Evaluation of three glucometers for whole blood glucose measurements at the point of care in preterm or low-birth-weight infants

PurposeWe evaluated three blood glucose self-monitoring for measuring whole blood glucose levels in preterm and low-birth-weight infants.MethodsBetween December 1, 2012 and March 31, 2013, 230 blood samples were collected from 50 newborns, who weighed, ≤2,300 g or were ≤36 weeks old, in the the neonatal intensive care unit of Eulji University Hospital. Three blood glucose self-monitoring (A: Precision Pcx, Abbott; B: One-Touch Verio, Johnson & Johnson; C: LifeScan SureStep Flexx, Johnson & Johnson) were used for the blood glucose measurements. The results were compared to those obtained using laboratory equipment (D: Advia chemical analyzer, Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Inc.).ResultsThe correlation coefficients between laboratory equipment and the three blood glucose self-monitoring (A, B, and C) were found to be 0.888, 0.884, and 0.900, respectively. For glucose levels≤60 mg/dL, the correlation coefficients were 0.674, 0.687, and 0.679, respectively. For glucose levels>60 mg/dL, the correlation coefficients were 0.822, 0.819, and 0.839, respectively. All correlation coefficients were statistically significant. And the values from the blood glucose self-monitoring were not significantly different from the value of the laboratory equipment , after correcting for each device's average value (P>0.05). When using laboratory equipment (blood glucose ≤60 mg/dL), each device had a sensitivity of 0.458, 0.604, and 0.688 and a specificity of 0.995, 0.989, and 0.989, respectively.ConclusionSignificant difference is not found between three blood glucose self-monitoring and laboratory equipment. But correlation between the measured values from blood glucose self-monitoring and laboratory equipment is lower in preterm or low-birth-weight infants than adults

Prognostic perspectives of PD-L1 combined with tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, Epstein-Barr virus, and microsatellite instability in gastric carcinomas

Background The prognostic potential of PD-L1 is currently unclear in gastric carcinomas, although the immune checkpoint PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors have produced promising results in clinical trials. Methods We explored the prognostic implications of programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) in 514 consecutive surgically-resected gastric carcinomas. Overall survival and recurrence-free survival were evaluated. Immunohistochemistry for PD-L1, CD8, FOXP3, and PD-1, and molecular grouping by in situ hybridization for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-encoded small RNAs and multiplex PCR for microsatellite instability (MSI) markers were performed. Additionally, to explore the function inherent to PD-L1, PD-L1-specific siRNA transfection, cell proliferation, invasion, migration and apoptosis assays were conducted in five gastric carcinoma cell lines. Results PD-L1(+) tumor and immune cells were observed in 101 (20%) and 244 patients (47%), respectively. Tumoral PD-L1(+)/immune cell PD-L1(-)/CD8+/low tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), and more advanced-stage tumors were associated with unfavorable clinical outcomes in the entire cohort through multivariate analysis. Furthermore, tumoral PD-L1(+)/FOXP3+/low TILs were associated with worse clinical outcomes in EBV-positive and MSI-high carcinomas. Tumoral PD-L1(+) alone was an adverse prognostic factor in EBV-positive carcinomas, but not in MSI-high carcinomas, whereas PD-L1(+) immune cells or FOXP3+/high TILs alone were correlated with a favorable prognosis. PD-L1 knockdown in gastric carcinoma cells suppressed cell proliferation, invasion and migration, and increased apoptosis, which were all statistically significant in two EBV(+) cell lines, but not all in three EBV(−) cell lines. Conclusions The prognostic impact of PD-L1 may depend on the tumor microenvironment, and statuses of EBV and MSI, although PD-L1 innately promotes cancer cell survival in cell-based assays. The combination of tumoral PD-L1/immune cell PD-L1/CD8+ TILs may serve as an independent prognostic factor. Tumoral PD-L1(+)/immune cell PD-L1(−)/CD8+/low TILs showing a worse prognosis may be beneficial for combinatorial therapies of anti-PD-L1/PD-1 and anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte associated antigen 4 (CTLA4) that would promote effector T cells, thus attack the tumor.This work was supported by the Basic Science Research Program of the National Research Foundation of Korea, which is funded by the Ministry of Education (2016R1D1A1B01010316)

Representative levels of blood lead, mercury, and urinary cadmium in youth: Korean Environmental Health Survey in Children and Adolescents (KorEHS-C), 2012–2014

AbstractBackgroundThis study examined levels of blood lead and mercury, and urinary cadmium, and associated sociodemographic factors in 3–18 year-old Korean children and adolescents.Materials and methodsWe used the nationally representative Korean Environmental Health Survey in Children and Adolescents data for 2012–2014 and identified 2388 children and adolescents aged 3–18 years. The median and 95th percentile exposure biomarker levels with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Multivariate regression analyses were performed on log transformed exposure biomarker levels adjusted for age, sex, area, household income, and father’s education level. The median exposure biomarker levels were compared with data from Germany, the US, and Canada, as well as the levels of Korean children measured at different times.ResultsThe median levels of blood lead and mercury, as well as urinary cadmium were 1.23μg/dL, 1.80μg/L, and 0.40μg/L (95% CIs, 1.21–1.25, 1.77–1.83, and 0.39–0.41, respectively). The blood lead levels were significantly higher in boys and younger children (p<0.0001) and children with less educated fathers (p=0.004) after adjusting for covariates. Urinary cadmium level increased with age (p<0.0001). The median levels of blood mercury and urinary cadmium were much higher in Korean children and adolescents than those in their peers in Germany, the US, and Canada. Blood lead levels tended to decrease with increasing age and divergence between the sexes, particularly in the early teen years. Median levels of blood lead and urinary cadmium decreased since 2010.ConclusionSociodemographic factors, including age, sex, and father’s education level were associated with environmental exposure to heavy metals in Korean children and adolescents. These biomonitoring data are valuable for ongoing surveillance of environmental exposure in this vulnerable population

Compositional Differences of Ojeok-san (Wuji-san) Decoctions Using Pressurized or Non-pressurized Methods for Variable Extraction Times

This study compared Ojeok-san (Wuji-san in Chinese) decoctions produced using different extraction methods for variable times. Decoctions were extracted in pressurized or non-pressurized conditions for 60, 120, and 180 mins. We investigated the Ojeok-san extract yield, the total soluble solid content, the hydrogen ion concentration (pH), and the reference compound content. The extract yield and the total soluble solid content were higher in decoctions produced by non-pressurized extraction; both were proportional to the extraction time. The pH tended to decrease as the extraction time was increased in decoctions produced using both methods. After 60 and 180 mins, the levels of albiflorin, paeoniflorin, nodakenin, naringin, and neohesperidin were significantly higher in decoctions extracted using the non-pressurized method compared with those extracted using the pressurized method. After 120 mins, only cinnamaldehyde was extracted in a greater amount in pressurized decoctions compared with non-pressurized decoctions. The levels of paeoniflorin, ferulic acid, nodakenin, naringin, hesperidin, neohesperidin, and glycyrrhizin increased with time in non-pressurized decoctions. This study showed that the use of pressurized and non-pressurized extraction methods for different times affected the composition of Ojeoksan (Wuji-san) decoctions

Quality Assessment of Ojeok-San, a Traditional Herbal Formula, Using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Combined with Chemometric Analysis

Ojeok-san (OJS) is a traditional herbal formula consisting of 17 herbal medicines that has been used to treat various disorders. In this study, quantitative analytical methods were developed using high-performance liquid chromatography equipped with a photodiode array detector to determine 19 marker compounds in OJS preparations, which was then combined with chemometric analysis. The method developed was validated in terms of its precision and accuracy. The intra- and interday precision of the marker compounds were <3.0% of the relative standard deviation (RSD) and the recovery of the marker compounds was 92.74%–104.16% with RSD values <3.0%. The results of our quantitative analysis show that the quantities of the 19 marker compounds varied between a laboratory water extract and commercial OJS granules. The chemometric analysis used, principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA), also showed that the OJS water extract produced using a laboratory method clearly differed from the commercial OJS granules; therefore, an equalized production process is required for quality control of OJS preparations. Our results suggest that the HPLC analytical methods developed are suitable for the quantification and quality assessment of OJS preparations when combined with chemometric analysis involving PCA and HCA

Reaction Mechanism and Curing Characteristics of Chicken Feather-Based Adhesives and Adhesive Properties of Medium-Density Fiberboard Bonded with the Adhesive Resins

In this study, reaction mechanism and curing characteristics of adhesives formulated with NaOH- and H2SO4-hydrolyzed chicken feather (CF) and formaldehyde-based crosslinkers were investigated by FT-IR and DSC. In addition, adhesive properties and formaldehyde emission of medium-density fiberboards (MDF) applied with the adhesives were measured. CF-based adhesives having a solid content of 40% and over were very viscous at 25 °C, but the viscosity reduced to 300~660 m·Pa·s at 50 °C. Consequently, the adhesives could be used as a sprayable resin. Through the FT-IR spectra of liquid and cured CF-based adhesives, addition reaction of methylol group and condensation reaction between the functional groups with the use of formaldehyde-based crosslinkers were identified. From the analysis of DSC, it was elucidated for CF-based adhesives to require a higher pressing temperature or longer pressing time comparing to commercial urea-formaldehyde (C-UF) resin. MDF bonded with CF-based adhesives, which was formulated with 5% NaOH-hydrolyzed CF (CF-AK-5%) and PF of formaldehyde to phenol mole ratio of 2.5 (PF-2.5), and pressed for 8 min had higher MOR and IB than those with other CF-based adhesives. MOR and IB of MDF bonded with the CFbased adhesives regardless of formulation type and pressing time were higher than those with C-UF resin. When the values compared with the minimum requirements of KS standard, IB exceeded the KS standard in all formulations and pressing time, but MOR of only MDF bonded with CF-AK-5% and PF-2.5 and pressed for 8 min satisfied the KS standard. What was worse, 24-TS of MDF bonded with all CF-based adhesives did not satisfied the KS standard. However, MOR and 24-TS can be improved by increasing the target density of MDF or the amount of wax emulsion, which is added to improve the water resistance of MDF. Importantly, the use of CF-based adhesives decreased greatly the formaldehyde emission. Based on the results, we reached the conclusion that CF-based adhesives formulated under proper conditions had a potential as a sprayable resin for the production of wood panels.This article is published as Yang, In, Dae-Hak Park, Won-Sil Choi, Sei Chang Oh, Dong-uk Ahn, and Gyu-Seong Han. "Reaction mechanism and curing characteristics of chicken feather-based adhesives and adhesive properties of medium-density fiberboard bonded with the adhesive resins." Korean Chemical Engineering Research 55, no. 3 (2017): 385-394. doi:10.9713/kcer.2017.55.3.385.</p

Environmental exposure of heavy metal (lead and cadmium) and hearing loss: data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES 2010–2013)

Abstract Background Lead and cadmium have been identified as risk factors for hearing loss in animal studies, but large-scale studies targeting the general human population are rare. This study was conducted to investigate the link between heavy metal concentrations in blood and hearing impairment, using a national population-based survey. Methods The study participants comprised 6409 Koreans aged 20 or older, who were included in the Fifth and Sixth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (KNHANES 2010–2013). Hearing impairment was categorized into two types, low- and high-frequency hearing impairment, using pure tone audiometry. Low-frequency hearing impairment was defined as having a binaural average of hearing thresholds for 0.5, 1, and 2 kHz exceeding 25 dB, and high-frequency hearing impairment was defined as having a binaural average of hearing thresholds for 3, 4, and 6 kHz exceeding 25 dB. The blood levels of heavy metals (lead and cadmium) were classified into quartiles. Cross-sectional association between hearing impairment and the level of heavy metals (lead and cadmium) was examined in both sexes. Multivariate logistic regression was used to obtain adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results Among men, the prevalence of low- and high- frequency hearing impairment was 13.9% and 46.7%, respectively, which was higher than the prevalence among women (11.8% and 27.0%, respectively). Regarding lead, the adjusted OR of high-frequency hearing impairment for the highest blood level group versus the lowest group was significant in both men (OR = 1.629, 95% CI = 1.161–2.287) and women (OR = 1.502, 95% CI = 1.027–2.196), after adjusting for age, body mass index, education, smoking, alcohol consumption, exercise, diagnosis of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and noise exposure (occupational, loud, firearm noises). No links were found between blood lead levels and low-frequency hearing impairment, or between blood cadmium levels and low- or high-frequency hearing impairment in either sex. Conclusions The present study findings suggest that even exposure to low-level lead is a risk factor for high-frequency hearing loss. A prospective epidemiologic study should be conducted to identify the causal relationship between human health and exposure to heavy metals, and efforts to reduce heavy metal exposure in the general population should continue

Human Nail Clippings as a Source of DNA for Genetic Studies.

Blood samples have traditionally been used as the main source of DNA for genetic analysis. However, this source can be difficult in terms of collection, transportation, and long-term storage. In this study, we investigated whether human nail clippings could be used as a source of DNA for SNP genotyping, null-allele detection, and whole-genome amplification. From extracted nail DNA, we achieved amplicons up to a length of ~400 bp and &gt;96% concordance for SNP genotyping and 100% concordance for null-allele detection compared to DNA derived from matched blood samples. For whole-genome amplification, OmniPlex performed better than Multiple Displacement Amplification with a success rate of 89.3% and 76.8% for SNP genotyping and null-allele detection, respectively. Concordance was ~98% for both methods. When combined with OmniPlex whole-genome amplification, human nail clippings could potentially be used as an alternative to whole blood as a less invasive and more convenient source of DNA for genotyping studies