Dietary Acid Load Was Positively Associated with the Risk of Hip Fracture in Elderly Adults.

Previous studies have shown that dietary acid load (DAL) harms bone health, but the evidence is inconsistent and insufficient. This study examined the relationships between DAL and the risk of hip fracture. This case−control study contained 1070 pairs of 1:1 age-, city-, and gender-matched incident cases and controls (mean age, 71 years) recruited in Guangdong, China. Dietary information was collected using a validated 79-item food frequency questionnaire through face-to-face interviews. DAL was estimated based on established algorithms for the potential renal acid load (PRAL) and net endogenous acid production (NEAP). Higher PRAL and NEAP were dose-dependently associated with a higher risk of hip fracture in both the conditional logistic regression model and restricted cubic spline analysis after adjusting for potential covariates. The multivariate-adjusted odds ratios and 95% CI of hip fracture for tertiles 2 and 3 (vs. 1) of DAL were 1.63 (1.18, 2.25) and 1.92 (1.36, 2.71) for PRAL and 1.81 (1.30, 2.53) and 2.55 (1.76, 3.71) for NEAP in all participants (all p-trends < 0.001), respectively. Subgroup analyses showed more pronounced associations in participants with a lower body mass index. Our findings suggested positive associations between the estimated DAL and the risk of hip fractures in the elderly Chinese population.

[Change of TK1 Expression Level in NHL Patients before and after Chemotherapy and Its Clinical Significance].

OBJECTIVE: To study the change of TK1 expression level in patients with NHL and its clinical significance. METHODS: A total of 108 NHL patients from July 2013 to January 2016 were chosen, all patients were treated with chemotherapy. The TK1 expression level and TK1 variation rate were compared among CR/PR/PD/DR patients. All patients were followed up, and the relation of TK1 level with OS/PFS was analyzed. RESULTS: After treatment, the TK1 expression level of CR/PR/SD patients decreased significantly (P<0.05). Before treatment, the TK1 expression level of CR patients was 1.49±0.34,that after treatment was 0.45±0.17,the variation rate was (68.12±5.41)%; those of PR patients were respectively 2.89±0.58, 1.43±0.29 and (50.27±4.82)%; those of PD patients were respectively 3.98±0.78, 3.71±0.85 and (5.04±0.31)%; and those of SD patients were respectively 3.49±0.92, 2.45±0.57 and (28.65±3.97)%, the difference had statistic significance(P<0.05). After treatment, TK1 level related significantly with OS and PFS (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: TK1 expression level has suggested implications for the evaluation of tumor loading, and treatment effect as well as prognosis of patients with NHL.

Association of dietary fat intake with the risk of hip fractures in an elderly Chinese population: A matched case-control study.

AIM: The aim of the present study was to examine the association between dietary fat intake and the risk of hip fractures in an elderly Chinese population. METHODS: A case-control study of 646 patients with newly diagnosed hip fractures and 646 controls, matched by age (±3 years) and sex, was carried out among elderly Chinese (55-80 years) in Guangdong, China. Their dietary fat intake was measured and calculated using a 79-item food-frequency questionnaire. RESULTS: After adjusting for potential confounders, a dose-dependent increased risk of hip fractures was found to be associated with higher intakes of total fat, animal fat, saturated fatty acids and mono-unsaturated fatty acids (P for trend < 0.005). The adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for hip fractures from a comparison of extreme quartiles were 1.92 (1.26-2.92) for total fat, 2.60 (1.70-3.99) for animal fat, 1.95 (1.30-2.93) for saturated fatty acids and 2.22 (1.46-3.39) for animal mono-unsaturated fatty acids, respectively. No significant association was observed for plant fat or polyunsaturated fatty acids (P for trend = 0.063 for plant fat and 0.174 for polyunsaturated fatty acids). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that higher consumption of total fat and animal fat rich in saturated fatty acids might increase the risk of hip fractures in elderly Chinese.

Associations between the dietary intake of antioxidant nutrients and the risk of hip fracture in elderly Chinese: a case-control study.

The role of oxidative stress in skeletal health is unclear. The present study investigated whether a high dietary intake of antioxidant nutrients (vitamins C and E, ß-carotene, animal-derived vitamin A, retinol equivalents, Zn and Se) is associated with a reduced risk of hip fracture in elderly Chinese. This 1:1 matched case-control study involved 726 elderly Chinese with hip fracture and 726 control subjects, recruited between June 2009 and May 2013. Face-to-face interviews were conducted to determine habitual dietary intakes of the above-mentioned seven nutrients based on a seventy-nine-item FFQ and information on various covariates, and an antioxidant score was calculated. After adjustment for potential covariates, dose-dependent inverse associations were observed between the dietary intake of vitamin C, vitamin E, ß-carotene, and Se and antioxidant score and the risk of hip fracture (P for trend ≤ 0·005). The OR of hip fracture for the highest (v. lowest) quartile of intake were 0·39 (95 % CI 0·28, 0·56) for vitamin C, 0·23 (95 % CI 0·16, 0·33) for vitamin E, 0·51 (95 % CI 0·36, 0·73) for ß-carotene, 0·43 (95 % CI 0·26, 0·70) for Se and 0·24 (95 % CI 0·17, 0·36) for the antioxidant score. A moderate-to-high dietary intake of retinol equivalents in quartiles 2-4 (v. 1) was found to be associated with a lower risk of hip fracture (OR range: 0·51-0·63, P< 0·05). No significant association was observed between dietary Zn or animal-derived vitamin A intake and hip fracture risk (P for trend >0·20). In conclusion, a higher dietary intake of vitamins C and E, ß-carotene, and Se and a moderate-to-high dietary intake of retinol equivalents are associated with a lower risk of hip fracture in elderly Chinese.

Effectiveness of pharmacist dosing adjustment for critically ill patients receiving continuous renal replacement therapy: a comparative study.

BACKGROUND: The impact of continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) on drug removal is complicated; pharmacist dosing adjustment for these patients may be advantageous. This study aims to describe the development and implementation of pharmacist dosing adjustment for critically ill patients receiving CRRT and to examine the effectiveness of pharmacist interventions. METHODS: A comparative study was conducted in an intensive care unit (ICU) of a university-affiliated hospital. Patients receiving CRRT in the intervention group received specialized pharmacy dosing service from pharmacists, whereas patients in the no-intervention group received routine medical care without pharmacist involvement. The two phases were compared to evaluate the outcome of pharmacist dosing adjustment. RESULTS: The pharmacist carried out 233 dosing adjustment recommendations for patients receiving CRRT, and 212 (90.98%) of the recommendations were well accepted by the physicians. Changes in CRRT-related variables (n=144, 61.81%) were the most common risk factors for dosing errors, whereas antibiotics (n=168, 72.10%) were the medications most commonly associated with dosing errors. Pharmacist dosing adjustment resulted in a US$2,345.98 ICU cost savings per critically ill patient receiving CRRT. Suspected adverse drug events in the intervention group were significantly lower than those in the preintervention group (35 in 27 patients versus [vs] 18 in eleven patients, P<0.001). However, there was no significant difference between length of ICU stay and mortality after pharmacist dosing adjustment, which was 8.93 days vs 7.68 days (P=0.26) and 30.10% vs 27.36% (P=0.39), respectively. CONCLUSION: Pharmacist dosing adjustment for patients receiving CRRT was well accepted by physicians, and was related with lower adverse drug event rates and ICU cost savings. These results may support the development of strategies to include a pharmacist in the multidisciplinary ICU team.

[A case-control study regarding tea consumption and risk of hip fractures in middle-aged and elderly Chinese].

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of tea consumption on the risk of osteoporotic hip fractures. METHODS: Between January 2008 and June 2012, 581 (148 males, 433 females) incident cases of hip fractures were enrolled from four hospitals in Guangdong province, with 581 sex- and age-matched (± 3 years) controls from either hospitals or communities. Face-to-face interviews were conducted to collect data pertaining to tea drinking and various covariates. RESULTS RESULTS: from univariate conditional logistic analyses showed that an inverse association was observed in tea drinking and hip fracture risk. Longer time, greater frequency and dosage of tea consumption were dose-dependently associated with lower risk of hip fractures (P-trend < 0.05). Compared to non-drinkers, the odd ratios related to regular tea drinkers, subgroups with different length, frequency, dosage, type of tea consumption were ranged between 0.54 and 0.74 (all P < 0.05). After adjustment for factors as age, daily energy intake, BMI, education levels, passive smoking, calcium supplement and physical activity, the dose-dependent associations among above said factors still remained significant. However, the strength of the association lowered slightly. The beneficial effect of tea was significant only in men but not in women. Similar effects were found in subjects with different education levels. CONCLUSION: Regular tea drinking habit might decrease the risk of osteoporotic hip fractures in the elderly males.

The association of red meat, poultry, and egg consumption with risk of hip fractures in elderly Chinese: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: The epidemiological evidence that the consumption of red meat, poultry or eggs may be associated with the risk of hip fractures is inconsistent and no studies have differentiated between types of red meat or poultry. We evaluated the association between the consumption of red meat, poultry or eggs and the risk of hip fracture. METHODS: A 1:1 age- (±3years) and gender-matched case-control study of 646 pairs (female/male: 484/162) of elderly Chinese was conducted between June 2009 and January 2013 in Guangdong, China. Information on meat and egg consumption was collected using a 79-item food frequency questionnaire administered in face-to-face interviews. Conditional logistic regression was used to test the relationship between intake of red meat, poultry, and eggs and the risk of hip fracture. Multivariate ORs and their 95% CIs were estimated. RESULTS: After adjusting for potential confounders, risk of hip fracture was found to be positively associated with total red meat consumption (P for trend <0.001), but not with total poultry or egg consumption. The adjusted ORs (95% CIs) for hip fractures, comparing extreme quartiles, were 2.94 (1.82, 4.76) for total red meat, 1.11 (0.74, 1.66) for total poultry, and 0.99 (0.63, 1.56) for eggs. Subtype analyses indicated that the unfavorable effect of total red meat was primarily associated with the consumption of fatty pork and organ meat, whereas fatty and lean poultry had opposite effects. Men with higher fatty pork intake tended to have greater risk than women (P interaction=0.019). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that greater consumption of fatty, but not lean, red meat and poultry may increase the risk of hip fracture. These results provide preliminary evidence for the feasibility of a dietary program for the prevention of hip fractures, which should be confirmed by further studies.

Dietary patterns and the risk of hip fractures in elderly Chinese: a matched case-control study.

CONTEXT: Many studies have investigated the effects of individual foods or nutrients on bone health, but limited research has focused on dietary patterns. PURPOSE: We examined the association of dietary patterns with the risk of hip fractures in elderly Chinese. DESIGN: This 1:1 age- (±3 years) and gender-matched case-control study were performed between June 2009 and June 2012. SETTING: The study was conducted in Guangdong Province, China. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 581 pairs of hip fracture incident cases and controls (71 ± 7 years) were studied. Face-to-face interviews were conducted to assess dietary intake using a 79-item food frequency questionnaire, whereas general information was collected using structured questionnaires. Dietary patterns were identified by a principal components factor analysis. Univariate and multivariate conditional logistic regression were used to analyze the association. MAIN RESULT: We identified 4 dietary patterns: healthy, prudent, traditional, and high-fat. Dose-dependent lower risks of hip fracture were observed in relation to higher scores in the healthy dietary pattern related to high fruit and vegetable intake and in the prudent pattern typified by a higher intake of nuts, mushrooms, algae, and seafood but lower in grains, whereas the same were associated with lower scores in the high-fat dietary pattern (all P trend < .05). The adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for hip fractures, comparing the extreme tertiles of the 3 patterns, were 0.42 (0.24-0.73) for healthy, 0.51 (0.28-0.90) for prudent, and 2.25 (1.38-3.69) for high-fat. No significant association was found between the traditional dietary pattern (with a high intake of Chinese herbal tea, double stewed soup, processed meat and fish, and organ meat) and hip fracture risk. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the consumption of a healthy or prudent dietary pattern can protect against hip fractures, whereas a high-fat pattern promotes the incidence of such fractures.

Higher fish intake is associated with a lower risk of hip fractures in Chinese men and women: a matched case-control study.

OBJECTIVES: Fish is rich in nutrients that are favorable to bone health, but limited data are available regarding the relationship between fish intake and hip fractures. Our study examined the association between habitual fish intake and risk of hip fractures. METHODS: A case-control study was performed between June 2009 and June 2012 in Guangdong Province, China. Five hundred and eighty-one hip fracture incident cases, aged 55 to 80 years (mean: 71 years), were enrolled from four hospitals. 1∶1 matched controls by gender and age (±3 years) were also recruited from communities and hospitals. Face-to-face interviews were used to obtain habitual dietary intake and information on various covariates. RESULTS: Univariate conditional logistic regression analyses showed significantly dose-dependent inverse correlations between the risk of hip fractures and the intake of fresh-water fish, sea fish, mollusca, shellfish, and total fish in all of the subjects (p-trend: <0.001-0.016). After adjusting for covariates, the associations were slightly attenuated but remained significant for all (p-trend: <0.001-0.017) except for fresh-water fish (p = 0.553). The ORs (95%CI) of hip fractures for the highest (vs. lowest) quartile were 0.80 (0.48-1.31) for fresh-water fish, 0.31 (0.18-0.52) for sea fish, 0.55 (0.34-0.88) for mollusca and shellfish, and 0.47 (0.28-0.79) for total fish, respectively. Stratified and interaction analyses showed that the association was more significant in males than in females (p-interaction = 0.052). CONCLUSION: Higher intake of seafood is independently associated with lower risk of hip fractures in elderly Chinese. Increasing consumption of sea fish may benefit the prevention of hip fractures in this population.

[Mechanism of platycodin D-induced apoptosis in A549 human lung cancer cells].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the molecular mechanism of platycodin D showing the inhibitory effect on proliferation and induced apoptosis of humane long cancer cells A549. METHOD: Humane long cancer cells A549 were cultured in vitro, with the final PD concentration of 5-20 micromol x L(-1). PD's inhibitory effect on cell proliferation was examined by MTT assay. Morphological changes in cells were observed with microscope. The cell apoptosis rate was detected by Annexin V-FITC/PI double staining. The change of mitochondrial membrane potential was detected by JC-1. The protein expressing of leaved Caspase-3, cleaved Caspase-9, cleaved PARP, Bcl-2, Bcl-xl, Bak and Bax were detected by Western blot analysis. RESULT: PD could inhibit the proliferation of A549 cells and show stronger effect with the increase of concentration and over time. Compared with the control group, PDs of different concentration showed significant increase in the cell apoptosis rate, decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential after 24 h. Protein electrophoresis inspection showed cut segments in both protein Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 and notable fractures with time. Further study found that PD decreased Bcl-2, Bcl-xl proteins and increased Bax, Bak proteins after processing A549 cells. CONCLUSION: PD shows notable effect on cytotoxicity and can induce A549 cell apoptosis. It causes decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential by regulating Bax, Bak, Bcl-2 and Bcl-xl expressions, and thus activating caspase and finally causing long cancer cell apoptosis.

[Comparison between governor meridian and its bilateral control points in microcirculatory blood perfusion in 53 volunteer subjects].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the difference of the microcirculation blood perfusion volume between the Governor Vessel (GV) running course and its bilateral control points in healthy volunteers. METHODS: A total of 53 healthy volunteers were recruited in the present study. Cutaneous and muscular microvascular blood perfusion units (BPU) of Mingmen (GV 4), Jizhong (GV 6), Zhiyang (GV 9), Shenzhu (GV 12) and non-acupoint (at the 12th thoracic vertebra level) of GV and their bilateral non-meridian points (1 cm lateral to the above mentioned GV-acupoints and non-acupoint on both sides) were measured by using a Laser Doppler Flowmetry (PeriFlux 5000). RESULTS: 1) In comparison with bilateral control points, the cutaneous microvascular BPU values of Mingmen (GV 4), Jizhong (GV 6), Zhiyang (GV 9), Shenzhu (GV 12) and non-acupoint of GV Meridian were significantly higher (P < 0.01). 2) Compared with bilateral control points, BPU values of GV4, GV6, GV9, GV12 and non-acupoint of GV Meridian 1 cm, 1.5 cm and 2 cm beneath the skin were significantly higher (P < 0.05). No significant differences were found between the bilateral corresponding control points of GV4, GV6, GV9, GV12 and non-acupoint of GV in cutaneous BPU values, and between bilateral control points and GV4 in BPU values of deep (2.5 cm beneath the skin) tissues (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Blood flow perfusion volumes in the skin and deeper tissues along GV are significantly higher than those of their bilateral corresponding control points, indicating that cutaneous microvascular blood flow and shallower muscular blood flow may be the heat source for forming infrared radiation trace along meridian (IRRTM) in our past studies.

Determination of structure and energetics for gibbs surface adsorption layers of binary liquid mixture 1. Acetone + water.

The orientation, structure, and energetics of the vapor/acetone-water interface are studied with sum frequency generation vibrational spectroscopy (SFG-VS). We used the polarization null angle (PNA) method in SFG-VS to accurately determine the interfacial acetone molecule orientation, and we found that the acetone molecule has its C=O group pointing into bulk phase, one CH3 group pointing up from the bulk, and the other CH3 group pointing into the bulk phase. This well-ordered interface layer induces an antiparallel structure in the second layer through dimer formation from either dipolar or hydrogen bond interactions. With a double-layer adsorption model (DAM) and Langmuir isotherm, the adsorption free energies for the first and second layer are determined as deltaG degrees (ads,1) = - 1.9 +/- 0.2 kcal /mol and deltaG degrees (ads,2) = - 0.9 +/- 0.2 kcal /mol, respectively. Since deltaG degrees (ads,1) is much larger than the thermal energy kT = 0.59 kcal /mol, and deltaG degrees (ads,2) is close to kT, the second layer has to be less ordered. Without either strong dipolar or hydrogen bonding interactions between the second and the third layer, the third layer should be randomly thermalized as in the bulk liquid. Therefore, the thickness of the interface is not more than two layers thick. These results are consistent with previous MD simulations for the vapor/pure acetone interface, and undoubtedly provide direct microscopic structural evidences and new insight for the understanding of liquid and liquid mixture interfaces. The experimental techniques and quantitative analysis methodology used for detailed measurement of the liquid mixture interfaces in this report can also be applied to liquid interfaces, as well as other molecular interfaces in general.

C-H stretching vibrations of methyl, methylene and methine groups at the vapor/alcohol (N = 1-8) interfaces.

In IR and Raman spectral studies, the congestion of the vibrational modes in the C-H stretching region between 2800 and 3000 cm(-1) has complicated spectral assignment, conformational analysis, and structural and dynamics studies, even with quite a few of the simplest molecules. To resolve these issues, polarized spectra measurement on a well aligned sample is generally required. Because the liquid interface is generally ordered and molecularly thin, and sum frequency generation vibrational spectroscopy (SFG-VS) is an intrinsically coherent polarization spectroscopy, SFG-VS can be used for discerning details in vibrational spectra of the interfacial molecules. Here we show that, from systematic molecular symmetry and SFG-VS polarization analysis, a set of polarization selection rules could be developed for explicit assignment of the SFG vibrational spectra of the C-H stretching modes. These polarization selection rules helped assignment of the SFG-VS spectra of vapor/alcohol (n = 1-8) interfaces with unprecedented details. Previous approach on assignment of these spectra relied on IR and Raman spectral assignment, and they were not able to give such detailed assignment of the SFG vibrational spectra. Sometimes inappropriate assignment was made, and consequently misleading conclusions on interfacial structure, conformation and even dynamics were reached. With these polarization rules in addition to knowledge from IR and Raman studies, new structural information and understanding of the molecular interactions at these interfaces were obtained, and some new spectral features for the C-H stretching modes were also identified. Generally speaking, these new features can be applied to IR and Raman spectroscopic studies in the condensed phase. Therefore, the advancement on vibrational spectra assignment may find broad applications in the related fields using IR and Raman as vibrational spectroscopic tools.