Late evening snack and oral amino acid capsules improved respiratory quotient and Fischer ratio in patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Appropriate nutritional support may improve energy metabolism in alcoholic liver cirrhosis (ALC) patients. We explored the effect of a late evening snack (LES) and oral amino acid (OAA) capsules on energy metabolism and the Fischer ratio in ALC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Ninety-one ALC patients were enrolled and randomly divided into three groups: 31 patients in the LES and OAA group, 32 in the LES group, and 28 controls. Respiratory quotient (RQ), carbohydrate oxidation rate (CHO%), fat oxidation rate (FAT%), serum isoleucine and the Fischer ratio were measured at baseline and at months 1, 3, and 6 of follow-up. RESULTS: The RQ in the LES and OAA group was 0.79 ± 0.06, 0.80 ± 0.04, 0.82 ± 0.04, and 0.82 ± 0.04 at baseline and at months 1, 3, and 6 of follow-up, respectively. These values were significantly higher than those in the LES group (P < 0.05). The RQ in the LES group was significantly higher than that in the control group at month 1 and month 6 (P < 0.05). CHO% in the LES and OAA group was significantly increased and FAT% was significantly decreased at month 3 of follow-up (P < 0.05). In the LES and OAA group, serum isoleucine and the Fischer ratio were markedly increased compared with the LES group and control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: LES can significantly increase the RQ in ALC. LES and OAA were more effective than LES alone in improving serum isoleucine and the Fischer ratio.

An Overview of Some Latest Development in Chinese Astronomy.

We present brief highlights and updates on some newer projects, both in operation/construction and in preparation stages, of astronomical research on Mainland China, with an emphasis on those involving international collaborations. Limited by the scope of this paper, this sample is not meant to be uniform nor comprehensive, and in some cases it may not be fully up to date. For more specific and detailed information on these or other projects, we refer the readers to the official websites of these projects and those of the National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Application of biosynthesized ZnO nanoparticles on an electrochemical H 2 O 2 biosensor

ABSTRACT ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized via a green biochemical method using Corymbia citriodora leaf extract as a reducing and stabilizing agent. The biosynthesized ZnO NPs were characterized by SEM and XRD. An electrochemical H2O2 biosensor was fabricated by modification of a glassy carbon electrode using our proposed ZnO NPs. The electrochemical sensor showed excellent detection performance towards trace amounts of H2O2, demonstrating that it could potentially be used in clinical applications.

Association between variation in the genes DDAH1 and DDAH2 and hypertension among Uygur, Kazakh and Han ethnic groups in China / Associação entre variação de genes DDAH1 e DDAH2 com hipertensão nos grupos étnicos uygur, kazakh e han na China

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: Dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase enzymes (DDAH), which are encoded by the genes DDAH1 and DDAH2, play a fundamental role in maintaining endothelial function. We conducted a case-control study on a Chinese population that included three ethnic groups (Han, Kazakh and Uygur), to systemically investigate associations between variations in the genes DDAH1 and DDAH2 and hypertension. DESIGN AND SETTING: Experimental study at the Department of Internal Medicine and Genetic Diagnosis, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology. METHODS: This case-control study included 1,224 patients with hypertension and 967 healthy unrelated individuals as controls. DDAH1 -396 4N (GCGT) del>ins, rs3087894, rs805304 and rs9267551 were genotyped using the TaqMan 5' nuclease assay. RESULTS: The G/C genotype of rs3087894 in DDAH1 was a risk factor for hypertension in the Kazakh group in the co-dominant model (G/C versus G/G) (OR 1.39; 95% CI: 1.02-1.88; P < 0.05), with the same result in the dominant model (G/C + C/C versus G/G) (OR 1.38; 95% CI: 1.03-1.84; P < 0.05). In contrast, the C/C genotype of rs3087894 seemed to be a protective factor against hypertension in the Uygur group in the recessive model (C/C versus G/G + G/C) (OR 0.62; 95% CI: 0.39- 0.97; P < 0.05). Similar findings for rs3087894 were also observed after adjusting the variable for the age covariate. CONCLUSION: Our results indicated that the C-allele of rs3087894 in DDAH1 was a risk factor for hypertension in the Kazakh group but a protective factor in the Uygur group.

RESUMO CONTEXTO E OBJETIVO: Enzimas dimetilarginina dimetilaminohidrolase (DDAH), codificadas por genes DDAH1 e DDAH2, desempenham papel fundamental na manutenção da função endotelial. Realizamos estudo tipo caso-controle na população chinesa, com três grupos étnicos (han, kazakh e uygur) para investigar sistematicamente a associação entre a variação de genes DDAH1 e DDAH2 e a hipertensão. DESENHO E LOCAL: Estudo tipo caso-controle no Departamento de Medicina Interna e Diagnóstico Genético, Hospital de Tongji, Tongji Medical College, Universidade de Ciência e Tecnologia de Huazhong. MÉTODOS: Este estudo incluiu 1.224 pacientes com hipertensão e 967 indivíduos saudáveis, sem parentesco, como controles. DDAH1 -396 4 N (GCGT) del > ins, rs3087894, rs805304 and rs9267551 foram genotipados usando o ensaio nuclease TaqMan 5'. RESULTADOS: O genótipo G/C de rs3087894 no DDAH1 foi um fator de risco para a hipertensão arterial no grupo kazakh em modelo codominante (G/C versus G/G; OR 1,39; IC 95%: 1,02-1,88; P < 0,05), com o mesmo resultado no modelo dominante (G/C + C/C versus G/G; OR 1,38; IC 95%: 1,03-1,84; P < 0,05). Em contraste, o genótipo C/C de rs3087894 parecia ser um fator de proteção para a hipertensão no grupo uygur no modelo recessivo (C/C versus G/G + G/C; OR 0,62; IC 95%: 0,39-0,97; P < 0,05). Achado semelhante para rs3087894 também foi observado depois de se ajustar a variante à covariante idade. CONCLUSÃO: Os nossos resultados indicaram que o C-alelo de rs3087894 no DDAH1 foi fator de risco para a hipertensão no grupo de kazakh, mas fator de proteção no grupo de uygur.

Association between variation in the genes DDAH1 and DDAH2 and hypertension among Uygur, Kazakh and Han ethnic groups in China.

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: Dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase enzymes (DDAH), which are encoded by the genes DDAH1 and DDAH2, play a fundamental role in maintaining endothelial function. We conducted a case-control study on a Chinese population that included three ethnic groups (Han, Kazakh and Uygur), to systemically investigate associations between variations in the genes DDAH1 and DDAH2 and hypertension. DESIGN AND SETTING: Experimental study at the Department of Internal Medicine and Genetic Diagnosis, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology. METHODS: This case-control study included 1,224 patients with hypertension and 967 healthy unrelated individuals as controls. DDAH1 -396 4N (GCGT) del>ins, rs3087894, rs805304 and rs9267551 were genotyped using the TaqMan 5' nuclease assay. RESULTS: The G/C genotype of rs3087894 in DDAH1 was a risk factor for hypertension in the Kazakh group in the co-dominant model (G/C versus G/G) (OR 1.39; 95% CI: 1.02-1.88; P < 0.05), with the same result in the dominant model (G/C + C/C versus G/G) (OR 1.38; 95% CI: 1.03-1.84; P < 0.05). In contrast, the C/C genotype of rs3087894 seemed to be a protective factor against hypertension in the Uygur group in the recessive model (C/C versus G/G + G/C) (OR 0.62; 95% CI: 0.39- 0.97; P < 0.05). Similar findings for rs3087894 were also observed after adjusting the variable for the age covariate. CONCLUSION: Our results indicated that the C-allele of rs3087894 in DDAH1 was a risk factor for hypertension in the Kazakh group but a protective factor in the Uygur group.