Prevalence and risk factors of periodontal disease among pre-conception Chinese women.

Background: Periodontal disease is one of the most common chronic infectious diseases. It has been reported that periodontal disease is associated with various adverse pregnancy outcomes including preterm birth, low birth weight, and gestational diabetes mellitus. Given the fact that the treatment for periodontal disease during pregnancy was ineffective in improving pregnancy outcomes by most of studies, the pre-conception period has been put forward as a more optimal time.

Nicotine Inhibits Cisplatin-Induced Apoptosis via Regulating α5-nAChR/AKT Signaling in Human Gastric Cancer Cells.

Gastric cancer incidence demonstrates a strong etiologic association with smoking. Nicotine, the major component in tobacco, is a survival agonist that inhibits apoptosis induced by certain chemotherapeutic agents, but the precise mechanisms involved remain largely unknown. Recently studies have indicated that α5-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α5-nAChR) is highly associated with lung cancer risk and nicotine dependence.

A randomized controlled trial of pre-conception treatment for periodontal disease to improve periodontal status during pregnancy and birth outcomes.

Background: Evidence has suggested that periodontal disease is associated with an increased risk of various adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes. However, several large clinical randomized controlled trials failed to demonstrate periodontal therapy during pregnancy reduced the incidence of adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes. It has been suggested that the pre-conception period may be an optimal period for periodontal disease treatment rather than during pregnancy.

Effect of the functionalization of the axial phthalocyanine ligands on the energy transfer in QD-based donor-acceptor pairs.

This study examines the electronic coupling between quantum dots (QDs) and molecules on their surfaces as a function of the modality of their interaction. As a probe, the energy transfer (ET) between CdSe QDs and phthalocyanines (Pcs) was monitored and evaluated with regard to the functionalization of the axial phthalocyanine ligand, bulkiness of the functional group bridging the QD donor and Pc acceptor, and the number of the functionalized axial ligands. New silicon PCs and their conjugates with CdSe QDs were synthesized.

Synthesis and photophysical properties of silicon phthalocyanines with axial siloxy ligands bearing alkylamine termini.

Eleven silicon phthalocyanines which can be grouped into two homologous series [SiPc[OSi(CH3)2(CH2)(n)N(CH3)2]2, n = 1-6 (series 1), and SiPc[OSi(CH3)2(CH2)3N((CH2)(n)H)2]2, n = 1-6 (series 2)] as well as an analogous phthalocyanine, SiPc[OSi(CH3)2(CH2)3NH2]2, were synthesized. The ground state absorption spectra, the triplet state dynamics, and singlet oxygen quantum yields of 10 of these phthalocyanines were measured. All compounds displayed similar ground state absorption spectral properties in dimethylformamide solution with single Q band maxima at 668 +/- 2 nm and B band maxima at 352 +/- 1 nm.

Highly enantioselective deracemization of linear and vaulted biaryl ligands.

[reaction: see text] A copper-mediated deracemization of the vaulted biaryl ligands VANOL and VAPOL can be readily achieved in the presence of (-)-spartiene. The optimal procedure involves the in situ generation of copper(II) and leads to the reproducible formation of (S)-VANOL and (S)-VAPOL in greater than 99% ee from the racemates. This method is superior to existing procedures for BINOL (92% ee).