Predicting insulin resistance using the triglyceride-to-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio in Taiwanese adults

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The triglyceride to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (TG/HDL-C) has been advocated as a simple clinical indicator of insulin resistance. Thresholds of TG/HDL-C appeared to depend on ethnicity. However, no studies have specifically compared the accuracy of TG/HDL-C with and without other clinical and demographic factors in predicting insulin resistance in Taiwanese adults. The aim of the present investigation was to use TG/HDL-C and other clinical available factors to predict insulin resistance in Taiwanese adults.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A total of 812 subjects were recruited from at the time of their general health examination at the Buddhist Dalin Tzu Chi General Hospital, Taiwan. Demographic information and clinical characteristics were obtained. Insulin resistance was defined by the homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). Simple and multiple logistic regression analyses were used to obtain probabilities of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR > 2) using TG/HDL-C with (Model 2) and without (Model 1) other clinical variables. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was conducted to evaluate the ability of the two models to correctly discriminate between subjects of low and elevated HOMA-IR.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Female sex, greater waist circumferences, and higher ALT levels were significantly associated with the risk of elevated HOMA-IR in addition to TG/HDL-C in the multiple logistic regression (Model 2). The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of Model 2 was 0.71 [95% CI = 0.67-0.75] and was significantly higher (<it>P </it>= 0.007) than the AUC 0.66 [95% CI = 0.62-0.71] of Model 1.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The diagnostic accuracy of insulin resistance, defined by HOMA-IR, using TG/HDL-C can be significantly enhanced by including three additional clinically available factors - sex, waist circumferences, and ALT levels.</p

Optimization of a Continuous Preparation Method of Arthrospira platensis γ-linolenic acid by supercritical carbon dioxide technology using response surface methodology

γ-linolenic acid is an essential omega-6 unsaturated fatty acid made in the human body from linoleic acid. It can be metabolized to various important eicosanoids and it is also a precursor of prostaglandin E and several other active substances that are associated with anti-inflammatory properties. Arthrospira platensis is known to contain relatively large quantities of γ-linolenic acid. The aim of this study was to investigate the optimal parameters under a continuous preparation method of γ-linolenic acid from A. platensis using supercritical carbon dioxide technology. A Box-Behnken experimental design and response surface methodology were used to optimize combinations among pressure (10, 20 and 30 MPa), temperature (40, 50 and 60°C) and flow rate of A. platensis extract liquor (1, 2 and 3 mL/min) for yield of γ-linolenic acid. The results showed that the extraction of γ-linolenic acid from A. platensis was optimized at a temperature of 60°C, a pressure of 30 MPa and a flow rate of 3 mL/min. These parameters could be used as a basis for facilitating future scale-up industrial applications

Association between Helicobacter pylori

Introduction. Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection could lead to chronic local and systemic immune response. The resulting increase in proinflammatory cytokines could affect bone resorption and might increase the risk of osteoporosis. This study aimed to investigate the association between H. pylori infection and osteoporosis in elderly female patients with upper gastrointestinal diseases. Methods. A retrospective patient record review study was conducted in a regional teaching hospital in south Taiwan. Relevant information on female patients aged 65 and over who were diagnosed with diseases of esophagus, gastric ulcer, or duodenal ulcer during January 2008 to December 2010 were abstracted. Association between H. pylori infection and osteoporosis was evaluated using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results. Of the 365 patients with a mean age of 77.3 years, 77 (21.1%) had H. pylori infection and 101 (27.7%) had been diagnosed with osteoporosis. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that osteoporosis was significantly associated with H. pylori infection (adjusted odds ratio = 2.03, 95% confidence interval = 1.14–3.62) after adjusting for age group, body mass index group, and use of proton pump inhibitor. Conclusion. Osteoporosis was found to be associated with H. pylori infection in Taiwanese female patients with upper gastrointestinal diseases. Further studies with information on potential confounders are needed to confirm the association

Bioactive constituent characterization and antioxidant activity of ganoderma lucidum extract fractionated by supercritical carbon dioxide

Ganoderma lucidum has been recognized as a precious fungus in both Chinese and Japanese traditional medicine for centuries. It contains many bioactive ingredients such as triterpenoids and polysaccharides. The present study used supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) fractionation to fractionate Ganoderma lucidum extract into four fractions (R, F1, F2, & F3) and evaluate the correlation between the content of functional components and their antioxidant ability. Relatively high concentrations of the three types of bioactive constituents were simultaneously partitioned into different fractionation collecting vessels. The free radical scavenging ability was greatest in F1. The IC50 of DPPH scavenging ability was 0.90 mg/mL and that of ABTS radicals scavenging activity was 0.45 mg/mL. The correlation analysis of antioxidant ability with total triterpenoids and total polyphenols showed a positive relationship. In conclusion, this study showed that fractionation of Ganoderma lucidum extract using SC-CO2 fractionation technology was able to effectively partition its bioactive components including triterpenoids, polysaccharides and phenolic compounds and also to increase the antioxidant activities of the fractions

Concerted Solvent Processes for Common Sulfonyl Chloride Precursors used in the Synthesis of Sulfonamide-based Drugs

Specific rates of solvolysis in hydroxylic solvents available for the solvolysis of 2-thiophenesulfonyl chloride and phenylmethanesulfonyl chloride are supplemented by determining the values in fluoroalcohol-containing solvents. The data sets are then correlated using the extended Grunwald-Winstein equation. For both substrates, it is found that a single correlation controls the influence of solvent over the full range of solvent composition. The sensitivities to solvent nucleophilicity and solvent ionizing power are compared to values available for other substrates. Three of these previous studies are upgraded by the incorporation of additional specific rate values from the recent literature. With a methyl, isopropyl, benzyl, aromatic or heteroaromatic group as the R group of RSO2Cl, a concerted SN2 mechanism is proposed for the solvolysis

Extended Grunwald-Winstein Analysis - LFER Used to Gauge Solvent Effects in p-Nitrophenyl Chloroformate Solvolysis

Specific rates of solvolysis at 25 °C for p-nitrophenyl chloroformate (1) are analyzed using the extended (two-term) Grunwald-Winstein equation. For 39 solvents, the sensitivities (l = 1.68±0.06 and m = 0.46±0.04) towards changes in solvent nucleophilicity (l) and solvent ionizing power (m) obtained, are similar to those previously observed for phenyl chloroformate (2) and p-methoxyphenyl chloroformate (3). The observations incorporating new kinetic data in several fluoroalcohol-containing mixtures, are rationalized in terms of the reaction being sensitive to substituent effects and the mechanism of reaction involving the addition (association) step of an addition-elimination (association-dissociation) pathway being rate-determining. The l/m ratios obtained for 1, 2, and 3, are also compared to the previously published l/m ratios for benzyl chloroformate (4) and p-nitrobenzyl chloroformate (5)

Grunwald-Winstein Analysis - Isopropyl Chloroformate Solvolysis Revisited

Specific rates of solvolysis at 25 °C for isopropyl chloroformate (1) in 24 solvents of widely varying nucleophilicity and ionizing power, plus literature values for studies in water and formic acid, are reported. Previously published solvolytic rate constants at 40.0 °C are supplemented with two additional values in the highly ionizing fluoroalcohols. These rates are now are analyzed using the one and two-term Grunwald-Winstein Equations. In the more ionizing solvents including ten fluoroalcohols negligible sensitivities towards changes in solvent nucleophilicity (l) and very low sensitivities towards changes in solvent ionizing power (m) values are obtained, evocative to those previously observed for 1-adamantyl and 2-adamantyl chloroformates 2 and 3. These observations are rationalized in terms of a dominant solvolysis-decomposition with loss of the CO2 molecule. In nine of the more nucleophilic pure alchohols and aqueous solutions an association-dissociation mechanism is believed to be operative. Deficiencies in the acid production indicate 2-33% isopropyl chloride formation, with the higher values in less nucleophilic solvents

Randomized Controlled Trial of the Use of an Educational Cancer Website to Increase Cancer Patient’s Participation into a Research Study

[[abstract]]The present randomized controlled trial was conducted to determine if providing access to an educational colorectal cancer Website for patients with colorectal cancer might increase their subsequent participation in a population-based cancer study. A total of 384 potential participants recruited from colorectal cancer cases identified from the Ontario Cancer Registry and the Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, Ontario, Canada were randomly divided into two groups. The control group was mailed an invitation package containing a brochure describing a population-based cancer registry (the Ontario Familial Colorectal Cancer Registry, OFCCR), a family history questionnaire, and a colorectal cancer educational pamphlet. The intervention group was mailed the information for access to a colorectal cancer educational Website in addition to the materials sent to the control group. Results indicated that providing access information to an educational Website about colorectal cancer did not increase the participation of colorectal cancer patients in a population-based cancer study. The participation for the intervention group (66%) was not significantly different (p=0.38) from the control group (62%). The additional provision of a Website with colorectal cancer information to patients appears not to be an effective strategy to improve subsequent participation in a population-based cancer study

Analysis of the Nucleophilic Solvation Effects in Isopropyl Chlorothioformate Solvolysis

Correlation of the solvent effects through application of the extended Grunwald-Winstein equation to the solvolysis of isopropyl chlorothioformate results in a sensitivity value of 0.38 towards changes in solvent nucleophilicity (l) and a sensitivity value of 0.72 towards changes in solvent ionizing power (m). This tangible l value coupled with the negative entropies of activation observed indicates a favorable predisposition towards a modest rear-side nucleophilic solvation of a developing carbocation. Only in 100% ethanol was the bimolecular pathway dominant. These observations are very different from those obtained for the solvolysis of isopropyl chloroformate, where dual reaction channels were proposed, with the addition-elimination reaction favored in the more nucleophilic solvents and a unimolecular fragmentation-ionization mechanism favored in the highly ionizing solvents