Background: Increased platelet reactivity has been implicated in cardiovascular disease the major cause of death in patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD). FcGammaRIIA is a component of glycoprotein VI and Ib-IX-V that mediate activation of platelets by collagen and von Willebrand factor. To determine whether expression of FcGammaRIIA impacts platelet reactivity we quantified its expression and platelet reactivity in 33 patients with ESRD who were undergoing hemodialysis. Methods: Blood samples were obtained from patients immediately before hemodialysis and before administration of heparin. Platelet expression of FcGammaRIIA and the activation of platelets in response to low concentrations of convulxin (1 ng/ml, selected to mimic effects of collagen), thrombin (1 nM), adenosine diphosphate (ADP, 0.2 uM), or platelet activating factor (PAF, 1 nM) were determined with the use of flow cytometry in samples of whole blood anticoagulated with corn trypsin inhibitor (a specific inhibitor of Factor XIIa). Results: Patients were stratified with respect to the median expression of FcGammaRIIA. Patients with high platelet expression of FcGammaRIIA exhibited 3-fold greater platelet reactivity compared with that in those with low expression in response to convulxin (p < 0.01) and 2-fold greater activation in response to thrombin, ADP, and PAF (p < 0.05 for each). For each agonist, expression of FcGammaRIIA correlated modestly but positively with platelet reactivity. The strongest correlation was with thrombin-induced activation (r = 0.6, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Increased platelet reactivity in response to low concentrations of diverse agonists is associated with high expression of FcGammaRIIA and may contribute to an increased risk of thrombosis in patients with ESRD.

First Reference Curves of Waist and Hip Circumferences in An Asian Population of Youths: CASPIAN Study
The Objective of the present study is to develop the first age- and gender-specific reference curves for waist and hip circumferences in an Asian population of youths. This cross-sectional population survey was conducted in 2003–04 on a nationally representative sample of 21111 school-students living in urban (84.6%) and rural (15.4%) areas of 23 provinces in Iran. After anthropometric measurements, smoothed reference curves for waist and hip circumference (WC, HiC) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) were developed by the LMS method. In both genders, WC and HiC percentile values increased with age. For girls, the 50th to 95th percentile curves for WC had a sharp increase between 8 and 13 years and 11–15 years, respectively, and began to plateau after this age, whereas for boys, these curves had a persistent and less sharp increase with age, until the age of 18 years. The WHR curves of girls decreased with age until 15 years and began to plateau thereafter, whereas for boys the 25th to 95th curves had a plateau pattern. Comparison of the current reference curves with the British ones showed that in boys, the 5th and 50th percentile curves were similar in both studies, but the 95th percentile curve of our study was higher than the British curves. For girls, the 5th percentile curves of both studies were similar, but the 50th and 95th percentile curves of our study were higher than the British ones. These curves represent the first childhood WC, HiC and WHR reference curves obtained in Asia. These curves can provide baseline data for analysis of time trends, as well as for international comparisons.

Platelet adhesion onto immobilized fibrinogen under arterial and venous in-vitro flow conditions does not significantly differ between men and women
Background: Gender-related differences in incidence of arterial thrombosis have been a focus of interest for years. The platelet integrin IIb 3 is primarily responsible for the interaction between platelets and fibrinogen and consecutive thrombus growth. In this study, we evaluated platelet adhesion onto immobilized fibrinogen under venous and arterial flow conditions in men and women. Methods: Platelets in whole anticoagulated blood were labelled with the fluorescence dye Mepacrine and perfused through the rectangular flow chamber over glass cover slips coated with fibrinogen (shear rates of 50 s-1, 500 s-1 and 1500 s-1). A fluorescence laser-scan microscope was used for visualisation and quantification of platelet adhesion at 15 seconds, 1 and 5 minutes after the start of perfusion. Results: During perfusion, the platelet adhesion linearly increased in regard to exposition time and shear rate. After five minutes of perfusion the platelet adhesion onto immobilized fibrinogen showed no significant gender related difference, neither at 50 s-1 nor at 500 s-1 and 1500 s-1 (p > 0.05), respectively. No significant difference in platelet adhesion onto immobilized fibrinogen, in regard to the menopausal status, was either observed (p > 0.05). Conclusion: In our in vitro experimental system, hormonal differences between men and women did not influence platelet adhesion onto immobilized fibrinogen, neither under venous nor under arterial rheological conditions.

Astrovirus Infection in Young Kenyan Children with Diarrhoea
Human astroviruses (HAstV) have been commonly identified worldwide as important aetiological agents of acute gastroenteritis in all age groups including the young, elderly and immunocompromised. However, limited data exist on the prevalence of this important pathogen in Kenya. The aim of this study was therefore to determine the prevalence of astrovirus (AstV) infection in Kenyan children younger than 10 years of age with diarrhoea. During the period February 1999 to September 2005, stool samples were collected from 476 children attending clinics in Nairobi (and its environs) and the Maua Methodist Hospital, Meru North, Kenya. The faecal specimens were tested by a commercial enzyme immunoassay kit for HAstV. AstV prevalence rates were found to be 6.3%. There was significantly high prevalence of AstV infection in children ≤5 years [5.3% (25/476)] than those >5 years [0.2% (1/476)] ( p < 0.01). Also, we showed a significantly high prevalence of AstV infection in children of ≤5 years [5.8% (20/341)] in Nairobi (urban setting) as compared with those of similar age in Maua (a rural setting) [3.7% (5/135)] ( p < 0.01). This study indicates that HAstV is an important pathogen associated with diarrhoea in young Kenyan children.

23rd & Stout
23rd & Stout Fourth Album from Veteran Singer/Songwriter Chuck E. Weiss, Produced by Weiss’s Longtime Friend and the Band’s Drummer Don Heffington. - Submitted by olga recipe: Applesauce Bread Submitted by olga

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