Selected anthropometric variables and aerobic fitness as predictors of cardiovascular disease risk in children

The aim of this study was to assess the suitability of body mass index, waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio and aerobic fitness as predictors of cardiovascular risk factor clustering in children. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 290 school boys and girls from 6 to 10 years old, randomly selected. Blood was collected after a 12-hour fasting period. Blood pressure, waist circumference (WC), height and weight were evaluated according to international standards. Aerobic fitness (AF) was assessed by the 20-metre shuttle-run test. Clustering was considered when three of these factors were present: high systolic or diastolic blood pressure, high low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, high triglycerides, high plasma glucose, high insulin concentrations and low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. A ROC curve identified the cut-off points of body mass index (BMI), WC, waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) and AF as predictors of risk factor clustering. BMI, WC and WHR resulted in significant areas under the ROC curves, which was not observed for AF. The anthropometric variables were good predictors of cardiovascular risk factor clustering in both sexes, whereas aerobic fitness should not be used to identify cardiovascular risk factor clustering in these children.     

Correlation between tissue oxygenation and erythrocytes elasticity

In this paper, near‐infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and jumping optical tweezers were used to measure the tissue oxygenation and the elasticity of erythrocytes, respectively. The correlation between tissue oxygenation induced by arterial occlusion test (AOT) and the mechanical properties of individual erythrocytes from a blood sample obtained after AOT was studied. The experimental results show a linear correlation between the oxygenation signal caused by AOT and the elasticity of erythrocytes. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Ceftriaxone attenuates hypoxic-ischemic brain injury in neonatal rats

Background  

Perinatal brain injury is the leading cause of subsequent neurological disability in both term and preterm baby. Glutamate excitotoxicity is one of the major factors involved in perinatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). Glutamate transporter GLT1, expressed mainly in mature astrocytes, is the major glutamate transporter in the brain. HIE induced excessive glutamate release which is not reuptaked by immature astrocytes may induce neuronal damage. Compounds, such as ceftriaxone, that enhance the expression of GLT1 may exert neuroprotective effect in HIE.     

New discoveries of cycads and advancement of conservation of cycads in China

From 1997 to 1999Cycas debaoensis Y. C. Zhong & C. J. Chen andC. changjiangensis N. Liu were described from South China. The wild populations ofCycas szechuanensis were discovered in Fujian.Cycas guizhouensis K. M. Lan & R. F. Zou at the higher elevations andC. segmentifida D. Y. Wang & C. Y. Deng at the lower elevations along the Nanpanjiang River should be good species, which were treated by Chen and Wang (1995) and Chen and Stevenson (1999) as synonyms forC. szechuanensis. However, 11 other new species have been reduced by Chen and Stevenson (1999) and the present authors. They areC. longlinensis Huang T. Chang & Y. C. Zhong,C. xilinensis Huang T. Chang & Y. C. Zhong, C.multifida Huang T. Chang & Y. C. Zhong, C.longiconifera Huang T. Chang & Y. C. Zhong, andC. acuminatissima Huang T. Chang & Y. C. Zhong, all treated as synonyms ofC. segmentifida. Cycas spiniformis J. Y. Liang,C. longisporophylla F. N. Wei,C. septermsperma Huang T. Chang & H. X. Zhang,C. brevipinnata Huang T. Chang et al. should be synonyms forC. exseminifera F. N. Wei.Cycas miquelii Warb, andEpicycas miquelii (Warb.) de Laub, should be the synonyms forC revoluta because their “stype” specimens are somewhat likeC. revoluta. The Honghe Nature Cycad Reserve forCycas multipinnata andC. hongheensis was recently established in Yunnan. The Debao Cycad Reserve will be established soon. However, most existing cycad reserves in China have not been so successful because of shortages of funding and poor management. In ex situ conservation the Qingxiushan Cycad Garden in Nanning, Guangxi, was established. Cycad nurseries have begun to appear in some villages in South China.     

Growth and photosynthesis of virus-infected and virus-eradicated orchid plants exposed to different growth irradiances under natural tropical conditions

Responses of virus-infected (VI) and virus-eradicated (VE) Oncidium Gower Ramsey orchid plants grown under 30% of prevailing solar radiation and those transferred from 30 to 60% and 100% of prevailing solar radiation were studied under natural tropical conditions. Plants grown under 30% of prevailing solar radiation suffered lower leaf and floral production and reduced photosynthesis. When the irradiance was increased to 60% of prevailing solar radiation, enhancement of leaf and floral production and photosynthetic capacities were achieved. However, when the plants were transferred from 30 to 100% of prevailing solar radiation, the growth and photosynthetic capacities of the plants were significantly reduced. All plants exhibited a midday depression in photosynthetic CO₂ assimilation ( A ), stomatal conductance ( g _s) and F _v/ F _m ratio . The degree of midday depression of these parameters was not only associated with high temperatures and high irradiances but also with virus infection. Midday F _v/ F _m ratio depression indicated that dynamic photo-inhibition occurred in all plants grown under all three light conditions. However, chronic photo-inhibition, measured by pre-dawn F _v/ F _m ratio and chlorophyll content, occurred only in those plants transferred from 30 to 100% of prevailing solar radiation. Hence, it is concluded that the VI Oncidium Gower Ramsey was more susceptible to high irradiance than the VE plants.     

Screening for a Potent Antibacterial Peptide to Treat Mupirocin-Resistant MRSA Skin Infections

Mupirocin is the first-line topical antibacterial drug for treating skin infections caused primarily by meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Its widespread use since its introduction more than 30 years ago has resulted in the global emergence of mupirocin-resistant strains of MRSA. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are a promising class of antibacterial compounds that can potentially be developed to replace mupirocin due to their rapid membrane-targeting bactericidal mode of action and predicted low propensity for resistance development. Herein, we conducted and compared the antibacterial activities of 61 AMPs between 3 and 11 residues in length reported in the literature over the past decade against mupirocin-resistant MRSA. The most potent AMP, 11-residue peptide 50, was selected and tested against a panel of clinical isolates followed by a time-kill and a human dermal keratinocyte cytotoxicity assay. Lastly, peptide 50 was formulated into a topical spray which showed strong in vitro bactericidal effects against mupirocin-resistant MRSA. Our results strongly suggest that peptide 50 has the potential to be further developed into a new class of topical antibacterial agent for treating drug-resistant MRSA skin infections.     

Oxygenation dynamics of sepsis patients undergoing far‐infrared intervention based on near‐infrared spectroscopy

Near‐infrared spectroscopy (NIRS; continuous wave type) is a noninvasive tool for detecting the relative change of oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin. To make this change, intervention methods must be applied. This study determined the hemodynamics of 44 healthy participants and 35 patients with sepsis during exposure to FIR as a novel physical intervention approach. Local microcirculation of their brachioradialis was monitored during exposure and recovery through NIRS. The variations in blood flow and microvascular reaction were determined by conducting paired and unpaired t tests. The oxyhemoglobin levels of the healthy participants increased continuously, even during recovery. In contrast to expextations, the oxyhemoglobin levels of the patients plateaued after only 5 min of FIR illumination. The proposed method has potential applications for ensuring efficient treatment and facilitating doctors in diagnosing the functions of vessels in intensive care units.

Mapping diagrams of HbO₂ in healthy males and males with sepsis illustrated unique scenarios during the process.