Growth Monitoring: A Survey of Current Practices of Primary Care Paediatricians in Europe

Objective

We aimed to study current practices in growth monitoring by European primary care paediatricians and to explore their perceived needs in this field.

Methods

We developed a cross-sectional, anonymous on-line survey and contacted primary care paediatricians listed in national directories in the 18 European countries with a confederation of primary care paediatricians. Paediatricians participated in the survey between April and September 2011.

Results

Of the 1,198 paediatricians from 11 European countries (response rate 13%) who participated, 29% used the 2006 World Health Organization Multicentre Growth Reference Study growth charts, 69% used national growth charts; 61% used software to draw growth charts and 79% did not use a formal algorithm to detect abnormal growth on growth charts. Among the 21% of paediatricians who used algorithms, many used non-algorithmic simple thresholds for height and weight and none used the algorithms published in the international literature. In all, 69% of paediatricians declared that a validated algorithm to monitor growth would be useful in daily practice. We found important between-country variations.

Conclusion

The varied growth-monitoring practices declared by primary care paediatricians reveals the need for standardization and evidence-based algorithms to define abnormal growth and the development of software that would use such algorithms.     

Phytoplankton and chemico-physical parameters of the Scardovari Lagoon (Po Delta,North Adriatic Sea) during 1991 and 1992

Abstract

During research directed towards the employment of the biological resources of the North Adriatic lagoons, from January 1991 to December 1992, in both tidal phases, a survey was carried out on the phytoplankton and the chemico-physical parameters of the Scardovari lagoon. Data analyses allowed two different areas to be distinguished: one inner, which was generally characterized by high phytoplanktonic densities (St. 3–4), the other outer, which was more influced by marine load (St. 1–2). Photosynthetic picoplankton was dominant in terms of cell number in most samples. Phytoplanktonic fraction >2 μm was represented mainly by diatoms, which showed the higher species number. During the sample observation, some dinoflagellates, considered toxic or potentially toxic, were found. Their presence was important because of their effect on the bivalve mollusc cultures.     

Selective Cytotoxicity of 1,3,4-Thiadiazolium Mesoionic Derivatives on Hepatocarcinoma Cells (HepG2)

In this work, we evaluated the cytotoxicity of mesoionic 4-phenyl-5-(2-Y, 4-X or 4-X-cinnamoyl)-1,3,4-thiadiazolium-2-phenylamine chloride derivatives (MI-J: X=OH, Y=H; MI-D: X=NO₂, Y=H; MI-4F: X=F, Y=H; MI-2,4diF: X=Y=F) on human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2), and non-tumor cells (rat hepatocytes) for comparison. MI-J, M-4F and MI-2,4diF reduced HepG2 viability by ~ 50% at 25 μM after 24-h treatment, whereas MI-D required a 50 μM concentration, as shown by 3-(4,5-dimethythiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assays. The cytotoxicity was confirmed with lactate dehydrogenase assay, of which activity was increased by 55, 24 and 16% for MI-J, MI-4F and MI-2,4diF respectively (at 25 μM after 24 h). To identify the death pathway related to cytotoxicity, the HepG2 cells treated by mesoionic compounds were labeled with both annexin V and PI, and analyzed by flow cytometry. All compounds increased the number of doubly-stained cells at 25 μM after 24 h: by 76% for MI-J, 25% for MI-4F and MI-2,4diF, and 11% for MI-D. It was also verified that increased DNA fragmentation occurred upon MI-J, MI-4F and MI-2,4diF treatments (by 12%, 9% and 8%, respectively, at 25 μM after 24 h). These compounds were only weakly, or not at all, transported by the main multidrug transporters, P-glycoprotein, ABCG2 and MRP1, and were able to slightly inhibit their drug-transport activity. It may be concluded that 1,3,4-thiadiazolium compounds, especially the hydroxy derivative MI-J, constitute promising candidates for future investigations on in-vivo treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.     

Mesoionic compounds with antifungal activity against Fusarium verticillioides

Background

Fungi contaminate the food of humans and animals, are a risk to health, and can cause financial losses. In this work, the antifungal activities of 16 mesoionic compounds (MI 1–16) were evaluated against mycotoxigenic fungi, including Aspergillus spp., Fusarium verticillioides and Penicillium citrinum. Furthermore, the decreased ergosterol in the total lipid content of Fusarium verticillioides was investigated.

Results

F. verticillioides was the most sensitive fungus to the mesoionic compounds. Among the evaluated compounds, MI-11 and MI-16 presented higher antifungal effects against F. verticillioides, with MIC values of 7.8 μg/ml, and MI-2 and MI-3 followed, with MICs of 15.6 μg/ml. The most active compounds were those with heterocyclic ring phenyl groups substituted by electron donor moieties (MI-11 and MI-16). Among some compounds with higher activity (MI-2, MI-11 and MI-16), decreased ergosterol content in the total lipid fraction of F. verticillioides was demonstrated. MI-2 reduced the ergosterol content approximately 40% and 80% at concentrations of 7.8 μg/ml and 15.6 μg/ml, respectively, and MI-11 and MI-16 decreased the content by 30% and 50%, respectively, when at a concentration of 7.8 μg/ml.

Conclusion

These findings indicate that mesoionic compounds have significant antifungal activity against F. verticillioides.     

Trypanosoma evansi: Adenosine deaminase activity in the brain of infected rats

The study was undertaken to evaluate changes in the activity of adenosine deaminase (ADA) in brains of rats infected by Trypanosoma evansi. Each rat was intraperitoneally infected with 10⁶ trypomastigotes either suspended in fresh (group A; n = 13) and cryopreserved blood (group B; n = 13). Thirteen animals were used as control (group C). ADA activity was estimated in the cerebellum, cerebral cortex, striatum and hippocampus. No differences (P > 0.05) in ADA activity were observed in the cerebellum between infected and non-infected animals. Significant (P < 0.05) reductions in ADA activity occurred in cerebral cortex in acutely (day 4 post-infection; PI) and chronically (day 20 PI) infected rats. ADA activity was significantly (P < 0.05) decreased in the hippocampus in acutely infected rats, but significantly (P < 0.05) increased in the chronically infected rats. Significant (P < 0.05) reductions in ADA activity occurred in the striatum of chronically infected rats. Parasites could be found in peripheral blood and brain tissue through microscopic examination and PCR assay, respectively, in acutely and chronically infected rats. The reduction of ADA activity in the brain was associated with high levels of parasitemia and anemia in acute infections. Alterations in ADA activity of the brain in T. evansi-infected rats may have implications for pathogenesis of the disease.     

New tools for the control of peptide conformation: the helicogenic Calpha-methyl, Calpha-cyclohexylglycine.

The novel Calpha-tetrasubstituted alpha-amino acid Calpha-methyl, Calpha-cyclohexylglycine was prepared by hydrogenation of its Calpha-methyl, Calpha-phenylglycine precursor. Terminally protected homodi-, homotri-, and homotetrapeptides from Calpha-methyl, Calpha-cyclohexylglycine and co-oligopeptides to the pentamer level in combination with Gly or alpha-aminoisobutyric acid residues were prepared by solution methods and fully characterized. The results of a conformational analysis, performed by use of Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrophotometer absorption, 1H NMR, and X-ray diffraction techniques, support the contention that this Calpha-methylated, Cbeta-trisubstituted aliphatic alpha-amino acid is an effective beta-turn and 3(10)-helix inducer in tri- and longer peptides as its Calpha-methyl valine parent compound, but partially divergent from the corresponding aromatic Calpha-methyl, Calpha-diphenylmethylglycine residue, known to promote folded and fully extended structures to a significant extent in these oligomers.     

Human health risks of metals and metalloids in muscle tissue of Synodontis zambezensis Peters, 1852 from Flag Boshielo Dam,South Africa

Muscle tissue from 63 Synodontis zambezensis collected bimonthly in 2013 at Flag Boshielo Dam were analysed for metals and metalloids in a desktop human health risk assessment. The Hazard Quotient, based on a weekly meal of 67 g of fish muscle, exceeded the maximum acceptable level of one for lead, cobalt, cadmium, mercury, arsenic and selenium. The concentrations of these elements were higher in 2013 than those recorded in 2009 and 2012 in other fish species from Flag Boshielo Dam and these may pose a long-term health risk if consumed regularly by impoverished rural communities reliant on fish as a source of protein.     

Handedness preference and switching of peptide helices. Part I: Helices based on protein amino acids

In this article, we review the relevant results obtained during almost 60 years of research on a specific aspect of stereochemistry, namely handedness preference and switches between right‐handed and left‐handed helical peptide structures generated by protein amino acids or appropriately designed, side‐chain modified analogs. In particular, we present and discuss here experimental and theoretical data on three categories of those screw‐sense issues: (i) right‐handed/left‐handed α‐helix transitions underwent by peptides rich in Asp, specific Asp β‐esters, and Asn; (ii) comparison of the preferred conformations adopted by helical host–guest peptide series, each characterized by an amino acid residue (e.g. Ile or its diastereomer aIle) endowed with two chiral centers in its chemical structure; and (iii) right‐handed (type I)/left‐handed (type II) poly‐(Pro)_n helix transitions monitored for peptides rich in Pro itself or its analogs with a pyrrolidine ring substitution, particularly at the biologically important position 4. The unique modular and chiral properties of peptides, combined with their relatively easy synthesis, the chance to shape them into the desired conformation, and the enormous chemical diversity of their coded and non‐coded α‐amino acid building blocks, offer a huge opportunity to structural chemists for applications to bioscience and nanoscience problems. Copyright © 2014 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.