ACTN3 is associated with children's physical fitness in Han Chinese

Field-based physical fitness assessment in preschool children: A scoping review

Physical fitness, which can be measured using various health- and skill-related components, is an important indicator of child development and health status. This study undertakes a scoping review on physical fitness assessment methods in preschool children to summarize the most widely used field-based physical fitness batteries and specific test items for preschool children. A search of the literature in English was undertaken using two major electronics databases, which yielded 76 literatures that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. These literatures took the quantitative indicators of physical fitness as the outcome variables in 3-6-year-old children. This review found that of these 76 literatures analyzed, 71.1% came from Europe and 89.5% were published after 2010. The results showed six physical fitness test batteries, with the assessing FITness in PREschoolers (PREFIT) battery is the most widely used, and specific test items such as body mass index (BMI), standing long jump, handgrip, one-leg stance, sit and reach, 20 m shuttle run test (SRT)-PREFIT, and 4 × 10 m SRT are widely used in corresponding components. Therefore, we recommend that an international standard for some specific test items should be developed for preschool children to facilitate more widespread adoption and promote physical fitness assessment for preschool children.

Whole Genome Interpretation for a Family of Five

Although best practices have emerged on how to analyse and interpret personal genomes, the utility of whole genome screening remains underdeveloped. A large amount of information can be gathered from various types of analyses via whole genome sequencing including pathogenicity screening, genetic risk scoring, fitness, nutrition, and pharmacogenomic analysis. We recognize different levels of confidence when assessing the validity of genetic markers and apply rigorous standards for evaluation of phenotype associations. We illustrate the application of this approach on a family of five. By applying analyses of whole genomes from different methodological perspectives, we are able to build a more comprehensive picture to assist decision making in preventative healthcare and well-being management. Our interpretation and reporting outputs provide input for a clinician to develop a healthcare plan for the individual, based on genetic and other healthcare data.

Molecular foundations of chiropractic therapy

Background and aim: Alternative medicine is a broad term used to encompass different therapies, including chiropractic. Chiropractic was called “a science of healing without drugs” by its founder, David Daniel Palmer. It is based on the idea that the body has a powerful self-healing ability and that there is a relationship between body structure and function that affects health. In particular, chiropractic assumes that the nervous system controls the human body through nerves branching from the vertebral column and spinal cord. Researchers do not fully understand how chiropractic therapies affect pain, but chiropractic is widely used today to treat chronic pain, such as back pain. Different studies with animal models have demonstrated that chiropractic therapies mediate neuroplasticity, specifically through modulation of neurotrophins. No studies have yet been published on interaction between neurotrophin gene polymorphisms and chiropractic treatment. Methods: We searched PubMed with the following keywords: chiropractic, neuroplasticity, neurotrophin gene polymorphism for a panorama of on the molecular mechanisms of chiropractic therapy. Results: From the material collected, we identified a set of genes and some functional polymorphisms that could be correlated with better response to chiropractic therapy. Conclusions: Further association studies will be necessary to confirm hypotheses of a correlation between single nucleotide polymorphisms in specific genes and better response to chiropractic therapy. (www.actabiomedica.it)

Polymorphism of the PPARD Gene and Dynamic Balance Performance in Han Chinese Children

BACKGROUND

Athletic performances are complex traits with heritability of ~66%. Dynamic balance is one of the most important athletic performances, and there has been little studies for it in sports genomics. The candidate PPARD gene was reported to be able to affect muscle development for balance predisposition and influence the athletic performance including skiing triumph in the Caucasian population. This study aims to investigate whether the PPARD gene is a susceptibility gene for dynamic balance performance in Han Chinese children.

RESULTS

A total 2244 children were recruited and their balance beam performances were measured. Five polymorphisms in the PPARD gene were genotyped through the MassARRAY Sequenom platform. Rs2016520 exerted significant association with dynamic balance performance (minor allele C, P = 0.015, Pcorrected < 0.05) and was affirmed in a meta-analysis by combining previously reported Caucasian cohorts (OR = 1.57, 95% CI = [1.30, 1.91], P < 10 -5) . Another polymorphism, rs2267668, was also significantly associated with dynamic balance performance (minor allele G, P = 0.015, Pcorrected < 0.05). In the dichotomous study, 321 cases (61% boys and 39% girls) and 370 controls (49% boys and 51% girls) in our samples were selected as representatives, and the thresholds were the mean velocity (0.737 m/s) ± standard deviation (0.264 m/s), in which rs2016520-C and rs2267668-G still remained significant (CI =1.41 [1.11~1.79], P = 0.004, Pcorrected < 0.016; CI =1.45 [1.14~1.86], P = 0.002, Pcorrected < 0.016). In different genders, consistent OR direction was observed for each variant.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggested that the PPARD gene is associated with dynamic balance performance of human being, and further studies to reveal its etiology is strongly suggested.