Substrate utilization during submaximal exercise in children with a severely obese parent

Background We have reported a reduction in fatty acid oxidation (FAO) at the whole-body level and in skeletal muscle in severely obese (BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2) individuals; this defect is retained in cell culture suggesting an inherent component. The purpose of the current study was to determine if an impairment in whole-body fatty acid oxidation (FAO) was also evident in children with a severely obese parent. Methods Substrate utilization during submaximal exercise (cycle ergometer) was determined in children ages 8–12 y with a severely obese parent (OP, n = 13) or two lean/non-obese (BMI range of 18 to 28 kg/m2) parents (LP, n = 13). A subgroup of subjects (n = 3/group) performed 4 weeks of exercise training with substrate utilization measured after the intervention. Results The children did not differ in age (LP vs. OP, respectively) (10.7 ± 0.5 vs. 10.2 ± 0.5 y), BMI percentile (65.3 ± 5.2 vs. 75.9 ± 7), Tanner Stage (1.4 ± 0.2 vs. 1.5 ± 0.2), VO2peak (40.3 ± 2.7 vs. 35.6 ± 2.6 ml/kg/min) or physical activity levels (accelerometer). At the same absolute workload of 15 W (~38% VO2peak), RER was significantly (P ≤ 0.05) lower in LP vs. OP (0.83 ± 0.02 vs. 0.87 ± 0.01) which was reflected in a reduced reliance on FAO for energy production in the OP group (58.6 ± 5.1 vs. 43.1 ± 4.0% of energy needs during exercise from FAO). At a higher exercise intensity (~65% VO2peak) there were no differences in substrate utilization between LP and OP. After exercise training RER tended to decrease (P = 0.06) at the 15 W workload, suggesting an increased reliance on FAO regardless of group. Conclusions These findings suggest that the decrement in FAO with severe obesity has an inherent component that may be overcome with exercise training

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

Substrate utilization during submaximal exercise in children with a severely obese parent

BackgroundWe have reported a reduction in fatty acid oxidation (FAO) at the whole-body level and in skeletal muscle in severely obese (BMI-‰â‰¥-‰40-‰kg/m2) individuals; this defect is retained in cell culture suggesting an inherent component. The purpose of the current study was to determine if an impairment in whole-body fatty acid oxidation (FAO) was also evident in children with a severely obese parent.MethodsSubstrate utilization during submaximal exercise (cycle ergometer) was determined in children ages 8--12 y with a severely obese parent (OP, n-‰=-‰13) or two lean/non-obese (BMI range of 18 to 28-‰kg/m2) parents (LP, n-‰=-‰13). A subgroup of subjects (n-‰=-‰3/group) performed 4-‰weeks of exercise training with substrate utilization measured after the intervention.ResultsThe children did not differ in age (LP vs. OP, respectively) (10.7-‰Â±-‰0.5 vs. 10.2-‰Â±-‰0.5 y), BMI percentile (65.3-‰Â±-‰5.2 vs. 75.9-‰Â±-‰7), Tanner Stage (1.4-‰Â±-‰0.2 vs. 1.5-‰Â±-‰0.2), VO2peak (40.3-‰Â±-‰2.7 vs. 35.6-‰Â±-‰2.6-‰ml/kg/min) or physical activity levels (accelerometer). At the same absolute workload of 15-‰W (~38% VO2peak), RER was significantly (P-‰â‰¤-‰0.05) lower in LP vs. OP (0.83-‰Â±-‰0.02 vs. 0.87-‰Â±-‰0.01) which was reflected in a reduced reliance on FAO for energy production in the OP group (58.6-‰Â±-‰5.1 vs. 43.1-‰Â±-‰4.0% of energy needs during exercise from FAO). At a higher exercise intensity (~65% VO2peak) there were no differences in substrate utilization between LP and OP. After exercise training RER tended to decrease (P-‰=-‰0.06) at the 15-‰W workload, suggesting an increased reliance on FAO regardless of group.ConclusionsThese findings suggest that the decrement in FAO with severe obesity has an inherent component that may be overcome with exercise training