In the United States, adolescent obesity rates have tripled in the last 3 decades, with concomitant increases in other metabolic risk factors, including the metabolic syndrome (MetSyn). However, in Asian countries, these same risks have only recently begun increasing.

Representative data for the United States and Korea reveal trends in adolescent obesity and MetSyn moving in opposite directions. This study provides a benchmark for Korea and other Asian countries toward mitigating the upward trends in obesity and MetSyn. (Read the full article)

Most observational studies from Western populations suggest that blood pressure is positively associated with low birth weight and faster infant growth; however, it is unclear whether these associations are biologically based or contextually specific.

In a developed non-Western setting with relatively little socioeconomic patterning of size or growth, birth weight and infant growth had relatively limited impacts on early adolescent blood pressure, which was more strongly related to recent growth and current size. (Read the full article)

Konzo is an irreversible sudden-onset upper-motor neuron disorder affecting children dependent on bitter cassava for food. The neuroepidemiology of konzo is well characterized. Children subsisting on poorly processed bitter cassava without adequate dietary sulfur-based amino acids are especially at risk.

We found a pervasive subclinical neurocognitive effect in children with konzo. This study provides the first evidence we are aware of that a motor proficiency examination can effectively characterize konzo severity. (Read the full article)

Some Western studies show early introduction of solid food is associated with subsequent obesity. However, introduction of solid food and obesity share social patterning, making these observations vulnerable to residual confounding.

In a non-Western developed setting, there was no clear association of the early introduction of solid food with childhood obesity. Studies in populations with a different confounding structure may be valuable in clarifying and reconciling potentially confounded epidemiologic associations. (Read the full article)

This bundle normally sells for $1,149.95 but is available right now for just $596.95, and it will arrive before Christmas with Prime.

The company is showing off its new full-frame SLR, ultra-zoom bridge camera, and a pair of zoom lenses at CES this year.

The Nikon Z 50 is a good mirrorless camera with a lot of appeal to photographers already invested in the system, but isn't quite as capable as its rivals.

The Z 7 is the best full-frame mirrorless camera for photographers invested in the Nikon system, but some quirks prevent it from attaining class-leading status.

The Nikon Z 6 is the company's high-speed, full-frame camera with a 24MP sensor and a class-leading 12fps burst rate. It's a strong debut thanks to excellent ergonomics, in-body stabilization, and 4K video.

The Nikon D780 is as good an SLR as you'll find, but it doesn't offer some of the advantages you get with mirrorless cameras.

The furore surrounding the arrival of over 200 Cuban medical doctors in South Africa to fight the coronavirus has highlighted a failure on the part of the SA government to explain the nature and drivers of our country’s relationship with Cuba, says Mills Soko.

Es ist eine einmalige Chance, die sich dieser Tage bietet: Die Veröffentlichung eines lang erwarteten Berichts der Vereinten Nationen über Verbrechen in der Demokratischen Republik Kongo (DRK) ist die Gelegenheit für eine Wiederaufarbeitung der Geschichte der massiven Gewalt im Kongo zwischen 1993 und 2003.

Der Abbau seltener Mineralien ist ein Grund für die Gewalt im Kongo. Die EU könnte hier eine wirkungsvolle Regelung durchsetzen.

L’image de havre de paix dans une région en proie aux conflits dont bénéficiait le Cameroun a volé en éclats depuis l’irruption de Boko Haram en 2013 au nord du pays. Ce mouvement, devenu l’Etat islamique en Afrique de l’Ouest en mars 2015, revendique son affiliation à Daech. Néanmoins, l’apparition brutale et sanglante de ce djihadisme africain est moins liée à l’essor de Daech en Irak et en Syrie qu’aux bouleversements du paysage religieux de l’Afrique en général et du Cameroun en particulier.

Burundi’s year-long crisis has not gone away. It started with President Pierre Nkurunziza’s determination to claim a third term, trampling over the constitutional arrangements that ended a decade-long civil war. Press freedom is a major casualty of the new strife; but the turmoil has also transformed the way in which Burundians get information. For better or worse, social media has filled the vacuum left by the shutting down of the most popular radio stations and forcing out of many of the country’s professional journalists.

The quinoline MK-571 is the most commonly used inhibitor of multidrug resistance protein-1 (MRP-1) but was originally developed as a cysteinyl leukotriene receptor 1 (CysLTR1) antagonist. While studying the modulatory effect of MRP-1 on anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) direct acting-antivirals (DAA) efficiency, we observed an unexpected anti-HCV effect of compound MK-571 alone. This anti-HCV activity was characterized in Huh7.5 cells stably harboring a subgenomic genotype 1b replicon. A dose-dependent decrease of HCV RNA levels was observed upon MK-571 administration, with an EC₅₀ of 9±0.3 μM and a maximum HCV RNA level reduction of approximatively 1 Log₁₀. MK-571 also reduced the replication of the HCV full-length J6/JFH1 model in a dose-dependent manner. However, probenecid and apigenin homodimer (APN), two specific inhibitors of MRP-1, had no effect on HCV replication. In contrast, the CysLTR1 antagonists SR2640 increased HCV-SGR RNA levels in a dose-dependent manner, with a maximum increase of 10-fold. In addition, a combination of natural CysLTR1 agonist (LTD4) or antagonists (zafirlukast, cinalukast, and SR2640) with MK-571 completely reversed its antiviral effect, suggesting its anti-HCV activity is related to CysLTR1 rather to MRP-1 inhibition. In conclusion, we showed that MK-571 inhibits HCV replication in hepatoma cell cultures by acting as a CysLTR1 receptor antagonist, thus unraveling a new host-virus interaction in the HCV life cycle.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:

The albuterol dropper bottle used to prepare solutions for continuous nebulization contains the preservative benzalkonium chloride (BAC). BAC, by itself, has been shown to cause bronchospasm. We hypothesized that BAC would decrease the therapeutic efficacy of albuterol in patients with acute asthma exacerbations.

Many teachers scrapped their lesson plans on Monday and gave their students space to talk about Kobe Bryant.

The Kobo Libra H2O sets the bar for non-Amazon ebook readers with flexible format support and a terrific form factor.

The Washington Post report may force the White House to reconsider relaxing trade restrictions on Huawei, which is currently blacklisted from sourcing components from US technology suppliers.

Security expert Max Eddy explains how Apple banning an app used by pro-democracy protesters shows how even the best consumer security polices fail when there's a lack of will to enforce them appropriately.

The eight group stage winners and eight play-off victors discovered their UEFA Youth League round of 16 opponents when the draw was made on Friday.

"A natural-born striker" according to his coach at Krasnodar, ex-USSR star Igor Shalimov, Ivan Ignatyev is top scorer in this season's UEFA Youth League.

The Kodak Luma 150 is a tiny, highly portable projector that can show content from a range of sources, both wired and wireless, but its brightness is low enough to crimp image size.

  On view from August 3-31, 2018 Free opening reception on Friday, June 1 at 5 p.m. Wilmington, Del. (July 24, 2018) – Wither: Exploration of the Forgotten, a photography exhibit by Shelley Koon, will be on view in the Mezzanine Gallery from August 3-31, 2018. The artist will host a free opening reception on Friday, […]

The Skoda Enyaq will be offered in both rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive variants with three different battery capacities and five performance specs.

Hyundai, the South Korean car manufacturer is currently working on the new generation Tucson SUV, which has been spotted doing rounds on the home soil. The SUV yet again has been spied testing in...

I like to use the long commute to work for catching up on my reading; it is usually the financial papers or books on business strategy, execution and leadership.

Virat Kohli posted a throwback picture of him posing with Anushka in a balcony with snow-clad mountains in the background.