A prospective epidemiological analysis of controlling nutritional status score with the poor functional outcomes in Chinese patients with haemorrhagic stroke.

Nutritional Risk Screening index is a standard tool to assess nutritional risk, but epidemiological data are scarce on controlling nutritional status (CONUT) as a prognostic marker in acute haemorrhagic stroke (AHS). We aimed to explore whether the CONUT may predict a 3-month functional outcome in AHS. In total, 349 Chinese patients with incident AHS were consecutively recruited, and their malnutrition risks were determined using a high CONUT score of ≥ 2. The cohort patients were divided into high-CONUT (≥ 2) and low-CONUT (< 2) groups, and primary outcomes were a poor functional prognosis defined as the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of ≥ 3 at post-discharge for 3 months. Odds ratios (OR) with 95 % confidence intervals (CI) for the poor functional prognosis at post-discharge were estimated by using a logistic analysis with additional adjustments for unbalanced variables between the high-CONUT and low-CONUT groups. A total of 328 patients (60·38 ± 12·83 years; 66·77 % male) completed the mRS assessment at post-discharge for 3 months, with 172 patients at malnutrition risk at admission and 104 patients with a poor prognosis. The levels of total cholesterol and total lymphocyte counts were significantly lower in high-CONUT patients than low-CONUT patients (P = 0·012 and < 0·001, respectively). At 3-month post discharge, there was a greater risk for the poor outcome in the high-CONUT compared with the low-CONUT patients at admission (OR: 2·32, 95 % CI: 1·28, 4·17). High-CONUT scores independently predict a 3-month poor prognosis in AHS, which helps to identify those who need additional nutritional managements.

Fasting blood glucose-to-glycated hemoglobin ratio and all-cause mortality among Chinese in-hospital patients with acute stroke: a 12-month follow-up study.

BACKGROUND: Stroke is a leading cause of death and functional impairment in older people. To assess the prospective association between fasting blood glucose-to-glycated hemoglobin ratio and all-cause mortality and poor prognosis in stroke patients. METHODS: A total of 971 Chinese inpatients with acute stroke (mean age of 65.7) were consecutively enrolled in the prospective clinical study and followed up for 12 months after discharge. Stress hyperglycemia was measured using the ratio of fasting blood glucose (FBG, mmol/L)/glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c, %). The primary outcome was all-cause mortality, and secondary outcomes were poor prognosis defined as infectious complications, a National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score ≥ 6, a Barthel Index score ≤ 60, or a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of 3-6, presented as multivariate-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) across the quartiles of the FBG/HbA1c ratio. RESULTS: There were 35 (4.1%) all-cause deaths at 3 months and 85 (11.4%) at 12 months. The inpatients with the highest quartile of the FBG/HbA1c ratio had a higher risk of all-cause death at 3 months (adjusted OR: 5.16, 95% CI: 1.03-25.74) and at 12 months (adjusted OR: 2.59, 95% CI: 1.14-5.89)) and a higher risk of infectious complications (adjusted OR 2.37, 95% CI 1.27-4.43) and dysfunction (adjusted OR 1.79, 95% CI 1.06-3.01) during hospitalization than inpatients with the lowest quartile. CONCLUSIONS: Stress hyperglycemia, measured by the FBG/HbA1c ratio, was associated with an increased risk of adverse outcomes, including all-cause death, infectious complications, and dysfunction after stroke.

A Facile Way to Form a Graded Halide Layer in Perovskite Solar Cells.

A light harvest layer composed of gradual change from formamidinium lead triiodide (FAPbI3) to methylammonium lead triiodide (MAPbI3) was fabricated using a novel two-step process. That is, a graded halide layer structure without extra processing steps is demonstrated. Conventionally, in the fabrication of MAPbI3 perovskite solar cells (PSCs) using two-step process, PbI2 layer was the first deposited on a mesoporous TiO2 coated substrate. The methylammonium iodide (MAI) solvent was then spin-coated on the surface of PbI2 layer and heated to form the MAPbI3 perovskite layer. Double perovskite layers such as FAPbI3 plus MAPbI3 requires twice of the second step which FAI and MAI should be spin-coated individually. This can be tedious and time consuming. We report here a facile way to form a graded perovskite layer, consisting FAPbI3 to MAPbI3, in a single step. FAI was first added into dimethylformamide (DMF) solution that was used to form PbI2 layer, then MAI solution was dripped on top of the FAI/PbI2 layer. The graded perovskite layer structure (FAPbI3/MAPbI3) in a gradient manner are readily formed, where the structure is confirmed by EDS to be FTO/compact TiO2/mesoporous TiO2/FAPbI3(thin)/MAPbI3/Spiro-OMeTAD/Ag. The Jsc, and Voc of solar cells with this graded perovskite layer are enhanced and the efficiency increases from 11.62% to 14.06%.

Predictive Value of Nutritional Risk for All-Cause Death and Functional Outcomes in Chinese Elderly Patients with Acute Stroke: A 3-Year Follow-Up Study.

Purpose: To explore the predictive value of nutritional risk for all-cause death and functional outcomes among elderly acute stroke patients. Patients and Methods: A total of 479 elderly acute stroke patients were enrolled in this study. The nutritional risk of patients was screened by the GNRI and NRS-2002. The primary outcome was all-cause death, and the secondary outcome was poor prognosis defined as a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score ≥3. Results: Based on the NRS-2002, patients with nutritional risk had a higher risk of all-cause death at 3 months (adjusted OR: 3.642, 95% CI 1.046~12.689) and at 3 years (adjusted OR: 2.266, 95% CI 1.259~4.076) and a higher risk of adverse functional outcomes at 3 months (adjusted OR: 2.748, 95% CI 1.518~4.972. Based on the GNRI, compared to those without nutritional risk, patients with mild malnutrition also had a higher risk of all-cause death at 3 months (adjusted OR: 7.186, 95% CI 1.550~33.315) and at 3 years (adjusted OR: 2.255, 95% CI 1.211~4.199) and a higher risk of adverse functional outcomes at 3 months (adjusted OR: 1.947, 95% CI 1.030~3.680), so patients with moderate and severe malnutrition had a higher risk of all-cause death at 3 months (adjusted OR: 6.535, 95% CI 1.380~30.945) and at 3 years (adjusted OR: 2.498, 95% CI 1.301~4.799) and a higher risk of adverse functional outcomes at 3 months (adjusted OR: 2.213, 95% CI 1.144~4.279). Conclusion: Nutritional risk increases the risk of poor short-term and long-term outcomes in elderly patients with acute stroke. For elderly stroke patients, we should pay attention to early nutritional risk screening, and effective intervention should be provided to improve the prognosis of such patients.

Being at risk of malnutrition predicts poor outcomes at 3 months in acute ischemic stroke patients.

BACKGROUND: Malnutrition is confirmed to be associated with poor outcomes in stroke patients. The present study aimed to confirm that being at risk of malnutrition assessed by Nutritional Risk Screening Tool 2002 (NRS-2002) and the Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score predicts poor outcomes at 3 months in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients. METHODS: In total, 682 patients with AIS were recruited within 7 days of stroke onset consecutively and 110 were dropped out. They were screened for risk of malnutrition using NRS-2002 and the CONUT score. The primary outcome is the follow-up modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score. Poor outcomes were defined as an (mRS) score ≥ 3 at 3 months post discharge. RESULTS: There was a significant difference in the mRS score at 3 months between patients at risk of malnutrition compared to those not at risk assessed by NRS-2002(P < 0.001) and CONUT (P = 0.011). The logistic regression model showed that the risk of malnourishment (according to NRS-2002), low risk of malnourishment (according to CONUT), and the moderate-to-severe risk of malnourishment (according to CONUT) were associated with higher risk of poor outcomes at 3 months (P < 0.001, P = 0.033, and P = 0.007). The multivariate logistic regression model (adjusted for confounding factors) demonstrated that the risk of malnourishment, according to the NRS-2002, was associated with the increasing risk of poor outcomes at 3 months (odds ratio = 2.31; 95% CI: 1.24-4.30; P = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS: The risk of malnutrition assessed by NRS-2002 and CONUT can predict poor outcomes at 3 months in AIS patients. NRS-2002 is superior to CONUT in predicting poor outcomes at 3 months.

Preliminary investigations on a new disposable potentiometric biosensor for uric acid.

In this paper, uricase, catalase, and electron mediator were coimmobilized on the surface of the tin oxide (SnO2)/indium tin oxide (ITO) glass, to develop a disposable potentiometric uric acid biosensor. The SnO2/ITO glass was employed as a pH sensor, fabricated by sputtering SnO2 thin films on the ITO glass. 3-Glycidyloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (GPTS) was utilized to immobilize uricase, catalase and the electron mediator (ferrocenecarboxylic acid, FcA) on the sensing window. The experimental results reveal that the optimal weight ratio of uricase, FcA to catalase (CAT) is 4:1:2. The sensor responds linearly between 2 mg/dl and 7 mg/dl at pH 7.5, in 20 mM of test solution, with a correlation coefficient of 0.99213. Accordingly, no significant interference was observed when interfering substances, glucose, urea and ascorbic acid, were added to the uric acid solution. Moreover, the recorded voltage was relatively constant during the first 28 days of measurement. Consequently, a potentiometric uric acid biosensor was realized with the advantages of low cost and simple fabrication.

Canine heat shock protein 27 promotes proliferation, migration, and doxorubicin resistance in the canine cell line DTK-F.

Canine mammary tumors (CMTs) are the most common type of tumors in female dogs. Heat shock proteins are highly expressed in many cancers and are involved in tumor progression and chemoresistance in CMTs; however, the biological role of canine heat shock protein 27 (cHSP27) in CMTs has not been thoroughly characterized. This study investigated the roles of cHSP27 in cell growth, migration, anchorage, and resistance to doxorubicin (DOX) using DTK-F cells, a CMT cell line that does not express cHSP27. DTK-F cells were transfected with cHSP27 and stable overexpression was established. A mouse monoclonal antibody against cHSP27 was also produced. The biological functions of cHSP27 in DTK-F cells were then evaluated using a variety of assays. Overexpression of cHSP27 was associated with increased cell proliferation, clone formation, migration, and decreased DOX sensitivity. In conclusion, these data provide evidence that cHSP27 overexpression can promote anchorage-independent growth, migration, and increased DOX resistance in CMT cells.

An implantable multifunctional needle type biosensor with integrated RF capability.

We report the development of an implantable multifunctional (glucose and cholesterol) needle type biosensor with integrated RF wireless circuitry for continuous in vivo monitoring of metabolites during short term stays in emergency room or intensive care unit. Silicon-based MEMS technologies are used for the fabrication of micro needle sensors. The whole device is covered by a biocompatible Parylene layer with opening structure at the active areas of electrodes. Electropolymerization of active biomolecules and conducting polymer provides in situ nanoscale physical entrapments of various oxidoreductases (Glucose oxidase and cholesterol oxidase) and functions as a viable matrix for the construction of micro amperometric biosensors. Hybrid CMOS fabrication processes are used to accomplish the 433 MHz ASK RF transmitter and receiver (0.18μm CMOS 1P6M process) and the data converter (0.35μm CMOS 2P4M process). We will present and discuss the detail design and the integrated system performance in this paper.