Serum levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, interlukin-6, and paraoxonase-1 in childhood obesity

Obesity is becoming an epidemic health problem. Elevated cytokines and chemokines are prominent features in obesity, which play a main role in the development of other chronic diseases. The aim of this study was to determine the serum levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 [MCP-1], interlukin-6 [IL-6], and serum paraoxonase-1 [PON1] in childhood obesity. The present study included 40 obese school-aged children [5-15 years] and 40 healthy children as controls. The patients were presented to the outpatient clinic in National Institute of Nutrition. MCP-1, IL-6, PON1, total cholesterol, and triglycerides were measured in all participants. The mean serum levels of MCP-1, IL-6, and total cholesterol were significantly higher in obese participants than in controls [P < 0.0001], whereas the PON1 was significantly lower in obese participants than in controls [P < 0.0001]. MCP-1, IL-6, and serum cholesterol levels showed significant positive correlation with BMI [P < 0.05], whereas PON1 showed a significant negative correlation with BMI [P < 0.05]. Multiple regression analysis showed a strong association between PON1 activity and BMI [P < 0.0001]. Childhood obesity is associated with increased serum MCP-1 and IL-6 and decreased PON1 and hypercholesterolemia suggesting an increase in adulthood disease risk. Measuring serum MCP-1, IL-6, PON1 activity in obese children may be a good predictor for future chronic disease development and complications

Antioxidant status and lipid peroxidation activity in evaluating hepatocellular damage in children

Serum levels of glutathione reductase [GR], glutathione S-transferase-alpha [GST-alpha] and malondialdehyde [MDA] were determined to evaluate their use in diagnosing hepatocellular damage in 75 children with liver disease. Except for level of GR in patients with HBV, GR, GST-alpha and MDA were raised significantly in patients compared with controls. At 100% specificity, the sensitivity of the 3 markers for detecting hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus and schistosomiasis infection respectively were: 16.7%, 100.0% and 17.7% for GR; 33.3%, 62.1% and 38.2% for GST-alpha; and 25.0%, 10.3% and 29.4% for MDA. GR was more sensitive in hepatitis C infection, while MDA reflected changes in liver ultrasound and GST-alpha was the best indicator for histopathological changes

Effect of some herbicides on the yield of two wheat cultivars and the associated weeds

Two field experiments were conducted at the Agricultural Experimental Station of the National Research Centre at Shalakan. Kalubia Governorate, during the two seasons 1994/1995 and 1995/1996 for studying the effect of some herbicides on two wheat [Treticum aestivum L.] cultivars and associated weeds. The herbicides, Bromoxynil/Clodinafop-propargyl at a concentration 135, 225 and 315 g a.i./fed., as well as, Metosulam at 8 g a.i./fed., Diflufenjcan/Bromoxynil at 220 g a.i./fed. Hand pulling gave the best control of total annual weeds. The higher values of chlorophyll a, b, carotenoids and total pigment were obtained from hand pulling treatment, Bromoxynil/ Clodinafop-propargyl at 135 g a.i/fed., Metosulam at 6, 8 g a.i./fed. and Diflufenican/ Bromoxynil at 165 g a.i./fed. The lower values of chlorophyll a, b, carotenoids and total pigment, were obtained from the unweeded treatment and the highest rate [315 g a.i./fed.] of Bromoxynil/cloclinafop-propargy1 as well as, Metosulam at the lowest dose [4 g ai/fed.]. Giza 164 gave higher grain yield than Sakha 69. Also, results showed that the highest values of these characters was obtained with hand pulling, Bromoxynil/Clodinafop-propargyl at 135 g a.i./fed., Metosulam at 8 g a.i./fed. and Diflufenican/Bromoxynil at 165 g a.i/fed. The higher grain yield of the two cultivars were observed, when combined with hand pulling, Bromoxynil/wclodinafop-propargyl at lower dose [135g a.i/fed.], Metosulam at highest dose [8 g a.i./fed.] and Diflufenican/ Bromoxynil at medium dose [225 g a.i/fed.] in the two seasons. Giza 164 was the best when the manual weed control method [hand pulling] was used, whereas, when chemical weed control was used it prefers Sakha 69