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Breastfeeding (BF) has been identified as a protective factor against childhood obesity. However, evidence of the association between BF duration and adiposity remains inconclusive. Few studies have been conducted among Southeast Asian infants that have measured body composition during infancy using the gold standard stable isotope method. This study aimed to evaluate the association between BF duration and body composition during infancy. Healthy full‐term Thai infants aged 6–8 months (n = 60) receiving exclusive or predominant BF for at least 3 months were recruited. Skinfold thickness (SFT) was measured by well‐trained investigators. Body composition was assessed by the deuterium dilution technique. Infants with longer BF duration (>6 months; mean 7.5 ± 0.5 months, n = 29) had a higher subscapular SFT z‐score than those with shorter BF duration (≤6 months; mean 5.3± 0.9 months, n = 31) by 0.48 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.01–0.94). After adjustment for age and sex, BF duration and age at introduction of complementary feeding (CF) were positively associated with fat mass and fat mass index at 6–8 months. One month increase in BF duration and CF age was associated with a 0.37 (95% CI: 0.05, 0.69) kg/m2 and 0.76 (95% CI: 0.18, 1.34) kg/m2 increase in the fat mass index, respectively. After adjusting for infant body mass index (BMI) during the earlier infancy period, the strength of the association was attenuated. This finding may reflect reverse causality where infants with lower BMI received formula or CF earlier. A longitudinal study with follow‐up into childhood is warranted to confirm the effects of BF on adiposity in infancy and childhood. Key points: Previous evidence found that the duration of breastfeeding (BF) and infant feeding practice may be associated with adiposity during infancy and later life.Our study found that infants who received BF solely for a longer duration had a significantly higher fat mass and fat mass index at age 6–8 months based on anthropometry and the isotope dilution technique compared with infants with a shorter BF duration.Older age at introduction complementary feeding was associated with higher adiposity at age 6–8 months.Further longitudinal tracking up to childhood is warranted to confirm the effects of BF on adiposity in infancy and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) is a dramatic illness characterized by nonimmune hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, and acute renal failure (1). A major breakthrough in our understanding of this disease occurred [...], Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) is a potentially life-threatening condition. It often occurs after gastro-intestinal infection with E. coli O157:H7, which produces Shiga toxins (Stx) that cause hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, and renal injury. Stx-mediated changes in endothelial phenotype have been linked to the pathogenesis of HUS. Here we report our studies investigating Stx-induced changes in gene expression and their contribution to the pathogenesis of HUS. Stx function by inactivating host ribosomes but can also alter gene expression at concentrations that minimally affect global protein synthesis. Gene expres-sion profiling of human microvascular endothelium treated with Stx implicated a role for activation of CXCR4 and CXCR7 by their shared cognate chemokine ligand (stromal cell-derived factor-1 [SDF-1]) in Stx-mediated pathophysiology. The changes in gene expression required a catalytically active Stx A subunit and were mediated by enhanced transcription and mRNA stability. Stx also enhanced the association of CXCR4, CXCR7, and SDF1 mRNAs with ribosomes. In a mouse model of Stx-mediated pathology, we noted changes in plasma and tissue content of CXCR4, CXCR7, and SDF-1 after Stx exposure. Furthermore, inhi-bition of the CXCR4/SDF-1 interaction decreased endothelial activation and organ injury and improved animal survival. Finally, in children infected with E. coli O157:H7, plasma SDF-1 levels were elevated in individuals who progressed to HUS. Collectively, these data implicate the CXCR4/CXCR7/SDF-1 pathway in Stx-mediated pathogenesis and suggest novel therapeutic strategies for prevention and/or treatment of complications associated with E. coli O157:H7 infection.

Reynolds-averaged Navier--Stokes simulations are presented for a circulation control airfoil. Comparisons with measured load characteristics are presented. The effects of turbulence models and the spatial accuracy of the simulations on the predictions are examined. It is observed that increasing the spatial accuracy from third-order to seventh-order had only a minor effect on the solution accuracy on the fine grid simulations reported here. Two-equation turbulence models, and particular the [kappa]-[omega]/[kappa]- [epsilon] blended baseline model, tended to perform better than the one-equation model. The predictions were found to be sensitive to the turbulent kinetic energy level of the jet. Inclusion of the plenum chamber and the jet nozzle allowed the physics of the flow to be captured in greater detail than modeling the jet only at the jet slot, but had only a minor influence on the overall loads. DOI: 10.2514/1.41638

The Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) is an important part of our climate system. The AMOC is predicted to weaken under climate change, however there are theories that it may have a tipping point beyond which recovery is difficult, hence showing quasi-irreversibility (hysteresis). Although hysteresis has been seen in simple models, it has been difficult to demonstrate in comprehensive global climate models. Here we outline a set of experiments designed to explore AMOC hysteresis and sensitivity to additional freshwater input as part of the North Atlantic hosing model intercomparison project (NAHosMIP). These experiments include adding additional freshwater (hosing) for a fixed length of time to examine the rate and mechanisms or AMOC weakening, and whether the AMOC subsequently recovers once hosing stops. Initial results are shown from eight climate models participating in the Sixth Coupled Model Intercomparison Project CMIP6). The AMOC weakens in all models from the freshening, but once the freshening ceases, the AMOC recovers in half of the models, and in the other half it stays in a weakened state. The difference in model behaviour cannot be explained by the ocean model resolution or type, or by details of subgridscale parameterizations. Nor can it be explained by previously proposed properties of the mean climate state such as the strength of the salinity advection feedback. Instead the AMOC recovery is determined by the climate state reached when hosing stops, with those experiments where the AMOC is weakest not experiencing a recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The design, fabrication, and characterization of a 112 channel, 5 MHz, two-dimensional (2-D) array transducer constructed on a six layer flexible polyimide inter-connect circuit is described. The images showing the manipulation of a separate electrophysiological catheter into the coronary sinus is presented.

Ischemia-reperfusion generates peroxynitrite (ONO[O.sup.-]), which interacts with many of the systems altered by ischemia-reperfusion. This study examines the influence of endogenously produced ONO[O.sup.-] on cardiac metabolism and function. Nitro-L-arginine (an inhibitor of ONO[O.sup.-] biosynthesis) and urate (a scavenger of ONO[O.sup.-]) were utilized to investigate potential pathophysiological roles for ONO[O.sup.-] in a rat Langendorff heart model perfused with glucose-containing saline at constant pressure and exposed to 30 min of ischemia followed by 60 min of reperfusion. In this model, ischemia-reperfusion decreased contractile function (e.g., left ventricular developed pressure), cardiac work (rate-pressure product), efficiency of [O.sub.2] utilization, membrane-bound creatine kinase activity, and NMR-detectable ATP and creatine phosphate without significantly altering the recovery of coronary flow, heart rate, lactate release, and muscle pH. Treatment with urate and nitro-L-arginine produced a substantial recovery of left ventricular developed pressure, rate-pressure product, efficiency of [O.sub.2] utilization, creatine kinase activity, and NMR-detectable creatine phosphate and a partial recovery of ATP. The pattern of effects observed in this study and in previously published work with similar models suggests that ONO[O.sup.-] may alter key steps in the efficiency of mitochondrial high-energy phosphate generation. urate; nitric oxide; oxygen consumption; reactive oxygen species; heart perfusion

Design, fabrication, and performance testing of two-dimensional (2-D) array transducer, built on a silicon substrate, is discussed. The device fits inside a catheter and can be used for real-time intracardiac volumetric imaging.