Hydrolytic Polycondensation of Bisphenol‐A‐Bischloroformate Catalyzed by Phase‐Transfer Catalysts

The hydrolytic interfacial polycondensation of bisphenol‐A‐bischloroformate was performed with four different phase‐transfer (PT) catalysts: N‐butylpyridinium bromide, triethylbenzylammonium (TEBA) chloride, tetrabutylammonium hydrogen sulfate, and tetraphenylphosphonium bromide. These polycondensations were conducted at 5 or 35 °C initial reaction temperature. The resulting polycarbonates were characterized by viscosity and SEC measurements and by MALDI‐TOF mass spectrometry. The four PT catalysts gave quite different results with respect to molecular weight and formation of cyclic polycarbonates. The highest molecular weights (number average, and weight average, ) were obtained with TEBA‐Cl. Lower temperatures and high feed ratios of TEBA‐Cl proved to be favorable for both high molecular weights and high fractions of cycles. Cyclic polycarbonates were detectable in the mass spectra up to 14 kDa (technical limit of the measurements). Low molecular weights in combination with unreacted chloroformate groups proved that the other PT‐catalysts were less efficient under the given reaction conditions.

MALDI‐TOF mass spectrum of the polycarbonate No. 3b .     

Age-dependent changes of gene expression in the Drosophila head

Previous gene expression profiling studies in Drosophila have provided clues for understanding the aging process at the gene expression level. For a detailed understanding, studies of specific regions of the body are necessary. We therefore employed microarray analysis to examine gene expression changes in the Drosophila head during aging. Six hundred and eighty-four of the 5405 genes present in the microarray showed significant age-dependent changes as determined by significance analysis of microarray (SAM) (q < 0.05). The biological significance of the changes was analyzed using the gene annotations provided by the Gene Ontology Consortium. Major changes involved genes affecting energy metabolism (proton transport, energy pathways, oxidative phosphorylation) and neuronal function, especially responses to light. Genes involved in protein catabolism and several other metabolic processes also showed age-dependent changes. Most of the changes were reductions in gene expression and occurred before day 13 of adult life. After day 13, the age-dependent gene expression changes were relatively smaller than earlier life. Interestingly, the two biological processes of major gene expression changes are related to the two known environmental changes that increase life span in Drosophila: caloric restriction and light reduction. Our findings suggest that light signaling and energy metabolism may be important biological processes affected by aging and be interesting targets for the further investigation related to the longevity in Drosophila.     

A genetic and clinical study of individuals with nonsyndromic retinopathy consequent upon sequence variants in HGSNAT,the gene associated with Sanfilippo C mucopolysaccharidosis

Pathogenic variants in the gene HGSNAT (heparan‐α‐glucosaminide N‐acetyltransferase) have been reported to underlie two distinct recessive conditions, depending on the specific genotype, mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIC (MPSIIIC)—a severe childhood‐onset lysosomal storage disorder, and adult‐onset nonsyndromic retinitis pigmentosa (RP). Here we describe the largest cohort to‐date of HGSNAT‐associated nonsyndromic RP patients, and describe their retinal phenotype, leukocyte enzymatic activity, and likely pathogenic genotypes. We identified biallelic HGSNAT variants in 17 individuals (15 families) as the likely cause of their RP. None showed any other symptoms of MPSIIIC. All had a mild but significant reduction of HGSNAT enzyme activity in leukocytes. The retinal condition was generally of late‐onset, showing progressive degeneration of a concentric area of paramacular retina, with preservation but reduced electroretinogram responses. Symptoms, electrophysiology, and imaging suggest the rod photoreceptor to be the cell initially compromised. HGSNAT enzymatic testing was useful in resolving diagnostic dilemmas in compatible patients. We identified seven novel sequence variants [p.(Arg239Cys); p.(Ser296Leu); p.(Phe428Cys); p.(Gly248Ala); p.(Gly418Arg), c.1543‐2A>C; c.1708delA], three of which were considered to be retina‐disease‐specific alleles. The most prevalent retina‐disease‐specific allele p.(Ala615Thr) was observed heterozygously or homozygously in 8 and 5 individuals respectively (7 and 4 families). Two siblings in one family, while identical for the HGSNAT locus, but discordant for retinal disease, suggest the influence of trans‐acting genetic or environmental modifying factors.     

Grandparental genotyping enhances exome variant interpretation

Trio exome sequencing is a powerful tool in the molecular investigation of monogenic disorders and provides an incremental diagnostic yield over proband‐only sequencing, mainly due to the rapid identification of de novo disease‐causing variants. However, heterozygous variants inherited from unaffected parents may be inadvertently dismissed, although multiple explanations are available for such scenarios including mosaicism in the parent, incomplete penetrance, imprinting, or skewed X‐inactivation. We report three probands, in which a pathogenic or likely pathogenic variant was identified upon exome sequencing, yet was inherited from an unaffected parent. Segregation of the variants (in NOTCH1, PHF6, and SOX10) in the grandparent generation revealed that the variant was de novo in each case. Additionally, one proband had skewed X‐inactivation. We discuss the possible genetic mechanism in each case, and urge caution in data interpretation of exome sequencing data. We illustrate the utility of expanding segregation studies to the grandparent generation and demonstrate the impact on exome interpretation strategies, by showing that objective genotype data can overcome subjective parental report of lack of symptoms.     

Impact of Dissection after Drug-Coated Balloon Treatment of De Novo Coronary Lesions: Angiographic and Clinical Outcomes

PurposeDissection after plain balloon angioplasty is required to achieve adequate luminal area; however, it is associated with a high risk of vascular events. This study aimed to examine the relationship between non-flow limiting coronary dissections and subsequent lumen loss and long-term clinical outcomes following successful drug-coated balloon (DCB) treatment of de novo coronary lesions.Materials and MethodsA total of 227 patients with good distal flow (Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction flow grade 3) following DCB treatment were retrospectively enrolled and stratified according to the presence or absence of a non-flow limiting dissection. The primary endpoint was late lumen loss (LLL) at 6-month angiography, and the secondary endpoint was target vessel failure (TVF, a composite of cardiac death, target vessel myocardial infarction, target vessel revascularization, and target vessel thrombosis).ResultsThe cohort consisted of 95 patients with and 132 patients without a dissection. There were no between-group differences in LLL (90.8%) returning for angiography at 6 months (0.05±0.19 mm in non-dissection and 0.05±0.30 mm in dissection group, p=0.886) or in TVF (6.8% in non-dissection and 8.4% in dissection group, p=0.799) at a median follow-up of 3.4 years. In a multivariate analysis, the presence of dissection and its severity were not associated with LLL or TVF. Almost dissections (93.9%) were completely healed, and there was no newly developed dissection at 6-month angiography.ConclusionThe presence of a dissection following successful DCB treatment of a de novo coronary lesion may not be associated with an increased risk of LLL or TVF (Impact of Drug-coated Balloon Treatment in de Novo Coronary Lesion; {"type":"clinical-trial","attrs":{"text":"NCT04619277","term_id":"NCT04619277"}}NCT04619277).     

四川参叶的生药学鉴定研究

参叶为少常用中药,主产于四川。我们通过调查,发現四川药用的参叶共有8种,均属人参属植物。本文报道了对8种参叶的生药学鉴定研究结果,提出了它们之间性状、显微特征的异同,创设了表皮细胞数的概念,并肯定了它在生药鉴定中的价值。研究结果对于合理用药、开发利用人参属植物资源及人参属植物的分类均有一定的价值。     

Dietary Fiber and Its Source Are Associated with Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Korean Adults

We examined the associations of dietary fiber and its source with cardiovascular risk factors in Korean adults. This cross-sectional study involved 16,792 adults from the 2013–2018 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data. Dietary data were obtained using a 24 h recall method and used to evaluate intakes of total dietary fiber and its source and fruit consumption. Cardiovascular risk factors included obesity, abdominal obesity, metabolic syndrome, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes. Multiple logistic regression was used to examine the associations of dietary fiber and its source with cardiovascular risk factors by sex. Total fiber and fruit fiber intake in men were inversely associated with metabolic syndrome (Q5 vs. Q1: odds ratios (OR) = 0.69, 95% confidence intervals (CI) = 0.53–0.92 for total fiber; Q4 vs. Q1: OR = 0.76, 95% CI = 0.61–0.93 for fruit fiber). Among women, a higher intake of fruit fiber was related to a reduced prevalence of obesity (Q4 vs. Q1: OR = 0.85, p trend = 0.029) and abdominal obesity (Q4 vs. Q1: OR = 0.82, p trend = 0.026). Total fruit and whole fruit consumption was inversely associated with obesity, abdominal obesity, and metabolic syndrome in men and hypertension in women. The amount and sources of fiber are associated with metabolic diseases in Korean adults and should be considered in the context of overall dietary quality.     

In Vivo Evaluation of Dendropanax morbifera Leaf Extract for Anti-Obesity and Cholesterol-Lowering Activity in Mice

Metabolic syndrome is a worldwide health problem, and obesity is closely related to type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and cancer. According to WHO in 2018, the prevalence of obesity in 2016 tripled compared to 1975. D. morbifera reduces bad cholesterol and triglycerides levels in the blood and provides various antioxidant nutrients and germicidal sub-stances, as well as selenium, which helps to remove active oxygen. Moreover, D. morbifera is useful for treating cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes. Therefore, we study in vivo efficacy of D. morbifera to investigate the prevention effect of obesity and cholesterol. The weight and body fat were effectively reduced by D. morbifera water (DLW) extract administration to high-fat diet-fed C57BL/6 mice compared to those of control mice. The group treated with DLW 500 mg∙kg⁻¹∙d⁻¹ had significantly lower body weights compared to the control group. In addition, High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol increased in the group treated with DLW 500 mg∙kg⁻¹∙d⁻¹. The effect of DLW on the serum lipid profile could be helpful to prevent obesity. DLW suppresses lipid formation in adipocytes and decreases body fat. In conclusion, DLW can be applied to develop anti-obesity functional foods and other products to reduce body fat.     

UK food and nutrition security during and after the COVID‐19 pandemic

The COVID‐19 pandemic is a major shock to society in terms of health and economy that is affecting both UK and global food and nutrition security. It is adding to the ‘perfect storm’ of threats to society from climate change, biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation, at a time of considerable change, rising nationalism and breakdown in international collaboration. In the UK, the situation is further complicated due to Brexit. The UK COVID‐19 Food and Nutrition Security project, lasting one year, is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council and is assessing the ongoing impact of COVID‐19 on the four pillars of food and nutrition security: access, availability, utilisation and stability. It examines the food system, how it is responding, and potential knock on effects on the UK’s food and nutrition security, both in terms of the cascading risks from the pandemic and other threats. The study provides an opportunity to place the initial lessons being learnt from the on‐going responses to the pandemic in respect of food and nutrition security in the context of other long‐term challenges such as climate change and biodiversity loss.     

Nurse Decision-making for Suspected Urinary Tract Infections in Nursing Homes: Potential Targets to Reduce Antibiotic Overuse

ObjectivesTo determine what information is most important to registered nurses' (RNs) decisions to call clinicians about suspected urinary tract infections (UTIs) in nursing home residents.DesignWeb-based discrete choice experiment with 19 clinical scenarios.Setting and ParticipantsOnline survey with a convenience sample of RNs (N = 881) recruited from a health care research panel.MethodsClinical scenarios used information from 10 categories of resident characteristics: UTI risk, resident type, functional status, mental status, lower urinary tract status, body temperature, physical examination, urinalysis, antibiotic request, and goals of care. Participants were randomized into 2 deliberation conditions (self-paced, n = 437 and forced deliberation, n = 444). The degree to which evidence- and non–evidence-based information was important to decision-making was estimated using unconditional multinomial logistic regression.ResultsFor all nurses (22.8%) and the self-paced group (24.1%), lower urinary tract status had the highest importance scores for the decision to call a clinician about a suspected UTI. For the forced-deliberation group, body temperature was most important (23.7%), and lower urinary tract status was less important (21%, P = .001). The information associated with the highest odds of an RN calling about a suspected UTI was painful or difficult urination [odds ratio (OR) 4.85, 95% confidence interval (CI) 4.16–5.65], obvious blood in urine (OR 4.66, 95% CI 3.99–5.44), and temperature at 101.5° (OR 3.80, 95% CI 3.28–4.42). For the self-paced group, painful or difficult urination (OR 5.65, 95% CI 4.53–7.04) had the highest odds, whereas obvious blood in urine (OR 4.39, 95% CI 3.53–5.47) had highest odds for the forced-deliberation group.Conclusions and ImplicationsThis study highlighted the importance of specific resident characteristics in nurse decision-making about suspected UTIs. Future antimicrobial stewardship efforts should aim to not only improve the previously studied overprescribing practices of clinicians, but to improve nurses' assessment of signs and symptoms of potential infections and how they weigh resident information.