The prevalence of obesity and the knowledge, attitude and practice of healthy lifestyle among the adult population in Kampung Banyuk, Kampung Kerto and Kampung Langup

Background Obesity has become a great public health concern and prevent!ive measures need to be done. Objective The objective of this research is to determine the prevalence ofobesity and their knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) towards a healthy lifestyle among the residents in Kampung Banyok, Kampung Kerto and Kampung Langup. Methods A cross-sectional study was done among 126 randomly selected villagers aged 18 years and above from the three selected villages. They were interviewed based on a questionnaire and their body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Results It was found that more than half of the respondents are obese. Among the respondents, for the healthy lifestyle component, the level of good KAP is 69.2%, 46.8% and 60.3% respectively. As for obesity component, the level of good KAP is 60.3%, 54% and 54.8% respectively. Among the obese respondents, the level of knowledge and attitude on healthy lifestyle and obesity is better. Obese respondents have better obesity preventive practice while the non-obese respondents have better practice on healthy lifestyle. The only significant correlation noted was between knowledge and practice on obesity albeit a negative one. Conclusion The level of knowledge and attitude and practice on healthy lifestyle among the obese respondents are encouraged but more effort in the preventive practice ofobesity shou1d be done to reduce the prevalence.

Robust estimation of bacterial cell count from optical density

Optical density (OD) is widely used to estimate the density of cells in liquid culture, but cannot be compared between instruments without a standardized calibration protocol and is challenging to relate to actual cell count. We address this with an interlaboratory study comparing three simple, low-cost, and highly accessible OD calibration protocols across 244 laboratories, applied to eight strains of constitutive GFP-expressing E. coli. Based on our results, we recommend calibrating OD to estimated cell count using serial dilution of silica microspheres, which produces highly precise calibration (95.5% of residuals <1.2-fold), is easily assessed for quality control, also assesses instrument effective linear range, and can be combined with fluorescence calibration to obtain units of Molecules of Equivalent Fluorescein (MEFL) per cell, allowing direct comparison and data fusion with flow cytometry measurements: in our study, fluorescence per cell measurements showed only a 1.07-fold mean difference between plate reader and flow cytometry data

Effects of Anacetrapib in Patients with Atherosclerotic Vascular Disease

BACKGROUND: Patients with atherosclerotic vascular disease remain at high risk for cardiovascular events despite effective statin-based treatment of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels. The inhibition of cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) by anacetrapib reduces LDL cholesterol levels and increases high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels. However, trials of other CETP inhibitors have shown neutral or adverse effects on cardiovascular outcomes. METHODS: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 30,449 adults with atherosclerotic vascular disease who were receiving intensive atorvastatin therapy and who had a mean LDL cholesterol level of 61 mg per deciliter (1.58 mmol per liter), a mean non-HDL cholesterol level of 92 mg per deciliter (2.38 mmol per liter), and a mean HDL cholesterol level of 40 mg per deciliter (1.03 mmol per liter). The patients were assigned to receive either 100 mg of anacetrapib once daily (15,225 patients) or matching placebo (15,224 patients). The primary outcome was the first major coronary event, a composite of coronary death, myocardial infarction, or coronary revascularization. RESULTS: During the median follow-up period of 4.1 years, the primary outcome occurred in significantly fewer patients in the anacetrapib group than in the placebo group (1640 of 15,225 patients [10.8%] vs. 1803 of 15,224 patients [11.8%]; rate ratio, 0.91; 95% confidence interval, 0.85 to 0.97; P=0.004). The relative difference in risk was similar across multiple prespecified subgroups. At the trial midpoint, the mean level of HDL cholesterol was higher by 43 mg per deciliter (1.12 mmol per liter) in the anacetrapib group than in the placebo group (a relative difference of 104%), and the mean level of non-HDL cholesterol was lower by 17 mg per deciliter (0.44 mmol per liter), a relative difference of -18%. There were no significant between-group differences in the risk of death, cancer, or other serious adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with atherosclerotic vascular disease who were receiving intensive statin therapy, the use of anacetrapib resulted in a lower incidence of major coronary events than the use of placebo. (Funded by Merck and others; Current Controlled Trials number, ISRCTN48678192 ; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01252953 ; and EudraCT number, 2010-023467-18 .)

Research on Control Strategy of Complex Systems through VSC-HVDC Grid Parallel Device

After the completion of grid parallel, the device can turn to be UPFC, STATCOM, SSSC, research on the conversion circuit and transform method by corresponding switching operation. Accomplish the grid parallel and comprehensive control of the tie-line and stable operation and control functions of grid after parallel. Defines the function select operation switch matrix and grid parallel system branch variable, forming a switch matrix to achieve corresponding function of the composite system. Formed a criterion of the selection means to choose control strategy according to the switch matrix, to accomplish corresponding function. Put the grid parallel, STATCOM, SSSC and UPFC together as a system, improve the stable operation and flexible control of the power system

Mixed Aqueous Extract of Salvia Miltiorrhiza Reduces Blood Pressure through Inhibition of Vascular Remodelling and Oxidative Stress in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats

Background/Aims: Salvia miltiorrhiza (SM) contains four major aqueous active ingredients, which have been isolated, purified and identified as danshensu (DSS), salvianolic acid A (Sal-A), salvianolic acid B (Sal-B) and protocatechuic aldehyde (PAL), totally abbreviated as SABP. Although SM is often used to treat various cardiovascular diseases in traditional Chinese medicine, the efficacy and function of optimal compatibility ratio of SM's active ingredients (SABP) in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases remain uncertain. This study investigated antihypertensive effect and underlying mechanisms of SABP vs. SM lyophilized powder (SMLP) in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and to establish the ratio of the optimal compatibility of DSS, Sal-A, Sal-B and PAL in improving cardiovascular functions. Methods: The SHRs were treated with either SABP or SMLP and their systolic blood pressures (SBP) were monitored. The isolated thoracic aorta of SHRs was segregated for immunohistochemistry, Hematoxylin-Eosin stain and mRNA and protein expression of NOX4, TGF-β1, Col-I, ET-1, α-SMA and Smad7. Moreover, the adventitial fibroblasts (AFs) were isolated and cultured from SD rats' aorta and the reactive oxygen species (ROS) production was determined after SABP or SMLP treatment. Results: SABP, but not SMLP, significantly reduced SBP, which were accompanied by the inhibited morphological changes in the thoracic aorta and the reduced mRNA and protein expression of NOX4, TGF-β1, Col-I, ET-1 and α-SMA, but the increased Smad 7 expression in SHRs. Moreover, SABP also resulted in a decreased ROS production in AFs of SD rats. Conclusions: These results indicate that SABP, but not SMLP, treatment potently inhibits hypertension through improvements of vascular remodeling and oxidative stress. The present study provides new evidence that the efficacy and function from optimal compatibility ratio of SM active ingredients is much better than its lyophilized powder, which represents a strategy to develop SM's new beneficial effect in improving cardiovascular functions

Stabilizing Liquids Using Interfacial Supramolecular Polymerization.

The strong electrostatic interactions at the oil-water interface between a small molecule, 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-sulfonatophenyl)porphyrin, H6 TPPS, dissolved in water, and an amine terminated hydrophobic polymer dissolved in oil are shown to produce a supramolecular polymer surfactant (SPS) of H6 TPPS at the interface with a binding energy that is sufficiently strong to allow an intermolecular aggregation of the supramolecular polymers. SPSs at the oil-water interface are confirmed by in situ real-space atomic force microcopy imaging. The assemblies of these aggregates can jam at the interface, opening a novel route to kinetically trap the liquids in non-equilibrium shapes. The elastic film, comprised of SPSs, wrinkles upon compression, providing a strategy to stabilize liquids in non-equilibrium shapes

Surfactant‐Induced Interfacial Aggregation of Porphyrins for Structuring Color‐Tunable Liquids

Locking nonequilibrium shapes of liquids into targeted architectures by interfacial jamming of nanoparticles is an emerging area in material science. 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-sulfonatophenyl) porphyrin (H6 TPPS) shows three different aggregation states that present an absorption imaging platform to monitor the assembly and jamming of supramolecular polymer surfactants (SPSs) at the liquid/liquid interface. The interfacial interconversion of H6 TPPS, specifically H4 TPPS2- dissolved in water, from J- to an H-aggregation was induced by strong electrostatic interactions with amine-terminated polystyrene dissolved in toluene at the water/toluene interface. This resulted in color-tunable liquids due to interfacial jamming of the SPSs formed between H4 TPPS2- and amine-terminated polystyrene. However, the formed SPSs cannot lock in nonequilibrium shapes of liquids. In addition, a self-wrinkling behavior was observed when amphiphilic triblock copolymers of PS-block-poly(2-vinylpyridine)-block-poly(ethylene oxide) were used to interact with H4 TPPS2- . Subsequently, the SPSs formed can lock in nonequilibrium shapes of liquids