Resistance imparted by vitamin C, vitamin e and vitamin B12 to the acute hepatic glycogen change in rats caused by noise.

The effects of vitamin C, vitamin E and vitamin B12 on the noise-induced acute change in hepatic glycogen content in rats were investigated. The exposure of rats to 95 dB and 110 dB of noise acutely reduced their hepatic glycogens. Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and vitamin E (alpha -tocopherol) attenuated the noise-inducedacute reduction in the hepatic glycogen contents. This result suggests that antioxidants could reduce the change via reactive oxygen species. Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) delayed the noiseinduced change, a finding that suggests that vitamin B12 could postpone the acute change via compensating for vitamin B12 deficiency

Identification and pharmacokinetics of saponins in Rhizoma Anemarrhenae after oral administration to rats by HPLC-Q-TOF/MS and HPLC-MS/MS

Rhizoma Anemarrhenae is a well-known herbal medicine with saponins as its commonly regarded major bioactive components. It is essential to classify the properties of saponins which are associated with their toxicity and efficacy. In this study, 25 compounds were identified by HPLC-Q-TOF/MS in the extract of Rhizoma Anemarrhenae and 8 saponins were detected in rat plasma by HPLC-MS/MS after oral administration of this extract. These were neomangiferin, mangiferin, timosaponin E1, timosaponin E, timosaponin B-II, timosaponin B-III, timosaponin A-III and timosaponin A-I. A sensitive and accurate HPLC-MS/MS method was developed and successfully applied to a pharmacokinetic study of the abovementioned eight saponins after oral administration of the Rhizoma Anemarrhenae extract to rats. The method validation, including specificity, linearity, precision, accuracy, recovery, matrix effect and robustness, met the requirements of the intended use. The pharmacokinetic parameter, Tmax value, ranged from 2 to 8 h for these eight saponins whereas their elimination half-life (t1/2) ranged from 4.06 to 9.77 h, indicating slow excretion. The plasma concentrations of these eight saponins were all very low, indicating a relatively low oral bioavailability. All these results provide support for further clinical studies

Relationship between diffusion capacity and small airway abnormality in COPDGene.

Impaired single breath carbon monoxide diffusing capacity (DLCO) is associated with emphysema. Small airways disease (SAD) may be a precursor lesion to emphysema, but the relationship between SAD and DLCO is undescribed. We hypothesized that in mild COPD, functional SAD (fSAD) defined by computed tomography (CT) and Parametric Response Mapping methodology would correlate with impaired DLCO. Using data from ever-smokers in the COPDGene cohort, we established that fSAD correlated significantly with lower DLCO among both non-obstructed and GOLD 1-2 subjects. The relationship between DLCO with CT-defined emphysema was present in all GOLD stages, but most prominent in severe disease. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT00608764. Registry: COPDGene. Registered 06 February 2008, retrospectively registered

Psychometric properties of the Little Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire-Taiwan

Importance: Early identification of young children at risk of developmental coordination disorder (DCD) can support early intervention and prevent secondary sequelae. Objective: This study examined the psychometric properties of the translated and cross-culturally adapted Little Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire-Taiwan (LDCDQ-TW). Design: Prospective study. Setting: Parent respondents, recruited via kindergarten settings. Participants: 1124 parents of typically developing children ages 36-71 months. Children with confirmed developmental diagnoses were excluded. Outcomes and Measures: The LDCDQ-TW, a 15-item parent questionnaire for identifying children at risk for DCD, and the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (2nd edition) (MABC-2). Results: Findings revealed excellent test-retest reliability (ICC=0.97) and fair inter-rater reliability (ICC=0.47). Using MABC-2 scores, the non-DCD group (> 15th percentile) scored significantly higher than the DCD and suspect-DCD groups on the LDCDQ-TW, but the latter two groups did not differ. Using the 15th percentile of both the MABC-2 and the LDCDQ-TW, sensitivity was 0.96 and specificity 0.68. Conclusions and Relevance: While standardized performance-based assessments are required to confirm a DCD diagnosis (typically after the age of 5), the LDCDQ-TW demonstrated sound reliability and validity and can support the early identification of young children at risk of DCD in Taiwan. What This Article Adds: The LDCDQ-TW questionnaire has sound psychometric properties and can be used to support early identification and monitoring of young children at risk of DC

Selection of Pru p 3 hypoallergenic peach and nectarine varieties

To the Editor, Peach is an important fruit consumed worldwide. However, it is also one of the most frequently reported allergenic fruits.1 Component diagnosis of peach allergy indicates Pru p 1, Pru p 2, Pru p 3, Pru p 4, Pru p 7, and Pru p 9 are involved.2, 3 Pru p 3 is the dominant allergen responsible for severe allergic reaction,4 and it is considered to be the primary sensitizer to other LTPs in Mediterranean and Central Europe.5 The levels of Pru p 3 differ between varieties.6 To date, measurement of Pru p 3 in a limited number of peach and nectarines from Spain, United States, and Italy has been reported.7 Significant variation of allergen concentration in processed foods containing peach has also been observed.8 The content of Pru p 3 of peach/nectarine determines the potential risk for peach allergic patients. China is the origin of peach with representative genetic diversity to be explored for hypoallergenic varieties.9 A core collection of 103 varieties cultivated in Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province were selected to represent this diversity, including 23 nectarines and 80 peach varieties (with fruit hair, round or flat, 77 cultivated, three wild) (Table S1). The soluble solid content (SSC), ripening date, and peach aroma intensity were recorded. Specific methods are detailed in the Supporting Information. Pru p 3 was quantified by ELISA based on our previous research.6info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The Sihailongwan Maar Lake, northeastern China as a candidate Global Boundary Stratotype Section and Point for the Anthropocene Series

Sihailongwan Maar Lake, located in Northeast China, is a candidate Global boundary Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) for demarcation of the Anthropocene. The lake’s varved sediments are formed by alternating allogenic atmospheric inputs and authigenic lake processes and store a record of environmental and human impacts at a continental-global scale. Varve counting and radiometric dating provided a precise annual-resolution sediment chronology for the site. Time series records of radioactive (239,240Pu, 129I and soot 14C), chemical (spheroidal carbonaceous particles, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, soot, heavy metals, δ13C, etc), physical (magnetic susceptibility and grayscale) and biological (environmental DNA) indicators all show rapid changes in the mid-20th century, coincident with clear lithological changes of the sediments. Statistical analyses of these proxies show a tipping point in 1954 CE. 239,240Pu activities follow a typical unimodal globally-distributed profile, and are proposed as the primary marker for the Anthropocene. A rapid increase in 239,240Pu activities at 88 mm depth in core SHLW21-Fr-13 (1953 CE) is synchronous with rapid changes of other anthropogenic proxies and the Great Acceleration, marking the onset of the Anthropocene. The results indicate that Sihailongwan Maar Lake is an ideal site for the Anthropocene GSSP

Imaging-based clusters in former smokers of the COPD cohort associate with clinical characteristics: the SubPopulations and intermediate outcome measures in COPD study (SPIROMICS)

Background: Quantitative computed tomographic (QCT) imaging-based metrics enable to quantify smoking induced disease alterations and to identify imaging-based clusters for current smokers. We aimed to derive clinically meaningful sub-groups of former smokers using dimensional reduction and clustering methods to develop a new way of COPD phenotyping. Methods: An imaging-based cluster analysis was performed for 406 former smokers with a comprehensive set of imaging metrics including 75 imaging-based metrics. They consisted of structural and functional variables at 10 segmental and 5 lobar locations. The structural variables included lung shape, branching angle, airway-circularity, airway-wall-thickness, airway diameter; the functional variables included regional ventilation, emphysema percentage, functional small airway disease percentage, Jacobian (volume change), anisotropic deformation index (directional preference in volume change), and tissue fractions at inspiration and expiration. Results: We derived four distinct imaging-based clusters as possible phenotypes with the sizes of 100, 80, 141, and 85, respectively. Cluster 1 subjects were asymptomatic and showed relatively normal airway structure and lung function except airway wall thickening and moderate emphysema. Cluster 2 subjects populated with obese females showed an increase of tissue fraction at inspiration, minimal emphysema, and the lowest progression rate of emphysema. Cluster 3 subjects populated with older males showed small airway narrowing and a decreased tissue fraction at expiration, both indicating air-trapping. Cluster 4 subjects populated with lean males were likely to be severe COPD subjects showing the highest progression rate of emphysema. Conclusions: QCT imaging-based metrics for former smokers allow for the derivation of statistically stable clusters associated with unique clinical characteristics. This approach helps better categorization of COPD sub-populations; suggesting possible quantitative structural and functional phenotypes.NIH [U01-HL114494, R01-HL112986, S10-RR022421]; Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) - Ministry of Education [NRF-2017R1D1A1B03034157]; Korea Ministry of Environment (MOE) [RE201806039]; NIH/NHLBI [HHSN268200900013C, HHSN268200900014C, HHSN268200900015C, HHSN268200900016C, HHSN268200900017C, HHSN268200900018C, HHSN268200900019C, HHSN268200900020C]Open access journalThis item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]

HPV prevalence and genotype distribution in 2,306 patients with cervical squamous cell carcinoma in central and eastern China

BackgroundTo explore the positivity rate and genotype distribution of human papillomavirus (HPV) in cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) tissues in central and eastern China and to provide theoretical basis for cervical cancer screening and prophylactic HPV vaccine development in China.MethodsDNA was extracted from paraffin-embedded tissues of CSCC samples and exfoliated cervical cells of cervical cancer screening populations. 23 HPV genotypes were detected by combining polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and reverse dot hybridized gene chip detection technology in 2,306 CSCC tissues and 10,245 cervical cancer screening populations. The genotype distribution of HPV infection was analyzed.ResultsThe overall infection rate of HPVs in 2,306 CSCC patients was 92.71%. The frequency of single-type HPV infection and multiple-type HPV infection were 86.48% and 13.51%, respectively. The most common HPV genotypes detected in Chinese CSCC tissues were HPV-16, HPV-18, HPV-31, HPV-33, HPV-45, HPV-52, HPV-58, and HPV-59. The overall positivity rate of these eight high-risk HPV (HR-HPV) genotypes in HPV-positive CSCC was as high as 96.91%. Of which the positivity rate of seven HR-HPV genotypes related to nine-valent HPV vaccines in HPV-positive CSCC was 95.09%. Meanwhile, the overall infection rates of HR-HPV and low-risk HPV (LR-HPV) in female aged 35–64 years who underwent cervical cancer screening were 13.16% and 1.32%, respectively. The high-frequency HR-HPV genotypes in cervical cancer screening women were HPV-52, HPV-58, HPV-16, HPV-53, HPV-68, HPV-39, HPV-51, and HPV-56, with positivity rates of 2.25%, 1.60%, 1.31%, 1.22%, 0.93%, 0.92%, 0.78%, and 0.74%, respectively.ConclusionAmong women screened for cervical cancer in China, detecting the 8 high-frequency HR-HPV genotypes can reduce technical difficulty and reagent costs, while also improving the efficiency and effectiveness of cervical cancer screening. HPV genotyping assists gynecologists in assessing the risk of HR-HPV-positive cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and guiding them in implementing appropriate interventions. Furthermore, HPV genotyping is helpful for doctors to follow up HR-HPV-positive women and to evaluate the protective effect of HPV vaccine

Can the Tumor Deposits Be Counted as Metastatic Lymph Nodes in the UICC TNM Staging System for Colorectal Cancer?

OBJECTIVE: The 7th edition of AJCC staging manual implicitly states that only T1 and T2 lesions that lack regional lymph node metastasis but have tumor deposit(s) will be classified in addition as N1c, though it is not consistent in that pN1c is also an option for pT3/T4a tumors in the staging table. Nevertheless, in this TNM classification, how to classify tumor deposits (TDs) in colorectal cancer patients with lymph node metastasis (LNM) and TDs simultaneously is still not clear. The aim of this study is to investigate the possibility of counting TDs as metastatic lymph nodes in TNM classification and to identify its prognostic value for colorectal cancer patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: In this retrospective study, 513 cases of colorectal cancer with LNM were reviewed. We proposed a novel pN (npN) category in which TDs were counted as metastatic lymph nodes in the TNM classification. Cancer-specific survival according to the npN or pN category was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier survival curves. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify significant prognostic factors. Harrell's C statistic was used to test the predictive capacity of the prognostic models. The results revealed that the TD was a significant prognostic factor in colorectal cancer. Univariate and multivariate analyses uniformly indicated that the npN category was significantly correlated with prognosis. The results of Harrell's C statistical analysis demonstrated that the npN category exhibited a superior predictive capacity compared to the pN category of the 7th edition TNM classification. Moreover, we also found no significant prognostic differences in patients with or without TD in the same npN categories. CONCLUSIONS: The counting of TDs as metastatic lymph nodes in the TNM classification system is potentially superior to the classification in the 7th edition of the TNM staging system to assess prognosis and survival for colorectal cancer patients

Disparities and risks of sexually transmissible infections among men who have sex with men in China: a meta-analysis and data synthesis.

BACKGROUND: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including Hepatitis B and C virus, are emerging public health risks in China, especially among men who have sex with men (MSM). This study aims to assess the magnitude and risks of STIs among Chinese MSM. METHODS: Chinese and English peer-reviewed articles were searched in five electronic databases from January 2000 to February 2013. Pooled prevalence estimates for each STI infection were calculated using meta-analysis. Infection risks of STIs in MSM, HIV-positive MSM and male sex workers (MSW) were obtained. This review followed the PRISMA guidelines and was registered in PROSPERO. RESULTS: Eighty-eight articles (11 in English and 77 in Chinese) investigating 35,203 MSM in 28 provinces were included in this review. The prevalence levels of STIs among MSM were 6.3% (95% CI: 3.5-11.0%) for chlamydia, 1.5% (0.7-2.9%) for genital wart, 1.9% (1.3-2.7%) for gonorrhoea, 8.9% (7.8-10.2%) for hepatitis B (HBV), 1.2% (1.0-1.6%) for hepatitis C (HCV), 66.3% (57.4-74.1%) for human papillomavirus (HPV), 10.6% (6.2-17.6%) for herpes simplex virus (HSV-2) and 4.3% (3.2-5.8%) for Ureaplasma urealyticum. HIV-positive MSM have consistently higher odds of all these infections than the broader MSM population. As a subgroup of MSM, MSW were 2.5 (1.4-4.7), 5.7 (2.7-12.3), and 2.2 (1.4-3.7) times more likely to be infected with chlamydia, gonorrhoea and HCV than the broader MSM population, respectively. CONCLUSION: Prevalence levels of STIs among MSW were significantly higher than the broader MSM population. Co-infection of HIV and STIs were prevalent among Chinese MSM. Integration of HIV and STIs healthcare and surveillance systems is essential in providing effective HIV/STIs preventive measures and treatments. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO NO: CRD42013003721