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Objectives. Body fat content, fat distribution, and adiponectin level are important variables in the development of obesity related complications. Anthropometric indices may provide an economic and faster method in measuring the risk for complications through their predictive effect of fat distribution and adiponectin concentration. We aimed to determine, which of the waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), and body mass index (BMI) may be the best predictor for the total fat percentage (WF), visceral fat level (VF), and subcutaneous whole-body fat (SCWBF). We aimed also to investigate the potential use of the anthropometric measures and fat distribution as predictors for the salivary adiponectin level in the healthy adult males. Subjects. A total of 88 adult males aged between 18−25 years with a wide range of BMI were studied. Anthropometric indices were measured using standardized methods and salivary adiponectin level was assessed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results. In path analysis of the Structural Equation Model (SEM) using IBM@SPSS AMOS, version22, BMI and WC, but not WHR, were strong predictors for WF and SCWBF (p<0.05). BMI but not WC was a strong predictor for VF (p<0.001). WF was strong predictor for SCWBF (p<0.001), but not for VF. BMI, WC, WHR, WF, VF, and SCWBF were poor predictors of the salivary adiponectin level. Conclusion. BMI is the best predictor for the total body fat and fat distribution. However, WHR seems to be of a little value and the salivary adiponectin level independent of BMI and body fat in healthy adult Malay males.

Advancements in solid organ transplantation successfully extend the lives of thousands of patients annually. The tenet of organ stewardship aims to prevent the futile expenditure of scarce donor organs in patient populations with high mortality risk, to the detriment of potential recipients with greater predicted life expectancy. The development of skin cancer posttransplantation portends tremendous morbidity, adversely affecting quality of life for many transplant recipients. This special article, provided by of members of the International Transplant Skin Cancer Collaborative (ITSCC), will provide the transplant professional with a consensus opinion and recommendations as to an appropriate wait period pretransplantation for transplant candidates with a history of either cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, malignant melanoma, or Merkel cell carcinoma.

The trapezoidal free overfall is analyzed by the onedimensional momentum equation, including an assumed pressure distribution at the brink. The pressure distribution is based on previous measurements in rectangular and triangular open channels. The predicted relationship between brink depth and discharge is compared with experimental data from a laboratory flume, and excellent agreement is evident. A calibration chart, applicable to any mild slope trapezoidal channel, is developed theoretically and checked against the data from the present study and data from previous studies. Again excellent agreement is noted. Comparison with previous predictive techniques, in which the pressure distribution at the brink was assumed to be uniformly atmospheric, illustrates the importance of including this pressure distribution in the analysis.

In order to adapt to diverse feeding behavior, animal intestines have evolved with distinct differences. Such adaptation may include the structure of the longitudinal and circular muscles that maintain the integrity and the tensile strength of the gut tissue in higher metazoans. Here we examined the structural organization of the posterior midgut muscles of two insects, Aedes aegyptiand Anopheles gambiae.We found the estimated number of longitudinal muscles in a cross-section to be 168 in Ae. aegyptiand 37 in An. gambiae.Within the region, the estimated number of circular muscles is 77 in Ae. aegyptiand 57 in An. gambiae.In An. gambiae,longitudinal muscles appear as sets of parallel bundles. Each set overlaps its neighbor to form a continuous tube. We found that this novel mode of muscle fiber sharing makes all circular muscles interconnected. Both types of muscle lie orthogonally to form a grid that holds the epithelium of the posterior midgut. In Ae. aegypti,the muscle fibers between the bundles are shared extensively, making the organization more intricate. This study implies that, because of its simple structure, the insect midgut may provide a powerful tool with which to study the structural evolution and function of animal intestines.

The hypothesis tested was that feeding rats sucrose rather than invert sugar (50:50 mixture of glucose and fructose) or comstarch would result in a more rapid excretion of glucuronides and tritium from intravenously injected [1,2-3H]aldosterone. Thirty 56-d-old male rats of the Sprague-Dawley strain were fed for 8 wk one of three diets containing 45% of dietary energy from sucrose, invert sugar or comstarch; 15% of energy was from protein and 40% from fat. Body weights and systolic blood pressures were measured weekly. After 60 d of feeding the diets ad libitum, all rats were injected intravenously with [1,2-3H]aldosterone and the percent recovery of tritium in both urine and feces was determined over the next 4 d. Urinary and fecal excretion of both free and conjugated glucuronic acid was determined over those 4 d. Urinary excretion of sodium and potassium (mg/d) was also determined. There were no differences between groups in food or water intakes, body weights, systolic blood pressures, daily fecal weights and daily urine volumes. The cornstarch-fed group excreted less sodium and potassium than did the other groups (P< 0.05). The sucrose-fed group had a greater 4-d excretion of tritium (urinary + fecal) than did the invert sugar- or cornstarch-fed groups (P< 0.01). The sucrose-fed group had a greater percentage of excreted glucuronic acid that was conjugated (urinary + fecal) than did the invert sugar- or cornstarch-fed groups (P< 0.05). These results tended to confirm the hypothesis.

There is as yet no good way to treat calcinosis cutis circumscripta.1-3 The recent use of etidronate disodium has shown contradictory results.4,5 We report our experience with a patient with calcinosis cutis circumscripta in whom the lesions improved greatly with the intralesional administration of a corticosteroid (Fig 1, 2, and 3). REPORT OF A CASE A 13-year-old teenager was seen with a four-year history of nodules in the skin. There was no history of excessive intake of milk and vitamin D, no muscular symptoms, nor renal disease. Firm, freely mobile nodules were present over both knees, elbows, and popliteal fossae, the right wrist, and the left index finger. No other abnormalities were detected on systemic examination.The following laboratory test results were within normal limits: complete blood cell count, hemoglobin, serum sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, phosphate, blood glucose, urea, serum creatinine, uric acid, alkaline phosphatase, lactic dehydrogenase,

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Recent emphasis has been on ADP as a mediator of thrombotic events characterized by excessive platelet reactivity. In contrast, neither ATP nor AMP induces platelet activation. Thus, (enzymatic) removal of ADP from the milieu of activated platelets constitutes a novel antithrombotic strategy. Apyrases constitute a group of enzymes catalyzing metabolism of ATP to ADP, and ADP to AMP. Therefore, we cloned a human apyrase isozyme with 35% sequence identity to CD39 (NTPDase1) from a human genome cDNA library and enhanced its ADPase activity by protein engineering. The novel engineered apyrase, named APT102 was transfected into and secreted from HEK293 cell lines. It was purified from conditioned medium using anion exchange chromatography, size exclusion chromatography and affinity chromatography, and enzymatically characterized. APT102 was highly soluble and stable. It exhibited a 2.5-fold increase in ADPase activity relative to its ATPase activity, when compared to the parent compound, with catalytic efficiencies (Vmax/Km) of 0.135 and 0.164 respectively. APT102 strongly inhibited platelet reactivity in vitro when added to citrated and heparinized human platelet-rich plasma upon stimulation with ADP or collagen. ATP is released upon tissue damage and could potentially lead to formation of prothrombotic levels of ADP following its metabolism by apyrases. We demonstrated that with APT102, aggregation was efficiently inhibited and reversed by the enzyme. This occurred even when human platelets were initially stimulated with 10 μM ADP simultaneously with up to 100 μM ATP, followed within 5 min with another dose of 300 μM ATP. Following tail vein infusion of APT102 to male Sprague-Dawley rats (~300 g) at 0.75 mg/kg body weight, platelet aggregation ex vivo in PRP in response to ADP and collagen was strongly inhibited. The pharmacokinetics of APT102 were determined by enzyme activity assays with either ADP or ATP as substrate, as analyzed by our radio-TLC procedure. The data indicate that APT102 has a fast onset of action and a prolonged duration of action. This will be advantageous clinically since a bolus injection will suffice without a requirement for continuous infusion. The pharmacodynamics of APT102 were determined using ex vivo platelet aggregation to ADP, and showed identical properties. In keeping with the demonstrated lack in mice of a direct anti-platelet effect of soluble apyrase, the rat tail bleeding time was minimally prolonged in parallel experiments. Thus, APT102 strongly inhibits the recruitment of platelets into an evolving occlusive thrombus, but it is anticipated to be safer than currently employed antithrombotics since they all have a narrow therapeutic window between therapeutic effectiveness and undesirable side effects. In separate experiments involving experimental stroke, male Wistar rats were randomly infused via the tail vein with either saline or 0.75 mg APT102 per kg body weight prior to being subjected to temporary middle cerebral artery occlusion. Brain infarct volumes were determined 24 h following stroke induction. Treatment with APT102 resulted in a 40% reduction in brain infarct volume. We conclude that APT102 will represent a new therapeutic modality for platelet-driven thrombotic disorders, which appears to be safe and effective.