Relationship of body condition score and blood urea and ammonia to pregnancy in Italian Mediterranean buffaloes

The relationship of body condition score ( BCS) and blood urea and ammonia to pregnancy outcome was examined in Italian Mediterranean Buffalo cows mated by AI. The study was conducted on 150 buffaloes at 145 +/- 83 days in milk that were fed a diet comprising 14.8% crude protein, 0.9 milk forage units . kg(-1) dry matter and a non- structural carbohydrate/ crude protein ratio of 2.14. The stage of the oestrous cycle was synchronised by the Ovsynch- TAI programme and blood urea and ammonia levels were assessed on the day of AI. Energy corrected milk ( ECM) production and BCS were recorded bi- weekly. The pregnancy risk was 46.7% and was slightly lower in buffaloes with BCS < 6.0 and BCS > 7.5. There were no significant differences in ECM, urea and ammonia between pregnant and non- pregnant buffaloes. However, pregnancy outcome was higher ( P = 0.02) in buffaloes with blood urea < 6.83 mmol . L-1. The likelihood of pregnancy for buffaloes with low urea blood level was 2.6 greater than for high urea level and exposure to a high urea level lowered the probability of pregnancy by about 0.25. The findings indicate that buffaloes are similar to cattle and increased blood levels of urea are associated with reduced fertility when animals are mated by AI.

Hookworm aspartic protease, Na-APR-2, cleaves human hemoglobin and serum proteins in a host-specific fashion

Hookworms are voracious blood-feeders. The cloning and functional expression of an aspartic protease, Na-APR-2, from the human hookworm Necator americanus are described here. Na-APR-2 is more similar to a family of nematode-specific, aspartic proteases than it is to cathepsin D or pepsin, and the term nemepsins for members of this family of nematode-specific hydrolases is proposed. Na-apr-2 mRNA was detected in blood-feeding, developmental stages only of N. americanus, and the protease was expressed in the intestinal lumen, amphids, and excretory glands. Recombinant Na-APR-2 cleaved human hemoglobin (Hb) and serum proteins almost twice as efficiently as the orthologous substrates from the nonpermissive dog host. Moreover, only 25% of the Na-APR-2 cleavage sites within human Hb were shared with those generated by the related N. americanus cathepsin D, Na-APR-1. Antiserum against Na-APR-2 inhibited migration of 50% of third-stage N. americanus larvae through skin, which suggests that aspartic proteases might be effective vaccines against human hookworm disease.

Simple In Vitro Assay for Determining the Sensitivity of Plasmodium vivax Isolates from Fresh Human Blood to Antimalarials in Areas where P. vivax Is Endemic

The aim of this study was to develop a simple, field-practical, and effective in vitro method for determining the sensitivity of fresh erythrocytic Plasmodium vivax isolates to a range of antimalarials. The method used is a modification of the standard World Health Organization (WHO) microtest for determination of P.falciparum drug sensitivity. The WHO method was modified by removing leukocytes and using a growth medium supplemented with AB(+) serum. We successfully carried out 34 in vitro drug assays on 39 P. vivax isolates collected from the Mae Sod malaria clinic, Tak Province, Thailand. The mean percentage of parasites maturing to schizonts (six or more merozoites) in control wells was 66.5% +/- 5.9% (standard deviation). This level of growth in the control wells enabled rapid microscopic determination (5 min per isolate per drug) of the MICs of chloroquine, dihydroartemisinin, WR238605 (tafenoquine), and sulfadoxine. P. vivax was relatively sensitive to chloroquine (MIC = 160 ng/ml, 50% inhibitory concentration [IC50] = 49.8 ng/ml) and dihydroartemisinin (MIC = 0.5 ng/ml, IC50 = 0.47 ng/ml). The poor response of P. vivax to both tafenoquine (MIC = 14,000 ng/ml, IC50 = 9,739 ng/ml) and sulfadoxine (MIC = 500,000 ng/ml, IC50 = 249,000 ng/ml) was due to the slow action of these drugs and the innate resistance of P. vivax to sulfadoxine. The in vitro assay developed in our study should be useful both for assessing the antimalarial sensitivity of P. vivax populations and for screening new antimalarials in the absence of long-term P. vivax cultures.

Population effects on individual systolic blood pressure: A multilevel analysis of the World Health Organization MONICA project

Individuals from the same population share a number of contextual circumstances that may condition a common level of blood pressure over and above individual characteristics. Understanding this population effect is relevant for both etiologic research and prevention strategies. Using multilevel regression analyses, the authors quantified the extent to which individual differences in systolic blood pressure (SBP) could be attributed to the population level. They also investigated possible cross-level interactions between the population in which a person lived and pharmacological (antihypertensive medication) and nonpharmacological (body mass index) effects on individual SBP. They analyzed data on 23,796 men and 24,986 women aged 35-64 years from 39 worldwide Monitoring of Trends and Determinants in Cardiovascular Disease (MONICA) study populations participating in the final survey of this World Health Organization project (1989-1997). SBP was positively associated with low educational achievement, high body mass index, and use of antihypertensive medication and, for women, was negatively associated with smoking. About 7-8% of all SBP differences between subjects were attributed to the population level. However, this population effect was particularly strong (i.e., 20%) in antihypertensive medication users and overweight women. This empirical evidence of a population effect on individual SBP emphasizes the importance of developing population-wide strategies to reduce individual risk of hypertension.

Determining the fetal scalp lactate level that indicates the need for intervention in labour

Background: Fetal scalp lactate testing has been shown to be as useful as pH with added benefits. One remaining question is What level of lactate should trigger intervention in the first stage of labour?' Aims: This study aimed to establish the lactate level in the first stage of labour that indicates the need for intervention to ensure satisfactory outcomes for both babies and mothers. Methods: A prospective study at Mater Mothers' Hospital, Brisbane, Australia, a tertiary referral centre. One hundred and forty women in labour, with non-reassuring fetal heart rate traces, were tested using fetal blood scalp sampling of 5 mu L of capillary blood tested on an Accusport (Boeringer, Mannheim, East Sussex, UK) lactate meter. Decision to intervene in labour was based on clinical assessment plus a predetermined cut off. Main outcome measures were APGAR scores, cord arterial pH, meconium stained liquor and Intensive Care Nursery admission. Results: Two-graph receiver operating characteristic (TG-ROC) analysis showed optimal specificity, and sensitivity for predicting adverse neonatal outcomes was a scalp lactate level above 4.2 mmol/L. Conclusions: Fetal blood sampling remains the standard for further investigating-non-reassuring cardiotocograph (CTG) traces. Even so, it is a poor predictor of fetal outcomes. Scalp lactate has been shown to be at least as good a predictor as scalp pH, with the advantages of being easier, cheaper and with a lower rate of technical failure. Our study, found that a cut off fetal scalp lactate level of 4.2 mmol/L, in combination with an assessment of the entire clinical picture, is a useful tool in identifying those women who need intervention.

Efficacy of twice-weekly multiple micronutrient supplementation for improving the hemoglobin and micronutrient status of anemic adolescent schoolgirls in Bangladesh

Background: Although iron deficiency is a major cause of anemia, other micronutrient deficiencies may also play a role. Objective: We examined whether multiple micronutrient supplementation is more efficacious than is supplementation with iron and folic acid alone for improving the hemoglobin and iron status of anemic adolescent girls in Bangladesh. Design: Anemic (hemoglobin < 12.0 g/dL) girls (n = 197) aged 14-18 y from rural schools in Dhaka District were entered into a randomized double-blind trial and received twice-weekly supplements of iron and folic acid (IFA group) or multiple micronutrients (15 micronutrients, including iron and folic acid; MMN group) for 12 wk. Results: At recruitment, the characteristics of the girls in the 2 groups were not significantly different, except for family size and body mass index. At the end of the study, although both groups benefited significantly from supplementation, mean changes in hemoglobin and serum ferritin concentrations were not significantly different between groups. Compared with the IFA group, girls in the MMN group had significantly greater increases in mean serum vitamin A, plasma vitamin C, red blood cell folic acid, and riboflavin concentrations (assessed as erythrocyte glutathione reductase activation coefficient). After 12 wk of supplementation, only the prevalence of vitamins A and C and riboflavin deficiencies decreased more significantly in the MMN group than in the IFA group. Conclusions: Twice-weekly MMN supplementation for 12 wk significantly improved the status of the micronutrients assessed but was not more efficacious than was supplementation with iron and folic acid alone in improving the hematologic status of anemic adolescent girls. More frequent doses may be needed to achieve full benefit.

The impact of changes to heroin supply on blood-borne virus notifications and injecting related harms in New South Wales, Australia

Background: In early 2001 Australia experienced a sudden and unexpected disruption to heroin availability, know as the 'heroin shortage'. This 'shortage has been linked to a decrease in needle and syringe output and therefore possibly a reduction in injecting drug use. We aimed to examine changes, if any, in blood-borne viral infections and presentations for injecting related problems related to injecting drug use following the reduction heroin availability in Australia, in the context of widespread harm reduction measures. Methods: Time series analysis of State level databases on HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C notifications and hospital and emergency department data. Examination of changes in HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C notifications and hospital and emergency department admissions for injection-related problems following the onset of the heroin shortage; non-parametric curve-fitting of number of hepatitis C notifications among those aged 15 - 19 years. Results: There were no changes observed in hospital visits for injection-related problems. There was no change related to the onset heroin shortage in the number of hepatitis C notifications among persons aged 15 - 19 years, but HCV notifications have subsequently decreased in this group. No change occurred in HIV and hepatitis B notifications. Conclusion: A marked reduction in heroin supply resulted in no increase in injection-related harm at the community level. However, a delayed decrease in HCV notifications among young people may be related. These changes occurred in a setting with widespread, publicly funded harm reduction initiatives.

Cadmium-induced nephropathy in the development of high blood pressure

In recognition of a central role of the kidney in long-term blood pressure control, we undertook an in-depth analysis of the relationship between blood pressure and kidney damage caused by environmental exposure to the common pollutants cadmium and lead. The subjects were 200 healthy Thais, 16 and 60 years of age (100 female non-smokers, 53 male non-smokers, and 47 male smokers). None of these subjects had been exposed to Cd or Pb in the workplace and their urinary Cd concentrations ranged from 0.4 to 37 nM, whereas their urinary Pb concentrations ranged from 0.1 to 30 nM. The prevalence of high blood pressure was 2%, 8% and 19%, respectively in subjects with low, average and high Cd-burden (linear trend chi(2) = 6.4, P = 0.01). Multiple regression analysis revealed a significant positive association between Cd-burden and blood pressure in male nonsmokers (adjusted beta = 0.31, P = 0.02) and an inverse association between blood pressure and urinary Pb excretion rate in male smokers (adjusted beta = -0.38, P = 0.005). Associations between Cd-burden and nephropathies were evidenced by increases in urinary excretion of beta 2-microglobutin (P = 0.02) and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (P = 0.005) in subjects with high Cd-burden, compared with the subjects with average Cd-burden. In addition, an association between Cd-related nephropathy and high blood pressure was evidenced by a 20% increase in the prevalence of high blood pressure in people with NAG-uria (linear trend chi(2) = 4.3, P = 0.04). Our present study provides first evidence for a possible link between renal tubular damage and dysfunction caused by environmental Cd exposure and increased risk of high blood pressure. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of artificial foods on the blood chemistry of the Australian magpie

Bird feeding on residential property is a popular activity throughout Western countries. Advocates insist the practice is beneficial, while opponents maintain that it can result in a wide range of negative outcomes including malnutrition. The biological effects of 'backyard feeding' were studied in Australian magpies Gymnorhina tibicen during the non-breeding season in 1999 in the Greater Brisbane and the Lockyer Valley regions, south-east Queensland, Australia. Six magpie populations were selected and 70 birds were individually tagged for identification. The birds were provided with processed foods, 20-40 g per bird daily. To monitor the effects of the food, blood chemistry and body mass (BM) were used as indices. Significant effects were observed in BM and plasma cholesterol (PC), showing strong sensitivity to food provisioning. Significant effects on PC and uric acid were found only when birds were fed dog sausage. Results suggest that blood PC levels in magpies are readily influenced by, probably, the lipids present in food, and that the type of food can affect blood PC levels. These effects may occur widely among fed magpies if the influence that we demonstrated at plasma level can be generalized. Following the free-ranging study, six magpies were captured and subjected to a 6-day captive experiment to determine whether the selected foods had the potential to alter the birds' blood chemistry. It was found that all of the foods, when provided ad libitum, influence at least two of the three blood parameters (PC and non-esterified fatty acids). Due to its popularity, wildlife feeding will continue. To make wildlife-feeding activities truly sustainable, there is a need for further studies. This study clearly demonstrated that the physiology of wild magpies can be affected by 'backyard feeding'.

Temperature and the respiratory properties of whole blood in two reptiles, Pogona barbata and Emydura signata

We investigated the capacity of two reptiles, an agamid lizard Pogona barbata and a chelid turtle Emydura signata, to compensate for the effects of temperature by making changes in their whole blood respiratory properties. This was accomplished by measuring the P-50 (at 10, 20 and 30 degrees C), hematocrit (Hct), haemoglobin concentration ([Hb]) and mean cell haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) in field acclimatised and laboratory acclimated individuals. The acute effect of temperature on P50 in P barbata, expressed as heat of oxygenation (Delta H), ranged from -16.8 +/- 1.84 to -28.5 +/- 2.73 kJ/mole. P-50 of field acclimatised P barbata increased significantly from early spring to summer at the test temperatures of 20 degrees C (43.1 +/- 1.2 to 48.8 +/- 2.1 mmHg) and 30 degrees C (54.7 +/- 1.2 to 65.2 +/- 2.3 mmHg), but showed no acclimation under laboratory conditions. For E. signata, Delta H ranged from -31.1 +/- 6.32 to -48.2 +/- 3.59 kJ/mole. Field acclimatisation and laboratory acclimation of P-50 did not occur. However, in E. signata, there was a significant increase in [Hb] and MCHC from early spring to summer in turtles collected from the wild (1.0 +/- 0.1 to 1.7 +/- 0.2 mmol/L and 4.0 +/- 0.3 to 6.7 +/- 0.7 mmol/L, respectively). (C) 2005 Published by Elsevier Inc.

Beneficial associations of physical activity with 2-h but not fasting blood glucose in Australian adults

OBJECTIVE - We examined the associations of physical activity with fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and with 2-h postload plasma glucose (2-h PG) in men and women with low, moderate, and high waist circumference. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS - The Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle (AusDiab) study provided data on a population-based cross-sectional sample of 4,108 men and 5,106 women aged >= 25 years without known diabetes or health conditions that could affect physical activity. FPG and 2-h PG were obtained from an oral glucose tolerance test. Self-reported physical activity level was defined according to the current public health guidelines as active (>= 150 min/week across five or more sessions) or inactive (< 150 min/week and/or less than five sessions). Sex-specific quintiles of physical activity time were used to ascertain dose response. RESULTS - Being physically active and total physical activity time were independently and negatively associated with 2-h PG. When physical activity level was considered within each waist circumference category, 2-h PG was significantly lower in active high-waist circumference women (beta-0.30 [95% CI -0.59 to -0.01], P = 0.044) and active low-waist circumference men(beta-0.25 [-0.49 to -0.02],P = 0.036) compared with their inactive counterparts. Considered across physical activity and waist circumference categories, 2-h PG levels were not significantly different between active moderate-waist circumference participants and active low-waist circumference participants. Associations between physical activity and FPG were nonsignificant. CONCLUSIONS - There are important differences between 2-h PG and FPG related to physical activity. It appears that 2-h PG is more sensitive to the beneficial effects of physical activity, and these benefits occur across the waist circumference spectrum.