The impact of lifestyle on the physical fitness of primary school children

Aims. To compare the physical fitness levels of Hong Kong and mainland Chinese school children and to study the association between any differences and their respective lifestyles. Background. Genes and lifestyle are both factors contributing to health. Hong Kong is a Chinese city with distinctive lifestyle features such as a different diet and different entertainment and education from the rest of China. Using samples of the same ethnicity and investigating differences in the physical fitness parameters between Hong Kong and mainland Chinese school children might reveal the impact of some lifestyle factors on health. Design. Survey. Method. Primary school children (n = 522) were recruited. Demographic data were collected by questionnaire. Physical fitness tests were carried out. Results. Significant differences were found in height, body weight, sit and reach, long jump, running 50 m and lung capacity. Hong Kong children were found to be taller and heavier at ages 6 and 7, but heavier with similar height to that of mainland children at ages 8–12. Other results showed better physical fitness on the part of mainland children. Discussion. Although the people of Hong Kong share the same ethnicity as the majority of mainland Chinese, the eastern‐mixed‐with‐western diet, education and entertainment of Hong Kong children differ greatly. The findings in terms of physical fitness revealed variations in body build, flexibility, cardiovascular function and muscle power between the two groups. Conclusion. Lifestyle could possibly be a key factor and predictor of physical fitness, providing strong evidence to support the interaction between lifestyle and genes in their impact on our health. Relevance to clinical practice. Lifestyle could possibly be a key factor and predictor of physical fitness and health outcomes. The finding of this study may enhance the identification of healthy lifestyle which may improve health outcomes in children.     

TMB-8对去甲肾上腺素和BHQ引起新生大鼠单个脑细胞内游离钙增高的影响

应用AR-CM-MIC阳离子测定系统,研究TMB-8对体外新生SD大鼠单个脑细胞内游离钙的抑制作用及其机制。结果表明,在无细胞外钙情况下,静息[Ca²⁺]i为79±13nmol·L^-1。TMB-810,30μmol·L^-1能明显降低静息[Ca²⁺]i。TMB-8100μmol·L^-1对高钾去极化引起的[Ca²⁺]i显著增高无明显影响。在细胞外钙为1.3mmol·L^-1时,去甲肾上腺素诱导的细胞内[Ca²⁺]i升高可部分被TMB-8抑制;TMB-8(30μmol·L^-1)对BHQ引起的[Ca²⁺]i的升高无明显抑制作用。而当细胞外液[Ca²⁺]i为0时,TMB-8几乎完全抑制了去甲肾上腺素和BHQ的作用。提示TMB-8降低脑细胞内游离钙的作用机制是通过促使细胞内钙进入肌浆网以抑制内钙的释放,并通过饱和肌浆网内Ca²⁺间接地阻滞细胞膜钙通道。     

Definitions of antiretroviral treatment failure for measuring quality outcomes

Objectives

Our aim was to compare three different definitions of treatment failure and discuss their use as quality outcome measures for a clinical service.

Methods

Data for treatment‐naïve patients who attended the Melbourne Sexual Health Centre (MSHC) between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2008 were analysed. Definition 1 was the strict Food and Drug Administration (FDA) definition of treatment failure as determined using the time to loss of virological response (TLOVR) algorithm. Definition 2 defined treatment failure as occurring in those whose viral load never fell to <400 HIV‐1 RNA copies/mL or who developed two consecutive viral loads ≥400 copies/mL on any treatment (switching or stopping treatment with a viral load <400 copies/mL was permitted). Definition 3 was the same as definition 2 except that individuals were also deemed to have failed if they stopped treatment for 6 months or longer.

Results

There were 310 antiretroviral‐naïve patients who started treatment in the study period. Of these, 156 [50.3%; 95% confidence interval (CI) 42.1–53.3%] experienced treatment failure under definition 1, 10 (3.2%; 95% CI 1.5–5.8%) experienced treatment failure under definition 2, and 16 (4.5%; 95% CI 2.5–7.4%) experienced treatment failure under definition 3 over the 108 months of follow‐up. The probability of failing definition 1 was statistically different from the probability of failing definition 2 or 3 (P=0.01).

Conclusion

There were significant differences in treatment failure for the three definitions. If definition 1 were used, the outcomes would be sufficiently common to enable clinics to be compared but would be less meaningful. If definition 2 or 3 were used, the events would be too rare to enable clinics to be compared, but it would be possible to set a benchmark level of success that clinics could aim to reach.     

Enhance transdermal delivery of flurbiprofen via microemulsions: Effects of different types of surfactants and cosurfactants

Background and the purpose of the study

Microemulsions are thermodynamically stable, clear dispersions of water, oil, surfactant, and cosurfactant. This study was aimed to develop flurbiprofen microemulsion for enhanced transdermal delivery and investigate the effects of different surfactants and cosurfactants on its delivery and phase behavior.

Method

Various surfactant-cosurfactant mixtures in ratio of 2:1 (Smix) along with oleic acid (oil) were selected and phase diagrams were constructed. Six microemulsions each containing 5% drug, 5% oil, 56% Smix and 34% water, were prepared and compared for their permeation and phase behaviors to determine the effects of the type of Smix.

Results

In vitro transdermal permeation through rabbit skin of all microemulsions was high than saturated aqueous drug solution. Tween 20 and ethanol as Smix produced the highest flux amongst all the Smix, and were used to prepare formulations with different values of oil and Smix. While the type of surfactant did not affect the droplet size, propylene glycol as cosurfactant produced the largest droplets and highest viscosity. Decrease in oil or Smix concentration resulted in decrease of the droplet size and increase in permeation flux while decrease in viscosity also increased the permeation flux of microemulsions. Finally the selected microemulsion formulation comprising 5% flurbiprofen, 5% oleic acid, 46% Tween 20:ethanol (2:1) and 44% water, showed the highest transdermal flux and caused no skin irritation.

Conclusion

Type of surfactant and cosurfactant affect both the phase behavior and transdermal drug delivery of microemulsion; and results of this study showed that they are promising vehicles for improved transdermal delivery and sustained action of flurbiprofen.