Screening tools for metabolic syndrome based on anthropometric cut-off values among Thai working adults: a community-based study.

BACKGROUND: The metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a universal disease of increasing prevalence, but the prevalence varies depending on ethnicity. There is a crucial need to assess the validity of anthropometric indicators and determine appropriate cut-off values for MetS screening. OBJECTIVE: Determine cut-off anthropometric indicators values for screening of MetS. DESIGN: Cross-sectional SETTING: Rural and urban areas of provinces with a high prevalence of MetS in the central region of Thailand. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The subjects were recruited based on the International Diabetes Federation definition of MetS, which includes four anthropometric indicators. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity for different cut-off values of all novel indicators. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The cut-off values for screening of MetS, which included neck circumference (NC), body roundness index (BRI), conicity index (C-index), and body shape index (BSI). SAMPLE SIZE: 2520 participants RESULTS: The BRI and NC were the indices with higher areas under the curve, followed by the C-index and BSI. The optimal cut-off values for BRI and NC were 4.1 and 36.5 cm for males and 4.0 and 34.5 cm for females. CONCLUSIONS: This study defined the specific cut-off values for Thai working adults. LIMITATIONS: The participants might not be representative of all Thai adults and we may have overestimated MetS for Thai working adults because our research focus was on the highest prevalence of MetS in the central region of Thailand.

A novel actinomycete Streptomyces enissocaesilis exhibiting algicidal activity against the toxic cyanobacterium Phormidium angustissimum.

Harmful cyanobacterial blooms that occur in freshwater can produce hazardous cyanotoxins as contaminants that threaten ecosystems, aquatic organisms, and human health. In the present study, the actinobacterium Streptomyces enissocaesilis, strain M35, isolated from soils, exhibited the strongest algicidal activity against the toxic cyanobacterium Phormidium angustissimum TISTR 8247. To improve the P. angustissimum removal efficiency of strain M35, the optimum carbon and nitrogen sources were determined as starch and yeast extract, respectively. Response surface methodology (RSM) using the Box-Behnken design (BBD) revealed that the optimal independent parameters among the culture medium conditions for enhancing the algicidal activity of strain M35 were 21.5 g/L starch, 0.57 g/L yeast extract, and a pH value of 8.00. The Phormidium sp. removal efficiency increased notably from 80.8 to 94.4% under the optimum conditions. In a batch experiment, the removal of P. angustissimum in an internal airlift loop (IAL) bioreactor containing immobilized strain M35 on a plastic medium indicated a high anti-Phormidium activity of 94.8%, whereas in a continuous system, strain M35 exhibited a removal efficiency of 85.5%. This study revealed that this actinobacterium could potentially be utilized to remove the toxic cyanobacterium Phormidium from water.

Promoting growth and production of sunchoke (Helianthus tuberosus) by co-inoculation with phosphate solubilizing bacteria and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi under drought.

Due to different functions of phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), their potential synergistic effects on enhancing plant growth and yield are worth investigating, especially under adverse conditions. This work focused on the isolation of PSB and characterization for their plant growth promoting properties under drought. The most efficient P solubilizing bacterium was isolated and identified as Burkholderia vietnamiensis strain KKUT8-1. Then, a factorial experiment on the performance of sunchoke (Helianthus tuberosus) was set up with four factors, viz., PSB (presence or absence of KKUT8-1), AMF (presence or absence of Rhizophagus aggregatus), rock phosphate (RP; added or not) and moisture (well-watered (WW) or drought (DS) conditions). Sunchoke performance was enhanced by the presence of AMF, whereas addition of PSB had a positive effect on SPAD values and inulin concentration. Drought reduced plant performance, while addition of RP reduced photosynthetic rate. There was little evidence for synergistic effects between PSB and AMF, except for SPAD values and inulin concentration. Plants that were co-inoculated with AMF and PSB had highest SPAD value, shoot diameter, leaf area, leaf number, chlorophyll concentration, plant biomass, tuber production, root growth and total soluble sugar concentration. Co-inoculated plants also had increased plant water status, reduced electrolyte leakage, and reduced malondialdehyde and proline concentration. Strain KKUT8-1 is the first strain of B. vietnamiensis capable of promoting growth and yield of sunchoke. Enhanced production of sunchoke by a combination of AMF and PSB was much better than the application of RP. Our finding offers an opportunity to develop combinations of biological inoculants for increasing the growth and production of sunchoke under drought in the future.

Algicidal activity of an actinomycete strain, Streptomyces rameus, against Microcystis aeruginosa.

An actinomycete strain (KKU-A3) with algicidal activity against Microcystis aeruginosa was isolated from soil in Khon Kaen Province, Thailand. Based on its phenotypic characteristics and 16S rDNA sequence, strain KKU-A3 was identified as Streptomyces rameus. Strain KKU-A3 also exhibited algicidal activity against the cyanobacteria Synechococcus elongatus, Cylindrospermum sp. and Oscillatoria sp. A mathematical and statistical technique was used to optimize the culture conditions and maximize its anti-Microcystis activity. The single factor experiments indicated that glucose and casein were the most effective carbon and nitrogen sources, respectively, and produced the highest anti-Microcystis activity. Response surface methodology indicated that the optimum culture conditions were 19.81 g/L glucose and 2.0 g/L casein at an initial pH of 7.8 and an incubation temperature of 30 °C. The anti-Microcystis activity increased from 82% to 95% under optimum conditions. In an internal airlift loop bioreactor, the removal of M. aeruginosa KKU-13 by the bacterium was investigated in batch and continuous flow experiments. In the batch experiment, KKU-A3 displayed maximum anti-Microcystis activity of 95% at day 7, whereas in the continuous flow experiment, KKU-A3 displayed maximum anti-Microcystis activity of 95% at day 10.

Biodegradation of microcystin [Dha(7)]MC-LR by a novel microcystin-degrading bacterium in an internal airlift loop bioreactor.

Cyanobacterial hepatotoxin microcystins are a health problem found in bodies of water in Thailand. Bacteria capable of biodegrading microcystin [Dha(7)]MC-LR were isolated from the Bueng Nong Khot reservoir in Khon Kaen, Thailand. The bacterium Novosphingobium isolate KKU25s was shown to degrade [Dha(7)]MC-LR at a concentration of 25 µg l(-1) at 30 °C within 24 h. Two intermediate by-products (linearized peptide and tetrapeptide) and a cluster gene (mlrA, mlrB, mlrC and mlrD) that encodes four putative enzymes involved in [Dha(7)]MC-LR degradation were detected in KKU25s. KKU25s was also shown to form strong biofilms in microtiter plate assays. These assays were carried out in preparation for use of the bacterium in a bioreactor for [Dha(7)]MC-LR degradation. In an internal airlift loop bioreactor, the biodegradation of [Dha(7)]MC-LR by the bacterium was established in batch and continuous flow experiments. In the batch experiment, KKU25s degraded [Dha(7)]MC-LR at a concentration of 25 µg l(-1) at 30 °C within 24 h, whereas in the continuous flow experiment, KKU25s degraded the toxin at the same concentration within 36 h. This study demonstrated that this bacterium could potentially be used to remove microcystins from water.

The Removal of Cyanobacterial Hepatotoxin [Dha(7)] Microcystin-LR via Bioaccumulation in Water Lettuce (Pistia stratiotes L.).

The removal of [Dha(7)] microcystin-LR through bioaccumulation in six aquatic plants was investigated. The aquatic plant water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes L.) exhibited the highest removal, with 13 % of the toxin remaining after a 7-day exposure period. Removal by P. stratiotes (with 0.5 and 1.0 mg/L of the toxin) was faster and greater in static systems than in continuous flow systems. In the static experiment, P. stratiotes roots accumulated [Dha(7)] microcystin-LR up to a concentration of 0.0088 ng/mg wet wt. plant material, whereas in the continuous flow system, the plant root tissue accumulated the toxin up to a concentration of 0.0041 ng/mg wet wt. plant material. Exposure to the toxin at concentrations of 0.5 and 1.0 mg/L induced changes in the development of P. stratiotes, including short, thin and rotted roots with decreased leaf counts after 3 days of exposure.

Degradation of [Dha(7)]MC-LR by a Microcystin Degrading Bacterium Isolated from Lake Rotoiti, New Zealand.

For the first time a microcystin-degrading bacterium (NV-3 isolate) has been isolated and characterized from a NZ lake. Cyanobacterial blooms in New Zealand (NZ) waters contain microcystin (MC) hepatotoxins at concentrations which are a risk to animal and human health. Degradation of MCs by naturally occurring bacteria is an attractive bioremediation option for removing MCs from drinking and recreational water sources. The NV-3 isolate was identified by 16S rRNA sequence analysis and found to have 100% nucleotide sequence homology with the Sphingomonas MC-degrading bacterial strain MD-1 from Japan. The NV-3 isolate (concentration of 1.0 × 10(8) CFU/mL) at 30°C degraded a mixture of [Dha(7)]MC-LR and MC-LR (concentration 25 µ g/mL) at a maximum rate of 8.33 µ g/mL/day. The intermediate by-products of [Dha(7)]MC-LR degradation were detected and similar to MC-LR degradation by-products. The presence of three genes (mlrA, mlrB, and mlrC), that encode three enzymes involved in the degradation of MC-LR, were identified in the NV-3 isolate. This study confirmed that degradation of [Dha(7)]MC-LR by the Sphingomonas isolate NV-3 occurred by a similar mechanism previously described for MC-LR by Sphingomonas strain MJ-PV (ACM-3962). This has important implications for potential bioremediation of toxic blooms containing a variety of MCs in NZ waters.

Monitoring toxic cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins (microcystins and cylindrospermopsins) in four recreational reservoirs (Khon Kaen, Thailand).

The toxic cyanobacterial communities of four recreational reservoirs (Bueng Kaen Nakhon, Bueng Thung Sang, Bueng Nong Khot, and Bueng See Than) in Amphur Muang, Khon Kaen Province, Thailand, were investigated. Water samples were collected via monthly sampling from June to October 2011 for the study on the diversity and density of toxic cyanobacteria and toxin quantification. The main toxic cyanobacteria present in these reservoirs were Aphanocapsa sp., Cylindrospermopsis sp., Leptolyngbya sp., Limnothrix sp., Microcystis sp., Oscillatoria sp., Planktolyngbya sp., Planktotrix sp., and Pseudanabaena sp. The dominant bloom-forming genera in the water samples from Bueng Nong Khot and Bueng See Than were Microcystis sp. and Cylindrospermopsis sp., respectively. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays specific for cyanotoxins were performed to detect and quantify microcystins and cylindrospermopsins, with the highest average microcystins content (0.913 µgL(-1)) being found in the sample collected from Bueng Nong Khot and the highest average cylindrospermopsins content (0.463 µgL(-1)) being found in the sample collected from Bueng See Than. The application of 16S rRNA analyses to cyanobacterial isolates BKN2, BNK1, BNK2, and BST1 indicated that these isolates are most closely related to Limnothrix planctonica (JQ004026) (98% similarity), Leptolyngbya sp. (FM177494) (99% similarity), Microcystis aeruginosa (DQ887510) (99% similarity), and Limnothrix redekei (FM177493) (99% similarity), respectively.

Isolation and characterisation of crocosin, an antibacterial compound from crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis) plasma.

An antibacterial compound from crocodile blood was partially purified and functionally characterised. The freshwater crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis) plasma with antibacterial activity was partially purified by using a centrifugal concentrator and reverse phase high powered liquid chromatography, and designated as crocosin. Crocosin exhibits antibacterial activity toward Salmonella typhi and Staphylococcus aureus. Crocosin is thermostable and resistant to pronase digestion. The structure of crocosin analyzed by mass spectrometry contains repeating units of 94 and 136 m/z. Scanning electron microscopy indicates that crocosin probably penetrates progressively into cytoplasm space, perturbing and damaging bacterial membranes. Crocosin may provide an early defense mechanism toward bacterial infection in freshwater.