Benzoyl isothiocyanate modified surface of silica gel as the extraction material for adsorbing steroid hormones in water.

Steroid hormones have been listed as priority pollutants in the environment, and their detection and pollution control deserve our extensive attention. In this study, a modified silica gel adsorbent material was synthesized by benzoyl isothiocyanate reaction with hydroxyl groups on the silica gel surface. The modified silica gel was used as a solid phase extraction filler for the extraction of steroid hormones from water, which was further analyzed by the HPLC-MS/MS method. The FT-IR, TGA, XPS, and SEM analysis indicated that benzoyl isothiocyanate was successfully grafted on the surface of silica gel to form a bond with an isothioamide group and benzene ring as the tail chain. The modified silica gel synthesized at 40 °C showed excellent adsorption and recovery rates for three steroid hormones in water. Methanol at pH 9.0 was selected as the optimal eluent. The adsorption capacity of the modified silica gel for epiandrosterone, progesterone, and megestrol acetate was 6822 ng mg-1, 13 899 ng mg-1, and 14 301 ng mg-1, respectively. Under optimal conditions, the limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) for 3 steroid hormones by modified silica gel extraction with HPLC-MS/MS detection were 0.02-0.88 µg L-1 and 0.06-2.22 µg L-1, respectively. The recovery rate of epiandrosterone, progesterone, and megestrol was between 53.7% and 82.9%, respectively. The modified silica gel has been successfully used to analyze steroid hormones in wastewater and surface water.

Polyimidazolyl acetate ionic liquid grafted on cellulose filter paper as thin-film extraction phase for extraction of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs from water.

Recently, pharmaceuticals and personal care products in the water environment exhibited potential risks to both human and aquatic organisms. In order to improve the sensitivity and accuracy of pharmaceutical detection, the polyimidazolyl acetate ionic liquid was synthesized by Radziszewski reaction and coated on cellulose filter papers as a thin-film extraction phase for extraction of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs from water. The attenuated total reflection-infrared spectrometry, thermogravimetric analysis, and scanning electron microscope analyses demonstrated that the polyimidazolyl acetate ionic liquid was successfully prepared and attached to the surface of the cellulose filter paper through chemical bonding. The adsorption capacity of the homemade thin-film extraction material for the four non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs was greater than 8898 ng/cm2 under the optimum conditions, and the desorption rate was over 90%. Then, a paper-based thin-film extraction phase-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was established for the extraction of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in water. This method provided limits of detection and limits of quantification were in the range of 0.02-0.15 and 0.17-0.50 µg/L, respectively. Hence, the obtained thin-film extraction phase showed excellent recovery and reproducibility for the target non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs with carboxyl groups from water.

Untreated Prior Pulmonary Tuberculosis Adversely Affects Pregnancy Outcomes in Infertile Women Undergoing in vitro Fertilization and Embryo Transfer: A Large Retrospective Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: Prior pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) on chest X-ray (CXR) was commonly found in infertile patients receiving examinations before in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET). It was unclear whether untreated PTB would affect pregnancy outcomes after IVF-ET. METHOD: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 14,254 infertile patients who had received IVF-ET at Peking University Third Hospital in 2017. Prior PTB was defined as the presence of signs suggestive of old or inactive PTB on CXR, with or without a clinical TB history. Patients who had prior PTB on CXR but had not received a clinical diagnosis and anti-TB therapy were included for analysis. Live birth, clinical pregnancy, and miscarriage rates were compared between the untreated PTB and non-PTB groups. RESULTS: The untreated PTB group had significantly lower clinical pregnancy (31.7% vs. 38.1%) and live birth (23.8% vs. 30.6%) rates than the non-PTB group (both P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that untreated PTB was a risk factor for decreased live birth rate [odds ratio ( OR), 0.80; 95% confidence interval ( CI), 0.66-0.98; P = 0.028] in all patients and for increased miscarriage ( OR, 4.19; 95% CI, 1.69-10.39; P = 0.002) and decreased live birth ( OR, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.24-0.83; P = 0.011) rates in patients with unexplained infertility. CONCLUSIONS: Untreated PTB was associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes after IVF-ET, especially in patients with unexplained infertility, highlighting the clinical significance of PTB in this specific patient population.

Modular control of movement and posture by the corticospinal alpha-gamma motor systems.

It is widely assumed that neural control of movement is carried out by the a motor system sufficiently. The role of the γ motor system in movement and posture has not been adequately addressed in motor control studies. Here, we propose a modular control model for movement and posture based on propriospinal neuronal (PN) network and spinal α-γ motor system. In the modular control model, the a and γ motor commands are divided into static and dynamic functions. The static commands are specified by the higher center of brain for posture control, and the dynamic commands for movement generation, respectively. Centrally planned kinematics based on the minimal jerk criterion is conveyed to the periphery via the γ motor system, while centrally programmed bi-phasic burst pattern of muscle activation is relayed to a pair of antagonistic muscles through the a motor system via the PN. Results of simulation showed that elbow kinematics and biceps and triceps activations displayed the similar kinematic and EMG features of fast reaching movement in human. This suggests a hypothesis that the α-γ motor systems can achieve modular control of movement and posture in parallel.

Association of gene polymorphisms of tumour necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-13 with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Han nationality in Beijing.

BACKGROUND: Genetic factors are believed to play a role in the individual susceptibility to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) has been reported but inconsistent results may arise from different populations and phenotypes of COPD. There are only a few published studies of interleukin-13 (IL-13) SNPs on COPD. The SNPs of TNF-alpha and IL-13 have not been studied in the Chinese population. This research was conducted to study the frequencies of IL-13 gene promoter 1055 (IL-13-1055) and TNF-alpha gene-308 polymorphisms in the patients with COPD and to investigate the effect of those genetic polymorphisms on COPD in the Chinese population. METHODS: A cohort of COPD patients and age matched controls were recruited from an inpatient hospital service in Beijing. Venous blood was obtained and genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood monocytes using standard method. Genomic DNA was used as a template for amplification by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to determine the polymorphism at -1055 in the IL-13 gene promoter region. PCR restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) was used to determine polymorphisms in the TNF-alpha gene-308 position. The products were investigated by sequence analysis also. RESULTS: One hundred and eleven COPD patients and 97 controls were studied. Seventy-five cases were current smokers in COPD patients and 36 were current smokers in controls. The frequencies of TT genotype in the IL-13 gene promoter region were 11.7% (13/111) in the COPD group and 13.4% (13/97) in the controls (P = 0.713). However, the OR value of TT genotype was significantly increased to 6.4 (95% CI 1.62 - 25.39) in the smokers with COPD. TT genotype was also positively related to family history of COPD, OR = 7.7 (95% CI 1.37 - 43.80). The frequencies of A allele in the TNF-alpha gene were 5.9% in COPD and 3.1% in controls (P = 0.131). The OR value of A allele was 5.0 (95% CI 1.011 to 25.059) in smokers with COPD. CONCLUSIONS: There is no significant difference in the frequencies of the TT genotype of IL-13-1055 or the A allele of the TNF-alpha between Han Chinese patients with COPD versus control. Thus, it does not appear that these SNPs are independent factors in COPD for Han nationality in Beijing. However, these SNPs may increase the risk of COPD among smokers.

[The study of interleukin-13 gene promoter polymorphism in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease].

OBJECTIVE: To study the frequencies of interleukin-13 (IL-13) gene promoter 1055 (IL-13-1055) polymorphism in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and to investigate the effect of this genetic polymorphism on COPD in Chinese. METHODS: The polymorphism in 111 COPD patients and 97 controls who had non-obstructive pulmonary disease were studied. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood mononuclear cells by using standard high-concentration salt method. Genomic DNA was used as a template for amplification by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-amplification of specific allele (PASA) to determine the polymorphism at -1055 in the IL-13 gene promoter region. The production was investigated by sequence analysis. SPSS was used for statistical analysis. chi(2) test was used to examine the genotype in COPD patients and controls. Logistic regression analysis was used to exclude confounding factors and evaluate the effect of smoking or family history on COPD combining with gene polymorphism. RESULTS: The frequency of TT genotype in COPD was 11.7% (13/111), and 13.4% (13/97) in control group, P = 0.713. P value was increased to 0.244 using logistic regression analysis excluded confounding factors, including age, gender, smoking and combined diseases. TT genotype can increase the risk of smoking to COPD, OR = 6.40 (95% CI: 1.62 - 25.39) when the data was stratified by smoking status. TT genotype was positively related with family history of COPD, OR = 7.67 (95% CI: 1.37 - 43.80) using multiple factors regression analysis to clinic phenotype and TT genotype. CONCLUSION: TT genotype of IL-13-1055 is not an independent factor for COPD in Chinese Han people in Beijing, but increases the risk for smokers to develop COPD and the one who has COPD family history as well.

[Study on subcretin in 8 minorities of Yunnan province].

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of subcretins in 8 minorities of Yunnan province and to provide scientific basis for public health policy-making, as well as for prevention and control of iodine deficiency disorders. METHODS: Four thousand two hundred and twenty-two minority school children aged 8-12 years selected from 29 schools in 8 minority counties were measured by Combined Raven's Test in China (CRT-C(2)) and Jinyi Psychomotor test Battery (JPB). RESULTS: Average of intelligence quotient (IQ) on 4,222 children was 91 +/- 19. Among 277 pupils with IQ between 55 - 69, 119 of them showed abnormal on JPB test and 5.4% of the children was found to have Goiter under ultrasonography. Median level of urinary iodine was 466.9 microg/L, and the qualified rate of iodized salt was 94.9%. CONCLUSION: The estimated prevalence rate of subcretin was 2.8%.