Objective: The results of the study on the relationship between obesity and cord blood irisin were far apart. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between cord blood irisin levels and neonatal growth in China. Methods: A cross-sectional study of 400 neonates and their mothers was conducted in the obstetrics department of Shandong provincial hospital in China. Neonates were divided into a fetal macrosomia group and a normal birth weight group based on customized birth-weight standards and divided into non-high-ponderal index group and high ponderal index group based on ponderal index. Levels of irisin in umbilical cord blood were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: Irisin concentrations in the fetal macrosomia group were significantly higher than in the normal birth weight group (p = .032). Irisin levels in the high ponderal index group were significantly higher compared with the non-high-ponderal index group (p = .032). After adjustment for confounding variables, logistic regression analysis identified macrosomia affected factors include weight gained during pregnancy (OR = 1.15, p = .028), infant's sex (OR = 9.73, p = .001) and found that affected factors of high ponderal index include weight gained during pregnancy (OR = 1.08, p = .025), maternal age (OR = 1.10, p = .018). Compared with the reference category (<108.62 ng/ml), infants with a cord blood irisin level above 241.44 ng/ml had significantly elevated risk of macrosomia (OR = 8.57, p = .010) and had significantly elevated risk of high birth ponderal index (PI) (OR = 3.15, p = .002). A nonlinear relationship was observed between irisin levels and fetal macrosomia. The higher the concentration of irisin, the greater the risk of fetal macrosomia. Conclusions: We found that as the cord blood irisin increased, the risk of having fetal macrosomia was greater. Weight gained during pregnancy and high cord blood irisin levels were independent predictors of fetal adiposity.

Hematological and serum biochemical reference values for 33 free-ranging sambar deer following immobilization with medetomidine (70-100 mu gkg(-1)) and ketamine (1-2 mgkg(-1)) in Sariska Tiger Reserve in India were established and the differences across sex and age group were compared. Hematological and biochemical variables across different age-classes for red blood cell count, eosinophils, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, triglycerides, and blood glucose varied significantly though the hematological values did not vary between sexes. Blood urea nitrogen and creatinine levels were significantly influenced by sex in the present study. Interpretation of the result, however, needs to be made with caution due to the low number of sub-adult compared to adults in the present study. The study highlights the need for understanding the source of individual variation for meaningful interpretation. This paper provides the first report of baseline hematologic and serum biochemistry values for free-ranging sambar deer that can form basis for assessing the state of health and nutritional condition of the animal.