE of Chinese young men measured by the DLW method was about 10% lower than the current recommended nutrient intake (RNI), suggesting that the RNI for Chinese men maybe overestimated. Further studies are warranted to determine the value of the estimated energy requirement.