Direct electrochemical detection of Cu(â ¡) ions in juice and tea beverage samples using MWCNTs-BMIMPF6-Nafion modified GCE electrodes.

Due to a small amount of Cu (Ⅱ) ions being beneficial and too much being harmful, it is necessary to establish a rapid and direct detection method. Herein, we reported a platform based on multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate (BMIMPF6), and Nafion solution-modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) for the direct electrochemical detection of Cu (II) ions. We used differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry, including the electrodeposition of Cu (Ⅱ) ions on the modified GCE and subsequent anodic stripping. Under the optimum conditions, the linear range was 20 µg·L-1 âˆ¼ 950 µg·L-1, the limit of detection (LOD) was 16 µg·L-1, and the limit of quantification (LOQ) was 54 µg·L-1 for Cu (II). We realized the quantitative detection of Cu (Ⅱ) ions in juice and tea beverage without tedious pretreatment. The result showed that the sensor had good anti-interference and practicability for actual food samples.

Prognostic values of optic nerve sheath diameter for comatose patients with acute stroke: An observational study.

BACKGROUND: Optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) measurement is one of the non-invasive methods recommended for increased intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring. AIM: This study aimed to evaluate the roles of optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) and ONSD/eyeball transverse diameter (ETD) ratio in predicting prognosis of death in comatose patients with acute stroke during their hospitalization. METHODS: A total of 67 comatose patients with acute stroke were retrospectively recruited. The ONSD and ETD were measured by cranial computed tomography (CT) scan. All patients underwent cranial CT scan within 24 h after coma onset. Patients were divided into death group and survival group according to their survival status at discharge. The differences of the ONSD and ONSD/ETD ratio between the two groups and their prognostic values were compared. RESULTS: The ONSD and ONSD/ETD ratio were 6.07 ± 0.72 mm and 0.27 ± 0.03 in the comatose patients, respectively. The ONSD was significantly greater in the death group than that in the survival group (6.32 ± 0.67 mm vs 5.65 ± 0.62 mm, t = 4.078, P < 0.0001). The ONSD/ETD ratio was significantly higher in the death group than that in the survival group (0.28 ± 0.03 vs 0.25 ± 0.02, t = 4.625, P < 0.0001). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.760 (95%CI: 0.637-0.882, P < 0.0001) for the ONSD and 0.808 (95%CI: 0.696-0.920, P < 0.0001) for the ONSD/ETD ratio. CONCLUSION: The mortality increased in comatose patients with acute stroke when the ONSD was > 5.7 mm or the ONSD/ETD ratio was > 0.25. Both indexes could be used as prognostic tools for comatose patients with acute stroke. The ONSD/ETD ratio was more stable than the ONSD alone, which would be preferred in clinical practice.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of novel isothiazoloquinoline quinone analogues.

Natural quinones and their analogues have attracted growing attention because of their novel anticancer activities. A series of novel isothiazoloquinoline quinone analogues were synthesized and evaluated for antitumor activities against four different kind of cancer cells. Among them, isothiazoloquinolinoquinones inhibited cancer cells proliferation effectively with IC50 values in the nanomolar range, and isothiazoloquinolinoquinone 13a induced the cell apoptosis. Further exploration of possible mechanism of action indicates that 13a not only activates ROS production through NQO1-directed redox cycling but also inhibits the phosphorylation of STAT3. These findings indicate that 13a has potential use for the development of new skeleton drug candidate as an efficient substrate of NQO1 and STAT3 inhibitor.

Association between Peripheral CD19+ B Cells and Reproductive Outcome in Women with Recurrent Implantation Failure.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the roles of T, B, and natural killer (NK) cells in pregnancy outcome of women with recurrent implantation failure (RIF). METHODS: This retrospective cohort study enrolled 196 patients with RIF. Peripheral lymphocyte subsets were measured before and during pregnancy. The relationship between pregnancy outcome and level of lymphocytes was analyzed. RESULTS: Peripheral CD19+ B cells in women who experienced miscarriage were significantly lower than those who subsequently had live birth. After adjusting for potential confounders in the multiple logistic regression models, each 1% increment in the peripheral CD19+ B cells before pregnancy [odds ratio (OR): 0.93] and during early pregnancy (OR: 0.83) was associated with a significantly decreased risk of miscarriage (p < 0.05). The risk of mis-carriage in patients with ≥ 15% CD19+ B cells before and during pregnancy was 39% and 21% lower, respectively, than in their counterparts with < 15% CD19+ B cells. The association between CD19+ B cells and the risk of miscarriage was nonlinear. CONCLUSIONS: Measurement of peripheral CD19+ subsets may help predict the pregnancy outcome in women with RIF.

Phenolic Resin Foam Composites Reinforced by Acetylated Poplar Fiber with High Mechanical Properties, Low Pulverization Ratio, and Good Thermal Insulation and Flame Retardant Performance.

Phenolic foam composites (PFs) are of substantial interest due to their uniform closed-cell structure, low thermal conductivity, and good thermal insulation performance. However, their disadvantages of a high pulverization rate and poor mechanical properties restrict their application in building exterior insulation. Therefore, the toughening of these composites is necessary. In this paper, poplar fiber was treated with an acetylation reagent, and the acetylated fiber was used to prepare modified phenolic foams (FTPFs); this successfully solved the phenomenon of the destruction of the foam structure due to the agglomeration of poplar fiber in the resin substrate. The foam composites were comprehensively evaluated via the characterization of their chemical structures, surface morphologies, mechanical properties, thermal conductivities, and flame retardant properties. It was found that the compressive strength and compressive modulus of FTPF-5% respectively increased by 28.5% and 37.9% as compared with those of PF. The pulverization ratio was reduced by 32.3%, and the thermal insulation performance and flame retardant performance (LOI) were improved. Compared with other toughening methods for phenolic foam composites, the phenolic foam composites modified with surface-compatibilized poplar fiber offer a novel strategy for the value-added utilization of woody fiber, and improve the toughness and industrial viability of phenolic foam.

Insulin resistance in patients with recurrent pregnancy loss is associated with lymphocyte population aberration.

This study was designed to investigate the relationship of insulin resistance (IR) and cellular immune abnormalities associated with women with recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). Women with RPL were divided into two groups according to their homeostasis model assessment for IR (HOMA-IR) scores. The IR group received metformin approximately 3 months before pregnancy. The percentage of lymphocyte subsets and other blood biochemical indices were tested. The HOMA-IR and fasting serum insulin levels were related to the percentage of lymphocyte subsets. The women with RPL had higher CD3+ and CD3+CD4+ cell levels while CD56+CD16+cell levels were lower. A higher likelihood of cellular immune abnormalities was observed. Women with normal lymphocyte subsets had normal pregnancy outcomes. Metformin significantly downregulated CD3+ and CD3+CD4+ cells and improved pregnancy outcomes. IR was associated with cellular immune abnormalities in RPL. The data suggests that metformin affected the immune/inflammatory response, which may regulate the cellular immune balance and improve pregnancy outcomes. Abbreviations RPL: recurrent pregnancy loss; IR insulin resistance; HOMA-IR: homeostasis model assessment for IR.

Association of central adiposity with prediabetes and decreased insulin sensitivity in rural Chinese normal-weight and overweight women.

This study investigated whether high central adiposity was associated with prediabetes and decreased insulin sensitivity (IS) in both normal-weight (body mass index [BMI] <23 kg/m(2)) and overweight (BMI >or=23 kg/m(2)) rural Chinese women. Adipose variables measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (percentage body fat, percentage lower-body fat [%LF], and percentage trunk fat [%TF]) and general adipose variables (BMI and waist circumference) were used for examining the association of adiposity with prediabetes among 4071 rural Chinese women aged 20 to 60 years. Furthermore, the association of adiposity with IS was tested in both normal- and overweight women with normal glucose tolerance. BMI was highly correlated with percentage body fat and waist circumference, but was weakly correlated with %LF and %TF. Both high %TF (top quartile of %TF) and low %LF (lower 3 quartiles of %LF) were associated with higher prevalence of prediabetes in both normal- and overweight women. Compared with normal-weight women in low %TF, the odds of prediabetes were similarly increased for women with high %TF regardless of whether they were overweight (odds ratio [95% confidence interval] = 1.6 [1.3-2.0]) or not (odds ratio [95% confidence interval] = 1.5 [1.2-2.0]). Similarly, among 3280 women with normal glucose tolerance, high %TF was associated with increased fasting insulin, 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test insulin, and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance regardless of weight status (normal or overweight). Among relatively lean, rural Chinese women, high %TF was associated with increased odds of prediabetes and lower IS regardless of weight status (normal or overweight).

Sleep patterns among rural Chinese twin adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: To examine sleep patterns and influencing factors (age, gender, Tanner Stage, weekday vs. weekend, and pre-sleep activity) among rural Chinese adolescents. METHODS: This is a prospective study among 621 adolescents aged 11-20 years (341 males) using both a questionnaire and sleep diary to obtain bedtime, wake-up time, sleep latency, and total sleep time (TST). RESULTS: The median TST was 8.6h on weekdays and 9.4h on weekends. Despite absence of late night social pressure and computers, a U-shaped TST pattern was observed across age and Tanner Stage, with a nadir around age 15-16 years or Tanner IV. Bedtimes became progressively later with age and Tanner Stage, while wake-up time was considerably earlier for school students or up to Tanner IV. Later wake-up times and longer TST on weekends were seen in school students, but not in non-school adolescents (>17 years). Pre-sleep activity, like reading or studying, was related to later bedtime, earlier wake-up time, and shorter TST in both genders. CONCLUSIONS: Age, Tanner Stage, and pre-sleep activity affected sleep patterns in this sample of rural Chinese adolescents. Later bedtime coupled with earlier wake-up time associated with academic demand appear to be important contributors to sleep loss among school students.

Patterns and interrelationships of body-fat measures among rural Chinese children aged 6 to 18 years.

OBJECTIVES: Our goal was to compare BMI and waist circumference with dual-energy radiograph absorptiometry-based measures of adiposity and to describe the pattern and interrelations of these surrogate and direct adiposity measures in prepubertal and pubertal rural Chinese children. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study of 2493 children aged 6 to 18 years from a population-based cohort of twin pairs. Dual-energy radiograph absorptiometry-based measurements included total body fat, percentage of body fat, trunk fat, and percentage of trunk fat. Age- and gender-specific patterns and interrelationships among BMI, waist circumference, and dual-energy radiograph absorptiometry-based measurements were described by using smoothing plots and age- and gender-specific correlation analyses. RESULTS: In girls, BMI, waist circumference, total body fat, percentage of body fat, trunk fat, and percentage of trunk fat all increased linearly with age. In boys, BMI and waist circumference increased linearly with age, but total body fat, percentage of body fat, and trunk fat did not increase significantly with age. In both genders, percentage of trunk fat reached a nadir around 12 years of age and then increased with age. Before puberty (6-11 years), BMI and waist circumference were correlated well with total body fat, percentage of body fat, and trunk fat in both genders. During puberty (12-18 years), the correlations between BMI and each of the dual-energy radiograph absorptiometry-based measurements were higher in girls than in boys. Similar trends were found in the correlations between waist circumference and each of the dual-energy radiograph absorptiometry-based measurements. CONCLUSIONS: In this relatively lean rural Chinese population, BMI and waist circumference were highly correlated with each other and were good surrogates of total body fat, trunk fat, and percentage of body fat in prepubertal children of both genders and in pubertal girls. However, both BMI and waist circumference overestimated total and trunk fat, especially percentage of body fat in pubertal boys.

Age and gender specific lung function predictive equations provide similar predictions for both a twin population and a general population from age 6 through adolescence.

BACKGROUND: There have been numerous studies of asthma in twins, but no study has evaluated whether lung function predictive models yield similar results between twin and general populations. We sought to evaluate this in late childhood and adolescent subjects. METHODS: We generated cross-sectional, sex- and age-specific regression models of FEV(1), and FVC, in a community-based cohort of 3140 healthy, non-smoking Chinese twins using generalized estimating equations to adjust for correlations within twin pairs. We applied the model to a healthy non-smoking general population cohort of 2187 subjects from the same region, and compared %predicted FEV(1) and FVC values between the two populations. RESULTS: Stratified by age and sex, the associations of height with FEV(1) or FVC varied by age group. During the adolescent growth spurt (age 13 for girls and ages 14-16 for boys), the associations of height with FEV(1) or FVC were nonlinear and greater than that seen at other ages. During adolescence, FEV(1) and FVC for a given height increased with age. The percent predicted values of FEV(1) and FVC in the twin population were similar to that of the general population. CONCLUSIONS: Twin and general populations have similar patterns of lung function change over middle childhood and adolescence. Similar equations may be used to estimate percent predicted values. Finally, a single prediction equation cannot completely describe patterns of lung function from childhood through adolescence due to puberty related changes.

Short sleep duration and adiposity in Chinese adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between sleep duration and adiposity measurements in rural Chinese adolescents. METHODS: This report is based on a cross-sectional analysis of 500 Chinese adolescent twins. Anthropometric measurements and direct adiposity measurements using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) were taken for all subjects. Standard sleep questionnaires and a 7-day diary were administered to assess sleep duration. RESULTS: Sleep duration decreased with increasing age during adolescence, reaching a nadir at approximately 15 years of age. While BMI and body fat increased through the entire range of adolescence for both genders, after the age of 12, females had much higher amounts of total and truncal fat than males. Graphic plots showed that among females, both long and short sleepers tended to have higher adiposity measures than medium duration sleepers. The association of short sleep duration with higher adiposity measures was significant even after adjustment for covariates. This association was stronger for total and truncal fat and waist circumference (P < 0.05) than for BMI (P = 0.06). In contrast, consistent relationships between sleep duration and adiposity measures were not seen in males. CONCLUSION: Even in this relatively lean Chinese adolescent cohort, short sleep duration was significantly associated with higher adiposity measures and lower lean body mass in females. The results of this study indicate that the observed association between short sleep duration and higher BMI is most likely mediated by factors associated with total and central adiposity rather than lean body mass.

[Associations of genetic polymorphisms in the EPHX1 gene and the GSTT1 gene with low birth weight in neonates].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether genetic polymorphisms in the microsomal epoxide hydrolase gene (EPHX1) and the glutathione S-transferase theta1 gene (GSTT1) are associated with low birth weight in neonates. METHODS: Using standard questionnaires, 246 singleton live born mother-neonates pairs (73 cases were mother-low birth weight neonate pairs and 173 controls were mother-non low birth weight neonate pairs) were investigated by the trained field workers with case-control study at the hospital in Anqing, Anhui Province, China between 1998 and 1999. A total of 246 neonates were genotyped for genetic polymorphisms in the EPHX1 gene and the GSTT1 gene by a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism assay. Multiple linear regression models were used to estimate the association of the genetic polymorphisms in the EPHX1 gene and the GSTT1 gene with neonatal low birth weight, adjusting for maternal age, education, parity, neonatal sex and gestational age. RESULTS: EPHX1 His139His homozygote was not associated with low birth weight among neonates, compared with EPHX1 His139Arg heterozygote/Arg139Arg homozygote before and after adjustment confounders. GSTT1 absent genotype group also was not associated with low birth weight among neonates, compared with GSTT1 present genotype group before and after adjustment confounders. When both EPHX1 139 polymorphism and GSTT1 polymorphism were considered, a significant reduction in birth weight was found among neonates with EPHX1 His139His homozygote and GSTT1 absent genotype (OR=3.46, P=0.035). CONCLUSION: The combination between genetic polymorphisms in the EPHX1 gene and the GSTT1 gene in neonates is significantly associated with neonatal low birth weight.