Fundamentally Manipulating the Electronic Structure of Polar Bifunctional Catalysts for Lithium-Sulfur Batteries: Heterojunction Design versus Doping Engineering

Heterogeneous structures and doping strategies have been intensively used to manipulate the catalytic conversion of polysulfides to enhance reaction kinetics and suppress the shuttle effect in lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries. However, understanding how to select suitable strategies for engineering the electronic structure of polar catalysts is lacking. Here, a comparative investigation between heterogeneous structures and doping strategies is conducted to assess their impact on the modulation of the electronic structures and their effectiveness in catalyzing the conversion of polysulfides. These findings reveal that Co0.125 Zn0.875 Se, with metal-cation dopants, exhibits superior performance compared to CoSe2 /ZnSe heterogeneous structures. The incorporation of low Co2+ dopants induces the subtle lattice strain in Co0.125 Zn0.875 Se, resulting in the increased exposure of active sites. As a result, Co0.125 Zn0.875 Se demonstrates enhanced electron accumulation on surface Se sites, improved charge carrier mobility, and optimized both p-band and d-band centers. The Li-S cells employing Co0.125 Zn0.875 Se catalyst demonstrate significantly improved capacity (1261.3 mAh g-1 at 0.5 C) and cycle stability (0.048% capacity delay rate within 1000 cycles at 2 C). This study provides valuable guidance for the modulation of the electronic structure of typical polar catalysts, serving as a design directive to tailor the catalytic activity of advanced Li-S catalysts.

Directly imaging excited state-resolved transient structures of water induced by valence and inner-shell ionisation

Real-time imaging of transient structure of the electronic excited state is fundamentally critical to understand and control ultrafast molecular dynamics. The ejection of electrons from the inner-shell and valence level can lead to the population of different excited states, which trigger manifold ultrafast relaxation processes, however, the accurate imaging of such electronic state-dependent structural evolutions is still lacking. Here, by developing the laser-induced electron recollision-assisted Coulomb explosion imaging approach and molecular dynamics simulations, snapshots of the vibrational wave-packets of the excited (A) and ground states (X) of D2O+ are captured simultaneously with sub-10 picometre and few-femtosecond precision. We visualise that θDOD and ROD are significantly increased by around 50∘ and 10 pm, respectively, within approximately 8 fs after initial ionisation for the A state, and the ROD further extends 9 pm within 2 fs along the ground state of the dication in the present condition. Moreover, the ROD can stretch more than 50 pm within 5 fs along autoionisation state of dication. The accuracies of the results are limited by the simulations. These results provide comprehensive structural information for studying the fascinating molecular dynamics of water, and pave the way towards to make a movie of excited state-resolved ultrafast molecular dynamics and light-induced chemical reaction.

Additive Molecules Adsorbed on Monolayer PbI2: Atomic Mechanism of Solvent Engineering for Perovskite Solar Cells

Solvent engineering is highly essential for the upscaling synthesis of high-quality metal halide perovskite materials for solar cells. The complexity in the colloidal containing various residual species poses great difficulty in the design of the formula of the solvent. Knowledge of the energetics of the solvent-lead iodide (PbI₂) adduct allows a quantitative evaluation of the coordination ability of the solvent. Herein, first-principles calculations are performed to explore the interaction of various organic solvents (Fa, AC, DMSO, DMF, GBL, THTO, NMP, and DPSO) with PbI₂. Our study establishes the energetics hierarchy with an order of interaction as DPSO > THTO > NMP > DMSO > DMF > GBL. Different from the common notion of forming intimate solvent-Pb bonds, our calculations reveal that DMF and GBL cannot form direct solvent-Pb²⁺ bonding. Other solvent bases, such as DMSO, THTO, NMP, and DPSO, form direct solvent-Pb bonds, which penetrate through the top iodine plane and possess much stronger adsorption than DMF and GBL. A strong solvent-PbI₂ adhesion (i.e., DPSO, NMP, and DMSO), associated with a high coordinating ability, explains low volatility, retarded precipitation of the perovskite solute, and tendency of a large grain size in the experiment. In contrast, weakly coupled solvent-PbI₂ adducts (i.e., DMF) induces a fast evaporation of the solvent, accordingly a high nucleation density and small grains of perovskites are observed. For the first time, we reveal the promoted absorption above the iodine vacancy, which implies the need for pre-treatment of PbI₂ like vacuum annealing to stabilize solvent-PbI₂ adducts. Our work establishes a quantitative evaluation of the strength of the solvent-PbI₂ adducts from the atomic scale perspective, which allows the selective engineering of the solvent for high-quality perovskite films.

Glioma grade discrimination with dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI: An accurate analysis based on MRI guided stereotactic biopsy

PURPOSE

To evaluate the diagnostic performance of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) metrics for glioma grading on a point-to-point basis.

METHODS

Forty patients with treatment-naïve glioma underwent DCE-MR examination and stereotactic biopsy. DCE-derived parameters including endothelial transfer constant (K^trans), volume of extravascular-extracellular space (v_e), fractional plasma volume (f_pv), and reflux transfer rate (k_ep) were measured within ROIs on DCE maps accurately matched with biopsies used for histologic grades diagnosis. Differences in parameters between grades were evaluated by Kruskal-Wallis tests. Diagnostic accuracy of each parameter and their combination was assessed using receiver operating characteristic curve.

RESULTS

Eighty-four independent biopsy samples from 40 patients were analyzed in our study. Significant statistical differences in K^trans and v_e were observed between grades except v_e between grade 2 and 3. K^trans showed good to excellent accuracy in discriminating grade 2 from 3, 3 from 4, and 2 from 4 (area under the curve = 0.802, 0.801 and 0.971, respectively). V_e indicated good accuracy in discriminating grade 3 from 4 and 2 from 4 (AUC = 0.874 and 0.899, respectively). The combined parameter demonstrated fair to excellent accuracy in discriminating grade 2 from 3, 3 from 4, and 2 from 4 (AUC = 0.794, 0.899 and 0.982, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Our study had identified K^trans, v_e and the combination of parameters to be an accurate predictor for grading glioma.

Thickness-dependent catalytic activity of hydrogen evolution based on single atomic catalyst of Pt above MXene

Hydrogen as the cleanest energy carrier is a promising alternative renewable resource to fossil fuels. There is an ever-increasing interest in exploring efficient and cost-effective approaches of hydrogen production. Recent experiments have shown that single platinum atom immobilized on the metal vacancies of MXenes allows a high-efficient hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Here usingab initiocalculations, we design a series of substitutional Pt-doped Ti_{n+ 1}C_nT_x(Ti_{n+ 1}C_nT_x-Pt_SA) with different thicknesses and terminations (n= 1, 2 and 3, T_x= O, F and OH), and investigate the quantum-confinement effect on the HER catalytic performance. Surprisingly, we reveal a strong thickness effect of the MXene layer on the HER performance. Among the various surface-terminated derivatives, Ti₂CF₂-Pt_SAand Ti₂CH₂O₂-Pt_SAare found to be the best HER catalysts with the change of Gibbs free energy ΔG_H*∼ 0 eV, complying with the thermoneutral condition. Theab initiomolecular dynamics simulations reveal that Ti₂CF₂-Pt_SAand Ti₂CH₂O₂-Pt_SApossess a good thermodynamic stability. The present work shows that the HER catalytic activity of the MXene is not solely governed by the local environment of the surface such as Pt single atom. We point out the critical role of thickness control and surface decoration of substrate in achieving a high-performance HER catalytical activity.

Diagnosis of primary biliary melanoma with distinct imaging features: a case report and literature review

Primary biliary melanoma arises from proliferating melanocytes in the mucosal surface of the bile duct and is extremely rare. Since the vast majority of biliary melanomas represent metastases of cutaneous origin, accurate preoperative diagnosis of melanoma and exclusion of other primary sources are vital in cases involving primary lesions. Although melanomas with pigmented cells have typical signal characteristics, obtaining a non-invasive pre-treatment diagnosis remains difficult, due to their low incidence. Here, the case of a 61-year-old male Asian patient who presented with upper quadrant abdominal pain, swelling and jaundice for 2 weeks, and who was diagnosed with primary biliary melanoma following extensive preoperative blood analyses, computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), is described. Post-resection immunohistochemistry confirmed the diagnosis and the patient received six chemotherapy cycles of temozolomide and cisplatin, however, progression of multiple liver metastases was observed at the 18-month follow-up CT. The patient continued with pembrolizumab and died 17 months later. The present case of primary biliary melanoma is the first reported diagnosis based on typical MRI features and the exhaustive exclusion of a separate primary origin.

The Endocannabinoid System as a Potential Therapeutic Target for HIV-1-Associated Neurocognitive Disorder

Background: Despite the successful introduction of combined antiretroviral therapy, the prevalence of mild to moderate forms of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) remains high. It has been demonstrated that neuronal injury caused by HIV is excitotoxic and inflammatory, and it correlates with neurocognitive decline in HAND. Endocannabinoid system (ECS) protects the body from excitotoxicity and neuroinflammation on demand and presents a promising therapeutic target for treating HAND. Here, we firstly discuss the potential pathogenesis of HAND. We secondly discuss the structural and functional changes in the ECS that are currently known among HAND patients. We thirdly discuss current clinical and preclinical findings concerning the neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory properties of the ECS among HAND patients. Fourth, we will discuss the interactions between the ECS and neuroendocrine systems, including the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) and hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axes under the HAND conditions. Materials and Methods: We have carried out a review of the literature using PubMed to summarize the current state of knowledge on the association between ECS and HAND. Results: The ECS may be ideally suited for modulation of HAND pathophysiology. Direct activation of presynaptic cannabinoid receptor 1 or reduction of cannabinoid metabolism attenuates HAND excitotoxicity. Chronic neuroinflammation associated with HAND can be reduced by activating cannabinoid receptor 2 on immune cells. The sensitivity of the ECS to HIV may be enhanced by increased cannabinoid receptor expression in HAND. In addition, indirect regulation of the ECS through modulation of hormone-related receptors may be a potential strategy to influence the ECS and also alleviate the progression of HAND due to the reciprocal inhibition of the ECS by the HPA and HPG axes. Conclusions: Taken together, targeting the ECS may be a promising strategy to alleviate the inflammation and neurodegeneration caused by HIV-1 infection. Further studies are required to clarify the role of endocannabinoid signaling in HIV neurotoxicity. Strategies promoting endocannabinoid signaling may slow down cognitive decline of HAND are proposed.

Fast Intercalation of Lithium in Semi-Metallic γ-GeSe Nanosheet: A New Group-IV Monochalcogenide for Lithium-Ion Battery Application

Existence of van der Waals gaps renders two-dimensional (2D) materials ideal passages of lithium for being used as anode materials. However, the requirement of good conductivity significantly limits the choice of 2D candidates. So far, only graphite is satisfying due to its relatively high conductivity. Recently, a new polymorph of layered germanium selenide (γ-GeSe) was proven to be semimetal in its bulk phase with a higher conductivity than graphite while its monolayer behaves semiconducting. In this work, by using first-principles calculations, the possibility was investigated of using this new group-IV monochalcogenide, γ-GeSe, as anode in Li-ion batteries (LIBs). The studies revealed that the Li atom would form an ionic adsorption with adjacent selenium atoms at the hollow site and exist in cationic state (lost 0.89 e to γ-GeSe). Results of climbing image-nudged elastic band showed the diffusion barrier of Li was 0.21 eV in the monolayer limit, which could activate a relatively fast diffusion even at room temperature on the γ-GeSe surface. The calculated theoretical average voltages ranged from 0.071 to 0.015 V at different stoichiometry of Li_x GeSe with minor volume variation, suggesting its potential application as anode of LIBs. The predicted moderate binding energy, a low open-circuit voltage (comparable to graphite), and a fast motion of Li suggested that γ-GeSe nanosheet could be chemically exfoliated via Li intercalation and is a promising candidate as the anode material for LIBs.

Channel Coupling Dynamics of Deep-Lying Orbitals in Molecular High-Harmonic Generation

Investigation on structures in the high-harmonic spectrum has provided profuse information of molecular structure and dynamics in intense laser fields, based on which techniques of molecular ultrafast dynamics imaging have been developed. Combining ab initio calculations and experimental measurements on the high-harmonic spectrum of the CO_{2} molecule, we find a novel dip structure in the low-energy region of the harmonic spectrum which is identified as fingerprints of participation of deeper-lying molecular orbitals in the process and decodes the underlying attosecond multichannel coupling dynamics. Our work sheds new light on the ultrafast dynamics of molecules in intense laser fields.

[Association analysis of famine exposure during early life and risk of hypertension in adulthood]

Objective: To explore the relationship between exposure to famine in early life and the risk of hypertension in adulthood. Methods: The medical data of Yichang Health Management Big Data Center from 2018 to 2019 were analyzed. A retrospective cohort study design was adopted, with hypertension as the study outcome, and different life periods exposed to the Great Famine in China were divided into groups. Multivariate logistic regression model was used to analyze the relationship between famine exposure in early life and hypertension in adulthood. At the same time, the interaction between gender and famine exposure was analyzed. Results: The age of 142 016 subjects was (60. 56±4.43). Among them, men accounted for 46.36% (65 845/142 016) and women accounted for 53.64% (76 171/142 016). There are 42 575(29.98%), 19 644(13.83%), 28 405(20.00%), 28 305(19.93%), 23 087 (19.93%) in non-famine exposure group, fetal famine exposure group, early childhood famine exposure group and late childhood famine exposure group, respectively. The prevalence of hypertension was 17.57% (24 947 cases). Multivariate logistic regression model analysis showed that after adjusting for related confounding factors, compared with non-famine exposure group, the risk of hypertension in fetal, early childhood, middle childhood and late childhood famine exposure group was higher and the OR (95%CI) values were 1.16 (1.11-1.22), 1.27 (1.21-1.33), 1.54 (1.47-1.60) and 1.84 (1.76-1.92), respectively. There was an interaction between sex and famine exposure group (P<0.001). The above association is stronger among women than among men. Conclusion: Famine exposure in early life may increase the risk of hypertension in adulthood, and the risk of women is greater than that of men.

Photocatalytic Activity Investigation of α-Zirconium Phosphate Nanoparticles Compositing with C3N4 under Ultraviolet Light

In order to further develop efficient ultraviolet light-driven photocatalysts for environmental application, α-zirconium phosphate (α-ZrP) and carbon nitride (C₃N₄) were synthesized, respectively. Then, C₃N₄-ZrP compositing nanomaterials were prepared by compositing α-ZrP nanocrystals and C₃N₄ with different mass ratios. C₃N₄-ZrP compositing nanomaterials were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results illustrated that α-ZrP and C₃N₄ were successfully composited, and the polarization of the compositing nanomaterials was reduced compared with raw materials. The photocatalytic performances of C₃N₄-ZrP compositing nanomaterials with different mass ratios were studied by photodegradation of RhB under ultraviolet irradiation. All of the degradation rates of the C₃N₄-ZrP compositing nanomaterials system were achieved more than 90% after 18 min. When the mass ratio of C₃N₄-ZrP compositing nanomaterials is 2:1, the degradation efficiency achieved 99.95%, which is more efficient than other tested mass ratios. The result indicated the possibility of utilizing C₃N₄-ZrP compositing nanomaterials for environmental pollutants degradation.

Increased RAB31 Expression in Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts Promotes Colon Cancer Progression Through HGF-MET Signaling

RAB family proteins participate in the dynamic regulation of cellular membrane compartments and are dysregulated in a variety of tumor types, which may alter the biological properties of cancer cells such as proliferation, migration, and invasion. In our previous study, we found that Ras-related protein Rab-31 (RAB31) expression was increased in late-stage colorectal cancer (CRC). The role of RAB31 has never been investigated in CRC. In this study, we found that expression of RAB31 in the tumor stroma but not cancer cells of colon cancer predicted poor survival. RAB31 can be detected in primary cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and paired normal fibroblasts. Conditioned medium (CM) from RAB31 overexpressing CAFs significantly promoted migration of colon cancer cell lines in vitro and in vivo. This process may be mediated by paracrine action of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), which was increased in the CM of RAB31-overexpressing CAFs. Blockade of HGF/MET signaling by drug inhibition, knockdown of mesenchymal to epithelial transition factor (MET) in RKO, or antibody neutralization of HGF abolished migration of RKO cells mediated by RAB31 expression in CAFs. We propose that in colon cancer, increased RAB31 expression in CAFs may contribute to tumor progression by regulating the secretion of HGF in the tumor stroma.

Molecular Rydberg-state excitation in laser pulses: bandwidth and orbital symmetry

We have performed a comparison study of the Rydberg-state excitation of model molecules (1π_g and 1π_u states) in different laser fields by the approaches of time-dependent Schrödinger equation and a fully quantum-mechanical model, and both simulations show good accordance. It is found that the peak structure of the Rydberg-state population vs laser intensity becomes pronounced for longer laser pulses due to the stronger interference effect between the subwave packets released in different optical cycles, and the locations of the intensity-dependent peaks closely satisfy the multi-photon resonant transition condition. In addition, it is demonstrated that the populations of the Rydberg states possessing the identical parity oscillate in an inverse manner with increasing laser intensity for different initial states (1π_g and 1π_u), and the aforementioned distinct phenomenon is attributed to the additional phase introduced by the symmetry of 1π_g state with respect to that of 1π_u state.

iPSC modeling of young-onset Parkinson's disease reveals a molecular signature of disease and novel therapeutic candidates

Young-onset Parkinson's disease (YOPD), defined by onset at <50 years, accounts for approximately 10% of all Parkinson's disease cases and, while some cases are associated with known genetic mutations, most are not. Here induced pluripotent stem cells were generated from control individuals and from patients with YOPD with no known mutations. Following differentiation into cultures containing dopamine neurons, induced pluripotent stem cells from patients with YOPD showed increased accumulation of soluble α-synuclein protein and phosphorylated protein kinase Cα, as well as reduced abundance of lysosomal membrane proteins such as LAMP1. Testing activators of lysosomal function showed that specific phorbol esters, such as PEP005, reduced α-synuclein and phosphorylated protein kinase Cα levels while increasing LAMP1 abundance. Interestingly, the reduction in α-synuclein occurred through proteasomal degradation. PEP005 delivery to mouse striatum also decreased α-synuclein production in vivo. Induced pluripotent stem cell-derived dopaminergic cultures reveal a signature in patients with YOPD who have no known Parkinson's disease-related mutations, suggesting that there might be other genetic contributions to this disorder. This signature was normalized by specific phorbol esters, making them promising therapeutic candidates.

A Simple and Reliable Cooling Approach for the Cryopreservation of Hematopoietic Stem Cells: the Passive Cooling Rate-controlled Technique

BACKGROUND

Cryopreservation of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) has widely been used in stem cell transplantation and cellular therapy treating various human diseases. However, the current conventional cooling approach for the cryopreservation of HSCs has the following potential problems: (1) requirement of a very expensive computer-programmed liquid nitrogen freezer (LNF) for the cooling rate control, (2) a large consumption of liquid nitrogen, (3) periodic breakdown of the LNF due to the mechanical failure of the liquid nitrogen valves (i.e., magnetic-solenoid valves) inside the LNF, and (4) constant monitoring of the LNF operation during the HSCs cooling process.

OBJECTIVE

To test and evaluate a simple and reliable approach for the cryopreservation of HSCs using the passive cooling technique.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A passive cooling-rate-controlled device (PCD) was developed and used to cryopreserve HSCs. The PCD is inexpensive, simple, and user-friendly, which needs only the minimum maintenance and no consumption of liquid nitrogen. The PCD was compared to the LNF for the cryopreservation of HSCs in the present study through experiments. The cell viability and functionality were evaluated after cryopreservation.

RESULTS

In comparison with the LNF method, the PCD approach enabled high cell viability/survival, recovery rate, and functionality after cryopreservation processes.

CONCLUSION

The PCD offers a cost-effective, simple, and reliable approach for the optimal cryopreservation of HSCs.

Role of excited states in molecular alignment-dependent ionization

We introduce an ab initio approach and the modified strong-field approximation to investigate the alignment-dependent ionization of H2+(1π_u) exposed to different few-cycle laser fields. The ab initio calculations are performed by the B-splines one-center method and the Crank-Nicolson method in spherical coordinates. It is shown that the peak ionization probabilities appear around alignment angles 50^° and 40^° at the laser intensities 3×10¹³ W/cm² and 5×10¹³ W/cm², respectively, and the above distinct features come from the resonant excitation of the molecular ion, which is confirmed by calculation including and excluding the state 2σg in the basis expansion. Furthermore, the results obtained by including the state 2σg in the ab initio simulations can be qualitatively reproduced by the modified molecular length gauge strong-field approximation (SFA) taking account of the 1πu and 2σg states simultaneously. Analysis indicates that a part of electron is directly emitted from the 1πu orbital and another portion of electron is released from 2σg orbital and other excited state after the single-photon resonant transition between 1πu and 2σg orbitals.

Resonance-like enhancement in high-order above threshold ionization of atoms and molecules in intense laser fields

We investigate the high-order above-threshold ionization (HATI) of atoms (Ar and Xe) and molecules (N₂ and O₂) subjected to strong laser fields by numerically solving time-dependent Schrödinger equation. It is demonstrated that resonance-like enhancement of groups of adjacent peaks in photoelectron spectrum of HATI is observed for Ar, Xe, and N₂, while this peculiar phenomenon is absent for O₂, which is in agreement with experimental observation [ Phys. Rev. A88, 021401 (2013)]. In addition, analysis indicates that resonance-like enhancement in HATI spectra of atoms and molecules is closely related to excitation of the high-lying excited states.

Dose-Dependent Associations between Wine Drinking and Breast Cancer Risk - Meta-Analysis Findings

PURPOSE

To investigate any potential association between wine and breast cancer risk.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We quantitatively assessed associations by conducting a meta-analysis based on evidence from observational studies. In May 2014, we performed electronic searches in PubMed, EmBase and the Cochrane Library to identify studies examining the effect of wine drinking on breast cancer incidence. The relative risk (RR) or odds ratio (OR) were used to measure any such association.

RESULTS

The analysis was further stratified by confounding factors that could influence the results. A total of twenty-six studies (eight case-control and eighteen cohort studies) involving 21,149 cases were included in our meta-analysis. Our study demonstrated that wine drinking was associated with breast cancer risk. A 36% increase in breast cancer risk was observed across overall studies based on the highest versus lowest model, with a combined RR of 1.0059 (95%CI 0.97-1.05) in dose-response analysis. However, 5 g/d ethanol from wine seemed to have protective value from our non-linear model.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings indicate that wine drinking is associated with breast cancer risk in a dose-dependent manner. High consumption of wine contributes to breast cancer risk with protection exerted by low doses. Further investigations are needed for clarification.

Highly sensitive on-chip fluorescence sensor with integrated fully solution processed organic light sources and detectors

The first reported on-chip fluorescent sensor consisting of fully solution processed organic light sources and detectors.

Quantitative identification of different strong-field ionization channels in the transition regime

We make a quantitative investigation on the tunneling and multi-photon channels in the transition regime from Keldysh parameter γ < 1 to γ > 1 by numerically solving the time-dependent Schrödinger equation (TDSE). A method is proposed to separate the contributions of those ionization channels based on the characteristics of the current. By analysing the dependence of the ionization rate on the Keldysh parameter γ, we identify a field independent transition point at γ ≈ 2, which is different from the well-accepted consensus of γ ≈ 1, from adiabatic to nonadiabatic regime.

[Simultaneous Determination of Three Kinds of Effective Constituents in Cannabis Plants by Reversed-phase HPLC]

OBJECTIVES

To establish a high performance liquid chromatographic （HPLC） method for simultaneous determination of three effective constituents, including tetrahydrocannabinol （THC）, cannabidiol （CBD） and cannabinol （CBN） in Cannabis plants.

METHODS

A C₁₈ column was used in this study, and acetonitrile-phosphate buffer （0.015 mol/L KH₂PO₄） was used as mobile phase at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. At a detection wavelength of 220 mm, UV absorption spectra were collected at the wavelength range of 190-400 nm, and the spectra and retention time were counted as qualitative evidence.

RESULTS

THC, CBD and CBN could be well separated by this method. Three components had good linear relationship in the range of 0.4-40 μg/mL （R²≥0.999 3）. The recoveries were over 87%. The limits of detection were 1.8 ng, 2.0 ng and 1.3 ng, respectively. The relative standard deviation （RSD） were less than 5% for both inter-day and intra-day precisions.

CONCLUSIONS

Reversed-phase HPLC method is simple, rapid and accurate, and it is suitable for the qualitative and quantitative detection of THC, CBD and CBN in Cannabis plants.

Prevalence, awareness and treatment of chronic kidney disease among middle-aged and elderly: The China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study

AIM

To provide reliable estimates of the prevalence, awareness, and treatment of chronic kidney disease (CKD), and their distribution and related influencing factors in middle-aged and elderly population in China.

METHODS

A cross-sessional survey called the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) was conducted in 2011-2012 in Chinese people aged 45 years or older. This was to evaluate the prevalence of CKD, disease awareness compared to other chronic diseases in the population, and whether they were being treated for their CKD. Estimated GFR (eGFR) was calculated using the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration eGFR creatinine-cystatin C (eGFRcreat-cys) equation. CKD was defined as eGFR less than 60 mL/min per 1.73 m(2) . Multivariable logistic regressions were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) for the risk factors.

RESULTS

The overall prevalence of CKD was 11.5% (95%CI: 10.1% ∼ 12.8%). It was higher in urban than rural population (13.0% vs 10.0%, P < 0.05). Among all patients with CKD, only 8.7% were aware of the diagnosis. 4.9% of the patients were receiving treatment. The proportion of those aware of their condition and those who were treated decreased with age in both sexes. Of those aware (8.9%), 55.9% were treated. 31.4% of the treated patients took Chinese traditional medicine.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a surprising prevalence of CKD in the Chinese middle-aged and elderly population, with disproportionately low awareness and treatment. A comprehensive strategy toward prevention, screening, treatment and control of CKD is needed to slow the epidemic of CKD.

[Methodological bias and variation of systematic reviews on diagnostic test accuracy]

OBJECTIVE

To analyze methodological bias and variation of systematic reviews on diagnostic test accuracy (DTA).

METHODS

Meta-analyses on DTA were identified through an electronic search through databases as Medline, Embase and Cochrane between 1 January 2008 and 31 December 2012. Results from Meta-analyses on 10 primary studies were included. Pairs of reviewers worked independently to extract the related data of interest, together with those original data of the primary studies. Mixed linear model was used to investigate the direction and strength of the association among the 14 studies, featuring on estimates of the diagnostic accuracy.

RESULTS

A total of 23 papers on Meta-analyses with 550 primary studies were included. Results from mixed linear model showed that significant low estimates of diagnostic accuracy in studies unsatisfying " the reference standard would likely to correctly classify the target condition" [relative diagnostic odds ration (RDOR) =0.018 6, 95% CI: 0.001 0-0.358 5]. Studies whose reference standard were not independent of the index test produced significantly higher estimates of diagnostic accuracy (RDOR= 2.396 6, 95% CI:1.242 8-4.622 7).

CONCLUSION

Messages as " Is the reference standard likely to correctly classify the target condition?" and " Was the reference standard independent of the index test", were the origin of the methodological bias and variation of systematic reviews on diagnostic test accuracy.

Trends in the use of guideline-recommended medications and in-hospital mortality of patients with acute myocardial infarction in a Chinese population

OBJECTIVE

Current practice guidelines recommend the routine use of several cardiac medications early in the course of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Our objective was to analyze temporal trends in medication use and in-hospital mortality of AMI patients in a Chinese population.

METHODS

This is a retrospective observational study using electronic medical records from the hospital information system (HIS) of 14 Chinese hospitals. We identified 5599 patients with AMI between 2005 and 2011. Factors associated with medication use and in-hospital mortality were explored by using hierarchical logistic regression.

RESULTS

The use of several guideline-recommended medications all increased during the study period: statins (57.7%-90.1%), clopidogrel (61.8%-92.3%), β-Blockers (45.4%-65.1%), ACEI/ARB (46.7%-58.7%), aspirin (81.9%-92.9%), and the combinations thereof increased from 24.9% to 42.8% (P<0.001 for all). Multivariate analyses showed statistically significant increases in all these medications. The in-hospital mortality decreased from 15.9% to 5.7% from 2005 to 2011 (P<0.001). After multivariate adjustment, admission year was still a significant factor (OR = 0.87, 95% CI 0.79-0.96, P = 0.007), the use of aspirin (OR = 0.64, 95% CI 0.46-0.87), clopidogrel (OR = 0.44, 95% CI 0.31-0.61), ACEI/ARB (OR = 0.73, 95% CI 0.56-0.94) and statins (OR = 0.54, 95% CI 0.40-0.73) were associated with a decrease in in-hospital mortality. Patients with older age, cancer and renal insufficiency had higher in-hospital mortality, while they were generally less likely to receive all these medications.

CONCLUSION

Use of guideline-recommended medications early in the course of AMI increased between 2005 and 2011 in a Chinese population. During this same time, there was a decrease in in-hospital mortality.

Diaphragmatic perforation with colonic herniation due to hepatic radiofrequency ablation: A case report and review of the literature

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) has been widely accepted as an alternative treatment for unresectable primary and metastatic hepatic tumors, with satisfactory rates of local response and significant improvements in rates of overall survival. Numerous large series studies have shown that RFA is safe and effective, with a low mortality rate and a low major complication rate. Major complications, including diaphragmatic perforation and hernia, have rarely been previously reported. The current case report presents a case of diaphragmatic hernia with perforation of the incarcerated colon in the thoracic cavity 12 months following hepatic RFA, and reviews nine previously reported cases of diaphragmatic hernia. Comprehensive analysis of the nine cases demonstrated possibilities leading to diaphragmatic hernia following diaphragmatic thermal injury as a consequence of hepatic RFA. Clinicians and radiologists must consider diaphragmatic thermal damage following hepatic RFA for liver tumors adjacent to the diaphragm, particularly for patients with symptoms of ileus, dyspnea, chest pain, pleural effusion and right shoulder pain.

Hematopoietic SCT with cryopreserved grafts: adverse reactions after transplantation and cryoprotectant removal before infusion

Transplantation of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) has been successfully developed as a part of treatment protocols for a large number of clinical indications, and cryopreservation of both autologous and allogeneic sources of HSC grafts is increasingly being used to facilitate logistical challenges in coordinating the collection, processing, preparation, quality control testing and release of the final HSC product with delivery to the patient. Direct infusion of cryopreserved cell products into patients has been associated with the development of adverse reactions, ranging from relatively mild symptoms to much more serious, life-threatening complications, including allergic/gastrointestinal/cardiovascular/neurological complications, renal/hepatic dysfunctions, and so on. In many cases, the cryoprotective agent (CPA) used-which is typically dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)-is believed to be the main causal agent of these adverse reactions and thus many studies recommend depletion of DMSO before cell infusion. In this paper, we will briefly review the history of HSC cryopreservation, the side effects reported after transplantation, along with advances in strategies for reducing the adverse reactions, including methods and devices for removal of DMSO. Strategies to minimize adverse effects include medication before and after transplantation, optimizing the infusion procedure, reducing the DMSO concentration or using alternative CPAs for cryopreservation and removing DMSO before infusion. For DMSO removal, besides the traditional and widely applied method of centrifugation, new approaches have been explored in the past decade, such as filtration by spinning membrane, stepwise dilution-centrifugation using rotating syringe, diffusion-based DMSO extraction in microfluidic channels, dialysis and dilution-filtration through hollow-fiber dialyzers and some instruments (CytoMate, Sepax S-100, Cobe 2991, microfluidic channels, dilution-filtration system, etc.) as well. However, challenges still remain: development of the optimal (fast, safe, simple, automated, controllable, effective and low cost) methods and devices for CPA removal with minimum cell loss and damage remains an unfilled need.

Red and processed meat intake is associated with higher gastric cancer risk: a meta-analysis of epidemiological observational studies

BACKGROUND

Red and processed meat was concluded as a limited-suggestive risk factor of gastric cancer by the World Cancer Research Fund. However, recent epidemiological studies have yielded inconclusive results.

METHODS

We searched Medline, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library from their inception to April 2013 for both cohort and case-control studies which assessed the association between red and/or processed meat intake and gastric cancer risk. Study-specific relative risk estimates were polled by random-effect or fixed-effect models.

RESULTS

Twelve cohort and thirty case-control studies were included in the meta-analysis. Significant associations were found between both red (RR: 1.45, 95% CI: 1.22-1.73) and processed (RR: 1.45, 95% CI: 1.26-1.65) meat intake and gastric cancer risk generally. Positive findings were also existed in the items of beef (RR: 1.28, 95% CI: 1.04-1.57), bacon (RR: 1.37, 95% CI: 1.17-1.61), ham (RR: 1.44, 95% CI: 1.00-2.06), and sausage (RR: 1.33, 95% CI: 1.16-1.52). When conducted by study design, the association was significant in case-control studies (RR: 1.63, 95% CI: 1.33-1.99) but not in cohort studies (RR: 1.02, 95% CI: 0.90-1.17) for red meat. Increased relative risks were seen in high-quality, adenocarcinoma, cardia and European-population studies for red meat. And most subgroup analysis confirmed the significant association between processed meat intake and gastric cancer risk.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings indicate that consumption of red and/or processed meat contributes to increased gastric cancer risk. However, further investigation is needed to confirm the association, especially for red meat.

Abstract B20: Secreted Protein Acidic and Rich in Cysteines-Like 1 Suppresses Aggressiveness and Predicts Better Survival in Colorectal Cancers

Background: Secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteines-like 1 (SPARCL1) is an extracellular matrix glycoprotein with malignancy suppressing potential. The hypothesis that SPARCL1 reduces cancer invasiveness and predicts better survival in colorectal cancers (CRC) was investigated.

Material and Methods: Stable SPARCL1 transfectants, RKO-SPRCL1, and corresponding vector control were constructed and implanted into nude mice to generate a mouse xenograft model of liver metastasis. Also, a retrospective outcome study was conducted on the COH set (222 CRCs) and ZJU set (412 CRCs). The protein expression level of SPARCL1 was determined by immunohistochemistry. The Kaplan-Meier and COX analyses were employed for survival analysis. The association of SPARCL1 with MET was sought by RT-PCR and Western blot analysis.

Results: The ectopic expression of SPARCL1 significantly reduced the potential for anchorage-independent growth, migration and invasion, and it induced cell differentiation in RKO and SW620 cells. In mouse xenograft model, the expression of SPARCL1 significantly reduced the liver metastasis (P = 0.001). The patient-based studies revealed that the expression of SPARCL1 was related to better differentiation (P &lt; 0.01), less lymph node involvement (Odds Ratio, OR=0.67, 95% CI 0.45-1.00) and less distant metastasis (OR=0.38, 95% CI 0.18-0.79). The Kaplan-Meier and COX analysis demonstrated that the expression of SPARCL1 was associated with better overall survival (Log–rank P &lt; 0.01; hazard ratio, HR=0.57, 95% CI 0.39-0.84). Transfection of SPARCL1 induced MET of colon cancer cells.

Conclusion: SPARCL1 functions as a tumor suppressor promoting differentiation possibly via MET, which inhibits the aggressiveness of CRC.

Citation Format: Hu Hanguang, Zhang Hang, Ge Weiting, Liu Xiyong, Peng Jiaping, Yu Shujing, Yen Yun, Zheng Shu. Secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteines-like 1 suppresses aggressiveness and predicts better survival in colorectal cancers. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Eleventh Annual AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research; 2012 Oct 16-19; Anaheim, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Prev Res 2012;5(11 Suppl):Abstract nr B20.

Abstract A13: Applied the proteomics characteristics to detect the inherited colorectal adenomas

Introduction: Current study found that about one-third of the incidence of colorectal cancer have genetic related. Hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) and familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is the most common hereditary colorectal cancer type, each account 5% of the total colorectal cancers and about 1%. But addition to the two and several other more rare hereditary colorectal cancer, 20-25% of colorectal cancer have a clear cancer family history. The causal relationship of this genetic susceptibility population is not yet clear, but the diagnostic and intervention of this genetic susceptibility population is very important. High risk of genetic susceptibility screening, early detection, and early intervention, blocking susceptibility factor in colorectal cancer especially in colorectal adenoma, is an important way to improve the overall level of diagnosis and treatment.

By comparing the proteomic difference of the patients with family history colorectal adenomas and no family history sporadic colorectal adenomas, we aim to find new markers to screen high-risk genetic susceptible populations, as a complement to the clinical diagnostic criteria of dependence on family history.

Materials and Methods: A total of 90 serum samples were analyzed in this study, including 30 patients with family history colorectal adenomas, 30 no family history sporadic colorectal adenomas, and 30 healthy individuals. All samples were sex and age matched. Weak Cation Exchange magnetic beads kits were used to fractionate serum samples according to the manufacture's protocols. After binding and washing, the bound proteins and peptides were eluted from the magnetic beads and mixed with matrix and spotted on to targets. Protein profiles were generated using microflex MALDI-TOF MS (Bruker Daltonics). The protein profiles were then analyzed using bioinformatics tool Zhejiang University - ProteinChip Data Analysis System software to analyze the proteomic fingerprints and find the biomarkers.

Results: The pattern to separate the patients with family history colorectal adenomas and sporadic colorectal adenomas by bioinformatics was constructed, which had a specificity of 93.3% and sensitivity of 100%, respectively. The model was comprised of 6 potential biomarkers with m/z of 4644, 2218, 2082, 2071, 4615 and 2210Da, respectively. The peak, 2218, 2082, 2071 and 2210Da, was Significantly (p&lt;0.01) highly expressed in family history colorectal adenomas compared to which in no family history patients; and the other 2 peaks were weakly expressed in family history colorectal adenomas. In order to confirm the correlation of these protein markers and the family history colorectal adenomas, the family history colorectal adenomas group is also compared to the healthy individuals. Significantly highly expressed in family history colorectal adenomas also was found in The peak, 2218, 2082, 2071 and 2210Da compared to which in healthy individuals, and the other 2 biomarkers 4644, 4615 also appeared to be expressed in an opposite way.

Conclusions: Applying the proteomics approach, we found 6 peaks which differently express in patients with family history colorectal adenomas compare to sporadic colorectal adenomas and healthy individuals. In addition to the gene level detection, these proteins maybe are new colorectal cancer genetic susceptibility biomarkers, which can help to apply to screen high-risk genetic susceptible populations.

Citation Format: Yu Jiekai, Huang Yanqin, Lin Chen, Yuan Ying, Zheng Shu. Applied the proteomics characteristics to detect the inherited colorectal adenomas. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Eleventh Annual AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research; 2012 Oct 16-19; Anaheim, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Prev Res 2012;5(11 Suppl):Abstract nr A13.

Effectiveness and safety of methylphenidate and atomoxetine for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a systematic review

OBJECTIVE

To assess and compare the effectiveness and safety of methylphenidate immediate-release tablets (IR-MPH), methylphenidate controlled-release tablets (OROS-MPH) and atomoxetine (AHC) for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in Chinese children.

METHODS

Randomized or clinical controlled trials on the effectiveness and safety of IR-MPH, OROS-MPH and AHC for ADHD were searched in electronic databases of CNKI, VIP, CBMDISC online, PubMed, Embase and MEDLINE. Two reviewers independently extracted the data and assessed the quality of the included literatures.

RESULTS

Eight trials were finally included. IR-MPH, OROS-MPH and AHC were effective for ADHD. OROS-MPH was superior to IR-MPH in the improvement of peer relationship, CGI-I score, mother satisfaction and psychosomatic problems. There were no significant differences in the effectiveness between the AHC and IR-MPH groups. The adverse events related to the therapy with IR-MPH, OROS-MPH or AHC were mild and total incidence rates of adverse events was not significantly different among the three groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The effectiveness of OROS-MPH for the treatment of ADHD is probably superior to IR-MPH, and the effectiveness of AHC and IR-MPH is similar. The three drugs have equivalent safety and good tolerance.

[Dietary patterns and hypertension among adults in Taiwan]

OBJECTIVE

To explore the relationship between dietary pattern and hypertension in Taiwan adults.

METHODS

According to the inclusion criteria, a total of 65 140 subjects aged 20-75 years who participating health examination in the Meizhao health centers in Taiwan were included in 2006. The food intake and lifestyle pattern of them were accessed. The identification of hypertension was based on the diagnostic criteria from JNC-VII. Factor analysis and multivariate logistic regression model was used to explore the associations of dietary patterns with hypertension for males and females.

RESULTS

Four dietary patterns were identified, namely "high protein" pattern, "prudent" pattern, "western" pattern, and "egg and dairy foods" pattern. After age, gender, BMI, physical activity, education level, smoking and alcohol intake being adjusted, relative to the "western" pattern, the risk of hypertension in males with "prudent", "high protein" and egg and dairy foods" patterns were significantly lower, the OR were 0. 95 (95% CI 0. 92 - 0.98), 0.97 (95% CI 0.94 - 0.99) and 0.94 (95% CI 0.91 - 0.97), respectively. Significant lower risk of hypertension in females for the "high protein" pattern group was found, with OR of 0.96 (95% CI 0. 2 -0.99).

CONCLUSION

Our results indicated that increasing the intake of protein, dairy products, vegetables and fruit was related to a reduction of high blood pressure risk, especially in men.

Uric acid and incident chronic kidney disease in a large health check-up population in Taiwan

AIM

Uric acid (UA) is strongly associated with the confirmed chronic kidney disease (CKD) risk factors, such as hypertension, diabetes and metabolic syndrome (MS); however, whether higher UA is independently associated with CKD is still debatable. Other studies found that low UA level may reflect inadequate protection against oxidant-mediated stress; it is also unknown whether hypouricemia may have a harmful effect on the kidney. No studies have examined whether there is a J-shaped relationship between UA and incident CKD.

METHODS

The association between UA and incident kidney disease (Glomerular filtration rate <60 mL/min per 1.73 m(2) ) was examined among 94 422 Taiwanese participants, aged ≥20 years with a mean 3.5 years follow-up in a retrospective cohort. The association between UA and CKD was evaluated using Cox models with adjustment for confounders.

RESULTS

The adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for incident CKD was 1.03 (95% confidence interval (CI), 1.01 to 1.06) for baseline UA level (increase by 1 mg/dL). Compared with serum UA in the first quintile (2.0 to 4.5 mg/dL), the multivariate-adjusted HR for CKD of the fifth (≥7.3 mg/dL), fourth (6.3 to 7.2 mg/dL), third (5.5 to 6.2 mg/dL), second (4.6 to 5.4 mg/dL) and hyopuricemia (<2.0 mg/dL) were 1.15 (95%CI, 1.01-1.30), 0.98 (95%CI, 0.87-1.10), 1.06 (95%CI, 0.94-1.19), 1.02 (95%CI, 0.91-1.14) and 1.65(95%CI, 0.53-5.15), respectively. The tests for the non-linear association were all not significant for both male and female. Gender-specific model revealed only the UA above 7.3 mg/dL with the increased risk of new-onset CKD in males.

CONCLUSION

Hyperuricemia is a risk factor for CKD in Taiwan, future studies are still necessary to determine whether hypouricemia increases the risk of CKD.

Cytokines produced by microwave-radiated Sertoli cells interfere with spermatogenesis in rat testis

Microwave radiation resulted in degeneration, apoptosis or necrosis in germ cells at different stages. The molecular mechanisms by which microwaves induce spermatogenesis disorder have not been completely understood. Sertoli cells play crucial roles in mammalian spermatogenesis. Cytokines produced by Sertoli cells play pleiotropic roles in different conditions. At physiologically low concentration, TNFα, IL-1β and IL-6 behave as survival factors; while under pathological condition, these cytokines can induce apoptosis in testis. The effects of cytokines produced by microwave-radiated Sertoli cells on spermatogenesis are poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of cytokines produced by microwave-radiated Sertoli cells on the germ cells. We focused the effect of TNFα, IL-1β and IL-6 on the germ cells. The results showed that TNFα, IL-1β and IL-6 were increased in Sertoli cells after exposure to microwave radiation. These up-regulated cytokines can induce apoptosis and lipid peroxidation in the membrane of germ cells. In addition, germ cell apoptosis was associated with the up-regulation of Bax/Bcl-2 and caspase-3. These results suggest that cytokines produced by microwave-radiated Sertoli cells may disrupt spermatogenesis. Our data provided novel insight into the injury mechanism of germ cells induced by microwave radiation.

Incidence, clinical features and impact on anti-tuberculosis treatment of anti-tuberculosis drug induced liver injury (ATLI) in China

BACKGROUND

Anti-tuberculosis drug induced liver injury (ATLI) is emerging as a significant threat to tuberculosis control in China, though limited data is available about the burden of ATLI at population level. This study aimed to estimate the incidence of ATLI, to better understand its clinical features, and to evaluate its impact on anti-tuberculosis (TB) treatment in China.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

In a population-based prospective study, we monitored 4,304 TB patients receiving directly observed treatment strategy (DOTS) treatment, and found that 106 patients developed ATLI with a cumulative incidence of 2.55% (95% Confidence Interval [CI], 2.04%-3.06%). Nausea, vomiting and anorexia were the top three most frequently observed symptoms. There were 35 (33.02%) ATLI patients with no symptoms, including 8 with severe hepatotoxicity. Regarding the prognosis of ATLI, 84 cases (79.25%) recovered, 18 (16.98%) improved, 2 (1.89%) failed to respond to the treatment with continued elevation of serum alanine aminotransferase, and 2 (1.89%) died as result of ATLI. Of all the ATLI cases, 74 (69.81%) cases changed their anti-TB treatment, including 4 (3.77%) cases with medication administration change, 21 (19.81%) cases with drugs replacement, 54 (50.94%) cases with therapy interruption, and 12 (11.32%) cases who discontinued therapy. In terms of treatment outcomes, 53 (51.46%) cases had TB cured in time, 48 (46.60%) cases had therapy prolonged, and 2 (1.94%) cases died. Compared with non-ATLI patients, ATLI patients had a 9.25-fold (95%CI, 5.69-15.05) risk of unsuccessful anti-TB treatment outcomes and a 2.11-fold (95%CI, 1.23-3.60) risk of prolonged intensive treatment phase.

CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE

ATLI could considerably impact the outcomes of anti-TB treatment. Given the incidence of ATLI and the size of TB population in China, the negative impact is substantial. Therefore, more research and efforts are warranted in order to enhance the diagnosis and the prevention of ATLI.

[Effectiveness and safety of methylphenidate and atomoxetine for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a systematic review]

OBJECTIVE

To assess and compare the effectiveness and safety of methylphenidate immediate-release tablets (IR-MPH), methylphenidate controlled release tablets (OROS-MPH) and atomoxetine (AHC) for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in Chinese children.

METHODS

Randomized or clinical controlled trials on the effectiveness and safety of IR-MPH, OROS-MPH and AHC for ADHD were searched in electronic databases of CNKI, VIP, CBMDISC online, PubMed, Embase and MEDLINE. Two reviewers independently extracted the data and assessed the quality of the included literatures.

RESULTS

Eight trials were finally included. IR-MPH, OROS-MPH and AHC were effective for ADHD. OROS-MPH was superior to IR-MPH in the improvement of peer relationship, CGI-I score, mother satisfaction and psychosomatic problems. There were no significant differences in the effectiveness between the AHC and IR-MPH groups. The adverse events related to the therapy with IR-MPH, OROS-MPH or AHC were mild and the incidence rates of adverse events were not significantly different among the three groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The effectiveness of OROS-MPH for the treatment of ADHD is probably superior to IR-MPH, and the effectiveness between AHC and IR-MPH is similar. The three drugs demonstrate the safety and well tolerance.

Veganism does not reduce the risk of the metabolic syndrome in a Taiwanese cohort

The purpose of the present study was to assess the risk of the metabolic syndrome (MS) with vegan, pescovegetarian, lactovegetarian and nonvegetarian diets in Taiwan. The design was a retrospective cohort study using secondary data analysis from a Taiwan longitudinal health check-up database provided by MJ Health Screening Center during 1996-2006. A total of 93209 participants were classified as vegans (n=1116), pescovegetarians (n=2461), lactovegetarians (n=4313) and nonvegetarians (n=85319) by food frequency list of self-administered questionnaire at baseline. The association between MS or MS components and different dietary groups was evaluated using Cox proportional-hazards regression models with adjustment for confounders. During the mean 3.75 years of follow up, a total 8006 MS incident cases occurred and the incidence of MS was 229 (95% CI, 224, 234) per 10000 person year. Compared with vegans, hazard ratios of MS for nonvegetarians, pescovegetarians, lactovegetarians were 0.75 (95% CI, 0.64, 0.88), 0.68 (95% CI, 0.55, 0.83) and 0.81 (95% CI, 0.67, 0.97) after adjusting for sex, age, education status, smoking status, drinking status, physical activity at work and leisure, respectively. As for MS components, nonvegetarians and pescovegetarians had 0.72 (95% CI, 0.62, 0.84), 0.70 (95% CI, 0.57, 0.84) times risk of developing low high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), while nonvegetarians had 1.16 (95% CI, 1.02, 1.32) times risk of developing high fasting plasma glucose. Our data suggest that the vegan diets did not decrease the risk of metabolic syndrome compared with pescovegetarian, lactovegetarian and nonvegetarian diets in a Taiwanese cohort.

[Fatality and secular trend of bloodstream infections during hospitalization in China: a systematic review and meta-analysis]

OBJECTIVE

To get an overview of the fatality and secular trend of bloodstream infection (BSI) during hospitalization in China.

METHODS

Papers published between 1990 and Aug. 2008 on the core journals included by Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) and VIP Chinese Periodical Database were systematically searched. Studies providing data of BSI fatality during hospitalization with a non-comparative, observational design were included. Meta-analysis was done using the generic inverse variance model.

RESULTS

Overall, 72 studies were included for this analysis. The weighted BSI fatality in-hospital based on them was 28.7% (95%CI: 27.2%-30.3%), with substantial differences between study and heterogeneity. For BSI cases from across all departments of hospitals, the weighed fatality was 20.7% (95%CI: 17.8%-24.0%). In the departments of burn, hematology and/or malignant tumors, and ICU, BSI fatalities were even higher, but were relatively low among BSI cases from neonatal wards, and patients with liver diseases, or diabetes mellitus. Fatality of hospital acquired BSI (HA-BSIs, 26.8%, 95%CI: 22.4%-32.0%) was significantly higher than that of community acquired BSI (CA-BSIs). For the past decades, BSI fatality has declined in various kinds of inpatients.

CONCLUSION

BSI fatality during hospitalization was at a high level in China, but with a downward trend over the past decades.

[Detection rate on un-repaired cleft lip/palate patients in Gansu province in 2008]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the number and distribution of un-repaired cleft lip/palate patients in Gansu province.

METHODS

A census was conducted by staff members of the health system and Population and Family Planning Committee (PFPC) in Gansu province. Standardized - Questionnaires were administered to collect demographic, domestic and diagnosis-related information.

RESULTS

In 2008, the total number of un-repaired cleft lip/palate patients was 4675, with a detection rate of 1.84/10 000 in Gansu province. Rates of detection were higher in males (2.11/10 000), young age group (4.86/10 000), rural areas (2.23/10 000), poor counties (2.19/10 000) than in females (1.43/10 000), medium (0.97/10 000)/old age group (0.68/10 000), township areas (0.62/10 000), or richer counties (1.35/10 000). Among all the cities and prefectures of Gansu, Baiyin city (2.7/10 000) had the highest while Jinchang city (0.7/10 000) had the lowest prevalence rates.

CONCLUSION

Un-repaired cleft lip/palate had been a disease burden to Gansu province, especially in the rural area and poorer counties.

Studying the impact of S9 on cyto-genotoxicity of cigarette smoke in human peripheral blood lymphocytes in vitro

In present study, human lymphocytes were exposed to cigarette smoke condensates (CSCs) at the doses of 25, 50, 75, 100 and 125 μg ml(-1) with and without S9, and the cyto-genotoxic effects were detected with CCK-8, cell apoptosis and micronucleus assays. DNA repair kinetics was observed with comet assay. Our results indicated that the cell viability decreased with CSCs doses, the percentages of apoptosis cell and the frequencies of micronuclei increased with CSCs doses, and DNA damage of human lymphocytes induced by CSCs could be basically repaired within 240 min. However, the cytotoxicity induced by CSCs +S9 was significantly lower than that induced by CSCs -S9 in CCK-8 and cell apoptosis assays, and the DNA repair speed in +S9 group was quicker than that in -S9 group. In conclusion, S9 may affect not only the cyto-genotoxicity of CSCs but also the repair process of DNA damage induced by CSCs in lymphocytes.