Associations of unintended pregnancy with autism spectrum disorders and the modification of folic acid supplements.

There is limited evidence on the associations of unintended pregnancy with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This study aimed to examine this relationship and the modification of pre-conceptional and prenatal folic acid supplements. Six thousand and five toddlers aged 16 to 30 months from seven cities of six provinces in China were eligible for participation. Information on unintended pregnancy and folic acid supplements was obtained via questionnaires from caregivers of toddlers. The diagnosis of ASD was based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) and the Chinese version of the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS). Of the 6005 toddlers in the study (3337 boys and 2668 girls), 71 (1.18%) received the diagnosis of ASD. Generalized linear models with a logit link function showed unintended pregnancy was positively associated with ASD (odds ratios [OR] = 1.69, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05-2.79). Stratified estimates indicated that the association remained stable among toddlers of mothers without pre-conceptional and prenatal folic acid supplements (OR = 2.75, 95% CI, 1.04-7.27; n = 1243, 20.70%). Unintended pregnancy was associated with higher odds of ASD in 16-30 months of toddlers, and the association was consistent among toddlers of mothers without prenatal folic acid supplements. Our findings emphasize the need to raise awareness of the risk of unintended pregnancy and the benefits of folic acid supplements among Chinese women.

Studies on the preparation of biodiesel from Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim seed oil.

To reduce the cost of biodiesel production, the feasibility of Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim seed oil (ZBMSO) was studied to produce biodiesel. A methyl ester biodiesel was produced from ZBMSO using methanol, sulfuric acid, and potassium hydroxide in a two-stage process. The main variables that affect the process were investigated. The high level of free fatty acids in ZBMSO was reduced to < 1% by an acid-catalyzed (2% H2SO4) esterification with methanol to oil molar ratios of 20-25:1 for 1 h. A maximum yield of 96% of methyl esters in ZBMSO biodiesel was achieved using a 6.5:1 molar ratio of methanol to oil, 0.9% KOH (percent oil), and reaction time of 0.5 h at 55 degrees C. Further investigation has also been devoted to the assessment of some important fuel properties of ZBMSO biodiesel produced under the optimized conditions according to specifications for biodiesel as fuel in diesel engines. The fuel properties of the ZBMSO biodiesel obtained are similar to those of no. 0 petroleum diesel fuel, and most of the parameters comply with the limits established by specifications for biodiesel.