Intra-abdominal fat area is a predictor for new onset of individual components of metabolic syndrome: MEtabolic syndRome and abdominaL ObesiTy (MERLOT study)

Objective: To investigate the significance of intra-abdominal fat area (IAFA) on new onset of individual components of the metabolic syndrome: high blood pressure, dyslipidemia, or hyperglycemia. Methods: We conducted a longitudinal study using checkup data of a hospital from 1994 to 2010. Of 25,255 subjects, we examined 1,380 Japanese, who underwent computed tomography to measure IAFA and had no metabolic syndrome components at baseline. Results: During 3.6 years of the mean follow-up period, one of metabolic syndrome components occurred in 752 subjects. Of three components, high blood pressure was more prevalent. The multiple Cox regression analysis disclosed that IAFA is significantly associated with onset of metabolic syndrome components (HR: 1.05 per 10 cm², 95%CI: 1.03–1.07). This finding was independent of BMI, and significant even in non-obese individuals with body mass index <25 kg/m². Conclusions: MERLOT study demonstrates that IAFA is an independent predictor for new onset of individual components of the metabolic syndrome, even in non-obese healthy Japanese.     

A CASCI-MRMP method based on Kohn—Sham orbitals

Kohn-Sham orbitals are used in the previously proposed CASCI-MRMP scheme (a multi-reference M?ller-Plesset (MRMP) method with a complete active space configuration interaction (CASCI) reference function). That is, the CASCI wave function was constructed using the Kohn-Sham orbitals and used as a reference function of the MRMP to incorporate the remaining dynamical correlation. The scheme was applied to the potential curves of the ground and low-lying excited states of N₂, the potential curve of the ground state of CO, the barrier height of the H₂CO → H₂ + CO reaction, the valence π-π? and Rydberg excited states of benzene, and the low-lying excited states of ozone. Good agreement between the theory, experiment, and some benchmark calculations was obtained. The various orbitals which are investigated here do not give very different results. Rather, the choice of active space makes a considerable difference, and in particular the perturbation calculation is proved to be very important.