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The purposes of this study were to examine the effects of different distances and the inclusion and exclusion of acceleration and deceleration distances on the measurement of self-paced and fastest gait speeds in younger and older adults. The self-paced and fastest gait speeds of younger and older adults were measured over 4-m and 10-m walkways with the acceleration and deceleration distances included and excluded in the measuring distance. The results indicated gait speeds (both self-paced and fastest) measured over different distances were comparable only if a distance for acceleration and deceleration was excluded from the measuring distance to obtain stable and comparable gait speeds. Similar results were found for younger and older groups.

With the increasing use of mycophenolic acid (MPA) in solid organ transplantation, some clinical studies indicate that it is also a human teratogen. However, it is unknown by which mechanism MPA acts as a teratogen. Mycophenolic acid was a selective blocker of de novo purine synthesis, and its immunosuppressive effect is mediated by the inhibition of inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase, which could be a target for MPA-induced toxicity as well. The aim of our study was to examine the direct influence of MPA exposure on zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos. Morphological defects including tail curvature and severe pericardial edema in zebrafish embryos caused by MPA (3.7-11.1 µmol/L) were found in a dose-dependent manner. The teratogenic index (25% lethal concentration value (LC)/no observed adverse effect level ratio) was 16, which indicated MPA as a teratogen. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed that the expression level of impdh1b and impdh2 was significantly reduced by MPA treatment at 8 µmol/L (equals to LC level). All the toxic effects could be partially reversed by the addition of 33.3 µmol/L guanosine. Our results indicated that MPA impairs the development of zebrafish embryos via inhibition of impdh activity, which subsequently caused a guanosine nucleotide depletion in vivo.

Intrarater reliability and measurement error associated with waist and hip circumference measures performed by a novice rater with one measurement were examined and compared among Body Mass Index (BMI) subgroups in a convenience sample of 76 participants (25 men, 51 women; M age = 47.2 yr., SD = 14.2). A rater blinded to the purpose of the study, as well as to the tape measure results, received training and then performed hip and waist circumference measures twice with a 10-min. interval. Intrarater reliability of the measures was acceptable (ICC3,1 > .95) across the BMI subgroups; measurement error was found to be greater in the overweight and obese subgroups. If a test-retest change score is greater than 3.0 cm in waist circumference and 2.0 cm in hip circumference, it can be assumed to be a true change with 95% confidence.