Development, validity and reproducibility of a whole grain food frequency questionnaire in Malaysian children.

BACKGROUND: To date, there is no validated whole grain assessment tool for children in any Southeast Asian countries. Hence, there is a need for a valid tool to assess whole grain intake among Malaysian children. This study aimed to develop, validate and test the reproducibility of a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) in estimating whole grain intake among Malaysian children. METHODS: A total of 392 children participated in the FFQ development and 112 children aged 9-12 years participated in the validation phase; with a subsample of 50 children participating in the reproducibility phase. Three-day diet record (3DR) as the reference method in validation phase. Spearman correlations, mean difference, Bland-Altman plot and cross-classification analyses were used to assess validity. The reproducibility was tested through a repeat administration of the FFQ, with 1 month time interval. Reproducibility analyses involved intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC), Cronbach's alpha and cross-classification analyses. RESULTS: The FFQ consisted of 156 whole grain food items from six food groups. Mean intake of whole grain in FFQ1 and 3DR were correlated well (r = 0.732), demonstrated good acceptance of the FFQ. Bland Altman plots showed relatively good agreement for both the dietary methods. Cross-classification of whole grain intake between the two methods showed that < 9.9% of children were grossly misclassified. Outcomes from ICC (0.989) and Cronbach's alpha (0.995) demonstrated excellent reliability. All the children were classified in the same or adjacent quartile of whole grain intake. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the findings support the validity of the developed FFQ to appropriately estimate the whole grain intake in Malaysian children. This validated FFQ will be a valuable tool for future studies, to analyses the impact of whole grain consumption with disease relationship among Malaysian schoolchildren.

Rabbit nucleus pulposus cells facilitate differentiation of adipose-derived stem cells into nucleus pulposus-like cells.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility of inducing adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) to nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: ADSCs were isolated from rabbit while NPCs were isolated from an allogeneic rabbit. NPCs were co-cultured with the 3rd generation ADSCs in co-cultured system. Only NPCs were cultured in single culturing group. Through the collagen type II collagen immunohistochemistry, we observed NPCs and then identify NPC. Proteoglycan messenger RNA (mRNA) and collagen type II mRNA level were measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: In two group cells, collagen type II collagen were detected by immunohistochemistry. The amount of proteoglycan mRNA and collagen type II mRNA was both significantly higher in co-cultured group than in single cultured group. CONCLUSIONS: In some condition, ADSCs have the potency to differentiate toward nucleus pulposus-like cells. ADSCs are better seed cells for tissue engineering of artificial nucleus pulposus.

Effects of upregulation of Id3 in human lung adenocarcinoma cells on proliferation, apoptosis, mobility and tumorigenicity.

The inhibitor of DNA-binding/differentiation 3 (Id3) protein is a helix-loop-helix transcription factor and may have an important role in cell proliferation and differentiation. This study was to evaluate the effects of upregulation of Id3 in human lung adenocarcinoma cells on proliferation, apoptosis, mobility and tumorigenicity. Short interference RNA suppression of Id3 (miRId3) in A549 cells was used to investigate the functional role(s) of Id3. Next, we used in vitro wound-healing assay and trans-well assay to study the effects of overexpressed Id3 on migration and invasion of A549 cells. Furthermore, to explore the influence of overexpressed Id3 on in vivo tumorigenesis, adenoviruses containing Id3 gene (Ad-Id3) and empty vector (Ad-LacZ) were generated. Co-transfection of pcDNA/miRId3 and pEGFP/Id3 into A549 cells reversed the Id3-induced cell proliferation inhibition and apoptosis. Upon Id3 transfection, A549 cells displayed decreased migratory and invasive capabilities, however, co-transfection of miRId3 and Id3 into A549 cells reversed the Id3-induced inhibitions of migratory and invasive capabilities. Three groups of nude mice were inoculated with Ad-LacZ, Ad-Id3 transfectants and untransfected A549 cells, respectively. Twenty-eight days after inoculation, tumors induced by Ad-Id3 transfectants grew much more slowly compared with Ad-LacZ transfectants and control group. This study provides for the first time both in vitro and in vivo proofs that forced expression of Id3 in lung adenocarcinoma cells reduces tumor growth rate and may be a potential target for tumor suppression.

[Observation on the efficacy of combined use of some new antimalarials for the treatment of falciparum malaria in Hainan Province].

Field trials were carried out to assess the therapeutic effects including the combined use of piperaquine (PQ) with nitroquine (NQ) and pyronaridine (PYR) with NQ against falciparum malaria in regions of Hainan Province with chloroquine-resistance in 3 successive autumns from 1985 to 1987. In an evaluation of PQ 750 mg with NQ 25 mg therapy in 33 falciparum malaria patients, the average fever subsidence time and parasite clearance time were 39 hours and 49 hours respectively, but within 28 days after medication, the recrudescence rates were 0-47% in different regions. In evaluations of PYR 600 mg with NQ 25 mg in 11 cases, PYR 800 mg with NQ 40 mg in 43 cases, PYR 800 mg with NQ 80 mg in 31 cases, the fever subsidence time were 31-35 hours, the parasite clearance time were 46-53 hours and the 28 days recrudescence rates were 13-18%. In the control, the use of PYR 1,200 mg alone in 42 cases, the average fever subsidence time and parasite clearance time were 33 hours and 48 hours respectively, the 28 days recrudescence rate was 12%. There was no statistically significant difference among them in their effects. The side-effects of all groups were mild.

Effectiveness of amodiaquine, sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine, and combinations of these drugs for treating chloroquine-resistant falciparum malaria in Hainan Island, China.

The study was carried out in 1985-86 in Hainan Island where Plasmodium falciparum is resistant to chloroquine. Fifty cases of falciparum malaria were treated with 1800 mg amodiaquine for 3 days: the cure rate was 65.3%, and the mean time to clear fever and asexual parasitaemia was 30.7 and 60.3 hours, respectively; 34.7% of cases showed RI or RII recrudescence, and one patient's temperature did not come down to normal within 7 days.Twenty-one cases were treated with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (1500 mg and 75 mg, respectively): 19 were cured, I showed RI and another had an S or RI response; the mean time for fever control was 56.1 hours.Fifty cases were treated with amodiaquine plus sulfadoxine and 49 received amodiaquine plus sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine: the cure rate was 97.9% and 100%, respectively; the mean time for fever clearance was 25.0 and 25.7 hours and for parasite clearance 57.1 and 52.8 hours, respectively. These drug combinations gave much better results for cure and for symptom control than amodiaquine or sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine alone, and may be considered for treatment of chloroquine-resistant falciparum malaria.