Concordance of haemoglobin A1c, blood pressure and C-reactive protein between children and their parents in Chinese households

BACKGROUND

China has the world's highest diabetes prevalence, which along with hypertension and inflammation continues to grow particularly among children. Little is known about the strength of the association of these cardiometabolic risk factors between parents and their children; thus, the potential of household-based strategies to reduce risk is unknown.

OBJECTIVES

The objective of the study is to examine the parent-child association for haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), blood pressure (BP) and C-reactive protein (CRP) in a large, geographically diverse Chinese sample.

METHODS

In 940 parent-child pairs (children aged 7-17 years) who participated in the 2009 China Health and Nutrition Survey, we measured each individual's HbA1c and CRP using fasting blood and BP. We used sex-specific random-effects linear regression to examine the parent-child association for these risk factors, accounting for within-family clustering.

RESULTS

Child's HbA1c was positively associated with parental HbA1c. Beta coefficients ranged from 0.06 (95% CI 0.03-0.12) for father-daughter to 0.43 (95% CI 0.28-0.58) for mother-son pairs. We also detected a positive mother-daughter association for BP and positive father-child associations for CRP.

CONCLUSION

The statistically significant parent-child association for HbA1c, BP and CRP in Chinese families suggests that household-based interventions could be useful for confronting the high rates of diabetes, hypertension and inflammation in China.

Gestational weight gain in women with systemic lupus erythematosus

Objective The objective of this study was to estimate the proportion of pregnant women with systemic lupus erythematosus meeting Institute of Medicine guidelines for gestational weight gain and determine correlates of adherence to guidelines. Methods Singleton, live births in the Hopkins Lupus Pregnancy Cohort 1987-2015 were included. Pre-pregnancy weight was the weight recorded 12 months prior to pregnancy/first trimester. Final weight was the last weight recorded in the third trimester. Adherence to Institute of Medicine guidelines (inadequate, adequate, or excessive) was based on pre-pregnancy body mass index. Fisher's exact test and analysis of variance determined factors associated with not meeting guidelines. Stepwise selection estimated predictors of gestational weight gain. Results Of the 211 pregnancies, 34%, 24% and 42% had inadequate, adequate and excessive gestational weight gain, respectively. In exploratory analyses, differences in Institute of Medicine adherence were observed by pre-pregnancy body mass index, race, elevated creatinine during pregnancy and pre-pregnancy blood pressure. Odds of inadequate and excessive gestational weight gain increased 12% with each 1 kg/m² increase in pre-pregnancy body mass index. Lower maternal education was associated with increased odds of inadequate and excessive gestational weight gain. Conclusions As in the general population, most women with systemic lupus erythematosus did not meet Institute of Medicine guidelines. Our results identified predictors of gestational weight gain to aid in targeted interventions to improve guideline adherence in this population.

Association of blood monocyte and platelet markers with carotid artery characteristics: the atherosclerosis risk in communities carotid MRI study

BACKGROUND

Atherosclerosis is characterized by infiltration of inflammatory cells from circulating blood. Blood cell activation could play an important role in plaque formation.

METHODS

We analyzed the relationship between blood cellular markers and quantitative measures of carotid wall components in 1,546 participants from the ARIC (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities) Carotid MRI Study. Carotid imaging was performed using a gadolinium contrast-enhanced MRI and cellular phenotyping by flow cytometry.

RESULTS

Monocyte Toll-like receptor (TLR)-2 is associated with larger plaques, while CD14, myeloperoxidase, and TLR-4 associate with smaller. Platelet CD40L is associated with smaller plaques and thinner caps, while P-selectin is associated with smaller core size.

CONCLUSIONS

Blood cell activation is significantly associated with atherosclerotic changes of the carotid wall.

Spectrofluorimetric determination of surface-bound thiol groups and its application to the analysis of thiol-modified silicas

A sensitive spectofluorimetric method has been developed for the quantitative measurement of surface-bound thiol groups. The procedure is based on the quantitative esterification of the thiol group with Rhodamine B and its subsequent release from the solid by base hydrolysis for spectrofluorimetric determination. Application of the method to the analysis of thiol-modified nanoparticulate silicas yielded results that compared favourably against alternative approaches based on measurements of mercury capacity and iodometric titration of the thiol groups. Non-specific Rhodamine uptake, assessed using unmodified silica and C18-modified silica, did not significantly influence the analytical results. When applied to a typical 50 mg sample, the detection limit of the procedure was 1 nmole SH g(-1) silica.

Analysis of single polymer beads for solid phase combinatorial synthesis: the determination of reactive thiol and within batch polydispersity of bead loadings

Polymer beads are the starting point of many synthetic protocols, and in a number of combinatorial syntheses such studies are based on single beads. It has therefore become important that individual beads carry the same functional group activity and quality control of populations of beads requires a knowledge of the distribution of activity between the individual beads. A procedure was developed for the measurement of the thiol loading of single copolymer beads which is based on the bleaching of Michler's hydrol [4,4'-bis(dimethylamino)-diphenylcarbinol (BDC-OH)]. Flow injection colorimetry permits the small volumes of solution generated from single beads to be measured with rapid turnover and with a reproducibility of ca. 2%. The solution detection limit of 0.17 mM corresponds to a bead thiol concentration of 0.33 mmol g-1. The procedure and the variability of a bead population were demonstrated using modified styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer beads. The apparatus allowed fast, simple and accurate determinations to be carried out on the individual polymer beads. Within a single batch of thiol-modified styrene-divinylbenzene beads thiol loadings ranged from < 0.35 to 2.07 mmol g-1 or 0.12 to 1.3 mumol per bead. Polydispersity may therefore significantly influence screening decisions based on single bead syntheses.

Microwave driven ultraviolet photo-decomposition of organophosphate species

A novel beaker shaped electrodeless ultraviolet lamp, excited by the radiation of a conventional microwave oven, has been employed in the breakdown of organophosphate compounds in preparation for colorimetric phosphate determination. This new approach offers a highly rapid method of organophosphate decomposition prior to their analysis, with complete breakdown being achieved within 3 min. When evaluated using a number of inorganic and organophosphate compounds, quantitative release of phosphate from a carbon oxygen bond was achieved. Photo-oxidation of the organic triphosphate adenosine 5'-triphosphate results in the release of triphosphate that can then be broken down to three orthophosphate units by acid hydrolysis.

Retinal light-damage in albino rats: lysosomal enzymes, rhodopsin, and age

The damaging effects incurred during a light-insult on the albino rat retina are studied separately from the resultant loss of visual cells which occurs. Groups of rats, 5-20 weeks of age, are exposed to 48 hr of 80 lux illumination, maintained in the dark for various lengths of time, and then killed. Beginning at light-off and continuing throughout 3 days of darkness, assays are made of (i) outer nuclear layer thickness; (ii) whole retina rhodopsin levels; and (iii) activities of lysosomal proteases known to be important in the degradation of retinal and ocular tissue. It is found that (a) having been given the light-insult, most of the visual cells that will die and disappear do so during the dark, postexposure period; (b) the retinas of all the animals show a limited capability for regenerating rhodopsin after the light-insult but younger animals are somewhat more successful at sustaining this than are older ones; (c) proteolytic enzyme activity is greatest in older animals which are also the ones that lose the most cells.

Retinal damage in pigmented and albino rats exposed to low levels of cyclic light following a single mydriatic treatment

The present study demonstrated that less than three days of exposure to low levels of normally cycled ambient illumination are sufficient to cause death to photoreceptor cells in adult pigmented and albino rat. Cyclic light levels as low as 133 and 320 lux were found to destroy photoreceptor cells. A single mydriatic treatment with atropine immediately preceding the three-day exposure was sufficient to permit the effect in pigmented rats. No mydriasis was required for albino rats. When pigmented rats were reared in either 3 lux or 100 lux, it was found that these different light histories did not significantly affect the rats' subsequent susceptibility, during mydriasis, to retinal damage by cyclic illumination.

Identificatin of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons in diesel particulate emissions

Following collection of diesel particulate samples on high efficiency glass fibre papers, and Soxhlet extraction with cyclohexane, a two-stage clean-up involving DMF/H2O partition and silica gel thin-layer chromatography is required in order to simplify the extract. Individual compound identification can then be achieved by high resolution gas chromatography using WCOT quartz capillary columns with flame ionisation or computer-assisted electron impact mass spectrometry detection systems. The technique provides a relatively quick and simple enrichment step, whilst the high separating power of the capillary column is able to resolve the many chromatographically similar isomers and substituted PAH members that are present. Investigations indicate that presence of a vast range of PAH species, comprising both substituted and unsubstituted two- to seven-membered ring systems, many of which are known carcinogens and mutagens.

Heavy metal complexation in polluted molluscs. III. Periwinkles (Littorina littorea), cockles (Cardium edule) and scallops (Chlamys opercularis)

The accumulation of cadmium, zinc and copper by environmentally contaminated periwinkles, cockles and scallops has been studied by gel permeation chromatography of water-soluble extracts of the shellfish. Three distinct low mol. wt. (less than 3000) zinc complexes were separated from periwinkle extracts. Copper and cadmium were present as a single low mol. wt. species which is apparently responsible for the elevated copper levels in Littorina littorea.

Heavy metal complexation in polluted molluscs II. Oysters (Ostrea edulis and Crassostrea gigas)

Cadmium, zinc and copper, accumulated from polluted habitats by the oysters Ostrea edulis and Crassostrea gagas, were studied. Three distinct low molecular weight (less than 3000 daltons) zinc complexes were separated from highly contaminated C. gigas, one of which may be a complex with the amino acid taurine. Only one of these zinc complexes was present in less contaminated specimens of O. edulis. On gel permeation chromatography of oyster extracts, copper was eluted together with amino acids (principally taurine) and the betaine homarine. No evidence of metallothionein type proteins was found.

Heavy metal complexation in polluted molluscs. I. Limpets (Patella vulgata and Patella intermedia)

The accumulation of cadmium, zinc and copper by the marine gastropod molluscs Patella vulgata and Patella intermedia has been studied by gel permeation chromatography of water-soluble extracts of environmentally contaminated shellfish. A major proportion of the water-soluble cadmium and copper in these molluscs is associated with a protein of molecular weight 10 800 daltons. Evidence is presented supporting the similarity of this protein with mammalian metallothionein. This protein contained only a small proportion of the zinc found in the samples.