Roles of Sleep Quality, Self-Efficacy, and Coping Style in the Frailty of Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study.

OBJECTIVES: Although the association between sleep disorders and frailty has been well established, little is known about the cognitive appraisal mechanisms underlying this association. Building on the transactional theory of stress and coping, this study explores the role of self-efficacy and coping style in the association between sleep quality and frailty among community-dwelling older adults. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 585 community-dwelling older adults were investigated using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Tilburg Frailty Indicator, General Self-Efficacy Scale, and Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and hierarchical regression were performed. A moderated mediation model was established using the PROCESS macro. RESULTS: Poor sleep quality affects frailty directly (B = 0.193, p < .01) and indirectly via self-efficacy (B = 0.063, p < .01). The negative impact of poor sleep on frailty through self-efficacy was moderated by both positive and negative coping style (index = -0.007). The moderating effect was stronger when participants' negative coping tendencies increased. CONCLUSIONS: Poor sleep quality indirectly influences frailty by modifying self-efficacy. Effective coping strategies can help attenuate this association. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Timely sleep assessment and tailored strategies such as psychoeducational programs and targeted coping skills training may be beneficial for preventing frailty in older adults.

Chronic ß-adrenergic stress contributes to cardiomyopathy in rodents with collagen-induced arthritis.

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have a much higher incidence of cardiac dysfunction, which contributes to the high mortality rate of RA despite anti-arthritic drug therapy. In this study, we investigated dynamic changes in cardiac function in classic animal models of RA and examined the potential effectors of RA-induced heart failure (HF). Collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) models were established in rats and mice. The cardiac function of CIA animals was dynamically monitored using echocardiography and haemodynamics. We showed that cardiac diastolic and systolic dysfunction occurred in CIA animals and persisted after joint inflammation and that serum proinflammatory cytokine (IL-1ß, TNF-α) levels were decreased. We did not find evidence of atherosclerosis (AS) in arthritic animals even though cardiomyopathy was significant. We observed that an impaired cardiac ß1AR-excitation contraction coupling signal was accompanied by sustained increases in blood epinephrine levels in CIA rats. Furthermore, serum epinephrine concentrations were positively correlated with the heart failure biomarker NT-proBNP in RA patients (r2 = +0.53, P < 0.0001). In CIA mice, treatment with the nonselective ßAR blocker carvedilol (2.5 mg·kg-1·d-1, for 4 weeks) or the specific GRK2 inhibitor paroxetine (2.5 mg·kg-1·d-1, for 4 weeks) effectively rescued heart function. We conclude that chronic and persistent ß-adrenergic stress in CIA animals is a significant contributor to cardiomyopathy, which may be a potential target for protecting RA patients against HF.

Flower-like molybdenum disulfide/cobalt ferrite composite for the extraction of benzotriazole UV stabilizers in environmental samples.

Benzotriazole UV stabilizers (BUVSs) are a class of emerging contaminants of concern; the development of rapid and convenient monitoring method for these trace-level pollutants in waters is of crucial significance in environmental science. Here, a novel magnetic flower-like molybdenum disulfide/cobalt ferrite nanocomposite (MoS2/CoFe2O4) was synthesized by hydrothermal reaction. Compared with the conventional Fe3O4-based magnetic composites, the proposed material just required a minimum consumption of Co/Fe towards the equivalent of MoS2 while providing superior magnetization performance. Taking advantages of high adsorption capacity, extraordinary stability, and repeatability in construction, MoS2/CoFe2O4 was applied to the extraction to BUVSs. The enrichment factors of three BUVSs were in the range 164-193 when 20 mL of environmental water sample was loaded on 40 mg of the adsorbent. MoS2/CoFe2O4 could be regenerated and recycled at least 10 cycles of adsorption/desorption with recoveries of 80.1-111%. The method of MoS2/CoFe2O4-based extraction coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography-variable wavelength detector was applied to the monitoring of BUVSs in seawater, lake water, and wastewater, which gave detection limits (S/N = 3) of 0.023-0.030 ng·mL-1 and recoveries of 80.1-110%. The intra-day and inter-day precisions (relative standard deviation, RSDs, n = 3) were in the range 1.6-7.5% and 3.2-11.5%, respectively. The approach is an alternative for efficient and sensitive extraction and determination of trace-level environmental pollutants in waters.

[Effect of Xiaoxuming Decoction on synaptic plasticity following acute cerebral ischemia-reperfusion in rats].

This study aims to explore the effect of Xiaoxuming Decoction on synaptic plasticity in rats with acute cerebral ischemia-reperfusion. A rat model of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury was established by middle cerebral artery occlusion(MCAO). Rats were randomly assigned into a sham group, a MCAO group, and a Xiaoxuming Decoction(60 g·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)) group. The Longa score was rated to assess the neurological function of rats with cerebral ischemia for 1.5 h and reperfusion for 24 h. The 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride(TTC) staining and hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining were employed to observe the cerebral infarction and the pathological changes of brain tissue after cerebral ischemia, respectively. Transmission electron microscopy was employed to detect the structural changes of neurons and synapses in the ischemic penumbra, and immunofluorescence, Western blot to determine the expression of synaptophysin(SYN), neuronal nuclei(NEUN), and postsynaptic density 95(PSD95) in the ischemic penumbra. The experimental results showed that the modeling increased the Longa score and led to cerebral infarction after 24 h of ischemia-reperfusion. Compared with the model group, Xiaoxuming Decoction intervention significantly decreased the Longa score and reduced the formation of cerebral infarction area. The modeling led to the shrinking and vacuolar changes of nuclei in the brain tissue, disordered cell arrangement, and severe cortical ischemia-reperfusion injury, while the pathological damage in the Xiaoxuming Decoction group was mild. The modeling blurred the synaptic boundaries and broadened the synaptic gap, while such changes were recovered in the Xiaoxuming Decoction group. The modeling decreased the fluorescence intensity of NEUN and SYN, while the intensity in Xiaoxuming Decoction group was significantly higher than that in the model group. The expression of SYN and PSD95 in the ischemic penumbra was down-regulated in the model group, while such down-regulation can be alleviated by Xiaoxuming Decoction. In summary, Xiaoxuming Decoction may improve the synaptic plasticity of ischemic penumbra during acute cerebral ischemia-reperfusion by up-regulating the expression of SYN and PSD95.

[Effect of Xiaoxuming Decoction on activation of astrocytes in acute cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury].

This study investigated the effect of Xiaoxuming Decoction(XXMD) on the activation of astrocytes after cerebral ischemia/reperfusion(I/R) injury. The model of cerebral IR injury was established using the middle cerebral artery occlusion method. Fluorocitrate(FC), an inhibitor of astrocyte activation, was applied to inhibit astrocyte activation. Rats were randomly divided into a sham group, a model group, a XXMD group, a XXMD+FC group, and a XXMD+Vehicle group. Neurobehavioral changes at 24 hours after cerebral IR injury, cerebral infarction, histopathological changes observed through HE staining, submicroscopic structure of astrocytes observed through transmission electron microscopy, fluorescence intensity of glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP) and thrombospondin 1(TSP1) measured through immunofluorescence, and expression of GFAP and TSP1 in brain tissue measured through Western blot were evaluated in rats from each group. The experimental results showed that neurobehavioral scores and cerebral infarct area significantly increased in the model group. The XXMD group, the XXMD+FC group, and the XXMD+Vehicle group all alleviated neurobehavioral changes in rats. The pathological changes in the brain were evident in the model group, while the XXMD group, the XXMD+FC group, and the XXMD+Vehicle group exhibited milder cerebral IR injury in rats. The submicroscopic structure of astrocytes in the model group showed significant swelling, whereas the XXMD group, the XXMD+FC group, and XXMD+Vehicle group protected the submicroscopic structure of astrocytes. The fluorescence intensity and protein expression of GFAP and TSP1 increased in the model group compared with those in the sham group. However, the XXMD group, the XXMD+FC group, and XXMD+Vehicle group all down-regulated the expression of GFAP and TSP1. The combination of XXMD and FC showed a more pronounced effect. These results indicate that XXMD can improve cerebral IR injury, possibly by inhibiting astrocyte activation and down-regulating the expression of GFAP and TSP1.

TNF-α impairs EP4 signaling through the association of TRAF2-GRK2 in primary fibroblast-like synoviocytes.

Our previous study showed that chronic treatment with tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) decreased cAMP concentration in fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLSs) of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) rats. In this study we investigated how TNF-α impairs cAMP homeostasis, particularly clarifying the potential downstream molecules of TNF-α and prostaglandin receptor 4 (EP4) signaling that would interact with each other. Using a cAMP FRET biosensor PM-ICUE3, we demonstrated that TNF-α (20 ng/mL) blocked ONO-4819-triggered EP4 signaling, but not Butaprost-triggered EP2 signaling in normal rat FLSs. We showed that TNF-α (0.02-20 ng/mL) dose-dependently reduced EP4 membrane distribution in normal rat FLS. TNF-α significantly increased TNF receptor 2 (TNFR2) expression and stimulated proliferation in human FLS (hFLS) via ecruiting TNF receptor-associated factor 2 (TRAF2) to cell membrane. More interestingly, we revealed that TRAF2 interacted with G protein-coupled receptor kinase (GRK2) in the cytoplasm of primary hFLS and helped to bring GRK2 to cell membrane in response of TNF-α stimulation, the complex of TRAF2 and GRK2 then separated on the membrane, and translocated GRK2 induced the desensitization and internalization of EP4, leading to reduced production of intracellular cAMP. Silencing of TRAF2 by siRNA substantially diminished TRAF2-GRK2 interaction, blocked the translocation of GRK2, and resulted in upregulated expression of membrane EP4 and intracellular cAMP. In CIA rats, administration of paroxetine to inhibit GRK2 effectively improved the symptoms and clinic parameters with significantly reduced joint synovium inflammation and bone destruction. These results elucidate a novel form of cross-talk between TNFR (a cytokine receptor) and EP4 (a typical G protein-coupled receptor) signaling pathways. The interaction between TRAF2 and GRK2 may become a potential new drug target for the treatment of inflammatory diseases.

Intraspecific nucleotide divergence in Saccharomycodes ludwigii, and proposal of Saccharomycodes pseudoludwigii sp. nov, a new apiculate yeast isolated from China.

The six synonyms currently accepted under Saccharomycodes ludwigii were investigated for by phenotypic properties, however, the sequence diversity of the rRNA and protein coding genes have not yet been determined. Nine strains including the type strains of synonyms of S. ludwigii deposited in the CBS yeast collection, Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands, were analyzed using a multi-locus sequence analysis (MLSA) approach that included sequences of 18S ribosomal RNA (rRNA), the D1/D2 domains of the 26S rRNA, the ITS region (including the 5.8S rRNA) and fragments of genes encoding the largest subunit of the RNA polymerase II (RPB1 and RPB2) and translation elongation factor 1-α (TEF1). Our results showed that the nine strains have identical D1/D2, 18S and RPB2 sequences and similar ITS, RPB1 and TEF1 sequences, which indicated that they are conspecific. In addition, a novel species of Saccharomycodes, S. pseudoludwigii sp. nov. (type CGMCC 2.4526 T) that was isolated from fruit and tree bark in China, is proposed. The MycoBank number of this new species is MB 811,650.

The role of exosomes in stroke.

Stroke is induced by a partial disruption of cerebral blood flow to the brain and is related to high morbidity and mortality. In the central nervous system, exosomes have been proven to exert neuroprotective effects, reducing brain damage following a stroke. This review was performed by searching the relevant articles in the SCIENCEDIRECT, PUBMED, and Web of Science databases from respective inception to November 2018. We review the relationship between exosomes and angiogenesis, neurogenesis, antiapoptosis, autophagy, and the blood-brain barrier in stroke. Moreover, exosomes are found to be a promising tool for the diagnosis and treatment of stroke. In summary, exosomes provide a novel way to alleviate brain damage following a stroke.

In-situ fabrication of zeolite imidazole framework@hydroxyapatite composite for dispersive solid-phase extraction of benzodiazepines and their determination with high-performance liquid chromatography-VWD detection.

A novel zeolite imidazole framework@hydroxyapatite composite (ZIF-8@HAP) was constructed via in-situ growth and developed for efficient dispersive solid-phase extraction (DSPE) of three benzodiazepines from urine samples. The prepared composite was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectrometer, Fourier-transform infrared spectrometry, X-ray diffractometry, zeta potential analyzer, and nitrogen adsorption-desorption experiment. Characterization results showed typical dodecahedron ZIF-8 crystals that were uniformly located on the surface of rod-like HAP. The combination of ZIF-8 and HAP made the surface area significantly enhanced from 4.68 to 205.44 m2 g-1. Compared with a commercial C18 adsorbent, ZIF-8@HAP exhibited superior removal performance for interfering components from urine and offered better extraction properties for the analytes. The prepared ZIF-8@HAP was applied as an adsorbent in DSPE, and the main experimental parameters, including pH and ionic strength of solution, adsorbent amount, adsorption time, elution solvent, and volume, were investigated. Under optimal conditions, the adsorption for 250 ng mL-1 of each analyte in 4 mL of urine was accomplished within 2 min using 60 mg of adsorbent. The method of ZIF-8@HAP-based DSPE followed by high-performance liquid chromatography gave enhancement factors of 13.3-15.3, linear ranges of 2.5-500 ng mL-1, and limits of detection (S/N = 3) of 0.7-1.4 ng mL-1. The relative recoveries at three spiked levels ranged from 88.7 - 102% with intra-day and inter-day precisions from 3.0 - 10.3% and 2.3 - 12.3%, respectively. These results indicated that the proposed strategy had promising applicability for convenient, rapid, and efficient determination of benzodiazepines in urine samples.Graphical abstract In-situ fabrication of ZIF-8@HAP composite for dispersive solid-phase extraction of benzodiazepines in urine samples.

Synthesis and herbicidal activities of aryloxyacetic acid derivatives as HPPD inhibitors.

A series of aryloxyacetic acid derivatives were designed and synthesized as 4-hydoxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD) inhibitors. Preliminary bioassay results reveal that these derivatives are promising Arabidopsis thaliana HPPD (AtHPPD) inhibitors, in particular compounds I12 (K i = 0.011 µM) and I23 (K i = 0.012 µM), which exhibit similar activities to that of mesotrione, a commercial HPPD herbicide (K i = 0.013 µM). Furthermore, the newly synthesized compounds show significant greenhouse herbicidal activities against tested weeds at dosages of 150 g ai/ha. In particular, II4 exhibited high herbicidal activity for pre-emergence treatment that was slightly better than that of mesotrione. In addition, compound II4 was safe for weed control in maize fields at a rate of 150 g ai/ha, and was identified as the most potent candidate for a novel HPPD inhibitor herbicide. The compounds described herein may provide useful guidance for the design of new HPPD inhibiting herbicides and their modification.

Hanseniaspora terricola sp. nov., an ascomycetous yeast isolated from Tibet.

Eight apiculate strains isolated from Tibet, PR China, were identified as Hanseniaspora taiwanica and a novel species of Hanseniaspora based on the sequence analysis of the ITS region, the D1/D2 domains of the LSU rRNA and the translation elongation factor 1-a (TEF1) gene. Among them, four strains with identical sequences of D1/D2 and ITS formed a separate branch from the known Hanseniaspora species in the phylogenetic trees, and differed from the known species by at least 17 (3 %) nucleotide (nt) substitutions in the D1/D2 domains and more than 6 % substitutions and inserts/deletes in the ITS region. The phylogenetic analysis indicated that those four strains represent a novel species of Hanseniaspora, for which the names Hanseniaspora terricola sp. nov. (holotype CGMCC 2.6175T; MycoBank MB 834591) is proposed. The other four strains belonging to H. taiwanica produce spherical, void or fusiform ascospores, which differ from the original description that ascospores are absent.

Determination of trace hydroxyl polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in urine using graphene oxide incorporated monolith solid-phase extraction coupled with LC-MS/MS.

The biomonitoring of hydroxy polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in urine, as a direct way to access multiple exposures to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, has raised great concerns due to their increasing hazardous health effects on humans. Solid-phase extraction is an effective and useful technique to preconcentrate trace analytes from biological samples. Here, we report a novel solid-phase extraction method using a graphene oxide incorporated monolithic syringe for the determination of six hydroxy polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in urine coupled with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The effect of graphene oxide amount, washing solvent, eluting solvent, and its volume on the extraction performance were investigated. The fabricated monoliths gave higher adsorption efficiency and capacity than the neat polymer monolith and commercial C18 sorbent. Under the optimum conditions, the developed method provided the detection limits (S/N = 3) of 0.02-0.1 ng/mL and the linear ranges of 0.1-1500 ng/mL for six analytes in urine sample. The recoveries at three spiked levels ranged from 77.5 to 97.1%. Besides, the intra column-to-column (n = 3) and inter batch-to-batch (n = 3) precisions were ≤ 9.8%. The developed method was successfully applied for the determination of hydroxy polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in urine samples of coke oven workers.

Possible Involvement of PTEN Signaling Pathway in the Anti-apoptotic Effect of Electroacupuncture Following Ischemic Stroke in Rats.

As a traditional therapeutic method, electroacupuncture (EA) has been adopted as an alternative therapy for stroke recovery. Here, we aimed to evaluate whether EA therapy at points of Quchi (LI11) and Zusanli (ST36) alleviated neuronal apoptosis by PTEN signaling pathway after ischemic stroke. A total of 72 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into three groups, including sham group, MCAO group, and EA group. EA was initiated after 24 h of reperfusion for 3 consecutive days. At 72 h following ischemia/reperfusion, neurological deficits, infarct volumes, and TUNEL staining were evaluated and the PTEN pathway-related proteins together with apoptosis-related proteins were detected. The results indicated that EA treatment significantly decreased cerebral infarct volume, neurological deficits and alleviated proportion of apoptotic cells in cerebral ischemic rats. Furthermore, EA significantly up-regulated the phosphorylation levels of PDK1, Akt(Thr308), GSK-3ß, and down-regulated the phosphorylation levels of PTEN, Akt(Ser473) in the peri-infarct cortex. EA treatment significantly reduced the up-regulation of caspase-3, cleaved-caspase-3, Bim, and reversed the reduction of Bcl-2 induced by the ischemic stroke. These findings suggest that EA treatment at points of Quchi (LI11)- and Zusanli (ST36)-induced neuroprotection might involve inhibition of apoptosis via PTEN pathway.

Poly[(2-(acryloyloxy) ethyl]trimethylammonium chloride-co-ethylene dimethacrylate monolith on-line solid-phase extraction coupled with liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry for the fast determination of salicylic acid in foodstuffs.

We report the fabrication of an anion-exchange monolithic column in a stainless-steel chromatographic column (10 mm × 2.1 mm i.d.) using [2-(acryloyloxy) ethyl]trimethylammonium chloride as the monomer and ethylene dimethacrylate as the crosslinker. The prepared monolith was developed as the adsorbent for the on-line solid-phase extraction of salicylic acid in various animal-origin foodstuffs combined with liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry. The monolith was characterized by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, nitrogen adsorption analysis, and elemental analysis. Potential factors affecting the on-line solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry analysis were studied in detail. Under the optimized conditions, the total analysis time including cleanup and liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry separation was 17 min. The developed method gave the linear range of 15-750 µg/kg, detection limits (S/N = 3) of 5 µg/kg, and quantification limits (S/N = 10) of 15 µg/kg. The recoveries obtained by spiking 10, 20, and 100 µg/kg of salicylic acid in the animal-origin food samples were in the range of 85.2-98.4%. In addition, the monolith was stable enough for 550 extraction cycles with the precision of peak area ≤11.6%.

Boric-Acid-Functional Lanthanide Metal-Organic Frameworks for Selective Ratiometric Fluorescence Detection of Fluoride Ions.

Here, we report that boric acid is used to tune the optical properties of lanthanide metal-organic frameworks (LMOFs) for dual-fluorescence emission and improves the selectivity of LMOFs for the determination of F- ions. The LMOFs are prepared with 5-boronoisophthalic acid (5-bop) and Eu3+ ions as the precursors. Emission mechanism study indicates that 5-bop is excited with UV photons to produce its triplet state, which then excites Eu3+ ions for their red emission. This is the general story of the antenna effect, but electron-deficient boric acid decreases the energy transfer efficiency from the triplet state of 5-bop to Eu3+ ions, so dual emission from both 5-bop and Eu3+ ions is efficiently excited at the single excitation of 275 nm. Moreover, boric acid is used to identify fluoride specifically as a free accessible site. The ratiometric fluorescent detection of F- ions is validated with the dual emission at single excitation. The LMOFs are very monodisperse, so the determination of aqueous F- ions is easily achieved with high selectivity and a low detection limit (2 µM). For the first time, we reveal that rational selection of functional ligands can improve the sensing efficiency of LMOFs through tuning their optical property and enhancing the selectivity toward targets.

Interactions of Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase Gene Polymorphisms, Folate, and Homocysteine on Blood Pressure in a Chinese Hypertensive Population.

BACKGROUND: High blood pressure is related to cardiovascular diseases. We aimed to explore the interactions of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHTR) gene C677T and A1298C mutations and folate/homocysteine (Hcy) status on blood pressure in a Chinese hypertensive population. METHODS: The clinical data in the present study derived from a previous trial (NCT00520247). Genotypes in Hcy pathway enzymes were detected by PCR-RFLP methods. Supine blood pressure was measured with a mercury sphygmomanometer. Serum Hcy was measured by high-performance liquid chromatography, and serum folate was measured by chemiluminescent immunoassay. RESULTS: This study showed that hyperhomocysteinemia independently elevated diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (ß (SE): 2.02 (0.85), p = 0.018). Furthermore, individuals with high Hcy and MTHFR1298AC + CC genotypes showed higher DBP than the normal Hcy and 1298AA carriers (ß (SE): 1.81 (0.54), p = 0.001). This correlation was verified by the trend test (p = 0.003). However, polymorphisms of MTHFR C677T, MTR A2756G or MTRR A66G do not affect baseline blood pressure level. CONCLUSIONS: The present study demonstrated that the MTHFR A1298C mutation accompanied by hyperhomocysteinemia jointly elevated DBP. Further studies are necessary to confirm the role of these genotypes and Hcy on blood pressure in a larger population.

Effective extraction and simultaneous determination of Sudan dyes from tomato sauce and chili-containing foods using magnetite/reduced graphene oxide nanoparticles coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography.

A simple, effective, and robust magnetic solid-phase extraction method was developed using magnetite/reduced graphene oxide nanoparticles as the adsorbent for the simultaneous determination of Sudan dyes (I, II, III, and IV) in foodstuffs. The magnetite/reduced graphene oxide nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and vibrating sample magnetometry. The extraction parameters including extraction time, elution solution, and elution time and volume were investigated in detail. Such magnetite/reduced graphene oxide nanoparticles based magnetic solid-phase extraction in combination with high-performance liquid chromatography and variable wavelength detection gave the detection limits of 3-6 µg/kg for Sudan I-IV in chili sauce, tomato sauce, chili powder, and chili flake samples. The recoveries were 79.6-108% at three spiked levels with the intra- and inter-day relative standard deviations of 1.2-8.6 and 4.5-9.6%, respectively. The feasibility was further performed by a comparison with commercial alumina-N. This method is suitable for the routine analysis of Sudan dyes due to its sensitivity, simplicity, and low cost.

Thyroid function is associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in chronic hepatitis B-infected subjects.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Associations between thyroid function and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are unknown in chronic hepatitis B (CHB)-infected patients. Thus, the aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction and its relationship with NAFLD in CHB. METHODS: Consecutive naive CHB infected patients that had undergone liver biopsy and serum thyroid function tests between January 2007 and December 2011 were retrospective analyzed. NAFLD was diagnosed as at least 5% biopsy-proven hepatic steatosis without significant alcohol consumption. RESULTS: A total of 1154 non-alcoholics with CHB were included, 270 (23.39%) patients were found to have NAFLD, most of them (88.5%) with mild steatosis. The prevalence of hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism (including subclinical and overt) was 1.56% and 1.64%, respectively, both with similar rates in patients with and without NAFLD (1.85% vs 1.47%, 1.48% vs 1.69%, respectively, both P > 0.05). The serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) level in NAFLD patients was significantly higher than that in patients without NAFLD (2.22 ± 2.13 vs 1.61 ± 1.20 mIU/L, P < 0.05). After adjustment for age and gender, the elevated TSH level was associated with increased odds of having steatosis (odds ratio1.54, 95% confidence interval 1.049-2.271) instead of viral factors and hepatic inflammation and fibrosis. CONCLUSIONS: Thyroid dysfunction is not common in CHB-infected patients, and the prevalence of hypothyroidism in CHB individuals with or without NAFLD is similar. However, increased serum TSH concentration at the normal range is a significant predictor of hepatic steatosis in patients with CHB.

Hepatic steatosis is highly prevalent in hepatitis B patients and negatively associated with virological factors.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The interaction between hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and hepatic steatosis remains unclear. We aimed to explore the trend of prevalence of hepatic steatosis and its relationship with virological factors in HBV infected patients. METHODS: Consecutive untreated patients with chronic HBV infection at Shunde Hospital between 2002 and 2011 were included. Quantification of HBV replication markers was performed by enzyme immunoassay, real-time polymerase chain reaction assay and immunohistochemical staining. Hepatic steatosis was defined as at least 5% hepatocytes affected. RESULTS: A total of 3,212 patients (2,574 men) with a mean age of 32 ± 9.3 years were analyzed. Serological testing showed detectable HBsAg in all, HBeAg in 63.8% and HBV DNA in 78.4% of patients. Liver biopsies demonstrated HBsAg- and HBcAg-positive immunostaining in 96.6 and 71% patients, respectively. Hepatic steatosis was present in 554 (17.3%) patients, with annual prevalence increased over time from 8.2 to 31.8% (trend analysis, x (2) = 51.657, P < 0.001). Compared to patients without steatosis, the percentages of serum HBeAg-positive and detectable HBV DNA, and intrahepatic HBsAg- and HBcAg-positive staining were decreased in steatosis patients (all P < 0.001). Adjusted for age and gender, intrahepatic HBsAg-positive staining remained as an independent factor associated with lower risk of steatosis (adjusted odds ratio 0.90, 95% confidence interval 0.835, 0.971) in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Hepatic steatosis in HBV infected patients has been raging over the past decade, and it is negatively associated with intrahepatic expression of HBsAg. Lifestyle intervention may be needed to halt the onset of steatosis in chronic HBV infection.

Determination of Sudan dyes in chili pepper powder by online solid-phase extraction with a butyl methacrylate monolithic column coupled to liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry.

A poly(butyl methacrylate-co-ethylene dimethacrylate) monolithic column was fabricated and used as a novel sorbent for online solid-phase extraction coupled to liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry for the simultaneous determination of Sudan I-IV in chili pepper powder. The prepared columns were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, nitrogen adsorption-desorption, and pressure drop measurements. Online solid-phase extraction was performed on the synthesized monolithic column using 10 mM ammonium acetate solution as the loading solution with the aid of an online cleanup chromatography system. The desorption of Sudan I-IV was achieved with acetonitrile as the eluting solution at the flow rate of 0.5 mL/min. The extracted analytes were subsequently eluted into a C18 analytical column for chromatographic separation using a mixture of 10% acetonitrile/90% formic acid (0.5%) solution as the mobile phase. Under the optimized conditions, the developed method had linear range of 1.0-50 µg/kg, a detection limit of 0.3 µg/kg, and a quantification limit of 1.0 µg/kg for each analyte. The intraday and interday recoveries of Sudan I-IV in chili pepper powder samples ranged from 94.8 to 100.9% and 94.9 to 99.4%, respectively. The intraday and interday precision were between 3.37-7.01% and 5.01-7.68%, respectively.