Nutritional intervention and impact of polyphenol on glycohaemoglobin (HbA1c) in non-diabetic and type 2 diabetic subjects: systematic review and meta-analysis

Polyphenols have been extensively studied for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Recently, their antiglycative actions by oxidative stress modulation have been linked to prevention of diabetes and associated complications. This paper assesses the evidence for polyphenol interventions on glycohaemoglobin (HbA1c) in non-diabetic, pre-diabetic and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) subjects. A systematic review of polyphenols clinical trials on HbA1c in humans was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Thirty-six controlled randomized trials with HbA1c values were included. Polyphenols (extracts, supplements, foods), were supplemented (28 mg to 1.5g) for 0.7 to 12 months. Combining all subjects (n=1954, mean baseline HbA1c=7.03%, 53 mmol/mol), polyphenol supplementation significantly (p<0.001) lowered HbA1c% by -0.53±0.12 units (-5.79±0.13 mmol/mol). This reduction was significant (p<0.001) in T2DM subjects, specifically (n=1426, mean baseline HbA1c=7.44%, 58 mmol/mol), with HbA1c% lowered by -0.21±0.04 units (-2.29±0.4 mmol/mol). Polyphenol supplementation had no significant effect (p>0.21) in the non-diabetic (n=258, mean baseline HbA1c=5.47%, 36 mmol/mol) and the pre-diabetic subjects (n=270, mean baseline HbA1c=6.06%, 43 mmol/mol) strata: -0.39±0.27 HbA1c% units (-4.3±0.3 mmol/mol), and -0.38±0.31 units (-4.2±0.31 mmol/mol), respectively. In conclusion, polyphenols can successfully reduce HbA1c in T2DM, without any intervention at glycaemia, and could contribute to the prevention of diabetes complications

An Electron‐Rich Calix[4]arene‐Based Receptor with Unprecedented Binding Affinity for Nitric Oxide

Calixarenes have found widespread application as building blocks for the design and synthesis of functional materials in host–guest chemistry. The ongoing desire to develop a detailed understanding of the nature of NO bonding to multichromophoric π‐stacked assemblies led us to develop an electron‐rich methoxy derivative of calix[4]arene (3), which we show exists as a single conformer in solution at ambient temperature. Here, we examine the redox properties of this derivative, generate its cation radical (3+.) using robust chemical oxidants, and determine the relative efficacy of its NO binding in comparison with model calixarenes. We find that 3/3+. is a remarkable receptor for NO+/NO, with unprecedented binding efficacy. The availability of precise experimental structures of this calixarene derivative and its NO complex, obtained by X‐ray crystallography, is critically important both for developing novel functional NO biosensors, and understanding the role of stacked aromatic donors in efficient NO binding, which may have relevance to biological NO transport

Designing and Psychometric Assessment of the Questionnaire for Artificial Airway Patients’ Satisfaction with Nurse's Non-verbal Communication during Nursing Cares

Background & Aim: Verbal communication disorder is one of the most important problems of mechanically ventilated patients which can lead to anxiety and decrease satisfaction. The purpose of this study is designing and psychometric assessment of the questionnaire for artificial airway patients’ satisfaction with nurses nonverbal communication during nursing cares. Materials & Methods: This is a methodological study which was performed using Waltz 2010 method in 4 steps, namely conceptual model definition, determination of goals and tools design, compiling initial plan, and determining reliability and validity in 2016. The study population includes all patients with artificial airway in 3 hospitals under the supervision of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. Totally, 240 patients were selected for the study, using convenience sampling. The questionnaire validity was evaluated using face, construct, and content validities. Pearson correlation coefficient and Cronbach's alpha were used to evaluate the external and internal reliabilities. SPSS Software V.19 was used for data analysis. Results: The initial version of questionnaire was designed with 27 items. After face and content validation process, the second version was designed in 24 items. The maximum score for all items was 1.5. The values of CVI and CVR were obtained at 0.89 and 0.88, respectively. For construct validity, the items were reduced to 12, based on explanatory factor analysis. The final questionnaire was obtained in 3 satisfaction dimensions namely providing physiologic, social, and emotional-psychological needs with predictive power of 47.706. The Cronbach's alpha value was calculated at 0.67. Pearson correlation coefficient was calculated at 0.67, which suggests the validity and reliability of the questionnaire. Conclusion: Considering the limitation of data availability for evaluating the satisfaction of artificial airway patients with nursing communication, the questionnaire can be an efficient tool for detecting the patient-nurse communicational challenges and patients’ needs in different areas as well as improving care services quality

Blood Samples of Peripheral Venous Catheter or The Usual Way: Do Infusion Fluid Alters the Biochemical Test Results?

BACKGROUND: Most blood tests require venous blood samples. Puncturing the vein also causes pain, infection, or damage to the blood, and lymph flow, or long-term healing. This study aimed to determine and compare the biochemical laboratory value of the blood samples that were provided through: peripheral vein infusion (PVI) receiving continuous intravenous fluid; and the usual method of blood sampling. METHODS: This is an interventional, quasi-experimental, and controlled study. The selected study sample included 60 patients, who were hospitalized during 2014, in the Internal Medicine, part of Martyrs of Persian Gulf, teaching hospital at Bushehr. Three blood samples were taken from each patient that were provided through PVI line (5 ml blood collected at beginning of IVC and then another 5 cc), and another case was prepared by common blood sampling (control). All the samples were analyzed in terms of sodium, potassium, urea and creatinine using SPSS Ver.19 software, by paired t-test and Pearson's correlation coefficients. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant difference between the amount of sodium and potassium in the first blood samples taken from the intravenous infusion line and vein puncture .However, no significant differences were found among the biochemical amount in the second blood samples taken from the intravenous infusion line and vein puncture. CONCLUSIONS: We can use blood samples taken from peripheral intravenous infusion lines after 5cc discarding from the first part of the sample for measuring the value of sodium, potassium, urea and creatinine

Improving Performance of the SMD Solvation Model: Bondi Radii Improve Predicted Aqueous Solvation Free Energies of Ions and pK\u3csub\u3ea\u3c/sub\u3e Values of Thiols

Calculation of the solvation free energy of ionic molecules is the principal source of errors in the quantum chemical evaluation of pKa values using implicit polarizable continuum solvent models. One of the important parameters affecting the performance of these models is the choice of atomic radii. Here, we assess the performance of the solvation model based on density (SMD) implicit solvation model employing SMD default radii (SMD) and Bondi radii (SMD-B), a set of empirical atomic radii developed based on the crystallographic data. For a set of 112 ions (60 anions and 52 cations), the SMD-B model showed lower mean unsigned error (MUE) for predicted aqueous solvation free energies (4.0 kcal/mol for anions and 2.4 kcal/mol for cations) compared to the standard SMD model (MUE of 5.0 kcal/mol for anions and 2.9 kcal/mol for cations). In particular, usage of Bondi radii improves the aqueous solvation energies of sulfur-containing ions by \u3e5 kcal/mol compared to the SMD default radii. Indeed, for a set of 45 thiols, the SMD-B model was found to dramatically improve the predicted pKa values, with ∼1 pKa unit mean deviation from the experimental values, compared to ∼7 pKa units mean deviation for the SMD model with the default radii. These findings highlight the importance of the choice of atomic radii on the performance of the implicit solvation models

Investigation of correlation of the variations in land subsidence (detected by continuous GPS measurements) and methodological data in the surrounding areas of Lake Urmia

Lake Urmia, a salt lake in the north-west of Iran, plays a valuable role in the environment, wildlife and economy of Iran and the region, but now faces great challenges for survival. The Lake is in immediate and great danger and is rapidly going to become barren desert. As a result, the increasing demands upon groundwater resources due to expanding metropolitan and agricultural areas are a serious challenge in the surrounding regions of Lake Urmia. The continuous GPS measurements around the lake illustrate significant subsidence rate between 2005 and 2009. The objective of this study was to detect and specify the non-linear correlation of land subsidence and temperature activities in the region from 2005 to 2009. For this purpose, the cross wavelet transform (XWT) was carried out between the two types of time series, namely vertical components of GPS measurements and daily temperature time series. The significant common patterns are illustrated in the high period bands from 180–218 days band (~6–7 months) from September 2007 to February 2009. Consequently, the satellite altimetry data confirmed that the maximum rate of linear trend of water variation in the lake from 2005 to 2009, is associated with time interval from September 2007 to February 2009. This event was detected by XWT as a critical interval to be holding the strong correlation between the land subsidence phenomena and surface temperature. Eventually the analysis can be used for modeling and prediction purposes and probably stave off the damage from subsidence phenomena

Bis(9-amino­acridinium) bis­(pyridine-2,6-dicarboxyl­ato)zincate(II) trihydrate

In the title compound, (C13H11N2)2[Zn(C7H3NO4)2]·3H2O, the ZnII ion is six-coordinated with the N4O2 donor set being a distorted octa­hedron through two almost perpendicular (r.m.s. deviation of ligand atoms from the mean plane is 0.057 Å) tridentate pyridine-2,6-dicarboxyl­ate ligands [dihedral angle between the ligands = 86.06 (4)°]. The charge is compensated by two 9-amino­acridinium cations protonated on the ring N atom. A variety of inter­molecular contacts, such as ion–ion, N—H⋯O and O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds, and π–π stacking [centroid–centroid distances = 3.4907 (9)–4.1128 (8) Å], between cations and between anions, play important roles in the formation of the three-dimensional network

CXCL-10: a new candidate for melanoma therapy?

Background: Melanoma is a malignancy that stems from melanocytes and is defined as the most dangerous skin malignancy in terms of metastasis and mortality rates. CXC motif chemokine 10 (CXCL10), also known as interferon gamma-induced protein-10 (IP-10), is a small cytokine-like protein secreted by a wide variety of cell types. CXCL10 is a ligand of the CXC chemokine receptor-3 (CXCR3) and is predominantly expressed by T helper cells (Th cells), cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), dendritic cells, macrophages, natural killer cells (NKs), as well as some epithelial and cancer cells. Similar to other chemokines, CXCL10 plays a role in immunomodulation, inflammation, hematopoiesis, chemotaxis and leukocyte trafficking. Conclusions: Recent studies indicate that the CXCL10/CXCR3 axis may act as a double-edged sword in terms of pro- and anti-cancer activities in a variety of tissues and cells, especially in melanoma cells and their microenvironments. Most of these activities arise from the CXCR3 splice variants CXCR3-A, CXCR3-B and CXCR3-Alt. In this review, we discuss the pro- and anti-cancer properties of CXCL10 in various types of tissues and cells, particularly melanoma cells, including its potential as a therapeutic target. © 2020, International Society for Cellular Oncology

Canonical wave packets in quantum cosmology

We discuss the construction of wave packets resulting from the solutions of a class of Wheeler-DeWitt equations in Robertson-Walker type cosmologies, for arbitrary curvature. We show that there always exists a ``canonical initial slope" for a given initial wave function, which optimizes some desirable properties of the resulting wave packet, most importantly good classical-quantum correspondence. This can be properly denoted as a canonical wave packet. We introduce a general method for finding these canonical initial slopes which is generalization of our earlier work.Comment: 19 pages, 8 figure